Chapter 135: One Week of Wandering

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~~Day 106 (Command, Day 69)

~~We're still on-route to the search area north of the Fire Realm. Things on the ship have been pretty quiet, except for maybe half the crew complaining that Flower snores.

~~Irleen still isn't talking to anyone. I keep trying to say things to her, but all I get are groans, if even that. It just makes me feel like an ass. I wanna say something to cheer her up, but everything I say just makes it sound like I'm trying to make her forget about the Sorians. I'm beginning to think that I should just stop talking period.

…

~~Day 107 (Command, Day 70)

~~Leynne reckons that we've reached the search area, although he's been checking landmarks to be sure. In the meantime, the Island Symphony circled the area while most of the deck crew looked over the edge for anything that we're not sure belongs. Which could be anything. It's been a long day. I'll have the night shift quit after I'm done writing.

~~I've had to shift people around thanks to us not having all of our engine room crew. Dubbl volunteered (I think; half of the explanation she gave me went a little over my head), and I've asked Flower and Line to trade positions down below every day. Leynne is gonna keep the night shift company, and Dholit is providing translations for both shifts in between naps and whatever else she does on this ship. I've also had Cale take up the night shift for now so we have another lookout.

…

~~Day 108 (Command, Day 71)

~~We're still circling the valley area Leynne indicated as part of our search area. So far, nothing.

~~Dubbl punched Sello today. From what I understood, Dubbl turned her back on him, and he touched her behind, so she floored him. Sello's been out for most of the day, so I'm glad Harley and Lidago were still around to help Flower with the engine. I really don't know what to do about it. Most of the crew agrees that Dubbl was in the right to deck him; the only holdout is Dholit, who thinks she could have reacted in a "friendlier" way. Whatever that means. The problem is I'm just not sure how to discipline Sello; cutting his alcohol ration might not be the best of ideas, especially since it makes him act crazy. Dholit keeps saying that she doesn't want to be in a room with him because of his smell. I can't assign him to the home office; we're nowhere near Skyrider Port. So I've done the only thing I can really think of; I told Dubbl to break his arm the next time.

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~~Day 109 (Command, Day 72)

~~Dubbl broke Sello's arm.

~~We're still circling the valley area, although Flower and Leynne have told me that they think we should move on. I want to agree with them, but there's just that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that we might miss something if we just leave. Then again, we might miss something if we don't move from this spot. I think I'm just gonna sleep on it.

…

~~Day 110 (Command, Day 73)

~~We're moving on to the ocean area to the northeast since we can't find anything in the valley. Leynne says we have about three days' worth of fuel before we'll have to return to port; we're going to stretch it out by running on sails whenever we can. Still, we've got a bigger area to cover.

~~The crew's getting a little tense, but at least it's nothing like the weeks we spent in between islands. Still, if I have to hear Line gripe about working in the engine room one more time, even I might decide to bop him on the nose. Dubbl's already knocked him on his ass twice (part of the reason he was complaining). I also just heard that Twali and Lwamm got into an argument. No one really knows why since Dholit decided to spend those ten minutes breathing heavily into my ear. Dholit has orders to deliver punishment to them the moment Layna and Biluf are off duty the next morning. I think Sello learned his lesson; Dubbl only gave him a black eye today.

~~Irleen still hasn't left her bed or talked to anyone. I guess not having to eat or use the head makes it easy to stay in one place for days. Still, it's making me worry, I mean even more than usual. I wish I had a way to get her to talk.

…

Link had his arm wrapped around the nearby stay as he watched the rising sun color the ocean gold. He knew he should have been looking over the bow; that was why he stood on the beakhead in the first place. But he had never seen the sun rise over the ocean before, and he had to admit that it was a very stunning view. The choppiness of the ocean before him gave the impression that the sun was slowly working its way out of the water. He mused to himself that he might have spontaneously written something if he knew anything about poetry.

"Wow…"

It sounded as if someone shared the feeling.

Link looked over his shoulder, expecting to find one of his crew. Instead, Princess Zelda's glowing form adorned the deck behind him. Once more, she stood wearing her airman outfit, and, like him, she had a look of awe on her face as she looked out at the sunrise.

Then she turned to address him with a soft smile on her face. "Once again, you have amazed me with a scene from your travels," she told him. "I could never imagine anymore a more beautiful way to begin the day."

Link allowed himself a half-smile as he looked back out at the sun. "Yeah, it's really… uh…" Link decided to let the sentence hang out of concern that saying the word "pretty" would make him sound stupid. He turned back to her and, after clearing his throat, asked, "How-how are you doing, Princess?"

She looked at him again, her face asking him if he had seriously just used her title with an expression conveying a slightly humored annoyance. "I do quite well," she replied. "Skipper."

Link groaned and pressed his free hand over his face. "Okay," he said. "Okay, I get it. I'm sorry."

"It is quite all right, Link," she told him with a giggle. "I must admit a perverse glee in reminding you that I have a personal name." She stepped down onto the beakhead and approached him. After leaning backward on the bulwark, she asked, "So where are we that you can find such an amazing sight?"

"About half a day away from the Fire Realm," Link said. "We're still searching for the Sorians. So far, we think that they might be somewhere around here."

"Oh, dear. You mean you have not been able to locate them yet?"

Link sighed. "Yeah. We managed to make a compass out of a few technoworks, and it pointed us in this direction. Kinda."

"Kind of?"

"It wasn't a very sure thing. I don't like to think so, but we may be wasting our time here."

Zelda shrugged her shoulders. "What other option is there?"

"Well…" Link released the stay and leaned backwards onto the base of the bowsprit. "Leynne threw out a few days ago that… instead of coming down here, like we thought, the Sorians might have found another place in the sky."

"That… Is that possible?" Zelda asked, her tone betraying confusion. "We watched Captain Koroul and his crew leap from the Smiling Gunner. Rireen explained that no Sorian could ever rise to the islands again if they ever fell too far below the islands. I… admit that I would not know how far that would be, but I cannot see the crew of the Horizon's Eye being able to return from such a descent."

"Maybe, maybe not. But even if the Sorians couldn't fly back up, it isn't like they didn't have another way of rising."

"How would you propose such a return?"

Link crossed his arms and looked down as he thought. "Well, the Sorians do have airships. They could easily ferry others back up here if they needed. We'd never be able to see it; even if you ran into another ship up there, it isn't as if you'd be able to tell it apart from a Hylian ship. A convoy…" He shrugged a shoulder. "… Maybe that'd stick out.

"Then there's them using the technoworks. I don't know how Lutock did it, but when we were exploring the Bold Island technoworks, he was able to move us from one room to another without even commanding the technoworks to do it. I mean… I know we didn't find any sign of the technoworks down here, but if they had something hidden down here…"

"Or," Zelda said, "perhaps they deactivate whatever technoworks they use. And, once this occurred, you would be unable to find nearby technoworks."

Link nodded. "You know, that could happen, too. But no matter what, the Sorians just might be in the sky."

"When will you return to the sky?"

Link sighed and let his arms drop. "I don't know. Another week, maybe. I told the crew we were here for a month." He looked past her at Line and Lwamm standing on the forecastle. "And I'm sure I've already taken enough of their time with this search. It's not fair to them."

Zelda had glanced over to follow Link's line of sight. "It may not be fair," Zelda told him, "but do you believe that Irleen is worth the inconvenience to them? She has been by your side ever since the day the Island Sonata was lost."

Link pressed a hand over his eyes. "I don't know. I'm-I'm trying to be fair to everyone."

"A difficult task, undoubtedly. But I have met your crew, Link. Most of them are quite understanding."

"Yeah, I guess. Leynne says we have fuel enough for two days. But… I think we might set back tomorrow." Then Link blinked as he realized something. He looked up at Zelda. "Uh… look, I know we just got you home and all—"

"Link," she replied with a soft smile on her face. "I consider Irleen a dear friend as well, and I would like to do everything within my power to help her find her people. I shall send word to the Skyriders and have them investigate each island. I shall even send servants to aid in communication between myself and your fellow captains."

"Can you do that?" Link asked. "I mean… there's still the whole thing about refugees on Skyrider Port."

"A matter which is in the latter stages of solution," she told him with a larger grin. "Believe it or not, Link, time passes up here as well."

"Oh. Uh…" He stepped away from the bowsprit and caught himself on a stay once more. "Well… yeah, I mean… if-if you want to."

Zelda giggled at him. "I assure you that I have such intentions. It only awaits your order, Captain."

Link gave her a strange look. Then he remembered that she was still wearing her airman outfit. Still, he was thrown by the fact that she would say something like that, as if she was still posing as an airman even when there had never been much necessity for that behavior in the first place. As if to emphasize the need for his permission, she clapped her boots together and stood rigid with her arms at her sides. It was not exactly the pose of an airman waiting for orders unless he was looking to impress.

But he could at least see the sentiment behind her gestures. If she wanted to play along, Link decided that he could at least indulge the Princess of Hyrule. So he turned to her and said in a crisp tone, "Then get to it, Airman Zelda."

Zelda gave him a salute. "Aye aye, Captain Link," she replied with a bright smile. Link returned the salute, and, as she dropped her hand, she disappeared from sight.

Behind her was Lwamm.

"Uh oh," Link grunted, quickly dropping the salute.

"Giltiyn Dholit!" Lwamm cried out as she turned around and ran back up onto the forecastle. "Giltiyn Dholit! May Kyabtin coyhaconwak!"

"Oh, man, not again," Link murmured as he crossed the beakhead. Then he jumped onto the forecastle to chase her. "Lwamm, wait! I can explain it this time!"

…

~~Day 111 (Command, Day 74)

~~I reeeeeeeally need to be careful when I'm talking to Zelda. I forgot that the Gelto still don't know that we do that. Well, I guess they do now since I had Dholit explain it to Lwamm, and she's probably going to tell the rest of the Gelto. It'll help. I'd rather not have them running away from me every time Zelda decides to pay a visit.

~~She told me that she'll be sending out servants to travel with Skyrider vessels so that they can find out if the Sorians are still in the sky. It's a relief, especially since I realized that our search down here can't go on much longer. I promised the crew some shore leave, and I still have most of my crew here with me. So we're gonna turn back tomorrow and settle back in Hovela. I don't like to believe it, but I think the search down here is just about over. I haven't said anything to Irleen about this, and I'm not sure I should just yet. I guess we'll see what's going on tomorrow.

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~~Day 112 (Command, Day 75)

~~We set back this afternoon. Leynne says we'll be back to Hovela by midday the day after next.