2234 work in progress

Jeffrey

It had been a few days since Jeffrey had last visited Dart, since he saw him like that, he didn't want to go to him again. Especially since he had found out what Dart did that got him in such a bad shape while everyone else remained almost unharmed. The recon group beached after the wreck they investigated had exploded, Dart was the only one who wasn't knocked out. And for some reason he had tried push all of them into the safety of a tree's shadow. Even him, which was the last thing he would've expected from Dart. 

Ik'hi told him that when they finally had found the group, Dart was looking more than terrible. The sunburn he had sustained would've already been fatal for a human, and he was a dolphin! He had to find out what would've driven that crazy fish to endanger himself to save someone he absolutely couldn't stand.

He was about to enter the med station and almost bumped into Mikiko, who was about to leave. Oh no, not him! Mikiko always wanted to talk and normally Jeffrey would quickly swim away from him, which always worked, after all Mikiko was condemned to swim slowly to spare his tail. But now swimming away wasn't optional anymore.

"Jeff! Hi, I jussst-t wanted t-to ask you sssomething." Mikiko quickly said while purposely blocking Jeffrey's path.

"It's Jeffrey."

"Yeah, whatever you like, sssay, do you maybe want to... hang out-t later? I want-ted to ssshow you something." 

The look on Mikiko's face told Jeffrey enough to know he had waited a while to ask that. After a moment of silence and the realization that Mikiko would not give way without an answer he replied:

"Fine then, now let me through already, I need to talk with someone!" 

And with that he slowly pushed the Stenos to the side. Mikiko couldn't complain, at least he got what he wanted.

As he neared the tank where he last saw Dart he could tell his situation hadn't gotten much better. He was still the same lifelessy floating dolphin from before, but something was different. His skin didn't look like on fire anymore thanks to the synthetic skin applied to him and his eyes were shut. Dart was sleeping.

Jeffrey turned around with a groan, uttering something under his breath and then almost yelled out:

"Can't  that stupid fish ever be awake?!" 

He was about to leave but wait, didn't he just hear something?

An "Ugh...", followed by a painful wimper.

"I-i-iss t-that your w-way of sssaying t-thank you?" 

Jeffrey shot around. Dart was looking at him with a shaky smile on his face. A smile that cost him a lot of effort. 

Everything Jeffrey had wanted to say to Dart was suddenly forgotten, all he managed to do was stare at the dolphin in disbelief, who had somehow managed to not lose his humor despite facing almost certain death.

"D-d-don't-t worry, I-I'll live t-to annoy you a-again." Dart said with a slight chuckle, an action he almost immeadiatly regret since his skin didn't quite like any movement at the moment. 

"Oh ssshut up, I'd like to know what-t t-the hell you were t-tin- thinking on that beach! Why would you even risssk your life if you knew you could've ended like us? And on top of that why didn't you just get help!?" 

Dart flinched at the sudden fit of rage by the Stenos-Orca Hybrid, apparently Jeffrey had given the impression he was about to lunge at him. His reply came slowly and quietly now.

"R-r-radio b-broke... I d-did my d-duty... h-had t-t-to help..." 

All of sudden Dido stormed in and crashed into Jeffrey's side, on purpose or not, he couldn't tell, but that little dolphin was furious. She was chattering something umcomprehendable in Terranic until she finally got herself together and whistled in Trinär.

"Leave him in peace, the wounded fin!"
"He needs rest, you annoying pest!"

Her rhyming was far from good, but the message was clear. As small as she might be, she was not one to mess with when angry. Dart was trying to say something but his voice had failed him.

"Fine, fine, I'll leave, I'm sorry." 

Dido angrily stared after him before turning her attention towards Dart, who gulped in face of the next dose of sleep medication he was about to get.

Jeffrey quickly swam away, passing a confused Dr. Benning on his way out of the med station. He had already gotten into enough trouble these past few days, a warning for disturbing a patient who was supposed to rest definitely wouldn't make a good impression. 

Had Dart really seen it as his duty to help him? The guy who used to make fun of his look and size since day 1? At least he made the impression that he did. Jeffrey owed him, probably big time. 

He decided he should try to get to know Dart a little more. And who knew that genetic mess of a dolphin better than Ik'hi, his roommate. Jeffrey just hoped Ik'hi would still want to talk to him, after all he hadn't been really nice to her. Well, it was worth giving it a shot.