First Introductions

Having been called up onto the ship had caught Ersatz off guard, though she by no means was going to argue with the rest and break from swimming. She watched and listened, slightly bemused, as the loud kadin with the mechanical leg was interrupted by the strangers they had been sent into the water to seek. The large stranger towered over the biggest ketukari aboard, at least twice the size if not more so.

Ersatz watched the interplay of words between the stranger and Kartha. As she watched, Ersatz certainly understood the caution. Given the way they spoke of the various humanoids also on the deck, she understood. Even though the stranger decided not to tell the gathered their name, they agreed to give everyone a chance to earn their trust. Several excited murmurs arose in the crowd as the stranger launched them self back into the blackened water and out of sight. After most of the excited bustle died down, it was decided to turn in for the night and begin their first impressions on these long lost cousins in the morning.

Bright and early, Ersatz collected her equipment into the small dinghy she'd be taking back out into the water. It didn't take long for the shadows that most of the gathered ketukari had reported having seen to be noticed again in the waters. Some of them had been revealed to be their distant cousins, but surely not all of them were. She braced herself when two of the shadows grew larger, bracing for something hitting the small boat and sending her overboard.

"Hey! Watch out!" Ersatz heard through the crash of water around and over her and her boat. She blinked away the water and took in the scene happening in front of her.

A blue ketukari with yellow stripes was attempting to intercept a tan one with pink streaks. Both appeared to be the same as the stranger who had visited their ship yesterday, though these two seemed younger and less haggard than the prior visitor. Ersatz watched with a slight tinge of annoyance mixed with amusement on her muzzle.

"Its about time Durai let us get close to them." Exclaimed the tan one, sniffing defiantly at the blue.

"You know as well as the rest of us that it was for everyone's safety. And yet, as soon as you hear we have the okay to talk to them, you attempt to dump one into the waters! We don't know how they'll react! You must be more careful!" Snarled the blue one, their yellow eyes intently locked on the tan's red ones.

Ersatz cleared her throat, offering a smile to the pair. "Hello there, I appreciate your concern, but I'm not afraid of getting a little wet."

Both looked at her, blinking before looking back at each other. The tan one smirked. "See, no harm done, and now that we have one's attention, you can ask all the questions you want."

The blue one simply shook their hear in exasperation and turned to Ersatz. "Hello, please pardon our sudden intrusion. I'm Vackhalee and my companion is Raspoie and we would love to get to know you and the others better."

Ersatz sat back with a smile. "I'm Ersatz. I have no problems answering questions, what would you like to know? I have all day."