Sitting at the table quill in hand, Benton reflected back on the week as he wrote in his journal. The past few days had been busy ones and, he thought to himself as he wrote, the coming days promised no change. Benton smiled, for this was the life he loved.
The week had begun with the arrival of two fellow researchers. Professor Hansen Bunson and Dr. Hukline N. Seenker were two of the best when it came to investigating mysteries of the sea and Benton was happy to be working with them again. Their ship had arrived safely and without incident save a run-in with some nasty weather that left our two passengers glad this was a land-based assignment. They were captivated by the sea for certain, but not too fond of the rolling of the deck during a good squall. Benton had helped get them settled in rooms at The Rusty Anchor and despite his suggestion they rest for the day the new arrivals insisted on beginning their work right away. He grinned as he remembered Bunson saying "No rest is worth anything except the rest that is earned."
The trio quickly made their way the short distance to the Sons of the Sea building. Loaned to the School of Ichthyology, Benton had already refitted the building to better suit the purpose at hand, and his colleagues were pleased at the progress he had made. As Benton showed them more of the facility they had discussed what remained to be unpacked and assembled.
"We've not much to finish here," observed Professor Bunson as he inspected the work done in the area they would use for their studies. "The instruments we have brought with us and the preparations you have made Benton will allow us to begin our work immediately!"
And so they did. Benton showed the newcomers the fish that had been brought to him by the skilled fishers of these lands and he beamed with pride. "We have many here eager to help us in our work," he said and pointed to barrel after barrel of Yellowtail Barracuda. "Indeed!" exclaimed Seenker. "These look to be excellent specimens! Well preserved...even some still alive! Excellent, excellent!"
The men spent the days hard at work studying each sample brought them. Making dozens of measurements, page after page of notes, and covering the walls with newly penned anatomical drawings the scientists stopped only for a quick midday meal. By night they sat around the table comparing notes and hypothesizing. Each new day had brought new findings to light and each evening brought them closer to a new day. The information they collected proved invaluable and there was no doubt in any of the researchers minds that their work today would benefit those for many years to follow.
Late one morning as the three went about the work at hand, they had begun to notice a peculiar odor. Faint at first it was hard to determine precisely from where the smell originated, and Benton recalled them laughing it off. "We are surrounded by dead, dying, and dissected ichthyoids," they joked, "and we question odd odors!"
Soon however it became apparent this strange smell was not just a result of their experiments. As they continued working on the specimens in front of them the mysterious odor became almost intoxicating. Professor Bunson had been the first to speak up, Benton remembered, and agreement was unanimous that indeed this was something out of the ordinary. The scientists continued on, taking extra care to be accurate in their recording of information from here forward.
Late into the night the three worked conducting various experiments and comparing notes. Dawn found them exhausted, yet charged with excitement. Findings had revealed specimens collected only from a particular region had this odor. This factor, combined with other oddities found left them both puzzled...and worried.
Bentons colleagues had retired and as he sat finishing his writings he wondered to himself what the morrow would bring. There wasn't enough known yet to be sure...but Benton felt this was merely the beginning of something much larger.
The week had begun with the arrival of two fellow researchers. Professor Hansen Bunson and Dr. Hukline N. Seenker were two of the best when it came to investigating mysteries of the sea and Benton was happy to be working with them again. Their ship had arrived safely and without incident save a run-in with some nasty weather that left our two passengers glad this was a land-based assignment. They were captivated by the sea for certain, but not too fond of the rolling of the deck during a good squall. Benton had helped get them settled in rooms at The Rusty Anchor and despite his suggestion they rest for the day the new arrivals insisted on beginning their work right away. He grinned as he remembered Bunson saying "No rest is worth anything except the rest that is earned."
The trio quickly made their way the short distance to the Sons of the Sea building. Loaned to the School of Ichthyology, Benton had already refitted the building to better suit the purpose at hand, and his colleagues were pleased at the progress he had made. As Benton showed them more of the facility they had discussed what remained to be unpacked and assembled.
"We've not much to finish here," observed Professor Bunson as he inspected the work done in the area they would use for their studies. "The instruments we have brought with us and the preparations you have made Benton will allow us to begin our work immediately!"
And so they did. Benton showed the newcomers the fish that had been brought to him by the skilled fishers of these lands and he beamed with pride. "We have many here eager to help us in our work," he said and pointed to barrel after barrel of Yellowtail Barracuda. "Indeed!" exclaimed Seenker. "These look to be excellent specimens! Well preserved...even some still alive! Excellent, excellent!"
The men spent the days hard at work studying each sample brought them. Making dozens of measurements, page after page of notes, and covering the walls with newly penned anatomical drawings the scientists stopped only for a quick midday meal. By night they sat around the table comparing notes and hypothesizing. Each new day had brought new findings to light and each evening brought them closer to a new day. The information they collected proved invaluable and there was no doubt in any of the researchers minds that their work today would benefit those for many years to follow.
Late one morning as the three went about the work at hand, they had begun to notice a peculiar odor. Faint at first it was hard to determine precisely from where the smell originated, and Benton recalled them laughing it off. "We are surrounded by dead, dying, and dissected ichthyoids," they joked, "and we question odd odors!"
Soon however it became apparent this strange smell was not just a result of their experiments. As they continued working on the specimens in front of them the mysterious odor became almost intoxicating. Professor Bunson had been the first to speak up, Benton remembered, and agreement was unanimous that indeed this was something out of the ordinary. The scientists continued on, taking extra care to be accurate in their recording of information from here forward.
Late into the night the three worked conducting various experiments and comparing notes. Dawn found them exhausted, yet charged with excitement. Findings had revealed specimens collected only from a particular region had this odor. This factor, combined with other oddities found left them both puzzled...and worried.
Bentons colleagues had retired and as he sat finishing his writings he wondered to himself what the morrow would bring. There wasn't enough known yet to be sure...but Benton felt this was merely the beginning of something much larger.