"Oooh. That works?"

"Sure. You attach it to a propeller and it'll go really fast."

"Bet we can sell someone on giving that a try."

"And it should help interest your niece."

"It'll definitely do that."

"I'll see what I can remember about speedboats."

Dwarves are skeptical about things that go on water, but it is possible to find a couple who are intrigued by speedboats.

And are they willing to maybe go looking for Rirosseth and Lírnith's niece Celebrendes who might be on this island and might be a research asset?

How dangerous is that likely to be, how long a journey, how persuadable the niece...

Lírnith would know more about that than Annie would.

She is happy to hammer out expedition details. ...though Celebrendes is likelier to react well to a Dwarf expedition than a family expedition to find her. Lírnith's just consulting. 

The Dwarves agree on a price.

Annie shells out. Annie picks up a bit more translation work to cover for things being tight.

They set off. 

That was a good idea.

It was Lírnith's.

Well, thanks for paying for it. And thanks for talking to Lírnith, I think it makes her happy to know someone who's so important to me. 

You're welcome.

I love you and I'll be so happy once we know for sure you're safe forever.

I love you too.

I know I'll be okay eventually, I just need it to be in time.

I hope your niece can help.

I bet you'll like her. 

I hope so. What's she like?

By temperament a lot like my mother, but she had my mother to learn from and internalized the relevant lessons very aggressively. 

Not having met your mother I don't know what to take from that.