| “ | I trust you. We'll figure out the details later, but I can't imagine a world without Harding-Pencroft Academy. As Prince Dakkar's descendant and captain of the Nautilus, I ask you to please take this gift. I know you'll make HP even better than it was. We will, together. | ” |
–Ana Dakkar in Daughter of the Deep, to Ester Harding | ||
Ana Dakkar is the sister of Dev Dakkar and the prefect of House Dolphin. She is the descendant of Captain Nemo and the commander of the Nautilus.
History[]
Ana was born to Tarun and Sita Dakkar, the younger sibling of Dev Dakkar. Her parents were skilled marine biologists who were the living descendants of Captain Nemo, who captained the Nautilus. Two years before enrolling at Harding-Pencroft Academy, Ana's parents died while on an expedition funded by the academy.
Afterwards, Ana joined the academy. She was given intense training but eventually made the cut and became the prefect of House Dolphin. During her time there she befriended the new student, Nelinha Da Silva, along with Ester Harding.
Daughter of the Deep[]
Morning Swim[]
It is the last Friday of Ana Dakkar's freshmen year. As is her daily routine, she wakes up at five a.m. changes into a bikini and heads to the cliffs looking out onto the Pacific Ocean, where her brother, Dev is waiting for her with two dead squid. Dev jumps into the water first, which would mean he'd see Socrates, the dolphin they were planning on feeding the squid too, first.
Socrates seems more agitated then normal, and after a few minutes Ana notices the security grid that outlines the bay flicker, which has never happened before. After going back to the surface, she tells Dev, but he reassures her that it's probably not a problem, but that he would report it. He then gives her their mother's old pearl pendant, which he had recast as an early birthday gift.
Leaving Harding-Pencroft[]
Ana notices Dev isn't at breakfast, but chalks it up as him reporting the flicker in the grid like she asked him to. She then goes back to her dorm, where her roommates, Nelinha da Silva and Ester Harding, accompanied as usual by Ester's dog, Top, are packing for their Freshmen Trials. Once they are done, they head outside, where Ana sees Dev's girlfriend, Amela Leahy, on the grass with some other seniors, who tells her 'good luck' in sign language.
When they arrive at the bus, Gemini Twain is the only other student there, checking attendance. He and Ana exchange sarcastic remarks before the girls board the bus. Ana is happy to see their driver is Bernie, a retired navy that she likes, but is displeased to see their teacher chaperone is Dr. Hewett, the Theoretical Marine Science teacher, who Ana thinks is much too out of shape to chaperone the trials. They sit on the back of the bus. The bus starts moving and they pass all of the security, and soon they are on the highway, which gives them a great view of the school. Thirty minutes away from San Alejandro, where the boat they will take on their trials, the Varuna, is docked, Dr. Hewett starts briefing the freshman class on their trials. Once he is done, it is Gemini's turn to speak, and he tells them they will be in five groups of four, with one person from each house, but doesn't tell them the groups before listing off rules as he expects his classmates to abide during the trials.
Gemini never gets to tell them the groups, as while he is speaking, Ana notices what looks like a torpedo in the water heading for the cliffs Harding-Pencroft is standing on. A few moments later, and the bus is hit by a shock-wave, causing an 'earthquake'. Bernie gains control of the bus, but when he finally pulls over, they can only watch Harding-Pencroft begin to crumble into the ocean. They are hit by another shock-wave, and then Harding-Pencroft is completely submerged in the San Francisco Bay...
In panic and shock, the freshmen, plus Top, Dr. Hewett, and Bernie, run out of the bus and watch from the cliff. After a few minutes of panic, Ana announces that she saw the attack, and informs them about the incident with the grid that morning. Gemini tells everyone to get back on the bus so that they can go back and look for survivors, but Dr. Hewett interjects, saying that the freshmen trials still need to take place, so he and Bernie send drones out to search for survivors. Ana read Bernie's lips as he talked to Dr. Hewett, mentioning "Inside Help". The professor also says that he was expecting an attack like this, and that it must be from Land Institute, their rival school, and then gives Gemini the mission of protecting Ana at all cost, much to everyone's surprise and confusion.
The Traitor Theory[]
While they continue to the San Alejandro docks, Gemini sits in the back of the bus with Ana, Nelinha, and Ester, and tells them that he believes the four of them are the best in their respective houses. They soon conclude that there had to be a traitor at Harding-Pencroft, and seeing as the only people who left the school that day were the people on the bus, someone on the bus had to be a traitor.
When they arrive at the docks where their boat, the Varuna, is moored, Ana pulls the other members of House Dolphin aside while the rest of the freshmen unload the cargo, and tells them about the suspicions of a traitor in Irish, their years' dolphins' chosen secret language. Virgil Esparza informs them that Dr. Hewett used to work at Land Institute, which led to some more suspicions.
A few moments later, Dr. Hewett gathers the students. Ana lip-reads the words "buy us time" directed to some security guards, which then board Bernie's bus and drive off. Dr. Hewett then announces that this is no longer a weekend trip, but an indefinite assignment, and that all of them are in danger. Rhys Morrow asks if they can contact their families, as they will think them dead, but he argues it would be safer for them and their families for them to be believed dead. He then notices something on his tablet, and orders them to leave.
Exiting the Dock[]
While they prepare the Varuna for leaving, they find the ship is littered with gold-level crates belowdecks. Since these are usually only seen near Verne Hall under armed guard, Ana briefly suspects Hewett because he moved all of the crates to the Varuna immediately before Harding-Pencroft was destroyed. Meanwhile, she reminisces about Dev before chiding herself not to. Afterwards, the class prepare for leaving the dock by checking the systems. Unexpectedly, Dr. Hewett tells all the Prefects to meet him on the bridge over the loudspeaker.
Meeting on the Bridge[]
When Ana and the other prefects are on the bridge, she notices Dr. Hewett’s condition seems to be getting worse. When Franklin Couch voices this, Dr. Hewett states he is fine and tells the prefects to gather around the chart table, upon which is a gold-level box. Dr. Hewett reveals that normally the information he is about to give them is delivered in stages, and that their trial this weekend was meant to be their first exposure to Harding-Pencroft's true mission. Franklin questions him about this. Hewett reveals that the freshman class is meant to be the custodians of HP's secrets and the agents of its agenda. He also reveals not every student succeeds, which Ana takes to mean survives. Hewett then tells Ana to open the case.
Opening the Box[]
Ana has multiple doubts about this order. Nevertheless, she opens the case. Inside it are four strange-looking guns. Gemini extracts one of them and reveals it to be a Leyden gun. Franklin mentions Jules Verne’s name and this sets Ana off on a train of thought. After this, she starts doubting Hewett’s sanity and her own sanity for following his orders. Ana asks for an explanation, upon which Hewett takes a Leyden gun, apologises to Gemini and shoots him with the Leyden gun.
An Explanation[]
Everyone panics and becomes angry at Dr. Hewett, who reassures them that Gemini will not die. Upon hearing this, Tia starts to disassemble her own Leyden gun. Dr, Hewett begins to explain the mechanisms by which Leyden guns work. During the explanation, Gemini wakes up and learns that Dr. Hewett shot him. Dr. Hewett then says that in the event of another attack by Land Institute, they will use the Leyden guns instead of conventional ones. Gemini doubts this, as his SIG Sauers are more accurate, Dr. Hewett then states they are not shooting to kill, only to incapacitate. Ana hears him speak so bitterly about his previous employer that she starts to think she was wrong about suspecting him. In the other gold level crates are opto-electric camouflage modules and a pulse-dispersion unit.
Revelations[]
Ana then questions Dr. Hewett about the technology around here which was mentioned in his Theoretical Marine Sciences class. Dr. Hewett then reveals that Jules Verne’s novels, which Ana thought to be fictional, were based off eyewitness interviews. He also reveals that Harding-Pencroft's true mission is to safeguard Captain Nemo's legacy and to keep his technology out of the hand of human society. Ana then bursts out laughing. Dr. Hewett apologizes to her, but then his tablet computer dings. He announces they have found them. Dr. Hewett tells them to alert the crew; they are under attack.
TBA
Appearance[]
Ana is an Indian teenage girl with dark hair, eyes, and complexion.
Personality[]
Ana Dakkar is acutely intelligent, proven to be capable of adapting in a highly competitive environment that is the academy. She had become well-versed in quick thinking and communication, skills which resulted in her being made prefect of her House. Ana's logical mind and knowledge of naval logistics and combat exceeds those of others her age.
As the descendant of the renown naval genius, Captain Nemo, Ana struggled with the burdens of her bloodline. Unlike her brother however Ana learned to accept and master it, living up to her family legacy while also forging a new destiny for herself. Despite having the opportunity Ana chooses to not misuse the power and tech in her disposal, and avoids resorting to viciousness even when attacked by Land Institute and betrayed by her brother. She became a competent leader and became fiercely loyal to the students of her academy.
Trivia[]
- Ana is the first female protagonist of a Rick Riordan book to narrate a book on her own.
| Daughter of the Deep | ||
| Books: | Daughter of the Deep | |
| Main Characters: | Ana Dakkar | Dev Dakkar | Ester Harding | Gemini Twain | Nelinha da Silva | |
| Minor Characters: | Theodosius Hewett | Luca Barsanti | Ophelia Artemesia | Caleb South | Socrates | Jupiter | Nautilus | |
| Related Content: | Rick Riordan | Daughter of the Deep (film) | |