Lightning strikes in the center of town, illuminating the darkened city. Warm summer rain pours down over the buildings, seawall and harbor. There stand ten armed and armored Sarrik soldiers on the pier beside the Reckoning, a mage named Sheriac, and their leader Valentin, Baron Avery. Aboard the great ship are about twenty sailors in various states of sobriety, and also the ship's leaders: Rhyll,Vendig, Dacien, Candra and some others. Six archers from Candra's warriors have scrambled into the ship's slick rigging to get a bead on the bluecoats on the pier. Cabnor and his son, and his carpenters, cower behind some waterbarrels. They didn't expect a battle--this was just a little mending job.
Rhyll calls down to Valentin, "What's this then? Would you presume to attack my ship? Are you that foolish?"
Valentin calls back: "You're holding a crown fugitive, Captain Rhyll! Hand him over or you will face the consequences!"
Rhyll calls back, "This is not Sarrik and your crown has no authority over this ship. May I assure you that you attack at your own peril."
Valentin, rain streaming down his face, calls up, "What about dragons, Captain? There's a price on the man. I'm prepared to give you the bounty now and we can ignore all this unpleasantness. You're a man of business, aren't you?"
The men, many of them hunted men like Talon, look to Rhyll for his reaction. He'd never sell out a gentleman of fortune!
In reply, Rhyll calls down: "I'll ask you one last time stand down or suffer the consequences."
The lead soldier, a tall hard-faced man with dark hair, says, "Never mind, my lord. These scum won't treat with us. Their loss, you ask me."
In the murky water, Baj swims swiftly for the Reckoning, "Come on, Talon."
Talon tries to keep pace with the Urag, kicking forward powerfully but silently.
Baj stops swimming and treads water while Talon catches up, "This bodes no good, Talon. I should be with my crew in this fight."
Talon says, "That's where we're headed. I'm not so sure this was the best course of action though."
Baj reconsiders his options and swims quickly for the pier, hoping to join the fray.
Talon says, treading water next to Baj, "Maybe we should have waited on the dock, then we could have helped by attacking those men from behind."
Lightning strikes again, over the harbor this time, and thunder peals out across the ships, rattling timbers.
Benning ambles along the pier, standing at the end where a curious crowd has formed. He's easily visible in his white robes.
Rhyll says in a low voice to Candra, "I want that mage taken out if they don't stand down."
Dacien spots Benning coming along the pier and tugs on Rhyll's shirt, "Cap'n, Mister Benning has returned."
The rain pours down. "What about your lands, Baron Avery?" Valentin says, taunting now. "What about your father's name?"
Rhyll looks shocked for a moment. "Baron Avery was my father, who your men killed. Don't tempt me more then you have already."
Valentin says, "The King would justly reward a noble of Sarrik who came to his aid. Or have you turned renegade, Rhyll?"
Dacien waves to Benning, gesturing him away from the impending fight.
Benning nods to Dacien and calmly stands at the periphery of the crowd on the seawall.
Rhyll looks around his in mock indignation and says, "Me, a renegade? Surely you jest. But if I'm not wrong didn't you refer to yourself as the Baron of Avery to King Bastien? For shame, killing a man and then taking what is not rightfully yours."
Valentin says, "I took nothing. The King is most generous. And he can be so for you, as well. Just hand over what I seek."
Baj paddles swiftly under the pier, looking for the hull of the Two Moons and her mooring lines.
Talon, no stranger to moving unseen in the water, dives down deep and swims up next to the Urag.
The bulk of the Two Moons hull looms in the dark dirty water under the pier ahead of Talon and Baj. The timbers are encrusted with barnacles. Spotting a hanging line from the Two Moons, Baj grabs hold and waits for Talon.
Talon, holding his breath, signals for Baj to go up, and he will follow after him.
Baj takes a firm grip on the line and begins to climb up to the pier. Talon gives Baj significant time to head up the rope then follows after him.
Talon and Baj swing up, dripping wet, onto the pier behind the Sarries, beneath the looming bulk of the Two Moons anchored beside.
Baj crouches down in the shadows, readying himself for whatever happens.
Talon draws his dagger and crouches beside Baj, who slips his twin rapiers from their scabbards.
Rhyll says, "So you would be willing to forsake the titles to all of Avery for this one man? What kind of fool do you take me for Valentin?"
Valentin says, "Your lands were forfeit to the crown, but name some other reward and I will see that it's granted. The King will take you back into the family of Sarrik again."
Rhyll spits back, "Not even for my poor dead father's title would I give anything to his murderer. Now back down or fight King's dog."
Valentin's expression is unreadable in the rainy darkness. He signals to the mage. A voice calls from the rail of the Two Moons. "Archers! If those bluebellies make a move, feather the lot of them!" The Opal stands there, at the side of her ship, one foot on the rail, sword drawn.
Valentin hasn't drawn a weapon yet. His two lines of troops are between him and the Reckoning, and behind those lines are Valentin and Sheriac, the mage. But now they are in a deadly crossfire zone.
Rhyll looks over to the Opal on the Two Moons and gives her a little salute.
Valentin says, "Pirates. You're all alike. Never seeing the big picture." He weighs the odds, then signals to the mage, who lowers his hands.
Lightning strikes again.
Baj moves forward toward the mage with his rapiers drawn, emerging from the shadows, "No hasty moves, gentlemen, or someone might get hurt."
The Opal nods to Rhyll, and shrugs at Valentin's words.
Baj looks Valentin up and down, "This one looks like the sort to send his lackeys to ambush a wagon full of orphans."
Dacien waves to Benning and gestures for him to come running.
Talon from the cover of shadow nods and says, "That would be him."
Dacien swings one of his rapiers toward Valentin, "Your poorly trained dogs are lying in the woods tonight, King's Man. They were without honor, so we did not bother to mark their passing."
Valentin says to Baj, "Honor, pirate? What do you know of that? You know the man you protect has none. Where is he, after all?"
Baj arches an eyebrow and chuckles, "And you claim to know honor? You who claim the lands of a murdered man?"
Talon waits in the shadows to see what Baj does.
Candra asks Rhyll, "Should we stick 'em, my Captain?"
Rhyll calls down, "Touch that man Valentin and your good as dead. Mister Mirko, please report to the deck." He says to Candra, "If they move on Baj, fire at will."
Baj drops his weapons to his sides and nods, "Aye, Captain." He moves toward the Reckoning, cutting directly through the Sarrik troops.
Valentin tells his soldiers: "Stand down, the lot of you." His men back down the pier, warily, weapons at the ready for any trouble. Valentin turns to go. "This isn't over, Captain Rhyll. Nor do I forget this, Opal."
Lurking in the darkness, Talon slips back quietly into the water.
The mage, the soldiers and the nobleman make their way down the pier, to the seawall, and head off into the rainy night.
Talon swims quietly under water to the far side of the Reckoning and then procedes to scale the hull.
The Opal calls to Rhyll: "If you need assistance, Captain, we stand ready."
Thunder cracks across the harbor again.
Rhyll gives a courtly bow and calls back, "I am in your debt dear lady. May I repay some of it by offering you an invitation to dine?"
Baj climbs the gangway to the Reckoning's deck. "An interesting day, Captain."
The Opal shakes her head. "I must decline. Another time, perhaps."
Rhyll bows again then says, "Alas, too bad, my thanks though dear lady."
Benning heads up the gangplank after Baj, and Dernit and some of the Reckoning's crew are in tow. "I found 'em, Mister Dacien!" Dernit says, proudly.
Dacien smiles broadly at Dernit, "Good job! I knew I could depend on you." Dernit beams in reply.
Baj looks at the crew returning, "Did I miss something?"
Talon pulls himself up from the water, scrambling up the rainy timbers. He gets a leg over the far side rail, landing softly on the deck out of sight.
Almira is last to return. Irritable and sour faced, he says, "I am here, Captain, but I hardly see the need for urgency, to so interrupt my meditations..."
Rhyll says, "Mister Dacien, have a man run a case of that fine brandy we have below over to the Two Moons with my compliments to the Captain."
Dacien says, "Aye, Cap'n."
Rhyll nods to Almira, then adds to Dacien, "I'll need a message delivered to King Bastien as well. Better we use a paid messenger then one of the lads though...some one that can be trusted, or at least bought."
Dacien says, "Aye, sir. By the time you have it written out, I'll have ye a messenger." He grabs Ferlan by the sleeve and looks into his eyes. Seeing near-sobriety, he tells the big man to go below and fetch a case of the best brandy over to the Two Moons for The Opal.
Rhyll says, "Well, well my good Master Wizard you missed all the fun and a mage of the Ruby Tower to boot."
Almira cradles his bald head. "I should have liked to have encountered him." The rain pours down and lightning strikes again.
Rhyll says, "You will probably get the chance again, I assure you."
Rhyll stalks to his cabin and calls back , "Mister Mirko, to my quarters, I would have a word for you. And by the way did we lose somebody?"
Baj follows Rhyll, "Not that I know of, sir. Who are we missing?"
As Rhyll enters his cabin he says, "Where's the healer?"
Baj says, "He was right behind me before you ordered me back aboard, I am sure that he will find his own way back."
Dacien moves over to Cabnor, "If ye wouldn't mind, sir, I have an errand for yer boy that'll take him to the palace o' King Bastien to deliver a message."
Cabnor nods. Gabi is at his side. The father wipes water from the young boy's eyes.
Gabi says, "An arrand, Mister Dace?"
Dacien says, "Aye, Gabi. A message from the Captain to the King. And a gold dragon fer yer trouble."
Gabi looks to his father, who nods permission, holding out his hand for the coin.
Dacien smiles, "I'll put the coin in yer hand with the message, lad."
Rhyll grabs two brandy glasses and pours two shots then says, "Anything for you Baj?"
Baj says, "Information, sir? The crew is coming back already--are we pulling in lines soon?"
Rhyll waves that off. "First things first. We still need those repairs done before we go anywhere." He gulps down the first glass then seats himself at his small table. "So any idea why the King of Sarrik's head spy is so eager to get his hands on our healer?"
Baj says, "None, Captain. But he sent three men after us on our trip to the orphanage."
Rhyll gulps down the second glass and says, "Are you sure you won't join me?"
Baj shakes his head, "Not at the moment, sir. There are many questions that need answers this night."
Rhyll says, "Well, I guess we can ask the man when he shows up. Lucky for him Lord Valentin is going around refering to himself as Lord Avery. After hearing that, the only thing I would agree to give that man is the sharp end of my cutlass."" He looks down and sighs. "Baj, I did a stupid thing, but this mess with Valentin may just give us an excuse to get out of it."
Baj raises an eyebrow again, looking confused, "Sir?"
Rhyll takes the letter of marque he received from Bastien and lays it out in front of his first mate.
Baj gives the paper a brief look and drops it back on the table, "We can send it back to him by messenger and we will be out of the port before he receives it."
Rhyll says, "I plan to, with a note stating that with the mess we are dealing with Lord Valentin, it makes us a poor choice to work as his agents at the present time."
Talon heads back to the cabin he shares with Benning to change into some dry clothes.Benning sits on a bench within, in silent prayer. He raises his head when Talon enters. "You chose not to confront Valentin," he says, quietly.
Talon shrugs out of his wet shirt."At the time, it did seem the wisest course of action." He slithers into some dry trousers and sits down on his bunk. "I suppose I ought to go see the Captain."
Benning nods. "Men were prepared to die for you."
Talon gets up and heads for the door then turns back and says, "I know they were, and for little gain for themselves. You pirates surprise me every day."
Benning is silent, bowing his head and returning to his prayers.
Up on the main deck, Dacien oversees the stowing of supplies, watching carefully for sober crewmen as they return.
The ship's evening shift begins reporting to their stations. Told to return as soon as possible, they are restless and curious what is afoot. Groups of crewmen return sporadically to the ship, at the Captain's summons. It seems all are aboard well before mid night.
Talon heads across the deck, aware of the many eyes on him.
Rhyll removes an ink pot, quill, and paper from a draw in the table and starts writing a note. "You know the Opal recommended us."
Baj says, "I feel certain that His Grace will have heard from Valentin before any message of ours reaches him."
Rhyll says, "Well perhaps a note will prevent us from creating a new enemy. Bastien doesn't seem half bad, I'd rather stay on his good side if I can."
Baj says, "She thinks highly of this ship. I am sure she thought it a compliment."
Rhyll says, "Oh and I took it as one. It's just we have other business to attend to at the moment." He scatters sand on the wet ink of his note, and blows on it to dry it.
Baj smiles, "Aye, sir. And I had best be getting to it."
Just then there is a quiet knock on the cabin door.
Rhyll calls "Enter."
Dacien pokes his head into Rhyll's cabin, "Captain, the repairs are completed and I've got that messenger ye asked fer."
Rhyll pours hot wax from the candle atop his note to seal it "Just in time, I want this ship out of port as soon as we are able. Also Mister Dacien, my thanks."
Dacien takes the papers from Rhyll, "Aye, sir. We'll be ready to pull out in an hour or less, assuming the rest of the supplies get here afore then."
Rhyll says, "One hour Dace, no more."
Dacien runs back up on deck and presses the message and a gold dragon into Gabi's hand, "Take good care with this, lad, Straight to the palace o' King Bastien, y'hear."
Gabi says, "Aye-aye, Mister Dacien!" With a salute, he hurries off. His father nods to Dacien, and he and his crew move off down the gangplank. "Good sailin', Reckonin'!" he calls, shaking the small bag of dragons Dacien paid him for his work.
Dacien grabs Vendig, "One hour and we pull in lines. Cap'n's orders. Pass the word, if ye would."
Vendig grins, spoonful of mush in his hand. "One hour t'sea, lad! Aye!"