Sypherkhode822

In Dark Seas We Sail

Wheel sucked his teeth, trying to ignore the flare of annoyance. Shrugging as he sauntered away, he called out, "Sometimes, Uban, you remind me that you used to be a farmer."

After speaking with Pieter, Wheel strode towards the cabins to begin preparing for a training session at the island. Berlin and Pieter would work with pistols to start, while Uban and Hana would collaborate on magic. They'd need that if they were really chasing after Barizians. As for Ro- A splatter of wet spittle struck Wheel on the side of his head, slowly sliding down the face.

E
"FUCKING"
NOUGH
'ROHAAN!"

Wheel could see where a sparrow turned into a boy clutching at the Nest, faking nonchalance like it'd save him. Wheel's head tore around, looking for something that he could hit the boy with. Not seeing anything suitable, he hopped up on one leg and pulled the boot off his foot with a savage yank. Fixing his gaze on the Nest, Wheel wound up and flung the boot directly at Rohaan.

---

Hana flushed at the Captain's remarks, and looked down as he left. Sure, the Borealis was a pirate ship, but it's not like they'd done anything wrong yet. She studied the dented pewter flask in her hands. Drinking had been a regular part of life at the Schools, but she'd rarely drink by herself. She took another sip, then tucked the flask underneath her pillow. Turning, she set about tidying up her room, humming under her breath.

In Dark Seas We Sail

Wheel spat over the side of the ship, conceding that Uban had a point. "Damn, fair enough. And you're right, this crew is plenty good at taking down merchant ships and some coastal slavers, but the Barizians are likely to roll us." He straightened up, tossing the heavy coil of rope he had been tending onto the deck. "I'll talk to Pieter about arranging a training day." With that, the berserker sauntered off, leaving Uban alone.

--

Pieter saw Wheel approach with the feigned casualness that let him know that Wheel was going to ask something of him. "Yes."

Pieter spoke flatly. The two men had a relationship founded on the fact that neither of them would blink if they had to kill the other. There was a time for mercy and kindness, but it wasn't between them. Wheel could guess at how much Pieter had seen, and Pieter was more familiar with the berserkers life than anyone else aboard ship. They could speak honestly to one another.

"The crew needs combat training. Uban's never done anything like this, Rohaan's a danger to us as much as anyone right now, and Hana's greener than hell and vomited seeing a dead body. Barizians aren't normal, and it'd be suicide to crash the Borealis into them. "

Pieter nodded and chewed his lip. "Aye. I'll talk to the Cap'n. Start figuring out what you'll need."

--

Hana gratefully took the flask and took a sip. She hadn't known what exactly she had agreed to when she went with Berlin, just that it seemed like an opportunity to get away from the Schools. Life on the Borealis wasn't like anything she'd experienced before, either at the Schools or when she had made her way across the Continent as a hedge mage. But she hadn't been prepared for that leap either. She'd made it because it was what she had to do. She'd leapt onto this strange little ship with transforming boys and men who could summon lightning. What else could she do but adapt? Wiping her mouth, she looked at the kindly pirate captain, "Thank you, Berlin. You're a true gentleman." Rising to her feet, she took a deeper swig of the rum, shaking her head at the bite. "Ooh. Careful, Captain, you'll make a drunkard of me." Squaring her shoulders, she bobbed a curtsy which was slightly ruined when she fumbled with the flask, spilling some on her breeches.
"Oh fie!" Uselessly blotting at the spill with her hands, she cursed under her breath before remembering who was with her. "Pardon, Captain. I uh.. If you'll excuse me a minute, I'll get myself presentable."

In Dark Seas We Sail

Pieter lifted his mug in salute as Berlin strode away and put it to his lips, chuckling. The first mate had a relatively easy job- pay attention to everything the captain wasn't, and let him know about it when need be. If the navy had officers half as good as Berlin, it's likely Pieter would have stayed an honest man. As it was, the Cap'n was able to keep the Borealis running fine on it's near skeleton crew. It helped that much of the crew was magic, but credit was due where credit was due. Still, having such a small crew meant that he and Berlin needed to stay aware of their needs and make sure they were met. That was material- They went through as much rum in a week as a Ship of the Line did. Pieter knew, because he was the one who had to keep track. But there were other needs- such as the temperament and humors of the crew that had to be addressed. With the aftermath of the ruined town, it was clear that the more sensitive members of the crew would need to be seen to.

Pieter continued to reflect on the roles and responsibilities conferred to the first mate as he packed his pipe, enjoying the slight breeze that had picked up. He took a drink of his rum and watched the rolling of the sea.

--

Wheel stopped next to Uban, they were both working on the minor tasks that had to be done daily to live at sea. They had worked in silence together for a time, when they saw the Cap'n go past, descending to the crew quarters.
"Huh. Figure the Cap'n is gonna look after Rohaan and the witch." Wheel remarked, "What exactly happened? The girl was a dolt in the town, so I don't know how she's gonna stay on with us."

--

Hana had just finished making sure Rio knew the difference between 'I' and 'J' when she looked up to see the Captain- now shirtless and smelling slightly of rum, enter the small room. After the brief exchange with Rio, he scampered past them to rattle up the stairway.
"Are you alright?"
Hana's vision swam as she blinked away tears she hadn't been aware of keeping back. "Ah, Captain. I'm uh. I'll be fine. It's just that I. I've never.. I didn't know what it actually meant. To see slavers like that." She drew her arms around herself, shivering.
"If we're going after the ones who did this, if it means we're going to stop them.."
She took a deep breath, steadying herself, "If I can help bring those who did this to justice, I will do what I can."

In Dark Seas We Sail

Hanabaptiste shifted the book, turning it so Rio could look at the pages. Keeping her voice coy, she answered, "There might be a dragon. See if you can sound out this word, though." Her voice was even and playful. She didn't notice her hands had started to shake holding the book.

---

Pieter studied Berlin through lidded eyes as he refilled the mug. His shoulders were pulled in, his chin tucked and eyes lowered. He looked like a man who had gotten a thrashing and was bracing again. Pieter was fond of the boy, aye, but Berlin lived for him. Obviously he had been shaken to see Ro breakdown like that. Pieter would follow his Captain to hell and back, but he sometimes he needed someone to point things out to him."

"Burl, the boy's gone through things that would have broken soldiers. And aye, he's happier than he's been in a long while, and he's doing well. But he's still a child. Seeing the town would have brought everything back at once. We're finding those slavers, but ya gotta know that Roo's gonna take it hard. Mayhaps it'll give him comfort. Maybe'll hide. But they need to be stopped."

He looked out at the sparkling sea, watching the dark blurs of the fish swimming around the Borealis. They stood silently, looking out on the waves.

"Ye should speak to Hana too- she's been keeping it together but she's gonna come apart ugly like."

In Dark Seas We Sail

The Cap'n looked tired, and Wheel regretted how flippant he'd been earlier. The big man didn't know Bariz, didn't know how they operated. Wheel knew. He was so fucking frustrated though. He and the curse had been so excited, so ready. He had blue balls from the massacre. The Cap'n and the rest wouldn't understand. Couldn't know the need. He'd focus and help find the slavers. He'd get what he needed then.

"If they're Barizians, they'll be traveling in a group with other galleys. When they make raids like this, they clear almost everything out to make space for the slaves. There's not going to be a lot of supplies on board, so it's likely that there's a place for the ship to drop the slaves and resupply." Wheel walked next to the Captain, smoke drifting behind them as they left the ruined town. "When we passed them the night before, they was prolly getting back." The two men walked in silence after that, and though nothing was said, they both walked faster than they had before.

---

As Hana read, awareness would come upon her, and she'd notice the grubby boy in the corner watching her, the scratched wooden floors, and the smell of rotting seaweed and sea water that filled the room. The book in her hand would remind her of it's weight, and her eyes would water as she strained to make out the words. She didn't stop from reading, however, carefully pronouncing the words on the page. She would reflect momentarily on the meanings of the book, appreciating the deftly written prose. But such insights faded and the comforting tumble of syllables continued. After a time, Rio began asking her questions, and as she answered each, the numbness faded, leaving an emptiness inside her. Still, she didn't realize the Captain had returned until the door opened and Rio fled into his arms. She watched silently as Berlin comforted the blonde boy. Hana could sense the melancholy behind his words. She'd do as he asked, and give him time.

"Come, Rio, Bithdo is now outside the mendicants cottage, you'll like this next part."

---

Pieter had just finished squeezing a wedge of lime into the rum as Berlin walked heavily to him. They were at the prow, and both Wheel and Uban knew to busy themselves elsewhere on the ship, giving the two privacy. The old sailor handed the captain his mug, and took a swig from his own. There was a slight breeze that pulled at Pieter's linen shirt, and he was grateful for the pleasant warmth the rum left.

Fixing Berlin with a steady look, he asked, "The boy?"

In Dark Seas We Sail

Hanabaptiste felt like she was trapped in a strange time curse- the walk to the ship, her and Uban humming and singing in harmony seemed to last an eternity. The sand crunching beneath their feet providing tempo, the hiss of the waves working itself into the music. Hana had listened to Uban sing and play the lute plenty of times since joining the Borealis, but it would have been a tad too familiar of her to join and sing with him. Neither of them were married, and while she liked the man, she didn't think of him as a brother. But she'd needed to calm Rio down, and in her panic driven rationality, she'd asked for Uban's help.

And now they were singing together.

It was strange, everything seemed to be disconnected from one another, the hot sun on her scalp, the light breeze that pushed Rio's hair into her eyes. They were happening to different people, who all shared the same body. And so she thought deeply- or what passed for deeply in this state- about the implications of her singing with an unmarried yokel turned pirate. She also was absorbed in trying to remember which note came next, unable to contemplate anything else. Another, distant thought idly played with the thought of her leaving the pirates and making the most of it on this island. She dismissed this, it wasn't an option. She didn't have an answer she could put into words for why she had to stay with the Borealis, but it was compelling and the idea of staying on shore didn't carry much weight. She still walked, still sang. The world was walking and singing and holding a motionless boy who was growing heavier and heavier in her arms. He had gotten so heavy she didn't know if she could put him down. So she didn't. She walked and sang.

All of a sudden she was below decks, setting Rio down on her bed in her chambers. She couldn't say when she had arrived in her room, or just how she got there. The change had been so abrupt compared to the lifetime on the beach that she hadn't realized she could stop. She stood over the boy and hummed. What was she here for? Oh, right. Reading books to Rio. Breathing in, Hana shook her head like she had just woken up. The curse had ended. But she still had a job to do.

"Okay, if you'd like I'll read you the Midengarium. It's the old story I had told you about. In Elbar you'd be considered a little young to read the full text.. But, things will be fine. Okay. Um. I'll just." Hana lurched to the small shelf built into the wall that served as her bookcase. Scanning the titles dumbly, it took her three times to read through every title before realizing the book was right in front of her. Taking it, Hana went back and sat on the chest at the foot of her bed.

"Well, uh. Okay. There's an introduction, but it's really just about how the translator ignored the preexisting notions for how Aa script related to Old Tilnish and could actually be seen in the modern day by high country shepherds carving prayers into their walking sticks. Um. That's important to know, but ummm. Let's just start on chapter one.

Hana carefully turned the pages, coughed.

"Okay."

"When Bilen, son of Bifor, declared to the village that his ten by tenth birthday would be celebrated with great celebrations, there was much excitement and speculation to what would occur. Bithdo, nephew of Bilen, went to his uncle...." Hana read the old story. The words didn't stick in her mind, and on occasion she stumbled over her words, but it was fine. She continued to read, letting her lips go numb and her throat scratchy. It was a good story, and she wondered if Rio understood what she was saying. Even if he didn't, she hoped the act of being read to would soothe him and still his heart.

----

By the time Berlin gravely put his hand on the ugly village leaders shoulder, Wheel had already pulled out his baccy pouch and was rolling himself a cigarette. He smiled at the foresight he'd had to buy a package of matches when he had been in port. They were interesting little things, bits of wood that had been enchanted so all one had to do to make them flare up was scratch them. He wasn't sure how they worked, but he liked them.

Lighting the match, he held the flame to his cigarette, making sure it lit before tossing the match on the ground. They probably could have been made to last more than once, but merchants were bastards.

He watched as Berlin gave away enough gold to buy all the girls in a cathouse for a week. To some fucking idiot who couldn't stop a single galley of Barizians. They were obviously going to get rolled again, and he figured that money wouldn't stay in the fishermen's hands for long. Not his problem, of course.

"Wheel. Back to the ship."

He fell in line next to the captain, a spear ready to be launched. There was no blood to be spilt here today. The curse began to scream, howling and biting Wheel's veins and guts, angry and hungry. He sucked on the cigarette and tried to ignore the need as they walked through the ruined town. That money Berlin gave them would help, but this town wasn't coming back to how it was before for a long time. And even when the houses were rebuilt and the population returned, he doubted they would plant as many flowers as they had before. He was saddened that the thought of it didn't sadden him. He needed to draw blood. "Any plans on finding these slavers?" He asked, as they reached the beach.

In Dark Seas We Sail

Hana rocked the boy back and forth; trying to remember how she'd held her half sister. Of course, the moment Clothilde began to squirm, Hanabaptiste passed the infant to the ready nursemaid, who'd whisk the child away in coos and affection. She had not spent much time with children. So all she had to compare it to was her own childhood, of being taught to keep any bad thought from crossing your face, of always being pleasant. Of how resilience and duty were the highest virtues, and a woman's weapons were her grace and beauty. It was not a place to hold shifter boys who were sobbing in anguish. But she remembered what it had been like, having to cry without being held, being loved. She rubbed the boy's back with her hand, tucking her chin over his head. She continued to hum, softer now, it was the chorus to one of Uban's songs. Catching the nervous man's eye, she looked pointedly down at crying Rio. Catching her breath, she continued to hum.

----
Wheel rocked back on his heels in response to the big mans blow. It probably irked the hell out of him that he couldn't send Wheel flying. When the gate swung open and the towns leader stepped out, he wondered how the scrawny man had survived the raiders. He wouldn't have made a very good oarsmen, so maybe they spared him. Ha, the man looked like he'd have everything taken away from him. He'd die in five or ten years, bitter and begging for someone who'd died just yesterday. The heart remembers the best things only to torture us with them. Good memories made the best lash for lonely nights.

"A galley? Or were there others?"

Wheel started openly picking his teeth when the man began to talk again, the hatred catching in his voice and making it swell with emotion.

"Just one galley. They'd taken a few children in secret at first, once a week at first. It grew quiet, like they'd taken what they wanted and left us. But they came back all at once, armed to the teeth and without mercy." The man grasped the crossbow tightly, hands shaking. "We... I... ANCESTORS DAMN IT THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO." He cried, bending inwards like he'd been punched in the gut. He straightened slowly, his face composed. His eyes seemed to be wetter, and the lines creasing his face had grown.

"We had been fortunate in the past. We were just a fishing hamlet, and pirates never bothered to steal the fish we sold to outside merchants. But now these slavers have started to arrive, and we've never seen them before. They've been terrorizing the rest of the New Mulst islands for months now, but we never thought they'd attack us. We were foolish." The man looked Berlin directly in the eye. Shifting his gaze to Wheel, he scowled and lifted his crossbow, "I'd like you to leave."

In Dark Seas We Sail

Hot tears bloomed across Hanabaptiste's shirt as the boy sobbed into her arms. The countless anxieties and fears Hana had herself were pushed aside. Holding Rios shaking body, Hana began to hum, nursery rhymes blending into bits of opera changing into sea shanty morphing back to nursery rhyme. Anything would do, just to keep it up was the goal. Casting around, she saw a stone bench surrounded by blooming flowers. Carefully leading the senseless boy, Hana sat down, pulling him into her lap. Rocking him back and forth, she strained her ears over the crying and humming to hear what was happening elsewhere in the small town. All she had to do was sit there and hold him. Easy. Just hold a sobbing boy who could turn into a wild beast and bite her head off. Easy.

---

Wheel took the time while he was alone to stretch. The idiot townspeople gawked as he loosened up. He could hear them whisper to one another. Probably asking if they should shoot him while he was distracted. Ha. The thought of him being killed by a bolt from one of those shoddy crossbows almost made him laugh. The curse was flaring wildly around him, and his clothes tugged at him as if in a stiff breeze, even though the square was completely still. The sun had a mean glint to it, like it wanted to punish the men who walked on the earth. Why a god would care about the shit men did to each other was beyond him, but what did he know. Looking up at the church, he idly began to work his way through killing everyone inside. It's likely they had every able bodied man they had up on the roof, ready to shoot him. So he'd break down the front door, kill the women and kids, and then finish off the men. He'd have to be quick, though, to not let the men rain bolts down on him. He was still working out the details when Wheel heard Berlin running towards him. So the witch had been able to find the Cap'n. She wasn't totally worthless. The steam had been something new. The thought that she had more tricks like that excited him.
The townsfolk were so concentrated on watching Wheel they didn't notice Berlin until he was almost in the square. He was in excellent health, but Wheel could pick out a slight raggedness in his breath. There was a lot happening underneath the jolly smile. Was he scared? Likely. The big man caught his breath, slowly walking towards the church, telegraphing what he was doing, pretending the lion was a lamb. Trying to make friends.

"Just say the word, Cap'n! We'd be able to get out of this dump quicker. All the pretty girls have already been raped and taken by the Barizians. All that's left are cowards and their used up whore-wives."

Before the townspeople could respond, Berlin shouted, "OY!" drawing the furious attention upon himself. Wheel smirked and watched the Captain.

"Why don't you lower your weapons, come down here and we can just this through, eh? You can tell us more about what happened here. What say you, lads?"

The men retreated from the roof, disappearing from view. A moment later the doors to the church pushed heavily open, the gaunt man stepping out, keeping the crossbow leveled at Wheel. A closer view didn't reveal much else. His wan face was curiously unlined, but the deep bags under his pained eyes made him look old. He could have been an old man who carried the burdens of a young one. It could be a young man aged beyond his years. Either way, he had the collected look of a broken man living until he could die. Men on the roof reappeared, taking aim.

"We want you to leave. Let us rebuild our village and mourn for those taken from us."

In Dark Seas We Sail

Dragging the small boat onto the beach, Wheel helped Hanabaptiste off the boat. She was probably useless in a fight, but if she could stir up a wind, she could have some other tricks up her sleeve. He took her soft hand in his roughly, helping her more like an unsteady warrior than a lady and a student. He strode up the beach, keeping his grasp on her hand as she tripped and stumbled, trying to adapt again to solid ground. Unlike Berlin, he already knew what had happened. The place reeked of violence, sharp and hot and salty. It had gone stale, though. The only thing still fresh here was the fear.

"Come on. Let's inspect the town." Wheel didn't wait for Hanabaptiste to reply, and he vanished in the streets of the town.

Glancing back at the Captain, she saw that he was talking in a hushed tone to Rio. Shrugging, Hana turned and hurried after Wheel.

---

The buildings here were one and two stories, most built out of wood. They had been well constructed, and what they lacked in ornamentation they made up for with the attention that had been paid to the maintenance. Garden boxes bloomed with flowers, and small devotional statues lined the streets, each one commemorating an ancestor, friendly spirits of long ago loved ones helping the townspeople and giving them hope. Many of the statues she saw were smashed or knocked over, either from intentional vandalism or from people fleeing in haste, she couldn't tell. Clothes and household belongings littered the street, garters, smashed glass, sandals and wicker furniture thrown into the street, the aftermath of violence. Hana covered her mouth as she passed the body of a mule, crossbow bolts sticking out of it like a pin cushion, flies buzzing hungrily. Houses had been torched without any seeming reason, some homes looked completely untouched except for a broken window, others had been vandalized and set ablaze. She saw a slumped figure lying next to a flower box. Approaching with trepidation, the world seemed to collapse, until all that existed in the entire universe was her and the body. Every step began to reveal the horrible truth, and she wanted to turn and run and look away and go back to the Captain and go back to the boat but she was already there and she saw and

It was a young man. He had dark curls and was likely a fisherman. His, it's, his face had been subject to terrible violence. Hana fled, desperate to get away. But the violence was all around. Were they still here? Watching her from the shadows? In her panic, she didn't hear her name called. She was shocked into reality when she felt thick arms wrap around her midsection.

"NO!" She reacted without thought, reaching for the closest thing she could take hold of. The air around her sheared off into heated steam, flying away from her. Buffeted by the shock, Hana was thrown to the ground. The hard packed dirt struck her back and the wind was knocked out of her. Struggling for breath, she rolled onto her side, heart thudding.

"hey."

Hana rolled onto her back again, a few desperate gasps making it's way through the fog in her brain.

"HEY! I'M FUCKING TALKING TO YOU!"

Wheel stood above her, his face twisted in rage. His skin had peeled off, and she could see patches of too pink that made her nervous and that she avoided looking at. So she look at his hand, which he lowered to offer to help her up. He did this while still berating her, giving a step by step detail of just how she had fucked up, and that her failures could lead to the destruction of the ship and the death of everyone aboard. His voice was a steady monologue, occasionally interrupted with a bout of yelling, going red in the face, spittle flying from his mouth as he carefully rolled Hana's foot, testing if it had been damaged after she set the air around her up, sending gouts of steam everywhere. On reflection, it seemed that she had now discovered what battle magic she would be able to rely on in a fight. Sure, she could study books and books of strategy, but every bit of that knowledge would go out her head when someone grabbed her around the stomach. She could rely on steam. That was good to know. Wheel fell silent and calmly drew a pistol from his sash, holding it at his side without readying it.

"Can you repeat what you did earlier?"

Hana stopped moving, letting Wheel step past her. She nodded, then realizing he couldn't see her, said, "Aye. I can direct it, but I don't know what the results will be."

Hana, in her panic, had led them to the small main square. The small courthouse seemed almost diminutive next to the church and it's sturdy bell tower. Wheel stood before it now, feet planted. One hand rested on his hip, the other casually held the pistol at the ready.

"One step further and twenty crossbow bolts go through you! Leave."

A man stood on the roof of the tall beamed church. It was clearly the pride of the village, and the austere but artful masonry on the ground floor became clean planks of wood for the second, painted a gleaming white. And, standing and yes, holding a crossbow pointed directly at Wheel, was a gaunt man with tired brown eyes and greying hair. And beside him were several other men, all holding crossbows. The villagers. Some of them must have taken refuge in the church. Why it hadn't been attacked wasn't certain. But it had survived! And now they were pointing crossbows at them, so Hana guessed they weren't being greeted as liberators.

"One of you go find your Captain, tell him we have a member of his crew captured."

The other guards exclaimed and began to talk among one another in hushed tones.

"Quiet! One of you, go!"

Wheel and Hanabaptiste exchanged glances. Hana's eyes were wide, but Wheel saw that she was thinking, evaluating.

"I'll go get Berlin. Don't do anything, okay?"

Wheel smiled instead of answering.

Cursing under her breath, Hana turned and ran towards the beach and the Captain.

In Dark Seas We Sail

Pieter lowered his pistol, tapping it against his thigh. He straightened up, head moving to take in the girl in all her beauty. He'd been for a brief moment aboard another ship, one that belonged to something completely different than what he knew. It hadn't been an altogether pleasant experience. But for the moment to pass and the sensation fade? It made him feel.... Weird. He was a priest, and most priests didn't live to Pieter's age by being careless. He liked the girl, he just needed to know what she was capable of.

Ambling towards the galley, he walked next to Wheel in silence. He knew the dislike the man had towards Hanabaptiste, and he was curious to know just what the berserker thought of the recent experience. "We're making good time, aren't we?" Pieter nodded, answering, "Aye. This time of year the trade winds can be a little testy, and we would have been lucky for them to start blowing so early. We wouldn't have been stranded, but it would have taken a time." Wheel was silent again, and Pieter wondered what he was thinking. Entering the galley, Pieter straddled the bench, watching as Uban prepared the scrambled eggs. Despite the strangeness of last night and Hana's magic, Pieter felt good. Uban had agreed to be Pieter's apprentice, Rohaan had fully recovered from his injury, and the Captain's decision to bring a mage aboard seemed to be paying off. The crew was thriving.

The breakfast put Pieter in a good mood, daunting challenges weren't so bad after you had good food in your belly. Tucking in to the eggs, he briefly reflected on the other meals he'd eaten at sea. Biting into the cheese, Pieter decided that he didn't want his appetite ruined.

After the meal, he went to Hana, who was trying- and failing- to keep the pleasure from her face. The Cap'n had a way of making people feel appreciated, and he doubted she'd had much use for stirring up winds on land. Ah hell, he'd bother her about magic later, let her stay happy for now. Leaving the galley to tend to his duties, he strained his eyes to look up at the sails. Another reminder of his old age- he struggled to make out the details of the rippling cloth. It was like the world had grown hazier. More likely, it was his eyes. There's a reason why there aren't many old dogs like me he thought. The sea demanded everything, and he worried that he soon wouldn't be able to meet its demands. He still had it, and he'd have it for a while longer.

Steering the ship towards the shore, Pieter tried to remember what he knew about the port. Not much to remember, truthfully. It was a sleepy fishing town and most of the merchants tended to pass it by. He'd spent a few leaves there, and the only remarkable thing about the place was the peacefulness that held sway. Even when he was young and as rowdy as Wheel, a part of him had known to respect the little port's calm. It wasn't an important place, but it was good and the people valued one another. Pieter wished there were more places like it.

As the sun rose and brought clarity, the haze that Pieter had thought he imagined grew real, until he saw the thick smoke rising from the shore. Uban, up in the ropes, saw it too. The man clambered down and sought him out, puzzlement and concern written clear on his unlined face.
"Somethings going on in the harbor... there's smoke. A lot."

Berlin walked to stand next to his first mate, holding the spyglass he kept in his cabin away from Rohaan. Peering into it silently, he handed it to Pieter. Looking through it, Pieter saw the peaceful town had been torched, but the roiling columns of smoke that rose into the sky came from the fishing boats. Whoever had done this didn't want to be pursued.

"We're far too late." Pieter managed, his throat tight as he handed Uban the glass. He hadn't been able to make out the details of the town, but smoke like that was accompanied by major destruction.

"We can find out what happened. Everyone, to work."

A nervous silence settled over the crew as everyone withdrew, tending to their tasks.

The Borealis carefully navigated into the harbor, anchoring away from the still burning fishing boats. Gathering the crew, Berlin announced "We'll take the skiff to land, I don't want to risk the ship and I'd rather keep a low profile. Pieter will stay aboard- if you see anything unusual, load up the cannon and start firing. Everyone else will come."

Pieter lit his pipe and watched silently as Wheel and Uban heaved at the oars to bring the small boat to land. He stood next to the cannon, tapping a nervous beat with his hand. He didn't know what they'd find ashore.