Disclaimer: Wish I did own TNT's The Last Ship and Anne Bishop's The Black Jewels Trilogy, sadly I don't, but maybe one day, eh who am I kidding.
Chapter Four
Rachel was drinking the healing brew Kara had prepared for her under the watchful eyes of every male in the room, Halsey going so far as to sit next to her to make sure she drank it all. Normally she would've had something to say about all this fussing, but at the moment she was still reeling from her return from the killing edge.
She'd only risen to that cold clarity a few times in her life and never to exact the justice she'd just done on the isle. It unnerved her to know what she was capable of when pushed into the Twisted Kingdom, the madness that Black Widows walked carefully. But when Prince Frank lay dying in her arm, she'd broken with sanity for a while and had done what needed to be done, to avenge him and protect the other males who would've died to defend her.
Now though she felt regret, not because those horrid men were dead, but because her actions had been necessary to begin with. Knowing that she'd be remembering in her dreams those minds and lives she snuffed out in the weeks to come, she knew she'd be paying the price for her deeds soon enough.
Then two angry, but not killing-edge angry, Warlord Princes stormed into the room with an almost as angry Prince. The other men in the room tensed. Quincy struggled to sit up against the Healer's orders; to defend if need be, until Rachel tapped his first inner barrier, telling him she could handle this.
"Clear the room," Tom ordered as Rachel put down her cup and he called in a trunk she recognized all too well.
"What are you doing with that?" she demanded.
Her tone and posture were a challenge a Black Widow shouldn't make of the Warlord Prince Captain of the ship, but she didn't really care at the moment. Kara Foster snuck a glance back as Danny ushered her from the room, the last humans to leave. Halsey paused, wanting to stay and unsure of whose side he should be taking.
"Lord Halsey, leave," Tom commanded and didn't miss the small nod Rachel gave to send the Sceltie out.
"What's in the trunk Lady Scott?" he asked when only Rachel and Quincy were left.
"Something private."
"Not anymore. The Ruskans were after you, Queen Debra set up this mission for you, and as Captain of this ship I need to know why," not a direct challenge of an out-ranking witch, but a careful reminder that he had a duty, a responsibility to every life on board the Nathan James.
He set the trunk down on the table next to Rachel's healing brew, all the while maintaining eye contact. Rachel looked away first, to glance at the trunk and cast a quick probe of its contents, as she considered what to say.
"Have you tried to contact Lady Debra's Court?" she asked; "Did anyone answer?"
"We've tried, no one's responded as of yet and I suppose you know why?"
Then Rachel sighed, the fight going out of her, but not her stubbornness. When she looked back at Tom there was tiredness and sorrow in her eyes, but determination as well.
"Six months ago, something in the land changed and began to poison the Blood. Dozens fell ill in only a few weeks and soon enough we were dealing with a plague. I'm not a natural, but I've been trained as a healer. When members of my Queen's court fell to the plague and the other Healers couldn't save them, I went to see if I could help. When I saw the ill, I knew the normal means of healing wouldn't work. I spun a tangled web, to see why this was happening and what could be done to save them – I was not the only one," Rachel rubbed her hand across her Gray Jewel, a distant look in her eyes;
"Blood in every Territory west of the Milky Way were falling ill with this plague. My Sisters in the affected regions spun their own webs as I did, but they saw the plague bringing only death and the end of the Blood. I saw that as well, but I saw a cure – the Primora. When I went to Carmilla, the Queen of Brytol, she refused to listen because she doesn't trust Black Widows, fears them really. I refused to let her opinions prevent me; I came to Amerik with Quincy as my escort and spoke to your Territory Queen," Rachel reached for her trunk, but Tom refused to let her take it and she relented, continuing;
"Lady Debra asked her Black Widows to see if what I saw was possible. They couldn't see the cure as I did, but they saw a chance for the Blood to survive if I was allowed to search for the Primora. Lady Debra listened to her Black Widows and set up this mission."
"If a plague is killing Blood, Lady Debra would have told us," Mike disputed; "We would've understood the importance of finding the only cure."
"Not in this case," Rachel countered, her answer unconvincing; "Your males, it is your right to defend. You would've wanted to stay and fight this plague, but you can't wage war on a disease."
"The plague comes from the land," Quincy spoke up; "As such the first to be infected are the Queens."
Now the other men understood and they snarled. Rachel could see them fighting internally with their first instinct to turn the ship around and head for home, to defend their Queen.
"This is exactly what we were trying to prevent," Rachel spoke to bring them back to the duty at hand; "If the cure is not found, all of the Blood will be dead before harvest. Lady Debra and her First Circle understood this and so they knew the importance of keeping you ignorant for as long as possible. Lady Debra accepted the price that might be paid; now you must as well."
They didn't like, but they listened, just as Quincy and the other males from home and Lady Debra's males had all listened in the end.
"Are you suggesting our Queen is dead?" Hugh asked softly, dangerously.
"No," Rachel answered sharply; "Lady Debra is a Red Jeweled Queen, she will have the reserve power necessary to fight off the infection, the first few times at least."
"What do you mean 'the first few times'?" Tom asked, well, demanded.
"The plague began in the land, as the strongest of the caretakers the Queens are the first to be infected, but not the first to die," Rachel explained sadly; "The Blood who wear no Jewels are the first to die in an infected region. The Jeweled Blood can tap into their reservoirs and flush the disease out, but the infection returns because the plague is in the land. Those recovering will not have long before they are infected again because the disease is by now in most the food and the water sources they know of. They will tap into their reservoirs again and again to fight off the infection, draining themselves more and more until they have no power left to fight with and then they will succumb. First the non-Jeweled, then the lighter Jeweled, and finally the darker Jeweled Blood will die."
"Do you have any way of knowing how far the plague has advanced?" Hugh asked when neither Tom nor Mike could bring themselves to voice the question.
"No," Quincy answered at the same time Rachel said; "Yes."
"Well, which is it no or yes?"
"When we set out, there was no way for us to be sure how the plague was progressing, but I have been working a new type of web these last few weeks. I recently completed it and now have a way of monitoring the death rank of the disease," Rachel explained and turned to face Quincy, needing him to understand; "The web only monitors when there have been deaths among a Jewel rank, that does not mean everyone in that rank is gone. There will be fighters, who will hold on, who will dole out their reservoirs carefully and will survive longer because of that."
"Rachel, get to the point," Quincy prompted in trepidation.
"As of this morning, those among the Rose began to die," Rachel answered, knowing it would cut Quincy to the core as his wife, Kelly, wore the Rose.
What she did not know then was that Tom's wife Darien also wore the Rose and that her sentence nearly destroyed two men. Mike placed a comforting hand on Tom's back, offering his support, while Rachel watched Quincy, wishing she could offer more help.
"We didn't get the chance to search all of Anu Isle, and can't now, the presence of the Ruskans make it too dangerous, but I don't believe your Primora was there," Hugh took charge for the moment.
"Then we need to make haste for the next Antar Isle," Rachel turned towards Hugh, giving Tom time to collect himself; "My webs cannot tell me on which island the Primora can be found, only that one of them has it. The plague is moving faster than anticipated, so we need to match it for speed as best we can. Finding the Primora is the key to creating a cure and saving everyone we love back on land."
"We understand, Lady," Tom focused on his mission, on protecting his Queen and Territory first as duty dictated, despite the damage to his heart; "However the storm has kept us at sea longer than expected, we will have to make a detour to Tanamo Island to resupply before we make a run for the next isle. That is if Tanamo Island is safe?"
"Whatever has changed on the mainland doesn't seem to be true out on the islands, but I will look into a spell for testing the land, food, and water for you before we arrive," Rachel conceded to his expertise.
"Good, good. Mike, in two hours muster the crew on deck, they need to know what is going on."
"Aye Captain," Mike answered and left the room.
"Captain, might I suggest looking into a secure way for people to call home, to see if anyone can make contact?" Hugh suggested.
"That's a good idea; find Mason from Comms and gets his help on that," Tom delegated, Hugh nodded and also left the room.
"And what is in the trunk?" Tom asked weighed down with his new duty, bringing their conversation back full circle.
"Fully contained samples of the plague that I will test my cure on once we find the Primora," Rachel answered, finally easing the trunk out from under his hand and vanishing it.
"Keep it that way," Tom replied, too troubled to deal with that problem at the moment.
After Tom left a few seconds later, Rachel moved to sit next to her Purple Dusk Warlord.
"Rose, it's already reached the Rose?" he murmured.
"I'm so sorry, Quincy, but don't give up yet. You know Kelly is a fighter, besides if she and Ava went into the mountains as I told them to, then they should be safe from the plague long enough for us to find the cure."
"I know; I have faith in you, Rachel, as does Kelly. But is it wise to still be keeping secrets from Prince Chandler?"
"For now, we both have enough problems to deal with, those other ones can wait. Besides, between you and the Sceltie, I'm going to be hounded enough; I don't need any more males fussing over me."
"As you will, Lady," Quincy replied, his Protocol wording agreeing to abide by her decision while disagreeing with her choice, especially the having enough fussing males part.
LS-BJ-LS-BJ-LS-BJ
Tom wearily surveyed his crew of 216 honorable and brave individuals who all served Queen Debra. They were all good men and women and he was about to shatter their worlds. It was probably for the best that Rachel had chosen to keep Quincy company as he rested in his room. Once they got over their shock and anger the crew would have many questions for her, though Halsey had already made it clear he would nip anyone that upset or overly stressed the Black Widow.
As the last few crew members settled into formation, Mike and Hugh came to stand behind Tom as a united front. Looking out over those curious and somewhat wary faces, Tom inhaled deeply and steeled himself for what was to come.
"As most of you have sensed these last few weeks, something was off with the psychic energies coming from home. I now know why that has been so and the news is far from good. There is a plague that is sweeping through every Territory west of the Milky Way Mountains and it is killing all the Blood it infects."
Here he had to wait as the disbelief and then fear rolled out, the crew shifted, murmurs abound, and then Protocol won out and they returned their focus to him:
"Lady Scott, however, has seen the way to cure the land and our loved ones, but to do that we must find the Primora. Without it all the Blood will die. Our Queen gave us this mission and so we will see it through. We will help Lady Scott find the Primora and create the cure. Then we will head home to save our families and friends," emotions settled as the crew picked up on his confidence and faith; "This mission will not be easy. Every day that we are at sea, good people will die, but we cannot give up hope. We will not give up hope. We are the Blood, we have overcome many problems in the past, and this will one day be just another one our grandchildren tell their children about."
He paused, to let the ramifications sink in. Then he nodded to Hugh to step forward.
"In light of the situation at home, Prince Jeter and Journeyman Mason have created a temporary means of contacting home on the threads. Only the communications room has been spelled for these safe conversations, so we will have to take turns, but everyone is going to be given the chance to contact loved ones. Prince Jeter has arranged a rotation and will be informing you of your assignment now."
Tom stepped back and watched his crew. It was a lot to take in, a lot riding on hope, but his people were holding it together, and looking at their determined faces, he truly believed they would get through it.
LS-BJ-LS-BJ-LS-BJ
Sitting in spare chair in the communications room, Tom sank to the depths of the Sapphire and sent out a thread to Debra's Master of the Guard in the direction of Norfolk Port, the Queen's home village. Prince Graeton wore the Sapphire as well, so despite the distance they would be able to converse with ease, if Graeton answered Tom's call.
*Prince Chandler?* Graeton responded after Tom's second attempt.
*Yes, Prince Graeton, it's Tom Chandler. Lady Scott has informed us about the plague. How is Queen Debra?*
*The Queen survives,* Graeton replied after a delay, *and her Court holds, though many are now dead. Have you found what you were looking for?*
*Not yet,* Tom understood Graeton's caution when it came to details and followed the other Warlord Prince's lead; *We are heading towards the next location, but will not stop until we do.*
*Good, the Queen wills that you do so. We have faith in you and Lady Scott. May the Darkness be merciful.*
*May the Darkness protect you,* Tom replied and then Graeton ended the conversation.
Regardless of the spells in place, Tom agreed with Graeton's prudent actions. All the relevant information had been exchanged; there was no reason to continue talking, not with Ruskans out there. Now that he'd fulfilled his court obligations, Tom sent out a thread again on the Sapphire, sending this thread in a direction several miles south of Norfolk Port. He was desperately hoping for a response along the Rose, but after several minutes a Red replied instead:
*Son, is that you,* his father's familiar psychic energy resonated along the thread.
*It's me, Father, it's me. How are you? Darien? The kids?*
*We thought we'd lost you out at sea, are you well?* his father evaded.
*Father, what's wrong? How is Darien?* Tom gripped the armrests of his chair tightly; *Answer me.*
*I'm fine and so are Ashley and Sam,* his father answered, pain leaking through their bond; *I'm sorry son, but Darien is not well.*
*She's drained her reserve energy fighting off the plague,* Tom squeezed his eyes shut, wanting to shut out the pain now cleaving his heart.
*Yes, but she's holding on, she's fighting it with everything she has son. What of you? Has the plague touched you all the way out there?*
*No, I am well. The plague cannot reach me out here.*
*Are you coming home son?*
*No, I cannot yet. My Queen has sent me on a mission that relates directly to this plague. It will take time, but I'm going to do it, I have to see it through for all of the Blood. Just hold on until I do. Tell Darien. . . tell Darien and the kids that they have to keep fighting until I come home.*
*I will son, we won't give up. Come home soon.*
*I will, I will,* Tom answered; then let his father go.
He bowed his head and trembled. This was only the beginning of the price he would pay to save the world.