Silver and Gold
A/N: Well…looks like they like it so far…just you wait until it gets going…heh…they'll kill me…reviewers! I love my reviewers!
But there isn't much to say to the reviewers except that the game to which Garet was referring was the card game he and Jenna were playing at the end of DT—Go Fish.
With that…read on, people!
Chapter Two: Able-Bodied Seapeople
"Milord, they've left for Daila."
"When did they leave?"
"Not less than five minutes since, milord."
"Good, good. The plan is succeeding splendidly. That fly will be a smear on the wall in no time."
"Are you certain there is absolutely no chance of failure, milord?"
"After so many years, that Barbaus ought to know what's got to be done."
"You've given Barbaus quite an…unusual task, milord, if I may speak it. Hunting for—"
"Shut up you fool! Do you want to be overheard?"
"Of course not, milord."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"Um…Kraden? Well, you see…it's all very hard to explain," said Chaucha finally. "We sent him off with Obaba—she's the only one who can stand him—to the Ankohl Ruins, and we sent a couple of Briggs' crewmen with them, because they're both getting on in years and we feared for their safety."
"Feared for her safety," Briggs corrected almost inaudibly. Chaucha glared at him and he took a small step back.
"They returned while Briggs, Eoleo and I were out with the boat and the rest of the crew, taking a load of supplies to Izumo, and that night Champa was attacked."
"Attacked?" asked Mia, shocked.
"Yes," said Chaucha in an ominous voice. "Attacked. By pirates."
"But I thought Briggs and his crew were pirates," Isaac said, confused. "They stole from Alhafra and attacked Madra and all."
"We stole from Alhafra to feed ourselves," Briggs tried to explain. "We had nothing, our crops produced absolutely nothing, and we had a boat. It was only piracy in an attempt to stop my people from dying!"
"And we attacked Madra because we feared a combined assault from they and Alhafra once the Alhafran boat was repaired. We had no idea that our attack would lead to innocent imprisonment," Chaucha added, nodding deferentially to Picard. "Our apologies."
"You do not need to apologize," said Picard with a kind smile. "If not for that imprisonment I'd not likely be here today. I might have still been in Lemuria."
"The pirates," said Obaba in her ancient voice, "came into the cliff complex and ransacked the rooms. Everything was strewn about. Their captain, it must have been him, he wore this great feathered hat, spotted Kraden, shouted something, and his men carried the old man off. Right out onto their boat and away. My grandson and Chaucha didn't get back until a few days later. By then…" Obaba trailed off.
"Those pirates are regretting their captain's decision, and they have been for days," speculated Felix. "It's Kraden we're talking about, after all."
"They also robbed Champa of everything we've risked our lives to get. Everything that was meant to keep us alive through the winter, even," said Briggs with anger in his voice. "I've wanted to stop them, but the crewmen I left behind were nearly killed by the pirates, and they're two of my best—I won't leave to go pirate-chasing without them. They're irreplaceable."
"Not even by eight other able-bodied seapeople?" asked Mia thoughtfully. Isaac looked at her in horror. She couldn't be thinking… "We'd gladly join you on your pirate hunt. And there might be some other things we can do to help, while we're here. Our ship needs to be repaired, after all…will you help us, Obaba?" Mia asked in her best angelic voice.
"Certainly!" Obaba said, an angry fire in her aged eyes. "Anything to stop evil pirates!" Thumping the end of her cane on the floor, she turned and marched from the room. "Come show me this thing!" she called back. Isaac and Felix rushed after her, and Sheba followed. Jenna and Picard made to go as well, but Mia's hands closed in steel grips around both of their shoulders. They looked at her.
She looked back and forth between them for a few moments, apparently considering, and then let go of Picard with a little wave of her hand. He shrugged and hurried off after the others. Jenna, however, felt Mia's hand hold her back again, and she spun around, annoyed.
"We have other things to do," Mia said pointedly, turning to Briggs and trying not to look lethal. "You mentioned crewmen?"
*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{
Obaba paced the deck of Picard's ship again and again, comparing the now-repaired right Anemos wing to the still-mutilated left one. Sheba was floating rather precariously just over the right wing, running a glowing hand along it and reconnecting Psynergy lines.
"This is sort of fun. I feel useful," she said, smiling. Ivan, who happened to be the source of the wind she was balancing on, also felt useful but enjoyed it much less. "I wonder what's taking Mia and Jenna so long to get down here." When he heard Sheba say this, Picard rubbed his shoulder out of reflex.
"I might be able to do it, in a week!" Obaba declared finally, thumping her cane on the deck. Picard winced—he didn't need to have to worry about leaks too. "But I'll need two of you Adepts to stay behind, while the rest of you take Briggs' ship, and help with whatever it is Sheba there is doing."
"It's not hard. One would probably do it," Sheba said, leaping to the deck gracefully. Ivan let go of the wind he'd been holding and sighed in relief.
"You think I only want one of you around if those pirates come back? Do you take me for a fool?"
"No ma'am!" said Isaac and Felix together as respectfully as possible. "The thing is," said Isaac meekly, "is that we promised Briggs eight seamen…well, five seamen and three seawomen, and if we leave two of us behind he's only going to get six."
"He'll have his eight," said Picard, glancing for just a moment back into Champa. Isaac looked at him curiously. "I know where Mia and Jenna are," he said, continuing his rather measured pacing back and forth on the deck.
"Which brings us to which of us stay behind," said Isaac, nodding. "I'd say the Mars Adepts, but Jenna would probably Flare me into oblivion. I think she wants to chase pirates. Garet…well, I don't know."
"We could use one with his strength," Obaba remarked.
"I could stay," offered Picard rather generously. In truth, he was rather worried about leaving his ship behind, with the threat of another pirate attack apparent.
"You know more about boats than any of the rest of us, and probably more about pirates too," argued Sheba. "You have to go. Except you'll have to learn how to sail a ship that doesn't use Psynergy at all."
"The Apojiian ship was half and half," Ivan pointed out before Picard could use that as an argument. "Nice try though," he added, as though remembering something and offering this in consolation.
"And I didn't do so well with that one either," Picard reflected, laughing.
"Nah, you did ok," offered Felix, though he was grinning maliciously. "After all, any idiot could have sailed us straight into a storm, but only you could have done it in such a direct fashion."
"My thanks," Picard replied dryly.
"So now I'm really lost," Isaac put in, leaning back against the door that led into the one room on deck level. "Who goes? Who stays?"
"Both Mercury Adepts ought to go," Sheba began. "Sol knows we're always in need of those. Stop making that face Picard. And Isaac and Felix ought to go so that…well, that's a good question really. Because they're both leaders I guess. Did we ever resolve that?" Sheba added, looking at the Venus Adepts curiously.
"Isaac's leader," said Felix.
"Felix's leader," said Isaac at the same time.
"That's what I thought," said Sheba knowingly. "And Jenna wants to go, I'm betting, just because if she weren't all Mars Adept I think she'd be Megaera."
"Jenna's not vengeful," Felix said defensively. "She's just got a strong sense of what's right and is very willing to fight for it."
"Unless she's angry," Ivan added. "Then, yeah, she's vengeful."
"And that leaves Ivan, Garet and myself," Sheba finished. She looked at Ivan and Garet expectantly. "No matter which way we look at it, one Jupiter Adept is staying behind."
"I'm not doing the ocean thing any more than I have to. I'll help Obaba," Garet volunteered. "Besides, then I won't have to deal with anything that happens after pirates," he added with what appeared to be a reflective shudder-twitch.
"What happens after pirates?" Ivan questioned, a mischievous grin on his face. "Brigands? Bandits? Thieves? Raiders?"
"You know very well what I'm talking about, and if you want to live to see sixteen you won't say anything else," Garet said menacingly. "Now you and Sheba decide who stays behind."
"Sheba, why don't you stay?" Ivan offered. "You're better at reconnecting the Wings than I am."
"But Ivan," Sheba argued, "you're Contigan. You've got the power of Anemos in your very soul. It should come naturally for you. Besides, Garet still can't look in my direction without trying to scrub his hand from the end of his wrist, so it's better if I go."
"And leave me here with him?"
"Instead of out on the ocean with Jenna. Looking for Kraden."
"Alright, alright! I'll stay!" Ivan yielded. "Just as long as he promises no torment."
"If you promise no mischief," Garet said amiably.
"Never mind. Torment as you will."
"Tomorrow morning, then," Isaac said, his trademark determined look setting on his face, "we hunt pirates." He then strode off the deck in a very commanding fashion, heading for Champa's Inn.
"You guys are in for it," Garet said to Picard.
"Why do you say that?" asked the Mercury Adept.
"He's doing the leader strut."
*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{*(((~{
"So, where to first?" asked Isaac the next morning. He had been told by Mia and Jenna, having sort of charmed their way into getting to hear more about these pirates, that they had been following a steady path along the coast of Angara, even traveling inland, and the nearest place to hit that wasn't Champa was Daila. Isaac believed, however, that it was likely the pirates had already been there and left.
"First we make it clear that I am the captain of this vessel and the six of you are to take my orders without question," said Briggs in as brave a voice as he could muster.
"Unless his orders make no sense whatsoever. Then by all means question it," said Chaucha with a smile. They were leaving Eoleo behind in Champa, as well as the six crewmembers that the Adepts were replacing. The two who remained, Colin and Andrew, were the ones who had been left behind last time, and they were more than happy not to remain behind again.
"You will work to earn your keep, will not cause trouble among my crew, and won't set your little creatures loose to wreak havoc and wreck my ship too. Fair?" Briggs asked in an increasingly braver voice, as he saw the Adepts offering no resistance.
"Fair," Isaac agreed. "Under one condition."
"Name it," said Chaucha before Briggs could respond.
"If sea-dwelling monsters attack," Felix said, picking up for Isaac, "you leave the fighting-off to us and get yourself and Chaucha and your other crewmen out of the way."
Briggs appeared to think this over for a while. "Deal," he said finally. "Welcome to the crew. We are imposter pirates chasing real pirates. Always remember that."
"Yes sir?" offered Sheba. Briggs laughed.
"On land he's something of a wuss, sometimes," Chaucha whispered to Jenna, "but on a ship at sea, he's the best captain you could hope for."
"One of them, perhaps," Jenna agreed, thinking of Felix, Isaac and Picard.
Briggs began shouting orders at them all then, and each Adept ran to do his or her part, even if some of them didn't quite understand the rapid-fire nautical terminology. Sheba scampered up the rope ladder into the crows' nest, spyglass ready, in her opinion having the best job available on the entire ship. Garet, Picard, Isaac, Felix and the two Champans pulled the ropes that raised the sail. Mia and Jenna were sent below, the latter as cook and the former to check supplies one last time. And they were off.
Without Hover capabilities, the ship moved at a speed normal for a ship, and after three days of hard sailing labor the Adepts were glad to put into Daila. However, as Isaac leapt ashore he realized instantly that they were far too late.
"Felix!" he called without much volume. He waited a moment or two, then tried again, louder, "Felix!" Annoyed now, Isaac looked up at the ship with a frown. "FELIX!"
"I told you I wasn't getting off here!" came the muffled reply.
"I told you to get off whether you want to or not! I need your help!"
"What could you possibly need me for that no one else on this ship could handle, Isaac?" Felix's voice asked irritably. Isaac sighed.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe some Venus Psynergy?!" Isaac replied just as sharply. Neither he nor Felix had had the best few days recently…they had been given the most work by far, which Isaac didn't understand at all, and had been the only two on deck to fight off a horde of Seafoul the day before last.
Felix stuck his head over the rail of the ship and looked at Isaac. "What for, now?"
"To fix the village."
"Ask Picard for help."
"The houses, Felix. Those ones there, that don't have the necessary house components anymore. Walls and a roof and such…Felix? Felix! Get back here!"
"You want Growth capabilities or not?"
"Never mind." Isaac leaned against a nearby tree and sighed. A few minutes later, one of Jenna's Djinn—Isaac thought it might be Core—hopped off the ship and joined with Isaac at the same time as Ground detached himself.
"Alright, Felix, no more stalling!" said Jenna in the voice she usually used with Garet, or perhaps Picard. "I'm coming too, anyway, because now I've got plant Psynergy and I want to make myself useful."
"What you really want to do," came Picard's voice from above, "is beat the stuffing out of several pirates."
"I'll settle for this if I get to be twice as violent later," Jenna said rather cheerfully. She then proceeded to virtually drag Felix off the ship behind her. "Come on, Isaac," she said happily.
"You know," Isaac said to Felix as they followed the strangely chipper Mars Adept, "she's starting to get Mia's mood-switching tendencies. You'd best be careful, Felix."
"What do you mean, starting?" Felix replied, and Isaac laughed.
Back on board the ship, Picard sat on the deck, leaning against the mast in obvious relief. "At least a day with no work to be done," he said contentedly.
"Arr, but there always be work needin' done on an outlaw vessel!" said Hail, appearing on the deck by Picard's feet. "Ye'll be doin' what's to be done or it'll be yer head, matey."
"What?" Picard asked calmly. Hail sighed.
"Cap'n Briggs wants you to go look at a map below. Arr," Hail added for good measure. Picard sighed, rose and began to walk to the door. He stopped with his hand on the knob.
"Hail?" he asked without turning around.
"Aye?"
"Did Mia send you?"
"She might've."
Sighing again, Picard opened the door and found that Sheba, Mia and the four Champans were seated at the table already. Well, seated was a relative term—Chaucha, Mia and the crewmen were seated. Briggs stood beside Chaucha, studying a map, and Sheba stood beside Mia and an empty chair. "Sit," she said to Picard.
"You sit," he argued, but the look on Sheba's face said she'd be having none of it, and Picard, not really in the mood for one of those silent arguments, sat. Briggs snapped out of his thoughts then and looked at Picard.
"You're obviously the seaman out of all of them," he said briskly.
"Yes," said Picard, trying to be as un-arrogant as possible and ask why it mattered at the same time.
"Good. If you were a pirate, which if you want to be technical you are, as a member of my crew, where would you go after Daila?" Briggs asked, gesturing to the map. Picard didn't really need to look at the map—he'd been traveling Weyard for months, and he'd used to look at old Weyard maps growing up anyway—but he did so mostly to be polite.
Looking at the map again, Picard frowned. The next logical point for a pirating band to hit would be Madra, the same town he'd been imprisoned in after Briggs and his Champans had attacked.
"Madra," said Mia and Sheba together, seeing the look on Picard's face. "Just like we said," Sheba added smugly.
"I hate pirates," Briggs said fervently. "They go into towns and take all there is and cut down any who stand in their way and a few who don't, and then leave and practically expect a fully recovered town by the next time they get there. I hate them."
"He wouldn't even steal anything if he didn't have to," said Chaucha sadly, more to herself than to anyone else.
"Well that's it then!" said Colin, and the others all looked at him.
"What's 'it'?" Briggs asked gruffly.
"We can hunt them down," said Colin excitedly. "Catch those pirates and being them to justice!"
"That's what I'd planned to do, yes," Briggs said, as though waiting for something more.
"But we'll never catch them in a ship like this," argued Picard, suddenly quite interested in the discussion. "It's a slow one, meant for leisurely merchant ferrying, not pirate chasing."
"And what ship are you suggesting we use, then? Yours, with it not even being able to make it from Champa to the Ankohl Ruins without problems?"
"It's being fixed!" Mia defended.
"I'll have you know—"
"You'll have me know nothing!" Mia said forcefully, standing and giving Briggs her almost-signature glare; the room's temperature dipped noticeably. "As a captain of any ship it's your duty to listen to and consider suggestions from your crew, whether you like it that way or not. And the chances that you're more of a seaman than Picard are slim to none and slim isn't likely, I'll have you know!"
"Whoa," said Sheba, looking up at the furious creature Mia had become. "Sit down, Mia," she said as quietly as she could and still be giving the Mercury Adept an order. "There's no reason to be…to be…"
"Sheba?" Mia asked concernedly, switching from angry to worriedly curious without stopping in between. "You alright?" In response, Sheba ran from the room, and after the initial door blockage, Picard got out first and was in time to see the Jupiter Adept scramble up the mast ropes and practically take a flying leap into the crows' nest.
Picard and Mia followed, standing on the ropes and holding the edge of the wooden structure as Sheba, with a spyglass raised to one eye, waved her free hand around, obviously doing something.
Sheba's perspective offered a view that looked less crazy. She had put all her Djinn on standby, allowing her to see wind currents; they glowed a very faint violet that grew stronger as she used her Psynergy to pull them to her. Through the spyglass she could see raised sails and a black flag, and she was trying to pull back bits of conversation from the winds.
Picard and Mia, however, had no idea she was doing this, and Mia was about to question her actions in as polite a way as she could think of when out of nowhere a voice said, "We'll go to Alhafra as planned, and then on to Madra."
"Madra's not involved in this!" argued another voice.
"We're pirates. Anyone who stands in our way is taken down."
"But you…that…a promise…Madra!"
"Sheba?" Mia questioned. Sheba blinked and shook her head.
"They've gotten too far away," she said, frustrated. "I can't bring back the voices any farther."
"You were trying to hear the pirates?" Mia asked incredulously.
"Not trying. I did hear the pirates. So did you," Sheba added as she climbed back down to the deck.
"And so did I," said Chaucha, who was standing at the base of the mast. "Looks like our next stop is Madra."
"Not Alhaf…er…right," said Picard, remembering why the Champans, Briggs in particular, would want to avoid Alhafra.
Isaac, Jenna and Felix took another hour or so in returning, but when they did none of them seemed in the mood to talk. Jenna walked down the stairs to the hold without even a hello, and Felix and Isaac retreated to the stern of the ship in an exhausted attempt to avoid Briggs and thus avoid any more work.
"You look worn out," Mia said, sitting next to Isaac. The Venus Adept nodded slowly. "Hard work?"
"You wouldn't believe how old some of those buildings were, Mia," Isaac groaned, leaning back against the rail. "You'd pick up a piece in hopes of putting it back on and it would just…just fall apart in your hands. It's a wonder those houses were standing before they were knocked over."
"It was like rot, only going vertical," Felix added distantly. "Crumbled at the slightest touch."
Mia considered this. Imil, which was always cold and snowy save for perhaps a month in the summer, when it became cool and muddy, had never really had problems with things rotting, and neither had Mercury Lighthouse, which was made from some sort of indestructible rock that wasn't entirely rock. But something didn't ring right about the things Isaac and Felix were saying.
Not that they're lying, Mia said to the sudden onslaught of Djinn protest. Something about the way things were in Daila is…just wrong.
The next morning, Briggs announced the decision to make for Madra in hopes of beating the pirates there and perhaps providing Madra with some kind of defense against the inevitable attack.
"Raise sail!" Briggs called, every bit the ideal captain of a ship. Jenna, watching from just inside the door to the hold, shook her head.
"For someone so afraid of his crew…" she began, but she let the thought finish in her head when she looked to the sun and realized she should be preparing some sort of breakfast.
******************************(((~{************************************
This is about the only chapter that doesn't end in a cliffhanger, so I hope you've enjoyed it. Care to hazard a guess at who's speaking at the beginning of both chapters, and who they're speaking about? Heh…I know I'm evil, live with it…next chapter should go up…mm, maybe Sunday night/Monday morning-ish.
Review!!
||
||
\/