Chapter 7 – … and Enemies

The Zhentarim brigantine moved slowly down the canal. Long sweeps were being used to propel the ship downstream; the warm night breeze could not fill sufficient sail to move the ship as quickly as her captain wished.

The bald-headed auctioneer, the ship's commander, sat in his small cabin listening to his first officer's report. Fire damage to the ship – minimal – one-thousand silvers to repair. Fire damage to cargo - serious. Bales of expensive silk had gone up in flames, equivalent to five-thousand gold pieces lost. Crew losses – six dead by combat against unknown intruders in the warehouse and on the roof. Another six killed by the Deva on the warehouse roof. Crew injured – five with breaks, cuts or burns severe enough to require care and rest. Another two deafened, perhaps permanently. Those injuries were all from the Deva's attacks or from fighting the fire. As far as anyone knew, two intruders had released the girl. One had died while fleeing the warehouse. Ship status – fair to poor. They'd not had time to repair damage earned earlier from their rough voyage through northern waters to Capitol. Heading back out to sea in this shape was unadvisable.

"Yes," agreed the Captain. "Unadvisable. But with a damned Deva soaring in the sky we dare not lay in too close to shore for repairs. We will have to head out to deeper water. With no land to rest upon she will tire. We can evade her. We might even live to see home."

The first-mate nodded his head.

"Why do I feel you have saved the worst news for last, Dhamir?"

The first-mate cleared his throat, then delivered the really bad news. "Verben made a side-deal with the baron who purchased the girl… the creature... whatever. He promised delivery."

"Crap. Did the baron pay?"

"Yup."

"Shit. The deal was closed up until then?"

"Yes. Sir. We took her price; the baron took the key to the cage. All good. Then the baron asked for delivery to some place in the city. Verben accepted fifty gold."

"So, thanks to my nephew's greed we are in breach of contract. That is unacceptable. We are Zhentarim. We have a reputation to uphold. Since we can't deliver the 'girl', the entire contract is abrogated."

The captain was silent for a moment. Dhamir wanted to be anywhere else but in front of the man who had just lost fifty-thousand gold pieces and a third of his crew.

"Dhamir, we stop briefly at the locks, then it's downriver and home. With this golden harpy on our backs, we may not make it. I will be damned if what might be my last voyage ends in a besmirched reputation for this ship and crew. You will leave ship at the locks. Take Verben with you, and the fifty-thousand... in gems is best. Go back to Capitol and find that baron. Return his price to him. The contract will be voided, but not breached! We have a reputation to uphold."

"Yes, Sir. Where do we meet up with the ship?"

"You don't," replied the Captain. "No one interferes with the Zhentarim. Find out who the two intruders were. Find the survivor. Kill him. Kill his family. If the intruder who died had family, kill them as well. Make this an example to any who might challenge us. And an example to those lily-livered guild thieves. We have a reputation to uphold."

"Yes, Sir." The first-mate turned to go.

"Oh, Dhamir?" The Captain issued two last orders. "Get Cressus on deck and tell him to conjure up a decent wind. We need speed. If he cannot do that, then toss him overboard. And Dhamir? Once you have slain this thief and their families, slit Verben's throat. He had no right to alter a contract as he did. It will be a lesson to others. After all, we are Zhentarim. We have a reputation to uphold."

END