Turn About (solo)

[jdd2035]

It was early in the morning and Cain had found himself on a deserted beach. The night had been rough a lot rougher that it really should have been. Cain was invited to a meeting in which discussions as to what all the privateers, mercenaries and smugglers and the like were going to do after the Civil War which was fast coming to an end. In fact aside from a few stout hold outs the Civil War for all intents and purposes was over.

Cain was among those captains that could return to a profitable life with out much trouble. But it was those that couldn't transition easily; those that were blackguardy and would rather turn their skills to piracy and banditry. There was how ever another group though that was not represented here and that was the Generals, Admirals, high ranking nobles and the like that would be tempted to take advantage of the instability at the end of such a war and make them selves the defacto leader.

It was one such of this last group that caused the rough night. In an attempt to proactively remove possible resistance against him a General had raided the meeting place. After heavy tough and go combat Cain seemed to be one of the last of the meeting group to be left alive. The meeting it self was supposed to be a casual, neutral almost peaceful meeting and so Cain had left his equipment behind taking a midshipman's dirk as his only weapon.

The Ambitious Colonial was Killed in his own raid but now it was morning and Cain had found himself on a deserted beach looking at an incoming Galley that was coming in to resupply.

Cain was tired or more accurately exhausted and the thought of catching a ride back to his ship the Peregrine sounded like a good idea. "Ahoy there!" Cain shouted to the incoming ship. A launch was dropped over the side and a group of sailors were soon upon the beach and almost immediately Cain had a bad feeling.

The lead goon from the launch stated "Looks like we got our selves another man for the sweeps." and before Cain could even react he was rushed. He felt one of his assailants strike him in his kidney, and another strike him in the back of his head and every thing went black. Some time later Cain woke up his wrists were shackled to one of the oars and he didn't have a real recollection of where he was at.

[jdd2035]

Cain looked about himself with contempt. The condition of the Galley and her slaves was abject and he pitted them. Their backs bore evidence of what happened when their overseer walked along the benches with his whip.

The Galley demanded two men to each oar, and shackled beside Cain was a burly red headed half orc, ruffian.

"You fought little" the orc said with contempt.

Cain wiped blood from his nose and laughed "I'll repay them in time. Maybe in the next port or the one after that."

The orcs hard laugh told him that, what ever the whip had done to the others, he still possessed spirit and strength. "If they get there" he said cynically. "This lot knows little of fighting and less of sea faring.. It will be a gods wonder if they do not drown us all."

Redface was the half orcs name. "Have a care, that brute on the run way is quick with the lash. Bend to your work or he will have the hid off."

Cain nodded and and made his introductions. The Galley sailed south, and over the next days Cain discovered that what Redface said was true. These were not seamen. They blundered and wasted the wind. Fearful of losing sight of land the endangered themselves needlessly. Avoiding large ships, they preyed upon fishing boats and small villages, even murdering shepherds to steal sheep from their pastures.

The 'captain' was named Walther. But of the crew Cain only saw Mesha the brutish creature with the lash. During the long days at the oar Cain drowned his pain by working out is position through dead reckoning, the positioning of the stars, and the approximate time that it was solar noon. Outside the hull the water rustled scant inches from the crew. Cain and Redface teamed well together each learning to spare the other at the oar.

Cains captors were a mixed bag of thugs and goons none of them men of the sea. Each night they anchored, lying often the entire day loafing and being drunk. Cains crew, the crew of the swift Peregrine were daring men, not petty cowardly sods as these and it disgusted Cain. Navigation Cain new well, not only by the stars but also by the current and the geese, the blowing of the winds and by the kinds of fish. These things Cain kept to himself. Cain looked over to Redface and said "Together, we will be free."

[jdd2035]

For days the Galley edged along the coasts of Corone, and Tylmerande, Off the coast of Yarborough she attacked and captured an Alerarian fishing boat. Redface was contemptuous "Cowards, they attack nothing that's not helpless! Even Walther, for all his size and loud mouth is a coward." Cain couldn't help but to agree with him.

An Alerarian prisoner was put at the oar ahead of Cain and the man beside him was an Alerarian as well. Knowing the language Cain exchanged greetings and began listening and practicing the languages that were spoken around him.

A night came when the Galley turned back along the coast of Yarborough. One of the crew was a renegade and a thief driven from his village, and he offered to guide Walther to it. The Galley was short on supplies , and the village, sparsely armed. LEaving guards, the crew took their weapons and went ashore. An hour before dawn they staggered back drunk, dragging behind them a few miserable women and girls leaving the village to hold the torch of its burning against the sky.

Redface ground his teeth and swore, memory lying could upon him. His own village had been taken in just this way while he lay in a drunken sleep. The crew no sooner staggered aboard than they cast off, fearful of reprisal. The sail was partly lifted, and the galley made slight headway, but with the rising sun, an offshore breeze filled the sail. With the wheel lashed and te crew laying about in a drunken stupor while Cain and the other slaves rested on their oars, whispering among one another.

The wind freshened, and the Galley moved out upon the sea. Redface grinned at Cain "This will put water into their knees! The lousy bunch of lubbers!" The crew sprawled out on the deck like deadmen, their bodies moving slightly with the roll of the sea.

There was a slight movement as one of the village women worked herself free from under one of the men. She moved with caution and those that could see her held their breath in hope for her. He face was bruised and swollen from blows. She got to her feet, drew a knife ever so gently from its scabbard, then she knelt beside the man, drew back his jacket and plunged the knife in. His knees jerked, then relaxed slowly. She cast the knife away and went to the rail. She looked toward the shore and dove over.

Cain never learned the fate of the lady, the off shore breeze strengthened and the gally moved out upon the sunlight water. The deeper roll of the Galley started a cask of mead moving. It banged against a bulwark, then rolled among the slaves. Eagerly they bashed in the head of the cask and passed along their cups for the strong wine.

The mead ran down Cains parched throat, relaxing his muscles. The cask was emptied and tossed overboard. Soon Cain realized that the wind that blew the Galley seaward might be a fresh wind for his future.

[jdd2035]

With satisfaction Cain felt the roll become deeper, the wind stronger. Behind the Galley the shore disappeared. A few drops of rain began to fall and Cain figured that the barometer was dropping. One of the crew wiped a hand across his face and sat up. He stared stupidly at the sky, where clouds were now billowing up, then a look of abject horror flashed across his face and he leaped to his feet so suddenly he almost lost balance and fell. He grasped the bulwark and stared, aghast, at the deep rolling sea beginning to be flecked with white caps.

The crewman shouted, then he ran to Walther and shook him awake. Walther, angry at being suddenly awoken, struck out viciously. Then as the import of the mans words penetrated his awareness, he staggered to his feet. The crew scrambled up, too, staggering and falling and staring wildly at the empty sea. The Galley was now far out to sea; a storm was blowing up, and they had no idea in which direction the nearest shore was.

Walther stared at the horizons. The sky was becoming overcast. No sun was visible.

"Now look!" Redface shouted in a pleased tone." He has lost the land and has no idea which way to turn!" The slaves snicked and chuckled among themselves along with some of the crew. Walther cam along the runway among the slaves. Some of them must have been awake and would have noticed the Galley's course. He had the look that he wanted to ask, but dared not. He feared that we might deliberately give him a wrong answer. The chuckling and snickering grew to full on laughter.

The Galley wallowed in the sea, yet Walther dared give no order, for the direction chosen might easily take them further out to sea. He glanced at Redface whom he knew to be a sea faring man. But the half orcs face showed him nothing but contempt.

At last Walther turned to Cain and asked "Which way did the wind take us? Where lies the land?" Cains chance had come at last and he smiled Walther shouted "Tell me quickly!!"

"No" Was Cains steady reply.

The Veins in Walthers neck swelled. He gestured for Mesh and the whip saying "We'll have it from you , or your back in ribbons!" He threatened "I'll!..."

Cain glared at Walther "If that whip touches me, I shall die before I speak one word. Death is better than this." Cain paused and grinned "But you can make me pilot."

"What?!" Walther exclaimed.

Leaning on the oar Cain grinned and said "Why waste me here? Had I been pilot you would have no worries now."

Angrily Walther turned his back and strode away, and when Cain looked around Redface was grinning from ear to ear. "Now why didn't I think of that? But if you become pilot, will you forget us?"

"Never in life." Replied Cain as he waited Walther answer. The clouds grew darker, and wind laid strong upon the sea. Waves crested and sprayed over the side of the Galley which rolled heavily and the sea rolled over the bow, the water rushing and gurgling out of the scuppers. Walther's face had turned a pale sickly green, and the crewmen were shacking in their breeches.

Walther walked back to me. "You shall try, and if you fail, you shall be hung head down from the bows until you die." He turned to Mesha "Let him go."

When the chains fell from him Cain stood, stretched his arms. He than turned upon the round faced thug who had stole his dirk. "Give me my dagger" he ordered.

The thug laughed scornfully "Give you? By the gods I'll..."

Cain kicked him in the knee cap and when the thug howled in anguish and bent to grasp his knee, Cain doubled up his fist and hammer punched the thug in the kidney. The thug screamed and went to his knees. Reaching down Cain recovered his dirk from his belt stating "You're going to need a slave to take my place. There he is."

Walther stared at Cains hatred covering his face and sullenly ordered "Take us to shore." and walked from him. A few minutes later the thug was shackled in Cains place.

[jdd2035]

No man upon the deck of that Galley was Cains friend, nor would he long survive unless he proved they could not do with out him. Cain understood this. Returning to the coast proved no problem. No doubt several of the others still in chains could have done as well but he was the bolder and his luck to have spoken first.

The deck was littered with debris and garbage after the crews carousing and drinking and once the Galley was back on course Cain began cleaning it up. Cain didn't choose a course that would take the Galley immediately back to the coast in fact he used every dirty trick and caper to make it as long as he could.

Standing by a bulwark Cain tested the water, then looked up into the clouds. He wet his finger and held it up to get the direction of the wind, even though it was obvious which way it was blowing. Pacing the deck he suddenly acted as if a decision had been made, took the tiller from the man on watch and used his own hands to guide the ship.

Later he would relinquish the tiller to a crewman and go about other business making the Galley ship shape. A right and proper ship something it hadn't been in a long time from the looks of things. Walther watched Cain suspiciously but he had no choice but to approve.

When land was finally in sight again, Cain readied himself prepared to fight rather than return to the oar, but his performance must have impressed Walther because the crew left him alone.

There were sixteen oars to a side and two men to each oar. There was a deck forward and one aft, with narrow decks along the bulwarks above the heads of the slaves. Down the center where Mesha walked, it was open to the sky, and as he walked, he head was above the level of the deck. The Galley was constructed, she had cargo space fore and aft and more below Mesha's walk. She was slow and clumsy but sea worthy.

Aside from the slaves there were sixty two crew members and the number made it necessary to be constantly raiding for new supplies. Originally, the vessel had probably been handled by no more than twelve men aside from the slaves. Walther and his men feared to attack unless the advantage was obviously on their side. Several times they ventured close to a strong craft but each time they sheered off and abandoned the attack.

[jdd2035]

As Cain began worked about the Galley, cleaning up, mending rigging and maneuvering the craft he began to plan. Redface must be freed that was a give in. The two elves that sat in front of him were good men and there was another elf near the stern that he hadn't seen before. He was a strong agile looking elf unbroken by the lash or the labor. He was a narrow faced elf with intensely black eyes and a hard decisive look about him.

Contriving to drop some halyard line near him Cain bent over to retrieve it and said quietly "You have a friend" The elf replied wryly "by the gods. I can use one. I am Surale."

Walking away Cain felt Mesha's eyes upon him. Mesha could hear nothing but was suspicious by nature and didn't like Cain at all and vice versa and the memory of Mesha's whip laid hot within in Cains skull.

Cain was weary on the deck of the Galley and he knew the dangers a coward could offer for his fear will often drive him to kill more quickly than if he were a brave man. Walther and his crew were cowards, and what ever must be done must be done with care, for among them were a few good fighting men.

The crew didn't like Cain at all. Occasionally, they ventured their fury with words, but Cain made no reply biding his time. They feared Cain because of his sudden rise and his decisive move against the man who stole his knife. They feared what they did not understand.

Twice, the Galley captured fishing boats, attacking lustily with swinging swords when the odds were seven or eight to one. And then, off the coast of the Tular Plains it made a grand capture and the fault was Cains.

[jdd2035]

The sky had been a bright warm blue that morning and little in the way of steerage wind with the swell showing a smooth glassy sea. While he was busy splicing some twice laid rope Cain noticed that the glass was dropping, a dampness and suddenly the Galley was shrouded in fog, moving like a ghost through the mist.

A few moments before the fog closed down completely Cain had glimpsed a fat merchantman sailing a course on the same tack as the galley. Now after a few minutes within the fog, he heard a faint creaking of rigging, the slap of a sail and the gurgle of the water rushing past a hull. For What happened next Cain only had himself to blame. He despised Walther and all of his bloody minded, blackguardy, misbegotten crew, yet there was in Cain his privateering ways.

Walther stood beside Cain "You heard something?" he asked

Cain nodded slowly "A ship, and not one of those scrawny fish boats but a fat, rich merchantman, probably out of Radasanth." he replied.

The glitter of greed was in Walther's eyes. He licked his fat greasy lips amd said "they would be strong. He muttered "we couldn't."

Cain grinned "Why not?" he spoke with contempt for such fears. "Only one man was on deck when the fog closed in and half the crew could easily be sleeping. There was a storm last night and they would be tired. Before they could organize resistance it would be over."

For once greed overcame caution. Grabbing a crewman, Walther sent him for thers, and at his order Cain began to edge the vessel closer. Fifty men gathered along the bulwarks, keeping themselves out of sight.

Water slapped the merchantman's hull, rigging creaked. The Galley shipped its oars, and the watch man on the merchantman's deck came quickly to his ships side, alarmed by the sound.

He saw us; his mouth opened to scream a warning, but an arrow transfixed his throat, and then the Galley's crew were scrambling over the merchantman's side. There was shouting then, a clash of arms, and a scream of mortal agony.

That was the moment Cain had chosen to sheer off and escape, but the chance was lost in the instant of its birth, because Walther was beside him, a sword point pressed into Cains ribs as if Walther had guessed the intent. Cain dared not move.

The surprise attack had been a complete success. The merchantman's crew awakened only to die; more over, the ship was well found, with a rich cargo of silk, and cinnamon. Not to mention gold and silver coins and a girl!

[jdd2035]

The Girl struggled to the ship's side, the prisoner of the brute Chevron, a huge half giant, the largest man in the crew. Beside her am older man pleaded and argued with the half giant. Her eyes were wide with terror, looked across the rails of the two ships into Cains. She could have been no more than sixteen and was very pretty. The eyes that met Cain were the pleading and frightened that were searching for a sense of compassion from any one on the ship.

"Stop him!" Cain protested to Walther who hated pillaging and blackguard actions.

"He captured her she is his." Was Walther's reply.

There was envy in Walther's tone, for he hated to see such a girl in the arms of another; and it was an envy Cain could use.

"You would waste such a girl? That is no shepherds daughter! Would you throw away a fortune for a moment in the scuppers?! Cain you see that this girl is worth more than all the loot combined?! Think what her family would pay!" Cain said knowing the value of a prize.

Greed won where any other argument would have failed. The half giant was pressing her against the bulwark and fending off the older man with one hand. Even at this distance it could be seen that her flesh was soft and her dress wove with threads of gold.

A fortune hungry jealous man, Walter seized the chance and ordered "Stop!" he shouted to the half giant. "Bring her here and the man as well!"

The older man spotted walther and leaned over the rail of their ship. "We can pay, and pay handsomely if the girl is unharmed."

Chevron hesitated, angry, but found no sympathy, for envy as well as the idea of profit had turned the crew against him. Angrily, the half giant swung the girl over to the Galley's deck, where it was lashed along side; leaving the man to find his own way, and went away disgruntled and furious.

Already the crew was looting and pillaging the vessel of both cargo and supplies. Bales and barrels came over the side, as the men stripped the vessel hurriedly, for fear a war ship might intervene before the looting was complete.

The girl threw a glance Cains way and spoke to the older man beside her who also looked his way. Knowing Cain had spoken for her her more hope than the moment deserved. Yet Cain smiled back at the girl and they both smiled in return.

When all attention was diverted by the stripping of the prize, Cain spoke softly to the girl and older man. "You have a friend" he said.

The fog thinned and the crew abandoned the captured ship. Cain shook his head if her were captain he would have sent the ship away with a prize crew to be impounded and sold.

Ignoring the complaints of the half giant, Walther turned to the man and asked "Who are you and what can you pay?"

The man was not so old as first he had seemed. He was well setup, a man of military bearing, gray of hair but clear of eyes, and obviously accustomed to command. e had formed a quick estimate of Walther, and expected no mercy from the others. "She is the daughter of a noble, a wealthy man, and one with power."

Walther grumbled "I think you lie."

The old man replied "As you say, but treat her gently. If she is harm, fifty ships will hunt you down."

Walther was skeptical"fifty ships for a slip of a girl?"

The man was confident "Fifty ships for the daughter of Sharaz, friend and adviser of William of Corone."

Walther paled. He had none of the sea rovers disdain for landlubber princes, all though even a corsair might hesitate at the name of William of Corone, descendant of conquerors, his ships upon ever sea, his spies in every port.

"Such a man can pay." Walther admitted, but speaking as much to advise his crew as to acknowledge the fact.

"Take us safely to any port and you will be paid well and what you have done forgot.

Of the first Cain was convinced, of the second he was doubtful. This man and his kind were not likely to forgive such an injury, and Cain remembered the story his father once told him of a young conqueror, taken by pirates. He promised to return after his ransom was paid, and hang every single one of them and they laughed. Yet the conqueror did return, and he did hang them, and William was the same kind of man.

[jdd2035]

Walther strode off to discuss the matter with the crew, and the man spoke to Cain. "You have helped us. I value such aid."

Cain smirked knowing full well his situation and replied "My word carries little weight. Until recently I was chains to an oar. They neither like nor trust me."

The old man replied "They listened to you."

Cain nodded "They are ruled by greed and envy. Each wanted her for himself, and hence was willing to listen when I suggested ransom."

The old man stated "Remain our friend, and I shall replace the weight of your chains with an equal weight of gold."

The girl cast Cain a glance and said "I am Aziza"

Cain smiled and said "I'm Cain Jodin."

The girl was astonished "I know that name."

Cain put a finger to his lips and said "Shhh"

The Man glanced at Cain, curiosity aroused. He was about to say something when Walther showed up. "We shall go to a cove near Tilgonar." He drew from his tunic a chart from the vessel the crew had looted, and showed it to Cain, indicating a place on the shore. "Can you take us to that place?"

Cain nodded.

"Do so, and when the ransom is paid you shall have a share."

Cain was skeptical of that knowing the crew as he did and knowing Walther's particular cowardliness. Aziza watched Cain wondering if he would betray her for his reward. But if she knew Cain at all it wouldn't have been a worry.

When darkness came Cain was awakened and returned to his place by the steering oar. Near the bulwark huddled the two captives.

The old man was called Redwan, and he was a warrior and a statesman., a man of consequence. He slept snoring lightly. There was no sound from the girl, though Cain figured she was awake.

"Look to your steering" Walther grunted "We must not be discovered. Find the cove and when shore is sighted awaken me. Attempt no foolishness, for Chevron is awake and so are others. One sight of betrayal, and you will be killed."

Cain didn't doubt his words, for some of the crrew were cold and dangerous men, not so cowardly as the others, but morose and silent, vicious in any kind of a fight and with out a thought for any but themselves. Cain suspected he might have to face them sooner or later.

The sea was dark, the waters glassy. No oars were in use, only the sail to give the galley steerage way because Cain didn't want any sound to bring attention upon the galley.

There were no stars. Water rustled along the hull, phosphorescent ripples rolling back from the bow. The sky was overcast with the glass falling hinting at rain. Timbers creaked as the galley moved in a slow roll through the dark water. Here and there a slave muttered in his sleep, or murmured some half-forgotten name. Metal clinked upon metal as weapons touched in the night as the crew slept fully armed.

The lure of a strange shore was upon Cain. He listened to the whisper of the sea upon the sand, the creaking of the ship itself, the lap of water on its hull, and the chock chock chock sound from the trailing oars.

Walther came aft again with Chevron and others. Redwan was standing with Aziza beside him. Walther stared threateningly at him, but Redwan was not one to be intimidate by a coward like Walther. "We shall send three men to Tilgonar," Walther advised "if they do nott return, you will be put to death, and the girl too, in time."

Redwan drew a ring from his finger. "Your men will live if they do as I say and if they convey this to Athrus in Tilgonar. Tell him I insist upon secrecy and immediate payment."

"Secrecy?"

"Would you want a dozen warships to descend upon you? Of course, there must be secrecy."

Walther accepted that, but it cause Cain to wonder. It seemed that Redwan might have another need for secrecy, some reason that might concern either Aziza or himself.

Walther hesitated, and Cain watched him with irritated contempt. Walther was a petty man accustomed to dealing with paltry sums and people of no significance. He had no idea what ransom to ask, nor did any of the other crew members.

"I shall demand one..." he seemed to gain courage, "I shall demand thee thousand gold!" The figure plodded from him and Walther was frightened by his own boldness.

Redwan roared with laughter "You are a fool, and you would make a fool of me! Do you think I am some rascally merchant you'd demand a slaves ransom?"

Cain leaning on his tiller snickered "Ten Thousand!" he interrupted "would be the price I would ask, and it would be so small only because it could be so quickly collected and delivered."

Redwan was amused "Walther, you would do well to resign your position to this man. He's more fitted to be a pirate than you."

Walther gave Cain an ill look. He liked none of it, for his men were listening. The crew was startled by the demand for three thousand, but now that Redwan had accepted the idea of ten thousand they were staring angrily at Walther.

"So be it then." Walther said, his little eyes bright with hatred. "Chevron and two others will go."

[Philomel]

Name Of Judgement: Turn About (Solo)

Rewards:

jdd2035 receives:
935 EXP
0 GP

((Inc. judges discretion and request for all to be EXP))