Pirate's Honor, page 13
paizo.com #2495541, Ronald Hartman
Chapter Ten
Don't Get Mad
Torius swept down the stairs, not even breaking stride as he tossed a jingling pouch to the innkeeper. "Rest assured, Master Quopek, Mistress Jhafae is quite well, though she will need a new latch for her door. I'm sure there's enough in here to cover the cost." He continued past, ignoring the man's sputtering protests and motioning his pirates to follow.
"He didn't look very happy," Grogul said as they exited the building and hurried to the carriage.
"That bridge is as good as burnt anyway," Torius muttered.
Grogul opened the carriage door, and Torius stopped to allow Celeste to board before joining her. The pirate captain flung himself into the seat and exhaled heavily as his bosun slammed the door. The vehicle lurched into motion, and Celeste flickered into view.
"You should have let me kill her!" She rattled her tail hard against the wooden door. Thankfully, the noise was masked by the coach's iron-shod wheels clattering over the cobblestone street.
"Killing her would only have made things worse." He wasn't about to tell her how close he'd come to burying his cutlass in the woman's chest. "Quopek won't make a fuss; I gave him more than enough to fix the little damage we did. I'm just trying to get us out of here alive. Besides, you heard Vreva; she only betrayed us because Ekhan threatened to destroy her."
"And paid her two thousand scarabs," Celeste reminded him. "She sold our lives for money, Torius, just as if she had sold us into slavery. Surely you don't feel sorry for her."
"Sorry?" He barked a humorless laugh. "I don't feel sorry for her, Celeste, but I understand her. A woman like Vreva makes her living by her reputation with her clientele. A few words from someone like Benrahi Ekhan in the right ears and she's out of business, or worse. She might be the highest paid trollop in Okeno, but she has no defense against that. If Ekhan is as powerful as she says, he could easily grind her under the heel of his boot."
"Do you think he will?"
"I don't know if he'd go so far as to kill her, but if he finds out that she gave us his name, it wouldn't surprise me if she ended up chained to some sultan's bedpost. She would fetch a high price on the slave block."
"That would be a fitting fate for her."
The thought of Vreva reduced to a pleasure slave brought Torius no satisfaction. Though he had wanted to kill her only minutes ago, he couldn't wish slavery on anyone.
"Benrahi Ekhan," he said in a hard tone. "He's the one who killed my men. He's the one we should hate."
Silence reigned for the rest of the trip, the two of them brooding quietly, each lost in thought. The ride back to the docks was uneventful, though every time the carriage slowed or stopped in the crowded streets, Torius imagined armies of slavers massing around them. Finally they clattered to a halt and the driver rapped on the roof. Torius looked out to confirm that they were indeed at the dock and not surrounded by city guards and nodded. Celeste popped out of sight, and they hurried back to the ship.
"Thillion, get ready to cast off as soon as Grogul gets back," Torius ordered. "When we're clear of the harbor, I want you, Snick, and Grogul in my cabin. We've got to talk."
"Aye, sir." His puzzle chain clattered in his hands. "Did you get everything you needed?"
"We got enough." He opened the sterncastle door and heard Celeste slither past. He suddenly felt as if a heavy weight had lifted from his shoulders. "I'll be down in a bit, Celeste."
"I'll be waiting."
He closed the door and climbed the steps to the quarterdeck. The waterfront seemed quiet, and he thought that maybe, just maybe, they would get out of Yellow Harbor alive. Only when the last dock line had been brought aboard and the open water between the ship and the dock had widened to a boat-length did he go below.
An hour later they were still waiting for Thillion, though Snick and Grogul had joined them in his cabin. The elf was on watch, and had told Torius that he didn't want to come down to dinner until he was sure no slavers had followed them out of Okeno. The door finally opened, but instead of the tall elf, Soursop entered bearing a heavily laden tray.
"My famous Spicy Curry and Lentil Surprise," he said as he passed out the bowls, winking at Celeste in passing before hurrying back to his galley.
"How long until Ekhan finds out we're not dead?" Grogul asked when the door closed.
"Impossible to say." The first bite of stew brought tears to Torius's eyes with both its temperature and its spice. "Gozreh's guts, what does Soursop put in this?"
"Wouldn't be much of a surprise if he told you, would it?" Snick sampled the stew and made an exaggerated face, fanning her mouth.
"Best if you don't know." Grogul dipped a slab of bread into the fluorescent yellow gravy swimming with meat and lentils. He took a huge bite and blinked. "Clears your sinuses right up though."
"Like a breath of fresh air after Okeno," Torius muttered.
"Speaking of fresh air," Thillion said as he entered the cabin, "the breeze has finally picked up. We're clear of Okeno and don't have any unwelcome company. We're making about three knots, and should be in Katapesh in two days."
"Hey, the elf's got pretty sharp ears!" Snick said with a laugh. "Sharp! Get it!" She touched her own ears and laughed, ignoring the groans of her companions.
"Do you think Benrahi Ekhan will come after us again?" Celeste asked. Her spoon floated through the air between the bowl and her mouth as she ate the stew with murmurs of delight. She adored spicy food, and Torius often wondered if Soursop catered to her tastes rather than his captain's.
"He might." Torius nibbled bread between bites to dampen the fire. "Though if he does, it won't be the same as the last."
"Why use such an elaborate plan to begin with?" Celeste continued. "It must have taken a lot of money, time, and influence to set this up. If he was angry because you stole from him, why not just hire an assassin to cut your throat?"
"Because my throat's not that easy to cut!" Torius proclaimed, more to set aside Celeste's concerns than to really address the question. Unfortunately, Thillion wasn't going to let him get away with brushing her off.
"With all due respect, Captain, nobody's invulnerable to assassination."
"True, but try to think of this from a merchant's point of view." Torius sampled more stew and managed not to wince. "A professional assassin, someone good enough to take me out on the first attempt and get away clean, would cost more than he paid Vreva and would also be someone he probably wouldn't want to have dealings with. Though if he tries again, he might go that route."
"Also, he didn't just try to kill you, Captain," Snick put in. "He tried to kill all of us, or at least have us all locked up."
"What sort of man is this Benrahi Ekhan?" asked Thillion. The elf sampled his stew and immediately reached for a cup of water.
"I don't really know that much about him." Torius gave a shrug. "We wanted to get more from Vreva, but we were a little pressed for time. A few months ago, we stole something that Ekhan was trying to smuggle into Rahadoum. As far as I know, he's just a wealthy merchant and occasional smuggler. We took what I thought were reasonable precautions to keep anyone from figuring out who we were, but they evidently failed."
"Maybe he'll just cut his losses and call it even," Grogul suggested.
"He might, but I'm not about to!" The more Torius considered the situation, the angrier he got. He put his bowl aside and stood to pace the confines of his cabin. "We may not know what kind of man Ekhan is, but he obviously doesn't know what kind of man I am, either. He just poked a dragon with a stick!" He turned, his pacing increasing with his temper. "Yes, we stole from him. Fine! We're bad guys—that's what we do. A pirate's got to make a living, after all. But he killed my crew! I am not going to let him get away with that! It's a matter of honor!"
"Honor?" Snick looked at him like he'd suddenly turned purple. "We've got honor?"
Grogul ignored the gnome. "So how are we going to pay him back? Kill him?"
"Yeah, right!" Snick scoffed. "You know what kind of security men like him have? You come up with a plan to slit his throat without gettin' gutted in the process!"
"Pardon me, sir, but I'm not much for assassination." Thillion met Torius's gaze without a hint of apology. "Besides, killing Benrahi Ekhan would gain us nothing."
"Are you suggesting that I should let him get away with killing my crew?" Torius felt his face flushing hot.
"No, Captain, but getting angry in situations like this never solves anything."
"Works for me." Grogul scowled at the elf.
"Well, it doesn't for me." The elf remained unfazed by his captain's temper or Grogul's quip. "What I'm saying is this: don't get mad, get even. And in this particular instance, get rich in the process."
That stopped Torius cold, his anger quenched like a candle hit by a breaking wave. "How? Rob him? Target his shipping interests?" That thought had merit.
Thillion rose to his feet and began flipping his puzzle chain through his fingers so fast Torius could barely see the individual links. "Nothing so blatant, Captain. But before we can work out a plan, we must know more about Benrahi Ekhan. Everything is for sale in Katapesh, including information. In a couple of days, we could know the man better than his mother does."
"Why bother?" Grogul asked.
"Know the man, know his weakness," Thillion countered. "Sir, if I may be excused, it's still my watch on deck, and you've given me much to think on."
Torius nodded absently. He barely heard the others resume their conversation as they ate their stew. His mind was too occupied with thoughts of revenge ...and riches.
∗ ∗ ∗
Celeste squinted into her sextant, trying to concentrate on her work. The first plot of the evening was always the most critical, but the incessant click-click-click of Thillion's puzzle chain was bothering her.
Unlike Torius, the elf didn't pace the deck when he stood watch. Instead, he stood beside the binnacle or at the forward rail of the quarterdeck overlooking the mid-deck, hands behind his back, feet braced far apart and knees flexing with the roll of the ship. Tonight, their second night out of Okeno, he had added constant fiddling with that silly toy, and Celeste was about ready to snatch it out of his grasp and fling it overboard.
Finally, the noise ceased. Celeste took a deep breath and sighted a star, then quickly jotted down the angle and the time. The scuff of a boot from behind told her why Thillion had stopped fiddling; he wanted their position.
"I'll have a fix in a few minutes, Thillion," she said, anticipating his question.
"Thank you, but it's not our position I'm interested in." He stepped around her instruments and leaned against the taffrail, looking at her in a disquieting manner. After a long moment, during which Celeste tried to ignore his gaze and attend her work, he said, "You're quite beautiful, you know."
The statement snapped her concentration, and the sextant fell toward the sea. Celeste snatched it back with her magic, put it safely back in its case, and then turned disbelieving eyes on him. "Excuse me?"
"You are very beautiful," he repeated. "Have you ever tried to seduce a man?"
Celeste hissed, and flared her body involuntarily. "Do you think I seduced Torius? Is that what you're implying?"
Thillion held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm sorry, Miss Celeste. I did not mean to upset you. It's plain to see that you and the captain care very deeply for one another, and I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. My mind has been preoccupied, and apparently my thoughts are racing ahead of my manners. Please allow me to start again."
Not quite mollified, but willing to give him a second chance, Celeste coiled comfortably and eyed the elf. Finally she nodded, and he continued.
"It is my understanding that you use a potion to take on human form to be intimate with the captain; how long does that last?"
Celeste gaped again at such a personal question. "Who told you about that?"
"Snick told me." He raised a hand to forestall her protest. "Please understand: I'm not merely being inquisitive. The captain has charged me with devising a plan for retribution against Benrahi Ekhan."
"You said that you would gather information about Ekhan, not about us!"
"And as soon as we reach Katapesh, we will begin to do so. However, discovering Ekhan's weaknesses is one thing; exploiting them is quite another. I must know our capabilities before I can determine how best to approach the situation. The captain, Snick, Grogul, and even Soursop have already answered all manner of questions."
Celeste cocked an eyebrow and wondered just what information Torius had imparted to his first mate, but what he said made sense. How could he devise a plan if he didn't know what they could do? Taking a deep breath, she answered.
"The potion lasts about ten minutes, depending on the wizard or alchemist who made it; some spellcasters produce better potions than others. The scroll that we discovered will accomplish the same result—changing me into virtually any humanoid form I wish—yet only for about five minutes. Once Torius has it copied, I should be able to commit it to memory and cast it repeatedly."
"Five minutes ..." Thillion said softly. He pulled the puzzle chain out of his pocket, fiddling with it as he thought, then looked up again. "And your other magic? For example, this mind charm that you used on Vreva Jhafae. How often can you cast it, and how long does it last?"
Thank the stars, Celeste thought as the subject shifted away from her love life to one she was happy to discuss. "Ah, that spell is quite long-lasting. Hours. Not so for my invisibility, which again lasts only a few minutes. I can cast any one of my spells many times per day, though doing so may preclude me from casting other spells."
"Wonderful!" Thillion's countenance brightened; he looked quite pleased with himself. "And finally, what can you tell me about your venom?"
"My venom?" Celeste asked, wary again. "Well, like many vipers, I can regulate the amount of venom I inject in each bite. It can be quite deadly if enough is administered. What would you like to know about it?"
"Snick told me that you were once abducted by a wizard who wanted you for your venom. Why would such a person be interested in a simple poison?"
"Yes, well, lunar naga venom is not a simple poison." She felt a little uncomfortable about where this conversation was going. She had no fond memories of that incident. "Some humans covet it for other purposes. This man wished to make complex compound poisons by mixing my venom with refined pesh. He boasted that the result would drive victims into such a state of manic hallucination that they would take their own lives, even to the point of strangling themselves to death."
"Really! That is very intriguing." He went back to working the puzzle chain. "Hallucinations, you say?"
"Yes." She didn't really want to go into further details, but could see that his curiosity was piqued. "He got the idea from the legends of lunar nagas and their followers."
"And what legends are those?"
This was where she was hoping the conversation would not lead. She tried to phrase her answer carefully. "It's not uncommon for humanoids who are interested in the cosmos or astrology to become enamored of a lunar naga. They sometimes mix our venom with alcohol and some acidic juices to fashion a kind of drug."
"They drink your venom?" He seemed slightly shocked, but his eyes were alight with intrigue as well.
"Not directly. That would be lethal in large doses, but the acidic alcohol mixture partially breaks down the venom and creates a hallucinogenic substance that isn't toxic." She didn't want to dwell on this subject. "Their ...craving for this drug ensures their continued devotion to the lunar naga."
"A drug cult," he said, realization clear on his face. "That's very interesting!"
"Why the interest?" Celeste smiled, revealing her fangs. "Do you want me to bite Benrahi Ekhan?"
"Something more subtle, I think. Thank you, Miss Celeste! You have given me much to think about."
As the first mate strode away for his hourly check of the ship, Celeste noticed that Snick was watching her from the binnacle, where she was apparently working on the ship's compass. When Thillion descended the steps to the middle deck, the gnome left her work and sauntered over.
"So what did he want?"
"He asked me some extremely peculiar questions."
"He's been asking everyone weird stuff!" Snick grinned and hopped up onto the rail to grasp the backstay, swinging around it once and kicking her heels. "Asked about my babies, how far they shoot and what kind of special bolts we have, how well I can see in the dark, and if I can sneak into the cabins when they're locked—you know I can do it, so don't give me that look. And, here's the kicker: he asked if I ever seduced a man!"
"Well, have you?" Celeste gave the gnome a curious smile.
"Ha!" Snick laughed. "Told him when you're as cute as me, you don't have to seduce anyone." The gnome jumped down from her perch and strutted away, waving good night.
Celeste went back to her navigational observations. At least now she understood the motive behind Thillion's questions. But somehow, they still made her uneasy.
paizo.com #2495541, Ronald Hartman
Chapter Eleven
It Takes Money
Torius! You son of a one-legged goatherd!" The dockmaster strode down the creaking wooden planks of his domain and clasped hands with the pirate captain.
"Kerrig, you tough old piece of dragon hide! Good to see you!" That wasn't exactly true; the dockmaster's palm was always greasy and his breath reeked of smoked sardines, but for some reason, the man liked Torius and always welcomed him heartily. Of course, that may have been due to the small pouch of scarabs that always passed between them with their handshake. With this incentive, Kerrig would keep the authorities away from Stargazer.
"You've been gone so long, I thought you were dead!" the dockmaster said, pocketing the pouch with practiced ease.
"I was, but the devils threw me back! They were afraid I'd take over Hell and start charging them rent!" When their laughter subsided, Torius asked, "So, you hear of anyone looking for me or Stargazer?"
