To Rule the Razor! (Inactive)

Game Master Eric Swanson

Captain Hazeltree stares at the priestess silently for a moment, a crafty look on his face. Still the threats made to him earlier cause him to reconsider his words. "Yeah, of course we keep 'em provisioned, are ye daft? Sailin' on th' Razor ain't no pleasure cruise, like what ye be 'customed to!"

As Ke'ahilani and Aikane voice their opinions, he does not respond to their words, instead he lapses into a brooding silence.

Nef breathes a sigh of relief, and then says quietly to Hazeltree, "Thank you for your honesty, there. It's better for us to be frank with one another."

She raises an eyebrow and looks at him. "If the situation were reversed, I'd likely already be dead -- or in your hold as cargo -- is that correct? Have you wondered why I wanted your men provisioned? Why I at least am considering letting you live, when the easiest solution would be to kill you?"

She waits, patiently, for Hazeltree's answer.

"Zem, do you think it wise to put him on that longboat?"

aikane tries to get a read on the freed slaves' reactions around him.

Hazeltree stares at Nefertiti for a moment before he cuttingly replies, "If'n ye pulled this on ME, I be seetin' ye fer a well-deserved keel-haulin'." He spits at the floor. "Whatever ye t'ink 'bout slavery, it be perfectly reasonable bidness! 'N ye talk o' gettin' rid of it?" He barks in laughter. "Be fun ta see ye try!"

Ko'oku'wa, who had been silently observing the interrogation, speaks up here in Tulitan, so as the Captain does not understand his words. "Nefertit, this one has no love for our peoples. He would profit off the backs of our labors, and would never help us free our peoples." A gleam in his eyes appears as he adds, "My brother Ke'ahilani has the best solution to deal with him."

"Zem, do you think it wise to put him on that longboat?"

aikane tries to get a read on the freed slaves' reactions around him.

"He speaks and acts as despicably as could be expected from a slaver" - Zemwaar replies to Aikane - "Though irrelevant and inconsequential his existence may be, my opinion on this remains the same" - then turns to look at the man - "Perhaps he should be bound and gagged to comply without having to listen to him any further" - he approaches Hazeltree - "I tire of his tone"

"Nefertit, this one has no love for our peoples. He would profit off the backs of our labors, and would never help us free our peoples." A gleam in his eyes appears as he adds, "My brother Ke'ahilani has the best solution to deal with him."

"Being like him is not the best solution" - the man replies in Tulitan, then resumes speaking to Hazeltree - "Turn around, and kneel - you will be bound until you are released"

"If'n ye pulled this on ME, I be seetin' ye fer a well-deserved keel-haulin'."

If I pulled this on him? Hasn't he been paying attention?

Nefertiti attempts to keep a straight face, not wanting to laugh at Hazeltree. It wasn't right to taunt a prisoner, even one as despicable as the man before her.

Untrained Bluff to Hide Emotions: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Then she wondered, How stupid is this man?

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Her plan for Hazeltree depended on him being smart enough to see his own best interests. Being willing to take the story of the storm that she had offered him, and use it to save his own skin while ensuring the further freedom of Ko'oku'wa and his people. She studied him for a while. Was he smart enough to take the plan that had been offered to him? Or did he only want revenge, even at the cost of his own ruin?

He spits at the floor. "Whatever ye t'ink 'bout slavery, it be perfectly reasonable bidness! 'N ye talk o' gettin' rid of it?" He barks in laughter. "Be fun ta see ye try!"

"Captain, it's not me who'll stop the slave trade," she says, quietly. "It's them." She indicates Ko'oku'wa and the others. "You were already defeated by the time we came on board the ship."

"Being like him is not the best solution" - the man replies in Tulitan, then resumes speaking to Hazeltree - "Turn around, and kneel - you will be bound until you are released"

Nef waits until Zem finishes tying up Hazeltree. She likes watching Zem in action here, quietly taking charge.

She whispers to Zem in Tulitan, "I was planning on releasing him to his man to his crewmates, but this solution makes both Aikane and Ko'oku'wa profoundly unhappy. I'm trying to find a common ground where we all can stand."

"Malama, how would you feel if I proposed marooning instead? I saw a number of islands between us and Sammerlock Sails on the map. We could even report where we left him once we got back to Port Shaw, so that he could eventually be rescued."

She waits for Zem's thoughts before mentioning the idea to anyone else.

"Do you believe such report would meet with approval in Port Shaw Aka? Slavery is indeed considered legitimate - it is we who are going against the city's laws, are we not?" - Zemwaar replies.

He replies in common if the man is already tied. Also, I don't think Zemwaar knows that Jacinth speaks or understands Tulitan - if that is so, he will wait until the man is tied, and then reply in the common tongue.

"No, I don't think that such a report would be met with approval," Nef admits, in common, once Zem responds in that language. "I wasn't sure how you'd feel about marooning without a later rescue."

"I am sure you know what I think about it" - he replies.

Nef nods and offers Zem her hand.

"To tell you the truth, it does not sit well with me either." she says in Common.

And then she asks, in Tulita, "Why were we speaking in Common, again? Everyone here but our bound prisoner speaks Tulita. And there is something I want to ask you, Zem, that I don't want him overhearing. Does he seem the type to be smart enough to grasp for his own self-preservation over revenge?"

She pauses, waiting for his response.

Always a kinetic thinker, Nef paces a moment, flitting back and forth like a bird in flight. "I always assumed that the true story of what happened would beat us back to Port Shaw. Our lie was a thin one... soon the crew will be sitting in their lifeboats, wondering to themselves, 'What just happened?'"

"They will figure it out."

She looks at the others. "When we go back to Port Shaw, we will be facing whatever stories they and the Captain will tell of us. If the Captain is smart, that story will be the one of the storm. The one that saves him face and allows him to collect his insurance. If he's not..."

Nef shrugs. "Then we come into port, having rescued the children of every well-connected person in Port Shaw. We openly tell their families the story of the slavers abandoning their own ship, and point out that not one was harmed. Including him."

Nef looks at Zem and the others. "I admit I don't know the laws of Port Shaw. Slavery is legal, but is it legal to kidnap people out of their homes, beat them, rape them and chain them up?" She looks at Hazeltree. "Was what he was doing truly blessed by the laws of Port Shaw? I'm betting that it was illegal as well, though I'd have to ask Oren to be sure."

"In that case, we haven't attacked legitimate business men, but stopped a band of kidnappers exploiting a grey area of the law. Port Shaw has forgiven former pirates and welcomed them as citizens... It celebrated the exploits of the Wave Riders... If we are bold enough, I think we can overcome this, and turn this story to our cause."

"Walk the plank!" Ke' howled to the sky while brandishing his staff.

"Being a worm, I would expect him to prioritize self-preservation" - Zem continues in Tulitan - "But it is impossible to be sure" - he adds while gagging the man.

"I am almost fully certain we will face multiple problems back at Port Shaw, consequence of our actions here - I am ready to face them" - the man finishes - "What I am not ready to do is send this cur to the sharks, or maroon him in an island to be eaten by one of the many cannibal tribes, and pretend it wasn't me who killed him. You all know my thoughts on this, however, as always, I will defer to the will of the group"

Rata crosses his arms over his chest, grunting with an air of finality, "Let's just get him back to his men so that we can get back to the Rita. We've got an ancient elven lab to find and some hostile creatures to deal with." The matter settled in his mind, he heads up to the main deck, scanning the remaining Tulitians on board before turning his gaze to the open waters in silent contemplation.

Nef nods gratefully to Rata and stands next to Zemwaar in solidarity.

"Friends, it does not matter what the worm does in Port Shaw. What matters is what we do. Word of this day will spread across the Razor. This will be looked upon as the first moment of the uprising. The day that the Tulita started taking back their birthright."

She pauses, letting her words sink in.

"How we begin is how we'll proceed. Blood begets blood, endlessly."

"Or we can start the revolution another way. With a tale of a wise and daring people overcoming the brutal slavers without spilling a drop of blood. A tale that will cause others to join us, or support us."

She meets the eyes of everyone in the room. "It's not the worm I want to save. It's the future of our people."

And then she looks to Aikane, Ko'oku'wa, and Ke'ahilani. "What future do you choose?"

Nef has made her final argument. She's waiting to see what Aikane and Ke'ahilani say.

Yeah, I don't think Zemwaar has anything else to add also. Just curious to see how this will unfold ;)

"I THINK," Hissed Ke', truly angry this time; "That they will go RIGHT back to the SAME evil trade!
"Because the colonists THINK the Tulita are subhuman animals!
"Because they make too much MONEY!
"Because people like YOU," He points viciously at Nef, "WILL NOT PUNISH THEM WHEN CAUGHT!"
He threw up his arms in disgust.

Nef does not flinch from Ke'ahilani's pointed finger.

"You're probably right on all counts," she admits, softly, though his anger hurts. She does not repeat her arguments -- what good would it do? She just looks at Lani, truly looks at him, wanting to ease her friend's pain.

"Like me, you lost someone to the slave trade, didn't you? Who was it?"

"Something as close to me..." He hissed as he lifted his peg leg and slammed it down on a bench. "... as a leg."

She kneels down to touch his peg leg, then raises her eyes to gaze at him, questions rising in her eyes. Did they cut it off of him because he tried to run away? Or did he hack off his own foot to rid it of the chains? Did it matter? Either way, her friend had to be one of the bravest and fiercest men she knew.

"They captured you. Somehow, all on your own, you took your freedom back. And this... this was the price you paid, wasn't it?" she asks, awed. "Lani... how old were you?"

Aikane takes a long look at the Rita.

Ke' looked at Nef uncomprehending before bursting out laughing.
He quickly choked it off, suppressing his bitter mirth.
"Sorry, sorry. I just realized... you thought I was a little kid?" He asked, shaking his head.
He took a deep breath.
"Nope. I was a warrior of 15 or 16, back when me and Zem were more alike than we are now. I was afraid of no man or beast, unbeatable, could drink anything under the table, immortal. In other words, I was a punk.
"When the slavers came around, the Chief ordered us to back off, stay out of the way. I don't know what he was thinking; cowardice? Was he bought off? I don't know. But I didn't leave them alone."
He paused, remembering.
"I killed maybe a dozen or so as they looked for our people to take. One or two at a time. But I was young...ger, and dumb as a post.
"Turns out, this kind of thing had happened before, and they had a method for dealing with it."

Lani's bitter mirth does not sting. All that Nef can hear from it is Lani's pain, and what is left of the man's pride. His story washes over her. Nef sees him not giving up on his people. She sees him sneaking up on the slavers, taking them one or two at a time, until he finally got caught by them.

She nods, her hand still touching his wooden leg. Her eyes never leave his face. She understands so much of him now. The pride, the anger, the self-conscious way he held himself in light of his scars, mental and physical. The slavers had hurt his body, but not entirely crushed his spirit. This man before her is a survivor.

"I'm here, Lani, and listening," she says, quietly. "You protected and guarded our people from men like this one. They made you pay a terrible price. If you wish, you could reach out and kill him right now. It would make certain that this one man at least never does this again."

She pauses, hating that she has to say this, hating that she has to cause this man more pain. "Or you could choose to let him go back to the humiliation that surely awaits him in Port Shaw, and strike a more lasting blow against slavery. You could help the people of Port Shaw see our people as more than subhuman animals. It will be long and painful, but this is the path most likely to bring longterm change."

She glances at Zem in apology, and then hands her khopesh to Lani. "I cede this choice to you, Lani. What do you choose?"

Aikane crosses over to the quarter deck of the Rita.

Aikane: How are you getting over to the Rita? Are you going to swim there? FYI, the ocean water looks fairly calm so it should be an easy swim...

Psst... Aikane and Rata. No one has searched this ship yet. The slavers left all their stuff. There may be clues. There may be loot. This is something the two of you could do while the rest of us await Ke'ahilani's decision.

________________

Wedjat does loop de loops in the air before landing in the crow's nest.

"Screeee!"

What do you guys have for food around here?

From the deck, Aikane waves for Oren to bring the ship along side if possible.

Ke' dropped his eyes.
"Alright, I won't bore you with the details. I only wanted you to know that... they broke me."
He grinned mirthlessly.
"Yes, they have a procedure for that as well. They broke me in body, then they broke my mind as well. And it was only after I threw myself overboard wanting to die, and a shark bit my shackled leg off that I was freed."

Abruptly he strode forward, grabbed the Captain and hurled him over the railing into the sea.
"I want to think about something else now. Weren't we hired for some job?"

Nef watches as Ke'ahilani drags the bound and gagged Captain from the Captain's quarters and up to the deck before hurling the man into the ocean to the cheers of nearly every slave on deck.

She turns to Zem, and says, miserably, "They chose blood."

Jacinth flinches as Captain Hazeltree hits the water with a splash, but offers nothing else on the spectacle than a quiet, "So be it." After a moment, she clears her throat and turns to address the group. "Well...now that that has been settled, there are other matters that must be seen to. It seems Aikane has already gotten started," she nods with approval as she sees the menehune already working to catch Oren's attention to have him bring the Rita alongside the Iron Bastion.

She turns first to Ko'oku'wa and nods as a show of respect. "Since it appears that you or another of your choosing is now in command of this vessel, I would like to put forth a request or two of my own, if you would hear it. The first," she begins, holding up her index finger for emphasis, "is that my own crew is stretched thin; we number just enough to operate the Rita but no more. I would be interested in hiring some of your people to round out our roster, should any of them desire a position among us. If so, terms can be negotiated." Jacinth then holds up a second finger. "My second request is that we be allowed to search this vessel. You will obviously require a majority of the foodstuffs and other supplies on board for your own people, but we would be interested in seeing what these slavers have left behind of their own personal effects and if there might be supplies that would aid us on our rescue mission...which we must return to soon. Would this be acceptable? If so, then I will give orders to begin searching the ship immediately." She tries to remain cool and nonchalant, but Jacinth can't help but sound slightly hopeful that her requests will be looked on favorably.

We could very much use some extra hands...surely he will be inclined to humor me after all the assistance we've given today!

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

She glances over at Nef and Zem, a brief look of regret flitting across her face.

I am sorry...but I suppose I cannot blame the others for feeling as they do, especially after the tale that Ke'ahilani told. In the same position, I may very well have done the same. Not all of us are as noble at heart...or as forgiving.

After staring moodily out to sea for a while, she paces near where the scuffle for the lifeboats occurred. And then pauses, thinking.

Nef kneels down and looks. Were there any splinters or other tiny pieces of lifeboat left on the deck?

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

If so, she grabs a splinter and carefully wraps it in paper before putting it in her pouch.

Once the matter of the Captain has been resolved, you all turn your attention to taking care of various, sundry issues.

While Jacinth addresses Ko'oku'wa concerning hiring additional crew for the Rita, Nefertiti scans the deck closely for any remnants of the lifeboat recently used by the former slavers. Fortunately for the young priestess the deck has not been washed clean by the ocean waves and she is able to gather several pieces of what she thinks must be the lifeboat.

Oren is able to bring the Rita alongside the Bastion where the freed Tulitan slaves throw some ropes over to the other vessel, securing it so they do not drift apart. The rest of you busy yourselves searching the Bastion for any extra valuables and miscellaneous supplies. A search of the crew berths and the hold turns up a pouch with 4 pearls (50 gp each), 8 gold bars (100 gp each) and a lock box containing 589 gp. The Captain had on him a potion of cure light wounds, a +1 chain shirt, buckler, +1 longsword, masterwork light crossbow with 20 bolts, and 60 gp.

Another post is coming later...

Oren had almost decided to take a nap, as it appeared the group had things well in hand. Once he saw the waving, he did his best to pull the boat around to the slaving vessel. "Hey guys, did you miss me? Who are all of our new friends?"

Oren tied off the ropes to ensure the boats would not drift apart as he jumped over to the other ship. "This looks like a sturdy vessel. What kinds of meanness did all of you all get into over here?"

Zemwaar stares as the captain is dragged overboard by his brother
Ke'ahilani, the warrior's hands firmly carved onto the side of the ship as the man gurgles and drowns.

Even after no sign of him can be seen, he is still there, staring, barely listening to Jacinth's words.

Having collected her splinters and wrapping them carefully in paper, she puts them in her pouch. Nef returns to Zem. Taking the larger man's hand in hers, she pulls him in to her for a consoling embrace, both seeking and offering comfort. She is shaky and hollow, the adrenaline now gone. All around her are the sounds of joyous celebration, as her people are claiming the freedom that is rightfully theirs.

But that one death has robbed her of the full joy of this moment. She can see the path of liberty ahead -- a path that minutes ago was clear and shining -- and now is soaked with blood. She is mourning not Hazeltree, but this lost moment to set things on the right path and give her people an untainted victory.

--------------------------------------------------

When Oren comes by with his big grin, she makes an effort to smile back, but it's a thin smile. She shakes her head at Oren and mouths, Later.

While Nefertiti and Zemwaar wrestle with their consciences, the others continue with their searches. In the Captain's Quarters where the navigators table sits Rata Fenn finds a drawer, locked but after procuring the key it yields some parchments and sheets of vellum. They look to be shipping records detailing various shipping runs and other sundry activities of the Iron Bastion. Due to the fact these records were locked away leads you to believe these records were not meant to be shared openly...

Meanwhile topside, after Jacinth has pleaded her case to the new defacto Captain Ko'oku'wa, he stops to consider her words carefully. "I believe we can surely spare some Tulitan warriors to assist you on your trip. I believe a ship this size does not need all of us to man her." His voice sharpens a little. "I do not want to see my people trade one form of slavery for another. They deserve to be paid for their work. I shall let you decide how much our...people are worth to you!"

He glances back towards where Nefertiti and Zemwaar are comforting one another. "I should mention that I do feel unsure leading my people back home. I am no Captain. Perhaps they have some advice for me on how to lead my people. Our journey has just begun, it seems."

Oren noticed that Nef wasn't her normal self. He made a note to talk to her and see what was wrong, once the group had a spare moment.

"Don't worry, Captain, we will pay your men a fair wage. We don't believe in slavery around this ship. If they'll help us, we will see they will be rewarded for it."

Previously...

Rata's thoughts focused on far-away cares and distant memories, he doesn't notice that the scuffle behind him is fast approaching. It isn't until Ke' tosses Hazeltree over the rails and into the azure depths that he is brought out of his reverie, screaming back to the present. Rata remains frozen in shock for a long moment, his mouth hanging agape, before he finally begins to unravel.

"Heh. Eh, heh heh heh. HA. HahahaHAHAHAAAAA!" He doubles over, slapping his knee and clutching at his flexing abdomen, the veins in his neck popping as the rush of laughter completely overtakes his body. Wiping at his streaming eyes, he slaps Ke'ahilani on the back. "Ah, that was just what this group needed. Now if that's not the best way I've ever seen of settling an arguement! Ke' you're a good man! Ha HAH!" Rata is in very rare form as he makes his way over to the other natives, grabbing up Oren en route, beckoning him to join them in their celebration of freedom.

In his reverie, he does notice the defeated look on Nef's face as she holds Zem close and he flashes her a concerned look - a look of understanding and apology. I am sorry dear friend, but I fear you must cope with the brutal truth that most freedoms aren't bought with words - they are sticky to the touch and smell and taste of iron for their price in blood is quite high.

Presently...

Rata quickly tucks away the documents and returns to the top deck. He silently awaits for a break in the conversation before getting Jacinth's attention. Whispering, "I found some documents that may interest you. They were locked away and marked with Hazeltree's seal. I believe they are shipping records. Exactly where these Tulitians were being taken is probably detailed within. Something of great interest to the right people... Or a matter for us to look into, perhaps? After our business at Dolentla has concluded, of course." He gives her a knowing look.

As both Oren and Rata flash her concerned looks, Nefertiti nods to them. Then she slowly, reluctantly, pulls herself from embrace. Taking a deep breath to bring herself back under control, she looks up at Zem, standing on tiptoe to touch the big man's cheek.

She waits until his troubled eyes are once again focused on her. "Malama, I need you to listen to me. We saved over seventy lives today. Twenty of the crew, and over fifty of our own people. Our people, like Ke'ahilani, are scarred and hurting. Of course their first impulse will be to lash back. They're in pain, and they want justice in any form they can take it."

She pauses, and says, "Malama, they need YOU. They need your wisdom. They need your strength. They need you to share their joy in their new found freedom, and to help them heal. They need your guidance, just as much as I do."

She meets his gaze. "Do you hear me? We can grieve later. But our people, and Ke'ahilani -- they need us NOW."

Kissing his hand, she pulls Zem back into the celebration, back into the grateful embraces of his people. Allowing herself to be spun and hugged by complete strangers, she mingles with the freed Tulita until she reaches Ke'ahilani and stops before him.

Who was she to judge the choice he made? It was time to make peace, move forward.

Taking Lani's hand, she says, "Lani, the slavers may have broken you once, but you are not broken still. What I see before me is a whole man -- brave and fierce." She squeezes the hand, once. "Thank you for sharing your story. For helping me understand."

"Thank you, Captain," Jacinth replies, looking a little relieved. "As Oren has said, we will certainly come to an agreement that should be to everyone's satisfaction. In fact..." her voice trails off as she follows Ko'oku'wa's glance over to Nef and Zem, who seemed to have decided to join in the celebrations after all. "I believe I will let the three of you work up a suitable contract for your men's services. In this particular instance, I feel that Nefertiti and Zemwaar might have more insight than I into what would constitute appropriate payment." She then lowers her voice slightly and adds, "It also gives you a chance to speak with them about your concerns with leading your people. Of all of my current crew, I feel they are the best qualified to offer you the advice you seek."

It also gives them something to keep them busy and feeling useful, provided Zemwaar will even deign to speak with Ko'oku'wa...

Noticing Rata having returned to the deck and attempting to catch her eye, she smiles apologetically at the Iron Bastion's new captain. "It seems one of my own wishes to speak with me, so I will leave the three of you to it for the moment," she says, nodding in the direction of Nef and Zem. Turning her attention to Rata, she listens with great interest as he explains his findings.

Practical Rata Fenn! It is good to know that some of the crew are able to stay focused and keep an eye open for anything that may be useful to us.

"Good job Mr. Fenn!" she smiles widely. "The contents of those documents may very likely provide us with leverage among the right people, as you said. Or...insurance, should word of what happened here today somehow reach Port Shaw." Her thrill at the acquisition of the documents is such that she almost misses the additional implication of Rata's words.

Wait...'after our business at Dolentla has concluded'? He assumes that I will continue my association with the group once we return to Port Shaw! That's...

Ridiculous? Absurd? Highly unlikely? Mere days ago, any of those words might have been an accurate response to such an insinuation. But now...Jacinth wasn't so sure. Whether she wanted it to or not, being with the group was slowly but surely having an effect on the elven woman. The uncomfortable closeness brought about by Nef's truth-telling magic, their experiences at sea, and now this business with the Iron Bastion...which, now that it was nearly all said and done, she realized had actually been truly thrilling despite the seriousness and the danger...

A life of danger but also one of excitement...is that what I want for myself? Do I really want to throw my lot in with a group that seems hellbent on shaking Port Shaw to its foundations?

To stay with them...stay with Nef...and...Rata, who seems to want you to stay...

And what would Uncle say? And your parents? And your friends, assuming they still live?

Jacinth feels an uncharacteristic flush creep over her face as she meets Rata's eyes. "I...yes, perhaps...perhaps it would be something worth investigating once we return from Dolentla. We shall have to see," she murmurs, looking away quickly in an effort to compose herself once more.

Still making her rounds of the crowd, Nef sees Oren and suddenly runs to hugs him, so fiercely she almost knocks the breath out of him. "Oh, Opu, of course we missed you!"

Still in his arms, she looks up at him. "I'm sorry I didn't make my way to you before. I... I've had a heavy day." She sighs. "So has Zem."

"I lied. I willingly took one of Lani's concoctions and vomited all over the ship, chasing the slavers off by reinforcing this crazy story of a plague that Jacinth came up with. And in the process, I appear to have stolen a ship, and was just accomplice to the murder of her Captain." She gives him a stricken look. "I've never broken the law before -- any law. Horus help me, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it would free our people from their chains. What have I become?"

Nearby, Aikane puts away his weapons.

He crosses over to the Rita. Now the cards stay where they lie. The colors stain and streak in a puddle of vomit, on a slave ship, in the sun.

If this revolution crap is just around the corner, it's been there for a damn long time. I wish I knew just which corner that son of a fish is hiding behind. The resistance is here now. There may not be room for a revolution. If there is a future for any of us.

Oren smiles at Nef's wild tale. He had missed all the fun and hi jinks, it appeared.

When he figured out what was bothering her, he nodded. "Laws are grey, not black and white, in my opinion. There are always exceptions to any code...it looks to me that you found one of these exceptions. You crew saved a whole ship full of our people. To have simply turned a blind eye to this ship full of slaves would have eaten at you as well. You might have crossed a line, but if the line was unjust, who is to say it was worth following? And I doubt any here will report you to the authorities."

He turned to the others still standing around. "What a clever ruse! Congratulations on a job well done. I wish I could have helped, but on the bright side, I did get to work on my tan while you lot were freeing this entire ship!"

Nef takes solace from Oren's words, then meets his gaze once more. "Opu, are the slavers' raids truly blessed by the laws of Port Shaw? Or are they just kidnapping with impunity because no one in power in Port Shaw currently cares?"

Knowledge Local?

Zemwaar does not celebrate - he stares blankly at it all, his eyes taking a gleam only when Nefertiti addresses him - "Yes" - he speaks calmly - "I may be needed" - he looks at the Tulita around him, then at his companions

"Though not by my blood brothers - I do not recognize them. Ke'ahilani is right, we have grown very differently. Worlds apart it seems" - his hand squeezes Nef's impossibly hard - "Aka, I cannot thread this path with them. I will not. And I will not return to The Rita"

Again he looks around at the celebrations - I must look for a place to belong, somewhere else... Maybe here I can make a difference" - in spite of the weight they may carry, his words are unwavering.

Know. Local 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 as to when Oren might know pertaining to Nef's questions

Nef feels the impossibly hard squeeze of Zem's hand on hers, but that isn't what causes her pain.

Eyes wellling with unshed tears, she turns to him in shock. "Malama? You're staying here? With the Bastion? But... I am bound, by contract, to escort Jacinth." She trembles. "If you stay... Wedjat and I can't come with you!"

She looks to him, as always, for guidance. "Is this just temporary? Will we meet again in Port Shaw?"

I'm going to go ahead and post here, but if Rata wants to keep chatting with Jacinth we can do back-fill!

Casting her eyes about for a convenient distraction, Jacinth spots Zemwaar and Nef still mingling among the celebrants, along with Oren and the others. I suppose Ko'oku'wa had something else to see to first, she thinks. In that case I should let them know what I have in mind for them to do. "Oh, I should go speak to Nef and Zemwaar for a moment; I have in mind for them to discuss the prospect of hiring a few of Ko'oku'wa's men to join us on the Rita," she explains hastily as she turns back to Rata. "Good work again on finding those documents, Mr. Fenn," she adds before hurrying off.

Weaving through the crowd, she makes her way over to the pair. "There you are! I had thought Ko'oku'wa would have approached you by now, but no matter. He seemed amenable to the idea of us hiring a few of his people to join us on the Rita, but I had thought that I would have the two of you work on negotiating an acceptable contract since I am not-" she stops, noticing the tears in Nef's eyes for the first time. "Nef, what is wrong?" she queries, a genuine look of concern on her face. "Has something happened?" she adds as she looks at the others questioningly.

Why does Zemwaar wear such a strange expression?

Aikane heads below decks on the Rita.
I took the Rita in. All of her sins, all of her wanting space and dripping seams. I took in her furled sails, her rotting planks. I thought to myself that whale would never care for such reeking a hulk.

Nef does not let go of Zem's hand. It is her lifeline. So long as she holds it, she and he are still together, still part of one another. The alternative? Unthinkable.

But for his sake, she wipes her face with her other sleeve. She will not weep before him. Tears make him uncomfortable; they always have.

Untrained Bluff to Hide Feelings: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

She wants to wail about love growing wild under the blue of open sky, under the deep carpet of the night. She wants to beg him to stay with her, the way they have always been. She does not.

This is Zem. They have been sun and shadow so long that she knows, knows to the core of her being, that arguments are futile. Once his mind is made up, he doesn't change it. He never does.

She turns to Jacinth, speaking in a voice so calm and small that it belongs to someone else. Someone whose world is not falling apart.

"Zem has decided to stay with the Bastion," she says. "To guide them home. To help them find their way. Per our contract, I will be staying with the Rita. With you."

Still holding tightly to Zem's hand, she says softly, "You said something... about negotiations?"