by Jez Cajiao
“Aye, laddie, an’ judgin’ from the damage we’ve fixed so far, ‘e was makin’ the ship look more damaged than it really be. Probl’y tryin’ to get away from th’ fightin’! As to the piratin’, well, it no be that uncommon. Warships be expected to help supply themselves, now an’ then.”
“Sneaky fuckers!” I said, still grinning.
“You seem inordinately pleased about that, Jax,” Cai said, leaning against the ship as well and facing me after scanning the area to make sure we weren’t being observed. “What’s going on in that devious mind of yours?”
“I’m just thinking that if there’s no way to prove which goods are whose, we can’t be expected to return anything. That means it’s all ours, spoils of war and all that, and if pirating is that common, well…”
“Well, what be stoppin’ us from doin’ th’ same!” Oren chimed in, grinning wolfishly.
“Exactly! Ans if it’s known that the Warship has been doing this, and that others do too, well, Barabarattas might think the ship went rogue, rather than being captured…”
“So, he’s more likely to be annoyed and wait a while before sending other ships after this one. And he didn’t think his ships had arrived yet, so he probably thinks we’re all fighting you for the tower or something now…” Cai concluded, and I grinned back at him.
“Exactly! We really need Decin on our side, then, as I bet whatever we try to pull on the city to steal those manastones would work a lot better with two ships than one!”
“Damn right, laddie!” Oren said, his grin stretching his face even further.
“Time for a quick test flight. Let’s go see if we can convince Decin, save anyone that we can, and get his ship repaired and back here!” I said, clapping my hands together. Cai saluted and spoke quickly before turning away.
“I’ll get on with things here and get the cargo sorted.” With his departure, Oren and I headed up onto the ship, dodging crew that ran and weaved about, carrying the final piles of gear off the ship, and straightening the trio of cylinders that sat on the deck.
“What are those?” I asked Oren, and he grunted as he saw what I was looking at.
“Flamin’ dangerous be what they be! There be three o’ them, yer see?” He said, gesturing to the two on the deck, one on either side of the ship.
The third and final one was set in the bow, heavily secured in place, compared to the other two, with a mass of metal strapping it down. “Those two, they be for fightin’ ships; fire a great big rock up to a mile. Sod-all accuracy, though. Iff’n yer need to use them, yer need to be in close! T’other one, though? That’s a Lightnin’ Shot. Yer use that on buildin’s. I only ever see’d one fired afore; well, two, but the second wen’ ‘boom’ an’ th’ ship done vanished. The time it worked, though? Hellish powerful!”
“Wait… the other one exploded? What happened?” I asked, Oren eyed the explosive construct as he shrugged.
“Who knows! They be new to the fleet. Ain’t nobody seen ‘em afore a few years back. Some ol’ design Barabarattas found in a ruin. Like th’ first airships, there be a lot o’ trial an’ error. More error ‘n not, if yer get it…”
“Fuck, man, that’s insane.” I said, shaking my head and inspecting the cannons. All three were totally different looking, for all that the first two were similar in design. One of the smaller two had fanciful swirls and patterns on it, where the other was bare. The big one was clearly lashed in place to try to counter some kind of kickback. “Wonder why they never used them on us?” I said aloud as I studied them.
“Probl’y didna give ‘em time, or we’d all have been fucked.” Oren said, shrugging again and moving off to shout at someone that was coiling rope on the deck exactly like everyone else, to my untrained eye. Oren yanked it from her hands and did…exactly the same thing. I frowned, trying to figure out what was going on, but I had a lot more important things to try to figure out first. Hell with it.
I turned around and watched as Oracle appeared from the Tower and flitted over to me. She smiled, then flew straight to Bob, landing on his shoulders and folding her arms over the top of his skull as she regarded the four ruffians still inside the cages. I joined her, and she turned to me, gesturing at them.
“So, what are we going to do with them?” she asked with a concerned look on her face. “Lorek and his men deserved what they got. They were going to hurt Isabella, but these men haven’t done anything.”
“Aye, that’s right; we didn’t do nothin’.” The weaselly little man spoke up quickly, stepping forward. “The lady’s right, Lord. We can be helpful. We’re good workers, an’…” Before he could say anything else, a bucket of water splashed over him, thrown from the side, and I found the old helmsman standing there. “You jus’ wait, yer old bastard! I’ll get you yet! One night you’ll be flyin’, all right, right over the side! I’ll…” the man started screaming at him.
I met the helmsman’s eyes and smiled. That simple act, something that would have been a wind-up between friends, had brought out the real side of the man in the cage.
I’d have understood anger, all things considered, but as the ranting went on, and got more inventive as I walked away from the cage, following him up to the raised deck, I recoiled at some of the things being shouted. When one of them involved what the four in the cage would do to the helmsman’s daughter and granddaughters, I spun around, ready to silence them, only to see all four shaking and crying out. Oracle had struck them with a lightning bolt, taking off from Bob’s head and flying over to me.
“Jax, why are some people like that?” she asked me, landing on my shoulder, and frowning with revulsion. “I was trying to help, trying to see if they could be reasoned with, or at least make them understand why we couldn’t trust them yet, and then they said all that…just because of some water?”
“Some people are just broken, Oracle.” I said, shaking my head, “and no matter what you do, they can’t be fixed. It’s best to treat them like a rabid animal, and simply kill them off.” When I realized what I’d said, I paused. It had come out before I’d thought about it, but it felt right. Back home, they’d have gone to prison, come out, and been shits again, robbing and hurting people until they were caught again and sent down, again and again as the cycle repeated. I’d always been annoyed at the pattern, that these assholes continued to hurt people around them, but that was just the way the world was. I’d accepted it. Here, though? Here, we couldn’t afford that, and I’d made the decision on how to deal with them already without realizing it. Lorek and his thugs had been different, as the villagers needed to see a merciful lord.
These shits were as bad, if not worse, judging from the things they’d said. I made my way to the helmsman where he stood on the raised deck, working on sanding out a divot I’d carved into the deck with my dagger yesterday.
“What’s your name?” I asked, and he straightened with a delighted smile.
“Jory m’lord! I’m Jory Ansbach.” He unconsciously flexed his fingers as he spoke to me, clearly reveling in the feeling of having a body that wasn’t as damaged as it had been for decades.
“Good to meet you, Jory.” I held out a hand. He looked surprised, then grinned wider, quickly wiping his hand on his pant leg, then reaching out and briefly gripping my wrist in greeting.
“So, why did you throw that water over those assholes in the cage?” I asked, and I got a guilty look in return.
“I saw you speakin’ to them, an’ I knew they’d all stink, so...” He shrugged, looking down reflexively.
“Whoa, none of that shit, Jory.” I said quickly. He blinked and opened his mouth to speak, but I beat him to it. “Don’t go staring at the deck in fear of me. Just look me in the eye and explain things. If you fuck up, I might be pissed at you, but as long as you don’t hurt someone or fuck us over deliberately, I’ll always listen. Okay?” Jory looked at me for a second, then straightened his shoulders, a decision clearly made.
“Aye, I did it so they’d not smell as bad
, but mainly, I wanted you to see what they were like. Honut, the little evil one? He’d stab his own mother for a copper."
"All four of ‘em were sent to work on the ships fer ten years ‘cause they’d been caught rapin’. I got no time for the likes of them, sir, and I wanted you to see for yerself.”
I paused, thinking through his assertion, and remembering that in my world’s own past, convicts had sometimes been used aboard ships. I had a sudden sinking feeling about the people I’d given a blanket amnesty to and had accepted into the Tower. I’d taken an Oath from them, one that Seneschal had assured me would protect both them and me, but still.
“How many others in the crew are like that? Criminals, I mean?” I asked Jory, receiving a shrug in return.
“Not many, Lord. I think Petey was given five years for stealin’, and Gimil was here fer murder of a guardsman, but he’d came home and found the fella with ‘is wife, and Petey was trying to feed ‘imself. The rest of us were all signed up for a life in the sky out of choice.”
I nodded at that, thinking maybe we’d been lucky, then, but I’d need to speak to this Gimil.
“About Gimil…” I said, only to get a sad shake of the head.
“Captain… the old captain, I mean… he made an example of him to make sure we all ‘knew our place’. Threw him over the side two days back. When we raided the village, he gave some of the boys and girls to those who’d pleased him. Gimil had led us when we said it weren’t right.”
“Some of the crew raped the prisoners?” I asked with a low growl, and Jory spoke up quickly.
“None of those that swore to you, Lord! There were seven that did it, that I saw. One, well he hurt a little boy bad, killed him… and we threw him off the ship ourselves. Two more died in the fightin’; they were ships guards, and the last four… well…” he said, gesturing to the four men in the cage.
I managed to grab Oracle’s leg just before she took off, and I spoke firmly to her. “No! We’ll deal with this once we’re away from the Tower.” She looked rebellious for a second, but then quickly settled down when she saw the look in my eye.
“Thank you for telling me, Jory. I’ll not have men like that in my lands. However, and I’m sure you understand this, I need to be sure of what you’ve said…”
“I do, m’lord. Just tell me what you want. I can bring you others that saw it, or the girls and boys that were…used…” he faltered, looking concerned about bringing the last group to me and making them relive their experiences.
“No. I’ll talk to you again later but thank you.” I said, walking away from him and crossing to Oren where he stood on the main deck. He regarded me as I approached, noting the twin looks of anger on both mine and Oracle’s faces.
“Uh oh, who pissed in yer breakfast?” he said, frowning.
“Nobody, I fucking hope.” I drew him aside. “Look, I just found out from Jory that a few of the crew of this ship raped and killed some of the villagers. I hadn’t realized before, but the two groups have made a point of staying separate since I released them. Have you seen that? And did you know?”
“Nay, laddie, I’d no seen tha’ but I can believe it. It be the kinda thing that happens, unfortunately.”
“No… no, it fucking doesn’t,” I said forcefully. “I need you to make this very, very clear to people. This doesn’t ‘happen’, and if it does, I’ll make damn sure whoever did it regrets it for the rest of their life, both goddamn seconds of it!” I took a deep breath and went on. “If I have to say this to our people, if this is really a rule I have to lay down, I will, but I’ll be furious and disappointed that it even needs to be said. We’re supposed to be family here, and that…”
“Nay, laddie, ain’t needed to be said. None ‘o my lads and lassies would need to be told, and I dinna see anyone else that’d need it neither. It be normal fer a warship to need extra crew, and sometimes, well, mebbe they get shits like that. My ship, and Decin’s, we were family ships, an’ we only hired those we knew well.”
“Thank god,” I growled, shaking my head as I tried to tamp down on the fury raging in me.
“Can I ask a question?” Oren said suddenly, and I looked at him, surprised.
“I’ve never known you to ask permission before, mate; what is it?” I said, getting an embarrassed grin in return.
“Well, you an’ Oracle…yer bond, how deep does it be?”
“I don’t get you,” I said, looking at Oracle in confusion only to find her looking back at me in the same way.
“Argh, look. I am probl’y sayin’ this wrong, but yer bond… last few days, I’ve seen it, an’ I need to ask, are you sharin’ yer emotions?” Oren cheeks were stained bright red, but he ploughed on manfully.
“Look, we all been seein’ how she acts wit’ ye, and truth be told, it be fuckin hilarious. But yer anger… yer depression when people died, all o’ it, I dinna know ye well enough to be sure, but iff’n yer sharin’ emotions, well...” He shrugged, and I stared at him blankly. Oracle took off suddenly, flying away in a blur of wings, and disappeared over the side of the ship, and I followed her trajectory in confusion. After a second, though, I felt my anger die down to a manageable level and I drew in a deep breath, even more confused. I looked to Oren and saw him nodding as he looked back at me.
“There it be.” He smiled and continued quietly. “I did wonder, the way ye were so easily sidetracked suddenly, where before yer were a man o’ focus. Me an’ Cai were talkin’ about it a wee while ago. I think ye need to go find yer companion, mate.” I nodded, not pleased he’d been talking about me behind my back to Cai, but understanding that as ‘the boss’, it’d happen.
I followed Oracle’s flight over to the side of the ship, my bond guiding me. I broke into a jog, taking the stairs quickly to her floor and dismissing the crystal doorway to the Hall of Memories.
She was huddled on her manawell, shrunk down to her original size, only six inches in height. She sat with her legs pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around them as she shook.
“Oracle?” I called softly, rushing to her, and going down on one knee so I was level with her face. “What’s wrong?” I asked, afraid that she was hurt. She lifted her tiny tear-streaked face and spoke, barely above a whisper.
“I’m sorry, Jax. I’m so sorry!”
“Why? What happened? Seriously Oracle, what the hell?” I whispered, reaching out to her, and dipping my hand into her well. She sat on the surface as though it was solid, but my fingers felt only a cool liquid as I lifted her free. I cradled her to my chest and took a seat, closing the door with a thought. After a second, I felt her uncurl, growing to her normal size of a foot tall, as she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck and buried her face.
I held her for a while as she cried, with no idea what to do beyond slowly stroking her back, her wings fluttering with each sob. After what seemed like forever, she finally responded to my coaxing and spoke again.
“When we bonded, I…well, I’d never really done anything with people before…” she whispered. “Oh, I’d watched them, and I’d talked to them loads, but until you let me bond you, I’d always been an observer. Our emotions are different to yours.”
“They’re, well… when we have our ability to absorb mana burned out, we lose a lot of the highs and lows. We still feel, but just not as much. When we bonded, I felt your emotions so strongly, and I… I wanted to feel that myself.”
“Okay, that’s all right, Oracle…” I whispered, continuing to stroke her back, and trying to keep my voice level while imagining the things I’d like to do to someone who burned emotions out of a sentient creature and enslaved them to a fucking Tower for eternity.
“So… I…”
“It’s all right Oracle, just tell me,” I asked quietly, already fairly sure of what was coming by now.
“So, I made a connection to you that was deeper, I…I didn’t know what I was doing! I could have hurt you, and I just…I…”
“No, you couldn’t have hurt me.
Remember, the bond prevents that,” I said firmly. “You did what you thought was best for us, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but I… I wanted…”
“Even if you wanted it, that doesn’t make it bad, but explain it for me, please,” I said, still holding her.
“I made our emotional connection deeper. It’s helped to heal some of the damage that the Spellbooks, and well, your life, did to you. You were alone for so long, and betrayed so much, so you didn’t trust people very much. I… I helped you to relax.”
“Okay, now tell me the downside.” I didn’t feel any different, but would I know?
“It’s made our emotions feed off each other!” she cried out. “I don’t know how to fix it!”
“Feed off each other?” I asked, but even as I said it, I knew what she meant. I’d already had issues with my temper, and it had been getting worse. Breaking Lorek’s arm was only one example. I’d been keeping my rage under control so far, but only just. If Oracle hadn’t hit those guys in the cage with a lightning bolt, I would have. And I had to admit, if only to myself, I wouldn’t have been as gentle. I’d have used fire.
“Every time you’re angry, I get angry; then you get angrier, and so do I! With the sex, I want to try it, I want to enjoy you, and have you enjoy me, but just thinking about it means suddenly, it’s all I can think of! I could have killed those people, I could have…what do we do, Jax?”
Oracle wailed, sitting back in my arms to stare at me, her eyes puffy from weeping. She pulled at her long hair, making it come away in clumps. I stared as her body began to change before my eyes, going grey, her face draining and her body twisting.
She drew in upon herself, becoming a strange, ugly, little, naked, half-starved creature, and I swallowed hard.
“Oracle?” I prodded, and the little figure looked up at me, a bright red spark deep in her eyes as she focused on me.
“I should be an imp,” she said despondently. “I don’t deserve to look pretty.” Despite it all, I had to stifle a laugh.
