[Zozeko]

Using the payment for their part in that ridiculous expedition, the crew of the Artega had unanimously agreed that repairs were a much higher priority than anything else. Lumber imported from Serendipity through first Alexandria and then Espur was not cheap, but it was a much better quality than that found in any of the smaller towns they might have tried, and quicker to arrive, too. They may be heroes across the realm right now, but Espur's harbour patrol thought considerably differently so the faster they left port, the better.

Now it was a question of finding brass fixings of a similar quality. They could have bought those in Espur right along with the lumber, but Zozeko knew a Zanaryan merchant in Despina who sold them on the cheap. Unfortunately, their new-found fame meant he was fully aware of their desperate need, and he was using it to milk them for all they had.

“Are you seriously telling me you want three times the market value for something we could get in almost any port town?”

“If you were going to get them anywhere else, you wouldn't have come to me.”

“Hmph. And what happened to "deals between friends"?”

Their conversation had gone on like this for over half an hour, attracting a multitude of stares from those milling about Despina's docks. The three men — Zozeko, Sebastian, and the merchant, Tzomas ibn Netorn — were standing at the bottom of the gangway while Keegan and Raven rolled barrels up into the food stores.

Though Sebastian was usually content to let Zozeko do the negotiations for them, coming from a long line of merchants as he did, he was tired of the back and forth. “Come on, Tzom, you've done us proud before. What's changed?”

Therein lie the crux of the matter, and it spoke of trouble yet to come. “You've never been heroes before. What, you can't cough up after all that reward money?”

“I tell you what,” Sebastian gritted out. This hero business had flared tempers no end aboard ship; none of the crew was particularly fond of the title. “You give us what we want for market value — minus!” he continued before either Tzomas or Zozeko could fully interrupt. “Minus twenty-five percent, and we'll take your cargo to Espur for half the usual fee. Otherwise — otherwise!” Sebastian held up a hand to stop another interruption. “We're headed back to Espur where we can get the stuff we need at a price we're willing to pay.”

As a compromise, it rankled on both sides. Zozeko would have haggled until he was blue in the face out of a matter of pride, but the merchant knew better than to call the captain's bluff. He knew they could pick up other cargo to make the trip back worthwhile, just as they'd carried some here from Espur, and get the brass much cheaper there. He also realised that Sebastian was attempting to at least keep their professional relationship intact, which was more than most would have done at this stage (Zeko included).

“Captain, are you sure that's —” Zozeko halted mid-sentence. One look from Sebastian was enough to stop any of the crew in their tracks. Lack of discipline on a ship was a death sentence, especially when they were treading both sides of the law, and he was not overly fond of the idea of dying.

“Fine. Call it ten percent, and you've got a deal.” Tzomas exhaled. Some of the tension left Zozeko's wings and shoulders. “But rather than cargo, I have a few passengers for you.”

Zozeko and Sebastian glanced at one another, their shared sentiments perfectly clear: Great. More passengers: Just what we need.

---

I had an idea that whoever joins this thread could be one of Tzomas' passengers, maybe paying him as an agent to find them passage, but that's just one way of getting in to this thread.

[Piper]

In the last couple of years, Piper had been doing all kinds of things she never would have dreamed she'd do. Wolf's ring was now on some other woman's finger, having netted Piper a tidy sum she'd used to expand her boutique. She didn't have to work alone any more, and no longer just made teddy bears. Some of the seamstresses who had come to work for her had ideas for new lines of urban fashion that had been gobbled up by wealthier Alexandrians, and Piper found herself spending more and more time on the road negotiating for better rates on her supplies than she did in her workroom.

She'd matured, basically. She couldn't say she was completely over her timid phase, but she was getting on with things.

“Mister Netorn? Mister Netorn?” Standing up and turning when she heard someone coming, Piper sighed when she realised it wasn't him. She'd been waiting for him to come back from the docks for ages and was starting to think he had no intention of keeping his promise to get her a fair rate for herself and her cargo back to Espur.

"Oh, no, it's just me again." He'd left her with his wife, Cassandra, who was a lovely woman and had done her level best to make Piper and her pets feel welcome. Unfortunately, her Sylvan accent was hard to understand and Piper couldn't afford to keep waiting. "Eeh, it's unlucky, that. Losing your team."

“Yes...” Piper nodded slightly, sighed, and smoothed her skirt as she sat back down. She'd come by land from Nubia since she'd already been there on business, but the guards she'd hired were badly hurt in an ambush and the cart just as badly damaged. She was reluctant to reward their efforts by going out and hiring someone else while they were still waiting on a healer, but their leader had been so understanding. "Tzomas Netorn. He'll help you find another way home, Piper, no worries." — except the Zanaryan merchant had disappeared shortly after their conversation and Piper's deep well of patience was drying up. Thankfully, she hadn't given him any money yet.

Picking at her pink stockings, Piper tried to look on the bright side. “Well... At least the materials are intact.” Out loud, it sounded far more calculating than it was meant, but Cassandra nodded sympathetically.

"I tell you what. Let's head down to the docks ourselves. I don't know about you, but I could sure use some fresh air and those two definitely seem to want a walk." They both smiled when Comet and Fawn's ears perked up at the sound of the word "walk". "And who knows. We might even help with Tzomas' negotiations."

DaFont • Aethereality • Exposé

[Zozeko]

They had no sooner agreed upon the details of their arrangement than Tzomas' wife arrived with a doll-like woman on her arm. Zozeko had met Cassandra a few times during his dealings with Tzomas, and like many Nymphs, found her to be overly friendly. He could not understand why the merchant had married her; surely she was unfaithful? And how under Hel did he put up with her flirtatiousness?

Inching away from the woman as she abandoned her friend to hug Zozeko's arm, he pulled his head as far away from her as he could possibly get it without having to detach it altogether. “Tzomas, take your woman in hand, would you?” His wings fluttering in distress, he clutched at the captain's arm and shoved the Therian at her like some sort of sacrifice.

“Naw, you don't have to be like that, love.” Very deliberately, as if fully aware of his discomfort, she winked at him — as if her husband was not right there!

“Woman, get ye gone!” Tzomas' smirk belied his words, and Cassandra was soon tucked under the other Zanaryan's arm blowing pretty raspberries at Zozeko.

Voice strained, Zozeko turned to Sebastian (who was also trying to hide a smirk), “Captain, please...” The Therian scrunched up his mouth and winked at the Nymph, who was now whispering (probably) sweet nothings in her husband's ear.

“Oh! Yes, indeed. Captain, this would be one of your passengers, Miss Piper...? Kin, yes, Kin. She lost her team on the way over here from Nubia, so if you'd be so kind as to take her back to Espur.”

Zozeko glanced skyward. Why did it have to be a woman?

[Max]

Since the moment that Max had started his search for transportation out of Despina, he'd used the words "No boats" over and over, putting emphasis on "No" and "boats" for added clarity. When Max had been directed to Tzomas, he'd been assured that there was no possible way that boats would be involved. Much to Max's extreme dissatisfaction, not only was it Thomas' intention to put him on a boat, but there was no faster way to get from Despina to Espur.

Max would have preferred riding on an untamed Anka, or even to be hurtled across the continent by a catapult, rather than face the terrors of riding on a flimsy boat. Everything in Max's body told him to wait another day and get an Anka taxi, but the patron whose package he was delivering had emphasized that time was a factor.

Upon arriving at the dock, Max had a chance to examine the boats anchored there, and not one of them looked at all immune to being torn apart by an errant wave. In spite of the fear, Max pushed onward, having spotted Tzomas and two strangers locked in verbal battle. As Max came closer, he heard Tzomas call one of the men Captain, signaling to Max that the seemingly disgruntled duo were those to whom he was to report.

A woman was there, too, and by Max's guess she was either human or an un-morphed Therian, and likely another passenger that Tzomas had roped in. Still nervous about the possibility of being dead, Max clutched a backpack strap with his hand, treating it like sort of a stress ball, as he arrived at the small gathering that had formed.

"Hey dudes, ladies, Captain."

As Max spoke, he nodded to the respective groups, giving little more than a half-hearted wave when it came to greeting the Captain. In Max's eyes, the Captain was the harbinger of the boat ride, and as such Max wasn't very excited about getting chummy with him. The other man, a Zanaryan, stood near the Captain and he seemed just as thrilled about taking on passengers as Max was about being a passenger. With any luck, Max wouldn't get on the crew's nerves, and they'd get to Espur in a timely fashion, without any kind of horrible, disastrous catastrophes slowing them down.

[Piper]

Piper had been feeling rather proud of herself, but the walk down to the docks had scuttled that good and proper. Cassandra was far too touchy-feely, and had hugged Piper's arm the whole way. Had they been friends, Piper probably would have welcomed the woman's tactile affection, but the Nymph was a complete and utter stranger!

Fawn and Comet seemed to like her, though, and that kept Piper from fleeing for the hills. She just really wished the Nymph wouldn't act like they were best of pals.

Offering Cassandra's newfound victim a sympathetic smile, Piper wondered what he meant, "Take your woman in hand"? Surely that was a joke!

“Hey dudes, ladies, Captain.”

“Ep!” Startled, Piper jumped a little, her hand pressed over her heart where her pulse beat wildly. She was already uncomfortable, so having someone just appear like that had scared the bejeebus out of her. It was her own fault, though; she still hadn't learned to pay attention. “Um. Hello.” Eyeing the Skotados warily, her head tilted slightly so that one of her braids slithered forward over her shoulder, Piper enquired, “Are you waiting for passage too?”

Tzomas jumped in, clapping his hands together and rubbing them briskly. He was unlike any Zanaryan Piper had met (although, granted, she'd only met a couple...). He definitely smelled like one, though. “Brilliant! The more the merrier, eh, Seb?”

"Seb" narrowed his eyes at the merchant. “Sure, Mas. Why not.” He clearly was completely unenthusiastic.

“Well, thank you, Captain, um. I... Will it be terribly dangerous?” She'd heard bits and bobs of their expedition, but it only occurred to her now to wonder if those things were common.

DaFont • Aethereality • Exposé

[Max]

Though Max didn't recall bringing an Azani with him, the woman he'd greeted gasped at his arrival as if he had. Carefully, Max checked himself for anything horrifying, extending his wings and examining them as well, only to find nothing hideous or surprising at all. After a moment or two, Max managed to remove himself from his fruitless search, making a small note of how overly thrilled Tzomas was at his arrival, before replying to the question posed to him. For Max to say that he was champing at the bit to start sailing was a lie, but he didn't want to start saying bad things about a ship that was essentially doing him a favor.

"Yeah; not like I'm super excited to get on a boat, though."

When the question of danger came up, Max thought back to the snippets he'd heard of a mercenary ship dealing with pirates, Krakens, and swarms of unrelenting monsters during its journey, although he hadn't ever gotten the ship's name. At least, Max thought, there was no way such sea-borne catastrophes would happen during this trip. It was Max's intention to find enough empty room on the ship to sleep, as he hadn't had any coffee at all that day and he was feeling pretty good about his sea legs on that particular day.

Being knocked off an Anka and free-falling for hundreds of feet never so much as nudged Max's stomach, but every time he so much as set foot on a boat, he'd have to fight to keep his food where it belonged. Just thinking about sailing was making Max queasy, enough that he had to flutter his wings just a little bit to stay upright.

[Zozeko]

It seemed that Zozeko had finally managed to put some distance between himself and the grabby Nymph, but a single, quelling look from the captain put him right back in her target zone. That was a look that clearly said "escort our passengers aboard while I finish up here". Sebastian did not trust him to complete their negotiations.

Ordinarily, Zozeko would have been insulted, but his temper had been frayed by the expedition — something he had whole-heartedly resisted from the start. (At least, that was what he said now, in hindsight.) Tzomas' attempts to essentially extort them had only made things worse, and he was not particularly inclined to maintain or rescue a business relationship in this frame of mind. Sebastian was welcome to the task.

Effectively dodging Cassandra's lascivious wink, Zozeko held out his arm for the petite woman to take, and gestured for the Anyelos to step ahead of him onto the gang plank. “I take it you both are ready to set sail? The captain wishes to be off as soon as possible.”

[Piper]

Piper was equally grateful to be away from the Nymph, but stopped long enough to thank her for her time and patience. Her “Eep!” was basically ignored, though, as the woman squeezed the life force out of her by way of goodbye. "You come back any time, now, hear?" Piper nodded politely but really didn't plan to.

Arm tucked through the Zanaryan's elbow, even as she surreptitiously brushed her nose with a finger to try and stave off his particular scent, Piper nodded. “Oh, but, um. My things...” Gesturing vaguely in the direction she'd come from Tzomas' house, Piper worried that the merchant had only managed passage for her and not for her cargo.

"Oh, don't worry, miss. I've got a couple of lads bringing it over as we speak." Somehow, Tzomas' efficiency was unnerving. He was rather taking liberties, wasn't he?

“Oh, um. Thank.. you?” Glancing across at the Anyeli quizzically, as if to ask him what he thought of the merchant's initiative, Piper could only shrug a little. It wasn't like he was causing any harm or had ill intentions, she supposed, but still...

“Um, so... but, the captain never answered my question about the dangers. I... I've heard a lot of stories lately about a ship that suffered all kinds of trouble, and I haven't done much sailing.” She wouldn't go so far as to admit she was more and more nervous the higher up the gang plan they got, though — and that rickety thing alone was enough to freak her out!

DaFont • Aethereality • Exposé

[Max]

For reasons Max couldn't possibly divine, the grumpy Zanaryan had instructed him to lead the trek across the boarding plank and onto the ship. In spite of being wide enough for many people to cross, Max felt like he was walking across a wire, and one false step could be fatal. Once they'd stepped onto the boat, Max took a moment to make sure that he wasn't going to vomit, before he heard the timid woman asking more questions about potential danger. Thus far, neither the crewman nor the Captain had said anything on the subject, and their silence was making Max feel just slightly uneasy.

"Yeah, I remember hearing stories, too! Some ship, like, ran into a Kraken! I can't remember the name, though...Tortuga, or Garteka, or something like that. They had to fight pirates, and a bunch of, like, hydras!"

Before long, Max was talking only to relieve his own tension, as if musing out loud about half-remembered musings would make him forget that he was just a few feet away from the ocean. That same ocean had a Kraken in it somewhere, Max thought, and even though he was confident that only that other ship could be so unlucky, something in the back of his mind prevented him from discarding the possibility.

"I don't wanna get in the way or anything, but like, I can't really do much boat stuff under that kinda pressure."

For Max, 'boat stuff' was synonymous with anything that dealt with maintaining a boat in any way, and he knew so little about boats that 'boat stuff' was as technical as he knew how to get. Max had always been purposely, belligerently ignorant about boats and sailing, all because he maintained that each boat he ever stepped on would be his last. In Max's opinion, any form of transportation was better than sailing, and he always thought he'd find some way around it that was both faster and less aquatic.

[Zozeko]

Zozeko grit his teeth. A part of him very much wanted to tell them, "Don't be ridiculous, there were no hydras," thereby gleefully confirming that the ship in question was his so they'd run off to the nearest anka pilot or ostler. The other part — the business part — smacked his other half aside and fronted the ghost of a smile. “Oh, there's no need to worry, I'm sure. Well, the usual dangers of crossing the ocean, but those are the same no matter the ship.”

He "forgot" to mention that Keegan had only repaired half the damage they'd sustained, or that they were both at risk from being tossed overboard if they continued with this topic of conversation. Zozeko was a proud man; to doubt the safety of his ship was to question his integrity as a sailor.

“I assure you, passengers are not required to defend the ship in the unlikely —” Lie. “— event of an attack.” Also almost a lie: They were far more likely to survive if they did lend a hand instead of wailing and screaming "We're all going to die!" but their assistance was not expected. “Protection is part of the fee.”

Of course, by this time, they were all aboard and could no doubt see the scraps of unrepaired damage for themselves. Most of it was cosmetic now, else they would not have made it to Despina in the first place, but to the inexperienced eye it no doubt looked much worse. Zozeko was almost looking forward to waving them off when they decided it was too unsafe for their spoiled little selves.

[Piper]

Well, Piper was convinced, to a degree, at least. His smile was a little faint, but she could understand that. She wouldn't like to have the safety of her bears questioned, either, although they were really two very different things. “Well, thank you for... for alleviating our concerns, anyway.” It wasn't his fault Elysia's oceans were teeming with sea monsters, even if that did make her balk a little.

But as she stepped on to the main deck and started to look around (she was from Earth; she was naturally fascinated by sailing ships), she began to fret again. The ship seemed to be in quite a bad state of repair, and she looked toward the Anyelos for guidance. Maybe this was natural? What did she know of sailing, anyway? And their Zanaryan guide had seemed quite forthright about the dangers, so it wasn't like she could suspect him of lying — not with Tzomas and Cassandra both vouching for the Artega's crew.

“Ummmmm.”

DaFont • Aethereality • Exposé

[Zozeko]

“Zeko —” Leaving the two passengers to their own devices, Zozeko turned and dipped his head slightly so that Raven could have a quiet word. It was unusual for the Sidhe to get so close to the Zanaryan, but his kimaran had been damaged and he didn't want to discuss that damage in front of paying customers in case they started asking questions as to how it had occurred.

“No, they didn't have any, and the captain refused to wait two weeks for the new stock. I told you to get some in Espur.”

“You're sure you don't have any spare?”

“Don't be ridiculous. Equine strings sound completely different to silk strings.” He didn't add that he had no intentions of ever lending the Sidhe the expensive hair strings on his qitar, not for that plain wooden thing he called an instrument, but the disdain was apparently evident on his face because Raven sneered and slapped Zeko's wing as he stomped away in time with the jingle-jangle of Zeko's stars and moons.

Adjusting said wings and glaring after the man, Zozeko turned back to the passengers and held back a sigh. He would not be needed as a gunner until they were out on the open ocean, so he was expected to pull his weight in other ways (chief among them being baby-sitting the passengers) but he really did think it completely unfair. “This way, if you please. It would be safer for you to remain belowdecks, at least until we're out of the harbour.”

[Piper]

The Anyelos was quiet, possibly as nervous as Piper was about being on a ship, so she offered him a tremulous smile that was meant to be reassuring. Come to think on it, she had heard once that Anyeli were unable to swim, so it was no wonder if he was frightened; she'd never be caught dead even near the coast if she was handicapped like that.

More and more, though, things were unnerving her. The ship looked as if it had been through a battle or two quite recently, and weathered a storm. Not that she really understood these things; maybe it was supposed to look like that? And the crew were whispering to each other, leading to what appeared to be an argument with that gorgeous long-haired man stalking away with displeasure. She almost tried to put it down to some sort of lover's tiff just to put herself more at ease, but there was too much animosity between the pair for that to work in her head. Thoughts of mutiny started whirling before her eyes.

“Ummm. Is everything okay?” She tottered after the Zanaryan, struggling to keep up with his practised steps as the deck heaved under her feet. “I... I really don't think... I mean, maybe it would be best if I... Oh.” Having followed the sailor down some very rickety and loudly creaking wooden stairs, Piper did a double take and had to cover her nose. "Below decks" stank of sweat, rotten food, fish, and various other scents she daren't even put a name to. Gagging and almost wretching, she immediately escaped topside and dragged sea air into her lungs. “Oh my God! Urgh.”

Pulling herself together, she turned and forced a dry chuckle. “Being a vampire really doesn't do me any favours.”

DaFont • Aethereality • Exposé

[Zozeko]

Zozeko almost laughed when the delicate little miss staggered above decks to escape the smell. The Artega was a little more rank than usual since the expedition, par for the course since they were too busy making repairs and hadn't the time to mop up. Stuff that many bodies into such close quarters, and things were bound to get ugly.

He followed her up the stairs, pausing at the top to allow Cale, the ship's rigger and resident monkey, to leap over his head, and in doing so overheard the woman's muttered words. Vampire.

Zozeko's shout was immediate. “Vampire!” More than half the crew were Therian and Dracovari, and not a one of them trusted the Vampires. Zozeko eased up the last couple of stairs with his wings curved around him like a shield, his hands hovering together in front of his chest ready to Call upon the Air if need be. Cale scampered up in to the rigging away from the danger as all activity on deck stopped, his alarm echoed belowdecks and to the captain's quarters.

Captain Jackson appeared at the aft-castle rail, his knuckles white around the wood. “I'll thank you to leave my ship, miss.” Tzomas had said nothing of her being a vampire. They never would have agreed to take her aboard if they'd known she could kill most of the crew with just a cut. The merchant should have known better.

[Piper]

Once upon a time, when Piper was fresh to Elysia and to being a Vampire, she'd been so wrapped up in her own little dramas that she'd been ignorant to the prejudices against her kind. These days, she was more aware of the trouble she could get in to because of her fangs, but most of the people she dealt with were merchants who would seize any financial opportunity regardless of who -- or what -- was involved. Since Cassandra didn't seem to have an issue with her fangs, Piper had gotten lax, and forgotten there might be a problem.

The Zanaryan's warning shout, and the reaction it wrought from the crew, completely stunned her. Looking from one disgusted face to the other, she suddenly felt incredibly small and vulnerable.

“I'll thank you to leave my ship, miss.” Glancing up to the rear of the ship where the captain, who had previously been friendly enough, Piper blanched, the colour draining from her already pale face. She couldn't understand at all why they seemed to fear and disdain her presence so much and was tempted to argue the point with them until she was blue in the face, but then reason returned. It wasn't like she wanted to be on the ship, anyway, and she'd dashed up here with the intention of getting off. It still smarted that they were turfing her off, though!

“As you wish, Captain.” Her voice was biting, and she struggled to keep her face neutral instead of humiliated. “However, you did agree to carry myself and my cargo to Espur, and as I've already paid Mister Netorn, you have an obligation to keep to your word. Unless you intend to renege?”

“Oh, no fear. We'll take your precious cargo. You can find another way home.”

Piper's jaw dropped, and for a moment she could only gape. Around her, she could hear whispers and feel cold stares, and lifted her chin. “Agreed.” She really didn't want to press the issue and find herself snark-bait halfway to Espur, even if it did mean paying through the nose for a single taroch or other means home. “Thank you kindly.”

There was a snort from behind her, but Piper ignored it. How she ever managed to keep her composure as she moved to the gang plank and toed her way timidly down to the dock, she'd never know, but she was extremely grateful to be on solid ground.

DaFont • Aethereality • Exposé

[Zozeko]

If Zozeko had his way, they wouldn't even be taking the fang's cargo: This was one instance where he embraced prejudice rather than money. On a ship crewed by Therians and 'Vari, it was hard not to be racist -- but, more than that, the very idea of what a Zanaryan became once infected was enough to stand him against any Vampire. A Zanaryan without wings was no Zanaryan at all.

So they watched her, those most at risk hanging back in case she attacked, cautious until she was back on the docks surrounded by sailors from other ships who tipped their hats to her in ignorance. Zozeko himself lingered at the top of the gang plank, scowling. He doubted they'd ever do business with Tzomas ibn Netorn ever again: Not only had he tried to take advantage of their infamy, he had sent a vampire aboard their ship without a word of warning.

“Oi, you lot, back to work, lazy daisies!”

Jolted by the captain's voice, the crew shuffled back to work, still uneasy. They could be a superstitious lot, and this mini fiasco didn't bode well for the trip back to Espur, so there were plenty of sideways glances and mutters as Zeko headed up to the aft castle. He must apologise to Sebastian for ever introducing their crew to Netorn.