Ready for the Storm

Ajiin had a plan for the evening. Nap until dinnertime, go out and find some food at one of the restaurants or bars, and then head up to the Stormrider manor to make an unannounced visit. Irritate the twins. Talk. Share that new brandy he’d picked up with Grandmother Stormrider. It was an especially strong blend this time; she would certainly like it. And maybe she had something new for him to try as well. Yes, it was a good plan.

Of course, Crystal had to go and ruin it all. He had only just kicked off his boots and settled down on his bunk when there came a crash from the direction of the twin’s cabins. He swore. Considered ignoring it. Sighed. Remembered that he was the highest-ranking officer on the ship at the time. So he stood and tromped out the door, grabbing his pistol off the bedside table as he did so.

The door to Langley’s room was wide open. The cat she kept was sitting in the middle of the floor, watching a pair of feet that were sticking out from under the loft. Purple socks and sandals. Bright dangles around the ankles. It was only one person.

“Crystal, why are you rooting through Langley’s personal belongings?” Ajiin asked with a sigh, sticking the gun in his belt.

“I’m bored,” she replied, “Do you know how difficult it is to be bored?”

“For you, I can only speculate. C’mon, get out from under there.”

She wiggled out, hands clutching a box as she did so. Ajiin sighed and went to take it from her, but she hunched over and growled at him like a feral dog. He snatched his hand back.

“Jeez! Crystal, honestly.”

But she was already prying open the lock and setting the box on her lap. Inside was a collection of seemingly trivial items, all of which probably held some sort of sentimental value. Despite himself, Ajiin peered over the necromancer’s shoulder for a closer look.

“A feather,” Crystal said, “some necklace – oooh, shiny – letters, um, some random rocks, and hey!”

The damage was already done. Ajiin shrugged and squatted next to her. Crystal had found a small piece of flat copper, a ‘mancy etched picture. There were six people, all grinning. The two in the back were obviously older – probably the parents – and then two boys to either end, one early teens, one early adult. And in the center, two children of the same height, same features, and almost identical save for gender.

“She’s adorable!” Crystal squealed.

“Hell,” Ajiin said, “You found their family portrait.”

“They both have a pug nose.”

She planted her finger right on child-Sabreur’s face. Ajiin wasn’t paying attention to that so much as the older figures, the two boys on either end.

“That’s their parents behind them,” he said, “and that one of the left must be Deeah, if I remember correctly.”

“And the one on the right?”

“No idea. Never heard the twins mention anyone besides Deeah and their parents. Maybe he’s some cousin they don’t have contact with anymore. There’s lots of those running around in the Stormrider clan. Now, if you’re done violating your Captain’s personal belongings, put that away and get outta here.”

She replaced the copper sheet and shut the box. Slid it back under the loft. Then she swiveled to face Ajiin and settled into a pout.

“But I’m bored.”

“Oh, for the love of…”

“I want to see the town.”

“Crystal, you can’t go unsupervised.”

“So you’ll come with me? Thank you!”

And Ajiin found himself being tackled by a necromancer, kissed on the cheek, and then seized by one wrist and drug out the door in the direction of the ladder to the deck. The cat just watched them go, a bemused look on his face.

The greatest thing about being on a Stormrider ship in a Stormrider port town was the attention. Everyone loved a good Stormrider story and so long as you could carry a plot to conclusion drinks were always bought by someone else. Of course, when you’re dragging a hyperactive necromancer around and trying to avoid being in the spotlight, being on a Stormrider crew is the last thing you would want.

Ajiin found himself seized and dragged into one of the bars barely thirty yards from the waterfront. Crystal came after, simply because it was Crystal, and the shiny lights from the candles attracted her. A good portion of the crew was already there and they raised glasses and a cheer when they saw him.

“Ajiin!” one cried, “We were just getting to the good part of the run-in with pirates around the northern part of the Skiridian islands!”

“Yeah, why don’t you tell us about your contribution?”

Ajiin hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. Crystal had already sat down at a stool and the bartender shoved her a mug of ale, making the assumption that she was part of the crew. Someone else managed to snag it before she did and asked for orange juice for the lady. Crystal didn’t even seem to notice.

“I like stories,” she said to Ajiin and the rest of the crew turned to him expectantly.

“Meh.”

He sat down on one of the stools. Pulled his gun off his shoulder and rested it at his feet.

“So there we were, trapped in the pass with rocky cliff edges on either side. Pirates behind and in front of us.”

“Yeah, yeah, already said that part, get on to when they tried to board us.”

Ajiin mentally fast-forwarded. “I was up on the top-deck. We’d lost two of our guns and the ships were in too close to use them anyways. I had my rifle out and was laying flat on my belly near the edge, hoping I wouldn’t get dropped on from above. Then I saw it. The pirate captain, brandishing a saber and waddling around on his deck like the pompous oaf he was.”

“Yanno those pirates, all the same,” some crew added, “Rob a couple merchant ships and they think they own the seas.”

“Cadre-bait.”

“Or Stormrider bait, as is the case.”

“Eh,” Ajiin said and attention returned to him, “So I figured that if nothing else, this might irritate them a bit and I’m all for annoying people. So I put a bullet right between his eyes.”

“And the captain just topples!” Another crewmember had taken over the narrative again. “Big fat belly goes head over heels, stops in mid-sentence and drops! There was complete silence for half a second. I swear, the boarding pirates just blinked. Then the twins let out a war cry, jumped into the very middle of the fray in unison, and cut loose with traditional Stormrider flare. Which means, fire, swords, and the best scrap you’ve seen in years.”

What they were not mentioning was how much damage was taken in return. One crew dead, three more injured, and the twins themselves didn’t make it out unscathed. Langley was laid up for about three days after, cursing every minute of it, and Sabreur had some new burns from detonating a firebomb a bit too close. However, the gamble had paid off and the pirates were routed. All thanks to the heroism of a couple of brown-haired ‘mancers and the sniper up top with a gun and rock-solid aim.

“That sounds amazing,” Crystal said dreamily, “I’d like to meet him someday.”

“Who, the pirate captain?”

“No, the sniper.”

“Riiight,” Ajiin drawled, “I think its time for dinner now. What kind of grub you got going today?”

By the time the sun sank over the horizon Ajiin had managed to peddle Crystal off to one of the sober members of the crew, extracting promises to see her safely back to the ship without any mishaps.

“No ‘mancy, no mention of what she is, and keep her away from the graveyard,” Ajiin ordered and the man nodded solemnly. Crystal just stared at the lamplighter in the street.

Then, with that taken care of, and a flask of brandy in his back pocket, Ajiin set off for the Stormrider manor. The doorman didn’t recognize him but carried his name to Grandmother Stormrider anyways. A few minutes later and he was admitted in. She was alone in the sitting room, sipping coffee.

“The twins have retired to the library with their parents,” she said, “my other children have gone off to see to their brats.”

“Eh.”

He collapsed into one of the overstuffed chairs and pulled out a cigarette. Grandmother Stormrider passed him a book of matches.

“So,” she said, “I found a good whiskey from the southern provinces.”

“I thought they only exported wine.”

“Apparently not. I’ll get a glass.” She stood and tottered over the cabinet. “You do know the twins are going to be taking on family duties while they’re here.”

“Are you landing me in charge of the Ark?”

“Yes. Duty comes first. You’ll survive.”

Ajiin groaned. She returned and handed him the glass.

“Needless to say, their mother isn’t taking this well. Doesn’t want them on the Stormguard again. So, I think it would be prudent for me to be informed of their various mishaps before they reach her ears.”

Deep down inside, under all those layers of grump, Grandmother Stormrider was like any other member of her family. She wanted to hear the exploits of her grandchildren.

“Don’t I get a bribe?”

She sniffed.

“Don’t push your luck kid.”

“Fine. But I get some stories in return, you know.”

“How about the time the entire Stormguard took on the Cadre?”

“Deal.”

They raised their glasses, clinked them together, and then settled back for a long evening of storytelling. Ajiin didn’t have the heart to tell Grandmother Stormrider that he had already heard the one about the Stormguard fighting the Cadre, multiple times in fact. Besides, it was a good story. As one of the crew had put in the bar – traditional Stormrider style. Swords and the best scrap this side of Alannis.

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