Jammers Summary: Chapter 2, Turn 4

----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere...
*********** = Later...

The journey passes easily as the Company members are now much more at ease with each other. The route to Shipwrecker is not one of the more traveled shipping lanes, like those leading to the sphere's portals, but it has enough traffic to make it a not uncommon target for pirates. Watches are thus carefully kept and occasional battle station drills interrupt the monotony. Still, for most of the Company the relative safety of the journey is a refreshing change from the blood and chaos they left behind in the alleys of Bral.

Every one spends their days differently, spellcasters study spells in their rooms, pouring over their tomes by lamplight and silently repeat spell invocations over and over to themselves. Others meditate, sitting and watching the stars pass by as they contemplate inner mysteries. Weapon practice, sail drills, and endless sword sharpening are also popular pastimes, as well as the occasional card game (Talus and Italapate are quickly shown as the masters in this area) or group singing session. 'Pate of course is full of stories which he happily passes along to whoever will listen. Holland's meals continue to be excellent, despite the relatively simple ingredients available, and the ship has a proper store of grog for those wish to indulge.

The two new shipmates each interact with the Company in a different way.

Ferric strikes up amiable conversations during his shifts on the lines. He seems well experienced in the handling of the sails of the spelljammer and every once in a while gently corrects Jamila as she makes the transition from naval to space vessel. When not on duty he takes time to practice copying the maps aboard ship as well as getting ample practice with rapier and main-gauche as well as with two rapiers. He seems unpracticed and clumsy with the two longer weapons, Jamila good naturedly corrects him in return when she observes this.

The gnome merchant, Seguld, spends his time hopping and skipping about the deck and all over the ship. He makes a point of never staying in one place too long. The one area he does not go near is the catapult. He tries not to even look at it. He does tend to hang around a lot with Billy and also tends to like to be near Deigatt (after their first meeting Deigatt always seems to have something else to do when the little gnome appears). At least twice he is caught staring at Jamila (The second time, Jamila sticks her tongue out at Seguld, and continues what she was doing, now with a hearty grin.) and once Holland caught him staring at Leera. Most of the time he is just listening to stories, especially Italapate's.

As the days pass, most on board find Leera to be an inveterate prankster. She avoids playing pranks on those who don't appreciate them. Italapate becomes one of her favorite targets. In the first three days he is confronted by talking chamber pots ("Hey! Watch it! Some of us live down here!"), illusionary chairs, and an invisible dinner.

On the second day, Leera gathers many of the crew together and recreates the battles of the 18th. As she tells the tale, observers see the battle between Grigree, Radick, Leera, and the three thugs unfold. As the last thug runs out and Jamila and Nilaroo enter, the scene shifts to the second battle. Leera then recounts the epic events of that confrontation as the scene changes to suit her words. Those watching see a close-up view as Jamila's cutlasses slice deeply into one thug and Nilaroo's sword cuts another nearly in half. All viewing the scene squint slightly as the effects of Holland's colorful spell incapacitate two thugs. In the final scene of the drama, Leera lets loose a fierce clashing spread of colors that renders Holland's assailant unconscious.

Each day, for the first hour before her shift starts, Jamila can be seen dancing with her cutlasses forward of the balista. Those who are nearby, can see that occasionally, while she dances, her eyes are shut.

On the third day, Grigree approaches Jamila before she starts he dance. "Not often I practice with two-handed opponent," Grigree says, emphasizing with the two swords he's holding in one hand. "You want, or is practice private?"

"Join me" Jamila says, with a slight bow and gesturing with one of her cutlasses for Grigree to lead the way. "It's not often that I see one that is as skilled as yourself with two weapons. It will be a pleasure to dance with you." she adds with a smile.

Seguld has been often watched Jamila with admiration as she practiced, when Grigree joins her Seguld leaps up and grumbles to himself, "Why I oughta...." he stops and a wide grin crosses his face. He sits back down and watches again. As Grigree and Jamila do their dance Seguld waves his hands as if conducting an orchestra imagining the music in his mind. As Grigree moves to spin in the middle of the floor Seguld motions his hands. Suddenly Grigree stumbles. He maintains his balance but certainly looks anything but graceful as he recovers. Seguld watches and chuckles. He calls out, "Hey Grigree! I think you need more practice. You're no where near the level of Miss Jamila." He chuckles some more and looks to Jamila to see if she found the 'accident' amusing. She just glares at the gnome as she waits for Grigree to recover.

Grigree pulls the point of his sword out of the deck where he used it to catch himself. "Not more practice," Grigree says after glancing at the gnome. "Less distractions."

Taking advantage of the pause, Grigree wipes the sweat off his forehead with a hairy arm, and nods to Jamila to continue. Those watching the practice bout can see that Grigree and Jamila are very close in ability, she is slightly better skilled but Grigree is stronger and faster. Both enjoy the bout a great deal.

On the fifth day of the journey, Deigatt is overheard mumbling something about a "gnome-sized fly-swatter" but he doesn't appear to be talking to anyone in particular.

Seguld joins Billy on deck on the sixth day. "Hey Cuz!" (Seguld's newly adopted nickname for Billy) "Are we there yet?" He laughs at the inside joke between himself and Billy. "So Billy-Boy, now tell me some more about that first voyage working for the House Moune. You were up to the part where Leera made that tough guy suck his thumb and wet his pants or whatever."

Hearing the gnome's voice, Billy laughs as he finishes coiling some rope. "To the rest of 'em we are brothers in arms, but to each other we are brothers in height!" Billy gives Seguld a hardy pat on the back. "I'm so used to craning my neck to speak to the Big People that I've forgotten how pleasant it is to talk to someone face to face."

Billy recounts his adventures on the previous mission for House Moune and finishes with, "...but you know how it is: With all these big 'uns running about, a poor halfling risks getting stepped on!"

On the 8th day a sizable group gathers in the galley, so Leera asks Deigatt to tell the group of his homeland and of the battles he fought there. She offers to illustrate the tale for the party, though she cautions, "You'll have to correct me if I render something or someone wrongly, after all, I haven't seen your world!"

With noticeable reluctance, Deigatt responds, "Geb his a world hof peace, Comrade Leera. We har not savages who war constantly. Nor do we find such battle hentertaining, but happarently humans do." Despite his words, the minotaur does not sound angry.

Leera says nothing and waits for Deigatt to continue. As he does, an (obviously) illusionary image begins to take shape in front of the assembled listeners. They see Deigatt's words come to life before their eyes.

"Perhaps this story will suit your purposes," he continues. "It his a contest hof strength that I hobserved hat the Kon Stirrit, a great harena south hof Durtan, my home, which lies hon the eastern coast hof Haldaron hon Geb. The harena his a great, round, stone structure, with thick wooden platforms. Round like han oval, hand tall. Hit seats easily some five hundred minotaurs. Hit his not nearly has large has the himperial Harena, but hit his still a himpressive structure. Hit is built right next to the cliff face hof a mountain, Bikkin's Peak, which reaches high habove the tall harena. I ham told from the top hof this peak a minotaur can see each hof the hother two continents hof Geb, but I've never scaled hit myself.

The minotaur pauses, looking at Leera's construction and suggests that the arena itself should sit a little bit further away from the cliff face.

Leera grunts slightly and the image wavers. When it reforms it looks more as Deigatt described. He then continues, "The harena was filled this day with minotaurs from throughout the continent, has the featured contest had drawn a great deal hof hattention. There was talk that even the Hemperor would come to watch, but that did not happen."

At his words, the empty arena fills with minotaurs of all descriptions, most seated on the benches, but some crowding the aisles.

Deigatt tugs at his earrings as he watches the images Leera creates. "There were, hof course, the preliminary battles, hand many hof these were quite bloody. This was hunusual for the Kon Stirrit because, hunlike in most hof the harenas hin the Hempire, no metal his hallowed hin the harena, and usually defeated hopponents har beaten severely but seldom har they bloodied hand killed. This time, however, during one hof the hurly battles between slaves, one hof the humans had brought with her a rope with corrikak thorns hattached to hit, hand hafter she defeated her hopponent, she left the weapon hin the harena, so hothers hafter her made use hof hit has well. So by the time hof the featured contest, the hard, clay floor hof the harena was covered with blood, both human hand minotaur. Hand the thorn-embedded rope remained hin the harena, a potential weapon for whomever could get it first."

Deigatt addresses Leera, "No, the rope should be shorter, maybe seven human feet long. Hand the thorns should be much larger-- You do not know hof the vile corrikak? Perhaps they grow only hon Geb. The thorns har six inches long with three triangular sides, hand they were gathered mostly hat just one hend hof the rope. Yes, very like that."

As Deigatt continues, he becomes somewhat animated, certainly more so than he has been since joining the company. His large, brown hands and arms gesture about as he describes the battle, and his eyes grow wide and excited as he watches Leera recreate the events he describes. She, too, becomes excited, and the image grows sharper, more detailed, and more vivid.

"The challenger was a great minotaur, Dargas Dinistkin, broad hof shoulder hand strong. He would later be my commander when I began my military training, but he himself was han hofficer-hin-training hat the time hof this contest. He was much lighter hof skin than I, hand hairless below his neck hand glistening. He shaved his body hand hoiled himself before these contests because that made him harder to grab hold hof. His hopponents were two Geban minotaurs-- They have hooves, Comrade Leera, not like Krynnish minotaurs like Soldier Dinistkin hand me. They, too, were large, halthough not has tall has Soldier Dinistkin.

Leera changes the appearance of the Geban minotaurs as Deigatt corrects her.

"The contest began and hended quickly. Soldier Dinistkin rapidly strode hacross the harena toward the rope weapon, but the two Gebans came forth hin a quick trot. The Gebans reached the weapon first, hand one of them took it while the hother leapt hinto the hair hand aimed his hooves hat Soldier Dinistkin. Himmediately, the hother Geban whipped the rope so that hit circled Soldier Dinistkin's legs, drawing blood where hit pierced his pale skin. Soldier Dinistkin ducked quickly hand havoided the hooves hof the one Geban, hand he reached down to grab the rope that was being used hagainst him. His plan was to pull the Geban with the rope toward him so that he could take it from him, but the other Geban minotaur grabbed Soldier Dinistkin's horns has he flew over him, hand soon hall three hof them toppled toward the side hof the harena."

The scene pauses as Leera listens to Deigatt's words. As he pauses, the action resumes, and the viewers soon see all three minotaurs struggling on the ground.

"Soldier Dinistkin held firmly to the rope, hand when the three hof them rose hagain to their feet, he held the thorn-embedded rope hand stood between the two Gebans, flows hof blood visible hon his legs. With lightning speed, he whipped the rope hout toward one hof the minotaurs, circling his hopponent's head huntil several thorns were firmly lodged hin the Geban's skin. The hother Geban rushed Soldier Dinistkin, who turned toward this new hopponent while jerking the rope hin such a way that he broke the neck of his hother hopponent. The hattacking Geb paused to watch his partner fall dead to the ground, hand Soldier Dinistkin took advantage hof the distraction to punch the Geban in the throat with both his massive fists. The Geban froze, choking, hand when Soldier Dinistkin removed his hands we could hall see the hend of a corrikak thorn sticking hout of the Geban's throat, blood forming haround hit hand dripping down his chest. Soon, he fell has well, hand Soldier Dinistkin stood victorious. Hit was a very good contest, hand Soldier Dinistkin hearned much honor for hit. He was a very honorable minotaur..." Deigatt's voice trails off as his story ends.

Moments after the minotaur's voice falls silent, the observers experience the final moments of the battle. The power of the Krynnish minotaur is apparent as his muscles flex and the neck of the Geban minotaur snaps with a crack. As the second Geban falls lifeless to the ground, the illusion zooms so that all can see and share in the glory of the victor standing triumphant over the bodies of his foes. Finally, the viewpoint shifts so that the entire cheering arena can be seen. The image slowly fades away.

Leera, of course, finds herself the target of Italapate's practical jokes in response to her opening barrages. The one he is most proud of was on the 9th day when she woke up to find all of her clothes missing from her quarters and her undergarments raised up the flagpole. Of course, the title page of her spell book has inexplicably changed everyday (day one it is faint, day three illegible, day six a completely new title page). This leads her to spending time checking out her spell book for any other changes therein. When she mentions this to him in the galley, Italapate says "I didn't change any of your spells! Not like I did in Holland's spell book!"

Leera laughs loudly at Italapate's response and the resulting look on Holland's face.

On the 10th day battlestations are called for real as the ship is suddenly pulled from spelljamming speed. The cause is quickly apparent, a tradesman heading from Shipwrecker and flying the colors of Bral passes by. Both vessels keep a cautious distance, coming no closer than 4000 or so yards, and as soon as possible each leaps forward at spelljamming speeds again.

The next day around 9 am (Holland is on the helm) Shipwrecker itself comes into view. Though only a small planet by 11:00 am it dominates the view. Large bands of dark grey clouds seem to scoot across its surface as it revolves. Tension mounts as the ship begins to descend among into the atmosphere, the winds are strong. Grigree, Ferric, and Nilaroo take the lines, responding professionally to Holland's shouted orders as the rest of the company seeks shelter from the winds below deck.

Despite the difficulties the ship eventually slides below the cloud line and into some relatively calm air. After a tenday of the same air, the misty winds of Shipwrecker are a relief to the lungs. Raken mentions as everyone heads back above deck that Shipwrecker nearly always takes at least twice as long to take off or land on then most worlds this size due to the winds.

The navigators easily locate the planets mountain chain and soon Holland is speeding towards Wrighters at about 1000 yards up. A winding river is identified as "Snake River, following this the Silent STAR is soon gliding above a large lake and the lumber camps set up on its shore, continuing down the river the small frontier town of Wrighters finally comes into view. The Silent STAR descends at a sedate pace while Seguld points out the important features of the town to those interested.

"That's odd!" Seguld exclaims, "Wrighters rarely has this many vessels in port!" Looking down a Squidship of the Royal Bralian Navy can be seen docked at the Royal wharf, and a galleon is tied to the Long Wharf. A bright yellow Dragonfly and a darker Wasp are parked on the landing field.

Soon enough, the eelship splashes down in the cold waters of the bay as the lower finsail is raised to prevent damage. With some minor difficulties the ship is brought alongside the Long Wharf, just behind the galleon. The town is filled with activity, though nearly everyone seems to pause for a moment to examine the new ship. As Nilaroo finishes tying off the lines two human men in dark clothing stomp down the wharf towards the ship.

Date/time: Noon 30th day of the 4th Month, 5049 OC