Jammers Summary: Chapter 2, Turn 25

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

Falling beneath the STAR:

Growing fainter with every passing second, those on the ship hear, "Ybbah! Min fadlakkkkkkkkk.....!!"

As Grigree starts to fall, he quickly spreads his arms to catch the wind in his "wings" and slow his descent. He looks up at the two ships grappled together, then back at the blackness below when he hears a familiar voice screaming. Folding his arms close to his body, he tries to catch up with the voice.

The sky is dark, however, and the scream is faint in Grigree's ears as the wind whips past. After several moments of searching, he realizes he won't be able to find Jamila, long after the screams have ceased. Grigree then slowly spreads his arms and moves into a glide.

On board the STAR:

Seguld rights himself using the ballista to lift himself upright. "Thanks for tying the rope for me Jamila. You probably saved my life." In a flash his face turns white as he sees for the first time that she is no longer aboard. Seguld dives towards the railing ignoring the obvious pain as he puts his weight on his injured leg. He looks over the edge to only hear her cry.

"Maybe they'll be alright," Kain says. "Grigree can glide with his wings, and we can hope that he caught Jamila when she.. ah.. fell off the ship."

"You might want to have a few words with that Dragonfly Ferric!" Kain calls. "Keep 'em off of us until we're done!" After his quick flood of words, Kain kneels next to Seguld, looking to the woozy gnome. "Are you going to be alright, Seguld?" he asks quietly.

Seguld looks over towards Kain, "uh... what?....Oh me.. me'headaches, butnotdeadyet... betteroff'n'Jamila." He wipes his face with the back of his arm.

"We've got to hope Grigree caught her Seguld," Kain says soberly. "Once the boarding party's away, we'll drop down as fast as we can. All we can do is hope to do something," he sighs.

As things settle, Leera looks around to assess the situation. She rushes over to the railing when she hears Jamila's cries. Peering down, she is unable to make out the rapidly shrinking shape that is her roommate.

Turning away from the railing and looking down at her freshly healed wounds, she wonders aloud, "I don't understand it.... archers never bother to shoot at me when I'm a skeleton...."

Raken looks about the ship. "Hopefully we won't have any more surprises," he growls, and again begins praying.

Leera suddenly notices Holland's prone form. She rushes to his side and begins to do what she can for him. she manages to slow the bleeding, but can't get him to regain consciousness.

"Holland! Leera! Talus! Nilaroo! To the FLOW GHOST before more henemies come from the dragonfly," Deigatt bellows. "Once we're haboard the FLOW GHOST, Hitalapate, take the Star down hand find Comrades Jamila hand Grigree. We'll bring the FLOW GHOST down to help search has soon has we take her command."

Taking a deep breath, Kain barks, "Aye Deigatt! We need to hurry! Leera, can you take over for Italapate? Raken, we'll need you on the STAR if there's any hope to keep our injured alive! Talus! Deigatt! Nilaroo! How's about Billy and Ferric joins you instead of Leera and our unconscious general!"

With his axe in his hand, the minotaur heads to the railing and pulls tight the remaining rope between the Silent Star and the FLOW GHOST.

The two pirates left on board walk towards the railing with their hands up as Deigatt pulls on the rope. "We surrender!" they call. Both are unarmed and appear to be crew members of the ship, neither the sailmaster nor priest are visible on the GHOST's deck.

Meanwhile, the dragonfly pulls alongside the GHOST opposite the STAR and tosses a couple lines across. Her crew appears ready for trouble, but not aggressive.

As the Silent Star begins to move again, Talus curses Italapate and hangs on tighter to his rope.

With the two ships drawn back together again, Talus mutters a short prayer hoping that Italapate will not make any further fancy maneuvers, then leaps across the space between the two ships.

Deigatt and Talus motion the two pirates up against the wall as they stare warily at two men who board the GHOST from the dragonfly now moored on the opposite side from the STAR. The first is bald, a bright red sash off-sets his blue shirt and black pantaloons. His clothing resembles Jamila's in style, and a curved dagger like hers is shoved in his sash.

His companion carries a rapier in right hand and wears a red surcoat over a white shirt, tan pants, and leather armor. He has long, loose, black hair going gray at the temples. "Ho there!" he says cheerfully to Deigatt and Talus. "It would seem we have a common prize, no?"

As the bald man watches silently, the rapier wielder smiles. "I am Captain Crynar Randal of the dragonfly RESPLENDENT. Yourselves?"

Talus replies, "Well met, I am Talus of the Silent Star. Unfortunately our Captain is somewhat indisposed since the battle." He makes a vague gesture towards the Star. The young half-elf continues to speak, "How would you propose to divide this prize?"

"Assuming the Chalice is aboard, you keep that and any other loose items. We'll take the ship and helm." Crynar answers.

Ferric tilts his head slightly to one side as the large dusky skinned warrior replies with a small smile "That would make your profit a good 100,000 plus gold more than ours now wouldn't it friend? I think we shall need to renegotiate your proposal but let's do so on the ground. And preferably over a glass of wine." Ferric remains on the deck of the Star with an arrow knocked to his bow ready in case of trouble from the Flow or Dragonfly.

Glancing around at the three ships hovering in the air, Talus says "I also suggest we head down to the surface where we may be a little less conspicuous, then search the ship and divide our booty."

"Very well. Let's find the helm room, shall we?" Crynar bows, smiles and heads for the doors to the stern castle.

Talus nods in agreement and follows him aft. Not altogether trusting, the young half-elf keeps a close eye on Crynar, as well as being alert for attack by remnants of the Ghost's crew.

Nilaroo releases himself from the rope that had held him fast and stumbles towards the railing. Bow slung over his shoulder, his massive reach easily closes the gap between the ships and he pulls himself across. His bow comes off once he regains his feet and an arrow remains pointed at the below-deck apertures at all times.

Standing on the FLOW GHOST's deck, Deigatt motions for the two captive pirates to remain still against the wall. After Nilaroo has boarded the FLOW GHOST, the minotaur cuts the line holding the ship to the Silent Star.

On the Star:

Kain was walking over to do the same, but stops when Deigatt cuts the line. "Meet us down below, and wish us luck," he says as mans the lines tending the sailfin.

Once the rope is cut, Italapate lowers the Star as rapidly as he can, hoping to catch up with the falling crewmembers. He calls out to the crew. "Great Spirits! I >huff< .... need a helmsman >huff< down here immediately! I don't >huff< want that to happen >huff< again! I think I'm >huff< running out.... >huff< of steam....."

Hearing Italapate, Seguld calls out, "Leera - 'Pateneedsabackup - gotanythingleft?" Seguld then drags his beaten body towards Holland. Once there he does what he can to provide first aid, asking Leera, "WhatdoIdo? WhatdoIdo?"

When Italapate calls for help, Leera pauses but a moment to check that Seguld has Holland's situation under control before heading below.

Once below, Leera relieves 'Pate. "Well, tired, are we? Go get some rest. If you can learn any healing spells, then do so as soon as you can. We need them." Once on the helm, Leera works to keep the ship steady until the sailmaster tells her otherwise.

"Exhausted," Italapate smiles weakly. "We... need to... change, very carefully." There is a sudden, uneasy feeling in the guts of the crew as there is a slight break in the steady control of the vessel. "But...," Italapate continues, his face suddenly chalky, "We... need to change... fast...." Italapate stands up shakily, keeping his hands on the helm, and the ship under his control. As soon as Leera seats herself, he asks, "Ready?" At her positive reply, he lets go of the helm, praying to Coyote for a smooth transfer.

He smiles at the irony of asking the trickster for a trick-free moment. Then his smile disappears. "Do you.... think Grigree..... caught Jamila?" He collapses heavily into the navigator's chair shaking his head. "I... don't... know what happened... I just.. suddenly... lost my connection... to the helm. I was going... to try to snap... the ropes... go up faster... suddenly. But... no one... wanted to try to ...get away... so I didn't. Then... I lost... connection... barely got it back. Never... happened before." As he talks, his eyelids sag ever closer to closed. By the time he has finished, his breathing has become slow, deep, and regular as he slips, exhausted, into sleep.

Back on the GHOST:

Deigatt turns to Nilaroo and says, "I had thought we would need your hexpertise to steer this ship, but hif the dragonfly's crew his to take hit, than we don't need to worry habout steering. Perhaps you should follow Comrade Talus to make sure he his not betrayed by the men from the dragonfly, hand I will remain hon deck to watch these prisoners."

Wearily, Nilaroo nods.

Deigatt watches as the grommam heads below. Then he looks over at the Silent Star as it moves away and down.

Then he turns to the prisoners, the captive pirates, and barks at them: "Who his hon the helm hof this ship?!"

"The boson's mate, Kelacan." one of the two replies cautiously.

It takes a few minutes search but the helmroom is discovered to be on the portside, below the sterncastle. An old man with a shortsword laying across his knee sits on it. As the group enters he says, "That'll be close enough, thank ye very much. Else I'll just stand up."

Everyone pauses, "Perhaps we can be reasonable..." Crynar says, smiling.

"Oh, aye, quite reasonable. You swear to release me and me mates unharmed, with a dagger each when we reach the surface and I promise not to stand up and send us all to a fiery death. Makes no never mind to me, if you take us back to Shipwrecker it's the noose anyway." The old man has a determined look on his face.

"I so swear." Crynar says sincerely, "Now, about the surface..."

The three vessels descend quickly, soon landing in a small cove where the dragonfly can sit on the beach while the galleon and battered STAR can float in the sea.

Grigree, gliding downward in slow circles, spots the vessels and heads towards them, landing on the SILENT STAR's deck moments before she touches down in the cove.

On the STAR, Raken finishes his prayer and moves to cast it on Periander. The lad is dead, however, his blood staining the deck where the violent maneuvers above dislodged his bandages and increased the bleeding.

Date/time: 11:37 pm 2nd day of the 5th Month, 5049 OC