The Pirate?

Sakiran stands up from her injury, inflicted by herself. She is unsteady on her feet and braces herself against her window. She sees in her reflection that her complexion looks healthier, though she feels less strong and she aches more than usual. The corruption on her arm is no longer blackened, though it is still scarred and worn it is her natural skin tone.

Her body is heavy as she manages to get her clothes and gear on. She does not feel as springy as she is used to, but she feels okay. She leaves her room and starts to walk towards the galley, bracing herself on the wall.

Leoric is near the bridge in the corridor, relaxing with his thoughts. He is watching the workers making sure that they do not steal.

Sakiran sees a food ration pack that is two years out of date. It is a noodle packet and she scrunches the plastic, feeling the hard food crumble. She pops open an unmarked beer bottle. It doesn't smell too bad, but it is very high alcohol content. She hears footfall on the top of the ship and from the window, Thaunir is on a rope hangin upside down. He is holding his beard. She looks at him with a confused expression and ignores him.

She takes a small sip and tastes quite nice, but has a wave of alcohol rush straight towards her head. Thaunir again knocks on the glass indignantly. Sakiran goes to open the window and asks what is wrong with him. The windows shimmer as he crashes into the room then swings right back out on his rope. He says he heard the noise of his brew being opened and came right away.

They have a brief conversation about the brew and Thaunir tells Jasmine to hoist him back up after Sakiran hands it back.

Leoric watches the two dwarfs applying an adhesive to the roof. He sees Nelalwe open the doorway covered in engine grease over her dirty bun. She greets him and and says it is done, with a great deal of uncertainty. Leoric questions her and looks at her. She stammers and avoids eye contact. He tells her to lead the way and she starts walking. She leads him to the installed gun. She peeks in through the broken wall and shows him the new weapon that has been installed. Leoric says she did a fine job, and Nelalwe says it may work but they shouldn't fire guns near them. Leoric shrugs.

Nelalwe asks where everyone else is. Leoric says he's only seen the dwarves on top of the ship, trying to fix holes with tape. Nelalwe said she figured out how to get the bugs to fix holes. Vae sends one over and scuttles out from a vent, a multi-legged robot creature. Leoric says it looks like it's coming together. Nelalwe said we're fine apart from the power issues. He urges her to go shower. She skulks backwards, bumps into a wall and quickly walks away.

Vae says she is a strange one. Leoric agrees. He is left with the wind howling. The crewmen are starting to disperse. He goes into the galley and sees Sakiran rooting behind the bar. She hears the door open, looks at Leoric and gives a small wave, then continues searching. She says she is looking for water. He runs a tap for her and she looks confused. He then shows her that the electric stove also heats things up even without a fire.

Sakiran finds a few spices that she recognises, though the labels have worn off. The water has a red film as she adds a lot of strong spices. Leoric looks slightly concerned. It looks finished and smells pleasant. Nelalwe looks washed but puts the same dirty clothes again. Aria is underneath her shoulder, both of them poking their heads in and asking for noodles. Aria nods too with a stern look.

Sakiran dishes out the spicy noodles into four bowls into a soup. Leoric takes up a spork to his mouth. He takes a ginger soup and it burns his lips. His eye twitches slightly. Leoric is almost crying. Nelalwe and Aria eat it no problem. Sakiran asks him why he hasn't touched it.

Once they finish, Leoric asks about the pirate. Sakiran agrees it needs to be done. He explains to Nelalwe. Nelalwe says she has been up to the villages up north but doesn't remember anyone living there. Leoric says they will take the APC out.

Aria finishes the bowl and slurps with a dramatic flourish. Leoric and Sakiran head to the APC, seeing it is still covered in chrome smears. They see that Walker has popped the hood, tinkering with the engine. He hears them both come in and asks how they managed to get seaweed in the engine. Leoric says it is a long story. He shakes his head and puts the hood back down. He asks where they are going and Sakiran says they need to find someone. Walker talks to Leoric again and opens the cargo bay door for them.

They sit in the APC and it squelches slightly. Leoric gets ready to drive down the ramp. Walker added that he fixed the radio as a Western song comes on.

They were told that the pirates went north, near the villages in the mountain mines. As they drive, they see remains of a city that looks like it has been taken over by Solor's vegetation. Some people are still living there from the burned out remains of campfires.

Leoric guns it over the difficult terrain, having a massive wave over them, then straight over the water. He asks Sakiran what her thoughts are on the crew. She says she is glad that Nelalwe and Aria get along so well. Leoric says he is glad they have their uses.

As they are driving, they get to around halfway to their destination when they see the remains of a radio tower with a large barrier around it. Around it there are shanty houses. It has wind turbines in the compound around it. When they reach the gate, they see something with a single horn coming up from the right hand side of its head. Its eyes are pale and it asks what they want. Leoric says they are travellers looking for someone. He clicks the radio off. The creature asks who, spasming as it speaks.

Leoric says it is a shady looking guy who calls himself a pirate. He asks if the guy is okay. The creature invites him in and he disappears behind the wall. There is a split in the wall as the gates slide apart. The people look like nanophage mutants but don't look to be in pain. A few have claws and horns, others have mutated. A small child has fangs and nub horns. It waves at the APC as they are ushered in. They close the gate after them.

A 6 foot tall man, wearing patched together metal armour that is buffed and missing an arm, leans into the vehicle. He says in a posh voice that they don't get many travellers. He looks human but has elvish eyes. Leoric says they are just passing through, looking for a guy who has one of theirs. He asks if the man knows anything about it. The man invites them to stay. Leoric dismisses it and says they have only been on the road an hour or so, and they are on a time limit. He smiles and asks if they have anything to trade. Leoric shakes his head and looks at Sakiran, then back at the cripple. Sakiran looks anxious to get moving.

Leoric gets a sense that the man is not lying, but decides that he would rather head on anyway. The man waves onto the guards, saying that he knows they don't look normal. Leoric says it isn't that, but they need to keep moving. He describes the girl and the man. The tall man taps his teeth and says Barden. He asks if he had black hair and a scar. Sakiran says yes. The tall man says he delivered supplies half a day ago or so, normally coming every so often, bringing them lovely dried foods. Leoric asks Sakiran what she thinks. She says it would do him well to tell them more, placing a hand on her dagger.

He says Barden would just try and keep the roads safe. Sakiran asks why he takes children. The man says that Barden wouldn't do that and it was just a new employee. Leoric de-escalates the situation and calms the man down as Sakiran takes her hand off the dagger and folds her arms. He says their scouts can meet with him and bring him back after an hour or so. They decide to wait.

After an hour, they hear a rumbling from above. A small craft about twice the size of the APC lands and the door opens away from them. It has a similar look to Gratus ships, harsh and industrial lines.

Sakiran steps out of the APC and hears excited voices saying he is back early. She sees a human with black medium hair, a pointed beard and burn scars all the way up the side of his face. He does not wear an eyepatch. He is leaning down speaking to the children. The one-armed man is speaking to them and points them in Sakiran and Leoric's direction. He walks over to their vehicle and greets them with a howdy.

Sakiran says he has something they're looking for, the girl. He asks if she means Louise and says she is already on the mainland. He sold her to the House Lorencé and Sakiran reacts angrily. He points her towards Gavin Lorencé, someone lower down within the house. He hands Leoric his frequency and tells him to give him a call if ever he needs him. He introduces himself as Harton Braden. Leoric gives his name and Braden asks for Sakiran's name. She gives it reluctantly, and she and Leoric get back into the APC.