Ben Hiki

###  Ben Hiki, human first mate

Tricky and clever, with an uncanny sense of luck. Has been told several times that he's the spitting image of Cap. Lindon of the Fortuna, though, he doesn't appreciate the comparison, as it brings the Blues after him shortly following.

## --2nd age of Piracy--

Born tail end of Age of rule, grows up and train in first age, trains leaves blues early in second age due to widespread rumours and witnessing corruption, comes into own as First Mate of the Southember in 3rd age.

Became a Blue, basic training, picked up as a ranger, trained for two seasons in Sal, then took the sloop he fixed up north, back toward his home of Ries.

## --Third year of 2nd Age of Piracy, 24--

Benjanim Doris Tycho Valmor Hiki doesn't get as far north as he would have liked. His goal to return home after deserting the Blues feels like something he needs to do, but the sloop he cobbled together soon breaks down, stranding him in the Soar of Val Dram (Thani). He's picked up by a passing pirate ship, the Peregrine, under Captain Van Buze. Hiki talks his way on board, claiming to be a good cook and a deserted Blue, something many of the crew are.

Aboard the Peregrine, Hiki becomes known as "String" or "String Bean", both due to his thin frame and one memorable occasion. After taking a prize, some of the crew burst into the kitchen and drop one of the crew on the table; the man's arm is all but hanging off, demands catgut or thread, is met with blank stares, then shouts string at the sailors, who return with several spools pillaged from the striker's room. The man's arm is saved, amazingly, and String Hiki starts to be respected, earning his comrades aboard the Peregrine.

The rest of the year sees the Peregrine profit within the Ande Mone, Crean, and Ushua skies. Unfortunately, the ship takes irreparable, heavy damage, and the surviving crew escapes as the ship sinks, clutching and cutting loose balloons. Most are captured by opposing ships, and Hiki is among them. When prompted, he pulls out his "kitchen knife," the ranger cutlass he'd recieved when training under the blues. The Pirate hunter dubiously agrees to take him to a blue outpost, where he's thrown into jail under suspicion of theft, murder, and piracy.

## --Fourth and Fifth year of 2nd Age of Piracy, 25--

Hiki escapes prison along with the help of a medua, <Smoky>, and the two of them hitch a ride on a ship, the Red Eel, and they sail the month of Winds to Ferra, acting as officers on the merchant's runs through Lagur.

>Smoky, medua, self-described hellion guard. Fighter, sneaky stabbed, and fond of his leper mask buckler, which they used to bash people in the face while fighting (third tentacle). One time, their mask was broken during a boarding. Their thinkspeak scream of anger rippled through the crews. They picked up the jagged, broken shard and hamstrung the corsair they were fighting, preceding to shock the downed woman and continually stab her in the face with the broken piece of mask. Later repairs mask, though the crack is plainly visible.

By the end of a chill Lagur and with the onset of a warm fall, Hiki and Smoky are sailing around Ferra. They have risen and cemented their positions, with Hiki named Second mate and Smoky named Helm and Weaponsmaster of the Red Eel. The captain, unfortunately, pushes the  ship into slaver territory, and by Spring of the fifth year, the Red Eel meets its match and gets taken. Hiki and taken on as crew rather than slaves, though Hiki is as cook and Smoky as boarder (no real compulsion against hurting people). The pair trade slave ships several times before landing on Ferra's largest spire.

## --Sixth year of 2nd Age of Piracy, 26--

It's the end of winter when Hiki and Smoky meet Bachanalia Barnes, a criminal fixer of sorts that operates in and around Ferra. Barnes, know as the Quartermaster of Crime across Ferra and Oman you other skies, is quite jovial when the pair meet him. All three find themselves in a tight spot together, get out, and Barnes assures the pair that should they ever have need of his services, he will find a way to help. Two years on, the pair will track him down, unsuccessfully at first, and convince him to join their ship, but that's getting ahead.

The sixth year finds Hiki and Smoky moving spire to spire, danger to danger, working their way through Ferra north, up to Warren. Their, they become embroiled in the Three Families Civil war, recruited by several ships at once. The pair meet a woman who accompanies them, a Valkyrie, tits and axes out woman called Mean Magda, who is an accomplished sailor, helm, and bos'n, which is what she'll become.