First Lesson (C 1.5)

Pleased that he respects my name... and I can't help but laugh at his comments, he's pretty fun.

I raise my glass back at him with a smile, "it is good. Rouge. And I've recently dined at the Tower... this holds up."

I nod and take another, longer drink which finished with a satisfied sigh.

"Might need another round, actually."

Ok, he's funny... yeah. But how does he treat his crew and the people he pays... not good?

But my interest is piqued. Hmm?

"What did you see yesterday?"

I whistle low under my breath, "sippian warship? You say? Not a tanker... jus' big as one?" I gotta watch out for that...

I finish my first beer quickly to make room for the second in my hand, "wish I coulda seen that. I oughta know about that... thank you Rouge. Glad to know you." I raise that second beer to him take a first sip.

"You say she just steamed near... an' didn't do anything? They unload anyone? Take onboard supplies or... fuel, or... anything?"

Rouge has nothing else to offer on the big Sippian ship, it seems. He's happy to chat and sip beer with you for a little while longer before he finally mentions that he "really should" get the cargo to you so you can take it back to the Vaulters. He stands and leads you from the Meeting Hall onto the walkway that skirts past the desalination plant. You take a catwalk over the Organo Barge, which is a place with trees and plants growing from a green ooze. You see several folks in white robes around a corpse bound in twine. As they dump the body into the sludge, an officious-looking woman intones:
"Bones to berries. Veins to vine. These tendons to trees. This blood to brine. Too old she was. This woman does leave us, recycled and enshrined in the presence of Him Who Leads Us."

Rouge stops to pay respects, hand over his heart as the body sinks slowly into the muck.

What do you do?

I do enjoy the brief downtime of drinking with Rouge. He's... ok maybe he's no saint. I can see how he talks to people, and I'm sure if I weren't useful to him I wouldn't be getting the warm welcome... but as it turns out I am useful to him. So enjoy what comes.

Glad, though, to be underway as we leave the table and head outside to collect his cargo. This town is full of smells and tastes, trade from all over... little further afield than the tower, actually. And what one might call street foods are more my actual style.

When we witness the ceremony, I slow and pause alongside Rouge to pay respect. No words... it isn't my place. I watch Rouge and stay still until he moves first. I wonder if he knew this woman.

The armory is filled with shark tooth clubs and bone crossbows as well as a few rifles and other firearms, all up on racks with a few young men busily cleaning them. There aren't any guards here, but you get the feeling the place is watched. Rouge puts a hand on the shoulder of one of the young men and tells him to grab his crates. The young man seems irritated at Rouge's interruption, but Rouge is already turning back to you and assuring you it'll be just a moment.

I follow him, a solemn glance back at the ceremony site. So the bodies are recycled into the gardens... that makes sense. They're not the only ones I've encountered who do this.

"She sounds like a good woman," I comment as we walk towards the armory. Maybe he has a heart after all.

"They'll bring the cargo to the boat?" I remember hauling goods to the tower by hand... whatever I'm picking up here sounds like it might be larger. "And this goes right back to Jay Pee?"

Fresh spices? I have to wonder where from.

"You know what," I crack a friendly half-smile, "I'm breakin' in a new gunner aboard and..." I click my tongue, "can't spend a night quite yet. Biz comes first..."

I shake my head with a touch of disappointment. I would not actually mind breakin' bread and a bottle with Rouge here, but given recent circumstances, I don't want to let Dinero spend a night anywhere near this place.

"You know I'll be back... this job is lookin' kinda regular if what I hear at the Tower is right," I widen my eyes and look at him, "is that right? We'll have chances to get acquainted, won't we?"

I chuckle and shake his hand, "I do not plan to share water with that ship o'yours. No thanks! And yeah... we'll see about that gunner'o mine..."

I hope he's not right about Dinero... I hope we don't have a chance to find out.

"Will be seein' you, Rouge. Keep dry." I let go of his hand and return to the ship to oversee the delivery of cargo.

With the crates aboard, you board The Refuge as well. Dinero tosses the mooring line and watches as you start her up and back smoothly away from the dock. The gates swing slowly open as the Refuge pulls out of the village and heads towards open waters again.

"Not this time," I quickly reply, almost snapping at him. "Rough place... all right? I know you're gonna be all right out here. Eventually. But take it slow... show me you're on top of things, aye?" I take a breath, "you did good. Did what I asked. Good thing."

I don't look back as I maneuver out to open water. I take a moment for a lesson.

"There's tell of a new warship on the water. You keep eyes on the horizon for her... big, you shouldn't be able to miss her. We should be faster'n her so shouldn't be a worry for us. Just would like to know what she's doing out here."

Dinero listens and gets to work cleaning the deck and doing whatever you tell him to do. He doesn't like being stuck on the ship when you dock, but he doesn't argue about it. He does, however, keep his eyes on the horizon.

As you head back over rough waters and eddies, you don't see The Refuge or any of the Shark Eaters, but the water has churned up. Waves lick at the side of the ship and you feel the ocean pull and push her about.