FLUFF: Jammers: Turn 12 Chapter 1

The Past Adventures of my Jammers PBEM game.

For me, one of the joys of PBEM gaming is the ability to revisit the
old adventures by reading the turn summaries. I think they make great
fan fiction.

This game has been going on since September, 1997. I thought folks
might enjoy reading the old turns in order, as fluff fiction. I know
I post the current turns as fluff as well, but the past turns were,
well, six years ago and new list members, as well as some old, may
still enjoy getting the old reads in their mailbox once per week. If
not, let me know and I'll stop sending them.

To give folks an idea of how much is still to come, the game is now
in Turn 28 of Chapter 7. Chapter 1 has 30 turns...

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

IC:
Finishing the duties of tying off the ship,  the crew gazes at the Finagle.
A scattering of buildings line wide dirt avenues surrounding the wharfs,
but none of the seediness usually present in port towns is apparent.  Two
towers, each topped by a ballista and catapult stand tall by the edge of
the astroid, on eitherside of the wharves.  On the tower to the right a
giff warrior can be seen, pacing back and forth in a uniform similar to
Captain Wilhelmina's.  beyond the small cluster of buildings is an orchard,
workers can be seen runing in some areas just as others can be seen ploing
a field beyond.  The affect,  if one could ignore the stars and astroids as
far as the eye could see, is that of a small farming community in any one
of a dozen groundling realms.

The wreckboat which had been escorting the FLOWFISH and WHIRLWIND since
entering the small astroid band hovers overhead for a short while, then ,
apparently convinced raiders were not going to erupt from either vessels
hull,  it turns sharply and heads back into the field.

"Passenger Nilaroo," Deigatt says gruffly to the shipwright, "Ham I
required to hassist with repairs to the ship? Hif not, I would venture
honto the hasteroid briefly."

Nilaroo looks up briefly from his list of supplies.  "Please, feel free."

Not entirely comfortable with the various meanings which could be
attributed to Nilaroo's statement, Deigatt grunts and heads up the dock to
the herdside of the asteroid.  He finds this side is currently facing away
from the sun, and is thus in shadow.  It is, regardless, pleasent and
quiet,  with no work going on and only the occasional patrol of militia
warriors or giff (also in the purple uniforms) breaking Deigatt's solitude.


As the others go off for the materials Radick takes his leave of the ship
and begins walking the docks.

Billy walks down the plank towards the Finagle Arms, nodding to the
occasional passer by. Reaching the tavern he opens the door and steps inside.
He spots the bar and hops up onto a stool. "Greetings!" he says to the
barkeep."I'll have a coupla' stouts if you have them, ales if you don't, if you
please."

Billy waits to be served and then asks, "Is there any news that is worthy
of repeating?" Billy fishes a silver piece from his pouch to pay for
his drinks.

"That's what I was going to ask you, "the young human behind the bar says
as he puts 2 stouts in front of Billy. "We only get our news from company
packets like yourselves."  He looks pointedly at the coins "That's 2
silvers."  As Billy pays him he says,"Had some pirate trouble?"

Billy takes a long pull at his mug and heaves a sigh of contentment. "Yeah,
some half-orc and his band of lackeys. We captured one of the two eelships,
though... Maybe we'll run into the other one on the way  back.  Well, if
there is no other news, I'll be sitting down at a table an  enjoying your
good stout."

Billy sits at one of the empty tables facing the bar. A few minutes later,
when he is well into his second mug, Holland walks in and waves to Billy.
He steps over to the bar, has a drink and speaks with the barkeep for a few
moments and then with another wave to Billy leaves the tavern. Billy winks
back and takes a sip of his stout.

A few minutes after Holland leaves, Billy downs the rest of his drink and
gets up. "They should have the supplies by now." He gives his thanks to the
bartender and strolls back to the Whirlwind.

Back aboard the WHIRLWIND:

When Radick is finished touring the docks he returns to the Whirlwind, just
in time to assist with the rigging work.  As earlier he speaks very
infrequently and only when it is required to complete a task.  While he
waits to begin the next task he looks off into space and ignores everything
else, until he is again instructed to perform another task.

As they approach the ship carrying supplies (Grigree has a few sailspines
over his shoulder; Leera is carrying a large, heavy tarp), Leera and
Grigree are deep in conversation.

Holland returns to the ship from the settlement and stops to speak with
Leera on the deck, "Leera, could I please borrow those darts that you
recovered from the dead mage?  I am going to cast a divination spell to
try to determine their usage."

Holland catches Leera just as she's returning with the supplies. She
replies: "Sure, I'll go get them for you." She scampers below deck, and
returns in a moment with the bandolier of darts.

Holland then says to everyone on deck, "I am going to be in the Helmsmen
quarters working on a spell.  It takes roughly 9 hours to cast.  Please do
not disturb me during this time or the spell will fizzle.  I would
appreciate it if you told the others as they came back as well."

Grigree looks up from the sailspine he's been attaching to the ship.  "If
you don't want to be disturbed, you may want to wait until we're under way.
That way you won't be bothered by any bumps when we leave the dock."

Holland smiles and says, "Unless we debark early, I will be finished in
time.  If you would excuse me."

"Thank you, I will return them after the spell, hopefully with the
knowledge of their properties," Holland says as he heads below deck.

After giving Holland the darts , Leera speaks to Talus.  She then goes
below with the tarp.

         Grigre helps out with the rigging after returning with the group
who got the supplies.  Not knowing much about sailspin repair, he follows
Nilaroo's directions.

      Kain sighs when Talus and the others return to the ship, laden with
ropes, pins, pulleys, and other gear needed to get the ship in working
order.  Placing the piece of felt he uses as a bookmark in his tome, Kain
slides the book and his writing utensils into the rucksack at his side.
Slipping out of his vest and shirt, Kain lays them atop the pack and then
pushes the whole bundle out of the way, next to his boots which he's shed
earlier.
      Setting readily to working on the rigging, Kain listens eagerly to the
advice given out by the others on rigging detail.  Nodding, finding that
there isn't much difference between the sailfin and the sails on a
seafaring ship, Kain's hands work swiftly and surely as he ties off some
lines, and lends an arm when another needs to be given some slack so that
it can be untied and moved.
      Hearing a muttered oath about tying off ropes on top of the sailfin,
Kain pauses before saying, "I'll get it."  Taking the free end of the rope
in his left hand, he looks up at the sailfin.  The muscles in his back seem
to shift and bend, though it is obvious Kain feels no pain.  A flash of
brown and white springs forth, unfurling and showing a pair of great
feathered wings.
      Leaping from the deck, Kain flies to the top of the sailfin, the rope
trailing behind him.  Taking his time, Kain carefully ties a good solid
knot, testing it three times before he's satisfied it's not going to come
undone.  Folding his wings, Kain plunges to the deck, landing lightly upon
the wooden surface as he opens his wings just before landing.

         Grigree watches the whole event with the wide-eyed stare of
shock and surprise.

      Pushing his headband back up, it having slipped a bit during
his work, Kain dabs the sweat from his brow.  The feathers shrink
slowly for an instant, before suddenly disappearing, leaving no
indication they were there at all.   Kain stretches once, cracks his
knuckles, and gets back to work on another section of the rigging.

Leera gapes openmouthed as she watches Kain's display. As he lands and
begins working, she walks over and speaks to him.

Talus just glances at Kain's little stunt, then turns back to his work.  It
is evident from his lack of surprise that he has seen Kain do this before.

Kain straightens from the mass of tangled ropes he was working on when
Leera walks over.  Flushing, as flustered as Leera seems to be, he shrugs
into his vest quickly, buttoning it up as she speaks.

         The hadozee shakes his head as if to clear it.  A small smile
crosses face as he looks down at his own "wings", then back at Kain.
"Showoff," he mutters under his breath and continues to work, still
smiling.

         Italapate assists with the rigging.  He is quiet and appears to be
miles away.  His everpresent smile is most noticeably missing.  When he
sees Kain
winging his way to the top of the sailfin.  His eyes sparkle briefly, and
he whispers, "Truly blessed by Eagle."
         Then his serious demeanor returns and he moves back belowdecks.

After speaking with Kain, Leera walks off to help with the repairs. She
resumes singing a lively sailor tune as she works. Her singing voice is
soft and melodious.  She seems to really enjoy singing.

Billy walks up the gangplank, a contented smile on his face, just as Kain
finishes his stunt! Billy laughs out gleefully and claps his  hands.  "Good
one, Kain... Now if only all of us could do that... Hey, why didn't you
wait for me before starting the repairs... Now that my energies are back to
par," he pats his belly affectionately, "I will be able to help you all."
Billy then proceeds to work as directed by Nilaroo.

Leera calls out "My, Billy, couldn't you have waited a couple of hours?
I would have joined you!"

"Ha! Ha!" exclaims Billy. "Don't you worry your pretty little head! To your
knowledge, has a halfling ever refused to keep his friends company when
they go and drink? I'll just have to go with you, I guess..." says Billy in
a mock faint, the back of his hand on his forehead. "The duties of a
halfling are many..." Billy winks at Leera.

         After helping with the transport of supplies to the _Whirlwind_, Raken
helps out with repairs for a while.  Once the sail is repaired and the tarp
is in place, he takes a quick tour of the asteroid.  He spends a short time
chatting with some of the locals and the priests of Demeter before heading
back to the ship.  Along the way he plucks an apple and munches while he
tours.

Under Nilaroo's expert supervision the repiars go well;  within 4 hours the
WHIRLWIND's damaged tailfins have been repaired,  returning full
maneuverability to the ship.  Glancing across the dock at the FLOWFISH it
is apprent that the newcomers had been of little obvious help,  the
FLOWFISH's crew move together unloading goods and loading foodstuffs in a
tight, focussed manner. Captain Wilhelmina can be seen often, striding
across the deck,  speaking with Lt Sabbagh but often glancing at the
progress of work abard the WHIRLWIND.

Both ships are easily finished with their needed work by the 12 hour
deadline.  Taking her leave of the FLOWFISH with a snappy salute from Lt
Sabbagh, Captain Wilhelmina returns to the FLOWFISH at the end of the 12
hour period.  She glances about the deck with interest,  examines the
tailfin carefully,  grunts, "Well done." to Nilaroo,  then calls everyone
together on the maindeck.  Leera explains that Holland is still resting
from his magical examination of the darts,  Wilhelmina nods at this then
speaks once everyone else has arrived on deck.

"Sabbagh has questioned the prisoners,  several were willing to cooperate
provided we request they not suffer the standard penalty for piracy on
Bral, jettisoning. They revealed that the other eelship was the TEMPEST,
under Captain Laocoon.  He was apparently the commodore"  Wilhelmina
glances at Italapate, "of this little pirate band,  and a wizard of some
power.  None of them,  including the halforc captain, knew if the attack on
the FLOWFISH was planned or simply opportunistic.  Apparently Laocoon is
not the sharing type.
He is an older human male with an unkempt white beard and one milky white
eye,  the other eye is a brilliant blue.  They often frequented the less
reputable ports of this sphere,  the Barre Sinister for one."

"Well,  since its concieveable that Laocoon may come looking for his ship,
you needed to hear that." the Captain gestures towards the FLOWFISH, whose
crew have already cast off from the wharf as she slowly eases back and up,
away from Finagle.  "It's six days from here to the Rock.  try to get me
there in one piece."  She then moves to the forecastle, and leans against
the ballista so she can observe the cast off.

Talus takes the helm,  and everyone sets too casting off.  While the result
is not as crisp as the FLOWFISH's departure,  no embarressing gaffs occur.
Within a short while the WHIRLWIND,  trailing the FLOWFISH the required
thousand yards,  has left the astroid cluster of Finagle and jumped to
spelljamming speeds.  Everyone settles in for the six day journey ahead.

Date/Time: First half of the 4th Month, 5049 OC
I had not yet started keeping careful count of time.
--
"...How shall a man judge what to do in such times?!"
"As he has ever judged," said Aragorn "Good and evil have not changed
since yesteryear..."
J.R.R. Tolkien, _The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers_

Paul Westermeyer,  pwestermeyer@????????.??.com