\u201cSo, Reb\u2019s working for us, huh?\u201d mused Delselii as he and Bashoon got their food at Barmek\u2019s. \u201cThat\u2019s neat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe woman who kidnapped the entire ship while I was an Ensign,\u201d replied Bashoon, \u201cis currently going through a petty squabble with another Protectorate Pirate. \u2018Neat\u2019 is not the first word that comes to mind!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPetty squabble?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWho\u2019s gonna be the Head Protectorate for the mission.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI tell you; pirates can act childish at times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not wrong. I mean, the pirates I dealt with threw a tantrum when things didn\u2019t go their way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026YOU dealt with pirates? Isn\u2019t the Vorsholstein Estate somewhat isolated? I mean, you only installed that landing pad 20 months ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI foolishly hosted the Rum-swiper Pirates a few days after its installation.\u201d Bashoon snorted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTh\u2026those guys?!\u201d she asked, trying to hold her laughter back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, not really as scary as Reb is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know, I wonder how her argument with Patrica is gonna play out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI see you\u2019ve kept the GAPING hole in your quarters,\u201d Reb mused as she looked at the Sailing Patch<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think it\u2019ll catch on,\u201d replied Patrica. \u201cFor me, it airs out the villainous smell of the previous commander.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019d hardly call myself your commander if you were so VILE in betraying me after one job!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, because kidnapping is SO profitable in the long run! You would have traded all that money away for zap-spice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026My PREVIOUS crew would, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho was it who got them addicted to the stuff?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA HORRIBLE mistake I refuse to repeat with my new crew.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReb Rojam,\u201d called another voice. The two women looked to see Denstra come forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDear Denstra, we are in the middle of a VERY important discussion,\u201d Reb waved off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis won\u2019t wait, Reb,\u201d answered Denstra. \u201cTell me the truth about this whole Privateer charade.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCharade?\u201d asked Reb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me hazard a guess, you just want revenge against Dr. Borg.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Oh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCome on, Reb. If you really felt sorry for what you did, you would have stayed in Realmfleet Max, not joined Remsu in the breakout. Privateer, coat, new ship\u2026cheap theatrical fa\u00e7ade. I\u2019m not buying it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou weren\u2019t there that night.\u201d The two Cecaelia women then looked at each other, noticing that Reb didn\u2019t emphasize ANY word or add one in that sentence. She was going to tell the truth of what happened, according to their experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026When you were arrested?\u201d asked Patrica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen we begged for help! Being arrested was merely a condition to ensure our safety at the time!\u201d Denstra and Patrica were now captivated by Reb\u2019s story. \u201cIt was a month before the Siege of Realmgate City. We were at the western coast of the Grilthan Forest, me, Melgem, and Jargoon, when we came under attack from one of Dr. Borg\u2019s cousins, a Revenant Sprite man, no provocation, or warning, or offer of parlay! The three of us were peppered with magic blasts! \u2026The ground beneath us roiled as if it were the sea during a violent storm!\u201d Reb\u2019s face betrayed the fear she felt that night. \u201cBorg\u2019s undead cousin then made one gesture\u2026and the jungle came to life, thirsty for flesh! The trees tore Jargoon\u2019s dorsal fin off, their vines tangling us, wrapping around my companions like crazed snakes\u2026and wrapping around my legs! But my arms were free, and I had something that may have cost me my legs a week later but saved me in the long run. I only used zap-spice to keep my slime from eating my legs. Slimes of all types hate any form of electricity\u2026as do plants. So, I did what needed to be done. I chucked my last remaining dose of zap-spice at the trees and fired a magic blast, causing lightning to strike the plants. The resulting actions caused the plants to release us, so we stole the shuttle Borg\u2019s cousin came in on, our minds set on putting distance between us and the monster that perverted the natural world like that! We then arrived at the southeastern port of Realmgate City and surrendered.\u201d Denstra and Patrica were stunned at the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026So, the whole thing about revenge for Melgem, that\u2019s not motivating you?\u201d asked Denstra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe both agreed that revenge for the damage he suffered is his vendetta. I care not for the All-realm Royals or their rewards\u2026but I\u2019d give my right eye to see to it that ALL Fae remember the rules they have set for themselves to not pervert the natural world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot your left?\u201d joked Patrica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI need my good eye to make sure my blade strikes Borg\u2019s wicked heart!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell then,\u201d Denstra then poured some rum for all three and raised her shot-glass, \u201chere\u2019s to revenge against those who would attempt to take the laws of the natural world out of nature\u2019s hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHere, here,\u201d agreed Patrica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026I\u2019ll drink to that HEIGHTS-BORN promise,\u201d replied Reb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few minutes later, Denstra approached Arsha\u2019s ready room. She rang the chime and was let in. \u201cWe\u2019ve got our Head Protectorate, Captain,\u201d she announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd it satisfies both Patrica and Reb?\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYep. Reb\u2019s going to be part of the external assault while Patrica joins the internal team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPatrica? I thought Reb would join us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReb\u2019s more interested in making Dr. Borg hurt for perverting the laws of nature.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe told you this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd the fact that she dropped her usual verbal tic told me that what she said was the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat was her usual tell?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn all the years I served under her, it was.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026We\u2019ve clearly dithered here for long enough. Tell everyone to return to their stations. I\u2019ll tell Aldarval we\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAye, Ma\u2019am.\u201d Denstra left the ready room and Arsha opened a channel with Aldarval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Borg examined the new base. It was quite spacious. \u201cHave to admit, the retreat DID have a bright side,\u201d she mused to herself. \u201cAnd I never really lived in a desert before. This would be a nice change of pace from the\u2026\u201d something then flew past her face from out of a room. She jumped back and examined the object once it hit the ground. It was a box, white, square, and advertised \u201cMama Alazina\u2019s Pizza Parlor\u201d. \u201c\u2026Yulduk!\u201d she hissed to herself. His pizza addiction was starting to annoy her. She looked into the room, then at the pizza box, then got an idea. She checked the box\u2019s weight, made some calculations in her head, then threw the box into the room. She then got proof of the results as Yulduk called \u201cOOF!\u201d He then stormed out of the room with a slice of pizza in his hand and looked out to see Dr. Borg sticking her tongue out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Very cute. REAL cute,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere IS a trash can in your room, yes?\u201d asked Dr. Borg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUse it!\u201d Dr. Borg stormed off and Yulduk rolled his eyes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cSo, Reb\u2019s working for us, huh?\u201d mused Delselii as he and Bashoon got their food at Barmek\u2019s. \u201cThat\u2019s neat.\u201d \u201cThe woman who kidnapped the entire ship while I was an Ensign,\u201d replied Bashoon, \u201cis currently going through a petty squabble with another Protectorate Pirate. \u2018Neat\u2019 is not the first word that comes to mind!\u201d \u201cPetty […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1687,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,237],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-4025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-4-trials-of-light-and-dark","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4025"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4025\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4027,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4025\/revisions\/4027"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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