With the Immi Huntress halted, Myers is easily able to position the Timbergrove o it. When he does, Quasi single-handedly lifts a rge pnk and plots it between the ships. When Quasi steps on the pnk, Myers yells.
“We o tie the ships first, otherwise a heavy breeze could push us apart. Here!” He throws several ropes at Quasi, whles to catch it with his cwed hands. Then, with suppressed disgust, he watches the Fenrimorph struggle to manipute the rope into a knot. Eventually, the knot is made and the ships are fastened.
Quasi walks aboard the thick bridge and arrives ba the Timbergrove. When he nears Myers, the old man’s hands warily go to his e. The movement is not lost on Quasi.
With a waft of smoke, the Fenrimorph disappears and is then repced by the smaller feline form. At the same time, three metal finger sized objects fall to the floor.
“ht,” the otices the pieetal, “I was shot. Well, this is . I won't have to ask ao dery to remove the metal.”
“Those are bullets, yea?” Cillian asks eagerly. “That means there's a gun?”
“Yea,” Quasi raises a paw, “the guns somewhere on the deext to a Runed sword. You -”
Cillia allow Quasi to finish before running off in search of said on.
“Right, he’s a gun freak. Anyway, Myers, thanks for not running off- uess flying off.”
Myers nods slowly. “That form you had. You’re a Fenrimorph.”
Quasi raises his eyebrows. “You know what it is? Iing, I thought it was a unique monster for the test, but this is good. I don't suppose you know if there is a way to turn back?”
Myers shakes his head. “No- but more importantly. How are you able to remain sane? All those ied eventually give in to the beast's instincts.”
“Damn, so no simple way of ging back. Annoying, but somewhat expected. As for remaining sahat's not really difficult. It's all about suppressing instincts- of which I have nearly ten millenium experienow, the more annoying part is when there's an Alpha present. The mental and physical pain those things apply is bonkers. It’s like a tooth ache across your entire body.”
“Are you saying you are ten thousand years old?”
“No, I’m saying I am almost ten thousand years old. I think I have another fifty years before I hit that age.”
“Thats…”
“Later,” Quasi waves a cw. He then points at the Immi Huntress. “I wao ask, could we fix ahe ship? The damage seems superficial.”
Myers frowns at the shift in subject, but he allows the ge for the moment. “It is indeed superficial, but it’s going to need a rge dock to repair. Once repaired, finding a buyer would be simple enough for a destroyer. The main problem with this is getting the ship to a dock.”
“ we tow it with the Timbergrove?”
“Yes, but it will slow us down. We’ll also need a skeletal crew for the Immi Huntress.”
Quasi tilts his head and pounces on a nearby railing. “Any nearby ports we use for repair?”
“For a destroyer css? Either Lignum’s port or we tio Breston. Any other port isn’t going to be rge enough.”
“Damn. We 't very well return to Arbor- so that leaves Breston.”
“Or you just take whatever valuables are on the ship and the sail. It is a far safer option.” Myers expins.
Quasi gives Myers a look as though he’s going to throw up a hairball.
“Not an option! We do not leave perfectly good- retively good loot behind because it’s risky. Now, let's go meet our emporary crew.”
____________________________________________________________________
B the Immi Huntress, Myers and Quasi make their way to the portside of the ship- wherein six [Pirates] are tied up and watched by both Irmgard and Boriss.
“rade fluffy, you are small again.” Boriss says with a grin.
Quasi snorts at his new niame.
“Yup,” Quasi nods. He hops up on a barrel and gives a toothy grin towards the wary [Pirates]. “For now. But I get big whenever I o. I hope I won’t be given a reason to.” He excims while making eye tact with all six.
Haviheir rades sughtered by a monstrosity they’ve never seen before, they quickly nod in uanding of the implied threat.
“Good, because as of this moment, I am going to give you two choices.”
The [pirates] stop avoiding eye tad now listen ily to the talking kitten.
“The first choice is death.” The [Pirates] tiaring as though such a choice is expected.
“The sed involves crewing the Immi Huntress under my orders until ort at Breston. At which point, if none of you have caused me problems, you will be given your freedom.”
All six [Pirates] seem to have their spiiffen. Hope fres in each man like they’d just drowned a shot of Tequi.
“I’m guessing you all choose the sed option?”
All six nod.
“Perfect.” Quasi looks tard. “You’ve led aire prison. Do you think you hahese six?”
“Leicht.” She answers.
“Perfect. Boriss, cut their bindings. Irmgard, I’m putting them in your care. They are to follow your orders to the letter. If they refuse, you’re free to kill them- or torture them. Whichever you think is best. I think this will level your css.”
Quasi pauses for a moment. “Speaking of which, I’m going to also offer you the [First Mate] Job. I’d give it to Boriss, but I don't think it fits him. Hopefully I’ll unlock a better option ter.”
“Best person for job,” Boriss answers happily. “Is good unist saying.”
“Thanks for being uanding. Now,” Quasi looks at the new crew members. He quickly points at the you of them. “You, what's your name?
“D-Daveed, [Captain].” he stammers.
Quasi hops up on the young man's shoulder, “Well, Daveed, I am giving you the honors of leadio all of the ship's valuables.”
“Yes [Captain].” The man answers quickly. He hops up from the floor and starts walking to the entrance of the ship's hold.”
As Quasi follows, he hear Irmgard setting the ground rules, whivolve expining the various torture teiques she and will use in case of insubordination.
he holds entrance, Cillian waits excitedly with a gun in hand and cutss on his ship.
“Oy, Cillian, you found the gun. Is it any good?”
Cillian looks up with a frown. He g the unfamiliar face, but quickly ig for the speaker. “Well, it’s weird.” He clicks open the gun's der. “It's a rather well-designed revolver, except it has a three bullet der. It only shoot three times before it o reload.
“Ahh, so that's why I was only shot three times. By the way, the stopping power of the revolver is pretty weak. I think my pipe-gun from prison was a lot stronger.”
“Gun-powder,” Cillian raises a bullet up to Quasi. “It’s much weaker than the shit you used.”
The ods. “That makes sehen. My muscles were able to absorb the bullets pretty easily.” Quasi looks at Daveed. “Speaking of which, Daveed, do you know who manufactures these guns?”
“T-the uhh, Stone-kin.”
“Stone-kin? Is that another species?” Quasi asks.
Daveed nods slightly so as not to disturb the kitten that could easily transform into a monstrosity. “Yes.”
“Huh, so these Stone-kin manufacture firearms. That's useful to know. I’ll have to ask Myers about the various species ter- holy, I need a map. Daveed, does this ship have a map?”
“The [Captain] might have one.”
“Perfect, we’ll pick that up after we look at all the loot.”
“Loot?” Cillian’s eyes bright up. “Are there muns?”
“I dont think so.” Daveed answers. “That one in your hand is the only ohe… former [Captain] stole it from a [Courier Captain].”
Cillian frowns. “How rare are guns?”
“They are very rare- only the wealthy have them.”
Cillian sighs.
“It's fine.” Quasi waves a paw. “We’ll produce our own and of better design and quality. We just o get a hold of some resources.”
Cillians eyes widen in realization. The short man griedly. “If guns are rare, we could produce better and superior versions. We could also price them a wee lower than what's on the market.”
“Yup, but that's ter. First we need funds. Daveed, lead us to the hold. Let's see what loot we’ve mao obtain.”
_________________________________________________________________________
Uhe Timbergrove, the Immi Huntress is an order of magnitudes rger. It seemingly has more holds, more rooms, more everything. But, in actuality, the space difference isn’t that big when you take into at the fact that the ship requires a lot more maintenance. Unlike a cored ship like the Timbergrove, the Immi Huntress needs a lot of crew and a lot of resources to keep the ship running. This all takes up a det bit of space.
“Here's our hold.” Daveed waves his hand.
The hold is, unfortunately, somearse. Boxes are stacked through the ter with barrel’s roped to the sides. Cillian walks up to a box and removes the lid. A smile gets pstered on his lips.
“Oy,” he reaches in arieves a cutss. “These are ons! Are you selling arms?”
Daveed frowns. “I-guess? Nobody but the [Captain], [First Mate], and the [Quartermaster] were allowed to know what we were carrying.”
Quasi tilts his head. “ht. Cillian, I’m gonna give you the [Quartermaster] job. Is that alright?
“Sure?”
“Perfeow go check the rest of the tainers.”
Scott does just that. Not only ons, but they also find perfectly good leather armor- including several brigandines.
“Where were you headed with all this equipment before your ship got hunted?” Quasi asks his mount.
“We were heading to Breston.” the man answers.
“Oh? Does Breston need ons and armor?”
“It sells for a lot.” Daveed expins
Quasi frowns. “Are you from Breston?”
“I- I have family there. Yes.”
“Perfect!” Quasi grins. “gratutions Daveed, you are now promoted to my honorary mount whe to the port.”
“But you promised.”
“I did. Freedom at Breston. By the time I leave Breston, you’ll get your freedom.” The cat grins towards the dejected former [Pirate].
_________________________________________________________________
“Where are my ons?” A man in a velvet brigarides into a carpeted room smothered in ru nterns. His hair is shoulder length and wavy, with eyes b between green and brown. A strong jawline is closely covered by a trimmed beard.
The [Steward] looks up and frowns. “My [Lord], you not knock?”
“I am the [Lord] of Breston. I do not knock, Janice!” He bellows.
The [Steward] gives him a brazing look, and then sighs. She points at his feet. “Uhe carpet is arification rune desigo protect me from intruders. The power rune is at my feet. I’ve yet to turn the damn thing on because you keep barging in!”
The [Lord's] cheeks blush even though his expression pervays none of the turmoil. After all, he was the ohat requested she install prote in her office.
“That matters not,” he quickly ges the argument. “I ordered Brigandines and Cutsses to expand the [Guards]. They should have arrived already.”
“You requested armor and ons from a [Pirate Captain].” She corrects. “No money was traded- only that we agreed on a bulk price. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone else offered a better priore likely that [Pirate Captain] was hunted down by a [Bounty Hunter].”
“Nonsehe [Lord] waves his hand. “Menston’s a [Pirate Captain] of a Destroyer. There's no [Bounty Hunter] willing to risk their ship and life to take him out so far from the major powers.”
Janice reaches down and grabs a poster that she psters on her desk for him to see.
Wanted Dead: Menston Faverim
Menston Faverim raided a [Courier Captain] carrying a special ordered Pistol meant for [Duke] Forefield. He no longer he on- but he does not like to be stolen from. He requests the death of Menston Faverim with the reward of 10,000 Trist for successful pletion.
“Oh.”
Janiods. “Oh is right. With this kind of reward, I imagion’s already dead.”
“But what of my equipment? The new [Guards] are already in training.”
“Then they will have to make do with what we sge up from [Traders].”
“But their quality is atrocious,” he whines.
She gives him another scathing look. The thought of turning the rune on passes through her mind. At the same moment, the [Lords] expression takes on the look of someone heavily battle-hardened. He hops outside the room and then uhes his cutss. The cutss instantly ignites with a swirling fme.
Janice gives the [Lord] a surprised look for a moment, then snorts. “How is it you’re a savant in bat, but when it es to administration, you o rely on your dear sister?”
The [Lords] serious expression wavers to a pout. “You just thought about electrog me.” he accuses.
“I did.” she aowledges. Her foot moves a moment and the carpet seems to light up. “The rune is now powered. Make sure you knoext time.”
The [Lord] sheath’s his sword and sticks out his to his sister in the most unlordly ossible. Then he closes the office door and walks off.