Scene #7894: Wolves of the Sea

Owner	Pose
Midway	Floating Village Ryukyuden Arranged as it is on a series of ancient floating docks, the town has become known as a neutral trading hub within the Great Ocean, facilitating all sorts of shipping commerce in the area. Segments of the docks are given over to processing cargo ships as they unload or onload their goods, while others have been converted into living space for the residents. An old, faded sign identifies this place as once being known as Keelhaul Quay, tucked beneath a more recent sign proclaiming the site's new name. Today's investigation regards the so-called 'Black Ship' seen raiding cargo convoys on the Great Ocean, preying on the defenseless and fleeing from armed reprisal. According to the guardian of this place, the White Dragon, a small number of survivors have been taken in by Ryukyuden's residents. Sniffing after that lead has investigators directed here; to the community tavern. The place has cleaned up a lot since the last time the likes of Captain Flint had been here. A lot more tidy. Less ragged. Less worn, but warm and cozy. It's become more of a community gathering place than the gathering place of scum that it must have been under previous leadership. The proprietress entertains some chatter from a patron seated in front of him while he cleans glasses. Others dot the various tables, engaged in light conversation and chatter and some laughing. Only one is sitting alone, sunken into a ragged, blood-flecked white uniform, their hat drawn down over their face. When someone approaches, this figure shoos them off with a gesture, then reaches for the half-filled mug in front of them. All-in-all, the usual patrons of a seaside tavern, old salts and young pups alike. There is also the option to visit the guardian herself; for the White Dragon is present as ever, though in a different part of town. Clad as before in the layers of a kimono, this tall woman observes the cargo operations from a post built on one of the piers. Slips of paper in the shapes of crosses flutter around her in lazy circles, one of two periodically ascending into the sky and disappearing. In the previous visit to Ryukyuden, the White Dragon was easily approachable. She didn't seem to have much to share about the issue she warned about, but the option of speaking with her is certainly there. A third party, seemingly unrelated to the incident entirely given what was described, is also present here on Ryukyuden, although it may be unexpected to see the Princess of Progress in such a place. Midway reclines amidst cargo gathered on the piers, her eyes closed, surrounded by the bulbous hulls of Wa-class transport abyssal ships. She seems to be overseeing as human dockworkers cautiously collect cargo from the transports and waterlogged cargo gathered around her. And naturally those who had forged prior connections are welcome to pursue those links once more.
Chains Knight	Chains Knight is drawn, immediately, to one specific matching pattern: The old man in the tavern. He sits at the same table, ignoring any attempts to shoo him off, and folds his hands in front of him, the helmeted figure staring directly at the old man. NEW QUEST: Tell a tale of the Black Ship. REWARD: An open bar tab for the night. And then he waits.
Kukuru	Hearing about a new trading hub out in the middle of nowhere is like music to Kukuru's ears. It's an opportunity to make new friends! Allies! Companions! Maybe some contacts for the Concord! Recipes! Depending on how far out this place is, it might even mean a chance to find new things to eat. Out at sea, that goes doubly true. There's plenty to be found in the depths of the ocean, but Kukuru's curiosity will have to wait as she arrives on a mission to uncover whatever might be hiding in the mists and causing trouble for these definitely fine and upstanding not-pirate-related people of Ryukyuden. All she needs to do is focus on the job and- Oh, a familiar face! Recognizing Midway from a fair few jobs that had her crossing paths with the princess, the horned woman in her puffy white blouse and green-to-brown skirt combo strolls right on towards her with a broad, beaming smile before pulling herself onto a nearby crate to sit on and attempt to reach eye-level without actually having to stand on anything else. "He-llo again. I didn't know you were working out here, too... Are you looking into that stuff with the fog and monsters out at sea, too?" She asks and pauses briefly, then adds "Or are these people your... What's the w-subjects?"
Kotone Yamakawa	It has been some time since Kotone checked out things here. It was honestly time for her to check out the Village of Ryukyuden once more. She has been fairly friendly the last time she was here. She had found her way to the tavern now. She's looking about and does see that the place is in a lot better shape now. It seems things have been going well here. If there's info to be found this could be one of the best places for it. She's going to start asking about the Black Ship, along with looking for anyone who might have survived a raid. They could be some of the best sources for information on this. Hopefully she can find something good here.
Sarracenia	It is not surprising to see a ship moving in toward a port. It may be a surprise to see a flying wooden airship styled like one of the great galleons of old with propellers where sails would go. One such ship comes flying in over the water, close enough to the surface to cause a disturbance in the water. It moves to an open spot at one of the docks and sets down carefully, causing only a small wave to break around the other ships and docks. Once it is settled, it lowers a boarding ramp and a young woman in a fancy red gown and a crown upon her head makes her way down it and into town. She takes note of Midway, but once directed she heads to the tavern. She takes a look around, then huffs a bit impatiently. "Greetings to you all. I am Princess Sarracenia Sundew!" she declares in a strong voice. "I am looking for information on a certain black ship that has been causing trouble in this area! Any information may be of use!" she says, then approaches the bar and takes a seat.
Captain Flint	"Starboard the helm. War no more." Flint's voice rises above the din of sail aboard the Walrus, coming in to dock proper, as unlike last time, Ryukyuden and its protector are known quantities. The square-rigger gradually slows, as it approaches, under Flint's commands. "No near." One notable difference from the last time is that there is another, smaller ship following the Walrus, sailing with the bare minimum crew necessary to operate. It's a clipper, and the open gunports give a clear view of the blue sky--totally unarmed. The Demeter, as it's called, finds a berth adjacent to the Walrus. Captain Flint disembarks from the Walrus, and his quartermaster, apparently sailing the Demeter as consort, steps off with him. "I hope you know what you're doing," says Silver. "Even a little clipper like that set us back." "It's an investment," says Flint. "Let's not keep the White Dragon waiting." "Unload the cargo from the Walrus only!" calls Flint to his men. "Mr. Dupont will sign off on each item and see that it's consigned handsomely. When your work is done, patronize the local businesses as you like, but stay sober." There is a chorus of groans from the crew, but Flint ignores it. As the men begin offloading stolen goods to sell--primarily foodstuffs, textiles, tobacco and spices--Flint and Silver approach the White Dragon. "I believe I have a solution to your pest problem," says Flint, stepping aside so that she can observe the clipper. It's been through some wear and tear, but is in sailing condition. It is, however, utterly defenseless in its current state. Not a single gun loaded belowdecks. "Are you familiar with the notion of a fire ship?"
Midway	CHAINS KNIGHT The dishevaled figure in the back of the tavern lifts their hand when Chains Knight approaches. He ignores them and seats himself, the creaking of the chair prompting a moment of silence. Eventually, their hand lowers, resting palm-down over the top of their mug and turning it slightly. "So," Oh, it's a woman, "Yer wantin' ta know 'bout Black Ships, are ye?" Her posture shifts, "What a curious method o' interrogatin'." Reaching up, she pushes her cap up off her eyes, then leans forward, resting her elbow on the tabletop to stare directly into the eye-slits of Chains Knight's helmet. Piercing blue eyes that nearly have their own inner glow. Surely a trick of the light. "Now that'll depend on which black ships yer talkin' about. Ya hear all kinds o' ghost stories on these seas. Th' one I know of ain't a story for the faint of heart. Forged from damned souls. Crewed by the dead. Captained by a killer." KUKURU The Wa-Class are just...bulbous cargo-filled bodies of metal with arms and legs sticking out. One could intuit a face on them from the way the body 'opens' and the various bits and bobs on the upper shell. When Kukuru approaches, the numerous transports scuttle away from her on all fours, some watching her warily. At least one has a dockworker chasing it, trying to get the things he was supposed to unload. When addressed, Midway's eyes crack open, releasing a clear crimson glow through her eyelashes. Her attention shifts immediately to the source of that sing-song voice. After a moment, she lifts one hand in a dismissive gesture, "These people have things which are useful to me. I have things useful to them. It is more efficient to trade, in this instance." Rather than just take it, like she usually does. "I have noticed the anxiety about a surface raider," the Princess states, her eyes closing once more, "I can assure you it is not affiliated with my Black Fleet." KOTONE & SARRACENIA Asking about survivors of the Black Fleet's raids, Kotone is directed to a small group of people at a table not terribly far from the person Chains Knight is accosting. Two men and a woman, clearly cleaned up since they were rescued. The older man, black-haired, graying at the temples, is missing his left arm below the elbow. The younger man's face and right hand are wrapped in bandages, while the woman's left arm rests in a sling; her right leg clad in a hard cast. These people have clearly been through a lot fairly recently. When Sarracenia makes her announcement, the elder man glances at Kotone, then raises his one hand to beckon the Princess over as well. "It's rather tough to talk about," the younger man admits, "But I understand you're trying to do something about that thing. So I'll do my best." "We all will," the woman states with a nod, exhaling slowly. FLINT The Walrus is a profile that the White Dragon recognizes. She even turns in her post to watch the ship pull in, and the lookouts may even report being 'escorted' by those same cross-shaped paper slips. Her Shikigami scatter once the mooring lines are cast and the crew sets to work, though a handful of the shapes continue to circle around the smaller clipper in apparent curiosity. "Captain Flint," the Dragon intones in that forceful voice of hers, "Welcome once more to Ryukyuden." Her gaze lifts past him to the tallships themselves, and she descends from her perch in a flurry of kimono-layers to land nimbly at the dockside level, "I will confess I know not of such things. Do enlighten me as to your plan, Captain."
Captain Flint	"The Demeter is a clipper--the smaller size limits the amount of cargo she can carry, but paired with her much wider sail profile, allows her to move considerably faster. They're popular ships for merchants more concerned with speed than volume of cargo. Observe, if you will," says Flint, standing aside to afford her a better view, "The seam just barely visible from this distance, between the aftmost gunports." His hand sweeps behind him. At the rear of the ship, when the sun hits it just right, there -is- a vertical seam that oughtn't be on a wooden ship normally. "It's an escape door." "Her cargo is comprised entirely of flammable items and explosives. A skeleton crew will sail the Demeter away from Ryukyuden and attract the attention of this hostile presence. Once within firing range, they'll change course, light the fuse, and escape, using a launch stowed belowdecks." John Silver leans on his crutch and nods. "The idea," adds the quartermaster, "Is that your 'friends' won't have time to change course before the Demeter crashes into them and explodes. But it relies on a few assumptions. If you can think of anything we'd need to account for, we'd welcome the suggestions." He pauses, giving Flint a sour look. "I'd like to leave here with two ships. For what it's worth."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia makes her way to the table of the raid survivors and looks them over. She doesn't quite frown, but she isn't smiling either. When she sees the bandages on them her expression softens a bit though. She sighs, then takes a seat and pulls several large mushrooms with spotted green caps and large black eyes from her satchel. She sets them on the table. "Here. These are extra life mushrooms. Give one a squeeze and it should heal your injuries. Consider them a bit of payment for the information. The faster we can get rid of that ship the faster we can make the seas a safer place. Any information could be helpful, but most helpful will be things like signs the ship was approaching, what direction it went when it left you, and things like that."
Chains Knight	"Yes. That one." He leans forwards, 'looking' the woman in the eyes. "The darkest of ships." He goes ahead and releases the quest reward, as a show of good faith. The bartender will indeed find that the woman has a fully prepaid limitless tab for tonight, via whatever means they use to keep track - pen and paper, POS terminal, etc - and they're up a porportionate amount of local currency. It all happens smoothly and instantly. "Tell me, about these damned souls. This crew of the dead. This..." He waits for what he judges to be a suitably dramatic amount of time. "... Killer of a captain."
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa takes note of Chain Knight for a moment but has focused on the survivors who have been pointed out to her. She is about to say something as Princess Sarracenia shows up and makes a proclamation about seeking to put an end to the Black Ship. She can get behind that and she'll first speak to the man. "Thank you Anything you are willing to give could help a lot in putting an end to this." She will pause for a second and look over at the Princess. "I can get behind such an effort and would be willing to lend my skills and support to working with you." She looks back to the elder and looks at him. "Sir please take as much time as you need I understand this isn't easy." She sees the payment for informion. A rapid healing item of some sort? She thinks quite well of that as the Princess is paying attention to things. She knows medical treatment can be costly for people who don't adventure in the end.
Kukuru	The retreating Wa-class have Kukuru snickering lightly, and she pauses again to watch them with a curious eye before digging into her pockets and tossing some small chunks of cooked meat their way. They're probably not safe for human consumption anymore, or perhaps they never were, but they're at least safe enough for animals and Kukuru to eat. She's assuming that'll be the same for them. Midway's answer, meanwhile, has Kukuru looking just a bit happier than before. "I knew you had it in you. Humans can be really useful sometimes, and it's just nice to have places like these to rest up." She watches the Wa-class getting chased by a dockworker, debating whether or not to aid him or it before deciding to... Continue lounging right where she is, drooping onto her side with one hand propping her head up and all. "I haven't heard too much about it yet, but it sounds like it's a pain for people here. And maybe even you, if... Um." Now she's got her thinking cap on (figuratively). "If anyone tries blaming you for doing this stuff just because of the way you and your fleet look." A beat, and then she smacks her fist into her open palm while also falling right on her side without her hand propping her head up anymore. "/Did/ anyone come after you thinking you had anything to do with it? That might be a clue on who it is, or... Oh. Did anyone in your Fleet notice anything weird out there? I remember a few of them being able to talk..."
Midway	FLINT The White Dragon steps up beside Flint and Silver, casting an appraising look on the Demeter as Flint explains the trick he has in mind. She steps aside, meandering down the pier, her hands folded inside her voluminous sleeves, "And you say this plan will pose little risk to your crew. Transforming a ship into a torpedo." She makes a thoughtful noise, then. "If little else, such a move may drive the warship off for a time. To bloody their nose would be no small thing, given how cautious their behavior." Turning her head back to the Captain and his Quartermaster, she states, "Fire aboard ship is every bit as dangerous for a modern vessel made of metal as it was for the wooden vessels of your day. I shall contribute ordnance to your cargo; the larger the explosion, the more likely your success." She turns, then, "We will simply have to wait for an opportunity. Or, using this vessel as bait, create an opportunity of our own." SARRACENIA The trio exchange looks when Sarracenia produces what, at least to them, must look like throw pillows. It is the woman who first accepts one, perhaps because she just wants to hold on to something while she speaks. "I was on a cargo steamer, the Old Buck. Working below decks when the whole ship shook like we'd hit something. The alarm went off and I rushed topside to find the whole bow section burning. In all the smoke and fog, I could only make out that there was another ship to starboard, right alongside us. There were chains stuck in the deck. I could see things crawling over on those chains, and I ran for the portside lifeboat. Captain Madison was there with some of the other crew. We got two lifeboats over the side." She gives the mushroom a squeeze with one arm, then glances down at it, confused for a moment. Realizing there was something to what Sarracenia had said, she glances back at the Princess, "My boat hit the water first and we got going right away. The Captain's lifeboat was a little slower. Someone from the main deck fired on it until it exploded. I think we were out of range, and we lost sight of our ship in the fog before too long. Only flashes now and then. After a few hours, the fog lifted; and all that was left of our ship was a burning hulk. The raider was nowhere to be seen." KOTONE "I was lookout on the escort cruiser Temperance," the younger man admits when Kotone asks him, "Up in the crow's nest. Damndest thing..." He raises his good hand, gesturing, "Clear seas and skies as far as the eye can see. Within ten... fifteen minutes? Fog. Thick as pea soup. A sudden bank wells up out of the sea and engulfs us. I can't see a damned thing but I stay at my post." Leaning a bit, he points, "And there. About two o'clock, there's a flash in the distance. I hear a rumble. It takes me a second to realize it's a naval gun. By the time I've realized that and reach for the phone, I see the Turret Adam explode on the bow." "I'm already shouting about an enemy warship into the phone when a second shell hits us, just below the bridge-- and the line goes dead on me." He inhales raggedly, then lets it out, his one visible eye closing, "Third hit was right below me. Threw me overboard. I'm not sure if I lost consciousness when I hit the water or if I was already out from the shock." His head nods towards the older man, "Cookie here hauled my sorry carcass into his lifeboat some time after that."
Midway	CHAINS KNIGHT "They're callin' it Lost Light," the old salt spits, leaning back in her seat once more. Shifting, she swings one leg and then the other up, propping her heels up on the table, legs crossed. In this posture it becomes obvious she's missing her right arm at the shoulder, having only used her left up to this point. "I ain't lyin', mate," she states, "It truly is made from souls. Captured. Melted down. Cast into steel that cries when struck. Nigh unbreakable. An entire battleship made from tortured spirits." Her hand reaches into her coat, producing a pipe, "No human crew would ever stay sane on a ship like that. So it's crewed by the dead, what don't care 'bout it. Ghosts, abominations, walkin' corpses. Hungry an' fearless." "As for their captain," the woman snorts once, "Murderous, mutinous scum. The dead're his doin'. This raidin' is his doin', too. Mark me words." Her lips part in a wry smile, wrapped around the pipe as she works on lighting it, "Never did agree with th' prior captain. Always had 'is own angle. Always pushed fer somethin' unsustainable. Always angry the ol' captain didn't do what he wanted. Couldn't be manipulated." At last getting her pipe lit, the old salt waves the match until it extinguishes, puffing away at her pipe, "Found out he could kill 'em, though. Don't gotta turn a crewmate ye can jus' murder." KUKURU The Princess of Progress opens one eye once more, glowering down at Kukuru when praised, "Do not presume this is demonstrative of a new era of co-existence with surface dwellers. My goals are still my own." The scuttling Wa-class eventually settle down, having realized Kukuru is no danger to them, much to the relief of dockworkers trying to unload them. Few are accustomed to skittish cargo ships, so this is proving to be a bit of a learning experience for the loading crew. But; there is a lot they have to offer, so the frustration is kind of worth it, presumably. "I do not fear this raider," Midway states, her tone even, "No more than you would fear an ant crossing the back of your hand. They are commerce raiding." One hand raises, palm-up, fingers curling slightly, "They assault ships that cannot defend themselves. They flee from military strength; and only engage when at an advantage. They out-gun what they cannot out-run, and rely on this approach." Her eye closes, the colossal woman reclining with a wordless noise, "My Black Fleet is quite clearly different from this ship. We do not 'look' the same. It is a standard battlecruiser." While reclined, Midway's head tilts, "...Although it has no radar profile, I have observed it striking from banks of fog and other inclement weather. Storms and the like. Reliant on poor visibility and surprise attacks."
Captain Flint	"There are risks," admits Flint. "As well as ways to counter the tactic, if the other captain suspects its use. But even in those situations, the ship presents at the very least an annoyance that must be dealt with. Whatever risk we may invite in the employ of this tactic is worthwhile in the long term." "I shall helm it myself," says Flint, nodding, "With a skeleton crew of my own choosing, when the time is right. Which reminds me." Flint turns then to his quartermaster. "Mr. Silver, please assist Mr. Dupont in the consignment of the Walrus goods. After the goods are exchanged and the prize shared, pay a visit to our business partner." A quizzocal look from Silver. "Beg pardon?" "The merchant to whom I paid an advance for information on rare and unusual armaments," explains Flint. "There's no reason we can't tend to two investments at once." Silver smiles, nods. His dark hair bounces about his shoulders, crutch beating an even one-two-one as he heads off. Unloading the goods doesn't take long, and he's soon stepping into the shop of the last merchant Flint visited, the last time they were here. Flint, meanwhile, watches Silver go, before turning his seafoam eyes back upon the White Dragon. "How much do you know of this ship's means of escape? Is it overwhelming speed, or something more... unusual?"
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa pays close attention to what the man has to say, she makes a note about this. She is clearly paying attention as she records the conversation to reference later and so she'd not need to ask these fortunate souls who lived? About this thing again. She also pays attention to what the ones tell Sarracenia as well. She then seems lost in thought as she tries to put the stories together. She has a few ideas forming in her mind from the look on her face. "I'd like to ask a few more things what might have you been hauling if anything? I don't think this Blackship was hitting targets at random."
Kukuru	Despite the rather obvious size and attitude difference, Kukuru looks mostly unperturbed by Midway's withering look. She does try to hold back her smiling, at least, even if it's kind of obvious that she's doing so on purpose. "That's fine. Having goals isn't a bad thing if it still means doing something good for you and whoever you decide to help. That's what I do sometimes, too." She still sounds chipper as ever, at least. "One ant wouldn't be too bad, no. A whole bunch of them at once would be pretty freaky, though. It's a sign of bad hygiene, or improper cleaning if I had some food stuck to me somewhere I couldn't reach." It takes a/several moments for Kukuru to figure out how to parse that into something relevant to the conversation at hand. "A few of these raiders would be pretty easy to stop, but... We gotta find the source of them, or else it'd make a whole mess for everyone. Nobody wants to travel somewhere that has a lot of these kinds of raiders because it means nobody's keeping an eye on the place, you know?" It's what Midway says about the unknown ship that really has Kukuru listening, though. "A battlecruiser with no radar profile... Maybe they've got sneaky stealth tech or something on board. That'll make it harder to find them until they do something, then..." She comments to both her Concord allies and Miday, scrunching up her face as she goes into THINKING mode. <Tac-Concord> [4] Chains Knight says, "It is apparently made out of damned souls, and crewed by the dead." "Ghosts and zombies would be pretty good at not being caught on radars, I guess... Oh, but the smell must be awful." She starts, then pauses again. "But if they come out during bad weather, then... Wait. A real ghost wouldn't need to hide, would it? It'd just be spooky and pop out of nowhere to do ghost things. But if it was someone dressing up as ghosts..." She snaps her fingers. "They must have a really good navigator on board, then! Or someone really good at telling the weather to predict that stuff." Kukuru starts again, then crosses her arms over her chest. "But how do we work with that...? Mid-way. Do you think your fleet would be able to pose as ghosts, too? You know, to flush them out?"
Midway	FLINT "Very well," the White Dragon states with a nod. As Silver meanders down the pier, she glances after him for a moment, then returns her attention to Flint. She squares her shoulders, tilting her chin down in thought. "This foe has been... frustrating to contend with. I believe I exceed them in top speed, and yet I am unable to pursue. Few have been my opportunities to catch it outside the cover of poor weather. As my shikigami are able to reach them, the vessel submerges itself." Those bright, silvery eyes open, "As if it were a submarine. And yet, it more resembles a battleship by my reckoning." -- Before long, Silver finds a familiar general merchant. Molbano recognizes him straight away, raising a hand and shouting a fond greeting before returning to his current customer's needs. After a few minutes, with that deal completed, he steps around his counter to meet Silver more directly with a friendly handshake, "Mister Silver, my friend. I was planning to call your Captain once my assistant had finished taking inventory of a most unusual trade we'd received." "I had been asked to watch out for any unusual weapons. To my surprise just this week we were given an entire crate of firearms." Raising a hand, he beckons Silver to follow him to the storeroom behind the counter. In here, a much younger man has dozens of battle rifles and machine guns scattered around (relatively) neatly on a tarp around him, a notepad scrawled with information resting in his lap as he examines yet another such weapon in his hands. Glancing up, he pipes up, "Mister Molbano, I'm almost done here. Probably another hour or two." "Anything else of note, my boy?" "No sir! Everything else so far has been a pretty standard steel and wood weapon. I'm thinking it was just that one that's unusual, but I'll let you know if I find any others." Molbano turns, then, and gestures, "Old weapons sold to to us by the sea princess. As you can see, rusted and useless. We can sell them to collectors. Restorers. It'll be worth our time. But this is what made me think to call you--" He places his hand on a wooden box, then opens it to reveal a pristine, modern slide-action handgun. The bulk of the body is untarnished black metal with a slightly oily sheen, while the slide is a bright silver that shines purely even in the slightly sketchy light of this storeroom. "Despite the condition of everything else in this crate; this gun turned up in perfect shape. I haven't had it appraised, yet, so I'm not sure what it's made of. Surely nothing the boy or I have seen." Closing the box, he fastens it, then offers it by the briefcase-like handle, "I can assure it does function as one might expect, though. Tested it myself. Per our agreement and your Captain's generous down payment, it's all yours."
Chains Knight	"I see," says Chains, taking note of all of this. "Thank you. Enjoy your drinks tonight." With that, he relays what he's heard via radio as he heads out of the tavern. Maybe he'll check in with Kukuru next... ... He turns around, abruptly, and sprints back into the tavern. "How..." he says, panting a bit as his stamina meter recovers. "How did you know the old captain? That sounds... like remarkably specific knowledge..."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia also pays close attention to what the trio has to say, but...a slight frown forms on her face as she hears what they have to say. "Things? What sort of things?" she asks the young lady, then considers a moment. "So...they don't want any survivors to make it out of their attacks..." she ponders. "...and they can generate fog for cover." She looks around at each of the survivors one more time. "Is there anything else you can think of that might be important?" Kotone's question about their cargo could be important, but she adds, "Or did you have passengers of some kind?"
Midway	KUKURU The Princess of Progress simply lets out a rumbling, grumbling noise when Kukuru latches on to the ant metaphor. She doesn't pursue that leg of the conversation further, though, as more ants and more raiders are brought into the scenario. She simply turns her gaze to the Wa-class as they offload, pulling crates and raw materials from their hatch-like gullets. "If it were more recent, I would presume stealth technology. As it is, I must assume there is something else afoot," Midway intones. Her posture shifts and she leans forward out of her reclined position, "I am not unfamiliar with ghosts. Whatever the crew may be, the vessel itself is a solid object." Quite simply she states, "It displaces water, as any warship should." Her head tilts slightly away from Kukuru, then, though both eyes are now open; now fixed on her, "You are asking me to commit my fleet to stop this vessel's activities?" SARRACENIA & KOTONE The trio look between themselves. With the lady now feeling much better, she urges the other two, who in turn accept the mushrooms Sarracenia had offered to soothe their hurts. While the two men take care of themselves, the young woman speaks up. "Near as I know, we had a variety of cargos. Some of it could be considered precious or valuable, I suppose. Spices used to be a bigger thing a long time ago, but I couldn't imagine it being a big motivator now." She closes her eyes, "Maybe electronics? I don't think we had any weapons on board, and we weren't rated for fuel transport..." She pauses, glancing at Sarracenia, "Yes, things. I'm not quite sure how to describe what I saw. It happened so fast; and the fog made it so hard to tell. They looked like they might be human, but definitely weren't. They didn't move naturally. The outlines weren't 'right'. If that makes any sense." "Temperance was escorting oil tankers," the older man speaks up, "There were two other cruisers in our group, and four tankers in all. None of our group was afloat by the time the fog cleared." He gestures, "Though they might have taken the tankers, I suppose. There wasn't enough oil on the water for them to have been outright sunk." CHAINS KNIGHT The old salt lifts her hand as Chains excuses himself, content to wallow in solitude. He did, after all, give her an evening of drinks. When he charges back, though, he finds she has not moved at all, her cap simply tilted down to obscure her eyes as she puffs on her pipe. A puffing that ceases when he asks his latest question. Her head tilts up slightly, just enough to see the slits of his helmet beneath the brim of her officer's cap, "Me name is Mina Morgan." The lights flicker slightly, "Captain Mina Morgan." "And that bottom-feeder Keelhaul has stolen my ship."
Captain Flint	Flint's brow furrows. "Submerges... I see. That, I may be able to assist with, as well--but it will require exacting coordination and a great deal of luck." "Mr. Silver will hold the Walrus just beyond the horizon, with most of the crew. If we're able to drive the vessel off with the Demeter, and your shikigami can provide a speed and last known bearing for the battleship once it submerges, Mr. Silver can unfurl the sails, get into position, and drop the Walrus' sheet anchor--the heaviest on board the ship, just as the vessel passes underneath. With the aforementioned coordination and luck, the anchor will drop just in time to do a great deal of damage to the submerged ship." He pauses. "The sheet anchor is not to be dropped but in times of great necessity--indeed, with poor luck, it my also damage my ship. But I will not allow this behavior to continue," he says with chilling certainty. "'No prize shall be taken near Ryukyuden.'" The 'informal rule' he'd mentioned seeking to establish on the radio. Over in Molbano's shop, Silver smiles a smile like the cat that caught the canary, a little upturn a the corners of his mouth. He follows, "Just -that one,' eh?" It's with more interest, now, not less. "I've been meaning to get something a little more modern than powder," says Silver, accepting the case. "Here--in the interest of continuing our business relationship." As before, a goodly sum of black pearls. "While I'm here... have you or the boy heard anything from your usuals about that ship that's been attacking as of late? Black? Crewed by the dead?" He pauses, pressing a finger to his earpiece. "Disappears beneath the water? We're doing a little pest control--anything helps."
Chains Knight	"... Then, Captain." First, he goes and takes the seat opposite her, settling down and composing himself. "There may yet be more to add to this tale." He reaches into his satchel - doing so carefully and deliberately. These are the motions of a man who is about to pull out a weapon or something else dangerous, and absolutely does not want to be misconstrued as drawing it or wielding it as he does so. Chains pulls his hand back out of his satchel, and carefully places down an object between him and Morgan, and with it placed draws his hand back carefully. It's a deck of cards. The card backs bear a skull-and-crossbones motif - albeit one that is made up of lengths of metal chain that form the outlines. "I could offer you another quest, but I have been told vengeance is its own reward. So instead, I will offer you the means. A new crew, as you need it."
Kukuru	"It's probably ghosts and zombies, then." Kukuru suggests with all the gravity she can muster (not a lot), but the ever so slight shift in her tone suggests she actually believes that to be the case. "That would make it easy for them to get around and do stuff, but not get caught on a radar, right? Because of their ghost magic?" Somehow, it seems Kukuru's now taken to Midway as the expert in such things. "So if we can find them and revive them, then that should turn off their stealth powers... Oh, but then it'd be easier to just grab them instead. And that's a whole lot less work than going to every single one of them and fixing them up..." When Midway makes direct eye contact with her, meanwhile, Kukuru doesn't relent in her upbeat (if sleepy) demeanor. Instead, she goes right back to smiling confidently. "Mhm! It'd be easier to keep doing what you're doing now with these people here if they're not being bothered by those raiders, right? If the raids stop, more trade can happen more easily. And..." She looks towards the dockworkers and the Wa-classes around them. "If they know you helped them with this, it'll give you more... Uh. What's that fancy word for favors smart people like to use?" She snaps her fingers a few times, although that doesn't seem to help jar her memory. You know, with the... You do a thing they like, so they're more willing to do stuff you'll like later?"
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa listens to the trio as they continue making note of what the ships were carrying. She makes more notes on it and looks over to Sarra and then back to the sailors. She pauses pulling out what looks like a high-tech smartphone and will bring up a few short videos of several types of Lesser Abyssals. "Anything thing that looked remotely like this? Humm and they took the tankers...?" She now suspects could this be some unknown Abyssal ship?
Sarracenia	Sarracenia considers for a few moments, then hmms. "I was thinking that they might be Abyssals too, but...Abyssals are either very close to looking human or some kind of giant boat monster. Not usually a boat that deploys boarders that look not quite proper proportions for being human." she says, as much for Kotone's recording as anything. "And if they were Abyssals it seems unlikely that the princess Kukuru is talking to would bother to conduct trade here." Sarra gets quiet after that as she ponders just what could be going on here, then stands. "If there is nothing else we should move on to other investigation avenues."
Midway	FLINT The White Dragon unfolds her hands, drawing one from her sleeve to cradle her chin in thought while Flint's latest version of his plan is presented. After a moment, she nods once. That same hand drops, sweeping out with a billow of her kimono sleeve, "Very risky. However, it is not without merit. I will support this plan if it means ridding the seas of this menace." Her hands fold together once more, "Should your Walrus suffer damage, I will personally see that repairs are fully covered here at Ryukyuden. Compensations beyond that can be discussed as well. I appreciate your commitment to a peaceful sea; even if your profession is somewhat less than peaceful...elsewhere." Meanwhile, Molbano accepts the pearls offered, tucking them away safely, "You're too kind; I'll keep you and your captain appraised of any new finds as they turn up, naturally." When Silver asks his question, the pair exchange glances. The younger man shrugs, and Molbano returns it, "We are simple merchants, I'm afraid. What we deal in comes from the piers; we don't have much reason yet to leave Ryukyuden. I've heard about the black ship, but it's the same rumors you've heard from jittery sailors, no doubt. Perhaps the sea princess might be of more help. I think she lives in the ocean." "She certainly isn't human," the assistant says with a laugh, returning to his work, "And yet somehow also way more woman than any man I know could handle." CHAINS KNIGHT Captain Morgan's stare hardens when Chains Knight seats himself and makes a show of non-threateningly producing an item. She might not know what it is; but the way he handles it tells her it's clearly dangerous, being presented in a non-dangerous fashion. Something around her rattles. Metal on metal, the distinct clattering of chain-links, as one might hear from a ship as the anchor is dropped. She pulls her feet down, resting her one elbow on the table and leaning forward to glower through the shadow cast across her eyes by the brim of her cap. "I don't need yer pity. An' I won't be snared inta' service." Placing her hand on the deck of cards, she pushes it a few inches back towards Chains Knight, "If yer offerin' ta get me close enough ta murder an ol' friend of mine, that I'll accept with aplomb." Her head dips forward just enough to hide her eyes as she leans back, tucking her pipe back between her lips, "But I've learned enough lessons 'bout acceptin' power fer selfish reasons."
Midway	KUKURU "A favor," Midway states, "The word you used is sufficient enough." Sometimes dealing with this sloth-like creature really can be a trial. And yet, so ultimately harmless and genuine. The Princess closes her eyes with a thoughtful sound. "I will give it my consideration," she says after a few moments of silence. "If such an operation is tactically sound and will produce measurable benefits for me and my Fleet, I will commit. I abhor wasting resources. Commerce raiders are inherently wasteful." "A reputation of the Black Fleet being intermittently helpful to surface-dwellers, though." Midway leans back on the cargo she has perched herself upon, one hand raising to rest against her cheek in every bit the spitting image of a ponderous thane upon a throne of stone, "Such a thing's usefulness is limited. Easily disrupted should the Abyssal Navy of any region pursue their broader goals. Surface-dwellers are ever eager to blame the whole for the actions of a few. And so I shall have to be wary of such an arrangement. It could be ended at any time." KOTONE & SARRACENIA "Oh!" The woman leans forward when Kotone shows some pictures on her phone, "I recognize these! But not from that day. No, those people sometimes accompany the Sea Princess. She and her entourage are here at Ryukyuden sometimes, trading metals for things they have a harder time getting where they live." "The Sea Princess is an Abyssal Princess," the older man admits, "Definitely a scourge on humanity and an enemy to anyone who lives on the ocean's surface. But here at Ryukyuden, she doesn't show any hostility. I've seen her tear up fleets abroad. Definitely dangerous. But. Not here, for some reason." "Maybe she doesn't want to pick a fight with the Dragon?" the younger man offers. "Probably not worth the trouble," the elder nods once. When Sarra mentions leaving, the lady bows her head to the princess, "If we were at all helpful, please stop that thing before it can hurt anyone else. And thank you, the medicine was very much appreciated."
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa nods "Ah so the attackers are not some unknown group of Abyssals then? Well, that is helpful. If The Abyssal Princess is not seeking combat here? I can't see why she'd be preying on shipping from the town she does business with. It would be foolish long-term and she is no fool. Thank you for your help I think you have been very useful. I'll do my best to help end this nightmare soon as we are able to." She'll leave enough credits on the table as well to cover the sailor's meals at least she can do that much as she'll make ready to leave with the Princess.
Chains Knight	"... I see." Chains reaches over, and picks up the deck... or rather, he picks up most of it. 59 cards of it, leaving the bottom card of the deck on the table. "Then instead of a full deck, I leave you one card - my card, to stay in contact for when the time is right." "For what it is worth, that was proffered out of neither pity nor an attempt to entrap..." He tilts his helmeted head, the light glinting off of it. "... Although... I make no statements about what selfish power nor vengeance may do to a person, in the end. You may have at least that much correct." And with that he stands back up. "Enjoy your drinks, Captain." And he leaves. Now he goes to visit Kukuru and Sarracenia. "What have you found?"
Sarracenia	Sarra offers a smile to the lady when she is thanked. "I have plenty of those mushrooms, so it is no trouble at all. As for the information I am sure it will prove helpful. Thank you for your time." she says, then for some reason sputters and exclaims, "W-what?!" while holding her ear. Then for some reason she heads toard Chains Knight just as he is headed toward her. "That person is a former captain of the black ship?!" she exclaims in her best (but still the worst) urgent whisper. She regains a bit of composure after that, taking in and letting out a deep breath. "Kotone and I found that the attackers are likely not Abyssals, and somehow have the power to conjure fog and use it as cover. They also seem to be after fairly common resources such as oil and electronics." she says once they have met up with Kukuru out on the docks.
Kukuru	"That's the one, mhm! It's so much easier with smart people like you around." Somehow, Kukuru makes even something like that sound genuine when anyone else saying could easily come off as insulting or patronizing. It might be because she's actually that bad at remembering words. "Ah, definitely. Not everyone can just do stuff for free, or without expecting something. And... Hmm." The talk of reputation actually has Kukuru sitting back up, focusing enough to even get her sitting up at attention (if not quite standing just yet). "Having a reputation that works for what you actually need can be pretty tricky to manage, yeah. Being scary's probably better for someone in your position, so..." She holds her hand over her mouth to stage-whisper towards Midway as though that might make it harder for anyone passing by to hear her speaking or suspect anything fishy. It probably doesn't since she's still speaking just shy of her normal volume. "What if you do it in secret? Then it'll still be mysterious to the people here what happened, but you're still protecting what you have going here. We could even help cover it up some if you really don't want the attention." That smile returns, and then she slides off that crate with a little hup on landing. "The Concord'll still know, though, because we remember our friends." She winks lightly at Midway as if to signal... Something? And then she turns to Chains Knight and Sarracenia with a broad wave as they approach! "He-llo again~ The.. Um. Raiders! Yeah, it sounds like they're ghosts." Kukuru affirms, forgetting to elaborate at first and only remembering once she spots Midway in her peripherals while swaying idly. "They're not showing up on radars and stuff, but they're regular ships and not anything super fancy. They don't come out unless the weather sucks, either, so..." She taps her chin lightly. "Conjuring the fog, huh? Then they don't need a weatherman to figure out when the best times to show up are. And that really must mean they've got ghost magic on their side... Who knows what else they could do with that?" Kukuru asks, somehow forgetting that she can literally bring the dead back to life.
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa will keep with Sarracenia as she goes to meet up with Chains Knight. She'll take a moment to think as the pair talk and will offer some additional thoughts. "I wonder...the unknown group we got those pods from may be connected to what is doing the raiding." She Looks to Sarra and then to Chains curious to see what they have to say.
Captain Flint	Flint nods at the White Dragon. For a moment, he seems somehow more than what he's so far professed to be--there is a fire aglow in his eyes. Not anger, not hostility. Ambition. "None but the most cruel choose to be pirates when there is an alternative. I regret that most of your experience thus far has been with that sort of person." There is a glance, away from her, towards the berths which once held pirate vessels, once referred to by the White Dragon as 'rot.' "You've seen my men." Though the Walrus crew is a tight knit community, they are, each of them, capable of great violence, and the burden of this--the knowledge that one day that violence may be done upon him, is carried upon each man in the way that he walks. "I'm sure they esteem as nothing other than pirates, disparate in appearance, crude and swaggering in their manner by the appraisal of 'civilization.'" A rowdy cheer from a game of chance further down the docks carries on the wind, and Flint continues. "On my world, many of them once sailed aboard merchantmen, or naval vessels." There is, come to think of it, a certain way in which he holds himself--could Flint once have been an officer of some kind? "They are expected to throw their lives away on the authority of someone else--to die in defense of borders or goods. And if they don't--if they choose instead to live, to surrender these things and return to their families in one piece, their pay is withheld in its entirety. When the choice is 'die now' or 'starve your family later,' it's no wonder many of them choose to provide as men of fortune." "And those who do," he continues, his voice lowering into a contemptuous growl, "Are branded monsters before their peers, made outcasts, hanged--for the temerity of daring to seek work where they are compensated for dangerous, backbreaking labor." Flint reins himself in with a sigh through his nose. "You're correct in assuming that I want a peaceful sea. In pursuit of that goal, I have come to determine that the best means of achieving a peaceful sea is to remove its most warlike elements. Though that goal takes many shapes, the one most pertinent today is to ensure that places like Ryukyuden remain viable alternatives to harbors that line the pockets of kings." On the other side of the community, Silver smiles at Molbano's assistant. "Let me give you some advice." Silver's been at with Flint and the Walrus crew a few years now, become a trusted member of the crew, graduated from an opportunistic thief to a full-blown pirate and man of the world. "The mistake is in thinking that women like that don't do the 'handling' themselves." The quartermaster leaves the store with the gun tucked under his free arm, and a small smirk on his face, searching out the 'sea princess.' As it turns out, the assistant had meant 'more woman' literally, and Silver has to look up. "The sea princess, I presume. John Silver, quartermaster of the Walrus--that absurdly well-armed square-rigger beside the clipper." He offers a little bow, pushing against his crutch to get back up. He makes a sweeping gesture towards Kukuru, Chains and Sarracenia. "These people are friends of mine, and my captain happens to be thinking up a way to rid this town of that submersible ghost ship." "My friends here are fairly thorough, but--just in case there's something you've left out about this ship, I'm a very good friend to have. Maybe at some point down the road, I could let you in on a secret of my own, hm?"
Midway	Vicinity of MIDWAY "I will give it consideration," is about all Kukuru's surprisingly surreptitious plan receives from the Abyssal Princess. Her eyes remain on the sloth-like woman as she wanders back to meet up with her comrades, rolling the proposal over in her mind. It isn't that helping others damages the Abyssal reputation so much as making people think Abyssals might not be so bad would backfire the moment any Abyssal does something... Abyssal. Perhaps it got mixed up somewhere in the conversation. Midway merely files it away for now. It is like this that Silver finds her, reclining amidst cargo and surrounded by Wa-class scuttling about with the dockworkers. Most of them have been unloaded now, and those empty transports mill around aimlessly with no orders, shuffling away to avoid becoming an obstruction. Midway's eyes, staring out towards the horizon, shift unnervingly downward to the man as he approaches; the rest of her body stock still. "'Sea Princess' is what I am called here. Correct." Her eyes close, somewhat of a mix between resignation and thoughtfulness, "For a surface-dweller, you are a thorough one. I have shared all I am willing to with your compatriot already; and I dislike repeating myself." One hand lifts, "Compare notes with the Kukuru creature." "What I will say," the Princess adds on, "Is that I have given consideration to eliminating this threat as well. Should it be worth my efforts, you may not need to find space for depth charges on that claustrophobic tallship of yours." Vicinity of WHITE DRAGON The Dragon makes a thoughtful sound now and then, but does not interrupt Flint as he shares his thoughts and reveals his motivation; at least in the matter of a safer Ryukyuden. Her eyes close, face turning upward to open her eyes to the sky where her shikigami dart amidst the gulls. "Do not regret on my behalf, Captain Flint," she at last says, "That my initial experience with pirates was a sour one; indeed, that is regrettable. But I do understand that there is more to the profession than butchery and greed." Lowering her gaze, she offers the man the smallest of smiles. On a towering figure like her, so commonly is her expression serious, it can only come off as sincere. "I recognize that men of principle also ply the trade. And that there are good men pushed into bad professions by desperation and circumstance." As her expression neutralizes, she turns to gaze out to sea. "I am uncertain why I decided that Ryukyuden must be a neutral port, but I am pleased that I have. I am pleased that the people here have accepted me and my proposed future. If it may play a role in a peaceful sea, I am content with that." Her head turns slightly, back towards Flint, "But I understand that dream of eventual peace will necessitate fighting, and so my blades and my shikigami are ready."
Kukuru	Consideration is all Kukuru can ask for. Despite that being kind of vague as an answer, though, it certainly looks like it's gotten her spirits up considerably even compared to before. By the time everyone shows up, she's more than ready to explain to the group what she's learned from Midway: The raiders often showing up during bad weather, approaching via standard battlecruisers without being detected on radars, the potential lack of stealth technology in use based on local tech, and the fact that they displace the water normally. She doesn't comment, however, on Midway's willingness or otherwise on whether or not to lend her aid. That's something Kukuru knows better than to put Midway on the spot about, especially considering the reputation thing.