Editing Heretical Love (section)

===Thread 17===

Your own crew remains silent as the dead, watching the approaching Necron vessel with trepidation. You stay quiet as well, after the realization that this is going to be a tougher fight then you had originally planned on.

Before you give the order, the Necron ship makes the first move.

Gauss cannon fire rakes across the side of your skiff, slamming into the armor and burning through it in some places.

“Fire!” You shout, pointing your cutlass at the enemy ship.

The crew snaps to, responding with blazing speed.

The deck guns of your own ship open up, with a resounding noise as they return fire. You watch as several of the enemy crew are swept over into the sea as heavy needles impale them.

“Keep shooting you dogs, keep shooting!”

As though to demonstrate, you activate the plasma cannon in your arm and let loose your own scorching attack.

“Cap’n, they are heading to cut us off!” Teach yells, a faint hint of panic in his speech.

You look to where he is gesturing and see what he meant.

In front of you is a narrow channel between a peninsula and a small archipelago. The only channel deep enough for your ship to make it through.

“Shit! Don’t let up on them!” You order the gunners.

“Can we beat them there, Teach?”

The Dark Eldar nods.

“It’s likely, though not a given.”

That leaves you with a few options.

“Break off, Teach!”

“Cap? If we break now, they will block the channel!”

“Indeed.”

“You mean you want to enter a turning fight with them? That’s insanity!”

“Exactly. They won’t expect it.”

The Dark Eldar helmsman hesitates only for a second, before rapidly spinning the wheel, breaking off the run.

“Deck guns, give them something to worry about!”

At your order, the cannons of your ship increase their fire rate. Though they are raining hell on the Necron ship, the robots are hardly running scared.

You have to duck as a bolt of gauss ignites an ornate wooden statue barely just two feet to your left. Grimacing, you imagine Vect isn’t going to be too happy about his image in wood being obliterated.

No time to worry about that, though. You’ve got a fight to win.

“Full sail, hard to port! From that angle they won’t be able to train all of their guns!”

The crew obliges, and your tactics are fairly sound.

As your own guns continue to blast holes into the Necron ship, your enemy finds themselves quite unable to return the same volume of fire.

“Captain she’s turning ‘round to broadside us again!”

“Turn out of it!”

“We won’t slow down in time Cap!”

Shit.

You know you can’t win a direct broadside engagement, the Necrons have nastier guns, and a lot more of them.

“Get in close, we can stay out of their heavy guns!”

Teach obliges quickly, deftly maneuvering the vessel.

Sure enough, as soon as you get close, the heavier Necron guns can’t lower their elevation enough to track you.

“You sure about this, Max?!” The twins yell hesitantly as you begin to draw up alongside the Necron ship.

“Are you questioning your captains orders?” You fold your arms and raise an eyebrow at them.

*Clang… CLANG CLANG*

Whirling around, you realize the only mistake of this plan.
A dozen Necron warriors now stand on your deck, having jumped down from above.

You are about to order the crew to stand fast and fend them off.

“Don’t worry about them, leave them to us!” The twins yell, unsheathing their own swords.

With blinding speed and swan like grace, they leap down to the lower deck, swords flashing in the mid-day sun as they spin.

“Deck guns, fire everything you’ve got!” You command.

At your order, the crew works their weaponry for everything its worth. You watch, satisfied, as your own guns tear massive chunks out of the side of the Necron ship. Your own crew expertly aiming as close to the enemy craft’s waterline as they are able.

“Good show, keep it up!” You yell in encouragement.

Below you, the twins are a blur of spinning blades.

The Necron warriors aren’t nearly fast enough to match them. Senna expertly knocks aside a clumsy swing of a gauss rifle before stabbing the attacker through the head. Senda swings her two blades in a wicked arc, cutting the skull of another right in two.

It’s working.

Your plan is actually working!

You feel a bit elated, until you hear something crash hard into the deck behind you.

A Necron pirate lord stands up from his crouch, uttering a cold metallic chuckle.

You stand firm.

Faster than the warriors, he expertly unsheathes his steel and brandishes it in your direction.

“Remember, I want him alive!” You hear an all too familiar voice yell from the Necron ship. Looking up, sure enough, you spot your favorite little psychotic Pariah.

“Don’t struggle, honey! I’ll take you away from these filthy meatbags!”

“What makes you think I *WANT* that?!” You protest.

…She doesn’t appear to have heard you.

“The Lady told me to bring you back alive, but that doesn’t mean completely intact.” The Necron Lord laughs again, before lunging.

You barely manage to step back with enough time to avoid the strike, your own cutlass clashing against his as you block.

Any confidence you had going into this fight is instantly and abruptly ended when the Lord continues his assault. It’s no contest. In a straight up sword fight, you will lose.

The crew of your own ship rush to your aid, but find themselves with their own problems to contend with as Flayed Ones warp to the deck behind the Lord.

Without letting that phase you, you step forward and swing your own sword.

The Necron Lord is forced back as he parries, but the counterattack is quickly cut short as he strikes back.

The twins are still engaged with a fresh wave of warriors, and the rest of the crew aside from the gunners now has their hands full with the Flayed Ones. This leaves just you and the Lord to each other.

A straight up fight is what he wants, but too bad for him, he isn’t going to get it.

You continue to match him blade for blade as you desperately think of some way to do this. You doubt he is an idiot, so you are going to have to make it subtle.

Which means it isn’t going to be easy.

“You aren’t too terrible, for a pathetic human!” The Lord hounds you, thrusting again and forcing you back.

Though you don’t humor him back with witty banter, your mind racing for an answer to this problem.

You could try to back to the rail yourself and quickly reverse positions somehow, but it’s unlikely he would fall for that. The idea of putting yourself that close to a long fall isn’t exactly thrilling, either.

No, there is only one obvious solution here.

With a vengeance, you attack hard and fast. The sudden change in tempo has the Necron Lord falling back rather than you, and you press that fact, keeping him on his heels.

The deck, really not that wide, feels as though it may as well stretch the length of a Titan. It’s a struggle to fight for every inch, and despite the Necron Lord losing ground, it isn’t enough.

Well, it just might be time to try out these honed mind powers Esh helped you with.

“Fus Roh Dah!”

The sudden psychic onslaught knocks the Necron Lord back, sending him reeling until he regains his footing no more than a foot from the edge. He realizes his predicament, but you don’t give him a chance to remedy it.

But something catches your hands before you can move in, and crushes your fingers even through the power armor.

With a pained howl, you turn to see your assailant.

“Oh honey my honey, surely it’s time to end this false bravado. It’s getting late, if we don’t get you back soon the process won’t be complete until tomorrow!”

She kicks you in the lower back, pain jets up your spine.
Tonya sinks the blade of her staff into your armor, and you feel it go dead as she expertly severs power to your legs.

“Silly honey, this game has been fun but I’m tired and want to go home~.” She sings as she starts to drag you by the arm.
You try to struggle, and as you do, Tonya smiles and sinks her blade into your shoulder.

White hot agony shoots through your body.

“Now now, don’t make us late!” She chides you as the Necron crew lowers down a ramp.

You grind your teeth as you try to somehow curb the blood oozing out of your fresh wound.

“Oh don’t worry about a silly little thing like THAT!” She giggles.

“It will stop bleeding as soon as we get rid of this silly flesh!”
You watch the Dark Eldar skiff fade in the distance, now engulfed in flames, as Tonya hums happily to herself.

You don’t know where she’s taking you, but you can almost guarantee yourself that you aren’t going to like it…

"Well I can't have you bleeding all over the deck, now can I?" She asks, as though angry at your blood belligerently staining her ship.

"No no, it simply won't do."

She drags you over to a hatch, propping it open.

"Here, keep quiet until we arrive."

She drops you through the hatch and you plummet into the darkness. Crumpling up into a ball as you hit the cold floor beneath, you just want to sleep.

Something shuffles in the darkness...

Your eyes beginning to adjust now, you can make out shapes.

Terrible shapes.

One of the flayed ones gets close enough that you can make him out through the faint light pouring in from the grate above.

He lowers his face to your own.

"*Clang?*" He asks.

"*Clang clang*" Several more agree, as they start stripping you of your power armor.

Several hours of brutal Flayed One sodomy later, and Tonya finally has you hauled out of the dark hold.

"Now!" She says gleefully, completely oblivious to what you've just endured.

"Time to make you one of us!"

----

The Necron Lord smirks, smug in his own skill as he raises his sword easily and readies to block the oncoming blow with little effort.

Too smug, in fact, to see the real danger.

By the time he realizes there is a plasma cannon sticking out of your left arm, it’s already too late.

The hot shot of plasma impacts him in the chest, knocking him backwards until he hits the railing. He teters there for a moment, before falling over backwards.

You run to the edge to watch him fall.

“That wasn’t a sword attackkk!!!!” He yells up at you angrily.
“Suck it!” You manage to interject before the Necron Lord crashes down into the waves. You judge that Necrons are poor swimmers, as you don’t see him bob to the surface.

“Oh no! Not the Captain!” You hear Tonya yell, and look up to see her angrily beating her fists against her own ship’s railing.

The crazy machine girl whips around as she hears something out of your own earshot.

“What do you mean ESCAPE?! We have them on the run! Hey! Are you listening to me!?”

Apparently her crew is decidedly NOT as the Necron ship breaks off. You notice it’s leaking black sludge out of the holes torn into its hull by your ships own guns.

The Dark Eldar crew cheer, shout, and rattle their weapons as they watch the Necrons turn and run.

You can’t help but join their elated cries.

“Good show Captain!” Teach claps you on the back.

“You really showed ‘em didn’t ya Max~y boy!?” The twins grin as they each take one of your arms.

“We did, didn’t we? Should we pursue them, Teach?” You ask, deferring to his obvious experience in naval matters.

The fierce pilot thinks for a second, before shaking his head.
“While we might be able to win, it might not be in our best interest. Vect is already going to flip shit when he sees the state of his pleasure skiff.”

“Erk…” You suddenly remember that this is not your boat. Looking around at the blown out guns, the holes in the deck and sail, and the general disarray of the whole vessel… You aren’t looking forward to having to doing some ‘splaining.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry…” Senna laughs, patting you on the shoulder.

“We’ll be fine.” She smiles.

“Just because we’ll be fine doesn’t mean daddy is going to go easy on him, Senna…”

“Oh… You’re right Senda…”

“I’m blaming it on the both of you.” You shrug.

“W-what!?” They both yell, grabbing you tightly and looking up at you, mouths agape in shock.

“Cap, if I may interject, what heading should I take?” Teach asks, eying his instruments.

“Hmm…” You rub your chin.

“Tortuga!” Senna shouts gleefully.

“The pirate port!” Senda pumps her fist.

“Well Mr. Teach, I believe you have your heading.”

The Dark Eldar pilot grins, along with most of the crew.

“To Tortuga then!” He shouts, letting the wheel spin.

The rest of the journey is rather uneventful, and you can’t help but relax as one of the crew hands you a bottle of what you taste to be rum.

The twins have changed into matching sling bikinis and are sprawled out lazily on towels laid on the deck, tanning. At least you think so. You don’t know if Dark Eldar CAN get a tan.

With the ship now making good time, you busy yourself between the rum, oogling the twins as subtly as you can, and trying to get your voice into the best pirate accent you can manage.

“Land ho!” Shouts the lookout from the crow nest.

Sure enough, off in the distance, Tortuga.

Teach guides the skiff expertly into a dock, a dozen or so crew leaping off to secure the lines.

The island is pretty fucking pirate-y, you have to admit.
A sprawling town of shanties and faded wood-sided buildings, adorned with skulls of massive sea beasts and chock full of the most villainous folk you can imagine. Many of whom are staring blatantly right at you as they watch the crew secure the wounded vessel. Some others making it less obvious they are watching.

“Damn, this is quite the place, isn’t it?” You whistle.

A staunch looking man with his hair and beard in beaded braids stomps along on a peg leg as he walks down the deck toward you and the crew.

“Welcome to Tortuga, port for the unwary and unkind.” He gestures to the town behind him.

“Now, I’ve got to ask, what makes you tough enough to think you belong here?” He folds his arms, looking at you as though he himself doesn’t think you are tough enough.

You take back a long swig of the rum, and reach into the pistol belt where you secured a cigar earlier.

Activating the flamer in your arm, you light up the stogie and blow a thick cloud of smoke.

“I’m the toughest motherfucker on this planet.” You say coolly.

“Doubtful, the Space Wolves are here.” The man says, looking less than impressed.

“Logan himself punched me in the face and I survived.”

“Oh. Well, that does make you pretty tough I guess.”

“So we can enter?”

“Huh? I was never going to stop you in the first place.”

“Oh…”

You look back to Teach, who is busying himself handing out orders to the crew in your stead. Looks like he’s trying to get some kind of repair job underway.

“Hey Teach, you coming?”

“Huh? Nah, Cap. The crew and I are going to fix this thing up best we can. Besides, we were just here with Vect last weekend.” He waves you along, letting you know to go on ahead without him.

“Fair enough. Hit the town if you guys get a chance, though.”

“Will do, Cap.”

You notice the twins are tugging on your arm, trying to get you moving. Both of them are back in their pirate attire, and you notice, now fairly browned up.

“Cmoonnnnn….!” The groan as they try to pull you.

“Let’s go! Let’s goooo!!!” Senna jumps up and down impatiently.

You let them drag you along, both of them pulling excitedly and babbling to each other in a high-pitch fast-paced verbal flurry. It would be exhausting to try to follow along with that conversation. You aren’t.

The main stretch of the town is a dominating street, paved with well worn black cobblestone. Lining both sides are every kind of criminal’s shop or hideout that you can imagine. Weapons shops, armor shops, pawn shops, tax attorneys…

“Damn, this place is bigger than I imagined it would be…” You can’t help but be a little awestruck by the sheer size of it all.

You come to a T in the road, and look around feeling thirsty.

"Lets stop somewhere, I'm hungrryyyyy..." Senna groans. You can hear her stomach growl.

"I wouldn't mind sitting down for a while." Senda agrees.

"You guys have a preference?"

The twins shrug as they look around.

"Any of these joints look fine, really. They are all bound to have food and chairs." Senda remarks.

The Salty Sea Dog Tavern looks promising. You notice the whole outside of the place is actually made out of assorted bottles split in half, nailed to the wood of the structure like shingles.

At the same time, the Tortuga Saloon & Fishery seems nice. It’s on pillars over the water, and you can smell the alluring aroma of seafood even from here.

The Thieves Cove Inn is a dark lit place. You can hear what sounds like a rowdy conversation from within, and wisps of smoke billow from its open shuttered windows.

Well, the Saloon & Fishery looks like a nice place.

You lead the girls over to it, Senna gnawing playfully on your power armor out of hunger and Senda trying to pull her off.

A tall, spindly Eldar hostess with an eyepatch grunts as you approach.

“Just the three of ya, then, eh?”

“Aye.”

She leads you over to a table overlooking the ocean, and the three of you collapse into the wicker chairs. After a long, difficult voyage here, it feels incredible just to sit down. Until the hostess hurriedly gets you out of the chair and replaces it with one made to seat power armor.

“Now, what’ll it be?” The hostess asks, tapping her foot impatiently. You notice she doesn’t even carry a paper or anything, and you begin to think this isn’t her first day on the job.

“Rum all around?” You gesture to the twins.

“Fine with us.” They reply.

The Eldar snorts, and plops down three menus before heading off. You give the menu a look, and wonder how the “Fried 3lb deathshell” tastes… Actually, you don’t know anything about any of this food.

“Oi, what the hell is any of this and what out of that hell is good?”

“Deathshell.” Senna immediately states.

“The glow eel is my favorite.” Senda replies from behind her menu.

While you wait for the drinks, you decide to look around a bit. The place is built into one big circle out over the water, and in the middle of the circle you can make out a shallow reef through the clear pale blue water.

Schools of bright, vibrantly colored fish dart about. You notice several large, spike-shelled things slowly crawling over the ocean floor, which all the other fish seem to take care to avoid.

It seems peaceful, a far stretch from your encounters with the ocean on this planet thus far. The water is only perhaps ten feet deep, far too shallow for any beasts of the sea. You hope…

“Hey Max! Rums here!”

You head back to the table and sit back down. The rum is good and before you know it, your glass is gone.

In place of the hostess, a busty blonde Dark Eldar drops off a fresh round of drinks and asks what you want to order.

After much hounding, Senna convinces you to order the Deathshell. She assured you, rather hurriedly, that it isn’t poisonous. To fish, at least, and she’s never had a problem with it.

While you wait you look back at the town, and notice a wall of blue armor and fur moving through the streets. Though you aren’t sure if the Space Wolves want to see you again, you had better be prepared in case you bump into them again.

The food finally arrives, and you grimace a bit at the sight.
Deathshell are apparently the spiny things you saw earlier. They kind of look like a giant snail shell up close, though coiled tightly into a spiral and covered in what you can guess are their name-earning spikes.

Senna is nearly to the point of visibly drooling as the waitress sets down the platter in front of her.

You on the other hand, are a bit more cautious at the steaming meal. Though the white flesh of it underneath the shell does look rather appetizing.

Throwing caution to the wind, you give it a try, and it’s actually pretty damn good.

The three of you enjoy the meal, and the twins pay in some kind of coin. You protest, despite having absolutely none of those coins yourself, but they assure you that the meal was cheap and they have plenty of money to spare.

Finally, feeling downright satisfied, you leave the Fishery.

You are feeling pretty good now, the food seems to have somehow invigorated you. Senna was right, the Deathshell was a good choice.

“Well, why don’t we shop around for a little while?” You ask them.

Both of the twins perk up, looking excited.

“Really? Do you mean it?!” Senna can barely contain herself, grabbing your arm and giving it a shake.

“Err… Yes?”

“She’s just excited because daddy hates shopping and never wants to go with us.” Senda shrugs.

"Ah, well. Guess it can't be helped." You shrug as well.

You let the girls lead you along as they duck into various shops and stalls. Despite your objections, they buy you a particularly fine looking cat-o-nine-tails, though its ends are knotted leather rather than sharp spikes.

“Why do I need this?” You ask as you leave that particular shop.

“It’s for… Ahh…. Keeping morale!” Senna shouts.

“Please don’t use it on the crew, some may like it but most would probably murder you…” Senda whispers as an aside.

They model various summer dresses and whatnot, and though you were having fun, they don’t seem to be slowing down. At all.

Maybe this is why old man Vect doesn’t like shopping with them, you are starting to feel drained as they pull you into yet another shop. This one labeled “Fine Leather Goods.”

Your interest is perked when they pull open the curtain to the changing room, now clad in revealing leather bondage gear. However it is short lived, as they don’t buy anything and instead drag you along into “Captain Jack’s Stuff.” Which amounts to nothing more than piles of broken things, jars of dirt, and screaming caged monkeys that the owner keeps yelling at.

“Why are we even in here?” You ponder out loud as the twins both hover over a compass.

“That doesn’t even work. You have monkeys on you, you know….” You trail off.

They don’t seem to be paying attention…

One of the monkeys flips you off, and you return the gesture.

“Oi! Nobody flips off me monkeys but me! Savvy?” The owner berates you.

“Really?”

“Well not particularly, I just want you out of here so I can sleep. C’mon out you go! Out out out!” He ushers the three of you out before closing the door behind him and flipping the sign in the window from “Captain’s In.” to “Get lost ya lubbers.”

“Well that was rude…” Senda folds her arms, looking rather put off.

“At least he let me buy this compass… Though it doesn’t seem to work…” She give the broken device another look before stuffing it into a pouch on her belt.

“He sure was weird…” Senna adds, before spotting something.

“Ah!” She shouts, pulling on your arm.

“Well well well. Fancy meeting you again, especially here of all places.”

You turn around, and notice Logan Grimnar and his retinue standing on the street behind you. Each of them looking fairly disheveled, red cheeked and mugs in hand. All of them in varying states of disarray, many missing pauldrons or other bits of armor. Each has sunglasses on, of varying styles.

“Rough night?” You inquire.

“Boy, you don’t know the half of it.” One of the seasoned ones groans through his thick beard.

"It was a night that would have killed lesser men." Another agrees.

“Fucking Bjorn the drunk-handed is lost somewhere in this town, we’ve been looking for him all morning.” Logan says between drinks.

“You should have heard him, bitched up a storm.” Another Space Wolf laughs.

“I am the oldest living thing in the Imperium, I can remember things the likes of which you’ve only heard stories.” Another mocks in his best dreadnaught voice.

“After all that he gets wasted along with the rest of us. You should have seen it lad, he was still complaining with girls hanging off both of his arms!” The marine continues before taking another drink.

You notice they are drinking out of rather unusual mugs.

“Hey, those don’t have your emblem…” You muse.

“Oh?! These?” Another veteran-looking Wolf pipes up, waggling his mug before taking another drink.

“Well, the Blood Ravens were gone from their base when we found it. We couldn’t just leave these lying around, don’t want them falling into the wrong hands.” Logan laughs as he takes a chug out of the mug, which is emblazoned with a red drop of blood and wings.

“They uh… They won’t mind?”

“What? Noooo. I’m sure they are just glad these didn’t get taken by some foul Chaos ilk.” Logan grins as he puts the mug to his lips yet again.

“Right… You guys are drinking pretty heavily for having such a rough night, though.”

The Wolf with the thick grey beard raises an eyebrow.

“This is drinking hard? News to me.” The others laugh along at his comment.

“Still have that pistol I gave you?” Logan asks as he picks up your arm, checking out the storm bolter there and looking fairly impressed.

“Still got it.” You pat the pistol at your belt.

“Certainly doesn’t look like you need it anymore, though.” He laughs.

“Anyways, we’ve got to get going. Bjorn is somewhere around here, a bar wench said she spotted a dreadnaught in a sombrero stumbling along through here about an hour ago.” Logan grimaces.

“Sure hope that old bastard hasn’t gotten himself into more trouble than he can handle. I’m still surprised he didn’t pass out in the saloon, for as much as he sleeps all the time…” He shrugs before clapping one of his retinue on the shoulder.

“No matter, we’ll find him!”

“Hey, how about we help you look?” You ask, a bit desperate for something to do other than get dragged into another shop.

“Well…” Logan ponders.

“It couldn’t hurt. Though if you find him, I’d advise you give him some space. A hung-over dreadnaught is nothing to trifle with unless you know how.”

“Can… Can we ride around on him, once we find him?” Senna wonders out loud.

“I don’t think he’d like that…” Senda sighs at her sister.
The Space Wolves wave as they trudge off in search of their lost ancient comrade.

“Well, now what?” You ask, instantly dreading the answer.
“Moar shopping!!!” Senna yells, you don’t know how she’s maintained this level of energy and enthusiasm. You’ve been shopping for well over three hours now.

“Screw shopping, we need to head back soon.” Senda forces her sister to quit bouncing around.

“Eh, we’ve got a while left until dark I think. Don’t have to leave here quite yet.” You shrug. As little excitement as most of this shopping spree has been, you aren’t exactly rearing at the bit to go back to big daddy Vect quite yet.

They go back to their shopping mode, even Senda getting into it again. You sigh, hopefully the trip back will be uneventful, because you are exhausted.

“Hey, check out this card-stand!” Senna knocks on the side of something hard.

“Card stand? Bjorn is no card stand!” The dreadnaught rotates around, knocking the cards that had in fact been attached to it off.

“Bjorn is the oldest in the Imperium, the most ancient of warriors, the…”

The dreadnaught teeters slightly, seems to regain its balance, but then overcompensates and crashes down onto its side. People have to scatter out of the way to avoid being crushed.

“Where am I? Who are you? Get off my lawn!” The dreadnaught shuffles it’s feet as though trying to walk toward you.

“Hey, the other Wolves are looking for you, you know.” You tell the old dreadnaught, who quits trying to walk.

“Tell them to bring my prune juice.” Bjorn booms as he shoves himself back upright.

“Hey mister dreadnaught, can I ride on top of you?” Senna asks before you can stop her.

“Twins? TWINS?!!?!?” Bjorn moves his chassis toward them, as though peering at the girls.

"My twins." You add.

"Your twins?"

"His twins." The sisters agree in unison.

"Bah, no twins then. Come little people, let us go get tankred."

"Uhh, you mean tanked?"

"No, my friend Tankred, I've been looking for him. That's why I left those lightweights behind at the bar."

You don't know what a Tankred is, but so long as the old dread is happy, whatever.

"Can... Can I ride you now puhleeeeasssseee?!?!?" Senna asks, tugging on Bjorn's leg.

"Even in death I still give piggyback rides."

"Yay!" Senna happily and astoundingly quickly scales up the ancient armor until she stands on top.

"Ohmigosh you have to get up here Senda!"

Senda sighs, but then humors her sister and climbs up as well.

"Now then, drink drink drink." The old fartcan booms before grabbing a distillery tank right off a building. He pours the liquid down his front. You can sense he is somehow drinking it.

"Hey! Watch it with the booze! That or get me some!" Senda yells, annoyed at nearly getting drenched by Bjorn's antics.

"Hush twins, for now is the hour of boozing." He retorts, tossing aside the now empty tank.

"You there, Commissar grey knight thing, take us to the bar, that we may reap the harvest of inebriation. For surely that is where Tankred shall be."

"Dude there are like, a hundred bars here..." You gesture around, pointing out no less than twenty.

"Silence, and do as told."

"C'mon Max, just humor him." Senda shrugs, eager to get moving.

"Bah, fine. I hope you are ready you old fart, I'm going to drink you under the table." With that, you lead them to an establishment large enough for Bjorn to enter.

The first thing you notice upon entering, is the other dreadnaught. He stands at a table, surrounded by sixteen rough looking pirates, all laying face down on the table. This other dread is still pouring a cask of rum down his front.

"Where do you all keep coming from?!"

But both dreads ignore you.

"Tankred my old friend, it appears you are the last one standing."

"Tankred endures." The other dreadnaught agrees.

"Excellent. Now let us school this young whippersnapper in what it truly means to imbibe."

"We're drinking too!" Senna pouts from atop Bjorn.

"Heh, as though I would lose to a bunch of old men."

"As though either of you stood a chance."

You ready your mind, and your liver.

The first round is set before you, each an entire flagon of dark rum...

Damn, you aren't walking away from here sober.

Though it takes you several minutes, you finally manage to finish off the entirety of the sweet cane booze. Already, you are starting to feel its effects.

Both dreads drink theirs with seemingly little difficulty, though each of them has an entire keg, since so much is wasted as it drips down their front.

"I'zzat all *hic* of 'et? Blah, waznt so tuff..." Senna mocks, poking you in the side.

"Silly little brown girls, that was just the warmup round." Tankred laughs.

"You had best prepare your body, the next round begins now."

On Bjorn's last word, the next go of drinks is indeed laid down before you.

This continues for a half dozen or so rounds.

"An so dats when Logan punches me in mah face!" You finish the story, laughing so hard you can barely finish.

"Haw haw hawwwww...ZzZzZzZ..." Bjorn laughs, before the massive dreadnaught tips backwards, landing hard and splintering a table. Thankfully the table's inhabitants managed to move out of the way in time.

Well, that's one dread down...

The twins are both snoozing, propped up against one another as they sleep. Senna blabbers something in her sleep every few minutes before going back to light snoring.

"Tankred... Endures..." The other old dreadnaught replies, as the last of the keg drains off of his front.

"You is... You is a tuff ol' man, shit." You boggle.

"I am the law." Tankred burps.

"Are... Are you both sure you can handle this?" The waitress asks, setting down yet another flagon of rum.

"I was *belch* born ready." You manage.

"Whatever, your funeral buddy."

"I shall the victorious be today, Yarrik wannabee."

"Pah, in your forever entombed dreams."

Both of you get to drinking, though both of you are well past your actual limits.

"Tank... Durrsss..." The old dread drops his cask, and starts snoring, loudly.

"Oh, the rums gone..." You muse, holding the clear glass in front of your face, the world around it spinning.

"Oh, good of you to find Bjorn for me." Logan laughs as he slaps you on the back.

"Now lets see if you can make it in the big leagues."

He sets down a frosted mug of nut brown ale in front of you.

You slam it back before saying anything.

Though when you go to open your mouth...

"Bleaagghhhhh!!!!"

You wipe your face, and Logan grimaces at the fresh vomit adorning his armor.

You pass out before hearing what anyone has to say.

----

I sigh at the sight, the Space Wolves sniggering but fairly impressed.

Well, I guess they should be. Not every day a dreadnaught gets trumped in a drinking contest, I guess.

"Cant leave him alone for a day, can you?"

Its true, and I knew it. Which is why I'd... Borrowed... A sister of battle sanctified jetski and followed the massive Dark Eldar pleasure craft.

I pause, watching the Astartes as he laughs and gestures to Max.

"..."

"Eh? Don't say much, do ya kid?"

"...I get that a lot..." I reply.

A heavy hand on my shoulder.

I look up, and notice its Logan Grimnar himself. Never thought I'd meet someone of his importance, until I remember I've met the Emperor.

"Don't worry about it. I know you assassins have a pretty tough lot in life." He smiles, perhaps even warmly.

But I can see right through the guise, the falseness of it all.

I can't blame him. We Vindicare don't exactly have a... Stellar reputation. After all, we are the ones who get a call to wipe out someone thought to be tainted by chaos that the Inquisition would rather just be gone with. Admittedly, that sometimes includes space marines.

Its the same everywhere. Well, the few times I've ever met anyone. Talking to others as a Vindicare is difficult, as the Ordo does everything in its power to assure you never get a chance.

Ever since being whisked away to be made into an assassin, I can probably count the number of people I've met aside from those in the Ordo on a single hand.

"Dammmit Helenenea, gimme bak mah *belch* mufrsknsrrr...." Max mumbles angrily, before falling back asleep.

Thankfully the Dark Eldar crew arrive and start carrying off the twins and Max, who despite being passed out, somehow manages to walk.

"Thanks for grabbing us..." The one who introduced himself to me earlier trails off.

"Eight."

"Right. You sure you don't want a ride back with us?"

I'm not sure how to answer that. The ride over here wasn't unpleasant, despite the small issue of the Necron ship. In the chaos I'd rigged a melta-bomb to the side of it, tipping the scales and forcing their hand into a hasty retreat.

----

Doomrider surveys the empty bar, the smashed tables the dreadnaughts had landed on, the spilled booze
"FUCK, I MISSED THE PARTY!"
"No Doomrider, you are the party."
and then Doomrider got sloshed

----

I shrug.

"I guess I'll ride with you, as long as we can tow the jetski back. Unlike this guy, I return things I borrow."

Teach laughs.

"Alright, lets get going then."

I walk out with them, and the cool evening air seems to have brought Max around somewhat.

"Kid?" He asks, a bit bleary eyed.

"Being as careful as ever, I see." I fold my arms, which shifts the rifle strapped to my back.

"Eh, just the average day." Max splashes himself with a bottle of water one of the crew hands him.

"Hey man, you should meet some of the crew. Some of those girls working the cannons. Unf!" He bites his lip and holds out his hands in a gesture for large size.

I don't say anything. The truth is... Its been a long time since I've even talked to a girl before meeting that Tau one. Am I... A bit shy? Around girls? No, I'm just focused on my mission, or so I try to assure myself.

Max doesn't press the issue, instead taking over for the crew as he hefts each of the twins over a shoulder and starts a rambling and off-tune rendition of "a pirates life".

...If only I could be so carefree...

I stop when Max pauses in front of me, turning around.

"You know, I really do have to thank you Eight." He says, his face serious for once.

"You've saved my ass more than once." He nods in respect.

"Its nothing."

"No, I mean it. If you never need anything, anything at all, just let me know."

I nod and... Smile?

"Great, now lets get back to the ship. I still need to devise a plan so Vect doesn't flay me alive for damaging it.

I follow behind them, feeling lighter on my feet. Maybe even happy?

----

"Raise the anchor, heft the sails, get crackin you fish its time to hit the seas!" You shout to the crew, who chuckle but start actually preparing to leave.

The ship looks at least a bit better than it did before you left it, and it seems Teach accomplished a fair bit of repairs. Despite this, the damage done to it is still very apparent.

You wince. Well, hopefully Vect will still be as thankful you took his daughters out of his hair for a day as he was earlier.

Somehow you doubt it will be that easy...

"How does she fare, Teach?" You ask the pilot.

"Not in perfect spirit, but she'll run." He nods to the freshly repaired sails.

"Excellent." You give him a fist bump.

"We'll have a longer ride back to the mainland, I'm afraid. Wind won't be at our back like it was on the way here."

"Might be for the best, I don't know how ready I am to face Vect." You shrug.

"Well, he might not kill you. Maybe." Teach teeters his head back and forth, as though debating in his mind.

"...Thanks for the confidence boost..."

"Anytime." He cracks back.

"Now then, if you need me, I'll be in my cabin. So ask the kid with the big gun instead, because I probably won't wake up."

Teach laughs, shaking his head as he does.

You look over at Eight, who is sitting alone some fifty feet above, perched on the mast. Well, at least he decided to ride along instead of hanging back to himself this time.

You hoist the twins and head down the stairs toward the Captain's bunk.

You busy yourself shedding your power armor, which is admittedly much harder this time then what you remembered it being.

The twins have woken back up, and you surmise that alcohol doesn't effect Dark Eldar nearly as much as humans, as they are fine and you are hammered.

Oh sweet, crisp sheets, you so crazy. You almost instantly drift off to sleep.

Almost.

"Wah! What are we goona do on the bed?!" Senna jumps and lands on the bed.

"The same thing we do every night, dear sister."

"...Try to take over the world?"

"Sleep!" Senda scolds her twin.

"Blah, sleep is laaammeee. Lets have some fun instead!"

They look over at you, but its too late, you're already out.

"See, no use." Senda says, gesturing at you.

"Pfft, to you maybe."

"Oh? Just what are you going to do, dear sister?"

"Huh? Well, rape him awake, of coarse."

~whip *CRACK!!*

Your eyes fly open from the impact.

"Hohoho? That certainly woke you up." Senna grins evilly as she grips the whip that just smacked you.

"H-hey... We're all tired, can't we just get some sleep?" You ask, painfully aware that your hands and feet are both bound.

And you are naked...

"Hah, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Senna coos, before smacking you in the side again.

"I never took you YOU for the sadistic one!" You grunt, as you strain to avoid another blow.

"Oh, did you think that it would be me? Bad guess, I'm the nicer one." Senda says from across the room, adjusting her reading glasses as she turns a page.

She's got your number, you did expect it to be her and not Senna.

"Well, as nice as it can be. Don't let her fool you, she's totally shlicking under that lap blanket." Senna bends down, whispering to you behind her hand.

"Am not!" Senda wings a pillow at her sister.

Senna dodges it easily, laughing and dancing around as her sister continues to throw things and she dodges out of the way.

"Ahh?! Look, you've kept me busy and now he's asleep. AGAIN!"

"Oh don't blame me." Senda scoffs.

"Too late, now come help me."

"Ugh, fine! Just don't bother me when I read afterwards!"

Something feels good...

You watch in shock as Ra'alman sinks you deeper into her.

"Yess, come to me my lover~" The fish god coos, pulling forcing you to thrust with her powerful tail.

"Oh no! Nope nein nyet!" You shout, realizing only afterwards, that you had been sleeping.

"Hnuh?" Senna inquires, looking up from her tongue-work.

"Well, *lick* I guess you were right, that did work." Senda says, surprised.

"I'm not going to get any sleep until I finish, am I?" You grumble.

"Until WE finish, fixed that for ya." Senna smiles maliciously.

"Oh no, I can't get out of these bonds!" You fake being startled.

"Fuah..." Senna pulls her mouth back, a strand of saliva linking it to your Inquisitor, who despite the copious amounts of alcohol, is on his feet.

"Well of coarse not, how would it be any fun if we just let you do what you want?" She asks.

Senna jumps up on you, straddling over your waist, before Sends gives her a shove that sends her twin back onto the bed.

"As if you get to go first, you interrupted my reading, I go first!"

"B-but I did most of the work getting him ready... Ahh?!" Senna protests in disappointment as Senda starts her fun.

It takes a shocking amount of time for the less hyper (though that isn't saying much) twin to lower herself all the way.

"This feels... Different, than what we usually use, sister." Senda comments, her face flush.

"Well yeah, it isn't fake, for one. For two, it isn't one of us using it on the other!" Senna replies, as though it were obvious.

"You guys... Use things, on each other?" You are genuinely interested, and like where this conversation is headed.

"Well yeah, what set of twins doesn't?" They ask, looking between each other with a "dis nigga" look.

"Now be a good boy and squirm around like you aren't enjoying it." Senda licks her lips.

"Oh yes, exactly like that..." Senda bites her lip as she works herself into a rhythm.

She's so tight it's like she's purposefully squeezing down on your power sword. What she interprets as you playing along is in actuality, you writhing in pleasure.

"Feh, if I have to wait, then..." Senna plants herself on your face.

"Don't just lay there, get to work!" She commands.

You obey, and pretty soon her hips are shaking and she's almost grinding on your mouth.

This continues for a good five or so minutes, and you start to feel that lightheaded sensation. Until Senda hops off and clamps down hard with her foot.

You jolt at the sensation.

"I told you, this isn't over until we're finished." She coos, reaching into a drawer.

Wait, why is she grabbing out a syringe?

"Oh this? Don't worry, this will just keep you... Fresh." Senda smiles, squirting out a small bit of the fluid and tapping the thin needle.

Well, whatever gets them off you guess...

"Holy shit wait what!?" You yell as you feel something prick your shaft.

"Oh hush, don't be such a baby. Its just a simple combat drug is all, slightly modified, but still..."

That does nothing to quell your rising sense of panic as you feel the cool liquid being injected, which is terrifying and painful and oh damn you were not prepared for this.

The concoction takes effect nearly instantly, causing you to swell to nearly double your girth, as it were. Your carapace gets so rock hard its almost painful, no wait, it is a little painful.

"See? That wasn't so bad, and my, what an effect! Those traders in the Commorragh were right!"

"Wow, that is pretty effective..." Senna muses, prodding it with her finger.

Senda wastes no time in hopping back on, and when she does, you almost have a heart attack.

Literally, you can feel your heart spasm.

"Oh shit girls, I think that was perhaps a bad idea."

"Don't worry, don't worry, you're probably just feeling the minor pulmonary and or cardiac side effects!"

"That doesn't make me feel ANY BETTER, AT ALL!!!"

"Too much talking, get back to work." Senna scoffs, forcing herself back down on your face.

Senda's movements become more rapid and erratic, and despite yourself you can't help but enjoy the ride. Her pale breasts bounce seductively in your face, contrasting starkly with her now tanned body.

"C'mon, c'mon..." Senna teases her twin, reaching out and twisting her nipples.

"Hurry up and cummmmmm!!!" She gives them one final hard squeeze, and Senda jolts.

"Hahhhh!!!!!" The Dark Eldar girl riding you shouts as you feel her convulse, her insides wrapping tightly around you and pulsating. Her orgasm lasts nearly a full minute, before she collapses down on top of you, her head falling right into her sisters lap.

You let yourself fly as well.

Well, you try to anyways...

"What the shit, I can't shoot anything?!" You are very shocked and more than slightly disturbed.

"Oh quit being so melodramatic. You can't FOR NOW, it will go back to normal. Eventually." Senna laughs.

"Besides," She continues, sliding her panting twin off of you. "Its my turn now."

Rather than facing you directly, Senna watches over her shoulder as she lowers herself down, back toward you.

As mortified as you are about your current situation with the Inquisitor being barred from his exterminatus, you can't help but appreciate the view.

Senna's ass slaps down hard against you as she picks up the pace, and her cute little pink rear hatch pops into view each time her hips thrust down onto you.

"Excuse me, Max." Senda says, sliding up to your chest and getting to her knees.

"Payback time!" She shouts, before pulling back her hand, and delivering a hard and echoing slap to her twin's backside.

"H-hey!" Senna tries to protest, but Senda smacks her again.

"Shut up, you know you like it!" The "less sadistic" twin grins.

Senna's hips thrust down frantically, Senda continuing to smack her until her right cheek is noticeably red.

You feel one final smack/thrust combo finish her off.

"Nggghhh....!!!" Senna slams herself down and holds there, as the same stimulating feeling wraps around you during her climax.

"Wow. I so needed that." Senna sighs in satisfaction.

"Indeed. Well, time for some sleep." Senda replies stretching out and feeling the cool sheets against her skin.

Only they both stop their idle conversation when they notice you aren't laying down. In fact, you are very erect. Even more, while they had been chatting, you'd slipped your bonds.

"Bed? Sleep?" You laugh, turning around to face them. They both panic as they look back and forth between your heads.

"No no ladies, there will be no rest for the wicked tonight." You laugh, approaching them. They back up until they hit the headboard.

None of you get any sleep that night...

----

Frederick idles nervously as he stops the bike outside of Helena's barracks. He borrowed it from a friend for tonight.

Checking his chronometer, he itches the back of his head with one of his claw arms, wondering what's taking her so long.

One of his friends congratulated him on the date, and said something like this might happen, but just to be patient.

Another replied simply with "Bitches and hereteks."

"Sorrryyyy!!!" Frederick almost jumps in joy as Helena comes barreling out of the door.

"D-don't worry, plenty of time left to make the showing." He pipes up, somehow finding his courage despite almost being knocked off the bike by her beauty.

She almost looks like a different girl. Short skirt blowing in the wind, clutching her small handbag with a huge smile. A far cry from her usual gruff wrench-in-hand covered-in-tank-grease fatigues and black boots look.

Frederick isn't complaining, not one bit.

"Thank you, Omnissiah." He whispers, knowing she can't see him say it through the hood.

"Lets get going!" Helena, laughing happily, climbs on behind Frederick. The tech-priest has to stop himself from jumping with glee as he feels her fleshy orbs press into his back. he made sure to hold his additional arms out of the way, just in hopes that something like that would happen.

At this moment, he's happier than he's ever been. His hood flies down as he guns the engine, his unkempt crop of jet black hair whipping in the wind.

Helena smiles to herself, knowing full well what she did. She doesn't care, she is going to make this date a success no matter what.

---

The ship rocks lazily side to side in the gentle breeze, waves lapping gently at the damaged sides. Thankfully it's still afloat, I was getting pretty worried watching the battle unfold before I could get to it.

With Max at least somewhat secure down below, I can finally rest easy. Poor guy, he probably just passed out as soon as he got down there.

I'm not used to the waves, or the sea. I've seen it plenty of times, on many different worlds, but it just isn't something I think I'll ever get completely used to.

The jungle is what I really know. Though I haven't been to Catachan since the day the man in grey pulled me from her grasp and thrust me into this life. It may be a death world, but somehow it was home.

The Dark Eldar were accommodating enough, having given me as much food as I could eat and some fresh water. They also had some good cigarettes, which I busy myself with. A bad habit I'd picked up, but when your freedom is so restricted, you do what you can just to feel like you've made a decision on your own.

I look down at the ragged photo, for what is probably the hundredth time. I really should throw it away, burn it, something. All it ever does is make my heart hurt. I don't know the word to describe the feeling.

I'd tried once before, but had ended up going back to retrieve it. It is the only link I still have to a past other than the Ordo. Something real, more free.

I watch the xenos below, conversing with one another as they work. The sight is interesting. I don't get to see much other than a target in my crosshairs too often, well, that and expanses of wilderness or half demolished cities.

I almost wish I was one of them. What it must be like to have at least some kind of personal motivation, to be able to decide almost everything on your own.

Though I don't know what happens now. What I'll do after all this is over. Likely be picked up by my handlers and ferried on to my next mission.

That thought is depressing, but I know its pointless to struggle against inevitability.

---

Frederick, a true gentleman in most regards, offers his hand and helps Helena off of the bike.

The theater isn't a terribly ornate thing. In fact, in reality it's an old indoor firing range with a projector set up inside. It was built at the rampant demanding of the guard stationed here, as there was little else to do here but train and get into trouble. Bored guardsmen a well run garrison does not make.

Helena cheerfully follows Frederick as he enters, and her eyebrows raise as he stops abruptly in the doorframe.

"Is something wrong?" She pipes up.

"Err... Nothing really, we're just the only ones here."

What he doesn't tell her is that he had paid off the guard in charge of theater duty for the week to post an all-points bulletin everywhere but the tankers lounge that the theater would be closed tonight for cleaning. The tankers he didn't have to worry about, they have their own large projector in their commons and never bother with the far hike to the crummy run-down theater.

Frederick picks a seat in the middle, plopping down on the simple folding chair situated on the cold concrete below.

Helena takes the seat to his left, brushing her skirt out as she sits, due to its short length.

"What's on tonight?" She asks, though her real interest is far from the screen.

"Galactic Partridges: How we Defeated Horus." He reads off the card.

"Wow, those guys sure are tough bastards, aren't they." Helena ponders, her brow knit.

"Yeah, I heard they recently cleared out a massive Necron tomb on Yagis V."

Helena raises an eyebrow.

"Yagis? My brother is there."

"Well, if the Partridges are there, he's in the safest place in this galaxy." Frederick smiles.

---

I yawn, exhausted, and drop down from the mast. Though I've stayed awake in excess of one hundred hours before, this sixty or so hour stretch has me pretty beat.

On top of that, I've got a lot of minor aches and pains that all seem to add up to one gnawing discomfort. Again, nothing I'm not entirely used to, but still nothing pleasant. Just because I was trained to cope with it, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

Another yawn as I make my way to the starboard side of the skiff. I'd seen a pile of tarps and assorted sail pieces and whatnot, and I figure it's as good a place as any for some rest.

Sleep and I haven't been good bed partners for a year or so now. I have a hard time falling asleep, and when I finally do, often times I find I wish I hadn't.

I'd heard talk about such a problem, from some of the older Vindicares. Though that definition of old is pretty harsh. Generally we are lucky to live into our late twenties, though I'd only ever heard that through scuttlebutt in passing between other trainees.

I lay down gingerly on the tangle of cloth. The feeling is decadent. Its better than I could have even dreamed of. Same with the food, now that I think about it. I can remember, or think I can remember anyways, a few tastes of Catachan. Various local fauna and flora, the most distinct a tough yellow lizard about five feet in length that had a particularly sweet flesh, if I remember right.

The tablefare I'm used to, however, is far from anything worth remembering. Protein bars, which would be better if they were flavorless. The clear, near tasteless high calorie powser contained in my mask for extended operations...

None of it holds a candle to what I'd eaten tonight. It almost felt wrong for food to taste that good. And here I'd thought that some guard rations I'd pilfered before meeting Max were without a doubt the greatest cuisine in the stars.

Movement off to my left makes me pry my eyes back open.

Teach is standing at the railing near me, looking toward the star strewn black sky. Though I'm not sure he knows I'm here, somehow I get the feeling he does. Which is strange, as I'm not used to being spotted.

"Nice night out, isn't it?" He asks without looking over.

"Its alright, I suppose." I reply, a bit annoyed to not be able to fall right asleep. At the same time, I'm both glad and anxious to be talking to someone.

Teach looks over at me, tugging lightly on his long black beard.

"You're a killer, aren't you?" He asks.

My face darkens, and he must have seen it because he quickly waves his hands in peace.

"Apologies, no harm meant. I just get the feeling you are, which is decidedly odd because Max is most certainly not."

I sink down slightly into the cloth as I ponder how to answer.

Have I killed? Yes.

A lot? Undoubtedly.

Does that make me a killer? My stomach lurches, I know the answer I'd like to have... But I know it would be a lie. Yes, I am a killer.

Teach seems to notice my deep thought, and quickly seeks to lighten the conversation.

"Never mind that, honor among warriors is what I stand by. Are my crew treating you well?"

I nod.

"Good, good..." Teach looks back out to the sea.

Teach wanders off to go "check the heading" and I'm left now awake and not desiring sleep.

I guess it can wait. According to him, the combination of a strong current and poor wind means the tide is not to our favor. We are going to have to detour around the island, as the channel between it and the mainland is too shallow for our keel.

I could clean my weapons, though I remember I did that just a few hours ago. Its become more of a ritual that calms me down then an actual necessity. The Exitus was made to go long periods without cleaning, as so often is the case in the field.

I wander off along the top deck, headed for the set of doors leading down into the bowels of the ship. Already I can hear the commotion from inside.

Well, I've never been in a crowd before. It wasn't something we ever really had on Catachan and it certainly wasn't going to happen within the Ordo.

Pushing the doors inward, I step down into the scene.

Inside the ship is a bustling mob of noise and life, men shouting jokingly to one another, women laughing along. Many of the xenos are gathered around a table throwing dice, and placing down coins. Most of them yell loudly when the dice come to a stop, some happily, others in a disheartened groan.

"Hey! My man! Have a drink on me!" One of them shouts, thrusting a bottle into my hands before he runs off again, yelling at someone near the dice table.

I look down, and as odd as that encounter just was, it was interesting.

Pulling out the loose cork, I take a swig of the dark contents. Sweet. Too sweet. I give the bottle a dissatisfied look before setting it down.

I hear giggling behind me, and turn to look. A smaller and younger Dark Eldar laughs at me, her eyes illuminated in the flickering lights of this strange place.

"Fun." She finally says, pointing at me.

"Huh?" I blurt out.

"That's what you've lost, your fun."

Well this girl certainly is strange...

"Do we... Know each other?" I ask as calmly as I can. I don't know her, I'm just being polite. Though maybe I'm not, it hasn't been something I've had to worry about since joining the Ordo, who don't care about such frivolous things.

"I don't know you." She shrugs, before hopping off the barrel she was seated on.

I notice an emblem on her necklace, a skull with a sword in the background. The same emblem that Teach has on a similar necklace.

She must have noticed me staring at it.

"I'm Teach's daughter." She smiles.

"Oh? I noticed the necklace."

She smiles wider, before making a pleading face.

"Can you uh... Not tell him I'm here? He'll have my head for real this time if he finds out I've snuck into the ship again."

"I won't say anything." I tell her, without knowing why. My heart seems to have accelerated, which is alarming. It could be all of this smoke, I don't know what kinds of ghastly chemicals it may contain.

"Thanks!" She says brightly, grinning ear to ear.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I just finished loading these dice and I need to win some money for a new skirt!" I smile in response and she skips off toward the table.

I watch her leave, wondering if perhaps I'd said something to make her feel uncomfortable. I don't think I have, but then again I don't know.