Editing Night on the Lost Topekansa

==Night on the Lost Topekansa== 
It was dusk on the fourth day out from Albentin Port when the lookout on the Lost Topekansa called down green and red flares on the horizon.

"Now that, Mister Aster, is a something we don't see every day! We're  making a detour." said Captain Eltray "bring her about, lads!"

"What? This isn't a pleasure cruise, Captain! I hired you to do a job of work, not investigate whatever catches your fancy."

"Aye, but special circumstances, Mister Aster. That's a signal - means someone's adrift. 'Tis our sworn duty to render aid if we're able, and the Topekansa may be slow, but she's a fully-stocked salvage rig. We were about to stabilise for the night anyways. As of now, we're on a mission of mercy. Whoever's out there is as lucky as they are damned." 

The Topekansa juddered slightly as the rigging was adjusted, then lurched onto her new course.  As she pulled through the darkness, what was at first a dim glow resolved into a lit deck, rolling to and fro.

"That's a bad sign, Mister Aster. She's got her nightlights properly rigged, and her sea-anchors down, but she's not stabilised; she's been at rest too long."

"All hands, bring her alongside! Stand ready to drop one, four and six!"

As the deck swung around, Aster asked "Is this really safe, captain?"

"If we strike her we'll sink her, but the crew's all experienced men, and anyways, Topenkansa's too big and heavy to capsize from a collision with the likes of that. Aaand DROP ANCHORS!"

The pins of three of the seven massive sea-anchors were simultaneously 
knocked out, and the huge logs slammed down, hammering into the ground and crushing all beneath them. The crew set about hammering wedges into the mountings to secure them.

"She's a island runner." The captain said in a puzzled voice "designed for speed and easy handling, but short runs. They've got no business being this far out." 

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As the gangplank was ran out and properly lashed, the captain stood to the rail and called out "Ahoy there, stricken vessel! This is Nevermere Eltray, Captain of the Lost Topekansa. You called for aid!"

A stout woman stepped onto the gangplank. "Captain Tyor of the Spenny. Permission to come aboard?"
"Granted"

She swiftly crossed the narrow gangway and stepped down onto deck. "We've been becalmed for five days, after we lost the rigging to a seamonster. As much as it pains me to say it, she's not seaworthy anymore, and I'm worried for my five remaining crew. I count my blessings such a large vessel found us! Can you take us and our cargo on to a port?"

"I'll gladly take on the crew" said Captain Eltray "but by the swell on your keel, I can tell your anchors are nearly gnawed through. It'd be unsafe to ship cargo at this point, and I'll not risk my crew for haulage, not with the eyes on us. we're also on a timed-specific charter to the ancient deeps; We'll need the deckspace by the end." 

"Well thank you for your kind offer, but it's just a little of my cargo we need. My boys can handle it quickly enough." She smiled sardonically "I gave my word, and couldn't show my face at a port again if I don't get this consignment in. We've got two tons of large copper bars aboard. Fourteen in all.
"


Aster's face dropped. "You could buy a city! No! You could build one! I never new there was so much copper in all the world!" 

"And they'll still be here when you come back with diving armour, Captain Tyor" remarked Eltray, remaining stony-faced. "You'll even have the Spenny to mark the spot. I'll take you back myself. But I see your mind is made up. very well. we'll make space on the deck."

"Thank you, captain Eltray," she smiled then scampered back to her ship, bellowing orders.



Aster could see the crew of the Spenny working on a small pile of three-foot long canvas-wrapped bricks, and in pairs they rapidly began moving 3 of them across.

Captain Eltray cursed under his breath then shouted "One at a time! Have you never worked a..." With a groaning sound, the Spenny shifted. 

The Topekansa's bosun cried "Run! Run you damn fools! The fore anchor's giving way!"

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Just one of her crew was being helped down from gangplank. The Spenny had half-collapsed, and nearly everything on deck had vanished beneath the sea.


Captain Nevermere Eltray quietly said "Mister Aster. What say you to a change of plans? We can buy a set of diving armor in Albentin and be back within ten days."

James Aster turned away. After a while he quietly asked "Captain Eltray? What was that thing about eyes? I didn't understand."

"You landsmen take the sea for granted, with your burials at sea and whatnot. Eventually every sailor starts saving for his funeral pyre. I doubt you've ever truly looked at the sea. I mean really studied them up-close. Watched how they behave. Looked them in the eyes."

The Captain took his gaze away from the wreck of the Spenny for a moment. 

"There's anguish on every single face. They are covered in open wounds and spend their days biting chunks out of each other. They are in such agony that they cannot even scream. All they know is hunger and pain. And it lasts forever."