Winds of Torsham (The Kohrinju Tai Saga Book 2)

by J P Nelson

  As Seedle closed the door he saw Dessi loitering beside the mast and looking his way tilted his head in a questioning glance.

  Seedle flexed his fingers open, palms down by his side, tensed the side of his neck, wrinkled his lower jaw, and slightly shook his head in an ‘I do not know’ gesture.

  Dessi winced the side of his face, sucked in the side of his mouth, and gently nodded his head.

  The next morning, Seedle stepped upon main-deck to inspect an assignment he had given. A common sight was to see Jha’Ley scoping the coast with intense scrutiny. Sure enough, he was there.

  Suddenly Jha’Ley called over, “Mister Seedle, get me a team for the Waddles. I see a ship and a building inside that small cove, yonder.” Jha’Ley gave him a direct look, “Make sure you and Mister Sealer are part of the team. And get Lieutenant Boin, it is time to expand his education.”

  ___________________________

  It was Lebracio, Seedle, Dessi, Toagun, Boin, and Jha’Ley in the Waddles. Before casting off, S’Getti had been alerted to get a barge team prepared on ready-five. Ready-five being a code signifying a fire would be built to send either five successive smoke balls, or in time of night or low visibility due to such as snow, the fire would be covered and quickly revealed five times, indicating all was good and to send the readied team immediately.

  The Clarise and Ubank were fairly close to the mouth of the newly discovered cove, perhaps one hundred rods, and the cove did not seem to be more than thrice that in depth, if that much. Ice was beginning to form across the cove water, and snow was still coming down steadily, but navigation was easy.

  Once inside, the cove revealed a thick wooded area and was itself about five hundred rods wide. It seemed to offer a neat location with some shelter from winds and plenty of fuel for fires.

  Overcast lighting and the falling snow prevented reading the ship’s name across the stern, but once they were relatively close they could see she was the Balador. It was obvious she was leaning sharply to one side and apparently had been run aground.

  Toagun’s face lit up in recognition, “I know that ship, or rather her story. For about ten years there were a pair of pirate ships which raided the Bay and Nahjiuan Sea, one was the Balador, the other was the Pinoura. Both were ninety-foot carracks, Pinoura was captained by Choe and Balador by his wife, Ilene.”

  Jha’Ley interrupted, “Wait … you said, Choe?”

  “Yessir.”

  “A man named Choe was bosun for Greybeard. Old Uncle, Captain Liam, mentioned him in his ledger. He said the man was rough on his crew but knew the sea. When was this?”

  “Well, they operated for ten years. No one knew where they came from. Either or both ships would hit from any direction and go the same. About twenty years ago, a small force managed to catch them in battle north of Nahjiuan Sea. They sunk the Pinoura, but the Balador got away.

  “Five ships chased Ilene way north, then a freak blizzard hit and they lost her. She was never seen again.”

  “The time frame would have been after the Kelshinua went down. Liam’s Ledger reported Choe was one of those who died with Greybeard.”

  The lieutenant spoke, “Sir, may I make thought?”

  “Yes, Mister Boin, what is your mind?”

  All looked to the lanky lad of twenty years, “Would Choe have not been possessed of knowledge regarding the passage? Mayhap he found this cove and made building for base?”

  Lebracio added, “Commodore, unless one knew just what to look for, one could easily sail within telescope range of the pass and never be the wiser. It may be the opening has existed for quite some time.”

  Jha’Ley was deep in thought, “Why was the opening not mentioned in any of the ledgers?”

  Boin asked innocently, “Might it be true it is assumed Captain Liam put forth everything he knew? Further, might it be he was not with the Kelshinua at such time she may have passed this way?”

  Jha’Ley responded with eyes narrowed, “Noted thoughts. It is possible. More questions would arise if such is true.”

  As they came alongside the ship, Jha’Ley looked from it to the building visible on the shore, then to the others, “I like thoughts this could have been a base. Mister Sealer, you said Choe’s wife was captain of this vessel?”

  “Yessir. The word is women were part of the crew, as well. They could have had a regular colony here.”

  They came up on the low side of the vessel. The bow was well up on the shore. Seedle asked into the air, “If this was their base, why would they run the ship aground in such way?”

  No one had an answer and Jha’Ley just shook his head. The vessel had been here a long time, untended. Something had gone foul, as from what they had seen the ship had no damage to her hull.

  Jha’Ley said, “We will work in pairs. Sergeant, I know you will fret otherwise, so you will come with me up the rail. Mister Sealer, you and Lebracio make pair on the shore. Mister Boin, you are to be Mister Seedle’s shadow. Do as he does, if he walks a certain way, you follow suit. If he takes a pee, you do likewise.”

  Boin seemed uncertain, “Yes sir.”

  Toagun asked, “And what if he wants to take a shit?”

  Seedle and Dessi glanced at each other, then casually looked to the commodore.

  Jha’Ley shrugged and replied with a raised eyebrow, “Well, we all must go at sometime or another.”

  Seedle did not rise to cue, but he did pass Dessi a subdued grin. Dessi in turn passed him back a wink as Jha’Ley looked at the snow covered slanted deck, “Over there Mister Lebracio, we will climb there. Sergeant, follow me.”

  “Aye sir.” He shook his head and muttered to Seedle, “Of course, he must go first.”

  ___________________________

  Once more aboard the Clarise, Jha’Ley had the two ships tied together and all officers and crew were assembled in the berth-deck. It was crowded, but the meeting was deemed of critical importance.

  Jha’Ley was walking the length and speaking loud for all to hear, “Gentlemen, we have lost a round,” he was in front of Seedle when he said, “more than one, actually, and we may lose more to come … but the fight is not over. We have a matter of survival before us; we must get through this winter. That shall be a round in itself.

  “We have made a wonderful discovery in this cove. In there is the remains of an old pirate ship run aground. On the shore is a solid structure most likely to have been a smokehouse for fish and other meat. An old trail was found leading to a small, but deserted village with some long-houses, other assorted buildings which are well built and intact, and another cove with a proper dock, tools, and materials with which we can repair the Clarise.”

  He paused and looked around, “Much evidence of fish has been found in this cove, and tracks of game, especially deer, abound in this substantial wood.

  In Jann Raul Jha’Ley fashion, he walked to give eye contact to every soul, officers and enlisted men alike, “This is still a naval operation, run by regulation and chain of command. But due to the state of circumstance, your officers and I have agreed to give you the offer of vote.

  “We can stay here and ward off the winter, eat well, perhaps find the pirate’s hidden treasure …” he held his finger up in warning, “… which sha-a-al-l-l be divided by crewman share policy, and plan for the Spring … or-r-r … keep sailing through this storm and hope to find something better.”

  He did not go into such details as why the Balador was run aground, the amount of work needed to get the buildings into shape, or that it appeared there had been a battle. The away-team figured a similar snow storm could have led the captain to believe she entered the wrong cove; circumstantial evidence lended well to the idea.

  Having lost one ship, then running aground such as the other had, could have left the apparent colony stranded, unless there was an overland trail out. The apparent battle must have been over food, meat in particular, as much in the way of goods humans would use had been left behind. All indications were the place ha
d been deserted for years. Either all persons had been taken, or any survivors had long since left.

  This brought up the notion of non-humans. The officers decided to deal with it as it came. Spending winter aboard ships with dwindling supplies offered much greater danger.

  As for the thought of treasure? From what Toagun discussed of the ship raids, the treasures were much more likely to be hard goods, commodities, and so forth. The thought of finding gold, silver and jewels might flicker the imagination.

  More than one hand raised, “You …” Jha’Ley pointed out one sailor, “what might be your question?”

  “Sir, you said treasure?”

  “The Balador was a notorious pirate ship, and she is laying there upon her side, busted and rotting. I make no promises, but …” he took a wistful look, “… I shall give search of my own self.” Jha’Ley’s grin manifested itself, if only slightly.

  Much discussion was made among the crew, but in the end it was unanimously voted to make winter in what they were calling Ilene’s Cove and Fort Choe.

  There was no dalliance, the snow was falling heavily. The Clarise and Ubank took umbrage in the second and larger cove. Teams were set to clean the village and harvest fuel, experienced hunters found game plentiful, and fishing was almost easy. Supplies were hauled from ship to long-houses in smooth fashion.

  It was not home, but winter was carried out at Fort Choe as if it were a proper naval base. Work was steady, watches followed the bell, plans of exploration were deliberated, and life went forward. Crew were assigned quarters by draw of straws, so as to give chance to work with new faces.

  Dessi’s Marines conducted drills which could not be practiced aboard ship, Seedle led in a strenuous physical training routine, and Jha’Ley introduced as many as were interested to Tai’Jhi.

  Surprisingly to many, a good number took up the practice. Every morning would see as many as fifty persons in the snow performing the Jiu Ling Form. Even Captain S’Getti got into it.

  Recreation was an important part of the village life, for many reasons. There was music, dart throwing contests, wrestling matches, and Seedle was urged to coach fisticuffs and sport boxing. Cooks Easley and Sean found a huge amount of a variety of cactus which seemed to be thriving in the snow. The result was a spirited drink which gave every sailor fodder for the taste buds.

  One evening Seedle and Dessi were off to the side watching a contest of arm wrestling. They each had a mug of hot cactus juice in hand when Dessi turned to his friend and commented, “You know what we need?”

  “Aye? What is that?”

  “Wom-m-men!”

  Seedle laughed and said, “I will drink to that, my mate.”

  Dessi laughed as well. Then after watching his man pull down the arm of a sailor, he casually asked, “When we get back, you will be what, twenty years in, or close to it? Do you think you will call your time, take a wife and make a houseful of children?”

  Seedle became a bit quiet and said, “No-o-o … I am signed to a full thirty years.”

  Dessi was surprised, “A full thirty, eh? A ladies man such as you … I would have thought. Ah, no matter. You could pursue officer’s commission, you know? You have the qualifications, good with men, and you know every task aboard ship …”

  Seedle took a long drink and watched Dessi’s man set down to clasp hands with another sailor. He then shook his head gently, “I do not read … and I have been married before; did not work out well.”

  Dessi was stunned, “Marr--- … and you cannot read? I have watched you read, I have watched you sign your name, my friend.”

  Seedle smiled, “No. I have charts read to me, and signing my name is about all I can do. My mam tried to teach me as a younger, it just, the letters get all backward in my head. But my memory is exceptional, I remember everything. I can count,” he held up his free hand wiggling his fingers, “do my ciphers, make out stick numbers, and my mam-maw taught me to recognize some old runes. But reading letters and shaped numbers … cannot do it.”

  Dessi was feeling good, but suddenly sober, at least more so than he was, “And when were you married? I have known you for what, ten years?”

  Seedle waved his mug a bit and tilted his head, “When I was with Redding … I thought I was in love with this girl who was a bit older than me. I know I was, but for her it was only a game.

  “It was all innocent-like at first,” he looked Dessi in the eye, “she was not a tavern girl, or at least I did not know she was. I did not meet her there. After seven days I asked her to wed.” He shrugged his shoulders at his friend, “I did not know. I thought she loved me in return.”

  They did not see the sailor lose to the Marine.

  “I was the boxer and she thought she would have access to my money. She did not realize navy boxers are not allowed to bet on themselves, and we do not win great prizes; she thought I would be rich.” Again he shrugged his shoulders, “It tore me up, learning she was cheating about. I was good to her. Then she became pregnant.”

  Dessi was completely sober now. He looked to Seedle, “Forgive my asking, was it yours? I mean, do you know?”

  “No, I do not know. But she insisted it was. I love children, so to teach me a lesson she found a witch who killed it in her womb.”

  There was a long period of quiet when neither knew who was wrestling who at arms.

  “I am sorry, Seedle.”

  He shrugged and took another drink of the tasty liquid, “Folks look down on it, but I secured divorce. One year, nine months, ten days …”

  After a few moments Seedle asked with a hint of humor, “How about you? Have you broken a woman’s heart, or had it broken?”

  Dessi snorted an offhand humorous laugh, “When still in the militia, before coming to Vedoa to join the Marines, I had this woman. Her name was Jade. Part elvin, she was, with pretty hands and feet and a smile which could brighten a room without a candle.

  Her mother carelessly dropped boiling stew on her as a child, so she had scars on the left of her side, but she was still attractive. A wonderful artist, musician, and dancer she was, but chose to spend life feeling sorry for herself.

  “She had a small farm and I tended it for her. As it turns, it was all she was interested in from me, that and a game I played with her at week’s end. She fed me old bread and tomatoes and offered no affections.” He laughed dryly, “She said she wanted no children, but wanted me to make her a kept woman.

  “We did not live together, and I learned when I was not present she stayed drunk of liquor and high of Ashley Weed every day. Her mother was part elf who sometimes interpreted dreams whose name means butterfly. She kept trying to convince me to stay with it. I think her only care for me was getting her a grandchild.”

  Dessi shuddered, “Thoughts of lying with a sweaty, unwashed, drunken woman who is also stoned from weed is enough to kill the libido.” He looked hard to Seedle, “On such nights I may spend there, I made bed upon couch of my own accord, feigning illness.”

  Seedle asked, “So-o-o … what happened?”

  “I became tired and declared end of relationship, such as it was. In no time at all she was married to another man and had a child.”

  Dessi snorted another laugh in irony.

  The two watched the Marine set up with another opponent.

  Seedle asked, “Double or nothing?”

  “Sure. Do you know where we are at?”

  “It sounds as if we are running about even.”

  They both laughed.

  “I would be glad to teach you to read.”

  “You think you can?”

  “No, but I will pretend.”

  Seedle looked to his friend and held his mug up, “To penguins?”

  Dessi returned the gesture, “Aye. To penguins!”

  Chapter 45

  IT WAS CORPORAL Rahno who found the track.

  During the snow season, all were required to stay close to fort, save those with specific assignments to go abroad. Hunters had foun
d evidence of fields once cultivated, but there were no signs of draft animals. The burned remains of two large buildings, possibly store houses, were found, but all of this was under snow.

  Careful plans were laid to do a wide perimeter search for trails as thaw progressed. Telescope sightings from Clarise’s crow’s nest and tall trees revealed a dense forest that climbed in elevation, but how far could not be determined.

  Jha’Ley calculated they were north of the Itahro Mountains, and in one of the evergreen pockets of Belmond Glacier; at least, according to the Kelshinua Maps. He was excited. Perhaps this was not such a misadventure after all.

  The Marines took the recon assignment with gusto. They had been itching for good field practice and here it was. Behind every bush could be a potential adversary, and it was true. Dessi had been drilling them relentlessly for non-human attacks, as well as human. He had not forgotten the altercation with kobolds and bug-bears.

  “We are Marines! We are the Elite … Mean … Sea and Green … Fighting … Machine!”

  “U-u-u-raGH-H-H!”

  They even did demonstration drills before the assembled crew.

  Dessi said with pride to Jha’Ley, “Sir, I believe this is the best thing that could have happened for them.”

  Jha’Ley replied with his intact famous smile, “Sergeant Dessi, I believe you are right.”

  Even as ice on the water was thawing, so was the forest floor beginning to show from the snow. Dessi and Corad were leading teams in perimeter sweep, one mile in radius from the fort, seeking any sign of a trade route or evidence of exodus from the location. In addition to trail hunting, this was an exercise in stealth.

  Dessi offered a rum ration bonus for every confirmed touch of a wild creature. He demonstrated his own skill by stalking up to an unsuspecting deer, then tweaking it on the tail. The deer turned and looked at him in surprise before bounding away.