"Why bother?" chuckled another sailor. "If Tork is onboard the decks are sure to be bloody before too long."
The captain smiled to see his men excited about being involved in a Ranger operation. Most of the men had volunteered to fight for Alcea a few years earlier, and Alexander Tork was a hero to all of them. The chance to meet him on deck was exhilarating.
"Make sure a bright lantern is lit at all times," concluded the captain. "A ship can be a hard thing to see on a dark night."
The crew raced around to polish everything that wasn't already polished earlier in the day. The captain stood at the helm and stared into the eastern sky, hoping that the ship from Dalek would not see the unicorns fly overhead. He needn't have worried. Two hours after the sunset, the unicorns began arriving, but they didn't come out of the east; they came out of the north.
The first two to land were Alexander and Jenneva Tork. The crew quickly lined up to take the reins of the arriving unicorns, but Alex waved them off. Smokey leaped off the back of Kaz, and the couple dismounted. The unicorns immediately moved forward, and Alex and Jenneva moved aside.
"Captain Gomery?" greeted Alex.
"Yes sir, Master Tork," responded the captain.
"I prefer Alex," the Knight of Alcea replied. "I want to thank you and your crew for accommodating us on such short notice. Can we talk?"
"In my quarters would be best," nodded the captain. "Please follow me."
Captain Gomery saw Alex say something to the fairy on his shoulder as he led the way below deck. He opened the door to his quarters and ushered Alex inside.
"I have some strange requests to make of you," Alex started. "First, we plan to sail only at night. Second, I brought a sailor with me to help navigate the waters off the Sordoan coast. I know that most captains would take offense at such an intrusion, but I am going to ask you to sail the Seahorse into some nasty areas. I would prefer that we do not end up running aground."
"Who is this sailor?" asked Captain Gomery.
"His name is Cirris," answered the Knight of Alcea. "He has sailed with the Dalek Shipping Company and knows the waters we will be sailing into."
"I know Cirris," nodded the captain. "As long as he does not try to usurp my authority with my crew, I have no problems with your proposal."
"Excellent," smiled Alex.
"What are we actually trying to do?" asked the captain.
"We are going to be pirates," Alex grinned as he watched the captain's reaction. "There is a mysterious ship off the coast of the Great Sordoan Desert, or at least I hope there is. I want to sneak up on it in the dark and seize it."
"Interesting," the captain replied. "And this is sanctioned by the king?"
"It is," nodded Alex. "There is much that I cannot go into, but this ship is not Alcean."
"Not Alcean?" repeated the captain. "Everything is Alcean now. Do you mean not Targan?"
"No, captain," Alex said, "I mean not Alcean. It is from a different land, and the men aboard mean us harm."
"So that is why you brought so many Rangers," the captain nodded in understanding.
"Not exactly," chuckled Alex. "We have a time limit on finding the ship. If we find it, or if the time expires, the Seahorse will be proceeding to Marchek. A dozen Rangers will be staying onboard, but they are to remain hidden. It is better if I do not go into what their mission is, but a Knight of Alcea by the name of Bin-lu will be heading up the group. I will introduce you to him when we are done here. In Marchek you will appear to be waiting for a cargo. Your true purpose is to hide the Rangers until they can complete a mission. Understand that everything I am telling you must be kept in the utmost secrecy."
"I can be counted on, Alex," promised the captain. "I think a word from you to the crew will also guarantee their silence. They were quite excited to hear that you would be coming onboard. Most of them fought in the war, and they have heard many tales of your bravery and skill."
"I will talk to them," smiled Alex as there was a rap on the door. "That will be Cirris. I asked for him to join us when he arrived."
The captain opened the door and let the sailor in.
"Captain Gomery," smiled Cirris. "Now I know that we are in good hands."
"Thank you, Cirris," replied the captain. "Tell me where we are going and what the dangers are."
"We will be heading due south from here," replied Cirris. "We will be running without lanterns so we will need lookouts at all times, but the waning moon should allow us fairly good visibility. To lessen our own profile, I would like to run with just the jib unfurled."
"We won't make very good speed that way," commented the captain.
"Where we are going," replied the sailor, "we don't want speed. Tonight we might be in the shipping lanes out of Dalek, but by tomorrow night there should be no other ships of any size. There are numerous reefs off the coast of Sordoa, and we are going to be riding through them."
"At night?" questioned the captain.
"Yes," nodded Cirris. "We will limit our movement during the daylight hours. If there is a ship out there, we do not want to scare it off. We must approach it at night. I am fairly familiar with the reefs. At one time Reese entertained the idea of a warehouse in the desert for its low humidity, but we never found a suitable location."
"This ship that we are looking for," asked the captain, "you don't think it is going to have lanterns lit up either, do you?"
"No," replied Alex. "They will not want to draw attention to themselves."
"Then there is little hope of us ever finding it at night," sighed the captain.
"Have faith, Captain Gomery," grinned Alex. "We have ways of finding it. If it is still out there, we will find it."
"Then let us get underway," said the captain. "With only the jib we will be lucky to clear the Dalek shipping lanes by morning, and I don't want to arouse anyone's interest in us."
* * *
Captain Gomery stood tensely at the helm, guiding the Seahorse through a narrow channel between two reefs. The jib was only half furled, bringing the ship's speed to a crawl. It was just enough forward movement to maintain maneuverability. Two rowboats preceded the Seahorse and served as visible markers for the channel through the reefs.
"How in the world did you know this cut was here?" the captain asked Cirris.
"We lost a ship here on one of our survey voyages," answered Cirris. "All but one of the crew survived by hanging onto these reefs for two days. If you look just off the port beam you can still see a portion of the mast sticking above the surface."
"I had noticed that earlier," nodded the captain. "I shall have to mark that on my charts in case I am ever back in these waters."
As the captain spoke, an eagle soared over the bow and glided over the length of the ship to land at the very stern of the ship. The crew watched the magnificent bird fly over their heads, but as soon as it neared the stern they purposely turned away. The captain, Cirris, and Alex also kept their eyes forward as the eagle transformed into Jenneva. For some reason it seemed ill mannered of the men to watch the transformation.
"I found a ship," Jenneva declared as she strode forward to the helm. "I do not know if it is indeed a Zaran ship, but it is the only ship we have seen in three days. I want to send a fairy out to investigate it more thoroughly."
"I will go," offered Button.
"As will I," chirped Bitsy.
"We can all go," stated Shrimp. "Where is this ship?"
Jenneva pointed off the starboard bow. "It is a fair distance away from us," she explained. "Fly in that direction until you can sense the desert. It is anchored off shore, but be careful. Already a mist is rising, and it will get thicker as the dawn approaches."
"Do not get caught," warned Alex, "but try to determine the number of men onboard."
Cirris moved to the stern as the fairies took flight. He threw a line to one of the rowboats and then crossed the ship and tossed a line to the other. They were through the channel.
"We can unfurl the jib
completely as soon as we haul in the boats," Cirris said to the captain.
"What course?" asked Captain Gomery.
Cirris looked to Alex and Jenneva for guidance. "How do we wish to come upon the Zaran ship?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" asked Alex.
"We can come out of the wind or with the current," explained the sailor, "but if there is mist gathering, I suspect the winds will be slack by the time we get there. The currents in this area flow southward along the coast until what you call Sandy Point then the currents flow out to sea."
"If you want to be pirates," grinned Captain Gomery, "you will want to lower the sails and float in on the current. If they don't have a lookout, we will be upon them before they notice us."
"That sounds ideal to me," agreed Alex.
"Maintain a course to the south for now," Cirris advised the captain. "As soon as we enter the coastal current, let it turn us to the southwest."
"You know where we are heading?" asked Jenneva.
"From the direction you pointed and the nearness to land that you described," smiled Cirris, "you have placed the Zaran ship in a large cove just east of Sandy Point. It is a natural anchorage protected on three sides, but it is very shallow for quite a distance off the beach."
"Well done, all of you," stated Alex. "I am going to alert the Rangers to the sighting and get them ready for an attack just in case it is needed."
An hour later the captain began to feel pressure on the rudder, indicating the edge of the coastal current. He eased the rudder to starboard and adjusted course to the southwest. Almost immediately he noticed the mist bank in front of the ship. It was a sparse fog, but he had no doubt that it would grow thicker as predicted. Moments after the change in course, the three fairies returned. Alex hurried to the helm to hear their report.
"Thirteen men," reported Shrimp. "All are sleeping except one. I think he is supposed to be on watch, but the fog is thick, and he cannot see very far."
"He pays more attention to his fishing line than anything else," added Bitsy.
"Are they Alcean?" asked Alex. "I do not want to attack a ship full of innocents."
"I saw a chart with the name Zara on it," offered Button. "They are not Alceans."
"Do we take prisoners?" asked Randi Witzak, the leader of the Ranger contingent.
"We can't afford to," Alex shook his head. "We will be moving the ship after we seize it and anchoring it in a safe location. We cannot afford any men to watch over the prisoners, and we cannot afford to take them with us when we go to Kantor."
"We might learn something by interrogating them?" frowned Jenneva.
"I understand," shrugged Alex, "but it is the ship that we are after. We cannot allow anyone to know that we have captured it. The risk is too great if we are to sail it to Zara."
"Where is this Zara?" asked Captain Gomery. "I have never heard of it."
Alex frowned as he realized that he shouldn't be talking in front of the crew. Still, he had grown to like and trust the captain and felt he could keep a secret.
"It is a land far away," Alex eventually replied. "I must ask you not to speak of it."
"Certainly not," grinned the captain, "but you will need a crew for that historic journey, won't you?"
"I haven't worked that out yet," replied Alex, "but if you are thinking of volunteering, I would advise against it. The journey is likely to be one way."
"Be that as it may," shrugged the captain, "but I would like to volunteer. I have already lived a full life, and the thrill of sailing is not fulfilled on continual voyages between Kalamaar and Marchek. I could think of no finer way to leave this world than sailing to a new and strange land. I hope that you will consider me when the time comes."
"And me," offered Cirris. "It can't be any more dangerous for me than remaining in Alcea."
Alex smiled as he looked at the two seamen. "I will think about it," he answered. "We will need crew, but I want to keep the number of people to a minimum. Right now, we need to concentrate on securing the ship. Who is going onboard, Randi?"
"With everyone sleeping," mused the Ranger, "I should be able to take it easily with a handful of men. If there is no need for prisoners, I suggest taking a small boat with three others and myself. We will use myric quills and have the task done in short order."
"Try to take the captain alive," suggested Jenneva. "I will figure out a way to keep him prisoner after we have the ship in hand."
Randi looked to Alex for confirmation, and Alex nodded his approval. The Knight of Alcea gazed into the deepening fog and then spoke to the fairies.
"One of you should put the sentry to sleep as we launch the small boat," instructed Alex. "Another should try to get below deck and watch for anyone waking up. If anyone stirs, put him back to sleep until the Rangers arrive. I don't want any of them to have a chance to sabotage the ship."
"We are close," whispered Tedi. "I can hear the other ship."
"Lower a small boat before we get any closer," Captain Gomery ordered the first mate. "We will tow it until it is time to attack."
Bitsy leaped into the air and disappeared into the fog. She returned moments later.
"We are approaching bow to bow," the fairy reported. "We will be there in less than five minutes."
"That is some excellent hearing," the captain remarked as he looked at Tedi. "Maybe you heard a fish jump?"
"It was the other ship," Alex assured the captain. "You should drop the jib immediately and launch the small boat. Fairies, off to battle."
Randi and three Rangers climbed into the small boat as the captain turned the Seahorse into the wind. While the jib was being brought in, the Rangers pushed off and drifted into the fog. The Seahorse drifted sideways with only a sliver of the jib out for steerage. The captain waited patiently for the slight wind to catch the jib and start moving the Seahorse forward again.
"I see it," Cirris whispered excitedly as he pointed into the fog.
The captain narrowed his eyes and nodded as the mysterious ship began to appear. He tapped Chanz on the arm and pointed off the port bow. The first mate moved forward, directing seamen as he proceeded along the deck. The seamen lined the port side of the Seahorse with hooks attached to lines and poles to keep the two ships from banging loudly into each other.
Alex watched with admiration as Captain Gomery guided the Seahorse alongside the Zaran vessel. The seamen used the poles to cushion the meeting of the two ships and attached the hooks to the Zaran ship. The jib was furled completely, and the two ships became one, both hanging on the Zaran ship's anchor. Moments later Randi Witzak appeared on the deck of the Zara ship and grinned broadly.
"The Remora is ours!" announced the Ranger sergeant.
Chapter 25
Kantor
Smokey leaped off Kaz's back and raced along the beach of the cove. He turned abruptly and disappeared into the jungle.
"Where is he off to?" asked Jenneva.
"He is off to say hello to the baby unicorns," Alex responded as he gazed out at the Remora swinging gently on its anchor in the bay of Atar's Cove. "He doesn't know that Kaz and Yorra took them to Monoceros before we left for Pia. He will be disappointed."
"He will have to learn to live with it," shrugged Jenneva.
"Now that we are departing for Kantor," asked Alex, "what are we to do with the Zaran captain? We cannot take him with us to Cordonia. If he is seen, it could endanger our whole mission."
"And we can't leave him here," agreed Jenneva as she gazed at the unconscious body on the sand. "Still, he may end up being of use later. I have an idea. Carry him and follow me."
Alex raised an eyebrow questioningly, but he obeyed without voicing his thoughts. He hoisted the body from the beach and threw it over his shoulder. He followed Jenneva into the jungle and watched as she cast the spell to reveal their magically hidden home. As he followed Jenneva into the home, he realized what his wife had in mind.
"Go on ahead and make sure that the way is clear," Alex
urged. "We don't want him seen by anyone who might talk about it."
Jenneva nodded and raced up the stairs. Alex took his time negotiating the steps and waited in Jenneva's study for her to return. He gazed out the window at the Zaran ship. It seemed so out of place sitting in the bay that he took his small fishing boat into, but he knew that no one would stumble upon it there. Atar's Cove was well away from any shipping lanes. While Alex was waiting for Jenneva to return, he heard a noise on the stairs. Smokey burst into the room and slid to a halt at Alex's feet. The dog cocked his head and whined as he looked questioningly up at Alex.
"They are alright, boy," smiled Alex. "Kaz and Yorra took them to Monoceros a while back. They are being raised by the other unicorns for now."
"You treat him like a son," chuckled Jenneva as she stepped through the magic door. "He can't understand you."
"You know," mused Alex, "we should get Niki to try to talk to him someday. I would love to hear his thoughts."
"Don't be silly," laughed Jenneva. "He is a dog. Don't confuse him with a unicorn. You have been around Kaz for too long."
Alex grinned and stared down at the dog. "He understands everything. I am sure of it. Watch." Alex made eye contact with Smokey and said, "Sit."
The dog promptly sat down, his eyes twinkling with affection and his tongue hanging happily out of his mouth.
"Let's get rid of the captain while the way is clear," chuckled Jenneva. "Tell your faithful dog to stay here."
"Stay," Alex commanded the dog.
Smokey looked rejected as Alex and Jenneva stepped through the magic Door into Egam's cave. Before Jenneva could close the Door, Smokey shot through the opening. Jenneva laughed heartily and closed the Door.
"I told you that he could not understand you," she chuckled.
"He understands just fine," Alex retorted, "but he is stubborn like the rest of this family. Quit picking on him."
Jenneva laughed loudly as they crossed the floor of Egam's cave. Jenneva opened another magical Door that took them into the Royal Palace in Tagaret. King Arik and four Red Swords were waiting for them. The Red Swords immediately took the body of the captain off Alex's shoulder and carried him away.
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