Foreword: Sometimes a character in a short story will not slip back into the From Whence They Came. Their back story, forward stories stay around, an aura of possibilities. This is one such. For those who have not read of the previous accounts here are the links:

The Day When The Stationery Was No Longer Stationary – #Blog Battle – March  Miscellanarian

Revisit, Review, Revise. #Blog Battle : May –Extract

And here is the latest:

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The dark boat slipped through the still waters of the clouded night, propelled by a small black sail, making landfall in a small cove. The four men were swift and light-footed, making their way to the house slipping over the wall, and expertly mastering the locks. In this deep part of the night most were asleep. The guard silenced.

Her eyes snapped open. People in the room. This was the kidnap, and she’d been told a girl should always remain calm. She sat up, sheet to her chin. She assumed the one putting a finger to his lips was the leader, a tall man, very quiet. By the lack of any sound or unnecessary effort, she assumed these were professionals. They allowed her to put a coat on, and even gather some clothing. Confident too.

Down to the beach and the craft, she was helped into the boat.  They were out to sea and not long in reaching the equally dark small ship. After being assisted on board, she was escorted to a small cabin. Then her rather comfortable gag was removed. No one had and even then spoke to her. She was left; with a jug of water, also a small loaf of bread. There was even a reasonable bunk. This was all very civilised. Murmurings going on, but no unnecessary sounds. All very efficient. The door would be locked to a high standard.

Captain Volper gave out the next draft of orders thus The Marlin turned to make a prompt exit from the region. Everything had, thus far gone very well. He would only truly relax when they made harbour and the captive was handed over to the officers of the Knights’ Commander.

He was not surprised when his bosun an experienced man he had worked with these two years disturbed his sleep. This time he had the air of one, instructing

‘We have something interesting Captain,’ the man said,

‘Our guest? What sort of Interesting?’

‘She opened cabin porthole,’

‘She tried to slip out? Must be a good swimmer,’

‘Wasn’t her intention. Meyga on sentry saw the glimmer of a mirror. She’s watching us watching her,’

‘Ask Weatherman Dolenger here,’

Weatherman was the watch-name. Seemingly a crew member with a gift for reading subtle changes in weather. The name to keep excessive religious types away from someone gifted with Ethereal senses. Like all in his trade, Dolenger was quiet, careful not to draw attention to himself, and vigilant.

‘Watch do you reckon Weatherman?’ Volper asked.

‘She’s lying low Captain. She’s either cautious or skilled in some Ethereal thing. Not any merchant’s pretty, precious daughter,’

‘I wish the Knights’ Commander office would keep us fully appraised of matters. Triple the watch on her cabin, lower a boat and keep vigilance there. Weatherman keep vigilant. We’ll wait until dawn,’

Definitely not ordinary pirates.

Satisfied as only someone in her role could feel with that conclusion she hauled the rudimentary pillow and sheet to the door. With a pillow behind her and sheet over her she positioned herself against the door as comfy as possible as a human barrier could be, twisted the ring on her right third finger, and settled down to wait.

See what dawn would bring.

Volper mused on his Weatherman’s latest opinion there was an aura of calculation about the woman.

‘We’ll assume she’s more than a decoy for Thelesima, youngest daughter of the Merchant Lord Strambos,’ Volper said to his bosun ‘And since it’s sun up. Let’s see if she’s willing to talk,’

‘Yes. Let’s’ the bosun said.

Volper was not have been surprised by two crew scowling at the door, he was puzzled though.

‘She’s barricaded herself in,’ one said ‘ Must be sitting against the door. Says she wants to speak with you,’’

He looked to his Weatherman, who was frowning at the door. Oh, trouble.

‘Bosun. The Marlin is yours for the present,’ the man nodded and left, peering at the door.

‘There’s something stormy in there Captain,’

‘Thank you, Weatherman. Let’s find out then if it’s navigable,’ he was all business to the door ‘ This is Captain Volper. What do you require? And your name would be useful,’

Some said she took risks with too unpredictable outcomes. She reasoned conflict relied on such when you were out here, or there, relying on yourself.

‘Principal Lieutenant Zwanglos of the LifeGuard,’ she announced in her official voice ‘Your cautious actions indicate you have a level of discipline and are acting on orders. Identify your chain of command,’

Her impulse had been to voice a pithier more natural

‘LifeGuard. We wanna know wot yer up to sunshine,’

But, sometimes you just had to sound official.

Volper stifled down his surprise. A professional thief or adventurer with a quirky manner and gift of The Sales Talk acting on a commission would have been expected. The LifeGuard though, on the very flexible southern borders of the Centrus Sea? He told himself, he had a distinct tactical advantage. And his bosun was paying rapt attention.

‘We are marines of the Knights of The Lord God’s Vigilance and are about the task of keeping the imperial coastline safe for honest merchants and perilous to those of ill-intent,’ sometimes using the official statement was easier than trying to explain details

There was a distinct snort from the other side of the door. The voice’s accent hardened, the tone dismissive.

‘Well, you’re going about it in a fribbin’ peculiar way. Running off with merchants’ family members. That’s not conducive to Imperial Stability,’

‘We have information which indicates there is a cartel,’

‘Not one we’re aware of that is a threat to Stability,’

He paused to fume. LifeGuard and their Stability. The biggest crook in Humanity could sit on the Imperial throne, as long as they kept things ‘Stable’. His pause had allowed her to continue.

‘Now I know wot’s wot…..’

‘Wot’s wot’…Oh, she’s an elidian, they are the biggest crooks. Makes sense now.

‘I feel it fayre to point out I’ve put out a marker on your craft, and my commanders know just where you are. If my personal transmission comes to an abrupt end, so shall your craft. Give me a little boat I’ll row back. Take this to your Knights as a warning,’

The Weatherman twitched.

‘There have been tales about The LifeGuard’s long reach Captain. If she threatens to have us sunk. Don’t dismiss it,’ he looked skywards.

Volper was certainly not. Yet he was senior here. He navigated on.

‘All we are doing,’ he said with great restraint ‘Is requiring certain Merchants to cease activities detrimental to the commercial and moral integrity of the coastal regions. It may seem rough to kidnap but I can assure you these family members are kept in respectable comfort. It had been judged the only way to reach out for dialogue,’

There was a pause, the door opened enough for one hand to appear, slender rings on the left index, middle, and third ginger twinkling.

‘The authority and ability,’ she announced.

The Weatherman tugged his Captain’s sleeve.

‘Those rings. Ethereal. They whisper,’

From his years of service, Volper did not think it was likely that the Knights or their final authority The Ecclesiastes would have been so blind to the LifeGuard’s constant and invasive observations of all aspects Imperial. Yet he had not been warned of this likelihood of  Decoy, or Ambush to use as a threat.

‘Principal Lieutenant Zwanglos. If you were to step outside. We can discuss this. I respect your potential. You should therefore respect my situation,’

There was a pause, then the door opened. The dress had been replaced by leggings and light shirt, a knife on a slender belt, and a leg of the chair tucked in as a cudgel. Volper thought her all too well prepared. And warned?

‘As you can see,’ she began then frowned, looking down at the rings, at the same time The Weatherman drawled out one swear word. The pair exchanged sudden knowing looks.

‘Better get the mechanical engines going Captain,’ he warned.

‘Zig-zag course,’ she added, then cursing, in disbelief at the rings, raised her hand to her mouth calling out

‘I have not enacted. I have not enacted. Withhold. Withhold,’

The Weatherman once more regarded the sky.

‘Oh yes. Storm’s a’coming,’

He said not to his Captain but to her.

The LifeGuard continued her enraged converse. Volper’s crew alert to all threats the Centrus could swiftly have the engine working while manoeuvring unpredictably. As Zwanglos suddenly felt a small object, probably stale bread strike her scalp, swinging round she saw the bosun leaning over the quarter-deck rail, looking sharp with realisation.

‘Hoi!’ he called his accent suddenly clear elidian ‘You’re the one wot’s stitched up l’tenant. You bin set up good ‘n proper,’

‘Me?’ she called back, though the surprise was quickly replaced by anguished understanding, causing her to pull in savage determination at the rings, uncaring of the skin being ripped off in the process.

‘Counting down from two hundred?’ she demanded of The Weatherman as she threw the rings into the sea.

‘Give or take fifty,’ he said after a glance to the sky.

Shrugging off a staying hand as she grabbed the port side of the weaving craft, Zwanglos turned back to Volper, wry bitterness contorting her features.

‘Take wot you’ve seen an’ heard. Use it spare yer crew an’ yerself. Now turn your ship or boat or wotnot away from me. I was not aware dammit,’ and dived into the water, vanishing from sight.

‘Hundred and fifty Captain,’ warned the Weatherman.

The bosun stared out at the last sighting of the girl

With sail and engine at full use, the craft skimmed away.

‘Heads down and cover your eyes,’ called out The Weatherman.

There came a thin split in the sky, a long narrow yellow brightness tormented a small locality of the sea into a place of steam and violent bubbling as high as the Marlin’s sail, causing waves to circle out for enough distance for some to slap against the stern, making the craft to buck enough to for all to fear it would near topple over.

And then all was still.

Opinion was divided on whether the fate might have been slit in two, blown into bits, or set a’ blaze from stern to bow. Everyone agreed they would not have survived.

‘What do we do now Captain?’ was the next thing most asked.

Volper had the course set to their home port, concluded the whole crew needed to hear whatever the bosun had to say to explain his warning to the girl. His words came slow and thoughtful, still trying to make explainable sense. His accent was quite different, again, something of the far north, where seas were cold and troubled grey.

‘In daylight, description matched. One who had been in The Ecclesiastes’ ranks. Talented but unpopular. Controversial, maybe heretical. Then she skipped to the LifeGuard. There are games within games being played. In the Ecclesiastes, there was deal with parts of the LifeGuard and she was the price,’ he sighed ‘We were bait. She must have thought she was just the messenger, not the catch, until,’ he nodded to the Weatherman ‘She got a storm warning,’

‘And gave her life for us,’ said Volper.

‘All except me,’ said the bosun ‘I fell overboard, never seen again. I leave it up to you merry lads to work out the details. I have other work to do. Find out who are doing deals with The LifeGuard and why. My reason for being here in the first place. Games within Games,’

Somewhere, out at sea. Floating on an Ethereal. Pained and scared. But still angry enough to be alive.

She was vaguely aware of another swift slender craft approaching, bemused at more decent treatment as she was carefully hauled on board.

‘Thank you,’ she rasped. ‘Whoever you are,’

‘Work to be done Zwanglos,’

A bottle touched her lips, hands gently held her head as she drank.

As the pain slipped away and sleep called to her she managed one last message.

‘I was unaware,’

One other thought.

‘And unaware now,’