The day was refreshingly cool and Tyler was finally able to relax. He leant against the rail of the Queen of the Seas with an arm around Ava as they watched Madison race their ship flashing through the slate grey sea.

On the quarterdeck captain Gail Stormchaser shivered despite her heavy fur coat and quilted trousers as she watched her scantily clad passengers. All she wanted at this moment was for Madison to shed her beastform and get back aboard so she could raise more sail. The sooner they got to their destination and could return to the tropics the better.

“Brrr, by Ocidon’s trident but it is freezing cap.”

“Yes any colder and I’d be in danger of having my nips frozen off.”

“How much further south do we have to go?”

Gail looked round at the sky and sighed. “Should get to Saaropolis by nightfall, but if that damn walrus maid would get her ass back abroad then we should be there shortly after noon.”

“So when do we head north?”

“As soon as we drop our passengers off. I want warmer waters before I have to go for a swim again.”

“Amen cap.”

* * *

The sun was low on the horizon when the Queen of the Seas docked in the commercial harbour of Saarpolis. Tyler and his ladies disembarked and quickly satisfied the local customs official that they were not carrying contraband, they paid their – quite modest – entry tax and Madison giggled at the face of the self important official when the Queen of the Seas promptly started to cast off.

One elderly bespectacled white bearded dwarf clutching a large carpetbag hurried up the jetty and hailed the ship. “Wait, wait, please just let me get aboard before you leave.”

Captain Gail Stormchaser motioned to her mate to leave the gangplank down for a bit longer and greeted the dwarf and the officious customs officer as they came abroad. “Please hurry gentlemen or you’ll find yourselves heading north and discussing the cost of your passage.”

“But, but don’t you have cargo to deliver, are you not buying goods?”

“No. It’s too damn cold and several of us will need to take a swim within a few days. I’m off north as fast as possible and next time Mother needs a delivery this far south she can send one of her other ships.”

The customs officer observed the widening strip of water between the ship and the jetty and made haste to disembark.

“And you sir?” asked Gail of the dwarf.

“I? I’m a priest of Zoratus the sage. I have orders from our High Priest to come abroad so that we, the priesthood can open relations with the priesthood of your lady.”

“In that case welcome abroad the Queen of the Seas. Harold show the gentledwarf to his cabin. Mother did say one of you lot might seek passage. We’ll get you to Silverton, the trip’s on the house.”

Dorados Thunderfist removed his spectacles and polished them then he gingerly followed Harold to a surprisingly comfortable cabin. He was sure the ship shouldn’t be inclined at nearly forty degrees.

* * *

Tyler watched the Queen of the Seas leave harbour with gathering speed as the crew raised every scrap of canvas they could in their hurry to be gone. “Poor thin blooded lot, they sure are in a hurry to head north.”

“Yeah, I bet they’ll dock in Viircamouth before noon the day after tomorrow.”

“What! Impossible, that’s a four day journey,” exclaimed a weathered looking individual.

Madison grinned, “Not for captain Stormchaser. Ava’s right, by my calculations Gail and a handful of her crew have to breath water within three days. They’ll push Queenie as hard as they can.”

Ava chuckled, “poor things, they were sufferin’ so with the cold.” Then she turned to the disbelieving individual, “and you sir, are?”

“Your pardon madam, I’m Roofan the harbour master,” replied Roofan while eyeing the Queen of the Seas disappearing in the evening haze. “That’s one fast brig but no way can they make Viircamouth in less than two days.”

“Pity there’s no way we can check that, or I’d hazard a Guilder on it,” stated Ava.

Madison grabbed Tyler’s arm and hugged it. “C’mon honey let’s go and get some food. Hey Ava c’mon girl, dinner awaits.”

Ava smiled perfunctorily at the harbour master and followed her partners with a brief wave at the harbourmaster. “Hey girl, get your claws off my man or I’ll bite.”

“Sorry Ava,” replied Madison releasing Tyler’s arm. “But in future don’t give that much attention to random males until you’ve got him trained right. Mother got us the ship with the female captain for a reason.”

* * *

Shortly after dawn Tyler and his little party left town via the south gate, they made an impression in their light mithril chainmail armour and helmets. Admittedly it was partially concealed by the sea blue surcoat with its white dolphin badge but that didn’t prevent the awestruck dwarf that was following them from recognising Mithril.

Many hours later when they stopped for lunch they were surprised when the persistent dwarf that they has thought they has outdistanced and lost stumbled into their temporary campsite. Tyler looked up and gazed in resignation at the newcomer while Ava and Madison shared a look.

“Oh Fuck! It’s a kid,” exclaimed Tyler.

“What!” chorused the women.

“How many winters have you known kid? Thirty?” asked Tyler worriedly.

“Um, are you hungry, do you want some bread and jerky?” inquired Madison.

“Mithril, so much Mithril. Err, yes I am. Please!” replied their young guest.

Madison mutely handed him a hunk of bread and two generous strips of jerky. While the three friends shared worried looks their young guest wolfed down most of his makeshift meal. Finally, he looked at the last scrap of his jerky with a look of surprised disgust. “Fish! Fish jerky?”

Ava broke out into laughter and the other two quickly joined in.

Still smiling broadly Tyler asked once again. “Well kid; how old are you? And for that matter what’s your name?”

The youngster looked at the rest of his lunch and with a grimace polished it off, looking up and seeing that he was being regarded solemnly by three pairs of eyes. He licked his lips and reluctantly decided to reply. “Err, m’twenny eight...”

“Fuck!” exclaimed Tyler.

“... and m’name’s Xaar.”

* * * INTERLUDE * * *

Lieutenant Anna Partlow couldn’t stop examining her right thigh, minutes ago she wouldn’t have given odds she would keep the leg. The bullet has shattered her thighbone but now – now – the scars were already fading and it was sound. Or almost! Damon, that kindly stocky badgerman had used magic – and not the weak healing magic that many nurses and doctors had gained in the change. OK he had ordered her not to push thing for a day or two – but that was nothing.

Joanne was keeping an eye on her friend and commander. Anna kept rubbing the area that had been wounded but the only indication of the injury were the holes in Anna’s bloodstained trousers and the pools of blood and scraps of bone on the floor. She looked up and examined Damon who was engaged in polishing off his second plate of tuna steaks.

After another glance at Anna Joanne returned her attention to Mary. Tod was standing close to her as were the two well armed leopard girl twins and an upright thin faced grey hair man wearing a neat suit.

* * *

Mary was surprised when Professor James Moriarty strolled out of her home and came to stand at her side. She glanced at Tod who had placed himself between her avatar and the sniper. She spared a second to verify that her controls were solid before greeting her surprise visitor.

“Nice to see you James, when did...?”

“Recently Mother. Necessity dictated that I achieve an Avatar. Unfortunately I can only operate it in your domain.”

“Well James we’ll have to improve your ability. Suspect it’ll be very useful for us. Take it Mycroft’s not interested?”

Moriarty smiled thinly, “Mycroft? No.”

“Got papers for Demon?”

“Yes, he’s a Canadian. Other names John Fisher. What about the sniper?”

“Goes against the grain James, but leavin’ him to the locals. Meadows is understandably upset.”

« Dig up everything you can on Captain Gallows. If he’s culpable I’ll have the twins deal with him. »

* * *

Tod was extremely nervous and Mary wasn’t helping. He’d been fitfully studying about dungeons but she kept surprising him. According to his studies she should be creating a series of caves or rooms and populating them with monsters and treasure. The dungeon in the park sort of fit the pattern Mary did not. He had seen no monsters only beast people. And now James who was undeniably human called the “mother of monsters” Mother.

“Damnit Mary, please keep a lower profile or we’ll – I’ll be busted. I hate to think how they’ll treat a dungeon considering the abilities the System claims we will develop,” Tod half whispered.

Mary smiled slightly. “That’s why I created that thing in the park and was glad when Macquarie claimed it. Figure he’s our decoy, given the number of people he’s killed. Should be interestin’.”

Tod figured he should come clean to his commander – then he blinked bemused. ‘God I’ve been standing here dreaming of nothing. Oh good Anna’s leg’s been healed. God what’s going on? Who’s the grey haired bloke standing next to Mary?’

Mary glanced him out of the corner of her eye, “Good you’re back with us. This is Prof James. He’s a friend and very smart.”

* * *

The rest of the evening was ruined by the arrival of the EMTs and police crime units. Hutchinson was bandaged up and bundled off swearing and spewing threats left and right. It emerged he had escaped from a high security psychiatric hospital. Now he was on his way back.

Harris for his part claimed to be following orders. He claimed he had been ordered to take down anyone who produced a weapon when in the presence of their principal. When asked why ignored the monster he replied that as an FBI director Hutchinson was obviously not a threat.