Chapter 11: An Andalucian Welcome

*****

On the bridge of the light cruiser Valiant, Lt. Commander Luke Ravencross looked out to the horizon, quickly monitoring the area where the sea met the sky. It was still early that morning, and their easterly course made it difficult at times to scan without getting a heavy dose of the sun. Still, it was imperative that they kept a close watch for two reasons.

One, there was still an Occitanian task force out there somewhere and every day closer to the naval base of Quiller's Cove their chances of running into it increased. If the Valiant hazarded into a conflict with that force unprepared, it would almost certainly be a suicide run, especially against two battleships. The only thing Luke had going for him was surprise and speed, and he hoped to make it back to base undetected.

And he was also hoping to get back into Quiller's Cove today. That was the second reason he scanned the early morning horizon. He knew the island would be getting close at this point, and he was looking forward to joining forces with the mix of Javan forces that had assembled at the base. They'd be more effective with increased numbers, and Luke wouldn't have to constantly worry about stumbling into any action he couldn't fight his way out of.

"See anything yet?" came a feminine voice just behind him.

"Not yet," said Luke before turning to face his head of operations division, Kim Cross. Kim was not only his dedicated subordinate officer, she was also his second-in-command and more secretly yet, his lover. Quiet, beautiful, and capable, she was another reason why he wanted to keep the ship safe.

"I wonder how many ships they've brought into the base?" she asked while standing up to join his side. "You think the Admiralty might have sent a battleship or two to help us?"

Luke pursed his lips and then shook his head. "Not from what I've heard. We should have enough cruisers there but the last report I read said the majority of the battleships are still bottled up in Aberdeen. Apparently, they've had no luck in escaping the Occitanian blockade."

Kim remained silent and nodded her head. It was early enough that it was just the two of them on the bridge, and for that reason, she slipped her arm around his back and pulled close to him. Noticing that something wasn't right when he flinched, she looked back up to him. "You're so tense. What's wrong?"

Luke took a deep breath. "I don't know. I'm just a little anxious, I guess."

"Anxious? Why?"

He shrugged. "Having to constantly be on the lookout for the past two weeks since we left Jack. Not knowing what's just beyond the horizon. Feeling like we've been called away from our real mission. Unable to figure out what our task will be once we get here. Take your pick, there's quite a few options."

"It won't be so bad once we get to Quiller's Cove," said Kim. "Then we can at least figure out what our role will be to take on the Occie task force."

"But how though? How are we going to take on battleships?" asked Luke as he pivoted to her.

"I don't know, Luke," she said quietly. "But I'm sure there's a plan somehow."

He didn't respond to that, turning his body back toward the window. Was there a plan? Surely there had to be a reason to bring them all these miles back to their base? Was it for all of them to die gloriously while trying to repel an attack against their westernmost naval outpost in a vain attempt to stand up to better firepower? Their orders felt hopeless at the time which was another reason why he wanted to get back. He wanted to speak with Commodore Lucas and find out what the plan was. Only then could he feel better about the current mission.

Luke returned to his command station and they sailed along quietly for the next few hours as the sun rose above them. It was shortly before noon when the lookouts reported a sighting of land and just over a half hour later when the Valiant approached the long jetty that signaled the entrance to the harbor.

Quiller's Cove was a lot different from the base he left several months ago. For one, many more warships filled its harbor and Luke was able to count five other cruisers—three heavys and two other lights—in the port and ready for action.

"Oh my, is that the Stardust?" asked Kim, pointing to a sleek heavy cruiser near the closest quay. The Stardust was part of a class of heavy cruisers that came out just before the Destiny. She wasn't as strong, but she was a great fighter with a tremendous amount of firepower.

"Yes, it is," said Luke while admiring the shiny, gray hull and impressive guns. "And that's the Horton! We may not be in too bad of shape then. Those are some newer cruisers and their firepower is close to that of a battleship. Maybe we can tangle with the Occitanians just yet!"

"Look over there, Luke! Destroyers and lots of them!" said Kim, pointing to a further quay. Several rows of destroyers were tied up against each other, at least five of them to a row, they small frames promising much in the way of maneuvering.

"This should give us a fighting chance," said Luke. "At least we won't have to take them on alone."

About a half hour later after the Valiant was tied up at the dock, both Luke and Kim descended off the light cruiser and made their way into town. Leaving Anna and Bill in charge of the ship as a precaution, Luke wanted a second pair of eyes and ears with him to digest any new information from their meeting with the commodore.

It was also the first time that Anna would be left in nominal command of the ship, only being with them for the last two weeks. It was a situation that confused him to no end, and he knew Jack was involved with that transfer somehow, even if neither of them would come out and say why. Not that Anna wasn't a competent officer, but he had grown rather attached to Cory being at the helm and sailing with an unknown entity only added to his anxiety. Yet, Anna had proven herself capable and friendly and the further they got from the Vector, the more his trust in her grew.

"It seems like they were able to repair a lot of the damage from the last time we were here," said Kim, pointing out several of the buildings.

Luke nodded, remembering that day when the harbor was shelled right before they got their mission to go into the Vector. "Let's hope we don't have to see a recurrence of that episode."

"It feels so long ago," she said as they came up to the building that marked the administrative headquarters for the base. "Why is it that we've only been in the Vector for a few months but it's felt like a few years?"

Luke looked over to her and smiled. "Possibly because every single day brought us the chance of something new happening or potential death?"

Kim started to laugh. "Only you would find something as terrible as that something to smile about."

"I think it says more about you than it does me," said Luke. "You're the one who shares my bed at night," he added in a near whisper.

"If you want that to continue, hopefully you won't be so blasé about it in the future," she said with a stern look as they entered the third-floor quarters of the commodore.

The first person they saw was a sour-faced lieutenant sitting at a desk near the door. Luke remembered the man and his first encounter with him the last time they were at Quiller's Cove.

"Lt. Commander Ravencross of the Valiant here to see Commodore Lucas," said Luke in a clear voice and with a crisp salute.

The lieutenant looked him up and down before answering. It already reminded Luke why he disliked the man in the first place. "Wait here. I'll see if he's available."

"Not exactly the friendliest type, is he?" asked Kim in a near whisper.

"You don't know the half of it," whispered back Luke as the lieutenant returned with the commodore.

Commodore Stanhope Lucas was an older man with silver hair and a haggard face. While not much to look at even in times of peace, Luke could tell he'd aged from the last time he saw him. Clearly, the danger surrounding the base had quite the effect on him and the man barely managed a smile when he saw Luke.

"Luke, how's it been? You're back sooner than expected," said Lucas while returning the salute.

"We made better time sailing with the current than against it," said Luke with a slight grin. "Good to see you, sir. This is my operations division head, Lt. Kim Cross."

"Well met and welcome, Kim," said Lucas. "Please come into my office. Settler, make sure we're not disturbed, all right?"

The sour-faced Lt. Settler nodded and resumed his work without any further words. Lucas led them into his office and gestured for them to sit in front of his desk.

"First things first, how was the journey? Did you see anything? Anything noteworthy?" the commodore asked.

"Not in the slightest, sir," said Luke. "It's been quiet since we left the Vector. No sightings of Occitanians anywhere."

"Well, that's somewhat of a relief to hear," said Lucas while letting out a relaxed breath. "How's Jack? I've seen the dispatches that he's sent. It's unreal what you've accomplished since you've been out there."

Luke started to smile. "It definitely is, sir. Jack is well, or at least he was the last time we saw him. We'd just recovered the treasury in the land of Sorella and ended their civil war. We can count them as our first true alliance there now, and Jack was on his way to another country called Picardy to secure another alliance."

"So the plan is bearing fruit after all," said Lucas with a disbelieving grin. "I can hardly believe it. I thought the plan to send you all into the Vector was like a death sentence."

Luke grinned. "As did many of us."

"I know Bancroft is pleased, as upset as that makes me," said the commodore. "But otherwise, I'm proud of all of you and your accomplishments so far. You've made Java proud and I'm sure once this business is over with here, we can let you get back to your mission with Jack."

Luke started to nod. "About that, sir. Can you tell us a bit more about why we're back? I understand there's an Occitanian task force in the area and we do know they have two battleships with them. Yet, we are only one light cruiser. What was the point in bringing us back?"

"Well, I suppose it's time we get into it then," said Lucas as he got up from his desk and approached the map on the wall to their right. It was a small one, only showing Quiller's Cove in the middle and the immediate area around it going out about fifty miles in every direction. Of course, this deep in the ocean, that meant there was nothing else on the map besides the base.

"As you know, almost three weeks ago, one of our picket submarines picked up the bearing and speed of an Occitanian task force in this position here," said Lucas, indicating a spot on the map just to the northeast of Quiller's Cove. "At the time, we weren't exactly sure where they were going. Most educated guesses were that they were heading here to this base, but we aren't entirely sure they don't know about Jack's mission. They just as easily could have been sent to intercept him."

"So if they were right there three weeks ago, where are they now?" asked Kim.

Lucas pursed his lips. "Frankly, we don't know. It's almost like they've disappeared."

"Disappeared, sir? How is that possible?"

"There's a lot of ocean out there, Luke. And only so few of us. We had the picket submarines out patrolling the approaches to the island only for so long before we pulled them back. The thought was that if that force was hostile to Quiller's Cove, we could get ourselves arrayed in defensive positions long enough to resist or wait for reinforcements."

"What happened then, sir?"

"Nothing, frankly," said Lucas with a sigh. "We lost contact with them right around here," he said while pointing to an area just above the base almost forty miles out. "There's not been a single sighting since then with the small amount of forces we have out patrolling but we've been concentrated on bringing in more ships. We've received reinforcements from the mainland and I'm sure you could see those heavier ships down in the harbor."

"The Horton and the Stardust," said Luke.

"Correct you are, however, the situation has changed. We now have more cruisers than they do and we don't lag behind their total firepower too much. It's enough to risk a chance of engagement," said Lucas.

"So what would you like us to do?" asked Kim.

"I'm assigning you to the task force that protects the base," said Lucas. "From here onward, you'll be part of Task Force 49, under the command of Rear Admiral Reynolds, who is aboard the Stardust. You will be put to sea eventually in search of the Occitanian task force. Should you come across it, you are to engage and remove the threat."

Luke started to nod. "When do we get started? Do we get any rest for the long way we've just come?"

"No rest any time soon, Luke. This is war. We need you to get started with them right away," said the commodore while taking his seat. "You were the last ship we've been waiting for, and now that the task force is up to strength, we'll send you out on your first sortie tomorrow. Take the remainder of the day to rest up and restore your supplies."

"Sir, I hate to even ask this but what if the Occitanians are gone?" asked Luke. "What if they went into the Vector to find Jack?"

"Then you might not see much action," said Lucas. "But we don't know that for sure. They could still be out there and waiting to pounce on the base. My hope is that we can locate them with our own force and put them out of commission. I'd love to see all of them at the bottom of the ocean, but I'd also take enough of their force being damaged that they have to return to Occitania."

Luke took a deep breath. Now that the chance was here to finally go after the Occitanians, he was actually somewhat glad. Especially knowing they had a lot more firepower at their disposal. He didn't tell the commodore about the extra ordnance he'd picked up in Sorella, the twenty canisters of Sorellan fire that was sure to be a difference maker in any engagement, but he was strangely at peace with the decision to seek battle.

"We understand clearly, sir. We'll start preparing now for our first sortie tomorrow."

"Good man, Luke, good man," said Lucas. "If you should need anything, please let myself or Rear Admiral Reynolds know. He is now the highest-ranking officer on the island, and he'll be instrumental in taking the fight to the Occitanians."

Luke started to stand, offering a salute to the commodore. "We'll get started at once. We'll do everything in our power to bring those Occitanians to heel."

"I know you will. Thank you both for coming and happy hunting!"

After one final nod from Lucas, both Luke and Kim left his office and started to walk to the staircase in the middle of the building. Predictably, Lt. Settler didn't acknowledge their leaving, not that Luke really cared. What he was more concerned about was the apprehensive-looking expression on Kim's face as they left the building.

"What's on your mind?" he asked as soon as they were back out on the street. "I can tell something's bothering you."

Kim put on a brave face and turned in his direction. "Nothing. I'm just surprised we're going out searching for the enemy instead of taking a defensive posture."

"We might as well while we have the numbers. Besides, while we do have some firepower here, it's a lot more than what Jack has at his disposal. If they go after him, the least we can do is bloody their noses a little to prevent that from happening."

"Do you think that's the case? What if they are already gone from the local waters? The last spotting was three weeks ago, Luke."

Luke shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know what they're thinking but I do want us to see some action. If that means going out on patrol, then so be it."

"We have a large area to search. We won't be able to split up well so it's a lot of ground to cover with one task force," said Kim.

"You know, it almost sounds like you don't want to do this mission," said Luke while raising an eyebrow.

"It's not that," said Kim before turning away from him. "It's just that our chance of finding them seems so little. Engaging them is another story as well."

"One day at a time," said Luke as they neared the harbor once again to reboard the Valiant. "There's not much else we can do about it now. Let's just focus on this mission so we can get through it. The sooner that we're done, the sooner we can get back to our real mission. Jack needs us right now. God knows what he may be up to without us!"

*****

On the other side of the world, Jack Easterbrook gazed out at the exotic desert city in front of him. A place unlike any he'd seen before, the Andalucian city stood out in stark contrast from the sands around it. For one, all the buildings were colored an off-white shade, making them nearly sparkle from the effects of the dull sand and the bright sunshine.

The buildings that made up the city were short and squat, definitely squarer than the homes that he'd seen in Sorella, where pitched roofs were more common. They were too far out to see any of the people or make out their features, but they scurried about the nearby port like ants, consumed with their own tasks and always in a hurry.

"What do you think, Jack?" asked Abigail from his side. "Are you ready to go ashore?"

"I think we have to," he answered. "There's too many of those trawlers in this port to know which one was with the Swabian warship. I think we need to see what's in the city. Perhaps we might have some luck checking out the slave pens."

"It might be dangerous," she warned. "I doubt they'll be so welcoming to foreigners like the Sorellans were."

"That's why we'll take some of the marines with us," said Jack before turning to look at Greg, who was also in the bridge. "Greg, can you have a few squads of men ready at once? I don't think we'll need any more than that and if we find ourselves in trouble, the rest of the men will only be a short distance away."

Greg nodded. "You got it, Jack. I'll have them ready shortly. And of course, I'll go with you myself."

Jack smirked at him. "I don't think we'll be walking into a fight. At least right away."

Greg grinned. "You can never be too prepared."

"Well if you both get to go, then I want to go too," said Abigail as she crossed her arms in front of her body.

"Somebody will need to stay in command of the ship though, just in case," said Jack.

Abigail turned and pointed to the division head officers in the bridge. "Nothing that I'm sure Kyle, Cory, and Stephanie can't handle. Right?"

Stephanie looked up and smiled. "Go on, go explore the new country once again. Just remember to let us have a turn eventually, okay?"

Jack started to chuckle. "You guys are real team players."

Without another word, the three of them descended from the bridge and made their way to the stern of the ship where two squads of marines were fitting out to join them. However, that's when Jack noticed that someone was quickly following in their wake.

"Jack, wait for me!"

He squinted his eyes to barely make out the sight of Vera's blonde hair blowing behind her as she rushed to catch up with them. Having been let go from the infirmary once her light wounds had healed after the sinking of the Swordfish, she had taken residence in one of the smaller quarters not far from Jack's. He hadn't a single thought about letting her come back to Andalucia though, especially with her experience with them already.

"No way, no how, Vera," said Jack as he crossed his arms in front of him. "I need you to stay on the Destiny."

Vera gave him a disconcerted look. "Jack, I have to go with you. Especially since Kat may still be in the city."

"Listen, Vera, I know you feel guilty about what happened to Kat, but it's not your fault. We don't know if she's still here or not but this isn't a place for someone who can't protect themselves."

"What do I need to protect myself for when I have all of you to help me?" asked Vera, gesturing to the rest of them, as well as the marines, around them.

"It's too risky, Vera."

She gave him a dirty look. "It wasn't too risky when you let me accompany you in Sorella. Back when we had to capture the treasury from Barak!"

Jack took a deep breath. She wasn't understanding the real reason why he didn't want her to come along so he'd have to be more direct with her. "Vera, that's not it. I remember your ordeal with the Andalucians. I don't want you to come with us because I don't want to bring up any bad memories for you. I'm sure it can't be easy for you to be here again, but the last thing I want to happen is for this to trigger any anxiety or bad memories for you."

Vera raised her head and gave him a confident look as a soft breeze made her blonde hair flutter in the breeze. "I'm not a child, Jack. I can take care of myself."

"That's not what I mean, and you know it, Vera," said Jack quietly.

"Listen, Jack," she started while putting her hand on his arm. "I appreciate what you're trying to do but I'm the only person on this ship who's been to Andalucia before. Without me, you'll struggle to find out where you need to go or who you need to talk to when you get there. I've put those memories behind me and I'm asking you to do the same. Let me help you. I owe this to Kat."

"If something happens to you, I'll never forgive myself," admitted Jack.

"Well, then I'll just stay extra close to you," said Vera with a sweet smile. "I know you won't let anything happen to me. I feel safe when I'm with you."

Jack took a deep breath. If it were just about anyone else, he might have found the strength to turn them away. However, there was always something deeper about Vera that stayed his hand. Some kind of connection that made it nearly impossible for him to resist turning her down. One day, he hoped to get to the bottom of what that was.

"Stay close to me," he reiterated. "If you feel scared or anything, let me know right away. And if you need to come back to the ship for any reason, I want to know. We'll arrange a quick transport back. Are we clear?"

Vera grinned and hugged him tightly. "Crystal!"

Being that Vera was the only one who didn't have a rifle, all of them plus the marines huddled into two small launch boats and lowered into the ocean. The waves were choppy this morning, spraying all of them with water on the short journey toward the shore. It was an ominous beginning, mostly because they had an audience right away.

"It looks like they know we're coming," said Greg, pointing towards the harbor where several men seemed to be gathered watching them.

"I can't say I'm surprised," said Jack.

Greg started to laugh. "I bet they're shitting themselves wondering what we want. I bet they took one look at the Destiny and they're figuring out the best way to surrender to us."

"You have too much optimism," said Jack with a chuckle. "If anything, I bet they're plotting how to fuck our day up without dying."

Greg started to grin. "I'd like to see them try."

As they got closer to shore, Jack could begin to make out more of the city's layout. As they entered the small, natural harbor, he could see there didn't appear to be any distinct pattern or grid to the streets of the city. Houses seemed to pop up wherever they could find room and even tiny alleys contained enough people to fill a regular-sized street. It was almost as if there was no planning to the city whatsoever, and Jack wondered how they would begin to find anything in a city so chaotic.

He turned to look at Vera. "Are all their cities so . . . disorganized?"

Vera nodded slowly. "From what I've seen. At least the ones that I've been to. The Andalucians aren't known for their brains. They only care about one thing and one thing only."

Jack didn't have to ask, being greeted by the sight of slaves as soon as their launch boat pulled up to the nearest quay. A short distance from them was a line of pathetic-looking men, too far emaciated to be of much use and with skin so dark they must have been left out in the heat of the sun for too long. Jack could feel the terrible warmth overhead as well, the temperature having spiked the closer they got to the island. It was easy to see why the desert land was so miserable.

"That's so despicable," said Abigail as she looked away from the slaves in disgust. "How can any sane person do this?"

"I think the word you have wrong is sane," said Jack. "I don't think the Andalucians are much like the Sorellans."

Everywhere he looked, the Andalucian people scurried about at a quick pace. Most of them wore a thin robe of material just heavy enough to shield their skin from the direct sunlight but thin enough to prevent them from overheating. Most of them wore a kind of head protection as well, with some of the people barely visible except for their eyes from the clothing they wore.

Others were less precautious still, and Jack seemed to notice that the darker they were, the less clothing protection they wore. He wasn't sure if perhaps they were just used to the sun's effects on them or just simply didn't care any longer.

Once they were able to tie up the boats at the dock, the small party clamored over and set foot on solid ground.

"Leave a few guys to guard the boats," instructed Jack. "Keep your ears on your radios and let us know if anyone starts to hassle you."

"I don't think that'll be much of a problem," said Greg while pointing back to some of the nearby Andalucians. Most of them seemed to be rushing in the other direction from the group of Javans, their faces somewhat fearful as they took in their powerful bodies and weapons.

"Good, let them be afraid," said Jack. "But let us know if you think they're trying anything."

With one last look at the boats, Jack, Greg, Abigail, Vera, and the two other squads of men set off down the quay towards the main harbor facilities. Even though most of the people gave them a wide berth, it didn't stop them from staring. Jack could tell by the looks they were getting that foreigners weren't a common sight in such a place, and no matter where they went, they were always being watched.

"It makes me uneasy that we seem to stand out so much," said Greg as they reached the main portion of the town.

"I doubt they've seen Javans before," added Abigail. "We probably look just as funny to them as they do to us."

Greg started to chuckle. "Yeah, but I'm not the one with a blanket around my head."

Jack elbowed him in the ribs. "You might want one in an hour after the heat of this sun starts to make you crazy. Now, let's try to find these slavers."

"Jack, I think I can help you find them," said Vera, as they began to navigate a tiny, crowded alleyway.

"I'm all ears, Vera."

"Well, when I was here, there was a very easy way to find where all the slaves were being kept. Usually, they were all kept in one place so if Kat is here, most likely she'd be with all them. But all we need to do is follow the smell."

"The smell? What do you mean by that?" asked Abigail.

Vera pursed her lips. "The Andalucians don't believe in giving slaves much in the way of personal hygiene. When you combine that with the high death rate, even before they are sold, the slave pens are one of the foulest smelling areas in Andalucia. Or the world, for that matter. We just need to keep walking until we start to smell something rancid."

Sure enough, Vera's advice was spot-on, and it wasn't until they were well near the north side of the city that just about all of their noses began to twitch. Jack's face began to grimace at the stench that seemed to linger against his face for several moments before disappearing, always reappearing once they turned a new corner. When they made a wrong turn, or the smell appeared to weaken, they turned around and proceeded until it once again became stronger. Finding themselves at the northern gate of the city, the group walked through a small partition in the walls and the smell hit them full force.

Unfortunately, so did the sights. Abigail was the first to gasp as they entered the slave market, a ghastly-looking affair that bustled with a large variety of people. In the center was the start of an auction, where a portly owner was showcasing a variety of different slaves. For the most part, they looked to be sharing the same features of the Andalucians however it was easy for Jack to see that several of them were foreigners. There were a pair of men with incredibly light features that looked more frightened than the rest of prisoners, most likely aware of the fate in front of them. There were several women there as well, including one who looked very Sorellan in her features.

Yet the longer that Jack looked, he found no sight of any blonde hair that may signal the presence of Kat. He turned away from the auction itself to look around the slave pens that ringed the auction grounds. They were miserable affairs with cramped, dirty conditions and flies that seemed to never quite go away due to an excess of deceased and decaying flesh. If there was one place in this world he never wanted to see again, it was Andalucia.

The next thing he did after scanning the pens was to watch the actions of the Andalucians. "Greg, see any threats?"

"Only those two men near the entrance," said Greg, gesturing to two fierce-looking warriors that were watching them from a short distance away. Both of them carried ugly, curved swords at their waists as well as short bows that slung across their backs. Both of the men were horribly scarred.

"Keep your eyes on them. Let me know if they try anything funny," said Jack. "Anything else?"

"No one else that I can see," said Greg. "Although, I don't see anyone here who looks like Kat."

"I don't see any sign of her either," said Jack before turning to look at Vera. "Is it possible she's in another city?"

Vera shrugged. "It's possible. There are slave pens in just about every city and clan grouping on this island. This is one of the bigger cities that I've seen here in Andalucia though. The time I spent here previously was in much more primitive conditions."

Jack shuddered at the thought of seeing something worse than this. And at the thought that Kat was probably suffering there as well. "Can we make any inquiries? Is there an owner or a proprietor that manages the slaves in this market?"

Vera looked around before pointing to a small, white building just on the edge of the property. "That looks like the nicest place in this entire area. If I had to guess, I bet the owner can be found there."

"Then that's where we're going then," said Jack as he firmed his gaze on the wooden door out front. The entire party followed in his wake, and he gave a quick rap on the door.

A man answered who was mostly covered in fabric from head to toe. Jack could only tell it was a man by the portion of his face that was not covered, showing enough signs of a mustache and scar that split most of his upper lip.

"What do you want?"

"I'm looking for the owner here. I'm trying to find a slave that I believe was brought here recently."

The man pointed out to the yard. "Go find them out there." He then went to shut the door.

Jack jammed it with his foot and then gestured to his rifle. "I'll have words with the owner now, friend."

The man glanced at the rifle and then out to the rest of the party. Greg held his rifle in ready mode, ready for action should anything start to turn ugly. After realizing that he stood no chance against several burly marines, the Andalucian man's features softened.

"Of course. Come on in. I'm the owner of this slave market. My name is Larthiss," said the man while beckoning them inside. It wasn't a very large dwelling, but Jack could tell it was his home as well as place of business. Larthiss gestured for them to sit in front of his desk before taking a moment to unwrap the covered portion of his head, revealing course, dark hair.

"Stand guard for me," said Jack to the other marines as he led Vera, Abigail, and Greg inside. Jack took a seat in front of Larthiss, carefully appraising the man for a minute before resuming his conversation. The owner seemed a little off to him, a bit too slick for his taste. Even the way his beady eyes seemed to watch him made him feel uneasy.

"So what brings you to Methusa?" asked the slave owner while sitting back in his chair.

Jack gave him an odd look. "I'm sorry, Methusa? I thought this was Andalucia."

Larthiss started to laugh, showing a grin that was missing several teeth. "The country is Andalucia. This city is called Methusa, friend."

"It's our first time in this country."

Larthiss started to laugh. "That was obvious from the start. Where are you from?"

"Java, on the other side of the world."

Larthiss grunted. "Never heard of it."

"We're trying to find someone. A friend of ours who I believe is a slave now."

"A pity for you then. To have a friend reduced to slavery in this country," said Larthiss.

"I realize that," said Jack with an angry glint in his eye. "Nevertheless, here we are."

"And that brings you to my doorstep because why?"

"We believe she's here. Or at least, she may have landed here," said Jack.

"Did you not look out in the pens? All the slaves for sale in this town are out there."

Jack shook his head. "She was not there."

"Perhaps you should look again. The filth and dirt in those cages might make it hard to recognize old faces," said Larthiss with an amused grin.

Jack gritted his teeth. "As I said, she's not there. She would stand out like a sore thumb anyway. She's Galician and for that reason, she's also blonde. A young woman, mid-twenties in age, and—"

"Wait just a minute," said Larthiss while leaning forward. "A blonde you say? Mid-twenties?"

"That's right."

Larthiss stood up from his chair and approached a small cabinet in the corner of the office. Jack looked over to Vera who was rubbing her arms with her hands. It was a vulnerable expression, and Jack knew being back so close to the slave pens must have been bringing back the memories. He reached out to touch her arm, offering a measure of strength to help her get through it. Vera smiled at the touch, only interrupted when Larthiss came to sit back down with a piece of paper.

"I sold a blonde yesterday," said Larthiss as he thumbed through the papers. "Matching that description." He stopped on one page and started to chuckle. "Spirited one, that was for sure."

Jack was nearly seeing red. "Where is she?" he hissed.

For once, Larthiss' smile dropped and was replaced by a more nervous expression. "Again, I sold her."

"Where? Who did you sell her to?"

"That's confidential. I can't tell you—"

"WHO? Who did you sell her to?" Jack roared, smacking his fist against the man's table.

Larthiss turned ghostly pale as his fingers started to click nervously against the paper on the desk. "The Numratha clan. I sold her to the Numratha clan and their clan chief, Yusef. Five of their men collected her and other slaves yesterday and started the journey to reach their tribal lands."

"Where can I find this clan chief Yusef?"

Larthiss started to sweat. "You just don't go looking for clan chiefs, friend. Do you know nothing about Andalucian affairs? For any man, especially a foreigner, to go after or question a clan chief is to invite your own death. Never mind involving yourself with their slaves—"

"Don't worry about that," said Jack. "We can take care of ourselves. Isn't that right, Greg?"

"Right as can be, Jack," said Greg, staring daggers at the Andalucian slaver.

"I still can't tell you how to find them. If word gets back to them that I leaked their information to you, I could be in just as much danger," squeaked Larthiss.

Jack slipped his service pistol out of the holster and pointed it directly at Larthiss' head. "I'm done with your games. Tell me where I can find this Yusef, or I'm going to splatter your brains against the wall behind you."

Larthiss started to shake. "F-five days to the south of here, through the lands of the Muthada clan. Take the coastal road on the w-way south and you can't miss it."

Jack started to nod and pulled his pistol away. "Thank you, Larthiss. Your help has been much appreciated."

Larthiss snarled and slung away from the Javans, his courage temporarily rebounding. "You may have just gotten me killed! You better hope I can sell my way out of this, foreigner!"

Jack shrugged. "Not my problem."

"It will be your problem when I unleash the Sciavo on you! Then you'll pay!"

"What the hell is the Sciavo?"

Larthiss started to sneer. "Stupid man. Sciavo are the main slaver hunters of Andalucia. An army of over a thousand of the deadliest warriors Andalucia has to offer, answerable only to the high clan king of the island. You will either die slowly at their mercy or they will capture your bodies for use as slaves in the mines!" Larthiss pointed out the window to the two scared guards that stood watch near the entrance of the slave partition.

Greg looked at the two guards and then back to Jack. "I've had about enough of this guy."

"You and me both," said Jack while walking calmly over to where Larthiss was still standing, panting angrily behind the desk. Jack pulled back his fist and planted his feet, delivering a powerful blow directly against the slaver's head. His body as it crumpled against the floor as his consciousness fled.

"That should buy us some time," said Jack while shaking his hand. "Come on, let's go!"

Jack and the rest of the group left Larthiss' dwelling and quickly took a look around. Moving at a steady but quick pace, they rushed to the exit of the slave partition before anyone found out what happened to the owner.

"How long do you think we have until they find him?" asked Abigail, walking quickly by Jack's side.

"Hopefully not too soon. I'd like to be back aboard the Destiny before they do," said Jack. They walked past the fierce-looking Sciavo guards, who were still watching them intently as they slipped back into the city.

"What's the plan now, Jack? How are we going to catch up to Kat?" asked Vera as they found their way down a main thoroughfare running through the middle of the city.

"I think we should sail down the coast a little before we attempt to land again," said Jack. "The last thing I want is to start a trail that these assholes can follow easily. If they can follow us, we'll always be on the lookout for them on our heels, and that's the last thing I want."

"So get a day or so down the coast and drop ashore in a deserted area? I take it that's what you're thinking?" asked Abigail.

"Precisely," said Jack. "We'll hug the coast, and we'll bring a good portion of the marines with us. We'll have plenty of firepower if they catch us, and we'll have the Destiny and the Tiger to watch our backs just in case. Whoever these slavers are that have Kat, they can't be moving too quickly on foot. Perhaps we might gain on them while we sail down the coast, and we just might intercept them before they reach the Numratha."

"Or we might get stuck in the middle of another war," grumbled Greg. "I don't like how this one is starting. For once, can't we just set foot on an island and find people not trying to kill us?"

Jack started to laugh as they approached the harbor. "Unfortunately, that's just not our style."

The small group made their way to the nearest quay where the launch boats had been tied up, passing several larger slave trawlers along the way. They were about halfway to the boats when the sounds of loud war drums started to beat across the city. Jack turned to look back, realizing the sound was coming from the slave pens. "Time for us to go! Quickly now!"

Thankfully, nobody rushed to intercept them on the way into the launch boats and out of the harbor although Jack didn't really breathe a sigh of relief until after all of them were back on the Destiny a short time later. Giving the order to go, the two vessels pulled away from the port city of Methusa and started on a course to the southwest until long after the beat of the war drums faded from the air.

"How long do you want to keep this current course for?" asked Abigail once they were all safely back in the bridge and had described the encounter to the division head officers.

Jack pursed his lips. "At least until nightfall. Let's keep away from the coast as much as we can so no one can easily follow us. Tomorrow morning, as long as there's no signs of them along the coast, we'll put ashore and continue along on foot."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay on the Destiny, Jack?" asked Stephanie. "It might be safer, especially if they are going to be looking for all of you now."

Jack shook his head. "It might be safer, yes, but we still may be able to catch up with the buyers before they reach their own territory. We also won't know anything more about which clan's territory we're in without being on land. It will be more dangerous, but I think it's necessary at this point."

"I think it's time we get the men ready then," added Greg. "If we're going back ashore tomorrow morning, we should have more protection with us."

"I fully agree with that. Can you have two platoons readied for tomorrow?"

Greg nodded. "Will do. They might be a little understrength, but it will be a third of our force. About fifty-five men in total."

"That should do it for now," said Jack. "If we find the need for more men, we can always have them meet us from the Destiny."

"What would you like us to do, Jack?" asked Kyle. "Follow along just off shore?"

Jack nodded. "Yes, definitely. Stay away from the coast but just close enough in case we need you. I'll stay in contact with you over the radio and let you know if we need support." Jack then turned to look at Abigail, who was wearing a determined expression on her face. "I take it you're coming with us again?"

She nodded firmly and remained silent otherwise.

"That settles that then," said Jack with a chuckle. "Since this may be a longer trip than just the trip into Methusa, Kyle you're in charge of the Destiny until Abigail and I get back."

"Aye, Jack, we'll take care of her," said Kyle. "Just don't stay away for too long. I might get too comfortable in the command chair."

Jack started to laugh. "Don't get too comfortable. I'll be back for it soon enough. Are we all set?"

The rest of the faces in the bridge nodded.

"Good. We'll meet at the stern at seven-thirty in the morning. Let's try and get some rest now. We'll need it in the morning!"