"What about the housings?" Vel asked

"I've discussed the matter to death." Yedia responded. Her frustration was beginning to show, more than usual anyway.

Seko, Vel, and Yedia were still in the inner chamber of the Dry docks reviewing information and recalculating their navigational plans. Vel and Yedia were pouring over a portion of the depressed table that held markups and crude plans of ship improvements or outlines. It was common place at this point that the next few hours after an Officers meeting was filled with a second, more tense, Officers meeting of the Engineers. Seko had originally planned to have Nakyan handle it this time, but the man had abandoned the meeting immediately after its closing.

"So how many have we taken then."

"One."

"One?!" Vel sounded astonished, almost hurt, "You're seriously only giving me ONE."

"And you should be so lucky." Yedia snapped

"We need at least Four, as I said in the meeting!"

"And as I said then, we can't afford it."

"We can afford more than one." Seko offered, drawing a death glare from Yedia

"See! Even the Captain agrees!"

"The Captain," She placed an accent on the word "would agree with anything that benefits his projects."

"Thats a rather harsh thing to say." Seko said making the motions of beings stabbed in the heart. "You wound me with your words."

"I didn't," Yedia said, smiling, "But I can."

Seko cut the act and sat a bit straighter. "R-right."

He sometimes forgot how talented Yedia was, given her small stature and frail frame. She hardly seemed the type to join those traveling the Seas and hunting the Imperial Ships. Yet she was one of the most brutal Arcanists Seko had ever seen, with a talent for the Physical Aspect that rivaled some Pere of legends. It had always seemed strange to Seko that she had chosen to join their crew and leave Niruk, but having her along was far more of a boon than he was willing to ignore.

"Can't we get three? At the very least?" Vel asked

"You're not accounting for the running of those Arc cables of yours. Each foot costs nearly a half month's rations for a single man. You want me to run those all across the ship as if it were simple rope we could string up."

"The work we do has saved the ship more times than any of us can count." Vel said confidently, "And the advancements to the Arc weapons we've stolen by Seko have given us a huge advantage over the other common pirates out there. We shot the Raz for Creation’s sake!"

"And the damage we've done will only mean a larger target on our backs." Yedia said, "If the captain demands we get two and run the cables enough for them, then that's what we'll do. Understand Vel, I appreciate the work your team has done and the lessons you've taught our dear ignorant captain here, but that doesn't give you the ability to hold that over our heads as if it were a crown."

"I didn't-"

"You're part of this crew, and we all keep each other alive. None of us can survive without the other when we're out there."

"I don't need a reminder of basic knowledge, old woman."

"Then how about a reminder of the importance of people other than yourself?"

"Yedia!" Seko tried to stop her, but she was too far gone

"You don't seem to understand, little girl, that Reeves and Paz and Sunte are all members of the same crew. If you make a decision that hurts the crew, then you hurt your friends as well. You can't just use magic to protect everyone, or have you forgotten how that worked out last time?"

Vel slapped the woman, tears spilling silently from her eyes as she followed the motion and calmly walked out the door. The room was silent with only the pair remaining, Yedia seemed shocked at the strike but only in form. Her face bore the same grim, unchanging expression as always.

"Was that really necessary?"

"She's young, and you both seem to think that the world revolves around your little experiments."

"She's trying her best to help those around her."

"You can't rely on magic to solve all of your problems." Yedia said, she rested a hand on the table over a pair of designs. "You're becoming talented, but it seems you're starting to forget your mortality."

"I've done no such thing, I'm simply trying to make our lives easier. If I can do these things, then why shouldn't I?"

She gave him a careful, calculating glance and sighed. "I can't stop you from trying to use your new talent to help others, nor would I."

"But?"

"But my job is to make sure that you, this ship, and this crew, survive each time we leave a dock."

"You're also a member of that crew." Seko said in a mocking tone, "Rather selfish and bias."

"It's even more reason for me to try and keep the ship and crew alive. I've tied myself to this vessel and its foolish captains. The least I can do is either abandon ship or keep it afloat."

"I'd refuse your resignation." Seko let the seriousness of his feelings on the matter bleed into his tone. "You know that."

"So that really leaves me with only one option then." Yedia said, "Keep this whole thing running for another few days." She paused, then said, "Your brother is right about one thing. We need more money, especially if you want to keep investing in these projects and alterations."

"I'm more than willing to go after larger scores, but I don't want to risk my life chasing legends and fairy tales."

"It isn't a fairy tale lad, Its real." She lowered her voice to little more than a dull whisper, "I'd have figured you'd have learned by now. There are monsters on these lands and in those waves that even the gods themselves fear. Depairyos treasure is no exception."

"I get it. You don't like the idea. I don't either, but I made the promise to Nakyan and I don't want to break that promise. Not to my brother, not to anyone for that matter."

"Then, since you're so devout to your honor, make me a promise."

"Fine, what would you have me promise?"

"Promise that you'll keep this crew's safety at the forefront of your mind, even if it means siding against your brother at the time."

"I..." it should have been easy to say the words, meaning them or not, but Seko couldn't bring himself to do it. The idea of siding against his brother wasn't new, but to be asked to all but outright say he would. To make him promise it. "That isn't fair."

"It isn't meant to be fair." Yedia said, "I want to survive, and I won't have your brother causing my end on some wild chase for ancient treasure."

"I promise." Seko felt a pit form in his stomach and a cold shiver come over him, but he swallowed and tried to push the feelings aside. He was a Captain, and his crew would be relying on him for their safety, Yedia was right. He couldn't risk the safety of his crew for a wild goose chase.

"Then we shouldn't have a problem. I'll make sure that the housings, cables, and other improvements are made. It shouldn't take more than five days. Once the works complete, we'll refit the cannons and make the alterations for the increased storage sections."

"Very good."