Sezjeck watched Tornas walk away. His heart ached for him. He hoped that tomorrow Petrianna would be well enough to help him keep his nightmares at bay. The first mate paced the deck. Tornas was not the first person he had met who was so haunted by their past. How many friends had he lost because their past had refused to stay behind them? It didn't bare thinking about right now. Yesterday had been fatally disastrous. More than half the crew were gone sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Of the half that remained, Sezjeck could not be certain of their resolve, or their loyalties. Most had come off of merchant ships they had taken on their way down the coast. The sorceress had saved them again. But who now would still believe the source of her powers? He stared out towards the horizon and the rising dawn. The sea was still and they were days from land in either direction even by the most hopeful estimates. He saw a lantern lit inside the captain's quarters.

"We're fucked aren't we?" Seanathan was beside him.

"I have the most annoying habit of hope, shipwright." Sezjeck responded.

"I suppose things could be worse” Seanathan began “the ship could have been completely destroyed and what few survivors remained forced to try to make it to the coast in the one long boat. Of course there would have been no time to gather supplies so the remaining few would have had to resort to cannibalism as they were beset by more sea monsters and never made it to the shore they so desperately paddled for.”

There was a beat of silence. Both men broke down laughing.

“But seriously Sezj, it could not have gone that much worse. It's always tense between the quartermaster and the captain, but Etheldred's serious this time. We kicked the problem a little further down the road yesterday but if we do not reach land and soon...” he paused “Sezjeck, what are we up against?”

“That is a discussion for me to have with the captain, not you” Sezjeck responded sternly.

“Sezjeck come on, we've been sailing together for years. You know where my loyalties lie and I showed them to everyone yesterday. I just need to know who I'm up against.” Seanathan said.

Sezjeck sighed deeply. “It's hard to say. There are a few that certainly belong to Etheldred; Jimothy, Ryan, Kerrek; but others remain uncertain. Although of the ones we lost, manny were loyal to the captain.”

“So whats the plan?” Seanathan asked honestly.

“To be determined I think. Come, we should speak with the captain.” Sezjeck lead the way to the Captain's quarters and knocked twice before entering. “Captain?”

“Sezjeck, Seanathan good you're both here. I seriously doubt the quarter master will be joining us this morning and even so Erika has gotten used to not coming so we should probably just get on with it.” Esmerelda was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Come in” she said not expecting anyone.

Petrianna stepped into the room, wrapped in her shawl and looking ashen faced with deep circles under her eyes from her efforts the previous day.

“Girlie, what are you doing up shouldn't you be resting?” Esmerelda asked her.

“I rested and I am fine, see.” she bloomed a small feeble flame in her hand. “or I will be fine. I know there are a lot of people that need help and I was not able to help anyone yesterday.” She said.

“Petra by what fucking metric did you 'not help anyone yesterday” Seanathan interjected.

“There were many that were injured and I was unable to help them because--” she began.

“Because you roasted a fucking kracken!” Seanathan interrupted her again and continued “a behemoth of the deep that would have destroyed this ship and devoured all of us. I know you haven't been sailing long but that is the kind of thing you get to take a few days off after. Wouldn't you say captain?” he looked to Esmerelda.

“He's right Girlie,” Esmerelda stood and walked over to her, but did not put her hands on her. “You don't need to be here right now, you should be resting. You saved the ship, you get today off.” Esmerelda said

“But people need help, I am the surgeon I am here to heal people that is my job. I--” Petra began.

“Petrianna, we are all in your debt, there are none gravely in need of your attention just now, you should go rest.” Esmerelda spoke over her.

“but--” Petrianna began to protest.

“Girlie, you're dismissed. Now go, thats an order.” Esmerelda said with finality.

“Yes captain.” Petra conceded nodded to Sezjeck and Seanathan and left.

“That girl was not given enough praise as a child I guarantee it.” Seanathan said as soon as the door closed behind her.

“That is not important right now.” Esmerelda said pacing the room “what I need to know from you is the state of our ship.”

Seanathan took a deep breath “Bad, captain, it's bad”

“Details shipwright” She barked out of patience.

“We lost the fore mast it came down and took a good deal of the railing and starboard gunwale on the forecastle with it. We are in the process of clearing the mess. The rudder took damage as well so steering is going to be difficult to impossible. And aside from the biggest hole where the balista was torn out we have numerous holes above the draft that need to be patched. The most critical repairs have already been done as well as they can be but captain, it is a miracle that we are still floating.”

“What is your suggestion Seanathan?” Sezjeck asked.

“Honestly,” he looked to both of them “hang flags of distress, and pray. And then if we don't make land or another ship within the week head for shore in the long boat.”

“My crew has shrunk, but not enough to all fit into one long boat with enough supplies to make it to land.” Esmerelda responded.

“Which brings us to the second problem.” Sezjeck began “Captain we have to talk about Etheldred.”

“Can I kill him yet Sezjeck?” Esmerelda pleaded.

“He has some loyal to him, and if we were to move against him I can not guarantee which way the fight would go.” Sezjeck informed her.

“So what do we do?” Seanathan asked.

“We make sure we do know what way the fight will go.” Esmerelda responded “We find out where everyone's loyalties lie. Then next time Etheldred calls for a vote we let him. It won't be unanimous, and we will know what kind of fight we are going to have on our hands. We will prepare for that fight.” Esmerelda said. There was a beat of silence.

“You're both thinking it I'm just gonna say it,” Seanathan began “Petrianna is going to be crucial to this. If we can get her to stand behind you, after that display yesterday, there won't even be a fight. Everybody saw what she is capable of. Nobody wants to be on the receiving end of that.”

“Well then we will just have to convince her to come on side. Etheldred is no close friend to her it should not be too difficult” Esmerelda concluded.

“Captain, I do have much to do to keep this ship afloat so by your leave,” Seanathan said heading towards the door.

“Yes of course go” Esmerelda dismissed him.

“Captain, Sezjeck” Seanathan nodded to each of them and left.

Esmerelda and Sezjeck were alone in the room.

“Sezjeck I think you need to focus on making sure Dimitri is on our side. He told Girlie he loved her, I think her loyalty will follow his.” Esmerelda said.

“When did this happen?” Sezjeck asked.

“Last night after the funeral, he was apparently very sweet to her.”Esmerelda answered.

“Word from your spy I suppose?” Sezjeck guessed.

“Yes, he is proving quite useful.” Esmerelda confirmed.

“He?” Sezjeck inquired.

“Oh don't pretend like that gives you a clue it only eliminates Girlie and Erika.” Esmerelda responded.

For a moment the captain was silent.

“Captain, are you alright?” Sezjeck asked.

“My ship is barely seaworthy in the middle of a doldrums in a sea of monsters, and I have a mutinous quartermaster and more than half my crew is dead. I have been better.” Esmerelda responded.

Sezjeck knew he could not improve the silence after such a statement.

“How is Tornas, Sezjeck?” Esmerelda asked.

“How do you know about that already?” Sezjeck asked surprised.

“I heard it out on deck.” Esmerelda said honestly.

“Ah,” Sezjeck paused “He's a strong man, He'll pull through. He always has before.”

“Are you alright, Sezjeck?” The captain asked her first mate.

Sezjeck took a deep breath. He was far from at ease on a number of things but there was one thing that kept pressing to the front of his mind. “I worry about the girl. I don't think her secret will keep for much longer.”

“I'm afraid there is nothing that can be done for that now. The alternative was all of us at the bottom of the ocean, hopefully people will see that.” Esmerelda paused for a moment. “Speaking of the girl and I honestly can't believe I've never asked, Sezjeck, do you have fire?” Esmerelda asked.

“Fire is typically not welcome on board a ship, Captain” Sezjeck answered avoiding the question.

“It would have been yesterday.” Esmerelda pressed.

“What I can do is nowhere near the magnitude of what was required. And anyway I believe that any similarity of her to me would put her in more danger than she is already in.” Sezjeck responded.

“You're probably right, though I can't believe you've kept that from me all these years?” Esmerelda said.

“We all have our secrets captain, some are more wise to keep than others.”

“Right, well the current task is establishing loyalties so we should go about it.”

“Yes, Captain” Sezjeck nodded and exited the captain's quarters.