Treon gave the man an unfriendly stare, although it was unlikely to be visible across the water and then turns to his crew, giving them orders to start trimming sails and all other things necessary to bring a ship into harbour, helping out himself where it was needed.  Once that is well underway, careful to keep his voice pitched so it wouldn't carry over the water, he addressed them.

"I'm not going to lie to you.  This is not the friendliest port to which you've ever been brought.  Your previous captain was apparently not much loved off his ship, and perhaps for good reason.  Be that as it may," he shakes his head.  The past wasn't important now, only their new future.  "I am your Captain now, and I'm not going to let them take you for crimes you committed before.  Captain Lasuri," he gestures to the Dryad, "also believes in second chances and he too will vouch for you.  That too is the truth.  What I ask in return is that you don't give them any excuses.  They're going to be petty and vicious and all the things they will accuse you of, but I know you can rise above that.  I know you can show them what it means to be a part of the Cobalt Alliance.  Don't let me, and more importantly, don't let yourselves, down."

He didn't feel he had to add any 'or else' to the end of that.  If the previous week had taught his new crew one thing, it's that people got what they deserved, whether that be reward or punishment.

"Nah, I think Captain Buruku's just blowing smoke, really," Jadira whispers to Tageru conspiratorially. "I think he's just paranoid because we've got Coral vessels on our side. And there's the Dryad, too, still a better ship than anything Wavecrest's got."

She grins a bit as she adds, "Who knows, he may be having a little penis...erm, I mean ship envy. Anyway, I think if we just behave it'll blow over easy. We've got a solid story after all."

The past week or so has already shaped up Treon's former corsair crew quite a bit. They're cleaner and better behaved, at least, and grumble fewer complaints. None of them look happy to be in the vicinity of Wavecrest, though, not even the more level-headed Black Reed.

The others assemble themselves as best they can for the 'inspection' Buruku mentioned. Treon notices a couple of his men, Hobnail and Nine-Fingers, looking visibly uneasy at the idea of docking in Seacrest. The crews of the Dryad and Marlena are much more accustomed to such proceedings, though, having already traveled with Lasuri and Jadira quite some distance. Cinna, standing next to Zeru, is already beaming at the idea of getting to dock for a while, peering with great interest at the sprawl of buildings with colored awnings that make up the city.

Once the ships are docked, the First Captain struts importantly from vessel to vessel, accompanied by the man he introduces almost dismissively as Harbormaster Jathin. Together they direct teams of Navy guards and inspectors to thoroughly every nook and cranny of the three Cobalt and one Tya ship. Unlike what they would do for any ordinary visitor to Wavecrest, they do not ask to board, they simply do so. It's rather invasive and brusque, but at the home turf of a Navy that can muster many times Cobalt's ships and crew, it's probably a better (or at least safer) idea to allow them their way.

Buruku demands that all crewmembers of the Dryad, Hammerhead, Marlena and Bounty are assembled on deck. He and Jathin split up, the harbormaster going to the Dryad, the Captain striding to the Hammerhead with something rather grisly in an airtight jar under his arm: the severed head of Captain Char "Bloodeye" Kossuth. (Tethia, standing with the crew of the Dryad, catches sight of it and lets out a soft strangled gasp, but remains utterly still.) A third official, a subordinate of Jathin named Khorveil, steps onto the Marlena.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:06, Thu 04 Dec 2008.

On all inspected ships, the captains are required to provide an accurate crew roster. One by one, the names of the crewmembers are called out and accounted for -- triggering a rising sense of discomfort for those few may very well not want their names known.

On the Spring Dryad II:

Jathin smiles thinly as he strides up the gangplank of the Dryad to speak personally with Lasuri, Jadira, Tageru and Tethia, while another one of his assistants takes care of the tedious roll call. "We've many rather extravagant Dragon-blooded visitors lately; one wonders at the strange coincidence of so many convening in the same place."

"As you may be aware, Wavecrest attempts to be hospitable to all, but we must still be sure to secure our borders against potential aggressors. You must understand that with such armaments as --" The dark-haired man in blue and white gestures toward the cannon taken from the Hammerhead "-- this fine specimen, we must be very careful to ascertain your intent upon entering our port."

"The preliminary inventory we have drawn up of your vessel, the... Spring Dryad II," Jathin reads after peering through his spectacles at the top sheet of his clipboard. "It includes several intriguing contraptions. Might I ask what it is the Cobalt Alliance actually does?" Apparently this is a question Lasuri has, and will continue to hear for a long time to come. "I will say that certain exploits of Cobalt have indeed reached our ears, but the general consensus is that you are pirates, and on friendly terms with Coral. Thus our alarm, as you travel with a ship captained by one of the most bloody corsairs our Navy has ever faced."

On the Hammerhead:

First Captain Buruku's confident gait carries him all the way up to the Hammerhead's deck, almost as swift as his winning smile. He is apparently a man who is used to currying -- and flaunting -- favor, and many times more daring and bold than most typical islanders. If one did not know his true heritage, one might wonder if he is a Fire Aspect himself.

Once aboard, he lifts up the jar with the severed head so that all the ex-corsairs aboard might see it clearly. One or two actually flinch, others murmuring low in tones that sound worried at best, hostile at worst. But Black Reed glares at them all for silence, and they straighten up. For the most part. Poor insomnic Hobnail seems to be quaking in his boots, and the shifty looking Nine-Fingers looks yearningly at the sea as if ready to jump ship.

"Let it be known what sort of punishment we of Wavecrest dole out to pirates such as yourselves. Can any of you rabble confirm the identity of the man in the jar?" Buruku almost seems to be relishing the idea of rousing Treon's crew to anger.

Again the whispers of unrest rise among the Hammerhead's crew. Only Reed answers firmly, "He is our former captain, Char Kossuth of Coral, sir."

On the Black Marlena:

Khorveil, a small, slight man with hair the color of seaweed, invades upon the Marlena with a spring in his step. Compared to the First Captain and the Harbormaster, he has the smallest of the ships to take inventory of, and the smallest crew to take roster for. Not a man who enjoys a great deal of work (unlike his slavedriving superior, Jathin), the official looks forward to finishing his shift just in time for lunch.

Zeru has already cleaned the Marlena of any unusual artifacts or items, so the inspection goes very swiftly, and much to Khorveil's liking. However, the crew has a single unusual characteristic to it that the junior harbormaster cannot bring himself to ignore: Cinna Argall, a woman sailor who has not tattooed herself as the Tya do. Nor is she a Dragon-blooded, the only other option any respecting Wavecrest man would consider for a female sailor to be.

So Khorveil frowns, stepping forward and examining this strange phenomenon closely. Cinna stands still, gritting her teeth at the boldness of his scrutiny, ready to slap him if he even dares push her personal boundaries any further.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:06, Thu 04 Dec 2008.

Zeru looks at the man hard. "Are there any problems sir?" he says cordially trying to snap his attention away from his first mate. Lover or not Cinna was part of his crew and he'd be damned before he let anything happen to any member of his crew. "You appear to be staring and I'd prefer you to take up questions or complaints with me." His tone is offhanded but nothing less than respectful. Should the man look at him he will hold the stare with no uncertain terms in them. Should he not he will look at Cinna comfortingly trying to silently reassure her that should this man do something inappropriate he'd find himself flying all the way to the Dryad and his superiors.

Keeping calm despite the situation, Lasuri tries his hardest to appear as solid and collected as possible, for the benefit of his crew. Like the figurehead of a ship, he would give them a strong, solid figure they can rely on, and inspire them not to fear the scrutiny the Seahaven personnel gives them.

"Mister... Jathin, was it? I'll start by saying your wanting to protect your borders and your people is completely understandable to me. I'd do the same, in your position. We just so happen not to have borders to protect, so all we have are the ships you see." He smiles lightly, peering over at the Hammerhead and Marlena before speaking again.

"I'm sure you've heard a lot of things about us, if you've heard about us at all. We tend to draw colorful comments and attention, when we do at all. I suppose some would call us pirates, although I'm not sure that fits us all that well. I guess the closest you could come would be to call us the 'home of second chances'." He pauses momentarily, mentally amused at how many times he'd had to explain this - and how many times it came up in different terms.

"We take in people who've either drifted from their homes, or people who want to make some change in their lives and fight for a different future. That's what we're about. We're not bandits, nor are we hungry for loot or resources. We're just working at giving these people a place to belong."

"Since I'm sure you can have that information confirmed anyways, I'm not going to lie to you, nor do I think I need to. We have an agreement with the people of Coral, yes. Mostly to buy and sell supplies so we can actually make a living. We're not part of the Coral navy, however, and we don't endorse what they do past our agreement. That's why we can cite neutrality in all matters of Coral beliefs and relations. We don't support any animosity they might have towards other nations - we continue to pledge our neutrality in these matters."

"Now that all of this long winded stuff is done with, I'll state again that we're here mostly because of an honor-bound promise I've made to Captain Tya Rothalga, to escort him and his crew back to their homes after the trouble they ran through at sea. In no way are we trying to spark a diplomatic incident, or are we trying to cause troubles in your nation."

On the Hammerhead

Treon wasn't usually the one to make snap judgements, but he'd formed one all the same.  He didn't particularly like this man or his attitude.  But he was damned if he'd let the man have the satisfaction of knowing he'd affected him at all.

"Their former Captain," he agrees with Black Reed, stepping forward just a little.  But enough to place him before the crew.  "They are now my crew, Captain Buruku.  I will thank you kindly not to taunt them on my ship," he says, voice calm, the fires banked.  Mostly.

"I trust now that you have had your confirmation, the Tya Rothalga will get the reward due to him," he says, as though he was in doubt over this.

On the Dryad:

Jathin listens pensively as Lasuri gives his 'Cobalt speech'. Unlike most people he gives the pitch to, though, the harbormaster actually takes out a quill pen (held by his young assistant) and starts jotting down notes. "So you claim to be a completely neutral entity." He shakes his head, as if disbelieving. "No wonder the Tya like you. I hadn't been aware the Emissaries of Perfect Water had some competition, as it were."

"They are similar sort of group, more about unity than 'belonging', though. These types of groups come and go." Jathin shrugs dismissively. "Few years back, the Emissaries were present at the summit called by the former Sea Lord of Coral, DiBello Gerarde. The end of that event upset the Immaculate Order representatives in the city quite... violently. We don't want any more of that sort of trouble either, you understand?" The smile that follows is polite and not at all friendly.

"Anyway, I would ask that you keep your more volatile artifacts on board. If you come in peace, as you say, you've no need for such devices. And we will be keeping an eye on you."

On the Hammerhead:

"Relax, Fireblade," Buruku says lazily, and tucks the jar back under his arm, as easily as if he were carrying some firewood, or produce from the local farms. "Rothalga will get his compensation, and we'll all be merry peas in a pod, eh, friends?"

He steps up to Hobnail, who looks the most visibly nervous, actually invading in the jittery man's private space. Treon knows that Hobnail, despite his anxiety problems, is a top notch lookout. In fact if the captain didn't order him to rest, he would probably keep watch the entire time (for some reason the crow's nest is the only place he's ever really calm). However, with the tall, handsome Buruku obviously asserting authority over him, he looks ready to wet himself in fear... and probably does.

Stepping back with a wrinkled nose, he fixes his eyes on Sang, on Ormi, on Crowfoot, on Nine-Fingers. The latter freezes upon being 'caught', his hand inching toward his belt. Buruku's smile starts to widen... [Private to Cathak Garel Treon: Figure you'll want to step in here. I won't let Buruku play around too much longer, he just REALLY dislikes Coral.]

On the Marlena:

At Zeru's comment, the junior harbormaster takes a step back, putting on a very pointed smile. "Well, Captain Zeru. I've nothing of significance to report." Khorveil hands over a document stating that the Black Marlena and crew has been inspected for docking and entering the city.

"Though please do tell your ... lady friend to visit our local Tya guildhall. I'm sure Elder Tya Lazulis would be pleased to speak with her." He nods, his stance relaxing slightly, as if saying those words have put the obviously wrong situation in front of him toward the right direction. "You can disembark once the others are cleared... if they are cleared. Wait for Captain Buruku and Harbormaster Jathin's word."

As Khorveil strides out of hearing distance, Cinna mutters under her breath, "Creep!" Brogan and Curran, Antov and Sunden relax their stances noticeably when the inspector is gone, as well. "Ey, been a while since we've stopped at a big ol' city like this'un," Antov says, stretching his arms fitfully. All of them look eager for shore leave.

Zeru puts his arm around Cinna. "Don't worry lass I've got your back... Can't have my first mate getting all flustered over a little staring by an apprentice." He says with a smile. "Alright men, we'll go see the Captain to see if we have jobs here and when we get those done we might get a little bit of leave." His mood seems fairly jovial overall. Coral pokes her head out of his pocket.

"Mau!"

"Hmm..." He looks down at her. "Oh right. I should get something shiny for Marlena. Good thinking Coral."

With that he and his crew head over to the Dryad. "Captain do we have interests in this port? Anything need to be done?"

"Guess I'll be leaving my baby behind, then," Jadira mumbles to herself. Then adds a little mischievously, glancing Lasuri's way, "The other one..."

Her portable cannon is safe in the armory with the strongbow, right now. She'd had to open the Essence lock for Jathin and his inspectors, most likely, but will renew the lock before she and the crew disembark.

The armswoman doesn't go unarmed entirely, of course. For the shore leave she's packing both the Lioness' Fang and the plasma tongue repeater from Kossuth's arsenal. For now they'd have to be enough to make her feel safe against whomever might jump them in Seahaven -- if anyone.

"Oh, we're not competing with anybody, so no use starting rumors, really. We're nowhere near the kind of influence the Emissaries have, anyways." He listens intently to the rest of the Harbourmaster's lecture, his expression unwavering. The smile on his lips does not vanish either, and he nods once Jathin is done. "Sure thing. We're not really picky, really. As for being watched, well... That's a given, although for a little group like ours the type that 'come and goes', that's a pretty big thing, being famous like that all of a sudden. We're not used to that sort of attention." He pauses, his smile widening a bit.

"We're not bad folks though, and we've every intention to follow your laws and rules to the letter. Oh, and we'll leave all the devices in here, of course. Thanks for the heads up, that's really appreciated, mister Jathin." Of course, the man's words were really not much of a 'heads up' and more of a thinly veiled threat, but Lasuri's apparently sincere disposition and bright smile do not waver, apparently oblivious to it. Of course, he is all but aware of what happened, but he would not let the Harbourmaster know that part...

After all, what better way to defuse a threat than to pretend you're oblivious to it?

Turning back towards Zeru, he nods slightly, smiling softly. "We'll stop for a bit, let the crews get some shore leave for a change. Been a while since we actually stopped in a city, and they've deserved it."

Lasuri has other ideas as well, of course - like trying for some recruitment, now that they are in an area that would permit so. He would not say it quite just yet, however, with Jathin in the vicinity. Although this idea is mostly benign, there is no telling how the already hostile Wavecrest navy would interpret it, and the Alliance does not need the bad press right now.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:12, Fri 05 Dec 2008.

While the Cobalt Alliance appeases the port authorities, Xander Lucian draws near to the docks. Once again, curiosity and thirst for adventure draw him toward the excitement at the harbor.

This time, though, there is not just one ship, but three. The lead vessel appears to be exactly what the rumors said: a warship of pre-Shogunate construction. She's a breathtaking sight, with her light yet superior hull made of specially treated, water-tight wood and a unique, organic crystal that shimmers in azure, purples and hints of gold when struck by the sun. She's more compact than most merchant vessels, with but a single mast, but carries an array of five weapons -- a pair each of ballistae and catapults, and a large, rather formidable looking artifact cannon lashed and mounted to the foredeck.

The captain aboard the magnificent Spring Dryad II is currently conversing with the harbormaster anyone from the Folly would remember from four days ago. At least three of them look like obvious Dragon-blooded -- the captain a Water Aspect, accompanied by two Wood Aspects, one so strong in breeding his hair appears like long grass, with a purple flower at his temple.

Flanking the Dryad on one side is a yacht of a similar class to the Folly, though not nearly as extravagant. To the eye of an experienced sailor, she's an aged but sturdy ship that's served quite some time at sea, with a crew that took her through a great deal of battles. Her weaponry includes a sailcutter and a sleek implosion bow, and the Hammerhead's captain (currently talking to a tall, bronzed, purple-haired figure that Xander would point out as First Captain Buruku of the Wavecrest Navy) is almost certainly a Fire Aspect.

On the other side is a smaller courier ship, the Black Marlena -- dwarfed at least in sheer presence compared to the other vessels, but nonetheless clean, well-kept and in excellent repair. Whoever captains the Marlena must be a man for whom sailing is a labor of love. Its only ballista mount is occupied by a sailcutter like the Hammerhead's.

---

OOC: Here's a summary of the Cobalt ships from the outside, for the new person (possibly people) coming into this thread. :) [Private to Peleps Zeru: Were you going to take the other sailcutter from the Hammerhead?]
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:02, Sun 07 Dec 2008.

Zeru leads his men into town and lets them know to check in at the Marlena by sundown. He asks Cinna if she'd like to go shopping in whatever marketplace Wavecrest has. With or without her however Zeru heads towards the marketplace and looks at some jewelry.

[Private to Storyteller: So long as it fits Marlena's requirements. I like that though, "labor of love."]

Khorveil, seeing Zeru and his crew already disembarking and headed off, runs across the pier waving his arms in frustration. "Hey, I just said you should wait... rrrh, never mind!" Not wanting to make a spectacle of himself chasing the Cobalt men, he just waves a couple of guards in his employ to follow along at a distance.

Red-haired Cinna, wrapped in Zeru's arm as they stroll along the pier and onto more solid ground, beams at the idea of shopping. "That's just what this lass is in the mood for." The other four crewmembers grin at each other, leaving the pair to themselves. They know they're being followed but chuckle to themselves at the challenge of losing their 'escorts' in the crowd -- particularly Sunden, the most limber of them besides Zeru himself.

---

OOC: Whoa, leaving so soon! I'd rather open up a different thread for the marketplace, I think. But not for a little while cause I gotta deal with the other people's stuff in this thread. :) [Private to Peleps Zeru: Marlena wouldn't mind a sailcutter. She's just iffy about weird artifacts.]

On the Hammerhead

"I am glad to hear that about Rothalha, Buruku.  He is a good man," one who was willing to give these men a second chance too he nods, and then steps back ... a little at least.  Enough to allow for the inspection to proceed.  Until it reaches Nine-Fingers, at least.  He shoots the man a glance which is both cautioning and reassuring before he addresses the god-blood in front of him.  "You appear to have paused in your inspection, Buruku.  I hope there is no problem."  It wasn't so much a question, as a statement.

On the Dryad:

"Your gratitude is noted," Jathin replies coolly, turning away when his senior assistant hands back the results of the roll call. "And your other men are at least attentive to orders, that's something to say for sailors who claim not to be pirates."

Another set of documents trades hands, and Lasuri is asked to place his signature on several of them for proof of identity, consent for docking fees and sales tax on imported goods, authorization for the Wavecrest Navy and Coast Guard to enact further inspections if they deem necessary, and acknowledgement of such pleasant statements as "The Limited Rights of Foreigners in Seahaven." As the leader of the Cobalt Alliance he is considered ultimately responsible of the conduct of his men in Wavecrest lands.

"All right, Captain Leomaris, First Mate Thornbloom, your inspection appears to be in order." One last, terse signature from Jathin seals the deal, and he begins to wave his people off the deck of the Dryad. Despite his mistrust of Cobalt, though, the harbormaster still lets out a quiet, long-suffering sigh as he sees Buruku is still taking his time...

On the Hammerhead:

Nine-Fingers meets Buruku's gaze boldly for just a moment before lowering his eyes, and his hand. It's clear he is seething with anger, but not stupid enough to cost Treon or his fellow crewmates any further hits to their reputation.

Finally, Buruku shrugs nonchalantly and steps back from Nine-Fingers and the others. "I've seen enough. Best keep an eye on that one, though," he remarks to Treon about the man he'd nearly pushed into aggression. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's a coward and a snitch... no honor among thieves, after all."

He turns, his back to the crew as he strides back toward the gangplank. Another man -- it looks like Tonsar -- grasps Nine-Fingers' arm tight as the wiry ex-corsair nearly lunges for the First Captain while he's turned away. Just a pace away from the plank, Buruku turns back smoothly, his hair and cloak swirling in a dramatic sweep. "Fireblade, you are of nobler stock and may go as you please, but your crew will not be allowed to roam more than two districts inland. See to it that they understand that."

Brusquely, he exits the Hammerhead while his accompanying subordinates finalize the documents...

Back on the Dryad:

...then strides onto the Dryad for one last pass of the deck, nodding almost as an afterthought to Lasuri, Jadira, Tageru and Tethia, who has taken a step back, her face averted from the jar tucked under the First Captain's arm. It seems no one on Seacrest port has connected her to Kossuth, not even Buruku.

"You lucky bastards. Better not give us any reason to take this beauty away from you." Winking, he bows almost mockingly and pronounces, "Welcome to Seahaven!"

"Well, that was pleasant..." Jadira mumbles once Jathin and Buruku are a good distance away. "So let's stretch our legs out! You too, crew." The Dryad's gunnery crew lets out a uniform shout of delight and sally forth from the gangplank into the city.

"I think we've some gear to sell off, shouldn't be a problem even in the legitimate market since it's not stolen goods--just spoils from a criminal. Well. That's how they see it anyway," she adds guilty, for Tethia's sake.

"Personally I'd love to get a hold of some steelsilk... though it'd be even more helpful to find us that crafter we need. Uh, and I guess we should relax too, huh?" The armswoman ducks her head sheepishly; her first thoughts for shore leave were not of food and rest, but of commerce and repairs. "How long were we planning to stick around, anyway?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:59, Sat 06 Dec 2008.

Thus dismissed, the Cobalt officers and crew (well, most of the crew) have the leeway to disembark and partake in what Seahaven has to offer.

The options here are quite broad. Lodging and dining can be found within the city for those who'd rather not sleep and eat on board. One could follow Zeru's lead and head for the Seahaven market, or toward such establishments as the Realm Embassy, the Western Trade Alliance chapter, the local Tya guildhall and the Guild's offices in Seahaven. The Mariner's Academy and the Seahaven Explorer's League offer options for research, and for the faith-minded both the Immaculate Order and the volcano priestesses have prominent temples in the vicinity.

For diplomatic purposes, one may request an audience with the Feathered One, the elected leader of Wavecrest, whose majestic palace stands at the foot of Mount Hamoji. There are also the offices of the Wavecrest Council, presided over by Cyretha, Seahaven's lady mayor.

---

OOC: Just giving options :) If you've something to do that merits a mini-thread I'll be glad to oblige, but if you'll just summarize the shore leave in a post or two then that could be done in this thread.

If the Helkar's Folly group is just sitting around I'll have Cobalt come to them, somehow.

Xander notices one of the ships disembarking too quickly and the guards following them. "Hmm that looks interesting." He heads as well wondering what could be happening.

"Thank you," Treon said, almost like he meant it sincerely.  Then he watched Buruku as he strode off, before turning to face his crew.  "Well, you heard the man.  Don't get caught more than two districts away from the ship.  I'm sure he wants nothing more than to have you arrested and imprisoned, and to use that to cause trouble for us.  And I'd prefer if he didn't get that satisfaction.  If you want anything from beyond there, ask me and if it is reasonable, I will do my best to get it to you.  I'm sorry that your first shore-leave under me is going to be such a poor one, but we had obligations."  He looked them over, judging their reactions.

"Now, I want you all to finish stowing things away for port.  Except for you, Nine-Fingers.  Follow me, please," he says, and then leads him to his cabin.

He smiles reassuringly at the man, and then speaks.  "Would you like to explain what happened up on the deck?"

"We expected such," Black Reed says, a frown on his dark features. "Personally, I think we are fortunate to have any freedom at all. I would rather be at sea than at this port, but we are in need of supplies and rest."

The Hammerhead crew generally glowers, grumbles and mopes, but most of them still get off the ship at least to stretch their legs, sticking in groups of three or four so as not to be caught alone.

When approached by Treon and asked to accompany him, Nine-Fingers is quiet all the way to the cabin. He's no longer nervous, but simply subdued. "Sir," he says quietly when they are both in privacy. The ex-corsair fidgets as he talks, scratching at his temple with a long nail, scuffing his boots on the floor. "I was born in Seahaven. Never really lived the good life. I grew up on the streets. Got the knack for stealin' things here and there -- was just a way to survive."

Nine-Fingers wipes his nose with the back of his four-fingered hand. "Well, I got pretty good at it. Thieving. Got cocky... thought maybe could get the attention of the Obsidian Blades, y'know? Instead, I got caught. Cut my pinky -- so I'd always be marked for what I am. But Cap'n Kossuth, he got me afore they could put me behind bars."

"Was a long time ago, but some might remember. And that Buruku, he wants our blood! Don't trust 'im at all."

Unnoticed by the others, Xander heads after the pair of guards trailing after Zeru's group. (Xander/Zeru continue in the market thread.)

Good at thievery, eh? Treon filed that piece of information away for later.  Never know when someone skilled at a bit of underhand stuff would come in.

"Thank you for being honest with me," he says with a nod.  "As for Buruku, I have my opinion of the man, and he's done little to disabuse me of it.  He won't get you for anything you didn't do, I promise you that.  All I ask as that you don't give him an excuse."

He nods at the man to let him know he can go when he wishes, and then when he has, he settles down to record things in the ship's log, before he decides to go and visit the Dryad.  He's looking for Jadira, to ask something of the sorceress, and perhaps also to find Tethia.

Jadira is still aboard the Dryad, as is Captain Leomaris and Tethia. Tageru has already stalked off with his typically aggressive expression to explore the city inland.

Tethia's expression is a rather bleak one. She seems uneasy with the idea of disembarking -- or perhaps about Buruku. Neither would be surprising considering the treatment of the ex-corsairs so far. The dark-haired woman turns at Treon's approach, saying nothing but watching the Fire Aspect guardedly.

Treon approached her respectfully, smiling when he got close.  "Greetings Miss Tethia," he says, his voice warm.  "How have you been?" he enquires, politely, his demeanor non-threatening.

"What do you think of the Cobalt Alliance so far, at least from your brief experience of us?"