The Gold Coast

Sartoma decided to use the silent voice. Pirates were bullies, who used surprise and brute force to plunder the unwary. Piracy existed even in the golden age of Mount Erebus, as there was no great naval power to hold them in check. A projection of power, and a giving them a primer to the realities of who they were and what they could do, should bring them to heel.

The 'Lords of the Sea' bound the hands of Fred, Solbert, Jan, and herself behind their backs. Solbert did not resist, shrugging his shoulder when they took his cane, and he almost looked bored, as if this were little more than an annoyance. Fred scowled, and complied stiffly, but complied nonetheless. Jan struggled, but was kicked and beaten and soon knocked out, unconscious. While this was happening, Sartoma started the silent speech.

"Listen! I am Sartoma the Archivist, of Mount Erebus, to the West. The dragon above you is the mighty Princess Astra, who spares your lives only because she is in a hurry for an important task in the East. If you co-operate, as friends, you shall not only be spared, but remembered as friends and rewarded accordingly. If you do not co- operate, and treat her and her servants roughly, she will also remember this. As a show of good faith, please remove our bonds, and let us walk freely.

The sailors of the ship did not change. She decided that she would become a little more forthright, and actively start reading the mind of the nearest sailor.

"Don't let it worry ya. It's a mage's trick. Charlie will take cara her. I wonder what Minestus is gonna to think about another dragon from da West comin' into da East. It should be big and violint. Could be good times ahead."

Sartoma froze. This was not what she expected at all. Who was Charlie? She shouted in the silent voice, "Charlie? Charlie?" She heard the sound of silent laughter from several points, but there was no definite response. She felt very uncomfortable, as if someone was toying with her. She now tried to close herself to the outside world, and still the silent voice. It did not work. Someone was there, but was not talking to her. It was almost as if ... It was! Someone was reading her memories, roughly, like a thief overturning a chest of treasure on the ground and sifting through its contents, looking for the most valuable pieces. Sartoma screamed silently, started to breathe more quickly, and turned pale. Both audible and silent laughter rang in her ears.

When Checkers landed at the crow's nest, the man on top said, "Welcome aboard the Gold Coast. Please climb down the rigging, to the deck. The first mate of the ship will escort you and your friends to quarters."

"Thank you very much, sir. Are you with the Blacksand, or the Archangel fleet?" Checkers slid down out of the crow's nest to the rigging. The wind made the man above difficult to hear. But she could understand that the man said that the first mate would explain. This made Checkers uneasy. The Archangel and Blacksand ships would readily identify themselves. This left two possibilities open. Either these were weak independent merchentmen outside the protection of these two maritime powers of the East, or they were pirates. Checkers looked below and saw the cutlasses drawn, and her companions being bound. They were pirates then. She lifted her right hand from the rigging, and opened her wing to the wind. She then jumped. She was too high up for anyone to try shooting her with a crossbow. These pirates had no experience with Gliders, and while perhaps they should have expected her flight, they did not. She was now soaring, above the ship. She was free again, but in little better shape than Astra. She would need a place to land. And the one place that was visible in the darkness below was now very hostile.

1. In the air above the Gold Coast ...
2. On the deck of the Gold Coast ...

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