Journal of Eldrich Henderson, 2218
It was a week before the rise of the Month of Auf Maglal, my mama would have said. My name is Eldrich Henderson, and I am an Olgog. My mama and pa moved up from the Goblin Lands only a generation back. They wouldn’t be proud of me, signing on as I did with the Despicable Desperados. But they sure liked the silver watches, and gold rings I sent home to them. Then retired nicely up in Neo Vargas. A costly enough retirement, one payed for by my own pirating. They thought me a merchant-marine, but the only marine I know, is the one I bashed for his revolver.
That there revolver sat at my hip right now.
Cap’n Rorgan Mueller was a kind and just old captain. He and the Desperados had taken many a ship during the Border Wars. Rich Peacelords fleeing south with their illgotten gains, found them relieved of anything of worth. He flew a flag of Blackest Saragosan Silk adorned with an Olgog Skull.
I take no mind to the skull, Cap’n Meuller did me always a good turn, green fur and all. Piracy was a democracy in many ways, an equal share for all, and we all talked much before we took the Oner’s contract.
The money alone was a nice incentive, but Cap’n Meuller had long talked of setting up a pirate haven on the coast. A place where they could fence their goods, and have a few fine fine courtesans waiting for them. So the five fine vessels of the Desperate Desperados moved south along with a flotilla of other less reputable Pirate ships.
Thirty in all, and we approached with increasing frequency towards the small town of Drewsport.
Their flotilla was not sailing too tightly. The different captains didn’t know each other and didn’t trust each other’s helmmen like the five ships of the Desperados did. Our ships were closer together and moving and signaling each other, keeping our arrow formation.
Suddenly the evening we were scheduled to arrive at Drewsport a strange set of vessels swooped from the sky. They were wooden fighter aircraft flying colors of a nation I’d never seen before.
In the distance I could see the breakwater at the edge of the Harbor, and knew we were so close to our prize. Ahead of us was a small dingy, with a single Merc waving at us.
“Cap’n Mueller,” I called out, “We got a little fishy over the leeward side. You want I to fish him up here for some questions?”
“If this town got aircraft like those,” said Captain Mueller, “Then we weren’t told the truth about our target. Signal our boys, lets pull aside and see how the fodder handles the defenses.”
I leaned out and dropped a rope ladder to the Merc who introduced himself as Dreg as he pulled himself aboard.
“Thank you kindly Captain?” asked Dreg.
“Captain Mueller,” I told him quick.
“Yes Captain Mueller, you and you crew have a golden opportunity here. A town willing to hire you out in its defense,” said Dreg, “I signal to my friends, your ships are safe, we bring a negotiator onboard and we make a deal.”
“I got gold in my pocket,” said Captain Mueller, “What can your people offer me that gold can’t buy?”
Dreg didn’t know what to say, so he just said the truth. He had heard Urik talking at length about G.U.T.S. and its contacts but how badly it needed supplies. So he just started talking.
Dreg said, “A port to start with. Your own slip to moor your vessels. A town where you could trade all that loot for the real stuff you need, good water, good food, tools. I represent a Merchant group called the Greater Unen Trade Syndicate. We could move your loot, and you could avoid having to bring it inland to Neo Vargas for trade.”
“That would save me a nice amount in what I pay to the 99s to fence my goods,” said Captain Mueller, and I agreed. I never liked the 99s and knew they were fleecing us on some of the jewelry we brought in.
While Captain Mueller and Dreg negotiated I looked out towards the breakwater where the first of the pirate vessels had begun creating a Tidal Wave.
The wave rose up and headed for the shore with alarming speed. Out on a jutting escarpment of coral and sand, I could see a grey-skinned humanoid. His Eye was as large as a dinner saucer. He stared at the tidal wave and it parted. It crashed weakly and harmlessly far away from land.
Aye the Captain was right, this was no sleepy fishing village, and the Oners had lied.
The rest of the pirate fleet, nearly twenty five vessels sailed on to my wide eyes.