Act 4.4

Under the olive tree Lomu sits and admires his blade, while Vera plays with calluses on Lomu’s tattooed fingers trying to remove the signet ring to play with.

Vera- Will you be joining your father?

Lomu- I would, but no.

Vera- I was sure you were eager to prove yourself a man.

Lomu- I am, but I cannot.

Vera- is it me? Are you staying for me?

Both burst out laughing.

Lomu- No, father gave me the position of sheriff.

Vera- thus eliminating any threat to your family from the man in high places?

Lomu- Its more than that, he trusts my judgment.

Vera- At the age of twenty, sure.

Lomu- He knows who I am and that I will only surround myself with people like me.

Thunder shakes Lomu back to reality.

Cardus- Are you well?

Lomu- Fine, fine I haven’t slept in two maybe three days...

Cardus- You will find no respite now as well, look.

Cardus points to the Quaz frigate not a hundred meters away.

Lomu- They are letting us get so close?

Cardus - White flags have been hoisted so I assume they will let some of us board. Unarmed at least, that was the custom in my sailing days.

Lomu- It helps that we are on merchant vessels and not equipped to fight those ships.

Cardus- We are hardly equipped to sail in this rain.

Inquisitors commandeered merchant vessels linked them up by planks and drifted towards Reza’s Ship. Meanwhile on a small boat Ybagin and two of his cohorts' row towards Reza’s ship and board it. Moments later one of Ybagin’s cohorts unwrap flags and signals to the rest of the ships.

Sarah and other inquisitors look at the flagman for signals.

Sarah- Need… 6… volunteers… disarm… and board… ship for inspection! I will go volunteers come with me!

Other inquisitors protest.

Sarah- I am going based on seniority.

Lomu and Monk step forward along with another other four, hooded all.

As they get into a skiff and row, halfway they are met with the returning Ybagin and his men.

Ybagin- Inquisitor Sarah, I thought I left you at our base?

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Sarah- Reverend Edna sent me after some complications at the base.

Ybagin- We will discuss that later. Be quick, be thorough and should you find him be adamant, they have as much to lose as we, if not more.

Ybagin takes a cursory glance over the others and commands the boat to proceed.

As both boats reach their respective destinations Ybragin starts to go up the stairs to board the ship when he stops and turns around.

Ybagin- (in realization) ooh.

After being checked for weapons, Sarah is the first to reach the deck and the others start climbing as well.

Reza-I see, I am told you are responsible for my new wrinkle.

Says Reza as he presents his bisected Cheek and torn ear from the helm.

Sarah grabs the spear of crewman behind her and kicks him down to where others are boarding from. She moves the spear behind her shoulder and lets it loose into Reza, who promptly steps to the side and catches it.

Reza- Last time you boarded my ship you were a lot more cordial.

Sarah- Last time I didn’t know I wasn’t dealing with Shackler!

Lomu freezes in place.

Quaz men rush her and start beating her down while others restrain men that have already boarded.

Hooded guard at the helm bellows- Wait!

Reza glares at Sarah while swirling the projectile in his hands.

Reza- Before you die and you will die. You will clear up something for me, why lie?

Sarah- I am not lying, I saw the cavern, I saw the slaves under the ruins. I know what that place is and I know what you are!

Reza- Oh not that. That is irrelevant, I mean why did you lie about Lomu. He never boarded that ship, you two were busy massacring my servants.

Sarah- I was only a child when you took us in, then you took my family! You killed my parents! You sold my brother! It took me years to find you!

Reza- Oh for fucks sake.

Reza stands behind her places the spears shaft under the jaw and starts choking her.

Reza- You mewling bitch! What did you do to my friend!?

Next to Reza a hooded guard’s chest bursts with a sword as Lomu stands right behind him. Followed by a swift shove at Reza who let go of Sarah and repositioned himself just behind his men. Having heard everything from below, Lomu grabbed the unconscious crewman's sword and snuck up, while the old monk snuck into the ship through its gunport.

Reza confronts him and before his men can attack him, he waves them to stop.

Reza- Lomu? Brother, you are safe!

Lomu to Sarah - Are you all right?

Sarah- (coughs)... I will...I am.

Reza- Brother....

Lomu- Enough! I heard enough. First Amir now you.

Reza- Lomu you are confused I merely.

Lomu- You did not commandeer that ship, nor did you avoid the black market YOU RAN IT! You fucking Asshole!

Reza- I...

Lomu- What were you going to do? How far does this go?

Reza- Lomu you don’t understand.

Lomu- That I agree, I don’t; more and more I see that there is so much more I don’t understand. But this is wrong and evil and I don’t need to understand it when I know that I cannot forgive it.

Reza- Forg...Forgive?! Fucking forgive! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!

Sarah- My Prince.

Following those words Sarah swung at the nearest sailor smashing in his ribs.

Reza- Seize THEM!

Sarah and Lomu began fighting the enemies while Reza shouted over the rain and the wind as they moved from one side of the ship to another.

Reza- I never wanted this! I didn’t, I tried my best to keep you safe and alive. I could have made us work. But you have meddled in so many of my plans I don’t even know what to do with you. All my plans ruined because I tried to save your ass more times than it was warranted.

As the crew is starting to dwindle another one of Rezas ships drifts toward them and its crew starts pouring in to assist Reza.

Reza- I never hated you like others. I never shunned you! Before you left for war, I sent that ship to attack your vessel. I only came to your rescue when I saw it was YOU aboard it and not your brother.

Another ship sides with them and more of Rezas men join the fray.

Reza- You never deserved to die, others can’t wait to see you die, I never wanted to harm you! But your actions have left me with no choice.

As the enemy onslaught continued Sarah’s wounds and Lomu’s fatigue started showing and they huddled up.

Reza jumped down from the helm with the same spear in his grasp.

Reza- I am sorry my friend, but I am left with no other choice.

Reza winds up to deliver a killing blow, but before he can thrust something catches Rezas attention. He looks up only to see the linked merchant ships loom over his deck with lord high inquisitor glaring down on them as they ram his vessel.

End of Chapter 4.