Captain Abin Gosana, Eldest daughter of the Gosana House of Djinnhall and defender of the Fourth Grand Duke of Djinnhall for over ten years... was bored. Abin stood beside her helmsman, a man she hardly knew, and aboard a ship she didn't care for. Half her crew had been reassigned for the "grievous failure of defense" that the damage to the Rear Admirals ship had resulted in. It hadn't been her fault though, no more than it was the skies', how was she to have known they'd have to protect from an Arcannon? So now she was trapped, commanding her current residence.

Swallows Tears the tin death trap was called, state of the art and using the best of both Arcane and Steam. They were custom made for Rear Admiral Lower Half Hosan Yuhen, designed for combat and stealth. So the sellers said anyway. In reality they were nothing more than wide slots of metal with boiling steam in its center. It barely even had rigging, it was a twin mast no less. Abin cursed the Rear Admiral Lower Half with all she could, wishing she could tell him to stick his orders up his Lower Half.

"Storm Captain." The Helmsman said. He didn't need to point, their eyes had been locked on their aerial foe and its slow passage into the darker clouds far ahead.

"Hmm, so it would seem." She frowned, her luck didn't look to be changing anytime soon.

"Shall we divert, Captain?"

"No," She said, "We have to see what they do"

"Aye Captain," The Helmsman held course.

The Helmsman had seemed to be a rather affable man, nothing about him really stood out to catch ones eyes. She had no interest in the man for even the possibility of companionship, but he was a decent enough fellow to work alongside. Perhaps she would reconsider the companionship aspect of her decision, he seemed fine enough in conversation.

"What do you think they'll do now?" She asked "Flee into the storm? Try to land amongst the islands?"

"It's a good question, Captain, I'm afraid I haven't an answer." The man said, "but whatever choice they make, they'll have to make it soon. That storm is far too heavy for regular air travel."

"That it is..." Abin muttered. What have you up your sleeve for me?

For seven days they had followed this ship, chasing it long into the night after recieving the buko's notice of attack. The single ship had taken a Galleon, it looked no bigger than an old explorer vessel, the discontinued and decommissioned models always seemed so utterly strange when compared to their modern counterparts. That was to be expected though, when dealing with thieving pirates. Generations old ships sluggishly drudging along as new bits are constantly affixed to its aging frame.

She didn't fault them however, Abin knew what preference could do for a soldier. Knowing their weapon or feeling it as "lucky" seemed to work for them, if not physically, then mentally. She had her own preferred fishing pole, and her lucky dress back on shore. Repetition was said to have some element of magic within it, whether that was true or not didn't matter, so long as it brought her comfort.

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"Give them another round of the fore guns!" She shouted.

The shots were similarly useless, but it served a different purpose. To remind them they were there. Abin didn't know if these pirates cared to look around, but if they didn't she wanted them to have the knowledge at least. There was nothing honorable about killing an unprepared opponent, her mother and father had taught her as such.

The wind slowly picked up to a gust and a light drizzle of the stinging rains began to pelt the decks of the ship. Expanse storms were filled with all manner of inconveniences, and they spelt doom for almost any who risked traveling through them. Which was why she wouldn't. Hang the Rear Admiral Lower Half if they thought she'd risk her crews lives, much less her own, chasing some random crook. Death had its share of honor as well, but she was in no hurry to meet it.

"Captain, I believe we should-" The Helmsman stopped as the storm picked up. Lightning split the sky and forced Abin to look away.

When she returned her eyes to the ship, she noticed that something was different. It had stopped, almost entirely, above a grouping of islands. Abin wasn't sure whether the coasts of these waters held the dangers of her homes coasts, but she still felt no real obligation to pursue further.

Then the ship dropped. It well and truly began to fall as if dropped from up high by an invisible hand. The hull teetered and spun as it descended at a dizzying speed, and were it not for her position in chasing these criminals, she would have done them the decency to look away. They were certainly falling to their deaths. Before the ship could hit the water it vanished behind a peak of rock and silently crashed.

"Well," She said sighing, "That takes care of the dreaded Pasongunan and its murderous Captains."

"Aye Captain, it appears so."

"I wonder what caused them to fall like that."

The Helmsman shrugged, "Hubris I'd wager."

To die on the rocks and reefs so far from one's own home and life. It was tragic in its own right. Abin removed her Tricorner and held it over her heart in a quiet salute, the Helmsman followed likewise, but the crew that had watched the event as it transpired only shouted whoops of cheers.

"They're dead!" They shouted

"Died of stupidity!" Others added

The cheers grew in volume as the crew poured onto the deck, some grabbing tankards and mugs of beer and watered wine to share. Ignoring, all the while, the stinging of the storms harsh rains. The crew had killed their first pirates.

"Recruits are always so chipper about these things." The helmsman said solemnly "Killing a Pirate or sinking their ship."

"Should they not? It means they may be promoted when they ship home." Abin said

"But it doesn't show respect to those that pass, no lantern for their souls." He lowered his head in silent prayer.

"Lanterns? Like the old trinity used to use?"

"I suppose it is," He said "Shall we pursue to find the bodies?"

"I'd wager we can wait out the storm and let the crew celebrate. Likelihood is they crashed inland or in an ocean ravine. Either way we wouldn't find them," Abin tried to keep her eyes fixed on the peak where the ship had crashed, but the rain was making it too difficult and the stinging was beginning to get to her.

For a moment she swore she saw the sails of the pirate ship, but when she wiped the water away to see the glimpse had gone. Probably just the lightning playing tricks. She could sleep now, now that their pursuit was finished. They'd try to find and recover the bodies tomorrow, but for now they could all take the deserved rest they'd earned. For her part, Captain Abin Gosana of Imperial Royal Vessel Swallows Tears, was going to join in the drinking before passing out in her cabin. It would do the crew some good to see their Captain loosening up with them. She wouldn't drink too much, the Rear Admiral Lower Half was most assuredly going to be a handful and she was going to need all the seven days or more to prepare to deal with him again.