The Puddle Bat sailed on into uncharted waters. The encounter with the pirate ship had cost the Captain two soldiers dead and five wounded. None of the wounded had been poisoned, or injured badly, so they were soon back at their duties.
The Captain spent several days in his cabin, recuperating . . . and slowly accepting that he now had a sister, a woman pirate who would undoubtedly hang when they returned to the United Council Lands.
The Captain had Bonnie Sally, as she was known on shore, untied, and then dismissed everyone but her from his cabin.
“You trust me, Captain?” she asked him, smiling malevolently.
“As a pirate, no. As my sister, yes.”
That wiped the impudent grin off her face.
“What would you have done with me, then?” she asked sullenly.
“I know not, save that I have no memory of you from my childhood and would beg you to enlighten me if you can. I have lived long without going back to that wretched time and would not lightly touch it again, but it appears I must.”
“Something to eat and drink first . . . brother.”
“Very well.” The Captain knew that the Lieutenant was right outside the door, eavesdropping anxiously, waiting for the first sign of trouble to come barging back in. “Lieutenant!” he called, “bring, ah, Bonnie Sally, something warm if cookie has anything. And a tankard of ale, to boot.”
There was a muffled “yes sir” and a few moments later Lieutenant Markh knocked and entered with the victuals and drink.
Bonnie Sally made no excuses for eating like a pig – she hadn’t had anything since the night before, and didn’t trust her ‘brother’ to keep her well fed, seeing as she was marked for hanging. She wiped her mouth on the cuff of her ragged sleeve while pulling her destroyed pants and blouse together in a show of mock modesty. This roused the Captain from his introspection long enough to have the Lieutenant fetch some clothes from the only other woman on board, Pothouse Annie. The resulting outfit hung on Bonnie Sally like sails becalmed. The Lieutenant discreetly withdrew.
“Henders Strangeheart LaMerit; he was your father.” The Captain made it a statement, not a question.
“Aye, brother. So he was.”
“And now you’ve become the pirate Strangeheart” he said sadly.
“As you’ve been Captain Strangeheart these many years, I take it.”
“Yes. Captain Strangeheart, of the Hosts of the Armies of the United Council Lands. You know what my duty is towards you, as a pirate, don’t you?”
“Truss me up and let the carrion feast upon me.”
They could only stare at each other as the shadows lengthened in the cabin. He with troubled curiosity, she with a veiled countenance that the Captain could not fathom.
“I remember only this . . .” he began at last.
Down in Doctor Pennocker’s cramped quarters there came a timid rapping at his door.
“Please to enter” said the Doctor courteously.
Bill slid past the door and stood before the Doctor, nervously glancing about. He rubbed his bald head ruefully. Bill started when he saw that a human skull sat beside the Doctor at his desk.
“Who be that?” he asked.
“Oh, that was my predecessor at the University, Doctor Holst. We have a tradition that our skulls are not buried with the rest of us, but oversee, as it were, what future scholars are doing.” The Doctor gave a dry chuckle. “I have carried him around with me these past ten years or more; no doubt he is as enchanted as I am with our current voyage and adventures.” The Doctor resumed scribbling upon his parchment with gusto, entirely forgetting the presence of Bill until the latter gave a rumbling cough.
