Sounsyy reversed the shortsword in her hand so that the pommel was held out. She joined Ryanti by the window and began knocking out the remaining glass remnants with that pommel. When she was done, she sheathed her blade behind her and looked at her partner. It was a small window, so they were standing almost shoulder to shoulder, even though Sounsyy's shoulders were much shorter than his.
"Yeh, I were there. I drove the Sahagin spear through her chest," she said flatly. She cast her eyes in his direction to catch his reaction. There was the barest glimmer of amusement in the sparkle of her eyes. Was she amused by Sterransa's death or was it that Ryanti had probed like predicted?
"That secret safe with yeh too?" she asked with an idle smirk as she turned away and did another sweep of the hall behind them. Again, the light showed nothing so she returned to stand beside Ryanti. She wondered if the proximity of their bodies made him uncomfortable. Had he made the connection yet that she had killed her way into her position as Captain?
Without warning she had a firm grip on Ryanti's shoulder, but she only used it to hoist herself up into the open window. Her other hand held tightly to the wall as she perched on the edge and craned her neck out into the darkness of the shaft. Below her, a small walkway barely wide enough for her foot circled about the outer rim of the shaft. She pulled her head back and craned her neck from side to side to see what she could differentiate or use in the dark. There wasn't much. Above them, darkness. Below them, darkness. To her right, she could make out the outline of the massive lift doors that they had been unable to open. There was a gap in the walkway, allowing space for the circular lift platform to meet almost directly to the door.
Seeing little other recourse, she pulled her legs gingerly through the window and tested her weight on the platform that ringed around the shaft. It creaked some, but seemed sturdy enough. Once inside, she could better direct her torchlight, scanning the walls in a wide arc. Soon, her light fell upon a control console nearly opposite from them. There may have once been faint lights that illuminated it, but it was now so coated in dust it was nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the wall.
"Yeh got more rope? I think that's yer power source. If we can get to it," she added bitterly as she tested the more narrow balcony with her toes. "Whoever crosses this should 'ave a safety rope."
She regarded him for a moment before turning back to the empty space before her. Her shoulders seemed relaxed for the first time since their descent into the brine. While Ryanti prepared his solution, the words began whistled from her parted lips, escaping between every breath, "Sterransa had lost her way. The killing had stopped affecting her. Sterransa believed that the only way to deal with the great pirate factions was to give 'em a taste of their own medicine, fight fire wit fire as the sayin' goes. Well, when the blaze takes hold yeh can't tell whose flames burned what. So it was with Sterransa."
Sounsyy's voice reverberated down the length of the deep shaft, resounding her secret across the Allagan starship. It was as if Sounsyy was burying these secrets beneath the waves, casting them like rocks down a well of inescapable darkness.
"Between the agonized wails of one of our captive brigands we discovered several pirate factions were forging dangerous alliances with the Sahagin. Safe passage across the seas, routes of our trade ships, all in exchange fer crystals and tellin' the Coral Tridents which ships would have the most devastating blow against the Barracuda. Sterransa wanted to hit the Coral Tridents hard before they could use the traitor's intelligence, but the whoresons were not caught unawares. We near lost three battle galleys and our ship were broaching and takin' on water. Sterransa were overtaken with bloodlust and ordered one last pass through the frenzy. We took another blow and our masts began to crack. Sterransa was thrown to the gunwale, the waters rising about her. I was close and I had the spear. I took her outstretched hand and I saw that confident smile spread across her lips, just before I drove the spear down through her chest. I held her fast until I felt the life drain from her fingers, then I let the Deep claim her. With the remaining frigates we adjusted our attack. With nets and cannons we did enough damage to their number after Sterransa's violent plunge to force the Sahagin into retreat. With Sterransa dead, I were the highest ranking officer alive by the end, so the credit of that clutch victory fell to me. That's how I became a Captain."
Sounsyy faced Ryanti through the broken window, her face brightly lit by Ryanti's torchlight. She looked almost specter-esque in the steep contrast of light and shadows. Ryanti's face was shrouded and near unreadable. "I think yeh should go to the panel," she said suddenly, "Yer the only one what can read it. I can hold yer safety rope in case yeh fall. That is- if yeh trust meh with yer life still."
She paused and started climbing back through the window, perching on the empty frame, her knees nearly up to her chest. She looked at Ryanti and a terse, soft laugh sounded from her throat. "So'z I got to ask. This who yeh expected me to be?"
"Yeh, I were there. I drove the Sahagin spear through her chest," she said flatly. She cast her eyes in his direction to catch his reaction. There was the barest glimmer of amusement in the sparkle of her eyes. Was she amused by Sterransa's death or was it that Ryanti had probed like predicted?
"That secret safe with yeh too?" she asked with an idle smirk as she turned away and did another sweep of the hall behind them. Again, the light showed nothing so she returned to stand beside Ryanti. She wondered if the proximity of their bodies made him uncomfortable. Had he made the connection yet that she had killed her way into her position as Captain?
Without warning she had a firm grip on Ryanti's shoulder, but she only used it to hoist herself up into the open window. Her other hand held tightly to the wall as she perched on the edge and craned her neck out into the darkness of the shaft. Below her, a small walkway barely wide enough for her foot circled about the outer rim of the shaft. She pulled her head back and craned her neck from side to side to see what she could differentiate or use in the dark. There wasn't much. Above them, darkness. Below them, darkness. To her right, she could make out the outline of the massive lift doors that they had been unable to open. There was a gap in the walkway, allowing space for the circular lift platform to meet almost directly to the door.
Seeing little other recourse, she pulled her legs gingerly through the window and tested her weight on the platform that ringed around the shaft. It creaked some, but seemed sturdy enough. Once inside, she could better direct her torchlight, scanning the walls in a wide arc. Soon, her light fell upon a control console nearly opposite from them. There may have once been faint lights that illuminated it, but it was now so coated in dust it was nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the wall.
"Yeh got more rope? I think that's yer power source. If we can get to it," she added bitterly as she tested the more narrow balcony with her toes. "Whoever crosses this should 'ave a safety rope."
She regarded him for a moment before turning back to the empty space before her. Her shoulders seemed relaxed for the first time since their descent into the brine. While Ryanti prepared his solution, the words began whistled from her parted lips, escaping between every breath, "Sterransa had lost her way. The killing had stopped affecting her. Sterransa believed that the only way to deal with the great pirate factions was to give 'em a taste of their own medicine, fight fire wit fire as the sayin' goes. Well, when the blaze takes hold yeh can't tell whose flames burned what. So it was with Sterransa."
Sounsyy's voice reverberated down the length of the deep shaft, resounding her secret across the Allagan starship. It was as if Sounsyy was burying these secrets beneath the waves, casting them like rocks down a well of inescapable darkness.
"Between the agonized wails of one of our captive brigands we discovered several pirate factions were forging dangerous alliances with the Sahagin. Safe passage across the seas, routes of our trade ships, all in exchange fer crystals and tellin' the Coral Tridents which ships would have the most devastating blow against the Barracuda. Sterransa wanted to hit the Coral Tridents hard before they could use the traitor's intelligence, but the whoresons were not caught unawares. We near lost three battle galleys and our ship were broaching and takin' on water. Sterransa were overtaken with bloodlust and ordered one last pass through the frenzy. We took another blow and our masts began to crack. Sterransa was thrown to the gunwale, the waters rising about her. I was close and I had the spear. I took her outstretched hand and I saw that confident smile spread across her lips, just before I drove the spear down through her chest. I held her fast until I felt the life drain from her fingers, then I let the Deep claim her. With the remaining frigates we adjusted our attack. With nets and cannons we did enough damage to their number after Sterransa's violent plunge to force the Sahagin into retreat. With Sterransa dead, I were the highest ranking officer alive by the end, so the credit of that clutch victory fell to me. That's how I became a Captain."
Sounsyy faced Ryanti through the broken window, her face brightly lit by Ryanti's torchlight. She looked almost specter-esque in the steep contrast of light and shadows. Ryanti's face was shrouded and near unreadable. "I think yeh should go to the panel," she said suddenly, "Yer the only one what can read it. I can hold yer safety rope in case yeh fall. That is- if yeh trust meh with yer life still."
She paused and started climbing back through the window, perching on the empty frame, her knees nearly up to her chest. She looked at Ryanti and a terse, soft laugh sounded from her throat. "So'z I got to ask. This who yeh expected me to be?"
