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"Osric, meet me in Vesper...we need to talk."
The Lominsan showed a bell or so later. Gone were all pretenses: he was dressed in little more than a shirt and breeches. He took one look around before walking into the plaza and sitting down on one of the benches with a sigh.
To his left sat a male Seeker dressed in rather sparse attire, after the fashion of the Dutiful Sisters. The tia glanced about, perhaps a little nervously, as Osric sat down - almost as though he thinks I was followed - but in the end, they both settled into an uncomfortable, awkward silence. That silence stretched on and on until, at last, S'imba asked...
"Did you set me up?"
Osric shook his head. "No."
"You realize it's difficult to not think that."
The Hyuran man glanced at the Seeker and spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.
"What d'you want me t'say? That I took word o' the airship to Haelstyrmm, knowin' that he'd be happy t'let the colony burn? Aye, I took a risk 'n' gambled hundreds o' lives on you, Zanzan, 'n' the rest o' the captains. That I hoped that the commodore would be content t'leave our arrangement intact? Aye, I was a fool, 'n' the sadistic git decided t'pin the fault on the Revenge. That I stood aside when y'consented to be taken in? I'd have fought tooth 'n' nail alongside you if you'd refused, cap'n, the Spot be damned. Had a lead on the bastard what gave it to me anyroad. I'll own my sins, aye, but at least give my due."
He frowned down at the cobblestones, breaking eye contact.
"...you're a good man, to have taken me in. Good men deserve better than to be betrayed. Did I not pull back from killin' your friend when y'asked me to? For I could've managed it, sure as the sun rises."
S'imba took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter, began working some stiffness out of his mucles. "Are you in the clear now?"
The Lominsan sighed again... but he nodded vigorously.
Defendin' Wanngeimdottir against Silverain seems to have kept me in the Maelstrom's good graces." He looked up and smiled a little. "Glad t'see you're alive 'n' still breathin'. Got the Revenge back, or...?"
"Yeah... amazingly, Leanne gave her back instead of making me watch her burn it," S'imba said, rubbing his neck. "Those were not the charges I expected to be hit with, though."
Osric grunted as he eyed the horizon. "Said she would when she drove the crew t'mutiny. As for the charges... wish you or the others had told me sooner. Was like bein' raked by a ghost-ship that I didn't know was there."
"I didn't know those charges were there, either," S'imba said with a growl. "Not exactly ones I'm going to be able to clear my name of."
An awkward silence stretched between them again.
"You didn't do it, then."
"No...the shite with Jenny was some Auri bitch assassin paid off by the Monetarists... framed me for killing her... but I thought the Maelstrom had cleared me for that."
Another grunt. "Well... shite. Might not be your first mate anymore, but you're still m'captain and I owe you somethin' fierce. You want or need for anythin', you just ask. Startin' now."
"...any ideas what I should do?" S'imba asked, frowning. "Probably would have been better to just have gone quietly."
"Aye, but was Silverain what cocked that up, not you. She was slated for the hangman's noose the moment she killed those men. Was mighty glad t'see you drive her over the side 'n' into the drink." Osric leaned back and blew out a breath. "Damnable thing is, we had an entire crew's worth o' witnesses and testimonies. We could've slammed Haelstyrmm. Now... now, I don't rightly know, short of catchin' the real perpetrator what killed Hellfist."
"I know who and where the real perpetrator is."
The Hyuran man blinked and turned his head to stare at the captain of the Sultana's Revenge. "Then go get 'em. Clear your name. Don't bother anglin' for Hael; best t'get out from under 'n' keep sailin'."
"That's kinda the problem....she's through Zanzan's sister-in-law."
Osric winced as he sat forward, arms on his thighs. "Your call, there."
S'imba looked to the ground miserably. "I was supposed to be an Eorzean hero... now, thanks to Hael, I'm just another filthy pirate."
You sound bitter. Good. Best to be bitter. Ain't a damned thing that's fair in this life. Mayhap you'll grow sick o' the taste 'n' hit back.
Osric dropped a hand on S'imba's shoulder, though, and squeezed. "No, you're not. Your friends know it. Your crew know it. The folk you save know it. To the hells with the rest."
"I guess you're right." The Seeker sighed. "Well...I've officially been a wanted criminal in all three city states now."
That won him a chuckle. "Three...? Mayhap you'll try for Ishgard next. Make it four."
"Err...no thanks, they're mean to their prisoners."
The Hyur nodded. "Fair enough."
"So...what are the chances that the rest of the Alliance will come for me?"
A shrug. "Slim, if you avoid the city-states proper. Vylbrand's a right coeurl t'get to, what with Maelstrom at every port, but most o' Aldenard's easy enough. Grand Companies tend t'concern themselves with bigger fish. Syndicate's a matter o' greasing with coin. Gridania... don't rightly know. Seem swell for bigoted folk. Point is... Haelstyrmm can point fingers all he likes, but if he starts houndin' for us, it'll look like a vendetta. People'll start askin' questions. He can't afford that."
"Well then I should push him into making it a vendetta in a grand plan of revenge of my own."
Osric barked a laugh and stood up, offering S'imba a hand. "I'd like t'see that... but Kanaria'd have m'arse."
S'imba took the other man's hand and pulled himself to his feet. "Well it seems the only way I'm clearing my name is through Hael... guess that kinda screwed his plans to screw you over though... I'm sure he would have taken us down one at a time, had I actually been arrested... too many loose ends to be floating about."
"We would've thought o' something. But no point in bellyachin' over what could've been. We're dealin' with what is, now." They made eye contact. "Give me 'til after the hearin'. Once the Spot's off, I'm free t'help however I can."
"I'm sure you'll end up with some deal involving you bringing me back in before they'll remove it."
Osric rolled his eyes as he dropped his hands to his hips. "Jus' means I get to helpin' you that much sooner. Thom's near t'gettin' me their roster. They refuse me after the stunt I pulled? I start tearin' through them 'til I get my hands on the man I need."
"I like that plan." S'imba smiled, and in that smile was a flash of his old confidence. "Alright, tell me... my escape from justice last night... how would you describe it?"
The Lominsan grinned and crossed his arms. "Dashing. Inspiring. Legendary. The dread captain o' the Revenge, savin' a damsel from the gallows by escapin' with her into the Deep! Blessed by Lymlaen 'n' Nymeia, the Sea itself kept him safe and delivered the hero back to his crew o' heroes!"
S'imba grinned from ear to ear at that, blushing slightly at the same time. "Well... I tried my best."
Osric gave him a thumbs-up, and then pointed at S'imba. "You hold onto our pearl, y'hear? Practically family after all o' this. I'll keep you informed o' goin' ons, and if you ever need somewhere t'lie low, you're welcome with us."
"I'll keep that in mind," the tia said, returning the thumbs-up. "I may just come lie low, just to get something to eat."
His former first mate nodded.
"We're in the Goblet. Ward Twelve. Also own a nice bolthole up in the Beds." Osric turned and walked off, waving a hand in farewell as he glanced over his shoulder and called, "don't be a stranger, we owe you!"
"Thanks, Osric!"
Don't thank me. Twelve Above, don't thank me. Not for this.
The Lominsan showed a bell or so later. Gone were all pretenses: he was dressed in little more than a shirt and breeches. He took one look around before walking into the plaza and sitting down on one of the benches with a sigh.
To his left sat a male Seeker dressed in rather sparse attire, after the fashion of the Dutiful Sisters. The tia glanced about, perhaps a little nervously, as Osric sat down - almost as though he thinks I was followed - but in the end, they both settled into an uncomfortable, awkward silence. That silence stretched on and on until, at last, S'imba asked...
"Did you set me up?"
Osric shook his head. "No."
"You realize it's difficult to not think that."
The Hyuran man glanced at the Seeker and spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.
"What d'you want me t'say? That I took word o' the airship to Haelstyrmm, knowin' that he'd be happy t'let the colony burn? Aye, I took a risk 'n' gambled hundreds o' lives on you, Zanzan, 'n' the rest o' the captains. That I hoped that the commodore would be content t'leave our arrangement intact? Aye, I was a fool, 'n' the sadistic git decided t'pin the fault on the Revenge. That I stood aside when y'consented to be taken in? I'd have fought tooth 'n' nail alongside you if you'd refused, cap'n, the Spot be damned. Had a lead on the bastard what gave it to me anyroad. I'll own my sins, aye, but at least give my due."
He frowned down at the cobblestones, breaking eye contact.
"...you're a good man, to have taken me in. Good men deserve better than to be betrayed. Did I not pull back from killin' your friend when y'asked me to? For I could've managed it, sure as the sun rises."
S'imba took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter, began working some stiffness out of his mucles. "Are you in the clear now?"
The Lominsan sighed again... but he nodded vigorously.
Defendin' Wanngeimdottir against Silverain seems to have kept me in the Maelstrom's good graces." He looked up and smiled a little. "Glad t'see you're alive 'n' still breathin'. Got the Revenge back, or...?"
"Yeah... amazingly, Leanne gave her back instead of making me watch her burn it," S'imba said, rubbing his neck. "Those were not the charges I expected to be hit with, though."
Osric grunted as he eyed the horizon. "Said she would when she drove the crew t'mutiny. As for the charges... wish you or the others had told me sooner. Was like bein' raked by a ghost-ship that I didn't know was there."
"I didn't know those charges were there, either," S'imba said with a growl. "Not exactly ones I'm going to be able to clear my name of."
An awkward silence stretched between them again.
"You didn't do it, then."
"No...the shite with Jenny was some Auri bitch assassin paid off by the Monetarists... framed me for killing her... but I thought the Maelstrom had cleared me for that."
Another grunt. "Well... shite. Might not be your first mate anymore, but you're still m'captain and I owe you somethin' fierce. You want or need for anythin', you just ask. Startin' now."
"...any ideas what I should do?" S'imba asked, frowning. "Probably would have been better to just have gone quietly."
"Aye, but was Silverain what cocked that up, not you. She was slated for the hangman's noose the moment she killed those men. Was mighty glad t'see you drive her over the side 'n' into the drink." Osric leaned back and blew out a breath. "Damnable thing is, we had an entire crew's worth o' witnesses and testimonies. We could've slammed Haelstyrmm. Now... now, I don't rightly know, short of catchin' the real perpetrator what killed Hellfist."
"I know who and where the real perpetrator is."
The Hyuran man blinked and turned his head to stare at the captain of the Sultana's Revenge. "Then go get 'em. Clear your name. Don't bother anglin' for Hael; best t'get out from under 'n' keep sailin'."
"That's kinda the problem....she's through Zanzan's sister-in-law."
Osric winced as he sat forward, arms on his thighs. "Your call, there."
S'imba looked to the ground miserably. "I was supposed to be an Eorzean hero... now, thanks to Hael, I'm just another filthy pirate."
You sound bitter. Good. Best to be bitter. Ain't a damned thing that's fair in this life. Mayhap you'll grow sick o' the taste 'n' hit back.
Osric dropped a hand on S'imba's shoulder, though, and squeezed. "No, you're not. Your friends know it. Your crew know it. The folk you save know it. To the hells with the rest."
"I guess you're right." The Seeker sighed. "Well...I've officially been a wanted criminal in all three city states now."
That won him a chuckle. "Three...? Mayhap you'll try for Ishgard next. Make it four."
"Err...no thanks, they're mean to their prisoners."
The Hyur nodded. "Fair enough."
"So...what are the chances that the rest of the Alliance will come for me?"
A shrug. "Slim, if you avoid the city-states proper. Vylbrand's a right coeurl t'get to, what with Maelstrom at every port, but most o' Aldenard's easy enough. Grand Companies tend t'concern themselves with bigger fish. Syndicate's a matter o' greasing with coin. Gridania... don't rightly know. Seem swell for bigoted folk. Point is... Haelstyrmm can point fingers all he likes, but if he starts houndin' for us, it'll look like a vendetta. People'll start askin' questions. He can't afford that."
"Well then I should push him into making it a vendetta in a grand plan of revenge of my own."
Osric barked a laugh and stood up, offering S'imba a hand. "I'd like t'see that... but Kanaria'd have m'arse."
S'imba took the other man's hand and pulled himself to his feet. "Well it seems the only way I'm clearing my name is through Hael... guess that kinda screwed his plans to screw you over though... I'm sure he would have taken us down one at a time, had I actually been arrested... too many loose ends to be floating about."
"We would've thought o' something. But no point in bellyachin' over what could've been. We're dealin' with what is, now." They made eye contact. "Give me 'til after the hearin'. Once the Spot's off, I'm free t'help however I can."
"I'm sure you'll end up with some deal involving you bringing me back in before they'll remove it."
Osric rolled his eyes as he dropped his hands to his hips. "Jus' means I get to helpin' you that much sooner. Thom's near t'gettin' me their roster. They refuse me after the stunt I pulled? I start tearin' through them 'til I get my hands on the man I need."
"I like that plan." S'imba smiled, and in that smile was a flash of his old confidence. "Alright, tell me... my escape from justice last night... how would you describe it?"
The Lominsan grinned and crossed his arms. "Dashing. Inspiring. Legendary. The dread captain o' the Revenge, savin' a damsel from the gallows by escapin' with her into the Deep! Blessed by Lymlaen 'n' Nymeia, the Sea itself kept him safe and delivered the hero back to his crew o' heroes!"
S'imba grinned from ear to ear at that, blushing slightly at the same time. "Well... I tried my best."
Osric gave him a thumbs-up, and then pointed at S'imba. "You hold onto our pearl, y'hear? Practically family after all o' this. I'll keep you informed o' goin' ons, and if you ever need somewhere t'lie low, you're welcome with us."
"I'll keep that in mind," the tia said, returning the thumbs-up. "I may just come lie low, just to get something to eat."
His former first mate nodded.
"We're in the Goblet. Ward Twelve. Also own a nice bolthole up in the Beds." Osric turned and walked off, waving a hand in farewell as he glanced over his shoulder and called, "don't be a stranger, we owe you!"
"Thanks, Osric!"
Don't thank me. Twelve Above, don't thank me. Not for this.
![[Image: 1qVSsTp.png]](http://i.imgur.com/1qVSsTp.png)