Twilight Arrivals

Wing closed the metal door to his cabin under the wheelhouse roughly, just short of actually slamming it.  Still seething that someone had been possessed of the AUDACITY to sneak aboard his ship.  HIS ship.  He let a pent up breath out slowly between his clenched teeth and could feel his heart slow its slamming in his ears.  Only then did he notice the slightly overweight man seated in one of the chairs by the desk in his first room.  The man wore wire rimmed spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose and had ragged, curly blonde hair that he was in the process of running his fingers through.  he was dressed in grease stained overalls and there was black smeared on one of his bristle covered cheeks.  His blue eyes were sharp however and the speed with which he rose as Wing entered the room spoke of a man who knew how to handle himself.  Wing shrugged out of his coat and hung it on a peg next to the door as he greeted the man.

"Hello Mathayne.  I take it that everything is shipshape for our voyage."  He quipped.  Mathayne rolled his eyes good naturedly and dropped a fat folder onto the dark wooden desk bolted to the floor on the other end of the room.  Wing ducked into the attached room and began changing out of his damp clothes while Mathayne took a seat again and dragged a ragged notepad from the pocket of his overalls.

"Refilled on fuel and supplies.  That Asian guy we picked up in Japan took shore leave.  Said something about wanting to see Hawaii for his emperor.  No clue what that's about, but he paid us.  We also sold that crate of stuff we got off the college professor in Germany, finally.  Turns out your hunch was right by the way, stuff in there was enchanted.  Guy up from Louisiana bought a bunch of it, and a cardinal of all things bought the rest.  Although he seemed to be looking for something else.  Anyway, I took down his contact information and told him that if we came across anything else like what was in the crate we would let him know.  Got quite a bit from it.  Even considering your usual cut to send to your folks and paying the crew we are doing pretty well.  Better than we had hoped really."  The man sure didn't look it, but he was one of the most capable quartermasters that Wing had ever known.  Never needing to write much down besides a few notes and general ideas he had an innate sense for all supplies that The Deputy had on board at any given time, but he true calling was as the chief mechanic of The Deputy.  He kept her running in stormy seas and had even rigged up several modifications that Wing was convinced not even the military had taken the time to dream up yet, much less put into practice.

"Fine work as always Mathayne.  Go ahead and help Darabka with casting off.  We are heading for the Vegoslav Settlement to meet with Akoshii.  Tell Bridgette to make it quick."  Wing had finished changing into a clean, dry white shirt with a dark Keffiyeh worn scarf style around his neck.  Wing fingered it as lightning flashed again outside the window, wishing he'd had it earlier to help keep his head dry.  Mathayne also eyed the lightning outside the window, but his was a more worried look.

"You sure we should be heading out in weather like this Captain?"  He asked.  Wing grimaced as the thunder finally hit them, chances were good they'd be sailing right into the teeth of the storm, but it couldn't be helped.  His gaze flicked to the black backpack he had left by the door and the slight bulge in one of the side pockets.  The item inside making that bulge had been something he liberated before meeting Gunner at the library and it was even odds that it had already been noticed missing.  For better or worse, the people he had.... Relieved of the item were not the sort to rely on the police to retrieve anything.

"Can't be helped mate.  With any sort of luck we can get around the worst of this before it makes landfall.  Only lose half a day or so by going around, and I would rather be on the seas right now."  Wing went around the man and sat in the large chair behind the desk, propping his feet up on it and leaning back.  Mathayne made to leave but Wing called to him at the door.

"Mathayne, tell Bridgette to expect trouble."  He said seriously.  The chubby man gave a short laugh.

"No disrespect Captain, but i'll be far more worried when the day comes that you tell us not to expect any trouble."  He closed the door behind him and Wing waited a few minutes to be sure before springing up and grabbing the backpack.  Hastily he dug through the contents before setting a rather ugly necklace with a large, gray stone on the desk.  The stone itself was etched with harsh, angular script and it seemed to vibrate on the table, Wing could feel the vibrations moving up his hand.  He took his hand away and rubbed it apprehensively and stared at the amulet before sweeping it back into the backpack and shoving everything under his desk.  Setting his jaw he strode out of the cabin, trying desperately to convince himself that a guttural roaring had not filled his head when his hand came into contact with the stone.  There was plenty of danger waiting for them over the next couple of days for him to dwell on what that amulet may or may not be.