Daniel had enjoyed the days on shore; they had allowed him to travel around a bit and learn more of the town and the adjacent areas. It was not a bad place to live, but the lack of action (not counting a certain bar fight) was getting to him, so he was glad to go out again. Even if it was just a short trip.
He finished his cup of sturt, paid using his ring and headed back to his apartment. Getting his things was routine by now, so soon he was on his way to the harbour. He grinned as he came up to the immense ship. Seeing it like this was so much better than the view from his window. As he came closer, his grin changed to a frown. There were a few carts at the bottom of the gangway with the names of companies he did not recognise. Men he did not know and who did not look like they belonged on the ship were climbing up and down, taking things.
Daniel walked up to the deck and saw Draiky watching the men. “Hello, Xandree. What’s all this?”
The woman shrugged. “I am not sure. Orders from the Seigner, I heard. Ulaman and Xandree are not here, they asked me to keep an eye on these people.”
Two men tried to bring aboard a very large, long chest. They were swaying on their feet precariously as they tried to lift the thing up. Daniel dropped his things and quickly gave the men a hand. A fall down, he knew, meant certain death. The quay was hard and the water unforgiving.
“Thank you, sir!” the men said as they came aboard. They picked up the chest and disappeared below deck.
“They are hammering down there,” Draiky informed Daniel. “Lot of noise. I’m happy the galley is far from there.”
Daniel nodded. “I’ll go put my stuff away and see what’s going on.”
“Good luck, Daniel.” Draiky turned to the next man was bringing a bag of stuff on board, checked a list, and directed him below deck.
Daniel followed the man who moved slowly under his load. It was also obvious he was not used to moving about on a ship. The security man frowned as he saw the man stagger into the cabin opposite his own, where a lot of the hammering and sawing came from. The ‘Keep Out’ sign on the door made him wonder even more.
He was stowing his belongings when the hydger rattled. It was Gaguran Slindris. “Mr. Zacharias. Good day. I am calling you, on behalf of Seigner Dandra ko Galem, to inform you about work being undertaken aboard the Pricosine.”
“I am already aware of that, Mr. Slindris,” Daniel said. “The workers are hammering loud enough not to miss it.”
“Very good. They are all selected and found safe to work on board, Mr. Zacharias. There is no need for you to be concerned, or to interrogate them.”
“Interrogate? That is a bit drastic, isn’t it?” Daniel wondered where that suddenly came from.
“I just want to make sure you understand. The work has to be done before the Pricosine sails. Seigner Dandra ko Galem asks if you can assure that all safety precautions have been taken and checked. And that the rescue vessel is in order, for the eventual case that it is needed.”
“Of course, I’ll see to that. May I ask what this is all about?”
“You will learn about that soon enough, Mr. Zacharias.” It was evident that Gaguran wanted the conversation to end.
“Very well, sir. Thank you for letting me know.”
“Good day, Mr. Zacharias. Apologies for being negligent; you should have been informed of this earlier.” That was all. The grey display was a clear sign.
After storing his things and changing clothes, Daniel went up on deck again and looked for Ulaman once more. The captain was still not there. He heard his name and turned, seeing a small group gathered near a mast. He walked over. “Hi, guys. What’s the matter here?”
Brinno made a hushing sound. Then he whispered: “Something strange going on, Daniel. Something really strange. There’s rumours that there be a passenger on the ship.”
“That would not surprise me, really,” Daniel said. “There’s a lot of activity going on below deck. Inside a cabin. Did the rumours also spill who the passenger will be?”
Brinno and the others shook their heads. “Nah. Nothing for sure anyways. Some say that it is the Seigner. Some say it is the mouse.”
Daniel grinned at the way Brinno spat out the word ‘mouse’.
“There should na be a passenger on de ship. She’s a cargo ship, na passenger carrier,” another sailor said, proud of his work and not too keen on strangers.
Daniel left the guessing group as he had to do his round over the deck, and under it too. He grinned at the lot as he walked off. Chattering and gossiping as the next man in the market square.
As he returned from the round over the deck, Draiky was no longer on her spot to direct people. Daniel peeked over the side. Some of the carts had left, some were still there. He went below deck and found the ‘Keep Out’ sign still attached to the door. He knocked and opened the door as far as it would go.
“Hey!” someone yelled, “can’t you read?!” The door bounced back. Daniel obviously was not supposed to come in.
“I am the security person for the Pricosine. I just want to check things are okay in there.”
“They’re okay, now go and let us do our job. We’re pressed for time as it is.”
Daniel sighed. “Okay. Have fun in there.” He’d have a look there as soon as the men had left. The fact that a cabin here was being worked in did add body to the rumours that there would be a passenger on board. But perhaps it was something for the future. Daniel disagreed with that last thought. It was still strange that this rush- job was being done only hours before they would take the ship out for a test. Also the comment about the rescue boats…
“You’re looking for ghosts, Zacharias,” he told himself. Instead of ghosts, looking at the cargo bays and checking out the bridge was a better use of his time.
Before going up to the bridge, Daniel went by the galley to have a look around there.
“What’s that?” Draiky asked. “You don’t trust anybody, do you?”
“I am just doing a routine check, Draiky,” he smiled. “I know you are okay, it is just a part of the game.”
“Game. Of course,” Draiky grumbled. She did not allow Daniel to leave without having a cup of tea first, though.
Lidrin was alone on the bridge. The man was on his knees, up to his shoulders inside the housing that had all the controls for the large steering wheel.
“Lidrin, are things well?”
The sailor jumped at the sudden words. He cursed after that, because the compartment he was in did not allow for much jumping. Rubbing his head, he got up. “Oh, it’s you. Hadn’t heard you come in.”
“Sorry, Lidrin. I didn’t know-”
“That’s okay. I shouldn’t be poking in there anyway.” The helmsman closed the door again. “I just wanted to see what they had done to the mechanism. All looks in order though. So what’s this about the mouse coming on board as a passenger for the trip?”
Daniel laughed. “News sure travels fast here.”
Lidrin’s face lit up. “So it is true then! Damn the water-spears, nobody will be happy about that.”
Daniel explained that all he had heard so far were rumours as well.
“Come on, Daniel, tell me what you know.”
“That is all I know, except that Ulaman and Xandree are not here yet,” Daniel insisted. “That, and the workmen who are below, rebuilding a cabin.”
Lidrin nodded. “I saw them too. And the two walls they took out and carried off the ship.”
“Two walls?” Daniel’s eyes became large for a moment. “That’s strange.” He was tempted to contact Gaguran Slindris and ask what was going on, when Lidrin pointed. “The bear and his female are coming back.”
They watched the quay. Indeed. Ulaman’s unmistakable shape and his wife came walking towards the Pricosine.
“They’ll be up soon, we can ask them then,” Lidrin knew. His knowledge proved wrong. The two did not climb up the long gangway, but seemed to wait for something.
“I’m going down there and see what’s going on,” said Daniel.
The helmsman watched him go, slightly envious. He was not allowed to leave his post.
“Ulaman, Xandree,” Daniel said as he reached the two. “Good to see you.”
