The Lutra - Jacques, Brian - Redwall 09 - The Pearls Of Lutra

Word passed among the wave vermin lounging around the taverns and harbor of Sampetra.

"Keep it under yer 'at, messmate, Rasconza sez we're sailin' tonight when it's dark."

"Sailin' t'night? Wot, y'mean all of us?"

"Keep yer voice down, bucko, you just pass it on nice an' easy, everybeast t'be back aboard their ole ships by sunset!"

Gradually the whole quay area was rife with whispered messages being passed from one to another. In the late afternoon a grizzled searat with a patch on one eye and a rusty cutlass at his side stumped out of a tavern. He left the area as soon as he was sure nobeast was watching.

Two Monitors ushered the searat into the Emperor's throne room. Ublaz watched as the searat cast aside his disguise and picked up his trident.

"Tell me what you heard, are they planning to attack, or run?"

The Trident-rat stood rigid as the pine marten's eyes blazed into his brain. Then he told all he had heard.

Afternoon shadows were lengthening into the hour before twilight as Ublaz headed a powerful force of Monitors and Trident-rats to the jetty. Rasconza stood amidships on his vessel, in company with Baltur. The searat watched Ublaz approaching, and his paws began quivering.

"It's the Emperor, 'e knows wot we're up to!"

Rasconza smiled, showing no sign of alarm. He dug his claws sharply into Baltur's side. "Shut yer gob, rat, an' stop flappin', I'll see t'this."

The pine marten cut a handsome figure, clad in gold silks topped by a white turban set with a feather and greenstone jewel. He appeared to be unarmed. Ublaz smiled, greeting Rasconza pleasantly.

"So, how is my Chief Captain today? Everything shipshape?"

Rasconza matched the Emperor's smile and manner immediately. "Never better, yore Mightiness, an' pray, wot brings yer to our 'umble ship on this fine day?"

Ublaz whipped out the green silken gauze the fox had given him. He winked at Rasconza before binding it lightly around his eyes. "Hah! Nearly forgot my manners there. You've probably heard that I hypnotized a poisonous water serpentI've got to be careful of these magic eyes of mine. Don't want to go putting any spells on my trusted Chief Captain, now do I?"

Rasconza felt a shudder pass through him. Instinctively his paw roamed to the silver dagger Ublaz had given him. “Thank ye, Sire, but I'm sure y' never came all the way down 'ere to tell me that. Just wot do yer want?"

Ublaz stooped, looking at the stern of the vessel at water level. "Nothing really, I merely thought it was about time I started making good my promises to you. I presume that now would be a good time to start overhauling our fleet. My carpenters will do the work. We'll start by replacing all your tillers and rudders. I've got fine stout timber to make new ones."

Still smiling, but fuming inwardly, Rasconza was forced to stand helplessly by as Trident-rats and Monitors swarmed over his ship, removing the tiller and rudder, rendering the vessel useless.

When the other vessels had been similarly treated, Ublaz had six Trident-rats line up on the jetty in front of Rasconza. He pointed them out one by one.

"Galdra, Fentz, Orlug, Kerrat, Somgil and Criuth. These are your six new captains, all trustworthy creatures. Bow to your Chief!"

The six Trident-rats bowed respectfully to Rasconza.

The fox nodded formally to them, doing a quick mental calculation. "Six, you say? But we only 'ave six ships," he said.

Ublaz smiled winningly at his adversary. "Ah yes, but you command them all. Soon they'll be good as new, and when we've replaced the tillers and rudders, we'll see about new masts for our fleet. I bid you good day, my Chief Captain!"

Ublaz removed the green gauze from his eyes and turned to go.

Baltur began arguing with Rasconza. "I thought you made me an' Gancho cap'ns? Wot right does Mad Eyes 'ave puttinis own cap'ns in our place?"

Ublaz wheeled about, fixing the searat with a piercing stare. "You there, what is your name?"

Baltur appeared dumbfounded for a moment, unable to tear his eyes from the gaze of Ublaz. "I'm called Baltur," he said.

"And how long have you been a searat, Baltur?"

"Long as I can remember, Sire."

"So, you like the sea, eh?"

"I likes it well enough, Sire."

Ublaz chuckled, both eyes boring into the hapless vermin. "Good, then perhaps you would like to try a swim now."

The brief interview was at an end. Ublaz turned and strode away, followed by his army, several of whom were lugging the tillers and rudders of the ships with them. Behind him there was a splash as Baltur threw himself into the sea.

Rasconza watched two corsairs pull the spluttering Baltur up onto the jetty and signaled to one of the new Trident-rat captains. "You there, Orlug is it? Step aboard, mate, this'll be yore ship from now on, I'll show yer round."

That evening, just after sunset, Sagitar entered the Emperor's throne room and placed a sword down in front of Ublaz.

The pine marten glanced at the stained blade. "What is this thing and why do you bring it here?"

Sagitar measured her words carefully. "Mightiness, I was leading the evening harbor patrol when the fox Rasconza gave this to me and bade me bring it to you. He said to tell you that one of your new captains, Orlug, was given the sword by him, in honor of your appointing Orlug captain. But unfortunately Orlug was unused to wearing a sword, and he tripped and fell upon the blade, slaying himself. Rasconza says that you have no need to appoint another captain, he will be master of his own ship. Those were his words, Sire."

Much to the astonishment of Sagitar, the Emperor burst into gales of hearty laughter. The Trident-rat stood at attention until her master's merriment subsided. Ublaz wiped his eyes on a sateen kerchief and took several deep breaths. "Go back to the harbor, tell Rasconza I send him my compliments. Oh, and say also that there has been a little mishap on my part, not quite as serious as the loss of a captain. Unfortunately my clumsy Monitors dropped the tillers and rudders and they are all broken. Without them to use as patterns it will take considerably longer to make new ones, but I will tell my carpenters to do their best. Go now!"

Long after midnight Rasconza sat in his cabin, sharing a flask of seaweed grog with Baltur and Gancho. The fox had just finished telling them of his latest encounter with Sagitar, messenger of the Emperor.

Gancho hurled his beaker at the bulkhead and pounded the table. "First 'e cripples our vessels, then 'e destroys all the rudders an' tillers. Ublaz's got us like fish in a barrel, rot 'is eyes!"

Rasconza poured a fresh beaker for the irate searat. "No 'e ain't, I told ole Sagitar to take this message back to 'im. I've still got five of those new cap'ns safe with us 'ere, so I 'ope that we'll 'ave new tillers V rudders within five days. Five cap'ns an' five days; maybe they're all as clumsy as that rat Orlug. Who knows, somethin' awful might 'appen to each of 'em, one a day, an' we don't want that to 'appen, do we? 'Cos then I'd 'ave t'give you buckoes yer jobs back as ship's mastersyou two, an' three others."

Rasconza clinked beakers with Baltur and Gancho, their roaring laughter ringing out across the dark floodtide.

Rasconza was sure that he had won the next round in the murderous game.

Chapter 25

Martin crouched with Clecky and Viola behind a small outcrop of rocks on the shoreline. It was the hour before dawn, still and calm. All activity aboard Wavewormseemed to have ceased; she rode smoothly at anchor, too far out to be reached by bowshot.

Clecky's keen eyes picked up movement further along the beach at the water's edge. "I say, there's our otter chum, pullin' an' haulin' on her boat. It looks in jolly bad shape if y'ask me, wot!"