Gary Gygax - Dangerous Journeys 3 - Death in Delhi Read Online Free PDF Page B

conversation with the captain of the Blue Cloud. He was taciturn and suspicious when Inhetep offered, in fluent Trade Phoenician, to give him a large payment to allow them aboard as passengers. "Have no concern. Captain Vogalishi. I found out about your craft by extraordinary means. My associate and I are warriors but have some small skills at laying castings as well. Not only will we give you gold to carry us along, but we will also lend our weapons to the protection of your ship if there is trouble."
    "I see. Well, I guess you are all right. Let me see your money." The magister handed over two gold coins, and Vogalishi smiled then. Rachelle thought it a cruel and shifty expression, more threatening than friendly. Yet the man seemed to have thawed. "You are aboard as supercargo, then. IH give you a cabin, but it's small, and there'll be no amenities—agreed?"
    "Yes. That's fine."
    "Then here, well drink to it." The seaman had produced three dirty glasses from somewhere and filled them with a dark and potent liquor. Without waiting for his two new passengers to do so, Vogalishi tossed his off, poured more for himself, then scowled at Inhetep and the amazon. "You won't drink with me?"
    "Another brew at another time, my dear Captain Vogalishi. You see, it was Mesta-f who directed us here, and he, being a close associate, was careful to warn me about your . . . ah . . , refreshments."
    Vogalishi burst into a guffaw at that, spraying droplets of the smelly liquid he had again quaffed as Inhetep spoke. "Now there's a good man!" he roared when he could get his breath. Evidently, he appreciated the magister's calm acceptance of deadly poison in a seemingly harmless drink, offered to supposedly confirm a contact. "You, I mean, /Egyptian. Mesta-f is an old fart who drives a hard bargain—unlike you. If you're associated with that wily bastard, I'll bet you can bend magicks aplenty. Do you both possess real skill with weapons?"
    Rachelle didn't like him a bit. Her eyes were as hard as her voice when she responded to that insulting question in Setne's stead. "Bow, sword, or any other you name, seafarer. I'll best you or any of your crew here and now. The man with me is able to do the same,' she added, recalling what Inhetep had offered.
    Again the captain laughed, only not so heartily, and with a little anger and fear evident as he told her, "No, no! You'll not need to prove that to me—or to my men. It's pirates or . . . other unwanted boarders who'll put you to the test, if ever test there must be—and that'll be a fatal one for you if you boast."
    "It will be fatal, but to those on the business end of my weapons, Captain. Of that you have no need to fear."
    The Hindi turned away from Rachelle and faced Inhetep. "You have paid your gold, and we have an agreement. Be here before I sail, for the ship will depart at two hours after midnight, with or without you."
    "We'll be here a quarter of an hour before you sail," the magister assured Vogaiishi.
    When he and Rachelle appeared just a little after midnight, the captain scowled. "You're early!"
    "You're readying to sail early," the magister said in a flat, dangerous voice.
    "I am informed that an enemy intends to attack soon, so 1 must depart now."
    "Then you must be delighted we came here on our own."
    "Why so?"
    "It saved you sending men ashore to get us."
    The captain laughed harshly, turning to the demanding tasks required to get his vessel away quickly and quietly in the dead of night without showing lights. The junior lieutenant showed them to their quarters, a true cubby hole. "Fortunately, you and I are such close friends," Inhetep observed as they secured their few belongings. "We'll be cheek and jowl, as they say, having to stay in these quarters for some time, unless the voyage is a very speedy one indeed." The Blue Cloud upped anchor and sailed before one o'clock.
    Rachelle had once been on friendly terms with a rather nasty fellow who had been a master bard of Avillonia,