Chương 124: Pitch

Climbing onto the quarterdeck, Vera found herself knocking a few points off the ship's coolness rating when she saw the absolute mess that apparently passed for its controls. Now, maybe 'mess' was a little unfair to say. Cin would definitely say it was. But something could be organized and still look completely deranged, and whatever Vera was staring at definitely qualified.

It was a console that consisted of a dense jumble of sigil-carved metal, random Resonance-crafted mechanisms, and dials, levers, and gauges she had no idea how to read. She could really only guess that some of them had something to do with altitude, speed, and similar metrics. Still, it reminded her of the time Cin had shared one of his farming-route spreadsheets with her. She'd immediately gotten lost among all the tabs, formulas, and color-coded tables.

Turned out there were entire strata to how obsessive people could get about organizing and optimizing things, and there were about a dozen spreadsheet functions she'd never even heard of. Vera had accepted long ago that she would never compare to someone like Cin.

"I… think I will leave determining the purpose of these controls to you," Roderic said carefully, taking a step back from the console.

"Oi. You're not ditching me with this." Vera immediately grabbed his wrist. He stared at her for a few seconds, then looked down at the controls.

"…Just to be clear, are you actually planning to touch any of those?" Vera stayed quiet for a moment, then sighed and shook her head.

"No. But you can at least help me figure out what some of them might do. Didn't you tell me you worked on a ship for a while? That's more experience than I have." Roderic blinked.

"You remember that?"

"I do, yeah." She was pretty sure he'd mentioned it at some point during his questline in Ashen Legacy, at least.

"Don't assume I'm completely broken in the head just because of what you heard in the Sanctum." Roderic's gaze stayed on her.

"I wasn't." Vera met his eyes for a moment, then turned back to the console.

"Well, thanks." She pointed at the nearest cluster of dials.

"Now, any idea what any of these do?"

"Hmm. If I had to wager some guesses…" Together, they started trying to work out what the different controls were for, using a mixture of reasonable deductions and outright guesses. Roderic's experience on a ship didn't end up helping nearly as much as Vera had hoped, since there was apparently a 'rather significant difference' between the Auric Venture and a normal vessel meant to travel on water. Still, his guesses were much better than hers, so she wasn't judging too much.

"Are you going to stay in Darnelle?" Vera asked after a while. Roderic looked up from where he was kneeling beneath one section of the console, trying to inspect the sigils carved into its inner workings.

"Forever, you mean?"

"Obviously not. I mean for a while." Vera leaned against the railing beside the console.

"You've already been here for a month, right? You've mostly figured out what was happening, and the apotheon the Sanctum was working on didn't turn into anything they could use to blow up the world. Isn't your job basically done? All you need to do is report it to the Covenant and it becomes their problem. You already did more than enough with those talks with Sancter Voss." From what Vera had heard, those talks hadn't really accomplished much.

Still, Voss had lost most of his immediate leverage now that Yria was no longer particularly interested in helping with the apotheon.

"He still possesses dangerous knowledge," Roderic said.

"Yeah, but I'd like to see him recreate the apotheon without one of us Marked Ones helping him." Vera shrugged.

"Even if he manages it, it'll take years. Which makes it a Covenant problem." Roderic studied her for a while.

"If I'm not misremembering, isn't the Flamebearer your… partner?" He said the last word more like a question.

"Yes, but only in the strictest sense." Vera waved a hand.

"We try to keep work stuff separate from the relationship. We've got a whole arrangement and everything. It's even in writing."

"Is that true?" Vera tilted her head.

"Well, not really. I'm totally game to abuse her position in the Covenant if it helps me out. Some of those people are assholes anyway. But even if that wasn't the case, all the faction politics don't interest Elaria. She'd probably only get annoyed if you brought that up around her."

"Why is that?"

"Because she's an Ashward. She doesn't like anything that sounds like people expect her to grab more power inside the Covenant." Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Ah." Roderic nodded slowly.

"I see. That does make sense."

"Mmm." Vera reached out and flicked the metal cap of one of the smaller levers. A loud chime rang across the quarterdeck, followed by what she could've sworn was a bright, cheerful screech from somewhere below. She paused, glancing down at the floorboards.

"Anyway," she said, lowering her hand, "you didn't answer the question. Are you staying or not?" Roderic was quiet for a moment before letting out a small laugh.

"Yes, though not for long. My Numbers and I will finish assessing the situation, submit our report, and spend some time consolidating our network within the city." He rested one hand on the console.

"After that, we will take our leave."

"So they need you for all that?"

"I'm their leader."

"Yeah, but you know what I mean." Roderic watched her for a few seconds. Then a soft huff escaped through his nose.

"You know me well, Vera. Perhaps a little too well."

"I'm just going off what my gut's telling me."

"And what would you suggest I do instead?"

"You could join me, for one," Vera said.

"I might not mind the company." He stared at her.

"You're serious?"

"Yeah." She glanced away.

"Don't ask me why, though." She supposed she just kind of liked having someone around who felt familiar. Especially if she was going to be stuck traveling with Yria, considering how complicated everything between them still was. She doubted Cin would be joining her, at least.

"Hmm." Roderic made a musing sound, then ducked beneath the console again. Vera heard a few rustles and metallic taps from inside as his Resonance shifted carefully.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline," he eventually called out.

"Why?"

"Because what use would I be to you, Vera?" His voice came slightly rougher.

"We sail in very different waters, my friend. Sometimes fortune allows me to pull you into the shallows with me. But if the reverse were to happen, I fear I would drown in the depths you trail." He paused.

"And as you're aware… I am a deeply frightened man."

"You did a good enough job acting brave in the Sanctum," Vera said.

"That I did," Roderic replied. And that was all she got. Vera sighed.

"Alright. I won't force you."

"You have my thanks."

"Do you know where you're heading next?"

"I do."

"Mind sharing?"

"I wouldn't mind, but it would reflect poorly on my position as leader of the Veiled Charter. I trust you understand."

"Sure, sure." Vera looked at the vibrant flames that chased the ship, then at the ground far below.

"I was just thinking that if you happened to pass through Caer Virell anytime soon, there's a little girl there who might enjoy adding another uncle to her collection." A charmed laugh echoed from beneath the console. Roderic's head emerged again as he crawled back out and stood, brushing himself off before straightening the sleeves of his doublet.

"Now that is certainly a compelling incentive." They kept inspecting the controls for a while longer, throwing out guesses about what each one did. Eventually, though, they reached the point where they were mostly going in circles, revisiting the same dials and changing their minds about conclusions they'd already changed a couple of times before. Then a slight tremor passed through the Auric Venture. Vera looked toward the bow just as Cin landed there, a trail of fire fading behind him.

She'd seen him do something similar when he jumped off the ship earlier. What Mark or Form was he using for that? As far as Vera knew, there weren't any that allowed for actual flight. Cin had never been much of a Breakstep user, either. Had he found some other way to fake it? She wanted to ask, but that could wait. A Hollow Reach opened a few steps behind Cin, and a small group emerged onto the deck. Yria being among them wasn't exactly a surprise. Sancter Voss was, but only a little.

The last person, though, Vera didn't recognize at all. Not even from what she remembered of the game. She didn't like judging people by their appearance, but this man made it difficult not to stare. For one, he was the first person she'd seen in this world who was very obviously wearing makeup. There was gold brushed along his cheekbones, dark liner around his eyes, and something faintly shimmering beneath them that caught the surrounding firelight. His hair was just as hard to miss.

Long, golden, and literally glittering in the flames, it had been pulled into an elaborate braid that reached all the way to his waist. And the silver robe he wore was fitted tightly across the chest before spilling loosely around his legs, stopping just short of looking like a dress. Flowing rivers had been embroidered along the fabric in blue and gold thread, winding from his shoulders down to the hem. Two stern-faced guards of the Tenth Binding flanked him, both keeping sharp eyes on Yria and Sancter Voss.

"Vera," Cin said as he approached at the head of the group.

"I assume you have familiarized yourself with the ship's controls?" Vera studied the young man and his guards for another moment before turning to Cin and crossing her arms.

"Are you being serious, asking that?" A faint smile touched Cin's lips.

"No." He pointed toward the open shaft in the center of the ship.

"Pyre has proven surprisingly capable of managing most of the Venture's operation on her own, so you don't need to stress. I have also prepared a manual you can consult when necessary. That should be enough."

"Oh? Pyre's a smart one, isn't she?" Vera glanced back toward the shaft.

"She is," Cin said, and he actually sounded a little proud.

"Wonder where she got that from." Vera chuckled, then leaned slightly closer as he reached her. By the way, who's the pretty boy? she added through her Resonance. Cin looked at her for a moment before turning toward the newcomer and his two guards. They stopped in front of Vera.

"Vera, this is Leone Rivers of House Stagglory, Castellan of Darnelle." He motioned toward her.

"Castellan, this is Veralyth Mournvale." Vera offered him a polite smile.

"Hello. Nice meeting you." She'd already suspected he might be the local castellan. The clothes and the two strong guards had been pretty good hints. The castellan Vera remembered from Ashen Legacy had been a much older man, but he'd died during the fighting against the Chainfather Ascendant. She wondered if he hadn't belonged to House Stagglory as well. Did that mean Leone was his grandson or something like that? He was definitely an interesting-looking fellow.

Although for some reason, he didn't return her greeting. He just stood there and stared at her. Vera's smile grew a little awkward. Had she said something wrong? Was there some special way she was supposed to greet a castellan? The only other one she'd met hadn't exactly given her an opportunity to practice formalities. She glanced at Cin, hoping he might give her something to work with, but his face had already settled back into its usual emotionless mask. Yria wasn't any help either.

She was ignoring Vera completely, too busy examining the ship around them. Sancter Voss was doing the same thing, though he looked like he was only barely stopping himself from running off and tearing apart the floorboards to see what was hidden under them. When Vera turned back to Leone, she half-expected some condescending comment about her manners. Instead, she found him standing a step closer.

"To think I would be granted the chance to meet the Ascendant herself in the flesh," he murmured, his pupils widening strangely.

"Is this a blessing of the waters and Houses? A sign of fortune?" Vera blinked. Behind Leone, both guards' expressions tightened by the tiniest amount. Leone's gaze dropped to Vera's feet. For one deeply uncomfortable moment, he looked like he was considering kneeling. Then he lifted his head and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Can I have a strand of your hair?"