"There she is Laska," Viconia said as three elves stood at the docks. Laska and Viconia had Mook in trail as they came to inspect their ship.

" Don't you mean, 'Thar she blows, arrrrr!'," Mook snickered.

"Don't try to be funny, you're not good at it," Viconia said, looking rather peeved. "Is it mentally impossible for any faerie-elf to be serious once in a while?"

"Most of the time, yes," Mook grinned. Mook was by far the smallest of all elf, and was only one head taller than the average halfling. But, Mook was intrepid and bold, using her small size to her advantage when running from guards or squeezing through tight spots that no other rogue could get through. In fact, she had regaled the kids at the house with tales of the time she had robbed a golden egg the size of a grapefruit from the Waterdeep Fleet Museum... and then locked it in a plain cabinet in the director's office and started a betting pool back at the tavern for how long it would take for them to find it.

"Beautiful boat, ey?" Laska grinned and pointed at the Swiftwind, now docked at the lower level. The Swiftwind had been completely repaired and painted over. Its hull was once again a glorious red, while her two long side-pontoons were once again a startling blue. Two masts rose to the heavens, while a couple of dock hands were loading supplies onto the deck and moved them into the hold for the long voyage ahead. Also, several dock hands were carrying some plants and shrubbery for decoration below decks.

"Wow," Mook said, "a othar rutha-class destroyer! You don't see them often. I see you have human cannons installed."

"Yes," Viconia said, "they couldn't deliver the elven-built cannon, so we had to improvise, divide the number of cannons in half and fortify the deck under the cannons we do have. It might be tricky if we enter battle conditions."

"Anyway," Laska grinned, "we can be off soon. We just need to go to Aran Linvail to get the charts and..."

"We need more than that," Viconia broke in. "In this party, there's only one... me... who has any nautical experience. We need an able bodied crew. Now, these elven ships don't need much crewing, but we do need a navigator, a first mate and a quartermaster."

"I can navigate!" Mook broke in.

"Of course," Viconia grinned, "my experience is obvious. I should be Captain."

"I can be navigator!" Mook broke in again.

"Sure," Laska told Viconia, "I mean, I would only end up sending us all to the North Pole."

"I can navigate!" Mook started to raise her voice.

"Yes," Viconia said. "Elven ships are easy to handle, but if in need of repair or in case of emergency, we'll need an able-bodied crew of professionals to deal with the problems. I don't think any of the human sailors will be able to do this job properly. So we'll have to find others who can... and that will be hard."

"My dad was in the Evermeet navy!" Mook shouted. "I picked up a lot!!"

"Tricky," Laska said. "So where do you think we should look?"

"HEEEEEYYYYYY!" Mook shouted at the top of her lungs, to which Laska and Viconia finally turned to her. "Ah, good. Now that I have your attention, I'd like to say that I AM A NAVIGATORRRR!!!"

"Ah!" Laska hissed, her ears ringing.

"I know I'm short, but it's not nice to ignore me."

"What is your experience?" Viconia asked.

"I always sat on my dad's shoulders when he read maps," Mook said, "I also served on a merchanter before I sent out on my own."

"Can you find an island called Brynnlaw off the coast of Tethyr?" Laska asked.

"Can I!" Mook asked. "I ever know a couple of shortcuts!"

"Shortcuts?" Viconia snorted. "On the middle of the ocean?"

"Okay, okay, figure of speech," Mook chuckled while taking another look at the Swiftwind.

"That's one crew-member," Laska grinned, "two more to go."

Laska stood in front of a small, but cozy two-storey house in one of the outskirts of Athkatla, just under the wall in the north-part of town. There was a lot of greenery surrounding the building, while tall trees and rich shrubbery was located in a for Athkatla unusually large garden behind the house.

Laska braced herself and knocked on the door. This was where the thief had told her she could find the mercenary Irylarr Fairleaf, and the two elves didn't exactly part on the best of terms after Irylarr the death of Firkraag, her former employer.

The door opened, and suddenly Laska find herself staring down at a seven-year old raven-haired elven girl. "Oh, hi!" the girl greeted. "You're here for momma, right?"

"Ermm, right," Laska replied.

"Okay," the girl said. "MOOOMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAA!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Come into our living room. She'll be right out."

Laska complied while the girl ran ahead of her. She ended up standing in a large sitting room, with luxurious furniture, but most of the walls were adorned with kid's drawings, rather than the kind of paintings Viconia loved. Some exotic weapons and pieces of armor were other adornments, but they were few compared to the cacophony of drawings.

Turning around, Laska found her staring in two familiar green... and narrowed eyes. The raven-haired Irylarr Fairleaf stood in front of her. The moon-elf wasn't wearing her heavy armor, but a tight-fitting velvet tunic and matching pants revealing slight musculature on her arms and legs. "So," Irylarr spoke, "tell me why you've invaded my home."

"You're for hire?" Laska asked.

"I am," Irylarr said. "But not for anymore dragons. If you want to talk business, sit down at the table. If you want to settle a score, I'll be most happy to take you to the backyard and slice your gut open in a duel. I do not like to attack elves, but if I have to..."

"No scores," Laska said while the two sat down. "But... don't you get tired of hiring yourself out? I mean, selling yourself for money, it's not like adventuring..."

"I only sleep with people I like, Leafwalker," Irylarr snarled. "I resent the implication and I do not like you. Do not insult me further."

"Mom!" a sound being produced by three voices at once sounded from behind the two elves. Looking over her shoulders, Laska briefly wondered if she had gotten drunk already and didn't realize it. Behind her stood three identical raven-haired elven girls. Only when she noticed that they all wore different clothes did she realize that they were triplets.

"Please, children," Irylarr smiled warmly, something Laska had never seen on her face before. "You can all get cookies from the kitchen. I'm here with someone who wishes to hire me."

"Cool!" one of the girls spoke. "You're getting the best warrer in the world, miss!"

"That's 'warrior', stupid-head!" another girl spoke.

"Shuddup, lets go get those cookies!" the third girl piped up.

"Wow," Laska said as the girls ran into the kitchen.

"Look around you," Irylarr said. "All of this was bought with money I gained from hiring out as a mercenary. All for them. Galadrie, Arwa and Legola were the result of... the festival of the moon nine years ago, you could say. I had nothing. I was an orphan myself, used to travelling, adventuring. I was lucky. Elven term takes 2 years, so I had enough time to at least get enough money to buy a small home to have a roof over our heads. But I wanted to give them more, so I started hiring myself out to all who could afford my prices. I want to give my children the best."

"Well, I've got a job for you."

"Nature, danger, duration?" Irylarr asked, immediately going into business-mode.

"A position as first mate on an elven destroyer," Laska said, "no real danger unless you decide to fall out of the crow's nest. It's a trip back and forth to Brynnlaw, that's all."

"That's all?" Irylarr snorted. "That's pirate-country, fool. If you set foot on Brynnlaw with so many women in tow, they'll all end up working as expensive prostitutes in the pirate festhalls."

"Do you really think I'd let them do that?" Laska grinned.

"Okay, real potential for lethal combat. That's extra..." Irylarr said and took a piece of paper and a pencil. "You get a subtraction for going on an elven ship. Face it, elven ships are the best and the safest. So, you've got me for three weeks. That'll be 1000 gold up front, and another 2000 when the job is finished. If the trip takes longer than three weeks, there'll be an extra 500 gold every day beyond the three week arrangement. I hold the right to pull out of any operation that I deem too dangerous, too immoral or too foolish to proceed. Sign here, please..." Ilylarr spoke and shove a contract under Laska's nose. "This contract will be registered with the magistrate of the courts. Failure to meet the appointment price of services will be handled by clause 10."

"Clause 10?" Laska said and read it out loud. "Failure to comply with the agreed monetary compensation it will be Ms. Fairleafs right to pay a night-time visit and application of a sharp, pointy object to the signee's throat while he/she is in a state of peaceful slumber."

"I only do that to people I don't like," Irylarr smiled. "But most people pay their bills in time."

Laska nodded and put a bag of gold... 1000 gold to be precise... on the table.

"Hey, do you..." the Elven rogue spoke, but recognized the woman in front of him. "Oh, hello Elven Sister. How are you doing?"

"Reasonably well, Limyru," Laska grinned. "So, sold the Bridge yet?"

"Hey, enough suckers with too much money on their hands," Limyru said. "In fact, I've been getting a few complaints..."

"Enough complaints to convince you to get out of town for a few weeks?" Laska grinned.

"What do you have in mind, Sister?"

"Fancy a real job?"

"Would it involve you, a snowed-in cabin deep in the woods and a bear-rug in front of the fireplace?" Limyru winked.

"Don't get cheeky with me," the tattooed elf grinned. "We're taking a boatride to Brynnlaw, pirate country."

"Sounds like fun," Limyru grinned. "Besides, us moonies have to stick together, no?"

Viconia was barking orders from the helm on top of the stern of the ship, while Minsc, Keldorn and Korgan were on deck securing ropes to the sides. Rose and Limyru were going over the list of supplies while Dynaheir and Jan were discussion the best place for a mage to stand if the ship was attacked by pirates. The sails were hoisted, the crows nest contained the ever-intrepid Irylarr and the ship was more than ready to go.

"Afraid?" Imoen asked Laska as they stood at the gangplank on shore.

"A bit," Laska said. "I'm not afraid of the water anymore, but it's still... a lot of water, you know?"

"You cookin'?" Imoen asked.

"Yeah," Laska nodded. "Rose and I'll be taking care of all your cooking-needs down in the pantry. So, any requests?"

"Mushroom-omelet?" Imoen's eyes lit up.

"Promise," Laska said.

Imoen nodded and got on board. Their relationship had improved somewhat at least. Imoen was no longer sneering, but still there were some dark clouds in the air. Still, Laska was elated that they could at least talk again... even if it was for a short time.

"Leaving already?" the voice of Aran Linvail sounded from behind. Of course, the elf had already heard him a mile away, but she didn't want to spoil the mood with Imoen. "That wouldn't be wise. I have your navigator here. It's important that you'll bring him along or you will be going in circles soon."

Next to Aran stood a man with slicked hair and greedy eyes. Laska took an instant dislike to him, and vowed not to let this greasy thug about her ship.

"Greetings," the man said in a sickeningly sweet voice. "I'm Saemon Havarian, and there is no better navigator than I. I have sailed the seven seas in search of gold and adventures! And the occasional female companionship, of course." Laska noticed he was staring over her shoulder, and that would mean he was looking directly at Rose. Of course, that made Laska hate him even more.

"So," Laska said, "you already decided you have no chance with me, so you'll go after my lover? Not a chance. Sod off, you burke..."

Havarian blinked and Linvail fumbled. "Now, now," Linvail smiled that sweet smile of his again. "There's only one navigator that is willing to sail those dangerous waters and..."

"THAT's," Laska grinned ",where you're wrong. See that tiny moonie walking over there, next to that Drow on the stern? She's an expert navigator. We don't need you, Havarian. And Linvail, thanks for giving us the privilege to kill your enemies and pay you for it. Make sure our paths will never cross again, thief!"

"I shall... remember that," Linvail looked a bit uncomfortable.

"WAIT!" Havarian all but wept. "At least... take this parting gift!" he said and took a huge silver blade out of his pack. "Here, this sword... take it, please! You'll need it on your trip."

"I don't want any gifts from you!" the elf shouted. "And what kind of sword is that anyway? There's not even a hilt!"

"It's ummm, a fixer-upper?" Havarian tried. "Please, just touch it for a while. Put your scent on it... for, for, for, for, for luck!" he finally said.

Laska didn't respond. Instead, she kicked Havarian, who extended the swordblade towards her against his wrist, sending the sword flying. It shot right over the Swiftwind's decks and landed in the water behind her, splashing as it sank into the murky depths.

"NO!" Havarian wailed and squatted at the side of the docks, wailing as he frantically looked where the sword had landed.

"Laska!" Viconia shouted from the bridge. "We can't wait all day for you! We're leaving!"

That said, Laska jumped on the already retracting gangplank, leaving Havarian to his misery.

"Sorry, mate," Linvail told Havarian. "I tried..."

"Those Githyanki are going to kill me," Havarian sighed. 'And so will mistress Bodhi', he added mentally.

The Swiftwind curved through the waves as she came about into the harbour and turned to the trackless sea beyond. At the docks, the crew was waved at by Irylarr's children, and those they left behind. Keldorn's family, Lasalla and the kids, and, of course, the docks were flocked with gnomes... Jan's family, all throwing turnips on deck in a gesture of farewell.

But as Viconia started complaining about the added weight, the Swiftwind finally left the harbour and headed out to the wild and unknown sea... to adventure.