Lavoy was nodding. "I'll mix them up more. Up to now, I've let them pair up for work as they wanted. I'll start assigning work groups. They'll resist at first. There'll be a few broken heads before it's all settled."

Brashen sighed. "I know. But try not to let them disable each other in the process of getting acquainted."

Lavoy gave a mirthless laugh. "I was talking about what I might have to do to them. But I take your drift. I'll start drilling them with weapons. Wooden stuff, to start with."

"Let them know that the better fighters will get the better weapons. That may make them strive a bit harder." Brashen abruptly shifted his attention to Amber. "As long as we are speaking of weapons, I'll say this now. I want you to arm the ship. Can you devise a suitable weapon for Paragon to use to fend off serpents? A spear of some kind? And do you think he could be taught to employ it against another ship as well?"

"I suppose I could." Amber sounded surprised.

"Then do it. And create a mounting system for it, so that he can have quick access to it on his own." Brashen looked concerned. "I fear we'll have more trouble with those creatures, the deeper we go into pirate waters. I want to be ready next time."

Amber looked disapproving. "Then I suggest that, based on what I've heard from Althea, the crew has to be made to understand that serpents won't react like most animals. The men should be told to ignore them and not provoke them until they've actually begun an attack. They won't flee from a spear jab. They'll attempt revenge." She crossed her arms on her chest when Brashen frowned at her and continued, "You know it's true. And that being the case, are we wise to arm Paragon? It isn't just that he's blind. His judgment is not always… well-considered. He might attack a serpent that was merely curious, or even well-disposed toward us. I suggest that he should have a weapon, but not one he can seize on his own impulse. The serpents affect him strangely. From what he says, I suspect it may be mutual. He claims that the serpent we killed had been following us for days, trying to talk to him. As much as we can, I suggest we avoid the serpents. When we do encounter them, I think we should avoid making enemies of them." She shook her head. "The death of the last serpent has affected him strangely. He seems almost to mourn it."

Lavoy made a small contemptuous sound. "Make enemies of the serpents? Serpents talking to Paragon? You sound as mad as the ship. Serpents are animals. They don't think, or plan; they don't have feelings. If we hurt them bad enough, kill enough of them, they'll avoid us. I'm with the captain. Arm the ship." He shrugged at her cold stare. He cocked his head and challenged her. "Only a fool would think differently."

Amber was unruffled. "I think differently." She gave Lavoy a cool and mirthless smile. "It's not the first time I've been called a fool, and likely not the last. Still, I will tell you this. In my opinion, men deny animals have feelings and thoughts for one basic reason: so they won't feel guilty about what they do to them. But in your case, I think it's so you don't fear them quite as much."

Lavoy shook his head in disgust. "I'm not a coward. And I'm not likely to feel bad about anything I do to a serpent. Unless I'm stupid enough to be his supper." He shifted his feet, and turned his attention to Brashen. "Sir. If you're satisfied, I'd like to get back on the deck. To have us all closeted like this will make the crew jumpy."

Brashen gave him a nod. He leaned forward in his chair to make a note in the logbook in front of him. "Begin weapons drill. But emphasize quick obedience as much as skill right now. Make sure they understand they aren't to act until they're told to, especially if the enemy is a serpent. Make the best use of the men we have. Two of the former slaves have substantial weapons experience. Put them in charge of some of the drills. And Jek. She's quick and knows her way around a blade. I want any barriers that might keep them from fighting as a unit broken down." Brashen frowned for a moment. "Amber will create a weapon for the ship, and she will instruct him in it." He met the carpenter's eyes. "When he is armed will be at her discretion, unless I countermand it. I believe her observations regarding serpents and their effect on the ship have merit. Our tactic regarding serpents will be first to avoid and ignore. We fight them only if we're attacked." He paused to let his words sink in on Lavoy. His voice was firm as he added, "I think I've covered all I had for you. You can go."

A terrible look fleeted over Lavoy's face. Amber met it squarely. Brashen had done little save rephrase Amber's suggestions as an order. Another man might have accepted that, but Lavoy clearly resented it. Althea watched him thinly mask his resentment as he bowed curtly to Brashen and headed for the door. She and Amber both stood to follow, but a curt sign from Brashen stopped them. "I've other tasks to go over with both of you. Sit down."

Lavoy halted. Glints of anger danced in his eyes. "Are these tasks I should be aware of, sir?"

Brashen eyed him coldly. "If they were, I'd have ordered you to stay. You have your tasks. Get to them."

Althea took a silent breath and held it. She thought Lavoy would challenge Brashen right then. The stare that held between the two men was edged. Lavoy moved his mouth as if he would speak, then curtly nodded instead. He turned. He did not slam the door as he left, but shut it smartly.

"Was that wise?" Amber dared to ask in the silence that followed.

Brashen gave her a cold captain's look. "Not wise perhaps, but necessary." He sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He poured himself another jot of brandy. Instructively, he addressed Amber. "He's the mate. I can't allow him to think he is my voice, nor that no opinion save his and mine count. I asked you here for your opinion. For him to disparage that is not acceptable." He allowed himself a small, tight smile. "But keep in mind that for me to do that would be entirely within my authority."

Amber frowned, but Althea instantly grasped his position. She suddenly looked at him with new eyes. He had it. Whatever that indefinable quality was that made a man capable of captaining a ship, Brashen had it. There were new lines in his brow and at the corners of his eyes. But he had also drawn that cold hard line that separated the commander from his crew. She wondered if he were lonely. Then she knew it did not matter. He was what he had to be. He could not be any other way and still command effectively. She felt a pang of loss that the line must separate him from her as well. But the surge of pride she felt in him overwhelmed any selfish regrets. This was what her father had seen in him. Brashen had justified all of Ephron Vestrit's belief.

For an instant, he looked at her without speaking, as if he could sense her thoughts. Then he gestured at the scraps of canvas on the table. "Althea. You've always had a better hand with a pen than I did. These are rough sketches. I'd like you to make clean copies of them. They're all I could chart of the pirate ports I visited with the Springeve. We'll look for Vivacia first in Divvytown, but I doubt we'll be lucky enough to catch her there. These bits of charts may come in handy. If you have any questions, I'll go over them with you. When they're finished, we need to bring Lavoy in on them as well. He doesn't read, but his memory is sharp. It's important this knowledge is shared amongst us."

The words he left unspoken chilled her. He was obviously considering what would be best for the ship and crew in case of his death. She had avoided thinking of such things. He had not. That, too, was part of command. He pushed the scraps of canvas toward her and she began to leaf through them. His next words to Amber brought her attention back to him.