It's just a fun Aleena and Dash piece!

Cyber Sunset wrote some or all of Petey's lines here, so thanks to CS. This illustrates a bit of the trip over the waters to Honorburg.

 
Our story starts out where the last one left off; on a ship. This one's going to be even cooler because there's going to probably be a whole lot of pirates instead of just two! The elf and her human relaxed on the prow of the ship, enjoying the warm sunshine and cool sea breeze.

"You've told me a little bit about yourself, is there anything you'd like to know about me, Dash?" Aleena queried, gazing off to the horizon.

Dash watched the pirates around them, some working and others, not so much. Dash turned to his elven companion, raising an eyebrow slightly. Dash smiled slightly. "Anything you'd like to offer up, first?"

"How much do you know about the heavens?"

"The actual heavens, or space?"

"Space."

Dash shook his head. "We don't have much in the way of exploring it. Most thought about space seems to revolve around how to shoot things down if a need arises."

"That seems... odd. But I guess par for the course for a world whose spells are based on cheese. Did you know that this world is utterly and entirely unique in that respect?"

Dash shrugged. "Somehow, I'm not surprised. I think my kingdom is unique in this world in that respect, actually."

Aleena smiled and chuckled. "Aye, that's a bit of an understatement. As I have mentioned, I come from another world called Eleria, and I am not the only one of my kind."

Dash raised an eyebrow. "What other types of you are there?"

Petey the Pirate ordinarily didn’t listen to the conversations of passengers whenever he swabbed the deck, but this particular one made him curious. He leaned against his mop while waiting to hear more. Unfortunately, he was instantly spotted by the quartermaster who barked at him to get back to work.

Aleena smiled. "We're all space elves, but we each have our own interests which we specialize in. Some prefer more combative problem solving so their cysuits became heavysuits. More armor, more firepower, that sort of thing."

Dash smirked. "Any of them use swords?"

"We all know the basics of martial combat including the archaic weapons of our ancestors -- swordplay and archery. I haven't used them in actual battle before I came here though. Not much call for such skills in weightless environments."

Dash stopped smirking as the two continued relaxing at the prow. And then Dash had to say something that made Aleena laugh. "'Archaic weapons of our ancestors,' huh? I feel so.. primitive now."

"The measure of men is not in the sophistication of his methods of killing."

"Well said. So what brought you to this world? Or close enough to crash, anyway?"

"I was chasing a criminal... but I think she may have died in the crash."

"I recall you mentioning her.. I.." Just then, a pirate came up, interrupting Dash.

"Beggin' your pardon, m'flne couple," the pirate said. "But I be a fancy pirate, and I think it be my job to let ya all know what be up with this hellish crusade, as it were."

Dash turned with a shrug. "What's up?"

"We be avoidin' a hurricane, but we should be to the city in roughly six hours," the pirate said. "At least that what the index pirate said when he be lookin' out the ship's windows. First, he says, 'Ten minutes.' Then he says, 'A hundred sixty two days.' Finally, he settles on 'Six hours.' Arr, that be our best estimate, though."

Petey the Pirate swabbed his way nearer to the conversation. “An’ that’s assumin’ that we don’t have to contend with th’ Giant Octopus that they say haunts the waters around Honorburg.”

"Pfft, I could buy into a lot of things, but not that," Dash said.

“Nah, it’s true!” said Petey. “My brother saw it on a similar run not seven months ago! They say in Honorburg it’s called Acsul, or Axle or somethin’. Don’ ask me why, though.”

"That's a rather ordinary name for a disgusting, all powerful abomination of science," the fancy pirate noted.

Petey blinked. “Science? I don’t know nothin’ about science. An’ it’s not all-powerful, it’s just somethin’ that the protectors of the city have to push back down into th’ deeps every now an’ again.”

"Wait, they just delay the monster?!" the outraged fancy pirate noted. "Why not simply defeat the beast once and for all so you don't have to deal with it in the future?"

Petey shrugged. “From what I hear, they’re always pretty sure they’ve beaten it for good. They’re always surprised when it comes back. ...or when a new one comes back. Hard to be sure.”

"Sounds like Honorburg, alright," Dash noted cryptically, turning to Aleena. "I should let you know what we're in for with this city, I suppose. Unfortunately, the brief and most accurate answer is, be prepared for anything."

"Easy enough," replied the elf. "Not even giant monsters are surprising anymore."

"Good, because we've probably got a dozen of those," Dash replied.

"Arrr, more than a dozen of then, arrr," an arr-ganic all natural pirate replied. "And tharr there be the talkin' bears me cousin said he heard about near the city. Like barrrs.. but with an e!"

"Indeed," Dash replied dryly. "Not to mention organized crime..."

"More or less organized than these pirates?" Aleena interrupted. She didn't want to hear the rest. "Anything that chooses to fight us will earn a thrashing."

Dash cleared his throat. "Unorganized crime, would be world conquers, would be universe conquers from other worlds, and we're pretty sure at least one of the major businessmen is a partially insane genius from about 80 to a hundred or so years into the future."

Aleena rolled her eyes.

"You'd be surprised at how far advanced tech.." Dash paused. "Well, maybe that part won't surprise you so much, but having an 'eerie' ability to predict the future certainly comes in handy."

"Huh? You can predict the future?"

"I wish," Dash said, shaking his head. "I meant this weird businessman whom I've heard about being in Honorburg. Sounds like his company engage in some rather illicit practices that give a new meaning to the phrase 'Bad business.'"

"Ah, Maybe when we have rescued the princesses, we can do a little criminal cleanup."

Dash simply smiled and nodded in response. "We'll probably have to keep our eyes out on the Felines, too."

"So many bad guys, so little time! No wonder you're never bored. Though I also wonder: do you ever feel discouraged by a lack of progress?"

Dash shrugged. "A bit.. that's part of the reason I left. But not really; after all, if there's lack of progress on our side, at least we're able to keep anarchy from spreading throughout the city, or at least we can keep their progress to a minimum."

"So what would happen if you weren't available for whatever reason? Like off fighting bigger and badder threats? Don't you think it would be wise to have others who could fill in for you?"

Dash nodded. "I suppose.. maybe. I mean, Honorberg obviously didn't fall apart without me, so I doubt the Kingdom would. Why?"

Aleena shook her head. "Just curious."

Dash smiled a bit. "For when you take me off into the stars, maybe?"

The elf giggled. "Mayhap."

Dash's attention is drawn elsewhere on the ship. "Sounds like there might be music soon. Care to dance if there is?"

She smiled and nodded, slipping off her perch on the prow. "I'd love to."

The two settled on for the music and entertainment, determined to relax on the ride over for Honorburg.

Plus some insight into Aleena's otherworldly history which is also nice.

We keep rolling along here, although we don't really get much into the fate of the princesses.

We do at least arrive in town the next chapter, however... ready for a big fight?!

Next issue.. er.. chapter... The Adventurers vrs. Cyber Sunset!