A Smuggler's Life for me (TRP and Spud's RP)

"Shiny," Ray said as the breeze filled the sails and they started moving out of the harbour. As they got under way, he looked back at the dock and saw the figure of a red pegasus watching them.

"Might want to avoid that particular port for a while," Ray said, once it had disappeared over the horizon behind them. He locked the steering before going into the cabin to study his map. "Hmmm, where to next," He pondered.

 

Ray decided to plot a course for Saddleport, a relatively small farming port; it was small enough that they shouldn't run into any unwanted attention, and he had a contact there who always needed some cargo moved discreetly. He headed back to the wheel and set the ship on the right heading.

The wind was steady and the sea was calm, so he locked the steering once more and went to see how Jack was getting on, maybe give him a proper tour of Firefly. As he trotted towards the bow, he failed to notice the small vessel with red sails on the horizon, slowly closing on them...

 

Ray looked out over the crystal blue waters, sparkling in the bright sunlight. "Yeah, I never get tired of this. Sometimes the simple pleasures make this life a one worth leading. Anyway, I thought I'd take this moment of tranquillity to give you a tour of Firefly, if that's ok with you?"

 

Ray chuckled. "Aw, She ain't that big or that private; the only place I don't want you nosing around is my cabin."

He led Jack into the deckhouse at the stern. "This is where we'll make the plans for our audacious adventures. It's also where we eat." Heading downstairs, he then showed Jack which cabin would be his, the small armoury/magazine, the galley, the medic, and last but not least, the myriad of cargo holds, both open and hidden. "So, any questions?" He asked, turning to Jack.

 

"Ship?" Ray said, pulling out a telescope and scanning the horizon. "Oh, perfect... Hammerwing." He looked at Jack. "You ready to use that blade?"

 

"Shiny." He lifted a hidden trapdoor in the deck behind Jack. "If you'd kindly hide in there, and be ready to spring out and attack when I say 'fool'." He left the trapdoor open for Jack, and then went back to the deckhouse to retrieve his own weapon, a plain steel cutlass; nowhere near as fancy as Jack's, but it had still saved his hide on more than one occasion.

 

By the time Ray had strapped on his sword belt and made his way out of the deckhouse, the red-sailed ship had come alongside them. As the boarding plank came down and five burly looking ponies stepped across, he was standing on the deck with a smile on his face waiting to greet them. "Yes gentlecolts; what can I do for you?"

The ponies looked confused, and none too bright. "We've got a message for you from Mr. Hammerwing."

"Isn't there meant t' be two of 'em?" Another on of the henchponies asked.

The first pony growled. "So?"

"Well, if we've got a message, shouldn't both of them be here to hear it?"

"Hmmm. Fine." The head pony looked at Ray. "Where's your partner, dead stallion?"

"Oh, he's downstairs in his quarters, still asleep." Ray lied.

The head pony nodded to the ponies behind him. "Find him. Drag him back up here." Three of the boarding ponies headed into the deckhouse and into the boat below.

Ray waited until the they were safely out of earshot before saying. "Yeah, he really sleeps too much, that one. Always making me look like a FOOL."

 

As the two ponies on the deck were distracted by Jack, Ray rushed over to the deckhouse and barricaded the door. The three ponies searching the boat rushed back upstairs to see what all the commotion was, but found themselves blocked by the door. Grinning at his own brilliance, Ray activated the incapacitation rune he'd cast in the deckhouse earlier, knocking the three thugs out.

 

Ray was busy dragging the unconscious ponies out onto the deck and tying them up. Once he was done, he came over to Jack, and looked at the ponies he'd slain. He shook his head; he didn't blame Jack at all, these ponies had made their choices, and it was either him or them, but the waste of life still saddened him a little. He'd make sure to give them a proper sea burial later, but for now they weren't going anywhere.

He turned to Jack. "I'm glad to see I was right about you, Jack. Well, I suppose we'd better see what these gentlecolts have brought us, eh?" He said, before heading over the boarding plank to plunder the attacker's vessel.

 

As Ray searched their ship, it became clear that this was no cargo vessel; these were mercenaries. There wasn't much in the way of valuables in the traditional sense, but there were plenty of weapons to be had...