deepen his tone。 I did as you asked。 As soon as I mentioned difficulties with the orcs； virtually the entire tavern
joined in。
Virtually？
Margoz didn t like the threat implied in that onean was a holdout； but the others were
ganging up on him to a certain degree。 Provided a focus for their ire； really。
Perhaps。 You have done well。
That came as a huge relief。 Thank you； sir； thank you。 I am glad to have been of service。 He hesitated。 If I may；
sir； might now be a good time to once again broach the subject of improved acmodations？ You might have
noticed the rat that
You have served us。 You will be rewarded。
So you ve said； sir； but well； I was hoping a reward would e soon。 He decided to take advantage of his
lifelong fears。 I was in grave danger this evening； you know。 Walking alone near the docks can be
You will e to no harm as long as you serve。 You need never walk with fear again； Margoz。
Of of course。 I simply
You simply wish to live the life you have never been permitted to live。 That is an understandable concern。 Be
patient； Margoz。 Your reward will e in due time。
The sulfur stench started to abate。 Thank you； sir。 Galtak Ered nash！
Dimly； the patron s voice said； Galtak Ered nash。 Then all argoz s apartment once again。
A bang came on the wall； followed by the muffled voice of his neighbor。 Stop yelling in there！ We re tryin to
sleep！
Once； such importunings would have had Margoz cowering in fear。 Today； he simply ignored them and lay down
on his pallet； hoping the smell wouldn t keep him from sleeping。
Two
W hat I don t get is； what s the point of fog？
Captain Bolik； master of the orc trading vessel ath ar； knew he would regret the words even as he found himself
almost pelled to respond to his batman s statement。 Does it have to have a point？
Rabin shook his head as he continued his cleaning of the captain s tusks。 It was not a habit every orc indulged in；
but Bolik felt that it was his duty as captain of the ath ar to present himself in the best manner possible。 Orcs
were a noble people； ripped from their homes and enslaved； both by demons and by humans。 Enslaved orcs had
always been filthy and unkempt。 As a free orc living in Durotar under the benign rule of the great warrior Thrall；
Bolik felt it was important to look as little like the slaves of old as possible。 That meant grooming； as alien a
concept as that might have been to most orcs； and it was something he expected in his crew as well。
Certainly it was true of Rabin； who had taken to the captain s instructions far better than most of ath ar s crew。
Rabin kept his eyebrows trimmed； his tusks and teeth cleaned； his nails polished and sharp； and kept decoration to a
tasteful minimum just a nose ring and a tattoo。
In answer to Bolik s question； Rabin said； Well； everything in the world serves some purpose； don t it； sir？ I mean；
the water； it s there to be givin us fish to eat and a way of travelin by boat。 The air s there to be givin us
something to breathe。 The ground gives us food； too； not to mention somethin to build our homes on。 We re
makin boats with what the trees give us。 Even rain and snow they re givin us water we can drink； unlike the sea。
All that means something。
Rabin turned his attention to sharpening Bolik s nails； and so Bolik leaned back。 His stool was situated near the
cabin bulkhead； so he leaned against that。 But fog means nothing？
All it does； really； is get in the way without givin us nothin 。
Bolik smiled； his freshly cleaned teeth shining in the cabin s dim lanternprovided illumination。 The porthole
provided none such； thanks to the very fog that Rabin was now plaining about。 The captain asked； But snow
and rain get in the way； too。
True enough； Captain； true enough。 Rabin finished sharpening the thumb and moved on to the other fingers。 But；
like I said； snow and rain got themselves a greater purpose。 Even if they do get in the way； leastaways there s a
benefit to be makin up for it。 But tell me； sir； what does the fog do to make up for it？ It keeps us from seein where
we goin ； and don t give us nothing back。
Perhaps。 Bolik regarded his batman。 Or perhaps we simply haven t learned its benefit yet。 After all； there was a
time when we did not know that snow was simply frozen rain。 The orcs then saw snow only as the same kind of
problem that you now see fog as。 Eventually； its true purpose as you said； to provide us with water to drink during
the colder seasons was learned。 So it is not the fault of the fog； but ours for not yet seeing the truth。 And that is as
it should be。 The world tells us what we need to know when we are ready to know it and not before。 That is the way
of things。
Rabin considered the captain s words as he finished sharpening and started buffing。 I suppose that might be so。
But that don t do us much good today； though； does it； sir？
No； it does not。 How is the crew dealing with it？
As well as can be； I suppose； Rabin said with a shrug。 Lookout says he can t see the tusks in front of his face
from up there。
Bolik frowned。 The rocking of the boat had been fairly constant； but now it seemed to bounce a bit more。 That
usually meant they were being affected by the wake of another vessel。
Rising from the stool while Rabin was in midsharpen； Bolik said； We ll finish this later； Rabin。
Getting up off his knees； Rabin nodded his head。 Very well； Captain。
Bolik grabbed his father s mace and exited his cabin into the narrow corridor beyond。 ath ar which Bolik had
named after ath； his noble father and the original owner of the mace； who died fighting the Burning Legion
had been built by goblins； since he wanted only the best。 The shipbuilder； a sharp old goblin named Leyds； had
assured Bolik that he would make the corridors extra wide to acmodate orcs greater girth。 Unfortunately； the
short goblin s notions of extra wide were less generous than Bolik s； so the captain was barely able to squeeze his
massive frame through to the staircase that led to the deck。
As he walked up the stairs； he saw his first mate； Kag； stop himself from ing down。 I was just ing to see
you； sir。 Kag smiled； his long tusks almost poking his eyes。 Should ve known you d feel the change。
Bolik chuckled as he came up to the deck。 As soon as he arrived； he regretted not calling Kag back downstairs to
meet him。 The fog was almost thick enough to cut with his sword。 He knew ath ar well enough to walk to the
edge of the deck without being able to see where he was going； but now that was the only way to get there。 Kag
followed； standing practically nose to nose with the captain so they could see each other。
Realizing that he wasn t going to be able to see any other ships indeed； he barely had any empirical evidence that
they were actually in a body of water； since he could hardly see that he turned to his first mate。 What is it？
Kag shook his head。 Hard to say。 Lookout can t see much。 He s caught glimpses of a ship； but sometimes he
thinks it s one of the Theramore military convoys other times； he says he looks nothing like any regular human or
orc boat。
What do you think？
Without hesitating； Kag said； Lookout wouldn t say if he wasn t sure。 If he says he saw Theramore military； then
says something else； that means he saw something different the first time。 I think it s two ships。 Besides； the wake s
enough for two； or for one going round in circles。 This fog； one s as like as the other。
Bolik nodded his agreement。 Their lookout； Vak； could look at two specks on the horizon and tell you which was
the fishing boat and which the troop carrier。 Probably tell you whether or not the fishing boat was built by gnomes
or humans； too； and whether the troop carrier was made before or after the Burning Legion s invasion。 Three ships
this close is asking for trouble。 We may need to sound the horn。 Get
Ship ho！
Casting his glance up the mast； Bolik tried to see Vak； but the mast above his head was swallowed by fog。 Vak s
voice carried down from what humans called the crow s nest； for reasons Bolik never understood he knew that
a crow was a type of bird； but he wasn t sure what its nest had to do with a lookout post but the captain could not
see him。
Kag called up。 What do you see？
Ship approaching！ Humans！ Not flying no colors I can see！
What about the military ship？
Can t see em now； but caught em a second ago！ Runnin parallel now！
Bolik didn t like this。 A human ship flying no colors usually meant pirates。 It might not have flying colors was
almost pointless in fog like this and they might simply have been unable to see the orc ship。 Bolik wasn t about to
risk the possibility or his cargo。 If the crates in his hold weren t safely delivered to Razor Hill； Bolik didn t get
paid； which meant the crew didn t get paid。 Days the crew lost wages were never good days to be a shipmaster。
Sound the horn。 And put guards on the cargo hold。
Kag nodded。 Yes； sir。
Harpoons！
At Vak s cry； Bolik cursed。 Harpoons meant only one of two things。 One was that the other ship had mistaken
ath ar for a large seafaring creature such as a whale or a sea serpent。 The other was that they were pirates and
the harpoons were attached to boarding lines。
Since sea serpents and whales didn t migrate this far north as a general rule； Bolik felt safe in assuming it was the
latter。
The harpoons slammed into the deck； the side of the staircase that led belowdecks； and other places Bolik couldn t
see in the fog。 Then the lines that were attached to them went taut。
Prepare for boarders！ Kag cried。
Bolik heard a voice say； Cut the lines！
The sound of a fist hitting flesh was followed by Kag saying； Don t be a fool！ Swords can t cut through those
ropes； and you ll leave yourself open。
Any other conversation was cut short by the sudden arrival of the very boarders in question； appearing as if by
magic in the fog。 They were human； Bolik saw； and not in any kind of military uniform。 Beyond that； Bolik wasn t
sure what they were wearing humans fascination with outerwear beyond wh