Drummen sat up in his cot smiling. He looked around the cot at the naked women laying around him. "This is the life… I wonder what hairy is doing."
He scratched his hair and stood up getting dressed. He smiled at one of the women as they woke up. "It's early… You should come back to bed… We still need your attention, we haven't even finished with you yet."
Drummen looked at them smiling. "I'm going to get some food and then I'll be back to look after you lovely ladies."
He closed the door behind him and walked down the stairs. "Brother! You've been in there for days. About time you got out. There's news for you."
Drummen cursed and covered his ears. "Quiet fur ball. My head is still sore. What's the news?"
"Nebi is coming into port… She'll be here soon."
Drummen cursed and sat on a chair in front of Cliffhopper with a smile on his face. "When's she coming in?"
"That's the thing… She's already in. I've been waiting out here for you for a while. I'm sure the captain will be surprised to see you out here. Maybe she'll take us out next time."
"Where?" He grabbed Cliffhopper by his clothes and whispered in his ear. "Where's she?"
"She's on the Nebi. Apparently, something happened out on her latest mission."
"What happened?"
"They were attacked or something… That's what the rumors are saying."
Drummen let him go and stood up. "Let's go to the Nebi."
Drummen ran to the door and turned looking at Cliffhopper. "Are you coming or not… Aren't you worried about her crew?"
"Fine… I'm coming." Drummen shook his head and cursed. "Hurry up." Drummen ran towards the port, jumping over crates and around people cursing as he rushed towards the port.
He stopped running and leant against the wall catching his breath. He turned and saw Cliffhopper standing on the other side. "What are you doing? Go and find the Nebi."
Drummen cursed and looked around the port. He walked up to a sailor. "Have you seen the Nebi?"
"Yeah… The Nebi's in bad shape. It got hit bad and is in the dry docks being looked at."
"Thanks…"
He ran to the dry docks and cursed loudly. "What in the blasted hell happened to the Nebi?"
He fell to the ground and stared at the holes in the hulls of the Nebi. Drummen looked around and saw a crew member with a bandage over her head and ran to her. "What happened to the Nebi? Is she okay?"
"It's fine… She's fine. Where's your muscle friend?"
"I'm here… Are you okay? What happened?"
"Something attacked the Nebi and we got hit bad… The Nebi is out of commission for a while."
Drummen looked at her annoyed. "What about the captain? Is she okay?"
"Shut it… She's fine. I told you already. She got a few scratches, and a broken arm."
"Where in the blasted hell is she?"
"Ohh. She's on board assessing the damage… She's very upset and wants revenge."
Drummen cursed and ran on to the Nebi. "Where is she?" He cursed and started running around the Nebi. "Captain where are you!"
"Arrrrrghhh! Get out of my way, and get this blasted thing fix!"
Drummen stopped running and smiled. "I can recognize my siren's call anywhere."
He walked towards her yelling and shouting with a smile on his face.
"When you're done you better fix the steering and get some better weapons on it!"
"Captain… Did you miss me?"
"Mine is that you?" Drummen stepped in front of the captain.
"Yes. It's me. Did you miss me?"
"Why in the blasted hells are you here?"
"This is where I was heading to get stronger… Look at me see. Do you see that I'm stronger now? See at least I don't have any"
"I'm just surprised. That you're here."
"What happened to you? What were you attacked by?"
He hugged the captain and looked at her arm and scratches. "We're attacked by something, and we just made it back here, just before the Nebi sunk."
"What do you mean attacked by something?"
"We were attacked by something. What don't you understand mine?"
"What happened to the Nebi?"
"It was attacked by something… Blast Mine. Stop being stupid and start listening."
"Slap!"
Drummen rubbed his cheek. "What was the for?"
"For not listening."
Drummen stepped back and looked around at the Nebi. "What're we going to do to fix it?"
"You've been around muscles for too long… He's made your brain become small. That's why we're here to fix it and then get our revenge… I should be the one asking. What are you doing here?"
Drummen looked around at the shell that was Nebi and looked at the captain with a sheepish smile. He straightened his back and smiled. "I became stronger, than I came here hoping you would show up. I didn't forget what you told me about becoming stronger."
"I see, but what does being stronger have to do with no shoes on your feet? Are you wanting to get your feet cut open or something?"
Drummen smiled and looked at his feet. "Well part of me becoming stronger, is that I lost my shoes, but don't worry about them being cut up. They're very tough and strong. Hahahaha."
"Slap!"
"Why do you keep slapping me?"
"I sent you to get stronger, and what do you do? You just drink and spend your time with women… How is that becoming stronger?"
Drummen smiled. "It has, I promise you that. I fought off hundreds of bandits on my own and passed a trial to become stronger. I also protected traveling people move to a port city. Then I…"
"Enough… Doing those things doesn't make you stronger mine. Sure, you used your muscles and whatever else to do those things, but what about your heart? Has that become stronger? Are you willing to kill and have blood on your hands?"
Drummen nodded. "I've become stronger in that too. My heart is firm."
He looked at the captain in silence. "Fine… We'll see. Do you know what pirates do and what they stand for?"
Drummen smiled. "Freedom and honor, stealing from the rich and make some coin for yourself."
"Hahahahahaha… Mine you're funny… I think you've been reading too much about that while you were in the dome. No that's not what pirates are, nor what they do." He felt his heart sink as she sighed.
"Mine… When you know what the pirates are about and what we do, then you can join the crew with muscles, until then you must do what you must."
He looked at his feet and the Nebi in frustration. "I rushed here to make sure you're fine and not hurt too much… Yet all I get is slaps and being laughed at in my face."
"I'm sorry mine… I'm just being honest… There's more going on in this world than you know. The only way to know it is to experience it yourself… Until then I must look over the repairs of Nebi and get back out there. I've got a mission to finish."
Drummen just stood there watching as the captain walked away from him. He touched his chest and cursed. "Stupid… Blasted… Woman…" He stormed off the Nebi causing his footsteps to echo all over the vessel."
He walked down the gangplank and walked past Cliffhopper and the crew member with fury on his face.
"Brother…"
"Brother!"
"What! What do you want you fur bag!"
"Stop and look at me!"
Drummen stopped and looked at Cliffhopper. "What happened up there?"
Drummen turned. "I need a drink… She just threw me to the side, because I know nothing about the pirates or what they do…" He walked to the nearby wall and punched it causing it to fall over. He looked at his hand and cursed.
"Brother you need to breath and think about what she said… You know in your heart that she's right…"
Drummen cursed and frowned. "Of cause I effing know… That doesn't mean it feels nice."
"Let's go drink and relax. I'm sure that if we look around, we'll find out what the pirates are doing. We're here in their port for crying out loud. We'll find the truth to it all."
Drummen turned to look at Cliffhopper and smiled slightly. "You're right for once."
"What am I right about?"
"The drinking part. I need the strongest drink we can find, and then we can talk about what we'll do next… Come brother wine calls us."