Makori stares blankly at Talia as the shaman makes her demands. Once Talia is finished speaking, Makori merely nods and stands. As Talia leaves, out of the corner of her eye, she sees Makori beginning to write something down on a spare piece of paper in the Captain’s quarters.
Kilarra proves quite adept at maneuvering down from the crow’s nest and reaches the ground without issue. A few of the crew look unnerved by the slayer’s gaze.
As she examines each of the crew members, she can tell that they all are a bit nervous. This nervousness is something one might expect when one of their fellow crew members has just been murdered. Despite that general sense of nervousness, three of the crew stick out to Kilarra as being particularly nervous. These three sailors shuffle their feet back and forth and glance back and forth nervously between the officers, Kilarra, and the other members of the Mantisbane Pact. Two are male humans and the other is a female elf.
When Kilarra studies Jimell she thinks he’s sincere with his statements and question. He seems to think it’s actually plausible that the Red Mantis had someone teleport away after carrying out the killing.
At this point, the sun has set and night has fallen. It won’t be long before most of the crew are supposed to bed down for the night. While interrogations could certainly take place right away, you know that you might compromise the crew’s morale and cause them to be fatigued the next day should you proceed tonight.
Kilarra turns her attention to the three who stand out to her as suspicious,
---
Talivar replies to Vorya, "I'm not sure how much help I'd be up on deck. Besides there's more than one mystery, there's something screwy about that hull breech. I'd feel better if we can get somebody technically minded to have another look."
Talivar decided to remain for now with Talia as she interrogated Makori. Having worked with her now for several days Talivar found it very hard to believe she could be the killer, surely he'd have noticed something by now? Still that wasn't the only reason for an interrogation, "It's still worth going through with this Makori, even if we know you didn't do it. Your testimony may catch somebody else out."
Talivar let Talia do all the talking, interrogations really weren't his forte. Besides he hoped to drag the pair of them to inspect the hull breech afterwards.
Talia isn't particularly thrilled if she sees any heavy handed interrogation tactics shown, thinking that they were the refuge of the unsuccessful. Of course, if her crew mates find anyone suspicious, she will prioritise them first, but she sets up her initial plan and preperation, taking one crew member at a time and asking each of them to run through the past several hours, taking notes as she does so. Hunches ar enot her strong suit, so she invites someone that does have that gift to be in the room with her, in case they pick up anything she misses, while the rest of the crew are watched outside.
Makori simply nods at Talivar’s words as she did with Talia’s words. Then she continues her writing.
Kilarra listens as Talia interviews each of the crew. She pays particular attention to the three people she caught acting suspiciously. All of them claim they were below deck with First Mate Driara, Jimell, Thrim, and most of the rest of the crew once the storm hit.
She doesn’t believe the two human men are being completely honest with Talia. It does seem as though they were below deck during the storm, but their claims that they were assisting in repairing the hull breach don’t hold water.
Kilarra believes the female elf’s story, which is similar to the two humans’ stories.
Talia eventually listens to every crew member’s tales. Four crew members were on deck during the storm assisting Uruelleth with the ballista. The bloodrager can confirm as much. The remainder of the regular crew and officers all claimed to be below deck once the storm started. The Captain and Makori are the only ones, besides yourselves, who were above deck (in the Captain’s Quarters) during the storm.
Events prior to the storm become much more jumbled. Over half the crew claimed to have been on deck performing various duties during the day. About ten claim to have been below deck sleeping. Two of Ragnar’s teammates note that he was with them prior to the storm. They don’t remember him acting strangely. When the storm hit, everyone went below deck in a hurry, so only one of Ragnar’s teammates remembers seeing him go below deck, but he’s not completely confident due to the ruckus caused by the storm.
The three people Kilarra suspects all claim to have been on deck performing duties, the two humans are riggers and the elf is a swabber.
Once you go to retrieve Makori’s testimony, you find it may not be as helpful as you had hoped. She claims to have been indoors all day pouring over navigation charts. She says she only came out shortly before the storm and only directly interacted with the Captain and Talivar prior to that.
As Kilarra observes the three suspicious individuals, shes notes that the first man appears to be sweating profusely. He also seems to be fidgeting his hands quite a bit near the left pocket of his pants. The pocket isn't bulging enough to contain a weapon, but it does seem to contain something.
Uruelleth, as he stalks up and down the line, looks for signs of violence that may remain on the killer.
When Kilarra sees the man fidgeting with his pocket, her eyes narrow at him. "Care to share?" she asks. "Or shall I reach in there myself?" she clearly means his pocket.
Talivar hands Talia one of the wands he purchased before leaving Kyonin, "Would you mind?" It takes repeated uses of the wand to patch him up, so great had the battering been that he received.
Still below deck, Talivar asks Makori, "Do you know if any of the crew are good at fixing things or building stuff? I want to get an opinion on something."
If she doesn't know, he then goes looking for the first mate and asks the same question.
Uruelleth doesn’t notice anything out of the ordinary with any of the crew.
Kilarra’s intimidation causes the man in question to cringe and take a couple steps back. Instead of sharing, the man puts both his hands over the pocket, foolishly trying to keep it from view.
A moment later, Driara steps up to the man and says, “Show us what’s in your pocket now, sailor. A man was murdered. You’re only making yourself look suspicious by refusing.”
After a few more moments of hesitation, the man’s shoulders slouch and he pulls out a folded piece of paper. He hands it to Driara. A grim expression forms on her face as she reads it. She remains silent once she finishes doing so and merely hands it to Kilarra to read as well.
Pay careful attention to the five. They are our primary concern. While we have no doubt that they will die in due time, we don’t want others to begin contemplating similar actions. There should be no doubt of their utter and complete failure. All of Golarion will know to fear us. The kings and queens responsible for this so-called pact will learn that blades are not the only way to put them in their proper place. None may stand against His will for long without consequences.
Should you succeed, your initiation will be complete and your rewards in the Sivlamlik will be great indeed. Fail, and you will wish you had never heard our name. Do not fail.
-----
Makori shrugs at Talivar's question and says, “I would assume Thrim has some skill in such matters. I can’t imagine a dwarf, much less one in his position, could go without such abilities.”
Talivar finds Thrim on deck with the rest of the crew. Thrim acquiesces easily enough to Talivar’s request and follows the sorcerer down below deck.
The dwarf looks at the hull damage for a few minutes before shaking his head. He looks over at Talivar and says, “I’ve been on more ships than a dwarf in his right mind ever should, so I know a few things about hull leaks and such. This was no leak. This damage was caused intentionally. If you look at the scoring on the wood, it’s not in line with the grain of the wood. Someone must've swung an axe or some other similar weapon to cause this kind of damage.”
Thrim paces back and forth, his feet sloshing in the ankle-deep water. He finally comes to a stop and looks over at Talivar again, “There’s no way around it, man. We have a murderer and a saboteur onboard.”
Kilarra raises an eyebrow and smirks at the man before passing the note to Vorya and Ruel.
"You know all they speak is lies, right?" she asks him. "Even for recruits and the faithful they lay traps and tricks and impossible tests." She smiles cruelly. "If this was your test, you've failed. They'll kill you. So before they do that to you, you can tell me everything you know. If you're helpful, I might be moved to help you. And if not, then I assure you I am capable of making you regret it before your masters even get their hands on you."
Talia glances at the letter and isn't particularly concerned. "Well thats interesting" she remarks after reading it for a moment and reflecting on its contents. "Still, its nice to know they want to take my life, beats being a source of entertainment Sivlamlik as per an original threat." she remarks simply, before glancing at the man, thinking about how to approach the problem of dealing with a spy.
"Sir, I'd like to thank you for coming forward and bringing this letter to light. It must have been a dreadful experience wanting to come forward to us, but stressed about the possibility of retaliation, so you have my thanks. Its very courageous what you did. Now, why don't you help us out a little further, just so we can clear up what happened. Do you know who gave you this note, how it arrived, maybe when you received it? Or even how you planned do communicate your observations. Its very important you see, I don't really want any more crew members to meet an untimely end."
Taliver takes Thrim's bad news in quietly, considering for a moment before asking, "They've done this once, they can do it again... Does the hull have any particularly weak spots, or is an attack anywhere below the waterline equally dangerous?" Talivar was thinking about setting up rule, nobody may go anywhere on the ship alone. In theory that would make the work of a lone assassin harder, assuming of course it was a lone assassin.
Uruelleth doesn't bother to read the letter right away. He could guess the contents were incriminating based on Kilarra's and Talia's reactions. Instead, he continues to study the sailor's reaction and -- more importantly -- the reactions of the others in line.
Mellisar has failed to prove his innocence. I personally followed him when he last left his quarters. He went to Iadara’s main marketplace. Once there, he met with at least three different merchants and exchanged words and payments of some sort. The one thing I was able to get out of the elf we imprisoned was that the Red Mantis are a global organization. The merchants Mellisar spoke with were from completely different parts of Golarion: Rahadoum, Varisia, and Qadira. I must know what they discussed. Perhaps I will confront Mellisar. Or perhaps I will speak with the merchants. I must take time to plan my actions carefully as the Red Mantis will no doubt be watching.
From the journal of Queen Telandia Edasseril of Kyonin
Dated the 24th of Calistril, 4710 AR
-----
The Quintumvirate’s chosen work through the night and it is well past midnight by the time they discover the three suspicious individuals and the one with the note. Most of the sailors look weary and demoralized by the whole situation, but remain on deck till they are told they can leave.
The man who had the note simply ignores most of Talia’s questions and refuses to speak. He finally speaks up after Talia finishes speaking to say, “I didn’t kill that dwarf. That wasn’t me. That’s all I’m saying.”
Kilarra believes the man thinks he is telling the truth with his words. Still, the man may only be speaking in half-truths.
Uruelleth is unable to gain any insight from studying the sailor’s reaction or the reactions of the others in the line.
Once Talia’s initial questioning is complete, she and Kilarra accompany the man below deck and find Talivar and Thrim talking. Thrim has a very serious expression on his face. The trio move along to a side room opposite the stairs, not so far from where Ragnar’s body was found.
There, Kilarra asks her questions. The man smirks back at her and says, “The other girl’s speech was more persuasive. But that doesn’t mean I’m talking. I don’t like either of you and there’s nothing you can do to help me. You already said you’d help Ragnar and look what happened to him.”
Kilarra recognizes that the man’s words indicate he’s spoken with Ragnar about the conversation the dwarf had with Kilarra and Vorya.
-----
To Talivar’s question, Thrim says, “An attack like this? It could happen anywhere with enough effort. The thing is, this breach was near one of the thickest parts of the ship’s hull, so this couldn’t have been done quickly by one person. It likely would have required a few people if it was done hastily. Anywhere below the waterline is dangerous, of course, but if they’re trying to sabotage the ship, there are a plethora of other things they could to harm it. Tear all the sails, break the wheel, cut off the rudder, the list goes on and on.”
Talia shrugs at the mans words, not the least bit concerned.
"You are only half right sir. For instance, you are absolutely right sir, you don't like us, that's fairly clear from this conversation. Whats incorrect is what we can do to help you. For instance, Kilarra and I could simply let you go back into the crew. We could spread it around that you had talked and been cooperative. What happens next, I'm not entirely sure. Either there's an assassin on board that kills you and probably all your loved ones for apparently betraying them, or you could be the assassin, in which case you probably still die after we make port for allegedly snitching.".
Talia pauses for a moment, before laughing quietly. "I mean, what are you going to say to them, that you never told us anything? Isn't that what everyone says? Since when has that excuse worked out for anyone, ever? So don't talk, I don't really care. Sooner or later someone will close a loose end, and that's going to give us even more evidence to track down the Red Mantis. Kilarra, unless you want to say anything else, I'm happy to send him up now, I don't think we really need to bother with an interrogation when the assassin will, one way or another, give us more of the information we need."
Kilarra laughs cruelly. "We don't have to say anything. He failed in his mission. The assassin who did kill Ragnar knows this by now. You caught our attention, and now they'll kill you. Speak, don't speak. Whatever you choose." she draws her sawtooth sabre--clearly a Red Mantis blade--and draws it near her throat in a cutting motion--clearly insinuating he'll have his throat cut by a similar blade. "You're dead."
Kilarra laughs for a while as if this whole predicament is hilarious, then sheathes her blade. "Now, we will speak, of course. Cause it'll be way more fun if we say you spilled everything. Imagine how the other spies will quiver in their codpieces! Priceless."
Suddenly her face turns serious. "The people you are trying to gain the favour of are going to murder you. You have one chance to save yourself and that's by telling me everything you know. If you do, I will personally stand guard over you at all hours, until you can be brought to safety."
The last bit she adds in infernal, just in case the recruit is further in his training than she suspects:
"Now, here comes an easy one: Did you kill Ragnar?"
"Do you know who did?"
Talivar sighs, "Lets hope we catch 'em Thrim. Would you mind spreading the word about this? I know this crew is all cobbled together but I reckon most of you are good people. Just need folks to keep their eyes peeled for anything suspicious."
There was nothing left to do down here, Talivar had failed to find the murder weapon but he uncovered something arguably more important. It was time to have a word with the first mate.
Talivar oblivious of the drama playing out made his way to the deck and found Driara for a quiet word, "Mind if I have a quick word? Thrim and I had another look at that hull breech. He reckons it was deliberate, done from the inside. Supposedly the hull is thick there so it would have been quite a job for one person... There could well be more than one suspect. I wondered about setting up a patrol to make sure nobody trying that again, but there's so many other ways of disabling the ship it's not clear that would help."
The man just listens through most of Talia’s words. He doesn’t seem particularly moved by her words, but then, he hasn’t seemed moved much by either woman’s words so far.
The man shrugs again once Talia finishes and says, “If you’re really letting me go, I’ll go. But you aren’t getting anything useful from me. Perhaps I’ll face punishment, but you’re clearly too soft to deliver it yourself.”
Kilarra doesn’t notice anything out of place during the interrogation.
The man had just begun to stand up to leave when Kilarra begins speaking. The man’s eyes widen when Kilarra draws her sawtooth sabre. He halfway sits and halfway falls back down onto his seat.
His eyes widen yet again when Kilarra speaks in Infernal. The man remains silent for a few moments before saying, “I already told you. I didn’t kill him. If I do know who killed him, I’m certainly not telling you. Threaten me all you like.”
The man pauses before continuing in Infernal.
The man doesn’t stand up. At this point, he’s uncertain whether or not he’s free to go. As far as Kilarra can tell, he’s being honest when he says he didn’t kill Ragnar. It’s hard to tell whether or not he has information on who actually did.
-----
Thrim nods at Talivar’s words and says, “Aye. I’ll do just that. I’ll get my ballistae crews to redo this repair job, too. This first one was quite shoddily done, if I do say so myself.”
Talivar returns above deck to find almost everyone besides Kilarra, Talia, and the man they’re interrogating in roughly the same places they were before. They all seem a lot more tense than they were before.
Driara nods to Talivar and accompanies him to the other side of the ship, out of earshot of the other sailors. Driara nods again at Talivar’s explanation of the hull damage. She replies, “I figured as much. It’s a small miracle we noticed it so fast. Water was pouring in far too fast for it to be a simple leak.”
Regarding setting up a patrol, Driara says, “The sailors are already exhausted from the investigations. They need sleep. We’re already off-course by who knows how much. That won’t be entirely clear till the sun comes up. We already have barely enough men and women for regular jobs much less a patrol. Who did you have in mind? And how do you plan on going about this?”
"Who gave you the note?" she asks.
Vorya shakes off his lethargy. It wasn't the fact that the Red Mantis (presumably) had struck so quickly, they had all expected that, it was that they had created a nearly impossible problem to solve. Who was the killer? It could be anyone, or multiple someones.
Sighing heavily, he watched Kilara questioning a man in a language he didn't know. That was something anyway.
He ambles over and makes himself avialble, if Kilara wanted to include him in the conversation.
"Aye", replied Talivar, "I think the patrols should be up to us rather than the sailors. I'd strongly suggest nobody goes anywhere alone until this is resolved, no telling what might happen."
Talivar noticed Vorya moving over to watch Kilarra who was grilling several sailors. Assuming Driara had nothing more to add, Talivar wandered over there too. He wasn't the best at reading folks but his eyes where sharp, if anyone had a hidden weapon he was sure he'd notice it.
While Kilarra was speaking in that bizarre language, Talivar tersely filled Vorya in on his findings, "... So it seems there's a good chance there's more than one here. I think it's time we set up a patrol, doing the rounds of the ship and sleeping in shifts with a watch at night. We can't be everywhere but I think it'll be reassuring for the crew and who knows maybe the luck of the lady will let us stumble upon something."
The man shakes his head at Kilarra's question and Infernal remark. In common, he says, "I've said what I'm going to say. I shouldn't have said anything in the first place. If you're going to kill me, go ahead. You won't get anything else from me."
Were someone in the man's presence to sense his motives, it would be easy to ascertain that he is telling the truth. He has no intentions to say anything else, willingly or otherwise. That's not to say, of course, that 'otherwise' couldn't lead to more information should certain methods prove persuasive enough.
Talivar doesn't notice any hidden weapons. Plenty of sailors open carry weapons, though. None appear to have blood on them. Several are slashing weapons, cutlasses, long swords, short swords, and others.
Kilarra smiles. "Oh, I know you don't intend to tell me anything else, but we'll see. I've always been a hands on kind of girl."
Kilarra winds up and punches the man in the face.
"Mmmm!" she exclaims with enthusiasm. " Nothing special for you, I know, but man, I gotta say, it feels good to hurt someone who's conspiring to have you killed."
"Oh!" she exclaims excitedly. "What's that punishment pirates do out this way? Scraping? Keeling? Keelhauling! Yes!"
"What do you think, man, want to give it a try? I know I'll find it very satisfying."
Vorya raises an eyebrow at Kilarra's technique. He usually saved the punching until later. Thinking this might be a good time, the older man steps smartly in between the man and Kilarra.
'That's enough of that." Voyra says sternly. "We aren't keelhauling anyone." Then he turns to the man, "You look at this woman think she is too soft? What kind of fool are you?"
Vorya waves at the ocean. "We are all alone out here. Just a pile of very powerful fighters very, very curious on who killed who. You seem to want to play the tough guy right? Spit in our faces?"
Vorya goes on, conversationally, "That plan always seems good until we gouge out one of your eyes." he lets that sink in for a moment, "Now, I really don't want to have to do that. I like to think of myself as reformed and past my eye gouging days. But if you insist on being trouble....well, I can let Kilarra do it. I don't think that is quite as bad a sin?"
Shaking his head, Vorya says, "We have nothing but time and a pressing need to find out who did the murder. No one is going to come save you. Our patience and restraint is the only reason you still have fingers. Think on it, friend."
Talivar watched the interrogation for a while, privately he didn't like the idea of keelhauling at all, a barbaric practice. "Few years back the ship I served on, ANS Reliant impounded a pirate vessel that had a mutiny. The captain, don't remember his name, was roundly hated and the crew had keelhauled him. The barnacles on that boat where so thick they had scoured most of him away. That remains they dragged up was barely recognizable as human..."
Staring at the man with low menace, he flatly stares, "No that's too swift a death for the likes of you." Talivar pointedly glances at the rough sea and wonders aloud, "Tell me, can you swim? Can you imagine the frigid water stinging your noes and eyes as it washes over you. The shock if the cold as it steals your warmth as it enters your lungs and you thrash around in panic? That feeling of numbness as you slip beneath the waves, never to return!"
When Vorya interrupts, Kilarra glares at him as if she's angry--it's easy, cause she still is angry, though for entirely different reasons--then she backs of and crosses her arms.
As the others mutter ominous methods of killing the man, Kilarra smirks and watches his reaction.
Uruelleth decides to work on a system to ensure two or more people being together at all times and a regular patrol by the pact signers.
He wanted to speak with Kilarra, but she was busy. Seeing Talia nearby, he pulls her aside.
"I need to say something. I'm... concerned about there being an assassin on board. I, well, I follow Gorum, and do not fear death in battle. In fact, I welcome it, when my time comes. But to die in bed, asleep, with my throat slit?" He trembles with restrained rage... and something else. "I need to ask you, and the others, please do not let that be my fate."
The man spits blood onto the floor after Kilarra's blow. He smiles through bloody teeth and says, "Nice try, but I don't believe you have it in you. Maybe next time?"
Vorya walks over and gives interrogating the man a try himself. The man isn't entirely sure what to make of Vorya. He hesitates on answering long enough for Talivar to walk over. The man's eyes widen as Talivar speaks and his lower lip begins to tremble.
"Fine. Have it your way. I'm going to die sooner or later anyway. I'm sure this isn't the answer you want, but it was a woman who gave me the letter and told me what to do. That's all I know. She didn't trust anyone. Apparently her caution was justified considering I'm sitting here telling you this now. And no, I didn't see her face. She wore a cloak. I know it was a woman because of her voice. And no, I couldn't identify her by it. I think she used something to augment it. But the shape of her body confirmed she was a woman. Unless she augmented that, too."
The man pauses for a moment to spit out another glob of blood before gritting his teeth. He seems to be conflicted about telling all of you this. Kilarra believes he's telling the truth.
He continues, "There were four of us. Four that she recruited. Ragnar was one. I was another. I can only assume she was the one who had Ragnar killed. He talked too much. If you ask me, I think that's what got him killed.
"After the woman handed me that note, she told me I would be taken to the Crimson Citadel for training once you all were dealt with. That's all I know, okay? I'm almost as much in the dark as you lot. Mark my words, though. It'll take an act of divine intervention for this boat to make it to Mediogalti Island in one piece."
Kilarra still believes the man is telling the truth with everything he said.
"Now, that wasn't too hard, was it?" Kilarra replies with a smirk.
She gestures for some one of the others -- not all -- to move out of earshot with her. "He's being honest, now." she whispers to them. "I promised I'd keep guard over him if he was. Is that what we want? What do we want to do with him?"
Vorya actually laughs at the man's words, 'Is that all it will take? Easier then I thought it would be. The gods meddle on our affairs every day."
Turning more serious he turns to Kilarra, "So, if I hear this right we have two other agents on board ship? this is getting out of hand. I'm half tempted to turn back, dump them all, and hire a band of roving pirates. At least they would be honest and only knife us in our sleep for our gold."
Kilarra nods. "Two more, as far as this guy knows, and ones our killer."
Talivar glanced at Vorya, "To be fair I think all this goes with the territory... Good news is they're incompetent, the ship is still floating and we know they're here. About that sailor, part of me wants to toss him in the ocean, but I think that should really be the Captain's decision. It's his crew after all."
Kilarra nods. "Two more, as far as this guy knows, and ones our killer."
In hushed tones, Talivar explains a half formed idea, "They want to see us fail right, in the most spectacular way. Knowing that I wonder if we can set a trap. If you where them and you wanted to rub our noses in it, who would you kill next? My money is on the mate, without her the crew is going to fall apart."
"Captain's decision?" Kilarra considers his words. "Fair enough."
"Other than loose-lips, here?" Kilarra remarks. "...The first mate is a good choice." she agrees. "Maybe the lookout. Or our guide.... Although personally, I'd save the guide for further along the way."
She looks to Vorya for his opinion.
After Vorya has his say, Kilarra remarks: "I'll watch our friend, here. Talivar, why don't you explain things to the First Mate and ask what she wants to do with this guy. While you do that, Talia can start interviewing the crew. If she's going to get to them all before letting them retire it'll be a long night. Vorya, you want to help her?"
Talivar considers, "I know what you mean he's deadmeat for sure, but now he's blabbed is there any rush for them to kill him? If they did it would be doing us a favor really, somebody is going to have to guard him."
Before he talks to the First Mate, Talivar tries to explain his plan to the other chosen in the hopes they might refine it, "Assassins like to strike when they fell sure they'll succeed and ideally get away with it. I think they're often opportunists. I'd like to set up a situation which makes the Mate look much more vulnerable than she is. For example where attention is focused elsewhere and she seems to be alone. Perhaps a fake fire or something, and she stays on deck to steer."
"Speaking is unacceptable." Kilarra responds. "They'll kill him the first safe chance they get."
"You really think we'll manage to enact such an elaborate set-up without the killer or the spies catching wind of it?" Kilarra raises an eyebrow in disbelief. "I think it's more likely they'll enact a murder elsewhere while we think we're being clever."
I tried to speak with all three of the merchants Mellisar spoke to. I could only locate the Varisian one. She was a woman late in life. She seemed to frail to be aligned with an organization of assassins. When I asked her what she and Mellisar spoke of, she was at first coy on the matter. After a bit of prodding, she admitted that he was inquiring about the Red Mantis. Why, exactly, she didn’t know. And apparently she didn’t give him any pertinent information as he went away unsatisfied. I cannot outright accuse Mellisar of complicity in the murder without more evidence. Perhaps something else will surface in the days to come. In the meantime, I must also keep close watch on Riyyol.
From the journal of Queen Telandia Edasseril of Kyonin
Dated the 26th of Calistril, 4710 AR
Talivar shrugs, "You're right, this isn't a guaranteed thing. It needs a lot of luck to work, but the secret about luck is you've got to make it... Think of it this way, we can carry on with my training exercises knowing they represent a good opportunity to strike. If it does happen, you can make sure you're close enough to do something about it. Apart from that the only other thing I can think of, is us patrolling the boat. We should probably do that too."