Follow Brenan

Thoughts of Red helped push the many annoying puzzles that seemed to surround Sasha like a swarm of gnats from his mind, and Brenan headed off to pick up some water casks that he had ordered earlier in the week and and as many of Sasha's shopping list items as he could at the same time.

Brenan had decided early in his career as a soldier that there were few thing better than a cool drink of clean water, and few things worse than drinking month old water that tasted like swamp water. He was willing to spend the money to replace the barrels he had if it improved the quality of water he had to drink.

He was able to borrow a wagon from the shipyard and headed out to the market. After picking up a chicken coop from a vender and several of the spices on Sasha's list Brenan headed to the coopers in good spirits. The cooper had completed Brennan's order and six new water casks stood ready to be loaded. Brenan placed the first three empty casks into his wagon bed carefully, but before he could pick up the fourth cask, someone handed it to him.

"Thanks" Brenan grunted, lifting the cask onto the three already positioned. To his surprise the man handing him the casks was neither the cooper nor one of his journeymen, but the swordsman he had first spotted in the Powder Keg. Immediately on alert Brenan snapped his next words.

"Who the Hell are you? And why do I keep seeing you every time I turn around." If Brenan's threatening tone disturbed the man he gave no sign of it as he picked up the next cask and turned back to Brenan. Brenan relaxed a little, confident that he was not going to be attacked as long as the swashbuckler had his hands full of freshly made barrel. He made no attempt to take the cask from him, but stood waiting patiently as the man explained.

"My name is Castillo, Harry Castillo." He said shifting the weight of the cask to a slightly more comfortable position. "I sailed on the Siren with Mr. Michaels, and when I saw he had been hired on by you I figured I try my luck as well." Castillo shifted the cask again but Brenan still made no attempt to relieve him of the awkward burden. "It took a little asking, but one of the longshoremen recognized my description of you and was able to direct me to your ship. I spoke to a gentleman on board who said you were in town getting supplies."

Brenan took the barrel from Castillo and lifted it up next to its mate so the pair were resting on the bottom three casks. As he worked Brenan went over Castillo's story looking for any contradictions or obvious lies. Just this morning Brenan had been wishing for another experienced crewman who could handle himself in a fight and like magic he found just what he needed. Actually, he realized, Castillo found him not the other way around. Perhaps that was what was bothering him about the man, well that and his flashy clothes and the ornate wire hilt on his sword. Still, experienced seamen weren't easy to find, and he'd be an idiot to send him on his way just because of how he dressed.

"What did you do on the Siren, and why are you still landlocked when your captain sailed out two days ago?" Brenan watched Castillo for any hint of deception but he just laughed as he responded.

"I was an able seaman on the third watch and led the second boarding squadron." Castillo was clearly proud of his abilities. "I wanted to be an officer, but the Captain and I didn't see eye to eye on some details." Harry lifted the last barrel high over his head and Brenan could see that the man was in excellent shape, as he took the cask from him and rested it on the very top of the pyramid. "As for why I'm still in port, well I drank a little too much the night before we sailed. I reckon Captain Simonds didn't care for me enough to send anyone looking for me when I didn't show up before the tide change." Castillo gave Brenan a carefree shrug. "Just as well, I probably would have had a flogging if they had had to carry me back on board."

"No sir, my first placement was on a schooner, 'bout the same lines as yours. I figure I got a better chance to impress you than that Black Hearted Slaver!" Normally Brenan wasn't impressed with seamen who wanted a new berth because they couldn't get along with their previous officers, but in the case of Captain Black Bart Simonds, it might actually be a recommendation." Brenan wanted to get back and check on his crew, with the wagon loaded with new water casks and a new deckhand to introduce to the crew he had a good enough reason to head back to the shipyard.

"OK Castillo, I'll sign you on as an able seaman, you'd best ride back with me, we'll be leaving on this evenings tide and I can use your help with my green crew." Especially because he'd be slipping into Veer waters in the dark of night in less than ten days. Brenan didn't vocalize the thought, but it was a big part of his descision. Night sailing was hard enough, but if the ship had to be trimmed in silence as well, he needed as many hands that literaly 'knew the ropes' as he could get.