Entry 1

Day 1

I wish I had not volunteered for this mission. It all started out fine, but within two hours of leaving the harbor, I started heaving my guts up. I’ve never felt sicker in my life. The captain says there’s no way of knowing how long it will last. I may be over it by the morrow, or I may go on like this for the entire voyage. I think I’ll throw myself overboard if I’m not better in a week’s time. I’m not spending the next three months like this. Journaling is an integral part of the daily activities while out on assignment, but I think I’ll take the reprimand and won’t be writing again until I feel better. This is

Entry 2

Day 6

I woke up this morning feeling splendid. Not a bit of seasickness. Not one pain in my abdomen. My last entry was cut short as I had to rush to vomit into my chamber pot. I spent the rest of my time holding that pot until now. Good thing, too, because tomorrow I was going to throw myself overboard. The crew found it hilarious that it took me so long to find my sea legs. I caught Captain Rannou snickering to his first mate often enough when in sight of me. I have no doubt as to what their conversations were about.

However, I hold no ill towards any of the crew. I’m sure all new seamen and women get the same treatment from them. Today, I’ve been clapped on the back and told “hey ho, sailor” more times than I can count. I guess I’ve passed their muster, and the sea didn’t claim me, so I’ll go back to my duties as a marshal. Apparently, the only place we are expected to have troubles is around the cape. I have plans to begin training the crew tomorrow in the art of battle aboard a deck. All the men and women on the crew have seen combat, but their idea of fighting is rather barbarically basic. They chop, yell, and slash. We have much to learn before they are prepared to stop the pirates preying upon these merchant ships.

Every day from here on out, I’ll hold training sessions for each crew shift. There are three in total. I’m going to have dinner with the Captain tonight to work out the final details of my training schedule, then he will relay it to the crew. Everything on a ship goes through the Captain. Which is something I am going to have to get used to very quickly if I have any intentions of making this a permanent position. I have no idea if I want that yet, but I certainly strive for the Captain to give me a positive review to the Corporal. That will be pivotal to the advancement of my career. If I can prove myself aboard the Saphire as I did in Taria, I should be allowed to choose my next posting.

As Queen Genevieve’s influence ventures further into the world, we agents have ever-changing opportunities at posts. Alaina took a post position in Gunter just two months past.  I received a letter from her just before we set sail last week. She told me of the strangest creatures living there—this giant deer-like creature with great thick antlers upon its head. The locals call it an alg. She also hears wolves howling in the distance every night. She said it’s hard to say how close they are because sound does strange things in those mountains. I would love to see an alg or a wolf, for that matter! I want to see the whole world.

And this desire brought me to here in this tiny room of mine struggling to journal in the constant rolling of this great ship. Everyone says I won’t even notice it in a few more days. I suppose we will see. They also say it won’t be long until I start shedding layers of this blasted uniform. That I agree with. Tomorrow I’ll be wearing nothing but trousers and my undershirt. Actually, I wish I had the billowing type of trousers worn by most of the crew. They seem much cooler than the thick wool ones that come with the official uniform. I’ll try to find some in the proper navy color at the next port. That way, at least some part of my attire will be up to code.

It’s time for me to meet the Captain for dinner now.

E. J. Signing off

Entry 3

Day 7

There are thirty-four people on this ship, including me. Last night the Captain and I worked out a training schedule that least disrupted the crew’s responsibilities and allowed me to train everyone. The first session begins at 7 o’clock in the morning, an hour before the larboard crew begins their day shift, followed by 4 o’clock when the starboard crew is relieved of duties. The cook is not being trained or the Captain or his wife Malia, who is also his first mate, leaving me two groups of fifteen in each section.

Today went well. We practiced a simple series of thrusts and cuts, and I noticed two crew members stand out. On the larboard shift, Lorrie must have had some professional training and Robert on the starboard shift. He’s near an expert. I plan to spar each of them to gain an accurate measure of their proficiency. If their skills merit, I will enlist them to assist me in lessons. I believe Robert will be ready to help right away. Lorrie may require a few one on one sessions before she is prepared.

We draw nearer to the warm waters of the Cape region every day and closer to danger. I have roughly three weeks to prepare this crew to face the pirates. I sincerely hope it is enough time. Formal training for all new sailors is now mandated by the Queen, but it is up to us agents to get the current sailors up to muster on their fighting skills.

Another part of my mission is to provide a detailed report on the pirates, and any strategies I feel will help defeat them. In regards to this, I also questioned Captain Rannou and Malia extensively on the pirates. From them, I learned the pirates are made up of an assortment of nationalities. Some are a deep ochre color, some have a swarthy olive complexion like ours, while others are pale like the northern tribes. This leads me to believe these pirates are not a single nation that can be reasoned with, but rather a group of free men and women.

Their ships are as diversified as their ranks. Apparently, they often take over the crews’ vessels they defeat, which is a fairly common practice as far as pirates go. No one knows exactly where they come from, though. They appear from all directions, so no specific location can be pinpointed. This area is mostly uncharted due to the pirates, and therefore, it is hard to predict precisely where the pirates are. This is another mystery I hope to shed light on.

There are so many unknowns on this case, I cannot help but second guess my decision to volunteer for it. The Queen is losing vast amounts of money in cargo due to these pirates, and whoever cracks will gain a fair bit of notoriety and prestige. This is the kind of case that can make a career or, conversely, end one. I have tied my lot to this case, and now I must see it through.

Someone is knocking on my cabin door, so that’s it for tonight.

– E.J.