"I am he," I said.
"I am going to kill you," he said.
"I would not, if I were you," I said.
His hand hesitated.
"Should anything happen to me," I said, "I do not think my men would be much pleased."
His hand fell.
"Unchain me," I told him.
"Where is the key?" he asked the oar-master.
When I was unchained, I stepped from the oar. The rest of the men were startled, but they maintained the beat.
"Those of you who are with me," I said, "I will free."
There was a cheer from the slaves.
"I am in command here," I said. "You will do as I say."
There was another cheer.
I held out my hand and the officer placed his sword in it, hilt first. I motioned that he might take my oar.
In fury, he did so.
"They are going to shear!" came a cry from above board.
"Oars inboard!" cried the oar-master, instinctively.
The oars slid inboard.
"Oars outboard!" I commanded.
Obediently the oars slid outboard, and suddenly, all along the starboard side there was a great grinding, and the slaves screamed, and there was a sudden ripping of planks and a great snapping and splintering of wood, the sounds magnified, thunderous and deafening, within the wooden hold. Some of the oars were torn from the thole ports, others were snapped off or half broken, the inboard portions of their shafts, with their looms, snapping in a stemward arc, knocking slaves from the benches, cracking against the interior of the hull planking. I heard some men cry out in pain, ribs or arms broken. For an ugly moment the ship canted sharply to starboard and we shipped water through the thole ports, but then the other ship, with her shearing blade, passed, and the Rena righted herself, but rocked helplessly, lame in the water.
From my point of view the battle was now over.
I looked at the officer. "Take the key," I said, "and release the other slaves." I heard Captain Tenrik above calling his men to arms to prepare to repel boarders.
The officer, obediently, one by one, began to release my fellow slaves. I regarded the oar-master. "You are a good oar-master," I said. "But now there are injured men to attend to."
He turned away, to aid those who had been hurt in the shearing.
I reached under my rowing bench. There, dented, its contents half spilled, itself floating in an inch or two of sea water, not yet drained down to the cargo hold, I found my pan of bread, onions and peas.
I sad down on my bench and ate.
From time to time I glanced out of my thole port. The Rena was now hemmed in by the eight ships, and two, heavy-class galleys, from the arsenal, were drawing alongside. No missiles were being exchanged.
Then I heard Captain Tenrik, from above decks, call out not to offer resistance. In a moment I heard someone board the Rena, and then two others, and then several more.
I put down the pan, having finished its contents. And I walked up the steps, carrying the officer's sword.
"Captain!" cried Thurnock.
Near him grinning, were Clitus and Tab.
There were cheers from the clustered ships of Port Kar. I lifted my blade to them, acknowledging their salute.
I turned to Captain Tenrik.
"My thanks," said I, "Captain."
He nodded his head.
"You have impressed me," I said, "as being an excellent captain."
He looked at me, puzzled.
"And your crew seems skilled," I said, "and he ship is a good ship." "What will you do with us?" he asked.
"The Rena," I said, "will need repairs. Doubtless you can give her the attention she will need either in Cos or Tyros."
"We are free?" he asked, disbelievingly.
"It would ill repay the hospitality of a captain," said I, "for his passenger to refused churlishly to return to him his vessel."
"My thanks," said he, "Bosk, Captain of Port Kar."
"The slaves, of course," said I, "are freed. They come with us. Your crew, under sail or oar, doubtless, will make do."
"We shall be all right," he said.
"Bring those who were slave," I said, "whether injured or not, aboard our ships. Within the Ahn I wish to set course for Port Kar."
Clitus barked orders to my seamen.
"Captain," I heard a voice.
I turned, and saw at my side, the oar-master.
"You are worthy," said I, "of calling stroke on a ram-ship."
"I was your enemy," said he.
"If you wish," said I, "serve me."
"I do," said he. "And I will."
I turned to Thurnock and Tab.
"I carried peace to Cos and Tyros," I said, "and for this I was awarded the chains of a slave in the galleys."
"When," asked Tab, "do we sail against the ships of Cos and Tyros?" I laughed.
"Surely now," laughed he, "Cos and Tyros have injured you."
"Yes," said I, "they have, and now we may sail against them!"
There were cheers from the men about, who felt that too long had the ships of Bosk surrendered the seas to those of Cos and Tyros.
"The Bosk," laughed Thurnock, "has been angered."
"It has," said I.
"Then let Cos and Tyros beware!" roared Thurnock.
"Yes," said I, turning to the captain, "let them beware."
Captain Tenrik nodded his head, curtly.
"What shall we do now, Captain," asked Clitus, of me.
"Return to Port Kar," I said. "As I recall, I have waiting for me there a galley, heavy class, for my work in Cos."
"True!" said Thurnock.
"An when he have come to Port Kar, what then?" asked Tab.
I looked at him evenly. "Then," said I, "paint my ships green."
Green, on Thassa, is the color of pirates. Green hulls, sails, oars, even ropes. In the bright sun reflecting off the water, green is a color most difficult to detect on gleaming Thassa. The green ship, in the bright sun, can be almost invisible.
"It will be done," cried Tab.
There were more cheers from the men about.
Seeing the officer whose sword I had, I laughed and flung the weapon into the deck at his feet. "Sir," I said, "your sword."
Then I vaulted over the rail of the Rena onto the deck of the heavy-class arsenal galley.
I was followed by my men, who loosened the grappling hooks and ropes that bound our ships to the Rena.
"Now," said I, "to Port Kar!"
"To Port Kar!" cheered my men. "To Port Kar!"
And thus it was that the ships to Bosk, he of Port Kar, came to be painted green.
Within the month, supplied and outfitted, the ram-ships of Bosk, a light galley, two of medium class, and one of heavy class, made their first strike on Thassa. By the end of the second month the flag of Bosk, carried by one ship or another, was known from Ianda to Torvaldsland, and from the delta of the Vosk to the throne rooms of Cos and Tyros.
My treasures were soon increased considerably, and the number of ships in my fleet, by captured prizes, was readically augmented, so much so that I could not begin to wharf them within the lakelike courtyard of my holding. With gold won by sword at sea I purchased extensive wharfage and several warehouses on the western edge of Port Kar. Even so I found myself pressed and, to ease the difficulties of wharfage and mooring right, I sold many a round ship taken, and some of the inferior long ships. My round ships, as much as possible, I engaged in commerce, usually acting on the advice of Luma, the slave girl, my chief accountant; the ram-ships I sent against Cos and Tyros, usually in twos and threes; I myself commonly commanded a fleet of five ram-ships, and spent much time searching the seas for larger prey.
But in all this time I had not forgotten the treasure fleet which was due to sail from Tyros to Cos, bearing precious metals and jewels for her coffers, and a lovely lady, Vivina, to grace the couch of her Ubar.
I put spies in Tyros and Cos, and in many of the other ports of Thassa. I think I knew the shipping, the cargos and the schedules of those two islands Ubarates, and several of their allies, as well or better than many of the members of their own high councils.