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Chapter Eight: Tropical Peak

Picture: Myra

It was another call from Captain Piatt that finally seemed to cut through the irritation flooding Irie's limbs.

"What?"

It'd several days since the first, and Igneous had become no easier to handle than when they'd begun. He insisted on being locked in the bottom of the ship, announcing that as long as they bought him whiskey upon their arrival at Tropical Peak, he'd tell the higher ups they'd treated him perfectly. Kennit wouldn't go near him, for reasons Irie had yet to get out of him, and Isobel was as liable to break the man's bones as to fix him if left alone with Igneous. Eventually, much to Isobel's objection, it was Ian left to care for the imbecil.

This meant that Isobel was constantly sending glowers Irie's way, putting both of them in foul moods. If left to their own devices, no doubt a confrontation between the two woman would have been inevitable.

"I haven't said a word and you're already irritated with me," Piatt mused.

"Sorry, Captain," Irie replied, her clipped tone sounding nothing of the sort.

Piatt chuckled under his breath, but quickly returned his attention to the matter at hand.

"I just received a report from Tropical Peak that a village on the opposite side of the island from the marine base has gone silent. The marines have been dealing with a sudden onset of pirate activity in their main town, so they're having trouble getting over to check it out. Since you'll be landing there soon, you're to check on the townspeople and make sure that everything is fine. You'll have to land a bit to the side, however, since the town in question is on the peak."

Irie stared at the snail for a moment, as if this was going to change what she'd just been told.

"So, I'm to take my crew of five into a town surrounded on all sides by a hundred foot drop and fight off the pirates that may or may not have invaded it?" she questioned after a full minute of silence.

"Well, you do have that criminal," Piatt replied. "Let him know that we'll be willing to consider overlooking his activities if he helps out. Remind him that we'd easily able to find him if he ran instead of participating. He'll understand what I mean."

Irie snorted, one hand falling to the hilt of her sword breaker as she considered the proposition that had been given to her. Her crew, including herself and the bastard, still happened to be extremely small. Ian would need to be left with the ship, as she wasn't all that certain about his fighting skill at this point. So, in all, she was expected to take on an unknown pirate crew with, still, only five people.

"Fantastic."

Piatt chuckled once again and Irie imagined him kicking his feet up on his desk in that annoying, dismissive manner of his.

"Just your sort of challenge, isn't it, Skytte?"

"... ... I'll secure the village," she replied, ignoring his final words. "We'll report in as soon as the last pirate has been captured. We aren't expected to treat these ones like guests are we?"

"No. Use whatever force you deem necessary. If I pirate dies, it's of no concern to the government."

_________________________

Irie was the first to spot Tropical Peak. The island stood out among the miles and miles of empty ocean due to the huge, rocky cliff that shot out from the island's sandy shores. Beyond the peak, the island was consumed by what appeared to be miles of thick, tropical flora. The trees stretched as high as any she'd seen. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the crow's nest railing, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. It took very little time for her to understand what Piatt had told her, there was no way for the to bring ships up to the base of the cliff, even if they'd wanted to dock beneath it. Sharp, deadly looking rocks stuck out from the sand and stretched out into the open sea, causing white water to rush between and crash against them and the base of the cliff. Any ship risked being bashed to pieces if they attempted to brave that water.