Lets pretend I didn't read the original plot

Pirate Business 2.13

The slaver ship was circling slowly in the area just beside the boarder. Neatly over a large clearing. As night came and the cloud cover increased it was the right time for the attack. The watchman on the slaver ship lazed off against the sides staring aimlessly off at the horizon. The only alert one of the five guards were the man in the crow's nest, but he too stared to the horizon level with the ship. Not surprising since it was at the common cruising altitude. Unfortunately for them the nice thing about airship raids was that there were other options for an attack angle.

Above the crow's nest amongst the gathering clouds two small gliders circled. I hung from the second glider to sturdy rope ladders strapped to my back. As we circled past just above the crow's nest, I let go dropping down towards the slaver ship while Gabel turned the glider away again to continue circling. I hope I get this right. As I fall I catch the top of the mast with my gloved hand and swing round the pole coming round behind the watchman and catching him around the neck with my legs and then slamming his head into the side of the nest. He slumps to the ground out cold as I swing to a stop inside the nest. Aced the landing, but did anyone hear that?

I glance over the edge to see two of the guards smoking and the other two having met on the bow where playing a discreet game of dice. I like unreliable watchman. Makes my life so much easier.

"So far so good," Levi whispers in my ear and I shudder. God damn it, now I know how the watchman felt. Straightening my spine, I glance over at him and gesture to the two guards at the bow. Carefully I slide down from the crows next and land lightly on the ground. I slide up to one of the two smoking guards and chop down on the back of his neck instantly nocking him unconscious. I catch him and lower him to the deck before turning to creep across the deck to the second smoking guard. Rinse and repeat. As I lower the second guard to the ground, I glance over the see Levi unslinging his ladders and after glancing back he slides one over the railing at the bow before moving to the port side of the ship. I nod a slide my first ladder over the starboard side and then move to the aft to drop the second. Minutes latter the ladders go taunt and pirates silently swarm aboard the ship.

"Remember, silent and stealthy. I want them all unconscious to be dropped in the clearing with none the wiser. The slaves to be examined by Dev to check for criminal slaves with serious offenses." I gesture to Levi as I speak. He had assured me that he would be able to tell if there where any serious offenders that we didn't want to just let go.

As soon as I finish, I hold a hand across my mouth as the pirates prepare to shout an acknowledgment. I think the fierceness of my glare was obscured by the mask somewhat, but my point came across as they snap their mouths shut and just nod before they slunk off. Like a ghostly wind they swept over the ships. I am rather impressed this has gone really well for an experimental process.

As I finish my thought, I approach the hold where all the slaves are waiting. I pass Gabel as he leads a group of pirates to move the slavers to the deck so that they could be easily dropped off.

"It seems that this was an entirely illegal slave holding," Levi says as I step into the room. There was close to fifty people crowded in the hold shuddering as they huddled together. I nod and then take a deep breathe. Right then, time to provide some options.

"alright everyone, this is a rescue operation. Your slave identity will be removed by my capable crewman," Levi better be able to make good on that. "You thus now have a choice, we can attempt to have you sent back to your original homes, you can get settled in somewhere else, you can join the support crew of a merchant to gain a trade, or you can join us in our liberation activities. While we sort out the slavers take a few minutes to consider your option and let our helpful crew know." I gesture to the two pirates standing by the door with a sack of supplies. They nodded in response. Ex-slaves themselves they had volunteered to bring supplies and help the slaves to recover and calm down.

Back on the deck I nod at the ladders to have them pulled up. "any problems with controlling the ship?" I ask as I walk towards where Gabel was directing the pirates to secure the slavers and how to manage the ship.

"No, we have plenty of people. We are going into land now so that we can transfer the slavers to the ground and then divide personal between the two ships." Gabel stepped away from the other pirates to walk to the bow with me. "I can't believe this, no damage no injuries. We didn't even use any resources. I can't remember the last time we didn't have a huge cost to replace ammo after a raid."

"Yes, it was a very successful operation. Definitely shows the experience and capability of the crew," as I spoke Gabel straighten in pride and the pirates close enough to overhear acted with even greater precision and enthusiasm. "Low cost for us high costs for them this is how we will put them out of business."