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Chapter 25 The Morning Show with Bob and Gary on FM 97.3. Bob: Well, that was certainly an exciting first engagement. Gary: Yes it was, Bob. You could have knocked me over with a feather when Rin was found on Lord Tares’ private yacht. Bob: Getting the pirates to take him to Altain was a stroke of genius. Gary: I was on the edge of my seat while Master Rinathian repelled not one, but two boarders from his boat. Bob: I’m told Master Rinathian attends the elite Alexander Palave Academy of Fencing. He’s also the Golden Division Champion in his age class. Gary: Boys and girls all across the Lothan Federation have been dressing up as pirates to show their support for Master Rinathian. Bob: And not to be outdone, stadiums all across the Lothan Federation have set up multiple Jumbotrons on the field for fans to watch the last six hours of this amazing game. I’m told the Stadiums are reporting record ticket sales. Gary: On that note, we have a few callers on the line. Our first caller is eleven year old Tala from Tares Island. Go ahead, Tala, you’re live on The Morning Show with Bob and Gary. Caller #1: Hi, my mom woke me up this morning when they found out Rin was hiding on the yacht the whole time. You’re so smart, Rin, I love you. Gary: I believe you have a question, Tala? Caller #1: Where can I learn to sword fight like that? Gary: I spoke with the Superintendent of the Bailey School District on Tares Island. Mr. Thon has agreed to expand the High School Fencing Club to include the Junior High and Elementary Schools. He is asking that any interested parents with fencing experience to volunteer as coaches. Thanks for calling in, Tala. Bob: Our next caller is twelve year old Michael from Taliki Island. Go ahead, Michael, you’re live on The Morning Show with Bob and Gary. Caller #2: That was pretty cool the way Rin repelled the boarders, but Jon is going to kick his butt! Bob: There you go, Lord Jonathan has some fans also. Thanks for calling in, Michael. Our next caller is twenty-four year old assistant manager of the Tiki Mart on Maliki Island. Hello, Steve, you’re live on The Morning Show with Bob and Gary. Caller #3: Hi, Bob. I listen to your show every morning on the way to work. My question is, what happens if Rinathian wins the crown? Do we become a Lothan Territory? Bob: That’s a good question, Steve, and thanks for being a loyal listener. No, we won’t become a Lothan territory. The Crown is up for grabs, not the country, nor any property or real estate owned by the Tares Family. For instance, the state does not own the Tares Mansion and it remains the property of the Tares family. Master Rinathian would, for now, be a King living in a pup tent on the side of the road, until he brings his own wealth into service to aid his position as House Lord and Defender of the Nation. Caller #3: Maliki doesn’t have a Governor now, what’s going to happen with that? Bob: Lord Tares is still the ruling House Lord, he has until his successor reaches North Beach to appoint a new Maliki Lord Governor, and the new House Lord cannot remove any of the Governors without a majority vote of the nine Councils. Caller #3: Rinathian could be a lame duck from the start if the Governors don’t support him. Bob: Isn’t that always the case. Lord Tares was a lame duck for the first five years of his reign as he tried to win the Governors support, but it was Governor Baestar that finally brought everyone into line. Caller #3: Yeah, everyone knows the Baestars are always the peacemakers. Gary: There’s a rumor that Lord Tares will be appointing Mara’s half-brother, Tath, as the new Maliki Lord Governor in the next few hours. Caller #3: He would be a good choice, I went to school with him. Tath is a solid dude. Bob: Thanks for calling in, Steve, those were excellent questions. Okay, my producer is telling me that Lord Jonathan is only 3 miles behind Master Rinathian. We need to cut back to the game announcers now. You’ve been listening to the Morning Show with Bob and Gary. *** Jon’s yacht, 3 miles behind Rin’s yacht. “Turn that damn thing off.” Jon glanced up at Captain Juno as he snapped the radio off and laughed. “Seriously? They called Bae a peacemaker? He’s got a bigger temper than Kale.” “It takes a bit to get any of the Baestar’s riled up,” said Juno. “I’ve never heard of Bae getting truly angry yet, so let’s keep it that way.” Jon looked up at the sail, it was starting to show signs of wear, the boat wasn’t made for such a long run, and certainly not in the open sea. “You were there at Father’s Captains of Nine game, weren’t you?” Juno sighed and looked off at the horizon. “I was, and it’s not something we ever talk about.” “Is there something I need to know?” asked Chief. Juno stretched his leg out and massaged his knee. “It’s going to rain tomorrow.” “I’ve seen that before in older sailors when arthritis starts to set in,” said Chief. The old Captain’s knee popped and he let out a sigh of relief. “Who you calling old?” Chief smiled. “With the life I’ve led, when I’m your age I’ll be able to predict the weather on the other side of the planet.” Juno laughed. “I like you, Chief, if you need a job, Jon’s bodyguard position is still open.” Chief shook his head. “No thank you. It would mean being Sern’s trainer, and I’ve already trained three agents, I’m not doing another. Now stop changing the subject, you were about to tell me something.” “It’s nothing you would understand, best to just leave it alone,” said Juno. “Let me put two and two together,” said Chief. “Legend of the Baestars. Bae gets angry. Bae calls up the sea gods.” Captain Juno sighed and sat down next to Chief. “I understand your disbelief, but there are things in this world that can’t be explained.” “Try,” said Chief. “We’re about to do battle,” replied Juno. “Go around, you’ve got the speed advantage to leave them in your wake,” countered Chief. Captain Juno shook his head. “Jon has to prove he can be the Defender of the Nation, he has to fight.” “But I don’t,” said Chief. “I’m only here to protect the primaries from real world harm, so until a water ninja crawls up out of the sea, I’m not involved in this crazy game of yours.” “You were supposed to be the King’s man,” said Juno. Chief pressed his lips together and shook his head. “Nope, that was Dan.” “But you’re the one that sniped Mara out of the game,” said Juno. “I wasn’t playing the game, I was warning him what I’d do and how easy it would be to do it if he laid hands on Rin again.” Juno stared into Chief’s steel-cold eyes. “I believe you, you’re a killer.” “Ah, there we go, someone gets it,” said Chief. “Now, what were you going to tell me?” “Only that we need to play the game fair,” replied Juno. “It would be perfectly human of you to do something to favor Rin over Jon, but that wouldn’t sit well with Bae. He’s all about fairness.” “I told you, I’m not playing the game, and I’m aware of Bae’s personality, he would make a good IPS Agent,” said Chief. “No, he wouldn’t,” argued Juno pulling at his beard. “Whether you believe or not, the Baestars hold the power of the gods inside them. I saw it thirty-five years ago with Governor Baestar, and I don’t want to see it again. We put the Baestars on Altain because the Altain’s live the most austere of lives, and are the most stuck-in-the-mud sensible people on this planet.” Chief raised a brow and grinned. “Of course, the chosen guardians to keep a demigod from destroying the world.” Captain Juno stood. “If you stay out here on the islands long enough, you’ll find that statement is more accurate than you know.” Juno turned away and lifted his voice to the crew. “Alright, we’ve got the weather gage advantage, let’s do this quick and clean. We’ll maneuver for a broadside, stand ready on the starboard cannons. Jon, you have to be the one to fire.” “Aye, Captain, I’m ready,” shouted Jon. Chief leaned back and pulled his hat over his eyes. This wasn’t the only place that had ridiculous legends about demigod children. His first assignment had been to protect a girl that the village claimed could talk to snakes. Unfortunately he couldn’t protect her from her own foolishness and she’d died from a snake bite. “Last warning, Captain,” said Chief. “You should just go around. I don’t know who’s going to get to you first, demigod boy, or Captain Rin, but you’re in over your head with those two.” Captain Juno spun around and stared at Chief. “Why’d you call him that? Did you hear that from someone?” Chief lifted his hat from his eyes. “Oh for heaven’s sake, now what?” Captain Juno paused for a long moment before replying. “People are going to put it together before much longer, if they haven’t already.” “Put what together?” asked Chief. “Just tell him,” said Jon. “I’ve already heard people whispering about it.” Juno clenched his jaw. “In 1573 a boy was captured from a merchant ship. His ransom never arrived and Captain Baestar, one of Bae’s ancestors, adopted the boy. The boy later became the first Pirate King. His name was Captain Rin.” Chief chuckled and pulled his hat back down over his eyes. “Of course it was, makes perfect sense, the demigod hero and the reincarnated pirate king. It’s an epic tale of high seas adventure, they’ll make a movie. Let me know who wins your little game of Red Rover, I’m taking a nap.” “Let me take some of your doubt away, Chief,” replied Captain Juno as he maneuvered the race yacht closer and closer to Rin’s yacht. “Bae has reached a speed of 22 knots, that’s three times faster than that yacht is capable, and he’s already ten degrees past that yachts capsize point – he’s cheating.” Chief sat up and looked out across the bow. “You said Bae doesn’t cheat.” “He probably doesn’t realize he’s using his special gifts, they’re still asleep, but beginning to wake. We’re committed now, but you might have been right, I should have gone around him.” Chief sniffed at the air. “Do you smell ozone?” “I was worried about that,” said Juno. “The smell of ozone was reported when Bae assisted with the rescue of the capsized ferry two years ago. The ferry should have sunk in a few minutes, but somehow it remained afloat for three hours while the rescuers cut into the hull to rescue the passengers.” Chief stared at the yacht in front of him. It was obviously an optical illusion, but the way the water was spraying up from the bow of Rin’s yacht looked like the fingers of a giant hand holding the boat from capsizing. Could the stories about Bae have some kernel of truth to them? Chief felt the hairs on his arm standing up and a tightening of his skin. It was the feeling he used to get near the powerful IPS radio satellite transmitters. Whatever was assisting Bae wasn’t magic, it was technology; they had entered a powerful electro-magnetic field. Chief reached into a breast pocket and retrieved a small device no bigger than a credit card. The device showed there was clearly a source of EM Radiation nearby, but nothing dangerous yet. Chief made a mental note to investigate later. *** Rin’s Yacht Rin leaned out over the railing as far as he could to give some extra counter-balance to the boat. Bae had the yacht nearly on its side to reduce surface contact with the water. Water sprayed up and over Rin, and the wind roared in his ears as he watched the sails below him. They were so far over onto their side now, he could have walked on the mast from base to top. Rin gripped the halyard line in his hands with all his might, and kept himself from flying away by wrapping his legs around the railing. He was the only thing keeping the sail up, and there was no way he should be able to do it. The force of the wind in the sails should have made it impossible to hold on, but somehow he was. His shoulders shivered, but not from coldness, but as if there was an electrical current running through the air. He lifted his head, it was like the feeling you got before a lightning storm. “Here they come,” shouted Bae. The race yacht began to slowly pull abreast of the slower yacht. Bae could see the bow, then the crew frantically working the lines, and then Jon at the broadside cannons. “Hold…hold…hold…” Bae shouted. “NOW!” *** Jon’s yacht. Jon crouched at the cannons, his finger hovering above the trigger. His yacht was riding out of the water on its hydroplane wings, so he had to aim slightly downward. His heart raced in his chest and he felt that it would certainly burst. The salty spray of water coming up off Rin’s yacht stung at his eyes. His hands were shaking and his breath ragged. This was the moment that would determine if he was to be House Lord – The Pirate King. Only the strongest of the pirates could be the Pirate King. He moved his finger to the trigger and squeezed. *** Rin’s yacht. Rin released his grip on the halyard line and the mainsail dropped. Even through the thick gloves he was wearing, he could feel the heat of the friction as the rope slipped through his fingers. Without the mainsail, the yacht slowed rapidly and Jon’s yacht shot ahead until Rin was looking into the cannons pointed at him. The knot they’d tied in the halyard line reached Rin’s fist, and the boat snapped so hard to its righted position that Rin was thrown up and out over the water. He held onto the line as tight as he could. He reached the end of the line and it felt as if his arms would be ripped from their sockets. His body continued in a wide arc over Jon’s yacht. Everything was moving in slow motion now, Bae spun the wheel hard to the left. The yacht turned almost perpendicular to Jon’s yacht. Three cannon balls fired from Jon’s yacht flew harmlessly past where they had been only a moment before. Rin dropped one hand to his waist and pulled one of the two paintball muskets from inside his belt. He saw Jon below him, but Jon's yacht had moved too far forward. He hadn’t pulled the musket pistol out in time and missed his primary target, but he could still shoot someone. He reached the end of the arc and began swinging back towards his yacht, and then he saw the target he could hit. Rin aimed and pulled the trigger. *** Jon’s yacht. The yacht in front of Jon disappeared at the moment he pulled the trigger. Jon furrowed his brows in confusion. They had dropped their sails at the last minute and turned away. He had fired at nothing. Jon watched as Rin’s yacht snapped back to its righted position, and then… Jon tipped his head to the side. Rin was flying through the air… no, not flying, he was swinging on the halyard line. Rin arced around and then was passing over top them. Jon’s heart froze as Rin pulled a musket pistol, but Rin went past too quickly to aim the paintball musket at him. Jon spun around and followed Rin with his eyes. Captain Juno was too startled by the strange maneuver to react. He should have turned away the moment their sails went down, but it all happened so quickly he couldn't react. He stared at Rin as he was thrown from his yacht and was swinging around on the halyard line. Was he going to board them? The stunt Rin was pulling wasn’t unheard of, but reserved for only the most experienced of pirates during a boarding attack. Juno’s eyes widened as Rin pulled a paintball musket. He was going to shoot Jon… but… he swung past Jon and… it happened so quickly there was nothing he could do. The paintball round struck Captain Juno in the center of his chest. Juno heard laughing and looked at Chief. The man was holding his sides and doubled over in laughter. Chief held a hand up and between gasps of breath. “They’re not done yet. You should have gone around.” *** Rin’s yacht. Rin didn’t see whether he had hit the man at the helm. He finished his arc and swung back to the yacht to land on the stern behind Bae. The yacht was now behind and perpendicular to Jon’s yacht, and lined up for the most difficult to obtain, and most coveted shot of an attacking ship. “Hurry, before we lose position,” shouted Bae. Rin had to pry his hand off the rope, his fingers were cramped and stiff. He ran to the starboard paintball cannons, aimed, and pulled the trigger. The cloud of smoke from the cannons rose with a boom, and all three cannons hit Jon’s yacht dead center just above the rudder. The safety boat pulled between the two yachts and the Safety Officer held up a red flag and shouted into a bullhorn. “MORTAL WOUND TO CAPTAIN JUNO. STERN STRIKE OF ALL CANNONS. THE SHIP IS SINKING TO STERN AND NOT RECOVERABLE. JON IS THE ONLY SURVIVOR, HAVING BEEN FAR ENOUGH FORWARD TO AVOID BEING KILLED.” The Safety Officer turned to look at Rin. “DO YOU INTEND RESCUE?” “Gah, we’re only ten feet away, we can hear you, chill with the bullhorn,” said Bae. “Yes, we’ll rescue him from the water.” The Safety Officer didn’t put the bullhorn down. “THE DECISION IS NOT YOURS. RINATHIAN, DO YOU INTEND RESCUE?” Rin looked at Bae, then shook his head. Bae’s eyes narrowed. “Rin, he’s my brother.” Rin drew the second musket from his belt, and in one swift motion lifted it and shot Jon. The Safety Officer shouted into his bullhorn. “MORTAL WOUND TO THE CHEST.” Rin turned back to Bae. “I’m sorry, Bae, but this is what it takes to be a House Lord – hard choices.” Bae’s face turned red with anger. “I don’t think we can be friends anymore.” Jon climbed over the railing of his yacht and jumped over to the safety boat, then from the safety boat he jumped onto Rin’s yacht. “Rin did the right thing, Bae. If he would have rescued me, I would have waited until you weren’t looking and sabotaged the boat. And if he wouldn’t have rescued me, I’d be picked up by the Broken King and be onboard with that maniac, Kale.” Jon turned to Rin. “Thanks, I’m glad this is over, they made me do it.” Chief walked across the safety boat and jumped onto Rin’s boat. He looked back at the race yacht. “Agent Sern, is your primary over there?” Sern’s eyes widened and he bolted across the safety boat to Rin’s boat. The Safety Officer held up a hand. “Hold on, none of you are authorized to board that boat.” Chief held his badge up. “This boat has a galley and that one doesn’t. I’m going to go make breakfast now.” Chief ducked into the companionway and headed below deck. Bae looked at Rin and mumbled, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that, but, if that had been me over there, would you have shot me?” Rin shrugged and rubbed his shoulder. “I think I pulled a muscle?”