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benefit to be makin up for it。 But tell me； sir； what does the fog do to make up for it？ It keeps us from seein where
we goin ； and don t give us nothing back。
Perhaps。 Bolik regarded his batman。 Or perhaps we simply haven t learned its benefit yet。 After all； there was a
time when we did not know that snow was simply frozen rain。 The orcs then saw snow only as the same kind of
problem that you now see fog as。 Eventually； its true purpose as you said； to provide us with water to drink during
the colder seasons was learned。 So it is not the fault of the fog； but ours for not yet seeing the truth。 And that is as
it should be。 The world tells us what we need to know when we are ready to know it and not before。 That is the way
of things。
Rabin considered the captain s words as he finished sharpening and started buffing。 I suppose that might be so。
But that don t do us much good today； though； does it； sir？
No； it does not。 How is the crew dealing with it？
As well as can be； I suppose； Rabin said with a shrug。 Lookout says he can t see the tusks in front of his face
from up there。
Bolik frowned。 The rocking of the boat had been fairly constant； but now it seemed to bounce a bit more。 That
usually meant they were being affected by the wake of another vessel。
Rising from the stool while Rabin was in midsharpen； Bolik said； We ll finish this later； Rabin。
Getting up off his knees； Rabin nodded his head。 Very well； Captain。
Bolik grabbed his father s mace and exited his cabin into the narrow corridor beyond。 ath ar which Bolik had
named after ath； his noble father and the original owner of the mace； who died fighting the Burning Legion
had been built by goblins； since he wanted only the best。 The shipbuilder； a sharp old goblin named Leyds； had
assured Bolik that he would make the corridors extra wide to acmodate orcs greater girth。 Unfortunately； the
short goblin s notions of extra wide were less generous than Bolik s； so the captain was barely able to squeeze his
massive frame through to the staircase that led to the deck。
As he walked up the stairs； he saw his first mate； Kag； stop himself from ing down。 I was just ing to see
you； sir。 Kag smiled； his long tusks almost poking his eyes。 Should ve known you d feel the change。
Bolik chuckled as he came up to the deck。 As soon as he arrived； he regretted not calling Kag back downstairs to
meet him。 The fog was almost thick enough to cut with his sword。 He knew ath ar well enough to walk to the
edge of the deck without being able to see where he was going； but now that was the only way to get there。 Kag
followed； standing practically nose to nose with the captain so they could see each other。
Realizing that he wasn t going to be able to see any other ships indeed； he barely had any empirical evidence that
they were actually in a body of water； since he could hardly see that he turned to his first mate。 What is it？
Kag shook his head。 Hard to say。 Lookout can t see much。 He s caught glimpses of a ship； but sometimes he
thinks it s one of the Theramore military convoys other times； he says he looks nothing like any regular human or
orc boat。
What do you think？
Without hesitating； Kag said； Lookout wouldn t say if he wasn t sure。 If he says he saw Theramore military； then
says something else； that means he saw something different the first time。 I think it s two ships。 Besides； the wake s
enough for two； or for one going round in circles。 This fog； one s as like as the other。
Bolik nodded his agreement。 Their lookout； Vak； could look at two specks on the horizon and tell you which was
the fishing boat and which the troop carrier。 Probably tell you whether or not the fishing boat was built by gnomes
or humans； too； and whether the troop carrier was made before or after the Burning Legion s invasion。 Three ships
this close is asking for trouble。 We may need to sound the horn。 Get
Ship ho！
Casting his glance up the mast； Bolik tried to see Vak； but the mast above his head was swallowed by fog。 Vak s
voice carried down from what humans called the crow s nest； for reasons Bolik never understood he knew that
a crow was a type of bird； but he wasn t sure what its nest had to do with a lookout post but the captain could not
see him。
Kag called up。 What do you see？
Ship approaching！ Humans！ Not flying no colors I can see！
What about the military ship？
Can t see em now； but caught em a second ago！ Runnin parallel now！
Bolik didn t like this。 A human ship flying no colors usually meant pirates。 It might not have flying colors was
almost pointless in fog like this and they might simply have been unable to see the orc ship。 Bolik wasn t about to
risk the possibility or his cargo。 If the crates in his hold weren t safely delivered to Razor Hill； Bolik didn t get
paid； which meant the crew didn t get paid。 Days the crew lost wages were never good days to be a shipmaster。
Sound the horn。 And put guards on the cargo hold。
Kag nodded。 Yes； sir。
Harpoons！
At Vak s cry； Bolik cursed。 Harpoons meant only one of two things。 One was that the other ship had mistaken
ath ar for a large seafaring creature such as a whale or a sea serpent。 The other was that they were pirates and
the harpoons were attached to boarding lines。
Since sea serpents and whales didn t migrate this far north as a general rule； Bolik felt safe in assuming it was the
latter。
The harpoons slammed into the deck； the side of the staircase that led belowdecks； and other places Bolik couldn t
see in the fog。 Then the lines that were attached to them went taut。
Prepare for boarders！ Kag cried。
Bolik heard a voice say； Cut the lines！
The sound of a fist hitting flesh was followed by Kag saying； Don t be a fool！ Swords can t cut through those
ropes； and you ll leave yourself open。
Any other conversation was cut short by the sudden arrival of the very boarders in question； appearing as if by
magic in the fog。 They were human； Bolik saw； and not in any kind of military uniform。 Beyond that； Bolik wasn t
sure what they were wearing humans fascination with outerwear beyond what was absolutely necessary was
something that had always baffled Bolik。 He knew what Lady Proudmoore s military wore； but that was it。
Kill the pirates！ Bolik cried； but his crew needed no such prompting。 The battle was joined。 Bolik lifted his
father s mace in his right hand and swung it at the closest human； who ducked out of the way； then lunged with his
sword。
Bolik parried the sword with his left arm； but by the time he was able to whirl the mace around his head for a
second strike； the human had gotten his sword up to block the mace。 However； when he leaned in to do so； the
human moved his stomach closer to Bolik； making it easy for the orc captain to punch his foe with his fist。
Doubling over in pain and coughing； the human collapsed to the deck； and Bolik brought his mace down on the
back of the human s neck。
Two more then leapt in front of Bolik； no doubt expecting him to cower at twotoone odds。 But Bolik was made of
sterner stuff。 Though born a slave in this world； he had been freed by Thrall； and swore he would never cower
before a human again。 He had fought alongside them； true； but never would he bow to one as an inferior。
Nor to two who came at him with swords。
The pirate to his left attacked with his blade a curved one of a type Bolik had seen only once before while the
one on his right swung two shorter swords。 Bolik blocked the curved blade with his left arm； though this time the
edge bit into his forearm； while using the mace to deflect one of the two short swords。 The other short sword missed
Bolik s chest by a hair。
Although the movement sent searing pain through his left arm； Bolik brought the limb swiftly downward； the blade
still stuck in it。 His superior strength and leverage meant that the foe on his left was now disarmed； his weapon
lodged in Bolik s own flesh。 Kicking at the pirate to his right； Bolik grabbed the head of the one on his left and
pushed down； forcing the pirate to his knees。
The one with t