#Murine is such a good ship name

[thesleepyfable]

The SWTD fandom really heard two middle-aged men arguing like an old married couple and concluded they're the face of the fandom shipping over Caz, who has a wife and two daughters.

[awakendreamersworld]

I made a Luca fanfic! Here’s chapter 1 Below The Surface

Down in the depths of the ocean there is a hidden world of sea creatures no ones ever seen in their lives, some were as big as a whale and some were as little as a mouse. There were even Leviathans, serpents of the seas, they were the real rulers of the deep, some live to protect and some live to serve themselves, megalodons also thrive down there, though some might think they're extinct, they still live and hunt for the small and weak. They're the titans of the deep, but even the ocean has its demons. The Siren, a beautiful creature who's easily mistaken for a human can easily kill you in an instant, they're tribal beings and very loyal to their families and their leader, they are the true protectors of the ocean and they say that if you hear the siren's song, you'll be put in an powerful trance unable to break free of their will and once your caught in their trance they bring you with them down below the ocean where you'll never be able to return to the surface again.

They're five tribal kingdoms, The Gallows, The Dorms, The Arctic, The Sprees and The Murines, these five kingdoms protect and serve their own tribes, their own parts of the seas. The Gallows were in the Indian parts of the ocean, anyone who enters their depths are never seen again, they were red koi fish with red hair and pierced yellow eyes they're 5'4 tall and had four arms, The Dorms are more carefree and kind hearted, though land dwellers are not allowed in their depths, they're always kind enough to welcome and help anyone and live in the Arctic depths of the ocean, their scales were gold and they were 4'5 tall and their eyes were sapphire blue and their hairs were blonde, The Sprees are the ghosts of the sea, they live in the Atlantic Ocean and they're the reason why ships go missing and why there's a graveyard of wrecked ships in the Graveyard Of Atlantic, they were the height of any other human and had dead white eyes and hair and their scales were a very see-through grey like a ghost, more than 2,000 ships have sunk there and never risen to the surface ever again, they're all trapped down there and all you see is their remains, if you ever dared to go and dive down there to see for yourself then you'll be sleeping next to them. The Murines were the most advanced species on the planet, though they hardly trust any of the other kingdoms they sometimes ask for their help, they were 6'5 tall their scales were grey like a grey mullet fish and had bright amethyst eyes and brunette hair. They're also highly trained with spears and bow and arrows, they're notorious hunters and live to serve and protect their queen of the Pacific Ocean, The Sea Emperor Leviathan, she is the most powerful sea creature in the ocean that not even a megalodon would kill her and every emperor has a protector and her name is Firtha, she is a Murine siren and protects her home from anyone and anything and everything has an enemy, for sirens, though they're strong they still have scars that warn them that it won't be so easy next time, their real enemy are sharks. Sharks are nocturnal hunters and sleep with their eyes open, they may seem not that bad but they're notorious killers especially great whites, great whites have killed up to 314 of their preys even sirens.

"Firtha!" A fellow murine siren called out, "What is it, Doria?" Firtha asked, "there's a great white down in the pillars of the great monument! I've already made sure that everyone is safe!" Doria said. Firtha grabbed her spear and her bow and arrow and headed out to kill the shark, the shark was swimming around the pillars and eating the fish in their area, Firtha grabbed her bow and arrow and aimed at the distracted shark taking a deep breathe and fired at its left eye, the arrow hitting its mark and stuck in the sharks eye causing it to bleed a lot the shark starting swimming around in pain trying to get the arrow out. Firtha then swam up to the shark with her spear and latched on to the sharks top fin, the shark was flailing around going crazy trying to get her off until she brought down her spear through its left eye through her arrow through to the other side of the shark, killing it. Tired from wrestling with the beast Firtha tried to catch her breathe, her squad was coming to her aid "Are you alright, Fitha?" Said Simon, "I'm fine, Simon. Not a scratch on me." She smirked brushing herself off. "Oh good, we thought it might've left a serious wound." Said Elma, "It's fine, after all, I am the great protector here" Firtha sad jokingly. While they were all laughing at her joke, The Sea Emperor called to her, Firtha came into the emperors domains and see what help she needed, standing face to face with the great sea emperor Firtha asked "What is it, your highness?" "My time is drawing to an end..." The Sea Emperor said, her voice was very kind and soothing, like a guardian angel, "Soon, you will be relieved of your duty and a new protector will rise up to protect our people, our home. In a few days I will pick a chosen one, they'll help protect our home." "But who is this chosen one?" Firtha asked, "That's for me to decide and for all of you to find out."

Firtha nodded and went back to her post and looked down on her city, it was bright and beautiful, the lights of the glow worms and jellyfish always brought a smile to her face, so did seeing her people at their seashell homes spending time with their families, children swimming around and playing, everything just settled down and is peaceful.... or so it was. "Firtha!" old man Craig yelled, "Hello, Craig! What seems to be the trouble?" Firtha asked while swimming up to him, "You really need to talk some sense into that child of yours! Every time she finds some new pet she thinks of it as them darn seahorses and destroys my crops!" Old Man Craig shouted, "Of course sir, I'll go talk to her right now..." Firtha said with a sigh and a small smile "Hmph!" Old Man Craig said and swam off "Aye, Maria... what did you do this time?" Firtha sighed.

[ask-de-writer]

KURIN’S FOLLY : World of Sea : Part 8 of 15

KURIN’S FOLLY

Part 8

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

23,699 words

© 2020 by Glen Ten-Eyck

writing begun  2006

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form, physical, electronic or digital is prohibited without the express consent of the author.

//////////////

Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact.  They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

New to the story?  Read from the beginning.  Part 1 is here

///////////////////////

“Lost Gatherings?  Kurin, that was a thousand Gatherings back!  I’m not that old!” Lissa snorted.  Then she reflected, “That history is gone too, so I guess that it does fit, after all.”  She gave a sad little laugh at that.

Master Juris was eyeing them warily.  It was clear that his plot had gone awry but he could not figure out how it had happened.  Alor, following Kurin and Lissa silently at a distance, shot Master Juris a hard look.  He did not even look embarrassed.

While Lissa found seats, Kurin went to see what the cooks could spare.  Getting a hint from Kurin’s mind, High Cloud sailed from her shoulder and landed neatly on the table by Lissa.  Startled, Lissa began to pull back but then leaned forward and softly asked, “Are you my Murin?  I suppose not.  It has been too long and you are too young.  If you ever do find him, could you bring him to me?”

Kurin came to the table with a laden tray and sat across from Lissa.  She smiled at her mother and said, “He says that he will watch but Sea is big.”  High Cloud strutted about the tray viewing the contents from all angles and settled down where Kurin could easily reach him with her chopsticks.

Soon they were laughing merrily over Kurin’s comic account of her first attempt to fly.  She had ridden in High Cloud’s body as he flew so often that she was sure that she could do it herself, if High Cloud would just let her try controlling his body.  She had been embarrassingly wrong.  “And he makes it look so easy!” she finished.

She picked up a piece of red weed bun and held it out to the smug looking bird.  He had picked the story from Kurin’s mind and remembered it very well.  His head was bobbing, crest lifted in amusement, along with their laughter.  He paused long enough to snag the bun and make short work of it, lifting his head as he swallowed each bite.  Lissa hesitantly held out a fillet of skelt and High Cloud took it gently from her chopsticks.

Kurin looked on approvingly and offered, “What do you want to do with yourself now, Lissa?”

Lissa looked troubled and said, “I don’t know, yet.  I used to work for the weaving shop doing loom and equipment maintenance.  When I wasn’t doing that, I made things for other shops, mostly little things that the boat shop didn’t want to burden themselves with.  I expect that nobody will trust me to do anything for a while.”

“I will,” Kurin said decisively.  “I am going to need quite a bit of help for the next six Wohans.  I have navigation and mapping classes to teach, mapping to do and I need to make toys for sale in my booth at the Gathering of the Fleet.”

“That is a lot to do for an apprentice.  What is your Craft and who is your Master?” Lissa asked in curiosity.  

A bitter laugh interrupted them. Master Juris snorted, “The little ingrate jumped ship.  I got her certified as a full journeyman Boat Builder and how did she repay us all?  She went and adopted onto the Grandalor!”

Kurin angrily retorted, “Speaking of ingrates, I did it because it was the only way to save your life!  Anybody should know better than to threaten an officer of the court right in front of the judge!  The Wergeld that saved you from immediate execution needed me off this ship.  Ever since then, you have been trying to get the agreement overturned by your every word and deed.  Do you want to be executed so badly?  I can accommodate you, if you want it.

“Alor is right over there.  All that I have to do is ask her for a Council meeting.  For some reason, the Combined Council is fond enough of this vessel to want to keep it unscattered.  I’m pretty sure that they will either declare you insane and remove your Master’s Certificate or renounce you entirely and let you swim to my foster father.”

Alor stepped over to the fray and said heavily, “You don’t have to call the meeting, Kurin.  The Council has already made the decision to save the Longin.  They put the determination into my hands as Purser.”  

She turned to face Master Juris and said sadly, “Your services as a Master Boat Builder are no longer possible.  You have just broken your oath to the Combined Council of the Longin, given not two hours ago.  You must decide whether you are mad and will live or are sane and die.  You have until the end of this watch to make up your mind.  Either way, give your Certificate to me by then so that I can return it to the Fleet Craft Council.”

Kurin wept openly.  To a now horrified Master Juris, who had not believed that he could be dismissed, she said in a shaking voice, “Why couldn’t you let me save you?  I have tried every way that I know how.

“I’m not sorry that I went to the Grandalor.  Tanlin and Barad are good foster parents, and Selked is a good Master.”

To everyone’s surprise, Lissa wrapped Kurin in a hug and rocked her gently.  She stroked Kurin’s white hair and crooned softly, “I’m sure that you tried.  Master Juris always was famous for never letting go once he set himself on someone.  He hangs on to his grudges tighter than the bite of a Grimm’s Eel.  He made the choice, not you.  There are limits to even a Dragon’s Gift, I guess.  I am sorry that you love him so much when he has so much hate that he would rather lose his shop instead of simply live.”  

Lissa steered Kurin away from the group that had gathered.  “Let us go set up your toy shop.  I need something to do and so do you.”  High Cloud snagged a skelt fillet and launched himself casually across the room, landing on Kurin’s shoulder, next to Lissa’s arm.  He was trying to stuff it down Kurin’s throat as they went out of the mess.

Alor caught up with them as they reached the main deck.  It was clouding over but not stormy.  She told Kurin, “I have your shop assignment.  It’s old married quarters, A4.  The tannery was using it for a storeroom but it was too out of the way.  It will be cleared in another hour or so.”

“A4?” asked Kurin in a quivering voice.

Puzzled, Alor replied, “What’s the problem?  It has a port for light.  It’s even larger than you asked for and it hasn’t been used for Gatherings . . .”

“Not since my Murin Behar died there,” finished Lissa firmly.

Alor’s eyes widened in horror.  Putting her face in her hands, she asked softly, “How could we forget?  Is there anything that we can do right?”

“It wasn’t the most sensitive thing that I’ve ever heard of,” Lissa snorted, mildly amused.  “At least there’s no ghost to worry about.”  She pointed at the far off clouds, “My Murin is out there, somewhere, not here.  The room will be fine.”

As Alor left, Lissa looked down at Kurin and asked, “It will be alright, won’t it?”

Kurin looked up at her and said, “Yes, it just has bad memories, that’s all.”

Arm in arm, mother and daughter walked slowly to the after companionway.  Down in Alor’s cabin, Kurin selected her tool chest, and some other items from her gear. Lissa helped her to carry everything.

The new cabin did not have the memories that Kurin expected.  It was just an empty cabin, well lit and reasonably roomy.  Lissa had been right.  Her father was long gone from the space and there was nothing of him left.

Kurin set about measuring the new space for workbenches, tool racks and the other necessities of her work.  

The next day, a surly boat shop apprentice named Morgan was helping them to build the benches.  The young man kept glancing fearfully at Lissa.  Every time that he did, he made some small bungle in his work.

Exasperated at the third error in spreading the glue to laminate her new bench top, Kurin took the roller from his hand.  Irritated she told him, “High Cloud spreads glue better than you do.  Why couldn’t the boat shop have sent me Roper or Luin?  I know that they can do this.  I trained them myself.”

TO BE CONTINUED

<==PREVIOUS ~ NEXT==>

[janeykath318]

5 Awkward Away Missions, And One Where Kirk and Uhura Kicked Butt Together

1.It was just an easy away mission: visit the Murin people and talk about the Federation and make nice with the leaders. It was all going well until Jim Kirk happened to stand next to his communications officer under some sort of tree/vine thingy that turned out to be sacred and also symbolized marriage. The aliens squealed and started dancing around the two of them, blatantly ignoring Spock, who was just behind them. 

"What are they doing?" Kirk hissed under his breath. "I thought we were following protocol!" Evidently whatever it was, it was embarrassing, because Uhura had a look of epic mortification on her face. "They're celebrating our unification, Captain," she whispered tensely. "This Tree thing  has some sort of symbolic....marriage association."

These poor aliens, if they only knew how dreadful Uhura viewed such a prospect, they'd know it was nonsense, thought Jim grimly. "What? Is there a way we can indicate it's Spock you're with and make the fake wedding less awkward?" Kirk asked urgently. She said something to the native leader who chattered away rapidly. "He says when two walk side by side underneath the tree of unity, they declare intention to be united. Spock can be the witness though. Ugh." She wrinkled her nose at the thought of even being fake married to her annoying captain. In the end, Spock agreed that they should go through the ritual, since it wouldn't be legal and he wanted to keep on the Murin's good side for discussions later. So, they stood in the center of a circle of chanting Murins, while silver ceremonial collars were affixed and an elderly native recited a blessing. Jim wondered what he said, but Uhura refused to tell him and he guessed it probably had something to do with marital bliss, which made him chuckle inwardly, before she glared at him. Spock didn't seem too put out by the whole thing, being too busy learning a new cultural tradition. That fact only miffed Uhura more. By the time they'd finished negotiations and beamed back to the ship, she was ready to break her collar off herself. Jim caught her before they went out and apologized for inadvertently causing the awkward events, but Bones taunted him for weeks about it.  2.The next incident involving Kirk, Uhura, and a fake marriage, only happened because Spock was too ill to be on the away team and be the "husband." But under the circumstances, Jim thought his first officer got off easy. The matriarchal society of Elgith was appalled that a male was allowed out unattended to make contact with their leaders. Jim was tied hand and foot while Uhura explained they hadn't known the strict policies and tried to worm their way out of the dilemma. The answer involved him being forced to literally kiss her feet and kneel beside them  the whole time she was meeting with the women of the Elgith council. It was mortifying, but, Jim reflected, Uhura randomly petting him like he was her favorite dog wasn't the worst thing in the world and they'd seen way too many planets where the situation was reversed. At least as a guest he was allowed to keep his clothes on. Some of the men kneeling beside their mates wore almost nothing. At the end of the talks, it was clear that Elgith was not likely to join the Federation, but they parted ways on good terms with Uhura, complimenting her on her fine leadership skills and handsome mate. "They were kind of jealous of me," Uhura teased him when they had returned to the ship. "No one else had a mate with such pretty eyes. They offered to trade me one of their men for you." Kirk choked back laughter. "I'm assuming you were tempted?" "A little," she teased, "but I turned them down. Spock really doesn't want to be Captain, after all."

 3.Unfortunately for Uhura, the next awkward encounter was on one of those rigidly male dominated misogynistic societies. She had to be on the away team to translate, but the Jixtha would not talk at all, so Kirk broke out the Universal Translator to figure out what they were saying. "You allow a woman to speak for you? That is against all our laws." Kirk spoke as politely as he could under the circumstances. "Yes, your eminence, in our culture women have the same rights as men." The alien turned a blotchy orange color and started ranting a bunch of rules they would have to follow if they wanted to negotiate. The translator couldn't catch it all, but enough for Jim to know that that they would not need to waste time with this planet. They were not good candidates for membership. "You think Spock will understand?" Kirk asked on the trip back to the ship, having narrowly escaped from  Uhura being thrown into prison. "He was very insistent that this planet would be an asset to the Federation." "If he doesn't, we've got serious problems," Uhura said shortly, still steaming about the terrible conditions she'd seen the females in. "I'll back you up on this. No one needs this planet with its anachronistic, oppressive, sexist society. They won't even let the females go outside alone!!!! They're basically prisoners!!" "It's vile, Lieutenant," Kirk agreed firmly, clenching his jaw at the memory. "I'm not budging on this one. They're not ready to be a part of our Federation and that's that."

  4.The fourth awkward experience happened when they were being mind controlled by ridiculously sadistic aliens who took delight in toying with the away team, making them dance bizarrely, act like animals, and generally humiliate themselves. Spock and Uhura had ended things last month and Jim sensed she'd needed some time to clear her head, so he'd put her on the away team and asked Spock to take the chair while he was gone, not expecting the crazy scenario they ended up in. Things spun out of control in a hurry when they attempted to befriend the natives and found that their bodies weren't obeying their brains very well. Jim found himself approaching his lieutenant with the strange urge to kiss her senseless, which was not something he could let happen. Sure, he thought she was gorgeous and amazing, but also way out of his league. They'd started to really click as friends and there was no way he wanted to ruin that now by such an impulsive act. His body, though, kept moving against his will and strangely, she was making a beeline for him. Soon they were standing almost chest to chest staring at each other, both fighting the sudden need that had taken over their minds. She had such beautiful eyes, Jim thought wildly as his arms moved to wrap around her. "Captain, we have to stop this!" She hissed. Her own arms had seemingly disobeyed her, however, as they had returned the embrace and wandered up and down Jim's back. "I'm trying," he gritted out with great effort. "Whatever they're doing has almost complete control, now. It was physically painful to say anything of his own free will and he winced at the throbbing in his head. Out of the corner of his eye, several red shirts were turning cartwheels, and the hosts were roaring with laughter at their expense. Finally Uhura muttered "Oh what the heck" and planted her lips on his. Mind-controlled or not, it was one of the best kisses Jim ever had, and left him feeling guilty over how much he'd enjoyed it. Uhura kissed how she lived: fierce, hot and strong and Jim was the one left dazed and gasping when it ended, although he did his best to give as good as he got. They didn't speak a word until back on the ship when Scotty got the transporters working again. Uhura broke the silence with a chuckle. "Pretty impressive, Captain," she said playfully. "Can you kiss that well under your own free will?" Jim grinned slyly. "I guess you'll never know, Lieutenant," he replied smugly. "Like me with your first name." "Well played, Jim." She responded good-naturedly as they silently promised to never speak of it again.

  5.The mission itself wasn't awkward, but what happened afterward made Jim beet red every time he remembered it. He, Spock, and Uhura were transporting back to the ship after a very successful mission to Sirius V when something very.....unfortunate occurred. Jim felt suddenly extremely cold upon arriving on the transporter pad and looked down to find all his outer clothes had disappeared, leaving him in nothing but his underwear. Jim groaned. Not again. Last week it had done the same thing to Bones and himself, which resulted in a furious, red-faced doctor ranting and raving about incompetent engineers and treacherous transporters as well as a highly amused and slightly less embarrassed Captain.   He looked over at Spock, who was equally unclothed, but unbothered except for a tinge of green around his ears. Who would have thought Vulcans had so much chest hair? "Scotty, I thought you said you'd fixed this thing!" Jim called to the flustered engineer, who was staring angrily at the controls. "I thought I did, Captain!! It's completely baffling to me!" Scotty protested. Jim sighed and crossed his arms over his extremely bare, decidedly unhairy chest. "The least you can do is find some kind of cover up for the Commander and Lieutenant and I. We're not going anywhere like this." "Aye, Captain." Despite the temptation of his baser instincts, He steadfastly refused to look to his left at Uhura. For one, He rather valued his manhood, and for another, he wasn't THAT guy anymore and he wanted to keep her trust and respect that had been so hard to earn. He even closed his eyes to be absolutely sure he couldn't see anything he shouldn't and was stunned when her smooth voice said with a touch of humor, "Not bad, Captain: both the biceps and the self-control." Jim blushed to the roots of his hair. He opened his eyes again as someone thrust a blanket into his hands. Spock was staring at him oddly and a bit suspiciously. Let him wonder, Jim thought, following his blanket draped lieutenant out of the transporter room. There technically wasn't anything to wonder about---yet.

   +1. Being kidnapped and handcuffed to Uhura in the bowels of a Romulan vessel was not how Jim imagined he'd end up confessing his feelings, but really considering the circumstances and how bleak things looked for the two of them, he figured he didn't have anything to lose. They'd fallen into a sinister trap on a supposedly humanitarian mission and ended up captured by a secret sect that admired Nero. Their captors used Kirk for a punching bag for a few minutes, then spat something in Romulan at Uhura and left with mocking laughter. "What did they say?" asked Jim, trying to wipe the blood off his mouth and nose. "They were telling me in graphic detail how they are going to torture you to death while I'm forced to watch," she choked out. "I refuse to  say what that is, so don't ask. Let's just say it will be torture itself to watch it." A sick feeling churned in Jim's stomach. Now he was no coward, but Romulan torture was legendary in all the worst ways and their ships were well cloaked and shielded. It would take a miracle to save them now. Who knew what their plans were for Uhura? He clenched his fists at the thought of them hurting or assaulting her while he lay helpless. "Well, unless Spock pulls off the heist of The Century, this is probably it for us. It's been good serving with you, Uhura." "James T. Kirk, Mr. No no-win scenario is giving up? I find that hard to believe," Uhura said trying for skepticism, but a slight shake in her voice gave her away. "Shocking isn't it?" Jim said with a twisted half smile. "For once I can't see the way out of this. These cuffs are more like manacles." He looked down despondently at his hand attached to hers securely by the high tech cuffs. Their ankles were both chained to the floor with heavy iron Shackles. "Just a few years ago if we'd been trapped like this, we'd be clawing each other's eyes out," Jim observed. "You'd probably have made a million crude jokes and tried to hit on me," his lieutenant replied. "It's nice to see you've matured." Jim smiled sheepishly and picked at his uniform with his free hand. "I've also come to understand the value of actual relationships, shocking as that is. There's someone I'd very much like a second chance with before I die." "And you regret not telling that person?" "Yeah," Jim admitted nervously. "The chances of her responding positively are pretty low, but I'd tell her how I've loved her for years and say I was sorry for the crap I put her through. Then I'd tell her what a great officer and person she is, followed by a short diatribe on her stunning beauty." The captain was blushing hotly as he admitted this, wondering if she'd guessed he was talking about her. Oh, well. What was the worst that could happen? He was going to die, anyway. He felt a tug on the cuff on his left hand as Uhura suddenly grabbed it in hers. "Jim, look at me." He'd been staring at the floor determinedly the whole time, but his attention was grabbed by the use of his first name. He slowly raised his eyes to look at her, wondering what kind of reaction his confession would have. "You're really adorable when you're blushing, you know that? Also, very transparent. Are you telling me you've got genuine feelings for me?" "Yes," he gulped, hoping she wasn't upset at him for even saying it. "Don't be mad. It won't be a problem much longer." She choked back a hysterical sound. "James Tiberius Kirk, you precious idiot you! You're that clueless about what I've been trying to communicate? I guess I overdid the subtlety, then." Jim blinked, not comprehending that she could possibly be welcoming his interest for once. "You mean, you-you're willing to give me a chance if we get out of this?" "Mmmm-hmmm," she confirmed with a smile. "Which is why you need to quit that defeatist attitude right now and remember you're a Kirk!" This snapped Kirk out of his slump. He sat up straighter and squeezed back, hope and joy flooding through him and he began to inspect every inch of the space they were held with the eyes of a captain and strategist. When the Romulans came back to grab them, Kirk and Uhura were ready for them. Kirk fought like a man possessed, distracting them enough for Uhura to disable a key power source for the ship, leaving it hobbled. He was eventually overpowered and dragged over to a platform that looked eerily similar to the one Pike had been held on. Somehow, he didn't know how, she managed to get hold of a phaser before they'd got far into the torture and zip! zap! zip! Three Romulans lay stunned. The one holding the whip turned and ZAP! went down hard after he'd struck Jim only five times. Uhura freed Jim and checked the bloody stripes down his chest with a frown. "Let's get out of here before they decide to upgrade to the spiked version," Jim said with a shudder, pointing at a nasty looking weapon in the hand of of one of their unconscious captors.

His shirts were unwearable, having been literally ripped off his body, so Jim made his escape without half his clothing, which didn't phase him, being a frequent occurrence. With some wild scrambling, hacking, and help from Scotty and Spock, the two were beamed back to the Enterprise, little worse for wear. Uhura grabbed her captain and hugged him tightly, snuggling as close as she could "Jim, we made it." "Yes, we did," he acknowledged happily, returning the embrace freely. "So does that mean you'll go out with me?" She smiled up at him and kissed his bruised jaw. "Yes, as long as you go see Dr. McCoy without fussing." He made a face and dramatically sighed. "You drive a hard bargain, but I'll do it because you're worth all the hyposprays and insults he throws at me. Thanks for saving me from being flayed alive, by the way. That was actually really hot the way you handled those brutes." "You think I'll ever want to watch you die again?" She whispered, brown eyes serious as she traced one of the red lash marks with a finger. "Not gonna happen on my watch, James T. Kirk, so get used to it." They grinned at each other again and headed for the turbolift shamelessly holding hands. Spock and Bones were amazed at how docile the captain was: he sat still meekly while being patched up and gave Spock the mission report without quibbling and procrastinating. Jim and Nyota, as he now called her off-duty, did enjoy their date and many more after that.

[ask-de-writer]

KURIN’S FOLLY : World of Sea : Part 7 of 15

KURIN’S FOLLY

Part 7

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

23,699 words

© 2020 by Glen Ten-Eyck

writing begun  2006

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form, physical, electronic or digital is prohibited without the express consent of the author.

//////////////

Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact.  They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

New to the story?  Read from the beginning.  Part 1 is here

///////////////////////

Lissa interrupted, “I know the woman that you speak of but should you so freely say a Great Sea Dragon’s name?”

“In this case,” said Kurin thoughtfully, “yes.  It was her true and proper name.  The rest of the ship called her Cat, which was just a way to shorten her name to try and ward off possible bad luck.

��Cat got your young Kurin apprenticed to Master Juris and spent all of her off watch time raising Kurin.  She became Kurin’s foster mother, since you were no longer able to care for your child.

“After just less than a Gathering together, it came time for Cat to marry off of the Longin. It was the Gathering of the Dragon’s Moons.  All of the other brides and grooms had been married and then Mecat called forth her groom.  Dark Iren himself rose up by the Wedding raft and his Orca Whales leaped all about it.  The Cat that we knew dove into the water in front of him and surfaced as Blind Mecat the Great Sea Dragon, pure white, to his pure black.

“Before she left, Blind Mecat, the Dragon of Wisdom, gave your young Kurin a Dragon’s Gift.”

Lissa was trying to follow the tale but this was a bit much.  “Do you really believe in Dragon Gifts?” she asked skeptically.

Kurin smiled at her question. “That is a strange thing for you to ask.  You spent seven Gatherings trying to get one.  You wanted Dark Iren to return your dead husband, Murin.  

“To answer your question, though, yes, I do believe in them.  Kurin got one and I know of another who also got one.  My other foster mother, Captain Tanlin.”

Lissa interrupted again, “I think that I see where this tale is going. You are the same Kurin that I bore.  Fate and my madness have made you a different person.  You were raised in part by the Great Sea Dragon, Blind Mecat, and in part by this Captain Tanlin.

“You are the Kurin who talks to Dragons.  You have said that you share the name of my Kurin but are not her.  Is it time or fosterage that has separated us?”

“Both,” Kurin answered honestly.  “Now that there is water under your keel, I hope that you and I can begin to splice the cables that time has severed.”

Lissa paused and considered that carefully before proceeding.  “I doubt that there can ever be what should be between mother and daughter.  Does it help that I am proud of the person before me?”

Kurin did not even pause before saying, “Yes, that is a good thing.  Does it help to know that I am proud of you, too?”

Bitterly, Lissa asked, “What is there to be proud of in me?  I abandoned you.  I have been, may still be, so far onto dry land that I do not know what is true any more.  I see Alor and she does look older than I remember her.  That is one reason to believe what you have just told me.  Another is that Alor has not contradicted anything that you have said.  She has always been honest.

“If all that you say is true, then I have been a burden on my ship for seven Gatherings.  I know that I have attacked people and done harm.  I can remember some of that.”

The ship altered tack and the cabin floor tilted the other way and the rhythm of the waves changed. Lissa looked sharply at Kurin and asked, “Are we still on the Longin?  This vessel handles the waves differently than the Longin used to do.”

Kurin nodded and said, “This is the Longin and it does handle differently than before.  There have been a number of changes.  Heavy seawater vats have been added down in the lower holds for a new trade that Cat found us during her last Gathering with the ship.  The Longin is now famous for live shellfish, like crabs, lobster and shrimp.

“You noticed the change as swiftly as any person could.  You are alert and trying to deal with the loss of seven Gatherings.  The shocks of that could send many a weaker mind right back onto dry land again.  I do not fear that in you.  Much of my intellect came from you.  That is why I am proud of you.”

High Cloud, on Kurin’s shoulder, squawked and Kurin had a picture of warm roast fish chunks being offered on chopsticks and maybe some red weed bread or buns. Kurin casually reached up and scritched him around the bottom of his beak as she said, “Right.  I’m hungry too.”  She stood, holding out a hand to Lissa.  “Come  with us to the Galley.  High Cloud and I need some food.  Neither of us has eaten since breakfast and glutton here, “she poked High Cloud in the breast gently, “wants me to feed him for a change.”

Lissa looked at the big Sea Hawk warily.  “All that I heard was a squawk.  How did he say that?”

As Kurin led the way up the companion ladder to the main deck, she cheerfully said, “The squawk was just a squawk.  The rest was inside my mind.  I use words when I talk to him because I’m used to talking.  It is the picture in my mind that he understands.”

“Your bird reads your mind?” Lissa asked dubiously.  “Can he read anyone’s mind?

Kurin flashed a sideways grin and replied, “We read each other’s minds.  It is easy to experience but hard to explain.  I can see through his eyes or ride the wind with him when he lets me.  Likewise, he can see through my eyes or work with my hands if I let him.  I have felt his mind inside mine since before he hatched.”

Lissa was still wary and asked again, “Does he read anybody else’s mind?”

Kurin got her drift and replied, “No, that level of communication is restricted to our rookery flock. . . and the Great Sea Dragons, of course.  Dari created the birds and can communicate with any of them.  Blind Mecat can too. Dark Iren has a harder time of it.  Horen can still communicate with them to some extent, since they really are fish, no matter how changed they may be.  Frath can warn them if a big storm has to come their way, but he’s not really very good at it.

“That’s how the Wide Wings came to the Grandalor in the first place.  They didn’t get Frath’s warning in time and got caught up in a Coriolis Storm.  Skye and Thunderhead took refuge in the rigging and later, in the eye of the storm, they started a nest in the topmast lookout.  

“Captain Tanlin protected them and fed them.  When she got her Dragon’s Gift they got included by accident because they were trying to protect her, the newest member of their flock, from a Great Sea Dragon.  The Gift finished what had already started.  They got bonded together as a Rookery Flock.”

They had come to the Mess and Kurin entered the big room, seemingly unaware of the stares that were turned their way.  They did make an odd group, a young, pure white haired girl with one of the most respected predators of Sea riding calmly on her shoulder and her mother, known to everyone as dangerously mad, all conversing calmly and seemingly utterly normal. Except that the bird was being included in the conversation.

Lissa had decided to accept that High Cloud, through Kurin at least, understood far more than a bird might be expected to, so she was just talking to him like a normal person.  “What kind of food do you want, High Cloud?” she asked curiously.

Kirin responded for him, “Warm Skelt fillets, a bit of soft bread and a few pieces of a big roast. Strong Skin, maybe.”  She paused and then added, “Me, I’d love a few crab puffs and some tart dipping sauce.  A seaweed salad on the side and some sweet flavored water if they have any, would be great. What would you like, Lissa?”

Animatedly, Lissa said, “You have exotic tastes, Kurin.  Crab is pretty scarce stuff.”

“Not on this ship,” Kurin replied cheerfully.  “Remember, I told you that the Longin has been famous for Gatherings for its shellfish.  About seven Gatherings ago, Cat showed us how to find and keep crabs, lobsters and shrimp.  I’m afraid that it’s in your Lost Gatherings.”

TO BE CONTINUED

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[ask-de-writer]

KURIN’S FOLLY : World of Sea : Part 6 of 15

KURIN’S FOLLY

Part 6

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

23,699 words

© 2020 by Glen Ten-Eyck

writing begun  2006

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form, physical, electronic or digital is prohibited without the express consent of the author.

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As she chewed, Kurin reached up and scratched him about the head.  It really did help.  Not the fish per se, but the genuine caring and concern that reached out to her through the gesture.  She got a grip on the pain and shoved it into a hold in her mind and slammed the hatch.

It was nearly fifteen minutes before anyone followed her.  At last, Alor came up the companionway and walked over to stand beside Kurin at the rail.  Kurin noticed Alor’s hands on the rail were tense and shaking.

In a fear filled voice, Alor told her, “Come, Kurin.  We need to get you set up in my cabin.  I’ll order a bunk for you.”

Depreciatingly, Kurin replied, “Your cabin is small.  I just need a place to sling a hammock.”

Desperately, Alor looked about the deck and said, “You heard us tell you about Lissa.  You do not want to have a reunion with your mother. We need you in a secure cabin, with a door that can be barred from the inside.  After you left, Master Juris began to come about.  The others are still with him, trying to sort out how one man can do so much damage to a ship that he claims to love.

“What he told us a few moments ago, is why I came.  While you were transferring between ships, Master Juris told Lissa that you were returning.  I came to get you to safety as soon as I heard.  We really must go.”

Kurin nodded at that and gathered her duffel.  They set out for the after companionway.  As they descended the ladder, Lissa leaped from the shadows behind it, trying to grapple Kurin.  Kurin, forewarned of the possibility, let her bags fall and caught Lissa’s outstretched arm as she charged.  Kurin pulled her mother’s arm down across her shoulder and used the momentum of the charge to hurl her into the bulkhead.  Stunned, the fallen Lissa looked up at Kurin.

A puzzled look came into her eyes.  She frowned and spoke, in a voice rusty with disuse, “You aren’t my Kurin.  She is little, only seven.  Her hair is nearly black and yours is white.

“Did Master Juris lie?  Where is my Kurin?”

Before Alor could say anything, Kurin knelt beside the fallen woman and said, “Your Kurin talks with the Great Sea Dragons.  I do share her name.”  Alor left at a run.

Now perplexed, Lissa said, “If she is dead, then where is my Murin Behar?  If she, who found him dead, is gone herself, then Dark Iren, Dragon of Death, must release him.”

Kurin shivered at the simple, deadly reasoning of her mother and responded, “I did not say that your Kurin is dead.  I said that she talks to the Great Dragons of Sea.  Some have said that she is now a Dragon Witch.  I do not believe that she is, myself.  I do know this.  Blind Mecat the Great Sea Dragon, is her Foster Mother and Dark Iren, Mecat’s mate, is her Foster Father.  I have heard them say so with my own ears.

“Your Kurin once asked for her father, your husband, to be returned.  Dark Iren himself said that it could not be.  I was there.  I heard him.  Many others did also.”

In a soft, broken voice, Lissa asked, “Why?  Why can I not have him back?”

Kurin barely paused to think as she wove her mother a fable based on something that she had heard from Captain Sula of the ship Dark Dragon from the Corlis fleet.  “We salvage Strong Skin and glue and cloth too worn for it’s original use, true?  Those things that we salvage, we remake into new things. Dark Iren cannot give back Murin Behar because he is now a Wide Wing, somewhere in the skies of Sea.”

Lissa’s eyes went wide.  She said softly, “A Wide Wing?  I heard that you have one.”  A fierce hope flared in those deep set eyes, “Could it be my Murin?”

Kurin had to think, so she helped Lissa to her feet to gain time.  She looked up at her mother and glanced around the companionway.  She stalled, “I am going to be put up in Alor’s cabin.  Will you come and help me to put away my things?”

At Lissa’s nod, Kurin simply turned and picked up her fallen luggage.  A hand was laid gently on hers and Lissa took the strap of her heaviest bag.  Her voice shaking slightly from the roiling emotions that she had finally loosed, Lissa said, “Let me carry this.  It is the least that I can do.  I attacked you.  It was wrong.  You at least let me know why I can’t get my love back.  Nobody else did that.  It hurts so much to lose him.  It isn’t fair!  He was young!  Why did the Dragon take him?”

They were stepping into Alor’s small cabin when a burly crewman came rushing up the corridor.  Kurin turned to him and said, “Stand down, Bradon.  Lissa and I are going to put away my things.  I will watch her and bring her back to you when we are done.”

Alor arrived just in time to overhear Kurin’s words in amazement.  Kurin gestured her to silence and set about unpacking.  Lissa worked alongside her.  At the last, there were only two things left.  A simple, beautifully made tool chest with many drawers and a strange construction of bone struts and glued Strong Skin.  Kurin opened the porthole of Alor’s cabin and hung the contraption out through it.  It made a secure, solid perch that projected through from the inside to the outside of the hull.

In only moments, High Cloud had landed on his familiar perch and sauntered into the cabin as if he owned it.  Kurin extended an arm and he flutter-hopped to it and strutted up to her shoulder.

Lissa watched in amazement.  She asked cautiously, “Is he safe?”

“No,” Kurin promptly replied. “Neither am I.  We are rookery mates.  Attack him, and I will be on you in the instant.  I won’t even think about anything except how to stop you most effectively.  It works the other way, too.  Ask Master Juris.”

Kurin hung her hammock and sat in it, gesturing at the bunk.  “Sit down, Lissa.  There is a tale that you need to hear.”

Lissa sat and composed herself, warily keeping an eye on the big Sea Hawk that was industriously preening around Kurin’s ear.

Kurin began by asking, “How long a time has passed since your husband, Murin, died?”

A puzzled frown knit Lissa’s face.  Haltingly, trying to puzzle out the time lapse, she said, “I don’t know for sure.  A few Wohans, perhaps?”

Kurin replied with certainty, “Your grief drove you onto dry land.  I think that you may have figured that out by now.  It was a longer time than you know.  You wandered on the very edge of Iren’s Halls.  I know of another, whom I love, who spent a long time like that.  In your case, seven Gatherings have come and gone.

“You sought the Dragon but it was not yet your time.  He is not ready to remake you.  Dark Iren himself told me that he causes no thing die but the fish that he eats for food.  All living things will die in their own time.  People are no exception.  Even the lives of the Great Dragons themselves, as long as they are, will end someday.

“When people die, Dark Iren takes them to his Halls beneath the Dragon Sea and there he heals them and makes them anew.  When the time is right, with Blind Mecat’s help, he weaves them back into the web of life.

“Seven Gatherings ago, your daughter, Kurin, found her father, whom she too had loved, gone.  All that was left was his body.  The life in it had already left for Iren’s halls.  Neither Kurin nor Dark Iren had anything to do with his dying.  Dark Iren simply did what he does and re-wove Murin Behar’s life back into the great network of life.  His life needed no healing because Murin was already a good man, so it was done quickly.

“Kurin was horror struck and filled with grief when Murin Behar died.  It was terrible for her when she found him.  Not, I guess, so bad as it was for you.  

“Do you remember a blind, white haired woman on the Longin?  She was named Mecat.”

TO BE CONTINUED

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