The Adventures of Valiant Venture, Scourge of the Space-Ways by Valiant Venture
	A thin continual mist had fallen for the last three days. It was the Month of Rianii, the Time of Tears, so it was as it should be. The old man trudged wearily through the muddy narrow streets of Briny. His senses were assaulted by the sounds and smells of life and community, though the streets were empty. "Only a fool would be about in this weather," he grumbled to himself. Heronomus shivered in the grey evening light. Gea, Areo, and Friao, the three moons, were hidden by the low hanging clouds, and he said a silent prayer to Father Scrump, to help him find his way. As if in answer to his prayer, through the ramshackle buildings that comprised the village, he spotted the carved wooden sign swinging slowly above his destination. The Ruptured Duck was as dilapidated as the rest of the town; a conglomeration of wood and stone, its dirt floor covered with straw. In the west wall, a huge stone fireplace gave off the only real light. Old wooden tables and benches were scattered haphazardly about the room. Across the south wall ran a plank supported by barrels. A door behind the makeshift bar was covered with the skin of a snowbear, its white coat grey from smoke. Heronomus lifted his hand as he entered, and gave the invocation for peace. He pulled back his cowl and surveyed the occupants of the Duck. Business was booming, he thought to himself as ten patrons glanced his way. A few nodded in acknowledgment of his prayer. "Heronomus!" the large bartender rumbled as he rounded the bar and crossed the space between them. His eyes were bright with recognition and he was smiling, though only his friends would be able to recognize it as a smile, for the jagged scar that ran across his features hid any casual interpretation. "Shamus, good to see you," the old man returned the hug from his long-time friend, "how are Kevan and Brianna?" As if in answer to his question, two children ran through the covered door in back yelling his name. They were followed by an ample woman, wiping her hands on a well-used apron. "Scrump has answered our prayers, and returned you safely to us," Kathryn said. Shamus's wife was the brains and backbone of the little bar, and was well known for seasoned roast duck, the aroma of which permeated the room. "Barkeep!" the revelry was interrupted by a hooded figure, resting at a table in one of the shadowy corners. He had raised his mug and was shaking it. "Right away, Sir! Excuse me, Heronomus." Heronomus watched as Shamus went to help his customer. He had noticed the man when the made his invocation. Indeed, he had noticed everyone in the bar; that was what the invocation was for, if you were more than just an Initiate in the Scrumpish order, and Heronomus was much more than an Initiate. He quietly mumbled another prayer as he sat down, letting the children crawl into his lap. There was something strange to the feel of the man, an alien texture.... Valiant Venture paid for the mug of mead with one of his replicated local coins. He absently scratched the subdermal transponder beneath the skin of his left forearm. Why didn't someone tell him these things were so uncomfortable? He watched as the huge barkeep returned to the little reunion taking place before him. That man is hideous; he needs about two hours of dermal regeneration, he thought. Valiant shook his head and sighed. Special Ops, what was he doing in Special Ops? He was a pilot, not an infiltrator. How did Dougherty become an Admiral? He had to be crazy, sending a pilot on a Special Ops mission. Silently he cursed his position and watched the other bar patrons. Well, there was a lost Civilian somewhere on this mud ball, and it had been his job to find some kind of lead to his whereabouts. Trouble was that after two days, he still had nothing, nada, zilch. You'd think that on a backwater planet like this... what did the tapes say? Altranis 42561747, code name Three Moons. A pre-industrial, non-space-faring race, possibly a lost colony. The language was similar to Esperanza, and he did speak Esperanza, and they had to work fast. Three Moons had a protected status, and Starfleet wanted to keep contamination to a minimum. There had been a subspace transmission from this planet though, registered as an Independent Freighter, Our Lady of Opportunity, under the command of an ex-Starfleet officer. What was his name? Wiggins, yes, Wiggins... His musing was interrupted by the revelry beginning to infect the other patrons by the little reunion in front of the fireplace. "A Story, Heronomus!" someone yelled. "Yes, tell us of your recent sojourn, didn't the Duke send you to the coast?" Heronomus smiled as the patrons of the Duck began to move closer around him. "Very well, I will tell you of my recent trip to the Monastery of Saint Stephanie, 'tis the very trip the Duke sent me on not three days ago, the night of the Star Dance. "Brother Barthelmey of the Monastery told me of these events, and has he related them to me, so I will tell you," Heronomus studied his audience, then began, calming his voice for effect. "The Monks of St. Stephanie go to pray every evening at the well of St. Raymond, at the top of Demons Claw Ridge." He glanced around the circle of faces and continued. "The Monks prayed in silence to Father Scrump, to protect his children and guide them in peace and harmony. As they prayed that chilly evening, a strange thing happened. A ship with billowed sails came drifting through the heavens, as if it were sailing upon the ocean!" The children gasped, those closest around him smiled, the strange man in the corner was listening intently, something not lost on Heronomus. The old Scholar began again. "As the ship sailed above them, it furled its sails and dropped its anchor, which fell and caught on the side of the well. The Monks were sore afraid, and prayed for protection and guidance." Heronomus took a long drink from his ale. "One of their number, Brother Nichodemus, was more afraid for the well than for himself. He reached out and grabbed the anchor rope, holding on with all his might. The other Monks, seeing this, rushed to help him. They held the line and the Great Heavenly Ship was unable to pull away. From the Ship above, a sailor leapt over the side and swam through the air as if through water, down to where the Monks held the anchor securely. Brave Brother Nicodemus let go the anchor rope as he approached, and grabbed the sailor, dragging him down into the crowd of Monks." Again Heronomus paused, calmly taking a long drink of his ale, and gagging his audience. "The Sailor cried, Stop it! Stop it! You're drowning me!" This so startled the Monks that they let go, and he grabbed his anchor and swam back up to his ship, which promptly set sail and sped away into the Heavens." Everyone was silent, as Heronomus tousled young Briannas' hair, and took another long draught of his ale. "Well, Priest?" a burly patron appeared impatient. "What happened?" Heronomus glanced up from the children, a look of puzzlement on his face. "What happened? The Priests continued their prayers and went back to the Monastery!" "No, no, with the Magic Ship, Grandpa," Kevan spoke out, his eyes filled with curiosity. Heronomus looked around and smiled, "it sped away, as I was told. You should trust in Father Scrump, and remember, Fear not the Unknown, it has more than enough reason to fear you!" He gestured dramatically, then did a quiet invocation, and went back to playing with the children. "Priest," one of the Patrons chuckled, "always with the Morals," as he went back to his table. Everyone seemed satisfied and had a chuckle as they returned to their tables. Everyone except Venture. He eyed the old man wearily. Was this the lead he was looking for? The time was about right, and the ships' classification would mean it might have had an old hydrogen converter for its manouvering drives. That would explain the need for stopping at a planet protected by the Prime Directive. Why would someone go into space in one of those old hydrogen clunkers? The thought made him shutter. It was better than nothing, it was something to report. It would mean he could make recall, and maybe get off this spinning mud ball! He quickly finished his mead and rose from his table. Valiant had miscalculated, however, and the headiness of the mead and darkness of the chamber in his first step, which he missed. He stumbled over the edge of the table and landed face first on the wet muddy straw of the bar floor. Laughter followed until he rose, looking ominously around. Silence reined as he straightened his cloak and headed for the door. Heronomus watched the strange cowled figure step out into the mist. It was growing darker outside, not a time to go wandering around the streets of Briny. What he was thinking was realized, as two of the customers immediately donned their capes and followed him out. He turned and motioned to Shamus, "you know anything about that young man who just left?" "The klutzy one? No - spoke with a thick accent, paid with gold, spoke little," Shamus glanced at the two leaving after the stranger, "and will probably be wolf food by the rising of Friao, if I know anything about the two who followed him out." Shamus went back to his business, which was tending the bar, not saving strange patrons from foolish choices. Heronomus sighed. "I will be back shortly, Scrump willing." He started to rise, setting the kids off his lap. Shamus turned around. "Heronomus, Kathryn is back in the kitchen serving up an excellent portion of roast duck, She'll be upset if you don't stay and have a taste, and it's late to be wandering the streets." But Heronomus would not be deterred, he had felt the young man's aura, and knew there was more here than just a wanderer from afar. Perhaps it was one of the crew of the ship that was brought down out by the Monastery. He had no idea but he was a Scumpish priest and it fell under the tenants of his order. He promised to return, and made his way into the night. Kevan waved to his Grandpa as he went through the door, then picked his nose. Well, he wasn't really his Grandpa, but he always called him that, and he always was kind, and gave them goodies, sometimes. He watched as his father went into the back. Momma was gonna be sad that Grandpa wasn't gonna stay, she was always smiling when Heronomus was around. He glanced at his sister; she had found something in the straw. He went over and tried to get it out of her hand. She hated to share, but she was only three, and he was five. It was a little metal box, with bumps on one side. Brianna's cry was cut short as the two scuffled. And the type one phaser went off. End of Chapter 1