Iale, alone with Angel and Lacey, had searched fruitlessly all night for word of Joe Billows. No one seemed to know anything about cloves, and the best information they got was someone mentioning a trader by the name of something weird - Demcay Allcream, or something? Probably a mug, thought Iale bitterly, still grumpy and ornery from lack of sleep and her captain.

"I still say we should follow that lead," she said to her companions, stopping to catch her breath on a nearby hitching post. "If he sold cloves to Joe, he probably still is. Joe's a critcher of habit. He can change his face all right, but ain't no way he'd change somethin' important like that."

Angel sighed rubbing her eyebrows. She was not normally one to wither from lack of sleep, but it had been five nights since she had a chance to rest her eyes. Stretching and cracking her neck, she turned to Iale and thought for a moment. "I've been following fruitless leads for the past ten days, what's one more to me? You're the first break-through I've had. You know him best. If your gut tells you this 'Allcream' fellow is the one, I say we check the fellow out." Gazing at Lacey, she cocked her head, "What say ye, Blondie?"

Lacey was catching her breath too, hands on hips, taking big mouthfuls like a beached fish. She nodded at Iale, wanting to say something, but to puffed out just yet.



Taking a big final breath, she raised a finger.

"That, sounds like...an excellent...idea...t' me." Pausing, she looked at Iale.

"Are ye sure its Allcream? It sounds like a dessert. Or a drink!" She paused to consider that before moving on.

"Do ye have any idea whare this Cream fellow lives?"

"Y'all right there, lassie?" said Iale, grinning at Lacey's tiredness, though she herself was feeling the distinct urge to sleep.

"Aye, we should ask about. If he's a spice trader, he'll be usin' the wharf. Let's go bother the commissioner. Like old times, eh?" She winked and nudged Lacey. "Just a trio o' well-meanin' lasses lookin' for a strange spice salesman..."

The blonde waved Iale off. Yes, so she wasn't the most cardio fit pirate out there, but she was good in short bursts. Plus they had been going all night. It was slightly draining.



Grinning, Lacey adjusted her cleavage and fluttered her eyelashes.

"Indeed. Well meanin' lasses. Who can argue with that?" Her eyebrows waggled humorously.

Angel chuckled, "Aye, then let's get a move on and persuade the commissioner to let us know where our spicy friend is!"

((let's timewarp to the dock!))

The Dockmaster was in high spirits that day, having recently been paid on a long-overdue account - a feat not achieved without bloodshed, but, comparatively, not too much bloodshed. He used his wrist to wipe away the sweat and blood from his eyes, and pushed up his spotted bandana, looking out over Haverton Pier and all its subsidiaries.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the three women approaching - two quite attractive, and one a little freakish. He recognized Lacey and Iale at once, and his expression turned from satisfaction to a mixture of fear and despair within seconds.

"Ye gads, not you two," he moaned, taking a step backwards. "Got a third to complete the coven, I see? Arr, leave poor ol' Reggie alone, will ye? 'S been a long day, a long day..."

Lacey grinned and turned to Iale as they walked.

"Why, I do believe he remembers us DuPont. Surely, we weren't that bad last time." She turned her head to Reggie and thumbed her sword hilt.

"Ye hurt me Reggie, right here," Her hand patted her heart. "An' besides, it's only gone mornin'. Yer day's are a lot clockin' shorter than mine, that's for sure."

"Oh, right," said the confused Reggie, "I been up all night, uh..." He glance shiftily from eye to eye. "What can I do ye for, if in fact ye mean to leave me with me skin intact?"

Lacey hooked her thumbs in her belt, regarding him for a moment.

"Lookin' for a man, spice merchant. Demcay Allcream? Ye know anythin'?"

"What, Demkaih?" Reggie replied, cackling. "I allus hear people mispronounce that name...fellow's on the up-an'-up, whatchoo want from him? Set up shop somewhere in Vienda, last I heard. Only stops by once a munf, if that. Done me business a poor dealing."

Iane sneered at Reggie at this comment.

"Not like you was ever much of a target, Reg," she said, recalling the time they had raided his fleet of supply ships and come away with a year's worth of fine saffron only to find it was cut with sand. "But 'ere, Vienda? Why'd he leave town? What's he got to hide, eh?"

Lacey paced around the dock master, tapping her hips with her fingertips.

"Man on the run? I like that in a man. Makes him so much more satisfyin' when ye catch him." She spun quickly and pointed a finger at Reggie.

"Right then Reggie ole boy, what does this Demkaih fella look like? An' be specific, I ent goin' lookin' for e'ery brown haired, brown eyed spice trader round Vienda."

Reggie screwed up his face as though trying hard to remember, though of course the job of Dockmaster meant he had a pretty good memory. It had saved his erse more than once.

"Errrrm, he was a light fella for a Mug, tall, bald, got a tat be'ind his ear...blue eyes, 'fie remember correct..."

Lacey tapped her lips thoughtfully. So, a mugrobi man here in Vienda to sell spices. Sounded like the most uneventful job in all of Vita. Shrugging, she turned to Iale and Angel.

"What d' ye reckon chips? Has Reggie been a good boy this time? Sounds like we got a man t' find." She stepped down beside Iale.

"What say ye DuPont? T' Vienda? I ent so fond of them Se'enten fella's. They don't take kindly to guns. Arrest ye just for havin' em." Resting her hand fondly on her gun, she frowned.

"Just gonna have to show 'em how much fun they can be."

Reggie smiled nervously, showboating an eclectic array of broken and rotten teeth.

Iale grinned at Lacey. "Well, as we ain't got Lacey's rustbucket, guess we'll have to borrow Reggie's little steamer. You don't mind, do ye, Reg? We'll keep her safe from dings n' holes, all right."

Before he was able to protest, Iale reached up near his belt loop and snatched his keyring with her tiny hand.

"Thanks," she said, winking at him. "See you in a few days! Better book it, chips..."

Iale set off at a run to the lower dock as Reggie began shouting for help. It wouldn't do to be stopped by someone looking for a quick reward right now.

Lacey scowled for a moment, before kicking up her heels and hightailing it after Iale.

"At least the Lady looked impressive." She yelled as they ran, wondering if Angel had kept up the pace. Eitherway, Vienda, here they come!

Angel stepped back and let the two get to work. They were obviously familiar with this man and knew how to work him, and they didn't disappoint. Soon all three were dashing away from the flustered Dockmaster, hot on the trails of the mysterious spice merchant. "Next stop, Vienda!"