TRC - Lord of the Glass Desert Ch. 39

"Then I'll wait a couple of months to go."

Ikuno shook her head. "The sooner you are on the list, the sooner you are sailing. In two months, you may have to wait another three or four before getting aboard the training ship, depending on how many women respond. This call is going out to the slums of all the cities in Azumbaho."

Kal and Ikuno quickly left, ignoring the questions shouted at them.

"In the next city, we walk in, make the announcement, and leave," grumbled Kal.

"And here I was looking forward to you swatting my ass like that again. It still stings," she purred.

He replied with an evil grin, "Then let's get back to the ship so I can even you out."

---

The winds died down as they made the turn around the northeastern corner of Azumbaho.

"I hate this part of the trip," said Scarlet as she sipped her tea by the rear ballista. "Not as much as going through The Spine, but I still hate it. Too many times we've been stuck becalmed for days. Almost as bad are those," she pointed up at the sails hanging limp from the yards. The ship still moved, but the sails were hardly full. "Any chance your magic could help us?"

Kal shook his head, "I know of attack spells that can summon a blast of freezing air, but nothing to offer a sustained wind. What about finding another Emru or other monster girl to help you out? Naivoo can manipulate water, and I've heard there are giant varieties of her kind."

"You want me to go ask a kraken for help getting through windless seas? What else did you put in that cup besides tea?"

"No, I'm suggesting you ask a monster girl."

"Are you offering yourself as the sacrificial cock if we find one? We both know what she will want in return for her help. Assuming she doesn't just eat us. Krakens aren't known for their kind and gentle demeanor."

"How many do you know?"

"None, and I plan to keep it that way. Besides, I don't like the idea of using the men as bargaining chips for passage."

"Fair, but you could offer the men a bonus for taking care of the kraken and make it very clear to her that if the men all say no, then she is under no obligation to help you."

"Interesting idea. I'll run it by Hali and Naivoo our next time around and see how plausible your idea is."

"Where are those two?"

"Hali turned back at Soma while Naivoo boarded the Gazelle when you disembarked. She seems to have a soft spot for our rescue, Gavim. I'm surprised it took you this long to notice they weren't here."

"I have enough women trying to get my dick in their mouth at every opportunity. I was likely just thankful there were a couple less."

Scarlet chuckled. "And Naivoo spoke so proudly of how she got to suck you off more than any of the other women on the ship."

"Naivoo got to suck or lick everyone on the ship more than anyone else. I don't see how I'm so special. Here comes the only woman with that distinction on this voyage," said Kal as Ikuno emerged from the stairs to the lower decks by the forecastle. "For me, that is."

Ikuno stood and stretched before taking a sip from the steaming tankard she held. The drinking vessel had been made for Roka and still looked small in the oni's hand. Looking around, she spied Kal and waved before carefully making her way to the back of the ship, stepping around coils of rope and crew alike.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" she asked at the bottom of the aft deck stairs.

"Just talking about squids."

"You mean those ones?" she said, pointing out to sea with her mug while coming up the stairs.

"Squid-girls," said Kal.

The oni gave him an annoyed look and pointed again. "Like those ones?"

Curious, Kal and Scarlet stood up and saw four human-sized forms trailing tentacles speeding toward the ship.

"Friends?" Kal asked.

"Likely, but that's for Ratt to decide."

The Scarlet Bitch's Captain appeared at the rail of the main deck as Kal and Scarlet descended the steps. Ikuno stayed where she was instead of gingerly picking her footing across the deck again.

The forms paused shortly before reaching the ship, and the heads of four squid-girls popped out of the water. They stared up at the people looking over the deck rail.

"We're supposed to say something, aren't we?" one whispered, but the sound carried easily to Kal's ears in the calm seas.

"Yeah um... Are you the Red Bitch?" another shouted up to those on the ship.

Scarlet chuckled and said, "I've been called that a time or two," in hushed tones as Ratt replied, "This is the Scarlet Bitch. State your purpose and if you are friend or foe?"

"A little late to be asking that when they're right beside your ship, isn't it?" Kal asked, keeping his voice low.

"Standard challenge, Kal, plenty of people reply with 'neither,' or 'remains to be seen' depending on their business," Scarlet answered.

"Isn't there something we are supposed to say now?" another squid girl whispered.

"There was, uhhhh...

Naivoo seemed flighty during his time interacting with her. Most of the crew who spoke about her mentioned she had gotten less scatterbrained the longer she worked with them but had been ditzy to the point of frustration when she first came aboard. Looking down at the four blank stares on the squid-girl's faces, he now understood what they meant.

"Uhhh... Apologies to come--"

"No! No. You don't apologize when you are asking for something," One of the girls interrupted

"I do," said another. "'Sorry to bother you, but can you help me with something?' or 'Sorry, but I'm very hungry. Could you spare some food?'"

"Okay, but that's not what the humans do... Oh! Yeah!" she popped up a little higher in the water. "Permission to come aboard!" she called up before immediately dropping back down to the others' level and looking around at them. "Wait, there is something else I need to say. What was it?" she asked the other squids while starting to look panicked.

"Maybe, 'Captain?'" Scarlet drawled, looking exasperated.

"That's it! Thank you, whoever you are! Permission to come aboard, Captain!"

"Denied. You still haven't stated your purpose or if you are friendly."

"Oh! We're friendly, and we made a friend named Naivoo who passed through here with another ship--"

"And a boy!" another shouted.

"A very fun boy," said another, chuckling in a manner that left little doubt why.

"Hush! I'm trying to talk,"

"Then talk, I'm gonna think about the boy some more," said the third, wearing a dopey grin.

"Fine." She huffed before turning back to the people on the ship. "Naivoo said she helped you by keeping the crew clean down here," the squid laid on her back in the water and pointed at her crotch, "and said you would have more ships soon and need more squid-girls. So, ummm here we are?"

"First off, welcome aboard," said Ratt, waving them up, "but understand we only need one of you per ship."

The four crawled wetly up the side of the ship to stand in front of Ratt before the apparent leader asked, "Can you take us to the other ships?"

"I don't know if I like being away from you all," muttered one of the squids.

"It seems like Naivoo didn't tell you a whole lot about what our fleet needs. Dry off and follow me to somewhere we can discuss your duties, expectations, and pay before I offer any of you a position on my ship."

"This should be interesting," mumbled Scarlet, nudging Kal to follow her as she fell in behind the squid girls and Ratt as the Captain led them to the helm.

Inside, Tavorah quickly rolled up the map she had been studying and slipped it into its marked spot within the map holder taking up an entire wall. She then immediately cast a spell that made the air in front of the maps shimmer. Kal didn't get a great look at the spell but assumed from the runes he made out that the spell's purpose was to keep the maps dry. An understandable precaution when four excited squid girls walk into the room.

"First and foremost," Ratt asked. "How do you want to get paid?"

"Cock," answered all four in unison.

"That will likely be a side benefit of your jobs, so I need to know what you want for actual pay."

"Naivoo told us to ask for food since we don't have much use for gold or any way to carry it."

"Smart girl. Extra food at meal times shouldn't be difficult. What did Naivoo tell you about her duties aboard the Gazelle?

"She said she uses her water to clean up cocks and pussies and butts. Occasionally, she uses it to let the crew 'take a shower.'"

Ratt nodded. "It's similar to the first, but you spray water over top of them so they can wash their entire bodies."

"She also said she drank their piss and fucked their asses."

Ratt held up both hands. "Stop right there. That's Naivoo's fetish. You will not be expected to do either of those things. But since we are on the subject of expectations, you must understand that you cannot do whatever you want with those you clean. If they want a little playtime afterward, then have fun. But if they don't, you are expected to stop and let them be on their way without making them feel guilty for not entertaining you. The crewmember may be in a hurry and need to get back to work or may be saving themselves for someone special later that night. Regardless, if they say no, you stop immediately. This applies to both men and women--"

Panicked shouts from outside interrupted the Captain and sent her bolting out the door, followed closely by Kal and Scarlet. As they stepped onto the main deck, they were joined by Kashka, coming out of the Captain's Cabin adjusting her belt. She stared blankly at Kal, bleary-eyed and looking disheveled after working a full night shift in the rigging.

"Something big is in the water to starboard!" the girl in the crow's nest shouted, "and it's coming straight toward us!"

Whatever it was created a mound in the water that looked nearly as wide as the boat. From Ikuno's vantage, he could see a large, dark body with two long trailing tentacles extending from the back.

"Poco!" one of the squid girls shrieked in delight before launching herself over the deck rail, quickly followed by a second and third.

"Naivoo was getting sick of her ship not moving and thought you might have the same problem, so she invited Poco to meet you when we did," said the remaining squid-girl, a huge smile plastered across her face as she stared at the same dark shape and mound of water terrifying the rest of the crew. "Poco is a kraken."

"Fuck me," groaned Ratt before bellowing, "Crew! To your posts! Make ready to defend the ship!" Then, under her breath muttered, "If we can."

Beside Kal, Scarlet ground her teeth together. "If we survive this, I swear I'm turning Naivoo into squid soup."