Chap. 133 Who was that man?

Chap. 133  Who was that man?

"Aye, I recollect that man. 'E weren't nothin' but super cargo," the captain of the Stella Maris said.

The Station Master of Observatory 1, (it now being referred to numerically as development of the second telescope site had begun) looked hard at the scruffy seaman in front of him. 

He had placed the drawing of the man who was suspected as being the one who'd searched the team's specimen sacks before the captain. Behind him, Rahman stayed silent but watched the man's body language for telltale reactions.

"He seemed to act as if he were a crewman of yours," the Master said, "he was seen in our dining hall on several occasions, along with your crew."

"I tell you, he weren't none of my crew. I'm the Captain, you think I don't know who is my crew and who isn't? He were super cargo, nothing more." he said, aggrieved. 

"He wasn't known to any of us here at Observatory," the Station Master said, "and he was the only stranger at Observatory at the time."

The captain shrugged.

"What is his name?"

"I dunno. He talked to my First Mate and Purser. He didn't say who he was, far as I know. I take on supercargo all the time, he didn't seem any different. I don't pry into their business, long as they stay out of mine, mind their manners and their fare for passage is good," he said.

"And..was it?"

"Aye, it were brand new marks, new as the day," the captain said, wondering why this was an issue, "my purser, he'd never take old or counterfeit marks. He's too cagey for that."

"From where?"

"Don't know that, either. Purser took the marks, reported to me later that we had a paid passenger, said the marks was new, and the man paid the bill at the port with 'em," he said, beginning to sweat.

 "Look, when we're loading supplies, I have too much on my mind to coddle supercargo. Loading is tricky business, it has to balance, aye? Iffen it's out of balance, we could go down without a trace. I'm watching every crate that comes aboard, and me crew, they know how to stow. But managing passengers? We calls 'em 'self loading cargo'. That's what I pay my a First Mate and a Purser for," he said, "to keepin 'em outa the way. That's harder'n it looks.

 They're infernally nosey, sometimes. Wanting to know 'what's in t' crate?" We had one idiot who pulled a wrapped marlinspike outa the stanchion, wanting to know what's this thing do? Line ran right outa t'block and dropped a spar and almost killed one of my crew. He were lucky we didn't drop him over t'side."

The Station Master believed him.

"Okay. Captain, you've been one of our contractors for a while and so far I've had no issues with your service," he said.

The captain relaxed.

"Where did he come aboard?"

"Tillek Sea Hold. We were 'bout done loading supplies, and iffen I recall correctly, he approached me First Mate and purser at t' last moment, just before we cast off, and  asked if there was room for him aboard. He knew we was bound for Observatory. My First, he knew we did, said, aye, but it'll cost the normal rate, and the man paid off right up front. Most of the time they wait until we reach our destination, but in this case, no. Paid right up front," he said.

"Did he ever engage in conversation? Say why he was coming here?"

"Nay. I keep telling you, I don't have much doings with supercargo. Oh, once in a while, some chatterbox wants to 'join me' on MY forecastle, talk me ear off, but I just sends them below. Most of the time, me crew runs interference. I gots too much to do, running a ship, to deal with supercargo what's bored or worse, wants to tell me how to run my ship. I been at sea since I were a tot, I built Stella Maris after my dad's ship were lost in a gale, and I knows my trade. To my bones." 

"How about your crew? Did he talk to them?" the Master asked.

The Captain thought about it for a few moments.

"Again, sir, far as I know, and I can ask me crew, he kept to himself, didn't say much, ate when they did what cooky served and didn't whinge about the food. That's unusual, most of the time passengers think we're a dining hall, not a working ship. This man, he didn't interact with the crew at all. Nor with me. Which is what we want. Super cargo might be paying for transport but we don't want them underfoot. I don't want 'em on my deck, fact is, I'd just as soon shackle them in the hold but you can't do that, either. They'd be howling and that would upset the crew."

Both Rahman and the Master laughed. Rahman had been 'supercargo' on many occasions and was a bit bemused to learn what the ship's crew thought of passengers. He was glad, too, that he'd never been the sort of passenger that earned such derision.

"Why..why are  you so interested in this man?" the captain asked.

Master glanced at Rahman..should we?

Rahman nodded, just a bit.

"This man..your 'supercargo', is suspected of entering one of my staff's quarters and searching their personal baggage. He was looking for something."

The captain was aghast.

"SIR. My crew is honest. They knows where they may go and they'd NEVER go into someone's quarters, not without invite, not without permission. Never. I won't tolerate it. Any thief who manages to bluff his way into my crew has accidents, y'know? They just don't make it to the next port. My ancestors, a hundred turns ago, they were raiders. It took me dad a lifetime to shed that reputation, and I won't fly that flag, never.  I run an honest ship and I won't allow a thief aboard her."

Now he was angry.

"Did this man, what did he steal? If he stole anything, sir, I am willing to compensate who ever he stole from."

That was unexpected, and it satisfied them both. 

Rahman spoke for the first time.

"As far as we know, Captain, nothing was stolen. He was looking for something specific, what, we don't know. But, it was noticed that the man tied the bags back up with a seaman's knot."

The captain flushed.

"Huh. He may have been a seaman…he weren't seasick on the way over and we had rough seas for most of the trip-but I swear to you on my ship's honor, he weren't no crewman of mine and I had no idea why he wanted to be here, or who he was. I've taken supercargo here before. He were just another one."

Rahman and the Master both nodded.

"Okay, sir, I believe you. Thank you for offering to compensate. I would like to continue our contract. As I said before, you've been good at supplying us, even in bad seas or bad weather, and we appreciate it."

The captain relaxed. The supply route was, while boring, well paying and he had been afraid he might lose it…all due to some stranger?  Not on my watch, no SIR.

"Thank you, sir, thank you."

They stood up, shook hands, and the captain turned to leave, then stopped.

"Sir, may I have that picture, of that man? I want to show it to me crew, and we'll keep a weather eye open for him if he wants to come back," he said.

"That's an excellent idea, Captain," the master said, handing the picture to the captain.

He turned it over and over. "Interesting stuff, this 'paper'. Much better than hides," he said. 

He looked back up. "I'll try to find out who he were. Don't want him aboard me ship, ever again."