Ed stifled a yawn as he leaned against the rail, waiting for the customs official to complete her inspection of the ship. He had been here before, smuggling product in secret compartments aboard his airship but right now there was nothing illegal aboard. At least, he hoped there wasn't. Ever since he had acquired the ship things had been a little… Hectic. There had been little time to search every nook and cranny. His foot, which he hadn't been aware he was tapping in his agitation, stopped suddenly. Knowing what he knew about the former owner, perhaps this was a mistake on his part. Coming into a port, allowing someone to search the ship when he hadn't done it yet… Well, what was the worst that could happen, right? Suddenly, the view of the castle that he had been admiring for a while now was unable to continue holding his attention. There was nothing to worry about. He kept telling himself this right up until the official returned from the hold with a stern look upon her face. Balls, what had she found? What had he missed? He hoped he would get to keep whatever it was if it was valuable…
"Your ship is under quarantine. Any attempts to approach the docks will be met with hostile action. Is this understood?"
Ed blinked the surprise from his face and sputtered as he tried to think this through. Quarantine? What, exactly, would give a customs official the power to impose such a restriction upon his ship? Staring at her, dumbfounded, he realised it might help if he was to actually ask that question.
"Ah, my lady, surely there must be some mistake?" he plastered his most charming smile upon his face as he approached her, hands clasped behind his back. He took two long steps towards her and bent at the waist, leaning in close so he could whisper to her while looking around, making a show of checking there was nobody listening in on them. "If this is a matter of…. Fees… Surely we can come to some kind of an… Understanding?"
The official took a step back, a look of utter disgust upon her face. "Attempting to bribe an official here under the seal of the Empress Willow is a serious crime, sir," she spat this word, as if fighting to remain professional, "perhaps you would like to think about what you just said while languishing in a cell?"
Balls. Ed froze, wondering what had gone wrong there. All officials could be bought. That's why these people took such boring positions, because of the perks. Had he offended her by being too blunt? Or because he had not offered an exact figure. Could it be that this was all some elaborate bargaining technique?
"If I may, madam," Peabody came strolling along the deck looking immaculate in his full formal wear, medals pinned to his chest and everything looking just so, "I do believe the captain was just jesting with you. It's been an awfully boring voyage, you know how it can be." Ed's manservant, and second in command aboard the ship, gently took the official by the elbow and began leading her away from Ed all the while talking to her and making pleasant conversation. Commenting on the weather, the state of the city, asking about current affairs compared to… And there it was, slipping into the conversation the part about when he had been here last as a celebrated hero. The official's eyes lit up and suddenly she was apologising to Peabody and insisting she too had been joking about imprisoning his captain.
"Sadly, though, I cannot lift the quarantine. If you choose to leave the harbor that is your choice, but you simply cannot be allowed to approach the docks. There is a pox aboard the ship, evidenced by two of your crew down in their quarters right now. Haven't you a healer or surgeon aboard?"
Peabody grew serious at this, running his hand over his cropped hair as he took in the news. Ed frowned, watching as things continued to play out.
"Our crew is a new one, freshly hired. In our rush we overlooked some things. In fact, we were hoping while we were here that we might hire on someone from your famous academy, or perhaps from one of the many clinics."
The official smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes this time. "That is a wonderful idea. In seven days please feel free to do just that. Until then you will be led to a safe area in which to weigh anchor until the quarantine has passed. Or take your chances at sea."
"Could we not hire a healer to come aboard and take care of the problem for us?" Ed stepped forward again, injecting himself back into the conversation. He had had enough with being on the outside of such an important topic. Peabody just shook his head but the official spun in place to look at him as if he were a child.
"While yes, there may be a healer or doctor in the city feeling charitable enough to come aboard and see to your sick people, they themselves would then also need to be quarantined. If you had sense you would realise that whatever the cause is behind the pox is not guaranteed to just disappear once your people become healthy. Any of you could be carrying it, now, or anything on board! If you had thought ahead properly you would have someone on board to take care of them already."
Ed's frown deepened. Then what were they to do about their sick? Just hope that they get better? Make them comfortable and pray? Pray to who, though? Ed tried to think of which of the gods went with which thing but it was all a bit of a jumble. He scratched at his beard, and then had a thought.
"Once you are back in the city, could I not pay you to search for a kindly doctor to come and see to us while we wait?" he hadn't even realised any of his crew was that sick, but now that he had been made aware he was determined to take care of them.
"If I was going to be allowed back into the city that might work. But a quarantine is a quarantine, sir. All must obey for the good of the city." Balls. He thought he might see where this was going.
"So… Is there a special house set aside for when these things happen or…?" The look the official gave him was withering.
The official set to work giving commands from the deck of the ship to the small boat that had brought her here, arranging for the Fieri to be marked as a quarantined ship. Apparently another little boat would be sent out soon to herd them away from all the others, far enough away that there could be no risk of any of the crew swimming for shore or to another ship where they might spread the sickness. There was nothing for it, they were stuck now. There were in need of some supplies and it was with an almost cruel smile that the customs official informed Ed that supplies could be purchased. But at a steep markup due to their increased demand. She made a token attempt to ask her people to look for a doctor or healer who would be interested in coming aboard, and then set to work taking over his cabin. Evicted from his own rooms he skulked on deck, looking out at the city that was so close right now. So close that, if he were able to swim, he might be able to make it… If he could only swim. Peabody approached him after Ed had been pacing a while, the kobold following behind him.
"Sir, I have checked in on our crew members and… I am unsure what is wrong with them. It's not a pox I am familiar with, in my limited experience with such things. I don't believe Celeryx recognises it, either. There's no way to know whether anyone will come to help us, or whether they will survive without help. But… I have an idea, sir, if I may be so bold…" Ed listened, a sly grin spreading across his face.
The hours that followed were terrifying. Needing to act fast before there was too much of a watch placed on them, Ed and Celeryx had used a rope and lowered themselves into the water at the aft of the ship. There Ed had begun to cling desperately to the kobold as he held Ed under the surface of the water, letting only his face show above the lapping of the waves. The waves which kept splashing over his faces, covering his eyes and getting into his mouth. He was afraid he would give the game away as he went into a coughing fit, choking on the saltwater. The kobold kicked powerfully, comfortable beneath the water and not hindered by a lack of breathing. Damn aquatics. They made their way, getting some distance from the Fieri before stopping, floating in place to wait for the sun to set. Under the cover of darkness, Ed shivering and attempting not to sob with panic, the kobold reversed direction and began to drag him for the docks. It was with some great relief that Ed found himself on dry land once more.
Ed was sulking, and he knew it. He had been forced to leave immediately, having no chance to change. That meant he was now in a set of fairly common clothes, dark brown pants, a tan tunic, solid boots and his dark overcoat with all it's pockets. He had hoped that when he returned to the Yellow District with it's dark grey bricks embedded with topaz and pearls under his feet he would be in his finest clothes, able to gain access to the most exclusive of the brothels. Now, waterlogged and miserable he would be lucky to be let into the cheapest of dockside bordellos. Celeryx, on the other hand, was looking around with amazement, clearly happy to be here and taking in all the sights with wonder. His scales were also shedding water quickly, leaving him almost dry. Smug little… Ed groaned and searched his inner pocket, hands closing around the coin purse secured within. At least he still had that. The question now was, where was a man to get fresh dry clothes, a hot meal and a warm body around here? He glances around, heading towards the nearest building when an bell began to ring somewhere further along the docks. Bells were never a good sign. Normally meant alarms… He didn't want to be around here to find out what this one was signalling. Perhaps he would go and find a doctor for his crew, and then go and see about those brothels when whatever was causing the fuss had died down. Shepherding the little kobold, he turned and walked off deeper into the city. He was going to have to do this by memory, he hadn't gone near the academy at any point before but he knew the clinics well enough. Had come down with an awkward rash at one of these very brothels one time and had to have it taken care of. Maybe he would be able to get directions there.
