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Who saw that coming, or: Where there's a will, there's a whale.

“Harspear, report.” Tama bellowed down to his man on the deck.

“Sir! We've got our supplies set, and new crew ready for inspection.” He wasn't happy about this. The crew knew what he was. The crew was aware, and they hadn't killed him, or turned him in yet. In any solar's book, that was a good day. But new people on board – that always brought complications. For one thing, civilians in a military crew. For another, they might not be so considerate about his new... state of affairs.

“Harspear, send them up for inspection. Tessock, confirm with the merchantman that we are ready to sail.”

Six new crew members stood in line, trying to hide their nervousness. Tamahagane was, after all, not somebody who looked like he should be messed about with. For one thing, he was big. Big in the manner of a man who had been built by the tying together of whales. And he wasn't very friendly looking, what with the long scabby slash from his right nostril up to his right temple, and the corresponding indentation where his eye used to be. And then there was the heavy plate armor; anyone willing to wear plate on a boat showed either incredible aquatic prowess or an impressive lack of interest in their own well-being. The recruits, he thought, were not worth borrowing Tessock's armor for. “This ship is run as a military craft. You will follow orders to the letter, or be put into the next port. Understand that, and we should do just fine. Report to Deck Sargeant Harspear for your assignments. Dismissed.” They filed out, adequately impressed. “Tessock, my cabin.” He bellowed out the window. The man was already at the door. “Thanks for your armor. Helps to impress the newcomers.”

“Pardon my saying so sir, it makes you look like a clam.”

“A valid point.”

“So sir, I was wondering. It may be a bit out of my job to ask this but – what exactly are you planning?”

“Pardon?”

“Well sir, we are now almost out of money. And we are most decisively out of a plan. And we are sailing north, but where exactly are we going?”

“All very good questions.”

“You don't have a plan, do you?'

“I have an idea.”

“Excellent, sir. Ideas are delicious. The crew will be delighted at their stew tonight”

“Tessock?”

“Yes sir?”

“Shut the hell up”

“Yes, sir.” Tessock's stomach grumbled, loudly and with great zeal. Tamahagane looked at him sternly for a minute, and broke into laughter as it gargled again.

“You make a good point. Here's the plan. We continue to rent ourselves out as mercenaries and escorts. That's the easy part. Now, here's the altruistic part. We find out where that deathknight was from and why it was dealing with the Lintha, and then we take bloody revenge.”

“And that's altruistic?”

“Altruistic means 'good guys.'”

“Oh. Yes sir, that would be altruistic. If we are being altruistic, can we take their things?”

“Of course. We're good guys; not stupid.”

“Ah. Aye, sir.”

“Now go make sure those recruits haven't broken anything.”

“Aye, sir!” With a salute, he slipped out of the room. Tama sighed and relaxed. This was going to be a terrible job. Running escort for a merchant vessel half their size loaded down with – of all things – bean sprouts. Bean sprouts being shipped out to try and serve as bait. Bait for cachalots. He wasn't sure what the plan was, precisely; but he was certain that he was getting paid in advance. Yep, the merchant was shipping inedible plants into the middle of the ocean, pouring them into the sea, and hoping that a massive, massive whale would come and eat them. They were just damn lucky that cachalots don't eat goddamn bean sprouts. Well, a week north, escort the merchant back to home port north further, and carry on. He needed to get some damned sleep.

They'd arrived, a week later, at the dump spot. Apparently, this was a cachalot breeding ground, and they would be sure to catch one. He wasn't sure how this was going to be accomplished, but he made sure that all of the ship's weapons were armed. Just in case this idiot did what he was trying. Tama watched as the merchant's men started to hurl boxes and boxes of vegetables over the railing. He watched as the vegetables drifted away in a large clump. He watched as the merchant sat on his deck crying. He went and had a drink, and came back to find that the merchant still hadn't gathered his wits.

With a sigh, he called Harspear over, planning on giving orders to re-rig the ship. The ship rocked a little, a small wave lapping at the side. There was no wind; Tama turned to see what the source of this was, and saw an unbelievable sight. There was, where previously there had been open water, a long, grey stone island. Before he had time to fully comprehend the situation, the island moved, and rose up from the water. It was a whale's head, in the same way that an ocean is very much a puddle. With barely a ripple the incomprehensibly large head moved and rested it's eye alongside the stern of Tama's boat, staring right at him from a dozen yards off. The lens was as large as a mid-sized boat; Tama could just see its tail on the horizon. A deep voice, like the sound of a cliff eroding into the sea, whispered into Tama's head. “Greetings, sun-child. I have not seen your type in many years. Young, are we?”

“It's... you are...” Tama had very few powers of speech at the time.

“Ah. Extremely young, then. Allow me to explain. I am the avatar of the cachalots. A big animal god, do you follow? Now. I was just dropped a meal; I had never tried these particular plants before. They are actually fairly bland, unfortunately. Are you all right? You don't seem to be breathing very much, and you solars do still need to do that, correct?”

“It is an honour to be in your audience, Lord of the cachalots!” Tama cried, lacking anything more intelligent to say on the subject. The voice rang again in his mind.

“Ah. Look, drop all of the formalities. Call me Sea-fed King. I just showed up to eat and be on my way. However, based on the number of harpoons on that other ship, I expect they wanted to hunt my kin. That will not be allowed. Unless they are under your protection?”

“Sea-fed King, they did plan on hunting your kind; but I was working off of the idea that since, as far as I know, cachalots don't normally eat vegetables, and since they are completely incompetent, nobody on either side would have been placed in danger.”

“Ah. Alright, that seems fair. I will have to speak to them before I leave, of course. Now, here's what you do. Tell me that the vegetables are an offering, that you came in peace, and that as penance for their planned crimes against my species, that snivelling little amusing man will give me something new and interesting to eat once a year.” Tama looked, confused for a minute, and followed the instructions to the letter.

“Great Sea-Fed King under the waves!” Tama yelled, in a clear and proud voice. “We are pleased to offer you this gift, this food new to you. We are but humble men, and offer this as our gift to your glory, that your hungers may be alleviated for a day. We have come in peace, and bid that we may part that way also! We will cleave to your requests, and from this day forth, on this eighth day of this month every year, that merchant will provide you with a new feast to partake in. We thank you for your grace and your mercy, in not striking them down for their sins against your great race.” The voice rolled through his head, laughter on it like waves on the sea.

“Actually, I never really liked the whole striking down thing. I'd much rather just leave people be. But, good addition. Should scare them a bit. And well said. I was expecting more stuttering and – oh, hello, Star-Born. You celestials do travel in your own private little schools, don't you?” The focus of the unspeakably massive whale's eye turned slightly, to lie directly on one of the new deckhands, standing by the port rail of the ship. “Oh. Not talking? Incognito, this time? Right, quiet and all that. Well, never mind. I'll pretend you aren't there for the purposes of this grand show. I should be going now – my children are going to start singing soon, and I don't want to miss it. Remind that merchant not to try to back out of that deal – I've never tried silk, actually. Good luck, solar.” With that, the impossible continental bulk of the whale slipped under the surface without a ripple, appearing again a mile away seconds later. Sea-Fed rose up, and his head stretched into the clouds; he spoke, in the same voice that had been in Tama's head, and it was seconds before the sound reached them accompanied by a gale of wind. “My will has been rendered unto that man.” His voice luffed the lowered sails. “Do as he bids, or my wrath will be glorious!” He slipped back down into the water and vanished. Tama had never heard such incredible silence. Even the ship was afraid to creak. He turned to see two crews staring at him in awe, and one particularly nodescript crewman looking rather embarrassed. He barked out an order. “Tessock, set sail. Make sure those idiots in the other boat keep up. The sooner we are clear of these particular seas, the sooner we can all have a stiff drink.” The crew as one all stood and cheered, clapping to him, yelling his praises as he turned and walked to his cabin. Tama turned back for a second. “Get back to work.”

A few minutes later, the embarassed crewman slipped into the cabin, looking significantly more self-assured after a little time to think. Later than Tamahagane had been expecting. “I'm going by Josh. We should talk.”

“Star born?”

“An exalt, like you. I heard how you exalted. Are you planning on raiding skullstone singlehanded, or have you got something more cunning planned?” Tama sat quiet for a moment. He didn't speak.

“I don't know what I am doing. I regret bringing all of these men along, when I haven't even got a fools errand yet. I am sailing, and I don't know where, or why. I don't know what my new caste mark means beyond the basics, I don't know what I am supposed to do with it, and I don't know what powers I have.” He cupped his head in his hands for a moment. “Got any advice for me, Josh?” The man chuckled a little. And then a story started.