[piosenniel]

Night had finally come. The moon hid behind a bank of clouds and stars threw their dim light on the waves. Pio swam quickly and quietly to where the river entered the bay. The smell was different here. Not the clean, briny tang of the sea, something more earthy, fecund, and at times overwhelmingly rank.

It was shallower, and the slow current of the river pushed against her as she entered it. She kept to the middle of the stream, swimming with strong strokes beneath the surface when she thought she might be seen by the occasional passing craft or someone moving along the river's banks. Darkness and night were her allies. Most had gone home and were sleeping now in their beds. Ships and boats were moored, awaiting the light of day to be about their business.

Her objective was halfway up the river, as she recalled from the report of Levanto. It was the location of the main dock for the export of goods in that area, and he had told her a small, black-bannered ship was moored there. She made her way there now and waited silently in the shadows along the bank near the ship.

No sounds came from the vessel. No lights shone from it. She swam silently round the perimeter, seeking a way onto the ship, but could find none. It would have to be an entry from the dock itself. Pio pulled herself up onto it, lying low in the shadows and inched toward the gangplank. She waited for a long period of time, straining to hear the sound of voices or of feet moving about on the deck. When the clouds had blotted out the moon for a brief moment, she ran quickly up the boarding plank, knives in hand, and landed silently on the deck. A man stood watch at the stern, looking down river. He leaned on the railing, in a casual manner, unaware that Pio was now on the ship. Watching him she crept slowly about the deck and took note of what was stored there. Then quickly went below deck to see how many manned this vessel. She counted four sleeping below, and one at watch. Arms were minimal - personal swords and knives, a long bow for each man with a good supply of arrows, a number of axes, and stout cudgels. She poked into every corner of the ship, noting everything. On the bow were several cages with sleek pigeons in them, their heads tucked beneath their wings, asleep.

Satisfied that she had seen all she could, Pio eased herself over the side of the ship farthest from the man at watch, and dropped to the water below. She found an eye hook where a skiff might tie itself to the ship, and tied the narrow strip of red cloth around it, marking the ship as the one she had been on, for future reference.

The moon had moved almost to the edge of the horizon when she finished with the vessel. She drifted downriver, letting the current carry her along. When the river slowed and widened, she rested along the embankment in the shelter of the rocks and brush.

First light found her beneath the water, poking about in holes and ledges along the river banks for eels. Three nice, fat, long ones lost their freedom to her quick hands, and she stuffed them securely in her sack.

The current and her strong strokes carried her beyond the river and out into the Sea. She swam steadily south at a slow pace. Barring any mishap, she would be back on the Star by midday.

[ October 08, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]