An effort to control the uncontrollable

[Cletus Ganderfald]

Cletus had always vowed to himself that he would never grow fond of the drafty, and often times dreary Overlord’s manor, but lately he had grown accustomed to standing on the back ledge of the island, behind the lighthouse, during sunrise and letting the cold wind blowing off the bay wash over him. Most mornings he would stand over the precipice and watch the choppy waves break into the rock below. But this morning, his attention was fixated on the docks that lined Rhydin’s western shore. As the sun began to creep its way above the skyline, it cast an increasingly brighter light on the ships at port. With his gaze lingering there, he addressed the woman on his right.

“Which one was hit?”

“Third from the right,” Aurora Blackmane responded. Aurora had quickly worked her way up in the Rhydin segment of the Nausikaa organization and had shown an uncanny knack for negotiating with the ship captains and port owners that plagued the docks. Cletus had appointed her head of Nausikaa’s shipping activities in Rhydin in hopes that she could bring the entire district of Dockside under direct Nausikaa control. To date, it had not been progressing as planned.

“Losses?”

“All fourteen members of the crew were dead when we arrived late last night.”

“I meant cargo,” Cletus corrected.

Aurora cleared her throat. “What wasn’t taken was dumped overboard. The ship arrived earlier than expected, and we didn’t have time to put our people in place. There was no physical damage to the ship. I suspect the city patrols may have tipped whoever did this off.” Aurora had often advised that the best way to control security around their shipments was to insert Nausikaa men on the patrols that were supposed to protect the docks, however, without direct control over the district that was proving to be difficult.

Cletus nodded a few times, and after Aurora gave the rest of her morning report, he dismissed her. Damien Mortis’ position over the Seaside district had allowed Cletus the opportunity to use the few docks on the northern shore to his advantage; however it was not enough to unload the cargo necessary to support Nausikaa’s Rhydin operations. Coupling the attacks on his ships with the instability near his warehouses in Dragon’s Gate, it was clear that more control needed to be asserted over the city.

The sun’s glow had finally bathed the entire city in light before Cletus turned away to address his head of household.

“I’ll be returning to Talsiny for the week to check on my wife, and I’ll be returning with Zen. Please have his room ready.”