The Captain blinked the blue light off from her eyes. The sight that greeted her was unnerving. They had stepped on to the deck of "The Bloody Doubloon". The Bloody Doubloon was empty. Not a single living soul stirred on board.

'Captain-,' the First-mate began with a question.

'Yes! We are on the right ship!' The Oracle answered the First-mate's unasked question.

'I was not asking that!' First-mate looked at the Oracle.

'What were you asking then?' came the immediate question from Oracle.

'Uh... Well... Erm...' Oracle rolled her eyes at the First-mate's stuttering. She turned to her Captain, only to see that the Captain had climbed down the steps to the main deck. 'Wait for us!' The Oracle hurried down, the First-mate following her.

The Oracle and the First-mate found the Captain crouched at the base of the main mast, peering at something.

'We found the crew alright,' the Captain said, picking up an amulet from the neck of the man lying at the base of the mast.

'Dead?' The Oracle asked.

'Seems so,' said the Captain, shaking her head. Looking around, the trio saw the crew of The Bloody Doubloon - scattered bodies and immobile limbs. The ominous atmosphere was accentuated by the sudden appearance of mist. The First-mate drew out her blades, ready to fight whatever the sea threw at her. She would die protecting her wife and friend.

'Sheathe your weapons!' The First-mate looked at her wife with wide, incredulous eyes. The Captain had not drawn her weapons. The Oracle, for her part, looked as if this hell-haunted ship was a bazaar and she was here to obtain curiosities. The Fist-mate could only stare as the other two walked around, making her question their sanity.

'This... ,' the Captain indicated the ship with both her hands, 'does not feel hostile.' She smiled at the mist.

'No. It does not.' Affirmation from the Oracle. The First-mate still refused to sheathe her swords.

'Cloaking?' asked the Captain.

'Seems so. There - ' pointed the Oracle. She and the Captain walked to the starboard side and bend down to look at something, or - as the mists lifted slowly, the First-mate saw that it was actually someone - a man. Confusion filled her eyes as she saw the Captain remove one of her throwing knives from her vest and proceeded to calmly stab the man.

The First-mate jumped at the loud laughter that rang around her. The mists lifted completely, letting the sunlight in. What had seemed like a ghost ship a few moments ago was now full of laughing men and women. The Captain was shaking her hands with a tall man, a smile dancing on her lips.

'So you are the Captain of The Azule Phoenix.' said the gruff voiced man. 'You are extremely tiny.'

'You are unbearable stinky.' The Captain looked at Lyonal "Red-eyes" Drake. 'But worry not. I will not hold that against you.' The smile on her lips broadened as Drake guffawed.

'Your reputation precedes you, Captain,' said Lyonal Drake, his black eyes twinkling with mirth. 'Welcome aboard The Bloody Doubloon.'

'You welcoming parties are quite famous, Captain Drake. I am glad that I could experience it in person. This,' the Captain took the First-mate's free hand and looked at her fondly, 'is my wife and my First-mate.'

'I had heard tales of a star aboard The Azule Phoenix,' Lyonal Drake took the First-mate's hand and bowed his head over it. 'A star so bright, the sunlight pales in comparison. I now see that the tales fall short before you madame. It is an honor to meet you.' Indicating her drawn sword, he continued, 'I see that I have alarmed you with my trick. Kindly forgive me.'

'You are very kind, Captain Drake.' The first-mate sheathed her sword, blushing, 'No harm was done. Thank you for having us aboard.' Smiling, Lyonal Drake turned to the Oracle and bowed his head.

'Captain Drake,' the Oracle nodded her head at him.

'Let's proceed, shall we?' Lyonal Drake ushered the Captain and crew of The Azule Phoenix to his cabin, for the discussion.