Slim's Assault

SPACE As they pass the bakery, Meggana steps out and joins them. Garn is nowhere to be seen. Neither is the young blonde woman…
SPACEAs the group approaches , it is apparent something is amiss. Four soldiers are gathered outside next to a brown and white warhorse. Meggana tell them that she recognizes it as Captain Jeffries' steed.

SPACE They enter, intent on ordering some roast, a few ales, and some relaxation. Sheela is there, cleaning up broken glass and flipped chairs. Captain Jeffries is sitting at the bar, talking to a bloodied Slim.
SPACE "What happened here?" Cyrdan asks.
SPACE "Bastards cut Slim up good," Sheela replies, obviously flustered.
SPACE "What?!" There is a common expression of surprise.
SPACE "Four men drunk out of their wee gourds, yelling and cursing and slapping my fanny like it was the house specialty! Slim tried to throw them out, and they turned on him," she reports.
SPACE "He was holding his own until the short one with the sharp tongue pulled a dirk and cut him across the face," she continues. "When I saw the blood, I ran outside screaming for the militia. Them four troublemakers ran off into the jungle before they could get here, but the damage was already done."
SPACE "I'm fine!" Slim hollers from the back of the bar. Captain Jeffries hands him another clean and wet rag for his face.
SPACE "I'll call the barber for you anyway," the Captain informs him. He crosses the room, nodding in the general direction of the group as he passes, and exits 'The Tusk.'
SPACE "Who were they, Slim?" Cyrdan asks, almost hoping it was Cain.
SPACE "Pirates," he answers. The group has a momentarily breathless reaction.
SPACE Tharg and Conner exclaim, "Pirates!"
SPACE "And your buddy Cain was with them," Slim adds to Cyrdan.
SPACE Grant grits his teeth together, Alliandra drops into a nearby chair, and Alasdair curses under his breath. Tharg and Conner begin hopping up and down, "Where go? Where go?"
SPACE Slim has no idea where they went, but Sheela says she saw them take off into the jungle via the western road that runs right out front of 'The Tusk.'
SPACE "How long?" Conner demands of the waitress. His fists are clenched together and his biceps are flexing uncontrollably.
SPACE "About a quarter-hour or so, why?"
SPACE But Conner is already out the front door and halfway up the stairs by the time she asks. With Tharg a half-step behind him, Conner retrieves his sword and Tharg his oar. The group of soldiers gathers to stop them.
SPACE "Hold, civilian," the one with the most stripes on his surcoat halts them. "This is a Portsmouth Guard matter. You cannot—"
SPACE WHAM! Tharg levels the soldier with one swift punch to the jaw. The other soldiers reach for their blades, but Conner is the quicker. He smashes two men's skulls together, leaving them dizzy and on all fours. Tharg knocks the last one down with a wide sweep of his mighty oar.
SPACE The rest of the group is dumbfounded. They just attacked city militia! They could go to jail for this! But, then again, two barbarians like Conner and Tharg wouldn't know that, now, would they? All they know is that the two targets they have set for themselves – namely Cain and the pirates – are travelling together and these soldiers tried to get between the barbarians and their targets.
SPACE The party has never seen either barbarian this enraged. Veins bursting with adrenaline, both men's faces have twisted into some sort of battle mask of cold-hearted hatred. Their foes are only a quarter-hour ahead of them and the scent is fresh in the air.
SPACE "Tharg," Conner says to his barbaric cousin, "which way?"
SPACE Tharg gets down on all fours and sniffs the ground once… twice… and then SNIFF-IFF-SNORT! he takes off running into the jungle like a bloodhound on the trail.
SPACE "We go now!" Conner growls angrily at the rest of the group. "Who come?"