Before he had travelled half of the distance towards his target, the dark skinned woman with flashing, mischievous eyes and a mane of wild black hair, turned towards him and flashed him a brilliant smile, "How's my favourite demi-god keeping," she greeted as he reached her at last, giving him a friendly hug, "and where's Curly?" she questioned.

"It's good to see you too, Nebula," smiled Hercules with sincerity, "and Iolaus is partly what I want to talk to you about."

"I see," she answered reflectively, "Do you want to come aboard? It's private on there, at the moment. I'm looking for a new crew."

"Well, if you listen to what I have to tell you, It might just be that I'll get you a paying crew for a while, and a chance for an adventure that might just appeal to your sense of ... nobility," he told her intriguingly.

"Well come aboard and weave your yarn," she invited. "I could always do with another favour owed to me by the Son of Zeus," she grinned sharply.

"Somehow I knew you'd say that," muttered Hercules as he climbed the gangplank and followed her down to her cabin.

"Make yourself comfortable," she invited him, gesturing towards a padded seat that ran around the cabin's stern. "Care for some wine?" she asked, pouring herself a glass then replaced the stopper at a shake from his head. She took an appreciative sip and smiled slowly as she said, "A donation from the King of Seriphos," she told him, "A good vintage and he had plenty more, so he won't miss it."

"I thought you weren't going to do that anymore," he chided.

"Now whatever gave you that idea?" she asked playfully, "Actually, that's why I need a new crew. We did so well on my last voyage that my men have made enough to retire on."

"And you?" asked the big man.

"I enjoy what I do too much," she admitted. "Now down to business. What is it that you want me to do, and just how much is it worth to me?"

"I need someone to take me and some friends to Rome." he replied keeping it simple.

"That's easy enough, but it doesn't tell me where I'm going to make my profit, or where my crew is coming from," she answered, now all business woman.

"Ah, well my friends will pay you well for your time and trouble, and they'll be delighted to act as your crew ... although they'll be a little green as few of them have ever been to sea before. But you won't have to worry about pirates," he smiled gently at that thought, "or anyone else attacking you ship as they're all very competent fighters."

"Warriors?" she asked and got his nodded answer, "Warriors don't tend to make good sea men," she said simply.

"Oh, I think you'll find that these particular warriors will manage all right," he informed her in an amused tone, "they've all got a very good head for heights, so the rigging won't be a problem, and I can always help out while they learn the ropes."

Nebula gave him a hard look, "All right Hercules, let's cut out the crap," she told him in no uncertain terms. "Just who are these friends of yours?"

He looked mildly at her and answered, "Ephiny, the ruling Amazon Queen and about a hundred of her warriors."

"Poseidon's good graces," breathed Nebula impressed, despite herself.

"Funny, I never really noticed that my Uncle had any 'good' graces" muttered Hercules, before saying to the sometimes pirate, "Well, what do you think?"

She looked at him considering and he could tell that she was working out just what questions she needed to ask before giving him an answer, "I think that you haven't yet told me what's going on, or where Curly is?" she answered him.

"Ah, I was kind of hoping that you'd wait until we were at sea before asking those questions," he suggested, playing for time.

"Not a chance. I don't risk 'Wave Dancer' unless I know just what I'm risking him against," she told him flatly.

"Him?" he ventured.

"We all have our preferences about our ships. Most masters are men, so call them her. I'm all wo..."

"Yes I've noticed," agreed Hercules, "and it's quite understandable when you put it like that."

"Now quit stalling and spill the info, or demi-god or not, you won't be sailing on my ship this time," Nebula told him bluntly.

"Right. Um, well we have to get to Rome, because some friends of our are probably in a bit of trouble there," he tried to keep it simple again.

"What friends and who's the trouble with?" inquired the woman as she took another appreciative sip from her glass of wine.

"Their names are Xena and Gabrielle," he told her neutrally.

She gave him a long look and finally said, "The Warrior Princess, Xena, and her bard, Gabrielle?" came her question with an arched eyebrow.

"Eeeyeah," he agreed.

"Okay," she said slowly wondering just how the big guy had become friends with a woman who was a murdering, ruthless, warlord ... and that being her good points. "What's the trouble that they're in?"

Hercules looked her in the eyes, "We're not sure," he held up his hand for silence as he continued, "We think that Caesar's got them and we don't know what he's planning to do with them."

"Oh great," she breathed heatedly, "You want me to risk trouble with him. Have you any idea what he does to pirates? No don't answer that," she told him quickly, "If you know Xena you know what Caesar is likely to do to me if he catches me."

"He's got to catch you first, Nebula. And all you'll actually be doing, this trip, is ferrying the Amazon Queen Regent and her entourage on a state visit to Rome," he told her calmly.

"All right, I can buy that you're a friend of Xena's ... you've got some really odd friends, by the way," she informed him.

"Tell me about it," he told her looking at her frankly with a humorous twinkle in his eye.

"Yeah, well that's as maybe, but just why are the Amazons going, and remember you've already told me that you're in this together," she said quickly.

"Well, actually," replied Hercules, "they're going to rescue their Queen."

Nebula shot him a sharp look, "I thought you said this Ephiny was queen. You trying to tell me that Xena's really Amazon Queen?"

"Ah, no," said the big man shaking his head to emphasise that, "Actually I said the Ephiny was Queen Regent, and it's not Xena who's the true Amazon Queen, but Gabrielle."

"Bacchus' Buttocks!" swore the pirate, earning herself an amused look from the blue eyes of her guest, "Okay, say I believe this fairytale, where does Curly come into all of this?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry I forgot that part," he grinned sheepishly, "Well Gabrielle sent him, and some other friends, letters asking for help. He hasn't been heard from for some time, so I'm beginning to get a bit worried about just what kind of trouble he's managed to get himself into."

"That'd be like him," laughed Nebula in a coolly melodious chime, "Alright, here's what I'll do. If you're Amazon friend can make this little trip worthwhile for me, I'll take you to Rome. I may even hang around and bring you home from there. I'd like to meet this Xena and I want to catch up with Curly."

Hercules stood, making sure to avoid banging his head on the low ceiling beams as he did so, "Thanks, Nebula." he accepted gratefully, "I'll bring Ephiny over so that we can get matters arranged."

"Remember, you'll owe me," she reminded him.

"Never forgot it for a moment," he answered with his slow smile.

Ephiny was waiting impatiently for Hercules to return to the point on the wharf where he promised to meet them. Her meeting with Captain Jurdis had not gone well. Apparently, shivers had appeared in the tall mast, making it unsound for further use. If they'd tried to sail without replacing the timber, they'd have undoubtedly found themselves dismasted in the first blow that got above a breeze! The man had been apologetic, but there had been nothing he could do about it. The mast would take at least a week to replace.

The Regent was winding her temper up to frustrated rage as she remembered the Captain returning her retainer while she had asked him, "Do you know of another ship available to accommodate me and my people?"

"No ma'am," had come the seaman's prompt reply. "From what I was hearing down at the harbourmaster's earlier today, all honest ships are waiting to load cargo, and there's no new ships due in for at least the next few days."

She had nearly challenged him about what he had meant by 'honest' ships, but feeling her temper mounting, she decided to see what Hercules had to say, before traipsing around Acanthus looking for any vessel that might be able to get her to Rome, "Everything seems to be conspiring against me," she muttered under her breath as the wait grew protracted in length.

"I think that I may have an answer," said a strong voice close to her ear.

Ephiny had to use all her strength of will not to jump out of her skin, as she whirled around to face the big man who had managed to approach her so silently, "How did ...." she began before changing her mind and asking, "Never mind .. Have you found a replacement ship?"

"Maybe," he told her, "It'll depend upon how well you impress the captain and what you're willing to pay for passage," he began to turn away before adding, "Oh yeah, and how well you think your Amazons will take to being sailors."

"What?" demanded Ephiny as she watched him begin to move back in the direction she had come from.

"The captain needs a crew, part of the deal will be that your Amazons will sail the ship," he informed her.

She hurried after him, not wanting to lose him in the crowd, and was tailed by her guard, "But Amazon's don't know anything about sailing ships," she complained as she caught him by the arm.

"They'll learn," he assured her, "and this is about the only way I know that we'll be able to get a ship." He grinned, "C'mon, let me introduce you to a friend of mine. Her name's Nebula and she's a pirate."

"For a demi-god and a champion of justice, you do know the damnedest people," Ephiny told him, shaking her head at his retreating back.

"I heard that," he retorted, "Can you tell me why everybody keeps saying that to me?"

It proved remarkably easy to strike a bargain with the tall, graceful, pirate captain, as it turned out. - I don't know what Hercules told her, but she seemed almost eager to get involved in this, - mused the Regent as she leant upon the rail on the main deck, and watched the night lights of Acanthus slip slowly away in stern of them.

Ephiny winced a little at the dent that the cost of the passage had put into her treasury, but considering the likely danger they were heading into, she couldn't really blame the woman for insisting on such a high price. She'd actually been surprised that Nebula hadn't required more.

As soon as the deal was struck, the Amazon Queen had sent two of her guards back to Eponin with instructions to bring the rest of the sisters straight to the dock and onboard the 'Wave Dancer'. As soon as they were on board, Nebula began instructing them, with Hercules' help, on just how to sail a ship. Most of the Amazon's soon had the basics, being quick studies, and Nebula had seemed mildly surprised at just how swiftly they had picked up what she was trying to impart to them.

"Right," she had declared finally, "You've got the basics, you can pick up the rest on the voyage. Now since we have the chance of catching the evening tide, we might as well slip the ropes and head to sea," declared the captain.

- And that had been that, - meditated Ephiny, - After all the delays and problems, we're finally headed for Rome. Lets just hope we can find Gabrielle and Xena, and work something out to get them out of the fix they're no doubt in. -

"NO!" came a very firm, slightly angry bellow from below decks.

- What's gone wrong now? - thought Ephiny rolling her eyes slightly, though she thought she could probably guess the problem.

She headed for the companionway steps that led down into the cabin area of the ship, and made her way to where she could hear muffled laughter and far from happy grumbles. - I told Poni that he wouldn't like it, - she thought with a wry chuckle.

Opening the door to the main cabin, she found Hercules stripped of his usual attire and now wearing a lion skin loin cloth and some silver ownership bands, - Artemis alone knows where they found those, - she thought, although she guessed that Nebula might have provided them as she saw the smug appraising look that the pirate was giving the big man.

"What's the matter, Hercules?" she asked politely, "You know that you agreed to this part of the plan. It's the only way that we can really account for you being with us."

"Ephiny I don't mind the plan," he yelped as Eponin stuck out a hand to feel his muscular back, "It's just that I don't see why I can't wear my own clothes."

The Regent took a deep breath and looked at him patiently, "Because to play the part of the Queen's concubine, you've got to dress the part. And that means what you've got on."

"I still ...." he protested.

"Please Hercules," she said quietly, "It's the only way for it to work."

He gave her a long hard look, before issuing a heavy sigh and conceding with, "Alright. But you tell your ... Amazons! to keep their hands off me," he told her sternly.

Ephiny grinned and looked at her Weapons Master, "Poni, keep your hands off of him, alright. The same goes for all the others. Make sure you tell them that from me." A mischievous smirk popped onto her face, "After all, he's mine." she laughed as she ducked out of the door.

"Ephiny!" she heard his raised voice as she scurried, very un-regally back up to the deck and away from the demi-god's very voluble and loud protests.