Great story that fits the theme of Landless, I really enjoyed reading it and yes please continue it :)

As the sun cascaded its rays upon the new day, it found Ul already awake and casting his line from the dock. Unable to sleep with the thoughts of their next adventure spilling through his mind he set about catching breakfast. As he watched his line and felt the dock sway ever so gently on the waves, his attention turned to the sound of wood creaking behind him. A truly groggy Nara sat down beside him. Her normally smooth onyx hair that left down would fall just past her shoulders was sticking up at odd angles and tangled here and there, a sight that made Ul smile.
“Ohayōgozaimasu.” She said through a yawn.
“Good morning to you as well.” he replied as a tug on the line turned his gaze back to the bobber.
They sat like this for a time as he reeled in two fish for each of them, while she yawned and enjoyed the morning breeze.
“Do you have rice cooked?” She said finally breaking the silence.
“Aye, it will be a full breakfast. Even have some laminar I got yesterday.”
She made a face at hearing that. “I hope you mixed it right, I know it's good for our diet but the taste is so easy to get wrong.”
Ul laughed. “Don't worry I know how you like it, just be grateful we have it to keep our bodies healthy.”
she just stuck her tongue out at him.
He laughed again. “Well look forward to the rice at least.”
She nodded as she stood up to get back to the boat.
They had gotten a large store of rice from an Adrifter outpost farm, it was a strain of rice from a place once called Sri Lanka back in the land-days. It had been grown to thrive in deluded salt water and along with kelp (Which was turned into a drink formula called laminar) was rich in nutritional value, as such, it was a staple in most people's diet on the sea. Well, that and potatoes but Ul didn't like eating straight potatoes all that much.
Nara sufficiently awake at this point insisted on cleaning and grilling the fish, Ul was convinced she would never trust him to do it again after he had burned some while getting distracted on radio maintenance.
Instead, he scooped out some rice for each of them. “Neil gave me the coordinates where the megalodon has been spotted, it seems to have taken to some new waters for its huttin turf that are used for supply runs and getting folk a mite irritable.”
Nara took his plate and served up the fish. “Well not for too much longer, we are a cure for irritable.”
He took the plate from her and added. “And the cause of it from time to time.”
“Is that our fault?” she said with an impish grin.
“Yes,” he said matter of factually. “Not that I would take anything back we have done.” he paused staring off into space. “Well, maybe that business with Barkley's mayor and her lover's underwear.”
Nara snorted a laugh. “Well, how long will it take to get to our payday's hunting waters?”
He poured two glasses of laminar and handed her one. “Not long just a day and a bit should be there before noon tomorrow.”
She took it making a face and sniffed it. “That's good, some wave jumping and then a hunting trip, this week is going to be a good one.” Satisfied the kelp enriched contents of the glass did not smell toxic she drank it down quickly.
He just watched and chuckled at her antics then ducked as her empty glass flew through the air his head had once occupied.

Neil came to see them off and wish them well, Nara had ignored him which made him laugh.
“You take care of yourself lad.” and in a whisper added. “And her too”
“You as well old salt,”Ul said smiling.
As they pulled away from the dock Neil waved and shouted. “May the waves be merciful.”
“And fish aplenty,” Ul shouted back.
Nara had first go at the helm after winning janken, the Japanese version of rock paper scissors.
She loved the feel of the wheel in her hands and Bullet hopping over the waves. The sea was calm today and she had Bullet at top speed when she spotted something off the port bow, she grabbed her scope and took a closer look.
“Ul grab your sea hook we got flotsam to port.”
Ul jumped up from his seat and opened a chest and pulled out a three-pronged hook attached to a long cable on a spool. He walked over to the port side and placed the spool down stepping on an anchoring bar as he scanned the sea. “I see it, I'll throw when we are even to it.”
Nara was already slowing them down to come abreast of it.
Ul dropped the hook and caught the line letting it swing, then began spinning it faster and faster, as the boat came even with the flotsam he hurled the hook through the air and it fell just over it.
Ul smile in satisfaction, years of practice had given him great aim. He slowly pulled in the line as Nara took the spool from under his boot and started reeling in the slack. Slow and steady he pulled in their new haul till it thudded against Bullet's hull.
“It's a trunk of some sort, shall we try to lift it aboard?” Ul asked as he turned to look at Nara.
“Do you even need to ask?” she said with a grin upon her lips while fetching a boat hook.
Nara lowered the hook and snagged the trunk's side handle while Ul did the same on his side with the sea hook.
“On three. One. Two. Three!” she said and they hoisted it over the side onto the deck.
“Padlocked” Ul observed aloud.
“Oh it only looks that way,” she responded grabbing an axe, lifting it over her head as Ul took a step back she brought it down onto the clasp with a loud clang and sparks. “See? It's open!” she said smiling prettily.
She threw open the lid and they both leaned over and peered inside.
“Hey 308. ammo.” Ul said excitedly.
“And what looks to be parts to an antenna assembly, could be good for electronic repairs or trade.” she said rummaging through the various scrap.
“Hey, a 38.” she said and tossed him the handgun.
Ul caught it and inspected the weapon. “It's even loaded,” he said turning to sit on the side of the boat.
Nara was elbow deep in the miscellaneous collection of things in the trunk seeing one use or another for all of it.
“Firing,” Ul said a few seconds before a shot rang out from the gun in his hands.
Nara didn't even look up from her mental cataloging when Ul asked. “We got some soy sauce from Akureyri left right?”
Her head snapped up from the odd out of context question. “Yes, but why?”
She looked over at him as his sea hook splashed into the water and he started reeling something in, he pulled their crane's hook down and tied his line on and threw the lever. The crane sputtered to life-giving off a mechanical squeal as it pulled up a large red octopus.
“Well ever since we got it I have been craving your takoyaki, we have some potato flour left how about that for dinner?” He smiled with a broad childlike smile at his sudden catch.
She laughed at this. “Sure sounds good.”
Takoyaki was a Japanese dish where octopus was cooked in batter, Japanese Adrifters had kept it alive, though the recipe had changed since the land-days.

That evening they both lay upon their mats, the sway of the ocean waves lulling them into contentment with full stomachs.
Nara turned on her side to face Ul. “This really is not such a bad life is it?”
He turned to look into her dark eyes, without direct sunlight her brown eyes appeared black and her hair danced playfully around her face. "She is beautiful." He thought to himself.
“No, not a bad life at all, no other life would interest me at that.”
He wondered how old she was, she appeared to be in her early to mid-twenties but she said she didn't know when she was born or keep track of the years, knowing her it was surely true. He himself would be turning twenty-seven this year. She was such a mystery, her past all but completely unknown, he knew she was raised knowing her Japanese heritage, language and many skills from such. However, when he found her all those years ago she was alone on a floater no family to speak of and no one there she called her people.
“It doesn't matter,” he thought. “She is with me now and it's here I want her to stay.”
“Goodnight Nara.” he said aloud while brushing her hair back.
She smiled a coyish smile at him. “Goodnight.”

The next day was bright yet a slight chill hung in the air. Nara wore her green jacket with the leather padded shoulders and a scarf wrapped around her head to keep the sun out of her eyes. Ul wore a deep blue jacket with its hood up for the same reason. They were in the megalodon's hunting waters and scanning for the beast.
“Ul starboard bow, a whale!” Nara called out while standing on the nose of the boat.
Ul climbed out onto the cabin and put his glass on the creature. “Amazing,” he said in awe. “It's a humpback.”
After a minute she said, “Ul turn your scope to port we got a fin.”
He did so and said. “There are many shar-”
“No big fin!” she interrupted.
He spotted it. “Aye big fin heading this way!” he dropped to the deck and hurried into the cabin and spun the wheel hard to port while firing up the engines.
Nara used the boats turn to swing around the cabin by the roof bar onto the deck and got to the harpooner's seat on the aft of Bullet. She jumped into the seat and donned and buckled the harness around her chest. “It's like it knows why we are here! Its barreling straight for us!” she shouted over her shoulder.
Ul pushed the throttle as far as it would go and aimed for the polar opposite direction from where he remembered seeing the giant monster coming for them. He heard the first harpoon fire from the gun and Nara reloading.
Nara's first shot hit the beast on its left side with a splash of blood, she knew it's hide was too thick to pierce anything truly vital unless she got lucky with the angle; however, these harpoons had deep blood grooves allowing the beast to bleed freely even with it still sticking in him.
It was going to be a long and terrible game of staying ahead of it while filling it with enough harpoons to bleed it. Bullet was so named for her speed, a faster trawler you never would find and they should have no more trouble than staying ahead of it till it died; however if anything obstructed the course, something floating just beneath the surface or if it did manage to catch up, it could capsize them and that would be the end of the adventure they call life.
Nara fired another, hitting it right behind its head. “You have had your fill, this is our sea now!” she shouted at it. She was being jostled violently by the speed of their headlong path away from the massive shark's jaws. She carefully reloaded with practiced haste even under these conditions. “Ul turn forty degrees starboard! I need to see it's side!” she shouted at him.
“Aye forty starboard,” he said making the adjustment.
The turn swung her out just enough to fire a harpoon into its side in the water, a wound in the water would bleed faster.
“Oh you great coward, Ul! It's breaking off! Turn hard to starboard!” she was still reloading as she shouted this.
As Ul turned the great shark suddenly turned again as well and with their decreased speed from the hard turn it came up alongside them.
“By the storm,” Ul said under his breath as he turned the rudder straight and pushed the throttle to full.
The shark impacted Bullet with what felt like earth-shattering force but Bullet stayed true and upright, and Nara put another harpoon in its side.
A great red wake followed the beast on its rage-filled attack on the humans that dared challenge it.
Ul drew his gun and aimed out the bull's-eye window and fired into the creature's left eye. Ul gritted his teeth as the gunshot rang out in the cabin causing his ears to ring severely. Holstering the gun he turned to port away from their prey.
It had turned away from the thing that had blinded it on one side only to turn back and try to wildly bite at what it couldn't see. It was all Nara needed, with its mouth agape she fired into the roof of its mouth and into its brain.
“I got it! It's going still!” Nara shouted but Ul couldn't hear her clearly enough for the ringing in his ears. “Ul?” she shouted again, then she realized what had happened and unbuckled her harness and rushed across the deck into the cabin, she grabbed the throttle and pulled it down. Ul seeing this took his hands off the wheel and turned to her still clenching his teeth.
She just gently put a hand on either side of his head and brought him down to her shoulder and held him there in their small cabin, with concern flashing through her eyes.

After about twenty minutes of her gently running her fingers through his hair, he straightened up and said.
“Thank you, the ringing is about gone.” It was in fact gone for a few minutes but he hadn't wanted to move from her arms.
She looked up at him the concern still in her eyes. “Are you sure? You were stupid enough to fire a gun in an enclosed space.”
He winced at that. “Well... it worked.”
She gazed at him a moment longer, then. “Well, we should go claim our kill.”
He nodded returning back to the wheel and turning them around to claim their latest trophy.

Great new chapter, it was well written and captivating :)
I love how you incorporate elements from the game into your story, can't wait for the next :)

Originally posted by frillen:

Great new chapter, it was well written and captivating :)
I love how you incorporate elements from the game into your story, can't wait for the next :)

I am working on the next part now, I am actually quiet dyslexic and while I love coming up with stories, writing them down feels like an undertaking. Thank you for your kind words it raises my motivation.

Harvesting a megalodon was a massive undertaking, Nara and Ul released a message to the Adrifters in the area to come help. Adrifters may stay moving and may go months without seeing each other, but most of them were extremely loyal to Adrifter law and to each other, by the end of the day a half a dozen Adrifter boats surrounded the corpse. The law was simple with this sort of affair, the ones who called it in had the first pick and loaded up all they could fit on their boat, whoever arrived first to the call was next in line and so on.
After two days of work all that was left of the megalodon was the useless chum that sank to the seafloor, and with every Adrifter present having a full boat and a grin upon their faces, they had all moved away from the bloody waters where they had worked to avoid the smaller sharks that had been drawn to the area; an electronic deterrent had kept them at bay while work was being done, now they let them in while they moved away.
Adrifters never left such a profitable job without celebration, so on the last night with their watercraft moored to each other, drink, food and music were everywhere.
“Buoys the size of floaters to take on that beast with just the two a ya!” shouted a red-faced man with hair to match.
Nara looked him square in the eye. “I am a woman, I don't need those to rule this sea!”
Cheers went up for her words by many present.
“You tell em honey!” called a dark-skinned man with black curly hair.
A staggering blonde leaned over a boat to join in, pointing at Ul he said. “Did I hear you got knocked out mid... midway through and uh pass pass out?”
Ul just smiled unconcerned with drunken rumor, but before he could even think to speak up Nara intervened. “He shot it dead center of its eye while on the helm keeping it off of us.”
Another round of cheers went up from those within earshot.
“Perhaps but who here would hang theirs out by facing the mouth of such a devil for a kill shot?” Ul added raising a glass towards Nara.
“That's right! She is one of a kind our Nara! Bravest in the east American sea!” Called a woman sitting on a boat's cabin, as more people cheered.
As lively music started to play, Ul moved over to Nara and took her by the hand and pulled her to a somewhat open part of decking to dance.
The curly headed man leaned over to them as they danced and said. “I have a job you two may want to hear about.” he winked at them both. “But you enjoy the night, see me before you leave in the morning.”
“Will do Luther,” Ul said spinning Nara.
“Your jobs are always fun.” She added grinning.
The night stayed lively and cheerful till everyone started slipping away to sleep or just dropping where they stood, it would take a few hours for the captains to find and untangle their crews in the morning.

Nara sat with her back to the cabin's wall chewing some salted meat from the previous night, she looked tired but happy.
Ul dropped down next to her and she fed him some of her food. “What a night.”
She nodded, a half chuckle and half giggle escaping her.
Luther came over the side carrying a box with a handle over the top and steam rising from it.
“Coffee?” He asked as he set the box down and pulled out a pot and mugs.
“Coffee?” Ul said leaning forward eagerly.
“It's been awhile since we have had that,” Nara said holding her hands out for a mug.
“Well, I happen to know a lovely man who happens to have started a successful bean crop,” Luther said serving them both.
All three of them drank as Bullet swayed beneath them.
Luther sighed in contentment. “This is how ya start a morning.” He looked over his mug at the pair across from him and went on. “So how do you two feel about a floor walk?”
Nara brightened at that. “A diving job? Count me in.”
Ul laughed. “We traded some good salvage for an old A.D.S we have been fixin up just so that one, can walk the bottom more,” he said pointing his mug at Nara.
Luther barked a laugh. “Perfect cause I have some good intel about a sunken Salter boat.” He grinned with a light in his eye. “They lost it but I got my lovely hands on the coordinates.”
“I knew this was going to be a good week!”
Ul smiled at her excitement. “Well, we already radioed in about this job being done, we just need to flash em proof a kill and grab a few things for the suit and we could be on our way.”
“I knew you two would never let me down!” Luther said handing them a slip of paper.
“Breakfast?” Nara asked as she offered him a plate of food.
They ate and joked about the past and after a couple of hours got up to part ways.
Luther hugged Nara tightly rocking her gently side to side. “You take care honey, and look out for him.”
“Always do.” she replied returning the embrace.
Luther stepped back from her and looked Ul up and down and sighed. “What a shame,” he said patting Ul's cheek, he turned and disembarked waving to them over his shoulder.
An A.D.S which stands for: atmospheric diving suit is a small one-person submersible of anthropomorphic form which resembles a suit of armour.

When they got back to Leavenworth a storm had broken out keeping Ul inside to work on their A.D.S.
No one really complained about rain since it was the best source of freshwater around, and everyone could use more of that. Still, Nara was a bit gloomy being stuck inside unable to work on Bullet and on an Anchor's floater at that.
“We have enough now to really get her polished up and I have to wait.” She said calmly laying on her back.
“It shouldn't last but a few more hours lass.” Said Neil from where he sat helping where he could with Ul's tinkering.
“Besides we can do a proper overhaul after Luther's job is done anyhow,” Ul added smiling at her.
She looked over at him and reaching out patted his knee.
“Have you two consider my offer?” Said, Neil, as he loosened a rusted bolt.
“Well I agree we need a place our own to store our stuff and to relax from time to time.” he trailed off and looked over at Nara.
She scowled. “We would ne-” She didn't get another word out before Ul put his hand over her mouth.
“We'll have to decline setting up a place here. We are Adrifters after all. OW!” He pulled away his hand to nurse it against his chest. She had just bitten him.
She turned away from them in a huff. “I won't ever anchor myself to such a place.”
Neil and Ul looked at each other and shrugged while grinning.

It was well past noon when the rain passed and Nara got to work repairing and maintaining Bullet, Ul had gotten the A.D.S in top condition and replaced most of the older parts. Using Leavenworth's crane he gave it a test, he would never let Nara in it without being sure it worked as close to perfect as anything man-made could ever be. After checking off the list and being satisfied with his work he disassembled it for storage.
“We are ready on this end whenever you are Nara.” he said as he stowed the suit.
“Then we should leave first light, it's at the least a two-day trip to the coordinates Luther gave us.” she said tossing a wrench onto a tarp that was spread out with tools and parts of machine on it.
She was covered in grease from her boots to her head, her long since stained coveralls whereas black as they were red at this point.
“With the new motor we will have a lot more strength out of the engine and I think with some new cables here and there we could balance her out and turn more sharply.” She said pointing to various parts of Bullet as Ul walked up to her smiling and started wiping the grease off of her nose and cheeks.
“I also have my eye on a new generator and that would really get us moving!”
“Sounds just perfect,” he said still cleaning her face, though he did think the grease on her face was fetching in its own way. “So we sleep and get well rested and push off first thing.”
“Yep, let me just finish up here.” She said as she bounced back to her work.
Ul shook his head trying to figure out yet again how no matter what she worked on she ended up with grease everywhere, He honestly didn't know how she managed it.

Their two-day trip was uneventful but beautiful, Ul loved the blue sea and sky, how at times he could not tell where one ended and the other began, and with white clouds dotting the sky.
“Ul? Did you see that?” Nara asked looking up.
“Nope, what?” he replied scanning the sky where she was facing.
“I.. I don't know, I saw something... flying I think.”
Ul's brow creased. “Flying? What could be flying?” He thought.
“I don't know, maybe I am seeing things.” She said as she stepped over to the A.D.S. “Are we ready to get started?”
Ul dropped his gaze from the sky and thought he saw something on the horizon. “Yeah good to go, hop in and I'll send you down for a walk.”
Ul managed the crane as Nara descended into the depths.
A pop in the suit's speaker was followed by Ul's voice in her ear. “Okay if the coordinates are right you should end up nearly on top of it and just need to cut straight inside, grab anything worth trading but the job is for the black-box; oh and any data of what they were doing out here for me.”
“No worries,” she replied as her boots hit the floor. “Well I am not on top of it but I think I see it.” she unhooked the suit from the crane and started her walk. She always thought it was so beautiful down here and loved how the seaweed and kelp danced in the current.
She had seen it, it was large and yellow, one of the Salter's armored boats.
“Cutting through this will be a trick.” She thought to herself and ignited the blow torch.
The real trick was seeing if she could cut a hole in between the craft and the sea floor to make a moon pool that would keep any trapped air inside to preserve its cargo, hopefully not the whole thing was flooded to keep their treasures intact.
After over an hour of careful cutting, she was in, she made her way to the cabin to grab the black-box first and see if the onboard computer system's built-in waterproof seal was intact for a hard drive retrieval. Fate appeared to smile at them as the black-box and the computer were both viable. She loaded them up and searched the rest of the craft.
A few hours later Ul was checking in again. “How ya doing?”
Nara smiled. “Great, the suit feels really good and we have some good salvage down here, almost done getting it to the lift zone.”
Ul smiled glad she was safe and having fun. “Alright let me know when you have another load for me to haul up.”
“Will do,” she said as something darted past her, she turned as fast as the suit would allow, to see what it was. All she saw was teeth and tentacles coming at her helmet. She brought up her torch and burned whatever it was. As it swam away she recognized it. A vampire squid.
“Could have been worse, could have been a sea worm.” She thought.

“I am ready to come up with the last of it.” She radioed in.
“It will be good to have you back up here.” He responded.
She smiled. “It's nice for a visit, and nice to come home,” she said looking around as the crane lifted her towards the surface.
Ul helped her back up when she did surface, and they started cataloging their haul.
Ul lifted up his head to wipe a bead of sweat from his brow, looking at the horizon he remembered thinking he spotted something before, he had not tried to find it while Nara was below, he was too preoccupied with being ready if she needed a quick lift back up; but now.
Grabbing his spyglass he scanned the waters where he thought he saw something, after about ten minutes he grew still and stared. “Nara? Could you take a look at this?”
His tone caught her attention, he sounded uncertain or caught off guard, which was not like him. Standing she took the glass and he guided it to where he was looking. “Kami ni yotte, what is that?”
“I don't know but we need a closer look.” He said already walking to the helm.
Nara kept her eye trained on it as he took them in for a closer look, after a tense twenty minutes she called. “Ul! it... it looks like... Ul I think that's land!”

I love your story, it reminds of some time ago when I played The Sims 2, there were som players who created some interesting stories which was almost as good as reading a book from a professional writer - Your story is up there :)

Trees, there were trees, Nara had seen trees before on Akureyri the largest farming settlement she knew of. However she had never seen them like this, the trees on Akureyri where small fruit bearers or skinny palms, but these were robust with a thick leafy canopy. They grew from tangled and mossy ground that was standing proudly above the water.
As Bullet lazily came to a stop tapping the side of this mysterious island, Nara and Ul stood dumbfounded and speechless. Nara finally regaining her wits climbed onto Bullet's cabin, from there she jumped to the island, the ground felt softer than she imagined, spongy would be the word, yet also firm. It was covered in moss and small plant debris that reminded her of what the farmers called mulch. She walked over to a tree and placed her hand upon its rough bark and laughed a sound one might make in utter wonderment or madness. She heard a splash behind her and turned to find Ul gone, she quickly hurried back to the boat and re-boarded to find Ul's boots and coat on the deck, he had dived into the water.
After a few minutes, she heard him surface and then climb up Bullet's starboard latter.
“Where did you go?” Nara asked, not sure if she should be upset with him for diving in without a word.
“Swayin,” he said taking deep breaths and flinging his wet hair back. “It's not land, I thought I noticed it swayin just a bit so I jumped in to check, its floatin.”
Nara looked back even more amazed at their find. “A floating island? How?”
Ul scratched his stubble. “Remember the talk we heard on Conquest? About some sort a-”
“Plant that grew large and buoyant enough to float on the surface..” She finished for him remembering the rumor. “I thought they were weaving a tale, just trying to entertain their guests.”
“Well,” he said waving a dripping hand at the island. “Guess some truth was there after all.”
Nara fetched a dry towel and threw it on his head. “Come on up, you need to see it for yourself.”
Ul followed her up and took a breath of air, the smell reminded him of the larger farming outposts they had visited, but fresher or purer than that.
“I am goin have to crack that drive you got me, see if this is what the Salters were doin out this way.”
Nara nodded her agreement with a large smile on her face. She had always loved visiting the farms and seeing the plants and green, and she was loving this.

They had decided without a word between them to stay there while they worked on their latest haul and while Ul worked to break the Salter's decryption. Ul had already set up a small solar generator on the island and a beacon and was now sitting with his back against a tree typing away on his laptop.
Nara was laying on the ground staring at the leaves on the trees. “Do you think,” she said, then after a moment's hesitation. “It would be all right to build something here? Like a storehouse, someplace to stow our goods so we could have a bigger stock than what could fit on Bullet?”
Ul's fingers stopped their dancing upon the keys, he knew she was feeling conflicted, her pride was always that they should accept their world as it was and stay moving, so even though it was common for Adrifters to set up platforms to house their inventory, she had, in her mind, stayed pure to their life of roaming the open sea. This island was no mere platform, it was beautiful and held possibilities for them.
“I was thinkin, with a bit of work, or lots a work we might be able to rig engines to this thing.”
Nara flipped over on her stomach to look straight at him. “Like, tow it?”
“Like we do on cargo runs? No never, on the other hand, some Adrifter floaters are rather large and made a whatever could be scraped together, yet the keep em moving slow and steady.” He looked her in the eyes. “I don't see why with a lot of work and a lot more jobs bein done we couldn't afford to make this floatin island into a Adrifter's Isle.”
A light bloomed in Nara's eyes as she got up in a rush and went over to him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. After hugging is neck with her cheek pressed against his she got up to fully explore their island.

Later that day, they had gotten everything from the Salter boat stowed along with a few things they were leaving on the island.
And while Ul was still looking through the data he found on the hard drive. “They were lookin for this place,” he said getting her attention. “They were followin some old research they found, could just be this island was made and is one of many scattered across the sea.”
“Why have we only heard the one rumor and never seen one then?” She said leaning against the cabin's doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.
“We haven't seen em cause while I said many, that means nothin on this ball of water we live on, and I think folk find em like we did, and claim em.” He looked over to her. “I don't think I was the first person to think they could be moved. Adrifters mostly move in patterns, stayin in waters they know, or travelin far and wide on trade lines, and like an Adrifter's stash, the islands are kept out a sight of those lines n' patterns. As for Anchors, well they only use the tradin lines.” He fully turned to face her. “Folk who do go explorin would see what we saw, that they are good for livin, farming and are not that large all things considerin. So they keep em, without tellin nobody for the most part I suppose.”
She rested her chin on her thumb and fist. “Makes sense, while there are a few people I don't mind telling I would hardly want to broadcast what we found.”
Ul nodded his agreement.
“Do we need to worry about the Salters coming back?”
Ul shook his head. “No not from what I can tell, this was a research trip and they hadn't had a chance to radio in their findins, or even reach the island before they were sunk.” He looked down in thought. “I am more worried with how Luther got it's coordinates, We better head back to radio range and ask.”
Nara nodded and jumped on the helm, looking back at their green treasure one more time before taking them out.

“Good to hear your voice too Luther,” Nara said with a smile.
They had put out a 'radio me' signal for Luther's boat the Apollo at noon the following day, and by evening Luther had picked it up and radioed them.
“Did you find me my treasure?” Luther asked through the speaker.
“Safe and intact, ready for delivery.” She said leaning against the cabin's counter.
“Good work honey, how is your man doing?”
“He is doing well, fishing us some lunch.” She said with her coyish smile at hearing “your man.”
“Always the provider, not that you need one though.”
“Got that right.” she said with a laugh.
“Still I think you like it when he does.”
She felt her cheeks flush slightly, and was glad there was no one there to see it. “We do have something to ask you,” she said changing the subject.
“Uh-huh, and what would that be?”
“How did you come by the coordinates?”
There was a pause before he answered. “Did you find something out there?”
“He is frighteningly quick.” she thought, then said. “Yeah, and we need to know if we have to worry about claim.”
After a moment. “No you shouldn't, the Salter sent out an S.O.S as they sank and it was just barely picked up by a trader who was ill-equipped for a salvage mission, so he sold me the coordinates.”
After another moment he added. “What did you two find out there?”
She chose her words carefully. “Luther you know I love and trust you like family, and we both want to show you, but it might be best to wait for in person.”
A sound came over that might have been him clicking his tongue. “Oh honey we are family, you know I'll always love ya, well you two get going this way and I will meet you halfway. I love surprises!”
Nara smiled. “Okay, see you soon, Bullet out.”
She walked out of the cabin and to the harpooner's seat where Ul sat fishing.
“How is Luther?” he asked
“As cheerful as ever,” she said with a chuckle. “He said that Salter boat sent out an S.O.S as it went down and that no one should be looking for it.”
Ul nodded his head at that. “Still I would sleep better if we towed the island out and away even if just a bit.”
Nara frowned. “Didn't you say we couldn't do that?”
Ul looked over at her. “Alone? No, I am not sure Bullet could, but with The Apollo helping us we could tow it away.”
Nara nodded. “I am okay with that, I trust Luther and his crew.”
“Me too.”
“So we tell him and see if he is free to help.” She said as she leaned on the side wall.
“Besides, if we can get a farm going on it, it would cut costs and Luther could benefit.” Ul winked at her as he said. “And Luther loves a good deal.”
She smiled. “Yes, he does.”

The reason Ul was confident in The Apollo being able to help was because it was a notch tug: A boat designed to fit into a type of barge that made the two one large ship, Luther and his crew were some of the best cargo haulers in the East American sea; and The Apollo was one of the strongest boats of its size.
As the Apollo came up alongside them the following morning, Luther stood on the bow waving to them.
“Coming aboard!” He called as he jumped onto Bullet, he landed with grace on his long legs and went to embrace Nara. “I love seeing your beautiful face.”
Nara laughed and embraced him back. “I love seeing yours as well.”
“Good to see you, Luther,” Ul said smiling as he watched the exchange.
Luther reached out and took Ul's hand and squeezed it. “You too.”
Nara handed Luther the Salter's black-box.
“Very nice, now we can get some more data on how those sneaky bandits are avoiding our patrols.”
Throwing the box to one of his men he turned back to them with his arms held out as he led them closer to the cabin. “So what is the surprise you have to show me?”
Nara looked at Ul and he pointed his chin at her to go ahead and tell him.
“We took a look at their boat's hard drive, have you heard the rumor about the floating plant islands? They were after one of those.”
Luther snorted. “Have I heard it? Of course, believe it? not so much. What else was on there that have you two staking a claim?”
Nara's eyes lit up. “Luther it's not just a rumor, we found an island.”
Luther's jaw dropped open, he turned to look at Ul who nodded at him and then back to Nara. “An island? You two found a blasted island?!”
Ul stepped forward. “Yes, it's just floatin out there with trees on it and everything.”
“It's so beautiful Luther wait till you see it,” Nara said nearly bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Luther turned away and ran his fingers through his mat of curly hair, pacing back towards them he said. “I have heard the rumors for years! About traders who were blown off course and found one, and retire on it like queens of the whole sea!” he kept pacing. “I never put any stock in it, I have nev-” he stopped mid-word to look at them. “This changes things! Imagine what we could do with them! The food that could be grown on real islands. I could be so filthy rich.” he said elongating the word filthy.
Nara and Ul just stood there chuckling at him, then at Nara's prodding Ul said. “Want to see it?”
“Yes!” he said still gaping at them.
“Good, cause we want you to help us tow it away from the Salter wreck.”
“Of course, of course! We can't risk just anybody finding it, or even knowing about it,” he said quickly, then taking a deep breath to calm himself he added. “What do you two plan to do with it?”
Ul spoke up first. “Build a house on it, a sorta vacation home for between jobs, a farm, and build a frame around it with its own engines to move it as we need to.” He tapped Luther's right shoulder with the back of his hand. “We could get ya some of the first crops as payment.”
Luther shook his head. “Oh you already paid me, I know they exist, and if you would tell me everything else you know about them that will be enough.”
Nara and Ul looked at each other somewhat confused, and Nara said. “Well there should be more of them but how does that help you?”
“Cause honey, I won't rest till I find as many as I can and bring them under Adrifter control, and sweep in a new era for all of us, with Adrifters at their rightful place at the helm.”

Thank you so much for yet another exciting chapter :)

This story has been absolutley breathtaking. I read these while i was really sick the last week and these really helped lift my spirits! Sorry couldn't get a reply in earlier.

Thank you for sharing with us these great writings

Originally posted by codeBullet:

This story has been absolutley breathtaking. I read these while i was really sick the last week and these really helped lift my spirits! Sorry couldn't get a reply in earlier.

Thank you for sharing with us these great writings

Thank you for your comment! I have been a bit busy but should have more out soon, also if you ever want any help with the story of the game I may have a few ideas lol. In fact I sneaked a few game suggestions in my story already. The thing I believe in the most with Landless is you developers, you are doing an amazing job its why I was tricky with the naming, Micheal Cody of the Bullet = CodeBullet.

Great work. You seriously should consider work in story telling or literature. Some talents beg to be fully known. Partnering with a dev would be a great idea to.

The day was bright and clear, the waves were calm and a steady breeze was blowing in from the north-west, It would be such a relaxing day if not for the gunfire from Nara's rifle.
She was tucked behind the deep blue wall of Bullet's side taking out drones with a 308. hunting rifle.
“Do you need to get every drone within two thousand yards after us?” She asked while reloading.
Ul just smiled calmly. “The firewall on these buoys are full a traps, we will have the data soon enough.” He had a hard line plugged into one of the many tech buoys scattered around the sea and was trying to hack it for information.
“Well can we at least get a scope for this?” she said indicating the rifle in her hands. “It would make jobs like this a bit easier you know.”
Ul laughed. “Would you rather we took the job to kill all sharks so that fella could go swimin?”
Nara scowled at him. “I thought we agreed to ignore that?”
“We can look for a scope so long it don't cost too much, we are doin more jobs to fix up Adrifter's Isle ya know.”
Nara smiled at the thought of their island, then cocking her head to the side as she noticed a faint buzzing of an engine, she peaked over. “Great now wasters have shown up.”
“Got it!” Ul said leaping up to disconnect the cable and close the access port. “You keep em back I'll get us away.”
Nara aimed and fired at the gunman on the raft racing towards them, her aim didn't fail her and he was hit in the shoulder.
“Nice shot,” Ul said with a grin as he fired up the engine and steered them away.
“I was aiming for his head,” she responded firing off another round. “There has to be a better way to get data from those things.”
Ul laughed. “What do ya mean? It keeps my hacking skills up, and your aim. It's a great way to spend a mornin”
Nara smiled broadly. “You would like this.”
“Oh and you don't?” he shot back.
In a haughty voice, she said. “I never said that I said there should be a better way not that this isn't the fun way.”
“Right.”
They were on their way back to Drifting Cove, an Adrifter's Floater where they had received the job to hack several buoys.
“Well,” Nara said while reloading the rifle. “That was the last one right?”
“We're done.”
“And with this, we can get the first shipment to start building!” she said with an excited cheer.
“Yep and Dia said she may have us more work need doin soon.”
Nara went into the cabin and leaned against the counter. “I really think this is what I was meant to do you know?”
Ul looked over at her and flashed her a smile. “I have had my share of some rough days, some scars never will heal, and I don't care to change a thing, cause they set my course to here.” turning back to the sea and in a softer voice he added. “With you.”
Nara felt her face flushing and started fidgeting with a piece of wiring Ul left on the counter. “Same.”
Ul smiled at her agreement, he just couldn't help himself.

Drifting Cove, or as the “locals” called it, The Cove, Was a cheerful place full of music and stories for anyone would listen, and even for those who wouldn't.
Nara and Ul snaked their way through the busy pier of people trading stories and goods until Ul spotted whom they sought.
“Dia!” Ul called out.
An older woman with a wall of mostly brown curly hair falling past her shoulders turned to see who had called her.
“Micheal, back already? You always did like to surprise me,” she said with her lips turned up on the left side in a grin.
While the Cove didn't have a mayor or governors title to be had, Dianna was most certainly the woman in charge.
Ul walked up in front of her and handed her the drive she had given him to put the data from his hacking onto. “I have gotten a mite better at retrieving it.”
She shook her head. “I never could get my head around how you were always so good with computers.” Taking the drive she stepped forward to hug him. “It's good to see you.”
Ul hugged her back. “Likewise.”
And turning to Nara. “And you as well, come here girl.” She said and hugged Nara though not with as much affection.
“Always love to see you work Dia, keeping this whole place in line,” Nara said with a smile.
“Oh you got to, give them too much slack and nothing gets done.” she said shaking her head. “See Bobby about your payment, he will have you squared away.”
Ul reached over and squeezed Nara's arm. “I will go grab that and finish up trade talk with Lin about our supplies.” Turning to Dia. “And we can talk bout that other job ya mentioned.”
Dia nodded at him. “Nara and myself can handle that, go get your prize.”
“I will meet you back at Bullet in an hour,” Nara said watching him start to walk through the throng of people.
Ul nodded while he grinned at her and with a quick turn all but disappeared.
Dia took Nara by the arm a guided her to a food stand where she ordered them a late lunch.
Sitting down at a small round table Dia began. “So the latest job is a big one, You two said you needed some big scores, but this is dangerous do keep that in mind.” She pulled out a skinny cigar and clipped off the tip. “Want one?”
Nara shook her head. “No thank you.”
Dia shrugged as she put it in her mouth and lit it. “It's a raid and not a small one. Some Wasters have moved into the area to the south and been hell on business.” She said while letting out a large puff of smoke. “They have held themselves up in an old transport ship, could be a hundred of them.”
Nara grinned impishly. “I like a challenge, do you just want trouble for them, or do you want us to grab something particular?”
“Both if you can, Like punching a shark in the nose I need you to hurt them enough that they think it would be easier to hunt somewhere else, but they stole something off one of my transports, a red crate about half as high as this table.” Letting out another puff she added. “Get that back here, and have them running and there is a nice bonus in it for you.”
Nara nodded. “We can do it, but I better get over to the market and stock up on ammo and some fireworks.”
Dia smiled. “Great, let us eat and then you can be on your way.”
Nara smiled at her with a nod.

When they met up later Nara filled Ul in on the job, while they stowed what they had purchased at the market.
“That sounds perfect, in, then out with lots of fussin on their end.” He smiled at her. “And when we get back we will have our building supplies waiting to be towed to Adrifter's Isle.”
“I can hardly wait to start building!” she said bouncing into the cabin to get on the helm. “We should get to them right before dark.”
“Good, we can snipe a few of em long range, then come in close after dark,” Ul added standing in the doorway.
“Then let's go!” Nara said pushing forward on the throttle.
With a keen eye, they brought Bullet as close to their target as they dare while the sun still lingered on the horizon.
“Your scope,” Ul said pulling said scope out of a bag.
Nara shook her head. “I hate to admit it, but you are better with this long of a range, you take the first shots.”
Ul nodded and attached the scope to the rifle, he then climbed along Bullet to lay upon her nose. He was glad she was a dark blue colour, it helped hide her in low light.
He looked through the scope and scouted a half a dozen on deck the rest probably drunk below.
He started with the watchers at the bow of the ship, he fired two shots in rapid succession; and a conversation was cut short. Before the next closest man could turn to see what the sound was he too fell to Ul's aim, one by one they all fell to it.
Ul stood up and made his way aft. “Alright let's go.”
Nara nodded to him and got into a waster's raft Dia had sent with them for the job.
They sped for the ship hoping these were the typical Wasters, too drunk and high on Cthulhu to think anything of the sound of one of their own engines approaching. They docked along one of the boarding ramps and made their way on deck with guns drawn, and explosives in their packs. Carefully and swiftly they made their way across looking for Dia's crate and vents, breeches or any other kind of openings into the lower levels.
Nara motioned for Ul to stop and pointed to a rusted crack in the deck.
Ul nodded and took an explosive package out of his pack and primed it, then attached it to a line and lowered it down.
Searching a few crates scattered across the deck they took what they could.
Ul spotting a dark coloured crate went to check it while Nara lowered another package down a vent.
Ul snapped his fingers and Nara turned to look at him as he pointed at the crate before him and gave her a thumbs up.
She nodded, and they moved it to the side for later while they continued their sabotage.
As they were making their way aft they heard rusted metal grating against metal than a loud bang.
“Across the sea across the sea comes the... the...” A drunken waster sang as he came into view, he paused looking around trying to remember what came across the sea. “Must have been the wind!”
Nara pulled out a small compact crossbow and with her eyes locked onto her target loosed the bolt with silent and deadly precision.
He hit the deck with a thud as they went over to the hatch he had just come out of and placed their biggest package. Looking back at each other they nodded and went for the crate, reaching it they lifted it up and made for the raft.
Halfway back Ul heard the loud bang of a gun and saw sparks fly off the railing next to him, dropping his end of their load he drew his 38. and fired back at the person who was firing upon them from half behind a crate.
As the gunner went down he turned to Nara and as loudly as he dared say. “Hurry!”
They made it to the side with the ramp when Ul heard people making their way on deck, grabbing his detonator and flipping the switch, explosives and fireworks went off everywhere, inside, and out, giving them the cover they needed to make it down to the raft and load the crate and take off.
Ul sped them away while he said. “Well, that got exciting at the end.”
Nara leaned on the crate. “mmm-huh” she replied with a grunt. “That's a pretty sight,” she said winded.
Ul looked back and grinned as the ship went up in flame and colourful explosions. “Yep.”
With all haste they made it back to Bullet, and Ul threw a line over the crane arm and went to board when Nara grabbed his wrist, and he froze with his breath caught in his chest, her hand was warm and wet.
He turned to look at her as she said in a weak voice. “Ul.” There was just enough moonlight to see a tear fall from her wet eyes as she stammered. “Ul.. I.. I got hit.”

Things start to get dramatic, I can hardly wait to see what happens next :)

In one swift and careful motion, Ul took Nara in his arms and vaulted from the raft to Bullet. Landing on the deck trying to absorb all the impact into his own body he then kicked a small crate aside and placed her down gently before running to the cabin and fetching the first aid kit and a blanket.
“Here you go, it's goin be okay sweetheart.” He said, hoping he sounded natural and that his concern didn't show as he placed the blanket behind her.
Nara was holding onto her right side, her breathing labored. “It burns.” She said at last.
He tried to smile for her. “Those rounds come out the barrel hot huh?” He carefully removed her jacket and lifted her shirt to her chest.
He found a matching bullet hole on either side of her. “It looks like it passed right through.” He placed a hand upon her cheek and looked her in the eye. “You are okay, I got you.”
She managed to grunt but not speak her acknowledgment.
He grabbed antiseptic and painkiller and administered both, then he started packing the wounds with a bandage kit. “Hang on, just hang on!” he kept screaming in his own mind.
“I am not so sure this is as bad as when you got stabbed by that Salter on that recovery job, remember?” He knew it was, the stab had just been superficial.
She nodded. “Just... another... scar.”
He looked at her stomach as he went to bind the wound, life at sea was not easy on anyone, and he could see the evidence of it marked onto her flesh. “I need you to try and lean forwards, right on me so we can get this around ya.” He placed an arm around her shoulders and helped her do so.
She groaned and a small whimper escaped her as she leaned forward.
His grey eyes were betraying his inner torment at knowing what she was going through, and the guilt for not knowing she had been hit. “I'm sorry this is gonna hurt, but it's got to be tight.”
She nodded against his shoulder. “Do it!” She ordered.
He felt her body go tense as he wrapped her middle to stop the bleeding, it was a grueling few minutes.
“You are the strongest person I know of, I still remember when you stitched yourself up when your leg got caught and cut open, how you never back down in any fight when it matters.” His voice was threatening to crack. “How even tonight ya carried that stupid crate down with me with a hole in ya.” Finishing the binding, he leaned her back to look her in the eyes. “You are with me, you don't need to be strong all that time, I am here for ya when you need to just be, human. You can trust me.”
She looked at him with a lens of tears not yet fallen, then leaned back into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Ul, it... hurts.” she cried.
Try as he might, he couldn't stop a solitary tear from falling from his eye as he held her. “The medicine will kick in soon, and the doc will fix you right up, no worries.” He reluctantly pushed her back to recline on the blanket. “I am goin get us back to The Cove,” he said as he brushed her hair back.
She nodded and squeezed his arm. “Secure the line first.” She said with pain and determination mixed in her eyes as she stared into his.
He stood up and grabbed the line attached to the raft that lay over the crane and gave it a quick tie before he ran into the cabin and put Bullet to her top speed towards help, then he flipped on the radio and grabbed the mic, glad it was still set to The Cove's frequency.
“Do not fail us tonight girl.” he thought at Bullet.
“Cove this is Bullet come in, Now!” He said as loud as he could without shouting and letting Nara hear how concerned he was, she had enough to think about. “Cove get on the radio!”
Through the static came a response. “Bullet this is The Cove whats wrong? over.”
“Get doc and the rest a medical on the dock in the next hour! Nara has been shot. Out!” he threw the now blood covered mic back toward the counter, if they replied he didn't hear it, nor care.

The wheel was slick with her blood as he pulled them into port, and Bullet tapped the old tires along the side of the dock. Ul's mind was so one tracked by this point he didn't notice the crowd around the dock that looked as if over half of the Cove was there.
Running over to Nara and gently lifting her with as much urgency as any person could muster, he carried her to the starboard side, where a large man waited to take her and place her on a stretcher, so Ul didn't have to risk going over Bullet's side while carrying her. Ul handed her to him wishing he could carry her all the way, but he knew this was safer and faster.
In the next moment, she was on the stretcher being carried to the clinic, a bald man dressed in mostly brown was walking next to her getting her vitals. “Ul what was her blood type?” He called out.
“B positive,” Ul called back getting himself onto the dock.
The bald man thought a moment. “Alice we need you,” he called out.
A young woman with dirty blonde hair forced her way through to walk with him. “B positive on the tap doc.”
“Good, Joe get her prepped I will meet you in the operating room.”
“Yes Dr. Morrison.” came a reply from a thin man with brown hair and blue eyes.
It was then that Dia stepped out of the crowd in front of Ul. “Michael, let them work, there is nothing more you can do.” She said in a compassionate voice. “Let's get you washed up and sit you down for a moment.”
Ul just stared at them as they carried Nara away, then absently nodded and let her lead him away.

They ended up having to wash the blood off his hands for him, as he was far too distracted to care, they had also taken his clothes to be washed, he was wearing black pants, and a green shirt someone had given him.
“Michael sit down,” Dia said forcefully. “Death will have to wake up early to get that girl and you know it!”
He nodded as he sat down, and a small white-haired woman put some soup in front of him and rubbed his back in small circles as a concerned grandmother might do.
“Thank you, Rachel.” he said to her.
She nodded at him. “Sometimes ya just need soup,” she said and grinned a mostly toothless grin.
“And whiskey.” Came an old gravelly voice from the other corner of the room.
They were in what amounted to the town hall, that also doubled as a tavern.
“No, but thanks, Paul,” Ul said stirring the soup.
“What you don't drink now?” he said light heartily. He was about as old as Rachael and had a weathered face and long grey hair bound at the nape.
“He drinks a toast, or during a celebration, never when he is upset, worried, or about to do a job,” Dia responded for him, she leaned over and placed a hand over his.
“I just can't figure how we missed em,” Ul said shaking his head. “We were careful, right careful.”
Dia shrugged. “That's how life goes sometimes, it just gets you no matter what you try and do to stop it.” She pushed back her greying hair. “I am just glad you have someone to worry over, I know how much I hurt you when I left.”
Ul looked at her, the abrupt change of subject pulling him from his thoughts. “I never blamed ya, you always were ambitious and had to go where fate would have ya.”
She nodded. “You were there in my life when I needed you the most, and what we had.” She paused lost in thought. “It was great, and I am glad you have her now, you deserve to be happy, I have always thought that.”
Ul looked back down at his soup and took a spoonful, and after swallowing. “Thank you, I just.. I feel glad she was there that day, arguing with that trader over somthin, so loud the whole floater heard em.”
“A blessed meeting.” Rachel said smiling.
Ul nodded.
“You should try to rest though boy, we will get ya when she wakes up,” Paul said reassuringly.
Ul just nodded again.

It was late afternoon the following day when Nara opened her eyes sore and disoriented. She looked around the room and thought it looked familiar. “The clinic at The Cove.” she thought to herself.
Her eyes fell on Ul who sat by her bed holding a book, he had noticed the moment she stirred and dropped the book onto his lap, she smiled at him.
“Been waitin all day to see those eyes.” He said returning the smile.
She yawned and started to stretch, and stopped when she felt the pull on her stitches. “Was I out long?”
Ul tried to scowl at her. “Not as long as you should have, most likely, though I knew you'd wake up early.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “How bad was it?”
He knew she wanted the truth. “Doc said your heart stopped twice, but you were too stubborn to stay gone.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Well, I guess everyone knows how strong I am now huh?”
He shook his head at her. “They always did.” He set his jaw firm. “You did scare me ya know? Not that I ever doubted ya, just that I don't.. ever want to lose you and uh.. I just got scared.”
Her eyes grew moist as she heard this, she reached out for him and he got on his knees on her bedside, she took his face in both hands and with a thumb stroked his cheek, then lowered his head to her chest and just held him there.

“The shipment is ready it just needs you to take it,” Nara said insistently.
“But you are still recoverin,” Ul said firmly.
The sun had dawned on a new day since Nara first woke up from her wound.
“Yes and that's why Luther is on his way to stay with me, then take me to you, because you are getting a head start on building. Stop arguing with me Ul!”
He knew better, her mind was made up, it was just that he really didn't want to leave her. “Fine, so be it.”
She smiled in pure satisfaction as she pulled a small pile of papers off her side table and handed them to him. “Get as much done as you can for me.”
He took the pile and went through it, they were sketches of the house on the island as she wanted it to be.
He smiled. “These are not plans.”
“I don't know how to draw up blueprints.” She said with a frown.
While they were not building plans, Nara was a talented artist and the sketches upon the paper were beautiful and detailed.
“Whatever you want.” He said and leaned over to her, and kissed her on her forehead.
She flushed at this. “Get going, we are behind because of this and I want to get there with some real work done.”
He knew she felt bad about not being able to get back to their island right away and even guilty over not being able to help. “I will be waiting for you there.” He said with a bow and backed out of the room.
“You better,” she said nearly in a whisper. “I don't want to ever lose you either.”

Ul was making good time back to the island with the building supplies in tow. Since building on the open water was tricky, to say the least, most builders made prefab designs that could go up quickly and safely. So Ul was towing a small barge filled with pre-made walls, floors windows and the like. Though they didn't need to build the way people on the open sea did, he was glad for it, since it could go up quickly, and since he was going on ahead of Nara he planned on building the house she wanted before she even got there, No matter how much sleep he needed to lose.
When he did get back, he docked in a naturally formed channel down the near center of the island, then using the crane hoisted everything up onto the island piece by piece. He had to clear a few trees which just gave him more wood to work with, then starting with the first platform that acted as the foundation and dock, he built up and over the channel bridging the two halves of the island. On the third day, he stood back and looked at his work.
The left side had a workshop and the dock, complete with a crane for loading and unloading Bullet. The main of the building was a second floor that bridged the island and acted as the roof of the boathouse above the channel, with four large doors, two on either side that hung just above the water. The right side was a tower in the shape of an octagon with a sloped roof he made with the wood from the island, he was quite proud of it. Both front and back had long balconies with bench seats down them. He smiled broadly with bags under his eyes, he couldn't wait for Nara to see it.
“But first, some sleep.” He thought.

Nara had not stopped smiling since she had gotten back to the island, she could hardly believe that Ul had worked himself so hard to actually complete the house himself.
Nara, Ul, and Luther were seated on the rear balcony looking out at the trees and the blue water that lay beyond them. It was a cool day and a playful breeze swirled about them.
“No matter how many times I see this.” Luther started while shaking his head.
“It just never gets old.” Ul smiled with a nod.
“I know,” Nara said while tucking hair behind her ear.
“I never thought I would ever call anything other than a boat home, and yet this place.” she let out a breath holding up her hands as if trying to pull the s out of the air. “It just feels like part of me, part of us.”
Luther ♥♥♥♥♥♥ his brow at her. “Thinking of retiring honey?”
She shot him back a glare. “No, never I need adventure in my life.” She put a hand over her gun wound. “This might have slowed me down, and hurt but if either of you thinks it will stop me from running circles around both of you. “She alternated pointing a finger at them.“Think again.”
“I never doubted it for a second,” Ul said with a laugh. “You jump in shark-filled water and the sharks turn tail.”
“Got that right!” she exclaimed.
Luther laughed freely at them, and waved a hand at Ul. “Come help me bring some food up.”
Ul nodded and followed him to the door.
“Want anything?” he asked Nara.
She smiled. “Rice cakes.”
“You got it.”
As they made their way downstairs to where Luther had brought in a box of getting well gifts, food and drink.
“Ul do you know what was in that red box Dia wanted?” Luther asked in a strangely serious tone.
“Nope was just a job, why?” he asked with his curiosity peaked.
“I am not sure we can trust Dia.” He declared.
Ul's eyes narrowed at him. “You know I cared about her, so what are you sayin?”
“Your romance with her is over, Nara is your priority now.” he shot back. “Why did the whole Cove seem to be jumping to help you and her?”
Ul leaned against a wall. “We are Adrifters we look out for each other.”
Luther pointed a finger at him. “Yes we do, so is those Wasters were really hurting our trade line, why didn't every Adrifter in the area come together to crush them?”
Ul went rigid, he had not thought of that.
“Ul something does not sit right with me about what happened to our girl! We have all been hurt out there, I have been shot and so have you, I doubt that was her first time either.” He came closer, passion burning in his eyes. “But we know why it happened to us, it was in defense of ourselves or our own people. This time I think she was hurt because of a personal agenda of Dia's with that crate of hers.” He placed a hand on Ul's left shoulder. “If she got Nara hurt without telling you the real reason, then she is up to something, be careful.”
Ul stared at the ground for a time thinking, then nodded his head. “We better get back up there with her rice cakes.”
Luther grabbed his box of food and went back up with Ul, and as they went out the door, he started to laugh lightheartedly to hide the tense conversation he and Ul just had.
Turning to Nara. “Oh and honey never worry me like that again, I will go grey before my time!” he said cocking his head at her.
“Well it all works out, we can plant us a crop, by time that's done I figure we oughta be able to take up some more work,” Ul said looking up at the sky, following Luther's lead to leave the tension downstairs.
“Perfect,” Nara said in agreement.


It was, in fact, a month until they took another job, with Ul wishing for Nara to recover for longer, and Nara barely managing to wait the month.
Doctor Morrison had said it could be over three months till she was fully healed, so Ul insisted on “lighter” work for them.
“How are we in a gunfight already?!” Ul said shooting the last Waster out of a raft that had been pursuing them.
Nara laughed as she stood at the helm giving their would be attackers a merry chase.
“Well, it was supposed to be a simple courier job.”
“Simple my foot!” Ul said squeezing off another shot, and another Waster was gone.
“Alright that's all of em, I want as much sea between us n here as possible.”
Nara looked back him with an impish smile that broke into a large grin. “Come on you missed this as much as me!”
Ul looked at her with one brow raised and his eyes filled with bewilderment. “I agree but I wasn't shot!
You are touched in the head!”
Nara laughed freely at that. “We will be at the farm in what, an hour? Drop off the package and we are done!” She pointed a finger at him. “See it is simple!”
He shook his head at her and devolved into a laugh of his own.
When he stopped laughing he reloaded the gun's magazine, then sitting with his back to the starboard wall, he lifted himself up enough to stick his head fully over the side and just felt the air rush through his hair as strands came loose from where his hair was tied at the back. He was really glad to be on the move again, he loved their island but he had been on the move his whole life, he was even born on a moving vessel. This was his natural state and hers for that matter.
“I heard they were doing some amazin at this place we are headed for.” he said sliding back onto the deck.
“Yep, heard that too.” She said checking the heading and adjusted their bearing.
“They are supposed to have been getting some amazing shipments from the west, stuff that hadn't been in this part of the world in an age.”
“I wonder if what we were sent to give em is part a that?” he said tilting his head to the side.
“Just might be.” She looked back at him.
“I wanted this job hoping we could get something from them for Adrifter's Isle.”
“I was thinkin you did” he responded looking back at her.
“Well, I want to take advantage of our assets.”
“Use what you got even if you don't got it, as my old man often would say.” Ul smiled remembering the man.
“What does that mean?” Nara said with a laugh.
“If you don't know, then I can't help ya!” he said grinning.
“Oh is that so?” leaning forward she squinted at something far out in front of them. “Could that be it?”
Ul stood up and mounted the wall holding onto the roof bar as he leaned out over the sea, with his right hand he pulled out his spyglass and putting one end in his teeth he pulled on the other end extending it out and put it to his eye. “I think that just might be it, right place right shape.”
“Then we are nearly there!” she said cheerfully.


They arrived forty-eight minutes later and moored Bullet at the empty side of the dock and hauled their cargo off the boat. A slender man with wiry hair and a stout woman approached them.
“The couriers are here, welcome,” said the woman with a light voice.
The man beside her smiled. “ Indeed welcome, we are grateful for your swift work.”
Nara smiled at them. “Swift is what we do, where shall we put it?”
“Oh our people will take it from here.” the woman said with a wave of her hand.
“My name is Mary by the way, and this is Larry.” she added gesturing to her companion.
“Call me Ul, this is Nara.” he said extending his hand, which they both took in turn.
“I was hoping we could get some of the new stuff you have been working on,” Nara said after the greeting.
Larry's eyes lit up and he looked ready to bounce. “Oh we have had some great dealings this last month, where to begin!” he snapped his fingers dramatically. “Of course there is but one place to begin, come follow me,” he said shuffling off briskly while beckoning them to follow.
Nara and Ul looked at each other and smiled before chasing after the man.
“Sorry, he is very excited by what we have going right now,” Mary said as she moved to catch up with Larry.
As they approached a simple box-shaped structure, they started hearing strange sounds, like scratching and light taps and with one sound they could not even describe. They were led into an enclosed yard in front of the building and openly stared at what they saw there.
“What are they?” Ul asked watching them move about.
“Wait, I think I saw something like this in a book once, are they birds?” Nara asked.
Larry smiled proudly and waved his hand in a grand gesture and as he went to speak Mary beat him to it. “They are chickens, some Land-days farmer who knew the waters were rising moved his whole lot of them on a large barge and kept them alive, his family managed to keep them alive over the coming years and well here they are!”
Larry stood there deflated.
“Amazing, I knew folk had tried to keep some animals alive, didn't see too much of the successful ones on our travels,” Ul said watching as the multicoloured fowl moved about bobbing their heads around as they strutted about with their fuzzy looking feet. “May we touch em?”
Nara nodded her own desire for the request.
“Oh, of course, they are very friendly,” Larry said quickly taking back control of the situation, he went over and plucked one off the ground and carried it over to them. “Here you may hold it.”
Ul took the strange creature in his arms and pet it, as Nara leaned over to do the same.
“It's so soft and smooth, I didn't know feathers were like this.” She said smiling at it as it looked around seemingly unconcerned about the strange humans who had interrupted its day.
“How does it see through that ball o fluff on its head?” Ul laughed.
“From what I read, I thought feathers would be less like our own hair then this is,” Nara observed
What they didn't know was this was a specific breed of chicken called a silkie in the Land-Days, its feathers were closer to fur than the typical kind. They were a friendly and quiet breed with black flesh and bones.
“Nara look it's. ears I guess they are, well there blue!” he said while exposing the skin on the side of its head.
“They are!” she said amazed. “Let me hold it,” she said as she held her arms out for it.
“Here.” he said smiling as he handed it to her.
Larry cleared his throat.
“Yes, as far as we know we are among the first ranchers as it was called, in the East American sea.”
“I am guessing you will want a few of em?” Marry asked.
“I would, but gotta ask what can they do?” Ul responded looking over to her.
“Well, they lay eggs that are good for cooking and eating, about three a week per chicken.
If you get a male with them you can breed them too, they themselves have tasty meat, and of course, they poop, which helps with fertilizer.”
Nara made a face at the chicken when tasty meat was mentioned. “But how much?” she said turning to them with shrewd eyes. “I am guessing the first ranchers could name any price for such a prize, and we are simple people making a life on the sea, so perhaps we could make a deal?”
Mary looked back at her with shrewd eyes of her own. “Perhaps we can.”
Larry and Ul looked from the women to each other and gave knowing nods.
“Well while you two set about making a deal, I'll show this young man what else we have,” Larry said stepping back towards the center of the farm.
“You do that.” said Mary with a smile.
Ul nodded at Nara and headed off with Larry.
“So think you can offer us something sweetie?”
Nara grinned. “Like Larry said we are swift couriers, in fact, we are one of the fastest with our haul weight class. Seems to me you mean to grow this place to rival the largest of farming floaters out there.” She gestured to the sea, and with full confidence in her voice. “You will need some people who can move stuff for ya fast and safely, and that's us!”