The rogue that some knew as Jon Chess slept fitfully but that was not the amazing part; that he was having the best dream he'd had in years was. Jon Chess had recently been tortured, which had included a shadow priestess rewiring some of his emotional responses in an attempt to make Chess homicidal when he encountered Ren'dorei. The shadow priestess had not been subtle; she had not expected no Chess to survive for long beyond his use as her killing tool.
Fortunately, she had not had a chance to finish her job. Unfortunately, her psychic surgery had left Chess plagued with images and flashbacks whose horrific content precluded sleep. It was only by accident that Chess had stumbled across the fortune teller Sayge at the Darkmoon Faire, and ended up seeking guidance from the Shrine at Aviana.
At the Shrine of Aviana he could sleep.
During his torture, Jon had also been addicted to Sa'Diablo, a narcotic hallucinogen with healing effects; since the alternative was looking like a human Wretched, Jon had obtained a supply and kept himself awake with the doses he had to take to keep the harmful symptoms of the Fel addiction at bay. Every few days, he found himself compelled to travel to the Shrine of Aviana, so that he could sleep deeply, and recharge in some small part the reserves called upon by the Sa'Diablo.
If he was fortunate, he would not dream. This night, his dreams manifested in the form of a memory.
Jaina Proudmoore, when she had established Theramore, had appealed to the former head of the Alliance intelligence service, now retired as a modest seller of cheese in the city of Stormwind, and asked him for assistance.
"Master Trias, Theramore is young and must survive. it could become the cornerstone of peace between the Horde and the Alliance. I need your help!" she had begged.
Her pleas had not fallen on deaf ears. Trias had recently found a fellow who he had sent to Ravenholdt for training; Ellng Trias was not quite so retired as he would have the world believe. When that student returned from his training with Ravenholdt, Trias sent him to help Lady Proudmoore.
Lady Proudmoore had established her fledgling intelligence service under Captain Kestralil, head of the merchant company *Universal Exports*, based on her ship Blackblade, docked in the Theramore harbor. Jon traveled to Theramore, where he reported to Captain Carran Vimes, the commander of Theramore's military forces. "The guards of Theramore are the finest group of Alliance soldiers based in Kalimdor. It is our duty to uphold the laws of the Alliance even so far away from our homes," he had said to Chess when Chess has reported for duty. "They are Lady Jaina's strong Right Hand of the Light - but that will not always serve. I am going to send you to Captain Kestral, who handles some of the more... nefarious issues to be dealt with. You might say she is Lady Jaina's Left Hand of Darkness."
He had taken a letter of introduction to Captain Kestral and gone to where the Blackblade was berthed. He started up the gangway but was stopped by what appeared to be a Black Iron dwarf, festooned with weapons and what appeared to be grenades and other explosive devices.
"Ye don't hae permission to come on board!" she objected.
Jon Chess tossed the dwarf a salute and presented his letter from Captain Vimes. "I'm the new crew member, darling lady."
"Ach, that is no way to greet someone. Lazy sod of a human. Well, stay right there, and I'll see what is to be done." The dwarven lady called out. "Hey Dalrick, come watch this fellow for me, I have to ask the Captain."
"Happy to, Gloriarn" responded a rather shift looking gnome, with flaming, unruly red hair under a flamboyant, jaunty hat with a purple feather. A thin, long mustache stuck out from his upper lip like a
rat's whiskers. He wore dark leathers of the type favored by SI:7 operatives.
"Are you a member of the crew, too?" asked Chess.
"Nah, just making a delivery f some medical supplies!" exclaimed the gnome. "But I'm an old 'friend of the family', so to speak." The gnome extended a gloved hand. "Dalrick Cogspinner, at your service."
"Pleased to meet you, Master Cogspinner," replied Chess.
Gloriarn returned. "Thanks, Dal," she said, dismissing him. She turned to address Chess. "You there, Captain Kestral will see you in her quarters."
"Excellent... uh.. where are her quarters?" Chess replied bashfully.
"Ugggh... landlubbers!" the dwarf exclaimed in mild disgust. "Dal, can you show him?"
Chess followed the gnome down a stairway and to the door to the Captain's quarters. Dalrick knocked on the door and whispered "You wait for an answer. Never knock twice..." and disappeared back to the top deck.