Tavist and Kenari race each other picking locks. There is a weird wave of sensation which I shake off, but Captain Vedis falls asleep. They eventually get the doors open – it’s a tie. And Taj used a mind thrust to try to poke Captain Vedis awake. Tavist and Taj Pach are ready to finish taking the ship while Captain Vedis and Kenari argue for the whole group to stay together. I am chuckling inwardly – because Tavist doesn’t listen to anyone and I am pretty sure Taj Pach (the Queen!) is not any better. Taj does casts a spell and a golden glow covers she and Tavist and they start doing an eerie thing where they are moving at the same time. Taj’s wasp familiar flies over and boops Kenari on the nose – casting Cat’s Grace on the cat.

Taj reports that Fen and Melchior have spotted other ships on an intercept course. The wasp boops me and s spell settles over – I don’t resist since the bug is technically on our side. Or we’re on hers…depending on who you are asking. Vedis gets Bull’s Strength. Kenari is on her 2nd room when she calls Taj over – there is a 3’ spike chunk of floating metal in the room with smaller similar chunks floating around it. Taj calls over Tavist who says it looks like the stuff they saw in the elder outpost (or something – half the time I have no idea what those two are talking about). Taj allows as she wants it for herself and Tavist tells her she can have it after they take the ship. He stomps off to the helm room and throws open the door – hitting the room with an energy push and his breath weapon. Taj takes off to the deck – Ef Utan and I follow her. Vedis and Kenari look a bit confused. Taj hits the deck and faces off against a Void Elf while the rest of the crew looks on. He starts to cast, but Taj hast the jump on him and she casts first – counterspelling his fireball. He looks pretty confused.
Down in the helm room, Tavist gets a snowball to the face which makes him giggle. Vedis looks around the corner and hits Saphira with a mind thrust that blows up her head. On the deck, Taj follows up her counter-spell with a cranial deluge – the Void Elf’s head bulges strangely and then explodes. The crew looks at her and instantly surrender. Taj calls to Tavist that the Valis is here. I look off the bow and yes – their oversized gaudy beast of ship is in view. So is some other thing off in the distance – something massive. Taj notices that Ef Utan’s tattoo is glowing and investigates.

Everyone stops – right in the middle of all of the chaos – everyone literally pauses. Far off – but clearly heading our way is the Spelljammer. I never thought that I would see the actual Spelljammer and yet, here it is.

Taj calls Tavist onto the deck. We order this ship out of the Spelljammer’s path and the crew is eager to obey. As the Spelljammer stops an Ancient Illithid Nautiloid appears.

Kenari yells from the hold – something about “this shit ain’t right” but no one is really paying attention. There is way too much happening up here. The Illithid Nautiloid is joined by 4 others. So now we have The Valis and an Ancient Nautiloid that is apparently the Seven Stars (however did those pirates come up with that thing) and 5 Illithid Nautiloids – along with The Nomad and The Probe (still needs a better name). And a bunch of us are on this ship with an iffy crew – there aren’t enough of us to keep this one….

Tavist and Taj disappear – she announces over the message that they are going to the Ancient Nautiloid. They quickly check it over – it’s empty and it brought itself here. There is some serious consternation coming from those two. Captain Vedis intimidates the crew of this ship into performing. Then she goes to check out the room Kenari is yelling about. Apparently the room is full of living tissue pulsing and throbbing and it’s wired to the whole ship. Ef Utan gets on the helm of the Slaver ship. It’s attacked by an energy bolt. Fen yells that it came from the Valis. Taj is swearing (I think – it’s hivespeak) because apparently she can’t reach anyone on the Valis who should be there. Taj moves Tavist to the Serenity and then takes Fen to the Nautiloid. Tavist flies over to the Valis and Taj follows. Fen uses his psionic circuitry to take control of the Ancient Nautiloid (which explains that weird tattoo). I take myself back to The Probe (Oh….The Serenity….I am going to name her The Serenity). Vedis does a Mind Thrust into the nightmare room – there’s an explosive reaction and most of the tissue disintegrates. Ef Utan and Vedis both pass out.

Tavist and Taj Pach reach the Valis and with a snarl you hear Taj “Falkirk.” There is a brief fight. Taj hits Falkirk with Breath of the Black Dragon and Falkirk tries to teleport – Taj diverts his teleport to a spot immediately in front of Tavist – who executes a coup de gras and Falkirk is eviscerated.

Kenari manages to teleport the Captain away and Lenata grabs Ef Utan. They all join me on The Serenity. Taj orders the crew of The Valis to finish destroying the slavership – it blows up – taking that floating metal Taj wanted with it. But better that than the Illithid getting their tentacles on it.

There is some ship shifting as our ships face off against the 5 Illithid Nautiloid – there is a wave of energy that pushes us all about as the Spelljammer arrives.

And in case shit couldn’t get any more complicated – the EIN show up.

TBC