Hilde limped along beside Jan. One of the Middenheimer's had managed to land a kick to her kidney and it hurt like hell. There was a little satisfaction to be gained by the fact that her knee to his groin had turned him a very pleasant shade of white before it collapsed him to the floor. Her companions seemed to have picked up a collection of cuts and bruises but no one was showing any signs of permanent damage.

The smell would be a problem if there wasn't some rain or a chance to bathe soon. Hilde had an unhealthy enthusiasm for bathing but the ale that had been sloshed over her clothing and hair would go rancid fast, and that wouldn't make getting along with the crew any easier. Speaking of the crew, by Shallya' bleeding tits they were a unsavory bunch. Men from all provinces of the Empire and beyond, were gathering on the ship. Here and there she saw the dark skin of Araby, even a few with more alien features that people claimed were from far of Cathay. Hilde didn't know that she believed that. Every man was armed and some were still wounded, bruises and cuts mostly bandaged.

"Looks like they wen't a round with pack of squig's" Hilde muttered to Jan as they headed up the gang plank. There weren't many of them, for all their diversity. Hilde wasn't an experience sailor but they seemed few enough to handle the big vessel. The crew watched the new comers with experession's ranging from good humor to contempt. One particular man, wearing the waxed moustache of Reikland gave her a long speculative glance, to which she returned a neutral smile.

Footsteps sounded on the deck and Hilde glanced over her shoulder to see a flustered looking halfling rushing up behind them with a nervous glance over his shoulder. The little creature wore a simple leather coat, along with an improbably large pack, festooned with cooking pots, and strings of cured sausage. A dozen knives and a rolling pin hung from his belt, the belt itself distressed over the halflings portly belly. He was still looking over his shoulder when he ran into Hilde. Forwarned, she avoided pitching into the stinking water of the harbor. The halfling might have gone into the drink himself if she hadn't seized him by the belt and yanked him back onto balance.

[b]"Easy friend, no day for a swim,"[/b] Hilde said, a slight chill coloring her tone. The halfling bobbed his head frenetically.

[b]"Sorry sorry, just ah... eager to get on board, I'm Welf, the cook,"[/b] he said in a rapid panicky voice, casting an eye back to the crowded docks. Hilde wasted no time stepping off the plank and onto the rough wooden deck.

[b]"You seem a little..." [/b]Hilde began before she was interupted by Florian's booming voice.

[b]"Ahoy you lazy curs, we got cargo! A hundred kegs of saltpeter headed for Nuln! Rig up a sling and get loading!"[/b]