Disclaimer: Still not mine. Ranma belongs to Takahashi-sama and a whole slew of companies; Eilistraee, Forgotten Realms, and characters therein belong to TSR and Wizards of the Coast; Hornblower and Aubrey/Maturin Characters belong to their respective copyright owners. All I own are the Enterprise, Bereth, Crystina (I can always scan their character sheets for proof), and any other characters I come up with.

I'd also like to acknowledge one resource that this humble author is deeply indebted to- Patrick O'Brian's Men-of-War. Without it, I think this would have been a poorer story.

00000
USS Enterprise
60 hours east of the Isle of Prespur

The crew of the Enterprise had begun repairs almost as soon as they crossed back over from the late, unlamented Acheron and buried the members of the Corps and crew who didn't survive the battle. Bereth and Kasumi resumed treating the wounded down in the cockpit; Crystina, the running of the ship. Ranma, Eilistraee, Nabiki, and Maya stood on the quarterdeck, the goddess wrapped in her husband's arms. "So where'd you find an old American frigate, Saotome," Nabiki asked, as the foursome watched the sun set over the Sea of Fallen Stars, as the frigate turned north to allow the Pirate Isles to pass to starboard.

"Some how, Nabiki, I doubt you'd believe me if I told you anyway," the pigtailed martial artist replied. "But if you must know…"

"I must, I must."

"I found her in Honest Abe's Ship-o-rama in Suzail. Got her for a bargain too, only 225 thousand falcons. And that was with crew, charts and full provisions. While I know you probably could have gotten a better deal, Nabs, you weren't there so I had to do the best I could."

Eilistraee felt her husband tensing for the verbal sparring that was coming. "Peace, you two. It's been a trying time for all of us."

Maya sighed. "It has, Lady Eilistraee. And I fear for my younger sister, Talabrina, should Lolth's ire be aroused."

"Which, knowing my mother as well as I do, is assured, since Lolth is not known for her forgiving nature; especially after giving a House a second chance to redeem themselves after such a failure, and then to fail again. I will see what I can do to protect your sister, Maya."

"Thank you, Lady Eilistraee. If you will excuse me, I'm sure you want to spend time with your husband." The priestess bowed, before backing away and heading below to assist Bereth and Kasumi. Nabiki held back, walking to the other side of the quarterdeck.

Eilistraee stood there, enjoying the simple pleasure of her husband's arms wrapped around her. "They're both devoted to you, Eil-chan," Ranma said, as Selûne rose full in the east, the Tears chasing after the moon.

"I know. Nabiki got the second chance she deserved, and Maya has always been one of my faithful. I hope we can provide a safe haven for more of my faithful at the Shrine."

"Perhaps," Ranma said. "We'll rebuild, fortify, and let the Harpers know that we're open for business for those Drow who wish a new start."

00000
Ched Nasad

The small Drow merchant community of Ched Nasad was aflame as Houses allied with Zauvir kept to their oaths and loyalty and clashed with Houses loyal to Seerear in open combat. Fireballs and more spectacular combat spells arced through the cavern, lighting up the cavern as they exploded. The few Houses aligned with neither combatant suffered as well, when the combat spells went wild on the death of the spellcaster.

Talabrina huddled in a small chamber. Her sisters Phyrra, Faeryl, Laele would probably chastise the adolescent she-Drow if they found her, but the youngest Zauvir didn't care. All she wanted to do right now was live. "Please, if there are any gods or goddesses that hear my pleas, I wish to escape this life for a new one."

A thread of Eilistraee's consciousness heard the adolescent's prayer. "Will you treat strangers as your friends; open your home to those without in storms, repay rudeness with kindness, repay violence with swift violence so that the fewest may be hurt?"

Talabrina's eyes widened as her prayers were answered. "I shall," she said quietly.

"Then follow this marker to the surface, but take care. There are those that would seek to destroy my faithful." A silvery sword pointed towards the north, away from the fighting…and toward Cormyr.

00000

Sitting at the table in the Enterprise's captain's quarters, Ranma and Eilistraee enjoyed a late dinner, as fiddling and singing came through the open stern windows, while the crew skylarked through the second dog watch of this late spring night. Killick had groused throughout the preparation of the meal, but had come through with a meal fit for royalty. "Who is that foul-tempered dwarf," the goddess asked.

"That's only Killick, Eil-chan, a camp follower and blacksmith who didn't know any better and stayed with the infantry when I sent the rest north towards Zhentil Keep. He revealed himself when he climbed out of the hold to reintroduce himself to his lunch. So I kept him on as my steward. He outdid himself with this meal." Ranma sipped his wine as he searched for the right way to say it. That he was drinking a glass of wine with dinner caused a raised eyebrow on his wife's face.

"Something wrong Ranma?"

Her husband set his wine glass back on the table and looked at his wife across the half melted candles. "You know we're going to have to do something about your mother, Eil-chan. She's going to keep coming after either you or me or, Kami-sama forbid, our children."

Eilistraee chuckled mirthlessly. "I know Ranma, I know. I've been warring with Lolth for so long now, even I don't remember how many millennia its been. Through those untold ages, neither of us has been able to gain an upper hand."

"Look, Eil-chan, if I can defeat an immortal phoenix with delusions of godhood, we can defeat your mother…"

"Do you have an eternity to spend fighting Lolth and all her followers across the planes?"

"Heh, you know me, Eil-chan. Ranma Saotome never loses."

"Great, my husband has his own delusions of grandeur," the Drow goddess laughed.

"If one has to be delusional, why not have delusions of the grandest kind, my love," Ranma snarked.

"Ranma, the only way to defeat my mother is to kill her. In the Demonweb Pits, where her powers are greatest. Father won't be able to help us. The surface gods won't be able to help us, we'd be on our own for this fight."

Ranma picked up the wineglass and took a sip of the Sembian red that Honest Abe had thrown in with the captain's stores. "I know. And I know I'm not certain if I can go up against Lolth. Saffron was a godling, not even a demigod."

Eilistraee reached across the table and took her husband's hands. "You're already a natural with the sword, an expert at unarmed combat..."

"You're the Goddess of the Sword. If you haven't been able to defeat her, what chance do you and I have?"

"Second thoughts?"

"No, just playing Devil's advocate. And for you, I'll never have second thoughts," he replied.

"As I've said, we've been trapped in this endless war. But, perhaps something will come from it, with Ched Nasad being the first stepping stone in breaking Lloth's hold on the Drow."

"Wait, what? What does the city that the Zauvirs control have anything to do with this?"

Eilistraee blushed, cutely in Ranma's eyes, but clearly embarrassed. "I forgot, you're not a deity, even if you do fight like one. Ched Nasad is currently in open revolt. What started out as an inter-family war has, like most things Drow, boiled over into the entire city. I've been answering what prayers for guidance have come my way."

"Wonderful," Ranma remarked sarcastically, as the ship's drummer beat retreat while bell struck, ending the second dogwatch, and bosun's whistles piped down the hammocks. "We can anticipate both more refugees and shenanigans from your mother." Eilistraee nodded. "When we get our cavalry and camp followers, we'll make for Cormyr and head home as quickly as we can."

"I guess you were anticipating not finding me at sea?"

"I was hedging my options. If we didn't find you here at sea, our next port of call would have been Zhentil Keep, and laying siege there."

"In a valiant attempt to rescue me." Ranma nodded, as his wife stood, walked over to the music stand, and picked up his violin. "You're still playing, I see."

"Maya has been an excellent musical companion, taking up the cello to counter my violin."

Any reply Eilistraee was going to give was cut off, as the door to the captain's great cabin was thrown open by Midshipman McKimmson. "Sir, Mr Roberts' respects, but the lookout has reported two strange sail three points off the starboard bow, hull down on the horizon."

Ranma looked at the midshipman. McKimmson had distinguished himself during the battle with the Acheron, and Ranma could understand the boy's enthusiasm. But there were times that the captain's cabin was sacrosanct. "My compliments to Mr Roberts. He's to keep an eye on the two ships, and to keep us out of harm's way until repairs are completed." As the midshipman began to leave, Ranma called "Mr. McKimmson, remember to knock before entering the captain's cabin."

"Yes sir. Sorry, sir. Won't happen again, sir."