hand on Forx s shoulder。 You shall all receive the same cut you would have if all the cargo came intact the
difference will e out of my own share。
Kag s eyes grew wide。 You honor us all； Captain。
Not at all you defended my ship。 You won t be penalized for that。
Forx smiled。 I ll inform your warriors； sir。
Bolik turned to Kag as Forx went off。 Assess damage； dump any human bodies into the sea； and put us back on
course。 He took a breath； then blew it out through his tusks。 And when we return； I want a messenger found。
Thrall must be informed of this right away。
Nodding； Kag said； Yes； Captain。
Staring into the fog that had allowed the pirates to get so close for their attack； Bolik thought back on Rabin s
words； and decided that no use they could get from fog would be worth this…。
Three
L ady Jaina Proudmoore stood atop the butte on Razor Hill； gazing out over the land where she helped form the
most unlikely alliance in the history of the world。
Razor Hill was orc territory； of course； but Jaina and Thrall had agreed that； given her abilities； it was best for their
meetings to happen on orc land； where Thrall generally was。 For Jaina s part； her magic allowed her to go wherever
she wished in an instant。
In truth； when the summons had e from Thrall； it had e as a relief。 Jaina s entire adult life； it seemed；
consisted of going from one crisis to another。 She had fought demons and orcs and warlords； and had the fate of the
world in her small hands more than once。
She once was the lover of Arthas； when he was a noble warrior； but he had been corrupted； was now the Lich King
of the Scourge； the cruelest warlord in a world that had seen its fair share of them。 Some day； she knew； she would
have to face him in battle。 Medivh； the Sargerascursed wizard who had seemingly doomed humanity by letting
demons and orcs overrun this world； became a staunch ally who convinced Jaina and Thrall to unite their people
with the night elves against the Burning Legion。
After that； when the humans built Theramore as their new home on Kalimdor； Jaina had thought that things would
calm down。 But things were never calm when one ruled； even in times of peace； and she found that the daytoday
running of Theramore almost made her long for the days when she was fighting for her life。
Almost； but not quite。 In truth； she had few regrets but she also grabbed the opportunity for a respite like a desert
traveler grabbing a water flask。
Standing at one edge of the butte； she looked far down on the small orc village at the base of the hills。 Well
defended huts dotted the harsh brown landscape。 Even in times of peace； the orcs made sure their homes would not
be taken。 A few orcs walked between the huts； greeting each other； some pausing to speak。 Jaina couldn t help but
smile at such quotidian simplicity。
Then she heard the low； steady rumble that heralded the arrival of Thrall s airship。 Turning around； she saw the
massive dirigible approach。 As it grew closer； she saw that only Thrall stood in the undercarriage that was carried
along beneath the massive hotairfilled canvas that propelled the machine through the air。 Said canvas was
decorated with a variety of symbols； some of which Jaina recognized as pictographs from an old version of the orc
language。 One； she knew； was the symbol of Thrall s family； the Frostwolf clan。 That was the main thing that
differentiated orc airships from the ones Jaina s people used the airships that Theramore had rented from the
goblins were more nondescript affairs。 Jaina wondered if the orcs way might not be better to imbue their non
living transports with personalities akin to that of living mounts。
In the past； when they d met on the butte； Thrall had at least brought a guard or two。 That he was traveling alone
now concerned Jaina greatly。
As the airship approached； Thrall pulled some levers； and the dirigible slowed； finally ing to a hover over the
butte。 Pulling one final lever； Thrall lowered a rope ladder and climbed down。 Like most orcs； Thrall had green skin
and black hair； the latter braided and draped over his shoulders。 The black plate armor with bronze trim he wore
belonged to rim Doomhammer； Thrall s mentor and the man for whom Durotar s capital city had been named。
Strapped to his back was rim s weapon； from which he derived his last name： the Doomhammer； a twohanded
weapon that Jaina had seen Thrall use in battle。 The blood of many a demon had been shed with that great hammer。
What stood out about Thrall most； though； were his blue eyes； a color rarely found in orcs。 They bespoke both his
intelligence and his kindness。
Three years ago； while both Theramore and the cities of Durotar were being built； Jaina had given Thrall a magical
talisman： a small stone carved in the shape of one of the old Tirisfalen runes。 Jaina had its twin in her own
possession。 Thrall needed only to hold it and think of her； and Jaina s talisman would glow； the reverse also held
true。 If they wished to meet in secret； to discuss issues that affected one or the other； or both； of their people away
from the politics of their positions as leaders or if they simply wished to talk as old friends and rades all
they had to do was activate the talisman。 Jaina would then teleport to the butte； and Thrall would e by airship；
since the butte was inaccessible any other way。
It is good to see you； my friend； Jaina said with a warm smile。 And she meant it。 In all her life； she d known no
one as honorable and dependable as the orc。 Once； she would have numbered her father and Arthas among those。
But Admiral Proudmoore insisted on attacking the orcs at Kalimdor； refusing to believe his own daughter when she
said that the orcs were as much victims of the Burning Legion as humans were； and were not evil。 Like so many
people Jaina had known； Admiral Proudmoore was unable to accept that the world was different from the way it
was when he was younger； and fought against any alteration to it。 That included the presence of orcs； and Jaina had
been put in the terrible position of betraying her own father to Thrall s people in the hope of stopping the
bloodshed。
As for Arthas； he had bee one of the greatest evils in the world。 Now Jaina found herself in a place where she
trusted the leader of the orc clans more than the man she once loved or her father。
When her father had attacked； Thrall who had seen the pain in Jaina s eyes when she told him how to defeat the
admiral had kept his word。 And he had never been one to accept that the world was the way it was。 He had been
captured as an infant and raised by a human named Aedelas Blackmoore to be the perfect slave； even given a name
representing that。 But Thrall threw off his chains and rallied the orcs first to freedom； then to the ways of his people
that had been lost to the demonic hordes that had brought them to this world。
Now； Jaina saw a different look in Thrall s unusual blue eyes。 Her dear friend was furious。
We signed no treaty； you and I。 Thrall started in immediately； not even returning Jaina s greeting。 We made no
provisions for our a