He considers. "If you instead attach something to it so I can have it glow based on distance to an object, that would be less dangerous… Dial-related reactions I haven't done, so much."

"...A slider with another small rock on the end? Brighter the closer the second rock is to the first one?"

"Would work much better and be a more conventional design, yes," he responds.

"I can do that, I didn't know you had conventional designs for this sort of thing."

"Glow related to distance from an object is – standard activation protocol, if it's not just on permanently?" Shrug. "I mean, the magic and what concepts it combines, is more standard."

"Aha. Well, I'll fix it tomorrow. It's well past time to sleep now."

"Did you set up the hammocks?"

"Yeah, same room you came into. There's a restroom near the kitchen if you want to wash up - please don't disorganize my cargo bay in any way."

Nod. "Thanks. If that's all, goodnight."

"Yep, goodnight."

So Akien goes to his hammock and sleeps.

Evara does likewise, after using the restroom.

It's a bit cold, but manageable.

They might wake up when the island the ship is landed on makes a soft 'crunch' sound and shifts in balance, sending their hammocks swinging slightly.

If not, they will probably wake up when the ship suddenly jolts and the engines start up the same ferocious roar from yesterday's storm-fleeing. It's loudest in this room, even. The ship lurches forward and rather quickly is jerked sharply left, shaking the entire room and unshelving some of the things.

Akien woke up at the first shift, but only springs into motion when it's pretty definite there's something wrong.

Evara was less prompt, grabs hold of the end of her hammock to hold herself in place –

Nick abandons trying to flee, and grabs his sword before running to his passengers. The engines start to spool back down. The ship is still pitching wildly.

"Pirates! They tied down the ship. Can you two fight?"

"With fire and I'm gonna guess not to that?"

"I can fight, without flames."

He hands Akien a length of pipe, as the closest weaponlike object handy.

"Fire - depends on how they approach this and how well you can control it. Maybe do a flash of light, ruin their night vision."

He leans out the door and yells, "Five kilos of starglass if you just let us go! Nobody has to get hurt! I'll leave it on the island!"

The pirates laugh. It's a creepy effect, coming from the forbidding darkness outside. "We've got you surrounded. How about everyone aboard comes out, we take everything that's not nailed down, and we kill you or take you as slaves if you resist too much?"

Akien raises an eyebrow, then shouts, "What do you have?"

He sounds a little menacing.

The pirates' answer is a crossbow bolt that flies through the open door. Nick ducks his head back just in time. "Enough. We have enough. Come ooout now..."

Akien grabs out a shorter metal rod from his bag, the same one he had out earlier, and says, "Can you calm it, we'll come."

Evara tries not to look too vicious. There's a glint in her eye.

Nick hides his sword in a little nook and follows them out, looking convincingly glum. Whisper, "I think there's five of them."

"Probably best for you to stay back," responds Evara.