* Hadhramaut = Region in S. Arabia, on the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. Historically the name refers to the former
Hadhramaut states which were once under the rulership of the Quaiti and Kathiri sultanates.
* Hungry Ghosts = Written in the Buddhist Petavatthu (c. 6th century) writings. A hungry ghost is a mischievous or mean
spirited ghost. In the Petavatthu, there are several examples of how a hungry ghost is born. The categories are as follows:
To die without ancestors to worship the deceased at a grave site. To die with no one to bury the deceased.
To die at sea or in childhood or to be murdered.
A mischievous hungry ghost will not harm the living. A group of hungry ghosts, as is written in the Petavatthu, will act like
gangs of mean bullies, beggars, and bandits with the except of murdered victims.
The worst of the hungry ghosts are those who were murdered. Murdered victims are known to haunt the scene of their
death seeking violent revenge. Hungry Ghosts born from being murdered have been able to take lives in an attempt to
appease their hunger. Special religious days exists within Buddhist cultures which allows for appeasing the hungry ghosts.
* Jihad = Literal translation means, "struggle." The mention of Jihad can be found in the Qu’ran, the holy book of Islam.
Within the Qu’ran, it states that Jihads are sometimes necessary, even though distasteful, when evil rules over the weak, or
when injustice rises against the followers of Allah. Note; it is strictly forbidden to call a Jihad against women, children, or the
innocent. (Q., 2:216) The Qu’ran gives promise that all who fall (die) in Jihad, shall be granted automatic entrance into the
Gardens of Eden (Q., 61:10-13) An early scholar of Islamic teachings, Abu Soorah as-Saffof, gave further support that any
who give their all, wealth, intellect and lives, in a fight in a Jihad shall be forgiven of all sins and will gain automatic entrance in
the "Gardens of Eternity," (Soorah as-Saff., 61:10-12)
* Khat (pronounced cot) = Khat is a natural stimulant from the Catha Edullis plant commonly found in East Africa and
Southern Arabia. When chewed, Khat acts as an anti-depressent. Users claim it lifts the spirits and sharpens thinking. Khat is
still commonly used in Yemen, Somalia, and Ehtiopia.
* Moroccan Flag = According to the Islamic History Source book, published by Fordham University, The current red flag
with green star was not used as a symbol of the state until 1062, when the Almoravide dynasty came into control of
Morocco. Prior to the Almoravide dynasty, white silk banners were often carried into battle, sometimes with Quranic
inscriptions written on them. The most often used scripture was "Allah is powerful to do all things."
Chapter Three
Despite her best efforts, Zara did not die. She had hoped that the pounding in her head would mean that her brain would
explode. The nausea and headache would be a moot point since she would be dead. However, as luck would have it, Allah
had not called her home. Instead, she was forced to make it through the day and then carry on as if nothing were different.
Once she awoke, the captain no longer heard the voice calling to her. For a time, she sat at her desk and contemplated it.
As her mind wandered over the new discovery of the ghost, she chewed on Khat. She felt the herb sharpening her thinking,
allowing her to understand the link that she now shared with the Greek passenger’s dead warrior. Although the Khat helped
her to accept the existence of the voice, she no longer heard it talk to her. In fact, it seemed as if the voice had given up on
talking with her altogether. So, for a time she could actually forget about the invisible passenger the ship carried. At least, she
could do this when Gabrielle was not talking with her ghost lover. When this happened, Zara only frowned and turned away.
It had been over a week since the execution and still Gabrielle had not spoken to the captain. Thinking it over, Zara was
sitting at her desk, her mind on nothing in particular when she saw the blonde by the rail talking with her spirit lover. With
creased brows, the brooding Moroccan looked away from the woman and returned her attention to the maps on her desk.
She had not been working, merely using the maps to disguise her idleness.
From outside her cabin, Zara heard the voices reach her senses. At first they were low, almost mumbling. When she closed
her eyes and concentrated on the words, she heard the clear voice of Gabrielle.
“Xena, you don’t understand,” Gabrielle explained.
“Gabrielle just listen! You can’t go on blaming Zara for…” a familiar voice said, but was cut off by the healer’s anger.
“Look, you don’t have to deal with this, I do!” the frustration filled the smaller woman’s angry words before the sound of
footfalls was heard. From somewhere in the distance, the seafarer heard a deep sigh reach her senses. The captain could
sense the pain and frustration within the ghost.
With a grunt of unhappiness, the tall captain leaned back in her chair. She opened her eyes and allowed the hollow feelings to
fill her soul. The voice had stopped talking to her, but continued to speak to the Greek traveler, and Zara did not know if she
should be grateful or angry for the ghost’s efforts to reach Gabrielle.
With a slight release of air from her lips, Zara closed her eyes and tried to calm her rampant emotions. She absently noted the
time slipping by. Dusk was only hours away and she knew that soon she would have to leave her cabin to walk the deck in
order that Gabrielle could sleep in the bed by herself. Knowing this, the dusky woman shook her head as the absurdity of it
settled in.
The Moroccan knew that Gabrielle did not like being restricted to the captain’s cabin at dusk, but the captain did not know
any other way to protect her crew while also protecting the traveler. Although she loathed Mika’il, she did not long for his
death, nor had she ever executed a crewman before. The mariner hoped that she would never have to go to such an extreme
again. Before she could mentally chide herself and relive that day again, she heard a slight commotion on the deck. Turning,
she saw a group gather at the starboard side. As their eyes stared out at sea, they pointed to a distant object.
Zara wasted no time in reaching Abu at the bow of the ship. Already alerted to the situation, he stood and stared through the
optical lens. Seeing his deep frown, the captain scanned the horizon and noticed an object in the distance.
“The Prahu?” she asked as she moved beside him.
Abu’s frown increased as he shook his head. “No, Captain. Take a look,” his voice was gruff as he handed her the seeing
instrument.
The Moroccan woman looked through the lens and focused the view. Through the crashing waves she saw the clear outline
of a ship, noticed the single mast with its lateen mainsail and the small foresail on the bow. Recognizing its design, she
examined the ship more closely. The captain noticed that its sails were either down or torn to shreds. High on the main
beam, the familiar green flag of the ship’s country was flying upside down at half-mast.
“Arabic Tartan,” Zara whispered the ship’s class out loud as she examined the empty deck.
“She must have been adrift for a few days, Captain,” Abu stated.
“How long before we reach her?” the captain asked as she pulled her gaze away from the ship and turned her attention to her
crew.
Abu’s brow’s creased as he gazed up at the setting sun, “I am not certain if we can reach it before nightfall, Captain.”
“Have the men give it their best effort,” Zara ordered as she turned her gaze to her crew. Obeying her, Abu began to bark
orders to the milling crowd. Without thought, the men quickly moved as they set their sails for the new direction.
As the tall ship’s captain stood on the deck, she glanced at the faces below. When she saw the Greek woman, she couldn’t
help but let her eyes linger. Sensing that she was being watched, Gabrielle looked up and caught the Moroccan’s glance. At
the intensity of her eyes, the captain turned away and watched as her ship tore its way toward the drifting Tartan.
The afternoon sun quickly disappeared on the horizon as they made their way toward the dark Arabian ship. Zara noticed an
eerie silence fall over her crew. It was a silence held from fear and apprehension. Sensing this fear, the dark captain was
reminded of the day they first stepped foot on the shores of Higuchi. With this thought, a sudden sense of dread filled her
being. Ignoring her inner fears, the tall woman turned from the sight and made her way to her cabin.
“Abu, have a team ready to board her,” the captain called out as she went to her weapons cabinet.
