From the Journal of Hrogar

So, after killing the aboleth and it's direct minions, we were left with the question on whether to leave or route out the pirates first (who may or may not have been willingly helping the aboleth). Crunch wanted to make a deal with the pirates to protect this location from future attempts by the aboleths (or other powerful, evil entities or groups) from retaking the base. Arcadius did not like this idea and wanted to route out the pirates. The two argued back and forth on this matter and there were certain similarities to the argument I had with him and Alcander months ago back when this journey began (and I see Arcadius still doesn't understand the true reason I had to atone).

There were some key differences between that time and this more recent one. These pirates are far less trustworthy than the person I was trying to deal with (and that's saying something). The only thing they can be trusted to do is stab us in the back at the time that is most beneficial to them. And the pirates (if they weren't willingly working for the aboleth) have already proven themselves utterly incapable of protecting a base such as this from such powers. At least the person I was dealing with had a plausible chance of holding her end of the deal.

That being said, Crunch's heart (Does he have a heart? Or is it more of a pump?) was in the right place. I will have to counsel him on this matter, but doing so should happen when we're not surrounded in enemy territory. And I think in general it would be easier to give him good counsel when Arcadius is not immediately present.

In the mean time, I want to get this over with, we can not afford to delay very long. Doing so only gives our true enemies more time to prepare for us.