I make it all of three steps away before- "Jack."
It was just my name. Nothing should have been ominous about it. And yet hearing 'Bill' call after me froze me in place as a nervous chill slithered down my spine.
"Yes?" I ask, turning my head.
Bill's eyes are hard. Stony. Unamused. "I once told you that I don't pick sides. So long as they pay, my service is open to all. No matter where they come from, where they're going, or who they're looking for." The barkeep paused for a moment as his eyes shifted from 'hard' to something much deeper. "That...being...said. When you're done with that job, I would not stick around that man. Bad things happen to those affiliated with his..group." Bill said, spitting the last word with uncharacteristic vitriol.
I couldn't stop the nervous gulp in my throat. "Um. Yeah. Message received." The next morning I strolled into the entrance of dock #6 at just around 9:03 and greeted my new boss. "Well, here I am. As promised."
"Glad you showed up." Korka replied as he handed off a thick envelope. "As promised."
+500,000 Beri!
I tuck the package into my coat and follow as the revolutionary wordlessly leads the way down to where all the ships are moored.
"So, hypothetically speaking," I begin. "If we were to encounter some ne'er-do-wells during this little adventure what's the split going to be for claiming the bounties?"
I couldn't see his face but I could almost physically feel my new employer roll his eyes at me. "What? Am I not paying you enough?" "Oh no, you're paying me plenty. More than plenty." I grinned as I patted the lump in my coat protectively. "I'm just curious."
An audible breath escapes from the man's nose before answering. "Well assuming we do have an encounter -which I'm hoping we don't- and then assuming we successfully capture someone worth anything AND are able to turn the body in somewhere…I won't promise any hard numbers. Cost of ship repairs comes first. But depending on how much is left over and how integral you were to the capture itself, I'll see that you get a percentage. Fair enough for you? "
I nodded my head in satisfaction. To be honest I was halfway joking with him. I didn't actually expect him to offer me more money.
"So how big's the crew?" I inquired next.
"27 hired hands, plus 11 other members of the R.A. You, me, and two of your fellow hunters makes a grand total of 42 souls. Not the largest crew in the world I'll admit, but it should be sufficient enough."
"Do those 'hired hands' know you aren't just a normal trading ship?"
His eyes briefly dart back to me before focusing up front again. "Some of them. Many don't bother to ask because they don't need to know. For them, work is work, and that's all they care about."
A few more minutes of walking and after rounding a corner my home for the next four months comes into view. 'Wow. Not bad Mr. Freedom fighter.' I think as I let out an impressed whistle. 'Not bad at all.'
The design of the ship was remarkably similar to that of a 'Dutch Fluyt' back on Earth, though perhaps this one had been upscaled in size just a bit. With its three masts and obvious focus on cargo capacity it was easily going to be the largest ship I had ever stepped onto.
The bowsprit of the ship was beautifully carved, though instead of the stereotypical mermaid or siren it instead featured some sort of...angler-fish-monster...wow that is hideous. Not the design choice I would've gone with but whatever floats your boat Korka. Pun somewhat intended.
"This is The Marjhan." Korka announced, his voice laced with personal pride.
Anything I might've said dried up in my throat as I notice a group of 12 approaching us in the corner of my vision. All wearing the familiar white & blue.
The revolutionary turns to them with a smile. "Something I can help you gentleman with?"
"This your ship?" The head of the contingent asks in a rough grizzled voice. A dark-skinned marine who's uniform tells me is a Warrant Officer. The highest rank achievable while still being under the umbrella of 'enlisted man'.
'Maaaaybe taking this job was a bad idea.' I realize as the mental alarm bells start ringing.
"Yes she is. Ain't she a beaut?" Korka responds without a care in the world.
"Random inspection." The marine huffs out. "I'll need to see your ownership papers, port of origin and destination, as well as records of purchase for all major cargo in your hold."
"Ah. Of course." My employer replies in a far too chipper tone, fishing a few leaflets of paper out of his pocket. "Here you go officer."
The old marine riffles through the sheets with a bored expression on his face, as though just being here is a chore. He gives each paper barely more than a cursory glance before cycling back to the first page and returning them to Korka's grasp with a grunt. "Alright. Seems you've got everything in order. Good luck in Briss."
"Thank you officer. Hope you have a pleasant day."
As the party turns away the alarms in my head die down but questions pop-up in their place. 'Was that really just a random inspection? Did Bill tip them off? If yes, then why didn't they...ugh just don't think about it Jack. You'll just keep falling down the mental rabbit hole.' Once the Marines had moved well out of earshot I turned to Korka with a questioning brow. "Briss?"
"Briss Kingdom. Lovely place. Lots of waterfalls. You should swing by if you ever get the chance. Not where we're heading unfortunately."
"You just carry around fake paperwork all day? Why?" The revolutionary slowly turned his head towards me and arched a single eyebrow. Wordlessly asking if I was an idiot.
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