Nightsea Outlaw

Wen picked a corner on the shuttle to see over the edge as it flew to the city. Conveniently, it also allowed her the perfect vantage point to monitor everyone in the shuttle. The rest of the crew was loitering around the flat deck in small groups to her left and right. Erin and Mari stood next to the ship's railing, overlooking the side with Kali and her ever-present camera. Alex and Sayed stood near the pilot's wheel on the deck, occasionally glancing at the two slavers in the far corner.

Wen kept her hand on her revolver, her eyes locked on the two slavers. She had already noticed that they had chosen to board the shuttle with the rest of their crew specifically. Considering that everyone in the group, except her and Kali, had bounties on their head, Wen guessed the slavers had ulterior motives.

Were they bounty hunters? Certainly, not famous ones, because she didn't recognize either of them. Either way, she knew to be on her guard and hoped the rest of the crew had picked up on the same.

Hrrm.

"I think I would do well in taking a seat," the slaver in black robes said, opening his book as the ship's engines revved into a higher-pitched whine. "Form Chair."

Puff. Thump.

A bright light escaped the man's mouth in a short blast, and a simple chair-shaped object formed in that multi-colored light. It wasn't quite a chair, lacking the distinct legs that Wen would have expected. Instead, it was a simple 'h' shaped object wide enough for the large man to sit on.

"As always, the better of us have the means to provide for ourselves," the man said as he positioned the seat and sat down. "But what is a chair without a footrest? Slave, position yourself."

"You heard him." The second slaver with the chain pulled on it.

"Ugh," the slave gasped as the chain pulled her neck over toward the sitting slaver.

The slaver raised his feet as his partner positioned the slave before resting his boots on the slave's back. The slave grunted again as her back bent under the weight of the man's legs. Wen took a deep breath. She knew the reality of the world, even if she didn't like it. She turned an eye to Alex and Sayed, and though Sayed looked like he was ready to blow up like a volcano, the two of them remained silent.

There was a chance they would make it to town without causing a fight, and she was grateful for that.

"You know, there's nothing like knowing your place in society," the man said as he looked over the crew. "The way of the Scions is the best way. Everyone has their place. Everyone knows their worth. The better stock rises to the top while the weak and useless lie fallow on the bottom."

"You seem to really want to talk with us," Alex said, clenching his fists at his side. "You have a reason for it?"

"I just like polite conversation on my rides." The man smiled.

"We're departing, folks," the pilot said from the wheel above them. "Hold on, and don't try and jump off the side."

Whoosh.

A breeze blew past the deck as the ship rose and started toward the city to the west.

"So what brings you fine people to Dry Turtle?" the slaver asked as the ship skimmed over the tops of trees. "I mean, apart from the obvious ship repairs, seeing as we're all coming from the same place."

"Isn't everyone out more often now?" Alex said, walking across the deck and toward the railing. "After the message, who could resist going out and seeing what the world has to offer?"

Slap.

"For those with the freedom, I'm sure they'll enjoy it," the slaver said, hitting his knee. "But that is a privilege only doled out to superiors. Inferiors are best when they remain in their proper place."

"And how is someone made a superior or an inferior?"

"By divine grace, of course." The slaver smiled. "There are those who are meant to rule, those who are meant to serve, and those who are meant to work between the two, like my brother Roy and I."

"Too true, Will, too true." The second slaver nodded along from his standing position, pulling against the leash as he rubbed his wettened eyes.

Wen's hand froze on the butt of her gun. She recognized the two of them now. They weren't bounty hunters by trade but were known to occasionally turn in bounties in pursuit of their normal vocation. They were the Harper Brothers.

Tsk.

Wen clicked her tongue but didn't interrupt. It would be best for her to keep an eye on the situation and only act if the brothers acted first. There was a good chance they had recognized one of the three outlaws on the boat and might have been looking to cash in on the bounties if the opportunity arose.

It wasn't a smart plan, but neither of the brothers appeared to be particularly smart.

Creak.

"You see," Will said, leaning back on his chair. "The world only works when everyone is in their proper place. That message sought to disturb the divine order of the Scions. It wanted to give the downtrodden hope. It was sweet honey for fools; however, it was laced with poison. It would poison the minds of the lesser and make them dream of a better life."

"You have a problem with people dreaming of a better life?" Alex asked, looking out over the railing.

"I have a problem when it's built on lies," Will said. "Don't mistake me, boy. The truth of the matter is that the lessers of the Erth don't have the gumption or the spirit to move up in the world. They are better off toiling where they are and making the best of what they are given. They serve their betters so that their betters can reach for more and bring glory back to the lessers among."

He paused, looking over to his brother.

"Only the best among us, the ones with that ineffable gumption, deserve the chance to reach beyond our potential. The lessers just have to make do."

"And you're one of the betters, of course?" Alex sighed.

"Rightly so, by the dictates of the Scions themselves."

"Gnh."

Thump.

The slave underneath the man's legs faceplanted onto the deck, her body finally collapsing under the weight of the large man's legs. A frown crossed Will's face, and his ears quickly tinged a red hew. He pulled his feet up from the slave and solidly planted himself against the deck as he leaned over.

"See, this is precisely the predicament that slaves such as this create." He rose and pulled the whip off of his belt. "They aren't strong enough to fulfill their duty."

Wen's stomach churned as he drew his whip, and she knew what was coming. To her right, she noticed a more immediate problem, though. Sayed's face fumed a dark purple. His hands were open, and one carefully reached for one of the two curved swords on his back.

Two quick steps. That was what Wen needed to close the distance. One hand drew her gun and put it against his back—a hair trigger as she whispered into his ear.

"I know it is monstrous, but now is not the time," she whispered. "Alex is right. If we act now, we won't be able to run fast enough to escape with our lives. The Port Authority hangs those that breach the peace."

Sayed's hand still moved toward his blade for a moment, so Wen dug the barrel of her gun a little deeper into his back.

"Your life isn't the only one on the line."

Sayed glanced toward Mari and Erin, who had turned to watch the slaver the same way everyone else had. His hand froze. In moments, he deflated.

"It is a scar on my heart to let such atrocities go on, but I understand," Sayed whispered as he lowered his hands. "Thank you for restraining my anger."

"You're welcome," Wen whispered, holstering her gun and stepping back.

Sayed's body had helped shield her movements from the eyes of the two slavers, and they had continued talking while she had handled the problem. Whatever Will and Roy had said, Will appeared ready to bring the whip down on the slave.

"You know," Alex said, still looking out over the railing. "Is it not a weakness to resort to beating a person? Should not a better recognize that it was their failing for setting too high expectations?"

Will froze as he raised the whip in his hand, ready to bring it down. He turned to face Alex but still kept the whip ready in his hand.

"Are you saying that a slave collapsing beneath my feet is my fault?"

"I'm just having polite conversation," Alex said, standing from the railing and approaching the slaver. "Isn't that what you wanted? To have a polite conversation?"

"Indeed, it was," Will said. "That is until my footstool ruined it. I hardly think she's worth the ransom if she can't even hold my legs up for a few minutes on our ride into town."

"You're missing my point," Alex said, putting his hands in his pocket. "You said you wanted to have a polite conversation, but what you're doing says otherwise."

Wen tensed. She had spotted Sayed in time, but Alex was too far away. She had assumed that he wouldn't be the one to start a fight. From what she knew about him, he was too selfish to—then she remembered the problem. Wen clenched her teeth tight, her hand resting on the butt of her gun again.

Alex didn't like to leave people who needed help. He may of had a goal and been willing to go through hell to get there, but he was just as capable of being stubborn for the sake of a principle. Sayed hadn't been the real threat to their safety.

The question was: What could she even do about it?

"I indeed wanted nothing more than a polite conversation," Will said, lowering his arm and letting the whip rest on the deck. "Is there something wrong with me punishing this lesser here for interrupting our conversation?"

"The problem is how impolite it is." Alex shrugged his shoulders, looking off to the side. "You're overstating the damage done and making yourself out to be less than what you are by getting angry over something this small. If you're truly better than this slave, you'd know to have the patience to allow for mistakes."

Will looked between the slave and Alex, and a smile crept across his face. Wen tensed, her hand ready to draw and shoot. Would she need to freeze Alex to keep him from a fight, or would she support him? She wasn't sure yet. She just needed to be ready to act.

"That's an interesting point, boy," Will said as he began to loop his whip into a circle. "Tell me, can I get the name of such a fine gentleman as yourself? I feel there's a lot you could teach me about manners and polite conversation."

"You can call me Ortega," Alex said.

"Ortega, is it?" Will looked at his brother. "You know, I think I've heard of you. Haven't you heard that name before, Roy?"

"I think it's the name of a famous outlaw, brother," Roy said, pulling hard on the chain that wrapped around the slave's neck.

The woman was dragged across the ground, and Wen could see that she was barely conscious. Her eyes fluttered open and closed as she spasmed. To Wen's left, she saw Erin jump forward before stopping herself. Her eyes were locked on the woman.

Wen took in a deep breath. All three of them were liabilities. She didn't like what she saw either, but she knew better than to do anything about it. Slavery was a reality in the Twelve Kingdoms. Unless they were willing to topple every single island they came to on their path to the Core, it was just something they had to accept.

"Such a celebrity," Will said, reaching down and dismissing his created chair with a wave of his hand.

It shattered into shards of light that flitted away into nothing moments after.

"Coming to our stop, folks," the pilot said as the ship turned sharply to the side. "Thank you for using our service today."

"Looks like our time together is coming to an end." Will laughed as the ship shook.

Thump.

"Yeah," Alex said, unmoving as the ship settled against the ground.

"I think we'll meet again, 'Tin Man' Ortega. Maybe we can have further polite conversations then," Will said, turning toward the ship's edge before jumping to the ground below.

"Come on then." Roy reached down, pulling the slave up and throwing her over his shoulder before jumping to the ground below.

That left the six of them alone on the deck, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Wen released the hold on her gun and let her shoulders sag just a little. The entire encounter had been too much for her stomach, and it gurgled softly in the silence as the ship's engines powered down.

"I hate it," Alex whispered as he walked over the railing. "Let's get things settled here and get out."

The rest of the crew let out a faint murmur of agreement as they disembarked from the ship.