The Marine

There had been some small trouble subduing the soldiers at the barracks, but overall, the operation had been a resounding success. The military venture had been easy and mostly straight forward, but as was usually the case, the hard work started once the smoke settled.

Since most of the islanders where under the age of fifty, they had never lived under any other government than Wetton and his family.

This was not to say that they couldn’t elect a new Mayor, or even a locally-recognized King – Bill had recognized long ago that he couldn’t impose his democratic values on people who weren’t ready for it – the issue mainly pertained to the vast numbers of soldiers on the island.

The towns people where united in that they wanted those sixty individuals who stood with Wetton off the island, these were the troublemakers and the worst offenders when it came to the random ‘tax collections’ so much so that they received little support even from their parents.

They were less united on what to do with the other 400 or so soldiers.

One and all, these people had families on the island. However, the vast majority of them had no training in anything except for fire drills and ‘looking tough.’

And now without Wetton in power to enforce it, the islanders weren’t willing to pay for them.

Ruluka had a population of roughly 4,000. With that number, having 200 professional soldiers was already very high since the rest of the adult population would act as militia when need be.

So, two days later when a town council was being held it was little surprise what many of the people wanted.

They wanted half of the Ruluka Island soldiers to sign up and join the Marines under Bill.

One elderly man had stated the case, by signing a six-year contract with the Marines those young men – and they were almost all men – would be able to gain the skills they would need to survive after their duty was done.

When this idea was thrown out the supporters were fewer than the detractors, however as the supporters were more vigorous, Bill could easily see that this was something they would all be convinced of.

He could see the pros on taking a couple hundred soldiers under his command, since even if the former Clockwork Island recruits had been trained to shoot most of them were more comfortable with skilled labor, but these pros were outweighed by one enormous con.

His Department had no money. Given their current expenditures they had five months left before he had to borrow.

Because these regular Ruluka Soldiers were not criminals, Bill couldn’t use the same trick that he saw Captain Hina pull back on Little East Blue island. These people would have to start out at least as Mate Third Class which meant they would be due at bare minimum 10,000 Beli per month.

Sitting at his desk, Bill calculated his expenses.

Chore Boy – 2 (2,000 Beli per month)

Mate Third Class– 107 (1.07m Beli per month)

Mate Second Class – 58 (870k Beli per month)

Mate First Class – 20 (400k Beli per month)

Warrant Officer – 5 (125,000 Beli per month)

Ensign – 2 (70,000 Beli per month)

Lieutenant – 3 (200,000 Beli per month)

And while these only added up to just over 2.7m Beli a month, Bill’s largest expense was the factory workers back on New Haven.

Even though materials were not an issue at the moment, and the workers were paid poorly for their skills, he had just over 800 laborers and spent a touch over 4m Beli on them each month.

Furthermore, Bill had been holding back many promotions under the reasoning that while they had been on New Haven there hadn’t been any danger.

The only promotions to ‘Master Petty Officer’ came from the few Special Operators that became the ‘Beetleborgs,’ each of whom had signed the extended twenty-year service contracts and were expected to perform the most dangerous actions under normal combat situations.

With this in mind, even if Bill wanted to add the extra hands to his Department it was hard to see how it could be done.

He had done amazing things over the last few years, but for one reason or another he had expanded too quickly to do the things he wanted.

As he shut his account book and readied to go meet with Bascud the Bounty Hunter, it struck him that he was going to close to have another choice to make. It was almost like the universe was conspiring to make his original goals harder to accomplish.

Walking out of his office, it was midday and the sun hang high in the sky. Without a cloud in sight, Bill looked across the deck of the M.S.S Victory and saw the Frontier Run anchored a slight distance away.

Bill had Bascud freed the day of the Mayors arrest, but since then several days had passed.

The man had been hounding his Lieutenants to get a meeting but between the constant town councils and reorganization of the soldiers there just hadn’t been time to sit down to listen to a full-blown pitch.

Thinking about what Bascud actually wanted from them, Bill was interrupted as he walked to the ships railing by the buzzing of a huge flying insect.

“Where’re you going?”

This was the first time Yoko had spoken to him in days, she had been upset that she, Boss, and Akisu had been made to stay on the Victory during the operation and hearing her voice Bill turned his head up to the two kids who were riding on Boss’s back.

Shouting slightly over the hum he called out: “That Bounty Hunter has been trying to enlist our help, so I’m going to go and see what he’s been he’s proposing.”

After hearing this, Yoko jumped down and followed by Akisu asked if she could come.

This made Bill stop and think for a moment before telling her it was fine but Boss would have to wait outside, and then reminded both of them that they were not to speak during the conversation between he and Bascud.

Although bringing Boss into town was something to consider, Bill was mainly worried that upon hearing some specific pirate tale that Yoko wouldn’t understand why he would refuse.

He didn’t know whether he’d refuse or not and, truth be told, he disliked those animals too. Thinking that most pirates were predators that added nothing to society and only robbed hard working people of their efforts.

But while he disliked them, he knew that Yoko positively hated any person associated with the term.

It was understandable given what happened to her father, however, as Bill lowered the rowboat and paddled to shore, he thought about what to do about it.

After all, the best revenge was to not be like your enemy, and she was liable to attempt revenge against an entire group of people – turning her into what she hated.

Tying the boat to the docks, Boss landed, and the kids followed behind and Bill went to the meeting place. It was a room that Bascud had rented inside one of the taverns, and as Bill and his company came upon the place, he could see why it was chosen.

‘There are escape routes everywhere.’ He thought, and then told Akisu and Yoko: “Keep your eyes sharp, I’ll have some questions for the two of you after the meeting.”

He planned on questioning them about their recollection of the tavern, the path they came from, and other seemingly mundane details that were actually very important for someone in law enforcement.

Lowering his head to get through the tavern’s door, Bill looked across the dingy room and was pointed towards another door by the barkeep.

Inside was a large circular table in the middle of the room, the table was surrounded by multiple chairs and the Bounty Hunter sat with his back to one of the walls.

Bascud looked first at Bill and then his company before asking: “Just you and the kids?”

Shaking his head, Bill told the man that his Lieutenants would be arriving soon and gesturing to the Chore Boy’s to stand aside, he took one of the larger chairs at the table.

Not much was said while they waited for Ranse, Fia, and Borodo. Bascud went into his suitcase a number of times and they briefly mentioned the operation to arrest Wetton.

“And where is he now?” Bascud had asked to which Bill replied that the former Mayor and his hardline supporters were being jailed on his flagship.

Bill didn’t mention it, but this was another reason why he had to figure out something quick. Feeding an extra sixty mouths was crippling to his already depleted funds.

Wetton’s 14.8m Beli Bounty would make up for the costs, but despite his nonchalant attitude, the Department needed a big cash infusion to keep afloat.

Of course, the former Clockwork Island residents wouldn’t outwardly complain if he explained the situation, but Bill cared about his reputation, and especially so for those people who served under him.

In his mind they didn’t have to see him as the greatest man ever, but they had to be confident that he could keep his word.

Thinking this, Ranse and the others entered as a group. They all had duties around the island which had basically been under a soft form of martial law since they seized the former government of the island.

When Borodo finally took his seat at the table, Bascud opened his briefcase and pulled out numerous Wanted posters.

As the posters were being handed around, Bascud asked: “Have any of you heard of the island of Hannabal?”

Of course, Bill didn’t know and so he looked towards Borodo who said: “It’s one or two Log Pose islands away from here, I’ve never been there but I recognize the name.”

Looking through the Wanted Posters, Bill saw that the highest bounty was 30m Beli each for a couple of giants named Bobby and Pogo.

There were fishmen as well as a slew of human pirates ranging from 1-5m Beli, while he calculated expenses and risks, Bascud continued speaking.

“Hannabal is one of the most pirate-friendly islands this side of Reverse Mountain. The island has always been a place for pirates to hock their stolen cargo, but recently has made a name for itself for something else.”

Then eying each of the people at the table he said: “It’s the ‘Dead End Race.’

This race attracts pirates from all over this route of the Grand Line. Killing, stealing, it doesn’t matter, anything goes, and the grand prize is 300m Beli.”

After calculating the total bounties Bascud offered to be around 250m Beli, Bill had to ask: “So, where does the money come from? If it’s a pirate race, then it’s not going to draw legal crowds, so who funds it?”

Shaking his head, Bascud said: “I don’t know, rumors are that the race is an audition for one of the head Brokers of the Underworld. But that’s just rumors and I wouldn’t know the facts behind it.”

When pressed on what the rumors said, Bascud answered heavily: “They say it’s sponsored by the ‘Joker’.”

Bill had never heard of this name before but knew about the Underworld, as it was the primary buyer and seller of Devil Fruits, and so made sure to remember it.

Taking the stack of bounties from Fia, Bill flipped through them a second time before saying: “I can see why you’d need help, there’re fifteen pirate crews here and I’d doubt you could capture them all, but why hasn’t the local Marine base in this area set out to stop this?”

This was a key question, after all, Bill only had two ships and currently a 160 Marines with him, but a local base should have a couple dozen ships and a few thousand sailors.

Hearing Bill ask this, he saw that Bascud halted before producing two more Wanted posters and some accompanying documents, and before handing them over the bounty hunter spoke slowly: “Because, Base G-8 doesn’t want to send its men to their death.”

Hearing Bascud start talking about the Marines ‘indelible sin’, Bill took the papers and read the two bounties.

[Wanted

Dead or Alive

Needless 57,000,000-]

And finally

[Wanted

Dead or Alive

Gasparde 95,000,000-]

Pausing for a moment to let the papers pass around, Bascud spoke heavily: “This… m.man… is a former Marine Captain, he betrayed the Marines and killed those in his crew who wouldn’t follow him.

For ten years he’s been robbing and sacking every town he knows doesn’t have a Marine presence. His ship is called the Salamander and it’s not reliant on the wind so he can escape blockades.”

Then, after the Bounty Hunter paused again, Bill could hear something more than business in his voice when he said: “Whenever there has been a failed blockade he’s gone and destroyed a town as revenge… Gasparde does not take prisoners, the only survivors are the people pressed into his crew.

Now… the Marines here won’t challenge him… but I… I’m going.”

Then looking Bill in the eye, the Bounty Hunter said: “I’ve shown you the information that I know, all I want is a shot at this monster. If you can help that, I’ll forgo the rest of the reward… but…” Bascud said in finality: “I get first priority when it comes to him, I will not be held on your ship again.

Will you do your job and help me catch this murderous son of a b*tch?”

When he asked this, Yoko and Akisu started shouting yes, and they weren’t the only ones infected by the Bounty Hunters story.

Bill knew he would have to get the information checked out, but at this moment he had no other choice but to say: “If your story is true, I think this person will regret that the two of us met here.”

Then offering his big hand, Bascud shook it and said with a sneering smile: “I don’t doubt it.”