Warship’s Mania

"When dealing so much death it'll come back to you," Ranbli said after Salu had pointed out the news item running on the public feed display that was only partially visible from the alley where they were enjoying a simple meal and conversation. "Warriors need to retire and learn to live in a home again or fight until they die. This Wurims Taillon chose to deal death and it came back to him in the worst way. Lots of death around him still. No knowing where it will go."

Salu looked at the hendkoiya he had bought. It was starting to get cold without even the few mandatory bites he had promised himself to fill his stomach. "They say it was a suicide, though. Wouldn't that put an end to it?"

"'They'? The reporters of current events? I don't hear from them."

"Who do you hear from then?"

"People on the streets, a little bit of the cypher plane."

Pretending to be the kind to keep up on current events felt strange and foreign to Salu who normally didn't care for such things. Hearing Ranbli reject that mindset made him feel a little more at peace. "And they talk to you about this?"

"Aye. Mercenary fleet has been bad for my stocks."

Salu's ears perked up. Now that was a surprise. "You trade stocks?"

"It's best not to be dependent on one source of money. I don't want to be given another bad surprise."

As curious as that last sentence made him, Salu knew well enough not to pry in another's business. "So your stock broker friends say it wasn't suicide?"

"Aye, the first lawkeeper seeing the body said there were signs of struggle and markings of hand around the neck. Reporters don't say that, they say he fell to broke his neck and then drowned."

"Why would they ignore the markings?"

"Someone bribed the lawkeepers, or threatened them."

Something lit up within Salu. "Wait, you mean to say the markings were of a single hand, not two?"

Ranbli nodded as best as his thick neck allowed. "Single hand."

Salu leaned back, taking in the conclusion. "That must've been a big hand. Maybe one of your clade?"

Ranbli shook his head. "Markings were of a hand that's mechanical."

For the second time Salu had to lean back, seeking the wall behind him for support. There was scarcely anything more terrifying to come across than one who had chosen to become demon haunted for a body that that was beyond the limits of physical prowess. Replacing flesh with machinery was an invitation to possession that risked one's soul to be devoured by the most profane demons. Supposedly it was possible to stay not just alive but somewhat sane, though Salu had no idea what that would take. Whoever had mad warriors like these under their command was frightening indeed. Wurims Taillon had directly witnessed just how frightening. But had he had enough time to realize why and who it was? Had he any idea when the intruder overpowered him with a single hand? Now how long until I feel that hand around my own neck? Salu thought.

"What is it that troubles you?"

Ranbli's voice brought him back to his senses. What could he tell him of his involvement with the conspiracy that had killed Wurims Taillon? For a moment he considered asking for the borlokhu's protection as some of that clade were able to take down amalgamated. However that didn't mean he was one of those extraordinary individuals, and even if he was didn't mean it was right to drag another into this mess. Besides, there was no reason to believe he was next in line for a broken neck.

"What troubles me is what troubles me, Ranbli. I won't bother you with it."

"It's big trouble I see. I've dealt with big trouble, could give you some advice."

Salu could sense traumas of the past within Ranbli. They were still there on his soul, but not as open wounds, rather scars that were almost majestic. What kind of insights had he needed to heal that way?

"If you insist, but it'll take some explaining."

Ranbli laughed, sounding like a frog jumping around in an empty crate. "I listen."

Salu thought for a moment. The only way he figured he could relay this without getting Ranblli involved was to use hypotheticals. "What if a friend of mine is involved in something clandestine that could put him in serious trouble? Serious enough that it could get him killed."

'A friend?' In hindsight the implication was obvious and Salu nearly regretted saying anything. Thankfully, Ranbli appeared understanding. He straightened his posture to give Salu a good look in the eyes from behind his visor and crossed his overly muscled arms. "I am listening. Tell me, why would they kill your friend?"

For a moment Salu hesitated. Hadn't he shared too much already? "The people he's working for are very secretive, you see, and they have found out information is being leaked. Those people are now very desperate to stop any more leaks. I think you can understand why my friend's situation is so serious."

Ranbli nodded. "Yes, very serious. For him to be safe it will take a lot of care."

"Now, he doesn't want anyone to be involved, someone has already gotten killed over the leak. All he needs is a way to disappear when he needs to."

With all the care he could muster, Ranbli took his visor off, rolled it up between his thick fingers and slid it into one of his pockets. Salu saw his eyes for the first time since he got to know him: green with a vibrant purple ring around the pupil. He stared at him with an intensity he had not seen before from the borlokhu. "I am lucky," he said. "I have friends too. Ranluur at the docking arms knows ways to get on board of any vessel. Let that luck of friendship reach your friend too."

"If anything, my friend would like the leak to cause no more deaths. Another friend has promised to help him with a distraction. It has something to do with demons. Don't ask me what or how because I try to stay away from those things as best I can." More fragments of secrets were spilled. Though he wasn't sure this was the right thing to do, Salu felt he couldn't explain any other way.

Ranbli listened with long drawn-out nods. If anything, it made Salu more certain of his intuition in picking good friends.

"Trying to save lives, I see. Very risky, from what I hear you say."

"Exactly! On both counts." Salu animatedly took a bite from his hendkoiya. Cold, as expected. "My friend needs to make sure his employers chase the wrong exhaust plume and keep chasing it."

There came to be a great smile on Ranbli's face. "That is the opposite of dealing death."

"You make it sound so good when it's just making sure the death dealers fail."

Ranbli shook his head. "No," he said. "It is a path that allows for great flourishing. Do not doubt when life rewards you for it."

"I'm not sure if it works that way, but it's better than having people die because of what you do."

"Your friend of your friend is wise to use a demonic infestation. Those are hard to get rid of. Keeps employers coming back to it for explanation."

"Once that's in place all he needs is to disappear."

Ranbli nodded. "Make sure they don't follow him." He nodded again. "It can be done. Just needs good planning."

"Right. You think your friend can do that."

"I have the luck to have many friends. Smart and resourceful."

"Well, if they're willing to help one guy disappear to a distant system, my friend will be that lucky too."

Ranbli smiled. "Your friend will be that lucky."

"There's no way to give you enough thanks, but my friend will give you all the pay he gets from his employers."

There was a gesture with a flat hand from Ranbli as he shook his head. "I have no need for that. Let your friend use it to start his new life."

"Thanks, Ranbli. He'll be forever in your debt."

"No debts! I do not believe in debts."

"I get it, I get it." Leaning back against the wall again, Salu felt much lighter. There was an eagerness in his feet to get to those docking arms and get on whatever vessel Ranluur had chosen for him. First he needed to make sure the Haalukishdriyan Order and the longnecks looked away long enough to lose track of him. Certainly a good plan would come his way.

Watching Salu's body language relaxe, Ranbli asked him: "You feel relief for your friend?"

"Ah, I suppose I do." Salu was fine with disappearing. In all his years of travelling human space he had learned to constantly make new friends every time he set foot on another planet or habitat. Sure he would never see most of them ever again, but knowing that even those short-lived bonds were meaningful was part of the process. It was obvious to him that Ranbli was one of those that understood that and he was certain the wisdoms the bouncer dispensed would stick to him. He felt himself smile again thinking of that. "So, does that life dealing balance out the death dealing?" he asked on a whim.

"Not sure, but your friend is making a good start."

"How about he makes sure a whole crew of a naval vessel stays out of unnecessary trouble?"

"Naval vessel? Depends. Not ones where crystaline ordinators are only crew."

"That new Mezhained ship?"

"Mezhained ship is defini—" Ranbli was struck silent and jerked his head back to the media feed display. It had long moved on from the supposed suicide of Wurims Taillon and now showed an advertisement for one of the sanctioned gambling dens that could afford to call themselves casinos. He continued in a lowered voice. "I swear as a warrior who can live in a home once more, you will disappear and be safe." His eyes shifted back to Salu. "Bah, what mistakes I say! I meant your friend, of course."

Salu nodded with a crooked half smile. "Of course." His eyes rested on a point beyond the buildings of urban sprawl, then back on his hendkoiya with the singular, lone bite taken out of it. Though he knew it had long turned cold he gave it another try. "Hm, is this pig?" he said, pointing.

Ranbli looked at him at an angle. "Pork?"

"'Pork'?" Salu repeated.

"Is pig meat."

"So this is pig meat?"

"Pork is pig meat, that is badivar."

"Badivar?"

"That is word from my people for repir."

Salu inspected the greasy snack again and gave it another bite. "Oddest tasting repir I've ever had."

"Is import and you made it go cold, of course it taste strange."

"Right you are."

Sniffing in the cool evening air, Salu made a mental note to find a place that served pork before Ranbli helped him disappear away from this system.