Riding Into the Typhoon

[Watcher Three]

Watcher could almost hear the woman's facial expression when he told her about the pirates. Excitement, followed by the immediate realization that she probably wasn't going to get west anytime soon. And then interest. So she did want something to do. And she wanted money. That worked out just fine.

"Mmmm... what work?"

He shrugged and started walking away from the dock, talking over his shoulder.

"Anything and everything. We're all mercenaries here. And I'm the one who's got to keep reins on 'em all. The killers and thieves and merchants... oh, and the pickpockets. Forgot about them. We're all absolutely mad here."

[Bee]

The word 'pickpockets' got a tiny smirk from the woman. If he only knew. Maybe he did? Well, thieves were only thieves because it cost money to eat, and you had to eat to live. In many places, thievery was seen as a symptom of a corrupt nation, not the cause of it. Back home, thieves were treated with pity, punished with labor, then given a job to do, food to eat. Back home, thieves were few.

"Zandri can work, if Zandri get's paid."

She grinned, looking out on the ocean.

"Zandri love to sail. You know of work on ship?"

[Watcher Three]

"Zandri, huh? I'm Watcher."

Off the top of his head, he couldn't think of many local captains who would hire a girl from the east who'd just popped out of nowhere. He also couldn't think of an eastern captain who would allow his hires to be dictated by a foreign ruler. Tch. Annoying. Finally, he just sighed. Jobs seemed to be like party favors he handed out to lost people.

"Well, it's not quite sailing, but I have a few ideas. Can you fight?"