Ship of Magic

Sincure Faldin had bought cargoes from Ke

“You honor my establishment, Captain Ke

“It is,” Ke

The Sincure smiled and made a deprecating gesture. “Ah, but then, if you will excuse my saying so, you were but one more pirate. Now, if all we hear is true, you are Captain Ke

Ke

“And so, before we negotiate for but one more ship-load of cargo, I suggest we might consider the benefits to both of us if I were always your first choice, for many ship-loads of cargo.”

“I see the benefit to you, if you were assured of always having the pick of our plunder. But I confess I see small good for ourselves out of such an arrangement.”

Sincure Faldin laced his fingers over his extravagant vest. He smiled benevolently. “You see no good in having a partner always ready and willing to dispose of whatever you bring in? You see no good in consistently getting the best price for your cargo, large or small? For with a partner ashore, you'd not have to sell all you have in a day or two. A partner ashore would warehouse it for you, disposing of it only when the market for it was strongest. You see, Captain Ke

Sorcor was looking a bit too impressed. Ke

Faldin nodded, not at all flustered by this. “Many great ideas are not unique. They only become unique when the men who have the wherewithal actually to implement them come together.” He paused, weighing the wisdom of his next words. “It is gossiped about Divvytown that you have ambitions. Ambitions, I might add, that are far from unique. You would rise to power amongst us. Some say the word ‘king’ and smile in their beards. I do not. I have not proffered the word ‘king’ to you at all in my business offer. And yet, if we applied ourselves, one might rise to that much power and wealth and authority. With or without the word ‘king’ attached to one. Words such as that tend to unsettle folks. But I trust it is not the word you aspire to, but the state of being.”

Sincure Faldin leaned back, his words spoken. Sorcor's eyes leaped from Faldin to Ke

Ke

The merchant took a deep breath. He glanced from one man to another, as if assessing them. “I see what you do, sirs. You gather not only wealth, but influence. The loyalty of men and the power of ships are behind that loyalty. But what I have to offer you is something not as easily gathered. Something that only time can establish.” He paused for emphasis. “Respectability.”

Sorcor shot Ke

Faldin swallowed, then plunged on. “To gain what you want, sir, you must offer folk assurances. Nothing steadies a community's regard for a man like respectability. If I might be so bold as to point out, you have no real ties here. No houses, no lands, no wives and families, no blood ties to those who make up this town. At one time, those things were not important. What were we, what were any of us, except pariahs and outcasts, runaway slaves, petty criminals fleeing justice, debtors and rebels and vagabonds?” He waited for their grudging nods. “But that, Captain Ke

If there had been some sort of a signal, it had escaped Ke