Maximilian, Sebastian and Captain Mercer sat around a table in the Excelsior’s private lounge, partaking of some of their modest stock.
Though Mercer was the one who originally invited them to brunch, the discussion had mostly gone in circles, revolving around matters he was surely briefed on back in Amarrah. Aside from possible courtesy, Maximilian wasn’t even sure why Mercer even invited Sebastian at all. It was getting harder by the minute not to think about how he could be swimming with his new friends right now.
Just as he was trying to think of a way to excuse himself from his opaque host’s company, the ship was jolted by an impact strong enough to rattle the dishes.
Mercer jumped to his feet, cursing under his breath as he turned for the door.
“What was that?” Maximilian wondered aloud, standing up to follow him.
“Um, don’t worry about it, Young Master,” Mercer insisted, putting up his hands in a placating gesture. “It didn’t feel like anything serious, but I’ll go and check it out. You just sit tight and enjoy your meal, okay?”
With that, he slipped out the door before Maximilian could even ask him to not call him Young Master.
“Nothing serious?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “That felt pretty serious to me.”
“Well, we’re pretty new to this, and we are still running steady,” Maximilian noted, “so at least we don’t seem to have taken any damage. Perhaps we should wait and see…”
“Even so,” the butler pointed out, “what would we even run into way out here?”
“Another ship, maybe?” the Young Master suggested. “It did feel pretty big, whatever it was.”
Despite their own curiosity, they decided to wait him out, as it seemed a little too awkward to just follow him without any other cues.
The minutes dragged on in silence, until, just as Maximilian was about to step out anyway, Mercer finally returned.
Flanked by a pair of Cyexian pirates, both pointing power pistols at them. With the door open, they could now hear more people out and about in the corridor. Maximilian started to get up, but checked himself in the face of those weapons.
Of the two, he was the first to notice one detail about this scene that he like even less: none of those guns were pointed at Mercer.
“Oh, by all means, Young Master, do get up,” Mercer invited. “But slowly, mind you. No funny-business. There’s someone I want to introduce you to.”
“What is the meaning of this?” Sebastian demanded as he stood up, as well.
“I believe it’s called mutiny,” Maximilian intoned, “isn’t it, Mercer?”
“Mutiny?” Mercer snorted, “I’m the captain on this ship, and you were never my real client. Mr Freedan was.”
“Freedan?” Sebastian gasped, “But…”
“Make no mistake,” Mercer assured him, “this isn’t revenge. It’s all business, at least on my part. Though I’m not so sure about my host.”
Their conversation continued as Mercer led them down the corridor.
“What? Didn’t you think it odd that Assemblyman Sloan, of all people, just happened to offer you our services? He was in league with Freedan all along, and lost the most because of you. This was his parting gift.”
“Then what’s the deal with these pirates?” Maximilian pressed him.
“Originally, Freedan offered to hire us on as his crew,” Mercer explained, “but that deal fell through when the Assembly started investigating him, as well, and then he disappeared entirely. Then we were lucky enough to meet Captain Striker, who offered us a better deal.”
“Striker?” Maximilian gasped. “As in the Captain Striker?”
“Now you see what you’re up against?” Mercer grinned. “But you see, that whole mess at the harbor the other day complicated things. So all of this was just a ploy to get this ship, and our cargo, away from Amarrah so we could conclude our bargain.”
“So you used us, too…” Sebastian muttered.
“Don’t feel too bad, old man,” Mercer told him. “You and your boy are about to meet one of the legends of the high seas…”
With that, they entered the Excelsior Ballroom, which was currently occupied by a mix of Mercer’s crew and pirates. In the center of that gathering stood a tall woman, dressed a cut above the rest of her crew, issuing orders to the others. As they entered the ballroom, she turned and welcomed them with a sweeping gesture.
“Why Mercer! I see you brought guests.”
“Captain Striker, I presume…” Maximilian muttered.
“Boy, your manners do leave much to be…” Striker trailed off, staring at Maximilian with an intensity that he did not like the feel of at all. “Tell me, boy, what is your name?”
“Maximilian Vandenberg,” he answered, “if it’s any of your business.”
“You bear a most unfortunate resemblance, boy.”
“I thought you left Konosha the other day.”
“A clever ruse, since someone I was after got away. Even your attitude reminds me of him.”
“Yes, do tell us, what was that all about?” Mercer demanded. “We had to go to a lot of trouble to rearrange our deal after that stunt.”
“The people we were after put us through a lot of trouble before we even came here,” Striker informed him. “And they still got away… again. Which brings us back to you, boy. According to my information, you’re supposed to be filthy rich. I’m tempted to turn this boat around when we’re done and find out just what you’re worth.”
“Not much, anymore,” Mercer chuckled. “You’re too late for that. Maybe he was rich a week ago, but now this ship’s all he’s got left to his name.”
“Most unfortunate,” Striker told the Young Master. “Perhaps you might once have been worth something as a ransom, but now your life isn’t worth shit.”
“So, you’re just going to kill me?”
“Young Master,” Sebastian pleaded, “please don’t antagonize them. They hold our lives in their hands…”
“Well, you are pretty useless,” Mercer quipped.
“And you’re even less than worthless to us,” Striker declared. “The fact that you look so much like that other asshole isn’t helping your case, either.”
“You must mean the other Max.” And Maximilian looked like he wanted to kick himself the second after he blurted that.
“Other Max?” Striker raised an eyebrow at that.
“Him?” Mercer remarked, “Well, he does bear an uncanny resemblance to him. Body double or something…”
“You don’t say.” Striker turned to him, and Maximilian could see a gleam in her eye that he had trouble making eye contact with. “You’re going to tell me everything you know about this Max, even if we have to beat it out of you.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
a most unfortunate resemblance
