What was I going to do about it? For the first time in seven centuries, I had no immediate answer to that question. And it was disconcerting.

  Now, you may well be asking yourself what I was thinking. Sarei was not really my concern. I had tried to stop her from charging into this debacle and she had ignored me. At this stage it was my, well Taros's, skin that I should be worried about not hers.

  Yet my, oft-inconvenient, sense of honor refused to let me stand aside. Even had I not owed Sarei a debt, and I did, I couldn't allow a woman to be accosted in this way, even if it were to cost me.

  Thus, as doing nothing was not an option, I stepped between Sarei and the pirate. This body may be weak in muscle and cultivation but by the gods if there was one thing I could still do it was to command bilge scum like these.

  Anyway, in adversity lies opportunity. Or, as I always tell my crews, when life gives you grapes, fill 'em with lead and turn 'em into grapeshot. Not my best, I grant you. I just really don't like grapes.

  "I said. Let. Her. Go." In truth, my voice was more calm than I felt.

  A sneer spread across the pirate's face. "What have we here? The rat's got teeth." His rings caught the light as he released Sarei's wrist only to shove me hard in the chest.

  I hit the ground with a muddy splat. Pain exploded up my spine and connected with the ache in my bruised ribs. In my former body, I had once taken a harpoon through the chest and laughed it off before pulling it out and killing the scum who threw it at me. Now a simple fall had me wincing like a child

  "Taros!" Sarei's eyes were wide with warning.

  I scrambled up, my pride hurt far worse than my body. As I was almost upright my foot landed in the muck, and I lurched forward. Momentum carried me into the pirate's chest, my dirty hands smearing across his immaculate robes.

  The pirate froze, looking down at the muddy handprints on his sea-silk garments. The street fell silent.

  "You..." His voice dropped to a whisper. "This coat cost more than your pathetic life. You dare?"

  "It was an accident," I raised my mud smeared hands and backed away, a little fake humility would go a long way here . "I didn't mean…"

  My fingers itched for the reassuring weight of Tidebreaker. With him in my hand, even in this state I could cleave through this entire gang in a single swing. In fact I could slice through this entire town. Now I could barely get to my feet without straining. Ah well, no use in complaining about what might be.

  "Sir, please," Sarei stepped forward, her voice steady despite her fear. "My brother meant no disrespect. We'll pay for the cleaning."

  The pirate's laugh cut through the silence. "With what? The copper you've scraped up from beneath the docks?"

  Glancing around, I was keenly aware of the pirates closing in around us.

  With hard-earned instinct I assessed our tactical position. It wasn't good.

  They moved to block us in as their calloused hands rested on sword hilts and knives. They outnumbered us, were stronger and more skilled. Yup, not a lot of tactics to be had here. So much for seven centuries of experience

  I grimaced at Sarei. "You know what, I believe we might have a little problem."

  "You think?" Her words came out through clenched teeth. "I would say we have several. I had it under control but you've just made things worse."

  The pirate's ringed fingers drummed against the lacquered fan at his hip. "Now, what shall I do with you?" His predatory gaze traveled from me to Sarei. "Debts must be paid. Perhaps I'll allow the two of you to work it off aboard my ship."

  I tried to recall what fighting techniques might work with this pathetic body. Nothing promising came to mind.

  "Or perhaps…" The pirate's words cut off as the thump of boots echoed down the street.

  A formation of naval marines in crisp blue uniforms with an insignia of a trident on their arms rounded the corner, their disciplined footfalls striking cobblestone in perfect unison. Following them at a short distance was the urchin from the dock.

  At their head marched a lean officer, with an air of quiet competence. I immediately liked him. It was the kind of attitude I demanded from my own captains, even when they were under fire.

  The pirate's leader turned and gave a thin smile as the naval detachment halted before us. "Lieutenant Ren Haoyu." His voice dripped with false warmth. "What an unexpected pleasure."

  "Jin Duyi," the naval officer replied, his voice level but cold. "Terrorizing civilians again, I see."

  Jin Duyi flicked open his fan with a sharp snap, hiding half his face behind its painted surface. "Merely settling a matter of respect, Lieutenant. This creature has soiled my robes."

  Lieutenant Ren's eyes flicked between me and Sarei, assessing then dismissing us. I sensed no judgment.

  "Your robes appear to be the least soiled thing in these docks, Jin," Ren said. "Perhaps the Third Fleet should escort you back to your ship before you dirty yourself further."

  Jin Duyi's eyes narrowed above his fan. "The Third Fleet, 'the Emperor's Trident', always so concerned with the welfare of dock rats. How noble." He snapped his fan shut. "One wonders where such diligence is when the raiders from the Forbidden Isles sail through your patrols to attack honest merchants like ourselves."

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "One wonders indeed," Haoyu voice and gaze were unflinching.

  The tension between them crackled. These two men knew each other well, and, it appeared, despised each other thoroughly.

  Neither man was willing to break eye contact first. Around us, both naval marines and pirates stood ready, hands hovering near weapons. The tension in the air thickened with each passing heartbeat. I'll be honest with you, with the immediate danger to myself averted, I was loving it.

  "Tell me Lieutenant." Duyi's words drawled out across the cobbles. "Do you make a habit of interfering with Imperial charters? Or is this special treatment just for me?"

  Imperial charters? Really? I definitely hadn't misjudged these sailors. They were, without doubt, pirates, and not ones that adhered to the sort of code that I imposed on my crews when we sailed on the wrong side of the law. What were common pirates doing with Imperial charters?

  "Your charter permits you to prey on the enemies of the Tianshu Empire when you are at sea Jin," Ren replied. "Not to terrorize imperial citizens in our own port."

  Duyi's lips curled into a smirk. "Such rigid interpretation of the rules. This is why the Third Fleet sits rusting in harbor while we privateers secure the Empire's trade routes."

  "Is that what you call extortion and smuggling these days?" Lieutenant Ren's tone remained even, but I could sense the frustration behind his words. "Your activities have stretched well beyond your charter's boundaries First Mate Jin."

  Jin Duyi looked around as if appealing to a crowd. " What on the Five Seas are you implying, Lieutenant? If I didn't know better I would think you were insulting the integrity of me and my crew. And if you were doing that, it would be fighting talk."

  The atmosphere shifted suddenly as Duyi's demeanor changed. His eyes narrowed and the air around him seemed to darken and compress. A sensation like cold water trickled down my spine. A suppressing aura.

  I'm not going to lie. I was impressed. This was the first evidence I had seen of cultivation in this realm and it wasn't the worst that I had seen from a first mate, not by a long shot. It even grew in power radiating malice and bloodlust across us all. Sarei gasped beside me, her body trembling under the invisible pressure and fell to her knees. The marines behind the Lieutenant started to sweat under the pressure.

  But then the Lieutenant responded.

  The aura that erupted from him swept over us, and the air vibrated with overwhelming power.

  Well, well, well. What did we have here? The amount of death that this lieutenant must have experienced and dealt to have a killing aura such as this was remarkable.

  Even more noteworthy was the control. The aura was directed towards Jin and his men while not affecting Lieutenant Ren's own troops or those members of the public further out.

  Duyi's men dropped to their knees immediately, their faces contorted in shock. Jin himself struggled for a moment before his legs buckled and he fell in the muck, his expression twisted with humiliation and rage.

  Sarei passed out beside me, her breathing shallow. Control could only go so far and we happened to be in the firing line. I felt the pressure bearing down, impressive as I say, but, honestly, nothing compared to what I'd wielded in my past life or had wielded against me. It was like comparing a pond ripple to a tsunami. Resisting a killing aura was, in part, a matter of willpower and experience and, even trapped in this weak body, those couldn't be taken from me.

  However, this weak mind meant I was not thinking as fast as I normally did. It took me a fraction of a second too long to realize that I was still standing while the others fell and it was foolish to reveal such resistance. I dropped to all fours, feigning strain while observing Ren through lowered eyes. For just a moment, our gazes met, and I saw a flicker of something cross his face before his expression returned to stone.

  As we squirmed on the ground Lieutenant Ren spoke, his aura adding weight to his words. "You are not your captain, First Mate Jin, you have a long way to go before you can think to challenge me."

  He maintained his power for a moment longer, then reined it in with that impressive control. "I believe we understand each other, Jin. Take your men and return to your ship."

  Duyi rose slowly, his clothes now thoroughly caked in dirt. "This isn't over," his voice was a hiss for my ears only as he walked past me. "Watch your back, dock rat. The sea has a long memory."

  I said nothing as Duyi and his crew retreated, their earlier swagger replaced by wounded pride. When they had disappeared around a corner, Ren approached us.

  "Thank you, Lieutenant." Sarei came back to consciousness and I helped her back to her feet as I spoke.

  Lieutenant Ren studied me with an appraising look that drew out the silence. "Lord Shuilin does not send his guards down here and this is why Admiral Zhen has us patrol the docks," he said after a few uncomfortable seconds. "We were doing our job. Although I have to say that your approach to handling yourself was, let's call it, interesting. Stay out of trouble. Jin Duyi isn't known for his forgiving nature."

  With a friendly nod that contradicted his penetrating stare, Lieutenant Ren turned and marched away, his marines falling in step behind him.

  * * *

  As I watched them march around the corner the docks came back to life, and the urchin that Sarei had nodded at before darted out from behind a stack of crates. Now that I had a chance to look at him properly I could see he was a boy no more than twelve a face smudged with grime, but with eyes that sparkled with mischief.

  "Yanzi!" Sarei's voice softened. "Thank you. I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't gotten help."

  The boy, Yanzi, gave her a wink. " Of course! Couldn't have anything happen to my favorite cousins."

  I studied the boy more carefully. Cousin. There was definitely something familiar in the set of his jaw and the the shape of his eyes.

  "Favorite cousins? We're your only cousins." Sarei ruffled his hair with a grin. "Come by tonight, actually tomorrow as I'll need to pick up some food. Won't be much, but I'll fix you dinner as thanks."

  "Ain't necessary," Yanzi said, even as his eyes lit up at the mention of food. "That's what family does, right? But I won't say no to a proper meal. Haven't had more than scraps in days."

  "Sundown tomorrow then," Sarei said.

  Yanzi nodded and then he was gone, already darting away between the crowds.

  As we resumed our walk to the fish factory, I discreetly checked my trouser pocket and couldn't suppress a smile. The weight of Jin's coin pouch sat heavy against my thigh. A little souvenir from our 'accidental' collision to look through later. Grapes to grapeshot and all that. Maybe we could give young Yanzi something more than stale bread.

  We walked in silence for a few moments before Sarei stopped in the middle of the street.

  "What were you thinking?" She whirled on me. "Jin Duyi! Of all the people to antagonize! He could have gutted you in the street even without his crew."

  Looks like she was done with the silent treatment then.

  "I was protecting…"

  "And the way you stepped up to him!" Her tone shifted suddenly, eyes softening. "It was stupid, but brave. I didn't think you had it in you."

  I opened my mouth to respond, but she had already turned away and was still talking as she continued to walk.

  "Did you see Lieutenant Ren, though? The way he handled those pirates? And that uniform..." She sighed. "A man of principle. Not like the riffraff around our end of town."

  I suppressed a groan as she continued alternating between scolding me and swooning over the lieutenant.

  This was going to be a long walk.