Volkert Depper was having an early breakfast, which consisted of a bowl of oats with lukewarm water instead of milk. The latter seemed to be an unavailable commodity this far from home and the offered alternatives were not to his taste. As such, he simply wrote milk of as an unnecessary luxury. As he ate, he tapped his pencil against his notebook where he had written a to do list.

I. Get accurate measurements of the island

II. Draw blueprints

II. Negotiate with suppliers.

III. Find Cheap Labor.

IV. Improve interpreter education.

V. Find a way to turn the post profitable

VI. If V is impossible, see about abandoning.

Annoyed at himself, Depper realized he had written II twice. He decided not to change it, as they were closely related.

He put his notebook and pencil in the inner pocket of the jacket still draped over his chair and finished his meal.

When he was done, he pulled a bucket of water towards himself with his foot and dipped the bowl in before very meticulously rubbing it down with a sponge. Each inch would have been covered, had he not suddenly been disturbed by a commotion from outside his quarters.

He raised an investigative eyebrow he headed out…

...To see the disaster unfold in the bay.

He was not the only one. Everyone with access to the trading post, and some who had slipped in, had made their way to the shoreline to see the metal slowly sink under the waves.

His frown growing bigger, he watched the lifeboats being lowered into the ocean and coming towards them.

That was fully in line with his expectations of a shipwreck. What he did not understand was the sight of two large insects abandoning the sinking monstrosity and coming to the island.

The others pointed to them, whispering under their breath, apparently seeing something truly amazing.

“Explain, please,” he said to the nearest interpreter.

“Those animals,” he said, considered his words, then finally used a native word that Depper could make no sense of to describe the mounts.

“Only the Gunari’s servants use. Something is happen. Something important.”

Depper sighed, took out his notebook and underlined point IV.

The interpreter, who for the first time in his life saw a pencil, gaped at the writing utensil, then looked slightly dejected when it disappeared back in Depper’s pocket.

He did not have to want for entertainment however. The two giants touched down.

Depper frowned at the foreign feet touching, what he considered, his island, then regarded the short-haired woman that dismounted.

She looked around, scowled, then pointed to Depper.

His brows rose further.

“I have a message,” she said calmly and watched the interpreters scramble to translate her words. She was mildly amused at the general sense of terror that seemed to radiate from the full crowd. All of them except the only foreigner there. He was looking at her quizzically, with some mild amusement playing on his face.

Nana didn’t let it bother her. He’d learn soon enough.

“We’ll wait for the black woman,” she said calmly, then nodded to Depper, “You’re in charge here, right? My friend and I would like a drink while we wait.”

She mimed drinking and the message was clear to Depper before the translation was finished.

His frown dropped and his eyes seemed to retreat slightly deeper into his skull. Even though the translator had most likely softened her words, he was not used to being addressed as a common water boy.

“Now, please,” Nana added, watching the man struggle to keep his temper while the interpreters tried to placate him.

In the end, he simply walked off and brought his two ‘guests’ the requested water.

“Terrible,” Nana said to Rei after taking a few sips, then splashed the rest over her shoulder and handed the bowl back to Depper.

The man took the bowl and asked something in two words, which the translator naturally rephrased in the most flattering words he could imagine.

“My message is for the black woman’s ears,” she said, then simply smiled when the ship capsized.

Kaba looked annoyed as she looked over her shoulder. With the ship on the side, she would be a lot harder to float. She then turned her attention to the traffic jam in front of her. Her crews boats bobbed aimlessly in the ocean.

Nana yelled at them to make room for her, then stepped on the stern of her boat, wondering what the holdup was.

Nana smiled at her from the coast and raised a hand in greeting, indicating they should stop moving.

“I have a message,” Nana said and cleared her throat, “For crimes against the Empress, her Gunari, and the empire itself, you are to be banished from the Empire until the Empress sees fit to let you back in.”

There was some concerned muttering among the interpreter and spectators, which was soon echoed by the sailors when it was translated what had been said.

“However,” Nana continued after the first consternation had died down, “I am not a monster. You may stay here on the island, under strict guard, until a ship from your country is dispatched to retrieve you.

Or you can make your ship serviceable again. This was my message to you.”

Kaba glared daggers at Nana, then threw several angry words. Nana patiently listened to the interpreter. “The captain asks where they should stay,” the bravest of the interpreters translated.

Nana shrugged, “I don’t see how that’s my problem. Rei, we’re leaving.”

Rei nodded, glad to be away from the scene of desolation and was in the air before Nana had even mounted her hornet.

As they left, Nana threw a last satisfied look at the chaos they had caused.

“Gi will not be happy,” she called to Rei. Rei gave her a mirthless smile.

Depper watched the hornets retreat for some time, then turned his attention to the sailors coming ashore.

He retrieved the notebook from his pocket and scratched out the fourth point on his list. .