Gabrio stayed in his clinic writing records and monitoring the supplies of the ship. He was usually alone in his time. He followed a schedule he was comfortable with and was always inside his office. In the morning he would teach Wiles about basic medicine, and in the afternoon he would inspect the sailors, residents, and officials about their health. In the evening he would spend time writing.

Zyra, the Surgeon, was busy. Most of her services were employed to the Ark where Surgeons were called to dissect the pus-ridden beast. Gabrio had refused to investigate the pus-ridden beast further after finding out about the parasites living in the pus. The scales of the beast were materials that had great value to the Union Merchants. They intend to make materials out of them and perhaps learn of the secrets.

The Ark was a place that surpassed Gabrio’s expectations. The Ark was a floating city itself composed of facilities that would prove useful to the new world they are after. It was composed by brilliant minds and powerful spells. Minds that could engineer a vessel that could contain a city. From the outside, it may not look like it was capable of holding so many facilities, but Gabrio had realized that it had ten decks. Ten large decks that hold all the resources they needed to sustain a floating city

It was thanks to the Elven Spells that the Ark itself could sail without the help of sails. There was a room inside the Ark that made Gabrio’s heart freeze. A room guarded with Elven Warriors, and Guardsmen that are said worth a hundred men. He had felt pressure bear down as he was placed under the elven stares. From inside were those that had possessed the blood, they were not as strong as the Lady in nature, but they were enough to manipulate the Ark.

Gabrio had roamed the tenth-deck Ark with his own two feet. Robert joined him on this tour of the Ark and saw an incredible farm in the middle of the deck. A deck made to farm cattle and crops. It was a place filled with natural fertile soil. There was a pasture inside the sixth deck while farmland was in the fifth deck of the Ark. The ceiling was fourth-story high, and Gabrio couldn’t imagine how this Ark could move in shallows lands? But then again this was an Ark made of Elder Trees, made of Elven Artes. Made by brilliant minds and Elven technology that they did not understand. A compilation of their magics and engineering that was made possible only through their wisdom.

After touring the deck it made Gabrio understand how larger the scale of things was. He was merely another cog that worked the fleet. He had come to realize within a few days alone in his clinic, that there was a system made by the Leaders of the fleet. He did not pry or meddle about the secrets that they had kept for themselves.

Gabrio only liked to meddle when it came to his patients, beyond that he couldn’t possibly infringe on their lives. What they chose was not for him to decide. Gabrio couldn’t allow himself to play another role. He was a Doctor. That was all he was, a Doctor. When people come to his clinic, he would heal them.

That was why he didn’t want to take an interest in the politics of the fleet. He felt bad knowing that Zyra had probably stepped into a trap, and was now dealing with individuals who had a hand in the workings of the fleet.

Alone in his office inside the clinic. Gabrio wrote in the journal that he bought. He wrote using his writing stick and was making use of the iron lamp. The shaft of light coming from the iron lamp and the mild shaking was something he was used to. Mopping his face, wiping the sweat on his forehead, and then urging on writing. After a few lines on his journal, he placed his journal aside for the record that he kept on his side. He checked the lines again, tracing with his hand, and continuing on his duties.

After time passed, he went out of his chair. He sauntered to the back of the clinic, the surgery room, to where the supplies were. He took the chart hanged by nail and started checking on every medicine that was used during the day.

From the small herbs to the dried roots and the concoctions they used to lessen the pain and the cough medicines that they had been stocking. Gabrio scratched the back of his head seeing how absurd the stock was for the cough and cold medicine in the ship. The clinic had two large storage rooms meant for medicine and bandages.

They hadn’t had any serious accidents other than the time the pus-ridden beast attacked the fleet. He was glad that the Inquisitor of the Galleon had listened to his request. If he didn’t then he would have cleaned the deck and ramps himself. He couldn’t allow any of that filth to enter the hulls. He had also told the Constables to watch out for anyone showing sickness, and for them to be immediately taken to him. He couldn’t risk a plague inside the Galleon. Not when they are in the middle of the sea and the thought of making a separate space inside this Galleon was making his head hurt. He had started working on the idea, however, telling himself that it was better to be prepared. He had given his proposal to Inquisitor Cooper Ackie, and so far he had listened to Gabrio for his status as the Physician of the Galleon.

Finishing his supplies check Gabrio hung the chart back on the nail, and stood up. When he was about to exit the clinic, the door was flung open. He took a step sideways and placed his hand on his pistol’s hilt.

“Zyra?” Gabrio asked. Then he saw the black-haired young man that was part of Caldor Ando’s group. His left eye was struck and was bleeding. What did it?"

“Got hit in the eye,” Zyra said. “I couldn’t remove the beak that struck him, so I just cut the head.”

Zyra looked like she was trying her best to make it natural. Gabrio could tell that she didn’t want to talk about how she was with Caldor Ando and Terin Gaspar. Why the black-haired young man named Mardon had a beak stabbed on his left eye.

Gabrio went to work. He took the syringe and flask on his satchel. Sucked the liquid inside the flask using the needle, and injected the young man’s scalp with the needle. The young man’s painful groans became hush moans with his eyes starting to unfocus.

“What did you do?” the red-haired lad asked.

“Anesthetic,” Gabrio replied. “Now I asked you to stay back.” He looked at Caldor and Terin. "Zyra, you're the Surgeon here, so grab your things and go! I will try and lessen his pain. We don’t know what bird is this or where in the heavens did you get this bird, so just move!”

The two of them carried Mardon to the operating room. Zyra rushed to get her surgical tools and immediately got started. She had the beak removed by opening a slit on his eye. After that, she used her forceps to remove the sharp points of the beak out of his eye.

When the operation was done, the beak was removed from his eye. Cleaning the wound and making sure not to reopen them. Gabrio skillfully wrapped a bandage around his eye and made sure that the wrapping was clean. Gabrio then called for the two outside the operating room.

He had them pull the cover that was on top of the operating table and had Mardon carried to one of the clinic beds. The cover was then carefully removed below. Gabrio though wished they had avoided dropping blood on the leather cover.

“You’re not asking.”

“About what?”

“This? Why am I with them?”

“Do I have to?”

She looked at him with a scrutinizing eye. “I just find it odd that you’re not asking. I’ve been missing, and you’ve been covering for me. At least I would explain why.”

“Will you explaining drag me to whatever mess you are in?”

She went silent. Gabrio crossed her arms and raised his chin. “Zyra, I respect you as a colleague of this clinic. Now, that necessarily means that I want to be whatever business you are in. My role in this ship is clear, and my only hope is that you do your duties.”

Zyra wearily smiled. “Hah, I thought you’d be happy to know. I expected someone from Fort Rava to be willing to hear, not let himself be ignorant of truths.”

“Call it whatever you like,” Gabrio said. “I don’t care if you call me to be a person willing to ignore the truths. Information can be poison, Zyra.”

“Fine,” Zyra raised her shoulders and shook her head. “It seems you want a clear line drawn then.”

“I do,” Gabrio said. “I won’t pretend that I like your meddling. I will say it as I see it. So whatever that is you do. Keep it out of this clinic.”

“Hah,” Zyra nodded. “I understand. Still, I expected you to back me up. I am disappointed.”

“Good,” Gabrio tugged on his gloves. “I am asking you not to put this clinic into any affiliation, do you understand?”

“I understand,” Zyra said.

Zyra went back to tending the black-haired young man. Gabrio returned to his desk and started recording what had happened. Caldo Ando, who was watching the black-haired young man, started to where Gabrio was.

“Can you expunge this from your records?”

Gabri looked up. “Reason?”

“Political.”

“Caldor Ando,” Gabrio said softly. “You do realize that this goes to the Inquisitor. I cannot do that. Forcing me won’t do you good either.”

“I admire that you intend to stay neutral, but those who know this would burn this Galleon before it could leave the Dread Line.”

“Stop,” Gabrio said. “I don’t want to hear it. If you want to do something about it then take it to the Inquisitor himself.”

“I see. Doctor, one day you will have to choose a side. But I want you to choose a side now. You could be a great help."

“I’ll try to stay clear,” Gabrio scowled. “I am a Doctor first. I will not compromise on this, Caldor Ando. If you don’t have any business then please leave.”

“You are hostile, for a medicine man.”

Gabrio glared. “Are you done?”

“You will choose a side. I hope that it isn’t a side that you are against us.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Not now.”

“It sounds like a threat to me,” Gabrio said, standing up, drawing his pistol at Caldor. “Threatening the Galleon Physician isn’t a good idea.”

Caldor spread his arms. “Shoot me? Can you?”

Gabrio pointed the pistol at Terin. His eyes showed no light. He was squinting with brows narrowed. A vein was showing on the side of his head.

“I want you out of this clinic. I have the right to refuse those who would threaten this clinic.”

“You-”

Gabrio pulled the trigger. Terin drew his blade, and Caldor Ando glared. Eyes burning Gabrio with contempt.

“That should have the Constables running at my side. I’ve run out of patience. Move, or you will be locked in the brig, Sir.”

“Calm down, Gabrio,” Zyra said, trying her best to appease.

“I am calm,” Gabrio said. “Now, Zyra, please kindly escort them to their cabin. You can take care of them now, can you?”

“I can,” Zyra growled.

“What’s happening?”

The door was flung open. Wiles and Robert entered with their rifles pointed at the person Gabrio was aiming at.

“Stand down!” Zyra shouted. “This is a misunderstanding.”

“It is not,” Gabrio said. “Wiles, Robert, please take them back to their cabin. Would you mind?”

“Not at all, Doctor,” Wiles said, nearing Caldor with the barrel of his rifle pointed at his back. Caldor Ando's face looked like that of a tranquil demon. Gabrio knew that he couldn’t win if he was alone with this man. He was the type that would force him to expunge the record.

He was a man that would not bend to plea and reason. Gabrio knew his type well. That was why he could only think of this method. Wiles and Robert had forced Caldor Ando out of the room. They then took the lad called Mardon. Terin Gaspar followed, leaving not a glance at Gabrio.

Zyra placed her hand on the door, took a glance at Gabrio, sneered, and walked out of the room. Gabrio holstered his weapon and went back to writing the record. He would have to add the bullet hole in the ground as part of his report.