Staz does not. She only smiles thinly, staring at Taru’s knees through her blackened shades.

“Of course you haven’t,” she patiently explains. “Those who rule over you without name don’t tell your people about the wars they win, let alone the ones they lose. Crache tried for generations to conquer our mother island and her children. They even succeeded briefly a time or two. But no matter how many ships and Skrain they sent, Rok’s children always repelled them in the end. We refused to be conquered. It must have frustrated your nameless rulers to no end, that the great machine they’ve built that feasts on many kingdoms and realms and nations could not eat one tiny island. In the end, they chose to do the one thing Crache never does. They compromised. Rok possesses qualities whose grace they require, you see. So, now we trade instead of fight. We are permitted to dock and offload pieces of Rok, as long as we do not ‘taint’ the citizenry by leaving the ship.”

It makes sense to Taru, with what they know about the Savage Legion; that Crache could wage such silent war, although Taru can’t believe Crache could not defeat a small island nation.

“I tell you all this so that you know who I am, and what I owe Brio and his Gen.”

“I can appreciate that.”

“I know Crache has no love for what they call the ‘Undeclared.’ So I doubt very much you’re a spy for them. I would offer to take you back to Rok. We have no such prejudices against the twin-spirited there. But this also is part of our bargain with your people. We do not mix among you and none of you are allowed to travel to Rok.”

“Again, I appreciate your words. Does that mean you will give me the articles Brio entrusted to your care?”

“No.”

Taru stares down at the small plush pile.

“No?”

“Brio left me no such instructions, though the ones he did leave were very clear. I am to relinquish what you seek to no one save him. Perhaps he did not wish to endanger anyone else. Perhaps he simply did not think to provide a contingency. He seemed hurried. In either case, I can only follow the instructions I have.”

“Captain Staz,” Taru begins carefully, “I cannot leave this ship without those dispatches.”

The old bundled-up woman shrugs. “Then you cannot leave this ship.”

In scarcely the blink of an eye Taru’s hands are filled with both short sword and hook-end.