Dolphus’s dead stare maintained as the inspector continued. Internally, however, he was very disappointed he had not been able to get under the fellow’s wrinkly skin with his comments about cannibalism. And Mako even wore his best for the occasion. I’ll have to use that angle some other time.
Dolphus could feel his stomach acid rising.
Oh my gosh. He’s literally just Ludo.
His mind raced back to simpler if less happy times, when his father was still alive and his arm was still feathered. Ludo had been his father’s secretary, serving in a lesser position as primary contractor of the capital docks, and controlling three very critical checkpoints as ships wormed their way through the Summer Isles. By now he-
…Feathered … No. Back when it was normal.
Dolphus blinked, only realizing after the fact that he had missed most of what the inspector had said. I have to stop doing that before it becomes recurring.
Dolphus genuinely began to wonder what the repercussions would be for cutting the inspector’s head off.
“We wouldn’t want that.” He sighed, scratching at his temple. After a moment of carefully cultivated visible hesitation, he sighed. “We’re running on rags at the moment. As we fly the Hearthtemple’s flag, you will have to speak to the financier of the voyage.”
He knew he could likely handle the cretin if only he had the freedom to throw the Gorov name around a little. But the good it would do was not worth the risk it posed to him, and subsequently to the entire crew, even though they could just find a new captain in the form of Alexis or Rook.
I wonder what Rook’s been up to. Probably making friends with the rats, if there’s any left.
Dolphus turned to ascend the gangplank, hoping to find Caeseus and confer. However, Mako immediately caught his eye, shaking with rage so violently it seemed the cloak he wore would fall off at any moment. He desperately desired to avoid a scene that could cost him more in an unspecified number of taxes which could bankrupt the voyage, unless some solution could be found.
Perhaps I could pacify his greed by scooping up someone… Granitepeak is not too distant, I hope. It would only be a little while, then we can drop off whomever we’re forced to take on.
“Not that one.” Dolphus laid a hand on Mako’s shoulder, leaning in as if he had stumbled slightly only to whisper, as low as he could, in Mako’s ear: “Keep everyone aboard.”
“I can’t give you any immediate estimate,” He continued, lurching up the gangplank and turning around at the top for dramatic effect. “But I would not get your hopes-”
Dolphus stopped mid-sentence, his eyes squinting out at the conversation Ari had just walked into. The massive muscular figure of Ari blocked whomever she was speaking to - the only indicator being that she was taller than whomever it was, which didn’t help at all - but perhaps she could find someone willing… And most of all, actually useful to the crew.
“One.” He glanced back down at the gaggle the inspector had with him, their little decorative wings flashing in the sun. “Just one.”