Chapter 17- The Dependent Variable

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Beau-Pére, Scorcher, Fixit, Seventy, and the G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

The dark sky was only matched by the harsh sea, void of color. All sight had been robbed by the overhead clouds, blocking out the moonlight. The Thousand Sunny and its passengers were alone, guided only by the Eternal Pose they had recently found.

While they have out at sea for hours, it felt like heavy and slow winter months, time unapologetically delaying them.

Franky was still at the wheel, Henley was looking out with Usopp, and Nami held the Pose, keeping note of the slightest motion. Zoro's eyes were trained on her, almost looking for a reason to break her will further.

"Turn a little to the starboard side," The navigator uttered, void of emotion on her face.

The cyborg nodded, doing as he was told.

"Tch, all a woman like her is ever good for," Zoro dared to mumble beneath his breath, which went unnoticed by the others. Except for Henley, that is.

The shorter young man exerted a quiet puff sound, annoyed by the swordman's offhand comment towards his own crewmate. And yet, he let his mind wander, mulling over his first encounter with the pirates.

'He's not wrong, though I hate to admit it,' He thought, looking to the dark waves moving in a pattern. 'The captain's navigator is by far, one of the weakest members of this crew. Just because she's clever, that doesn't mean she's the kind of person who'll last long in a straight fight. However...'

"Guys, we're here," Nami stated, getting everyone's attention. "Look to your right."

There was an island in the distance, which was only visible because of the spotlights. They shone brightly as they traveled in a pattern, checking the nearby rocks to see if there was anything afoul.

"W-We finally found it..." Usopp whispered in relief, "I thought we'd never find it."

"Well," Brook began, "This is fortunate for us."

"Indeed," Robin agreed, nodding with a slight smile.

"So, this is the G-13 Base," Henley muttered, attempting to ease the tension. "I thought it'd be bigger. The commander got the short end of the stick here."

*AHEM!*

Franky cleared his throat, managing to get the crew to look at him.

"So we found the place," He stated, "But what now? How are we gonna spring Luffy anyhow?"

"Running straight to the base with no plan is utter suicide," Zoro mused, looking in Henley's direction. "If the marines there are as smart as you say, then we can't act as we usually do."

"Of course you can't," The half-breed mused like it was an obvious fact, "Beau-Pére won't give up Luffy so easily. Though..."

"You believe the marine who captured Luffy sent the Eternal Pose to us," Robin finished, taking Henley by surprise for a second.

"I guess trying to understand you at this point is moot," The redhead chuckled softly, "But yeah, it's as you say."

"Wait, why would he send it to us?" Chopper asked, "He's a marine and we're pirates."

"I guess he felt bad for arresting your captain."

"You guess?" Sanji repeated, looking down on the half-breed. "That's not going to cut it."

"Hey," Usopp interjected, looking at the half-breed. "That's not important right now. What matters right now is what we'll do once we dock at the base."

"It'll be fortified, of course," Henley reasoned, "And there are some ships that will take action if we try to escape. So, to keep that from happening, I'll go and sabotage them, mainly their cannons, rudders, helm decks, the works."

"And we're just gonna let you take care of them yourself?" Franky questioned, looking behind him. "How do we know you won't betray us for them?"

"Gee, let me think," Henley spoke in a deadpan manner, rolling his eyes. "Maybe because I have something called, I don't know, a conscious! If I were a total dick, I wouldn't have tried to help you or your captain with this mess I made."

"Doesn't excuse you for what you've done," The swordsman responded, "If we didn't need you, I'd send my sword straight for your neck."

"Well, good on you! Maybe I should die!" Henley crossed his arms, growling and creeping off to the side. "God knows how much pain I've caused to everyone since I've been alive..."

"Jesus Christ..." The liar shook his head in disapproval, "Can't we work out on what to do with this guy later?"

"Excuse me, Mr. Henley?" Brook called out, "Do you have something to live for?"

The half-breed looked a little dumbfounded for a minute. He wasn't used to being called by a stranger in a formal tone, let alone have his name used.

"W-What was the question?" He twiddled his fingers together, slightly embarrassed from being addressed in such a fashion.

"I asked if you have something to live for," The musician repeated.

"S-Sort of... But what does it matter? I've caused your captain trouble. There's no way-"

He stopped talking altogether, becoming as still as a mannequin, save for the blinking.

"M-Mr. Henley?"

"Running," Henley murmured, "Trouble. And... Something to live for?"

"Is there something wrong with you?" Chopper approached the redhead, tilting his head in curiosity.

"I-I think..." Henley pondered while walking to the railing. "If I sabotage the ships while... And in the commotion at the base, they'll come running... Yeah, that'll work!"

"Uhh, do you want to let us in on your... Whatevering?" Franky raised an eyebrow, still steering the ship.

"O-Okay, listen. I know you don't exactly trust me, but you'll have to right now. I'm the only one who can sabotage the marine battleships on those docks while you get inside the base."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Usopp queried, lifting an eyebrow.

"I'll just borrow some of their explosives and damage the rudders or make a hole in them. It'll shake them up and split the number of men that you'll have to fight."

"That makes sense," Robin visualized the plan, "But what about the layout of the base?"

"I got that taken care of!" Usopp jetted for the stairs, sliding on the rails and landing on the grassy deck with his nose. "OOF!"

Everyone who witnessed Usopp's little spill sweat-dropped. Yes, everyone, including Robin.

The liar picked himself up, dusting himself and muttering indiscernible obscenities. He entered the men's dorms and came out with his sniper goggles.

"Alright, let's see now," He examined the base's structure from afar, "There's a barrier with cannons inside the walls, a huge dome-like building in the middle, likely their main building. There's also... some kind of a prison building next to it. Lastly, I think... hmm. Hey, Franky!"

Usopp went upstairs to the helm deck and up to the cyborg.

"Franky, have the ship circle the island!" He ordered, "I wanna see some more things!"

"Okay!" He responded, following Usopp's instruction.

The Sunny circled the base and went to the other side of it. Usopp used his goggles to see there was an assortment of trees there, reminiscent to a jungle.

"And the other side looks like some kind of a jungle. But I can't tell if there are any marines looking around the place from here."

"It's likely so," Henley pointed out, "Beau-Pére's traps are also likely to be there. He's thought of just about everything."

"There's also the fact that he's expecting us," Brook rose his cane, sliding it open to reveal his sword. He sheathed it in after a glance of the blade. "It's unlikely he will let us leave with Luffy without a fight."

"That's why we all have to be there," Usopp went behind the half-breed, "And why we have to trust this runt."

"There's no other choice, huh?" Zoro sighed, shaking his head.

"On the bright side," Henley muttered, "You won't have to deal with me once this is done. We save your captain, you can take me to the next island on your stop, and that's the end of it."

"Well, fine by me," The swordsman shrugged, "Beats listening to the witch for a change."

Nami slightly grimaced but said nothing about it, having accepted the hatred.

"Enough!" Sanji growled, "She's suffered enough, Moss-head! Quit it!"

"Huh," Zoro began to mock with a shit-eating grin, "I didn't know retarded cooks could have opinions."

"Are we going to keep talking about the plan," Chopper entered Heavy Point, cracking his newly-formed knuckles. "Or do you two want to see the opposite of what a chiropractor does?!"

The usual cat and dog antics of Zoro and Sanji were thankfully ceased, but not before they glared down on each other.

"Anyway," Henley regained the crew's attention, "Here's the rest of it all. After I've sabotaged the marine battleships, I'll join you guys at the walls of the base. I'll scale the walls with the reindeer, the cook, and Nico Robin. We'll knock out the marines inside and... Wait, there is a gate, right?"

"Oh, yeah, there is!" Usopp replied, "Sorry, I forgot to mention that!"

"Be more careful with info like that, man!" Franky scolded, "Luffy's life depends on all of this!"

"Alright, the gates will be open. Once you do that, all of you guys can go ham on the base. Anything to get the attention of Beau-Pére's top men."

"Who?" Chopper asked, scratching his head.

"Top," Henley repeated, "Men. Beau-Pére has three accomplished subordinates under his command. Whenever he's around, they're not far behind."

"These three subordinates," Robin pondered aloud, "Who are they?"

"Their names are Fixit, Seventy, and Scorcher," Henley explained, with silhouetted images of the three marines coming into view. "Fixit is the most skilled of the three, capable of creating machines, weapons, and repairing objects. His weapons of choice are silver batons, a black wrench with a strap, and two swords if he decides he needs them."

"Seventy, physically, is the strongest of the group. He's an excellent hunter when using bazookas and sniper rifles, but he prefers to fight with his fists sometimes. He's got some kind of a neck brace that covers his mouth, but I don't think it's for an injury.

"Finally, Scorcher is the demolitions expert, the literal wild card of the group. He's not the smartest, but that doesn't mean he's an easy enemy. He has two cannons on his shoulders that can fire nets, sometimes flamethrowers, and he's a strong boxer, only outclassed by the rest of the group."

"That's... an interesting group you described," The musician murmured, "It appears we have to fight all of them after all."

"I guess," Usopp rubbed his chin, "But what about Luffy? How are we going to help him?"

"That's where you come in, Nami," Henley spoke up, and all eyes went to her.

"W-What?!" Nami exclaimed, "Me?!"

"Yes, you," Henley nodded, "You have a cruelty streak that has affected your friends in a bad way. You also instigated Luffy's depression, in a way, despite the fact that I caused it."

"S-So?" Nami replied, looking away from the half-breed. "We're both guilty, then. What's your point?"

"The point is, if you want to help Luffy, then it's your job to rescue him alone. I think this plan can work if you-"

"ARE YOU SHITTING ME?!" Zoro bellowed, almost frightening the crew with his abruptness. "HER?!"

"Zoro, calm down!" Franky yelled, almost letting go of the steering wheel.

"She'll make it worse!" Zoro argued, pointing at the navigator. "She drove Luffy away!"

"That's one of the reasons she has to go!" Henley retorted, "Plus, there are other important, even strategic reasons why she should!"

"...No."

A lump in Henley's throat formed, driving him to make a small sound and look back to Nami.

"What?" He whispered in disbelief.

"N-No," Nami repeated, stammering. "I... I can't do it..."

"Nami, what do you mean?" Sanji slightly rose his arms, almost in a reflex.

"I... I can't help Luffy. I'm sorry, but I... can't..."

"Nami, I don't-"

"DON'T YOU GET IT?!" She suddenly shouted, clenching her fists. "I'LL JUST SCREW HIM UP AGAIN, OKAY?!"

Most of the crew was silent, taken aback by the recent outburst.

"You see?" Zoro gestured his hand to the young woman. "Even the bitch of this crew doesn't want to do anything. You know why?"

Nami looked away, head held down in shame as Henley and the rest of the crew scowled at the swordsman. His relentlessness in emotionally damaging Nami had gotten tiresome and pathetic. But that didn't stop them from listening to him further.

"It's simple," He proceeded to state, "It's because she knows she doesn't deserve to be forgiven."

The truth was harsh, but it always was. It was laid bare and taken in by everyone, slowly.

That was a valid point, and it appeared that no one was going to argue against that.

"...Five minutes."

"What?" Nami questioned, lifting her head up to see the half-breed in front of her.

"Maybe a little more than that," Henley guessed, "But that's how long I need to talk to you."

"W-Why?" Nami shifted, feeling uncomfortable. "There's no point. I can't be trusted with anything now."

"You'd be wrong there," The half-breed shook his head, "Let's talk in your dorm area. And bring along Nico Robin. You need a second opinion, anyway."

"If you insist," The archeologist began to walk to the stairs, leading Nami and insisting she follows her. "Come along, Nami."

"It's hopeless," Zoro continued affirming, "She'll never go through with it. Besides, she's a useless and weak fighter."

"You have little faith and imagination, Roronoa," Henley responded, "It's a wonder your captain trusted a meathead like you, but we all make mistakes. His, in particular, must've been trusting you and believing you could do no wrong."

"What did you say, you little shit...?!" The swordsman glared at the half-breed, gripping one of his swords and almost unsheathing it.

"Don't try to kill me over an assertion, especially when you know I'm right. If you were truly loyal to Straw Hat, you wouldn't have gone through with this. Shows how much he knows."

"He's not wrong there," Brook concurred, standing in between the two. "We've all made mistakes, too. Let's not make another one."

"Fine!" Zoro shoved Brook aside, then pushed Henley away from him as he walked down the steps. He continued walking until he got to the aquarium.

"Just know this one thing!" He shouted as he went away from the group, "If Luffy dies or if we don't save him, it's gonna be that little whore's fault! Her fault and ours!"

Zoro entered the aquarium and slammed the door behind him. The tension that lingered in most of the crew was slowly manifesting, just like Sanji's rage.

"Damn him!" The cook stomped on his cigarette, causing a crack on the floor. "Damn him to hell! I hope he kills him-!"

"DON'T," Henley muttered, grabbing his shoulder and stopping him from completing that thought. His eyes were shadowed as his hair flew in the wind. "DON'T FINISH THAT THOUGHT. IT'S POINTLESS."

"B-But he-"

"THERE'S ALREADY TOO MUCH HATE IN THIS WORLD. DON'T ADD TO IT. IT'S NOT WHO YOU ARE."

Henley lifted his head up to reveal his tired and somber expression. Sanji was briefly caught off guard by this creepy runt's change in demeanor until he was calmed by him.

"You're tired," He spoke normally and soothingly, "I'm tired, we're under pressure. But we can't be divided like this. If we give up, your captain can't try to achieve his dream."

"H-His dream?" Usopp stuttered for a bit, blinking slightly.

"Ace talked a lot about Luffy," Henley explained, "Especially about his dream. But it was obvious to figure that was his goal."

"Y-Yeah," Nami smiled sadly, "It was. We were supposed to take him to the One Piece."

"You can still do that," Henley took his hand off of Sanji, and went for the stairs. "But you don't feel like you should."

"After everything I did to him," Nami murmured, "There's no way I can face him."

"We'll see," The half-breed said, looking to the cook. "Give us some time. We'll change the plan if necessary. Just don't let the marines spot us."

"Got it," Sanji nodded as Brook took possession of the Eternal Pose from Nami.

Henley motioned for Nami and Robin to come along with him, and they did just that. They entered the girl's dorm and shut the door behind them.

"I hope that young man can convince Nami to take on this task," Brook whispered, "She has to."

"I don't like the idea," Sanji confessed, "But you're right."

Those still present on the helm deck looked out to the base. One way or another, they will have to face the marines there, and they will get their captain back. Whatever it takes...

XXX

The women's dorms in the Sunny was always very clean and had little clutter strewn in it. Henley could certainly tell that the place looked proper for a room on a pirate ship. The smell that his nose picked up was identical to plump cherries.

"Fresh scent," He said, sitting on a sofa. "This ship is a far cry from what pirate ships usually are." "Fresh scent," He said, sitting on a sofa. "This ship is a far cry from what pirate ships usually are."

"I'm glad for the compliment," Robin smiled, "But you didn't ask me and Nami in here so you could talk about fragrance and pirate vessels."

"I know," Henley nodded, "I just wanted to cut the tension from a few minutes ago."

"How's that working out for you so far?" Nami sighed, covering her eyes with Luffy's hat.

"It could be better," Henley joked, at least until his expression hardened. "You know, you're aren't exactly easy to read. One minute, you're predictable, but the next, you're not."

The navigator kept quiet, even looking away from the creepy runt.

"I'm not saying that in a bad way. It's good that you're unpredictable. That's one of the reasons why you have to go along with this."

"I'm not unpredictable," Nami mumbled, "I'm just a wreck. I just told you why I can't help him."

"I get that," Henley understood, resting his head against the comfy chair. "I know where you're coming from. I screw up all the time and I've been doubting myself a lot."

Henley aimlessly let his eyes wander around the room, searching for more words to say.

"I've done... Some bad things... I haven't gotten anyone killed, but I guess that's not going to last long... With my record, anyway."

"You sound like you've had a hard life," Robin analyzed, "You continue to break the tension with a sense of humor, just so you can hide your own pain."

"Well, it's not about me. It's about her."

Henley sent his eyes on Nami, who shifted a little from being stared at.

"Look," Nami told, "If Luffy sees me show up, he's not going to want to be rescued. I made things worse by being who I am, and he feels like he doesn't want to be forgiven."

"Because he made you cry and because he hit you on accident, I know."

"Then why are you still insistent?!" Nami fiercely questioned, throwing the straw hat to the floor. "I've told you that I can't do it!"

"That's not true," Henley shook his head, standing up. "You can because you care about him, even more than you think."

"Henley's actually correct on this point, Nami." The archeologist stated, "Whenever he was around, you feel assured."

"Robin..." Nami uttered, almost tired of this gesture she's trying to make. "Just quit it...!"

"There's also the fact he cares about you," Henley raised his index finger, "Since he apologized for giving you that black eye."

"He felt guilty for it, that's all!" Nami argued, "I ran to him, trying to keep him from leaving, but on a reflex, he hit me! He felt guilty because...! B-Because..."

"Because Luffy felt solely responsible for everything that happened to you," Robin concluded, "First, when Shiki kidnapped you, Luffy blamed himself. Second, when you had left a message, he perceived it as you losing faith in him. Third, when you threw that message in the ocean, preventing Luffy from hearing the end of it, he felt that you no longer trusted him, setting the tone for the next few days."

"And then along came me," Henley raised his hand, "And I opened him up to a terrible, harsh view of the world. My former viewpoint."

"Then each of has made Luffy's condition worse, even when we had no intentions to. The last straw came when Luffy learned that we all lied to him about the theft of the Jolly Roger."

"Was that supposed to help me in some way?" Nami pondered, "Because it just shows why I shouldn't be a hundred yards within him."

"Nami, it started with you," Robin pointed out, "If you can clear up the events with Shiki for him, if you can convince Luffy that none of this is his fault, if you can get him to continue his dream, then he'll be more willing to come back."

"But I can't. I can't do it...!"

"Don't talk like that!" Henley demanded, almost moving to clutch her shoulders with his hands. He controlled himself, looking away in shame. "I'm sorry for that, but honestly, what makes you say that 'You can't do it?' Luffy wanted you in this crew. He wanted a one of a kind navigator, and he elected you!"

"A one of a kind navigator doesn't mean a strong navigator..."

"Nami, I don't think he chose you for your strength," Robin stated, "He chose you because you were talented."

"But Zoro said..."

"Whatever Zoro says doesn't matter!" The archeologist yelled, grabbing Nami's shoulders, taking her by surprise. "Even if you don't have the same amount of strength he does, you are smarter than him! Don't take his insults to heart! They're just words!"

The navigator couldn't do much, save for blinking.

"She's got a point," Henley muttered, "You can't just let Zoro walk over you like that. And you can't let Luffy say that you can't do a thing to help him. You have to."

"I..." Nami's gaze went to the half-breed, somehow regaining the ability to speak. "I... I don't think..."

"What's it going to take, Nami?" Robin begrudgingly let Nami go, "What will it take for you to go and save Luffy?"

"Robin," Nami began, "Even if I want to save him, how can I go inside that prison complex and fight all the guards in there?"

"You don't have to fight all of them. You can sneak past them and get to Luffy's cell. Just find the keys to it and set him free, preferably after setting him straight."

"But what if-"

"Forget about the things that could happen!" Henley raised his voice, "If you just do them, it'll be fine!"

"But I can't do things that way!" Nami retorted, "If something goes wrong, then it's on me! I don't want to do something that'll cause Luffy's death!"

"Beau-Pére would never allow that to happen," Henley replied, "Besides, even if he were ordered to kill, he would find another way."

"Finding another way is what I'm trying to do! That way, Luffy won't have to be crummy when I'm around!"

"If you're not anywhere within his line of sight, he won't want to be saved. You have to do this."

"But I'll just end up hurting him again! That's all I've done to him since I joined!"

*SLAP!*

Nami jerked back from the impact of Robin's hand, feeling the stinging pain on her left cheek. She looked at the archeologist, who's expression was colder than metal.

Henley saw what had happened, and his face almost turned pale.

"That's enough of that talk," She said, sick of the grueling chore.

"R-Robin...?" Nami meekly called out in disbelief.

"You are more than a navigator," Robin sternly told her, "You are a pirate. You are acting like a child who has given up when you haven't even run your race."

The mood turned tense fast. Nami couldn't find the courage to talk back, and Henley didn't dare to interfere. Not out of fear, but because he wanted to see how this unfolds.

"I know that you can help Luffy," The archeologist continued, "But not if you keep acting the way you do. You need to remember how instrumental your role as a navigator is."

"M-My role...?" Nami repeated, rubbing where she was slapped.

"That's right," Robin nodded, "You don't just plot the course, you are capable of detecting when a storm comes. You have an amazing sense of what's going to happen just from feeling a change in the atmosphere."

"W-Well, that's true, but-"

"You rely on skill and wits, not strength. While you are just as much a coward as Usopp, you won't hesitate to stand your ground. And it's true that you are greedy, seeking opportunities to gain more wealth, but at least you aren't like most men with greedy hearts."

"Not like most, huh," Henley murmured, crossing his arms in contemplation.

"Robin, listen," Nami finally spoke, "I know you think I should do this, but Luffy won't trust me with his life this time. I've betrayed his trust before, so he'll think that I'll do it again."

"You have regrets for doing those things, don't you?" Robin queried, to which the navigator nodded her head. "If you're sorry, then tell him yourself. We can't do that for you."

"He lost his will to live," The brighter redhead said, "By now, he thinks his dream isn't worth a damn. But you can prove him wrong. Show him that they're important and get him out of that prison."

"His dream..." Nami turned her eyes to Luffy's hat, still laying on the floor. She proceeded to pick it up, holding the brim.

"Well, what do you say?" Henley asked, "Wanna save your captain?"

Taking a deep breath, the navigator placed the hat on her head.

"Let's do it," She affirmed, clenching her fist and bringing it to her chest.

"Nami," Robin smiled, seeing her ally's newfound resolve.

"Let me cut to the chase," Henley informed, though he couldn't help but smile. "You'll be sneaking into the G-13 Base through the side alone, ahead of the rest of the crew. They'll wait for a couple of minutes before going to the front, taking the long way around. We want the marines to think we're careless, but we're distracting all of them so you can sneak in to save Luffy."

"If I go in the next few minutes, I can save some time," Nami thought, "I can take the Waver and sneak inside the base."

"Wait, a what?" Henley became confused, lifting an eyebrow.

"You can do that," Robin agreed, "But how can you sneak inside the base with the tall walls?"

"They have cannons, right?" Nami began to walk to the door, "They must need room to change their own trajectory."

"Even if they do, you can't scale the walls by yourself. You'll need one of Usopp's inventions to do so. I'll convince him to let you use it, on the off chance he refuses to help you."

"Don't worry too much if he doesn't help, Nami," Henley slammed his fist to his chest with gusto, "I'll go with you and sneak you inside. I've got lots of stuff to do for the plan to work, anyway."

"Thanks, Henley," Nami bowed in gratitude, before doing the same to Robin. "And thank you too, Robin."

"No trouble at all," The archeologist opened the door outside, with Henley following her.

Nami was close to exiting with them, but she halted, moving back to look at her reflection in the mirror.

'Luffy,' Her thoughts echoed in her mind, 'I don't want you to forgive me for all that's happened. I don't even want you to pretend that nothing happened. All I want...'

Her hands trembled and her breath slightly quivered. She calmed herself by clenching her hands into fists and finishing her thought out loud.

"All I want is for you to be the Pirate King, without me in your life. I hope you'll be happier that way."

XXX

Meanwhile, at the G-13 Base...

"I take it you were successful in capturing Monkey D. Luffy, Commander Beau-Pére?"

The voice on the Transponder Snail is revealed to be Fleet Admiral Sengoku, speaking as cordial as ever.

"Yes, sir," Beau-Pére responded, "I have succeeded."

"Good, good," The Fleet Admiral concealed his satisfaction, "That's one less pirate causing trouble for us. Now then, Commander, when you bring 'Straw Hat' to Marineford, you will receive a promotion. Your rank will be brought up to-"

"Actually, sir?" Beau-Pére began to ask, interrupting Sengoku.

"...What is it, Commander?"

"I wish to know something, sir. I assume you are asking me to bring the pirate to Marineford for an execution."

"...That's right, Commander. Is that a problem?"

"You tell me, sir," Beau-Pére addressed, almost sarcastically. "How exactly is his grandfather, who is a Vice Admiral, alright with this?!"

"Actually, he not. But he'll understand that this is a necessary act."

"Necessary?! This boy isn't even an adult yet! You're talking about executing someone who's still in his teens!"

"He's a pirate, all the same! But that shouldn't matter to you! You're doing your job!"

"Yeah," The Commander uttered with disdain, "I'm so proud of it. The Straw Hats will come for him, whether or not they know what's happening."

"Quit talking in that tone!" Sengoku ordered, "You're treading on thin ice, Commander!"

"Perhaps I am! Sir, there is something wrong with what you're beginning to do!"

"On the contrary, I believe. I'm scheduling the execution of Dragon's son, reassuring the people that the marines are strong enough without resorting to the Seven Warlords."

"It's all just a traditional show for power, isn't it?"

"You're getting the chance to be better than you are now. I would think you'd be more thrilled."

Beau-Pére didn't bother to speak back. He was too angry to try and refute Sengoku's assertions.

"It doesn't matter," He murmured, "But you have a point, Commander. Here are your new orders. You have two weeks' time to bring Straw Hat to Marineford, where he will immediately be executed. And if the Straw Hat Pirates try to rescue their captain, then kill them."

"S-Sir?!"

"You heard me, Beau-Pére," The Fleet Admiral replied, "This is also necessary. They have caused us no end of trouble. They attacked Gecko Moria and made us look bad by defeating Shiki!"

"Sir, I'm sure they were doing what was right at the time! At least, with Shiki! He fled, yes, but it was better than the alternative!"

"I DIDN'T ASSIGN YOU TO CAPTURE STRAW HAT LUFFY SO I COULD HEAR YOUR INSIGNIFICANT OPINIONS, COMMANDER!"

Beau-Pére went deaf silent. He faced outbursts from Sengoku before, but not like this.

"Sir, I'm sorry," He apologized, "I spoke out of turn."

"Commander," The voice from the other line began, "I know that you want to hold onto your personal ideals. But when the time comes, you'll have to take a life."

"But, sir-!"

"I know, you don't want to. I didn't want to either when I was around your age. But it wasn't possible for me, and in the end, I had no other choice."

"That is... hard to believe..."

"It doesn't matter at this point, Commander. But you do have a choice. Will you kill the Straw Hat Pirates when they come, or will you not, and risk endangering the entire world? And before you say that they wouldn't do that, let me ask: how would you know that?

"Well..."

"It's simple," Sengoku answered, "You don't. They're still pirates, and at least two of them have taken a human life before."

"Roronoa Zoro and Nico Robin..." The Commander mumbled, parting his eyes.

"I hope that you can make the right one, Beau-Pére. It would prevent children from being orphaned... Goodbye."

The other line disconnected, leaving only a humming tone behind.

"He had to say that...!" Beau-Pére spat, returning the receiver to its proper place. "Knowing what has happened to me, expecting me to go down that road...!"

He slammed his fists on his table, causing some papers to scatter across the office.

"Why...! Why does it have to be like this?!"

Beau-Pére hung his head down, grinding his teeth together. He knew that this night, the Straw Hats would come.

He couldn't waste any time. He has to prepare.

Either the Straw Hat Pirates would take back their captain, or they would all perish, and the choice to let live or let die rests in his hands.

But little did he know, someone else would come to break out a pirate, and it's not Luffy he seeks...

TO BE CONTINUED...