Every revolution that burns dictators to the ground starts with a single spark.

River and Markus parted ways. Markus stepped into the tavern and took a seat at the bar.

"What'll it be?"

"Just water, thanks."

"Ye seriously came to a bar for water?"

"Salt disagrees with my system, and it's the only place where there aren't at least three burly thugs eyeing me like a paycheck."

"New in town?"

"What do you think?"

"Hm, that bounty has you labeled as a flayer, but you have an imperial's accent. The bounty is quite nice, nothing personal. I could use me some o' that cash, fifty grand in gold for a flayed one and a rogue salvager each ain't half bad."

"What's a hundred grand next to everything that pirates have taken from you, this town, and the whole of Eriwick?"

"If yer suggesting what I thinks ye are, I like the way ye thinks. What d'ya want from me?"

"The use of your second floor until further notice. Oh, and if anyone asks, I was never here."

River meandered through the sparsely populated streets, eventually coming across a small band of heavily armed thugs. One of them locked eyes with her and a flicker of recognition crossed his face. whispered something to the others, and they ran towards her. She turned and fled, making sure she never lost them in the maze of alleyways and back streets. She ducked into an alley and emerged at the pier. She calmly walked to the end of the pier, reached into her cloak, and clutched a small remote in her hand.

The four mercenaries trained their assault rifles on her, and a fifth individual joined them and spoke to her.

"Ya really thought ya could outrun me? Don't try anything, come quietly, and we just might let ya live. Where's the other one?"

"He died from his injuries when you bastards blew us both to hell and back."

"Yer bluffin. He's somewhere nearby, ain't he?"

"You won't find him, and if you do, you certainly won't live to tell the tale."

"What are you- it's a setup! You, blow her brains out!"

A flare shot into the sky from the distant silhouette of the battleship and slowly began to arc towards the pier. The merc raised his gun, and it exploded in his hands, knocking him over.

"Son of a- Sniper!"

The other three gunmen raked the whole street with gunfire. The flare landed squarely near the center of the pier, and a mechanical thud echoed across the water. River dove backwards into the water, and the shell slammed into the pier, consuming it in a raging inferno. The thugs were hurled to the ground, and the ringleader was cowering behind a crate.

"What the hell just happened?"

River dragged herself up over the barrier and pulled out a small weapon with an unusually wide barrel.

"The River Rat happened, that's what. Don't try anything, come quietly, and we just might let ya all live."

"I surrender, I'll do anything, please don't kill me!"

"Anything? Alright. Undo all the damage you've done to the people here, and that goes for everyone on your payroll too. Turn yourself and your crew into a respectable bunch. If ye just go back to pirating after today" River grabbed his collar and lifted him from the ground."I know where find you, and I will kill you, very very slowly. Is that clear?"

"Yes. You heard the young lady, start cleaning this mess up."

Markus stepped out of the bar, followed by a small group of drunken spectators.

"That was a gutsy move."

"Ye think? Nobody was seriously injured, we just gave half the west coast a chance to sleep peacefully, and I got to blow stuff up. Win/win/win."

"Touché. You know, you're a lot more calculated than I thought. How did you know it would work out?"

"To be honest, I put all my faith in you nailing that shot. You didn't disappoint. Shall we continue on our crusade in the morning?"

"Alright, just let me stay in the ship next time."