The air on the deck of The Sovereign Pearl grew thick, the kind of heavy, pressurized stillness that precedes a lightning strike. General Titan’s laughter died away, replaced by a gaze so sharp it felt like a physical weight. The transition from "drunken reveler" to "predator" was so seamless it made the hair on the back of the guests' necks stand up.
"First," Titan said, his voice dropping an octave, "we settle the debt."
The man known as Bear, who seconds ago had been acting like a bumbling fool, suddenly stood up. His movements were fluid, devoid of any trace of intoxication. He reached into a crate and pulled out a bottle of Louis XIII. He didn't open it gently; he gripped it by the neck and thrust it toward Warrant Officer Garrick.
"Today is the Commander's big day," Bear said, his
