Galaxy Pirates

Chapter 51: The Crimson God

"Goodbye, Class!"

"Goodbye, Ms. Hawthorne!"

The children walked out of the class once the bell rang. Violet stood up too and headed towards the exit. On the way through corridors, she could hear the children chat amongst each other:

"So, where are you going to continue your studies?"

"In Pirate Academy, I guess. My elder brother has already graduated and entered the fleet, so our family pays only ten percent of the income instead of twenty, as a tribute. If both of us get to become pirates, the taxes will be completely lifted".

"Yeah, I love that law – if all youths in the family work as pirates we don't get to pay a dime".

"I know, right! And as pirates, we get to party all day long across the galaxies!"

"I even hear some lucky ones get enrolled directly in Lord Captain's crew".

"I hope my brother and I get that chance too!"

Violet's ears now paid heed to another swarm of conversations, from the other side of the corridor:

"Have you heard? That rebel from Yoonun City was executed yesterday..."

"Hmph, serves her right, to raise a whole mutiny against the pirates! Who did she think she was fighting?"

"Even if I were in the right I'd never dare raise my voice against Lord Captain or any of his people. Imagine, getting crystallized in an instant? No, thank you!"

"Agnes, what the hell are you talking about? If you were in the right, you'd never be punished in the first place".

"Crystallized? That's yet the mildest punishment you can receive. Lord Captain's imagination runs wilder than that, in terms of punishments".

"I hear he rarely even issues the sentence himself. It is his multiple underlings who do the job".

"Don't ever believe that nonsense, Jerry. Lord Captain is omnipotent. Even now as we speak, he's watching".

"You have to be kidding! That can't be true... Don't scare me like that!"

"Oh, but it's true – he can hear all you're saying even now, and knows your every move".

The youths began teasing their friend Jerry who happened to be quite a 'scaredy-cat', or so they would call him. A bitter smile ran through Violet's lips as she heard this term. It reminded her of those days ten years ago, when she used to serve on the Shark Tooth ship of late Captain Sinbad, and her cousin Baxus would tease her all the time, calling her a 'scaredy-cat'. Those days were long gone, she was now back on Earth, and yet, here the children were, talking about pirates, tributes, scaredy-cats, rebellions suppressed in blood, crystallized prisoners, benevolent pardons if one were to obey all the pirate laws... One thing all of these conversations had in common – the benevolent Lord Captain, the omnipotent Young Captain, the omniscient Captain Emperor, the gracious emperor Blood Diamond, and "fools be those who dared oppose him".

What was different from the horror of the Reptiloids she could remember from her distant childhood? – Only the fact that most humans actually felt quite good under the 'guardianship' of the Shark Tooth Pirates and their 'divine' Galaxy Pirate Emperor. Save for some 'fools', no one wished to rebel against or oppose the leaders, and they all heartily obeyed the commands. The 'special' ones would get rewarded, too. Furthermore, there were a lot of offices where one could write a complaint and it would directly reach the Galaxy Pirate Emperor. If one were having problems with paying the tribute, they could simply apply to those very offices, to receive a 'pardon'. No problem there, it was immediately issued if the reason was deemed appropriate. The Emperor was a godly being and could easily determine who spoke the truth and who dared lie. Liars would be severely punished since it was a crime against the empire. At one glance, everything should be fine, placid, peaceful... Indeed, it was peaceful, but on the outside. Inside everyone's heart, Violet could well know, dwelt fear – the fear of a mighty god, who, just like those young children had stated, watched them all the time, knew everything, saw through every step of theirs, and had it all calculated long beforehand. Violet was also well aware, that where dwelt fear, there could be no shred of freedom.