Tales of the Wave Rider, Volume 1
Splintered Light
Prologue, pt 4: Jacques le Blanc

Jacques had learned through experience time and time again that everything in life was cyclical: war and peace, safety and risk, coming and going... there was little that didn't form a complete circle.  It started with him at a young age; he had known comfort in his young age due to the payments that came to his mother from his father, who had been a married man.  By the time he was eight those payments had stopped and shortly thereafter he had been abandoned by his single mother to the streets of Sevai, a large city in southern Trevosse. 

From there he learned the rules of the street and managed to get by thanks to the charity of the well-to-do populace, and he knew comfort again... until the orphan catchers caught wind of him and he was forced to flee.  Comfort-- fear-- comfort-- fear; the cycle continued as he moved from town to town, eventually turning to crime so his needs could be met, only to be chased off by the constabulary.  The cycle continued until his eventual capture.  At that point a new cycle began.

The judge who heard his case saw an opportunity for redemption in the young Lynx and he was given the chance to be pressed into service rather than incarcerated in prison-- it really wasn't much of a choice, and so he joined the military.  Not long into his two, four year service terms his commanding officers saw a talent within him that nobody had yet recognized and he was given the opportunity to learn advanced tactics at a war college; he accepted. 

At that point the cycle was a matter of decisions: they were made for him, he made them-- they were made for him-- he made them.  He was force-transferred to the Trevossian navy but he got to choose his ship.  He was forced to enlist for a second term but he chose to enlist for a third.  THAT cycle came to an end and a new one began when he entered civilian life.  He joined on with The Wave Rider, and he had maintained service to the captain for four years.  In that time, however, his 'cycle of cycles' remained true.

In general Jacques got along well with most of the crew.  Every now and again, however, the ship's roster would be updated and, without fail, a new member came aboard that made things... difficult.  Jacques was easily able to identify an on-again, off-again enjoyment for those who surrounded him on the ship.  Considering the last year had been a pleasant one it only made sense that he was due for the flip side of things, and that came in the form of the ship's unscrupulous Quartermaster.

Jacques had never been the righteous sort, and, truth be told, he'd taken advantage of others, stolen, lied, and cheated... but in all of those cases it had been about survival.  His lunch partner, on the other paw, was interested in his next big score-- his next opportunity to come out ahead-- and the next trusting individual to swindle out of a few extra copper crowns.  No, despite being non-judgmental, the Lynx really didn't care for Pierre.

The Human smiled at him while idly cutting a peach in half; the ship's galley didn't stock peaches and Pierre had tried to sell Jacques half for twice the price of a whole one.  "What you don't understand, my friend, is that business is business.  It's not a crime to accept money for something if someone is willing to pay the price."

They'd been at the 'polite discussion' for nearly a half hour and the only result of Pierre's constant attempts to rationalize his shady business practices to Jacques was in giving the Lynx an even greater dislike for the man.  "Raping the coin purses of your customers isn't an effective way to build good will... Peter."

The Human merchant was also a native of Trevosse, but Jacques always preferred to call him by the equivalent to his name as it was said in Mehnzilian; the more he could do to separate himself from the shady dealings of their Quartermaster the better.  It wasn't a distinct hatred specifically-- Jacques was far too pragmatic to HATE anyone, but he didn't care for the aftertaste his discussions with Pierre left in his muzzle.

Laughing, Pierre split the peach in half and slid the portion without the pit toward the Lynx.  "Good will is an issue for merchants in a settled locale, my friend-- hence the reason I'm aboard the Wave Rider.  A traveling merchant has little need for repeat business, wouldn't you say?"

Jacques stared at the peach half in front of him but didn't touch it.  "Burning bridges is rarely a good idea."

The Human grinned wide, taking a big bite out of his peach.  "Bridges aren't that important when you're on a ship, Jacques."

Something about the man's smug expression was almost enough to get the Lynx's hackles up but, fortunately, the continued discussion was interrupted by a third party.  Nikolay, one of the crew's mast-men stepped up to the table.  Even if the Human didn't notice, Jacques could tell that there was an ulterior motive to the Husky's action; Nikolay had a special distaste for disharmony.  "Halo-koleg.  I see there is spare seat here.  Would you mind company?  May I sit wit' you?"

The greeting was distinctly Soyrian, but Nikolay managed Mehnzilian well enough.  From what Jacques knew of the Husky, he was a commoner from Soyria without any real formal education; it created a sense of camaraderie within the Lynx-- infinitely more than he felt for the Human at his table.  "Of course.  Please do."

Pierre's eyes went from Jacques to Nikolay then back.  His next words were in Trevossian.  "I didn't figure you for the Dog kind of cat, Jacques."

The Lynx let his scowl speak for him.  Fortunately Nikolay spoke up before anyone else could.  "I do not speak language of Trevosse.  Please, can we stay wit' Mehnzilian?"

Pierre's smile was honey as he snatched the half-peach from its spot on the table in front of Jacques and offered it to the Husky.  "Of course, my friend.  Nikolay-- part of the rigging team, yes?  I have a half peach here-- very delicious.  I was going to offer it to Jacques here but he didn't want it.  Would you like it-- only four copper crowns?"

The Husky's ears raised and he looked down at the fruit, then slowly shook his head.  "No.  Thank you."

The Human glanced back to Jacques and stood up, taking a bite out of the peach half.  "You see?  People have the option to say no.  It's just business."

The Lynx kept his expression neutral; he wasn't about to let Pierre get to him any further.  He'd always been good at tactics, and that also meant knowing when to pick his fights... or what weapons to use.  "I'm sure Captain Jacksoni wouldn't keep you on board if he had any doubts when it comes to your value, so I suppose I will trust his judgment."

The comment almost made Pierre trip.  He paused, quickly covering up his misstep by placing a hand on a nearby table and rotating around to smile.  "Precisely.  Good day to you, Jacques... I look forward to more of your entertaining sermons."

Nikolay pulled apart a tack biscuit and munched on half.  "You preach?"

Jacques turned to glance at the Husky, uncertain as to whether he was confused or just having a laugh at the situation; Nikolay's muzzle was smiling as he chewed so there was little doubt.  The Lynx smiled back.  "Only when there's a sinner around that needs to hear what I have to say."

The Husky took a bite out of the second half of the biscuit.  "You do not like the way he does business?"

It was more an observation than a question.  "Yeah... you could say that."

Nikolay shrugged.  "Do business with Itty then."

Itty.  Jacques hadn't had much of an opportunity to so much as meet the newest provisioner; the Corgi had only been aboard the Wave Rider for about two weeks, and half that time was spent docked so the little Dog was absent more often than present.  The Lynx only needed a moment to assess the Husky's suggestion.  It was sound advice.  He nodded his agreement as he made an amendment to the tactic. "And encourage everyone else on board to do the same..."

Polishing off the last of his breakfast, Nikolay just shrugged again.  "Others will do what they do.  You do what feels right to you.  Focus on what you do and you will be happier."

It was sage advice and it came from such a mundane source that the sheer humor of it made Jacques smile.  Then again, just because it was good advice didn't mean the Lynx was forced to follow it.  He honestly liked his idea better.  "Thanks, Nikolay.  I might just do that."

The Husky nodded simply, clasped the Cat's paw with a shoulder, and headed off.