Sighing loudly, Ryops fixed his disagreeing Subos with a judgmental stare. “We’ve had this discussion countless times before and my viewpoint stands unchanged.”

“As does mine. Do not foolishly discount the Fish-with-Hands as mindless beasts, like you always do, Ryops. Treat them with the same respect you’d afford a hurricane, for they are just as unpredictable and destructive.”

“Nonsense, Eskaa. Before today there had been no sightings of Fish-with-Hands for two generations. If not for this capture, I’d have guessed them extinct.”

“An unwise assumption,” said the criticising Subos. “They’ve merely been lying low in deep water. Planning. Plotting.”

“Scheming what? They are stupid fish incapable of stringing together a strand of pearls, let alone complete a sentence.”

Jumping on the opportunity presenting itself, Eskaa offered up Lorea’s confiscated black pearl necklace to his mocking leader as proof positive of Cetari intelligence. “I ripped this off the neck of the female. It’s clearly a handmade symbol of rank.”

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