He kept worrying that Rin would emerge and spot him huddled between the two tents. Even before the Fleet Commander announced anything, explaining his presence there would have been troublesome. And now, Hunter felt that to be caught there would be fatal.

  He stood and checked the surroundings tents. Everyone seemed absorbed in their own business. He guessed that most of the slaves felt uncertain about the announcement’s consequences. Only the boldest stayed to bargain. As far as he could tell, the coast was clear.

  Some regret danced along his nerves. He had hoped to meet with Os, but he could always do so the following evening, once he’d met his quota.

  He took the scenic route back to his tent, which lead him back around to the doctor’s cabin. Unfortunately, it would also bring him closer to the centre of the market. He didn’t know how seriously he should take Mouse’s warning, but he leaned into his sense of caution.

  The walk back to the doc’s cabin was uneventful. As he neared the market’s center, more Peacekeepers were present. However, they didn’t bother with the individual slaves. There must be some celebration going on in their ranks. Maybe they were getting good deals with certain vendors.

  Once he reached the cabin, he relaxed. He was mindful of retaining the air of a weak, tired slave, hugging the edges of the various avenues and alleys he ambled through.

  After returning to his tent, Hunter found himself with time to kill before the fight. So he checked on Jaspen. He gave him the second part of his daily treatment, of which only 4 doses remained. Jaspen’s face lit up at his prognosis. Jaspen received a doctor’s note excusing him from work during the first couple of days of his recovery, ensuring he wouldn’t face exaggerated repercussions for falling too far behind. But the time off of work would only come in exchange for a debt that Jaspen would have to work many extra hours to pay off, anyways.

  How could Hunter allow Jaspen to be punished further? It was a minor issue for him, so he didn’t mind helping. He’d make whatever he gave to Jaspen back within another week. Especially if he was doing jobs for Os as well. Whether the jobs paid in tickets, or credit for more cultivation aids, Hunter felt that his fortunes would soon multiply.

  Hunter fell into a deep, focused trance as he observed the etherium cycling itself through his pathways. Over the last few hours, the flow had grown stronger. He wanted to understand his next step before he attempted to figure out how to trim out the thinner, weaker channels which had branched off in excessive amounts after taking the pill.

  How was he supposed to prepare for his Elemental Calling? He could only deduce that the process varied on an individual basis, and that ideal integration of his Elemental Calling into his foundation would require guidance from an experienced mentor.

  Wonder about his specific calling threatened to derail his focus, so he brought his attention back to the etherium. The breakthrough didn’t seem to improve the clarity of his sixth sense at all, and he wondered if he’d reached some sort of limit. Eyesight could only be so clear, after all. The sense of hearing was the same. Although certain substances could enhance his senses, a hard limit remained. Maybe his etheric sense was the same.

  Something told him that his estimation was incorrect. From what little he understood, a breakthrough into Elemental Initiate would come with an increase in sensitivity, at least towards whatever etheric desire he had the most affinity towards. He wondered if the rare mutations that people back on Sanctuary had developed resulted from something like an Elemental Calling. Without a similar sensitivity that he and his father shared, would they be aware of the changes their channels had undergone?

  And if it was the case that they’d reached something akin to Elemental Initiate, why weren’t they showing the increased physical and etheric ability that such a breakthrough would provide? He was sure researchers would have studied such a dramatic increase in competence and capacity. Hunter could only assume that the mutations weren’t breakthroughs into the Elemental Initiate stage.

  But perhaps they were like breakthroughs, but a breakthrough in phase, rather than stage. Maybe it was unique to the border between Foundation Establishment and Elemental Initiate. Could it be that without the right guidance, they’d be forever straddling the border between stages, unable to advance?

  Or was it the case that an advancement was inevitable after a certain amount of time? Hunter felt confident he’d surpass everyone back home in reaching Elemental Initiate, thanks to the Tara Sovereign sect’s wisdom and Gideon Koar’s data and methods. However, he’d feel better if he had someone pointing the way for him.

  A gaggle of voices interrupted Hunter’s meditation on his cultivation. He opened his eyes and saw that the tent was full. Everyone had returned, and they were all talking about the same thing.

  The announcement.

  “Ah, you’re awake,” Hunter heard. He turned and smiled at Gera. They weren’t close, but he was the closest thing to a friend he had found in the group, aside from Jaspen. He accepted Gera’s outstretched hand, and the man helped to pull him up from where he sat.

  “What have I missed?” Hunter asked.

  “We need to capitalize on this,” came one passionate voice. “We know the Peacekeepers are weakened, no matter what they claim.”

  Hunter hadn’t caught the man’s name yet. He was going to share his own opinion, but Gera beat him to the punch.

  “But what about the Peacekeeper’s other fleets? Didn’t the Fleet Commander say that the fleet which June defeated was just one of many in their armada?”

  Hunter was going to correct the man, but the one who spoke up first was quicker.

  “Even more reason for us to strike now. We cannot languish here for much longer. Many of us are nearing starvation. Some of us have talked of taking our revenge on wandering patrols. If we cannot get revenge for the fallen, we have no right to leave this place. Worse, I fear that it’s only a matter of time before one of us decides that becoming a loyalist is a better fate than death. And that risk will only multiply over the next weeks and months. Nevermind the next years. Would any of us be alive by then, save for those who sell their souls to these demons?”

  “So what, we strike now? So what, we attack now, while we’re weakened? Every slave and loyalist has been promised a reward for reporting resistance!” Gera said.

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  “I say we wait,” Hunter said. Tired of waiting for this argument to resolve itself.

  “Then you are a fool, outsider,” someone else said. A woman this time.

  “How long before Jaspen succumbs to his wounds? How long before more of us suffer similar treatment?” she asked, “Not that you’d care, technic.”

  Hunter scoffed, and Before Gera could interrupt, Hunter held up his hand.

  “Jaspen will be fine in a few days. There are treatments—”

  “Do you see how quickly he dismisses our concern?” the woman asked. He hadn’t noticed it before, but their small group, packed together in this small tent, seemed to be divided. People Hunter recognized as belonging to the Skyhold colony were nearest to him. Opposite them were those from Sabletown.

  A sense of urgency burst in his chest. A foreboding of division threatened to turn that urgency into a panic.

  “You do not speak for me, Ila,” Jaspen said. It was the strongest his voice had sounded in days. The fire had returned to Jaspen’s eyes. His spirit had survived the tribulation he’d undergone. Hunter had known that he would, but it was a relief to see that Jaspen’s remained as strong as ever.

  “Jaspen, they killed your grandfather. It’s this technic fool who should have been laying where you—”

  “That’s enough!” Jaspen said, the effort of yelling causing him to cough. Hunter stepped forward to aid him, but Jaspen waved him off.

  “I’ll be alright. Listen, all of you. I’m ashamed of those of you who have yet to speak up in Hunter’s defence. Gera, I see your will to refute them, but the rest of you—please listen. Hunter is the only one who has sacrificed anything to aid me. He bought the help of the camp doctor out of his own salvage. He gives me my medicine, applies my ointments. The rest of you have offered nothing more than whispered apologies and pitiful glances.”

  There was silence throughout the tent for a second.

  “You’ve not toiled half as much as Hunter has for my sake, yet you claim my suffering to fuel your own outrage. How dare you?”

  Was it childish that Hunter felt so vindicated?

  He tried to keep a smile from surfacing.

  “If Hunter has something to say, I would like to hear him say it,” Gera said. Those around him nodded. Some of those opposite of Hunter nodded as well. The man and woman who had spoken seemed prideful, but Hunter knew it was the heat of the moment that caused them to feel so affronted.

  “I understand where you’re coming from,” Hunter said. “You’re not the only ones who have lost people.”

  Everyone here had lost someone that they’d known, respected, or loved. They had witnessed their brutal deaths, and now they must endure a grief Hunter knew wouldn’t dissipate soon.

  It wasn’t unheard of for groups under pressure would fragment. Sometimes it was a disagreement in direction, a creative difference, or a conflict of personality. All it took was one small leak, just out of sight, for the integrity of the ship to be compromised.

  He couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t let them sink.

  “I want to hurt them as badly as you do. I want for all of us to be free, as well. But in order to accomplish both goals, we need to be careful. If we show our hand now, who would believe us? We can tell everyone we see, far and wide, that we destroyed the peacekeeper fleet. We could tell them the Peacekeepers are weakened, and that their control over us is weaker than they want us to believe. And we might make some headway, but how many of us are going to die in the meantime? How many of us are the Peacekeepers going to capture? And how many of us must they catch to find the common denominator that connects us? It won’t take long for them to realize how many of us came from the same world.”

  There were some thoughtful looks on those who were listening on both sides of the tent.

  “I’m not saying we don’t tell people. All I’m saying is that we be very careful with who we tell, and when. How many of you have been to the market? How many of you have visited the doctor?”

  There were around 20 of them gathered there. Hunter could have sworn there had been more of them when they’d came here.

  “How many of you have caught on to the fact that there is a hidden market? There’s more going on here than meets the eye. Divisions exist among the Peacekeepers. Their loyalties are fluid. They follow the beat of whoever’s drum is going to get them what they want. There are those among the market who have dealings with the Peacekeepers, who know more about how wide these divisions within the Peacekeeper’s ranks will stretch. Not only that, but I imagine they know how to move amongst these divisions in a way that serves them.”

  “What are you saying, Hunter?” Gera asked. There were a few muttered responses to Gera’s question. People echoing the same sentiment. Hunter got straight to the point.

  “Some enterprising individuals have been able to carve a niche, or an avenue, for their personal success. They’ve made themselves useful to the Peacekeepers, without having the Peacekeepers set their hooks into them. At least, that’s my impression.”

  “And you’re saying we should do the same? Be useful to the Peacekeepers?” Ila asked.

  “Wait a minute,” Jaspen said, more animated than before. “Hunter might be onto something. I see what he’s trying to say! If the Peacekeepers think that we’re more reliant on them, they’re less likely to see us as a threat. They’ll focus their efforts elsewhere.”

  Understanding dawned in Ila’s eyes. The man who’d kicked this whole conversation off scowled and shook his head.

  “I don’t like this. Cozying up to the Peacekeepers? I would feel tempted to slit their throats if given the opportunity.”

  “Then maybe we can keep you focused somewhere else,” Hunter said. “Look, I’m not sure what this is going to look like for all of us. All I know is that there are weaknesses here that we might exploit, but we need to be both strong enough and well positioned in order to exploit them. Can we agree on that?”

  The man nodded. Hunter breathed a sigh of relief, thankful for the man’s consideration.

  “Thank you, Amin,” Jaspen said. Hunter filed the name away. Ila and Amin. He’d have to get to know them better.

  Worry about yourself, Mouse had said. Hunter couldn’t see how he’d be able to survive this and get what he wanted if all of them weren’t working together.

  “As much as I disagree with rash actions, I agree with Ila and Amin. I need to do something, or else I’ll go insane. I can’t go another day, labouring for hours, without knowing that there’s we have some sort of plan,” Gera asked.

  “I’ve been working on that,” Hunter said. “What we lack right now is resources and information. I’ve noticed undercurrents in this camp. Secret dealings, secret relationships, secret agendas. We need to know more, or else those undercurrents might end up pulling us all under the surface. I’m not sure we want that. Not unless it’s our choice, and it serves our goals. Are we all agreed?”

  “Aye,” Gera said.

  “Aye,” Amin said.

  Ila scoffed.

  “So continue as we have been? Have we accomplished anything with this little get together?” she asked.

  “Yes, we have, and I say that we only appear to continue as we have been. I’m going to be dealing with a merchant named Os. Any of you heard of him?”

  No one spoke up.

  “The doctor recommended him to me, and he’s got access to cultivation resources and intelligence. He’s willing to employ people for odd jobs. He’s offered me work, and I plan to take advantage of that to learn as much as I can. I say we meet here once every few days, just like this. Maybe not all of us, as I think that might grab a lot of attention. But we will share what we’ve learned, any rumours we’ve heard, any new connections we’ve made.”

  Ila nodded.

  “It’s better than nothing. And I’d much rather feel like we’re all on the same team.”

  Hunter let his relief show.

  “Thank you. I feel the same way.”

  Another chorus of agreements met his words. Hunter felt more of the weight he’d been feeling falling from his shoulders. He caught a gleam in Jaspen’s eye.

  A meeting like this was always inevitable, and Hunter was glad they’d been able to cut out the first signs of division that had shown. Once more, he thanked whoever had written his leadership modules for including a portion on teamwork dynamics. He had forgotten half of it, but what he remembered had a significant influence on how this whole meeting had turned out.

  They agreed to meet in a few days to finalize their plan for sharing resources and information. Then, people either went to their tents or went to sleep. Hunter wished he had the same luxury, but he had somewhere he needed to be.