"It's just amazing," said Morgan. "A few days ago, almost a third of the town wanted to surrender, but then a couple more soldiers showed up, and we're all for war again! Mari Maldashi's warriors didn't make our town safe forever, so how is this going to help?"
Zanele shrugged. She never spoke much on these dates, Morgan noticed, and she had less to say tonight than ever. Morgan wouldn't complain, though, not with how often she humored him by taking him out.
Finally, Zanele spoke up, "At least these soldiers brought a helicopter."
"Oh, sure, but what about when the bandits get one of their own? When they get ten? What'll stop them?"
"I don't think they have the money to buy one."
"Don't have the money? They can pay hundreds and hundreds of soldiers and they don't have the money?"
"I'm pretty sure the soldiers don't get paid. Not in money, that is. I think they're paid in plunder."
Morgan swallowed. "Like me."
"And between plundering, there's enough food in the jungle to last them. That's how they live."
"Goodness... and if they ever stopped fighting, they'd be broke. Destitute. They have nowhere else to go in this world."
"True."
"But... how? Life is sacred. How can their lives be good for nothing besides killing? That's... wrong."
"Wait a minute. I thought you hated bandits."
Morgan mashed his eyes with his palms. "I don't know what to think. At first, I thought they were monsters, but what Handel said bothered me. He's right, really. The bandits are people. How is it ever right to kill real people?"
"When they don't give you another choice."
Morgan turned this around in his head, hating the idea. Before he could put together an argument, female shouts behind him caught his attention. Turning, he saw one of Mari Maldashi's mercenaries grappling with one of the CSF soldiers in bright green armor, the combat limned against the residual sunlight that filtered over the horizon. "What are they doing?" he asked. "They're fighting! Why are they fighting?"
Zanele patted her rifle. "Don't know. Let's find out."
She broke into a jog, and Morgan ran beside her.
The green CSF woman had the upper hand in their fight, forcing Mari's mercenary back, then snatching her wrist and almost pinning her. With a growl, Mari's mercenary turned and pushed her elbow back, catching the green one in the jaw and knocking her to the dirt. Cat-quick, Mari's mercenary flipped over the CSF one, knelt on her back and put her arms on the other woman's shoulder blades.
"How's that?" the winner spat. "You ready to talk now?"
"Get off!" the CSF woman roared. "Get off, you pig!"
"What's going on here?" said Zanele, trying to sound authoritative through her panting. "What are you two doing?"
Mari's mercenary released her attacker. "She was trying to use up Mari Maldashi's fuel!"
"Yeah." The CSF woman stood and dusted herself off. "My job is to protect this dumb town, and that's what I'm doing! Mari conceded the room for an outpost, so we're digging a defensive trench, so we need fuel for the excavator."
"Get your own fuel!" Mari's mercenary snapped back. "If you want to use what's here, get permission from the owner. But you didn't do that. You know how I know that? Because I work for the owner!"
