"Always Wanting More"

[Fade in on Soloman looking out the window of his quarters. Jack stands in the doorway, blade drawn, slightly trembling.]

Jack: So that’s it then. Yer after the Blade Admiral?”

Soloman: What I’m after, my boy, is what the Blade Admiral wants, not what the Blade Admiral has.

Jack: Well, ya have it. All these dressed up cronies, this big ship. What’s stopping ye from takin his throne?

Soloman: What he wants my boy! No man would want after a throne he already occupies. [Pours himself a glass of wine] Let me ask you something, Jack was it? Why do you think that fleet deserters join the Daggers, hmmm?

Jack: Because… there’s nowhere else to go…

Soloman: HAH! [He nearly spills his wine in a fit of laughter] Oh dear oh dear that is a good one. [He wipes his eye from tears welling up from laughter] Nowhere else to go? You see who I surround myself with. I have the money to buy my way into any fleet I want. I could sit at the Baron’s right hand if I wanted to. I could buy the Cogs Folk, sell all their inventions to the Devanians, pocket the profit, and you’d all be one fleet short. I can go wherever I want boy! Always could.

Jack: Then… why?

Soloman: [Suddenly draws a pistol and points it at Jack’s head.] Freedom! You see I’ve just committed a crime, I’ve threatened you with a deadly weapon and any court this side of the Eldrith strait would have be tried and hung as a madman. [Cocks back the hammer on his pistol and smiles] Except, no one is coming are they? A fully crewed ship and yet no one is coming to your rescue. No one is coming to save you from mad, man, Soloman. [He slowly walks toward jack as he speaks, pressing the pistol to his forehead, they freeze for a second before Soloman smiles and holsters his pistol.] You see boy, I’m not mad. I’m just very aware of what I can and cannot do. In any other fleet I would be shackled by their rules and regulations. In the Daggers, we have one rule, never point your blade at one of your own. That’s it. Look out for the other Daggers and after that, do what you will is the whole of the law! [He laughs jubilantly spreading his arms wide.]

Jack: That explains nothin. All the more reason to be gunnin for the Blade Admiral. You like havin things you could have it all if you took him down.

Soloman: Ah, but there’s the trick, dear boy. Do you know how a ship runs? The chain of command. I tell someone what to do, and they tell three more people, and they tell five more people, and eventually this ship sails the skies. One hitch in that chain and everything breaks down. I only have to worry about my ship. The Blade Admiral has to worry about every other Dagger, every pirate, every ruffian, every criminal looking to score a quick piece. He has to make sure that every single one of my unscrupulous cohorts does not step out of line. Does that sound like a job you’d want? Does that sound like a job… I’d.. want?

Jack: Why do anything then? Ya got your golden ship and your tidy crew. This place is a flying mansion. You have all you want.

Soloman: No, no, no, you see that’s the beauty of life. No matter how many of your wildest desires or fulfilled, there’s always more. That’s what I want, dear JACK, I want more, and you, you’re going to help me.