The city cistern had been emptied years ago, and tonight, the illegal Market of the Scorpion had been set up in its place. As far as Sabik knew, Longport was aware of the market, but they weren't doing anything about it. At least that's what Lieutenant Suzaku Baines had reported to them before swearing that his father was the only official who wanted to mobilize a raid on the marketplace.

Seemed that for whatever reason, the Fleet Admiral's word didn't hold much weight anymore. That only served to worry Sabik. The Durantan Navy had never been content with illegal activities on the island. That was until today. Someone in the Navy was letting this happen right under their noses. Literally.

Sabik pulled his dark hood over his head and looked beside him. Jade Harris had an emerald green cloak on, the hood hiding most of her face in a shadow. It nearly covered her eyes. They'd both been around the Tranan Pirate Syndicate on different sides. Going to the market was risky, but Sabik hadn't another choice.

The cistern was underneath the Naval headquarters and back, hundreds of years ago, the island used it to store purified water. In the dry cistern, pillars stood, each carved with the depictions of the star gods and goddesses. Cassiopeia, Hera, Apollo, Orion; each a pillar of their own, holding up the ground above their heads. It was hard to imagine that for years this entire chamber had been drowned in water.

Soft red light illuminated the aisles of the vendor's tents. Each one set up with rich purple, green, and yellow fabrics slung up as cover. Scents wafted through the air; rich Jhataran spices mingling with thick, secondhand smoke. In the candlelight, stolen goods and illegal weapons shimmered, waiting for purchase.

They made their way down the aisles. Sabik kept his face down, glancing up only at vendors as they passed. He felt awkward in his clothes. He had swapped out his traditional kurta for one of Haworth's white button ups. Blending in at the Market of the Scorpion was necessary for him. He was sure he had passed a few of his old crew mates already. And if anyone recognized them from their fight back in Aydesreve, they would be just as unlucky.

Sabik saw the tent he was interested in at the end of the aisle. He glanced at Jade. She raised her eyebrows, her green eyes glinting. "You've found it?"

"I think so," he said. "Act confident or they will not sell--"

"Oh, lecture me when you stop looking at your shoes, Dr. Nejem."

The vendor's tent was draped in blue fabrics, studded with silvery threads. Smoke fluttered out of the curtain door. Jade coughed on the smoke. With a deep breath, Sabik stepped inside the tent. Jade followed. The tent was dark inside, illuminated by a dim caged lantern that sent spines of light out across the small space. Sabik bowed at the man in the tent. The pirate was short, with shoulder-length brown hair adorned with beads and golden coins. He wore a dirt-stained tunic. With a nod back, he directed Sabik and Jade to take a seat on the velvet-covered floor.

The pirate made a contemplative noise before drawing a pipe back to his mouth and puffing out the smoke. Sabik knew he'd have to make the first move or he'd be sitting there for hours. "Your wares?"

"Hm. What are you looking for tonight?"

You only asked for helioflorum directly if you wanted a vendor to spit in your face and turn you away. Helioflorum sold for high prices, but it was hard to produce. It was often sold to people who were more likely to form and support an addiction.

"Something strong."

"Something strong?" He puffed on the pipe again. The smoke smelled like flowers and burnt wood.

"Let me be honest with you. I have tried everything by now," Sabik said, setting his eyebrows in, acting the best he could. "And none of it has an effect anymore."

"Everything?"

"No, not everything, in fact."

"I see," The man said, turning around briefly to look through a coffer of wares. He closed it before taking anything out. "It's not for her, is it?" He asked, glancing at Jade.

"It is for me."

The man cocked an eyebrow before opening the coffer. He pulled a small drawstring bag out and set it in Sabik's hand. "That's 25,000 tyche."

Sabik drew the bag open by the drawstrings. Just what he expected--helioflorum powder, blush-colored like candy sugar. For many, it worked almost instantly, causing hallucinations and detached feelings. It contained a certain compound that could cause memory loss in high doses which was exactly the compound Sabik wanted to research. He'd need to isolate that compound, which meant that working with such a processed form of the drug would do him no good. He pulled the bag closed and handed it back to the vendor.

"You are going to laugh at me," Sabik said. "But I am opposed to processed...wares."

The vendor did laugh. "Does it matter? It'll fuck you up any way you have it." With a sigh, he turned back to the coffer. "I have the flowers, but you'd need at least five to get the same high. I wouldn't recommend--."

"I will pay you 30,000 tyche for five."

"Doctor!" Jade whispered.

He chuckled. "Your wife does not condone your spending habit."

"That is not my problem," Sabik said. He glanced furtively at Jade who looked less than impressed with his acting.

The truth was, handing over 30,000 tyche was making him feel sick to his stomach, but his fingers ached for the helioflorum, not because he wanted to use it himself, but because he needed it if he had any chance of saving his brother.

The pirate picked out a second bag from the coffer, but he didn't give it to Sabik. Instead he brought his pipe to his lips and glanced at the entrance of the tent. His face screwed up in disbelief. "Hey!" He shouted. "You owe me money!" The pirate glanced out the entrance, then poked his head back in. "Don't touch anything," he ordered. "I'll be back."

Sabik frowned. "I hope this doesn't mess up my chances of--"

"Shh," Jade brushed him off. "He'll give it to anyone willing to pay him 30,000 tyche for it."

Sabk nodded, staring stoically at the floor, feeling less than comfortable by Jade's side.

Jade ran her hand over the velvet on the floor. The awkwardness didn't seem lost on her. "So, why do they call this the Market of the Scorpion?"

"Star stories."

"You say that with so much disbelief."

"And you believe that there are gods in the stars?"

"A little," Jade shrugged.

"Well I am Jhataran. We do not believe in such things," Sabik said. While Sabik was no Durantan, he was trained in a Tranan school, so he learned about everything about the Eastern World, including religion and the star stories. Jade, on the other hand, had, from his understanding, little to no formal education. Jade still looked at him expectantly.

"Okay, well, Ophiuchus, the constellation, a great doctor, was known for bringing the dead back to life."

"That is categorically impossible. I see why you do not believe these things," Jade added.

"He used divination, dreams, and a serpent to heal people. The Scorpion's mission is a different one. His goal is to injure and kill. You can see Ophiuchus up in the summer sky, stepping on the heart of the Scorpion for all eternity while the Scorpion stings him back."

"And what does this have to do with the Market?" Sabik asked.

"I do not know, really. There are two types of people in this world--the healers and the fighters. And I think you are a Scorpion, Harris."

Jade scoffed. "Funny."

Sabik glanced at the tent, where the merchant entered again, looking as polished as when he left only moments earlier. He opened a locked chest and retrieved an item. "Sorry for the trouble," he mumbled. He dropped a bag of helioflorum flowers into Sabik's hands. "30,000 tyche for your wares."

Sabik handed him the money, and the pirate carefully counted it. Sabik pocketed his flowers quickly and left before he could give any opportunity for the pirate to rescind his sale. Jade stepped out into the smoky aisles of the market with him. "Which one are you Doctor?," she asked. "A healer or a fighter?"

Sabik gripped the velvet pouch and grinned in the shadow of his hood. "I cannot be both?"