Elizabeth was successfully transported to the pirate ship, although the jump had required some support. The crew gathered back and although there were three more losses, Roschni was relieved that all three of her brothers had survived. The exchange between the pirates was both brisk and venomous. They had lost three men in total and with the loss of the captain, the ranks were thrown into turmoil. All wanted to be the one keeping an eye on their prize, but Roschni hadn't let anyone come near. She had pulled Elizabeth into her cabin and the woman now laid on Roschni's bed, as Roschni herself had kept Elizabeth at her own gun's point.<br/><br/>Roschni's oldest brother, Kumar, stood watch. Dhipin had taken it upon himself to take the news to the radio and he was accompanied by Daaruk. The middle brother had been afraid someone might try something. All the pirates were afraid of backstabbing one another now more than ever, and so the siblings tried to stick together as much as possible. They were all nervous, but fear was all too familiar to them. Yet, even if the situation was still on the edge, the most wondrous thing happened before Roschni. As she leered at Elizabeth over the barrel of her gun, she heard her brother whistle.<br/><br/>Kumar, as the oldest son, had taken charge of the family when their parents had died. He was eighteen at that time, a clever con artist who spent his time running from any opportunity that had presented itself to better his life. He was known for his slick talk, a jubilant smile and frequent whistling. His friends had nicknamed Kumar 'Flute' because of it and Kumar wore the alias with pride. Until the bombing, that was. Since the bombing, a once rowdy and rebellious youth had taken on the eyes of a much older man and he'd grown silent. To hear him whistle again, even if he occasionally threatened to put a bullet into a marauder trying to make his way past Kumar, brought a tear to Roschni's eye.<br/><br/>“It's good.” She said as she smiled at her Kumar's back. “You've been too silent, Flute.”<br/><br/>Kumar shrugged without looking back, his eyes ever so watchful on the deck. “The ties have turned. Perhaps we can start a new life.” He murmured. His voice was low, but undeniably hopeful.<br/><br/>“I hope we can buy a house.” Roschni added almost gleefully, momentarily forgetting the situation, even if she still had a sound aim on Nixon's head. She fixed her grip, though her expression was another story.<br/><br/>“Don't dream yet, Ros.” Kumar said. “We have a long way to go.”<br/><br/>“Don't you ever dream, Flute? Dream of what will happen next?” Roschni asked. Kumar shrugged again and let out a small sight before he replied.<br/><br/>“After this war we will build a house.” He said. “Perhaps not a very big one, but I would like a house. I want a place for us. I want to keep our family close. Perhaps one day we will have a new family.”<br/><br/>“A drifter like you thinking of marriage, Flute?” Roschni giggled, and teased; “Are you not a free man?”<br/><br/>“There's been too much chaos.” Her brother replied with a long sigh, before once again he had to push his rifle into another man's face. “Back off, I'll fire this time!” Roschni heard Kumar shout, before the silence fell again. She stared at their prize laying on her bed from tip till toe. She'd wrapped her own blankets tightly around Elizabeth's legs to halt the bleeding. Roschni would need new blankets, she knew. Although with a total of six losses (and a high likelihood of everything useful aboard the ship that had carried Elizabeth being looted,) it would not be hard to find spares.<br/><br/>As time passed, the pirates got restless. As did Roschni and Kumar. They'd stopped giggling and whistling, Kumar had even broke a fellow pirate's nose when he had threatened him. Roschni's wrist was getting tired as well, and she'd switched the gun between her hands for the fifth time by now. “What's keeping Didi?” Roschni asked Kumar, but her brother's reply was a shrug. Something wasn't going as planned with the radio, that's all Roschni knew, but if anyone had tried to throw her brothers off board, she would have heard. Roschni's nerves had taken enough that day and the waiting for the radio reply and Dhipin were gnawing at what was left of her patience.<br/><br/>“Why are you so important?” She suddenly asked Elizabeth, trying her best to sound bored. Roschni's eyes wandered to the woman's hands. For some reason, Roschni hadn't been able to look directly into Elizabeth's eyes ever since they'd gotten off the other ship. “This was the first time we had to kill a whole crew to get what we want. What was up with that?”<br/><br/>Yet right after Roschni had asked her question, the engines of the boat started. They would be moving again in mere minutes, and Roschni smiled as she thought she knew why...