“From where?”

“Records disagree.”

“Convenient.”

“One source gives Peshtul. Another cites somewhere south at the Val Salian Passage. A third claims he came from some Dinnish enclave.”

“So no one knows.”

“No.”

“What did he do?”

“Captured seventeen merchant vessels.”

Kimia looked at the map.

“For Ivenmozh?”

“For himself.”

“Zhen why are we discussing Ivenmozh?”

“They purchased eleven.”

Kimia closed her eyes.

“Of course zhey did.”

“Cheaply.”

“How cheaply?”

Kalgkur gave the number.

Kimia opened her eyes.

“Zhat is robbery.”

“Yes.”

“By Ivenmozh.”

“Yes.”

“From zhe pirate.”

“Privateer.”

“He stole seventeen ships and Ivenmozh stole eleven of zhem from him.”

“Commercial negotiation.”

“Kalgkur.”

Another infrasonic vibration. Kimia realized the old baxxid was enjoying himself.

This pleased her.

“What happened to zhe other six?”

“Two disappeared.”

“Meaning?”

“No record.”

“'Zhree?”

“Sold to competing Houses.”

“And zhe last?”

“Returned.”

“Why?”

“Wrong cargo.”

Kimia stared.

“What was in it?”

Kalgkur looked down at the page.

“Religious pilgrims.”

“Zhat stopped him?”

“No. They had no money.”

Kimia put one hand over her eyes.

The room felt better.

Not good. Better.

History possessed a tremendous therapeutic quality when one was sufficiently distant from the people being harmed.

The dead could no longer ask for assistance. Their catastrophes had conclusions.

Even chaos became chronological after enough centuries.

Kalgkur continued.

The privateers had operated through hundreds of islands, coves, false registries, neutral ports, informal agreements, marriages, bribes, ransom networks, and arrangements whose legality depended entirely on which government was reading them.

House Ivenmoth condemned piracy. House Ivenmoth insured ships against piracy. House Ivenmoth hired escorts to protect ships from piracy. House Ivenmoth purchased captured goods from individuals it did not officially recognize as pirates.

At least one Minor House had simultaneously financed two rival privateer companies, each unaware that the other ultimately reported to the same financiers.

Kimia listened.

“So nobody knew what anyone was doing.”

“They knew enough.”

“Zhat sounds familiar.”

“Yes.”

“And Ivenmozh gained from it.”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Ports.”

Kalgkur pointed.

“Warehouses.”

Another point.

“Shipyards.”

Another.

“Debt.”

He indicated three islands.

“Influence.”

A line along the coast.

Kimia followed where he was pointing.

Out of the violence emerged infrastructure. Out of disorder emerged contracts. Out of contracts emerged obligation.

Then enough time passed and obligation became history.

“What happened to zhe privateers?”

“Most disappeared.”

“Killed?”

“Some.”

“Retired?”

“Some.”

“Absorbed?”

“Many.”

“Into Ivenmozh?”

“And others.”

Kimia looked at the map.

“Of course.”