of grease entirely； and Muzzlecrank preferred to stay as far away from them as possible。
Fights like that usually meant that he had to draw his gun； and every time he did that he ran the risk of someone
figuring out that he was really bad at using the stupid thing。 Oh sure； he could fire it easily enough any idiot could
do that； just point and pull the trigger； and a pressed air burst sent a out to snare whatever you were
shooting at but his aim was lousy； and the always missed the target and usually made a big mess。 Luckily； the
site of a bruiser pointing a gun with a giant muzzle at you was enough to stop most fights or at least slow them
down long enough for reinforcements to arrive。
Since then； no more actual fights had broken out； but there were a lot more terse words and heated exchanges
happening。 It had gotten to the point where many of the merchant ships were now ing into Ratchet with armed
escorts the orc vessels with warriors from rimmar； the human ships with soldiers from Northwatch。
Muzzlecrank s beat was the northernmost section of the pier； a section that had twenty berths。 As Muzzlecrank
wandered down the woodenplanked pier； he saw that fifteen of the twenty docks were filled； but things were
mostly quiet。 This was a huge relief。 The sun shone down on his face； warming him in his mail armor。 Perhaps
today would be a good day。
After a few minutes； the sun went away。 Muzzlecrank glanced up to see that several clouds had rolled in； and it
looked likely to rain soon。 Muzzlecrank sighed he hated rain。
As he neared the end of the dock； he saw a human and an orc having an animated conversation。 Muzzlecrank didn t
like the look of this。 Animated conversations between humans and orcs these days tended to end in violence。
He moved in closer。 The human s boat was docked right next to the orc s； in the two northernmost berths。
Muzzlecrank recognized the orc as Captain Klatt of the Raknor； a merchant who served as the dealer of crops from
the farmers in the Razor Hill region。 Though he could not remember the human s name； Muzzlecrank knew his ship
was a fishing trawler called the Passion s Reward for some odd reason。 Muzzlecrank had never understood human
naming conventions。 Klatt had named the Raknor after his brother； who died fighting the Burning Legion； but he
hadn t the first clue what the name Passion s Reward had to do with anything； least of all fishing。
The exchange was a mon one。 Farming was difficult in the Dustwallow Marshes where humans had settled on
Kalimdor； but there was plenty of fishing。 Razor Hill； meanwhile； was too far inland for fishing to be practical so
humans often traded their surplus catches for the orcs surplus crops。
I will not trade you my finest salmon for this refuse！
Muzzlecrank sighed。 Obviously today trade was not going to go well。
Klatt stomped his foot。 Refuse？ You lyin little twerp these are our best crops！
A sad mentary on your farming； the human said dryly。 That fruit looks as though it was stepped on by an
ogre smells like it； too。
I ain t gonna stand here and be insulted by a human！
The human drew himself up to full height； which made him e up to the orc s shoulders。 You re not the one
being insulted here。 I ve brought you my finest catch； and you offer me the bottom of the barrel in exchange。
Your salmon ain t fit for mulch！
Too late； Muzzlecrank noticed that the human was armed with what looked like a longsword while Klatt was
weaponless。 Assuming the human was skilled in the blade s use； it negated whatever advantage Klatt s size gave
him in a fight。
And your fruit isn t fit for dogs！
Coward！
Muzzlecrank winced at Klatt s words。 Coward was the biggest insult any orc could deliver。
Filthy greenskin！ I ve half a mind to
Whatever the human had half a mind to do was lost as Klatt charged him。 The human was unable to unsheathe his
longsword in time； and the two of them rolled across the dock； Klatt pummeling the human。
Wondering how； precisely； he was supposed to break this up； he was relieved of immediate action by the human s
escort。 Three guards wearing the plate armor that signified they were part of Lady Proudmoore s forces leapt out of
the Passion s Reward and pried Klatt off the captain。
However； Klatt would not be dissuaded by a mere three humans。 He punched one in the stomach； grabbed the
second； and threw him into the third。
Now the orcs were starting to move off the Raknor to join in the fray。 Muzzlecrank realized he had to do something
before this got out of hand。
Hefting his gun and hoping with all his heart and soul that he wouldn t be called upon to use it； he bellowed；
All right； that s it！ Cut it out； and I mean now； or all a ya are in deep； unnerstan ？
Klatt； who was about to jump on the human captain； stopped in his tracks。 His target； blood gushing from his nose
and mouth； cried； He attacked me！ The human s voice had an odd twang to it that was probably the result of
damage to his nose。
Yeah； well； you deserved it； goin back on your word like that； Klatt said with a sneer。
That s no reason to kill a man！
I said； cut it out！ Muzzlecrank spoke before Klatt could respond。 Both a ya are under arrest。 You either e
peaceablelike or in pieces； makes me no never mind。 He looked at both the orc warriors and the human soldiers。
This here s goblin country； an that means I give the orders here； got it？ So that gives ya two choices help me put
these two in the hoosegow till an arbiter can take the case； or get your keisters outta Ratchet。 Your choice。
Technically； Muzzlecrank s words were true。 He had deliberately deepened his voice in the hope that it would give
his words an air of authority。 But he also knew that he had no way of stopping any of these people if they decided
to ignore him and continue fighting。 If he shot the gun； he d just get one of the tether posts covered in a or
something。
To his relief； one of the humans said； We will do as you wish。
Apparently； the orcs weren t about to be seen to be violating the goblins sovereignty on Ratchet when the humans
were； and so one of the orcs quickly said； So will we。
As he led Klatt and the bleeding human back to the mainland； Muzzlecrank tried to get his breathing under control
before he hyperventilated。 He wasn t meant for this kind of stress。 He wondered what other job he d be good at。
Being a bruiser had definitely lost its appeal。
Major Davin was so angry； he started pulling at his beard； and had to consciously force himself to stop。 The last
time he got that angry； he ripped tufts out； which not only was painful； but violated the dress code。
The focus of his ire was the substance of Corporal Rych s report； given after his hasty return to Northwatch from
Ratchet。 They actually arrested Captain Joq？
Well； to be fair； sir； Rych said； they done arrested that orc； there； too； sir。 Soon as the argument het up； one of
the goblin s bruisers done stepped in。
And you let them arrest Joq？
Rych blinked。 I didn t have no choice； sir。 Goblins ve got jurisdiction in Ratchet。 We ain t got no
Davin shook his head。 No authority； I know； I know。 He got up from his chair and started pacing the office；
walking toward the door at first。 It s ridiculous。 We shouldn t be subject to this kind of idiocy。
Sir； I don t see what they ll be
The orcs have a nerve； trying to cheat us like that。 He turned and paced toward the window。
Nodding his head quickly； Rych said； That s certainly true； sir。 The fruits they done offered us； why； they was just
vile； sir。 An insult； it was。 And then the orc； he done attacked the cap n。 For no reason； neither。
The major stopped pacing when he reached the window。 He stared out at the view of the Great Sea。 Small waves
lapped gently against the sandy beach。 It painted a peaceful picture； one that Davin knew was deceptive。 This is
out of control。 If the orcs keep on like this； it s only a matter of time before we are at war once again。
I don t think that ll be happenin ； sir。 Rych sounded skeptical； but Davin knew better。
Oh； it will； Corporal； of that you can be absolutely sure。 And with the tauren and the trolls on their side； they will
overwhelm us unless we are prepared。 He turned to the door。 Private！
Private Oreil came in。 As always when he saw his aide； Davin sighed。 No matter how many times the young private
was fitted； his armor was always too big on him。 Yes； sir？
Send a message to Theramore right away。 We need reinforcements as soon as possible。
Yes； sir； right away； sir。 Oreil saluted and left the watch office to go find the scrying stone that Lady Proudmoore
had provided to facilitate munication between Northwatch and Theramore。 Detailed conversations couldn t be
held through it； but messages could be sent。
Rych scratched his cheek thoughtfully。 Uh； sir； with all due respect； and all is this bein such a good idea； sir？
Very much so。 Davin sat back down at his desk； no longer feeling the need to rip out his beard hairs now that he
was taking action。 I m not letting those greenskinned bastards catch us off guard。
Twelve
A egwynn really wished the annoying young woman would just go away。
That wasn t going to happen； of course。 Aegwynn was too much of a realist to think otherwise。 But it didn t stop
her from wishing it with all her heart。 She had been alone for two decades and had e to appreciate being by
herself。 Indeed； she d been happier these past twenty years than the hundreds of years prior to her exile to
Kalimdor。
She had truly hoped that these highlands； surrounded as they were by impassable mountains； were remote enough；
and that the wards were lowlevel enough； that no one would find her。 In retrospect； that was a forlorn hope。
I can t believe you re still alive。
This Proudmoore woman sounded like a teenager。 Aegwynn knew it wasn t her standard mode only because she
had modulated into it upon learning who Aegwynn was。
Proudmoore went on： You ve always been one of my heroes。 When I was an apprentice； I studied the records of
your deeds you were the greatest of the Guardi