Gaja gazed around the wreckage.
"How did those blasted minons of Irintava get to our ships when they were here?" he moaned, picking up a pile of broken sticks."
"Maybe they sent in a raider." Nadu suggested.
"Unlikely. They aren't supposed to be good at fighting on land."
"Perhaps they were pirate ninjas. Master fighters, I hear."
"Ninjas?"
"Another time, another place. I hear they live to the north somewhere."
"But most people live to the north. There's nothing to the south."
"Hmm... maybe it's the south then."
"That's what you say sonny!" interrupted a third voice.
"Yes Sanjay?"
"Back in my day, we barely even let the pirates onto the beach! Their feet would touch dry sand and BANG! They're dead! We'd cut 'em down with zero losses on our own side! And back then, we knew how ta build ships- and how to hide 'em too. Nothing like these cheap driftwood disasters you call 'ships'. Yessiree, those were the good 'ol days. Growin' up in constant fear- 'cause ya know, back then you'd never know if you were goin' ta wake up with a unshaven, wild-eyed pirate pilfering through yer house. O' course, we had to be tougher too. I'd fight off a few when I was just a wee little boy- barely out of the crib. Kids these days, yer all a bunch of little soft, stupid weaklin's."
The old man hobbled over to Gaja and shoved at him ineffectually.
"And back in the day, young'ns like you showed some respect. Nowadays, you go around acting like ya can't get pushed over. By Irintava, you darn well near attacked me! Gimme that stick, let me show you how it's done!"
"Um, Sanjay, maybe you should- ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"
"Come on, you little pansy! Show Sanjay that ya kids can fight nowadays!"
Nadu picked up a stick and slowly blocked each blow- perhaps Sanjay's reflexes weren't what they used to be.
"Ah, ya can't even hit me! That's exactly what's wrong with you kids these days! Yer too reverent of your elders."
Sanjay sighed and leaned down on his stick.
"Wait! Look at that! Ya young'ns should still look at us with reverence for our brains! I'll call this a cane! Now! Get back ta work! Damn kids, always talking and being lazy! Work! Work! I want these ships rebuilt by sundown. And I want some more of 'em for good measure. Don't you be lazy with 'em, make 'em like I said they used to! Faster dangit!"