"Oh, is that so? I understand. Don't worry, I'll handle it."
"You've been promoted to Commodore? Congratulations, Captain Sean—no, I should call you Commodore Sean now. Are you being reassigned to the New World? Wonderful.
I hope we meet again there. The new Captain for Loguetown? I've got it. Rest assured, I'll deal with it."
Dande tossed the Den Den Mushi back to Miss Robin. He knitted his brows, lapsing into a deep silence.
That call had been to his business partner, the former Base Commander of Loguetown, now Commodore Sean. Sean wasn't particularly powerful, but he wasn't a dogmatist for "Absolute Justice," nor was he excessively corrupt.
His philosophy was simple: he was just an ordinary man with limited ability, and as long as he protected his jurisdiction and the civilians within it, he had done his job.
Dande had worked well with him for years. Honestly, seeing Sean leave felt like losing a limb.
As for the Inspectorate... according to the intel Sean leaked, Dande had been using the "vicious Moke Pirates" as an excuse to request military funds for years. Headquarters was finally starting to suspect he was embezzling.
After all, the Marines knew the East Blue's reality. Thanks to a certain Marine Hero frequently visiting home, there weren't supposed to be any powerful pirate crews left.
And then there was the 16th Branch.
In the past few years, they hadn't caught a single notable pirate. Instead, they'd been "chasing" one specific crew for nearly three years, letting that crew's bounty grow from zero to 30 million Berries. All the while, the 16th Branch cried poverty, claiming heavy losses and outdated equipment to secure funding.
Headquarters found it fishy. Why was this "powerful" pirate crew only bullying the 16th Branch? Why were they strong enough for the Grand Line but refusing to leave the East Blue? It looked like a personal vendetta—or a very poorly staged play.
"What do we do? What do we do?! I heard the Inspectorate has already reached the base!" Nami paced the room frantically.
She looked at the brooding Dande, bit her lip, and made a decision. "Let's go! Let's just become pirates together! I'll navigate, we'll take a ship, and make a run for it. With my skills, we can definitely outrun the Marines!"
She looked up at the ceiling in despair. "I don't want to be locked up in a cell at my age..."
Dande looked at her with a mix of amusement and comfort. "Don't worry. Even if they arrest someone, it'll be me. You're just a Chief Petty Officer. You're not even registered at Headquarters. They don't even know you exist."
Neither Robin nor Nami was on the official books. Robin, for obvious reasons regarding her past, and Nami, because her paperwork "hadn't been sent yet." A branch-level officer was a drop in the ocean to Headquarters.
"What are you saying?!" Nami snapped, grabbing Dande by his collar. "I'm over here worrying myself sick, and you're talking like it doesn't matter? Didn't you ask me to be your partner? Dammit, I don't want to be a pirate, but we don't have a choice!"
She glared at him. This man was infuriating.
"Captain Dande, we know you're not a bad person," Genzo, the town's sheriff, sighed as he watched Nami's outburst. "But if things are really that bad... do what Nami says. Run. We'll help block the Marines to buy you time."
"Yeah! Run, Captain! We heard the Marine Hero is with them!"
"Don't worry about the town. We'll never forget what you've done for us."
"Alright, alright, that's enough," Dande patted Nami's hand, cutting off the chorus of concern. "I know you're worried, but it's not that dire yet."
He tapped his fingers on the table. Once the room fell silent, he spoke with a neutral expression. "I will handle it. Everyone, back to work." He paused. "If it really comes to the worst, I'll take your advice and run."
The townspeople let out a collective sigh of relief. They didn't want their benefactor arrested. Dande was a "good person" in their eyes—he'd kicked out the pirates and the corrupt Marines before them, and he'd put food on their tables. They filed out quietly, trying not to add to his stress.
"Do you really have a plan?" Nami asked, rubbing her hand where he'd patted it. "That hurt! And seriously, that's the Marine Hero we're talking about. Robin, help me talk some sense into the Boss!"
Robin, who had been calmly sipping tea and reading a book, finally looked up with a small, elegant smile. "The Boss is a clever man. He doesn't need our worrying. Besides, I'm just a lowly secretary. Why would the Boss listen to me?"
She shook her head with a sigh. "If it fails, I suppose we'll just have to find a new employer."
Dande rolled his eyes at her sarcasm. "It's just an investigation. They have no hard evidence. We are Marines who uphold Justice; why would we ever do something illegal?"
Nami rolled her eyes. As a navigator, she had personally guided Moke's ship more than once. She knew exactly what was going on. This guy is trying to lie to himself!
"Ahem." Dande cleared his throat. "Every Berry of military funding was requested through legal channels. It's just that the Moke Pirates are so incredibly vicious that the 16th Branch couldn't hold them off without better gear. It's all for the sake of world peace!"
He wasn't actually worried about Garp. Garp's own track record was messier than his, and since Dande wasn't actually a criminal or a "real" pirate, Garp would likely slack off if he tried to escape—just like he did with Morgan.
The real headache was Smoker. That man was a straight arrow. If he decided to catch you, he'd go all out.
However, Smoker's current strength didn't scare him. It wouldn't be that easy to catch him. Of course, Dande preferred not to become a fugitive.
Dande steepled his fingers, his face turning grave. "I suspect the East Blue is about to produce another 'Big Shot.' The Moke Pirates... they are a crew of truly terrifying criminals!"
As long as Moke wasn't caught, no one could prove collusion.
He pulled out his Den Den Mushi and dialed a number. "Hey, Moke?"
"Boss!" a booming voice answered. "I'm heading to the Conomi Islands right now! Udo is on the ship too, plus a few guys I've never seen. Are they your new recruits?"
The voice was cheerful. "I saw them in a dinky boat heading for the islands, so I just told 'em to hop aboard. Anyway, Boss, why'd you call?"
"...I had something to say, but now I don't. Goodbye. And don't call me Boss anymore."
"???"
Before the confused Moke could respond, the line went dead.
Dande sat in silence, staring at the receiver. He let out a long, weary sigh. "What a disaster."
A short while earlier.
Near the waters of the 16th Branch, a massive pirate ship glided across the sea. The flag—a skull with fish bones—was the mark of the "vicious" Moke Pirates.
The ship was riding low in the water, clearly carrying a heavy cargo.
"ACHOO!"
A massive sneeze thundered across the deck.
"Boss," a subordinate said, looking up at the three-meter-tall bald giant rubbing his nose. "The 16th Branch is right up ahead. Should we stop by?"
"Stop by for what? We're pirates, remember?" Moke smacked the back of the subordinate's head. "Don't cause trouble for Boss Dande. We'll unload at Cocoyasi Town first, then go see him later."
Dande had trained him personally, and Moke knew the rules.
The subordinate pouted, rubbing his head. "Well... there's a small boat that just left the 16th Branch base. Do we ignore that, too?"
"A small boat?" Moke squinted toward the horizon. Sure enough, a tiny vessel was rowing toward Cocoyasi Town.
Leaving the 16th Branch? In such a small boat? Maybe they were in trouble.
Moke rubbed his bald head. "We're all brothers here. Go ask if they need help. At that speed, they won't reach the town until sunset."
He waved a massive hand. "Pull the ship alongside. See if they need a lift!"
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