Ships

People pretend not to know what you’re
talking about but when you say it they
cannot hide the recognition in their eyes.
A pack of men with knives slide them along
the brick walls of alleys making sparks that
just barely illuminate their faces. They kick over
anything in their way including people just stopping
for a moment to check their watches.
Mobs like this are what run everything
the most violent in their medium, and the
least likely to show mercy. They are obsessed
with the idea of never looking weak
and will kill to preserve that reputation.
The only way to fight them is to remind them
at every opportunity that they are cowards and
not give them the satisfaction of taking notice
of the weaponry. The preservation of authority
and corrupt hierarchy are the goals of people
like this, and they have mastered the art of
minimizing beautiful ships and locking them
tightly in bottles.