"Oh yeah, there's a big island. Ships go there often enough. Trade and transportation and whatnot. Not that it's a trade hub, but enough people live there so that people can make money," the woman said.
"It's about two weeks out," the man added. "By ship. Longer if the weather turns, shorter if the winds like you."
Two weeks, Sonder thought. Two weeks on the ocean. It wasn't something easy to dismiss.
"And there's nothing else in that direction?" she asked. "Nothing out of the ordinary?"
"Guess not. Not if you're looking for something specific."
The woman tilted her head, eyes narrowing just a touch. "You won't find it by swimming, if that's what you're thinking. That'd be a stupid idea."
"…I wasn't," Sonder lied.
It came to her that the idea of swimming a distance that far would be stupid.
It would have been embarrassing to admit that she seriously thought about it.
"Thank you," she said.
"Hold on, hold on," the woman said. "If you're set on going, you'll need a ship that'll make the voyage soon, right? Sooner rather than later, right?"
"Yes…?"
The woman leaned forward, resting her forearms on the table now.
"Our crew will leave for it tomorrow. Our ship is the big one docked at the harbor. And, only if you want, I can give you a discount. You can save a pretty penny. If you can pay and you don't cause trouble, our captain will take you and, of course, find room for you."
The man stared at the woman.
He didn't bother hiding it.
"A discount?" he repeated.
She shot him a look. "Yeah, a discount."
"Since when do you start selling passage without talking to the captain first?"
She looked at him. "…Man, can you shut up? Why're you always between me and making some coin?"
"'Cause," he said, "the captain's gonna hate that. We've already got a full manifest. Extra passengers mean extra food, extra space, and extra complaints."
"The captain always complains. He'll live."
"That's not the point."
"It never is with you or him."
Sonder stood quietly while they argued, hands folded around her staff.
Their voice rose and fell, like the waves of the ocean.
It was clear that the woman, even though she liked the man, was fed up that he got in her way.
Her hands waved around wildly when they argued. The man didn't; both arms were on the table, with one hand around his mug, just listening to her, except when he thought he'd make a good point.
"Uh," Sonder began, and both of them turned to listen to what she had to say. "I don't eat a lot, and I don't think I'll take up a lot of space."
The man rubbed his chin. "You are quite small, ain't you?"
"Obviously not quite human," the woman said to the man, like she was correcting him. "Well, you got any money?"