Captain Hardass mentioned food at the mill, if you don't mind wading through the soldiers for it.

[For his part, Locke's very unfond of them on principle and is thus busy walking in the opposite direction at the moment, or he'd offer to be a bit more helpful.]

I'd be careful about sticking around too long, though.

If it helps they don't seem to be paying anyone much mind yet. But it sounds like anyone who hasn't skipped out before morning's gonna get themselves conscripted.

[And really, to hell with that. There's a pause before he continues, because all that sounds a lot more serious than it ought to. For once they hadn't been short of food on the ship for a while, so what could have happened?]

You okay, kid?

[Too late, he's already worrying. Especially since Link sounds like he'll make a terrible and noisy thief at the best of times.]

They'll notice less if you're not busting up the crockery.

[The soldiers may be giving the passengers the relative run of the place, but odds are they still wouldn't react kindly to breaking and entering. Emphasis on the breaking. After a moment:]

Can you give me an hour? You don't sound much like you're in any shape to be sneaking around.

[And it shouldn't take Locke more than an hour to get back to the mill and out of it again.]

Don't you worry about me, I'm a pro.

[He'll find the term "thief" insulting, but it doesn't make it any less...accurate. He certainly sounds confident about it. Gotten himself in and out of occupied cities before, and guard seems to be low while they get used to the new arrivals so hopefully-]

They won't even know I was there.

[Well, if you insist.]

First one is to try not to break anything if you don't have to.

[...Unless that's what you're there for, in which case go ahead, but be careful about it. He's already turned himself around to head back toward the mill. Bit of a detour, but it sounds like the kid needed the help and those rebels in the woods don't sound like they're going anywhere without him just yet.]

Where are you? Stay put and I'll get in touch again once I'm nearby.

[He winces a little behind the feed. Kid, you are a hazard. (And Celes calls him a troublemaker.) A fire wouldn't be a bad idea some other time, but he's quick to shoot it down.]

Not unless you want trouble. If they're trying to hunt down those men in the woods, those soldiers'll be watching for smoke.

[And they probably won't care to ask questions first when they come looking for the source.]

Stick near the docks and I'll call if I can't find you.

[They'll make a sneaky bastard out of you, yet. A pause. Very belatedly-]

It's Locke, by the way.

[Sheesh. "Mister" again. He'll never get used to that.]

Alright, then. Hold tight, Link. I won't be long, I promise.

[And he's nothing if not a man of his word. It takes him a little longer than expected, but slightly more than an hour later, he's scanning the port for people, carrying a small canvas bag over a shoulder. Not as much as he'd have liked to liberate from the kitchens, but as much as he could get away with without pressing his luck. There's someone sitting not far from the shadow of the Charon still looming at the dock. Close enough to what he remembers of the initial video - blonde, green hat, yep. Oughta be him. He whistles once to announce his presence, loud and sharp, in case Link hasn't caught wind on him yet.]

[Atta boy. He makes a better impression of competence in person, at least. Locke swings the bag off a shoulder to dig for a hunk of dry bread and tosses it Link's way by way of a hello. Assuming the kid catches it, he'll offer the rest when he gets close enough. Bread, cheese, some dried meat, taken from the rations the soldiers were passing out to the newcomers. Not a feast by any means, but he knows better than to turn his nose up.]

Link, right? Didn't keep you waiting too long, did I?

Usually they'll drop us off in places like this for a week or so.

[COMPASS, that is. Every time they dock, it lasts a week precisely. But the war-]

But I'll tell you what, I don't like the look of that Captain guy. It doesn't sound like those men in the woods can last much longer, the way things are. And a situation like this one is only gonna get worse before it gets better.