"Sanji! More beer!"

It was lunchtime, on the final day of their stay at the Baratie. The Straw Hats and the two bounty hunters were sitting at their regular table, waiting for their last meal in the Space Restaurant. Three days had been spent repairing their warp core until finally, the computer announced it functional.

"So anyway, where was I?" Luffy spoke. "Ah, right. So, no matter how much I ate, I always stayed lanky as fuck. I mean look at these arms!"

"Pff! Weak!" Zoro joked.

"And yet, whenever we had our mandatory med exam with school, you know what the doc said?" He spoke in an exagerated monotonous tone: "'You. Are. Overweight.'"

His crew laughed heartily. The idea of their captain being overweight was unbelievable. He rarely took off his coat, but now that it was hanging off the back of his chair and he was sitting with only his T-shirt covering his torso, his arms were visible to them all. And they were, in a word, underwhelming. As thin as twigs. If they didn't know he was rubber, they'd think they could be snapped easily. He certainly looked anything but overweight. Then again, he didn't look strong either, but seeing him in battle had proven to them that he packed a punch as powerful as a pistol.

"Ah, Sanji! Say, have you decided to join our crew yet?"

San-Jacques, putting their beers on the table, frowned. "Non. And stop asking."

"Eh, you'll come around eventually."

For the past three days, Luffy had been trying to persuade the sous chef to join him on his grand adventure... to completely no avail. The blonde Francian was set on staying on the Baratie, no matter what. Despite his refusals, however, Luffy was sure that the sous chef actually wanted to leave and see the stars. He thought back to his conversation with chef Zeff.

"Sanji? Ya want Sanji fer yar crew?"

"Aye. He's a skilled fighter and a master cook."

Zeff huffed. "Ya can 'ave 'im if ya can convince 'im ta join."

"Really? Great!"

"Don' get yar 'opes up. Tha li'l eggplant is dead convinced he need ta... 'repay 'is debt ta me' or summin."

"Aye, he mentioned that. What's that all about?"

The chef was silent for a few moments. "Guess I can tell ya, old pirate to tha new gen... giennerayshun. Ya see, it was in my last year as a pirate that I got myself one of them pardons; I had friends in tha right places, ya see. I finally had enough money ta finally settle down an' open a restaurant, just like I always dreamed of.

"For old times sake, I decided to 'ave one good ol' raid, one final robbery to say goodbye. We set an ambush with our ship in tha Cozia star system. In two days, a cruise galleon warped in. Orbit, I think it was called. Full o' them rich folks to rob: a perrfict targit.

"Them didn' put much of a fight, none. Quickly surrenedered. Except for one: a small kitchen boy attacked me, thinkin' we was thar to steal food"

"Sanji?"

"None other. I asked: 'Boy. Why do ya fight? What ambition drives ya tor risk yar life like this?' And he said he wants to see tha Galaxy and master all of her kitchens, become a master chef o' master chefs. An inspiring goal, I say.

"But afore I could say anythin' more, an alarm warmed o' one o' them solar flares. Don' know how we missed that in tha mornin'. It was close, minutes away. I ordered to evacuate, but most of tha tech was already bein' fried. So, I grabbed tha kid and ran to tha excape pods. But most o' them was out of order and ther wasn' nuff room in tha rest. With only seconds ta spare, I ran, with tha kid, to tha cargo hold and hid in one o' them preservation chambers they use to store food. Urban myth is they can block out radiation. I put that myth to tha test."

"And? Do they?"

"I'm still here, ain' I? Anyway, me and Sanji were tha only survivors that day. But back then, I felt like we might as well have died. Both ships' systems were fried and tha backup life support systems only last a few weeks. Tha system wasn' exactly a major route and it would take a month afore anyone noticed a cruise liner was gone.

"Food rations wasn' plenty either. The only food that remained was in tha chamber, and it was just a few cans o' fish. So, I lied to tha boy, sayin' I had food aboard my ship and he could have wahtever was left on tha cruise liner. He said: 'Fine! And keep away from me!' Thats what I did. I don' know how long it was, There was no way to keep track o' time. I sat for a long time, my leg my only food."

"You ate your leg?!"

"Well it definitely didn' get infected and then amputated. I didn' want tha kid to starve. No one deserves to starve. But Sanji ate all o' his rations, probably didn' take him long, there wasn' much to begin with, and, when he beat his pride, he came to me to ask for food. When he saw what I did, he was shocked. Since then, that li'l eggplant is convinced he has some sort o' debt to pay.

"I don' want him to waste his life here. My life is tha restaurant now, but he's still young. If ya can convince him, he should come with ya."

"Thanks. But I'm still left with one question."

"Yeah?"

"How did you two survive?"

"Oh. A merchantman was passin' through, happened ta see us."

"... No spaceturtles then?"

Luffy would never admit it, but he was running out of ideas. No matter what he tried, the sous chef would not be swayed. And he had tried everything: promises of wealth and fame, wenches and meat, adventure and excitement; all of them were turned down. With each day, Sanji only got more annoyed with the pirate captain, if anything.

The lad sighed, slowly drinking his beer. As he put his tankard down, he noticed the two... 'inconspicuous merchants observing him. Upon noticing that his eyes were turned towards them, they quickly hid their gazes behind their communicators. Luffy hummed. The two strange individuals had stayed at the Baratie for the past three days. 'Why?' he wondered. 'Are they waiting for a contact? Is that why they turned me down?'

"Say, Luffy?" Nami got the captain's attention.

"Hm?"

"Those two people look suspicious. They've been staring at us since they arrived. Who do you reckon they are?"

"Oh, them? Didn't you hear how they introduced themselves? 'Inconspicuous merchants'. It's obvious."

"It is?"

"They're smugglers. Shanks told me that's how they introduce themselves. He taught me their code." He took a sip of beer. "I'll go talk to them, maybe I can sell them our stolen goods."

He walked towards the two 'inconspicuous merchants' a tipped his hat in greeting. The two stared at him with unreadable expressions.

"Lovely weather we're having, fellow merchants!"

"But we're in spac-..." the shorter one began, only to be yanked by the ear by his boss.

"Silence, underling," the taller man said sternly, before addressing Luffy: "But we're in space."

The straw-hatted lad smiled. "It is the waves of space what moves us, from place to place, and matterials change hands to travel to distant lands, where they haven't been before, even since the times of yore, cannot be tracked by the eye, so their home systems cry... for their loss."

The 'inconspicuous merchant' narrowed his eyes. "If you came here to recite poetry, sir, I regret to inform you, no interests in me do you stir. If there is nothing else... Underling, think of a rhyme."

"Uh-... uh-... take your business somewhere else? Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Pathetic. Do I have to do everything myself?" He directed his attention back at the pirate, only to realise that he had left, returning to his table. "Oh. He went back to eat his shells."

Luffy sat back down next to Nami and dug back into his mussels. "They aren't buying. They're full."

"Say, captain?" Nami asked him as he finished his drink.

"Hm?"

"Today's our last day here. Which means you're gonna have to pay our bill soon, yeah?"

"Yes."

"I was wondering... How are you planning to pay for all this? We've had plenty of expensive stuff, not to mention you always ordering a three-course meal. You don't have that much money, do you?" she leaned towards him, making sure he had a view down her top. "I can help you out," she continued, with a more seductive voice. "I can lend you some of my money... at a reasonable interest rate of, say... 25 percent... a day."

Luffy, who had a quick shameless gaze down her top with the look of a posh art critic, shook his head. "Won't be necessary. Thanks for the offer, but one really shouldn't pay with money one doesn't have. Besides, my cunning plan will take care of our bill."

"Ah yes, your 'cunning plan'. You've mentioned it several times during the past three days, but never elaborated. What exactly is this plan?"

The captain checked the clock on his communicator. "You'll see... in the next three hours, if I'm not mistaken."

Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet shook, the vibrations producing a faint sound of a crash. The people in the restaurant held onto the nearest tables or walls for balance. A few cried in surprise. The shaking swiftly stopped, leaving everybody stunned for a few moments.

After a few moments of stunned silence, one of the cooks, Paddy, went out to see what had caused the quake. Waiting for him quietly, everyone speculated what that was. Perhaps the asteroid had crashed into another asteriod, one of a considerable size? Had there been an explosion aboard one of the ships? Or, did somebody crash-land nearby.

Paddy returned after half a minute. "A war-galleon-class, all battered, jus' crashed next ta us!"

Luffy hummed. "That was quick," he muttered.

"What was quick?" Zoro asked.

All the eyes of the table were now on the captain. He stood up. "Gentlemen! Lady. There's about to be a punch-up. Don't order any food, please."

The dining chamber went silent. Thumps could be heard from outside the door, steps as loud as a giant's. They were slow and uneven, but they were coming their way. The people awaited, uttering no word, all eyes on the door. The tension filling the room got thicker and thicker with each consecutive step. And, after that bild up, though the door came the climax.

It came in the form of a male human, a mountain of a man. His short grey hair and sideburns gave him the look of a gruff, experienced man, but from his face it was evident that he couldn't be much older than fourty. He wore a fur-lined black cape, which was torn, burnt and otherwise damaged. However, the most notable thing about him was his powered armour: golden, fur lined, evidently equiped with weaponry. This intimidating figure, however, was ruined by the bandage he had over his forehead and the look on his face. His eyes were just begging for help.

"Welcome, ye good-fer-nuthin', piss-stained tuna can, to tha Baratie, best food ye can eat in space, and all tha'!"

"... Food," the man uttered. "I beg of you, give me food."

"Food? We 'ave lots o' tha'," Paddy confirmed. "But say, why for tha love o' Christ would we do tha', ye snivelin' cunt?"

He went on his knees. "Please! Have mercy? It... it would be the Christian thing to do, right?"

"Tha Christian thing, huh? Tha's rich, comin' from yer gob, Don Krieg! What did ye say agein when ye demolished tha' cathedral? 'Tha Dead God is a lie! There is only tha God of War!'"

"Please! He'll pay!" That was Gin, who had entered the dining chamber. "We have money this time."

"Nay! Ye two can piss off! We ain' givin' ye shit, ye-..."

"'Ere." That was Sanji, who had arrived with a bowl of stew. "Eat up, monsieur."

"Oh! Thank you! Bless you!" Without another word, the commodore in powered armour dug in, gulping down the stew like a man who hasn't eaten in weeks - which is what he was.

"Sanji! Wha' tha feck do ye think ye're doin'?!"

"He's 'ungry. As a cook, it is my duty to feed ze 'ungry."

"Do ye realise who he is!? Tha moment our backs are turned, he'll take advantage o' us!" Paddy went towards Krieg, who was on his knees, eating. He was aiming to kick his food from under his nose.

"Paddy!" Zeff''s voice stopped him. "Let tha guy eat 'is food!"

"But owna Zeff, he-..."

"Hunger is a sufferin' I wouldn' wish on mah worst enemy, Paddy. Let 'im eat."

"Owna Zeff, I-..."

"*BURP*!" Krieg, who had stuffed himself like a pig, wiped his mouth and got up. "Thank's for the food. Now... Here's my ultimatum: first, I demand food for a hundred more people; two once those people are fed, I'll be taking over this ship, so you all have to clear out by then; and three, you, Red Leg Zeff, will be giving me your navigation logs, from the times you sailed the Grand Line."

There were a few moments of silence as the gathered people took in what Don had said. Paddy was the first to break the silence: "Ye'll be gettin no food, ye cowardly arse-faced-..."

"I'll see what I can do," Sanji interrupted, going into the kitchen.

"Wha-... Sanji!" Paddy yelled.

"Let 'im prep tha food, Paddy!" Zeff, ordered. He then addressed the man in powered armour: "Ya can 'ave tha food, but tha otha two... no way! Tha restaurant is my life, an' I'll protect it with my life. As for tha navi logs... I don' have 'em. Solar flare fried 'em."

Commodore Don Krieg laughed, his powered armour humming loudly as he moved his fists to his hips. "I don't think you understand your tactical situation, old man! I have a crew of a hundred bloodthirsty buccaneers, while you have what, exactly? Half a dozen martial arts performers? Or are you expecting that your costumers will fight for you? You will give me this ship and your logs, or you will all die!"

Gin inhaled sharply. "But commodore, you promised-..."

"Stay out of this Gin!" the commodore grabbed the Demon by the collar, lifting him up. "You clearly don't see the big picture here! Think back. Think back to our expedition into the Grand Line. Think back to what happened to our flotilla. Drawn into that asteroid field, then ambushed. Decimated, and by three measly sloops, no less. And then, that nest of space bugs! With Zeff's navigation logs, I could rebuild my notoriety, raise it ten-fold!"

"Three sloops, huh?" the restaurant's owner wondered. "And drawing ya into an asteroid field, eh? Tha' sounds like Mihawk. Wha', didja raid in 'is territory or wha'?"

"You know that piratical son of a bitch?" Krieg asked.

"Well, he's a privateer, technically, with letters of marque from tha Terran Guvment an' Sanghto & sons'. Not a bad guy, once ya get ta know 'im."

Sanji returned from the kitchen, with a large bag of food, and placed the order in front of the commodore in powered armour. "'Ere, food for an 'undred people, as ordered, monsieur."

Don Krieg picked the bag up and slung it over his shoulder. He gazed over the restaurant for a few moments, before giving Zeff a pointed look. "One hour." With those words, he turned around to leave.

Gin turned towards the sous chef. "I'm sorry, friend," he said, before following his commodore, leaving the restaurant.

Silence washed over the room as soon as the heavy steps of the powered armour suit faded out. A tense atmosphere formed, one could even swear that one could hear a distant sound of the trumpets of war. Nobody moved, nobody spoke. All waited for someone to break the silence.

Sighing, Zeff addressed his costumers: "Whelp, this is it. We're gonna get attacked, and by Kriegs crew no less. He'll destroy this here restaurant if we don' stop 'im. No more great food. No more Combat Cooks. No more happy faces as ya, dear costumers get served yar favourite meals. We hafta defend this here restaurant we hold dear. Now, who's with me?!"

Without missing a beat, his costumers got up, took their coats and took off through the front door.

"Look at the time! I really should get going."

"I don't wanna be late."

"Wurr!" 'Bye!"

One by one, the loyal costumers of the Baratie left, rushing out the door. They might have loved the food served at the Space Restaurant, but it really wasn't worth dying for. They most certainly weren't facing a pirate commodore for it. After all, it wasn't their fight. And, to be quite frank, the prices were a bit steep anyway.

Zeff's face fell. He hadn't expected much but he had hoped for at least some help. But now, he was outnumbered and, being severely out of practice, also outmatched. "It's over," he sighed.

"Owna..."

"Don't bothar, Paddy. We've no chance ta win. I won't ask ya ta throw yar lives away."

"This restaurant is as much of a home ta us as it is ta ye, owna Zeff."

"Yeah."

"We'll fight by yer side."

Zeff smiled slightly. "Thanks. But even so... We have no chance."

"Oh, but you do."

That was Luffy, who had approached the group of cooks and was leaning on a nearby table. "There are many ways you could win this."

Zeff stared at the young man. "Yar still here? Ya must know a way ta win then?"

The straw-hatted pirate grinned. "I do. But... It'll cost you."

"Why ye black-livered lanky brat! Krieg will kill ye too, ye know!" Paddy yelled. "Jus' tell us!"

"It's not much, really," Luffy assured. "I just want you to erase my tab, that's all. Then, my crew and I will help you out."

"We will?" Usopp asked.

The owner considered the young captain's offer. Paddy looked like he was about to protest but San-Jacques beat him to it.

"I say we listen to ze scumbag gentleman's plan."

"Ah! Sanji! I knew you'd come around!"

"Still not joining your crew."

"Darn!"

Zeff hummed. "Alright. Ya help us, it pays yar bill."

"But owna, he-..."

"Fantastic!"

Usopp furiously got up. "Are you crazy!? We can't go up against Don Krieg and a hundred bloodthirsty pirates! He was wearing a Yamaha PS67X34 powered armour! It uses a Chitin-X51 powered exoskeleton, and can be fitted with rocket launchers, both laser and kinnetic guns, an energy shield generator and is made of the best plating!"

Luffy grabbed an opened bottle of wine that was left on one of the tables. "Powered armour is for pussies!"