"Mom insisted. She was raped in college, so she made sure I learned to defend myself from the time I could walk. Adequate against someone like you know knows what they're doing, but I can hold my own against a drunk college boy," she said, dropping down next to him and stretching out her muscles so they wouldn't cramp up later.
"So, tell me more about the pirates. I mean, if they're so dangerous and evil, why is the town siding with them?" And why didn't they go wipe them out?