“You know Poe well,” Blade said, complimenting the Shark leader.
“Poe might not be my hero,” Tiger said, “but I can identify with him. I share the affliction he had, the curse of superiority.”
“Is any person superior to another?” Blade questioned.
“Oh, come on! Don’t tell me you subscribe to that equality nonsense prevalent in this country before the war? The notion that all men and women are created equal is sheer bunk! You and I are living examples of how wrong Thomas Jefferson was.”
“How do you mean?” Blade asked.
“Look at us!” Tiger said. “We stand out above the rest, and not just physically. Our intellects are vastly superior to the majority of our fellow humans.”
“I don’t agree with that…” Blade began, then stopped.
Lenore had returned, walking into the chamber bearing a silver tray containing sparkling crystal glasses, a pitcher of water, and a flagon of wine. She hastened to Tiger’s side. “Here it is.”
Tiger glanced at the tray and smiled. “At last. My throat is parched,” he exaggerated.
“This won’t happen again,” Lenore assured him.
“It had better not,” Tiger declared ominously.
“Where do you want the tray?” Lenore questioned.
“On the ceiling,” Tiger rejoined. “Where do you think?” he snapped, and indicated a clear space to his left. “Place the tray there.”
Lenore complied. “Will that be all?”
“Yes,” Tiger said imperiously. “Now leave us.”
The woman quickly departed.
“A veritable dunce,” Tiger mentioned, grinning. “But a wildcat in bed.”
Blade’s gray eyes narrowed. His initial fascination with the Shark leader was rapidly being replaced by an intense dislike.
“Now what were you saying?” Tiger inquired.
“I don’t agree that our intellects are superior to most others,” Blade said. “I don’t see myself as possessing more than an average intelligence.”
“Rubbish!” Tiger responded. “You’re selling yourself short. The average moron wouldn’t know Edgar Allan Poe from Edgar Rice Burroughs. You do.”
“I know about Poe because I studied him in school when I was younger,” Blade detailed. “The Elder teaching our literature course taught us about all the truly great writers. I don’t regard Poe as highly as you do, because like most of us he possessed certain flaws in his character, flaws which interfered with the expression of his inherent brilliance.”
“All superior people display eccentricities,” Tiger said lamely.
“Feeble excuses do not justify bigotry,” Blade noted.
Tiger peered at the Warrior. “Poe was not a bigot.”
“No, but some of those who have misconstrued his writings qualify as bigots,” Blade said.
“How so?”
“Take his writings on the superior person, on the true genius,” Blade elaborated. “Poe acknowledged there was a difference in degree between a true genius and someone of average intelligence, but he never, so far as I know, claimed the genius was better than the average person. He never claimed the superior types should subjugate the so-called inferior ones and rule them with an iron fist.”
Tiger was silent for a full minute, studying his guest. At last he spoke.
“You are referring to myself.”
“If the shoe fits,” Blade said.
Tiger leaned forward, his tone hardening. “You don’t believe I am superior to the rest of the Sharks?”
“Physically you are,” Blade acknowledged. “Maybe intellectually too. But even if that’s the case, what gives you the right to lord it over them? What gives you the right to treat them as your slaves? You mentioned Thomas Jefferson before, but you missed Jefferson’s point. When he wrote that all men are created equal, he wasn’t referring to our natural talents and abilities. He was referring to our rights under the law. All men and women are entitled to the same basic rights. We studied the Declaraction of Independence in school. Jefferson said that we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Inalienable. Which means that no one, no government or no individual, should be permitted to take these rights away from us.”
Tiger pursed his lips. “You’re referring to me again.”
“I saw what you did to Oakes,” Blade stated. “You deprived him of his life without justification. He wasn’t trying to kill you. He wasn’t a threat in any way. His only ‘crime’ was incompetence and cowardice. You had no right to kill him.”
Tiger’s nostrils flared. “Who the hell are you to judge me? If it wasn’t for me, the Sharks would still be the disordered, motley rabble they were when I assumed command. I molded the Sharks into what they are today! I made them a force to be reckoned with! I gave them new life and brought culture into their miserable existence! I selected the Seattle Art Museum as our headquarters. I did all of this because they need someone like me, a superior man, a genius who can ease the strain of their wretched lives by doing their thinking for them. Without me the Sharks are nothing!”
Blade was startled by the transformation in Tiger’s countenance. From placid host the Shark had changed into a raging egomaniac. He was glad Tiger had returned his Bowies because he sensed trouble brewing.
And he was right.
“I can see I misjudged you,” Tiger was saying. “One must learn never to rely on first impressions. You are not my equal, after all.”
“I would like to be your ally,” Blade mentioned.
“My ally?”
“Yes. Against the mutant known as Manta,” Blade said.
“What do you know of Manta and his followers?” Tiger questioned.
“Not a lot,” Blade admitted. “I know he is holding a number of people as prisoners somewhere in Seattle. My friends and I came here to free them.”
“Manta and the Sharks have been at war for years,” Tiger stated. “If we could not defeat him in all that time, how can you expect to best Manta with the aid of just three others?”
“There would be more than three if I could rely on the Sharks for assistance,” Blade commented. “You’re the Shark leader. The decision is up to you.”
“And the answer is no,” Tiger said. “We don’t need your help.”
“But we can use yours,” Blade corrected him.
“It’s the same thing,” Tiger remarked. “The Sharks don’t need your help. We’ll defeat Manta on our own.”
“And what about the prisoners Manta is holding? When will you free them?” Blade inquired.
“When we defeat Manta,” Tiger reiterated.
“And when will that be?” Blade asked.
“Who knows? As I said, we have been fighting for years.”
“It doesn’t sound to me like you’re very anxious to resolve the conflict,” Blade said.
“Meaning what?” Tiger rejoined.
“Meaning maybe you like things the way they are,” Blade commented.
“Maybe you don’t want to defeat Manta. Maybe you prefer the status quo.”
Tiger laughed. “That’s ridiculous!”
“Is it?” Blade countered. “If you’re as superior as you claim to be, then you should’ve finished off Manta long ago. Surprisingly, you haven’t done it. Why? Because you know Mania’s presence consolidates your own power. As long as Manta is a theat, the Sharks will look to you for leadership, for protection.”
“The Sharks will look to me for leadership even after Manta is gone!”
Tiger interjected.
“Maybe.” Blade shrugged. “Maybe not. Here’s your chance to prove yourself. Help me overthrow Manta. Help me make Seattle a safe place for humans to live again.”
Tiger stared at Blade for a moment. “If anyone is going to overthrow Manta, I will be the one. And as far as the Sharks are concerned, I know what is best for them. You don’t. You’re a stranger here. How dare you come in here and dictate to me!”