In the history of martial arts, one name is above all others.

Redrick Darkstar.

The only person who has in a century, won War tournaments more than ten times. More impressive yet, he is the only person to win the oldest tournament of all, the tournament of the three-cities, three times. Experts say his record could be higher if he had not been excluded from attending tournaments by the Imperatrix. The controversial decision had no other reason to be that her most esteemed sovereign wanted other arms master to prove their worth. As the Commandare of Gite had nothing left to prove, he was to give up his place to other fighters.

Arms masters across the world and martial arts competitions, Remulus of Thiers.

“You are the best of the best, you shall represent our city, our country and the Imperatrix!”

Nay could not believe it.

He was not there.

Was Veri right? Was the young Legio completely wrong about the Commandare? Maybe she and Marke had been mistaken about him?

She would love to have been wrong all along. That in truth, the Commandare was just interested in her because she would be a good recruit.

She could imagine being wrong. But she could not imagine her father doing the same.

She was barely paying any attention to the speech, spoken by a teacher with an uncanny resemblance to her now ex-professor Tiër. Same bald head. Same tattoos on the face. It was the age of the man on the stage that differentiated him with what had to be his son or grandson.

Tiër the second was clearly omitting the fact that most of the students were going to give up, get expelled, or die during the three hellish years to come.

So typical.

‘If you don’t talk about the problems, the problems don’t exist.’ Thought Nay sarcastically.

Ra’fa would have grunted at the man with disdain if she were there.

Lisana would have said: “Boys are dumb.”

Nay only sighed.

She had left less than two hours before, and she already missed her family.

She tried to stand straight and refocus on the speech of Tiër the second.

“…heroic! Your accomplishments will bring honour to Gite. You are the future of…”

As focusing on what he was saying required inhuman concentration, she decided to just look around.

The gigantic common room where they stood was half full. Large dark oak tables had been stacked in the corners. The room could have been majestic if it were not so creepy and badly lit. The few windows on the eastern thick granite wall were only slits, far from enough to light up the place. The torches that had been lit accentuated the sad atmosphere instead of helping with it. The unusual things about the room were its tall wooden stage and wool tapestries.

Nay deduced from her observation that she most likely stood in what had to usually be the Academy’s canteen.

That and the rotten piece of bread that was laying next to her feet.

“…Let the Selection, begin!” Tiër the second finally exclaimed.

As soon as he had said that Virnyl guards began bringing the teenagers outside. In lines, they stepped out of the back of the Academy’s main building, on a vast wasteland-type plain. It was neighbouring the only woods on top of the Ducal plateau. The woods were so small it had no official name, but it was still dangerous, as it served as training grounds as well.

Nay did not really know what kind of things made the woods dangerous exactly, she had only heard rumours about it.

She looked away from the woods to gaze upon where the Selection would take place. Every teenager was standing in line in front of a makeshift stage that seemed freshly built. It had viewing platforms in dark wood constructed around a circle of just flat ground, similar to the courtyard in the Legio’s school. It was far bigger here though, but it did not have Nay’s rock or a dark cliff.

Before being able to examine everything in more detail, a young man began talking, parchment in hand.

“Let the Chosen take their place with the Virnyl guards. N-…Nay, Tirfid of Malrom, Mör son of a fisherman, and Olrig heir of Lypher.”

She felt all the eyes fall upon her. Jealousy, envy, hatred, interest and mockery. As she left the mass of the Selection’s candidates, the stares burned her back.

She left for the wooden platforms followed closely by three others. She inspected Mör rapidly, he had clearly been chosen because of his impressive build. He had to be seven feet tall, and seemed almost as large, but his baby face betrayed his young age.

He stared back at her and gave her a sincere smile. Not knowing how to react to a giant with that expression, she turned around to look where her seat was. A place with the Virnyl guards the speaker had said…

She noticed who was there.

And stopped dead on her tracks.

A man was very gently gesturing her to come sit next to him.

With a charming smile on his face.

The three boys overtook her, giving her surprised looks, and went to sit at their designated places.

Nay stood there, in the centre of the training field filled with horizontal bars, training dummies, and swords, bows and daggers in their respective racks.

The Commandare let out an almost giggle: “I understand you want to prove yourself, Nay. But you must give the others a chance as well. Come, sit.”

Nay’s legs obeyed his orders, even though her whole being was telling her to scream and run.

Her sensitivity to the Rreico was incomparable since she first met him. And still, she could not feel anything out of this man.

She remembered her father’s lessons. Every living thing had a Rreico.

She was convinced Redrick Darkstar was the exception.

It took an illusion of eternity for her to arrive up there.

The monster’s smile was piercing her more than all the other stares combined. She stopped, finally at his side, and sat while not meeting his gaze.

She could smell the faint perfume of Fleur de Gite, famous for its wooden and fruity undertones.

A hand fell on her shoulder. So big it gripped even the upper part of her arm. She held back a horrified squeak, then immediately calmed down as she realized it was not the Commandare’s hand but one belonging to a Virnyl guard behind her. The master of the Virnyl guards next to her was not looking at her anymore, busy listening to the rules of the trials to come. She turned around. She did not recognize the man’s face, but quickly realized who it was anyway because of the scar on his throat. Her relief went away as fast as it had come.

“We were not introduced last time. Me, I am Herind. I hope to get another duel with’cha soon, you won’t get me next time.” Said the brute with no animosity.

“Erm…Yes?” She managed to answer.

And then the one called Herind winked at her before staring away towards the participants.

Nay was shaken, wasn’t that Virnyl guard supposed to hate her?

She was pulled out of her thoughts by Duke Yarnt’s powerful and charismatic voice.

“Let the Selection begin!” It was the first time she really noticed the official ruler of Gite. Physically speaking, his only notable asset were his golden clothes with pearl ornaments. He had no muscles to speak of, but was not exactly fat, he had short dark hair and she would soon forget his face.

He went back to sit in the stand opposite to theirs. Nay caught him looking at the Commandare, then at her. He gave her a furious look, as if her sole existence was unbearable to him.

She looked away.

Teenagers were getting on the proving grounds.

She had not listened to the trial’s rules, but as the first participants started their Selection, she quickly understood this was a strength-oriented test.

Push-ups, pull-ups, endurance running, hit a wooden dummy strong enough to make it topple over. No real technique needed.

Nay was not sure she could manage any at all, except the running part. And to pass, you needed to get through all the parts successfully.

This test had been put there to make sure no girls would get through. A normal man, and even a trained woman, would fail here. The third girl who tried the Selection, that Nay had never met before, was quickly losing her breath during the push-ups part, and finally passed out.

As Trinne’s turn came, Nay wished a miracle to come for the beautiful redhead, not caring about the bitterness between them.

But the battle was an unbeatable one, and Trinne had to walk towards the ranks of those that had failed. Nay could not see her face, but she could feel the anger from where she stood. Trinne was looking at her father, the Duke.

He was smiling.

“Want to help your friend?” A charming voice echoed in her right ear.

The Commandare was whispering to her.

Nay did not feel him come closer at all, the hair on the back of her head rose as she tensed up. “She’s not my friend.”

“No? Then why are you so angry?”

Even with her abhorrence towards the monster in human skin, she had to admit he was right. She was angry.

She knew better than anyone how much Trinne wanted to become a Virnyl guard.

Seeing how the Duke had reacted to the shattering of his own daughter’s dreams, Nay was beginning to understand why the young woman wanted this.

This trial was unfair.

“The trial is unfair.” Repeated the Commandare as if he had read her mind.

She did not respond, her throat clenched.

“The first test is chosen by the Duke, the second is chosen by the Academy’s headmaster. When one of the two tests is failed, decision to accept the student or not falls on the Duke. But, a third trial can be proposed by the chief of the Virnyl guards. Which is…me.” His smile may have been grand, but it was without joy. “I never asked for it before…” He continued. “…but it is a last chance kind of thing. At least, it is for your friend, the duke wants no women in the Academy.”

“She’s not my friend.” Nay repeated with no conviction. Her mind was thinking about what he had told her.

The Commandare did not comment on her denial and carried on.

“If you do what I ask of you, I’ll even let your father come on the plateau to train with you once a week.”

She saw his look. He was seriously trying to bribe her.

“Every night.” She knew her demand was ridiculous, but Ra’fa had taught her that when negotiating, beginning with too much was perfect to…

“We have a deal then.” He answered immediately.

Her whole body trembled.

Fooled.

She had been fooled. Of course, it was in his best interest for her to continue training with her father. His purpose was to make her his equal, and her father was an excellent teacher. She thought he would try to break her by stripping her away from her family, that was what her father had told her. But he had obviously been wrong. Even to him, the Commandare’s plans were too obscure.

The second trial began. As Marke had warned them, it was a team fighting exercise. Old Virnyl guards, with many stars on their armour, were writing notes on parchments. At the end of the fights, they announced those that had passed or not. It did not seem to matter if your team won or not.

Of all the students coming from the Legio’s school, none failed. Massimo and Trinne were even greatly praised by Tiër the second for their performance. Trinne was not smiling at those results. She even seemed close to crying.

At the end of the second trial, the Duke stood up, a very happy look on his face.

“To those who have succeeded both trials, congratulations. To those who failed, do not lament, other opportunities will come. Those who only succeeded one of the trials, come forward.”

Thirty or so teenagers came forth, some looking anxious, some full of hope.

Only Trinne was looking down.

The Commandare coughed.

Time froze.

“My apologies, Oh Duke Yarnt, but I must admit, those trials were quite lethargic. I would like to propose a third test to spice things up a bit.”

Nay clenched her fists. She could sense what was to come.

The Duke answered, for the first time his voice unsteady.

“Redrick, of course you have that right, but this is a bit too late, isn’t it? The day is getting long and to reorganise a third trial now is…”

“Don’t worry, nothing quite so bothersome, and just to those who managed to pass only one trail. It should not take more than an hour.”

“Oh…I see…yes…what is this test of yours?”

Nay heard the Virnyl guards laugh around her. As if they knew exactly what transpired.

Which they did, Nay had no doubts about it.

“Well, as it is the first time I’ve chosen someone for the Academy, I believe it would be interesting to show why. Nay?”

Nay stood up, slowly. Whispering could be heard from the students and the nobles.

She had no desire to obey him, but she had no choice. Whatever she did, the Commandare would win in the end, at least like this, she could meet with her father every evening.

“She doesn’t look threatening when you see her like that, but Herind can attest it, she’s a Tertia in hiding.”

Herind laughed, before answering with vulgarity.

“Some fucking Firante that one, I say.”

“Language Herind, you are in presence of the Duke.” Reprimanded the Commandare.

“Sorry boss.” He apologized, not even looking at the Duke. Then, with no spoken orders, he rose, left the stands, and descended towards the proving grounds.

Once there, he took his scabbard and used it to draw a large circle on the ground.

The Duke said nothing. He looked as furious as he looked scared.

Nay touched the scar on her neck. It was burning.

Redrick Darkstar continued. “Rules are as follow:” The thirty or so aspiring students were staring at him with deadly focus. “If, five minutes after facing her, you are still standing in the circle, you shall be enrolled. That is all.”

“Redrick! You can’t be serious!” Immediately protested the Duke. “You cannot do this! This little thing will be crushed!”

“I understand your doubts completely, oh my liege, but trust me.”

Everyone heard the Duke swallow loudly.

“It shall be so.” He seemed to regain his confidence. “Let the third trial begin then. Bring weapons to the young lady and good luck to you all.” He sat back down in a hurry.

Nay began walking down the steps but was stopped by the Commandare’s excited voice.

“Don’t forget our bargain. No cheating, no favourites. I want to watch you in all your glory. I punish those that break their word. Severely.”

She continued walking down without looking back, but with an additional weight on her shoulders. She removed her belt with her sword and dagger and exchanged them with the weapons given to her by a young Virnyl guard. Real blades, but dulled.

Able to kill, but with her strength, it would be hard. She entered the rough circle. Herind clearly had no talent in drawing, there were angles to his circle.

She gazed upon the first teenager entering the fighting area.

He was tall for his apparent age. He had failed the second trial, not the first. That was the only thing she remembered of him; his name long forgotten.

“I’ll crush you like a Biach.” He said smiling. His teeth were skewed, showing his modest descent. Dentists were expensive after all.

Nay apologized to him in the Legio way.

“I am sorry for what is to follow. I have no choice.”

He raised his shoulders and chuckled.

“What are you talking about, I don’t even need this sword to…”

“BEGIN!” Shouted Herind. He held a little hourglass in his hand. He had just turned it.

Nay leapt forward. Defeating the teenagers would not be a problem, the issue would be stamina. She would need to use a lot of energy to eliminate the thirty larger and stronger boys and girls.

If she took five minutes for each, she would be out of breath after ten opponents.

So, to be true to her word, she would need to be implacable.

Before her adversary could even react, Nay planted the tip of her sword in his kneecap, breaking it clean.

No long-term damage, but the fracture would force him to be stuck in bed for months.

The boy fell without a scream, the sudden pain making him faint.

“Holy moat cat!” Exclaimed Herind admiratively, before saying: “Sorry boss…next!”

A second boy stepped forward.

“What a sissy, getting beaten by a gir…”

“BEGIN!”

Usually, Nay would never try the same technique twice in a row, but the boy in front of her was not even guarding.

To his credit, he did not faint, but his pained sobbing was not very glorious.

In the stands where nobles stood, no one said a word. The opposite was true with the Virnyl guards. They seemed to be having a great deal of fun.

Nay tried to ignore the bets that they were starting to make in her name.

“Fifty coins, she won’t let anyone through.”

“I say three will pass.”

Nay only stared at their chief.

The Commandare seemed satisfied.

Herind laughed before shouting: “Next!”

Participants fell one by one, some more talented than others forced Nay to take a bit more time and energy, but not one had really fought before, and she did not feel challenged yet.

Then came Trinne.

Nay grimaced.

“Trinne, I…”

But Trinne was looking at her with no anger. Their relation had subtly changed since the events of the booby-trapped sword in the Legio school’s armoury, but that expression on her face was new.

Trinne was looking at her with respect.

“Nay. Thank you. You asked, didn’t you? You gave me a chance.”

“Trinne, I cannot play nice, I have to…”

Trinne snorted with this air of arrogance she alone could do.

“Play nice? Who asked for you to play nice? I shall pass this trial fair and square.”

And before Nay could answer, Herind announced the start of their duel.

Nay instantly stood in a defensive position. She would not underestimate the Duke’s daughter one instant. In Nay’s opinion, Trinne was way more dangerous than Massimo. He may be stronger than Trinne, he may have succeeded both trials, it did not matter. Trinne was smart. Very. Nay knew what was dangerous was not her techniques nor her strength.

The young Legio would need to take her time with the red-haired girl, first analyse her opponent’s plan, then…

Taking her completely by surprise, Trinne dropped her weapons and ran away, leaving the circle.

Nay stood there, astonished.

It took her some time to recover from her surprise. She lowered her blades and scratched her head.

Confused shouts came from the public, whether noble or guard.

Redrick was the only one laughing.

Nay was admirative. She could not afford to pursue the teenage girl, who had taken too much of a lead. Moreover, Nay had to conserve her energy for the next duels. She could only wait inside the circle and try to prevent Trinne to re-enter it.

Trinne’s plan had transformed a lost fight into one where she was very much favourite to win.

“But…but she has lost? Why are you continuing the duel?” Asked the boy who had to fight after Trinne.

Nay answered, as she had nothing else to do. “To stand in the circle after five minutes. Nothing was said about being forced to stay inside the whole time.”

As she explained, a series of “ooooh!” and “aaaaah!” could be heard from the stands.

“Duke Yarnt, your daughter is truly worthy of you, such a brilliant mind.” Nay heard.

She saw the Duke grind his teeth before answering.

“I would rather she use her intellect to find a good husband, but it is true she is not lacking.”

The sand in the hourglass was falling slowly.

Nay took the time to catch her breath.

When only thirty seconds or so remained, Trinne reappeared from behind one of the wooden platforms, stepping towards the circle slowly.

She had removed most of her clothes, only keeping her training blouse and her underwear on, things that should never have been shown in public. Her clothing, or lack thereof, was showing her already very developed feminine body.

“Daughter! Have you gone mad?” Screamed the Duke, his head looking like a bursting tomato.

Trinne did not pay any attention to him. Once ten steps away from the circle, she stopped.

Nay was waiting upon the border.

The two teenagers looked at each other, the red-haired one dominating the one with cloudy eyes by a good six inches.

“Trinne. The hell are you doing?” Nay whispered, trying not blush.

“I’m winning.” Answered Trinne with no shame. She stepped forward.

Nay was out of her depths, but if Trinne walked forwards like that, she would never get past…

“Do you remember the locker room, Nay? If you let me through, I’d consider rewarding you.”

The seductive sentence had been said so quietly that only Nay could hear it.

The young Legio was shaken so much she lost her composure and grimaced.

“If you think such a thing will work…”

The red-haired girl jumped to the side, out of Nay’s range, but also out of the circle.

“FIVE MINUTES HAVE PASSED. TRINNE OF YARNT HAS PASSED THE TRIAL.”

Nay looked at her, not believing what she was hearing.

Trinne gave her a gleeful grin.

“Never seen such a sloppy circle.”

Nay looked at the ground.

Sure enough, Trinne was standing inside the boundaries of Herind’s circle.

A thunder of applause came from the side of aspiring Virnyl guards.

After watching Nay break their bones, it seemed she had become the person to beat.

“If it’s okay with you Nay, I’m going to get my clothes back on. I’m cold. Good luck with the rest.” Nay could see Trinne’s cheeks redden before turning around and running back behind the stands.

The Duke said nothing, but his anger was palpable.

“Erm…Next?” Said Herind.

Nay was still perturbed by her last duel.

The redhead had outclassed her. She had found a loop inside the test’s instructions, then put up two distractions, her outfit and her attempt of seduction, and used the badly made circle to her advantage.

Nay was happy their relation was so much better than before. She did not think she would be able to survive if the Duke’s daughter became her enemy.

In the stands, Redrick Darkstar coughed. The next fight had been going on for more than a minute, and Nay was still playing with her opponent.

She got out of her daze and automatically launched a sequence she usually only used against her father.

The boy facing her did not even understand what happened. He crashed violently on the ground, jaw and multiple ribs broken. He did not move, pee flowing out of his trousers.

The crowd whispered. Even the guards had stopped laughing.

“That is not possible.”

“It is a monster…”

After a short silence, things began moving again. Two guards came to pick up the unconscious teenager, and Herind shouted again.

“Next!”

“I…I give up…” Announced the next recruit.

Silence.

“Recruit Dirk gives up, Next!”

“I’m also giving up.”

“Recruit Ulrinnard gives up, Next!”

Nay felt horrible. Their withdrawal was good for her stamina, but she could feel the looks of those that would soon be her comrades. She could feel their fear.

Some tried their luck, but soon, all gave up. One boy, Neron of Krimia, managed to do the same thing as Trinne, but was seriously wounded when trying to rush inside the circle. He also mismanaged his timing and had to suffer through Nay’s strikes for ten extra seconds. He had not tried to fight, curling himself up, taking strike and strike before wobbling back on his feet just in time.

Still, he passed.

The last participant was the unknown girl. Like Trinne, she had failed the first trial but succeeded at the second. She was tall and lean, brown hair cut short, and was moving with a strange kind of grace. Her clothes were hugging her figure, in leather and completely black, but she had no curves or close to none. During the team fight, Nay had seen her use two daggers, and she had managed to get herself forgotten, only attacking at the perfect times.

Nay was getting tired. She had to run after the two last participants who had tried to imitate the plan that had succeeded twice. Now though, she was prepared and did not let them get any lead. She had prevented the others who tried to re-enter the circle.

Nay was expecting the girl to do the same thing.

She did not. She attacked.

At first taken aback, Nay had to fall back at the sudden flurry of strikes, but even with that advantage, the girl was clearly not a master with the daggers. Nay took back the Rreico and began retaliating.

Still, Nay was struggling.

She was tired, but that was not it. Her adversary was putting her in an extremely uncomfortable spot.

She was hitting the brow-haired teenager repeatedly, but the girl’s reflexes were just good enough to avoid a really damaging or incapacitating strike.

Each time she hit, Nay could hear the grunts of pain get louder and louder.

After two minutes of butchering the poor soul, Nay broke the engagement.

“Give up. You’re getting hurt for no reason.”

The teenager facing her was bleeding all over. Blood was flowing out of a gash on her forehead, her clothes were completely ruined, and soon would be rendered useless to protect her virtue. She was barely standing.

“N-N-never.”

The girl reminded Nay of someone. As she looked, the young Legio felt a sense of familiarity.

“I’ll kill you if I go on.” Calmly explained Nay, ignoring the sensation.

“Well, just kill me then. I’ll still be standing.” The tall teenager replied. Once again, she went on the offensive.

Nay avoided the dagger strike with a simple sidestep and hit her opponent’s temple with the pommel of her sword.

The girl was staggering, and then she fell. Twenty seconds went on.

“Recruit Joanna is eli…” Herind began.

“…Not…yet.”

Nay saw the girl at her feet try to get back up, hands and arms trembling.

The young Legio kicked her in the ribs, pushing her out of the circle.

The girl on the ground began crawling.

“I…I…” Nay began.

The one she now knew was called Joanna gave her a dark look, her face full of sand and blood. “What are you waiting for?” She asked.

“ONE MINUTE REMAINS.” Screamed Herind.

Joanna continued crawling.

Nay could not raise her sword anymore.

Whatever the punishment would be, she could not break her promise to Marke. She would not kill the girl at her feet. And Nay was convinced it would be the only way to stop her. That was what the Rreico told her. It was too ferocious, too full of life.

Now inside the circle, the brunette tried to stand up.

A clamour started in the ranks of the future students.

“go…Go on!”

“You can do it!”

“Don’t let yourself beaten by that monster!”

“Joanna, Joanna, JOANNA!”

“SILENCE!” Shouted Tiër the second, the head of the judges, and everyone shut up.

Joanna was on her knees. Tension was palpable.

“Ten seconds!” Herind announced.

She was trembling everywhere, on the verge of crashing down every time she pushed herself one inch higher.

Nay had the sudden desire to help her, but she knew she could not. This was not her fight anymore.

“Five seconds!”

Joanna swore weakly. It was not in the common language, but Nay understood the word perfectly either way.

“Polssïnia.” (Fish full of fishbones.)

Joanna was on her feet.

A joyful shout came from the future students.

“FIVE MINUTES HAVE GONE BY. JOANNA PASSES THE TRIAL.” Shouted the Virnyl guard.

The brunette fell, Nay tried to catch her, but she was too small and was just crushed under her.

She squeezed out of her easily, but heard the teenager laugh in jolts.

“You’re not…very…comfortable.” She said before fainting.

Nay looked at the unconscious face of this woman she did not know.

“Someone bring her to the infirmary.” Announced Herind with a blasé air, it had to be the tenth time he had said something like that today.

Nay got back up and brushed the dust off her leather garb.

The Commandare stood, clapping loudly. Everyone followed his suit.

He raised his hand, and everyone stopped.

“Thank you Nay, for being such a good sport, even though that last duel was a bit uncommon to say the least.” He finally said. “Having pity for your enemy is the perfect way to die fast.”

She could not deduce from his expression alone if she had managed to satisfy him or not. She knew it would not be so simple.

Redrick looked at the judges.

“Masters, your judgement if you please.”

Tiër the second coughed before hastily rising from his little portable desk.

A large “crack” resounded in the air, and a fleeting expression of pain appeared on his face.

It did not stop him from continuing.

“Ermmmmmgrrr…Well done to those who have succeeded the Selection, you are now worthy to enter the Academy. One by one, come and be given your first-year badge. Do not forget, it does NOT allow you leave the plateau. If you are found outside, you shall be punished.”

He cleared his throat.

“Let’s begin in order of acceptance…Nay.”

Nay came forwards, still staring at the Commandare. He was waving at her while smiling his perpetual smile.

“As per your exceptional talent, here is your badge.” The old man announced.

“Thanks.” Answered Nay with no emotion before taking the badge. It was a bronze winged fish.

She examined it closely. It was rather beautiful even if it was simple.

“You can go back to your seat.”

She grimaced and went back to sit next to the man she hated so much.

“Very nice. I really enjoyed that sequence against the boy…what was his name again? He most likely won’t be able to talk for a while. A shame about the girls though. You are sensitive to seduction attempts, and too merciful to end the weak. I’ll have to punish you. Marke can come, I won’t strip you of that. As you let three students pass though, you’ll only get four days per week with him.”

Nay clenched her teeth.

“She was not weak. I think she was the strongest out of all of them.”

“Certainly. But that kind of strength doesn’t help when you’re dead.”

“I wasn’t going to kill her.”

“Yes, I know. We shall remedy to that hesitation. Another one of Marke’s ideas I’m certain.”

Nay trembled. Of rage or fear, she did not know.

“What will be my punishment? It’s not just less days with Marke, isn’t it?”

The Commandare did not answer immediately.

“No…I shall think about it. Rather now, let us look at your comrades. They will be useful to you.”

He talked about them as if they were things and not people.

She did not say anything back to him.

“You’ll have to answer yes Boss, yes Chief, or yes Commandare now Nay.”

She kept her head low.

“Yes, Commandare.”

“Oh, but right now you’re not in service, my bad, Redrick is fine then.”