CANELIS FRACHDAL's promotion comes with a price and that is to investigate a supply issue in the army. Upon arrival, she is greeted with a renegade camp underneath the Army's nose, a magical anomaly creeping inward from the ocean, and warring sides...
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2407 Rab 17, Velpa
Canelis tilted her neck from left to right, the action barely relieving the tightness in her muscles. She would have dropped into a stretching regimen if not for the Attendant eyeing her from beside the Riogener's desk.
The office remained the same compared to the number of times Canelis had been here over the course of the plague-combatting she had overseen from start to finish. Before, she had merely dropped by to hand the summary of labor and resources used as an update to the Riogener as he had demanded but now, she was here because the troopers had just planted the last zenrel to close of Xai-Ren to the plague's influence. Now, it's up to the renegades to do their half of the job and drive it back to the sea.
Just as Elder Tarmis had promised.
Canelis kept her hands to her sides as the door behind the desk snapped open. The Riogener burst forth, dressed in informal garments with nothing but the Lifecatcher beside him. She had always stayed clear of that sword as it had always succeeded in giving her the shivers. Now, she clamped her jaw shut to avoid the discomfort from showing in her expression.
The Riogener settled down on the cushioned chair behind his desk, steepling his fingers atop the wooden surface. "So, it's done," he said.
"Yes, sir," Canelis answered, flicking the Attendant a look. She wouldn't slip up and call the Riogener any kinship honorific again, having barely got out of it alive the last time. "All efforts have been a success. We have driven the plague back to Ok-Sa where the renegades would do their best to push it back further to the sea, where it belonged."
The Riogener bobbed his head, his eyes scanning the documents laid out before him. More work, Canelis knew. "What do you think will happen now?" he asked. He wasn't really looking for an answer. Rather, he was letting Canelis state all that she wanted to happen so all he would do was to approve or disapprove it. Smart man.
Canelis didn't mind though. It's a soldier's duty to make her commanding officer a bit more comfortable. "The crisis was averted so you have to release Cailen Dithal from your custody," she said.
The Riogener jerked his chin at the Attendant who ducked his head and disappeared into the adjacent room. Sounds of scuffling echoed from behind the door the Attendant had shut behind him as he went. When it opened again, out came at least four armored soldiers. Two hauled Cailen by his arms and the other two legged behind as an escort.
The soldiers deposited the renegade next to Canelis. She didn't bother looking at him. Instead, she raised her chin and regarded her father. Then, she opened her mouth to lay her next terms. "Yin-Alora couldn't have survived without the renegades' help. So with that, I would propose policy changes regarding how we treat renegades from this point onward."
Tension sprung in the air around her. From her periphery she spotted Cailen's shoulders turning rigid. She pushed on. "The Army shall not have the premission to hurt renegades on sight," she said. "Only if the renegade is causing noticeable harm to our citizens should they be killed on the spot, without undergoing fair trial."
