“All right, here's what we have for you,” Edith’s voice pulled Pax out of his thoughts. She held up a clipboard and waved for them to step up and join Incedis and Eldan.
They shuffled forward, and Pax wanted to groan as a wave of tiredness descended over him. It had been a long and stressful trip. They’d arrived safely, and both his mind and body insisted that now it was time to fall asleep to recover.
Edith flipped a sheet of parchment over and then smiled. “We've been planning on putting your unique team in your own wing, though there is a note here that you have an option to choose permanent quarters anywhere in the ruins when you’re ready.” She paused and gave them a curious look, like she hoped they’d explain.
Pax just kept a pleasant smile on his face.
She shrugged and continued. “Well, your current wing isn’t ready yet. Well, not completely. Thankfully, our workers started renovating one of the multi-room suites that should fit all of you and maybe even a second crew, depending on how fast the rest of your team arrives.” She looked them over, eyes thoughtful as her mouth moved silently, counting. “There are six rooms, two bathrooms, a small kitchen, as well as a central living area in the suite. Do you think that's enough for all of you and your—?” Her voice trailed off as she seemed to notice the size and number of their companions. Her eyes went wide.
“Yes, that sounds perfect for us,” Rin hurried to reassure Edith. “We’re used to sharing rooms, and our companions are used to staying with us.”
She nodded before turning to look at Incedis and Eldan. “And hopefully the two of you don't mind sharing quarters with the kids, at least for a day or two. We’ll get some of the single-room suites ready for you as quickly as possible. I'll move your wing up on the priority list to get it finished faster.” She glanced at the companions again, eyes drawn to where Talpa and Neptid wrestled on the ground, out of boredom. She cleared her throat. “Um, there are four training rooms in that wing. I'll make sure we get one of them cleaned out and opened up quickly. I'm pretty sure you're going to need it.”
“We appreciate everything you can do for us. It’s amazing how much you've been able to do here in only a month. It looks a lot better now.” Incedis glanced around with admiration on his face.
Edith dragged her gaze away from the companions and preened under the praise. “That's right. You are the ones who found the place, right? Now the note makes sense. It was a mess back then, a complete disaster.” Then she looked them over again, speculation entering her gaze. “Why do I get the feeling things are going to get even more interesting around here with your team returning?”
“You have no idea,” Amil said in a low voice, grinning.
Pax would have thought Edith couldn't hear him, but her eyes narrowed.
She gave them a stern look, her friendly demeanor shifting to stern in an instant. “Just make sure you’re helping us get things into shape, not causing problems.”
“Don't worry, we'll keep an eye on them.” Mage Eldan’s voice echoed the sternness of Edith.
“Thank you.” Edith nodded at Eldan before turning back to the kids. “Now, parts of this place may still be a bit chaotic, but we have rules. No fighting. If you have a disagreement, take it to your immediate superior. Don't use spells or abilities except in designated training areas, and everyone pitches in.” She looked back down at her clipboard. “Your quarters are in 4th Platoon’s section, so you’ll become their newest squad. 3rd Platoon is a few hallways down, and on your other side are the rooms still waiting for renovation.”
Amil perked up at that. “Does that mean we can explore there in our free time?”
Edith frowned and shook her head. “You have to schedule all exploring with your superiors, and they get a list of which areas are next on the list from our leadership council. We had too many people getting hurt and lost when we first got here. Now, they don’t allow anyone to go into any of the dangerous sections alone. Everyone sticks together and checks in regularly if they want to keep their exploring privileges.” She paused and gave them a serious look. “The dangers in this place are no joke. They will kill you. We need every one of you alive if we're going to win this war. Understand?”
“We know exactly how dangerous this place can be,” Tasar spoke in his usual factual tone.
Edith focused on him, looking ready to berate him for being flippant. But when she saw his expression, she turned somber and nodded. “That's right. If anyone would understand the dangers of this place, all of you would.”
“We'll follow all the rules and stay safe.” Bryn gave her a serious nod.
“Good.” Edith relaxed and turned back to her papers. “1st through 4th Platoons are under Lieutenant Garrick Lancaster and his sergeants. We usually give new arrivals a little time to get acclimatized. So, you’ll have the rest of the evening to get settled. Feel free to use the necessaries in your room to get cleaned up. I'll have someone give you a quick tour, so you'll know where the dining hall and supply rooms are. How much food and equipment we have still fluctuates, but we’d rather you use it than let it sit in storage and go to waste. Our best crafters and merchants are working on ways to improve our supply situation.”
The Lieutenant’s last name sounded familiar. When Rin looked at him and mouthed Lancaster with her eyes wide, he suddenly remembered. That was one of the five family names.
Edith noticed. “Yes, the Lieutenant has a distant connection to a ruling family and knows more than any how deep the corruption goes. It's the main reason he's here, fighting on our side.”
She paused again to look them over with an experienced eye. “Your armor looks to be in decent shape. Nothing a good cleaning can’t fix. But if you need replacement clothing or supplies to sharpen and repair gear, let our supply clerks know. They’ll do their best to help you out. Just get everything squared away before tomorrow morning. They'll be rousting you out of bed bright and early. We’re all short of time to get ready for what's coming, right?”
Pax frowned. He was pretty sure they wouldn’t be joining the regular training regime for new recruits.
Incedis looked like he was going to object. Before he could respond, Edith waved a hand, and a young warrior who looked a little older than them hurried over. “Kalter, can you give this group the basic tour and then put them in the new suite being renovated for 4th Platoon, please?”
The tall but thin warrior nodded and looked them over with curiosity. His eyes widened briefly when he got a closer look at their companions. But he stayed silent, merely making a beckoning gesture before he turned and walked away, obviously expecting them to follow. Incedis shrugged and motioned for them to do so.
Are they actually going to have us join in with training? Pax wasn't sure if he was hoping for that or dreading it. I assumed that they'd want us to get started right away with Taming and unlocking new elements.
Everyone glanced toward Incedis, waiting to hear his answer.
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I’m sure they’ll get things figured out before tomorrow. Once we finish the tour and make it to our new quarters, Mage Eldan and I will check in with the leadership.
The last bit of tension left their group. Pax was glad to set aside his worries and just enjoy the tour of the parts of the ruin the rebels had restored to working order.
Thank you, Mage Incedis. Dahni’s mental voice sounded tired. I think we all just want a place to clean up after a hot meal. Then, I know I’m crashing. So, I appreciate you figuring out what’ll happen in the morning.
The others murmured their agreement and followed their guide to a section of the main floor in the ruins that was new to all of them. The new hallways weren’t in as good a shape as the main hall had been. Evidence of work in progress was everywhere.
They’d cleaned up most of the dirt and debris, at least. Some rooms had doors and light fixtures missing in various spots, adding swaths of shadows that made the ruins feel more like the place they’d first discovered.
As their guide, Kalter, led them forward, he moved through the halls and around any obstacles with an easy familiarity. He obviously knew this section of the headquarters extremely well.
After more than a few complicated turns, Pax wished for a map and wondered what Rin had done with the one they got from Solani 2-nine. Then they turned down a long hallway and stopped at the two doors at the end across the hall from each other. A beefy looking warrior sat at a table and eyed their unusual group askance. “Who you got here, Kalter?”
“Hey, Golder. New crew. Got the pet beasts we heard about. Supposed to show them the supply rooms.”
The man’s eyes widened, and he looked them over with more interest. “Sure thing. Take them in.” He glanced at Incedis and Eldan. “If you see anything your people really need, just bring it out here so I can fill out the paperwork. We’re still a bit of a mess and don’t have everything. But things are made to be used. They don’t do us any good sitting on shelves, right?”
Kalter nodded, already heading to the doorway on their left.
“That’s the armory, where we keep the weapons and armor. When you’re done in there, you can head across the hall and check out the storage.” The warrior tipped his head in that direction. “That’s where we put all the other supplies except for food. The cooks keep that in a storage room just off the mess hall. Make sense?”
They nodded and hurried to follow Kalter, who’d already opened the door to the armory.
“Oh, and excuse the mess,” the warrior called after them. “We’re working on it.”
They stepped into a cluttered room with weapons piled haphazardly across makeshift racks. The rows weren’t quite straight, and some looked ready to topple at the slightest disturbance. Shadows shrouded the back of the spacious room, where it looked like they had plenty of space for expansion in the future. At least the equipment looked well maintained, even if most of the pieces looked used.
The air was thick with the smell of oil and leather. A woman looked up from a workbench to the right where she stopped a hammer mid-motion from pounding rivets into a piece of leather equipment.
“Hey, Kalter.” She set the hammer down and turned to give them an evaluating look. “New recruits?”
Kalter just shrugged, so Incedis answered. “We’re just arrived, but aren’t new recruits.” He sounded impatient, but kept his tone calm. “We’ve been working in the capital for quite some time and now the rebellion needs us here.”
Her eyes rose, and she looked skeptical.
“Well, feel free to look around and let Golder outside know if there’s anything you need.” Her eyes ran over them with an experienced gaze. “But you look pretty well-equipped for your level. Come back in a week or two after our crafters’ production ramps up. We’ll have a better selection then.”
They took her words as permission to spread out and look through the makeshift rows to get an idea of what was available. Pax just scanned it all with a cursory look. He was too tired to pay close attention. He’d do an equipment inventory when he wasn’t so tired and see if anything of his needed to be repaired or replaced. Besides, they were pretty well equipped after their last spending spree at the Academy Store, even if there were always items that would come in handy or ones that wore out.
When he turned back to the armorer, Pax saw her staring at all their companions. Her entire demeanor had changed, and Pax wondered how many times that would keep happening. It shouldn’t take long for them to get used to seeing companion beasts, right?
She saw him looking at her and then turned to Incedis. “Are you those people? The ones we’re supposed to eventually be trapping beasts for?”
Incedis didn’t have a chance to answer.
She suddenly began talking fast, her voice full of excitement. “I’d love to join your group when they start bringing in beasts. Everyone has heard the rumors.” She gave Incedis a speculative glance. “You probably need people to practice on, right? I’d be happy to volunteer. In return, I’ll maintain your team’s equipment or replace whatever you need. Well, as long as we haven’t already marked whatever you want for someone else.”
Incedis held up a hand to interrupt her and motioned toward Pax. “You’ll have to talk to Mage Pax over there or his Team Leader Turgan when he arrives. They’re the ones with the beast skills.”
Pax grinned as she looked taken aback. But she recovered quickly.
“I got nothing against talented kids. They’re our future, aren’t they?” She shrugged and turned to Pax. “What about it, Mage Pax? We got a deal?”
Rin’s voice popped into his mind immediately. Say yes. Having the Head Armorer owe us is worth a lot.
With a smile, Pax walked forward and held his hand out. “You’ve got it. Crafter—?”
“Just call me Jess. Everyone does.” She shook his hand and made the bones in his hand creak from her enthusiasm. “Even if they haven’t started bringing in beasts yet, I’m sure there will be a list once they do. I can claim to be a favorite of the new Taming crew, so they’ll have to let me see it. What kind of beast should I choose? This is going to be amazing.” Her eyes moved around the room, latching onto each of their companions with an avid interest.
Pax didn’t even try to answer her barrage of questions, seeing she was busy with her ideas. Then her words penetrated and he aimed a scowl at Incedis. They didn’t have beasts ready for them? That wasn’t going to help them get off to a running start at all.
“Gotta take them on the rest of the tour.” Kalter said, standing at the door and giving Jess an impatient look.
She shook her head and refocused. “Sorry about that. Yeah, go get some food and sleep. All of you look beat.” She picked her hammer up again before aiming a quick glance at Pax. “And thanks. You won’t regret working with me.”
The next stop on the tour was the other supply room. Tyrodon had his hands full in moments and Incedis had to limit him to what he could carry out to the man at the desk. Once he’d approved most of it, Tyrodon pulled out a myriad of inventory boxes and had the new items sorted in moments.
But what did he want with the bag of feathers? Pax didn’t ask. His friend would show him soon enough.
When they finally made it to the mess hall, they ate with a tired determination and shoveled the meal in. The stew was nowhere near as good as Mage Eldan’s, but it was hearty and filling. And the rolls were hot and crusty, which would make anything taste better.
At least the mess hall was expansive, with lots of space out past the small area the rebels had set up a mishmash of tables and chairs. They had plenty of capacity for more growth. Pax hoped they’d continue to sway the regular citizens to join them as conditions worsened. He could just imagine having the entire mess hall full of recruits training to take down the empire.
The meal seemed to hit them all as soon as they left the mess hall. Pax found his eyes half closing as he followed along behind Kalter. They navigated the maze-like corridors of the base until it made Pax completely lost. He resolved to check in with Rin about that map before trying to find the mess hall in the morning.
Finally, they reached the wing where their new suite awaited. Kalter opened the door, revealing a spacious living area with just enough furniture not to look empty. Two hallways branched off to either side, with four doors each. Pax figured they would open to three bedrooms with the fourth door for necessaries.
A small but well-appointed kitchen stood along one wall of the common area with a table and chairs for meals. But all Pax cared about was sleep, looking at his friends to see how they wanted to arrange themselves.
“This will be your home for now,” Kalter said, already moving toward the door. “I'll leave you to settle in. If you need anything, just ask around. We're all here to help each other. Lieutenant Lancaster should have a sergeant assigned to you right away.”
“Thank you, Kalter,” Incedis said with a nod.
Once Kalter left, they quickly decided who went where, agreeing they could change anything that didn’t work later.
Pax found himself in a room with Amil and Dahni. Simple furnishings filled the spacious rooms. Two bunk beds, two wide wardrobes and two desks barely used much of the space. At least, someone had placed a colorful rug down that not only brightened the room, but would protect their feet from the cold stone tiles in the morning.
Despite the fatigue weighing heavily on them, there was a sense of excitement in the air as they prepared for bed. Just before Pax’s head hit his pillow, he smiled. They were finally here, in the heart of the rebellion, ready to make their mark. Tomorrow would be another day on their journey. But for now, they were safe.
And then he remembered Kalter’s words. They were home.