The ambassador ushered Kalan and Edmus into a private office and immediately banished his underlings. No doubt, he was hoping to take credit for anything the embassy did on behalf of Lord Alland. Kalan shrugged it off. He’d only come to offer whatever details the Kessellian government might find salient before he went off to deliver Tessan’s data crystal. Then, he could get back to his regular, uneventful life of moving things from here to there. He’d heard people talk about things like looking for fulfillment in their professions, but Kalan felt that was asking too much from work. If it was honest and paid a decent wage, Kalan felt that was all anyone could realistically demand from a job. Anything beyond that was a bonus, plain and simple. Moving cargo might not fulfill some glorious life’s purpose, but it provided for his needs. In fact, it provided enough for his needs and the needs of his small crew. Kalan did take satisfaction from that.

The ambassador had focused all his attention on Edmus, apparently believing Kalan really was just a bodyguard. Kalan let it pass. He didn’t need the ambassador’s validation. He sat quietly while Edmus relayed the parts of the story that he knew. Kalan had called the sequence of events almost perfectly. That one woman had been the primary instigator. Despite multiple attempts to prove to her that the illness was not going to kill everyone, she had whipped the foolish or gullible into a frenzy. Then, drunk on her own power, she’d led them on a murderous spree to take over the facility. They’d killed most of the civilian authorities and locked the rest away to starve to death.

“And that,” said Edmus, “is when the good Captain Rinn arrived on the scene. I’m afraid he’ll have to provide you details of how he secured my release and saved my life.”

The ambassador turned wide eyes toward Kalan. “Captain? Are you out of uniform, sir?”

Kalan looked down at his captain’s coat before the ambassador’s meaning became clear. “I’m not a part of your navy, ambassador. I’m the captain of a freighter. My ship was contracted to deliver medication to Ariadne Base.”

“Oh, yes, I see,” said Ambassador Calman. “Did you?”

“Did I what, sir?”

“Deliver the medication.”

“I did.”

“Do you have any evidence of the delivery?”

Kalan didn’t speak or move for a full ten seconds. He didn’t dare. He worried that he might do something rash, like beat the smug little ambassador unconscious. By the time he trusted himself to speak, it wasn’t necessary. Edmus was leaning over the man’s desk with a fistful of the ambassador’s shirt clenched in his fist. He’d dragged the ambassador so close their noses nearly touched. The particular piece of fabric in Edmus’ hand happened to attach to the ambassador’s collar, so the plump man was slowly going purple in the face.

“How dare you?” Edmus said in a cold, steely voice. “How dare you insult the man who saved my life? Evidence? There is the evidence of my own eyes. I watched him unload that medication at Ariadne Base. I personally verified the cargo.”

Edmus released his grasp on the ambassador’s shirt. Calman collapsed back into his chair, wheezing in what air he could.

“Forgive me,” gasped Calman.

“Silence,” commanded Edmus. “You will leave this room without uttering another word. You will send me whoever is in charge of the marine detachment here. If you manage to stay out of my sight, I may only recommend you be demoted to the trade delegation we sent to Thessalan. Now, go!”

Kalan eyed Edmus as the apparently former ambassador scurried from the room. The towering indignation Edmus had been projecting melted away. The duke sat down and rubbed his eyes in the way the very tired sometimes do.

“Why do I get the impression that there was more happening right there than simply dressing down an ambassador who got out of line?”

Edmus rubbed his eyes a little longer before he gave Kalan a nod. “Calman has been a problem everywhere he’s ever been sent. He thinks he’s clever, which he most certainly isn’t. That leads to things like what just happened. Sadly, his family connections keep most people from objecting. He went too far this time, though. He insulted you in front of me. If you wanted to, you could file suit against him for slander. With my testimony, you’d walk out of the court a noble in all but title,” said Edmus, who got a thoughtful look. “That’s an idea worth exploring.”

“Thank you, but I’d prefer not to make mortal enemies of whoever his benefactors are. If I’m reading things right here, they’re the kind of people who hold grudges for centuries.”

The duke offered a reluctant nod. “You aren’t wrong. It’s probably more trouble than it’s worth for you. I’ll have to settle for carting him off to Thessalan. It’s enough of a punishment for now.”

“I take it that’s a planet people don’t want to visit?”

“It’s an abominable place. The only areas anyone can live on the surface are small habitable zones at the poles. It has some mineral resources, though. Enough to make it worth sending a trade delegation, even if that delegation is populated with undesirables.”

Kalan turned as the office door opened and a young man entered the room. He wore a crisp uniform of dark gray with dark blue piping along the coat sleeves and pant legs. There was some kind of emblem sewn onto his shoulders and a small collection of metal on his chest that was equally mysterious to Kalan’s eyes. Edmus looked up as the young man came to attention next to his chair.

“Lord Alland, Lieutenant Berclin reporting.”

“At ease, lieutenant.”

The lieutenant dropped into a somewhat less stiff posture. “Thank you, sir. How can I be of assistance?”

“I need you to draft a report and record witness statements from myself and Captain Rinn for immediate communication to the throne and military command.”

“I see, sir,” said the lieutenant, before he shifted his gaze to Kalan. “Captain, would you please be so kind as to wait outside while I take Lord Alland’s witness statement?”

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Kalan shrugged and stood up from his chair. “I don’t mind.”

“Thank you, sir,” said Berclin.

“Lieutenant, why ask the Captain to leave?”

“If it’s to count as testimony at some later date, my lord, I understand that it’s better if only one person appears in the recording.”

Edmus gave the young man an approving nod. “Very good, Captain Berclin.”

The young man flushed. “It’s only lieutenant, my lord.”

“It was. Now, it’s captain. I’ll see that it’s made official.”

Berclin straightened in surprise. “Thank you, my lord.”

Kalan repressed his smile. “Captain Berclin, I’ll wait outside until you’re ready.”

Kalan left the office and closed the door behind him with a soft click. He glanced up and down the hallways, but there wasn’t a chair in sight. He realized that Calman was just the right sort of petty to want to make people uncomfortable while they waited, particularly if he meant to make them wait for a long time. Kalan leaned back against the wall next to the door. Over the next ten minutes, he noticed what seemed like an unnecessarily large number of people trailing past the office. A young woman in a uniform that closely resembled Berclin’s noticed him watching her. She directed a sheepish smile his way.

“Is this hallway usually so busy?” Kalan asked.

The marine looked even more sheepish as she answered. “No, sir. Not really. Is it true that Lord Alland is in there with the lieutenant?”

“No,” said Kalan. “I’m afraid not, um, I’m sorry. I’m not familiar with your rank insignia.”

“Sergeant. Sergeant Ondella Beya,” she answered, giving the office door a crestfallen look.

“As I was saying, no, sergeant, I’m afraid Lord Alland isn’t in there with the lieutenant.”

“I knew it had to be a rumor.”

“Rumors are like that,” said Kalan with a sad shake of his head. “Although, Lord Alland is in there with freshly promoted Captain Berclin.”

Sergeant Beya perked right up at those words. “Really? Lord Alland is really here? Wait, did you say captain?”

Kalan nodded. “The duke promoted him right in front of me.”

“Well, I can’t say that the lieutenant doesn’t deserve the promotion,” the sergeant offered. “Still, I wish I could meet the duke.”

“If you stick around for a few minutes, you probably can. He’s giving a witness statement, but he should be finished soon.”

The sergeant gave him a skeptical look and said, “Oh, and it just so happens that you’ll be here to talk to me?”

Kalan found himself once again treading waters he didn’t understand. He knew he was supposed to say something witty or charming to put her at her ease, except he didn’t know how to be witty or charming. In the end, he said the only thing he could think to say.

“I won’t say anything.”

The sergeant’s expression went from skeptical to incredulous. “Really? That’s the best you can do? Handsome men are usually better at flirting than this.”

“I,” Kalan hesitated, “I really wasn’t trying to flirt.”

“Well, you should,” she said, leaning against the wall across the hallway from him. “It’s fun.”

“I’ll try to remember that,” said Kalan, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut.

He directed his attention at the floor and tried to let the embarrassment fade. He felt the sergeant looking at him and eventually looked up at her again. She was eyeing his coat with a curious expression on her face. When she noticed him looking at her, she gave him an exasperated look.

“You’re really not going to talk to me, are you?”

“I said I wouldn’t.”

She shook her head and muttered something about “men” under her breath before she said, “What exactly are you supposed to be, anyway?”

“I’m a captain.”

“Of what? Some rich dandy’s pleasure yacht?”

Kalan stiffened at that. Yes, the coat was ridiculous, but he’d worked hard to buy the Ankala Rising. He heard the edge in his own voice when he said, “I’m the captain of a freighter ship. I own it.”

That edge wasn’t lost on the sergeant, either. “Sorry. I don’t always think before I talk.”

Kalan bit back the next thing he thought to say. He’d never see this woman again. There was no point in trying to make her feel bad.

“It’s fine,” he said and went back to studying the floor.

The next few minutes passed in awkward silence while they waited. He could still feel her watching him, but he didn’t look up again. He was tired of the embassy. He just wanted to give his statement and be on his way.

“Listen,” said Sergeant Beya just as the office door opened.

Kalan looked up to see Edmus step out of the room.

“He’s ready for you now,” said Edmus, glancing between Kalan and the sergeant.

Kalan looked over at the woman and saw her staring at Edmus in obvious awe. He waited a beat to see if she’d introduce herself. He waited another beat. He gave it most of a minute before he took pity on her.

“Lord Alland,” said Kalan, “this is Sergeant Beya. Sergeant Beya, this is Lord Edmus Alland.”

Edmus didn’t hesitate before he stepped over and extended his hand. “It’s always a pleasure to meet one of our excellent marines.”

Beya numbly reached out and shook the duke’s hand. “Thank you, sir. It’s an honor, such an honor to meet you.”

“Not at all. The honor is all mine. Has Captain Rinn been regaling you with the tale of how he saved my life?”

The sergeant blinked rapidly for a few seconds and then stuttered, “He didn’t. I mean. No, he. He what?”

“Oh dear, I fear our good captain is afflicted with a nearly terminal case of modesty. You must regale young women with your tales of bravery, captain,” said Edmus with an amused look. “How else are you going to both convince them you’re a serious man and woo them?”

The sergeant was staring at Kalan now like she’d never seen him before. “You what?”

“I need to go give my statement,” said Kalan, escaping into the office.

As he closed the door, he could hear Edmus, “You see, sergeant. Terminal modesty.”

Berclin gave him an odd look, but simply gestured to a chair. Kalan sat in the same chair he’d occupied earlier. He noticed that Berclin had set up a small recording device on the desk.

“The procedure here is fairly simple, Captain Rinn. I’ll turn on the device and swear you in as a witness. I’ll ask you to relate the events in your own words. If necessary, I’ll ask a few questions to clarify any facts that weren’t clear.”

“Alright.”

“I’d also ask that you submit copies of any recordings or sensor data you may have of the event, so we can enter those in as evidence as well.”

“I can have those sent over. Should they come to you?”

“Please. That will simplify things.”

A thought occurred to Kalan. “Will I need to testify in court at some point?”

Berclin paused with his hand halfway to the device. He looked like he was weighing the question on some mental scale.

“I’m not an attorney,” said Berclin. “Every officer gets some training on military law and procedure because we need to know it. So, I can say that my superiors will accept this witness statement and treat it as evidence. I doubt they’d ask you to come testify in person. If it becomes a civilian matter, I can’t really speculate.”

“Fair enough,” said Kalan.

For the next twenty minutes, Kalan sat there and related as clinical a description of the events as he could manage. Berclin asked a few follow-up questions but seemed satisfied. He turned off the recording device and gave Kalan a nod.

“Thank you, Captain Rinn. I appreciate you taking the time to do this. Getting statements when things are still relatively fresh can make a world of difference.”

“You’re welcome, Captain Berclin.”

“On a personal note, though, I’d just like you to know that you made more friends today than you can possibly know. At least among the Kessellian Marines.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Lord Alland was a general in the Marines. He’s a legend in the Alliance. There was this one time, on Merkan,” said Berclin, before shaking his head, “well, I won’t bore you with the details. It’s mostly public information, so you can read up on him if you’re interested. The point is, when word gets out that you saved him, and word always gets out about these things, you won’t be able to buy a drink in Kesselian space for all the marines lined up to do it for you. I’d buy you one right now if I didn’t have to go log these statements and get them sent back to command.”

Kalan felt a slight flush in his cheeks as the praise. “I just gave him a ride.”

“He doesn’t see it that way, Captain Rinn. At any rate, I won’t take up any more of your time.”

Kalan nodded to the officer and made his way over to the door. He stopped and turned back. Berclin raised an eyebrow.

“Congratulations on your promotion,” said Kalan.

Berclin smiled. “Thank you, Captain.”