Patrol 3: Darkness & Light

Chapter 4

Eluri jumped to her feet from where she'd been, curled by Vania on the hammock, and hissed. Knocking sounded on the door a moment later.

"What, are you my advance warning system, now?" Vania asked the creature as she stood and crossed the room. Eluri jumped and flapped her wings a few times, gliding across the room to land at Vania's bare feet before climbing up to perch on Vania's shoulder. "Only been here two days and you already act like you own the place," Vania muttered as she opened the door.

"Good morning," the domlian woman standing at the door said. "Enforcer Vania Nahalora?"

"Yes," Vania replied slowly, looking at the woman in the enforcer uniform. I wonder if she has some special rank. Her enforcer emblem isn't just the wolf rampant over crossed swords—there's a sun and stars mixed in with the swords...gold on black...

"You're to report to Lower Quarter Station immediately." The woman looked over Vania's dusty tunic and bare feet. "I will wait here while you dress, so I can escort you."

"One moment," Vania replied, shutting the door quickly. She stepped over to the crate and quickly moved the lantern aside to yank open the lid, extracting her uniform. Eluri jumped from Vania's shoulder as she yanked her tunic off and pulled her shirt over her head, the blue fabric settling familiarly over her form, silver wolf and swords glinting in the light trickling in around the edges of the curtains. "Eluri, you stay here."

The lucid yawned and curled up on the hammock.

Vania hastily pulled on her boots and pulled on her cloak, pausing to adjust the fabric as she pulled her wings into a tighter roll at her back. Masking spell might be weakening... I will need to get the spell renewed soon, or people will see some things I'd rather they didn't. She carefully checked the pins in her hair, glancing in the cracked mirror to ensure the spines on her head were buried by the dark blue locks.

She glanced over at Eluri. "Wish me luck." She paused, hand resting on the doorknob, and took in a deep breath, then slowly let it out and pulled open the door.

The woman smiled and pulled open the door to the station; "After you, Enforcer."

"Um. Thank you?" Vania swallowed and stepped into the building, pausing to let her eyes adjust to the dimmer light. The corridor felt shorter than usual as she walked in, very conscious of the sound of her boots on the hard floor, the woman in the black enforcer uniform behind her following in silence.

Everyone in the main room turned and looked at her as she entered, Captain Murrick stopping mid-sentence to look at her, wide-eyed. From his desk, Eddin grinned, then quickly brought up a hand to hide his smile.

Recovering quickly, the captain took a step toward her, demanding, "Enforcer Nahalora. Why are you here? In uniform? I didn't send for you."

"No, you didn't, Murrick," the domlian woman replied, stepping out from behind Vania, "I did."

Captain Murrick paled and he took a few steps backward; "C-commander Aleira."

The commander of the enforcers smiled and turned to Vania, placing a hand on Vania's shoulder; "Welcome back, Enforcer Nahalora. I'm sure your work partner, Enforcer Bucktin, can get you caught up and you'll have no problem stepping back into your work routine." She turned and looked at Captain Murrick, smiled fading and voice becoming stern; "Captain Murrick. We need to talk. Your office. Now."

Vania, and the entire room, watched as the captain hurried after the commander. Several of the enforcers began whispering furiously and many of them turned to look at Vania.