The Day After

- Dalen Capital, Valade Estate, Mid-Morning, 3 DSTR -

He looked at the paper again.

The words had not changed and neither had the signature.

He let out a soft sigh. Standing in the office of Kalena he looked out the window into her lavish gardens. The office was neat, tidy; everything about it spoke volumes about her, but also held another mystery. A collection of blades on a far wall had caught his attention, he had never seen any like it, and this told him she loved her craft, but it also begged the question of how she obtained them. Painting and statuary a like around the room said one thing but also made him wonder about others.

He handed the paper back to her. “So we are to create a war council?” He asked and looked at his three men standing by her bar; they had made use of her invitation to have a drink. “You three, ride back to the vineyard, and bring the brigade back.” He looked again to Kalena. “We will need more soldiers then we have.” He said flatly. “We will need other nobles to buy in, to join us. This will not be like the Queen herself asking them, this will be us. They can and may say no to us. Particularly if they are working with or profit from these criminals.”

His people quickly finished the drinks and said a hasty goodbye to Kalena. Laffy pausing to give her a wink. “Take care of him, see he does not get his head stuck up his ass.” He gave as a parting comment in the office.

Kline just folded his arms and grunted at the quip. “And if there is going to be a war, criminals may become less of the issue.” He added. “I can handle the military issues; you will take care of all the spy stuff?” He asked her and looked to his side. “I have to admit, working strategy on the battle field is one thing, working spy networks and such, well, my skill there ends with scouts.”

“Laffy told me about the drive and the bomb last night. He said the guy was trying to kill that woman, Sarx.” He said and drummed his fingers on his arm looking outside again. He could just make out where the carriage blew up from this office. “Perhaps you could employ him to get closer to her. If we take her down perhaps her who group will just go away?” He knew it was a bit of wishful thinking, but many times when a strong leader is broken they group loses its cohesion.

“What time will we have this meeting?” He asked her finally. “What time will we tell them, and where will we do it?”