Daniel didn’t allow his nerves to properly settle until he saw Fairbanks coming into view. If he could see the city, then that meant they were well within the range of the defensive turrets, and the realization made him let out a long sigh of relief. He relaxed fully a moment later as they began their slow descent toward the I.R.A. base. In the driver’s seat, Sergeant Anderson looked up at him and grinned at his expression.

  ? “Home sweet home, eh?”

  ? Daniel nodded, not feeling the need to explain himself. The Cadet on mission for this pickup was none other than his roommate, Patrick, who looked sleepy but in a good mood. No doubt he was woken up right as he got to that deep part of his sleep, Daniel thought. He… couldn’t find it in himself to feel all that guilty.

  ? “Not sure how weird this is gonna feel,” Patrick offered. He cast a quick glance up at Daniel, then down to his hip, where he’d tucked his new pistol. “Should I be nervous because you’re a Samurai now, or because you outrank the entire station?”

  ? “You shouldn’t be nervous at all,” Daniel said, smiling weakly. “I’m still the same Daniel. But now with guns.”

  ? “Wait, so you’re still going to work for the I.R.A.?” Patrick asked, his eyes widening.

  ? “Well, yeah,” Daniel shot back. “What else would I do? I need a job.”

  ? “But you’re a Samurai now. You can just… get whatever you want, right?”

  ? “Uhh,” Daniel scratched the side of his neck. “I’m… not sure. Sylas?”

  [While I cannot comment on which path you should take, there is no rule stating that you cannot continue to be a Cadet of the I.R.A. You are, however, within reach of much more financial stability now that you are a Vanguard.]

  ? “Yeah,” he added slowly, ending with a shrug. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll play it by ear. For now, I just want a nap.”

  ? “Don’t forget we promised to call Sourdough,” Maeve interjected, leaning forward.

  ? “*We* didn’t promise anything. He hung up before we could say anything.”

  ? She rolled her eyes, then leaned back with her arms crossed. “Whatever. It’s a good chance to get more points. We need those if we want any more goodies.”

  ? He couldn’t exactly argue with the logic of that. The ability to summon weapons from thin air was… exciting. And he had no idea how many other things he could get. Maybe some better armor. Or a vehicle. “Sylas, can I exchange my points for credits?”

  ?

  [I’m afraid not. The Protectors play no part in the human economy. You can, however, sell or trade things you earn from my services. The Foxteeth Model D, for instance, has an average value of 100,000 credits in various marketplaces. Selling it would earn you a very tidy living.]

  ?

  ? He let out a low whistle and glanced down at the gun tucked into the waistband of his pants. That was more money than he’d ever had. This gun was the most valuable thing he’d ever owned, and he could buy… eleven more of them. “Damn. I could be a millionaire, just like that?”

  ? “Oh yeah,” Sergeant Anderson said, offering another grin. ”You’re in the big leagues now, kid. Maybe you can find it in your heart to get us a new coffee maker while you’re at it.”

  ? He laughed with the others at that. He was glad that the sergeant wasn’t taking this too seriously–it helped him keep his own nerves in check.

  ? “Making our final approach now,” Anderson said, then tapped at the dashboard. “Dispatch, this is Emergency Rig 14, returning from mission. 20 souls on board. Requesting Landing Clearance.”

  ? “You’re cleared to land, Rig 14. Top Brass is waiting for you in the vehicle bay.”

  ?? “More like they’re waiting for our two popular passengers,” Anderson quipped, then tapped the dash to end the connection. “Hope you two are ready. I’m sure you’ll have a busy… yeah. Good luck.”

  ? Daniel reminded himself harshly of Maeve as he scrunched his face. This meeting sounded like the exact opposite of a good time. He spared a glance back at Maeve only to find her looking curious and excited, and gripped the handrail above him as the rig cleared the last few yards and slowly dropped down. He heard the faint hum of the wings retracting, and thought–privately–that he’d at least demand a few days off. He did outrank his Chief now, after all.

  ? As soon as they were settled, the back doors swung open, and the field group began to chatter excitedly, undoing their harnesses and clambering out down the ramp. Daniel hung back, hoping to delay this meeting. But when Maeve followed her friends and both Anderson and Patrick had left the vehicle, he knew he was just wasting time. Burning daylight, as Sergeant Ambrose would say. He took a deep breath and walked down the ramp.

  ? The inside of the vehicle bay was exactly as he remembered it, save for the four men wearing expensive suits. The one on the left, at least, wasn’t pretending he didn’t see the tour group and was currently giving them a warm welcome.

  ? “Welcome back. I am Chief Williams. I’m glad our Cadet was able to keep you all safe and get you home safely. Please, feel free to wait inside. Take the chance for some refreshment on the fourth floor, and rest. A hotel is ready for you for tonight, and transportation back to Anchorage in the morning is being organized. No, I insist. It is our pleasure and privilege.”

  ? The other three, two men and a woman, had their eyes locked onto Maeve and glanced at him as he appeared. The instant his boots touched the tarmac, the woman strode forward, a tablet tucked under one arm of her sky-grey suit. He wasn’t sure how she could take such quick steps in that narrow pencil skirt, but he also didn’t care. He knew this woman. Not by name or face, but he recognized the politician type when he saw it.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  ? “Good afternoon, Cadet–I mean, Vanguard Daniel Koyuk. And to you as well, Vanguard Maeve Aiken. I am Patricia Owens, and I am from the office of Vanguard Affairs in Anchorage. It is my pleasure to meet you both.”

  ? “Is it?” Daniel asked, ignoring the woman’s outstretched hand. “Usually someone smiles when they’re pleased.”

  ? Maeve looked aghast at his cold response, and he ignored her. Like any Alaskan, he hated politicians and bureaucrats. And this woman seemed like both. At his comment, she attempted a smile, but it showed more as a slight smirk. “Of course. I understand you must be under considerable pressure, considering your recent initialization. The Governor–”

  ? “Ah,” he interrupted her again, then leaned toward Maeve. “See, she says she’s from the Office of Vanguard Affairs, but she’s really a stooge for the important people.”

  ? He paused then, glancing at Patricia to gauge her reaction. He had to admit, the woman’s professional mask was immaculate. “People who think they’re too important to greet us personally.”

  ? One of the other suits moved forward then, and Daniel looked the man up and down. His suit was equally as excellent, but more… functional. He had more the air of an office worker, though his tan hinted at quite a lot of time out of said office. So a big shot CEO, he decided. Slightly more tolerable, but still not someone he wanted to spend any amount of time with.

  ? “Hey. Michael Butler. I work for The Family in the local office. Great to meet you both.”

  ? Both Daniel and Maeve leaned back at the casual tone. It was… friendly. Michael laughed at their reactions. “Yeah, I’m not a politician. I wear the suit because it makes me blend into meetings like this. But I’m just employed by The Family to help new Samurai get set up. As you can imagine, we haven’t had much work to do in the last… two decades or so. But here you are!”

  ? Daniel did accept his handshake. He’d heard of The Family before. They oversaw–but not quite commanded–all Samurai in the region. Strictly speaking, they were based far more to the west, but with only one Vanguard registered to the entirety of the Boreal Frontier, they offered help where they could.

  ? “Nice to meet you,” he offered. “I totally forgot that we’d get to meet you guys. Been a crazy day.”

  ? Michael flashed them a grin, showing plenty of his perfectly straight, white teeth as he also shook Maeve’s hand. “Oh, I bet! But I’m not that important. Think of me as a… useful contact. Anything you need to help start your life as a Samurai, let me know. I’ll also be your point of contact with the Family–at least until you meet some of the other Samurai. I’m only here to introduce myself for now. I… don’t know what the others have in mind, sorry.

  [Mr. Butler’s identity does indeed match his claims. Also, the office of the Family is requesting your contact information for further meetings and work. They promise not to contact you unless it is important.]

  ? “Yeah, that’s fine,” Daniel said, waving a hand dismissively. He leaned to the side, looking at the third unknown suit. He stood like a sentinel, neither speaking with nor acknowledging the college students. But at Daniel’s look, he also strode forward. Before he could speak, Patricia stepped into the conversation once more.

  ? “Governor Dewitt would like to extend his personal congratulations to the two of you for your elevated status,” she said, attempting that stiff smile once more. “I am also here to extend an invitation. He wishes to have a meeting with you–in person. He likes to take a vested interest in assisting any Samurai within the Frontier.”

  ? Well, that just *reeked* of a trap. Probably wants to try and lock us into some kind of service to the state, he thought, not even bothering to hide his distaste. A message flashed in his augs, making him jump slightly. It was from… Michael.

  ?

  [You’re free to do what you want, of course. But if you don’t mind me saying so, I wouldn’t accept that invitation. Not yet, at least. You’re still a new Samurai, and have a lot to learn.]

  ? His impression of the man was rising with every minute. He nodded subtly in the man’s direction, then folded his arms. “Not sorry, but we can’t do that. We’ve got work tomorrow, and our schedules will be quite busy. We’ll have to decline.”

  ? He looked at Maeve, hoping she didn’t mind that she’d spoken for the two of them. She seemed fine with the answer, as far as he could tell. She even nodded when Patricia turned to look at her. The woman’s face seemed to sink into itself for a moment, but her mask was back in place in seconds. She gave a little bob of her head. “I’m sorry to hear that. We will try again another time. Good day to you both, Vanguard.”

  ? “Moves a bit like a rooster, that one,” said the other suited man. When all three turned to look at him, he extended a hand. “The name’s Gerald Frost.”

  ? “As in Frost Realty?” Daniel asked, shaking his hand.

  ? Frost nodded. “That’s the one! Like Michael here, I’m just extending an introduction today. We’d love to help you find more… fitting accommodation within the city. Miss Aiken, that also extends to you, even if you wish to return to your home city. We have many properties within both cities, and we’re more than happy to offer you a great deal on property, wherever you choose to settle.”

  ? “I’ll…. think about it,” Daniel said slowly. His offer certainly seemed less predatory than Patricia’s, but Frost Realty was a big company in Fairbanks. “Thanks for the offer.”

  ? Frost raised both hands and took a step back. “Hey, I get it. I know the sort of reputation that Anchorage gets. But I’m genuinely just trying to help. I know it’ll be a bit before you can afford such a thing anyway.”

  ? They shook hands once again, and Frost turned to leave, but paused. “Uh, just to be clear, my family’s been here for generations. Fairbanks, I mean. We might be headquartered out of Anchorage, but I’m a local like you. So I hope you consider me when you need land.”

  ? And then he was off. Daniel and Maeve exchanged a look, not sure what to say bout that. She was from Anchorage. But he hadn’t missed that slight musical lilt to her voice. An accent that sounded like it came from Ireland. “Yeah, I’m from Ireland. Been here for nearly ten years, though. Accent’s almost gone, ain’t it? I’m hardly an outsider.”

  ? “Hey, I didn’t say anything!” Daniel exclaimed.

  ? “Oh sure,” she snorted. “I know your type. I can hear the word rattling around your head even if you don’t say it. I saw it in Sourdough’s eyes, too. I’m a *gussak*. But I’m just as Alaskan as you are. And there’s no way in *hell* I’m going back to Anchorage. You’re stuck with me, buddy. Deal with it.”

  ? Daniel leaned away slightly, surprised. That… had not been what he expected. He’d assumed she would go back to Anchorage with the rest of her friends and treat that as her base city. One Samurai for each place where people lived. It made sense. But…

  ? “Come on, you two,” Michael interjected, jerking his head meaningfully in the direction of the Chief, who was just then finishing up with the group of students. “You’ve had a big day and had to deal with a lot of stressful shit. Take the chance to get some rest first.”

  ? “That’s a… good idea,” Daniel said. He met Maeve’s eye again, and she nodded.

  ? “I’m gonna go see about this hotel room I was promised,” she announced, striding away. “Hey! Chief Williams! Let’s talk!”

  ? He was touched that she took up the Chief’s time and had absolutely no problem slipping away from the situation. He’d… find a way to make it up to her later. Though he was sure that would be taken care of the next day, with whatever work Sourdough wanted them to do. He was sure it would require killing antithesis. Maybe that wouldn’t be too bad. But first, dinner.