Another tour of duty is over. Months spent in uncomfortable accommodation on a bleak mountainside, with terrible food and even worse weather. This time they never so much as saw a zughru; the three fatalities suffered by Kanon's unit were all accidents; Arlu Harrish missed his footing on patrol, falling down a crevasse and breaking his neck. Daleth d'n Havaluis' flamelance exploded in his face during target practice, giving him terrible burns, from which he died two painful weeks later. And Vorluis d'n Tureyn was crushed to death when the wagon he was riding in overturned on a steep mountain 'road'. So it's back to the city, with decent beds, good food, and good taverns. As soon as they're officially off-duty, Kanon is swept along with the rest of his patrol to the usual watering hole for off-duty Legionnaires. The Six Diamonds, just round the corner from the barracks. They're not the only Legionnaires there, of course. Quite a few of those based in the city assigned to patrolling the roads are already installed in one corner of the bar. Among them is the drill instructor known universally as "Boots". Boots is universally hated by new recruits on the drill field. They tend to change their view of him once they've survived a tour of duty in a combat zone. "The wanderers return", Boots says when he spies Kanon's group entering. "Since I bet you haven't been paid yet, the first drinks on me. But don't overdo it. You might well be called on duty tomorrow; a lot's been happening in the city!".
A roar goes up and as the newcomers rush to the bar and get their drinks. First, a quiet moment as former comrades are toasted, then a roar as it is bottoms up as the younger legionnaires associate with the Six Diamond regulars without care, everyone knowing full well they have no coin to be swindled out of that day. Kanon walks over to the corner of veterans, and raises a mug. "By the Guardians, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad I had you riding my sorry ass all those months. Hear, hear! three cheers for Boots, maybe the only bastard tough enough to beat into us fools the sense to survive!" "Three cheers! Hip hip hoorah! " Kanon and his mates cheer their drill instructor, and drain their mugs.
"Thank you", responds Boots. "I always know you'd appreciate me in the end!". "Don't think your work is over", he continues, "You return to a city undergoing interesting times. They haven't arrested all the whores just to stop you from blowing all your pay you haven't received yet. There's murder and foul deeds in the city". "Who and what?", asks one of Kanon's fellows. "Two guildmasters dead so far, plus one wizard", Boots tells him, "Orchestrated by terrorists. One of them threw a bomb into a crowd to kill the guildmaster of the Builders. Lots of bystanders killed and injured too. Someone's declared war on the city, and nobody's safe". "Have they arrested *all* the whores?", asks another, "And why them?". "Your guess is as good as mine", Boots responds.
