While his superior was receiving new instructions from Urdin, Colonel Rahman was taking a time-off on a visit to The Five Pillars, the very same inn that Moryster Vays had once stayed in. There, as he waited on his order, he came across a clean-shaven man with fair skin and wiry build, though dressed in a rather unkempt way.

"Af'noon, sir," he said, pointing with his entire hand to the seat across the colonel's. "Empty?"

"Yes, please."

As the newcomer sat, the chair creaked under him.

"Name o' Sallim, sir, pleasure meetin' ya."

"Well met, sir. I'm Rahman."

Sallim grunted. "Nice name. Hot day as well."

"Indeed."

"'Ey, Ruwaida! Nice cold tea for two, eh? Big mugs!"

"Coming right up!" came the girl's happy reply, to Sallim's satisfied smile.

"If you don't mind me saying, sir," Rahman put in, "you seem to know her very well."

"Know her? Come on, sir, I live in this here city and so she does! Strange to say we ain't known each o'er. Besides, poor girl's really needin' someone to look after... Guess that's what you want to know next, hmm?"

Rahman smiled. "Sir, I'm just a common someone here, you needn't be so mean."

Sallim grinned, revealing rows of fine teeth despite his looks.

"Ah, come on now, I can almost tell you belong to somewhere that ain't takin' no crap. Eh? Well, lowly I might be, but I ain't gonna take it that I've no tender spot for some damsel. So? Do you really want the next roll o' the say?"

"If you insist."

"Here, then. Her pa was yet to be heard from again since those soldiers rushed for this city. Simple fisherman that I am, I rushed to this inn of her mother's and asked if I could hide 'til the smoke cleared. Lotsa people shared the idea, though, and this here place became quite stuffed, never mind the second floor.

"When the smoke did clear, sir, and we were finally allowed outside, ya can only imagine little Ruwa's anguish at hearing her pa to be missing; dead, alive, Allah only knows. I even took the trouble to gut the first man who said them words, not in her sight of course. But, yeah, things have to roll, so... here I am, visiting this here place time after time if only to see that sweet damsel's smile, never mind the cost of the drink. Heck, it suits humble folks like maself, truth be told!"

Their conversation was interrupted by Ruwa's delivery of two mugs of cool tea, during which Sallim managed a "Thanks, dear" with a fisherman's wholehearted sympathy.

"Be that as it may," Rahman resumed when the girl was out of earshot, "the entering legions did not ruin everything, did they?"

"Nah, apart from those who'd actively resisted, and then only with great care not to bruise 'em too badly. Me, I'd prefer to keep my head on my neck, thank you very much. What, ya want me to spray one of those sword-wieldin' blokes with the only net that I've bought with three months' pay and beat 'im deaf with some random oar?"

Rahman giggled, and his interlocutor grinned again.

"Hah! Some good sense of humor there, sir! P'raps I can trust you after all, eh?"

"It's always pleasant to meet someone new, sir. Gives us a fresh take on things. May I ask, what else would you care to share with me?"

For a brief moment, however, Sallim's gaze seemed to be focused on something else. Just as quickly, he muttered a short prayer and in five gulps drained his mug's contents.

"Gracious--how could I forget! Oh dear, I hope he ain't be too mad o'er it..."

Rahman blinked, and stood as well. "Sir? What... just who are we even talking about?"

"My boy, sir, my dear only son! He's havin' his studies in this city's Crescentium Academy, and today I'm s'posed to go home with him..." Sallim paused. "Why not come with me for a change, sir?"

"Who, me?"

"But of course! You came in with those Hospodians, I s'pose, since I've never seen your comely face b'fore; and fishermen's memories are quite lucid, y'know."

"Thank you for the kind praise, but... I don't see the point of being involved in such a personal matter, you see."

"Eh, I'll tend my own business, you have yours. See how part of a knight of the mind's day progresses, for one. B'sides, I s'pose you Hospodians wanna see up-close how to better the education 'ere, no?"

"Ah, when you put it that way..."

Sallim guffawed, circling his arm around Rahman's shoulder. "There, see? Best chums already, we are. Ruwa, dear! We're off for now; take good care, you and your ma both!"

"Why, thank you for your kind visit, Sallim, as usual!" she waved. "Careful on your way!"

"No big deal! 'Til next time, insha Allah!"

***

"So to get things straight..." Rahman said as they walked on, "the Banastrians, for all their audacity of being the first to secede from the Kalifate's rule, had nevertheless decided to maintain some of their institutions, including the Crescentium Academy?"

"Yup. Buggers knew best to ruin things and still name it decency. Owed them for the new ships, at least. Hampered you much, did they not?"

"About that, sir, you might want to ask my naval friends."

"Eh, they're not here. You are."

Rahman smiled. "Well then, for my part, we did manage to capture the harbors in the end. Helped much to raise morale."

Sallim guffawed, clapping his new friend by the shoulder again. "Now that's the spirit, mate!"

"So, about your son..."

"Yeah, what'd you wanna know? Just another lad tryin' ta get decent learning, best as can be. Answers to the name o' Dazna. Praises be to Allah, that you Hospodians ain't targeting the schools. Glad it's part of your codes fo' war, eh?"

"Certainly, sir. Whatever army would want to bring harm to these 'knights of the mind', as you had so rightly put it? Only scoundrels would do."

"Well said! Ah, here we are, see? There, the gates to the Academy's buildin'..."

"Ah, yes, I can already make it out."

Onto the wide school field before the two men, lines of children were already beginning to file out of the Academy's main building. One of them, a boy with dark-brown hair and eyes and an oval happy face yelped in delighted surprise.

"Daddy!" he shouted, running in Sallim's way while reaching out with his little arms, his canvas bag--slung on his right shoulder--swaying to and fro.

"My dear cute little Daz! How goes it today, hmm?"

Sallim caught the child by the arms, upended him mid-air--to which the kid gave an excited laugh--before lowering him again.

"Been good, Daddy!" Dazna's spirited gaze soon turned to Rahman who was purposely giving some room. "And who is this?"

"Daddy's new friend, name o' Rahman. Go on, greet him."

The child smiled. "Pleasure to meet, Uncle Rahm."

Rahman snickered. "Same here, little Daz."

"Great, now you've known each other... Care to drop by our house as well, p'raps?"

"Yeah! Sweet!" Dazna joined. "Ma'll be glad to meet you, I'm sure!"

"Oh, but this one I'll have to turn down for now, kind as it is. Another time, insha Allah, if you don't mind?"

Sallim grunted. "Can't say that I do. Ran into such a nice fellow while being able to not break a promise... oh, a bright day indeed! Will I see ya again, though, Rahman, sir?"

"Insha Allah. Ruwa's place?"

"Ah, indeed. See ya soon, then."

Colonel Rahman now stooped down to Dazna's height, meeting his childish gaze.

"Knight of the mind, indeed," the adult remarked. "Train hard, study well, and do obey your parents, alright?"

"'Kay! That's what Daddy often said too!"

The colonel rose again, smiling. "Until next time, Sallim."

"Take good care, sir."

"Take good care, Uncle Rahm!" Dazna repeated, gleefully waving with both hands to the officer's back.

***

"Is it just me, Rahm, or you do look happier than usual?"

Back in his quarters, the colonel was greeted by a glum-looking Senna, who was sitting on his bedside.

"The latter case this time, Major. Been seeing to some family bonds, you see."

"Family, eh. Granted, it's one of the strongest ties there is. What's in for it?"

"Oh, quite a bunch, my lady." Rahman took another chair and sat across her. During the next hour, Rahman's exploits for the day were recounted; by which end Senna huffed.

"Alright, so in brief we've got cases of a missing person and a larger task of improving the Crescentium Academy that the Kalifate had sponsored in better days; I daresay the general would want a look at the latter especially. On top of that, I'm still pretty much under obligation of seeing to this city's defenses and finding names for a new head of an entirely new western expedition..."

"Why, you see," her aide put in, "you needn't take them all on like so, Major. The case of Ruwa's father might well be left to the basira corps; I can even take it on myself as a token of payback to Sallim for so indulging me today. Meantime, I can directly report to the general concerning the Academy's betterment, perhaps even sound out his views. That leaves you only two other tasks which, even then, you can choose to delegate."

Senna paused. "Got a point. The more trivial the task, and the lower the rank of someone performing it, the less it'll cause unwanted ruckus."

"Indeed."

"Are you indeed up for taking those two other tasks?"

"Insha Allah. We've been part of a conquest rarely perceived in this House's history; about time we partake in some of its aftermath, wouldn't you say?"

The major rose. "Then, I entrust you with both. Finish them well, eh? It would do to sound out a certain Ren, for starters."

"Who?"

"That basira officer whom we met on our way the other day to Ruwa's place, remember? Might've noticed something unusual, the likes of him. Stragglers are not in short supply these days, either."

"Oh! A worthwhile try indeed! Thank you ever so much, Major!"

"Anytime, Rahm." She patted him by the shoulder, smiling. "Hope you can get me to know this Sallim someday, hmm? From the sound of it he's got quite the living that I might have hoped for myself, were I not in this rank."

Rahman beamed at such a prospect. "I will, insha Allah!"

"Then, I shall be going now. Don't forget the afternoon prayers, you."

***

Following the prayer and a short nap, thus, the colonel went off for the temporary base for basiras--'The Watchers'--in Balaras. Their current strength, having been augmented by locals, amounted to 2,000 men, spread over five of the city's districts. Rahman's first challenge would be to single Ren out of this sprawling force: a man met on the fly nonetheless, and whose name was common enough to refer to anyone; never mind its being a possible alias.

Moreover, and to Rahman's deep chagrin, he had not had the knack to inquire about Ren's rank before they had parted the other day.

"Nah... given the circumstances, I might have been right on that score. But how to find him now?"

So the colonel had pondered on his way. Running out of options, however, he decided to simply show up and see whatever he could find.

"Oh! Why, unless I'm being stuck in a mirage, it is the Colonel Rahman! Well met, sir!"

A familiar voice from a figure just starting to come out of the base made Rahman halt in his tracks.

"Officer Ren!" the colonel--recognizing the profuse beard--waved back in delight. "Gracious, how convenient. I was just about to get in there and search for you myself, good sir!"

Ren snickered even as he approached his interlocutor. They shook hands.

"My shift was over just now, Colonel, so I take it this isn't exactly the official kind?"

"Quite right, Officer. It is, however, still relevant to your line of work."

"Ah. How, then, might I be of service?"

"I hope you don't mind talking as we walk."

"After you," the basira officer replied. "So?"

Once again Rahman related that particular day's exploits. Once again, it ended in a frown.

"I see." Ren nodded to himself. "Yes, it counts as a missing-person case, and yes, we have been dealing with a bunch of them lately. It will help a great deal if this Ruwa or her mother would care to supply us with a name, a distinguishing feature. Anything to get things rolling. I remember you accompanying the major to Ruwa's place the other day, so why not start from there?"

"Since this has started on a more personal basis, Officer, I would naturally feel not so positive about alerting the whole base for a single person."

"But you do know we deal with such persons, hmm? In any case, do try to sound Ruwa out on those lines. If you need further assistance, refer to Sergeant Ren Navis. Meantime, I'm getting on with the big picture and will keep you informed of new finds."

"Many thanks, er... Sergeant."

"One last thing. Is Urdin in the know yet?"

"Not for the moment."

"Good. Your superior can see to that. Besides, the general's time is too valuable for such trifles as these. Until next time, Colonel Rahman."

"See you soon, Officer Ren."

***

*Character Section*

Dazna

Sergeant Ren Navis

Colonel Rahman