Spiral of Light

Chapter 3: Enter the Supervisor

Moloch and Krasus stood with the centuri of legionnaires and watched the buzz of Drydellia as it moved around them. After a few minutes a long-armored hover gondola with markings of the Drydellian constabulary dropped out of the traffic stream and came to rest in a magnetic parking grip. The Legionnaires had formed themselves into three neat lines and Moloch and Krasus stood before them.

Stairs unfolded slowly and two males walked down to greet the assembled soldiers. One was in a constable's uniform, and the other, wore the same black robe as the other Drydellian official they had seen earlier. Except this one, conducted himself with an even greater air of pomposity, and was possessed with a calculating and suspicious gaze.

A constable stepped forward and gave the Centurions a nod and touched the brim of his hat.

"Welcome Centurions. I am Constable Salazaar and this is my superior, a descendant of the royal house of Drydellia, Supervisor Rofoscue. He will be observing and reporting on the efficiency of our mission today. I am pleased you finally came all the way down here to help us deal with our mixer problem, as it has been proving difficult for us to find the den and exterminate it." Constable Salazaar said.

Salazaar, wore a faded grey uniform of the Drydellian constabulary, with red and gold piping on the collar. Moloch could see that it had been ripped and torn many times, but each time it had been carefully sewn back together, so capably that only one that looked closely could see that it had been torn. He wore a vest and inserted in the front was a single thick nano plate. The vest was synched tightly over his lean frame. An old, high powered, slow firing emitter pistol hung at his belt and his calf high boots were worn but meticulously polished. Fine silvery hair was visible from under a brimmed grey hat that perfectly matched the color of his uniform. He had a closely cropped beard and piercing light green eyes. He stood with his hands gripping the top collar of his vest to let them hang at rest.

Moloch stepped forward, saluting by way of greeting, holding his fist diagonally across his chest.

"Greetings to you Supervisor Rofouscue, and Constable Salazaar. I am Centurion Moloch and this is Centurion Krasus, behind us is a veteran centuri from the first legion. We've come today to solve your hybrid problem."

Supervisor Rofouscue stepped forward and lifted both arms up, palms facing away from himself in a formal Drydellian gesture of greeting. He had a pointed chin and nose, sharply arched eyebrows and jet-black hair that faded up and away into a high widow's peak, which was tied back in a tight bun that perched on the top of his head. On one side he had a large intelor pad, slung on a strap over his shoulder, and on the other a bulging purse hung from his belt. Moloch could see the bystanders that milled around the door to the central lift, fixing the purse with the occasional desirous gaze.

"We are pleased you finally found time to make it to Drydellia! Though we put our request in nine months ago, it is good to see that all the ducats we pay in taxes are finally amounting to something. In the interest of being fair, I will warn you, should you fail us in your duty, I will not spare you in the least when I submit a formal reprimand to your Praetor, is that clear?" Supervisor Rofouscue said with a tone of icy hostility.

Krasus stepped forward and met Supervisor Rofouscue's tone with one that was just as inhospitable.

"The pillar is a big place Supervisor, we can only address issues in the order we receive them and based on the magnitude of their risk." Krasus said, giving the Drydellian his standard line, that was reserved for most citizens whose importance did not merit a well-considered explanation.

Supervisor Rofouscue pursed his lips. He was used to cowed beings that mewled in subservience before him. Not beings who behaved as his equals and who did not care for his thinly veiled threats.