United Kingdoms

— You three can pass, — said Captain Pilas’s guard, after completing the inspection, — I don’t see any reason for you to be in the city.
Valerian refused Hios, and then Lex. — And you, it’s better if you don’t show up here again without a good reason.

- I must say, sir, that the guys tried hard and did a very good job, much better than I expected from such recruits on their first mission.

Captain Weymot picked up the report and studied it for a long time, either his eyesight wasn’t very good, or he couldn’t read quickly, or maybe he was just paying close attention to the details of the report. — Ah, well done! I didn’t make a mistake when I decided to recruit you, I didn’t make a mistake. I feel sorry for the girls, of course, and for the lumberjacks too, but as they say, all’s well that ends well. So, listen, you can keep the equipment and everything else, but you’ll have to hand over the money. You understand, this is what the bandits looted from the residents of the county, so it should benefit the county. But let’s see, maybe we can do something with the budget of your squad, I would like to help, but we have very few free resources. Okay, go ahead. You need to rest too.

-I understand. But wouldn’t those whose people I killed have a shortage of personnel, which I could so successfully fill? Not to mention that I would clearly be smarter and wouldn’t let myself be stuffed with bolts like a pig in a battle that is impossible to win. I don’t think those brutes represented any sentimental value to their employers, so why not consider this, as they say, “even from a mangy sheep, you can get some wool”? If I am executed, those people will lose two brutes, but if I am kept alive, those people will still lose two brutes, but at least they will gain a reckless spy in return. Who, moreover, is not a pity to lose and who will have nowhere to run from them.

— The value of the brutes is that they are loyal and don’t stick their noses where they shouldn’t. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about you. You seem to be a quick-witted person — you get distracted, and you’re gone, or maybe you’ll tell someone something. The person whose people you shot might have thought about your offer, and even if he had refused, he would have most likely sent you to the right place instead of one of the residents of that dump. But I personally like the dead more, because they don’t talk. So if you don’t have any more tricks up your sleeve, then we’ll end it here.