No bandit work, this. But who, then? Collegium had its enemies, more than ever before, but there was currently supposed to be a general peace. Someone clearly had not been informed.

He heard a scrape and scuff as the automotive disgorged its last passenger. His niece hesitated in the hatchway, looking unwell. She shook her head at him as he made a move towards her.

'Just give me a moment,' she said, as she eyed the wreck of the mill bleakly. 'This is bad, isn't it?'

'Quite bad, yes.' Seeing the officer of his guardsmen backing towards him, he said, 'Che, would you look after our Vekken friend here while I see to something.' He had not meant to put so much of a stress on the word, but it had come out that way.

Che dropped to the ground and staggered, before catching her balance. The journey had been hard on her. The Vekken was staring at her, but if her discomfort meant anything to him, it was lost in a generic expression of distaste for all things Collegiate.

'Do you think…?' His look did not encourage discussion but she pressed on. 'Do you think someone could be causing trouble between our cities?' In the absence of a reply, she added, 'We are west of Collegium here, and Vek is the closest port.'

'As I said, you believe this is our work,' the Vekken said flatly.

'Che, get back in the automotive,' Stenwold said suddenly. 'You too…' He looked at the Vekken and obviously could not put a name to him. The Vekken squared off against him, wanting to see whatever was being hidden from him.

'Now!' Stenwold shouted, and then everything went to pieces. Without a sound, there were men popping up from all sides, their crossbows already clacking and thrumming. Every shadowy corner of the mill's wreck that could afford a hiding place was disgorging attackers. One of Stenwold's soldiers was down in that instant, another reeling back with a bolt through the leg. All around was the sound of missiles blunting themselves against shields, or rattling off the automotive's armoured hull.