Cortain Koors spun and marched out of the barracks leaving the two Squad Leaders gaping. As soon as the door to the communal officer’s room had closed an Omunga Star flew through the air and lodged in the wood.

“You must control your temper,” admonished Tagoro. “He is purposely trying to goad you into a confrontation.”

“Perhaps,” mused Marak, “his elimination would be seen as a service to Lord Ridak. Every estate strives to rid itself of vermin.”

“This decision must have been hard for Koors,” suggested Tagoro. “He knows you desire to speak to your mother and, yet, it is an honor to be on the greeting squad. He had to give you one of the two and he would have preferred to give you neither.”

“I think Cortain Koors will have other difficult decisions ahead of him,” remarked Marak as he retrieved his Omunga Star and entered the main room of the barracks.

Both groups of men were already dressed in clean uniforms and were busy checking their attire for spots or tears that might embarrass the squad when the visitors arrived. Marak and Tagoro snapped orders to the men and they filed out of the barracks in two smooth columns. Rybak’s Squad was already assembled and was holding pikes in addition to their usual weapons.

“I will have my Squad handle the gate and road,” suggested Squad Leader Rybak when Marak appeared out of the barracks.

Marak simply nodded. Both squads would have the prestige of performing greeting duties, but Rybak’s men would get to stand down once the Lords had arrived. Marak’s Squad would be pressed into long hours of duty while the Lords met day and night during the next three days. The fact that Rybak’s men already had formed with pikes was not lost on Marak. Cortain Koors had made sure that his pet Squad Leader would have the easiest duty while still retaining the honor.