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"Thanks," I said

"The Commander awaits your report"

I nodded Etta left to rejoin her unit, and I headed toward the office I hesitated in the doorway; I was used to the se my eyes

"Come in," Commander Ambrose ordered

I stood before his desk He sat immobile and impassive as always, his sht plucked at e Gray streaks painted the Coested an older uess his age was closer to forty About seven years older than Valek, if e was accurate

"Report"

I describedand thethe same version of my encounter with the southerner that I had told Valek, I concluded my report with the caravan and Valek’s orders that I return I waited for the Commander’s questions

"So Ari and Janco didn’t capture you?" he asked

"No But they were the only ones who even caht below a tree I hid in, and were skilled enough to track Valek for a while"

The Coolden eyes looked past me as he absorbed the information "Where are the items Valek procured?"

I opened my backpack, and placed the pods and beans on his desk

He picked up a yellow pod and rotated it in his hands before returning it Grabbing a handful of beans, he hefted the one, he broke the bean in half The inside was as unrevealing as the outside had been

"They’re not native to Ixia They must be from Sitia Yelena, take them with you and do sorown"