082. If – "Different Circumstances"
The captain stood outside the door to the Oblong Office, studying the wallpaper with nervous precision. He'd known it would only be a matter of time before something like this happened. Patricians started seeing enemies everywhere because there were plenty of enemies about, and it paid to be vigilant. Of course, the higher up you went, the more vigilant you had to be….
A youngish-looking clerk opened the door, nodded toward him, and said something—the captain didn't hear it, but it didn't matter. He went inside.
"Your Lordship."
The man in the chair grinned.
"Hullo, Captain Quirke, haha."
Note: This was written for the prompt "If"--it's down another leg of the Trousers of Time from the actual ending of Night Watch.
