A/N: For those of you who don't know, I have a collection of short stories set in this... multiverse(?) called Songs of Worlds Old and New.

Come close, baby

Show me what you want no

If you wanna love me

Then don't you waste time

Lights out - Virginia to Vegas

By mid-afternoon, we arrive at the gates of a settlement even smaller than Meadowhill village. The town's structures seem more ordered and densely packed, with many having a second or even third floor, but there are far fewer of them. The standouts are an inn and a few shops; the bare essentials. It is likely that they only see travellers like us, people passing through on their way to and from Illumia.

Since Zack doesn't know what we're doing yet, Leanna speaks quickly.

"Okay, we should stock up on supplies."

"I'll be making a stop at the weaponsmith." Zack responds.

Zack pats the two holstered dischargers by his side. Now that I recall, I saw that one of them didn't function during the ambush. It must've been jammed or damaged. Leanna acknowledges Zack.

"I'll check out the shops since my weapons are okay on repairs."

Given that mine are to, I don't have any money that works here, and waiting at the inn sounds boring, I make my decision quickly.

"I'll go with you."

Leanna smiles. Zack nods, and then prepares to leave.

"See you later then."

He turns down another path.

"Let's go, Alasdair."

"Indeed."

We find the general store with ease as the marketplace is a rather small affair. In fact, given the size of this village, I'm surprised this place is as busy as it is. I guess that if you're the only general store around, business is going to be good. Trusting Leanna to pick out what we need from the forgein environment, I scan the shop.

The walls consist primarily of racks and shelves stacked with goods. Various stock foods, spices, and other items which keep well form the main course, with a small produce section sporting a deep blue crystal. I move my hand over the area, and discover that it is cold.

People from all backgrounds crowd the area, wearing clothes ranging from the leathers and rough cloths I saw back at Meadowhill to intricately embroidered fabrics which seem to cry out desperately for attention. A waypoint town like this one really would get all sorts of travellers, wouldn't it? It's like being in an airport.

Once I notice Leanna is finished, I follow her to the counter to pay for our items.

"Will that be all for today?"

It would seem that the sales tactics don't change between universes. Leanna nods, confirming.

"Your total comes to 34 crowns, 6 circlets."

Leanna's eyes widen in obvious surprise.

"34 crowns for these? It should be at most 30!"

The shopkeeper frowns apologetically. For some reason, he doesn't seem too happy about the price either.

"I'm sorry, miss. The cost of the goods themselves are only 20 crowns. The rest of it is the 70% tax."

Wow. Coalition taxes never go over 19%! And Golden Age welfare states weren't much higher than that. What is the administration here trying to fund?

"By the Marshals, what could they need all the money for?"

I fortunately had the presence of mind to encapsulate what I was thinking in a manner that didn't cause any strange looks. Except a few happened anyway. Humankind's light, there really isn't a respite, is there?

The shopkeeper shakes his head. Leanna frowns.

"I don't remember the tax being so high in the past."

"The mayor only recently increased the tax…"

"Has no one asked why? It doesn't seem fair."

The man nods.

"We did in the beginning, but then the mayor hired 'enforcers' for the new law."

Leanna frowns, but doesn't say anything more. As the shopkeeper gestures to her items, I feel as though she and I are thinking the same thing. The owner smiles in apology.

"I'm really sorry about this, miss, but I don't have any other choice."

"I understand. It's not your fault."

She hands him a cluster of circular objects made of silver and gold.

"Thank you for your understanding. Safe travels…"

As we return to the streets, Leanna seems quieter than usual. From her expression, however, I deduce that her mind is hardly silent.

"Is everything okay?" I ask. I have suspicions, but would like to see them confirmed first. The agreement of someone who knows how this normally works will go a long way.

"Something about this just doesn't seem right. New tax rules and the guards to enforce them? I came through here only a few days ago on my way to Meadowhill and the tax hadn't been changed then."

She rests her chin in her hands a little.

"It just all seems like too sudden of a change."

My face curdles slightly.

"I agree. This town seems normal, but I smell corruption. We should find out what's going on here."

Leanna blinks, seemingly surprised.

"Really?"

I nod.

"What? In truly catastrophic breakdowns of civil order, Coalition Land units are technically gendarmeries. If local security forces fail to keep the peace or let dealings progress in the shadows, then it's up to the army to break the storm."

I gesture around.

"There aren't any local police precincts around here as far as I can see, and what passes for a security force in Raven Pass is clearly compromised. Unless you know of any other Commissioned Officers near here, it falls to me to help this place. I see no reason not to do my job, even if no one will notice if I don't."

Leanna's lips curve into a smile.

"You're right. It'll help to have someone watching my back."

I dust off a few segments of my clothes. If I am to be doing some law enforcement today, I should best look the part.

"Anyway," Leanna adds, "we should go meet up with Zack if plans are going to be changed."

"I concur. Lead on."

We make our way to the lane of armouries and smiths and peek through a few shop windows before we spot Zack. A guard, or perhaps one of those mysterious 'enforcers' attempts to loom over him.

"This," I point out, "does not look promising."

Leanna frowns as we enter the shop.

The guard growls at Zack.

"This doesn't concern you. Stay out of it!"

Zack responds cooly.

"It became my concern when you threatened him in front of me."

"Threatened? All I told him was what 'may' happen to his store if he doesn't pay up for these protective services."

If I didn't smell the biggest swarm of rats emanating from that, I probably wouldn't be worthy of my status as a CO. Clearly, deception is not quite as fine an art here as it is on Earth. Or the main practitioner here is a novice. Zack scowls, emanating threat.

"Leave. Now."

The guard laughs.

"What makes you think I'd listen to you?"

Zack glares at the guard, resting his hand on the discharger found in his coat, providing just enough of an opening for his adversary to see the threat. He then grips the other one on the table. The colour drains from the enforcer's face as he notices the threat.

"Two purple dischargers, black trenchcoat… it can't be..."

This vile creature must not be used to being threatened. On the one gendarme action I was taken on as practice for potential futures, I found that thugs on the payroll of organized crime syndicates behaved in similar manners: brave and cocky until they realized they weren't the one with the biggest stick anymore.

Zack shifts slightly, increasing the ferocity in his eyes. The guard, attempting to smother his fear in false bravado, turns to the shopkeeper.

"You're lucky your friend was here today."

He sneers at Zack.

"He won't always be here though."

After imparting that last unsubtle threat, the enforcer hurries out of the shop, brushing past Leanna and I. After he disappears down the street, Zack relaxes. The shopkeeper sighs in relief.

"Thank you."

Zack almost ignores the thanks, instead focusing on the problem at hand.

"That have to do with the new tax you mentioned?"

The shopkeeper nods.

"They just keep growing and growing. I've tried to keep my prices as low as possible so people actually buy my goods, but go too low and you either have to start cutting into your minimums… or that happens."

His fingers tremble as he takes back the discharger. The shopkeeper seems more than a little shaken by these events. I continue to puzzle this over.

What need would the lawful government have for tactics common in crime? I ask myself. The why is almost as important as the who and what.

"I'm sorry." The merchant breaks into my thoughts. "I'll still need a few more minutes to finish up the repairs. I know I should've been done by now, and I'm sorry."

Zack nods.

"It's alright. You were interrupted."

The weaponsmith gives him a grateful smile as he returns to his workroom. I scowl.

"The tax issue again."

Leanna has a serious expression.

"Now we know it isn't just a single store they're trying to put out of business. This is affecting the whole town."

Zack's voice is even, calm.

"I'm not going to let it escalate."

Leanna and I glance at Zack in surprise.

"You two head to the inn. I have something that needs to be taken care of after this."

"What are you planning to do?" Leanna inquires.

"I'm going to pay a visit to the mayor."

I smile.

"Well then, why don't we join you?"

Zack looks surprised. Leanna nods.

"Something here is just not right. We can't sit by and do nothing."

The shopkeeper returns and places Zack's discharger on the counter.

"All fixed."

"Thanks. Here."

Zack offers a number of coins to the vendor, who shakes his head.

"Please don't worry about it. You've already done me a huge favour by helping me with the guard."

Zack holsters the discharger and places the coins -'crowns'- on the counter disirregardless.

Oh, that word is beautiful. Disirregardless isn't evena real word, and it. Is. GORGEOUS.

"I insist." Zack maintains, stepping away from the counter.

The shopkeeper looks conflicted, then sighs and nods gratefully.

Zack leads the way out of the shop and through the town. His footsteps are long and full of purpose, a change from his usual quiet caution. I feel as though I am on parade, with a thousand others drumming against the ground with every step I take. Though its might cannot reach here, the will of the Sol Coalition walks with me as I watch the surroundings with an ominous pride.

I look over at Zack with newfound respect. This is the first time I've seen him so driven. Perhaps there are morals that back his death-dealing. I steel myself. It is likely I will be called upon to fight fellow humans again, for the good of humanity. My heart clenches, but an icy wave calms it.

I can deal with that later, when the fight is over.

My thoughts ring in my head. I will do as my duty requires, then I shall tend to myself.

Soon my thoughts are interrupted as we arrive at the front of a large mansion. I scowl at the elaborate and out-of-place structure in this small town. Such opulence would drain the local economy. The signs of the sickness in Raven Pass are everywhere.

Two men are guarding the entrance, though they wear different attire from the thug that we saw at the smithy. Zack sizes them up, noting their relative lack of attention to their surroundings.

"Hm."

"I am doubtful that they would simply let us enter." I state, weighing the options.

Zack nods and reaches for his discharger.

"Agreed."

Leanna seems worried.

"W-what are you two planning?"

"Easy." I exposit. "We'll knock them out to clear our way inside. A corrupt administration wouldn't have normal guards posted at the entrance, at least under normal conditions."

Zack looks surprised, then fiddles with his dischargers.

"Right… Just knock them out…"

Leanna and I simultaneously scowl at Zack. Then she looks back at me.

"I don't agree with this decision. We don't know for sure if those guards are the enemy."

I frown.

"But if we start talking to them so we can check, we'll lose the element of surprise… wait."

I look over at Leanna.

"If we need to, can you dispatch them with magic before they can respond? Assuming they don't have manipulators themselves."

Leanna thinks for a second. Then she nods.

"And do they have a capacity for counter-attacks like that?"

She regards the guards, spellfire burning in her pupils. Then, she shakes her head.

"No. I did see something strange behind them, but I'll need to get closer to be sure. This'll be worth a try."

"Great, so we lose nothing by trying to talk with them. And Leanna has a point. If they aren't on the payroll of whatever is happening here, then we don't injure innocent bystanders through this course of action. Fewer things can go wrong."

Zack seems skeptical.

"Well, at the very least, you'll save on discharger rounds. On the other hand…" I say as I turn back to Leanna, "...you should be ready. It would be criminally negligent to post guards you don't trust at your main entrance."

Zack frowns, but after some thought, he nods.

"We'll try that first. If that fails, we go to plan B."

I frown.

"Incapacitate. Do not kill them. That is plan B, is it not?"

Zack has already moved towards the guards and doesn't hear my treatise. I face Leanna. She shakes her head.

"Let's just hope he doesn't do that."

After we close distance properly, catching up to Zack, one of the guards notices us. The two snap to attention.

"Halt, what is your business here?"

Zack is quick to respond.

"We're here to see the mayor."

The second guard looks skeptical.

"Does he expect your audience?"

Zack shakes his head.

"No, but I need to speak with him about his latest tax hike."

"The tax hike?"

The guards glance at each other and lower their weapons slightly. It seems to me that they disapprove of the taxes too. Leanna notices, taking this as an opening to pose questions.

"You guys don't seem too happy with the taxes either."

The first guard hesitates, then nods.

"My sister runs the bakery in town. These taxes are far too high, they've been hurting her business."

Zack frowns.

"Then why haven't you done anything about it?"

The second guard shakes his head sadly.

"We've tried, as have some of the others. When the protest happened, the treasurer recommended the mayor hire some 'real' guards."

He glowers as he mentions the treasurer. I blink, then jump in. This could be a lead.

"Treasurer? What does he have to do with this?"

I phrase my question in a way that gives me easy deniability, but still communicates everything I need. What little I know about fighting corruption as a gendarme is slowly coming back to me. Man, that time I got slotted into fighting that Parime Commissariat crime lord with the Solar Rangers was terrifying. At least we had stun guns for it, though.

"Depends on who you ask. One thing we all agree on is that things have been really strange since he's gotten into town. The mayor's been passing all sorts of laws that wouldn't have been considered before."

The other guard elbows his comrade.

"Quiet down! Do you want one of his lackeys to hear?"

The first guard frowns and falls silent. Leanna raises a hand to her chin in thought. As for me, if I was suspicious before…

Leanna voices my thoughts.

"This treasurer seems… really suspicious."

The second guard picks out something. He gestures to Leanna's manipulator.

"Wait, you're a Mage Knight?"

Leanna blinks.

"Yes, I am."

"Can you scan the treasurer for magic use? I swear he's doing-"

The first guard butts in.

"Not your crazy theories again! They already have a court mage to see to that."

"Yes, a court mage who was assigned by the treasurer."

The second guard frowns.

"Isn't that usual fare? The mage is guild certified, after all."

The other poses a question, ignoring his partner.

"If we let you through, will you just scan around and see if you notice anything?"

Leanna nods. It was what she wanted to do, after all.

"Yes, I'll do what I can."

"Just be careful. Some of the treasurer's hired 'guards' may not be so fond of you poking around."

Both guards step to the side.

"On your way." says the first.

Zack steps forward.

"Let's go."

I breathe a sigh of relief as I realize that this step will not require any combat.

Zack leads the way again. We follow behind as Leanna fiddles with her manipulator, her eyes flickering about and tracing invisible patterns. As we progress through the mansion, we pass unnoticed by the clerks and guards milling about. It makes some sense: we were already challenged at the gate. If we are here openly then we ought to have good reason to be.

Leanna glances between a wall and her manipulator with an intense stare, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"This doesn't make any sense."

I look towards her.

"What doesn't?"

"The readings… they're so erratic… it's almost like there's- but there can't be…"

"There can't be what?"

"Shadow magic."

Zack looks sharply at Leanna.

"Shadow magic?"

She reluctantly nods. Zack sets his jaw and tightens the grip on his dischargers.

I'm still more than a little confused. Up until now this was a simple crackdown on a fairly badly disguised criminal enterprise. Now someone's gone and thrown an OOCP into the mix, that is an Out-Of-Context-Problem.

"So, uh, shadow magic… Would someone mind telling me what that is? Please?"

"It's forbidden magic."

Leanna is focused entirely on her manipulator.

"It's coming from…"

She jogs down a hallway and stops in front of mahogany double doors. Their frames look to be recently gilded, and I scowl at the display. What a waste of tax sparks.

"...behind there."

Suddenly, a voice I barely recognize calls out from behind us. Before I hear him finish, my weapon has already leapt into my hands, recognizing the accusatory tone.

"It's you!"

I whirl about almost as quickly as the others. Behind us is the same guard from the shop.

"How did you get in here? Intruders!"

All eyes fall on us as he begins yelling. The guards who previously ignored us draw their weapons as they close in. There is a violet thunderclap, and the guard in front of us doubles over, collapsing onto the floor. Zack stands with his dischargers raised.

"You're a mage, you've got a better shot at dealing with whatever that is. I'll keep them busy here."

Zack kicks down one of the tables and drops behind it for cover. A cluster of bolts in various colours fall towards us, joined by a number of arrows. Many thud into the heavy table, but none penetrate it. Zack looks back at us.

"Go, now!"

He begins to trade weapons fire with those beyond the door. Purple energy swirls to life, raining down in sheets upon the enemies, forming an area of suppressing fire. As a few projectiles trace our path, Leanna bursts through the doors with myself close behind, struggling to keep up. The noise from the battle gradually fades away as we run deeper into the mansion.

It isn't long before we find a door at the end of the hallway. Four guards are in front of it, and I am almost certain that they are of the goon variety. Leanna points to the door they guard.

"There. It's right behind that door."

"Somehow, I don't think that the treasurer's last line of defense would be disloyal guardsmen."

"Neither do I."

Leanna steels herself, and I do the same as she steps out of the cover offered by the corner. By the time one of them points, she is there, and I follow close behind. I am, however, unneeded, as a whirlwind of white metal and sky blue magic disassembles their defense. It took only about twelve seconds. She motions me over.

"Come on, help me tie them up! They won't stay down for long."

I smile gratefully, and aid in ensuring they won't interrupt us.

"Are you sure that the level of expenditure there was a good idea?" I ask, concerned. This was a much greater feat than with the bandits.

"For the element of surprise? I hope so."

There is very little uncertainty in her voice as she pushes open the door, entering what looks to be a large study. A carved wooden desk, laden with books and ledgers, is in the centre with bookcases surrounding it. A man wearing a hooded robe sits at the desk. He scribes something with one hand while the other is hidden within his robe.

An older man sits on the other side of the desk. His greying hair sticks out in strange angles and his embroidered (ugh) clothes are slightly askew. He stares at the open ledgers on the desk, but his eyes are… dull. Like they aren't really seeing it.

Two guards stand by the doorway, as still as statues, with those same dull eyes. I've seen the expression once before, on a newscast. The treasurer rises to his feet.

"Who let you two in? I explicitly said no visitors!"

A/N: That's it for this chapter! I think I've finally got settled into a good length at this point: about 14 pages of Google Doc. As usual, I will watch for commentary and critique.