Roe and Elgamil called for their team to join them underneath the canvas tent covering the shaft entrance.

"Look what Roe found!"

Roe handed the Redguard a thick ledger labeled Atronach Excavations Inc. Site 11. He quickly thumbed through the pages, gathering all sorts of information – foreman's notes, problems with the initial dig, accounting logs, small diagrams and a worker's roster.

"Sasha," Dayan began. "I count fifty-three personnel including the foreman listed on this roster. Get the others and begin taking accountability of all the bodies. Separate the Argonians into their own pile until we can discern the workers from the attackers. Anyone unaccounted for could be a hostage. If that's the case then we have witnesses that can testify to our innocence."

Sasha obeyed and led Elgamil to the closest pile of bodies.

"Toji, Roe, you're going to have to go down the shaft and count how many bodies you see. Toji, you work the line for Roe."

Roe nodded, not muttering so much as a complaint about descending into the dark mine shaft.

One hour passed since they first arrived.

"How are we coming Amir?" He asked his brother.

"We're just about done. I got Elgamil and Mogakh searching the surrounding woods for anybody we may have missed."

"What's the count?"

Amir looked down and analyzed the notes he made in the ledger.

"Twenty-seven workers accounted for, plus thirteen Argonian bodies."

That leaves thirteen more bodies unaccounted for. Maybe Roe is having better luck down the mine shaft Dayan thought.

"Toji! What's Roe doing?"

"He's coming up now!" The Khajiit roared back.

Dayan walked out from underneath the tent. The team was able to get a reprieve from the constant downpour underneath the large overhang covering the shaft. Dayan resented having to get wet again. As he moved along the tree line, the rainwater penetrated down his shirt and onto his skin. The water was cold and felt like steel.

"In the name of the Emperor, I order you to halt."

Dayan couldn't believe it, his heart stopped. I guess it wasn't rainwater on my back he realized. The Redguard could feel the Legion soldier press the blade point harder against him. Conceding defeat he raised his hands hopefully high enough so that his teammates would know something was wrong.

"Order your troops to stand down."

He paused.

"Do it!" The voice commanded in a loud whisper.

"We're busted guys! Drop the weapons!" Dayan nonchalantly informed his team.

From the crest of the hill thirty Legion foresters emerged where only hours before the Riders had been waiting to commit mass murder. Dayan took comfort in his decision to surrender. It spared his team a nasty fight. Unlike conventional troops, Dayan recognized these soldiers to be from the elite 11th Jungle Cohort. Ironically, Dayan had spent six months training the 11th in guerilla warfare during his time in the Legion. The soldiers did not wear heavy steel armour or carry heavy claymores or longswords like most Legionnaires. Standard load-out for a soldier of the 11th was fur or leather armour pieces camouflaged green and brown with a mandatory longbow and choice of either shortsword or war axe.

"Forward! Move!" The voice ordered.

Dayan turned around and faced his captor. The soldier's face was covered in mud and ash, decorated in a camouflage pattern. Behind the soldier pointing a shortsword at his throat, Dayan could see that the entire cohort, 150 men strong, was arriving on the scene. The soldier grabbed Dayan by his collar and pushed him underneath the tent where the remaining Riders were laying down their weapons.

Several uneasy minutes passed as the 11th Cohort carefully swept the area looking for signs of enemy reinforcements. Just as I taught them Dayan critiqued proudly. Sasha managed to scoot her way next to Dayan.

"Roe is still down the shaft." She whispered.

Dayan tried not to look panicked, hoping that Roe would not cause any unnecessary bloodshed. He was interrupted by an approaching entourage of Cohort officers. A soldier clad in dark chainmail armour approached the Riders who were seated on the floor. Dayan recognized the rank insignia to be that of a Commander. It was difficult to stand with his hands tied behind him, but Dayan managed to come to his feet.

"Sir! Platoon Sergeant Dayan Lightfoot, 1st Battalion, 7th Legion." Dayan reported using his full name and rank. "Retired." He added.

The Commander removed his helmet and scanned over the Riders before catching Dayan's gaze. He stepped closer towards the Redguard.

"Last time I checked, the 7th was in Hammerfell, Sergeant. You're a ways away from home. Mind telling me what you're doing here?"

Unfortunately Dayan wasn't the best at making things up on the spot. He quickly tossed around some ideas in his head.

"They are my personal security detail Commander." Sasha piped in.

"And you are…"

"Sasha Arobar, daughter of Councilman Miner Arobar of House Redoran."

Even Dayan was surprised at this comment. The Dunmer's life before the Riders was regulated to speculation.

"What are you doing in Black Marsh milady?"

"My father has plans to establish an inter-provincial ebony trade and has sent me as an emissary to several known companies involved in mining. We were told of Atronach Excavations' findings here and arrived only hours ago to find the site destroyed and the workers all killed."

"We believe the attack was carried out by Argonian natives of the Red Club tribe. As you can see, before your troops arrived my team was compiling a tally of the workers' bodies compared to a roster we found – to see if any hostages were taken." Dayan added.

The Commander thought over the validity of their testimony.

"Why are you dressed in combat gear milady?" The Commander asked.

"I may be the daughter of a Councilman, but I am well aware that forests of Argonia are extremely dangerous." Sasha answered not missing a beat.

The Commander again pondered to himself before he relaxed. He motioned for a soldier to cut the binds around Sasha's wrist.

"I apologize if my men have mistreated you. My name is William Coffee, Commanding Officer of the 11th Jungle Cohort, 5th Legion."

"Will you free my men Commander?" Sasha asked.

Dayan tried to hold back a smile as he silently relinquished command of the Riders to Sasha. Several other soldiers helped the Riders to their feet and cut their bindings. A Nord soldier cut Dayan's bindings. The Redguard almost cried out in surprise as the Nord turned and faced him, offering a slight smile. Somehow during the time from when the Legion soldiers first arrived, Roe had managed to escape from the shaft and acquire the uniform of an 11th Cohort soldier. Ash and dirt disguised his face and a leather helmet hid his disfigured ear. If the Legionnaires detected Roe as an imposter, the Riders would probably be killed.

Sasha and Commander Coffee walked away from the group as Sasha explained the future plans for House Redoran's ebony trade. Dayan didn't know if it was true, but she was convincing nonetheless. For several minutes the Riders mingled with the troops. Toji even asked for Sasha's permission to walk the Commander through the site and explain the mystery of the Argonian's dressed as Red Club tribesman.

Sasha and the Commander finally shook hands and parted ways. Commander Coffee ordered his Platoon Sergeant to assemble his troops. Dayan hurriedly gathered his own team, informing them of Roe's predicament.

"Good work Sasha." Dayan praised.

"Yes milady, I didn't know I was working for royalty!" Amir joked, sparking a few chuckles from the group.

"Shut it Amir, we got bigger problems. Roe is posing as a Cohort soldier."

All at once the team looked up from their huddle and tried to pick him out of the line-up.

"Oh there he is! I'm so proud of him!" Elgamil pointed.

Jayred slapped the Bosmer's hand down.

"You're gonna get him killed!"

"Nah uh!"

"Yes!"

"Well I don't care what you all have to say, I'm so proud of him. I wonder what he did with the body?"

"If they figure him out we're all dead."

"We need to leave, get as far away as we can."

"And leave Roe?"

"He can track us, I'm sure of it."

"What about Coffee's men?" Jayred asked.

"They're going after the Red Club, south of here." Sasha informed.

"So now's a good time to head north, eh boss?"

"Across the border into Morrowind."

"It's too far, we move southeast to Archon." Mogakh suggested. "Port city. We can get a vessel there."

Silence.

"Sounds good. Let's make haste." Dayan approved.

Seven hours later

"He should've found us by now. We're moving too fast."

"He'll find us, don't worry." Dayan reassured the Dunmer.

According to Sasha, the 11th would be moving in the opposite direction, into Red Club territory presumably to pursue the culprits behind the attack on Site 11. It was unfortunate that potentially innocent Argonians would take the blame for Toby Pilson's actions. He hadn't told his team yet, but the Riders mission was not complete until the Bosmer was dead or in Imperial custody.

"What are we going to do about Toby?" Sasha always had a knack for reading Dayan's mind.

"He tried to set us up." The Redguard let out a long sigh. "I can't leave here knowing he's still alive."