"Packing takes about five minutes. Sir."

"If you don't know a key fact like how far away #15 is, ask the question or incorporate the uncertainty into your estimate, don't imagine yourself capable of and authorized to teleport."

"If I walk to #15 it'll take me a week, if I get there; if I ride it will take fourteen hours, if I get there." What is the point of this.

"Would you be an asset to a patrol group you traveled alongside, or would you be a disciplinary hazard?"

Carissa has never broken regulations of any kind except to avoid getting pregnant which was also against the relevant regulations. He knows that, so it can't be the answer. He also knows she's a third circle wizard so that can't be the answer. "I don't know, sir."

"Is there information, that I might have, that would cause you to know."

"Who else are you assigning? Have I succeeded in believing I'm supposed to report them if they inconvenience me even if they break no rules in so doing? Do they believe I'm supposed to report them if they inconvenience me? Have you healed me or am I barely competent to stand? Am I allowed to use my spells for patrol work or am I to expend them all as usual before we leave? What's the weather? Are there demons?"

Am I eager to reach fort fifteen because it's run like a normal fucking Worldwound fort or dreading it because it's a normal fucking Worldwound fort with instructions to spend the next three weeks taking me apart? Do you really think it is a good use of my time to do patrol time estimates?

She's really not suicidal so she manages not to ask those last.

"I am planning to reassign one of you or Fortuny alongside platoon #54. Whether you believe that depends on whether I succeed in convincing you that I do not want the border to fall to demonic incursion, which is proving remarkably difficult that I'd start to wonder why you hadn't alerted the last inspector had you not already indicated to me why you might not do that. I do not send my men to patrol if they are impaired, as a strict reading of the Worldwound treaty does not actually indicate that one can send one's own forces out into the snow to leave a blood trail for demons to follow that they might be torn to pieces, while you cannot do that to an allied guest, even if a loose interpretation permits it. You would be expected to prepare and cast with the patrol in mind. The weather report from the last time one of the clerical staff forecasted it is as ever posted in the mess hall. If we knew whether there would be demons, the patrols would be redundant, but if I did have confidential intelligence to the effect that there were unusual numbers in either direction I would consider using that information to time and strengthen patrol groups if it would not leak information about that intel to the enemy.

"Was that so hard?"

Fortuny's not actually that atypical and there's no particular reason to expect his replacement to be any different except that she will be able to say truthfully that the fort commander makes exceptions to his general disinterest in any behavior not prohibited by regulations for hearing about her sex life. 

"I don't believe I have any information not known to you and relevant to answering your question, sir."

"I'm taking one and a half second circle spells at scroll prices out of your pay." A piece moves. "Checkmate. Go tell Fortuny I want to see him. You may tell him that I want him immediately. - And, Sevar?

"I never told you that you could not ask me what the rules of chess are. You did that to yourself."

That's probably a deep theological point but she can't actually map it to any!!

Awwwwww did Sevar start whining? She's such a contemptible little bitch sometimes. He hasn't broken any rules and isn't particularly worried.

Chessboard. Chess pieces. Fortuny's playing white. "Do you know how to play, First Arcane?"

He does! He's not fantastic at it but he memorized six ways to beat most people and so beats most people. "Yes, sir."

Blai's first move in response to his opener doesn't immediately contradict this idea. "So," he says, "I'm taking the cost of one and a half second circle spells out of your pay at scroll prices, and I presume you can figure out why."

"- I didn't tell the little bitch to use any spells, sir. I'd have beaten it out of her for free."

"So you intended to waste my spells instead."

"Who said anything about healing her?"

"My desire not to have fort resources squandered because you can't tell the difference between a wizard and a whore. If you want to be eaten by demons, Fortuny, I'm afraid your request is denied and you are required to get to Hell the long way like everyone else whose skills belong to the Worldwound." He flips a tiny hourglass. "Pick up the pace."

Sure, he has the play for this strategy memorized anyway and is just pretending to contemplate it. "I'll place an order for a Cure wand if it's that important to you no one sitting at a desk have any bruises."

Blai plays fast; he's looking at the board but if he's processing it it's happening very swiftly or mostly in advance or something. "Your commitment to finding and purchasing - once forced to purchase, rather than appropriating - the most ruinously expensive lay in the fort is tremendous. Tragically, it would not address the charge of equipment sabotage."

"Sir?"

"Equipment. Sabotage. Have you ever been at fort that got a late arrow shipment, Fortuny?" He takes a pawn. Fortuny needed that pawn.

Yeah he has to figure out if the memorized thing still works without that pawn. Or if one of the other ones do. "What's the equipment here, Sevar? Was she that whiny about it? She's fine."

"It's your move. No, the definition of equipment excludes personnel. But Sevar is employed to produce equipment and her collapse in crafting time dates to your arrival. You are that rare and undesirable specimen of a commanding officer who has managed to be worse than nothing in terms of his subordinates' performance. Usually we appoint a command structure because we expect to accomplish something thereby. If I want to tend to your personal enrichment I'll requisition more camp followers."