A meeting with the Captain Commander was no small thing and as Bex responded immediately to go where she was summoned, she pondered what it was he might want. Her first assumption was that it was disciplinary. Bex didn't stand for any nonsense or time wasters in the soldiers she presided over and her methods of pushing them past their own limits sometimes meant an emotional break or excruciatingly long hours. Bex didn't regret it.

Nevermere was becoming more and more of a powerhouse by the day and they needed to be prepared to meet any enemy that faced them. In the world of Terra Nova, there were a large variety of potential enemies, each with unique skills. If these witches never pushed themselves beyond physical combat then they would be at a disadvantage, something Bex refused to let happen.

She arrived to his office dressed in uniform, as always, and when she was allowed entry she stood tall with her shoulders back and her hands behind her back. "Captain Commander," she said respectfully.

Hadrian stood for his soldiers, always. He rose from his desk, dipping his head at Bex before offering her a seat. Her—an interesting descriptor for a witch that looked more man than woman. Hadrian supposed it didn’t matter, so long as she got the job done. And she did, every time.

Hadrian was starting to learn the value of consistency.

“I have a proposition for you, lieutenant,” Hadrian said, wasting no time. Perhaps with another soldier, he would have opened with an apology. Sorrow for her loss. But he wasn’t entirely sure Bex was just any soldier. She valued efficiency, and so he’d let his observance of that preference that be the indicator of his sympathies.

It had been a bit of an adjustment when the Captain Commander had changed but it wasn't as if Bex had been particularly close with Logan anyway. All she cared about was how well the job was done and less about the sentiment of who was doing it. Hadrian had quickly proved that he was more than capable of the task and so the transition had been an easy one for Bex.

She cocked her head slightly as he began. A proposition? Well consider her interested, she had no idea what that might be but she was all ears. "Oh? I'm listening," she stated, not moving from her current position but all her attention entirely focused on the commander and his words. What was this really about?

Hadrian considered her for a moment. Whatever it was he saw seemed to confirm his decision. With a little nod, he shifted, sitting up in his seat and folding his hands on the table.

“Coheed is in a time of transition. Between the…unfortunate incident at the docks and the construction of the new city, I’m afraid the region’s stability is far more precarious than we’ve been led to believe.” Hadrian made a face before continuing. “Until things settle down, I need someone in Coheed that I can trust. Someone with sharp eyes and a firm hand.” He smiled. “And I believe you’re the right woman for the job.”

Coheed, Bex wasn't sure she liked where this was going though nothing but neutrality remained on her expression. She definitely knew about what had happened at the docks, she was sure most soldiers had heard the rumors eventually. The construction of the new city was a big deal, more signs of Nevermere's expansion which of course she was in full support of.

And then he said it, the words he'd been working up to and the ones she hoped not to hear. She had very recently been talking to Elletta, a woman who had just come home from Coheed and it had only confirmed to Bex that she wouldn't enjoy it there. With her strong efforts on women empowerment, a play with the history of Coheed was the kind of place she knew she'd resent. Yet things had begun to change there, the women given military training. Perhaps there was hope for it yet.

Regardless of her own personal feelings on the matter, she wasn't about to turn down and assignment from her Captain Commander, not in a million years. If he trusted her to be able to do the job well then she would prove him right. "Anything you ask of me and it shall be done, commander. When would you like me to leave?" she had a million questions. Who would be going with her? How long would 'until things settle down' be? And what about the upcoming war they had all been preparing for? But her questions remained sealed away, sure she would learn exactly what she needed to when he was ready to tell her.

“Anything you ask of me and it shall be done. If only more soldiers had this kind of attitude. He always appreciated insight from others, but Hadrian could do with fewer questions and more action from his soldiers more often than not.

“You’ll depart in the spring with the next shift rotation,” Hadrian said, “Until then, you’ll be training here, preparing the soldiers that will be part of your coterie.” Hadrian paused looking hesitant before:

“There’s something else as well,” He paused, scratching his beard with a touch of frustration, “I’d like for you to keep an eye on the minister of foreign affairs. It shouldn’t be too much of a problem; Magda Ivanova makes herself quite visible, from what I’ve heard. Some soldiers have said she’s calling herself Coheed’s chieftess.” If Hadrian were the type to roll his eyes, he would. But instead, he just sighed.

“Maybe she’s what she claims to be. Maybe all of her…theatrics are meant only to bring Coheed closer into the fray. But if that’s not the case. If she’s ‘gone native’, for lack of a better phrase, I need to know.”

A spy. Ellison had been given a similar task, but Bex would see it through to completion.

The spring. Well at least she would have plenty of time to prepare herself and wasn't being rushed out immediately. Her mind started to work like the cogs of clock moving seamlessly together as she started to come up with a game plan for the next season. There were several plans she was already starting to form when the Commander added something else.

She wanted him to report on Lady Ivanova. Of course Bex knew who she was given her political appointment but she had never met the woman in person. Though she did have a very vivid dream about her one night after seeing her at a formal event once. She'd woken up feeling quite...unsatisfied with how the dream had ended so abruptly.

She nodded in understand to Hadrian. "Of course, Commander. I'll keep a close eye on her. What else would my specific duties be while I'm there? You mentioned both sharp eyes and a firm hand. What is my role in regard to the Coheedsman, if anything? Or will my troop be focused on maintaining order?" She had never been there before and wanted to be sure that she knew exactly what her job was while she was there so that she could perform her duties to the best of her abilities.

Mission accepted. Easy enough. Hadrian, ignorant of both Magda’s ring and Bex’s personal preferences, was thankful it was a woman who would be keeping an eye on the minister. Men could be fools when it came to women, and Magda’s feminine wiles were second to none.

“Training of the women and children is well underway, as is the reconstruction of the docks,” Hadrian started, “Coheedsmen are allowed to express frustration, but if there is even talk of acting on those frustrations—let alone action itself—the perpetrators should be detained and judged. For too long Coheedsmen have been allowed to run their mouths. Property is what they stand to lose, at the discretion of Nevermerean a military tribunal. Decisions should be fair, but swift and absolute.”

“As for the docks, we have been made aware that there is an enchanted ship belonging to Othello Allemeade that sank in the attack. Retrieval is already underway, but anything that threatens its recovery should be neutralized immediately. It is of the utmost importance this work continue unhindered.”

He paused, giving Bex an opportunity to respond.

Bex had long hated Coheed's way of life, from the first time she had ever learned about it. The way they treated women was despicable. Men could be such ignorant brutes. Even though things had begun to change there, she was sure that those feelings of tradition still ran deep. She would have little patience with the men there and would certainly do the job justice. If she had to be there, then she wasn't going to waste the chance to prove a woman's superiority over a man and Nevermere's superiority over Coheed.

She nodded when he spoke about the ship. She was curious about the enchantment but as Neveremere was a Kingdom who had a strong hand in its navy and in maintaining a presence on the sea, she could imagine it was very valuable indeed to recover such a gift. "It shall be done as you command, Captain Commander," she stated assuredly.

“See that it is,” Hadrian said, coming as close to teasing Bex as he dare. The commander stood, signaling the meeting was drawing to a close, “Privates Katerina Van Zant and Octavius Wulfbrand were both at the docks the night…in question. They also spent a fair amount of time in Coheed and might have some insight.”

Hadrian never underestimated the value of a footsoldier’s perspective. More often than not, they saw more of what was really going on than people in his position ever could.

Bex completely missed any hint of a tease. She never expected it to happen and it rarely did. She knew soldiers talked about her. She was too serious, too focused, never let her hair down, had no sense of humor. She'd heard it all and it all rolled off her back. Whatever she lacked she knew she made up for in other areas.

"I'll be sure to speak with them then," she replied. Van Zant and Wulfbrand. She knew who they were of course. She knew who nearly all the pairs were, even the ones who had been away in Coheed for so long now. She had already spoken to a few of the soldiers who had been there, asking how their experience had been. She simply hadn't imagined how valuable their insight would be to her at the time. Now that she'd be heading their herself, it would be invaluable.

"I look forward to the opportunity to serve, Captain Commander. Is there anything else?" she asked, preparing to make her exit.