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Hmm. Hector allowed a beat to pass before asking his next question. "If you really don't remember Roman, then why is it you, of all people, who is showing up here now?"

The little captain paused. "Okay, I do remember him. I was just curious to see how he'd react."

"I hate this kid," said Roman.

"But also," Erickson went on with a light laugh, "Atreya has been a very quiet little country until recently. We don't have any personnel around here who've had dealings with you folks. Except me, apparently, even though I barely qualify."

Roman gave an audible sniff. "And perhaps you guys are also a bit leery about the fact that you kinda-sorta refused to help us?"

Bartholomew made no response.

Roman kept going. "Sure, Harper came to our aid, being the great guy that he is, but that was only after Kohzek turned us down. If Harper didn't have his own special status within the Vanguard, then I get the feeling that he wouldn't have been allowed to help us, either."

Hector knew a bit about that. Apparently, Harper Norez's rank of lieutenant general was somewhat symbolic in nature. While the man didn't have to take orders from anyone below the rank of general, he also didn't carry any actual authority of his own.

And so Bartholomew's rank of regional captain didn't necessarily mean he was less "powerful" than Harper. In fact, if the kid's influence within the Vanguard was taken into account, he might well be more powerful.

This was certainly no low-ranking officer who'd been sent to talk to them.

With all of that in mind, however, Hector did not want to add to the negative tone that Roman was setting up for them. "Whatever the case may be," he chose to say, "we're still thankful to the Vanguard for Mr. Norez's help. How is he, by the way? Do you know?"

"Making waves in Melmoore, last I heard. But he tends to travel quite a bit. That intel is outdated by now, I'm sure."

"As long as he's safe," said Hector. "The war has had me worried about him."

A brief silence arrived as Bartholmew seemed to be eyeing Hector up.

And Hector used the opportunity to do the same. The kid's aura was something else. Difficult to read. It was frankly unlike anything Hector had encountered before, which made him wonder in a background thought process if the childish body might be playing a role there, too.