next to Lorena and so preferred to stand in her presence； to give herself as much height as her smaller form would
provide。
Lowering her hand and putting both arms behind her back； but otherwise still standing ramrod straight with perfect
posture； Lorena said； Yes； ma am； she did。 We leave for Northwatch within the hour； and I ve sent a runner to
inform Major Davin of our arrival。
Good。 That ll be all； both of you。
Lorena saluted； turned on her heel； and exited。 Kristoff； however； hung back a moment。
When the chamberlain refused to speak； Jaina prompted him。 What is it； Kristoff？
It might be wise to have the detail acpanying Lorena remain at Northwatch to fortify it。
Without hesitation； Jaina said； No。
Milady
The orcs want us out of Northwatch altogether； Kristoff。 And while I understand why we can t accede to that
request； I am not going to do something as provocative as reinforce it； especially when they believe that we refused
to help them against pirates。
I still think
You ve been excused； Chamberlain； Jaina said frostily。
Kristoff glowered at her for a moment before bowing low； spreading his arms； and saying； Milady； before taking
his leave。
Four
I m not sure I understand what the problem is； Colonel。
Lorena stared out the window of the small watch office for Northwatch Keep。 The statement had been made by
Major Davin； the current mandant of Northwatch； who had been frustrating Lorena since she and her six
soldier detail arrived an hour ago。
From his seat at the small desk in the watch office s center； Davin； a stout man with a thick beard； had told Lorena
that there was a convoy ship that had gotten lost in the fog。 It was possible that that was the ship the orcs claimed to
have seen。
Lorena turned to look down at him made easy by his being seated； though Lorena was taller than the major even
when standing and said； The problem； Major； is that the orcs were expecting help from us。 And they should ve
gotten it。
What for？ Davin sounded genuinely confused。
They re our allies。 Lorena couldn t believe she needed to explain this。 Davin was a hero during the war； having
been the only survivor of a brutal massacre of his platoon； which was escorting a wizard who was also killed。 The
intelligence he brought back had been invaluable。
But now the war hero just shrugged。 They fought with us； sure； but that was necessity。 Colonel； they re not even
civilized。 Only reason to put up with em s cause of Thrall； and he s only worth it cause he was raised by humans。
But what happens to them ain t our concern。
Lady Proudmoore disagrees with that sentiment； Lorena said in a tight voice； and so do I。 She turned back
around。 The view of the Great Sea from this window was quite spectacular； and Lorena found she preferred it to
looking at Davin s annoying face。 I ve sent my people to find Captain Avinal and his crew to get their side of the
story。
Now Davin stood up。 With all due respect； Colonel； there s no side。 Avinal s boat got lost。 They got back on
course。 They came home。 If an orc ship got itself attacked by pirates； then fine； but it s not our problem。
Yes； actually； it is。 She refused to turn to look at him。 Pirates； on the whole； aren t especially picky about who
they attack。 They ll go after goblins； orcs； trolls； ogres； elves； dwarves or humans。 If there are pirates operating
that close to Ratchet； it does concern us。
I ve been assigned to this post for three years； Colonel。 Davin sounded petulant now。 I don t need you to tell me
about pirates。
If that s the case； then you shouldn t need me to remind you why an orc ship being harassed is your concern。
A small private whose uniform looked as if it had been fitted for someone a full head taller； knocked meekly on the
door to the watch office。 Uh； sir； there s some people here to see you and Colonel Lorena； sir； if that s okay； sir。
Who？ Davin asked。
Uh； Captain Avinal； sir； and a soldier I don t know； sir。
That d be Strov； Lorena said。 He s the one I told to bring the captain here。
Davin fixed Lorena with a glare。 And what s the use of embarrassing the man by bringin him up to the watch
office like a mon prisoner？
Lorena started mentally posing the letter to Lady Proudmoore and General Norris remending that Davin be
reassigned to kitchen detail。 First of all； Major； I would think you d prefer that I talk to your captain in your
presence。 Secondly do you usually bring criminals to the watch office rather than the brig？
Apparently； Davin was content to continue glaring rather than answer her question。
So Lorena turned to the young officer。 Send them both in please； Private。
Irritatingly； the private looked to Davin first。 The major nodded； and only then did the private go back out。
Two men then entered the small office。 Strov was the most average person Lorena knew average height； weight；
and build； brown hair； brown eyes； small mustache。 He looked like every other adult human male in the world；
which was one of several reasons why he was such a good tracker。 So nondescript was he that nobody noticed he
was there。
Following Strov was a man with the weathered look of an experienced sailor。 His gait was awkward； as if he
walked expecting the deck to buckle under him； and his face bore the wrinkles and redness of long exposure to the
sun。
Captain Avinal； Davin said； moving back to his chair； this is Colonel Lorena。 Lady Proudmoore sent her up
from Theramore to find out why a pirate ship attacked an orc ship。
Avinal frowned。 I d think that d be obvious； Colonel。
Sparing a moment to give Davin a glare of her own； Lorena then regarded Avinal。 The major s stated reason for
my being here is not quite accurate。 I know why a pirate ship attacked an orc trader what I don t know is why you
didn t help them。
Pointing at Strov； Avinal asked； That why this man and his people ve been harassin my crew？
Private Strov and his rades are following the lady s orders； Captain； as am I。
I ve got a patrol to make； ma am。 There any way this can wait
No； Captain； there isn t。
Avinal looked at Davin。 Davin shrugged； as if to say that it was out of his hands。 Then the captain looked
witheringly at Lorena。 Fine。 When s this attack supposed to ve happened？
Five days ago。 According to Major Davin you were fogbound that morning。
Yes m； we were。
Did you see any other ships that morning？
Might ve some shapes that might a been a boat here an there； but couldn t be sure。 We were near a boat at one
point； I know that much rang their foghorn。
Lorena nodded。 That tracked with what the orcs told Lady Proudmoore。
But we didn t see nothin solid。 Couldn t see the nose in front of your face； and that s a fact。 Fifty years； I been
sailin ； Colonel； and I ain t never seen fog the like of that。 Sargeras himself could ve taken a stroll on the deck and I
might not a seen it。 It was all I could do to keep my own people from mutiny； truth be told。 Last thing any of us d
be concerned about is a buncha greenskins。
For several seconds； Lorena stared at the captain。 Then she sighed。 Very well； Captain； thank you。 That will be
all。
Muttering； Blessed waste of time； under his breath； Avinal departed。
After the captain left； Strov said； Most of the crew say the same； ma am。
Of course they do； Davin said。 Because it s the truth； as d be obvious to anyone who d think about it for a
second。
Whirling on the major； Lorena asked； Tell me； Major； why didn t you mention that Captain Avinal was near
another boat or that it rang its foghorn？
I didn t think it was relevant。
Lorena changed her mental letter so that Davin would be transferred to cesspool duty。 It isn t your job to assess
relevance； Major。 It s your job your duty to follow the orders of your superiors。
Davin let out a long breath。 Look； Colonel you were sent here to find out if Captain Avinal did anything wrong。
He didn t。 And what does it matter if a bunch of greenskins got their cargo took？
Actually； they didn t they fought off the pirates on their own。
Now Davin stood again； looking at Lorena like she was mad。 Then with all due respect； ma am； what s the
meaning of this inquiry？ It s not like the greenskins needed our help so why treat us like criminals？ As I said； we
did nothing wrong。
Lorena shook her head； not agreeing with that statement at all。
Five
B yrok never imagined that the happiest time in his life would be when he went fishing。
On the face of it； it didn t seem to be the life for an orc。 Fishing involved no battle； no glory； no challenging
bat； no testing of one s mettle against an equal foe。 No weaponry was involved； no blood was shed。
But it was less what he did than why he did it。 Byrok went fishing because he was free。
As a youth； he had heard the false promises of Gul dan and his Shadow Council who promised a new world where
the sky was blue and the inhabitants easy prey for superior orc might to conquer。 Byrok； along with the others of his
clan； followed Gul dan s instructions； never knowing that he and his council did the bidding of Sargeras and his
foul demons； never realizing that the price for this new world would be their very souls。
It took a decade for the orcs to be defeated。 Either they were enslaved by the demons they thought were their
benefactors； or they were enslaved by the humans； who proved to have more fight in them than the demons
imagined。
Demon magic had made Byrok s memories of his life in the orcs native land dim。 A lack of interest in
remembering had had a similar effect on his recollections of his life in human bondage。 He recalled mainly that the
work was backbreaking and menial； and it destroyed what little of his spirit the demons had left intact。
Then Thrall came。
Everything changed then。 The son of the great Durotan whose death had； in many ways； been the end of the orcs
former way of life Thrall had escaped his overseers and used the humans own tactics against them。 He reminded
the orcs of their longfotten past。
On the day that Thrall and his g