44

Xie had a pair of blue panda eyes, and looked despondent. Erin had a pair of cuffs made of flimsy red string, and sat sadly, beside Xie. They made a pathetic image of bad girls, caught while causing trouble.

Pef smiled a little. Like picking someone from principal's office. But with more death penalties maybe.

"Hey there, girls. I hope the other guy looks worse than you!" Pef spoke in a fake cheer. Xie eyes lit up in hope.

A Sky ranked Major lifted his eyes from the desk, where he was scribbling something on a wax tablet.

"You're their commanding officer then?"

"Yes. I am Pef Xi." he answered simply.

"These two have broken multiple rules, fighting with Guards, not saluting, not wearing proper uniform, and a dozen more. So you were taking them to the Wall?"

"Sure. I heard there's plenty rowdy beasts there. The girls need to spend all that energy" Pef said in a polite tone.

"This Erin Hugong, is sentenced to 50 lashes and a demerit. About the other one, Xie Xi, hmmm. Your wife?" the Major wondered for a second, trying to decide a punishment.

Pef frowned for a second. "Yes?"

"Then I will release Xie Xi into your custody. Too much trouble to discipline an Emperor's wife. I'm certain your Majesty has your own methods. Now, I don't like beating naked women in public, but it's the manual..." the Major muttered to himself, going to pick up a Sky ranked whip from a hanger.

Erin's eyes looked around in desperation, as she possibly disliked being beaten in public and naked.

Pef sighed and checked his hand. Not like he imagined it, but it was a solution.

He took out a ring, and knelt before Erin. "I have an alternative, dear lady." he spoke softly, presenting the ring.

Xie smiled amused, looking a bit ridiculous with her panda eyes.

"That...is that, wedding ring?" Erin realized after a dozen seconds of blank staring.

"Might be less painful than 50 lashes..."Pef argued in doubtful tone.

Erin turned to ask for advice from Xie. Xie grinned even wider. "Actually you will suffer much, much worse, for an year. But it's less humiliating, in private" she told her in a fake whisper.

Erin turned to look at the Major with the whip, then at the ring.

"Should I take the ring?" the blonde woman asked Xie in a pained sob.

"Oh yes. The pain will pass. But after that, you'll still have an Emperor husband, and Xie as a sister wife!" Xie replied with a chuckle.

The Major coughed politely. "Please decide now, I have dozens of people to whip every day!"

"Okay, here! Ring on the finger. I am Erin Xi now, can't beat me anymore, you brute!" Erin yelled in shallow victory.

The Major came and took his red string back. "Go away now, and kill a thousand beasts at the Wall. Leave my station already. This is not a marriage hall!" Major Todd demanded snapping his whip in warning.

Pef left the Police station with another wife, and wasn't sure if to curse or thank the brutish Major.

"So, what happened?" Pef asked amused.

"Well, some guys made fun of our hair. We beat them up, a little. Then they came with this guy. And he punched my eyes out." Xie explained while gesturing and miming the scene.

"At least she didn't draw weapons. That's a 100 lashes..." Erin added helpfully.

'Naked beatings?' Pef asked his glove a bit grossed out.

'Eh, it's meant over naked back. For unruly recruits. You could lash a Soldier till this Sun dies and won't bother him'

Pef thought for a few seconds 'I need to go over that Manual. Some things from a military base don't translate well in urban areas'

When the newly married people returned to their inn, the crew stared at Xie's beaten eyes.

"You beat your wife?" Pela asked in horror.

"Nah. Erin beat her for a spot on my harem. Women are so violent..." Pef explained with a straight face.

Dong, the Spirit adjutant from town 443 sobbed in despair. "I never had a chance, had I?"

Pef mused for a second. "You could beat me, Dong, and then you can take her..." he said in a callous tone.

Dong sobbed even harder.

The crew embarked on the airship and continued their trip, reaching a large stone fort, marked 413, situated on the outer bank of a wide canal, with roads going along both sides.

Hundreds of barges travelled along this canal, drawn by various animals.

Waystations and pastures lined the side of the canal, to provide furrage and rest for merchants.

Every 10 kilometers, a small canal diverted inwards, providing irrigation for unending fields and towns.

But on the other side of the Wall, there was a barren field some 10 kilometers wide, with darkened or cracked patches, and beyond that a huge forest, with trees even 1000 meters tall.

Small groups of Guards were located in this no-mans-land, burning plants or stabbing the ground for some purpose.

Further to the sides, there were blackened skeletons of various beasts.

It did sort of look like an immense trench war had been fought here for 200 thousands years.

Pef stepped out and dragged the airship to land next to the 413 fort.

A group of 5 Earth rankers came out to check the new arrivals. Their faces kinda fell when they sensed an Emperor, a Sky rank and 3 Earth ranks were present with the airdropped newbies.

"Sir, this one is Commander Ren Shuzon, in charge of post guard 413" a tall man with a missing arm presented himself, and pounded his breastplate.

"I am Pef Xi, soon to take over command over 413. But I'll need to teach me, what to do" our hero said lightly.

"Errr. But you're an Emperor rank?" Major Ren asked confused.

"Yeah. Still, I'm only 18 years old, never served in the Guard. Please teach me well, Commander Ren" Pef said politely and bowed a little. That always worked, in movies.