The events of the 3rd of Obsidian, 1065
"Good, Zako! Very good," Rolland said from across the barracks. He stood at attention, his hands clasped in front of him while he watched Zako train with Adol. Though the latter had his hammer, Zako was becoming much better at blocking the blows with his shield, and his newest requisition of full-plate armor was helping keep his joints steady. Even his knee brace was looking better, reinforced at the front, giving him an oddly cobbled-together look.
Zako paused for a second to catch his breath, and Adol took the brief respite to turn his left arm in a couple short circles to work out a knot, and jerk his elbow back to catch Maggarg - who was making faces at him from behind - in the stomach with his elbow. Rolland turned to give a few pointers to Sparrow, who was banging out bullseye after bullseye, leaving the meleers to their own devices.
"Aye, this isn't so bad," Zako said in between breaths. "Damned Sgt. Pepper. Knocking me out for so long."
"Perhaps he had the right of it," Kib Machinescalded said from across the room, "Isn't proper."
"Proper?" Maggarg said, scratching at his head with the handguard of his sword, "What's proper 'bout some bloated corpse mangling the greens? Ya' daft bitch, takin' yer' squalin' brat into battle to use as a tits shield... how's 'is arm, aye? Still broken after that goblin thawcked it?"
Kib bristled and took a step towards the recruit, but was knocked flat on her backside by a lazy swing of Sefulkubuk. Stravitch gave her a swift kick in the side for good measure, laughing, before sauntering over towards Rolland's crew. Unseen by the others, Rolland touched Sparrow on the shoulder and they both turned, quietly winding their crossbows. Rolland's arm lifted to aim discretely the Captain of the Guard's gut, while Sparrow kept readied but aimed down at the floor.
"Don't mind her," He laughed. "She's just pissed 'cause your in the old Major's armor."
Zako's eyes widened, and he glanced down at the breastplate, saying after a moment, "I had not... it was sitting in the armor pit."
"Of course it was, The Bone Yard" Stravitch said, "That's where all armor goes, picked clean from the bones. What use is it to them, eh? They're gone, or dead, or run, so what's the use of just letting it sit there and rust. Really, kid, you've got a lot of stones to try on his boots - sullied as they may be... if ya' see Varen, why don't you grab him, come down to Dodik's tonight, I'll let you buy me a drink."
Rolland and Sparrow lowered their crossbows as Stravitch sauntered away, stepping atop Kib on his way to the door. Zako frowned down at his armor, and Maggarg said, "Gotta' say, that grayed goat's got the right of it - might as well cover yer' own ass, ifn' that old major thinks he's too damned good for a little steel."