Chapter 19

　　Kal strolled along the estate grounds as the bright noonday sun hung directly overhead. He had arrived back in Caledon just before summer had gripped the Capital in its scorching heat. Foregoing his jacket, Kal wore a simple white collared shirt with the black pants of his uniform.

　　He enjoyed the warmth and the rustling of the wind in the trees. The serenity of the lawns and gardens had been a sanctuary for him during his youth, when he had been a prisoner, only lacking the title of inmate.`

　　That tranquility he sought was desperately hard to find recently. In the weeks since he had retaken control over Caledon, securing the planet and seizing the funds necessary for its rebuilding, the estate was in constant construction.

　　Crews worked to repair its buildings, and hovering construction drones lifted equipment and supplies to every corner of the estate. The fa鏰de of each structure had been stripped and replaced with new, locally sourced materials.

　　Thousands of freshly hired staff crossed the grounds, a steady stream of employees for Governor Sylla`s growing workforce. The woman was practically giddy at the recently available funds, finally able to properly staff and support her government.

　　With the security provided by Kal`s House Guard, stability was slowly returning to the planet. Over time, prosperity would revisit Caledon as her markets recovered. More importantly, her presence in the Empire will increase, attracting new investments and partnerships.

　　Word had already reached across the breadth of the Imperial Net regarding his accomplishments in Caledon. With his initial successes here, he expected increasing challenges from other parts of the Empire. Kal would need to be prepared for the future.

　　With a sigh, Kal turned away from the gardens, blooming again under the careful ministrations of new gardeners, something he had insisted on for his mental health. In the distance, he could see one of Tamara`s newly repaired Mechs piloted by a trusted veteran that had served under his Grandfather.

　　The Colossus` Class Heavy Mech was an unstoppable force capable of decimating an army. With its overwhelming firepower, heavy armour and effective shielding, it could singlehandedly guard the estate against any opponent.

　　Standing on four legs, Kal thought it looked like a centaur, a creature of Greek myth with a horse-like body and human torso. Sylla had joked that it was a humanoid spider or a crab. Eighty feet high, it towered over the buildings. Its black metallic surface shined in the sun, reflecting the light.

　　Leaving the garden, he walked back to the meeting room where the others waited for him, the short break in their ongoing discussion barely enough to re-energize him. Nodding at the employees and construction crews he passed, Kal entered a side entrance to one of the few remaining administration buildings still in use.

　　Climbing the stairs, he arrived at a dingy-looking corridor, passing through an entryway and stepping into the meeting room.` Kal was convinced that it was a converted storage room. It lacked windows; the only furniture was a large, metal folding table and a few chairs that ringed it.

　　Governor Sylla looked up at his entrance. She was reviewing documents on her Datapad, not the bulky, outdated model she had used when he first arrived on Caledon, but a newer, slim, up-to-date version.

　　Next to her, Merrick Tan was leaning back in his chair, a projection of Caledon`s current economic points displayed before him. The Banker had graciously offered to assist in the restoration efforts in exchange for Kal`s support in stifling some of the more interesting` information that Ellis Morrow had released about him.

　　It wasn`t anything that Kal hadn`t already suspected, the evidence was clear on Tan`s body, but it was enough for the Imperial Bank to lose faith in him if it reached the light of day. Still, Kal trusted him to be a diligent public volunteer since it was Tan`s only lifeline.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

　　Standing against a far wall, Tamara nodded at him as he entered. Her days were hectic now that they had settled into policing Caledon rather than fighting to secure it. She was engaged in recruiting amongst the locals for police and security services, as well as training new House Guards.

　　They presently relied on the Imperial Bank and several corporations to provide troops, but Kal wanted to move away from the policy quickly.

　　The last member of their group was a slight surprise to the others, but Kal had grown to trust her. Miranda Atkinson had quit her role as CEO of Atkinson Micromotors, giving the position to one of her trusted underlings to work for his new government.

　　She was intelligent and knowledgeable and an asset that Sylla had grown to rely on as well. Trier had already begun to repair the damage their greed had caused, but it would likely be years before Caledon`s environment significantly improved.

　　Still, every step forward was in the right direction.

　　"How was your walk?" Sylla asked, closing the datapad and focusing on the Baron.

　　"Good, the gardeners are making progress. Now if we can move our meetings out of this dungeon, I`ll be happy." Kal joked, gesturing to the squalid room around them. It was the only place on the estate not amid reconstruction and the lone secure room Tamara could find.

　　"I`m growing to enjoy it." Sylla responded, smiling.

　　"Liar," Kal retorted, turning to Miranda. "Any luck?"

　　"Nothing so far, Milord." Atkinson replied, her tone polite and formal. Unlike the others, she had yet to adjust to Ka`s casual attitude with those he interacted with frequently and trusted.

　　"Keep me informed if they make any inquiries. I would feel more comfortable knowing where we stand with the Imperial Tax Agency. Things have been in turmoil here for years. I can`t imagine we`re on a good footing with them." Kal said, pulling out one of the rickety wooden chairs and carefully sitting in it. It creaked alarmingly under his weight.

　　Kal had Miranda reach out to the Emperor`s revenue agents only recently. Caledon`s financials had been dismal, but they were still required to provide a portion to the Empire. According to Sylla, they hadn`t been formally audited in centuries. The tax agents largely ignored them.

　　But Kal had a nagging feeling that the Tax Agency may come calling since things were improving, and he had been released. Like the Sword of Damocles, he didn`t want the threat of Imperial interference hanging over his head.

　　"Bureaucrats. They`re likely still processing reports from when your Grandfather was Duke. We have far more pressing things to be doing than trembling in fear over the dreaded Tax Man.`" Tan said, waving the concern away.

　　Their meeting progressed for several more hours until the sun sank low on the horizon, and the end of another eventful day approached. Stretching, Kal stood from his rickety chair, nodding as the others left the room before gesturing to Sylla and Tamara to stay.

　　"There is something I need to discuss privately with you." Kal stated, waiting for the door to close as Miranda and Tan left the room.

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　　Gareth Quade locked the door to his private room, securing the old-fashioned deadbolt before making his way to the small bed.

　　The Marauders were given quarters in a large hotel that had once catered to Caledon`s many tourists and visitors. Those days were well in the past, and the structure had transitioned into an apartment building before Governor Sylla purchased it for the expanding House Guard troops.

　　The construction was sound, if old and stark, and as mercenaries, the Marauders were used to rougher quarters.

　　Sitting on the clean bed, Gareth pulled out a Datapad, tapped a few buttons and waited for the secure link to connect to the other party. While he waited, a large tree, Yggdrasil, the World Tree and the symbol of Aesir Corporation, filled the screen.

　　In moments, the words Secure Connection Established` showed on the screen before transitioning to show the visage of a woman. Beautiful, with brown hair and green eyes, her office was richly decorated, with large windows that offered a view of a prosperous and bustling city behind her.

　　"You have news?" The woman asked, skipping any pleasantries. Gareth shook his head at the question.

　　"Nothing. We`ve taken the planet. The locals didn`t put up much of a fight. The only thing of interest was a stockpile of junked Mechs the Baron had stashed on Luna." Gareth explained.

　　"Did you find any trace of the Item`?" She asked, unwilling to name it or give details, even on a secure connection. She would not risk anyone overhearing any specifics of Aesir Corporation`s interest in Caledon.

　　"No, nothing. But truth be told, even if the Baron had it, he had no cause to use it. The Marauders were enough to eliminate the few pockets of resistance." Gareth replied.

　　"Perhaps we need to apply more pressure on Kalen Caledon, drive him into a corner to reveal what we seek. I will be in touch. For now, do nothing that may reveal your continued relationship with us." She finished, the screen turning black.

　　"Yes, ma`am." Scoffing at the order, Gareth tossed the Datapad onto the bed beside him.