‘Aha.’ Kayleigh grimaced. ‘Now I understand! What a wonderful amnesty! You only have one choice: the sharpened stake here and now, or the imperial colours. Either the stake in your a*s or the colours on your back. And off to war to die for the Empire!’
‘Off to war,’ said Hotsporn slowly ‘Yes, some will go off to war in the way of song. But it does not mean all have to go to war, dear Rats. You can also – after you fulfil the conditions of the amnesty, of course – carry out a kind of...alternative service.’
‘What?’
‘I know what he means.’ Giselher's teeth flashed briefly in his sun-scorched, blue-shaven visage. ‘The merchants guild, children, would like to adopt us. To press us against their chest and protect us. Like they were our mother.’
‘More like our madame,’ muttered Spark. Ho
