'Take a pistol?

'Very likely. So whatever constable patrol tackles them, is going to get shot at.

'Hold on, Edeard said. 'We can't let that stop us. If we become so afraid of cracking down on the gangs that we do nothing, they've won.

'Correct. So?

'Next time, we chase them out but that's it, Macsen said.

'Good option. Though actually your response was about right. 1 didn't behave too well out there, myself — mainly because I was worried about you lot running off like that. There's an old natural law that says for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. If those gang members come into a market in broad daylight and use a blade on a stall holder, then they must expect a reaction from the constables. They were the ones who overstepped the mark on this occasion. But that still doesn't mean three of you can go chasing off after four of them. With or without blades and pistols, you were outnumbered. That has «tragedy» written all over it. So that was wrong. It was also wrong to leave a member of the public injured and unattended. You didn't stop to assess, which is the most critical thing to do; you also let raw instinct override my orders, which is the greater crime no matter how much you thought yourselves in the right. I'm supposed to be training you to respond to situations in a professional manner, and I clearly haven't drilled it in hard enough. Now I'm quite prepared to write today's lapses off to first-time excitement and the general confusion. You need experience more than you do theory, so nobody's getting disciplined and there'll be no recriminations. But understand this, it must not happen again. Next time we encounter a criminal act in progress you follow procedure to the letter. Do I make myself clear?

'Yes, Sergeant, they chorused.

'Then we understand each other. So take tonight off, get yourselves down to the Olovan's Eagle for a drink or ten, and be back in this hall for another dose of theory first thing tomorrow morning. I'll also go against my own policy to tell you something: unless you completely screw up your graduation exams you will all pass your probation.

'I was useless, Dinlay complained. 'I just froze. I was just so useless. He gulped down more of his beer.

Edeard looked over at Macsen who simply shrugged. They'd been in the Olovan's Eagle for an hour, and Dinlay had said very little else. It was a small miracle they'd got him to join them in the first place. He hadn't said ten words since Chae dismissed them from the small hall.

'You froze for a couple of seconds, that's all, Kanseen said. 'That means you were close to Chae when he ordered us all to stop and help the stall keeper. You couldn't do anything else.

'I should have ignored him like you did. I didn't. I failed.

'Oh sweet Lady, Kanseen grumbled and sat back in her own chair. She was wearing a blue and white dress with orange flowers. It wasn't the most stylish garment Edeard had seen in Makkathran, nor the newest, but she looked good in it. Her short hair still set her apart from all the other girls, who wore theirs fashionably long. But he rather liked it this way, it suited her, setting off a flattish nose and thin dark-green eyes. Now he'd known her for a few months she wasn't quite as intimidating as she had been at the start. Not that he thought of her as anything other than a colleague and friend.

'Nobody failed, Edeard said. 'This afternoon was chaos, that's all. And you helped Chae with the stall holder.

'I froze, Dinlay said wretchedly. 'I let you all down. I let my family down. They expect me to be the station captain within ten years, you know. My father was.

'Let's have another drink, Macsen said.

'Oh yes, that'll solve everything, Kanseen said sourly.

Macsen gave her a wink, then shot a longtalk order to one of the tavern waitresses. Something else must have been said. Edeard caught her flash him a mock-indignant smile.

How does he do that? It's not what he says, it's his whole attitude. And why can't I do it? Edeard sat back to give his friend a critical examination. Macsen was sitting in the middle of a small couch with Evala on one side, and Nicolar on the other. Both girls were leaning in towards him. They laughed at his jokes, and gasped and giggled when he told them what happened in the market, an extravagant tale of thrills and bravery Edeard didn't quite recognize. He supposed Macsen was quite handsome, with his light brown hair and flat jaw. His brown eyes were constantly filled with amusement that bordered on nefarious, which was an additional attraction. It helped that he always dressed well whenever they went out. Tonight he'd pulled on fawn-coloured trousers cut from the softest suede, belted by woven black stands of leather. His sky-blue satin shirt just showed under a dark-emerald frock coat.

See, I'd never have the courage to wear a combination like that, but he carries it off perfectly. The epitome of a grand family's junior son.

In fact the rest of them looked quite drab in comparison. Edeard used to be quietly pleased with his own black jacket, tailored trousers, and knee-high boots. Now he'd been relegated to the poor friend who Macsen's girls felt sorry for and tried to pair up with their own charity case girlfriend. On which note… Edeard tried not to stare over at Boyd who was sitting on the opposite side of their table, his face bewitched. Clemensa was next to him, chattering away about her day. She was easily the same height as Boyd, and must have been close in weight, too. Edeard couldn't help the way his eyes always slipped down to the front of her very low cut dress every time she bent over, which was suspiciously frequent.

The waitress brought over the tray of beer Macsen had ordered. Dinlay immediately reached for his tankard. Edeard fumbled with the money pouch in his pocket.

'Oh no, my round, Macsen said. His third hand deposited some coins on the empty tray. 'Thank you, he said sincerely. The waitress smiled. Evala and Nicolar pressed in closer.

Edeard sighed. He's always so polite, as well. Is that what does it?

'Boyd, Macsen called out loudly. 'Close your mouth, man, you're drooling.

Boyd snapped his jaw shut and glared at Macsen. A bright flush crept up his face.

'You pay him no heed, Clemensa said. She brought a hand up to Boyd's cheek, turned his head and kissed him. 'A girl likes it when a man pays attention.

Edeard thought Boyd might faint with happiness.

'Got to go, Dinlay muttered. 'Back in a minute. He stood up and swayed unsteadily, then headed for the archway at the back of the saloon where the washrooms were.

The fact that there were toilets on an upper floor was one of the many revelations about city buildings which had taken Edeard a time to get used to. But then a tavern which sprawled over many floors was also a novelty. As was the pale-orange light radiating out of the ceiling that was nearly as bright as daylight. The first night they'd visited the Olovan's Eagle he'd wondered why there was no straw on the floor. Life in the city was so civilized. Sitting here in the warmth, with a window showing him the lights outside stretching all the way to the Lyot Sea, good beer, comfortable with his friends, he found it hard to fit this with the crime and gangs who cast such a shadow over the streets outside.

'What are you doing? Kanseen hissed at Macsen. 'He's had too much to drink, already.

'Best thing for him. He's not a fighting drunk. Another couple of pints and he'll fall asleep. Next thing he'll know it's tomorrow and we'll be so busy he won't have time to brood. Tonight's what we need to get him through.

Kanseen looked like she wanted to protest but couldn't think how. She looked at Edeard.

'Makes sense, he admitted.

Macsen placed another order with the waitress.