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Description
Still Ere
Chapter 4: Changes

After his fairly uneventful weekend, Eré walked into the bullpen and made a startling discovery. Captain Booth had been reassigned to a city in Gattaca, one state over, and his new captain, Corad Mysmaster, wanted to see him in his office immediately. When Eré entered he found a neat, organized, and pristine workspace with a little man pursing his lips at a paper he was examining.

“Detective Vance, please come in and take a seat.”

The man’s manner was fairly even, one might even say cordial, but he still maintained a cool demeanor. Eré smiled and sat down, memories of the chidings he’d endured from this seat made his spine spasm as he resisted shuddering. This office was not a pleasant place for him, but now the place was immaculate, and it even smelled different.

No case files piling up, no papers scattered as if windblown—the tidiness smelled of idleness. Since this changing-of-the-guard had happened over night, Eré doubted the new captain’s preparedness. So this meeting was supposed to sum up the one person that could cause trouble for the department.

“I’ve reviewed all this precincts cases for the past two years.”

Eré almost balked, “That’s impressive.”

“No more than you, detective. You are single-handedly the reason for this department’s high case-turnover rate. Do you know that you have been handling four times the caseload of any other detective out there?”

Eré ignored the captain’s gesture to the bullpen; he also fought off an urge to widen his eyes. Wow, Captain Booth may have hated him, but it was possible that Eré had made that man’s career whilst trying to spite him.

“No sir, I wasn’t aware.”

“Is that so?” The skinny man leaned back in his seat and twiddled his thumbs. Eré squashed the urge to laugh out loud. He doubted the new captain would appreciate the irony.

“So, how did you manage that high turnover rate?”

“Long nights, Detective Beben stealing two or three cases a week then placing the files back on my desk, and I suppose I neglected some time with my family.”

That last detail stung Eré. He had never admitted to working so hard, never admitted to shutting out his family, and now it was too late. Could that be the reason for all this regret he felt? Was that why he just couldn’t move on?

Captain Mysmaster caught onto the painful barb that he had accidentally stirred up, but he was a man of action. He sensed Eré was a man of action himself, so he continued.

“I feel I must apologize. The department has been rather lax in recognizing your incredible contributions, especially considering your losses.”

Eré’s heart skipped a beat and he fought to keep his face from blushing.

“It’s been a privilege just to have work during this economic slump, plus I received the Medal of Honor almost a year ago.”

The new captain took a moment to stare Eré in the eye. It was a moment of condolence and a moment of regret. Why did this man feel regret? He hadn’t even been around when that whole mess went down.

“The price you paid for that little recognition was far too great.”

Eré sat back, unsure if he should be happy, angry, or if he should just cry.

“I called you in here to let you know that I am going to reduce your case load. It’s time for the rest of the department to earn that highest turnover mark. Secondly, I am also going to thoroughly examine all the cases I send your way to make sure they’re worth your time. You handled five domestic disturbance cases last week that had nothing to do with magic or murder, and I consider that a waste of departmental resources considering your background.”

Eré had been surprised before, but this was shocking. What did the captain mean by his background?

“Sir, I’m a little confused.”

“There’s nothing to be confused about. I’m simply utilizing your talents where they are most needed, unlike my predecessor. Also, I’m upping your pay grade.”

Eré was struck dumb, but gathered his wits enough to clarify himself.

“I understand that. I was more interested in what you meant by my background.” Did the captain know?

“You are the Eré Vance who was published in Arcana Today five years ago? Correct?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“No buts, you’re one of the great minds of our time. You’ve singlehandedly proven that equal rights for sorcerers are essential. I must say it’s going to be a pleasure to work with you.”

Captain Mysmaster stood and saluted; Eré did the same.

“No, the pleasure is mine.”

The men shook hands and Eré stepped out of the office. He returned to his desk unable to shake his awe and disbelief. Everything was happening so fast, everything was changing for the better.

The detective examined his heaped-over desk, he realized a secretary would soon be by to remove most of his cases. Eré had already closed a few cases and knew it would be a neglectful waste if he didn’t finish off the write-ups they required. Plus, there was one case that needed to stay on his roster.

Eré sorted. He set five unfinished cases to the side, a few burglaries, a case about a school bully going too far, and a case of reported illegals doing nothing but being Volusian.

In this case, the illegal had fled southward after questioning the Czar’s edicts during a night of heavy drinking. He was celebrating a neighbor’s engagement and had then gone home unaware of the faux pas. The next morning one of his drinking buddies was looking for him, and after some artful dodging the illegal had discovered that his fellow drunkard was a member of the secret police. He subsequently fled for his life.

As soon as Eré’s report was finished that man would be shipped up north where his countrymen would put him in line for a firing squad. Eré put the file at the bottom of his unfinished casework. It would take a couple of weeks for someone to get through the cases on top. It would take another couple of weeks to sort out the work Eré had already done... Hell, whoever inherited this case would probably have to do Eré’s work all over again.

The illegal would get more time before being sent back. More time for tempers in Volusia to calm. Perhaps he would only get a prison sentence by then. It was a small hope, but nothing was impossible, scientifically speaking. Eré continued his hunt for any other case he needed to finish.

“So what was that about?”

“Huh?” The detective looked up at Alex, who was hovering over his roommate with a towering posture.

“What did the new guy say? Is he giving you more cases? Is he changing your divisional placement? Oh don’t tell me that bastard’s trying to get you fired too. That’s it, I’ve had enough of this shit. I’m going in there and speaking my peace.”

“No, no, no. Alex, shut up and calm down.”

“Hell, no. Booth took advantage of you and made me hold it down, but not this time. I’m not letting this new guy start the same old…”

“Okay, Alex, stop. I think I just got a promotion.”

“What?” The man leaned in and stared Eré in the eye. “If you’ve been promoted, why such a long face?”

“My face isn’t long, I’m just surprised and thinking.”

“Did your pay grade go up?”

“Yes.”

Alex wrapped his arm around Eré's neck, “Awesome, we are getting wasted tonight. I know you don’t like brothels, but tonight you’ve gotta make an exception, tonight we need to party.”

Eré could only laugh and shake his head.

Description
Still Ere
Chapter 4: Changes

After his fairly uneventful weekend, Eré walked into the bullpen and made a startling discovery. Captain Booth had been reassigned to a city in Gattaca, one state over, and his new captain, Corad Mysmaster, wanted to see him in his office immediately. When Eré entered he found a neat, organized, and pristine workspace with a little man pursing his lips at a paper he was examining.

“Detective Vance, please come in and take a seat.”

The man’s manner was fairly even, one might even say cordial, but he still maintained a cool demeanor. Eré smiled and sat down, memories of the chidings he’d endured from this seat made his spine spasm as he resisted shuddering. This office was not a pleasant place for him, but now the place was immaculate, and it even smelled different.

No case files piling up, no papers scattered as if windblown—the tidiness smelled of idleness. Since this changing-of-the-guard had happened over night, Eré doubted the new captain’s preparedness. So this meeting was supposed to sum up the one person that could cause trouble for the department.

“I’ve reviewed all this precincts cases for the past two years.”

Eré almost balked, “That’s impressive.”

“No more than you, detective. You are single-handedly the reason for this department’s high case-turnover rate. Do you know that you have been handling four times the caseload of any other detective out there?”

Eré ignored the captain’s gesture to the bullpen; he also fought off an urge to widen his eyes. Wow, Captain Booth may have hated him, but it was possible that Eré had made that man’s career whilst trying to spite him.

“No sir, I wasn’t aware.”

“Is that so?” The skinny man leaned back in his seat and twiddled his thumbs. Eré squashed the urge to laugh out loud. He doubted the new captain would appreciate the irony.

“So, how did you manage that high turnover rate?”

“Long nights, Detective Beben stealing two or three cases a week then placing the files back on my desk, and I suppose I neglected some time with my family.”

That last detail stung Eré. He had never admitted to working so hard, never admitted to shutting out his family, and now it was too late. Could that be the reason for all this regret he felt? Was that why he just couldn’t move on?

Captain Mysmaster caught onto the painful barb that he had accidentally stirred up, but he was a man of action. He sensed Eré was a man of action himself, so he continued.

“I feel I must apologize. The department has been rather lax in recognizing your incredible contributions, especially considering your losses.”

Eré’s heart skipped a beat and he fought to keep his face from blushing.

“It’s been a privilege just to have work during this economic slump, plus I received the Medal of Honor almost a year ago.”

The new captain took a moment to stare Eré in the eye. It was a moment of condolence and a moment of regret. Why did this man feel regret? He hadn’t even been around when that whole mess went down.

“The price you paid for that little recognition was far too great.”

Eré sat back, unsure if he should be happy, angry, or if he should just cry.

“I called you in here to let you know that I am going to reduce your case load. It’s time for the rest of the department to earn that highest turnover mark. Secondly, I am also going to thoroughly examine all the cases I send your way to make sure they’re worth your time. You handled five domestic disturbance cases last week that had nothing to do with magic or murder, and I consider that a waste of departmental resources considering your background.”

Eré had been surprised before, but this was shocking. What did the captain mean by his background?

“Sir, I’m a little confused.”

“There’s nothing to be confused about. I’m simply utilizing your talents where they are most needed, unlike my predecessor. Also, I’m upping your pay grade.”

Eré was struck dumb, but gathered his wits enough to clarify himself.

“I understand that. I was more interested in what you meant by my background.” Did the captain know?

“You are the Eré Vance who was published in Arcana Today five years ago? Correct?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“No buts, you’re one of the great minds of our time. You’ve singlehandedly proven that equal rights for sorcerers are essential. I must say it’s going to be a pleasure to work with you.”

Captain Mysmaster stood and saluted; Eré did the same.

“No, the pleasure is mine.”

The men shook hands and Eré stepped out of the office. He returned to his desk unable to shake his awe and disbelief. Everything was happening so fast, everything was changing for the better.

The detective examined his heaped-over desk, he realized a secretary would soon be by to remove most of his cases. Eré had already closed a few cases and knew it would be a neglectful waste if he didn’t finish off the write-ups they required. Plus, there was one case that needed to stay on his roster.

Eré sorted. He set five unfinished cases to the side, a few burglaries, a case about a school bully going too far, and a case of reported illegals doing nothing but being Volusian.

In this case, the illegal had fled southward after questioning the Czar’s edicts during a night of heavy drinking. He was celebrating a neighbor’s engagement and had then gone home unaware of the faux pas. The next morning one of his drinking buddies was looking for him, and after some artful dodging the illegal had discovered that his fellow drunkard was a member of the secret police. He subsequently fled for his life.

As soon as Eré’s report was finished that man would be shipped up north where his countrymen would put him in line for a firing squad. Eré put the file at the bottom of his unfinished casework. It would take a couple of weeks for someone to get through the cases on top. It would take another couple of weeks to sort out the work Eré had already done... Hell, whoever inherited this case would probably have to do Eré’s work all over again.

The illegal would get more time before being sent back. More time for tempers in Volusia to calm. Perhaps he would only get a prison sentence by then. It was a small hope, but nothing was impossible, scientifically speaking. Eré continued his hunt for any other case he needed to finish.

“So what was that about?”

“Huh?” The detective looked up at Alex, who was hovering over his roommate with a towering posture.

“What did the new guy say? Is he giving you more cases? Is he changing your divisional placement? Oh don’t tell me that bastard’s trying to get you fired too. That’s it, I’ve had enough of this shit. I’m going in there and speaking my peace.”

“No, no, no. Alex, shut up and calm down.”

“Hell, no. Booth took advantage of you and made me hold it down, but not this time. I’m not letting this new guy start the same old…”

“Okay, Alex, stop. I think I just got a promotion.”

“What?” The man leaned in and stared Eré in the eye. “If you’ve been promoted, why such a long face?”

“My face isn’t long, I’m just surprised and thinking.”

“Did your pay grade go up?”

“Yes.”

Alex wrapped his arm around Eré's neck, “Awesome, we are getting wasted tonight. I know you don’t like brothels, but tonight you’ve gotta make an exception, tonight we need to party.”

Eré could only laugh and shake his head.