Word reached them three days later.
It came through one of Rurik's remaining contacts inside the Imperial supply lines, folded into an otherwise ordinary delivery report and carried across the old checkpoint without ceremony.
Maren read it once.
Then again.
Vane watched her expression change, though he couldn't immediately tell what the change meant.
"He's been recalled."
Ashe looked up.
"Cassian?"
Maren nodded.
"Reassigned, technically."
She read further.
"No formal punishment. No arrest. Nothing like that."
Rurik leaned over the table.
"Reason?"
"Failure of the pacification action to produce the intended outcome."
A faint bitterness entered Maren's voice.
"And apparently someone above him has decided that maintaining a long-term political operation here is no longer worth the resources."
Ashe stared at her.
"That's it?"
Maren lowered the paper.
"That's it."
"No confrontation."
"No."
"No final battle."
Rurik gave a humorless laugh.
"Apparently not."
