Sheathing his sword, Slater motions back, with a nod, in the direction from which he and his entourage had come. The geoup dispersed to follow Sergeant Lethe's orders, as the two Sergeants began walking further into the square. 

It was a battlefield to be certain. Not as though one had to step over corpses in order to move through the town square, but enough that any onlooker should feel remorse and sorrow for the travesty that had befallen this place; regardless of the amount of context they had. The dead were primarily adult males, or atleast the size of them, though occasionally a lifeless green child's arm could be seen from beneath wreckage, and even in one case the likely mother still clutching her babe close to her chest, both fallen to the same fate.

Those guardmen who weren't maintaining the perimeter, or addressing injuries, were clearing bodies; however with the overwhelming ratio, they could only perform the task so quickly. On the Northern side of the square, Sergeant Slater led Lethe to two living orc males, sitting on the ground, their wrists bound behind their backs. A single guardsmen was sitting on a crate, watching them. Not knowing the name, Sergeant Lethe had seen this Corporal before. He was the same one that had been with Slater when Lethe and Hudson ran into them at the Black Pearl.

"Here you are, Sir. Two instigators of the riot and attackers on their own people as well as the City Guard." Slater took almost a hop step in order to drive the toe of a boot into the ribs of one of the orcs. The Corporal smirked at this, while the orc himself grunted in pain and anger. Neither of the bound men seemed happy, to say the least. Both bloodied and bruised, but conscious and aware.

Hektor shook his head at the dead around him. Someone wanted to clear the city of Orcs and by this rate the battle for the city's soul was already over. The deaths of the women and children only drove the point further. Someone wanted a tragedy and they got it. Hektor doubted he could do anything but take blame now and go down swinging if it came to it. He eyed the singular guard and scuffed. Two men minimum to guard prisoners, yet here was a solo lackey to whatever faction Slater belonged to.

"That'll be enough Sergeant. Can't get a report from a corpse without invoking something awful." Hektor turned from Slater and then faced the two orks. He switched to their language in the event they didn't speak common.

[Orc] "Speak, what transpired here? Tell me the truth of it."

The one whom Sergeant Slater had just accosted snarled and responded. "Onreinnshara," the Orc addressed Hektor with a word that roughly translated to 'filthy human' though was a derogatory term applied specifically when speaking unfavorably about the Palua-Palua guard. [Orc] "We're not animals trained to speak when you command. You're time is coming, same for all humans and the other onreinnshara who felt it tonight."  The Orc motioned towards the town square, when he spoke, using his words as a general threat, rather than as an answer the Hektor's questioning.

Hektor looked on unfazed. [Orc] "Then don't act like an animal. I'm asking what happened, did you attack first, who, why?" He looked between the two of them, continuing his tone. "What you say here may help, so speak now. After this it is up to a judge and likely just an execution."

Persuasion: 3

Sergeant Lethe's attempt to persuade either orc towards reason seemed unsuccessful. [Orc] "I've made peace with my gods, onreinnshara. I've lived a longer life than I should, in human chains. You are the one to fear judgement and execution." The Orc looked back and forth between Lethe and Slater, in front of him, while he spoke. When he finished, he adopted a stone-faced gaze towards Hektor, locking eyes.

"It's much the same we've been getting from him when we questioned him, as well, acting Capt'n." Slater, hauled the orc to his feet. "I'll gladly take these to the stocks and file my reports, if that's your orders." The Corporal bent down and began lifting the other orc to his feet as well. Although it wasn't a struggle, it required a bit more compliance on the Orc's side, rather than the smooth transition Slater made it appear. Both guardsmen prepared themselves to move on, likely assuming that to be Lethe's logical next order. 

Hektor grit his teeth, knowing full well that should the Captain reach here and he be empty handed, he's the damn fool with egg on his face. He spat. "See that they make it to the stocks alive Slater, perhaps some time to let the fire in their lungs cool will loosen their tongue." He passed his gaze from the orc to the Sergeant when he gave the order. Turning away Hektor picked his way across the bloody mess and tried to focus himself. His rising anxiety began to gnaw at the back of his mind. With as much as a mess as it was in the square he doubted he would find anything but he had to try. He pointed to two other members of the Watch as he drew near.

"You will help me with a walkdown, see if there is anything amiss in the area, anything that lingers that is out of place." Regardless of their ability and willingness he began his search of the area.

Investigation w/o: 5

Investigation w/help: 17

Slater and his Corporal escorted the orcs away.

Wading through the wreckage and bodies, the two additional guardsmen didn't show any additional concern for what they were seeing, beyond what was already on their faces with the scene itself.

The wreckage showed plenty of signs of being done by blunt force, smashed in, though it could have been done by anyone or anything. The bodies showed obvious signs of a variety of attacks. Some orcs seemed battered, likely from clubs or blunt weapons, others were cut with blades, and some even looked as though they were just trampled or smashed by wreckage.

The few guardmen corpses, mostly being seen to, ahead of the dead orcs, were being carried away from the scene. There was evidence of blunt force to these as well, but most serious wounds seem to be inflicted by blades. Many of the cuts and stabs wounds that Sergeant Lethe could see, were rough and jagged, but one or two he saw, stood out. They were clean cuts, and not just that but went through more heavily armored parts; something requiring a higher quality blade than that on a tool or workman's instrument.

Hektor's shoulders slumped as he scoured the area for any evidence of what truly occurred. Despite his best insights the story was plain. A tragedy, an attack, a slaughter, a scuffle. He cursed under his breath, turning away from the area and to the fallen members of his own cloak. Here still he saw nothing to help him tell the tale. His eyes lingered on a deep cut, clean and effective, that carved through the Watch's armor as if it was nothing. The likely hood of an orc having a magic weapon was slim but not impossible...but a member of the watch? More details that pointed to more questions and still nothing that was going to aid him in his own pursuit of knowledge. He had fumbled here and with nothing to show knew he was in for a verbal beating. He sighed, and made sure the bodies of the fallen with the unique wounds were set aside for someones practiced eye.

He oversaw the moving of the dead and the assessment of the city damages and waited for the Captain to arrive, bitter or otherwise.

The corpses had been removed from the square itself, brought just outside on the western boundary, where there was relative space already, just because of how the structures of the 'refugees shanty town' had been set up. The wreckage that posed more of a threat, due to its capacity and likelihood to injury careless or curious persons, were broken down completely. 

It was after the third hour, when the heaviest of the lifting had been completed. Many of the guard that Sergeant Lethe had amassed and led over to the townsquare were now surrounding his general area, awaiting orders. All in all the death count was seven guardsmen and just under forty or so orcs, and only one or two injured, being attended to. It's likely that with the remaining majority of orcs, having fled the townsquare (either through fear of safety or fear of prosecution), did so as long as they could still move, regardless of other injuries.

There had been no sign of Captain En'Teneal or any other officers of the Watch.

At length, with all that could be done, and no sign of any command, Hektor decided to call it a night. He gave orders for the dead to be taken care of or disposed as was appropriate for the situation and for Watch to return to barracks and get some rest. He thanked the members for their work and their vigilance and steadfastness in this trying hour. He himself felt spent and cheated to a degree. He stifled a yawn and knew he had some reports to collect and go over and write one himself before sleep would be allowed.

If by some miracle he could get any.

Returning to the barracks, Sergeant Lethe found a new scribe on duty. The scribe was a regular rotating position and one that did not follow the same routine as the rest of the watch, primarily due to the limited number of individuals to fill the position; so the shifts were more plentiful but shorter, in order to keep them fresh. It was now a private of the guard that Lethe knew, to a degree. 

Hektor had never patrolled with Private Aye, but he had seen the young rookie on many occasion. He had been on the scribe rotation for several months, during which Hektor often had passed by the desk going in and out of the barracks, and he knew him to be somewhat close to Private Hudson. Hektor had even seen the two speaking, on the morning of the last patrol he had had with Hudson. Aye had plopped down on the bench in the mess hall, in a hurry, mentioning the revolt in the capital, before scurrying away.

The clerk from the previous duty had likely already made Private Aye aware of Sergeant Lethe's status as Watch Captain, as the Private immediately reported to him, as Lethe stepped through the door.

"As you were Aye." Hektor paused, uncertain for a moment if he had said the correct name, looked again and then nodded both to himself and the young member of the Watch. Lethe stepped into the Watch Captains room and placed his sword and shield down, letting the weight sink off of him for a moment before he turned to begin writing his report before details left his memory. He made certain to include his interaction with the prisoners and Slaters handling of the situation.

Hektor rubbed his eyes after a few minutes, debating on a meal or just sleep.

The shuffling overhead, as expected from the returned muster, was the only sound that followed. Private Aye sat at his post, but otherwise no one else presented themselves and the duty offices had returned to the quiet of the night.

Without anything else to be done, Hektor would finish his shift, dozing and pondering his situation.

The rest of the night proceeded without so much as a whisper, otherwise. Private Aye, reported in to say that he had nothing to report, following Sergeant Lethe's return to the barracks. This however marked the barracks, and the city itself, waking for the day.

The sounds overhead began again as the sleeping guardsmen woke to make their way to morning muster. The sounds grew as the same guardsmen, as well as those coming in from the city streets made their way to the messhall. This was known by all guardsmen to be the busiest time of the day for those on mess duty.

However, before Hektor could even make a decision as to what he wanted to do, to start his own day, and prepare for the end of his own shift, Captain En'Teneal entered the office. A look on his face appeared to be a combination of fear, disappointment, and embarrassment.

"What's this about a damn riot and dozens of deaths, including some of our own?!?"

Hektor stood and saluted as the Captain entered.

"Sir, a runner came in the night about the hour of the wolf and reported a riot in the city center. By the time I could muster the garrison, get them armed for the excursion and get them there the fighting was done. In truth, it was not a riot, by the looks of it, it was a massacre. Women, children and most all of the greenskins lay dead with few of our own. Sergeant Slater..." Lethe made as if he was going to spit but refrained. "Slater had taken two prisoners but they would only give up threats to our lives. He took them for detainment but I have gotten no report on the matter. I sent a runner to your home with a letter of instruction." Hektor gestured to a pile of papers he had been pouring over. "All of this is a farce Captain. The mishandling of supplies, the shorting of goods and the likelihood that this 'riot' was a staged slaughter of displaced orcs is absurdly prominent." Hektor was fuming, caught in the moment he spoke openly and with disgust, who he spoke to and how be damned.

"There is a rot in this barracks and a rot festering in this city because of some damn nobles stabbing each other a thousand leagues away. Those behind it don't care who they have to cut down and there are plenty here accepting coin for cutthroat." He tried to breathe some fire out of his lungs and compose himself. "The men are exhausted, this too is certain to be by design and mine is the head now in the noose." He shrugged, his outburst over he felt spent and slumped into the chair. "I wrote the details in my report, minus the information of those that failed to report in because of course they did. I sit ready to be relieved." He didn't meet the Captains gaze, he was too tired for it.

Captain En'Teneal listened to Sergeant Lethe intently. And gathered the report upon Lethe making mention of it. "Rot or not. This doesn't bode well for your first night on the job." En'Teneal had papers in his other hand, which he had brought in initially. "The runner you had indicated had been sent for me had never arrived, and the log book at the front desk made no mention of it. The only notice I received was a report delivered to me from Sergeant Slater, regarding the riot."

Captain En'Teneal held the report and began reading it, in its entirety to Sergeant Lethe. It was not short by any means, and absolutely, as could be expected, painted a negative picture of Lethe, 

"At approximately the eleventh hour, while patrolling the town square, a patrol consisting of Sergeant Slater and Corporal Keller identified a physical altercation among the 'displaced persons in the town square. As is the duty of the city guard, as peacekeepers, the patrol was forced to intervene. The altercation was a possible ploy to bring guards into a high risk area, as the suspects of the altercation almost immediately stopped fighting with each other and turned to attack the guards. By this time, other patrols had also come to investigate.

The attack was unprovoked and unexpected, which led to several injuries as suspects had produced blunt and bladed weapons. At this time, I, Sergeant Slater ordered the guard patrols to fall back from the townsquare. Assuming the city guard were the true target of these attacks, a retreat to the edge of the square would reduce likelihood of casualties. 

As it became clear, attacking the city guard was only one tier in what appeared to be a motivation of general chaos, disorder, and bloodshed. Upon identifying the possible larger scale, as it grew, Private Sector was dispatched to notify the Watch Captain of the situation and request immediate reinforcement to support containing the situation. Private Sector reported to the Acting Watch Captain, Sergeant Lethe, prior to the twelfth and final hour of the day, according to the watch log. 

The altercation suspects began growing in numbers as nearly two to three dozen displaced persons armed with blunt and bladed instruments were attacking each other, structures, and city guard. Under orders of myself, Sergeant Slater, lethal force was only authorized, following the first loss of life. A judgement call was made, due to the overnumerousness of the hostile suspects compared to the few guards, that lethal force was absolutely necessary to maintain order and attempt to save lives of innocent displaced persons in the area. In total seven city guard were killed during the altercation and approximately fifteen to twenty suspects. The exact number could not be identified due to the number of innocents among the dead, murdered by the suspects, as well as suspects witnessed turning on each other. Two suspects were captured alive. 

Following the first hour of the new day, once the innocent displaced had been led away from the town square, and the suspects had either been dealt with, or managed to flee the scene, Acting Captain, Sergeant Slater, arrived with reinforcements. I cannot say with certainty what the difference in outcome would have been  had reinforcements arrived in an expedient manner, considering the urgency of the situation. However, I can confirm that at least the patrols on scene were fortunate to not know to expect such a timely delay. It is likely panic would have set in knowing their lives depended on the unfortunate response of a Watch Captain during his first shift of duty."

While although up to this point in the report, Slater had been going out of his way to skew perspective, it was the portion to come that actually crossed the line of truth.

"Upon Acting Watch Captain, Sergeant Lethe's, arrival, I Sergeant Slater provided the entire aforementioned account within this report. The Acting Watch Captain gave no response until mention of having two suspects still alive. He then ordered to be taken to them immediately. Prior to the Acting Watch Captain's arrival, the two suspects had been questioned, but refused to give any answers and only made threats, with the single demand that they speak with my 'superior'.

During Acting Watch Captain, Sergeant Lethe's, interaction with the suspects, Corporal Keller and I, Sergeant Slater, witnessed the Acting Watch Captain assault one of the suspects. I cannot speak to what was said between the Acting Watch Captain and the suspects, because although both suspects spoke common, The Acting Watch Captain insisted that they spoke a dialect of orcish, to which I, Sergeant Slater, and Corporal Keller, were unfamiliar. Following the interaction, per the Acting Watch Captain's orders, I, Sergeant Slater, and Corporal Keller were to escort the suspects back to the barracks.

Once away from the town square, the two suspects attacked myself, Sergeant Slater, and Corporal Keller. The two suspects had been previously searched and bound. At the time, neither had any weapon on their persons. Neither suspect had had any physical interaction with anyone between the time of being searched, and the time of attacking, other than close proximity by the Acting Watch Captain. Somehow, during that time, the two suspects both managed to loosen free of their bindings and arm themselves.

Both suspects were killed in the escape attempt and Corporal Keller was injured, but expected to recover. The only word spoken by either suspect during the escape attempt, was one saying the name 'Lethe' as he died.

I, Sergeant Slater, make no assumptions or proposed charge against Acting Watch Captain, Sergeant Lethe, regarding the delayed reaction of reinforcement or the interaction and attempted escape of the two suspects, but do recommend investigation into riot and surrounding events, but a ranking official."

Looking up for the report, Captain En'Teneal appeared to simply look to read Hektor's face; possibly an attempt to gage a a reaction, without a verbal response.

"You can see the predicament here. And you are not far off about your head being in the noose. Hopefully, we can keep that from becoming literal." He gazed down at Sergeant Lethe's report. "I'll need to report in the the Watch Commander this morning, but I'll read your reports before I do. For the time being however, given the claims of the situation, you'll be relieved indefinitely from the Acting Captain position,  and duty shifts. At least until I can square this away, administratively."

Hektor was stone faced as the Captain read the report. When the line of truth was crossed his gaze narrowed and his jaw set. "Liar." He stated, plainly and clearly but didn't look anywhere aside from his thousand yard stare. As lies compounded upon lies he closed his eyes to keep from seeing red but his hands were shaking as a deep and seething rage began to build. He took a deep breath when the Captain finished and opened his eyes to meet En'Teneals. Hektor hid nothing. He was visibly upset by the news and keeping a reign on his wrath by some means, likely because he respected the man before him.

"Most everything in that report is a direct attack on me. I'm no longer surprised, Slater has all he needs to get me out of the way." He slowly stood up to address his captain. "I understand your judgement on the matter and will respect your decision, I even agree with it Captain." Hektor removed his tabard and placed it neatly on the desk. "My account of the events is in my report here, including my interaction with the prisoners, translated to common. I hope my previous reports will stand as a testimony to my truthfulness in this accounting." His tone became less formal. "I apologize for how this will reflect upon your judgement to put me here Captain, I hope I do not cause you too much trouble with the Watch Commander. I am however..." Lethe picked up his sword and shield. "...not going to go sit in the barracks unarmed, considering Slater, Sector, Keller and several others are likely to stick me when I sleep. May I put in a formal request for House Arrest?"

The last line was the first ruse that Hektor may have ever offered in his entire line of service. It was unlikely that the vast majority of the Watch had any knowledge of Hektors private life, that he had signed over his father's house, then his house, shortly after his death. But the Captain? It was possible, but even if he did know Lethe didn't have a home it was a chance he had to take to find somewhere safe.

It hadn't escaped him that the Captain too may be perfectly placed to direct all of what had occurred and what was to come.

"A decision to be made above my pay, but I will put forth the request. For the time being, I can only relieve you of duty. Since no investigation has been opened, nor has any disciplinary action been put forth, it would not have been logical for me to have 'ordered' you to remain in the barracks, during our change of the guard." Captain En'Teneal winked at Sergeant Lethe slyly.

En'Teneal swiftly, but quietly closes the office door. "Since your being relieved, your presence at the morning muster would be excused. However, your issued armaments would need to be turned in, prior to that." The Captain motioned towards the sword and shield Lethe was now holding, but also looked over the entirety of Lethe's equipment, indicating the entire duty kit (armor included)

"In the mean time, is there anyone else that could be able, and would be willing to support any of your claims or any instances you've witnessed?"

Lethe shook his head, unhappy about having to go out with no real arms nor armor but he'd make do or die. He began to remove the equipment as he spoke.

"By name no. There were several Watchmen around when I addressed the prisoners but they are likely to remain 'in camp' so to speak. Any other names I could give you have gone missing, are easily influenced or are untrustworthy." He shrugged. "I would appear to be on my own now Captain." He motioned to the pile of arms and armor. "I can take these to the armory if you'd like Captain, but I understand if you rather I took my leave now."