Hearing that General Yanosh had died, Winters's fist clenched unconsciously.
The one-eyed lieutenant colonel was unmoved. He sneered and asked, "You called me out just to tell me this?"
"Surrender the supplies you are carrying, and I will allow you to keep your flags and weapons and leave," the Herder repeated the terms he had offered, looking quite self-assured, "Anyway, you are still alive, which isn't too bad, is it?"
"Fine," the lieutenant colonel responded blandly, "I'll go back and think about it."
The Herder smiled with a mix of politeness and scorn, "Your Excellency, there is no point in delaying. No one is coming to save you, and my mercy and generosity are also limited."
"Anything else?" the lieutenant colonel, casually cleaning the blood from under his fingernails, asked indifferently.
"May I know Your Excellency's full name?"
"John Jeska."
"I am Alaric, a Chiliarch of the Haug Koda, or what you call a Chiliarch."
"Pleased to meet you."