The next day, the material evaluation went off without remark. Parker was joined in a dull gray office-like room by two EA employees. One was a bland looking evaluator that reminded Parker of a younger but less interesting Benson. The other was a shallow-nosed appraiser wearing a cheap suit and a pair of thin glasses. They introduced themselves as Evaluator Rick and Appraiser Lolth.

  Parker followed instructions to set their pack down on a wide metal table and then step away. The appraiser was then given free reign by the evaluator to start.

  The shallow-nosed appraiser picked through Parker's gear without much more than a few satisfied hums as they autopsied Parker's pack. Each item was extracted carefully, turned over twice to look for issues, and then set on the wide table.

  At the end, Appraiser Lolth turned to the evaluator that had been silently waiting. Their nasally voice filled the room. "All essentials are covered with backups of important items as well as some arcane reserves to handle dire circumstance. It lacks flair, luxury, and personality but is replete with function. This pack is the most effective we have seen so far and seems perfectly suited for its carrier."

  Evaluator Rick nodded and then pressed the gray radio button on his lapel. "Parker Apis has received high marks from Appraiser Lolth. Parker Apis, exemplary pass in the material evaluation. Requesting preliminary final evaluation for him."

  "Them." Parker tried to correct but something must've come through the evaluator's headset as he just held a hand up in response.

  The appraiser started reconstructing Parker's pack with nearly mirrored moves to how it was taken apart. Parker just waited. The evaluator was clearly still listening to something on the other end of the radio.

  Just as the waiting was getting too awkward, Evaluator Rick lowered his hand and turned to Appraiser Lolth. "On Bishop's orders, remove the wands from his pack and then you are free to move on to the next evaluation room."

  The appraiser did as instructed. They removed the boxed up wands and then left Parker alone in the room with Evaluator Rick.

  Once they were alone, Parker spoke up. They asked, "Why did the wands need to be removed?"

  When the evaluator offered no answer, Parker felt a snake constrict around their intestines. They watched as the evaluator opened the box, removed the cloth bundle inside, and set out each of the three wands in front of Parker.

  Only then did Evaluator Rick speak, but not to Parker. He clicked at his label radio and said, "Confirmed, sir. These are the ones. What would you order?"

  A moment later, the evaluator finally addressed Parker. "EA is confiscating these three wands and their packaging on the order of Regulus Commander Bishop. This does not affect your evaluation, but Commander Bishop will want to speak with you."

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  Panic flashed through Parker's core. "You can just take them? I traded so much for those."

  "Where? These weren't listed in your declarations and they are black marker prototypes of EA proprietary artifice."

  Parker felt themselves close off before they even knew how they were going to answer. They said, "if it doesn't affect my evaluation, do I need to answer you or speak with the Commander?"

  Parker had recognized the name of the company but also the Commander. Parker had no intention of turning on their new friend's friend to a group of mercenary enforcers like Regulus.

  The evaluator thought calmly for a moment, or maybe he was listening to orders through his radio. Either way, he eventually said, "If you can tell me where you acquired those wands, you do not have to do anything else. The President of EA has already signed off on your preliminary final evaluation, so you will be allowed to proceed to the archipelago."

  Parker prodded the space between the question they asked and the evaluator's answer. "If I don't share that, what will happen?"

  Evaluator Rick let out a tired sigh at that. "Due to the nature of your background, Regulus cannot directly enforce any restrictions on you. Regulus also does not have the authority to detain anyone associated with the EA Gamble. However, Regulus can enforce a total travel restriction for the remainder of the investigation. Even with the President approving your pass, you won't be able to leave."

  Parker answered vaguely but immediately.

  "Two days ago, I set up down in the gym and bartered most of my extra gear for things I was missing. A wizard took all of what I had at the time for those three wands. Evaluator Benson made it sound like the attendants were aware of what I was doing so they should have more information than I do."

  A grim look came over Evaluator Rick's face as he listened to Parker's answer as well as something through the radio. He asked, "What does the name Malcolm Tynne or Caliburn mean to you?"

  Parker shook their head and answered honestly. "Nothing. I've never heard of either of those names before now."

  Then Parker followed up with a question of their own. "Is Regulus one of the groups that the President mentioned in his speech about hunting malicious Gamblers?"

  The evaluator snorted a laugh at that. He said, "The President's speech was to dispel doubts about the evaluations. While there have been numerous rumors and unconfirmed reports, there have not been any serious incidents that would require a group like Regulus to leave the nexus."

  Parker asked the next obvious question. "Then what is the U.N.'s adventuring guild doing here? They weren't mentioned in the U.N. treatise about this place."

  The evaluator nodded, finally understanding. "That's where I've seen your family name. Your father was on the level with Regular for years. What is an heir doing here?"

  Parker deflected as hard as they could. "Do you need anything else from me? I don't even know the wizard's name."

  "That much is apparent. No, you are cleared for passage. Tomorrow your tablet should download an itinerary but be ready to leave by the end of the week at the earliest."

  Parker nodded and picked up their pack. Despite the light weight of the wand box that was missing, the pack felt too light without it. That was when the evaluator added two pieces of advice.

  "Your account shows a recommended counseling session as well as a lack of physical training. A week isn't long, but I would use it well if I were you, Mr. Apis."