On the 10th of the Scales of Judgment, 5152, Nicole marches with the Diryn army in Magei, Liesdro in a routine patrol. On the same day, Lord Markus Woodrow II arrives in Magei by carriage. Once his carriage passes the walls of the city, Woodrow removes himself from the carriage to approach the Diryn soldiers. Specifically, he approaches Nicole.

Before she can respond to his approach, Nicole’s Lieutenant, Rowen approaches, offering Woodrow aid, and politely questioning his presence in Magei. Woodrow explains how he has a meeting with Ruiha Maytal, and asks Rowen to spare one of his soldiers to act as a guide while he is in the city. Rowen offers a strong looking soldier named Theodore, but Woodrow rejects the man, decrying his need for a guard. Woodrow refers to Nicole once more, and Rowen again tries to press Woodrow with another choice, but Woodrow interrupts and asks Nicole if she agrees with her leader that she is incapable of walking him to his destination, to wish she easily responds with her disagreement. Rowen finally relents, allowing Woodrow to take her.

As the remainder of the squad departs, Nicole apologizes to Woodrow for the trouble, and begins to guide him. Woodrow initiates conversation as they walk, complimenting Nicole’s bravery, and asks her first name, which she gives him before asking what his meeting with the Minister is about. Woodrow promises to tell her if she slows down a bit, and then explains that he is planning to establish a branch of the SSPB in Liesdro.

Afterwards, he segues into a discussion of his evening plans, which are far from set, and asks Nicole if she has any recommendations on places in Magei for a good meal. She has few recommendations, noting that the food isn’t terribly impressive for a man of his stature as a joke, which he returns with a comment of the company of a meal being more important than the meal itself. He then offers to take her for dinner, as thanks for her guiding him to Maytal’s offices. She considers the offer, but knows she has more important duties to attend to, and in the end rejects it, turning the conversation back to business to ask about his thoughts on working with Dirys, as well as with Liesdro, musing over the possibilities open to a strong alliance of Submiere, Liesdro and Dirys.

Woodrow waves off her commentary, ensuring her that his motives here are for worldwide peace, but brings it back to why he wanted her as a guide, and not simply gotten himself there by carriage. Woodrow decides to use his power to pressure Nicole, asking her about her rank in the military, her desire to improve it, or willingness to let it disappear. Nicole does not appreciate the blackmail, and tries to de-escalate the situation, apologizing and bowing to him, but Woodrow is not finished with his reaction to her rejection.

Woodrow calls her pathetic, and then continues to demean not only her, but her place as a woman, explaining how he did not want a guard, but an ornament - which suited her perfectly. Then, he asks if she is a person, or an object, and Nicole is rightfully angry. She puts a hand on her rifle, but stops herself before drawing it. She instead continues to hold firm in her position, and explains that she is a person, but cannot help but insult him - which earns her his vengeance. He gives a signal, and someone calls out that Nicole is going to shoot Woodrow, her hand still on her rifle, though not having drawn it. Woodrow’s guards and local police swarm them immediately, removing him from the situation and restraining Nicole with manacles. As the local police are informed of her identity, and her position as a soldier in the Diryn army, they express distress over what the Minister will think of such a situation.

Nicole tries to fight back, but it’s her against Lord Markus Woodrow, his SSPB guards, and the Magei police. She thinks about the effect this will have on her life, her reputation; her family’s reputation; the Diryn army… And she thinks of how, if this is how vindictive Woodrow is, then she can return the favour when she is set free. (Testing the Alliance)

Days later, Nicole finds herself in Liesdro’s highest security prison, outside of Magei. She shares her cell with Leigh Haskell, a hook-handed pirate, who is at first introduced as ‘Jane’. She learns that she is to be escorted back to Dirys, where she would be put through the proper channels for her punishment, but for now she is to remain imprisoned here.

Nicole reflects on how her decision might have affected Acheron as a whole, how it could have threatened to have Submiere retaliate directly, but she doesn’t have much time to do so as Leigh talks to her.

Leigh is quick to label Nicole a criminal, but Nicole is set upon being a soldier. Knowing what will happen to her in Dirys, her walls fall easily and she explains that her being in prison was the fault of Markus Woodrow, for pulling a rifle on him. Leigh laughs, and calls Nicole her hero. At first Nicole thinks that Leigh is making fun of her, but then realizes otherwise. She questions Leigh on what got her in prison, and what she knows about Woodrow.

Leigh explains she slept with a noble’s wife, a noble powerful enough to send her to jail over it. Then she goes on to explain her history with Lord Woodrow, how she is a pirate, and he has sunk ships she’s crewed on, and killed numerous friends. In return for this information, Leigh decides to push Nicole and asks what she would do if Woodrow were in the room with them right then.

Nicole imagines just that. She decides she would shoot him, but not kill him. She would hurt him until he begged to be killed, and then walk away. Leigh finds the explanation greatly entertaining, and asks Nicole if she might be a pirate after all. She explains to Nicole that pirates fight for two things: Freedom, and vengeance. Nicole resists the title, but insists she can fight for those things under her own colours. Leigh simply tells Nicole that she can’t be a soldier and get those things, and when questioned about having a captain, explains that loyalty keeps her with her captain, not duty. Leigh insists that inferiority is made by the law, and upheld by men like Woodrow. She asks if Nicole is really going to go back after stepping over the line already.

Nicole mulls over her options, positive that when she returns to Dirys she won’t remain imprisoned. She believes she could fight to get back into the military, or go off on her own -- she then tells Leigh that her father believes they are rightful rulers of Dirys, even, and that could be an avenue to explore. Finally, as a fourth option, she questions if Leigh is inviting her to become a pirate. Leigh doesn’t give a straight answer, wanting to know instead of that would even be a consideration for Nicole. Nicole makes her decision, and tells Leigh that if she gets Nicole out, she’ll join her crew and work with her to take down Woodrow.

Leigh doesn’t think that will be a problem.

As if on cue, the guard returns, but this time it is Maldrem “Wight” in disguise. He breaks them out using his lockpicking skills. Nicole has to make a choice to either go with them, or wait it out and hope for the best from the authorities, and she decides to go with the pirates.

Wight uses his illusion to make the two women appear shackled as he leads them to where their possessions are stored. They encounter two other guards when they arrive, who are suspicious enough to attempt to verify Wight’s claims. He knocks out one guard, and Leigh almost takes care of her’s before deciding to give Nicole a test.

Leigh pretends to let the guard take advantage of her and knocks his baton between himself and Nicole, who barely hesitates before picking it up and knocking the guard down -- but not out. She strikes again, knocking him out. She passes the test.

Wight goes on ahead to get their belongings while Leigh and Nicole stay hidden and keep watch. Leigh keeps the gun she took from the guard away from Nicole, but flirts with her while they wait for their third.

Wight meanwhile attempts to infiltrate the storeroom, which is heavily guarded. He uses his illusions to distract the group of them in order to sneak past. Just as he gathers the effects of his two comrades, a guard enters the room. He hides, but the foxfolk guard can tell he’s there. The two tussle, both evenly matched in dexterity, but the Foxfolk guard is an Enchanter and attempts to wile Wight’s mind… But Wight is able to trick him with illusions, and kills the guard quietly.

Wight returns to Nicole and Leigh, giving them their belongings, and urging them to move quickly. As they continue their escape, however, they find themselves in a fire fight. Leigh covers their back while Wight and Nicole run, but they hit the air vent, which is now locked. Leigh takes a hostage to buy them time, but it’s not enough for Wight to break past the magical lock. Instead, he summons up illusions to make for a better distraction to buy Wight even more time.

He breaks the lock, and the three drop into the air vent.

While safe for the time being, Nicole questions the decision she has made, and is angry over the fact that Leigh killed someone, which was not the intent. Leigh argues back, frustrated, that it was kill or be killed. Wight agrees, admitting to killing a guard to get their possessions back. Nicole resists, not believing herself to be ‘bad’ like they are.

She frets as she realizes that her actions may have directly sabotaged her goal of having Dirys and Liesdro work together, that the slaughter of guards and a prison break in Liesdro was participated in by a soldier from Dirys. She’s lost her purpose, and she doesn’t want more people to die because of her.

This makes Leigh angry, and she reams Nicole out for her self-centered concerns, implying greater personal losses that have made Wight and Leigh who they are. Nicole, despite wanting to argue back, decides instead to apologize, and follows quietly.

Wight leads the group through the maze of the vents, knowing that the way he’s leading them will be free of guards. They drop down several floors, and Wight explains that they aren’t exiting through the vents. Instead, they’ll be exiting by the officer’s rec room and swimming pool, where it’s unlikely there will be many guards. Then, they’ll go through a drainage grate to get the rest of the way. Wight also makes sure to reinforce with Nicole that it’s kill, or be killed. She finally gets it.

As they sneak through the pool area, a guard catches them and holds them at gunpoint. Wight is tapped out of magic, and the guard commands Leigh to disarm first. She comes up with a plan, and creates a distraction after disarming. Nicole gets Leigh’s disarmed pistols and shoots the guard, killing him. Wight leaves a false trail in their wake to mislead any guards who come from the sound of gunfire, and then they go down the drainage tunnel. Just as Wight manages to get the grate in place, locked, and rusted somewhat with a touch of necromancy, other guards enter. They fall for Wight’s tricks, and don’t realize the pirates are just underfoot.

When the coast is clear, Nicole apologizes, now understanding why the pirates do what they do. She wants to join them. The group moves on through the tunnels, eventually reaching the place where it empties out into the sea, and find the rowboat hidden there by Wight. There, Leigh gives Nicole one last chance to run away and say no to the pirate life… She doesn’t take it.

Which leaves the question: What place does Acheron have for Nicole, now that she’s a damned dirty pirate? (Cellmates)