Alexios shook his head at her, then leaned back in his chair.
"Joining foreign armies has its uses, Quinlan, but only later. If we were to begin there, their commanders would take one look at our soldiers' levels and put them wherever they expect the most losses."
He set his empty cup on the table.
"Our people are veterans. They know how to fight. But out here, they'll be treated as disposable foot soldiers, and I fear we'll bury far too many of them before they can grow into anything else."
Quinlan considered the old swordsman across from him.
"What would you propose?"
Alexios remained silent for a while. His attention passed over the people around the table, lingering on his daughter before returning to Quinlan.
"I'll lead this company. But for our first work, I propose hunting pirates."
"Pirates?" Felicity asked her father.
