Fenris's hand fell back to his side, and he seemed to accept her silent answer. "Very well, we will play this out your way, my apprentice. But know that I will be watching this situation very carefully." Now it was Calen's turn to feel a slight shiver run down his spine. Fenris didn't overtly threaten people, he simply promised to observe situations that he wasn't completely satisfied with. If this was such a situation, he would have to proceed very carefully. Area's life was certainly in danger, as were the lives of her family, but if this went poorly, Calen would suffer the blowback from it as well.<br/><br/>As the hologram flickered out, he couldn't help but wonder if this had been a mistake. Kane certainly had value as a commander, and as a symbol of Calen's power, but now there was a rather steep risk associated with her. Calen had known it wouldn't be easy to sell his master on this plan, but now the possibility of failure was a little more real. Still, his course was set now, and couldn't be changed. All he could do was try to prove his plan had merit.<br/><br/>Now that the two of them were alone, he stood back up, then took his new slave by the arm and eased her back to her feet. He tried not to show that his master's attention had alarmed him, and instead tried to take charge of the situation in the room. "Since we still have some time before we can settle you into your new role as my captain, I think we should take a little time to settle you into your other role."<br/><br/>He reached behind her head and untied the knot that kept her gag in place, then helped to ease the cloth from her lips. Calen couldn't help the slight smile that flashed across his features as he realized they had gagged her with her own panties. He would have to remember that. "While we are in this room, all I want to hear from you is 'yes, master,' and 'no, master,' at least until I say otherwise." He studied her intently, then asked, "Do you understand just what is at stake now?"