[center][h2]The Commissar[/h2][/center]

The door to this nameless tavern banged back on iron hinges; the newest arrival on the landing heedless of the pairs of eyes that swung her way as she calmly stepped through and swung the door shut again. 

She cut a menacing figure among that eclectic crowd, being clad in a severe-cut red and black uniform overcoat. An iron cuirass topped by a two-headed eagle gleamed from her chest as the remaining rain water sluiced across and down onto the floor and her knee-length jackboots. There were few identifying marks on this woman to tell exactly who or what she was. But to those who were in the know, their hearts would have sunk as the the brunette's darkened eyes glowered from beneath her peaked cap.

She was Severina Raine - Commissar, 11th Antari Rifles of the God-Emperor's Imperial Guard. And she was here to ruin someone's day.

Her gaze swept across the various tables and booths that populated the ground level until she located who she was looking for. Placing a black glove on the pommel of her power sword, she calmly strode up to one of the tables and sternly cleared her throat to the three men who sat around it. 

"Gentlemen," she curtly cut in, interrupting the trio's game of cards. "You're overdue back at barracks."

The Antari Guardsmen froze. One of the men dropped the cards he was holding out of shock, while another - wisely - immediately got out of his seat and left, leaving a credit behind where he had been. The third man, back facing to the Commissar, made no move.

Severina glowered, her burrow furrowed beneath her cap's brim. "Guardsman Verrak!" she reiterated. "You will return to barracks immediately."

Verrak turned in his seat. "Naht until ah finish ma game." the man slurred, his breath reeking of overindulgence in alcohol. 
"Giles, [b][i]don't[/i][/b]!" his compatriot warned, scraping his seat back in preparation to leave.
"Ah, sha' down!" Verrak rumbled clumsily to the other.

Severina's patience broke. 

A hand shot forth, grabbing Verrak by the lapels and heaving him out of his seat, sending the latter violently clattering onto the floor. Verrak - despite his state - struck back, shoving the Commissar out and away from him and cracked a fist forward. Years of Scholea training took over for Raine; she ducked the clumsy blow and hammered a fist into Verrak's chest. Verrak landed, back first onto the floor, his inebriation rapidly giving way to blinding rage as - with a shout - he shot to his feet and charged forward.

A fatal mistake. A second blow sent the man flying back into his table, sending both man and the booth's contents to the floor with a violent crash. Verrak's will to fight finally gave out; concussed and bruised, he could only stare stupified as the shadow of the Commissar cut into his vision again, swallowing the tavern's lighting in his sight whole.  

"90 days confinement to barracks, penal duties and loss of month's pay, Guardsman Verrak. Consider yourself fortunate that you're not up on a charge of assaulting an [i]Astra Militarum[/i] officer!" Severina growled. She shot a glare to the other Antari and gestured to the fallen Guardsman. "Get him back to barracks, Guardsman Eckhart, or [b]you[/b] will be joining him!"

As the two men limped out of the tavern, Severina removed her brimmed cap and shook her scarred head sadly to herself. Realising that the brief exchange of blows had caused some damage to local property, she tucked the cap underneath one of her jacket's arms and strode up to the bar counter, intending to settle the matter.