"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Meliye."
Kallen extended his hand to Meliye. Wearing a professional smile, she shook it with easy confidence, then stepped back twice and bowed respectfully to him.
"My respects, Legion Commander."
"Please, sit."
"Yes, sir."
Meliye had formerly been the Order Weekly's correspondent in York City. She had since been promoted to deputy director of its York City District news bureau.
When Kallen had taken Aisili, Blanche, and the others by hearse to attend the Final Selection for entry into the Gate of Reincarnation, she had interviewed them. They had also worked together several times since.
She had a fine, rather full figure and wore thick black glasses, fitting the traditional image of a female head teacher and journalist: serious and rigorous, yet possessing a cold, restrained beauty characteristic of her profession.
She had come from the Logistics Supply Base in the far rear, crossed Chiya Grand Canyon, then traveled deep behind the lines to find the legion. She had not even requested an escort, simply hiring a guide and coming with three assistants.
This was a war zone, after all, with large numbers of scattered enemy remnants. Something could easily have gone wrong, so Kallen could not help admiring her courage.
Having already become the newspaper's district deputy director, she could still set everything aside and follow her original aspirations as a war correspondent. That alone deserved respect.
"Thank you for making the journey," Kallen said with a smile. "I hope you didn't run into any trouble along the way."
"No, it was no trouble. All we had to do was travel. After all, you had already defeated the enemies along the way, Legion Commander."
Kallen nodded. "I'm very willing to accept your interview, but I'm sorry, my time is limited. I hope