She took a deep breath and walked into the room. It was full of heart wrenchingly familiar faces. Angua sat with Carrot, Cheery and Colon at round a small table in the centre of the room surrounded by paper work and pens and biscuits. It took all her self control not to bound up to them and shake all their hands whistling. As calmly as she could, she nodded at the group and turned around.

They are exactly as he wrote them to be! I can recognise all of them! Calm down…back to business.

'As you are aware, sir - Nobby ought to like that -, I truly need to see Commander Vimes this instant about a matter most ­- oh, bugger, what is this matter?…delicate.' She looked hopefully around the room. They all stared at her intently with curiosity shining out of their eyes.

'Well…I an afraid Commander Vimes is busy at the moment, but if you would lie to make an appointment.' This was not Nobby who had spoken, but Angua.

She stood up and strode over to 'Corby', un-hunched her shoulders and raised her head. They were the same height, a mental/physical match for each other. And both so stubborn that neither would have looked away at this point.

It wasn't until Vimes came sauntering - as you would if you knew you being talked about with the air of authority - down the stairs from his office that either of them lost eye contact.

'What's this about me being busy?' He stood at the door into the room, one hand held onto the doorframe the other lightly touching the hilt of his sword.

All for show though - Corby thought - He wants to show off in front of his Watch and me.

'Ahh, Sir, this man has just come in asking to speak with you. He says that matter is of the utmost importance.' Colon addressed Commander Vimes with this information, laying deep, sarcastic emphasis on the last few words.

The room was perfectly still…

Vimes broke the silence, 'You'd best come up to my office then, lad.'

With that, he turned around and walked back up the creaking staircase. Corby took one last look around the room, before following him up.

Once in his office, Corby was shown to a seat and Vimes closed the door. He sat down in his large chair and stared at Corby through unsympathetic eyes.

What is he thinking? Does he recognise from the street, from the last time I was here?

Corby pulled off he hood-y to reveal a black t-shirt. Black was her kind of colour. Vimes' eyes widened and he coughed meaningfully.

'So, your not a lad then hey? He smiled, but only for a second.

'Why are you here?'

'I didn't know where else to go and well, I thought that maybe, maybe you could help me.' She looked into his eyes. He could see that was in anguish but before he did anything, her needed to know why.

'Who are you? What's your name?'

'The name I gave your Corporal Nobbs was Corby Anderson, but where I came from my name is…oh god! What? Why?…where I came from my name is…'

A tear ran down her face. It had gone, who she had been before had gone. Usually she wasn't here long enough to need to think of a new name. So he never thought about anything at all. But know, she couldn't even remember who she had been before she came here. She was completely lost.

And for how long too? How long would she be here?

Vimes' brow furrowed, who was this girl? In all the places in all the Discworld, she lands in my city, she lands in my Watch.

'Umm…Have you committed any crimes here?' Now that he could deal with. Not all this uncertainty.

'No.' She stared down at the floor.

'Right…so, what do you want me to do 'Corby'?' He Didn't know what else to say, she was obviously very upset, he didn't want to make it worse.

'I…' - she hadn't considered this - 'I suppose I want a job'

She looked up, a bewildered look on her face. Although Vimes was glad to see that tears had stopped. He never had been good at dealing with tears.

'Obviously a cleaning job, or making tea. I'm a dab hand at paperwork' - she lied- 'I will do anything.'

She looked at him pleadingly.

Well, -Vimes thought - I could always do with a help with the paperwork…or the tea making…

'Okay then,' He stood up and held out a hand, 'Welcome to Pseudopolis Yard'

Corby stood up and, pulling herself together, shock his hand. She gave a good hard shake to show she was no wimp and a short nod, showed she was keen to get started.

Suddenly, her head ached.

Oh damn, my cut! My fringe must have hidden it before…but gods it hurts!

'Umm…Sir? It's just that I kind of cut my head and' she pulled up her fringe. Her forehead was red and her fringe was matted.

'Yes, I noticed that. Look, if you would like to come down stairs, I will introduce you to the team, we can get your head cleaned up and then we can get started making some tea and…stuff…' he gave her a concerned look, then exited the room.

He lead her down to the first room she had seen and the second he walked through the door, everyone in the room was on their feet saluting him very smartly.

'You don't have to do that every time you know…' He sighed and continued as the group relaxed back into seats.

'This is Corby Anderson and sh is the knew paperwork…sorter…tea maker and general tidier upper.'

I will have to make a better name for her than that, he thought.

There was a general muttering from the group along the lines of, yeah hi…

Vimes tuned to face her,

'Lets get that head cleaned up.' He turned to the rank, 'Corby has hurt her head, any volunteers?'