"Someone make a complaint? That it?"
"Well, sir, there were several complaints. Citizens find these new taxes hard to swallow, sir; very hard."
The captain laughed derisively.
"Sheep! Let them suffer. It is no concern of ours. The Overlord has a militia to maintain. Well ... that is all."
He waved a hand in dismissal. Corporal Tandred said hesitantly, "Yes, sir. But the ... the receipt, sir?"
"Receipt? For what?"
"For the money, sir. Regulations, sir."
"Oh, yes." The captain grinned caustically. "Don't you trust me, Corporal? You never asked for a receipt before that I can remember."
"N-no, sir. I mean ... of course I trust you, sir. I just thought that ... that this being a new tax—"
"Very well; very well!" The captain scribbled, tore a receipt from his pad, and handed it to the underling. "You may go now, Corporal."