A RUMOR OF PEACE

CHAPTER THREE

Roark Sr. gave him a smile. "After you and Harry finished giving your reports to the President and the Council of the Twelve, Dacian, Gabriel and I had a separate meeting with President Adar, Commander Thorin, and Commander Adama, as well as Admiral's Malfoy, Jenkins, and Maxwell."

"A separate meeting?" Roark's head tilted a bit.

"Yes, and while none of them were exactly thrilled by what we were preposing to do, they DID finally agree that this may be our best chance, if not our ONLY chance to see Tom Riddle brought down once and for all. They then signed the orders to see that it got done."

He was afraid to ask, but as he was curious…ask he did. "Signed WHAT orders to see WHAT done, exactly?"

"We are giving you full command of the case against Tom Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort, and as Harry is going with you to Aquaria, he will be assigned as your partner. As well as your second."

Silence.

Then, once their words had sunk in…had registered in his mind… "WHAT?!"

Their smiles widened at his stunned cry, the look in his silver eyes one of total shock. "You heard me, Roark."

He shook his head. "Of course I heard you, Admiral, but…what about Captain Ardyn?"

Captain Ardyn has command of the Colonial Garrison stationed there, NOT the case against Riddle. That was solely Kale, Logan, Fili and Kili's jobs. Ardyn has not even been told that you and Harry have officially been assigned to Aquaria."

That got them an arch of his midnight brow. "Why for not?" he asked in confusion.

"Only Kale and the boys knew, and now, with Kale's death, they have since been asked to say nothing as to whom his replacement was to be."

"If they have been asked to remain silent on the replacement…There is something else going on over there. Something else is wrong," he looked at Dacian, then his gaze swung to Gabriel, before returning to Admiral Roark. "Oh, FRACK! This is not going to be a normal assignment, is it?"

'Language. And no, it is not," came the expected response. "The C.C.I.U. has officially taken over all aspects of this case." He sat forward, the look in his forest green eyes intent. "Which, by the way, has ALSO not been announced."

A nod of understanding. "To hopefully give you an element of surprise. The longer you can keep Tom Riddle from knowing that the Colonial Counter-Intelligence Unit has taken over, the better chance you have of getting ahead of him."

"Exactly. Unfortunately, we haven't any teams free to send to Aquaria," Dacian said.

"Except you. And Harry."

"Me? Harry?" he asked, looking at each of them, but he could not read them, or what their intentions were, though he DID have an idea. Time to see if he was right. "But Harry and I are not Counter-Intelligence."

"No, you aren't, but then neither are Fili, Kili and Logan. You could be though. All of you could be. There is no question my son and nephews will accept==" he broke off at the sound of Roark's sudden snort of amusement.

It had always been a Durin family dream to become a part of the C.C.I.U, and very nearly all of the overlarge family was. "Yes, quite." Roark Sr. said with a chuckle. "So, that now leaves you and Harry. We have someone speaking to your brother right now, but what about you, Rory? Will you join us? Will you accept our offer to become an officer in the Colonial Counter-Intelligence Unit?"

"Me?" he gasped. "I…Admiral, I'm not…I mean I don't…" finally, he just gave up trying to put into words what he felt about this so sudden offer that has been made to him.

"Let me guess," Gabriel spoke up then. "You don't feel like you have the right to be given such an offer? That there are others who are older, wiser, have been in the Colonial services and are of higher rank."

'Well, THAT was observant."

"Actually, Rory, it wasn't. It's written all over your face. You AND your brother tens to wear your emotions om your faces. We are doing to need to work on the that, as well. You need to hide yourselves better than that when you are working on cases."

"I can hide my emotions when I need too, Dacian," he told him, his face instantly cleared of all expression. "Raphael made sure of that."

"We can see that that he has. Rory, you and your brother have been friends with this family for how long now?"

"For as long as I can remember, Dac," he answered, "but what had that to do with anything?"

"Everything." Roark Sr. now spoke up. "You have been around us all to know exactly why I put this unit together."

"Because you felt there was too much corruption. Not just within the Colonial Planetary Governments themselves, but with ]in the Military Services as well."

"That was, of course, two of the biggest reasons, but as I'm sure you have realized, there were many other reasons involves with out decisions. I think you are well aware we don't ask just anyone to join us. We look for certain…qualities in our warriors. Certain skill sets."

"Magic?"