"OK, it's the day before Founders' Day…" Harrigan told the senior officers "…an' I just got word from the embassy down below that one of their people missed his bus first time 'round and is coming in tonight – last landing before lockdown too, I might add".

"Anyone been seeing any sign of guerrila activity or preparations for same?" Lazarus asked.

"A few things, here and there" Rulok replied "but nothing we can pin down to any one group. Not so much anyone conducting hostile operations… but someone might well be preparing to do so. Administration HQ security says there's been a little more movement around there than there should be, which would make that a more believable possibility".

"Who is arriving late?" Trannak asked – when Harrigan revealed where he was coming in from, although he admitted he hadn't been given a name, Trannak commed Juroch, who came as quickly as he could.

"A Sholphauran of standing is coming here, sirs?" Juroch asked with interest "I know I have not been out of my tank for very long… but I request being put on night patrol so I might provide discreet protection for them in the event any of the people of my world already present cannot do so".

"I'll put skulkers on for tonight" Harrigan decided "Who Cap'n T sends is up to him".

"We will both go, Juroch…" Trannak said after the pair of them had left the meeting "I do not know if my wife will be able to come… but Keyah will, along with Liz and Hellbolt. That gives us five. The only problem we will have is he lack of a squad heavy in case things go wrong".

"Perhaps we might persuade Troll to assist, Captain…" Juroch suggested "He has some skill in moving in urban environments… he has the weapons of his change… perhaps basic knowledge of explosives…".

"Hopefully we won't need that" Trannak replied "but it's a good idea to bring him along anyway".

"Yeah, I'll come" Troll said when Juroch asked "Bit of prowling an' growling with you green guys after dark? Might even be fun".

"Troll has agreed to come with us" Juroch told Trannak "He was his usual slightly trying self… but he will be useful, I think" before smiling briefly and making a comm call in rapid Kalish.

"A friend from Captain Haresh's ship has volunteered to come with us" Juroch revealed, rumbling softly "Reanaree by name. Demolitions qualified, among other things" before reciting her rank and skills in Kalish fashion for the others to hear.

I think Juroch likes her Trannak decided with surprise but also approval Good. He is a fine soldier, I could not wish for anyone better… but he has little to focus on outside his occupational speciality.

"I will come" Reanaree confirmed when Trannak commed "Your green friend suggested operational experience alongside Scarrans may increase my chances of promotion – since I have never even seen a Scarran until I came with this expedition, I think it will be interesting for its own sake. No one in my family have seen real Scarrans before. Even up to now, Juroch has expanded my knowledge of the Scarran people – all of which I will pass on to my family when I return home. With help from Juroch and from his friends, I may even learn your language well enough to teach my family as well".

"If you are not already on the Cry Havoc, Reanaree…" Trannak suggested "then fly over – we will meet you on the hammond side flight deck if you come. I will bring my wife and children – all of whom will be pleased to see you – and I will bring Juroch".

"I am not there at this time" Reanaree replied "I will ask Captain Haresh for permission to fly over to the flight deck you named" before asking, with considerable surprise and interest, if there was more than one.

"Two" Trannak replied "Normally guests would not be admitted to the deck you will be landing on – but Captain Haresh is known to us and promises all his crew are trustworthy" before discomming.

"We get to see new people, papa?!" Feltano almost squeaked in excitement "Who are they? Do you know them? Do our friends know them? What kind of people are they, papa?"

Trannak rumbled softly and smiled at hearing his son's eager voice on the comm, telling him "Just one person, Feltano – a Kalish woman, from Captain Haresh's ship. Your uncle the whisper Scarran knows her best of all".

"Is he still green, papa?!" Feltano asked, clearly still excited – and he shrieked and clapped when Trannak confirmed that before saying "It is part of his special things, Feltano – your uncle will always be green".

"Green sneaky uncle whisper Scarran!" Feltano replied "Heeheehee!"

Amara was just as excited when Feltano told her about it, teling Trannak "I will tell mama! Mama will come too! We bring little sister too?"

"Maranno will come with you and your mother, yes" Trannak confirmed, and the excitable shrieking alerted Caseya.

"It will be interesting to see Juroch's friend, my Trannak" Caseya replied after he told her what he knew "Though I have seen a few of these new Kalish that come to see us, I do not know any of them well – they told us that those coming have their names drawn by lottery, and the winners may bring their families if they have them with them".

Keyah was on the comm desk – and as soon as she cleared Reanaree in to land, she called for a replacement so she could come along as well.

Within ten momens, Trannak and his family, plus Juroch and Keyah, were on the flight deck watching Reanaree power down her ship after landing.

"Hello, new Kalish friend!" Amara called, clapping – after which she and Feltano laughed and charged across the flight deck to Reanaree, throwing their arms around her and rumbling happily before asking her every question they could think of.

"Let Reanaree come to us, children…" Caseya called, laughing at the behaviour of her two older children "She will want to see your uncle the whisper Scarran, and will need to see your papa as well".

Amara and Feltano promptly grabbed one of Reanaree's hands each and did their best to drag her over to where the others were standing, which made Reanaree laugh.

"We make new friend happy, uncle whisper Scarran" Feltano said when he saw Juroch's green face looking down at him "I think new friend likes us".

"Her name is Reanaree, children" Juroch told them in Kalish "and she will never have seen children like you before".

Reanaree smiled when Caseya introduced each of her children, looking at Maranno with amazement – Maranno was just glad of the extra attention and cooed and rumbled sweetly to make sure she got more.

"All three…" Reanaree asked "…are mixed-species?"

"They are hybrid, yes" Trannak replied "But neither we nor they mind. Our children like it, they like being partly of my species and partly their mother's – and your own".

"It is good being like mama and like papa" Feltano added, nodding agreement "That is why we are sneaky like papa and do wall walk trick like mama. We have good memory like mama, too. We are big and have scales and ridges like papa".

"I am not as skilled at the art of our people as Juroch is" Reanaree admitted "I practice it and learn it, but I do not have a Master's rank – I learn it simply because it is interesting and because it is one of the longest-surviving cultural traditions of our people".

"It is both those things" Keyah agreed "Many Kalish learn for both those reasons, as well as to increase their fitness. Not everyone will want to achieve a Master's rank, even if they are capable of it. Master Juroch overcame considerable difficulty to achieve what he has achieved – but he reached Master's rank successfully, and honours his people as well as ours doing so".

Juroch bowed his head and rumbled softly before thanking Keyah for her praise and approval.

"Come…" he added "We should train a little as a group before we go on patrol this evening. The last of our group will be joining us… but he is not one who wears the green, nor does he practice our art. He practices one of the Scarran arts, one unique to our Kingdom".

"Perhaps he will demonstrate it for us…" Reanaree wondered aloud "…or maybe his tutor will do so".

"Master Hagramman Sturk…" Juroch replied, rumbling softly "…does like to show off his art for others, it is true – and since Troll has his change, one more suited to his personality than mine would be, Sturk will most likely use the chance to practice at his full strength".

They headed to a different training room than the skulkers usually used, this one being in among the crew quarters block nearer the bridge and having a good deal more people in it when they all arrived. Amara and Feltano were ecstatic, calling out loudly and excitedly to everyone they saw and clapping whenever someone waved back at them or greeted them verbally.

"They are all our friends in red, new friend Reanaree!" Feltano explained happily – before pointing and calling "NICE BIG FRIEND STU-RRK!" and charging across the training room mat before leaping up at Sturk and shifting onto his body armour.

"I stuck on again, uncle Sturk!" Feltano told him, nodding "You come over and see our new friend? She is a Kalish like mama and she is uncle whisper green Scarran's new friend".

Much to Feltano's delight, Sturk strode across the map while Feltano stayed shifted on – when he reached Trannak, Sturk grinned before saying "Think I got something of yours right here, Captain… stuck on my chestplate…".

"You do, you do…" Trannak replied, rumbling softly with pride as he looked at his son before plucking him off "Feltano is his usual eager and excitable self since he has been introduced to a new friend of his uncle Juroch – even more so due to that friend being Kalish".

Juroch smiled and introduced Reanaree in Kalish fashion, after which he explained why they were here and that they would be needing Troll later.

"Our big red grinning one here…" Sturk called out "… has gone an' got himself night patrol with a chance of active street combat – so we get full contact training for a while right now. Everyone get your body armour on… yep, everything from the neck down…".

Reanaree did cringe almost once every ten microts at the kind of fast and heavy blows Sturk was dealing out to Troll and even the others, although Trannak did tell her this was quite normal and the reason why everyone trained in armour.

"This art…" Trannak explained "…was, as Sturk tells me, developed in the immediate post-First Kingdom cycles when resources were stretched extremely thin and many Blood Hand communities came under regular and frequent attacks. The art gained its name, nine hand hammer, from the nine major striking points used to hit your target. Weapons, while used, are very much optional – and while Masters are expected to know them, quite a number still prefer to practice their art barehanded if they have to do so outside a training room".

"Come on, Troll!" Sturk called, grinning "You could move faster than that before you had your multi-weeken rest day in that tank – so let's see what you can manage now, shall we?"

Sturk grinned again when Troll really pushed himself for speed, lashing out with fists, elbows, feet, knees, and his head – changed or not, Troll stilll lost every bout he was in, though he did actually manage to stand up afterwards without wobbling around too much.

"See, the ol' Troll man's improving" Troll told Trannak and the rest of the gathering "I really do think ol' Sturky over there likes kicking the plok out of me now even more than he did before… but that's Sturk for you. Doin' this is his second favourite thing after blowin' stuff up or settin' it on fire" – Troll had barely stopped talking for three microts before Sturk's big fist hit him over the head, dropping him to the floor if not actually doing him much harm.

"Brought a friend along, Master Juroch…" Sturk said, rumbling a little "She know your art?"

Juroch nodded and introduced Reanaree in Kalish fashion, bowing his head and rumbling quite loudly when both Sturk and Rekketh asked if the two of them would be making an announcement any time soon.

"Reanaree and I are not mated" Juroch replied when asked "She does not know me that well yet. Perhaps she may do in the future – but we will only know then. Not now" before asking Sturk to demonstrate practical uses of his art for Reanaree to see.

"What you saw earlier was just all of us loosening up a bit…" Sturk said "…so we'll do a few street combat scenarios before Troll's gotta leave. No guns either, Troll – save that for the street. When you're in here, it's the weapons you were born with an' them only…" before banging his fists together.

Reanaree watched the street training, smiling as Juroch identified where their own art would differ and require different resolutions to problems. Rekketh showed off a little with his own art, and while Reanaree found this a little more familiar she could also clearly tell his art was a Scarran one as well.

"Reanaree is curious to see how I fare…" Juroch explained "…using the art of her people… against opponents my own size or larger. The art of her people was designed to be used in exactly those kinds of situations… I need volunteers…". Now we will see just how fast this change makes me Juroch decided The two young ones will be curious as well, I think, since both of them are just starting to learn the art of the Kalish people as well.

Juroch knelt down in front of them and explained this to them, adding "Do not try to mimic what you see me do… it is very hard to learn, and may hurt even young changed people like you a lot. Watch… remember… but do not mimic or practice what you see. Not yet, anyway".

"We watch and see" Feltano replied, hugging his friend "When we are older and you tell us it is the right time, then we remember and we know and we learn and we do".

"That is right" Juroch told Feltano, stroking his ridges briefly.

Reanaree smiled proudly as Juroch demonstrated the Kalish art against Scarran opponents – Keyah watched and nodded approval as she saw Juroch spar one on one and against multiple opponents, telling Reanaree "Master Juroch does well … I do not have the rank to test and grade him, to see if he has earned advancement in the art… but I think that when he is tested by those that do, he will prove it to all who are present. He is, to our knowledge, the first Scarran to ascend through the ranks of our art as far as he has – perhaps now he will ascend further" before calling "Cage!"

"You know the techniques, Master Juroch" Keyah told him, looking him in the eye "I know you do. Focus that Scarran will of yours… channel that drive to succeed into using your shift in ways that let you move as you saw your Master Odass move. No one expects you to be perfect, especially the first time you try… but we do expect you to do your best".

Juroch tested himself a little in the cage first, just leaping between surfaces and looking around in amazed wonder.

"Uncle whisper green Scarran likes being like Kalish people this way, mama and papa" Amara said, smiling herself as she watched "I cannot read his thoughts, not even a little bit – but I see his face, I see he looks happy".

After a few momens, he nodded – Rekketh selected a number of those who preferred the art Hawk Talon to face Juroch first, and while they had the speed to match his own, at least mostly so, they found it tricky dealing with someone so large fighting from every available surface.

Sturk grinned when his turn in the cage came – he could adapt his techniques and hold himself above ground at the cage corners, as well as adapt to using running leaps and bounds. A few of those didn't work out quite as well as he'd have liked, but he kept moving and struck out with every limb in every direction until Juroch called a halt.

"You adapt very well, Master Sturk" Juroch decided, nodding in Sturk's direction "I am pleased to see you remember how I taught you to hold yourself above ground on any suitable surface, how to do the running leaps and bounds as well… though some of the moves you used are not familiar to me. But we can talk about that later, I think".

Sturk just grinned, saying "It's been fun, that's what it's been. Tryin' to get as many of this lot loosened up enough to try the more acrobatic stuff we've been doin'… I think Rekketh's students might get there sooner than some of mine, though".

"Just so long…" Juroch reminded him, and Rekketh as well when he overheard and came closer "…that as many people as possible learn. Generally, I think an increase in the aerobic exercise regimen would be useful. Our respective students have the strength and the stamina needed but not always the physical agility to match".

Once the fighting arts training was done, Troll came away from the training group to join Trannak.

"Should be good to go, Cap'n T" Troll said "as long as ol' Sturky didn't knock loose something vital in me back there. We gotta get anything else before we drop?"

"Most of have our sidearms with us" Trannak replied "but we'll pick up rifles at the hammond flight deck armoury. Grenades as well. Hellbolt and Reanaree should select any explosives they might need in emergencies".

"You know what we heard is happ'ning tonight…" a Black Ghost called, addressing a surprisingly large group of motley-looking Sebaceanoid people "We got a bit more support from civ-intel this time too, for what that's worth… an' we got a few little toys from … well, some interesting places … just in case of emergencies. All me an' my boys need to know is if you lot is ready too".

"We's good to go, mister" one nasty-looking Souther replied "I can't say I like your lot much… but what you want's what we want, so I'll go along with it. For now".

"An' all the rest of you?" the Ghost added, making a mental note to tie up one special loose end before he left Tal IV.

Once the shouting died down, the Ghost called "Awwriiight, then… you all know what to do. We gotta get whoever they's sendin' alive – it don't matter if we kill any bodyguards or soldiers along with our target, but we gotta hold that one for a while to get what we want, and we can't do that if he or she's dead!"

As the crowd split up into groups, the Ghost turned and grumbled to a comrade. Both of them were not in uniform, but instead in hard-wearing clothes suitable for travel in wild places. Their equipment was well-made but clearly used.

"What odds you think we got of this workin' ?" he asked very quietly "Dunno what civ-intel's up to, only you know that – don't suppose they got patrol assignments for them fekkiks up there?" before pointing up to space with his treblin hand.

"We got better chances than most of the stuff we've been doing so far this past cycle or two, mister" came the reply "Sure, we had to set up the entire training camp out in the outlands this time… but that's because those mercs in the big boat up there got even South End locked up too tight for large-scale movements – at least as far as sensor coverage goes. We move in and out, over to the dark side, and we got all the time and space we need".

The scruffier of the two paused for thought, after which he nodded and told his comrade "As for civ-intel… they got the job of making sure local Security's surveillance only sees what we want them to see, and getting a few very interesting things where they need to be in case it all goes to plok. I seen the first prototypes in action and it's really something to see, I'm telling you…even their big boys are going to be having problems if they tangle with 'em" and pointing up towards space again.

"Well, we'd better get movin' then" the first Ghost said "I'll get my bunch of sorry-lookin' fekkiks lookin' around the port for that one we need… that an' covering South in case they got a safehouse down that way".

"They look like plok, I'll agree…" the scruffy one laughed softly "…but doing all that extra training and getting them building that camp way out there did 'em all good. We've got as good a chance as any do of getting this right. Since you're moving out now, I'll do the same and get my lot between the main port and the Scarran embassy".


"Liz, Hellbolt… good, you're here" Trannak called when everyone met up at the hammond flight deck armoury "I don't know those suits well… but get whatever you need for yourself and Liz now. You've got at least a basic rating for demolition, so make sure you bring some explosives with you – Juroch, show Reanaree what we have and help her get what she needs. Everyone except Troll, get a rifle – Troll, I honestly don't know what you'll either need or want, but get some grenades, at least".

"I like them, yep" Troll replied, nodding "I'll grab a couple of ol' Sturky's best housewarming gifts too, just in case. Beyond that, I'll be fine as-is".

Hellbolt helped Liz put on her new sneaksuit, which she noticed was a bit bigger and tougher than the old one.

"It is, yes…" Hellbolt replied "After your last one got ripped to pieces, I got Shellek to see about strengthening the design… I think it's as good as it's going to get without becoming too bulky to stay covert now".

"Do you still have the …climbing assistance… you had before?" Trannak asked.

"Hand-and-foot anchors? Yes" Helbolt replied "To be honest…. I've only tried it once with this model, and had a momentary lapse of concentration before falling off the ceiling".

"You mean Liz walked past…" Troll laughed "…an' I'm guessin' she was wearin' street gear an' not fatigues, too….".

Trannak just smiled, telling the pair of them "You might want to give serious thought to making an announcement, both of you… you don't have to have a public ceremony unless you really want to, but it's something to think about".

"Might think a bit more about that again after Founders' Day, Captain" Liz replied "It has been on my mind… but… well…" before explaining a little about her younger cycles of life on Earth after Lazarus adopted her.

Trannak rumbled softly before nodding very slightly in Hellbolt's direction – Liz just nodded and said "He knows what I just told you, yes", though her slight hesitancy after that made Trannak add "You might want to talk to my wife when we get back, Liz – I'm sure Caseya will be willing to help you, and of course our children will jump on you and climb on you and want to play with you".

Liz nodded a little uneasily before making sure she hadn't dropped the faceplate for the new suit.

Troll packed a backpack full of a number of different munitions before calling "Everyone good to go? If your travel plans for tonight include night patrol 'round the port and VIP close protection detail, then step right this way to my Stryker…".

Troll's Stryker was stripped almost empty inside, but did have benches down both sides for soldiers to sit on – Juroch made sure everyone was sat down and strapped in before nodding to Troll and strapping himself in as well.

"Step this way, Cap'n T…" Troll urged – though he smiled when Trannak stepped outside to farewell his family.

"I am going on a mission, children" Trannak explained to both Amara and Feltano "Amara… if communications do not work for some reason, I may need you to be able to contact Reanaree, Hellbolt, or Liz with your special skills. Can you be ready to do that for us if we need it?"

"I do that, papa" Amara assured him, before hugging him tightly and rumbling.

"What should I do, papa?" Feltano asked "I go on comm desk for you? I go where sensors are and find stuff for you?"

"You should be ready to help your friend Shellek if he needs you with those things" Trannak confirmed "Apart from that, you should help your big sister take care of your mama and young Maranno" before telling all his family "If interesting things happen, I will try and call you and tell you about them… if I cannot reach you on standard comms, I will need to either find a public kiosk or wait for Amara to make contact with Hellbolt, Liz, or Reanaree by mentalism".

"We help mama and new sister and big funny commander man, papa" Amara assured Trannak, nodding "We tell you good stories about what we do when you come back".

Caseya hugged him tightly for a momen or so, before telling him "Be careful, my Trannak… move how you told me you moved when you earned your special medal. I will see to it Amara scans for your location periodically as she studies, she can track you and Troll and Juroch".

"She will like doing that, I know it" Trannak replied "More stories later, I think – we should leave now before Troll gets bored and starts singing" before running back inside the Stryker, raising and sealing the aft ramp, and strapping himself into the copilot's chair.

"OK…" Troll called over the comm "Bridge, the great big Troll man needs takeoff clearance. Can I get it? Pretty please?"

The display lit up with the faces of Troll's children and Urana – Troll grinned and told his sons and daughters to do what they were told.

"Amara's gonna be on emergency comm duty, girls an' boys" Troll explained "so you five be ready to run around an' get her drinks an' food cubes an' stuff if she needs it, OK?"

"We do that…" Alphak called, smiling "We do it, papa…".

"We will help mother" Sherenka added "We will help uncle big funny man. We do a bit of training. We play with Amara and Feltano and help feed new Maranno".

"Bye for now then, boys an' girls…" Troll told them "I'm gonna miss you an' your momma when I'm down there, you know…" before Urana said "You have clearance, husband… containment field is on and deck doors are opening now…" before discomming.

Troll made a fast takeoff and shot out into space before the doors were fully open, then tipped the nose over before diving for atmosphere – Trannak grumbled a bit at Troll's flying before comming the Duleno's dwelling.

"We have a night patrol, Mr Duleno" Trannak told Caseya's father "but for reasons I will not tell you it would be helpful if not too many people know we are here – might we use your private pit? If so, can you turn on the landing beacon before Troll crashes?"

"It is on, Trannak" Feltano Duleno replied "I cannot guarantee any of us will be awake when you return after your patrol – but I expect you can get yourselves in and out of the private pit without my assistance. I will help if I am not asleep, of course, or Devin will if he wakes up and even suspects you are there".

"Got it!" Troll called "Thanks, Mr D!" before discomming and making a fast but not too rough combat landing in the Duleno's private pit.

"We will need to leave the pit by climbing over the wall" Trannak told everyone when he came down to the lower deck "I don't have a key or codes for the Duleno private pit gate. For those with sneaksuits… be careful and concentrate. For Juroch… you be careful and concentrate as well, this will be your first time doing this on a surface other than a ship's wall or a training cage. To be honest, I have not done this on normal buildings often either. Troll, since you are changed… you will have to jump over the wall".

Troll sealed up his Stryker, then grinned before leaping over the pit wall, grabbing the rim and flipping himself over before letting himself drop down to the other side. Trannak snorted, then slowly and carefully used his own shift to climb up the dwelling walls and down the other side to Troll – Juroch followed, then came Hellbolt and Liz, with Keyah and Reanaree last of all.

"Good, good…" Trannak said, after several deep breaths "We'll try and avoid regular Security patrols and make our way close to the arrivals lounge – when we get there, we'll ascend to roof level and try to stay out of sight. When that happens, half the group goes with Juroch and half comes with me, and each half will try to stay on its own side of the street as we follow our target to the embassy. We will not escort him or her inside, of course".

Troll grinned, saying "Maybe later, then" before asking "Should we get a crawler? Or are we gonna run the whole way?"

"If I could see any crawlers around" Trannak replied, scanning the port around him "I'd call one over. For now, at least, we go on foot".

"Fair enough…" Troll replied "At least the air's mostly fresh".


"Check in, you pleebin' hingemots…" the skinnier of the two Black Ghosts whispered over his comm.

"We's all here by arrivals lounge, mister" one woman replied "I got five each side of the street watching main entry an' five more watching staff entry just in case".

"Good…good…" the Ghost replied "That's how to do it. Make sure all exits are covered, and I do mean all. Anyone seeing anything interesting yet?"

"Plok, plok, fekkin' plok…" one man muttered as he tried to find his oculars and get them on his head first time around – after which he zoomed in and reported "If the one we's after is on the ship I think he is…an' I think he is… we got twenty before it gets here. Unless it's late, of course".

"Grab some rations an' water, then" came the reply "I want you lot all rested an' fed if we gotta move" before he called "Group two?"

"We're all set" came the voice of the other Ghost "Not really a lot of cover up this way, but I've put groups in alleys an' side streets an' a few up on roofs. We'll be fine when your lot push him our way".


"We are getting close to the arrivals lounge, Captain…" Keyah reported "but unless I am mistaken others came this way before us. Too many different boot prints to say for sure by footwear who it might be".

Juroch came forward and looked as well, after which he nodded and said "It is as Keyah Kamara says, Captain. Too many bootprints – and smells, even this late in the evening" before signalling everyone to get off ground level.

"Juroch, take Reanaree and Keyah with you" Trannak ordered "and move to the opposite side of the arrivals lounge passenger entryway from here. Keep a good lookout for hostiles – but if you do have to nullify anyone, do it quietly".

Juroch nodded and led his half of the force away, after which Trannak said "Hellbolt, Liz, Troll – you three stay with me. We have this side to cover. Troll, take point – signal me if you find anyone who shouldn't be there, don't just nullify anyone unless you're sure it won't be detected".

"I know that one, Cap'n T…" Troll replied, nodding "Done it a few times in my old gangbangin' life…".

Once Troll moved off, he called "Hellbolt, Liz – either side of me. We'll come up together just behind Troll. I know you two don't have my sense of hearing or smell, especially inside those suits – but your visual sensors in there are good. So tell me if you find anything".

Troll pointed to a staircase down the side of a building maybe ten momens later, when they could hear people moving and talking inside the arrivals lounge.

~Up!~ Trannak signalled, pointing to the stairs, before signalling for Hellbolt and Liz to follow him up the wall.

"Take this nice and slow, Liz…" Hellbolt reminded her "This is no different to when I showed you how to do this on the climbing wall and the flight deck. The anchor units are cyberlinked, so they'll respond like target-tracker linked guns do, with your thoughts – keep your mind clear and you won't lose traction and fall".

"OK…" Liz replied, a little uneasily "Me first?"

"You first" Hellbolt confirmed "I'll go up when you're a few metras up".

"So you can watch my eema wiggle as I climb, yeah…" Liz called with a very slight laugh "I know you, mister. Just remember I'll end up landing on you if I fall, not the road…".

"Not sure I mind that so much either…" Hellbolt laughed back "Just make sure you're not too far off the ground if that happens, though".

"Quiet…" Trannak reminded them, turning to look below him briefly before climbing onto the roof.

"Troll…?" Trannak asked – after a few momens, Troll called "Sorry 'bout the wait, had to stash two bodies in a recyc chute".

"Anything in their pockets?" Trannak asked hopefully, though Troll replied "Spare packs, a few food cubes, knife. Water bottles. Some generic rifle, not sure who made it. No ident".

"Someone's being clever" Trannak told him "Making sure that even if we find them, nothing they carry will give us any clue as to who they are or where they come from".

"You want me to call topside and tell Dad?" Liz asked, though Trannak shook his head before smiling and telling Liz "Move a metra or two away and try to concentrate – Amara should find you. Tell her exactly what I told you, and tell her to tell the War Commander or Talannah".


The children were just finishing their exercises for the day.

"Amara is doing exercises for her special skills, children" Dern explained "She might be testing herself as well, seeing if she can find people she knows around the ship" before Amara's hand shot up – Dern signalled for quiet before whispering "What is it, Amara… what have you found…"

"It is Liz, Dern" Amara replied "I think she is wanting to find me. Since she does not have the special skills I do, she is simply concentrating so I will find her sooner".

~I am here, auntie Liz~ Amara called ~Have you found out new things? Is papa well?~

Once Liz adjusted to the mindlink, she told Amara everything Trannak told her – Amara immediately linked Talannah into the conversation, after which Liz repeated it all.

~Tell Captain Trannak to proceed~ Talannah told Liz ~All this is interesting and you should certainly continue to observe.. but I don't see any need to send reinforcements or additional equipment just yet~ after which Amara sent Liz a brief burst of love before cutting the connection.

"What I expected" Trannak said when she passed on the news "Hellbolt and you should continue to observe… and record as well, should your suits be able to do so".

"They can do that" Liz replied "Not for too long, least not without uploading to main archives – about six arns. Enough for now".


"New ship comin' in" the man with the oculars reported "Way things are goin' inside, I'd say it's the one we want. Shops an' stalls slowly shuttin' down, one or two at a time".

The Ghost near to him nodded and redeployed some of his insurgents, spreading them further up Market Street – none of those being given new orders liked any of it, but knew they couldn't refuse, so went with no more than the minimum of fuss and a bit more than the minimum of grumbling and muttering.


Reanaree's fist shot up, signalling hostile contact.
"Where…" Juroch asked softly, coming up beside her – she smiled briefly before pointing out three people on the roof barely twenty metras away.

Juroch immediately gave each of the women a target, after which he brought up his rifle and put a shot through the head of the one to hammond.

"No idents…" Keyah said, searching the bodies "This one's got tattoos – not for any military group or unit. Might be gang-related, might just be fashion where he was from".

"South End gang" Juroch said when he saw them "Known to Security. Log position – we might be able to come back later and take the corpse in if there's a bounty on it and it's still here".

"Sebaceans or close to it…" Reanaree called again "Down below us at ground level. Moving parallel to market street, northward".

"Call it in to the Captain, Reanaree…" Juroch decided "…but take no further action for now. The Captain has the most direct view to the interior of the arrivals lounge – when he sees the one we were sent to protect, we will move. Only then".

"Understood" Trannak replied when he got the call "Log your target's position and add your ident, Keyah, so I know who has claim for any bounty due" before asking Liz, Hellbolt, or Troll if they saw anything.

"A few Sebaceanoids, some Interions I think, quite a few Charrids as it happens" Liz replied, scanning the inside of the lounge "…oh, one guy round back. Not quite sure what species he is. Sorta coppery-coloured hair. Plain brownish clothes".

Trannak looked at the small picture he had, nodded, then told Liz "Watch him. If he is who I think he is, he is the one we were sent to protect. Comm in when he gets closer to the doors so I can come and identify him".


"Target in sight" the Ghost covering the arrivals lounge commed to his group "Dunno why those three on rooftop duty didn't see him. Let him head out uncontested, we'll pull in behind. Once we get closer to that lizard embassy, the other half of our force moves out and cuts him off from their end. We snatch him and exfiltrate back to camp in as good order as you lot can manage. Mission accomplished".

"I'd better make sure our …helpers… are ready to do what they're supposed to do" the other Ghost said "They'd better be".


Several people in several different parts of security headquarters moved towards preassigned positions. Once they arrived, two disabled the surveillance downlink so only they could view it while the other three snipped wires connected to the automatic gates at the motor pool.


This didn't go entirely unnoticed.

"Satellites are down" Rustuk told Harrigan over his comm "They've been getting intermittent blackouts for the past few weeken… but they just dropped offline altogether".

"Surveillance malfunction?" Haresh asked "Should I move the KV-3 over Market Street to cover the gap from low orbit?".

"Can do if you want to" Harrigan replied "I can't give you any orders… you're not in my unit or the Kingdom. Won't say no if you want to join in, though".

"Mister Solk…" Haresh called "We are needed to assist our friends" before giving him a position.

"Move there, at low orbit" he told his first officer "Relay Irregulars comm freqencies to us on the Cry Havoc. Use the sensors to scan Market street and the surrounding area. Stand by to assist Captain Trannak and his people if called upon to do so".

"In progress" Commander Solk replied immediately before calling out orders to the bridge officers "We will be ready. I will have units of our troops prepare for combat drop in case of emergencies as well".


"Comms to the Havoc are back" Keyah told Juroch, who nodded and reported that to Trannak.

"Call the bridge…" Trannak replied "…and ask for a situation update. We need to know what's happening. I'm starting to think there's more going on here than there seems to be".

"Satellites went down, mister" Rustuk said when Juroch commed in "Captain Haresh moved his ship to cover those deficiences for us. He's relaying your comms to us and providing backup surveillance".


The nondescript Kalish man smiled when he looked up at the sky outside and saw no sign of rain, or even clouds.

Good he decided No adverse weather conditions to deal with. It is just short of starting time for the local travel restrictions, so I should just have time to reach the embassy.


"Target in sight!" Trannak told his people "Item of interest is a male Kalish of uncertain age".

"Looks a bit of a grandad to me" Troll replied, looking as well "Just as well we're here. If there's any bad boys down there, he's gonna need us".

"Noted" Juroch replied, curious that their target was a Kalish man "We'll move up alongside him on this side as soon as he reaches our position".

"We should be ready as well" Trannak told those with him "Troll… make sure you can provide supporting fire at a microt's notice if needed. Use your thermal vision and check for body heat patterns of people who aren't where they should be at this late arn".

"Scarrans?" Troll asked, though Trannak shook his head and replied "Probably Sebaceanoid or close to it… multi-species or not, Tal IV has far more of them resident or passing through. But don't discount anything at this stage".


"Good, our intel was right" the embassy-side Ghost said when he was told about the Kalish man's arrival "He's come late on civilian transport. Try not to damage him too much, we need him alive".

"Got it in hand" came the confident reply "Not seen any sign of local Security yet and definitely no sign of Scarrans".

"Even better" the first Ghost said a little more happily "Move your people up once he goes past you. As long as the peripheral teams keep pace we should have this in the bag" before discomming and making sure his own people were in place.


"Target is taking the direct route to the embassy" Juroch reported over the comm "As expected. He knows he is late, and most likely prefers only staying outside of comparatively safe territory for as little time as possible".

"We keep pace with him" Trannak told everyone "He's walking briskly but not too fast".

Both small teams kept up with the man at rooftop level easily. Juroch kept watch over both his own team and its position relative to both Trannak's and to the Kalish man, smiling as he did so – until Keyah called "Contact! I am not entirely sure… but I think I saw movement in the alley below us to hammond".

Juroch looked, sniffed, then growled softly before telling Trannak "We have contact with multiple armed personnel, Captain… I smell oil from their packs… something odd on the breath of at least one of them as well…".


"Move in!" one surprisingly neat-looking man called to the five nearest men and women to him "We gotta see if we can get him ourselves – if he bolts, we make sure he bolts the way we want 'im to, Right towards the others".

The Kalish man looked at them with a little surprise when they stepped out of hiding, but moved slowly into a combat position when one called "Where you goin', mister orange man? Where you goin? It's nearly past lockdown, mister – not sure if you know that. Even new orange men like you gotta be all nice an' snug somewhere safe 'round now. Why ain't you, mister orange man?"

"I am going to my embassy… whoever you are" came the reply, the tone of which cause Trannak to revise his age estimate for the man upward a little more "I suggest you let me pass unhindered – the Hierarchy might be mildly upset with me for being late, but they will not like it when I identify each and every one of you to them".

"Looks like this one's got some stones, boss" another man suggested "We got quite a few watchin' him, armed as well, an' he still thinks he's gonna get out of this an' get to them lizards on schedule".

"Grab him" came the expected order, and one all of the small group were pleased to obey – all their henchmen nearby came closer, but that wasn't soon enough to stop the man from lashing out with his hands and feet…


"Kalish man down there just took out three men in an eyeblink!" Troll called "Don't think any of them's gonna be moving again!"

"Stay with a clear line of sight on him, Troll" Trannak ordered "Fire if you need to, but let's see if he can get out of this himself before anyone else turns up".

Juroch immediately moved over to the edge of the roof on his side.

That man looks curiously familiar he decided I will watch him and I will see and maybe then I will know if it is who I think it is before making sure Keyah and Reanaree moved alongside him. I will tell them who this is if my suspicion proves correct Juroch decided as he kept watch I think that it is… but there are many Masters of the Kalish art, and this might be any of them.


"Get up there an' support your friends!" the scruffy-looking Ghost hissed "All of you! I want a nice, clean, clear capture… which means we do this right. Those pleebin' frelniks went early an' without orders – but that don't matter if we can make it work, so get moving!"

Everyone close by ran over to help before they got shouted at any more…


"OK, you got some skills…" one of the newly-arrived fighters said as the others moved out alongside him "But you ain't gonna get out from all of us. So be a nice orange man an' come all quiet-like, or we'll have to hurt you".

"I think not" the Kalish man replied, now clearly annoyed "You will stand aside and let me proceed unmolested, or you will all be very much the worse for wear by the time the suns rise again. If I do not attend to that personally then others in the Hierarchy will do so for me".

Four more thought with their muscles and charged – the man killed two with his bare hands before drawing two long knives and slicing the other two into a very bloody mess.

"You will let me proceed!" he snapped "or you will all die! That is the only choice you have!"

Fifteen more moved out from alleyways on the hammond side, and twenty more from treblin side. The Kalish man moved to attack the first one who tried to lay a hand on him, but a bullet hit his attacker on the head and blew his brains and skull all over the street and the wall.


"Target nullified" Juroch reported "Principal is identified as Master Rank Six Algir Nomin Odass. Troll – open fire, kill as many of my Master's attackers as you can. Liz – kill anyone who looks like they are giving orders with your rifle. Everyone else – join my Master at ground level".

It IS him Juroch decided happily Master Odass came for the celebrations and I am here to ensure his safety. This day did not come to a close completely as planned… but it will end with the Master reaching the embassy safely.


The fighters approaching from the hammond side of Market Street met a wall of pulse fire from Troll's shoulder guns and were all blown to pieces in less than ten microts. Liz accounted for two more before Trannak ordered them both down to ground level – she tried getting one more, but although she managed to successfully nullify the target, she failed to control her climbing control system and fell off the wall about three metras up.

"We're good" Hellbolt commed, lifting Liz up and giving her rifle back "By the looks on the faces of this sorry lot, none of them have ever seen a sneaksuit before and are seriously plokking scared of them".


"Nebari-made sneaksuit?!" asked one extremely-surprised Ghost nearer the Scarran embassy "You didn't get at Geshin's home-brewed fellip before we started, did you?"

"That frelling barrel of sump oil?" the first Ghost replied, shuddering a bit at the memory of the one time he had tried his trainee's home brew "Fekk no! There's two of them, maybe ten metras away down at ground level – never been a greyskin specialist, not sure if these are real or a knock-off. However they came to be, there's two in good order right here, beside a number of Scarrans".

"Can you see insignia?" his comrade asked, and the first one squinted and replied "Think so…" and described what he saw before a grenade bounced off the ceiling and landed by his feet. Instinct threw him down the stairs barely two microts before the grenade went off, so although he caught a few fragments and was bleeding quite badly at least he was alive to notice.

"Plokplokplokplok!" he grumbled, before hissing in pain as he poured a little disinfectant on the wounds and bandaging them as tightly as he dared. Since he could still walk, if badly so, he got back on the comm and called "I ain't dead, you lot – so pleebin' kill that lot before I have to come and make you!" before taking three painkillers with almost half his canteen of water.


"Be advised Irregulars' forces have encountered heavy resistance on the ground" the navigation officer told Commander Solk "So far they have not been injured, but I am reading more body heat patterns consistent with Sebaceanoid species moving in from towards the South".

"Pass that on to the ground detachment commander" Solk replied immediately "Do we have infantry on standby in case the Irregulars need extraction?"

"Two KT-3s" came the reply "Fully loaded. Flight crew and infantry are on the flight deck beside their respective craft but not aboard them at this point".


"Does Cap'n T need support?" Harrigan asked when he ran to the bridge and sat in his command chair, lifting Harek to his lap "Not sure what we can do with local satellites down unless we descend to low orbit – I'd cause more harm than good if I used the big guns from here and it'd take at least ten momens to get pilots to Strykers, a few more to get them to where they're needed".

"Commander Solk has that under control, Commander Harrigan" Haresh reminded him, nodding "I had him move the KV-3 to provide sensor coverage of that area… and I expect he has infantry ready to deploy and assist your own personnel at a microt's notice, since Commander Solk rose through the ranks in the infantry himself".


"Who are all of you?" Master Odass asked, with curiosity but not hostility "I do not know the insignia you wear!"

"We will introduce ourselves when we have seen you safely to the embassy, Master Odass" Trannak assured him "For now, I suggest we proceed".

Master Odass smiled at being identified by both rank in the art as well as his name, and by a Scarran as well, before nodding – Juroch signalled rapidly, deploying everyone into a protective formation around Master Odass and Trannak before everyone started running towards the Scarran embassy, with Troll pausing just long enough to fire a long burst through the walls of one building and the six fighters hiding behind it.


"Plokking hezmana…" the Ghost at that end of the route groused, before reporting this to his comrade.

"That ain't the half of it, mister" came the reply "Those ain't Hierarchy lizards, mister – you ran right into those Irregulars! No one else got stuff like that on anything that size!"

"It don't move like a suit, either" the first Ghost added "Not sure why, but I think that's a man there – no PA, no armoured exo, nothing. One man".

"Then they got some of that Hierarchy bioloid stuff on 'im, then" the Ghost nearer the embassy replied "Looks like we's really going to need them extra things we brought with us. I'll have to make sure all four of 'em are good to go and deployed right now the speed you say they're moving".


Master Odass smiled when he recognised Keyah as one of his own people, Reanaree as well, though he did say "I had not requested escort from the arrivals lounge to the embassy… if I may ask, who sent you here?"

"We were contracted by Proconsul Tolchen" Trannak revealed "He feels your interests and his interests are one and the same – namely making sure you get to the embassy safely. Our Commander let us accept this contract, and here we are".

Master Odass' hands moved, killing two,while Juroch brought his rifle up and killed two more – but it soon became clear that someone was bringing in reinforcements and trying to bog them down with sheer weight of numbers.


"Get everyone in there" the Ghost at the embassy end of the journey told one of his fighters "Anyone an' everyone you know who can hold a gun the right way an' shoot straight. I'm actually starting to think we don't have enough willing volunteers on hand".

Rapid comm calls were made until a loud squeal brought that to an abrupt halt.

"That's all we got" the woman told her Ghost leader "We been jammed, prob'ly from a ship or Security station".

"These comms are plokked" the Ghost replied "We'll just keep going and pass as many orders as possible by hand signal and runners".

Four were sent to pass deployment orders to the others. Two got through, though one of those lost an arm – but Reanaree found one and Hellbolt found another, and both were soon nullified.


"Crap!" Liz called "Missed! Where'd he go?"

"Think yours jumped down through an open sewer plate " Hellbolt replied "I do think you hit him, Liz, but not enough to kill him".

"No matter" Trannak interrupted "We're slowing down, which won't do! Grenades, everyone – angry hornets if you have them. It's going to be messy, but there's no way around that right now…".

Everyone threw their flechette grenades at the largest group of enemy fighters they could see – screams could be heard from several directions, but an opportunity to move only opened up for a few microts, so as soon as Trannak saw it he ordered everyone to run. Troll paused to place something large, circular, and clearly explosive on the ground and arm it before running to catch up.

"I realise I may regret asking…" Trannak said "…but what the plok is that?!"

"One of ol' Sturky's specialities of the house" Troll replied "Special fried Peacekeeper, with number 27 hot sauce".

One of Sturk's incendiary mines Trannak translated in his head filled with one of his special long-burning mixtures. At least Sturk knows how to make that well, or we'd all be burnt crispy bits ourselves by now.


"HEZMANA, WHAT"S THAT?!" one of the fighters screamed as the mine exploded and almost flash-fried fifteen people before setting fire to his own clothes.

"Get out of the street, mister" one of the women urged, dragging him into an alley and ripping his jacket and fatigue trousers off before they melted onto his skin "We'll lose ten momens minimum catching up to the others – we get any close than this and we're almost incinerated!" before calling "Someone go snurch a truck, we need to move fast!"


Things still weren't easy for the Irregulars. Juroch and Liz were sniping targets of interest as fast as they appeared – and by now Liz was running low on ammunition as well.

"Be calm, Liz" Juroch urged her "We can afford a little extra time for you to calm yourself enough to make sure your shot kills the first time" before he asked if either Reanaree or Keyah were hurt.

"Minor pulse burns" Keyah replied "Patched successfully. I am still able to fight, do not be concerned about that".

"I am well" Reanaree replied "I am fatigued, I need to increase my fitness regimen, but I will not slow the group down".

"Ready to rock" Troll replied, spraying an alley ahead on hammond side "But let's get mister kung-fu master here to the Hierarchy embassy quick-smart, yes?"

"We are over half way there" Juroch said "We are doing well. You are adapting well to using your change in real combat, Troll, which is good to see – you have had comparatively few opportunities to see if you remember what Sturk has taught you, but I suppose that is why you have those guns in the first place".

"That an' it's fun, mister Juroch" Troll replied "but I can't hold all this lot off on my own. Best we get running an' get our man here all snug an' settled, yes?"

"I am right…" Master Odass said happily, moving up beside Juroch "It is you, my old friend. I am glad you live and do well… though I did not expect you to be one who preferred cosmetic skin pigment adjustment".

"Examine my skin more closely as we run, Master" Juroch encouraged him, rumbling softly "if you can. With you being a Kalish of good standing and more than a little influence, I expect you will soon realise how I came to be that way".


"Where's the Kalish?" Proconsul Tolchen asked the most senior Sholphauran he could find "The one who's coming in from your world? His ship landed on time, but no one's seen him – and local surveillance is down and the Vorlek is prohibited from coming close enough to try and find him with its own sensors!"

"To the best of our knowledge, Proconsul…" the Sholphauran replied "… Master Odass is on his way here. Should we learn otherwise, we will of course tell you immediately".


"We got maybe two hundred left to go!" Troll called out, looking ahead "I say we run for it! I can keep the way ahead clear enough until we get close – all I need is for the rest of you to watch our backs!" before telling Trannak "I hate to say it… but maybe we can find a way to call the embassy an' get someone at least semi-trustworthy to give us some covering fire when we get that far?"

"I will comm the Sholphaurans there" Juroch replied "Whatever the status of the other personnel at the embassy, they can be trusted. You should do your very best, Troll, to clear the way ahead for us – everyone, we will escort Master Odass all the way to the embassy safely. Use grenades to either kill or force enemy fighters to retreat – once Master Odass is safely inside the embassy, we can see to our own safety and return to the Havoc".

When Trannak nodded, everyone ran as fast as they could. Reanaree called out the eventual arrival of the truck, heading right for them as if to try and run them down – Troll turned, then kept firing until the vehicle exploded all over the street, after which he ran back to the front of the formation again, adding a little theatrical wheezing for good measure as he passed Trannak.

"Stay beside Keyah and Reanaree and me, Master Odass" Juroch encouraged his friend "Our Captain as well. While Troll and the others cover us, we will cover you and keep you safe".

"I know it, Master Juroch… my friend" Master Odass replied, nodding "I do not know these people you fight beside, especially not the two in those sneaksuits – but if you trust them, then so will I. Perhaps when I lead the exhibitions of Kalish culture and our art later this weeken, you all might come and see them? I will ensure you get the seats of your choice".

"If we do not have other duties" Juroch replied, pausing to reload his rifle "I expect that the Captain and his family, along with Keyah and Reanaree and myself, will attend. Perhaps a few others, too".

"I got heat traces…" Troll called "… faint…blocked by something. At least four… coming closer from all sides…" before drawing two regulation heavy pulse pistols.

"More enemy, in front, both sides of the street!" Reanaree called , to which Keyah added "Some behind us, but none of them seem to be able to hit us as long as we keep moving! Nullify those ahead of us fast and we will succeed!"

Juroch commed ahead on an old frequency he knew from his younger cycles.

"We hear you, Stalker" Commander Rasmanak replied "I did not expect you to be here, of all places… but the athletes' security detachment is moving to firing positions and should be able to cover you when you're in sight of the embassy".

"We have support waiting for us" Juroch told Trannak "We just need to make it a few more metras".


"Hold 'em for thirty more…" the nearby Ghost ordered, himself firing on the Irregulars whenever Troll's heavy fire didn't force him behind cover "that'll be enough for the big ones to get in close…".


Concrete blew up and out in four separate places close by, causing everyone to form a defensive perimeter around Master Odass. Four extremely large combat bioloids came up from under the street – each was equipped differently, and each of them used whatever bioloid weapons they had to try and attack the Irregulars and Master Odass.

Troll fired both guns for five microts at the first one he saw – which took an astonishing number of hits before it finally fell over, a number of gaping holes in its chest and all its blood leaking all over the ground. Juroch needed five shots from his rifle before another went down, and even then Keyah had to move in and finish it off with her knives.

Liz and Hellbolt finished another one together.

"Weapon power is gone!" Liz reported "Suit guns are down and I'm out of rifle rounds! Let's hope my pistol stays good!"

The final one took almost as much punishment as the other three put together before it even slowed down – but between the Irregulars and the Sholphaurans firing from the embassy, the last combat bioloid was finally killed.

"You are safe" Juroch assured Master Odass as the Sholphaurans from the embassy ran over to them "I and my friends have seen you to the embassy and you are uninjured. Should you wish to contact me while you are here, Master… there is a shop named 'Dulenos', it is owned by more of your people, and they know where to find me at any time".

"I certainly do have questions…" Master Odass replied "Namely about how you and the high-caste Scarran managed to come down the wall of the building as you did when I first saw you. If you are able to tell me about that, however, I think that would best be taken care of tomorrow. After I have had several arns of much-needed sleep".

"I hear that…" Liz gasped, huffing and puffing "If my good friend here wasn't holding me up… I'd not be able to… stand…".

"Commander Solk…" Trannak called over his comm "Could you send a ship down to take us back to our own landing site? None of us feel much like walking".

"You could have called us down to assist in the fighting as well, Captain…" Commander Solk groused "I had troops on standby the entire time, it would not have taken more than a few momens to get to you…".

"I am sure there will be other times you can fight alongside us" Trannak replied as he watched the Sholphaurans make sure Master Odass was healthy and escort him inside the embassy "Life here is rarely easy and uneventful". Commander Solk just smiled briefly before discomming.

It did draw some interest from a number of Kalish from the embassy when one of Commander Solk's KT-3s came to a hover by Trannak's position to retrieve him and the other Irregulars, along with Reanaree. Much to every Kalish's curious interest, and Reanaree's happiness, Juroch first made sure she was healthy before hugging her gently and rumbling softly.

"Good, you are well…" he whispered in Kalish "I am glad to see you came through that mission unhurt".

"Mostly so" Reanaree clarified "I have a few minor cuts and bruises – but first aid was given, so I will be fine before long. I will be better after a good night's sleep".


"I had not expected those Irregulars to have bioloids of their own" a smooth but hard female voice said when the sole remaining Black Ghost reported in "That is an unwelcome development. How did our own fare?"

"Every last one is gone" he replied "Dead. That big one with the guns in 'im unloaded on one and blew it to pieces on his own, even if it did take a while. He wasn't no bioloid, he moved too good. Not like ours".

"Then he has an advanced prototype mark of their genetic alteration program" the woman replied, more than a little uneasily "That the Hierarchy pursues that technology so aggressively is a concern… that an independent group is advancing at an even greater pace than our main enemy is an even bigger one".


"Interesting… interesting…" the Nebari consulate's Night Watch commander murmured as he read the reports.

"It…seems…" Agent 47 replied, still a little hoarsely "…that either your …comrades… have managed to place an… operative… amongst these… Irregulars – or that at least two ex-Establishment mercenaries… are among them".

"We have had disturing reports from Marshal Fen aboard the Showlon as well" another Night Watch officer reported "He is deciding whether to put his personnel on high alert to prevent a mutiny by reactionary elements among the Enforcers. Perhaps some of them looted some Night Watch equipment and try to expand their influence locally at our expense by assisting the Irregulars".

"We will discuss this more tomorrow" the Night Watch commander decided "Many of us will be competing or on security duties, protecting those who do compete. We may find out many interesting things about these Irregulars simply by observing them as they do their duties here – we will see about finding out by other means as well, of course…".


"Good, I can see to getting the celebrations started smoothly tomorrow, Emperor…" Proconsul Tolchen told Emperor Staleek over a grolsahk or two in his office "… now that other Kalish, the fighting art master, finally got here from Sholphaur".

"I hear from some of the perimeter sentries…" Staleek replied "… that you commissioned mercenaries to see he arrived safely. Since Master Odass arrived safely, it appears this expense was justified. Why could we not use the embassy guards – and, more to the point, how much did our government end up paying these mercenaries to do our job for us?"

"Our government didn't lose a single crindar, Emperor" Proconsul Tolchen replied "I would have preferred to put the mercenaries' fee on expenses… but it is a condition of contracting this group that they will not accept official government contracts from any major power. So I paid for their skills with my own money – and before you ask, Emperor, while the amount was large it's not like I haven't already been compensated well enough by our government to live well for several lifetimes. Besides, from what the Sholphaurans tell me, those mercenaries were well worth every last crindar".

Emperor Staleek thought for a momen or two, the decided "Whether you feel yourself well paid or not, it'll look good to see you reimbursed – even if I don't do so with pomp and ceremony in front of everyone. There's certainly going to be a commendation for you for seeing to the interests of our people in this, especially since you used your own money to do it".

Proconsul Tolchen rumbled briefly, after which he poured another glass of grolsahk for himself and for the Emperor.

"Happy Founders' Day, Emperor…" he said happily "May it be a good one for us and for our people".