As Ruby and Ren talked about his recent behavior, one of the mercenaries approached the commander who was currently overseeing the preparations to depart.

"Commander," the soldier saluted him.

"At ease soldier," the commander replied, "What is it?"

"There's a communication for you. It's...from him."

Commander Lazu was silent for a moment, his eyes wide with shock under his helmet. "Answer the call. Tell him I will be there shortly. "

Several minutes later, the commander walks into his tent and kneels before a hologram.

"Report commander," the man on the other end of the holo-call said, his voice robotically distorted.

"Of course sir. We're about to move out to the village and we will arrive in three hours. From there...we will begin testing, immediately," Lazu replied.

"Excellent commander. Now...what about them?"

"T-them? Who...who are you referring to sir?"

"You know who I am referring to. The huntsmen. The four who stumbled upon your forces while wandering through the wilderness. What do you plan to do with them?" the man's words had a hidden hint of malice in them.

"At the moment...nothing. They know NOTHING of what our true mission is so they are not an immediate threat."

"Not an immediate threat? Not. An immediate. Threat? Commander do you have ANY IDEA what you are DEALING with? They are hunting for the TRUTH! They are unknowingly hunting for ME."

"But sir, surely you can handle four children!"

"Did you ever consider the possibility of them forging an alliance with HER, Commander?"

Lazu's eyes widened again with shock and horror at the realization. "N-no...I...I had not considered that. B-but she's all the way over in Mistral and the only way these four will arrive there will be as ashes scattered to the winds if the tests go according to plan. Besides they would NEVER ally with her! Not after what she has done to them!"

"Well, commander, unfortunately for you, you're wrong. She isn't in MISTRAL anymore. She fled the kingdom."

"B-but surely she could be any-

"To VALE. She escaped to VALE, commander. For all we know, she could be on Patch right now!"

"Then she dies. She'll just be another test subject in this little endeavor. "

"If she does INDEED show up...she had BETTER die. But not from the test...from your blade."

"M-my blade?"

"I want proof; I want...a trophy. I want my other subordinates to now that the next time they even CONSIDER the act of betrayal, they will perish. With her betrayal going unpunished...it makes me seem weak. And you can attest to the falsity of THAT statement...can't you commander?" the hologram motioned to the commander's face, and no doubt the scar underneath the helmet.

"Indeed I can. I remember that day vividly. It was folly to challenge you as I did. However, unlike then I WILL succeed...my lord."

"Perfect. I expect to hear great things from you in the future commander. GREAT. THINGS." With that, the hologram vanished and the communication ended. Lazu let out a sigh of relief as he stood up and regained his composure. He always felt nervous when his master called; after all, that was how he got the massive scar across his face. He left the tent and walked up to one of the tank engineers.

"Send word to the garrison. I want a status report on their progress."

(A/U: So, this chapter was more dialogue, less action, and a bit shorter than the others but it did establish the mercenaries' true purpose as something darker than what they said and that yes, Ren's paranoia and hatred is justified. So think of it as a micro-chapter. As to what "test" Lazu's master means...well that's for later. Th As always, read, review and enjoy.)