"I do hope you've requested my presence for good reason, Rin. I needn't elaborate as to why wasting my time is conducive to your career and health in light of recent events."

"Fret not, Warmaster. I wouldn't dare dream of drawing your attention unless it served good purpose." The Special Operations Marshal assured.

The pair of high-ranking Imperial officers strode past another set of magnetically-sealing security doors. A subterranean corridor stretching before them through carved stone into the depths of an undisclosed world. One of countless facilities at Spec Ops disposal to carry out their duties, observable or otherwise.

"I will be the judge of that…but you have yet to fail to deliver in your current station. I suppose some benefit of the doubt should be granted beneath the circumstances." Xilch reluctantly conceded with a sigh, their respective heels clicking with each echoing footfall in stride. "I needn't remind you of our…situation."

"Oh, yes, I am well aware, Warmaster. Even the dimmest of brown dwarfs across the universe have shed light on Destructia…what is the colorful little name they've sullied it with now?"

"Origin…" The Empire's commander of forces sneered with contempt. "...vacant lot if I had my way…but that is not for me to decide."

"Tallest Grimm?"

"Indeed…now…what is it that you have brought me to this festering pit in the middle of nowhere space for? An attempt on my life?"

Marshal Rin gave a single laugh, echoing down the corridor before grinning at her superior officer.

"Oh, you must think me so terribly cunning and dangerous to be so bold…you humble me, Warmaster. No, that is not the purpose of this…but…while we are on the topic…"

Xilch's brow arched as her peripheral vision caught the multi-colored gaze of a falsely-sweet smile from Rin.

"I would pay your duty station proper respect and make a public spectacle out of it were it to come to that."

"Duly noted."

Mirage's Black and Purple teams were present in the facility, recovering, waiting, their ship receiving several new modifications courtesy of Rin meant to track down and destroy the Shadow Strikers and former Mirage team members. Sor, meanwhile, was hard at work with a cunning strategy to get back at the Shadow Strikers and put them back on the hunt. Loorvu would turn from a defeat into a brilliant victory.

The two high ranking members approaching saw the Sublieutenant rise to his feet and salute, sitting behind his desk and active terminal.

"Warmaster, Marshal, greetings. To what do I owe the honor of such a visit?"

"I was hoping you would be the one to tell me as much, Sor." The Warmaster curtly began, her irritation growing more palpable. "Marshal Rin has been insistent upon the nature of my presence being a "surprise". Perhaps you would like to shed some light on the matter before my well of patience runs dry."

"Of course, he would be delighted, Warmaster…" Rin's red-and-gold gaze snapped to the shorter Sublieutenant. "...wouldn't you, Sor?" She smiled.

"Absolutely. Warmaster, I have an absolutely cunning plan to put us back on the trail of the rogue Commander Vult, Major Amka, and their merry little band. Loorvu was a failure in that we failed to capture or eliminate Sergeant Major Krad, yes, but we captured one of the members of Vult's unit." The Sublieutenant began, pulling up the security camera footage within.

Lorlo had free reign in decent sized quarters, well furnished. He had a fair deal of access to most of whatever, save for communications or extranet equipment. The man seemed…comfortable, relaxed, exactly what Sor wanted. His plan was to slowly turn the man.

"You see, he's been quite well treated, making him doubt his previous arrest by Internal Affairs from Vort. He wonders why we're being merciful, he's questioning his commander's own words. The seeds of doubt have been planted. The fools at Destructia may very well have given me the spark needed to set the project alight. A sleeper agent. Lorlo here will work for us in secret, a steady stream of intelligence, a means to track them. With him, we'll likely even get Vaukt and Zha in one fell swoop."

As Sor elaborated into why this prisoner was still permitted to draw breath and his intentions thereof, Xilch approached the bank of monitors. Gloved palms resting behind her back, ice blue eyes studied the feeds featuring Lorlo and his "home", for lack of a better term. Well-fed. Well-rested. Comfortable. A far cry from the accommodations of infamous facilities such as T'Daali on Vort. Despite the Sublieutenant's conviction to his own plan, she did not seem entirely convinced.

"A warm bed and routine meals alone a double agent does not one make." She commented with disdain, looking over her shoulder back at Sor. "What makes you so certain he will comply? You speak as if he is utterly convinced of his wrongdoings and will see the "error of his ways"."

Rin cleared her throat to garner Xilch's attention.

"At the risk of disrespect, Warmaster, but do you have a better idea?"

"Shooting the defective worm between the eyes and throwing his body in the furnace would be a start. Who authorized this?"

"High Marshal Turu at my request." The Special Operations branch head quickly defended, if not somewhat smugly. "Sublietuenant Sor has acted in accordance with his orders with Internal Affairs' blessing. It's a brilliant plan, really…similar tactics employed saw Special Operations pruned of Vaukt's traitorous taint…the strategy works, Warmaster."

"I've been personally speaking with him lately on a regular basis as well, Warmaster. He wonders why we're sparing him. He seems to be doubting what Vult said about the Empire. When he sees what his friends were so willing to unleash on Destructia against our forces…I'm certain this pang of morality that I've found he has will urge him to act. He will help us to put an end to them, to see that such things do not happen again."

The Sublieutenant paused to smirk, "Of course, that's not to say that when all this sordid business is said and done with we don't shoot him between his eyes and throw him in a furnace, far from it. He's going to be our tool and not even realize it. A useful idiot, if you will."

Xilch turned from the bank of monitors back to Sor and Rin with purpose.

"I will be the judge of that. Take me to speak with him. Now."

The Internal Affairs Sublieutenant cast a wary glance to Rin before returning his attention back to Xilch with an awkward clearing of his throat and placated, pursed nod.

"Of course, Warmaster. Right this way." He obliged with a gesture of his palm. "The prisoner's holding cell is just down the hall."

The trio of Imperial officers left Sor's office. Despite his own personal apprehension, the Sublieutenant felt it unwise to argue the matter with the Warmaster. Xilch had a finite amount of patience as it was. The loss of Destructia only shortened what little of it remained. Even her days as the former High Marshal of IIA served proof positive to not test her.

Contrastingly, the Special Operations Marshal remained aloof and disinterested at best. Rin had a reputation of being…unorthodox. Quirky, even…but terrifyingly capable in her station. The medals stacked across her chest were not for show alone like so many of her contemporaries. A hardened veteran of dozens of campaigns that eagerly served from the front to extract her own proverbial pound of flesh from the Empire's enemies…sometimes quite literally with her mastery of blades and hand-to-hand combat.

"Sor." Xilch unceremoniously barked for his attention.

"Ma'am?"

"You are Mirage Team's assigned IIA attache, are you not?"

"Yes, Warmaster, that is correct."

"I presume they are not far unless you are shirking your duties chasing after this half-baked scheme of yours. Where are they?"

"They're within residence, Major Tuu has been taking the opportunity of rest and refit to run the new operatives through extremely vigorous training. He's also arranging replacements for Red Team to be shipped here and running them through the same program. The Saros have missed regular check-ins as it stands. It's the Major's assumption they may have jumped into an asteroid or suffered from some sort of catastrophic death inducing failure. An opinion I happen to concur with."

"Fascinating." She coldly responded without missing a step. "In case you weren't made aware, the traitors they replaced are suspected to be responsible for the loss of Destructia to our lessers by way of surprise. I want them scouring the universe for them, not sitting on their hands here. Notify the Major accordingly and direct him to me should he be in disagreement."

Sor, not being one to miss a beat, already took out a communicator and began typing, "Notifying him immediately of the circumstances, Warmaster."

"Taking on arguably the Empire's most dangerous game with a full roster of unproven operatives…a bold strategy, Warmaster." Rin needled, dangerously close to overstepping a clearly-defined line.

"Noted. Speak when spoken to, Marshal." Xilch sternly countered as the trio came to a stop before a fortified cell door with a member of Mirage standing guard outside of it. "You, soldier. Front and center, name and rank."

The woman, with her shotgun, snapped to attention and made her way over, immediately going to present arms with her shotgun. "Warmaster, Sergeant Gat of Purple Team reporting as ordered, ma'am."

"Sergeant Gat, I am here to speak to your prisoner." She elaborated, promptly cutting the assigned sentry off with a pointed gesture and interruption. "Before you even think to regurgitate protocol to me, only our Almighty Tallest and the Control Brains supersedes my authority. Do as I command. Now."

"You would be wise to heed the Warmaster's request, Sergeant." The Special Operations Marshal added. "She is…displeased, to say the least. Let's not agitate her further, hm?"

Gat glanced at Sor quickly, getting a nod from the Sublieutenant. "Yes, of course, Warmaster." The Sergeant lowered her weapon, went back to the terminal and opened the door for the entourage. "The prisoner is currently in the sitting room sitting on a sofa."

Sor would lead the procession into the cell, the door closing behind them by Gat as a matter of security. Inside, Lorlo would be sitting down, watching a fireplace. He seemed to be relaxed, thinking, before he looked at the approaching figures. Sor he was familiar with by this point, the others…Rin he only knew of by reputation but to see Xilch in person?

"...The former High Marshal of Internal Affairs being here means I'm going to die, doesn't it?"

"Your reputation precedes you, Warmaster." Rin commented facetiously.

"Shove it." She unkindly retorted, turning her attention back to a mortified Lorlo. "That is yet to be determined. Sublietenant Sor has briefed me on the nature of your…"

Xilch left her statement to hang as she casually perused the room. Her trained eye taking in every little detail. The warm, inviting hearth. Comfortable furniture. The remnants of a fresh, filling meal sitting nearby on the counter atop a serving tray. A library's worth of written works and several dataslates of various design and origin. A lifestyle only surpassed by the likes of Tallest Grimm's personal quarters.

"...detainment. Surely you understand the…unorthodox nature of all of this."

"I do and…it doesn't make sense. Last time I was under IIA I was sitting in a prison cell waiting for shipment to Judgmentia for an evaluation with the possibility of deactivation being extremely likely. This is…this is weird, it's different, it's very unlike Internal Affairs. I don't understand the mercy, I don't understand why you're being so…nice."

The Warmaster did not answer right away. Rather, her attention drifted to the prisoner in question. Observable behavior before her being understandably apprehensive. Anxious. Fearful, even.

"Do you believe it is unwarranted, Lorlo? That you are undeserving? Sor is convinced that you have been manipulated…led astray, even. That your circumstances were preyed upon and forced you down this path. I've read the after-action reports of Loorvu and your capture. I'm inclined to agree with him seeing as your supposed allies left you behind without a second thought to your fate…are we incorrect in this assumption?"

Lorlo went quiet for a moment, thinking again. "I was a tech specialist forced into demolitions, and the Empire was going to kill me because I became a demolitions expert instead of my assigned job on Vort…I got offered a way out…and then they go on and on about this concept of family and how the unit is a big family and then…they left me there. They just left me there and ran."

"At what point was the Empire going to "kill you"?" Xilch's brow arched at her pointed question. "My prior post as High Marshal of Internal Affairs, I can attest to being an expert on the subject matter of the interpretation of the Imperial Standard. Your prior detainment pending evaluation was not a death warrant. Is this another one of Vult's lies filling your head? What sort of family leaves their own to die after professing freedom, unity, and camradire?"

"I…I always figured an evaluation to Judgmentia for failure to perform at your duties was a certain deactivation. That was what I heard, what everyone said."

"Speculation. Rumors. Lies. All of the above." Rin added, gesturing to herself. "I have been evaluated before…I'm sure you can gather as to why." She concluded with an intentional flutter of her unique, multi-colored eyes.

"Evaluation is not a death sentence and whoever perpetuated it being as such did so with malicious intent." Xilch added. "Sub-optimal performance to one's assignment is not the grounds for deactivation. None of my officers would ever invoke such punishments, but I cannot speak for the Control Brains' assessments. You likely would have been returned to Devastis for reeducation purposes before being returned to a duty posting…and Vult said we would have you executed? Is this why you felt pressured to join him?"

"It…really seemed like that was the outcome for me. He offered me a way out, a way to escape deactivation. Of course I was going to take it…it…wouldn't have…resulted in deactivation? That's what Sor said but I thought he was just playing tricks on me."

"No tricks, Lorlo. It's right there in the Imperial Standard. Unfortunately some evil people with minds of their own seem to want to corrupt it to turn well meaning Irken to their own ends."

"Hearing it straight from the former head of Internal Affairs hits different from hearing it from one of the underlings…"

Xilch remained impassive on the surface, but bearing witness to Lorlo's crumbling facade brought her a great deal of satisfaction. In a few short sentences, she turned his apprehension and fear into doubt. A crisis of faith in the supposed saviors of their race.

"Naturally, your actions have not went unnoticed, nor can they be simply overlooked…but there is an alternative to death. Perhaps even retribution should you so desire…" She offered, garnering the prisoner's undivided attention. "With my blessing, Marshal Rin may see to your release. In exchange, you may absolve yourself by returning to Vult and his band of traitors to provide a reliable source of intelligence so we may yet crush this bothersome opposition to Impending Doom II and take our place as the universe's rightful rulers."

"...You want me to be a spy and sleeper agent?"

"After seeing what they did to Destructia? I would say so." Sor extended a datapad to Lorlo. The man taking it and looking over a variety of photos sent out through cunning transmissions by resistance elements of the Empire on the rebel held world.

Irken dead in masses, some had no apparent effects, others appeared worse, as if their skin had been boiled. Sor was sure to carefully curate the photos to include VDF special operations members and of course those of Vult's unit. Lorlo dropped the datapad after seeing a picture he recognized of Aren and Orkos.

"They…they did that?"

"Yes. They did. Is this the sort of man and ideology you want to support?" The Warmaster pursued, gesturing to the graphic imagery on display. "War is a field of honor to be waged by combatants…there is no honor in this. Allying themselves with the likes of pirates, mercenaries, and barbaric savages…for what? This? Does this look like a progressive victory to you?"

"It…it doesn't."

"Then help us stop it. Help us put an end to this. Help us get those traitors, help us get Vaukt. That way we can stop these uncivilized savages from doing this to the universe at large."

Lorlo thought once more, looking at the photos in sheer shock, the man's facial expression changed, calming…a new sort of resolve forming. The culmination of Sor's work lately and this exchange was unfolding right before them.

"Tell me what I need to do."

A white-gloved palm rested atop Lorlo's shoulder with a reaffirming squeeze.

"You came to us lost…you will leave us a hero of the Empire. Almighty Tallest Grimm…and myself, recognize your courage and resolve for standing in the face of such adversity. Today, we begin writing your epic for future soldiers to strive for." Xilch's hand released Lorlo, returning to her side. "...I believe we can petition an exception to the Imperial Standard should you lead us to victory over this insurrection and overlook your…irregularities. How does that sound, soldier?"

A nod came from Lorlo in reply, "I'll see them dealt with, whatever it takes. Though…they're cunning, they'll need to believe I broke out of this facility. It will be quite suspicious if I'm able to walk out the front door. They have friends on the inside, I don't know who or where, but that much I'm certain of. Can't have word getting back to them."

"Leave your…method of departure to us." Rin offered with a devious smirk. "Something tells me a low-hanging fruit shaped just like you will be too irresistible for them to make a daring showing. Until then, we have much to do."

"Indeed. Consider yourself fortunate, Lorlo…we make a model soldier out of you yet." The Warmaster added, turning her attention to Sor. "Whatever is necessary to the success of this venture, make it so. Forward your requests directly to my office, Sublietutenant."

"It will be done, Warmaster." Sor looked to Lorlo, "Marshal Rin and I will engineer things for you to make a grand escape. Your friends will buy it, we'll see to that. In the meantime, we very much look forward to working with you."