OOC:

Nothing to grade here, read only if you're interested in the story.

Abrae, VENI Tower
A little over nineteen hours since Darya Eosser's interrogation began

"Oh? Agent Qorbin is that you? You must excuse my surprise - you see, I was expecting someone else", the holographic display spoke plainly as soon as it came together. "Commander Grey, it has been a while since last we had the opportunity to talk, hasn't it?" Seth Qorbin replied using the same polite tone, equally matching the fake intentions carried underneath it.

"Indeed it has agent, indeed it has... Oh? What's that I hear in the background?" the hologram inquired. "That would be Darya there. She didn't really want to tell me how I could get in touch with you so I had to be a bit more persuasive than usual. She sends her regards though", Qorbin's reply only made the other man smile menacingly though.

"You managed to get through to Darya then? I won't lie agent Qorbin, I'm somewhat surprised... impressed... but also a bit angry as well. I'm starting to regret not keeping a closer eye on you when I still could. I always knew you had a lot of potential in you but still I apparently failed to grasp exactly how much so. A costly mistake on my part..."

The man's words made Seth smile bitterly as he listened to them. "No disrespect Commander, but the real mistake was to turn on me by betraying my mission plan to the Remnant. On a professional level I can understand and even respect that such a decision was only business and nothing more. On a personal level however I'm not so sure I can be as forgiving. Never really was the charitable kind, you see?"

This time around it was the holographic apparition that smiled, apparently amused by what he had just heard. "An unfortunate set of events that one. Had Grey's right hand managed to retrieve the information she was sent there to find my involvement with the Remnant would've also been revealed sooner or later. I couldn't have that - not after all the work and sacrifices I made to encroach right underneath Grey's nose... Had everything worked as planned then I would've gotten one step closer to my true goal - and then perhaps you too, agent, could've benefited a lot more out of that as a result."

Seth Qorbin shrugged impassively "Perhaps I would've... if it would've all worked out as planned. Alas things didn't really work out so I guess we'll never really know now, will we Commander?" The traitorous Grey agent was silent for a minute, his stare as intense as ever however. "Tell me something agent... Suppose my plan would've worked out. Suppose I would've come to you asking to betray the Vast Empire and instead come work for the Remnant. Suppose you would've received a bigger paycheck, a better position and also a great deal many other perks. Would you have accepted my offer then, agent Qorbin?"

Again Seth shrugged as he listened to the other's question. "Who knows?" he answered cryptically. "Depends on how well you would've made your case I suppose. But then does this really matter now? Neither possibilities nor probabilities mean anything anymore, do they? Right now we no longer have the benefit of suppositions and what if scenarios... What we have instead are facts and the facts are you're now considered an enemy of the Vast Empire. As someone with intimate knowledge of our dirtiest secrets you'll also become a priority target before long. Commander, you should know what that means, right? It may be days, weeks and possibly even months but sooner or later VENI will track you down and when they will... well, game over I guess."

"Ah, agent Qorbin, always the pragmatist. That's what I liked about you, you know? You never made plans based on how things could change but rather on how things were. You never bothered to see what things may evolve into but rather you were too busy properly analyzing their current value and worth. As much as I appreciated that cold mentality of yours I however needed followers with vision - followers that could see past themselves and their immediate circumstances..."

"And where are those followers now, Commander Grey?" Seth Qorbin interrupted the holographic apparition. "Either resting on metal slabs or broken beyond any semblance of what they once were... Apologies Commander, but I fail to see the benefits of this vision you speak of..."

"I'm sorry you feel that way agent. Perhaps in time I may yet get an opportunity to change your mind however. One can never know what the future has in store for them... Farewell agent, and do be kind enough to also transmit my regards to good old Darya as well. I have a feeling that she and I won't meet again after all..."

Having said that, the holographic display vanished into thin air, leaving behind no trace that it was ever there in the first place. Qorbin stood still for a couple of minutes until finally he recalled where he was and what he yet needed to do. Slowly he reached for the blaster strapped to his thigh and after grabbing it, pointed the weapon in his captive's direction. The man could see the rogue agent's eyes grow with fear and expectation as she realized what was coming next. "Good bye agent", Seth murmured quietly and then squeezed the trigger.

The planet Onderon in the Japrael system
Eighteen hours after going AWOL

Although the landing of not one but two advanced Imperial crafts drew quite a bit of attention from the local mob, Seth wasn't particularly concerned. He did not make use of any of the official starports Iziz had to offer, instead landing in one of the city's privately owned alternatives. Even if officials were to butt in, the bureaucratic procedures they'd have to go through if only just to get in and check things out would take a few days time at the earliest. Best part was that any such attempt would be discovered way ahead of time thanks to well placed bribes and bought off clerks.

"Nice place..." Aria smirked after taking a look around and seeing nothing but rusty ships and a mix of dubious characters filling the place. "Perhaps", Seth shrugged, "then again what you see is exactly what you get - no surprises here", the man continued confidently.

"A landspeeder", Seth called to a pair of Humans seemingly tasked with renting out transportation means whilst on the planet's surface. "Something fast... and also covered", the man quickly added as he realized it would've been smart not to draw too much attention to themselves by wearing the distinct Imperial flight suits they currently had on. He'd be able to get them both some regular clothes after reaching his destination anyway, so there was no point in buying those now. Besides, he was somewhat in a hurry after all...

One of the two men he talked to got to his feet and brought Seth and Aria around back where he showed them a small collection of bikes, landspeeders and even a couple of airspeeders too. It was a XP-38 with a minor dent on the driver's side that caught Seth's eye. It was hardly the fastest thing he ever flew and it didn't look all that great either but for the simple task he'd require it for Seth knew it was more than adequate. After paying the other man 500 credits, Seth motioned for Aria to get in as well.

The female pilot was a bit confused by the strange transaction and Seth must've guessed as much after looking at her face. "That's one place where paperwork is not necessary to get things done. If I were to steal this speeder now then the fellows back there would in time impound my fighter - which they'll do anyway if I don't return within a month's time to pay them up some more. Upon return they'll check whether all components are the same as the ones that originally came with this tin bucket. If yes then no further tax will be required. If not or if the general condition of this thing is worse then I'll need to pay extra for it. And if I would no longer have the creds to pay them off and the ship I arrived in wouldn't be enough to pay the difference then I'd end up working for them for likely quite a long time from now..."

"Like I said - truly a nice place", Aria smiled back.



"We're here", Seth spoke and stopped the landspeeder a short distance away from a compound's main gate. The place was situated roughly an hour's ride away from Iziz and had tall walls surrounding it. Holocams and automated turrets were also found towering on those ominous looking walls.

"Halt!" "Stop there!!" "No sudden moves!!!" The four individuals guarding the gate came running in their direction, rifles and carbines clutched tightly in their hands. A shuffling by his side made Seth turn around only to watch Aria reach for her thigh as if to grab something - but there was nothing there to grab. "I didn't have time to get my sidearm when I followed you", she explained - a tiny amount of concern present in her voice.

"You won't need it", Qorbin reassured her and made no move to reach for his own pieces. "Hands on the dashboard", one of the approaching men shouted and Seth slowly complied, Aria immediately following suit as well. In no time at all the two pilots found themselves staring down the menacing barrels of two rifles. "Hospitality's sure suffered since last I visited..." Seth mumbled loud enough to be heard.

"Eh?" a voice from outside could be heard. "Goldy, that you?" In mere seconds the man pointing the rifle at his head was pushed aside and another individual took his place. "Thank the gods it is you! Egyll, Turvol, put those away. This here's Goldy - one of the founders. Kitaz, go open the gate." Surprised exchanges were shared by the two other men as they both put away their weapons as instructed but also tried to get better views of the man they only just heard about since they joined the smuggling cartel.

"Who's she?" the friendlier individual asked after pointing in Aria's direction. "She's a friend. That aside... is it true?" Qorbin asked simply. It was the first chance he got to truly confirm the message that had started all this - the message that made him abandon his post and come running from across the galaxy. The message that contained only two simple phrases: Rosh is dead. Come quickly.

The other man's expression darkened and so Seth knew the answer even before the words were uttered aloud "Aye... sorry Goldy. Look, head on inside. Mors is currently running the show but he's been expecting you. He knew not even the six gates of hell would stop you from coming over when you heard. Again, really sorry Goldy. I know he was like a brother to ya'."

"Yeah..." Seth replied absentmindedly as he turned the speeder back on and drove it through the now open compound's gate. Throughout the entire exchange Aria Zane remained silent as she just watched and listened. She was beginning to put the pieces together for herself but still there were large holes that she knew she'd be unable to fill - especially if her CO would remain as tight lipped about the subject as he had been throughout their journey there.

By the time Seth crossed the few kilometers separating the main gate from the large mansion at the center of the medium sized compound, a lean individual flanked by no less than four casual dressed guards stepped out of the building and stopped on its steps, waiting for Seth to step out of the battered XP-38. "Goldy", the man called and approached, leaning in for a hug when he was close enough to be able to.

"Thank you for coming", the man spoke softly as he backed away a few steps and stared the blond pilot straight in the eyes. "Where is he?" Seth asked, a barely audible tremor discernible in his tone of voice. "This way", the other man replied gravely and turned to slowly lead the way inside the imposing mansion.

The interior was filled with various art pieces - paintings, sculptures or holo-projections of various swoop bikes, speeders or classic freighters. There were also a lot of other individuals throughout the building too and from what Seth could tell all of them were armed and on edge. After crossing through a few rooms and corridors the man leading the way finally stopped in front of a closed door. Noticing the other's hesitation, Seth stepped forward and pushed the heavy doors aside, slowly making his way inside.

There were a lot of flowers in the room. In fact there was nothing else save for the flowers... and a sort of sarcophagus at the very center of the room. With unsteady steps the Vast Imperial made his way forward, stopping when he had finally reached his goal. He reached over, trying to push aside the lid but the other man's voice stopped him as he was about to "Goldy, hold on... I'm not sure you want to see him like that. It's not how he would've wanted you to remember him..."

Seth paused and considered the other's warning but then proceeded with his initial course of action all the same. More flowers were found inside the enlarged casket and covered by them was the frame of his best friend - the man he had known since childhood. His face had been burned off and it was obvious that it had not been the only part of his body that sustained such wounds given the discoloration noticeable near his hands. Even so Seth could still tell it was indeed his friend. His frame, the color of his hair, a small scar on the left earlobe - there was no mistaking it alright...

For a little over fifteen minutes Seth stared at the mangled corpse and throughout that time nobody else in the room moved, spoke or otherwise disturbed him in the slightest. Having seen enough Seth finally covered back the sarcophagus and turned to face the other man. The grief and pain in his eyes were now masked by new emotions... by rage and by vengeance. Aria felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she looked at her companion's expression.

The female pilot thought she had seen him angry before, before or after various battles, but she realized now that she was gravely mistaken. The anger she thought she saw then simply paled in comparison to the anger she felt emanating from him right now. For the first time ever she realized that truly Seth had been honest with her when he warned her that there was a whole different side to him that she was thankfully left unaware of. Well... she was no longer ignorant of that fact now alas.

"How did it happen?" Seth finally broke the silence and asked in a cold and very serious voice. "He went to negotiate a deal with a new client - simple weapons delivery from one planet to another. If successful, the client was going to repeat the same order each other month afterward. Rosh went to discuss the specifics and finalize the deal. There were seven guards sent in to ensure his safety... All save one were killed - and that last one was merely allowed to live in order to deliver a message."

Seth's eyes narrowed even further. "A competitor did this then?" the pilot inquired menacingly. "No, not exactly... Goldy... the message wasn't for the rest of us. It was for you", the other man called Mors explained uneasily. The news caught Qorbin by surprise. He had expected his friend's death to be the result of their less than legal dealings, especially given the reputations of some of their clients. If that was not the case however, if he was somehow responsible for this... No, that made no sense, Seth thought, yet deep down the man couldn't shake the feeling that regardless of his inability to accept it that may have been the truth after all.

"What's this message then?" Seth finally asked, ever so lightly leaning back against the cold sarcophagus behind him. The other man whispered something to one of his followers and as the latter departed, the former cryptically answered "You'll probably want to hear it from the source..." Again Seth narrowed his eyes further but otherwise remained still, knowing that even if the answers he sought were hard to come by, they were definitely coming to him...

It didn't take long for the fellow that departed to come back into the small room, this time accompanied by two more individuals - another that was armed and appeared to be yet one more of the present guards... and a third one that although was clothed the same, lacked a weapon and was instead wearing restraints.

Before Seth had a chance to ask who the new guy was, Mors began explaining "This is the sole guard that survived the attack that took out Rosh and six others." Seth was already suspecting as much, though still he was curious about the restraints. There was no shame in surviving when others died, especially if the situation was clearly against them... Cowardice was at certain times preferred to mindless suicide after all.

"Why's he tied up?" Qorbin inquired in the same cold voice as before. "Because we have reason to believe this one played a larger part in Rosh's death. That's to say, shortly after the attack we learned that his wife and kid were also killed... execution style. So we're thinking... what if the whole meeting was a set-up from the start? What if this one knew about it though?"

Seth listened in silence and considered the scenario presented before him. Sure enough, the conclusion Mors had reached did not feel all that impossible or outrageous. "Is that true?" Seth asked the restrained individual. The other did not reply so Seth again repeated the question, this time louder and more menacing than before, making sure to emphasize each and every word: "Is... that... true?!"

"They had my family", the other fellow began speaking. "They threatened they'd kill them unless I cooperated. Jory, my son, he was only nine..." The VE pilot tilted his head backwards and inhaled deeply, the man otherwise fearing that the knot in his throat would end up choking him then and there. "Goldy... I didn't know what they were planning... I never wanted for any of this to happen", the other Human male continued talking - each word that escaped his mouth sounding like nothing but a cursed excuse.

"They..." Seth finally found the strength to speak again. "Who are they?" he asked simply. "I don't know - I swear it. They felt like military though, stiff and disciplined and when the shooting started they took us out in record time. Their leader though seemed to know you Goldy. After the shooting stopped and the dust settled he told me this was him returning a debt to you. He said you'd understand. He also gave me a message for you. He said Darya sends her regards."

Immediately Seth realized who the one responsible was. He also realized this was nothing more but payback for the events that had transpired weeks ago when he and Ensign Grey thwarted the former Commander Grey's plans.

"Mors, set up a bounty for one Johnathan Tyrell, Human, male, early forties, black hair, dark complexion, hazel eyes, athletic build, with advanced military training and connections to the Vast Empire and the Imperial Remnant, particularly one Moff Wurezsh. A million credits for his capture - dead, but preferably alive - or as much as half that for any information regarding his current whereabouts."

The other man merely nodded his approval. He was going to object and suggest a smaller amount but decided not to cross Qorbin at that time, especially given the individual's current mood. "What should we do with him?" Mors asked and nodded towards the traitorous guard.

In less than a second Seth reached for his left blaster pistol, raised the gun until it stood parallel with the ground and next fired. A single shot that echoed loudly throughout the small room and beyond... Moments later the restrained individual came crushing to the floor face first. "Give him and his family a proper burial", Qorbin spoke before anyone else fully snapped out of what just happened.

It no longer really mattered to Seth who started this war - him or the former Commander Grey. All that mattered to the VENI agent now was finishing this however, and there was but one way to finish it that would give him any satisfaction - the rogue agent needed to die. Preferably in a slow, agonizing and gruesome manner...

The planet Onderon in the Japrael system
Two weeks later

"Seth, I think I finally got a solid lead on Tyrell", Ensign Grey barged in one morning and announced all of a sudden. Immediately Qorbin's attention was snagged and whatever he had been doing up to that point already forgotten. "Tell me", he asked impatiently. "We've already confirmed that Tyrell has taken to work as Moff Wurezsh's Head of Security. Thanks to his knowledge of VENI procedures he has thus far managed to avoid capture by any of the teams sent in to locate and retrieve him.

He has also significantly beefed up the security around both himself as well as the Moff. He's smart though - either hiding behind a mountain of droids and Stormtroopers or otherwise just hiding period by using clever misinformation tactics. If it were just him then there's a good chance we might never be able to catch him at this rate. But it's not just him now anymore. As security chief he's responsible for Moff Wurezsh's safety and well-being. That means the two of them are never far apart.

This much is more or less public knowledge, but get this - the Moff may have a certain vulnerability that we would be fools not to exploit. Tell me, what do you know of Sendryna Youlanikova?"

The man thought the name sounded vaguely familiar and tried recalling from where that could've been the case. A former agent? A contact? A political figure? Some notorious assassin? A rich eccentric person?

"You should go out more", Ensign Grey told the man when she realized he was simply taking too long to answer. "Sendryna Youlanikova - a Human dancer that earned much fame by performing for some of the highest figures in the former Empire. Emperor Palpatine himself is said to have held her in high regard and there are some rumors speculating that the relationship between the two of them may have gone beyond that of a mere entertainer and regular fan."

The thought of that made Seth's face cringe briefly - the image was just too awkward for his mind to process otherwise. "Anyway, the former Emperor wasn't Sendryna's only admirer. She had, and still has, quite a few of them... including Moff Wurezsh. I found the notes of a former writer in which the author claimed that the Moff was so enamored with Sendryna that he even proposed to her - twice. She rejected the proposal both times but that apparently did not discourage the Moff from still going to see her whenever she performed. This information is not public knowledge though and to find it one would need to investigate alternative sources that at first glance would have nothing in common with the subject...

According to the Moff's official itinerary, he's scheduled to visit the Lurgo system and inspect some of the Remnant's military installations there by the week's end. Incidentally, Sendryna Youlanikova will be performing on Harnell - in the Lurgo system - on this very Friday."

Seth's eyes immediately grew in his sockets. "You're saying he might go visit again?" the man asked hopefully. "I'm saying there is a strong possibility he may... Knowing Tyrell though, he'll likely have general protections in place so as to prevent long range assassinations or similar. We might need to get close to finish this job - and I may know of some individuals willing to lend a helping hand..."

"Excellent", Seth spoke as he hurriedly got up from his desk. "Meanwhile I'll see about getting us some transportation there. Also some gear too..." the man continued and without waiting for further replies stormed out of the room.



"Mors", Seth called as soon as he stepped into the other man's room. "My friend thinks she may have gotten a lead on the bastard that did this. I'll need some hardware to return the favor and also a transport to get me there. And I need them as soon as you can get them... Think you can handle it?"

The other fellow remained silent and instead smiled - a smile that grew and grew and grew some more the longer Seth stared back at him. "I think I can do even better... Got any plans for the rest of the day?" he asked mischievously. "Not anymore I don't", Seth replied with a similar smile starting to form on his face. He wasn't sure why exactly he was getting happy but given the other's expression it was hard to doubt that's what was in store for him...

"Give me an hour to make some calls and other preparations and then we can be off", Mors announced - an almost tangible enthusiasm now clear in his tone of voice.



The Mandalore system
Four and a half hours later

"Mandalore?" Seth asked from the small shuttle's co-pilot seat. He had not been present when Mors keyed in the hyperjump coordinates and he did not bother asking where exactly they were going throughout the whole journey yet now that they had finally reached their destination it wasn't all that difficult to make out the planet Mandalore looming in the distance - a large greenish-blue giant surrounded by a black canvas.

"We're not heading for the planet I take it?" Seth made a different inquiry before his companion could even answer the first one. "Nah... our business is up here, in space", Mors answered simply and steered the small shuttle toward a distant metallic looking structure that slowly got bigger as they approached. A station? Qorbin wondered as he decided to just lay back and wait. "No... a shipyard rather - fairly small though from the looks of it", the man continued thinking as he stared at their ever approaching target.

"This here's one of MandalMotors' secondary shipyards", Mors explained when they were only a few more minutes away from reaching it. "A couple of years back one of our missions went terrible wrong - the client double crossed us and attacked us in space. We were boarded and the cargo was taken from us. We also lost a few good lads back then..." Mors began talking.

"Rosh was pissed. Furious even and you know how he hardly ever lost his cool... Anyways after that one incident an idea started growing in that brilliant skull o' his. An idea he kept to himself until one day he suddenly revealed it at a meeting - investing in a ship that would be fast enough to stroll throughout the galaxy without making our clients wait; that would be sturdy enough to ensure its safety throughout most known obstacles it may encounter; and that would be deadly enough for pirates not to even consider it...

Not everyone approved but you know Rosh - there was nothing the man couldn't do if he actually wanted it. And he really wanted that ship... In only four months of researching, investigating and bribing government officials and key military officers around the galaxy he finally found something that fit the criteria - a medium sized capital ship with enough engine power, hull strength and plenty of guns to make him happy.

Some small Outer Rim government was having economical difficulties at the time so they were willing to let go of some of their military assets at a far lower price than normally expected. Don't get me wrong though - we still ended up paying millions for the thing, but it would've costed us even more millions if we were to have gotten it through regular channels. Especially given the legality issues related to those channels...

Long story short - we bought ourselves a cap ship to use in our most larger and important operations. Thing is... we never really got to use it even once. A couple of months after getting the thing and learning its basic operation, Rosh decided to hand it over to some friends he had made in MandalMotors. Not entirely certain how or what Rosh paid them, but the fellows agreed to add a few modifications here and there. Again this was not cheap by a long shot let me tell you...

Okay, here we are", Mors stopped talking as he shut down the shuttle's engines and unstrapped himself from the pilot's seat. "C'mon, you'll want to see this for yourself - trust me on it!" the man confidently spoke as he made his way to the back of the shuttle - where he unlocked and lowered the shuttle's hatch.

Short greetings and mild pleasantries were exchanged by Mors and the Mandalorian welcoming committee - a middle aged man and a younger woman by his side. Seth next found himself being guided through the space installation, lots of noise and overall activity noticeable throughout. Finally the small party stopped at a viewing deck and that was when Qorbin first laid eyes on the ship Mors had talked about earlier.

"A Carrack?" the pilot asked incredulously. Given the ship's background, Seth expected it would be either a militarized heavy freighter or some other small capital ship like perhaps a corvette or something. The man was proven wrong though as the imposing frame before him clearly showed a ship that was larger than all corvettes and possibly even a few frigates on the market or otherwise in service of various Navies around the galaxy... "You managed to get your hands on a damn Carrack?" Seth repeated, still trying to process the information...

"For five times the cost we could've even bought a Victory I Star Destroyer. Alas such an investment would've practically ruined us, crippling our ability to do business as we have until now. Not to mention that such a ship would've required tens of thousands of crewmen to operate properly - where the heck were we going to find the manpower and the money to pay them? This thing however..." Mors paused and nodded at the Carrack's frame outside, "This can work with only hundreds of crewmen instead, and if needed be even a few dozens..."

Assuming the rumors he heard were authentic then Seth knew that such a ship could in fact be flown by as little as little a crew as one. Granted that one pilot would need to be an unbelievable good one so as not to end up crashing the whole thing into a moon or something similar...

"Come on, I'll give you a quick tour", Mors offered and turned to the Mandalorian followers, asking them to lead the way into the ship itself. "Keep in mind some areas of the ship are still undergoing modernization works related to various systems but overall the ship's in perfect condition - she can fly and fight just fine... or so we were assured by both our suppliers as well as these guys that were also paid to check whether everything was in order..."

"Captain Grey will see you now", a VENI agent told Seth and next waited for the other man to get up and follow him in the boss's office. The Tower felt somewhat different than before - or so Seth thought anyway. Maybe the renovations had something to do with it but the atmosphere itself seemed to also be different too. Colder... Stricter...

"Agent Qorbin", Captain Grey spoke as soon as the blond Onderonian stepped into his office. "Ensign Grey has already briefed me on everything that happened - how you purposely appeared to go AWOL in order to get away from suspicious eyes and make Tyrell lower his guard. How you've managed to utilize different resources than what VENI currently uses so that the man would not see you coming. How you've managed to brilliantly plan an entire operation against an Imperial Moff and an experienced agent, and next even capture that Moff.

Even now the good Moff Wurezsh is singing like a canary to our interrogators, divulging state secrets, Imperial plans, security codes and names of spies in our midst. We'll make sure to bleed him dry of any relevant information he may holding - whether he knows it or not. It's a shame we couldn't also get our hands on the rogue Commander Grey though. Ensign Grey tells me he died in an explosion as he tried getting on some escape shuttle. A shame... But better dead and silenced than alive and free..."

Seth's eyes slightly narrowed a bit as he listened to Jigsaw's speech. So Ensign Grey lied on his behalf and covered for him in order to make everything look as cleanly as possible. He would need to thank her later - but knew the real price would be one he'd have to pay in the future as some return favor or another... Still, it wasn't a bad deal. He was no longer wanted as a deserter and things were pretty much back on track as far as he could tell.

"There was another reason I called you here for", Captain Grey spoke as he returned to his desk, keyed in a series of numbers on a semi-hidden keypad and next placed his thumb on the small area above the keys. A small drawer popped open and the masked man reached inside to grab a small thing which he held between his fingers. It was short, about 3 or 4 inches, and round much like a pen... Then it hit Seth - it was an officer's security cylinder.

"Agent Qorbin, step forward! It is my decision that you be granted all the powers and privileges of VENI's most prestigious and notorious position out there, that of a Grey. Your deeds and actions since joining, and especially these past few months, have elevated you above and beyond rank and file. Greys are an ideal, a symbol; the embodiment of strength, duty and self-reliance. They are the Navy's right hand, instruments of our Empire's needs. Greys bear a great burden. They must both protect the Vast Empire's interests as well as crush those of its enemies. Agent, now you too are recognized as such... a Grey.

I find it fitting that as the one to bring an end to the former Commander Grey's erred ways you may now hold his title in exchange. Agent, from this day forth you shall be recognized as the new Commander Grey. This code cylinder was already encrypted using your biometrics and will ensure you have access to all but the most top secret information within the Vast Empire. You may use this information as well as any other resources you may deem fit in order to pursue your goals and activities. You'll soon learn that being a Grey is not without its perks..."

Seth smiled as he leaned forward and reached to grab the small code cylinder that would allow him access to all but the dirtiest of secrets the Vast Empire had to offer. "Thank you sir... I'm, huh... honored I guess".

"That would be all for now, Commander. Go be honored someplace else as you await your next assignment. And let me warn you - as a Grey you'll be expected to play in a whole different league now. One in which the stakes are far, far higher than anything you may have dreamed of in the past. I wish you luck, Commander Grey", VENI's leader announced in what Seth only assumed to be a good mood. Taking a slight bow, the Onderonian turned and left through the same door he came in only minutes before.

Funny how only a handful of minutes could change one's fate. One minute he was a regular agent still taking orders from everyone else and the next he was recognized as a badass super spy, one with more pull in the Vast Empire than even some of its politicians. Now that was awesome right there...

"You look happy", a female voice greeted him as he turned a corner. "You look like you already know the reason so I'll not bother going over it", Seth replied to his female colleague, Ensign Grey. "Oh, you'll find that I may know even more than you at this point... Commander Grey." No doubt seeing the quizzical stare Seth was throwing her, the blonde agent explained "Captain Grey was impressed with the way you handled things with Tyrell. He also agreed that the results the two of us reach when working together are even more impressive than the ones we achieve by ourselves. He's determined to do something about that - help improve VENI's efficiency as he put it. Come on, I'll tell you more as we make our way to your quarters. Tell me, how do you feel about leaving a fighter's cockpit?"

The question caught Qorbin by surprise. It would not be the only thing the man would be surprised about however by the time the day ended. Apparently Captain Grey and Ensign Grey made quite a few plans behind his back and now he would end up learning of some of them...

Why do I feel like this is the beginning of another major chapter for me?

OOC:

The sixth, and final, installment in my VENI saga. Decided not to needlessly add any skills in it, despite it being located in this section. With its completion I do technically become a SCAP and a Grey though so that might somewhat explain this decision...
Total WC: 11732