Earth Sector

Windward Passage

Thrynn Frigage Jussru

Colonel Venn'Bk stood, a picture of disciplined poise, by the small observation window in his study on the command deck. For several long minutes, he focused in perfect stillness on the the problem at hand. HvHuss had escaped. Somehow, and probably with some manner of stealth technology, he had been spirited from Thoss World. The Directorate had quietly inticted HvHuss for treason, but it was merely a formality. He was gone and likely attempting to escape from the Confederacy altogether. The question was, to where?

He was going somewhere with a purpose. That much was certain. Venn'Bk considered the crimson trunk his team had recovered during the final sweep of the Old Citadel at Vs'Kssh. The ancient container had carried something important enough to draw the senator out from the regal halls and chambers of the Confederate Senate. More disturbingly, he'd found something powerful enough to draw him off world. HvHuss was no lightweight. He had genuine power and loyal friends who could easily have crushed any movement within the Directorate to prosecute him. He hadn't needed to run -- he had wanted to. Whatever the reason, the contents of the trunk had spurred him to action. The question remained: where?

Hopefully nowhere. Venn'Bk saw the reflection of the blinking intercom light in the window. He picked up the receiver, but didn't allow the individual on the other end to say anything. "Bring Jussru into a holding pattern, captain. Employ full evasion measures and tasssk your operators with unorthodox indicators -- leave the normal sweeps to the border patrols." Venn'Bk terminated the link and glanced at his tactical display. Jussru was was well upspin of the Thrynn border, the only logical place for HvHuss to attempt a break for open space. This is where his rescuers would drop their guard, and this was where Venn'Bk would wait.

Earth Sector

Thrynn Confederacy

SS Yardbird

"Yssk, of TCS Kryssthoggr," said the exiled naval officer, by way of introduction. By way of acknowledgement, Senator HvHuss nodde, in awe of the Thrynn engineer. Kryssthoggr had apparently disappeared some time earlier, though no details had been forthcoming. The War Ministry had presented the loss as "random calamity on the high seas," as such things were categorized.

"I suspect your frigate's...absence is more significant than I was encouraged to believe. I am Senator HvHuss," he said, gesturing to his his left. "And may I present Grsn, son of Bfak." The Thrynn trio, along with Boz and Nexbo, were standing awkwardly around the crampd bridge of the Yardbird. The small vessel wasn't heading for the border.

Thoss World

Essok Rail Junction

A renegade named Hrulla lay prone by the side of the rail line, covered in an elaborate work of camouflage that matched the thick, green foliage around him. He had been there, in the same position, for nearly three days, waiting. The fog had lifted slightly as the sound of another bullet train made its way through the haze. The transport shot by in seconds, just like the dozens of others that had passed -- but this time was different. From one of the speeding cars a small package shot out and thumped on the ground.

Ssrak had succeeded. When darkness fell, Hrulla darted to the package, grabbed it, and was gone into the endless swamps.

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Next: “ Entrenchment”

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