Briefing Room, Karufr

34 ABY

"A withdrawal!" shouted Bobecc in alarm, "A double withdrawal! We just hit them hard, let's keep going and bring them to their knees!"

"One: Bobecc that wasn't an opening for debate, it was an order, and you will learn to follow them. Don't forget who is in Command here. Two: There's more going on here than some Corporate Sector upstart taking potshots at us here. There's something deeper in motion. This is a win for both sides." Keirdagh said, anger still lending his voice a harsh edge. "We agree to stop burning them down, and they agree to abandon their operations against us, and we can start trying to figure out who is really behind this."

"We should just get their list and kill all of the traitorous bastards. They forfeited their right to live when they betrayed us, and when they caused the deaths of our people!" continued Bobecc angrily.

"ENOUGH!" roared Keirdagh, "there is more at stake here than petty revenge. We have to see the bigger picture, not be blinded by our rage" snapped Keirdagh.

"Yes sir," grated Bobecc reluctantly.

Seeing an opening, Howlader chimed in with a placating tone "Bobecc, he's right this is the best course for the path forward. Lust for vengeance can distract you from your greater duties; you have to remain levelheaded in order to lead."

Deflating slightly, Bobecc nodded. “I understand, sir. I think I’m going to step out, I need some tabac," Bobecc replied. Bobecc turned and hurried out of the room, obvious to all that the fight was not yet out of him.

"Forgive him Yacks; it's been a rough couple of weeks. He's taken the whole thing very personally" said Raistline placatingly. Fury still coloured the Consul’s words as he responded. "We all have Raist, but that hardly gives him reason to question me."

"Yacks is right, Raist. It's been rough, but we can't just have outbursts like that, it’s unprofessional." said Omega. "He’ll be fine. It’s not like any of us really like letting the bastards go free after all. Don’t be too hard on him" Raistline replied.

Outside the Great Hall

34 ABY

"This is stupid, we're just letting them slip away” Bobecc railed furiously. “He's doing nothing about it, these men who murdered our people, in our home, and he's just letting them leave. Coward!" Bobecc bit out in disgust.

"He's not a coward, it's the best solution,” said a soothing voice from the shadows. “I know it's tough, but the old man sees another threat, a bigger threat. Think of what could happen if we missed what was really happening." Bobecc took another drag from his cigarette and gave an unconvinced grunt.

"Pssh. The old man is always jumping at shadows. He’s played politics too long, thinking there’s always wheels within wheels. We don’t know if there’s any supposed threat lurking behind Sphinx. What we know is we have murderous bastards in our midst, and we’re letting them slip through our grasp." Bobecc spat in disgust over the railing and continued. “And worst of all, we’re taking the word of the kriffing murderers that they’re abandoning all their assets here and turning tail. We don’t even know if we’re leaving ourselves open to another attack!”

"We don't, but we have to trust that our security services will spot the double cross if it’s coming. Besides, if they lie to us, we just start attacking them again, and what do they gain? A few recovered agents and a bit of time? That’s not going to stop us if they stab us in the back" Seyda stepped forward out of the shadows, a worried smile playing across her lips. "I thought you quit smoking anyway."

The corner of Bobecc’s mouth twitched up at the attempt to distract him, but his grimace resets itself quickly. "Don't try to change the subject. They have everything to gain! We’re winning. We’re on the attack and they’re reeling. If we stop, if we let them get their agents out and get lulled into a false sense of security, it lets them gather themselves. It lets them prepare for what we have next with all that new intel. It makes us look weak," explained Bobecc as he handed her the cigarette.

“You know I hate these things.” After a moment, Seyda sighed and reluctantly pulled a drag from the cigarette, before handing it back to Bobecc. Exhaling the smoke slowly, she sighed and asked: “So what do you think we should do?”

"I have a plan," Bobecc replied, finishing his cigarette and flicking it off into the inky abyss.

Briefing Room

34 ABY

The meeting had clearly carried on without the Ektrosian Aedile and Battleteam Leader present. "We’re going to need to send someone to negotiate the final exchanges" said Keirdagh. “They’ve suggested Teyr as Neutral ground, and nobody is to bring more than their personal retinues. Which means someone from the Clan has to go there, not just the Diplomatic Corps.”

“Well, who’s it going to be Yacks? We can’t send you or Howie,” said Aiden Lee, Bobecc’s counterpart in House Dinaari. “They might just accept a war if they got a chance at assassinating one of you two.”

Keirdagh stroked his beard for a moment, looking searchingly at Bobecc. “We’ll send Ambassador Jag Gabbett as the lead negotiator. He’s spent enough time negotiating with the Brotherhood Clans that he’s used to adversarial situations.” The old man’s piercing green gaze burned into Bobecc as he moved his hand to the table and started tapping very slowly. “I think, also, in case Bobecc’s right about them betraying us, he should accompany the ambassador. Strictly as a second in command, and to protect him in case anything goes wrong, though.”

More than a few eyebrows raised at this pronouncement, but Bobecc quickly spoke up. “I'd be more than happy to go. I’m sorry for speaking out of turn before, you were right it was unbecoming."

Nodding slowly, as though Bobecc had answered an unspoken question, Keirdagh continued. "That’s settled then. Ambassador Gabbett and Bobecc will attend the meeting on Teyr. You two will negotiate and enforce our terms to Sphinxian’s Ambassador Garen.” Moving his gaze to Dinaari’s Quaestor and Aedile the Consul continued. “Omega, you and Aiden will oversee the rounding up, and exfiltration of the Sphinxian spies. Make sure none of them die. But don’t worry about being gentle.”

"Yes, sir." they said in unison.

OOC

The final part of Taldryan Intelligence Directorate saga is now underway, it will wrap up on the first day of March. I know it's been a long break between the last chapter and now, and I apologize. It's crazy how fast life throws things at you, but now I'm back on track and Omega and I hope for the best turnout yet. Compete, the whole lot of you! Do it!