“They said he’d be easy to track down!”
“Your voice carries, Captain.”
“Well, I’m angry!”

Captain Malkyri Aefarion was, in fact, very angry. He and his compatriot, Lt. Fargo Knauss, had been at the same stupid manhunt for hours and he was so done. Patience was not his strong suit.  Patience with missions that should have gone to other boot-lickers… really not his strong suit.

But here they were, looking for this smuggler who had apparently lifted some rather vital intel from an unsuspecting peace officer. A peace officer that wasn’t going to be an officer for much longer, if Malkyri had his way. Knauss was unruffled, and regarding his superior with the long-suffering look of a subordinate used to his commanding officer’s quirks.

Malkyri sighed and shifted his hold on the barrel of his gun. Again. “Alright. Let’s think it through. Where did our informant last see him?”

Fargo gave a quick nod. “Source saw him last at the Rusiyt Turnabout. About a quarter click north of here, sir.”

“Good, let’s start there then.” Malkryi put the gun back in it’s holster and stalked off, Fargo following behind, silently laughing at his superior. Almost as if Malkyri knew, the man turned around and glared. Fargo abruptly stopped laughing. “Lt. Knauss… stop laughing. It’s pathetic. And it’s annoying.”

“Yes sir. As you say, sir.” But as soon as Malkyri’s back was turned, Fargo couldn’t help but grin. Especially when Malkryi’s annoyed words came back to him.

They walked for a while more, when movement caught their attention. As they were in a fairly dismal place, the general public was unexpected, and movement was worth paying attention too.  Both soldiers ducked into a crouch, unholstered their weapons, and moved carefully over to the corner and peered around.

A hooded figure was speaking with a tall male, but the voice was too low to really pick up any information. Malkyri straighted and walked into sight. “In the name of the Coalition, halt”

The hooded figure stopped speaking and turned to face him. Slowly hands came up and pulled the hood down. A woman’s face, stern and unforgiving emerged. “I do not answer to the orders of the Coalition, soldier.” Her voice was cold, and Malkyri almost winced.

Fargo shifted. “You do when you are told to.” He snapped. The woman raised an eyebrow.

“Look…” Malkyri said. “Just humor us and answer a question. What the hell are you doing down here?”

The woman turned and looked at her companion, who shrugged. She turned back to face Malkyri. “We seek a smuggler. Named Qualt. He had information I need.”

Malkyri and Fargo looked at each other. “How… coincidental.” Fargo finally managed. “We’re looking for the same man. He stole intel we need.”

The woman did not respond, simply folded her arms over her chest, causing the ends of her cloak to ripple slightly.

Malkyri shifted the gun in his hands. “Well.. we’ve been tracking him for the last four hours, we know he came this way…”

The man standing with the woman touched her arm and said something in a language that sounded almost reptilian to Malkyri’s ears. She nodded and spoke back, then turned to face the two soldiers. “Perhaps…” She began. “Perhaps if we work together, connect what knowledge we share, we may both find the man we are seeking.”

Malkyri turned to look at Fargo, who shrugged. “Sure. But I get my intel.”

“And I get my information. Then we part ways, and this never need be known.” She finished. Then she stepped towards the two soldiers. “You said he was going this way.”

“Yes.” Fargo said, hesitated. “At least, that’s what our intel said. Obviously that isn’t right, if you came from that direction and did not see him.”

The woman frowned. “I did not see him, but there are a couple branches to the path that runs that way, so there is a very good chance that I would have missed him. It helps not that I do now actually know what he looks like, outside of a vague description by my informant.”

Malkyri almost snorted. This woman was amateur. “How do you expect to find someone who you don’t know the appearance of?” He questioned. Her gaze flickered to his face, and he raised his eyebrow.

“Because I do not need his appearance. I have other means at my disposal. If we are to be partners, then I should tell you my name. I am Analiesa Lidyn. This is my protector, Syle.”

“Other means at your disposal?” Fargo asked. “Sounds interesting.”

Malkyri jabbed an elbow at his underling. “I’m Captain Malkyri Aefarion, and this is Lt. Fargo Knauss. We’re Coalition soldiers, but you probably could tell from our appeareance.”

Analiesa nodded. “I belong to the Mysteria. That is who sent me.”

Oh. Well, shit. That explained everything. Malkyri could have bashed his fist against his head, had it done any good through his helmet.  The Mysteria was a big time deal, and she had been right… they didn’t answer to the coalition. It would be more accurate to say that the coalition answered to the Mysteria. These were warriors who fought with mental powers; who accessed power through the air around them. Malkyri had never met one in person, and he couldn’t say that he was glad to be meeting one now, all things considered.

“Why is the Mysteria interested in finding a low-life scum like this turd?” Fargo asked. Someday, someday soon, Malkyri was going to have to teach his lieu to keep his mouth shut.

Analiesa frowned. “That is none of your concern, Lieutenant. Just know that for this moment we share a common purpose, and it would behoove us to move forward in it.”

Malkyri stepped forward. “Our intel says the guy went that way.”

“Then lead on, Captain.” She answered, and pulled her hood back up. Malkyri nodded and led the way, Fargo falling in step right behind him.

“Whaddya believe that there won’t be a smuggler left when the Mysteria is done with him?” Fargo muttered. Malkyri was inclined to agree with him, for the moment anyways.

“They said he’d be easy to track down!”
“Your voice carries, Captain.”
“Well, I’m angry!”

Captain Malkyri Aefarion was, in fact, very angry. He and his compatriot, Lt. Fargo Knauss, had been at the same stupid manhunt for hours and he was so done. Patience was not his strong suit.  Patience with missions that should have gone to other boot-lickers… really not his strong suit.

But here they were, looking for this smuggler who had apparently lifted some rather vital intel from an unsuspecting peace officer. A peace officer that wasn’t going to be an officer for much longer, if Malkyri had his way. Knauss was unruffled, and regarding his superior with the long-suffering look of a subordinate used to his commanding officer’s quirks.

Malkyri sighed and shifted his hold on the barrel of his gun. Again. “Alright. Let’s think it through. Where did our informant last see him?”

Fargo gave a quick nod. “Source saw him last at the Rusiyt Turnabout. About a quarter click north of here, sir.”

“Good, let’s start there then.” Malkryi put the gun back in it’s holster and stalked off, Fargo following behind, silently laughing at his superior. Almost as if Malkyri knew, the man turned around and glared. Fargo abruptly stopped laughing. “Lt. Knauss… stop laughing. It’s pathetic. And it’s annoying.”

“Yes sir. As you say, sir.” But as soon as Malkyri’s back was turned, Fargo couldn’t help but grin. Especially when Malkryi’s annoyed words came back to him.

They walked for a while more, when movement caught their attention. As they were in a fairly dismal place, the general public was unexpected, and movement was worth paying attention too.  Both soldiers ducked into a crouch, unholstered their weapons, and moved carefully over to the corner and peered around.

A hooded figure was speaking with a tall male, but the voice was too low to really pick up any information. Malkyri straighted and walked into sight. “In the name of the Coalition, halt”

The hooded figure stopped speaking and turned to face him. Slowly hands came up and pulled the hood down. A woman’s face, stern and unforgiving emerged. “I do not answer to the orders of the Coalition, soldier.” Her voice was cold, and Malkyri almost winced.

Fargo shifted. “You do when you are told to.” He snapped. The woman raised an eyebrow.

“Look…” Malkyri said. “Just humor us and answer a question. What the hell are you doing down here?”

The woman turned and looked at her companion, who shrugged. She turned back to face Malkyri. “We seek a smuggler. Named Qualt. He had information I need.”

Malkyri and Fargo looked at each other. “How… coincidental.” Fargo finally managed. “We’re looking for the same man. He stole intel we need.”

The woman did not respond, simply folded her arms over her chest, causing the ends of her cloak to ripple slightly.

Malkyri shifted the gun in his hands. “Well.. we’ve been tracking him for the last four hours, we know he came this way…”

The man standing with the woman touched her arm and said something in a language that sounded almost reptilian to Malkyri’s ears. She nodded and spoke back, then turned to face the two soldiers. “Perhaps…” She began. “Perhaps if we work together, connect what knowledge we share, we may both find the man we are seeking.”

Malkyri turned to look at Fargo, who shrugged. “Sure. But I get my intel.”

“And I get my information. Then we part ways, and this never need be known.” She finished. Then she stepped towards the two soldiers. “You said he was going this way.”

“Yes.” Fargo said, hesitated. “At least, that’s what our intel said. Obviously that isn’t right, if you came from that direction and did not see him.”

The woman frowned. “I did not see him, but there are a couple branches to the path that runs that way, so there is a very good chance that I would have missed him. It helps not that I do now actually know what he looks like, outside of a vague description by my informant.”

Malkyri almost snorted. This woman was amateur. “How do you expect to find someone who you don’t know the appearance of?” He questioned. Her gaze flickered to his face, and he raised his eyebrow.

“Because I do not need his appearance. I have other means at my disposal. If we are to be partners, then I should tell you my name. I am Analiesa Lidyn. This is my protector, Syle.”

“Other means at your disposal?” Fargo asked. “Sounds interesting.”

Malkyri jabbed an elbow at his underling. “I’m Captain Malkyri Aefarion, and this is Lt. Fargo Knauss. We’re Coalition soldiers, but you probably could tell from our appeareance.”

Analiesa nodded. “I belong to the Mysteria. That is who sent me.”

Oh. Well, shit. That explained everything. Malkyri could have bashed his fist against his head, had it done any good through his helmet.  The Mysteria was a big time deal, and she had been right… they didn’t answer to the coalition. It would be more accurate to say that the coalition answered to the Mysteria. These were warriors who fought with mental powers; who accessed power through the air around them. Malkyri had never met one in person, and he couldn’t say that he was glad to be meeting one now, all things considered.

“Why is the Mysteria interested in finding a low-life scum like this turd?” Fargo asked. Someday, someday soon, Malkyri was going to have to teach his lieu to keep his mouth shut.

Analiesa frowned. “That is none of your concern, Lieutenant. Just know that for this moment we share a common purpose, and it would behoove us to move forward in it.”

Malkyri stepped forward. “Our intel says the guy went that way.”

“Then lead on, Captain.” She answered, and pulled her hood back up. Malkyri nodded and led the way, Fargo falling in step right behind him.

“Whaddya believe that there won’t be a smuggler left when the Mysteria is done with him?” Fargo muttered. Malkyri was inclined to agree with him, for the moment anyways.

They hadn’t been walking for more than twenty minutes or so when Syle stopped and said something to Analiesa. “You’re certain?” She questioned. Malkyri and Fargo turned around and looked at the two. Syle looked adamant.

“Syle says that our man is around the corner. Wounded. Your doing, I assume.” Analiesa answered their unspoken question.

“Uh, no.” Malkyri said. “Definitely would have informed you of a wound caused by us. Probably woulda made tracking the idiot a lot easier.”

“Besides, we don’t ‘wound’ people.” Fargo jumped in. “We kill them.”

“Charming.” Analiesa responded drily. “I’m sure you have your uses.” She nodded to Syle, who moved in front of Malkyri and Fargo, Analiesa right behind him.

They could hear the grunts of their target a few feet before turning the corner. He was on the ground, holding his thigh in between his hands. He looked up at the four beings towering over him and bared his teeth in a snarl. “Whaddya want?”

“That wound looks bad.” Analiesa observed. Malkyri almost believed she was concerned as he watched her crouch down and examine it. “A gunshot wound.”

“That sort of thing happen often?” Fargo asked the man, smirking. The man groaned.

“Just tell me what you want, and leave me alone!” He snarled. Analiesa stood up again and glared down at the man.

“You go first.” She told Malkyri. “My questions can wait.”

Malkyri shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He turned, squatted next to the injured man, and examined the wound for himself. “That’s a bad wound. Care to tell me how you got it?”

“I was In a fight.”

“I figured that out, you know.” Malkyri answered. “Unless you shot yourself, but you don’t really seem the type, all things considered. Now, you’ve got something that doesn’t belong to you, and I want it back.”

“I don’t got nothing that belongs to you, and if I did, I already sold it.” The man retorted. “You think I don’t know that you’re after the intel I nabbed from the peace officer off the main square? Someone already bought it… tall lady, dark hair. Red eyes. Scary shit. She’s the bitch who shot me, too.”

Analiesa went rigid, but only Syle noticed. She didn’t say anything, simply resumed glaring at the wounded man, not taking her eyes from him. The man glanced at her quickly, eyes darting to her and then back to Malkyri.

“Someone already bought it? That’s such bad news for you.” Fargo quipped. “You see, now we have to take you in. But your wound will be taken care of while we are there, you know. Top of the line medical care. Maybe you’ll even get some visitors!”

“Fargo, can it.” Malkyri said. “Ma’am, it’s your turn to question him.” Malkyri stood and turned to Analiesa. She shook her head at him.

“He doesn’t have what I seek. I’ve already gotten my answers. He’s your problem now.” With those last words, she turned away. Malkyri watched the two walk back the way they came before grabbing his comm-unit.

“Malkyri to base, we’ve got the nabber. He’s wounded. Request medical aide and enforcement.” His comm-unit crackled an affirmative. Malkyri looked down at the wound-be smuggler and shook his head. “You just weren’t ready to play with the big guns, were ya?”

For the next ten minutes, Malkyri struggled to hold onto his composure, hard-doing with Fargo’s constant jibes at the wounded smuggler. When the medcrews finally did arrived, they also arrived with orders: Malkyri was to report to the Senate Plaza, where his general awaited him with new orders. “Fargo!” Malkyri called. “Time to go.” Fargo, with one last parting jab at the smuggler joined his commander in the Police vehicle that was ordered to take them to the plaza.