"The Kraktol vessel will exit warp-space in T-minus three seconds and counting. Two seconds. One second."

Umi, the Bloodbearer's synthmind, speaks from overhead, announcing the arrival of the Red-Tongue above Tarus II.

A moment later, a brief flash of light appears off the Bloodbearer's starboard bow. A starship, not even a thousandth the Bloodbearer's size, its body the shape of a trident, emerges into the void. Instantly, the Bloodbearer fires a tractor beam, grabbing the Red-Tongue before it can react.

"The tractor beam has successfully connected, Admiral." Umi announces. "The Red-Tongue is hailing us."

Admiral José Rodriguez, the last Terran, leans back in his Commander Chair. Megla stands on his right with her arms crossed, while Soren stands on his left, her posture noticeably more relaxed.

"Onscreen," José says, his tone brusque.

The Bloodbearer's bridge monitors activate simultaneously, revealing a large, red-scaled male Kraktol, his coloration not too dissimilar to Megla's. He, too, sits inside a Commander's chair, while a red-and-black-scaled female Kraktol sits in the chair beside him.

José stays silent. He smiles, allowing the Kraktol, Drall Brighteye, to speak first.

Let's see how he reacts to my presence, José thinks. I still don't know if I can trust Megla and Soren. Perhaps their father will give me some hints.

Expecting a look of surprise or alarm on Lord Drall's face, José finds himself at a loss when the Red-Tongue's commander stands up, takes a step forward, and drops to one knee. He bows his head respectfully.

"Great Precursor, the last living Terran, José Rodriguez. I am Lord Drall Brighteye! Graugh! It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

Momentarily frozen in shock, José's hearts pound erratically.

"You... you know who I am? I erased your ship's databases, and their crew's memories!"

Lord Drall keeps his head lowered as a sign of respect. "Graugh! Yes, you are truly a wise, cunning, and merciful being! The Kraktol stand in awe of your tactical prowess! Had we not exhausted every last resource at our disposal, we might not have been able to uncover your true identity. Please, accept my deepest and most sincere apologies for the actions of that terrible, greedy, worthless officer, Orgon the Unkillable! Bahaha! As a gesture of goodwill, we have since changed his title posthumously to Orgon the Betrayer!"

Drall raises his head, a look of fervent anger in his eyes. "That bastard! He dared to betray the Thülvik, seeking to steal your vessel for himself. How shameless! We have already begun purging his family from our society! As for his attack on you, the last of the Precursors, ten thousand deaths would not be enough to repent for his crimes! Let your heart be at ease knowing the Kraktol will never treat you as vilely as that bastard-spawn once did!"

Listening to Lord Drall's words, José's scalp-veins pulse painfully, making him wonder just what in the heck Drall is even talking about. Having recently arisen from the dead, the newly revived José doesn't feel one drop of anger or remorse toward Orgon, seeing him more as someone else's problem from the past. Even if José hadn't died, he probably wouldn't remember such a low-level character a few years from now, let alone give a damn about his fate.

"That's... that is good, I suppose..." José murmurs. "Erm. So, you know of my existence, yet you came here alone, in a defenseless craft. Why? And how did you find out about me?"

Lord Drall rises to his feet. He assumes a dominant, haughty stance. "The Kraktol empire is strong! We possess many ways of extracting methods from the dead, methods which allowed us to find out what happened to Orgon, posthumously. Naturally, that included everything he knew about you. Please forgive me for my impertinence, Almighty Terran! I know that you wish to remain hidden, and thus, we have not spread knowledge of your existence beyond the Thülvik, myself, and the crew aboard this ship."

"I see," José says, returning his face to a neutral expression. "So you searched Orgon's dead brain for knowledge. Very clever. Let me postulate; you must have scanned his brain to create a synthmind. Is that about it?"

Lord Drall falters. The Kraktol's brave exterior crumbles noticeably. "Y-you... how did you guess?"

"Oh? I got it on the first try?" José asks, smirking visibly. "I was going to posit a few other guesses, but it seems you're pretty easy to read. Haha! I'm a Terran, Lord Drall. Naturally, I am intimately familiar with Terran technology."

Several seconds of awkward silence follow. Lord Drall's reddish scales flush pink with embarrassment before he clears his throat and regains his balance.

"I-incredible, Admiral Rodriguez! The Thülvik was right to put her trust in you! Our great leader was touched by your kindness toward the other Kraktol you spared. The only one you killed was Orgon the Betrayer, despite your ability to slaughter every ship's occupants like Kessu! Truly, you are a kind and merciful being, which is why the Thülvik wished to show her sincerity by ordering me here, unarmed. Not only myself, but her beloved daughter, the Malvik!"

Drall bows and gestures to his right, toward the black-and-red-scaled Kraktol female. The young girl takes a stiff step forward and bows at the waist.

"Ah, erm, great Precursor! We- I mean, I am at your pleasure- I mean, I am pleased to make your acquaintance... ahaha..."

Clearly nervous, the girl shivers slightly, having seen the power of the Precursor's ship, and his viciousness in melee combat. Were she to accidentally anger him, he could wipe out the Red-Tongue without raising a hand.

Despite the formal occasion of meeting two of the Kraktol's leaders, José can't help but chuckle. "Haha. Be at ease, Kisa Kindris, daughter of the Thülvik. In truth, I am more than a little touched by the sincerity you've shown. You came here unarmed, not knowing how I might react. If I were to attack now, I would be able to kill the Thülvik's only heir, yet she did not hesitate to place such a precious asset before me. Since you have come here while lacking any hostile intentions, please allow me to be blunt."

José pauses for a half-second before continuing. "Lord Drall. Why have you come? Something tells me your trip is a multi-faceted one."

The commanding Kraktol raises his head. For the first time, his eyes glance from left to right at Megla and Soren.

"Graugh! Admiral Rodriguez, you are absolutely correct. I have many reasons for coming here. As Orgon the Betrayer has attempted to backstab my queen, she wished for me to come here as her most trusted confidante. I came willingly, because I wished to know the fate which befell my daughters. It pleases me greatly to see them at your sides."

Megla nods. "Father."

Soren nods as well, but says nothing. Unlike Megla, she is not Drall's blood-daughter, but an adopted one.

"Why so formal?" Drall asks, chuckling lightly. "Leaving Orgon behind was a brilliant choice, Soren, Megla. The moment that backstabber showed his true colors, you didn't hesitate to abandon his side. Such decisiveness will get you far in life!"

José continues to smile, but his eyebrows curve downward, ever so slightly.

Why do I get the impression there is some hidden meaning in Lord Drall's words? Did Soren and Megla join me to pursue some ulterior motive?

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The Admiral silently ponders the recordings he observed while in the holodeck, carefully reconsidering the moments where Soren and Megla came to his side.

Soren and Megla once whispered about how they planned to kill me and save Orgon, yet they changed their tune once I killed him. Can I truly trust someone who changes their allegiance so abruptly?

He doesn't give voice to his thoughts, and instead stays silent, merely listening to the conversation between the father and daughters.

"It was my decision to join Admiral Rodriguez," Soren says, her voice low. "I first thought to attack the Admiral, but changed my mind when he gave an insightful speech shortly before killing Orgon. Megla was far more hesitant and distrustful, at least for the first few days. Eventually, she and the Admiral began to care for one another and forged a sturdy bond."

Soren continues. "I know what you are thinking, Lord Drall. You believe that I chose to follow the Admiral because I sought to empower the Kraktol Empire; because I wished to join his side so that he might someday become allies with the Kraktol."

"You are wrong."

"I joined the Admiral because, for the first time in my life, I felt as if I had met a kindred spirit. I have lived among battle-maniacs and revenge-minded simpletons my whole life. I have always found it frustrating not having anyone around who could understand me, and likewise, who I could fully understand in return."

"Therefore," Soren concludes, "you would be wrong to assume I joined Admiral Rodriguez out of any love for the Kraktol Empire. So long as his interests align with the Thülvik's, so too shall mine. And if he should give the order to eliminate the Kraktol, I will be the first to obey. I hold no animosity toward the Kraktol, and similarly, I hold no love. I merely seek the 'truth' in life, the pure logic of that which makes the most sense. And seeing how the Admiral dealt with an enemy who desperately wished to kill him, I realized at that moment I had found my calling."

Soren falls silent, leaving José and Megla speechless. Lord Drall, likewise, opens and closes his mouth a few times before stammering out a reply.

"I... I see. You are correct, my half-daughter. I assumed it was you who chose to follow the Terran, and that you had done so to improve our relations with the last Terran. Forgive me for thinking otherwise. You are an honest Kraktol, and an admirable soul, even if I find it reprehensible that you would turn your back on the Thülvik."

José gazes at the side of Soren's face, a different look in his eyes from only moments before.

"Haha. That's a pretty bold statement, Soren."

Soren keeps her eyes locked forward on Lord Drall. "I meant every word, Admiral."

"I see. Thank you."

A brief silence falls upon the group. Awkwardly, Lord Drall clears his throat.

"Graugh! Well, Admiral Rodriguez. What should we do next, then? I would like it if you viewed me as an ally, or at the least, not as an enemy. With regards to Orgon's disgusting actions, I insist that I repay you for your kindness and mercy toward our fleet. It seems that you have chosen to ally with the Kessu. Since that is the case, the Thülvik has instructed all of our troops to permanently bring an end to all hostilities with our former enemies."

"Oh?" José says, turning his attention back to Lord Drall. "Just like that? You sent a whole fleet to Tarus II, intending to wipe out the Kessu, and now you'll give up forever on that goal? That seems a bit abrupt. Don't tell me this is all because you know you cannot stand against me."

"Naturally, naturally," Drall ways, waving his claws nonchalantly. "You are far too powerful a foe for us to consider escalating tensions. Eliminating the Kessu was nothing more than a passing desire. Truth be told, they are no longer any threat to the Kraktol Empire. Leaving them alive or killing them is all the same to us."

The Admiral stares at Lord Drall's projected image. He scrunches up his face and frowns deeply.

"Huh. Imagine that. Say, Lord Drall? Since I have you here, the second-highest-ranked Kraktol in your entire empire, there's something I'd like to ask you about."

Drall nods. "Go on."

"Tell me," José says, enunciating slowly. "What do you think about the demons?"

The Kraktol leader blinks twice. He cocks his head and frowns. "I beg your pardon? Perhaps my translation interface is not functioning properly. Could you repeat the question?"

José nods. "The demons. What do you think of them?"

Lord Drall's expression morphs into total confusion. He glances around his Bridge, even at Kisa Kindris. She shrugs, just as confused about José's question.

"I... I am sorry, Admiral Rodriguez," Lord Drall says, sheepishly. "I do not understand the question. I am not familiar with this term, 'demon.' If you are testing me, I must apologize for my failure."

José's frown shifts slightly as equal confusion appears on his face.

Odd. Perhaps Lord Drall is a better actor than I expected. I can't sense the slightest discrepancy in his words and actions. If he does know about the demons on Tarus II, he's faking his ignorance remarkably well.

"Let me change my question," José says. "How do you feel about the Buzor?"

Lord Drall's confusion fades visibly. "Ah. The Buzor. Well, that question is one I can answer. The Kraktol have had dealings with them in the past, Admiral Rodriguez. I would not describe our relationship as an alliance, but more one based upon mutual benefits. Historically, we have mostly dealt with the Mitteras and Mentii. The other Buzor have not been quite as amenable to our causes."

"I see," José says. "And the Disperra?"

"Graugh! I am not fond of them," Drall grunts. "May I inquire as to why you brought them up?"

José cocks his head, ever so slightly. He observes Lord Drall's movements, allowing his iris modules to bring multiple discrepancies to his attention.

Ah, there it is, José thinks. Finally, a lie. Lord Drall doesn't know anything about the demons, but he's definitely holding something back about the Buzor.

The Admiral smiles. "Oh, it's nothing, really. A passing fancy. I was just curious how you felt about the Disperra, given we've found a whole colony of them hiding beneath Tarus II's surface. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Lord Drall stiffens. "No, I cannot say I have."

"Ah-ah-ah," José says, his smile widening. "No lying. You've been honest this whole time, Lord Drall. Unfortunately for you, I've interacted with Megla and Soren quite a lot, recently. I've learned the Kraktol 'tells.' Do not forget that, by pressing a single button, I can blast you out of the sky. I do not like it when people lie to me. Don't test my patience."

Lord Drall hesitates. He glances at Kisa, then back to José.

"Graugh! I... cannot speak about this in public. Admiral Rodriguez, would you be amenable to us taking this discussion to a more... private channel?"

"Anything you wish to say to me, you can say in front of my crew," José says. "I trust everyone here."

"That isn't what I mean..." Lord Drall says, gesturing around himself.

This time, it's José who hesitates.

He is keeping a secret after all. Not only that, but he's keeping it from his crew? That's strange. Could this be hidden even from Megla and Soren?

"What level of privacy do you require?" José asks.

"You and me, but nobody else," Drall answers. "I will come to your vessel, alone and unarmed. I doubt you have any reason to fear me anyway, given how you beat the tar out of Orgon, but I do not wish for you to suspect me of planning any nefarious deeds."

"There's no need for that level of caution," José says, flippantly. "I'll bring your ship to dock aboard the Bloodbearer. Your crew will stay inside, and you may depart to visit me one-on-one."

"Admiral," Soren says. "Would you prefer that Megla and I not attend this meeting?"

"That's right," José says with a nod. "But don't worry. I will relay the contents of my discussion with Lord Drall to you afterwards, depending on what he says."

"That isn't necessary, but I appreciate the gesture," Soren says, nodding. "You are the Admiral. You may do as you please."

José rises from his chair. He smiles while gently squeezing Soren's shoulder. "Don't look down on yourself. I appreciate your honesty. You are a valuable member of my crew."

Turning back to the Bridge viewscreen, José adds, "Lord Drall, I'll see you in a few minutes. It seems fate has smiled upon you, on this day."

"Indeed it has," Drall says.

The viewscreen feed turns off, deactivated from Drall's end.

José starts to walk away, while Megla and Soren follow him.

"Admiral," Megla says, her words coming slowly. "Why did you ask my father about the demons and the Disperra?"

Pausing for half a beat, José turns his head toward Megla.

"Do you really think Orgon's attack on Tarus II was intended solely to eliminate the Kessu?"

Bewildered, Megla's eyes widen in surprise. "It... it wasn't?"

"I suspect not," José says, picking up the pace. He leaves the Bridge with both Kraktol in tow. "Think about it. Why would the Thülvik dedicate such a massive invasion force and so many talented officers and soldiers, all to annihilate a planet of primitives? Why put so much manpower to use against a populace incapable of fighting back? Suppose that, during this attack, the Mallali had launched a counter-assault on one of your military worlds, or perhaps even your homeworld. Wouldn't it be extremely inconvenient, to say the least, if you lacked the ships necessary to defend yourselves?"

Slowly, Megla nods. "...Yes. I suppose so. But I don't understand. What other reason could she have, beyond eliminating the Kessu? Wait... don't tell me..."

Megla's expression contorts into one of surprise. "She knows about Yama and the Disperra?"

"No," José replies. "Not Yama. The Disperra, yes. She must have known there were Buzor on Tarus II. That's why she send hundreds of frigates and cruisers to attack a now-harmless populace of former enemies. I suspect the Kessu were never her primary goal. The Buzor were."

"But the Buzor are our trade partners, if not our allies," Soren murmurs. "Why attack them?"

"Good question," The Admiral answers. "That's what I intend to find out."

"There's something going on here," José continues. "Something bigger than all of us. I've fought in more wars than I can remember. I've unseated dictators and helped topple empires. I may not know what's happening beneath Tarus II's surface, but I do know it's enormous."

José's tone turns ominous.

"Whatever is happening down there... it involves something capable of shattering the galaxy's power balance."

"I can practically smell a conspiracy."