Part XVII: Operation: Hidden Blade

By Agent Miron Hlaalo, Office of Redoran Intelligence

I do not know why General Serano requested I be assigned to his taskforce for this mission and I can say without reservation that I’m glad that I don’t know, as after all, the first rule that every agent is taught in my line of work is that information security is paramount. All information has power and the kind of information that we deal with is the kind that should be restricted to a need-to-know basis and why the General asked for me is not something I need to know, it’s just something that I need to comply with. Still though, I am a touch perplexed as to why he asked for someone with my skillset to be attached to a military operation, and more so why he asked for me specifically, but, like I said—these kinds of things are need-to-know and I’m not in the group of people with a need-to-know.

On another note though, I did get the opportunity to meet with the team I’ll be attached to during this operation and I can say that I’m impressed; they’re not the slavering idiots I’ve come to expect most soldiers to be, they actually are quite articulate, well-spoken, and they each carry an air of professionalism that gives me confidence that I might just make it back after all of this. I’m not putting too much stock in that though—not yet. Not until I’ve seen these men in combat. They might just be parade soldiers and while I would like to have confidence in the General’s judgment and good sense, my faith in soldiers is roughly on par with my faith in the Tribunal—non-existent. Still though, I wish I would’ve had the opportunity to go over their service jackets before meeting them, but I suppose it doesn’t matter at this point—I’m here and we’re leaving tonight at dusk.

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I did get a chance to meet Councilor Sarethi who said he would be joining us to oversee this operation personally and I must admit that I feel a bit disappointed to know that this is the Athyn Sarethi who so many enemies of the House have feared over the years, but I suppose it is plausible that in his old age he has lost his touch. But still, I can’t help but wonder how much his legend differs from reality. He seems to be a disheveled old politician, who, for whatever reason, wants to try to relive his glory days even though they’re long behind him. I just don’t know why and unlike why Serano picked me—this is something I need to know. I need to know why someone in his position would personally oversee a military operation that hasn’t been officially sanctioned. It doesn’t make sense. Nothing about this makes sense and when I look at him, I wonder what he’s hiding from the rest of us. I’m no field agent, but I’m not some slavering soldier either; I can tell when something’s not right and no other Councilor would be caught anywhere near something like this—there’s too much risk. This is the kind of thing that gets people brought before the Council and facing execution, or even exile. It just doesn’t make sense to me. Nothing about this makes sense and though I find myself unimpressed by him, I in no way doubt that he is a threat—I just don’t know in what way yet, but I’ll be watching him.

Closely.

I will also be burning all of my entries, including this one. I wouldn’t even be writing them, but I need some way of composing my thoughts and this will have to suffice for the time being.

-Agent Miron Hlaalo, Office of Redoran Intelligence