Clan Jade Falcon IC Roleplaying Thread

[tassa_kay]

The Star Captain, a woman of severe beauty with closely-cropped blonde hair and icy-blue eyes, stepped into the holo-transmitter and allowed it to scan her before she spoke, so that the saKhan would be able to see her as she spoke to him.  After the comm officer indicated to her that the scan was complete and the real-time transmission was being beamcast to the Falcons' communications bunker in their command facilities on Shadow, she nodded once, and began to speak in clear, strident tones.

"Forgive my impertinence in arriving, OvKhan Pryde, but there is a matter in which my Khan feels you must be made aware of immediately.  As you may or may not be aware, she recently canceled the ilChi initiative program and recalled the ilChis back to our homeworld.  I was one of those ilChis, assigned to Clan Ice Hellion when Sellen Cage held the office of Khan."

Taking a breath, she continued.  "A few days before I received the recall order, Khan Raina Montose made an announcement to the entirety of Clan Ice Hellion.  A most disturbing announcement, in fact."  She glanced to the comm officer once more, who nodded to her in silent acknowledgement of her unspoken question.  "I am told that this transmission is secure, but I wish to discuss this manner in person, to insure the utmust discretion.  Surely you would agree that, in these most difficult of times, we cannot exercise too much caution in what we place into our communcations."

Pulling herself up to her full height, she stood at rigid attention.  "I hereby request safcon as we make planetfall on Shadow, so that we might discuss this situation face-to-face, saKhan.  I think you will agree that it is of the highest importance once you hear what I have to say."

[Daemonknight]

saKhan Pryde's eyebrows raised slightly, wonder what kinda of proclamation could be so important that it required a personal audience to discuss. He was also curious to know why it had been brought to his attention, if it were so important. He surmised he would find out soon enough.

"Star Captain, i am transmitting landing coordinates to your vessel. You are granted safcon to the surface, and are welcome to my command complex. Arrangements will be made to house you and whatever honor guard you bring. I look foreward to meeting and discussing whatever it is you have for me. I must admit i am curious to know what is so important. Pryde out."

Landing coordinates for the base aerospace port are transmitted to the Blood Spirit vessel.

[tassa_kay]

Disembarking from the Fortress-class DropShip that had borne her from the Morrigan to the surface of Shadow, Star Captain Emma Schmitt strode down the DropShip's exit ramp, her only escort a pair of Elementals in full armor, their arm-mounted chainguns making silent sweeps of the immediate area in order to ensure the safety of the former ilChi.  On a planet so recently conquered and consumed in the conspiracy infecting the Clans, the Blood Spirits took no chances.

Upon clearing her identity with the Falcon warriors sent to meet her, Star Captain Schmitt was given an escort to the Falcon command complex, an imposing edifice that had undoubtedly once belonged to Clan Fire Mandrill.  She absorbed the details of everything her eyes took in, and her heart reflected no small amount of regret and sadness that the Mandrills had been brought so low by this... this abomination, for lack of a better term.

That sadness still in her heart, she entered into the chamber in which the saKhan awaited her, where she instantly snapped to rigid attention.  Placing her fingers to her thumb, approximating the shape of a teardrop, she thumped her hand to her chest, giving the saKhan the customary Blood Spirit salute.  "You honor me by hearing my request in person, saKhan Pryde.  For this I thank you.  And I bear a gift as well.  From Galaxy Commander Virgil Keller, on Foster."

With that, she lifted the device in her free hand, and placed it on the table before her.  The device was a flat holo-projector, and she switched it on for the saKhan's convenience.  Instantly, a three-dimensional image came to life, an artificial image that was obviously holo-artwork.  The centerpiece was the image of a weak and fearful-looking human male, clad in what appeared to be a simple jumpsuit and a labcoat overlaying it.  However, on either side and above the man's image were two airborne raptors: a jade falcon and a blood kite.

The symbolism, the intent of the gesture, was readily apparent.

[Daemonknight]

saKhan Pryde looked at the hologram with faint amusement in his eyes. He twirled the glass in his hand, filled with a pinkish fluid, with a decanter on the table next to him in the antechamber of his private suite. He was dressed in an unadorned Jade Falcon jumpsuit, with a Galaxy Commander's insignia, and placed the drink down on the table next to the holo-projector. He gave the Blood Spirit officer a salute older than even the Star Leauge, fist clenched over his heart. He the relaxed and picked up his drink, and poured one for his guest.

"Welcome to Shadow Star Captain. There is a set of rooms down the hall where you and your warriors may stay for the duration of your visit. Care for a drink? A Fusionaire, popular among the younger mechwarriors of my Clan. I acquired the taste after my first battle in the Inner Sphere, although I prefer mine a bit stiffer than most." He smiled cordially and took a drink from his tall glass. "I would appreciate if you sent my regards to Galaxy Commander Keller. He was very accomidating when last we met, and i shall use his example as a yardstick, for i have had few personal encounters with the Spirits of late. Now, what can the Jade Falcons do to assist their fellow Clansmen?"

The saKhan's manner was relaxed, with barely a trace of formality that would be expected from one with such a rank. He behaved as if we was simply discussing a past battlefield with an old friend, not an unknown officer of a different Clan bearing what could only be an extremely important message to have arrived in such a manner.

[tassa_kay]

Star Captain Schmitt raised a hand in deference.  "I must refuse your offer to have a drink, saKhan Pryde, as I am on duty and do not participate in such luxuries.  But I will certainly accept your offer of boarding, as I and my people are quite tired of being bound to our acceleration seats."  Her smile was pleasant but formal.  "And I will pass along your regards to Galaxy Commander Keller as well.  He speaks highly of you, which is why the Khan has sent me to you directly.  We wished to honor your conduct on Foster by showing you honor in kind."

Shifting from her rigid attention stance, she produced a data-chip from a pouch on her belt, setting it down on the table between the two of them.  "As I said upon my arrival, before my recall to York, Khan Montose made an announcement to the entirety of Clan Ice Hellion, an announcement that was transmitted to all castes, from warrior to laborer.  An announcement that was rather... unprecedented.  And, to understate matters, rather shocking."

Schmitt glanced away for a moment, and her silence spoke volumes of her reluctance to continue, but duty won out over her own feelings on the matter, as it would for any Blood Spirit warrior.  "You will undoubtedly see this announcement for yourself momentarily, but to spare you the suspense... Khan Montose has abolished her scientist caste.  All former scientists appear to be reassigned to the technician caste, from what I can see.  I was not long enough on Hector to verify much more than this."

At that moment, she met the saKhan's eyes, and her expression became pained.  "This is a violation of our most sacred laws, laws which the Founder himself established in order to provide the order and structure which has allowed us to survive and even thrive where all others have fallen.  And it was a similar move initiated by the Not-Named that eventually led to their Annihilation as well, though even the Not-Named never went so far as to abolish an entire caste!"

[Daemonknight]

saKhan Brian Pryde slowly let the smile slip from his face. He looked down at the datachip the Star Captain had placed on the table between them. He couldn't say he exactly blamed the Hellions. Quite the contrary, it could have solved many problems for them internally, if they thought they were so infested. But to completely abolish an entire caste? The caste system WAS the Clans, it was what set them apart from the Inner Sphere, more than honor, or Trials or technology. If this information were indeed true, it was shocking, to say the least.

He put down his glass and picked up the small datachip. He spoke without looking up from the small device in his hands.
"Thank you Star Captain. I shall look into this myself. Please feel free to make yourself at home in your quarters. They are not lavish, but are no doubt better than the dropship you rode in on." Pryde stood and walked the Star Captain to the doorway. "I must speak to my Khan on this matter. It complicates things, as the Hellions have been one of our closest allies in multiple military conflicts, including here on Shadow and in the Inner Sphere. I must see what my Khan thinks of the matter. Will you be staying on Shadow for very long?" The last saw the Spirit Star Captain standing in the hallway, her Elementals flanked by 4 of the saKhan's own. The door to her apartments were about 10m down the non descript hallway, close to his own, most likly reserved for another high ranking officer during normal occupancy.

[tassa_kay]

Star Captain Schmitt nodded her thanks to the saKhan, and gave a formal, deep bow.  "I thank you for your hospitality, saKhan Pryde, especially during these trying times.  If word that has reached my ears is correct, it would seem that the ilKhan and my own Khan are... not seeing eye-to-eye on matters, to put it kindly."  The ilChi's smile was almost mischievous.  "It is good to see that politics do not reign over honor in Clan Jade Falcon.  That is, after all, what separates us from our enemies in the Inner Sphere, quiaff?"

The lithesome ilChi turned to leave, but stopped momentarily and turned to face the saKhan.  "I will stay on Shadow as long as I can, but the Khan has ordered all ilChis back to York as we work to purge the taint that this conspiracy has spread amongst all of our number.  However, if it would serve the Clans and the interests of stronger relations with a Clan that has thus far remained honorable and intact, I could see fit to petition Khan Schmitt to allow me to stay on at your side as State Messenger to Clan Jade Falcon.  Perhaps my blood-kinswoman would see fit to agree, if she believed that you would find this arrangement to mutual benefit."

[Daemonknight]

saKhan Pryde smiled at Star Captain Schmitt, but the smile was odd, in that there was no real emotion. It was as if the smile was there because it was expected.

"Aff, honor is of course the most important aspect of a warrior's life Star Captain. If Khan Schmitt believes it to be beneficial to have you stay here, then by all means, you are welcome to attatch yourself to my command. However for now i must take my leave to consult with my Khan, and the ilKhan herself." The saKhan's eyes had drifted past the Spirit Star Captain to a Jade Falcon woman in the jumpsuit of a mechwarrior, but without rank or unit insignia. She stood at ease, her arms crossed beneath her breasts, the front of her jumpsuit slightly unzipped to reveal the flesh beneath. She was unsucessfully hiding a coy smile aimed at the saKhan, and shot a withering glare at the Star Captain as she waited for the Blood Spirit officer to leave.

As she noticed the saKhan's gaze, she looked at him and smiled openly, shifting her body slightly, her center of mass moving over her left hip, jutting her upper body off to the side, emphasizing the perfect hourglass figure. She again shifted her gaze to the Blood Spirit woman, running her gaze up and down Star Captain Schmitt with a look of anger and possibly jelousy. The saKhan turned back to Star Captain Schmitt.

"Star Captain, if you will excuse me. I bid you goodnight. We can speak further in the morning. If you need to speak with your Khan, the HPG can be accessed from the communications bunker at the southeast corner of the complex. I will have to ask you not to leave the base itself however, for security purposes. We are still not 100% sure the area is secure, and i would not want any harm to befall you during your stay."

The woman who was waiting mutter something under hear breath about harming the Star Captain, but she said nothing out loud as she walked upto the pair. With a last haughty glance at the Blood Spirit woman, she stood straight, her bust straining against the partially opened fabric of her jumpsuit.

"saKhan Pryde, a priority Alpha communique from Strana Mechty. I was told by Star Colonel Solomon to bring you the message personally." She managed a last smirking glance at the Blood Spirit woman as the saKhan took the profered dataslate. Pryde looked at the dataslate, but realized that he would need to use his personal terminal to bypass the encryption. It must be important. He looked at the woman's lapel, reaching to her collar to move part of her uniform that had folded and obscured her nametag, his hand brushing against the straining fabric. Her cheeks blushed slightly red.

"Star Commander Melissa, will you accompany me inside while I access the message? Thank you." The Star Commander quickly stepped inside past the saKhan, who turned once more to Star Captain Schmitt. "Goodnight Star Captain. Join me for breakfast tommarow? I dislike eating alone when I can help it."

[Daemonknight]

Kerensky Cluster
Ironhold, Jade Falcon Homeworld
Genetics Laboratory 22/sp, 7.25Km NW of Genetic Repository
Sub Basement 2

Star Command Alex was watching the security monitors dilliegently, trying not to listen to the two scientists behind him chatting about their work. Proud of his trueborn heritage, even more proud of his warrior status, being assigned to a laboratory as a common security guard did not seem like a glorious assignment for one of the few of his recently graduated sibko to score more than the minimum 1 'kill' to graduate. There were 2 of his sibkin at the lab on security detail with him, along with 7 other recently graduated warriors, fresh from the Falconer clusters here on Ironhold, along with a regular Trinary of Solohama infantry warriors to defend the facility. From what, Alex was not entirely sure, but when his orders were signed directly from the saKhan on Shadow, he did not question them. Especially when they said the saKhan himself would be by for an inspection within the month.

The scientists walked away, their conversation turning to their current batch. It occured to Alex that he had not heard mention of a bloodname in any of the conversations. Curious that after nearly a month, he still didnt know the genetic heritage of the sibko that was being developed. They were certinly not pilots or mechwarriors; from the way the scientists talked, though, they might not be elementals either. But if they weren't regular warriors, what could the scientists possibly be doing? And with the direct orders of the saKhan?

Star Commander Alex thought it would be wise to do some investigating of his own. It was common knowlage at this point about the widespread scientist conspiracy, and no Clan warrior would ever really trust the high-forehead scientists for quite some time, if ever after the recent events, especially after word about the multiple nuclear attacks had become public knowlage aswell. Could the scientists here have gone rouge? Here on Ironhold, where nobody would even think to look, so close to the Jade Falcon heartlands? He thought about it for a moment: he could expose a conspiracy cell here on Ironhold; Khan Sonoma and saKhan Pryde would commend him, giving him an instant promotion to Star Captain and transfering him to a frontline unit; he would get a bloodname sponsor, a position had even just opened up and the sponsorships were filling quickly; he might even get command of a unit sent to fight the Hegemony, get to take down a Hegemony unit!

He immediatly began typing into his console, checking the files in the lab's databanks: invoices, inqueries, personnel, all the data that he could find. He was finding discrepancies in various places, nothing conclusive, but they were there. And yet still, the most curious of all: there was NO mention of Bloodnamed genedonors. It made no sense, these sibs had to have come from some warrior's genes...

"Star Commander Alex." a voice behind Alex startled him, deep and passionless, devoid of emotion, professional but with an accent uncommon within the Clan homeworlds. The Star Commander turned at the voice, unsure of who had managed to sneak up on him. Granted he had been somewhat engrossed in his search for- 4 hours!? Obsessed was more like the word! He couldn't believe it had been that long!

"Who are you, and what do you want, entering without asking permission like that, scientist?" He assumed the man was a scientist, as he wore the white labcoat, although the man was built a little heavier than most, and he had the hard eyes of a man who had seen more than an electron microscope. The man was leaning up against the door jamb, his arms crossed across his broad chest, his lab coat billowing out from his wide shoulders. Although obviously something of a large man, he didn't seem to be excessivly large, just a normal man, possibly even a trueborn dropout who kept in good physical condition. But something in his eyes put the Star Commander on edge...

"Forgive me Star Commander, how rude to barge in and not introduce myself. My name is Lorgar, and I am a Bondsman of Khan Sonoma sent here to ensure the smooth progression of things within the facility. However when i checked the server logs a few minutes ago, I noticed that several inqueries had been made for information of all different kinds, implying that someone has been looking where they are not supposed to be. Have you see anyone suspicious around the facility lately?"

The Star Commander straighted himself to his full height. He would not allow himself to be intimidated by this man, whoever he was. A simple bondsman held no power over a trueborn warrior of Kerensky, no matter who held his bond, even if it was that freebirth ilKhan herself! "I am the one who was searching, bondsman, not that it is any concern of yours. And i have no need to explain myself to you either, so i would sugest that you..." Star Commander Alex stoped talking when he realized that the gleam he saw was not a trick of the light, but the reflection from the pulse laser pistol that Lorgar held in his right hand, pointed directly at his chest.

"Now, in a facility such as this, you should realize that secrets are important and are to be kept. You were here to keep them, by order of the saKhan. What gave you the right to break those orders? Where i come from, we call that 'treason', and we punish that by death. I see no reason it shouldn't be the same here." Lorgar fired the small pistol, the pulsed beams of coherrant light fusing the chest cavity of what was once Star Commander Alex into a fused mass of flesh and bone.

As the heap fell to the floor, Lorgar stepped over the corpse and accessed the terminal. He went to the search engine, and erased all traces of the searches. He then logged the good Star Commander out, and entered his own Administrator's login credentials, and locked out all accounts except for the admins, and the genetics personnel from accessing the information directly related to the sibkos themselves, including the persons they were descended from. It was an interesting experiment, he had to admit, and although the Clan program to take genes from 2 donars had always fascinated him, the idea of mixing the genes to create men who were less warrior and more intelligence operative was an interesting avenue. They would still be warriors of course, but as they would be the core of the Falcon Watch in the future, it would be important to establish a new set of gene stocks from which to begin.

And that was the big hush-hush secret here at 22/sp: it wasn't that the 2 warriors who created this sibko were something overtly special. It was that this was actually 12 seperate sibkos combined, 24 separate combinations desinged to make warriors who could act as mechwarriors, elementals, aerospace pilots, and yet also have the skills nessicary to allow the Jade Falcon Watch, and to a lesser degree, the InterClan Watch, mesasure up to the Spheroid intelligence community in the future.

[tassa_kay]

Into the office of saKhan Pryde strode Star Captain Emma Schmitt, clad in the dress uniform of Clan Blood Spirit: a skintight blood-red bodysuit, sheathing her from banded neck to glossy, knee-high black boots.  A liquid-like red strip ran from her neck down the left side of the bodysuit, and she even wore the red-and-black reversible half-cape that she was entitled to as a trueborn warrior. 

Her platinum-blonde hair, as always, was worn short and spiky, and her eyes were a pale blue that suggested the cold, windswept Hector landscape to which she had grown accustomed while serving as the ilChi to Clan Ice Hellion.  And when she strode into the office, her every movement was lithesome and graceful, her well-maintained body moving almost sensuously beneath her uniform.

As she beheld the Falcon saKhan, sitting behind his desk apparently squeezing in a bit of early work, she offered him a genial, if somewhat bland, smile.  "I do believe you made an offer of breakfast, saKhan Pryde, and I have decided to collect."

[Daemonknight]

saKhan Pryde made a last notation on his datapad and stood, stretching silently. While no longer the youngest of warriors, he was by no means old, and it was a point of pride for the saKhan that he could still best any warrior under his command in tests of physical strength. His gunmetal grey jumpsuit was accented with emerald green piping along the sleeves, and a stripe of green edged in gold ran the length of his muscled runner's legs. He had forestalled his morning run to finish up the last few details of their work in the north, and he considered querying the Star Captain to join him. First however, he was starving!

"Welcome Star Captain. If you'll just follow me, the mess hall is a floor up, ground level." The saKhan allowed the Star Captain to leave the room first, but kept pace at her right side. He seemed a bit tired, but didn't let it overtly show on his face or his stride. He kept his chin up, even as he attempted to engage the Star Captain in conversation as they reached the elevator.

"So Star Captain, you said that Khan Schmitt has recalled all ilChi. What makes you think she would alllow for you to stay attatched to the Jade Falcons? After all, what has changed since the recall order, aside from the ilKhan deciding she is above answering a Trial of Greiveance, and allowing the Camels to run amok without reproach...Hopefully my motion will carry, and then we shall see if the Camel is strong enough to defend itself against the enemies it's acquired..." He glanced at the Star Captain walking beside him as he spoke, apparently enjoying having someone more exotic around the base.

[tassa_kay]

Stepping into the elevator, Star Captain Schmitt gave the saKhan a surreptitious visual appraisal as she turned on her heel to face the doors, clasping her hands behind her back and assuming an at-ease stance.  A blonde brow shot up in surprise and curiousity as he spoke, drinking in his candid words and giving nothing else back other than that one facial gesture.  Blood Spirit or no, she was still a trained diplomat, such as it was amongst her people, and she knew that she was treading in dangerous waters here.

"Well, saKhan, I did speak with Khan Schmitt briefly last night, using the communications relay aboard my DropShip, and though she is not pleased with the manner that your freebirth ilKhan has been carrying herself in the Grand Council, she wishes for me to make clear to you that she harbors no antipathy towards Clan Jade Falcon itself."  Her lips curved into the smallest semblance of a smile.  "Indeed, she and I both agree that there is a certain amount of irony in that a freebirth has risen so far in the halls of power in your Clan."

With that, the elevator doors opened with a light hiss, and the Star Captain strode out on long, supple legs, with the Falcon saKhan easily keeping pace with her.  "There are very few Clans that can call themselves honorable anymore.  The revelation of the Not-Named, as well as this damnable conspiracy within our own ranks, has seemed to bring out some of the worst in many of our number.  We have the Star Adders and the Ghost Bears giving their lower castes unprecedented freedoms that the Founder never intended.  We have the Hellions eliminating an entire caste, without a single voice being raised about it in the Grand Council!  And we have the Goliath Scorpions, who have unleashed nuclear fire upon us and done absolutely nothing to atone for that dishonor.!"

As the pair entered the mess hall, only a few of the residing Falcon warriors were present to take their meals, as most of them were already at their duty stations or deployed on the uncertain fields of Shadow itself.  "The Khan was correct in her edict to isolate ourselves from the other Clans once more.  Given the wounds inflicted upon us by the Combine and the Scorpions, we can ill-afford to stand with the door open anymore.  But that should not mean that we should turn away a potential ally, an ally that has proven to still possess honor and integrity in a time when these things are in very short supply.  And the Khan agreed with my argument to that fact."

She looked to the saKhan then, studying his face almost impassively, and then her faint smile brightened a few watts.  "Pending your official approval, saKhan Pryde, I am now State Messenger to Clan Jade Falcon."

[Daemonknight]

saKhan Pryde led the Star Captain to a buffet of food, quite an extensive one for a military base, as the civilians on staff here were some of the best chefs on the planet, an eccentricity that the saKhan found somewhat amusing. After helping himself to a plate of eggs, sausage and a glass of ice water, he led her over to a table.

"I admit i am somewhat suprised she allowed it. I was not activly listening to the Council at the time, but from the recording, she seemed quite incensed with the ilKhan. I sometimes wonder if i should be honored or disgusted that i hold not only the same bloodname, but blood legacy as her, albeit mine is superior." He studied the Star Captain to see if she responded to the knowlage that he was a product of the Aiden Pryde genestock. Some within the Falcons had often remarked that it explained his meteoric rise to power within the Clan. "I shall of course approve her appointment. I think it an excellent idea to keep close ties to those Clans that we can rely on in these times. The Ice Hellions are valuable in that their assistance has been readily availible on a number of occasions, and while i personally find the business of abolishing an entire caste shocking, there is little that i think can be done. Considering her stance on other matters, i doubt the ilKhan would allow anything to become of it were it brought to the Grand Council." He paused to take a few bites from his food, thinking while he chewed and swallowed.

He looked at her intently as he spoke further. "What is the Blood Spirit plan on Roche, if you know? While i don't believe these rouge Goliath Scorpions are deserving of Zellbrigen, or anything else except the wrong side of a PPC, simply bombarding them all to nothing will serve nothing beyond the immediate desire to kill them for their nuclear weapons attack. Is there any plan to actually go down and attempt to get prisoners? I feel like something of a jailor these days, but unfortunetly, it's become something of a necessity with these Scientists."

[tassa_kay]

Star Captain Schmitt perused the buffet, finding some amusement as well at the selection.  Her choices, though, were rather spartan: plain eggs, a sausage or two, and water.  Though there was much more than that, she was too disciplined to indulge herself in the luxuries afforded to her now.  After doing so, she joined the saKhan at the table he had selected, and listened to his queries well before answering them.

"Though I will admit that the actions of the Hellions are disturbing, it seems that politics will continue to win out over honor in matters such as these.  I do not blame you or your Clan for this, but the Grand Council at large has become something of a joke, and this situation simply reinforces my own belief that my Khan was correct in her choice to cut Clan Blood Spirit off from the other Clans, more or less.  We cannot afford to allow ourselves to succumb to this brand of self-interested, unlawful behavior.  Someone has to, as I hear is a saying in the Inner Sphere, keep the flame burning brightly.  Perhaps when the times grow even darker, the brightness of our purity might be a beacon to others." 

Taking a few tentative bites of her food, she chewed, swallowed, and washed down with water before she continued.  "On the matter of Roche, I have actually been given a response for you, as Khan Schmitt anticipated your asking about the matter.  Yes, we are destroying their military forces from orbit, a response that they brought upon themselves through their own treachery.  The Khan will be landing once she is reasonably certain that the Scorpions have no more... surprises waiting to be unleashed upon our warriors.  And she is prepared to employ your own resources to assist in the interrogation of any prisoners she takes."

"However," her tone changed as she spoke, and her eyes became iron in their resolve, "the Khan will not tolerate interference in this Trial, and does not wish for assistance in completing it.  An ironic sentiment, perhaps, coming from a Blood Spirit, but she is adamant on this point, and she is adamant that the honor of bringing those traitors on Roche to heel belong to us alone.  It is sickening enough that the other Clans have chosen to turn their backs on us after suffering such grievous losses without calling the Scorpions to answer for their crime there, but the decision is not unexpected.  However, if we must stand alone in that matter, then the honor of taking Roche will be ours and ours alone."

[Daemonknight]

The saKhan decided to ignore the icy response to his question about Roche. There were many things he could have said to the Star Captain, but he knew full well that the only thing that would become of voicing them would be to create a rift between his Clan and the Blood Spirits.

"I assure you that I have no interest in travelling to Roche myself, unless it is required by my Khan, or ordered by the ilKhan. I may not like her methods, and her method of birth may be as repulsive as ever, but she is still the ilKhan. For now, anyways." The gleam of unbridled ambition shone in the saKhan's eyes briefly, before he droped his gaze to finish off his breakfast.