10-21-2022, 05:04 PM
Ministry of Loyalty Headquarters Complex
Tlālacuetztla, Xiomera
October 21st, 2022
Tauchi growled to himself silently and tested the restraints binding him to the cold metal chair once more. They didn't give an inch. He sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
The mission on October 19th had begun like a typical one of the many he had run. His team had made it across the Gulf of Epeloc, evading the Imperial patrols and those of their Western Xiomera vassal state. They had made it onshore and to their target city of Huacoca. They had found Camatzin, the dissident they had been sent to rescue. And they had made it back to their exfiltration point. All according to plan.
The ambush by heavily armed Imperial Security agents, backed by Imperial Army soldiers, had not been part of the plan. His team had tried to fight their way out, but it was a doomed effort from the beginning. An Imperial soldier had knocked him out, and Tauchi had woken up handcuffed to the chair he was now sitting in. He had no idea if Camatzin, or any of his team, had managed to escape the ambush. He seriously doubted it.
The door to the interrogation room opened, and a gray-uniformed Imperial Security officer walked in. "Good afternoon, Tauchi. Welcome to the Ministry of Loyalty. It's so nice for you Deliverers to live up to your name and deliver yourselves to us so readily," the man said in a very pleased tone. "I am Amatl. We're going to be conversing for a long time."
"I have nothing to say to a servant of the Imperial regime." Tauchi tried to sit up straighter in his chair. Amatl laughed softly at that minor act of defiance.
"Maybe not now. But you will. Either to me, or to other investigators here. Some of us can be very persuasive indeed." The Imperial Security officer sipped from his coffee, making a pleased tone at its quality. Tauchi had been given no food or drink since arriving at the MoL complex a day earlier. To his nose, the aroma of coffee smelled almost heavenly.
---
Xomaxtli Hill
Chuaztlapoc, Huenya
October 21st
Maloxili, Eyatzin, Margaxi and Quetia sat at a conference table, all of them a bit perplexed. Not long ago, they had been part of the failed attempt by Huenyan forces to regain control over separatists in "Western Xiomera". While that effort had indeed sharpened their skills, all four of them were frustrated by the cease-fire that Vice-Speaker Tiacihitli had imposed. Not only had their effort failed, they now had nothing to do. The four of them had been brought back to Xomaxtli Hill, to discuss their next steps.
"Yauhmi isn't even here. Neither is Tlalmaxxi. I'm not sure who we're even supposed to talk to," Maloxili grumbled.
"I can answer that question for you. And perhaps, other questions too," a voice said brightly behind them. The four of them turned around to see Texōccoatl standing at the entrance to the room. They hastily stood up, only for Texōccoatl to wave them back to their seats. "We don't need to be formal," the Great Speaker said as he sat down at the table. "I am here on behalf of my mother, to discuss a new mission for you."
"I'm glad we're not going to just sit here and rot, after Tiacihitli pulled the rug out from under us," Maloxili said.
Texōccoatl laughed in response. "Not a chance of that. We all know how eager you all are to get back into the fight against Calhualyana and the XCP. So here's how you do that. As you all know, our efforts with the Deliverers to rescue dissidents from the regime is running into difficulties. The creation of the separatist state has cut off many routes out of XCP-controlled territory. In addition, Imperial Security is getting a lot better at their efforts to intercept us. We are losing far too many people, both Deliverers and dissidents, over the past few weeks."
"So what do we do about that?" Maloxili replied.
"We begin providing escorts for the Deliverers. For the most part, they haven't been trained or equipped to fight their way out of tough spots. That has to change, or the whole effort will fail. The four of you honed your fighting skills against the separatists. Now, you get to go against the real thing. And not just you. We want you, along with help from FIS and the military, to train up a new team of exiles to protect the Deliverers as they do their vital work. And once everyone is trained, you accompany the Deliverers on their missions. Does that sound like a plan to you?"
"When do we start?" Maloxili's sudden grin was matched by the expressions on her three companions' faces. Texōccoatl laughed again.
"Now is as good a time as any. Our Deliverers need their Guardians as soon as possible."
Tlālacuetztla, Xiomera
October 21st, 2022
Tauchi growled to himself silently and tested the restraints binding him to the cold metal chair once more. They didn't give an inch. He sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
The mission on October 19th had begun like a typical one of the many he had run. His team had made it across the Gulf of Epeloc, evading the Imperial patrols and those of their Western Xiomera vassal state. They had made it onshore and to their target city of Huacoca. They had found Camatzin, the dissident they had been sent to rescue. And they had made it back to their exfiltration point. All according to plan.
The ambush by heavily armed Imperial Security agents, backed by Imperial Army soldiers, had not been part of the plan. His team had tried to fight their way out, but it was a doomed effort from the beginning. An Imperial soldier had knocked him out, and Tauchi had woken up handcuffed to the chair he was now sitting in. He had no idea if Camatzin, or any of his team, had managed to escape the ambush. He seriously doubted it.
The door to the interrogation room opened, and a gray-uniformed Imperial Security officer walked in. "Good afternoon, Tauchi. Welcome to the Ministry of Loyalty. It's so nice for you Deliverers to live up to your name and deliver yourselves to us so readily," the man said in a very pleased tone. "I am Amatl. We're going to be conversing for a long time."
"I have nothing to say to a servant of the Imperial regime." Tauchi tried to sit up straighter in his chair. Amatl laughed softly at that minor act of defiance.
"Maybe not now. But you will. Either to me, or to other investigators here. Some of us can be very persuasive indeed." The Imperial Security officer sipped from his coffee, making a pleased tone at its quality. Tauchi had been given no food or drink since arriving at the MoL complex a day earlier. To his nose, the aroma of coffee smelled almost heavenly.
---
Xomaxtli Hill
Chuaztlapoc, Huenya
October 21st
Maloxili, Eyatzin, Margaxi and Quetia sat at a conference table, all of them a bit perplexed. Not long ago, they had been part of the failed attempt by Huenyan forces to regain control over separatists in "Western Xiomera". While that effort had indeed sharpened their skills, all four of them were frustrated by the cease-fire that Vice-Speaker Tiacihitli had imposed. Not only had their effort failed, they now had nothing to do. The four of them had been brought back to Xomaxtli Hill, to discuss their next steps.
"Yauhmi isn't even here. Neither is Tlalmaxxi. I'm not sure who we're even supposed to talk to," Maloxili grumbled.
"I can answer that question for you. And perhaps, other questions too," a voice said brightly behind them. The four of them turned around to see Texōccoatl standing at the entrance to the room. They hastily stood up, only for Texōccoatl to wave them back to their seats. "We don't need to be formal," the Great Speaker said as he sat down at the table. "I am here on behalf of my mother, to discuss a new mission for you."
"I'm glad we're not going to just sit here and rot, after Tiacihitli pulled the rug out from under us," Maloxili said.
Texōccoatl laughed in response. "Not a chance of that. We all know how eager you all are to get back into the fight against Calhualyana and the XCP. So here's how you do that. As you all know, our efforts with the Deliverers to rescue dissidents from the regime is running into difficulties. The creation of the separatist state has cut off many routes out of XCP-controlled territory. In addition, Imperial Security is getting a lot better at their efforts to intercept us. We are losing far too many people, both Deliverers and dissidents, over the past few weeks."
"So what do we do about that?" Maloxili replied.
"We begin providing escorts for the Deliverers. For the most part, they haven't been trained or equipped to fight their way out of tough spots. That has to change, or the whole effort will fail. The four of you honed your fighting skills against the separatists. Now, you get to go against the real thing. And not just you. We want you, along with help from FIS and the military, to train up a new team of exiles to protect the Deliverers as they do their vital work. And once everyone is trained, you accompany the Deliverers on their missions. Does that sound like a plan to you?"
"When do we start?" Maloxili's sudden grin was matched by the expressions on her three companions' faces. Texōccoatl laughed again.
"Now is as good a time as any. Our Deliverers need their Guardians as soon as possible."
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