Tal'tair of the Commanding Rank sifted through his reports slowly. Detail by detail, line by line, as he was accustomed to doing. Only through the meaningful repetition of such dull tasks let his mind wonder from this forsaken world: Lh'owon.
It had been 16 years in full, since he had first been appointed here. His old superior, a drab dark Pfhor called Men'in had recently died. May the gods preserve him. When it came down to it, he just hadn't moved fast enough.
A large part of his career had constituted filing reports, trying to worm his way in and out of the massive Pfhor beuracracy which dominated the Empire. Boring as it was, he had come to like it. Now, when exciting times threatened, he still sifted through his reports and wrote them in triplicate.
He couldn't put it off any longer. Reaching down under his desk, he pressed the communications switch to his assistant, Willful Rank T'Thcia.
T'Thcia entered with minimum ceremony, but at seeing Ta'ltair kneeled and pressed his face to the floor. Ta'ltair motioned him up.
'Has Men'in been accorded the ceremony due to one of the Commanding Rank?'
'Yes.' If T'Thcia made eye contact with Ta'ltair with more than 1 eye, it was a movement on his territory, akin to the primordial instinct it might arouse in Ta'ltair as a threatening gesture. It was almost comical, since they were but 2 feet apart.
'The entire station on Lh'owon will remain in mourning for 2 cycles. Plans to construct a statue in his honour are in motion with the Engineer 1st class K'kra. The new byway is also to be called the Men'in Byway in honour of our deceased Commander.'
'Yes, master.'
'Forward this to the Engineers.'
'Yes, oh master.'
'You may leave.'
Again, T'Thcia knelt upon the ground and kissed it. He backed out of the room, his face remaining constantly in the direction of Ta'ltair, while his eyes remained on the floor.
When he was sure T'Thcia was gone, he again pressed a button on his desk, different colour.
'This is Ta'ltair, I am coming to the detention sector.'
'Acknowledged.'
Ta'ltair walked down the twisted ramps above the sewage facility, above the murky green river where the f'lickta lurked. Even though the area was officially pacified, fighting still continued at sporadic intervals. Eventually he came to the teleporter. The cyborg had proven tough, but every sentient creature will break eventually under his enforcers.
