2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy

9:35 AM, 29th of July, 203 A.F.
The Imperial Palace, Haven, Medial

The members of the 17th squad have been waiting for over half an hour now.

It was only a few days ago that they went to Shadowstep on a routine mission, only to bring back a group of magical creatures called fairies. Having just escaped the wrath of the Elementals, the squad and fairies traveled to Haven, capital of the Empire. Colonel Riddle then clandestinely escorted the fairies to the ISA headquarters and reported all of the group's findings to trusted officers who he assured weren't green mages.

After some deliberation, the squad was then ordered to report at Wing C of the Imperial Palace, where they're now waiting.

The lounging room they're in is moderately large and furnished with expensive looking paintings, comfortable leather chairs and bookcases brimming with novels and encyclopedias. Colonel Riddle is looking out a high window, his eyes fixed on a garden basking in the hot sunlight of summer. As for Anne Wood, she's kneeling down in front of a low table and is playing solitaire to pass the time.

May is transfixed by a painting of Haven Bay, which is hanging beside the window through which you can see Haven Bay. She gulps down a swallow of wine and says, "Vy hang this here Sam? May only need to look out vindow to see Bay. Vy not put up painting of flower or mountain instead?"

The only thing the squad members can hear at the moment is the flipping of Anne's cards and their own breathing. It is unnaturally silent in this room.

Nick stands on one side of the room, leaning his back against the wall, brooding with his arms crossed. Smirk stands on the opposite side of the room, leaning his back against the wall, brooding with his arms crossed.

They've been unusually quiet and somber ever since the mission, but May's question seems to get a delayed chuckle out of the Dark Lord.

Sam is still looking at a painting May had just moved on from when the picture of the Bay is pointed out to her. "Maybe they want to see a sunny picture of the bay if it's raining."

The monk contemplates this answer for a few moments before nodding. "That does make kind of sense. But rain can be pretty too. The steady sounds as the drops hit the roof or the stone can be very relaxing."

Sam has crossed over to look at the painting herself and compare it to the view outside. She smiles at May. "Well, I think some people prefer to have a reminder of brighter days, no matter the weather."

"It's a spot the differences thing. If the one outside doesn't look enough like the picture, a big alarm sounds and the Guard floods the bay." - Smirk remarks, sounding slightly amused through the dour.

Colonel Riddle—still standing in front of one of the two other windows—shifts his gaze from the garden to Haven Bay. He then turns his head towards his squad members and says nonchalantly, "The Where's Wally? books always were my favorite."

The group can hear Anne chuckle behind them.

Nick can't help but look at Anne for a moment, before he tears his gaze away. Smirk looks at his summoner with a slightly pained expression.

"My dad once sold a Where's Wally painting in his emporium. It was enchanted to hide Wally in different places. Every time he was found, he'd move again." She looks at another painting, and murmurs, "Gave me the creeps, actually."

May chuckles at the jokes. "What about stupid vizard? He move too?" She swallows another mouthful of wine.

Suddenly, the finely chiseled wooden door leading into this room opens up, taking the whole squad by surprise. None of the ISA agents heard even the faintest sound of footsteps, which was curious. The man standing in the door frame wore a black plate armor and at the center of his chest armor was emblazoned a white sun that beams in all directions—the Imperial emblem. This variant of the emblem presents one dissimilarity however; a black circle that surrounds the sun, cutting through the beams of light.

The man who wore that armor was somewhere in his thirties, was clean-shaven of this morning, had short blonde hair and cold blue eyes. He entered the room, closed the door behind him and with a rough tone, he says, "Welcome to the Imperial palace. Are all the members of the 17th squad present?"

His piercing gaze studies everyone here, one by one. While Anne tidies up the mess she made of her piles of cards, Marcus Riddler turns to answer the Imperial guard. "Yes, absolutely," he says with a tongue-in-cheek tone. "Don't mind the cards; we just finished a game of poker."

The guard furrows his brows.

"...Poker?" he repeats in disbelief.

"Is fun game best played for clothes," says May mater of factly before sipping her wine. "Perhaps you should try one day?"

"I enforce the stripping, since Bradshaw is too shy."

Sam just giggles, then straightens up.

Anne puts her deck of card back in her pocket and stands next to her squad members. She seems amused by the quips, but makes sure not to laugh in front of the black-armored man.

"...I fear that I cannot part with my clothes," the guard says while pointing at his polished armor. He then refocuses his gaze on the Colonel and says, "I am Edward Fox, Captain of the Imperial Guard."

"Colonel Marcus Riddle," his interlocutor replies more seriously. "17th Squad, Imperial Surveillance Agency."

"Honored to meet you."

"Likewise, Captain."

somewhere else:

Sam is still silent and at attention, looking to her superior.

"Agent Shadow Flame Smirk Phillip Bradshaw the Third." - responds the Dark Lord - "That's Agent Nick. He doesn't talk, but he's honored too."

Takes a second for Nick to focus his attention. Then he looks at Edward and nods.

"May is May; nicht mehr und nicht weniger." She shrugs and drinks some wine.

"Anne Wood," the white mage says. She then puts an arm on her rogue friend's shoulder and adds, "That's Samantha Walters."

Edward nods at the agents. He then begins a thorough search of the room, completely focused on his task. Anne gives her superior an interrogative look, but Marcus responds with a unconcerned shrug. Once Edward is satisfied, he returns to the door and opens it—not to step outside, but to let someone in.

An old man, at least seventy years in age, strides into the lounge.

Despite his gaunt appearance and brittle white hair, this man exudes an aura of certainty and confidence. He draped himself with in elegant blue toga under which he wears an ankle-length white tunic of silk—clothes of the highest quality. His sharp and yet gentle blue eyes settle on the squad members, and it's with a smile that he says, "I apologize for the wait; it's not easy to dupe my advisors into thinking that I'm out for tea."

Colonel Riddle immediately salutes him the imperial way; right hand closed into a fist and placed it over his heart while placing his other hand behind his back. Anne follows suit as soon as she realizes who this man is; Emperor Kieran Hammerfist, ruler of the Empire and the Archipelago.

Sam continues to look at Edward without appearing obvious, wondering if he's wearing a ring underneath his left gauntlet. She stops when he opens the door, and salutes the Emperor like a native Imperial, right after the Colonel.

May comes to attention and salutes with the others. Her cheeks are a little flushed from the wine but otherwise she has a serious expression on her face. Her wine skin is now behind her back.

Wow, the big man himself. Nick and Smirk do the salute thing. And wait patiently till they can stop doing it.