Found another one - with an abridged excerpt from "Thiandor" to go with it: Killing a dream might be considered - even with the best underlying intentions - an unkind or even cruel act. Killing the one dream that had captured most of the known universe's imagination for nearly half a million years, in an illusion of unceasing prosperity, power and glory, could only be described as... Barbaric. Sometimes, however, barbarians were required in the greater scheme of things, to restore balance. Imalie Maricorte thought of herself as a very well balanced, kind and considerate being. Most people who had gotten to know her would have probably agreed. Her appearance didn't particularly fit the description of a ruthless, bloodthirsty barbarian either. 'Am I really sure that I want to pull the trigger on this?' she wondered, but she knew better than to ask that question aloud. Most of her remaining associates, currently present in the supposed safe house, were jumpy enough as it was. Hard to blame them, after the assassins had managed to wipe out half of the team in the previous night. They were all what was left of a highly qualified and experienced investigation team, assembled by the Minister of the Interior on behalf of the President of the Vatarian Republic. Which would have sounded quite impressive, if they had been allowed to talk to anyone about it - and if they had been certain, that they could actually still trust the Minister or anyone else in the government of the all powerful Republic. Even though she held no official position in that government, Imalie had known one of its representatives almost from childhood. Diero Galivienas and her had grown up in the same neighborhood on a forsaken world named Kilbish, attended the same schools - even though he was two years older than her - and he had been her first secret crush. Still tall, dark and very handsome, he sat - outwardly composed - in the -chair next to the large window. At this point, Diero was the only remaining representative of the Ministry of the Interior. He was also the one who had gotten her into this mess and should have been in charge now. The shocking deaths of his long-time associates, Hinya Wassenar and Kothur Rimann had thrown him seriously off-track though. Understandably so, considering that he and Hinya had been a couple for more than six years now. Kothur, on the other hand, had been his supervisor for even longer and he had been the official head of their investigation team. Marlienna Soumir, the extraordinarily smart and no-nonsense police investigator from the Intergalactic Law Enforcement Agency of the Vatarian Republic had vanished without a trace and was almost certainly dead as well. And then, of course, there was Maillee Kay'zou. A short, slender humanoid female with a dusky complexion, hazel eyes and straight black hair. Nobody really seemed to know whom or what she represented or how she had gotten herself inserted into the investigation. Her friendly but evasive demeanor and occasional dark witticism, didn't help to figure her out either. If Kothur had known whom she was working for, he had taken the secret with him into the beyond. Imalie had no problem to imagine that she was employed by yet another secretive government organization, but so far she had easily sidestepped each of her best attempts to probe her - and as a Hegyrana she was usually very perceptive and good at analyzing people. Maillee had made no attempt to take charge of the ship wreck either. At least she had provided access to the safe house, not too far from the central districts of Antevellia, the capital of Tabor and the Vatarian Republic. Located on a medium level of the artificial street canyons of the capital, it actually had a nice view of the famous Stratospheric Arc, on top of the enormous ziggurat of the government district... Composed and rendered in Bryce and DAZ 4.6 Pro. Nudity just in case. Thank you everyone who took a look at yesterdays post.