Emerald Dragon stared up at the sky, waiting for the dusk to pass and turn into true night. It had been nearly a week since the ill-fated rescue mission, and although her shoulder throbbed painfully she wanted action. Ferran told her over and over that even though it was not infected, she had to stay out of the fight for a couple of weeks more. Emerald said that infections could go to the hottest, furthest, deepest reaches of Hellantra for all she cared and she was going to fight, and nobody was going to stop her. Ferran had replied by throwing up her hands and growling at her, at which Scimitar had told them both to settle down.
So here she was on sentry duty. Scimitar's wounds had been mysteriously healed - or maybe not so mysteriously, for Emerald had seen Venomarin hovering over him in the night while he slept.
Things had been quiet for the past hour; not unusual for this part of the city. She didn't expect any trouble.
She certainly didn't expect the cold metal pressed to her throat a moment later ...

Sharrakamov had not been idle. He was a powerful Fader, and had quickly reached the renegade Fader Venomarin. She had informed him of Beren's true character.
Xastavoqua. His Fader name. It could mean a number of things; "traitor", "sly/slippery/cunning one", "one whose soul is dead". They all fit his personality. Treacherous, evil, cunning and ruthless - one to whom killing was a game, people the playing pieces, chaos the only rule and life the cards. All this and more Venomarin had learned from the mind of the Deathless One she had killed.
Venomarin. "Restless one", "wanderer", "renegade", "one who keeps their own council", these meanings fit the wearer as aptly as Beren's did. She had long since departed from Firen, leaving the Faders to their own devices. She only thought she had shunned the way of the Fader, the shroud of silence and mystery that every Fader wrapped themselves in - for the way of the Fader was the Fader, the very essence. Sharrakamov knew this as few did, for he too had "shunned" the Faders' lifestyle - to find it was their life.
Sharrakamov. "Silent one", "solitary", "secretive", "one who lives in solitude" - that was him. He preferred not to waste words, knowing that as much if not more could be said in significant silences than in crude, unfeeling words. Life was better off when one did not say rash things, for then, in his mind, the words lost their meaning. Few Faders felt this way, but both Sharrakamov and Venomarin were exceptions.
Sharrakamov had known when Zanzibar had been captured by his enemy. He had felt the indecision and uncertainty of the black cat through the Talisman that he had given to the Firenzev, and had known when Zanzibar had been rescued. He was not needed.
Yet.

Emerald gasped with shock and surprise, and her hand flew to her saber at her side. "What -"
"Emerald Dragon!" The razor-like iron dropped down, and she could barely make out the form of Claw. Startled, she stepped back.
"Claw? What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you, Dragon. I could be asking the same thing of you."
"Aye, you could. I'm guessing that you want me to go with you - I'm sorry, but count me out of this fight."
"Oh? Why's that?" asked Copper's familiar voice close by. She slid into Emerald's line of sight, sword in hand.
"I'm part of a gang now, Copper. My loyalty is to them. Don't worry about me, because I'm safe enough. And I'm still fighting Beren."
"I see. Could the Saravzan help us out?"
"Maybe. I'd have to go ask."
"Mm. I'm sure Scimitar would agree ... we've a common cause, and 'my enemy's enemy is my friend,' or so runs the truism."
"Yeah. Uh, how did you know Scimitar was my boss?"
"Connections. Let's go ..."

KRSplat surveyed the damage done to the Eyes of Death. It wasn't very much, but enough to worry about. Hopefully he could get going once this meeting with Angel was done. Seriously, he didn't think he'd have to listen very long before he got the gist of it. "You're in danger ... the Deathless Ones are after you ... come on, join with us again, we'll keep you safe ... They'll see you killed if you don't ..."
Well, he had stared Death down before and he could do it again. He had no intentions of going along with Copper and her wacked out friends again, and he had only done so before because he'd had nothing else to do. Now, though ...
Now I've got a job in the Ra system, guarding Isis Station while they get her up and going. And nobody's going to make me break that contract.
Not even Coppertop.