The Silent Goodbye

Four blocks from one of the Domes side gates Twain stopped and waited for a Blackheart Security patrol to pass by. Three blocks from the gate and Twain found himself waiting again, this time for a bunch of drunk contractors to stager down the street. One block to go and Twain was surprised by a Brethren patrol coming around a corner. As quietly as possible he jumped out of their way hoping that they would not notice the odd noise.

As the Brethren continued on their way Twain took a deep breath, checked that his armors optical cloaking was still active and that its thermal disperser was functioning optimally. He knew that he was virtually undetectable when cloaked but there was always a niggling doubt in the back of his mind whenever a mission relied heavily on it. Luckily, as an immutable, those doubts could not affect the world around him.

Upon reaching the gate Twain gave one "*click*" over his secure com unit.

"*click*"
"*click*"
"*click*"
"*click*" came the immediate responses. "Good" Twain thought. "Everyone's in position."

Counting exactly 30 seconds while stepping around the Brethren and Blackheart Security contractors who were guarding this side of the gate, Twain took a knee directly in front of the gate and waited for the TNI Ground Specialists to let him know that they were in position. Once he felt the tap on his shoulder letting him know that the Specialists were set in a ladder behind him, Twain gave a long "*click*" signalling them to be ready.

Right on schedule the outer guards relief marched up to the gate as it opened. Twain gave one "*click*" and ghosted out the open portal along side the Brethren guards. Once he was away from the guards, Twain broke into a ground covering trot while heading for LZ Delta 2 confident that the TNI Ground Specialists were following him. Twain had to be confident since he could not see them as their armor used the same exact technologies as his did.

Upon reaching LZ Delta 2 Twain checked his armors internal chronometer and found that his group was actually a full minute early for the rendezvous. Bringing up his targeting computer and FLIR array Twain surveyed 360 degrees around the LZ making sure that he and his people had not been followed. When the minute was up Twain heard "*click*, *click*, *click*" come over the secure com and saw a door open in what appeared to be empty space.

Running towards the door Twain gave a "*click*" after he crossed its threshold and moved to the side while powering down his armors cloaking technologies. Within 30 seconds he was joined by the four members of the Ground Specialist squad as the airlock of the cloaked Trident Missile Ship sealed shut. Once the inner hatch opened all five quickly strapped themselves into the small passenger area as the cloaked ship slowly lifted off heading towards an area of high tectonic activity.

Once the ship was away, Twain settled in for the trip to Casablanca and pondered: what the hell was he going to do with the all of the beings and families who were responding to Terra Nova Industries' educational proposals and growing research and development needs? Maybe he could buy space on Lost Hope or Casablanca? Should Terra Nova Industries try to take over one of the abandoned Quall worlds? Maybe the EEF or Iron Republic would rent him room. Whatever the future of Terra Nova Industries expansion was to be Twain was glad that Druzi Prime was behind him. There was something very wrong with the situation surrounding the Nightmare Lord tomb, the Iron Republic's seeming indifference, how badly the Unity wanted to be in proximity to Druzi Prime and a hundred just plain wrong things with how the planets tectonics were affecting his equipment. With the geothermal power plants near completion there was no reason to stay especially since there was so much other research left to do. Besides, if anyone on Druzi Prime really needed TNI all they had to do was call its offices on Druzi Prime, where an automated switch board would forward the message to Terra Nova's office on Casablanca. Not a fast or elegant solution to be sure, but at least no TNI personnel would get caught in the crossfire the next time things when tits up on Druzi Prime.