For years I've been trying to knock down the Bloodied Eagles crime organization on Jhanna. They were a tough group to get rid, being almost as secret as the Inquisition. But finally I managed to gain myself access into the group by passing myself off as an anti-Imperialist and getting recruited. Afterwards, I was able to collect a lot of information that could later be used against them. The beginning of the end for the Bloodied Eagles came one day in 998.M41, while I was sitting in the One Eyed Marine tavern.

My contact with the group was named Karvill Frist. He was a young man, about 28 years of age, who seemed to enjoy the excitement of crime. It was he who gave me all of the important messages that I received from the Eagles.-Inquisitor Tallonius

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"Hey, Tal!"

I slowly turned around and looked at the source of the voice, my hand held close to one of my laspistols. I slowly eased up when I saw that it was Karvill Frist.

"Come on, Kar, have a drink," I called out, waving him over.

He quickly walked to the stool beside me and sat down. "Maldavhian Rum," he said as the bartender walked up. Karvill turned back toward me as the bartender went off to get his drink.

"What brings you here, and so hurried?" I asked him.

Running a hand through his dark red hair, Karvill looked at me with weary eyes. "The deal's going down day after tomorrow. Gallifrey's going down."

"You're kidding me, right?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. For weeks I'd been hearing of a planned assault on Judge Gallifrey and the Arbitrators precinct on Jhanna, but I never imaginned that the Eagles could get together enough firepower, or that they would ever much such a bold move against the Imperium.

"No, no. It's for real. I wanted to let you know so you could be there with us when we plug that sanctimonious bastard."

"I'm honoured," I said, feeling sick as I said them. Though I'd never had the best impression of the Arbitrators, I certainly had no wish to participate in the slaughter of an entire precinct.

"I'm glad you feel that way. Harvick was pretty impressed with the way you handled yourself against the Raptors."

"Where are you going to get enough men and weapons to take of the precinct?" I asked. Hopefully he would give me the information I needed to brief the Inquisition.

"The local Guard commander's sympathetic to our 'cause'. He's giving us the needed muscle to oust the Arbies."

This was certainly interesting news. When I had come to Jhanna, I was unaware that there was any form of corruption in the Imperial Guardsmen stationed on the planet. This would be much needed information for the soldiers that would be sent to cleanse the corruption from this planet.

The bartender returned with Karvill's drink. He took along drink from it, downing half of the cup.

He then turned and looked at me. "Will you be the?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, I said. I'll be there. Just gotta' do some preparations first. Get my gear together and all that."

"Yeah, that'd be good," he said. "Remember, two days. It's gonna be on the steps of the precinct house, around midday. Don't be late."

"Am I ever?" I smiled at him, then got up out of the stool and began walking back to my apartment. I had some very important news to share.

Part Two

After I left the tavern, I returned to my apartment. It was only a twenty-minute walk away, but as I walked I found myself watching over my shoulder constantly, ever wary of the possibility I was being followed. When I was completely certain that no one had tracked me, I entered the building my apartment was in, then quickly walked up a flight of steps, down a hall, and finally through my door.

Denvus Corning was there, as he always was. He was an Astropath assigned to me by the Inquisition, giving me a means to contact them to report on my finds. He was an odd sight, one of the very few Astropaths that did not have their eyes destroyed by the Binding, though he was left with no pupils. He could not wear his green robes, for fear of someone noticing and realizing just what he was.

"You look awful," he said.

"Likewise yourself," I said. "And just what kind of a greeting is that?"

Denvus smiled at me. "Sorry, friend. I trust you have a report to send?"

Now it was my turn to smile. "Yes. They're planning their big move tonight, an assault on the Court House itself."

"How will they do that with only three thousand men?"

"They have more. Somehow they got Captain Briggs on their side."

Denvus sighed, then lowered his head. "You want me to send a message informing Mandius?"

"If possible, yes." For I moment I was a bit surprised to see Denvus looking so depressed at the thought of having to send such a message, as he had done so many a time in the past. But no, that was not it. There was a sense of something else wrong with him.

"What is it?" I asked.

He looked up at me, sorrow evident on his face. "The warp storms are getting stronger. I cannot send a message without a great deal of pain," he said.

"I understand. But what does that mean about our chances of receiving help? The storms might break up the message or cause a problem for the fleet."

"That, too, is a problem we are faced with, Tallonius. If they cannot get here, then I fear that Judge Gallifrey will fall to these scum."

I walked away from him and looked out the apartment's main window. The buildings outside reflecting the starlight as they stretched to the sky. To anyone else, I believe it would have been a beautiful sight, but at that time I could not afford to concentrate on beauty.

"Those bloody fools," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Don't they realize that once they murder Gallifrey they'll be hunted down and destroyed by the Imperial forces?"

Denvus walked up behind me and put his hand on shoulder. "I'm sure they do. But you've seen how some of these criminals think. They believe they can take on the might of the Imperium and come out on top."

"But in the end, we'll still destroy them just line any other pest."

Denvus let his hand fall from my shoulder and stepped forward to stand by my side. "You sound regretful. Is it because you know that by destroying the entire organization we will destroy the one you befriended, the young man Kar-something."

"Karvill," I said. I looked over at him and could see his concern. "He's just so young and eager to prove himself, but he's doing it the wrong way. I'm certain that if I could talk to him I could convince him to join the Imperium. Maybe the Guard, maybe the Administratum, or maybe even as an Inquisitor, though that would take some time and training."

"You're afraid you can't save him."

"Yes. It almost feels like I'm betraying his trust in me."

"Nonsense," Denvus snapped. "You didn't make his life's decisions. Don't tear yourself apart worrying over his mistakes."

"I should just let him be swept up in this mess?" I asked.

"If you can help him, do so. But remember, no matter how much your emotions help you they should not be allowed to get in the way of your work. Mandius taught you that. Your father would want you to remember such a valuable lesson."

"My father? I never knew the man. You speak to me so often of him and what he'd expect me to do, yet where is he when I need him?"

Denvus stabbed at my chest with his finger. "Right here, Tal, in your heart. Remember that."

I looked down, feeling somewhat ashamed.

Denvus looked at me and saw that his point had gotten across. "If you'll excuse me," he said, "I have to go send a message to Mandius." With that he turned and walked to the other room, where specially prepared items had been set up to help him meditate and project his messages.