An especially large lupine guard walks along the dimly-lit corridors of Rephidim Temple, heading back from a miscellaneous errand for the mess hall to try to fill his considerable belly with what passes for food.

Esther pokes her head out from a dark room. "Nebo!" she says in a low voice.

The big less-than-intellectual-looking wolf stops, looking about. "Huh?"

"Come in here!" Esther hisses.

Nebo turns, sniffing. "Oh. Okay." He turns, heading into the room. "Why?"

"I need to explain something to you, and I need your help," Esther says. Then, to a shadow in the room, she says, "Shut the door before you turn the light on."

The shadow closes the door. There's a pause, and then a snap and a flicker, as a lantern lights, filling the room with a soft glow.

Nebo blinks, his eyes adjusting as he looks at the other wolves in the room. He notices the "shadow". "Lieutenant Shimei? Why are you hiding?"

Shimei says, "Listen to our friend. She has something important to tell you."

Esther says, "Keep your voice down. Yesterday I did not get a chance to tell you something. I am Inquisitrix Esther."

Nebo blinks, squinting more, then rubbing his eyes. Then, he sticks a finger in one ear, rubbing vigorously. "Huh?" He sniff sniffs at Esther. "But you're dead."

Esther says, "I escaped from the Wayfarer's Song before it was destroyed by sabotage."

Nebo pauses, pondering that. "That's nice." He frowns. "But Namo didn't, huh?"

Esther says, "Namo helped me escape, but he did not survive… here, I guess I'll just tell you the whole story."

The Inquisitrix proceeds to give an account of her return from the City of Hands, on the doomed Wayfarer's Dream, supposedly carrying a number of artifacts for study. She tells of how she discovered that some crystal hands supposedly stored in the hold had been replaced by packed explosives, the crates around filled with "artifacts" that would work nicely as shrapnel … and then being attacked by the saboteur, a fox who had secured the last parasail for himself.

Nebo's mouth gapes as he hears of the last moments of his brother's life – and those of his comrades, Garrel and Remuel – before they sent the Inquisitrix off the ship … to avenge them and track down those responsible.

Nebo whines. "'You know too much'. What does that mean, huh?"

Esther says, "There's a lot of things I found out in the City of Hands that makes me dangerous to some people. I believe that Caesar Moffat is involved."

Nebo frowns. "That's not good." He blinks several times. The gears turn very slowly.

Esther says, "But we'll never know the truth unless I can get to Moffat to interrogate him."

Nebo blinks again, then says, "You mean Moffat had my brother killed?"

Esther says, "That's what I think. And Garrel, and Remuel, and almost me."

Nebo nods. "I'm going to chew his head off." He says that very matter-of-factly, but in a way that suggests it's not just a figure of speech.

Esther says, "I need your help in getting to him. You have to do as I say or he will escape."

Nebo blinks. "You need my help? What do I do?" His expression is remarkably plain, considering the topic at hand … but there's something faintly feral about the look in his eyes.

Esther says, "The first thing you have to do is lead us to him."

Nebo grunts. "That's easy. He sent me away again. He's in his personal quarters. He won't want visitors."

"He can't hide from us there," Esther growls. "He has too much to answer for. Lieutenant… you know what to do. Nebo, let's go pay him a visit."

Lieutenant Shimei nods, and heads out of the room. Nebo turns, leading Esther down the hall the other way …

…

*tinkle* A dirty-eyed poodle curses and mutters to himself as he drops a glass full of wine at the unexpected sound at the door. "I SAID, I do NOT want company!" He turns toward the lady poodle reclining on his couch, saying, "My apologies, madame. I will send them away."

Moffat gets no reaction from his "guest", but nonetheless goes to the door. "Go away," he says, leaning over to speak into the grill beside the door.

Esther prods Nebo. She hisses very quietly, "It's an emergency."

Nebo leans over, barking, "It's an emergency, Inquisitor."

Esther braces herself, as if to say 'On your mark… '

"Emergency? Emergency? I think not. Go away." His nose is still down by the grill.

Nebo turns toward Esther with a questioning look. He holds his fist next to his side of the grill.

Esther nods!

*CRUNCH* The huge wolf's fist smashes through the grilled opening beside the door … and meets with the nose of the poodle. "YELP!"

"It's an emergency," Nebo growls. "Release the door."

Shocked, the poodle fumbles with the door latch and gets it open.

Esther leaps into the room, quickly surveying the scene.

Moffat's "guest" finally reacts, shrieking. It's Jene Rika … young wife of the Quartermaster Supreme.

Esther shouts, "Get the door!" and drives toward Moffat, to pin him to the wall.

Nebo takes a bit of maneuvering to work his arm back through the grill without letting Moffat free, but manages to get around and close the door, now that Esther has the Inquisitor taken care of. "Stop screaming," he says to the Quartermaster's wife.

"Nobody can hear you anyway," the big wolf says with a glower. The poodle stops screaming.

Moffat struggles, but he's no match against the Inquisitrix. "Let go! You'll PAY for this!"

Esther pulls a large bundled rag out of her pocket, jams a knotted section into Moffat's open mouth, and then shoves him against the wall on his stomach. She begins tightly tying the gag behind his head.

Moffat's eyes go wide! He wriggles about, but his pathetic attempts do no good. He is, after all, just a poodle.

Esther pulls Moffat from his standing position on the wall, and unceremoniously dumps him on the floor. She kneels on his back and begins tying his hands up with a piece of rope pulled from her pouch. Esther looks up at the lady poodle. "Madam, I know your husband. If you don't want him to know what you did here tonight, you'd best forget about us. Understand?"

The lady poodle grabs at her cloak, throwing it on. "Of … of course. Ahem. I was … never here at all … right? And … I needn't be here now… "

"Absolutely." She glances to Nebo. "Let her go."

Nebo reluctantly lets the door open long enough for the poodle to dash out into the hall. In the hall can be seen a few more lupine guards who "can't hear" the commotion going on inside. And then, the door closes again.

"All right then, Arch Inquisitor Majoris!" Esther says with an almost merry voice. "It's time for a vacation!" She hoists him up to his feet.

…

The Elite Guard and larger Regular take off, heading down the corridors, Inquisitor in tow … while guards along the way find excuses to divert traffic this way and the other, never happening to notice the small procession heading past. At last, they head out through one of the lesser-used exits (while the guards are shamefully distracted), to a waiting carriage.

Nebo clambers up with the driver, while Esther and her "guest" enter to find themselves joined by Lieutenant Shimei and two armored felines. A guard outside closes the door to the carriage and sends it away … rolling away from the Temple and toward the edge of the city, in the general direction of the mountain.

Esther whews! "Thank you for your fine work, Lieutenant. And I bid you welcome, ladies."

Two masked faces bow in response to Esther. Even though the Magenta Lancer with the Champion is probably not bound by a vow of silence, she doesn't appear to be much in the mood for talk as the carriage bounces along the increasingly poorly-maintained road winding out of the city.

Esther bustles around the inside of the carriage a bit, pulling her Elite Guard uniform off, revealing her original uniform… the green-and-yellow tabard of an Inquisitrix.

The poodle's eyes bug out. He murphles something, but it's negated by the gag.

Esther looks Moffat full in the face, her head no longer covered by her hooded cloak. She says quietly, with a toothy grin, "Surprise!"

Moffat shakes about violently, trying to get free.

The wagon rolls along, bearing its passengers to Golgotha … the stone fortress shaped such that it resembles a human skull breaking forth from the base of the mountain opposite the side facing the City. The gates open for them, letting the carriage through without stopping.

A short ride later, the Inquisitrix is shown to the interior of the Skull itself, rather than the outlying Sanctuaries. Inside, rather than being a place of darkness, it is alive with fire, although long and flickering shadows are cast everywhere. In the center of the great hall is a fire pit of considerable size, burning with some sort of chemical "flame" which lets off far much more light and sound than actual heat … though there's no doubting that the glowing pool is not to be touched.

The interior of the great chamber is criss-crossed with stone walkways that traverse the firepit several times, as if daring anyone to cross them and risk falling off the rail-less sides. Numerous platforms overlook the chamber as well, intermixed with ancient, presumably nonfunctional machinery and structures of unknown original purpose.

Here and there, circular stained glass windows are cut into the rock, of greatly varying sizes, and opening not to the outside sky, but rather to recessed alcoves which contain flickering flames of their own, back-lighting the symbols of all the different Aspects known to the Temple and added over the centuries, whether presently in service or retired.

Right in front of the window that bears a stylized rose and thorns, the Inquisitrix stands, while her former superior is bound to a chair, struggling against his bonds, his eyes full of accusations and threats.

"I thought this would be absolutely the most appropriate place for us to chat, once I had a look around. Don't you agree, Caesar?" She looks over at the mumbling poodle. "Oh. Right." She walks behind him and carefully unties his gag, letting it fall free of his mouth.

The poodle sputters, the first words out of his mouth being a stream of obscenities. Then, he looks at Esther, saying, "Impossible. But no matter. You can stop playing this little game now."

Esther says, "Ha! Spare me. Aren't you the least bit curious to know how I escaped? I'm VERY curious why you set it up in the first place."

"Ha! You could never fathom the depth of my intricate schemes, simple minded Jupani! I have spent YEARS putting together an elaborate network. And I won't let you ruin it," the poodle yips, his eyes wide, his expression hinting at a sanity leaning just a little over the edge, under the weight of his ego.

Esther leans a little closer. "Oh really?" She apes innocence. "Try to explain to this poor, silly Jupani about the Wayfarer's Song."

The poodle's eyes narrow. "You can't threaten me. If anything happens to me, I will make sure that I take everyone with me. My network. You've played your part in it. When I sent you on those seemingly meaningless errands to give nonsense messages to nobodies. I have people out there who don't even know who they're working for. Once they get the right message, they take a little packet and deliver it here, or play a ditty on the right street corner … or order the right drink at the right bar… "

Esther hmms, nodding sagely. "So, I know too much, is that it?"

The poodle giggles. "Oh, yes. I'm terribly sorry. You WERE so useful. But you were just in such a wrong place at the wrong time. I'm about to become the Inquisitor Supreme. It's time to cut some loose ends and consolidate my power. Surely you can understand that. And, it was such a pity, all those artifacts being consigned for mere STUDY. Titus was willing to pay quite a lot when all those crystal hands JUST like the ones on the expedition happened to turn up for sale… "

"Funny!" cries Esther, in a voice that doesn't sound funny at all. "That's what that assassin said to me. 'You know too much.' That was right before I threw him off the airship." She grins toothily again. "Oh, how he sang on the way down."

Esther says, "On the other hand, Garrel, Remuel and Namo didn't say anything. They remained quite courageous through the whole thing. But they died too. My friends died because of you. Get the picture, curly-fur?"

The poodle's smile vanishes. "D-don't get any … i … ideas. I have it all set up. There are plenty who want me dead. But they don't dare. They know what will happen. When I go, everybody goes with me."

Esther smiles. "Who's 'everybody'?"

The poodle's eyes dance. "Oh, you'd be amazed. But I don't think your career opportunities in the Temple will be enhanced by having my blood on your hands … nor by the whole Temple crashing about your ears!" He lets out a choked laugh at this.

Esther waves a hand in front of her face. "But I'm not going to kill you, Caesar!"

The poodle lets out a breath. "Well … well … It's good to see that you have some sense. Now then … We could talk about what opportunities you COULD have if we could put this little misunderstanding behind us. After all, I'm moving up in the world … and that will leave certain vacancies. I don't think Vindicta is ready for an administrative role just yet… "

"No, no. What happened, you see, is that I was working undercover on a special assignment. My death aboard that airship was faked. Really, I've been investigating you."

Moffat blinks. "Wh … what?"

Esther says, "And just as I was about to make my arrest and bring you up on charges, what do you know! you escape. We'll have to round up the Guard and post a bounty… the whole of Rephidim will be searching for you! But it's too late – you're nowhere to be found."

The poodle gasps. "What … how … How absurd! Are you suggesting that you could somehow … get … the … Guard … to … … conspire?" He blinks. "They can't do that. They're LOYAL to the Temple!"

"Yes! They are very loyal to the Temple!" shouts Esther, her voice echoing in the Skull. "It is YOU who are the traitor!"

The poodle's ears flatten back. "No! No … NO! I … YOU FOOL! You're only going to destroy yourself!"

Esther steps up to Caesar angrily. "You are boring me." She belts him across the muzzle. "Now start naming names! YOU WILL TELL ME!"

The poodle snarls, trying to snap at Esther's hands. "Never! NEVER! You can't TOUCH ME! I have FRIENDS! I PAID FOR THEM! You FOOL! I'm INVINCIBLE!"

Esther pulls her dagger without a word.

Esther hisses, "Invincible, eh?"

Esther slashes neatly into Caesar's leg, above the ropes, drawing a neat red line.

The poodle shrieks, letting out a long stream of curses, obscene claims of what he's going to do to Esther when his "friends" take care of this.

Esther sighs. "Hm. Not invincible." She smiles. "There's more where that came from, you know. I think you'd better talk."

Moffat giggles, drool running from the corner of his mouth. "Talk? What of? Shall I name all who will taste my wrath? I will have my immortality, I assure you!"

Esther says, "You have a notoriously bad memory, Moffat. I believe I asked you to name the names of all your co-conspirators. You can start with the major ones first. Then we'll send the Guard round to pick them all up."

The poodle giggles. "Oh … well … I'm sorry, but there just aren't enough cells in the Hospitality Suites for THAT."

Esther says dully, "Try me." Then she slashes the other leg, drawing another thin red line.

The poodle screams, and starts shouting out a long stream of names. Some of them sound vaguely like nobility, a few faintly familiar in some parts of the Temple, but most of them, for all Esther can tell, complete nobodies … or else maybe the poodle is just better connected than she is.

Esther makes careful mental note of as many names as she can. "That's a good boy, Caesar! We're making progress."

The poodle keeps spewing forth the names, some of them lost in a frenzied slur, but every once in a while something rings familiar. If he's to be trusted, this WILL take some weeding out.

At last, the poodle's stream of names devolves into choking, sputtering gasps, which in term break into more giggling as his body shakes against his bindings. He tries to spit out some sort of threat at Esther, but he's lost his voice, it seems. At this, he smiles mirthlessly all the more.

Esther nods. "I must say that you have a lot of friends. I'm impressed. Really." She paces. "But I notice they're not here now."

The poodle's shoulders heave, and his smile melts, as his eyes follow Esther's every movement.

Esther says, "I would like to show you something I brought with me."

The poodle chokes on a word, staring holes in Esther.

Esther goes into her large backpack, which rests on the floor in the shadows. Out of it she pulls a long, ornate chitin sword. Its wrappings fall to the ground as she lifts it gently.

The poodle regards the sword, then looks to Esther with uncomprehending eyes.

"Do you recognize this?" Esther asks. "I'm sure you know it's one of the several standard-issue swords given to the Guard. The significance of this particular one is that Garrel gave it to me, oh, twenty seconds before he died. I used it to hack my way through the Savan."

The poodle just watches, his chest heaving, his eyes daring to fill with hatred again.

Esther feels the edge carefully with her fingers. "Despite all that, it's kept a pretty good edge. And I've been honing it in my spare time, so now it's right back to razor-sharpness."

Esther says, "I swore before I leaped from that doomed ship that I would avenge my friends. Even now they watch over us, from high in the Procession, waiting for me to fulfil my pledge. And what luck! Here you are today."

Moffat's gaze follows Esther's fingers along the length of the blade. He blinks … then suddenly starts wriggling more violently against his bonds, his hatred giving way to fear.

Esther growls. "So you see, dear, dear Caesar, all your threats of social ruin fall rather deaf on my ears. I have seen and smelt death in the air and jungles of the Savan. You and your pathetic threats mean nothing to me now."

Esther's muzzle curls into a snarl at a sudden odor. She continues. "But this isn't just about revenge. This is about you defiling the Temple and every part of its Order you have touched. You seek Champions to adorn your bed. You dismiss Inquisitors on pretexts. You murder your own employees for gold. What can you possibly deserve for all this?"

The poodle only squeals and yelps like a dumb animal in response.

Esther lifts her hands, growing very loud, almost raving. "The Star and Anchor watch from Above and Below, and cry out for vengeance of blood! The First Ones hold council and pronounce you guilty! And you show not the slightest remorse, but merely posture, thinking you are strong when you are weakest of all."

The poodle's eyes are mad now, as he begins yapping and yipping at Esther in a high-pitched voice, a facade of "warning" her away masking his unbridled fear. All reason has melted away, and he's nothing but a bundle of mangled instincts.

Esther drops her arms, suddenly seeming weary. "So it is with mercy that I, appointed lone judge over you by Fate, sentence you to a quick death."

The poodle just keeps yapping away, mouth frothing.

Esther strides over to Caesar and pounds him on the head with the flat of the sword. Then she turns the chair over onto its back.

The poodle stops yapping, dazed, looking up at the Inquisitrix from his fallen position.

Esther raises the sword. "Bathe in Darkness." Then she brings the sword whistling down onto his neck.

No more yapping.

The Arch Inquisitor's body quivers, then lies still, a stench filling the air with his passing.

Esther kneels there before the body for some time. It feels, perhaps, like longer than it actually is. Then, at last realizing that it has ended, she lets Garrel's sword, rich with blood, fall from her grasp.

Esther stands up wearily. She severs the ropes binding Caesar's body to the chair with her knife, then methodically drops first his body, then his head, off the ledge.

The poodle – both parts – plummets downward, flipping slowly in space … then bursting into flame moments before falling into the bubbling, glowing pool so far below. The liquid must be heavy, for the poodle doesn't make so much as a splash, and the ripples in the surface last for only a fragment of a second.

Arch Inquisitor Majoris Caesar Moffat is no more.

Esther picks up Garrel's sword and begins descending from the ledge. On the way down, she wraps Garrel's sword up into a bundle of cloth. She hesitates for a moment, thinking about her lost friends, then casts the bloodied blade into the firepit to be consumed. Esther turns, and walks back outside.