[center][h3][color=E3DAC9][b]Kaalia[/b][/color][/h3]
[IMG]http://i62.tinypic.com/21j8tuh.png[/IMG][/center]
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A solemn determination sets into the atmosphere, as Shae and Kaalia pour over a myriad of witness portofolios, complete with verbal transcipts and photographs. A library of evidence has been strewn neatly across the long meeting room table with a large unfurled map of Tarcan.

[color=E3DAC9][b]"According to the reports, the Lost have overrun the outland villages here and here."[/b][/color] Kaalia points to a long stretch of arid grassland, identifying the Tarcan outlands. [color=E3DAC9][b]"Not ten miles east is the Ish Sah Bog."[/b][/color] Her finger moved to hover over a splotch of darkly mixed watercolors on the map along the northen border of Tarcan Sea. [color=E3DAC9][b]"We have less information about this incursion, but Lost have appeared there as well. Witnesses say a large snake-like creature burst out of the ground and devoured a small home--[i]whole[/i]."[/b][/color]

[color=E3DAC9][b]"The most pressing issue is in the suburban province east of the oasis, here."[/b][/color] Again her hand drifted to another point, a matte beige area between the Tarcan sea and a tiny oasis, only made obvious by the map's legend and annotations. In the middle had been drawn a dark red 'X', larger than the others marking the other points Kaalia had drawn attention too. [color=E3DAC9][b]"The Kasmut Territories that make up this land are just populated enough--with herders and res miners from what I understand--for the people to suffer the most severe devastation."[/b][/color] Stony, unflinching eyes focused intently on that spot, brooding over an unsettling possibility. [color=E3DAC9][b]"That Harp bastard was right... in a way. These aren't random incidents. Each attack by the lost has been against the Tarcan supply chain. Each of these areas are crucial to the region's irrigation. I've been to a few these places myself. Aqueducts run from both the oasis and the bog, running purified water to the other cities.[/b][/color]

She paused and cocked her head, regarding the riddle with tireless scrutiny. [color=E3DAC9][b]"This was a coordinated attack, poorly executed, but coordinated nonetheless. My question is how? Lost aren't intelligent enough to plan this."[/b][/color]

A grim expression tugged on the corner of her lips. Kaalia knew this could only spell disaster for Tarcan, if the Lost weren't dealt with quickly. The mystery which it provided, however, troubled her more than any other mission she had taken before. Lost were supposed to be mindless machines, twisted by rage and hunger. The thought of even one of them having the cruel intelligence to starve a nation of its water supply shattered her long-held beliefs on the nature of Lost, what they are capable of and willing to do. Even if the facts had been wrong all this time, or if someone was instigating these attacks, the 'how' and 'why' were immaterial. Tarcanis will be in shambles, if the Lost were left unchecked: those are the facts and Kaalia firmly reassured herself that her fears were impossible and just the result of overactive paranoia.

She turned to Shae with an expectant look. [color=E3DAC9][b]"Well, [i]Captain[/i]?"[/b][/color] Her voice was clear, but the 'captain' sounded hollow and bitter. Emphatic. [color=E3DAC9][b]"There's a lot of ground to cover. How do you want to handle this?"[/b][/color]
 
In ages past, Kaalia might have served as a general, marshaling troops and delivering compelling speeches, a career officer from a bygone era. Offering valuable insight and concerted effort in determining a plan of action, Kaalia's dedication and attention to detail was second to none, except for perhaps... Shae.[/color]