[@TheMadAsshatter][@brokndremes]

[u]Bertram Connelly[/u]

Connelly sensed the young man's demeanor changing within seconds of entering the room. The way he carried himself, moved, and intently listened to Connelly's offer. There was something in his face, in his eyes, especially when it shifted to the criteria for the last 500 Cells. A sort of restlessness, perhaps a hint of subtle consternation, something like an interior groan. Bertram was never good at reading people right off the bat, and even in his slowly advancing years it still took him quite a bit of time, but he understood when certain things just didn't appeal, no matter how much energy you put behind it. When Connelly finished, Nova gave his name- definitely a name that Connelly had heard before in some aspect, and then made his case quite known. He was not to be dragged into the messy dispute between the two Sectors. Connelly figured as much. It was worth a shot, though. If he tried to push for it any further he may lose the only active specialist of Nova's caliber that the Sector wasn't needing to keep close.
[b]
"Well,"[/b] Connelly said, extending his hand and shaking Nova's, [b]"It was worth a try in any case. Yes, it's a fair deal. I can more than understand that. I mean, look how well Sectors have turned out for us currently-"[/b] Connelly ceased that line of thinking, the casual wit that he used to make everyone feel like some kind of old friend. It was good to make allies, but he didn't want to elaborate his thoughts on Sectors. He saw one of the kindest Sectors he had ever done work for, a place so benign he decided to stay there, become a slave- and experiment-driven empire. Now the Sector he fled to that he thought was better was being dragged into a deadly war. And he'd rarely seen any other Sectors as benevolent as the two had been. [b]"- and in any case I trust your judgment. I wont ask for you to play any part in the conflict. Just get as much as you can back here and you'll be paid the full 3,000 Cells. I just need to figure out who I can send with-"[/b]

As Connelly was finishing that sentence, he heard the old but functional phone in the hallway outside his office blare to life. Jones, who had until this time been keeping guard a few paces out of the office, moved and picked up the phone. Bertram glanced at Nova, keeping his face apologetic. Connelly's mind was focused on two things at once. The phone only rings when a person who requires clearance and isn't connected to one of the Council's personal divisions comes in. Which means that there's a second visitor coming up to see one of the Councilmen, and he was curious as to who it could be. On the other hand, he was also trying to figure out who to send out. None of the Retrievers have called back in yet, they were still dealing with a slew of Caches on the southern end outside the Sector, and all Hunters, soldiers, and security personnel had to stay accounted for. It was getting dangerously close to wartime, and he couldn't deploy the handfuls of combatants the Sector had currently, it was like asking to become easy pickings. In any case, to keep up the ruse, he needed someone who would go fairly unnoticed, or who Sector Three might think was doing something other than Retrieval duty. Possibly a messenger? Perhaps a medic. More than likely it would be a medic, as sending anyone out singlehandedly to open and retrieve a cache as large as this was almost like sending someone out to die, no matter how strong they were. But with a medic, or a doctor, probably the odds could turn, and even encountering Sector Three grunts wouldn't necessarily spell out the end there. But who?

Jones poked his head through the door, [b]"A Miss Tajia Willow here to speak with you about the Cache."[/b] Bertram inhaled sharply, perplexed at how fortune like that can just come about by happenstance.

[b]"Tell the receptionist she can come up, I'll speak with her shortly. She'll have to wait outside the hall, I haven't quite yet finished my deal with Mr. Viridian here."[/b] Jones nodded assent, then kept the door open behind him. Bertram leaned farther back in his chair, having sat back down after the handshake. He looked directly into Nova's eyes as he spoke. [b]"Well, I believe we may be in luck and have found the person you will be, well, [i]'guiding'[/i] rather quickly. Now is there anything you would like to ask me about the assignment?"[/b]