Grunt nodded and began the report. It was very much in the flavor of when he filed after action reports, if a bit heavier on subjective impressions. Explosives and bullets were straight forward, several Chosen and a Fae existing in multiple worlds at once were not. Still, he tries to avoid particular embellishment.

It is, in short, rather dry despite how well lubricated he is towards the end.

"And then I was back negotiating for my release from the restraints," he wrapped up eventually.

"I'm cautious.  On one hand, I'm happy one of the Big Three is wasting her time 'paring down' the inconsequential world-lines.  They're basically discarded strands of the Loom of Fate, essentially junk, the loss of which doesn't burden us down at all.  On the other hand, Agent Orange is likely learning all sorts of interesting things about us, and we have little way to stop it.  The letters they've sent us practically glory in that.

To make matters worse, no offense, but I don't think you're up for the challenge of dealing with your opponents as you are.  If you want, I can have Serenity take a look at it.  The only way you can be doing this is if you have a particularly powerful patron, and I have an idea about whom.  If it can be granted, perhaps it can be taken away."

"Or it's just another one of those things breaking down. No reason the metaphysical should be entirely exempt," Grunt agreed before raising an eyebrow, "A secret patron? Seems a bit whimsical in approach if that's true."

He rested spread his hands with a wide shrug.

"On the one hand, I am absolutely not up to a fight on those terms. On the other, we need information and the point of a minor piece is that it can be readily risked."

"Yes, it can, but the question is how much can you learn when they're already aware of you."  She says, taking a sip of her glowing green drink.  "And yes.  A patron.  I don't think they're even fully aware of the nature of power.  The Neverborn certainly are but since they're so confused, I think the Neverborn are keeping secrets from their own pawns."

"They are far too loquacious to warrant subtle spying," Grunt told her, "And they're all mad. So, who decided to drag my humble hide into this?"

"Well, for lack of a better term, the Unconquered Sun."  She says, "In a fashion.  Or rather, one of his inheritors.  The Golden Lord or Ahlat, or several of the thousands of his godlings."  She twitches her mouth, "All also mostly dead, might I add."

"Never liked that term. Mostly dead means still alive, it seems an important distinction," Grunt told her before he groaned, "So, it's back to the old argument about Ahlat again. I suppose things had been too quiet on that front lately."

The second bottle was finished, and so was he. Any more and, well, best to know one's limits.

"So, how does one proceed with such a patron?"

""Yes, that old argument.  Mostly dead is being used in two meanings:  the vast majority of the Sun's heirs are dead.  And the strongest ones are 'mostly dead' as in 'still alive'.  Ahlat is possibly one of them." 

She taps her fingers on the table, "First you have to find out who it is, but your ties to the Ilmorijo are a solid step in that direction.  I'll confess I thought if Ahlat was reaching out with what was left of his power he'd have found a Solar."

"He's never been particularly associated with my ilk," Grunt agreed, "But, then again, very few have. The idea is a bit schismatic among my fellows. One reason I don't drink with them the way I used to."

He shook his head for a moment.

"So, do we bother the commander at this hour? I don't think she actually even pretends to sleep any more."

"It's a bit schismatic for just about anyone.  But with Gaia dead, your Dragon-Blooded are without representatives just like the rest."  She blinks a few times, "Come to think of it, it's entirely possible we might see some abnormal behavior from you and your kind in the time to come..."  She puts down her drink, "... Sunipa may not be the best to talk to at the moment.  She's under review."

"Not many other spirits who take my calls," Grunt told her, "But we're playing your game. We did see a few of my relatives going felt maker mad recently as I recall."

"No, we're playing someone else's game and trying to catch up.  Almost all of the old Celestial bureaucracy is under investigation, Core's orders, and we're not even sure of the whole picture.  Core is holding his cards close." She says, "Extrapolate on that bit.  Who's been chugging the mercury?"

"The isolated. That cult on the base," Grunt trailed off, "Some of the little souvenirs are outright disturbing and that's no small estimate from me. I think we're all mad some times, but madmen keep each other in line. The problem is when a madboy gets a little too free."

"Ah, I barely thought they even counted."  She says with a pair of blinks, "That's just human nature.  Someone might say that they're acting rather rationally.  They're powerful and the Neverborn would never kill them, they'd keep them to the very end of the line until victory was assured.  So, to them, they might very well have a longer life expectancy than any of us.  Though the religion bit, hmm."

"If it's all meaningless and you know you can't win, just eat a bullet. The theater of such nihilism is more depressing than the philosophy," Grunt replied, "And, honestly. You don't rat out comrades to officers."

"Usually it's not necessary.  Most people rat themselves out, one way or another." The way that Juno looks at him is slightly unsettling- weighing him, measuring him, going through hundreds of hours of camera footage about him... "Regardless I see the Dragon Blooded increasing to prominence.  And we have to assume that the Neverborn have instituted a breeding program of their own.  As a matter of fact I'd like you to confirm it."

"I think you need to elaborate your thoughts a bit. Remember, my field craft is infiltration, not intrigue or stealth. Nidhi has a better idea what they're up to than me one hopes," Grunt told her, "And don't ask me to give up all token gestures. At times they're all that keep us sane."

He leaned back.

"This is going to turn into me get certified for a lot of skills and toys I've been avoiding, isn't it?"

"Infiltration IS intrigue, it IS stealth, if done correctly.  Nidhi has some idea of what's going on but she's more than half the time clinically insane, and ultimately she is not disposable- as you're so fond of saying.  So yes, what you're saying is true.  Your goal is going to be to get information on the Dead from themselves, without risking the main timeline.  In short I need you to get in there as unnoticed as possible, get the information we need from the Dead, and get back.  Abduct, interrogate, the like."  She finishes her drink.  "And bug out if targeted by the Big Three.  Think more commando, less James Bond."

"James who?" Grunt asked before he shook his head, "Just saying, I'm more shaped charge than lockpick by inclination. Where do we start?"

"Yes. Commandos are the shaped charge.  Bond is the lockpick type."  She shakes her head, "Forgot you're all kids... sometime I need to send you some of the old videos.  You're not spying.  You're snatching, grabbing, interrogating, escaping.  Shaped charge it is.

But in order for that to work you're going to need more firepower.  I don't think we can train you to the point that you can throw down with an enemy Exalt, but the right Imperators or Immaculates, absolutely.  So that means we head technological."

"I'm not the most popular person with some of the titans of tech. In as much as a den of bears has opinions on a rather irritating cat," Grunt told her, "But understood."

"When you cross over, do you possess anything on you?  Knives, guns, clothing?"  Juno asks the Terrestrial, "If so, it's possible there's some sort of arcane tie we can exploit.  'Guns, lots of guns', for instance, or perhaps a nuclear device."

"Whatever I have on me. During a combat mission that's fine. When I was visiting Haven, not so much," Grunt answered.

"I see.  So the option is to keep you armed at all times."  Juno says, "And I think you'd best start to make your way to the Martial Library in the near future.  Training, training.  Is there anything that Command can do for you in the meantime?"

"Pain producing devices. It's one of the triggers that can snap me back," Grunt told her, "And I suppose I need to study how the two of them operate. Wish we could risk me taking a set of encryption keys with me, pull down as much data as time allowed."