Looking for Work

[Hey guys! I'm alive! I know I've been gone for a long time, and I'm not sure if anybody really noticed... I guess I just kind of ran out of things to do with Dreston. As for the reporter thing, Eris-Tam sent me a PM saying that she didn't really want to continue that story anymore, in case anyone's wondering why I haven't responded on that one. But now... it's time to get Bane all up in this plot. (:< ]

On the bridge of the Voyager, a tall, dark figure stood, leaning against a back wall, in shadow. His long arms were delicately crossed and he was utterly silent, his golden eyes brushing across the room, observing and waiting. His white trenchcoat was shadowed to the point where it looked grey, and his scales only barely caught the light. There was a slight smirk on his face as the kazesqui girl left the bridge, and once she was gone Bane's eyes focused on Verax.

He was not worried about his reception with Verax; Bane wasn't exactly unknown. In addition to that he had brought with him only himself- no weapons. He didn't need them, but it would probably bring someone on board the godforsaken ship some comfort.

So as the child was escorted out and as the bridge was only slightly repopulated by Verax's soldiers, Bane cleared his throat quietly.

"Oh, you're still here then? There is this thing called, knocking, I tend to like it when someone lets themselves known, but in your line of work, that'd be called, suicide, occassionally, would it not?" Verax spat as the Cataclsym Command reentered. They all turned in shock and surprise, Verax simply stood. "I suppose we need no introduction." He slowly walked towards the lizardy-man.

"Taibanenthris Enarburashmos, "Bane". You understand why I'm not too overjoyed to have you on my ship, no? But I suppose you also know that I have no reason to harm you, yet. Tell me, what does one of the most infamous mercenaries wants with me? Please. I'm dying to know." Verax was about fed up with today, he lost millions of soldiers, he had to deal with an insecure child of a race he knew almost nothing about, and now he had Bane, and Verax might or might not have just stereotyped him wrong. That might or might not make his day even more exhausting. But, alas, that is the point of being punished, nothing's supposed to be easy.

Bane narrowed his eyes.

"Then I see that you know little of the work I actually do. You assume I am a mercenary. Not so." He lifted himself from the shadows, slipping around Verax with much agility, his white coat fluttering loosely in sharp contrast to his dark body. There was a darkness to every motion Bane made, and he did not walk- he slunk. He stalked and slipped and danced. As he moved around the bridge from person to person, he seemed like a dark shadow that would disappear if you weren't looking at him.

As he turned back to Verax, he switched to walking on all fours and approached the large man with a nonchalant smirk that seemed to be his only expression. "Why do you think I am here, my Dreadlord Verax? Or should I call you Dreadlord Erav...?" There was a glimmer of cold cruelty in Bane's eyes. "It's only fair that we should both be exposed... a name for a name."

(I assume you read all the stuff that we did since you've been gone, if you haven't I can explain Shade to you later. If you're expecting a welcome back, you're not getting it. By the way, welcome back! )
"Lavernius Erav...." Verax began with barely contained rage. Shade was beating at the bars of his cage, smelling the chance for freedom. "Died. He died... very.... very long ago. But...." Verax swallowed and smiled.

"You're correct, it is only fair that we should both be exposed. You are correct in that I know little of what you do. I have slightly more pressing matters than trying to learn about all the people I might meet. I'll ask you once more, you've got a shadowy reputation, Bane. Why come to me, and why now?" Verax smile widened, the possible uses for Bane that he could see were just growing and growing.

Bane sighed in mock exasperation, moving back up to a two-footed standing pose. "Well, ruin then fun then, why don't you?" But he was still smirking, and started to very slowly circle Verax.

"I have come to you... in search of work. You should feel honored, honestly..." It was a joke, but not completely untrue. "You have my respect, to a certain degree. And work is desirable to me at the moment. Are you aware of the terms of my service? Well... I have never worked in your employ, so I would assume that you do not."

Bane completed a full circle around Verax and then stopped directly in front of him. "I do not kill. That is the one thing which I refuse to do. Any other task that you should ask of me will be completed at maximum efficiency and without question. Should I die in your employ or fail in my tasks, then there is no loss to you. But I'm sure you won't have to worry about that." The smirk had never disappeared, and it certainly didn't now. "Interested?" There was almost a scandalous note in Bane's voice, and the amused glint in his eyes was obvious.

"Yes. And in return you want.....? But before that, where....." Verax's voice boomed, sending Bane's coat rippling. "Did you learn. Erav's name?" Verax was simply qeustioning, his voice was loud, but not threatening. "Please, do answer those two, and you may begin work immediately."

Bane grinned. "As for the first question... I haven't decided yet." He smirked coyly, and this was not just an exception for Verax. This was what he always told his clients. He was valuable and he was completely aware of it, which meant that he could play the game in the way he did. And sometimes it did end up a good thing for his employer. If he ended up wanting nothing from them, then they came out on top; sometimes the job itself was pay enough for Bane. But sometimes he could come to great gain by using this policy.

"As for the second question... I'm afraid that I would be violating the terms that my informants have established if I were to answer. Let's just say... you don't have to worry about more people knowing your true name. I swear it." Bane cared for the person who had told him this tidbit, and he would never risk giving their identity to someone who couldn't be trusted with it.

"Very well. You're hired. So long as you don't demand designs on the Voyager or Cataclysm or the ships themselves, you will most likely be rewarded. Your first task is as follows, and it is very very simple, I can assure you. I need to know what the Dimensional Leaders are up to. All of them. I want to know the most recent tech they're improving themeselves with, I want to know what they're making of my recent expansion, I need to know where they're weak so when I get there where to strike. Fleet formations, battle plans, aside from whatever they're doing, the only thing you must come back with is people or things that will taking them over easier, ways to comabt whatever they're planning."

A ghostly smile slipped onto Bane's face, and he nodded, silent, and retreated back into the shadows and disappearing off the bridge. He left behind only two quiet words, which echoed just slightly in the room.

"I understand."

And he was gone.

A few hours later, Verax received a short message from Bane that stated simply, "This may take some time to complete. If you require the most detailed information I can provide, then I assure you I will take the time to do it right."

"Take all the time you need. Though mine is short, time is something we must spend." Verax responded. It did not matter how much time he used with this, it would mean he'd have to spend less time combating his enemies and more time winning.