Desidruis looked up from his panel at the new arrival. He instantly sized him up... rank, strengths, potential weaknesses, affiliations... He also memorized his facial features, should he need to remember some time in the future.
All of this took about a second, before he spoke.
"What is it corporal?"
To words in themselves were not kind, but his tone of voice was. Desidruis was a master of appearances, and often practiced on those of lower rank. Much to his own amusement, the lower orders had begun nicknaming him interesting things, when they thought he could not hear them.
The corporal looked shaken, but summoned up his courage and gave a two fingered salute.
"Sirrah, we have reports of more pirate raiders from the 7th Dimension, sah! It appears to be the Captain Wesley."
Desidruis looked back at his panel, then at the corporal, then at the stack of info-holos the corporal was carrying. He spoke in surprise.
"Well, Corporal, I assume those are for me and not for your own enjoyment?" he said, gesturing broadly at the corporal's load.
"Er... uh..." The unfortunate corporal stuttered, "Yes. They are. They are sah!" The man set the holos on Desidruis' desk, saluted again, and retreated hurriedly back into the corridor.
Desidruis laughed, but only softly. He had a much bigger issue now. The damnable pirates had been the biggest thorn in the side of the New Colalition since its very foudning moments... but the coalition lacked the man power to destory them.
Normally, the proximity of the Alteriians would keep every pirate on this side of the universe from daring to establish a presence in the 7th dimension...
But it would appear that most of the Alteriian fleets and vessels were deployed elsewhere, outside of their usual range.
The Coalition was seriously threatened by this... Captain Wesley.
Desidruis decided he would need Alterian help anyway. Normally he discouraged permanent relations with other governments, as too many of his own people had been rejected, forgotten, or abandoned by their own... but the Alteriians were a very honorable people. He had never known them to fall short on a deal...
Desidruis packed his personal equipment, and called in his own retinue. He sent out a short message to his close comrades.
"Alright men. Time to go code...blue."
Desidruis chuckled to himself, letting him his men wonder over the intent of his message.