Shalidar

She opened her eyes and found herself in unfamiliar, darkened surroundings, certainly a Councilor's apartment but not General Darr's lavish quarters. The combination of drinks in her body so dulled her senses that she didn't notice anything wrong at first. A desk monitor cast a blue glow against the wall across the room, and Corey carefully picked her way toward the terminal screen in the dimness.

"Where're th' lights!" She groped along the desk, looking for the controls. When her fingers touched the switch panel, the desk lamp blasted in her face.

"Gaw!" she exclaimed, pushing the lamp's flexible neck so that it cast its glow away from her sensitive eyes. Her body felt heavy - at first, she thought, as a result of the liquor she'd consumed. However, looking down at herself, she noted the once shimmering links of her gown now appeared dark and dull. Moreover, where her midriff had been bare all evening, now chain mail completely covered her abdomen.

"What in Seth's name - "Corey grasped the fabric - and recognized her Titanite mail deflection vest! She dropped the armor to look at herself. Her exquisite gown had mystically transformed itself into deck clothes, and her pistol belt hugged low about her hips.

Corey took a step and stumbled over a soft object on the floor. She went down with a grunt and her face struck a carpet littered with dark bits and pieces. Then, the stench of charred meat slammed into her nostrils.

"Ahh!" she cried, scrambling clumsily to her feet. The light's glare illuminated the floor with stark clarity. She stared down, fighting the urge to disgorge the last of Darr's very expensive Ovinian liquor.

There, amid a scatter of fragments, lay Grand Consul Bakir Rashid - eyes glassy and staring up at her!

Corey grabbed the edge of the desk to steady herself as she observed the Necronite sprawled behind it; his body had been thrown backwards against the wall with considerable force and a huge smoking cavity gaped in it where his heart was once beating. The desk and monitor lay littered with bits of his charred flesh - and as the Orcan's eyes wandered about, they caught the gleam of a chrome silver Magnus Nine HEP pistol lying scarcely a meter away from her feet, right by the side of the desk.

"Holy frass!" She reached for her weapon to check if had been fired, but before she could pick it up a piercing note from the door chime went off like a bomb in her throbbing skull. She cringed, clapping her hands over her ears. A second chime sliced through her brain, causing her to drop to the floor in agony as muffled voices spoke urgently outside the apartment's outer door.

Before Corey could recover, the portal flashed open. Bodies poured in from the lighted corridor beyond, and in an instant the room erupted with blinding, penetrating radiance. The Orcan clapped a hand to her eyes to block the painful glare and struggled to her feet.

"Stay where you are, and don't move!" a harsh voice barked out from somewhere ahead of her. Five security force guards with their pistols drawn pushed their way over to where she stood. Corey froze, teetering on legs almost too weak to support her. The security squad leader observed Rashid's body, obviously beyond medical aid, and then concentrated his attention on the Orcan standing over it. He spotted the weapon on the floor ahead of him, then the girl's empty holster. With three quick steps, he caught Corey in a tight grip, spun her against the desk and quickly slapped wrist restraints on her.

"Come with us. You're under arrest," the guard informed her. "You have the right to legal consul before making any statements," he explained, adding, "and I'd suggest you get a damn good one, Captain - 'cause you're gonna need it!"

Corey was led from the room, bound by the wrists and with five pistols pointed at her back.