"The Campus", near the city of Glentingham, Province of Adelia, Kingdom of Hutori
Henry Ashhfield was confused to find himself in the office of the Superintendent of the Campus, the Hutorian Security Intelligence Service's training site for paramilitary officers. Technically speaking he was here on assignment; he had been a fully qualified Officer of HSIS' Alternative Options Branch for the past three years and had come back to train a class in advanced interrogation. Ashfield was the apex of a professional intelligence officer; he had extremely unassuming features and a complexion just dark enough that he could easily pass himself off from near anywhere in the world. His father had been an Aldegarian immigrant, his mother from Dorvik. Combined with a natural litany for language and growing up in Saint Anslem, Ashfield was able to fluently speak Hutorian-Luthori, Canrille, Aldegarian, Dundorfische and, because his curiosity had gotten the best of him, Jelbek. There was not a part in the world he could not get by in without little difficulty in one capacity or another.
He had no idea what could have possibly gotten the attention of the Campus' Superintendent and he was trying to figure out what grave mistake he had made before the door to the office opened. In walked, not the Superintendent, but a small petit woman in her early 40s. Like Ashfield she was entirely unassuming, but a glance at her eyes told her she missed nothing. What brought Ashfield to rigid attention was the identity of the woman.
Few in the world understood that the Director of the Hutorian Security Intelligence Service was a political appointee, and was usually simply the public face of the agency. The real power inside of HSIS was the Deputy Director of Operations, specifically in their capacity as the head of the Alternative Options Branch. This particular woman, was Chelsea Hazeldine, and she was the current holder of that particular office at Sarah Steuart Intelligence Centre in downtown Bekenial. He was about to say something when she simply raised her hand, ordering silence with silence of her own. Hazeldine's reputation as a spook was something that could only be described as terrifying, but then, to hold the title of DDO in HSIS, your reputation needed to precede you.
She motioned to the chair and Ashfield sat back down. She sat in the Superintendent's chair and open a folder she had with her; Ashfield noted with a start, though not true surprise, it was his own. She didn't say anything for a moment, preferring to read his file before she spoke, though not in their native luthori but in perfect Aldegaran. "How is your native tongue?"
Ashfield responded without conscious thought. "Just as good as the day I learned to talk."
Hazeldine nodded, continuing. "Perfect, unless you have absolute need you will continue speaking in that language at all times from here on out." Seeming without missing a beat she swapped to Canrille. "You speak this as well."
Ashfield again, was able to respond without missing a beat. "Oui bien sûr."
She nodded again, accepting it, before handing him the folder. She spoke in Luthori for the rest of the transaction. "This is your assignment. The Anti-Endralon Front for National Sovereignity is a massive national embarrassment to NACTO and to Endralon specifically. Despite putting their "best" tactical mind on the task, they still exist. He wants them to continue to grow until they can be wiped out all at once, or at least that's my read of the Grand Admiral. So, let's make it slightly more difficult shall we? Your legend is Shaleen Hashemi. You are an Aldegarian national and gunrunner. The Aldegarian government does not want Endralon coming up in the world. Your job, which will of course be denied by the Aldegarian government is to ensure that the AEFNS continues to embarass the Endralon and NACTO government at their imcompetence at being able to handle their house. If they can't get their own house in order, who are they to dictate to other people's houses."
Shaheen Hashemi, as he was now known as nodded, responding with a simple Aldegarian "It shall be as God wills."
Hashemi looked at the plane ticket. He was to take a direct flight to Aldegar, and from there... now wasn't that interesting.
"I assume I'll be doing this alone for the time being?" Hashemi asked.
Hazeldine nodded. "Yes, your contact for the merchandise is retired Vanukean Colonel, Aldrkai Mirza, he'll provide you with everything you need and the ability to get it where it needs to go, it's one of his many specialties. Make sure the AEFNS continues to be a pain in the neck for Endralon... and if for whatever reason they cease to be a problem for Endralon..." The barest veneer of a smile crossed her lips. "Continue making them a problem for Endralon."
Hashemi nodded one last time, his task set, his legend in stone, his identity as Henry Ashfield now forgotten until it wouldn't need to be anymore. Time to make the enemies of the Republic bleed.