Roquefort and Deep Blue focus their fire on the priest, and as their shots hit, the mighty warrior exclaims Impossibile! Sic finire non potest! For a moment, it looks like the warrior wants to make one last stand, but then the excessive bleeding seems to put a stop to that ambition, and the massive form of the leader falls over!
Mortuus est? Verum? Liberi sumus? the prisoners mutter.
Abeamus Felthaum says Necessus est relinquere antequam auctoritates perveniant et interrogent
With Felthaum rescued, the group retrace their route. Fortunately, the disguises of Mohaul hold up, and it's only when the group is safely in orbit that Felthaum says Please call me Keldon, without confirming whether that's a true name or another pseudonym.
During the trip Keldon’s demeanor gradually softens, his gruff and commanding nature becoming more subdued. Halfway through the trip he laughs out loud for the first time.
“The mask is finally coming off,” he remarks. “I’ve been under so long, I forgot what it feels like to be me. To just... be.” He shudders. “My work was necessary. But, may I never hear the words ‘Great Purpose’ again.”
Keldon changes the topic, speaking of anything and everything—save for the Azlanti Star Empire. He staunchly avoids any discussion of the information he found. “There’s only one person who gets to hear that,” he says more than once.
Eventually, the group makes it back to the same “Quiet Room” where their mission began.
Naiaj greets the group. “You’ve all done excellent work. I knew the mission would be difficult, but I also knew that you were up to the task.” Naiaj exchanges a grim look with Keldon. “Welcome home. Let’s talk.” The pair go into another room.
---
Naiaj returns with an even more serious and grim expression on her face than she left with. Keldon is not with her. “I’ll repeat what I said earlier: you did excellent work. Your actions helped the Pact Worlds prepare for some dangerous times ahead. When I have another impossible task, you’ll be the first on my list to call.” She opens a door to another room and prepares to exit.
“I have some urgent work to do. The most important thing for you to know at this moment? This mission never happened.” She leaves the room.