The SUV would be directed to park near Veritas' main entrance. A squad of Terran marines stood outside and would peacefully direct them into Veritas' lobby.
Once inside the classically-directed interior of the fort, a group of suits walked out to meet the Aschen envoys. Two of them, tall, stern-faced men with impeccably-pressed dressware, wore practically no expression on their faces at all. Small white pocket squares jutted neatly out of their jackets. TIB agents.
The third was a
smiling woman, short and unimposing in stature.
"Gentlemen," she said, a light Losenji accent evident in her tone, "I welcome you to Fort Veritas. Your arrival is unexpected and unannounced, so you'll understand if we are curious as to the purpose of your being here." She smiled again, cute and innocent. "Or why you used such unconventional means of entering, for that matter."
---
Ixas' snooping, unfortunately for him, would not go unnoticed. The land surrounding Fort Veritas was under constant surveillance for miles out. Every footstep, every rustling bush, every passing bird, every gust of wind was checked, re-checked and documented. Even had Ixas been muffling his feet, the mere lack of heat on the ground left by his shadow would have been enough to merit the interest of the TIB operatives working in Veritas.
The click-clack of a rifle resounded behind the defector.
"Stand up nice and easy, pretty boy," a stern voice commanded behind him, "keep your gun on the dirt. Hands up."