Nicholas Blackthorn was standing by a window in a castle by the ocean on the planet of Kuril out-of-Sphere. He had many castles, many bases, and this castle was the newest. He’d bought it just weeks ago, and this was the latest addition to it: some personal flair, put in by some top-notch decorators. Now this old place felt “homey”.

Nicholas gestured to the decorators to leave the room so he could think – which he often did while looking into a full-length mirror. Dressed in his black suit and red turtle neck sweater, he was struck once again by how Adami he looked. His long black hair was brushed back into a ponytail and his goatee was well groomed. This guise had worked well in many, many situations when he’d sought to exploit the Adamim as if he were one of their own.

Suddenly he heard a low growl behind him. He turned calmly to see a black werewolf-like creature on all fours drooling on his new carpet. The creature didn’t frighten him, but he was upset at the fact that his new carpet was spoiled. He didn’t dwell on the fact that the creature had got the drop on him.

“What is the meaning of this intrusion?” Nicholas stared down the wolf-like creature; it did not budge like other creatures would. This began to trouble him.

“I see you like my pet.” Nicholas turned to his right and saw a hooded man sitting in his new chair! The man’s face remained hidden.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Nicholas boldly walked over to the man, only to have another wolf-creature appear in front of him out of thin air; he stepped back. Nicholas realized he couldn’t *sense* these creatures until they actually appeared. The man got up and patted the second wolf and it calmed; the other wolf sat also.

“Nice, aren’t they? They don’t think, they don’t ask questions; they just obey.” The heavy voice seemed to pierce like steel. Nicholas felt nothing emanating from the man, but he was powerful, whoever he was.

“You want something?” Nicholas stood erect and brave.

“How right you are; and I have a deal for you.”