The three ferrets stopped at Glory long enough to get cleaned up and eat . Nix made them some clothes to wear and even got Dalton to make them some shoes . After that, they said goodbye and took the portal out . They did tell him their names . The striped one was called Amb, the chubby one was Tofo and the first one Nix had met was called Po .

Nix shrugged . "Probably have a home somewhere . They were tough little guys, brave as h.e.l.l too . "

/Inferno: Semmi: Well . . . It didn't take long . All 36 guilds have agreed . The guilds here in Colonial who were holding back are all making the move in three days .

/Inferno: Nix: A ma.s.s exodus? Is that a coincidence?

/Inferno: Semmi: I suggested it would inconvenient if we don't get them all done at the same time .

/Inferno: Jun Li: Once they leave, Resolute will be the only remaining Upper-Tier Guild that is capable of crossing the bridge . The rest of the Upper-Tiers aren't very strong .

******************

[3 days later in the Sun-Valley on the Su'Dha.s.si continent of Phai]

[a.s.sa.s.sinate]

Gideon has a.s.sa.s.sinated Gato the Slayer .

"Drop anything good Gid?" Bellevue, the guild's primary healer was also a notorious moocher . The words, 'I don't want it" didn't exist for her .

Gideon sighed as he examined the drops . "Just c.r.a.p Bells, go ahead and salvage what you want . " He stepped away from the corpse . One of his scouts had found the mob earlier in the day . There was some hope that Salamander would finally have some luck in the New World .

[A Contract has been offered . Nix will register the Salamander Guild in Parliament in exchange for the permanent acquisition of your Guild votes . Do you agree?]

Gideon stared at the message for a moment before replying . "Yes . "

Advertis.e.m.e.nt[The Salamander Guild is being registered in Parliament with you as the Guild Leader . Do you accept this appointment? Note: You are responsible for the 100 million Credit fee]

"Yes . "

[One hundred million credits have been deducted from your account and paid to Parliament . ]

Oasis System Message: Oasis welcomes Salamander to the New World .

Guild Chat is enabled .

Personal Messaging is enabled .

Three mandatory Guild raids are available .

Guild Raid: Terror of the Dark .

Guild Raid: Hold the Line .

Guild: Raid: Building the Guild Hall .

/Salamander: Soju: What? We are in?

/Salamander: Miki: THANK You GIDEON!

/Salamander: Gideon: Back in business folks .

*********************

Nix was whistling when he finally left the Registrar's Office . They had finalized all the contracts at the same time . Oasis had been bombarded with the new guild welcoming messages .

Shae squeezed his hand . "He didn't look happy . "

Nix grinned . The Ain'Dha.s.si who helped him was the same one as before . His stern manner had grown even frostier when presented with 36 registrations .

Semmi was working at one of the desks when Nix and Shae walked in . She was looking at the votes . "We now have 75 votes Nix . That's more than 2 out of the 3 races . "

Nix moved to the big desk that was centered on the window . He noticed a plague that said Guild Leader Nix had been added to the desktop . "This your doing Sem . "

The blonde gave him a mischevious smile . "Maybe . "

Soft lips pressed into the back of his neck, reminding him that Shae was still there . "You don't have to stay Shae . I'm going to read through some of the dockets"

Shae grabbed a chair from the nearby desk and pulled it close to his . "Don't mind me, just going to watch for a bit . "

Nix nodded, "we meeting Fajii at the market?"

"Yep, in two hours . " She leaned her head against him and watched as he navigated through the governing menu .

Nix found the docket menu relatively quickly . The t.i.tle of the docket was followed by the amount of time left until the voting deadline expired . He selected one that was expiring in a few hours .

[3 year limit on war prisoners: 2 . 5 hours: 3rd Time Rule]

Summary: Taking prisoners during raids, sea battles and times of war is a long-standing tradition . This proposal seeks to limit the time in which these prisoners can be held captive . If approved, all prisoners that have fulfilled the 3-year obligation will be released immediately .

[Approving Opinion: Serai Del Tali]

[Dissenting Opinion: Tura Raine Xai]

Nix activated the Approving Opinion and a moment later the face of an Ain'Dha.s.si female appeared on his hud . It was obviously a recording .

[Serai Del Tali]

"We need to set a limit on the amount of time that prisoners can be held in captivity . Too many of our Oasis citizens have become lifetime slaves because war and greed . The Ain'Dha.s.si are targeted frequently because of our precious metal mines . Simple miners are taken away in raids and never see their families again . Please help me in my fight to change this tragic and abhorrent practice . "

"Sounds reasonable . " He glanced over at Semmi, "know what the 3rd time rule is?"

Semmi looked over from her desk . "Just like it sounds . It's the limit on proposing dockets . If a docket is voted down 3 times, it can never be presented again . "

"I see . " Nix clicked on the Dissenting Opinion and the image of Tura Raine filled his hud .

[Tura Raine Xai]

The taking of prisoners as part of War and Conquest is a long-standing Oasis Tradition . The Ain'Dha.s.si would have you believe that they are above such things, but the reality is that their wars.h.i.+ps and raiding parties are just active as the other Oasis races . When you take part in a raid, the results are permanent whether it's death or captivity . The truth of this matter is that half of all Ain'Dha.s.si raids end in failure . This is due to their own incompetence as warriors . Vote this proposal down for the 3rd time, so we can finally move on to more important matters .

Nix leaned back in his chair, soft hair brus.h.i.+ng against his shoulder reminded him that Shae was still there . 'What do you think? Taking part in raids and then complaining about the results?"

Shae shrugged . "Salamanders are too powerful to move about in large groups . "

Nix laughed and clicked on the name of Serai Del Tali . "True . I want to see what she says . "

A pale woman with white hair and crystal blue eyes stared at Nix through his hud . Her pointed ears were adorned with white stones that glittered brightly . "May I help you, sir?"

"I'm Inferno Guild Leader Nix . I have some questions about your docket . " Nix liked her right away, the tone of her voice was respectful, not cold or arrogant like he was expecting .

"I'm Del Tali . I will answer any question you have Guild Leader Nix . "

"Just call me Nix . I read both opinions on this docket . What answer would you give to the point that your raids aren't very successful? You seem to be taking part but don't want to bear the long term consequences . "

"We are taking part and our raids are very ineffectual . Three years ago we lost nearly half of our fighters in the Mere Stone War . Those lost fighters were all elites . This is the reason for our 'ineffectual raids . ' "

Nix watched her face for any signs of nervousness or duality . "I'm not familiar with Mere Stone . "

"The Mere stone was new at the time . An easily mined stone that can enhance armor and spells . At that time the only known source was the Ain'Dha.s.si territory . We selfishly decided to keep it for ourselves . The other Dha.s.si races invaded and for several weeks a horrible war was waged . " Del's voice sounded strained, like someone who was trying to stay composed .

"I'm a.s.suming the Ain'Dha.s.si lost this war?"

Del nodded . "A large island off of our Southern Icecap was taken over by the Fir'Dha.s.si . The war may have continued, but other deposits of Mere Stone were found in the Fir'Dha.s.si and Su'Dha.s.si territories . "

"I see . That's all the questions I have . " Nix cut the communication and leaned back in his seat . He clicked on the docket vote count .

[Approve: 96 Dissent: 126]

He stared at the screen for a long time before finally clicking on the vote icon .

[Cast 75 votes for Approve?]

"Yes . "