The Fright Zone. Several years ago.

Shakra was taking a stroll throughout the Fright Zone. Partly because she enjoyed it, partly because it was the only exercise she got now that she'd settled into her desk job but mostly because with Lord Hordak beginning to issue restrictions on various activities he found "unnecessarily frivolous" it was becoming somewhat difficult to find something to do around the new capitol.

She was wandering aimlessly minding her own business when she spotted a familiar figure. "Tara!"

The towering desert elf jumped slightly at the sound of her name but calmed down when she spotted the spy master approaching her with a friendly grin. "Shakra, hey I was hoping to run into you."

"Well if I had known you were in town I would have sought you out sooner. After all, congratulations are in order Force Captain Tara."

There was a look of discomfort on the larger woman's face as she replied. "I appreciate that Shakra, really I do but you don't have make a big deal out of it."

"I beg to differ. I was so proud when I heard the news." An idea occurred to her. "In fact, you aren't on duty on the moment are you?"

"Um no." Tara answered, the discomfort from earlier replaced by a mild confusion. "They gave me some time off to celebrate my promotion." Her voice adopted something of a scoff towards the end but in her good mood, Shakra didn't notice.

"Except! Follow me to my quarters & we can have a friendly talk just you & i."

"That... sounds nice actually" the young Force Captain said before following the senior Hordesmen to her personal headquarters in the Intelligence Division.

"Pull up a chair & make yourself comfortable" Shakra instructed her guest before then closing the door. By the time she'd taken her seat, the young desert elf was still squirming in the folding chair she'd set up. It was clear that whoever designed it hadn't envisioned someone of her stature using it. "Would you like me to try to find a bigger seat?"

"Don't trouble yourself." The larger woman replied with a shrug of her broad shoulders. "When you're my size, you get used to trying to squeeze yourself into things not meant for you. Seats, doors, entire buildings" a playful smirk appeared on her face. "It's just a small person's world I guess"

"You say that & yet I'm the smallest person I know & I'm always frustrated by things I can't reach"

They shared a laugh for a bit before Shakra looked Tara straight in her yellow green eyes & said as sincerely as she could "but seriously Tara, I'm so glad you made it back.When i heard what happened after Sez's tomb was hit, how the Magicat's seemed to go berserk i got worried." Worried may have been underselling it. She had actually gone through the list of casualty reports half dreading half expecting to see the desert elf's name on them.

"Shakra i didn't mean for you to worry..."

"No, no that's just how i am. I'm a worrier, especially when it involves someone i care about. Besides you're the one out there fighting for your life while i'm sitting here behind a desk so you certainly had better things to focus on than calling me. What's important is you're back & you're safe."

"Thanks." Tara turned her downwards & said no more. The silence between them seemed to drag on until Shakra decided she had to say something.

"Tara?"

"Yeah?"

"If you have anything to say, anything to get off your chest...you know you can trust me. Right?"

"Of, of course i trust you. It's just..."

'Please, if you think i can't handle that or i won't understand then I ask you to remember..." she held up her damaged hand & gave it a wave. "I've seen combat. I know it's been a while but i do remember what it's like out there on the battlefield. And i remember how much it helps to have someone to confide in."

For what seemed like an eternity, Tara just stared at her. As if she were wrestling with herself over rather or not to open up to the older woman. Finally she simply asked. "What did they tell you about Sez's tomb?"

"I heard it was struck by a rocket. Why"

"But do you know why it was hit with that rocket?"

"From what i understand, they were targeting some enemy troops & one went astray." Even as she was finishing her response, Tara was already shaking her head, a sorrowful look on her face.

"No, it didn't go astray. It wasn't a misfire or faulty intelligence. The tomb was the target. We were ordered to destroy their cultural landmark because the higher ups thought it would take away their will to fight." A sharp, bitter laugh cut through the air. "Didn't quite work out that way."

The revelation hung in the air like an ominous cloud. She knew the Horde tended to prioritize the results more than the method. Practicality & efficiency was placed before things like "martial honor" or traditional "codes of conduct" but still, the fact that it would go this far...Shakra felt a bad taste in her mouth & a pit in her stomach.

"Tara...i, i don't know what to say."

"Yeah...that's what I thought."

They sat in silence again. Shakra trying desperately to think of something to say to comfort the young trooper in front of her but finding nothing. But it dawned on her that there was something she could do. So without a word, she withdrew a key from her pocket & opened the special drawer that she almost never opened while on duty. To the increasing confusion of her guest, she pulls out a large half-empty bottle of a golden brown liquid as well as two glasses.

"What are you doing?"

"It occurs to me that i'm being rude." she began pouring the drinks. "Here i am hosting an honest to goodness war hero & i haven't even" she slides the glass towards Tara. "offered you a drink"

The look on Tara's face was one of utter confusion. "Wha-what is that?"

"This, my dear is Tequila. A marvelous form of alcohol brewed for centuries right here in the Fright Zone."

"But alcohol is forbidden" the desert elf's eyes were the size of dinner plates.

"Well technically it's only forbidden when you're on duty, which neither of us is at the moment." She slid one of the glasses towards her guest with a grin before raising it for a traditional Fright Zone toast. "Sal'ud"

Tara gave a confused "Sal'ud" before clinking her & Shakra's drinks together & they downed their shots together.

"Well?"

"It's... surprisingly sweet, actually'

"I know, right? Plus it really takes the edge of after a hard day's work."

"And you've hidden this from everyone? From Hordak?"

"Oh Hordak knows about it." At Tara's surprised look she elaborated. "He realized that it wasn't realistic to ask those who already had certain vices when they came into the Horde break those habits, so as long as they don't affect how we perform our duty, he looks the other way." She held up the bottle. "Another?"

After a brief hesitation, Tara held out her glass for it to be refilled. "Hey Shakra, can i ask you something?"

"Certainly."

"If you weren't in the Horde, where would you be?"

"Dead" she replied filling her own glass.

"I'm serious."

"So am i." Another surprised look, another explanation needed. "Myself & the previous aristocracy didn't see eye to eye & they weren't the most forgiving bunch so it's very possible i'd gone & gotten myself killed by now. Barring that, i was apprentice to a seamstress before the revolution."

"And do you ever wish you'd stayed a seamstress?"

"Not really" she downed her drink & poured herself another one. "Dressmaking never truly appealed to me, it was just the only apprenticeship i could get. Besides, why do that when i could be here & change the world?"

"Well i mean you're smart & talented, clearly organized. You could probably make a decent living out there if you put your mind to it." Tara finished her line & downed er second shot. Where was she going with this?

"Perhaps...but where would i go? I have no family, all my friends are here in the Fright Zone & the second it gets discovered i used to work for the Horde? Best case scenario is me ending up in a jail cell. Worst case is i'm on the business end of a hangmen's noose." Pouring herself another shot, she let out a bit of a sigh. "No i'm exactly where i want to be."

"So even if you had a way out, you wouldn't take it?"

"I would not. The Horde is not perfect, you know that as well as anyone now but it's the path i choose & i'm prepared to follow it to whatever final destination it's taking me towards." She held out the bottle to offer a refill which was accepted. "Besides when things get tough, you don't up & run away. You stick it out & do what you can to make it better."

"And you think you can make the Horde better?"

"I certainly intend to try."

Tara let out a "Hmm" before holding out her glass. "well i wish you luck in that."

"And i wish you luck in your future campaigns." she said bring her glass up to meet the toast.

Present day. Crimson Wastes.

The voyage to the Wastes had been smooth enough. The captain -a man named Jeweler- was courteous & accommodating, treating her & her cohorts as honored guests while aboard his ship "The Shimmering Diamond". The Salinean patrols were avoided easily enough & he delivered her & the cargo to the Wastes without any issue. To her surprise, things continued to go well once in the port city proper. Josephine & Scalia seemed genuinely delighted to be back on the barren isle & had even introduced Shakra to some old friends they had run into.

Things began to get serious as they were escorted to the meeting point where they were to meet with the co-leaders of the Crimson Wastes, Tung Lashor & Huntara. Based on the testimony of her two companions, she was in for a long negotiation. Both were apparently notorious for their fierce temper & zero tolerance for even the perception of disrespect. Having served under Huntara before joining Lord Adora they also informed her that the woman -a desert elf- seemed to posses a greater grasp of tactics & strategy than one would expect from a common bandit & reported rumors of similar feats from Tung Lashor.

Finally after being made to wait for several minutes in what was almost certainly meant to be some sort of power play -or "make her sweat" as Josephine put it- they finally entered the tavern they had chosen for the meeting.As they came up the steps, Shakra took the chance to get a look at them. Tung Lashor entered first, a towering Squamatus with pink reddish scales, a prominent snout & long tail that followed behind him. A ripped sleeveless jacket highlighted his large arms & framed a massive chest. White wrapping covered hands that ended in clawed fingers. Behind him, she guessed was was Huntara. Even for the famously bulky desert elves, the woman was huge. Long flowing white hair was raised in a ponytail above a spiral shaped marking on the top left side of her head...which looked strangely familiar. She wore a tattered grayish purple waistcoat over a "shirt" which consisted of two red bands of cloth. On each side of the coat were two faded golden pieces. She seemed to have a thing for gold as she also had some rusted pieces on the sides of her shorts as well as a golden knee pad above a pair of...Horde boots?

As they approached the table, Hontara took the lead & made a point of playing with her gloves as she approached. "Alright, let's get this over with. We've got a...Shakra?"

"Yeah so we can't" Tug Lashor began before looking at his partner in confusion. "What the fuck is a Shakra?" but she didn't answer, she was too busy looking in shock at Shakra as if she'd seen a ghost. Shakra knew how she felt,in the shock of the moment all she could make herself say was...

'Tara?"