One year ago, when Amanda had been assigned to the EDI’s dungeon implantation division, she had received a personal message from Queen Viera, current monarch to the drow diaspora. After a grueling interview process, the Queen had requested that Amanda become a double-agent, working within the EDI while delivering privileged and confidential information back to the drow monarchy. In her early days as an agent, Amanda would have rejected the job out of hand, but she’d come to despise the bureaucratic red tape that prevented any real change. If the Fateweaver was truly coming to Earth and would render it a death world as he had done to Eosor, then she would do whatever possible to stop him. So, Amanda had taken the job and become a double-agent.

She didn’t lie to herself about what she was doing, but she still preferred not to think of herself as a double agent.. She was working for the betterment of all peoples, whether their ancestors had come to Earth from elsewhere or whether they had evolved from the primates of this small and rather insignificant world.

The Extra-Dimensional Intelligence agency wasn’t well-regarded within the government, and funding was meager at best. But there were certain private benefactors—including a few of the better-placed Outworlder members of congress—who were more than willing to fund projects. Rumor had it that the President himself was deeply interested in the work, and encouraged his allies to put money quietly toward the agency’s intentions.

Amanda sometimes doubted whether these benefactors were entirely philanthropic, or whether they had other, more selfish motives for donating large sums to the agency. Despite the largely peaceful coexistence between humans and Outworlders, factionalism and double dealing was still rife in politics. It was a strong possibility that those who funded the EDI’s work did so to promote certain Outworlder political agendas, such as the alteration of the constitution to allow for Outworlders to run for President.

Whatever the motivations and the politics, it didn’t matter so long as the funding kept coming in. And all that mattered for Special Agent Amanda Fallon was successfully completing her current EDI assignment. And, ultimately, delivering the special subject to her Queen.

Amanda stepped out of the creaky elevator and walked along the corridor to her boss’s office. She rapped on the door, directly under the shining brass nameplate inscribed with the name of EDI Director Ramu Hornwell.

“Enter,” the Director’s voice barked from inside.

Amanda took a deep breath before turning the handle. She pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“Agent Fallon,” Director Hornwell said from behind his snakewood executive desk. His ram-like horns curled out from a gray-haired head that was almost as wide as it was tall. The tips of his horns were encased in enchanted bronze metal the same color as his eyes.