" . . . and then I just wiped out the grey organ sacks."

"Oh well done, Vulcan, well done! What a thoroughly delightful tale about the absurdity and vanity of the inferior races," Ermanaric replied. "So tell me, how go your war preparations?"

"Well, since the alliance decided to not go to war, I had toned down my war preparations somewhat, until just recently. Instead, I focused on my covert capabilities. Knowledge is power, and the accumulation of knowledge leads to the accumulation of power."

Ermanaric huffed, "Yes, yes. So what have you done?"

"Well, I have now achieved Spy level 18 and in comparative terms, my covert ability score rests just over 6.6 billion," Vulcan responded. Suitably impressed, if Ermanaric had been a Tauri, he would have wistled in appreciation. "In addition, after a recent turn of good fortune, I managed to subdue several different commanders, stealing large quantities of Naquadah. Once I had spy level 18, I turned back to my military capabilities."

"Yes, your turn of good luck caused some anxious times in the alliance."

Vulcan nodded. "Yes, it did, unneccessarily as it turns out. Aragorn seems to have taken the hit on the chin rather nobly. He even sent an encoded message with just two words. "Nice hit." With no reprisals yet, I believe he probably didn't even report the incident to his commander."

"Yes, quite possible. But let us not digress, you were telling me of your preparations."

"Yes, yes. Well, I had rested and prepared my forces for several days and was able therefore to launch several attacks recently. I sent out six strike forces, and each returned successfully. I will not tell you how much each attack netted me, but in the six strikes I made nearly 120,000,000 Naq. That, along with the 132,000,000 Naq. saved in my bank allowed me to greatly strengthen both my strike forces and my defensive forces. It seems to have propelled me among the very strongest of the commanders in our Galaxy. Some are still infinitely stronger than I, of course. But the heights are actually quite giddy. I have even earned something called a reputation. Someone mentioend somethign about Glory Points as well. I don't know if they are worth anything, but I have some of them."

"Giddy? Vulcan, really, giddy?"

"Sorry, I got a bit carried away."

"Very well, I can understand why, I suppose. Now tell me, where any of these attacks you carried out against fellow Replicators? I am a bit concerned along these lines."

"Really, Ermanaric, you should show more faith in me. Well, I must be off. Things to do. Got to see if I have gotten more of those Glory points." Vulcan departs hastily as Ermanaric looks on suspiciously.