Ermanaric the Replicator was sitting at his desk in his favourite place, his new and improved Research Facility, but he was not happy. He had been distracted by the necessity to oversee the continuing work on the building. His spider forms had promised that it would all have been completed days ago, but no such luck. They had developed a disconcertingly Tauri habit of sticking pencils into notches in their heads, scratching themselves, and saying things like “no chance of completion by Tuesday, squire, can’t get the materials, see?” He had had a couple of dozen of them melted down for making such remarks.

In the meantime his desk had become clogged with work that needed doing. In particular there were some horrifying Intelligence Reports that he needed to discuss with young Replicator Vibius, that is young Replicator Vulcan … no, blast it, the bounder had changed his name yet again after his Ascension. In any event he was due here shortly to discuss the Reports.

He picked up some of the papers in front of him and began to work his way through them.

Hmm…two Alliance members have achieved Level 19 – Cailara and Poena. We must give instructions for our Adjutant General to transfer the 1,000 men we promised.

Heimdalr enters the room. He seems almost to glide in and it is difficult to focus on him clearly, he appears to shimmer slightly. He is dressed in a long, flowing cloak of blue and white and has a tall red hat on his head with a long feather stuck in it. He is also wearing an enormous badge with the words ”Ascended Being” on it. He has a condescending smile on his face.

Heimdalr: Ah, hello there, Ermanaric, old chap, you wanted to see me?

"Old chap", indeed, thought Ermanaric, whatever happened to “Great Replicator", and why was he speaking in that strange, rounded and affected manner?

Heimdalr: No indeed. This is the Official Uniform for the Race of Ascended Beings known as the Tolah, do you like it, old sport?

Ermanaric: No, we do not! And don’t call us, “old sport”! That badge is absurd.

Heimdalr: Oh that little thing. Well, we Ascended Beings feel it is best to leave no doubt in anybody’s mind, it saves time. When one is an Ascended Being one really needs to conserve one’s time for weighty matters. Now, what was it you wanted, I have rather a lot of important Ascended Being-type matters to be getting on with?

Ermanaric took a deep breath and counted up to 10 – no, it didn’t do any good!

Ermanaric: We have been reviewing some old Intelligence Reports, including your old attack logs. Guess what we found!

Heimdalr: Sorry, no idea chum, such logs are rather beneath the notice of we Ascended Beings.

Ermanaric: What we find, as you very well know, is that your meteoric rise has been fuelled by masses of attacks on our Replicator Brethren! How could you betray your own in such a fashion?

Heimdalr: Ah yes, I was meaning to tell you about that. Well, if they were too weak to make the grade themselves they deserved to be taught a lesson. I was just training them for better things, old boy.

Ermanaric: Unsatisfactory…and don’t call us “old boy”, you insolent young Replicator, you must…

Heimdalr (Fingering his badge) : Insolent young NanoTiMaster, if you please!

Ermanaric: Right! That’s it! We hereby dismiss you as our officer! Go your own way from now on. We shall watch your future career in the Alliance with considerable interest. No more treats of malt whiskey and cigars for you!

Heimdalr: Hoorah!

(OOC: Don’t worry! All approved by Vibius in advance. We’ll still work and plot together as before! He’s just not my officer any more.)