"What on earth has happened to Omega Base?!"

This was Alecto's, morderately understandable response as he burst into the Black Sun council chamber. He was a junior member, so they tolerated his outbursts, but he kepth getting sour looks from some of the more venerable members, especially Epoch, his former mentor's rival.

The council was shaped like a huge, black dome, with a single point of light beaming through from a hole in the ceiling to the ground, forming a spotlight in the center of the room. The council walls were painted black, but each member was kept psionically cool, even though the temperatures approached 100 degrees. The chamber's location was not of the planet, but a small pocket of extradimensional space, created by the Black Sun's, critically acclaimed method of using the Outside as a weapon against its inhabitants.

Epoch scowled, but the others ignored him. They each sat in black chairs, heavily padded. The Great Old Master of the Black Sun order, Morea Mal, gestured for Alecto to sit down, which he did, reluctantly.

'Forgive me, my eldest, but I beg to know. I have just recieved reports of Omega Base falling to a new breed of Outsiders, many of our order have been killed, and even the Blood Angels have failed to stop them. Can you blame me for my outburst?'

Morea cleared his throat. 'Your enthusiasm is noted, Alecto, but we have procedures. We, the other masters were just discussing the situation. It appears the Spherelords have welcomed a new member to their number. This represents a significant knew threat to security.'

One of the other Councilors stood up, bowed and voiced 'But we already know that relations between the various Spherelords are strained. Their attacks on Bael and Terrak have been strange, if not competitive, as if each is trying to outdo each other. It appears that the Spherelords  are vying for power, or trying to impress some superior.'

Another Councilor spoke up: 'If this is true, than the newcomer has certainly made his mark among his ilk by destroying Omega Base, leaving our biggest town, Haven at huge risk.'

Alecto stood up. Already his devious, Black Sun trained mind had though of a plan. 'But if this is true, my masters, we may be able to use this to our advantage. If the Spherelords are indeed competitors, perhaps we have a chance to turn them against each other, even unite them against their most powerful foe at the moment.'

This comment aroused many angry mumbles in the background, and Alecto stood stock-still. It was against protocol to move before being asked, and Alecto was afraid he had gone too far. The order of the Black Sun had a long history of tampering with the very energies of the Oustiders, and some even saw fit to connect them with the Spark, the beginning of the Planar War. Their very art was intertwined with controlling the dark elements of the Outside, and walking the fine boundaries between brilliance and madness, a magic, so far removed from reality, even more so than the common practice of Voodoo among the Blood Angels, was long considered heresy, had never seen fit to consort with beings as powerful as the Spherelords. Alecto thought that, perhaps, this would be the time.

The other councilors were bickering. Some seemed to side with Alecto, and others were against fraternizing with Outsiders at all. Alecto stood until he felt his legs about to snap. Finally, Morea stood.

'This idea may once have been considered blasphemy, and the mere mention of it here, Alecto, would normally merit a death sentence.'

Morea stood firm, and Alecto felt sweat trickle down the side of his face as he contemplated the many tortorous forms of execution known to the Black Sun order.

'Still, perhaps, now that the stakes have been raised, perhaps the weapons should be as well. Very well, Alecto. As grandmaster, I give you leave to try and turn the Spherelords against one another.'

Another councilor stood up, his face mad and red.

'NO! This simply cannot be! we have fought against these demons for too long, and now to side with them would be treason and punishable..AAAAAGH!'

the end of the sentence was cut of by a terrific blast of white light, starflame, emmanating from the hand of Morea. the offending councilor crumbled, a hole the size of a basketball burned through his torso.

'Death. You know now the penalty for failure Alecto. I will disavow any relationship to your actions should you fail, but should you succeed, you shall be ready to join the ranks of Grandmaster. Go now Alecto. Oh, and take Epoch with you. Consider it your final test.'

Alecto and Epoch exited the meeting, Epoch looking at Alecto like he had just killed his mother. 'I swear I shall see you killed for this Alecto. We are both doomed as of now!'

Alecto walked on, wondering silently what he had just gotten himself into.