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A summons to a General-Sovereign's office was something Borax liked to see--because it was assuredly not because he had done anything bad--but nevertheless unexpected. For one, it wasn't to Lepidolite's office, and he was the one he was helping execute this bank operation for. It was to another general-sovereign entirely, and one who he realized only after bringing himself out of the bank operation pride made sense to want his attention, too.

General-King Axinite was the head of the Information division, and Borax had taken Faustite's assignment for information quite seriously. He flung himself into more battles than necessary, taunting members of the so-called White Moon, goading them into attacking him until he had farmed as much information out of them as he could. He had pulled back potential concerns, perhaps force recruitment prospects, and someone in particular he thought might have been a good informant.

Which had turned him into chasing up Quartz's network if he could. No doubt a harder assignment, but...

He wanted the clout. He wanted the clout that power would get him. He wanted the influence. He wanted the power he no doubt deserved after doing exactly as he was told to the letter and more. Borax craved it, really.

So, once he thought about it, perhaps a summons from Axinite might have been the most ideal one he could have gotten. Perhaps it made it easy to pull on Fulgurite's metaphorical ear--again--even as the other man seemed considerably less blase about being summoned to help him to a general-sovereign's office. "Oh, stop shitting yourself. Why do you think he'd summon me to find you and not just get you himself? You're eternal."

Fulgurite pinched the bridge of his nose. "Was just worried I had done something wrong somehow -- his office should be up there, are you good?"

"Mmhm, thanks Fulgy."

As he let Fulgurite bury the temptation to gag aloud, Borax followed the directions off to the office he needed. He did his best to bury the barely constrained excitement under mildly lifted lips and an expression that neared smug as he knocked on the office door and offered, "General-King Axinite? Borax, as requested."

“It’s nothing bad,” Axinite reassured; he stood behind his desk and shook out his cape before hanging it up on a standing coat rack behind his desk. The fabric seemed heavier than usual, weighed down by what seemed to be water. It was the only indication that he’d been out of his office recently. His hair was dry, but he raised his hands to smooth it down anyway before he turned to face the group.

He couldn’t help but look at Faustite, as if he might be able to sum up every thought and a complete status report just by looking at him.

He couldn’t, but he smiled politely and turned to Borax, gesturing towards the empty seats in front of his desk.

“Please, take a seat. Make yourself comfortable. You’ve been quite busy recently, haven’t you? I just reviewed your file earlier.”

When Axinite looked at him, Faustite looked back. He'd already submitted the collated report of work done and milestones accomplished, the details of which were penned by Jadarite, so the primary thing writ on Faustite's face was exhaustion. His presence was more an observance of tradition, and an implication that Borax's promotion put him under Faustite's direct command.

If Axinite expected him to put his hand in Borax's chest and help out, Faustite didn't know if he had the energy for it. He rather liked how comfortable Axinite's chair felt, now that he was draped in it like a tossed away ragdoll.

That Axinite reviewed Borax's file was heartening, as it would be an unbiased point of reference for what the boy had done. He passed a tired glance over to Borax, who observed a pleasant disposition in front of his superior officers. Even if he was being a bit of a kiss-a** at the moment, for which the General rolled his flaming eyes.

"It's not that deep," he corrected to Axinite. "Just told him where to start. He did the rest." And for that, Faustite was grateful that he had someone on the team roster who he could set to a task and know that task would be accomplished.

You can never have too much information.

And that helped Borax key into what he would need to do to make sure he stayed on the good side of this one. Perhaps it was easy enough. Just do more of the same, just with some additional notes. He was going to rebuild Quartz's mole network if he could. Playing their silly games to transfer much needed information to their side, gaining him even more power and attention? That was easy. Very easy.

Faustite diffused the praise, which of course Borax basked in--it was true, he did do this himself--but Axinite brought it back and said he should accept it. The hierarchy said that he should approve of Axinite's opinion, and he showed his own agreement with it with a firm nod. "Believe I might have reported the wrong information without some proper guidance." Or any at all, really.

... Oh.

Those were the words he wanted to hear.

His neutral expression took on the edges of a unsubtle excitement, devious as he immediately was awash with the images and desires of what that could mean. More power. Teleportation. A youma of his own.

"I would be honored to be put forth for promotion," Borax did his best to hold back his words from the purr they wished to become. Did it work? ... Debatable. "I've proven myself plenty and I feel ready to take that to the next level. I have a few plans in mind for my life at captain, including a mission Captain Jadarite would like my help in, so I have plenty to contribute."

He brushed himself off, standing to his full six-foot-five of height.

"Just tell me what to do."

“It is a bit uncomfortable,” Axinite agreed. “But all good things are earned through strife. Or luck, I suppose. But we’ve already established your credentials. It won’t be unlike when you were recruited, so there isn’t much for you to do but prepare yourself.”

The tea was tended to, so he settled himself in front of his desk.

He wondered if Borax thought it necessary to stand so tall in an effort to establish his own presence in the room. The energy signature of a General and General King might have been difficult to contend with, but neither he nor Faustite had much height to compete with.

But, Borax would be a Captain soon. Maybe that would help. For now, Axinite would simply navigate his height accordingly. It was easy enough to reach his starseed, anyway.

“I’ll go quickly, we’ll get this over with as soon as possible. If you feel light headed you can rest against the chair behind you, or I’ll be here. I won’t let you fall.”

Something he’d probably seen many times before, though he doubted Borax’s pride would let him show any such display.

He stood before Borax and gave him a few seconds to collect himself before he rested his hand on his chest. It was the final warning he got before his hand slipped inside. He gripped the starseed gently, with tenderness and respect, and let the Chaos flow into it.

Faustite wondered about Borax's peculiar statement and what it implied about his experiences. It made a margin more sense, then, why he was so interested in pulling starseeds. People must have been the root of that unpleasantness, and Faustite rather agreed with that sentiment. But boys were people, too, so he wasn't quite so dead-set on filling his every quota with starseeds in the manner that Borax liked.

It was interesting to watch the change, however. Once a Lieutenant, his uniform gradually became more decorated as Axinite finished the job. No screaming ensued, which was something of a disappointment; he always found expressions of pain vindicating for his experience with promotion. Maybe next time, then, for there were still more senshi in his team that would work toward their own promotions, and Faustite would be expected to be present for those, too.

Faustite coughed into his sleeve when Borax summoned his new weapon to hand. While it cleared the smoke from his lungs, it also smothered the boyish laugh that threatened to come out for the juvenile idea of Borax stabbing anyone with his spear.

It was a useful weapon, after all. Far more useful than any weapon he ever had, during his fleeting time as a human Lieutenant.

Faustite forced himself to sit up from his tired slouch, then began to clap. "Look at that," he stated. "Best make Jadarite proud, now." He imagined that, if Borax didn't, Jada would have no compunctions about stripping all that power away herself and reducing him to a youma. But, they got on well, so Borax would probably be fine.

The smirk he shot Faustite at the clap was rakish despite the pain that radiated under the surface he refused to let bubble up. Let it stay there, under the surface, where Faustite and Axinite couldn't see any weakness. "Don't think I'll have any problem keeping her proud." She was the one who brought him in, after all, and she had done so with good reason. Borax would like to think he was more than living up to those initial expectations.

Did he just wink?

His gaze shifted from Faustite to Axinite in no short order, and he removed any sense of playfulness from his features as he resumed the admiration of his spear. This could... have a lot of uses, many more than his dip pen. That had been much better used for his calligraphy.

This? This could do some damage.

He didn't like that expression of concern on Axinite's face, though. Best to convince him he was fine.

"I've already got some plans, Axinite," replied Borax, with a much easier smile, flowing from face to face as he took the energy drink presented despite everything else. "Some involving a project Jadarite and I have spoken with Lepidolite about, but also the pursuit of the people I've already tracked in the database. Perhaps I can gain us some of Order's leaky faucets, as it were."

He sipped at the sports drink as he desummoned his spear.

"You can count on me."