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Hustle and Hulabaloo aside, some stones had to be unloaded early to make way to pave. Or something more cleverly put, the Corrupted of Execution tried to mull around nouns and verbs into something that meant the situation current: making an energy drop from some schmoo’s early to ensure freetime later. It was also part of the plan to act normal, as much as that was ever a goal, for practice being an awesome Spy.

Moving through the living space, the barracks, provided a handful of voices and presences to try to pass without drawing attention: step quietly, move with consistent pace and medium speed so as not to draw instinct-attention. But something did draw the senshi’s attention. There’d been a small, but quick dart of black in the tail of the eye on the way past one of the communal barracks rooms. It was probably a personal youma. Probably nothing to worry about.

Continuing along the chosen trajectory, a General was spotted to approach about energy turn ins.

The general was, in fact, making their way to a table that they and some pencil-pusher looking officer had set up. It looked a temporary set up. The important thing is that there’s that stack of energy orbs on the right side of it. And that one is taking notes. And A CAT.

A starcat was lengthening luxiously on the approach-side of the table. While the people might not think one way or the other about something, anything, in the hallway, a cat might take notice if there was anything unusual. Anything with boring eyes that could impart a Feeling Of Being Watched. It was the very kind of feeling that Machine had ratchetting up c***k by c***k the bones of the spine. “Haeeeeeeyo, got some orbs.”

The Corrupted drew the things out to roll with deliberate, casual, nothing-wrong-here aplomb of bell-ball cat toys at the stretched out paws of the Mauvian while taking in the Info agent an the General. Then the cat. Casual like. Seeing what the Mauvian was interested in.

Silk was glaring two smol laser beams into the back of Machine's uniform, even as the senshi thing stopped to turn in what looked like quota. Linger in the doorway he did indeed, a corner of his head poked out just so that he could see but still be ninja like. Cat like instincts couldn't help but have him get distracted by rolling orbs, which happened to be caught by...he squinted.

Was that Reven?

The other Chaos kitten seemed to recognize him, and his golden eyes widened briefly in shock before he was rapidly shaking his head.

Stop looking at me stupid you're going to blow my cover---

He pointed a paw at the Machine, well, more like jabbed a few times, and then made a prowling motion with his body, coming out of the doorway a few steps before he leapt back behind it. The corner of his head poked out again, so that he could keep an eye on the wily senshi.

A snowy brow lifted at Silk before Reven grasped the situation(or thought she had, in any case) and gave a small nod in understanding to the other mau. She wouldn't interfere with whatever stalky business the other kit was in the middle of, no matter how immediately curious it made her...

Blue-green eyes flicked back up to the corrupted senshi Silk was following, and she wondered idly just what it was about them that had the other mau so interested in them. Why they were special. Maybe it was his senshi? Stalking them seemed an odd response to that, but hey, maybe bonding was different for all mau, and it really wasn't as if her and Hydra's connection had presented itself smoothly. Whatever. I'll ask him later.

Reven's tail gave a thoughtful little flick before she pulled herself from her inner thoughts and back into the present. "A fair few." If it was or wasn't Reven wouldn't have known. She knew what Hydra had to collect, but really didn't have much of a clue as to how many active agents they had gathering energy, or how often they turned in their quotas. Still, engaging the senshi kept their attention on her, rather than the kitten in the hall, right?

She smirked at being called little Smaug, pleased with herself for getting the reference, and nodded in return to the senshi. A flick of bright eyes showed the hall absent of obvious predators, so she did bother trying to call the senshi back, and merely returned with a sassy "See ya!" As the senshi disappeared around a corner.

Alabaster was just wandering around minding his own damn business.

Nothing suspicious (for once). Nothing untoward (for once). Nothing completely and totally inappropriately unsavory or ridiculous or outrageous (for once). In fact, all he was doing was calmly making his way down a hallway, his cane clicking on the echoing floor beside him.

Really, what he was doing was just walking around making himself look impressive. Because he was impressive.

Totally.

Silk wanted to groan.

WAS ALL THIS THING DID WAS SOCIALIZE AND MAKE GOO GOO EYES AND PASSES AT EVERYTHING IT CAME ACROSS?

Silk paused underneath a rather narrow table, glaring up at the two figures from the scant cover it provided. Of course the weird senshi thing would be buddy buddy with an GREASE BALL. Ugh. Still, as annoyed as he was, he paid close attention. If anything or SOMETHING would give a clue in these interactions as to what Machine was...then it was a successful stalking mission.

“Machine, Esé, Machine’ll do, “ and the corrupted leaned in to that manicured, glamoured ear and whispered, “Do you see anything back there? Behind me? What is there? “

“I swear there’s something following me. Something Secret. Something dark. “

“Stillz’ treatin ya right? Got the handbook down to the letter? What’s shakin’ your bacon these days?”

Machine was almost close enough to what he'd had in mind.

Almost.

Alabaster tried not to shudder as the corrupted senshi leaned in, tried not to show just how utterly flustered he was at this entire situation because someone was touching him and someone was really all the way up in his space and this was not a situation that he was used to.

Mostly because people tended to avoid him but that was beside the point. Alabaster attempted for a Very Cool Facade, opened his mouth to make some sort of smooth remark, and heard the barely audible whisper close to his ear, a shiver running down his spine instinctively.

"Uh - "

He cleared his throat hastily without doing the very obvious thing of looking around for exactly what was following Machine. Alabaster was, at least, a very good liar.

Mostly.

"Stillwaterite is doing very well, yes, she's a lovely, er, superior," said Alabaster. "I'm not entirely sure if I have the handbook down or not, but, er, disregarding my bacon, I think I'm doing pretty damn good if I do say so myself."

He dropped his own voice, coughing to try and disguise it.

"I don't see anything I think...maybe? A shadow?"

It kind of moved. Maybe it was a youma.