"....." Sharp was silent as he beheld the woman.

"....I see." he then said.

"Yes... yes, I can tell you have Order mana in you." he commented.

"...and I can also tell you share mana with the one that was just here." he continued.

"However, that's merely just an observation." he quickly assured her.

"Where would you like to speak?" he asked, wondering if this woman was safe to talk to, or if she was affected by the Order corruption as well.

"......indeed." Sharp replied.

"We'll speak in my office." he said.

With that, the two of them entered the security area, and Jake looked confused.

"......?" he was silent eyeing the new woman.

"Open the door, Jake." Sharp said.

"She's clear." he told him, gesturing to the woman.

".....right." Jake responded, buzzing them in.

"I intend to do all that I can." Sharp responded.

"I'm not sure what all that can be, but I will try." he assured her.

"The fact that the Order is corrupted at ALL is a big issue." he continued. "It's truly a nightmare... no pun intended..." he went on.

"Tell me... what's going on?" he asked.

"What IS the situation at the Order?"

".......Oh my." Sharp muttered.

"Of course." he replied, taking the pouch.

"..." he was silent, before looking in the pouch, and finding the sand inside was, indeed, black.

"That's... ominous." he commented.

"I assure you we'll do all we can try and find a way to rectify this. Or at least stop it from continuing."

".....hm." Sharp muttered.

"That's true..." he said.

"You don't have a phone or anything, I'd wager." he continued.

"...not sure if you'd have a place to stay, either." he went on.

"You're free to stay here, if you like." he then offered her.

"Well, I am not one to discriminate." Sharp replied.

"I know that dark elves are not all bad." he told her.

"Granted, the ones that ARE really stick out above the rest..." he admitted. "But I know the majority are... or... were... really nice." he continued.

"Perhaps a bit self-important, but nice." he added.

"Also... Encrae?" he asked.

"....related to Vanessa Encrae, I would assume?"

"........so you did." Sharp remembered.

"My apologies, my mind is rather elsewhere." he said.

"Regardless, if you have nowhere to stay, you can stay here." he offered.

"I'm not one to assume you don't." he continued.

"After all, the one that installed this buildings security system is an Order member." he added with a chuckle.

"He's certainly a rarity." Sharp agreed.

"And very well, I'll show you to where you can stay." he told her.

"Thank you again for this." he went on.

"Your help will surely be useful, and it is greatly appreciated." he assured her further.

"My team and I will need to analyse and decode samples and such, but maybe we'll be able to find a way to at least stop this." he went on.

"...and I also need to find that damn book and pen again." he then muttered.

"AND find out what's going to happen to my head medic." he added, shaking his head, and then pausing.

"...but I digress, let's get you to your quarters?" he suggested.

"...they're destroyed?" Sharp asked.

"Well... that IS a relief." he said. "Those things were nothing but trouble since they were first conceived by the minds of the foolish power-hungry idiots that dared invent them." he growled.

"So at least there's THAT off my mind." he said.

"...but I doubt your information on Angela will be so pleasant..." he then added.

Sharp was silent, and sighed heavily.

"It's not a matter of wishing to hear it, nor is it a matter of being ready to hear it." he told her.

"It is my responsibility and duty as head of this organization to know how my agents and employees are doing, health-wise." he said further.

"So I would very much be interested in hearing what you have to say about it." he told Syraene further as they made their way through the corridors.

"If nothing else, I need to make plans accordingly, for... well... many case scenarios." he then sighed.