"Undercover work. There's a General here on the Periphery, who's been selling Imperial arms to the Chartered Houses. Even using our soldiers for their scutwork. The real crime was he did it with any sort of heavy-handed political backing to cover himself...we send you into his army, as an officer fresh out of the Red Crane Span*. You find us hard evidence we can work with to facilitate his disgrace and removal from office.
...He's a real nasty piece of work, you know. I suppose that's why he ended the war at the ass-end of the Empire, put out of the way so they wouldn't have to remind anyone of what he did. And, now they want him gone for good, no surprise. The usual reward. The Empire doesn't need the press, and the usual rot-handle it quietly, they say...would be easier just to put a bomb in his toilet, but he's too well connected to just casually remove without evidence. Timetables of his shipments would work nicely. So would a high placed informant who could spill the paint. I'm sure you can figure something out.
You're completely expendable, of course, which makes it something of a bargain. If you survive, I can promise you a future among us...or, maybe just enough coin to convince you to be quiet. I'd say we both benefit, don't you?"
*The Red Crane Span is a school of military strategy in the Imperial Heartland, responsible for churning out the Empires brightest military minds-a series of towers and universities built on a bridge over the Missong River-a major tributary leading into the Southern Citrus Sea. It was mostly destroyed during the Succession Wars by a surprise Rebel Air raid, but has since begun to rebuilt. Immanuel thinks his offered cover is not a bad one-as most of the student records were lost in the churning waters, not to mention many of the teachers, and the students themselves. There is plenty of room for someone to slip in without setting off any alarms.