What Must Be Done

[Sadie K'Vesh]

There was a truth to the verse as it was now - well, at least as far as Sadie's little corner of it was concerned. Sometimes you just didn't get to pick who you worked for. Not that technically she was employed by the person she was technically-helping out or nothing like that. This was one of those courtesy of Boss Lady deals, a slicer only sort of thing that excluded Vitt or anybody but her onises from handling it. Some insurgent piece of dren from some skraghole planet under Imperial control needed to make himself scarce in a bad sort of way and had apparently paid the right funds to make it so as far as the more shush side of The Exchange was concerned. One of them jobs that absolutely, positively, did not need to be bragged about or linked back to anyone on Cloud City.

So Sadie'd taken a bit of a vacation to the nearest system to get the job done. Not that Gerrenthum was exactly vacation material, but it was close enough to home without being home and that was what mattered. Her stay was ending up far longer than she would have liked though, who would have guessed that it would take a few days to remotely break into various Imperial mainframes and start removing any mention of the terrorist, err - freedom fighter - in question. Sadie was being careful as best she could, using none of her usual equipment, throw away data padds and severs all connected in a crap arse motel room that she was willing to bet Em had scheduled to have some sort of horrific accident that was gonna wipe the whole place off the map. Still, she was feeling a might bit cocky with how things had been going late and the word Imperial just didn't scare her as much as it probably still rightly should have.

Not that she hadn't gone and broken into their shit before, but nothing on this sort of scale. Although Sadie had never heard of the rodder, apparently he was some semi-well-known when it came to his piece of dren home planet. Maybe that's what she got for avoiding the news on the holonet nowadays. Well, this would sure teach her to watch out for more potential people she needed to go and make into ghosts.

Sadie weren't even sure what time it was just then. She'd been hunkered over a large screen for the better part of a cycle with only second-rate beer and take-out food to keep her company. For a time she'd considered opening a comm line to Vittore and all, just to check in, just for some semblance of company, but it was a might too bit risky. She was fine out here on her lonesome, just a bit bored was all.

Another pain the arse firewall was come upon and Sadie let out one of them groans that was more a sigh but also sounded a bit like she was gonna growl at the damned datapadd in font of her. Was gonna take a few hours to crack through this one if the others she'd gotten through were any sort of indication.

Fine then, more than enough time for her to be getting on with getting something better than the piss beer she was suffering with. Even low grade rotgut was bound to make this whole thing more tolerable at this point. The slicer went and grabbed her coat after she pushed off away from the small consoles, body aching in protest of not having moved for a spell. After rolling the aches out enough she headed towards the door, itching to probably make the outing a bit longer than necessary. Just before leaving, however, she turned back to the makeshift command center she'd set up and pointed at the datapadd seemingly controlling it all.

"Behave, arsehat. Don't go no where an' don't go mixin' us in anythin' we don't need t' be. Just crack th' gorram code an' wait like a good lil bastard, savy?"

Yeah, definitely too much time spent alone when you went and started talking to the damn equipment.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"Shuttle KT-1472, you are cleared for landing on pad 331."

The angular black Delta T-3c shuttle growled as it pushed through the lower atmosphere of Gerrenthum, escorted by a flight of four TIE fighters. In the relative peace of Imperial airspace, the heavy sky traffic thinned noticeably. While most of the planet in the Anoat system was dominated by the local monopoly of Figg industries, the Empire made certain that the local business conglomerate respected their masters. Even still, pad 331 lay at the periphery of the Imperial bureaucratic hub. Far from the building that housed the Adjutant to Moff Rubezahl, the ten story structure at the hub of three landing pads seemed relatively unimportant - save for one important feature.

It was the system headquarters of the Imperial Security Bureau, the dreaded secret police of the Imperial military hegemony.

As the huge shuttle withdrew it's long bat-like wings into landing configuration, a group of four black-armored troopers stepped onto the periphery of the tarmac. Anchored in the center was a man in a white uniform and black cap. Where his right eye had once been, a photoreceptor augment was grafted to the socket in the form of a patch. The artificial eye periodically adjusted color from red to blue, as it's wearer adjusted visual spectra.

The shuttle's immense gangplank extended, releasing it's single passenger. A Selonian in a plasteel imperial cuirass trotted down the ramp on all fours before bunching her feet to roll into a two-footed stance.

"Colonel Paullus."

The ISB Colonel's dour expression deepened, his organic eye narrowing as the photoreceptor flicked red.

"A Knight of the Throne." Paullus remarked with a chilly tone. "Matatek Sel Vissica."

The Selonian nodded her head once. "You are well informed."

"It takes little to stay informed of the Imperial Knights. You are all as subtle as Banthas."

The death trooper nearest Colonel Paullus spoke, his words garbled by his vocabulator's encryptor. With a hand gesture, the ISB officer bade his guard to stand down and return to the building. Silent as ghosts, the troopers disappeared.

"No doubt your presence here is a sign of the Empress's displeasure."

Vissica's meaty tail thumped the tarmac. "You are correct."

Paullus shook his head ever-so-slightly. "Not subtle at all. Come, then."

The Colonel escorted the Knight into the clandestine facility. Within the clamshell durasteel doors, the building was alive with activity. Technicians and officers pored over countless banks of computers, each busy sifting through an enormous quantity of data.

"Our investigation into Oscan Klegg's activities has been ongoing for months. He has close ties to the Figg family. This is all delicate work. We've taken great pains so that even Governor Rubezahl isn't aware of the full extent. And now *all of it* has vanished," Paullus snapped gloved fingers for emphasis, "into nothing."

If the Colonel was looking for sympathy, Knight Vissica was a poor source. A noncommittal rumble rattled in her chest, then silence.

"The Empress is interested to know how her spies have squandered their secrets. She has sent me to discover the culprit."

"The Imperial Security Bureau is more than capable of..."

"Clearly," Vissica interrupted, talking down to the shorter man, "you are not capable."

Begrudgingly, Paullus conceded the point. "That is the conclusion of the Empress, it would seem."

Vissica stepped forward, inspecting the milling technicians as they worked on their terminals.

"The nature of this data breach is that of a local network intrusion, is it not?"

"Yes, that is in our report. None of our work is active on the HoloNet. All data on the investigation has been warehoused here, and is handled by ISB couriers."

The Selonian's almond eyes narrowed.

"Do you trust your men?"

"Absolutely." Paullus replied with steel in his voice. Vissica's torso pivoted back, allowing her to get a glimpse of his earnestness.

"Good. If there is a traitor, I will quickly discover them. If your assurance is meaningful, I can start looking elsewhere."

The Colonel wrung his gloved hands together.

"There is a small matter of latency loss on our network. It's small. Well within the normal margin of error, but it has been persistent over the past day or so."

Unfamiliar with the technical details, the Selonian snorted, her whiskers quivering.

"What does this mean?"

"It could mean many things," Paullus cautioned, touching his chin, "but a remote possibility could be a physical intrusion of the network itself. A physical slice."

"Someone may have broken into this facility and attached a wire?"

Luddite, the Colonel thought, making a face "More likely a small transmitter. Something with a limited range."

"If it is discovered, can it be used to track down the source?"

The Colonel nodded, "Absolutely. Once we find such a device, if it exists, we can determine what frequency it uses to send and request data. If we have the frequency..."

"...we find the source." Vissica rumbled, catching on.

"So I hardly see the reason why a Knight should be involved. If that is the cause of this incident, I can deploy a squad of death troopers and terminate the source of the slice myself."

The Selonian growled. A warning.

"The Empress has other ideas. Find the device. I will find the slicer."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Booze run, huge success. Well, 'bout as successful as anythin' that Sadie figured. Yeah, it was slim pickings as far as comparing it to Cloud City but really, weren't everything? Sadie weren't sure if that were fact or no, probably had more to do with that whole home thing than not, but nothing seemed to go and compare no more. Damn she was getting soft - well, only kind of; more so than she would have been comfortable with a few years ago anyhow. Now was kind of a different story, it was nice having folks to go back to that weren't gonna try and break your arm if you went and fraked up.

It was thoughts like that that mulled about in Sadie's head as she kicked down an alleyway back towards the motel. Weren't the most direct route, but it took her past one of many nondescript empty beer bottles that littered the joint, one of which had glass that was a wee bit too opaque if looked at in the right light. Really, it weren't the most subtle of hiding places for the actual transmitter for the speck of a chip that was actually on site at the Imps' fancy shmancy security joint, but it did most of the talking back and forth and given the locale, Sadie figured it didn't exactly go and stand a chance of being discovered... 'cept for maybe by some desperate drunk who found a bottle that was heavier than it should be and was hopin' for dregs. Her little device could take a beating, though, just hopefully said angry drunk guy wouldn't go and throw it out of range or nothing - if he existed at all, that was.

Motel room was just as she'd left it, even with the damn cracker still workin' on the next level. Yeah, it might go a bit faster if she took it manual-like rather than letting one of her systems work on it, but Sadie was downright tired. The first few had been fun, sure, but they did lose their charm after a bit. Maybe she'd tackle the next for the sake of propriety or her own pride or something. Whatever.

Sadie took a swig of the bottle in hand - probably about the worst damn excuse for a whiskey she'd ever tasted; the cringe that went and worked it way all through her innards was more than enough proof if her taste buds were too dead to confirm the fact - and plunked herself down in the suitably squishy chair in the room given the fact the bed was a bit occupied with her equipment. Maybe she was due a nap, then could move on forward. Weren't like she were in a real rush. Boredom aside, getting caught or the danger there of was about the damn near farthest thing her head could process at that moment.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"Colonel, you'd best take a look at this."

A technician in grey coveralls approached Paullus as he conferred with his station command. With Vissica in an earshot's orbit, the ISB officer took a few steps out of the way with discretion.

"What is it?"

"Security feed from level four, section three. Timestamp 11:31:33 from two days ago."

Paullus settled over a monitor as the technician played the footage. That it was underwhelming was quite an understatement. Paullus frowned.

"You brought me to see this?"

The Selonian Knight turned in the midst of a pace, moving towards Paullus and the technician. From bad to worse, now his ineptitude had an audience.

"You found something?" Vissica queried, her long neck allowing her to easily crane for a look.

"Yes, my Lady." the technician nervously played with a stylus in one hand, "I realize it doesn't look like much, and there's nothing really happening in the footage..."

It was true. The clip they watched simply showed an empty hallway. For three minutes, nothing seemed to break the stillness. No one passed through the hallway - not even a mouse droid.

As Colonel Paullus watched it for a third time, his ocular sensor switched from red to blue. "There! Rewind and play from two seconds previous. That selection in a loop."

The technician did as instructed. The tightened clip looped again, and again, and again.

"The spanner."

Paullus pointed it out. A power node box on the terminal wall appeared normal one moment, and the next moment there was a small hand spanner resting on top of it. The footage looped. The spanner disappeared, then reappeared.

"The security footage has been altered." Vissica rumbled, her small ears flattening slightly against her broad head.

"Precisely." Paullus nodded, standing back to his full height. He quickened his pace for the lift, and Vissica kept pace.

"Deploy my personal guard and have them meet me at level four, section three!"

The Colonel pushed into the lift as the doors opened, and the Selonian followed wordlessly.



* * *


Three minutes later, Paullus had arrived at the exact location he'd been viewing from footage previously. He glanced over his shoulder, making note of the location of the security camera, situated just to the left of where Vissica stood. He followed the line of sight, tracing the wall from the point where the power node box stood to where the wall terminated. Sure enough, a hand spanner remained on top of the metal box. Fishing black leather gloves back onto his hands, the Colonel carefully lifted the tool from it's resting place, passing it to a waiting deathtrooper.

"Scan this for prints."

"Hw33**r.//" The trooper replied with artificial encrypted static, slipping the spanner into a utility pouch. Carefully, the colonel ran his finger along the adjacent wall panel. He paused, reached underneath the seam, and pulled the whole section up and out - exposing the wire housings that otherwise would remain hidden.

With the panel pulled free, the Colonel, the Knight, and the deathtroopers could now see clearly. Wedged onto a bundle of fiber like a tick on an animal, a data sniffer blinked on and off repeatedly, transmitting it's stolen feed discretely.

"Get a scanning crew down here. I want the exact frequency this slicer is using isolated. Don't touch anything."

Vissica's eyes remained fixed to the device. Her wet nose crinkled.

"Prepare a squad of your best men to hunt the source. Flush out the slicer, and I will deal with them."

Without another word, the Selonian departed, leaving Paullus in the company of his crack troops. His ocular shifted back to red as he watched the lift door close behind the alien.

"Go with her."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Ah thank frak."

The sigh that followed her little outburst made it seem like the weight of worlds was done gone from her shoulders but really Sadie was just glad that her system had finally gotten it's arse in gear and busted on through the firewall. As much as she hated the old cliche, there was truth in that whole want somethin' done right proper business. Downright lucky this weren't a rush job. Well... it kinda was, truth be told. Weren't like Oscan Klegg had all the damned time in the world to wait on her to make him up and poof from the verse, but when you didn't know a person it sure never felt that way for the folks doing the job. She would have been all over it like it were the best damned bottle of Vistulo brandale in the entirety of existence had the sap been one of the boss lady's actual people, even faster had it been one of those Sadie was starting to consider her own. Probably something ill to be said about thinking and working like that but Sadie figured you wouldn't find many in the galaxy of all that different of a mind.

No matter, a few quick keystrokes later and another bit of Mister Klegg's identity was like a fart in the wind. If tabs were on the up and up, that meant she only had two more bits to go for, though she had plans on running her own sweep afterwards just to make damn sure the job was done right. Maybe not the best sort of urgency, but Sadie weren't about to leave this all half arsed. Bragging rights or not, she still had a damn reputation to upkeep.

"Right then, let's bust this out an' get off this gorram rock."

In one of them semi-routine - completely unnecessary - sort of deals Sadie cracked the knuckles of her fingers and followed it with a good swig of the rotgut she'd procured.

"Okay, just a b-"

Was the general pounding on her motel room door that went and interrupted some lame saying she was spouting about. No shame for the stopping of speaking silliness but the actual sound. For a moment she glared at the door looking downright offended before Sadie's oh frakkin' dren instinct kicked in and she done remembered to clamber out of the chair and snag the blaster waiting for her and spin around and aim it at the door.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

There was only one knock.

The next sound Sadie heard was an ear-splitting hiss. The panels of her motel door quickly began to glow in a white outline, spitting spall and embers as the light became blinding. In a sudden deafening clap, the door caved in. Three Imperial deathroopers pushed through the smoldering aperture, weapons at the ready. By a stroke of misfortune, one of the troopers found himself dead to rights in Sadie's gun sight. A ping of blaster fire followed by the squelching sound of impacting plasma, as the stricken trooper clattered to the floor with a "#3JHrr//" of encrypted death rattle.

Sadie's attempt at a follow-up shot hit only ceiling as something wrenched her arm by the wrist, hyperextending her elbow as she was pulled toward the door, nearly off her feet. The blaster in her hand slipped through the air, passing through the door where it was grasped by a now-visible hand. A hand that clearly didn't belong to one of the death troopers, or even a human, for that matter. A towering female Selonian passed through the entry, slinking low to clear the gap for a moment. She examined Sadie's weapon with only passing interest before turning the sidearm over to one of the black-armored troopers posted at the wall.

"Your resistance is noted, slicer."

The musteloid's voice was a low baritone rasp, her whiskers quivering with inflection.

"It would be unwise of you to provide a second demonstration."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

For a bit - and far longer than Sadie would have liked - she was downright in shock. Last thing she'd ever expected to come through the door were these types and she frakking had the nerve to go and shoot one of them?? That was a big 'ol no-go on the list of things she wanted on her record, but what was done was done and her brain was having a right bit of trouble trying to piece together exactly what had gone down except she was now unarmed and was staring down some big... what the frak even IS that?

Whatever tall, fluffy, and angry was, it - she? - was clearly in charge of the others and that was a downright bad deal given the fact they didn't exactly go throwing around the dark armored troopers for just nothing. The ache in her bad shoulder brought another thing into a mighty ill feeling perspective. That blaster hadn't exactly been taken from her by conventional means. Which meant... aw hell.

"I'm gonna want that back."

How was it that her mouth had a damn mind of it's own at times like this? Maybe she really needed to start asking Inyos for advice on how to keep herself right under control during some stressful times. That wasif she got out of this damn ugly mess. Inyos. Frak, that was another issue now wasn't it? He'd briefly mentioned that the Empire had it's own brand of Force Users and if the truth was half as real as the stories they were downright unfriendly on the best of days. Chalk this one up to just about worse frakking case scenario, then.

Sadie didn't know damn near enough about how stuff worked to know if she was like some sort of beacon to other Force Users - some of them had made it known they knew what she was, after all - but yes or no it was too damn late for that, only thing she could do now was avoid that subject and fixate on what the big 'un called her. Slicer.

"Guessin' y' folks ain't exactly th' type t' go an' tell a body where they done gone an' kriffed up so they don't go an' make th' same mistake again? More meanin' how y' found me. Ain't lookin' for a life lesson."

Sadie heard that telltale waver in her voice that dropped a bit of the swagger and let on that she was keenly aware of the trouble she was in. Weren't fear, not exactly, though that probably threaded through the rough emotion sure as anything.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The Selonian wasn't the type to humor her guests, even in generous circumstances. Sadie's banter may as well have been shouted at a wall. Vissica's chest sounded a low rumble, punctuated by her tongue flicking up and across her nose, applying a fresh patina of glistening sheen.

"The device."

No further elaboration was needed. She wouldn't tolerate this scum attempting to play coy with feigned ignorance.

"Give it to me."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Device?" No need to go and fake the confusion that brought on. Sadie's head even tilted to the side as an eyebrow raised as if she was trying to figure out if she'd done gone and heard the scary thing wrong like.

A few blinks to clear her thoughts, a bit of a glance towards the black-clad troopers in one of them I ain't kiddin' so no goin' and gettin' trigger happy, yeah? looks, and Sadie slowly gestured around the room. Aside from the mess of boxes on the bed and the datapadds near by she shrugged. She weren't sure what these Imperial types were after if it weren't her directly but as damn far as she was concerned they could go and help themselves to anything else.

"What'cha see is what'cha get. 'S all yours if y' want it. Ain't nothin' special but a few padds, a handful of boosters, a sever that ain't got nothin' on it cept a lil' bit of an OS to make things a bit more pretty in tellin' everythin' to get to talkin' to each other an'..." Frak she was ramblin'.

"Lest y' mean th' relay in th' alley over. Looks like a bottle o' Durasteel Reserve. But that's just another glorified connector..."

They say curiosity kills the loth-cat or some dren of that nature, but Sadie was human... well, mostly, so she figured she was at least reasonably safe. Well, no less so than she was since the Imps went and barged in anyhow.

"What device y' lookin' for, exactly? Kinda feelin' like I might owe y' one on account of blastin' y' boy over there. Gotta be honest, didn't mention th' actual little monster that let me in t' your works in th' first place but guessin' you might'a found that, yeah? If not, well... that ain't exactly here, either. That'd be back at yours."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The word salad that comprised the nervous slicer's reply contained the vital piece of information that the Knight was looking for. The death troopers knew it as well, as they relaxed proportionally from fingers on the trigger to merely fingers outside the trigger loop. Vissica's almond-shaped eyes closed and opened laconically as she puffed a breath from her nose. Her flexible spine arched back, leaning her slightly out of Sadie's personal space as the Selonian raised a webbed paw in the direction of one of her troopers.

"Find it."

"5##j8Q%Ec3" The nearest trooper replied in cypher, slipping out of the room through the smoldering aperture. That left two troopers, Sadie, and the Knight in the room. Again, Vissica leaned in, inspecting the face of the woman before her. She reached a paw up to Sadie's face, the calloused pads of fingertips brushing against her cheek, coming to a rest against her face for a moment. Then, as if the Selonian thought better of something unsaid, she changed tact. Her hand pulled away.

"Your task for Oscan Klegg is finished. If I discover any evidence that it has resumed, you will pay for it with your life. Do you understand?"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Sadie was downright proud of herself on account that she didn't go and shudder something awful when the Imperial went and laid a hand on her. She'd never been the type to be too keen on random physical contact from folks she didn't know, but to say that feeling weren't all the worse in recent days would have been an outright lie. Still, she held her own and kept it down to minimum level of outward discomfort. Didn't do nothing to stem the downright confusion on what the frak was going on, though. Was she about to get her neck snapped or was this about to get a bit too personal? Either way, it was done and over and Sadie half wondered if it was done for no other reason than to leave her head reeling like it was. Damned Imperials an' their kriffin' mind games.

"Yeah, I get'cha." Bit of a curt reply considering the way she'd been going but her head was moving on towards thinking the sooner the Imps went and bailed the sooner she could try and salvage this.

Yeah her task for Klegg might have been done as far as it was concerned, but now she had to go and make sure she couldn't be followed or otherwise traced back to Cloud City. Was gonna be harder if the Imps were confiscating her equipment, that was for damn sure.

Something popped in her head though, and Sadie knew better than to put voice to it and just be glad this was all over with but she was living in a world based on information, profiting from it in more ways than one. Leaving unknowns just weren't in her nature no more.

"Who the hells are you, anyway?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"My name is Matatek Sel Vissica."

The Selonian's broad-knuckled paws rested midway down her long torso, the thick and partially-webbed digits hooking underneath the bottom seam of her armored cuirass.

"I am a Knight of the Throne to Empress Miranda Tarkin."

The beast's gimlet eyes looked past Sadie, passing over the equipment in the room as her fleshy tail slid and thumped against the floor. She pivoted along her flexible spine, glancing at the nearest death trooper standing in stony silence. Their presence was obsidian and inscrutable, and Vissica knew full well to whom these special forces owed their most salient loyalty. That was problematic.

The Selonian spared one more glance at the slicer, then turned away fully to leave the room.

"Put her aboard my ship."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Wait, what?"

Oh hells no. She frakked up. She frakked up bad. Knight o' th' Throne of th' Force-Damned Empress? See, if Sadie had even remotely considered the prospect of the job going south this is when she would have triggered some sort of covert SOS back to home and gotten Vittore or Vhiran or even Elira on the job of getting her the hell out of this shindig. But no, it had all seemed so straight forward and bland. Well, she had wanted excitement and damn right now Sadie was gonna get in spades.

Now the fun part would be to keep just herself in trouble and get herself out of it. Yeah, sure, no problem. It wasn't like she was being dragged away by some serious business types of Imperial troopers or anything. She was so humped, pure and simple and there weren't no body going to jump out of the sidelines and save her arse. Oh sure, eventually Vitt would get the gist that something was afoul and come looking, probably Inyos as well if he weren't already somehow aware of that sort of thing. Last thing Sadie wanted to go and play was the damsel in distress; she didn't need no bloody forced escort every which place. Was nice folks cared and all but she wanted to pull her weight, not be some sort of damned liability.

For now, that meant she was gonna have to play along, bide time and see where this headed and pray for openings to make themselves obvious when it came to fixing this very wrong deal.

"So," Sadie began, casting a quick sidelong glance at one of them deathtrooper types and their nondescript helmets that she always secretly hoped they were making faces behind. "Don't suppose y' got any mind on what Ms. Vissica there has in th' plans?"

Her reply came in a rather cruel shove. Kriffin Imperials no sense o' decency.

"Yeah, didn't think so."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Vissica watched the troopers lead the slicer back to her shuttle with sharpened scrutiny. She only broke her attention to send a coded holographic message back to the ISB station. A miniature representation of Colonel Paullus coalesced on her forearm gauntlet like a perched bird.

"Tell me you have good news." The Colonel's image flickered briefly, but did little to hide the officer's tempered anxiety.

"I have located the slicer's cache. The perpetrator has been dealt with. You may deal with the physical evidence at the site as you see fit."

"Dealt with?" Paullus glowered. "My men inform me that the woman in question is being delivered to your ship as we speak."

Vissica's suspicions had been confirmed. Her eyes narrowed as a rumble built in her throat.

"That is correct, Colonel. I have removed the slicer from circulation. She is no longer your concern."

"Don't be a fool. She may hold key information, not only on how to restore information to our investigation, but also on how she exploited our security in the first place. Your holding her -"

"- is not your concern, Colonel." Vissica drew out her metered interruption to the breaking point. "I alone will determine the prisoner's usefulness. Your failure here necessitated my intervention."

The Selonian paused, arching a fleshy brow.

"The Empress would be disappointed to hear of your obstinate resistance."

Paullus's expression darkened to nearly murderous, then gradually slackened.

"I...understand."

"Good. Then there is nothing further to discuss."

Without a second of delay, the Knight terminated the line - and hopefully the last unwanted interference in her plans.





* * *




The bay doors of the shuttle descended with a pneumatic rattle and a screech of metal, revealing a ramp into the interior which the Selonian negotiated on all four feet. As soon as Vissica was aboard, the doors once more clammed shut.

"Pilot, you may depart."

"Yes, my Lady." A voice above in the lofted cockpit sounded in a clipped tone as the shuttle's powerful engines began to spool for ascent. The Selonian bunched her feet, rolling up to a two-footed stance that nearly crested the ceiling of the interior hold. Before her stood the slicer, as of yet unshackled. Stormtroopers of the 79th Legion posted to either side of the woman. Unlike the ISB's deathtroopers, these men reported to the Selonian directly.

"Is the ship secure?" Vissica asked to one of the Corps officers, a man in a black cap, jacket, and jodhpurs. The stormtrooper officer quickly inspected a wall-mounted terminal.

"There is no trace of electronic eavesdropping. We are clear."

A sensible precaution, considering the piqued nature of Vissica's disagreement with the ISB chief. Now, she was free to deal with the matter at hand. The Selonian closed distance with the human woman.

"You are guilty of grave crimes against the Empire. As an agent of the Empress, I have the authority to adjudicate your case and to carry out your sentence however I see fit."

Vissica drew a deep breath. Her whiskers raised and lowered in slow measure.

"What is your name?"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Well, y'see, that's mighty complicated," Sadie drawled out.

Avoiding the question proper aside, it were The Force-honest truth. Every since day one of stepping on to Cloud City and meeting Atton Kira in the flesh her life, and identity, had gotten more muddied than the waters on Vodran. Her given name weren't of question which was a small sort of blessing, but that damn surname business now had too many gorram options. Did she keep running with her hand-picked K'Vesh, go with mum's chosen Asael, try on the oh-so-fancy Ath-Thu'ban, or go with that other option that was all sorts of weird and disquieting on it's own? Yeah, that last one was probably left for quiet contemplation when she was irked at mum something fierce but still thought that her apparent father was more who she wanted to go and be like. Yeah. Like she said, mighty complicated.

"Guessin' Sadie is the safe an' simple option, Saidra if y' gotta go makin' it proper like. Can give y' a few other ones I've gone by from time t' time but th' actual sticks more often than not. Sorry ain't got nothin' more concrete for y'. Orphan world problems, y' get?"

Good explanation as any, also truth to a big extent of her history. Best sort of fibs, she reckoned - don't go trying to make stuff up when life had gone and given you more than enough ammo to work with. Not that she was exactly all for lying to this Knight, given the facts Sadie figured that the truth was gonna have to be more or less stuck to if she wanted to try and get outta this alive. Having her full judge, jury, and probably executioner standing over her wasn't lost to the slicer, she just rather not let her head go running off with the very scary possible realities of where this all was heading. Panic made idiots of the best folk, and given there wasn't much she could do right now to fix the situation, there weren't no good in letting it seep in and take over.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

It wasn't a simple answer as Vissica may have demanded, but it was an answer nonetheless. The Selonian's small ears raised slightly from their flattened contour, as if ready for the overtalkative prisoner to continue sharing beyond the pale.

"Your activities against the security bureau are impressive, Saidra. You have made fools of dangerous and resourceful men. Who else knows of your assignment for Oscan Klegg? Do you have any other co-conspirators?"

A sensible question, as the scope of the slicer's activities were bold and grandiose. If there were others connected to the plot, it would be wise to deal with them as well.

[Sadie K'Vesh]

There it was, that bit that was gonna be a might bit hard to get around. Technically this here was a solo job, but saying that no one else knew was an outright lie. Plenty knew; there was Boss Lady who gave her the assignment in the first place, Vitt whom she had to convince to let her go on her onsies, Elira who was still trying to make amends, Inyos who was trying to make more amends, dear uncle probably knew as well. Hell, Sadie was downright sure pretty much everyone back home knew, maybe not the details, but more than enough to implicate the lot of 'em. Thing was, Sadie weren't gonna roll over on her family like that. It was kinda new and broken as all get up but it was hers, and that meant sticking your neck out when needed.

"Thiss'un was all on me. Which... I think means I should be a might bit flattered by y're assessment there."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The Knight's expression generally didn't lend itself well to interpretation by humans, but the shift was enough to imply a hardening of her features.

"Selonians do not flatter."

The beast inflected the point sharply, broadcasting her offense and distaste. Just as quickly as Vissica displayed her pointed disdain for the human's assessment, she'd moved past it.

"Have you ever, or do you now, associate with known members, agents, or proxies of the Alliance of Free Planets, the Corellian Resistance, or the Jedi diaspora?"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Dia-what now?

Sadie'd gone and flinched a bit at Vissica's bit of a mental bite. At least she had an answer for what the Knight was now, at least. Not that she exactly had the benefit of her network to go look up more on the subject at that moment. There were some rather more pressing issues to get to. That Jedi bit was gonna bit a little harder to fudge - what with her kinda half arsed toting around one of them titles they used, but thankfully the question was downright broad enough and she had one hell of an answer.

"Yeah t' all th' above, I'm guessin'? Y' heard 'bout that whole... ugly lizard invasion that was stopped a while back? Th' what'cha call 'em..." Sadie wracked her brain for it for a tiny bit, ugly damn lizard folk usually fit the bill but this was gonna need proper words. "Them Ssi-ruuk bastards, yeah, that was it. Yeah, well, I was one o' them that blew 'em back t' where they came from. So were them Alliance folks back b'fore they were a proper thing in y'r guys' eyes, a few Jedi types... There were some Corellians too so no doubt they're all up in arms on their planet now that y'all cancelled th' war on 'em. Downright heroes the lot of us, pretty damn sure some of you're type were even in on that."

She paused for a moment and looked the Selonian over. "Okay, so I don't remember anyone there exactly like y', but y'now, Imperial types were there for sure."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"The invaders from the Unknown Regions." Vissica aided Sadie's rambling answer. "Yes, I am aware of them."

All of the human's responses, aside from being drawn out, seemed to fit the mold of what Vissica had asked, despite the occasional shoehorning. None of it served to be particularly illuminating or incriminating. A happy coincidence - or perhaps many happy coincidences.

The Selonian's gimlet eyes eased shut. Slack formed in her jaw as black lips parted slightly, revealing a lower array of sharp teeth. Vissica's senses in this faculty could only divine mood, feeling, and the vaguest intent. She felt the human's fear, though it beat through the fiber of Sadie with a clarity uncommon among so many fearful people. Through that feeling of pure survival, Vissica sensed clarity and focus. A mind hard at work, because it did not want to succumb to consequence.

The Knight opened her eyes.

"Are you a truthful being, Saidra?"

Vissica pressed forward a step. A careful hedging of distance separating the Selonian from her prisoner left scarcely a foot between them. The metered exhalation from the musteloid's broad nose was close enough to feel warm against the slicer's forehead.

"Selonians are truthful. It is more than a matter of ethics or a concept of right. It is a matter of the soul."

The hirsute alien again closed and opened her eyes laconically. She raised up her forepaws, draping each broad hand over Saidra's shoulders.

"You see, a lie...it consumes you. It devours you. From the inside out, it gnaws you apart, until the tattered remnants of who you say you are no longer resemble reality."

Vissica's paws rose in unison, cupping around Saidra's temples as her broad digits kneaded forcefully into the human's hair.

"The decay, the rot, the stink of a lie, it wells up into every pore and..." Vissica pressed her nose to Saidra's forehead, drawing her lungs full as she left a damp streak in her wake, "...disgusts the senses. It is nauseating. The lie infects everything the liar touches, says, or does with their illusions. Their artifice."

The Selonian angled her head down low until it was even with Saidra's own. She rested her broad forehead against the human's, still maintaining uncomfortable pressure.

"Do you know what happens when a liar dies, Saidra?"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

There weren't really anywhere for Sadie to go as she tried to inch away from the Knight as things got all close encounters. Sadie weren't quite sure what sort of techniques Vissica was hoping on making use of but if it involved wanting to make Sadie feel like her skin was gonna go and shudder right off on it's own accord, then points to the Selonian. She didn't let folks get this close on normal means, not since long abandoned nights of gigs and one-night dalliances, not since Bog'el had gone and carved her up like a Life Day nuna.

Weren't just the touching that was getting to her, though. The whole bit about lying going and rotting out one's soul was disturbing in it's own right and Sadie had done more than her fair share over her short little life. It may all have been in Sadie's head for what the devils may cared but she sure as frak felt like the Knight was peeling back the layers of patched skin and rose tinting that the slicer had done with her life as recent, exposing stuff that was downright unpleasant. Felt like worms crawling across her, wriggling themselves around the pinpoints of where Vissica had a hold on her.

"Can't say I rightly do," Sadie replied, far more subdued than the bravado she was working with earlier.

The slicer was actually downright shocked she had the wherewithal to say anything just then, heart was beating so damned loud she figured it would go and sound out for her.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

There was once again separation as the Knight withdrew her forehead from contact. Vissica drew back until she was at intimate eye-level contact.

"They stop lying."

The intensity of the Selonian's hold on Saidra's head eased somewhat, in exchange for precision. Fingers inched carefully apart, still cradling the slicer's skull like an abalone.

"Now,"

The voice Vissica spoke in had changed. What was once just an offensive throaty baritone rasp had become an octave lower. The voice was oily, sepulchral, and utterly unnatural, filling every space between every firing neuron in the slicer's mind. It subjugated and overthrew thought, demanding full attention and compliance.

"Have you been untruthful to me?"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

She's felt this sort of thing before, even knew how it was done to some extent, Sadie wagered. But it weren't ever something like this. Intrusions into her psyche - since let's not frak about and just call it how she felt it - weren't exactly things Sadie was fond of but she let them by as the only one who did 'em on routine was Inyos and that was only on account him trying to go and help her feel calm and the like. This, though? There weren't enough ways to go and recoil away from it and yet the slicer plum found out she couldn't. If nothing else had scared her from this whole ordeal so far, it was certainly on the checklist now.

"I..."

Sadie sure as dren wanted to give the Knight a big 'ol Nope in answer, but the word was getting caught up in her head or maybe her chest and were plain refusing to go and make itself heard. Damn things were just unreliable like that sometimes.

"I h..." Struggle of damn near epic proportions was waging inside of her and when it finally managed to break through each word was forced out singularly. "I. haven't. lied."

Felt like a weight went off her chest and Sadie let out a breath of relief, trouble was that was when she let her guard down. "I just didn't go exactly sayin' all there was to say on all matters."

What. The. FRAK. She was doing so well! Where'd that sneak out from under? Damn it damn it damn it.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

There it was. Vissica's eyes widened slightly in the barest moment of revelation. She withdrew her paws from their oppressive hold on the slicer's head, opting instead to seize Saidra around her upper arm. She lead the human to the front of the shuttle's hold, slapping the controls for the gangplank. An alert klaxon sounded on the ship, triggering an atmospheric shield to activate around the doorway as the clamshell bay doors slid apart.

The Selonian and human stood at the edge, only a thin membrane of energy separating them both from open space and the curvature of the planet they were leaving.

"I am offering you the chance to amend your statements."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Dren. Dren. Dren. Of all the ways to go out Sadie never figured it would be like this. Blaster bolt to the chest, alcohol poisoning, slow from cigarras, even execution from one of them Jedi-hunter types with one of them fancy blades but this? Being tossed out into the cold void? No thank you. She'd only ever done a bit of reading on what a body went through on it's own out there and by no means was she keen on giving it a go.

"The Broker." She blurted out. "I work for Th' Broker. They jus' gave me th' job. I don't ask questions, I get paid."

More half truths, but this time she was tiptoeing the line of absolute. If she were lucky, very lucky, it might just be enough to get her back in the comfort of the ship.

"I know they got Jedi on their roster, other folks too. Bounty hunters an' th' like. An' they care 'bout their assets."

One of them lumps in the throat was painfully swallowed down as Sadie couldn't take her eyes off the planet below and the oh so empty space between. Bit of a gamble was gonna have to be rolled, Sadie didn't know if it was gonna work but if there was a time to pull out the stops, now was it.

"They busted open an Imperial ship not too long ago. Well, their folks did, wasted lots of the crew just t' get one of their own back. That ain't a threat or nothin', just sayin'. I don't get half their whys and hows, far above th' pay grade."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Vissica spun Saidra about, holding the slicer between herself and the atmo shield. It was close enough to cause the brunette's hair to stick to the static membrane. Inches more, and the void would take her. However, the Selonian no longer used the visual example to illustrate her terror.

"I hope for your sake that is the extent of your omission."

The Selonian eased Saidra a step forward back inside the shuttle. The doors sealed behind with a discordant clang of cold metal.

"Now, we may speak candidly about how you will serve your sentence."

Vissica let go of Saidra's arm, walking towards the back of the hold with a slow gait.

"Normally, a crime of your magnitude would merit death. However, I believe rehabilitation may instead serve our mutual benefit."

She was speaking vaguely, and it was time to make her point. Vissica wet her muzzle.

"Service to the Knighthood and your Empress, in exchange for your release in good standing. Do you agree?"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

That telltale metallic clunk of the doors finding each other was like the sweetest damn music Sadie had ever heard in her entire life just then. She rubbed at her arm as if trying to wipe away the feeling that the Knight had kinda let linger after she'd let go, probably was gonna bruise later, weren't like she was exactly resilient in that matter. Even with the sound of blood rushing through her ears and her own damn breathing trying to make a return to normal, Sadie could hear every word Vissica said without straining for it.

So this was what it was gonna come down to, death or deals with the government. Sadie didn't have the heart to go and comment that she didn't have an Empress, though as a semi legit citizen of Bespin, maybe she technically did nowadays; whatever, she was Nar Shaddaa raised and no changed in her life or finding out where her blood lines came from had done a thing to stop that festering pile from being what Sadie considered her place of origin.

Get a hold o' yourself, Sid. Her brain was wandering too much, some sort of defense mechanism probably, or maybe it was some sort of life flashin' b'fore y' eyes thing that got cut short before the reel had any time go and spool properly. Either way Sadie forced herself to stop and just breathe.

It weren't like she was weighing her options, not much a choice really when it came down to dying or saving her hide and maybe finding a way to make damn sure this didn't link back home.

She let out a sigh, caught somewhere in trying to gain back composure over the whole airlock thing and coming to terms with the corner she was backed up into.

"Yeah. So what do y' want me t' do?"

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

"There are people whom I wish to be found." Vissica replied, accepting Saidra's compliance with as little ceremony as she'd given it.

"Enemies of the Empire. Collaborators, agitators, dissidents. They have proven elusive to capture by conventional means."

The Selonian approached Saidra again, drawing a disc from a utility compartment on her cuirass. She held the device in her palm, activating the emitter. A man's face appeared, floating in artificial mist (https://theholo.net/forum/member.php?4547-Ben-Merasska).

"Do you know this man?"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Sadie didn't much care for the basic layout of the job, weren't no secret why the Empire had gone and made themselves so many enemies but at the same time it weren't exactly like she'd gone and picked a side. The Rebellion folks seemed like decent enough sorts when she'd worked with them, but they were fighting a war she had no interest in. Finding out her mum's side of the family was from Alderaan hadn't done a whole lot to change that sentiment, though - it just weren't her fight. Helping the Empire track down the sorts who were just fighting for what they thought was a good cause, though? Well... That weren't ideal, but Sadie had been involved with a lot worse things in the past and hadn't given two thoughts to it.

As she went and studied the projected face, Sadie was actually glad. Glad she didn't know the poor sap that was appearing rather than having the Knight pull up... oh, I don't know... her father or someone. Galaxy was a right arse when it came to things like that, 'bout time it backed the frak off. Not that she considered this much of a break, but she was still coming down off of the adrenaline rush of the threat of finding herself outside the ship, hoping her insides froze or she suffocated before she ever hit atmo - this she could handle.

"Nah, and that's the Force-honest truth of it." Sadie weren't quite comfortable enough to voice the, What? He owe y' creds? That sauntered in as an afterthought.

Weren't no point in asking for deets, the slicer figured Vissica would go and give them without too much proding.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Vissica's head canted, her whiskers bobbing in indifference at Sadie's denial of knowing the man in the hologram.

"His name is Ben Merasska. Captain of a Ghtroc-class light freighter registered as Alderaan. He is a person of interest in my investigations. I suspect he has links to numerous terrorist organizations operating along the galactic line of demarcation, and within Imperial territory. He has a number of known associates."

A series of additional holographic mugshots flickered in the air.

"A juvenile Togruta female (https://theholo.net/forum/member.php?8067-Shuvin-Undhi) who serves as his ship's first mate. A suspected grifter and con artist (https://theholo.net/forum/member.php?7600-Cerie-Moreau), and a force adept youth (https://theholo.net/forum/member.php?4438-Abarai-Loki) who I suspect may be a jihadist affiliated with the Jedi Order."

Vissica paced the four mugshots, resting a broad finger atop the representation of Merasska.

"Of these, I suspect Captain Merasska is operating in a leadership or networking capacity. I must uncover the full extent of his activities, the activities of his associates, their movements, and anyone who interacts with or is affiliated with them, no matter where that investigation may lead."

There was something implicit and unsaid in the last part of the Selonian's demand, and Vissica pointedly made eye contact with Saidra to ensure she understood.

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Sadie felt an uncomfortable familiarity with the group - switch up some details and it was like staring at parts of The Exchange. Still, she caught the Knight's drift and sadly when it came over to frakking over a bunch of people she didn't know or frakking over her own people, the choice was a damn easy one. Didn't mean she liked it though, but there wasn't a whole lot about this situation to go and like. Worst thing is Sadie had thought that with Bog'el gone from her life that she weren't gonna have to go and play shady dren like this no more, where you knew the job was gonna make for a downright bad end for what were probably decent folk. Should have known better.

"Gonna take some time," she admitted.

Weren't lying or even twisting the truth on that. Gathering up that much info weren't no overnight gig, maybe not even a few days. If she could do it from the comfort of The Underworld that was one thing but...

"You got a place set up for this sort? I mean a good place? Not no old runnin' on CompLink dren."

She was hoping for a negative answer, some sign she'd get to go home soon, but that could be all sorts of trouble. Might as well walk Vissica right into their den with that sort of nonsense and as funny as it might be to watch Vitt's face light up at the thought of ganking himself a frakking Selonian Imperial Knight, Sadie weren't exactly sure she wanted to go and have a ringside seat for the aftermath.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Time, at present, was a resource Vissica had, and she dismissed Sadie's warning with a snort. With a border for the Empire's hated enemies to scurry across, there was little chance of catching their foes out in the open to crush by conventional means. That did not mean that the slicer could afford to dawdle.

When pressed about resources, the Selonian passed her tongue over her muzzle.

"Your patron's resources far outstrip your modest needs. You will have everything you need to accomplish your task."

The deck plating of the shuttle began to thrum in time with a spooling of energy. Tell-tale signs that the ship had made the jump to hyperspace.

"First, you will need a ship."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Already got one." Sadie weren't sure if it were the wisest course to go and mention it, but her mouth apparently had seen fit to go and make some deals and connections her head hadn't quite caught up with yet.

Vitt. If anyone was gonna understand this mess, if anyone was gonna understand needing to do stuff you didn't quite agree with for some greater good dren it would be him. He'd keep this a secret from the others, not let on that she was pulling the trigger on munk that she wasn't gonna be feeling all good and rosy about. He probably wouldn't appreciate who was gonna be pulling Sadie's strings, but she knew there wasn't a damn thing in the verse that the hunter wouldn't do for her. This was about as big of a count of trust that Sadie could think of, and if she had to drag someone down into this pit she'd found herself it might as well have been the single person she was sure was gonna also get her out and whistle like not a damn thing was wrong when the others had questions. Only question was, would the Knight let her run with her own people; good thing there were sound arguments for that.

"Look, I appreciate th' situation, need for discretion an' all that. Also know y' ain't exactly gonna just let me run off an' handle this without some sort of tether an' I ain't got no room for bargainin'. Fact is, y' want this done right, don't go stickin' me with no Imperial assigned escorts an' droids an' whatnot. Yeah, th' job'd get done just th' same but that ain't exactly th' sort of atmo that makes for peak efficiency - which I'm guessin' y' want."

As she continued onward Sadie felt her arms cross against her chest, some sort of display of standing her ground as well as discomfort no doubt. She'd kick herself for this later, but the need to keep the big secrets secret were too pressing. Yeah, she could run off with the Selonian, but folks would come a-searching. Off on a prolonged mission with her partner? That wouldn't raise brows none and would work out shiny for everyone.

"I got a bounty hunter I work with sometimes. Put th' two of us together an' there ain't a body in th' verse that can hide from us. Y' get y're info on these folks an' I don't gotta go tryin' t' explain t' m' boss why I ain't checkin' in b'fore they send out their squad t' find me. Seems like win-win t' me." Sadie faulted then, little shifts in posture that made it damn clear she remembered the fact she weren't exactly in a place to and make such demands. "Y'r call though, of course. Just kinda sounds like th' sensible option t' me."

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

The slicer was resourceful. That made perfect sense, given the nature of her crime. Vissica paused, the black of her lower lip disappearing into her flews as she seemed to chew on Sadie's response. The Selonian crossed her arms over her chest.

"As you wish."

Resuming a laconic pace that took the Knight away from Sadie, she addressed the human with her back turned.

"You may instruct your accomplices to meet us on the planet Bomis Koori, in the Middle Rim. I have arrangements to make towards securing our success. I expect you to know how to fulfill my wishes without me standing over your shoulder."

Vissica looked back, a single almond-shaped eye narrowing.

"Be certain that I find no reason to do so due to treachery."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

At least it ain't a Hutt. Not that the thought was of a totally comforting sort, but there was a bit of merit to it. Sadie didn't know a whole lot 'bout the Knight, but the way the Selonian had gone off 'bout lying and all that meant there was integrity under all that spookiness. She weren't stupid, though, not lying didn't mean you couldn't find a way to go and stab someone in the back or find a way to word things all one-sided - she'd know, after all.

"Don't you worry 'bout that none. I know th' terms of th' deal an' I don't break 'em. Though, I take it this means that no body is gonna go lookin' into my associates' past activities, neither? I ain't bringin' in my people jus' t' slap bracers on 'em. They come in as nobodies an' they leave th' same way t' y'. If things go belly up f' some reason, if y' catch wind of 'em doin' y' wrong with this - it's on me an' me alone. Ain't plannin' on nothin' goin' sideways, just want t' make assurances, yeah?"

Betrayal as far as Vissica were considered was the last thing on her mind right now. Trouble was, Sadie weren't sure if that was a good thing or not. She followed the Knight a few steps behind, no usual swagger or anythin' in her steps, that could all well and come once she gave the lady what she wanted. As much as she was glad that she'd have a bit of a long leash from the sound of it, Sadie weren't oblivious to the fact it was gonna be there. Like or not, the Imperial was her boss for now. Funny thing was, Sadie was pretty damned sure the Selonian wouldn't end up even close to the top of the list of the worst ones.

[Matatek Sel Vissica]

Vissica squared again to the human as she approached. The Selonian listened to Sadie's terms, despite the little bargaining power the human actually held. Her small ears perked at the corners of her head.

"I agree to your terms. You alone will shoulder responsibility for your team's actions."

The Selonian paced away from the human again, finding an open spot of floor upon which to sit.

"We will arive at our destination in six hours. I suggest you contact your friends soon if they plan to arrive on time. Their tardiness would reflect poorly on you."

Vissica gave Sadie a heavy blink, yawned, then dropped her forepaws down to the deck, curling her tail around her flexible body to rest beneath her chin. Her eyes closed.