"Can you get into it?" Katja asked the technical officer. She had given him a small data chip that she had taken from a gang that had held her hostage several days ago on account of her Mother's ever-increasing debt which she had somehow gotten caught in herself. They had access to an alarming amount of information about her which she could only imagine was achieved through some level of corruption.
"These types aren't renowned for their cyber-security." He replied as his attention was on the screen of the small hand-held device he was tapping. "It's encrypted but it's not exactly military-grade. I've seen worse." He informed her as he continued working on the task she had requested of him. Within the next couple of minutes, he announced that he had breached their rather underwhelming security.
"What exactly are you looking for?" He asked. "Do they have access to my military file?" She asked but he immediately shook his head. "They'd never get access to that." He tapped the screen a few times. "But they do have citizen records from... Corsin?" He looked up from the screen towards her with a quizzical expression. "I thought you were from Hapes?" He asked.
"I am just not in... a legal sense." She replied but the officer's questioning gaze didn't subside. "My mother never registered me, for what reason I don't know, but when I left Corsin was the first planet I lived on. I was promised citizenship in exchange for service in the military. I only got it this year. I suppose that's why they didn't find me sooner." She pondered as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.
"Yeah, that's what it says here." He informed her. "That's how they knew where to find you." He confirmed. "Hm." She mused. "That's a lot of effort to go through for one person who owes a few thousand credits." Her reply gained a concerned look from her companion as he glanced from the screen, up to her gaze and then back at the screen. "How much did they tell you she owed?" He asked. "30,000, why?"
"3 million." He corrected her. "3 million?! How?" She asked, astounded. "It doesn't say." He replied as he searched further to confirm. He shook his head.
"Wait. They just got some new information." His eyes scanned across the screen as he read. "Do you know a Verity Javik?" He asked, his eyes remaining glued to the screen. "No..." Katja replied, curiously. "22, recent graduate from Fere'sa K- Ka'h-" He attempted to pronounce the foreign word but to no avail. "Fere'sa K'ahn University. I've heard of it." She finished for him.
There was a moment's pause before he revealed the next piece of information, aware that it was something momentous to hear for the first time. "It says she's your half-sister."
It was entirely believable but it didn't make it any less of a surprise to hear. Silence fell between them as Katja tried to muster any words to break it but before she could fully process the news, her expression shifted from one of shock to one of realisation. "I need to go." She told her companion before abruptly standing. "Wh- but-" He started. "I have to find her before they do." She explained. "Send me her address."
It seemed she would be returning home after all.
