Aggressive Acquisition

[Zef Halo]

Corondex Corporate Office
Etti IV

Vitor Avendahl sat tapping his fingers impatiently as he awaited Ignashevic and Toulon's arrival. Their chief of operations and CEO had called an urgent meeting but was very, very late. Considering that Toulon was not here, he only assumed both were together and he had concluded both were aware of the topic that was to be discussed whole Avendahl was not. This, along with the fact that he has not slept after his long voyage from the Helix Syndicate's fort, annoyed him greatly.

When the two individuals entered the room together, Vitor could not help but speak first.

"Took you two a while." He said venomously to his former classmates from university.

"I win." Toloun said and Ignashevic rolled his eyes handing a sum of credits chits to the former. Vitor was about to reveal his fury when Ignashevic interrupted him.

"Sorry, sorry. Okay ?" The tall man apologized but did not give Vitor the opportunity to say something when he continued. "We come bearing important news - we have solid intel that Harf & Reynos have developed a lovely weapon. Bigger than what we've been developing lately. Much bigger."

"We are going to be acquiring it." Touloun interrupted Ignashevic before he could go on and on with details. Dirext to the point as always and that made Vitor's mood. A smirk frew on Avendahl's face.

"What exactly are we talking about ?" Vitor asked.

"Rocket artillery." Ignashevic replied and a whistle came out of Toulon's mouth implying that whatever the missile was - it was worth a couple of dead bodies.

"We're talking now." Avendahl nodded and gestured for his collaborators to sit. Ambition fueled his veins rather than anger.

 

[Zef Halo]

Emre Toloun grabbed a cup of tapcaf from the machine in the room before sitting down on the table where the other two of his peers were. Ignashevic had been very laconic in his explanations of this information to Emre as they had come together from the spaceport to here which was very unlike Gad Ignashevic Jr. He was a man who would go relentlessly into details and often bore both Toloun and Vitor out. Emre's impatience was not as evident as Vitor's who had eyes of flame at the mention of a great opportunity.

"We do realize that despite our shady contracts and clients, we have not stepped as low as theft." Emre shared his opinion and received a glare from both of his collaborators. "The Corporate Sector this might be but repercussions could just be around the corner. Every action has its reaction."

"Not if you amputate one of the capability of reacting." Vitor said and fairly surprised Emre. Neither did Gad expect such words from the man who had been the mastermind behind locating clients and sealing deals. For whatever reason, Gad seemed to ignore Vitor's unnatural reaction.

"Fear could also be a reaction." Gad said. "Besides, I do not think anyone here plans that we openly reveal ourselves."

"Yeah, but someone stealing it and then suddenly we implement the exact same thing that had been stolen ? Sounds obvious to me." Emre explained his point but before he could continue Gad had interrupted him.

"Legally, they can do nothing about it without proof. Besides this is like industrial espionage, everybody does it."

"This is beyond industrial espionage and you know it, Gad." Emre almost sounded as if he was pleading.

"Emre, we're doing this." Gad concluded the conversation. Emre knew that meant there was no turning back and he knew when Ignashevic had made up his mind there was no point of arguing about it.

"Now, since that's settled, Vitor, do make sure you find us capable men for this operation." The CEO turned to their sales director and the latter nodded. "Good. Now let me, gentlemen, present you the little information our little bird has found out for us."

 

[Zef Halo]

Ignashevic knew he had to keep his eyes on Toloun ever he started this project. The man was an absolute gift when it came to finances and taxes. He had made the company a fortune but evading taxes was low level of breaking the law, finding loopholes and exploiting them was also a low level of breaking the law. Breaking in and stealing a competitor's research ? That was way beyond what they were doing now. Hell, Gad was even surprised Toloun did not protest much when Vitor had gone out to every client who wanted to buy. No matter what their background or purpose was.

Throughout his explanation of the technology that was rumored to be developed by Harf & Reynos, a direct competitor to Corondex, Ignashevic always monitored Toloun's body language and facial expressions. He knew the latter would not be as subtle in expressing them, Gad had forged an image that he was just a man who knew how to make weapons and nothing else. He had created this mask that deceived people and gave him the upper hand. It allowed him to read people. While Toloun was easy to read, Vitor was as readable as rock. Yet, Gad did not worry about Vitor, his stone cold attitude was most likely due to his peasant background. There was nothing to worry about from low class people such as Avendahl. Granted, he did a good job of finding clients and sealing deals but that all he was good for. Just another capable tool.

"You've notified the men ?" The CEO turned to Vitor and the latter nodded in response.

"I've made calls here and there. Sergeants will meet me in an hour and go through all the information our bird has gathered." Avendahl replied gesturing at the holographic feedback that was projected on the table from Gad's information chip. "Then they will proceed with the operation itself."

"Good." Gad nodded and shifted his attention to Toloun. "Emre ?"

"What ?" The man almost snapped.

"Anything to add ?" Ignashevic inquired. Emre's dread at the thought was obvious. Much thinking was going into the financial director's head. Gad had to be careful. He would make sure to speak with his father's connections and have someone tail Toloun and tap his communications.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Are we done ?"

"Pretty much."

"Good. I will see you, gentlemen, tomorrow." Emre stood up from his chair abruptly and almost stormed out of the room. Vitor and Gad just glanced at each other before the former also stood up to leave. This one without a word. A standard laconic peasant.

 

[Zef Halo]

Day of the raid
Etti IV sewers

Credits here, credits there and you get all sorts of valuable information like blueprints. It was all Stirok from Apex needed to come up with a plan for their 'little' operation. In two rows, the raiding party proceeded through the sewers. Stirok carefully paying attention to the holographic projection on his wrist that showed him the way. It was easy to get lost here. Everything looked the same and there was a thousanfs of intersections and turns. A few moments he mentally questioned whether they were not lost themselves.

There were a few muttered complaints about strolling through the wastes but Stirok quickly silenced them with a glare and a warning. It did take them quite a while hntil they finally made it. Stirok halted them all as he looked at the sewer wall. He stood there watching it for some time in complete silence before he finally called two men to lay the charges on the wall. When that was done all went back and watched the controlled explosion do its job.

The way was open.

Vitor sincerely hoped this was the correct spot.

 

[Zef Halo]

Like a swarm the soldiers dashed into...the building's public bathrooms which of course at this time of the war were empty. Stirok moved forward leading the troupe with vigilance and confidence. He had said many times earlier that he only needed to get inside. Now that the issues of finding the opening in the sewers was gone, the lieutenant shone with determination to complete his objective. Quite impressive for a mercenary.

He had protested, at first, for Vitor to join them as he had no previous experience but Avendahl had convinced him by doing what he did best. Striking a deal. After this operation, Vitor would undergo what every man according to Stirok should - a real boot camp. Vitor, unlike many other men of the galaxy, looked forward to it. The more he learned the stronger he was going to be.

All these thoughts soon froze in his mind when blaster fire erupted in front and chopped down a few men around him before he was able to run for cover.

 

[Zef Halo]

The blaster fire that was raining upon the raiding party was heavy. It was pounding the thinner cover and blasting men to oblivion. From the smoke and dust that arose as the firing continued, Vitor was able to make out the voice of Stirok yelling for someone to take down that turret. On his face, the young businessman felt blood. Not his own but one of the men that had been blasted by the turret earlier. He stood stunned behind cover and grappling his rifle tight. He had been on Yutan before but this was nothing like Yutan. The Sith slaughtered cleanly with their lightsabers the enemies. This time - his own were being slaughtered by the dozen in a brutal fashion.

"HEADS DOWN." Stirok's voice rang from his left and Vitor turned to see the large ape man pop out of cover with a massive missile launcher on his shoulder. He pulled the trigger and a heavy thud was heard as the missile was propelled from the tube and straight into its target.

Finally, the corridor was silent as the turret was disabled.

"Move out! Double karkin' time!" Stirok's voice broke it as he led the men once again leaving the dead behind.

They had to hurry.

 

[Zef Halo]

The raiding party's adventure did not stop there. Apparently, their intended target was on another level and on the other side from where they had entered. It was not as easy as Stirok had thought or everyone for that matter. Whoever had provided them with this information about the building's internal defence network was a complete crook or dealt with outdated information. Nonetheless, the lieutenant seemed as hellbent on succeeding with the less men he had.

Stirok had ordered a trio of men to take a different route and find where the main control hub of the defences were - fast. This had drained them more and now the security droids that were the raiders' obstacle were a much harder to overcome threat than before. Their numbers advantage was starting to show and even Vitor knew they were on the clock here.

Whatever happened in the next thirty minute would decide the end result of this operation - a success or a fiasco ?

 

[Zef Halo]

Not every story ends with a happy ending. That was, unfortunately, the case with the three men sent to disable the defences of the building. They had never returned and hailing them over the comms produced no results. Stirok's face remained stone cold and determined on to completing the mission, no matter what. Vitor concluded the man had sent men to their deaths too many times for him to be affected by it directly. If he was, he was a master at not showing it.

The odds against them became more and more with every minute passed and the more they prolonged their journey to where the research and development files of this rocket artillery was. Vitor's trance and adrenaline rush being in battle was quickly toning down replaced by growing fatigue and a sense of no escape. The satisfaction he felt at ripping a droid apart with his rifle had become a burden that he could not wait any more to remove from his shoulders.

 

[Zef Halo]

There was a light at the end of the tunnel. Just five of them remained. Five as they had began fleeing the defences, evading them rather than taking them head on where they would have no chance. Wounded, some more than others, they kept on going forward led by Stirok. The lieutenant still not even shaken. Their trek proceeded and one of the men fell down gunned in the legs screaming for help, Vitor turned his head back and froze in thought on what to do. That's when the a hail of fire from Vitor's direction fell upon the man ending his pain.

Stirok.

"Wh-"

"There's no time. They would've shredded him to pieces after they had taken all knowledge from his first." The lieutenant explained and continued moving forward. "Move!"

Vitor stood for a moment more watching the dead man as his mind was flooded with opposing thoughts before he was finally able to dash towards the rest of the group.

 

[Zef Halo]

All that was left of the rather large group that began this seemingly easy raid were Stirok, Vitor and another mercenary. Death and only death had Vitor experienced here. Nothing like Yutan. Or perhaps he felt it that way due to the fact that he was on the side with massive casualties. He wondered if the Force had been what had saved a complete rookie like him from dying on this day. For some research plans.

Avendahl had left the stolen research on Ignashevic's desk the same day they were able to escape that fortress of a corporate office. He had not uttered a word to the man and had left him to do his job and send this rocket artillery research into production. It was a great day for Corondex and a bad day for Harf and Reynos.

If anything, Stirok had remained stone cold throughout it all and had contacted Vitor first thing the next day.

The young Sith acolyte was looking forward to boot camp.