Angels and Demons

[Ian Sade]

Coruscant *night*

The patter of rain on the window ledge showed no sign of stopping anytime soon.
Distant thunder had rumbled off once more, indicating that the storm was moving parallel to the Chandill providence of Northeast Coruscant.
Sade was sitting upright in bed, the shadow of raindrops projected on him the hotel glass, listening to the rain. It was soothing in a way…rhythmic. White noise, some called it.
He didn’t know why, but he gently pulled the covers over the woman next to him. Taking his eyes off the glass clear wall which overlooked the city, he slowly turned to her. Her raven black hair was as soft as Cashun silk. It was beautiful hair, caressing down to her bare shoulders. The woman didn’t stir.
Hadn’t stirred for an hour now.
Gently he parted her hair and caressed her neck. It was cooler than normal.
It was all over…


*One hour later*

Sade stepped out of the Korban Hotel’s 3rd quarter’s turbo-lift.
He melded in among the many who visited this plush hotel, nearly two miles above the ground zero. Here on Coruscant, anyone could make themselves unnoticed.
The streaming holo videos hovering above and on the walls, were transmitting both live and recorded segments of today’s latest news flashes throughout the galaxy. But the one common feed was the rain broadcast.
Rain…
They called for more rain along the Northern districts. These thunderstorms were in actuality scheduled. In fact precipitation was indeed scheduled quarterly. One such weather infusion gave the districts a controlled snow storm, which in fact were actually a series of smaller snow precipitations that were stretched out for approx 4 weeks with 3 dry day cycles in between.
But this was mid summer, and the rains were scheduled to come down for approx 2 to 3 consecutive days.

Sade made his way unobscured to one of the taxi platforms.
Passing a few by, he found the one waiting for him. That too had been scheduled. As he approached, the speeder’s door swung up and he got in, like many would in the rain.
It moved into position along the main stream traffic, and waited for the window to enter the sky-lane.
This was calculated and controlled by the on board traffic computer, but the taxi itself was still manned by a live driver, his exit contact agent.

“ Where to sir?" The driver started his dialogue.
"Interest you in a good eatery or perhaps something of an exotic form of past time?” Asked the driver, following his protocol to keeping the guise up.

“ …No, not tonight…more looking for some place quite I can grab a book and read...” Sade answered, as he looked out his window.
He did so in a casual manner, but it were more to get that image of the woman out of his thoughts. She had been an agent of the Empire and had been marked for termination. Only instead of a blaster bolt to the head, she had been given what would appear as a drug overdose. This agent had taken to Sade as her lover, and he lead her to believed him to be an executive for a large firm.

The driver didn’t look back in his rear view mirror as he answered… “Very good sir...Larsin Transport Lines it is.” There was no doubt he had picked up his agent, and was now going to provide him with the means of leaving Coruscant undetected.

Rain… Sade watched pelting and streaking down the glass. It was the 2nd day of rain now.
Rain that was washing all the filth of the city, all the way down to the planet’s ground, many levels below them. He then realized he had never been to ground zero… But then again, who did he know ever had?
Sade leaned back on his seat and watched the rain fall on the taxi's glass roof above him. He couldn’t close his eyes now… Not yet, anyway.
If he did…she would be there.
Oh how he so wished for the rain to wash his hands clean of her as it washed the filth off this city....only now after his mission was complete did Sade feel the loss of attachment.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

*Castagne… Two weeks later*

“ Very good Mr. Sade, I will have the matter taken care of right away.” Said the manager.
Bisgard Durrant, an A Class restaurant for the elite and the well to do.
Not only the upper class frequented it, but government executives; to taste the varied palate, the known Galaxy had to offer.
This was Sade's main eatery when between assignments from his Agency.

A waitress had come over at the manager’s request, and leaned over to remove the plate from the table. She gave him a quick curious glance. A small recognizable smile behind it, as she certainly knew Sade. It had been she, that had alerted the manager of a slight problem with the food at Sade's table.
This was the second dinner he had sent back. It wasn’t like him. She knew him as a regular and this was certainly one of the dishes he normally favored. The food and the way it had been prepared had been prepared by the same chef, and he was very meticulous as to keeping his menu's top notch.
But, she knew he had not patronized this restaurant for a few weeks now...3 to be exact, as she knew him to always leave a generous tip.

“Perhaps…” She though, as she carefully removed his dinner plate “… he's changed?”

She knew his line of work, as it was not hard to guess, since the Executive Branches of Castagne were just across the center square.
“ It won’t be but another moment of your time, Mr. Sade.
I shall return with a more palatable salver.” She said, as she curtsied a nod and took leave with the platter.

Sade returned the gesture with his own smile. Although, it was not one that could be called genuine. It was out of courtesy. Although his eyes were somewhere else, distant.
A memory of sort still plagued him, that would not readily go away.

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

This wasn't her choice of restaurant, but what options did she have?

The Bureau's director had pressed his invitation on a few of her fellow Agents, including Karlie, early in the day. There was no bailing out of it, for she hadn't had a heads up about it. So upon receiving the invite, it were too late for her to bail as she had no pressing engagements in her itinerary. She had been office locked, catching up on her reports. The luncheon had something to do about the recent good review his department just recently received.
Also, it wasn’t easy to turn down an invite to lunch from a superior. Especially if her other colleagues were going now as a group.

Then again, she really couldn't mind it at all, as the Bureau’s director had been a family confidant of her father for as long as she could remember. Besides, the food wasn’t that bad here. A little overrated, but otherwise satisfactory. This was considered the top of the line restaurant by all Confederate standards, even if she didn’t agree with the hype about it. Karlie's choice would have been 'Station Forward' a much cozier, less over the top restaurant, not too drives away. Well, being as it were, she had sat herself down with her colleagues amid all the hotshots and brass that seemed to have been gathered here during peak lunch hour..
Well, here she was now. And even if she didn’t care much for the restaurant something was making her feel rather at ease.
Karlie’s attention at the moment were on the director. He had been the one to welcome her to the Bureau a few months back fresh out of the Academy.
Her father's influence and his ties to the Agency, was what had driven her into following her father's former profession.

It had not been a given, Karlie had passed with high honors on her own accord, through Arden Academy and was top choice for the ICI Agency in fact. But her father would not hear of it. 'Internal affairs, my child... That is where we belong' Her father Tarssin Destat had always pressed her, with his calm but directive voice.
And directive it were, for as soon as Karlie applied to the Bureau she received immediate internship within the IBI.
Now thinking back, it were indeed the right choice.
Father new best... And he were never wrong.... so young Karlie had once thought.

" Excuse me... what?" She asked one of her associates, as her ears caught some words in his conversation about ‘ravens in the field’.
"Sorry, I must apologize, I missed what you were saying, Mr. Avers." Karlie leaned her attention to the man seated cross from her.
"You spoke of... ravens?" She knew she missed something as it weren't a conversation about the local aviaries.

Agent Tet Avers.
An older operative that had been in the Agency for nearly a decade. He was considered one of the best in his field. A very cunning investigator. Some said he could pick out conspirators blindfolded. Karlie had picked up on his boast of picking out ravens in the field.

Karlie had certainly been lost in her own thoughts, while most of her colleague males were conversing among themselves, which she had at first chalked up to small talk.
Karlie had been unaware that she inadvertently had turned all her attention from her group to a man seated alone a few tables across from them. She had certainly took notice that he was a strikingly handsome man. Her eyes had taken in his poise, sitting there all dressed in black... which she found suited him just right. Well, at least it looked nice on him. As her colleagues conversed, she were in her own thoughts on the man sitting alone. She even got to wonder as to why?..was he waiting for his lover? She curiously watched him as he sent his order back for the second time.

How peculiar, she thought as she noted the restaurant manager was all too eager to please him.
Yet, there was such a familiarity about him. The sort of feeling, that she knew him from somewhere. Perhaps she had met him or seen him around the Bureau before? Who is he, she were wondering, not paying attention to her own table and as eyes followed her line of sight to the man.
She was trying to remember if she ever came across his profile when the other agent at her table had started to talk about the ravens. This had gotten her attention, her curiosity over the current conversation final, breaking her attention from the man.

Agent Avers gave out a slight chuckle in her direction.
" Haha... that man over there, Miss Lynn. He's the raven I was referring to…" He said with an awkward smile, as his eyes gestured toward the very same man she had been eyeing.

Karlie's face clearly indicated she didn't know that phrase.
" Raven?... Why do you call him that?" As she once more looked at the man seated.

" He's an operative of the ICI, Miss Lynn." Agent Aver responded in a quieter voice, as he leaned closer to her.

At that moment, the man they were now all looking at turned his eyes to their table.
Avers and the other associate casually averted their eyes from him.
Yet Karlie didn't take her eyes off him not one moment.

 

[Ian Sade]

Eyes.

Always too many eyes here were watching... Always observing in one form or another.
And why not? This plush establishment was straight in line with the Central Intelligent and Investigation Bureau buildings. This was certainly the popular eatery during mid-day lunch breaks. Not to mention the other of patrons that comprised of the elite upper Castan class. Senators... Council men, Superintendents... Directors...
...And other sub-operatives, such as the horde of Bureau agents swarming to lunch with their director. Yyesm Sade knew the Director and his subordinate. Had a few encounters with them. Or more to the likes of clashing with them.

It didn't take any sixth sense to know that many of those agent's eyes were on him from time to time.
A small smile was forming on his features, as he knew that the other table to the left of him were snooping as well. Internal ears of the Council, they were.
Sade hadn't turned to view the lot on his right which had entered with of the Director of the IBI, whom he recognized, seeing they had gotten what they wanted; his attention.
But although he had caught a glimpse upon them entering, as it was second nature of him to be 360 degree aware of his surroundings, his thoughts still held him elsewhere. Coruscant.

Sade could sense he was a topic of conversation that went on there. Actually, he didn't really know he was for certain, but it was something he felt from experience that alerted him so. Something or someone, seemed to be tugging at his ears.
Adjusting his person in a casual manner, he put his line of sight directly to the table.
Several eyes immediately averted him.
But two were staring right at him.
Aside from the Director, Sade immediately recognized Agent Avers.
He had dealt with him before... Two occasions, he vividly recalled. The others were mostly new recruits...including the blonde who's eyes hadn't run to the decor of the establishment.

Sade had never seen her before. And unlike the others at the table, she keld her ground well enough for him to eye her over a moment. Pretty little thing, he first noticed of her. Then the fact that the young woman were dissecting him as he was doing to her had him transfixed on her for a much longer term than he had first cared to splurge.
“Yes…a new recruit...“ He surmised. She was after all with the pack and with the Bureau's Director.

His eyes moved from her's, sweeping over her entire table, before returning to her striking blues.
“Interesting....” He observed, she had not taken her eyes off him this whole time.
They were not piercing over him. Rather, he seemed to be connected to soft focused evaluations of his person.

There was more of a curiosity behind them, than of an intrusion.
Sade's corner lips slightly flinched to what could be a glimpse of a smile. She was much too young for him to play his game. Too fresh out of the Academy. Still naive about the dark nature of a man like him. It was he who had to disengage, turn away from those blue spheres. But not without expanding that flinch to a proper smile with a near unnoticeable nod of acknowledgement.
He didn’t know why, but it had come natural to him , seemingly dissipating the the ghosts of what had been haunting his mind of late.
She didn't return it likewise, at least not that he picked up for sure. But following that moment passing, his mind did formulate a small twitch at the corner of her lips. It was like remembering a start of a smile, stopping, before it surfaced. Controlled.
had he actually picked it up, or was his imagination now playing with him? Sade kept that rolling around a few, before realizing what he was doing. The young woman had gotten his attention. Well, he had been drawn to her, whether or not that had been her intention.
“ Well, I'll be…. a making of a good agent for sure…” he returned to the immediate scene at hand...his lunch.

It was at this time that the waitress returned with another plate to his table. Stehl turned to the waitress, as she placed the dish in front of him.
This one was just as aromatic as the two before it. Nothing wrong or different from the other previous dishes.
But, somehow or other, he had not the palate for it. Even though it was one of his favorites. Stehl knew his change of appetite of late was due to his last assignment.
Ever since he had gotten back on Castagne, many of his favorite tastes were no longer as appealing anymore.
Perhaps he should just retire for the evening... again.

" I'm sorry, Mr. Sade..." Began the waitress, as she picked up on his mood. .

He put his hand up in a gesture. It was a bit apologetic, as he interrupted her.
" No, Castine... I am the one to stand and apologize.” He said.
“ But, I’ll take this order to go, please..." Something unheard of in this establishment. No one ever took table food away with them.
"Your service was flawless... And I assure you, the food was by all means, well prepared.
I thank you for your patience..." He said with a smile, as he started to get up.

" Y-... Yes, Mr. Sade. I'll certainly have it prepared as you asked." The waitress replied, as she once more took the plate to hand. Not really knowing how exactly she was going to do that.

Without further ado, Sade picked his self up off the chair and made his way out of the restaurant. But not before having a word with the manager. The relief on the man's face, as he bid Sade a good afternoon was quite apparent.

* * * * * *


* A month later *

The warm gust of wind hid the forecoming of winter very well this day.
The many seasonal trees here had already prepared themselves for the colder season that was just around the corner.
Yet, their foliage which had turned to multi colored hues, seemed to resemble mosaic paintings that he had seen on Naboo.

It was this fall morning that Sade was making his way down the Central Intelligence's steps, as he left the building, when just below him, coming up the steps, was the young woman he had seen in the restaurant... Weeks ago.
Why he remembered her so vividly, he wasn't certain,as there were literally thousands of striking blonds he couldn't recall past one corner to the next he had passed in the last month or so. Sure, he had a good vivid memory, but he recognized this one immediately.
Her hair was up differently today. It was sort of held together in the back, allowing it to flow freely like a tail.
Different from how he remembered of her. But, it was certainly unmistakably her.
He slightly paused in his step as she passed him. Their eyes couldn’t be said to meet, as she wore opaque sunglasses, very much like he was wearing.
As she continued her way past him, up toward the building’s entrance way, he paused, then came to a stop altogether.
It was rather odd that he did so, as Sade himself came to realize that he did it unintentionally. Not something he would normally do. Not to a passing young woman like he was just doing now.
He watched her as she walked to the top of the steps. All the way to the front entrance, before disappearing through the main doors.

Not once did she turn...

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

=ETA to Gustin district in 7 minutes=
Indicated the on-board computer GPS.

Karlie had left her family estate quite a little later than usual, and was just passing over the Nuai River, as she sped on her way to her office.
The view below was breathtaking.

The Autumn leaves were in full color and the Imperial city she was heading to, was immersed in all of the spectrum. This was a rare visage, as the City was mostly comprised of durasteel, and embellished with white and black marbles and crystalin panes of variable darkening glass... But at certain times of the year, especially in the fall, and even the coldest of winters; the city was a sight to see.
Even snow covered, she would take the longest route to get a full view of it. Enjoy the scenery before committing herself to her office.
Karlie was quite proud of the accomplishments of the New Empire.
And Castagne, located on the very outskirts of Confederate Space, was the jewel of their world, as far as it concerned Karlie. The standard, of which all Confederate systems would one day strive to be. It was an age old vision of theirs. One that she believed in her heart and soul. One day, all the known systems of the galaxy were to mirror Castagne. Not just in its beauty, but in their way of life.
A perfect society. No crime, no want-

* beep - beep *
The on board computer beeped and automatically cut down on the cruising speed, as she entered the city's air space. Her speeder was entering regulated air space. The transmitted identification of her person and that of her craft was being scanned. In less than a few seconds, she was approved to continue to fly in the direction of the Central Command Center District. The district, where her Bureau was rooted... Along with the ICI offices, and other government offices.

This district was a high security area. Even with tight planetary defenses there were still areas of higher security in this part of the city. Castagne had never been attacked since their recession from The Galactic Empire, nearly a century past. But, it nevertheless still had high levels of security that guaranteed the safety of its citizens, Senators, visiting Delegates, and along with the many Agents and Officials that were concentrated in the Central Command Center of the city.

Karlie set her speeder down in her designated area and powered down the drives. Quickly she up linked to her office to see if there were any messages or pending meetings schedules for the morning.
None were.

She was still behind schedule and wasted no time in disembarking. She knew the Director would not blink an eye at her lateness today. Hell, she had never run this much behind before. Come to think of it, this was certainly the first time she was late. She had reported her standing when she left the estate, but Karlie nevertheless couldn't bear having her peers know she was late.

The closed canopy opened up to a surprisingly warm autumn day. The sun was still climbing and yet this day was unusually warm. She put on her sunglasses as she left the speeder.

" Good morning, Carl.." She said to the elder gentleman who kept the grounds. He was in his late fifties and had been a Castan trooper and had been retired from the armed forces for a while now. He was dressed in a dark security uniform. His old status bar were medals indicated the campaigns he fought and the decorations he received. He was highly respected for his served duties, and had earned full Castan citizenship. Now, he took up a role in keeping the grounds near the Center, secure and tidy. He responded with a smile and a little salute.

She gave him a small laugh. That was his intention, after all.
When he served as a Castan trooper, he never saluted. It was always implied that they were on full duty and attention when in armor.
Carl always teased her now in the mornings with a salute.

Karlie tossed him another of her pearly smiles and headed straight Just as she started to take the first step up to the steps of the Command Center, she spotted him. The man she had eyed out in the restaurant a few weeks back.
' The Raven...' came to mind.

The man was coming out of the main building and was now heading down, as she were going up the front steps. Karlie seen he made no attempt at hiding the fact that he recognized her. She could see from his features despite the glasses that he certainly recognized her...or were it her imagination?
She on the other hand passed him over, cool and collective. Not a hint at all she even knew who he was or that she even noticed him.
But Karlie noticed all right. Noticed he was as distinguished as she remembered this so called raven.
'What was his name, the other agent called him?' She was trying to remember quickly.
'No, it were the waitress...she had addressed him as Mr Sade.' Recalled Karlie to herself as she reached the top of the steps.

Without ever looking back, she entered the building.
But, she did catch his reflection from the glass, and the man had stopped at the point of passing her. His reflection in the glass, as she reached for the door, indicated he had not moved from his spot and had actually watched her all this time. Despite that, she maintained her unbroken stride as if she weren't aware of the man looking at her.
Not knowing why, her heart had quickened. She accomplished her entrance in one smooth motion. Again, never showing she even knew the man existed.

What she did next, she even surprised her.
Karlie turned around when the doors closed behind her, removing her sunglasses and taking a long look at the man still facing her direction. His dark glasses were off too, she noted.
Karlie knew the crystalin glass between them only allowed the exterior to be seen. Anyone standing outside looking in would only see a dark opaque pane reflecting the exterior like a mirror. She observed Sade standing there for a moment as if they were both looking at each other, only she knew he really couldn't. Or so she kept assuring herself as she did her best in not hyperventilating. Why in Heavens was she like that? Was it fear...or something else she were feeling about the man? She took to calming down, when the man put back on his shades, turned and continued on.

Her heart were beating a mile a minute still, despite him fading into the crowd and out of her sight. She took a moment to regain her control and breathe normal again. Remembering her lateness, Karlie turned and continued on in getting to her office.
'Sade..Sade....what was his first name?' she tried to recall from that luncheon. She was sure either the Director or his protege had mentioned the man's name.
'Iansade' it finally came to her.
Karlie repeated it to herself several times, as she made her way down the main hall, to her office.
She would pull up his profile once she got to her desk.

Wow washer heart ever still beating...

 

[Ian Sade]

Time: 4 days later
System: Aromag



There was a 9:00 o’clock curfew in the city, and Sade was careful in avoiding detection, as he walked to his destination.It was near 10:40 past and many populace had already been off the streets nearly two hours ago. It would only get more difficult as it approached zero hour. This particular sector of the city was patrolled by the local assigned Garrison, that kept the city in order and under current Marshall Law.
Even though his rank and level of authorization would have had a whole battalion of Castan troopers escort him throughout the city, he was not supposed to be here. Not on this world. Not in this system.
At least not officially, as far as the local system government was concerned.

It was nearing 11:00, and it had been raining since early evening. A cold unregulated rain, adding to the gloominess and depressed feeling one got walking through these dark streets.
His footsteps were drowned out by the splattering of rain on the old stone pavers that made up the streets this part of the old city.
Mazes of alleyways were his route now. It was hard for the troopers to patrol every nick and cranny of these industrial labyrinths. Sade knew this and thus he traveled along these dark narrow side streets.
There was no doubt a lot of tension, as his senses were on full alert. He had come unarmed.
So it always was, in the first encounter.

This was the world, Aromag... It's history and how it came to be in its present day state of dismay started with it breaking away from the Old Republic to join the federalists before the Clone Wars.
It had once been a flouring Federalist occupied system, until the start of The Galactic Empire during Palpatine's reign, which then became a premier Imperial State. It remained so for centuries following the fall of Palpatine. Then 200 years ago, when the Empire abandoned the spent system, it struggled on with little recovery of the last occupation for the next 120 years on its own. Then the sith overlords came taking every last bit of essence from this once industrialized system.
Now, for the past 2 decades following the sith withdrawal, with system's resources and population spent, Aromag had succumbed to the Underworld. But 5 years ago, the CIS had answered the plight of the populations of it's people to help liberate the system from the Underworld. And so the Liberators arrived, bringing new hope and a promise to restore order and commerce to the people of Aromag once more. At least that was the intent.
But this world had its difficulties. Since the fall of the Federalists, this system had gone ramped with crime and corruption once the Empire took control, then later followed by the sith, who had come to claim the leftover spoils...the last remnants of blood this system could ill afford to loose. Once the sith bled it dry and left, there remained nothing but Chaos.
One could say it was not that different from the underworld that existed in the core world of Coruscant, the so called center of civilization. But Coruscant's history held little civilization in the past Millenia. And so systems like Aromag were lain to waste away. But as long as many here held to some hope, the CIS came to help in resurrecting all that was lost. This struggle still raged as it did the first landing of liberating troops from the CIS. It wasn't seen as a liberation..not by the Underworld. It was another invasion and occupation. So the war raged against those whom were here to help. It was why there was Marshal law throughout most of the system. Especially in cities such as the one Sade was carefully navigating through.

The corruption had already manifested into many branches of underworld operations well over a century ago, surviving if not flourishing even under sith rule. So what chance did the CIS have in bringing this system around? Sade felt it were a loosing battle, for this system. Its Underworld were too deeply embedded in both culture and mindset. Only that there still existed many sectors of population with morals and hope for a better future. It were these people that the CIS were here for.
Yet large cities like these on Aromag was a haven for smugglers, privateers, crime syndicates, and pretty much all the corruption that ran rampard in the Outer Rim. It plagued this world just the same.
The two decades following sith withdrawal did little to improve the conditions of this forsaken system. Local attempts at establishing local law enforcement were futile, as corruption rained on all fronts and there could not exist any police or order in any large cities.
5 years ago, when the CIS took on to help this desperate world recover, it had no recourse but to enact Marshall Law, curfews, and capital punishment to the worst offenders committing murder and other atrocities.
All this did little to rid this world of the complete Chaos that had diseased it.
But the CIS had brought this world under a somewhat controlled state. Most of the crime and corruption had gone underground.
Even though it was under CIS Marshall Law, Aromag’s large cities had finally some kind of functional societies.
The 5th system governor to date, Viceroy Dek Fy, was reporting a major decrease in underground activity due to his crackdown. Sade knew better.

But one day, Aromag could indeed become a mirror world very much like Castagne. Another world liberated of corruption and Underworld crime.
After all, that is why the CIS was here… So Sade had to believe.

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

Still back on Castagne, same day for Karlie; 4 days before Iansade's story of Aromag


Not as easy as she had first thought.
Sade's profile was well out of reach from standard IBI operatives. Then again, all ICI files were rather a bit-, well how could she put it? ...A royal pain, in the derriere, Karlie thought to herself.

Especially this particular agent, Sade.

The ICI system’s fire wall was well defended, and at first it appeared impenetrable. But, that was her forte wasn’t it?... get to the truths...gut open fortification files.
A devilish grin got her primed and busy. She was well rehearsed and trained in infiltration. Gaining access to data files from entombed encrypted vaults, was what got her in her present position. Karlie found she had a gift to hack into anything stored in virtual formats. Even those of the ICI.
Her job after all, was to keep the check and balances of power, within the Castan Executive Network. Who else could keep tabs on military and spy operations from going rouge, than the IBI? And here she was now, hacking into the ICI’s databanks.

Karlie battled her way around multi defense programs that were set up to trap and snare unauthorized personnel. She remained staunch on her console for many hours, battling her way like a ninja, finding small fissures to squeeze in expansion ampersands that in daisy chains lead to a mirror program key that opened up non-existent windows to a tightly sealed vault that held open tags to get her in further. She was relentless, and as long as the files were not razed, she knew she’d unearth them, for she in essence became a worm pushing up daisy's...flags...file previews. But despite her actually being in the main database where all of the top ICI agents were grouped, she couldn't for the life of her find Sade's.

"Arrrg!..." She had to push herself away from her desk. Karlie had been bouncing around and around in circles, not flagging the man's file. Up to this point, if she hadn't actually seen the man with her own eyes, she'd swear he didn't exist!
hell, even her father's file she found after a while. But Sade's?

Karlie had to replenish her strength...take a break...get something to eat. Her crono showed it was 2 hours past noon. "Frak...5 freakin hours?" She had to double check the time, as she didn't realize how immersed she had been into getting to what appeared as a cul de sac, for there never existed a dead end. At least she had never been up one and for sure she wasn't going to quit now.
Locking her console, she dragged her famished ass out her office to grab a bite...locking her door shut.

An hour later...

She sat there cracking her knuckles...although not sounding off anything, as it were more of her mimicking it than anything. She was sitting back just looking at the open screen to the point she had tore herself from before. There was no sense attacking it in the same manner she had before, as it ran her around in circles. She had to devise a new strategy. Sade's file had to be there...only it were disguised..hidden. There were literally thousands of files and the previews, even expanded didn't reveal any extended files. Whomever encrypted Sade's file was good...real good. Only Karlie knew she were better. So she sat there hands off the keypad staring into the rotating carousel of files...staring deeply over and over the same passing files...

"Gasp" She rushed to the pad, halting it's rotation, backing it to a file that had triggered something in her...an anomaly in one of the characters.

Pulling her chair closer in her attack position, she went to work on it. It was a slippery little devil, but Karlie was a she-devil herself and danced with it...prodding it, enticing it to give way to her advances. It was certainly well versed in dealing with slicers, only never programmed to deal with the likes of her...she were relentless when focused as she was.

Finally, she was able to break through what appeared to be another anomaly in one of the programs that got her inside the atrium's back door, sort of speak. This double back door approach was only possible through a physical single and isolated fiber optic link to the main frame. Karlie had never come up to anything of such magnitude. It was in many ways archaic and certainly custom made. It was there now, enticing her to enter.
A trap?
Too obvious, she figured...

An old link, forgotten?
Possible, but who'd forget?...

Should she chance it?
....It took but a millisecond for her to decide.
Yes.!

But, as soon as she took it, Karlie found it wasn’t an easy route as she first believed, as it had almost infinite real dead ends.
"Hell no...mama's home and she's not letting her little boys off that easy...not having come so far...hell no."
Needless to say, her persistence finally paid off. Karlie had gained full access right smack in the main frame of the ICI's active open files...on EVERYTHING... Her eyes widened taking on the meaning of it, before she zoomed in on what she was after.

At that same moment, her presence somehow or other triggered a counter-reaction. The now breached firewall had suddenly launched a countermeasure to the hack.
"How the?...who's-?.." She found herself in a battle of wits. Karlie had to create defensive programs between her keystrokes in advancing further, getting closer to the file she was almost within a byte distance from nabbing. But the offensive programs were coming out of the woodwork now, trying to overwhelm her counter programs to their counter-programs. it was a meale of programs fighting over supremacy of a few kilobytes...Ok, maybe quite a few gigabytes of file she could not let go at this point despite everything. She was not going to be beaten..no way, no how!

"Awh...FRAK!..." Whoever had programmed these sentries was close to locking on to her location. Her source. Her console. Karlie knew her own assault would be quite hard to explain, as it wasn’t authorized by her Director to probe this deep in confidential Castan Bearau files of not only the ICI, but of all Castagne's vaulted secrets. This wasn’t an assigned investigation on ICI operations, but a personal quest, her mind now was fighting her too.
As she struggled to remain in the battle, the anti-viral programs were upping their offenses as it picked up her scent, her signature strokes by which she at this point couldn't vary, say for compromising her defenses completely. Karlie knew she was running short on time very quickly for her fingers were starting to cramp, as her options were near instantly being consumed as she created them. It would be a matter of time, milliseconds, before it tagged her for good. But she managed to stay just a few cycles ahead of the security net closing quickly around her from all sides. It were a malestorm of programs swarming don on her now. But the prize, the file was so close, and she could not give it up.

“Ha!...” She stated out loud, as she dodged a trap that barely grazed her. But this outburst cost her plenty. She found she had lost some ground when she gloated for that split second. And now she could almost feel the noose tightening.
Just as she thought her fight was coming to her timely end, she fell into a safe haven.
A trap door of sort. All assaults had gone silent. The only thing active was her curser...blinking away that she were still alive and not terminated.

"Oh...wow.... I'm going to burn for this...shoot..."
Karlie had gained High directive authorization. She soon found open files that were not yet processed, as they were awaiting final approval by the ICI Directors to properly categorize them. It was there that she finally found what she had been seeking. She only needed to make herself an administrator to open it. The tools were right there for her to do so, like she had the same authority as her father, the Viceroy.
She took a deep breath. She was way deep...too deep to turn tail and run.

"Sigh..." Free to set up a new administrative account, she quickly picked a name out of the hat, came up with a quick profile and hit-
Enter.


...then of course the next prompt....

Confirm.

 

[Ian Sade]

(con't ) Aromag 4 days earlier.


There.

Finally after nearly an hour out in this blasted weather, he came to Shell District.
It was anold waterfront borough that at one time was the prime marketplace for Aromag's abundant ocean catches.
Only now, remnants of a once thriving market remained in near ruins. The abandoned or what appeared to be abandoned warehouses, were now havens for the underworld.. the villainy and scum that made this world what it was this day.
This was Sasde’s destination. The stormy night, adding to the depressed state and despair that seemed to haunt these once thriving sections of the city, showed no sign of letting up.
It was here where the pre-arranged point of contact would take place. Sade was to meet up with what his own bureau called a free agent.
Sade had another name for them; extortionists… double agents.
Mercenary informants, who quite frequently changed sides on a heart-beat. No different from the Huts that plagued the Outer Rim.

Sade got to the end of the last alleyway separating the district, and scanned the open square. He had to get to the other side and into the third alleyway under the old non-working holo-billboard.
But, there was a working streetlamp near to where he had to cross.
The crossway was too lit, for his comfort.
He carefully scanned as far as he could see. Rain pelting his brow and the water dripped in his eyes.
Nothing stirred but the puddling rain. Otherwise it looked oddly quiet. Too quiet.
A trap?
Many would think so.
But his gut feeling told him to press on.

He checked his crono… 3 min to 11:00.
Sade wiped the wet surface of the wrist piece that another minute had ticked by. The rain, like time were relentless, as the magnitude of the rain suddenly picked up.But as bad as it had just gotten, it now did provide some better cover for him, as visibility was poor.
Time, and cover opportunity were optimal,it was now or never. If he missed his mark, he’d lose the contact and what he had come for.
Sade went for it.
He jutted out of cover and across the square.
A lighting flash lit the dark grey landscape, followed a second later by thunder. The rumble was almost a relief, for a split second, he had thought the flash was that of a blaster until the thunder told him othersise.
Making it across without incident, he gave a quick look back before disappearing into the new alleyway.
He was almost there. Yet, he knew he could be in a real tangle should this not pan out.
This alleyway was rather narrow and he had to twice almost squeeze through it sideways to get through it at the end. This too seemed right and he knew his mind should stay focused forward, as no sentry could have made it through behind him fully armed.
he then came to another open area, but one that was behind the dilapidated buildings, slowing down, almost coming to a crawl, hugging, melding with the dark bricks of the buildings.
This was the place. He scanned the grounds a few times looking for any telltale signs of recent activity. It were impossible with all of the rainfall, but he still eyed everything over. It was clear...quiet even... say for the pelting rain.
Sade knew he’d have to be the one to go forth.
The man he’d have to meet wasn’t going to be standing there in the open just waiting for him.
Shaking the rain from his face he started his walk, out into the open.

“No sudden moves!...” Came a voice from his right.

Sade stopped and slowly turned his head toward the voice. It wasn't of a Castan sentry, as it would ring out a different warning...if he or anyone past curfew got a warning at all in this isolated court.
He could make out an outline of a figure in the shadows by the man's voice alone. All Sade could really see when his eyes were directed to that spot, was the flash suppressor jutting out of the dark shadows.
“ Are you alone, Mr. Sade?...” The voice asked.

“ Did you want me to bring company along?...what do you think?" Sade replied, getting a better angle at his body's stance. it was full frontal to his.

“ Not the company you keep, no… Are you armed?” The man once more spoke to him.

“ I came as instructed...” Sade said as he showed his open palms bringing them up before him before slowly parting his jacket.

The rain was now soaking his clothes, but it was apparent he was not wearing a shoulder harness.
The figure stepped out of the shadows with the muzzle still pointed toward him.
Kyt Skant, an underworld parasite...
Sade didn't give him the bother to smile, as the man knew he didn't care much for his kind of scum.
One could say Kyt was a double agent of sort, if viewed from an intelligence agency point of view. An informant, a dealer of plagiarized information… Basically the scum of the spy business. Whomever paid him the most amount of credits would get the final deal closed.
The man was one Sade had expected to meet, but had not called out his name, in case this was indeed a setup.
Stehl had dealt with him on two other occasions. Both times were not to his liking, but however, they did indeed pay off, successfully.
That is, at 4 times the price it had originally been worth and agreed on.
But nevertheless, this guy sold valuable goods and information to the Empire… And whoever else had enough credits.

“ Upgraded to a 39, I see…” Noted Sade, as Kyt’s hand checked his person for weapons.

“ The 32 wasn’t as lethal, in the first round…” The man replied, without moving his eyes from Sade's.
“ OK, you’re good..." the man took a step back.

"Turn and walk toward the building with the open doorway…” Sade was instructed, as Kyt took to follow behind him…

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

" Bin-go!" She spoke out loud. More to herself really, as her office was not only secure, but sound proof.

Sade's last mission statement came streaming through her screen.
" Level iEEE security?.." her nose crimped as she never heard of such a level.

"What's that?..." She thought to herself. This was something she knew nothing about or had any clue that such a level even existed. It was certainly a teaser to say the least. But she couldn't afford at this moment to buzz around this little puzzle, she had to keep to her objective before her link was terminated.. Karlie at first skimmed over all the links and files. They were large, massive to say the least. Very complex and more than anything she had ever encountered before. Then there it was, his last mission debriefing. Again, complex and limited to access levels she never heard about.

" Hmm... Must have been some mission-" She thought. Then, suddenly before her eyes; Sade's Coruscant mission files were starting to crumble.

"What the- ?" Karlie almost cursed out loud, her eyes darted to her locked door a moment before returning her attention to her console. The gigabyte counter had dropped down to megabytes and falling off faster than she could be able to recover the data. It was like holding water in a clenched fist.. The files were being snatched and permanently razed.... Destroyed. her futile efforts to get a step ahead of the fire that was devouring every open file seemed to be going up in smoke.

" What kind of program-?" She were thinking to herself, as this made no sense at all. There seemed to be another prime directive program that had popped up that had over thrown her own secured access seem like child's play.

Her every attempt at analyzing it's algorithm program to try at the very least keep up with it, was leaving her in the dust. What ever program it was and from what source, it was efficiently eating everything up, even as she tried to get a glimpse of any data...

"Whoa....wait a minute here...
Gasp!...
Oh my God..."

This program wasn't an anti viral one at all.
No, not by a long shot.
It was another user that was burning all the files. Another hack?...a slicer in the files? But How?...How could a slicer have followed her in?...it were impossible. Right?

With no time to mull it over, she shifted into offensive and went attacking what she now believed to be a hacker. It were what she did best, formulate counter offensive strategies to system hackers and for the moment, forgetting all about being a hacker to the system herself.

As she came about in a parallel maneuver, it was now clear that it was indeed another user in real clock time. Copy/Saving was impossible, as the built in anti copying program would not allow it. At least not in the amount of time she had left, before the files would be down to kilobytes. It was then that a new anti viral defender program found her. Somehow her unique programming algorithm had been analyzed and now this new program was engaging her at full force...then another such program surfaced and was cutting her up faster than she could patch it...she found herself once more on the defensive. And as she battled to stay alive in there, another program flanked her and continued to cut up Sade's files. Quickly and with great frustration, she jumped off her chair, putting her entire focus on the fight, but this time tried skim reading ahead of the collapse as fast as possible to get some sort of coherent idea later on, by way of her photographic memory, of what the mission objective had been on Coruscant-

"Gasp!" Karlie was taken back momentarily, at what she thought she seen.

" Assassination?!" Her thoughts had allowed her to freeze for a split second. Losing her concentration, the data was then all consumed before she could recover her thoughts and acquire more info.

_Link Terminated_



_Link Terminated_



_Link Terminated_ ................Displayed on her screen over and over.


* * * * * * * * *

Two hours later in her director's office, Karlie had to now to explain as to why she had been reported by the ICI security, that she hacked into top secret government covert files.

It would appear that she was being charged with tampering with ICI Castan iEEE security. They always countered an investigation with such accusations.

Her IBI director knew the routine. There were checks and balances between the two branches. Karlie pressed that the IBI had every right to test the ICI security system. After all, isn't that what she was supposed to do? Monitor the ICI?
Her director sat back with a slight grin on his face.
He had given her the opportunity to explain her actions and motivations.

" Well sir, regardless of the fact that we can so look at their files, I
must question why that Coruscant mission was suddenly deleted by their operative, if they had nothing to hide from the Bureau... sir." She stated, after a brief underlying explanation that well fitted her actions. She certainly was quick on her feet.

The IBI director smiled.
" Go on. " he encouraged her to continue.

Her explanation had merit, as she was certainly authorized at her given level to perform such search and finds. Any files that she could access or able to access, were very much an asset, a credit to her abilities and function. Technically, she accessed files that should have had a more blaster proof form of security. She had once again exposed a flaw in the ICI mainframe security system.

" Hmm...Impressive." Her director then said.

 

[Ian Sade]

(con't ) Aromag 4 days earlier.


The smooth sound of the Sakal 39 finally sliding back into the man's concealed holster, took some of the edge off.

Still, the man was at his back and Sade couldn’t see nor sense his actual proximity to him with all the downpour.
Was he concerned? Yes, Sade was always concerned when an informant had him in his game... In his home field.
But Sade had been down this road many a times before, especially when it came to this man. It was all about the credits. The amount of credits the Confederacy was willing to pay to such lowlifes.
As long as the deal moved forward the credits did also. Whether this may have started as a set up or not; credits always certainly influenced the game changes. At least with these free agents.
Enough credits will buy you loyalty, for a time at least, until another bidder offered more…

" Up the steps..." Kyt instructed behind him, as they entered the buildings back entrance.

The interior was dark and not lit at all, as Sade stepped into what seemed like a void. Giving his eyes a moment or two to acclimate, he proceeded forward slowly until he was able to make out the staircase.
“ How far up we going?” Sade then asked to break the silence.

This was more to have Kyt sound off his position to him rather than sparking up a conversation.
A click, followed by a small spot illuminator lit their ascension.
Sade gave Kyt a glance back, as the man now gestured for him to pick up the pace.
“ To the top.” Was all he replied.

Most of the doors to this old condemned building were either partly failed open or missing. At least that's what Sade could make of it. Kyt had the light. It was obvious that coming to the only door closed would be their destination, as Kyt kept it his light on it. Sade headed for it when they came up to the last landing.
This was the only time Kyt came about and stood next to Sade.
The man gave a look around then pressed his hand on the door.

It parted open.
Immediately some sensor of sort initiated the interior lighting sequence, lighting it all up.
To Sade’s surprise, it was clean… Orderly.

Both stepped inside.
With the door closing behind them, the informant went over to a counter. A small bar, in the end of what was a well furnished studio apartment. There were no windows or anything remotely suggesting there ever was. This was some sort of safe room...a hide-out, Sade determined. Clever, he thought...right smack in the middle of the local authority crackdown district.
"What's your poison these days?"

“ Correllian Rum.” Sade spoke up, casually making his way over for the drink.

Kyt looked up and smiled.
“ Yea… That, I got here.” He said as he reached for the rum.

“You… know what I’m offering, Mr Sade?
That is, you must surely understand the importance of this package I’m offering?” He then said as he was pouring two shots.

“ You mean the new price?..” Sade responded, as he took hold of the lapels on his jacket and slightly shock his apparel. He was soaked to the bone it seemed..
Yes, it was always about the price. And as expected this was the renegotiating the original deal.
Sade then approached closer as the man held out his shot.
So, this Kyt Skant had indicated he had information on a Republican defector.
Possibly one that would remain in their seat and become a spy for the Empire.

“ Yes…" his laugh was that of a jackal. "...we do understand each other well, Mr Sade.
The price...“ Kyt then announced.
“it's gotten a new appraisal. The new going price has doubled…
And that’s just maybe the down payment…” He was looking straight at Sade as he said this.

The ICI agent had not given him any reaction at all to his new price adjustment. But Sade was certainly listening, as he took the shot of rum down...

“ … Yea… What I got, is hot.
… Real hot!” Kyt continued, still looking at him for a reaction.

Sade gave none…say for the empty shot glass he rested on the counter.

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

The director was impressed.
Her argument was sound and certainly credible of what she told him.
Somehow or other, he had a feeling she was on to something. Something that would also pay off on his behalf also. This wasn't the first time he would ride her coattail on a commendable investigation.
Karlie was by far his most valuable agent. Despite her young age, she was his ace in the hole. Agent Karlie had more than proved herself many times over to him and the department, that she had what it took to be a top investigator.

It didn't take him but a moment of contemplation, then he agreed. He would assist her in this spearhead investigation. Heck, he was now just as curious as to who could have intercepted her while in virtual reality. He had not met anyone or anything that could stop her when she was hot on an investigative trail. His involvement could indeed be fruitful to him. So he was convinced.

" Ok then, I guess the ICI security will have to explain why they left a
door wide open for us to just waltz in." He then said with a laugh.

"Let's see if we can find out who authorized this file deletion, shall we?" He said, as he spun his chair around to his console.
He had one of the highest clearance in her department and quickly got through the security fences. The monitor was at an acute vantage angle to Karlie, and he just gave her a glance as he punched in his codes.
She couldn't see what he was typing or even the windows he was opening up, but it seemed he was also having a bit of a problem at his level attaining info on IAN.

" IAN Sade, you say?" He spoke to himself, as he seemed to struggle with finding that file. Finally he must have came upon his file, as he seemed to be gloating.
" Ah, found your mystery man-" His voice then suddenly cut out. His face had dropped from what had been a gloat of a smile

"What's wrong, Director?" Karlie inquired, as something seemed to have changed before the director's eyes.
She was on the other side of his desk and couldn't see the screen. But she could clearly see his shock at what had suddenly appeared on the screen in front of him.

" It was razed without transfer...wiped out by Castan High Authority -" He stopped what he was about to say again, as he focused on what he was apparently viewing. This bit of info he had stumbled on to, meant it went up past both the ICI/IBI Bureaus. The order to transfer the files had originated right from the Cabinet of the Council. The coding was that of the Viceroy himself, to be exact.

" Uhm... how deep a hole have I dug?" She then asked, with a serious look on her face.

" No, it's likely not going to be your funeral-" Replied the Director with a blank tone.

He normally would have closed the file and send the agent off with orders not to speak of the matter again. But, this was unique in a way. It somehow was expecting her to try again for the files. Not a trap, but a sort of invitation. The person who authorized the file transfer was no other than-
"I don't know how to tell you-" The Director had to take in a breath before he turned from the screen. Then with a twist of his hand, he turned the screen to face her.

Her mouth dropped, as she read the name.
Destat.

" Your father, Miss Lynn-
He wiped the files from the mainframe-"

 

[Ian Sade]

“ I’m listening…” Sade replied, once more reaching for his drink.

Skant had pourd him a second shot and was now slowly downing his own.
It was obvious this leach thought his prize was worth renegotiating the already outrageous price offered by his Bureau. The man was waiting for his reaction....knowing quite well, he currently held all the cards.
Sade still gave none. But this was getting old fast. He wasn't one to waste time. Especially more time than necessary in this neck of the old city.

“ Get to the point, Skant.
Why would the Confederacy be willing to pay you any more credits than it has already been agreed on?
Now what and where, is this package, exactly? " Sade then asked
"…Not another Imperial agent looking to fatten his pockets for some tidbit information again? The operative defecting?”

Skant almost exhaled the drink he had just gulped down in his excitement.
“ Hahaha… No.
No, Mr Sade. It is not an operative at all.
It’s an administrator. A key director… One with great influence in the Confederacy…” Skant said as he wiped his lip and eyed Sade, hungrily.he certainly was expecting a big fat check for what he had.

A few seconds ticked by…
“More to the meat of it. It’s a Senator, Mr. Sade.
One of your very own bloody Senators…” He trailed off with a big jackpot smile, before downing the rest of his drink.

Sade’s eye brow shot up. A small trail of water ran down his face. If he wasn’t soaked from the rain, one would swear he was sweating.
“ A Senator you say?...” Sade couldn't hide the fact that this time it was certainly a big fish that may be on the end of this line.
"What exactly do you have on him that we may not already have?" Sade inquired.
After all, every senator and administrator had to go through stringent security checks. What could this slime have that they didn't know about?...a lover...mistress...? So what. The Bureau wasn't interested in a senator's vices. They weren't the moral police.

"He-he...yea....well take a gander..." Skant flipped a holo projector from his comm and there before Sade was a figure that was blocked out, but clearly speaking in some kind of chamber with what Sade recognized as Imperial Magistrates and Moffs. It appeared to be one of the Imperial senate Chambers. The voice of the blocked out figure was also masked, but coherent. Sade knew he'd wouldn't have gotten to see or know who the said traitor was, as the hologram had been edited.
But his hairs did break the surface tension of being wet and rose at the back of his neck, for the said traitor was divulging Confederacy intel...actual bonafide intel that Sade knew had compromised their security.

"Yea, that's right...that info you just heard is free, as now it looks like you'll need to revamp your naval fleet codes.
See, I can be generous. But your Senator isn't. He's worth much more than we have initially agreed...don't you think?...I mean...isn't he worth...a good man's fortune?"

He was certainly giving this informant the reaction he was expecting, for his eyes were glued to the hologram recording. And why not? To have the identity of this traitor was now number one priority. Sade at this point could even offer to give this turd ten times what he was even asking for.
“ We can come to meet your terms… just how did you get a hold of this-…” He started to ask, but before he could finish his sentence, Skant cut him off.

“… No more small talk Mr Sade…
Is the Confederacy willing to pay me for what my package is worth?
Or do you want this senator of yours to give it all away, if he hasn't already?
Who's to say that the Empire hasn't already made plans to use that Senator's information in formulating an invasion?
Your fleets are vulnerable as we speak, Mr Sade.” Skant's voice cut deep into Sade's center.
The scum for once in his life, spoke truth.

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

She had left the Bureau's Director's office in such haste that she had forgotten to retrieve her briefcase from her office.

The Director had said no more to her, than divulging the source behind the interception. She understood... she knew that was about all she could extract from him, without a formal closed door interrogation. But who was she kidding? She never had real life interrogations. Not on her end. It was way above him now, above the department and certainly above her. If anyone was to get interrogated, it was her on the receiving end.
She drooped her eyes a moment en route to her speeder. Did she really want to confront her father? What would be her reason for the dig on Iansade? There was no official justification other than her own..."Sigh" ...interests.

"Damn...seriously Karlie.....all this for a guy?" She reprimanded herself in silence.
The Director couldn't do anything more but show her who was responsible for the interception, as he seemed to be instructed.
Despite being outmaneuvered by her father, she were still aroused with curiosity to the point that finding out more on this ICI agent was the only thing at this moment that mattered anything at all.

"Frak it...can't ground me forever..." She figured of her father.
It had been her father that had the files deleted. But why her father?...he could as easily have anyone in his office do it. they certainly had the same level that she had been up against.
She seemed to be in her own world, as she made it out to her speeder, not paying attention to the few who knew and acknowledging her in passing.

Even the retired Castan trooper Charl, had noted her hasty and somewhat early departure from the Bureau.... not to mention seeing she was without her attaché. He pointed this out to her the missing briefcase, when she came up to him, asking for her speeder.
"Shoot...uhm...not important. I'm calling it a day.." Karlie shrugged it off.


------------An hour later back at The Destat Estate-----------


" No, Persus. I'll wait here, till my father is out of the meeting." Karlie replied to her father's adman (administrative assistant).

It had been bit unusual to learn her father was at the estate, this time of day to begin with. He had a head position in the Imperial Cabinet, and everything always seemed official with him. Even when at home and the rare dinners when her brother and sisters visited during the week they seemed somewhat like official dignitary visits with him.
That is, that such family dinner gatherings were usually in the form of invitations as far as Karlie could remember. But they were not always as such. Since she had lost her mother at a young age, it seemed that Karlie was the only child of Tarssin now, that had not taken up residency outside the family estate. Her father somehow preferred it that way. He had even told her on many occasions. ...'I want you here, Karlie' So, there was no desire for Karlie to live anywhere else. Unless she was on
Bureau business, training, assignment, etc. Her place, her home was at the estate. Her father was adamant about that.

Yet, now in her own home, Karlie waited to have audience with her father. Sure, she could have insisted and even walked past Persus without a hitch. But, she was too properly raised not to respect a man in her father's position. Besides, he was head Adviser in the Imperial infrastructure. How proper would it seem for her to interrupt her father's meetings or work, with her personal agendas?
Not at all.
She was a Destat. And that alone carried a certain etiquette.
So, like a true loyal Castan IBI executive, she waited... not patiently, mind you.
"Sigh..." She drummed her fingers on crossed arms, looking out over the estates on the second floor foyer to her father's private office.



----------------- ~~ Memories ~ ~--------------
How often had she run through these hallways as a little girl? Sneaking
around, dodging all the servants and staff. "Karlie, don't play in the study
areas; your father's in company with important guests." It seemed everyone
was telling her.
But, she had no care in the world. This was her house, her playground.

"Young Miss.... Please step away from the door!" An amplified voice from a
castan armored trooper once loomed down on her. His face, or rather his helmet, was
exactly like all the others who were in her house that day. They all had
the same masked expression.
It was hard for her to tell, if the man in armor was playing with her or
ordering her.
Karlie had snuck down to her father's study and was about to enter the
chambers before a trooper put up his hand as he leaned down to stop her.

" Karlie! Come away from there!" Her Nanny called out to her, as she quickly
went over to Karlie and picked her up in her arms. Karlie was then scurried
her away from the armored troopers.
She would never forget those troopers in armor that seemed to be stationed
just about in every doorway, that day.
And that day, was the first time that she ever seen Castan Marines in person
before.
Karlie later understood why there were so many of these Castan Marines in
armor at her house. She remembered a few of them even standing outside her
father's studies with energy weapons cradled in their arms.
She didn't understand the meaning of weapons then..

It was actually about the same time that her mother never came home. Karlie
could never forget the face on her father when she was finally called down
to see him. The troopers outside the chambers even opened the door for her
as she approached her father.
"Imagine that... Maybe the Viceroy has come here..." Karlie as a child was
thinking. Like, for whatever other reason would there be so many Castan
soldiers in her house?

------------- ~ ~ ~ ~ --------------


"Miss Lynn." A faint voice seemed to be calling her.

" Miss Lynn.... Your father will see you now." The voice of Persus finally broke through her distant thoughts.

 

[Ian Sade]

Well, this was of no surprise to Sade.
The ultimatum.
He knew that this informant meant to sell out this Senator back to the enemy if his bureau would not meet his demands.
There was only one way to deal with such a crafty informant…

“ Rest assured… Your price will be met accordingly, if the merchandise presented is of that assessment.” sade replied giving it a moment's thought..

“ The account routing we exercised before is still open?...” He then asked.

The wry smile from Skant confirmed it.

“I’ll have the initial credits transmitted by tomorrow, standard time.” The ICI agent said, as he put his glass back down.

“Just so we understand each other… The price has gone up due to popular demand…” The informant said, as he locked onto Sade's eyes.
He was looking for any signs whatsoever, to clue him in on what the Castan agent was thinking. Sade just gave him a confirming smile with a nod of acceptance to this new revision of contract. There was nothing more to say a this point, other than to reassure the man that he had the authorization to accept the new deal and make good on the transfer.

“Yes, yes, I get the jiff… Doubled the price, as just the down payment.
What is it that you ask, once the package is delivered and the value of the asset is confirmed? “ Sade asked.

“ The same amount… That’s four times the original fee your Bureau first offered, so we both understand the math you know…” The man responded, then he took another gulp of his drink.

Skant had something else in mind, as his mannerism suggested, but was holding it in reserve. He could read this man so easily. Skant's lips were minutely wavering, indicative at something he was holding back. There was another hidden hitch attached to this deal, it seemed. Perhaps there was a reason Skant had specifically asked for Sade to handle this deal, besides that their latter correspondences and trade had been successful. But that too on Sade's end were for setting up the scum for future more viable deals. Who was play the other more?

Sade had only to wait, to discover what twist Skant had planned.

Tick-tock...


“… But, you meet me there, Sade.
You Sade.
You meet me on Coruscant.” The double agent finally mustered to say.

“Two weeks, to this day.
Paradyne District… The Metro Museum... noon, standard time. I’ll contact you there. You just wait for me.

… Alone, Sade. Bring no one, but yourself…” Skant instructed, nervously.

Sade looked at the man. Looked at him, for a good long moment. This guy was salivating. He could see that Skant would not be satisfied even with the amount just agreed. This man had additional plans. He could not be trusted.
Sade had certainly dealt with him more than once before. Yes, certainly what he always offered was credible, but there was always an extra price attached for his goods. But the goods that he offered now, would only be good as long as the person defecting remained anonymous. Sade knew that in a short time after the Empire acquired this person, this informant would look to re-sell the name. Either to another party, blackmail the Agency to keep his mouth shut, or sell out the defector to Republic Intelligence.
This, Sade was certain. It would follow the man’s profile on this particular situation. Sade had to acquire the name of the package before Skant would put it up for resale.
But, Sade had not the name of this person. Skant was too smart to give it to him now.
Sade knew he’d have to play it his way…

“ Coruscant…” He repeated the name of that other forsaken world. One world he had wanted to forget for a little while longer at least.
But, it seemed that no matter what assignments he had of late, they would always bring him back to that central core of the galaxy.

“ The Metro at noon it is…
And you’ll have the initial credits transferred to your account by tomorrow…” Sade agreed.

"Yea...just be sure you wait for me....however long that is..." Skant added.

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

Location: Castagne, Destat Estates



She had been daydreaming again, as she sat there waiting. It was not often she did that anymore..daydream. But this house, her home represented a secure place where she could relax and not be on her guard all the time. Although, she couldn't understand why that was. As when it came to her father, Karlie was as official with him as with the directors and Senators that she now so often found herself dealing with, on account of the bureau. It had been always like that, having a natural instinctive respect for her father. Tarssin was certainly her father, but he was a loving father, despite his position as head of Cabinet in the Castan Government. As official and proper Karlie acted around him, she still loved him like any daughter would naturally love her father.
And there was something else. She knew he loved her too. Yet he was a man that never showed any affection to his children or to anyone as far as she could remember. At least, not anyone besides her mother.

" Oh, thank you Persus." She answered, as she turned away from the old texts she was running her fingers over. Funny thing though. She always liked to feel the textures of these old bindings. They were a few of the many rare books that lined the walls of the waiting room. Some were even old text books that had once been in the library of the Old Jedi Academy on Coruscant. Jedi lore, her father had called them. An old forsaken religion that refused to be extinguished.

" Religion....sigh..." Karlie started thinking to herself.
" ...many Galactic Wars were centered around religious beliefs...." was running through her mind as she made her way past the butler who had parted the doors to her father's chamber. " And the old Jedi religion has been the most instrumental in the Old Republic in having it fall as it did nearly 9 Centuries earlier.

Persus would not enter. He had never entered, but always stood holding the ornamentaly carved wooden doors as he allowed Tarssin's visitors to enter. The small smile from the tall distinguished Destat upon seeing his daughter enter, could not be well hidden enough. Karlie had always felt a warm genuine feeling of content and security when she was close to her father. Aside from his curt disposition, he always emitted a warm welcome to her. He
was certainly pleased to see her, barring the circumstances of why she was here. As a matter of fact, her father had always found Karlie, his youngest child, to be his ideal daughter.

" Sorry for having you wait, my dear.
Seems that work is never done with you at times." He said as he gave her a smile and met her half way. Karlie came up and gave her father a kiss on his cheek.

"Yes, apparently I haven't had a chance to even see you at breakfast for nearly a week now, with all those early morning meetings scheduled around here.
Still, I guess it's better here than you having to get up before dawn to make it to the Capital...." She said as she slightly stepped back and made the small talk short.

"Ahem...Ok.." Karlie chuckled, knowing her father knew her too well for her to beat around the bush. besides, he was most likely due for another session of meetings. She couldn't dance around more than she had too. Not with her father at least.
"...I'm actually here to inquire about a certain file that was deleted today, at the Bureau. From this office." She began.

Tarssin gave her a curious look and a wry smile.
"Am I to assume then that I'm part of some investigation of yours?" He asked with a baited smile.

"Uhm, wha-....
No." Karlie said, taken back for a moment.
"I mean, not an investigation at all per say...." She was starting to lose her track of thinking.
"I was just-
I mean, it was just-" Karlie started to explain, when she realized that it was not at all anything official that she was here for.

What was she here for, then?
It was at that moment that she realized, she had not thought this out, as she should have. She was not here on official business at all, and to inquire about someone that she was curious about; well right now it didn't seem to make any clear sense to her at all.
Why was she so attracted to-
No wait, this wasn't right. Why was she at all interested in this-
Her mind were fighting her thoughts. God, she hated to be affected as such. It was untread territory to say the least. Still, it was something which weighed on her and she just couldn't simply shrug it off. Not this man..not Iansade.
Was she actually here before her father to inquire about the agent whose file his office classified closed? So, for what purpose or reason was she going to give for questioning her father's office for pulling Iansade's file, from the ICI mainframe?

Tarssin gave Karlie no mind to her hesitation, as he gestured for his daughter to have a seat. Taking up one of the large chairs on the side, he comfortably sat his self down and waited for her to do likewise.
" Please, Karlie. Sit for a moment. I too have something to ask of you." He then said, as he once more gestured the invite.

Upon this cue, Pursus closed the doors to leave the Destats to their matters, in private.

 

[Ian Sade]

*The Core World: Coruscant*
...days before the scheduled mission contact.



It was just past noon now, and he had already been on this forsaken core world nearly six hours. Sade had seen it teeming with activity from the port window of the civilian transport ship he had taken as a passenger to compliment his guise. This had been the 3rd and final craft he had transferred from, since leaving Castagne, in the three days that justified his business endeavor. Each day stopover trailed a business meeting and hence forth, to his current presence on Coruscant. The ICI had indeed a few legitimate business fronts.
His alias: A business man, an executive dealing in rare commodities. The Capital liner had entered atmosphere during this sector’s early morning hours. He had a view of the dawn’s early light, as it illuminated the many spires rising miles above ground zero. For only a moment, Coruscant appeared beautiful to him. Then the bustle and hustle of all the air traffic, the dura-steel and glass... it immediately evoked unpleasant memories of the weeks prior.

He stepped back, away from his hotel balcony going back inside. The dura-glass sliders closed silently behind him, shutting out the noise of the city planet. This hotel was new for him as so many and all were, for he rarely ever patronized the same one...not while he were under different guises and missions. There were a few instances where he did, for him to sustain certain alts in support for on going long term mission objectives.
This round, it were for none other than to finalize this mission. This were a new hotel for him, among the countless hotels littering Coruscant on all levels and tiers. As it had to be, it were class 1 rated, as it would fit his current profile. But this one was situated near the Trade Conglomerate of Unified Systems. A district where intergalactic corporations came to make deals, merges and takeovers…. ‘The Business District’ as most corporations simply called it. Capitalism at it's best was more like it as it were many factions point of view. The majority of corporations were free systems which allowed privately owned and controlled business to compete against each other.
The sith saw this practice as senseless, and corrupt by many Imperialistic factions such as the FO and the old Imperial Remnants which never seemed to go away no matter how much loss they incurred through the centuries..
And Sade? He was posing as one of these business executives of a company which had been newly acquired during a merge as Quest Enterprises.

This particular suite was very much unlike the one he had acquired on his last mission here on Coruscant.
His last mission…
Sade paused a bit in mid-step.
It had been a successful mission and one that he had gotten a commendation for.
But medals and honors could not fade the memory that lingered in his thoughts… His nightmares.
He remembered her eyes... Dark emerald green, they were. There seemed to be a light, a sparkle that emanated from them... If one were to look deep into them.

Yes, memories... His could be like diamonds and rust...

~ Flashback~​

"... Hahaha... You don't say" Laughed Sade in response to her comment.
She then extended her hand across the white linen, and placed it on his.
They were in a lavish restaurant. Her smile and rosy cheeks complimented her dark hair.
" I wouldn't be joking about it, if it wasn't true…" She laughed.

They were both laughing, enjoying the romantic evening together…

Sade subconsciously went to feel his hand that she had touched that evening. She had such a soft gentle touch… Warm…

~ ~ ~​

Realizing he was heading to a place he’d rather forget, Sade shook his head to interrupt that flashback continuing on toward the door.

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

Location: Castagne, Destat Estates


" First, before you start fidgeting..." He began with a raised eyebrow, instantly put that notion to rest. Well at least for now since she became conscious of her body language. yes, he were her father, but he was still Head of the Castan Cabinetry and had been an ICI Director for most of his career.

"...I've had nothing but good reports streaming across my desk.
These of course, are not all generated from your Bureau... nor from just your superiors." Her father Tarssin then charmingly smiled, as Karlie sat herself down.
"I've many sources as you can well attest yourself. "

She had always been his favorite. Perhaps he had favored her since the death of her mother. For one reason more than another, Tarssin had kept a vigil eye on Karlie since she was very young.

"I don't doubt you know this, maybe more... but I'm to take some blame in keeping you somewhat grounded...safe, Karlie."

"What do you mean, safe?... Dad, I can take care of myself."

"I don't doubt that, speaking as a former Director... no.
But as a father, I-
...I find it difficult to consider you an asset to the Bureau than my daughter." It were rare. Quite rare for her father to open up like so in such a way.

"Years ago, you were told a version of your mother's...death." Tarssin wasn't certain as to how much his daughter had unearthed on her own.

"A version quite different from what all really transpired..."
Her mother's death had first been explained to her as a child, that it had been a result of a sith plot to overthrown the Castan Administration. That Karlie's mom had come upon an enemy Naval ambush, on her smaller diplomatic vessel, that had been part of a small convoy. A convoy which was escorting her mother's transport ship of VIP delegates on their way to Mulinist. She had been escorted by a light support group of Castan fighters, as was normally customary at the time through what was then neutral territory, by which the sith disclaimed to be their sovereignty.

Of course, this sith proclamation made her mother's convoy a primary target for rouge or otherwise a planned and an unprovoked sith attack.. The Castan convoy was said to have been attacked without warning between their jumps points during re-angling. It were said to be a narrow cluster of star systems within a nebula that required many hyperspace crafts of certain class drives to come out of hyperspace to avert and navigate through a few known asteroid fields. The few seconds of transmission that the Castan envoy which Karlie's mom had been part of were able to get out,
indicated it was a sith attack in that sector of neutral space. It clearly had been an ambush. A hit and run mission with evidence that the convoy's flight plan had been compromised from within Castagne. Tarssin would also have been on that flight himself, as was scheduled, but he was delayed and in conference with the Castan Cabinetry. The news when it reached him, had been devastating. And in a way, changing him forever.
His despise of sith were next to that of his daughter Karlie.

By all reported accounts, it had also appeared to be an assassination attempt on Tarssin's life. But as it were recounted to Karlie at a later age, the sith had only taken out Tarssin's wife, Karlie's mother, in that dreadful attack. As a young girl at the time, this tragic event had been kept from her for quite a few years. She was told her mother needed to travel across the Heavens to bring peace to those that had none. Karlie could still remember the many nights she would look up at the star as a small child and imagine some of the shooting stars were her mother's ship.

" I've know the truth...for quite some time now, father..." She reluctantly replied. Yes, she had dug up that old grave buried deep withing the confines of the IBI's security vaults. Karlie had a knack for getting into places off limits to her. It were her job, her expertise.

There was a long gap upon which time could do little but transcend through the deafness which existed between them. Then an exhale.
"Yea....
I feared one day you would....sigh." he nodded, with dismay. Of course she would have found out on her own. She were his daughter.
Didn't wish you to know the truth really. Most of your memories and time with that- " No. No he wasn't going to let his thoughts of the woman who deceived him and everyone, including her own daughter, disrespect Karlie's memories of her own mother.

"But in the truth lies who you are. Only that you've become more than what someone had notions of you to become.
Karlie, not anyone on record has given up what you have."

"I gave up nothing. I only cleansed myself of what we humans should have done before they lost themselves in this galaxy, father." She felt the need to interrupt him. She loved him for his compassion as her father. He really did care and love her. Karlie knew this without a shadow of a doubt.

"Still, in my heart I didn't wish for you to discover the truth on your own." he found it difficult to remain composed, yet he didn't falter by any one's account. It were just that Karlie knew he faltered...pained by the same memory of a woman who had entrapped their love.

"Then you didn't know about my project?...no one came forward?" She then asked, uncertain as to how well she had kept the entire research and development under tabs.

"The Sebrix? Yes, I was filled in while you were recovering. You had no life signs..no readings when they found you....of cource I was then informed" He went on to say, before she corrected him.

"I was in stasis...at absolute." Karlie replied. Absolute vacuum..absolute negative temp. Time at absolute stands still. Karlie was in absolute.

"Yes...I was there by your side in the recovery room...your hand was as cold as ice. I thought I forfeited my own life, if you had not returned."

"God...
So it was you.
Sigh...of course...
Yes, I remember. I thought it one of many dreams which flooded through my memory. I had never really had my own dreams up until then."

"It was a nightmare for me to be sure... but yes, I know now all that there is to know about the project. It's why I had it shut down. It is reason as to why only you, me and limited key figures know of the project."

"Then my thesis on human origin in this galaxy you find credible?"

"Dangerously."

"We came to this galaxy as colonists..."

"Perhaps... there is some merit to your theories. Don't think I don't pay no mind to them. I do find your thesis quite a read, Karlie.
Still, I'm not one to surmise nor have any more notions about the true origin of mankind than before. There are many ancient scrolls and text in contradiction.
And you only have your theory."

"But I'm living proof now."

"Yes...there could exists some validity in that. Still, a very dangerous gravitational draw to the potential use of the Sebrix to become weaponized exists. Which is why I should implore that the Sebrix project details should remain within the confines of this office."