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[Ellayina L'lerim]

Torture and Interrogation Officer and Agent

Information

Objective: Capture and rescue
Location: Near to the city park, Cinnegar, Empress Teta
Equipment: 2x Sunfury Pistol | Light Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger || Cloaking Device | 5x ASBF Probe Droid || Empyrean gland || OPBC-01m
Tag: Kazian Blackwood | Open

"Galactic Common" | <"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Invading and occupying a planet is not nearly as easy as many people think. In most cases, the inhabitants will not give up their former lives, but will rebel against the invaders. This can be a planet-wide rebellion, which is typical if it is a warrior culture. In other cases it is just a series of uprisings and attacks, usually carried out by separate cells. Often, of course, networks are created with a single leader. Whatever the case, the only way to defeat them is to dismantle each cell, arrest or execute the members, and make an example of the leadership. Yes, there is a danger of that, but usually it is the best people who are in leadership roles...

- Unknown Author from Empress Teta

At least there are books that say so…

What is certain is that the occupation here on Empress Teta was not so easy and there were still countless rebels and insurgent cells on the planet, and in the capital, who were trying to sabotage the work of us, the Dark Empire. I had no idea that I would have to go into the field so soon and take @Kaz Blackwood with me, to whom I now became mentor and evaluator. But that's not really important at the moment. It wasn't just the two of us who were "invited" to the task, but also other agents, because we had been given a very important task. It required the joint work of several sections and several qualified agents.

The meeting was in a previously occupied Safe House near the City Park, from where we will go to the task. The task was simple, the other good questions.

Top Secret Mission

Agents, the task may seem easy, but it is very important. You will meet today at 1200 local time at the Safe House near the City Park of Cinnegar, which is now under our control. This place is a restaurant, you have to use the back entrance that opens from the alley. You will meet here and the action will start at 1230. Underneath the park is a facility that is both a well-protected bunker and a prison with about a dozen cells.

Inside this bunker is a rebel cell who have captured one of the Imperial Generals, Tarsi Primen. The leader of the cell is an Second Great Hyperspace War (SGHW) veteran, General Daro Lago, who has already caused the Maw and the NIO a lot of trouble. Freeing Primen and capturing Lago is the priority. The lives of the other prisoners and rebels are not important. In their case, use the no quarter scenario.

There are three entrances to the bunker, all leading to a common lift centre on level -1. From here the lift descends to a depth of about 100 metres, where two further levels await you. The concern is that if they find out that there are intruders, they will try to destroy the place, so we cannot attack with large numbers of units, armies. You'll be on your own, you can't expect reinforcements and reinforcements.

Good luck, agents!

One more important thing, failure and failure is not an option!

So I was already here in the back of the restaurant with Kaz, as we had discussed, or how it was in the mission report. I was curious to see who was going to join us. While we waited, I turned to the other agent.

"What do you think of the assignment, Agent Blackwood? Did you expect something like this, or something else?" I asked the man with a faint smile, but in a distant and slightly cold tone.

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OOC: Any ISB character is welcome to join the thread (or those who want to join the ISB), and anyone is welcome to say that they are leading the mission if they wish. I just threw my idea and starting plot into this thread. And feel free to add information to the underground base or the two named NPCs (targets) Have fun!

 

[Kazian Blackwood]

The steaming mug of caf before me on the table slowly drained away as we sat and waited, a strong, sweet blend from who knows where helping to set the tone of the day. I was already anxious, so being alert was a bonus, and it tasted far better than anything the Bureau offices had.

"What do you think of the assignment, Agent Blackwood? Did you expect something like this, or something else?"

"I wasn't sure what to expect... but this. Well. No complaints." I cracked a dry smile and took another long sip of my drink. Being back to Cinnegar so soon had brought a feeling of vindication, or least some heavy sigh of relief after the invasion. Our return signaled victory, and I hadn't ended up on the chopping block like I'd expected. Win/win situation

Ellayina so far hadn't warmed up much to me, insofar as she was frozen. I think she'd started to thaw, however. Time would tell.

"So, acquisitions wants our new friends to come in as they are? This is slightly more on the doable side than that whole politics thing management had me in last time." I remarked in reference to our failed coup attempt in this very city.

 

[Ellayina L'lerim]

Torture and Interrogation Officer and Agent

Information

Objective: Capture and rescue
Location: Near to the city park, Cinnegar, Empress Teta
Equipment: 2x Sunfury Pistol | Light Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger || Cloaking Device | 5x ASBF Probe Droid || Empyrean gland || OPBC-01m
Tag: Kazian Blackwood | Open

"Galactic Common" | <"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Unlike Kazian, I was used to waiting in the office for agents like him to carry out tasks like the one we just received, and then interrogating and torturing the retrieved targets. And if I did have to go out in the field, it was typically a lone job and no targets survived. Everyone had different tasks and training. But that was the way it was. I have to say, it was still a lot more exciting than it would have been originally had I not chosen to be an agent. Ironically, someone else in the bloodline did the opposite of what I did. But back to the present. I sipped my coffee, it seemed that no others would arrive and it would be just the two of us.

Having many or even a few people had its advantages. It's better to sneak around and keep one's wits about you with few people. However, when you have more people with you, you have support and others can be used, with less need to rely on your own resources. Meanwhile, my "protégé" answered the question. Exceptionally, I was there as a trainer and supervisor, supervising and instructing Agent Blackwood before the man could return to one-man work.

"Well, let's hope that enthusiasm lasts, because for now it looks like it's just the two of us, unless we bring a commando team with us." I told him, though my choice of words sounded sceptical, but there was no sign of it in my tone.

I quickly looked around once more, but there was no one else here, no one had arrived to come with us on this mission. It seems that the ISB was quite short of agents, or so they thought, imagined, that two people could solve it. Or there was the third possibility that someone really wanted Blackwood dead. And now they wanted mine. I chuckled a little at the man's words.

"Unless the target is in a suicidal mood." I replied, despite the laughter, this was far from a funny possibility. "Well, I think it's time to go."

I finished the rest of my coffee and got up from the chair. I quickly set about checking my equipment. If something was wrong, it might be possible to replace the gear here, although I was using pretty unique stuff. Nevertheless, everything seemed to be in as good order as possible and everything was in working order. I glanced at my partner to see what equipment he wanted to bring. We probably had quite different training, if only because I had Shadow Company mentors on the list. But since the man had also received proper ISB training, I hoped he would be fine and I wouldn't have to correct him.

"Are you ready?" I asked him.

 

[Kazian Blackwood]

Ellayina L'lerim

"Ready as I could be."

As we stood to leave I downed the final sip of my drink. My mind lingered on the idea that our targets could take the easy way out. For all the propaganda plastered with words like hope and freedom across the Alliance holonet, when it came down to facing against the new Sith regime I had no doubt a few would choose to fold. Backed into a corner, they would have to embrace death one way or another, and the Sith had already shown themselves to be so much more ruthless than the Old Empire. That we were alone in this operation actually seemed to bode well. Occupation forces were engaged across a dozen major systems, and a full blown assault on guerrilla fighters would be too costly. Even calling in a CompForce squad, though possible, irked me. After Onderon and our utter failure, the very operation that had got me up to my neck as I was, my faith in my old department was waning fast.

"The two of us will move faster than a group, quieter too. I'd like to keep it that way if we can, but I suppose we'll see." As we left the restaurant and came out into the bright morning sun, I could hardly tell from the bustle of metropolitan streets that an army had just swept through. The blocks of Cinnegar close to the city center were still devastated from the tense battle lines that had been drawn in the invasion, but where they were, further out in the urban sprawl, the city was merely clouded with the dour faces of an occupied people. The Tetans were a proud people, unaccustomed to Imperial rule, but they would be. Empress Teta had a rule now befitting its ancient name, but it was up to the velvet glove of the ISB to smooth the transition...

 

[Kyric]

Empress Teta
Cinnegar
Ellayina L'lerim | Kazian Blackwood

Single file. No, we're moving. Kyric shifted to his left, perfectly matching the rhythm of the soldiers all around him. He turned to now face the back of another trooper's head. He knew there were another six columns to the left of him, each ten units deep. His plan to 'lift' a suit from one of their latest recruits had worked perfectly, and the memories ingrained into Recruit 7654-11V's uniform filled in the necessary gaps he lacked from, you know, not being at the earlier stages of their training.

Their unit marched down a street wide enough to house them. In another 1500 feet, they were expected to reach a large stretch of warehouses and begin searching. Kyric assumed the orders were kept vague intentionally to pacify. Isolating them into small groups was another effective measure to keep them docile. Most sentients were social, after all.

He kept quiet throughout the march. It wouldn't do to draw any attention to him.

Once they reached the warehouses, 'Recruit 7654-11V' stepped into the warehouse much like the others. When his platoon captain sought to assign a watch, he stepped forward and volunteered. No one stopped him. It wasn't the most glamorous role in these sorts of operations, and no one ever received commendations for a 'watch well done.' The little limp he added on his way out only helped sell the lie.

Back outside, the kiffar ditched his borrowed uniform for the stashed bag he left the night prior. His usual mission wear made the trek through back alleys and side streets all the easier. He needed to find his informant before he could set out to properly complete his objective.

 

[Ellayina L'lerim]

Torture and Interrogation Officer and Agent

Information

Objective: Capture and rescue
Location: Near to the city park, Cinnegar, Empress Teta
Equipment: 2x Sunfury Pistol | Light Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger || Cloaking Device | 5x ASBF Probe Droid || Empyrean gland || OPBC-01m
Tag: Kazian Blackwood | Kyric | Open

"Galactic Common" | <"High Nelvaanian"> | ["Essonian"] | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

"Good choice!" I nodded at Kaz's choice, and my cold voice held some recognition.

I wanted him to know that I would be testing him now. Every moment in life was an exam, and his was especially so at this time. After all, his future at the ISB depended on the report I gave him. Not that it was something that could be easily forgotten, but it didn't hurt to remind him of it with such subtle hints. Since we always work under pressure, that was necessary in this case. But he was right anyway, two people using a cloaking device makes it much easier to get around in a place like this. And we can even solve the case without any casualties. And later, if we happen to have captured the base and taken the commander hostage and they can't destroy the place, we can still call in a group of stormtroopers to secure the place and legitimise the occupation.

On the street, despite the large number of people outside, we were not very conspicuous. Soldiers, officers and locals alike were walking around. Although the locals seemed to keep their distance from the Imperialists, they did not seek conflict with ours. Nevertheless, tension and some fear were in the air. In fact, I would have preferred an evening or night time for the mission, when human biorhythms are at their lowest. I knew that the guards down at the base were probably working several "shifts", but even if one was sleeping during the day, night was not the best time. It didn't matter to us, at least as far as Kaz was concerned, I assumed he was trained to be perfectly alert at any time of the day.

"What are the important things to look out for on a mission like this?" I asked Kaz; it was clear I tested him.

As we approached the park, I motioned for us to turn down one of the smaller alleys off the wide street. After all, it was better not to be seen going into the park through the main entrance. The alley was more like a small street, but there were only a few people walking along it. The place was still full of debris, it had not been cleaned up like the main road. At the end of the alley was the entrance to the park. Despite my armour, I tried to act as naturally as possible and watched the walls, objects and people for any secret cameras.

"I can't wait to finally get a day off, I'd like to try that restaurant recommended by one of the officers who was born here. What do you want to do when you finally get some time?" I was speaking in an exceptionally chatty tone this time, as if we were just some simple soldiers on patrol.

In the meantime, we arrived at the end of the alley, where the entrance to the park was waiting for us.

 

[Kazian Blackwood]

Ellayina L'lerim | Kyric

"Tails, eyes... anything a cat has." I smiled. Claws, too, but the mere thought of what that could mean brought me back to Onderon and my encounter with SIA Jedi operatives. We'd been utterly blindsided. That couldn't happen again.

"I'm hoping for a nice lounge and a good book when this is all over. But y'know I could go for a bite after all this. War is no good for relaxing." I spoke the last part ever so slightly louder, echoing a sentiment I'd heard many times over in the streets. Empress Teta had gone in a single day from happy, peaceful, and secure, to fearful, grim, and tense. I figured we ought not add to it, and in truth I meant it. War was the means to the end of Imperial security, the grand Imperial future.

I had grown up largely in a time of peace, relative to the Empire. I couldn't help be feel a little sorry for breaking the peace of others, as my own peace had been broken by the warlord era. But then again, out fight was righteous on a grand scheme of things, to not let the galaxy be dominated by the rule of the unwashed masses and the business magnates who pulled them along on strings. The Empire's return to the Core Worlds would be bloody, but I felt confident that the history books would remember it well and if I did my job as a spy right, they wouldn't remember me at all...

 

[Kyric]

Meanwhile...

Kyric sprinted down a long stretch between two towering warehouses. The shadow of day blotted out by their sloped rooves. He could hear other soldiers rooting through both buildings, likely more squads of recruits.

That meant more sentries.

He considered the roof itself but quickly dismissed the idea as fanciful thinking. Any scout droid, pilot, or soldier worth their salt would spot him traversing the rooftops by the light of day. He required something more subtle. And from the sound of booted feet approaching both ends of the alley–he needed it fast.

His gaze shot up.

A hatched window hung open. Kyric considered the dimensions compared to his size, decided he couldn't wait, and beckoned the force to him. It wreathed his lithe frame like a second layer of skin, bleeding into every fiber of his being. A single kick off the wall put him at the window. He shimmied inside quickly, dampening the sound of his passage with his second skin.

Recruits moved through the warehouse below him. Some carried crowbars to crack open sealed containers, while others lazily pushed things about, feigning interest in the task.

Kyric double-tapped the device tucked into his left ear. His HUD activated, overlaying the scene with a constant stream of information his eidetic mind stored for later use.

| Good evening, Kyric. | Arthur, his AI assistant greeted him. | How may I be of service? |

"Begin monitoring imperial communication frequencies for any mention of GA personnel left-planetside. Our informant can get us started, but I'd like to get a feel for the rest of the city." He crossed the room via the overhead beams, identifying and pinging the location of as many soldiers as possible. The intelligence gathered was processed live and transmitted to his BD unit, the Big Chieftain, tucked safely away in his starfighter outside the city.

| Yes sir. |

Another mile and Kyric would reach the informant. Then, things were going to get a helluva lot harder.

Ellayina L'lerim | Kazian Blackwood