Private MIN *Thunder Wrought*

[Admiral Burtch]

Setting: Overseeing the construction of the Battlecruiser MIN Thunder Wrought​

---

Thunder rolled all around the scene as heavy rain punished the worksite. Scaffold was temporarily abandoned and repulsorlift cranes were grounded as part of the procedural lightning safety response which was in effect. Just as the growl of thunder tapered off into inaudible levels below the hammering of the rain on the window, Burtch reset his chrono to begin the countdown again.

30 minutes

"I'm beginning to think this day is going to be a write off, Admiral" commented the would-be Bosun of Burtch's future flagship.

'The whole week is going to be a write off, Lune" Burtch dejected with his fingers pressed to his left temple, "The forecast says these lightning storms aren't going to let up for some time. First we couldn't get the keels to line up, and now we can't even resume work on building the damn hull. It's almost as if fate was worried something was going to go right for a change."

"Well, that's the Mahporeem scrapyards for you. Down here, nothing is predictable." Lune then gently rapped Burtch's arm with his knuckles, "But, hey! At least the refits on Dornea are going well?"

Burtch cocked an eyebrow in concession, "They are... but that only accounts for the picket line and just two of the principle capital ships. The Bulwark isn't exactly ideal for carrying a flag. With what we're up against, there's no way around it: we need our battlecruiser."

"We'll get her, Admiral."

Burtch grunted.

Another flash and a crack of thunder shook the little modular office building and Burtch reset his chrono for 30 minutes in a vain hope that the countdown would somehow reach zero so that the work could resume. Deep down, he knew it wouldn't happen.

As his irritation simmered to a low-key dejection, floodlights bloomed to life over the landing pad, causing streaking raindrops to become dancing white lines in Burtch's vision. In this rain, Burtch couldn't make out the exact model of ship coming in for a landing, but he figured from the spread of the lights and the rate their aspect was changing that it must be a shuttle or small yacht of some kind.

Burtch turned to Lune, "Were we expecting a visitor?"

Lune's eyes suddenly bulged and then he quickly transitioned to a innocent smile and a shrug, "Oh, yeah, by the way, I was supposed to tell you that someone has an appointment to meet with you. Your assistant said your inbox hasn't shown you read your memos yet, so she asked me to pass it along"

"Thanks for telling me, Chief Lune..."

---

Shade

 

[Shade]

The shuttle settled onto the rain-soaked landing pad with scarcely more than a muted hiss beneath the relentless drumming of the storm. Shade remained seated until the boarding ramp had fully lowered, watching sheets of rain race across the transparisteel viewport. Weather rarely concerned her. It merely altered sightlines, muffled sound, and encouraged people to focus on the obvious instead of the subtle. In that regard, the storm was as much an ally as it was an inconvenience. Beyond the viewport, the skeletal frame of a battlecruiser dominated the shipyard, its incomplete hull disappearing into curtains of rain while idle cranes stood frozen beneath mandatory lightning safety procedures. Even unfinished, the vessel possessed an unmistakable presence. Whoever would one day command it intended to shape events rather than merely survive them.

She descended the ramp wearing a dark travel coat fashioned from waterproof synthweave, its hood concealing most of her blue features without attempting to disguise what she was. Rain streamed harmlessly from the fabric as she crossed the landing pad with measured confidence, unconcerned by the weather or the workers sheltering beneath temporary structures. Her pace never faltered despite the puddles beneath each step, her boots finding secure footing across the slick duracrete as naturally as though she had walked this path before. By the time she reached the modular office overlooking the construction site, the downpour had left little evidence of her journey on the pavement.

A brief knock preceded her entrance after one of the nearby workers directed her inside. Warm air and the familiar scent of caf replaced the chill outside, while the constant percussion of rain against the walls softened into a muted backdrop. Shade lowered her hood with one smooth motion, allowing the remaining droplets to slide harmlessly from the waterproof fabric before her crimson eyes settled upon the two men occupying the office. The message she had received had identified her appointment only as an admiral overseeing construction of the battlecruiser. It had said nothing of appearance, race, or age. One man stood with the relaxed familiarity of someone comfortable in the office, while the other carried the quiet gravity that often accompanied command. Either could have been the officer she had come to meet.

The opening of the office door drew both men's attention. Lune looked from the newcomer to his superior, a flicker of realization crossing his features as he remembered the conversation from only moments earlier.

"Admiral," he said, gesturing toward Shade. "I believe this is your appointment."

Only then did Shade incline her head respectfully toward the man Lune had addressed.

"Admiral," she greeted evenly. "Thank you for receiving me." Her voice carried easily despite the storm outside, calm without being distant. She reached into her coat and withdrew a slim datapad, glancing briefly at the appointment details more out of habit than necessity before lowering it once again.

"I received a message from your office regarding a position you were looking to fill." Her gaze shifted briefly toward the rain-streaked viewport, where the unfinished battlecruiser stood waiting for the weather to surrender, before returning to Burtch. "The details were intentionally brief. Only that the role involved security and intelligence, and that you wished to discuss it here at the shipyard." There was no assumption in her tone that he remembered arranging the meeting, only the simple explanation of why she had accepted it.

She folded her hands comfortably before her, composed and attentive, allowing the admiral to steer the conversation wherever he wished.

"I hope I have not arrived at an inconvenient time."

Admiral Burtch

 

[Admiral Burtch]

Moments after the shuttle touched down, the door to the office mod burst open and the room exploded briefly with the sound of splashing heavy rainfall hitting the saturated ground outside the build. As quickly as the sound invaded the office, it was quickly extinguished by the door closing. Before the door was now a curiosly dry female Chiss woman. Burtch, being a mildly accomplished competitive martial artist in his own right could recognize the subtle posture of a formidable humanoid. Likely more formidable than himself and Lune combined. That, and her deeper blue skin with steady red eyes starkly contrasted his dull almost brownish eyes and paler blue skin.

He was suddenly reminded of his shortcomings as a born Chiss. As an officer, he was no Thrawn, by any measure, and his intellect was lack lustre. Before him stood yet another flawless specimen of his people. A sense of intimidation prickled at a small spot within his chest and only years as an officer gave him the practice to keep his composure. His posture remained formal and proud, and his crisp uniform compensated for his dull appearance.

"Admiral," he said, gesturing toward Shade. "I believe this is your appointment."

“Thank you,” Burtch responded crisply, setting aside his annoyance at how Lune had forgotten to tell him earlier of this.

"Admiral," she greeted evenly. "Thank you for receiving me." Her voice carried easily despite the storm outside, calm without being distant. She reached into her coat and withdrew a slim datapad, glancing briefly at the appointment details more out of habit than necessity before lowering it once again.

"I received a message from your office regarding a position you were looking to fill." Her gaze shifted briefly toward the rain-streaked viewport, where the unfinished battlecruiser stood waiting for the weather to surrender, before returning to Burtch. "The details were intentionally brief. Only that the role involved security and intelligence, and that you wished to discuss it here at the shipyard." There was no assumption in her tone that he remembered arranging the meeting, only the simple explanation of why she had accepted it.

She folded her hands comfortably before her, composed and attentive, allowing the admiral to steer the conversation wherever he wished.

"I hope I have not arrived at an inconvenient time."

Ah. She must’ve already figured out that I wasn’t expecting her. So typical of my people to read the situation so quickly.

Burtch hid his annoyance with the practice of a Chiss admiral. Chiss were always reading people and dissecting small details. Some people said that human conversations were seventy percent body language, and thirty percent verbal. With Chiss, the verbal part was often dramatically less. He would do his best to disguise his body language as best he could, as was customary for an admiral. But something told him that his discretion was probably no match for this particular Chiss woman. Even amongst Chiss, she struck Burtch as being in a league of her own, and Burtch was… well… he was not like his brother, that was for sure…

“No concern. You have definitely arrived at the right time and place. for your appointment.” He spared a sharp look at his Devaronian companion, who was still carelessly smiling innocently. This idiot has way too many tells for a meeting with a proper Chiss. I need to get rid of him

Burtch evenly stepped forward to look at the datapad in the woman’s hand. A memory suddenly surfaced from the depths of his mind and he now recalled why she was sent here. “Ah! Yes… this is right. My associate Daro Roz’yrn proposed that I should hire a professional operative.” He tried to disguise his revelation as an explanation, “Lune, would you please get us a some caf?”

“Oh the droid was going to–“ Lune started.

“The droid was diverted to another task” Burtch interrupted, hoping the Devaronian Bosun would get the hint. Luckily, Lune caught on and dismissed himself quickly. Burtch returned his attention to the Chiss woman, “I’m sorry, I missed your name on the file?”

“What brought you here was actually a suggestion of a colleague of mine. He had an interesting idea of hiring a reputable assassin to perform mock assassinations on our key personnel to stress-test our defences. So,” Burtch spread his hands with mild amusement, “I guess I want you to ‘assassinate’ me.”

---

Shade

 

[Shade]

Shade listened without interruption, her expression remaining composed as the admiral explained the purpose behind the meeting. The explanation was...unexpected, though not implausible. Stress-testing security by employing someone whose profession depended upon bypassing it possessed a certain practicality. It was the sort of solution intelligence officers occasionally arrived at after exhausting more conventional approaches.

She regarded Burtch for a quiet moment, studying him with the same measured attention she afforded everyone she met. There was discipline in the way he carried himself, but also the subtle signs of a man accustomed to bearing responsibility for more than himself. She noticed the differences between them immediately. His complexion was lighter than her own, his eyes less vibrant, his features softer by Chiss standards. They were observations and nothing more. Every Chiss carried the Ascendancy differently. To her, they were no more remarkable than differing heights or voices. She had long since abandoned the notion that appearances measured capability. If they had, she herself would have fit the image many projected onto her far better than reality ever had.

"Shade," she replied simply before allowing the slightest pause. "Or, if you prefer formal introductions...Nys'rei Tal'voss." She inclined her head slightly. "Most people simply call me Shade."

The corner of her mouth lifted ever so slightly at the proposal.

"I have accepted stranger contracts."

Her gaze drifted briefly toward the rain-lashed construction yard beyond the window before returning to the admiral.

"Your colleague's reasoning is sound." Her tone remained thoughtful rather than flattering. "Security is easiest to evaluate before someone with hostile intentions evaluates it first. Most defensive measures are designed around expected threats. An outsider rarely thinks the way the designer expects."

She folded her hands comfortably behind her back.

"If I accept, I would ask only one condition." Her crimson eyes remained steady upon Burtch. "I do not stage failures." A faint smile accompanied the statement. "If I discover a weakness, I will exploit it exactly as someone wishing you genuine harm would. Afterwards, I will show you how I did it, why it worked, and how to prevent the next person from succeeding the same way."

A quiet moment passed before she added, almost conversationally,

"If that is the exercise you are looking for...then I believe I can be of assistance."

Admiral Burtch