Private OPERATION SEA SNAKE'S SHADOW - SIA Investigation on The Globex Corporation

[Trug Zigash]

OUTFIT: x
PERSON OF INTEREST: Desric Terassi | The Globex Corporation
INVOLVED PARTIES: Kal

HOUSE TERASSI'S ESTATE, SERENNO, D'ASTAN SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES
OPERATION SEA SNAKE'S SHADOW
PHASE I: THE BARON'S SKELETON

Serenno. The lush, temperate planet reeks of the past, mistakes, and regrets. Mine, which I faced a couple of weeks ago when I planned my trip here, and coincidentally met Romulus in Ukatis. A past full of joy, anguish, and grotesque trauma. A mistake that wasn't even ours to begin with. A regret that will stay as long as our corporeal bodies still remain in the galaxy. Yet, what's in the past shall stay in the past. The same goes to every noble house in Serenno. Serenno is a feudal society fully engulfed in the depth of their chivalrous, aristocratic culture. It was their past, it is their present, and it will be their future. In my time in the galaxy, I've often heard the remarks "it's not the same anymore" and "don't you long for the good old days." Whether it is from the mouth of a GA bureaucrat, Imperial officer, or corporation accountant. Here, in Serenno, the past is the present. The glory they maintain, the skeletons they drag.

As much as I want to revel in the experience of this magnificent, awful planet with all the systems that preserve its continuity, I'm not in Serenno for leisure. I have been here for that purpose a few times in the past, when I was still dating Romulus Vel . His mom, Catherine, is a member of House Borgin. While her official position in the family is not the most prominent, coming from a line of cousins, her wits and social dominance has propelled her to be one of the de facto leaders of the family. That power obviously comes with a great deal of control, influence, and network. Her network is the reason that I am here today.

A couple of weeks ago, I met the Senator of Arcadia and the Globex Associate Director, Desric Terassi , during Ukatis Harvest Festival. Unlike my meeting with Romulus, it was not a coincidence. I was assigned to a mission to investigate Globex connection to the Sith, which descended in their past connection to Desric's brother, Adrian Terassi, also known as Darth Prospero. There have been multiple sightings of Globex materials in the Sith space, especially in Darth Carnifex 's Kainite territory. It seems quite simple, similar to the various corporate espionage missions I've done in the past. Considering the familial background of Adrian and Desric, I decided to make Serenno my second stop after Ukatis. After all, if the Sith connection was established during the reign of the Sith Lord brother, it is very likely that there is evidence to be discovered in their hometown, and more likely so in their home estate. Luckily, I still maintain seldom contact with Catherine, even after the breakup, and Catherine happens to have access to the upper-crust of Serennian society. It also happens that the Terassi are holding their annual gala night in their estate. Securing the invitation is easy, but making my appearance believable is tricky. A GA citizen who is not even dating any family members would raise so many alarms.

So, here I am, with Romulus. I know, it's the past, and even though we got our respective closures, it was only a few weeks ago that we cleared everything up, and it might be too soon and too risky. Yet, desperate time calls for desperate measures, and luckily he agrees to help. We stayed for a couple of days, waiting for the gala night, while also recalibrating our connection with one another. It has been almost three years, so much has changed between the two of us. When the day arrived, we made sure to show up separately from Catherine, at least by a different vehicle, and met her there. The journey was long, and mostly silent. The only words spouted are out of courtesy and necessity. It's weird, seeing Romulus like this. He's always been the loudest in the room, and even though we dated for two years, this is a side of him I've almost never seen. He seems reserved, though with a little hint of anxiousness. I hold his hand to calm him.
​

"Thank you. For doing this for me."​

When we arrived, the estate was already filled with people. We went through the usual, security, and all. I only brought a few equipment to minimize the risks, which are voice recorder & enhancer and simple slicing tools. Not only that I am operating in non-GA space, but I also have to keep Catherine's reputation safe. We went to look for her first, who seemed to be talking to the host of the night. I'll have to mingle my way in, waiting for everyone to be drunk and distracted, before I can commence with my exploration. There has to be someone, or something, that is connected to the dead Sith Lord and the Sith involvement in the family and company. Romulus and I are here as an extension of House Borgin tonight, and so we clamped our hands and joined the group on her signal, and she began the introduction. The night is long, and patience is key.​

​

 

[Desric Terassi]

House Terassi was not the oldest nor the most politically influential, but they were wealthy, well-connected, and had few real enemies. As such, their annual gala drew in a broad selection of the rich and powerful.

Security was a priority, of course, but it was also polite. Looming murderbots were simply gauche - instead, a watchful eye was maintained by a contingent of elegant organic guards supplemented by aesthetically pleasing security droids. The sensors at the entrances were equally sophisticated, but not quite good enough to catch the SIA hardware.

As had become a hallmark of the Terassis, the estate was pristine; there was no visible wear and tear anywhere.

Speaking of the Terassis, it was Baroness Lilisa who was conversing with Catherine. Looking surprisingly young for her age - a trait shared with the younger Borgin - she spoke in a measured tone unburdened by senescence. The two seemed to be quite close, but it was possible that they loathed each other; both were good at what they did, after all.

Trug Zigash​

 

[Trug Zigash]

OUTFIT: x
PERSON OF INTEREST: Desric Terassi | The Globex Corporation
INVOLVED PARTIES: Kal

HOUSE TERASSI'S ESTATE, SERENNO, D'ASTAN SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES
OPERATION SEA SNAKE'S SHADOW
PHASE I: THE BARON'S SKELETON

It is Baroness Lilisa Terassi that Catherine has been talking with. From the story that she has told on multiple occasions, House Borgin and House Terassi have a quite amicable relationship. Surely, there is some rivalry that is going on there, but that's a given, considering the political system that's breed fertile in Serennian society. I always got the impression that there is a mutual respect between Catherine and the Baroness. The Baroness married into House Terassi, while Catherine came from a line of cousins, yet both hold immense power and influence over their respective Houses. If the Baroness is anything like Catherine, I have a hunch that I am going to like her. A shame that I am conducting an investigation on her grandson, and her other dead grandson.
​

"This is Thania, my star-crossed, on-and-off, partner from the galaxy, far, far away."​

Of course, Romulus Vel with his quip. It is mind-boggling how Romulus always seems to be able to grasp and charm his way through almost every type of crowd, despite his bold, often crass and vulgar way of communicating. Granted, he grew up among money and power, and people know him and respect his last name, still, it is weird considering how others in similar positions maintain respectful manners, which Romulus clearly lacks. I gave him an unamusing glare, which he returned with a very, very annoying smirk.
​

"It's an honor to meet you, Baroness. This is a beautiful estate."​

It is. There is a certain charm that the estate conveys. Contrary to the Borgin's estate, the Terassi's is much more elegant. The Borgins are very much into showing their power and martial prowess. Their estate is surrounded by towers and heavily armed guards, their kids are into hunting and dueling, and the hierarchy is quite patriarchal, which makes Catherine's influence even more impressive. Even in this type of event, she is still wearing a slightly militaristic outfit. Romulus, on the other hand, doesn't inherit this look, but that's mostly because he grew up with his father, a non-Serennian. House Terassi, judging from the estate and the people I've met, is more lowkey, courteous, and progressive, if it is such a word that represents their more modern outlook, especially when it comes to science and technology. Still, it is only a small cue that I am not particularly interested in. It is the information and gossip I am here for, especially the ones about the heirs and assets. Perhaps, as drinks come flowing, words will be spilling.
​

"How's your granddaughter, Baroness? Izra, was it? And your grandsons too, of course, I hope they are doing well."​

Another ludicrous remark from Romulus, and another glares, now it's from both me and Catherine. A smart way to frame the question, however. Now the topic is open, and it's just Romulus being Romulus, instead of a mysterious young woman being suspiciously curious about someone's family. ​

​

 

[Desric Terassi]

The Baroness responded to Romulus' eccentric introduction with a raised eyebrow.

She did not seem overly surprised by the man's antics, however.

"Well met, Thania. I am glad our home appealing." Unlike the estates of some nobles, it was a demonstration of elegance and implied wealth. The floorplan was spacious and the furniture was of the highest quality, but there were no unnecessary 'piles of gold' and the like. In stark contrast to the aristocracy of less refined worlds.

After Romulus asked his questions, Lilisa eyed him thoughtfully, as if trying to ascertain whether he was uninformed or simply trying to seem that way. "They are all well, fortunately - Izra is present," The Baroness nodded towards a figure at the other side of the room; she was either keeping track or had some sort of HUD. "... as is Dran, but Desric could not make it."

Her tone and the wave of her hand made that detail seem unimportant, but sharp eyes tracked their response.

"His senatorial duties keep him rather busy, I'm afraid."

Trug Zigash​

 

[Trug Zigash]

OUTFIT: x
PERSON OF INTEREST: Desric Terassi | The Globex Corporation
INVOLVED PARTIES: Kal

HOUSE TERASSI'S ESTATE, SERENNO, D'ASTAN SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES
OPERATION SEA SNAKE'S SHADOW
PHASE I: THE BARON'S SKELETON

"They are all well, fortunately - Izra is present," The Baroness nodded towards a figure at the other side of the room; she was either keeping track or had some sort of HUD. "... as is Dran, but Desric could not make it."

Her tone and the wave of her hand made that detail seem unimportant, but sharp eyes tracked their response.

"His senatorial duties keep him rather busy, I'm afraid."

The Baroness seems to be a very attentive person. Behind the pleasant and relaxed tone and body language, is the perceiving eyes of a hawk. This is not a person I would rather inquire with more intrusive questions. I gave Romulus a sign that we need to move on to the next guests, hopefully without alarming the Baroness.
​

"That's grand! I guess I'll bump into them sometime tonight. Now, if you excuse us, I have a couple of old friends I've been jittering to catch-up with. Baroness, Mother. Oh, send my regards to Desric!"​

It was not without vain, however. A name caught my mind. Dran Terassi. That's a name I've seen and heard passing by. On the surface, if you want to unravel the mystery that is the influence of the Sith in Globex operation, the first name that comes to mind is the late Adrian Terassi. Exploring the remaining signs and relics of Adrian might be a way to explore this case. However, Dran can be another gateway to this wormhole. A high-ranking Serennian Defence Force, he built his career as an Imperial-Sith Navy, a lifetime ago. Not just any Sith's underling, he worked for Darth Carnifex. Ex-Kainate Navy brother, sightings of Globex material in Kainate space. That should be more than enough to conduct an open investigation. Yet, the agency wants more proof, on the down low, so I guess a conversation with Dran wouldn't hurt. At least, it will help shedding the light on what to look for.

To keep the suspicion low, I decided to mingle with other guests first, people who Romulus knows. It will also help that it's getting late and drinks have flowed in. I briefed Romulus shortly on talking points. Career, Siblings, Business, pepper it with some good 'ol Romulus sarcasm. Finding Dran without explicitly asking people is not an easy task. His profile in the database hasn't been updated in a long time. It took us jumping in gossip and eavesdropping multiple groups to locate the man. With a glass of champagne in each of our hands, we approached the man.
​

"Dran Terassi, right? Romulus Vel, son of Catherine Borgin. We might have bumped into each other a lifetime ago, I don't really remember. Anyway, what a nice event your family is throwing, we really have a great time. How are you enjoying it?"

​

 

[Desric Terassi]

The Baroness' eyes tracked the pair for another moment, before swivelling back to Catherine.

If she thought the brief conversation odd, she did not say so out loud.

Dran, meanwhile, struck a very different figure; a dashing man with intentionally windswept blond hair and a gleaming smile, he wore what resembled a heavily stylised fighter pilot's uniform. Thania's files, while somewhat out of date, would surely have made it clear that the man had never flown a single combat sortie in his entire career.

He was technically a certified pilot but was more at home on a bridge.

"Right you are - and well met." Raising his own glass in greeting, Dran made sure to meet their eyes. "I am glad you are enjoying it, as I am. Oh and where are my manners, this is Adha Van," Dran gestured towards a shapely brunette, who smiled shyly in response, though given that she was a noble it was difficult to tell how much of it was a front.

"I was just telling her about how the Fleet recently scoured a veritable nest of pirates!"

Trug Zigash​

 

[Trug Zigash]

OUTFIT: x
PERSON OF INTEREST: Desric Terassi | The Globex Corporation
INVOLVED PARTIES: Kal

HOUSE TERASSI'S ESTATE, SERENNO, D'ASTAN SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES
OPERATION SEA SNAKE'S SHADOW
PHASE I: THE BARON'S SKELETON

"I am glad you are enjoying it, as I am. Oh and where are my manners, this is Adha Van,"

"Oh yes! Pleasure meeting you, Ms. Van. This is Thania, girlfriend, on-and-off ex, you name it."​

I tried my best not to glare at Romulus once again. It's insane to think that I used to date this man, when he is capable of being even more annoying most of the time. I guess it's easier to stomach what is clearly a red flag when you are deep in it with rose-tinted glasses on.​

"I was just telling her about how the Fleet recently scoured a veritable nest of pirates!"

"The fleet, fancy! Did you pew-pew the pirates down, all clean everything, o' mighty commander?"​

Halfway through the conversation, it seems like the party has hit its meat. As the drinks flow, everyone is getting more focused on what they're doing; mingling, networking, or scheming. A gala is never about charity, it's a social club for the nobility. If there is a time to rummage, this is the time.

I excused myself from the couple to go to the toilet, and 'explore'. The Estate is constructed in a way that everything is concentrated in the middle, with doors and hallways all over the sides. Looking for the right door that could lead me to the answer is a challenging task. If there is anything connecting the family to the Sith, it's definitely sealed somewhere deep within the Estate, and not for public display. Serenno is still under the Empire's sphere of influence, after all, and there's nothing they hate more than the dark side cult. I decided to go through the hallway that leads to a secluded door, quiet enough to do some simple slicing.​

<You can hear me Rom? >​

A confirmation signal and an open door, I'm pretty much on my own in the middle of this island I am completely foreign with. The architecture and style of the inside doesn't change from what it was in the hall, yet the ambience completely changes. The place is like an endless maze, and some kind of weird feeling I can't explain hits me straight on the spine. It's not physically chilly, but that's the only word I can use to explain it. There are doors and cabinets all over, but I have a feeling that something out of sight is calling, and I'm going purely on my instinct.​

​

 

[Desric Terassi]

It quickly became obvious that Dran failed to appreciate Romulus' words - and the tone with which they were spoken.

Still, he was hardly going to punch the other man. Instead, he seemed to delight in trying to tear that scoundrel down a notch through subtle verbal feints. His date did not look all that impressed, but at least she wasn't leaving. Yet.

It was unlikely he would notice if Thania's toilet break ended up taking strangely long.

---

There were several things Thania might find in the estate, but most were rather well concealed or heavily protected.

There was the familial data vault, of course. Very little of its contents implicated anyone in anything the SIA would care about, but there were exceptions. Especially if one went digging through the metadata or got access to the more restricted files.

There were also a few knicks and knacks here and there - one of the side lounges still displayed a painting by the late Adrian Terassi, for example. The taint of Sith Sorcery lingered upon it if one knew how to look.

The jackpot would likely be the subterranean laboratory the Sith Lord had used in life; it was just one of many, but it had been sealed up in a more or less unaltered state following Prospero's demise.

Who knew what secrets its cabinets and databases still held?

The estate was not unprotected, of course. Organic guards in stylish armour kept watch over key locations, while photogenic droids and discreet surveillance cameras monitored the rest - albeit not to the same paranoid degree as your average high-security Globex facility. House Terassi had not been attacked in many years.

It showed in the priorities they made.

Trug Zigash​

 

[Trug Zigash]

OUTFIT: x
PERSON OF INTEREST: Desric Terassi | The Globex Corporation
INVOLVED PARTIES: Kal

HOUSE TERASSI'S ESTATE, SERENNO, D'ASTAN SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES
OPERATION SEA SNAKE'S SHADOW
PHASE I: THE BARON'S SKELETON

Excitement. If there's one word I can use to describe my feeling at the moment, excitement is the word. Living off the edge, seeking the thrill of life or death situations, those are the things that my parents dissuade me from, yet it has become the very thing I always ended up pursuing. Doesn't matter if they are hobbies, jobs, or romantic partners. Sneaking through an endless labyrinth in a foreign land, of a hostile party, is exactly my thing. It's not like that I come in without preparation. The opposite, Catherine has briefed me with some resourceful information. Still, it takes way more than just groundwork and precaution to succeed in this field.

Various paintings plastered the wall of the hallway. They look astonishing, and reek of wicked dark side sorcery. It explains the creepy atmosphere that dominates this maze. However, that's the least of my concerns right now. The guards located in critical locations aren't going to be so easy to bypass. With security droids, you can notice their pattern, and with surveillance cameras, you can circumvent through blindspots. Not with organic guards. It takes pure intuition and instinct to avoid those folks. Such as one that guarded a large door on the right side after a right turn in front. It looks like a full-blown investigation is off the menu for today. I'll have to look for less obvious clues. Perhaps the other door I've passed behind.

A side lounge, with some artifacts, and a particular painting, as magnificent as it is ghoulish. I know dark magic when I encounter one, I've spent half of my life around people who dabbles over Sith sorcery. This is where the reek of dark sorcery passed through, yet I have a feeling that it isn't the source. Whispers in tongue linger in the air, masquerading as gusts of air. There has to be something, someone here. A button to press, a book to pull, a sign to call the ghost of the estate. Carefully, avoiding any possibility of traps, my hand starts to travel through the curious spots of the room.​

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