Private Project Darktide: An 'Operation Papercut' Story | Invite

[Avenyx Bevan]

CAIROKA'S GATE - ODESSEN
1838 HOURS LOCAL
​

It was almost dusk in Odessen's southern continent, and a cool draft seemed to sweep through the caves and caverns as less of a whistle and more of a low, haunting moan. One got used to it after awhile, but there were moments that were still a bit spooky. Avenyx Bevan sat in the briefing room's smaller alcove, studying a map that rotated slowly over the surface of the table. It was outlined in blue and all-but filled win the grey, with the exception of a few jabs of blue where the fog of war had cleared thanks to a few preliminary probes. There was also a red blotch right off to the left. Her eyes kept returning to it, then back to the grey, that frustrating fog of war that she couldn't force to resolve into a clearer picture.

Well, not yet.

She looked up as the doors slid open, her eyes alighting upon Ivo Mozorov through the map. She raised a hand in a half-wave but didn't rise. "Agent Mozorov," she said. "Sorry to say you drew the short straw on this one. But you might be pleased to know there's hazard pay, if that's any consolation. Come and have a seat, I'll explain."

Bevan waited, taking off her reading glasses and setting them on the table next to her notes. When Mozorov had settled in, Bevan clicked a key on her remote. "This is the Nullwake Gyre, a highly volatile pocket of space lightyears from anything, out way past the Perann Nebula." She touched a spot on the map. "As part of a cache of intelligence recently provided by an asset from the former Galactic Alliance, we've uncovered a tool that we believe will help us make the most of the asset we hope to recover as part of Operation: Papercut. Even if not -- if we do not recover the Arquitens -- this tool could well be dangerous in the wrong hands. So we are going to recover it."

She paused a moment. "Not -- you and I. That's not this mission. The tool in question is the Multi-Node Intelligence & Navigation Environment for Reconnaissance & Vector Analysis -- Minerva, for short. Originally developed as a Virtual Intelligence assistant for the SIA, it was lost on its host ship's -- the Liberty's Penumbra -- first run toward Sith Space, and the handwringers at the SIA thought it was in too dangerous a position to be recovered. Now, to be clear, if even half of what the SIA described about the Gyre is true, it will be incredibly dangerous. But there is already evidence of pirate and scavenger activity in the region, and if they manage to get a hold of Minerva, there's no telling the kind of damage they could do. So we need to act fast."

She touched a screen and the map changed to a short, looping video clip showing a vast spiraling vortex, flashing with vivid blue lightning, a chaotic and volatile asteroid field, not to mention debris. The wreckage in the shot was not behaving as one would expect them to behave based on an understanding of the physics that should have been at play. "The Gyre is unpredictable. We've had reports the electrical discharges and storms raging in the system flashing sensors, downing comms, overloading shields, and generally playing havoc with ships, systems, and people. Gravity doesn't work like it should. Engines don't."

Bevan went back to the original map, mostly grey, little dribs and drabs of blue, red splotch. "This is what we know of the system. The probes that took that video? Made it this far in before they were destroyed. Unclear by what, but it could be anything -- debris, rock, lightning strike, or even a scavenger. We know they're probing the system the same as we are. I'm going to have to ask Striker Squadron for backup on our mission to recover it, and for that I know their commanding officers will want details in order to approve the request, so he knows his men aren't flying into a meatgrinder. Unfortunately those details are details our probes can't seem to get on their own. So that will be our mission. We'll take a ship with a long-range sensor suite into the Nullwake Gyre, get as much data as we can, and maybe even get some probes to fly past Liberty's Penumbra to get a better idea of what we're getting ourselves into."

She sat back, folded her arms, fixing her glassy eyes on Ivo Mozorov . "Questions?"

 

[Ivo Mozorov]

Avenyx Bevan

He waved back with a smile as Ivo took a seat and sat down.

"Short straw? Please, with a brilliant mind like yours, I am eager to help in any way he could." Ivo liked Avenyx. She was incredibly smart, a genius really and ever since Sephira Mond and him extracted her from Balmorra Bevan had repaid that many times over. Gadgets, intelligence, a sharp mind that saw several steps ahead.

It was a treat to work with her really.

All that was true and still Ivo cursed himself at his earlier words the further she got into her story. He hadn't been expecting an assignment like this and the mention of hazard pay suddenly didn't seem like a joke at all.

But in for a penny, in for a pound as they say.

"When do we begin?" Eyes twinkling, because even with his reservation, he recognized the opportunity here. And how important it was. "No, jokes aside, it all seems... fairly straightforward even if that is ironic considering where we are going and what we will be doing there." He ran his hand through his hair and grew a bit more contemplative.

"A VI or an AI, Bevan?" He looked at her meaningful. They both knew that the Alliance had had strict constraints on the development of the later. Too concerned that they might break free from their shackles and cause mayhem like some AI units in the past.

But those constraints were always much less of a problem when it came to their own military applications.

All that was to say... it was a fair question.

 

[Avenyx Bevan]

"The reports say Virtual Intelligence," Avenyx said. She flipped through the flimsis in front of her until she found the one she was looking for, a redacted version of the report. "This is classified, but you're read in on this project. Just -- don't spread it around," she warned him before turning the paper over and slipping it over to him.

"Now, the report is very redacted as you can see. There might be some language in here that says it's really an Artificial Intelligence that they're classifying as Virtual Intelligence to get around Senate oversight, legislative bans, regulatory concern and criticism, or the very theft that you and I are going to lay the groundwork for," said the Quartermaster. "But I don't know. I don't have a reason to think it's an AI, but I don't have a reason not to think it either."

She watched his face as he read the paper, then, when it seemed like he had finished: "Why? Do you think it will impact our scouting mission?"

Ivo Mozorov​

 

[Ivo Mozorov]

Avenyx Bevan

He nodded calmly and accepted the leaflet.

As she said, a lot of it was redacted, but that was often the case. They'd release a dossier but redact it to hell and back, making it practically useless for any sort of intelligence gathering operation. At that point you might as well not supply a dossier to begin with. But that was why people like Bevan and him were trained.

They could read between the lines. Glean meaning from what wasn't said as much as what was.

No indication it was an AI, but also nothing concrete that disavowed it. The capabilities of the VI could have been minimized, there was nothing there to suggest anything other than the more regular constraints.

Plenty to stretch expectations.

"Certainly. If its a VI, then our approach shouldn't raise any issues once we use the old GA encryption codes. No automated systems that will try and target us, blowing us out of space." He rubbed his jaw as he passed the leaflet back to her. "If it is AI however and if it had anything to do with the initial disappearance? Well, that will make everything much more dangerous."

"Even if we stay long-range as you said, Intelligence suites often came with extreme distance energy projector torpedoes. We will be in range practically from the moment we reverse into the system."

He licked his lips as he considered that.

"In which case the hazardous system might work in our advantage, of course. The storms and pulses might make it difficult to get a lock on us." All of which assumed that there was an AI onboard. Might very well be it was just a VI system, in which case, this would be relatively smooth sailing. If you ignored the inherent dangers of the system they were going to be surveying in.

"Any concerns yourself about this mission? Or are you relatively confident?"

 

[Avenyx Bevan]

"Well," Avenyx said, the little color in her face draining a bit. "I have a succession plan in place, if that's what you're asking." It wasn't, exactly, but close enough. "If it is AI... if it was involved in whatever catastrophe caused it to be marooned in the Gyre, then... that's going to be trouble. But we should do what we can to present a low-threat profile. A heavily-armored but lightly-armed ship with an excellent sensor suite. What do you think?"

She activated the holoproj again and began to sort through the arsenal of ships that were at Station C's arsenal, looking for something suitable.

"The problem is we don't know why those probes went dark," Avenyx murmured as she sorted. She paused a moment to survey a ship that lingered between them, rotating slowly. "If it was a torpedo... well, maybe we should just send a bunch of probes until it exhausts its supply. It would be expensive, to be sure, but less costly than if it killed scouts." She wrinkled her nose and shook her head at the ship, moving to the next one.

Ivo Mozorov​

 

[Ivo Mozorov]

Avenyx Bevan

"Well, I'd hope that doesn't end up necessary." Teasing her lightly, but not feeling the full mirth himself. It was possible... not a suicide mission, but possible nonetheless.

Maybe he ought to give Sephira Mond a call before they left.

Just in case.

Nodding slowly. "Yeah, but if it isn't a torpedo, then we are basically sending those probes out for nothing. That is gonna run up the number and we don't know if it will ever stop, you know? I think we should grab the highly armored ship, as you said. I will do some tinkering, cut the time between hyperspace reversal and when we can throw up our shields again."

If he managed to bring the time down enough?

Maybe he'd also be able to get the shields up right before any torpedo could hit them. That would give them a chance to escape, if it was that.

He reached out and patted her hand.

"Sorry I brought up that option. It probably won't be that, but better prepared than sorry, yes?"

 

[Avenyx Bevan]

"Good idea," Avenyx said, her tone indicating that she was impressed and distracted in equal measure. "Tell me what you'll need -- data spikes, tools, scramblers, whatever. If Q Branch has it, I'll bring it for you." She continued to flip through the holoproj catalog, her eyes reflecting the ships as they moved across her field of vision.

He apologized, patted the back of her hand. She looked at him blankly. "No need," she said pleasantly. "It's our job to consider all these things, no matter how unpleasant it is." Her eyes lingered on a ship, and her jaw shifted back and forth in consideration. "The more we consider the nasty business this galaxy can do, the less the people who count on us to make the galaxy safe will have to worry about them."

She opened up the full file and let it rotate between them, and Avenyx jerked her chin toward the information. "What do you think of that one?" she asked. "Can you fly a Pursuer-class enforcement ship?"

Ivo Mozorov​

 

[Ivo Mozorov]

Avenyx Bevan

"Couple of data-spikes, aye. Then a servodriver. One of the good ones, none of that Czerka crap. If they got BlasTech or KDY or hell, Silk Holdings? That would be the best."

His eyes already gleaming as his hands began to itch a little at the project. He hadn't been recruited into this by Sephira Mond for his engineering know-how. Who knew that those days at the theatre was something that would get him picked out by his college... friend.

But Ivo was always happy when he could use his hands for something a bit more complicated than signing a fake signature.

"Ma'am, I can fly anything under the stars, as long as you give me a little while to let me acquaint myself with them."

He glanced at the ship, flipping it around to check out the engine details and the hyperdrive.

"Gorgeous piece. The shield projector will be easier to work with on this one, the refresh rate is already pretty good, so I don't have to tune it too hard."

A little smirk her way.

"Then again, nothing wrong with some thorough tuning, is there?"

 

[Avenyx Bevan]

Avenyx started jotting notes as soon as Ivo started explaining what he needed, and picked up her datapad, beginning to browse through the Q Branch inventory, flagging each of the items that he mentioned. "I don't have Silk Holdings, but I've got Kuat Drive Yards and BlasTech. Preference between them? I'll save the Czerka for a less demanding mission." The ghost of a smirk there.

When she was done flagging the pieces, she sent the order to the inventory droid, then deactivated the holoprojector and stood up. "Coming?" she asked Ivo as she rounded the table and headed for the door, her white labcoat streaming behind her like a cape.

She emerged from the briefing room into the stony corridors of Cairoka's Gate.

"I'll have us added to the permissions list of that ship," she said over her shoulder. "And they'll refuel it so we can dust off as soon as we're prepared. No time, as they say, like the present." Bevan led the way across the base to Q Branch, where she collected the parcel of supplies that the droid had prepared. She opened it, checking it before holding it out to Ivo for his inspection.

Ivo Mozorov​

 

[Ivo Mozorov]

Avenyx Bevan

"Sounds about right. I wouldn't wanna rely on Czerka for anything life-threatening. Blas-Tech is good, I think." As they walked, Ivo quickly tapped up a little message to Sephira Mond .

Hey S,

I am going away on a mission with the Quartermaster for a few days. Should be fine, can't be more dangerous than what we pulled over Fondor, right? But on the off-chance... well, we know anything can go wrong at any time. Thanks for the invite, you are a great partner in crime. Here's to hoping we can do many more... but otherwise we will always have Rishi.

- I

Nothing had happened on Rishi, they had stopped each other before it could, but even now he was left being warm from the memory. She had a way of turning his insides all into knots with just a gesture or look.

"Yeah, you are right. But we will be fine, Miss Bevan. With you and me put together, we can probably take out the whole Empire just the two of us, yes?" Studying the supplies that she showcased with a nod. "Yeah, this looks good." Trying to give himself more bravado than he was really feeling. Faking it until you were making it.

"Do you like to fly or shall I?"

 

[Avenyx Bevan]

Avenyx looked at Ivo Mozorov like he'd grown a second head.

"Um... no, Agent Mozorov," she said firmly. "We definitely cannot take out the whole Empire, just the two of us. But we can probably scout -- and maybe steal -- that VI. Just the two of us." She gathered up the supplies and packed them into a shipping crate and then picked it up.

"You fly," she said, a little smile forming as she considered herself behind the sticks on an important mission. Absolutely not. "I know my limits."

They exited the Quartermaster's Office and headed for the hangar bay. By the time they arrived, true to their word, the ship was warming up on the pad, fully refueled, mist swirling around the struts and boarding ramp.

"Is there anything else you need to do before we go?"

 

[Ivo Mozorov]

Avenyx Bevan

Eyebrows rose up as Bevan took him seriously.

"Oh, no I was-" But then Bevan began to pick up the crate and Ivo quickly stepped up. "No, no, allow me." Taking it from her before she could snatch it up. Rising himself up, smiling down at her.

"I should make myself at least a little useful, don't you think? Your brain is your most important part here."

If she allowed him to take the crate, he'd carry it, heading for the hangar bay.

"Sure, I enjoy flying, so that's not a problem." A wink there as his hip checked hers, teasing her a little. "And no, I already made sure of everything. How about you?"

Somehow Ivo doubted that Bevan had a lot of things to close off here.

She was new and more often than not, she was working.

 

[Avenyx Bevan]

"I know what you meant," Bevan said breezily. Her own humor being quite dry made it impossible to pass it up. She was prepared to refuse his help on the crate, but he took it before she could answer anyway. "Ah -- well, suit yourself. Thank you, Special Agent Mozorov." She followed him into the corridor, winding their way through Cairoka's Gate.

She wasn't entirely usre about her brain being all that important, particularly to this operation. So far everything in the mission had been brought about by intelligence leaks and tips. It wasn't her brainwave. But still, she took the compliment in stride.

They arrived at the hangar bay and Bevan nodded toward the ship she had requisitioned for them. "Go ahead and prep the ship," she said quietly. "I need a word with my deputy before we dust off." She turned and approached the deputy, a Zabrak man who looked impatient and was gesticulating at a datapad in conversation with a docker. The docker wandered off, grateful for the reprieve, and the Zabrak began instead gesticulating at the datapad to Bevan.

The conversation lasted a few minutes, by which time the Zabrak seemed to be mollified. She climbed aboard the ship and settled into the co-pilot's seat. "We're pre-cleared for takeoff, so you can dust off whenever you're ready," she told Mozorov.

Ivo Mozorov​

 

[Ivo Mozorov]

Avenyx Bevan

After packaging away the crates Ivo settled in the pilot chair. By the time Avenyx was done with her conversation and joined him in the cockpit, he was already warming up the engines, and with her go-ahead he began the lift-off procedures. Before long, their ship was already sliding into the night of space and the anti-grav module took effect.

The gravity immediately smoothed out, lessening the pressure down their spine.

Ivo sighed happily and relaxed into the seat.

"Don't think we had a lot of opportunity to chat since we... met." The Balmorra mission had been interesting to say the least. He wasn't quite sure what she thought about it, how it all ended and the aftermath. Something told Ivo it wasn't too smart to go poking that animal now either. Maybe once they gotten to know each other better.

"How are you liking the organization so far? Anything you believe we could be doing better? Things you think are going well?"

Eyebrows up as he glanced to her, before returning to the computer, starting to hit the coordinates.

They'd jump into Hyperspace in a moment.

 

[Avenyx Bevan]

Bevan's glassy eyes cut across the cockpit to Mozorov, one brow rising delicately. There was much she could say about the operation of Station C, about the chafing guidelines that Cresh put on operations, about the exercise of herding cats -- all of whom were, to a man, protagonists that knew better -- into working together toward a common goal. It was exhausting.

Much she could say. If she were particularly stupid or less careful, she might have said it. But she didn't know Mozorov well, certainly not enough to trust that he wouldn't blab anything she did say. Particularly to that little friend of his -- what was her name? -- Mond.

"It's brilliant," she said. And it was true, or true enough for government business. "As with any organization there's some kind of inertia to it. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion, but objects at rest -- and my God are there objects at rest in Station C -- tend to stay at rest. It's a matter of finding the right motivation, I suppose, as you'd see anywhere."

Her eyes lingered on the viewport.

"What about you? Are we moving in the right direction, or do you suppose we're off on the wrong track?"

Ivo Mozorov​

 

[Ivo Mozorov]

Avenyx Bevan

He watched her from over the rims of his spectacle.

Eyes that saw a lot, took it all in, but then kept it inside... until it was time for a bit of charm or a joke. Ivo didn't often get completely serious, which was his strength, but also his detriment. You never truly knew where you stood with the man, because he allowed himself to be slippery as ice. A quality that was worthwhile in a spy and an operative, no doubt.

"Brilliant, yes..." Ivo nodded there, realizing she was holding back, but not making a point of it at all.

It was a reasonable concern.

"What about you? Are we moving in the right direction, or do you suppose we're off on the wrong track?"

"We have good people. Passionate, with the heart in the right place, and with a lot of talent." Brows furrowed as he considered it. "But if a good heart and a great brain was enough, then the entire Galaxy would be living in the light of Democracy..."

He shrugged.

"I worry we aren't ruthless enough."

He was talking about himself. Even in the mission to extract Avenyx, he had been worried about having to kill people.

"We need to be harder, if we want to succeed, don't we?"

 

[Avenyx Bevan]

"Well," Bevan said, blowing out a sigh. She leaned back in her chair and then slapped the armrests. "That's the name of the game, isn't it? That's what I'm trying to do here. If we can get this ship -- if we can outfit it appropriately -- we can get into Imperial systems and really make a difference. That's the point of the GLO operation. Mobile, stealthy, but destructive if necessary."

She paused and rested her cheek in her palm, looking down at her lap thoughtfully.

"With a ship like the Arquitens at our disposal," she said. "We can do longer-range incursions. But unless we get some kind of solution to the crew issue, we might as well announce a parade. Operational security for a crew the size required is nearly impossible. Some dumbass is going to mention something to their girlfriend who'll repeat it on a subway and by the time we arrive at the destination it'll be three Star Destroyers and all their TIE fighter friends. We'd be screwed -- comprehensively screwed."

She lifted her chin to look out the window.

"But if we can get this VI solution, we could run it on a minimal crew. Operational security would be much tighter, and our reach could be so much more effective." Bevan frowned and looked over at Mozorov. "But listen to me go on and on."

Ivo Mozorov​

 

[Ivo Mozorov]

Avenyx Bevan

Ivo wasn't sure if it was his charm or if Avenyx wanted to clear her chest, but either way he got more insight in the way she was thinking and her plans for the future. She was right in all of it as far as Ivo was concerned.

The VI was important, but it was still unclear how likely it was that they'd be able to swing it.

"Oh, but I like it when you are going on and on." Ivo teased her lightly. "I think what you say has merit."

Brows furrow there.

"Even if this doesn't pan out. We can investigate other options too. It can't be the only VI solution in the Galaxy."

Then he shrugged.

"So what do you do for fun? Don't tell me you are one of those scientists who spend day and night, only working on things."

 

[Avenyx Bevan]

Bevan pulled her knapsack onto her lap and begun to dig through it. "Up until a few weeks ago, I blew up Imperial patrols for fun. Well, you remember that, obviously. Before that?" She busied herself looking into her bag as her fingers danced through the contents, clearly looking for something, though she didn't say what. Her glassy eyes adopted a kind of faraway look. It wasn't as if she didn't want to talk about it -- more that she didn't want to think about it herself.

"It seems like such a long time ago now," Avenyx said quietly to Ivo, her hands pausing their rummaging for just a short moment. "Before the war. Before the Empire. I used to go bowling with my team, if you can believe it. Every Taungsday, so we could have a nice and relaxed Zhellday before the weekend. Is there bowling where you're from? It's like a ball, you roll it down this lane and try to knock over pins at the other end. It sounds stupid but it's reasonably easy and fun to do when you're tipsy -- which -- we were, obviously."

She resumed her rummaging. "I can still taste the food. It was the worst -- my arteries are hardening just thinking about it. Nachos. Pretzels with cheese. Anything fried, really." She pulled out her datapad at last and turned it on, swiping through some screens before she held it out to him. On the screen was a picture of Avenyx with four other nerd-types. She indicated them one by one. "He died when the Imperials shot down his shuttle, trying to escape Balmorra. She went to the city to try to find her family and I don't know what happened to her. She joined a rebel cell with me; I left her in charge. And him. He betrayed us to the Empire and tried to sell out my research to them, so I killed him and blew up the archives."

Avenyx held out the datapad for a few seconds more. "We did have so much fun bowling, though." A beat as she tucked it all away. "What about you? You have friends in the GLO program? There's a woman, I think? Dark hair -- silly hat?"

Ivo Mozorov​