The Men Who Do Their Jobs

[Ugoto Chivaro]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP3MuUTmXNk​

CORUSCANT WESTERN SEA
SAFE HARBOR ORPHANAGE

[member="Lyle Baelor"]

Octavian Vire cut a trim figure in his Tionese Internal Security Service uniform. White shirt, long sleeves, utility belt tight around the waist, black pants... But it was the boots that really sealed the deal. Put a man in shoes above his normal stature and suddenly he felt like he was king of the castle. They were a little tight around the toes, an ever-present reminder that he shouldn't actually be in them, but who else but him could know that? Even the black gloves they gave him contributed to the aura of expertise Octavian hadn't even realized he could exude. The hat, however, was stupid. He threw that out before getting off the shuttle.

From the neck down Octavian could have passed for just about any other intelligence agent from anywhere. Above the neck was where the illusion dissipated. His hair was mangy at best and his beard was clearly not trimmed to any sort of regulation. Truth be told, the only reason Octavian was here was because he had just happened to be nearby. They also just happened to have an extra uniform on the shuttle he was using. Normally this would have been a One Sith only gig, but since the orphanage had once been associated with a high-profile Tionese personality, someone from TISS had to be dispatched to get involved. This whole thing had gone down no more than eight hours ago, TISS had been notified nine hours ago, and now here was Octavian.

The One Sith had enough beef with whoever perpetrated the massacre to let TISS get involved, but not enough to let Octavian wander around unsupervised. That was why Vire was currently waiting outside the hastily erected security fence, right by the gate. His hand wandered up to his breast pocket and retrieved a cigar, which he then proceeded to light. Normally it would have just been a cigarette, but the boots had made him feel a little more worth it than usual. He puffed, idly, as he waited for the purported Baelor to make an appearance and let him in.

 

[Lok Xiangu]

Eight hours ago something sinister and vile had struck down at well known orphanage that was run by high-level Herglic that happened to be a Sith Lord. Just recently that same whale happened to leave the the community of the One Sith and left off to do his own goals that would bring more prosperity to the Sith. Did Lyle's superiors dared to send him or any other agent after the said whale, [member="Darth Orcus"], and bring him back all chained up to the One Sith. Absolutely not. An operation against the Herglic and his allies would only cost so much resources and money that it wasn't worth to spare any personnel or technology for a colossal that could wipe out an entire battlefield in under one breath which was amplified. There was much more that Lyle's superiors could focus on, such as the Galactic Alliance, the Silver Sanctum, Coalition, and the Galactic Republic.

But now the attention of this bloody massacre that took place at Safe Harbor Orphanage caught the attention of the One Sith Inquisition and other intelligence agencies. This wasn't your typical homicide in which some low-life scum killed someone for some apparent reason that didn't seemed logical. No, this event demonstrated that there was a gang of psychopaths or sociopaths on the loose and could bring terror at about anywhere and about anytime.

From a repulsor craft Lyle Baelor made an almost coincidental appearance with [member="Octavian Vire"] which was a minute or two after Vire arrived to the scene of the crime. The agent was dressed in combat boots that had rocket darts in them, a blue, long sleeved bodyglove, a vest, and a harness in which contained a slug thrower pistol. His documents and identification were on his datapad which was stored in the pockets of his black pants.

"Mister Vire," the Baelor said to get the attention of his scruffy partner and extended his arm out to greet the man, "I'm agent Baelor of the One Sith Inquisition." After giving out his name to the TISS personnel, the Baelor made a quick glance around his surroundings and exhale a sigh after seeing how many law enforcers and EMTs there were at the orphanage. He hoped that the men behind this assault would be punished at a first degree level for their unforgivable actions to these poor orphans.

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

[member="Lyle Baelor"] was a younger man, clean cut, professional haircut. He looked like he actually should be here. But Octavian didn't pay that fact any mind as he took the cigar out of his mouth, puffing the smoke to the right so it wouldn't fly directly into Lyle's face. Octavian was considered a rude, crude individual, but he wasn't suicidal. He knew how these Inquisitor weirdos operated, but Lyle definitely wasn't the glowstick variety of Inquisitor. It also just wouldn't be prudent to go pissing in the cornflakes of his designated partner for the course of this investigation.

"Pleasure's mine." Octavian responded, holding the cigar in one hand and extending the other for a friendly shake. "Let's get this show on the road, yeah?"

With the One Sith agent on the scene, the perimeter guards didn't have any problem waving the duo through. The outside of the orphanage, structurally, looked completely fine. No more or less worse for wear than it had been the day before or any day before that. With the exception of the corpses of a few maintenance and security personnel still lying around, draped over fences. There were some drones hovering about collecting images. The ones that had been documented already were covered with tarps. Coroners were on the scene en masse, going from body to body and taking what notes they could. Octavian could also see them entering and exiting a landed shuttle, sometimes with an occupied stretcher in tow.

Sheesh.

The two continued their macabre stroll until they reached the front entrance. The doors were wide open and the scene in the main hall was visible. A few adult sized corpses covered in tarps, no damage to the walls. There were a few display cases for awards and distinguished graduates, some nice furniture, a few paintings. All of it apparently untouched. Some crime scene investigation personnel were buzzing around, dusting for prints and trying to piece together events. Someone who looked like they were in charge stood with his back to the two, at least until Octavian started talking. He removed the cigar and puffed again. "You in charge here, pal?"

The man turned around. This was a person who had seen a lot in his life but probably not as much as he had in the past few hours. He looked between the peculiar pair and, when he recognized neither, immediately became defensive. "Who's asking?"

 

[Lok Xiangu]

The man seemed proper by the way he greeted Lyle and didn't puff the smoke in his face. It seemed that the Baelor wouldn't have any problems with cooperating with his respective partner that belonged and operated in a different branch of security. He'd seen different agencies encouraging rivalry with other agencies, for different reasons. In all honesty, it was a petty that directors allowed this because it meant that there was barely any significant process in operations and investigations. "After you," the man said with a nod to his partner and began their investigation as they walked within the contents of the crime scene which was cut off for news reporters and citizens who were curious of what had happened to the orphanage.

There were no damages to the exterior structure of the orphanage, but the one noteworthy thing to take a view at were the corpses of orphans, maintenance workers, and security personnel that dangled from the walls and fences of the building. Their blood painted the floor below them and the walls of which they hung from. Just by seeing that, the Agent expected no less of what he and Octavian would find within the interior of the orphanage. Officers were moving about as they were deducting of how the orphans were killed, taking photos of nearly every corner of the complex, and so-so.

The duo entered the orphanage and Lyle noticed that the floor was wet and the lower regions of the walls were damp. Looks like someone forgot to turn off the faucet. Just like the two saw outside, personnel were moving around as they tried to find evidence that would lead them to the perpetrators of this crime. Other than the wet floor which could leave someone falling on the floor if they didn't take any caution there were no significant damages to the within the orphanage. No broken walls, no shattered glass, no broken furniture...just nothing. Then Octavian asked someone who had their back facing the two, and the man turned around to face the two. He looked like someone that had a decent time in this field. The officer who seemed to not know the identities of the duo countered Vire's question with a question.

"He did," the agent politely gestured to Octavian, "and I will reiterate what my partner has asked you. Are you in charge here?"

[member="Octavian Vire"]

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

[member="Lyle Baelor"]

Dead children was enough to put anyone on edge, which was why Octavian was willing to give this guy a free pass on his incredulity. Normally Octavian probably would have punched him in the jaw, belittled his masculinity, or said something rather lewd and unkind regarding the man's mother. Nothing about this situation was normal, however, least of all the fact that there were dozens of dead orphans clogging up the place and Octavian was dressed up like a special agent. With a cigar, that he puffed one more time in the opposite direction of the man they were speaking to. Etiquette.

"Yes." The man eventually said with a heavy sigh. "Lieutenant Marcissin, Coruscant Security Force, special victims unit."

"That's more like it." Octavian said, cigar still wedged between his lips. "What've you got for us, Lieutenant?"

"A hundred and seventeen dead. Ten faculty, seven support personnel." Marcissin swallowed hard and glanced down one of the hallways. Grim faced CSI personnel were exiting dorms with covered stretchers in tow. "The rest were residents. Ranging from ten to sixteen years of age. Fifty-two male, forty-eight female."

Octavian removed the cigar without any further puffing so that he could grimace properly. "Any survivors? I thought this orphanage was bigger." Safe Harbor, if Octavian could read the documents right, could house at least two thousand orphans and the related faculty with relative ease.

"It is. Whoever attacked only hit this building of the complex. The further we got into the building, the more frantic the wounds on the deceases were. They were on a tight schedule towards the end, but they still managed to kill everyone in the building." Marcissin shifted his weight from foot to foot uncomfortably. "We think they might have been professionals."

The grimace quickly morphed into a scowl. "Professionals don't kill kids, pal." He puffed the cigar indignantly once again. This was a really good cigar. He was going to have to make his cigar smoking hobby more regular beyond just when he was masquerading as a regular TISS agent. Octavian looked over to Agent Baelor. "You got any questions for him or you want to look around?" This was not a walk anyone in their right mind would be looking forward to, but that was the price of whatever inevitable justice was to be served. Or something that looked like justice, at least.

 

[Lok Xiangu]

Finally. Cooperation was coming from the officer as he disclosed him name and his position in regards of this case. If in another parallel reality did the Lieutenant failed to be consistent and just approached the two agents with another unnecessary question, then Lyle would gladly announce his name and position within the ranks of the One Sith and have the officer humiliated, demoted, suspended from duty and take the reigns of this homicide with Octavian. Such a shame that there was men like Marcissin that just didn't get align with common sense.

He allowed the TISS agent to have dialogue with the Coruscant law enforcer and not put any said thought as the two conversed with what was so far found in this unfortunate carnage.

And by the sounds of it, there was nothing that the special victims unit had found to the perpetrators of this event. The only thing that the Agent could deduct so far was that this cursed psychopath or psychopaths were well organized, smart, and very unlike than most vile men like these; however, even the most witted criminal would leave some clue behind their work. They always did whether they didn't detailed their plans well or it was some vile game they were playing with the agents of justice.

"Even a top tier hitman would have morals against slaughtering children, Lieutenant. Hasn't the field taught you the difference between the hand of a psychopath and an assassin," the Agent said as he supported Ocatian's argument that this was no work of a professional. Then his partner looked at him and asked him a question of two options: ask the questions, or take a lovely tour of this complex. "I guess I'll take a look around, and see I don't vandalize the scene," Lyle answered Vire's question with a smirk and brushed his hair. "Gloves," he asked the lieutenant in a demanding tone and was give a pair of gloves which suited for crime scenes such as these. "I'll see you in a bit," and went off to an adjacent room of the first floor of the building leaving Octavian with whatever he would do next.

[member="Octavian Vire"]

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

[member="Lyle Baelor"]

Agent Baelor certainly was less measured in his response to the Lieutenant. Was there anyone who could really fault him for that? A hundred something minors were going to be buried in the next few weeks. While a degree of professionalism was expected, people could be given a little slack if they were slipping on emotion control. As long as it didn't impact their investigative work, anyway. Speaking of which, Baelor wanted them to split. Seemed reasonable. They were both a pair of grown ass men who knew what they were doing, they certainly didn't need one another lingering over their shoulders. Split up, search for clues, rendezvous when they were done here. It was so simple and obvious it hardly needed either of the two men to announce it out loud.

"Right on." Octavian said, nodding as Lyle departed and raising his cigar in a farewell gesture. He nodded curtly to the Lieutenant and then started off in the opposite direction.

The first thing Octavian noted was what he was stepping in. Or at least, the remnants of what he was stepping in. The hallways of the building were crowded with a few large, thin puddles. Comprised of water that had been tainted with some sort of murky black substance. Either the building had a severe leakage issue or this had had all been purposefully left by the nutcases behind this for one reason or another. Octavian guessed that it must not have been toxic seeing as no one appeared concerned about it.

He stopped a passing investigator. "Hey," He asked her, "What's the deal with the water? They flood the place?" He was trying not to notice some scarring on the walls that were about the height of, say, a child.

"Yeah, when the first responders got here the whole first floor was filled with dark water."

Wait, what? Dark- These creeps weren't trying to call out Lord Orcus' security firm, were they? They had a funny way of doing that, ransacking an orphanage that no longer associated with the Herglic. Then again, if Octavian had to pick between fighting kids and fighting Herglics in power armor... Well, he'd still pick the Herglics. Because he wasn't a karking psychopath. These guys weren't just psychopaths, they were cowards. He could understand their reasoning, but that did not necessarily mean he didn't absolutely abhor it.

"And the second floor?"

She shook her head. "They didn't get up there, thankfully."

That was of importance. "Do people live on the second floor?" When she said yes and that all of them had been accounted for and evacuated, he continued. "Someone's getting their statements, right?"

Those who had missed the massacre on the first floor by the saving grace of a flight of stairs (the orphanage and the complex housed at least two thousand orphans- there was no way these assassins could have cleared out everyone in the entire complex, or even this building) were still on-site at a cordoned off area. The Coruscant Security Force was interviewing them currently. Octavian was a hardened man, but not hardened enough to cross-examine shell shocked orphans. He'd just get the written versions of their testimonies later.

The investigator kept on, "Although I doubt they'll tell us anything the security cameras won't show."

"Security cameras were still rolling?"

Yes, they were, and they had the whole thing. A team ruthless and efficient enough to sneak into an orphanage, slaughter a floor's worth, and then leave but forgot to handle surveillance? That could only indicate to Octavian that they had wanted it to be witnessed, and his stomach churned considerably. He tried puffing from the cigar to calm his nerves, but he just ended up choking on the smoke and entering a coughing fit. The investigator made a disgusted face but only left after Octavian managed to gasp out "Thanks."

 

[Lok Xiangu]

As the agent walked he couldn't miss the splashing noise that he and others heard that were caused by the walking of their feet against the flooded floor of what looked to be the living room. Perhaps the assailants infiltrated the building via the sewage system. Lyle would look down and see not a clear, clean tap water, but water that was tainted and colored by blackness. Broken pipe or poisoned water perhaps. "Officer," the Agent to what appeared to be a male that was collecting dust from a shelf, "was there by any chance a broken pipe or poisoned by our gang of fugitives?" He would then be answered with a, "Nope, no broken pipes or toxin water. The first floor was flooded with this black water by the murderers. That's all I know."

Black water. Black water. The name sounded familiar.

And then it occurred to him. He pulled out his datapad and began noting down three compound words: Darth Orcus. Safeharbor Orphanage, and Blackwater, Inc. Seems like someone had their sights to catch a mighty whale, but why? Why involve children in this plot? And why be so damn foolish in leaving clues that could foil such plan?

"Alright, thank you, Officer. Carry on," and Lyle continued investigating the building and kept on noticing that no windows were damaged and that most of the furniture was still intact. The psychopaths did a clean job, yet were sloppy.

[member="Octavian Vire"]