Weapons of War: Mission 1 “Best Buy”

[Sirella Valkner]

Trent Home
Sarra Trent paced back and forth in her home. Everything was going to come out if Lianna security kept hounding her. “I already told you everything,” she said, stopping her movement. “I knew Ecole. He was a friend from work. But I don’t know anything about secrets, or murder. I’m just a secretary.” Security always questioned the secretaries. They knew the ins and outs of any corporation and could report on the meetings taking place. The problem was she wasn’t even Ecole’s secretary. He wasn’t important enough to warrant one, just an engineer working in a cubicle down the hall from her.


The security officer didn’t seem convinced. Her husband leaned over and squeezed her in a little embrace. “If that will be all officer,” he said. “I would very much like you to leave.”
The two men stared at each other, only broken when the officer shrugged and left. Sarra sighed with audible relief. “They will just keep coming back. They always come back...”

ISIS Interrogation Room
Agent Lyne stared at the woman through the cameras. She sat in the interrogation room. Agent Lyne was charged with watching her, but what he really wanted to do was beat her. Beat her again and again until she talked. They had specialists for torture though, and command had said that a special team was on the way. The man frowned. He could even imagine his hands wrapped around the woman's delicate throat, his fist breaking her nose causing blood to stain her dark hair. Yes, he imagined she would make a good form of stress relief.

 

[Keter]

ISIS Interrogation Room
@[member="Sirella Valkner"]
Keter did not like the ISIS. Well in truth he had nothing against them per say, it was just that after having been hunted by them for a few years it still felt uncomfortable to just waltz through their facility. Still, he had been hired by the Sith, a gesture of goodwill so to speak. They were currently understaffed, and noticed him seeking a job. He was not welcomed back into the Empire, oh no. They merely saw a useful and disposable asset. So it was only fair that Keter felt no true loyalty to them in return. He had heard the briefing given to the Sith, knew what was going on. Whilst most of those on the planet were heading off to hunt down the engineer or double check his room, the blond had instead chosen to check on the prisoner. So strong willed, so silent. Fortunate then, that he did not need her to talk. He just had to force his way into her mind and take what he wanted. Of course, being so strong willed meant she would have a variety of defences against that, but Keter had time.

The doors hissed open to let him into the room where an ISIS agent was keeping an eye on their prisoner in interrogation chamber. How very cloak and dagger. His eyes scanned the man in front of him, comparing him to the roster he had been provided with. Agent Lyle. Brutal, efficient, loyal. Dogmatic. Straight thinking. Or so the report said. "So how is the prisoner doing?" he asked idly, glancing over the cameras. The woman did not seem to have been mistreated yet. Good. "Caved in to your winning personality?" Keter added, leaning against the console. Best learn waht he could before going in there.

 

[Verz Horak]

Safe House

Verz was here because he had to. The Sith were apparently creating a new weapon, something powerful. The Republic had been investigating, and now they were in deep. Since they had helped the Mandalorian invasion of Junction, he decided to join this team that apparently is "going bandit". He was the first of the team to arrive, it seemed. He had his Mandalorian assault rifle and his sidearm. His helmet's scanners searched for anything living in the area. So far, nothing.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

ISIS Offices
@[member="Sirella Valkner"]
A seven-and-a-half-foot-tall Whiphid crouched between two computer techs, oblivious to their discomfort as he watched both screens at once. Other Sith operatives were scattered around the room.

"It appears that Keter has gone straight for the interrogation," he rumbled. "I think I shall give him his rope, for the time being."

He straightened up and addressed the room. "Every Sith operative in this room will take an earbud comlink," he rumbled. "We will remain in contact at all times. Time is, after all, of the essence. I will proceed to Ecole's apartment; my particular gifts will be especially useful there. Some of you will come with me; others will proceed to the Trent home. I would remind you that mental influence on multiple individuals is exceedingly difficult. Find out what the woman knows, but do it quietly, or I will kill you and devour your souls. The instant you have anything actionable, comm me."

 

[Daxton Bane]

ISIS Offices
@[member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""]Sirella Valkner

Taking the earbud as instructed, Daxton placed into his ear and activated it. He was planning to interrogate the prisoner but it seemed that someone had beaten him to the punch. No matter, let him take all the risks while Daxton joined the team going with Master Velok. For now he was to seen not heard, time enough for that later on.

Unfortunately because of the need for a low profile, Daxton had to leave his favorite toys behind. Still he could make do without the Chimera or his cyro thrower at least for now. He hoped the Republic would send Jedi, he was itching for an excuse for some lightsaber practice. Stopping to make sure his needlers were fully stocked, he waited for his next orders stoically.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

ISIS Offices

"Bane, take a team to the Trent home."

 

[Daxton Bane]

ISIS Offices
@[member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""][member=""]Sirella Valkner
"Yes, my lord." Daxton saluted before leaving to make his preparations. On the drive to the Trent residence, he studied the information in dossier on the woman, which was rather extensive and detailed considering that this was part of the Sith Intelligence Network. If she knew where the target was, he was going to make her talk, one way or other. But you always could catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, so time to use the subtle approach.

Parking his vehicle a short distance from the house, he cloaked himself with the force to hide his presence from observers and approached the door, his face carefully hidden under the hood of his cloak.

Lightly knocking on the door, he waited for someone to respond.

 

[Sirella Valkner]

Interrogation Cell
@[member="Keter"]

Lyne looked at the with with a twisted grin. "I wasn't allowed to touch her. The sith who brought her in says she's got strong defenses. He doubted my abilities to break this wench." He scanned the room one last time giving her a good look. "You gunna give her a go?" The man walked to the door. "This little girl needs to be taken of I think." The man opened up the door allowing Keter into the room. "I'll be watching on the monitor if you need anything."


Trent Household
@[member="Daxton Bane"]
The home is in a decently upscale part of the city. As your people start to make a perimeter you realize no one is actually with you! Joking. Seriously though wait for some players to be part of your team, I suggest asking in the OOC thread. I will however point out that the Local security has the house under surveillance. It isn't very subtle a speeder parked up the street. You're undercover so the local security can't know you're there or else you'll be blown and there can be political backlash.

 

[Elias Arna]

Starport

Elias had heard about some records that the sith had about weapons systems. To find out more Elias went to Pringo the Hutt. he would have to find out what it actually is and how much it is worth. This could be alot of money for him. Taking all of his weapons and items of note. Elias was going to visit a fat slug that had the information he needed.

 

[Keter]

ISIS Interrogation Cell
@[member="Sirella Valkner"]
Keter nodded. "Duly noted Agent. I'll call upon you when necessary." Hopefully not at all. He strode into the interrogation cell, a bare room with a table and two chairs either side. On one sat the prisoner, and Keter drew up the other chair and deposited himself in it. "Well then, good afternoon to you," the blond said in way of greeting. "As I'm sure you're aware, I'm here to interrogate you, or at least attempt to," he explained with a polite smile, leaning back in his chair. "But first, I'd like to know if you will talk to me at all, or try stonewalling me?" Keter asked, his red eyes focusing on the woman, checking her pulse, her breathing, the dilation of her pupils.

 

[Sirella Valkner]

Pringo's Palace
@[member="Elias Arna"]

Pringo's Palace isn't exactly as you remembered it to be. As you walk into the high rise building you realize that its a legitimate Casino. Everywhere games are being played from slots to sabacc. There was security everywhere, your keen sight can pick on both the uniformed and plain clothed security agents. They aren't as subtle as they think they are, they all wear middle class tunics and have a bulge in there side where they have hidden stun batons. Getting an audience may be harder than you thought. Once you would have just gone to his throne room and had a conversation, but now that the opulent Hutt was pretending to be a legitimate businessman....



ISIS Interrogation Cell
@[member="Keter"]

The woman smiles at you and laughed a little at you, "You think you can break me Sith?" Her pulse was steady, her eyes unwavering. "Lets assume I am an agent of the Republic, you don't think they train us? I won't break, but I will talk, I'll tell you everything you want to know, but you need to share with me as well. Is it a deal?"

 

[Silens Telum]

Pringo's Palace
He was decidedly not inconspicuous, given his size. Still, he kept no visible weapons on him, instead settling on a holdout blaster and songsteel knife hidden in his armor, which was stripped down considerably, but still there to cover his cybernetics.. The security seemd to be little more than thugs in suits, so they might pick a fight with him, who knows. He hated Hutts. Never trusted them, but they usually had information. It was best to try and come in with the legitimate angle, if only to keep up with the facade that the Hutt was putting on.

He approached the guards furthest to the back of the casino, aiming to avoid the main crowd and nodded at one. "I'm wondering where someone might go to make a business proposition with the owner of this... fine establishment."

 

[Allyson Locke]

At the Trents (whoops I can't read)
@[member="Sirella Valkner"]

Spencer looked through the top secret folder on her data pad, she really didn’t understand why they would trust her for this sort of mission, but she was here. She had seen the authorities walk out of the safe house and decided it was her turn to ask some questions. The young padawan wore her usual Jedi outfit, it was odd but sometimes people felt more at ease when talking to a Jedi and the fact that she was young might help. Ruffling her bangs she tussled them aside and went up to the door. Her small fist rapidly beat on the door as she opened her mind to feel anything out of the ordinary.

“Um, Jedi Padawan Spencer Jacobs…I wish to speak to Mrs. Trent please”

 

[Akaan'ade Be'Solus]

ISIS Offices

Deciding against taking an earbud because frankly, he had no ears, Kal, or rather his body (The Dragon ruled him now) spoke: "Master Velok, I lack any form of organic auditory sensors with which to use your earbuds... Would there be a communications channel that I could tap into?" His new vocabulator's voice was low and echoing, but also sounded as if he had a permanent sore throat. Gripping his belt, he felt his newly crafted lightsabers. "Beyond that, what is your bidding?"

 

[Zev Stargo]

Stargo Enterprise, Lianna Office

Zev looked out over the city from the window of his office, on the 30th story of the Stargo Enterprise "Lianna Planetary Field Office". The building had been on the planet long before the Sith layed their claim to the planet, its massive metalic form casting a shadow of corruption across the buildings below. Compared to most office buildings on the planet, the LPFO was a titan among dwarfs that stood as a pinnacle of Stargo Enterprise's dominance of the planets trade. Well at least it used to stand for that, but after the Sith occupation Zev's company fell to the wayside and ceased to be of much importance. Nowadays the building was more of a device to provide the city shade then it was a cog in the Stargo monopoly. This, however, was only the fate of the public face of Stargo Enterprise not the fate of its much darker soul that still continued to beat hard in the heart of the planets underworld.

Known to very few, Stargo Enterprise was using the Lianna PFO as a front for a large, underground, weapons research and development ring. Lianna was just one of three Systems that contained a Stargo field office that specialized in the art of stealing state secrets on classified weapons and creating their own. The other two offices were based on Tatooine and the other on Taris, making up a dangerous underworld company run by Stargo Enterprise and called Cerberus Defense Developments by those who knew of its existence. After the Sith took over, the Cerberus research facility on Lianna was raided by unknown assailants and all the work was destroyed. Ever since that day Zev was hard at work corrupting as many politicians and Sith officials as he could to try and find out what the Sith had discovered from his companies research and how he could exact revenge upon them. The resulting investigation came up with interesting results, ones that led Zev's operatives on a winding chase of rumors and supposed secret operations. Within a few months of the Sith occupation, Zev had learned of secret Sith weapons development program on the planet. This program, in rumor, had been hard at work creating weapons that far surpassed anything Cerberus D.D had turned up for years.

Zev tapped his foot rapidly as he awaited a contact that one of his operatives had set up a meeting with. This supposed Sith operative could get him access, or at least point him in the direction of someone who could get him access, into the Sith base housing the weapons research. It was a dangerous risk that could put Zev in a world of hurt if he was caught, but that is why he intended on covering all of his tracks. He already had a reason concocted to give him cause to be on the planet during such a convenient time. After recent economic downturns on the planet, Stargo Enterprise was moving its assets off planet, including the secret Cerberus development labs. This also gave him reason to have a large segment of OOM B1 and B2 security droids to "protect his interests" during the move. In reality Zev wanted them there to give him a fighting chance if the Sith decided to try and kill him while he was visiting.

While he waited for the agent, Zev took a cigar from the box in his pocket and lit it up, the delicious smoke filling his mouth as he studied the city below.

Later....

The resulting meeting with the agent brought him little to work with, except for a fact that a woman named Trent had an affair with a engineer who recently went missing. Zev was now walking up the street where this Trent lived. As he approached the house he saw a young girl had already beat him to the punch.
"Excuse the interruption, i'm detective Liang with the Liana police department. I'm here investigating the disappearance of a persons that Mrs. Trent may have had contact with."

 

[Daxton Bane]

At the Trents
@Sirella Valkner @[member="Spencer Jacobs"] @Zev Stargo

Dressed in 'civilian' clothes, Daxton felt naked without his traditional purple and green armor but he could hardly blend in. Instead he was wearing a simple brown robes favored by the Jedi along with a austere chain link cowl. Simple and practical. As he climbed up the steps, he was surprised to see that several people had been hit to the punch.

He could reach for his sabers and start a fight here, but with police watching the place it would only draw too many eyes. Maintaining the cloak of Force Stealth around himself, he approached and waited to see how thing panned out.

 

[Sal Katarn]

Trent Home
@Zev Stargo, @[member="Daxton Bane"], @[member="Spencer Jacobs"], @[member="Sirella Valkner"]

"Gimme a sitrep on the Trents," the voice was clipped. Special Agent Dent didn't like being cooped up in the observation shuttle, watching events unfold beneath him. The situation was tenuous and he didn't exactly trust the Padawan who the Jedi had chosen to send right up to the front door. Without any facial distortion either. She would be too easy to spot. What if a Sith knew her? No, much better to have an unknown conducting this. Damn the Jedi Order. Always screwing things up, causing explosions and severed limbs. He wouldn't be surpised if this blew the whole up.

"Padawan Jacobs made her approach. No answer yet. Hold on-" the intelligence screenwatcher lackey stared for a moment, focusing on listening to his headset and staring at the screen in front of him, displaying the Trent Home, with a young blonde girl on its front door. State of the art equipment lined the interior of the shuttle, which sat a safe distance away. Unrecognizable. They had cameras in place, listening devices, everything they needed for a good field op. "Okay, we've got an unknown approaching Jacobs."

"Who the hell is he?" Dent growled, pushing his face closer to the screen as showed an older man walked up to join Jacobs. The lackey gave him a look as if to say that's-why-he's-unknown. Dent scowled at the man. "Dammit, someone get me information on him. Who've we got groundside?"

The lackey nodded, fingers becoming a blur of a keypad. "Will do, sir. Running facial recognition sequence now."

Another agent spoke up, "Shorn's down there, along with Fax and Ruen."

"Good, get Shorn within interception range. I don't want this whole thing blowing up in our faces because of some pint-sized Jedi," Dent growled. In another life, he might've been a privateer captain. For all his quick anger and piratey swagger, Dent was an excellent field operations commander. It was why RIA had put him in charge of their side of the operations. A damn Jedi was in charge of everything else. Wraith-something-or-other. "Who's the unknown?" He turned to the tech lackey.

"Give it a few more minutes sir, almost done." The lackey responded, cooly. They were all professionals, highly skilled at what they did. RIA didn't send amateurs on a mission to uncover intelligence about a super weapon. The facial recognition database was enormous. RIA didn't spare any expense when it came to this sort of equipment. They were the Galactic Republic, a vast machine of democracy and trade whose cred coffers flowed, they would damn well have the best intelligence equipment in the galaxy. Lives depended on it.

Dent could only grit his teeth as he watched the old man talk to Jacobs. "Shorn, this is Dent, you read?"

A soft-spoken voice came across the other end, serious, but calm. "This is Shorn, I read."

"Are you in intercept range yet?"

Seth Shorn, features distorted by special prosethetics he wore, looked nothing like himself. Save for the dark, sweeping hair, he looked completely different. Watery eyes were set within overhanging brows, a large, hooked nose dominated his face. His mouth was taught and thin. In short, he was unrecognizable. He made his way to within a hundred meters of the house. He pretended to be busy looking up offers for brand new swoops on his datapad. A trained professional, picking up on his true identity would really be impossible unless he purposefully blew it. A small glance afforded him a glimpse at Padawan Jacobs who stood on the doorstep, with some unidentified older male. Seth began to walk closer, crossing onto a pathway that lead near the house, but keeping well enough in the path of the flow of pedestrian traffice to be unnoticeable. "Thirty meters and closing."

The gritting of Dent's teeth might be heard a world away. "Alright, good. Hold that distance at fifteen meters. Don't screw up."

"Sir," the tech lackey's voice was alarmed. "Facial recognition software came up with a match. Zev Stargo, ties to the South Systems Syndicate."

"Sithspit!" Dent swore. "How the hell did the Syndicate get word of this? Alright, does Ruen have his assault team ready?"

"They're on standby in a shuttle about five hundred meters out."

"Get them on high alert. If this thing goes sideways the least we can do is grab a Syndicate member and bust outta here. He might be able to fill in some of our intel gaps."

"Yes, sir. On high alert now."

"Shorn, you getting this?" Dent growled into the comm.

"I copy." Seth moved with the flow of pedestrians still. If necessary, he could grab Stargo, Jacobs, or even break into the house and grab the Trent. It all depended on the mission objective. He tried to silence the Voice as it muttered about killing them all. Now was definitely not the time. But still... its whispers distracted him. Unsettling and dark. "What are your orders, sir?"

"Keep on standby," Dent said quickly. "Korvin, run facial rec on everyone within a fifteen meter distance from the Trent house. Give it top priority. I don't want anyone else sneaking up on us like that. Damn, this is turning into a cluster."

Intelligence operations were a game of waiting. Right now, Dent wasn't feeling very patient, but all he could do was sit back and hope for the best while doing everything in his power to ensure a favorable outcome. Other than that he could only wait and watch.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

ISIS Offices

Deciding against taking an earbud because frankly, he had no ears, Kal, or rather his body (The Dragon ruled him now) spoke: "Master Velok, I lack any form of organic auditory sensors with which to use your earbuds... Would there be a communications channel that I could tap into?" His new vocabulator's voice was low and echoing, but also sounded as if he had a permanent sore throat. Gripping his belt, he felt his newly crafted lightsabers. "Beyond that, what is your bidding?"

"You're hardly inconspicuous," Velok rumbled. "Come with me. The rest of you, follow up on one of these leads. LOW profile."

He ensured that all team members had access to certain channels, and dispatched a messenger to @[member="Keter"] with that information, then descended to an unmarked speeder with dark windows.

"You and I will park not far from our quarry's office. You will need to guard my body while I meditate and try to attain some insight. I'm not the galaxy's most skilled flow-walker, but I may be the only one outside of the Kathol Outback, and it's certainly worth a try."

The speeder zipped away through the streets.

"I intend to look back in time to see if I can glean any clues from his last minutes or hours in his office. If that fails, you and I will attempt covert entrance to the office, and search it."

 

[Akaan'ade Be'Solus]

"It was hardly my purpose to be inconspicuous, Master Velok." Kal raised his head in an indignant gesture, following the odd creature down towards the speeder before setting off. "I wish you luck as you attempt to do whatever you are attempting to do." Had he still possessed a nose he would a turned it up in boredom. Looking into the force clearly was useless compared to actually sneaking into the office. He was sure the Sith had some kind of idea as to what he was doing. What that idea was, however, was a more important matter.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

En Route to Office

Velok noted his disdain.

"If you're suited to an inconspicuous investigation, by all means -- take care of that while I flow-walk."

The speeder pulled up in front of the office building.