16 BBY
Rhelgis System
Rhelgim
Imperial Gozanti Class Assault Carrier -(Stark Harrow)
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"We suspected, at least Lieutenant Coehorn suspected a traitor being amongst Hark's staff during the meeting. How he could tell I know not, he states that the man seemed nervous, claims to have heard him tapping his foot constantly on the floor and calls it another hunch. Its not really proof to go by but his hunches are not something to really overlook nor dismiss, remember what happened back on Ferrix?" Milhorn says to Lieutenant Dile who looked to be in deep thought.
'If it were any other regular man then Dile would've dismissed such a thing without even a thought but alas it wasn't, Coehorn's hunches were always, if not mostly accurate 95% of the time'.
'Sometimes he wondered if he could read minds and see into the souls of man and alien like some high spiritual being.'
"And if this is so, and based on the talks at the meeting, and the vague information given along with the hints from hark. We can conclude that Hark is also searching for this traitor amongst his own personnel then. No doubt unsure of who it truly was that might be the leak amongst them." Dile said rubbing his chin while putting two and two together.
"Sending Menno in that pit of fire would give us some insight on what is really going on but as it is the local security forces have thrown this dilemma onto us for us to solve. We are not responsible for routing out corruption in their military and political institutions it goes against our lines of operation." The Lieutenant says to the captain.
"I know this, but what choice do we have? The pirates are linked to whoever is pulling the strings of the Governor. And whoever he or she is, will no doubt show up to that Ball,the person that would profit the most from this or we could write it off as some political maneuver to get rid of the governor at the next election". Milhorn stated, his expression was that of faint concentration as he thought of a resolution.
'Is the wire dialed in properly and ready?"
"Yes sir", Dile answered
"We should be able to hear the senior Lieutenant properly and without issue from this meeting room."
"Then initiate transmission, Lieutenant Menno had already given us the go ahead ". The Captain of the Stark Harrow commented.
The Junior Lieutenant merely nodded before pressing a few buttons on a sleek modular device that started projecting the sounds recorded from a mic like device Menno wore on his person.
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On Planet Rhelgim
Planet Rhelgim
Regional Governor's Skytower
"I haven't the honor of meeting another imperial officer in a while."
He heard a soft voice behind him say.
Small petite frame, clean smooth unblemished skin, dark hair, light grey eyes and a flirtatious smile that would've brought lesser men to their knees. All of this huddled into a blue green tight fitted silk gown.
"And perhaps I wont be your last", I responded to her neutrally which brought a smile to her face.
"Hopefully not, though you are the first that I've met to look this handsome and not... old", She pronounced.
I chuckled at that.
She was no doubt a feisty one.
"Tell me Lieutenant Coehorn what brings you to Rhelgim?", She prodded, though looking through the false smile plastered on her face and using the force to sieve through her emotions which were like an open book, he could tell that she was merely putting up a farce.
"Well Pirates mainly... and the Governor has been courteous and generous enough to invite myself to this splendid event", I answered he question.
"And I apologies my lady , but you seem to have me at an impasse" I added prodding for her name.
"Ah! Silly me where are my manners? You may call me selina", she introduced , holding out her hand for me to shake to which I took.
'It seemed she was purposely withholding her last name though, trying to play secretive, no doubt.' He thought as he looked her in the eyes with a small fake smile he spent almost a decade mastering.
"Walk with me Lieutenant? ", She says before taking his right arm to intersect with her left, she asked but it was clear that it was more of a statement as she grabbed him without even giving him proper notice.
"Well if you're here in this system searching for pirates then you'll soon realize that there are far more dangerous and hidden elements behind the leashes of your prey ",She stated as if it was some public information.
I halted Immediately at those words before looking down at her to my side.
"They stand amongst us today hiding amongst lies and smiles and everyone here is under scrutiny, so I'd watch my back if I were you of ,"
"Including yourself?" I said to which made her raise an eyebrow.
"Perhaps", she whispered her answer. But I didn't want to ease off as yet.
"Cause for all I know you might be some deceiver working with those you so eagerly warn me about, or perhaps you are some agent to the piracy gangs actively rummaging around within this system ." I subtley accused and she took the bait.
"I am no spy nor traitor!" She said intensely yet quietly for none besides us to hear.
"And are words mere proof of innocence?", I replied calmly still relatively unfazed at the shift in her attitude.
She was frowning now. Not soo good in controlling those emotions of yours after all.
" I yearn to protect the governor and Rhelgim's interest but we cant because... she halted at the last part.
"Because?" I encouraged her to continue.
She pulled me harder this time until we were at the far wall of the large penthouse .
"Because my sister had been taken hostage a year ago. And who ever did it had been blackmailing the governor to overlook certain .... things. Economical changes, bribery, murder, theft , arson, regulation overhauls and legislation change. These forced requests have shifted the tide of Rhelgim's politics into the favor of the industrial and agricultural tycoons. And to which of whom we are yet to personally find out, as every time we get close, we are reminded by his spies of my sister's captivity. They threatened to remove her toes if we ever made this public information and the security forces at least the upper are unable to help us due to to the governor staying their hand, but it goes to say that some of them are culpable in this treaachery"
'As I predicted ,' I thought in frustration.
"Why do I have to always get caught up in these kinds of stuff?'
So she was the Governor's older daughter, but still not a logical reason to hide your name initially if you were gonna give yourself away in the end.
A thought for later.
And back to the matter at hand.
So the younger was captured and taken hostage and she is being used a means to make the governor enact whoever's plan this was to earn profit through legal and illegal means, and perhaps this was where the piracy and increased activity here came in to play and maybe their might also be some other that I might be unaware of.
"And how long now has she been taken hostage?" I asked.
"A year ago" Selina replied.
I don't know if they were lying or plain incompetent. With such a large security force and network, they are telling me they had not the means of finding and securing their kin and capturing the perpetrators of this farce?
"Selina" came a call to which drew our attention towards the voice.
"Maverick", she answers the older man who looked to be in his late 20"s or so.
"Your father is looking for you, you shouldn't keep the governor waiting , you know how he worries for you when you're out of sight", He added to which she nodded.
"We'll talk at another time , perhaps later. Lieutenant", She turned to me to say before leaving.
"And I look forward til then", I nodded
"A good girl she is, I'd always admired her since we were younger', He says as he continued to watch her walk away.
'He liked her.' the look in his eyes gave him away all to easily
Love was in the air.
Now turning his gaze to face him the man named Maverick mouthed off again.
"And you are the ambassador sent from the imperial naval ship docked at our station?", He asked all to curiously.
"Indeed. I am Sr Lieutenant Coehorn of his majesty's navy and adjutant to Captain Renfrey Milhorn". I introduced myself.
"A pleasure Lieutenant, I'm Maverick Karak of Karak mining, small company but we are increasing in size each cycle."He mentions as we shook hands.
"Another reason I'm here at this intolerable place," He snorted before taking a sip from his wine.
"I wasn't expecting such a response", I added.
"Well I am not one really for deception nor pretense, but for the good of my company I have to make some sacrifice and for appearance sake. I'm looking for investors, though one could never say that word without looking to earn the largest of them all." He says before looking to me more eagerly.
And I picked up on his meaning.
"The Empire could benefit dearly from a collaboration between yourselves and my company, we have refined new mining techniques and equipment, revolutionizing ore extraction once more, making it cheaper for operations and cheaper for clients as well, which would in turn reduce costs for transport" He lectured.
"Is that so?" I said with a slight optimistic tone which had made him puff up his chest in pride.
"Indeed good sir, I'd designed the hardware and software of some of these equipment my self and my technical geologists and engineering team had contributed to the rest. And so we have made better unmanned and cheaper mining vessels, cheaper efficient and easier to use than anything from here to the core!"
'Interesting', I thought. And low lucky I am today.
I was gonna ask around tomorrow after I made my tour in the city , but not before removing all this monitoring and listening devices but it seems I need not go far.
Maverick continued to blabber off like a science geek on the creations he made and on his business.
We'd hit the jackpot fellas. A business I had been looking to invest in had seemingly fallen into my hands.
"Say, sir Maverick I'll be doing a tour of the city tomorrow and I'd think you'd be good company if you'd cared to join me. I'll definitely want to hear more of these devices, they definitely might have its uses within the empire, so too might your business. I might not be the most highest ranked but I could make a request on your behalf to regional command to make a review of these works, but first lets talk then we'll see how it'll go from there"
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