"That does make us feel more appreciated, yes," Venaris says with a smile. "It will certainly save us some credits and it is a fine incentive to keep the old girl."
The miraluka will agree to investigate the situation but would also like to speak privately with the agent.
Koro leans back and crosses her arms, looking at the intelligence man skeptically, "Really? Missing shipments, strange transmissions...hardly pressing matters. But the barradium, how does something so dangerous go missing? What do you at Intelligence really think is going on?"
"We suspect a criminal organization is planning a major operation, or black market arms smuggling. We're keeping an eye on the black market, and security forces have stepped up patrols at the likely targets, but we need people who don't look like Intelligence or security personnel. That is why I have asked your aid."
"Let us discuss among ourselves first. We shall get back to you with an answer soon after all, the will of our Masters must come first".
Still on her drink, the bounty hunter thinks on the offer before shaking her head.
"I think I'd rather go through my own paperwork. It will give me some time to get to know more parts of things I should know if I intend to keep the Renegade. The offer is appreciated though."
She finishes her drink before looking around at the people near her. She speaks slowly and methodically, explaining her thought process as she goes. The Mandalorian was no mere brute, battles are never won on strength alone.
"Okay, so you need people who don't look like intelligence. So I can understand us. We operate outside of most Imperial law and know techniques that are a bit different. But what about... them? Their attitudes, their demeanor, and even how they dress. Imperial or not, a Sith will look awfully suspicious running around in the gang fights and such. Lightsabers tend to draw a lot of attention."
Pausing momentarily, Kordin sets her glass down on the end table near her.
"Unless of course, you suspect that there are Force users, renegade Sith, or their apprentices helping and aiding in these thefts. For what reasons is unknown. I feel like you aren't telling us the whole story. But intelligence never does unless you are on a need to know basis am I correct?"
Minder 13 offers a short bow to the Sith, and says, "I shall wait outside until you make your decision. Should you decide to do this, I will leave you Jax as a liaison. The offer of ship registration stands, honorable Mandalorian, and the credits for the delivery of our carbonite friend will be in your accounts shortly."
With another bow, he exits the room.
"Of course we could procure such things. Have you a captive to interrogate?"
Trevan turns to Koro once the INtelligence agents leave, "We should contact our Master and gauge his desire first but I believe that this is a matter we should look into ourselves".
When the door closes, Kordin scowls towards where the Intelligence agent was.
"Still left me with a couple of unanswered questions."
She kicks her feet up onto a table and leans back while asking a list of hypothetical questions to herself or anyone who will answer.
"So we don't know how much we'll get paid, or if we will get paid at all. We don't know if there's anything involved with force users so we can't exactly outfit ourselves. Well, I'm getting a new outfit anyway."
She turns her head towards the others before speaking.
"Ven, you know if the holonet on this planet will give us any info? I mean, sure we know what we have to find, but anything we can dig up beforehand? You sith, you have to contact your master still, yes? Ask if he's heard any rumors about this if you are able to. I have a few people I'll ask, well pay and they'll tell me. I can do that while I'm taking care of the ship registration. If we do take the job, I'd rather have an idea of what we are up against rather than just push on through and hope for the best. Life doesn't exactly continue happily if you just push on through life without giving a damn."
Koro nods at Trevan's suggestion, "Indeed." and begins to leave for the holo.
She pauses at the entrance to hear out Kordin, "Your caution is warranted, Kordin. Though the seat of the Sith Empire, Dromund Kaas is a dangerous place. Gather what information you can, we will do the same."
She then continues on to the holo, assuming Trevan was following.
Keying in the locator for their Lord and Master, Koro settles on her knees, head bowed and waits to see if he deigns to accept their communique.
Trevan follows behind Toro Kass remaining silent. Like she, he bows in reverence to his Master awaiting an audience.
"And I will give the holonet a bit of a looksie," Venaris says after a little thought. "Something should come up, some... waves must have been made, especially if I manage to narrow the search somewhat. Even so, it would probably take some time, my incredible tech skills notwithstanding."
He sighs and takes off his gloves, throwing them at Kordin's hands. "Might as well do me a favor and see if you can find someone who can spruce these up? Maybe make them a little more... effective? You know, damage-wise? Wink wink, nudge nudge?"
Another sigh and a shrug. "Just be sure to send me the bill. Or rather... Here. My credit chip." He smiles a wide smile. "I am sure I can trust you, right? After all, if we cannot trust each other on a planet of Sith, who can we trust?"
A soft chuckle later and he has already begun his search.
When the door closes, Kordin scowls towards where the Intelligence agent was.
"Still left me with a couple of unanswered questions."
She kicks her feet up onto a table and leans back while asking a list of hypothetical questions to herself or anyone who will answer.
"So we don't know how much we'll get paid, or if we will get paid at all. We don't know if there's anything involved with force users so we can't exactly outfit ourselves. Well, I'm getting a new outfit anyway."
She turns her head towards the others before speaking.
"Ven, you know if the holonet on this planet will give us any info? I mean, sure we know what we have to find, but anything we can dig up beforehand? You sith, you have to contact your master still, yes? Ask if he's heard any rumors about this if you are able to. I have a few people I'll ask, well pay and they'll tell me. I can do that while I'm taking care of the ship registration. If we do take the job, I'd rather have an idea of what we are up against rather than just push on through and hope for the best. Life doesn't exactly continue happily if you just push on through life without giving a damn."
" Perhaps I can answer your questions? " Jax says stepping forward from a corner of the room.
" For this simple reconnaissance mission intelligence feels that the sum of 5000 credits should be sufficient payment, " He holds up a hand to forestall any immediate bargaining. " With room for negotiable bonuses should there be any hazardous circumstances or for exceptional work. "
" The Sith here, while not absolutely integral to the missions success do tend to lend a certain intimidation factor that should expedite extraction of information. "
After a momentary delay, you're master's image appears, standing arms crossed. Without preamble, he says, "Report."
The Intelligence operatives have requested our assistance with another matter. Disappearing shipments, strange HoloNet activity then a shipment of baradium went missing. They suspect a criminal organization is planning a major operation, or black market arms smuggling. Despite their stepped up efforts they believe that we and the Bounty Hunters may be more effective operatives as we do not look like Intelligence or security personnel.
I am inclined to assist them with this though I wonder if Intelligence is not being foiled by someone who has infiltrated their ranks, after all, if Intelligence can be so easily fooled, why have them assigned to their jobs at all?"
Looking at the combat gloves now in her possession, Kordin looks a little lost.
"So do you want these for punching meatbags or punching droids and electronics?"
Koro looks up when addressed by her Master, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face as Trevan presses ahead with his report.
Centering herself, she listens then nods as Trevan covers the main points of the issue.
"Trevan speaks true, Master. The intelligence liason indicates their numbers are streched thin, so our arrival may not be a coincidence." she adds, allowing for the possibility that the Force may have guided them to be here.
She waits patiently for a direct question from her Master.
"We could provide such things, should you be willing to help us with this issue."
"It appears Intelligence compartmentalizations this operation, and you got two agents who did not know specifics."
Pausing, Lord Kyrak thinks for a moment, then says, "I found the bodies of two Jedi in the hangar deck. A pity you couldn't take one alive. They would have been useful for information."
"The baradium theft concerns me. Assist Intelligfnce with this operation. I shall return shortly."
The communication ends, and the holo grows dark."[/b]
The miraluka is more than happy to do so.
Koro rises from the floor smoothly, adjusting her robes. She nods at Trevan, "Yes, let us make ourselves useful." she says, her lips twitching with amusement.
She pauses at his question, "I think these Intelligence types play a dangerous game. They have a conceit that they're one step ahead of everyone else, using the mole to send false data back to the enemy, who in turn believe they have the upper hand, having planted the mole. "
She shakes her head, "Come, let us see if our bounty hunters have gathered any information that will aid us."
Trevan shrugs and falls in line behind Koro Tass.
"Well, it's a bit late, at least on this rock. I'm gonna head to bed and get an early start tomorrow. Need to get that ship registered and some gear. I'll drop some money for some information as well. See you tomorrow Ven. And you are right, if we can't trust each other, who can we trust?"
Kordin was on her way to her room when she spotted the sith. She nodded her head and proceeded to her room for the evening.
The night on Dromund Kaas is not much darker than the day. The appointments in Lord Kyrak's villa are comfortable, yet not ornate or wealthy. Clearly, Lord Kyrak considers such things useful only for their practical benefits, and little else. The night passes uneventfully, and you awaken in the morning refreshed, with a notification from Hessin that breakfast shall be laid out in the dining room.
As you sleep, you have a dream. A man kneels before a cloaked figure, saying, "All moves according to plan, master. We will be ready to make our move the day after tomorrow."
"Good. None of those you have hired know if my involvement?" the cloaked figure asks, in a strong voice.
"No. All believe me to be in charge."
"Excellent. The humiliation of the aftermath of your operation should prove most destabilizing, allowing me to work unimpeded."
The dream fades and ends.
Kordin meanders out of her room, stumbles over to the breakfast table. Eats quickly, brings her plate to the droids for cleaning. Checking her gear she heads out the door without a word.
Koro rises with the dawn, or rather the slight brightening that passes for dawn on Dromund Kaas.
Finishing her abolutions, she finds a terrace overlooking the jungle valley and meditates, allowing the Force to flow through her, energizing, guiding...
She then strides into the villa, confident and assured, to break her fast in the dining room.
She notices Kordin leaving, and looks at Venris with an inquiring eyebrow lifted.
The miraluka wakes with a start from his Force Inspired dream and ponders what it means as he sees to his captive and thrn he goes to the refectrory to eat.
Trevan spends the morning working on his forms then heads to break his fast.
He arrives after Kordin has left and sits across from Koro Tass saying nothing but allowing anger and hate to fill him to provide him with energy and vigor as the day progresses.
The miraluka will try to gain more information on the trooper.
As you break your fast, Hessin enters the room and says, "One of the gentlemen from Intelligence is here. Would you care to see him?"
Jax paces the sitting room where Hessin had left him to wait. He hoped the Bounty hunters and Sith would see him soon. The missing Baradium was worrying, in the wrong hands it could cause a lot of damage.
Trevan nods to Hessin and strides into the room.
"There you are. We have been waiting for your arrival", Trevan greets Jax.
Jax gives a slight bow to Trevan " Excellent, the group is ready to move out and begin investigations then? "
The miraluka nods.
Jax gives a slight bow to Trevan " Excellent, the group is ready to move out and begin investigations then? "
"The Bounty Hunters are not quite ready..."
Koro saunters into the meeting room, leans against the door frame and take a bite from a piece of fruit, "Indeed, the female has gone off on an errand. We will wait for her return."
Later in the day, much later, a Mandalorian wearing light Neo Crusader armor enters the compound. A blaster pistol at her hip, and vibrosword on her back could only mean the bounty hunter that was the pilot of their ship.
"Hey Ven, I dropped off those gloves of yours, did all my paperwork and got a new toy in the meantime! Oh and I have some information being dug up for us. Nothing crazy, but I have some money doing some talking."
Entering lounge, she takes a seat before ordering some dinner. Today had been a good day. When Ven comes out, she tosses a package to him.
Inside the package is a pair of stunning gauntlets from KoTOR book, pg 202.
"Hmm? And these are?"
"Stunning gauntlets, the energy cell lets you punch people and not break their bones. Useful for knocking people out. Unfortunately the new suit doesn't exactly come with them, but I can purchase a pair later if I need it."
In the most obscure corners of the HoloNet, you find trace mentions of a new organization called the Crimson Sun, operating out of Dromund Kaas.
" I'm glad to see the day has not been a total waste, we've been waiting for you to return. " Jax says to Kordin when she returns talking of having contacts digging up information.
" Our early investigations led us to believe that the Baradium has found its way into the hands of a new criminal group or some such. Checking out all the groups we are currently keeping tabs on was fairly simple. "
" So maybe we should hit the cantina's under cover and make some inquiries into any new movers and shakers in the underworld? "
" My comm code is 812-386-571. In case we get separated and need to keep in touch. "
Trevan nods to Jax, "You may also wish to start an investigation into your own faction, perhaps an insider is betraying you...
To the Cantinas we go."
The miraluka will smile with anticipation