Private Castell or Bust

[Myrium Okar]

Castell was much like any planet Myrium mused. Round, somewhat pleasant to look at, and the home to one species or another. Myrium had read all this information in the report he had been provided by the Agents of Chaos command, with the personal seal of the mysterious Discordia herself ordering his presence to the world. He was not a man to refuse such instructions when they came his way, and the objective was clear. The Blackguard was to establish a listening post and observation base on the planet, located perfectly between numerous different galactic powers. The plan made a lot of sense, though it was going to be a rough mission.

The small freighter he had commandeered for the Blackguard with him drifted slowly through space, giving off minimal signals as they prepared to make their final approach to the world. The freighter was packed with plenty of standard supplies, many of which a world like Castell might pass off as junk. When trying to infiltrate a planet, it was better to draw the off-handed disregard than any form of interest, positive or negative. Everyone would remember the freighter that brought luxury goods, or the freighter that brought terrible product. Few would care to remember the poor merchants that brought whatever they could get their hands on. There we enough of them in the galaxy as it was.

Turning his head slightly from where he sat on a crate filled with worn-out pillows, Myrium took in Sentiri and Celeste Cavataio who were in the cargo bay with him. Sentiri was the newest member of the Blackguard, and an agent with considerable skills to boot. They had met on Scintilla a short time ago, and since then Myrium had been convinced of her potential aid to the Blackguard and Agents of Chaos in general. Celeste, on the other hand, was an unknown factor. She was an ally within the organization, but he did not know where her loyalties lay entirely. This mission would lay some questions to rest.

"What do we know about the locals of this place, Sentiri?"

 

[Sentiri]

The trip to Castell was a first for the Intelligence operative. As a matter of fact, Sentiri had never really spent much time on any of the inner worlds. The Ascendancy kept to the Unknown Regions. The First Order had kept mostly to a slice of the southwestern Outer Rim, at least when she had been a member. Even through all her time as an independent, the fringes were always the places that seemed most appropriate for an out-of-place Chiss. Scintilla had been more of the same, a space station out in the farthest, most remote reaches of the galaxy. Massive and sophisticated, yes, but as distant as could be from the oft-revered "bright center of the galaxy."

Passing through many times, Sentiri had always found the lofted praise for living among the inner planets to be overrated. The Core and Colonies and Inner Rim may have been established longer on the galactic scale. But they had just as many desirable aspects as distasteful ones. If anything, the contrast between the rich and poor was more prominent. Attempts to obfuscate the squalor only enhanced the disparity, especially to anyone who knew the underworld like Sentiri did.

And yet, the benefits of the inner planets were hard to ignore. Governments came and went but the old cultures always remained in some form or fashion. Wars were fought over these places seen as crucial for strategic or economic purposes. Hyperlane routes were plentiful, travel was constant and yet, the distances between places were shorter, including out-routes to everywhere in the galaxy. There was a reason that the Blackguard was establishing a base of operations near the Core. A good one. And that was in no way influenced by the Core's bloated self-importance.

"The native species is the Gossam," Sentiri responded to Myrium Okar , as the briefing got underway. The only other person in the room was Celeste Cavataio , who Sentiri had not met prior. "The people have a long history of being used by outsiders for commercial gain. While the world has frequently had issues economically, their people are known for having exceptionally shrewd business acumen. Greed is abundant. Lying and exploitation are art-forms. Crime disguised in legality is a sport. Many Gossams leave the planet to pursue business ventures elsewhere however, and as a result, their population planetside fluctuates vastly. With no current interplanetary government or corporation to provide oversight into planetary financial affairs, the world is experiencing another economic downturn. They are quite small, average height is just over a meter. But they are not to be underestimated."

 

[Celeste Cavataio]

Celeste stood quietly aboard the freightner, her hands clasped behind her back, her pale eyes staring outside at the galaxy that was swiftly passing by them. It hadn't been a long time since she joined her distant cousins' merry band of insurgents, though this was the first time she had opted to go on any sort of mission with them.

Every time she looked behind her, she saw Myrium Okar and Sentiri . To the witch, they almost seemed like children. Adults, yet so new to the 'verse in so many ways. Her own age counted into the four digits, over a thousand years old at this point, and having lived through most of those years, day by day.

How far she had come since the days as what others would call a Princess of Dathomir. Her grandmother had united all the clans on the planet, her mother was set to be her heir, and then… And then nothing rolled as it was meant to be. Rules had been broken. Not those of the Witches, but those of very existence itself. Celeste had watched it all, her eyes wide with pain and shock, but she had been too young and too inexperienced to save anyone or do anything about it.

For centuries, she had been chained with invisible shackles to Dathomir, having broken free not even a decade ago. The galaxy had changed. Everything had changed. And Celeste, walking barefooted almost everywhere she went, had lost herself in it. With so many things to offer, even as the wars ripped the fabric of existence around her, she heeded the Force as it took her from place to place, mostly through little back alleys just before they collapsed.

And now she was here.

The Blackguard had appealed to her, with their thirst for knowledge. She remembered once having shared similar thirsts, though she wasn't quite as lethal about it. Entire days she had spent in their libraries, reading and searching for anything she could get her hands on that dealt with the more magical aspects of the Force. And when she came out of there, she had decided to officially join.

Snapping back to the here and now, Celeste looked at Sentiri as the blue woman spoke. The Chiss still existed. She had seen so many of their empires rise and fall, and still their people held strong, even if their territorial borders did not. She had high hopes for what the future would hold for the blue skinned near-humans.

"The Gossam bleed just like any other," she said with a nod once the briefing over the planet's situation was given, "But what are we here to actually do?"

 

[Myrium Okar]

Myrium nodded his head, silently glancing down at a splinter he had picked up in his thumb at some point. With a frown, Myrium worked on digging the small piece of wood out from where it was buried, ignoring the small trail of blood that dripped down his finger. The words of Sentiri were accurate as far as he was aware as well, though he did not mention anything as she finished her report, and frowned only slightly at the words of Celeste Cavataio as she rounded up the conversation.

"I have decided that the Blackguard need to expand their influence and surveillance net. Castell is located perfectly between half of the major powers in the galaxy, with easy access to numerous border crossings. The nature of the Gossam people in of itself is also why this world will be perfect. So much off-world traffic is hard to keep track of, and the near lawlessness of the population on the planet will help to cover our efforts and motives. With the varying population always changing, we can bring in numerous agents and resources to the planet to set up everything we need. Plus, I hear they have an excellent day spa." The last words were spoken as Myrium pushed off the crate he sat on, landing silently on the ground of the freighters hangar.

"The Agents of Chaos need information if their efforts are to be successful in this region of the galaxy, and that is why we are here."

 

[Sentiri]

Sentiri nodded as Celeste Cavataio spoke. The Gossam were a good target for many things. Knowing that someone was liable to exploit others before interactions began was a significant tactical advantage. The Blackguard could use that knowledge to twist situations, predict falsifications or bluffs, and beat them at their own game. After all, historically, that was exactly what the big interplanetary governments did with the Gossam. Except those governments always manipulated the world and its people with a big stack of credits. As Myrium Okar detailed his intentions, Sentiri knew they would be taking the tactical approach.

And this was an area where she had direct experience. Years prior, the one-time Deputy Director had taken several First Order Security Bureau agents to Terminus. The plan had been to set up a foothold for the First Order on the world by deposing a major crimelord and usurping his operation. The alternative would instead have been to insert a bunch of operatives and start from the ground up. The latter option was far more difficult and would have taken far more time. Sentiri had not only gained a foothold, but had adopted unknowing personnel whom she then corrupted to her side, absconded with all of the resources that the previous cartel had sotckpiled, and stole a significant chunk of data on not just the usurped organization but also every other crime syndicate on Terminus that the prior leadership had accumulated.

In the case of Castell, the operative wasn't sure that same approach would be appropriate. Was there such a group with the right set of circumstances? Did the Gossams even congregate into syndicates or did they mostly operate independently? The socio-political climate was ripe for a con, but Castell wasn't interesting because it was Castell. Castell was interesting because of everything around it. The foothold the Blackguard needed to establish only needed to serve as a front for information flow.

"So then the plan would be to set up a listening post with some sort of legitimate business as a front. The closer we are to the spaceport, the more direct information we can glean. The bigger the business, the easier it will be to hide or even justify a HoloNet relay capable of receiving from the region and sending to Scintilla. And bigger also gives a good cover for a sizable workforce, as we'll need a number of Disciples to filter through the vast intake of information and send on the relevant details."

 

[Celeste Cavataio]

Celeste remained silent as Myrium Okar answered her question, the cogs in her mind spinning as she put thoughts together. She understood what they were going for, and why, and while she had her reserves about Castell itself, it seemed better to not mention it at present. Not before results of their operation, or lack thereof, were more tangible.

"A double front, then," she nodded, "Legitimate business in the front, Agents of Chaos intelligence in the back."

She had heard of many such dealings in the past, though she had not once in all her years been directly involved. It was… Interesting. Her next point of question though was to wonder, why was she here? Celeste could call up all the powers of nature and her goddess Allya, but she knew precious little about deeds such as this. There was no spell that would set up the relays or create the business.

"What form of business shall we be setting up?" she asked with a smile that she hoped was friendly, and looked at Sentiri once more. Celeste had been out of contact with people outside of her family for so long that she had almost forgotten what human responses were like. She still understood them, but giving them beyond nods was often a conscious effort. "A library? Second hand bookshop? Fortune telling and coffee?"

 

[Myrium Okar]

'You are both half right..."

Myrium smiled as both his comrades gave him their suggestions. He reached into the pocket of his cloak, pulling out a small projector and tossed it onto the ground between the small group. As a flashing image came to life before them, Myrium folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the stack of crates. Floating before the group was a long list of names, each one flickering and changing every few seconds without any seeming pattern. They were connected through a branching series of lines, all leading up to a single name above them all.

"The Blue Forest TeleCom Company. An up and coming long-range communication company seeking to establish ties in the core and mid rim. I have prepared false statements and origins for the company inside CIS space, and with their recent announcement to the galaxy, I doubt anyone will bother trying to ask them if it's real or not. All of this though will be the front of a criminal group known as the Luminous Sprites, minor black market dealers, and spice peddlers. The Blue Forest front will give us a reason for the equipment we will need, and the reason for potentially crossing borders to set up new stations. The criminals will be a scapegoat. If anyone looks too closely they will find the Sprites, and while they eliminate them our operatives can pack up and get their equipment, and themselves out of there." After a moment's pause to catch his breath, he looked up at the two women, the smile still on his face.

"I suppose you could call it a triple front."

Sentiri Celeste Cavataio

 

[Sentiri]

Undercover work was always a matter of layers. The more layers in a deception, the simpler the job for an agent to hide true intent. With enough skill, undercover operatives could built up entire catalogs of backstories and covers to use interchangeably whenever the need arose. The same was true of a front. The more layers a façade had, the more likely it was for anyone looking to overlook the important details.

The downside to any undercover operation, though, is that when blown, an investigator is going to peel back those layers one by one until they've satisfied their search with desired results. There's only so much an undercover operative can do to throw someone off the scent. The hope is that the layers are convincing enough on their own that no one will ever want to look further. But inevitably, with enough poking, the truth is still the truth, no matter what you dress it up in. And while the hope is nice to hold on to, it's just that: hope. All agents knew that they had a window within which they could operate effectively before they would be discovered. Some managed longer than others depending on the size and scope. Some went so deep they forgot their original intent. But at some point, it always came to an end.

In the case of this listening post, the groundwork was solid enough. With enough funding, clever enough layers, and the right people holding the framework together, Sentiri could expect the project to last about as long as the Agents of Chaos found it useful. Though, in her brief time with the group, Sentiri observed that their fashion was one of whimsy, quite befitting their name. Yet the infrastructure was there, well-conceived and planned far in advance. Only time would tell how long this particular Blackguard project would remain relevant to the purposes of the greater whole.

"So what's our task then?" the Chiss woman asked.

Celeste Cavataio Myrium Okar​

 

[Celeste Cavataio]

The long list of names began to flow, and Celeste looked at it, her gaze intently focused, though not a single one there seemed any kind of familiar to her. It was only when Myrium began to explain that her eyes widened, her eyebrows moving up. Layers upon layers upon layers.

She wasn't certain how she felt about this mission. Oh, there was nothing wrong with it per se, and she supposed that many groups as them existed around the galaxy, doing exactly this, in smaller and bigger scopes alike. But now that she knew the plan, or at least the outline of it, the ancient witch couldn't help but wonder if she was the right woman for the job.

Part of Celeste wanted to just turn around and leave at the sound of that. She had done so, so many times, throughout the years. Though modesty reigned her appearance and often living situation, she was still not only one of the Mother's Heiresses, but a witch, with access to technology that when repeated at regular enough intervals, made her defy death itself. She hadn't had to do something she'd been truly uncomfortable with for… At least three centuries. Perhaps more.

But no.

She had reasons to be here. Celeste had reasons as to why she had joined the Agents of Chaos. Those reasons were not ripe yet enough to be revealed, but comfort was nowhere near that list. Whatever Myrium Okar would order that did not intentionally permanently damage her, she would do. And then, when she went home afterwards, she would ponder about what next.

The question came first from Sentiri , but Celeste nodded all the same. They needed to know what to do, especially since they'd never done anything like that before. Or at least, she had. A small hunch told her that the Chis female was more likely experienced in that department.

 

[Myrium Okar]

"For our little pet criminal group to survive more than a week on Castell, we are going to have to thin out some of the competition. A group calling themselves the Ogres have set up in the area I want to put our outpost, and we will not be able to get things set up while they are still alive and active. We will either need to wipe them out or drive them away long enough for the Sprites to move in and claim their new turf. I do not think I need to mention that stealth will be imperative. We cannot have reports of this leaking out, or the entire operation will be at risk." Pausing for a moment, Myrium typed a few commands into the console and the picture vanished.

A quick wave of his hand and an exertion of the Force saw the device fly into his palm, and he slipped it inside his cloak. Glancing up at Celeste Cavataio and Sentiri before speaking again. "Celeste, you will take point in the assault. You have the experience and training to carry you through the pirates quickly and efficiently. Sentiri and I will follow you in and take care of the remnants. We have an operative on the ground already, and we will link up with him for his updated report."

As he spoke, the lights across the freighter slowly came online as the freighter began its descent towards Castell below.

Jace deWinter

 

[Jace deWinter]

Jace had lost track of the time he had spent on Castell so far, his recon job had absorbed his time and that was fine, he actually quite enjoyed it. While it was a planet like any other, it was also far from the places he had grown accustomed too for so long, so the change of scenery and socialization was a nice reprieve from the norm.

Knowing the rest of the team would be landing soon, he went to the spaceport and waited, slipping in and out of groups coming and going from the planet, doing this kind of work brought back old feelings, and sent a shiver down his spine. It almost reminded him of the hunt, time when he had worked as an assassin and a collector for different organizations on the streets of Coruscant, a much simpler time in his life.

He finally made his way to the place designated for the freighter and waited patiently, it was only a matter of time before the plan all came together.

Tag: Myrium Okar | Celeste Cavataio | Sentiri

 

[Sentiri]

With a nod, the briefing was complete. There wasn't much else to say until they were planetside. There wasn't really any data to review either. Myrium seemed to hold all the cards in that regard. So, Sentiri returned to the cockpit of the freighter to buckle in as the ship came in to land in Castell's main spaceport. She thought over the mission briefly, in her mind confirming her analysis and the objectives laid out for the Blackguard. After a few moments though, her thoughts drifted off.

The Chiss woman considered her choice to join the Agents of Chaos. Naturally, her thoughts also drifted back to the Ascendancy. Initially, when she had left her people, she had made the excuse that she was looking for her former protégé and confidant, Rhéala Aleyv. That was true in a sense. Sentiri had gone to Terminus to check on the absent woman, then followed a lead to Bilbringi. Nothing turned up. But really, Sentiri had mixed feelings about the Ascendancy itself. She had been proud to have been called home, given pardon from her exile to help bolster her people into a new independent era. But that era had been short-lived. External powers were simply too great. The number of defeats and catastrophes that the Chiss had suffered were too numerous. The infrastructure just wasn't there, and other interplanetary governments kept sticking their meddling hands into Chiss affairs. The Ascendancy just wasn't capable of independence anymore.

No, that wasn't quite true. The Chiss had always been survivors. They would continue to survive, and they would do it on their own. But being forced to parlay those big groups fighting over what the governments saw as scraps would never benefit her people. The Chiss needed to be independent to thrive once more. Sentiri might never see that happen again, but she could try and discourage the expansionists from gulping up more and more worlds. Maybe, one day, her efforts would see an independent Chiss once more. The only place she could achieve that goal was with the Agents of Chaos, whose primary directive was the disestablishment of interplanetary government oversight.

And if she figured out what happened to Rhéala along the way? Even better.

Eventually the freighter set down. The approval for landing had already been given while in orbit. Security seemed rather lackadaisical despite the high volume of traffic. No one came to check passengers or cargo. As far as Sentiri could tell, they were clear to go about their business, no questions asked. Had the security detail been paid off to make the Blackguard transit less hindered? Or were the Gossam just that dysfunctional? Sentiri unbuckled, stood, and moved toward the lowering ramp. She strode down with the others disembarking and met the one man waiting for them in the walled-in hangar bay.

"You the contact?"

Celeste Cavataio | Myrium Okar | Jace deWinter​