Fool's Gold

[Darth Athora]

Mimi sat alone at a booth in a dark corner of a bar on Bastion. It was quiet. Only a few patrons there at the time, wasting away on cigarettes and whiskey. Some down on their lck factory workers, maybe a retired mercenary or two. The bar scene always had those types. The "regulars" as almost every bartender would call them.

But Mimi was no regular. And neither was the one who just sat across from her.

"Hello again, Mimi. Do you have it?"

"Don't I always deliver as promised, Z?"

"Indeed you do."

Mimi slid a key across the table to Zahori. "It it's a storage container within the city. You'll know it when you see it."

"Very well. You'll see your payment in your account shortly. I'll be in touch for further deals."

Zahori was preparing to rise out of her seat when Mimi grabbed her by the wrist. "Wait. You see those two thugs at the booth across the way? They came in shortly after me but haven't ordered a drink or nothing. They just occasionally look over this way. It seems the Cartel wasn't so keen on losing their precious cargo. Either that, or they like me. Either way, we should be careful."

"I thought you weren't followed." Zahori returned to her seat, gently peeking over her shoulder at the two thugs behind her.

"Yeah so did I. Don't worry, Z. I'll handle it. Just sit tight." Mimi slid out of the booth and walked towards the bar. Zahori could see her whispering in the bartender's ear about something. Mimi then walked back to the booth. "It's taken care of."

The thugs on the far side of the bar stood up and began walking over to the booth where Zahori and Mimi were sitting. They were visibly reaching beneath their coats for what was likely weapons. As soon as they were walking past the bar, the bartender ripped a scattergun from below the bar and aimed it at the back of their heads. "You punks got 5 seconds to get the hell out of my bar. 5..."

The thugs removed their hands from their guns and walked out of the bar, grumbling obscenities the whole way.

"Thanks, Victor." Mimi called out before rising out of the booth. "See you around, Z."

Zahori nodded before putting the key in her pocket and getting out of the booth herself.

 

[Darth Athora]

Zahori left a tip on the bar for the bartender. She then stepped outside where her guards had the thugs from before in cuffs and were taking them away. "Awaiting further orders ma'am." a trooper reported.

"Take me into the city. We're looking for a storage unit." The trooper saluted his superior. The guards made their way to the convoy and got situated before Zahori took her seat in her transport. The ride was a little bumpy but, eventually, the convoy found itself deep within the capital city. "We're close. Mimi said I would recognize it when I s-" Zahori's speech was instantly interrupted by what her eyes locked on to. "You've got to be kidding me.." Zahori most assuredly realized what Mimi meant earlier. She pointed out the one storage unit that had a purple heart with a Z in the middle spray painted on it. "Open it." Zahori handed one of her guards the key and they proceeded to open the unit.

"It's all here, ma'am. Your source came through."

"Heh...As she always does. Get it to the labs for testing, immediately."

 

[Darth Athora]

Back at the labs, the Imperial scientists and engineers were already hard at work determining the methods of utilizing the new product being brought to them by Zahori. She had previously given them no info regarding what she had in store for them, just that it was something that would give the Empire an edge in future endeavors. They were hard at work, however, preparing the labs for what she had coming. They brought together all their research on capital ships and their power plants, as instructed.

After some time, Zahori arrived to the black site with the crates. She walked into the labs, with her prize in tow. "Hope you've had ample time to prepare yourselves. I want this done by the end of the month."

"Admiral Denko, what is it you've brought to us to work on?"

"I have managed to procure a sizable amount of Isotope-5. I want it studied and made into it's fuel form in order to power our ships. The Hutts were able to make fuel rods from this material for some flimsy droids. We'll create something even greater."

The scientists immediately began their tests on the material in order to transform it into a form capable of powering capital ships.

 

[Darth Athora]

The next day, Zahori returned to the labs to check on progress. The scientists were still hard on work testing the material's power. "Listen up! I am moving this project to a different site." Several men marched into the lab and began packing up the research. "From this point on, Sublight Products Corporation will take over for the remainder of the research."

"Admiral, what is the meaning of this? We were so close to a breakthrough."

"I am sure you were, professor. However, should something go wrong with the experiments, I'd rather not have an Imperial lab destroyed because of it." The scientist looked on as his research was being taken away. Once the last few containers holding the Isotope-5 were rolled out, Zahori stepped out behind the SPC's men. Outside, a rep from SPC stood waiting for Zahori. "Do we have a deal, then? You handle this for me, I begin work on your people's past projects and utilize them in my designs."

"Yes, Admiral. We have a deal." The man extended his hand to shake Zahori's. She took his hand and shook it firmly, symbolically signing a binding contract that Zahori would uphold.