Private IXION_WAKES:// Hacks

[Hacks]

M's voice cut clear through the cell, "Consider, for a moment, the gravity of your demands." Her eyes drifted to Hacks, then settled on Auteme, "How trading lives works. Is the expensive loyalty of a prisoner of war worth the cost." A silence followed, Hacks unaware of the influence Auteme projected in the Force.

Hacks filled the silence, her plastic eyes narrowed on M, "Don't underestimate me. How many lives were lost on Ilum just because I changed a few lines of code on your battlenet? I can do the same to your enemies. There's a reason only the elite can afford me." She would have crossed her broken arms against her chest in defiance if she could, but the act would have clearly been nothing more than arrogance.

Auteme interjected, "Hacks, I could make you rich enough to make Aerarii Tithe blush. But that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking what you'd do with it.. Because credits are just a means. However, I tend to believe that people aren't. Otherwise -- well, I'd be in a much easier conversation, I think, asking Darkwire, or the corpos, or the Hutts, how much they'd give me for you." She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her chin. "Wonder if they have any good slicers."

Hacks scoffed at the thought of decent slicers, she stuck a gnarled metal thumb against her chest, "Darkwire lost their only good slicer when I ditched those brats. Corporate NetSec are no better than the digital version of a mall cop, and the Hutts, I'd be surprised if any of their goons even know how to use a keypad."

Johnny came to mind, but she considered the boy green, he had a few years ahead of him if he wanted to catch up. Dedata was no threat, she hardly surfed the incalculable highways of the Net these days.

"What I do with the creds ain't your business," she put it bluntly, "I do a job, you pay me, that's it, I'm not a lapdog for no one." In truth her creds fell out of her pockets faster than she cared to admit, spent on copious amounts of spice, the latest chrome, high-tech weapons and computer parts. In that moment a thought sparked. The Alliance had resources no other could compare, the question was if they were willing, "Drop the two Jedi from that payment, and give me a quantum computer and I'll count that good enough."

 

[Auteme]

Hacks IVI
​

Auteme blinked.

"Okay."

She got up.

"Get ready to work. Twelve hours. And when I mean work, I mean-" she snapped her fingers, a sharp crack rather than a quiet snap- "you have to be all here, if that's what I'm paying for." Hacks's mind seemed elsewhere, her attention split, even with her angry facade.

She turned, and headed out the door, collecting the Director as she left. The door slid closed behind them, and in a brief moment of privacy she turned to the Chiss.

"What were you afraid of?"

 

[IVI]

The outcome of this conversation wasn't as M had hoped. Trusting a prisoner who was responsible for the confusion, and resulting harm, to defense force personnel and, worse, rewarding them with credits was not a practice she hoped to turn into routine.

"Your compromisation." The Director answered honestly when they were out of range. If Auteme had agreed further to Hacks ' demands, the golden, untouched, purist Chancellor of the Alliance — a beacon of hope and promise — would have been sullied.

"Have you been a part of many interrogations before? Why did this one draw you here."

 

[Hacks]

Auteme said, "Okay," and got to her feet, "Get ready to work. Twelve hours. And when I mean work, I mean-" she snapped her fingers "You have to be all here, if that's what I'm paying for."

Hacks dragged her stumped feet back onto bed and pushed herself against her pillows, sitting partially upright as the chancellor retreated from the cell. Her plastic eyes fixed on the Director and she gave her a satisfied smug smile. She kept her mouth shut, knowing her own ego could ruin the opportunity. A chance to get outside, to breathe fresh air, give the Alliance a big fuck you and take the next ship bound for Nar Shaddaa.

But for now she'd wait and play along.

 

[Auteme]

IVI
​

Auteme raised an eyebrow, finding something unexpected in the Director's tone. Something she couldn't place in her envisioning of the woman.

"Curiosity," she lied. "I wanted to know what might drive a person like that. I admit, I was unimpressed. But we'll make do.

"You can keep her on short a leash as you'd like. I suspect she'll make her escape when she likes. So, make her like here, better -- challenge her, reward her. No need to change her mind on much. Just put every brick wall you have in front of her. I think she'll enjoy smashing her head through them."

She began to leave, but paused. "And you, Director? Do you often perform interrogations yourself? I would understand if that were the case. You seem more present here than at our intelligence committee meetings."

 

[IVI]

"Not always."

M smiled thinly.

"Usually only to high profile criminals who don't typically deserve second chances." She ran one hand over the hem of her wide sleeve and pinched off a piece of invisible dust. The patterns of the renegade slicer begged M's sincerest distrust.

"Your approach is not one I'm sure I approve of."

The micro spec of imperfection floated to the ground, and the Chiss levelled her eyes on Auteme once more and gestured for the pair to leave.

"However, the benefit of it, whether it succeeds or fails, results in a learning opportunity." Together, through the narrow, brilliantly white and empty hallway, they walked. M was looking straight ahead now. "Either an improvement in our negotiation techniques or our cyber security.

Thank you, Chancellor, for giving us the chance to improve one way or another."

 

[Auteme]

IVI
​

Auteme's lips thinned at the barb.

"Indeed, it's important for the SIA to be the best it can be. This agency is our first line of defense, Director. I would be happy to help further to improve the SIA.

"I was thinking some personnel reviews were in order, actually. Many here have served admirably, but it seems things are slipping. After all -- it wasn't even SIA agents who apprehended Hacks, was it? A pair of Jedi. Padawans, were they? I think it'd be best for the Alliance's finest to be at least as good as teenagers in locating and subduing high profile criminals, wouldn't you say? Much to improve on, I think."

Her smile widened. "I'll assemble a review board, and help open up recruitment. How does that sound?"

 

[IVI]

"Sounds like you have an expansion plan, and we're all to benefit." M nodded, meeting Auteme 's emboldened grin with listlessness.

"The Era of Reclamation under your leadership should draw eager new recruits, especially providing more jobs for Alliance citizens. Age regardless, capabilities aside, Jedi can be troublesome when they find themselves in offices outside their temples."

 

[Auteme]

IVI
​

The Director was not so reckless as to strike her outright, but Auteme found herself somewhat disheartened nonetheless, thinking of what sort of contingencies M might have against political meddling in SIA affairs. It would always be an uphill battle here.

"Mm. They have a habit of changing old ways -- even the most quiet and traditional ones. Best to keep an eye on them." She left it at that, and walked silently out of the detention centre with the Director.