So Happy

[Kenth Typho]

Saijo

The world of Saijo was a point of interest for the Galactic Alliance as well as the First Order.

This is because of its long-standing tradition of being one of the few fortress worlds the Outer Rim possess. It is clear, then, that whoever controls the world has a natural advantage during the conflicts between the two nations. But Elliot Locke, Agent of the SIS, was not here because of that - his interest wasn't in trying to pull the world into the sphere of influence of the Alliance.

Not this time around anyway.

SIS Command had uncovered the hints of a conspiracy. It already sounded stupid, just by using that word, but that was what they used for the briefing. Apparently their contacts on Saijo had unearthed some cult, who was kidnapping people of the streets of Saijo's capital.

One man claimed to have escaped them and was currently hiding somewhere in the city.

Word also had it that the First Order was interested in this cult. Which wasn't surprising, considering there were hints that this cult was part of a larger movement. Born of the Omega Sith, a group which had been thought destroyed.

What if some had survived? What if more superweapons existed created by them?

Locke was here to find out.

[member="Beka Barineker"]​

 

[Natasi Fortan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjcCQsRCHUs

"The strategic importance of Saijo cannot be overstated, and if these reports of a Rogue Sith cult are based in reality, we will need to move fast. Your mission is to infiltrate the planet and the city, ascertain the veracity of these reports, and report back. We may need to provide the Grand Moff with invasion plans, so secondary to your mission is to determine any weak defensive points you can. Your gear contains a standard vidcam which should capture anything you look at, so be sure you get a good luck at whatever you can." The holographic figure of Beka's First Order Security Bureau handler, Alistair Rockwell nodded his head. "Your tertiary objective is passive. As the Quartermaster explained prior to your departure, your ship has been outfitted with a specialized device designed to innocuously frustrate scanners. Good luck, Agent."

Beka rewatched the briefing as she adjusted the fasteners of her boots. She had been set up with a false identity -- Betty Schott, a freighter captain with established contacts on the Saijo. When that was finished, Beka sat at her pilot's station and flicked the communications channel open. "Saijo tower, this is the Uppity Minx, transponder channel zero zero six one three, please acknowledge."

A moment of static before the tower responded. "Acknowledged, Minx. You are cleared to approach on platform two-two, please stand by for customs and immigration control upon landing."

"Affirmative, tower, thank you kindly."

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Beka Barineker"]

Platform three-two already contained a freighter.

Official story was it being a little cargo hauler off 'Shaddaa hauling spare parts for generators and the sort. Nothing too special, nothing that would rouse any suspicion anyway. His name for the job was Jax Khadan, just a spacer, no face, no name that got really stuck in your head.

Khadan studied languages on Coruscant for the beginning of his years, specialized in Huttese and Tionese to accomodate an increased diplomatic relationship between the Republic and the Black Suns of then.

But that was years ago.

Now Khadan was just a guy with just a crappy Corellian-made ship and a crappier job. He briefly studied the approach of a new ship popping up to Two-Two, but there was no reason to be suspicious about it... and so the SIS agent wasn't. Next to him was a speeder filled to the brink with generator parts.

All of them were meant for the law enforcement building a few streets away from the spaceport.

Hopefully they would have information on the kidnappings. Something that would substantiate the details released by their contacts.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

The customs people found Beka perched on a small stool that folded out of the wall of the cargo bay, ankles crossed and one arm folded across her midsection. The other hand held her communicator out, and she was playing Jedi Temple Run, flicking her little avatar character hither and thither with her thumb. The officials marched up her landing ramp. "We had some unusual readings from your cargo hold, Ms. Schott," said the lead enforcement official. "As if you weren't hauling anything."

"I'm hauling foodstuffs -- fresh produce -- in new stay-cool units," said Beka, gesturing towards the several crates that populated her cargo hold. "You can have a look if you like." She stood and pulled the manifest clipboard from the wall, then handed it over before resuming her Jedi Temple Run playthrough -- watching the men out of the corner of her eye, of course. After scanning all the creates, they pulled a crate from the middle of the stack and rummaged through it, finding only salad greens. They pulled another, full of some sort of fruit. A third was full of a root vegetable of unknown origin. When they were satisfied, they signed her form, stamped her book, and sent her on her way.

The electronics in three of the crates failed to register on their scanners. That was something. She came down the ramp and whistled for the transfer crew. "Get this stuff loaded up," she ordered.

"Where're we takin' 'em?" asked the foreman.

"Zaldo's Cantina." If anyplace was going to give her the scoop on local news and gossip, it would be the cantina.

[member="Elliot Locke"]

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Beka Barineker"]

It was a busy port all things considered.

Which probably shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did. If there was one thing that kept the traffic going it was commerce and commerce was booming on Saijo, courtesy of its close proximity to the Corellian Trade Spine and being so close to both the First Order and Alliance space. One of the few neutral zones still left between the two giants here on the Outer Rim.

Everyone knew that wouldn't keep at the end of the day.

One of the nations would slurp it up and put their stamp on it, but when that would be? Who knew. The Alliance was mostly busy fortifying alongside the Hydian Way, trying to invigorate trade and bring prosperity back to its client-states, now that there wasn't a Sith threat anymore.

Not a serious one at any rate.

He was about to pass a shabby bar... Zaldo's Cantina, when one of the patrons caught his eye. Patchy Rodian, heavy scarring on his neck from fire and one eye that stared blindly into the void. But his fingers had briefly made a gesture, more a twitch than anything else, but enough that Locke knew what was happening here. With a grunt Elly locked the speeder down and followed the receding form of the Rodian into the bar.

What was this about?