Private The Mecetti-Totan Conspiracy

[Alicia Drey]

Rule of Two​

Tags: Nimian Totan
Reference: An Imperial Opportunity
Location: Stygeon Prime, Stygeon system, Nuiri Sector, on the borders of Imperial held space (Empire of the Lost)

Stygeon Prime was a mountainous, snowy planet located in the Stygeon system along the borders of Imperial held space. The Empire of the Lost had continued to fund and subsequently fill the various prisons that dotted the planet in it's habitual zones. Convicts far and wide ranging from all corners of the Empire were brought here to serve long prison sentences as punishment for their degenerate crimes. When Darth Ayra learned of the name Maldor Mecetti she had performed her own research into the former Senator of Obulette and Stygeon Prime had become a point of interest during her investigation. Therefore she had made arrangements to be transported to Stygeon Prime from Lianna to continue her investigation there.

A classic Victory-class Star Destroyer colloquially known as the Prosecutor performed routine inspections, surveillance and patrol of the Stygeon system as part of it's assignment to this quadrant of the Empire. Having infiltrated the New Imperial Security Bureau or NISB for short Ayra had gained access to classified documents belonging to the organisation. Recruited into the NISB on Lianna under the alias of Alicia Drey Darth Ayra was in pursuit of several avenues of interest that had taken her to one of Stygeon's prisons to meet with a Nimian Totan, a Lieutenant Colonel who served in the Imperial Army with distinction and vigour during his service in the field.

On record the NISB had Totan on file, which alongside his service record, was a contract that he had negotiated on behalf of the Empire with Mecetti Nationalized Industries, a ship manufacturer based on the planet Obulette, located in the far reaches of the Galactic Alliance. The contract reads as follows:

• House Mecetti Nationalized Industries has entered into agreement with the Empire of the Lost to begin the manufacture and distribution of military-grade ships i.e the classic Victory-class Star Destroyer.
• Purchase of newly constructed Imperial assets by the Empire will be logged as 'utility craft' so as to satisfy the Galactic Alliance in the event that the arrangement falls under scrutiny or investigation.
• In the event of scrutiny or discovery of military-grade ships, craft or vehicles manufactured by House Mecetti (if found to be in the hands of the Empire) are to be explained as 'stolen' by a pirates operating in the Tapani Sector.
• Totan negotiated for a discount to be made on assets sold to the Empire based on the discovery of 'rubies' or 'diamonds'. For the discovery of 'rubies' 1% would be discounted from any purchased asset made by the Empire, or 5% for discovering 'diamonds. These discounts will be maximized up to 25% on the Empire's initial order from House Mecetti.

For the NISB the arrangement had been approved and so House Mecetti were now producing ships, such as the Prosecutor, on behalf of the Empire in spite of the fact that Obulette was aligned to the Galactic Alliance. Following a scandal Maldor Mecetti had fled the Alliance and immigrated to Imperial space; bringing with him considerable assets that the Empire had made use of it in it's expansion and peace-keeping efforts. Ayra's investigation had revealed a conspiracy in which the Alliance, by way of proxy of House Mecetti, were supplying Victory-class Star Destroyers to the Empire of the Lost arranged by a man who had once served the planet Obulette as it's representative on the Galactic Senate only to then flee and join the Imperials. The arrangement was still in place to this day.

It was scandalous.

Politics aside Darth Ayra's intrigue was raised because of the opportunities that were there to be had to serve her own ulterior motives outside of the NISB. The Empire were satisfied with the arrangement and were continuing it so long as House Mecetti continued to satisfy their demand. As for Maldor Mecetti Ayra assumed that he had been satisfied with the deal too, so long as the Empire continued to pay, but given the fact that he was no longer living on Obulette and was for all pretences and purposes a wanted fugitive by the Alliance Ayra had to wonder where he stood on the arrangement now that he was serving the Empire.

The deal was still in place, and House Mecetti were still honouring the it despite the fact that the man who had negotiated the arrangement in the first place was no longer there to provide oversight. The NISB had then logged that since Maldor had fled the Alliance he had been replaced by Casteban Mecetti in both oversight of the deal, and representing Obulette on the Senate. It became clear to Ayra that in spite of the fact that Senator Mecetti had denounced his son in public (following the scandal that had forced him to go on the run) he was still honouring the deal secretly with the Empire. There was opportunity there to exploit both Mecetti's respectively in a multitude of ways. This was precisely why Ayra had joined the NISB in the first place because the organisation was simply a vehicle to drive her towards the type of information and influence that would contribute to the Work.

As for the Lieutenant Colonel she had summoned to Stygeon Prime Ayra saw more opportunity for her to capitalize on. The venue for her meeting with Nimian Totan was done on purpose as too were the armed escorts she had deployed to locate and bring the man in for questioning. For the NISB this was simply an act of due diligence: to cover the bases of the arrangement to ensure security for the Empire. For her this was an opportunity to learn more about House Mecetti and the other aspects of agreements made on the contract such as the references to rubies or diamonds that had been allocated discounts in regions of thousands of credits (depending on the order). Why would Maldor Mecetti agree to a loss in profit for mere jewels?

When Nimian was escorted into the interrogation room Ayra was smoking a cigarette. With one hand holding it nonchalantly, with her leg fold over the other, Ayra gestured towards the seat across from her. On the table in front of her Ayra had records of the contract that Totan had negotiated; flight data, and manuscripts showing Nimian's paper trail from Imperial space to Obulette; and financial reports showing the Colonel's payments by the Empire for his service in it's military, as well as other sources of revenue, income and expenditure that were of interest to the NISB investigation Darth Ayra had opened as Alicia Drey: the agent that she was living a double-life as on Lianna and in service to the Empire.

Ayra glared at Nimian for a few seconds after he had been brought into the room. Then she averted her gaze from him to the Stormtroopers that just had brought him in for questioning. "Leave the room."

When they abided by her order, and the room itself was clear, Ayra turned her eyes back to the Lieutenant Colonel and gestured to the seat tucked underneath the other side of the table. "Welcome, Colonel Totan. Please, take a seat. The Bureau has questions today regarding your arrangement with House Mecetti. What you have to say today will determine your future in the military, and status in the Empire."

 

[Nimian Totan]

It was never a good thing to be on the receiving end of a Stormtrooper's wrath. There was a level of poetic justice in Nim being manhandled by the very troops that he used for his own sadistic shows of force. The only truly unfortunate part about all of this was that more people weren't around to see the ambitious Lieutenant Colonel getting his comeuppance. Dragged to a snowy, barren hellhole to face the fallout of his schemes. There would be nothing to get him out of this situation, no rescue team of loyal soldiers breaking down the doors. It was all on his ability to maneuver the situation.

Once he sat down he knew exactly where he had made his mistake, that damnable Mecetti. Nim believed himself above the average plotter up until this moment. He didn't know that Maldor was going to raise such an uproar so quickly after their deal. No doubt all of his political movements and artifact hunting were about to catch up to him as well.

"I was afraid that this would come to light. I had hoped that these records would be kept further from the prying eyes of The Bureau. Seems that Maldor Mecetti is not as good at covering his tracks as I would hope." When it came to relations between The NISB and the regular Army, things were tense to say the least. Both served under the same banner, but their methods couldn't be more different. Because of this, most officers of the Imperial Army were distrustful of the shadowy agents that watched from the proverbial rafters. It wasn't only the foreign threats that had to worry about The Bureau's ever watchful eye. Too many times members of the Empire were cut down by their own.

Now Nimian just had to get through this interrogation ending up in a cell, or worse...

Alicia Drey

 

[Alicia Drey]

Nimian Totan

"Did you think the Bureau would not notice new assets joining the navy without knowledge of where, or from whom?"

Ayra allowed the rhetorical question to hang in the air. The original contract that Totan had negotiated with Maldor Mecetti was, in her opinion, awful. There had been many red flags all over the document. From the arrangement of transporting vessels the size of Victory-class Star Destroyers from the Tapani sector into Empire space under the disguise of 'utility craft'. It was laughable. If the Jedi caught wind that one of the Alliance's biggest corporations were selling assets to the Empire, even if they had just been utility craft, it would still draw scrutiny. One inspection of the Obulette yards would have revealed something more sinister.

Then there had been the reliability of piracy in the Tapani sector as a means to explain how Mecetti ships were now in service to an Imperial entity. What if the Jedi tracked down one of these pirates, only to discover that they had not in fact stolen anything? Or what if the pirates themselves became aware of the arrangement, and fessed up? What if the pirates turned to extorting Mecetti Nationalized Industries for their silence? There were too many gaping security holes in the contract that, with even the smallest of pressure, or investigation, would reveal a scandal that neither side wanted.

On top of all of this there were the rubies or diamonds stipulated at the end of the contract. During the Trade Federation Conference Ayra had met with Casteban Mecetti and had learned the truth regarding those parts of the contract. His son, Maldor, was a collector of Sith paraphernalia, and his father had made the educated guess that among the other reasons of immigrating to the Empire of the Lost, such as avoiding arrest after the Jedi learned of his dark obsession, laid in the objective of exploring former Sith territories in the search for new items to enter his collection.

Ayra had fixed the arrangement. Now the Empire could meet both Mecetti at a neutral venue on board the Ayrix: a corporate flagship whose mobility would proven most useful in the clandestine meetings that were set to occur over worlds such as Obredaan, where Mecetti Industries were set to open a Cortosis mine Ayra had acquired many years ago. Instead of the long, far reaches of space posing a security threat to the manufacture and transportation of new ships for the Empire's navy, Ayra had negotiated a deal that would see Mecetti designs leased to Santhe-Sienar on Lianna to build the ships instead.

So what did Ayra want with Nimian Totan? If she had fixed the arrangement, what did she want with the Lieutenant Colonel?

"My second question is a simple one. Who gave you orders to approach Mecetti Nationalized Industries to begin building ships for the Empire?"

 

[Nimian Totan]

Nimian shifted in his seat, the whole interrogation room felt like an oven now. Sweat was starting to form on his brow even though his skin was starting to feel cold. Special Agent Drey's questions cut through him, he wasn't really prepared to defend himself on the issue. His plans were much more simple than they probably should have been, and that was going to cost him. Now his hubris was going to destroy everything he had worked for.

"The hope was that once the ships were complete I would present them to the Imperial Admiralty myself. Things obviously did not play out the way the I had wanted. I was placed on a command detail on Voss before preparations could be made for me to present the ships. Once on Voss it was impossible for me to get off planet due to an insurrection from the natives."

He'd wished they could have just glassed Voss and it's natives and be through with it. Since they joined the Empire they proved to be nothing but a hassle. Many of the refused taxation and were outwardly hostile to Nimian's troops. Records would show that the Lieutenant Colonel would often make examples of the locals who disobeyed. Public executions and beatings were not only commonplace, but they became an expected reality of Voss under Nimian's occupation. Whether that was relevant to the case was hard to say.

What was relevant was that Nimian was a gloryhound who was doing all of this to reach Moff status. Everyone interviewed by the investigators had said something to that effect. Nothing mattered to the commander except results.

"I had met the former Senator during a social gathering in the Inner Rim. After the gathering was over he invited me to his office to work out the particulars. I had thought the Empire would praise me for my forward thinking and initiative, but I can see now that my ideas were misguided. Surely though, you don't plan to incarcerate me over doing something that, in the end, helped our Empire? Things may not have gone as smoothly as we would have liked, but already these ships have aided the Imperial Navy in subjugating multiple worlds."

Alicia Drey

 

[Alicia Drey]

Tags: Nimian Totan

This man is a coward, Alicia thought to herself as she studied the man and how he spoke. If Totan truly believed that his deal with the Mecetti were of use to the Empire, surely he would have the backbone to stand by it? Instead he had resorted to politicking to try and convolute the issue. It was clear to see from the moment the man entered the room he had a guilty conscience, and Alicia knew why. He had made a deal with an organisation in the heart of the Galactic Alliance- who for all pretences and purposes- represented the antitheist to the Empire. Furthermore, he had just admitted that he hadn't made it without approval, with the intent to display his work to his superiors when it was done.

Alicia recognised the strategy but found it bad, or at best, poorly executed. A lot could have gone wrong. Through some twisted fate, and luck, the Alliance had not looked into the arrangement, or at least that was how it appeared to be. Even with Maldor immigrating to the Empire after his political career was ended in disgrace by the Jedi, House Mecetti had continued honouring the arrangement seemingly without discovery. The potential scandal had been averted with thanks to the new arrangements Alicia had made with Casteban, and now it would be harder to prove the links without a through investigation on the part of the Alliance.

If a real NISB operative were standing before Totan then Alicia figured that he would have exited this room in chains. It was clear that Nimian had negotiated the deal for himself, and not the Empire. That was tantamount to treason at worse, and a disgraced military career at best. Of course, if Totan didn't play his cards right with her, Alicia could decide go one of two ways. But there was a third outcome that would divert disaster if Totan were cunning enough to see it.

"The Empire hold no hostility to the Alliance at this time, but make no mistake, our very existence is an anthesis to theirs, and there are undoubtedly several figureheads on their side would have turned this arrangement into a huge scandal, and there are certainly many of on our side who would do the same." Alicia stubbed the cigarette out and discarded the butt. "Whether or not the arrangement has benefitted the Empire's navy, you risked the type of exposure that the Empire does not want. There are many on the Galactic Senate who oppose Imperialism, and such a scandal would have been the beginning of hostilities between both sides, putting at risk the order we have brought to the many sectors under our control."

Lifting a finger at Totan Alicia wiggled it back and forth while her teeth made a tutting sound at him. "Fortunately for you I stepped in to clear up the mess you made. New arrangements were made with Casteban Mecetti to replace the one you set up with his son. The Bureau have worked to obfuscate the assets that we have purchased from Obulette, so that if the Jedi or Alliance were to look now, it would be less clear to them that something was going on. The details, of which, will not be shared with the likes of you. As of this moment all relations with the Mecetti are classified."

Rising up from her own seat Alicia made her way to the corner of the table, and lowered herself to sit there, so that she would tower over Nimian. In her shadow Alicia smiled down at him and said: "At worse the Bureau can present to the Moff's that what you did was treason. At best we can recommend a permanent post on Voss to keep you far away from causing anymore trouble for us and our foreign policies. Neither of which are desirable for you, right?"

"Your ambition is very clear to me, Totan. It is in my hands to make you look very bad, or very good. What do you want me to do with everything I know?"

 

[Nimian Totan]

It was becoming ever clearer that Nimian was in the Nexu's den. The woman in front of him had ever advantage possible in the discussion. Whatever she truly wanted, there was little he could do to keep it from here. However, there was one nagging thought in the back of Nimian's mind. Why did she even give him an option? She could easily just slap him in irons if that was her desire, and yet she was asking what he want? All of this seemed incredibly suspicious to him.

"I would assume that my life is in your hands now. Though, I can't help but wonder why you even bothered with the interrogation if everything is so clear cut. The evidence piled against me could choke a bantha, and yet here we are..." Nimian confidently adjusted his seat to better face the agent. It was quite possible that Nimian wasn't quite as dim as it first seemed. Maybe he could play his cards right if this kept up, that was a big if though.

"If you're asking me what it is I want, that's very simple. I wish to secure my place in Imperial history. Preferably not as a criminal who endangered whole fleets with his antics. No, I would much rather be remembered as someone who knew a good deal when he saw it. That brings me to you, agent Drey. I think you have something in mind that involves me. Otherwise this wouldn't be nearly as cordial as it has been."

It was risky, trying to take the initiative in such an encounter, but Nimian was short on ways out. He had to hope his hunch was correct, that this agent really did have larger plans. Otherwise he'd be sent to one of the many prisons where political and military prisoners were kept. At best he'd spend the rest of his natural life in bondage, at worst he'd be shot like an animal by those he once called comrades. Not that being hoisted by his own petard wasn't something the commander deserved.

Alicia Drey

 

[Alicia Drey]

Tags: Nimian Totan

Alicia raised both hands to her ears and pressed her fingers down onto the ear plugs found there. When they were deactivated Alicia smoothed her hands back to her sides where she removed another device from her pocket and activated it. Up until this moment Alicia had allowed the bugs that the NISB had in just about every room in the Stygeon Prime colony to record and document the interrogation she was having with Totan. Their recordings alongside hers tantamounted to a confession Nimian had given today to conspiracy, and treason against the Empire. When Alicia returned to Lianna she planned to obfuscate the evidence by classifying what the NISB had gathered on Nimian Totan while keeping her own personalized recordings for later use.

"Nobody is listening to our conversation now, Nimian." Placing the jammer on the table, it's red light signifying that it was powered and activate, Alicia averted her gaze from it back to the Lieutenant Colonel. This time she took out two cigarettes and passed one of them to Totan. Taking a moment to light both of them Alicia took a drag on hers and flicked the ash into the nearby ashtray as she exhaled smoke through the slit of her mouth and nose. Nodding to herself as she spoke Alicia said:

"The reason why I have not used the investigation that I have gathered against you to put you in prison, or landlock you to Voss for the rest of your life is because I recognise a patriot when I see one. You care about the Empire, and have served it diligently up until this moment. There are others in my organisation, and the other branches which make up the Empire, who would not see it this way. As men and women like us go about the job of bringing order to people- the establishment of Imperialism across the stars- and the birth of an Imperium that will last a thousand suns- as the great Palpatine once said to us- we have created a cut throat culture, and society that eats men like you alive when mistakes are made."

Taking another drag on her cigarette Alicia exhaled again and continued her explanation. "I think you knew the risks when you entered into business with the Mecetti, and even though you have been caught, nevertheless, that risk can still pay off. Promotion. Assignments of your choice. Wealth. Power. Influence. A place in history as an important figurehead, and leader in the Empire. These are the rewards that can be given to you if you agree to work for me today."

Readjusting herself on the corner of the table, Alicia placed the cigarette between both her teeth. Letting it hang there in her mouth she looked down at Nimian with an expectant look.

 

[Nimian Totan]

Tags: Alicia Drey

The fantastic charisma of Lady Drey caused the older man to drop his jaw. Was she serious? Did he have the option to even say no? So many questions swirled around in Nim's head. In truth he was completely in awe of this woman's offer, it had to be a trick. And yet, what other option did he have but to bite? To refuse was to accept defeat, and to accept was to leave his fate in the hands of a complete stranger. Not only was agent Alicia beautiful, but she was clearly intelligent beyond Nimian. She had stacked the deck in her favor long before the game started.

"Seems like I'd be a fool to not accept your generous offer. You'll have my cooperation in whatever plans you have made. From this moment on, myself and my forces are at you disposal." Perhaps things could be salvaged this yet, there was a light at the end of this tunnel! There was no doubt he'd be used, but perhaps that was better than prison.

One thing that Nimian pondered was what the endgame of all of this was. Was it to destroy something? Maybe the agent had designs of stealing away the Emperor's throne from him? That might benefit them both, not having to serve under a mad dog tyrant. If that was the plan then why go for such a relatively small fish? There was no doubt more going on than Nimian could currently fathom. Much of the puzzle was out of sight, and he would need time to find them.

"If I may ask Madame, what happened to my co-conspirator Maldor Mecetti? Surely he would be even more of a target than myself, given his affinity for dark side relics. I would suppose that he was give no better treatment than I was."

As The Lieutenant Colonel reclined in his seat he finally began to relax, and take stock of the situation. He'd just navigated a meeting that was more treacherous than almost any warzone. He hadn't come that close to losing his life since his deployments on Voss. It was not a sensation he wanted to become accustomed to. With that in mind he crossed his arms, tapping his foot anxiously as he looked up to the white haired agent ahead of him.

The things he managed to get himself into without even knowing. If he were as good at planning as he was digging holes, he'd have made general by now...

 

[Alicia Drey]

Tags: Nimian Totan

Taking her cigarette back between her two fingers Alicia took another drag and exhaled smoke away from Nimian as she considered his question. Did she have to reveal anything to the Lieutenant Colonel at this point? The gambit had worked. Totan was now hers and his place in her organisation was secured for the foreseeable future. Nimian had shown some cunning in his dealings with the Mecetti, and now that he had been caught, it was safe to assume that the man had learned from his mistakes. He would be a stronger opponent the next time that the two played this game.

"You don't have to worry about Maldor," Alicia replied as she smoked her cigarette. "Suffice to say the man swims in the same waters you do now."

Stubbing the cigarette out in an ashtray Alicia snatched the jammer up from the table and deactivated it. Then she climbed up from the table and returned to the seat opposite from Nimian. As she took the time to readjust the papers on the table, without looking up to him, Alicia said: "We will be in contact soon. In the meantime you may return to your duties, and wait for our word. Of course, it is in your best interests to keep this conversation to yourself, and we will know if you talk to anyone else. See you soon, Nimian."