Private Trouble on Taris

[Alek Morozov]

Taris

(IMG Credit)​

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Why was it that when two people were chasing each other, the pursued with a blaster in hand and the pursuer with the metallic gleam of an unignited blade in theirs, that Alek felt so compelled to follow? Not only to follow, but to join the headlong dash that weaved through the crowded streets of the capital alive with what must have been the usual nightlife of such a sprawling urban center.

Keeping pace was a difficulty that Alek found insurmountable in the moment, relying on more rudimentary means of keeping track of where the chased and the chaser bounded off to. Namely the disturbance itself in the crowd of people. An unnatural parting of the bodies through the thick of the tide of pedestrians. That must have been the hole made when natural reflex saw those in the way of the runners parted to give passage.

Such a moment of opportunity was as good as the best homing beacon on the market. Better, in fact, given that Alek found himself truly ill prepared for such an occasion. The Imperial found himself dispatched to the border world of Taris to establish contact with supposed informants willing to take service with the Empire. For the right price, of course. Tonight had been the night the meeting was supposed to have occurred.

Supposed being the optimal word in that case. Alek had arrived at the precoordinated meeting spot, waited well beyond the window of contact. Something must have gone wrong. A miscommunication on the part of either party, perhaps? Whatever the circumstances of such a misfortune, chance had other ideas in mind for the man than a quiet night in pondering and contemplation. Namely in the form of what must have been a Jedi in pursuit of…well, Alek certainly didn’t know.

But he wanted to know. That was his curse. Curiosity.

The confused glances of passersby directed down an alleyway told a tale without even a single utterance. The chase must have broken off from the main thoroughfares into the back streets and narrow channels between buildings. Which meant a headlong dash was no longer feasible. An assumption that turned out to be correct. For Alek finally caught sight of the Jedi ( Iris Arani ), and called out.

“Hey, you!” He beckoned, rapid steps steadily slowing the closer he came to leaving shouting range from the stranger. Did he have the slightest clue what his own explanation for following them was? Absolutely not. Such things were best thought of in the moment itself. "Who are you after?"

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris kept running. Sprinting, actually. Her target wasn't meant to be anyone important. Another dealer taking advantage of the ongoing war and the problems people were having here on Taris. And elsewhere, at that. Elsewhere wasn't her focus right now. After catching the dealer though, she learned of something far worse than she anticipated. They weren't here to sell drugs.

They were here to cause chaos. Everywhere. Under the guise of an Imperial.

Another corner rounded and- No one. She hissed under her breath as she started to look through the colors. Try to find where they could've gone. Look for traces in the colors.

Nothing. Except-

"Who are you after?"

She frowned. Looked back at the newcomer. Narrowed her eyes.

"Jedi business. Who are you?"

 

[Alek Morozov]

Could it all merely have been coincidence, Alek pondered while giving the Jedi an inquisitive stare. Could the suspicious failure of his contact arriving at the meeting have nothing to do with the fact that this Jedi was in pursuit of their own quarry? At the exact same time, of all things? Such an occurrence would have been a coincidence of monumental scale.

So it was no wonder that Alek rejected the notion of such a thing outright. One thing at the very least was taken to heart by Alek from his time in the academy. That in the opinion of the Imperial Security Bureau, there was no such thing as coincidence.

Rumors of missing Imperial armament shipments to border worlds. The upswing in chatter coming from Taris in the recent weeks followed by an utter drought of communication between suspected dissidents and unfriendly spies. This accompanied with the failure of Alek’s own meeting and a Jedi on the tail of an unknown individual only furthered Alek’s belief in one fact alone. All of this was connected. Somehow. The threads that bound them were too thin and translucent to yet make sense of it all, let alone any of it.

The knowledge as to who exactly these shadowy elements were was something that eluded Imperial intelligence thus far. All that was for certain was that it wasn’t friendly to Taris, nor its people. Which gave something to go off of. That these provocators were most certainly not Galactic Alliance men, nor friendly to the Jedi. It brought Alek to one simple conclusion. For tonight, at least, the Jedi were no foe of his.

Such certainty gave Alek comfort, and served as fuel for the wry smile that found its way across his lips.

"Jedi business. Who are you?"

“Names are such a dangerous topic of conversation in these difficult times.” He began, one hand moving exaggeratedly slow in the pursuit to retrieve the something from the inside of the pocket of his coat. All the while the other hand pulled the flap aside to reveal what the item in question was in the gloom of the alleyway. A flashlight. Nothing more. “Consider me a friend who wishes to see your pursuit of justice successful. Or, at the very least, not a hindrance to your ‘Jedi business’."

Alek ignited the flashlight, casting the beam of light this way and that on the ground, combing the area for…well, who could say? The chance of a fugitive dropping something unknowingly in the mad dash for freedom was always a possibility. “That is what you were after them for? Some wrongdoing or another?”



Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"Friends to Jedi business identify themselves. Even if not by name, at least allegiance." Did she trust him? Not at all. On paper, this was the type of person she should be most warry of. If not for the colors. The genuine desire to help shone bright as ever through it all, causing her expression to soften. Just a little.

"Wrongdoing is a term. You start with honesty, and I'll tell you."

Alek Morozov

 

[Alek Morozov]

Alek pursed his lips as his forthcoming answer was chosen carefully. Weighing the danger posed by the truth to the relative safety of a lie. Spilling not who he was, but merely who he represented carried with it constant risk. Risk only multiplied by the fact here he stood, face to face with a Jedi. On a world not beneath the Iron Sun of the Empire. Tonight the truth could very swiftly see him whisked off to prison, if not worse.

Yet a lie was just as dangerous. They were swift, efficient things at the right time that would see him protected. But for how long? How long before the thread of one lie was spun into another, and another, and it ultimately ended up trapping him in the own web he’d weaved?

"Wrongdoing is a term. You start with honesty, and I'll tell you."

Iris’s words ultimately won out, putting a thumb on the scale between the decision as it were. Trust was a two way street. Spitting upon their offer and to doubt in its genuiness was a recipe for swift, utter failure when it came to any proposed cooperation.

“Imperial Intelligence.” Alek stated, the lull that existed in that moment of silence in the sweeping search of his flashlight resuming once more. “My assumption is that you are a Jedi. No need to tell which organization you claim allegiance to. It matters little. What does matter is that, for at least one night, we may find ourselves on the same side.”

Alek’s search, as he feared, was becoming as fruitless as a Tatooine orchard. The beam of light found itself extinguished in temporary resignation to such a fact, and Alek turned to face Iris once more. “So what do you say? Will you accept the aid of an Imperial?”


Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Imperial Intelligence. Born liars, skilled at hiding their intentions. Yet no sign of deceit. Just pure honesty. The Jedi nodded her head.

"Chaos is good for business. War is good for business. They're here to impersonate you and yours to keep chaos up. .. So yeah. I'll work with you to stop them." If only because he seemed genuine. The colors didn't lie, right? They couldn't lie, not when someone was being open. Or at least, that's what she hoped.

"Iris. So you're not just calling me Jedi or something."

Alek Morozov

 

[Alek Morozov]

“Can we be certain that they truly are impersonators?” The words left a bitter taste in the mouth, and accomplished the feat of wiping the smile from Alek’s lips. The thought was a disturbing one. Yet no matter how uncomfortable such a prospect made the man it couldn’t be disregarded out of hand. “Thinking that we know anything for certain in a case like this would be a mistake. You are a Jedi. I’m certain you know how costly mistakes can be.”

Alek knew. Even his words, here and now, if they were heard in the ear shot of another Imperial, let alone another agent of the bureau, would be a life altering mistake for the one foolish enough to speak them. They were the questions that must be asked if the truth were to be revealed. That was, if Alek was brave enough to seek it.

“As you said, war is good for business. War is a far more lucrative venture for the industrial complexes that support it than peace will ever be.” It was a poorly kept secret that there were those within the Empire willing to go far to expand their personal wealth and by extension, power. War was chaos manifest. Chaos was a breeding ground for opportunity. For advancement with the downfall of rivals, opportunity to win personal glory of some sort or another. It was rarely a means to safeguard the Empire and especially those that relied on its protection.

The domain of the parasite that fed on war was not quarantined within the Empire alone. The Galactic Alliance. The Maw. Anyone who stood to gain from the further outbreak of hostilities between the two factions. Each held as much possibility as the other. In the end it was elementary detective work. Uncover the motive of those here crafting their schemes on Taris, and their identity would be known.

Easier said than done.

Iris. So that was the name of the Jedi. It felt like a slight to be told someone’s name and to blatantly refuse to give one’s own. A lie, as simple as such a thing would have been, was neglected to be used here as well. It reminded Alek of some old adage about the difficulty in tricking a Jedi. But in this case it would have simply felt…wrong to do so.

If they were to be allies it was only fair to offer something in exchange. If not his name at least something of similar value. “I’ll tell you what I know. Perhaps we can piece the puzzle together. Stolen Imperial weaponry has been tracked here, according to a source of ours. That is why I’m here. Let me guess. The one you are hunting, he was trafficking arms.”

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"If he's not impersonating, then your people are planning to terrorize this world and rile up the war further." Logic dictated that the Empire didn't want that. Iris couldn't think of a reason why anyone in either government might want that. Asides from the potential of money. Her expression soured, just a little. Money was terrible. Still, at least he was up front about the information he did have. Which only lead her to believe more and more that this wasn't the Empire at all.

"Yeah. There's been a surplus of military grade weaponry in the gangs here. He was one of my last leads to figure out where they'd been coming from. You said they were stolen?"

Alek Morozov