All the world's a stage

[Syart]

The weather was in their favour. It turned the next day, with a storm coming in from the west, sending cold grey curtains of rain sweeping down the valley and causing the cancellation of most of the available expeditions. They met Sgorr and Tuath at breakfast.

 

"I'm going to spend the day in the hotel spa, I think", announced Cirean. "A nice bit of pampering and preening where it's warm and dry."

 

"Very nice too, until the bill comes in", observed Twelve.

 

Cirean put on a pouty face. "Don't you want me to be beautiful?"

 

"You're already beautiful, my love." Twelve smirked and they all laughed.

 

"I think that's a wonderful plan", said Tuath. "Should you mind if I joined you, my dear?"

 

"Of course not!" exclaimed Cirean. "It'll be lovely, we can have a nice girly day of gossip without any men to complain at us."

 

All three men rolled their eyes.

 

"So what are you all going to do while Tuath and I enjoy ourselves?" Cirean asked.

 

"I shall put some work in on my insectoid samples and do some research on the holonet", said Lokin. "I might go out for a walk later, if the rain eases off."

 

Cirean made a face. "This is supposed to be a holiday, why do you have to work?"

 

"Once a biologist, always a biologist."

 

"True." Cirean sighed. "I remember all the worms you collected when we holidayed at Axial Park one summer and kept in the fridge."

 

"Only for a week!" Lokin protested. "Then I took them out again."

 

"Only because Mom made you!"

 

Tuath was chuckling. "You can tell me all these anecdotes in the spa, dear, in peace and privacy."

 

Sgorr, Twelve and Cirean all grinned, and Lokin sighed. "Fine, I suppose I shall just have to put up with your teasing and character assassination for the rest of my life."

 

"You've managed this far, big brother. You'll cope." She punched him on the arm, lightly and playfully.

 

"Hmph." Lokin stood up, brushing a few toast crumbs off himself. "I shall go and enjoy my work, leaving you to your own frivolous amusements." He stalked off in carefully calculated dignity, leaving a table full of laughter behind him. All was going to plan.

[Syart]

Tuath and Cirean had enjoyed the latest aromatherapy facials, a full body seaweed wrap, and a cleansing sauna. Now they'd had a light lunch and were relaxing in bathrobes by the swimming pool while waiting for their manicurist appointments.

 

"That brother of yours is quite funny, the way he's so obsessed with his biology", said Tuath. "I take it he's always been like that?"

 

Here we go, thought Cirean. Bait taken, now to land the fish. The disinformation game was one they'd often played and she was looking forward to doing it again. Tuath was an easy mark.

 

"Oh yes", she said, laughing, and proceeded to prattle artlessly about various things Lokin had done while they were growing up in Tyrena on Corellia, while Tuath laughed, gasped, or winced in vicarious sympathy, as appropriate.

 

As expected, Tuath followed on. "What does he do these days? Does he talk about his work much?"

 

"Hmm." Cirean frowned a little. "Now you mention it, he doesn't really. He used to, when he was working at the university hospital with Professor ... what was her name? ... Eilean something ... Assynt, that was it. There wasn't anything between them, you know? At least I never noticed it if there was. But I think he sort of hero-worshipped her quite a lot, and he was full of what they were doing. Not that I understood any of it." She grinned. "Then the Professor left, under a bit of a cloud I think, but I don't know what happened with her exactly. A bit after that Eckard changed jobs away from the university and now he does something for the government. He's very cagy about it, but maybe it's because of the war effort, or something."

 

"Of course, he'd have to keep things confidential, I'll not ask any more about that.” She smiled comfortably. “You said he was at the hospital, is he a doctor too?"

 

"Yes, the Coronet University Medical School and Teaching Hospital, to give it its full name. He did do medical training, but he never actually worked as a doctor. He started research under Professor Assynt instead, biochem, I think? I know genetics came into it somewhere." She injected a note of uncertainty into her voice.

 

Tuath chuckled. "Sciencey things are all very confusing. Let's change the subject a bit. He still lives on Corellia, doesn't he? You said there wasn't anything with him and his Professor, but has he ever found a nice girl to share his life with?"

 

"Yes, he's still in Coronet City and no, I'm not sure there's anyone suitable." Cirean grinned. "A couple of my friends thought he was quite good looking and very brainy, but when I told them about things like worms in the fridge they went right off him." She grinned again. "He says he's single because he has to travel too much and it's not fair to ask someone to put up with that, but I think it's more likely he just hasn't found anyone."

 

"Oh, he does a lot of travelling then?"

 

Cirean nodded. "All the time, he and the Professor were always wanting biological samples from weird places and kept going off together. I hardly ever knew where he was. Not so much with his new job but he still goes off from time to time. I think ... ", she looked around and lowered her voice, "I think he might even have been into Imperial space a few times, looking for stuff with the Professor. He's got this smuggler friend I met once, goes everywhere, no boundaries. And he says, Eckard I mean, says science isn't anything to do with politics, and knowledge should be freely shared with everyone, Empire or Republic, or Hutt Cartel, or whoever."

 

Tuath looked suitably alarmed and impressed.

 

Cirean looked around again. "But he couldn't ever be a traitor to the Republic, he's just an idealist and really terrifically loyal. He'd never do anything to hurt his family or friends." She put on a worried expression. "Please don't tell anyone else about that, I probably shouldn't have said anything about it."

 

"Of course, my dear, I'll not say anything to him and he'll never know you told me." Tuath smiled reassuringly, and Cirean noted the careful wording of the response with an inward grin. This was too easy. She produced a relieved expression.

 

"Thanks", she said gratefully. "He's my brother, and I do love him, even though he's a pest sometimes. I'm so glad he and Beinn like each other too."

 

Tuath smiled in a motherly fashion. "Yes it's always nice when everyone in a family gets on. How did you meet Beinn?"

 

"Well, we've known each other for ages, but we only got together a couple of years ago. We both work for the Core Worlds Central bank, and we were in the same section at the Corellian main office in Coronet City. Then Beinn got promoted and transferred to the CWC Tyrena branch, and then he realised he missed me, so he got back in touch, and I'd been missing him too, so I applied for a transfer back home and it just went on from there. Now we have an apartment in the next block to my parents." She smiled blissfully, not having to fake her feelings for Twelve.

 

Tuath sighed sentimentally. “I can tell you're very happy together, it's delightful seeing a young couple so much in love.”

 

The manicurists came to find them then, and the conversation switched to various colour fashions, and what handcare routine was best for healthy nails.

[Syart]

While Cirean sowed seeds of doubt about Lokin into the fertile soil of Tuath's suspicion, Twelve had not been idle. He'd got into the rooms either side of Sgorr and Tuath's, and into the maintenance ducts above and below, and got passive listening devices set up all around. He'd also bored a minute hole in the corner of the ceiling and got a pinhole camera with an ultrawide lens viewing the room. It was only 2D, but it could record and then the recording run through software which would make a pseudo-3D holoimage.

 

Lokin had already hacked into the hotel system, having needed the holocam recordings from the bar, so Twelve extended that into the hotel's local holonet, specifically the terminal in Sgorr and Tuath's room. He set up alerts for searches that might be done on himself and the others, and spent a while preparing convincing-looking records which could be inserted into the search results to show that the stories Cirean was busily feeding to Tuath were real.

 

Meanwhile, Lokin had spent the day calmly dissecting a few of his specimens, taking samples of the genetic material and various internal organs and storing them in small tubes, which he labelled carefully. This was genuine work, but he doubled up on the samples as he was going to use one set as a decoy later. He'd also done some research on the holonet about the insectoids and their evolution, as he'd said he was going to. He had no need to fake his interest. The insectoids were genuinely fascinating.

 

Knowing he was being observed by Sgorr, he used mostly Republic data sources: Scholarnet, Medisight, ResearchDB, and other similar infonets, but deliberately added a search of the Imperial BioNet, making sure he paused to make a cup of coffee while the Imperial logo was showing on the login screen, just to make sure Sgorr noticed it.

 

-----

 

Observed later:

 

"Did you have a good day, dear? Cirean was easy to get information out of, such a nice friendly lass, very ready to talk. I have quite a few things to check."

 

Always more taciturn than his wife, Sgorr grunted an acknowledgement.

 

Tuath tapped a few notes into a datapad, then, as expected, went to the holonet. Her searches were exactly as predicted, and Twelve's faked records of himself, Cirean and Lokin appeared seamlessly. They had no need to fake the information about Professor Assynt's defection.

 

"Well well, that explains a lot!" exclaimed Tuath as she found out that Lokin's putative boss had defected.

 

"What?"

 

"Eckard used to work very closely with a Professor at the Coronet University hospital. And she's defected to the Empire!"

 

"Mmm. Left him behind as eyes and ears?"

 

"That seems very likely indeed to me. For all Cirean thinks there wasn't anything between them, they do seem to have been very close, kept going off travelling together, and I'm sure his idealistic notions about knowledge being shared with everyone would have come from her. Cirean had her suspicions about them going into Imperial space, too. What was he doing today? You managed to keep him under surveillance all right?"

 

Sgorr nodded. "Did exactly what he said he was going to. Haven't figured who he's working for, but he's got accounts set up on a lot of scientific sites, so I'd not question that he's genuinely in research. One of them was Imperial, can't miss that nasty red logo."

 

"That does seem to settle it." She sighed.

 

"Problem?"

 

"They're a lovely young couple, Beinn and Cirean. I'm convinced the girl has no idea at all what her brother is up to, and they're obviously a close family. Such a shame."

 

Sgorr grunted.

 

"I know, we can't afford sentiment", said Tuath. "But it's all very well for the Empire to be cold and heartless. I think this is a great pity and I'd not want to make her unhappy. Do you think we could arrange things so he just vanishes and she never finds out what happened? That would be bad, but at least she'd not have to know he was an Imperial spy."

 

"Not up to us."

 

Tuath sighed again. "I know, we're only observer level. We'll just have to pass it up the chain and call in a proper agent."

 

Sgorr grunted again.

 

She then logged directly into an SIS hub to upload the information. Twelve, Cirean, and Lokin all shook their heads in bewildered fascination at the blatant incompetence of using an open holonet with no security precautions, as their hack recorded her login details.

[Syart]

The next day, very early in the morning.

 

"This is Fixer, non-secure line. Aphran IV samples obtained, request pickup details."

 

There was a short pause, caused by the signal being routed via the next star system around several satellites and relay stations to the recipient, whose signal was then bounced around a different route back to him. Then an anonymised droid-like voice responded: "Acknowledged, Fixer. Stand by."

 

There was empty static for a few minutes, while Lokin busied himself making a secure package of his decoy samples.

 

The com crackled and the anonymised voice spoke again. "Package drop at pre-arranged point 7-53, 2 days."

 

"Drop point 7-53, 2 days, confirmed." He ended the call without further ceremony.

 

The small, flat package, firmly sealed in an unobtrusive dark grey plastic wrapper, was barely bigger than his hand. He dropped it into the side pocket of his pack. Sgorr and Tuath should now be contacting their handler.

 

***

 

Cirean, who had been the anonymised voice, dropped her com unit back on the bed and went over to where Twelve was sitting, watching the visual from the pinhole camera and listening to the Mirialans through a headset. "Did they go for it?" she asked.

 

"Would a nexu go for a womp rat? This is hardly challenging."

 

She grinned. "It's fun, working together again like this. We do make a good team."

 

***

 

"Two days, that would be the day they're going home", said Tuath.

 

Sgorr nodded.

 

"We'd better inform Control, get him under observation. Do you think the drop point is at the spaceport? It seems quite likely to me, the sort of place I'd pick."

 

"Good place for it."

 

She was already setting up a holomessage. A youngish man in SIS uniform appeared, with a suspiciously open and honest expression, neatly trimmed beard framing a square determined chin.

 

"Ah, Tuath, and Sgorr. Good to hear from you again. Has there been a further development?"

 

"Yes sir. The doctor just contacted someone to arrange transferring the samples he collected. Sgorr did notice that he made two extractions of material from everything he'd got. It looks as though he'll be taking one set back for his work on Corellia and handing the other set to the Empire, probably for his Professor. We have the message recorded, but unfortunately I think it'll not be possible to identify his contact, there was no image and the voice was anonymised."

 

"No matter, it may take a few days but we'll get com records from the hotel and local relay stations and run some traceroutes. In any case, we'll watch him make the drop and then we can monitor the pickup, and of course keep an eye on the good doctor from hereon in. Quite a find, a couple of observers stumbling across an Imperial spy when you're on holiday, and then having the wit to react immediately and follow it up." The SIS man smiled approvingly. "With only basic training, you've done exceptionally well. I'll see to it that you're specially mentioned in the report. Do you think he suspects you at all?"

 

"Thank you sir." Tuath beamed and Sgorr grunted something inaudible. "And I'm sure he's not suspecting anything, he'd not have made that call just now if he thought he was being watched."

 

"Good. I'm already on planet, I'll join you at the hotel tomorrow, get a close up look at this doctor. You can introduce me as a friend, coincidental meeting, and all that. I'll pass on your information about the sample transfer to our local branch and arrange full observation."

 

"There is one thing ..." Tuath said hesitantly.

 

"Yes?"

 

"Well, I'm sure his sister and her husband don't know anything, and they're such a sweet young couple." Sgorr made a warning sort of sound in the background but Tuath shushed him impatiently. "It's just that, I'd like to know whether you're going to do something about Eckard, and if you are, can it happen without Cirean and Beinn knowing? I'd not want them upset, if it's possible."

 

The man chuckled. "Of course. We're the Republic. Unlike the Empire, we try to take care of our innocent citizens. Now that we know about the doctor, we'll just keep him under observation. If it looks as though he's going to do something dangerous, or go all the way over to join his Professor, we'll pick him up, but even then we'll keep it quiet. Otherwise, he won't know, they won't know. We should be able to use him, plant disinformation that he can pass on to the Empire, that sort of thing. Rest assured, no harm will come to your friends."

 

"Oh, thank you, I do appreciate that." Tuath smiled with relief. "And I'm so glad we could be useful."

 

***

 

"Do you think he actually means that?" asked Cirean in some disbelief.

 

"If he was Imperial Intelligence, certainly not", said Twelve. "Our Mirialan friends seem a little naive in that respect. Then again, the SIS are not the most competent bunch in the galaxy. Some of them do seem to think they need to maintain the softness of the Republic in reality as well as in public. But we can't take chances, we have to assume normal cold-blooded ruthlessness."

 

Cirean nodded. "So we have to assume that you and I will be under observation too from now on. But at least we can be reasonably sure that Eckard isn't on the verge of being arrested, at least not here on Aphran IV."

 

Twelve grinned. "Quite a pity. It would be an exciting experience for him, and getting him out of a holding cell would break the monotony of our lives."

 

"And totally bust our cover", Cirean pointed out, but laughing at the same time.

 

"A minor problem", said Twelve, waving his hand dismissively.

[Beniboybling]

Nice, love how you turned it around from a normal holiday to an Intelligence operation. Oh and the SIS are so very incompetent, gah, placing listening devices in lights *tsk* *tsk* - can't wait for this to blow up in their face.

[Ventessel]

Love me some good spy thrillers. For the longest time, Burn Notice fed my addiction, but eventually that got monotonous so I've been watching The Americans lately. Looks like your series here might be the next thing I keep my eye on.

[Syart]

Nice, love how you turned it around from a normal holiday to an Intelligence operation. Oh and the SIS are so very incompetent, gah, placing listening devices in lights *tsk* *tsk* - can't wait for this to blow up in their face.

It's fun, being an Imperial Agent And it will blow up in the SIS faces *rubs hands with evil glee*

 

Love me some good spy thrillers. For the longest time, Burn Notice fed my addiction, but eventually that got monotonous so I've been watching The Americans lately. Looks like your series here might be the next thing I keep my eye on.

Thank you! Hope you continue to enjoy it

 

Thanks to everyone else reading too, nearly up to 5000 views

[Syart]

The next morning the three agents and the Mirialans all met at breakfast, as had become normal. It was decided, after a bit of discussion, that they would all take a boat trip up to the small town at the other end of the lake on which the hotel was situated. There they would visit the botanic gardens which had rare Aphranian plants as well as samples of exotics from all over the galaxy. After that, they would look round some of the local shops and do some souvenir buying (the women's intention) or take a tasting tour at the garden's vineyard centre (the men's intention).

 

As they came out of the dining room and into the reception area, Tuath and Sgorr stopped in apparent surprise. "Why, Harson! Whatever are you doing here?!" exclaimed Tuath.

 

The man who was checking in looked over, also appearing surprised. "Tuath, I never expected to see you here, and Sgorr. I had a few days leave owing, picked a random place for some peace and quiet. Though if you're going to chatter at me ...."

 

Tuath chuckled. "I do like to go on a bit sometimes. But let me introduce you to some new friends of ours from Corellia, this is Cirean, her brother Eckard and her husband Beinn. Eckard is a famous biologist, all the children here call him the bug man." She chuckled again.

 

"Bug man?" queried Harson, looking interestedly at Lokin.

 

Lokin smiled self-deprecatingly. "I have an interest in the evolutionary abilities of some local insectoids, and a few of the junior members of our little community in the hotel had fun assisting me in gathering samples."

 

"Insectoids?"

 

"Giant beetle things", explained Cirean.

 

Lokin gave an elaborately weary sigh. "They are not beetles, I thought I'd made that clear."

 

Everyone else laughed.

 

"Well, perhaps you can tell me more later." Harson smiled politely. "I need to finish checking in just now. Very nice to meet you all."

 

"Why don't you come out with us today?" asked Cirean with planned spontaneity. "Unless you already have plans, of course. But any friend of Tuath and Sgorr's ..." she produced the friendliest smile she could manage.

 

"That would be lovely", said Tuath. "It'll be nice to catch up with you, Harson, I haven't heard from your parents in ages. We're not doing anything very strenuous, just a boat trip across the lake, going round some nice gardens, and then Cirean and I are going shopping."

 

"While us men go and sample some alcoholic delights at a vineyard attached to the gardens", added Twelve. "You'd be very welcome to join us."

 

"The more the merrier", agreed Lokin.

 

Harson chuckled. "Well, that's very kind of you. I accept with pleasure. I must say the vineyard sounds more tempting than shopping."

 

"Wonderful, then we'll not keep you any longer now but we'll see you a bit later. The boat goes in about an hour, I think?" Tuath looked at Sgorr who grunted confirmation.

 

---

 

"Throwing me into the gundark nest?" Lokin asked Cirean as they went up in the lift together.

 

She grinned. "Perfect opportunity. He's longing to get a good close look at you, may as well take advantage for us to get a good look at him too. Anyway, you'll love it, someone else to lecture about beetles."

 

He eyed her, and Twelve chuckled.

 

"All right, all right, they're not beetles!" She raised her hands in mock surrender and giggled.

 

---

 

They all had a very pleasant day. Harson naturally decided to become very interested in the insectoids and spent a long time talking to Lokin, while Twelve and Cirean recorded him from several angles, and watched him doing the same to Lokin. Fingerprints and DNA samples were easily obtained by both, via the simple expedient of handing datapads back and forth.

 

Harson was obviously much more highly trained in investigation, and consequently a lot more subtle in his questioning than Tuath had been with Cirean. Lokin rather enjoyed the fencing match, being as careful as he could to answer the questions apparently openly but in such a way as to make it obvious he was avoiding giving certain details, but at the same time without displaying any suspicion about Harson. The bland slipperiness of Dr Ruadh, cultivated since his academy days, stood him in good stead.

 

The SIS agent also spent some time talking to Cirean and Twelve. Cirean chattered freely, just as she had with Tuath, and she and Twelve were reasonably certain that his suspicion was allayed as far as they were concerned. Nevertheless, they didn't relax. Lokin confirmed later that Harson had been recording Cirean and Twelve too.

 

---

 

"I've missed this", he said later to Twelve and Cirean as they sat on the terrace in the warm evening after dinner, quietly talking over the day under the shield of his sound damper. "That adrenaline rush, living on the edge. Nothing like active agenting. Do you think they'll let me back in one day?" He sounded almost wistful.

 

"It's addictive, especially when you're good at it", Cirean said with a smile.

 

"Take heart though", said Twelve. "You're picking up useful information sniffing around the ISB. And you'll be let back in one day, don't worry. Imperial Intelligence needs all the good agents it can get."

 

"Hmph. Maybe." Lokin looked sceptical. "Not as long as Keeper is still there, he couldn't wait to kick me out."

 

Twelve shook his head. "You persist in misjudging him, but that's a discussion for another time. Are we all clear on Corellia tomorrow?"

 

"Indeed”, said Lokin. “I have all the safe house addresses memorised and Coronet City is the easiest place in the galaxy to lose a tracker. The rocket trams, that maze of multilevel streets and alleyways, the Selonian tunnels, all the shopping malls and offices and apartment blocks with multiple exits on different levels." He grinned. "It's been a while, but I can manage. All I have left to do is to choose a nice place round the spaceport here to drop my package before leaving."

 

"And then we leave the SIS to stew in baffled fury when they find out how we've duped them." Cirean laughed happily. "I wish I could be a fly on the wall of Harson's office when he gets all his reports back."

 

"Not a fly, you should be a beetle", suggested Twelve with a grin.

 

Lokin rolled his eyes theatrically. "I shall leave you to your ignorance. See you in the morning." He went off to his room, leaving Twelve and Cirean to enjoy their last evening together.

Edited July 18, 2013 by Syart

[Ventessel]

Another enjoyable installment. I actually have some subterfuge about to go down in Coronet City in my own story; as you said, it's the best place in the galaxy to lose a tail.

[Syart]

Another enjoyable installment. I actually have some subterfuge about to go down in Coronet City in my own story; as you said, it's the best place in the galaxy to lose a tail.

I'll look forward to reading it

[Syart]

A beetle's view, one week later:

Message from Aphran IV SIS local office to Agent Harson Nild, Coruscant

 

Com records indicate messages were routed via Carratos system but both sender and receiver were in the same hotel. Observation maintained constantly on dropped package as ordered. No pickup or apparent interest to date. Continue observation or retrieve package for analysis?

 

Nild frowned. He made a note and dropped his datapad back on the desk, but it landed awkwardly and slid off a pile of files onto the floor. He picked it up irritatedly.

 

A few hours later:

Message from Corellia SIS local office to Agent Harson Nild, Coruscant

 

Regret all subjects evaded observation shortly after arrival, unable to regain trace to date, efforts continuing. No identification under supplied names or other details. No matching record in Coronet City or Tyrena. No matching record at Core Worlds Central Bank all Corellian system offices. No matching record at Coronet University any department. Further searches ongoing.

 

Nild muttered several things, none of them printable, added a note to his record and threw the datapad back on his desk. It bounced off the files again, knocking his coffee cup over. Fortunately it was empty. He went to refill it.

 

The next morning he came into his office and found the message light already blinking on his terminal:

Message from SIS Central Records Division to Agent Harson Nild, Operations

 

Summary:

Subject 1 identifed as Imperial Intelligence Agent Eckard Lokin, code name Fixer Fifteen.

Subject 2 identified as Imperial Intelligence Agent Cirean Geardail, no code name on record.

Subject 3 identified as Imperial Intelligence Agent code name Cipher Twelve, real name unknown.

Attached: supporting files and cross references

Attached: personal note

Harson, fast turnaround as requested. You owe me at least five drinks by now, about time you paid up or you'll be added to my double-crossing rat file.

We don't have a great deal on them, but from previous records, the last time all three were known to be in the same place was on the Imperial science vessel Warhammer where they successfully prevented a defection from the Imperial Science Bureau. Senior Agent Cnoc Garbh was picking the defector up, but made a hash of the whole thing. Captured Cipher Twelve but the other two broke him out again, and managed to disable the SIS ship and assassinate the defector, all right under Garbh's nose. He got demoted three levels and transferred to Tatooine. Hope you do better!

Yours, Tag.

 

Nild read the attached information, growled a lot of very unprintable things, and proceeded to send some replies:

Message from Agent Harson Nild to Corellia SIS local office

 

Acknowledged and thanks for your work. No further identification or trace efforts necessary (see attached). Try checking spaceport records to see whether individuals matching descriptions have left Corellia recently, and destinations if possible.

Attached: copy of files from Central Records

 

Message from Agent Harson Nild to Aphran IV SIS local office

 

Acknowledged and thank you for your efforts. No further observation necessary, retrieve package and return it to Coruscant for analysis. Further communication to come.

 

Personal note from Agent Harson Nild to Senior Clerk Tagetes Patula, Central Records

 

Thanks for the info Tag, though not what I wanted to hear!

The three of them set us up, looks like a clear case of diversion. Something else must have been going on at Aphran IV but the chance of us ever finding out what now has to be small at best.

Reading the Warhammer report (Garbh's demotion well-deserved, I'm afraid), it looks like Lokin took the lead there too. I have to admit (reluctantly!) that he and his two supporting agents did an excellent job. I'll be doing a full analysis of everything our observers picked up on Aphran IV and comparing it with the Warhammer incident to see if we can document their MO and spot them faster next time.

Oh well, we live and learn. Next time Lokin shows up, we'll know to take a wider look at everything and not fall for his misdirection.

Get you that drink next week, bit pushed for time right now.

Cheers, Harson.

 

It was close enough to lunch time. In a fit of rage he threw his datapad across the room and went to get a large drink.

 

It took a couple of weeks to clear up the resulting fallout, but fortunately he didn't get posted to Tatooine. The previous experience with the three Imperial Intelligence agents on the Warhammer made it pretty plain that they were a top team, and Tuath and Sgorr escaped all censure. His own response to their report was considered acceptable. Then he got another message:

Message from Dr Eckard Lokin, Imperial Science Bureau, Dromund Kaas, to Agent Harson Nild, SIS HQ, Coruscant

 

My dear Harson,

 

I anticipate that this letter will have taken a while to get to you as I have naturally had to send it via a rather circuitous route. I trust it finds you well, and that the stresses of your work are not proving too onerous at the moment.

 

I enjoyed our conversations on Aphran IV; perhaps we may have a chance to resume them at a later date. I gather you are something of a rising star in the SIS and feel quite flattered that you would give us your personal attention.

 

Since you seemed so interested in the Aphran IV insectoids, I have taken the liberty of putting together a short list (attached) of references on evolutionary biology for you. These are written for the lay audience and should be fairly readily comprehensible. Sadly, I regret that I can't make myself available for any questions you might have, but Professor Assynt's former colleagues at Corellia University will certainly be able to help.

 

However, my real reason for writing is concerning your agents Tuath and Sgorr. They are delightful people (I would appreciate it if you could thank Tuath again for the Mirialan recipes she gave us, which really are delicious), and displayed admirable skill in detecting my Imperial affiliation. We were most appreciative of their immediate reaction.

 

Unfortunately, I feel it incumbent on me to advise you that they could both do with some more advanced training; most notably in bugging techniques and communications security. We have been able to use Tuath's identity to good effect in the lower levels of the SIS nets, but it has now come to the end of its usefulness. I felt I should do you the courtesy of informing you that we no longer require it, and you may feel free to change or withdraw it at any time.

 

Yours cordially,

Eckard Lokin

 

---

 

Message from Agent Harson Nild to Requisitions, SIS HQ

 

Please supply new official datapad, also technical support to assist with retrieving information from the previous one which has suffered a number of cracks and the screen no longer works.

[bright_ephemera]

Ahaha! No part of this latest chapter was not delightful. Lokin's gloat-o-gram was a perfect topper. Edited March 28, 2013 by bright_ephemera

[Ventessel]

I loved the context behind this installment, and the format you chose. The messages told just enough of the story to be hilarious, and that email from Lokin cements his reputation as a Magnificent Bastard

[Syart]

Ahaha! No part of this latest chapter was not delightful. Lokin's gloat-o-gram was a perfect topper.

Gloat-o-gram - I like that

I loved the context behind this installment, and the format you chose. The messages told just enough of the story to be hilarious, and that email from Lokin cements his reputation as a Magnificent Bastard

That is a fascinating website, I had no idea such things existed You're absolutely right, Lokin does come across in game as a Magnificent Bastard, and I'm sure he would love the description. But he's still quite young (32) and there are even bigger bastards out there

 

I had fun writing this episode, thank you both for expressing your appreciation

[Syart]

Twelve, Cirean and Lokin all managed to meet up together again a few months later, on Hutta, which was a bit less public than Nar Shaddaa. The toxic stench, foul swamps, and eye-watering fumes tended to make it a less desirable destination. Most people didn't go to Hutta at all unless it was unavoidable.

 

They were in a surprisingly pleasant cantina on the outskirts of Bilbousa, off the beaten track. It had working air conditioning and particle filters, and served plain but decent food. Another agent had discovered it some years ago and passed the location around, much to the delight (and relief) of any Intelligence person who had to spend time on Hutta.

 

Having got their drinks, they retired to a table away from the other patrons, ran their usual bug scans, Lokin produced his small sound damper, and then they relaxed into their chairs.

 

"So then, what news?" asked Twelve.

 

"Let me start, I have some big news", Cirean announced, fairly bursting with it. "Found out just before I left to come here. Keeper is retiring."

 

"A pity", said Twelve, looking regretful, "but it had to happen sooner or later. He's managed to hold out for a long time. I did part of my training under him, you know. He was one of the instructors at my academy for a couple of years too."

 

"I didn't know, but it's about time", Lokin commented acidly. "Did he jump or was he pushed? If pushed, whose hand do I go and shake?"

 

"You've never forgiven him for what he did after the Warhammer, have you?" asked Twelve.

 

"We were a good team, he didn't have to split us up. And effectively kick me out."

 

Twelve shook his head. "I told you before, he was a man in a difficult place. Try to think about it objectively. He had to give some form of punishment. His ultimate masters - the Sith, via the Minister of Intelligence - wouldn't have accepted anything else. But what he should have done was to have sent you both for 're-education', and you know what that means, and had you removed from Intelligence. Me, he would have sent for complete mindwipe or to Shadow Town on Nar Shaddaa forever. Instead, he kept the services of three of his most competent and loyal agents."

 

"A strange way of keeping us, downgrades all round and kicking me out to the ISB."

 

Cirean kept quiet, obviously having had this discussion with Twelve before.

 

Again Twelve shook his head. "On the contrary, you're a Fixer, still part of Intelligence. He made sure the Warhammer reports appeared to show that you'd made all the decisions. Thereby he protected Cirean, who only spent an extra year as junior agent, and seemed to throw the book at you instead. But, tell me the truth, are you hating what you do now? Didn't you tell me all those years ago in your recruitment interview that what you'd always dreamed of was biological research work?"

 

"Well.... yes", Lokin conceded reluctantly. "I admit it, I do love my work in Harvest, it is fascinating, I'm making real strides, discoveries. Cutting edge stuff, in popular parlance. I won't be giving that up, whether in the ISB or out of it. I think I said before, I'll experiment on myself if there's nothing else available. The SLV work has its interests as well."

 

"Yes, and you're finding things out about behind-the-scenes deals between the ISB and Intelligence and the Sith. Didn't you consider that too? Keeper put you inside the ISB, at a fairly senior level, in a job he thought you would enjoy and in a place where you would find things out. He expected you to go hunting and snooping, that's one of your strongest attributes, but you went all resentful ..."

 

"Snarly", interjected Cirean.

 

Lokin narrowed his eyes at her but Twelve laughed. "Good description. I had to nudge you in the end, Eckard, remember that conversation at the Star Cluster? Finding out what the Sith were up to, what other plans there are for the SLV projects, the eugenics programmes. Keeper maintained the illusion of punishment, so well that even you were convinced", he gave Lokin a faint grin, "but without its actuality."

 

Lokin was frowning deeply, furiously rearranging his thoughts about Keeper, Intelligence, the ISB, even Twelve.

 

Twelve continued. "Over the last decade or so, the position of Keeper within Intelligence has been increasingly marginalised. Reduced almost completely to purely ongoing operational matters, cut out of most long term and strategic planning. Keeper has known for a long time that there were things going on that he was excluded from. He's been trying to fight back, keep Intelligence as independent as possible. Creating a network of Intelligence within Intelligence. Protecting agents not used by the Sith, those he could trust, by spreading them out, away from central operations or sideways into other organisations. ISB is only one of them. We're seeded through the military, in production, logistics, diplomacy, technology, justice, every one of the Spheres. And the Sith haven't spotted it."

 

"So, let me get this straight. You've been working with Keeper?"

 

"Yes. After the Warhammer, while I was recovering, I had a lot of long conversations with him. He explained what he'd done with you and why, that he knew about me and Cirean and was sympathetic to our situation, and he sent me off, in an apparent operational downgrade, to the margins of the Empire, nominally under the control of Darth Ravage as head of the Sphere of Expansion and Diplomacy. But out there, I'm away from the close eyes of the Sith. I vet every agent sent out to train under me; those I decide to trust I warn about what's happening. I'm cultivating our allies without Sith interference as far as possible, and recruiting some of their best as new agents, free of other influence. You know I've always liked recruiting and training." He smiled.

 

Lokin nodded, but absently, still processing this appalling enlightenment.

 

"I firmly believe - and so does Keeper - that the order of the Empire is the best thing for the galaxy, and our job in Intelligence is to maintain that order. But the Sith are ... not very orderly." He smiled wryly. "As long as they use their strength in support of the Empire, and keep their squabbling and power plays between themselves, that's fine, the Empire functions well. But once they start using the structures of the Empire as pawns, to fight their internal battles for them ..." He shrugged.

 

"You said you trained under him", said Lokin, still trying to absorb these revelations. "You mean that fat old idiot was actually an active agent at some time?"

 

"Not just an agent, he's a former Cipher. Cipher Two, if you're interested, I'm sure you can snoop through the archives some day. He's worked hard for years to cultivate a persona of limited competence, plodding, unflashy, easily despised and overlooked. Non-threatening to the Sith, who now see him only as a tool to be used, and thereby holding onto his position for so many years."

 

"very convincingly." Lokin was frowning deeply again. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

 

"Don't feel too bad about it, Eckard." Twelve chuckled. "He was one of the best covert operatives in his day, probably one of the best ever. He spent years on Coruscant in the early days of planning for the war, and taught classes in long-term deep infiltration when he came back. Think about it. His continued existence, and ours for that matter, and maintaining the independence of Intelligence as much as possible, all depended on his ability to do this. Fighting back, from the inside and in total secrecy, against those who destabilise us and the Empire. As to not telling you, it was safer that way, it protected both of you."

 

Lokin scratched his beard, still looking annoyed. "I suppose I have to reconsider a lot of things."

 

Twelve nodded. "As will we all, now he's going." He looked at Cirean. "Any news on his replacement?"

 

"I heard it's some woman being transferred from the Office of Military Offence, order of Darth Vengean." She sighed. "Direct interference, exactly what Keeper was trying to prevent."

 

"But, thanks to Keeper, something we're prepared for and which won't affect Intelligence nearly so much as it might have done."

 

He looked back to Lokin. "I think we'll leave discussion of your ISB discoveries for after dinner. You probably want to do some thinking." He smiled, not unsympathetically.

 

"Indeed", said Lokin, trying not to show his chagrin. "And I clearly need to become a lot more suspicious. Take no-one at face value and seek ulterior motives everywhere. After all these years, I'm appalled at my own naivety."

 

Twelve nodded. “Paranoia always pays off, if only in an increased life expectancy.”

 

Lokin sighed again. “I think I shall take that as my personal motto.”

[kabeone]

Hi! Just wanted to say I've been enjoying this story and I love the new twists Lokin's life takes at every turn. Edited March 30, 2013 by kabeone

[Syart]

Hi! Just wanted to say I've been enjoying this story and I love the new twists Lokin's life takes at every turn.

Thank you! And even more for this. For anyone who doesn't want to read the whole thing, just look at Kabe's picture.

[Ventessel]

That is a fascinating website, I had no idea such things existed You're absolutely right, Lokin does come across in game as a Magnificent Bastard, and I'm sure he would love the description. But he's still quite young (32) and there are even bigger bastards out there

 

I had fun writing this episode, thank you both for expressing your appreciation

 

I love TVTropes, they're a great place to just browse for ideas and also to see what ideas are common and what concepts are less often used in fiction. It's dangerous, though, I've lost countless hours there when I only meant to check one thing, haha.

 

Reading the latest chapter actually made me consider something: What if Intelligence got agents recruited by the Sith? Find Force Sensitive people and train them as deep-cover agents with the express goal of sending them to Korriban to infiltrate the Sith and minimize their danger to the Empire? That would be a hell of a coup for these agents.

[Syart]

Apologies for the hiatus, my old cat (21) got ill over Easter and I had to have her put down, which left me feeling rather squished for a while

 

Reading the latest chapter actually made me consider something: What if Intelligence got agents recruited by the Sith? Find Force Sensitive people and train them as deep-cover agents with the express goal of sending them to Korriban to infiltrate the Sith and minimize their danger to the Empire? That would be a hell of a coup for these agents.

This is a very interesting idea, and actually has the potential to dovetail quite neatly with another thing I'm semi-working on *develops outline further* Thank you

[Syart]

(After another two years)

 

Twelve and Lokin met in the Mirialan restaurant on Nar Shaddaa again, as usual. It was divided into small private booths, and with the two agents' sound damping tech, bug scans, and general paranoia about being followed, it was reasonably secure for undisturbed and unnoticed meetings. The date happened to be Twelve's birthday, though that was entirely coincidental.

 

"So, forty-two today, getting old", said Lokin with a grin, raising his glass to Twelve as they waited for their meals to be served.

 

"Watch your tone, youngster, it won't be that long before you're here too." Twelve chuckled. "You're right, though, and I'm going to retire from active service after my next mission. I am old, for an Agent."

 

"True, Ciphers are only supposed to last five years on average, and you've done double that already. Impressive."

 

Twelve nodded. "The last psych assessment warned of incipient burnout, and they're right, much as I hate to admit it. I'm slower than I used to be, spend more time thinking, less time doing, don't always react fast enough. One day I'm just not going to get out of the way in time."

 

He took another drink, then rubbed at his right shoulder, the one which had been badly damaged by the Republic and SIS troops on the Warhammer. "I ache more, too." He grinned ruefully.

 

"I'd offer you a painkiller, but it wouldn't mix with this fine Mirialan wine and it would be a shame to waste that. Seriously though, do you need a medical going over? You can trust me to be discreet. And honest, for once."

 

"No, no medicals thanks. But yes, I do trust you. Odd really, you're undoubtedly one of the sneakiest, nastiest, and most underhanded people I ever recruited or trained."

 

"I'll take that as a compliment." Lokin chuckled, as did Twelve. “So, retiring, eh? What will you be doing for your last mission. Finishing off in a blaze of glory?”

 

Twelve shook his head. "Not at all. I'm off to the Hapes Cluster, delicate border negotiations with some of the Hapan Royal Court. Usual story, protect our allies, do what I can to disrupt the Republic, frame them for a bit of sabotage, an assassination or two, and stop them doing the same to us. Should be fun. A nice easy final mission and then home to a desk job, whatever they can find me."

 

"You'll be bored silly within a week", prophesied Lokin.

 

"Oh no, it'll take at least a month." Twelve grinned. "Depends what it is, I suppose. At least if they put me to Watching or Minding, I'll still be involved in active missions."

 

"Confess, you'll miss it."

 

"Certainly for a while. But there are other reasons, and on the plus side, Cirean and I ... well, we'll finally have the chance to settle down together. She's already requested a transfer to Minder status. We meet when we can, but long distance and clandestine affairs are never easy, or enough."

 

Lokin nodded. "Yes, I can understand that. I felt quite guilty for taking up your time with her when we were on Aphran IV. Though it was fun to be working as a team again.”

 

He took another sip of wine, savouring the delicate flavour. “After a while thinking about it, and re-examining everything I knew, or thought I knew, about Intelligence, the ISB, the Sith and all the rest of it, I admit that the old Keeper was probably pretty close to genius level as an agent. From a few things I've since heard or seen, we weren't the only ones he appeared to punish without doing so. I just wish he'd been able to transfer me back to active service." He smiled twistedly.

 

"Certainly better than the current Keeper, thrice-blasted idiot woman straight out of a bureaucracy nightmare." Twelve added a few curses in Huttese, a language amply provided with profanities, then took another swallow of his wine.

 

"You were never really going to make it as an Agent, you know", he said thoughtfully. "Not because of any lack of capability, but you're unpredictable sometimes. Not considered reliable by the bureaucrats, who have no idea what active service actually involves. The Warhammer incident was a convenient way of getting you off the Agent lists, but it would have had to happen sooner or later anyway."

 

Their food arrived just then, and the conversation became more general.

[Ventessel]

Apologies for the hiatus, my old cat (21) got ill over Easter and I had to have her put down, which left me feeling rather squished for a while

 

 

This is a very interesting idea, and actually has the potential to dovetail quite neatly with another thing I'm semi-working on *develops outline further* Thank you

 

Sorry to hear about the cat, I've got a rather old cat back home who's starting to slow down herself.

 

Glad you could incorporate the idea, I frequently have more ideas than will reasonably fit into my own work, so I might as well throw them out there and see what sticks for another writer.

[Syart]

(Six months later)

 

The holocom buzzed for attention and he pushed the receive button. The mechanical voice intoned: "Recorded message received, playback initiated."

 

Cipher Twelve's image flickered into life.

 

"Hello old friend. I'd hoped this would never be needed, but if you're seeing it, it means my luck finally ran out and I didn't make it back.

 

This message is partly to say goodbye, and thank you. Imperial Intelligence isn't the best place for making friends, or keeping them, but I counted you a good one of mine.

 

It's also partly for advice. You were always sneaky as well as intelligent, and untrusting of authority. Don't let go of those things. They're survival traits and in our job, particularly now, that's vital. You're a survivor, Eckard. Pick your jobs and partners carefully, as much as you can, and I have high hopes you'll outlive them all.

 

Identify potential allies, and enemies. Beware of the pure bureaucrats, the ones who've come in from outside, not worked their way up. Especially beware of political appointees. Ultimately, remember to keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

 

The final part of this message is a gift. I've left you some credits and a memento or two in my will - remember that Sleheyron knife you always liked? - but there's something more which isn't part of my official possessions, and I can't think of anyone who would use it better.

 

A while back, I set up a safe house. A bolt hole, secure data storage, that sort of thing. As far as I can tell - and I've done my absolute best - Intelligence doesn't know about it. It's all yours. The location, ownership deeds, key codes and security protocols will arrive in a separate message. Encrypted, of course, but that's not going to present a problem for you.

 

Well, that's it, Eckard. Fare well, my friend. Look after Cirean if you can, and don't grieve too much for me. I'm sorry I wasn't able to follow everything through, but I had a good run, better than most. Don't bear grudges or go seeking revenge either. Whatever happened to me, it was most likely just someone else doing their job as I was doing mine, and on the day they were better."

 

The smiling image lingered a moment longer, then flickered out again.

 

 

 

There is a conflict in the date of Cipher Twelve's death. When Lokin has a conversation with Cipher Nine about it, Lokin says it's the thirteenth anniversary of Twelve's death. However, the subtitling for the conversation says thirtieth anniversary, and one of Cipher Nine's responses asks why Lokin is remembering someone who died thirty years ago in both speech and subtitle. So I've gone with thirty years and Lokin is consequently aged around 35 at this point.

 

(Anthony Cochrane does an awesomely marvellous job of bringing Lokin to life, and I would hesitate to accuse him of making a mistake in his reading of the part It's far more likely that a scriptwriter messed up )

 

[Syart]

Cirean was coming in on a normal scheduled flight, so Lokin went to meet her at the main Dromund Kaas spaceport. There was the usual sort of crowd there, people waiting for husbands, wives, parents, children; a few business pick ups holding placards with the names of the people they were waiting for; a contingent of guards; the customs droids doing random scans.

 

He wandered leisurely amongst them, always watching, always alert. No-one seemed threatening or unusual in any way, but as a trained Agent, he never really relaxed completely in public situations.

 

The transport arrived, and a stream of people started to emerge from the hangar lifts. He had to wait a while for Cirean. When she came out, she was walking slowly, staring at the floor, somehow looking even smaller than she really was, pale and fragile. She didn't notice him until he walked across to her, but then she dropped her bag and threw her arms round him, clinging tightly and burying her face in his shoulder.

 

Normally he didn't do sympathetic or empathetic stuff, but it was impossible not to respond to her desperate need for comfort, so he held her close and made soothing noises. He reflected that it actually made good protective cover; they weren't at all conspicuous, there were many other couples all around them in similar configurations.

 

After a few minutes she recovered herself a bit and stopped hugging him. She moved to pick her bag up but he forestalled her and took it himself. "Come on, you look exhausted and you definitely need a strong drink. I've got my speeder outside."

 

"I haven't slept in a while. A few strong drinks, I think." She tried to smile, but her heart wasn't in it.

 

He didn't take her to the Nexus Room, which was where they'd always gone with Twelve in the days when they were a team. Instead they went to the Binary Moon, a small cantina off the beaten track in one of the murkier lower levels of Kaas City which he'd discovered through one of his hacking acquaintances. They had a good line in high quality smuggled liquors at relatively reasonable prices, and once Cirean had had a double shot of Balmorran vodka, she had a bit of colour back in her cheeks and was looking more like herself again.

 

"Another?" Lokin asked her.

 

She shook her head. "Not right now, maybe later. I could do with getting drunk. It doesn't solve anything, but at least it might stop me thinking for a bit."

 

She leaned forward and put her glass down on the table. "Why did it have to happen, Eckard? Just when we finally had a chance to be together. It's not fair! It hurts so much and I don't know what to do. I want him back." Tears rolled unchecked and unheeded down her face.

 

He looked at her helplessly. "Cirean, I wish there was something I could say, or do, that would help."

 

She shook her head. "You don't need to do anything more than listen. There isn't anyone else I can talk to properly about him. You and I, we can remember him. Honour his memory."

 

He nodded. "Twelve left a holomessage to be sent to me after his death. I ... you should see it, you deserve to. He asked me to look after you. If I could."

 

"He was always thoughtful." She tried to smile.

 

"I have a spare room in my apartment. It's yours for as long as you need it. And I still have an unopened bottle of genuine Corellian whiskey, I bought it on the way back from Aphran IV. We can drink to him."

 

She nodded mutely, wiping her eyes.

 

They went back to his apartment, opened the bottle, and drank to Twelve's memory, reminiscing about their times together. Cirean laughed a few times, cried a lot more, and Lokin spent a lot of time holding her close as comfortingly as he could. Somehow, she didn't end up in the spare room that night.

[kabeone]

Ugh, I'm tearing up. I knew it would happen with Twelve since I played through the Agent line and Lokin's conversations. Still *bawling*.

 

Anyway, I really am enjoying the way Lokin has changed. How hugging is good cover. And as to that last line...

[Beniboybling]

...RIP Cipher 12.

 

Oh and I never knew he was an actual character in SWTOR that Lokin knew, its very cool how you drew it altogether. I do love a proper bit of FanFiction!