Quarrels and Quills

Siralai Mahr

Siralai received the message ping, briefly reviewed the news item, cringed at it, and agreed with the Agent's conclusion. Since time was of the essence if they were going to contact the diplomat, she attempted to open a channel that included all of the invited parties. Visper didn't respond, and Siralai assumed she was still occupied with her Rattataki patient. Neither Lana nor Theron answered their comms either, though; that was unusual on both parts, and Siralai hoped all was well, but for the moment she would continue without them. She did, however, add Vector to the call.

The same thing had occurred to Siralai as to the Agent - that Envoy Umber might simply ignore anyone named Mahr. (Even though the diplomat and Siralai did, according to a brief contact search, share a planet of origin.) To Siralai's surprise, however, the holocall was answered almost immediately.

"Hello, this is Anke Umber."

"Envoy Umber. I appreciate you taking our call. My name is Siralai Mahr, and Vector Hyllus is here as well."

"Nice to 'meet' you both," the envoy replied. "Just Anke is fine, no titles needed. Mr. Hyllus, I believe we're in the same line of work, are we not? I've heard good things about your projects. I'd love to hear more - but I assume you haven't reached out to make small talk. What can I do for you, Ms. Mahr?"

"Just Siralai," Siralai replied in kind. She hadn't expected to be so informal, but she was afraid it would seem condescending to let the diplomat continue to use a title when Anke herself had just allowed them the use of her given name. "I'm sure you're a busy woman, so I'll get straight to the point. We saw your soundbite on the news."

Anke's expression became slightly amused. "I see. So is this another interview, or are you calling to berate me? I've had rather a lot of both today."

"Neither, actually," Siralai replied - a little concerned that the diplomat hadn't mentioned any supportive calls. Was Anke on the verge of changing her mind? Well, nothing to do but plunge ahead. "We have... a potentially sensitive relevant situation. Too sensitive for comms. I was wondering if we might meet--"

"Certainly," Anke said immediately. "I'll clear my schedule."

Siralai wasn't quite sure how what she had said turned out to be the magic words, but she would accept her good fortune. "Thank you, Envoy-- Anke. We'll get a ship en route to Coruscant, and--"

"No!" There was a hint of strain and tension in Anke's voice for the first time in the conversation, and Anke noticed them noticing it. Her calm demeanor returned in an instant, and she continued, "I'm sorry, but no. Meeting on Coruscant will be impossible. From your feed signature, it looks like you're on Odessen? I'll book a transport, and come to you."

Once again, Siralai was thrown off balance. Things were undoubtedly rather politically hot for the diplomat on Coruscant at the moment, but it hadn't occurred to Siralai that Anke would prefer the far more risky (not really, of course, but from her perspective) plan of meeting strangers in Neutral Space. "Well. Alright. If you prefer..."

"I do. Thank you. I will of course be bringing my security detail."

"Of course." That actually set Siralai somewhat at ease. The plan came off as less - frankly - unhinged if Anke had combat support she trusted if things went sideways for her on a strange planet.

"Very well," Anke agreed. "I'll send you my arrival details once a transport is settled. Unless there's anything else in the meantime...?"

Gina, Teal, Lana Beniko, Theron Shan

After supper, Lana showed Gina and Teal to their respective neighboring quarters.

Gina looked around her assigned space, and was surprised. It was small, of course - she was only one person, and that was all she needed - but it was comfortable, and most of all, it was private. She searched from ceiling to floor, and didn't find any cameras or listening devices. This was the first living arrangement she'd had where she wasn't being surveilled. It was... nice. She plopped on the bed, and started looking through the provided datapad for an interesting book to read.

The calm didn't last long.

Soon a message appeared on the comm - not a holocall, but a one-way transmission addressed to Network Assets, Lana Beniko, and Theron Shan. The sender was merely listed as 'Volent Corporate Attorneys.'


Attention, Republic and Imperial Personnel:

It has come to the attention of Volent Technology Systems (hereafter referred to as 'Volent') that you are in possession of two valuable pieces of Volent company property. Although you appear to be attempting to assert right of salvage, these two network assets are in fact stolen property, and you have no legal claim to retain them.

However, after communication with our CEO and Chief of Product Development, we have agreed to 'Keep the benevolent in Volent' [symbol indicating registered trademark] by providing you with a very advantageous offer. As you know, Volent is deeply committed to philanthropic work, and as such, we are prepared to make an in-kind donation of the two network assets to the Republic and Imperial intelligence teams respectively. Needless to say, this offer carries a high credit value (conversion to local exchange rate available upon request) and is exceptionally beneficial to you the recipient.

This generous offer is made with the following terms and conditions: The two network assets must be temporarily returned to Volent for factory reset and refurbishment to align with current Volent product standards, at which time the units will be returned to you.

Should you fail to abide by these terms, all necessary methods of product loss prevention will be employed.

Sincerely yrs.,
Volent Corporate Attorneys


Gina bolted blindly out of her room. She ran. Ran and ran. Heard Lana calling, then Theron, both of them following - but she didn't stop. Not till she hit a dead end in an empty engineering survey bay.

She couldn't go back. That thing they had said. 'Factory reset and refurbishment.' That meant a mind wipe. Again. And then they would connect her brain to the network again. That was the threat they were making. That they would give her and Teal away, but only after rendering them no threat to Volent anymore. Essentially lobotomized. But what choice did their rescuers have? 'All necessary methods of product loss prevention' was a clear, violent threat that surely they all could see.

"Gina, don't do that!"

A voice identical to her own - Teal. She hadn't noticed Teal following too. What Teal wanted her to stop doing was holding a small mining projectile drill to her temple. Small, but effective for extinguishing a squishy organic brain. Ending a life that didn't want to be enslaved again.

"I can't go back," Gina said softly.

"We can survive it," Teal said resolutely. "We survived it once. We can survive again."

"No!" Gina's voice was shaking. Her hand was shaking. She needed to steady the latter if she was going to go through with this. "No. I didn't just survive it once. I survived over and over, with my memory wiped and not even knowing what happened to me, what my flesh parts were so scared of. I'm not doing it again."

"You don't have to." Smooth, silky Sith voice. Lana, this time. "We aren't intimidated by Volent, Gina. We have no intention of acceding to their demands. You won't be given back."

"We promise," Theron agreed. His usual jaunty delivery was gone, replaced by deadly seriousness. "We aren't doing what those assholes want. Just put that down, okay?"

Gina didn't put it down. But her hand was shaking so much that she weakly released it and allowed Lana to take it and pass it to Theron. Lana wrapped her arms around Gina, and let Gina push a tearful face into her shoulder.

"We won't cooperate with them," Lana reiterated. "I swear it upon the Force. However, it may be advantageous for us to pretend to cooperate. Temporarily. To buy time. Until we can defeat them once and for all."

"Defeat them?" Gina looked up, met Lana's eyes. "Is that even possible?"

"I've come to understand that anyone can be defeated," Lana replied. She sounded calm, resolute, devoid of the slightest hint of doubt.

And Gina... believed her.