Professors’ Rec Room, Shadow Academy Halls,
Lyspair,
Antei System
Xantros raised his eyebrows, when he heard someone knocking on the door. He did not expect anyone at that time, as everyone at the Academy had their time off. Even Professors, who often gave additional classes to the students, who were willing to learn more something more. Still, the unusual moment of arrival made the Duro curious about the reason of someone’s arrival.
„Enter!”
The masked figure looked familiar, but Xantros could not recognize the messenger. Many seeked the Duro’s guidance, as he was one of the Professors of the Shadow Academy, but he could not determine the identity of the man.
„I am off the classes. If you wish to…” said Xantros.
„No, thank you. I have been sent to you, in order to bring you this,” replied the man and handed the Krath Archpriest a datapad, leaving the room immediately.
x://_Encrypted File
x://_Passcode accepted
x://_Fingerprint Authentic
x://_Identity Verified: Xantros
Missions Detail:
Archpriest Xantros,
We at the Antei Contract Bureau have discovered information on a Force Sensitive located within the Prison Stars’ End, located on Mytus VII. The prisoner’s name is Alec Darborne, Prisoner Number Y2310-D7-893. For unknown reasons, there is no picture of this convict. The lighties passed upon the opportunity to recruit him because his file says he has issues with authority figures. He was arrested on three counts of Armed Robbery, Assault with a deadly weapon and numerous counts of murder in the first degree. The Bureau is willing to provide transportation should you require it. You may handle this mission in whatsoever a manner you decide upon, so long as you do not lead the authorities back to the
Brotherhood.
Good Hunting, Archpriest.
Regards,
-Celevon Edraven
Authorized
Signature(s)
-Voice Of The Dark Jedi
Brotherhood-
-Grand Master of the Dark Jedi
Brotherhood-
Parameters:
Convince the convict to join the Brotherhood and find a way to break him out of prison. Once he is on
Antei, we will provide him with a new identity and fake his death.
„Finally, the contract from the Bureau. I have been awaiting for it for ages and now, I have a very little time to fulfill,” thought Xantros with slight disappointment. „As always bureaucracy makes my life harder. At
least, the assigned task shall be beneficial for the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. Also, I might accomplish it without any violence. Actually, brutal strength is not a solution here, as I would get killed at the front door of the prison. Still, I have a plan that might be effective.”
The plan required Xantros to temporarily change his identity and to contact the authorities of the Corporate Sector, but both goals could be achieved quite easily with the resources of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood and the contacts of the Krath Archpriest. Still, it required a lot of efforts, so Xantros
immediately started to prepare himself for the mission.
A week later, the prison
facilities, Mytus VII
Xantros awaited for Maacht Assarin, the director of the Stars’ End, to greet him. He hoped that his disguise as the Imperial Inquisitor would be effective enough to mislead the head of the prison. The Duro’s cover was a masterpiece, as the specialists of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood not only created a false indentity as the Inquisitor with full background, but also managed to hack into the computers of the Corporate Sector Authority, in order to provide the false approval from the Corporate Sector Authority for Xantros’ operations at the Stars’ End.
However, the mission was still quite risky and required swift, but also wise actions. Xantros was aware that the longer the mission took, the more probable it was that his true identity would get revealed by the Corporate Sector Authority. The success of the mission depended on recovering the prisoner from the planet before anyone would dig deep enough to realize that the authorities’ approval was falsified.
Despite the fact that Xantros claimed the patience to be a virtue, he could hardly stay aboard the freighter, which brought him to Mytus VII, while waiting for the director of the prison. Fortunately, the human did not make him wait much longer. Few minutes longer, Xantros was welcomed by the Maacht Assarin.
„Welcome, Inquisitor Xalarin. I am Maach Assarin, the director of the Stars’ End prison,” spoke the human. „What has brought here, sir?”
„The Inquisitors have received the information that you have imprisoned Alec Darborne recently,” replied Xantros.
„I am sorry, Inquisitor, but I do not remember all names of the prisoners. Quite recently we have experienced some…difficulties and I have not familiarized myself with the names of all new prisoners,” replied the director of the prison. „However, if you know the prisoner’s ID number, it would probably help me recall some details of his or her case.”
„I believe that you have handled these difficulties in a suitable manner, but it is not my mission here. I am interested in the prisoner Y2310-D7-893.”
„I see. As far as I remember he has been convicted for numerous acts of Armed Robbery, first degree murders and assaults with a deadly weapon,” replied Maach Assarin. „He is a common murderer and thug. What would the Imperial Inquisitors need for?”
„For you, he is just a common criminal. However, we have tracked his connections to a case, which we have investigated due to the activity of the Jedi. He may possess a piece of information, which may turn out to be extremely resourceful for the Empire.”
„Empire has been destroyed! The Emperor is dead! Nothing can bring the Empire back to life,”
spoke the director of the prison.
The Krath Archpriest looked at the human with pure contempt and spoke with strong hatred in his voice, „The Empire lives as long as there are people, who remain loyal to its ideals. However, I can see that the Corporate Sector Authority has forgotten what it deserves to the Empire.”
The man trembled a bit, but somehow found the courage to say, „You are not even a human. How can you be the servant of the Empire?”
„The Emperor preferred to work with humans, but he was capable of recognizing those, who might be resourceful to him. In his wisdom, he was ready to accept truly gifted beings to the ranks of his followers, as long as they remained loyal to him. He was aware that it would be highly unwise to waste resources that might have been utilized by his enemies instead. I am sure that you have heard about Grand Admiral Thrawn, who was a Chiss, not a human,” explained Xantros allowing his growing anger to be clearly heard in his voice. He slightly affected the director of the prison with the Force, in order to cause strong fear in man’s mind.
„Yes, my lord. I am sorry for my impertinence. I have not intended to offend you,” said Maach Assarin. It was clearly visible that the efforts of the Krath Archpriest were successful.
„Apologies accepted, director. Now, I wish to see the prisoner as soon as it is only possible,” replied the Dark Jedi.
„Yes, my lord. It will take half an hour to revive the prisoner from the coma and bring him to
the interrogation room. Please, take a rest, as we prepare the prisoner. I guess the travel was quite tiring.”
„Not as much as I had expected it to be, but I definitely need to prepare myself for the interrogation too.”
„As you wish, my lord.”
While the human was giving out orders and overseeing the procedures, Xantros took a deep breath. His plan worked so far, but he expected that the director of the Stars’ End prison was going to check him again. Still, the Duro hoped to be far from Mytus VII before anyone would manage to interrupt his
mission.
Exactly half an hour later, Maach Assarin returned to the office and asked his guest to follow him. He led the Krath Archpriest to the interrogation room, which was located on the fifteenth floor of the tower. As soon as they entered the room, Xantros noticed the man chained to the chair, which he was sitting at.
„The prisoner is all yours, my lord. I shall leave two guards, in order to protect you against possible attacks of the prisoner.”
„Do you really believe that a chained man can harm the Imperial Inquisitor? You either highly overrate the abilities of the prisoner or highly underestimate the abilities of the high-ranked members of the Imperial Inquisition. Due to the fact that the information possessed by the prisoner are considered to be confidential by the Imperial law, no witnesses may be present during the interrogation. Also, I need to ask you not to record the process of interrogation in any way.”
„My lord, it is against the procedures of the Corporate Sector Authority.”
„Director, I hope that I will not be forced to remind you that the Corporate Sector Authority exists for so long, just because the Empire tolerated this off-spring of the degenerated Old Republic once again. If I do, the personal consequences shall be deeply profound.”
„Very well, then. My lord, please consider it as a sign of good will from the Corporate Sector Authority towards the Empire. I hope that our cooperation may be continued with benefits for both parties.”
„I am sure of that, director. Please, leave the room now. I need to talk with the prisoner.”
„As you wish, my lord.”
The director and two guards left the room, allowing Xantros to speak with Alec Darborne freely. Almost. The Krath Archpriest activated a personal jamming device, which was hidden in his robe. It rendered all electronic recording devices in the room useless, as it created a static field in range of ten meters.
„Now, we can speak freely, Alec Darborne,” said the Krath Archpriest.
„Who are you? What do you want from me? Why do you want to interrogate me? I know nothing!”
asked the human.
„I am not here to interrogate you. It has been nothing more than a cover, which has been aimed to allow me to talk to you,” replied the Duro.
„What do you want from me?”
„My superiors have sent me to rescue you from the prison and convince you to join our ranks. I am Xantros and I come from the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. We are aware that you display a talent, which allows you to use the Force. You are strong enough to join our ranks.”
„What?”
„Exactly what you heard. It is within my power to take you out of this prison and help you start a new life. A life, in which you shall be strong enough to fight your enemies far more effectively than so far.”
„And you say that you come from…?”
„The Dark Jedi Brotherhood. We are a group of the followers of the Dark Side. We may make you
strong. Far stronger than you are now.”
„Everything has its price. I cannot believe that you would do all you have done just to save me and offer me power.”
„Of course, as a member of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, you would need to serve the Grand Master and carry out missions for the Brotherhood. However, it would allow you to gain the power, which is beyond your imagination.”
„I have quite an imagination.”
„I am aware of that. I am here to help you. Still, you have a choice. You can go with me and join the ranks of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, leaving the past, in order to avoid pursuit. You can also die here, as I cannot allow you to reveal my true identity to the officers of the Corporate Sector Authority.”
„It is not a real choice.”
„If I did not come here, you would have just one scenario ahead of you – spending the rest of your life in the prison. Now, you may choose freedom or death. Either way, you gain something, no matter, if you accept or refuse my offer.”
„Well, I prefer my freedom rather than my cell. I believe that your offer is quite tempting and I am inclined to agree, if only you manage to get me out of here.”
„Do not worry about it.”
They discussed the details of the plan for few more minutes. It was necessary not only in order to make sure that the plan would be carried out smoothly, but also to make the director of the prison believe that the Dark Jedi had enough time to really interrogate the prisoner. Finally, Xantros deactivated the jamming device and called the director of the prison.
„I need to take this prisoner with me, in order to continue his interrogation with more effective tools,” spoke the Duro, when Maach Assarin and the guards entered the room.
„You have violated the laws of the Corporate Sector by using the jamming device!” shouted the
director of the prison.
„Director, I am fed up with you running here and there and screaming. I have asked you not to record this interrogation upon the Imperial law, which is superior to any other law. You have agreed to comply with me request. However, I have decided to protect the best interests of the Empire from your greedy eyes, just in case, if you acted in the contrary to your promise. Now, it turns out that I have been correct in judging you,
Director,” replied Xantros with cold voice. If it could touch, it would definitely freeze the human.
„You cannot take the prisoner. He has violated the laws of the Corporate Sector and he has been sentenced in accordance to our laws. The sentence does not allow to transfer the prisoner outside the borders of the Corporate Sector.”
„What do you care? One prisoner less means one problem less. As you probably know, the Corporate Sector Authority has approved any action, which I may take up at the Stars’ End prison. It means that I actually can transfer the prisoner outside the borders of the Corporate Sector. I think that you do not want your superiors interfere, as it may turn out that you will no longer be the director.”
„I have read the document. It seems that I have no choice, but I still believe that it violates the legal procedures of the Corporate Sector Authority.”
„Now, you speak as a good officer of the Corporate Sector. I am sure that your superiors will properly reward your hard work and dedication, as well as your knowledge about the legal procedures of the Corporate Sector. However, I need to take the prisoner as soon as it is possible. My superiors expect me to bring the suspect to Bastion, where we may continue the interrogation. Any delays will cause unpleasant consequences.”
„Alright. Guards, unchain the prisoner and escort the Inquisitor and the prisoner to the freighter of our guest. Make sure that nothing wrong happens.”
The Krath Archpriest and the human, assisted by two guards left the office of the director and reached the ground floor with the elevator. They moved towards the ship, which was utilized by Xantros during the mission. The Duro and the human went aboard the freighter, still carefully observed by the troopers. However, no one stopped them from leaving the planetary surface.
As the ship entered the hyperspace, Alec Darborne spoke, „It was very easy.”
„Far too easy,” replied Xantros. „We need to check everything, before we can return to the territories of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. This jump is going to be relatively short. Then, we shall go somewhere else.”
„Are you always so pesimistic and suspicious?” asked former prisoner of the Stars’ End.
„I am not pesimistic. Maybe a little bit suspicious. This helps me survive and grow in power,” replied Xantros.
Few days later, Nar Shadda
As soon as the freighter dropped out of the hyperspace, the Krath Archpriest entered new coordinates to the navcomp. The travel took them two days, before they reached Nal Shadda. It was a shady place, but the Dark Jedi had few resourceful contacts there. One of them was an owner of a service station, which specialized in illegal improvements of ships and owed Xantros a favour. The Duro asked his associate to examine the ship and check, if there was any tracking device attached to the ship.
Xantros’ feelings turned out to be true. The director of the Stars’ End prison made his engineers to attach a tracking device on the outer layer of the ship’s hull. It was small and relatively easy to find, but the Krath Archpriest was aware that he would not be able to remove it on his own. Also there were no necessary tools aboard the freighter, so it would be impossible to remove the device anyway, so he needed the help of properly equipped service station. Fortunately, still had few contacts here and there, so he could get rid of it without paying anything for the service. It was definitely good to have few friends in the Galaxy.
It took couple of hours to remove the tracking device, but it was worth the efforts. The Duro could finally complete his mission and bring Alec Darborn to Lyspair. Xantros just hoped that he would get some more missions like that one, as it was possible to achieving their goals in a subtle way, which the Archpriest preferred. He could show his intelligence, wisdom and abilities in manipulative actions, instead of wasting his energy on brutal attacks. He could complete such missions avoiding violence and killing other beings, what might help him regain the inner balance, which he was looking for in recent months.
