Bonadan

Section - Room 101


"...sir?..what do you make of this?..."

Kaneda turned around to face the data-analyst who had beckoned for his attention, nodding slightly the Operative walked over to the man's console. He had only just got back from the spaceport...

"...what is it?.."

"..we just had someone try to access restricted files..."

"...who?.."

"...well, it could be someone using his access codes, but according to this log....Ambassador Antilles...."

Kaneda shook his head dismissively....

"...I am sure he deals with many restricted files all of the time, I don't see the concern, he's a highly respected Diplomat, I do not believe his loyalty is in question..."

He was about to walk away when his curiousity prompted him to stop...

"..what files did he try to access?..."

In response , the aide's fingers raced over the keypad...until he stopped abruptly with a look of confusion beginning to spread across his face...

"...thats weird..."

"..what?..." (asked Kaneda impatiently)...

"...I can't access them..."

Kaneda gave the aide a puzzled look before switching his gaze back to the computer screen..

"...what do you mean you can't access it?...we should have access to everything, you must be doing something wrong..."

Brushing aside the analyst, Kaneda literally took over the console, and tried himself...and over the next hour nothing anyone could do could give them access to the files, they were well and truly encrypted....

Rising from his chair, Kaneda's annoyance was plainly evident...

....restricted from Section!?...

Another voice bought him from his thoughts, his assistant...

"...ah..yes , Ambassador Antilles has just booked time off, leaving today..."

Kaneda narrowed his eyes towards the woman as he responded

"...where to?.."

"...Orron III......something important?......" She returned with a wry smile upon her face...

"...is that relevant?..." The analyst retorted

Considering this for a moment,Kaneda turned to face the analyst...

"...civilian traffic remains heavily restricted at Orron III, its certainly no resort....so unless our good friend the Ambassador has developed an interest in agriculture...there is really only one reason I can think of for his unexpected visit..."

As the two aides looked at each other Kaneda collected up his cane and coat, until the analyst spoke, giving words to both Kaneda's and their train of thought...

"...the data-centre.."

Straightening his coat's collar, Kaneda nodded as he replied..

"...I think its time I payed the Ambassador a visit..."

Picking up a data-pad with the Ambassador's flight schedule and details , he made his way out of the Section nerve-center.
It was obvious the Ambassador's curiousity had been gotten the better of him, and Kaneda had to admit...

....it had gotten the better of him too....

When Aron got to his office, he gave his secretary the usual schpeal.

"Give all my calls the option of leaving a message with you or contacting another of the associate ambassadors. Hang up immediately on any communi-marketers. And don't make any donations to the "Fraternal Order of Police."

The secretary nodded with each admonition, with a look on her face that clearly said "Haven't I been through this enough to know how it works?"

"Is there anything else, Miss Rivers? Anything I forgot?"

The woman thought. Then, her face lit up and she ran to her desk.

"A message arrived just before you did. You are instructed to proceed to the scheduled takeoff point, but not to take off until you are joined by someone who will address you as
'Aron Prestorovich.'"

Aron was puzzled. No one knew his birth father's name was Prestor, other than himself and his Uncle Wedge....and a few others who hadn't lived to tell the tale....so what the devil if a few people knew his father's name. No one had addressed him as Aron Prestorovich since he was very young, notwithstanding that his Antilles grandparents disapproved of it greatly. Besides which, no one had used the tradition of addressing people as "son of blank" or "daughter of blank" since before the Civil War, period, especially not in the ancient language of the Russos, which grew slightly in popularity prior to the Civil War before being outlawed by the Empire as sounding 'alien'. Aron had noticed it with Hutchell, the shady Amcron diplomat, but he had been born long before the War. However, Aron was content with the fact that few enough people could possibly know his father's name to the point where whoever addressed him as such could not be a phony. This sounded important.

"Thank you, Miss Rivers. I'll see you when I get back."

"...Mr Richi...indeed ,it has been a long time....I wondered what had happened to you.."

He had not changed, same face, same hair. Even a similar suit. And the cigarra, Vinda had always been one for cigarra’s.

“I never wondered how you were doing. I worked for you, up until a few months ago.”

Vinda nodded, and continued to look at you. He seemed to still be in a slight bit of shock, it had been many years.

“After Amcron went under, I changed my name, had a few surgeries to remove identifying marks, and proceeded to go underground. Seven years ago I got married, had a few kids, and began working for Vinda Corp as a general shipping manager for Brentaal-Bonaden shipping. Seven months ago I was convicted of murdering my wife, spreading her all over my house, and throwing my children into a waste processing plant.”

Bluntness had always been a dominant factor in your personality, why change that fact now?

“Someone has it in for me good Vinda. I was framed, and by someone who knew his way around. Sitting in the cooler, waiting for the execution hour, I realized that the only survivors of Amcron would be you, me, and Rundenbaucher. I’m sure you know this, the corp’s Intel is known to be rather good… I was not origionaly sentenced for execution. I received a life without parole, hard labor.”


You paused, to allow him to speak. Through the forcefield you could see the furrows in his brow, signs of thinking. Standing you walked over to the forcefield, and looked at the man.

Bonadan

Landing bay two



"...Aron Prestorovich?..Its a pleasure to finally meet you "

As the Ambassador looked up to see who had spoken , Kaneda bowed his head out of respect whilst not moving from the spot where he stood, his hands firmly planted on top of his walking cane...

Waiting patiently outside the Ambassador's shuttle, the Section operative was dressed in his usual attire , a black suit. His hair was tied back into quite a grand looking ponytail, and he spoke with a distinctive but exotic-sounding accent...

"...would you mind if I accompanied you on your Journey Ambassador?..."

Aron almost started.

"Well, ah....sure, why not, if you're VC. I hope you won't think me rude...but who the devil are you?"

Smiling at the diplomat's response, Kaneda nodded as he replied..

"...oh I'm VC alright..."

The Operative stood aside, gesturing for Aron to lead the way into the shuttle...

"...I represent those whose mandate is to protect VC's assets and territories, and, of course, its people..."

Noticing the slight frown beginning to appear across the Ambassador's face, Kaneda continued...

"...does the name Amcron mean anything to you?..."

"Does the name Amcron mean anything to you?"

He knew. But how? It was tempting to lie. But this man seemed to see right through Aron. There seemed to be no point in lying.

"The first treaty ever entered into the V-TAN system was a charter for the CSA with an Amcron Corporation."

No use in telling Soom how this information was leading to a trip to Orron III. But, knowing that he'd probably have an annoyingly close watch, Aron divulged the rest, quietly.

"When I tried to access information on the diplomat who negotiated the treaty from Amcron's point of view, the file 'deleted itself.' I'm going to Orron III to figure out more."

Vinda's face seemed to drain at the revelations George Richi had revealed...the CEO's voice was drenched with concern...

"...George....I am so sorry...you have my deepest sympathies..."

Vinda's eyes fell upon the man in front of him, the light seemed to shoot diamonds from his eyes.

Was everything that George had just said true?...

why had he concealed his identity?....

With his mind already racing with many questions, Vinda exhaled deeply as he Rubbed his temple with his left hand ... To say this had come as simply a shock , was an understatement of the year...

His thoughts fell to George's family.... he had met them , once many years ago....

As he remembered their faces , Vinda felt a sudden impulse of frustration...

"...in the name of Vader George!, why didn't you ask for my help!?... I could have at the very least got you a decent lawyer..."

Reaching out with the force.... his instincts were confirmed ...George was indeed telling the truth....

Taking a long drag from his cigarra , Vinda gauged the man in front of him....

He looked weary

...but Vinda could also sense a deep burning fire within those eyes of his, maybe that was the one thing that had kept him going...

...hate...

It unnerved him slightly....

Vinda knew he had to do something , but what?... he couldn't just let an innocent man die...

"...let me see what I can do, I shall have a word with the Governor..."

Kaneda listened intently to the diplomat as he revealed his findings...He was, of course, not revealing anything more than what the Section operative already knew. With this thought in mind Kaneda nodded as Aron mentioned Orron III...

"....yes... we had the same problem...and I assumed that was the reason why you were going there...which is why I am here... two heads are better than one...yes?.."

Kaneda smiled faintly...

"..have you been there before?..."

"Indeed. I was taken there by my uncle on a mission, during the Civil War. I was much younger then however, and don't remember it much. I'd be pleased to have you accompany me Mr. Soom."

Aron beckoned toward the boarding ramp.

"Shall we?"