Then...
Ysanne Isard watched the bitz bug, a native beetle of the planet that held her current interest, as it scattered across the dirt surface of the rather large plexiglass contained environment. A habitat (of sorts) the ground was made of a very fine, very flat, reddish dust warmed by heat lamps lining the ceiling of the large container. Longer and wider than a conference table, the habitat boasted “see-thru” clarity on all sides.
Yet, to find the particular beetle she was looking at, one had to look very hard as it scampered towards its goal.
“Do you know what quality makes Imperial Intelligence the best, Ciscero?” she asked as the agent walked in entering data onto a pad. “What sets Intelligence apart from other inferior agencies?”
“I would imagine because they are inferior.” Ciscero started without looking up, “coupled with the fact that we are better.”
Isard smiled. The sight was not a pretty one. “Simplistic answer.” She murmured as her hand ran across the smooth, clear surface. “Imperial Intelligence is represented by this lone creature. Unobtrusive, uncomplicated and yet highly motivated, skilled and possessing of the will to accomplish what it sets out to do.”
Her hand stopped sliding across as she watched the creature stop in front of a large edible piece of something. It’s pincers grabbed onto the piece and it began to pull.
“Our operatives usually work alone. They are taught to cross the distance.. grab the objective and return. It is that ‘loner’ approach that allows for our compartmentalization to actually be effective…. That allows for compromises to our security to have minimal effect. It gives greater flexibility and distributes control to our operatives.”
“Unless they cross you..” Ciscero added, finally looking up and glancing at the habitat. “It also leaves a lot riding on singular individuals.”
Her finger went out and tapped the cage, spotting another small bug scurring along. “That is why you separately assign two to accomplish an objective.” Then she turned, “But that is hardly ever required. In time the less skilled become weeded out and Intelligence is left with only the best.”
“It helps that they are provided with generous rescources. Speaking of which…”
“Yes..yes..” Isard waved her hand, “Your ‘Beyond Salvage’ status will be lifted.”
Her hand went up and opened a small square on the top of the habitat. Her eyes narrowed, “Other agencies use a different approach. At least the Black Hand of late.”
The Director took a large piece of food and dropped it unceremoniously onto the red dirt. Suddenly the area was alive with hundreds of black critters. Those closest to the food took pieces off the whole and carried them a ways until they passed it to another creature, who in turn took it a bit further. Soon the entire food piece was broken down as tiny bugs were scurrying back to whence they came.
“Not exactly subtle” Ciscero agreed. “It’s always easier to hide one than twenty. Still, there is efficiency in numbers.”
“True,” The Director agreed, “But what good is it how fast you can do a thing if your purpose was to do it unobserved in the first place?”
“Point,” Ciscero conceded. The familiar chimes sounded and he turned to his Director. “My shuttle has arrived.”
“Success, Ciscero”
“Good hunting, Director.”
Now…
The fleet had been in the system for several days watching… observing the patterns..
..as with the “bitz bugs” of the planet scurried along with their tiny bits of information and data. So serenely the planet looked, a former Imperial world once visited by two of her agents.
Ciscero himself had been there during the first conquest integrating himself into a family (replacing a distant relative) whose daughter would eventually be voted the new Queen of Naboo.
Why those idiots choose to vote a 12-year old child to rule over them was beyond even the Director of Intelligence’s grasp.
Still, the Empire had taken advantage of the situation by unleashing the Sith upon the very world their organization had been founded on. They were the plague to drive division between the Naboo people and the Jedi Order whose temple held a prominent place in Theed.
That wedge would have been complete had Intelligence been running the show!, she silently lamented. But the military.. no.. Kaine.. was running it and his priority was Coruscant.
She hated to see opportunities fade.
Still the girl is still Queen. Maybe we can exert some influence after all… assuming Ciscero can stay alive.
She briefly marveled at her audacity to send only one agent to contend with the terrorist threat that presented itself.
She turned her mind back to the planet as the Captain of the vessel walked up. “Director. It is time..”
The gray haired Director of Imperial Intelligence turned to the Captain and nodded slowly. Age had a way of making one more reflective. The longer one held onto power the more the inferior tried to remove you.
Just as her father had tried so many years ago…
Just as the military of the New Order constantly tried..
Just as outside ‘intelligence’ agencies continue to try...
Yes, the many enemies she held did make even one as hot tempered as her more careful.
But sometimes finesse was not enough.
Sometimes a sledge hammer worked just as well..
At present there were fifty Shrouds encircling the planet.. hunters marking their prey for the past few days.
The planet blissfully unaware of the danger from above.
“At my word… nothing enters.. nothing leaves..”
“Your wishes have been relayed..” the Captain, a rogue sort of person to be sure but then that was the way Shroud Command worked.
It was not very often Shrouds hunted in packs and it was not often this many packs hunted in the same area.
A throwback from the late Vice Admiral Drakiss’ vaunted Wolf Pack.
A gap began to form within the closing net of the Shrouds when suddenly the gaps were plugged by incoming Imperial Star Destroyers and some Reigns.
“System wide jamming has commenced…” the Captain said as the scans showed the planet’s scurrying merchants trying to flee…
..and not all of those merchants were what they seemed as their conduct during the past few days showed.
“Destroy them..”
And from their invisible areas, precise weapons fire reduced ships attempting to flee to space dust.
In followed a couple of Attack Spheres, the space around them suddenly being littered with the TIE Devil fighters.
Isard’s smile turned into a sneer of contempt noting that she would not need her reinforcements called in. The Grand Marshall had given her the Muunilist contingent as well as those warships enroute from Imperial Center during the terrorist operation to catch the Ebony Vigilance.
The planet was caught by surprise.
No signals entered or left the system.
“Net enclosure successful. Move several packs to protect rear flanks and scan for hyperspace reversions.”
“Boards show clean all across..”
“Reigns activating gravity well generators..”
“Premature terminus!”
The interdictor fields began to sporadically pull several ships out of hyperspace the packs quickly destroying them.
They had monitored the traffic in and out of the system and knew there would be very minimal interruption.
“They are quivering underneath us.”
Isard’s smile of contempt grew. “They did not expect this strike..”
“Draw up the net, Captain. Let us see what we catch…”
The planet quietly fell to the shadow of the Empire, Imperial Intelligence…
Ysanne Isard watched the bitz bug, a native beetle of the planet that held her current interest, as it scattered across the dirt surface of the rather large plexiglass contained environment. A habitat (of sorts) the ground was made of a very fine, very flat, reddish dust warmed by heat lamps lining the ceiling of the large container. Longer and wider than a conference table, the habitat boasted “see-thru” clarity on all sides.
Yet, to find the particular beetle she was looking at, one had to look very hard as it scampered towards its goal.
“Do you know what quality makes Imperial Intelligence the best, Ciscero?” she asked as the agent walked in entering data onto a pad. “What sets Intelligence apart from other inferior agencies?”
“I would imagine because they are inferior.” Ciscero started without looking up, “coupled with the fact that we are better.”
Isard smiled. The sight was not a pretty one. “Simplistic answer.” She murmured as her hand ran across the smooth, clear surface. “Imperial Intelligence is represented by this lone creature. Unobtrusive, uncomplicated and yet highly motivated, skilled and possessing of the will to accomplish what it sets out to do.”
Her hand stopped sliding across as she watched the creature stop in front of a large edible piece of something. It’s pincers grabbed onto the piece and it began to pull.
“Our operatives usually work alone. They are taught to cross the distance.. grab the objective and return. It is that ‘loner’ approach that allows for our compartmentalization to actually be effective…. That allows for compromises to our security to have minimal effect. It gives greater flexibility and distributes control to our operatives.”
“Unless they cross you..” Ciscero added, finally looking up and glancing at the habitat. “It also leaves a lot riding on singular individuals.”
Her finger went out and tapped the cage, spotting another small bug scurring along. “That is why you separately assign two to accomplish an objective.” Then she turned, “But that is hardly ever required. In time the less skilled become weeded out and Intelligence is left with only the best.”
“It helps that they are provided with generous rescources. Speaking of which…”
“Yes..yes..” Isard waved her hand, “Your ‘Beyond Salvage’ status will be lifted.”
Her hand went up and opened a small square on the top of the habitat. Her eyes narrowed, “Other agencies use a different approach. At least the Black Hand of late.”
The Director took a large piece of food and dropped it unceremoniously onto the red dirt. Suddenly the area was alive with hundreds of black critters. Those closest to the food took pieces off the whole and carried them a ways until they passed it to another creature, who in turn took it a bit further. Soon the entire food piece was broken down as tiny bugs were scurrying back to whence they came.
“Not exactly subtle” Ciscero agreed. “It’s always easier to hide one than twenty. Still, there is efficiency in numbers.”
“True,” The Director agreed, “But what good is it how fast you can do a thing if your purpose was to do it unobserved in the first place?”
“Point,” Ciscero conceded. The familiar chimes sounded and he turned to his Director. “My shuttle has arrived.”
“Success, Ciscero”
“Good hunting, Director.”
Now…
The fleet had been in the system for several days watching… observing the patterns..
..as with the “bitz bugs” of the planet scurried along with their tiny bits of information and data. So serenely the planet looked, a former Imperial world once visited by two of her agents.
Ciscero himself had been there during the first conquest integrating himself into a family (replacing a distant relative) whose daughter would eventually be voted the new Queen of Naboo.
Why those idiots choose to vote a 12-year old child to rule over them was beyond even the Director of Intelligence’s grasp.
Still, the Empire had taken advantage of the situation by unleashing the Sith upon the very world their organization had been founded on. They were the plague to drive division between the Naboo people and the Jedi Order whose temple held a prominent place in Theed.
That wedge would have been complete had Intelligence been running the show!, she silently lamented. But the military.. no.. Kaine.. was running it and his priority was Coruscant.
She hated to see opportunities fade.
Still the girl is still Queen. Maybe we can exert some influence after all… assuming Ciscero can stay alive.
She briefly marveled at her audacity to send only one agent to contend with the terrorist threat that presented itself.
She turned her mind back to the planet as the Captain of the vessel walked up. “Director. It is time..”
The gray haired Director of Imperial Intelligence turned to the Captain and nodded slowly. Age had a way of making one more reflective. The longer one held onto power the more the inferior tried to remove you.
Just as her father had tried so many years ago…
Just as the military of the New Order constantly tried..
Just as outside ‘intelligence’ agencies continue to try...
Yes, the many enemies she held did make even one as hot tempered as her more careful.
But sometimes finesse was not enough.
Sometimes a sledge hammer worked just as well..
At present there were fifty Shrouds encircling the planet.. hunters marking their prey for the past few days.
The planet blissfully unaware of the danger from above.
“At my word… nothing enters.. nothing leaves..”
“Your wishes have been relayed..” the Captain, a rogue sort of person to be sure but then that was the way Shroud Command worked.
It was not very often Shrouds hunted in packs and it was not often this many packs hunted in the same area.
A throwback from the late Vice Admiral Drakiss’ vaunted Wolf Pack.
A gap began to form within the closing net of the Shrouds when suddenly the gaps were plugged by incoming Imperial Star Destroyers and some Reigns.
“System wide jamming has commenced…” the Captain said as the scans showed the planet’s scurrying merchants trying to flee…
..and not all of those merchants were what they seemed as their conduct during the past few days showed.
“Destroy them..”
And from their invisible areas, precise weapons fire reduced ships attempting to flee to space dust.
In followed a couple of Attack Spheres, the space around them suddenly being littered with the TIE Devil fighters.
Isard’s smile turned into a sneer of contempt noting that she would not need her reinforcements called in. The Grand Marshall had given her the Muunilist contingent as well as those warships enroute from Imperial Center during the terrorist operation to catch the Ebony Vigilance.
The planet was caught by surprise.
No signals entered or left the system.
“Net enclosure successful. Move several packs to protect rear flanks and scan for hyperspace reversions.”
“Boards show clean all across..”
“Reigns activating gravity well generators..”
“Premature terminus!”
The interdictor fields began to sporadically pull several ships out of hyperspace the packs quickly destroying them.
They had monitored the traffic in and out of the system and knew there would be very minimal interruption.
“They are quivering underneath us.”
Isard’s smile of contempt grew. “They did not expect this strike..”
“Draw up the net, Captain. Let us see what we catch…”
The planet quietly fell to the shadow of the Empire, Imperial Intelligence…