Bonadan

VC-HQ




As Vinda walked down the gangway of his private shuttle, he issued his orders to those whom he could…

His advisors one by one ran off to perform their new duties, some more confused by the whole affair more than others…

Vinda-Corp’s resources had now become dedicated to one thing, locating the whereabouts of his daughter. Section had been brought in , and as a result sources were now being investigated, on the last known whereabouts of all involved…

The Corporate man felt it wasn’t enough, and he had spent countless hours going through possible suspects , possible leads, trying to figure out who was behind this.

All the while, he knew she was out there on her own…

The past twenty four hours had taken their toll on him, and Vinda knew it showed…

Life, however did not stand still, and there was a Commonwealth to run.

This aside, Vinda was looking forward to seeing Leantre again…there was something comforting about it…

Much had happened since they had last met.

The abrupt nature of the sudden burst of activity must not have gone unnoticed by the Caprician visitors.

Should he inform them of the situation?

…what could they do? (The Vinda-Corp figurehead reasoned to himself)

Shelving these thoughts for a moment, Vinda even found himself smiling as he saw the old friend waiting…

…and as the two men shook hands in greeting, Vinda offered Leantre a Cigarra whilst he talked…

Sighing in relief as he sat down…

“Its good to see you on Bonadan Leantre , things have been-- (there was a distinct pause as if the Vinda-Corp figurehead struggled to find the appropriate words) -- busy somewhat…”

(This drew a frown from the Caprician visitor…)

“…you’ll be pleased to hear that Ession has decided to join the Commonwealth…” Vinda's words seemed to trail off as if he was leading somewhere, leaving the old man hanging expectantly...

Taking a long drag on his cigarra Vinda seemed to visibly reach a decision and in doing so held out a datapad for his Caprician comrade to view…

As Leantre perused its contents, Vinda stood up and turned away to look out through the massive windows overlooking the city before him...

“…this is something I have been working on, something which I feel is necessary if the Commonwealth is to prosper, and fufill its potential…” He said eventually.

Turning back to face Leantre Vinda watched thoughtfully as the Caprician elder studied the pad, the familiar frown of concentration etching its way slowly across his face as its contents began to sink in…

“…This is a draft proposal for two things, number one; The proposal for a new constitution, and as a result, the framework for Vinda-Corp to step down from its role as manager and Governor of the Commonwealth. In effect, ceasing ‘ownership’, as it were…”

Vinda’s eyes fixed Leantre with a determined gaze…

“Its time for the Commonwealth to come of age Leantre, and it is not for Vinda-Corp to do this, but for those whom the Commonwealth represents…its time for them to have their say in shaping its direction, its long overdue, especially for those in this sector”

Pausing to take a drag upon his cigarra , Vinda knew he was coming at Leantre with all guns blazing…and the Caprician seemed to be in a mild state of shock…

Vinda smiled…


“…your thoughts?…”

Unknown Location.




”Time to go”

Natalya turned to face her captor again as she heard him enter the room once more, but before she could respond. A loud noise pierced the hum of the hold, accompanied by a sting in her abdomen…
She gasped and looked down at it in reaction and staggered to lean against the bars of her cell in support, throwing her assailant an accusing stare…

Her head became light, causing her world to spin, and Natalya felt her legs begin to buckle underneath her, and she fought against it, she fought against it with all her heart.
Gritting her teeth in determination, her eyes , though heavy, did not break contact with those of the man who had just shot her.

(much to his bemusement)…

“…I like a girl with fight in her…” She heard him say, at least she thought she did, before giving in to the tide of weariness that had begun to wash all over her body…

Lux Deed’s smug comment was the last thing Natalya clearly remembered hearing before falling to her knees and embracing the darkness which had started to engulf her.
Her last vivid image was of the smiling face of her captor , which in turn melted away into her dreams.


…or was it her nightmare?…









In her lucid state she felt herself being held by strong arms, and the unmistakable sensation of movement…

The thunk of metal, and footsteps seemed to echo all around her.

Now and then her eyes cracked open , perhaps purely by sheer force of will alone, only to catch barely imperceptible images from her blurred and drugged induced state.

The strip lights attached to a ceiling, darkened corridors, and dimly lit faces…

All adding to the strange , surreal nightmare she found herself unwittingly drifting through, under the suffocating shroud of an underlying menace she instinctively felt in the pit of her stomach.

As if something or someone were tightly gripping it with their bare hands…

Time itself had ceased to be relevant, or even felt… now and from this point hereafter Natalya would never know how long she fell under the tranquillisers effects.

The only thing she would remember was the hoarse, and sinister laugh which seemed to bring her out of her drug induced reverie…


…and the voice which referred to her by name…


“…So this is her? ...

...Look at me Natalya Vinda …”


As Natalya groggily forced her eyes open, they suddenly widened in horror at the sobering sight before her…

Leantre Vio looked at his counterpart with a mixture of wariness and curiosity. Scipio's report on the man when she served as liason between Caprician and Bonadan (and still was, come to think of it!) had indicated that the man worked on mulitple levels simultaneously.


He took a look at what Vinda was handing him and his voice expressed a concern that he would be remiss in not pointing out, "For over the past year Vinda Corp has been the defacto government of the Corporate Sector. Your corporation has, by necessity, needed to expand into overseeing the many world's within the CS sphere, namely, resource and asset distribution for a citizen's simple right to life."

His finger tapped the datapad, "What you are proposing is to have these elements of Vinda Corp nationalized into the Commonwealth. Remember, not all of the Corporate Sector planets had their own planetary governments. In fact, they owed their fealty to the Corporate Sector Authority which you replaced. So, either these worlds will become Commonwealth-run directly or we will need to teach them how to be self sufficient and run themselves well within the Commonwealth structure."

He paused and grinned a sheepish smile. "I must apologize for taking on the role of 'teacher'. It is habitual for men of my age to expound on issues that need no such focus."

His expression did change to one of concern. "Your company will take a 'hit' (as it were) in both size, income revenue and capital worth. The resourced held in your coffers would be going to planetary leaderships or to the Commonwealth. I admire your sacrificial gesture but I must ask if this is a route you truly wish to go?"


Seth Vinda, while on the surface seemed to calm, his mannerisms were simply too business-like... no! too expedient!

There was something afoot here and Leantre's mind puzzled over what was left unsaid.

Unknown Location



look at me Natalya Vinda


Turga the Hutt leaned forward to take a closer look at his newly aquired trophy, she was...pleasing to the eye…

He smiled broadly, (not a pretty sight), and ran his tongue across his lips in delight.

"...wake up my precious..."

Natalya seemed to physically jump as she took in the Hutt standing before her, (a rude awakening indeed!) Glancing down towards her cuffed hands she threw him an angry glare.

Clearly uncomfortable, she shifted her weight from side to side, as she rose , still giddy from the tranquiliser she had been shot with. As if remembering this, Natalya rubbed her stomach which still ached from the blow it had received, and looked about her.

She was in what looked to be chamber of some description, carved out of some kind of rock or stone, the air was humid and a strong pungent smell attacked her senses…

There was no clear indication of her whereabouts, or any immediate means of escape and so she stood straight and glowered sullenly at her captor, fuming.

"...why am I here?...who are you?" Natalya shouted angrily at her captor, and attempted to groggily walk forward, and in doing so suddenly found herself held back by something around her neck, she almost choked , and lifted her hands to her neck in reaction.

She had been chained to the wall by a slave ring around her neck, and had been so focused on the giant slug in front of her she hadn’t realized, until she tried to move forward of course.

Natalya cursed angrily and, after feeling the metal ring around her neck , resigned herself to the fact she was stuck, for the time being at least.

Turga roared with laughter, a loud belly laugh which rippled across his entire body.

The Hutt , clearly amused, could not contain his glee…

"...my name is Turga my dear..." Turga couldn't resist performing a strange bow for his new pet, (at least the best one could do if one were a giant slug)…

Natalya grimaced in reaction...He spoke basic extremely well, she noted, albeit with a heavy accent, this was not a reknown trait for Hutts.

...a sign of being around humans a long time perhaps... (she reasoned to herself quietly)...

"...I don't know you..." She followed up quickly, and Turga simply grinned in response, enjoying the frustration which was so clearly painted upon her face.

"...ah but , I know you, Natalya, I know you..."

He had waited a long time for this moment, a long time indeed, and he was going to relish every second of it.

Shuffling over to a raised platform, Turga slovenly stretched out across it, his eyes not moving from his captive.

"...I expect you are wondering how I knew about you?..." he said leering at her with obvious delight...

"...I had been waiting for a moment like this for a very long time, and just imagine my sheer surprise and delight, when you fell into my lap..."

Natalya remained silent, and simply glared at the fat loathsome creature.

"...the silent treatment I see?..." The Hutt raised an eyebrow, and then smiled smugly to himself...

"...no matter, there is no need for you to say anything, but realise this, if you make my life difficult, your life can, and will get very hard...that I can promise you" The threat was not merely for show, and his huge rolling eyes gazed at her as if to reinforce his point.

The Hutt smiled...

The girl seemed to think about this for a moment, before finally replying...

"... what do you want with me?..." Asking her question again, this time with a touch more wariness...

The Hutt raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in reaction to her question...

"...you're direct, I like that..."

Turga , tilted his head more as he observed her once more...

"..something you get from your father no doubt..." the Hutt said, then quickly followed up "...I wonder what else you have inherited..." ominously, as his eyes looked her over.

"...I wouldn't know" She snapped back.

“Really?…” Turga smiled and reached behind him for something, it was her lightsaber…he waved in front of her as he spoke…

“…it seems to me like you have inherited more than you care to share…”

“Is that what this is about?..”she continued, the anger still tangible within her voice, by now she’d already figured out that this really wasn’t a great deal to do with her…

"..Your father will pay a great deal of money to get you back..." Turga responded, almost flippantly…

…so this is what this about!…money!…

Natalya tried her best to not show her anger, but it had started to bubble fiercely within her…

“…my father doesn’t know I exist…” Natalya snapped , ( and as far as she knew, this was indeed true…)

Turga smiled smugly, he couldn't help himself…

“…on the contary ,he knows all about you, in fact he has the entire Corporate sector looking for you now…but just to make sure, rest assured we have taken the appropriate course of action”

Natalya fell silent, as she looked at the Hutt, her eyes scanning the creature’s gaze for any sign of deception, but something deep inside her, told her this to be true.

She remained silent as she considered the consequences of this, and Turga leaned forward as he noted it.

“…don’t get your hopes up too high , no-ones going to come looking for you here I promise you that!…” He said, fully self assured in this belief.

Before Natalya could answer, another joined them in the doorway of the large chamber

She recognized him instantly…

Deed!

Lux entered as the huge slug gestured for him to do so, and after seeing Natalya , smiled…

Her eyes held nothing for him but bitter contempt…

This did not go unnoticed…

“..I think she hates me..” Came Lux’s response, it was directed at Turga but he hadn’t taken his eyes of off her.

The Hutt laughed in response…

“..I don’t blame her…” He retorted in amusement, as he retrieved a large case, the kind usually used by high-flying executives, it matched Deed’s suited attire…

Lux checked it , and turned to face him…

“…The money?..”

“…one and a half million , for the girl as agreed..” Turga said as he handed the man a datapad with the relevant details…

“…and the rest?..” Replied Lux, as he checked the pad’s contents…

“…the rest shall be attributed to your account on completion…”

Lux shook his head…

“..no way, up front, or not at all…”

The Hutt feigned surprise…

“..twenty million crystalline vertex! Up front!? …I don’t think so…”

“ that was what we arranged” Lux said resolutely…

“..half now, half upon completion…” Said the Hutt clearly pushing the man’s patience…

Natalya remained silent, observing the display as the two argued, with both trepidation, and disgust. She had been gripped by a powerful feeling of foreboding , her vital told her there was more here than met the eye.

The two had seemed to come to an arrangement, and as they finished what business they had left, Lux turned to leave, but stopped , and turned towards Natalya…

“…no hard feelings eh?..” The man said with a grin, then as he glanced back at Turga, he laughed, then as he took one final lingering look towards Natalya , he took his leave.


His eyes were cold, and there was something held inside that gaze which unnerved her...

She felt a shiver run down her spine.

Vinda turned her attention to Turga , who had begun to eat some kind of squid like creature with relish, and he grinned as he licked his lips…

“…are you going to kill me?..” She said eventually, and Turga smirked…

“…that remains to be seen, but for now, I have a use for you…” Came his ominous reply…


…and Natalya felt her anger rise…

[font=Arial][/font]

[font=Arial][/font]
[font=Arial][/font]
[font=Arial][/font]
[font=Arial]"And has the experimenting continued?" asked the aging man who others simply knew as the Visician.[/font]

[font=Arial]"Yes, it has but it's been moved off of Bonadan onto the new Commonwealth facility of Tradepoint." returned an equally old woman who's garments identified her as a Caprician heiress.[/font]

[font=Arial]"Ahh... the mysterious Tradepoint," the Visician commented. "Strange that the galaxy has not lost it's touch with regards to secret organizations or locations."[/font]

[font=Arial]An attendant came in and refilled their drinks whispering something in the Visician's ear causing his eyes to glance around at his small group of associates.[/font]

[font=Arial]"He's here."[/font]

[font=Arial][/font]

[font=Arial]And the group turned as a man younger than those meeting with the Visician was led in before them.[/font]

[font=Arial]
He had a weary demeanor and looked in rather poor form, his faded black and gray uniform hanging loosely on his body.

The man had been near death, his discovery pure luck but luck the Noble House took advantage of.[/font]
[font=Arial]

It was time to lay everything on the line. It was necessary with initiates, especially since they would need to know the larger picture in order to pull away from their former lives, former memories and former pains.

The man before the Visician was truly a famous figure. A leader of men and a leader in the war with the Invaders.

Part of the old Molinjar's great Clans and the pioneer in bringing Capricia out of it's self imposed shell through the Exodus.

A man who lost his wife and children to the Invader's first invasion and lost his soul to the second invasion.

The man was defeated in body and spirit and would have welcomed the death he'd been denied.


Luck.


Or was it something more?


The Clan structures of the past thousand years were truly a marvel of evolution beset by necessity. During Molinjar's reign, they simply stood for the Great families who sided with Nas Visician.

And after Molinjar, the great Clannus Prime arose. The "First among Clans". A man and a position that revolutionized the Clans into governmental and civil sections caring for a particular need and/or function. To be of a Clan was not to be a member of the old family house but to be a member of the government function that the Scipio name now represented. For example, Scipio clan. During the days of Molinjar and a few decades after, a member of Scipio Clan would be a member of the Scipio Family House. But when the century mark after Molinjar's death came around up until the Second Invasion, a member of Scipio Clan (holding a function of State) would be a member of Capricia's Ministry of State (and not necessarily the family house).

Still, in most of the Clans, the old Family Houses kept the leadership of the governmental functions named after their clans.

A most confusing situation and one of the advantages of the new Commonwealth. It wiped the old complicated alliances and ties away in favor of something more simple and yet more enlightened.


But even the Clans only held a history of a thousand years and a faulty history at that. What Molinjar failed to realize when he sparked the revolution against the Noble House, that the systematic destruction of the Noble House



The man's mind was as sharp as ever. "Who are you?" he asked in that same tired voice.


The Visician smiled slightly at the bluntness and the old woman barked out a laugh next to him. "Not at all a care to his own disposition. A true leader sounds to me like."

A rather fat man dressed in fine clothes chuckled as well. "Seeks information. A strategist perhaps?"

The younger man's eyes flashed with an anger at their light tones and the Visician stood walking over.

"Have a seat, friend." he gestured to their table and the emtpy chair before them that the man failed to take notice of.

The younger man seemed to consider refusing but exhaustion won out and he walked over to the plush seat and sat down before an wide variety of foods.

"If you are hungry, eat. Your body was a long time healing.."

The man's stomach betrayed his ravenous nature and he began to break off a nearby portion of bread and began to shovel food into his mouth as if it would be his last meal.

"Bacta.." he managed between bites, "..would have gone much quicker."

"Bacta.." the old woman scoffed.

"Bacta, while it has it's uses, is not the best." the Visician answered as diplomatically as he could.

"But it takes longer?" the younger man pointed out while chewing his food.

The Visician smiled cryptically. "It's not the speed of the recovery but the quality of the healing that should be of paramount importance, young man."

The hungry man seemed to stop his eating to consider that for a second and nodded as if conceding a point.


His gaze fell on the Visician. "You are the Noble House aren't you." It was not exactly a question.

The Visician's smile widened. "Yes."






[/font]

Bonadan...



The Commonwealth Star Destroyer Ressario limped into spacedock despite ripped hull plating, trailing debris and occassional fires flaring up due to exposed plasma conduits.

All in all, the operation had been a resounding success as news of the planet Elom joining the new Commonwealth traveled ahead of the crippled warship that had aided in the return of important Commonwealth transports and not a few refuges from the enigmatic Observer Order.

Scipio Arien was tired as the past few weeks had begun to take their toll as she ordered the stations secure.

"Moorings locked, Ma'am."

"Evacuation of the ship underway."

Scipio nodded and gave the order, "shut down our power plants. Let's give the old girl a rest shall we?"


And the vibration of the engines seemed to die down as soon as the words left her lips. She said a quick prayer to the dead Clannus Primes for watching over them during the recent crisis.

Bhindi Drayson was not someone she wanted to tangle with again but she knew she had a lot of learning to do before she could even walk onto the same field of battle as the young Imperial.

Perhaps that is what rankled the most. That the Drayson girl was younger than the Caprician of Scipio Clan and it was not a thought that sat well with her.

"Power generators disengaged, Ma'am."

Scipio smiled in appreciation and stood up. "Good work, gentlemen. You performed admirably and above and beyond the call of duty. The Commonwealth is forever in your debt."

There was a solemn silence for those that didn't make it back with them.

"Crewmen, dismissed. Let's leave her for the repair assesment team." she said softly, the crew beginning to file out.

As she departed with them she overheard talks of what they would do with the leave granted as the Ressario underwent a repair evaluation. Some would look up a girlfriend they'd met or known or corresponded with via holonet. Some would go looking for cigarras, Bonadan being one of the famous galactic centers that imported only the best cigarras this side of the Rishi Maze. Still, others would look to take in large quantities of liquor putting Bonadan's security agencies on alert for mischief.

And she? First, she would have to see to the letter writing to the families of those that did not make it.

And then?


A nice hot shower felt like just the thing to scrub off any memory of Imperials, quarreling Elomim and Elom peoples and their desperate retreat back to Commonwealth space.

A nice hot shower with jets!


Or even a Devian Mud Bath! She had been reading up on such a thing before reaching Elom for the diplomatic mission.


Her mind drifted with possibilities.

Bonadan




The familiar glow of the planet through the shuttle's port-holes windows and the dark silouhettes of the traffic rushing through it, gave some comfort back to the Section agent.

The traffic this time of year was always heavy, all part of the build up of Bonadan's biggest event in its sporting calender; The Annual Bonadan Swoop racing Championship, or 'The big swoop' as its fans affectionately referred to it as. It had grown to become the single biggest, and most prodigious sporting, (and gambling) event in the entire sector.

This year the turnout had already exceeded record levels, and as a result the traffic buildup had already begun, and all kinds of visitors were hastily finding their way upon Bonadan, denizens from far and wide all in anticipation for the up and coming event.

As a result, now and for the next three days, was peaktime rush-hour...

It did not, however, stop the rush of thoughts running through Kaneda's head , and they seemed to flash by as fast as the traffic he was watching outside.

Bonadan had become his adopted home, here he had found a new family, one which he would not, could not, betray.

It had taken a long time to settle in, and in no small part it had been down to Vinda himself, it was he who had seen the potential in Kaneda, and it was he who had given him employment...set him straight.

Curbed his wilder impulses, his excesses...

Kaneda stopped himself from going down that particular trip down memory lane, and he looked back at the two agents sitting opposite him in silence...

Needless to say the charge of treason thrown at him from the men did indeed distress him in no small manner, but he would not under any circumstances let it show.

Kaneda knew Vinda very well, and had advised him on countless situations, and he also knew this was probably more from an angry reaction than anything more substantial, but nevertheless it was not something to take lightly.

He also knew how it looked, and thusly, couldn't blame the businessman for his reaction, after all, would he have done any different?...

His thoughts drifted to the girl he had only known for a few hours...

it was clear something had happened to her, but the two Section agents were tight-lipped, and this bothered him, Kaneda wasn't used to being kept out of the loop, far from it, it was usually his job, in fact.

Most of all he just hoped she was safe...



A shudder from the shuttles engines brought the Section agent from his thoughts , and as he looked outside again the huge towering monolithic headquarters of the biggest Corporate entity on the face of the galaxy came into view...

Before it had always seemed like home, but now on this side of the fence...

It looked , intimidating , and ominous...

Kaneda felt a slight hint of what countless competitors, before and since must have felt...


Trepidation.

Bonadan






"I must apologize for taking on the role of 'teacher'. It is habitual for men of my age to expound on issues that need no such focus."

Vinda smiled at the Caprician's words and nodded in agreement...

"yes I tend to do the same, I don't know how Achinta puts up with me..." He said self depreciatingly..

The Corporate leader paused for a moment to take another drag on his cigarra as he further considered Leantre's words.

"...as for Vinda-Corp taking a 'hit', yes I understand the consequences, I have considered this and there are no two ways about it...but we are big enough to weather the initial disturbance, this I am more than confident about. We have done before and will do so again..."

He took another toke on his cigarra, now barely a stubb, and as he expelled the smoke surrounded him in a kind of blue haze...

"...but also do not forget , whilst we shall be giving up various means of gaining capital as we do now , we shall also be giving up those governmental responsibilties that lay a heavy burden on our income as it is..without these, Vinda-Corp can streamline and dedicate itself to its more entrepreneurial enterprises, rather than having to deal with the distractions of government...it'll balance itself out in the long run, we have more than enough, I have seen to that"

Satisfied with his own answer Vinda looked up at Leantre...

"..as for it being something I wish to do, it has been something I have been working toward now for quite sometime..."

Stubbing out the remainder of his cigarra Vinda seemed to change gear, and he took a moment as if considering some complicated equation.

"...do you have any children Leantre?..." He asked quietly, his unusual and direct question had obviously surprised the Caprician, and before he could answer it immediately, the comms interrupted them both..

Vinda's eyes narrowed in reaction as he heard his secretary speak...

"...sorry to interrupt your meeting Mr Vinda, but , Section has arrived with Mr Soom...shall I send them in?...

"No, I want to see Kaneda alone..."

Vinda looked over to Leantre, as he had already started to make as if to leave...

"Please Leantre, stay, this concerns you as well..." He said ominously, and with that turned his attention to the man who had just entered the room...

Vinda's mood had darkened quite suddenly as he saw Kaneda approach and bow in greeting. He didn't move his eyes away from the section agent and a heavy veil of silence seemed to fall upon the room quite suddenly...

"...well?" Snapped Vinda impatiently towards the man standing before him...


"..where is my daughter?...."

*


"If you want to know the truth of a matter, Leantre, look a man in the face and ask your question. His intent will be plain enough if you are perceptive enough."


It was an old admonition given to him at a very young age by his grandfather, a man dead nearly three quarters of a century past.

It was an admonition that had stood the test of time and served the hereditary leader of Clan Leantre and now leader of Capricia throughout his lifetime.

It was an admonition he employed now with Mr. Vinda.


And as he listened to the man's words, he knew that this move was not only one Mr. Vinda thought about but one he looked forward too.

Leantre felt a slight stirring of envy as his mind reflected on the joys of simplifying one's life, which was what Vinda's move pretty much amounted too.

Vinda's direct question regarding children caught the older man by surprise. Mr. Vinda was obviously preoccupied with something but Leantre had no clue as to the cause until that moment.


I thought Mr. Vinda had no children. Scipio's report surely did not indicate....

As his thoughts were suddenly forced back in time considering the question of his own progeny when a comm signaled drawing an irritated glance from the CEO.


He was not used to being interrupted or perhaps he knew he had an uncomfortable task at hand.

"...sorry to interrupt your meeting Mr Vinda, but , Section has arrived with Mr Soom...shall I send them in?...

"No, I want to see Kaneda alone..." Vinda's voice had gone hard and the old Caprician leader took it as a cue. The privacy of family was nothing new to the Caprician.

But Vinda forstalled his rising by saying, "Please Leantre, stay, this concerns you as well.."


Leantre sat back down slightly confused but curiosity shading his features as a man was brought in. By the darkened look Vinda displayed Leantre knew this man, while unknown to the Caprician, was quite known to Mr. Vinda.


"...well?" Snapped Vinda impatiently towards the man standing before him and Leantre held his breath.


"..where is my daughter?...."


The situation had just gotten a little more complicated and Leantre kept peace knowing very well the anger aroused through family. In fact, though, Leantre's own ire seemed to rise wondering just what the young man before them had done to Mr. Vinda's daughter.

Bonadan




"..where is my daughter?...."


Kaneda Stood fast, with his hands behind his back, his eyes not moving from the businessman sat before him...

...and as he heard Vinda's demand, he remembered a far simpler time, and the words of his own father's voice ran through his head...

"Take responsibilty for your own actions, Kaneda...

...Face them head on , with your head held high, that! is the true path of the warrior..."

Kaneda, nodded in acknowledgement at Vinda's words...as if to take a moment to find the right words of his own...

"I don't know" He said, simply.

"...then tell me what you do know..." Said Vinda slowly and delibrately, his sullen expression upon his face darkening more...

Kaneda nodded sharply and started to explain how, while Vinda had been away during the Caprician Crisis, he had infiltrated the CSA information centre, and while he was there had uncovered a conspiracy pertaining to his daughter.

He told of her kidnap by Kalatan Aramaya, her true identity being covered up, and of her adoption into the 'CSA', assassin program. It was through this program Kaneda explained, that Kalatan would have his final moment of revenge, she had been trained to kill , trained to become a tool, in order to kill her own father, Vinda.

This, Kaneda knew because she had told him, what she had not told him however, was just how or why she had ended up on Mytus IV, it was clear that something had happened inbetween.

Kaneda told of Mile's encounter with Kalatan, Yana, and most importantly, the stranger who had simply come to have been known as Andersan...

Both Vinda and Leantre listened intently, not interrupting the agent, as he recounted seeing Natalya six months prior to the Crisis , which had turned out to be the first of a CSA action upon Bonadan.

He told of discovering that she had been scheduled for termination, and that he had gone to Mytus IV in order to save her bring and her back,...

Kaneda also told how , after learning what she had , that Natalya had wanted to simply disappear for a while, to come to terms with it all.


Kaneda found the words came easy, and he told everything he knew...


As he finished , the room was silent, perhaps because both men were struggling to grasp everything, Vinda, of course knew about the CSA's actions and intents, he knew about Roonadan, and Kalatan, but he didn't know everything....

As for Leantre, well he looked like like he couldn't believe his ears, which was probably somewhat close to the truth...

"Natalya was adamant , she made me swear to keep this secret until she came back...short of detaining her by force, there was not much I could do, not, of course, if I respected her wishes"


With that, Kaneda finished and remained standing...and silent...

What had needed to be said had been said, it was now down to Vinda...