Twelve Years Ago, Age 17


The apartment was small, sparse, and littered with datapads and empty takeout containers. The older Chiss moved through the cluttered mess with familiarity, making his way toward the main door. The chime had just sounded, interupting him as he was studying the 'borrowed' fleet manifests from within the C.E.D.F. database. If one was attepting to prove that a fleet of warships for a civilization of pacifist was not only useless but a waste of the money from the economy, you needed to know what you were trying to bring down.

The door hissed open, reveiling a very attractive young female leaning against the frame of the door. Her shoulder length dark hair hung loosely on her shoulders and her crimson eyes bore into him as she stood straight. " Professor Tarii? Crilot'ari'Inrokini?"

" Yes, I am he." A look of confusion crossed his face. " But I must ask you to come back during office hours. Students usually make an appo-"

" I'm not from the University, Professor," She said, smiling disarmingly. " My names Laran, I'm from Captain Xilen's office."

" Oh yes!" Recognition lit up in the Professor's eyes and he stepped back from the door. "Please come in. I was so surprised when a man such as him contacted me! I mean, why is Captain of the Expansionary Defense Fleet interested in my work." He continued to babble on as Laran cam inside and moved into the center of the apartment.

" Oh he's a big fan, Professor.. May I call you Tarii?"

" Yes, of course."

" Tarii..." Laran's smile altered a little, becoming darker, inticing. " We alone here Tarii?"

The confusion returned to the Professor's face. " Why yes, life long bachelor. I like my privacy."

" That's good." A long, curved blade was pulled from behind her back and Laran held it out, gesturing toward the wall. " Want to turn around and face the wall there, Tarii?"

" Wh- What's the meaning of this!" He took a defensive step back.

" Don't worry," Laran said, following him step for step. " I'll make it quick."

" I'll yell! I'll scream!"

Laran sighed, almost sadly. " Who wouldn't." She backed him into the corner and placed her hand on the wall next to his head. " Look, it's nothing personal. The C.E.D.F. just wants you dead."

" Wh-why?"

" You know, I didn't think to ask." The knife plunged into Professor Tarii's abdomen, tearing through flesh and muscles and into the vital organs. She pushed it in further, snapping through the spine and the cord that provided life to the rest of his body.

Sliding the blade out of the now cooling corpse, Laran wiped the blood from the gleeming metal on poor Tarii's clothes. Once clean, she placed it back into its sheath hidden beneath her jacket in the back of her pants and sighed before turning and leaving the appartment.

Xilen sat behind the large metallic desk with a satisfied look on his face as a silver protocal droid waddled it's way around the room, cleaning up a few things, and offering the guest a few refreshments.

"Tk-421." Xilen finally said with a cheerful smile on his face.

"Yes, Captain?"

"We're going to need a minute in private."

"Of course, sir. Excuse me."

Xilen nodded his head, and swiveled his chair back to the figure of a rather attractive agent under his command. Her rank was simple, a mere field operative in the Expansionary Defense Fleet's Special Operations division, but she was a jewel. A golden goddess.

"The job is done?"

She nodded her head.

Xilen sat back in silence, the faint smile on his face opening slowly like a flower, and blooming into a laugh. He rubbed his eyes as he laughed, hours of work wearing off, and vanishing into the air. He sat back up at the desk, folded his hands, and stared at her for a moment. "Keep this up, and you'll outrank me by this time next year. It seems like only yesterday when I found you at that high school downtown... you seemed so frail, and delicate, but I knew I saw true talent."

"But I have another mission for you..." he started as he slid a manilla folder across the table with te C.E.D.F's emblem across the top center of it. "Look it over for a moment..."

There was very little to the office, a desk, a few chairs, nothing on a personal nature. But there was that annoying droid that ignored her when she turned down one refreshment after another. Had Captain Xilen not dismissed it when he had she was afraid she would have removed its circuts.

He stared at her, a pleased look on his face as she nodded to his question about the job. She found it difficult to find her tongue when she was around him. He made her nervous, almost afraid, like there was something else to him that went beyond what he portrayed.

Of course that could be said for anyone. Laran had been a firm believer that people wore masks, including herself. When she lived with her parents she was the perfect daughter. Studious, popular, obedient... nothing like the warrior's heart that beat beneath her chest.

It was during a recruitment fair held at the Highschool she attended that she first discovered there were other's like her. Those that were willing to fight for what they believed in instead of talking and debating and negotiating. It was because of this man, a Captain with the C.E.D.F., that she disobeyed her parents for the first time in her life and dropped out of school to elist.

Never in her dreams could she have imagined that that decision would bring her to this moment in time.

Captain Xilen's compliments burned themselves into her memory and she supressed the smile that dared to creep onto her lips. Laran's finger's stretched out, resting on the folder a moment.

" I have no desire to surpass you, Sir," She said in a controlled voice. " I am here to serve you - to serve the C.E.D.F."

She lifted the folder off the desk and opened it. Inside was the information on her new assignment, one she would see accomplished or would die trying.

Three words stood out in a bright red bold text at the top of the page: Highly Classified Document. It wasn't anything new within the C.E.D.F, afterall, if the Parliment found out half of the projects that were going on within the borders of Ignias, they would probably expell the entire Nuruodo House from the Unknown Regions. House Nuruodo was devious, and well known for it's militaristic brutality, but never in the wildest dreams of an Aristocrat would they truely imagine what Nuruodo was truely capable of.

Laran looked over the document with her smooth skim seeming to shine in the light of the small office. Xilen sat back, lifting a crystalline glass to his lips, taking in the sweet arouma of the beverage he had been served. "It's an order of assassination, Laran. And yes, you are reading the name correctly...."

Her face seemed to flush, as if she had just been given an order to kill her parents, only... this order was far more devistating. The name stood out in bold black text: Mysta'ria'nuruodo, Grand Admiral of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet, superior officer to the both of them. Xilen sat back casually, drawing a small cigar from the box on small metallic box on the corner of his desk, and raising it to his lips, lit it.

"This, my child.... is the true test of your Loyalty to the C.E.D.F."

He stood briefly, looking out over the tiny window that his office bore behind the tiny desk. The Cuty was truely beautiful at nightfall, the lights glowing below the towering building... the traffic neatly organized in lines across the horizon. It was almost a dream world, peaceful and serene. Yet, underneith it all, in the cloak of darkness, hid an unconventional war between the five houses of the Chiss Parliment. A war that had extended from the very creation, and a war that would extend deep into the future....

Loyalty to the C.E.D.F...

If she were loyal to the C.E.D.F, she would have to take the file directly to Mysta'ria'nuruodo informing him of the conspiracy against him. Laran thumbed through the information in the file, adresses, access and security codes, everything she would need to gain entry to the Grand Admiral's private quarters. She glanced over the edge of the folder and stared at Xilen as he looked out at the cityscape.

There was no doubting her loyalty, but it wasn't to the C.E.D.F.

She closed the folder and slid it back across the desk, all the information commited to her photographic memory. " When would you like this done, Sir?"

He continued to stare out over the lights of the city as the Sun of Ignias set in the distance over the horizon. He took a long hit off of his small cigar, and blew the light grey smoke around the room, seperating it into small clouds before they faded, as a summer rainstorm.

"Immediatly, Agent Laran. Immediatly."

Her head bowed reverently to the Captain, though his back was turned to him she knew he would see her reflection in the window. " As you order, Sir."

The heart beneath her breast pounded against Laran's ribs as she exitted the office and back to the lift that would take her to the city streets. She had proven to herself, and hopefully to Captain Xilen, that she would do anything he asked of her. He had been the one to inspire her, got her out of her shell and was giving her the ability and oportunity to explore who she truly was. A woman strong, confident, powerful, not so unlike Xilen. She knew without a doubt that one day he would hold the reigns of power and she would stand behind him through it all.

Dark hair whipped around her face as she stepped onto the street and Laran pulled the collar of her jacket tighter around her neck. In her mind she was examining all the information on Grand Admiral Mysta'ria'nuruodo, and already a plan was forming in her cunning brain.

She began to walk the length of the street, south, the direction of her apartment that had been set up for her by the C.E.D.F. It was well rumored through the House Nuruodo that the Grand Admiral was not a happily married man. He had a penthouse set up for himself not far from the C.E.D.F. headquarters. Most nights would find him there, in the embraces of women other than his wife.

Which gave her a way in.

She had to move quickly, and as soon as Laran had unlocked her appartment she was removing her jacket and the sheathed dagger hidden beneath it. Her blouse and slacks were next and in a matter of minutes she was admiring herself in the full length mirror. Sleezy see through top that showed the lace of her bra beneath, a skirt so short it barely covered the curves of her buttocks, knee high boots that served to elongate her already long and slender legs.

Her crimson eyes looked down at the ring in her hand and she held it up to the light between her thumb and index finger a moment before slipping it onto her finger. She was leaving her apartment moments later, the long dark coat covering her for the short walk to the complex where the Grand Admiral slept.

Laran came up to the back of the building, where a secret entrance would take her to a lift that would go only to one floor in the appartment complex. There was a utility box near the maintenance entrance where she easily disconnected the alarms and security cameras in the lift and in the penthouse. The access codes Captain Xilen had provided were exact and in second she was riding the lift. She took a calming breath, and readied herself. The lift doors opened directly into the penthouse, and the Grand Admiral was surprised to say the least when she stepped into his appartment.

" How did you get in here?" Mysta'ria'nuruodo demanded of her.

A lusty smile formed on her ruby painted lips and she opened her coat, allowing him a long look at her voluptuous figure. " Madame Lixas sends her regard."

The look in his eyes as she dropped the coat to the ground beneath her said it all. The name of the Madame of the brothel he frequently used seemed to place him at ease. " She does, does she?"

" You don't trust me?" With a sultry chuckle, Laran was moving slowly toward him. She stopped a foot in front of him, her fingers dancing up his arm. " Doesn't matter to me. I get paid either way."

He grabbed at her wrist, painfully, and lifted her hand off his arm. " Maybe I should give the Madame a call, just to verify you are who you say you are."

" You're hurting me," She said calmy, never loosing that seductive smile. Her other hand reached out, her thumb rubbing against the ring on her middle finger, and she bushed her palm against the exposed skin of his neck.

The tiny needle she had flipped down with her thumb pricked into his skin, quickly, like the sting of an insect. Mysta'ria'nuruodo's eyes widened in a moments shock and his hand flew up to his neck. The tiny speck of blood on his palm was enough to set him off. " Careless whore!" His hand curled up into a tight fist, backhanding her across the face. His other hand still tight on her wrist prevented her from falling completely to the floor, but the blow still drove her to her knees.

He picked her up roughly by the arm and held her to his seething face. " Your ring cut me."

Her face, already starting to swell from the blow, had lost all signs of any games. " Did more than that."

Mysta'ria'nuruodo blinked a few times, the organic sedative that the pin had been laced with was starting to numb his brain activity. " What- what have you done to me whore?"

The grips on her arms weakened and she yanked herself free, causing the Grand Admiral to stumble backward. " Whore?" Her weight shifted to her the balls of her feet and she spun suddenly, delivering a solid round house kick to his chest. He was unconscious before he hit the floor.

Laran stared down at him a moment, her fingers tentatively touching the sore spot on her face. She had never been hit before, had never sported a bruise and no doubt she would have one by morning. Her hands were shaking slightly as she dragged the Admiral to his bedroom and layed him on his back on the mattress. She turned on the holonet screen on his wall, letting the local news play through the room. A small grin turned up her lips as she heard mention of a murder of a University professor early that day.

Turning her attention back to the slumbering Admiral, she opened the drawer to his night stand and took out one of his cigars and lighter. As the flame licked at the end of this cigar, Laran sat in a chair next to the bed. She took a long drag of the cigar, letting the bitter smoke dance over her tongue and into her lungs a moment before exhaling. Her hand stopped shaking and she stood.

Moving quickly out of the bedroom she grabbed a bottle of wine from the liquor cabinet and went back to the bedroom. The seal broke over the bed, the alcohol spilling onto the prone Admiral and his mattress. She poured a little more over him, about half the bottle, before setting the bottle on the nighstand. Taking one last puff from the cigar she situated the cigar in the Admiral's hand, jumping back slightly as the alcohol on him suddenly flared up and consumed him.

The heat from the flames warmed her, but only for a brief second. She turned and left the penthouse, grabbing her jacket as she left.

He sat back against the warmth of the black leather chair in his small office, staring up at the Ignias Holonet News. A devious grin crossed his face as the red ‘Breaking News’ button flashed. Right on time, as usual... he kicked his black leather boots up onto the desk, and reach over to pull an imported Corellian Cigar to his lips. He lit it as he looked up at the screen, the image of a burning building merely a few blocks away capturing his attention. A flood of excitement rushed over him as he pressed the button on the remote controller, the volume of the viewing screen shooting up a few more points.

“...sources tell I.H.N that the fire broke out in a hidden pent house apartment, believed to be the private residence of the Grand Admiral of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. Though it is still unclear exactly what has started the fire, probe droids reveal that a strong liquor remains potent on the mattress of the Grand Admiral’s bed. The body is so badly burned that Dental records will likely tell if this is in fact the body of Grand Admiral Mysta’ria’nuruodo”

His lips quivered at the news. Laran had proven more than valuable to him... and he had a feeling she would continue to be a vital asset to the Chiss Enclave. He muted the volume of the holonet for a moment, enjoying the relaxing silence of his former office. The hiss of the airlock brought forth three C.E.D.F. officers, accompanied by the waddling protocal droid TK-421. They held a small black box, a datapad, and a few files from the Grand Admiral’s office. Xilen took a long drag off of the cigar in his mouth, and set it aside, folding his hands neatly on his muscled stomach.

“Good evening, gentlemen. What can I do for you?”

“Captain Aldrex’ile’nuruodo, we’ve been sent by the High Chancellor of the Chiss Parliament with a specific mission of Promotion. I think you’ll find it quite interesting.”

“Ooh?” he exclaimed as he sat up, putting on an act that he himself almost believed. “What’s going on gentlemen... I’m not due for a promotion for at least four more years.”

Two of them looked at one another, a painful look in there eyes. “You haven’t heard the bad news, I take it?” Xilen shook his head, and leaned back, his crimson eyes blazing out of excitement.

“No, I’m afraid not.”

“Grand Admiral Mysta’ria’nuruodo is dead.” the younger of the officers pointed out of the window at the blazing inferno in the distance. Xilen looked back, playing off a surprised expression, and gasp. “My god!”

The three officers were silent for a moment as Xilen let a fake tear roll down his inky blue cheek, his crimson eyes continuing to flare. Each of them set the black box, files, and datapad on the desk in silence before turning back to the airlock door. Xilen rested his head in his hands. “Congratulations, Captain Xilen... for what it’s worth. Your new office will be cleaned out tomorrow morning.”

As the airlock door opened, and closed Xilen sat up, whipped the single salty tear from his cheek, and chuckled. “That old @#%$ never knew it was coming...” He folded his arms behind his back, and kicked his feet up on the desk once more, returning the cigar to his lips. A satisfied sigh escaped his lips as he turned the volume of the holonet up once more, listening to the reporters, and watching the glowing red-yellow inferno blaze in the background.

Three days later, the City rested in silence as a faint entourage of Chiss Parliament Phalanx, and Naval Officers marched in unison behind the casket of the former Grand Admiral, carried by a bright white hovercraft, decorated in rare Csillan flowers for the occasion. Xilen walked behind the hovercraft at the head of the Entourage during the funeral precession, his trusted right hand, Laran not far behind, dressed in C.E.D.F. uniform. The Special Operations division did not exist to the public of Ignias. No one, accept House Nuruodo, and the High Syndic of the Chiss Parliament knew of it’s existence. It was a well kept secret, and a secret that had lasted for generations.
The entourage stopped at the graveyard where a beautiful blue and white tent stood above the broken ground, a large pile of soil decorated in candles, flowers, and memorabilia from loved ones. A few seats were already taken, but those that remained vacant were soon filled with the friends and family of the Grand Admiral. A few cried... a few simply sat and stared off into space. But those that remained truly unaware of his ways sobbed in deep remorse. The Phalanx encircled the tent with a deadly accuracy and precision, forming a circle around the deep gray seating that surrounded the bright white coffin. Xilen stepped forward to a podium, a wonderful display of emotion filled his face, and eyes. His act was brilliant, and obviously well practiced.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to welcome you to this indeed tragic event.” a few news holonet droids circled around as the speech started. “My name is Aldrex’ile’nuruodo, a former friend of the Grand Admiral...” Xilen allowed a single tear to fall down his cheek as he looked out over the gathering of mourners, yet he felt to remorse for what he had ordered. In fact, he was quite proud of himself... and proud of Laran. He let out a faint sob as he continued, his voice cracking on occasion. “Words cannot express... how deeply wounded I am by this tragic turn of events. Mysta’ria’nuruodo was a man with visions, and passions. He was a man that lead us into the modern age, and he did it with a great pride, and care that I myself can never rival. He was a man that stood as a symbol for the people of Ignias. A man that stood for all that was right and good on this planet. He was truly an unsung hero. Words cannot describe... the pain I feel in my heart.” Xilen paused to whip another tear away as his brilliant act continued. He pushed a finger into his freshly washed Grand Admiral’s uniform, indicating that his heart was breaking. “But I promise you... I will try and to my best to live up to the great man that he was... a mentor, a true friend... nothing short of a guardian angel.”

He stepped down from the podium taking a white cloth from his pocket to whip the salty tears from his cheeks as he took his position next to Laran. He put an arm around her as the act continued, pretending to become weak in the knees. The Grand Admiral’s wife took the podium. Her face was worn, and coarse, prematurely aging from the hell her husband had put her through with his overnight stays at the penthouse. “My husband was nothing compared to our new and honorable Grand Admiral.” she started, staring at the coffin with an agonized look on her face. “He was a troubled soul, wandering in search of dreams and fantasies that he could never accomplish.” she paused, raising a tissue to her eye as she began to break down crying, a few elder Chiss women standing up to escort her off of the stage. “I hope you rot in hell, you @#%$!” she exclaimed over the intercom shortly before the women took her off stage. Xilen pushed his face deeper into Laran’s shoulder as he burst into laughter, attempting to cloak it as sobs.

The service had ended shortly after the outburst from the grieving Widow and Phalanx was dismissed back to duty. Xilen and Laran returned to his office - his new office - and there she stood out of his way as he reviewed the reports that were coming to him about the murder of Grand Admiral Mysta’ria’nuruodo.

The authorities had found trace reminants of the sedative Laran had used. With the fire's point of origin determined as the bed, the amount of unburned alchohol, and the fact the security camera's had been disabled, left little question that it had been Murder. A crime almost unheard of in the Chiss Society.

Laran watched as Xilen paced about the office, his mind intent on the reports and findings, and finally sit himself in the chair behind his desk. She moved quietly behind him, her hands resting on his shoulders and startling him briefly before her relaxed as she started to massage.

" Are we going to have a problem?" She asked quietly, her eyes sanning the datapad he held in hand.

Xilen leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes as any stress he felt retreated at her touch. " There is nothing to concern yourself with. No one knows of your involvement, nor shall they."

The office sat in silence, neither Chiss speaking. Laran stared down at him, at the man she had chosen to serve to the point of commiting murder. He seemed at peace as her hands kneeded at his muscles, his face calm and serene. He was older than her, old enough to be her father infact. But before she realized what she was doing, she had leaned in to him and her lips were touching his.

Xilen's eyes snapped open at the kiss and gently pushed her away from him. He turned his chair to face her directly, his confusion evident on his face. " Laran-" He started, but she interupted him.

" I serve you, Admiral, not the C.E.D.F., and I wanted to make that clear." Her heart was pounding in her chest and the words just spilled out before she could stop them. " I will do anything you ask of me, I want to do anything and everything for you."

A sudden, uncomfortable look crossed Xilen's face as he rose from his chair." Laran -"

" I can give you everything you need, satisfy your every desire for power and pleasure!" Her hands rested on his chest and she leaned in as if to kiss him again.

His hands lightly grabbed her arms and held her away from him. " Laran, listen to me."

Laran's cheeks flushed with embarassment and she pulled away from him." You don't want me?"

" Laran, you are a stong, powerful, and attractive young woman. But this... You are better than this." He smiled at her reassuringly. " I did not recruit you into the C.E.D.F. because I wanted you to pleasure me. I see in you such potential, such power! You will go far in the C.E.D.F, my dear Laran, but on your own merit and not who you sleep with."

The embarassment did not flee, and she swallowed her sudden desire to run from the room and never look back. She stood at attention, like a good soldier, and took a step back away from Admiral Xilen. " Forgive me, Sir. I did not mean..." She could not find the words.

Xilen sat back at his desk and went back to his datapads. " Nothing to forgive, for it is already forgotten."

He stood from the warm comfort of his command chair, overlooking the bright, bustling city of Ignias from the height of his office window. No words could express his true feelings for Laran, for he didn't know if she would survive any of the grueling missions to come. She was a tool... a tool that the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet needed to keep it's grasp on power.

He looked over the Datapad, a listing of some of the finest commanding officers in the fleet listed on it. Many remained loyal to the former Grand Admiral, an even in his death, they would carry out his former will, testing the limits of good versus evil.

It just couldn't be tolerated. Xilen bit his lower lip, tossing the Datapad across the metallic desk to defuse the situation; anm eerie that had settled over the conversation.

"That is a list of officers that need to be liquidated, Agent Laran. They need to be liquidated quickly, so that we do not meet with unwanted rivalry when our new officers take command. You have three days, Agent Laran. Three days in which to come up with a miracle, and decimate over one hundred officers...."

Concluding his orders, well known words to the Special Operations followed... "Do it, or die trying..."

He leaned back, taking his seat once again as she saluted him. Before she walked out, Xilen stopped her.

"And Laran...." he remarked keenly. "You may authorize the useage of ten other agents to meet your quota, Executor...."

Her eyes seemed to light up, the unconventional joy within her becoming more and more obvious with each passing moment. She slumped her head into a slight bow, respecting her imminent promotion, though realizing she still had a very long way to go before becoming anyone of a great deal of importance.

He leaned back, lighting a short corellian cigar, inhailing, and blowing the smoke from his lungs. "One of the agents is on Anobis on a routine scouting mission, Laran. Be sure that he doesn't return alive....."