Surveillance Team Beta Four, situated across from the Apartment

Blue surveyed the situation in the plaza through his holo-recorder. The rain had put a slight dampener on his purely passive observation system, forcing him to have his R2 unit use more active sensors. Blue muttered into his comlink.

"There's a copper coming your way...put the gun away...in the other pocket...it's a little bulky."

"Gotcha chief...whew, that was a close one."

Blue rolled his eyes.

"Head to the apartment and meet up with Purple and co. Gray said he just saw someone access the maintenance records for her place; apparently someone's sending in a mechanic to fix the room's holo-projector according to the transcipt. It's operating under some timer, you have fifteen minutes to get there. Better be up there to welcome the mechanic."

"Yeah, you betcha. don't worry Boss, I'm all over this one."

Blue released the button on his comlink.

He sighed, "That's what I'm worried about."



Oracle’s one-bedroom apartment was about what Sturm expected for an under-funded Alliance hacker. Furnishings were sparse, but comfortable; most of it coming from discount retail chains from what Sturm could see. The one thing that wasn't was the large computer terminal built into a portable desk, along with its large tool set. Dozens of datacards neatly lined up in shelf next to the PC; all of them seemingly related to computer operations and mathematics. The kitchen was spotless to the point that it made Sturm suspicious; it was almost if it hadn't been ever used. The bedroom was equally unspoiled; complete with a queen-sized bed and a closet full of semi-formal wear suited to Oracle's cover as an independent data processing clerk. Only one thing seemed out of place: a large holo of Oracle with an unusually attractive man. Sturm stared at the person with concerned eyes. Looks like a significant other...but Oracle doesn't have one. He winced in pained remembrance of his own. But she hasn't had one since the last AIS internal assessment. Who the hell is he? But Sturm didn't have long to reason out Oracle's life.

"Maintenance! I hear your holo-projector needs fixing," shouted a voice from behind the door.

Impossible. Crafty put in an falsified maintenance request form so that he could electronically cover up letting us in. But that should have went offline the second we entered the door. Might have management alerted an actual mechanic? But hell, we can't explain ourselves in this direction... But it was for naught: the four men outside the apartment began to batter their way in.

" I will tell you what Kriffing happened! You BLEW your cover is what happened." Ryan's anger was rising. A dangerous thing. " What the STANG where you thinking? You endangered the mission and now the target knows who you are!" Korr's voice was a quiet whisper filled with threats. There were three things he didn't tolerate, Imperials, traitors, and stupid people. Right now Whisper was on his list of stupid people. " If you hadn't jumped in her car none of this would have happened. I don't care how many kriffing missions you have been on. You get over confident, you blow your cover, you die. If we hadn't come in there and dragged you off you would be in an Imperial prison cell right now. Having torture droids tear at your flesh and inject pain inducers." Ryan stopped his quiet tired. He never shouted except in battle. The angrier he got the quieter his voice became. What he said next was clearly audible, but in the quietest tone yet. " Problem is I wouldn't have let you fall into Imperial hands. I would have had to ensure that you didn't live to tell any tales. Make sure I don't have to do that. Got it?"

Ryan stopped his tirade and followed Stormy up the stairs. He hid behind a door while Stormy checked the room. Four men charged up the stairs. ' not good! They began to bang on the door. " Maintenance! heard your holo projector has a problem." Said one of the men in the black coats. ' The Abyss you are!

Ryan hand signaled to Whisper. ' Time for some action.' Korr snuck up behind one of the supposed agents and grabbed his mouth with one hand and buried his activated vibro blade in the hollow of the man's neck. Killing him instantly. Before the man fell to the floor, Ryan whipped another knife from a concealed area, burying it in the heart of the Agent who turned towards the disturbance. He twisted the knife between the ribs, the vibrating blade tearing through the heart and killing the agent. The final man had a holdout blaster pointed at Ryan's chest. Instantly, Korr pressed the concealed trigger on his arm, shooting a dart from his knee into the man's chest. The man stared down at the feathered thing for a moment before falling to the ground, in a sedated sleep.

The last agent he had left to Whisper. Ryan turned and knocked on the door. " Mando here, need to hide a couple of bodies. And interrogate a live one."

Ignore

Whisper took the verbal beating, and he'd deal with that in a moment. He wasn't about to have that argument in front of prisoners.

He nodded silently, and as the 4th man came across the threshold, he stepped behind him, and with a swift blow to his carotid artery, knocked him unconscious. He gagged him with some bedding and tied his hands and feet just in case. He laid him with the other live body.

They carried the live and dead "maintenance people" into the other room.

Upon their return for a moment, he paused.

"She doesn't know who i am. So she's seen....this face. If you think for a second that its my first, or even my real one, then you have another thing coming. Very few people know what i truly look like. Disguise is key. Now, onto that. Someone had to make sure she didn't get away. We would have not had the opportunities we had, if I hadn't moved in. The security people were an unfortunate side effect, though, If your team had moved in when i signalled you, you would have acted as the police, and would have explained your position to the officers arriving on scene, and there would have BEEN no problem. Thats why we have contacts in the upper levels of government, and good slicers, remember? But something else i've learned... Something always goes wrong. Its what you do when it does that matters. Now, we have two prisoners to interrogate... Lets man up, and get our act together, hrm?"

As the opposing agents battered down the door to the low-budget apartment, Sturm drew his compact blaster pistol. It definitely was not the most stealthy weapon, just like any other blaster, but it was a bit more efficient than his bare hands at the moment. He entered the room just behind Whisper and Mando. Better them than me. The door fell down, and the two Alliance agents in front of him practically demolished the opposition. Sturm held his fire; concerned that he would not only probably hit one of his own people, but also disrupt the relatively quiet fighting. A few minutes passed before the last man was subdued. Then it happened: the verbal sparring between Mando and Whisper. It's probably louder and more noticeable than the fight we just finished. Sturm merely shook his head. They're either acting unprofessionally, or have a lot of stress. Probably just pretty stressed. We could have died, or at least have had our cover blown. Heck, we might still have our cover blown if we keep this up.

"Guys," interrupted Sturm, "I realize that you both really, really love each other, but the makeout session really has to got to stop for a bit. I know it's gotta to be really hard with your new semi-bloody boy toys on the floor there too. It's ok though, they'll understand. In fact, we might have to take them out; the apartment is a bit dreary, and perhaps more importantly, it's not ours. You guys want to clean up your mess and figure some way of moving our new people discreetly out of the building to the nearest sewage tunnel? I'm going to look around and see if I can find any clues..."

Sturm abruptly left the two other people for the holo-projector in Oracle's bedroom. The Corulag native stared at Oracle's man. He's not in the briefing, but he's important to Oracle. He fiddled around with the holo-projector's controls. Revealing a message that came with the holo:

With many hugs and kisses. ~Yours forever, Johnny.

It's so sweet I want to throw up. Sturm fiddled around with system more, bringing up a sender's address. Gotcha. Sturm typed the code into the datapad and sent it to Crafty.

“Crafty, I want you to run a background check on this Johnny guy, address and everything.”

“What do I look like? You personal secretary,” demanded the hacker.

“Well, I can’t really see you right now, so I won’t judge.”

Crafty snickered. “Fine, give a few minutes. I’m looking at some other stuff that Mando sent me.”

“All right, cool, get back to me when you can.”



Surveillance Team Beta Four

"They haven't reported back in yet," drolled Blue, "that's not a good sign."

"Could be a technical failure."

Blue snorted. "Or it could be guys being guys. Goons being goons. Don't get me wrong, they're very dangerous and good at what they do, aside from being subtle."

"Meaning?"

The controller leaned back in his chair, "meaning that as soon as those cops are out of the area, we'll have to send in Sunrise team if they don't reply to their comlinks soon."

"They're less subtle than Purple's team though," winced his assistant.

"Would you prefer to go?"

"Ah...no. I guess not. Sunrise will definitely be up to the occassion though."

Blue snorted. "When aren't they?"

"They haven't reported back in yet,"

"Yeah Sturm, but if you didn't realize I didn't LEAVE any blood... but as usual I'll clean up Korr's mess.


Whisper looked at the scenario and sighed.

"Alright. Heres what we do. We need to get out of this room, and fast. People WILL show up soon, if this fake maintenance is any indication so we don't have much time. I'll grab the ammonia out of my bag, for any blood spots, We stage it make it look like a robbery gone bad, then we find Johnny boy and pump him for information, but keep him from coming home and spoiling the beans. Oracle will freak out because of her connection to him, and will likely slip up. And thats when we get what we want. "

" Blood? Who said anything about blood?" Said Ryan as he wiped off the blood on his blades. Although he had stabbed two men, neither one would be leaving significant bloodstains. Seeing as how the man whom he had stabbed in the neck would not have blood leaking out of his vertebrae, nor would the man with the hacked up heart be leaving any. " Collects inside the body. No blood. No mess. I know what I am doing." Ryan turned and muttered under his breath. " Unlike some people."

Ryan began to shatter a few pictures, quietly. Then he stuffed a bunch of valuables in a small bag. " Alright, I think thats good enough. Oh and, no fingerprints please." He waggled his gloved fingers at Stormy and Whisper.

" Oh no, get out of here, NOW!" Suddenly, Ryan dived out the window...again. He landed on a tarp and rolled to the ground. He had felt something....like someone was watching him and had seen two men coming towards the hotel from the window. Korr put his hood up and walked towards the Speeder where Crafty and Ibrahim were.

He entered it and sat down. " Get ready to make this a shoot out. I don't know what Whisper and Stormy are doing, but they better hurry up."

Whisper figured that might happen. He sighed at Korr's theatrics, and he slipped out the back door of the apartment, leaving Sturm to deal with the bodies aside from the live one, who he threw over his head, and took with him.

He maneuvered his way through, and slipped the package, i.e. the prisoner, into the back of the speeder with the rest of the team. As far as he knew, Sturm was right behind him....its not like the two dead men would do any talking.

"Stormy should be right behind me, then we can get the hell out of here."

Sturm watched Korr fly out of the open window with shock. What will the people living here think? First Oracle gets robbed, then there’s a random fight and robbery in her apartment, and now there are people flying out of her windows. Real subtle. Finger prints probably won’t be much of a problem, I’ve only touched…the holo projector…and any visitor to her house could have touched that, like dear old Johnny here. Shrugging, the ex-security officer strolled out of the apartment right after Whisper. As they left, Sturm held the door into the apartment complex for two men: Sunrise team. After a shared greeting, the opposing operatives parted none the wiser of the other’s identity.

They entered the speeder.

"Stormy should be right behind me, then we can get the hell out of here."

Crafty greeted them with worried eyes.

“Mando…Mando says there’s going to be a shootout,” blurted out the hacker.

Sturm shook his head, “No; we avoid fights when we can. Partially so that we don’t get hurt, and partly because that’s going to attract a lot of attention and leave evidence behind of our existence. But if there’s a threat, no would be the time to run. Scoot over.”

Stormy slid into the driver’s seat. Seconds later, the Coreguard Security Services speeder lifted off to assimilate into the anonymous traffic which flew over the planet. Crafty cleared his throat.

“So I’ve been looking at that datapad that Mando got us, and that guy’s address you gave me…and it’s really interesting….the guy’s name is Johnny Moore, according to the records. Anyways, according to the tax returns, he’s a freelance journalist who’s been on planet for the last six months. He has a clean driver’s liscense, and even better, a XJ-series airspeeder: very classy and fast…”

“Sounds like a guy with a couple of lucky breaks,” muttered Stormy as he negotiated the city’s traffic.

“…and it’s all fake. It’s a cover identity,” smirked Crafty.

“What? How do you know that?”

“Birth certificate,” replied the hacker, “it’s an obvious fake. And perhaps easier enough, the street address listed for him actually is one for a local garbage dump.”

“What’s Mando’s datapad got to do with it?”

“Well, that was actually Oracle’s day planner, and she’s going with good ole Johnny here to a Limmie Game between Team Tralus and Team Yag’dhul, tomorrow at Eight O’clock. It appears to be a semi-romantic date, because Oracle here notes some perfume she wants to get for it.”

Sturm snorted. “So the real question now is does Oracle realize that’s she dating a phony, or is she clueless?”

“The date could be a cover-up for a different meeting if they are in cahoots with each other,” offered Crafty.

“Possibly,” admitted Stormy, “but would you really list a perfume you wanted to wear to it if it was just that?”

“It would be a pretty good piece of cover evidence,” suggested Crafty, “or she could be trying to get into this Johnny guy’s pants.”

Sturm smirked. “Very funny. Well, with Oracle completely off the grid, and with no way to pursue this Johnny guy, I think the only thing we can do is wait for the Limmie Game tomorrow night. Let’s head back to the hotel and get some rest. Crafty, we’re going to need to get some tickets to that game tomorrow. Counterfeit or legal.”

“On it.”



The next day…

8:00 at the Corulag International Limmie Stadium

Sturm grunted as the team left the speeder with their tickets. Crafty had managed to get them all legal tickets to the game, as well as the general seating area that Oracle and Johnny would be at. But finding them in the midst of over five hundred people densely packed people could difficult, and nearly impossible if they switched their section. Topping it off, security at the stadium was rather tight. Security droids made sure that no backpacks, briefcases, bags, coolers, bottles, cans, cameras, or computers of any sort made it into the stadium. Security scanners were placed around all the entrances and were manned by sensor specialist: the likelihood of getting any normal weapon through was slim. In fact, it seemed that the only thing permitted besides clothing were comlinks. Sturm had blatantly given up on carrying any weapons to the game; they wouldn’t be needed just to observe Oracle and Johnny.

Ryan listened with interest. " A day planner huh? Well, doesn't that just make me look special. Oh and Crafty, try and keep it down with the whole shifty eyes and worried look thing. Relax, enjoy the game."

Korr was slightly irritated at leaving weapons behind. You never knew what could happen. But knives and guns weren't his only weapons. He began to take off his weapons. Unholstering his pistol and taking off the shoulder holster. Taking the concealed pistol from his boot. Unstrapping the rocket dart launcher from his knee. Finishing with slipping his vibro knives and sheathes from the folds of his cloak.

He left the cloak behind and strode out from the speeder. Wearing a black vest with a gray lonsleeve shirt that had green shoulder pauldrons, and black pants, with black shin length boots. Ryan sat down in the stands. " Hawk, do you see them anywhere?"

" Not yet. I am still searching. They will most likely be on one of the more expensive seats. The more costly it is the more Romantic, eh?"

Ryan chuckled. " I guess so. I will be back in a sec." Walking along the stands and watching the game, Korr went over to the concessions and bought himself a drink. But he also saw something that would help keep his cover. ' Well hello there.'
" And what would a pretty Hapen lady like you be doing out here?"

The young Hapen women looked over at him. Oblivious to the attention she was getting from all the other men. " Its on business. I might ask what a gentleman like you is doing out here?"

" Oh, you know Corellians. One thing or another. Probably best if you don't ask." Korr gave the Hapen lady a wink with this last statement. " Might I ask what your name is?"

" Its Chara."

" Well Chara, would you happen to have any bodyguards around for your protection?"

" Now that you mention it, no. But if a you are offering your services?"

" But of course."

" Well, my seat is over here." Ryan followed the Hapen to her seat on one of the most premier levels, paying for his own with his creds. Korr surveyed the crowd and the game. It looked like Tralus was winning. As usual. Ryan looked over to his left. And saw to his astonishment, the Oracle and this 'Johnny' figure. ' They seem to be enjoying the game thoroughly.'