I heard you like pirates

[Prudence]

Charon Park
Hanna City Chandrilla​

Kalin Varne sat in the economy class speeder he was riding in, glancing out of the dingy window as he rode. He was in a rented speeder, riding through downtown Hanna City towards Charon Park. It was a nice open park, with fancy fountains and trails sprawling through the several acres it occupied. As the taxi approached the edge of the park, and slowed to a stop. Kalin fished in his pocket, withdrew a fist full of credits, counted them out and passed them off to the driver, before exiting. He was wearing a utilitarian pair of tan cargo pants, a black buttoned up shirt untucked, and a long coat with the collar upturned over all of it.

As he stepped into the park he felt the dirt squish under his feet, leaving boot prints behind him. He was here to meet a contact in the Senate, and the man had requested a public place for their meeting. Kalin found a nice bench near the road, and sat down, waiting for his contact.

@Nor'baal

 

[Tan Prestor]

He had no idea of the name of the man with whom he would be meeting today, but Senator Tan Prestor knew where he was supposed to be meeting them - some public park in the middle of the City. He didn't like it, so he had opted to change the park into a 'pick up' rather than a meeting place. His Speeder - a luxury model piloted by a Droid Brain - was escorted by four Hapian Security personnel on Speeder Bikes, whilst Tan sat inside the vehicle, opposit him sat a burly man, his security guard, from the Hapes Secret Service.

Pulling up outside the park, he opened the door, gesturing for Kalin to enter and take a seat, before the speeder moved on once more.

''Good afternoon, I am Senator Prestor, am I correct in assuming you speak with the authority of the ADI?'' he asked, shifting in his seat slightly, feeling the heft of the shoulder-holstered pistol beneath his suit.

Tan had a good feeling about this meeting, and he hoped to reach a good arrangement with the ADI Represenative, should he be of an open mind....

 

[Kalin Varne]

Kalin was getting into an article on his datapad when he heard the soft purring of the luxury speeder approaching from the road. He had expected the man to get out of the speeder, but instead he merely motioned for Kalin to enter. Sighing as he stood, the older man walked back across the park and entered the speeder. On his hip he wore a DH-17, and inside his coat was holstered a small holdout blaster. Being former military Kalin was never unarmed.

He slid into the speeder, before closing the door behind him.

"Good afternoon Senator Prestor, indeed I do. I'm Admiral Kalin Varne, of Aegis Defense. I speak on our behalf."

 

[Tan Prestor]

As the man stepped into the speeder and took his seat, it shot off with haste, joining the one of the main speeder lanes the whizzed across the planet, carrying hundreds of speeders to various locations around the city. Inside the speeder, the communications screen came down at the simple press of a button by Tan Prestor, ensuring that only those inside the vehicle could hear what was taking place.

Safe now, so that they could hold their discussions in private, Senator Prestor turned his attention to the man sat opposite him as their speeder made progress on its journey - a circular route around the Senate Sector of the City - allowing them to have their conversation. ''Many thanks Admiral. I will not muck around here - what are the objectives and goals of your organisation?'' he inquired.

The mans answer would dictate the rest of the conversation, and what the Senator could offer to him. A blinkered answer about liberty and freedom would not be favorable, a flexible set of goals would however demonstrate a willingness to change, something that would enable the Senator to do business with the ADI.

 

[Kalin Varne]

As the man stepped into the speeder and took his seat, it shot off with haste, joining the one of the main speeder lanes the whizzed across the planet, carrying hundreds of speeders to various locations around the city. Inside the speeder, the communications screen came down at the simple press of a button by Tan Prestor, ensuring that only those inside the vehicle could hear what was taking place.

Safe now, so that they could hold their discussions in private, Senator Prestor turned his attention to the man sat opposite him as their speeder made progress on its journey - a circular route around the Senate Sector of the City - allowing them to have their conversation. ''Many thanks Admiral. I will not muck around here - what are the objectives and goals of your organisation?'' he inquired.

The mans answer would dictate the rest of the conversation, and what the Senator could offer to him. A blinkered answer about liberty and freedom would not be favorable, a flexible set of goals would however demonstrate a willingness to change, something that would enable the Senator to do business with the ADI.

Kalin nodded, "Your bluntness is appreciated. We hope to be a shield, where the name Aegis comes from. We're a lot of things, Senator. A force to combat the sith, an army for hire, and pretty much anything else that trained men with guns can be. We can be a lot of different things, since we aren't operating in conjunction with any kind of government as of now. We also insert ourselves into heated situations, such as planetary insurrections, or acts of piracy."

 

[Tan Prestor]

As he listened to the man talking about how Aegis was a shield, and it could do this and that, picking and choosing its task based on the whims of its leaders, it occurred to him that it most likely was some sort of rebel/vigilante group, a ragtag collection of men and women carrying weapons, and thinking that because they did so, they could make the rules. Despite his thoughts however, he kept his face impassive, listening to what the man had to say, and working on a way to factor them into his own plans.

Such a group would have its uses, if it could be trusted or controlled, monitored in some way - and fortunately the Senator had just the way in which he could not only aid the group, but also see to it that they could aid him. Jolting slightly as the speeder made its way on another pass of the Senate Rotunda before veering down across the entertainment district, the Senator considered his options, ways in which he could aid the ADI, and see to it that they could aid him.

Finally, as his guest drew his statement to a close, Prestor made his proposal known

''It appears your organisation is versatile, which is most fortunate in this case. I would like to make you an offer, and arrangement that will be most beneficial to both of our interests.'' Prestor had to be careful now, he had to ensure that the terms of the offer would be made clear, which in turn would prevent any issues further down the line.

An information sharing agreement, with the Information the Hapian Government would have at its disposal regarding shipping and smuggling arrangements, in addition to his own personal support within the Senate - and informational resources that the Senator himself had secured. That is what he would offer, but in return he wanted information about the ADI's operation and movements, as well as their adherence to a list of 'requests' that the Senator would have.

All-in-all it was a big win for the ADI, with little direct cost to them, and as such, Prestor needed to be careful as to how he would word his request. ''My Government will share its intelligence with your group, encrypted of course, with the addition of my own informational resources. In return, ADI will ignore the activities of the following groups, and provide me with information on their operations and movements.'' he said, placing the list before the ADI member.

Hapes, Kuat, CSec, The Accord,, Czerka, the Dead Drop Pact, various states in the Border Alliance, where noted on the list of 'Non-Targets', entities to be avoided if the deal was to be agreed. The ADI man was - he hoped - not an idiot, and would understand that whatever it was the Senator had planned, whatever it was that the ADI could become a part of, would require support beyond his present understanding, and presumably the list he had been given was apart of that political scheme.

He waited for the mans reply.

 

[Kalin Varne]

Kalin sipped a cup of caf as the senator went on. He was well spoken, and formal, but Kalin could tell he was making an effort. From what he'd heard Tan was a rather unsavory individual. When the senator handed hem the list, he looked it over, and then looked back up to Prestor. The beginning of the list held three planetary forces, Hapes, Kuat, and Corellia, were all allies, or Prestor's own world. But then it reached Czerka, and the Dead Drop Pact. Those were dangerous forces moving through the Outer Rim.

"I believe that this could work for both of our parties, yes. I'm gathering that you have plans beyond just tracking these groups, am I wrong?"

 

[Tan Prestor]

ADI was an organisation that Tan Prestor had been reluctant to do business with, for it was a new player, and a small one. Unproven, untested, but ambitious - and it was this final quality that sold it to him. Desperate people often did peculiar things, working hard to secure what they felt they would be owed. No doubt the presence of Czerka and the DDP on the bottom of the list would be somewhat of a sticking point for the ADI representative.

He did not however, care. What he did care about was the man asking questions, and Tan Prestor was in no mood to make idle conversation, he was also in no mood to elucidate on his plans, plans that not even his fellow senators would be made aware of until the time was right - for it was simply to dangerous. ''My plans are of none of your concern.'' he responded, mild irritation clear in his voice.

''We are monitoring you as well, as part of an operation to secure stability within the Republic. Either you can be part of that, and aid in such stability, being lauded as a hero once it is done, or you can go against the plan, and be removed.'' he said, his voice going cold. He did not trust the ADI, he did not like them, and he did not work with them out of choice. Either the ADI towed the line, and joined in on the party - or they would be cut out of the arrangement, and dealt with accordingly.

 

[Prudence]

ADI was an organisation that Tan Prestor had been reluctant to do business with, for it was a new player, and a small one. Unproven, untested, but ambitious - and it was this final quality that sold it to him. Desperate people often did peculiar things, working hard to secure what they felt they would be owed. No doubt the presence of Czerka and the DDP on the bottom of the list would be somewhat of a sticking point for the ADI representative.

He did not however, care. What he did care about was the man asking questions, and Tan Prestor was in no mood to make idle conversation, he was also in no mood to elucidate on his plans, plans that not even his fellow senators would be made aware of until the time was right - for it was simply to dangerous. ''My plans are of none of your concern.'' he responded, mild irritation clear in his voice.

''We are monitoring you as well, as part of an operation to secure stability within the Republic. Either you can be part of that, and aid in such stability, being lauded as a hero once it is done, or you can go against the plan, and be removed.'' he said, his voice going cold. He did not trust the ADI, he did not like them, and he did not work with them out of choice. Either the ADI towed the line, and joined in on the party - or they would be cut out of the arrangement, and dealt with accordingly.

Kalin arched an eyebrow as Prestor spoke. The man was being particularly secretive about his plans, but that, from what he had gathered, was a rather usual trait of senators. They schemed plans of this and that to restore order to the republic, or escalate their status, and used, or stepped on, anyone they needed to accomplish it. Though it seemed this may be mutually beneficial for Aegis as well. They had been tasked with a rather easy, and small, job. If they could complete it well for Tan Prestor, Varne would put money on the odds that they'd be included in a higher echelon of Prestor's master plan.

"Very well, regardless, I am glad to partake in your plan." he looked over the list once more "I'll do as you wish," he passed the man a datachip "this is the comm channel to send your intel to."

 

[Tan Prestor]

Once again the ADI man offered him pause for thought, for when he had entered this particular meeting he had not expected the ADI Admiral to be so open and willing to discussions. What was more surprising what the willingness with which the man pledged the information and movements data of his group to the Senator - a fact that he noted with interest. ''You will inform me of any other arrangements you make with other groups, and I will be able to see if you attempt to conceal the information from me.'' he added, as the shuttle looped back over the park below.

His plans could advance now, with haste - hopefully - and he was now keen to terminate this current meeting. Bringing the shuttle down, he opened the door gesturing to the man ''Thank you Admiral, you will hear from me soon.'' he finished, waiting for the man to leave so that he could take the shuttle elsewhere.

 

[Kalin Varne]

Once again the ADI man offered him pause for thought, for when he had entered this particular meeting he had not expected the ADI Admiral to be so open and willing to discussions. What was more surprising what the willingness with which the man pledged the information and movements data of his group to the Senator - a fact that he noted with interest. ''You will inform me of any other arrangements you make with other groups, and I will be able to see if you attempt to conceal the information from me.'' he added, as the shuttle looped back over the park below.

His plans could advance now, with haste - hopefully - and he was now keen to terminate this current meeting. Bringing the shuttle down, he opened the door gesturing to the man ''Thank you Admiral, you will hear from me soon.'' he finished, waiting for the man to leave so that he could take the shuttle elsewhere.

Kalin listened once again as Senator Prestor spelled out the terms of their arrangement, ensuring the Admiral knew his role and what he must do.

"Of course."

As he spoke, the speeder slowed to a stop and the doors opened, "Thank you for your time, Senator. I look forward to our continued correspondence."

With that he stood and ducked out of the speeder, his eyes trying to adjust to the harsh sunlight.

That was quite an interesting meeting. I'm interested to see what happens next.