Jedi Council Forums - The User (1:1) 'SIn' - Completed (OC's, CorSec Mystery)

Locked Topic | Read Only Topic | Previous Active Topic | Next Active Topic

Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 - ~~Previous~~ | Next | Reload

Author	Topic: The User (1:1) 'SIn' - Completed (OC's, CorSec Mystery)
Luton_Plunder Registered: Jun '06	Date Posted: 8/25/06 8:34am Subject: The User (1:1) 'SIn' - Completed (OC's, CorSec Mystery) - Date Edited: 5/19/08 2:36pm (20 edits total) Edited By: Luton_Plunder
	Hi Everyone! Well, here is the first post of my very first Star Wars fan fiction. Any suggestions, comments etc are most welcome here I've come to think of this story as something of a TV series in FF form. This is episode one, a pilot-length episode, with subsequent smaller episodes to come periodically afterward. The prologue here is like a pre-credits sequence. Hope you all enjoy! Title: "The User - Episode 1:1" Timeframe: About 2 years before ANH Characters: OC's, Darth Vader Genre: Action/Adventure Summary: CorSec Special Investigations (SIn) encounter an inexplicable murder. Detective Tadgh Maitland must work with his straight-shooting partner, fashion-conscious brother and a space crazy intelligence droid to unravel the mystery before things get worse. Disclaimer: I don't own star wars and wont ever make any money off of this story. Other Episodes in the Series... Episode 2 - Premeditated Episode 3 - Metalegacies Major Characters: Click thumbnail for full size Tadgh Maitland - CorSec Detective with Special Investigations (SIn) Jeanice "Keys" Keyston - CorSec Detective with Special Investigations (SIn) Taban Maitland - Director (and sole employee) of CorSec Droids & Data division - Brother of Tadgh Maitland Iqbal 'Despot' Despotov - Director of CorSec Special Investigations (SIn) The User Episode 101 - SIn (Pilot) Bortelles, Corellia 2 years pre ANH Detective Carthey Machwilliam stared her attacker in the eye, vibroblade clutched in one hand. Her skill with the weapon was minimal, certainly not anything up to the standard of her opponent. And in any case, the woman standing opposite her was armed with a glowing red lightsaber. Any melee combat was out of the question. "So you're the one," she said slowly, matching her opponent's advances equally with retreat. "You were behind this all along. And nobody could see it." The dark Jedi was an impressive sight set against the backdrop of darkness. The washed-out red colour that lit her features was entirely appropriate, the glow from the laser sword barely reaching the stacks of shipping containers on either side of them. A light rain fell from the sky, hissing gently against the intense heat of the blade and turning to steam. She smiled obnoxiously. "What a fine choice of words, detective," she said, angling her lightsaber so that shadows danced across the floor between them. "I am impressed that you would find time to use such wordplay when you are so close to death." On the edge of her consciousness, Machwilliam felt a stirring. Her hands twitched as she felt a familiar kind of power begin to flow through her. Her right hand came to rest on the butt of her CorSec issue blaster, and she flexed the hand that now held the vibroblade. Close to death? She thought to herself. Absolutely not. "Why did you do it?" she asked, stalling for time as her feelings intensified. "Why kill one of your own?" "One of my own?" the dark Jedi repeated with surprise. "An Imperial officer? Do not denigrate me in such a way, detective - I am no mere Imperial officer." "No," Machwilliam agreed, watching the fire burn in her opponent's eyes. "No, you're not. You're a Jedi." With those words she had struck a nerve. The dark Jedi's eyes narrowed to slits and she let go a feral yell. With tremendous speed she lunged forward, lightsaber swinging on a lethal path for Machwilliam's head. The stirring in her mind took control of her. She wasn't as fast as the dark Jedi, but she was fast enough. She ducked, drawing her blaster as she did so. The lightsaber swung harmlessly over her head, slamming hard into a nearby shipping container. Amidst the shower of sparks, Machwilliam let loose a volley of blasts at the dark Jedi's turned back. Her opponent was up to the task. She deflected the bolts, but was not in a position to direct their path. They flew in random directions into the night sky, searing a steamy path through the falling rain. At the end of their scuffle they found themselves in the same position they had begun, this time reversed. The dark Jedi smiled again, apparently done venting her anger. "I am no Jedi," she stated firmly. "A Jedi is bound by rules and restrictions. A Jedi stifles her power, hides it behind a faÃ§ade of serenity and nobility. A Jedi would choose not to use her power if it meant giving in to her emotions. And most importantly, the Jedi are extinct. I am no Jedi." "Clearly," Machwilliam said, finding herself out of breath even after such a short burst of activity. "In fact," the non-Jedi continued, "while we are slinging accusations, I have some of my own. How is it that a CorSec detective - a human CorSec detective - is able to move so quickly when under attack?" Machwilliam held her silence, vibroblade and blaster at the ready. The stirring in the back of her mind returned. As if to accentuate the point she had just made, the dark Jedi rushed her again. Her lightsaber swung quickly and accurately, lower this time, slicing to divide her into two even parts. Machwilliam didn't think - she just reacted. She spun away and threw herself to the ground, keeping the vibroblade steady to cover a quick counter attack. By relfex, her right hand snapped off another three shots into her opponent. They would have found their mark, had they not been expertly deflected. "Indeed, tell me," her opponent shouted back to her as though nothing had just happened, "how it is that a woman of twenty-seven years old is able to freely identify a Jedi, despite having grown up in an era entirely devoid of them?" Machwilliam was still struggling to right herself, to return to full readiness and face her opponent once more. She was surprised to find that the other didn't take advantage of her moment of vulnerability. "What the hell do you want with me?" she shouted back, getting groggily to her feet. She was drained of energy already. "What?" she repeated. In a moment of passion, she let loose another blaster bolt. This one, perfectly aimed as it was, was deflected just as accurately back at it it's origin. A sudden pain consumed her left side, radiating up from her leg. The fabric of her pants smouldered around a small blaster burn, flesh smoking beneath it. "You know what I want, detective," her opponent said solemnly. "I have already said it." Machwilliam tried to retreat from the approaching dark Jedi but failed, falling to the ground in a heap of fatigue and pain. She managed to keep her blaster aimed directly at her attacker, but knew that it was useless. The vibroblade in her left hand was nothing more than a mild inconvenience to the intensity of a lightsaber. She was defeated. "I was the target all along," she said in whispers. She had no strength to use her voice. "The Jedi are extinct, detective Machwilliam," her attacker's voice was eerily clear. "Killed long ago. They are outdated, unnecessary. And what's more, they are a threat. And just like any other, the best way to deal with the Jedi threat is to eliminate it as quickly as possible." Machwilliam tried to protest, and found her voice for just a moment. "I'm not...not a Jedi." "Yes, you are," the other said, matching her softness. "You feel the force. You channel it for your own ends. You, detective, are a User." "I'm no...threat..." The dark Jedi knelt in front of her, lightsaber held out of sight. She met her eyes, black pupils clearly outlined by a ring of reflected red light. There was no mercy in her eyes. There was no compassion. There was only determination. "Oh, detective," she said slowly, shaking her head. Machwilliam felt her body lurch as the lightsaber buried itself in her chest. It was an intense pain - far too intense to feel. Her senses immediately dulled, allowing her to reflect with futile concern on the severity of injury. Her last breath filled her lungs, and she realised that when it left them she would be dead. A thousand thoughts vied for priority as her last. But that thought was dictated for her by the words of her killer, standing triumphantly over her, red lightsaber igniting the usually lifeless colour of spilled blood. She smiled gently, admiring the job she had done, and finished her sinister eulogy. "Any User is a threat." Machwilliam closed her eyes, and waited for the sound of her killer's retreating footsteps to fade away. And that's it for now! Chapters are a little longer from here on out - but hopefully intriguing enough to keep some of you interested. See you all soon, LP -----signature----- The Essential Guide to OCs. Say No to Mary. http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25562370/p1
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Darth-Dirty-Sock Registered: Aug '06	Date Posted: 8/25/06 9:20am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	Very interesting start. -----signature----- Socks need love, too. “I know that's a secret, for it's whispered everywhere.” - William Congreve
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
VA_Parky Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 8/25/06 9:38am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	That really was a GREAT start! Wow, your writing is really, really descriptive! And yet it flows so effortlessly - the perfect combination! A million "well dones" to you! This looks to be an excellent story - I'll definitely be checking back in here whenever I can. Welcome to the Boards! -----signature----- Currently on hiatus Awash in Broken Promises (RotS AU): http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/23913704/p1/ Our 1st - Matthew - arrived 1/1/08
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Kynstar Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 8/25/06 10:16am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	Ohhh that was sweeeeeeet! Poor detective, but the other was right! All users are a threat one way or another. Great beginning! Please PM me when you update! -----signature----- Paddy sis to t_s & SarkaVrae/Master to hyperspace_police Member of Rebel Legion and Jedi Assembly (Kynstar Lans) Only thru fear, hatred, and pain will the true power of the Force be revealed. See stories/viggies in bio
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
JadeSolo Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Sep '02	Date Posted: 8/25/06 10:33am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	What a start! I'm so proud of you. Grabbed me right from the summary. That, and I thought "SIn" was a typo. "I was the target all along," she said in whispers. Ooooh. Sounds like the dark Jedi has more targets planned. What's even more intriguing is the implication that Carthey had training, or somehow knew how to channel the Force. Of course I want to be PMed when you update. -----signature----- "If you expect a kick in the balls and you get a slap in the face, it's a victory." "May God bless you and keep you always...I mean that in a civic deist way." -Prof. Siegel "No guaranteed money, but all guaranteed fun!"
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
The_Face Title: Ex-Manager Registered: Feb '03	Date Posted: 8/25/06 2:20pm Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	LP, you posted it! Woohoo! And a thoroughly excellent start to boot! Luton_Plunder posted: You, detective, are a User. Of course, there’s your title. I like that a lot. That, combined with “Any user is a threat”, was just supremely cool and sinister. Speaking of the title, I really like it. SIn is screaming out for wordplay. Bortelles, Corellia 2 years pre ANH I didn’t even notice this until I went back through to write my review; you borrowed Bortelles! I am honored. And I guess this would have been during, or just after, Remy and Sonar’s departure from the force. Interesting. I look forward to meeting your cast of cops. They sound delightfully eclectic from the summary already. Oh, this post is just a bundle of greatness. I can’t wait to get into the meat of the story. Crime, intrigue, detective work, and a dash of space drama. This, LP, is my kind of fic (in case you haven’t noticed), and you seem to be giving the genre its due quality. Will you be doing a PM list for updates? If so, I’d love to be on that. -----signature----- "Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." - E.L. Doctorow
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Luton_Plunder Registered: Jun '06	Date Posted: 8/25/06 9:01pm Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	Wow Replies! A blanket thankyou to everyone first up - and a quick note that any other reader that may want a PM update whenever the story is update, just leave a request and you will be put on the list Darth_Dirty_Sock: Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it - hope to see you around VA_Parky: Wow, thanks very much for the compliments! You've given me plenty to blush about there, and I'm happy the description flowed easily. After writing it I was too attached to it to be able to tell, so it means alot to hear it. Thanks champ Kynstar: Thanks alot for the compliments! Those pesky force users are always a threat to somebody, as we will see in upcoming chapters. Consider yourself on my very first ever PM list Jadesolo: Master! I didn't know whether to PM you or not, so I'm glad you found your way over Thanks for the reply! I was happy the title got your attention, and the summary too - the prologue is actually a departure from what the bulk of the story is about, so I hope the transition isn't too jarring. You are now person #2 on my PM list Wow, this is fun! Face: So glad you found your way here The title was a bit of a struggle actually, but once I stumbled on this one I couldn't have anything else. SIn is certainly screaming for some wordplay, but hmmm, lets see how long I can hold out And - here is testament to your writing ability - I used Bortelles without even thinking about it, assuming it to be one of the pre-established Corellian cities. I've become so absorbed in the Galaxy Noir series that you've got me confused between canon and fandom I'll check over the rest of the story and make sure I haven't made inadvertant references to anything else GN :P Thanks for the permission in arrears however! haha - I'll do my best to have it to you in advance in future Thanks for posting here Face! It's great to have you on board Consider yourself on 'the list'. I'm overwhelmed by the positive responses guys, thanks so much - I dont think I've ever had such a warm reception by a fandom before ever. So, with spirits lifted, I shall bid you adieu! Until next update (which I think I'll keep on a weekly or maybe bi-weekly basis), see you around! LP -----signature----- The Essential Guide to OCs. Say No to Mary. http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25562370/p1
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Luton_Plunder Registered: Jun '06	Date Posted: 8/27/06 7:55pm Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn' - Date Edited: 8/28/06 8:06am (1 edits total) Edited By: Luton_Plunder
	Hey everyone! Okay so, I've decided that the prologue doesn't count and that chapter 1 needs to get up here ASAP There's a bit of a change of pace from the prologue to the first chapter, so I hope it's still everyone's cup of tea. Episode 1-1: SIn Chapter One Five Months Later The stench of charred flesh draped over everyone in the room like a wet blanket. Smoke still wafted from the three clumped and flaking bodies in the centre of the room which occasionally popped or sizzled, still burning. People clambered in all directions, rushing to document everything before it was too altered from its original state. And amongst them all, hand gingerly hanging across his mouth, Tadgh Maitland stared motionless. "Identities of the deceased confirmed," an uninterested voice announced at his shoulder. Tadgh didn't bother to identify the speaker, though his uniform belonged to standard CorSec. "Michelczuck, Anders. Nethrington, Jesper. Uffers, Rayser. Cohabiters, apartment owned by Mr. Michelczuck. Employees at Correalis Outpost Nine." Tadgh nodded, his eyes still locked on the black mess of bodies. The uniform CorSec officer went through the other pertinent and mundane details of their identity, and fell quiet. Employees of Outpost Nine - they were Imperials. And they had been burned alive. "Have the techs had any luck with the door?" Tadgh asked. "They have," the officer answered. "Just not good luck. There were no unauthorised entries - or authorised ones, for that matter - in the last eight hours." "What about the windows?" "They don't open. Fixed placements, for looking through only. Nobody came in or went out through them." "So basically," Tadgh took his hand from his face and stuck it in his pocket, "these are self-inflicted fatal burns." It sounded ridiculous. Burns were rarely self-inflicted. If suicide was their objective, a blaster was generally less excruciatingly awful. "It doesn't fit." The uniform officer shrugged. "That's for you lot at Special Investigations to say, not me. Correalis might be one of Corellia's more crime-heavy provinces, but that doesn't mean three people burned to death is any more normal than anywhere else on this planet. And normal is the only currency I deal in. "The forensics droids are still gathering, but they'll be done shortly. Anything else you need?" Tadgh shook his head, and the officer walked back to his duties. He approached the remains of the deceased men gingerly and crouched down. Heat still rose from them and swept in palpable waves across his skin. From his pocket he extracted a white handkerchief and stuck it over his mouth, pinching his nose shut. Breathing through it was uncomfortable but preferable to the stink. Examining crime scenes this closely wasn't his specialty - in fact, he preferred to leave close inspection of forensic evidence to the droids. But there were one too many oddities about this case that forced his hand. The patch of carpet he was kneeling on was completely unmarked, its rich blue colour as bright as if it had just been cleaned. With three charred bodies lying only centimetres away, it seemed impossible that the carpet would have not been singed. In fact in the entire room, the fire that had so effectively incinerated three people had scorched not a single piece of carpet or furniture. And since he wasn't kneeling in an inch-deep puddle of water and fire retardant, it was safe to assume that the emergency extinguishing systems hadn't kicked in either. A small forensic collector droid buzzed at his side, busily taking scrapings of the corpse nearest him. It would take a few minutes to get any kind of preliminary lead on the cause of the fire, if there was any to be found. Judging from the way the men had been standing in such close proximity, flame must have overwhelmed them quickly. That would indicate an accelerant of some sort, perhaps ignited by remote. "Hm," he muttered to himself, standing up slowly. A final glance around the room, and he finally felt he had found the perfect word to describe the entire situation. He put his hands on his hips and nodded. "Weird," he declared it as indisputable fact. "Apt," A voice agreed with him from behind. Tadgh recognised it immediately, and smiled when he faced the newcomer to the scene. A man in his mid twenties that was short in stature but long in hairstyle approached with his usual swagger, a cheeky grin set on his features. Accompanying him was an uneven looking droid that had a noticeable tick. "No wonder they made you detective while I'm stuck in Droids and Data." "Taban," Tadgh nodded. "Still saving for that haircut?" "This is very much the look at D&D," Taban protested, running a hand through his black, unruly hair. It sat high on him and spread thickly in all directions, making him look as though he'd chosen to wear a litter of whisperkits as a hat. "You're the only human in D&D." "And consequently, I set the trends," Taban spread his hands. He'd rolled up the sleeves on his standard CorSec uniform and clipped his ID badge - normally worn on the pocket - to the thick band of his wrist chronometer. "Trends are frivolous sentient creations that spread like virus through vulnerable populations," the imposing droid next to Taban observed bluntly. Tadgh rolled his eyes, and faced the droid with the tick. "Hey Tack. Still operational, I see." "I shall outlive you, sir," the droid replied in its deadpan electronic voice. Taban chuckled beside him. "Apparently he's disgruntled today. I've had him scanning the CorSec frequencies all morning." "Scanning communication frequencies is a duty I would not bestow on the most stupid of calculators." The droid's head ticked to one side, and it turned away from the two men. Tadgh had learned a long time ago that even though the anatomical 'front' of the droid was facing away, it could still see them. A spherical visual receptor mounted atop it's head granted the machine almost unlimited field of vision. "And I am not fond of calculators." Tadgh raised his eyebrows and looked back to Taban. "Still utterly insane, I see?" "Mostly." "Aha. Still doing that commentary thing?" This particular droid had a penchant for narrating recent events back at those they had happened to, often skewed through it's particular brand of droid logic. It was annoying at best, and unsettling at its worst. "Sometimes. I've decided to find it charming. I suggest you do aswell." "Consider me charmed," Tadgh said, turning away from Taban and back to the crime scene. The scorched bodies were now beset by forensic droids, and the uniform CorSec officers were increasing in number. It would only be a matter of time before media speeders started gathering at the windows. "So, I don't want to be blunt, but if you just dropped by to see your big brother, now isn't such a good time." Taban eyed his brother sceptically. "Flattered though you must be to think I've got nothing better to do than come visit you, I'm afraid I'm here for a reason. Tack heard your name come up on the CorSec channels this morning, attached to this really...ahh..." Taban eyed the smouldering bodies, searching for the right word. "Disgusting," Tack offered. "Unique case," Taban finished. "And anyway, we took the liberty of doing some digging for you on the Common Data Network. 'Unique' is a good word for what we found there, too. This case has a cargo bay full of 'unique'." "The CDN," Tadgh said, eyeing his brother warily. "Uhuh." "The secret droid network that D&D - your department - has proven does not exist. Several times over." "Uhuh, that's the one." "The CDN that's highly illegal in principle and even more dangerous in application?" "Yes." "The CDN that my brother assured me he wasn't going to touch after the last SIn inquisition, during which he was nearly caught and sent to Kessel?" Taban's shoulders dropped, and he put his hands on his hips. "Yes. It's also the CDN that's hard-wired into Tack's head, and has helped you put away...what are we up to now...eleven dangerous criminals?" Tadgh sighed heavily. Though the method was illegal, he couldn't deny its effectiveness. The Common Data Network was a quirk of droid wireless communication systems. A side effect of data transmission and sharing that just happened to be one of the most vast information libraries in the galaxy. The basic theory behind it, so Taban had told him, was simple enough. Droids recorded a lot of information as they went about their daily business that could be readily shared over broadwave transmissions. To that end, any droid with a standard comlink could package information and share it with any other droid that carried a comlink. Anywhere that droids existed the CDN operated between them. Many of the droids themselves were unaware of its vastness, and even fewer humans had heard of it. Taban was one such of the few. Tadgh was defeated. "Twelve dangerous criminals, actually," he conceded. "But who's counting, right?" At that juncture, a forensic droid buzzed at Tadgh's shoulder height. Not known for their protocol functions, the droid announced itself immediately and abruptly. "Preliminary examination of bodies complete," it said expectantly. Tadgh held up a hand to Taban, and turned his full attention back to the crime scene. "Accelerants?" he asked the droid. "No evidence of flammable substances discovered." "What about detonation devices? Remote incendiaries?" "No foreign objects discovered on bodies after personal effects were removed. Additionally - no evidence of fire within search area besides that which killed the victims. No evidence of smoke damage in pertinent areas." Tadgh grimaced. It didn't make any kind of sense. No smoke damage? "Isn't there an old saying about smoke and fire?" Taban put in from behind him. "It explains why the extinguishers didn't activate. Can you tell me when this happened?" Tadgh asked. "Tissue degradation would indicate that the fire began approximately two hours and eleven minutes ago. Approximations in cases of fire are subject to an error margin of 30-50% due to severity of charring." "Two hours?" Tadgh asked, incredulous. "They're still burning now. How is that possible?" "I cannot speculate on such matters as no precedent exists. I am a forensic analysis droid," it chided him. "Right, right," Tadgh nodded. One of the nearby bodies gave off a low-pitched sizzle at that moment. These men hadn't so much burned to death as they had slowly smouldered away. "Anything else from preliminary analysis?" "Charring patterns on the bodies would suggest that the first cells to suffer heat damage were located deep within each victim's chest," the droid said helpfully. To punctuate its report it projected a small holographic image of a male human body. A small speck of light glowed red inside the holograph's chest, right about where the heart ought to be. "The burning spread outward concentrically, resulting in the uneven smouldering of the bodies' extremities. The cause of said event is unknown, though similar cases of cruel and unusual torture are documented during the clone wars. None were as caustic." "Wow," Taban said quietly. "The droids are all depressed today." "No more pertinent data is available without further analysis," the forensic droid ignored the interruption. "Do you have any specific instructions, Investigator?" Tadgh looked beyond the droid once more, fought back the urge to cringe at the smell of perpetually burning people, and nodded. "I need you to scan all this physical evidence and transmit holographic reproductions and full data analysis to SIn forensics as soon as you can. Take scans of everything." "CorSec forensic investigators are already on the scene - your order is inefficient," the droid pointed out. "I know, but this one's a Special Investigations case," Tadgh countered. "And since the three victims are Imperials, it won't be long before they arrive to take control. Imps aren't in the habit of sharing information with local security. SIn will need something to work with if we're ever going to find the cause of this." "I will comply," the droid said, and drifted away from eye level. Taban walked a little closer to the pile of ash and drew level with his brother. They both regarded the remains for a moment - a morbid moment - before Taban let go a sigh. "You know, its bad enough that three people were killed here. But the fact they were Imps from Nine is going to mean a big inquiry. And they are always a colossal pain in the -" "Hey," Tadgh cut him off. "How did you know they were from outpost Nine?" Taban didn't answer verbally but rather raised an arm to point at Tack. Tadgh winced. The CDN could provide the user with almost limitless information about people's public movements. As long as there were droids to witness those movements, of course. "Tack backtracked their travel patterns. They were seen constantly entering and leaving outpost Nine. Add those two together, you get the basis of my previous statement." "Fair enough. And I'm going to assume that if you were backtracking their movements, you started from the point they were last seen?" Taban smirked. "Again with the sleuthing. Yes, we did. They were last seen in the hallway outside of the room here, of course. In a building like this maintenance droids are everywhere. They were arriving home from a meal, actually. Dinner at The Fronds Correalis." Tadgh whistled. "Up market." "Yes, but the fish is dry," Tack helpfully pointed out. Tadgh rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. How can a droid possibly know that?" "I do not protest when you claim to know of electricity, human." If a droid could pout, Tadgh suspected that is exactly the gesture Tack would be making. Well, either that or something considerably more rude. "You guys will fight about anything," Taban said. "You're like an old married couple." "I would prefer to marry a calculator," Tack answered sharply. Tadgh fixed his brother with a bewildered glance. With that glance he tried to communicate wordlessly a very specific message. A message that conveyed just how much he loved his brother and valued their close friendship, but that if his droid made one more sound he would be forced to shoot him dead where he stood. "Uh-oh," Taban said. "You've got that "I'm going to shoot you" expression on your face. And though your follow-through record is pretty poor, I'll just go ahead and assume you really, really mean it this time. Tack-" the droid oriented itself toward Taban, "just tell the important investigator what we came here to say." Bound by orders given by a CorSec officer, the droid complied. "At once. The three men now grilling on the floor were last seen together at The Fronds Correalis restaurant. A reservation was made by Michelczuck, A at 1300 standard hours yesterday for 1900 hours that evening. The reservation was for four. If the investigator would prefer, I can revert back to a calculator's duties and subtract three dead bodies from four live ones to point out the discrepancy." "Okay," Tadgh said, "so they had dinner with someone. Who?" "Well, that's the thing," Taban answered. "I don't know. Tack went through all the CDN data available, and we found nothing. Security and maintenance droids fitted with holocams all turned up nothing on the fourth guest. Plenty of images of these three," he pointed to the charred pile, "but nothing on the other one." Tadgh furrowed his brow. "So? They booked for four and only three turned up. What's so odd about that?" "I'll show you," Taban said, extracting a datapad from his pocket. "Tack pulled this audio file from the service droid attending the table that night. Have a listen." He shoved the datapad into Tadgh's hand where waiting on the screen was an expectant 'play' button. Tadgh pressed it, and held the speaker to his ear. The quality of the audio wasn't great, but good enough to make out the background din of a restaurant and the voice of the service droid. "May I get you anything to drink, sirs, madam?" it said. Tadgh raised his eyebrows, looking to Taban for confirmation. 'Madam?' he mouthed silently. Taban spread his arms and shrugged. The first voice to answer the droid was male. "I think we're fine," the man began, but was cut off mid-sentence. Not by a voice, but by an extremely loud and ear-splitting noise that drowned out everything around it. Tadgh thrust the speaker away from his ear and swore. "What in sithspawn hell was that?" he demanded. "And what kind of brother lets me hold the speaker so close to my ear?" "That," Taban said, his voice quite uncharacteristically serious, "was our mystery fourth dinner guest. It's like that on everything we pulled from the CDN. She doesn't show up on holovid. She doesn't register on audio." Tadgh glanced down at the datapad again and cycled through the images Tack had found. Taban was right. In each shot, there sat the three men by themselves. And in each shot, there were four meals set at the table. "For all intents and purposes, she's incorporeal." Taban took the datapad back and slipped it into his pocket again. "According to the maintenance droids here, four people entered the building tonight. And I'm willing to bet that the security vids only show three." A moment of silence hung in the air disturbed only by the business of the crime scene personnel. Tadgh took the moment to try and gather all the information he'd received and try to process it, difficult though it was. It made no sense to him. As technically inept as he may be, he knew it was impossible to fool security feeds and holocams in this way. There were options for blanket disruption, but to single out only one individual for jamming? "How is it," Tadgh said slowly, "that an invisible woman can have a sit-down meal at a busy restaurant?" "It beats me," Taban agreed. "Don't they usually they wait until after you've bought them an expensive dinner to disappear?" "Touche," Tadgh said distractedly. "It was nothing," Taban said with a flourish. "Now, I've just presented you with what is possibly the most intriguing spin on a case that you've had for a long time. What do you plan to do about it and, more to the point, can I come along?" "Do you promise to be useful?" "I'm the definition of useful. I'm a quick thinker, a sharp shooter and I dress impeccably. That's three different kinds of use, all equally important in their own way." Tadgh snorted a laugh, and nodded. For all his flippancy, his brother was a good officer that commanded his own department. Albeit a department full of space-crazy droids. "Alright, you and Tack are both with me. I'll hand off control of the crime scene. The Imps will be here to take it shortly anyway, better that Patrol deals with them than me. Then we'll head down to The Fronds." "Lunch?" Taban asked hopefully. "Investigation," Tadgh said firmly. "This mystery woman might be invisible to camera, but our three dead Imperials could see her just fine. And so could the service droid. That means we can get a verbal description at least." "Sleuth-tastic," Taban said. Tack interrupted them. "The kinsman CorSec officers, closely related yet vastly contrasting, combine their abilities to a cause. The cause is one of intrigue, a matter of justice - they do not know why they serve it, yet they understand that they must. Three lost lives spur them to solve a case that is reduced to a single word: 'weird'. To track an invisible woman, they deign to use their eyes. The logic is absent, but the will is overriding." Tadgh and Taban both stared agape at Tack, who had chosen that moment to launch into one of his infamous commentaries. As Tadgh's initial surprise wore off, ire began to replace it. His eyes narrowed at the droid that now stood as though expecting someone to congratulate him on his keen analysis of the situation. Slowly, they made their way to Taban - and this time, the message his expression was conveying was more strongly worded than the last. Taban smiled meekly. "See? Charming." And there we have Chapter 1. Do let me know what you think! It's taken me a little while, but I've really gotten to love this story and the characters over the last few months. I hope ya'll can share in it, hehe. LP -----signature----- The Essential Guide to OCs. Say No to Mary. http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25562370/p1
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Kynstar Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 8/28/06 9:14am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	Excellent chapter my friend! Loved it! Tadgh and Tack are so cooool together! I'm a fan of OCs and you're doing great delving into each of their personality (Taban's too) and backgrounds. Keep up the great work and thanks for the PM! -----signature----- Paddy sis to t_s & SarkaVrae/Master to hyperspace_police Member of Rebel Legion and Jedi Assembly (Kynstar Lans) Only thru fear, hatred, and pain will the true power of the Force be revealed. See stories/viggies in bio
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
yuna_kenobi Registered: Aug '06	Date Posted: 8/28/06 9:16am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	good maniacle chuckling a fanfic writer you may yet become... great job -----signature----- Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. Vi veri veniversum vivus vici.
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
The_Face Title: Ex-Manager Registered: Feb '03	Date Posted: 8/28/06 2:11pm Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	Luton_Plunder posted: A man in his mid twenties that was short in stature but long in hairstyle Nice turn of phrase. I already like Tadgh and Traban’s repartée. Dripping with wit: Luton_Plunder posted: "Sometimes. I've decided to find it charming. I suggest you do aswell." "Consider me charmed," Tadgh said And Tack is awesome too. Non-traditional droids can be so much fun, and it seems Tack will provide my fix of eccentric automatons nicely. I loved the ending with his narration, after it was referenced earlier. Perfect timing, perfect tone. Very cool detective work going on here. I don’t even need to watch C.S.I. now. It’s too early for Nirug Lossk, I suppose. And this woman is invisible to cameras… Loving the characters already, digging the concept, and looking eagerly forward to a wonderfully perplexing mystery. You’re hitting points in every category, LP. Great chapter, and thanks for the PM. -----signature----- "Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." - E.L. Doctorow
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Luton_Plunder Registered: Jun '06	Date Posted: 8/30/06 5:07am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	Kynstar: Thanks for coming back I'm glad you liked Tadgh and Tack - I really had a good time creating them and giving them all their respective personality traits No worries about the PM! Expect another one shortly yuna_kenobi good maniacle chuckling* a fanfic writer you may yet become...* Haha, thankyou very much Yuna - begun, this fanfic has Face: So happy that you like the character dynamic That's a massive endorsement in my eyes. Tack will feature quite heavily in this opening installment, so expect plenty more eccentricity to come And haha, there's actually way less gore in future chapters - just so happens this one opened up with some nasty business. Thanks muchly for your review - excellent to have you on board. Catch you for another update of Grey! LP -----signature----- The Essential Guide to OCs. Say No to Mary. http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25562370/p1
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Luton_Plunder Registered: Jun '06	Date Posted: 9/4/06 6:01am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn'
	Back everyone! I've done something outrageous this week and split chapter 2 in half. I don't know if this works or not, so I'd love it if anyone has any comments about it. Think of it like an opinion poll - whole or part chapters? If they're part chapters, I'll update twice as often So, back from the first commercial break and on with the show! Chapter Two (1/2) The view of Correalis was always spectacular from above. Those that lived there had pronounced it a majestic place. A place where aesthetics came before functionality. A place where the sun glowed a gentle orange as though it was too timid to anger the locals with anything harsher. Tadgh's favourite description of the place had been coined many years ago by his ever-poetic father - if credits were ethics, Correalis would be a pillar of virtue. "So anyway," Taban said from the passenger seat, "I had to arrest the two youths on the spot. Bizarre really - I mean, I know all about substance abuse. But one of these guys was drinking battery fluid, and the other one was eating fireworks." "You're kidding?" Tadgh said, brow raised. During the five minute speeder journey Taban had wasted no time recounting his latest tales of the weird and wonderful. Somehow, the combined severe crime tally that Tadgh had dealt with in his time with Special Investigations was never as interesting as Taban's odd brand of police work from Droids and Data. Then again, his brother was much better at telling stories than he was. "What did you do?" "What anyone would do when they come across people drinking battery fluid and eating fireworks," Taban said with a dismissive wave. "I had to charge one and let the other off." Of course, the other reason they were usually more interesting is because they were utterly ridiculous. Tadgh mock slapped his brother across the back of the head. "So in other words, D&D has you bored?" "So bored," Taban answered. "There's only so many cases of white collar electronic credit extortion I can bring down. That's all that ever happens in D&D these days, especially in Correalis. All the e-terrorists have picked up and moved to Bortelles and Selonia. I'm in a rut. No burned bodies. No invisible women. No lunch at The Fronds." "This isn't lunch," Tadgh reasserted. "You and I combined couldn't afford it anyway." Taban shrugged and held out his CorSec badge. "What about our uniform discount?" "That would be illegal, Taban. Amounts to bribery, in fact." His brother fixed him with a contemptuous stare. "Need I remind you: bored?" "See, this is why I say our mother must have been the crazy one. You have to get it from somewhere, and it sure wasn't dad." A moment of brief silence passed between them. Awkward wouldn't describe it - it was more a gap in which each of them tried to think of the best way of moving quickly past the topic. "Yeah, well," Taban said finally. "Jedi weren't known for their fashion sense and biting wit either, so I guess it must have been Mom. I'll bet she was a Thespian. Or a model. Or the glamorous leader of a modest planet with a strong set of ideals." Tadgh snorted. "That would explain the royalty complex." "And the grace," Taban added helpfully. "Don't forget the grace." Their conversation died with the sound of the engines as they came to a stop outside of a large glass panelled building. It stood at least six stories high, and yet was entirely a ground-floor establishment. The durasteel support struts for the transparisteel windows were minimal and painted a deep off-red colour, which offset the orange glow of Correalis' sky perfectly. It was like every other building here. So unique that it fit in seamlessly. "This construction of this establishment is inefficient," Tack announced, breaking his journey-long silence. It was rare that Tadgh agreed with the droid. A steady stream of clientele pulled up to the font door of The Fronds and stepped out of expensive landspeeders. Each one of them was wearing more credits than he earned in a year. "Maybe we should come back later," Taban suggested, staring at the excessive beauty of the place. "When we've hired suits or something." "We're going now," Tadgh said with a determined nod. "Suits make me uncomfortable." "We'll get looks," Taban said, frowning. "Use some of that sovereign grace and rise above it," Tadgh suggested, and started toward the door. Taban followed at his side, with Tack plodding nonchalantly behind them. Unsurprisingly, they hadn't made it far before some officious looking men approached. Four in total, each of them wore a worried expression. "Can I help you gentlemen? Are you lost?" the foremost of the men asked. "Not if this is The Fronds Correalis," Tadgh said, reaching for his CorSec SIn badge. He held it with a degree of smugness, like it was a backstage pass to an IONDrive concert. "I'm Agent Maitland, from Special Investigations. This is Officer Maitland, assisting me with some inquiries. I'd appreciate it if you could take us to the manager's office." All four men stopped quickly and looked between one another, silently nominating one within their ranks for the talking duties. "The manager is not in Correalis, I'm afraid," he said warily. "I'm second in charge of security. Perhaps I can help you, officers?" Tadgh smiled coolly at the man. "We need to see the service units that were on duty last night." "That would be all of them, officer. Sixty in total." "Unit number 43-GSFRONDS/wa.ar.01-05," Tack added without prompting. "What it said," Tadgh said, flicking his head in the direction of Tack. Another moment of silent communication passed between the entourage of security staff. Second-in-charge couldn't shake his spokesperson duties, and finally twisted his face into an expression resembling resignation. "That will be quite alright, officers. Though may we ask of you one condition of entering the premises?" "Anything to preserve your clientele's sensibilities, 2ic," Tadgh acknowledged. This sort of thing wasn't unheard of around Correalis. The Fronds was a very exclusive place, and to the owners there was often nothing more precious than the repeat business of those who had come to regard them as exclusive. If they started letting the likes of common CorSec detectives inside, that reputation would be marred. The 2ic smiled. "Thankyou, officers. I think you will find this condition most agreeable." * * *** "We look a-mazing," Taban said, pulling proudly on the collar of his complementary black dress coat as they walked through the foyer of The Fronds. Having just made a short detour through what the 2ic had affectionately called 'the wardrobe department", they now each looked at ease amongst the class of customer The Fronds was accustomed to. Sideways glances had been successfully averted. Tadgh itched at his neck and scowled, not sure that what had just happened was normal. Stringent though entry standards may be he had never been offered a free coat for no other reason than to cover up his less-than-white-collar clothes. The temperature under it was rising, the collar scratched uncomfortably at the back of his neck, and he hated the way it licked at the back of his heels as he walked. It was only with his most powerful of calming breaths that he managed to keep his cool. This was Correalis, after all. Aesthetics before functionality. We're inside, he thought. And following the lead. Concentrate on that. "We look shifty," Tadgh corrected. Taban raised an eyebrow. "Hello? We're CorSec. Our mission statement is 'Keep head stationary, squint, look left, look right'. There may be something about protecting the innocent too, I guess." "Point taken." They managed to stroll casually through the restaurant doors and navigated their way through the affluence to where the 2ic was waiting for them. Though this wasn't the main dining area it was still bigger than SIn headquarters by several hundred square metres. Loose groups of people were gathered in sporadic groups, some sipping drinks and others reclining on comfortable repuslor chairs reading various digests. Apart from some light classical music, the air was surprisingly quiet and still. "Officers," The 2ic greeted them. He seemed quite more relaxed with their presence now. "I see they found a perfect fit for each of you." "Uh-huh," Tadgh said, eager to move off the topic. He noticed a stunted service droid beside the man, and nodded in its direction. "Is this the droid we're looking for?" "It certainly is," the 2ic answered. "You are free to question it as you feel necessary. But I might ask to listen in, if you don't mind?" Tadgh didn't mind, and nodded an affirmative. There was nothing that the 2ic could glean from their conversation, and may even be able to help them out if he overheard something that was familiar. He wasn't sure how to begin questioning a droid, and so bypassed any kind of greeting. "You were on duty last night?" he said, looking the droid up and down. It appeared to be in fine working order. "I am always on duty," the unit responded. "We're looking for someone," Tadgh continued. "A woman. She was with three other men and dined here at approximately 2130 last night. Do you recall this woman?" It occurred to him that he hadn't given the droid much information to go on, but it was always better to start generally. "I am afraid that I served 103 human female patrons between the hours of 2100 and 2300 last night, officer," the droid answered. "If you provide me a description I can run a visual check of each-" "I can't offer a description," Tadgh cut it off. "But our droid can provide you with a table number and a specific time stamp. Will that be enough?" "I believe so, officer." At his side, Taban nudged a reluctant Tack forward. "The party of four was dining at table number 309. You were directly serving them at 21:34:19:08, again at 21:48:09:11 and furthermore at 22:21:42:31." "I have located the party," the droid answered. "And no woman is present at the table. Three men are seated in all instances of recording. Four meal orders were taken for the table, however. And an order of Ithorian Alpha Wine was delivered with four glasses." "Do you have any memory notes taken down?" Taban butted in. Tadgh allowed him the floor - his brother knew much more about the processes of a droid memory than he. "Physical traits? Anything that you recorded other than an image?" The droid went silent for a moment, and then continued. "When the party was seated it was noted that all members were wearing Imperial Dress Uniform. They were seated specifically so that the grey uniform would best suit the surrounding decor. There is no mention of party numbers at that time." Tadgh exhaled slightly. All four wearing uniforms. Their invisible woman was an Imperial Officer. This case was fast getting more complicated than he had originally hoped. And seeing as the perpetrator was invisible, he had always expected it to be fairly complicated. "What rank did the uniforms show?" Tadgh asked. "Unknown. Their insignia were removed." "Pardon me for interrupting," the 2ic said softly. "But perhaps this is a matter best dealt with by security? We have holovid feeds covering every centimetre of this establishment. I am certain we-" "No," Tadgh said shortly, but for the sake of courtesy added a quick "thankyou." "Can you bring up a text transposition of your entire interaction with the four?" Taban asked. Tadgh had to suppress an impressed snort - he began to wonder how he would have handled the interrogation without Taban. Probably a lot more angrily. "Unfortunately not, officer - my memory of such things is erased automatically at close of business each night after auditing. The central computer maintains a record of all orders, if that-" "Won't be necessary, thankyou," Tadgh cut the droid off. "So you didn't notice anything suspicious about this group? Nothing out of the ordinary?" "With respect, officer - I am a droid. All human behaviour is out of the ordinary to my photoreceptors." "Especially singing," Tack added without inflection. "And stretching," the service unit concurred. "I think we're done here," Tadgh said with finality. Taban looked over and nodded his agreement - there were no further nuances to a droid brain he could think to exploit. "Thankyou for your assistance, 2ic. And...the coats." "Anything to aid our civil protectors," the 2ic said with over-the-top enthusiasm. "If there is some other way we might help you, please don't hesitate to return. Or perhaps it would be more convenient if you used the comlink. It would save you the trip." "Understood," Tadgh said, making to slip the coat off and return it to the man. "Wait!" the 2ic said urgently, stopping him in mid-movement. His eyes skipped nervously from left to right. "Why don't you keep the coats? As a gesture. They look good on you - you ought to wear them a little longer. I have it on good authority that the orange Correalis sunlight sets a striking hue on the fabric-" "Okay, okay," Tadgh held up a hand. "We'll wear them until we're out of sight." The 2ic looked the most relieved he had since their arrival. "Thankyou so much, officers." And so ends part one of chapter 2! Any comments or feedback welcome. Thanks for reading! LP -----signature----- The Essential Guide to OCs. Say No to Mary. http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25562370/p1
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
The_Face Title: Ex-Manager Registered: Feb '03	Date Posted: 9/4/06 2:57pm Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn' Chapter Two (OC's, CorSec Mystery)
	Luton_Plunder posted: "What anyone would do when they come across people drinking battery fluid and eating fireworks," Taban said with a dismissive wave. "I had to charge one and let the other off." groan Oh geez… Luton_Plunder posted: "We look a-mazing," Taban said, pulling proudly on the collar of his complementary black dress coat Taban is fun – and useful in the droid department later in the post. Luton_Plunder posted: "Is this the droid we're looking for?" Nice reference, well-played. I also liked Tack and the service droid bonding over how strange humans are. Oh, and I’ve got to say “The Fronds Correalis” is a perfect name for such a restaurant. Nice update, LP, I liked it. -----signature----- "Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." - E.L. Doctorow
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Kynstar Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 9/5/06 6:37am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn' Chapter Two (OC's, CorSec Mystery)
	LOL! on making them wear 'spiffy' coats! That was great! Looks like they didn't get much more info...except that the fact that something caused all electronics to not record the female... Great chapter and thanks for the PM! -----signature----- Paddy sis to t_s & SarkaVrae/Master to hyperspace_police Member of Rebel Legion and Jedi Assembly (Kynstar Lans) Only thru fear, hatred, and pain will the true power of the Force be revealed. See stories/viggies in bio
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Luton_Plunder Registered: Jun '06	Date Posted: 9/10/06 4:21am Subject: RE: The User - Episode 1:1 - 'SIn' Chapter Two (OC's, CorSec Mystery)
	Replies again! Thanks alot guys, it's great for the confidence Face - Ha, I promise it's Taban's sense of humour that is terrible, not mine 'The Fronds Correalis' was the best I could come up with for the pinnacle of affluence, glad it worked! Thanks very much for reading. Kynstar - Hah, I'm happy the free coats worked out. They're detectives, so they had to end up in full-length coats at some point Not much to be gleaned from the restaraunt, but things will pick up shortly for the embroiled CorSec officers shortly! Thanks alot for reading So here's the rest of chapter 2 - very short, so the beginning of chapter 3 is not far away. Hope you enjoy! Back at the airspeeder Taban slipped on his sunshades and crossed his arms behind his back, making the best use he could of his newly acquired dark coat. "So," he said slowly. "She's invisible. She's an Imperial. And she kills other Imperials." "We assume," Tadgh nodded. "It could be that she's a perfectly placid invisible Imperial officer that got caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time." "We're considering that option?" "No. I mainly said it because she could be here right now and we'd never know." "Good point," Taban said, turning slightly side on and raising his voice as though he were speaking to a crowd. "But you forgot to mention that if she hands herself in, we promise not to arrest her." When their quarry didn't promptly materialise in front of them both, he held up his hands in defeat. "It was worth a try," Tadgh said. "Except that she's only invisible to recording devices, huh?" "Except that, yes." "Right, so that leaves us...where?" Taban's question faded suddenly as Tadgh's comlink began chirping at him. He reached quickly for it, and immediately recognised the caller frequency. "One sec," Tadgh said, activating the device. "Maitland Here - what's up Keys?" Jeanice Keyston was Tadgh's closest colleague at the SIn office. If Special Investigations operated under the partnership system like regular CorSec, they'd have been made partners long ago. Taban perked up with a grin as soon as he heard Keys' name, and he caught his brother's eye with a pleasant look. He began miming the action of waving, and mouthed vigorously "Tell her I said hi." "Enjoying your lunch, Maitland?" the woman on the other end of the line asked. Tadgh answered with the first thing that came to mind. "Pricey. The fish was dry." "And I thought an off-the-books Imperial investigation was tough," she remarked. "But I see you have real problems. You want me to tell you about how the boss wants to see you now, or would you prefer to get a drink first?" "Off-the-books investigation? That doesn't sound normal." "The Commander doesn't think so either - but he's ordered me to call you in immediately." Tadgh inhaled to ask his next question, but Keys pre-empted him. "I don't know what it's about specifically, but you know Despot. Just jump through all the hoops he asks you to and he'll look after you." "Right, sure," Tadgh answered. "How 'immediately' does he want me?" "How far away are you?" "Ten minutes by airspeeder." "Then he wants to see you in eight." "Great. One of those callbacks. I'm leaving now, thanks Keys," he assured her, motioning to turn the comlink off. Taban's protest caught his eyes and he rolled them. "Taban says Hi," he added quickly. "Is he ever at work?" Keys asked, vexed. "Only when he's not busy bugging me," Tadgh answered. "Told him to get a haircut today yet?" "Only once. Want me to pass on your reminder too?" "Please. It's annoying having only the second most pretty hair in CorSec." "Consider it done, Keys - See you in a few minutes." The comm line clicked off, and Tadgh replaced it in his pocket. Taban was smiling wryly at him, his hands on his hips. "She told me to get a haircut, didn't she?" he said, nodding to himself. "Jealousy is an ugly emotion." "She also told me that Despot is looking for me, which means-" "Say no more," Taban cut him off - "Lunchtime's over." **** "Listen," Tadgh said, bringing the airspeeder to an approach vector for the CorSec Droids and Data department. "The investigators can't know any of this. The CDN doesn't exist as far as the Empire is concerned." "I know that better than you, you know," Taban replied. "And I've got no wish to be sent to Kessel for electronic terrorism, trust me. Too much dust, I'd go crazy." "Exactly. So if anyone asks you, we found nothing at The Fronds. The holovids show three officers having dinner. There was a reservation for four, so we believe the fourth person didn't show up. Let's keep this 'invisible woman' thing to ourselves for a while." "Agreed - I have no wish to be committed to an asylum either. But tell me - what are you going to say to the investigators? How did you know to go to the fronds, if not for the CDN?" Tadgh opened his mouth to reply, but had no words to answer with. It was implausible to say that he had made inquiries to local restaurants because there were just too many of them - and besides, he hadn't known they spent the evening together. He likewise couldn't claim witness accounts, because nobody had been contacted as of yet. Short of telling Despot that he simply went there to have lunch, he was stumped. "I'll think of something," he answered resolutely. "Or," Taban said, " you could tell them I sliced into their credit account billing information, and the last charge on there was for The Fronds Correalis for all three of them." Tadgh furrowed his brow. "Isn't that illegal? Slicing their credit accounts?" "Not when the parties involved are dead," Taban confirmed. "Section 12 of the Electronic Crimes Law - in matters of CorSec investigation all credit accounts are released to the custody of the relevant authorities until such time as a legal will is instituted and the contents of said accounts are distributed to the relevant parties." He took a deep breath after reciting so much information without pause. Tadgh smiled out the side of his mouth. "I'm so glad I can count on you whenever I need an e-crimes loophole," he said, bringing the speeder to a stop at the side entrance to D&D. He glanced over at his brother. "Thanks Taban - I appreciate it." "Someone's gotta keep your reputation intact," Taban said, releasing the passenger hatch. "And sith knows it isn't you. You can repay me by keeping me up to date with developments. I want to know what happens with madame invisible." "Consider it done," he said with a nod. "Likewise, you keep an eye on the CDN. Let me know if anything odd pops up." Taban raised an eyebrow. "The CDN? Why Detective, you must hot have heard - it doesn't exist!" And there it is - more to come! LP -----signature----- The Essential Guide to OCs. Say No to Mary. http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25562370/p1
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History

Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 - ~~Previous~~ | Next | Reload