Star Wars: Cloaked Shadows
Brought into the Light
Brandt Oshed, a well ranked operative in the Bothan Spy Network, walked the streets of Drev'starn. The purple twilight skies contrasted nicely with the tan buildings. A cool wind blows, causing Brandt to shiver. He pulls the jacket tighter about his body, wishing he didn't have to walk around in this cold.
The bearded Bothan heard a voice call his name and he whirled around on one foot, nearly falling over in the process of stopping. It was Sirlana, his neighbor.
"Hey Brandt, you mind if I walk home with you?"
"No. Not at all Sirlana. What can I do for you?"
"Well, I need the file on that shape-shifter from last month. Seems like another one was seen on Nar Shadaa. Our field agent there sent me a sample of the slime, and I need to compare it to the results of the other test."
"Another? That's the third time in a two-week period!"
"I know. And this goo, not only can it change shape, but it has healing properties too."
"Hmm... sounds odd. But you know I don't have the security clearance to get too those records. You're going to have to go to Director Melan and put in a written request."
"Well, that's the thing. Melan denied my request on the basis of it being 'Too much of a theory.'"
"Sorry Sirlana. I can't help you."
"Well, thanks anyway Brandt."
As Sirlana turned around and walked away, Oshed noticed something odd.
Our apartment building is in this direction. Why is Sirlana going that way?
Being a spy, Oshed decided to follow her, and blended easily into the crowd of hairy Bothans walking along the wide sidewalks. Sirlana stops in front of an alleyway, looks around, then darts in quickly. Pressing flat against the wall, Brandt could hear Sirlana's voice talking with a male.
"He says the information we seek is accessible only through the Director. How do we proceed?"
"Tomorrow, at the setting of the Sun, we will meet here. From here, we will proceed eastwards until we reach the main administration office building. We will activate our cloaks, and slip in silently under the cover of dark. We sabotage the basement generator to malfunction, effectively cutting the power. We will not go directly to the twenty-third floor, but will, rather knock things over, scatter papers everywhere. These precautions will make the entire thing look like a robbery, and the lack of power will leave no trace of our faces behind."
Throughout this entire conversation, Brandt had tried to get a look at the man by peeking around the corner, but his back was turned towards him. However, Oshed was able to learn one thing that distinguished this Bothan from another: the man's neck was malformed by a long jagged scar from a blade weapon.
"So, I'll be seeing you again tomorrow?"
"Why, of course! I wouldn't just risk life and limb to be seen plotting against Bothawui! Icmay be just an analyst, but I'm not a mindless brute!"
With this, the unknown man walked away down into the alley, and Sirlana walked back towards the street. When she passed, she had thought the pile of linens seemed too much like a person. Poking the sheets, Sirlana half-expected a child to pop his or her head out and accuse her of ruining their game of Spies.
Hmm... I'm getting too paranoid. I can't suspect everything and everyone of working against me.
Disengaging his personal cloaking device, Brandt watched Sirlana walk away, this time in the right direction. I have to get word to Director Melan. If Sirlana is planning a theft of government property, then this has to be a fake. She would never do something like this. But, how am I supposed to prove she's an imposter?
Trouble Rising in the Below
"Brandt Oshed, security clearance Silver. Location, Oshed apartment, Drev'starn City, Bothawui. It has been roughly 12 hours local time since I first discovered a conspiracy against the government organization widely known as the Bothan Spynet. This has come after the discovery of small samples of thick silver goo that seem to have some healing properties. I have reason to believe that Sirlana Durnplug is one of the main conspirators in this plot. Tonight, she and her fellow unknown conspirator plan to break into the Director's office and steal a file containing information on one of the goo samples. I will try to follow them and alert the guards if possible."
Brandt finished the vocal journal entry and closed the datapad, clipping it back into it's place on his belt. He then sent the document to the computer console set into the wall beside his door, in case he didn't come back. As Brandt Oshed, Silver level security clearance in the Bothan SpyNet, entered the turbolift at the end of the infinite hallway and pressed the button indicating his destination, the atmosphere inside grew tense.
All the Bothans seemed to be uninterested in him, as if they didn't want to be here in the elevator, caught up in their own business. He passed through the wide glass doors and out into the evening. Brandt knew he didn't have much time, as the sky grew more red.
Brandt saw Sirlana meet up with the scarred Bothan, and then they both entered the alley. She stopped at his side and they walked a little, then stopped again and talked. After a few moments, they started to move again, and as Brandt looked on, the man lifted a grate from its place in the ground. He went down, feet first, then his knees, waist, chest and neck. Sirlana stepped in right after the tops of the man's golden haired ears had vanished from sight. She replaced the grate overpriced her head, and her echoing footsteps receded into the darkness of the Bothan sewers.
Oshed waited until he was sure the two he was trailing were far enough ahead that they wouldn't be able to hear his entering the tunnels, then went down the small metal ladder himself. His foot hit the solid permacrete floor of the sewer system, 20 feet below the surface. Brandt switched his spy goggles onto the infrared setting, and light filled the wide channel.
In all of his years as a part of the SpyNet, no assignment he had ever been on took him to the underground of Bothawui. He noticed that the channels and tunnels were laid out directly under the streets of Drev'starn, and were as clean as the streets above. A voice was caught by Brandt's goggles, and the built-in analyzer activated and pulled up a profile over Brandt 's right eye, complete with a face and description.
"Gungtu Mitos, notorious thug known to be wanted by the local forces of several systems. A Clawdite spy, Mitos is wanted for the murder of Mett Saan, a diplomat from Muunilist who was on Bothatwui for talks of funding the SpyNet. Mitos is considered armed and extremely dangerous. Extra caution should be taken in dealing with this criminal."
Hmm... A Clawdite huh? I wonder...
Brandt flipped open that datapad and punched in the word "Clawdite." A page came up, with a photo of a Clawdite, as well as a description of the species. The information available to the public is limited, but having a security clearance very few in the information network have can work to one's advantage sometimes. The text scrolled slowly, allowing Brandt to take in every word, every sentence.
"The reptilian Clawdites hail from a planet beyond the Outer Rim. Nothing is known about this system except by those who originate from it. In their true form, Clawdites are bipedal, 2 meter tall lizards covered in greenish-silvery scales. However, they can change their form at will, making them some of the most successful SpyNet operatives in the galaxy. This ability also makes them a hazard to everyone, as they can become anyone they come in contact with, and their night vision bests even the top performing light amplifying glasses the SpyNet has. When transformation occurs, their skin becomes a metallic hue of the color of their former shape, and then they turn to silver. After this, the transformation is complete and the Clawdite has changed into it's new form. For every 1,000 true Bothans in the intelligence network, it has been found that there are 2 Clawdite spies."
Shapeshifters. Just like the reports we received from Nar Shadaa. And the goo seems to match up. I just hope this is going to be easier than the Tatooine Assignment three years ago.
Brandt followed the straight ramp up the passageway and, when he reached the top, caught sight of Sirlana and the shape changer. They had slowed at an intersection of 4 channels, seemingly confused about in what direction their target lay. Then, two more Bothans emerged from the eastern tunnel, both male. The taller, grayer haired one stepped forward.
"I see you made it. Have you been seen? Did anyone else see you in the alley?"
"Of course not! Nobody was out!"
"Good. That would only complicate things. We are ready when Jorn and Iaatu get here."
Just then, two more figures appear in the darkness, and they set down boxes full of tools, and they grow a foot and begin to morph into their Clawdite selves. The same thing happens to the others, all except Sirlana. The man she is with though, when he morphs, the ragged scar running along the back of his neck is still there.
Wait a minute. That scar is still there. Something must have happened during the transformation process to cause the mark to be there in both stages of the shapeshifting. Something like... A vibroblade! The goo we found on Nar Shadaa, the scar, the silver color of the transformation. It all adds up!
"The time has come, my brothers and sisters. Tonight, we destroy the organization that has been casting a shadow over all the Clawdite people! Tonight, the enemy is to be vanquished, the Bothans! Come, let us bring triumph to our race!"
The group lets out a small cheer, and starts on their way down the corridor opposite Brandt.
Traitorous Agent
Warning: the following chapter contains intensely violent material not necessarily suitable for all ages, or those with weak constitutions.
The darkness above the sewer system of Drev'starn had become complete by the time Brandt saw that the six people ahead of him stopped walking. Although they had not moved in close to 5 minutes, an echoing of footsteps shuffling across the floor sounded through the channels of the drainage systems.
"He can't be far ahead. Do you think he's ready?"
"He'd better be. We gave him a whole week to make sure everything is going to be running smoothly."
Who else could possibly be thrown into the mix? Another Clawdite? A civilian?
In another second, Brandt knew both of his guesses were wrong. The face of a short, male Bothan came around the corner of the tunnel. A face Brandt knew all too well.
"Trag. You made it. I was starting to get the feeling that you would bug out."
"Pfff... A plot that will help to get me to the top of the Spy Network? I would take this even if I was doing all the work."
Trag? How could he be in on this too?! Trag Mundun is one of the best agents I know! He was the head of the Nal Hutta illegal gambling case, the one with that Jawa gangster.
"This better go according to plan... You Clawdites are known for double-crossing your allies. Frankly, I don't trust you."
"And with good reason. This was going to be a surprise, but I guess I can tell you now. We never had any intention of letting you take charge. We were going to kill you and divide the wealth that comes with the job. But, it seems we can avoid the whole issue of your assassination, and kill you here, where nobody and no one will hear your screams."
Just then, Mitos says something to two of the Clawdites, and they grab hold of Mundun by the arms. Pinning him against the solid stone wall of the passageway, they drive durasteel rods through his thighs and arms and into the rock wall behind him. Trag's blood streams slowly down the hard surface from his wounds and pools on the ground below. The two Clawdites then step back, allowing the murderous Gungtu to approach.
He removes a vibro knife from his vest and turns the dial, bringing it all the way up to full power. The lizard brings the blade up to chest level, and with a quick blur of a slash, cuts a long line diagonally across Trag 's torso, from shoulder to waist. Mundun lets out a little shout of pain before Mitos slashes him again. Blood pours out of the mark, staining the Bothan's clothing a deep burgundy. The smell of burning hair fills the sewer channel, blood rushes down the gentle slope, and a wet sloshing sound comes from the operative's guts falling out. Soon, the man's stomach and intestines lie in a heap on the floor, and his skin is pulled back and over the durasteel rods, exposing his ribcage and the lungs and heart beneath. Poking the rods through the skin, Mitos ushers the group along.
The procession of nine continued on in the darkness of Drev'starn's sewers. The sole outsider knowing of the coup trailed silently behind, passing the body and trying not to vomit all over himself. Brandt is left hoping that he can come up with something to stop the undermining of the main income source for Bothawui, averting a planetary and galactic economic crisis.
The Holographic Alternative
The next half hour passed away in complete silence as the destination was reached. Brandt had to think of something, and quick, before these nerf-herders were able to destroy the file. If he could conjure up an idea with enough weight to it that would keep the gang busy, he might be able to get some help. It hit him like the G force of a 180 in a starfighter.
I need to get past them somehow. But I can't get up that ladder if I don't want to be found out. But, I also can't wait for them to move any farther. My best course of action would be to wait until everyone is on the surface, and then I'll try to set up an ambush.
"Okay everyone. This is it. The street above us will take us right to the Administration Building's gates. From there, we slice open the wall and slip inside undetected."
Gungtu gestured to four of the Clawdites.
"You will run around throwing files all over the floor, scattering papers and whatnot. You will take out any guards you encounter, and Sirlana and I will head directly for the Director's office."
At this, he turned to face the others.
"Good luck. If anything goes wrong, use comlink channel 4 to contact each other. Otherwise, maintain radio silence. Clear?"
He didn't wait for an answer. He didn't need to.
Mitos moved towards the ladder and began climbing, followed by the other Clawdites, and Sirlana last. When Oshed heard the metal-on-stone grating of the sewer cover, he moved to the ladder and climbed up, into the frigid temperatures of the Bothan night.
The velvet blue sky overhead speckled with the light of a thousand worlds and stars, yet gave no indication of the peril Brandt, and the rest of the planet faced.
Mitos, Sirlana, and the rest turned a corner and emerged onto the quiet avenue leading to the Administration Building. Brandt, seeing this, knew it was his time to act. He hurried to the other end of the alleyway and took the corner at breakneck speed. He ran until it felt like his legs were on fire, so he stopped and rested.
I'll be lucky if I can even walk to the blaster range. But, if I can at least get there, I'll be able to get the hologram targets loaded onto the back of a cart and I can drive them to the Director's office. I just hope this will work.
The blaster testing range consists of a series of firing booths facing five tracks, upon which holographic images roll along. The shooters fire at these targets if hostile, or wait for them to pass if friendly. The image displayers then cycle back through the sides of the training area and reappear as a different image.
Brandt picked up 4 of these target displays and rolled them onto the bed of the cart. Then pushing the cart to the lift, Brandt pressed a button on the elevator wall. Suddenly, the floor rose at the speed of a swoop's lowest velocity, bringing Brandt up, up to the twenty-third floor, where the office of the most powerful member of the Bothan Spy Network is located.
Brandt could hear the sound of the door's auto-lock feature being disabled, then heard it being forced open. He didn't dare move though, for at any minute the holograms would switch on and his web would be spun.
"Okay, now which file cabinet would hold that file? This one?"
"No Gungtu, I told you it would be in the top drawer of the archive directly behind Melan's desk. Are you forgetting your own plan already?"
"Heh. You wish. Then you could take over my syndicate and get just as rich as me."
From inside his closet hiding place, Brandt heard the images come to life, and could only imagine the looks on Sirlana and Gungtu's traitorous faces. He spoke through his comlink, and the voice came out of the image of a Bothan Security Agency sergeant, the one that looked as real as if it were an actual security agent. The other three, displaying lower agents, all with blasters drawn, only enforced the idea of reality.
"Sirlana Durnplug, Gungtu Mitos, you are both under arrest for treason against the state of the highest level. Now, let's make this nice and easy, so why don't you just come over here so I can put these restraints on you. And don't even try to call for help from your accomplices: we have them in custody already."
The pair of intruders looked so surprised.
"You tipped them off! You wanted me to get arrested so you could take over!"
While saying this, Mitos wraps an arm around her neck and pushes the barrel of his blaster pistol into the side of her head, just below the ear. Sirlana tensed instinctively, but didn't say anything to her assailant. Brandt continues to speak through the comlink.
"Put the blaster down, Gungtu. This building is being stormed by a team of other SpyNet class silver operatives. There is no escape for you."
The crime lord didn't budge. In fact, he stood dead still, as if his brain had ceased to exist. Then Sirlana reached up and unwrapped his arm from around her, and laid him on the floor. She proceeded to pull out a comlink and said something into it. Just as she switched the device off, the Director walked through the door and shook her hand.
"Wait! Director, this woman is a traitor! How can you possibly be shaking her hand?"
The older, wiser Bothan spoke, slowly and clearly. His voice reminded Brandt of the river he lived near as a child.
"Brandt Oshed? What are you doing here in my office, in my closet no less? And what are you talking about? Ms. Durnplug here is a hero!"
"A hero? How can she be a hero when she stood by as someone was murdered, helped break into your office, and tried to steal a file?"
"Brandt! Don't you know? Every Bothan has secrets! Mine just happens to be that I am now a member of the SpyNet. This was an undercover mission!"
"Yes. When we learned that Gungtu Mitos was here on Bothawui, we had to dispatch someone. And with nobody available, we picked the recruit that scored highest in all of her tests."
Brandt's mouth dropped open.
Sirlana? An agent? Wow. She's good.
"But Sirlana, how were you able to infiltrate Mitos's ring of his closest friends and allies?"
"Well, Brandt, that's for me to know. After all, I wouldn't be a very good spy if I revealed all my tricks."
"And by the way, Sirlana, you have proven yourself to be such a good agent, that I'm putting you in for Bronze level status. And, as for you Brandt, you shall be receiving Gold status for your part in this."
"Thank you, sir, but there's one more thing."
"And what would that be?"
"What about Mitos? What happened to him?"
"Well, the Arms Tech guys didn't want me to show this to anyone, but look."
The female Bothan held out a small, tubular object, looking much like a stun baton.
"It's a stun baton... So what?"
"No. It's not a stun stick. It's actually a carbonite injector. It'll temporarily freeze whoever gets hit with it."
Oshed looked at Mitos, still motionless on the ground.
"Looks like it works. Better tell them to assemble as many as possible as soon as possible."
"Well then. It looks like our people have a lot of paperwork ahead of them."
"Yes Director. Yes they do."