Chapter 25: Shiptar Tovrak

Aboard the BC/MCF Actuarial

Shortly after Itoll Oc'skar and Razal Wulf were recognised on security footage from Merj, Zuro Pax made a deal with the InterGalactic Banking Clan. In exchange for agreeing to a .00064% increase in the interest rate on a massive Corporate Alliance loan, San Hill agreed to lend Zuro Pax the use of a Munificent-class star frigate, the Actuarial.

The frigate was under the command of Admiral Hista Hill, who just happened to be San Hill's daughter. In light of the obvious nepotism at play, Director Zuro Pax had chosen an organic being he knew to go along on the mission and nominally take charge of any and all boarding action or ground operations. Having been given a Corporate Alliance Commission of General, Pax's trusty dark brown-furred Shistavanen, Shiptar Tovrak, had reluctantly agreed to take command.

Flying under the completely neutral (and totally not-at-war) Banking Clan flag, with one of the fastest-rated hyperdrives in the Galaxy, the heavily-armed Actuarial quickly crossed through Republic space from one Separatist stronghold, the Tion Cluster, to the other Separatist stronghold—the Western reaches on the opposite side of the Galaxy. In less than three days, the Actuarial had already passed the front lines of the war over Praesitlyn and was just hours away from the location of the Avaricious Snaltowg.

A location the Shadowfeeds had secretly pinged two days ago using the HoloNet. A location they had neglected to share with the Morseerians or the Techno Union.

o.o.o.o.o

"Is playing Demesne really the best use of your time Admiral?" Shiptar asked sternly, gripping the sides of his chair with nervousness. With more than a thousand droid commandoes on board, the mercenary warlord had left all of his men back on Murkhana and spent the last three days on the Actuarial with no one but Hista Hill and droids for company. No sense in risking their lives when we have Banking Clan droids.

"This will be over soon," Hista Hill said calmly, moving a piece on the board. "Don't you have some boarding action to prepare for, General? It's only 17 minutes away!"

"I could say the same for you," Shiptar snarled.

"Checkmate," the T1 tactical droid said monotonously, moving a piece towards the centre of the board.

To the Shistavanen, defeat and victory in Demesne appeared both equally boring and stale. Yet, he smirked at the angry look on the Admiral's face.

"Ugh!" Hista yelled, banging the board with a closed fist. "General, you distract me! You so often distract me!"

"Few organics have ever beaten a T-series tactical droid in any mentalistic sport," the droid droned. "It would not have made a difference."

"I beat a T-series once," Hista sighed, regaining her calm, "and have drawn matches with them many times."

"I am sure," Shiptar snorted, looking away from the boring Demesne board in the middle of the bridge to the huge transparisteel windows. Beyond was the swirl of hyperspace.

"Give me fifty minutes, and keep your snout shut, and you could see it for yourself," Hista said haughtily.

Demesne. "I would rather go to the dentist," Shiptar growled, getting up from his chair. He glared at the Admiral's grey bald head. "I am going to prepare for boarding action, Admiral. Ready commando teams 1 and 2."

o.o.o.o.o

The Shistavanen seethed with frustration as he stormed down to hangar 2, through the dark grey hallways. The Actuarial had two hangars, one which contained fighter craft, and the other which contained boarding craft and transports.

He passed two B1 battle droids, nearly knocking them over. That Muun brat. I can't believe someone like that commands a ship. Zuro Pax would never allow that much nepotism under his command. The Banking Clan… Gah!

"General," a commando droid said in a slow monotone the moment Shiptar entered the spacious hangar.

Shiptar approached a group of sixteen commando droids. "Weapons on stun. Under no circumstance are you to use lethal force on that ship. We believe Team Muun is unarmed or, at most, armed with stolen E-5 blasters."

"Roger roger," the crowd of droids said in a monotone.

"Standard boarding procedure. Take the bridge and the reactor room, capturing any organics you come across along the way. After we've secured the Avaricious Snaltowg, we'll do a deck by deck—"

—Shiptar's wrist comm beeped. "What is it bridge?"

"General, I just decrypted this transmission," Hista's voice spoke calmly. "You are going to want to hear it."

You just decrypted it. You mean, you sat there wasting time instead of having a droid do it much faster than you ever could. "Put it through!" Shiptar snarled.

"Captain Lir Sey'les, updating Director Armand Isard on the situation," a female Bothan growled through the wrist comm. "After deliberation, I have decided to relocate Team Muun, Trajan Kran, and Nebhir to Skor II until evac arrives. I say again, Team Muun is relocating to Skor II. We will be awaiting evac on Skor II."

"Kriffing hell," Shiptar sighed. "Is there any way to stop that transmission from reaching Coruscant?"

"Nothing we can do," the Muun spoke calmly into the comm. "Although, it will take three days and sixteen hours for that transmission to reach Coruscant, if ever."

"We are going to need to re-evaluate the mission," Shiptar muttered bitterly. "Blast, boarding a ship on the edge of a hyperlane was just too easy."

"Shall I arrange a HoloNet communication with Murkhana?"

"We have… They are up?"

"The Separatists have taken control of the HoloNet," Hista explained matter of factly.

It was weird to Shiptar that the Muun was talking about the Separatists in the third person. Well, I guess the Banking Clan is quote 'neutral.'

o.o.o.o.o

"Director, our quarry has relocated to the surface of Skor II. We don't know where exactly."

A wrinkle of concern crossed the smooth blue forehead of Pax's holopresence. "All right, Shiptar, here's what I am gonna do." His figure stooped, then disappeared, stepping off the holopad.

"Sir?" Shiptar growled worriedly.

"I'm still here," Pax's voice reassured from the holoprojector, "just sending… There."

Shiptar's datapad buzzed. On the screen, the folder of a HoloNet datapackage appeared. "Huh, personnel records," he growled to himself, flipping through pages.

"More than that," Pax said, holopresence reappearing. "All of their hobbies too, romantic interests, favourite types of alcohol, it'll hopefully help you track them down faster."

"Track them down?" Shiptar growled nervously. "It sounds like you want me to make contact with them?"

"Of course," Pax said sternly. "You can't just land on Skor II with a droid army. It's neutral territory. Whatever you do will have to lure them into a spot where droids can quickly—Do I have to write up a mission plan for you?"

"No sir," Shiptar sighed, scratching his head. "I just haven't done anything like this before. And time is of the essence."

Pax's holopresence paused for a moment, deep in thought. "I know you are capable of pulling off something like this. I'd ask Admiral Hill though for advice too. She is well versed in cultures around the Galaxy."

Shiptar scowled to himself, not quite ready to take the Director as his word for that.