I normally dislike using Author's notes since I believe that it break up the flow of the story, however I wanted to tell my fans that I apologize for the long absence. In the past three months since my last update, I had the real world eat up much of my free time as well as suffering from a massive writers block. Although the broad storyline, such as who, what, where and how, are already planned out the finer details had eluded me. I hope to have more updates in the near future since the real world is behaving its' self now and my writers block seems to be conquered. So, to my old fans and to any new fans, let the adventures continue.
The Wraiths
Loran, Garik 'Face' Commander, Wraith 1; Poster Boy
Ruskin, Flight Officer, Wraith 2; Pathfinder
Hun, Sorr, Lieutenant, Wraith 3; Watcher
Foruta, Kic, Flight Officer, Wraith 4; Snipe
Tahiri, Captain, Wraith 5; Peacekeeper
Killjoy, Jake, Flight Officer, Wraith 6; Socket
Littlefoot, Cathy, Lieutenant, Wraith 7; Doc
Uhilka, Flight Officer, Wraith 8; Hunter
Bora, Ratnena, Lieutenant, Wraith 9; Prankster
High, Aden, Flight Officer, Wraith 10; Snoop
Squeaky, Supply Officer, Wraith Eleven; Junk Pile
Little Brother, Wraith 12; Dagger
Face walked into the briefing room with Tahiri close behind, she was still feeling the sting from the send off Ratnena had given her. Ratnena had been very cool and distant when she said good by this morning. Although Tahiri was acting as if it was no big deal, Face has been around the two long enough to see the truth. He also could sympathize with Tahiri's desire to try to draw her friend out, in the fact he wished Ratnena would open up a bit more and share whatever it was eating at her. So far, it has not affected her performance with the Wraiths but he wanted all potential problems sorted out before they became major headaches. Sort of like the headache that they might be getting soon from the Empire.
"All right everyone," Face said as he and Tahiri took their seats. "I've just gotten a priority message from our boss. Tahiri and I have both seen the text of the message and she agrees with me that we should concentrate on it solely for now."
"Although, I have personal reasons for scouting out the Yuuzhan Vong in the Hutt Space as well professional reason, and Doc," Tahiri said with a nod to Cathy Littlefoot, "has noticed a surprising and troubling trend with that new drug 'Bliss' and wanted to follow up on it; we are forced to change our directions for the time being."
"Ma'am," Cathy said after Tahiri acknowledged her raised hand. "Given the properties of Bliss, the speed in which it is being distributed and the wide spread availability of a drug that no one had even heard of when we started training is troubling to me. All this suggest to me that there is a very definite and well develop plan to introduce a disabling factor it the G.F.F.A, perhaps to 'weaken our hinges' so to speak."
"By the way you say that, I take you think it is Yuuzhan Vong in nature," Tahiri said with a ghost of a smile.
"Just an avenue that we should be exploring ma'am," Cathy responded with caution.
Tahiri and he had already briefed everyone about Tahiri special family tree. Most, of course, responded with caution, which is what they expected. Ruskin was unfazed by the news since he no doubt knew of her before hand and Aden High had already asked for a transfer upon hearing the news. Face really didn't want to lose his expert annalist and back up computer slicer so soon after training and had been able to talk him into staying for a while. Tahiri, being what she was, understood how he could feel that way and she decided to walk a soft line with him until he got use to her. Surprisingly, it was more of her Jedi heritage rather then her Yuuzhan Vong side that he disliked the most.
"Ordinarily, I would agree with you Lt. Littlefoot. This is the sort of tactic that many of the Yuuzhan Vong would employ, especially given the defeat we handed to them 10 months ago."
"Then we aren't we going there," Aden asked in a hostile tone and a heartbeat too long added, "ma'am." The other new people stirred at his tone but Face saw Tahiri blew past it as if she wasn't bothered by his tone.
"That is a good question Flight Officer High, even if you could have said it in a nicer tone," Face revised his last opinion, although the rest wouldn't notice her tone but he did, "however a larger problem has presented itself. At 0023, Denon time and 0800 Bastion time, Grand Admiral Pellaeon was arrested for treason and a military take over of the Imperial Space was launched."
Face waited for the room to settle down and took over the briefing, "So far only a handful of loyal officers and crews are fighting back; mostly the ones who have served the longest with Pellaeon. Nevertheless, they are out numbered and out gunned. Who ever is behind this coup has been able to get the Moffs and many of the high ranking officers to follow him or her."
"By the way you say that Commander, it would suggest that we don't know who is in charge over there," Sorr Hun asked.
"Exactly, we don't know, the situation is extremely tense at the moment." Face said bluntly, "several battle groups have been dispatched to the areas near the border as a precaution against any trouble spilling over into our space. However, they will take a while to get there from their current locations."
"Our mission is to get in and get some answers for the Supreme Commander and the Chief of State," Tahiri said, "we will be taking two teams to the border area near the Raioballo Sector, which was quietly annexed by the Empire after the war. From there one team, posing as merchants, will proceed to Bastion in the Sweet Sunrise with a load of supplies."
"The cover story will be pro-human sympathizers wanting to lend a hand to the Empire," Face said, "so it will be an all human crew."
"The rest of us will be taking the assault shuttle to Yaga Minor to scout out the military base there," Tahiri said taking over again. "We will do a long distance recon as well as dropping off a stealth probe droid, which hopefully, will be able to stay in a closer orbit and provide us with addition long term surveillance."
"What do you mean 'hopefully'?" Kic Foruta asked.
"It worked alright when it was deployed against the Yuuzhan Vong," Tahiri said bring up a holographic file of the probe droid, "but it is still untested against what some would term 'normal' technology. It might slip in undetected or it might get its little brains blown out five minutes after we release it. We aren't 100 sure which but if it can get in there it would let us see what kind of fleet is presumably being built there or if any forces are being mustered."
"Both missions will also allow us a peek into their security procedures, to see what changes have been and are being implemented. Also both missions will be hands off for now until we get a better handle on what we are facing," Face said looking at each of the new Wraiths. "We will tap into any non secure data streams we can but the high priority stuff will wait till future mission. Peacekeeper and I also have a list of our sleepers in both locations; we will attempt to establish contact with them."
"They maybe in the dark as we are right now but we need to let them know that they will be needed in the future and allow us to know who is still around and who is not." Tahiri said crisply, "but the main goal at this stage is just to recon and gets us some ideas as to what we may face there."
"Will we be recalling Lt. Bora?" 'Doc' asked, which was a reasonable question that Face and Tahiri wrestled with for a while before the briefing.
Had she waited an hour to launch it would have been a mote question but Face didn't want to pull her from her first vacation in almost three years. Tahiri, on the other hand, wanted her two best agents on hand. Ratnena and Little Brother had talents that she felt could help cut through much of the bureaucratic mumbo jumbo that they were sure to face in during their spying. While Face knew that what those two couldn't make a computer do no one could, Ratnena needed to recover and relax from everything that she had been through in order for her to be sharp and ready for when they would need her. It could be weeks before they are ready to do information raids, if ever. The whole problem could collapse by itself before they ever get that far. The fluidly of the situation was another reason she wanted Prankster and Dagger on site with her, this could be an excellent opportunity to get as much information with the least amount of risk. If the collapse occurred, they could sneak in and out before the Imperials had the opportunity to destroy or remove valuable records or instituted new protocols.
While Face felt that the possibility of the whole mess cleaning it's self up was high, the opportunity would be wasted for Prankster, and Little Brother to infiltrate the Empire, there was this little nagging feeling that events would not go that smoothly.
"No, Prankster's skills will be needed in the future but at this stage we can get by well enough without her."
"What are the rules or engagement if we are discovered?" Kic Foruta asked for his seat next to Sorr Hun.
"Fire only in self-defense and only if it is absolutely necessary to ensure escape," Face said looking at everyone in turn. "We are spies not soldiers. We don't go around blowing up everything we see …"
"Usually," Tahiri said in sotto voice.
"Our mission is to get as much information and intelligences for other to make the decisions about killing and blowing up people. Our missions' success is not judged by kills but by the number of missions we do complete without anyone knowing we are there." Face said seriously then let a smile form on his face, "but sometimes we get to play commandos. Any further questions?" When no one said anything Face nodded, pleased with the professional attitude they were displaying, "Ok, Team One will take the Sweet Sunrise; Doc, Snoop, Socket and I will travel together. Peacekeeper, Pathfinder, Snipe, Watcher and Hunter will head team Two and they will take Homes One."
"My team will leave in 10 hours, get your gear together then meet me in the hanger to preflight."
"Squeaky found a load of perishables to pick up on Ruun to transport to the Empire; the bad news is we have to leave in 2 hours. The hanger staff is doing a pre-flight so we just need to hurry and get our gear together. One hour people, dismissed."
"So you tell Squeaky that he is babysitting the base yet?" Tahiri asked as the rest headed off to get ready for their missions.
"Of course not," Face said standing and flashing a smile, "that is a job that requires your delicate touch."
"Ah, I see," Tahiri, said making a face like she had bit into a bad piece of fruit. "You don't want to listen to him complain about missing out on extra pay so you are pushing it off on me."
"Welcome to the joys of command."
