Chapter 47
Visiting the old homestead
The entire crew minus the droids were present for Melissa's check in, from the background they could see that Melissa was in the milk runner's com room. In the background they could hear yuki music being played.
Melissa looked exhausted where she sat in the chair
"What has you so exhausted?" Terri asked
"Had two back to back weddings and a hunt for a husband." Melissa replied
"Husband hunt? Are you married now?" Mission demanded
"Not me. I guess I better explain better." Melissa said
She pushed herself up in her chair, tiredly running a hand across her face, before shaking her head.
"The first wedding was for Sukura and Bonita, and it was massive with all the townspeople, the council and the Choir being invited. That wedding party lasted two days. Then Ellia dropped the bomb that she was going to be a big sister when we asked Fay why she was not in armour or drinking." Melissa explained
"I am guessing that was the second wedding." Carth said
"But first I had to hunt down Lance and drag him back to be married. As the aggrieved clan leader it was my responsibility to hunt down the defiler of a daughter of my clan and bring him to justice." Melissa replied
"And the justice being?" Bastila prompted
"Me kicking his ass up and down the main street before officiating a blaster wedding." Melissa sighed
"I bet Fay was enthused with that." Terri snickered
"She promised me an equal ass kicking when she is no longer pregnant, that was halfway through the second wedding party." Melissa replied
"So apart from non stop parties what else had you been up to?" Carth asked
"Investigating the island I have been given as reward for my defence of the planet populace, buying ground for two new bars, one in Arkaxia and another in the town that is going to be built for the industrial and mining complex, the Last Round had become a franchise, buying another farm, two beach lots and investing in a fishery and in the upgrade of the No Tell Hotel, which will be renamed the Hidden Pearl and constructing its second branch at the new town." Melissa answered
"I don't understand the name change." Carth confessed
"A typical man won't understand the meaning." Terri snickered
Carth looked around at the snickering women and shrugged his shoulders.
"Moving on, what else is new?"
"Master Vandar has recognised my passing my trails on Lothal and conferred knight status on me. How far is the repairs going on the Hawk?" Melissa replied
"Another ten days so they claim, so realistically speaking another fifteen. Then we will need a shake down trip. We will come pick you up on Arkaxis." Carth responded
"Are you able to move around freely now?" Melissa asked
"After the bombshell of a minor planet telling the republic to get lost and signing defence agreements with a previous enemy, the press has other concerns than us." Bastila replied
"Nobody really knows how to respond to Yukira sticking its noses into the matter either, not that it stops the politicians on all sides of the spectrum running their mouths." Terri added
"What else is going on out there? We have not had much news going out this way." Melissa asked
"The anti slaver coalitions are divided about the punishment given to the zygerans and their helpers, most feel it is a justly deserved ironic punishment, a small group believe that the sentence is denigrating their cause to stamp out slavery. The Commercial and Banking guilds have withdrawn all services to Zygera and Rodia, causing their economies to tank especially Rodia. The outer rim planets are talking of Secession from the Republic and the Sith is running a very popular public relations campaign against the Senate." Terri explained
"In other news pirate and privateer actions are at an all time low and no new skirmishes between the republic and Sith fleets have been reported. Oh and carbonite sculptures have become the newest art craze." Carth added.
"You are missing the best news though." Mission cheerily said
"I am almost afraid to ask." Melissa stated
"Coruscant Entertainment is showing concept views for a new holodrama show." Mission said
"Okay, and this relevant to us, how?" Melissa asked
"It is about a red haired Mandolorian girl with a Jedi father and her adventures while fighting for the Republic, so far they hinted at fighting slavers and infiltrating Sith strongholds. For some reason that sounds very familiar." Mission was nearly bouncing in her seat.
Melissa face palmed at hearing this, laughter at her end of the conversation made it clear their conversation was not as private as they had thought, not that it stopped the crew from having a good laugh themselves for several minutes.
"By the way, I and Bonita will be visiting Alterra in the next few days." Melissa said once the laughter had died down.
"Try not to cause another diplomatic incident." Terri replied
"I will do my best." Melissa responded
Closing down the relay she found Bonita standing in the doorway holding a stylus and a piece of flimsy, Sukura by her side, her tail waving madly.
"Could I please have your autograph?" She asked
"Kriff my life." Melissa muttered
The customs officer at the airfield was beyond bored as yet another group of freighters had landed and had their crews brought to customs to be registered.
"Documentation." He drawled not looking up
An armoured hand passed over an identity card. Looking up he saw a figure dressed in a grey robe similar in style to a Jedi robe. Scanning the card it took a moment before a green light lit and displayed the information on his terminal
"Welcome to Alterra, Knight Wren. Anything to declare?" He stated
"I aim to misbehave." The knight responded dryly
With a sigh he noticed the snickering forms behind her in the form of another two armoured figures one in Alterran Ranger armour and the other in armour he was not familiar with. The crews of the other freighters standing well back from the three. For a moment he thought to respond to that statement but decided that it was too much effort and waved the knight and her companions through after scanning their identities into the database and marking their ship as carrying no cargo. As per protocol he send a message that a Jedi knight has passed through customs, for a moment wondering what the difference between a regular Jedi and a grey Jedi was.
A few hours later had the trio standing in front of a dilapidated building, a palpable air of neglect in the air. The fact that the building was in the shadows of other older buildings did not help either, nor the approaching dusk. Bonita and Melissa were willing to swear that the same dead plants still lined the dead garden in front of the building.
"So this is the place you grew up in." Sukura stated, nose twitching
"Welcome to two seventeen, where the unwanted get dumped." Bonita replied
A police landspeeder came to a stop in front of them and two officers stepped out. Both officers were familiar to the ex residents.
"Identity cards please." One officer spoke
"Really, Amelia. Don't you recognise me?" Bonita asked
"I can't say I recognise any of you especially as I don't know who would hide in a counterfeit Jedi Robe." The now named Amelia replied
"That is the thanks we get for smuggling her boyfriends in and out of the old shithole." Melissa replied
The two officers placed their hands on their sidearms, alarmed expressions on their faces
"Identification, now!" Amelia snapped
Melissa dropped the cowl on her robe revealing her helmet, both officers unsnapped their holsters and gripped their side arms harder
"Drama Queens." Melissa stated lifting her helmet
"I could not agree more." Bonita replied lifting her helmet
The two officers looked at them in slack jawed surprise
"Bon Bon and Little Mellie, is that really you?" Amelia gasped
"In the flesh." Melissa replied
The second officer pointed to Sukura.
"Who is she then? we have never had any Yuki's with us." She demanded
"That would be my lovely wife, Greitha. May I present misses Sukura Cleary, Aliit Wren" Bonita replied
"Cleary I get, what is this Aliit Wren business" Greitha asked
"That would be my clan name, my father's name was Achilla Wren of the mandalorian clan Wren." Melissa answered
Amelia shook her head
"We will have to catch up later, we are both still on the clock. Were are you staying?" She asked
"The Alterra Arms on fifty second west sector. We are booked in under Wren" Bonita replied
"Right, we will see you at breakfast. There is a lot you need to be told, we will bring a few more from the sister network." Greitha stated
Melissa pulled out her comlink
"Send me your numbers, in case you have difficulties in getting to us" She said
The two stepped back into the landspeeder and moved off after exchanging com link numbers. Melissa looked at Bonita
"That sounded ominous." She stated
"It is not like Amelia or Greitha to be dramatic, so something serious must be up, bringing others from the network in makes it more certain." Bonita replied
"What is this sister network?" Melissa asked
"I forgot you were not inducted, those of us leaving this place regularly meet if we can and do what we can to help the girls still left here. Get donations, help find decent jobs, generally keep as much of an eye on them as we can." Bonita explained
"Why is the building so dark?" Sukura asked
The two ex residents looked at the building.
"Rooftop." Melissa said
"Rooftop." Bonita concurred
The two moved to an alley on the side of the building and stopped short. Sukura grouchily following as her question went unanswered
"Where the hell did the fire stairs go." Bonita demanded
The outline of where the stairs were was still visible as was the doors that was supposed to be connected to the stairs. Even in the poor light they could see the sloppy welding that kept the doors permanently shut. Melissa lifted her arm and fired the grappling line from her vambrace. Unclipping the vambrace she handed it to Bonita.
"See you at the top." She said.
Bending her knees, she jumped up to the second floor before jumping against the wall of the opposite building and bouncing to the top. Moments later Bonita walked up to the top reeling in the grappling line, Sukura on her back. Bonita handed the vambrace back and Melissa reeled the last in the last of the line after releasing the hooks of the grapnel. They looked at the green house on the top that at some point had been built to make the orphanage more self sustaining by growing its own vegetables. The building was built but no equipment was ever delivered to make it work, now it served as the meeting place of the girls were they were not monitored. The lights in the rooms below was kept off deliberately to warn them of the approach of the administrators as lights were switched on by them.
Moving closer they climbed silently onto the roof of the greenhouse and knelt down to listen at a broken window pane to the conversation inside. A fragment of the conversation were audible
"So we are all agreed. In three days all barricade themselves in the kitchens and cause riots."
Melissa and Bonita shared a glance and slowly backed away from the window pane and dropped to the rooftop. Melissa paused to take of the grey robe covering her armour before the two walked around to the door, Sukura close behind them. Opening the door they stepped into the room to sudden shocked silence. There were several faces unknown to them, several being boys.
"Who are you?" One of the older girls demanded
The older girls pushed the younger ones behind them, before they, the unknown girls and the boys seemed to gather themselves for a fight. Melissa and Bonita lifted their helmets, revealing their faces. There was a gasp of recognition from the girls of two seventeen.
"The question is not who we are but what is going on here?" Bonita stated
"Considering all the unknown faces here I am guessing the osik has really hit the repulsor coils." Melissa added
A girl pushed through the defensive line and stepped up to Melissa. She delivered a stinging slap before grabbing her in a tight hug.
"I missed you too, Ariana, though why the slap?" Melissa responded
"You left without saying goodbye." Ariana responded, her voice teary
"I guess I earned that one then." Melissa replied
"Am I likely to get slapped as well?" Bonita asked
"Only if you ask, Cuddle Buns." Sukura happily replied
There was a round of soft snickering on hearing the pet name, breaking the tension in the room somewhat. Melissa looked at the oldest girl in the group
"Liliana, what is going on here? Why are you having a meeting under blackout rules?" She asked
The indicated girl sighed and pointed to the unknown faces.
"We, one zero eight, two twelve, one one eight, two ten, eleven one and two thirteen are being moved to a decommissioned air base in three days." She answered
"What? Why?" Melissa responded
"It was decided that the buildings are too small for our numbers and moving everybody onto one site would be more effective." Liliana answered
"And why the resistance to the move? An airbase would have a lot more space." Sukura interjected
"The airbase was severely damaged by a Mandolorian strike and never repaired, two it is miles from the city and we will be trapped with the administrators in one place with nowhere to go. By the way who are you?" Ariana replied, still hanging on to Melissa
"Sukura is my wife." Bonita explained
"Getting back on subject as Ariana said we will be stuck there with Parker and his cronies and the other deviants from the other orphanages. With no oversight or any way to call for help or escape we will be stranded mynocks." Liliana said.
Melissa and Bonita grimaced as they envisioned the results
"I am guessing that is what Amelia and Greitha were talking about." Bonita said
"Why this sudden move?" Melissa asked
"Coruscant started shipping the children from there, all of the children whose parent or parents were in the fleet. Between all of our holes we received two hundred and twenty kids from one battle alone and rumour has it more are coming." Liliana answered
"Do you know which battle?" Melissa asked, a sinking feeling in her stomach
"Somewhere called Taris, I can only recall one ships name though" Ariana answered
"The Endar Spire, The Dawn Light, The Messenger." Melissa supplied the names, closing her eyes in sudden pain
"How did you know that?" Liliana demanded
Bonita placed a hand on Melissa's shoulder
"She was one of the last ones of the Endar Spire before it blew up." Bonita answered softly
"You escaped a space battle and from Taris?" One of the boys responded in awe
"Barely, I was more lucky than the others. Sorry, can we change the subject, please." Melissa pleaded
A series of piercing whistles came from below
"Times up, scatter." Liliana ordered
Melissa passed her comlink to Ariana
"Keep it with you, we will contact you tomorrow once we spoke to Amelia and the others, we will see what we can do to help." She said
"There is nothing but causing mayhem and hope it helps." Ariana replied despondently
"Chin up girls, we will help you one way or another." Melissa responded
"What she said." Bonita stated.
Moving outside they saw the representatives from the other orphanages climbing down using tied to together sheets as ropes. As they were climbing down they heard the ripping of a sheet. Melissa rushed to the edge and saw three rapidly falling, thrusting her hand out she grabbed them in a force grip and lowered them to the ground, their shocked cries stopping as they slowly touched down. Melissa handed the vambrace to Bonita after firing a grapnel into the roof again and pointed to the two still standing there, their escape route gone.
"Get them down, I will bring Sukura down."
Bonita nodded and taking two carabiners clipped the two to her and lowered the group of the rooftop, Melissa swooped Sukura into a bridal carry and stepped from the roof moments before light flooded the area. She landed with a loud thump. The group pushed themselves against the side of the building as lights were played into the alley. Seeing nothing the lights retracted and even from four floors down they could hear the cursing from the searchers.
"I have a suspicion breakfast is going to be quite interesting." Melissa predicted
Melissa groaned as the com unit to the room buzzed insistently. Getting up from where she had been sleeping on the couch, letting the married couple have the room she plodded over to the unit and activated it. The image showed a clerk from the front desk.
"Good morning Miss Wren, sorry for the disturbance there is a group here at the reception for you." She stated with a professional smile
"You can send them up." Melissa replied
"I am sorry, Miss. It is a very large group." The clerk responded
"How large a group?" Melissa asked
"There are twenty of them here at present. They stated they are waiting for a few more"
Melissa became more awake at that
" Do you have a conference room that is not in use at present?" She asked
"The West conference suite is currently empty."
"Charge it to my room and could you arrange for food and refreshments to be send there as well, needles to say you can charge that as well to my room and add fifteen percent to your usual rates to make up for the inconvenience." Melissa replied
"We will direct your guests to the suite now, the food will take some time though." The clerk stated
"No problem, thank you for the very efficient service. Please send the location of the suite to my room. Oh and can you ask the kitchen to make sure there is a fish dish of some sort included." Melissa responded
"I will make a note of that." The clerk responded
Closing the call down after downloading the given location to her datapad, she moved to the door of the room. She opened the door a fraction.
"They are here, get dressed they are on their way to a conference room." Melissa called into the room
"Why a conference room?" Sukura groggily asked
"There are twenty here now, with more coming." Melissa replied
Walking to the turbolift she saw people pressing themselves against the wall at the sight of her armour as she passed. Stepping into the turbolift saw the previous occupants scurrying out
"I guess it must be my deodorant." Melissa remarked to the operator standing by the control panel
"Which floor?" The operator asked brusqley
"Fifteen." Melissa replied
People scattered at her approach to the conference suite. Pausing for a moment she accessed the holonet and scanned the most recent local news.
A popular politicians had been spitting fire against what he termed insidious Mandalorian encroachment in the outer rim
"That explains it. The head goat bleats and the flock falls in line." Melissa thought
Shrugging it off she stepped into the conference suite to a sudden silence. She saw movement as one man reached into his jacket and pulling a blaster. She pulled the blaster from his hand with a force pull before delivering a force push, knocking him arse over teakettle. Holding the blaster in the air she crushed it and dropped the components onto the floor
"Any other stupid ideas?" She asked
Amelia cleared her throat
"So the Jedi robes was not a costume then? But how did they not pick up that you were a Jedi earlier?" She asked
Melissa lifted her helmet and placed it on the table, she pulled her id card from a pouch and flipped it to Amelia
"I am guessing you have access to the Alterra central security database?" She asked
"Yes, limited access. Why?" Amelia replied
"Scan my ID and tell everyone what it says before we have any more drama." Melissa said, sitting down.
Pulling her datapad from a pocket Amelia scanned the card and waited a moment before reading the results, turning slightly pale
"It says Knight Melissa Wren, Grey Jedi. The rest of the information is restricted access only. I am guessing I am about to be contacted by crime intelligence shortly." She said
"More likely the Rangers intelligence division, I will deal with it when they barge in. Now scan the Bounty hunter registration system" Melissa replied
Amelia scanned it and got a near immediate reply
"Melissa Wren, Mandalorian, class two bounty hunter." She read, confusion prominent on her face
Melissa pointed to the other chairs.
"Please sit down and I will explain what I can." She invited.
She waited till all were seated before speaking
"Contrary to popular belief being force sensitive is not a case of being born with it or not. Every being has potential to be, why it develops with some and not others is unknown. With some people being in extreme situations can see that potential being unlocked, Nomi Sunrider being a good example of that, the process being called an Awakening," Melissa explained.
"So how did you…" Greitha started asking
"Taris, my process started on the Endar Spire before it was attacked, I only realised much later I felt the presence of Darth Malak just before the attack." Melissa replied
There was a collective shudder around the room at hearing that name, Melissa ignored that and continued
"I came fully into my heritage on Dantooine and was in an advanced training schedule. My class is Jedi Gaurdian. For lack of a closer description Gaurdians are the special forces of the Jedi order, one of my trainers and team group is a Sentinel again for lack of description think intelligence in security terms. I found out my father was a Mandalorian and it was decided I have a unique entry point into Mandalorian society."
"Deep cover infiltration." A man whistled softly
"I can not confirm nor deny that." Melissa replied
There was a general lessening of tension as the group drew their own conclusions to the tale told to them. As a whole they seemed to be more relaxed. Melissa caught a hint of amusement and saw a man lift a glass in her direction a wry smile on his face.
"Well played." He mouthed.
The door opened and Bonita and Sukura entered with another ten people.
Melissa looked enquiringly at Amelia.
"That is all of us." She stated as the newcomers found seats.
There was a chime from the door and Bonita jumped up from her seat at Melissa's gesture.
"That should be breakfast." Melissa stated
The waiters quickly set up a buffet table and left the room, one or two throwing barely hidden glares at Melissa. Amelia scoffed as she sent her own glares back
"Does their attitudes not bother you?" She asked
No, right now they are unimportant. People like them will always have someone they dislike or look down on. Be it a mandalorian or an orphan." Melissa shrugged
"But how do you just accept that?" Amelia responded
"There is no emotion, there is peace." Bonita broke in
There was a general nodding of heads around them at hearing that and the matter was dropped, the code well known to most Alterrans. Bonita quickly hid her smirk as Melissa lifted an eyebrow
"Really?" She mouthed
The group settled back at the table, Melissa got up and made a plate for herself before sitting down at her spot at the head of the table. She hid a smile as she noticed that Sukura had grabbed the serving dish with the fish in it and was guarding it fiercely, while purring as she ate. Finishing her meal she decided to get the meeting started
"Can someone please fill those of us who were of world in as to what is going on?" She asked
Amelia swallowed some caf and placed her cup down
"I assume you talked to the girls last night as we left." She stated
"Best not to rely on assumptions, but yes." Bonita replied
"Then you will know about the proposed movement of the different units to the airbase." Amelia continued ignoring Bonita.
"Yes, why now?" Melissa replied
Greitha took over
"They claim it is becoming harder to find space for all the children being shipped here and that it is merely to ease congestion in the orphanage units and provide better accommodation to the children. By schooling all of them together they are also easing congestion in the public school system." She stated
"On flimsy and to the public at large it seems well thought out and beneficial to all." Another woman spoke
"Sorry you seem familiar." Bonita interrupted.
"Irene Adlec, I was in two thirteen. Currently part of Councilman Jecard's press unit."
"Oh, yes, the schutta running his mouth on Yukara and Mandalore this morning." Sukura snarled
"Believe me, he is much worse out of public eye." Irene sighed
"So what is going on under the public façade?" Melissa asked
Irene pointed to a non descript looking man at the end of the table
"Arelo, you want to take this?" She asked
" Arelo Sader, one one eight. I work in the urban planning office. Recently there has been a push for urban renewal and the orphanages fall in areas that has been highlighted for high density domiciles. Tenders for the purchase of the orphanages from Social Welfare had already been approved."
"And I am guessing it is by one or two private companies." Melissa replied
Arelo just nodded at that. Melissa stood up.
"I would suggest you all get under the table we are about to be interrupted." She said.
They looked at her in surprise not moving with only Bonita, Sukura, Amelia and Greitha standing up
"Rebreathers." Melissa snapped.
Bonita and Sukura immediately jammed their helmets on their heads, the man who had saluted her producing a rebreather. The rest started swaying in their seats. Melissa employed Force breathing and stepped to the door unclipping her lightsaber, hearing a regular thumping as people dropped from their chairs as the gas being pumped in got to work. Melissa pointed Bonita and Sakura to the corner, the man joining them unasked. Smoke was now being pumped into the room as well as the sleeping gas. Melissa got down to one knee and prepared herself. The door hissed open and a objects skittered on the floor.
Melissa rapidly pulled the objects behind her to the far corner of the room, where they exploded in bright flashes. She heard the trundle of a droid entering the room. She ignited her blade.
Outside the room the SWAT commander was looking at a thermal scan of the room. A Woman dressed in an Alterran rangers uniform looked over his shoulder
"Thirty three life forms, No movement." He reported
A division captian stood behind them. Further down the passage regular officers were holding a crowd back standing in front of portable opaque shields.
"Breach." The captain ordered
The door was sliced and two stun grenades thrown in. The grenades went of, visible through the smoke pouring from the room
"No movement. Deploying droid." The commander ordered
The droid entered the room and as per protocol started playing a recorded message.
"This is the Alterren Police. Please remain…"
The message was interrupted as a silver blue light appeared. This was followed by a metallic screech and moments later the droid head rolled out of the room. There was a moment of shocked silence before the commander barked his order
"Engage."
A trio rushed into the room rapid firing indiscriminate stun bolts as they went. They heard the whine of a lightsaber coming from the room before the trio was forcefully expelled from the room and rolled across the floor and lying completely still. The next moment there was a figure in their midst. The figure slammed her hand to the ground and the people around her were thrown from there feet as a pulse extended from where she punched the ground. Before they could recover she was among them, each swing of the blade a dropped officer. Moments later only the captain, the Ranger and the commander was left standing, the last with a crackling lightsaber at his throat
"If you wanted to talk, you should have used the comstation." Their attacker said in a false pleasant voice
"We do not negotiate with terrorists." The commander snarled
The woman thrust an ID card at the Ranger
"Scan it and tell these idiots what it says." She said
The ranger scanned it, looked at the reading and snapped to attention
"Knight Wren, how may I serve?" She stated
"Knight?" The Captain asked
"You are in the presence of Knight Wren of the Jedi Order." The Ranger stated stiffly
Melissa closed her blade down and dropped the SWAT commander, who wisely decided to stay seated.
"You boys and girls really humped the bunk this time. You attacked a member of the Jedi order without provocation." Melissa stated.
The captain looked at the downed officers
"And you killed several law enforcement officers." He stammered
"My lightsaber was on training setting. Do you see any severed limbs or smell cauterised flesh?" Melissa replied
"When a Knight places their blade on training setting it produces a stun effect on contact." The Ranger clarified
Melissa stood back and clipped her lightsaber to her gunbelt.
"I am not sure which is going to look the worst for you. Your elite unit being taken down by one person or violating standard procedure to first resolve any situation without resorting to violence. And by the way, why are you here?"
"There was reports of a potential terrorist holding people hostage here." The commander spoke
"And you decided to barge in without checking your facts. Or was it because someone saw a Mandalorian enter a room?"
The silence answered her question. Melissa looked at them in disgust
"There is more intelligence in a herd of nerfs." She stated
"Quite correct." A new voice spoke
A well dressed older man stepped over the downed officers having pushed past the officers by the shields
"I assume it is your man in the room there." Melissa stated
"Yes, He is one of mine." The man replied
"Who the hell are you?" The captain snapped
The man produced an ID card and held it up to the captains nose
"Alterra Secret Service. My designation is Deputy Director and my name is of no business of yours."
The captain stepped back several steps. Melissa pointed to the downed officers.
"They will be coming around soon, take note that they will probably be having some muscle spasm on waking up. Now tell your personell in the maintenance sector to start pumping fresh air into the conference room and get your medics up here with the counter agent." She ordered
The older man snapped his fingers at the captain
"Why are you still standing there?" He asked mildly
He pointed to a set of chairs by a window
"Could we have a moment to talk?" He asked
Melissa led the way to the chairs and sat down
"I would offer you some caf, but I do believe service would be very slow to this floor and the carafe in the conference suite would be undrinkable." She stated
" A pity I have always enjoyed the house blend here." The man replied
"I think we were given a substandard blend then, because the caf already tasted terrible." Melissa responded
" I think you should take it up with the management. After this incident they should be beyond helpful to you."
The man shifted in the chair and steepled his fingers before starting
"I am not going to insult you by playing games. I know who you are, what I do not know is why you are here." He stated
" I believe your man inside has informed you of the several support groups of ex orphans that exist." Melissa responded
"He has, but it still does not explain your presence." He replied
" Surprisingly it is to help the girls in the place I grew up in. No hidden agendas. But it seems I stepped into something much bigger."
"That you have. Tell me what you know so far."
"So far I know the girls and others are being moved to a damaged airbase and the facilities they were staying in being sold of in a questionable manner. But seeing you here, there is something bigger going on."
The man gave a dry smile
" You could say that. What would you say if I told you that the airbase is still listed as active on the Republic database."
"That no one would ask questions if there was air traffic to and from that base. And a source of subjects that no one would miss would be present on site." Melissa replied
"Precisely. I am supposed to ask you to step away but we both know that would be a futile suggestion."
"It would." Melissa replied
The man sighed and leaned back
"What are your plans for the children?" He asked
"One I am planning to get them out of harms way. Two I am going to expose the dodgy land deals and the abuses they suffered to the press. That should actually be very beneficial to you." Melissa replied
"Enlighten me. How so?"
Melissa leaned forward
"If there is one thing the public hates it is a flimsy pusher defrauding them, followed by someone molesting children even if they are orphans. The individuals you are interested in will have their little covers blown sky high and start to panic when the public start demanding their heads As they panic they will start running around looking for protection from those higher in the food chain be it in the government departments or their contacts. Their panic will expose them quicker than a prolonged undercover infiltration would and more than likely their contacts will remove them for you giving you extra leverage and plausible deniability."
"And how do you plan to move all these children out of harms way? And how are you going to create this press frenzy that you will need?"
Melissa gave a devilish smirk
"By staging the biggest mass kidnapping in Alterra's history."
The man leaned forward in anticipation
"Tell me more." He stated
"Only if you tell the sniper that is aiming at me right now to stand down. Or should I shake the crane that she is lying on a bit first." Melissa replied
He flashed a sign and sat forward even more
"So about that mass kidnapping?"