Chapter 50
Tying up loose ends
Novar and her staff sat in the lounge of the premier chambers in the bunker. The holoscreen showed the location set of a popular early morning talk show, what was unusual was that the regular hosts were not present and the presenter was the anchorwoman of the evening news, a screen showed the profile of another female. The use of the screen was a common tactic to protect the identity of informers by the press. The anchorwoman turned to face the camera
"Good evening, Alterra. Today has been a tumultuous day with our government becoming unavailable at very short notice. Not only leaving us, the citizens, in the dark but also our foreign guests."
A screen cut showed footage of Novar being escorted from the ball room of the palace by security, the shock of the foreign ambassadors clearly seen as they were left in the room by themselves, as well as that of the general staff as they too were left.
"They were all moved bunker four, not that they will show that." Triana remarked
"Find out who gave them that footage, I want to shoot them myself." Novar stated
The camera jumped back to the studio. The anchorwoman shook her head sadly.
"So far we have heard nothing from elected officials on both planetary and city levels. Rumours are running rampant through our fair city and yes our lovely planet. Here at channel Twelve Seventeen we do have part of the answer for you, one of our intrepid undercover reporters along with two others from our sister channels Alterra Daily and Alterra Entertainment had taken part in a daring undercover investigation that is now being simulcast on all three channels. I hand over now to our reporter that shall be named Nissa to protect her identity."
The camera rolled back slightly and the figure behind the screen became more dominant.
"Thank you Lorina, for that introduction. As you have mentioned we do have part of the answer and it is shocking." A sultry voice spoke
"Nissa, to get to the core how does the theft of a decomisioned cruiser, the disappearance of our government tie in with the relevations of gross malfeasance in the department of Social Welfare?"
"For the second part we still have to wait on answers but the first and the last are so interlinked to be one and the same. Let me ask you when you think of the orphanages what do you see in your mind? Do you see happy children being looked after by caring staff as the images supplied by the department portray."
"For the most part, yes." Lorina answered
The promotional reel from the department was being played in the background. Well maintained buildings, happy children, caring staff, droids doing maintenance and cleaning.
The hidden woman sat forward.
"What they have been showing the public is the biggest bunch of banthacrap possible, if you will excuse my vulgar basic. Unfortunately that is the most polite way to say it, let me show you what it really looks like."
The promotional reel suddenly stopped and faded away. A decrepit looking building appeared. The image filling the screen
"Let me introduce you to orphanage house two seventeen, a typical example of what is the truth. Keep an eye on the visuals as I talk and see the truth for yourself."
The footage showed movement towards the building, the closer the camera got the more dismal the building appeared.
"Now I will draw your attention to the side of the building. What do you see?" Nissa narrated
"A bunch of doors but no staircases."
"That is the fire escape, take note of the welding on the doors and as you mentioned, no staircase. Now let us go inside."
The image jumped to show a bunch of girls cleaning the passage, their faces pixilated
"There we have the true custodial staff of the facilities, the children. Take note of the appearance of the hallway. Nicely maintained is it not, perfectly clean, see the blinking lights on the fire detection system and the working blast door."
The camera view shifted as the person ascended the stairs. The landing came up and the neat paint shifted to a peeling grey. The sound of dripping water audible. A bluish haze showed an exposed power conduit. The floor was clean but the covering worn through, plascrete showing through in large sections.
"Now let us take a look at the refresher rooms." Nissa continued
The camera view moved to a room with dirty white paint, open cubicles lined one wall, the dripping sounds more audible as two shower heads continuously dripped. The camera turned and looked up, catching a camera pointing to the shower cubicles.
"Obviously the security camera is there for the protection of the girls of course, shower rooms are such dangerous places." The sarcasm was as thick as permacrete
The camera moved from the room, it panned up to show a detection sensor, no flashing light present
"Let us go take look at a standard room."
Two sets of bunkbeds and one mattress filled the small space.
"How many do you think sleep in one such room?" Nissa asked
"Five" Lorina ventured
"You are two short. The smaller you are the more of you sleep together."
The footage stopped. And panned back to the studio, the veneer of the anchorwoman seemed to have cracked a bit after viewing the clip. She cleared her throat
"This is truly appalling but how does it tie in with today's events?"
The hidden figure took a sip from a glass before speaking.
"We are getting there but the starting point is three months earlier when that building and several others in the same state was sold to The Elwick family trust. Curiously there was no calls for public input, no tender process, true we were busy with electing a new government but where was the check and balances that has to be present with such actions. Also curiously the areas where those building are have been rezoned for urban renewal for medium density residency, yet again no tender process, no public input and curious silence from the ward councillors."
"Who was awarded those contracts?" Lorina asked
"Parkinson and Partners, also one of the administrators of two seventeen is named Parkinson. And yes he is one of those Parkinsons. But obviously no conflict of interest existed in awarding the contracts, all above board obviously."
The figure shifted in her chair
"A public information release was made to the effect that the children in the affected houses will be combined on a new premises that was developed by Parkinson and Partners and that no expense was spared to ensure their comfort and safety. Shall we take a look at the site of this wonderfull development?"
"At this point I am almost too afraid too ask" Lorina stated
"First going back to the footage we saw first from the department. They alleged it was taken on that site, now let me show you the real site."
A bomb shattered and laser blast riddled airfield was shown.
"Viewers let me introduce you to Caderon airfield. One of three sites hit during a hit and run raid by mandalorian forces during the previous war. At the time it was considered as not viable to repair due to cost restraints and declared as decommissioned at the conclusion of the war, therefore it is perfect as the site of the new ultra orphanage. By the way if anyone from the Air Force administration is watching, could you please explain why the field is still listed as active in the database?"
The screen jumped back to the studio.
"This now bring us to the present. Ten days ago I and the others have heard rumours and whispers of riots being planned. Now protests are a common occurrence and protected right as we live in a democracy."
"What was unusual about these rumours?" Lorina asked
"That they were being planned to take place inside several orphanages with the children taking part and being joined by former residents. Further investigation has revealed a care network established by the former residents that try to make the lives of the children better. They will collect food, clothing, help find work for former residents."
"They sound like conscientious citizens." Lorina remarked
"That intrigued us the most, why would conscientious citizens throw everything away in unsanctioned protests. After all there are legal ways to bring your concerns to the government without taking such drastic action."
Lorina sat forward.
"Unfortunately we need to take a short commercial break before we continue. I am certain that you like I wish to hear the full story."
The screen jumped to a set of commercials. Novar rubbed her face and looked at her staff
"Do any of you carry any knowledge of what we have been shown. Have you heard any rumours, board room tales, anything."
"Social Welfare is the only department that still has its old minister. Gillel is the only one of the old administration that kept his post." Triana stated
Novar thought back for a moment.
"Now that I think about it, he was strangely insistent on staying where he was, some story about wanting to finish in the post he started in when he was first elected." She said musingly
"That department always had a clean audit for the last ten years." Her financial advisor spoke up, looking it up on his datapad
"They are about to begin again." Triana interrupted
The view changed back to the studio. Lorina shuffled in her chair flicking her hair back
"Welcome back to all our viewers. To give a brief recap Nissa said before the commercial interruption that she and two other reporters heard of possible civil disobedience from the most unlikely of sources. Care to continue Nissa?"
"Of course. From observations and I am ashamed to say blatant eavesdropping we learned of the location of where the groups final meeting before the event would occur and we decided to slip in and listen in."
"Were you not scared to be discovered? I can imagine that if you were found that could be in severe danger." Lorina interrupted
"It is a risk in any undercover investigation be it as a reporter or law enforcement official. But to answer you, we considered the risk neglible as the greater majority of the attendants are law abiding citizens having been driven to desperation. Drifting between various groups from the different homes networks we pieced together a very disheartening picture. As far as we could establish all legal protests have been tried to exhaustion and blatantly ignored. A common refrain was that no one listened as they had no important friends to open doors for them. We were about to withdraw as we believed we had enough to piece the rest of the story together."
"I am assuming something happened to change the scenario."
Nissa gave a dry chuckle at that
"I believe we three can claim to be the first three caught out in an investigation by a force sensitive." She said
"A Jedi?" Lorina gasped
"No, force sensitive. She was very insistent on that term. Not only were the three of us caught out but four police informants. She kicked them out of the meeting and told the three of us to go sit on the side like the teachers used to do in school if we misbehaved. Let me tell you as an adult it is much more embarrassing as when we were children."
"And you are certain this person is force sensitive as you claim."
"Yes, she was able to sense all seven of us, did an impossible jump from the door that was fifteen metres back to where we were gathered and she was able to disable our equipment with some sort of lightning she threw at us."
"She threw lightning at you." Lorina stated incredulously
"I know how that sounds but yes. The best is yet to come, so bare with me."
The figure moved in her chair.
"At this point she took over the meeting and changed the entire direction of events."
"Do you have a name perchance of this mysterious person or a description?"
"Both are as false as a politicians honesty. She provided a name no surname, at the time she had red hair but if you looked closely you could see the roots of her hair was white, she also blinked a lot like someone wearing contact lenses but not being used to them yet, her sclera was lightly red as well indicative of an irritation possibly coloured lenses. Judging her height is difficult beyond average for a young she was, was charismatic despite her apparent young age."
"You said she changed the course of events, care to elaborate."
"She pointed out that the proposed sit in and if necessary riot was already doomed to failure. She stated that more desperate measures was required."
"Did you feel compelled to stay?"
"Not at all, the one thing she continuously emphasized was that that those who take part in her plans would not be able to stay on planet. She gave those not willing or hesitant the opportunity to leave."
"What caused the three of you to stay?"
"The information she was freely giving up, the same information I am sharing with the viewers now. And the opportunity to see this to conclusion."
"Did she say how she got the information?"
"From the source, the department of Social Welfare, orphanage section directly from their databanks. What she did not get from there we verified from impeccable resources, and all the information has proven to be reliable."
"How reliable are we talking here?"
"Ninety five and above in percentage accuracy. The assessment was done by all three stations legal and research departments and by three independent assessments by some of the biggest legal offices."
" How was this assessments done so quickly? The theft of the Heart of Alterra is barely hours old." Lorina stated
"The oldest way possible, throw a lot of credits at the problem. I believe the auditors will have stomach ulcers when the bills come due as well as the overtime claims."
"So she walked into our government offices, accessed the databanks and no one said a word. That sounds unbelievable." Lorina stated cynically
"The following clip from a helmet camera will show how it was done."
The view started from in front of the central registry building, The camera moved as the group did. Two gaurds opened the door for the group bypassing the security checkpoint completely. The desk guard barely looking at them as he directed them to a turbolift and providing the floor number on being questioned. A reflective service caught a glimpse of the group. One figure dressed in a white tunic and brown overrobe cowl of the robe up, a very familiar tube clipped to a utility belt, an Alterran Ranger in medium combat armour, a woman dressed in a business suit, her face hidden behind a scarf and a visor over her eyes, a green gleam showing from behind the visor, any distinguishing features hidden by a long overcoat and the fact that she partially kept behind the Ranger at all
The footage stopped as they stepped onto the turbolift.
"All it took to bypass security was to look a certain way. As we all can see no attempt was made to verify their identities." Nissa explained
"But surely no one can just walk in to a department and access the databanks." Lorina objected
"Let us continue, but before we do some of the following images is not for younger or sensitive viewers." Nissa cautioned
The view continued with the group stepping from the lift and being ignored by the receptionist and the subsequent destruction of the comlink
"I see now what you meant by lightning being thrown at you." Lorina gave a light chuckle
They followed the movement up to the door.
"This is where the sensitive footage occurs." Nissa warned
The group stood in front of the door. Suddenly the view turned red blue and yellow as thermal sight was engaged. A figure was shown at a desk, rapid movement of a limb was observed at groin level, before the view returned to normal vision. The door was pulled apart in a shower of sparks and the view stopped as the holozine images was recorded.
Nissa moved in her chair
"There we see where and how our tax money get spent by hardworking civil servants. Yet again no attempt to verify identity was done by any individual. A name was given and taken at face value." Nissa spoke
The clip was finished and Lorina visibly appeared surprised
"So they really just walked in accessed the databanks and in essence walked out with no one the wiser." She stated
"Yes, yet we, the public, get told that the government databanks are inviolate and all our information contained on it is safe and secure."
Lorina visibly shook herself to regain composure.
"This brings us to today I believe." She stated
"Yes. The core group moved around between several warehouses as bases for the following days, here and there people joined us and left on unknown assignment. The three of us were kept incommunicado while we were given access to any and all information barring identities of individuals. This morning started with an early breakfast and then being moved to a closed transporter and being issued with cameras and other recording equipment. The first time in days we stepped out of a warehouse was the department of transportation maintenance and vehicle allocation yard."
The view started as the door to the transport opened and figures dressed in Alterran Army and department of corrections uniforms were moving into a vehicle depot. Multiple department of correction vehicles were standing in line
"Those are the vehicles allocated for the movement of the children from the respective houses to the airfield they were being taken to." Nissa explained
"Where are the facility staff, surely somebody must be on site?" Lorina asked
The camera view moved to a break room where a large group was slumped across the tables a hologram of the city showing marked routes
"In the defence of the people in the room, they were being briefed as to their movement route, till this group incapacitated them." Nissa stated
"How? We can see they are still moving so we know they are alive." Lorina asked
"Anaesthetic gas, obtained from a department of health supply depot. And we were told two of the group were qualified medics in case someone had a bad reaction to the gas." Nissa continued narrating
The footage shifted to one vehicle where the children happily climbed aboard. The adults with them carefully keeping their faces hidden, all wearing gloves.
"Why are the administrators of the facilities not attempting to stop the children?" Lorina asked
"The group visited the facilities early in the morning and as we saw before had access to anaesthetic gas, we were also told they were locked in their quarters and the power to the doors disabled and their access to communication removed."
"All of this seems to have been planned with almost military precision, the uniforms used, the supplies obtained." Lorina remarked
"That also occurred to us and apart from being very worrying, raised more questions than answers about the young woman and her friends that took charge." Nissa replied
"Do you suspect foreign involvement?" Lorina querried
"We did, but the original group seemed to be familiar with them. Not that we could verify that as none of them were willing to talk to us beyond helping us go through the financial and logistical documents."
"So some of the group are government employees?"
"I would say very low level clerks and staff." Nissa nodded
The footage resumed as the prisoner transport was now moving through the streets of Toprawa. Before coming up on the Salvage yards the vehicle stopped and camera view showed someone disembarking.
"This is where they left us, outside of the Salvage yard. Thirty minutes later the Heart of Alterra lifted off." Nissa concluded
Lorina looked back at the camera.
"We adjourn again for a commercial break, after the break we will be joined by a security expert for her interpretation of what we saw and we will open up the comlinks for Nissa to answer questions from our viewers. We will also be joined by former members of the Air Force and Rangers for their input and a salvage expert to help explain as to how a decommissioned military craft is normaly disposed of "
Novar was livid as she paced in the lounge. Her staff quietly conversing as they discussed what they saw. Triana was nursing a large drink. Novar stopped pacing and grabbed a can of beer from the bar fridge and opened it, before dropping into an armchair.
"I am almost glad we are stuck down here, being down here gives us an opportunity to try and anticipate how much damage control we are going to have to do." She stated
"We will have to start clearing from the top down and not just that one department." Triana answered
"The press will still be like a pack of rabid gundarks." The press secretary remarked
"We have at least the option of shifting most of the blame onto the previous administration, though cleaning up this mess will be under constant scrutiny."
The commercials came to an end and the studio view returned, Four more people were now visible. The setting sun was visible from the studio window. Lorina had received a quick wardrobe change in the break period, she was now dressed in all white outfit.
"Welcome back, let me now introduce our new guests…"
She stopped as a crimson spray hit her face and clothing. Moments later she was tackled out of her chair by one of the new guest.
"Stay down, sniper." The guest called
The camera panned back to show a red stained screen and an immobile figure slumped on the chair.
"Cut the feed. Get security." A voice screamed in the background
The holoscreen went black.
Novar was briskly walking along the passage to the turbo lift. Her staff hurriedly following on her heels. She marched from the lift ignoring the calls from the press camped out in the lobby to her office to enter her office suite. The office was shrouded in darkness, The blast shields down over the windows. The only light supplied by a lamp in the corner. A barely discernable figure was seated in a chair in front of the desk.
Novar lifted her hand and motioned for her staff and security detachment to wait as she entered the room and sat down behind her desk
"I assume you are director M of the Alterran Secret Service." She stated brusqley
"You would be correct in that assumption" The man replied
"Or you could be a decoy and the real director is wherever your real offices are." She stated
" Paranoia when dealing with security is commendable, but there is a point of taking it too far." He replied
"Yet, you do not refute that statement." She riposted
She leaned back in her chair and studied the form in front of her as much as she could in the gloom of the room.
"As you are well aware I served in the fleet during my tour of duty, so you will understand if I am sceptical of the information supplied by a spy." She stated after a while
"Understandable."
"That being said, I will have to rely on the information being supplied to me. I also understand that as a spy you will distrust what in say as a politician. So how do we proceed from here?"
"By an answering a few questions for me."
"That being?"
"How loyal are you to Alterra? What are you willing to do for Alterra?"
"I am willing to die for Alterra, in the past nearly did so a few times. I believe our people should come first before any in the galaxy. But I will not compromise what makes us Alterrans."
"And our traditional bonds to the Republic and the Jedi?"
"As I said Alterra first in everything."
The man steepled his hands.
"I believe we can work together then, unlike your predecessor." He said calmly
"Since your department has for all facts and purposes ruled the planet for the last three days I will need an update before the press overrun security and barrel through the doors."
"Then we do not have much time. We have looked over the data the journalists obtained and checked it against the databanks and they are identical. I am sorry to report that minister Gilell died in a hotel room not far from here, unfortunately there are complications to that."
"Namely?"
"He was found on top of an underaged prostitute tied to a bed in the room by the cleaning staff. His autopsy revealed the presence of several large doses of male impotency medication and other illicit substances, a low level clerk was bribed by an unscrupulous member of the press, who released that information, so containment was not possible."
"Convenient, what else do I need to know?"
"Several members of the Parkinson and Elwick families have met with unfortunate accidents and incidents of violent crime. In one incident a perpetrator was caught but he commited suicide. We traced his identity back to the thieves guild of Sluis Van. He entered Alterra on a corporate passport issued by Czerka corporation."
"Go on."
"The rest of the mentioned families are barricaded on their estates. The Attorney General's office had authorised asset seizure and forfeiture against their companies. A multi department task force is currently sifting through their affairs. As for the administrators of the remaining orphanages the Army Medical Corp was tasked to take over the interim administration and care of the residents, Millitary police were deployed for the safety of the children. The staff of those facilities are currently in protective custody pending investigation."
"The staff of the affected houses?"
"Kept in cells at a randomly selected police precinct that is change daily, Again pending further investigation. There has been a few accidents where the other inhabitants of the cells deduced their identities, nothing fatal or disabling has befallen them."
"How badly is the department of Social Welfare compromised?"
"Apart from the obvious, we have found irregularities in all divisions and are processing further, there are also links to other departments."
"At rough estimate how much of the government is compromised?"
"Ten to fifteen percent, but without access to their databanks it is difficult to say."
Novar grimaced on hearing that
"Moving on. The armed services. What is going on there?" She asked
"The Ranger General and his staff have already logged their resignations, we are looking at having to establish a new command structure. The Air Force, Fleet and Army have been barely cooperative." He stated blandly
"Another problem for another day, then. Lastly what do we now about the person behind the kidnapping of our children and the theft of military equipment?"
"Nothing."
"I will need more than just nothing" Novar replied
"Which is what we have. There was a Jedi who entered Alterra on a ship named the Milk Runner, named Melissa Wren. She stayed at The Alterran Arms and had a meeting with a group of individuals, the nature of the meeting was unknown. Said meeting was disrupted by the SWAT unit of precinct fifteen. The unit commander and division commander stated in their after action interviews that they had received several reports of a subversive group in the hotel."
"After action interviews?" Novar querried
" They decided to go in guns blazing and she cleaned their clocks, all thirty of them. Afterwards they claimed the reports stated that a Mandalorian was present in the hotel in that room. To be fair she was dressed in mandalorian armour, my officer who interviewed her came to the conclusion that she attempting to infiltrate the clans, an initiative I might add we have attempted and failed dismally at. She did not confirm nor deny that conclusion. Not that it matters as Customs records show her and the crew and craft she came with departing Alterra two days before the incident occurred. Data footage of her arrival and departure have been compared and confirmed to be the same individual. The same was concluded for her companions."
"Why would the Jedi be concerned with infiltrating the clans?"
"I would assume the same reason we tried. Early warning in case they rearmed. The Arkaxis incident has shown that they are not as docile as the Republic claims."
"A valid point, what of the statement of the dead journalists theory that she may be a foreign operative."
"We cannot rule it out. There is simply not enough data to form a theory. If she is a foreign operative I would request permission to subvert or capture her. If we could train our operatives to the level she is at." He shook his head
"Lastly the journalist. Do we have any leads on who took her out?"
" Forensics have found the sniper perch, we have a partial image of a person in a Czerka uniform carrying a large case entering the turbolift on that level at the time of the shooting."
The intercom on Novar's desk chimed insistently. She pressed down on the button. Triana was on the other end
"Mam, sorry to disturb Security is informing us that more of the press has arrived, their numbers are nearly uncontrollable."
"I will be out shortly." Novar replied
The blast shield lifted and the room lit up with light. The chair in front of the desk was empty.