Star Wars: The United Terran Federation
Chapter 6: Operation Sleight-of-Hand
35 BBY / March 2056
For a few years now, The Office of Terran Intelligence was at risk of being disbanded.
Because of the fact of having no threats to deal with, the idea for such an unneeded agency, it seemed to be a matter of time before their funding was cut.
Then that day happened.
It was the greatest and worst day for the OTI.
Being a great day was because of the fact that their funding wasn't going to be cut.
However, it was also the worst day for one reason, information. Or lack thereof about the republic.
By the time Jack Harper, head of the OTI, found out what had happened, half of his people were having panic attacks, while half went into overdrive to gather as much information as possible.
But gathering information was harder than one would think, plus add on they have no agents within the republic, meaning that they only have one chance to gather that needed information.
Hacking.
While most people would think that hacking is a simple thing, just get on a computer and just go at it. However, things weren't that simple.
First you would need a connection to the computer system that you wanted to hack, second you near the bypass any security programs, then you could gather the information you need from the computer.
This was her first problem, they had no direct connection to the Republic computer system or network. The only chance they ever had I had a connection, was the brief Communication between the Terran ship Apollo, And the republic ship the next star.
During this brief interaction, the Terran found out two things. One, The republic's computer system barely hides any security programs/Protection. The second thing they found out was that the Republicans computers were incredibly slow, like slower than the original windows program.
Because of this, the Terrans Could get past the security programs, however, couldn't get any meaningful information because of the limited time to access during the communications between the two ships along with the slow speed of Republic computers.
So, the OTI was beaten, not by superior computers, but by slower computers.
However, someone had given them a break. The man's name who did this.
Terrance Ford, Terran diplomat and ambassador to the republic delegation.
He had given them a chance to get aboard the Republic ship, Luminosity, and get access to the main database onboard by tricking the Republic ambassador to continue their talks on the ship, giving them a chance to get the one thing they needed the most, information.
There was no chance that they would squander it.
That is what Operation Sleight-of-Hand was, the biggest intelligence gamble in Terran history.
To get an agent onboard the republic ship with the Terran delegation, have said agent discreetly exit the delegation or someway else to get onboard the ship unnoticed, find a suitable computer to access, plug in a high frequency transmitter which would allow the Terran computer techs to access the Republic database on board. Then remove the transmitter and rejoin the Terran Delegation before they leave the ship.
It was risky, but Jack Harper knew the man for the job. James Corners, code name: Bond.
In route to republic ship, Luminosity
On board Pelican gunship/shuttle
OTI Agent James Corners/ Codename Bond
The Pelican Gunship shutter as it went through the atmosphere shield of the Republic vessel, he remained still and did not move.
He had hidden within the Terran delegation as the 'temporary' assistant to the Terran ambassador.
Command had thought that the best plan would be to slip out of the delegation, then find the nearest computer console, connect the transmitter, get the information, then take the transmitter and rejoin the diplomatic team. If he was caught, he was to pretend to get lost in the ship to find a restroom. Simple really.
In other words, a normal day's work.
The ramp of the Pelican had opened up, and he and the rest of the Terran delegation had begin to walk into a good size hangar. Over by what seemed to be a large metal door, the Republic Ambassador Reuanto Parsax and Jedi knight Eilva Lellira from what he could remember from the mission briefing, along with what appeared to be two aides and two guards, with random amount of what appeared to be ground crew for the hanger.
Both diplomats meet each other near the door leaving the hanger and shake hands. They had a brief introduction of their staff, then they began to walk through the gray corridors, with the Republic ambassador literally bragging about how good and wonderful Republic technology is.
It was during one of these bragging rants, that OTI Agent James Corners slipped out of the delegation and down another hallway.
It took him less than a minute to find a proper computer terminal. He plugged the transmitter into the computer and then took a quick look around before grabbing a set of headphones and began to transmit back home.
"Bond to FireFox, Bond to FireFox come in," he said into his small headset in code, before continuing, "Hand is open, repeat, Hand is open."
A moment after some static, a replay came, "Bond this is Fire Fox, repeat, Bond this is Fire Fox. Confirmed, Hand is Open. Stand by,"
POV (Third person)
In a large control Center, nearly a hundred Hackers go at once and begin to pry into the Republic computer software, while avoiding detection from all Republic Programs and their technicians.
After a minute or so, one of the hackers slammed his fists onto a desk, prompting everyone to stop working for a moment, before the major went back to work.
The supervisor came over to the angry man and asked what was going on, in which the man replied, "You would think that people from another world have better cybersecurity systems. This is easier than breaking into a windows ten program."
Some of his colleagues had a chuckle out of his comment.
Before an hour was up, Jack Harper had a full report in regards to what they had gotten.
However, when he read it, he nearly had a heart attack in pure shock and joy.
That had managed to download the entire database on the Republic ship, most of the ship's logs, star charts and maps of the galaxy, designed schematics for every major component and system.
But the true piece de resistance, the full schematics on the Republic FTL drive, and much more.
Apparently, they had been able to get access to what appeared to be their version of the internet called the Holonet and been able to gather how this hyperdrive actually works in a full step by step process of how it worked.
With the mission complete, the boss of OTI gave the order for 'Bond' to get out before being discovered.
One hour from being told to stand by;
On board Republic ship, Luminosity
OTI Agent James Corners/ Codename Bond
Hiding in a side hallway, Corners Stood silently, waiting for the republic crew members to pass him in the main hallway. From what he could hear from the conversation, they're talking about maintenance on the ship.
As the sound of boots on metal floors slowly fades away. Just afterwards, static and then a voice breaks through his headphones, "Bond come in, this is Fire Fox, repeat this is Fire Fox, over."
He gave off a big sigh of relief before replying, "FireFox this is Bond, awaiting instructions, over."
The person on the other end of the line quickly spoke up again, "Bond, we have gathered the gold, repeat, we have gathered the gold. Close the Hand, repeat, Close the Hand. Diplomatic team retiring back to shuttle, Rejoin, repeat, Rejoin. Over."
"Understood orders FireFox, Bond out." Said the agent, before removing the transmitter and placing it back into his hidden pocket.
He then left to rejoin the ambassador's team, which were on their way back to the pelican.
Five minutes before;
POV Ambassador Terrance Ford
'And I Thought Professor von Werner math lecture annoying,' Terrance thought to himself, remembering his old math teacher from college.
He had been with his staff listening to the Galactic Republic ambassador Reuanto Parsax for almost an entire hour. At first it seemed that it was going to be the normal rant about republic tech, but no, 40 minutes of pure republic Tech rant.
It had taken Jedi Knight Eilva Lellira to intervene for the meeting to get to go anywhere.
In any case, everyone in the room including the Security personnel seemed to be at their limit of how much they could take from the man.
They then spent the next ten minutes outlining how a planet joins the Republic, outlying their commitments, rules and regulations they had to follow, including the completed dismantling of all military forces and instead creating a local defense/security force.
It did come to his interest when they mentioned that all nuclear weapons and other such technologies were to be dismantled and shut down. When he inquired about this, his Republic counterpart said it was because of the fact that nuclear devices within Republic space were illegal because of the last use of them on a planet of Mandalore, and that to this day, most of the planet is inhabitable to this day.
He then asked why they didn't restore their planet; his response was both shocking and interesting at the same time.
They didn't have technology to repair and remove radiation.
And he said they were advanced, HA.
But it did bring another future opportunity, but that is a later thought.
By the time the first hour was up, all the little details about rules and what not were cleared up. Now a data pad had been given to them by the republic. In it would be the full terms of the membership 'contract' for the Terran Federation to Join the galactic Republic.
"Now if you sign here, and your leader here, The Terran Federation will become a full fledged member of the republic." Said the Arrogant Republic diplomat.
The Terran gentleman grabbed the Pad and put a very good act of thinking about it thoroughly, then marking a comment, saying that, "Unfortunately, I can't make the final decision on this. It would need the Federation Senate Approval, however I can connect into a video meeting on my shuttle and send them all the necessary files. If you excuse me?"
The Terran diplomatic party then returned back to the pelican, unknowingly getting rejoined by a secret OTI agent on the way there.
Once they arrived back to their shuttle, the ambassador with the spy in close company, went to the cockpit and accessed the ships com system and began to transmit back home, before reserving a response.
Upon the screen, The federation President, The Head of OTI, and the joint chiefs were waiting.
During said meeting, all the rules and regulations and everything else that was part of being a Member of the galactic republic was discussed.
Not even halfway through the meeting, nearly everyone was appalled at the Republic's demand that they disband their armed forces. How the hell were they going to protect themselves, local defense/security forces, if they were made, could only truly handle small amounts of threats. So, according to the republic, if they were hit with a major Pirate attack, they would be completely outgunned.
So, no, armed forces, they stay. No matter what the Republic demands.
Republic Ban on all Nuclear Technology, not going to happen. Militarily grade Nuclear Fusion Reactors Powered their ships and cities, Nuclear Missiles were one of the main defensive protection against any foreign power. To ban them would mean the total collapse of their economy.
When the topic of republic technology came up, most took pause. Unknown to most of the population, there was a big problem happening. Overpopulation of the Sol System.
Even after expansion into space, Earth was starting to get crowded again, along with the current colonies within the solar system. With a population of just under 15 Billion, they need to expand, and fast.
That is why they need the Republic's FTL tech, without, they would be facing overpopulation and famine on a very large scale.
This one fact almost decided the decision of the meeting for them, if to agree to join the republic or not.
However, it was that moment that Jack Harper, head of the Office of Terran Intelligence spoke up.
He told everyone in the meeting that Operation Sleight-of-Hand was a total success.
He had given a brief outline of everything that had gotten from the Republic ships computer, including a map of the currently explored part galaxy, a translation program from Republic Basic to English and a full full schematics on the Republic FTL drive and all the components and materials needed for it to work, as well as a few other things they currently couldn't cover.
Everyone's jaws at the meeting had dropped to the floor in pure shock.
By the end of the meeting, almost everyone was sure of what the Terran people's answer was.
A few Minutes later, the Terran Diplomat gave the unsigned data pad back the Republic repentance, along with a quick few reasons why. The Terran Pelican soon left the Republic ship.
Almost as soon as the Pelican left the hangar, the Luminosity sped off away from the planet, before jumping back to hyperspace.
Unknowingly, the Terrans had to thank the Republic Ambassador, for telling the Republic senate that they were ungrateful savages when they had arrived back to republic space. And that none should be allowed to go and attempt to set up any business in that area again, and all further exploration into the local area stopped.
This prevented the next meeting between the two entities for at least a year or so, and for most Terran people new colonies to be hidden in secrecy.
However, that ban didn't stop everyone. There were even some companies who didn't care at all for the ban.
Like the Corellian Engineering Corporation, who would risk much for a good lucrative contract.
Hello there, StarTrekBattlestar123AMF here. I hope you all enjoyed the story so far.
I am happy for all of your comments, this chapter should be my biggest yet.
Please do give me some reviews, I would love to hear all your feedback about my first try at a fanfiction.
Even Ideas of how I could shape the story into the future would be appreciated.
And Blaze1992, I'll keep your ideas set for the future chapters, along with everyone else who had ideas.
Now the next few chapters are going to have a bit of time skips in them, and there will be a little talk about the CEC, Corellian Engineering Corporation that will be related to the updated version of chapter one.
Thank you for your time to read my story, have a nice day.
From StarTrekBattlestar123AMF, Peace and long life.