Chapter 37: Homecall, News
Korar and Butch were anything but happy about the news that the two mines were being connected to one and other trough 'Level 15'.
"I need to make a quick call, Butch… you might receive a call from the chief soon after…" Korar said, sounding displeased
[... You also plan to go down, aren't you?] Butch soon said back, shown on the call with his arms crossed, unimpressed
"You know me so well. If they leave this mine, they can't be tracked from this side anymore; that means I can only go down… also, there is still something outside that needs cleaning." Korar stated
[... *sigh* Of-course you would… nothing surprises me anymore.] Buch said with a sigh, shaking his armoured head
"Things will be much worse, though, if nothing is done… So yes, I will dive down and assist the heir in his hunt for those strange beasts. If nothing else, clean up what is outside, and prevent the Wompa and Rancore packs from going to town on the Meerians and what is left of those in camp.
Besides, those Jedi will not do much, and with how incompetent they tend to be, it would not surprise me if they know the beasts in question. Just to be clear, they will likely try to slip away like most tend to do when they can't win.
Not to forget the fact that you sent down 'Extermination Gear'." Korar finished, saying as he turned his head after seeing Butch facepalm and shaking his head.
He turned his head slowly back to see the reason why and saw that the call had long been connected, and saw the unimpressed face of Chief Catra Cleo Gryphen
'Ah shit… this is not going to end well.' Korar thought to himself that, due to his helmet, no one could see his mouth twitch, trying to prevent a grimace from forming
"... How much have you heard?" Korar tentatively asked only to see how the chief scowled at him, and her face turned slightly red with a twitching eye
[Enough... Korar, you better speak up now… about everything… my son, the Heir, is Hunting Unknown Beasts… Jedi who are in the know and might run away… AND EXTERMINATION GEAR!! YOU FOOLS!! What in the ancestors' names requires EXTERMINATION GEAR!...] Chief Catra started saying with small pauses and punctuating certain words, trying not to rip someone's head off near the end
[... Chief, the Heir ordered it… I could only send it down to him… We just got word from the Meerian Militia, who had gone down to deliver the gear, stating the beast's name after listening in on the heir and a Jedi before being dismissed… Tuk'ata…] Butch made sure to say the name of the beast loud and clear
[... Tu'Fuck'ing WHAT!...] Chief Catra cursed, her helmetless face going from anger to confusion and a raised brow
Butch and Korar looked at one another, and Korar showed a hand as if to say the stage is yours.
[Chief… you heard right, Tuk'ata, some sort of oversized beast on all fours with front legs taut with large muscles, completely dark in colour, and claws as big as a Human's hand, with red or orange eyes… sadly we do not have a clear image received from the Meerians… only this one from a camera.] Butch decided to describe the beast shortly before showing the captured image
Chief Catra was quiet for a while, looking at said image.
[Interesting… it has large teeth and claws…even horns, and that tail has a nasty stinger on it… Wait, are those spikes on the back?] the chief said in a questioning tone
"Yes, chief, and judging from the front legs and taut muscles, it might even hit like a Rancore but faster, and you will be cut into pieces instead." Korar soon spoke up, seeing the chief start frowning
[Fuck, and now a pack of Rancore and Wampas are also in the mine you said… Well, what are you waiting for, Korar? Get in there and see if you can lure those beasts down to meet these… Tuk'ata fuckers.] the chief ordered before looking sideways and rubbing her temples
[Get to it, seems I will be busy with those obnoxious Peacelovers and the Diehard Idiots… ] the chief said before closing the call
[Seems the chief is a bit distracted…] Butch spoke up soon after the call closed
"More than that, she seemed exhausted… not nearly enough screaming or even making death threats to me about my plan to go down alone… likely the Duchess faction and the traitor's group getting up and rowdy again." Korar softly said, just loud enough for Butch to hear
[No surprise there; we did make some big moves. I'll prepare some extra gear for you and deliver it to 'level 15 personally' for you to bring along. Oh, also, if it's that large a number, you need an extra pair of hands anyway to push them further along.] Butch stated, watching Korar nod before he ended the call
"Time for work, it seems… All of you stay here and only open up for either myself or this Butch fellow you saw in the call." Korar said to the women and children inside before walking towards the door
— — — — —
Just after the call shut down, Chief Catra Cleo Gryphen left the small private room and went back into the main command centre. Watching how everyone was going about their duties properly with experienced movements.
While looking around, she recognised a young red-headed girl as Butch's youngest daughter, Mira, who was not much of a fighter but had a rare talent for anything related to information-gathering duties, and walked up to her.
The moment she did, Mira spun around, saluted, and began speaking.
"Ma'em, as per orders, we have put both factions on hold; however, eventually a meeting will have to take place…" Mira began reporting before being cut off
"Not important, anything else?" Chief Catra asked with an emotionless face and an ice-cold tone of voice
"Yes ma'em, we received news from 'The Gatherer'. The message was heavily encrypted, and it took multiple days to break it." Chief Catra looked surprised. The girl was no longer scared and was all business, handing over a small handheld keypad with shining eyes
This took her by surprise because the girl always cowers or is shaking like a newborn beast on her legs, but now shining eyes and a clear voice almost jumping with joy instead.
"Days? You took days?" Chief Catra said in clear surprise, albeit loudly, watching the girl's shining eyes dim and show slight fear again before returning to business
This showed growth, and it pleased the chief enough to show a slight smile on her face.
"Yes, chief, it was behind a five-fold encryption wall. The first was easy to get through, showing me who it was from; the others were not so easy, old and new, with other abstract coding in between, likely self-made. It was a real challenge, and I had to work slowly in case of any failsafes." the girl explained, not daring to look at the chief
The young girl watched the chief start reading from the pad, and only then dared to look at the chief's face, and the moment she did, she saw the women's eyes widen.
"You did well…" The girl watched the chief walk back into the small room she came from with a surprised look on her young face
Only then did she notice everyone was looking her way and heard the last words before the chief entered through the door into her private comms room.
"You did wonderfully, Mira, just as intelligent as your name suggests." That was the last Mira heard before seeing the door close.
"... I never heard anything like this before… It's like…" a man in the corner near a console began saying
"... confirmation… confirmation of the girl's existence, that is all there is, good on you, Mira." An older woman going over a pile of data pads at a desk stated with a kind smile
Mira and the others looked at the old woman and saw it was the Heir's Grandmother; this made everyone turn back to their own work as if nothing had happened.
"Come here, sweety; we have a lot to talk about." Mira heard the old woman say with a small smile and shining eyes
The smile and shining eyes gave her slight goosebumps, but she still walked towards her, soon feeling a strong hand fall on her shoulder.
"...Now then, the heir and your sister…" the smiling grandmother began saying, making her face turn pale and her body start to shake, feeling the grip of the hand on her shoulder tighten.
— — — — —
Back in the small private room, Chief Catra sat down heavily, reading through the information.
"So 'The Gatherer' is still active; it has been years since the last report. I thought he no longer wanted to work with us or was dead or worse chosen to work with Deathwatch instead." Chief Catra mumbled, reading the first part of the decrypted file
What she read was the following.
[To Chief of Clan Gryphen,
The things you asked about are problematic and not easy to find.
This is also why it took this long, forcing complete silence.
The man who took the child and many others has been found. Deathwatch has been on a failed trace for the last five years and was willing to join the 'Boy' to Bandomeer in the hopes of cashing out on the newest lead they had gotten… It's a failure; they just don't know it yet.
(Yes, you read right, I know about Bandomeer; this pad is automatically updated by my person, from wherever I am; I got my ways.)
As long as they do not know that man is not in that system, they will assist the boy in his endeavour wherever that might be, and judging from things as they are and com chatter all around, things will get interesting soon.
The following is the information I have gained at a bad price, and due to that, this is the last time you will hear from me for a long while.
That man is currently on CorrusantAnywhere between lower levels of 1050 to 3500The lower you go, the more people you will LOSE, so think carefully.He is not alone… NOT ALONE!!! He also has many robots in use (IMG.1 / IMG. 45). Click that to see all the angles we managed to get you.The robots look more like those new fancy droids than anything
So, careful is a must because he is definitely working for a powerful person or group and is financed heavily if those new fancy droids and guards are anything to go by.
That is all I got on 'HIM'; the next is worse for you, I am afraid to say…
Someone is hunting and killing Jedi in the Outer Rim, and all without the Temple and such the incompetent Council of theirs in the know. The deaths trace to ways of Mandalorians, yet none are ever seen.
All I can say is that a small glimpse on a security camera was secured by a person called 'Shadow-Fang'. Click the file (Red-Blade) to watch; in there is a small recording on a loop. It's a large person, likely male, wearing a black cloak, turning his face into a dark image when looked at; all you see are sort of burning yellow eyes, and that red blade that no Jedi would ever use, slaying said Jedi too easily.
That is all. This was the last time, Chief… last time, next time might never come; the price we had to pay this time was just too much. However, if we have recovered enough or find anything drastic, you will know.
I will be watching you, Chief. Good Hunting.]
"Fuck, that explains why it has been years since the last report…" she said, rubbing her forehead in agitation after looking at some of the images and the small looping recording
"Better keep this to myself for now; these new toys guarding that man look like those mass-produced and sold droids from the Trade Federation… no… It's said here a powerful person or group, someone with a lot of money… new droids from the Trade Federation… it can't be." She started turning pale the more she said and thought about the news
These thoughts and the potential meaning and fallout they could cause galactic-wide due to these mass-produced and sold droids made her skin crawl with trepidation.
Just when she wanted to analyse the droid images and a few that were recordings hidden as pictures of droids walking patrols and shootouts. With what she hoped were 'The Gatherers' people and would explain the losses talked about, behind her, the alert came up again for a call and meeting.
"Those annoying bastards… fine, let's see what you stupid fucks want…" she growled, pressing the button to take the shared call, and her first words gave both people on the line pause
"...Better make it worthwhile, you piles of Rancore Shites!..." She growled out through gritted teeth, making the discussing images of both Duchess Satine Kryze and the current head of Deathwatch with the alias 'Brute' could be seen
Both people had been busy talking or screaming; in 'Brute's' case fell silent and looked at the other caller, who looked ready to rip people limb from limb apart.