RPlog:Squid Lake: ISB Briefing

Quarters: Sector Director Korynn Fleming – I2SD Inquisitor This room adheres to the standard construction of a Senior Officer's Quarters. The walls and ceiling are cut from the durasteel construct of the ship, with a false floor of ferrocrete making up the square-shaped patterns of the deck. An extra layer of security has been introduced, making the walls sound proof, and adding a plethora of sensors in a grid along the ceiling, which is kept hidden in shadow by drop-down glowlamps that illuminate the broad room with an even tone. The expansive main room serves two purposes. Taking up the front half is a broad desk made of simple yet elegant Chandrilan oak, carrying a dark red tint and bearing the ISB seal in a darker stain. A trio of stiff chairs face the desk, which has a holo-projector built into the front. A larger, more comfortable chair of black bantha-hide sits behind the desk, with a recessed computer console facing it. Deeper inside, the room is sparsely populated with a broad carpet bearing the Imperial Seal, and furniture constructed with simple, elegant lines that adhere to Compnor standards. Framing the back end of the room are a pair of transparisteel viewports that provide a view of space on the starboard side of the vessel. A doorway leads into a small, private living area and refresher.

It is not long before Korynn is meant to depart for his mission. Everything is prepared... the only thing that awaits are a few hours of surgery to secure his covert disguise. Before going over his final details, he sends out a summons for Lt. Commander Mandor to come to his office on HIMS Inquisitor, where they might talk about the mission. When Vextin arrives, Korynn stands up from behind his desk, straightens his tunic and bows in greeting. "Welcome, Commander."

Vextin Mandor, Commander in the Imperial Navy and liaison to the Imperial Starfighter Corps, marches down the corridor and into the office of the ISB Sector Chief, Korynn Fleming. Wearing his eyeglasses, the middle-aged man enters the office with no hesitation. He's heard the stories of what COMPNOR and its ISB can do, and he's certainly heard Fleming stories. But he can't be afraid. He won't be afraid. As long as he's a loyal servant of the New Order, he'll be fine. Marching towards the desk, Mandor stops a good several feet before the desk and nods his head in greeting. "Director, it's a pleasure. Thank you for seeing me," he says, wondering if he should extend a hand. How -do- meetings with an ISB chief go? He glances around the room, noting the furniture and other accommodations. Chandrilan oak, by the looks of it, Vextin's years of scholarly studies coming through... probably a new desk, built when the Empire liberated Chandrila almost two years ago. "I hope all is well, Director."

"Please, come in." He motions toward the more comfortable chairs further into the room, which sit across from each other and parallel to the viewport. Outside, Coruscant can be seen below, with traffic buzzing to and fro, glinting in the starlight. There are two glasses of water setting on the table between the chairs. "Have a seat," he says, speaking as he moves toward one of the chairs. "All is going according to plan. I've chosen to take a great risk and see to this matter personally. The surgeons will be installing my disguise in approximately two hours, then I depart to be inserted. Colonel Desson will be overseeing ISB matters in my stead." Once seated, he reaches for the glass of water before him, and settles his eyes on Vextin. "I trust you have received the briefing of what we plan to do with the target system?"

Vextin looks over to the viewport and the two chairs, nodding his head and sitting down across from Korynn. Grabbing one of the glasses, Vextin brings it towards him and takes a sip as he listens to the Director continue. He's surprised to hear that he'll be entering Calamari personally... a risky proposition for someone of Fleming's stature and notoriety. "Well, Director, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. Operating in the heart of the enemy is no easy mission... the whole operation will be hinging upon the success of you and your men, though I greatly suspect you will have no difficulty in achieving your goals." The men of TF Inquisitor were some of the best in the entire Empire, and should be more than a match for the fish-heads of Calamari. "Yes, Director, I've received the basic briefing, and it fits my original intentions very well. I'm quite happy to see High Command took me seriously and acted upon my recommendations... you and Marshal Inrokana have been most helpful, true servants of the Emperor. Have we been able to pinpoint any potential Quarren to come forth with to enact our plan?"

Korynn nods his head in a grave fashion. He usually keeps his inner thoughts and emotions well masked from his face, but times will occasionally declare that he let his guard down, even amongst people he may not necessarily trust. However, he says nothing more about the risk involved. It would merely weaken his resolve. Instead, he sets the glass down after taking another drink, and leans his upper body forward somewhat. "As of yet, I've only received confirmation codes from the majority of my moles. That means they are inserted and ready to commence operations, but I need someone on site with the capability of making sure they stay coordinated. That is why I am going. My people have clear assignments to commence scouting and observation operations as soon as they are safely inserted... so once I arrive, I expect to have a fair bit of information to digest."

Vextin takes another sip from the water. He never had much love for the water aboard Star Destroyers... although some will say water is water, its taste is definitely different than the fresh spring water from worlds he has visited before. But, he drinks, and nods his head in recognition. "Are we to expect much trouble from rebel counter-intelligence? And is there anything I can do? I don't want to feel useless here, after all," he says, smirking.

Korynn chuckles slightly, showing some of his dry but unique personality. "Well, Commander, I've learned not to underestimate rebels. They may be... scum... but many of them have wisdom, which is not something to underestimate. I have instructed my people to expect trouble, so that they perform with vigilance." He tilts his head slightly, squinting one eye as he inspects Vextin. "How comfortable are you with plain-clothes field work?"

"Quite so, Director," Vextin replies, "I was a professor for many years on Coruscant, and am more use to civilian life than the military." Seeing where this is going, Vextin places his glass on the table and looks over to Korynn with a curious glance. "Field work, though... I suspect you have something special planned for me, Director?" Vextin had never done field work, just operations on starships. Quite interesting...

"Not planned," replies Korynn. "But it might be useful to have a physical point of contact, someone capable of traveling between the target zone and the Task Force. Someone who can relay the necessary information without relying on encrypted frequencies or double-duties."

Vextin nods his head, understanding what Korynn meant. "Shouldn't be too difficult, Director. I don't stand out very much, and I do have my way with people. Sounds like a good idea." Clasping his hands on his lap, Vextin smiles. "When will I begin? I just need to let the Marshal know before I do anything, he's my superior officer, after all, but I doubt he will have much issue with it."

Korynn smiles lightly. "I'll have Colonel Desson set you up with falsified papers as an independent trader, and an unmarked vessel will be appropriated. Then, you'll check in at periodic intervals, in a fashion that will keep you here, where you're needed most, more often than Dac."

"And if, by chance," Vextin says, rubbing his chin in thought, "that somehow the rebels catch on to me, and I'm caught. I'm not much in a firefight, and my arrest would be disastrous for the entire operation. I suspect I would need to be eliminated," he says, a crack in his voice. Oh, what a difficult situation. "I'll just have to make sure my facade never falls, I suppose."

Here is where Korynn's expression hardens and grows cold, filling out more precisely why he's developed the reputation that goes with his name. "You will have to make sure that does not happen, Mandor... and if it does, I will expect you to take care of yourself before they can get you."

A chill runs down through his spine, and it feels like his heart stops for the briefest of seconds. Somehow, he manages a nod, but he takes the glass of water again and drinks it all down. "I understand, Director..." 'Take care of yourself...' the words ring in his head. Could he willingly commit suicide, for a cause as great as this? 'How did I end up in this... this wasn't what I had in mind!' Smiling weakly, Vextin places the now empty glass of water on the table and continues. "Uh.. will there be anything else, Director?"

Korynn shakes his head. "I don't believe so," he says in a somber voice. "This is a voluntary mission, Commander. Colonel Desson will await your decision, he can appropriate someone else if you feel unprepared. As for me... time is running short." He rises from his seat.