New Assignment

[Sebarek Veros]

He hadn't thought Akilah would object but he always prefered asking out of common courtesy. Many times in his life either in the underworld or as an undercover agent for the Empire, people hadn't expected him to be as ruthless and deadly as he could be in certain circumstances, due to his overall gentleman behavior. That had given him an element of surprise, which he had put to good use.

"I'll have to get her a pet sooner than later, especially now we have the house. At least she's stopped asking for a real giant nexu that would eat her alive before it's fully grown." He smirked, making a mental note to bring up the whole pet matter with his daughter once he'd return home in a few days or weeks.

Parking in the zoo visitor area, he stole a long look at his partner. It made him glad that even if for a very short time, she could have a break. "If it wasn't full insubordination, I'd smuggle you away for a real vacation one of these days." He winked to her before putting his shades and offering his arm, since the shop building would require a bit of a walk.

[Akilah]

Akilah chuckled as they walked toward the main gate, imagining that very event happening when poor Yoko was in the presence of such a large beast. As they walked, she caught his stare and then appreciated the comment even though they were essentially working while here. Grinning, she chuckled lightly. "In any other circumstance, I may let you." Knowing there were plenty of gorgeous areas on this world, within these very mountains, Akilah knew a real vacation may be a long time in coming.

Approaching the main gate, she noticed the string of shops and other venues just inside, lining both sides of the avenue. "May find her something in one of those," she motioned with her head as they paid and then walked into the zoo. Scanning for something interesting in the window displays, blue eyes soon caught sight of a large, stuffed creature in white. "She could use that thing as a bed," Akilah laughed.

[Sebarek Veros]

"We'll have to work on these circumstances before we're old and grey and in a nursing home," Sebarek grinned to her. He knew how precious and rare such moments were, and he was always willing to make the best of them. It also helped being completely focused on the task at hand when they had to. At least, it was the case for him. He was used to keep eyes open wherever he went though. Old habits died hard, and since he had joined the Imperial Secret Services they were even less likely to die. He, on the other hand, had almost died a couple times, but he was still in one piece and he was good with that.

"I'm pretty sure that a nice holo book with a lot of illustrations of the zoo's animals, as well as some stuffed nexu might do the trick." He agreed.

When Akilah stopped by one of the window displays, he stared at the huge stuffed creature. "By the God of Sunrise, that'd make a perfect temporary bed for my study!" Though Yoko was doing much better, she still had nightmares at times and if he was working in his home office, the couch wasn't too much for her liking. "I might have to get that, if the speeder is big enough for it."

[Akilah]

"Think he's going to command the back seat, that's for sure," she commented and walked into the shop, noting several other children now wanting that same stuffed beast. Though she knew more would be in the stockroom, Akilah continued browsing other shelves eclipsed by the white animal in the display window, from outside. The best thing about acting like everyone else was that no one ever suspected that the couple were Imperial agents here to find information on a group's benefactors, terrorists as well even though they weren't the ones pulling the triggers.

Meandering through the lines of shelves, she finally found a line of holo books which she motioned to. "Here we go." Browsing the titles, she picked up one that now reminded her of a book that her grandmother used to read her when she was a child. "Oh wow, I remember this one."

[Sebarek Veros]

Sebarek had a couple jokes about Akilah possible recruiting the new creature-looking couch, but he kept them to himself since they were in public. He still chuckled as he spoke to a shop employee to express interest in purchasing the imposant item. Yoko was going to be thrilled. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when he showed it to her.

He followed Akilah through the different aisles and smiled at the holo books. He peeked over her shoulder. "I loved how the stories mixed big heroes restoring order and justice and still had so many funny characters. Do you remember, oh what was her name..."

He had no time to finish his sentence that they heard a huge explosion outside, coming from where the creatures' area began.

[Akilah]

Thinking a moment, she turned to reply when the concussive wave shot glass and other debris through the shop, sending Akilah and nearly everyone else to the floor. Hitting hard, she slid several feet and then began to feel the pain in her right arm. Glancing to it once the tinkling of shattering glass hitting the floor and shelves began to subside. Alarms from various shops, cries of the wounded outside as well as the guards at the front gate now responding to the blast all filled her ringing ears as she looked now at several small pieces of glass in her arm.

Sighing, "Damnit". Pushing herself up, she now looked to Sebarek at her side, also covered in debris and bits of glass. "You alright?" Pain now arcing through her arm and shoulder, she knew she had to get to a medkit quick.

[Sebarek Veros]

The blaring alarms made his ears hurt like hell and he felt as if his body had been thrown under a truck speeder. He had bumped his head against one of the store's furniture, but other than that, it was just scraps and bruises. He sat back up, carefully brushing the bits of glass off of his person. He frowned as he saw Akilah's arm. "I'm good. You need a medkit."

He got to his feet and looked around, trying to see if he could help anyone. "You call the authorities, I'll be right back." He was in a better shape to go help people, so that made sense to do things like that.

[Akilah]

Instinctively thinking of herself first, she stood and moved toward the back of the shop, passing bits of debris and stepping over items strewn about on the floor. Rounding the counter, the pain now throbbing up through her arm, she glanced to the shop owner now rising as well, the back of his head bleeding. Ignoring the older man, the Imperial agent stepped left and into his office, now searching for the medkit and found it within a white box on the wall to her right. Opening the door, Akilah removed the red box and set it on the desk, then began treating her wound. Unsure what Sebarek had in mind, she could already guess that he was interested in the perpetrators being in the area to admire their handiwork. But, how would anyone identify them? Tracking comms might be one way, she mused as she began removing the glass bits and then treated her wounds. One call to the ship high above them would only gain attention in the shop here among the other survivors, so she would have to make this quick.

Applying the healing patches upon the cuts, Akilah left the box open and refuse in the bin next to the desk. The pain deadened now, she moved back out into the shop to see the others now helping one another, moans of the dying out in the street continuing to echo among alarms from vehicles as well as the approach of first responder vehicles. This whole block would be locked down in a moment, so she had to act fast. Heading toward the back of the shop, Akilah continued through the small storeroom and out into the alley behind. Closing the door, she scanned for any witnesses that would have to be silenced afterwards and saw none. Taking out the encrypted comlink, she keyed in her personal code and soon heard the quiet warbling of the secure channel being accessed.

"Code in," the male voice on the other side requested.

"Alpha, Two, Six, Eight, Delta Four."

A short pause. "Confirmed."

"Scan all communications in this quarter for the past half hour. Terrorist attack."

"Copy that."

Turning off the comlink, she hid it once more in her jacket and blue eyes scanned once more for any eavesdroppers as the sound of wailing police and paramedic sirens filled the air. Turning around, she re-entered the shop and now moved to find her partner.

[Rez Ace]

The lieutenant aboard the Venator-class Imperator hurried through its large interior to the ventral hangar bay. He had been temporarily in command while the Admiral and his second have been absent. He did his best to keep track of all agents currently on mission, and something came up that was out of his hands. Exiting the lift to the hangar, he looked around at all the construction, searching for a particular person. He walked through the 'mess' of several ion cannon batteries yet to be installed until he spotted his person, amid all the action, with his second at his side.

"Admiral Ace. We've just received reports from Deputy Director Akilah. There has been a terrorist attack at her location. All scans are in on the area at her request."

Rez Ace sighed heavily "Damn" He looked around at his current project, then looked at Captain Elrick. "Do you think you could finish up here with the preparations? I've got some business to take care of." Captain Elrick merely nodded. Rez nodded at his Lieutenant, and walked off abruptly. Once at the bridge, Rez took his place at his command chair.

"Lieutenant, I want all scans sent directly to Director Akilah. There is no point in saving that information for later. She obviously needs it quickly. Also, inform her that I'd like to make contact with her as soon as she's finished dealing with this affair." The young Imperial Officer nodded and began shouting orders at the crew.

[Sebarek Veros]

After Sebarek had provided medpacks to his superior and friend, he focused on helping other victims inside the shop. He knew Akilah would be the one to contact for reinforcements in this specific case so if he could help until the medics arrived so be it. While he did that genuinely, he also kept his cover even better thanks to that. He never knew when this might cause the enemy to reveal themselves. It had happened in the past and if there was a slim chance it happened again, he wasn't against it.

Unless he knew for sure the person was imperial too, he wouldn't reveal himself to anyone except Akilah. From the corner of his eye, he saw that she was okay when she returned inside the shop. "The medics aren't far..."

He paused as he heard whining farther into the shop. "Frell," he muttered under his breath as he realized someone was stuck there. Without another word, he went to check who it might be. It was coming from an employee-only area.

[Akilah]

Nodding to Sebarek, she heard the approaching sirens and knew this place was going to be locked down shortly by the authorities which meant that their own communications were going to be actively filling the air, which also meant that it would be easier to piggyback her own to and from the Imperator. Hearing the agonizing, muffled cry from the back of the shop, she instead moved toward the front and began assessing the surrounding area. Blast patterns and shadows on trash reclamator bins, buildings and foliage began to paint a picture of where the bomb had been placed, though she had little more than that to go on. In her own mind, one of the perpetrators could easily be in a uniform of those approaching the main gate, but that thought faded into the background as she spied a small, hovering probe over a far shop to her right and across the wide avenue. Sunlight glinted off of it's small ocular sensor and her blue eyes continued scanning the limping wounded helping others away from the scene.

A buzz from the secured comlink denoted a return message from the analysts aboard the Imperial vessel, high above the atmosphere of Corellia. Turning, she moved into the shadow of the gift shop and once in the cover of the nearest aisle, she pulled out the device and glanced at the small screen. Cycling numbers flowed upward slowly, two highlighted in red and guided her eyes to the times they were active. Five minutes ago and then again two minutes later. Moving the com device around to her front, she angled the tiny camera past her and captured the probe, then immediately sent that image to the Intelligence agents aboard the ship. Closing the comlink, she replaced it into her pocket and moved to find Sebarek as policemen and medics began searching for survivors.

"Ma'am," a young male called out, gaining her attention. "You injured?"

"I've taken care of it, but there's someone trapped in the back," she replied, loud enough for her partner to hear. "My boyfriend's helping her, but he may need your help."

Nodding, he quickly moved toward the back hallway, the store's manager quietly moving toward the front windows, then sat down as a medic rushed to him.

[Sebarek Veros]

While he only had scraps and bruises, the impact of the explosion had left him with a blaring headache. Yet, he had no time to take care of that right away as he was attempting to get the door open to access whoever was trapped behind that door. When it was visibly locked, he looked around and found a large crowbar and used it to pry open the stuck door. He pulled it open and managed to get inside.

In a corner, a middle aged man was prostrated, holding his hands up, visibly afraid. Coughing, Sebarek moved forward. "Let me get you out of here. Can you get up?" The man glanced up at the agent and nodded. He looked extremely shaken and the imperial had no idea of how he had got trapped in there. Regardless of the general panic because of the terrorist situation, he found it suspicious. His instinct was going off a likely tangent but the moment he helped him out and one of the men in uniform come to them, he felt the man free his arm from his assisting gesture.

"I am okay. Thank you, sirs." Sebarek had a bad feeling about this. The man in uniform seemed having no problem with that, but the imperial did. "The medical team will want to make sure this is the case. My brother had a bad fall once, and not being checked proved almost fatal to him." The man seemed annoyed at the ramble, but the imperial knew that Akilah was nearby, having caught sight of her, and he knew her well enough that he would have caught her attention by his words.

[Akilah]

Following the medic into the back room, Akilah listened to Sebarek and noted his body language and eyes which meant that he felt there may be an issue with this man claiming to be okay. It seemed odd that someone affiliated with a bombing would be here, but one never knew. Even if he wasn't affiliated with the terrorists directly, something else may be going on in this shop that may need attention.

"Really, I'm okay," the man insisted as the medic sat him in a chair behind the long counter.

"Let's just have a look at you." Crouching before his patient, the medic began assessing vitals and other areas to ensure that there was nothing wrong. "B.P. is a bit raised, you on any medication?"

"No," he shook his head, now eyeing Akilah as she moved to the opposite side of the medic, glancing out through the shop and to the chaos now in the avenue outside, then back.

Hoping that the analysts and techs aboard the Venator high above may be able to hack the probe lingering over the adjoining building and find out where it was transmitting to, the director also knew they had to leave this shop eventually.

[Rez Ace]

The command bridge was abuzz and on edge at this point. The Admiral was up and about shouting orders during this stressful time. Rez wasn't exactly sure what was happening down on the surface of the planet but he intended to find out.

"I want a full scan on Director Akilah's position now! I want all life forms, droids, and active technology scanned in immediately!"

Imperial Officers hurried about to get the scans in and translated. Rez walked from the command center of the bridge to the observation platform and starred at the planet below, rubbing his scruffy chin in thought. This terrorist attack is a very reckless move from the opposing forces, and why would they attack this shop of all places?' Rez thought. His attention was diverted by an insubordinate.

"Admiral! Scans are in. All life forms have been accounted for. We've detected a rogue probe transmitting data"

This information made Rez know for a fact that something strange was happening.

"Trace where the probe is sending its data. Get those coordinates to the director immediately. And tell her and her partner to be prepared for any sort of combat"

Rez hurried back to the command center, thinking about preparing a squad of fighters just in case.

[Sebarek Veros]

They would have to be on the move very soon. It didn't seem that anything was going to come up with the man he was suspicious off. Yet Sebarek knew better than not to trust his gut feeling. As long as Intelligence could get information on all people around, including this fidgety stranger, they would always be able to track suspects down later on. At the moment, they didn't have much to work with and he very much hoped that they'd get feedback very soon to be able to move forward.

He had no love for terrorists. He abhorred those scumbags who targeted innocent lives. He didn't feel sorry for any of these disgusting individuals whenever they would get their hands on them.

[Akilah]

Feeling the comlink soon buzz in her hand, she let it go for the moment as the older man now in the care of the medic seemed like a deadend to her. Turning to Sebarek, she motioned for him to follow and she moved gingerly away from the others and over crushed glass, broken shelving and other detritus, then glanced to her message finally, keeping the slender device low and palmed. They had an address. Memorizing it, she closed the link and slipped the comlink back into her pocket as the chaos from the wounded, dying and the survivors filled the air outside. More than one shop had been hit and as blue eyes took it all in, dismissing most at a glance, the Imperial agent headed for the gate.

Officers stood, filtering those being taken to awaiting ambulances and the walking wounded, which they were. Hand up, an officer moved to stop her, glancing at her arm in a sling. Scanned by another officer, they were soon cleared as the man in dark uniform stepped aside. "You're clear, go to the tent over there and get that looked at," he pointed to her far left and then moved on to the next group trying to leave the area.

"Thanks." Heading in that direction initially, Akilah's eyes scanned everyone that they passed, first responder and bystander alike. She was sure that someone in this group was affiliated, but no one seemed to be linked into the communications with the probe still surveying from a distance. As they meandered through the parking lot, her eyes motioned to the probe as she turned to her partner. "We have an address linked to that probe."

[Sebarek Veros]

Even as a Lorrdian, there was so much emotion and agitation when such actions occurred that it was difficult to tell among the bystanders who might be linked to what had just happened. If he had had more time to observe without raising suspicion or through holo-recordings, he might have made progress but they didn't have time for that now, which was a pity.

He followed Akilah and while he could easily be concerned about her well-being and her arm, she knew how to take care of herself and he was glad that she didn't have to extensively argue about being cleared despite her arm. That would have been a waste of time they couldn't afford.

"Let's check it out. Ground or underground approach?" As much as he hated the sewers and any underground annoyance, he knew that Corellia had an extensive underground network, both passages and sewers, that could provide discreet approach to any and all sides.

[Akilah]

Knowing her arm may not allow her all the advantages that she normally enjoyed, this observer was no doubt affiliated with the group that had just bombed the street and killed several innocents. At least they would have to investigate and find out what he knew. Continuing on toward their speeder, she waited for them to be fairly alone in the parking lot, most others vacating the area farther away or in their vehicles already. "Not sure how much help I'll be, but we can at least check him out." Opening the door to the passenger side, she slipped into the seat and closed it again, relaxing finally in the leather padded chair.

As Sebarek started the engine and left the city lot, she accessed the topographical map in the center console and expanded their view, the route now charted. "Not too far from here," she pointed and backed again. "We should observe from a distance at first and then go from there." Studying the layout of the neighborhood this home was in, she noted the apartment building and adjoining parking areas as well as small lake across the street from the target address. "Doubt there'll be a back door, so only one way for him to escape, unless he jumps out a window."

[Sebarek Veros]

"Even stuck in a hospital bed, you're still helpful," Sebarek observed, having witnessed his colleague's prowess and sharp mind on multiple occasions, even when she had got wounded. Of course, he was more than willing to do most of the physical work if need be, but he still valued Akilah's input. That was one the many years of working together had taught him about her resilience.

"Depending on how desperate he is, he might jump out of a window. That might actually be a great spot for you to wait at, if I go inside. Depending on the street access, it might even be a clever move."