Log:Resistance: To Catch a Rat, The Briefing
To Catch a Rat, The Briefing
OOC Date: June 10, 2019
Location: Beacon Outpost
Participants: Nova Korell, Poe Dameron, Merek, Ambrosia Greystorm, The Resistance
Briefing Room - Beacon Outpost, Rori A large hexagonal chamber, dark until motion activated lights activate audibly upon entry, with perhaps fifty chairs arranged facing a hologram projector at the center of the room. Beyond a control console built into the base of the projector, there are only a scattered few control panels to govern the otherwise bare area's scant lighting. The smells of stale air and dust indicate that this room is not often used to capacity, which may also explain the crates stacked against the wall near the turbolift entrances, as the briefing room has become overflow storage for the rest of the command tower.
[Nova Korell]
Nova Korell had only read about General Wedge Antilles; starfighter ace many times over, co-killer of the Death Star II, husband, father, and freedom fighter above all. She's only just come in from another fighter patrol, but that's not why she's wearing her X-Wing flight suit. That's purely to honor him, a man she dearly wishes she could have met.
That's one more dream the First Order has stolen from her, along with a family and a home she remembers only as vague images and sensations in her mind. Someday, she'll return the favor by helping to destroy them.
But for now, she'll salute (and does), nod to General Greystorm and Merek, and tuck her helmet under her arm to listen.
[Poe Dameron]
Poe steps inside through the set of doors and walks across the room until he's standing behind General Greystorm. This is Poe's usual perch when the General is giving an address, or they're haunting the troops with their presence. This gave them that image of a united front, that every decision was made as a team, and in support of each other. Unity, more than anything, would be the one detail the troops had to witness from their leaders. Especially now that one of the greats had joined the others in the stars. Poe remains quiet for now, his hands clasped in front of him.
[Ambrosia Greystorm]
An overly stiff hand rises in robotic salute response to those piling into the still fairly vacant chamber. It's all been a bit overworked, of late. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, Private Black, but immediate deployment upon conclusion of this briefing is not on the agenda," Ambrosia says as a nod to his field gear getup. Blinking her eyes with some reluctancy back to the matter at hand, she takes a deep breath and wakes up the projector.
"I know there's a great feeling of loss circulating around, these past 48 hours. Resentment, maybe. Anger. A desire for vengeance. Out of respect for the deceased, I'll remind all to keep their heads in the game. Keep to task. No errant actions of tomfoolery masquerading as heroicism..." there may be a sly glance cast over shoulder to her young friend back there.
"A cautionary note which may make what I'm to ask of you next sound like hypocracy. I assure you, if I were bent on settling every vendetta burning in brain, I'd no longer remain as one of OUR General's generals. This briefing concerns a matter of security risk. Pseudo internal. And it's one we have the opportunity to extinguish before it burns too deep." Ahem. Disclaimer done, she toggles a remote. ""This..." an image of a bronze-skinned, severe looking man with mean, dark eyes comes to life above the console "is Cado Dinn. War veteran turned mercenary. And now, according to some recent reports, turn coat."
The general's mouth has formed a hard line and the way she's staring at the holographic avatar, you'd think she was staring at the Supreme Leader himself. Like she wants to spit.
"Dinn served under my command for years, before most of you were born, as an expert tracker and demolitions man. Kimrath Claw was the name of our special operation. Dark, more often than not. Everyone who served on that force had a bit of a loose moral compass. Had to, to do what we did, so our newly risen Chief of State didn't have to soil her pretty princess robes. You all have had a taste of that life, otherwise I wouldn't have assembled you here. Thing about Dinn is, his compass was damn near broke from the start. In a way, it made him my best. But he never strayed. He'd made a commitment to the reborn Republic and nothing made him smile more than picking off Imperial threats, one by one."
[Merek]
Merek looks to his field gear, while he nods a bit to Amber. He often wears that, but he doesn't make any comments about it, he seems to be more attentive as he takes a moment to check his computer he keeps with him, then he looks to the hologram, while he takes a moment to keep his emotions from being noticable, as he listens also.
[Nova Korell]
Nova nods quietly. The General is plainly having trouble with her own feelings, but after recent events, that's normal. It was quite a loss. She nods to Poe, seeing him in the back.
When she turns to the holoprojector again, /that man/ is there. A man quite possibly without a soul; those eyes bear emotion, but no humanity. "He has the cold eyes of a viper," she says, just loud enough to hear. "I'm guessing you are either with him or against him, whatever his cause."
[Poe Dameron]
"So this piece of drek turned on the New Republic and whispered their position to the high brass of the First Order?" Poe asks, leaning against the projection table to get a good look at him. The look the man wore was one Poe's father wore a lot. It was the look of indifference, a man who had done a thousand terrible things for one good. It was the look of a soldier; a soldier that had spent too long soldiering. It's hard to pinpoint what sort of mood the SFC commander is in. He seems attentive and his voice does not carry any excess in emotion; yet still the implication Amber made toward his heroics had not gone unnoticed. Perhaps Wedge's death tempered any notion of winning the war singlehandedly, or had that been Crait?-- Poe returns Nova's nod when he catches it, but his gaze goes back to the image.
[Ambrosia Greystorm]
Ambrosia dips her chin in Nova's direction, eyes skimming up over heads to make con tact. "His best trait, in my book. Never thought twice about pulling the trigger when I said 'shoot'. He didn't need to have a heart, then. Just obedience." From the sound of it, she'll probably like Poe's daddy a lot!
"I don't have any explicit evidence of that, no," she addresses Poe's question. "But I'm not sure I'd put it beyond his abilities. The Claws were eventually disbanded, following a series of wartime incidents and hard, political choices. It was felt we weren't needed anymore. So they let us go." Her flinty stare turns to look upon the audience. "Some of my team reassimilated into the rank and file. I went on to educate new recruits and train up our regular regiment."
And get whoopsied pregnant with Jax Greystorm, but that's neither here nor there!
"Cado didn't want to stop cutting notches into his belt, so he went into business for himself, as a few of them did. Last time I saw him in person, was two years ago. He and a few other old timers answered my call when I needed a few capable hands to join me in a uh....a personal task. I'd made it a point to periodically check in on my former comrades, a habit that continues today, make sure no one's out there selling the wrong secrets and such. Well, Dinn here, as I've more recently found out, has been. He's become much too friendly with some First Order sympathizers and, I believe, has made direct contact with an officer in uniform. No doubt selling his skills as murder for hire. Also, according to that light surveillance, my son's /name/," you can hear the venom in those three words, "has come up in conversation. That personal favor, two years ago, it did involve Jax. A little over a week ago, a former brother and sister in arms returned to me a military-issue rifle which had come into their possession by way of civilian vendors of questionable nature. Naturally, I ran the serial number and you can imagine my surprise when the last body it was issued to, a very long time ago, was me. I armed Dinn with this weapon during that extracurricular op, when his failed to perform. Dinn must have cut it loose. Message? Maybe."
"Dinn was never privy to sensitive Resistance military secrets. Whether or not he had a man on the Republic's inside, I cannot say. But if he is a threat to my children of particular....gifts....he is a threat to the whole of the Resistance, through me. A loose-ended risk to our security that must be snipped. He's much too frayed now for salvation. Do you copy?"
[Merek]
Merek's brow actually lifts up, while he seems to consider this a moment. He actually shows his emotions for a moment, and looks to the General, "... Are you asking what I think you're asking, I want to be sure, General," he says, while he looks to Amber. He then leans back while he looks to his computer in thought, "... Alright," he adds with a husky drawl, "Copy that."
[Nova Korell]
Nova winces at the venom in the general's voice. She doesn't personally know any of Ambrosia's children or what they're like, but if someone were to sell out /her/ friends, the closest people she has to siblings...
She shakes her head, pushing the momentary anger aside. "So that obedience is now to himself, and he's trading information to the FO. This one definitely has to go," she agrees quietly. "Will it be extraction? Or termination? Or another -tion word?"
She's learning humor, mostly the grim kind, but the place and time for it still escapes her.
[Poe Dameron]
"Well, the real trick is finding him. We can have all the intent in the galaxy, but without a direction to look, we got squat." Poe doesn't put much thought into eliminating this guy. They'd look into it, accomplish their due-diligence, and make a determination if he needed two bolts to the face or not. Killing was never easy, but it was made easier with the knowledge and data that the person you were putting down was a traitor.
Poe steps back a bit, pondering more to himself. He had to wonder if this Cado had influence. Influence enough that it'd require more than a few blasters and good soldiers to wield them.
[Ambrosia Greystorm]
"He is a perfect predator. I was proud once to call him my own. But he's crossed that line that those who leave our service on good terms do not cross. There's no telling how long he's been fraternizing with the enemy prior, but it ends now." For a moment, her own stony visage melds into Cado's ghostly own and truth be told, it isn't much of an improvement in bringing some soul to those eyes. She reappears on the other side, a finger jamming pointedly down into the console's surface. "If you can capture him live, you bring him straight back here to me. And he will answer for what he's done."
The little knot in her throat bobs up and down once.
"In court." There's a hint of flatness in her tone that borders on disappointment. "As per General Organa's advisement." (AKA 'Ambrosia, you /surely/ intend to bring a live man to trial, yes?' ) Even grumpy Greystorm knows when to bow to authority. "If you cannot detain him alive, then you've two options. Let a monster slip through your fingers, or...." her palm turns up, motion carried through to her shoulder's shrug. "If the cost of prolonging his life is to forfeit more of ours and you feel the team is in mortal danger of itself being exterminated, then lethal force is acceptable. Just make sure he knows Ice Queen Aderanne sends her regards. I do not ask the impossible from my troops. But I do not deal in second chances. I am not merciful to those who betray. I cannot be."
Pause.
"Now, if there are any who feel they cannot commit to this task, now is your time to exit this room. For those of you who are willing to risk life and limb, again, I will proceed on with details as to his last known whereabouts." A nod to Poe.
[Merek]
Merek seems to think about it a moment, then he nods a bit towards Amber, while he crosses his arms a bit. He doesn't make for the door, but is quiet, while he listens also. The answer in the fact he's waiting to listen as well.
[Nova Korell]
"Extract, or terminate if extraction proves impossible," Nova says quietly, confirming the instructions to herself. "But he must not escape, no matter what..." She shuts her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose.
It's a long moment before lifts her head again. "Set a monster to catch a monster. I'm in."
[Poe Dameron]
Glancing at each face and finding them still in place, he turns back to Amber and nods back. Seems she had her crew. It'd take some digging around, perhaps a bit more shooting, but they'd find this Cado and drag him back kicking and screaming; or even better, in a box. Poe steps back and hooks his hands on his gun belt.
[Ambrosia Greystorm]
Ambrosia's eyes track the couple bodies who file out, marking them for future comm tapping...least until Cado's in custody. She sniffs back a little tickle in her nose and returns focus to those who remain. "Good. I cannot express eloquently enough the importance of NOT underestimating this man. Even if, as I suspect, he underestimates you." Her gaze travels the room, singling out the fresh, youthful faces that don't exactly appear capable of dark deeds. At least, not Dinn dark.
"You'll likely have that in your favor, and those are odds worth exploiting. This isn't a door-busting op. I want you to sell yourselves as information brokers who've more than a modicum of respect for what the First Order is trying to accomplish in this galaxy. You've heard he has tales of value to tell and you'll graciously offer your services as a middleman to ferry this knowledge to the Order and compensate him deservingly for it."
Ambrosia's chin arcs up a few regal degrees, brows held aloft as she changes up the image on the projector to show the Y'toub system. Of course. "You won't have to travel far. Sightings of our friend have centered mostly around the 'Nars', of late. Nar Shaddaa, Nar Kanji. He's lingering on the Order's doorstep, but has developed a small following among a few deliquent Kanji locals. It's likely he's more than one safe house, around, no doubt rigged excessively so as to blow any unwanted intruders star-high. Which is why you'll want to bait him to you, and play nice until you've got him where you need him. Away from as many civs as can be helped. Treat him to a fancy dinner, catered aboard your ship, or buy him a few rounds with his favorite little harlot. Feed that ego. Just don't cram it too heartily down his throat or he'll see through the ruse."
Pulling her datapad from belt, she motions to it. "I've compiled a dossier. Some first-hand accounts of what history didn't record, some more data-driven statistics. Psych evals, field test scores, Try, if you can, to know the man before he has chance to shake your hand. Because he'll assuredly be assessing your own weaknesses. I'd rather you receive confirmation of his intent - intent to sell us out - before any triggers get touchy. Best to be sure."
[Merek]
Merek nods a bit at the information, then he takes a moment to check his computer while he listens also. He looks then to the General, "I assume that this means we'll be in plain attire," he says.
[Nova Korell]
"So we're going in as spies," Nova murmurs, giving that some thought. "I should warn you that I'm a lousy spy, General. Just ask the Bothans." She'd just as soon forget that mission. At least she was in good company, as there'd been only one good spy in the bunch.
[Ambrosia Greystorm]
"I'd have taken care of this business myself, but if he's as guilty as we think he is, he'll very much be banking on it. He knows what a vindictive bitch I can be. But he doesn't know you." Ambrosia's glance flits between Poe and Merek, then skims over to some of the less notorious bodies in the seats. "Not /all/ of your faces have been posted to bounty boards. You'll need to equip yourself with an adequate disguise, all the same. If the worst should occur and he slips loose, he'll not be forgetting faces anytime soon. Our Intel division will rig some false IDs for you," she nods to a couple of the 'nerds' also present for this briefing.
"As failsafe, not /all/ of you will be require to pose as the brokers. A meager two, dressed in fine business attire over armored-weave bodysuits, should represent your agency well, without laying it on too thickly. The /rest/ of you will be in position, ready to converge with suppressive force. You're laying a trap. Not just hosting a luncheon. You don't need to bug the man's personal effects...just give him what he wants. Credits, in exchange for some shared stories over drinks. I will, of course, provide you with said credits."
[Merek]
Merek nods a bit, while he takes a few notes while he listens also. The male shifts a palm to draw back his hair, while he sighs a bit in thought, thinking about it.
[Nova Korell]
"In that case, I hope that disguise is /very/ good. Either way, I'd better hang back as backup for the host team," Nova suggests. "No point in tipping our hand from the first 'hello'."
[Ambrosia Greystorm]
Ambrosia's lips twitch with something that's not exactly a smile. "Indeed." Her thumb presses down on the controller and kills the holographic display. "If there are no more questions, you're dismissed. Read those dossiers and stand by for further instruction."
