Loyalties [Semi-Open, PM]

[Sparta]

Leika looked at the blank wall in front of her. She didn't even shift on the hard cot. There was a knot in back of her throat. How could I have messed up so badly? She glared at the drab grey wall, a fire in her eyes. I was so close! She gnarled her teeth.

Her anger slowly burned, and quietly smoldering out, giving place to despair. She had grown up on a planet producing Imperial goods. She had lived long enough to see the might and the vengeance of the Imperials upon a slight, both real and imagined, both great and mean.

There is no escape, she realized. She felt her heart drop. There would be no rescue. They had left her out there all alone. She had been captured, and they did nothing to help defend her. The Imperial TIEs had been on top of her before she had a chance to react.

Leika had torn out the normal sensor system to mount her computer terminal in the TIE. It was supposed to be easy enough. She was supposed to have cover, she was supposed to be forewarned. It looked, though, like they had left her to hang herself. How could I be so stupid. She stood up, walking the short distance between the cot and the wall. She rested her forehead on the cold wall. The amount they offered was too good, I should have realized something was amiss. She pounded her hand on the wall, frustrated. Why did I let myself get trapped in here?

[Savo]

The office was okay, it had all the amenities that would be required by an Imperial Officer, albeit smaller than the office on Corellia. The desk was the centre piece in the room with a background of stars coming through the three triangular shaped windows - typical of an Imperial Outpost or ship - which didn't provide the room with any additional light. A metal bookcase, hardly deserving of the name stood to the left of the desk along the side wall, both equally grey and dull. Data pads lined the shelves with not a single book full of paper bound by leather; this had to be fixed before the room could be considered an office. Atop the bookcase was the roof - flush. If it wasn't for the small alcove on the right side of the room providing some curves to this otherwise rigid metal box, it would have been quite uncomfortable. He did like the winding couch that followed the contour of the wall within the alcove, it would prove to be a comfortable retreat from the rest of the office. Although, it did not make up for the lack of favourable accommodations. It was an Imperial Outpost so not much could be expected, if anything for that matter. In any case, Savo would make do with what he had been given.

While approaching the chair behind the desk, Savo was concerned that it would be extremely uncomfortable. The crescent shaped chair was a similar grey to the rest of the office, but the cushions were black and had a slight sheen to them, reflecting the light from the rectangular white light above it. When he sat down in the chair, it was surprising comfortable, but only a long sixteen hour day would prove how comfortable it would be in the long term.

Along his desk were his general affects, a computer terminal, a duty roster, and several data pads full of interesting reports just waiting to be reviewed. Already it seemed to Savo like it was going to be a long day. However, he didn't know just how long it would be.

A few data pads in, Savo's computer terminal flashed a red blip of a light with a small chime he didn't recognize. He twisted around to see that the blip of red light flashed again. The Admiral entered his security pass into the terminal with the key interface in front of him to reveal a text communication with an urgent remark in the subject. He opened the message to see that it was coming from the regional command officers stationed on Bastion. The message wasn't very long and read:

"To Admiral Rel Savo - Imperial Fleet Command,

I am writing you to inform you of a breach in our security, although minor and the suspect was apprehended, we require your presence as this incident involves very important and highly classified material and an investigation is in order. We would normally request an officer from the Imperial Security Bureau to conduct the investigation, however this situation directly affects the Imperial Fleet and those under your command. As such, we felt it best to have you conduct the interviews and a preliminary investigation. Should you at any time feel this is irrelevant to your duties or are unable to perform this duty, we will call the Imperial Security Bureau and have them send an officer. Either way, a report will be filed and sent to you.

Please advise,

General Rickard Vallin
Imperial Martiall Office
Bastion Planet, Bastion"


If this was a secured channel why could they not include more details outlining the infraction and the material?

Savo pondered on this for a while before coming to a conclusion as to what to do about it. Although he had authority to conduct his duties as he saw fit, it was still a good practice to, at the very least, inform the Fleet Admiral of his potential departure. Being the personnel office of the fleet - Savo rationalized his actions of going - it was his duty to look into every potential case which included those under his command. He decided to report his absence to the Commanding Officer, and find passage on one of the fleet vessels headed near the system in question. There was no sense in using up resources and taking his own ship when he could "observe" the training mission of one of his Commanders.

With the preparations complete, Savo left the small box of his office and headed to the dry docks to board the fleet ship Icarus which would take him close enough to the Bastion system to take a shuttle the rest of the way.