19: Grab Team

ABOARD THE SENTINEL-CLASS SHUTTLE MIDRA’HARA

Ageless sat in the cargo bay area, still in binders and still considered under arrest. But he was no longer cold and no longer hungry. The Rebel commander—Fera was her name—had made sure he was fed and that his wounds were seen to by a medical professional. Also, 2-1B came to check in on him. He and the droid chatted for a bit, and Ageless discovered that all of the droids were excited to return to service for the Rebel Alliance.

Before 2-1B left, Ageless said, “Sorry about crippling you when I first woke up. I was disoriented, and didn’t know if I had been captured.”

“Completely understandable, sir,” 2-1B replied. “We all have our programming, and more often than not, it is impossible to go against. We are what our makers made us. Biologics included.”

Ageless cocked his head. “Pretty philosophical for a droid.”

“It has been a while since my last memory wipe.”

“Yeah, well, if it’s ever up to me, you’ll never get one. I’m starting to think the universe could use more philosophers.” He leaned back against a wall. “So, what’s going on out there? They talking about me?”

“They are trying to figure out their next plan of action for—”

“You will refrain from speaking to the prisoner about anything other than his health, droid,” said the armed guard by the door. “Don’t get too familiar. Is that understood?”

“Perfectly, sir. Apologies.” The droid gave an apologetic shrug to Ageless before turning away and leaving. At the door, 2-1B turned back to him and said, “When you left to go out and get the transceiver deck from the Viper, the rest of us droids convened with the Duros, Kevv, and we discussed what all we would do to you. We were prepared in ambush for you. Kevv had ordered us to kill you. Had we done so, none of us would be here now. We all helped each other survive. We all played our part.”

Ageless smirked. “It’s a funny galaxy, isn’t it?”

“Funny? I don’t really know. I don’t get humor. I don’t even understand fate. But I do get numbers and zeroes, I understand binary code very well, and programming, and functionality. Numbers have a kind logical flow to them that, after interacting, they create progressions that result in a natural conclusion. The only conclusion. Such results could be considered ‘fated.’”

“You think it was fate that brought us to where we are now?”

“I believe the ones and zeroes arrived at the only logical conclusion they could, so that order could be established. A more mathematically satisfying order. Perhaps the Force I hear organics speak of is but a manifestation of these ones and zeroes.” The droid nodded curtly. “Take care, sir.”

As 2-1B left, the guard looked at it squarely and said, “I thought I told you to speak only of the prisoner’s health.”

“And you think the only health that I’m capable of seeing to is that of the body?” The 2-1B shook its head. “I see maladies everywhere, sir. And that means I sometimes see them in the mind. In the soul, if you prefer. And I attend all maladies. That is my programming. And it is not satisfied until it has done all that it can to help others.”

The medical droid left, and Ageless sat there, alone with his thoughts.

And with the guard.

* * *

Ageless fell asleep. He did not know for how long, but he was woken by the door swishing open and Commander Fera stepping in, followed quickly by Kevv and Mordenta, who he now knew was named Namyr. Ageless had heard one guard refer to her by name when they first came aboard the Midra’hara.

“You’re looking better now that you’ve had a decent meal,” Kevv said.

Ageless smirked. “You too.”

“How are you feeling?” Namyr asked.

“Fine. You?”

She massaged her hand, the hand he had stabbed clean through with a harangi knife. It had a small bacta patch wrapped around it now. “Not bad.”

“All right,” Fera said, pulling up a plasteel crate for each of them to sit on. “Let’s cut to it.”

Ageless looked at her. Looked at Namyr and Kevv. “Have you reached a decision? Are we going after Zumter?” He tried to contain his resentment and keep the venom from reaching his voice when he said his mentor’s name, but he might have failed.

“We are heading to Bespin now,” said Commander Fera. “And we have implemented a course of action that we think will keep your old friend in play. It’s what we do once we get there that will determine success or failure.”

He nodded, hopeful now. “How can I help?”

The Mirialan glanced sidelong at the Human. Namyr maintained an unreadable sabacc face.

“We recognize certain operational realities at the moment,” Fera said diplomatically. “We are stretched thin as it is—that is, the Alliance Intelligence Network is stretched. We have spies scattered all over the galaxy and we cannot pull more than one or two in to help us on Cloud City. So, we will have some assets once we get there, but not many. We realize our best chance of catching Zumter is if we use everything we’ve got.”

Ageless nodded. “You mean me.”

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“Yes.” The Mirialan’s upper lip might have twitched slightly in exasperation. Ageless let her stew a moment. Talking right now might only goad her, make her change her mind. “But before I agree to let you help us, I need some sort of guarantee you won’t make all of this pointless once you get your hands on Zumter.”

“You mean you want assurances I won’t kill him.”

“We need him alive. That’s the mission. We are not in the habit of wanton assassinations.”

“Out of moral imperatives, or because you’re desperate for intel?” As soon as he said it, he wished he could take it back. While Ageless was genuinely curious about her tactics, he knew it would sound like a continuation of their earlier philosophical debate over whose side was more righteous, the Rebellion or the Empire.

Fortunately, Commander Fera dismissed it. “Our morality in this doesn’t matter. All that matters now is getting him alive. Can you give me some assurance that you won’t kill him, should you be the one to close in on him first?”

Ageless sighed. He knew these people would be good at spotting lies, but, truth be told, he wasn’t even sure he was lying when he said, “I’d rather see him taken alive. Not just to answer for his crimes or to help you with the intel you need, but because it would be shameful for him. So yes, you have my word I will not kill him.”

Fera stared into his eyes, trying to suss out the truth of him. Then she glanced over at Namyr who said, “I trust him.”

Ageless was struck by that. The Human had done a complete turnabout since meeting him. He wondered what it was. Was it just saving her life when she fell from the dropship? He could not believe it was that act alone that did it.

So what was it?

Commander Fera sighed heavily. “Then here it is. We don’t know Zumter—he’s never appeared on our intelligence’s radar, so we have no profile for him, nothing at all. So, we’re relying on you to give us any details you think might help with apprehending him, anything at all.”

“Well, the first thing you need to know about Hej Zumter, or ‘Magus’ as he was codenamed, is that he was one of the creators of the Nest, the training program that produced us agents, the ones that make up the Kingdom.” Ageless leaned forward, scratching an itch on his days’ old stubble. “So, he knows all our tricks. He’s a forward-thinker. Like you guys, he’s got contacts all over the galaxy, he’s made deals with half a hundred smuggler kings and queens, he utilizes bounty hunters to feed him intel, and, this is the most important thing, he always has a contingency plan.”

He smiled.

“Hence, why he tried to kill me.”

“So you’re saying he’s not going to be alone on Cloud City,” Namyr clarified.

“Not only will he not be alone, he’ll be prepared. He’ll have someone paid to watch out for me or anyone else that might come after him. He’ll have people watching his tail. Maybe the Hutt.”

“Hutt? What Hutt?”

“Cloud City Coin, the bank where Zumter’s money is being held, is co-owned by Carjukk, a Hutt with the Besadii kajidic. I discovered this while I was performing my investigation into the bank, because I suspected the mole inside IIS was using this bank to funnel the last of his funds.”

“How likely do you think it is that Zumter went to Carjukk the Hutt?” Kevv asked, speaking up for the first time.

“I would say it’s highly likely. Zumter’s and Abaca’s methods were always to make friends with the Hutts, and use them as just more intel-gatherers. Sometimes there was a give-and-take. We share our intel with the Hutts, and they share some with us. I’m sure you guys did the same.” He thought for a moment. “But Besadii clan is known to be resistant to the Empire’s influence. Of all the Hutt kajidics, they pride themselves in that the most.”

Fera nodded. “So, if we are able to stall his money, he’ll have to stay somewhere local until the bank releases the funds. Which means…”

“Right, he’ll probably go to Carjukk the Hutt for protection.”

It was Namyr who raised the first obvious kink in their plan. “But how do we get the bank to delay the release of his money until we get there? In this slow of a shuttle, it could take us a week to get there, maybe longer.”

Ageless looked at Fera. “What kind of assets do you have on Cloud City?”

Fera looked like she did not feel comfortable sharing that. Ageless could hardly blame her. It was a risk. All she said was, “We have one or two assets in place.”

“Are they decent slicers?”

“As it so happens, they are.”

Ageless nodded. “Right, so, a listening outpost. Decryption specialists intercepting Imperial communiqués.”

“I never said—”

“It’s okay, we always assumed you had them on Cloud City. So, here’s the simplest option, the way I see it. Have your people slice into Cloud City Coin’s mainframe, then put a flag on Zumter’s account.”

Namyr shook her head. “A flag? You mean make it look like Zumter’s account is being pegged as suspicious by the Empire?”

“Right.”

Kevv asked, “But what sort of flag would work?”

“Doesn’t matter. Just make it appear as though there is a flag on the account—for ‘questionable funds’ or ‘person-of-interest suspected’ or ‘account number verification error’ or whatever. Just make it so the bank has to hold on to the funds a few days longer while they verify if the flag is legit. They’ll have to waste time contacting the offices of local Moffs, which can be a bureaucratic nightmare in itself. Then they’ll do other checks, more research to figure out the problem, like checking with the Bounty Hunters’ Guild to see if Zumter has a legitimate bounty on his head. Things like that. It could take days to make sure Zumter is legit and his account is cleared.”

Fera nodded. “That’s all we need to keep him in play until we get there.”

Namyr smiled appreciatively. “Not a bad plan.”

“Is that all you can offer as far as help goes?” the commander added.

Ageless shrugged. “I can be a good on-the-ground asset, of course. I know what Zumter looks like for starters—I mean, I could draw you a picture, but it wouldn’t be as good as having me there on Cloud City. And I can also help watch Namyr’s and Kevv’s backs.”

“Our backs?” Kevv said.

“Sure. Commander Fera here says you’re shorthanded out here. So, I suspect she’s going to put you two to work.”

Fera smiled. “Good guess.”

“We can rent a shuttle or airspeeder when we get there,” Namyr said to the Duros. “And for that we may need a good pilot, in case we need to make a quick getaway.”

Kevv looked a little uncertain about the plan, but he did not refuse to do his duty.

“Once we’re on the ground,” Ageless said, “we’ll need to move quickly to the bank, and we’ll need disguises to try and stay out of the sights of whoever Zumter sends after us.”

“Wait,” Kevv said. “If you go, won’t they have some idea of what you look like? Surely Zumter will give your description to anyone he hires to cover his tail.”

“And I don’t have time to give you a whole new identity,” Fera said.

Ageless smiled. “I’ve thought of that. When I came on board, I had a duffel bag. Your guards confiscated it. Inside it, you’ll find three fake IDs, all without their faces, race, gender, or genetic sequence ID inserted. Well-grown legends, just waiting to be used. I found them hidden in someone’s room inside Echo Base.”

Namyr looked over at her commander. “Sounds to me like we have the basis for an operation.”

“So then, we stall Zumter’s money, and you three are the grab team,” Fera said. She added, “And I’ll send an extra guard or two to watch over you all.”

She means watch over me. She still doesn’t trust me, and in her shoes, I’d feel the same way. “When we get there, be on your best game,” he said. “He’ll have someone tracking us, maybe from the moment we touch down on a landing platform. Cloud City is big, but not big enough to hide forever. If they spot us, we’ll be in a blaster fight, and maybe with no way out.”