The message came through the transponder on an encrypted channel. A channel only used by my most important clients, like those from the Royal Houses of Naboo. I had no way of knowing if it was from Her Excellency herself, but the message more than likely originated from her office, perhaps even by her own hand.
My name is Charlec and I am what you might call a ‘trusted troubleshooter’ frequently called upon to solve and - if necessary - eliminate problems arising from the many clumsy dealings of people in high places and the often unanticipated consequences.
I like to call this the ‘red channel’ because it means someone has either royally screwed up, or there is a serious threat to one of the houses. It also means a big payday.
These clients identify themselves by code because it’s better I don’t know who they are - and when the credits come through, it really doesn’t matter. Having said that, I understand the terms, which gives my clients complete deniability should the worst happen.
But this one looks like it could be tricky.
One of the client’s personal attendants (yes, these are the Royal Handmaidens) has gone missing. She had been conducting some sensitive negotiations on behalf of her House with the Gungans, an ancient and secretive race thought extinct on their home planet.
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| The Queen with her Royal Handmaidens (TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd) |
Her tracker indicates she has either vanished, been abducted, or worse. The client needs to know - and urgently - whether her disappearance poses a threat to the House or possibly even the entire royal elite. While outwardly young and innocent, this apprentice diplomat would possess all the training required of a Royal Handmaiden, namely skills in espionage, subterfuge and lethal self-defense.
The client fears her servant may even have had her loyalty tested and defected or somehow been induced to divulge matters sensitive to my client. However, my experience tells me royal staff, especially those this close to the elite, are rock solid in their devotion.
Nevertheless, my instructions are clear. If she has fallen prey to a Zygerrian slaver, for example, I was to extract her and promptly return her home to Naboo by whatever means available. If, on the other hand, she had become allied to an enemy … well, that would be unpleasant.
Fortunately my Gungan contact, Ropa Nee, an ex-Gungan Army intelligence officer with a useful liking for rare crustaceans had some insight on this matter. The young envoy, known only as Brialé, had infiltrated a Takodana smuggling ring before her sudden disappearance. A fact which raises more questions that it answers. She had been seen in the company of a handsome young brigand, often in deep conversation, before they both disappeared from a secret location on her home planet.
Just what was the connection between this young smuggler, Brialé, the Gungans and my client? I’m not sure I wanted to find out, but if I was to complete my assignment, it would be necessary and that knowledge could well put a price on my head. That burden was something I’d managed to avoid despite many years of discrete and often risky royal service.
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| YT-1300 Corellian freighter. Versatile and adaptable light freighter widely used throughout the Galaxy. |
Now, I can’t disclose how I managed this, but a search of transit logs revealed they had commandeered or otherwise acquired a small YT-1300 freighter and left Naboo for Takodana before vanishing again. They may be cunning and stealthy, but smugglers can be predictable and I’m putting my money on their next destination being Batuu on the Galaxy’s Edge, a handy place to lay low while events simmer elsewhere.
= To Be Continued =
