Coruscant
The stack of flimsi hit the desk and the man sitting behind it looked up. He’d been through enough that he didn’t flinch when the flimsis had hit his desk. It was just another day in the life of Borin Khale. The man looked up expectantly at the one who had brought them. “These are the files you requested, sir.” The human male said and then turned, walking out of the office. No matter how you sliced it or tried to cover it up, bigotry and racism was still prominent in the Galactic Empire. Inroads had been made, but it was hard to fix thirty odd years of it overnight. It was a work in progress and the Twi’lek felt that they would have to go a ways before they were able to properly have the feelings reduced. But he pushed thoughts of phobia and racism out of his mind, he had work to do. He was an agent of Imperial Intelligence, working on Coruscant. Part of his duties were to monitor activity in the Core of the galaxy and see what was going on, and whether there was danger to the continuing stability of the Galactic Empire. Despite a peace treaty, tensions were thick between the Empire and the New Republic. A laser scalpel probably would have had a hard time cutting through it.
Imperial Intelligence’s job had been increased ever since that peace treaty had been signed between Thrawn and Organa Solo. They worked as efficiently as possible to get the desired results. The work never seemed to end though. Borin was fairly high up in the chain of command, a testament to his skills, considering his species. There was a lot that he was able to do though, within Coruscant itself. He blended in rather well with the beings that made up the underlevels of Coruscant. This made his job easier. He had gone undercover a number of times in the past and he’d come back with good information each time.
There had been a trend to the activity that he’d received the past few weeks though. A relatively new organization on the block had been causing some noise and it was something that his superiors had asked him to look into. He had been researching the organization, this group, and looking for whatever he could on them. There wasn’t much, their ability to stay secret was probably the most well documented fact concerning the group. Borin knew that he had to get his hands dirty if he was going to find out anything about this group. The group was named the Hybrid. The meaning behind the name was not something that Borin was privy to.
Opening one of the folders, he started to scan the information. Imperial Intelligence Coruscant kept up on as much as possible when it came to Imperial City. That was a hard thing to do, with the astronomical numbers involved with the city-planet. Things fell through the cracks, and he was hoping that this wasn’t going to happen here. Borin had requested a sizable amount of information, but none of the information was anything hard to get. The files had already been established, it was simply a matter of getting copies. He hadn’t requested anything sensitive, so what he had asked for had gone through quickly.
Khale was someone who needed to touch to be able to understand and agree with something. He didn’t deal well with reading on datapads. He could, he had to be able to with the way that the galaxy worked, but he liked print outs more and he had requested the files to be printed out so that he had a hard copy of everything. He had been hearing rumors that something was going to happen that night at a particular ale house. This establishment had a bit of a history as having something to do with political rallies and talks. As a matter of fact, Borin could remember it popping up on II-C’s radar not too long ago for that reason. But that had been for other reasons. Since then, he had started to look more carefully at the place, noting that things that happened there tended to spread, especially the political ones.
It was a breeding ground for people with seditious tendencies, and that was something that wasn’t able to continue. The Empire for what it was, was also order and justice. One could expect swift justice to be meted out for those who broke it’s laws. For those who complained about freedom of speech and freedom to make decisions, the solution was to find a position where one could do that and take care of oneself and one’s family. That was what Borin had done and it had served him well.
He looked at his chrono. There was still a few hours before the rally was supposed to take place.
He had time to eat.
Coruscant
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Posts: 221
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:59 pm
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:59 pm
Re: Coruscant
It was a greasy diner, definitely not up to any health code standard of any government in the galaxy. Maybe that was what made the food taste that much better. The mystery involved in eating it. Whatever the case was, Borin stepped into the Blaster Burn Cafe, a somewhat well known eatery on one of the lower levels of Coruscant. It wasn’t his favorite place to eat, nor was it his most common choice, but it fit in to the Twi’lek’s budget and that was what mattered at the moment. He was one of trillions living beyond his means. Working for Imperial Intelligence paid, but it didn’t pay well enough if one wanted to be taken seriously when it came to Coruscant society. That was what he was making a play for and he was being kind of overt about it. He wanted to be known and he wanted to be a player. That meant money.
Money that he didn’t really have. So he lived paycheck to paycheck, using the money he did make to help craft a lifestyle that he couldn’t afford. Like many, he was overextended on what lines of credit he had and Borin knew that it was going to bite him in the rear in the end. But what mattered was the journey and missions like this would help get him promotions, which would always help. Nobody had known his parents, nobody had mourned their deaths. That wouldn’t be the case with Borin Khale. Not if he could help it. He ordered his food and waited, sitting at the bar of the diner. It was set up the way that most diners were, with a big long bar dominating the interior of the place and then a wall set up with booths.
From where he was, Borin was able to see most of the people in the diner. He’d ordered the special for the day, which was a preparation of nerf in strips form. Then it had been breaded and fried in supposedly organic fish oil from Mon Calamari. The Twi’lek doubted both the organic status and the claim that it had been imported from the Dac system. Probably brought in from some other Core Worlds planet. But it was all part of the facade, the same way that he put on a facade with the people around him. So he ate his nerf strips in peace and quiet, drinking from a glass of water, and shuffling his vegetables around. Now these, he knew were grown on Coruscant, in one of the many hydroponics labs throughout the ecumenopolis. He’d seen the boxes being brought to the diner as he’d walked up.
The people in the diner came from all different kinds of species, but the same general walk of life. The not so well off, but not ridiculously poor and in need of help from Imperial Charities. Which, when one thought about it, was a hell of a funny name. He watched as two people entered the diner. One was a Kel Dor male, and the other was a male Near-Human, distinguishing himself from his human genetic cousins by a deep tinged orange hue to his skin. Borin wasn’t sure what species the man was, but they looked intriguing. Especially since one of them had a pouch on it that bore a rather familiar symbol on it, alongside many others. The symbol of the group known as the Hybrid, the group that he was investigating and trying to find more information about.
The symbol was simple, something that could be drawn quickly and efficiently. It was a circle with a horizontal diameter line. The line itself was the upper part of the three line Herf symbol from Aurebesh, which obviously stood for Hybrid. Quick, simple, and easy. It had been popping up throughout Coruscant, especially in the lower levels, where the Hybrid movement had been seriously growing in popularity and membership. Clearly these two were members of the organization or at least sympathizers. Either way, Borin was able to pick up on a lot of the different symbols that were on the satchel of the Kel Dor. There were a few anarchist groups, and a number of various political symbols.
This was an intriguing development for him, and the Twi’lek smiled to himself. He would have to learn more about them. As fate would have it, they sat down near him. They placed their orders, nothing too interesting or out there, and then settled down. Soon they were in depth in a discussion about union wages for workers in some of the power production facilities that provided energy to Coruscant. Something about unfair wages and demands that there needed to be changes. It wasn’t too terribly interesting, but Borin listened, because he wanted to see just how much of Hybrid these people were. It was one thing to just have a symbol on a satchel.
That could be a desire to be cool or hip or cursory interest in a cause or organization. It was possible that it was just the thing to do. But the rhetoric used and the positions taken when in a discussion of this caliber, that would truly determine and define whether or not the speaker was a member of the group. All things appeared to be benign, until the Kel Dor said something that alerted Khale.
“We’ll figure something out at the meeting tonight. The ale house should be packed.”
The ale house. Khale was headed there as well, that night. A Hybrid meeting and rally It was going to be a big one that night and he had already planned on heading there to find out more about the organization and learn what he could. They didn't have enough information which was crazy, considering their proliferation through social media and the Holonet.
Jackpot.
Money that he didn’t really have. So he lived paycheck to paycheck, using the money he did make to help craft a lifestyle that he couldn’t afford. Like many, he was overextended on what lines of credit he had and Borin knew that it was going to bite him in the rear in the end. But what mattered was the journey and missions like this would help get him promotions, which would always help. Nobody had known his parents, nobody had mourned their deaths. That wouldn’t be the case with Borin Khale. Not if he could help it. He ordered his food and waited, sitting at the bar of the diner. It was set up the way that most diners were, with a big long bar dominating the interior of the place and then a wall set up with booths.
From where he was, Borin was able to see most of the people in the diner. He’d ordered the special for the day, which was a preparation of nerf in strips form. Then it had been breaded and fried in supposedly organic fish oil from Mon Calamari. The Twi’lek doubted both the organic status and the claim that it had been imported from the Dac system. Probably brought in from some other Core Worlds planet. But it was all part of the facade, the same way that he put on a facade with the people around him. So he ate his nerf strips in peace and quiet, drinking from a glass of water, and shuffling his vegetables around. Now these, he knew were grown on Coruscant, in one of the many hydroponics labs throughout the ecumenopolis. He’d seen the boxes being brought to the diner as he’d walked up.
The people in the diner came from all different kinds of species, but the same general walk of life. The not so well off, but not ridiculously poor and in need of help from Imperial Charities. Which, when one thought about it, was a hell of a funny name. He watched as two people entered the diner. One was a Kel Dor male, and the other was a male Near-Human, distinguishing himself from his human genetic cousins by a deep tinged orange hue to his skin. Borin wasn’t sure what species the man was, but they looked intriguing. Especially since one of them had a pouch on it that bore a rather familiar symbol on it, alongside many others. The symbol of the group known as the Hybrid, the group that he was investigating and trying to find more information about.
The symbol was simple, something that could be drawn quickly and efficiently. It was a circle with a horizontal diameter line. The line itself was the upper part of the three line Herf symbol from Aurebesh, which obviously stood for Hybrid. Quick, simple, and easy. It had been popping up throughout Coruscant, especially in the lower levels, where the Hybrid movement had been seriously growing in popularity and membership. Clearly these two were members of the organization or at least sympathizers. Either way, Borin was able to pick up on a lot of the different symbols that were on the satchel of the Kel Dor. There were a few anarchist groups, and a number of various political symbols.
This was an intriguing development for him, and the Twi’lek smiled to himself. He would have to learn more about them. As fate would have it, they sat down near him. They placed their orders, nothing too interesting or out there, and then settled down. Soon they were in depth in a discussion about union wages for workers in some of the power production facilities that provided energy to Coruscant. Something about unfair wages and demands that there needed to be changes. It wasn’t too terribly interesting, but Borin listened, because he wanted to see just how much of Hybrid these people were. It was one thing to just have a symbol on a satchel.
That could be a desire to be cool or hip or cursory interest in a cause or organization. It was possible that it was just the thing to do. But the rhetoric used and the positions taken when in a discussion of this caliber, that would truly determine and define whether or not the speaker was a member of the group. All things appeared to be benign, until the Kel Dor said something that alerted Khale.
“We’ll figure something out at the meeting tonight. The ale house should be packed.”
The ale house. Khale was headed there as well, that night. A Hybrid meeting and rally It was going to be a big one that night and he had already planned on heading there to find out more about the organization and learn what he could. They didn't have enough information which was crazy, considering their proliferation through social media and the Holonet.
Jackpot.
Ninzified lol.
Posts: 221
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:59 pm
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:59 pm
Re: Coruscant
The ale house was packed. Packed was an understatement though. The place was teeming with people, of all genders, all species. Shoulder to shoulder, they were squeezed into the building, and Borin’s hand absentmindedly touched the blaster that he had on him, from time to time. He doubted that he’d have to use it in a situation like this, but one never knew. Talks like these could get rowdy, and someone could say a few words that could light the proverbial powder keg in someone else. So far, Hybrid had never done anything violent, which was why they hadn’t had Stormtroopers, or in the very least members of the Imperial Army banging down their doors to drag them out in the middle of the night. But maybe that was what he was for, to finger the right people and add a level of finesse that many considered to be stereotypically absent from the Galactic Empire.
Borin had a local ale in his hands, and the Twi’lek drank without hesitation. Everyone was drinking, and he had to keep up appearances. But by the gods, the ale tasted like shit. He would have preferred something better, but everyone was touting the local ale, and everyone was drinking it. The ale house was making money off of the meeting, which was one of the reasons why it was hosting it. Even political revolutions cost money, and there was nothing free in any of this. Maybe the owner was a sympathizer, or a member even, but he couldn’t afford to give away this much free drink and food without getting some of his money back.
Money ruled the world, and Borin made no doubts about it.
The seat that he had was a crude wooden stool, repurposed from somewhere where it had been repurposed from somewhere else. So on and so forth back through the ridiculously long history of Coruscant. One day in the past, it might have been imported, in a different form, from somewhere else in the galaxy. Since then, it had been used and used again. It kind of was the story of everyone’s life when you thought about it. He grimaced as he thought about it, reminded of his high credit card bills, the money that he owed.
The low rumbling noise helped him drop away from the milieu around him. Before he could really drift away though and start trying to balance his checkbook in his mind, he was bumped slightly. Turning, he saw a young child, and Borin’s brow furrowed. This was no place for a child to be. Definitely not at this time of the night. Looking around, he saw that the child was moving quickly. His eyes followed the child until the child disappeared behind a curtain. It just so happened that his eyes found something new to track. In this case, it was another person. A man walked out from behind the curtain, a Gotal. This made total sense. Gotals were able to pick up on the emotions and feelings of others, including their intentions. A useful ally to have a gathering like this, to say the least.
Soon after he came out from behind the curtain, there was another man who stepped out. This one was a Bith. Borin had heard of this man though. He was a member of Hybrid, and though there wasn’t much on him, the Bith was someone who was important to the organization.
Which meant that he was important to Borin.
Borin had a local ale in his hands, and the Twi’lek drank without hesitation. Everyone was drinking, and he had to keep up appearances. But by the gods, the ale tasted like shit. He would have preferred something better, but everyone was touting the local ale, and everyone was drinking it. The ale house was making money off of the meeting, which was one of the reasons why it was hosting it. Even political revolutions cost money, and there was nothing free in any of this. Maybe the owner was a sympathizer, or a member even, but he couldn’t afford to give away this much free drink and food without getting some of his money back.
Money ruled the world, and Borin made no doubts about it.
The seat that he had was a crude wooden stool, repurposed from somewhere where it had been repurposed from somewhere else. So on and so forth back through the ridiculously long history of Coruscant. One day in the past, it might have been imported, in a different form, from somewhere else in the galaxy. Since then, it had been used and used again. It kind of was the story of everyone’s life when you thought about it. He grimaced as he thought about it, reminded of his high credit card bills, the money that he owed.
The low rumbling noise helped him drop away from the milieu around him. Before he could really drift away though and start trying to balance his checkbook in his mind, he was bumped slightly. Turning, he saw a young child, and Borin’s brow furrowed. This was no place for a child to be. Definitely not at this time of the night. Looking around, he saw that the child was moving quickly. His eyes followed the child until the child disappeared behind a curtain. It just so happened that his eyes found something new to track. In this case, it was another person. A man walked out from behind the curtain, a Gotal. This made total sense. Gotals were able to pick up on the emotions and feelings of others, including their intentions. A useful ally to have a gathering like this, to say the least.
Soon after he came out from behind the curtain, there was another man who stepped out. This one was a Bith. Borin had heard of this man though. He was a member of Hybrid, and though there wasn’t much on him, the Bith was someone who was important to the organization.
Which meant that he was important to Borin.
Ninzified lol.
Posts: 221
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:59 pm
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:59 pm
Re: Coruscant
The speech was starting.
"My fellow beings, we have a serious problem in front of us. The Galactic Empire, for all of it's boasting of working with non-Humans, still harbors hatred in its heart. What better example of this is there than the conditions that we have been subjected to. Let us consider the treatment of non-Humans in their capital planet. What difference is it to the common man that the regent is a non-Human when we are still treated like second rate citizens? Indeed the name that they have for us alone, 'non-Humans' is a travesty. I challenge any man or woman to explain why we, the clear majority not only on Imperial Center but around the galaxy should be defined by the minority?”
He shook his head, and laughed slightly as he considered his words. “Furthermore there is no species called 'non-Human'. I admit a weakness in that I am not a scientist. I am not a researcher. If there is one in that profession who can point out the common ancestor that the Zabrak and the Mon Calamari have, I am more than willing to entertain that discussion. The Bothan and the Twi'lek as well. If there is one here who can lay forth a reasoned argument as to their shared ancestor, I will forever be in that person’s debt. A generalized term for generalized hatred, that is what we face. I challenge it and I ask that each and everyone of you challenges it with me."
Borin looked around as a roar deafened the silence that the Bimm had commanded over the people. By the time he looked back at the Bimm, the crowd had quieted down and now he continued to speak.
"What can we do my brethren against the soldier who with booted heel caves in your wife's face and suffers no penalty? What can we do against the human who forces you from home and hearth with a tax code that is unfavorable for those who work in occupations deemed too good for a Human and thus fulfilled by one such as us? Is there an answer?"
"Tell us!" Someone yelled from the crowd and the Bimm had to stop due to the overwhelming cry from the group.
"Thank you for the question. Of course I shall tell you. But first let us examine the courses of action that we have been given to issue grievance for the unjust actions committed against us. They want us to file a petition." He said.
Again he was interrupted, this time with boos and jeers. Borin had to admit that he was impressed not only with the crowd's response but also with the man's ability to work the crowd. His body language punctuated his words. His tone was choice to convey his graphic imagery. Borin found himself wanting to agree with the man. Feth, he did agree with the man.
Non-Humans or aliens or whatever you wanted to call them, they got the short end of the stick on Coruscant. It wasn't better anywhere else, but here on the capital of the Empire and, well of the galaxy if people were being honest, it hurt that much more.
"A petition. As if that will achieve any form of true restitution. But we tried that. Didn't we? Multiple times. An exhaustive number of times. Yet, nothing happened." The Bimm said. "Nothing happened and the doors were closed in our faces. Justice seemed to get farther and farther from our outstretched hands." He said and shook his head. “This can not be allowed to continue. We must fight back.”
Borin had heard what he had needed to hear.
"My fellow beings, we have a serious problem in front of us. The Galactic Empire, for all of it's boasting of working with non-Humans, still harbors hatred in its heart. What better example of this is there than the conditions that we have been subjected to. Let us consider the treatment of non-Humans in their capital planet. What difference is it to the common man that the regent is a non-Human when we are still treated like second rate citizens? Indeed the name that they have for us alone, 'non-Humans' is a travesty. I challenge any man or woman to explain why we, the clear majority not only on Imperial Center but around the galaxy should be defined by the minority?”
He shook his head, and laughed slightly as he considered his words. “Furthermore there is no species called 'non-Human'. I admit a weakness in that I am not a scientist. I am not a researcher. If there is one in that profession who can point out the common ancestor that the Zabrak and the Mon Calamari have, I am more than willing to entertain that discussion. The Bothan and the Twi'lek as well. If there is one here who can lay forth a reasoned argument as to their shared ancestor, I will forever be in that person’s debt. A generalized term for generalized hatred, that is what we face. I challenge it and I ask that each and everyone of you challenges it with me."
Borin looked around as a roar deafened the silence that the Bimm had commanded over the people. By the time he looked back at the Bimm, the crowd had quieted down and now he continued to speak.
"What can we do my brethren against the soldier who with booted heel caves in your wife's face and suffers no penalty? What can we do against the human who forces you from home and hearth with a tax code that is unfavorable for those who work in occupations deemed too good for a Human and thus fulfilled by one such as us? Is there an answer?"
"Tell us!" Someone yelled from the crowd and the Bimm had to stop due to the overwhelming cry from the group.
"Thank you for the question. Of course I shall tell you. But first let us examine the courses of action that we have been given to issue grievance for the unjust actions committed against us. They want us to file a petition." He said.
Again he was interrupted, this time with boos and jeers. Borin had to admit that he was impressed not only with the crowd's response but also with the man's ability to work the crowd. His body language punctuated his words. His tone was choice to convey his graphic imagery. Borin found himself wanting to agree with the man. Feth, he did agree with the man.
Non-Humans or aliens or whatever you wanted to call them, they got the short end of the stick on Coruscant. It wasn't better anywhere else, but here on the capital of the Empire and, well of the galaxy if people were being honest, it hurt that much more.
"A petition. As if that will achieve any form of true restitution. But we tried that. Didn't we? Multiple times. An exhaustive number of times. Yet, nothing happened." The Bimm said. "Nothing happened and the doors were closed in our faces. Justice seemed to get farther and farther from our outstretched hands." He said and shook his head. “This can not be allowed to continue. We must fight back.”
Borin had heard what he had needed to hear.
Posts: 221
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:59 pm
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:59 pm
Re: Coruscant
The stench of these levels of Coruscant was starting to get to him. Borin walked through the streets of Coruscant, thinking to himself. His lekku twitched every so often as he walked, matching the slow, ponderous thoughts that were looking for fruitful soil in his brain. This organization, this Hybrid, it was dangerous. The problem was that there was so much to deal with. The organization was huge, a shadow organization and he had no idea where to start. Furthermore, he didn’t know how many resources he was going to get access to, from Imperial Intelligence. It made sense to check in first and see what he could get.
Imperial Intelligence didn’t have much on the Hybrid organization in the first place, so he didn’t know ho big of a priority this was going to be. But any organization that was talking about fighting back, that was an organization that Borin wanted to take down. One of the biggest qualms that Borin had, however, was whether or not he wantd to stop the Hybrid. Any organization that advocated violence against the Empire was not an organization that he could condone, even if it wasn’t against his job. Borin was not someone who liked violence.
The message of the Hybrid was what brought the deepest confliction out of Borin. The Twi’lek understood their position. Historically, the Empire had always been prejudiced against beings that weren’t human. One of the problems was that the word “prejudiced” failed to grasp a true sense of what the conditions were. That word failed to craft a portrait that even barely covered the truth of the galaxy. So Borin could empathize with the Hybrid. Hells, he faced discrimination of his own at his job, and his job was asking him to actively work against these people.
It made what he needed to do all that more uncomfortable. How could he try to stop people who he agreed with? Running a hand over his chin, Borin closed his eyes for a moment. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a voice that seemed like it was intended for him.
“I saw you at the meeting.”
He turned to see a Bith standing there. No, he was mistaken, it wasn’t just any Bith, it was the Bith who had been on the stage with the Gotal. This man, from what Borin understood, was someone who was high up in the Hybrid organization.
“Uh, yes, I was there.” Borin said. “I had to leave a bit early, though.” He said.
“I was wondering, what your thoughts on the speech were.”
“My thoughts?” Borin asked, rubbing his chin again. “Well, I think the speech was good, it was well done.” He said. “I was wondering however, how the Hybrid really expects to obtain change through the methods that your advocating.” He added with a small shrug. “I mean, you show force, and the Empire is going to crack down on you. So what’s the point?” He asked.
“I don’t think you’re getting the big picture.” The Bith said and smiled. “Let’s walk, Borin.” He said.
Imperial Intelligence didn’t have much on the Hybrid organization in the first place, so he didn’t know ho big of a priority this was going to be. But any organization that was talking about fighting back, that was an organization that Borin wanted to take down. One of the biggest qualms that Borin had, however, was whether or not he wantd to stop the Hybrid. Any organization that advocated violence against the Empire was not an organization that he could condone, even if it wasn’t against his job. Borin was not someone who liked violence.
The message of the Hybrid was what brought the deepest confliction out of Borin. The Twi’lek understood their position. Historically, the Empire had always been prejudiced against beings that weren’t human. One of the problems was that the word “prejudiced” failed to grasp a true sense of what the conditions were. That word failed to craft a portrait that even barely covered the truth of the galaxy. So Borin could empathize with the Hybrid. Hells, he faced discrimination of his own at his job, and his job was asking him to actively work against these people.
It made what he needed to do all that more uncomfortable. How could he try to stop people who he agreed with? Running a hand over his chin, Borin closed his eyes for a moment. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a voice that seemed like it was intended for him.
“I saw you at the meeting.”
He turned to see a Bith standing there. No, he was mistaken, it wasn’t just any Bith, it was the Bith who had been on the stage with the Gotal. This man, from what Borin understood, was someone who was high up in the Hybrid organization.
“Uh, yes, I was there.” Borin said. “I had to leave a bit early, though.” He said.
“I was wondering, what your thoughts on the speech were.”
“My thoughts?” Borin asked, rubbing his chin again. “Well, I think the speech was good, it was well done.” He said. “I was wondering however, how the Hybrid really expects to obtain change through the methods that your advocating.” He added with a small shrug. “I mean, you show force, and the Empire is going to crack down on you. So what’s the point?” He asked.
“I don’t think you’re getting the big picture.” The Bith said and smiled. “Let’s walk, Borin.” He said.
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