- Joined
- Dec 15, 2018
- Messages
- 51
- Reaction score
- 72
"What do you mean, 'no comment'?"
It was not Jacob's most professional moment but the head of the Tatooine security force was being intentionally dense. Five different people had referred Jacob to this slug of a man, one being his deputy. To be met with a simple "no comment" at this stage was beyond infuriating. How could he have "no comment" about the slave trade that was using his world as a midpoint? Well the how was simple, and so was the why; somebody had bought his cooperation. But he could have come up with a more cunning defense than "no comment".
"HNN has secured information going back eight-teen months that confirms Suarbian slavers using Tatooine, the world that, if I might help you recall, you took many oaths to protect, as a midpoint to traffic beings between Suarbi and Gamorr." Jacob doubted very much that appealing to the man's sense of loaylty would do anything, but short of offering him a bribe of his own, he really couldn't think of anything. "If you're unaware then at best you're incompetent, if you're trying to stall then at best you're a doormat."
"Mr. Tagger," The security man said at last, "you are dangerously close to getting yourself deported back to Coruscant."
"Oh yes, I'm sure that will help you greatly. Deport an independent journalist investigating a number of horrible things. Look, I'm not asking you to incriminate yourself here. For all I know they have your family hostage, or your dog, or your favorite pair of shoes. I honestly don't care. What I need is information that you could easily hand over. A name? A place? Anything!"
Jacob was fuming. He was pouring frustration so powerfully into the Force around him that even the Security Captain felt it. He scratched the back of his neck nervously while chewing his lip. Jacob had been on this dustball of a world for a standard week and had accomplished nothing. The contact that he was supposed to meet had turned up dead and mummified by the sand--typical--and ever since then he'd been trying to pry information out of bureaucrats and other stony officials.
Nobody had been saying anything and, as far as the reporter was concerned, they were all guilty. Of what, he didn't know, but they were guilty of something...making his life needlessly difficult? Probably that.He was at his wits end and it was starting to show.
"Mr. Tagger, I implore you: be reasonable," at long last the Captain looked like he might finally say something, however minor, just to get Jacob out of his office. "Even if there were slavers running their merchandise across Tatooine, that's not a security issue and out of my jurisdiction." It was an oblique way of saying 'they're here but I can't say anything' Jacob appreciated that even if he was only being given scraps of info to get his vaguely irritating person out of the Captain's way, it was the best break he'd had all week. "However, there is a cantina--The Busty Jawa--on the far side of Bestine from here that is a security risk. All sorts of undesirables make that place their home away from home. Maybe you'd have better luck there. However my statement on the subject of slavers exploiting my world: 'No Comment.'"
"Indeed, that is interesting."
Jacob didn't bother to even thank the man. He was still frustrated, but finally maybe on to something. He turned on his heel and left the office. As he passed through the door, he noticed that it had been slightly ajar the whole time. Hoping that nobody in the small waiting area had heard the exchange, he flung it open and stepped out, heading for the turbolift and to The Busty Jawa.
@Valen Pelora
It was not Jacob's most professional moment but the head of the Tatooine security force was being intentionally dense. Five different people had referred Jacob to this slug of a man, one being his deputy. To be met with a simple "no comment" at this stage was beyond infuriating. How could he have "no comment" about the slave trade that was using his world as a midpoint? Well the how was simple, and so was the why; somebody had bought his cooperation. But he could have come up with a more cunning defense than "no comment".
"HNN has secured information going back eight-teen months that confirms Suarbian slavers using Tatooine, the world that, if I might help you recall, you took many oaths to protect, as a midpoint to traffic beings between Suarbi and Gamorr." Jacob doubted very much that appealing to the man's sense of loaylty would do anything, but short of offering him a bribe of his own, he really couldn't think of anything. "If you're unaware then at best you're incompetent, if you're trying to stall then at best you're a doormat."
"Mr. Tagger," The security man said at last, "you are dangerously close to getting yourself deported back to Coruscant."
"Oh yes, I'm sure that will help you greatly. Deport an independent journalist investigating a number of horrible things. Look, I'm not asking you to incriminate yourself here. For all I know they have your family hostage, or your dog, or your favorite pair of shoes. I honestly don't care. What I need is information that you could easily hand over. A name? A place? Anything!"
Jacob was fuming. He was pouring frustration so powerfully into the Force around him that even the Security Captain felt it. He scratched the back of his neck nervously while chewing his lip. Jacob had been on this dustball of a world for a standard week and had accomplished nothing. The contact that he was supposed to meet had turned up dead and mummified by the sand--typical--and ever since then he'd been trying to pry information out of bureaucrats and other stony officials.
Nobody had been saying anything and, as far as the reporter was concerned, they were all guilty. Of what, he didn't know, but they were guilty of something...making his life needlessly difficult? Probably that.He was at his wits end and it was starting to show.
"Mr. Tagger, I implore you: be reasonable," at long last the Captain looked like he might finally say something, however minor, just to get Jacob out of his office. "Even if there were slavers running their merchandise across Tatooine, that's not a security issue and out of my jurisdiction." It was an oblique way of saying 'they're here but I can't say anything' Jacob appreciated that even if he was only being given scraps of info to get his vaguely irritating person out of the Captain's way, it was the best break he'd had all week. "However, there is a cantina--The Busty Jawa--on the far side of Bestine from here that is a security risk. All sorts of undesirables make that place their home away from home. Maybe you'd have better luck there. However my statement on the subject of slavers exploiting my world: 'No Comment.'"
"Indeed, that is interesting."
Jacob didn't bother to even thank the man. He was still frustrated, but finally maybe on to something. He turned on his heel and left the office. As he passed through the door, he noticed that it had been slightly ajar the whole time. Hoping that nobody in the small waiting area had heard the exchange, he flung it open and stepped out, heading for the turbolift and to The Busty Jawa.
@Valen Pelora
