Ask One Two Three...Four

[Guinevere Delevigne]

Lianna was a place that Guin hadn't visited in some time, hearkening back to her early field days as an agent. Nor had she forgotten just how much of an urban sprawl the planet had been under, oh how she yearned for another vacation on the farm. Since the Hutt's offer to practically bribe Imperials to defect, the ISB had been tasked with following up leads of disloyal citizens, trading in information for credits.

Given the outcome of the war, it was inevitable to find such rot at all levels of society. From the lowly thug, to the tippy top, all were suspect until proven otherwise. Fortunately for today, that target had a long history of corruption and had even thought that he'd bought off an Imperial Knight and Agent once. Lord Tryst was the name on the dossier, a human male in his late forties with wealth and deep connections across multiple Imperial worlds.

His trade in Sith artifacts was one thing, an evil that had been put to one side as more pressing matters were dealt with. But now?, with the new commercial entities popping up connected to the cartel, news reached Guin that Lord Tryst had begun the importation of slaves to work within his factories.

Naturally, Guin attempted to solve the matter diplomatically and to use her ever-growing influence to put a stop to this. Instead, it only emboldened the egregious man, who in turn began to fortify his position and strength. A last ditch effort to hostilely take over the business stalled, with several hold outs being held together by his sheer willpower alone.

Left with no other choice, Overseer Delevigne recruited someone with an eye for enacting more permanent solutions.

@Remileah

 

[Cipher Four]

Location: Overseer's Safe Room

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___It appeared as if the Empire was in a state of rapid decline. The recent altercation with the Hutts culminated in a humiliating defeat for the Empire, effectively positioning them on the back foot. Reports of sedition and crime were on the rise, and Four was inundated with assignments to quell dissidents capitalising on the Empire's newfound weakness to curry favour with the Hutts. There was already precious little downtime, but now there was none outside what was mandated to keep agents rested and refreshed. These days, it was either sleep or work.

___To make matters worse, Four was called in by an Overseer who wished to speak with her directly. It wasn't a request for the first available Cipher; it was for her specifically, and when an Overseer requested an agent by name, it was only for a small number of things. It could be that somebody higher up had it in for her, and this was a small step towards displacing Four from her position. Perhaps it was a mission with a low chance of success and one she would almost certainly die trying to accomplish.

___The elevator churned as it came to a stop. The doors opened, and Four entered the room where Guinevere was waiting. The Fiani stopped a respectable distance away, assuming a rigid stance of respect until she was addressed otherwise. Her feet spread shoulder-width apart, her arms behind her back and one hand firmly grasped within the other. Dull green eyes stared straight ahead, unmoving. The Cipher was the image of strict adherence to Imperial doctrines and military authority.

___"Overseer," Four stated curtly. "Cipher Four reporting."

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

Every, busy with work, the sudden sound of the doors opening caused Guin to pause and peer up from her desk. "Cipher Four, at ease." She replied in tune.

With a subtle shift, the small datapad slipped across the desk to Four. She next pulled out a small device, activating it which in turn projected the face of the man in question. "I've called you here today for a simple task, to eliminate this target." The data pad would contain the known details of his security apparatus, known locations he frequented and potential weak points.

But while Guin was quite capable of finding information, she was far from the best at this next line of work. "I'll give you as much time as you need to read over, but I need to know if you see a feasible way to complete this mission."

Many options were on the table, from a simple rifle on a tall vantage spot, to a more explosive end.

@Remileah

 

[Cipher Four]

___The tension in Four's body loosened as she was commanded to be at ease. Her gaze flicked downward as the datapad slid across the table. She picked it up and looked at the projection, her brow furrowing inquisitively. The Fiani peered down at the datapad, perusing the information given to her by the Overseer. Itineraries, blueprints, security features, guard details, and everything else she would need to know for an assassination were all in her hands.

___"May I speak freely, Overseer?" Four inquired, shifting her head to meet Guinevere's gaze. "I wouldn't wish to say anything that may be regretable for one or both of us," she said. If Guinevere was as perceptive as an Overseer should be, she would pick up on Four's hints about whether or not they were being monitored. As she awaited the other woman's answer, the Fiani continued scrolling through the information in the datapad. As she browsed, she began pacing, thoughtfully holding her chin in her fingers.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

Guin reached under her desk and pressed a button to activate a nearby white noise generator that would insulate their conversation in response to her query. "You may speak, but consequences are yet to be determined." Her answer was honest to a fault.

Given the woman's expertise and lead on the tactical operation, it would be wise to at least hear out her counsel. But that didn't mean that the agent would have much lead in matters outside that juristiction.

@Remileah

 

[Cipher Four]

___As Guinevere turned on the white noise generator and verified Four's capability of speaking without restraint, the Fiani laid the datapad on the desk.

___"Assassinating a lord of a noble house is rarely easy," she said. "With the information you've given me, however, there are plenty of windows of opportunity if you know where to look. I do, and I see several openings to get the job done without anyone being wiser," Four elaborated, turning around to look at the projection of the target's face. Her arms folded behind her back again as she mulled over the details in her mind. She turned halfway back, her head swivelling to look at Guinevere behind the desk.

___"May I ask to what ends you wish to see him eliminated?" Four inquired. "I don't see many requests for the head of a noble. Moreover, in my experience, all potential candidates are heavily scrutinised and require extensive vetting before being selected. Why was I selected?"

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

Overseer Delevigne wondered where this line of questioning was going, becoming pleasantly surprised that it remained ironclad focused on the task at hand.

"Minimal to nil collateral is preferred, make it look like a hit." She clarified. A shooting from a safe position would draw some attention, but Guin's influence would make sure that Four was safe from local law enforcement. The Overseer was busy crafting an online presence of a radical with fingerprints in many pies that would be a natural trigger puller in this case.

With a simple tip off, the peacekeepers would pick up the trace and handle the rest. The second question, however, left a sour taste in her mouth.

"You were selected because I needed a Cipher to complete a task, to ask further is redundant." This was of course a professional courtesy, but Guin had no interest in pursuing a friendly discussion in the matter with someone she didn't know. "Do you have everything you need?"

@Remileah

 

[Cipher Four]

___"I operate with rigid standards that place a premium on life, Overseer. There will be no fatalities outside of the target," Four answered without hesitation. As the Overseer addressed the second inquiry by brushing it aside, the Fiani turned to face her superior. It wasn't an answer she was satisfied with, but her dissatisfaction did not show on her face. The Fiani's expression remained one of placid indifference as she nodded, knowing better than to attempt to pursue further.

___"Understood," she said, dismissing the line of inquiry any further. Four approached the desk and picked up the data pad again as the Overseer asked about her equipment. "I have much of what I need, though there are some things I would request," Four continued, scrolling through the information given to her by the other woman. She furrowed her brow as she poured over the data again, pacing back and forth and scrutinising every detail and opening that could be exploited.

___"Shall I make my requests directly through you, or do you have another in mind for handling these things?" Four inquired after a few moments of silence.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

So long as Four remained within the mission perimeters she would have no interference from the Overseer. On the field, it would be the agents operation as she would quite literally be the one pulling the trigger.

"Anything you need can be procured through that datapad." She advised, no questions asked. The mission itself was full of intrigue and danger, but Four was likely well acquainted with such things. Their target did not appear to be in seclusion, offering a number of opportunities for the setup.

His penthouse was well documented given Guin's own visit years past, even if minor aspects had changed. His routes, all monitored and verified left little to chance as he'd travel to various events and board meetings and the occasional public outing. They'd simply have to pick one and take the plunge, so to speak.

@Remileah

 

[Cipher Four]

___Four nodded as she was instructed to make all requests through the datapad. The woman stowed the device and turned to face Guinevere again, adopting the rigid at-attention stance she assumed when she arrived.

___"Thank you, Overseer," she stated. "I have everything I need to begin preparing. Was there anything else you would ask of me?" she inquired. "If not, by your leave, I'll begin making preparations. I have only one more question, if I may," Four added. "Shall I keep you apprised of the mission as it occurs, or shall I contact you and return upon its completion?"

___If there was one thing Four knew after so many years of service in the ISB, it was that every Overseer had different preferences. Some wanted every excruciating detail with timestamps and dates, while others only wanted a quick debriefing once it was over. Some even didn't care to be told the details, so long as the mission was completed, and wanted you to take on the next task as quickly as possible. Four needed to know what kind of Overseer she was working for.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

The cipher agent was shortly dismissed from the room after their briefing had concluded. Anything that would be reasonably requested, such as weapons, tools, identification, and other relevant mission objects would be provided as needed. She would also be given the freedom to execute the mission within the scope of the parameters set and to file a report once it was concluded.

The information Guin had access to would quickly confirm the target had been taken out, although it was certainly possible that the Overseer would be watching remotely anyway given her connection to the target. In the meantime, she would continue to work on the informational database she was constructing for the ISB with all its little trinkets and intricacies.

If Four completed the mission well, it was certainly likely that the Overseer would be calling upon her again in the future although what that would look like remained to be seen.

Several days later unbeknownst to the brigand who styled himself Lord Tryst, his doom lay in wait a distance away with only minutes to spare. Ever the punctual man, Tryst would be arriving in an air speeder at the roof of his hotel with only a medium distance to cover before he arrived inside. Intel stated that he would be accompanied by two armed guards although they would likely only be equipped to handle short to medium-ranged threats.

One sniper, however, would likely be on scene and Four would need to either eliminate them first or work around the threat to complete the job.

@Remileah

 

[Cipher Four]

Location: Unknown

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___Acquiring the tools, munitions, and information to make the assassination easier went smoothly. Four had free reign to obtain everything she needed, securing herself the best sniper short of a Shatter Rifle on the market. Silence and blindness were paid for, enabling her to move freely. Now, it was a matter of scouting, setting up the location, and waiting for the mark to arrive.

___The myriad high-rise buildings provided ample ideal angles, but Four couldn't take one blindly. Intelligence confirmed a sniper would work with Lord Tryst's armed escort, adding an extra layer of difficulty to her job. The Fiani had spent no small amount of time pondering the best course of action, and she had decided eliminating the other sniper was out of the question. They were likely on comms with Tryst's security detail, and things would look suspicious if they failed to report in. Moreover, given the Empire's notorious penchant for unwavering loyalty, holding them at gunpoint and instructing them to give a false all-clear signal was too much of a gamble.

___Thus, Four had arrived far ahead of schedule and given herself time to scout and locate which vantage the other sniper had chosen to take. It didn't take her long to find them perched on one of the ideal lookouts she had noted as a possible spot of her own. However, as good as their choice was, it had a blind spot to the south. A building standing taller than the one they were on provided a solid barrier where the other sniper would neither see her nor be able to return fire after she took her shot. It made Tryst's sniper completely unable to act after she shot, and his security detail couldn't hope to hit her at the range she was.

___Four arrived on the roof and looked at her watch. She had several minutes to spare, enough time to set up and begin accounting for the weather variables. The Cipher assembled her blaster, adjusting the scope's rangefinder for 550 metres. With the hood of her coat up and the rifle in her lap, she needed only wait for the air speeder to arrive and take her shot. The Fiani observed attentively, peering at the designated landing area.

___The stage was set. The puppets were in place. Now, all Four needed to do was pull their strings.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

The whirling sounds of the speeder engine came into the foreground as the last stretch of its journey reached its end. As fate would have it, the man of the hour and the target were both on time and arrived as promised by the Overseer with minimal protection. After all, he was a powerful man with few enemies left alive - he was practically untouchable on this planet.

A woman, his executive assistant apparently, waited a few feet from the landing zone ready to brief her employer on the upcoming day. Flexing as any wealthy man would, the lord glanced across the horizon of his so-called kingdom as the speeder's engines brought him down. Wasting no time, the man stepped out and reached her with a stride of impatience.

"I'm sorry sir, but this couldn't wait." She uttered before he could remark on the difficult meeting ahead. "Tell me at least some good news." He quickly demanded standing menacingly over her.

"Well.." Was all she could say.

@Remileah

 

[Cipher Four]

___As the sound of a speeder approaching filled her ears, Four lifted the blaster from her lap and set the bipod on the roof's edge. She gazed down the scope, watching the speeder approach and touch down. Her finger rested gently on the trigger as she observed, her crosshair following the head of Lord Tryst with unwavering accuracy. Her breathing steadied as the same telltale nervousness that preceded every shot settled into her heart. The moment before every bolt she shot at the unwitting was always painful in its own right.

___She needed that feeling. The nervousness reminded Four—no, it reminded Aimi—that despite her years of service to the Empire, despite her profession, despite everything, she was still herself. There was a part of her that was still human, and even though every bolt she shot was a piece of her soul she would never get back, she still had enough of it to retain her identity.

___Lord Tryst stopped in front of his entourage. He loomed menacingly over the other woman, and Four could identify that posture with unfailing certainty. He was lording himself over her, reminding her of her position and how superior he was to her. Killing this man would be one of Four's finest works, making the Empire she knew and loved a better place for everybody.

___She inhaled, her finger squeezing slowly. The familiar kick of the rifle bludgeoned her shoulder. A line of red zipped through the air, and she didn't need to be next to Lord Tryst to hear the sound of his lifeless body hitting the ground. Without hesitation, Four adjusted her aim and gave the late Lord a parting double tap before scooping the rifle up into her arms and fleeing the scene.

@Xorism