Imperial Tipline (EA4, Shopping District)

[Col. Hala Moraal]

Colonel Moraal moved with a small squad of plainclothes troopers into the small upscale fashion district. She activated the micro-emitters within her clothing and signaled the troop to move into the crowd.

"Your attention please. In coordination with Lord Vreysk and with the permission of the Hutt Security Bureau, we request your assistance. Numerous off-duty Imperial personnel have reported harassment by an unknown individual with a holo-recorder. They have been filmed in your bars, in your changing rooms, in Dango's Desired Tattoo parlor. If you have any information as to the identity and whereabouts of this villain, please bring it forward to an officer or to myself."

She turned off her emitters and looked over at the Sith lord, but no one had yet moved. Growling with frustration, she reactivated them.

"Imperial personnel will be restricted from visiting this area until the criminal is apprehended," she added curtly.

That caused an influx of suddenly helpful and concerned citizens.

Bounty huntin' with Shaishai/Investigation - coop for her cunning, boosts from lector's outfit, symbol of command, previous investigation: 4eA+3eB+3eD 1 success, 4 advantage


(( success, +2 boost on the next roll ))

[Shaisha Vreysk]

Even the Sith had dressed down for the occassion, trying to blend in more than drawing attention... as much as it was possible when one was a pureblooded Sith. But she was helpful ebough in that she only had to pushed her jacket to the side to show the lightsabers on each hip, and most Imperials knew better than to piss off one of her kind.

Especially for those who saw what she did to Nemerosch yesterday.

"You have a way with the people, colonel," she remarked.

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Thank you my lord. They care about their top line as much as their bottom. I'm sure they've had a good few days since the negotiations have gotten into swing and nothing been too terribly out of hand.... at least in the nicer parts of the moon. But it's to their advantage to make sure things stay that way. Were I them, I would have brought on extra stock and help for as long as the talks continue. They're already invested. Show them their financial hardship on one hand and the ability to prosper on the other and it becomes easy for most to choose correctly," she said in a quieter tone, deactivating the micro-emitters within her uniform once more.

"Thank you again, yesterday. Lord Nemerosch was one who could not see the path to prosperity, though I suppose his was very narrow indeed given the actions that lead him to his death. But it is not my place to lift a weapon against a Sith, that is not the order of things, so you have my thanks."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"No need to thank me for it," she nodded slightly. "Though I'm impressed you wanted to step forward to face a Sith Lord in combat. Most tend to shy away from such confrontations... you're braver than I first thought."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"It was a calculated engagement. Could he be persuaded or shamed into submission before he inflicted permanent damage one someone... I am not sure if I call that bravery, but thank you none the less my lord," she replied, dipping her head again.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Considering he nearly killed you, and easily could have finished the job if he hadn't been disarmed, I'd say that's some form of bravery. Or foolishness, some might say too," she gave a smirk to the colonel.

"Have you managed to persuade people like him to stand down before?"

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Never a Sith lord of his caliber entralled by the ebb and flow of combat. A Jedi, or perhaps a Sith lord who has not yet decided to commit themself to combat? It has happened. I try not to fight fair fights and I certainly try to avoid uphill fights. Your birthrights, the lightsaber, tend to make most means I could bring to bear of negligible use. To that end, I try not to fight those who call upon the Force. It is somewhat self-fulfilling, I suppose," she said with a slight smile.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Never fight fair," she chuckled, "because a fight is never fair. It will never be fair. Uphill battles though, depends... we can't always engage at an advantage, I've learned. The advantage goes to the one who adapts the fastest to the circumstances."

"Most Sith, and Jedi I imagine, care little for conventional weaponry. Which is why I'm not above such petty tricks as using grenades or mundane tools to get the job done, as long as it means victory."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Pride is not one of my primary objectives, but victory often is," Hala nodded in agreement.

"And there are a few particular tasks for which the appropriate solution is a comfortable supply of explosives. Grenades, mining charges.... only very rarely something more exotic...."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Explosives do require their own fun budget," she said with a small laugh, clearly having experience with how much that fun could cost.

"Though they can be very satisfying. It's nice and all to kill your opponent in a duel, but to level his entire keep is also immensly fun to watch."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Levelling a keep, it might just be easier to bring in a starfighter or use field artillery. Smaller scale though.... a building, a room. It's very efficient," she agreed with a predatory edge to her voice.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"It is more efficient, but it was not doable that one time," she chuckled. "Hopefully next time. You've had the chance to use such tactics yourself then, colonel?"

Oh yes, to think what we could've done with some proper artillery!

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Much of my career in the field took place in smaller, usually urban places where you did not want to destroy too much, only what you had to. Thus the order of the day were more breaching charges or very rarely a demolition charge, but never so much it would cause significant damage to the surrounding area since that's something we would only need to repair afterwards," she explained.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Fair enough. Where did you serve, if you don't mind sharing?"

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Imperial Navy, QRT division supporting local law enforcement. Usually posted near occupied worlds which had not fully accepted the will of Dromond Kass," she answered simply before adding, "Quick Response Team."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

She nodded. At least that explained a little more of her guts for charging in like that yesterday. "And the promotion to colonel put you into the dreaded world of diplomacy and paperwork?"

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Something like that," came the officer's vague reply, "Injury and insufficient or utterly mediocre levels of medical care put me on this course. I don't have the ability anymore to serve as a line officer, and yet the doctors seemed fit to save my withered limbs rather than simply amputating them and providing me with a cybernetic replacement."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

Shaisha tried to imagine Hala sporting something like Kristal's cyber-arms, and had to stifle a snicker at the mental image.

"Yeah, well... cybernetics is expensive and not for everyone. Guess they thought you deserved that promotion."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Yes, my efforts did not go unnoticed and for that I am still thankful. More thankful still that roles have been found for me that I may continue to contribute to the Empire since then," she answered a bit more solemnly.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Would you have preferred to go back into the action on the frontlines then, instead of serving in this capacity, if the choice was given to you?" the Sith asked with some interest.

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Once, I would have," she agreed, "No? I'm no longer sure. Certainly not immediately, without time to bring myself back into fighting form."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Still a possibility to get those cybernetics, if you desperately want them," she chuckled.

Seeing as how this work didn't require all of her attention right now, Shaisha slipped out her datapad and tapped away a message.

Captain Alderaan:

Met Master Garrick Lorne last night, stomping through Shadow Town looking for information. Of course, the old geezer didn't want my help, but you're not half-bad for a Republic hero, so I sniffed around a little for you.

Picked up that a Trandoshan thug by name of Julo Vas, who works Black Sun on the side, is part of this shady deal.

Go be a hero.

<3
Crimson Witch