Interesting Times - Chapter 52

November 5th, 2173

15:08

Illium, Tesale-System

Nos Astra

I lifted the teacup and took a sip, enjoying the floral note of the tea. Slowly placing the cup back on its saucer, I looked toward my hostess and asked: "Now that we finished with the obligatory small talk, why don't we start with the reason why you invited me?"

Ayala Nessara sent me a smile that conveyed her nervousness, and fidgeted in her seat, not knowing how to start.

"Well, "she began, and while her stutter wasn't as prominent as at other times, she still spoke slowly and deliberately to not let it pop up, "there are two reasons why I asked you to come." 

She took a sip of her tea to fortify herself.

"On the one hand, it's about the property you asked me to purchase for you on Thessia."

"Let me guess, it is not going to happen," I finished for her with a sigh.

"Correct," Ayala answered with an apologetic smile. "It started out well, but some Matriarch got interested in the property as well, and if a person like that gets interested, there isn't much I can do. I'm not even halfway into my Matron phase, and my influence on Thessia is almost nonexistent. At least in comparison to those living on the planet."

"There aren't many people in the galaxy who can compete with an Asari Matriarch in the influence department. At least among those that aren't Matriarchs themselves."

"Too true," agreed Ayala, "I still remember when I was a young Maiden and took my first steps into the realtor business. I had to compete with dozens who had been in the business for decades or centuries. To get even a foot in the door is still one of my proudest accomplishments." 

A small secretive smile played over Ayala's lips, a smile that held a hint of an emotion I couldn't place but sent a short shiver of unease down my spine.

I soon shoved that thought away, thinking that I had imagined it as she sent me a radiant smile and asked: "If you want I could still try to find something on Thessia for your use. I can't promise that its location will be as good as the previous one, but it will still help you get an in on Thessia. And that's what you're angling for, right?"

"No, there's no need for that," I answered after thinking the question over.

While it would give me an opportunity to expand into the heart of Asari territory, I felt that I was stretched too thin. After the current crisis on Illium was over and done with, I wanted to concentrate on the Citadel and the Alliance again. Thessia would probably require as much focus or even more than Illium had.

Furthermore, the core worlds of the Asari territory brimmed with Eclipse presence, and after I finished cutting them to size, I wanted to take a break from them.

And throwing myself into another fight with them was the last thing I wanted to do right now.

"If that's your wish," responded Ayala, nodding her assent. "But I will keep an eye on the situation and inform you if I hear about a good opportunity by chance."

"That would be wonderful." I took another sip of tea, emptying the cup. "But you said there were two reasons. If one of them was the broken deal, what is the other?"

The moment I mentioned her second reason, I knew something was up. Ayala's body language clammed up tight, and her eyes flitted from one side to the other without focusing on anything. If nervousness became visible from one moment to the other, I had no doubt it would come from her like a thick cloud of haze.

"I have been contacted by Quintinius," she said quietly.

"Cicerio? What did he want?" I asked, understanding why she had become nervous. Mentioning me around Cicerio was probably a good method to make him angry. At least, that was my conjecture, as he wasn't very calm when the Circle met the last time. 

Perhaps she thought I would react the same way.

"He was worried that I would get targeted by Eclipse since I'm associating with you. I wasn't very worried about it, but he made some good points and insisted I take some of his people as guards."

"Is that the reason why my guards are playing who can outstare the other with yours?"

Despite the seriousness I felt in the air, Ayala managed an amused giggle.

"I would guess so. The offer was too good to not accept, and it is better to be safe than sorry."

"A sentiment I can understand very well," I nodded my agreement. "While I would have liked you to come to me if you had any security concerns, I can't take offense as you have known Cicerio far longer than me."

I smiled reassuringly at her to show that I didn't mind. Yet, in the back of my head, I was already making plans to alter my flight route and inform the personnel watching the airspace around the HQ to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

Come to think of it, the assassination attempt that started this whole fiasco happened after I visited Ayala the last time.

Perhaps that was something to look into, but I hadn't been very subtle with my movements back then.

"I only ask that you keep them from fighting with my own guards. Something like that would only exacerbate the problems between Cicerio and I," I continued, focusing back on the conversation.

"That should be possible," Ayala agreed with a shy smile. "I don't want the Circle to fall to pieces. It is bad enough that we have lost Nisco. He was, after all, the most sensible and reasonable among us."

"I wouldn't go as far as to call him that, but he was indeed the one responsible for getting us back on track whenever we lost ourselves in pointless bickering."

"Yes, he was very good at that," she agreed before she took a breath and said: "There's one more thing I have to mention."

"And that would be?"

Ayala was about to open her mouth and answer, but it seemed like she thought differently, shook her head, and said: "No, sorry. It isn't that important right now. And I don't have any evidence..." She said the last part more quietly, but I heard it nonetheless.

Yet, I somehow had the feeling that I wouldn't get an answer if I pressed her on it, so I pretended that I didn't hear her murmurs.

"If you say so," I replied slowly before drinking the last bit of tea in my cup and getting up.

"If there's nothing more, I still have some work that needs to be done. Thank you for the lovely tea, and I will return the favor in the future."

"That's not necessary," responded Ayala, shaking her head. "It was my pleasure."

"And it will be my pleasure when I return the favor," I said, bowing my head slightly in her direction as a farewell.

As I turned around to leave the room and return to my shuttle, I caught sight of the small secretive smile that played over Ayala's face from the corner of my eyes.

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November 5th, 2173

19:21

Illium, Tesale-System

Nos Astra

"The bait is placed, Madame Arbiter," said Quintinius Cicerio while bowing slightly to the projected picture of his lady.

"Good," answered the Arbiter, her voice not altered as she would usually do to hide her identity, as the person in front of her was her loyal adjutant who wouldn't compromise her identity toward any third party.

Besides, for her plans to work, there had to be a measure of trust between them so that Cicerio wouldn't make the wrong moves.

"It won't take long until Oscar Denebren will find the track we left for him. He will follow the clues and put them together to the incorrect conclusion we want him to arrive at. When that happens it will be easy to take him out of the picture." 

"How long do you think it will take, Milady? The people you wanted me to contact are already waiting anxiously to pick apart his company when he falls," asked Cicerio, a certain amount of disgust finding its way into his voice as he thought about some of the people the Arbiter had him contact.

"Be careful that your disgust doesn't shine through when you're talking with them. It will only lead to unnecessary problems," the Arbiter scolded Cicerio, yet she had a small smile on her face.

"I'm sorry, and I will take care. It's just that I don't understand why we need to deal with such people in the first place. They are like carrion eaters. Unwilling or afraid to go against strong prey, yet salivating at the chance of a big meal. It disgusts me."

"It's the way of the galaxy. There are multiple parties on my end, too, that wish to see Oscar Denebren and everything he built and stands for fall, yet they are unwilling to take the necessary steps toward that goal by themselves, afraid that they will fail and pay the price. Alas, I had already decided to go through with it long before they came into the picture, yet the rewards they promised when we are successful are a nice bonus, wouldn't you say?"

"That's true," agreed Cicerio. "The number of favors you will be getting is enough to place you into a position many in the galaxy will envy you for."

"Us, my dear Quintinius, us," corrected the Arbiter and watched as Cicerio visibly brightened at her words.

"Of course, Milady," he replied. "It still surprises me how many people want to see him fall, and many of them are not involved in the business side of things. The human allies -and I'm using this word lightly- do not surprise me. Denebren, as much I loathe to say, is extremely successful inside the Alliance, and that has created a lot of resentment and jealousy among those not measuring up to him. Yet, it isn't just humans that want to see him fall, right?"

"Yes, you are correct. It isn't just humans, but members of every species in the galaxy and not just those with the simple desire to partake in the fruits of his labor. Nonetheless, their reason is the same as everyone else's, yet seen from another perspective. He's too successful, and that, in turn, makes the Alliance successful. Too successful for some people. The Alliance's rise to prominence in the galaxy is just too fast for the taste of some," the Arbiter explained.

Thinking about it, the Arbiter could only shake her head.

"Many of those with these feelings are among my fellow Asari. Due to our long lives, we are more suited to a gradual change. After all, we have the luxury of time and can afford to wait until our efforts bear fruit. The Turians do everything in small steps, one after the other, and while the Salarians can rush things, since the founding of the Council, they came around to the Asari's way of thinking. In comparison, humanity seems to run toward the future without consideration of anyone around them, never looking back, only forward. And that is something that scares my fellow Asari."

"But not you?" asked Cicerio.

"No, it does not," answered the Arbiter with a glint in her eyes.

"I saw my species slow crawl to the future when I was still a young Maiden and decided then and there that I never wanted to be part of it. Instead of waiting for opportunities, I created them. What any other Asari would have taken a century, I accomplished in a decade. And that's why I became as influential as I am on Thessia when it isn't even the planet I was born on."

"I would have expected nothing less from you, Milady."

"Your flatter is unneeded but welcome nonetheless, my dear Quintinius," answered the Arbiter, and sent him a soft smile that caused a pleasant shiver to go over his back.

"Yet, there is a question in my mind that I can't find the correct answer for. Would you be able to?"

"That, of course, depends on the question," replied the Arbiter coy.

"Oscar Denebren's demise will throw the Alliance into chaos, that much I know, yet why do we need to inform parties within their space about what is happening? And what do your other acquaintances hope for?"

"Let me answer the last one first. The answer lies in the chaos. A society plagued by chaos and infighting can't focus on the powers outside and is easily influenced by them. In an effort to rise to the top, some parties will seek the help of those outside the conflict, unknowingly becoming nothing more than puppets to influence the struggling society from within and shape it into any picture they imagine."

"And the first part?"

"To keep the remains of Denebren's legacy from congregating into the hands of the few. I had you contact as many not-so-powerful players in the Alliance as possible these last few weeks so that they could prepare to take over as much as they could when the time comes. Undoubtedly, there will be others that will secure parts of Denebren's companies, ones with enough influence and power to react immediately, but they will have to contend with those in the know and thus unable to divide everything between them which keeps them from becoming powerful enough to soothe the chaos we want to unleash."

Cicerio closed his eyes, mulling over what the Arbiter said before nodding to himself and said: "I think I understand now. While they are busy with infighting and squabbling over who inherits the empire Denebren is going to leave behind, the other powers of the galaxy will use this time to establish their hold on humanity. And to keep their government from interfering too early or too effectively, you had me contact this group, correct?"

"Yes, you are," the Arbiter confirmed with a slightly cruel smile in place at the thought of her plans becoming reality. "How did it go anyway? I'm curious."

"The representative was curt but polite. They transferred a considerable amount of credits to me as thanks for the warning. It was also mentioned that they would pay double the amount again if we warned them a week before it happens."

"I think," the Arbiter began slowly, "that we won't do that. They should be grateful that we warned them in the first place. It would give them an unfair advantage over the other competitors, and that would work against our goals."

"As you say, Milady," answered Cicerio, bowing to show his compliance with her wishes.

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November 7th, 2173

08:11

Illium, Tesale-System

Nos Astra

Spaceport

He slowly rotated his shoulders to work out the tension in them as he walked away from the security checkpoint of the spaceport.

Thankfully, it hadn't taken longer than a few minutes, and the authorities hadn't noticed anything wrong.

Not that he had expected them to notice anything in the first place.

His training and the technology of the AIS to deceive customs were both more than enough to pull the wool over their eyes.

Otherwise, he would have been asked some very uncomfortable questions.

Questions that he would never answer, but that was beside the point.

The tongue-lashing he would get from his handler was more than enough for Laurence to do his best.

Especially since they got this mission assigned by the big boss himself.

Tara had been far more pedantic concerning, well, everything since then. And Laurence would do his best to not earn her ire during this mission if he could help it.

After all, she saw it as her and, by association, his big chance to rise within the AIS.

It didn't matter as much for him to rise toward a higher position within the AIS as for Tara, but in the last six months, she had been his handler, operator, and support, she had become a good friend, and he wanted to help her realize her ambitions.

Besides, it wasn't like he would get another position anyway, or wanted one in the first place. Becoming one of the first field agents of the Artemis project was more than enough for him, and not a position he wanted to give up for the foreseeable future.

Being on the field and doing work that supported and protected humanity with his own two hands was what he wanted to do.

Like his father before him.

Laurence walked through the busy halls of the spaceport, ignoring the commotion of the arriving and leaving travelers rushing to and from the different spacelines connecting the most important worlds of the known galaxy with each other for those without their own starships.

Those starships were usually filled to the brim and the companies flying the routes had to send at least a ship a day to keep up with the sheer demand.

Thankfully, due to the number of travelers, it was pretty easy to disappear in the mass as just another simple traveler, something a private flight would never allow.

Furthermore, it was easier to slip something through customs due to the fact that the personnel had to check so many people without making them wait too long, which affected their efficiency. An advantage that a private ship or material transporter wouldn't have.

The method still wasn't perfect as to get through the immigration process, one's identity, even if it was a fake one, and a picture of one's person would be entered into the system. That way, there would be traces of one's person being left behind after the job.

And while there were ways around that, Laurence didn't see the need for an overcomplicated entry for what he was here for.

His mission didn't require absolute secrecy or not leaving behind anything that could be traced back to the AIS, and so a simple fake identity with a concrete reason to be on Illium was more than enough.

His current identity was that of a person working for an art collector who had taken an interest in the statue of an Asari artist who died around 200 years ago. The artist wasn't someone particularly famous but known enough for her artworks to sell after her death. 

Laurence would meet the Salarian art dealer, buy the statue, and arrange for its transport back into Alliance territory.

Sadly, the transportation would delay itself for another week or so because the transport company would have some unspecified problems on their end, but because they had already signed a contract which he could only back out of if the transport delayed itself for 20 days, he would have to wait on Illium.

At least, his employer got a discount and he could play tourist for a few days.

He could barely stop his left eye from twitching when he thought back on how Tara had made him repeat the cover story over and over again, adding some details whenever she thought of something.

At one point, Laurence had to put his foot down, as too many details would make the cover story and identity hard to remember, especially if he had to do the same with the other two fake identities he had memorized for use.

Generally, every AIS field agent memorized at least three fake identities. Of course, those identities were nothing more than the bare bones to act as the person they were impersonating and wouldn't hold up to a deeper investigation, but for the short time they were used, they would be enough.

On the other hand, some AIS agents had far more elaborate characters to choose from with digital and physical documentation depicting their lives. But those were only used if the agent had to go deeper or longer undercover than for the short-time mission people like Laurence got.

For example, every AIS agent who infiltrated Cerberus on a deep level had such an identity.

As Laurence left the spaceport building to find a cab to fly him to his booked hotel, he saw a man walking through the crowd who had taken the same spaceship to come here as him.

Normally, he wouldn't have taken notice of him as the man was completely unassuming if well dressed in his three-piece suit with a wine-red dress shirt, but during the flight, Laurence had noticed that the man's eyes were always on the move from one person to another as if he was analyzing them and deciding if they were dangerous.

Furthermore, while the man's posture was seemingly relaxed, there was a certain tension that would allow him to spring into action the moment it was needed.

Laurence would quit his job immediately if that man didn't work in intelligence too.

Yet, he didn't know which organization the man worked for, and as long as he didn't interfere, Laurence wouldn't do anything more than inform Tara, so that she could send a memo to the higher-ups.

After all, the man could also work for the AIS and was here for a completely unrelated mission.

Something like that wasn't unusual, and Laurence and Tara had no need to know about any other ongoing mission within their operation zone.

Finding an empty cab wasn't hard, and the moment Laurence sat down on his seat, the driver fired up the engine to bring him to the address Laurence told him.

With a wave of his hand, he closed the semi-transparent window between him and the driver before activating his Omni-tool and calling Tara.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know I arrived just fine, no problems or anything like that."

"Good to hear, seems like I worried for nothing. But you know me, I don't like these public transports. The Extranet reviews range from it's good to 'barely-survived-a-pirate-attack-and-was-stranded-in-space-for-days'," came the melodious voice of Tara from his earpiece.

He could even detect an undercurrent of worry mixed with relief in her voice, something Laurence knew to be fake.

"You worry too much sometimes," he replied, keeping up the guise of this just being a normal conversation between two good friends, or perhaps lovers, from the same workplace. "The Illium route is always protected. With all the traffic between here and the Citadel, not to mention all the trade that goes along the route, there are probably only a few routes with better protection."

"I know, I know," Tara replied, letting out a sigh as if she was tired of their argument. "Anyway, I got contacted by the art dealer a while you were in transit. He said he got another few pieces that our employer may like and that you're free to look at them. I didn't make any decision on your behalf as you know what he liked the best."

"I'll take a look at them. Perhaps there's something among them that he would like. I've accompanied him often enough to know what he would choose if he were here."

A smile hushed over Laurence's face.

Apparently, the AIS crew that had transported his mission gear to Illium had included a few more items that could make his job much easier depending on if he needed them in the first place.

"That reminds me, I think I saw someone that looked like John at the airport. It's crazy how you can be so far away from the Alliance and still run into someone who reminds you of one of your friends."

There was a moment of pause on the other side of the channel before Tara responded: "John, huh? Haven't talked to him for a while. I'll ask him if he wants to have dinner with us when you come back."

Tara paused for another second.

"I've got to go back to work. It was good to hear your voice, stay safe out there."

"I will. See you in a week or so if nothing comes in between," said Laurence and closed the connection.

He relaxed against the seat, letting his head fall into his neck, closing his eyes while letting the last part of their conversation go through his head.

Most of their conversation had been in code so that anyone listening in on their conversation would only hear a normal chat.

Saying that he met someone who reminded him of a friend was a code for the fact that he saw someone he guessed had similar training to that of an AIS field agent while the name 'John' came from the old placeholder name 'John Doe' to tell Tara that Laurence couldn't identify the group the man belonged to.

In the same vein, Tara had told him that she didn't know of any other operations in the area but would look into it. In the meantime, he should proceed with their mission as that took priority.

Hopefully, it wasn't anything serious as Laurence was exhausted and couldn't wait to finally arrive at his hotel room and have a chance to relax and sleep.

Fighting, sneaking around, and all the other stuff a field agent had to do were no problems but traveling long distances in a packed spaceship?

That was exhausting as hell.