IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

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Twenty

Corp wasn’t in a good mood right now. With Mikkel and Karl down for the rest of the day, they’d had to split the other duties between himself and Adriette and they had two locations they needed to be so one to each. Adriette had pulled seniority to deal with the interrogation of Sweek so he’d pulled the short stick of cheese and had had to drive the half a century of miles down to Sowerton to have words with the lead of the Pakrius Investigation Agency, A Norveggan Raitchian called Parsiby who seemed to operate from above a pleasantly smelling fish and chip shop on the high street. He supposed that he was, currently, the only uninjured member of the team so parked Rhew’s car in the pay and display lot and paid for three hours parking. Whitby had dropped him off at the lot to pick up the slightly damaged vehicle (something had gone through the back window) and he’d made sure the window was replaced by a local service centre before he made the journey. Jones was going to have conniptions over the charges for this investigation. Corp took a breath against the growing chill in the air and took the stairwell to Pakrius.


The smell was no worse inside, the sharp tangs of dressings and salts assailing the nose as Corp headed up, reminding him that he’d not had lunch quite yet. Maybe he’d get something on the way back out? It certainly couldn’t make more of a mess than Karl seemed to make in the passenger seat area. The light on the landing flickered like a stereotype as he approached the office and, to be polite, knocked on the glass.

A Human Female cast her silhouette across the glass and opened it. “Welcome to Pakrius Investigations,” she said simply. “Do you have an appointment?”

Corp looked around at the dishevelled office, with padds on tables and Coffee mugs on padds… and a teapot on the windowsill. “Do I need one,” he asked simply. Before she could retaliate to that jibe, Corp brought out his identification. “I need to speak with Janner Parsiby,” he announced, sliding himself into the office. “Is he here?”

“Not at the moment, Agent,” the human said, looking to check the identification properly. “I can call him but what’s it about?”

Corp let out a breath. “Where can I find him?”

The Human moved to her bosses desk and looked though the meeting details on one of the padds as though reacquainting herself with his movements. Either he didn’t trust her, Corp thought, or it was a good act, meant to delay him. “He’s out on a case right now,” she confided. “I’m his associate, Kelly Sharp.” She sat down in his chair. “May I be of assistance?”

“I suppose you’d have to be,” Corp drawled, wondering if she was going to be offered a drink. Nah. It wasn’t likely. “I’m needing information on one of your operatives, a…” he checked the name, “Julia Sweek?”

The Human frowned slightly and tapped a few buttons. “I’m not sure we have anyone with that name on our books,” she stated.

“Been here long,” Corp asked. “It’s possible her agency with this agency predates yours?” Corp pulled up a picture of the Mican and showed it to her. She looked a little forlornly at the picture. “Don’t say it,” Corp warned.

“I… It’s possible that she’s been used as one of our specialists,” she confessed, “but Janner deals with most informants as…” She chose not to say it. “Where was she working?”

“Shapperton.”

The human muttered the name to herself several times whilst she went through the records. “Ah, we DID have something going on up there…” She paused. “What’s she done?”

“Tell me what she’s there for and I’ll tell you what she’s done. Start with her name and real history.”


Adriette faced the opposition across Whitby’s interrogation table and sized them up. Their information was fake, she assumed. She’d been backstopped but nothing in her history had suggested a fighter like she’d found at the hospital or someone as prepared as Rhew had reported finding at the caravan park. She was exuding a quiet confidence as the Chief continued his attempts to get her to talk, standing behind Beran and tag teaming with questions. “You had a pound of high explosive secreted in your gun safe in a caravan park full of innocents!” Whitby announced, throwing caution to the winds. “Why would you do something like that?”

Sweek spread her hands meekly. “Anti-theft device?”

“According to Agent Karl you already knew you were dealing with IOC agents when you detonated the device,” Beran told her. “That makes it attempted murder of one… no, TWO federal agents today, ‘Julia’. I haven’t forgotten the fun at the hospital.”

“If I’d wanted you dead…”

“...I’d have stopped holding back,” Adriette interrupted. “Now, what’s this all about?”

The operative looked around as though she still ruled the room. “More than you can possibly know, agent.” She chuckled. “Beyond what I can know too. So I should say ‘no comment’ and be done with it?”

“I do like a challenge,” Adriette stated. She glanced to the Chief. “I think we should transfer her to federal holding at U.S.C. base Kheel, don’t you?”

“It does seem a smart idea,” the Chief admitted, “You want to put in the request?”

“It’ll never happen,” she warned.

“Think I’ll arrange it now,” Adriette warned, feeling something building.


In Pandera City, Feldar Jones sat back in his car as the chauffeur piloted it through the afternoon traffic towards the offices of Rendall Chet with his passenger keeping to the shadows so as not to be seen. She reckoned it was better not to show her face. “I wonder if they’ll make a move,” Feldar remarked rhetorically

“You think this’ll fool anyone?”

“Well, possibly,” Feldar remarked. “It all depends on how fast they hit us, doesn’t it?”

She shrugged. “I’m really beginning to hate this place, you know? I was safe where I was. Here one day and I’m going to be attacked, shot at and, possibly, kidnapped. I just HAD to visit friends here, didn’t I?”
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

This was such a great chapter you put up! Wonderful work again!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Feldar wouldn't really put Sarah in danger, would he? Who's in that car with him? Heehee...

Twenty-One

The team struck on one of the back alleys leading to Chet’s office. A vehicle settled in front of the IOC vehicle and two behind, blocking the way. “Time to show what the car’s made of, Wilberforce,” Feldar told the driver. “Floor it before they get out, would you?”

“Right away, sir,” the figure responded as the back of the passenger seat dropped away to reveal a K-116 assault rifle for Feldar to use. The vehicle lurched forward, ploughing into the side doors of the blocking car and pushing it sideways but it didn’t shift it far enough for the IOC car to escape so they backed up at speed. It impacted on the first car as the assailants got out and the wheels spun for traction as the opposition opened fire. “Keep your heads down,” the driver shouted. “The bodywork’s heavily laser resistant but the glass is weaker!” As if to prove it, a shot cut through the screen behind them and altered its trajectory to slam a hole in the back of the drivers chair. The fabric smoked as the plating inside scorched and held. “Frick,” the driver complained, “that’s hot!” He shoved the vehicle forward again as the assailants ran around to the side of the car and pointed weapons. The car lurched forward, tearing the bumper off the vehicle it was intertwined with and ran over the feet of one looking to open the rear passenger door.

“Stay down,” Feldar warned, reasoning that even refraction wasn’t going to help at this distance. He clicked the energy rifle to maximum rate and fired through his colleague’s window at the attackers. The fire burst the glass and the closest Feline’s head as it ripped through, bolt after bolt of energy striking dents in the brickwork walls behind the first target and sending the three on that side diving for cover. Two made it but the third took a bolt through the side and, when he landed in the dust and debris of the street, he didn’t get up. The door on Feldar’s side opened and, before he could move, a shot sounded through the darkness. The intruder fell back as Harmony Whitestar, Norveggan Raitchian normally assigned to Vallonia, sat forward in her seat, firing her own weapon as Pandera Police closed the net around their assailants. Seven cruisers and an armed shuttle boxed the survivors in and called on them to surrender. “Last time I was here I got into a Piracy thing with ACTUAL pirates,” she complained, putting her weapon away whilst complaining. “Vallonia is much quieter than here.”

“Your shooting’s got better.”

She shrugged. “I was told to imagine my worst enemy’s face on every target.”

Feldar paused for a second as he got out of the car to consult with the Officer in Charge. “Has anyone told your Senior Agent that?”


The scene assessed and locked down, the prisoners arrested and taken away to lock up, Feldar and Whitestar took the last few hundred yards to Chet’s office on foot so as to give Wilburforce a little extra time to get a new car sent from the vehicle pool at base as the Police were taking care of their old one. Feldar imagined Police Chief Soles would ask a few questions about the assault rifle that Jones had slung over his shoulder right now but the Police Officer escorting them deflected people from asking.

“Taking ‘open carry’ a bit far, isn’t it,” Harmony asked.

“I wasn’t leaving it there,” Feldar replied. “And let’s see them deny us entry now, eh? At least it proves someone was listening to the conversation I had with Adriette.”


Ten minutes passed before the Agents entered the offices of Randall Chet and, strangely enough, the receptionist showed them right into his office as security followed them carefully. Feldar noted their holster buttons were unclipped and their gun arms never moved far from the weapon, even as they walked. They weren’t relaxed at all. He supposed he didn’t blame them. He readjusted it as he sat opposite an empty chair in the office and Harmony handed him his case. He checked he had the right code and opened it as the Border Collian stepped in with an associate.

“...and I’ll need to see Carter at fifteen hundred,” he finished, as though he’d started the line outside the door when Jones was perfectly confident he hadn’t. “In the meantime, have a coffee brought in for me, would you? Oh, and..?” He looked towards the two agents.

“Tea for me,” Harmony said simply. “milk, three sweeteners.”

Feldar cocked an eye ridge at that. “Just water for me, thank you.” He didn’t rise to greet the official. “I apologise for this,” he stated, indicating the assault rifle, “but I’ve just had to use it and I didn’t feel like leaving it out there for anyone to take.”

“I… quite understand that… Agent Jones, is it not?”

“Senior Agent Jones,” Feldar corrected, “And this is agent Whitestar.” Harmony gave a little wave. “We need to speak with you about serious issues to do with a holding you possess.”

“Which one,” Chet asked, looking concerned as he made to impress how many he actually had.

“Well,” Feldar stated, taking the printout from his case. “There’s the fact that Taklaw Holdings seems to do a lot of business with people who are suspected of one or two unsavoury things on other colonies…”

“I’m not responsible for the actions of people I do business with.”

“Never said you were,” Feldar asserted. “Just it seems that a fair few of the business types who run into troubles are associates of Raitchian Intelligence and certain mercenary agents… who you also know, according to files we’ve come into possession of?”

“Lies spread by my competitors,” Chet stated clearly. “I’m ruffling feathers so they let you ruffle mine without anything substantial to back it up. It’s the cost of business. Might I ask directly what this is about? And are we under any threat from your recent encounter?”

“I doubt it,” Feldar told him.

“Unless you called for re-enforcements,” Harmony put in.

Feldar gestured to her with a hand and shrugged. “What Agent Whitestar is referring to,” he stated as he crossed his legs and the assistant returned with the drinks, “is that we were on the way here to speak with you when we were attacked. In fact we think it’s connected to the reason we were coming here, if you know of it or not.”

“That sounds like a serious accusation,” Chet warned. “Perhaps I should be talking to legal counsel?”

“As is your will,” Feldar allowed, stressing the last word deliberately. “Although these aren’t being actively investigated at the moment anyway.” He shifted in the seat to gain a little height. “As you say, knowing a criminal doesn’t mean you are one.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever said that,” Chet retorted. “Cut to the chase, please.”

Feldar took a drink of water after adding a little powder to it. “Flavouring,” he lied. “Anyhow, to it. The current focus of our attentions is Delmundor Coffee. I believe you know it?”

Chet made a play of pulling it up on his computer screen. “I own four percent of the stock,” he confirmed. “As a buffer between Drayven delmundor and Kholen Beverages.”

“A.K.A. Raicarra Industries,” Harmony chipped in.

“They are not their parent company,” Chet retorted. “They’re completely separate and have never been under investigation at any point…”

“Neither has anyone before the first time,” Feldar interrupted. “Anyhow, we’re not that interested in investigating you. If you want to remover yourself from the situation… another way?”

Now Chet leaned over the desk. “Are you trying to bribe me, Agent?”

“SENIOR Agent. And never. We are, however, looking to sort out a situation under Colonial law. The sale of Delmundor Coffee happened after the family controlling the company had a tragic ‘accident’ The owner, his wife and their daughter were killed in an automotive explosion so things passed to the owners brother. Thing is, the daughter, Sarah? She’s not dead. I don’t know who was buried but it’s not her. She’s safe, sound and back at headquarters.” Feldar paused to drink the last of his drink. “So the whole sale is, technically, illegal. It all belongs to her. I’m sure, if that was taken to the courts, as we might have to soon, it’ll cause all sorts of problems for everyone involved, wouldn’t it?”

Chet swallowed. “Why are you warning me of this?”

Feldar sat back now, adjusted for comfort again. “Well, you only own four percent,” he breezed. “I’m really not that interested in you. But, as a gesture of goodwill, you could, um, quietly transfer that four percent to Sarah?” He smiled sweetly. “Then take a holiday until it blows over? I suggest you speak with your lawyers, indeed. They can come to our place and speak with you in private there. I mean, you DO want to meet her, don’t you?”
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Well if he did put her in any danger I'm sure he would get a well-deserved beating. Incredible chapter!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Cliffhangers abound...

Twenty-two

The police station was quiet, Adriette felt. A little too tense. As though they were waiting for something to happen. Something pivotal and dangerous that wasn’t happening here and probably was happening now. She’d sent a message to Mikkel on the comm and he’d received it – or, at least, had replied to it and he was staying at the hotel with Karl. The faces around her were stark and grim. Some grimmer than others. She sat in the Chief’s Office as he made sure their prisoner was safe in the cells and she watched him doing it on their cameras. A voice called to her from the door. She looked up to see Officer Brampton in the doorway. “Hmm,” she said absently.

“I was asking if you wanted anything to drink, Ma’am,” he asked cheerily.

“Oh, um, no… Come in a moment, Brampton,” she gestured and the long timer stepped in, letting the door close behind him. “Things seem rather tense out there?”

“We don’t often get spies and bombers here, ma’am,” he told her. “They’ll settle down.”

“I would think that, with half of them once being Militia, they’d be well acquainted with explosions,” Adriette remarked. “But no, my senses are saying something’s wrong.” She put her hands on the table. “Do you know what word I’m finding keeps coming up in this case, Brampton?”

He crossed his arms defensively. “No, ma’am.”

“Stop calling me ‘ma’am’. It’s Agent Beran, Adriette or nothing. I’m not my mother, thanks goddesses. Anyhow,” she continued, before he could reply, “the word that keeps coming up is ‘military’. Corp reckons half your force were once Military, there’s an undercover protection force at the Delmundor place. Agent Rhew tells me that, when he looked in on Sweek’s caravan, everything was squared away like something military – my interpretation of his words but he DEFINITELY used the word ‘military’ to describe her tidiness.” She glanced out at the main room. “And Grek, whose a friend of Deeks, was being targeted by a military grade sniper and bugged by her,” she indicated the prisoner on the camera. “We’re about to take her to federal prison, Brompton.”

Brompton nodded slightly. “And you’re paranoid enough to think that people here might not allow it?”

Adriette snorted. “I’m savvy enough to know that someone’s pulling strings, mate. When those strings are in a certain area, they can knot. Trouble is,” she grimaced, “we might be in that knot. You know which ones AREN’T former military, right?”

He nodded. “I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“Probably not. Just advise them that caution would be a good watchword when it comes to their fellow officers for a few hours…”

“I have no idea how I’m going to phrase that but I’ll pass it on, Agent Beran.” He slipped back out of the office.


Corp sat in a parking bay on the main highway back to Shapperton, finishing off a fish and chip dinner that Karl was going to know he’d sauced, and salted, even if he left the window open all the way back. The Human had been quite helpful; to the point that Corp had advised her she didn’t even need to tell her ‘associate’ that he’d visited. He figured he still only had a little time before she did, actually, tell him but there was no sense trying to save the day when starving so. Dinner.

Julia Sweek, he’d learned, wasn’t actually her real name but she was logged as Harriet Chambers in the Detective Agency files. In fact, pretty much everything else about her background had been accurate, with the noted exception of her military service in intelligence being excised somewhere along the way. She’d served the Mican 6th infantry for three years or, as many put it, the minimum time required before buy out was possible. At the sliding rate, someone must have helped her with finances. Possibly a parent or rich relative. She’d come up North and she’d been used in long term undercover operations for the company. Now, though, someone was paying the fees to keep her in Shapperton on a surveillance brief for the last few weeks. The Human, Kelly Sharp, had told him that they’d had a couple of other operatives in the area and, on looking, Corp recognised the pair they’d dumped in that village on the way back from Delmundor’s place. He’d said nothing about them but asked if they had any details of who was paying. Kelly had looked but the information was restricted. He’d asked her how that could be and she’d looked exasperated and told him that Janner hadn’t entered it and she’d shown him the screen with the lack of ‘employer’ details. He’d sent the details to base and allowed her to wipe the last ten minutes history from the files to make the search ‘invisible’.

He’d then gone down and bought dinner. The tactic of driving several miles before eating it was, first, to make sure he was really hungry thanks to the smells and, second, to ensure he wasn’t being tailed. He fancied himself a little paranoid for considering the second as they should know where he was going but it was always possible. No-one had pulled in behind him or, he noted, in the spot some hundred and fifty yards back. He finished off the repast and stepped out of the vehicle to place the packaging in the nearest bin. He took several wrappers from the glovebox with him.


Standing next to the bin Corp took a breath of the country air, stained only with the scents from the road, and breathed out as a vehicle repair truck pulled up. “Got a report of a breakdown,” the driver said, jumping down from the vehicle.

“Not me,” Corp replied casually, as traffic moved alongside the stationary vehicles.

“You sure,” the driver queried, pulling up a padd. “Got your car details on it.” He held the padd out. Corp stepped closer, on edge, to take a look at the screen. His ear flicked as he heard a sound from the other side of the truck. He shucked out his knives from his sleeves and gripped them, ready to fight.


Patcha Karl kept low as the first police car pulled up outside the motel and headed inside, weapons drawn. She’d been talking to the girl about applying for law college in later years. Now she was about to show her the dark side. Or, rather, she wasn’t. “Stay here,” she told the child as she took off to stalk the Officer bringing up the rear. She’d TRY to take them alive…


And now, Adriette reasoned, they were moving. Twenty minutes had passed and she’d joined Whitby down by the cells so as to warn him of what was coming. She didn’t think it was her statement of fact that swayed him but how Sweek had reacted. She’d simply said ‘told you’ and smiled. And someone, apparently, had jammed the commlinks so Adriette couldn’t call out. And there were sounds on the stairs...
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Better be hanging on to that cliff because I need more soon! Awesome work again!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

I changed my mind on one of those cliff-hangers.

Twenty-Three

In full sight of Corp, the driver’s face fell to shock and fear as he saw the blades and he stepped back, away from their arc as Corp wondered if he’d called the incident correctly. “Now… now, now,” the driver stammered as his youthful associate came around the side and stopped, looking at the blades. “We… we were just… just told there was, um, someone broken… broken down by here, sir… Th..that’s all” He held the padd in front of his chest as though for protection.

“I can accept that I’m wrong,” Corp stated, “but events lead to paranoia.” Without taking his gaze off them, he released the one knife back into his sleeve so he could reach for his identification as the youth looked ready to run, “but recent events warn me against that.” He showed his identification and put it away so his hand could stay close to his weapon. “When did you get the call?” He lowered the arm that was still holding the knife.

“It… it was logged ten minutes ago, S..s..sir,” the Driver stammered. “It… it gets uploaded to our, um, commlines as we were on the road nearby, rather… rather than at base.”

“I took the call,” the youth put in. Corp thought he was probably thinking Corp might book them for using the comm whilst driving. “I put all the details in. It… It was a female’s voice.”

“Right,” Corp mused. He tossed a card to the floor. “Find the number and send it to that address,” he ordered before getting back to his vehicle. “You’ve been sent to hold me up!”

He HAD been followed, he assumed as he turned the car on and powered out into the traffic on the main road. And then, when he’d stopped, they’d taken the number off a passing truck and called them to hold him up. It could have taken minutes to sort out or hours. He was just fortunate it had taken minutes.


One of Whitby’s Officers stepped into the cell area with hands up. “We don’t really want it to go down like this, Chief,” he told his senior, ignoring Adriette as best he could. “We actually like this town and you lot.”

“Then what’s this all about, Malham,” Whitby snapped. “You’ve been an excellent officer ever since…”

“...He joined four years ago,” Adriette interrupted. “Under the program established by Taklaw Holdings? Or Kholen Beverages?”

Whitby paled somehow. “Why’s that important,” he asked, knowing full well why it was important.

“There’s military types all over this town,” Adriette replied, making Malham smile.

“About twenty in the force,” he admitted. “Ten of whom are here in the station. The others are dealing with your friends in the motel. I imagine it’ll go that there was a firefight between your people and certain corrupt individuals working for the chief here…” He fell silent as Whitby shot him clean through the chest.

He staggered back before simply flopping to the floor as the noise of the shot faded. “The only way that could work,” Whitby told Adriette in a stiff voice, “is if we’re too dead to argue.”

“They sent ten after Rhew and Karl,” Adriette remarked.

“You’ll never get to warn them,” their captive laughed.

Adriette turned to her. “Why would I want to warn your people that they’d need more people?”


Rhew stood at the window and looked out, catching, with alarm, the sight of three police vehicles in the car park. His hearing was still ringing so he couldn’t work out if he could hear anything in the passageway. He looked down and noted an Officer in overwatch down there. He grabbed his weapon and made for the room door. He checked through the peephole and sniffed for any scents hiding just out of view before he opened the door. An officer appeared at the end of the corridor. Good guy or bad, Rhew wondered for a second before the officer fired on him and he ducked back into the room, raising his own weapon to fire a few wild shots back.


Downstairs, the last of the officers was watching the entrance as a young Canine approached him. “Excuse me, sir,” she said, holding out her autograph book. “Can I get you to sign this?”

“I don’t do autographs,” he replied. “You need to get back in the office. We’re after dangerous prey.”

He fell forward as someone charged him from behind and thrust him against the reception desk. He smacked into it at waist height, making him bend involuntarily. He put his hands out to stop himself smacking into the desktop muzzlefirst and His gun fell away. The assailant turned him over so he could see the Wolf’s face shortly before she shattered his teeth with a front strike, pulled him up by his lapels and slammed him into a wall. “Dangerous prey,” she corrected him, “is after you.” She took a breath. “Anywhere I can put him, kid?”

The girl nodded and, removing his weapons and comm, Karl dragged him towards a lockable closet and thrust him in. “Get back to the office,” Karl hissed, “and stay there this time!”

The girl nodded happily as Karl stalked away. Now, without the chirply little follower, Karl decided she didn’t need to be wearing kid gloves. She tuned her comm into the frequencies being used by the attack force and listened in on their woes. Apparently they’d not caught Rhew napping. Good. She could do without a dead partner and she smiled a grim, self satisfied, smile. These Police were caught between a Wolf and a Celican and they only outnumbered them four to one. Fair odds, she told herself as she began moving up the stairs, silently and swiftly. One on the second floor landing almost had time to comm her presence in before she threw the first officer’s baton at him. He instinctively dodged it and she was on him before he had another chance, throwing him over her shoulder and over the edge to land heavily, two floors down as a second opened fire on her, catching her in the shoulder. Karl cursed at the pain and the knowledge that she’d never get up there to deal with the Mican hand to hand so had to draw her own weapon and fire back.


Sarah sniffed derisively as she walked around Harmony Whitestar. The agent wore an amused face as the urchin looked her up and down before delivering her judgement. “This the closest you could get to me,” she asked Feldar. “S’pose it’s not a bad copy. ‘Fer a minute. Through dark glass…”

“Hey,” Harmony protested.

“What,” Sarah demanded, looking ‘innocent’. “You’re WAY older than I am!”

Harmony put her hands on her hips and swung her tail in irritation. “Enough of the ‘way older’, kid! I just put my neck on the line for you!”

“’S’yer job, ain’t it?”

“I’m on holiday.”


Feldar left them to it as his main comm called. It was Corp, apparently.
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Even though you took a cliffhanger out I still really like the way that the chapter has come out!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

And the fight episode is here...

Twenty-Four

Adriette fired up the stairwell towards the incoming officers. “You don’t happen…” She ducked back as they returned fire. “...happen to have a secret route out of here, do you,” she finished, asking Whitby as he aided her in keeping the area as secure as they could.

“You mean like… a secret exit used for… getting prisoners in and… out without the main office seeing… them?”

“Yup. Before,” Adriette added, “they think of flashbangs.” She took her pistol’s spare power core from her pocket

“There’s one but I’d need a minute and they might…” Something rolled down the stairs as Adriette finished manipulating the power pack and tossed it up the stairs. Whitby grabbed her and pulled her back as both devices went off simultaneously, deafening the pair of them with noise and half blinding Adriette with light at the same time as her spare power core exploded at the top of the stairs.

The Chief took Adriette over to the far wall and pulled open a small junction box to reveal the lock that opened the secret entrance. He had deep reservations about this, especially because half his most trusted Officers knew where this exit came out and it meant there was probably someone waiting for them. But the agent’s inference was correct. They couldn’t hold the position. They had to get out. He hauled her through as one of his ‘friends’ made his way into the cell area and fired at him.


The door shut and he bolted it before painfully pulling the blinded and deafened agent towards the exit in the parking lot. He couldn’t hear anything ahead or behind. He couldn’t hear the thumping as those he’d served with tried to shoot holes in the wall. He had no idea what was coming but he knew he had to get out of here and summon assistance. State or Federal? What had he allowed to happen to his town?


Mikkel knew he was surrounded. Enemies to the left of him, enemies to the right and one in the parking area behind… Someone tapped on the window. Mikkel snapped around to see who it was, gun ready to fire at… Deeks? He frowned and quickly left his position to open the window. The detective stepped in, “Something happened to the guy out there,” he said with innocent cheek, handing Rhew one of his not strictly legal rifles. Rhew turned and fired quickly as his door burst open. The figure in the doorway was practically dismantled by the firepower effect as the wall behind was peppered with holes. The Polar heard someone call ‘he’s got a flamin’ assault rifle in there!’ and knew it was time to go. He had a few seconds whilst they reassessed.

“How’d you know,” he asked Deeks as he got outside on the fire escape.

“How often do you think this place declares a major drugs bust on a hotel feds happen to be staying at?” They made it to the tarmac before people appeared at the window and opened fire on them.


Karl, for her part, was a bit confused. Where the heck had Rhew pulled THAT from? There hadn’t been anything like that in there last she’d looked. The Wolven agent quickly figured she shouldn’t think on it too long as the Police were headed back her way, ready to fire as one called out that Rhew was on the fire escape with Deeks and they needed to get to the cars quick. She glanced around. No doors were opened. She headed back to the stairwell and padded up to the next level as the door slammed open behind her. She heard them head down and started coming down herself, only to see the door open again as a straggler came through. She rolled her eyes and dove off the stairs towards her as she fired, catching Karl down the side before the heavy frame sent her crashing back against the door. Karl dropped the weapon she regretted not using and it clattered down the first few steps as the agent took the female’s muzzle in her hand and viciously smashed the back of her head against the floor until the blood pooled. She turned and growled as two others came back towards her. Not even thinking about the gun now as her blood was up, she leapt for the pair of them.


“Karl’s still in there,” Rhew told Deeks as the former detective made for his car. “We need to get her first.”

“She can probably handle herself,” Deeks told him. “We’re not exactly in any real position to take them on, you know?” He opened the drivers side door. “And I’m not looking to die today. Just do something heroic. I wasn’t thinking of…”

A shot smacked into his artificial leg and another took its path into his left arm, making him cry out as Rhew took cover and returned fire with his assault rifle.


Battered, cut, bruised and bleeding, Karl staggered from the stairwell. She’d had the first blow for free but she’d paid for them all after that. Two on one fighting against trained personnel was never any fun if you were the one. She’d been stabbed by the second when breaking the first’s arm and clawed by the first when breaking the second’s face with her forehead. But she’d gotten the upper hand on them and considered a few fractured ribs and wounds preferable to what she’d done to them. It still had her head swimming, though. The only scents she could smell were those of the dead and dying. She staggered out into the reception area and took a sharp blow to the back of the head. It dropped her to her knees as the Feline stood above her, firearm in hand.


Whitby opened the door at the other end of the passage and blinked. He’d not quite expected this. There were, indeed, a number of Officers out here, ready for them. What he’d not expected, however, was for them to be fighting. He gripped one of the military ones from behind in a sleeper hold as Brampton took the chance to drive his fist into the trooper’s gut, taking the wind out of him and making the job easier. Brampton said something as another officer used a stun rod and Whitby let the unconscious figure drop heavily to the floor as Brampton blocked up the door. “We gotta get you out, Chief,” he said. This time Whitby could just about hear him.

“Beran first,” he instructed slurrily. Brampton nodded and helped Beran into the nearest vehicle after letting her scent him to lower her heart rate. A handful of others got into their own vehicles.

“Where to,” Brampton asked.

“Their place,” Whitby replied, indicating Adriette. “And contact State Police when we can…” He fell unconscious and Brampton noted the spreading patch of red on the seat.
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

It was a really good fight episode! I did enjoy those scenes! You are doing so much great work on this!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Twenty-Five

The killer raised his gun, ready to shoot. Karl was too stunned to move. A plank of wood slammed down onto his arm, jerking the gun down before he could end Karl and he looked up as the receptionist swung again. He rode the blow and cracked her across the face with his weapon, making her fall back. “Take two,” he muttered, returning to Karl. Her foot lashed out, catching his leg and half dropping him to the ground. He landed on his knees and the foot lashed out again, landing just under the Mican’s muzzle and throwing him back before he clumped to the floor. Fighting her injuries, Karl turned herself around and used what strength she still had to throw herself on top of him as her little Canine friend rushed from hiding to check on her sister before trying to help by keeping the Officers’ gun from entering the struggle on the floor as his other hand hit Karl on the temple with as much force as it could muster. Karl put her thumb claws through the skin of the officers throat. “Drop it now,” she spat, he voice and saliva tinged with her own blood, “or I kill you.” The gun fell away and the girl – whose name Patcha still didn’t know – nervously kicked it away. “See to your sister,” Karl ordered and the Collian scampered away to help her family. Karl watched her move away, the leaned in closer to whisper in the fellow’s ear. “You deserve this,” she rasped, tightening her grip for a few seconds to really drive the message home. “But you won’t get it,” she added, releasing her grip. She pulled her weight off him and turned him sharply so she could apply zip ties to his wrists. Painfully. She licked her bloodied claws as the girl got her sister up, the older one holding her face. “Back,” Karl croaked, “into the office!”

The older one ignored her warning and, using her free hand, helped the agent to stand. “There a ...ow… first aid kit in there,” she explained.

Karl didn’t think there was much point arguing. She didn’t have the strength anyway. “Where’d… you… get the wood from,” she asked, kicking the two guns towards the office.

“Hm? Oh, renovations. Stopped half way. We have a load of lumber out back.”


Out the front, Rhew was trying to conserve his ammunition as he kept his opponents heads down with selective fire. The indicator told him the rifle only had fifteen charges left and he cursed as three more Shapperton Police vehicles pulled up on his other side. He only relaxed – slightly – when he heard Adriette’s voice, telling him they were on his side. Then Brampton called into his speaker. “This is Shapperton PD to you lot pretending to be us! Surrender now or we WILL fire upon you!”

Deeks coughed a laugh. “Civ...civil war in Shapperton. Boys, we’ve made the news now!”


A half hour passed before the first of the state police arrived, accompanied by Feldar Jones and Harmony. Chief Whitby had been taken off to hospital before the news crews had shown up and paramedics were dealing with the walking wounded on site. The ambulances had refused to take the more seriously wounded to their hospital without protection so they’d waited until they had State Police escort. Karl being Karl, she’d insisted on the receptionist being checked over at the same time as her if not before and growled at the paramedic until he assured her it was being done. The medic offered her an anaesthetic but she told him where he could stick that and let him get to work as she held against the pain. “Hey, kid,” she called as her little friend looked glumly at the scene and her sister. “Daisy, ain’t it,” she asked as though Rhew hadn’t told her just a few minutes ago. The girl nodded. Patchca ran a hand over the back of the girl’s head. “You did brilliant, Daisy. Both of you. It… ow… ain’t always like this, y’know? All violence and blood.” She grinned slightly, despite the bruises. “Most of it’s boring detective work. Solving puzzles and protecting those who’d be hurt if we weren’t there otherwise.” She tapped Daisy on the nose, transferring a tiny spot of red from her claw, which Daisy instinctively licked off, having felt the impact. “You,” she said, “are incredibly brave. And smart. Think I dunno you two are running that hotel?” She grimaced as the paramedic started sealing the holes in her side. And indicated the news crews. “Where’d you think they’re going to want to stay, eh? And all the others that’ll follow ‘em? This time it was Daisy grinning the grin as she worked it over.


Adriette and Feldar watched the girl and Patcha talk as the lights glowed around them. “I think Patcha’s just used more words in two minutes than she’s said all month,” Feldar surmised.

“Yeah,” Adriette replied dismissively. “Where’s Sarah?”

“With Sonia, Molly and Paulsenby,” Feldar replied. “Do you reckon the Delmundor’s are in danger?”
“Not if she’s with the… Oh, you mean Drayven and the others, yeah? I suppose they could be. I mean, there’s a lot of military types involved in this. Makes me think we have a private army operating somewhere near here.”

He glanced at her. “The plantation works?”

“That’d be my money. It’s mostly automated now – apparently – but that factory is certainly large enough for a training ground. And they could be moving them in and out with their shipments.”

“Raicarra with a private army,” Feldar mused as Corp pulled up. “I don’t like the sound of that. I also know we still don’t have enough to get a warrant for that. We’d need Drayven to agree to a search. So, if you thought he was in trouble..?”

“We’d better get over to him. With Karl injured…”

“Bryan Delmundor may also be in trouble,” Feldar reminded her. “It’s a school day so he may well be in class.”

Adriette tapped her teeth. “I could send Rhew and Karl to get him? With one of the locals who knows him by sight? Then they can take him to…” She noted Feldar pointing to the State Police command module. “The state police command module whilst the rest of us including Agent Whitestar go to, uh, check on the Delmundors?”

Feldar nodded. “Well, very nearly,” he added. “I’m going with you. Same goes for half the assault team here.”
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Love how this chapter was sort of a cool down from the previous one! Really nice work here!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Twenty-Six

“Are you sure you should still be doing this,” Officer Rosebank asked Karl, twisting slightly to see the Wolf in her back seat.

Karl grunted back at her.

“Is she still conscious,” Mikkel asked from the passenger seat. “And can you try to keep your eyes on the road?”

She stared ahead now, slightly chastened at the minor rebuke from the Polar Celican. “Of course, of course. I know what they, um, say. Automated driving’s fine but you still need to watch for everything and…”

“Talks a lot, this one,” Karl groused.

Rhew felt he had to agree but, given the recent events, he didn’t suppose he could blame the little Field Mican they had escorting them to the perceived whereabouts of Bryan Delmundor, the youngest of the family. With it being a standard schoolday, he was, hopefully, still at the high school and waiting for pick up at the end of the day, but they might have picked him up earlier. He might not be in trouble at all. They had to find out and the car pulled up outside the gates of the sixth form.

“Take a grenade,” Karl grumbled.


Leaving Karl to ‘protect’ the car, Rosebank and Rhew got out to approach an adult who was watching over a group of kids waiting for their bus, which was caught up in the tailbacks caused by the incidents around town. Rosebank used her uniform, rather than identification, to assert her authority over the situation as she turned the teacher’s attention to her. “We’re looking for Bryan Delmundor,” she confirmed. “Can you point him out?”

The little Kiorean Raitchian thought about it for a second before he replied, pointing to one of the distant buildings. “He’ll be with the sports lot, practising for tomorrows match.” Giving a comment of thanks, Rosebank and Rhew ran for the building.


They entered via the main entrance and Rhew took a deep breath. It wasn’t effective. There were too many scents lingering here, obliterating each other in their pungency. He coughed and sneezed to clear his nose. “Only had a few in my High school,” he confessed.

“Sounds right for the tundra,” Rosebank snipped. “I grew up here. Always wanted to play powerball. I was an expert throw. But a bit underweight.”

Rhew cocked his head slightly. “Always an optimist, eh?”

“I was until today,” she replied.

“You will be again,” Rhew promised, letting her lead the way to the sports hall. He could hear a few noises now, squeaks of shoes and whistles in the air as they headed for the court. It opened on an expanse of about fifty yards by thirty, with markings for various sports on the floor and rings set into the walls for certain games. A Velcaball, conspicuous by it’s slightly oval shape and tapered black ends, hit his foot on an upwards bounce as they entered the court. “Isn’t that supposed to be a good sign,” Rhew asked, kicking it back into the game zone. The unusual shape meant it bounced in a direction that looked almost random but a skilled player could judge the bounce and position themselves to catch or punt.

The Canine Gym teacher hustled over, leaving his assistant to watch over the teams. “Officer,” he said, acknowledging Rosebank. He turned to Rhew. “Um..?”

“Agent,” Rhew announced quietly. “We’re looking for Bryan Delmundor?”

“He got a call a few minutes back,” the teacher admitted, “told his driver’s picking him up early for some reason? He’s getting changed. Is this anything to do with what’s going on in town?”

Rhew nodded. He knew not to say too much. The County Police and Feldar had agreed that it did no-one any good to know their Police were fighting something akin to a small scale civil war right now. It was going to be bad enough when this was done. “Your people are safer here,” he told the teacher as Rosebank led the way to the changing rooms.


They were quiet, Rhew reasoned. Too qu… OK, he wasn’t going down that clichéd line of thought. “Bryan Delmundor,” he called, making Rosebank jump. “Sorry.” he took a chance and sniffed. Hot, soapy, water. Drying out. The shower had been on recently. But not now. Three stronger scents. A Raitchian, a Lappinean and another Raitchian. Karl would probably have been able to tell which was Bryan but his nose couldn’t. Didn’t matter, though. It still gave him a lead to follow. He took off, leaving Rosebank to catch him up as he sped for the rear entrance, where he found the boy being led towards a sleek vehicle that Rhew knew belonged to the boys mother. At least in deed. He scanned the vehicle. No signs in there. “Hold up,” he called. The boy turned to look at him but the others didn’t. “IOC,” he called, “hold up!” Still no reaction from them. Fifty yards to the shuttle. Time to up it. He drew his weapon. “IOC! Stop or I fire!”


Rhew pulled Rosebank into cover as the FieldMican almost took a volley of incoming fire and the Mican wondered if this counted against her optimism. Rhew fired back, ducking back behind the metal bins and noting his opposition had also taken cover. Bryan was trying to leave the scene quickly but wasn’t headed for the shuttle. Probably couldn’t fly it. Rosebank popped up and fired off a bolt. “You say you were good,” Rhew asked quickly.

“At what?”

“Powerball?” Another shot either way.

“Not bad. Well, I could really throw.”

“Good.” He passed her something he’d taken from his vehicle at the hotel. “Get this into the shuttle. The scanner’s not picking anyone up in there.”

“Is this a grenade,” Rosebank asked in alarm.

“Yup,” Rhew answered. “I’m more paranoid than Karl at times. Don’t tell her. Can you get it in?”

“Of course. Keep their heads down.”


She took off into the shadows by the side of the building as Rhew pockmarked his opponents cover ineffectually. She’d got close enough to throw before one spotted her and fired, making her cry out as a shot came far too close whilst the canister arced its way towards the open side of the shuttle. It cracked against the hull and spilled into the interior before exploding behind them, ripping the shuttle side apart and flinging shrapnel in all directions to impact on the backs of the gunners. They’d tried diving away but hadn’t had much luck. Rhew dashed forward and checked on Rosebank. “I’m fine,” she complained. “Felt the heat of that.” She pulled herself up. “Better check on them, eh?” She waved a hand at the smoke. “That made quite a bang.”

“Did, didn’t it?”

“IF YOU MOVE,” a strong voice said from the other side, “I WILL PERSONALLY RIP YOUR THROAT OUT!”

Rhew looked up to where Karl was shouting at a prone figure whilst holding Bryan Delmundor by the collar.

“Did you lose something,” she asked him accusatarily.
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Can't wait to see what is gonna happen next! Awesome work!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Twenty-Seven

Beran fretted. She didn’t like this. They were headed for the final encounter – possibly – and she wasn’t in her comfort zone but in the passenger seat as Feldar took the wheel of her car, piloting it towards the Delmundor estate. They passed by one of the estate lorries going the other way and, following the orders laid down by Jones earlier, commed the state police cars following a mile behind to delegate one to stop it. Their special Weapons team was coming in by shuttle at low level after them. “This is a bit like old times, isn’t it,” Feldar asked, clearly exhilarated.

“No,” Corp grumped from the back seat. He glanced at Harmony Whitestar, who was humming as she listened to something tuneful on her padd. If the style of modern music could be described as tuneful and not jarring on the ear.

“Well, Rhew needed his car and I came down with the state lot,” Feldar explained as they started past the first Delmundor factory plant. “Adriette couldn’t drive and I pulled rank anyhow, Corp.”

“You’re the sector senior agent, Feldar,” Adriette chipped in, refusing to call him ‘sir’, “you shouldn’t be doing this.”

“But I am,” he countered, “and it’s a bit too late to turn back now.” He looked to the side. “Are we still passing the same factory? Wow, it’s big.”

Harmony leaned forward and showed Adriette the image on her padd. A graphic satellite image of the place she’d pulled up whilst listening to her song. Biggest in the north hemisphere,” she said, far too loudly. Adriette irritably jabbed the ‘mute’ button. “Sorry,” the junior agent chuckled. “It was the second largest a few years back but added a hundred meters to its south side. Bit big for a coffee plant, if you ask me, especially since they can’t be producing that much Coffee.”

“They also make agricultural machinery,” Corp commented, pulling Harmony back into her seat so Feldar could use the rear view mirror again. “Put your belt on.”

She grumbled and acquiesced. “Last thing I’d want,” Feldar told her, “is to brake suddenly and have you go through me.”

“Got it, sir.”

“The other reason I’m coming, Corp, is the DCI effect.”

“The what?”

“The DCI effect. You’ve seen the vids where a Sergeant deals with most witnesses but their Commanding Officer – usually a Detective Chief Inspector – deals with the high ranking ones? They’ll react differently to me than they would to you. No jokes about my face fitting, please.”

“Wouldn’t dare, sir,” Corp replied, thinking about the crossbreed’s nose.


The gardeners were no-where to be seen as they approached the house. Indeed, no-one was to be seen and the state Police had commed in to say their inspection of the automatic truck had begun. They’d passed no vehicles other than the truck and Rhew had commed that the family shuttle had been grounded permanently so Feldar was concerned and instructed the gang to use the body armour Adriette carried in the boot of her vehicle.

“No full suit,” Harmony asked cheekily as she put the firearm resistant vest and jacket on.

“Like I have room for the helmets and trousers, Harmony,” Adriette snipped back as she clipped her own vest on. “Lucky I got four jackets and vests in.”


Feldar led the way up to the door and knocked on it before pressing the button. After a moment, the door opened and the same Butler as before opened the door. “Yes,” he asked with studied contempt.

“IOC Sector Chief Feldar Jones to see Drayven Delmundor,” Feldar announced. “It’s urgent.”

“The master of the house is not here, sir. Neither is the lady. And the young Master…”

“...is safe with us, Carzon,” Adriette interrupted, catching what she believed to be a slight shiver in his professionalism, indicating concern perhaps? “We got to him as they were attempting to take him away.” She stepped forward. “Please, Carzon,” she implored. “If they’re with the others, we think they may be in danger. We need to find them. If you can tell us anything that might help..?”

“It would be betraying the master’s confidence, ma’am,” he replied stiffly. “However,” he added with the tiniest of smiles, “I believe the Master did say he was due at a meeting at our closest fsctory in about thirty minutes? I believe some people wish to discuss taking shares in the business.”

“Thank you, Carzon,” Adriette replied courteously.

“Of course, Agent,” he replied. “If you could try to return them unharmed it would be appreciated. They may not be the nicest people but a good job is very hard to come by in this economy.”

“Of course, Carzon. Now close the door, you’re letting the heat out!”

In the absence of anyone he had to buttle for, Carzon allowed himself a smile before he did as she’d advised and shut the cold out.


“They’ll know we’re coming,” Feldar complained as Corp jumped into the driver’s seat imperiously. “I don’t have time to get you out, Corp,” he advised, looping around to the other side and realising Adriette had beaten him to the passenger seat. He got in the back as Corp powered up the engine.

“Know we’re coming,” Corp repeated as Feldar and the others locked their seatbelts down and he pushed the car back up the drive, “we drove right flamin’ past them!”

Adriette got on the comm to tell the approaching forces of the new target and they headed for the location.
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Really wonderful work on writing this! It came out really nice!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

What IS Feldar doing with that charm..?

Twenty-Eight

“How do you plan on handling this,” Adriette asked as they pulled in next to the main reception area of the factory complex. The noises of automated work clunked and clacked around them, making them have to raise their voices slightly to ensure they were heard. Already armoured from the first attempt to speak to Drayven, the group headed across to the entrance as Feldar attached his feline ‘lucky’ brooch to his lapel before he replied.

“With talk rather than violence,” he claimed.

“As though that ever works.”

“Gotta give it a try, Adriette,” he replied as he reached the reception desk. “Take us to Draven Delmundor,” he insisted.

“Do you have an appointment,” the receptionist asked politely. In response, Feldar merely thumbed over his shoulder to where a dozen County Police and their SWAT team were heading for the door. “I’ll take you right up,” he decided.

“Good plan,” Adriette agreed. She turned to the Officer leading the state teams. “Take a couple of your people and a couple of them and secure the workfloor. Don’t stop the people working but keep an eye out for anyone doing anything dangerous.”

“Like what,” the Officer asked.

“Like trying to shoot you,” Adriette emphasised. She turned back to Feldar, who was looking at her with amusement.

“I’m never getting my team leader job back, am I,” he asked.

“I’ll swap,” Adriette stated as the Receptionist stood up and moved to the door.

“Not a chance,” Feldar grinned. “I like the hours.”


The group split as they headed through, the state team dividing to cover the workforce as the others followed the IOC team up to the offices and the conference room where Drayven and Kholen were discussing terms. Feldar sorted out some details on his padd and put it back in his inside pocket and double tapped the charm on his lapel as they didn’t bother knocking on the door and just walked straight in.

“Excuse me,” a voice Feldar didn’t know started, “This is a pri…”

“I think you’ll find I just did,” Feldar replied, before blinking. “Sorry. I thought you were going to say I can’t just walk in here.” He noted the six people gathered around the people at the table and that they were all armed except Drayven and his wife. And they’d looked at the person opposite for confirmation of what they were supposed to do now. Drayven and the opposite number had forms in hard copy between them, more on Drayven’s side than on Kallen Deen’s side.

“The Chief Operations officer of Kholen Beverages, I see,” Feldar pronounced. He stepped forward, extending a hand. “IOC senior Agent Feldar Jones. Happy to meet you and I hope I’ve managed to get here before you did something foolish.”

Kallen accepted the hand. “A pleasure, I’m sure,” he said uncertainly. “What sort of mistake were you referring to? This is merely a business deal. Hardly IOC business.”

Taking his hand back, Feldar pretended to think and grimace, drawing out a sound from his mouth as he bobbed his head from side to side. “It’s something we got involved in,” he admitted. “A few days ago, you see, we found Sarah Delmundor…”

“A print from someone you thought was Sarah,” Drayven interrupted. “Nothing that’s confirmed.”

“And that was a bit of a fib,” Adriette confessed. “We’ve had Sarah in our care for the last few days. And we can confirm that, by the way.”

“Which affects you in several ways,” Feldar continued. “Under Panderan law, Family businesses get passed down the line unless transferred in legal document to another branch. No such document exists so, legally, the owner of the fourty-eight percent is Sarah Delmundor, not Drayven.”

“She… She’s been dead for five years,” Drayven blustered.

“THOUGHT dead,” Corp put in. “Legally dead can be reconsidered up to seven years later.”

“And well have to investigate the mystery of who you really buried,” Adriette said, smirking at Drayven. “or if the coffin was empty.”

“Oh, and it won’t get you the control you’re after,” Feldar told the official. “You see, if you want more proof that she’s real? Well, you can look at this. It’s a copy.” He tossed the padd onto the table.

Adriette leaned in close to Feldar’s ear. “You do realise that’s a digital form, right?”

“I know, I know; I got carried away.” He looked to Drayven. “It says that Randall Chet – their business partner who’s ‘independent’? He’s transferred his four percent to Sarah Delmundor under the guardianship of Sonia Teele, her appointed guardian.”

“WHO?”

“Until yesterday,” Feldar breezed, “she was our official tea lady. Now she’s an Independent Contractor. Not on our payroll officially. Sarah quite likes her.” He moved around the table. “Harmony,” he said, indicating Whitestar as he took Drayven’s computer, “can you call up our communications room on this? I figure Drayven would like to see his niece? Oh,” he added as the younger Raitchian pushed him out of the way to get at the computer, “I should mention that your shuttle’s been destroyed, Mrs Delmundor.” She looked at him like she wasn’t quite sure what was going on. “We did manage to secure Bryan unharmed though.”

Salinka choked back a sob. Feldar figured it was one of happiness. Could be wrong, though.

“Got ‘em,” Harmony called as she connected to the video wall back at base.

“Ah,” Feldar said, “Paulsenby. Can you bring Sarah and Sonia to the screen?” He gestured to the wall vid screen. “Can you get this up..?”

Drayven moved forward and transferred the image of a dark blue room to the wall where they could all see it.


After a moment, the old feline and the young, thin, Raitchian in an IOC sweater top appeared on screen. “Prove it,” Drayven snapped before anyone else could talk.

<”Um,”> Sarah said uncertainly. <”Oh, I, um… Uncle Drayven,”> she queried.

<”Yeah,”> Sonia told her. <”Is there anything you can say to prove you are Sarah?”>

She shrugged. <”Probably not. Not like I knew him th...”> She paused and a grin split her face. <”Well, there’s ‘Lotuspetal’, of course. Dad always said to...”>

“OK,” Drayven said quickly, drawing everyone’s attention to him, “you’re real.” He stood up. “How..?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Kallen snapped. “We’ll deal with the trouble in court. And we’ll win. Sign the documents!”

“You don’t have the power any more,” Feldar stated, moving back to the others in his team and indicating Harmony should do the same. “As of now, the Delmundor family own fifty two percent of the company. If you want to stand against them, Drayven, now’s the time. YOU have the shares.”

“But WE have the weapons,” Kallen warned as his people began to draw.
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

It looks like we are heading towards another battle possibly. I can't wait to see what happens next!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Twenty-Nine

As far as Corp saw it, time slowed to a crawl as he analysed the situation. The one on the right was the bigger target and he’d look to take that guy out before he could come into action as Adriette went for the ones on the left and the Country Boys took the others and… Oh, yeah, he’d need to get Feldar out of the firing line and get past the armoured police first as…

“I’d answer that comm, if I were you,” Feldar told Kallen simply, still standing like there wasn’t about to be a lethal fire-fight in a tight room. “I THINK it’s for Mr Kallen, Sonia.”

Kallen looked at him in confusion before Sonia spoke from the screen. <”Yer right, Feldar,”> the grizzled Feline said before looking around the room she was in. <”How’d I put this through?”>

An off-screen voice told her how and the screen changed to that of a furious Raitchian sitting in front of a decal with the Raicarra Industries logo on it. Kallen stood up in respect. <”Sit your rump down,”> the official on screen spat, making Kallen flinch with the venom in his tone. <”You must be REALLY stupid, Kallen,”> the official said, using his position as CEO to dominate his effective underling. <”And tell your people to put their guns down before they do something that ends Raicarra forever!>”


As the tirade went on, Adriette looked closely at the ‘charm’ Feldar was wearing. It had come to her that she’d never actually seen him wearing a charm before. Now she examined it closely, she could see the micro-camera and microphone in the enamel Feline and guessed that it was transmitting from there to the car computer, from the car computer to the main computer, on the hyperlines to Raitche and from there to Raicarra. He whistled mentally. Hyperline transaction fees were high. VERY high. Usually only the banks and other financial institutions used them. Feldar, it seemed, had been busy over the last few days.

Drayven took the chance to get up and stepped close to the group. “If you don’t need my wife or myself,” he said as the CEO threatened Kallen with relocation to an Ice moon, “we’ll just…”

“Stay put,” Feldar grumbled. “I have the feeling some horse trading is about to occur.” He saw Drayven looking at him in confusion. “I’m going to talk things over with Kallen and him,” he said, nodding to the screen. “These things will affect your company. You’re not relinquishing control.”

“I’m not?”


<”Agent Jones,”> The CEO announced. <”It’s time for your terms.”>

Clapping his hands together, Feldar stepped forward into view and sat in front of the camera. “Of course, CEO Rally. What we believe. Raicarra is looking to avoid all the problems at home by relocating its weapons construction business out here without oversight…”

“Are they,” Harmony whispered urgently to Adriette.

Adriette shrugged. It did seem possible. They’d need to check the factories to find out for sure. And they had nothing to ensure a warrant for that.

<”There’s no proof of any of that.”>

“There will be,” Feldar assured him. “You see, all the shooters involved in the events of this afternoon have traces. Several of them track back to the Pakrius agency in Sowerton. And they, in turn, were hired by shell companies that trace back to…” Feldar pointed to Kallen. “And, thus, to Raicarra. Which, of course, is something you can have your lawyers fight. Or…” Feldar turned his head slightly and took a breath.

<”Or we can do a deal, I take it?”>

Feldar nodded. “Someone’s got to answer for all that’s happened here today,” he yawned. “That would be this guy.” He pointed at Kallen again. “As for the rest… You’re shocked at all this. You had no idea Kholen was doing all this. You’re shocked, appalled, going to reorganise the company from the top down. You’re going to end their Pandera operations and gift the shares you own in Delmundor Coffee back to the Delmundor family – for free reallocation to someone to be decided later…”

“Grek,” Corp put in.

“The CAFE OWNER,” Salinka exclaimed.

“...Whatever,” Feldar said, after flinching. He tried to ignore the conversation going on behind him. “You’ll also pay compensation for the events and give financial aid for the hiring of local workers this complex is going to need after all your weapons making equipment is removed.”

<”You are going beyond the pale, Agent,”> The CEO stormed. <”This is tantamount to admitting total guilt!”>

Feldar waved a hand. “It is a bit, isn’t it? But, as I’m sure the lawyers who are just off-screen will tell you, it’s nothing compared to what would happen if IOC actually started investigating the issue. All of a sudden, every colony that Kholen or any of your other companies deal in will start asking the question of what’s going on in there and investigating. All the commerce commissions delaying any mergers and buy-ins… Why, any legal transactions would cost you millions more at a time!”

<”What’s in it for you, Agent?”>

“I get the satisfaction of a job well done, I get a whole load of armed goons off my streets, I get my people back and I get free coffee for life.”

Drayven coughed a laugh. “Deal.”

“So, what do you say?”


“Are you insane?”

Grek looked at the group from over his serving counter. “I get nearly half the company stock?” He winced as he moved his arm.

“Boss wanted someone local to hold power,” Patcha gruffed, guessing as she’d not been there when the final deal was sorted.

“That’s actually true,” Drayven Delmundor affirmed, wondering what he’d done to be sitting in a greasy spoon. He sipped the coffee he’d been made and poked his tongue out. “If the embargo ends the local coffee shops’ll be better served,” he advised. “I also need assistance to win back the locals and gain employees to replace the machinery that Kholen insisted I bring in. I figure you’re the guy I need for that. As you’ve been so vocal against me.”

“Not you,” Grek snipped. “Your policies. If they change my opinion is malleable.” He frowned. “I note you’re blaming Kholen for all of it?”

Drayven shrugged. “Seems like a good day for it.”


With Brampton and Deeks actig as temporary command for the local Police and state police providing most of the security, Adriette and Corp had headed back up to the city and base, where Adriette had been hit by a Raitchian missile as soon as she’d gotten out of the car. Sarah hugged her tightly. “Are you OK,” the girl asked. “I heard you got shot?”

“Stabbed,” Adriette corrected, hugging the girl back. “blinded and deafened too, but not shot, Sarah.”

“Don’t I get a hug,” Corp asked.

Sarah looked up. “Yeah,” she sniffed. “Sonia’s over there.” She indicated the elderly guardian before looking back to Adriette. “Can I stay with you?”

“Oi,” Sonia said, shuffling over and grabbing the protesting Corp for his hug, “I’m yer guardian. I gotta agree that sort of thing.”

“How,” Adriette asked, “did that happen?”

“Paulsenby worked it out,” the tea lady replied. “To clear legal problems, the guardian couldn’t be a fed. So I got fired and taken on as, with the exception of you…”

“...She’s the only one I like,” Sarah finished. “So, I’m her trainee!”

Adriette sighed. “Guess I get a lodger,” she fussed. “If you approve, Sonia?”

The old feline waved a hand. “Like I want the responsibility 24-7?”

“And so we go,” Adriette muttered. “I’m going to need a raise. For all the food you eat,” she admonished Sarah.


END
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

This was a very nice story that you wrote! I'm not surprised as they are all nice! Wonderful job Welshy!
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Coming soon...

The Loper hunts for someone Pirate clans are prepared to go to war over...
Commander Hawle. U.S.C. Loper. By the talented DDeer.
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Re: IOC PANDERA:- The Sarah situation

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

AKA Hawle ends up getting humiliated and covered in stuff to please his girlfriend. :D
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