Preemptive Subterfuge
05 May 2024Xochitl Khae
Preemptive Subterfuge
Colonia Region
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Ryuko left the others seated in the concourse with a wink towards Tara as he made his way to the door of a nearby brothel, where several prostitutes advertised their services under the watchful eyes of a towering man and a couple of androids serving as guards—an effective deterrent to anyone considering bypassing payment.
One woman in particular caught Ryuko's attention. He gestured subtly for her to step aside, ensuring they remained within sight of the sentries. The group observed their exchange from a distance, unable to discern the conversation due to the concourse's cacophony. After a brief exchange marked by smiles and nods, Ryuko produced a credit chip and a data tablet, transferring funds as payment for her information.
Ryuko then made his way toward the nearby elevators, nodding to the others to follow without turning back. Tara, catching his cue, gestured for the group to rise and follow her to an adjacent elevator, both leading down to the hangar decks.
As the elevator doors opened onto the dimly lit bay, they saw Ryuko already crossing the hangar with determined strides toward their ship. The group quickly followed, entering the ship just as Ryuko had. Tara knew he would head straight for the galley, which had become their default briefing area due to its ample seating and space.
He waited patiently for everyone to file in and find a seat, with Tara taking the one next to him. Ryuko then pulled a data tablet from his suit's pouch and typed silently for several minutes before setting it down on the table.
“The group that has piqued one of our members' interest is a local bandit syndicate with no significant influence outside this system—the only system they inhabit. They are the lowest of the low and are frequently used by the ruling faction to maintain plausible deniability. If they're eliminated, it won't matter to the powers that be. They bring in just enough credits to stay off the chopping block. They'll serve as a useful training aid, and no one will miss them,” Ryuko explained.
“You gathered all this from a prostitute?” Lianna asked her tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity.
“That, and the freely available information provided to all travelers. Further research showed they have no presence in the 44 Anarchy systems within a 50-light-year radius of this place.”
Tara leaned forward, pulling the data tablet towards her. “It says here the ruler of this region controls 81 star systems, of which 60 are directly governed. They also possess 157 stations, 179 settlements, and 79 installations. I'm surprised they even bother with such a minor syndicate.”
Ryuko’s smirk broadened as the trainees absorbed the information.
“That, ladies and gentlemen, is the footprint of a proper pirate operation. The group you will be dealing with in Colonia is nowhere near that size or complexity,” Tara added, pushing the tablet back to the center of the table.
Ryuko glanced at her, a soft chuckle escaping. “They're more desperate, which makes them dangerous.”
Scyles, his expression unreadable, looked past everyone, reflecting on his brief encounter. “They were weak but satisfying.”
Ryuko nodded, understanding the sentiment but also recognizing the need to temper Scyles' aggressive tendencies for the sake of the team and their mission.
“There are times when being preemptive can be advantageous, but it shouldn't always be your first course of action,” Tara advised, her gaze fixed on Scyles.
Ryuko, seizing the moment to reinforce the point, was about to speak when Scyles interrupted.
“Understood, but if we're meant to protect our employer's assets from these pirates, wouldn't it be better if they just ceased to exist?”
“Anger and hate are the worst places to start any type of operation, regardless of what side you claim. What happens once a power vacuum is created by removing them? What do we do about all of the minor splinter factions that will rise to take their place? You can’t remove them all, and eventually, like every other time in history, something larger and far more dangerous that you can take on will replace it. What happens then to all the people who are simply trying to survive? Do we waste them too because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time?”
Ryuko paused, watching Scyles seethe.
“Your primary objective is to protect your employer's commerce from these pirates, and there are ways to achieve that goal without resorting to complete annihilation. You can target their operations, disrupt their supply lines, or there's an alternative.”
“An alternative?” Lianna asked as Tara looked at Ryuko with a sly smile on her face, as he stood up from the table, nodding at Lianna.
“Get plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow we go shopping.”
Tara followed Ryuko, who left the galley as Jabir looked over at Scyles. “He clearly favors you so why do you pressure him?”
“No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes, including our employer,” Scyles replied, looking over his shoulder towards the corridor where Tara and Ryuko had departed.
Lianna leaned on the table looking at him. “I doubt it. He has shown that he knows what he is doing. That moon back in Colonia and then the prostitutes here in the bubble. I would have never thought of that.”
“I don’t need a pirate to show me how to hunt his type,” Scyles replied in an icy tone as he stood up, not making any huffing sounds or rolling his eyes in protest as he turned to leave, with Jabir and Lianna watching him walk away.
The security camera shifted its view following Scyles as he headed back to his quarters.