A New Hope

Jump-space between Byrni and Vorito
Hanz Waltz and Tipper, both recently of the Imperial Navy but now on the run, found themselves separately travelling to Vorito. Tipper had followed the instructions given to him by GeDeCo as he had been a spy for them for many years. Hanz was simply following a path of self-preservation having only very recently discovering that he had psionic abilities which would get him in deep trouble if he stayed in the navy. He had used those abilities to find out where Tipper had gone and had taken the same route.

Hanz had no idea whether or not he was on the same ship as Tipper, having bluffed his way onto the first ship to Vorito he could find. Tipper had no idea that Hanz had gone AWOL let alone followed him. It was therefore a surprise to both when on day 4 they bumped into each other in a corridor on the liner. There was an awkward silence broken with an "oh hi" and "I didn't know you were here". After that they didn't hang out, but nor did they obviously avoid each other.

Vorito
When the ship arrived at Vorito's enormous and brand-new spaceport they disembarked together and made their way to the main concourse. There was a person waiting for Tipper who nodded and took Tipper's bag with a "welcome Mr Tipper, please follow me". Tipper followed him to a cart which took him into the private areas of the spaceport. Hanz decided not to follow Tipper and instead started looking for somewhere to stay.

Vorito spaceport was only recently open for business and there were thousands of people visible. Advertising for accommodation , entertainment, tickets to far flung destination, and all manner of consumer goods were everywhere. This was no military installation but a temple to transportation and consumerism. The GeDeCo logo was everywhere too, reminding people of the immense financial might of the corporation.

Of the visitors, a great many were tourists who came just to see the new structure. Others were in transit, passing through to the planet below or other more distant destinations in this system or others. Still more people worked at the port in security, transportation, commercial or residential positions. A lot of people just stood or sit watching other people.

Hanz
Hanz picked a moderate hotel and booked in. Every few minutes an advert would appear on one of many holo-displays around the room. It seemed it was moderately priced as it was partially subsidised by advertising. Every time he silenced one it was just a matter of time until the next popped up. Adverts for entertainments, and feed were the main ones, but gambling was also advertised. Hanz looked thoughtful.

Tipper
Tipper on the other hand was taken deeper into the port through a number of checkpoints. At the first checkpoint he was given a card with his features but no name. At subsequent checkpoints this was scanned and he was handed to another person to took his bag and ushered him, on another form of transportation, deeper into the port.

Eventually Tipper found himself arriving at an executive residential area where four or five villas opened onto a lounge area with views one way out to space, and the other overlooking the vast interior of the station. The young lady who had brought him here opened the door to a villa and said it was his to use. She told him there was a liaison who could be reached via the communicator and that he could order anything he liked at the bar or cafe. His next appointment would be in a day or two but in the meantime he was free to come and go - his card would get him nearly anywhere - but that it was preferred if he didn't leave the spaceport. She then left, leaving him alone in this rather exclusive accommodation.

His first act was to send a message giving them Hanz's description and asking that they keep an eye on him from a distance. He also asked for a psi helmet. He was answered immediately with an acknowledgement, a comment that it was an unusual request, and that an answer would be forthcoming.

When the response came it was that worn psi helmets were available although internal prototype psi protectors were more difficult to get. When asked by the liaison if the two things - Hanz's description and the psi helmet - were linked Tipper said yes, and that he suspected Hanz of being a psionic. The liaison asked if he trusted Hanz or if he wanted GeDeCo to take care of him. Tipper answered that he had worked with Hanz for some time, trusted him and that he might be useful, but that he didn't like the idea of him getting into his head.

Hanz
Back in his far more basic accommodation Hanz considered his options. He wasn't sure what was happening to Tipper but he'd need to fend for himself anyway. He thought that perhaps he'd have a day or two before any news of his abrupt and unscheduled departure would be noticed, then a day or two after that while the military police worked out where he might have gone and sent people to follow him.

The first thing he did was find what jobs were being advertised. The system in the hotel was basic so he found a public terminal in a quiet part of the concourse. He looked for GeDeCo jobs, specifically security related, and applied for them. He had to give a location where he could be contacted in a day or two, and decided to stay in his room and lay low until he heard back. He practiced putting up psionic blocks and shields in his spare time.

Eventually, after existing on a diet of take away hawker dishes and passing the time practicing his psionic abilities, he got a response. At the appointed time he arrived at a large waiting area where there were dozens of other hopefuls and four doors leading interview rooms. He waited until his number was called and then went to where he was directed where two people were sitting waiting for him.

The interview was short. It consisted of some basic questions about what he wanted to do, his previous employment, and about motivation and aspirations. He answered all questions honestly, including those about the end of his navy career, reasoning that honesty was the best approach and that if they were put off by anything he could always get a job somewhere else.

The interviewers thanked him and asked him to wait for a second call, which he agreed to and he returned back to his room to wait.

Tipper
Meanwhile back in the GeDeCo inner offices, Tipper attended his first meeting with his GeDeCo masters including Fae Borshune, the head of GeDoCo on Vorito. They thanked him for his excellent work over many years. He was due some leave time, they explained, but they had a new and urgent mission for him. Something that didn't require him to be under cover but which did take advantage of his skills.

While they got a team together he was welcome to stay in his current accommodation. The area was solely for his use and there would be no other residents in the other villas. He was also given funds on his card - essentially unlimited - to purchase whatever he wanted, including from GeDeCo stores. Finally his recommendation to watch Hanz Waltz was a good one, and that more would be forthcoming on that front later.

Hanz
The next interview turned out to be a very comprehensive medical examination. Multiple scans and tests that put the Imperial Navy to shame. His medical training helped him understand most of it but procedures were some were so advanced that he was unsure what they were looking for - or if they found it. He was advised that the next interview would be in a day or two, and thanked for his participation.

He continued to lay low, worried now that the Imperial Navy could have sent people to Vorito by now looking for him and Tipper.

A day later he was contacted about the next interview. When he arrived he found it to be offices and was ushered into a conference suite where a tall white haired mane, who had a military bearing and an eye patch, greeted him warmly and thanked him for coming. He was shown into a room with a conference room, the walls showing scenes of Vorito and on one mirrored wall was a drinks cabinet. Five people sat at the table and stood as he entered.  Offered a drink he asked for iced water. They then sat down.

Tipper
Unbeknownst to Hanz, Tipper was one of a number of people behind the mirror. His alert days earlier had resulted in Hanz being watched - a job made considerably easier by him not moving from his hotel room except to get food. This final interview would determine if Hanz would be assigned to the team, have an accident in an alley, or be handed to the imperial navy.

Hanz
The meeting started with the white haired military man introducing himself as Tychus Findlay. He didn't introduce the others but they didn't appear to be military - more corporate in appearance. Tychus outlined a proposal where Hanz would be hired on a probational basis. Not acting under cover but more a courier or GeDeCo operative, although it might be dangerous hence someone of his skills being needed. Tychus asked Hanz if that was acceptable to which Hanz agreed.

Tychus then elaborated more. The work would involve working in a team that would travel to a few systems nearby, collecting information as per mission parameters and, within three months, returning to Vorito. At that point his probation would be complete and an offer of more permanent employment might be forthcoming.

If Hanz agreed Tychus would put an offer on the table to indicate the level of compensation on offer for the three months. Hanz nodded and Tychus slipped over a piece of paper. On it was written 50,000Cr which was considerably over the going rate. Hanz agreed to the terms. Tychus produced an employment contract on a datapad and Hanz duly signed his agreement to the terms. 

Tychus then asked a question that had been suggested to him from the room behind the mirror - did Hanz know of any other people who might be suitable or interested in this type of work? Hanz suggested Tipper, describing him and suggesting he might still be in the station. Tychus took a note and thanked him. He would be contacted again in a few days while the team was put together.

Tipper
Behind the mirror Fae turned to Tipper and asked if he'd be happy with Hanz in his team, to which Tipper replied that he would.

Two days later
Hanz and Tipper separately arrived at the designated place. Hanz had an access card similar to Tipper's and had made his way to the briefing room not sure what to expect. Tipper came from his GeDeCo quarters via gravcart and was there when Hanz arrrived.

There were four in the room including Hanz and Tipper when Tychus arrived. He remarked that Hanz and Tipper knew each other, which would make things easier, and then proceeded to introduce the others and outline the mission.

Their mission was to locate and make contact with a group of nobles from Drinax who had been travelling through the subsectors of the Reach for some months. The team would be given a ship and whatever equipment they thought necessary, and would be given details about where these people had been seen most recently. They were not under cover, and the people they were looking for were in no way the enemies of GeDeCo, but they were making themselves hard to find hence the unusual situation of creating a special team to make contact.

To be continued