| abstract
| - Ivanil Sandomere, senator for Ord Mantell, had been a harried man these days, the press was camped at his office, at his house and nearly every other place he was known to go to. And so, he left the Senate buildings through a series of less-frequented hallways and exits and he is now deep within the Organa Park, a small walkway being...walked upon, a wild garden that gives way to some woods not far beyond is on his left. To his right is a large pond, several species of fish and other aquatic animals found within and around it. It is not too late into the afternoon, the sun just now coming down from its peak. When he had first arrived on Ord Mantell, Tokoga had made sure that he would be able to navigate the physical side of the government campus as well as the political side. Facing similar problems as his colleague, the Mon Calamari had used the same seldom-walked hallways and pathways to arrive at his destination--a meeting with the very individual who, knowing or unknowing, had gotten him into this mess. His hands clasped in front of him, Tokoga slows his steps as he approaches Sandomere's side and looks down into the pond silently. "Senator.", Sandomere says after a moment of looking about, the formal greeting decided upon given that Tokoga might just not be too willing to be informal on this occasion. "Thank you for agreeting to meet with me." Almost without thought given to the matter, he bends down long enough to pick up a small pebble, next chucking it at the pond. "Interesting few weeks, has it not been?" Tokoga stays silent for a little while after Sandomere's greeting, pausing to watch the ripples spread outward from where the pebble landed. 'Interesting' is quite the understatement. "A rather bland euphemism, but yes." He answers, pulling out his small cigarra case, pulling two out and offering one to the other Senator. "It's been quite a while since I've incurred the ire of so many people," he adds, his voice underpinned by an unmistakable sarcasm. Myiari wanders through the park gardens, but she's not out for a casual stroll--she's out with a purpose. Once she spots Senator Tokoga, she very nearly calls out to him in greeting, but holds her tongue upon noticing Sandomere. This certainly put a dent in her conversation plans. Instead of approaching, she remains at a distance by the edge of the pond, being sure to keep both Senators within view. "Indeed.", Sandomere replies, "I suppose apologies should be gotten out of the way. I did not realize just how much of a mess this would be. We are all used to deals and beneath the table agreements, but actual corruption and illegal acts. That is new to me." This scandal is likely one of the biggest to take place in the Senate in recent times and Tokoga's office was not the only one flooded with angry correspondence. "It's an inevitability," The Mon Calamari lights his own cigarra whether or not the one offered to Sandomere is accepted. "Absent anything else, people are generally self-serving creatures. It's only logical for it to eventually reach this level of complexity." The medic sighs inwardly and begins to approach the two politicians at a brisk walk. If she didn't say anything now, she might not get a better chance for a while. "Senator Tokoga!" she greets with a wave of her hand. "And hello to you too, Senator Sandomere." Sandomere nods, agreeing with Tokoga's words, "Yes, but I can't help but think I...well, we were set up. Then again, given that you've been targetted it seems by a criminal organization, I might be being a bit paranoid." The two politicians stand within a part of the park that is not too crowded, a central walking path surrounded by a pond to the right and a small garden that leads to some woods to the left. The greeting given by the newcomer is returned with a quick wave of his hand as well. "Miss...OErstead was it?" "Most paranoia has its roots in some kind of truth," the Mon Calamari points out, eyeing the Ord Mantell representative. He still doesn't know what to make of Sandomere; it's plausible that the man is just as inculpable in the whole affair as Tokoga himself. He certainly doesn't _seem_ the type that would get involved in something like that. Tokoga takes another puff of his cigarra just before Myiari shows up. He greets her with a smile and a nod of his head. "Hellooooooo," Johanna sings out in that annoying way nosy women sometimes do, "Oh! You're having a party, I see," she interjects, quite uninvited to make comments but doing so anyway, "Paranoia is a virtue if you're in politics, isn't it? I would think it keeps you from getting stabbed in face by folks who don't like you and voted for the other guy, or by the population whose taxes you promised to lower but then ended up just lying to." Realizing that this might not be taken too kindly, she adds, "Not that you guys did. Lie, I mean. Anyway, how are you?" The question is meant to include the medic as well, Johanna's gaze finally settling on Myiari. Myiari nods her head politely at Johanna as she arrives. "I'm...doing alright," she replies. Contrary to her comment, she actually seems quite anxious about something. "I've been busy with work and a bunch of other things, but I've been doing pretty well for myself." Her gaze flits to the Mon Calamari senator. "Ah, Senator Tokoga. I've been trying to get a hold of you for the last couple of days, but you've either been out, or the line's been busy." The Senator for Ord Mantell smiles at the way Johanna introduces herself, at least there was no hang-up on office and titles as with certain other people. "Pleased to meet you, are you by any chance a constituent of mine?", if that's the case, s houldn't the fellow be worried that he'd end up being attacked given this corruption mess. Of course, given that Myiari at least seems to know the newcomer, then he can rest assured that it's not some irate random citizen. "Any way, I wanted to offer my apologies in person for this mess. The committee will find us innocent soon enough and then we can focus on dealing with just how we came to be involved." After grinning at Johanna, the Mon Calamari nods at Sandomere's statements. "I'm sure the Ethics Committee will have a lot to say about procedural matters, but beyond a tarnished reputation, I don't think we're in the crosshairs for anything." Tokoga sighs a little. Nothing new, but maybe the constant calls to his office would stop. After that little bit of reflection, he turns to Myiari. "A little bit of both, I'm afraid, Myiari." Tokoga grins. "If you needed something, you should have just stopped by my office. What can I do for you?" When Tokoga mentions stopping by the office to Myiari, Johann looks as if she's just seen a 12-headed creature from an evil swamp. Agog, she takes a moment to process this information. Open office hours? Really? What was happening to the galaxy? EVERYTHING SHE EVER KNEW IS SUDDENLY UPSIDE-DOWN! She recovers enough to say to Sandomere, "No, I'm not one of your constituents -- I just have a general fixed dislike for politicians. No offense intended, I'm sure you're very nice and all, but my experience with them have been less than favorable." Not to mention the bribes, blackmail, and horrid filth that seems to follow most of their ilk like a bad, stalker-y ex. There's a reason corruption charges come to light, right? Myiari is surprised by the simplicity of Tokoga's answer, but is nowhere near as shocked as Johanna. "If I'd known I could've just dropped in, that would have been the first thing I'd have done," the medic mutters wryly. "I sort of assumed that booking an appointment was required." Regardless, she shrugs. "I, ah...I've been meaning to speak to you about something. It's kind of important." "If it isn't a private matter, I think you can go ahead and speak Miss. None of us hear are likely to go ahead and blab to the reporters.", Sandomere says, a nod given at Johanna's reply. Reporters, almost as dangerous as criminals as far as the enemy are concerned. At least the criminals can only do you harm once instead of continuously throughout a career. The woods not far from where the group is gathered are full of life, from small insects to large birds and small rodents and mammals. But that is usually as large as they can get inside their. And the small group of men that walks through them, their careful walk, designed to create as little disturbance as possible to the surrounding nature, is certainly not part of the normal fare. Although occasionally a bird will fly up and emit a sound when they near. Tokoga chuckles lightly and shakes his head. The general stigma against politicians isn't something that he's accustomed to--as is the surprise that most people exhibit when they realize that he doesn't care if they show up without making an appointment and filling out some form in triplicate. "A man of the people can hardly be a man of the people if they seclude themselves in their office. It's rather self-defeating, is it not?" he says to no one in particular before moving on to answer Myiari more directly. "Of course, If you'd rather speak in private..." he shrugs a little. The young medic swallows hard. "Erm...well," she starts, unsure of how to handle the matter. "It IS sort of private. It's about Bavon Nass and all of the things that've been happening lately." "Say no more.", the Senator says before looking around once more, "If it's something that I should be concerned, please let me know Senator." And with those last few words, the senator offers his goodbyes to the others before heading off on his way. At least his meeting with the Mon Calamari wasn't as stormy as it could have been. "Understandable," Tokoga nods in understanding and offers the young medic a reassuring smile. His eyes turn to Sandomere as the human speaks then makes his way elsewhere. "I almost miss speaking with our local crimelord friend," he grins a little, reflecting on the time the man had come down to his office. "Yeah, well, it seems he's figured speaking to you directly isn't going to work and decided it might be better to leave that dirty work to your friends," Myiari replies. She glances away, appearing more than a little guilty as she speaks her next words. "I...met with Bavon Nass. He wanted me to speak with you in exchange for his protective services." "The sign of a true coward," Tokoga comments. He could at least deliver his messages in person. If Tokoga had any idea where he man was, he'd have no compunctions against taking an adventure there and telling him exactly what he thought of him. He rolls his eyes a little at the 'protective services' phrase. "By 'protective services', you mean he promised to make sure you didn't get ... 'accidentally caught in the crossfire'?" He pauses momentarily to sigh. "What can I do for our felonious friend?" "He wanted me to convince you that he wasn't such a bad guy, and that removing him would only make things get worse, since it'll leave an opening for someone bigger and badder to take his place." Myiari peels her goggles off of her head and takes a few moments to straighten out her hair before sliding the headgear back into its rightful place. "I had hoped to get some information out of him, but I didn't find out much." Again a few more birds are sent flying high as their nests are disturbed by the two men, that group being more accurately described as a pair. Their final words to each other, spoken through signs rather than actual sounds, said, the two men come out of the treeline almost directly to the side of Myiari and the Senator. Much of their bodies are hidden by the large cloaks they wear, although there is the telltale signs of a protruding blaster at their waist and angular lines to their bodies beneath their bodies suggesting firstly that they are armed and secondly armoured. "That's a rather specious argument, don't you think?" The Mon Calamari turns his head to watch the clutch of birds departing the nearby trees, his eyes flicking down to the pair of men once they're no longer under the cover of woods. The outline of their blasters and body armor on't go unnoticed, but it doesn't seem to unnerve the Senator as much as it should. "Hello...?" The men being out of her line of sight, it takes a moment or two before Myiari registers the danger. When she does, however, she's quick to react, drawing her blaster and pointing it at the newcomers; it was obvious they weren't friendly. Despite having had some shooting experience with a blaster and a few kills to her name, she was still a medic first and foremost, so holding a weapon was still somewhat of a foreign feeling to her, but it didn't mean she didn't know how to use one or kill with one. "I think you might want to get out of here soon, Senator," she mutters. "You will come with us now.", one of the intruders says just moments before he begins to move, slowly walking left-wards even as his partner heads the other way. Their intention to cut off any path of retreat from the two made clear by that. The man's voice was heavily accented, his knowledge of Basic revealed to be adequate enough even if his native tongue, whatever it is, overwhelms his pronunciation of it. "You will come with us now.", one of the intruders says just moments before he begins to move, slowly walking left-wards even as his partner heads the other way. Their intention to cut off any path of retreat from the two made clear by that. The man's voice was heavily accented, his knowledge of Basic revealed to be adequate enough even if his native tongue, whatever it is, overwhelms his pronunciation of it. Tokoga frowns noticably. They don't seem like the kind of people to anything he he has to say, so he doesn't see any point in denying them their price. "And where, might I ask, would we be going?" Myiari, on the other hand is visibly irritated by the Senator's compliance. "I don't think so," she growls. "He's not going anywhere." She shifts into a position that enables her to see both men, her blaster out and ready to fire if either one happened to try anything funny. Her first instinct was to spur Tokoga to run, but their assailants made sure to make that option almost far from viable. And with two of them, she couldn't exactly try to take them down. Maybe compliance was the best idea. It is the other man that speaks now, his words not in Basic but rather in Dac's other native tongue, Quarrennese. "We believed in you, traitor. We put down our weapons because of the promises you and your kind made. And now you steal and abuse your office just like..." His statement is cut off by his partner, the other issuing a sharply-worded command to silence in the two men's native tongue. "We have no business with you, Miss, but if you interfere we will stop you.", this time said in Basic. The Mon Calamari puts his hand on top of Myiari's blaster hand, gently pressuring it downwards--he obviously doesn't want the situation to escalate any more than it already is. "I've betrayed no one," Tokoga growls slightly under his breath and responds in the same language, visibly taken aback by the accusation, "and stolen nothing, I assure you, no matter what the tabloids would have you believe." Myiari reluctantly lowers her weapon and slides it back into its holster, though it's quite apparent that she's none too happy about the situation. Sighing, she folds her arms as she backs off the offensive. "Fine. Blaster's gone; happy now?" Just who were these guys, and what did they want? "Liar!", the more aggressive of the two snarls out, his blaster pulled out of its holster although it is not pointed at either of the two before him. "I have proof.", the other man says, something retrieved from underneath the cloak, a datapad it is revealed to be, and the objec is tossed towards the Senator although it lands closer to Myiari. "The bank account opened at The First Bank of Fergansea.", one of the more important cities on Dac, "In your cousin's name no less. We were given the proof on all the payments, Senator. Do not insult us by denying it." Tokoga picks up the datapad and reads it over before rolling his eyes. "If I was trying to hide illicit funds, don't you think I'd do something a bit more thoroughly thought out than by hiding it in a bank account on _my_ planet in _my cousin's_ name? That's almost as insulting as accusing me in the first place. I'd be more apt to get a warehouse somewhere in the Outer Rim and fill it with some highly fungible commodity, or obtain anonymous securities bonds or something." The medic very nearly draws her blaster again with how anxious the other man gets, but for the moment she's simply content with letting hand hover close to her holster, ready to draw should the need arise. "He has a point," she adds. "If Senator Tokoga really was embezzling funds, he'd probably be more discreet about it. It's probably an attempt to frame him." The park was well chosen when the two Quarren planned their outfit, their surveillance of the Senator's comings and goings having informed them that he would be here. Myiari and Tokoga find themselves trapped between the two men, their cloaks pushed back to reveal their blasters along with the light armour they wear. "Scan down lower, do you deny the house you keep on Vorzyd, the investments you've made with that money in various enterprises on both Mon Calamari and Elom.' And for Myiari, the calmer of the two Quarren has but a snicker, "Corrupt beings are not immediately smart ones. Why does this concern you anyway, this is a matter of Dac and its people.", their people, many of which had only recently been involved with a civil war, willingly or not. The other Quarren keeps scanning their surroundings, his gaze running from the right, over the large pond there, to the left where there is a small garden and beyond the woods they emerged from a few moments pass. "Why, Senator, was it not enough that you had an entire planet looking to you for guidance. Do you not realize what this would do to those of us who fought against the seperatists and the Empire?" "Don't lecture me about fighting the Empire. I was fighting the Empire when it occupied Dac, before you two were even born. When the idea of a unified Dac actually had meaning to her people, when an enfranchised Council was something we could only dream about or remember fondly." The Mon Calamari punctuates the statement by tossing the datapad at the feet of the two again. "Those funds were for the endowment of a charitable trust. Managed, as I'm sure you'll find, by my cousin, and with the mission statement of providing aid to those whose lives were torn apart by the Civil War." Myiari glances to the man who addresses her, meeting his gaze with a slight glare. "This concerns me because you happen to be holding a friend of mine at blasterpoint," she replies bluntly. "And if you think you can just badger him like that without me lifting a finger, you've got it totally wrong." Her fingers twitch near the holstered blaster at her hip, as if just itching to be drawn. Whether it is the Senator's continued denials of the accusations or Myiari's movements, barely perceptible as they are, the Quarren that had been quiet until now, the hot-headed one, comes to life. His arm is raised even if the blaster's muzzle doesn't lift up a bit, it is aimed just before Myi's feet and the trigger squeezed. There should be little danger to any of the people here, and little result beyond just a few bits and pieces of stone flying up before falling down. "And the proof that you've been siphoning off funds, we should ignore that as well? You're asking for a lot of trust Senator." Sounds of russling and muttering can be heard from the bushes off to one side. They slowly grow louder and closer to the group. Moments after the sounds started, a Sluissi, wearing a New Republic's fighter pilot's uniform, pops out of the bushes with a lurch. He breafly looks around to get a feal for where he is in the park. Somehow, he had gotten him-self lost. He quickly catches sight of the 4 people standing before him, "Uh, could you...." he statrs to say but trails off at seeing the two Quarren hold up blasters at the other 2. "Hey, whats going on here," he questions all? "No, of course not. You'd be remiss in your civic duty to ignore an accusation of that magnitude. I just ask that you look at everything carefully before you start pointing guns," Tokoga says, finishing his sentence just as the Sluissi emerges from the bushes. The medic lets out a startled cry at the bolt sizzles into the grass near her. This time she does draw her blaster, pointing it at the aggressive Quarren, though she somehow manages to hold her fire. By now she is only vaguely paying attention to what's being said, instead focused mainly on keeping herself and the Senator out of danger. The Sluissi's arrival is noted by both ambushers and the calm one withdraws his weapon although it remains pointed at the ground. "And why would someone go to all this trouble to frame you. Mon Calamari is not as fragile as before so it won't immediately bring about another seccessionist movement.", although that they would go to so much trouble points out that they fear something bad will occur nonetheless. "Put the weapon down girl, before something bad happens.", the other Quarren says even as he looks at the newcomer. "Leave, now." "Uh, I dont think that I will be leaving," Shane states in a calm tone. He moves slowly and deliberately inbetween the Quarrens and the other two. Holding his hands up to show that they are empty, he states, "I am going to need everyone to lower thier weapons. We dont need any accidents here." Shane looks at both of the two quarrens, "Now, I dont want any problems here, " he adds. Shane shows no signs of being hostile, but he also shows no signs of backing down. He is betting that these two wont be interested in causing problems that would lead to the military getting involved. "It is a very long, very complicated story," Tokoga answers slowly, returning his gaze to the more calm of the two. "And as soon as it is feasible to do so, it will be duly entered into the public record in its entirety for your perusal. If that isn't enough to satisfy you, then you're free to petition the Council to initiate a recall election or ask for my resignation." He frowns slightly at the Sluissi's interdiction--hopefully his words weren't just going to fuel the anger of the Quarren. He really can't blame them, though--from their point of view, the whole state of affairs must look awfully suspicious... "I'll put my weapon down if he puts down his," the medic growls, nodding her head at the trigger-happy Quarren. "You come here armed with body armor and weapons, and then threaten a Senator, who happens to be a close friend of mine and standing right in front of me, and expect no resistence? I. Don't. Think so." Myiari's finger hovers dangerously over the trigger of her blaster, and her overall demeanor is extremely tense. "I told you we should just shoot him right here and now, no point in dragging him back home.", the hot-headed one's words, unknown to any save his companion and Tokoga given that he switched to Quarren. "As you can see, Senator, you do not have the luxury of playing any games with us. The only thing that keeps us from taking you away is the prospect, however slight, that you might be telling the truth." And even then Tokoga would not have been granted that save for the fact that the leader of the pair had his doubts, starting with just how easily they acquired this information and the channels tit came through. The grip on his blaster is shifted to both hands now, a more accurate aim obtained, even if the blaster is now pointed at Shane rather than their targets. "But my patience has its limits." "Your friend is accused of being a traitor to his people. I understand you might be loyal to him, Miss, but understand that you can be of no help to him if you keep waving your weapons in our faces.", the leader's voice very reserved as he controls his flaring temper. Shane slow moves closer to the two quarren, "I asked you politely to lower your weapons, please do so," he says in a clam, soothing tone. Looking the leader square in the eyes, he adds, "I am an Oficer of the Republic, and a fighter pilot. You dont want to do anything rash. If you fire on me, the military will hunt you to the ends of the galaxy." He slowly reaches into his uniform pocket and pulls out a comlink, and clicks it on to the emergency chanel, "I have just signaled the athorities. They shall be here shortly. Again, lower your weapons, please," he informs them. At all times, he keeps a calm polite tone, not presenting any type of hostile action. "Myiari, put it down." Tokoga says softly. The Mon Calamari stays silent for a few more moment, considering the Quarren's words and giving Shane a disapproving shake of his head. If the Quarren and whoever he represented were as dedicated to their cause as they seemed to be, maybe they'd despise Nass and his ilk just as much as he had after discovering the extent of his illicit activities. "If you want to understand why you're here, I'll tell you the whole story, and I'm sure you'll be as enraged as I, but this isn't the proper venue for it," he offers. Myiari glances to the Mon Calamari uncertainly, but after a few moments of deliberation, she sighs and nods. As stretched to the limit her temper was, losing her cool wouldn't be productive. Slowly so as not to give the assailants any reason to open fire, she sets her blaster down on the ground and steps away from it. Shane slow moves closer to the two quarren, "I asked you politely to lower your weapons, please do so," he says in a clam, soothing tone. Looking the leader square in the eyes, he adds, "I am an Oficer of the Republic, and a fighter pilot. You dont want to do anything rash. If you fire on me, the military will hunt you to the ends of the galaxy." He slowly reaches into his uniform pocket and pulls out a comlink, and clicks it on to the emergency chanel, "I have just signaled the athorities. They shall be here shortly. Again, lower your weapons, please," he informs them. At all times, he keeps a calm polite tone, not presenting any type of hostile action. "Myiari, put it down." Tokoga says softly. The Mon Calamari stays silent for a few more moment, considering the Quarren's words and giving Shane a disapproving shake of his head. If the Quarren and whoever he represented were as dedicated to their cause as they seemed to be, maybe they'd despise Nass and his ilk just as much as he had after discovering the extent of his illicit activities. "If you want to understand why you're here, I'll tell you the whole story, and I'm sure you'll be as enraged as I, but this isn't the proper venue for it," he offers. Myiari glances to the Mon Calamari uncertainly, but after a few moments of deliberation, she sighs and nods. As stretched to the limit her temper was, losing her cool wouldn't be productive. Slowly so as not to give the assailants any reason to open fire, she sets her blaster down on the ground and steps away from it. "He either stays behind or gets rid of the commlink.", the leader says, a look at Shane clarifying who he means, before he turns around and begins to walk, confident that his instructions will be followed. And if not, the other Quarren, who is to bring up the rear of this small train will make certain that he is informed. "We'll be going to a nearby warehouse. But in the meantime, speak, why should we trust you?" The other Quarren takes great care to observe Myiari, the medic's blaster not yet forgotten. Taking a risk, Shane sets the comling on the ground next to the blaster and leaves it, then moves next to Tokoga. "Dose that satisfy you?" he asks the quarren. Shane follow, the senators lead, trusting that the Senator knows what he is doing. Though Shane does leave the comlink on just in case, as a beacon to the athorities. Tokoga shakes his head resignedly. The two Quarren obviously don't seem to be giving him much of a choice in the matter. Very well, then. "If you've been following my life as closely as you seem to be, then you must have stumbled on the Incorporation of Crime Act. I introduced that bill after a few run-ins with a man named Bavon Nass, a local crime lord," he begins. Myiari grumbles to herself. She is definitely not happy about complying with these men. "Fine, whatever." If only she had another weapon on her, then she'd be golden. No answer is given to Shane's question other than a grunt, a satisfied one presumably as nothing else is said or done on that matter. "And what if you had another weapon, think you could shoot your way clear of here? You're not an expert gunfighter are you?", the question asked a bit derisively but that is par for the course with this Quarren. His companion is much more reasonable and much better brought up given how polite he has acted so far. "I am familiar with it, Senator.", point in case, "What does it or this Nass man have to do with this?" "Speaking of Bavon Nass, Senator, I have a recording that provides sercimstancial evidence, that he is running an illegal swoop racing ring," Shane says with a frown remembering that unfortunate night where he almost got ran over. "Though I am not sure if this is the best place to talk about that," he adds. He looks from on quarren to the other, and an stroke of inspiration hits him, one that he will keep to him-self for a bit longer. Tokoga frowns a little. Obviously not the brightest of the bunch, but at least he's idealistic. "Not surprisingly, he wasn't particularly thrilled by the prospect of having his livelihood ruined. He tried to kill me twice--which you might not w and promised that he'd go on a quest to make my political life a living hell. Which, long story short, brings the five of us here today." The Quarren at the head of the small procession comes to an abrupt halt, and when he looks back over Tokoga and the rest of those with him, it is with a startled look. The halt lasts for a few moments before finally he walks. "And he would bring an entire planet to the brink of another war just to stop you from attacking his interests, small as they are.", no, that is not the question, "The possibility that such a man could exist that could do this is slight. It would take resources beyond those available to a mere criminal.", that is, even if it is not phrased as such. Shane takes this opertunity, to voice is insight, "Uh, sir, how well do you know your 'partern' here," he gestures to the more aggresive quarren as he speaks. "By the disparity between your behaviors and manerisims, I would think not very well. And by your 'friend's' more aggresive nature, it makes me think that you may regret trusting this man." Shane shows every sign of being of the most serious nature. "I belive that your 'friend' here may have been assign to you to make sure you to do this job. He might very well, be employied by nass," he adds. "That's exactly what I thought when this started. Then the man walked into my office with an appointment with the credentials of an important lobbyist. Later, I found myself in this position." Tokoga shakes his head, briefly glancing in the officer's direction before returning to the conversation. "I don't think he realizes the implications of his actions beyond what he cares about--namely, that I'm politically hamstringed and not a threat to him." The hot-headed Quarren is left speechless for a moment by the accusation, but then his temper flares, as expected, and his weapon raised, holding it steady and pointed at the Sluissi. "Say it again, I dare you, insult my honour again.", hoping that his companion will give him leave to shoot if the SLuissi digs himself deeper. "Give over, I have known him long enough to know that is not likely. We fought together at Morjannssik.", the calm one says, a battle of the recent Mon Calamari campaign referenced, before turning his attention back to Tokoga, although not before a warning to his companion to keep calm. "Plausible. But what is easier to believe, a corrupt politician or an underworld figure with the smarts to pull this off and enough sociopathic tendencies to not give a care of what he would do? I have proof that seems very believable confirming your guilt. Do you have anything to counteract that?" "Nass definitely is well-connected," Myiari chimes in. "He's a thug with the wealth and the connections of a smart businessman. When I met with him, he looked like he had the resources to do whatever he wanted, and he could make it look like he was completely innocent of any wrongdoing." "If your friend is so, innocent, then why would he be so quick to silence me? Perhaps Nass has greater influence then you are willing to belive," he states, then adds, "I have personaly meet Nass, and fully belive that he is a man capable of manipulating any person or situation to suit his needs. Including your friend here," once again gesturing to the more aggresive one. "No, I don't. Unfortunately, the former is much more plausible than the latter. I had held faith those I represent would know and trust me well enough to believe everything they hear on the HoloNet." he looks again briefly at the Quarren's companion. "But, yes, I assure you that Nass is enough of a sociopath to do just that. He's quite convinced that he's an upstanding member of society." A few words in Quarren are exchanged between the two men, Tokoga the only one to realize perhaps the comic natura of the aggressive one's pleading to be let off his leash. That nothing occurs should be proof enough that he is not allowed to do as he wills. "Suppose that I were to believe you, and that is just supposing for the moment.", the one nearest to Tokoga says, "I would need proof and so far I have none. And how do you explain the evidence we have?" "I wounder," Shane says, changing the subject, "just where and how did you get this so called proof, of the Senator's guilt?" "I may not be able to prove the Senator's innocence, but as I said before, I just might be able to prove that Nass is guilty of illegal activity," he adds. Maybe if shane can keep them thinking they just might open up to sugestions. "Also, what would you accept as proof of the Senator's innocences," he wounders. The Senator looks from the two Quarren's interaction, grinning slightly until he gets addressed once again by the seemingly more rational of the two. "It's rather difficult to prove a negative," Tokoga protests before the Sluissi speaks and pauses as he speaks. "Little consolation would proof of Nass' nefariousness would be to you, but Ord Mantell's Investigative Service has reams on the man." Plus anything that the officer had to offer. "But I don't have anything that would prove a lack of involvement in the SHEP affair beyond complete doubt, and I don't know what you think it would be. If I had information like that, don't you think I would have taken it public by now?" The datapad that earlier contained the proof against Tokoga is held out for the Senator. "I will give you one chance to prove your innocence. This is the evidence against you and I will send to your office the channels by which we acquired it, or at least enough that you might be able to prove to us that you are innocent.", the calm one says, ignoring the protests of his companion, though they are soon silenced by a strong look from him. "It will not improve my standing with those back home who I work with, but that is the least you should be worried about. You have one week to prove your innocence and prove this wrong, afterwards...You may hide in the most secure areas of this planet, but make certain that we will stop at nothing to see you dead. Do not disappoint my faith in what you claim to believe in." The Sluissi, having earlier been observed in quiet when he asked his questions, "You have your answer, soldier. If you care for the Senator, help him, or do not, that is your choice." "It is not a mater of weather I 'care' for the senator," he says, "It is my duty to uphold justice." Looking back to the Senator, he adds, "But I will help you in any way I can." Shane can only hope at this point that they can sucseed in the task. Other-wise things wont look very good. The Senator doesn't seem particularly satisfied by the ultimatum -- he had already told the Quarren everything that could refute his earlier financial doubts about him. What's more, that's all information on the public record. That's the whole point of having transparency, isn't it? What more could they want? "Very well," Tokoga answers flatly and concisely where he would normally answer with some sardonic, witty comment were it not for the seriousness of the situation. "One week." A silent nod from the leader and the two Quarrens are on their way, though one of them does look mighty disappointed. There was little to be gained by letting the Senator live, and despite the bravado, it would take a significant effort to get to the man if he was protected But... The two men disappear not long after, stepping into the woods after a few moments, vanishing from sight.
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