Bold Action

"-Bring everything," the voice of Marrick Quinn sounded over the recorder and Ledo Alorr clicked it off. The briefing room in the Imperial Security Bureau's Covert Operations Sector was eerily quiet after those words sounded. Ledo savoured the silence, they were finally getting what he had been saying for years. Isar Kinnal wasn't just some rich playboy but rather a primary financier to the Jiramma Kajidic. They had been steadily diverting funds from his intel operations for the past two years and now he has finally direct evidence against the Clawdite. Unfortunately it appeared as if he was dead but Marrick had handed them something even better - the Red Book.
"As you can see, our micro-transmitters we painstakingly planted within the shuttle and on various personal belongings of Quinn and Kinnal have yielded us this phenomenal report," he said. He flicked the holoprojector to an image of the Core Worlds, a series of red lines which were off the regular trade lanes connected key planets. He heard Jann Cardin sigh in the back of the room, typical. The Moff had been slowing down his efforts since the beginning. Ledo was sure that he was on the payroll of Giarda or one of the other Kajidic's but the Moff had spent years working in the various Intelligence Bureau's of the Empire and knew had to hide his tracks. No matter, this was too firm to pass up and Cardin knew that.
"This is the Red Book - the key to the Jiramma's smuggling operations. We have only heard of it in passing and never spoken about directly. We believe the Red Book is the key to the Jiramma's smuggling arm into the Core Worlds. These red lines represent what we believe are the routes but only the Red Book will be able to map it out for us in addition to naming a series of contacts in the Core Worlds who facilitate this crime". The room grew uncomfortable at that comment and they shifted in their chairs. Most of them knew that this level of smuggling was only possible with involvement from senior members of the Empire. It was a noble goal to try and burn out this crime from the Empire but the impact to the organization by exposing corruption at the upper echelons would be colossal. Savouring the silence, something he had rarely had in any of his briefings, Ledo continued and the holo-image flickered to that of a Raider Class Corvette.
"We believe these unknown assailants have seized the Red Book and are attempting to get off world. This is our best chance to capture this data for the Empire," he pointed to the ship floating above the table's built in holo-projector.
"This is the Acheron, a Raider Class Corvette on exercise in the sector," he motioned to one of the other men at the table, an older man with large moustaches in the classic Imperial Military-style.
"Admiral Elnen, this vessel is under the command of Captain Colo Jakkor and within your battle group. I am requesting that this be temporarily transferred to the ISB to assist with a cordon and blockade of the planet. If we restrict the airspace and departures from the planet with the Acheron within the next hour, we can ensure that the Red Book doesn't fall into any other hands but the Empire's." he finished and listened to the anticipated guffaw and uproar from the table.
"Restrict the airspace-"
"Blockade an Imperial controlled planet-"
"Are you mad..."
"The ISB has really gone too far-"
"The Emperor would not approve-". He listened to these complaints quietly and stared intently at the only person in the room who also remained quiet. At the head of the table at the other end of the room sat Garm Dellian, the regional Grand Moff for this sector. He was a stoic man and Ledo knew that he was the only person in the room who's opinion mattered. The noise died down and eventually all the others stared at Dellian intently. He rested his chin in his hand, a finger tapping his lips lightly. Ledo shivered under the man's gaze, his eyes were so cold and knowing.
"You are certain of this report?" he asked quietly but the deep tenor of his voice filled the room. Ledo nodded quickly. "Yes Sir," he stammered.
"I should hope so," he began "As you will likely spend the rest of your life in Kessel if this bold action goes wrong," he finished with a daunting complacency to his voice, as if he hadn't just suggested this mistake would land Ledo in the most dangerous prison in the galaxy. Dellian turned to Admiral Elnen who squirmed uncomfortably in his Imperial dress whites.
"Make it so," Dellian said to Elnen and the Admiral gave him a curt nod and then dismissed himself. The room fell again into a wash of noise as the various players around the table began to plan. Ledo turned and looked out the window into the cityscape of Hosnian Prime, Lexillon Towers a pinnacle in the distance. He clenched his fists, trying to quell any visible signs of excitement, and he whispered:
"Justice".