A Sentinel shuttle popped unceremoniously out of hyperspace over Sacorria. The fact that it was a sentinel class vessel, traveling alone, was perhaps the most remarkable thing about it, as the model was not usually employed as a personal transport. Developed for the Galactic Empire after the Battle of Yavin by Sienar Fleet Systems, it was modeled after the famous Lambda class, but with a different directive- its official designation was as a landing craft. As such the Sentinels' were less luxurious and therefore less likely to be employed as personal transports. Plus, it usually suited those who were of a caliber to travel in a personal shuttle to employ a squadron or two of escort fighters, which provided a much more visible level of security and usually acted as a suitable deterrent to anyone itching to take a potshot at them.
Tir Esias was the type of man who might require such protection but had no ego to stroke, nor wished to announce his presence so forcibly. With military grade shielding and reinforced armor, eight laser cannons, two of concussion missile launchers, an ion cannon and a pair of repeating blasters (for ground security) the Sentinel could account for itself very well in a fight. As an added bonus, the mounts were retractable, which not only allowed the vessel to preserve its aerodynamics for atmospheric travel but on numerous occasion led would be attackers to underestimate the power of their quarry. Finally, this ship had a class one hyperdrive, and could reach speeds in excess of 1000 kilometers per hour in the atmosphere, which meant that the option to run instead of fight, always existed.
Of course, if Tir had exercised either of those options then there had been a serious breach in his ultimate layer of security, the shroud of secrecy that surrounded the Union. He was not coming to Sacorria to pick a fight, at least not directly, but the Corellian sector was, if not the heart of the Galactic Empire at least one of its lungs. Too dangerous one of the galaxies most wanted men, like Brutus Nogoth, to approach without serious risk. Tir Esias, on the other hand, was an unknown- or at least not a household name. Although it had been a minor detail, Tir Esias had announced himself over Tammar, and even in the chaos of battle there was little chance the Coalition had lost his name. The GC and Empire weren't the best of friends, but Tir wouldn't have put it past Imperial Intelligence to have the ability to read the GC's databanks down to the last megabyte.
A nomne de guerre would cover identity. And the ship was registered to Belgardi Universal, a Union affiliate, but also a galactic spanning mega-corporation that operated just about everywhere. There had been that misunderstand at Bespin... but nothing to make anyone too suspicious.
Besides, the Triad was officially neutral.
Despite the Imperial stranglehold on the majority of the Corellian Sector, the Sacorrian Triad had maintained its official neutrality, with some obvious deference to the superiority of the nearby Imperial presence. Still, the Triad was not a council of lap-dogs; they simply had an understanding of the strength the Empire could bring to bear against them. They cooperated when necessary, but were obstinate about there sovereignty- and Tir had no doubt- maintained deeper desires than simply surviving as an independent entity.
Tir expected no trouble. He sensed no trouble. The aura coming off Qive, however, was one of mild unease. If he could have looked at the hulking Gen'Dai with true eyes, he would have seen him cleaning the barrel of a massive blaster pistol- an undeniable sign that Qive was concerned about something. Tir Esias didn't say anything to his associate. The huge alien did not need to explain himself to Tir, simply to perform his task. Qive was very good at what he did.... and the lessons that Tir had taken from Vodo Bass (and continued on his own) made him much less dependent on Qive than he had been in the past.
The shuttle had angled toward the planet and was moving toward a small, private spaceport in the Sacorrian countryside, the time had passed quickly as Tir Esias contemplated the situation. This was a mission for Brutus Nogoth, the champion of freedom fighters/terrorists everywhere. Yet the head of the GLF rarely left on of his mega-cell bases, and when he did never moved in anything smaller than a Star Destroyer. Though, Tir would concede, not without good reason.
The GLF was a critical part of the Union. It grabbed all the headlines, did lots of (somewhat superficial) damage, and diverted the eyes of the galaxy's power players from the Union itself. As they focused on stamping out the terrorist threat, the Union had carved itself out an unseen empire, a confederacy of the underworld that had handholds from the Corporate Sector to the Ison Corridor. The Union had done nothing but create a previously unheard of synergy that joined many disparate factions into an organization that could focus and channel their power. For the right price, that power could be purchased.
Or the Union could wield it for its own purposes.
The shuttle set down on a landing pad. The docking fee had been paid in advance. Rico Belgardi's company was a tiny bit poorer- though without the assistance the Union had given him he would never had made all that money in the first place- but the price was right. There had been whispers, subtle messages sent out at hubs across the galaxy. A meeting had been called.
The message had never been intended for Tir's ears, but with the reach of the Union, with the extent of its underworld connections and power, there was little the Chairman- and in extension Tir and the Committee did not hear. Brutus Nogoth had found the message very interesting. The Chairman had dispatched Tir Esias, as he often did, to relay a message on Brutus' (and the Committee's) behalf.
An enclosed landspeeder, sans driver (the role was filled by Qive), carried Tir to the pre-fabricated base where the message had indicated those interested were to assemble. Qive brought the speeder to a stop, then exited the craft with Tir in toe. The sight of a Qive, behemoth with a pair of heavy blaster pistols on his hips, surprised the CorSec guards at the base's entrance, but they were experienced enough to realize no one drove up to the front gate in broad daylight if they were planning an attack. They raised their rifles, and barked out a challenge.
Tir responded.
"I am hear to speak with General Bel Iblis. I have an offer I suspect he will find extremely interesting."
