THE IMPERIAL REMNANT
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EPISODE I
THE INFINITY DEMAND
Part 1: The Imperial Security Bureau
"Nothing can remain unknown."
- Common saying of the ISBEvery Imperial citizen was guilty of a crime of one form or another; this Alter Trecht knew well. As an agent of the Imperial Security Bureau's internal affairs division, it was his duty to discover these crimes. What saved the ordinary citizen from the scrutiny of Alter and others like him was that their crimes were often inconsequential.
Technically, many citizens at one time or another likely harbored doubts about the abilities of the Empire or their great leader to restore order to the galaxy; this made them Enemies of the Empire. Others may have doubted the abilities of Imperial industry or economy to satisfy their basic daily living needs; this made them Enemies of the People.
Most, however, were prudent enough to keep these doubts to themselves, and then to eradicate them as soon as possible. They internalized them, rejected them, and moved on to become productive citizens of the Empire. Many of these were smart enough to never record these doubts in any form, for every bit of data could be lawfully obtained by the Empire without warrant. They could not even elect to have the memories erased, for the data on the procedure would be stored somewhere, if it were performed legally -- and an illegal memory wipe was, of course, a crime by its very nature.
But with a population that numbered in the trillions, there were bound to be misguided individuals. Individuals who held onto these doubts and sought to undermine the Empire and the People in nefarious ways. A few of these individuals could be reeducated. Most, however, were simply traitors.
And the one thing they all had in common was that someday, somehow, they would be caught. As Alter and other ISB agents were fond of saying, nothing can remain unknown.
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"I've done nothing wrong," says the man. Named Highmander, Dawes. Human. Male. Fifty-seven years of age. Rejuvenation therapy reduced his age to thirty-two. A conservative choice.
Alter looks up from his datapad, linked to the man's citizen file.
"I don't understand why I'm here." One-point-eight meters tall. Seventy-four-point-eight-four kilograms.
With a raised eyebrow: "Don't you?"
Dark brown hair. Pale skin. "There's been a -- a -- a mistake."
Alter sets the datapad down and smiles placidly. A satisfied hunter. "Has the Imperial Security Bureau made a mistake?"
Married at age twenty-one. Subscribed to Twi'lekkian pornography holofeed starting approximately five standard years ago up until three months ago. Cancelled subscription three months ago; event tagged "to confirm" -- likely explanation: discovery of wife's affair with Twi'lek maitre d' of local luxury restaurant. Data sifters exploring commlink records.
He hesitates now. He is an alert person, at least. He senses the trap. "Well, no, I wouldn't --"
"Because that would make you an Enemy of the Empire," finishes Alter. The smile vanishes.
"No, no." No known allergies. "The Bureau makes no mistakes."
"So you have committed a crime."
Olive-green eyes; pupils dilated. Natural reaction to a predatory threat. "No! I, I mean --"
Time. Time to let him off the hook. Alter smiles again, this time broadly. Warmly. "Relax -- an old joke. You think that's what we do? Entrap people? No, don't try to answer. You're startled; I know." He chuckles and picks the datapad back up. "No, Mr. Highmander, this is quite routine really. Merely a bureaucratical hiccup. A small wrinkle appeared in recent immigration statistics and we are ironing it out. You are just one of many. Please, please try to relax."
Perspiration on upper lip, but shoulders slumped now. A narrow escape? "Oh, I, I see. Immigration stat-- uh, I see. A hiccup?"
Alter smiles and no longer looks at Highmander. He shrugs off the man's trepidation. "Happens many times. The Empire is quite large. Most of the time it all boils down to a clerical error. And the cleric is reprimanded."
"Oh," he says again. "I, I see."
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Three hours pass. "And how is he doing?"
Alter settles in behind his desk, putting his datapad on a corner of it where it will recharge. "Fine enough. He's smarter than his university aptitude tests would imply. He understands."
Valthus Dolrama takes his feet down from his own desk, across from Alter's. Valthus is Alter's partner. He is new, reassigned six months ago from Doddel sector, Kuat branch. Twenty-eight. No rejuvenation therapy.
Alter waits but Valthus does not say anything. "What, Val."
Valthus opens his mouth but stops, sits back with a sigh. "Nothing, I guess. I just hate these -- scatter jobs. The poor men and women we pick up."
Scattering: to apprehend an Imperial citizen in the absence of evidence of wrongdoing, in order to surveil known associates for suspicious activity.
"Make them worry for nothing," says Valthus. "Most of them have never done anything wrong."
Alter calls up his home screen by tapping his desktop. A holo appears in front of him, displaying a queue of waiting messages. "Everyone is guilty of something."
Valthus laughs. "You really believe that?"
Alter takes his focus off his holo and its opacity diminishes almost to the point of transparency, tracking his eyes. He looks at Valthus with a raised eyebrow. "You don't?"
"Of course not." Valthus laughs more. "Emp's bones, Alt. I don't know about you. Remind me never to double-park until you retire."
Alter allows himself a smile. "Who says I'll retire."
"Anyway -- anything yet?"
Alter is already back to scanning through his message queue. "Nothing. Yet. Aren't you supposed to be headed to Ralssian's for your sixth date with Emlee?"
Valthus stands with a stretch and groan. "Yes, yes. You and your memory, Alt. With current and extrapolated traffic conditions it'll take only twenty-six-point-three minutes to reach Ralssian's. But, you never know." He picks up his coat off the back of his chair, begins putting his arms through it. "I'll check it after."
"No need," Alter says. "Just enjoy."
"I still will," says Valthus with a smile, heading for the door. "And I will!"
When he's gone, Alter opens a file and makes a note.
