Hajimaru: Raveling

"Sir, you won't be disappointed sir."

The dark eyes of Major Cornet turned from the glowing console back to the petite woman who had just spoken standing stiffly on the other side of the desk. He studied her for a long moment, trying to push down whatever doubts he might have in sending her on this mission. Special Agent Shiva was one of the least typical members of the soldiers under his command. At barely 5'2'', she was slender with short, spiky blonde hair. With a heart shaped face and generally unassuming demeanour, she was not what someone might think of when the phrase 'military special forces,' was mentioned. But one look into the sharply intelligent hazel eyes told a different story. He frowned slightly, but she didn't react at all. She seldom did. Shiva was, in some ways, the perfect soldier. Bright, obedient, and most of all, deadly. But sometimes, mostly at moments like this, he wished that she was more, or maybe less, than that. A little more human. A little less..... Shiva.

But if that were the case, she would be utterly worthless to him.

"I know Captain. Work with the local law enforcement if you can, bypass them completely if you have to. They are already investigating the group, but I don't think they know just what they are messing with. I'll want a full report. Dismissed."

She nodded curtly, saluted smartly and headed silently out of his office. He watched her go, running a hand through short dark hair, just starting to grey at the temples. It bothered him, sometimes, to know that every time he made use of Shiva and her skills, he might be sending a woman to her death. A woman who's real name he didn't even know.


*****

Shiva grimaced as she paused outside of the local precinct office in the capital city Pax of the planet Parish. Two days had passed since her meeting with Major Cornet on the Imperium's primary planet of Teikoku. The trip in the small shuttle given over to her for use on this mission had been uneventful. But enough time to familiarize herself with the details of just why she was here.

Psi-deckers. Psionic net hackers with no technological limitations. Given enough time and talent, no system was safe from them. They weren't the only kind of mystics in the Imperium, nor were they necessarily the most frightening. But they were dangerous to the very basis of the Imperial Technocracy. Psions, hedge-mages, 'mancers; they were subhumans, few and far between on the planets within the Empire, but they were considered dangerous and volatile, seditious and a threat to the very peace and stability of trillions of lives.

Psi-deckers. A conclave of them were operating here on Parish. Though an outlying planet of the Imperium, it was set on a bustling trade lane. Goods from outside of the Imperium poured in, but then, so did trouble makers. Mystics were outlawed within the Technocracy, but it seemed as though little things like laws weren't about to stop them.

Dressed in plain, faded black fatigues, Shiva stepped in to the precinct office, mentally reviewing her files. A detective was already investigating the hackers, but the Imperial Intelligence seemed to think that he didn't really know what he was looking at. Not yet. It was only a matter of time of course before he figured out he was dealing with psions, if he hadn't already. It would be easier, for everyone involved, if he remained ignorant of the fact. If he already suspected.... well, she would worry about that when and if that problem arose.

The middle aged gentleman at the front desk looked up as she approached, eyebrows arching slightly, but otherwise making no comment until she spoke.

"I need to speak with the detective handling the 'Centura' case. Immediately."