Eagle X, Mission 21: CTRL

Part 1: Chillard

He strolled along the park road pretending to study the information on his datapad. What he was really doing was following up on a lead. Sitting down on a park bench, he raised his bifocals and poked around on his pad. He listened to EC news while simultaneously watching the Xnean stock market. He clicked his beak and chuckled. Stock futures were looking up. When he was finally done with his current assignment, he'd have enough capital to start his own wing. The dream of every young, able bodied Xnean, beginning one's own organization.

Chillard Swaxnea scanned Section H Park. Young and fit programmers, data analysts, and tech problem solvers jogged, hoping to maintain their cardio health on the backwater space station. An artificial breeze swept through, blowing around fallen leaves from the faux trees and paper trash that had missed the receptacle. Chillard enjoyed the way breeze ruffled his feathers. As much as he was eager to earn a commendation and the endorsement of his commanding officer, he longed to feel real atmosphere on his down once again.

In truth, Chillard was ready to leave, but his mission came first.

He minimized the Xnean Xnarn financials and hesitated over the EC newsfeed. On the screen was an old Xnean exile named Xiup Tikka. Old and out of shape, the old bird possessed similar feather patterns. Chillard saw himself. White down with sky blue bristles, and hooked beak like an old Earth eagle.

Having caught Chillard's attention, he raised the volume of the report.

... the freighter explosion is merely the latest in a string of events started six years ago with The Singapore Incident, when pirates attempted to kidnap Earth Conglomerate CEO, Angelique Farnsworth. It was only thirteen months ago today a series of explosions rocked Alpha Arietis Station while members of the board of directors were docked for repairs. Analysts believe the attacks are connected to a greater political movement-

He closed the feed and shook his head. His contact within Armada Intelligence believed the attacks were part of a shadow organization's play for power. Lacking the Xnea's talent for espionage, the human clandestine agencies were always one step behind with no idea the kind of trouble they had on the horizon.

He clicked his beak and muted the feed. It was time to go to work.

Relaxing, Chillard leaned into the bench and reached out with his senses. Emotions quickly flooded his mind. The happy couple jogging by, excited about a positive pregnancy result. The content maintenance clone, repairing environment monitoring equipment. The disgruntled tech, angry at the sudden shift change. Their emotions and surface thoughts were laid bare by Chillard's mind-work.

Amongst his fellow recruits he'd made a name for himself with his extraordinary gifts. The human's would label him an empath, but that merely brushed the surface of his abilities. His special talent made the admiralty choose him specifically for this mission. Chillard could pluck information right from his target's head and all of their electronic security and countermeasures would amount to nothing.

Chillard scanned the park for his target, Shift Leader Irena Bloch. He'd memorized her daily routine and she was due for her jog at any moment.

"Chillard? Chillard Zwilk, is that you?"

Chillard nearly forgot to react to the name. Chillard was common among Xnean living in EC space, but Zwilk was part of a false identity fabricated by the Armada's Special Diplomat Department.

Chillard turned and smiled at the man behind him, Jacob Vis. "Jake, how are you? It's been a long time."

"A standard month, I'd say." Jake sat beside Chillard and extended his hand.

The two men shook. Jake was average height with the pale skin of a man born on one of the human colonies.

"How have you been?" Chillard asked, closing his mind off from the heavy emotions rolling off of Vis. The man was ecstatic about something.