The intelligence wing of Coruscant's upper spire wasn't on any map.
Its windows were darkened. Its floors had no names. The guards were not clone troopers—they wore no insignia, only silence.
Director Arven stood alone at the edge of a hollow display wall, arms clasped behind his back, the glow of stars and data bleeding into his pale eyes.
CLASSIFIED REPORT: AUREXPlanetary Zone – Unknown RegionsFirst Contact Logged: Trade Fed envoy, outer orbit scout.Projected Tech Level: Mid-to-High Pre-ImperialLeader ID: Toren Vale (Unverified Biometric Origin)
The image flickered—Toren's face caught in a freeze-frame from the envoy's recording.
Young. Calculating. Eyes that didn't match the smile.
Arven narrowed his gaze.
"Rewind," he said.
The system obeyed.
Mira came into frame next. Her posture. Her proximity to Toren. Her command presence.
"Not militia," Arven muttered. "Not groomed. Independent."
He turned toward the data analyst waiting by the wall, silent as marble.
"Expand on this leader. Cross-reference with Jedi archives. Republic records. Any Fringe logs that mention Aurex."
"Yes, sir."
"And trace the signal vector. Whoever built that defense ring didn't pull it from junk."
He paused.
Then added quietly:
"Find me the first brick they laid."