Media | Signal | Cryptanalysis | Tech | Interrogation |
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Media
The datacast seemed simple and uniform with little flash and pizazz, thought Billen Yarell. Starting with the top stories and moving slowly toward citizen interest pieces, it was seemingly no different than a billion datacasts found across the galaxy. But Yarell had a feeling. The very same feeling for which he was hired on to Media. Someone recognized his inate talent to cull conspiracy from plain and inane data, and Yarell was happy for that. For it was this obscure talent, this feeling he would get, that would pay his brother's bill at the academy. For now, though, Yarell was only concerned about the fact that he was getting that feeling about this particular datacast. He searched the recording for outwardly unusual traits: flashing graphics, odd colors. Nothing. Maybe there was something hidden, something invisible yet intentional...not the anchor woman, no there was something small yet off. Yarell ran it through his battery of analysis programs a second time. Maybe the system missed something. Ah, Yarell mentally expelled, a peculiar line signal coming from the station identification logo at the bottom right of the screen. What was a spinning planet with the news networks ID was rotating at an uneven, broken pace. Yarell magnified it, focusing the analysis on the colors and hue for anything not common to a basic graphic. Sure enough, after hours of examination, Yarell teased out a curious pattern which was transmitted by the globes differentiating spin speed. Yarell hadn't seen anything like that in quite a while. There was a pattern, and where a pattern was, there was a message. Oh well, Yarell thought as he prepared the file attatched to a copy of his analysis, that's something for the kids down in Signal...
Media agents share the characteristics of the typical bug-eyed pencil pushers that are found in any government. Though unobtrusive and easily confused with accountants, Media engages themselves in the work which many don't have the patience for. They are responsible for analyzing public communications for any subversive activity, and they are quite skilled and successful. This success is owed in no small part to extensive examination and analysis of seemingly simple-minded and useless information. Suprisingly, Media uncovers at least 11,800+ suspect communications in a typical standard month which they then pass on to either Signal or Cryptanalysis, depending on the nature of the suspicion. Media has offices on almost every major planet in the capitol city. The agents there are responsible for examining all the information which flows "freely" throughout their particular system. Occasionally, agents have reason to take leave of the office and work as interns undercover at local broadcast stations so as to be in the position to make their examinations on a more personal level. They are not, however, expected nor are they supposed to actively engage in the pursuit of a suspect individual. For those matters, the Analysis Bureau passes on the case to the Bureau of Operations for their Surveillance department to handle.
Typical Media Agent
Dexterity 2D+2
Knowledge 4D
Alien Species 5D
Planetary Systems 5D
Cultures 5D
Languages 5DMechanical 2D
Repulsorlift Op. 2D+2Perception 3D
Search 4D+2
(s)Media Analysis 6D+2Strength 2D
Technical 3D+1
Computer Programming/Repair 4D+1
(s) IMAS 5D+2
Force Sensitive: No. Equipment: *Blaster Pistol (4D), Pocket Recorder, Datapad |
Capsule: *rarely issued, light blaster pistols if in dangerous situation. Note: IMAS (Imperial Media Analysis Systems) is only usable when agent is in their office utilizing this specific system to analyze media. Media agents are usually irritable from lack of sleep and sore eyes. They talk amongst themselves only and regard persons from other bureaus as bothersome and lacking in understanding of their job. |
Signal
Finis Giel hadn't been awake for more that four or five standard minutes, and his message box was already blinking on the dim monitor. Putting down a nutrient bar and groaning, he wiped the sleep from his eyes and opened the message. Hmm...I need to stop falling asleep here or I'm never gonna hear the last of it, he thought. The message indicated an attatchment. "Hah," Finis spoke aloud, "those geeks in Media. Always sending me their late night trash." Something about a spinning globe emitting a pattern at the bottom of a local telecast. "Yeah, well that's my job to figure out," Finis said, gesturing towards the attatchment hatefully. He'd about had enough with the Media "kids" trying to act like they belonged in Signal. Finis ran the diagnostic he tailor-made for things just like this, and while waiting for the results, he pushed piles of datacards and hardcopy sheets to the far corners of his desk. Having cleared a space, he set his head on the desk top in front of his monitors and closed his eyes, expecting at least an hour of shut-eye. An alarm blurted, and he rose with a jerk. Yep, he thought as he examined the almost immeadiate result, a pattern indeed...
Signal, as stated before, examines the channel through which information is transmitted. Specifically, information suspected of rebel or other subversive activity. The individuals that take residence with Signal are truly the computer designer's dream of an end-user. That is, they eat, sleep, breath and do everything else in front of their consoles (or so it seems). What would usually take any other similar person weeks normally takes a Signal agent hours to figure out. This is due in part to the fact they have extremely advanced facilities through which to pump data and get quick results, and the fact that unlike normal people, they have a bizarre need to be around their computers all the time. The life of a Signal agent is spent almost entirely inside, in front of their console. Short excursions have been known to take place as groups of them have occasion to brave the sunlight for a data systems seminar or some such attraction. Signal agents are never field agents, but they can be found at large universities and academies, though they never reveal their occupation. This sort of info would have to be found out before hand.
Typical Signal Agent
Dexterity 2D
Knowledge 4D
Languages 5DMechanical 2D
Repulsorlift Op. 2D+2Perception 3D
Search 5D
(s)Signal/Channel Analysis 7DStrength 2D
Technical 4D
Computer Programming/Repair 5D+1
(s) IMAS 6D+2
Force Sensitive: No. Equipment: *Blaster Pistol (4D), Pocket Recorder, Datapad, glasses, scientific calculator |
Capsule: *rarely issued, light blaster pistols if in dangerous situation. Note: IMAS (Imperial Media Analysis Systems) is only usable when agent is in their office utilizing this specific system to analyze media. Signal agents have a tendency to be arrogant, viewing themselves as so essential to the system they can't really imagine how the Empire would get along without them. Imperial training fosters this in many agents involved in technical pursuits to instill an intense sense of responsibility and self-importance. Though it is technically true that Signal agents are more skilled than Media agents, Signal wouldn't have a job if it weren't for Media giving them the items to analyze. |
Cryptanalysis
The sharp light from the monitor poured over Rastin's desk. He had pretty much had enough of everything today, and he showed it. Running his fingers through his hair, eyes weary with anger, he huffed and puffed at the list of assignments before him. This was the last time he would volunteer himself to take Varlis's work load for the day so he could have a day off. There was at least three times the already difficult and burdensome amount of assignments he had to do in the next 28 hours. Before Varlis left, he failed to indicate to Rastin that he had already assumed another agent's load before putting it all on him. Rastin scanned the list for any good ones. A derelict report running around a local bulletin board, something about the planetary governor found naked in an alley...no. A file on a man who claims he has the codes to the local garrison gates, and he's willing to sell...uh-uh. Rastin wheezed and fidgeted as he came closer to the bottom of the list, searching for a good one to start on. Wait. A pattern detected in the station identificaton logo of a datacast...hmm, that's curious. Rastin accessed the file on his console and immeadiatly began reading the collated data. How strange, Rastin thought, this does indeed emit a pattern but I've seen that before somewhere. Rastin searched his mind. It was something recent but not too recent. Going through the past files he'd covered, he finally came upon something familiar he examined about a month ago. The navigation lights on a passenger liner that emitted a pattern, and the pattern was cracked into a code. Rastin quickly ran the code over the new file's pattern, and sure enough, there was a seamless match. With total fascination, and forgetting his anger of only minutes ago, he peered intensely at the screen, waiting for the results...
Cryptanalysis, or just "Crypt" as referred to by the Alliance Intel community, has a fascinating job indeed. They are the ones who take all the data from Media and Signal and put it into perspective. Mostly, they are concerned with codes and ciphers used by the Empire's main opposition, but they often uncover coded messages between planets of a same system who wish to join the Alliance. Upon receipt of this information and confirmation, they pass it along to the Bureau of Operations, who nip it in the bud before it gets into a matter of mass defection to the Rebels. Otherwise, Cryptanalysis excels at deciphering codes and pulling the necessary info out for use. Very often they collect and decipher codes that come out of criminal and Rebel circles, via intercepted transmissions from all sorts of ships. These signals are intercepted by Imperial Naval ships and passed along to Crypt. Most of what they uncover in this aspect gets sent to the ISB, and less often, the Bureau of Operations. Their only drawback is they don't have the diagnostic ability nor the military intuition to know a dummy message when they see one. The Alliance knows this, and exploits it. Many a bad message has been sent to Operations, only to have them waste valuable time and expense to discover a dead end, or worse, an ambush.
Typical Cryptanalysis Agent
Dexterity 2D
Knowledge 4D
Languages 6DMechanical 2D
Repulsorlift Op. 2D+2Perception 3D
Search 5D+2
(s)Coded/Ciphered Analysis 7D+2Strength 2D
Technical 4D
Computer Programming/Repair 6D+1
(s) IMAS 6D+2
Force Sensitive: No. Equipment: *Blaster Pistol (4D), Pocket Recorder, Datapad, glasses, code sheet of old, favorite codes. |
Capsule: *rarely issued, light blaster pistols if in dangerous situation. Note: IMAS (Imperial Media Analysis Systems) is only usable when agent is in their office utilizing this specific system to analyze media. See page 29-30 of the Imperial Sourcebook for additional information on the behaviour of Cryptanalysis agents. |
Tech
The Tech crew was sitting around the conference room looking bewildered and lost. But they liked that. It was always the challenge of something like this which excited them, gave them reason to work hard. This particular case had them slightly baffled. It was nothing new, transmitting a message strobiscopically through a visual medium. The strange part they couldn't figure out was how the message was being received and decoded. It was obvious the message was meant to be communicated to a large audience, but how many would have the equipment necessary to decode the signal? The device needed was quite advanced and excessively expensive (even by Imperial standards), not to mention hard to come by. There was the likelyhood that it was meant for a select few to receive, and using a holostation was to make the transmission as unobrtrusive as possible. But was that explanation false, thus leading to a poor trail? That was neither the concern nor the appropriate focus of the crew; that was something for Operations to handle. Tech was to focus only on two aspects: how was the message prepared and how it was received. This could take some time, but time was on their side. The message said "Cannot locate Jevar. Stand down until further notice..."
Tech is arguably one of the more fun departments in Analysis. They are responsible for figuring out nothing else but the gear of the intelligence community, specifically the oppostion's gear. Many a late night hour is spent by particularily dedicated engineers pulling apart the wildest of devices. They are in a daily position to marvel at the ingenuity of others, and even better, improve upon another's design. As the devices they examine are of a purely clandestine nature, there are no bothersome snags such as patents or copyrights to overstep while coming up with "a better way." Tech does fall short of the order when it comes time for them to create from scratch. As this department was created based on the analysis of enemy espionage devices, they are in the rut of merely improving existing designs rather than developing their own items. It should be noted, however, that plenty of excellent devices come out of other areas of the Imperial machine, namely "contracted" (read as "taken over") private businesses. Thus, thankfully, Imperial Intelligence doesn't only have to rely on Tech for their gear. Nevertheless, this branch is brimming with spectacular engineers. Tech hopes the war will never end, because if it does, that means they won't get to play anymore.
Typical Tech Agent
Dexterity 3D
Knowledge 4D
Languages 5DMechanical 2D
Communications 6D
Repulsorlift Op. 3DPerception 3D
Search 5D+1
Investigation 5DStrength 2D+2
Technical 4D+2
Computer Programming/Repair 7D+1
(s) ISDS 8D+1
Droid Programming 5D+2
Droid Repair 6D+1
Security 6D
Force Sensitive: No. Equipment: *Blaster Pistol (4D), Pocket Recorder, Datapad, Computer Repair Kit (+1D), assorted tools. |
Capsule: *rarely issued, light blaster pistols if in dangerous situation. Note: ISDS (Imperial Special Diagnostic Systems) is only usable when agent is in their office utilizing this specific system to analyze devices. Tech agents are extremely intelligent, capable of thinking in extremely complicated manners and solving highly complex problems quickly. They are all VERY experienced engineers, but truly non-combatants. Tech agents have occasion to be travelling with Operations mission crews to be on-hand for technical expertise whenever high-tech obstacles are expected. Tech agents really don't give a lot of thought to the Imperial/Alliance conflict; they just want to be left alone to tinker. |
Interrogation
"If you hit him any harder, his head will spin around." Gavey motioned to Bellid to leave the room with him after giving him his appraisal of Bellid's interrogative efforts. The two left the small, poorly lit room and into an adjacent observation cubicle. Gavey looked through the one-way glass at the captured Rebel soldier with disdain. Bellid, puffing for his breath after working hard on the rebel, looked at the floor and spoke to Gavey. "Why the hell are we doing this? This guy's useless. He knows nothing, not even his homeworld." Gavey kept his gaze on the soldier. "Because someone somewhere believes he knows something big. Of course, heaven forbid they could tell us what we're looking for," Gavey said slowly. Bellid looked up and also stared at the soldier, who now was slumped like a pile of dirty clothes in the corner of the room. Blood ran down every wall, and a chair with blood and hair on it's legs lay on its side toward the other side of the room from the soldier. Bellid said, "If he knew anything, he'd talk by now. He's had no sleep for three days and he's pumped full of serum, AND I just spent 30 minutes on his face and chest." Gavey chuckled, "I suppose we have a tough customer today." The soldier emitted a muted, pitiful sound which sounded like an attempt to say something. "He's trying to say something," Gavey spat as he and Bellid piled back into the Interrogation Quarters. They ran to the soldier and knelt to listen closely, but no more sound came to them. "I think he's dead," Bellid said with either self-admiration or pity. Gavey couldn't tell. Then, the soldier muttered. Gavey leaned closer. "Are you going to tell us about anything, or would you rather start all over again in another three days?" The soldier opened an eye, blood running from it. "What is your name?" Bellid demanded. "Jevar, and I'm very important..."
If asking a question is Interrogation's job, then they get answers. But at a cost, and a high cost indeed. Usually the cost is entirely charged upon the Rebellion, as this department makes quick work of belligerent captives then turns them (reprogrammed and all) back to the Alliance. Rebel bases are on a standing command to not grant entry to anyone who has been captured then released for this very reason. Being comprimised is a scary concept to the Alliance, but being comprimised by your own members is downright insulting. Interrogation agents are picked for their mix of brutality and sensitivity. These men and women are able to first interview a captured rebel and make a recommendation on the methods to be used to extract information. They are then capable of carrying out those methods flawlessly, be it with a syringe or a weapon. Those who are lucky enough to walk out of an Interrogation "session" tell of deplorable acts and a total disregard for anything but the answers. It is said in some rebel circles that an Interrogation agent on fire will insist on finding out who set him on fire rather than put himself out. This single-mindedness is the key to Interrogation's success.
Typical Interrogation Agent
Dexterity 3D+2
Blaster 4D
Brawling Parry 4D
Dodge 4D
Melee Combat 5D
Melee Parry 4D+2
Knowledge 3D
Languages 5D
Alien Species 4D
Intimidation 6D
(s)Imp. Interrogation Techniques 10D
Streetwise 5D
Mechanical 3D
Repulsorlift Op. 4D+1
Beast Riding 3D+1
Communications 3D+2
Ground Vehicle Operation 3D+1 Powersuit Op. 4D
Perception 3D+1
Search 5D
Con 6D+1
Persuasion 5D+2
Investigation 5D+2
Sneak 4D
Hide 4D
Strength 3D+1
Brawling 5D+1
Stamina 4D+1Technical 2D+2
Demolition 3D
Security 3D+2
First Aid 3D+2
Force Sensitive: No. Equipment: Blaster Pistol (4D), Pocket Recorder, Datapad, stun baton. |
Capsule: Interrogation agents can be found in the "field" participating in key interrogations on worlds which cannot or will not transport a captive TO the Interrogations offices. They also can be found accompanying intelligence missions to systems to have an investigative/interrogation expert on-hand. Most of the time, these agents go into the field and serve as some of the best Imperial investigators on a rotating basis so as to stay sharp in their skills, not to mention brutal in their reaction. They serve the function of roaming inquisitors, travelling attatched to special mission details "making the rounds" of exceptionally troublesome systems. They are put through exhaustive training, and their skills reflect this. The last thing they want is to atrophy in their position, as they are regarded with fear by most everyone (including the other departments). It is not impossible to run into an Interrogaton officer while he is investigating the same world you are on (that is, if you're up to no good). |
© 1998 Star Wars Supplement Resource Nealos