Within a week of assuming power, Brellian began to create intimidation and information gathering apparatus; tools commonly found in the realm of those who couple insecurity with a need for control and imposition.

First formed was Societal Threats, a division ostensibly under the Minister of Security, but in actuality one that was free to pursue their secret charge as they saw fit.

Appointed to head this special unit was Lajxa R’chr. A staunch supporter of Brellian and a complete believer in the same warped outlook on gender and Arrhazonan society, Lajxa was well versed and aware coming into his new task that his first responsibility was to deal with the feminist threat rising in pockets around Arrhazon.

Lajxa was a formidable opponent for the best prepared in a struggle played for keeps; unlike Brellian, he was quite capable of personally taking out someone where they stood. By contrast, his first on the list enemy llhaesa was a complete adherent to a philosophy of non-violence and peaceful change.

Initially, Lajxa had little in the way of trained resources; he faced a huge challenge trying to fulfil his mission while building a well trained and feared unit that could gather information, but also eliminate enemies when needed.

His intent was to employ around 5,000 loyal operatives, but at present he barely had 300. That number would barely deal with the southeast quadrant of the city, never mind an entire planet. Just one small element of threat – college campuses – overwhelmed his resources. There were countless college campuses around the planet where potential flash points existed, first among them was also the best among them: N’rellia.

Chances were excellent that that particular school would produce leaders that would create issues for the government and by extension Societal Threats, and so he assigned 3 of his operatives to N’rellia. Over the course of a few months, they integrated into campus life, and even recruited one disgruntled student to supply them with information – something he was only too quick to do, for he was totally consumed by the thought of being bettered by another student – a woman.

And that was how Lajxa came to know the name t’yaeli. Subsequently, even with a ban in place on her appearing in government facilities or on government owned land, those damn illegal stations spread her radical and subversive ideas – along with her musical propaganda – everywhere.

Dealing with the illegals would require resources far beyond his current staffing level; perhaps well beyond his originally planned number. Instead, it was easier to focus on the easy to find and follow musician, who knew not what game she actually engaged, or that the highest price one could pay in the game was with one’s life. T’yaeli would make mistakes precisely because she had no idea that those she worked against would kill and torture.

Now that the musician was out of school and a rapidly rising star, 3 more operatives were tasked exclusively to watch her movements, while 3 other staffers working at desk jobs poured over all of the electronic records generated by her financial activity.

As for those around T’yaeli, her partner was younger, still in school, and easily influenced. She was no threat to society – providing her partner was eliminated from the picture. While he had free license to operate, Lajxa wished to limit the number of people he actually had to eliminate, simply because it was better to avoid creating too much backlash and adverse opinion amongst the general public.

There were two others who frequented T’yaeli’s new Old City flat; they were seemingly partners, and as yet, exceedingly difficult to track. Almost as if they were sufficiently savvy such that they knew the stakes and how the game was being played.

And for M’traliel, one of those two partners, she was well aware of the clumsy operatives trying to follow her. While she had yet to see those tasked to llhaesa, M’traliel had no doubt that llhaesa was being watched. In fact, M’traliel was probably only of interest precisely because of llhaesa.

M’traliel was from a family with no small amount of resources; she had received her share upon graduation from N’rellia. Her grandfather had earned his fortune through trade – a business that at times required an ability to quickly turn over assets and not leave a paper trail of the transactions. Growing up in this environment, even though her father tried to distance himself from how his father conducted business, M’traliel nonetheless learned a few ways to avoid monetary detection.

And so she had rented a twelfth floor flat in a rather seedy building. From there she could watch the offices of the Societal Threats division by way of the electronics she set in place. Her contacts had easily located their office. And so while Societal Threats tried to find her, M’traliel had already found them.