In the streets of Taranis they know him, but speak only in whispers. Many refuse to use his real name, referring only to “Mister X.”
“X doesn’t like it when people talk about him.”
“Mr. X will find you”
“Explosions tend to happen, things tend to burn, when Mister X is unhappy.”
Mister X has a nasty reputation and prefers to work unseen, but the Fringe Newsfeed is ready to shine a light into his web of crime, and our readers will be the first to learn the TRUTH about Xaphran Israphil.
FACTORY OUTRAGE
The name Xaphran Israphil first came to this reporter’s attention over a year ago, when investigating a case of corporate worker abuse. Rumors of mistreatment in a factory revealed an even more shocking tale: Anonymous sources tell of being transported, under false pretenses, to “some gods-forgotten rock of a factory world.” Some workers had been told they were being given jobs, others that this work would pay their debts, or some may have simply been kidnapped outright.
Once the workers were there, they were effectively imprisoned, with no means of transportation, harsh conditions, and their “pay” constantly overrun by a series absurd fees.
“Needless to say, things got added to the bill pretty fast - training fees, damaged equipment, food and board, etc - and our wages were so low we couldn't keep abreast of our debt, much less work it off.”
As if this were not enough, the factory masters, who controlled everything including the food exposed workers to addictive drugs, further assuring that they would not escape their enslavement.
This story was not unusual. Other cases of worker abduction, mistreatment, and worse have been reported, and no doubt many unfortunates are still enslaved. Those who provided source material for this article were the ones lucky enough to escape, but they will not reveal their names.
A DARK BACKGROUND
Xaphran Israphil was a small power in the old days of gang-rule on Taranis, but smart enough to see what was coming. When it started to look like Rama was on the rise, Israphil started making payment to him. As Israphil gained in power and wealth, he worked harder to keep his dealings secret, his name hidden. There are no known photos of him available.
Israphil was known mainly for arms dealing, but over the years dabbled in a variety of questionable schemes and was known as “a guy who could get things, Drugs, Guns, Slaves (human and tribes)”. There are also reports of Imperial connections and ties to Johnny Volt.
Time after time, sources reported that crossing Israphil is bad news. He goes after property and family members, and is suspected to be involved with several bombings on Taranis. One group of former “workers” who were rescued from a slave-labor factory were hunted down and told that they “owed” for the property damaged during the escape. The choice offered was to keep working for him or be murdered.
Israphil keeps his nose fairly clean on Taranis itself, and there are rumors that the stuff he does that Rama wouldn’t like is done off-world. Whether he is still closely tied to King Rama is not known.
CORPORATE CORRUPTION
Israphel has his fingers in a lot of pies. His name comes up in conversations about everything from Fringe black-markets to big-stakes corporate dealings. He is known to have strong ties to the Aeshma and Imperieal interests as well.
One source suggested that Gustav Svarog’s corporation, Averi, was “getting in bed with Mr X.” FNF readers will remember House Svarog’s ties to horrific brain experiments, as well as their role in the current civil war in the Empire. How Israphil plays in all of this remains to be seen.
A reliable anonymous source tells us that Israphil owns a piece of Naughty Nerys, the Haven based drink and drug manufacturer. Nerys nightclub was recently revealed to be tied to yet another slavery and drug scandal. Nerys exec Robert Pierce was arrested and subsequently escaped prison using forged documents.
A former employee of Nikolaevna Image Consultancy gave this reporter an exclusive “scoop” before going into hiding, claiming that Israphil and other conspirators had bought controlling shares in the company, perhaps hoping to gain some advantage by manipulating Imperial politics?
Another witness (anonymous of course) told a story of his own search for answers after he suffered an assault of psionic memory-wipe:
“...Whoever wiped my memory was a powerful psionicist, and all suspicions are that it was performed by somebody whose powers were "artificially boosted" (the word of the psionicists who tried to fix the damage not mine). My investigation led to a series of underground labs that were producing psionic boosting drugs with slave labor... Israphel's labs, on Taranis.”
Another of Israphil’s interests leads to the case of Dr David Lorani, whose Taranis-based Lab for Falltech Corp was destroyed in an explosion. Israphil’s agents have made no secret of their desire to find the missing scientist, and went so far as to bug his wife’s house and harass people who may know his whereabouts.
THE FINAL OUTRAGE
The most recent finding almost strains credulity, but this reporter was there when it happened. A deranged Yataza scientist, Doctor Surny, conceived a plot to unleash deadly bioagents on four planets, including Taranis. The forces of Gatetown, on Eclipse launched a mission that stopped the terrorists, and killed or arrested those responsible.
One of Surny’s allies, Kent Morb, carried a briefcase with documents linking the terrorists to a complex web of corporate and crime leaders. No doubt some of these businessmen and arms dealers did not know they were allied to a madman bent on genocide, but it will all come to light soon enough. Full details have not been released to the FNF for publication, but can our readers guess whose name was mentioned?
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