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Post by The Tired God on Jul 18, 2015 22:20:28 GMT -5
With Pash focused on the navigational computer, and Sasha and Oskara silent in the cargo hold, Rena was left without any distractions as she went about her work. In the back of her mind she recalled some information about the worlds Pash had mentioned.
Of the destionations, only Ryloth was immediately viable as a port of call. It was well known that neither the oligarchs of Christophsis nor the Geonosians took kindly to uninvited guests, and that it would be risky and expensive business to acquire fuel or credit from either world. Trandosha and Kashyyyk were also dangerous destinations at this time, besides which the ship was so low on fuel that such a journey might leave them stranded in hyperspace.
Compared to the Core Worlds, Ryloth was a poor and somewhat lawless planet. Compared to Tatooine, it was downright civilized.
As for the transponder, rummaging through the menus and user settings gave her nothing to work with. She had to break into the binary coding of the system, and for someone who wasn't terribly trained in computer hacking or code programming, trying to make sense of the digits was near impossible. Still, of the coding listed, some of the phrasing made sense in terms of the transponder updates, and a shift of a single number changed it from every five seconds to every hour. At least there was that.
Destiny Points: 3 Light, 2 Dark.
Rena's Computer: 1 Success Rena's Outer Rim: 3 Success, 2 Threat
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Post by Rena Ferran on Jul 18, 2015 22:36:24 GMT -5
Rena fell back in her seat once her work was done. "Maybe someone else can take a look at it later but I did what I could. The transponder's only going to send out a signal once an hour now. Sorry... I really don't know much about the inner workings of computers. I'm more just a user when it comes to most technology."
"How do you think Oskara and Sasha are making out back there? Hopefully they work everything out with the uh... criminal in the cage..." She glanced over to Pash, "I mean. What do you make of all this? Not quite the clean getaway I'd hoped for."
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Post by The Tired God on Jul 18, 2015 22:40:21 GMT -5
Pash let out a small sigh of relief, glad they had at least a slightly larger window now. "Thank the great exogorth's," he said, referring to the massive silicon lifeforms that hollowed out asteroids and fed on energy fields and ships. Colloquially known as space slugs. "Oskara, we've got a transponder on the ship, but Rena fixed the signal so it's out every hour? We're going to want to look at that once we land . . . on Ryloth? I mean, that's where . . . I'd go . . . wow you guys are quiet back there," he huffed, then released the intercom button. "Do you want to go back there and check in on them? Make sure they aren't dead or something?"
Destiny Points: 3 Light, 2 Dark.
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Post by Rena Ferran on Jul 18, 2015 22:50:22 GMT -5
Rena gave Pash a nervous look. "...Yeah. Sure." It's not like she could ask the pilot to go instead, he actually had a job to do up here. "I'm sure I'll be great at handling anything that could take out Oskara and Sasha... yeah..." She muttered her way out of the cockpit, leaving her bag behind as she started down the hallway.
"Oskara...?" She drew her blaster, "...Sasha?" She called out, nervously making her way back toward where the pair had disappeared.
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Post by The Tired God on Jul 18, 2015 23:00:20 GMT -5
As Rena made her way towards the cargo hold, nervously clutching her blaster, she could make out the sound of voices. Oskara's, and a male voice, old and tired. Oskara sounded . . . concerned? Almost gentle as well.
"I'm just glad to see you alive," she said, just as Rena made it into the cargo hold. Among some odd crates sat two shipping containers, five feet tall and three feet long and wide. Both had been opened by either Oskara or Sasha, the first had what appeared to be several pieces of brown chitinous shell, one of which was marked with curious designs. The other Oskara knelt beside, tending to an old and frail Twi'lek, with pale blue skin and a single long, thin lekku, coiling from the right side of his head. Where the left lekku would be was an ugly cauterized stump.
Destiny Points: 3 Light, 2 Dark.
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Post by Rena Ferran on Jul 18, 2015 23:09:01 GMT -5
It didn't take long for Rena to put two and two together and realize that the threat was all in her mind. Breathing a sigh of relief, she holstered her blaster and came around the corner. "...Oskara? Is everything alright? The comm went silent." Her eyes flit briefly to the other Twi'lek, presumably B'uara B'an.
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Post by The Tired God on Jul 18, 2015 23:15:40 GMT -5
Oskara looked up, her features hardening at the sight of the human. She needed to look strong in front of her new crew, and the only one in her mind that deserved sympathy and a gentle hand was the alien missing one brain tail.
"This is B'uara B'an," she confirmed, nodding to the weak looking old man. "He's one of the few that stood up to the Aqualish when they came to Ryloth to take over the ryll mining operation," she explained. "Teemo has been making big plays and wants the whole operation for himself, and B'uara and other Twi'leks want the mines to be run for and by Twi'leks."
B'uara dipped his head in respect to Rena. "Thank you for freeing me. I don't know what Teemo would have done to me if Trex had the chance to hand me over."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the cargo hold, Sasha finally revealed herself, rising out from a hidden smuggling compartment. She was wearing a breathing mask, and as she drug something out with her, the stench that plagued the ship got even worse. She had found the Wookiee skins.
Destiny Points: 3 Light, 2 Dark.
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Post by Rena Ferran on Jul 18, 2015 23:23:26 GMT -5
Rena nodded at Oskara's answer. She didn't necessarily know the backstory of the politics, but the story was self-explanatory enough for now. Oskara hardening up the moment she'd poked her head back in hadn't surprised her either, and she awkwardly turned to accept the thanks of the less closed-off alien. "It... was no problem. Honestly."
She jerked her thumb back down the corridor, her attention returning to Oskara. "...Pash says we're going to be making a pit stop on Rhyloth. Between our fuel, situation and the nav computer it seems our best bet. If uh... you don't have an issue with that I'll let him know things are g--" She cut off with a gag as Sasha appeared, quickly followed by the rancid smell of the wookie skins.
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Post by The Tired God on Jul 18, 2015 23:35:24 GMT -5
Both Twi'leks grimaced as well, repulsed by the smell of the skins. Sasha was the only one fortunate enough to be able to avoid the smell, but she unfortunately had to handle the pelts. There were six in total, and were only partially cured.
"Permission to jettison these?" asked Sasha, dragging the pelts over to the loading chamber. Oskara merely waved at the human, that being answer enough.
"I know, I heard everything," she said to Rena, rising up from her crouch. "From what B'uara has explained, it sounds like Ryloth is going to be more than just a pit stop," she grunted, marching for the cockpit. "Stay with B'uara and help Sasha clean up this mess," she ordered, referring to the general filth around the ship. There was more to the stench than just the pelts. In part, the smell was caused by Trex's eating habits. His diet mostly consisted of raw hunks of flesh, and he appeared to be a messy eater, and one who took to eating wherever he pleased.
"I'll take care of these, if you want to lead our new friend to the lounge? Maybe get him some water or food from the galley?" She paused. "On second thought, maybe skip the food. I don't think Trex's diet is really . . . fit for civilized folk like us," she sighed, wishing they were on Ryloth already so they could restock the ship properly. How could anyone live like this?
"I welcome the opportunity to stretch my legs," said the male Twi'lek, already rising to his feet, although a bit shakily.
Destiny Points: 3 Light, 2 Dark.
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Post by Rena Ferran on Jul 19, 2015 8:19:31 GMT -5
Rena looked over the cargo bay at Oskara's order to help clean, one hand still covering her face against the smell of the pelts. A grimace crossed her face at the thought of having to actually deal with it herself. It was no small relief when Sasha offered to let her leave and take their guest elsewhere. "Y-yeah. The lounge. Certainly. Come... come along Mr. B'an."
Giving Sasha a final nod, she turned to guide the Twi'lek up toward the lounge and away from the smell. "...So. Mr. B'an, I apologize for the state of the ship, unfortunately we weren't able to bring much with us when we left Tatooine." She eyed the Twi'lek up and down as they walked, noting his apparent health. "I do however have a medpac in my bag, I could look you over if you'd like."
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Post by The Tired God on Jul 19, 2015 9:28:21 GMT -5
B'uara shook his head, dismissing the offer for a medpac as he followed the woman to the lounge. As they walked, they realized the stench wasn't secluded to just the cargo hold, only that it had the worst of the abrasive fetor. The hall was filthy, and as they entered the lounge, they found lumps of rotting meat and rancid fat on the holo-table and seats.
"I'll be fine, my injuries are not as bad as they seem," he said, referring to his missing lekku. Luckily for him, he hadn't suffered any extreme brain damage from the loss of one whole brain tail. Some Twi'leks were able to get by without one, and in extremely rare instances others had been known to survive having both removed. The worst B'uara was likely experiencing was some early memory loss.
Electing not to sit on the filthy seats until they had been cleaned, B'uara rested himself on against the wall, sliding down to his rear and letting out a small sigh. Anything was better than his cramped box, where he couldn't fully stand or lay down. He appreciated being able to see things, and feel artificial light on his face.
Destiny Points: 3 Light, 2 Dark.
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Post by Rena Ferran on Jul 19, 2015 19:13:47 GMT -5
Rena sighed as the smell shrank but never truly disappeared. The lounge was only truly a single step up from the cargo bay, with much work still to do. Accepting the Twi'lek's dismissal of medical attention, she instead decided to attend to the rank meat scattered across the room. It was a disgusting prospect, and she started by looking for a proper disposal unit. Failing that she would elect to start bagging the meats and they would simply space it with the rest.
"So..." She resumed talking with the Twi'lek, a look of disgust plastered to her face as she went. "...What's waiting for us on Rhyloth? Oskara's saying it'll be more than just a pit-stop?"
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Post by The Tired God on Jul 19, 2015 20:03:25 GMT -5
The Twi'lek looked up at the human woman, regarding her for a moment as she worked, before he spoke up to answer her question. "What's waiting for you on Ryloth is fuel and food. What's waiting for me are the politics of alien troubles, things you might not fully understand." It wasn't uncommon for humans to be racist towards aliens, and vice versa. At least B'uara didn't mean it as a racist, hurtful jab. He was sincere and gentle in his delivery, like it was a simple fact.
"I'll tell you the same story I told Oskara, and I will try to keep such a long story short," he huffed, a strained laughing sort of sound. "For some time now the rules of Ryloth have been, in my opinion, remiss about who they allow in on the planet's Ryll mining industry, which you must understand is only barely legitimate business in these days of Imperial dominance," he grunted, his one remaining lekku gesturing sparsely during his speech. "For some time, bands of Aqualish thugs terrorized mining communities, forcing Twi'leks to work for scant reward and extorting all sorts of favors and resources from mines that might otherwise have prospered. I banded together with some associates in order to protect New Meen, our most profitable mine, from the thugs. For a while we held them off." He seemed proud of that fact.
"Then they simply disappeared. We were relieved at first, but soon learned that they had been killed in the process of some underworld takeover. Shortly after that, bands of outsiders began to purchase land near the mines. They claimed they were developing it, though we could tell they were there merely to spy on us and make life difficult. A short while later, during a journey to Nabat, I was attacked by a band of rogues, including the Trandoshan who maimed and branded me before sealing me up in that cell," he shuddered, wrapping his thing arms around his chest at the thought of such solitary confinement. "What about you? What is your story? If I am to carry on about my world's plight, you must tell me why a group of humans and a formidable Twi'lek were fleeing Mos Shuuta," he paused, looking around the ship. "That's where Oskara mentioned we had landed, was it not?"
Destiny Points: 3 Light, 2 Dark.
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Post by Rena Ferran on Jul 19, 2015 20:24:28 GMT -5
Rena nodded as she listened to the Twi'lek's tale. She had grown up surrounded by the mercantile pursuits of the Brentaal houses, and her time in the Outer Rim had brought to light the more cutthroat underworld business practices. "It sounds like quite the situation." She commented softly.
Looking over her shoulder toward the cockpit, she considered her answer briefly. "...I can't really speak for the others. All I know is that we all ended up under the fist of Teemo the Hutt and saw this ship as our way to freedom." She grimaced as she gathered up a particularly disgusting hunk of meat. "...I'm honestly not sure what we'll do from here. For myself though, my family's influence has waned over the years since the Clone Wars. I'm out here looking for something to turn our fortune back."
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Post by The Tired God on Jul 19, 2015 20:39:43 GMT -5
B'uara perked a brow at the mention of Teemo, clearly interested in that topic.. "I have been giving a lot of thought to the Hutts recently," he admitted, raising a hand to rub at his face. "To my knowledge, they have had little interest in the ryll production before. They will distribute it, of course, but until now they haven't been linked to any of the operations to actually mine it. I wonder if, seeing as the Trandoshan who captured me worked for this Hutt you mention, that is set to change," he mused.
"I understand your situation with your family, and wish I could offer you some advice. Actually, no, I do have some advice. Don't rush into making a fortune. It will come to you, I'm sure of it," he tried to reassure the woman. "You are good to think so selflessly of your family. Most wouldn't venture out here to the Outer Rim, but if it's fortune you seek, I'm sure you will find it." He paused for a moment. "I would greatly appreciate it if you could drop me off at the city of Nabat. I have friends there who would be willing to offer us a safe place. There are a number of good mechanics in the city, and we could see to it that your ship is repaired and refueled for your trouble," he offered, shrugging limply. It was the best he could do, considering they saved his life.
Without warning, Oskara entered the lounge, leaning up against the wall closest to the door she entered from. "We've plot a course for Ryloth. Pash estimates three hours, which should be enough time to get this place clean," she grunted, nostrils flaring and then scrunching at the persistent smell. They'd have to pay for a whole cleaning crew to come through and hose the ship down. "I've been thinking about what you said, B'uara. What have you to say about the accusations of your organization, about its corrupted practices?" When it came to her homeworld and her people, Oskara was clearly very serious about them.
B'uara waved his remaining lekku sadly and thought for a moment before speaking. "We are a hasilty formed and poorly prepared movement, with nothing much binding us other than our opposition to the harassment and exploitation of our people." Oskara seemed to deflate slightly at the blue Twi'lek's words. "Are there those among us who seek personal gain from the circumstances? I am afraid that it is probably so. I cannot speak for all of hose who march under our banner, but I nevertheless believe the cause to be a righteous one."
Destiny Points: 3 Light, 2 Dark.
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