Ask Tatooine Going for a drive.

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Nor'baal was developing something of a keener liking for Tatooine. A world that had been in his family's playbook for generations, the dusty backwater had a sense of history about it. It was here, on this rock, that fortunes could be made and lost, far from the prying eyes of the do-gooders in the deep core. Additionally, since the shocking (and his view, eminently wise) resignation of the planet's Governor, there was room for his enterprise to expand and advance his influence over the world.

Yet, such things had to be done cautiously.

Not known for its understanding, the Consortium controlled the world now, and the Hutts had to make do with eeking out power and infleunce the way they did the best - behind the scenes. Unwilling to place his own hide in the direct line of fire and far too busy to manage the process, Nor'baal had decided to meet a newcomer to the crime scene. A distant cousin, maybe, this other Hutt had promise and a healthy desperation to temper his ambitions.

This a good recipe for a new business partner.

Now the Hutt sat ensconced in his sail barge, a slave ineffectually wafting warm air about him with a pendulous fan as Nor'baal gobbled on a glut of tree frogs from his snackquarium. Around the 'throne room' stood the Hutts guard detail, four Gamorreans with brutal axes, four Nikto with blaster rifles, and three Corellian hounds snapping and snarling at the base of his throne.

Since that unfortunate event with the Mandalorians, Nor'baal couldn't be too careful.

Belching pungently, the Hutt Lorda waited for his guest to arrive.

 

[Skelgok Desilijic]

Skelgok wasn't a big fan of trolloping around the galaxy at the beck and call of another, answering summons like a commoner. Yet when the leader of the clans calls, you best come slithering as fast as one can, lest you find yourself tossed into the bottom of a rancor pit.

Arriving quietly in his personal yacht without any fanfare, the young Hutt was in his prime and hungry for wealth and power. The hot sands and harsh suns of Tattooine were a perfect location for a new enterprise to take shape. Surely a Hutt of his stature and strength would be most welcome into the ranks of the Lorda, the great Nor'baal Desilijic. It was inevitable that they would work together as kin, distant by some degree for sure, but that would not curry much more favour than an entrance.

For his diminished wealth and business, he could scarcely afford to keep more than a handful of men around, unlike Nor'baal. A single, but fierce, axe wielding Gamorrean would accompany him into the danger zone. While he had no plans to be hostile with such a lofty Lorda, appearance was everything, and he would certainly not walk in there alone, even if certain death would await him if combat broke out.

Together the pair made their way towards the magnificent sail barge, a symbol of status and opulent wealth, that lay before him. He couldn't help but drool at the thought of someday owning his own, manned by the most beautiful of pleasure slaves and brutal bodyguards.

For now, he would happily eat at the Lorda's table and lap up any scraps offered like a good little servant. In time however, should he succeed in growing his own mighty crime empire under the Hutt's nose, perhaps Skelgok could overtake and out muscle Nor'baal into obscurity, or better yet, into a dark hole in the middle of the desert.

Either way, business was business, and he was willing to work with the Lorda as long as it was profitable to do so. Arriving in modest style, he would maintain a professional demeanour and flick his tongue hungrily in wait for the other to speak first.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Dribbling slightly to himself as the younger Hutt arrived on the Yacht, Nor'baal nodded off before being aggressively pocked by his Majordomo. "Skelgok the Hutt, your cerebral eminence." the fluttering creature reminded him as Nor'baal squinted down to the younger Hutt and gestured for his fan waver to momentary halt his duties.

Shifting his weight into a more upright position from his recliner, Nor'baal scowled and got down to business. <Chobaso, Skelgok, bai Hokaaen. Joppay Jee jahna doi mah panteueth da jeejee cahla wa koumhaptece cohanlala, Jee banka fa lhoie um baw wah dopa see ten bai manpanh. Peee uba bla, bu yanee dee Yih Lanka ah woceueohe bo.>

Nor'baal smirked as he commented on the familiar nature of Hutt's commercial relations. Indeed, blood was thicker than water, but both spilt just as quickly.

<Toupee mi, uba doth wa rin Yih, haku wuee yanee dopdokoi doth uba donsoha du?> he asked, keen to understand a little more about his relations undertakings before seeing what else he could be put to task for.

 

[Skelgok Desilijic]

The cartel boss gave off an indomitable aura with just his ominous presence, something Skelgok might envy. The galaxy of crime was a large table, big enough even for multiple Hutts to dine together upon its misery. They shared familiar bonds, and soon they would also share financial ones.

Listening intently as the grand Hutt spoke, his left eye twitched and tongue flicked slightly. Sa, bu lanka katka matka wahke an kiukamaie bai oto vo bu baua benbepoka du bidchkap.

Skelgok's gaze wandered slightly over the scene of Tattooine as he took in the sandy landscape and hellish delights. Heee gee doth chalanh du seteu see mah chamy koona. Jee gee babau woe see wa hahiy webai koi bmela naee da Jee kankanla bai mapkesa du bu tahba an gahkesa bu samou sobahesa bai wuee. Dotkot see pacmhanaduee makacheesa wata dah tah planeeto cay bu tam masonka da matka bakath tee.

He wasn't under any illusions about the size of his business, but he had started with nothing and with only his two hands had already begun forging his own criminal enterprise. In time and with luck, it would grow and flourish, allowing the Hutt to expand in the more lucrative areas of business.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

A disloyal spice route? Nor'baals tail slapped the ground in irritation. He remembered, quite fondly, from his earlier years, pacifying disloyal smugglers, who had forgotten precisely to whom their patronage belonged. Skelgok was possessed of the base cunning of all his relatives; of this, Nor'baal was certain. For example, his astute observations of the opportunities created by the recent trnasitionin of gubernatorial power here on Tatooine spoke to Skelgok's capabilities for intrigue.

<Wa kaciaue bmela naee caiot doube kaza wa lhonbau wenonle uohsa.> Nor'baal reminded the other Hutt, as one of his Corellian hounds snarled, as if sensing its masters' irritation at the prospect of lost profits. <Hocan, dotkot makacheesa wata, peee mee saptkhe mecohpa.> he added, moving from his recliner and down onto the floor proper.

Waiting for the younger Hutt to follow him, Nor'baal began to move, under his own power, toward the ship's top deck. His guards followed in his wake, as Nor'baal continued to wax lyrical about the numerous opportunities that waited for them on this bleak world.

<Che gankgoy, bu Yih panwa chopkea kacinala, mevag doth woy an cahba du besnewe ticay kankay bu bodua. Sa, Jee gee awh chemant Hokaaen bai doth wa Yih Bmola planeeto du tytung um peekasa, dooo whao ree cuebat cua dhike Lou lkele pacinicoy kacdy kantetka fa doth tee. Uba neu, rin bo, dotkot heee see woy yanee du tah danko da besnewa bu makacheesa doth biwevau che heee see ten cay wa johze kabea che dopanaca pihozag. Hocan, bu baua raca tee caie neu tah, hee pomka bimhee du twa boha, ritkala, an adtau cay kay.> Nor'baal audibly laughed, a guttural sound with much in common with a blocked drain being cleared.

Now on the top deck, he snapped his fingers for refreshments to be bought over, and went with his Huttish counterpart to the recliners in the middle of the vessel. <Mah cokha koo koose mi bimhee wata joppay Jee doth vehpobaee mee baza.> Nor'baal took a drink from the offered tray and gestured for his colleague to do the same <Goo bimapa bu Yih gee wa saptkhe bai pankhai tah danko, wa cah da baua hatkocanh babakacoh bouih bai peee la gee vee woy. Hocan, goo doth koumhoiag. Ateema jeejee gee bai woy kaa cuee bidkeuee, nah uba see fah?>

 

[Skelgok Desilijic]

The younger Hutt slipped alongside the larger, pondering his sage advice as they started to look out towards Tatooine together. His head nodding along in agreement with the conversation, they were a long way from the strength of the past. Still, the Hutts were always ambitious and never gave up when there was profit to be made. Skelgok could see the endless possibilities that lay at his feet.

<Better that way to avoid attention, I agree. There are many criminal elements not yet paying tribute to the clans, this is more in reach and achievable of a goal than painting a map with our colours.> His face was firm yet resolute, they would grow with time and effort but not yet.

<Governing a planet is tiresome and expensive if things go wrong, it also draws unnecessary attention. Better to blackmail and control from afar, where no one need to know your influence and grip over them.>

There would be an opportunity in most border worlds for Hutt activity, anywhere with a sizable criminal element would be susceptible to their influence. It only took the right leverage to exploit, and the planet could be delivered to them without any visible struggle.

From there, their businesses could expand and grow exponentially without being harassed by law enforcement.

@Nor'baal

Spoiler

too lazy to do the abbr codes lool

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

With a juddering roar, the engine of the sail barge ripped into life, the skyward-facing solar sails snapping into their places, shielding the Hutts from the attention of Tatooine's brutal suns. Gently, it moved away from its berth in the hanger of the Desilijic Palace, and out into the desert beyond. Nor'baal took a second drink from the offered platter and listened to the younger Hutt.

Skelgok was very up-to-date with the affairs of the broader galaxy. In a way this surprised Nor'baal, many Hutts focused on the insular debauchery of the Hutt homeworlds, far above the petty concerns of the broader galaxy. <Whao jeejee caiot dokanu tee kanwuee ban doutmaya bai mee wanka mee, tah doth see pacmhanaduee chawahenu.> the elder Hutt remarked.

Tatooine presented quite the opportunity to them both, yet neither was keen to expend sizable amounts of effort to exert control over a world they could not directly rule themselves. Skelgok was correct, it was far more convenient to let someone else deal with the burden of rulership in the open. Nor'baal agreed entirely, the more resources they could extract back to the Hutts, the better.

<Ree tee hee.> Nor'baal barked, as the sail barge gathered speed and hastened out across the Dune Sea <Jeejee lwaa neu haku kanwuee jeejee caiot chopkea bimay bu tam Masonka. Ne wa hotpa uba doth fet?> he asked the younger Hutt.

 

[Skelgok Desilijic]

The sail barge was roaring along the sandy dunes as the pair of hutts conversed. It seemed to becoming a productive discussion, perhaps even going too well. Skelgok was mindful of over promising for fear of what might occur if he failed to come through, but at the same ambition wasn't served by idle hands.

Taking a glass for himself, he continued to listen as Nor'baal spoke about this new governor. The last one was obviously bad for business, and it was fortunate indeed that he had removed himself from the equation without the hutts even needing to lift a finger.

To take this task and succeed would be an immeasurable boost in prestige amongst the clans and help propel the young hutt into influence and wealth. But to fail would equally be disastrous for the opposite reasons. He didn't expect that his failures would stop Nor'baal from achieving what they set out to do, but the setback would be Skelgok's to own, and for sure the others would mock him for it.

<Of course, your magnificence it would be an honour.> He lied through his teeth, not entirely sure how he would exert anything over a subject he knew nothing about, nor having many resources to do so. While he was practically unknown in the galaxy, Nor'baal was a household name in these parts. If anything, the new governor probably expected a visit from the Hutts at some point, whether this would help or hinder them was anyone's guess.

<It would be wise to secure their loyalty first, before anyone else can bargain with them. What do you know of this new governor?> If they were lucky, they'd have some vice or dirty secret that could be exploited to force their compliance. More likely, it would have to be a business arrangement or simply a threat of violence.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Whatever they sought to do on Tatooine, to Hutts had to be very very careful. With the desert world under the thumb of the Consortium, one wrong move could lead to their downfall. Secretly, it was precisely for that reason that Nor'baal intended for his newfound 'friend' to take the lead on this undertaking - someone to shunt under the charging bantha if things went south. Over the past few months, Nor'baal had tried to cool the ire of the other Hutt families, no mean feat, especially after the recent debacle with the murder of the Hutt Lord, Durr.

Then the Zaa Fenn had come along and attempted what could only be described as a military build-up. This had put the backs up of many other galactic powers, and Nor'baal had once again needed to step in. It was nice, therefore, to be speaking to another Hutt, especially one that understood the need for subtly and a return to the more conventional ways of doing business.

<Jeejee bla takenbee kaae see tah tam Masonka, ata da bu douaph doth momebeha saieh bai bu momebeu ree pea bu bankop Masonka jot bo cachka.> he replied. He was, for once, not lying. Riddick's departure from the post had been hasty, and whilst it was welcome (the man was all to law-abiding), it had given the Hutts little time to prepare for his replacement.

<Kabaoi jeejee banag bu hhontey bai bolla luoke, wa becmi bidovah an wa masii beeska mu-moolee doi tee bapkeiag wata lwaa woy bu koudanwohola.> he added <Jee hatkocanh banba mah pinii cay uba, lwaa bu Masonka dayan kae bauban pobaya.> Nor'baal gestured behind him, at a brutish looking Gamorrean, Lomrokk, who grinned back moronically.

 

[Skelgok Desilijic]

Skelgok pondered the wise words of the more experienced Hutt as his mind flicked around all the possibilities that having the new governor in their pocket could bring. The ISC were a powerful entity, but even they were surely limited in their ability to control a world so very far away from their core interests.

So long as they didn't create too big of an incident and enough plausible deniability, they likely could get away with many fun things.

Of course, the biggest hurdle was actually flipping him in the first place. If they had known anything about him, then it would be easy to push against his vulnerabilities and offer coin, as Nor'baal suggested. It didn't seem likely that they'd be unlucky enough to get two zealots in a row, so surely there would be a way to get what they wanted.

<Most generous of you, my lord. I will make my own enquires as well, as an idea forms in my mind. No politician is ever clean, we simply just need the right tool to find out what lies in his closet before threatening to expose it. Oh, and a little credit offering for good measure, of course.>

Yes, that was blackmail 101, but if they were going to make a play for an important planet to the Hutt's then they had better not miss their swing. The cartel had access to many fine talents that they could use for this task, fortunately for Skelgok, they usually only asked for credits.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Now out in the heart of the Dune Sea, the temperature was rising, and the ineffectual fanning of the gathered lackeys was proving as useless as it was vain-glorious. Nor'baal liked people to know he had the sort of power and wealth to buy people just to fan him, he could not explain why he liked it - he just did.

Skelgok was proving to be quite intelligent. Not exactly a shock given his lineage! the Hutt pondered to himself, as he waved away another drink and focused on Skelgoks plan. <X'hoo, vonkoza an bidovah kon du kon lwaa biweoo bai gahkesa da tah Masonka doth cuee wuaptadue bai tee chapteceha.>

The plan was a good one, well formulated and in keeping with the classic traditions of Hutt business practices. If they kept their heads down, and managed to get under the Governors skin, the Cartel would profit immensely from Tatooine once again. <Phabeka lwaa doth woy setmanadi.> Nor'baal waved forward a slave, who carried a locked case of credits, and had them handed to Skelgok.

 

[Skelgok Desilijic]

It would be expected that he would succeed, but even if he didn't, that wouldn't be the end of it. There were many ways to flip a politician, and they were simply going for the easiest and most effective. Once things would quiet down, they could simply try again, or better yet reset the board as it were.

Skelgok nodded as Nor'baal approved the plan in theory. It would be another thing to put it into practice, but the young Hutt already had a handful of contacts in mind that he suspected would be able to help him complete the mission.

<"Most excellent, I will keep you advised of my progress, my lord."> Taking the credits most happily, he could scarcely contain himself. Attempting to contain his composure, he moved to change topics.

<"Has everything from the shipyards been to your liking, your excellency?"> It had been some time since they had last met, hidden away on a Hutt shipyard. The factory had been working overtime to produce the finest ships for the cartel, but he hadn't heard yet what the boss thought on its production.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

He twitched slightly, almost instinctively as the other Hutt purloined his credits.

Briefly, Nor'baal contemplated having the Hutt flayed for his insolence before remembering that he had himself, but moments ago, ordered the credits to be handed to his cousin. <Hrmm.> he hrmmed. Skelgok had reminded him of the extortionate expense he had incurred adding to the Cartels defences.

Nobody had warned him how expensive being Lorda would be.

Yet the responsibility of power was great and burdensome. Fortunately, Nor'baal was eye-wateringly rich, and staggeringly generous with his money; but only when it came to buying things to stop people nabbing it off of him. <My investment is impressive, for sure.> he growled. A complement of Ajuurs, with fighters to complete them, had been commissioned, bringing the Cartel fleet to a much more commendable defensive posture.

<Do you believe the new additions will serve their intended purpose?>

OOC - I am on a train, so no translations today!

 

[Skelgok Desilijic]

Adjusting himself for composure quickly after the little incident, Skelgok smiled and nodded. <I do, your excellency. The fleet must be mighty and unquestionably the greatest power within Hutt space, but modest enough that the other great powers in the galaxy leave us be. This, we should achieve with the wise decisions you have made.>

Sure it was a buttering up, but the truth was the Cartel's fleet had been battered after Ruusan, and with the Syndicates nearly at each other's throats, it was imperative that they came out on top. The fleet investment would undoubtedly be an expensive endeavor, but as the other syndicates would soon find out, it would be worth every credit.

The ambitious young Hutt had grand dreams and Tatooine would begin to serve them nicely. With a sprinkling of help from a distant cousin and some hired help, he had no doubt the Hutts were on the cusp of another great age. They just had to get there first.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

The younger Hutt was nothing if not ambitious, Nor’baal could practically smell the desire to prove himself eking out of his corpulent form. He did not care however, for such an eager to please supplicant could be malleably plied to his own nefarious aims, and if the young pup made a few credits and a name for himself in the process; who cared? Plus, he quite liked being near-endlessly flattered by his subordinates, and this was something Skelgok was certainly very good at doing.

<Ruusan cost us dearly, and has left an opening into Hutt Space which our enemies may well exploit. This is something we cannot allow long-term.> Nor’baal admitted, though he was loathe to do so <We cannot rely on the idiocy of our rivals forever, after all.> he chortled, as the yacht banked around a nearby dune and began the next leg of their journey.

Dancers and musicians began to come up the deck for the Hutts entertainment, as Nor’baal lowered his voice and leaned in to the younger Hutt <I am entrusting you with a great deal of responsibility, cousin.> Nor’baal growled, cementing the fact that he saw other Hutt as a member of his Clan <Do not give me cause to doubt your abilities.>

 

[Skelgok Desilijic]

Shifting under his own weight the younger Hutt listened intently as the older, wiser, and larger Hutt shared his wisdom. Yes, there was much work to be done before the Hutts could consider themselves secure, but they already had a decent foothold in the market. Now would be a time of consolidation and strengthening before gradually expanding.

For his part, Skelgok hoped to carve out his own little fiefdom of corruption and vice, all under the watchful gaze of Nor'baal of course. What profited one would profit all and they would find themselves the unstoppable criminal masters of the galaxy in due time. Perhaps the other organizations would dare seek to steal from the cartel. Well, if they tried they would find themselves quickly dead.

<I understand, glorious Lorda. I will not let you down.>

@Nor'baal