Ask Labor Acquisition

[Karys]

Karys walked at a steady pace about ten steps behind the line of augmented battle droids as they advanced. He had come to Wayland on a labor acquisition job. The Zygerrians, as much as he hated their planet, payed well for fresh human capital. The primitive Myneyrsh were known to be strong workers, even if they had a tendency to cause uprisings. It’s for that reason that Karys had been loaned 10 retrofitted droids to act as the anvil to his hammer.

His target was a small tribe of Myneyrsh, they had recently lost a territorial war against another clan. Their weakened state made them the ideal candidates for forced recruitment. In all honesty, Karys did feel a little bad for these backwater primitive but he was largely apathetic. No one really deserved what he was subjecting them to. But if it wasn’t him, it would likely be someone else. This, ultimately, was just the unfortunate price of progress.

Karys and his line of droids approached the hastily constructed “village” or sticks and twigs. Once they had gotten into range, the droids began to open fire with blasters set to stun. The Myneyrsh were caught largely off guard and without someone to help them recover and rally them, they would surely fall.

@Remileah

 

["Shepherd"]

___The Myneyrshi were curious, so far estranged from the modern galaxy that they had yet to evolve past the use of spears and bows. They were superstitious, untrusting of outsiders, and possessed ritualistic behaviours for even the most mundane tasks. Although their appearance was offputting to some, they were a beautiful culture and one worth protecting. Unfortunately, with their four arms and relatively strong bodies, they were frequently the target of slavers and those who would subjugate them to inhumane ends.

___Shepherd wasn't going to let that happen again. While she no longer had access to the social lines the Jedi Order did, she still had some, and recent information she received indicated a slaver was on their way to subdue and enslave some Myneyrshi people. The woman flew ahead, hoping to catch the slaver before they arrived.

___The sound of blast fire drew her attention. Shepherd scrambled to her feet and beelined for the village, reaching underneath her ruana to grab her scrap lightsaber. She bolted out of the brush, flipping the switch on her lightsaber to activate it, the teal blade extending out with a hiss. Shepherd placed herself squarely in front of the firing line, adopting a high-guard posture with her lightsaber gripped in both hands, raised above her head with the blade angled back.

___As the blaster fire hailed down on the village, Shepherd utilised her Shien form to deflect blaster bolts in various directions away from the town. Although she couldn't parry every single one, she caught quite a few, sending them harmlessly into the dirt at the feet of the droids and off to the sides. While maintaining her guard, she advanced, still efficiently sending bolts careening off into the wilds around them.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

The telltale sounds of blaster fire being reflected by a lightsaber blade echoed back to Karys. He gave an annoyed sigh at this development and rolled his crimson eyes. "Great, a do-gooder." He muttered under his breath before he tapped a button on the datapad. In response, the droids stopped their forward march, their blasters were clutched across their chest in a ready position, and their heads drooped forward into inactivity.

Karys would stow the data-pad on the left side of his belt and slide between the now inert droids. Once in front of the droids, he would reach back to the rear of his belt and tug loose his own lightsaber hilt. There was enough space between the pair that Karys could react if the much smaller, what he assumed now to be a Fiani Jedi, attempted to charge him. His blood-orange blade would snap to life with an extended dull thrum in his left hand. The point of it's blade burned into the ground as he held it in a more neutral position at his side.

"Do you realize how annoying your kind are?" He asked sarcastically. "I'd suggest you run but I have a feeling that self-sacrifice is on today's menu for you, isn't it?" He continued, his deep baritone voice, thick with a Ziosti accent.

With that Karys would take a mid-guard stance, common with Djem So and he would take a few cautious steps forward. His goal was to avoid the destruction of his borrowed droids, shoo away the pesky Jedi, and get paid. It was as simple as that.

@Remileah

 

["Shepherd"]

___As the droids ceased fire, Shepherd lowered her guard and adopted a neutral stance. Grey eyes focused on Karys as he emerged from between the lines, his lightsaber crackling to life in his hand. With her free hand, she pulled the hood of her ruana back to expose her hair and face, where a smile played happily at her lips.

___"You'll be extra annoyed when you find out I'm not a Jedi," Shepherd said with a melodic titter. "If I'm going to be running, it's towards you, slaver. Self-sacrifice is on my list today, so I would ask you to make sure it's on yours before we get into it," she continued, shifting to a balanced two-handed guard. Shepherd clutched her lightsaber in both hands, holding it vertically on the right side of her body. Her posture shrunk as if she were preparing to charge.

___"I'm politely asking you to turn and leave. These Myneyrshi have done nothing and have suffered these crimes enough times already," Shepherd implored. "Whatever ends you're here to enslave them for, return to your masters and decline them. I offer you this opportunity out of courtesy. Please accept it."

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

When the Jedi pulled her hood back, he saw ears. Tiny little vulpine ears and a toothy grin. Karys expression became flat when she announced that she wasn’t a Jedi. She was right, it did annoy him.

“So…what you’re just suicidal then?” He asked sarcastically as he began a measured approached.

The little Fox continues to blabber on about the right and wrong, how the Myneyrsh had done nothing to deserve this, etcetera etcetera. While none of it breached his annoyed expression, he actually agreed with some of what she said. These people didn’t deserve this, but he needed credits and this was the easiest way to get them for now. It was them or him, and he wasn’t as selfless as this Fiani.

Karys eyes narrowed.

“No.” He hissed.

The Fiani would likely feel cold chill that suddenly built in the air, the influence of the Dark Side. Karys crimson eyes, flared with power and his body was filled with the potent energies. He commanded the Force to obey as he extended his free hand.

Unless she did something to prevent it, the Fiani would feel herself ripped towards Karys awaiting blade as he thrusted inward. The point of the blood-orange blade aimed at her midriff to skewer her on it’s lethal point.

@Remileah

 

["Shepherd"]

___The hairs on Shepherd's neck prickled as the chill caress of the dark side brushed against it. She could instantly identify his intent, allowing the strength of the pull to make her move forward, but only as she willed it. The woman broke into a sprint as Karys's Force Pull urged her on, allowing the momentum to build into her sprint.

___"So be it," Shepherd said with a carefree grin, planting her right foot on the ground. The woman launched herself into the air, applying a small amount of the Force into her leap, sending her arcing gracefully over the Sith instead of into his weapon. As she landed behind him, Shepherd tucked her lightsaber under her left arm near her torso and lunged forward, the blade buzzing as she performed a single-handed left-to-right slash.

___"For what reason do you do this?" the ex-Jedi asked. "Credits? Favour?" she continued her inquiries, some of the Myneyrshi from the village gathering to watch the two duel one another. "Why wouldn't you accept my request and leave? What makes your goal here so important?"

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Karys hissed in annoyance as the diminutive Fiani not-Jedi sprinted forward, using his own Force Pull to amplify her momentum. A smile was plastered to her face. It only served to fuel Karys agitation at her interruption. When she leaped, Karys would turn to follow, his own lightsaber coming down at an angle to catch the Fiani's slash.

He held the block while the smaller woman spoke. Great she was chatty too. She asked about his intentions, why he wouldn't just leave, why this place was so important. Why did she care about any of this? Why did she keep asking him to leave?

Why was he here?

Karys let out an annoyed sigh and his lightsaber deactivated. She wasn't a Jedi, she offered to just let him go, and he was kinda hungry. The primitives had gathered around and were confused. There'd be an awkward silence for a moment. "Have you eaten today?" He asked, his tone still reflecting how annoyed he was at even offering this.

@Remileah

 

["Shepherd"]

___As Karys blocked Shepherd's strike, she prepared for another, only for the man to deactivate his lightsaber and offer her food. The woman narrowed her eyes, her brow furrowing with confusion at the man's suddenly candid demeanour. Try as she might, she couldn't detect even a trace of deceit. The person doing the wrong thing she asked to stop, for what felt like the first time in her years, did as she asked.

___Shepherd's stance broke. She lowered her lightsaber to her side and flicked the activation switch, causing the blade to retreat with a hissing whine. A smile slowly crept across her features.

___"I did, but not much," she answered. "Do you have some food? Honestly, I'm starving." When Karys gave up his endeavour to enslave the natives, Shepherd no longer cared who he was or what faction he affiliated with. She had accomplished what she came here for, to protect the indigenous population from becoming enslaved, and that was the only thing that mattered to her. As long as he kept his word, she was content.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

The diminutive Fiani lowered her blade to her side, and deactivated it. A small smile formed on her face before she replied, accepting his offer. Karys crimson eyes glowered down at her as he listened, he didn't respond for a moment, instead he place his lightsaber hilt back into it's former position. He then pulled his datapad out and pressed a few buttons on it's face. The droids would activate and turn from the primitives, marching back towards his ship.

"Come then." He told her icily. "I will cook and we will eat."

Karys would then turn from her and begin to walk back towards his ship. It would take several minutes before they arrived, so Karys turned his gaze to the not-Jedi.

"Why bother with protecting these primitives?" He asked cooly.

@Remileah

 

["Shepherd"]

___As Karys stowed his lightsaber, Shepherd did the same. The situation seemed almost too good to be genuine, but the Force didn't lie. The man held no more hostility against her—barring some annoyance—and acted as if he fully intended to follow through with his offer to cook for her. Even as the droids reactivated and fell in line behind the two, Shepherd sensed no desire to betray her.

___"Sounds great!" the ex-Jedi chirped as the two walked together. Shepherd's hands lifted to fold behind her head as they approached his ship, arriving soon after. "Why?" she asked. "Do you want an emotional or a practical argument? If you want a logical argument, it negatively disrupts their natural development," Shepherd said. "They have a right to independently develop, free from cultural interference, invasion, and other destructive activities like slavery."

___Shepherd lowered her hands back to her side.

___"If you want an emotional goody two-shoes argument, do you believe their lives are worth less than ours because they're primitive and underdeveloped? If the Sith—your species—were as underdeveloped as them, would it be acceptable to enslave you?" Shepherd inquired, glancing over at the man as her ears bobbed with curiosity.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

THEME​

"Call it professional curiosity." Karys replied to the Fiani when she inquired about his intentions behind the question.

Karys listened keenly to both of the arguments the Fiani made. She argued from a position of righteousness, of balance, of justice. He assumed she was used to taking the moral high-ground on stances such as these and was keenly aware of the galactic perception of this craft. Without looking towards her, he would address the first argument.

"Do they?" Karys asked her. "What of the countless fledgling species that are beneath the boots of democracy?" He asked. "Many of them are nothing but footnotes in the annals of history now." He continued. "Their civilizations crushed to make way for progress that the rest of the galaxy benefits from." He explained. "And what of the species your kind would consider...problematic? Such as the Anzati or my own kind?" He asked. "Did they deserve purges and decimation?"

It was a loaded series of questions, Karys knew this. Only then would Karys' burning gaze fall to his vulpine companion.

"And yes." Karys replied to her the Fiani's question. "Grotthu are the slave caste of my own race." He explained. "Those too weak to protect themselves find themselves a place as servants to those who can." He explained in faux coldness. "This is the way of my people."

The pair would then arrive at his ship and Karys would gesture for her to enter before him.

@Remileah

 

["Shepherd"]

___Shepherd's nose scrunched, and her eyes narrowed at Karys's inquiries.

___"Are we debating the semantics about when it's acceptable to enslave or snuff out a species for the inferred benefit of the galaxy?" she asked. "You asked for my reasons, and I answered. If you wanted to discuss the semantics and nuances of historical examples or the philosophy of whether 'problematic'—" she emphasised that word—"species should be subjected to genocide, you should have specified that," the woman stated. However, her words carried no tones of annoyance. Shepherd answered only matter-of-factly, outlining the initial phrasing of his first question. She entered his ship as the door opened, and he gestured for her to pass.

___"Your people," Shepherd continued. "If we're speaking about our species and their customs, the way of my people, the Fiani, supports and offers assistance to those who are weak or struggling," she elaborated, navigating her way through the ship as Karys guided her. Once they reached their destination, the woman found herself a seat. "Well-off settlements send supplies to struggling ones. The able-bodied assist the elderly and frail. However, I do not presume that everyone outside my culture would act that way, understand, or acquiesce simply because I willed them to, nor would I claim they were wrong for not doing so. It treads the water of confirmation bias, "

___Shepherd adjusted, her lands lying on her lap as she studied Karys. It was rare she enjoyed an intellectual debate.

___"Your culture condones and practices slavery and indentured servitude, and I'm not here to tell you that you or they are wrong or you should strive to change the ways of your people," Shepherd continued once she was comfortable. "I have no qualms with you or yours."

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Karys followed the Fiani woman into the ship, he listened to her chattering as he walked behind her. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he listened to her argument. If she turned to look back at him, the expression would drop back into unamused annoyance immediately. He watched as she climbed into a seat at the table adjacent to his kitchen. Karys was silent as he opened a cabinet, revealing a variety of brightly colored aprons that hung on a miniature revolving closet. His fingers gently ran over them until he settled on one. He plucked the baby blue apron from its position and slipped it on.

Then he would turn to address his house guest. Ain’t no bitchin’ in my kitchen is what the apron read on the front of it. Karys vaguely annoyed expression and imperious gaze contrasted perfectly with the apron he wore.

“My point here is that there is no fairness in the Galaxy.” He explained. “You saved those primitives from my droids, yes. However, their enemies still hunt them, you’ve only taken them from a life working somewhere to death at the end of a spear.” He continued as he spoke, he would turn from his guest and opened the refrigerator to begin pulling out ingredients. “In the same vein, my species and others like it are exterminated for our…tendencies.” He explained. “This is the way of the Galaxy, the weak suffer so the strong might live.”

He finally pulled out the rest of his ingredients, a pair of repto-mammal wings, several eggs, a small package of sausage, and a variety of vegetables and roots. Once they had all been laid out on the counter according to when he would begin using them, he would turn back to the Fiani.

“How spicy do you like your food? Is there anything your breed cannot consume?” He asked cooly, pausing their discussion to gauge what he needed to prepare for her.

Once an answer had been given, Karys would return to the conversation at hand. While he was interested in the Fiani’s views, he was far more interested in cooking their meal. The conversation was simply to help pass the time as he worked. He nodded as the Fiani told him of her species.

“Societies can develop altruistic tendencies when the environment is plentiful.” He responded dismissively. “My kind was not so fortunate.” His reply was blunt and direct, the implication clear. “Resources need to be consolidated to survive harsh winters and roaming predators. Weaknesses and rivals cannot be tolerated, it is better to eliminate them to reduce long term resistance.” He continued, explaining the logic behind his culture. “But it is as you say, our moralities are different as are our viewpoints.”

Karys had opened a drawer as he spoke and was taking his time selecting several knives. He began to peel spud-like vegetables or dice others. His attention more focused on what he was doing rather than the conversation. As he prepared their meal, a small genuine smile settled onto his lips and some of the tension he held across his shoulders faded.

This made him happy.

@Remileah

 

["Shepherd"]

___"Of course, there's no fairness in the galaxy. You'd be a fool to think there was," Shepherd said, furrowing her brow. She examined the apron Karys adorned himself with, smiling and shaking her head with amusement. As her Sith companion elaborated upon the inevitable death of the tribe she saved, the Fiani sighed quietly. Her arms raised to drape on the back of her seat.

___"Yes, they will die. Shall we investigate whether they should die on the planet in the places they're familiar with or worked, starved, whipped, and beaten to death somewhere they know nothing about?" Shepherd inquired, making a circular gesture with her hand. "In one breath, you speak of a lack of fairness in the galaxy, and the next, you talk about the extermination of your species for its tendencies. In the one after, you speak of the weak suffering so the strong might live. Do your own words not strike you as contrarian?"

___As Shepherd continued speaking with Karys, she still betrayed no signs of annoyance or irritation. She maintained a level head and calm demeanour, treating this conversation as precisely what it was: an intellectual debate.

___"What happened to the Sith species was not fair. I'd never claim it was. Were I alive at the time and possessed the knowledge, I would have strived to help them as readily as I helped those Myneyrshi," she elaborated. "And no, you're welcome to make it spicy. Nothing Fiani can't consume," Shepherd added. Her eyes watched him as he worked, retrieving tools, preparing ingredients, and doing all that with a willingness and enthusiasm she saw in precious few.

___"Fiana isn't exactly plentiful," Shepherd said. "It's a sub-arctic world. Fields are often fallow, permafrost looms under the soil, icy lakes typically can't be breached for fish, wildlife diversity is limited, the summers are short, and the winters are long and unforgiving," she explained. "I say that not to compare who had it the hardest but to provide an example that resource abundance does not necessarily equate to a kinder, gentler civilisation," Shepherd said. She continued observing him, noting the pep in his step and his readiness while he cooked. The Fiani smiled to herself.

___"Our moralities and viewpoints differ, that much is true, and our cultures simply walked different paths of evolution," she stated. "Now, on to the real question: what are you making over there?"

@Apollyon