Ask No Slaves for Sleheyron

[Salvatore Russo]

There was good and there was bad. Some things were going according to plan, others not so much. Such was the case with operations like these. The bad was clearly Vako's situation, but Russo was almost into the prison yard, so he was about to be able to provide some help. Hopefully, he would have some help in the form of slaves ready to fight back.

Russo got the large bay door that led to the open prison yard. He opened it and went through. Inside the prison yard was utter chaos. Slavers were trying to keep control, but the slaves themselves were losing their damn minds. Some of the shots from tank had landed inside the yard and taken out some of their own. Then there were slavers themselves who were being as cruel and demanding as ever, some of them prodding them with electric pikes and others whipping electro-whips to herd them where they wanted to go. Most of the slaves were keen to go back into the barracks on the western and northwestern walls away from the tank's barrage. Others were be forced on the ship.

That wouldn't do.

Sal started firing with both Peacemakers dropping two of the slavers in the rear. The slaves were resisting and saw that Russo was seemingly trying to save them, but they froze. Two other slaves remained trying to move them onto the ship, but Russo didn't have a good shot. "The dead slavers! Get their whips!"

Most of the slaves didn't want take a chance of being part of the resistance, but it only took two with the guts to grab the weapons off their dead masters. And, boy did they. With whips in hand, they started fighting back against the other two slavers trying to usher them onto the ship. Sal took that opportunity to run on the ship and yell for the slaves that had gotten to get out. The pilot tried to object, but he caught a blaster bolt between his eyes from a Peacemaker for his troubles. Sal tossed one of the explosives in the cockpit and the other he placed in a storage bunk near the rear as close as he could get to the thrusters and fuel casings.

When he ran out, he could see that the slaves were now in a full on revolt. The guards in northwest had started firing on the slaves. They were the only tower still with guards doing their job it appeared. "Hey, Mando. I don't know if you're free, but if northwest tower snipers are giving us fits."

Russo whistled, getting the attention of a group of slaves that were still kicking and beating a slaver that was already dead. "The tank! Free the tank!"

Russo was able to rally about forty slaves to go give Vako a hand. Hopefully the Jedi and her slave tour guide were in the process of getting a few more soldiers headed to help Vako."Vako, the cavalry is coming. They're free and they're pissed. Should do solid work for you."

Russo had to trust that they would do their job and that Celiana would give Vako a hand soon as well. He had to go help the slaves that were being force back into the barracks. Ideally, he could get the slavers all on the ship before he blew it sky high.

@Morse @Casmer @Celiana Drayven

 

[Ramail Lone]

Ramail was raining down hell from above. Without the distraction of the guards that had ambushed her on the catwalk, she could put all of her effort into providing support for Vako. She may have left the longblaster outside the compound, but Ramail didn't need a longblaster to take down targets from afar. Switching her blaster rifle to a semi-automatic firing mode, she aimed through the magnifying scope and took down many of the slavers in the courtyard one by one.

They fight well, Ramail thought as she burned a whole in a slaver who had encroached on Vako's tank with a grenade in hand. But I suppose we all do when our life and living is on the line. Ramail could say the same about the slaves. Russo's bald pate had been visible over near the slave transport, and out of the corner of her eye Ramail could spot how some of the slaves had armed themselves, joining the fight against their oppressors.

Russo's voice chimed on the comms. There were snipers shooting down from the northwest tower. Instantly, Ramail swerved her blaster rifle towards the opposite side from where she was, and through the magnifying scope she caught a quick glimpse of two rifle barrels pointing down at the courtyard, one person who was directing their fire, and... a rifle barrel with a scope pointing towards her.

Kark.

Ramail slid to the floor faster than she had thought possible. A mere instant later, the heavy blaster bolt zoomed past right above her, at about the height where he gullet would have been. This sniper was smart. They knew to aim for the weak spots in the armor. Ramail had faith in her beskar'gam, but so far only her helmet was made of the fabled Mandalorian iron. The rest was made of an expertly tempered alum alloy, very durable. But Ramail did not have the same unwavering faith in it as she did with beskar. And a heavy blaster bolt was just that... heavy.

Sprawled on the floor, Ramail commed the team: "On it. It'll take me a moment to get them. Try to stay out of the open until I do."

She ended the communication and went over her options. Running there wasn't an option. One side of the section of wall that she was on was blocked by the collapsed staircase; the other by the breach in the walls that Vako's tank had created. She could try taking the snipers out from afar, but they had a quality marksman on their side, and Ramail didn't have her longblaster. She would need a few shots to tune in on their location at the distance they were at, and Ramail doubted that the sniper facing her would give her that time. Only one option then. She would have to get close. Very close.

Getting up on one knee as she had done when she propelled herself into the air to fire the rocket at the guards in the staircase, Ramail engaged the jetpack once again. It was a long stretch to fly, but so far she had only used the jetpack for short bursts; she trusted that there would be enough juice in the tank to get her to the tower. Feeling the familiar vibration and heat caused by the jetpack, she gripped her blaster rifle tightly and jumped up, allowing the jetpack to take over and propel her forward. She had only flown for a couple of seconds before the first heavy blaster bolt wizzed past her right side. Aware that the sniper likely wouldn't miss another, Ramail started swerving back and forth while the tower came closer and closer. Another bolt wizzed past, close enough to put a nick in one of the jetpack's thrusters, but luckily it didn't cause it to flare out or explode. Ramail's eyes narrowed to tiny slits. That thing is kriffing expensive.

The first one she went for was, of course, the sniper who had been aiming at her. She couldn't hear what he yelled over the roar of the jetpack, but it made the other one, the spotter, turn his head towards Ramail as well. He managed to jump out of the way as Ramail rammed straight into the sniper. She landed on top of him, and they both slid towards the railing on the opposite side of the tower, impacting the iron sides. The sniper's neck gave an audible crack, and he went limp underneath her. She grabbed the sniper's limp body with both hands and rolled over, covering her own body with his. Just in time. The spotter had pulled out a blaster pistol and was firing, sending bolts into the dead sniper's body. Ramail could feel the heat of the bolts against her armor, but knew that it would hold. She had dropped her own rifle on impact; it lay on the other side of the tower, behind the spotter.

Reaching down with her left hand, she drew her own blaster pistol and put two bolts in the spotter. As the spotter dropped, the other two snipers, the ones that had been firing down into the courtyard, turned towards Ramail. At least Russo and the slaves got a respite now, Ramail thought. One of the snipers had levelled their rifle at her. There wasn't time to think. Ramail charged the sniper, making short work of the distance between them. She tackled the sniper with her armor-clad left shoulder, clearly knocking the wind of them. Swivelling, Ramail shot out her right hand and grabbed the muzzle of the other sniper's rifle, wrenching it to the side just enough for the blaster bolt to shoot past her and burn a whole in the metal railing. She fired a couple of blaster bolts blindly at the sniper she had knocked out. From the sound they made, she must have hit something. Meanwhile, she was in a wrestling match with the final sniper about the ownership of the sniper rifle. The sniper tried to kick Ramail, but she simply stood her ground, and the kick landed on hard metal with the sickening sound of bones breaking. Letting out a yelp, the sniper tumbled to the floor, and Ramail made short work of them, dispatching them with a single blaster bolt to the chest.

Ramail breathed for a moment, the long, deep breaths of a winded person. Then she commed the others: "All clear in the bird's nest, guys. I'm coming down." Then, she holstered her blaster pistol and reached into a pouch on her utility belt, brought forth another canister for the wrist rocket, and reloaded it. She grabbed her blaster rifle on the way out of the tower, walked down the catwalk, about twenty meters, and fired the rocket at the entrance to the tower so as to block it off from any more usage. Knowing that her jetpack was likely running dry and wanting to save whatever juice it had left for emergencies, she decided to take the stairs and find her way down to the courtyard that way.

@Isen @Morse @Celiana Drayven

 

[Vako Yizok]

There was a lingering thought that was going through Vako's mind. Just go, just run, just leave. It was a relentless lingering thought that he could not quite shake. It was too hot, too dangerous, and too much risk. He was surrounded by probably a platoon size element all around him and the explosives were hardly being held off. The armor was good, but not that thick. And who knew what the thugs with him would be whining about once it was all over.

Vako tightened his grip on the controls. He was ready to back out without a word. It was time. A valiant effort but not anymore worth the risk. In spite of all the calls of what was coming until Vako saw the result there was really no...

Suddenly the building exploded with an army of peasants. They looked ragged and haggard, but they were aggravated and hard hitting. They were swarming over the thugs that were in front of them and that was invaluable in that moment.

"Catchuka bara doz'a" Vako yelled out over the com, a battle cry and sigh of relief.

He proceeded to clutch the controls, direct his cannons down and mow out a path of blaster fire before the army of slaves, helping to distract and soften up those that were in front of them. In a few moments the situation had turned. Vako just hoped they weren't stupid enough to start challenging the tank.

"Ground is clearing up. Courtyard is being secured." Vako announced over the com.

@Isen @Celiana Drayven @Casmer

 

[Celiana Drayven]

Quickly moving through the prison I heard the situation being updated. Bounding over a wall and joining back up with the bald one I said "Sorry, got tied up arming your relief." The Toydarian I'd gone with now leading the others. I felt tension and hope, tinged with fear and anger; darting to the side I flicked my saber up, catching the bolt at the tip and flicking it back towards the stairwell where the mandalorian was.

The deflected bolt rocketed above her and to the left. Leaving a smoking hole in the chest of a slaver who'd been trying to surprise her. Meanwhile the slaver who'd fired at me I could feel his terror. Seizing it and him with The Force I dragged him from his hidey hole into the courtyard ahead of her. Throwing his weight against the wall I heard bone crunch and him shriek in pain. Seizing his head with The Force I simply squeezed, exerting my iron will.

After a brief pause his head simply pulped against the wall. Glancing at her I simply inclined my head, meanwhile the Toydarian I'd rallied the others with was shouting, organizing the slaves against their former captors. I had to say....some of them worked quite well as squads. The use of bursts and how they moved together was impressive...

It wouldn't be long now, there were only so many slavers and we'd more than evened the odds at this point...

@Isen ~ @Casmer ~@Morse

 

[Salvatore Russo]

Russo rounded up another sixty or so revolting slaves and headed to the western wing. By the time he and his platoon of slaves got there, all the slaves had been freed from their cells and were killing slavers. They managed to round up what Russo had to figure was the rest of them, about a dozen or so, and put them in one of the cells. Russo walked in and saw them all huddled up together. They were banking on the ray shield to keep them safe from the slaves, but those had been completely disengaged earlier.

The bald headed Hutt associate fought his way through the slaves to the front of the crowd so that he could see the former oppressors face to face. He was amazed at the restraint the slaves were showing. If he had been one of them, these slavers would have been dead at first opportunity. Russo said, "It's looking pretty bleak for you guys, wouldn't say? You have a couple hundred slaves wanting to rip your insides out and hang you by them." He tutted and shook his head. "Getting out of this is a long shot, I'd say."

One of them walked to the front. The others gave him deference. It wasn't Trav Plix, the head slaver and owner of this operation, but he clearly had rank over everyone else in the cell. "You're talking to us now, and we're not dead. You still want something. What is it?"

Russo looked at each of the slavers individually. He didn't see the man he needed to make the full statement that slavery was over on Sleheyron. "Plix. Where is he? You give me Trav Plix, and I'll see to it that all of you in that cell get on that ship safe and sound and can take off out of here."

"That's it? We can leave?" he asked.

Russo nodded. "Get your people on the ship and lift off. I won't stop you. Plix? He doesn't get the same deal."

The man looked around and there seemed to be some disagreement about whether to work with Russo and the slaves or not, so Russo decided to speed up the process. "My generous offer ends in ten seconds. After that, I get out of their way and tell these former slaves to have their way with you."

That seemed to expedite their decision making and the man quickly said, "Okay, okay. There's underground tunnel that starts under the southwest tower and goes due south. It pops up in the basement of a security shed on the closest tibanna gas refinery. If the slaves haven't found him yet, he's in the tunnel making a break for it."

Russo immediately hit the comms. "Mando, Plix is on the run and you might be the fastest to get to where he is headed. There is a security shed to a tibanna gas refinery due south of here. That's where he'll come out. If you're about how to juice in your jetpack, you might want to take one of the slaver speeders out front. Celianna, the tunnel starts under the southwest tower. It might not be a bad idea for you to take the tunnel yourself and cut off his escape in case he tries to double back. Vako, I'm bringing some honored guests to the ship. They are not to lift off until we get Plix. If they try to take off before we get our man, let that tank do it's thing on the ship. They'll be buried in it."

He looked at the slavers and motioned for the slavers to follow him. "Let's go."

@Morse @Casmer @Celiana Drayven

 

[Ramail Lone]

Ramail was double-timing it down the stairs when Russo's voice cut through the muffled sounds of battle on the comlink. Another turn of events, she thought, frustation tugging at her mind. On the comms, however, she was professional as always: "I'll go there and greet him with the barrel of my rifle if he pops his head out." She stopped her descend and ran back up the stairs. She couldn't delay, and finding her way out of the prison on ground level could prove problematic. There was still some juice left in her jetpack, at least enough for a quick jump from the walls to the ground outside the prison.

Once she touched down on the ground outside the prison, she sped to the front where the speeders were. Choosing the one that looked fastest, she made quick work of cutting the right wires and rubbing them together to make the thing start. And then she was off, shooting over rocks, past boulders, the repulsorlifts whirling up the dry soil behind her. The chimneys and silos of the tibanna gas refinery were visible in the distance to the south. She drove the speeder at its max speed. She didn't want another turn of events, didn't want the assault on the prison to turn into a manhunt across the entire planet. She wanted to be there so she could plant a fist smack-center in the di'kut's face when he popped his head out of the security shed, hoping to smell freedom.

Ramail breathed deeply, letting air fill her lungs to their full capacity several times. She had to remain calm. Fighting always worked her up like this. He is not mine to kill, she reminded herself. All she had to do was make sure he didn't get past her. Maybe break a leg, split a knee cap.

Somewhere between ten and twenty minutes later (Ramail wasn't quite sure), she reached the refinery. After a quick search around the facility, she finally found what looked like a security shed. She slung the blaster rifle from her shoulder, pointed it at the door of the shed with one hand while grabbing the doorknob with the other. She swung the door open, but there was nothing to see. Which meant that either she had made it before the di'kut, or he was already chartering a freighter off the planet.

Stepping back, blaster rifle at the ready, she commed her companions: "I'm at the shed. Di'kut's not here yet. I'm staying put until the Jetii has checked out the tunnel."

 

[Celiana Drayven]

Listening to the bald operatives' exchange with the remaining slavers I nodded at his mention of the southwest tunnels and with The Force aiding my steps I sped towards the tower. Reaching out I channeled the entirety of the emotions of those on this planets surface, drawing upon that energy and letting the entirety of it power me.

At the entrance of the tunnel I felt......the low pulse of..... an ion drive? Faint, low almost as if to hide. Triggering the comm I said "Vako, this is Drayven. Do me a favor and ping my location, then scan for low pulse ion emissions in the surrounding area. It's possible our fleeing friend Plix has a ship stashed nearby. If you find it, blow that ship to hell." I felt....anger, mixed with....hope. Disgust and contempt but also wounded pride.

It was decently close too...as was what felt like a ship waiting to take off. If Vako could eliminate that ship it'd likely drive Plix back either towards me or the Mandalorian. I wasn't supposed to kill him, but there was nothing about this job that said he had to reach his public execution completely intact either....Reaching down to my hips I flicked my ring fingers up. Popping open a catch on my belt securing twin segmented razor whips I flicked them up in an underhanded flick, then out to the side.

A loud crack! Sounded throughout the cave. I did seriously hope Plix would come back my way. I'd take great pleasure in shredding his tendons. Rendering him unable to run from justice.....

@Casmer ~ @Isen ~ @Morse

 

[Salvatore Russo]

There was plenty of motivation for the slavers to make their way to the ship. Their safety sat on a razor's edge with only Sal preventing the former slaves from ripping them apart piece by piece. They hurried to the ship and were forced into the slave quarters where they were locked in. Russo initiated the red ray shield, and that was that.

Sal looked at them through narrowed eyes, as if they had some way to weasel out of this mess when they very likely did not. "I don't anticipate anyone getting free, but if this ship takes off before I give it permission to, that tank that has been blowing this prison to bits will knock this bird out of the sky," Russo told them."You understand?"

They all seemed to understand their predicament and tried to settle in as best they could. Russo had to push a few slaves out of the ship who appeared hell bent on killing their former masters. Their desire to exact revenge was starting to override their patience. When they were outside of the ship, Russo told them. "Listen to me. They are going to get their just rewards, I assure you. But this is a process. Trust me. Allow this to play out as planned, and you'll be most pleased with the results."


Reluctantly, the slaves would stand down...for now.

Time was not Sal's friend, however, and he needed Plix here soon. He hit his comms and said, "Drayven...Ramail. Maybe put the squeeze on him. The natives are getting restless. I need to provide the big boss man or we're going to have a riot we can no longer control."
Hopefully, the Force user and the Mando would be able to box Plix in and send word they were bringing him back.

@Morse @Casmer @Celiana Drayven

OOC: I went ahead and posted out of turn. Hopefully Morse/Vako will be back. Skipping isn't a major ordeal this round.

 

[Ramail Lone]

Ramail stared at the door to the utility shed, considering Russo's message. She didn't particularly want to chase a rat through the sewers, but she was also just about ready to have this mission over with. Her eyes rolled and a sigh that sounded more like a grunt escaped her lips. "Kriffing hell."

One shot from her blaster fried the lock on the door. Inside, it looked much like any utility shed would. A bunch of shit cluttering a workbench, things haphazardly thrown in the shed's corners, and a couple of lockers. Ramail went about searching the shed for the entrance to the tunnel and quickly found it behind the lockers; she simply knocked the lockers over and let them lie where they'd fallen. A tiny chute with a ladder descending into the depths was what she found. "Kriff this."

Once she had descended the ladder, she reached into pouch on her utility belt and withdrew a glow stick, which she cracked to life. The tunnel was small, but he reckoned it would carry sound well enough.

"Okay, you di'kut," Ramail bellowed. "You better turn the kriff around, because I guarantee you, you'd rather run into whatever is behind you than what is in front of you." To prove she wasn't messing around, she fired a burst of blaster fire into the walls.

Then, she commed the group. "Jetii, I don't know if you heard that, but if this guy has more than peas for brains, he should be coming your way doubletime."

@Morse @Celiana Drayven @Isen

 

[Vako Yizok]

Within the prison the situation was well in hand. The audacious attack had been reinforced with the release of the slaves who quickly overwhelmed everyone there. There was a ship that was now in the custody of the assaulting force, but the cut on that was not precisely negotiated yet. Vako knew there was money in ships and he'd be more than willing to take it. Still they were not precisely finished with their business.

There was the word of this 'Plix' who they were still trying to bring down. At this precise moment Vako would be content with liquidating the assets of the facility, or perhaps even seizing it for his own. But the mission was the mission and Vako would uphold his part.

The Jedi wanted to get a pulse on a ship, that was easy enough. If there was another ship there and no one cared if it was in tact or not... Vako would have his own uses for it.

"Opening up the scanners now." Vako said, snapping switches and a dial on his console. The scanners widened out and the Jedi was right. How she knew Vako could not know, but somehow this girl knew there was another ship out there.

"I got one freighter on scope just outside the wall, other side of the facility. Hidden by canopy. No sign of engine heat yet, so I think I'll go... put a boot on it."

Vako spoke over the intercom to his remaining goons. His Huttese was harsh and bitter, and his instruction was simple. "Open the gate, and remain in place."

The thugs opened the back gate of the wall and Vako rolled through. The goons would hold that gate in case anyone else was coming in.

The heavily armored repulsor vehicle rumbled over the dirt and around the facility to the ship. No one was there, and he searched for an access point from the ground. He rotated the turret to point at the ship, and kept the rotary blasters faced forward. If anyone was fool enough to try him.... He'd blast an Ion hole in the side of the ship that would fry every circuit that would be so hard to repair you might as well replace the entire ship.

@Casmer @Isen @Celiana Drayven

 

[Celiana Drayven]

Impatiently waiting I heard the comm chatter, our Toydarian friend had Plix's escape vehicle in sight. Meant he could blast it to oblivion without consequences. I could feel fear, impatience, anger..... a ways down the tunnel but certainly coming my way, quickly too. Hearing the message from the Mandalorian I spoke into the comm "Copy that Mando, I'll be ready." Stepping to the side of the cave I channeled the emotional energies and wreathed myself in The Force.

Disappearing from view as I did Plix would soon have a nasty surprise. Not to mention being unable to run any more....Feeling his emotions I simply leaned against the wall and waited for Plix to step into view. After several minutes he appeared in the cave, trying to get away and covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Smiling I let him run a little further, then I flicked my wrists inward towards me.

The beskar razor whips flicked out and curled around his calves biting into flesh. He cried out in pain and jerking my hands back towards me I pulled the beskar razor whip harshly. Shredding his calves through skin and down through muscle, rendering him unable to run any further. My whips now free of his legs and dripping crimson onto the tunnel floor I saw him each for the blaster on his belt and channeling The Force I simply crushed all the bones in his hand and sent the blaster skittering down the tunnel.

"No, no, no that won't do at all Mr. Plix. As it stands there are some people who wish very much to se you brought to heel properly. I'm here to assure that happens. Now, if you don't mind please shut up and simply gasp for air." He looked at me questioningly and clipping the handles of my whips back onto my belt I let the beskar segments simply tinkle gently against each other. Lifting him with The Force I squeezed his throat and held him aloft. Letting him have just enough air to breathe. Though not properly either, speaking into the comms I said "Plix is in custody, bloodied up a bit. One hand is crushed but he's alive. Where shall I bring him?"

@Isen ~ @Morse ~ @Casmer

 

[Salvatore Russo]

"Plix is in custody, bloodied up a bit. One hand is crushed but he's alive. Where shall I bring him?"

A loud roar from the former slaves echoed through what was left of the prison. They were going to get their man, and they were going to exact their revenge. For Russo, this ordeal was nearly over. The spectacle still needed to be done, and a spectacle it would be. Finally, it was not long coming now. "Bring him to the courtyard. There's a lot of stakes here that they used to tie the slaves up to. Let's give him a taste of his own medicine. I think his former product would be glad to see it."

While they awaited Plix being brought to them for his impending execution, Russo addressed the mob of former slaves. "Listen to me! This moment is bigger than you. This moment is about making a statement that laborers are will no longer be called property!"

The slaves cheered this sentiment. They were feeling the revolutionary juices, and they were ready to start a movement.

"We will make that statement loud and clear! When Plix arrives, we will film his ultimate demise. We will tell the galaxy that slavery across the galaxy will be snuffed out and we will provide adequate worker rights to all the displaced slaves that overthrow their masters!"

The reaction from the slaves made it abundantly clear to Russo that there was no group of people who would be more likely to latch onto the union warcry of workers' rights than the laborers who have been bought and sold like property. Russo's vision of increasing his union power suddenly got a lot clearer. "Do not kill this man until we know the world is watching! Let the galaxy see what happens to those who buy and sell souls! And then....and then we go and TAKE BACK what has been taken from you! We take back your dignity and your lives and your work! We go and TAKE jobs. Jobs that give you pay and respect you for the work you do!"

The crowd started chanting "PAY FOR WORK! PAY FOR WORK!" Russo grinned. Surely there would be systems and planets who would have it out for Russo after this because their economic model was based on slavery, but that's the price of ambition...

@Morse @Celiana Drayven @Casmer

 

[Ramail Lone]

Having heard the Jedi's confirmation that she had apprehended the slaver, Ramail turned and climbed back up the ladder to the utility shed. She was happy that she didn't have to go searching for the rat in the tunnels. Now, she figured she could just sit back and relax, watching the proceedings that would unfold in the prison.

The speeder took her back to the prison, but she didn't join her companions in the courtyard. Instead, she found a spot on the walls, legs dangling over the side, looking down at the courtyard from above. "Best seats in the venue up here, if anyone's interested," she commed, waving at the people in the courtyard. She had done her part of the hard work. Now it was time to reap the rewards, one of which would be to see the freed slaves enact some justice on the rat from the tunnels.

@Morse @Celiana Drayven @Isen

 

[Vako Yizok]

As the drama in the courtyard rang out, Vako hearing it only over comms, there was an interest in the vessel that was now in his custody. It was announced that the escaping party was captured, and that left an unoccupied vessel that would need... occupying. Vako got onto his own com and gave a dictate to his goons at the gateway, one that was so simple they couldn't mess it up.

Secure the ship.

That would be within their wheelhouse, would probably be better suited then them hearing the galactic order being called into question by Russo, who was doing so rather loudly.

Vako brought the vehicle back around and listened to the speech, while some of his compatriots may have been interested in what was being said, seeing it as a sign of hope and future prosperity Vako was somewhat more... indifferent.

Vako had worked on slave ships after all, and did not see anything wrong with the practice. In fact he in many ways supported it. It was a lucrative business that that helped build up economies on planets that were otherwise failing. The largest mines in the galaxy were all operated by slaves, and it was not as though condemning someone to a prison sentence was substantially different then taking someone who either lost a fight or couldn't defend themselves.

Such was the galaxy. Such was the worlds that Vako had lived in all his life.

Vako flew in beside Russo. He turned his comm off for the brief comment he would make, recognizing that the Jedi would be predisposed to appreciating what had occurred, and hearing the Mandalorians overture praising it.

"You're going to make a lot of enemies with this one, Russo." Vako noted. "Shutting down competition is one thing... but starting an uprising in Syndicate space? Not everyone will care for your reasons."

Vako spoke somewhat out of concern. He did like Russo well enough, having come across him several times. At best this was a words suggesting he should take care.

@Isen @Celiana Drayven @Casmer

 

[Salvatore Russo]

"You're going to make a lot of enemies with this one, Russo." Vako noted. "Shutting down competition is one thing... but starting an uprising in Syndicate space? Not everyone will care for your reasons."

Russo nodded. "Possibly. But if there are uprisings in Hutt space, I have the blessing of the Hutt council to unionize them. If they're in Syndicate Space but not Hutt controlled..." He looked at Vako and shrugged. "If it weakens the other Syndicates, better for me and the Hutts I answer to. Besides, I'm going to be filming. Once I clear the video of any evidence that we were involved, it will just look like the slaves revolted and took care of their own business. And, I need them in union battle mode anyway if we're going to get them ready to storm the refineries and demand real jobs."

The apparent Jedi brought Plix into the courtyard to a chorus of cheers. They were finally going to get their way. Russo nodded to one of the slaves, a good looking, sturdy Twi'lek in the prime of his life. Even on limited rations, he was built wide and strong. He and Russo had talked to briefly, and he was quiet militant. That would serve Russo and his union well.

The purple Twi'lek took Plix by the throat and threw him against one of the stakes. He snarled at him, showing his teeth that were filed into points. Plix tried to look tough throughout the encounter, but that facade quickly crumbled when the Twi'lek kneed him hard in the gut and then drove his elbow into the back of the neck when Plix bent over. Russo started filming a holo from his datapad. The newly freed slave stood the headslaver up and tied him to the stake. The slaves were cheering and pushing each other to get to Plix themselves, but the big Twi'lek was able to keep them away. He ordered them to hush and said, "The terror of slavery on Sleheyron is FINISHED!" This brought a huge cheer to the crowd. He quietened them again. "Today, the slaves of Sleheyron take their lives back, and we will NEVER work for free again!" A chant of "WORK FOR PAY! WORK FOR PAY!" started echoing through the courtyard of the crumbling prison. "Today, the headslaver on this compound, Trav Plix...will be the example of those who buy and sell free people!" And with that, the purple Twi'lek took a knife and slit Plix's throat. Blood gushed out of his neck and covered the front of his shirt. After just a few short seconds, Plix's head went limp and the crowd cheered with great jubilation.

The Twi'lek calmed the crowd once more and pointed to the ship that held the other slavers captive. "On this ship are the other slavers that worked for Plix and actively stole our lives, our work, and our dignity. Should we show them mercy and allow them to leave?" The crowd's cheers turned to jeers and calls for them to be executed one by one as well. The unnamed Twi'lek, the former slave, calmed the crowd once more. "Perhaps we should lead by example and show mercy when others do not." The Twi'lek banged his fist on the ship and after a few moments, the ship's engines began to whine and the boosters began to fire. The crowd was booing and jeering. Some were trying to break into the ship, but it finally lifted off the ground, turned and began to fly out of the prison hard. Slaves were throwing rocks and pikes at the ship which clearly did nothing. Once the ship cleared the prison and was safely away from the compound and the people in it, it exploded in a massive fireball. The jeers suddenly reverted back to cheers.

The holo would pan over to the Twi'lek who was standing on a rock so that he was above the crowd. He looked directly into the holo and said, "The slaves on Sleheyron have done it! We have killed our masters, tossed our chains of bondage, and we now demand that we will only work if we are paid a fair wage!" Again the chang of "WORK FOR PAY! WORK FOR PAY" echoed through prison yard. The holoo shut off, and Russo nodded to the Twi'lek who had positioned himself well for the future of these slaves.

Russo addressed his team on his commlink. "Well done guys, you should notice your accounts have been sufficiently padded. I hope I can count on you guys for some freelance work in the future? Or, if any of you are wanting something more permanent and secure, let me know."

@Morse @Celiana Drayven @Casmer

Spoiler: OOC

I went ahead and posted out of order. Celiana hasn't been logged in since June 12 I think. We're pretty much done. If you guys want to post with /exit, that's fine. Or if you have something you want us to discuss, that takes a few more rounds, that's fine too.

 

[Ramail Lone]

Ramail sat on the walls, observing the scene as it unfolded. She didn't look away when the head slaver was executed. Neither did she particularly relish in seeing it. She was there for the job - nothing more. Therefore, the ensuing proclamations made by the slaves didn't really interest her. She understood the need for freedom. She had been happy to help provide it. But in the end, she was there for the credits.

Soon after, Russo conveyed his message on the commlink. "Music to my ears," she said, rising to her feet. She was already on her way out of the prison, heading towards her ship, when she added: "You have my info, Russo. Get in touch if you need me." A little later, when her ship was about to take off, she added: "Pleasure doing business with you... well, most of you." She didn't mind not seeing the jetii again. And where she was going, she wasn't likely to.

"Time to see what that Solus guy wants on Manda'yaim," she said to herself as her ship left the planet's atmosphere and entered the blue-white reality of hyperspace.

/exit

@Isen @Morse @Celiana Drayven