Ask Stop off at Sorgon

[Hypaxian]

Stop off at Sorgon​

Undertaking a delivery of B1 Battledroids and the like, the crew stop off on the distant world of Sorgon, for refuel and repairs. Whilst there, the gang comes across a community of primitive Krill farmers and takes the opportunities the galaxy presents.​

Sat in the cockpit of his personal yacht, Hypaxian XXVII huffed on his hookah pipe, dabbing his forehead with a silken rag as he listened to the protests of the TB-Series Chauffeur Droid which piloted the BFF-1 Bulk Freighter he had chartered for this mission.

"We must land, we simply cannot continue on our present course with the coolant leak we picked up one jump back." the droid protested over the comm, much to Hypaxians displeasure.

"This will add days to the trip, hacking into my profits you worthless scug!" he shouted back down the comlink, dragging on his Hookah to calm his nerves.

"Well you won't have any profits left if we crash for want of coolant and fuel, your emminence." the droid chirped back in, sarcasm clear on it's voice.

"I'll see you mind-wiped for this you uppity lump of bolts." he rolled his eyes, gently patting the cargo manifest, and emergency activation codes for the cargo of B-1s the droids ship was carrying. Worthless, should have sent the henchmen over to keep watch, he thought to himself.

Turning on the internal comms of his yacht, he spoke to the two mercenaries that had come with him "Listen up, this is your Autocrator speaking. Keynion, Covax, get the Spitfire online and patch it through to my datapad, the transport needs to land on the world below, Sorgon it's called, to fix a coolant leak." he chirped, before signalling for the transport off their port-side, to make for the planet below.

 

[Covax]

Covax was making himself busy in the tiny kitchen area of the ship. It was where he could be found most of this trip. The human merc enjoyed the art of cooking. It also helped to pass the time. After all, one could only do so many push ups and pull ups in a crew cabin before he shot something. Perhaps even themselves from the board em.

He was working on an idea for a stew for the evening's meal when the pompous voice of the "midget hutt" came over the ships speakers. Causing the merc to over spice the broth. "Fuck!" He spat. Looking up at the speaker near his head. "That dumb mother..." His started to mutter under his breath as he put the broth on a simmer and made his way toward the cargo hold.

"Why in the verse is he having us arm a tank to fix a coolant leak?" Covax grumbled aloud as he approached the weapon. Removing the canvas cover from the droid to find the power button. "If this fucking thing attacks me, I'm going to skin that little frog."

 

[Mallister Keynion]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Mal might have been content with his crew after all. After all, idling away in Tranquility while it underwent repairs sounded a lot more exciting than drifting away with some midget Hutt that might just swallow him whole.

Still, the crew needed the money, and ‘crew’ was not limited to the crew of this BFF-1 freighter. That crew was merely the paying hands, chief among them one Hypaxian XXX or whatever the hell he called himself. A bonafide pornstar, right?

Mal thought about that as he lounged in a seat in the lounge while bouncing a ball across the wall. He caught it every time with one hand and his other hand behind his head. It was as relaxed a posture as he could assume in as relaxed a ship as one could assume and weren’t no mistake.

The smuggler was on his way to deliver some B1 battle droids before the ship’s idiot captain decided to interrupt his peace and inform him of how screwed they were if they did not set down on Sorgon to refuel and repair. Maybe if he was a mite more polite... But not this guy, no not quite.

Gorram it. Just as I was getting a high score… Mal sighed, narrowing his eyes at the ‘Autocrator’ which sounded less like an authority and more like a tractor.

“I’m...a little busy…bouncing ideas...” He spoke truthfully. “Can’t Corvax handle this? Seems to be more up his street of skills.” He’s a bigger guy than I am, so there’s that.

In the end, Mal found his way to the Spitfire to find Corvax already at it. "Hey, I ain't one to go and skin another living being," he assured as he stood in the doorway. "But for our captain, well, I'll make an exception. First I'll give you a hand."

@Nor'baal @Taz

 

[Hypaxian]

Whilst Covax busied himself with his dinner plans, a Meynion did...well, whatever he was up to, Hypaxian was lost in his own world of diabolical schemes and plans. Drifting from the cockpit into the main ‘lounge’ area of the yacht, the diminutive despot found his mind wandering back to his youth on Manpha as he thumbed on the holo-proector and took a look at the information held on the world of Sorgon. A primitive world, by his lofty standards at least, Hypaxian recalled the lessons of one of his tutors.

Shar-heen Callis, a professor in Galactic History, had taught members of the Hypaxian Dynasty for just shy of a century, and when Hypaxian had turned forty, he had found himself in the professors study, three evenings a week, studying the lore of empire and dynasty. One such focal point had been on the positioning of ‘primitive worlds’ within the tapestry of an imperial power structure. Hypaxian had learned that one of his distant forebears, Hypaxian the Second no less, had expanded his resources through a tithe system, whereby less developed worlds paid a tribute in resources or credits, sometimes even labour, and the Shadwarians, provided security, schooling and some basic services.

As he looked over the information for this world, especially some of the minor settlements such as the one to which they now headed, the tiny tyrant felt a scheme brewing.

He was interrupted from his scheming however, as thanks to his small frame, he had managed to enter the lounge area just as Covax expressed some maternal thoughts "That dumb mother..." Hypaxian overheard. Unfortunate, to have been birthed by one so foolish you think about it even this far beyond the birthing cycle, he mused, the meaning of Covax’s mutterings lost on him.

"If this fucking thing attacks me, I'm going to skin that little frog."

He shuffled in his chair, surely they could not be talking about him?

"But for our captain, well, I'll make an exception. First I'll give you a hand."

It all makes sense! They must be talking about the droid pilot of this fine vessel, truly an incompetent automatron, and no mistake, Hypaxian decided, before clearing his throat and entering the conversation ”Skinning the pilot droid will, unfortunatley, not work. Believe me, I’ve tried.” he tutted, patting his pudgy paw on the side of the Spitfire droid. ”And let’s call it a ‘security assurance’,” he chuckled ”I intend to, when we touch down, to meet a local elder, some sort of fishing settlement. We can leave pilot to deal with the repairs, we just need to have a discussion with the local elder.” he did not wait for a reply ”Make sure to look menacing, imperious, or whatever it is your species does.”

 

[Covax]

Covax was opening a panel covering the on/off switch of the droid when the other merc appeared. The two of them had not spoken much since boarding the ship but he got the sense that Mall was not used to dealing with scum like Hypoxian, in truth, the former soldier was still getting used to the idea himself.

Flicking the on switch he stood up, intending to agree with Mall and continue his tirade of their mutual employer. "Geezz..." He stammered. Not expecting to see find the, well whatever he was, right next to him. Surprise turned to confusion however when he heard the alien's reply to Covax's own bitching. The human could not hide his confusion, though it didn't appear the hutt calf knew of if he did, cared. The Spitfire would then suddenly pop to attention and follow after.

The former soldier just sighed, watched Hypaxian float off a moment and then quickly set off to get in his gear. Covax had recently acquired a set of armor and was interested in testing it out. The old scout trooper armor had been made to fit the build of a bounty hunter. Plus, many still feared the symbols of the old empire and first order. Useful fears in Covax's new line of work.

 

[Hypaxian]

a self-satisified grin rested lazily on the tiny tryants face as he looked over the now operative droid, and picked up his datapad. "Splendid," Hypaxian muttered as he slaved the command console using his activation codes, and quickly stowed the code cylinder back in the arm of his hoverchair before tapping on the datapad "...this will scare the myocks off 'em." he chortled as the Spitfire whirred into action.

And in good time as well, for the yacht touched down with a thud, next to the transport they where escorting.

"Well, go on then." he gestured to Covax, and the landing ramp as it thumbed down "And you," Hypaxian jabbed a stubby finger at the other human "I don't like the whiff of your spatcha, get lost." he added, releasing him from the contract and making his way down the ramp, Spitfire in tow.

Taking in a deep breath of Sorgon air, Hypaxian let out a soft chuckle "Perfect, a fine place to get started. Corvax," he barked "Tribal Elder is in that hut, grubby little dump by the looks of it. Let's go make ourselves known."

 

[Covax]

As the ramp of the yacht lowered, the human mercenary began his way down. Giving a two fingered wave to the other merc as he was released from the job suddenly. Covax didn't know the man well enough or even long enough to care. He also wasn't completely sure what Hypaxian wanted with this planet or village.

Several of the villagers from nearby came to see why a ship was landing in thier krill farm. The elder, a human appearing to be very old in age, emerged from a hut in the back of the village. The old man walked with an old wooden walking stick, one of his legs appearing to have been missing. With considerable effort the elder made his way over.

"Be well strangers, I am Aktak. Leader of this village." He looked to the ship and then the armored man before him. "What brings you and your companions to our village?"

Covax sighed under his helmet. "Aktak, behold your good fortune. You are now lucky enough to be in the presents of the great Hypaxian the....."Covax turned to the alien,"How fucking many of them are you?"

 

[Hypaxian]

As the Spitfire thunked into position behind him, Hypaxian realised his great humility was not really needed in this situation. After all, he had a mercenary, a walking tank-droid and a freighter full of battle automata within shouting distance. What did these 'villagers' have?

A stick, by the looks of it.

"Be well strangers, I am Aktak. Leader of this village." Hypaxian waved, regally, as the elder approach "What brings you and your companions to our village?"

Good to see these locals know how to show their future Dominar some respect, he thought to himself, his good humour shattered as Covas botched his title "Aktak, behold your good fortune. You are now lucky enough to be in the presents of the great Hypaxian the....." it was all going so well "How fucking many of them are you?"

"The Twenty-Seventh, Dominar ofthe Shadwarian Empire, and Supreme Warden-Protector of the Manpha styem. I bid you greetings, on this most auspicious of days." Hypaxian extended a grubby hand for the Elder to kiss, the bejewelled ring glinting inticingly, whilst the Elder looked confused "I have travelled far, and would ask for your hospitality, whilst my vessel is repaired?" he instructed "Plus, with a few hundred battledroids at my disposal, I believe, we have business to discuss. I am interested to know more of this world, it's resources, it's people, and of your tribe, I would ask only that I, Dominar, meet your leaders."

 

[Covax]

Until the droid tank showed up, the village appeared small but sprawling in its community. The adults farmed larges pools of krill. While the children helped or played about. Much of that activity seemed to stop as the droid made it's way closer. Most would drop what they were doing and slip away into their primitive simple homes.

These people were not new to such a show of force. They didn't sit and panic, they scattered to the wind. The leader only gave a sigh. He was not surprised, not fooled, rather he was just tired. The alien before him nor the human and the droid would not be the first to put his people under their boot and sure as the sun will set, they would not be the last.

"I am the only one left of the elders. If you've come for money we have none, we are simple farmers. If you've come to steal our harvest you've come to early in the season. So what is it you and your men want."

 

[Hypaxian]

The diminutive dominar sat and grumbled to himself as the village elder appeared reasonably unfazed by his display of power. Indeed, there was no genuflection, insufficient cowering, and, all things considered, not much of anything bar an old man, looking tired.

"So what is it you and your men want."

A smile split across the small aliens face, as behind him the droid stamped in place as if inpatient to start shooting things. "Rejoice!" he waved his hand regally "And give thanks to the force, for I, Autocrator Hypaxian, Twenty Seventh of his name, am here to save you from these raiders, who seeks to harass your people." he grinned "My General," he gesture to Covax "...and my legion of droids, can keep you, and your people safe!"

 

[Covax]

"General?" Covax scoffed to himself.

Aktak sat down on a near by stool for a moment. He had little options. Well, no options. This little snail like alien had enough firepower with him to leave his village to nothing much ash and pools of krill. What kind of leader would he be if he allowed or rather caused such slaughter. Then he old man smiled, but for only a moment.

"Our savior" Aktak continued. "But we have little to offer in tribute, Lord Dominar. We are but a tiny village. If I may, I have an idea that might serve you and your droid army......Lord?"

Covax was a little surprised by the old man's sudden turn. He fully expected this old man to be stubborn and tell the "tiny hutt" to go frag himself. But he didn't. No, instead he was playing the game. "Fuck!" This wasn't going to end well. Covax just knew this was going to be bad.

@Nor'baal

 

[Hypaxian]

Hypaxian disregarded the outburst of his 'General', and studied Aktaks face as he reacted to the news. He listened with interest as the village elder approached with a proposition as to how they could serve, and he grinned. Good to see these rustics know their place, the diminutive Dominar smirked, before holding up a small hand as if appealing for silence.

"Fuck!"

"Not now Covax." he rolled his eyes.

"You have my permission to continue with your proposal," he paused, attempting to not massacre the pronunciation of the man's name "Ar'tayk."

 

[Covax]

The old man played up the pitiful old hermit bit as he was starting to see that the little alien boss was eating it up. "We have but a modest farm here, Lord. But just to the north is another sizable village. One with much larger krill pools, pools worthy of one of your status. Perhaps you could....persuade them to abandon their village. This would allow us to grow our humble farm and provide you a harvest offering of say twenty percent?"

Hearing the old elder, Covax gave a look of confusion. He understood what the man was saying but his jaw just kinda jerked. Covax was indeed a soldier, a mercenary, and a killer. But he was not so cold blooded as to slaughter a village of innocent people.

 

[Hypaxian]

His eyes narrowed.

If there was a village nearby with greater resources, why not just take that one? he considered. Partner this with his compatriots disdain for the elder's suggestion, which was etched over his face, and Hypaxian thought he had a bit of a plan.

"A moment," he raised his hand to the elder, and turned his chair to face Covax, speaking in hushed tones so as not to be overheard "If there is a more resourceful settlement...." he grinned "...all I am saying is why take the crumbs when we can take the main event?" he chuckled to himself, turning his chair back to face the Elder.

"Tell me more of this village? How many guards, what defences does it boast?" he asked, innocently as he could muster.

 

[The Storyteller]

Whilst the alien and his henchman conversed with the village elder, the rest of the room looked on. One specific person watched from the shadows, sat at a small table in the far left corner of the room, opposite two other figures he did not know - a game of cards the only thing keeping them aquanted. From his vantage point, he heard everything, the proposed 'tithes' on the settlement, and the deftly moved counter-proposal from the Elder, that they instead take over a neighbouring settlement.

His settlement.

Pujol was his name, and as the eldest son of the current elder of the village the diminutive alien was now bartering his services to take over, he was not one to sit idle whilst such discussions took place. His face concealed behind a mash of bandages following a recent dispute in the bar of the nearby town, Pujol could pass unnoticed here, and he stepped from the table, collecting his credits, and headed out through side door.

Once outside, he snapped on his comms.

"We have a problem."

At the nieghboring village​

"That pernicious little snipe!" Guard Captain Hannax snapped down the comms. Pujols news was deeply concerning. If those double-crossing two-faced neighbours of theirs, from Sapax village, had finally found someone to help them, then his settlement, Fibor Mine, was practically finished. They had little more than a handful of guards, despite their usual bluster, some four men, plus himself.

He put his commlink away and headed to the Chieftans hut, tapping away on his commlink as he did so, notifying his squad to expect trouble.

 

[Covax]

The old man would give the two thugs and their droids a bullshit story. He gave the layout of several krill pools as well as a few other small patches of fruit trees. He would also explain to them that there were only a couple of men who were guards and hardly trained. It was mostly a load of poodoo. The elder was hopeful that one would kill the other if he and his village were lucky, they would all be killed.

Covax listened to all this. Rolling his eye as this old farmer laid it on thick for Hypaxian. The former soldier didn't even bother waiting for his 'employer'. Instead just pointed at a couple of droids and ordered them to follow. The tiny tank droid could remain with Hypaxian and guard him. The force knows he'd want that anyway.

With the two old B1's in tow, Covax made his way north toward where the old man directed. As expected in was a long hike across the forest from the tiny village. But after a couple hours the merc found a good vantage point overlooking the "tiny" village. What it really was, was massive. Six large acre sized pools filled to near overflowing with krill, another couple acres full of other jogan fruit trees.

"One of you, stand up here and cover us. The other follow me."

@Nor'baal