Writing's on the Wall (Ruusan Rebellion: Sith Triumvirate v. Techno Union)

[Aver Brand]

Location: Olomondo
Allies: [member="Darth Adekos"] | The BFFs ([member="Loray Tares"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"])
Enemies: Cultists! Adekos’ snark!


“But they’re alive,” Aver retorted. The tone implied that was the end of discussion for her.

Without another word, she stalked off ahead of the masked man. The sudden urge to get outside had little to do with the ruckus upstairs; she’d seen and caused enough damage that it morphed into background noise before it even began.

“So… you lot own the planet now.” Her tone was borderline conversational as she spoke up again, glancing at Adekos over her shoulder. “What are you gonna do with it?”

Aver’s first – and last – guess was capitalism. She’d never thought of it as an act. It was more like a state of things, and less of an exertion of will. Still, if anyone could make it into an artform, it was the Sith.

His ruthless pragmatism nearly rivalled her own.

 

[Caulder Dune]

Location: Olmondo
Enemies: Compulsive Tagging of Location Even Though No One Else is Still Reading This Thread

Someone, clearly, was miffed. Darth Adekos would have expected quite literally anyone else to display such misplaced sympathy for the transformed cultists, but never in a million years would he have guessed [member="Aver Brand"]. Maybe she was once a cultist. Proof that anyone could reform, given the chance, but Adekos wasn't interested in reform this time around. Many of the cultists were already too far gone, or just ticking time bombs waiting to get set off. Besides, how else was he going to win the hearts and minds of Ruusan's scattered settlements? By literally carving out their hearts and minds? That was entering Zambrano territory.

She asked what they intended to do with the planet now that it was captured, a question he was almost too happy to answer in unnecessary depth. "Well, first we're going rebuild this city. See if we can attract some immigrants with incentive and work programs. Don't worry, we'll move the technobeasts out before then. I promise." He chuckled at his own peculiar humor as he trailed after her. "We'll build a nice citadel to rule the roost out of, as well as an academy to train future adepts. Those kinds of things."

Construction work was always so satisfying. Nothing felt better than laying down some fresh, new infrastructure. Few things were more expensive, as it also happened. "Ruusan might have some unexploited mineral wealth. It hasn't exactly been prospected in living memory, so that will have to be dug out, sold on the market."

It was about time Ruusan saw some tangible population growth and industry. Not just tourists coming to stare blankly at the local Bouncer population or Jedi pilgrims trying to fondle the local Force Nexus.

"Frankly, I'm hoping the minerals needed to make Impervium are laying around somewhere on this rock. We're going to need a lot of it once we get this ball rolling."

 

[Aver Brand]

Location: Olomondo
Allies: [member="Darth Adekos"] | The BFFs ([member="Loray Tares"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"])
Enemies: Look, woman. Meticulousness is the name of the game. I thought you of all people would understand. Sheesh.

Instead of fresh air, the stink of scorched flesh and burning plastic wafted up to her nostrils. Annoyed, Aver swatted at nothing in particular and upped the enviro-filters in her helmet to get rid of the smell.

So much for that.

Plopping down on the ruined remains of a marble railing, the woman whipped out her phrik combat knife and called a charred block of mahogany into her waiting palm. With precise movements, she began carving at the piece of wood as Adekos talked in the background. He had a pleasant voice; pleasant like listening to hours of fiscal reports and tax returns being read out loud. Any other situation, and he’d have put Aver right to sleep.

But they were in the dying wreckage of a city-warzone. Practically her natural habitat, really. Stretching like a cat, the mercenary leaned back against the cracked balustrade and crossed her legs atop the twisted hull of a speeder. Its engine was still sputtering slightly.

It was at the tail end of his self-congratulating soliloquy that a word finally caught her attention, and Aver lifted her gaze from her work.

“Impervium?” she asked, quirking a hidden eyebrow.

Statuette and lazing about forgotten, she faced the Sith fully. “What’d you need that for?”
No laying her cards on the table; not yet. Aver knew how to play Sabacc, and she knew it damn well. Back in the day, piles of clothes and credit chits would surround her tumbler of whiskey anytime the old genocidal gang got together to play.

Fondly, she eyed the half-shaped block of wood and decided on a whim to carve out Rufus instead. The caricature of Adekos with credit signs for eyes could wait.

 

[Caulder Dune]

Location: Olmondo
Enemies: Anarchists, Yuuzhan-Vong, Jedi, Alternate Side of the Street Parking, Criminals, Gouda, Floodlights

Speaking of carving hearts and minds, [member="Aver Brand"] had suddenly taken up whittling. How queer.

Being as bombastic as he was, Adekos had developed and uncanny talent for being able to tell when people had stopped listening to him. Although there was still some large margin of error. For instance, this time he was quite sure he had lost here somewhere between the words "well" and "market." He could tell, though, that suddenly her interest came roaring back into the tangible world when he mentioned Impervium. Adekos himself wasn't sure why he had mentioned it specifically either. Must have been one of those whims that just happened when you talked for too long, which was one of the many things Darth Adekos did with great, frustrating regularity.

He said, "I have schematics for some battle droids. Big ones, with big guns. The better the armor, the better the battle droids, although that's just one part of the equation."

If Brand at all knew who Adekos was prior to this tryst through the dilapidated capitol, then his answer would have come as no surprise.

 

[Aver Brand]

While she made a point of researching her clients before going into business with them – if for nothing else than to ascertain to what level of war crimes she could stoop to without hurting their sensibilities – Aver also respected the refuge of an obfuscated identity.

If she didn’t that’d make her a hypocrite, wouldn’t it?

And momma had always taught her being a hypocrite was bad.

And that was a lie. Aver didn’t have a mother. At least not one she could remember, anyway.

“The bigger the better, huh? Did you go to the One Sith school of warcraft?”

An obligatory dig at the old firm, of course. If anyone had the right to do it, it was Aver Brand. She’d sweated blood for the Dark Lord once, oiling the gears of the ever-ravenous warmachine.

Now she only did it for personal gain, and the old cooter lay skewered in a ditch. Fallen from grace.

Funny how life turns out.

“I may have some on hand… if you’re interested.”



[member="Darth Adekos"]