Everybody Needs a Whale

[Gorba the Hutt]

Cestus Cybernetics Headquarters​

​

A gigantic cetacean managed to squeeze through the front doors of the Tion Hegemony's premiere droid manufacturing company. The startled front desk clerk looked at him and blinked several times.

"Hello," boomed Orcus, Sith Lord, "I have a meeting scheduled with [member="Zothustro Quill"]. You'll see it under Darkwater Security I believe, hauum."

Air blasted from Orcus' blowholes to punctuate his statement and nearly gave the clerk a heart attack.

"Uhm," the fellow fumbled with his datapad before pulling up the information. "Oh, oh yes. Here you are. Mr. Orcus?"

"The same." A wide smile split the Herglic's face from earhole to earhole, revealing rows of large, conical teeth that somehow lost the smile its intended genuine sense of good humor.

The clerk winced nervously and then nodded, head bobbing furiously. "Well... well... well then. Indeed. Second conference room on the left."

"Thank you."

Orcus lumbered off, each step shaking the ground a bit. He arrived in the conference room and looked around. There didn't really appear to be a chair his size sitting around, so he elected to stand. Sitting on two chairs would likely damage the furniture. He didn't want to destroy a potential client's property. Also, it would be rather embarrassing.

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

[member="Hion the Herglic"]

As Hion entered the room, Zothustro made a particular series of clicks. These clicks were not picked up by his translation device and thus remained untranslated. This was because these clicks were exclamatory profanity in the X'Ting language. Thankfully, because it was nothing more than clicks and chitters of varying volume, it hardly sounded any different than any other X'Ting phrase to anyone that wasn't a native Cestian. Lucky, lucky, Zothustro.

Cestus' CEO had certainly been expecting someone of large stature, but not encased in... Whatever that was. It looked scary, but not as scary as Hannibal if the Fondorian figured out he was dealing with shady Sith characters. This was all for security purposes, of course. Hannibal didn't have to know that the CEO was seeped in invisible, evil mojo. Just that large Herglic guards would now be patrolling several Cestian factories. Who didn't want giant Herglic guards around?

"<< Mr. Orcus. >>" Zothustro said, inclining his head respectfully. He would have shook his hand, but as an insectoid he had an innate fear of large hands. "<< I hope your flight here was enjoyable? >>"

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

Orcus released a soft snort of air through his blowholes in response to the clicking insect.

Big black eyes looked over the bug at the other end of the conference table. Hmm, Orcus was unsure how he felt about insects. Probably less tasty than Vilox Pazela. Too crunchy. That whole thorax thing threw him off. Plus, antennas. Antennas were very odd, very odd indeed.

The noseless cetacean smiled in a terrifying, overly friendly way. "The flight was... cramped." He clacked his teeth in a Herglic version of a chuckle.

"So," he began, deep voice drawing the word out, "What security can Darkwater provide you with, Mr. [member="Zothustro Quill"]? I have under thirty permanent personnel, but I am certain I can contract however many close protection officers your corporation would need. The benefit of old connections." Cadence a sort of leery joviality, he snorted again for emphasis.

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

[member="Hion the Herglic"]

Zothustro had already imagined the flight would have been cramped, but it was as good an opening question he could have come up with. Given that the chairs in this room were not fit for Mr. Orcus, this deal was going to have to be conducted standing up. It would be rude of Zothustro to have himself a seat while his guest was standing. The Herglic's smile and teeth-chattering chuckle were almost enough to make the elderly, mutant X'Ting faint, but he kept his composure.

"<< What we are looking for are to place a handful, three to five, of your security personnel on the grounds of of some of our factories. >>"

If only Zothustro could give something similar to a smile. Mandibles rarely accommodated to such facial expressions. Instead the steely voice of his translation device rattled off his request in its usual monotone, underlain with the clicking noises it was translating.

"<< They would mostly be in place as security advisers to compliment and command the droids we already have as security. >>"

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

The clicking bug seemed reasonable. Good. Bug blood was sticky and got everywhere. Plus, they tended to twitch erratically after death. Orcus could never quite tell when they were dead. He usually just stomped on them until the twitching stopped.

Happily there was no need for that here.

"Aaaah, yes. Yes. That I can do. Herglics, I assume? Only the best. I will offer you a sale. Two year contracts for all. Each security officer has a salary of two hundred thousand per year. Five personnel can be spared, hauum. Deal?"

[member="Zothustro Quill"]

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

[member="Hion the Herglic"]

The cetacean seemed reasonable. This was good. It meant Zothustro would not have to... Actually, Zothustro did not have a plan if this Dark Sider suddenly went ballistic and began laying waste to the compound. He reckoned he should probably have come up with one or handled this arrangement over the holonet. That seemed infinitely more wiser. He would have to remember this for next time, provided he got out alive.

"<< Deal. I shall have the necessary paperwork compiled and sent to you. >>"

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

"Excellent!" Orcus boomed, bass voice shaking the room. "They will arrive tomorrow. A pleasure doing business with you, Master Quill."

Grinning broadly, he strode from the room.

Maybe bugs weren't so bad after all.

[member="Zothustro Quill"]