Intelligence at Large

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Sempra the Hutt"] [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="William Kerkov"] [member="Tiali Orazio"]

It was difficult to read a Hutt's expressions as well as their emotions. Lady Kay took him by his word though, for the moment and bowed her head to him. "Thank you, Your Excellency." She knew right away that Alex didn't like to be referred to as a slave, but was thankful that she did nothing about it, she didn't even move. At least not until Kay did.

After she was dismissed she turned and walked over to Jaster, with Alex in tow. No doubt no guards will be following her until she had left the throne room. Once she was near she spoke in a hushed tone. "Well I never thought that I'd be seeing you again. What are you doing here?" She was pretty sure that he had that exact question in mind for her.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="William Kerkov"] [member="Lady Kay"]

Jaster watched as the lady Kay was dismissed from Sempra. She seemed confident in what had happened, it was strange to see all this happening, but more interesting things have happened. So when she was heading over to him Jaster was more interested then before.

She seemed slightly diffrent then when he was injured, "Making sure my contract is still intact, last thing I thought to see was... well you," Jaster made a jester to Kerkov, "my friend here is Mr. Kerkov, and he was just leaving, yes?"

Jaster pointed over to Sempra, who was now free to speak with.

 

[William Kerkov Sr]

"Yes, I was. Oh and it was nice seeing you again [member="Lady Kay"]. It has been so long since Bakura, I almost didn't recognize you."

Kerkov grinned once more before leaving the two's presence to attend to [member="Sempra the Hutt"]. As Kerkov entered the throne room, he pulled out a datapad from what seemed like nothing. Kerkov stared right into Sempra's eyes,

"Sempra, I have come here to create a contract between the Cartel and my Armada. On this contract it decrees that whenever the Hutt Cartel requests the OCA will come, for a low fixed price. So you will have our fleet at your beck and call, and of course everything is open to negotiation. So what do you think?"

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Sempra the Hutt"] [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="William Kerkov"] [member="Tiali Orazio"]

Lady Kay nodded as Jaster spoke, agreeing that they were both equally surprised. She then looked to William Kerkov as he spoke to her and did her best to hide the shock that he would address her so....politely. But then they were on Sempra's turf and she was guessing that she was under the Hutt's protection while she was there. "Likewise, Mr. Kerkov...."

After William left them, she turned to Jaster again and spoke in the same hushed tone as earlier. "I wasn't in the same position when I was on Bakura as I am now. But don't worry. I haven't told a soul about your experiment, nor would I do so. I'm not as cutthroat as some."

She glanced over to William for a brief moment as she continued to speak to Jaster, "I'm not trying to step on your toes either. Had I of known that you had contracts here, I might of had reason to stay away." But a simple defence contract wasn't all that she was here for. In any case she couldn't give him much more information than that as she didn't want to risk it. It was bad enough that she was to spend the night here before she was permitted to go on that tour. And morning couldn't come swiftly enough.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Jaster was quite surprised to see her act so calmly to the curtesy she was shown from the person that tries to blow them up only months ago. Yet he was sure the Admiral was under the impression that they were to be friends and coworkers, now that she allied herself with the Hutts. Jaster on the other hand was not so convinced, there were to many questions that were not answered and he knew who she really was. Though he was digressing, he was at a table with a lovley young lady and she had questions.

"Yes, the Admiral has allied himself with the Hutts which means my goods are protected by him," Jaster looked over at Mr. Kerkov as he aproched Sempra, "thus he's untouchable by me," Jaster returned to his odd colored drink and took another gulp of it, he was getting use to the odd bitterness of it.

Jaster remembered why he was on the planet when he first meet Lady Kay. The organic drop pod, a wonderful peice of tech, though it was now on hold, "Ahh, yes, I do appreciate that, that prodject though is still in development, all the leading scientist in that field dyed that day." Jaster raised his glass in respects to the lost souls of those men. Many were great friends and supporters of Jasters. All of them were his supporters of the branch clans for his position as head of the Awaud Clan. Now though, politics and his company prevented him of taking that posistion.

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="William Kerkov"] [member="Sempra the Hutt"]

Lady Kay glanced over her shoulder yo Alex. The Mandalorian woman was there too, only she was flying her ship to try to meet them while Kerkov's men were attacking them. As Jaster raised his glass and spoke of the men that died, she lowered her head a little. "I'm sorry that they died. I feel as though it's partly my fault. I just wanted to get out of there as it wasn't my conflict, so I thought a quiet retreat was best. But I think that in doing so, I caused the firefight to start. I do hope that you accept my apology." It was an odd situation to be in. One moment she was thanking the Force for having her survive the transport vessel crash. And in the next moment she found herself at her campfire and being surrounded by soldiers and a science team that seemed to be in a lethal competition against eachother. It was a sticky situation at best.

At least Jaster had stopped calling her Jedi. That could be a death sentence or worse in this place. Did he realize that she had a different motivation for coming here besides a defence contract? If he did he was hiding it well, and that made him a bit more trustworthy than the others here.

"So let me get this straight....you two aren't going to try to kill eachother anymore because you both have contracts with the same Hutt?" It was like some odd family rivalry, although as far as she knew, they weren't related at all.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Jaster finished his drink off, as to commemorate his fallen comrades and workmates. Though he was surprised to see that Alex had joined them. It had been years since her and Reclaimer bumped into Jaster in Tatooine, funny how things had worked out. Though Jaster became less then joyouse as the Jedi took the blame for his lost.

"Don't freet, my men died for a good cause, died a glorious Madalorian Death," Jaster smiled as to lift the women's heavy woes, "they would be glad to see their deaths saved you and in their place you achieved greatness, not everyday one becomes COO of a very important corporation," Jaster leaned back in his seat, his mind was still filled with quite a few questions, though he better not let on his reason for making a contract with the Hutts.

"As for my distrust of Kerkov," Jaster waved his hand in a circle with a mixed feeling showing on his face, "well one could only say, there no personal grudges in the art of buisness, suck it up, and move on," Jaster remembered as his father once told him that.

"The Hutts have something I need, and I have product they need, and to underestimate them is just asking for trouble. Take this palace for example, only a year ago it was a ruin, relic from a lost time, then out of nowhere it became a galactic center of criminal activity," Jaster smiled to himself, "Sempras smart and tactful, but like everyone, they have their weaknesses."

Jaster stopped a slave girl who was carrying mor of the odd alcohol, he grabbed one and gestured to Lady Kay to see if she was interested in one as well.

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="Sempra the Hutt"] [member="William Kerkov"]

Lady Kay shook her head to the offer of a rather odd looking drink. "No, thank you. My vice is Sapir tea, though I'm not thirsty for it at the moment." Her mind was on a dozen other things and she couldn't repeat all of them. So instead she just focused on a few of them. "This job almost fell into my lap. ArmaTech is an up and coming company that is growing quite quickly. I'm still adjusting to the life change for me and the constant changes and upgrades to the company. It's a lot of paperwork and reading, not to mention many trips to see our clients."

She felt really bad for the slaves too and with the newly acquired large slave ship outside, she knew that there were more that needed her help. But all in good time. Things needed to be planned out carefully first.

As Kay looked around the throne room, it was hard to believe that it was a ruin just a year ago. Amazing restoration work. One never would've been able to guess. She leaned over to Jaster a little and whispered, "So he's smart and tactful, is he? Care to shed a little light on his weaknesses?"

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Interesting? Jaster didn't trust anyone so that was why he knew his allies weakness. In Jaster was very interested in why she was wanted to know very valuable information. Then he noticed her discomfort with Jaster taking a drink from the slave, and he decided to add onto this.

Jaster grabbed onto the female Twi'lek slaves collar and pulled her onto his lap. She was a frightened young thing, possible only just passing her teens and from Jasters guess, young 20's. "Hello love, been a while, how is the posistion working out?"

She wouldn't make eye contact with Jaster, she was familiar with Jasters presents in the cartel. Weeks before Jaster had picked her as his favored companion to talk with. She spoke up, "I-I'm good sir, y-you've been kind, th-thank you."

Jaster still looked at the young green Twi'lek as he held her he gestured over to Lady Kay, "My friend here is interested in information I have, now why do you think that is?"

His eyes lifted from the young Twi'lek and over to the Jedi he meet a few months ago. He wish to see her reaction to what he had just committed to.

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="Sempra the Hutt"] [member="William Kerkov"]

"Don't-..." Lady Kay clenched her jaw and did her best to maintain her composure. He was testing her, that was clear and although it was difficult, she couldn't betray herself right now. "...Don't have her sit down just yet. I've changed my mind about having some tea." She looked to the girl that was maybe five to ten years younger than she was. "Could you please bring me a cup of hot water?"

Kay looked to Jaster now to see what he would do. It just wasn't fair that he would put her into that kind of position. She would've expected it from William Kerkov, but not from the soldier that helped to cover her escape from the invading army. But it made her all the more determined to complete her mission.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

[member="Lady Kay"] [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="William Kerkov"] [member="Sempra the Hutt"]

The Night pulled into the atmosphere, its cloak active and its stealth systems running. Having heard that Lady Kay would be speaking to the Hutt, I decided I would pay him a visit, see how she was handling things, and ensure that she was being treated with the respect she was owed, being the COO of a major arms manufacturer. Even still, the fact that she had not taken a security team with her beyond her lone Bodyguard had caused me to over do it. The Indominous Rex sat just outside the system, waiting on check ins every thirty minutes. Failure to check in, and it would leap into the system to the rescue.

The Night approached, still cloaked. Once it landed I stood from the main deck and descended the ramp, my own Active Camouflage on. Twenty black armored warriors stood ready, assuming I ran into trouble. Assuming I was not stopped, I left my guards on the ship to protect it as I went for the door. If I was stopped, well I had something for that too.

 

[Sempra the Hutt]

Sempras eyes went wide at the proposal.

"Oooorrr... You want to put your ships at the Cartels disposal? A very wise decission Admiral. A wise decission indeed. I believe My Major Domo, [member="Flannigan Mcnash"] would be very interested to hear this." Sempra explained.

"However, we are not running a small time operation here. Our calculations are precise and we must know who we can count on and who might seap sides at unexpected occations. "

"Are you truly prepared to commit in such a way Admiral? I will only ask this once, so think carefully before you reply." Sempra folded his hands and watched the leader of the OCA. It was an interesting proposal, but Sempra did not know [member="William Kerkov"] enough yet.

[member="William Kerkov"]
[member="Lady Kay"]
[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Jaster grinned slyly, he baited her and she acted almost as well as Jaster had though. The slave girl looked at Jaster with a smile, "Did I do good?"

Jaster let her up, and took one of her hands before speaking, "I thank you Miss, Cor'lin, your did magnificent, please give my best to your husband, I hope the Medicine I have is helping."

She was again one of Jasters favorites in that he talked with her every time he had come into the palace. She was born into the Hutts Slavery, so she was use to it all. Though Jaster was never mean to her and that was the first time he had been rough with any slave. He was just happy to see that she played along.

"He's doing a lot better and we thank you again, Mr. Awaud."

Jaster kissed her hand and slid her 200 credits, "For your service, and the rule that my buisness is a secrete?"

The young women was happy to help and bowed her head to Lasy Kay, then made her way to the kitchen. Jaster was truely pleased with himself, he now has some ideas as to why the Jedi was here. He leaned back against his seat and looked at her. "Well you don't like slavery, your giving a criminal organization a very large upper hand in the criminal underworld, and yet you and your boss didn't ask for a darn thing in return," Jaster swashed his drink before taking a gulp, "I'm a secretive man, don't like giving infermation freely, so you scratch my back, and I'll scratch your."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

[member="Sempra the Hutt"] [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="Lady Kay"]

I quietly made my way through the main gates and into the palace, cloak and all. As a Mandalorian warrior, I rarely relied on stealth, but that didn't mean I couldn't do it, or wasn't good at it. Nonetheless, after getting through the perimeter defenses, I simply found myself a nook off where no one would see a man suddenly appear, and no one would notice someone walking out of. A refresher was simple and easy enough, even the crap ones in the exterior of a place like this. Hutts didn't spend real money on public refreshers. Once visible and noticeable I made my way to the throne room. This was far more secure, as it should be for a Hutt. I approached the guards of the main door to the throne room, "I have a message for Lady Kay, COO of ArmaTech Combat Systems. Her boss wanted me to check in and see how things were going." I told them, waiting for them to let me in the room. It wasn't a lie, they just didn't need to know that the armored warrior they were speaking to was her boss or that I was mildly annoyed with the Hutts as it was. I had worked for the Cartel in a previous incarnation, and I never got an invite to this one. How rude of them not to pay it forward with someone like me.

 

[Ka-Aver]

Ka-Aver eyed Draco up and down, shifting from leaning heavily on his two handed glaive into standing straight.

"Youz waitz here." he replied not recognising the man who appeared a bit to well equiped to be a normal bussiness suit.

he then turned and went inside, eyeing the scenery he finally found Lady Kay and approached her table.

"Youz got vizitor Lady." he hissed into her ear. he pointed with his thumb toward the door, implying she should follow him back as he turned and walked with a limp back to the doorway where Draco stood.

[member="Lady Kay"]
[member="Draco Vereen"]
[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="Sempra the Hutt"] [member="William Kerkov"] [member="Draco Vereen"] [member="Ka-Aver"]

Well played. She bowed her head to the young lady before looking to Jaster again, folding her arms across her chest. "Well done. I should have figured that you weren't the cruel sort. But then again I guess that neither of us know eachother very well."

Kay didn't think that she was giving the Hutt much of an upper hand. There was a reason that she wasn't offering the best that ArmaTech had to offer. It was becoming clear that dealing with organizations like the Hutts was far different than dealing with some of the governments that she was used to. This used to be her husband's department and she was sure that he wouldn't of been played. He was a Dark Jedi after all.

"What would you want in return?" But before he could answer Ka-Aver approached and hissed in her ear. Kay unfolded her arms and nodded to the guard before getting to her feet. "Hold that thought and please excuse me for a moment. It seems that word is spreading like wildfire that I'm here."

And that wasn't entirely a good thing. She followed Ka-Aver to the door of the throne room with Alex in tow, and did a bit of a double-take. Oh wonderful. Now she had some explaining to do. "Fancy seeing you here, sir....."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

[member="Lady Kay"] @Ka-Aver

"Yeah, your boss was worried about you coming out all this way without guards ma'am, so he sent me to assist Alex if need be," I said to [member="Lady Kay"] , still trying to play up that I was hired help. I was new in the galaxy and wasn't much for press conferences so my face wasn't well known, and my helm wasn't exactly recognizable, being a very new set of armor. "I think it would be acceptable if we go back inside, ma'am." I told her. Really I was here to watch, and law down the law. I did not appreciate being snubbed, and I did not appreciate Lady Kay being treated as inferior. Part of me wanted to walk in and give someone a Keldabe Handshake with crushgaunts, and instill a bit of respect, but this was Lady Kay's show. I was willing to let her run it, I just wanted to be here in case someone thought they were higher status than they were. "Oh and your boss wanted to remind you that ArmaTech is a much larger, more powerful organization than they. Maybe they should roll out some finery for someone of your status, and actually treat you like the guest of honor you are."

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="Sempra the Hutt"] [member="William Kerkov"] [member="Ka-Aver"] [member="Draco Vereen"]

She nodded as he spoke about her lack of guards. Kay recognized his voice. "I thought that Alex would be enough. And I have two on board her ship too. I didn't want to appear threatening."

Yes, it was time to get back. But then he spoke of her being a guest of honour and to that she held up her hand to stop him from talking. She just had to interject so that what he had said wouldn't get them into trouble. "I am being treated well. I have been invited to stay the night with guards to watch over me and I have a tour of the Palace in the morning. Everyone has been polite so far." Well except for Jaster playing her earlier to try to get a feel for what she was doing there. "Please just try not to start any fights or arguments. We can talk about it more later." Yes, later, when they were alone.

Kay let out a quick breath and headed back into the Throne room with both Alex and the soldier in tow. She walked over to Jaster's table. "Sorry about that. My boss had insisted that I have another bodyguard accompany me. Now where were we?..." She sat herself down, resting her satchel on her lap. "...What would you want in return?"

 

[Laira Darkhold]

[member="Lady Kay"]

"Its your show ma'am." I said reassuringly. If she had a helmet we could talk in private now, but she was a diplomat. That was her thing, and I kinda started this ruse, and breaking it now would be confusing and might make her life a little harder. Really I was just the mean muscle to make these goons respect her, if they didn't show enough to her as it was. Also I kinda wanted to get a good map of this place.

I followed her back to her table, taking up a place behind her chair. I wasn't exactly pleased with how things had gone so far. She had been waved off to the side apparently, and was no longer the focus of attention. The Techno Union had bent over backwards to accommodate me , the Mandalorians had given ArmaTech billions before even signing a contract and set aside whole continents on important worlds for us. That was the problem with Hutts. They didn't know where in the food chain they found themselves. But for now, it was simple enough to let her handle everything. That was the reason I hired her.

 

[Sempra the Hutt]

Sempra watched the comers and goers in the ancient council chambers. He took note of some display with that slave girl. It seemed [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] had found a favourite, good to know he thought. Then there was this [member="William Kerkov"], still thinking about his own proposal. Another fleet would give them much needed leverage and spare the manufacturing costs, not to mention saving time.

[member="Lady Kay"] seemed to be familiar with them both. Perhaps they were the ones tipping her about the cartel need he pondered. It was a bit convinient that she showed up now, when the Cartel was indeed on the brink of making some dangerous enemies. A new man in armor then appeared at her side Sempra noted as [member="Draco Vereen"] walked up to her table. He narrowed his eyes and watched their table for a moment before he returned to his datapad.

There were some major transactions taking place at the moment - and more to come. Credits were flowing into the cartel but they also spent alot on weaponry and the cartel army. Somehow he believed it to be a necessity at the time being. This shield might also be a very good purchase considering the attention they seemed to draw recently. Regardless, [member="Lady Kay"] would be allowed to walk the perimeter tomorrow and calculate a price for the device.

Sempra glanced at [member="William Kerkov"] making sure he did not missjudge the man.