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Severus had been daydreaming about his Holostation 5, but the booming words from the woman, Matsu Ike, woke him immediately. "Huh?" he murmured aloud, trying to figure out what he had missed. It didn't seem to be too important since the conjoined girls were speaking to the boy. Heh, making a move for two girlfriends in one huh? Well played kid.
He looked around, not much had changed but clearly the announcement had gotten the attention of the people in the room as they all looked around. Severus didn't think much of it, though he wondered if it had to do with him somehow. There was a bounty on his head after all.
He decided to dismiss himself. He had offered his help and now the conversing didn't really involve him. He'd return later, for now, some food sounded really good. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to find the food on this station, I'm famished." he gave a quick smirk, then backed away, spinning on his heel and making for....wherever the food was.
Things calmed down fairly quickly. Dorthea Dobson
even handed over command of her security to him for the time being, he definitely preferred not having to let go of his communicator. He gave a nod, "They should be sufficient against most non suicidal threats." he stated. Unfortunately, it was all too easy to get away with assassination if you didn't care about your own life. However if it was about the bounty, that was a lot harder to accomplish. They weren't terrorists, they were hunters, and so suicide missions weren't likely.
Even as Matsu Ike
was giving his statement he turned as one of the droids stepped forwards, their built in comms system informing them of the activity from outside. The 6 battle droids had thoroughly dispatched the target, properly revealing a full droid interior and that the escape may have been a properly desperate attempt at escape. “Send droids 1-6 to our position when available, following safety protocols.” He ordered, the droids would receive their command remotely and he would turn to join arms when prompted by Dorthea. It was hardly a geonosian norm. But he could oblige her, though he wasn’t sure if an exoskeleton arm would exactly be pleasant to her, she was the one who offered it. “The droid that attacked appears to have been destroyed shortly after he escaped. It would be foolish now for anyone to actually attempt an engagement with the forces present. But I will remain vigilant. Hopefully our time will be better spent on the actual purpose of this gathering.”
It was still hardly the most friendly activity. But it was almost as close as was even possible for Cruk Tuk outside of what he’d do in actual war. Good relations with others was ideal, but Cruk acting as friendly as a human would probably be more concerning than comforting.
Leaning forward, Willow & Ivy
had the boy hooked on each word. They were illuminating depths of his own ignorance. There was a lot he didn't know that he didn't know about this part of space.
Yet, somehow, by the seat of his pants he may have actually come out ahead nonetheless. And maybe none the wiser, but at least somewhat better informed. "Fascinating," the young Anzat intoned, as the two shared some of the details of the Navis Sacra and the Angels -- which was a rather colorful approach to both the idea of the soul and the technological marvel of starships.
Fantastic, but certainly more believable than Julius Sedaire
's drunken accounts of the Aing-Ti.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to find the food on this station, I'm famished."
And with him Sor-Jan's possible business contact for logistics. "You're welcome to dineaboard my ship," the boy remarked, deciding to toss the invitation out there to see if it would land or not.
"There's several restaurants depending on what you may want," the tow-headed youth explained. After all, he used it as a floating conference center as much as he did a headquarters. The bays that once held AT-ATs now held a holo-vid theater. Many of the areas intended for war had been converted, into meeting spaces, a casino, a holo-game arcade, tapas bar, bistro. Glancing over at the twins, and then with a nod to Grand Shepherd Burtch
and the others, he added, "In fact, you're all welcome to dine aboard if you wish."
It seemed as though the business side of things were starting to wrap up. Gir Quee
and the Admiral could probably finish up the finer details of security without Sor-Jan or Dobson, while Matsu Ike
mingled with her counterpart on the Imperium side.
"Hopefully, someday, I may be able to return to host a technology expo or holo convention for the Coalition or the Imperium-- which is what the ship is designed for."
With that, the boy stood and started sliding toward the door.
Even if Dobson didn't agree to dinner, he definitely had the right idea.
Saff glanced to the man as he tried to back up, she didn't have any patience for them trying to run. So she looked past the lot of them to Viken Dobson
and furrowed her brow, before she could call out though, she saw the first of the glowing-eyed droids and frowned. When was the last time she'd seen attractive robot service... people? They didn't appear to be the most troublesome on first sight, but she didn't give up her posture or lower her sabers.
"I don't want you dead Dobson, I just want you alive, i'd rather not kill anyone if i can avoid it... so don't make it so i have to!" She called across to them, still eyeing Loreena Arenais-Valhoun
and their remaining companion. If possible, she would have liked to have done this without droids or being shot, but at least she could still avoid the latter. There was one remaining mote of time and respect she was willing to offer before she threw herself across the platform at her target. A moment she could use to give them one last chance to do this any other way.
"Perhaps there is a way we can do this without a fight, because I'm confident in my chances, but I don't want to take them if i can avoid it," She stated flatly.
Arla didn't move. She held her ground, her eyes boring into Saff
in an unwavering stare. It was almost as though she was daring her to move against them.
Lori kept urging Viken Dobson
back, even as ahe spoke to the hunter. "And what way is that?" She was open to options, but she didn't want her lead engineer to be taken away. "We are late for a diplomatic meeting you know, with those that own this station. I suppose that you haven't heard of diplomatic immunity? The bounty is a sham!" And she should know. However trying to get the bounties and the arrest warrants removed from her employees was no easy feat. Her efforts thus far had failed her.
Objective 2:
Tags: Loreena Arenais-ValhounViken DobsonJuno Wren Saff fought the urge to scratch at her chin, she wasn't particularly all about the ins and outs of political bartering with these kinds of bounties, but she was used to dealing with caged animals who resisted the catchpole you had to put around their neck. Stalling was a classic method of hiding from trouble, and she wasn't quite about to let them slink away with their bounties intact.
"I'm aware of who owns the place, like i'm aware hunting bounties on coruscant means I'm going against the government there. Doesn't change that there is a price on his head and it's intended to be honoured," She replied, her lyrical tone still with her even as she edged closer, step by step, the heat of her glowing blades tickling at her arms.
"I really would avoid the brawl we're about to degenerate into..." She offered, letting the force curl into her, like the vacuum of water that preceded a tidal wave.
Mig looked at the droid. Soon getting the message relayed to him. Glad to know he could be useful. The Mandalorian would look around, slowly checking the life support in the room before finally the opening the door. He walked out slowly, following Grunty to the location of Dorathea before giving a nod.
"Ma'am. Sorry we couldn't get to that bounty hunter sooner. Not that I didn't do it when I was younger. Hopefully that'll be the last attempt, but I've got a bad feeling."
Viken narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, his brooding glare ever present. Saff
wasn't giving up, and the fact that there was numerous droids staring at them with their glowing red eyes did little to dissuade her.
"A small price on my head, yes. But how about a bigger one to leave me alone?" Oh he'd give all of the credits in the Galaxy if everyone, minus his sister Dorthea Dobson
, would just leave him alone. Viken was forever a loner and that was where he was happiest. Anyone that knew him knew that about him.
And at the mention of a brawl, Arla raised her blaster to point at the hunter. Viken hoped that the other droids would do the same.
Tags: Loreena Arenais-ValhounViken DobsonJuno Wren Saff found herself forced to shrug and with a sigh, she flared the force out through her form, and threw herself forth, welcoming the surge of blaster fire she expected to find as he blades flared and her eye went wide with excitement. She might not have enjoyed bloodshed, but she certainly was a fan of the exhilaration inherent to the fight, and that was what wreathed her mind as she slashed and cut aside the bolts sent her way, the force guiding her mind and her body.
Upon landing, she'd made it about ten meters before surging forth, aiming directly for their mysterious blaster-wielding guard. She seemed the only worrisome prospect here - though nonlethal methods for making her unconscious were difficult to conjure. Saff felt that improvisation would be the order of the day.
Meanwhiule the Internal Security System AI had directed the combat biots and MK. III's to aid. Most seemed to have stopped and looked at them as one attacked. The Supression Systems for Concussion dampeners in effect to make blasters and lightsabers almost harmless within the station. The red eyed biots standing there and looking at Viken Dobson
who didn't do as much allowed their K'uur jurkadir to come off of their shoulders. THe sleek cannons turning to the one Saff
who was moving to attack with a stations worth of combat ready biots ready to come after her and the internal security forces. The tanglefoot field activated to mess with the moving woman, the XNA to disorient and variable gravity plating to pin her to the wall if she fell over. The combat biots that had arrived to back up the MK. III's activating the Kitik Armor as it encased them in silver armor. THe voice of the control biot coming over as displays showed her. "You were ordered to cease combat, comply or internal security will be dedicated to your immobilization. Last chance." Meanwhile two of the MK. III's went towards Loreena Arenais-Valhoun
and Vikor motioning for them to go back as their cannons bolters were aimed towards the one attacking. The protectorate anti force and saber weapon an oldy but goldie. "This way, Master Ike has ordered the Dobsons omega priority. There is a meeting scheduled."
"The droid that attacked appears to have been destroyed shortly after he escaped. It would be foolish now for anyone to actually attempt an engagement with the forces present. But I will remain vigilant. Hopefully our time will be better spent on the actual purpose of this gathering."
As Dorthea locked arms with Cruk Tuk
, he casually reported that Haon Hafey
had been slain by his droids. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head, but she barely managed to keep her mouth shut. Haon?! Dead?!
She could barely get her head around the thought, as she struggled to remind herself that she had already believed Haon to be dead only mere moments before. What also blew her mind was the fact that at the time, she could tell that he wouldn't have harmed her, and that his efforts in aiming a Cryo weapon at her had been intended as an interrogation tactic. As a woman of Dobson lineage, being held at gunpoint was hardly the worst insult she had ever endured. But to a casual observer, she had to try and sympathize with their perceptions. The efforts to save her life had been well-intentioned, if misguided, so she wouldn't hold it against Cruk. She regretted Haon's death, and would mourn him privately, but for the sake of politics, she would not try to adjust the official story. Without Haon, Cruk just became that much more of an important military supplier for the Elysium Imperium, and jeopardizing that fact could prove catastrophic.
"Um, yes! Thank you for what you did for me today!" She struggled to keep her tone genuinely grateful, pushing the thought of Haon's wasteful death aside from her thoughts, "I will not forget this, and the Nomadic Peoples Coalition will certainly show you gratitude for your actions! And I agree; we better get moving!"
Then a door slid open and a well armoured man and a droid — GRUNTY! — arrived.
"Ma'am. Sorry we couldn't get to that bounty hunter sooner. Not that I didn't do it when I was younger. Hopefully that'll be the last attempt, but I've got a bad feeling."
Dorthea smiled as warmly as she could manage (as Dobsons are not typically defined as being "warm") and motioned for Mig Gred
to follow as she and Cruk Tuk
began walking. She then said to him, "No worries, my good Mandalorian. I'm just happy for the presence of such good warriors to help me arrive at the summit safely. Have you met my friend Cruk Tuk
yet?" She chimed as she introduced the two of them. As a diplomat, she knew the importance of networking individuals together, and she knew from experience that Cruk was always keen on networking.
She, and her literal army of protectors, then made their way through the corridors of the station, taking the odd tram, and eventually reached the summit. This, while Cruk and Mig had a chance to converse.
She then finally arrived with her army and walked into the room, and announced herself, “sorry about that… some overblown galactic figurehead decided to send every bounty hunter in the galaxy to keep me from getting here… oh, hi Rex Valhoun
!”
"Got one possible mark," she said into her comms, "but I've got eyes and a route on a definite target, happy hunting. I'll see what i can get done here." She finished, hoping her partner's activities would be as smooth as ever.
Things were going the exact opposite of smoothly. Security was on high alert after the stunt the madman had pulled, the place was absolutely crawling with jetii, and the meeting place was an unassailable fortress within which there were more jetii. She was good, but she wasn't that good. She wasn't crazy either. It'd never been her intention to attack the meeting.
The problem was, she was a heavily armed Mandalorian, and even without doing anything incriminating she was a suddenly a person of interest. She'd noticed several blokes following her around, and everywhere she went the security personnel stared her down.
She'd done a lot of information gathering on the station, but she hadn't thought to look into the client. It just didn't make sense, all these jetii lurking about. They weren't the sort to associate with criminals.
"ATTENTION CRUCIBLE STATION, THIS IS MATSU IKE." Her voice was made to be more booming when she wanted to be fair... as not all of the bounty hunters were here attacking. "YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF MY STATIONS WHOLESOME ATMOSPHERE AND HAVE ATTACKED A GUEST. STOP RIGHT NOW AND LEAVE AND I WILL ONLY BE ANNOYED... PERSIST AND MY SECURITY FORCE WILL BE ENGAGED."
Well feth me. That's the Grandmaster of the Silver Order.
She couldn't linger here any longer. Saffhad said she had eyes on a mark. Juno had a few questions for whoever it was. Then she'd decide what to do from there. <Saff, I'm coming to your location.>
Arla kept her blaster trained on Saff
as the hunter made her move. But she did not pull the trigger. There wasn't any need to do so as the security forces took over. Instead, Arla pulled back as the droids took up their positions, creating a barrier between the hunter and those that she protected.
Lori was about to take Viken Dobson
's arm and run him to her ship when she was intercepted by the MK IIII's and their assurance of them attending the meeting. "Thanks! I hope we're not too late..."
With all of this security going into the hanger, it made her wonder where Caedyn Arenais was. She had let him know a while ago that there was trouble. But he wasn't anywhere to be found. Maybe he was lost or some one else needed him more. Regardless, she finally got some help.
Lori let some of the droids flank her, Arla and Viken as they finally made it out of the hanger. Now they just had to get to that meeting.
Willow and Ivy were at least pleased to entertain Sor-Jan Xantha for a few minutes of his time. But maybe what they had said was a little too much, for he quickly got up and left.
The twins didn't take it to heart though. They were rather used to others not wanting to be around them for long. Some found siamese twins to be a bit disturbing. At least the two didn't finish eachother's sentences. That would really creep others out.
Instead they merely remained where they were, unable to leave until after the meeting started and ended. So far not all were in attendence. There was still a few people missing. Rex Valhoun
was there, Severus Dobson
was eating, Grand Shepherd Burtch
was near Gir Quee
, and Matsu Ike
dealt with security issues hampering the others from getting to the meeting on time.
Speaking of which, Dorthea Dobson
walked in. Willow and Ivy waved to her, smiling brightly at seeing her. Dorthea was the Chief Director of Damascus Station and highly valued, despite not being one of the Navi. Hopefully the others will arrive soon too.
"That sounds...amazing!" Severus exclaimed with glee, turning back to the group. The boy had offered a meal on his ship, and it had several resteraunts! He wondered if it would have any deathstick vendors. He was cutting back from Spice since the last thing he wanted was a bounty hunter finding him passed out, high. But calm from deathsticks? That was a much better situation to be in when facing bounty hunters. Or at least it seemed to be. He had never faced bounty hunters before.
He didn't like thinking about the bounty on his head...
He shifted his thoughts to what he would eat. For some reason bantha jerky sounded really good...but so did so many other things. He was just hungry. Plus this ship probably wouldn't have bounty hunters aboard!
TAGS: Juno WrenLoreena Arenais-ValhounViken DobsonMatsu Ike It was always a difficult task to asses how many things were in a corridor, but she was confident enough the handful on her targets wouldn't be impossible to surmount - if they didn't strike all at once, but bloody hell the eerie way her sabers lost some of their colour once the biots engaged, it was annoying - her better nature meant she wouldn't be hitting a person with them still, but she was intrigued by the concept of what the new dampened state would yield.
"Juno... they're screwing with my sabers, might need slugthrowers for this - you'll find me in the hangar, just follow the sounds of chaos," with a groan she transmitted her words to Juno Wren
. She needed a moment to think, but likely wouldn't be finding it as she eyed off the selection of biots. With a click of her tongue she glanced past them at the others they shielded. With her fist she imagined she could take these down, but to do so before the others had fled? She doubted her speed on that front, her physicality was only so impressive, even with the force on her side. Thus, with a hiss, she stood and then sighed.
"Enjoy the meeting," she said, knowing it was better to do one task rather than all at once. Which left her eyeing off the biots, disengaging one saber and clipping it onto her belt.
Viken watched as everything seemed to be going in their favour. Security more or less surrounded Saff
and as he was guided along by Arla, Loreena Arenais-Valhoun
and the others, he thought that he could see the hunter disengage.
He wasn't about to let himself be put at ease just yet. As they moved through the corridors towards the meeting place, he kept an eye out for anyone else wanting his head. It was good to know that he had someone other than Dorthea Dobson
to look out for him. Yet this ordeal proved once again that it was bad for his health to leave his lab.
The meeting room wasn't too far away. Viken didn't recognize those in attendance outside of Rex Valhoun
, Grand Shepherd Burtch
, Willow & Ivy
and his sister, the latter of which he made his way towards. Once he was near her, he spoke quietly to her; "Had a little trouble getting out of the hanger. This is becoming a headache."
NOTE: All speech by Cruk, unless stated otherwise, is translated to basic by a vocodor around his neck.
If only Dorthea Dobson
was more insect like, or part of a hive mind, or were she more familiar to hi,, he might have been more aware of her reaction to Haon's death. However, she was not. As it was, it was simply to hard to discern her actual reaction to the news.
Ah, gratitude. That was a useful thing whether or not there was any real emotion behind it. Cruk had expressed gratitude in the past in the practical sense. An unrequired return for an unrequired action. But they were good to use and good to receive. It encouraged cooperation and made such actions feel more appreciated. "It is appreciated." he responded.
There Mig Gred
would be greeted, and introduced. Ah, a Mandalorian. Fellow warriors, though perhaps not fellow producers, nor quite so organized most of the time. Still, they were valuable allies and dangerous enemies, if more as individuals than as a group. Dortheas introduction was quite convenient for him, she'd had that correct. "Greetings. As she says, I am Cruk Tuk. I lead the Katitik hive and it's industry. As you say, that is hopefully the last attempt. But preparation is best and your presence here or with another Dobson may be valuable. Though there are preferences on which ones in my roster." he spoke quite plainly and practically. He hoped that the man would give his own name. Cruk hadn't yet actually seen sufficient value in him to further seek out connections, but given time he could perhaps find reason.
As they entered the room with others he scanned the group and a sensation reached him. While it was true that his ability to sense most species thoughts and feelings were limited, especially when not focused on them...his attention was drawn to two. Willow & Ivy
. They were different, not just physically. It was their connection in the force he sensed in minds. Not quite a hive mind perhaps but something was there. He backed off mentally trying to blockade his own thoughts, just in case. They looked human, which meant if they had some kind of a connection like that, it was probably the force and they could probably reach out to him with more experience then he had. He'd rather not take any risks.
However, there was another Dobson present. Amusing, this was a second one that he'd been at some form of opposition to in the past. Severus Dobson
. And yet another, Viken Dobson
. He spoke out clearly again, "Should you deem it necessary and accept it, I am willing to assist in your protection as well for the time being. Naturally this is best preformed when together, and my Battle Droids may be insufficient on their own." He had no qualms with Severus even if he was the opposition during Brodan's trial. And didn't know Viken sufficiently to know if his protection was worth it or not, but he'd offer it anyway. Just in case it proved important.
His remaining droids would be back with the group soon now that they had actually stopped. They were a part of his security detail afterall and had only left the group to chase down Haon.
Juno found Saff alone and surrounded by red-eyed droids, a single lightsaber gripped in her hand, and couldn’t help but sigh. No more ambiguous bounties, after this. They never go well. The mark Saff had found was long gone. Juno thought she might have glimpsed him being escorted from the hangar by a horde of similar droids, but hadn’t exactly gone out of her way to see, and she'd turned off her tracking fob. The station’s security was simply insane. Concussion dampeners, a veritable army of combat droids, and all manner of other contingencies against violence. Even Gorba hadn’t been this well protected.
It was madness.
"Oh, there you are!” Juno called out, very carefully and non-threateningly picking her way through the crowd of droids to stand at Saff’s side. “Sorry about my friend here - put that kriffing thing away - but she’s a bit special, you see. Suffered a tragic head injury a few months back and now she thinks she’s a Jedi bounty hunter. Hehe… I need to get her back to the doc’- gotta get those meds- so we’ll just leave now. You lot can go back to doing whatever it is you do in your free time. I’ll make sure she gets the help she needs.”
She attempted to lead Saff away. “You were supposed to lay low! Not go around waving a blasted lightsaber about!”
There was a cantina nearby. They’d sit, eat- maybe, and discuss their next move going forward. Juno was leaning more and more towards finding King Rex Valhoun and putting a bullet in his skull. Or at least kicking him in the face a couple times. His bounties weren’t worth the hassle. She'd rather fight the Maw.
Humiliating as it was, and escapable as it remained, Saff was glad that her partner finally returned from her attempts. She had the feeling that their issues with the contract would be very very similar. She did nothing as a result, to stop the woman calling her slightly disabled, and only extinguished her saber before clipping it to her belt and creeping away. It was a humiliating turn for the tall woman, but there was no point hunting the man, not with the sheer amount of security measures in place.
Once out of ear shot, she groaned.
"You're right. I was to lay low, but everything in this forsaken station seems to crawl with security and escorts. Bloody bounty-hunters are meant to do something here? Blasted place is a fortress wrapped around a dozen smaller fortresses," she spoke with a growl and a barely contained urge to kick something. Though by now she thought that even kicking something would elicit a military incursion upon her location.
Thus, in a skulking protest, she followed Juno to the cantina and sat herself down with a thud, her size near enough to break the chair she fell into.
"How were we supposed to catch people when a veritable army of damn silver Jedi are crawling about? Valhoon's put a number on his own head pulling a stunt like this."
Haon Hafey
Juno Wren
Saff
Matsu Ike
Grand Shepherd Burtch
Willow & Ivy
Gir Quee
