Private Started from the Bottom so Now What?

[Sorr Kortu]

"An actual Jedi?!" Sorr was taken aback by what Brinna said. It's one thing to be powerful with the Force but it's another to be a Jedi. The heroes of the many wars against the Sith. They constantly saved Galactic Alliance from collapsing, saved the Galaxy awe inspiring larger than life figures whose sole purpose was to keep people safe. Even though Sorr saw some of the dark inner workings of the Jedi through his slicing namely the war crimes they've alleged to commit during the Stygnan Campaign, it did not deter his admiration towards the Jedi. Besides, Sorr did his research on those said crimes many of them were fabricated by the Brotherhood who took advantage of the division to sack Coruscant.

"Wrong," Chut said. "I'm not a Jedi, I'm just a simple mayor who happens to have Force abilities and as for the fallen, whatever happened in the explosion, it emitted some sort of radiation that turned the survivors into beasts. There is no cure despite imperial scientists working on a cure allegedly, but I admit, I do not trust them due to their insistence on using live test subjects on volunteers. The Fallen are nothing more than ravaging beasts and Melford refuses to take those who weren't affected by the blast so we had to rebuild here. You should be fine Brinna, they're not infectious at all interesting enough. "

Sorr stood blankly when Brinna for whatever reason wanted to try to use that factory as a base again. "Are you crazy?!" Sorr hissed. "You heard Chut! There are millions of the Fallen crawling around Outer Melford. They would've got us if it weren't for Chut!"

"Sorr is right Brinna," Chut said calmly. "The Fallen are very territorial and while it's through the Force's good will that they do not intrude the Slums, outside of those boarders, they will devour anyone who comes close in Outer Melford especially near the factory. It's best to set up here and-"

Just then, the lights in the Slums shut off eliciting screams and groans from the inhabitants. "Ah chit!" Ben spat. "Another fracking brown out."

"We'll need to talk in my home," Chut said. "Please follow me."

Brinna Dara

 

[Brinna Dara]

Location: Lianna | Outer Melford | Slums
Objective: Find a new plan
Tags: Sorr Kortu
NPCs: Proto Type | Chut Rati

Brinna was quite upset that they had to give up so easily. She gave Chut a suspicious look when he claimed to be nothing more than a simple mayor with some control of the Force. “The factory will be perfect. Is there really nothing we can do to clear it out? I bet if we gave Proto a big gun and few weeks he’d clear it out nice and clean…well not clean that would require some cleaning droids doing the mop up.”

“I could very easily clear the place out with the right gun,” Proto spoke up with a certain flicker in his photoreceptor.

Chut gave a sign and started to lead the way back through the slums to his home. “I would not suggest that. They seem like senseless beasts, but there are many more of them than you would think. Be happy that they stick to the factory.”

Brinna shook her head. “No way. That’s the perfect base. We’ll figure out a way to clear it so we can make a difference around here. Since the Empire isn’t going to.”

Chut had to give a chuckle at that. The girl was stubborn, but she meant well. And truth be told if she could find a way to make the factory safe and they could get an underground organization flourishing there it would be good for the whole of Outer Melford. They arrived at Chut’s home and he waved them on inside.

“Welcome,” he said. “There is soup on the stove. Make yourself at home.” He turned more to Sorr and smiled out of one of his mouths. “So since Brinna’s non-plan didn’t go so well. What kind of plan do you have? We could really use some help in getting more consistent power here. Ben can show you the spot if you'd be up to helping. It would be a necessity if you intend to set up a base here.”​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"You don't understand," Chut said sitting down on what appeared to be an old rocking chair. Sorr could see Ithorian symbols engraved on the handles Brinna was a stubborn person. She just had a hard time taking no for an answer but there is a reason why Chut is insisting on not setting up that base. "That factory contains not only the Fallen which there are millions of them still lingering around but old machinery and creatures that the Empire experimented on."

"Can't I'm surprised," Sorr said. "The Empire tried to deny all wrongdoing after the Factory explosion. The Alliance did their private investigation and found that they were full of crud. But they kept it under wraps in the interest of maintaining their alliance when they were chasing the remnants of the Sith through the galaxy."

"Intriguing," Chut said. "How do you know this?"

"I have my ways of finding out," Sorr smiled. "Anyway, our plan is just to set up shop here and coordinate our smuggling work with the underworld. We can do some odd jobs here as well."

"Good," Chut said. "If you want to live here then you must help us get power back."

"Sure!" Sorr said. "What do ya need?"

"Get back to the factory and climb the power dish and reactivate the power sources. I have a man who will accompany you two."

Brinna Dara

 

[Brinna Dara]

Location: Lianna | Outer Melford | Slums
Objective: Find a new plan
Tags: Sorr Kortu
NPCs: Proto Type | Chut Rati

Chut and Sorr discussed the reasons the factory wasn’t going to work. Sorr seemed to be content with living in the slums and setting up an office or something? Brinna was quite annoyed. She understood that the current inhabitants of the factory would make it a process, but the goal should still be to make that their spot. It was the only place big enough.

“I’d help you get the power on even without the offer to live here,” Brinna said with a nod. “And this time I’ll even give the mayor and the captain an opportunity to form up a plan. But we really are going to need more than just a place to live in order to set up shop here. We need a place to hide the ship. Can you imagine the logistics of trying to keep our operation out of sight when we have to go to an Imperial controlled starport everytime we want to leave? We’d be just as good setting up shop in Dystra’s Place on Nar Shaddaa.” She gave a shake of her head. “Let me know when we’re ready to roll out to this power dish.”​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"Same here!" Sorr chimed in. "And Brinna's right, we need a way to bypass the Imperial patrol with the way they were inspecting us It's gonna be a bumpy ride going in and out of Lianna."

"Leave that to me," Chut said. "I have friends that can forge you and your crew the proper clearance so you can go to Lianna with no problem. There's also a hidden spacepad located inside the junkyard. Well, I should say that the Junkyard is actually a spacepad built by Smugglers who would use it to siphon goods. The Empire's presence is nonexistent in the junkyard, so you'll be able to land."

"You would think the Empire would have everything watched." Sorr said. "Even the junkyard."

"Now and days, the Junkyard is where the Empire dumps all of the stuff they don't need," Chut said. "That includes old battle droids and failed experiments. The Fallen isn't the only things we need to deal with but thankfully they keep to themselves far away."

"That's why you don't want us to go to that factory," Sorr said. "The number of enemies that reside outside the slums must be endless."

"Indeed," Chut said turning his gaze towards Brinna. "There's a man named Maximillian Jarx a former Darktrooper who now serves as the leader of the neighborhood watch. He and a small group were sent to repair and reactivate the dish, but I haven't heard back from them. It's been a week since they've ventured outside the Slums."

"Where did you last see them?" Sorr asked gulping at the implication of their fates.

"They were going to cut through the factory to reach the dish." Chut said. "I fear the worst for them, it's where the end started for Outer Melford. 10 million people resided in this beautiful town. But now it is reduced to 1.5 million struggling to make it in a ravaged and shattered land."

"We will find Maximillian and your people," Sorr said. "You have our word."

"You don't to assure me," Chut chuckled leaning against his chair. "I've lived long enough to know when people are trying to console me. Just find out what happened to them so I can inform their families. We've lost too many people to the dead."

Brinna Dara

 

[Brinna Dara]

Location: Lianna | Outer Melford | Slums
Objective: Find a new plan
Tags: Sorr Kortu
NPCs: Proto Type | Chut Rati

Brinna listened to the back and forth between Chut and Sorr in silence. This was their thing. Discuss and then decide what the next course of action was. Brinna was the action girl. She supposed that they would have to check out the junkyard after getting the power turned back on. She still didn’t like the idea of sharing a spot with other smugglers, but if the Fallen would stay in the factory if left alone maybe it was best to leave them there. For now. Sorr wasn’t the only one who could plan. Once an idea was in Brinna’s head she had a hard time letting it go. The Factory was perfect if not for the Fallen. She and M.O.M. would just need to come up with a plan to get rid of them.

It seemed there was another group who went out looking to fix the dish that was now Sorr and Brinna’s task. If they were lucky they would find the others. But luck wasn’t on their side so far on this trip. “Wait, so the neighborhood watch uses the factory as a shortcut? Should we follow them through and hope to find them? Or find some other way to the dish?”​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"They do," Chut replied getting up at the sound of the soup boiling. "But only near the entrance, there's a tunnel located near the control room left from when you enter. Through there, the Neighbor Watch navigates through the sewers via the safe routes marked by the Watch and reach the Dish. From there, it's a long trek up to the plate where you have to restart the system."

"It's a shame the Imperials won't help you." Sorr said. "They can easily reroute power from Melford to the Slums."

"I've tried to negotiate with the Empire several times," Chut lamented. "But I may as well be talking to a brick wall, they refuse to place power to the Slums saying that the people at Melford need it more. Besides, they won't dare to venture through the ruins of the Outer Melford due to the infestation of the Fallen. We have no choice we need to make that trek no matter dangerous it is."

"So, we follow their route?" Sorr asked staring at Brinna.

"Yes," Chut said. "It's bad enough that the families of the people out there lost loved ones. I want you two to be safe, follow the route you'll find the signs plastered all over the sewers. It will lead you to the dish."

"Got it," Sorr nodded. "Let's head back to the factory, I'm sure you're eager to explore the dang place Brinna."

Brinna Dara

 

[Brinna Dara]

Location: Lianna | Outer Melford | Slums
Objective: Reconnect the power
Tags: Sorr Kortu
NPCs: Proto Type | Chut Rati

Brinna was sincerely sorry for the plight of the people in the slums. And even though the factory didn’t look like it was going to work out for now, the slums were the best spot that they had come across so far. They could work on a resolution to clear out the factory as they made more credits and she had time to have M.O.M. look into things. There had to be a way to use the factory still. And if the Imperials thought it was overrun by the Fallen that would be even better for the group’s security in the factory.

Mapping out a quick and safe way through the factory didn’t seem like it would be too difficult for someone with training so she didn’t argue the point that any further about the Watch being ok to enter the factory and them not. It seemed like a thought out approach. Negotiations were something that she wasn’t going to get involved with at all so Brinna paid very little attention to that part of the conversation, except for hearing that the Imperials didn’t give much ground, not surprising.

“Hey I think the factory is the perfect place for a base,” Brinna responded to Sorr saying she was anxious to get back in there. “I’m not looking to die or anything. Just think it’s worthwhile to look into all the possibilities to get a primo base. For this one I think we follow the quick easy way.” She looked to Chut and Sorr. “Don’t suppose the Watch might have a spare rifle? Proto is really good with a pistol, but he’d be even better with something with a little more kick. Didn’t think I should try to get a rifle through starport security though.”​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

Sorr sighed, whenever Brinna has an idea, she will NEVER let go of it regardless of how impractical it was. Case in point: Trying to make the factory as their base. "Let it go Brinna," Sorr said his tone becoming more desperate. "It's just one of your many pie in the sky ideas that'll just end with us getting killed. Why can't you just be content with what we got? Chut has given us this bone and we should eternally grateful over the fact that he has risked his community and his life to help us! So why are you insistent on peeing on the rug instead?"

"Here you go," An A280 Blaster Rifle was cradled in Chut's wrinkled fingers. "It's a Galactic Civil War version, it was said that it has seen action in the Battle of Endor. At least that's according to the Smuggler who sold me this rifle. It's a little slow on the trigger but its reliable. I'm sure your Droid will make great use of it Brinna."

Sorr smiled. "Thank you," he said turning around and opening the dor. "We are very grateful for your generosity."

"I'll contact Ben," Chut replied. "He'll open the gate for you two."

As Sorr stepped out squinting against the Sun's bright rays he could hear Chut's footsteps drawing closer to him. "May the Force be with you," he said to he and Brinna.

Brinna Dara

 

[Brinna Dara]

Location: Lianna | Outer Melford | Slums
Objective: Reconnect the power
Tags: Sorr Kortu
NPCs: Proto Type | Chut Rati

“It doesn’t hurt at all to have a mind for something better than what we have,” Brinna said in a huff. “Even if we start off in the slums and the factory never happens then we will need to build something up. Something that will help all these people, not just us. I’ll give up on the factory idea when I go through all the possibilities and am satisfied there is no way to make it work. I won’t bother you any more until I have a plan though, so don’t worry.”

Brinna smiled to Chut happy to have the rifle offered to her as a way out of the factory discussion. She was stubborn, she knew it. But why couldn’t Sorr let her have her dreams even if they weren’t looking very realistic. “Proto will figure out how to use it most efficiently. That’s in his programming,” she said thankfully as she handed the rifle over to the bodyguard droid.

Brinna gave Sorr a look he knew would mean she was ready to move out. “Thanks,” she said to Chut. “And with you. We’ll get that power back on.”​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"You should get that cut checked out by Syala before you leave Brinna," Chut said. "I've known plenty of people who received light cuts and thought that they could go on without proper medical treatment only to have the wound infected."

"We should Brinna," Sorr said. "We don't know what that Fallen was and what kind of diseases he's carrying."

"Yes," Chut chimed in. "Their scratches may not transform you but you must make sure that your wound is cleaned."

Brinna Dara

 

[Brinna Dara]

Location: Lianna | Outer Melford | Slums
Objective: Reconnect the power
Tags: Sorr Kortu
NPCs: Proto Type | Chut Rati | Syala Kiles

Brinna looked at the cut on her shoulder and wanted to shrug the two concerned men off. She’d had many cuts similar to that and lived to tell about them with no issues. But Sorr did bring up a good point about the Fallen and disease. They were the result of a hazmat explosion of some sort, they might be carrying something that Brinna wasn’t familiar with. That scared her a little. “Alright. We’ll go see Syala on the way out. Where’s she at?”

“She’s probably done with the orphanage by now,” Chut responded with a smile at getting Brinna to give up the bravado that she liked to display. “I imagine she’s at home now. Just down this alley here,” he pointed to his right. “It’s about five dwellings down. It’s not much. And that makes her self-conscious so don’t bring it up. She is an orphan herself and never caught on with a family. That’s not rare here in Outer Melford. Everything she has she earned herself. But it isn’t much.”

Brinna gave a bit of a frown and nodded. “Right. Thanks Mayor,” she gave a look to Sorr and nodded. “Proto why don’t you go ahead to the factory entrance. See if you can’t do a little recon find the trail we’re supposed to follow. We’ll be right on your heels.”

The droid gave a nod and was off towards the factory. Brinna led the way in the direction that Chut had sent them. Sure enough five dwellings down was a small little box of a home. “Knock, knock,” she said at the door unfamiliar with manners when a dwelling lacked a door.

Syala came to the opening surprised to have visitors. “Oh. Brinna and Gerv,” she greeted them with a smile. “What can I do for…” she noticed the wound on Brinna's shoulder. “What did that? Don’t tell me you went into the factory. The Fallen are dangerous. Come here, let me look at that.”

She led them into her small home and grabbed her medical kit. Syala quickly disinfected and dressed the wound. “I don’t think that you will have much trouble with it, but it’s always good to get Fallen injuries cleaned up. Nothing to it now.”

“Thanks,” Brinna said, making a wide motion with her arm to make sure the dressing wouldn't restrict her motion. “We’re going out after some Watch members and trying to get power turned back on. You might be of help if something were to happen.”

Syala looked a bit worried, but she knew Brinna was right. “Alright. Hopefully Max and his group didn’t find any real trouble. But if you came to me with a scratch I better go with just in case.”​

 

[Sorr Kortu]

"Hey Syala," Sorr said smiling observing the sick and injured children lying on the small beds in what appeared to a medical center. Hard to believe that a ram shack is serving as the only source of medical care in the Slums. The Empire's neglect of this place is ridiculous, how can they continue to treat the inhabitants of Outer Melford like trash after they just experienced the worst disaster in recent memory?

"My name is Sorr by the way," Sorr chuckled gazing at the nearly empty shelves a few bottles containing Bacta and alcohol were on the wooden table not enough for the many children that were admitted.

"Looks like you guys are short on medical supplies," Sorr said smiling sadly.

"We are as usual," A female voice rang from behind them. A woman entered the hovel dressed in a doctor's attire she had a brown mohawk with stark blue eyes and a heart shaped face. Sorr guessed that she was in her early thirties at least. "Flu season has hit the children the hardest combined with lung rust and we are struggling to get even the most basic medical supplies."

She sighed and shook her head. "Sorry for that," She chuckled rubbing her wrinkled and tired eyes. "Where are my manners? My name is Essara Fulkin, I was a medic for the New Imperial Order before I went into an early retirement. Now I run this "medical center" trying to help the people of Outer Melford."

"Pleased to meet you," Sorr said. "My name is Sorr captain of the Tiaza's Purr."

"Ah a Smuggler," Essara chuckled. "Well, I suppose you can help us."

"How did you know I'm a Smuggler?" Sorr asked taken aback.

"Because every hotshot who comes here either flirts with me or brags that they're a Captain of the fastest ship in the Galaxy," Essara chuckled. "For the record I think you and your are good people. Chut is usually wary of Smugglers but I overheard that he's sent you to the factory. I do advise that you take Syala with you. She's a great healer and we need as many watch members alive as possible. Too many died this year, we shouldn't have more."

"Fine," Sorr said sighing. "I don't like bringing an unarmed person to the Factory but Brinna and I will do our best to protect her."

Brinna Dara