Terminal Velocity (Outer Rim Coalition)

[Janick Beauchamp]

With Janick arriving late to Zonju V, she recognizes several faces from ForceCon: [member="Jorus Merrill"], [member="Sanya Val Swift"]. New faces that she did not immediately recognize may or may not include [member="Elaine Thul"], [member="Nathan Sandusky"], [member="Aton Rekali"] or [member="Walker Ducarte"]. She seems to have overheard stuff about Elysian, Kesh and industrial production on the one hand, the realities of smuggling on the other, through the use of psychometry on the premises. Also the Kathol Rift being a pain in the butt to fly in for her, without resorting to Otherspace, due to the numerous obstacles and also her own power in the Force. That said, she has to recount her experiences dealing with those pirates on Aing-Tii and just how they would even pertain to Otherspace. The pirates she caught on Aing-Tii seemed to have a one-track mind for Otherspace operations, smuggling being the main one.

"Although I do realize the dangers of Otherspace travel, what has worked for me is Otherspace flight. That said, Otherspace flight requires Otherdrives to do with any reliability, and even then it is about as slow as a class-4 or class-5 hyperdrive for the fastest Otherdrives available. Also while one can conceivably have a temporary smuggling base in Otherspace, the Charon will force smugglers relying on Otherspace to frequently move around, so we also need some force capable of fighting the Charon in Otherspace if it came to that. Just don't give the Charon hyperdrives, however" she told the smugglers present in the audience.

Speaking of Charon, they are known to just desire to kill just about any sentient they can find, so keeping realspace-dwellers safe in Otherspace will require some policing. Ironically here policing would mean protecting smugglers using Otherspace as a base of operations from Charon incursions, unlike realspace policing, where the aims would be to catch smugglers or pirates.

"Now, I do realize that I might not be the most familiar with naval operations beyond the use of attack craft in combat, but due to the rarity of Otherdrives, it kind of forces our Otherspace doctrine to revolve around the use of smaller battlegroups built around elite capital ships, with a few elite specialty ships for support. Now I realize that, since our fleet calls upon several different contractors, so will any Otherspace-capable fleet in use for answering distress calls from our own brethren in Otherspace. It would also form a pool of elite ships for realspace combat"

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Janick Beauchamp"]

"Otherdrives have their uses, sure. They'll get you past blockades and interdiction and hyperspace monitors. And yeah, Otherspace doesn't have the hallucinations you get in the Kathol Rift, but don't sell the Charon short. They've sterilized galaxies. The more ships we deploy on that side, the more likely we'll lose one, the Charon get some hyperdrives, and then we're in real trouble. I don't think you'll get the Council to sign off on building or buying Otherspace fleets, not without a real compelling argument and a lot of ground work. A few ships, maybe. Might be worth an expedition to poke around and get the lay of the land. I can tweak a hyperdrive for a jump to Otherspace if you ever want to go that route without paying an arm and a leg. Enough to get past a border anyway."

 

[Sanya Val Lerium]

[member="Nathan Sandusky"] Ξ [member="Jorus Merrill"] Ξ [member="Aton Rekali"] Ξ [member="Elaine Thul"] Ξ [member="Walker Ducarte"] Ξ [member="Elaine Thul"]
Ξ [member="Janick Beauchamp"]


Sanya looked at Elaine with a nod. "I can do that. I mean I do like to place facilities in places where jobs are needed most. So if they need stable employment I can try to provide that. For a long time Inquisition industries used to play twenty two credits an hour. Average legitimate employer in the outer rim is paying out sisxteen creds."

Sanya looked over to janick and jorus as they spoke. The woman had dealings with the Charon many times. They already could travel to this side even if it was in small numbers. "I would even agree with your council. The Charon really are no laughing matter and have come close to besting me at my full strength. Their big, strong and very resourceful. Going to other space would mean preparing for a war we most likely would lose." Her tone carried one of caution and experience. Even if there was peaceful ones the majority wouldn't hesitate to kill. "As horrid as this may sound. The Charon needs to come face to face with a super laser rammed up their backside."

 

[Elaine Thul]

[member="Janick Beauchamp"] [member="Nathan Sandusky"] [member="Aton Rekali"] [member="Walker Ducarte"]

She listened intently to [member="Sanya Val Swift"], and smiled as she replied she would be interested in helping her people. she then replied to Sanya That would great help, thank you. She also still had one eye on that bottle of beer, all the soldiers drank it, could real be wrong for to drink it. She was often told beer was drink of lower orders, and not for nobility. Though everyone else seemed to like drinking it, and these people where now her peer group. She very much uming and aring about it.

As she was a woman spoke up, another woman entered the camp. The other recognized her, but she did not and it was almost like change of subject, something about otherspace and charon. She was unsure what this had to do with supply line issues, then [member="Jorus Merrill"] put into context, it was another way to smuggle goods past the First Order and Galactic Alliance. Though appeared to have great risk, like the death of the entire galaxy. I think it might not be worth the risk, as something goes wrong, we risk wiping out our own galaxy. Unless I have missed something, all we need is one accident, and we could end sterilizing this galaxy. Unless I missed something, which I guessing I did. As dodging export tax is one thing, but taking a risk that could wipe out all life in the galaxy is another thing. That beer was getting tempting, very tempting, as she did not bring wine with her.

 

[Janick Beauchamp]

"With that said and done, Otherspace really is just a last-resort kind of thing for a smuggler. Other stuff that I have come across often required the delivery of what is called snail mail simultaneously with what's being smuggled: sometimes mail and other deliveries from and to backwater planets is handled by independent contractors, going where the major mail and shipping companies won't go, and sparsely populated planets are popular among locations for shadowports. Of course, being an independent courier/mailman comes with a set of restrictions on one's conduct so as to not arise suspicions, plus mail service allows to get a large number of separation panels and customs usually expect mailmen to make use of a large number of separators"

Neimoidian Yachts were common among that segment of the smuggling business since they allowed to handle a town's worth of mail and deliveries at once, with a few hidden compartments; AT-AT barges, at least the varieties that can be found on the civilian market, not so much. They were too large for most planets that served as shadowports. The previous three warned about the dangers of the Charon: [member="Sanya Val Swift"] rightfully warned about them being no laughing matter, while [member="Elaine Thul"] and [member="Jorus Merrill"] both gave the impression that Janick was selling the Charon a little short.

 

[Asher]

Oh, so that’s what Jorus meant. Aton faded away from the conversation for a bit, grip tensing around the stock of his rifle at the approach of a new participant. Seemed to be one of Jorus’ people. The grip eased up ever so gently if only because of his trust in the Merrill. He then tried to recount what they had said. It had begun by talking diguises and using connections before going on to otherdrives, whatever that was. Aton felt as lost as ever, but he tried to keep up nonetheless.

Actually, he wasn’t much of a spacer. Eyes blinked before her got up from his seat by the fire.

“Well, you guys clearly have some idea what you are talking about. I hope I helped, but I should probably get going.” Her grabbed his rifle and slung it back over his shoulder. “Vermin in the area, need to fulfill my contract before week’s end or there’s no pay. I’m sure you guys understand.”

“We’ll see, maybe I’ll meet you again. If not, been nice seeing ya.” Quick salute, thrown to the side with a twist of his feet and a walk away.

Good people, not his topic though.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLzpXciijjA​

He felt at ease. Peaceful, almost. The gathering wasn't exactly something that was publicized, but he had been looking for [member="Jorus Merrill"]. He had arrested the man, sort of. Since then, he had wandered the Rim as a Judge, bringing a sense of justice to it. Not quite Law and Order, because those things didn't sit well with many who lived such lives as they could out here. But he had come all the same, because like minds made better allies than licking the boots of those up jumped jackboots in the Alliance or the ones in the First Order who didn't even bother with a bite of dinner before they had their way.

There was a difference in the walk as he stepped up. Word would have spread after the meeting on Corellia. He hadn't been quiet about it, and he could feel [member="Keira Ticon"] shaking her head from half a 'verse away at him. The people of Corellia had begun to organize, to stand on their own. CorSec was rebuilding, the Green Jedi training their youth. The Broken World, while not healed and likely never whole, thrived and flourished. What he had found in the Outback had finally born fruit. The discussion between Jorus and himself what felt like so long ago had come 'round. And this time, he hadn't run. So when he stepped into the firelight from seemingly nowhere, he didn't bother with soothing words. Just an easy smile as he nodded to those around him.

Covered in his own gear, he smiled. This was no Judge's uniform like he wore to battle, woven with phrik. This was the gear he had worn amongst the Aing-Tii. Long and flowing sleeveless jacket of sky blue, leather with padding.. It looked the most bizarre cross of a Republic Jedi and a Corellian spacer you could get. And it showed off the tracings of the strange vine like sworls tattooed on him that were his only physical reminder of his time amongst the alien kin he had come to regard as his mentors and masters. At his hip hung a lightsaber, his only weapon visible, and it rested against trousers threaded in Corellian Bloodsteel to mark First Class 'stripes. LIkely the only gear he'd need to make quite an impression in any gathering. There were precious few he'd count an equal in any such encounter as with the saber.

"Sounds like you need a safe haven in the Core. Mutual contacts and friends there and out here... As well as an Ace or two up your sleeve for when things go sideways... And... Well... I think I can help with that, if you lot are interested, anyway... Might could be something mutual in it really."

As an after thought, he nodded to Jorus with a crooked grin...

"Good to see you again, kid... No hard feelings about the last time, eh?"

 

[Jorus Merrill]

The jumble of ideas and banter washed over Jorus. He got up from the fire, chewing on another sausage, and grabbed some more flatbread from Sanya's trove.

"Closer ties with the Corellians makes all kinds of sense to me. We've got diaspora around here, we've got ties through you and me and a ton of others, and if anyone knows smuggling through Alliance lines it's gonna be them. And no, no hard feelings, Sedaire." He bared his teeth in a grin at being called a kid. That had been the point of the new face, after all.

"How's things in Corellia these days, being so close to the Alliance, Commenor, Free Worlds Coalition, Mandos...?"

 

[Julius Sedaire]

"Busy... And a bit crowded and cramped. But we get on much as always. Truth be told, most of the bigwigs are too worried about claiming the next victory to remember what they fought for last week. Corellia's story is pretty common even in the Core: Another war torn world left to fend for itself because some Senator or Marshal couldn't be bothered. So we're doin for ourselves, and that's why I'm here... You lot are as close to kindred spirits as we'll ever see, it's why so much of the diaspora landed in the Rim really. It feels like home... So I figured I'd see what you folks on the raggedy edge could use from us humble Coreward scoundrels."

Smiling, he reached into his vest and opened a flask, taking a long pull and then offering it to Jorus, the smell of whiskey wafting strongly from it. The simple gesture carried something more than the offer of a drink in it, somehow. It carried with it an unspoken bond of trust and fraternity, of common purpose and understanding, and mutual respect despite the differences that were readily apparent.

"When the odds are long, the underdogs have got to hedge their bets against the high rollers, right? You were the one who told me to settle down... I can offer you data that will make your ships do things the Alliance can't even dream are possible..."

[member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Sal Katarn]

Lot of talk passed 'round the fire from a lot of different mouths. Jethro listened. Didn't nod. Didn't shake his head no, even when he disagreed. Just watched and chewed on some roasted thyssel bark. Stained the teeth a bit, but seemed a bit late in the game to be carin' about stuff like that. 'Sides, he enjoyed the taste of it. Losing everything gave you a new perspective. Not that he was still mopin' 'bout it. Eat, drink, be merry, et cetera.

Famous faces seemed to keep popping up. Some infamous. No surprise. Running shipments for rebel cells kept the lights on in The Bondara. The crew enjoyed the excitement of working for a cause they believed in, some more than others. Still, Jethro'd never heard of a free lunch, nor a barrel of fruit that didn't have a bad one in it, but the folks in the Outer Rim were the good sort. Better than any smugglers and thieves he had ever met. Hearts in the right places, even if their feet didn't always toe the law.

He scratched his beard, hiding a smile behind his hand, then turned and spat out some of the bark. Not one to talk are you, Wright?

The mound of rocks to his left shifted and looked at him. "Jethro?"

"Hm?"

"You are not Corellian."

"Er, what?" Jethro blinked. "No, Volc, I'm not."

"I did not think so."

Jethro waited, but the Vaathkree said no more.

"...Ok. Glad we had this talk."

The pile of rocks cracked a smile. Volcan was an odd fella', but had a heart of gold under the craggy exterior. The rest of the crew sat around the fire: Phlox, Hock, Cruz, and Bug. All good folk too. Maybe they could get a job out of this. Hock kept pushing them to run jobs to Terminus. If they couldn't land something soon they might just have to.

He spit out another bit of bark and leaned back to watch the flames.

 

[Elaine Thul]

She listened to another idea, one she preferred to risking the whole galaxy, than a mistake into other space, something she was not keen on. Corellia was near a lot of new nations territories, after the fall of the republic and the one sith, the core had become leaderless, a new powers had emerged to take up that vacuum. [member="Jorus Merrill"] listed them all to coreliian [member="Julius Sedaire"], she asked him So if one new powers took interest in that area of space who is your preferred option? As she was in beginnings of negotiating a contract with the CSA, who was one of the powers near by. She was hoping to sell them arms, and be one of their private military contractors. She had asked Jorus about it earlier, and he was not bothered by it, as she did not want her business dealing to endanger the outback. She then looked at that beer again, it was still their calling to her, why did she not bring wine with her.

She stretched out, almost yawning, and just so happened to pick beer up, as her hand came back.