What Are We Supposed to do with a Shriek-Hawk!

[Gilamar Skirata]

Chazwa: Republic Capital Builiding

Gilamar sat in an office awaiting the Republic's Head of State. The war with the One Sith was getting harder on them every day...This was a new office and a new building, of that he was sure. Moving capital planets so often did not bode well for the Republic War effort. He was surprised they didn't come to the Mandalorians earlier...Though to say that would be inacurate. Negotiations with the Republic leadership had gone South more times than he could count, but if his Shriek-Hawks could help get rid of the Sith and earn them a few credits, well that was more than welcome to the old man.

Retired though he may have been he still had contacts and people willing to follow his lead, even if it wasn't into battle and that may very well be the momentum the Republic needed to bounce back in this war.

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

A representative of the Mandalorians had somehow gotten onto her schedule for the day, which was both welcome and slightly unfazing. Every clan-man from the Mando neighbors was a representative in some sort with their disjointed bit of communal warrior brotherhood. Lasedri had yet to entirely figure out the whole setup of such a nation despite having been informed of its base workings by none other than Strider Garon himself. Geneviève doubted the proceedings would take much time considering her previous interaction with their types, but there was certainly time in provision. He would have her full attention. And his own bottle of wine should he so choose.

The Prime Minister's secretary did not delay in announcing Skirata's presence, nor did Gen delay in stepping out of her less-than-exceptionally furnished office and greeting her visitor. Was this the man who had sent her a letter so long ago? "Su cuy'gar, burc'ya. I hope you are well?"

[member="Gilamar Skirata"]

 

[Gilamar Skirata]

Never in his wildest dreams did he think the rebellious street nuisance of the Sith would have become Prime Minister of the Republic, but then again he never expected a crazy space witch to collect samples of his DNA and make dozens of clones of him and create a titan of a man from his and her own cells. That was just how the Galaxy worked sometimes.

He nodded and stood, entering into the currently modest office. It was obvious this had been a hasty move, or at least that was what it looked like. He wondered what the senate was reduced to now, if they simply sat around a big dinner table like the clans now. At this point he wouldn't have been surprised. "Aye, I'm still alive, or so they tell me! Haha," a heart laugh and a handshake waiting to be received.
[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

She took his hand without delay, a smirk rising up the corner of her mouth and a nod to emphasize the portion of amusement she admitted in his quip. "Still alive. It's good you stayed that way, friend."

There were favors, and then there were favors. The Rebellion never could have survived its first few months without the benevolent aid of Mister Skirata. And so Lasedri was quite sworn to return the respect he had given her so long ago. "What do you need?" she asked, taking to her seat behind her desk and gesturing for the man to have his own opposite her. "My house is your house today."

[member="Gilamar Skirata"]

 

[Gilamar Skirata]

The cheery-looking grandpa-like face of the old Mandalorian became solemn as his backside sank into the cushy chair. It had been years since he had been in the Republic...Well officially anyways.

"I'm not here to talk about what you can do for me, though your offer is...appreciated considering your own state of affairs." He of course spoke of the Republic's recent loss at Contruum. The One Sith had completely cut them off from the rest of the Republic it was a wonder how she kept such a straight face, then again, that her strength alone was probably what was keeping the Republic Senate and military in order.

"I'm here about what I can do for you. I've started up a mercenary company, and while clan Skirata will continue to have solid relationships with the Republic, I cannot give you the unified support of the Clans. The Shriek-Hawks are all men and women that I trust that are looking for work and I know your Republic can use all the help it can get."

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Whether he wanted a favor or not, Skirata was certainly welcome to her wine. She pushed the bottle forward and offered a glass to receive the fermented liquid. "Help yourself. It's Chandrilan red."

The truth was that Gen was slowly but surely running out of energy for this. But the Republic needed her--or needed someone at least. And no one else seemed to challenge her dedication, as they rightly should not. She was going down with this ship. For love. "At this point, I'd almost take any help I can get." Lasedri nodded. "Plus, I'd say we have a little thread of trust developed already. What services, exactly, are you proposing to supply?" The Prime Minister paused, flicking through a newly-arrived document on her datapad and marking it to read later.

"Let's say money is no object. What would you be willing to do?"

[member="Gilamar Skirata"]

 

[Gilamar Skirata]

"Ho ho!" The old man leaned back into his chair. Credits not an object? He knew the Republic had the exact opposite issue...But he would entertain the thought for a moment.

"On the ground fire support, protection of certain VIPs, surveillance, scouting, strike teams. You name it, my Shriek-Hawks will deliver." What was the saying? Jack of all Trades, Master of all? He didn't know, he didn't care. "To be honest at this point in your war you probably want someone you can trust to watch your shebs," heh, shebs. "While you may have Sith infiltrating your ranks and your Jedi, I can assure you that my Shriek-Hawks are loyal to the contract through and through."

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

She nodded with each listing of ability, finding her associate perhaps a little enthusiastic and possibly exaggerated but knowing he was a Mandalorian after all. If anyone tended to back their word with grit, it was one of their warrior types. And Honor was the highest value of the clans from what she had been told. "I have no doubts that you're the type to bring a gun to a knife fight," she reassured the man, smirking with her typically dark and unwieldy humor. "And those are the kinds of people I want."

The Prime Minister clasped her hands and continued to mull over the assortment of options this man and his Shriek-Hawks presented, quite aware of the controversy in compromise this mercenary addition to the Republic ranks could stir. Best to keep them out of surveillance, as tempting as that sounded. "There was an incident on Onderon several months ago that ended in the killing of a monarch and the wounding of a Republic senator. While the Senatorial Guard is of the highest caliber--well, there are some things I'm sure your Mandalorian families could perfect beyond that." Bodyguard duty was first on her list of desires, but it would not do to relegate this sort of talent to simply sitting back and waiting for someone to take a jab at the Ministers. No, they had more uses, as highlighted by Skirata already.

"How are your hounds? We could use some less reserved to take out Sith one by one. Track them and kill them by any means, and I can assure you we won't spare a credit in reward. The more you succeed, the higher your pay."

[member="Gilamar Skirata"]

 

[Gilamar Skirata]

The piqued his interest. Exclusive bounty work? He knew more than a few people that would be alright with that sort of gig.

"Hmmm...Yeah, I heard about that business on Onderon. But you're saying you want assassins and bodyguards? Interesting. We can certainly do that for the Republic if that's what it really wants. Would these be in the field assassinations or more...traditional?" He knew first hand how difficult to kill these Sith were. He had fought, captured and killed a few Force Users in his time and fought even more. This wasn't the sort of task he would send the green kids at, but he had more than a few Mandos that would be happy to tackle the challenge.

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

"I honestly don't give a damn about how you kill them, as long as the people lost in the effort do not exceed the worth of the mission." Evaluating what the cost of one life over another was an impossible task and generally provoked a degenerate mindset. But they were in a war and discretion was sometimes more important than morality in her mind. "I'm not one to get my tits in a twist over 'details' when we're in the middle of a brutal war. But I don't want to compromise the Republic, either." Meaning: no war crimes. "I hope your Hawks have good judgment.

"As for bodyguards, all I ask is loyalty and lips that are welded shut. I have faith that your people will be up for the physical task." She then took her glass of wine and helped herself to a generous sip before adding, "And you won't even have to work with the Jedi."

[member="Gilamar Skirata"]

 

[Gilamar Skirata]

War crimes. That was something he hadn't heard in a while. Were there really such a thing when combating the Sith? A few years ago he would have, or rather he did have the same feelings when a Rally Master nearly sent Dromund Kaas into an ice age, killing thousands of Mandalorians and Sith Empire subjects alike in a cataclysmic display of tactical thinking and resourcefulness. Now? The One Sith seemed a darker more sinister threat than that of the Empire. Graug and Vong alike worked under them, then there was that strange cult of Vahl and their Hounds. But he had no say in this matter. It was a contract after all.

"No war crimes. Got it," he said with a smirk, "and you don't have to worry about being tight lipped and the person I have in mind is more than up to the task...Do you have a list of persons that we would be watching over or...is it just you we need to worry about?" The Jedi weren't much of a concern to the old man. Well, not in the traditional sense. They would always be a wild card, someone to watch. But until they made a move, hell even if they DID make a move they could handle it.

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

"If anything bad happens, it wasn't us." And she knew bad things would happen inevitably. Someone was always looking for some juicy press to condemn the Republic yet further despite the fact that there was little choice but to play dirty now. Gen would make an effort to deal with those pests--and she would make sure there was no evidence left to support their reports--and she expected the same treatment in return. This was a contract, after all. "And I'll make sure no one knows it was you, either." Unless he wanted that sort of notoriety. By all means, he could take the whole share of the blame if that was his aim.

"I'll be fine for the most part. I'm a tad more cautious than most--even my predecessors." That was the understatement of the decade. "What I need you to do most, perhaps, is to protect our senators from themselves..." One in particular came to mind.

"How does all of this sound to you? Because I'm willing to contract you as soon as you say 'yes'." If Skirata got the idea that some of this work might be paid under the table, then he would be right.

[member="Gilamar Skirata"]

 

[Gilamar Skirata]

Interesting. He was sure that after he agreed he would get more information on the individual senators. Eventually he would meet with them all and designate them their own protection, but until then he would have to pull his resources. His men were starting to get spread thin. Maybe it was time to start thinking about letting non-Mandalorians join up? Maybe.

"Aye. This sounds agreeable," he stood and reached his hand out to shake on the deal, "My financial officers will be in contact with you and yours about your fees and all of that tedious poodoo. Haat, ijaa, haa'it. Truth, honor, vision." It was a Mandalorian saying meant to seal a deal or pact. It meant that he would never go back on his word, and neither would his men.

And so their second Galactic contract was made!

~End~
[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]