Yolo Swaggins, and The Fellowship of The Bling [Complete]

[Matho Healb]

Matho stood looking down at his holo-map at the bridge of The Ark. There were guard droids stationed outside the room, as well as inside. Matho preferred to be alone with his operative, but his advisor @[member="Bracar Rhade"] forbade him from doing so. He sighed as he sat down in his chair, sipping coffee from a small black mug. He was expecting Hannibal to meet him, as his invitation couldn't exactly be seen as anything but mandatory. He leafed through some files as he waited for the Fondorian, reflecting on the run-in the two had not that long ago.



He took another sip from his mug and waited. He wanted to make sure he and his operative were on the same page.



@[member="Hannibal Oryen"]

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

@[member="Matho Healb"]

The doors slid up to reveal Hannibal, standing there in his armored glory. He was devoid of his primary weapons, carrying only his Woebringer pistol in a holster at his side. He also had his gauntlets, but those were hardly primary weapons in themselves. Just tools of the trade. He entered Healb's office, acting his best to be oblivious of any conflicts of interest they had. Hannibal had no intention of forking over a one million credit bounty so the Ravens could collect on a fourteen thousand credit contract. That was just good business policy.

"What's crackin', General?"

 

[Matho Healb]

"Thank you for coming, Hannibal, please, sit." Matho motioned for a ridiculously comfortable-looking chair across from him. "I'm glad our run-in with your... Team... at Moreau ended without bloodshed. I just wanted to discuss a few things with you today. Namely, your involvement with the hunt for Thessa Kai. Now, as I'm sure you've felt, the hunt for Jorus has gone a bit... What's the word? Stale? Yeah, stale. With this being the case, I believe we could work towards capturing her. I've got a lead I'd like to share with you, but to do that, I need you to agree to my terms."

Matho leaned back in his chair, bringing his hands together. He waited for the Fondorian to think before continuing further.

@[member="Hannibal Oryen"]

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

@[member="Matho Healb"]

"@[member="Thessa Kai"]? If I read the contract right, she's only chump change in comparison. But yeah, Merrill's gone cold. It'll be a while 'for he shows up again." Hannibal wisely left out that he was in the process of collecting relevant information and leads based on what he recovered from the administrator. But still, it would be far too long between getting anything from that to just sit around. If there was a lead on the chick, Hannibal would be as good as in on it. He assumed she'd be with Jorrus. Since she didn't have an official bounty, he planned on handing her over to the Ravens if she got captured with Merrill.

"Yeah, I'll help ya with the broad. What're the terms? I don't expect much. Just my usual paycheck is fine."

 

[Matho Healb]

Matho smiled. "Well, ya see. This is why I was hoping to talk to you as soon as possible. There's been a re-negotiation of terms. Payout's been increased exponentially. But only if we bring the both of them in. Alive. And to my contact. If we can manage to take out a few of the man's problems along the way, extra icing on the cake..." Matho looked straight into his operative's tri-ocular. "Ya dig?"

@[member="Hannibal Oryen"]

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

@[member="Matho Healb"]

There was a lengthy pause as Hannibal digested what his employer had just said to him. More so the manner in which it was said than the actual content. The only sound to come from Hannibal came from his mask, as the three eyes made a faint clicking as they focused and refocused on Healb.

"Are you mocking me?"

 

[Matho Healb]

"No, but are you honestly offended?" Matho took another sip of his coffee. "I didn't think your feelings could be hurt, Oryen." He stood up, passing a file to the Fondorian. "That shows very important information on @[member="Thessa Kai"]. Namely a family connection. Small settlement on Gala. I could use you in the strike team. I'm figuring this apprehension could help both of our endeavors for Merrill. A bleeding heart Robin Hood like him couldn't pass up helping a colleague with a family in danger."

The file showed the connection between Kai and her five brothers living on Gala. "If we take these guys out of play, it's a fair bet Kai and Merrill will come running. Now, if they take the bait, you can be sure we'll be willing to work together with you on the take. This brings me to my next point. I don't want you to be an enemy of The Ravens. I'd be willing to work with you on the price for the reward, if it meant keeping you free from bulletholes for the forseeable future. So, throw a figure at me."

@[member="Hannibal Oryen"]

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

@[member="Matho Healb"]

"I ain't much for being mocked, dig?" Hannibal said, sounding somewhat cross. He almost considered clocking Healb in the jaw right then and there, but thought better of it. Now was the time for diplomacy and haggling. "Listen, Genny, the price on Merrill is one million credits. That's alotta dough. How much is this other guy paying you? I'm fine takin' the broad to him, but Merrill has gotta go to the Confeds. They've got much deeper pockets over there. How do you know your contractor doesn't have whack credit? You check him out alright?"

Hannibal liked the sound of abducting family to draw quarry out of the ruckus, but he wasn't so sure that would fly with Merrill. That man probably had connections. A whole lot of friends This Thessa chick, however, he wasn't as sure. Then again, she did apparently know Merrill. Friend of a friend benefits? Definitely probable. Hannibal wasn't having his hunt screwed for this. He was willing to drop a few grand if it meant turning the bounty in to the right party.

"I ain't too interested in whatshertits. I'll take seven-fifty for helpin' out. Just let me handle Jorrus when the time go."

 

[Matho Healb]

"While I can't tell you who the client is, I CAN assure you that he checks out. My guy and your guy are on the same side. They both want to see justice. But my guy is paying extra just to talk to him before he's executed by the CIS. And this guy... If he has to dole out a few hundred thousand credits over a competitor to get what he wants, he'll do it, and not think twice about it. Plus, RA has a lot riding on the success of this. A win for us now, at the same paygrade, mind you, means many more wins for us later. If it makes you feel better, I can make sure your cut is bigger, now and later."
@[member="Hannibal Oryen"]

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

@[member="Matho Healb"]

"Wait, the client just wants a chat with the guy?"

Hannibal paused for a moment, blinking behind his mask. "Well, why didn't ya say so? Seems easy. We take Merrill, swing by the contractor, let 'em talk, collect the pay. Then I can take him to the Confeds and collect my bounty. Hell, you can even keep any pay you woulda given me for the contract, 'cause I'll be riding high from turnin' Merrill into the Confeds. Everybody gets what they're lookin' for, eh?"

 

[Matho Healb]

Matho's slight smile goes neutral with the Fondorian's enthusiasm. "I wish it were that simple, Hannibal. Our client is a... Let's call him a fixer. He plans to make a big political move by bringing this guy in. Like I said. I can promise you the full payout, if you let RA, and more importantly, our client, take the bounty."

Matho pulls something from the file. Upon further inspection, it is an agreement, for RA to pay Oryen the full sum of 1,000,000 Cr for the assist in taking down Merrill. Per this agreement, Oryen would fully co-operate with RA in the capture of Merrill, and would void the full payment in the case of Merrill's death. If he suffers a casualty, Oryen will be paid 500,000 Cr.

"I'd like for you to sign this. I see a bright career in RA for a quick thinker and a fast talker such as yourself. I can even see you as a General someday. This would be your first step in that process."

@[member="Hannibal Oryen"]

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

@[member="Matho Healb"]

Hannibal's primary concern had been the payment of his team and continuing the hunt. If he was getting one million credits for the same work only without having to worry about competing with his boss every step of the way... Yes, he would take that deal. And he'd split the money between his party just like before. It was a tempting notion to just take the full million and run, but it didn't pay to have that many enemies. Especially in the same line of work.

That Jawa would skin him alive if it found out.

"I'd be an idiot- or worse -not to take you up on this offer, daddy-o." Hannibal held up the flimsiplast, inspecting the fine print to make sure he wasn't signing away his soul or anything. Once everything checked out, he produced a pen and signed. "Hopefully this guy doesn't stiff ya. Sounds like a sketchy guy, to say the least."

 

[Matho Healb]

Matho cracked a smile. "Well, when you do the work we do, you expect sketchy. You're surprised by genuine compassion." He stands up to offer Oryen a handshake. "I'll expect you in the Mission Planning Room as soon as possible."

@[member="Hannibal Oryen"]

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

@[member="Matho Healb"]

Hannibal met the man's gesture, offering him his cybernetic hand. The surefire way to give a firm handshake was to lop off your flimsy organic hand and get it replaced with a machine. Repulse-hands like the one Hannibal had did not come with synthskin. The only thing covering it now was a glove. He gave Matho a strong handshake and then nodded. It was good to finally be on the same page with what had formerly been his competition. Now there would be no discrepancies, no conflicts of interest. Just a whole lot of people working towards the same goal. Utter. Bliss.

"I will most certainly be there, boss." Hannibal said as he stood. "I'll catch ya later."