You'd Better Stop

[Darth Osano]

ENIGMA PRIME
STYGIUM MINING FACILITY

Pollux liked his job. It allowed him to make dramatic entrances while flanked by the ever-intimidating members of the Guavian Death Gang. This specific mining facility on Enigma Prime was among the most productive, but it also had the most lax security. No one ever showed up on Enigma Prime to raid stygium. They always went to Maramere or Aeten II or some other backwater. How foolish of them to miss out on a different sort of backwater: Enigma Prime! The rent-a-cops had approached Pollux's shuttle as it landed to inquire why they were docking here illegally. Then when they saw the Guavians and their particularly painful looking stun batons, most of them went packing.

The two that didn't were left convulsing on the floor, telling Pollux where the foreman's office was in between gurgles and gasps of pain.

Very dramatic.

The mining facility was productive and prosperous. The foreman, however, was not. He owed a very sizable amount in medical bills. Something about a speeder crash? The details didn't interest Pollux. What mattered was that money was owed to a hospital, and Pollux had bought that debt from the hospital company (at a mere fraction of the price!) so that he could collect on it in full himself. It seemed unlikely that the foreman had forgotten to pay his bills. That was the problem with this business: sometimes debt that's already been paid ends up getting sold, and the poor suckers it applies to end up paying it all again. Doesn't matter much, though. This was all perfectly legal.

The secretary caught sight of Pollux and company approaching the doors to the foreman's office. "You can't-" She began, then seeing that they were armed decided to quiet down. She liked her boss well enough, but... Well, not that much. The doors slid open at their approach, revealing the foreman's cramped office. The foreman, bewildered, looked past [member="Tai Fa"] at the interlopers are paled considerably.

Pollux recognized the bird-creature instantly from the spooky Sith meeting. He had only seen such creatures once, and now here was one of the two he had seen in front of him again. Small galaxy. This wasn't Tai Fa's debt that needed to be collected, though, so Pollux ignored him. "Mr. Springbuck." He said. "We need to talk."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Pollux"]

If contingencies was the path to success, then diversification was the mortar holding the bricks of the path together. Lord Fa had a little budding shipping concern, mostly based around the Tingel Arm; they ferried goods from one Silver Jedi world to the other and held its chief concern within the Sith Worlds itself- how surprising.

But a gentlebeing avian Sith would not grow wealthy simply by hoping his company would grow.

No, there was a need to expand and to search for new possibilities. This time around, it was the market for stygium and the various properties it contained for industrial capacity.

There was much discussion which world would do best for their purposes. Aeten II was mostly dominated by the interests of the Mandalorians- this would not do, of course. Attracting the attention of the Mandalorians was a sure-fire way for his house to be burned down while he was sleeping. Barbarians.

Maramere... he did not yet have the capital to establish underwater mining facilities. Tai had attempted to broker an understanding with the Echani of Kelsier, but all he had received from that operation... well, some things were better left unsaid.

"Your word is your bond.​

To wit, I am happy.​

An accord is forg-"​

​

It was then that he was rudely interrupted as the door to the office was slammed open. Ruffians stormed in and at the head of it was the leader... one [member="Pollux"].

This displeased Lord Fa immensely. He had not even been able to finish his haiku.

But before Mister Springbuck could say anything, the Avian Sith cut him off with the wave of a hand. A plan was forming itself at the back of his brain, calculation entering his mind and the realization that even this indignation could be used for the betterment of all thre- well, two parties.

"Manners can be taught.​

Unique to the noble blood?​

This fallacy, curbed."​

​

"What do you seek here?​

What does your heart desire right now?​

Empty bowl to fill."​

 

[Darth Osano]

Some small part of Pollux had hoped that the bird would simply allow Mr. Springbuck to be escorted out of the room. Or that the bird would leave so Pollux could conduct his business. Fanciful thoughts, of course. [member="Tai Fa"] was the sort of bird who enjoyed talking... No, haiku-ing, actually. Pollux was a numbers man. Poetry eluded him. It made his head throb thinking about how quickly the Avian Sith measured his responses in careful haiku format. Complex formulas, on the other hand, were much more understandable. One of the Guavians moved forward to seize Springbuck, but Pollux held out an arm to stop him. It would be better not to annoy [member="Nyra Mazul"] 's chicken-pal.

Ignoring the part about the empty bowl, whatever that meant, Pollux opted to answer Fa's question. "Mr. Springbuck owes a considerable amount of money." He explained. "His accounts have run dry."

Springbuck swallowed hard, eyes fixated on one of the stun batons. Why did they have spikes?

"We're here to discuss... Alternative payment methods."

By which the Givin meant regular shipments of stygium until he had enough to fulfill what his project required.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

A cup was most useful when it was empty.

Such was Tai Fa's experience when it came to greed and avarice. You fed it and fed it, but at the end of the day there was little that could truly and finally sate the empty bowl. Black beady eyes studied [member="Pollux"] for a while.

There were gears spinning, before Fa finally inclined his beak. There was also a smile hidden away there, but few sentients knew what a smile of his species looked like.

Your word is your bond.
A debt incurred must be paid.
Forged shackles fine.​

The avian's attention left the thug mastermind and settled back onto the foreman.

Soulless are thieves, yes?
I abide none, nor liars.
Amount of theft, speak.​

In this Fa was perhaps a rare breed of Sith. He cared about the minor details such as these, who had stolen, who lied and covered it up, who hid instead of facing harsh justice head-on like a sentient should. The word of law, tradition, stability and order, those were the things one could not simply ignore for your own convenience.

Otherwise, you might as well give up on civilization entirely and go back to the mud and burlap rags.

Yet, yet a Sith saw opportunity where a noble saw simple tradition. He cared little about the affairs of the ruffians that were Pollux and his gang of red eyes. But depending on the foreman's answer to his question... there was profit to be had here.

 

[Darth Osano]

Springbuck stared, eyes full of fear, between the Thirriken and the Givin. Beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead. "I- I don't know! I thought I pai-"

"Three hundred thousand standard galactic credits." Pollux said, and if [member="Tai Fa"]'s attention returned to the Givin he would see that Pollux had silently produced a datapad with the relevant information and was now scrolling through it lazily. He did that a lot when people started asking for details. "Plus interest. Medical bills."

Really, Pollux had not been expecting to have to explain this to anyone. Usually the only people who needed a greater explanation of a person's debt were Pollux and the debtor themselves. And the debtor was too busy being terrified by Guavians to make an astounding legal argument as to why they didn't have to pay, couldn't pay, or so forth. Pollux was not interested in getting the foreman to pay. He was interested in using the threat of the Guavian debtor mines on Mygeeto to get Springbuck to skim stygium for his own ends.

And people were still having trouble understanding why Pollux liked this line of corporate work more than, say, manufacturing.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Tai Fa did indeed turn his attention back towards [member="Pollux"] and for a moment those beady eyes strolled through the datapad overflowing with data and information.

In the meantime the avian Sith pulled his robes closer to himself, wings interlocking in a gesture of clear-cut thought and pondering, it was clear to him that there were about two options left to him right now. One, he could simply let the Foreman be handled by the thug himself and that would be the end of that... or, there was a second option.

One that he liked.

It inspired in him that poetic sense of justice which he was such an adoring fan of- the sense where Fa managed to scrap together a leverage out of air and dreams.

"Clear to me, it is.​

I's are dotted, and t's are...​

fixed, at valor's cost."​

The Sith finally fluttered away from his perched position on the table of the foreman, resting easily on the chair in front of Pollux.

"Though, time shifts swiftly.​

Complication arises.
Walls raised steady now."

 

[Darth Osano]

Pollux, smart as he might have alleged himself to be, did not speak haiku. Maybe it was because he was a Givin right now. Brain just didn't work well with poetry. Numbers were better. Told simpler stories. More plain. He inclined his head backwards ever so slightly, peering down at [member="Tai Fa"] as he rattled his brain. He wasn't just going to admit he had no idea what the bird was trying to say. No, Pollux was far too prideful for that. Instead the Givin simply exhaled uneasily through his nose and spoke to his guards instead.

"Please bring Mr. Springbuck outside."

"Roight." One of them said. This Guavian had a cockney accent, because yes.

His companion didn't speak, but they both moved forward, ready to haul Nigel Springbuck up from out of his chair and drag him outside. No doubt what would take place next would be best described as "enhanced negotiations."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

There was one thing that annoyed Lord Fa more than being interrupted mid-haiku.

It was being ignored entirely.

Perhaps if [member="Pollux"] had been a Thirriken, Tai would have realized that the Givin simply did not understand his words. As it stood he was hardly an expert on the facial expressions of humanoids, much less the stoic non-existent expression on this one. Regardless, a part of Tai Fa wished to be petty about this situation.

Simply kill the ruffians and then get on with his day, but keen business instincts told him better.

As the Guavians moved, so did Tai. It was a flurry of movement, too fast to track with normal eyes and too all over the place to follow with regular reflexes; from one moment to the next a sharp blade appeared out of nowhere and the Thirriken flew. He pushed himself off the seat - his weight barely making it move, the side of the blade connecting with the back of the left Guavian. There was more force in that blow than a little bird like that should have been able to apply.

Yet, he moved still, pushing himself off the Guavian mid-collapse. Little peacock legs finding purchase on his shoulders, before floating furiously from one side of the room to the other.

The second Guavian, the cockney one, had just started to turn towards his partner. Too slow. Fa's hilt already punched bluntly against the front-side of his helmet and send him flying backwards. There he slumped against the wall, down for the count. At least for the moment.

Fa landed in a soft flutter of silk and hurt feelings nearby. The point of the sword pointed down to the ground, in a sign of... if not exactly peace then at least the willingness to chat.

It had been over in less than three seconds.

"Sad path chosen, yet​

mistakes can be forgotten.​

Another path opens?"​

Fa simply said, words filling the emptiness left at the end of his attack.

 

[Darth Osano]

Barely a second after [member="Tai Fa"] had finished speaking, the pungent scent of urine entered the air. Mr. Springbuck had soiled himself. He was pressed as far back into his chair as possible, eyes darting rapidly around the room as if still trying to figure out what had happened. All in vain, Pollux was barely certain he had registered it either. The difference was that he had already decided he wouldn't let himself have a nervous breakdown over it. Pollux stared grimly at Tai, ignoring the pained groans of his now incapacitated Guavians.

He paid careful attention to the bird's eloquent verse (or at least he assumed it was eloquent as far as poetry went- he was in no position to pass judgement) and lofted a brow. So far Tai had not murdered either his men or himself. This could only mean the bird wanted something from them. Or from Mr. Springbuck, although Mr. Springbuck was not in the position to give anyone anything outside of a foul stench at this point. Considering there were no other minions within ear shot to throw at Tai and that further angering someone who would inevitably become a Sith Lord was bad business practice, there was only thing left for Pollux to do.

"I'm listening."

Truly a man of many words, Pollux.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Tai inclined his head in respect of [member="Pollux"]'s rapid acceptance of the situation.

About to speak the bird shifted his head slightly, to home in on the source of the putrid stench suddenly drenching the office. It was the foreman and if Lord Fa was not mistaken then that smell was urine. This in itself was a surprise to the Sith, mostly because he had read about the mammal practice of urinating on objects and areas to establish dominance over them - it seemed as if Springbuck had more backbone than first was assumed.

Still, what a vile practice.

"Fore and man has moved.
From his to my own employ.
Business pitch perfect."​

This was what they had been discussing previously. Diversification of trade and now the acquisition of a facility which could generate supply to cater towards the industrial demands, so to speak.

"Yet, hunger noted.
And your desire underlined.
A deal can be struck.​

Mineral for you.
Knowledge and men for me, yes.
Nothing better here."​

By this point in time the shiny blade had already disappeared again into the folds of his splendid silk attire. How a bird like him could make it appear and disappear so quickly, and how he managed to hide it in his dress without it sticking out anywhere... it was anyone's question at this point.

 

[Darth Osano]

Of course. He should have known a Sith wouldn't show up here unless it was to buy out the business in its entirety. And given how Springbuck was presently quivering in a puddle of his own release and hundreds of thousands of credits in debt, he was a prime target to be expanded over. That was why Pollux had chosen him and that was arguably why [member="Tai Fa"] had chosen him. Great minds. Possibly. Pollux still did not enjoy the barrage of haiku-age, although this time the meaning was more than clear to him. The bird wanted to push his luck. He had shown up today expecting only to acquire a stygium mine, now he had the leverage to purchase the services of a professional informant as well.

Most criminals were too scared to deal with Sith, but not Pollux. When push came to shove, the only thing that matters in this galaxy is who will be willing or obligated to back you up. If most criminals didn't have a gaggle of Sith contacts, then they would be at a disadvantage to the person who did. Pollux fully intended to be that person. First there would be Nyra, now there would be a bird. Or the bird, as it stood. Pollux knew few other Avians and fewer still who could trounce a pair of Guavians so easily. He was not eager for that to change.

"Acceptable." Pollux responded after a few moments of consideration. "What would you like to know?"

To those who knew of the Helix Syndicate, it was no secret that they were spreading their tendrils particularly over the Braxant Sectors and its neighbors. And with the acquisition of this stygium, those tendrils were only going to become more prolific.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

His wounded pride was patched by the quick acceptance of the bargain. The regard for [member="Pollux"] grew as well, for it was known to Tai that few mammals these days possessed the wits to see a rapidly evolving situation for what it was and adapt to it as best as they could. Someone else would have tried to foolishly negotiate or attempt to strongman their way out of it.

Not this Givin, though.

Which made him one of the few intelligent sentients he had encountered in his travels. Lord Fa once again inclined his beak, before casting a meaningful look at the foreman before speaking once more.

"Not here, not now, no.
A place and a time, there is...
for words and secrets."​

"Follow me now, yes?
The Man of Fore has laid claim.
Not ours to use here.."​

He'd give bow respectfully to the foreman, before floating gently off the seat and onto the ground, moving around the Givin and towards the door. Behind it would and currently reclining against the wall would now be his eternal bodyguard Vnut, who had about four or five heads height in comparison to Pollux if not more.

Vnut was an ursine. Well groomed and wearing a fine suit, he stood patiently and bowed when his Master appeared.

 

[Darth Osano]

Laid claim? Pollux didn't quite catch the meaning of that, but it was all the same- he'd rather not discuss anything for very long in a place that smelled like piss. Still, Pollux hesitated after Tai, if only because he to give the Guavians time to get back to their feet. They exchanged glances before Pollux gestured that they follow him out. This was a very disappointing evening for them. They had been looking forward to terrorizing Mr. Springbuck and getting their cut of his money. Alas, the sacrifices made in the name of progress. At least their brief scuffle with the portly security officers had been a little entertaining.

Pollux had not seen Vnut when he came in... Quite the remarkable bit of information given the creature's height. Pollux had to look up at the bear, the corner of his mouth twitching. Could have been bemusement or annoyance. The Guavians had missed a large portion of Pollux's dialogue with [member="Tai Fa"] and so were remarkably confused as to why they were following around this duo of barnyard animals. They kept quiet, knowing they'd be filled in later if need demanded it. And if need did not demand it, they would be paid anyway. Which was really preferable to being bothered with finicky details anyway.

"And where will we be going?" Pollux inquired while Vnut was still bowing, shifting his gaze back to the Thirriken.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Lord Fa returned the bow with the wave of his partially cloaked wing, before turning slightly to face [member="Pollux"].

The Sith blinked at the question- to him, the situation was quite obvious and it was clear what they were about to do, but perhaps for a common criminal the dynamics were slightly different. There was a raise of the eyebrows there, or at least a similar gesture that was exclusive to Thirriken and the Givin might not even realize it for such.

"A promise was made.​

I intend to deliver.​

A word is a bond.​

​

Go, we must, through there.​

To show you what you desire.​

Mist mineral rocks."​

And then he simply pointed with his sharp wing towards the end of the halfway. It was clear to the Avian Sith that they had to seal the deal they had made just a moment ago- one singular, little shipment... this would allow Pollux to save some form of face with his associates who had come for blood.

Allowing Pollux to save face was a courtesy, but it would also indirectly benefit Fa. Because it would breed good will and the bird was all about that goodwill.

 

[Darth Osano]

Pollux had assumed, apparently wrongfully, that [member="Tai Fa"] simply wanted to discuss the matter in private where Springbuck would not hear it. Not so. From Pollux's tentative translation of the Thirriken's haiku, the avian intended to allow Pollux the promised stygium crystals first. How wonderfully delightful. He wasn't going to have to haggle over who gave up what first. Pollux almost always won those sort of confrontations anyway, largely because they were generally off-screen and against non-Sith NPCs, but this was still a refreshing change of pace. They passed by a few other doors and hallways that likely lead to sorting, processing, and extraction centers and went straight into storage.

It was, conveniently, where the security guards the Guavians had forced into flight were hiding. He ignored them for now.

This was a spacious room, loaded with dozens upon dozens of full crates of stygium. Pollux could see that there were other wide doorways leading to other rooms. He already knew he would see much of the same no matter which store room he peaked into. This mine was due to be visited by a Black Sun splinter faction calling itself the Waylon Syndicate. Not that they would be picking it up, considering their shuttle had been rigged to explode by one of Pollux's saboteurs right after it left Point Nadir. Because that's just how this sort of business gets handled.

"This room will do for now." Pollux noted, inspecting a nearby crate. "Load it on to the freighter."

"By ourselves?"

Pollux nodded to two of the security guards and one of the miners, who were pressed far back into a corner in an effort to stay away from the Guavians. "Have them help you."

To think that there were still prospectors twiddling their thumbs at Aeten II trying to catch the last vestiges, the last ounces, of stygium while this facility was belching it out like nobody's business. Not that it kept the price down. No, never. What sort of wretched galaxy would this be if the stygium miners of Enigma Prime weren't fixing prices? Not any galaxy Pollux would have liked to live in, that's for sure. The Guavians brandished their stun batons and upped the voltage, causing them to cackle with severe electricity. This was enough to scare the employees into cooperating. Pollux, meanwhile, repeated himself to [member="Tai Fa"]

"What would you like to know?"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Yet, [member="Pollux"] would notice that Tai Fa's attention was no longer with him, instead once again fixated on the Guavians he had beaten up just a moment ago.

His Guandao was once again revealed, its tip gently resting on the durasteel floor in front of the Guavians.

For a moment Lord Fa second-guessed his own decision to work with these barbarians. Perhaps he could just kill them all and find someone else who would be willing to extend information his way. It was an alluring option, but there was something about the Givin that Tai still liked.

Perhaps it was the silent, no-nonsense approach that was so contrary to his own ways. Perhaps it was something entirely else, but the netto result was quite the same; he would not kill them, unless they truly asked for it.

"One crate, you will have.​

No more and no less, I give.​

Greed comes for the fall.​

​

The long, long sword scrapped gently against the floor now. A screeching sound pierced and those criminal enforcers remembered the beating they had received just two minutes ago- they immediately stepped back.​

​

Friends, we shall be soon.​

Then more will come to you too.
Acceptance... or not?"

In truth, one crate was enough. The specific mechanics of how stygium worked was hardly known to him, but the foreman -- before they were rudely interrupted -- had mentioned the crystals were quite... efficient.​

 

[Darth Osano]

Pollux narrowed his eyes at his flinching Guavians. Get beaten up once by a chicken and suddenly they had no spines. A gentle reminder that he needed to improve recruitment standards and training protocols. Too late for that now, though. Pollux glanced idly at Vnut, then back to [member="Tai Fa"]. There was little doubt in Pollux's mind that he could disintegrate the ursine before it got to do anything, but the bird was a larger problem... Figuratively speaking, anyway. His disruptor did not have a high rate of fire. Even if Tai did, for some reason, stand still long enough for him to get off a clear shot. The Guavians would hardly last too long either, if what he had witnessed before had been any indicator.

Mr. Springbuck could hardly be considered an authority on anything, except maybe the experience and shame of hiding in your office soaked in your own urine. Even if these crystals were somehow 'efficient' enough that a single crate would fulfill the Helix Syndicate's aims, Pollux had come for three hundred thousand credits worth of stygium crystals. No more, no less. Seizing the contents of the room instead of the wider facility was an act of mercy on his part... Or pragmatism, perhaps, since he had no need for a stygium mine.

This was the debt owed, this was the debt that would be paid.

"It is my legal right to confiscate as much or as little of Mr. Springbuck's property as I see fit." Pollux said, flatly. "You still haven't told me what you want. I suggest you do so if you wish to negotiate staged payments on his behalf."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

"Legal? Right? Here? Hmm.​

This I doubt very much, friend.​

Strong rule, the weak bow.​

​

The truth of outlaws.​

Yet, I like you very much.
Exceptions exists."

Tai Fa pointed out the obvious and the obvious was this; on a world such as Enigma Prime there was no law.​

​

It was almost the same as walking into a crime lord's club on Nar Shaddaa and try to arrest them for a murder made. Unless you had superior firepower and about half an army... there was little to nothing you could really do.​

​

But [member="Pollux"] knew this, of course. Fa did not consider him a complete idiot - even if his grasp of his haikus was even worse than that of a huge bear, whose strength was crushing people. No, this particular Givin was simply testing and prodding, he wanted to see how far he could take this act- a moment ago he was going to leave this facility without any stygium.​

Yet now there was an opportunity for more and the alien wished to test how much more he could get.​

​

"The smart one awaits,
ponders and collects, before...
Strike from the shadows.

When the need strikes hard,
then my request you will hear.
Time moves patiently."



His blade disappeared, before eyeing the contents of the room once again.

"Half you may get now.​

And yours carry the burden.​

Unless payment comes."​

 

[Darth Osano]

Pollux frowned. Or did he? It was quite difficult to tell. If [member="Tai Fa"] was at all attuned to reading the emotions of others, it would be quite clear that Pollux was radiating feelings best associated with a foul grimace. If there was one thing Pollux did not like, it was owing favors. He was a debt collector, so of course he would be unimaginably skeptical of allowing himself to be in debt to another person. He might have haggled if the bird had not already threatened him two times, indicating that the envelope was perilously close to being pushed off the table entirely. Fine. The bird could have his favor, and Pollux would walk out with enough stygium to set his plans into motion.

"Fine." Pollux eventually said. "Then I suppose I shall have to return with more men."

Having to pay to get the facility's workers to help him load the cargo? Completely unreasonable. It annoyed Pollux to know that there were creatures slithering on the floor of this galaxy that were even stingier than he was. The Givin stared balefully at both Fa and his bodyguard before turning on his heel and marching out. The Guavians exchanged another set of unsure glances before beginning the arduous task of bringing all these crates to the landing pad... Mostly by themselves.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Far thee well, Pollux.
We will see each other soon.
Partnership brighter.​

Tai Fa bowed lightly at the retreating form of his newest friend, before setting off to finish some of his own work around the facility. Obviously Vnut and the other members of his own personal security team would pay close attention to the Givin's associates, yet, Fa did not foresee any more issues from that side of the equation.

If [member="Pollux"] was anything, he seemed quite concerned about at least the image of propriety and law.

Even if they were merely smokescreens and mirrors to hide behind for when the real law in town came around and started swinging. Fa imagined it would be quite pleasant, being able to simply point out what they were doing was technically legal.

Alas, the Thirriken had business to attend to, and had little time to ponder on such matters more.

There was still the matter of establishing a safe route to and from Enigma Prime, ensuring that the operations remained lowkey yet interconnected with his other nodes within the Galaxy, and other details that were quite important.

Ain't no rest for the wicked.