ELROOD SECTOR: Episode Three: Wheelin', Dealin' and Fishin'

[max_vale]

Approaching the planet Korad, Elrood Sector, aboard the Nova Kestrel


It had a been a long week for the team of NRI Agents....

First, they had patched up all of the surviving Grey Griffins (and themselves) after the fight with the Scourge Pirates and then they had returned to Elrood to drop off the Griffins for more long term rest and recovery. RMC leader Jameth thanked them sincerely, but now they had to travel to the world of Korad to find the missing Griffin ship; The Wayfarer; apparently in the possession of a crime lord named 'Slythor'; and with it, the coordinates to the mineral rich world of Alluvia....

As they came out of hyperspace near the planet Korad and took in the site of the blue-green world with a ring around it; each of the NRI Agents remembered what they had been told of the world of Korad.....it was a combination garbage dump and scrap yard. A cloudy, rainy world with not much food-producing land; most of the world had been used over the centuries to dump garbage on as there was little life on the wet rock. A few enterprising and/or desperate types had set up salvage businesses over the years and later, many old ships had been dumped into the orbit of the world where other enterprising desperate types had set up new salvage and scrap yard businesses. Along with a few other refugees or criminal types, that was about all the world had to offer and Jameth and the RMC had little good info on the world.....

As the Kestrel got closer to the world, the Rebel-turned-New Republic Agents realized the 'ring' was composed of dust and rocks, but rather of tens of thousands of old ships, fighters, shuttles, etc., etc. If the Wayfarer is in this ring, it could take months if not years to find it! As they got to the edge of the cloud, a quartet of small, highly-maneuverable small craft popped out of well-hidden locations inside the ring of junk and the comms light flashed inside the cockpit of the Ghtroc Freighter as someone was hailing them. Kael answered the comms as Professor Clark, standing behind the pilot and co-pilot team of Kit and Kael realized the small craft were modified versions of the Verpine Asteroid 'Hoppers' he had been in on a mission for the Alliance a few years back!

The voice that came over the comms channel was undoubtedly that of a small, blue-furred, schnauzer-like race called the Squib that most of the NRI Agents had encountered before and almost to a man they all groaned in annoyance.....

"HEY THERE BIG, FUR-LESS ONES WITH PALTRY NUMBER OF MARBLE ROLLING AROUND YOUR NOGGINS! YOU BE ENTERING THE TERRITORY OF THE MOST HIGH EXALTED LEADER SLYTHOR, YOU BET! SO, EITHER MAKE YOUR BID FOR HOW MUCH YOU BE PAYIN' TO DEAL WITH HIS HIGH EXALTEDNESS OR GET READY TO BE EATIN' LASER BLASTS YOU NOT FIND TASTY, YOU BET!"

As the squib pilot was speaking, the four Hoppers were shifting to cover the Nova Kestrel from four different directions and Kael could tell by looking at the sensor scope that the Hoppers, though small, were VERY maneuverable and had strong shielding and a Medium Laser cannon welded to the belly of each vehicle and they were all powered up and aiming their way.....


(I love this picture!)
[imgurl=]https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.705829d3b1e ... ImgRaw&r=0

[kipper]

"****," Clark curses. "Unfortunately, I think we'd best humour them. Have we got any junk on board we don't mind losing?"

[Rex]

Kit

Kit makes sure everything is ready just in case she needs to get them out of here in a hurry.

[ateno]

"****," Clark curses. "Unfortunately, I think we'd best humour them. Have we got any junk on board we don't mind losing?"

"We just cleared everything out, I could talk to them and try to convince them otherwise. What do you think will work?"

Kael

[Zhym]

"Perhaps, if we lack anything tangible of value to offer them, we could persuade them that we do them a favor of some sort?" offers Kato. "If we can make a deal, they might even have information on where the Wayfarer is."

FWIW, Kato has a pretty good Persuasion stat.

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul

"Hey! We know those guyss. Ask them how Spilfer and King Ebarbavbeedee are doing!"

Zuul crowds the comm to better hear the conversation.

[max_vale]

Approaching the planet Korad, Elrood Sector, aboard the Nova Kestrel


As the team of NRI Agents cautiously approach the ring of debris encircling the planet Korad, they reply to the hail on the Comms from the Squibs piloting the modified Asteroid Hoppers that have encircled them....


Kit the albino Wookie stands at the ready in the pilot's chair for a fast break-away and/or turning on the Shields and getting ready with weapons while Kael turns on the Comms and listens to Kato's suggest to bargain and starts to reply in that vein when Zuul crowds the cockpit and excitedly asks if the Squibs know Spilfer and/or King Ebarbavbeedee; squibs they've encountered in the past....

The comms suddenly become a confused cacophony of Squib voices; "Did hairless one say he know Spilferifimous the Explorer?-" "-nah, he say he know King of Momma Ship Thrifty Ebarbavbee-" "No, No, No...that be King Ebavbardeebee-" "No lasers-for-brains, it be EBARBAVBEEDEDD, me know as me 3rd cousin, one tail removed work on the Thrifty-"

Finally the chatter stops as the first Squib voice to address them yells out; "THAT BE ENOUGH!!!! Okay, hairless ones....you follow us to His Exaltedness' Landing Pad and make Big Deal....if'n youse know these fellow Squib pack-mates, you be knowing what comes next.....if'n you be lying, you be added to the Ring around Korad you BET!"

That said, one of the Hoppers flies on a course straight down into the planet's atmosphere while the other 3 Hoppers take up positions behind and below and to each side of the Nova Kestrel. Kit and Kael fly the freighter down to the surface to find much of the world is a junk pile of scrap metals, old frames of land speeders and air speeders and droids of all kinds and even a few Capital Ship hulls here and there. An old, scarred flat landing platform is lit up and the Hoppers direct the NRI Agents to land on it....

Kit deftly maneuvers the ship to hover right above the platform and then engages the landing cycle and the ship sets down gently on her landing gear. The team of NRI Agents gather gear and walk down the lowered ramp to the windy and cool night air on the world, awaiting the arrival of this 'High Exalted Ruler Slythor'.....

Several minutes later, a large flying craft slowly moves closer to the landing pad and then eventually maneuvers to lower itself gently to land next to the NRI Agents Ghtroc Freighter. It's certainly a one-of-a-kind craft.....an AT-AT Walker modified with massive repulsors in place of legs....

Slythor'sATAT1.pdf

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It sets down and a ramp lowers from the middle section and a large Gamorrean walks out, holding a Vibro-Axe in its massive hands. He glances overs to the assembled group and grunts and with his Axe he motions for them to follow him onto the flying AT-AT.....

[ateno]

Kael assess the group for leaders, hangers on and extra, like he has trained himself so he knows who is important and who is not.

Kael

[max_vale]

OOC: you can only see the Gamorrean right now

[kipper]

Clark shrugs, and follows the Gammorean.

[Starbeard]

Vale also shrugs and follows the Gamorrean in. "Seems cozy."

[Zhym]

Kato, sensing no negative energies from THE FORCE (whether there are any to sense or not), follows the others into the modified AT-AT.

[Starbeard]

When they reach the floating monstrosity, Vale hesitates before tentatively finding his footing on the wobbly ramp. "What a strange contraption. It must take quite a good pilot to handle. Only watch you step, everyone, this ship seems a little rough."

[ateno]

Kael steps on like a good diplomat, showing confidence.

Kael

[Rex]

Kit

Kit follows along.

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul

Carrying his electropike, Zuul follows along and nods at the Gamorrean and his Vibro-Axe.

"You have to admire these squib. They sure can build...stuff."

[max_vale]

Modified Flying AT-AT; Base of reputed Crime Lord Slythor; Planet Korad; Elrood Sector


The team of NRI Agents followed the Gamorrean along the ramp and into a garishly decorated entrance room with numerous melee weapons mounted all along the wall in hap-hazard fashion and a crude bed in a corner along with a powerful, musky smell that STRONGLY suggests this also serves as the Gamorrean's bed room....

The Gamorrean motions towards a door on the opposite side, but manages to slur out in thickly accented Basic; "Me Garr......body-guard and first buddy-buddy of High Exalted Ruler Slythor.....you now on-board the Peeve; High Exalted Ruler Slythor's base and home. If you wants to be making The Great Deal with High Exalted Ruler; you follow the rules...."

He holds up thick, porcine fingers right in the faces of the members of the NRI Agents....

"One: ALWAYS be calling him High Exalted Ruler.....Two: NEVER speak unless he talks to you......Three: No touching the High Exalted RUler.....and Four, NEVER lie to High Exalted Ruler Slythor. If you no follow these rules; you will be killed. You be warned".

With that, the Gamorrean opens the door and motions for all of the team to go through it, which they did, one by one. Entering what had clearly once been the large troop bay, designed to hold a Platoon of 40 Stormtroopers, they instead walked out into a large, mostly open and garishly decorated audience chamber/throne room. One side of the AT-AT had been replaced with a transparisteel window which showed the clouds, showing that the vehicle had taken off and was moving so smoothly, the NRI Agents never noticed. The floor had been replaced with blood-red marble and the walls were covered with garishly painted throw-rugs and weird statuettes. A lavish, hot-tub was in one corner and dominating the room was a Captain's Chair from an Imperial Star Destroyer which was occupied by a blue-furred Squib with a sinister grin and a gleam in his yellow eyes.

Also grabbing the attention of the NRI Agents was the pair of Repeating Blasters dropped from the ceiling and swung around to cover them, one from the front of the group and one behind them as Garr the Gamorrean walked around the group to take up position next to Slythor. The Gamorrean choked out, "Okay......this be High Exalted Ruler Slythor......you been told the rules......being the Great Deal......go...."

Slythor1.pdf

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[Starbeard]

Vale doesn't take the bait and simply bows politely, waiting for Slythor to say the first word.

[Rex]

Kit

Kit follows Vale's lead and remains silent. Bowing with Vale.

[kipper]

Clark likewise doesn't want to be the first one to break rule #2, and bows as well.