Ask Gainful Employment

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

“But we already pay Boss Kappa? I cannot afford to pay you as well!” shouted a squat alien, who shifted on the spot nervously as Nor’baal remained impassive to his protest. <Lorda Pomme hatkocanh nobata janse doth pauapka beeska mu-moolee. Cheespa. Uba neu, Jee canta bu tee-tocky gee nan che wa uonza du kava tah bohw baa cua dan siana doth joggdu.>

Sluuuuuuurp - the Hutt gobbled down a wriggling marcel from the Snackquarium affixed to the head of his droid, before burping pungently. Boss Kappa had been running some of the rackets at the Mos Espa Grand Arena for several years now, having taken them from the local Hutt, Lorda Zavval in a wager. Seeing the undulating Duros running the show had turned the stomach of many of the clans. The Hutts had run this outfit for centuries, and the Duros had broken that trend.

“Perhaps then, I can continue to pay the ten per cent I paid him? To you, no? But, let’s call it fifteen per cent as a gesture of good will.” the bookie attempted to renegotiate the terms of his old deal. But Nor’baal was having none of it. He knew how much Boss Kappa demanded, and it was far more than was being suggested. <Wa kouoioy mo, Lorda Livak.> he stressed the man's new position as he continued <Um che dokeecha cay ganba, cheespa hih banbonzay.> the Hutt did not wait for an answer, leaving his Majordomo to deal with the deals closing, before gesturing to his guards and moving on down the track, now focusing his attention on the two smugglers who had come to see him.

They both looked a little down on their luck, which suited the Hutt.

He gestured at them, inviting them to speak. Nor’baal was keen to hear what they had to offer.

OOC - The long overdue thread! @SlagathorTheUnknown @Charles

 

[Chysim Reech]

It had been a great honor to be in front of the same Hutt who freed Chysim's dying father from the dreaded spice mines on Kessel. If there was anyone Chysim Reech was truly in debt to, it was Norbaal.

Today, Chysim was here for employment. The Bounty Boards had been getting slow with no moving game for too long and it was time Chysim finally dealt with more wealthy people who offered an array of jobs. Chysim found his loyalty to the Guild becoming slimmer and slimmer by the minute when he did his research on the Syndicates and their respective pay.

The Trandoshan wanted no part of Crymorah and that murderous band of Crime Families, but maybe the legendary Hutt turned politician might still be in for business. Good business that could give the rustic cowboy a few extra credits to help his father recover in the hospital.

"Howdy, Norbaal. Thanks for gettin' me pops out of prison and all that. Really appreciate it." The Bounty Hunter tipped his hat to the Hutt and smiled friendly.

"Heard you had work or somethin' for me to get busy with. My allegiance with the Guild has changed a bit and I'm willing to, uh...branch out, per say, heheh."

@Nor'baal @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Elkras Arrieta]

This'll be the last time you work for the Hutts, Elkras the smuggler promised himself as he stepped forward.

The smugglers' head was still spinning over the fact that the peerless Nor'baal the Hutt was now a member of the ISC- and that Elkras was about to beg for a job from the very faction that had rendered his precious Comet inoperable while responding to his distress call. He'd tried tracking down the Hutt back on Tatooine, but had been turned away without an audience and had been trying for some weeks to get another chance. Now, at last, he found himself before the Hutt alongside a towering Trandoshan.

The reptile's mention of "the Guild" put Elkras on high alert- maybe that was who had shot at him back on Ryloth?- but judging by his words the Trandoshan hardly counted himself a card carrying member of the galaxy's most feared bounty hunting organization anymore. Their motivation for working for the Hutt seemed straightforward, too, from the sound of it. Elkras filed the information away for later use before switching his brain to Hutt diplomacy mode.

Step 1: Make the Hutt Feel Good About Themselves.

"Great Nor'baal" he began, bowing and allowing a winning smile to cross his face. Smiling was the last thing he felt like doing as his pride plunged along with his bow, but Elkras knew this was perhaps his best chance at getting enough credits to repair the Comet. "Your noble name graces the tongues of millions" he said, leaving out the fact that most people invoking Nor'baal did not do so with the intention to praise the Hutt, "and the stories of your victories are told across the galaxy."

Now onto Step 2: Your Usefulness to the Hutt.

"I am a pilot by trade, and I am seeking employment." Elkras' thoughts, thankfully, were private. This had better be worth it. Do it for the Comet.

Step 3: Compliment the Hutt Again.

"Your esteem is legendary, and I know of no others whom I would rather fly for at this time." Because I don't have a choice, you bloated, greedy slug.

Step 4: Cross Your Fingers and Hope They're in a Good Mood.

@Nor'baal @Charles

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Howdy Nor’baal - the familiarity of the greeting caused the Hutts tale to wriggle with malcontent. Did this scale-skin not know who he was addressing? His irritation was palpable, and attracted a degree of oink-like noises from his guards, who the Hutt placated with a gentle gesture of his hands as he turned to face the ones who greeted him. The Trandoshan was an impressive specimen, and Nor’baal had long harboured something of a soft spot for members of his species.

He decided to allow the indescretion to pass, making a mental note of it lest he reversed his decision further down the line. The market for Trandoshan hide was always rewarding, after all.

"Heard you had work or somethin' for me to get busy with. My allegiance with the Guild has changed a bit and I'm willing to, uh...branch out, per say, heheh." at least the creature did not waste any of the Hutts time, before cutting directly to the chase. As no gifts had been offered to him, Nor’baal had little interest in small talk on this occasion.

The second petitioner was far more polite, leading Nor’baal to assume that maybe the man had worked with members of his species in the past? He did not recognise him, but then again, most of his species looked alike to the Hutt, so he didn’t dwell on it. A pilot, now that was something the Hutt could always find use for.

<Woy bap see uba cohai an bkoha biw bu doe kankee jensm?> he said, without a care in the world as he withdrew a small knife from his sled and started picking away at a knotted spot on his arm.

 

[Chysim Reech]

Obviously, whatever the Trandoshan said must have pissed off the giant slug in front of the Trando. Chysim grinned as the guards backed off when the Hutt waved his hand all regal like. What did he say that set everyone disarray? "Howdy, Partner" was the phrase Chysim said to only those he thought were worthy of being called such. If the Hutt didn't appreciate Chysim's respect, then this whole meeting was about to get interesting.

The Cowboy wasn't no people pleaser and he wasn't even going to suck up to a Hutt like the scoundrel beside him started doing. Pathetic. All the human got was a low chuckle from the Trandoshan.

Then, the Hutt asked if Chysim understood him. The pale lizard tilted his head as he gazed back at Norbaal.

"Jee babau uba jobake an puohe." «I hear you loud and clear.» Chysim stated simply in perfect Huttese. "Lwaa Jee naa uba Lhonu mo Dauau joppay Jee babhat uba mo hatkocanh mee lohba yoieu tytung wuitkhe maee whao Jee naa uba Cohkamhanonka?" «Should I call you Great or Grand when I address you or will your guards get all flustered again if I call you Partner?» The Bounty Hunter chuckled with a mischevious grin.

@Nor'baal @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Elkras Arrieta]

Elkras mentally added a Step 2.5: Language!

With another polite bow, Elkras spoke again. "Mighty Nor'baal, I have the pleasure of understanding your glorious language, but not the skill to speak it." Once again, sarcastic thoughts floated around his brain. That, and it sounds like a herd of Banthas farting. Elkras had crossed paths with Hutts before and had even worked for one for much of his life; perhaps a skill he had begrudgingly acquired would be useful.

Elkras, careful to avoid prolonged eye contact with the Hutt lest he be seen as disrespectful, instead chose to look over at the Trandoshan. As tall and strong as he might be, Elkras thought the Trandoshan was in danger of angering their host. Apparently they hadn't been blessed with brains; calling a Hutt "partner" was a big no-no; the slug species prided themselves upon being smarter, richer, and fatter than anyone else.

@Nor'baal @Charles

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Chysim speaking Huttese was not a surprise to Nor’baal. Afterall, members of their species had more exposure to the language than others, being culturally tied to the Hutts through historic tradition. Whilst he would not outwardly show it, he rather liked this Trandoshan - he has a degree of roguish flair that was increasingly hard to find in lackeys these days.

He ignored the man's remarks, instead focusing on the pilot, who had the due deference to not attempt to master the Hutt language with his human vocal chords. Eager to get down to business, the Hutt moved on to his own questions <Uba gee banka see kolki mallya nem shlon Jee dotmay?> he asked them both, before focusing his attention directly on the pilot <An haku pankpa woy uba?>

 

[Elkras Arrieta]

Elkras winced internally as Nor'baal mentioned "live cargo". At best, it meant hauling some exotic beast that smelled to the stars and left disgusting messes in his cargo hold, and at worst it meant transporting people, which is something he'd thus far managed to avoid; in Elkras' eyes, people weren't cargo. "I've mostly run spice" he admitted, "although I did move some animals a while back." Internally, he shuddered at the memory of the ferocious albino Akul he had smuggled out of Shili.

At the Hutt's second question, though, Elkras couldn't keep a frown from crossing his face as his mood darkened. "My ship is a Y2k Light Freighter" he responded, "but it needs repairs to both engines, and I don't have the credits to get it fixed." The dorsal turret was also destroyed, but the engines were far more important. Elkras hadn't intended on sharing this information, instead hoping that the Hutt would provide a ship, but he should've known better- Hutts rarely provided anything, and were masters at obtaining information. "There's nothing I can't fly, though, if you have another ship in mind" he offered, hoping to salvage the situation.

@Nor'baal @Charles

 

[Chysim Reech]

Live cargo? Not in Chysim's little U-Wing. The only animals he traveled with were the dead ones he delivered to people who wanted pelts, teeth, claws, or anything in between. However, the Trando found an abandoned YT-1930 freighter back on Onderon, so it was as good as his anyway. The only other live cargo could think of were smaller animals or people- and the Bounty Hunter suspected that the Hutt wasn't looking for an Anooba or Loth Cat.

"Jee gee paupe banka. Bu pankpa Jee ahbenoy jospi ah ba kougine U- Wuiseua Jee bacaka bai wiuca vehpe. dotkot uohza bata dah Anbahan jeejee caiot boya, hocan. Fa baa wa dan kougine YT- 1930." «I have some experience. The ship I usually fly is a an old U-Wing I like to flash around. There's freighter back on Onderon we can use, however. It's a good old YT-1930.» Chysim offered, tipping his hat to the smuggler who kept staring back at him.

"You like what you see, Home-Boy?" The lizard chuckled as his fiery eyes peered into the much smaller human, and then shifted his gaze back to Nor'baal.

@Nor'baal @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

As his hand wandered into the snackquarium for a second time, Nor’baal noticed the smugglers' slight discomfort at his enquiry of live cargo. Deftly hauling out a Kaltooine Paddy Frog from its watery demesne, Nor’baal opened his large mouth and plopped the wriggling creature on his tongue. Spice? he had plenty of spice runners, yet could always have a few more.

With a flick of his pustulent tongue he flipped the frog down his throat with a satisfied slurp, as he weighed up the options for work. What really got his interest was the smugglers ‘fiscal difficulties’ however, something the greedy Hutt thought he could do very well out of.

<Kava che woy uba dayan bai banbonzay memoy che mee pankpa? Ata bu yuna see pacmhanaduee, um baw wah dopa jotke bmela pahebay che Nor'baal, nobata?> Nor’baal smiled, disturbingly warmly, at the Smuggler and his Tandoshan friend, as he elaborated on his offer of employment. <Dobra hatkocanh bai chinh uba bu phabeka catkiueke bai yoieu tanea um bu yuna memoy setmanadi che uba pankpa, an cuee, bai mo uba ba vawuekaha nibobo, che wa banba see bmela bai doth nakiheu doi Pattee, bai Tad baubahoe.>

Plunging his hand back into the watery depths of the snackquarium, he looked at both of his new employees and grinned - an unpleasant sight to behold - as he asked <Chalanh?>

 

[Elkras Arrieta]

No, no I don't like what I see Elkras thought as the Trandoshan tried flirting with him. I'm watching a Hutt eat... who in their right mind likes seeing that? As for the Trandoshan... Elkras was of the opinion that he would end up worse for the wear if he tried getting cozy with the formidable reptilian, and decided to simply ignore the comment while refocusing his gaze on something a little safer, like the Hutt's Major Domo. He had to stay focused on business, not on pleasure.

Certainly, Elkras had come to the right place- Nor'baal could certainly help him with the necessary repairs- but he hesitated nonetheless. An advance and a job? Taking such an offer was a risk- this was a Hutt he was dealing with, and he'd already escaped the "service" of one- but if it meant getting his beloved Comet back up and running...

A good engine for a Y-Series light freighter cost upwards of 12,500 credits, and he needed two. Nobody else was willing to lend him that kind of money, let alone upfront. He was about to take the deal as it had been presented, but the Hutt's use of the word "furthermore" reminded him that he was playing with against someone who held all the cards. "Your offer is exceedingly generous, Your Excellency" he responded, bowing politely in acknowledgement. "I did not expect a contract on top of the opportunity to pay off the necessary repairs to my ship, which will cost 25,000 credits... erm, I'm not sure how much that is in Emryc Bucks... ah, how long of a contract do you envision?"

@Charles @Nor'baal

 

[Chysim Reech]

Woah, woah, woah.

Woah.

Spice? Spice Runners? For a Hutt?? Chysim blinked a couple of times as he gathered himself.

"It would be my honor, Mighty Norbs." Chysim took of his hat and bowed to the Hutt, chuckling immensely. The Sharpshooter wasn't necessarily excited to be employed to Nor'baal, but was greatly anticipating how many zeroes would follow the price for such a job. If Chysim did well, he'd be able to get his father's hospital bills paid off! The Trandoshan knew his Pa was too old to travel around and hangout with Chysim, but Kavarr's one request was that he didn't die in a, "Damn hospital, surrounded by damn white-coats like I'm some damn lab rat!!"

In all of Chysim's cowboying years, nothing was as promising as the job laid before him, "Can I call you Norbs? If I can call yuh Norbs, yew can call me Dead-Meat, heheheh." Chysim chuckled, trying to lighten the mood a little bit.

@Nor'baal @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Somewhat surprised at the haste with which the smuggler had taken his offer of credit, Nor’baal briefly considered that maybe he had been a little too generous? Perhaps this smuggler and his Trandoshan travelling partner were simply here to con him, tug on the heartstrings of this generous Hutt Lorda, Nor’baal?

No! a flash of anger whipped across the Hutts otherwise expressionless face as he contemplated the possibility that he had just been taken for a fool. But which of the families could have sent this double-crossing duo? he considered. Surely not the Besadii? No, this wasn’t their style - even the paranoid Hutt could rule them out of the equation. Nor’baal rushed down a mental list of enemies, staying silent for several minutes as he did so, before finally concluding that maybe the smuggler was just a little down on his luck.

Considering that to be the most likely outcome, yet vowing to place a bounty on both their heads should these two run off with his money and his cargo, the Hutt continued with arrangements. <Ree tee. Peee uba gee pahapke apenkee, mah mo doth hhee wahkee kouoioy an kuna kee woy tee du paknee ata fa.> Nor’baal fiddled with a datapad as he made note of the considerable rate of interest he had applied to the loan <An, mee chinh noa-a geeb, an wamma mee, du wa cuee wohadue kanay da bu lou lkele phabeka, pea doth see kaae kanu du ree cuebat cua hutta danko see Yih Bmola. Hee mee chinh noa-a koducha- dopa don keemon dokwacha Wupiupi.>

Finally, he concluded his calculations as to the interest, and smiled - the poor suckers would likely be in the Hutts debt for years.

<Peee che mee kolki mallya nibobo, wa boniadue banba lwaa doth woy koo, catkee wa cuee tachonlauadi wuee see joday noa-a baugiha bai bu coy see uba, lwaa uba cuanesa tah baupiy mah pankankeu.>

With great finality, the Hutt dismissed them both.

 

[Elkras Arrieta]

Shut up. Shut up. Shut up! Elkras thought as the Trandoshan continued talking breezily to perhaps the most powerful Hutt in the galaxy. If the Trandoshan wanted to be "Dead meat" to the Hutt, all he had to do was keep calling him "Norbs"... Elkras was acutely aware that he had somehow been grouped together with the scaly idiot in the eyes of the Hutt, which meant that if Dead Meat angered Nor'baal, then Elkras was just as likely to become a smudge on the carpet. A flash of anger across the Hutt's face only confirmed Elkras' fears, and it was all the smuggler could do to keep his cool as the minutes ticked by in agonizing silence...

Then, the tension broke as as Nor'baal came to a decision. Elkras let out a sigh of relief that he hadn't realized he'd been holding, before nearly choking on air as the Hutt sprung his trap. Wupiupi? Elkras had no doubt that he would be forced to repay the loan in the rare currency as well, which did not bode well for his chances of becoming a freelancer anytime soon.

Dead Meat, on the other hand, seemed overjoyed to enter the service of Nor'baal the Hutt. Does the big guy even have enough brain cells to match the number of years he's just signed away? Elkras thought, as the reality of having to work long-term alongside Big, Dumb, and Scaly began to settle in. Now, he felt like a fool. Do I? The smuggler doubted that the seats of the Comet could even seat the big guy. There won't be a "next time", but if I'm ever in this situation again I'm waiting until someone more competent and feminine shows up...

((OOC: Do we want to use this thread for the first job? Also <3 Charles I promise Elkras won't always be this mean to Chism. Hopefully.))

@Nor'baal @Charles

 

[Chysim Reech]

"I'm in, damn it!" Exclaimed the Trandoshan. "Yew one hard bargain, Mighty Norbs- but life insurance is a bitch and so are them hospital bills. I ain't no freeloader, neither. This job will done faster than yew can say 'Pykes'." The cowboy chuckled a bit and looked over to the meat-bag next to him. Elkras was an interesting fella. A buttkisser, no doubt! Nor'baal was a Hutt and all, and Chysim was aware of the whole 'We are Slug Emperors' thingy that had going, but in the end, they were just as capable of bleeding as the Trandoshan was.

Nor'baal had Chysim's respect, however, because of the release of slaves in the mines of Kessel that saved his father. So there would be no backstabbing ever- and if the human thought he could double-cross the Hutt and Chysim, he was in for one hell of an ass-whooping.

"Alrighty, Asskisser, want to get this job goin' or you wanna rub Norby's back or somethin'?" The Bounty Hunter chuckled again as his fiery eyes narrowed into slits. Gazing up and down Elkras, as if inspecting a kill someone else had made, and then made a nod of approval. "I can work with this..." He grumbled to himself loud enough for the human to hear.

@SlagathorTheUnknown @Nor'baal

 

[Elkras Arrieta]

If the Trandoshan was hoping to get a rise out of Elkras, he would be sorely disappointed. As soon as the pair left the audience chamber, the smuggler's body language slumped. He'd gone in expecting a raw deal and had still come away worse off than he'd imagined... and Elkras had quite the imagination.

Elkras wearily waved away the demeaning comments. "Whatever. Got about a week until my ship is gonna be recovered and fixed. I'll contact you when it's ready." His new "partner" could spend that week any way he wanted; Elkras would be hovering in and around his precious Comet to ensure that everything was fixed up to his liking; Hutt repair services were notoriously hit-or-miss, and Elkras wouldn't put it past Nor'baal to try and get away with some shoddy repairs in order to further increase the loan's amount when things inevitably broke down.

But now, another problem had presented itself, and one that Elkras couldn't ignore any longer; without the Comet on the planet, he was effectively homeless. His last few credits had been spent arranging for a tow for his freighter, and until it arrived he had no other place to stay and no money to afford a room. Elkras had slept in some pretty humble places in his life, but a Mos Eisley alley would be the worst by far. He was asking for a beating, a robbing, or both. Not that the Trandoshan had to know about that; Elkras' pride was already as low as it could go. "See ya around, then" the smuggler said, then reached his hand out for a much-belated handshake. "Oh, by the way, I'm Elkras."

May as well get the awkward introductions out of the way.

@Charles

 

[Chysim Reech]

Chysim took the human's hand and shook it once with a solid grip before releasing it. "Chysim. Howdy, Elkras." The Trandoshan tipped his hat to Elkras. He was slightly awkward, but maybe that was because he couldn't work well under pressure. If that were true, Chysim wasn't so sure he wanted to be working on a spice run with a man who might accidentally drop the spice and run at the first sign of trouble. This was why Chysim preferred working alone. There were too many people he couldn't trust to get a job done right.

Hopefully the human here wasn't one of those people. Their lives depended on this job to go well.

"I think we should better acquaint ourselves." The cowboy chuckled and clasped a clawed hand on one of Elkras' shoulders. "I want to know who exactly I'm workin' with. Don't like no blind dates." The Trandoshan clenched his other hand, "How 'bout a drink? Got some 'them creds from a kill I turned in and I wanna spend it." Maybe Chysim would a learn a thing or two from the smuggler over a few friendly drinks. The Bounty Hunter wasn't a bully, and he wanted to prove that as well.

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Elkras Arrieta]

Chysim. Grateful that his hand hadn't been crushed in the Trandoshan's grip, Elkras was about to go on his way when Chysim offered to buy him a drink. The smuggler briefly debated, before deciding that he had to enjoy what little freedom he had left and he may as well spend as much time as possible out of the twin suns' heat.

At least he didn't feel the need to keep up a façade anymore; Chysim struck him as the type to appreciate honesty, so Elkras decided to put his cards on the table for the big guy. "A drink would be nice, but wasn't lying earlier when I said I was broke. You buyin?" he asked. Maybe his new partner wasn't so bad after all... Elkras certainly felt safer on the streets of Mos Eisley knowing that the 7'7" Trandoshan was on his side.

@Charles

 

[Chysim Reech]

"Broke-ass freeloader, heheh." Chysim chuckled, patting the small meat-bag on the shoulder. "It'll be on me- Damn, yuh lucky I ain't vengeful like the ol' Hutt we was dealin' with." Chysim's deep laugh startled some of the bystanders around them, which seemed to part the crowd almost, allowing for any ease stroll through the hot desert streets of Mos Eisley. The Trandoshan had no need to keep tabs on Elkras- or not yet, anyway. He seemed to be a decent enough fella with decent enough motives and he was decent enough to not have his face plastered on a bounty board, so Chysim had no problem with him.

After making there way into a simple cantina, taking their seats and all, Chsyim took off his hat and set it on his lap. "So... How'd a Hutt take interest in some smuggler no one's heard 'bout? Or is that why? I wouldn't be out hirin' that, uh, President snatcher. Too much attention if I want to lay low, and all." He spoke in a quieter tone so the conversation remained private between the two. The Trandoshan wasn't the brightest when it came to tech, but street-smarts was where his PhD was.

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Elkras Arrieta]

What the Trandoshan probably thought was an affectionate pat on the back felt more like hammer blows to Elkras, and the smuggler couldn't help but massage his shoulder as they headed towards a cantina. Yep, Chysim was definitely someone he was glad to be working with instead of against. "Thanks" Elkras responded to the Transoshan's offer to buy. "I'll cover next time" he offered; he was already deeply indebted to a Hutt, why not add a Trandoshan to the list?

The cantina Chysim led him to was an average cantina, by Mos Eisley standards. It wasn't the Mos Eisley cantina, but it was out of the sun and promised cold drinks. Elkras sipped his drink- lukewarm was a more adequate description- as Chysim asked him a question. The Trandoshan's mention of Elkras' reputation- or lack thereof- rankled the smuggler, but he decided against agruing that point.

"Opportunity, I guess" the smuggler responded. "The Hutts buy loyalty wherever they can, and I'm in pretty desperate straits right now" Elkras admitted, somewhat despondently. "What about you? What's your story that's got you jumping at the chance to work for a Hutt like Nor'baal?" Hopefully Chysim wasn't here for protection from another cartel or Hutt; Elkras had had enough of others blowing holes in his ship.


@Charles