Edge of the Empire: Opulence and Obligation

[TheAmishPirate]

"I wouldn't say trained masseuse; the more accurate term is 'dabbled a little in physical therapy.' Spend enough time studying muscles, and you pick up a thing or two." Conrad gently rubbed a small circle on his own shoulder. "More importantly, it helps me to stay loose. Muscle cramps are...unpleasant during tense surgeries."

[Benson]

"I wouldn't say trained masseuse; the more accurate term is 'dabbled a little in physical therapy.' Spend enough time studying muscles, and you pick up a thing or two." Conrad gently rubbed a small circle on his own shoulder. "More importantly, it helps me to stay loose. Muscle cramps are...unpleasant during tense surgeries."

She smirked and nodded along with the occasional /hmmmm/. "I would imagine so my dear. Whelp, it reassures me to have a such a doctor with a broad understanding and knowledge of ways to keep one ship shape, it makes me know, I am in such good...hands."

[TheAmishPirate]

"I try my best," Conrad chuckled. "The world of medicine is a vast one, and no doctor can hope to cover it all. I've studied internal medicine, a spot of physical therapy, some courses in alien biologies; any one of those fields I could spend my whole life immersed in, and not cover half of what there is to know. But if I can pick up enough to help my patients recover as quickly as possible, then I consider my duty complete. Leave the knowledge-hoarding for the universities, any good doctor worth their salt knows experience comes first." A tiny flare of passion broke through his usual reserved doctor-tone, before he promptly stuffed it away. He munched on another wafer to calm himself down.

"*aherm* Like I was saying, I can show you some exercises you could do on your own if you'd like. And while I can't claim to be an expert, I do know how to ease some tension from tight shoulders. Stress can harm as easily as any disease or broken bones, you know."

[Benson]

She smirked, for absolutely no reason, cough. COUGH. Her left cheek formed a small dimple. Her brain wracking up ways to try to make a flirty joke from his words. So much pondering, ponder ponder.

"Well then my good doctor....I will be sure to come to you when I need some tension relieved from my shoulders," She winked, deciding to be good this time.

[TheAmishPirate]

She smirked, for absolutely no reason, cough. COUGH. Her left cheek formed a small dimple. Her brain wracking up ways to try to make a flirty joke from his words. So much pondering, ponder ponder.

"Well then my good doctor....I will be sure to come to you when I need some tension relieved from my shoulders," She winked, deciding to be good this time.

A flicker of disappointment flashed across Conrad's face, and was quickly replaced with a warm, wearied smile. "My door is always open, Shak'ti. Come by if you're ever unwell, or simply wish to chat."

"For now, I think we've earned our rest." He stretched out his back and lightly yawned. "Who could've guessed the delivery business would be so tricky?"

[Lycan 01]

(I'mma set up the next scene. Feel free to finish up your conversation pre-transition.)


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With the coordinates for the shipwreck properly marked, and the precious cargo secure, it doesn't take long before the trio resume their journey. Hitting hyperspace once again, the rest of the trip only takes about a day or so.

It's not long after the ship's night-cycle that the sensors alert the freshly-awoken crew to their trip drawing to a close. Rann looks a bit haggard - he informs Shak'ti and Conrad that while he hasn't been able to fully crack the encryptions obfuscating the ship's cargo and mission, he was able to find out what happened to the ship. A small spark or blaze of some sort - most likely a mechanical malfunction - mixed with the oxygen supply, and resulted in an instant flash fire that immolated everything - and everyone - aboard the ship. The scorched vessel's security systems immediately dropped it from hyperspace and triggered the distress beacon, leaving the ship drifting aimlessly through the depths of space for decades, lost and forsaken.

Cheerful thought, no?

Soon the trio's own vessel drops itself from hyperspace as their journey comes to an end. Dropping back into realspace, they find themselves not far from a large, bright green world - Dakonga. True to the Hutt's remarks, it looked to be a jungle planet, with most of its surface covered in emerald green jungles, occasionally broken up by grey-white mountainsides and bright blue lakes and rivers. The data provided by Garzula's droid shows that the crew need to land at the spaceport nestled in the small city of Rorshi. Nestled at the foot of a mountain range just north of the world's equator, the data shows it to be one of the most recent settlements founded on the jungle world. It seems to be a small trade hub, also boasting a few mining and lumber businesses. Relatively safe, too, if Garzula's assurances are to be trusted.

Shak'ti shouldn't have any trouble landing the ship at the spaceport. The weather is fair, though the ship's sensors say the air is rather warm and humid, and the spaceport's flight controllers are quick to hail her and give her clearance to land in one of the hangars. Soaring over the small city, the crew can quickly perceive that calling it a city is a bit generous. The spaceport is easily the largest structure around, with most buildings only one or two floors tall. There are a few buildings that reach five or more floors tall, but they all seem to bear the iconography of the Empire - local government, law enforcement, and security garrison, no doubt. They also notice a few bustling marketplaces, and a pair of large lumber mills and transportation centers. Even from the sky, it's easy to see that Rorshi lives up to its reputation as a planetary hub of commerce and trade.

The hangars themselves are large, open-roofed structures, easily able to fit several large freighters or transports, and almost a dozen starfighters if need be. The hangar they're told to land at isn't unoccupied - there are a few other freighters and a couple of Headhunter fighters currently parked, and quite a few flight crews and mechanics and droids scurrying about. Despite the bustle, it's easy to find a spot to land.

Upon touching down, Rann informs the others that he's going to try to work on the data-core a bit longer, and hold down the fort should Shak'ti and Conrad opt to leave the ship. Which they should probably do, since nobody seems to be waiting for them in the hangar with a sign that says "GARZULA'S MINIONS." Their contact isn't going to find himself...

Stepping off the ship, Shak'ti and Conrad will quickly notice several things. One, it's hot. Almost disgustingly so. But that's to be expected on a jungle world, one would suppose. Two, the hangar is loud. Another freighter seems to be taking off, its shrill engines howling over the din of arguing mechanics and whining power tools. And three-

Heads up!

A broken power converter is suddenly flung at Conrad, courtesy a mechanic bent over and half-buried in a broken landspeeder. It seems the vehicle is beyond repair, and they've taken to angrily throwing parts over their shoulder in frustration. Conrad may be too busy trying to avoid brain damage, but Shak'ti will notice that the mechanic in question is a female, and though the jumpsuit she has on obscures her figure a bit, her ass may still catch the pervy Twi'lek's eye.

Spoiler: Conrad

Show

Think fast! Agility vs 1 purple!

Spoiler: Quix

Show

As you throw that broken power converter over your shoulder, you feel a strange sense of unease. The Force is speaking to you, trying to tell you something. There are people behind you, yes, and you probably just knocked one senseless with that tossed part. Whoops! But no, there's something else. Something unsettling, but you can't quite put your finger on it.

You sense a disturbance in the Force...

[Benson]

"Right, well, you rest well good doctor," Shak'ti winked and then walked out of the med bay. She softly sighed, her mind a cloud of certain things. She took a moment to head to the lavatory and splashed some cold water on her face from the sink. She wound up falling asleep in the pilot's seat that later hour.
---
---

"Wow...aah...I am sweating in places I'd rather not be..." Shak'ti said wrinkling her brow as she walked about the spaceport. She actually did not mind the chaotic loudness of the place, to her, it had character.

"Hey Conrad, what was the name of our contact again?" She casually asked as she herself poked around in her memories, probably moments before the wayward power converter made way for Conrad's head. At that moment, something else caught her eye that resulted in an admiring smirk. Not bad, not bad all.

[TheAmishPirate]

"Right, well, you rest well good doctor," Shak'ti winked and then walked out of the med bay. She softly sighed, her mind a cloud of certain things. She took a moment to head to the lavatory and splashed some cold water on her face from the sink. She wound up falling asleep in the pilot's seat that later hour.

Conrad waited until she was out of sight, before sighing heavily. Always with the tough ones; have to act like they're in control right up until they explode. He'd have to keep a close eye on her. And maybe make good on that bar appointment, quickly.

For now, he felt exhaustion tugging at his limbs. Giving the pod a final check-over, he trudged into bed for some much-needed rest...

"Wow...aah...I am sweating in places I'd rather not be..." Shak'ti said wrinkling her brow as she walked about the spaceport. She actually did not mind the chaotic loudness of the place, to her, it had character.

"Hey Conrad, what was the name of our contact again?" She casually asked as she herself poked around in her memories, probably moments before the wayward power converter made way for Conrad's head. At that moment, something else caught her eye that resulted in an admiring smirk. Not bad, not bad all.

Poor Conrad was having a bad time of it as well. His furry coat was ideal in colder climates, and murder on tropical worlds such as these. Not much else to do but grit his teeth, get this mission done, and run a cold bath back on the ship. "A Mister Zeed, though something tells me we ought to keep quiet about-"

A flying power converter put an end to that thought. On reflex, the doctor froze and leaned back, watching the jagged hunk of metal fly closer and closer...

(Rolled 2 Green vs. 1 Purple, 1 Success and 1 Advantage)

[Lycan 01]

The doctor's reflexes save his neck! The converter tumbles through the air just past his face, his fast moves preventing him getting smacked. He also manages to keep his balance, and avoid hurting himself.

A couple of Trandoshan dock hands clap and cheer with barking laughter, apparently impressed with the Bothan's smooth moves.

[Fooxie]

Quix snarled at the disobedient power converter and, cursing both it and her suddenly itching nose under her breath, she wrenched it free of what few parts continued to hold it to the speeder and tossed it over her shoulder in agitation.

When she heard clapping from some of the other workers after the part had made the customary clanking and rolling noises - since she tended to toss parts around willy-nilly fairly often - she figured that she part must have done something pretty spectacular for once in its useless life. Curious, such was her nature, she freed her upper half from the bowels of the speeder.

As she settled into a casual leaning position against the busted speeder, she swiped the wrench that she had been holding across her nose in the hopes of relieving the itching. It left a smear on her short cream fur that matched quite a few other splotches and smears that patterned her face and neck. How many of them were part of her natural coloration and how many were machine grease was anyone's guess.

Quickly surveying the scene - clapping Trandoshans, a Twi'lek, and a Bothan that looked like he had just dodged a bullet (or, more accurately, a flying speeder part) - she was able to piece together a decent idea of what had transpired while her back was turned. It still didn't explain the sudden case of nose-itch though. Blasted Force. "My apologies," she called to the Bothan, "I was aiming for those two." She indicated the Trandoshans with a wave of her wrench. Her tone was light and joking; clearly she didn't mean harm to her fellow workers.

[Benson]

Shak'ti let out a small laugh, her expression utterly amused by the situation. "Nice moves Conrad." She winked and then casually smirked at the mechanic. "Hey, no real harm, no real foul, though if you're going to be throwing things at others, it is better to look first." She said in a playful tone as unsubtly looked the Cathar over without shame.

[TheAmishPirate]

Conrad blinked, rather stunned that move worked as well as it did. Apparently watching all those crime-vids on the way over had actually worked. He gave a stiff, mechanical wave to the Trandoshans and his fellow crewmate before turning back to his accidental assailant. "Ah, yes. Might try following through on the throw; gets you better accuracy," he quipped on reflex. "Actually, you think you could help us? We're looking for a Bothan like myself, have you seen one of my kind about?"

[Rolling Streetwise. 1 Yellow and 2 Green vs. 2 Purple and a Black. Result: 2 Successes, and 1 Threat...]

[Lycan 01]

The Trandoshan dockhands continue to snicker and snort, and when Quix makes her playful jab at them, their reptilian faces sport crooked grins. One thumbs his nose at her, while the other just gives an exaggerated wink.

However, when Conrad starts asking questions, some of the other folks around the dock take notice. Particularly the two Trandoshans, who burst into laughter again. "Looking for love in all the wrong placessss, furball?" one snorts with a reptilian hiss.

"Yeah, thisss isssn't a dating ssservice," the other quips with a teasing grin. "Or, well..." His grin fades into a serpentine smirk. "Maybe it can be. We might know a Bothan or two..." he says, a sly look in his eyes. The Trandoshan then holds up a gloved hand, and rubs two talons together - the intergalactic sign for offering something in exchange for money or something else of value. Conrad, being a Bothan, should be well aware of the price of information.

[TheAmishPirate]

Ah, brilliant. Nothing like greedy dockhands with potentially valuable information for when you were short on credits. Though maybe there was a way Conrad could turn this in their favor...

"Oh is it now? A pity we weren't searching for a lady then, otherwise you might have had some business." He shrugs helplessly, but doesn't walk away. Yet. "But supposing you did know a Bothan, what might it take to jog your memory?"

[Lycan 01]

The two Trandoshan dockhands exchange glances, before turning to both look at Conrad, their reptilian mouths curling into leering smiles. "Oh, you know, the ussssual," the first one says nonchalantly.

"Goodssss and ssservicccessss," the second hisses slyly.

"Creditsss, materialsss, equipment..." the first muses with a casual wave of a gloved hand.

"Trinketssss, entertainment...." the second shrugs.

"Sssooo," the first leers, "What might you have to offer usssss?"

Well, at least they're open to negotiation.

Spoiler: Conrad Only!

Show

As you watch the two Trandoshans, you notice something out of the corner of your eye. Across the hanger, milling about behind some cargo crates, you notice a Rodian. The green-skinned alien looks to be rather young, barely into adulthood, and clad in black pants and a bright blue vest, emblazoned with various swoop racing logos and insignia. His right arm is also sporting a tattoo, of some sort of tribal or gang related nature, the skin still looking rather livid from the freshness of the ink.

Why is this Rodian noteworthy? Because he looks very nervous... and he's watching you. Closely.

And he also just noticed you watching him back. With a startled jump, the Rodian recoils a bit, looking around in panic before dashing into an access doorway built into the hangar wall a few feet to his left. Why was he watching you? Is he trying to hide, or escape? Catching up to him will be hard, since he was across the hangar, and there are several obstacles between you and him - namely two chatty Trandoshans!

[Benson]

"Well, we could offer you no trouble for the day, I mean I like having a good smooth sailing day, it can be pretty great," Shak'ti playfully smirked and chuckled.