A Bounty of Employees is Common

[Kay-Larr]

Chasin City.
Commenor.


Kay wished that her old pilot Terrac hadn't chosen to stay retired. The truth was that he hadn't wanted to work for her anymore since her return to Commenor after her months of captivity. It wasn't so much sad to her as it was disappointing. Her memories of the father-like-figure was torn out of her mind by the Sith Lord that tortured her. And yet her husband-to-be was quite fond of the old man.

So she had begun the process of finding a new pilot. At first, she had figured that her search was over. That is until she had learned that her new hire was in fact her long lost adopted son. That posed a problem, for now she had to worry about him being captured and either killed or used for blackmail. There were a few enemies of hers that were capable of it, and one in particular that had already given her a warning that he would. So out of the abundance of caution, she kept her adopted son busy with other things besides piloting her around, all the while protecting his identity and keeping it a secret.

Tobee seemed like a good hire, but after a mission to Valc VII, the man lacked the courage that such a job required. So she needed a new hire. Trouble was drawn to Kay like a magnet, so it wasn't as though she had ever asked for it. The next candidate needed to be tough.

Working for her had it's risks. She may be a Queen, but Commenor held more value than she did. The trade economy, shipyards and strategic value alone were the strongest in the region, having grown immensely by her efforts. Those efforts had caught the attention of some. And with new powerhouses of government forming right on Commenor's doorstep, she needed to be prepared to have a war on her hands.

Kay sipped her tea, taking a moment before her assistant Olivia would allow [member="Macoda Haberon"] to step inside her office. If this doesn't work, then she'll just have to hire one of the military officers instead. Those guys were always tight lipped and followed protocol a little too much for her liking. She'd rather have someone that she could carry a conversation with during long durations of travel.

After shrinking down her Force signature to a small tree nut, and ensuring that her coloured contacts were in place to hide the yellow speckles of corruption in her eyes, she contacted Olivia. "You can send him in now."

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Mac waited in the lobby in a chair that was a little too small for his size. He was painfully aware of how out of place he must have looked, it was a long time since he had last been in a building this nice and even if one were to disregard his obvious height, he was still woefully under-dressed. He wore his usual leather tunic and duster with his axes holstered at each side. His gaze scanned the wooden paneling and impressive bookshelves that lined the room and lifted up to admire the architecture and lofted ceilings.

This is a wealthy planet indeed.

Mac's leg jittered as he sat in the chair, he turned one of his axes over in his hand which clearly unnerved the receptionist. He traced the Epicanthic engravings on the ax head with his thumb, doing so had always calmed him down. The truth was that he was nervous for this meeting and he wasn't sure why. He had met with and worked with far worse people, far more dangerous people, than someone like the Queen of Commenor. Perhaps the sophistication of the room unnerved him or the aristocratic air in which everyone carried themselves about. Mac had to remind himself that he too was a noble once, though that seemed like so long ago. Surely he can act dignified one more time, although the nobles on Fornow were a lot more rugged and battle tested than the people he saw here.

Mac continued to turn the ax over in his hand, considering his position. He was in between jobs at the moment and he applied for this job on a whim. Only afterwards did he fully realize the importance of who he could be chauffeuring. Mac had heard that she had a large bounty on her head so maybe, if given the opportunity, this job can be way more profitable than initially intended. The thought made him nervous though, he had never pulled off a bounty that big before, and this lady would have connections, maybe even to the Zambranos. Mac shuddered at the possibility. He might not even go through with it, the job paid well enough as it is. Mac decided that time will tell soon enough if the bounty was worth getting.

"Sir, [member="Lady Kay"] would like to see you now."

The receptionist broke Mac's train of thought, and from the sound of her voice, she was obviously still a little unnerved by his presence. Mac rose to his full height, holstered his axe, and nodded a thanks in the direction of the receptionist. He walked down the hall towards the office of Lady Kay, his heavy boots thudded on the wooden floor. He knocked twice on the door to the Queen's office.

Lets do this.

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Come in."


Kay looked up as [member="Macoda Haberon"] stepped in. He was quite tall....and armed. With axes. Not very usual for a pilot. His attire reminded her of what her son walked in wearing. Still, she wasn't stuck up, so there wasn't any reason for her to pass judgement on clothing. She was hiring for skills, not for look.

"Welcome to Commenor. I know that it may be odd for someone like me to interview pilots, but I like to know who is working for me. So...let's start with you telling me a bit about yourself and more importantly, about your piloting experience."

She didn't plan on letting him know of any of her ventures yet. For all he knew, this was going to be an easy job. But of course that was far from the truth.

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Mac sat himself down in one of the leather chairs situated in front of the the desk of the Queen and got a good look at her. She looked younger, more lively, than what he had been expecting.

"Welcome to Commenor. I know that it may be odd for someone like me to interview pilots, but I like to know who is working for me. So...let's start with you telling me a bit about yourself and more importantly, about your piloting experience."

He was prepared for the obvious question and had conjured up an appropriate story. He wasn't about to reveal his years of piracy to the queen of a trading empire after all.

"Thank you......my lady." Mac added that last part with a bit of awkward uncertainty, he wasn't sure of the formal addresses on Commenor. Nevertheless, Lady Kay clearly valued experience over formality and so Mac continued, "I'm a capable pilot and experienced melee fighter. I first started as a hired guard to protect cargo from pirate raids and to protect passenger ships from boarding parties. Eventually, I turned privateer and was hired in wartime to raid enemy cargo and skirmish with enemy fleets which I have been doing for the past three years."

He tried to stick to the truth as well as he could for doing so would lead to more consistent and believable lies. It wasn't all lies to be sure, he did start out as a guard but he certainly wasn't hired to steal cargo. He also wasn't piloting as much as leading boarding parties but what [member="Lady Kay"] doesn't know won't hurt her. Besides, he was decent at piloting anyways.

 

[Kay-Larr]

My Lady was fine. Kay had no problems with it. There were some that disagreed with her position as monarch. Some still called her Madame President. But all that will change later. She had her plans for her future after she was married.

Kay listened to [member="Macoda Haberon"] as he spoke of his experience. One would almost think that he was perfect for the job, given the skills that he had laid out for her. But she had some questions. "That would explain the axes. You look the type to favour close combat." What governments did you work for? Any warrants or bounties out for you? I travel to many different corners of the Galaxy and I would hate to have my pilot arrested during my travels. Also...any bad habits?" Terrac used to drink, but never really on the job, thankfully. Her son she wasn't so sure of. And she needed someone that [member="Veiere Arenais"] would be comfortable leaving her with as well.

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

"That would explain the axes. You look the type to favour close combat."

Mac couldn't help but smile, "I do favor close combat my lady." However Mac's smile quickly faded once [member="Lady Kay"] followed up with harder questions.

What governments did you work for? Any warrants or bounties out for you? I travel to many different corners of the Galaxy and I would hate to have my pilot arrested during my travels. Also...any bad habits?"

Well yes I am constantly being hunted by the Zambrano family and the First Order but I don't think that's exactly what you'd like to hear.

Mac cleared his throat, he knew he had to choose his next words very carefully. "I was hired by the Excon Trading Company to protect their shipping lanes and make sure valuable goods got to their destinations. Later as a privateer, I was hired by the Outer Rim Coalition and worked extensively with them." The first statement was true at least. "I am not aware of any outstanding bounties or warrants nor see any reason why there should be and I have no bad habits." In all honesty, Mac does not truly know if the Zambranos are looking for him, though it is a suspicion that is responsible for many sleepless nights. As far as bad habits go, he does shake his leg often but one would hardly consider that to be bad as much as mildly annoying. He didn't drink often nor do drugs. He was calm most of the time and doesn't lose his temper....

Well... best not think about that right now.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded as she listened. Close combat was good in such close quarters such as her ship, a modified YT-1300 freighter. Although she had yet to have her ship attacked, she had been on a vessel that was boarded before. No harm came to her as she was able to escape. That was one of the things that she had become good at; escaping.

Excon Trading Company she hadn't heard of before. However the Outer Rim Coalition she had heard of. The fact that he had no warrants or bounties was good as well. No bad habits was a bonus.

"Well, let's have you for a trial basis, shall we? You'll be fully compensated, have room and board, as well as a salary. I can be stubborn at times, so be prepared for that."

Kay tilted her head to the side a bit. "Do you have any questions for me?" She wanted to be sure that she wasn't just hiring a 'yes man'.

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Mac had lots of questions about his upcoming job. He was a strategic and somewhat cautious planner, and wanted to make sure exactly what he was getting into. However, he showed some restraint in his curiosity, limiting his questions only to the fundamental. He pondered for a moment, studying [member="Lady Kay"], before displaying his questions.

"Do you expect me to double as your personal bodyguard? If so, who will I be guarding you against? If not, in what ways do you defend yourself? It was a carefully engineered question. Not many pilots also acted as guards but maybe he had planted the possibility in her head, she already seemed interested in his combat experience. If she consented, then they would likely spend more time alone together, providing opportunities for Mac to cash in on his second option. Either way, he would learn about her enemies and possible bounties that she may have while also finding out what he himself might come up against should he resort to his backup plan. If she had rich enemies, he wanted to know. If she carried a blaster at all times, he wanted to know. If there will be other guards besides him, he wanted to know.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow slightly at his first question. "Well I expect that should we be attacked during a mission or are boarded, that you don't just sit idly by and let it happen, and instead defend both myself and our ship."

Now for [member="Macoda Haberon"] 's other questions. She really wanted some tea and quietly chastised herself for drinking it all earlier. Her doctor set limits on her for it, due to her medical treatments to recover from wounds inflicted during her captivity. Kay folded her hands on top of her desk, interlocking her fingers in order to keep herself from fidgeting. "I am a Monarch, sir. That gives me plenty of allies, but also enemies. Commenor may be small, but it's position holds strategic value and it's economy offers many possibilities. So it isn't a stretch to think that a nearby government wouldn't try to invade. There is also the chance that someone would attempt to hold me or other members of my staff for ransom. This also used to be Sith territory. There are some that live here and abide by my laws, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't keep an eye on them." It was of course a Sith Lord that held her captive for months. That event was one of only a few that she couldn't escape from. "I used to liberate slaves and was hunted down for it by many hunters. I can be a good escape artist when I need to be." That and she was usually armed with a small blaster. Some wanted her to carry her lightsaber at all times, but she didn't. Her Force Sensitivity wasn't something that she wanted to be widely known.

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

"Well I expect that should we be attacked during a mission or are boarded, that you don't just sit idly by and let it happen, and instead defend both myself and our ship."

Mac frowned, her reply just rubbed him the wrong way. He was clearly an experienced warrior and to suggest otherwise was a slight in his eyes. He had no intention of "sitting idly by". "I wasn't suggesting otherwise, miss." Mac replied with his own comment, referring to the queen as "miss" instead of "my lady". His play on words wasn't an obvious insult but it was to gently warn [member="Lady Kay"] that he would not be trifled with.

"I am a Monarch, sir. That gives me plenty of allies, but also enemies. Commenor may be small, but it's position holds strategic value and it's economy offers many possibilities. So it isn't a stretch to think that a nearby government wouldn't try to invade. There is also the chance that someone would attempt to hold me or other members of my staff for ransom. This also used to be Sith territory. There are some that live here and abide by my laws, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't keep an eye on them."

What a purposefully vague answer.

So there were no specific buyers that she mentioned but Mac was creative enough to find those who'd want the Queen of Commenor. They weren't too far off from Hutt Space so perhaps Mac might collect his bounty there so that the cartel might forgive the stunt he pulled on Tatooine. She mentioned the Sith as a potential enemy but Mac would rather crash the ship than ever go to the Sith.

"I used to liberate slaves and was hunted down for it by many hunters. I can be a good escape artist when I need to be."

Was that a warning? This Queen might be harder to decipher than I had originally thought.

Mac continued to study the Queen. She was proper in her movements but Mac could tell that there was more to her than meets the eye. She clearly wouldn't be as passive or dainty as some other nobles yet Mac was confident that it was nothing he couldn't handle. He placed a hand on his ax, going over the engravings with his thumb. He looked up at her. The Queen's raised eyebrow indicated that he should refrain from asking too many more questions.

"Is there anything else I should know about you? When do we start?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded, noting the frown that he now showed. He called her 'miss' this time, but again that didn't bother her. If she allowed such small things to get to her, then she'd be more heavily stressed than she is now.

[member="Macoda Haberon"] seemed to be studying her. Many had a habit of doing that and she was guilty of it herself.

Was there anything else that he should know about her? Nothing really. She held plenty of secrets, but for this time at least, there was no reason for him to be aware them. "I'm stubborn. I suppose that you should know that..." She offered a small smile to follow that. Stubborness can be a good thing, but not always. "We can start as soon as you're available." He needed to see where he was staying, as well as the ship that he'd be flying.

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Her smile disarmed Mac a little. He decided to let such trivial things go at the moment, it wasn't like him to hold a grudge over such a small thing after all. He felt that his point had been made, she was stubborn but he could be too. Nevertheless, the air of the interview seemingly lifted which made Mac much more relaxed and comfortable. Maybe this would be like a regular job after all. He smiled and rose out of his chair, offering [member="Lady Kay"] a firm handshake over the desk.

"I'm ready whenever you are."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay got to her feet and shook his hand, giving him a firm yet soft shake. "Wonderful. I'll show you where you'll be staying and then take you to The Free Lady."

She walked around her desk after letting go of his hand, and headed to the door, opening it for them both. Once again, such tours should be left for assistants, yet [member="Macoda Haberon"] was her own pilot, so it needed her personal touch.

The walk down the long hallways gave one the impression of just how large the Palace was. The walls were made of grey stone brought up from the mines and tunnels near Chasin City. Artwork adorned some of the walls, portraits of heros and past rulers, and of course of the Elders. "Your chambers are in the north wing, the mess hall and kitchens are in the east. [member="Darlyn Excron"] is my head of security. I'm sure that you'll be meeting him at some point."

She glanced over at him, but more so at the axes that he carried. "Those carvings on your axes...what are the significances of them, if I may ask?"

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

The Free Lady? Who is that? Seems like everyone here has a titled.

Mac knew he'd find out soon enough. After shaking her hand, he let [member="Lady Kay"] lead him out of her office and down the hall. Mac was very impressed with the scale and prestige of the palace. Large paintings depicting unfamiliar people lined the expansive hallway. Mac let his eyes wander over the stone walls and ornate architecture. He towered over Lady Kay as they walked side by side.

"Your chambers are in the north wing, the mess hall and kitchens are in the east. Darlyn Excron is my head of security. I'm sure that you'll be meeting him at some point."

Head of Security? I'll need to judge his mettle before I do anything rash.

"I'll be very eager to meet him, my lady."

So far the job seemed rather profitable on its own. He would be provided with room and board and paid rather handsomely considering the ease of the job. Maybe Mac wouldn't collect her bounty after all, provided that she won't give him a reason to. There will be plenty of opportunity for Mac to change his mind.

"Those carvings on your axes...what are the significances of them, if I may ask?"

Mac wasn't really prepared for such a personal question so soon. He looked down at the axes holstered at his sides. Mac decided that there was relatively little harm in telling her their significance for he doubted that she had any affiliation with the Zambranos, let alone heard of his home-world or clan. He had forsaken so much while being on the run, his axes were the only things of his past life that he had left. And with them, Mac saw to forge his future.

"They were my father's axes. The Epicanthic runes are the marks of my clan."

Short and sweet and to the point. No need to divulge too much information, not right now at least.

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Macoda Haberon"] didn't change his pace at all when she mentioned Darlyn. That was good. It meant that he wasn't hiding much or at least, wasn't here to cause trouble. That was to the best of her knowledge, anyways.

Kay nodded as she listened to his explanation of the carvings. Clan? Was he Mandalorian? Most of her dealings with them were not very good. She had lost plenty to them, had worked for one for a time. It never ended well. Still, even if Mac was Mandalorian, she was still willing to give him a chance. "I hope that you've done your father proud by them." Her own father wanted nothing to do with her. He'd rather that she never existed. At times that still bothered her.

It wasn't long before they had arrived at Mac's chamber door. She opened it and then stepped aside to let him pass through. It was similar in size to her office, containing a living room, bathroom and bedroom. It was almost an apartment of it's own, though it had no kitchen. Big windows gave the room ample light, and there was a fireplace for warmth. "Here you are. I hope you find it agreeable....And before I forget..." She fished out a commlink and tossed it to him. "This is yours. Try to keep it on you at all times."

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

"I hope that you've done your father proud by them."

"Not yet my lady." Mac heard himself reply. He looked down at [member="Lady Kay"] and forced a smile, it was perhaps the most sincere thing he has to her said so far. Mac had disgraced himself at the invasion of his home world. In his mind, he should have died along his father, not run off like some coward. However Mac knew that nothing good would come of this thinking and so he wanted to seize the life that he fortunately managed to escape with and redeem himself. Mac wanted to build something like his father had before him, to create something that will last, some good in this world. Mac just didn't know where to start which has left him lost.

They eventually came to his new chambers which was far better than any living arrangement since the Fall. A cozy apartment-like dwelling with a nice fire place and large windows like the ones he grew up with. He liked it.

"Here you are. I hope you find it agreeable....And before I forget... "This is yours. Try to keep it on you at all times."

Mac caught the comlink and slid it in his pocket. His attention turned back to the Queen before him. "I am grateful for my chambers, my lady. They are far better than the ones I have grown accustom to," Mac said with a grin. "May I see what I will be piloting? Is there anything else you'd like to show me?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

There was time for [member="Macoda Haberon"] to make his father proud. Perhaps he could do so here.

He then asked about The Free Lady. She bowed her head. "Sure. Right this way." Kay led him down the hallway towards the end of it to a set of double doors. Two armoured guards stood on either side, opening the doors for them both. Once they passed through, one would follow. Kay looked up as a light rain had started. It didn't bother her much though. She confinued walking down a paved path that took them to the landing pads. The Free Lady stood there, almost waiting in anticipation for their arrival.

Spoiler

http://starwarsrp.net/topic/82788-the-free-lady-yt-1300-modified/#entry1217892

"Here she is, The Free Lady. She's heavily shielded and has some weapons on her, but not much. When going on trade missions and the like, it's better to not be fully armed. That can give the wrong impression. But she can move well." Kay walked towards the freighter, opening the latch and pressing a few buttons to lower the ramp. Sure she should probably have a ship that was more impressive, larger and fancy, but she was comfortable with what she had. The ship factories were only just starting to operate again, so it would be some time before more ships could be added to the small fleet that they already owned.

When the ramp was lowered she stepped inside. The guard would wait until they were both inside before he'd step in and wait by the top of the ramp, keeping an ear out for them both inside and out.

Kay looked up to Mac. "She isn't much, but The Free Lady has everything that I need." She led him over to the cockpit. No doubt that would be the first place that he'd want to explore.

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Ahhhhh so the Free Lady is a ship.

Mac was pleasantly surprised at the ship that he would be piloting, he was half expecting some pompous cruiser typical of the rich, but this.... this was good. He followed [member="Lady Kay"] up the ramp, having to duck into ship as he did so. Mac was consciously aware of the two guards waiting just outside and made sure to keep tabs on where they were. He stepped up to the navigation panel of the ship, studying its controls. He was satisfied with the familiar control board, he could fly this freighter pretty well. He clapped his hands together and turned to the lady.

"Excellent, she's a beauty alright. When do we start?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smiled as [member="Macoda Haberon"] seemed very pleased with The Free Lady. That was good. It was better that way. Mac seemed a pleasant enough type to be around, whuch was also a good sign.

"We can start now. Care to start her up? We'll fly around the city and I'll show you the various Embassies and houses of importance."

Commenor was a neutral planet, so there were various types of governments represented there.

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

"Sure thing." Mac hopped in the pilot's seat and adjusted it to allow for as much leg room as possible. He waited for Lady Kay to seat herself beside him and buckle up before he started the engine. Mac paused and studied the control panel, it had been longer than he had originally thought since the last time he piloted this type of freighter. He suddenly remembered and started up the engine, hoping that [member="Lady Kay"] didn't catch his hesitancy.

What can I say? I was too busy fighting on star ships than piloting them most of the time.

The engine humming, Mac brought the YT-1300 up slowly off the ground, hovering up off the landing pad. Once he cleared the surround buildings, he accelerated the craft forward, getting a feel for the handling. He felt himself slid back in his seat due to the acceleration. He grinned, it felt good to actually be the one piloting. He slowed down the freighter a little, he didn't know were he was going after all. He looked over to Lady Kay, awaiting directions.