Public Dear Jedi Orders

[Velok Brokentusk]

My dear Knights and Masters of the Jedi-

Unlike most human-habitable worlds, the planet Uluk Tgalieh has flammable hydrogen as a major component of its atmosphere. At last count, its population was 3.3 million.

If you visit Uluk Tgalieh you will find several raider frigates hovering in low orbit and the upper atmosphere. These ships of mine carry flame carpet warheads. At my order they will ignite the atmosphere, causing global firestorms. This would be a tragedy, but an avoidable one.

I would like to negotiate a price for Uluk Tgalieh's salvation. Credits will do fine.

Sincerely,
Velok the Youngest, called Brokentusk

 

[Silver Shield Group]

A single Raider-class corvette lurched into the system. It was rather under-armed for a ship of its class, possibly having been modified to fill some other purpose. Tags identified the vessel name as Encore, but divulged little else. It was a ghost ship, plain and simple. And judging from the wedge shape and general aesthetic, not the kind of vessel that frequently aligned with the forces of good.​

​

It proceeded at a leisurely pace into middle orbit over Uluk Tgalieh. Specially designed capsules disgorged from Encore's hull, carrying probe droids down to the surface at a gentle pace.​

​

Some Sith just wanted to watch worlds burn. Others were more interested in the resultant data.​

​

Encore waited for the show to start, and passively scanned for Lucrehulks.​

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Despite being nowhere near the planet or the transmission, Maliphant suddenly stirred -

"Anyone else just get a sense of deja vu?"

"No? Just me?"

"Weird."

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

My dear Jedi Orders-

I'm well aware you've received my message. Doubtless, in your haste to find your way to the admittedly remote world of Uluk Tgalieh, you've neglected to call ahead. For ease of navigation, I have included a video file.

The video began at a starscape, and panned down to the planet in question. A tiny speck of light blossomed on one of the jungle continents and expanded rapidly. Careful analysis would determine that the planet's bizarrely disproportionate hydrogen was concentrated in the upper atmosphere. A single flame carpet was a weapon of mass destruction sufficient to burn many square kilometers of territory on a planet with a normal atmosphere. Now, for a considerably larger stretch of the Tgaliehn jungle, the sky was afire. That broad swath of jungle - a hundred kilometers on a side - wasn't doing so hot either. So to speak.

That firestorm was an uninhabited region, so far as I'm aware. We are of course prepared to burn much more of the planet with further flame carpet warheads. Should your silence continue I must take it as admission that your humanocentric order has no particular care for the lives of the natives.

See you soon.

Sincerely,
Velok

 

[Beltran Rarr]

Through multiple relays, masking its original location a transmission eventually makes its way to Velok Brokentusk . It is of a simple looking bald human, wearing a pair of non-descript fatigues and sitting at a desk.

"Greetings Mr. Brokentusk," Beltran spoke evenly. "This is Captain Rarr of the Antarian Rangers. I am reaching out to you with authorization to conduct preliminary negotiations. I'm not known for my sense of diplomacy, so I hope you'll forgive my bluntness. Exactly how much are you looking for?"

In truth, Beltran's "authorization" was completely made up. He wasn't even sure if the members of the Silver Order, or even the higher up's in Ranger command had even received the message. But he, unbeknownst to most of them, was a reasonably rich man. If he had to bankroll a ransom, he could probably do it. He would, of course, have stipulations.

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

Beltran Rarr

Via multiple relays etc etc etc, a reply went its way.

"Rarr. Your name is Rarr? Rolls off the tongue. Four years ago I extorted the Jedi in similar circumstances. A nice young Jedi Prince named Caedyn Arenais floated me one billion credits, and I took the money and left Figaro Favoura Seven unscorched. I'm not asking for exactly one billion this time around. I understand that times are tough. I'm flexible."

 

[Beltran Rarr]

Beltran's reply came as quickly as such back-door methods could allow. His expression remained unperturbed as he spoke. "Flexible is good," He replied evenly. "One billion is doable, but that amount of currency will of course take time to amass and I am sure an enterprising being such as yourself would not want to stay in one place for so long." He left the threat behind that wording implied, rather than spelling it out for the being. "I can raise just under half that amount reasonably quickly. Say four hundred eighty million? Would that work? Also, I am assuming that you'd rather have the hard currency delivered in person. After all, so much can go wrong when using the holonetwork to transfer that kind of money. I know this from experience."

Velok Brokentusk

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

Beltran Rarr

"Four hundred eighty million won't even cover fuel these days."

Velok chuckled at his own joke extensively.

"But yes, that amount will suffice for now, and I'll take your word on the remaining five hundred million-ish. I have no problem with a pair of wire transfers."

He provided an account number with the Tion Trade Nexus, which had never failed to reroute funds discreetly through complex channels. Deposit, swap things around, withdraw as cash, swap more things around, deposit again - outside his personal skillset but hardly rocket surgery for the Nexus's experts. For now, Tion was within Sith Empire space. If the Silver Jedi continued their nearby march, they might will wind up tracking down some of those funds. But he'd burn that bridge when he came to it.

 

[Auteme]

Aaran Tafo | Velok Brokentusk | Beltran Rarr Silver Shield Group ​

She was starting to think the independent Sith were more dangerous. Not that the Sith Empire was not oppressive or willing to kill billions, just that they were not so 'flagrant' in their doing so. With no one to answer to and a disdain for life, Velok the Youngest had given himself an easy way to enrich himself -- and fund future crimes such as this.

Just her luck that she'd been not far from Uluk Tgalieh; a visit to the western reaches of the Outer Rim (specifically the Jutrand Academy) soon turned to a race to the planet. Thankfully a bit of persuasion and her badge denoting her as a Deputy of the Judges of the Outer Rim secured her passage on a light corvette with a hyperdrive fast enough to make the trip short.

She wasn't the only one on the mission -- Aaran, who'd accompanied her on the trip, was close in tow on his own ship. With enough luck the blockade runner could slip down to the surface and help prepare the people below to protect themselves. Auteme (surprisingly) didn't know much about the natives, but she assumed they'd rather live than die.

The ship rocked as it reverted to realspace. In the distance she could see the flames from the earlier blast, the frigates shadowed in that brilliant light. The captain, a stout, gruff man, grunted to her. She nodded and took to the comms.

"Greetings, Velok the Youngest. I am Auteme Denko-Durren of the New Jedi Order; I request a parlay so we can discuss the matter of your payment, along with the various assurances I require to ensure the safe transfer of funds. May I board your ship?"

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

Auteme Aaran Tafo

So far as Velok and company were concerned, there was only one new arrival - the ship communicating with his frigates. The other Jedi ship would be able to sneak down to the planet pretty much unnoticed. Uluk Tgalieh's scattered population lived in many small settlements; the largest city was Nidus at 200,000 souls.

Nidus is considerably the largest population center of the Ruferalahuín. It is primarily inhabited by the Tera'Ma race, however all are welcomed within its safeguarding reaches. It is a city of grand stone and clay structures cut or build into the mountainsides of the tallest, deepest range on the planet, roughly 200 kilometers below the arctic circle. About 200,000 people live there, ranging all of the four tribes and beyond; even the occasional human is known to live among its ranks. Society is relatively simple here, similar to medieval human times. Emphasis is placed on hard work and community effort.

Velok toggled the short-range comms to reply.

"No, inviting you aboard has no particular benefit for me. We don't need to meet face to face for the Jedi to pay me one billion credits. Since you imply you're willing to pay, I'm sending you an account number with the Tion Trade Nexus. Please make the deposit and I'll withdraw my forces from the system immediately."

 

[Aaran Tafo]

He could appreciate the use of subtle methods when they were needed. But it was never particularly his style to act in the dark. He could remain quiet and unnoticed if needed. But he hardly found it something he preferred using. Sometimes one just needed to deal with issues directly.

Issues like an infamous pirate trying the same trick again. And possibly succeeding again. All because the it worked the first time. And in fairness to the pirate, it was a fairly decent plan. Find a world out in the middle of nowhere that none of the major power players cared for. Contact those who not only made it their job to care for the little guy. But also had the resources to pay the Pirate's demands.

It was, to say it simply. Frustrating. He was used to dealing with individual pirates and small crews. And due to the quick hit and run nature of these situations. Velok and his men would simply pull back and vanish into the Unknown Region or Wild Space if there was ever any true resistance mustered against them in such a short time frame.

"Its not the first time he's pulled this. Ryv and Bernie can back me up there." He informed Auteme through their secure comms. The stealthy nature of his ship making it trickier for any of the pirate vessels to pick him out. Already he was swooping down into onto the planet itself, speeding towards the affected areas, listening out for any distress beacons he could in an attempt to find survivors he could ferry to safer ground.

"He's doing this for a reason. See if you can pry it out of him. See if he'll brag." He advised, letting Auteme handle the negotiations proper while more practical work was dealt with by the more physically adept of the Jedi present. "If his ships start pulling out, I'll try and see if I can get a tracker on them or something.."

Auteme
Velok Brokentusk

 

[Beltran Rarr]

Beltran's reply had come perhaps only a few moments after Auteme 's ship had arrived in the system.

To the untrained eye, there was nothing different in his surroundings. The Antarian Officer appeared to be sitting at the same desk. He had the same Wroshyr wood bookcase behind him. To one who was perhaps paying closer attention however, there was a difference in the way the "sunlight" hit his face. The angle seemed wrong given the amount of time that had gone by and the average orbit and rotation of most populated worlds. As well, there seemed to be something altogether different about the quality of it. It was paler somehow.

"Thank you for sending me your account information," Beltran said all business like. "The problem is that we cannot simply just send you the money and take your word for it that you will leave. I have attempted to contact Master Caedyn Arenais, to verify your honor in the last dealing you mentioned. Unfortunately, he has not been able to return my call as of yet. So I have decided to meet you half way. I am sending to you the account details for an escrow account I had set up with the Bank of Nar Shaddaa. You'll see that the 480 million is there and waiting to be transmitted to the account details your forwarded. All you have to do is provide proof that you have left the system. Video evidence from a neutral third party will suffice."

Velok Brokentusk Aaran Tafo

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

Velok switched back to private long-range comms to send another audio message to Beltran Rarr

"Come now, Rarr, don't you Jedi talk to each other? He wasn't the only one there, not by a mile - quite a few Jedi ships, and quite a few galactic tycoon types as well. Ask around: I keep these bargains; that's what makes the next time work too. And I plan to do this again, a year or ten in the future. Play you false and it might not work again. Ask around, and then transfer the funds, and I swear on my next planetary extortion I'll leave exactly as I promised."

 

[Auteme]

Aaran Tafo Velok Brokentusk Beltran Rarr ​

Aaran's advice was much needed -- Auteme had been banking on Velok letting her onboard. She could've stalled far longer, far more easily. Though Velok might be true to his word, if this continued, it was likely to escalate into a far greater problem. If the Jedi were forced to pay ransoms to every minor warlord who ransomed a small planet...

"Fair enough -- I'd been hoping we could settle the payment with something that may be of more value to you, given the Jedi trade more often in knowledge and artifacts than direct credits, but I digress," she said, holding out hope that he'd take the subtle offer. "I admit your strategy here is quite effective. Were I a Sith, I might try the same thing; picking a random planet on a star chart, seeing what I could get out of the galaxy's do-gooders -- the ones without massive fleets and resources at their disposals, anyways."

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

"Fair enough -- I'd been hoping we could settle the payment with something that may be of more value to you, given the Jedi trade more often in knowledge and artifacts than direct credits, but I digress," she said, holding out hope that he'd take the subtle offer. "I admit your strategy here is quite effective. Were I a Sith, I might try the same thing; picking a random planet on a star chart, seeing what I could get out of the galaxy's do-gooders -- the ones without massive fleets and resources at their disposals, anyways."

"Oh, don't give me that, my dear...the Jedi are rich. I get the odd windfall myself, I'm not hurting, but the sheer wealth bound up in Jedi battlecruisers and marble temples and elite fighters and top-of-the-line skintight armor that can stop a superlaser - you can't blame a simple scavenger for nibbling at the edges. And no, if you're offering artifacts instead of credits, or in addition to, you have my interest. Not in person, mind - I'd take you at your word about any given artifact's nature and quality for several obvious reasons. What can you offer - what Sith treasures have the Jedi tucked away like a wolf guarding straw? Ludo Kressh's pedicure set, perhaps?"

Again, he laughed at his own joke. He was that kind of guy.

 

[Aaran Tafo]

Hopefully Velok would take the bait. Some small snippet, something for them to go on. Personally he had no idea if Auteme even had the funds needed to abate the Pirate for now. But he would not worry about such things. For doubt and fear were mind-killers. Luxuaries he could not afford.

The lack of distress signals for him to home in on was both vexing and a relief. Either he was too late to save anyone. Or there was no one that needed saving. But since he did not know which of the results could be true. There was little point in worrying over it. Simply work off the information he could know.Too much speculation would simply cast fear and doubt. Just like his Grandmother taught him.

At least now, he was free to perform his secondary objective. "Physical artifacts might give you a chance for a face to face trade off." Aaran noted, hoping Auteme would get the hint. Before he engaged radio silence and activated his ship's stealth systems. Accelerating towards one of the Frigates. Hoping that they would not notice him. Nor detect him lining up a shot to launch a tracker that would adhere itself to the side of their hull. If negotiations went sour. At the very least they'd have a chance to track down Velok himself. Hopefully with a properly prepared force at their disposal.

Auteme Velok Brokentusk

 

[Velok Brokentusk]

Without incident, Aaran Tafo 's stealth ship succeeded in attaching a tracking beacon to one of the Whiphid Raider frigates.

 

[Auteme]

Velok Brokentusk Aaran Tafo ​

Deception and lying could be useful tools, but it seemed honesty had proven the best policy here. Velok had recognized her, at least somewhat, and trusted her just enough on her judgement of Sith artifacts. Or perhaps that was just a Jedi's reputation.

A Jedi's reputation apparently included having vast wealth and the greatest technology. Not wrong -- if the Jedi spent half of the money they'd put into military and combat use instead on social welfare, the galaxy would be a far better place. It bothered her. It bothered her more that the Sith understood as much and was so willing to capitalize on it. "I suppose I'm on the poorer end of the Jedi, if all I can afford is a small corvette," she said.

"I happen to have with me Neer's Gauntlet; though I can certainly vouch for its worth and craftsmanship, I admit I'm unsure if it is the original." Auteme was lucky again -- Jutrand's academy had offered the transfer of a few artifacts. She found herself in possession of them more often than not these days. Between Korriban and Bastion she'd collected quite a few; most she left in the Archives, though some stuck around. It was better to get rid of Neer's Gauntlet anyways since it was more of a detriment to the wearer.

 

[Arcane Syn NPCs]

Shikkar
Avata-class Infiltrator

The message sent out from this remote world had been overheard, and aroused curiosity. A threat of annihilation unless the Jedi paid a ransom to the force threatening it. Voice recognition had identified the speaker as a Whiphid, a warlord of the Velok line, and the Shikkar had been dispatched by the Lady of Secrets to observe the events.

Cloaked and lurking just within the planet's gravity well, Adept Relya Wessi listened to the banter between the Jedi representatives and Velok's frigates due to the advanced listening array on board. Whether the planet burned or not was irrelevant to Lady Arcanix, it was such a far out remote planet no one would remember it after this event, but it was the actions occuring that were more of interest to her Master. Would the Jedi actually pay? Were they plotting something else?

It wasn't the first time Velok had held a world to ranson, and Wessi was confident that the Jedi would quickly tire of this.

 

[Beltran Rarr]

So here was the thing about Wild Space, at least from the Silver Concord's perspective.

It was a vastly shrinking neutral zone between the SJC and the growing Bryn'adul expansion. The first battle of Yurb, and the SJC's follow-up loss of territory following the defeat at Nar Kreeta, had turned the Silver Concord's border with wild space into one of the most heavily militarized areas in the Silver Sphere. Fleets of Silver Naval ships routinely patrolled it, prepared to sound the early warning alarm on another Bryn'adul assault.

So while Auteme and Aaran Tafo weren't able to muster much more than an in person attempt to delay Velok Brokentusk , Beltran had no such shortage of resources at his disposal.

Not so long after Jedi Tafo was able to attach his tracker to one of Velok's frigates did a taskforce of Silver Naval ships, code-named Dagger, drop out of hyperspace. While not the taskforce's full strength, the four ships that did respond were: The Champion, an Adamant-Class Heavy Cruiser, the Faithful and Relentless - both Steadfast-Class Assault Frigates and the Deliverer - A Chariot Transport Frigate.

From his place on board the bridge of the Deliverer, Beltran commed Velok Brokentusk 's ships. His taskforce had deployed in a wide net around the planet with The Champion approaching the raiders full on from their front, the Faithful deploying to their port and Deliverer and Relentless deploying from their starboard.

"Greetings Mr. Brokentusk," Beltran said standing clad in his Katarn Armor. "Since we seem to have been unable to come to an agreement over coms, I thought it might we wiser if we conduct the remainder of these negotiations in person. As you can see, our taskforce has you surrounded-though we've left enough room in our noose for you and your people to quit the field peacefully if you choose. But be warned, we are more than happy to tighten that noose if anything so much as an awkward glance is sent on your part toward the planet below. Leave now under my supervision and you can still receive the money from the escrow account. Fail to do so and you will receive something far less pleasant."

Even as Beltran spoke, the various ships began to deploy squadrons of Ares Space-Superiority Fighters from their hangars. As promised, none of the ships made any move to intercept Velok's forces, instead waiting on Beltran's command to engage or withdraw.