Public New Blood | Hylobi

[Enki Rak]

Hylobi | Dant Zeerno Ignatius Vergessen Contii Zanesa Losar
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The first thing anyone will tell you about Hylobons is that they're physical. They take up space, domineer, and that made them excellent muscle. They weren't always as bulky as a Barabel or Herglic, but they always used their size.

The cantina captain Rak had set up in was, appropriately, quite spacious. He and pair of his crewmates lounged at a big table in the back corner of the room -- physical as the Hylobons were, it was Rak's presence that dominated the space. His call for hired guns was the talk of the sector for low-lives. Hylobi's mercenary culture meant this was one of the few places he could hire openly. Plus, it thinned the crowd. If you could make it to Rak's corner of the cantina, it meant you weren't going to be spooked by some Hylobon enforcers.

The day had already been successful. Two experienced crews of Hylobon mercs had just ended contracts with the Crimson Dawn, and were looking for new work; Enki had that work. They'd settled initial negotiations with both groups, and Sack, his bodyguard, was hamming it up with one of the bosses.

But he'd need more than good muscle to take down someone like Dant Zeerno. The Skakoan could definitely handle shooters, even good ones. He was up against a crime boss of another tier. Rak needed some bigger guns at his side -- which was why, when the door opened, a small smile crept across his face.

LFG thread -- hmu here with any questions. Hylobi is a stub with basically no lore -- feel free to flesh out the place with your own touches.

 

[Vergessen Contii]

One of the underworld figures that crawled through the door was a tall der'vergeben male clad in elegant purple robes. He was accompanied by four black suited "human" men. Two of them clutched the doorway for a moment, investigating their surroundings before addressing Contii's presence with a bow.

"Is this the place? It's so drab..."

Another der'vergeben male named Wächter entered behind the suited lackies. His robes were yellow with elegant silks dangling from the hem and collar. The plates of keratin that grow on his species protruded in the shape of little wings overcasting his eyes. The spiraling protrusions around his ribs were familiar to an ascending hedge of vines.

"Yes, my lord. I apologize for the unsightly location. If you feel threatened, we can arm the Made Men with-"

"No, it's fine." Contii began to swagger across the room towards Enki, extending his arms outwards, as if to behold his presence.

"And- our gracious employer is here! I love the place - the hue of rust reminds me of the soil of my home world Gefängnis ..."

It was difficult to get a beat on Contii. He had audibly critiqued the atmosphere moments before - just loud enough for everyone to hear. Now he was dancing around the room, parading Enki's very existence.

"Let's get down to brass tacks. I'm offering not only my personal might, but I have a capable army at my disposal. Albeit what I'm willing to provide hinges on what you're going to tell me next."

Wächter was beside Contii, prepared to scribe the proceeding conversation in a small folder.

His form was bestial - the mouthpiece over his face began to gurgle to life, pumping oxygen and a multitude of different chemical compounds into his lungs to sedate his many health issues. Despite all the pain, his sharp grin continued to haunt the gaze of anybody who caught his attention.

 

[Enki Rak]

Vergessen Contii
​

Enki clicked his tongue, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a deathstick. The freakshow sauntering in wasn't the type he wanted to deal with sober. But he was, probably, somebody he wanted to deal with -- the mention of an army was one thing, and the pale man's demeanour was giving Forcer, of the dark-and-edgy variety, most likely.

He lit his smoke and took a long draw, and waited...

"Oh, you want me to say somethin'? No? Huhhh, whatever. Say your piece, don't keep me waiting. There's more hires to pull on." He took another puff.

 

[Vergessen Contii]

Now Playing - Divide

---

Contii's right hand, Wächter began to grimace in Enki's direction. He couldn't handle the disrespect to his king, but he didn't dare speak over him.
Despite the building tension, Contii's expression remained ecstatic.

"Naturally! But actions do speak louder than words... Though a few words thrown in there too flavors the pot...~"

The sound of chittering mandibles filled the ears of everybody in the room, like a distorted cacophony of cicadas, unnerving a few bystanders enough to the point their hands kept firmly on their weapons.

The echo ascended up into the rafters, where rows of red eyes perched above the conversating group.

All of the sets of crimson pearls shut in unison, leaving the shadows within the rafters unoccupied for a moment, until a unit of the "Fleshgait" series of android suddenly materialized from thin air behind Contii, wrapping its sharpened digits around his shoulders like a clingy animal.

"Beskar claws and an inbuilt biosensor. Shock drum components allow it to produce a sonic scream. It even has a micro stealth generator allowing it to remain largely undetected by standard combatants. Reliable, versatile... And deadly. The model's machine learning system also absorbs combat information like a sponge, allowing it to utilize anything in its surroundings to maximum effect. They even complement our "Made Men" line of droids with a few interlocking features..."

Wächter then stepped in to further endorse the technology.

"E.M.P, otherwise known as the "Made Men" are terrain adapting expendable units. They are capable of swapping their interchangeable cybernetic limbs for weapons, shields or even other limbs if the current inserts are dysfunctional. They are capable of interlocking with other units to create unique formations for whatever scenario necessary. The "Made Men" can also fix themselves on the battlefield by harvesting the parts of inactive E.M.P instances."

"They're a massive, unrelenting hoard. They're incapable of fear and incredibly violent."

"Thank you, Wächter... And that's only a taste, dear employer. How's that for a piece? Or do you need another slice to fill your curiosity?"

 

[Dant Zeerno]

|| EYE IN THE SKY ||
~best for business~

GEAR: in bio
TAG: Enki Rak | Vergessen Contii

Spoiler

​

HYLOBI ORBIT

“We tracked them here, Hylobi, Captain.”

Perfect. The planet has been under Set’s and my influence for years now. Hylobons are sucker for rough and violent jobs, and we’ve been steadily providing them with work. Not to mention the infrastructure we built for them. Safe to say we have moles across the planet, and that will come in handy soon.

"Looks like monkeys are in the menu boys. Prepare a landing party. I want twelve of my best guards, another fifteen mercs on the surface. Give them a little welcome party."

———————————————————————​

<Limelight Oasis, this is lieutenant Torvu Ru of Halcyon Aegis. We’ll be there in two minutes. I expect your cooperation, Captain Dant Zeerno is in our party.>

I chuckled at their obedience. What a simple creature, some of us are.

<Funny, isn’t it lieutenant? You mentioned my name and they all bowed down like dogs. Sometimes I wonder, what if one day they all just collectively decide that they’re sick of my bullshit and take a shot on my life.>

I said as we swept across the street of Hylobi, while everyone hides in the safety of their modest homes. The Hylobon mercs had already joined our party at this point, and they are the one busy clearing the path, while my Skakoan elite guards are focusing on my security and entertaining my chatty mood.

<But I know that it won’t ever happen, lieutenant, because we give them hope. We give them something to live for. Deep down they know that their life will be more miserable without us deciding every single aspect of their life.>

One day it might be him that takes control of Halcyon Aegis from me. My son has no hope of inheriting any of my business as of now, I’m afraid. As good as my relationship is with Set, and Romé to a lesser extent, they will all fight for control of United Zeerno and Halcyon Aegis in the case of my demise. That’s why I’d rather prepare my lieutenants for it, if the time ever comes.

<Captain, we’re here.>

Lovely. Entering the precinct, fifteen Hylobon mercenaries cleared the room of any threats, asking everyone to put their hands on the table, while I entered seconds later, with my Skakoan elite guards flanking me.

<Oooh I heard of high-grade E.M.P, you’ll have to tell me more about it later. My friends, welcome to Hylobi!>

I approached Senator Grimmin’s hires. It seems like our guest is currently having his own guests, so I grabbed an empty chair from another table and sit myself between the parleying parties. The table seems to empty for my taste, what a bad host I would be if I let it stay that way for another second.

<Pardnah! How rude are we? Get us what the gentlemen wants. Bantha steak? Grilled tortuce? WEEOOWEEOOWRR, Ithorian snails?>

I called for a server, hungry to get right into the main course.

"So, my friend, I heard you were looking for one Dant Zeerno?"

 

[Enki Rak]

Vergessen Contii Dant Zeerno
​

The Captain, while nominally unfazed, at least had some reaction to the materializing android. He flipped the visor on his helmet down, then flipped it up -- then a couple more times for good measure, almost like he was playing with it. Pale man and his crony explained the flesh-droid's capabilities. Out loud, in a busy cantina. They were more salesmen than scum.

And good salesmen they were. The product they were offering was, in a word, killer.

But, give your client too many details and it might turn them off. In Rak's case, his technical mind started working. "Well, it's a good start. What's your price? I'll sprinkle on some improvements to your work, so I expect a discount-"

Then a squad of enforcers rolled in. Hands on weapons -- not killing, but ready enough. Hands on tables. Enki had both his folded up, one hand with the deathstick, and enough toughs nearby to keep him from getting handled by the enforcers. But when their boss entered, it was clear who he was here for.

Dant Zeerno, Muck Magnate, 'Captain' and head of United Zeerno. This was early, and Captain Rak didn't much like it.

To be fair, he wasn't liking much at all in the room. Pale man was obviously a killer, probably some Forcer freakshow, the type that made everyone around him stiff, and he was rolling around with top-shelf stealth tech and a couple more clowns from the circus. Now Zeerno was all up in his table with enough toughs to set everyone on edge. Every Hylobon in the room was getting antsy. Even if they were armed, the enforcers were getting in their space.

The fact that Zeerno knew that he was looking for him was concerning. Rak had been on the down low so far; hadn't mentioned his targets, but was throwing big money around. Course, no one would let his lips stay shut -- one of the enforcer bosses had got a little more out of him, but no names yet. It couldn't have been Rak's crew, they were all in on it with him. Maybe Zeerno had an inside man with the Trade Fed. Big corporation, word might get around, and he didn't trust Grimmin to be as tight lipped as himself.

Could it be a setup? No, the job was legit. He wouldn't have pulled three million up front for a setup. Or maybe it was the money -- he hadn't bought too much just yet, but he was trading Fed Creds. Folks with keen eyes on the books could've noticed.

But Zeerno knew, or thought he knew. No time to dwell on it. With an unbreakable cool, he simply took another draw from his deathstick and leaned back on the lounge couch. He played it like a holoflick actor:

"Who?"

Like he was in a haze, he looked around, as though noticing Zeerno's goons for the first time. As much as he trusted his blaster, a shootout here was more likely to end with both of them dead than any sort of decisive victory. He needed to defuse the situation -- and then, hopefully, get word to his crew fast enough to get a tracker on Zeerno's ship before he headed voidside.

"Y'know- how elevators usually got those maximum number of occupants on 'em? Here on Hylobi they're always a quarter of the manufacturer's max. Y'know why? Cuz Hylobons like their space. And you're takin' a lotta space there bud. I'd be careful there." Another draw. "Maybe step out a bit. Get some air. I'm sure a table or two will clear up and you and your boys can have a nice little party like ya planned."