The Crix of the Situation

[Kay-Larr]

Kay picked up her satchel and hung it from her shoulder as she followed. She got into the transport and sat down, glancing towards [member="Crix Meriet"] and Toby, before looking out to the scenery.

At the sight of the prison and the bodies she gripped the strap of her satchel and frowned. She'd seen such sights before at the White Palace. Sempra had whole families of slaves executed right in front of her. That was meant to show her what cruelty he was capable of, and put her in her place. But it had failed as she had rescued hundreds of slaves from his clutches.

She had guessed that he would hide such things from her, but no. Crix had decided to show her this instead. "...What are their crimes? I'm sure that your Father would be proud to see this. Is that what you wanted to become? Just like your Father? I thought that you despised him for his brutal ways..." Kay doubted that this tactic would have much of an impact, but there was still plenty to see. Crix didn't need the Free Colonies, so she had no real leverage to bargain with. But that didn't mean that she couldn't find one.

 

[Crix Meriet]

Crix frowned back at [member="Lady Kay"], He didn't expect her to like what was done in his name but if she was to do business with him it was somthing he needed to know. Toby was still cuddled against him.

He steeled as Kay spoke "I don't know , some are rebels or escaped slaves" He replied , then she'd mentioned his father and he was pushed to the verge of exploding. He did not respond well to mentions of his father and certainly not to being compared to him. His grip on Toby tightened and he glared at the woman. He had to keep calm for Toby, he gritted his teeth and replied ...

"I'm sure my father would be anything but proud , Making that man proud is harder than spinning straw into gold. No this is not what I wanted to be, It makes me sick and I despise having to do it" He spat. He hated using all this force, these vile tactics "But it is the price I pay for safety, the price of ensuring no one hurts Toby or me ... Look around you the only people who get hurt are the good and the innocent so if being their monster keeps me safe and stops more people hurting toby then I'll raze cities" He was foaming now, trying desperately not to shout "we can't all hide in dreamland with the might of the republic protecting us ... I'm not the type of person the righteous jump to protect so I protect myself and I won't be lectured by .... " He stopped only when he felt Toby quivering in his lap.

His anger instantly dissipated and he cuddled Toby plastering kisses over the shell of his ear "I'm sorry T, Crix is so, so sorry" He placed his head onto the top of Toby's "We will go back home soon and your Crix will pamper you sweetheart and show you how sorry he is"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay hit a sore spot. But she meant to. It had to be done so that she could see if the rumours were true. As [member="Crix Meriet"] fumed and glared at her, she kept eye contact, but lowered her head so that she didn't appear as though she was fully challenging him.

When he was finished and consoling Toby, Kay responded, keeping her voice soft and calm. She didn't want to seem as though she was patronizing him at all. "Crix...I don't have the might of the Republic behind me. I hardly ever did. I act on my own, I'm reckless and impulsive. Yet I have allies everywhere and it is they that protect me."

She looked down to Toby and gave him a smile reassuring smile, then looked back up to Crix. "I may not be righteous, but I am a good person, which is why my allies and friends protect me. It's why they have adopted me....You said that no one would protect the two of you, so you take it on yourself. Well you have shown me a part of yourself that you hide from others and I am grateful for the trust. I want to protect you both and give you the same kind of protection that had been offered to me. One of my best friends rules Mustafar, which is very close to you. All that I need to do is ask and he'll watch over you and be sure that no one tries to harm either of you. In this short time that I have known you, I've come to like you very much and I want you to live in happiness, not fear....Would you allow me to help?"

 

[Crix Meriet]

Crix was calming down a little now, the weight of Toby in his lap distracting him from how angry he felt. His hand traced over Toby's back, his poor boy. Crix felt terribly guilty , he largely ignored kay as he continued to press kisses onto Toby's ear.

Toby eventually lifted his head with a torn little frown, Crix gently brushed the tears out of Toby's eyes with his thumb and smiled at Toby. Eventually Toby sort of smiled back as he snuggled against Crix again. "Fine , so you don't have the republic anymore but they would still defend you if asked, I don't imagine they would come if I asked"

Toby half smiled back at [member="Lady Kay"], he liked her but he loved Crix and she'd made him shout .... Toby didn't like it when Crix shouted. He wasn't sure what to think. Maybe he should just pretend nothing was happening and just hold onto Crix. Yes that's what he'd do , just hold crix till this all went away.

Crix swallowed "I want to be a better man for Toby, but I can't change in a day and I wont change anything until I'm certain I'll be safe. I don't want to risk my Toby even at risk of my own morality ... Thank you for caring about us by the way , I'll " He hesitated a moment and swallowed again "I'll let you help , but I can't give everything up ... I need to carry on the slave trade it's all I know how to do and I don't see anyway to rule Isis without some violence ... but I'll try as hard as possible to improve " That made Toby smile and he reached up to stroke his neck , signaling that crix was out of the doghouse.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay looked down as she thought about whether or not the Republic would come to help [member="Crix Meriet"] . He was a slaver and that went against Republic law. So more than likely their help would involve arresting him and perhaps even Toby too. And that wouldn't be good for either of them.

But there were others. "The Republic might not help, but others that I know would. And I know that change cannot happen in a day. But I am patient."

She tilted her head to the side a bit as she looked to Toby, watched him for a moment and then looked up to Crix. "Slaving may be all that you know, but there are different types of slavery, just as there's different types of Masters. Look at Toby for example. For all counts and purposes, he is your slave. Yet because you look after him and are kind, he loves you and will gladly do anything for you. The people of Isis, or at least some of them, view you as a tyrant and you have given them no reason to see otherwise. There are some being executed and you don't know why. Have you spoken with them or had others do so to find out what their grievances are and try to address them? If slaves have good working conditions and are taken care of, then they will work harder and better for you. Understand?"

She didn't want to make him angry or feel as though she thought that he did wrong with everything. He did right by Toby. She just had to convince him that he can do right by others too.

 

[Crix Meriet]

"Toby isn't really my slave" Crix mused still rubbing Toby's back "That's just what we say so father doesn't send men to kill us and somthing Toby likes to believe" Toby nodded slightly. Being Crix's slave made Toby feel safe , he knew exactly what was expected of him. Everything was structured and simple and that was comforting to Toby. "We'll get you a nice warm bath and a proper rest, I can feel your tense. does my sweetheart want Ice cream too ?" He cooed in a soft voice. Toby nodded emphatically, Ice cream usually meant kisses, pampering and an early night for ... fun things. Toby couldn't think of anything better. Crix was largely ignoring [member="Lady Kay"] again.

"Thank you for your concern" He smiled between nuzzling Toby. "I suppose I could try to understand what it is the rebels want, will you help me ? Talk to them with me and help me improve the working conditions of the slaves without risking my own safety? I'm willing to try to give them what they want if you can help me"

He wasn't angry, he had his Toby and she wasn't talking about his father anymore. Crix stroked over Toby's hair realising he hadn't asked if Toby actually wanted him to change anything. " Do you want me to do all that Darlin' ?" he asked softly and Toby nodded against his chest with a smile. Crix smiled too "good, then we'll do it"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Just as [member="Crix Meriet"] ignored her and focused all of his attention and affection on Toby, Kay just fiddled with the buckles of her satchel. It wasn't until she was addressed and he was asking for her help, that she looked up at him. "Yes of course I'll help you. I wouldn't of given those suggestions otherwise. While we tour the mines, keep Toby hidden in here. Until we can talk to these people and help them, gain their trust, only then should they get a glimpse of Toby. Right now I'm sure that people are angry and would lash out if they could. Hopefully they will of heard of me and what I've done for other slaves. That would help them to see that if I stand with you, then their perception of you is wrong." She hoped so, anyways.

Kay gave Toby a small smile as he agreed to let Crix get the help that he needed. Yet in her mind she prepared herself for what was to come. It could be hard, it could be easy. It was just so hard to tell which way the cards would fall.

 

[Crix Meriet]

Crix was becoming more serine now as Toby stayed cuddling him, The weight of Toby in his lap grounded Crix. The fact he couldn't go anywhere calmed him immeasurably and the warmth and smell of Toby's skin soothed him . He looked up at [member="Lady Kay"] and smiled as he cradled Toby's head against his shoulder with one hand and rubbed Toby's back. T had stopped sniffling now and was just murmuring into Crix's shoulder. "Thank you I'm sure your help will be massively beneficial"

He chuckled when she mentioned hiding Toby at the mines "I don't take T to the mines, he might kick a rock or somthing and hurt himself" Crix was very cautious about Toby's welfare and tended to mollycoddle him when he got hurt even in a trivial way. "No T stays with some friends of mine on their ranch if I'm there, he likes helping with their horses and animals and I like that they look after Toby" The ranch was like Toby daycare.

speak of the devil they pulled in to the ranch and Toby sat up beaming before he barreled out of the speeder Crix chuckled and rolled his eyes, then followed after him "Toby wait a minute" He laughed then when Toby came back Crix pulled Toby close to give him an eskimo kiss, "Now be good and stay safe I'll be back soon, I love you " Toby kissed him properly then, before he rushed off to the stable.

Crix turned back to Kay "Sometimes I swear he loves them animals more than he loves me "

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay was very glad that Toby didn't go anywhere near the mines. There were some people that didn't deserve to be put into dangerous situations. Some have gone through enough and deserved to be coddled forever. She could already imagine the retirement that [member="Crix Meriet"] and Toby would have.

She watched as Toby couldn't get out of the transport quick enough. It made her laugh a little as he was just like a little kid. Kay sat back and examined her satchel while they had their moment. And then Crix returned.

"Yes, he certainly does care for them. He got really excited when I asked him if he wanted to watch over my Gwaii Cat. And of course he said yes. I even told him that he could name him for me. I imagine that if the two get along well, the Gwaii Cat may choose to stay with him for a while. We shall see. I don't own him. He just chooses to stay." As much as she liked having the furry companion, she had already lost a droid to the Sith. She didn't want to lose anything else.

"Onward to the mines then?"

 

[Crix Meriet]

Crix and Toby would have a wonderful retirement if crix got his way, spending all their time together. Crix would do everything Toby wanted and make sure his Darlin' never had an excuse to stop smiling. Somehow Toby would talk again too. It would be great , Crix just had to get all the dirty work done first.

"You'll have got him all over excited now " Crix teased "Thank you for treating him as you have, It's not often that people are so kind to him and he's known far too many people who have hurt him" It was a source of deep regret for Crix that he'd let so many bad people near his Toby. "I really appreciate how kind you were to him"

He nodded then "Yes onto the mines".

The trip to the mines was a short one from there and fairly soon they were passing through the large main gates and into the administrative section "Where too first My Lady, the mines themselves or the workshop?"

(Sorry for the delay [member="Lady Kay"])

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded a little, giving him a small smile. "I'm of the mind to treat others the way that I would want to be treated. That usually works. Some people seduce others to get what they want, or use violence. I just try to always use kindness. It has almost always worked at turning enemies into allies." Their current situation was a perfect example of that. At first she thought that she'd have to go into thus mission as she would for rescuing slaves from the Hutt Cartel. But no. This turned out to be completely different. It was a nice surprise.

She left the transport, shouldering her satchel as she took a quick look around. "Let's go to the mines first, please. I believe that they are in the most need of appreciation and calming down."

( It's okay. I was going to give you a nudge today anyways and you beat me to it [member="Crix Meriet"] )