The Warlord, the Fool and the Sparrow

[Armand Temi]

Location: Nal Hutta, Eastern Grime

Beesga the Hutt’s Palace

Agent Khloe Sparrow expected her first real assignment beyond basic training to be fairly mundane, like routine background checks, tailing shadowy individuals from a distance or even spying on a cheating husband. Therefore when she found out that she would be embedded with a Hutt Crime Lord on Nal Hutta and was to record a conversation between a rival Warlord – who also happened to be extremely dangerous - she nearly turned the job down. I’m not ready for this, she thought, sitting in a Ryloth diner with her group of Rebel anarchists, playing a lazy game of Pazaak. But after a week of doing nothing but that same lazy game of Pazaak, the excitement junkie in her took over and Agent Sparrow accepted the job.

“I’m tired of sitting around on this rock. Send me to Nal Hutta to find out what I can about the Primeval,” she told her employer.

The next day she arrived at Beesga the Hutt’s Palace to serve undercover as one of his handmaidens. Beesga was an ally to her employer and had cultivated similar alliances all over the galaxy. Unfortunately this also made him disloyal to the general Hutt population, and a fact which was conveniently hidden from the Lorrdian, was that he was about to be driven out of the limelight by rival Hutt clans for his disloyalty to the species' cause. Beesga had too many cross-syndicate contracts and he was starting to become a nuisance to the more powerful lords. Still, her network cleared her for travel, with no reports that Beesga was the target of assassination or harm by any one syndicate. So for all intensive purposes, the mission was deemed low-risk to the operative’s life.

For a week Agent Sparrow learned how to please the Master Hutt so that the subterfuge would be realistic when the time came for Beesga’s meeting with Zambrano the Hutt, the Primeval Warlord and her target for information. In addition to a woefully inadequate outfit which left barely any room to carry equipment, Khloe wore jewelry that doubled as an earpiece, hooked to a small transcom on her belt which allowed her to interpret Huttese.

A fairly young hutt, Beesga was on the cusp of being scrawny enough to not garner respect among fellow Hutt clans (another thing that made him distasteful to the Hutt population at large). Therefore the giant slug ate all the time and kept the embedded agent very busy. Just when she had served him a meal of Chuba Stew there was a plate of Gublex behind it. Breakfast, lunch and dinner was not a concept that Beesga understood. When Khloe wasn’t feeding him every hour of the day, she was picking food up off the floor, off of tables and even from her own clothing. After a week, she got used the smell and knew much more about the biology of a Hutt than she ever had wanted. But for the most part Beesga was a kind and appreciative master, treating both the Lorrdian woman and the other maidens and servants with respect.

In terms of the meeting with Zambrano, what Khloe could tell from conversation was that Beesga had some deeds to abandoned factories in The Rust Yards and wanted to sell them to the Warlord. There had been an injection of credits from off planet land-barons in that location recently and the whole area stood ripe for rehabilitation, toxic waste and all.

But her first sign that this particular Hutt was she embedded with was not that smart was that his name literally meant some kind of variation of the word “fool” in Huttese. Although a source of pride for Beesga, it made the special agent extremely nervous.

The second sign was that a day before the meeting with Zambrano, she heard Beesga on a holocall selling the deeds that he promised to his esteemed guest who was by now in transit across space to Nal Hutta. As she picked thorns out of a braised fork tart so that guests could also eat the Hutt delicacy, in a whisper she asked one of Beesga’s assistant Quirin, a rather clever but downtrodden Ugnaught, why Beesga would sell another Hutt the property deeds when he promised them to Zambrano.

“Because Beesga is an imbecile and we’ll be lucky if Zambrano doesn’t burn the whole palace down tomorrow.”

Well, that was a comforting thought. Still Agent Sparrow hoped the upcoming meeting between the two Hutts would end amicably, and most of all, that the Primeval Warlord would be loquacious, the conversation yielding the details she required.

[member="Zambrano the Hutt"] [member="Tyro'din"]

 

[Tyro'din]

Tyro'din had been on Nal Hutta for the past week. He had been sent ahead by Zambrano as a forward scout to a Hutt that the crimelord was looking to do business with over deeds to some abandoned Rust Yard Factories. The Bothan had posed as a pirate looking to deal with Beesga and had infiltrated his palace. During his time there the agent had: spent time compiling as in depth profiles as he could manage on the various beings that populated the palace, no matter how low their station was; planted as many audio and visual bugs as he could in as many rooms as he could access in as many angles he could find and had also sliced into the network that spread throughout the palace and planted a virus that would only be activated by his commands.

The virus has so far been used to mess with visual security so as to enable Tyro'din to move through the building with the silence of a shadow but he knew that if the need came the virus could be used for more sinister plans.

Presently Tyro'din stood, topless, within his temporary room, a low growl echoing out of the back of the Bothan's throat and a smirk on his face as he watched the holocall between Beesga and an unknown Hutt that he had sliced into. When the call finished, Tyro'din's growl turned more into a purr as his mind flew through numerous plans and his single, blood red eye flashed with malice. Pulling his datapad up from his side, Tyro'din sliced into the private line between Zambrano and his aid, the leader of the Directory. When the translucent images formed in front of the Bothan he began speaking quickly after snapping into a militant 'At Ease' stance.

"The target had been foolish enough to betray us. He is selling the deeds to another Hutt. I will breach radio silence in ten standard hours for new orders to be issued and to issue my own suggestions." Tyro'din bowed from the chest before cutting the connection. He had kept the missive short so as to prevent any but the most observant from noticing and to prevent those that did notice from having chance to slice into the transmission.

Turning sharply on his heel the one eyed Bothan made his way over to the bed behind him. He scooped up the tunic resting on said bed and pulled it over his head before holstering the Blaster Pistols and turned to march out of the room. Before leaving Tyro'din picked up his cane, slouched, then proceeded to check his person for his weapons. After he had accounted for his numerous vials of poisons of varies strengths, numerous poisoned knives, numerous regular knives, explosives, slicing kit, bugging kit and pistols Tyro'din stepped out into the hallway.

He immediately grabbed a nearby grunt of the Hutt and snarled at him in Huttese. "Paknee ata mi bai bu Yih. Jee gee yanee bai setpika cay bu Sculag." The last work was an old insult calling someone a weak willed fool.



[member="Zambrano the Hutt"], [member="Khloe Sparrow"]

Spoiler

Paknee ata mi bai bu Yih. Jee gee yanee bai setpika cay bu = Take me to the Hutt. I have business to discuss with the

 

[Armand Temi]

The night before the meeting, Khloe stood before a mirror and affixed a small recording device into the bodice of the handmaiden outfit, a task which was made difficult by how little material there was to work with.

Spoiler

She had developed somewhat of a rapport with Beesga - as much as a servant could foster - but in order to make the meeting yield the information she wanted, she had to prime the canvas as it were. And what a big canvas it is, she thought delivering chuba stew to Beesga who sat on a dais in the cavernous throne room.

After the hutt was served, Agent Sparrow clasped her hands in front of her and took her place next to his throne. Other servants moved back and forth around them bringing Hutt bile and other refreshments for the many guests who curried favor with Beesga in the throne room. When there was a pause in the hutt's slurping, Khloe asked, "Master, are you looking forward to your meeting with Zambrano?"

Beesga's giant reptilian eyes shifted her direction. "Yes but all he will want to talk about is Nudcha."

"He is a Warlord, Master. Of course he wants to talk about war. Do you have any influence on the battles that Zambrano seeks to fight?"

The hutt rumbled in laughter and Khloe was so close she could feel the vibrations of the dais shaking and smell the slug's fowl breath. She continued appearing quiet and supplicant, despite the nausea she felt. As he chuckled, the chuba stew dribbled down onto his immense belly.

"Ding me chasa hopa," said Khloe, wiping off his tough skin with a napkin the size of large hand-towel. When she was close he grabbed her hand suddenly and her breath caught in her throat.

"No more talk of war. Only merriment. Go see if my new Bothan friend wants anything to eat or drink."

Somewhat relieved, Khloe pulled away slowly and gave him a short bow. Walking quickly into the wing of the Palace where she knew the Bothan pirate had been tucked away, she cursed herself for making little headway tonight. She needed to be by Beesga's side, cultivating his trust. But maybe this guest would have more to say on the subject.

The Lorrdian agent found him in the hallway outside of his bedroom, manhandling another attendant of the Hutt. Hearing his request she bowed deeply and said, "I can take you to Beesga, sir."

Good, this would get her back in the throne room where she needed to be.


[member="Zambrano the Hutt"] [member="Tyro'din"]

 

[Tyro'din]

Tyro'din span around when he heard the feminine voice from behind him, one hand falling to a blaster on his right thigh, as his pirate character would do. He tilted his head when she spoke, gazing over her in what looked to be a lecherous manner while he was in fact observing the human's body language.

The woman wore the strips of fabric well, in a way that easily accentuated her beauty and she seemed to be at ease with it, not caring about how much skin she was showing, but looking closer at her body language he saw minute feelings of shame, mainly through the fact that she held her arms close to her torso, as if ready to try and cover her body from view. The Bothan found this to be interesting, from what he had found out, no recent purchases of sentient beings, not intended for the Hutt's entertainment, had been made by Beesga meaning this woman shouldn't be feeling that shame as it would have been removed by desensitization from working in the Palace.

Resolving to keep an eye on the woman and throwing the observations to the back of his mind so that he could return to them later, Tyro'din pushed the grunt he held in his grasp and barked at him. "Kaza doptkee se kee nebola, nahca!" That said Tyro'din returned his attention to the woman in front of him before lifting his cane in her direction and said, "Pandipa da."

The cane hit the ground with a dull thud as he leant his full weight on it before he started to make his way towards her, limping strongly as he did so. As Tyro'din came close a hand came up and rested on the small of the woman's back, a perverted smirk on his face as he played to his character and guided the woman to start walking. "Kavaa pan bu tae see hee mesh'la wuaha?"



[member="Khloe Sparrow"], [member="Zambrano the Hutt"]

Spoiler

Kaza doptkee see kee nebola, nahca! = Get out of my sight, worm!

Spoiler

Pandipa da. = Lead on.

Spoiler

Kavaa pan bu tae see hee mesh'la wuaha? = Can I know the name of such a beautiful flower?

 

[Armand Temi]

Agent Sparrow was used to being leered at throughout the week so it didn’t bother her when the Bothan pirate’s eyes traveled her body but something was certainly off-putting about him. As she fidgeted with the folds of her handmaiden gown – if a bunch of string tied in strategically placed knots could be called a gown – she also noticed something in the arch of his eyebrow and the twitch of his silken muzzle. Being a Lorrdian, Khloe could read emotions from facial expressions but currently he showed nothing but mild interest and she chalked it up to being in such close quarters with him away from the rest of the hutt’s entourage.

The Bothan swiftly dismissed the underling who scurried away. She nodded to him and said, “Right this way. Beesga has a feast out for his guests and he was inquiring about your welfare.”

She began to walk and stiffened when she felt the pirate’s furry paw land on a bare patch of skin on her lower back. “My name is Sasha,” she answered calmly, continuing to lead him down the hallway and towards the throne room. He had an injury for which he used a cane, she noted which made their travel a bit slower.

“Beesga speaks highly of you,” Khloe said softly, trying to be extra careful in the way she chose her words. A nosy servant wouldn’t last long with Beesga, she was warned by her Senior Agent. “What do you do that has earned you such a high reputation with my Master?"

[member="Zambrano the Hutt"] [member="Tyro'din"]

 

[Zambrano the Starweird]

OOC: Pardon the wait!

"Beeeeeesga!" The Warlord pronounced in delight. The Captain said he would see him today, and he was quite excited too. Zambrano loved to make friends. His other friend, the Bothan, had just reported in to the Directory... they didn't tell him exactly what happened... or perhaps they did and he wasn't listening. Sometimes, it made one wonder why the Directory even kept up the facade that he was in charge. They were essentially babysitters with the highest maintenance child in the galaxy, with the power to commission Armada's for wars due to his favor with the Host Lord. It was likely that the Directory damned Agent Miajora to Chaos for introducing the damn slug into the fold. There was however, the fear factor he created in the air simply by being... and his powers were only growing. His frequent pilgrimages to the Core Worlds were doing wonder's with his abilities... though seemed to do nothing about his erratic behaviors as of late since losing his eyesight in the Acolyte Tournament.

He had an increasing need to stab things, and a visiting Commodore almost got whipped. Luckily he got to a deckmate first and desecrated the body... my other aboard lost their lunch when he was done. He referred to any sound these days as a spider, and if you were ever called any sort of arachnid by him you'd be surely dead soon. His aid could no longer get close enough to command him small things, and he did as he pleased.... which was a truly frightening prospect if one thought about it too much. Zambrano was a nightmare.

So logically what did they do with him as they developed parts of his domain like the Chiloon Rift? They send him away on a busy errand in Hutt space, to expand his old stomping grounds a small time Hutt runt. Gave him some money to buy something on Nal Hutta for no particular reason other than to have his frightening influence expand to all reaches of the galaxy... now more than ever due to his decreasingly beautiful visage and brutal predilections coupled with his growing mystic powers. One of Beesga's aids came to his ear, and notified him of something:

["Zambrano the Hutt, the Diseased and Vile Warlord of the Primeval, has arrived on planet."]

[member="Tyro'din"], [member="Khloe Sparrow"]

 

[Tyro'din]

Tyro'din cast another eye over Sasha, playing the part of the pirate. "Uba cohai cuee jeday ai baua bahietka-en, Sasha." He let the comment hang for a short while before chuckling, "Jee bacaka fa!" In truth that fact made Tyro'din more wary as she was not exhibiting the normal behaviour of the average slave, sure she could be just one of the non-average slaves but to dismiss her as just that could later become an error and result in failure, something he hated.

"Pityee baa Tresk." Tyro'din brought a hand up to his chest. "Peee cha haku Jee woy da yoieu Beesga's bakanh. Dobra do wa kohhodeth, wa pandocn dan bo." Here he grinned in an extremely feral manner, baring his cuspids. "Dayan kaee killee, kaa kolki mallya? Bait gahkese Jee yoieu doumou an fa baa wa bargon." He cleared his throat and returned his face to a stoic expression and kept silent for the rest of the journey to the hall where Beesga was currently having his meal.

When the pair reached the hall, Tyro'din sketched a quick and messy bow to Sasha, made that way to match his Tresk persona, before limping towards the hulking form of the Hutt that lounged in his thrown. He had just drawn close enough to garner the Hutt's attention when he overheard one of Beesga's aids announce that his current employer, Zambrano, had arrived. Growling in frustration at the fact that he would have to edit his current plan of action due to the insane Hutt, Tyro'din turned and went to find a quiet place from where he could contact the Directory. Before he did so though, Tyro'din grabbed a passing servant, relinquished her of one of the drinks she was carrying, and asked them to tell Beesga that he was looking for a meeting.

Spoiler

Uba cohai cuee jeday ai baua bahietka-en, Sasha = You speak more freely than most servants, Sasha.

Spoiler

Jee bacaka fa! = I like it!

Spoiler

Pityee baa Tresk. = My name is Tresk.

Spoiler

Peee cha haku Jee woy da pomka bu Beesga's bakanh. Dobra do wa kohhodeth, wa pandocn dan bo. = As for what I did that got Beesga's attention. I'm a pirate, a damned good one.

Spoiler

Dayan kaee killee, kaa kolki mallya? Bait gahkese Jee yoieu doumou an fa baa wa bargon. = Want someone killed, something smuggled? Just ensure I get paid and it's a deal.

[member="Zambrano the Hutt"], [member="Khloe Sparrow"]
OOC Question: Are you both fine with me writing out what is said in Huttese? Or do you want me to write it out normally and just mention that he's speaking Huttese?

 

[Armand Temi]

When the Bothan pirate said she talked freely for a slave, Khloe felt anxiety crawl up from her stomach to her throat but then he said that he liked it, so hopefully her vaguely impudent handmaiden cover wasn't blown yet. She walked with the limping pirate as he explained what he did. She was relieved when they made it back to Beesga's throne room because this is where most of the small hutt lord's business was conducted and information traded. She had previously scoured the palace the week before, talking to many of the servants but only heard useless gossip and complaints.

When Zambrano's arrival was announced Tresk, the pirate suddenly stalked off, growling at a passing servant. It was odd behavior for sure but it wasn't like Beesga's guests were polite and delicate noble dignitaries. During her week she had witnessed loud, rude, drunken and volatile behavior from more than one guest. And from what she could tell, Zambrano had a nasty reputation so Agent Sparrow assumed today's meeting would be no different. There wasn't much she could say presently without calling undue attention to herself, so the Lorrdian spy went back to a stationary place towards the side of Beesga's throne to wait the entrance of the Primeval Warlord.

[member="Zambrano the Hutt"] [member="Tyro'din"]

(OOC: I like the huttese. Gives the RP flava)

 

[Zambrano the Starweird]

[member="Tyro'din"], [member="Khloe Sparrow"] (OOC: I apologize for the loooooong wait. I appreciate your patience, my muse has faltered for this character. Oh, and the Huttese is fine! )

Soon the streets of Nal Hutta, would bask in the dreaded glory of the blind Hutt, and then proceed to run at the first sign of blood. In one hand, the Hutt held a rusted blade that had assisted its victory in its latest Acolyte duel, while in the other, it held his customary and gruesome paralytic barbed whip. Surrounding the Hutt there were a number of Primeval Guards... meant not to protect the Hutt, but to keep passerby's away, for their safety as much as theirs.

Today, the corpses were draped upon the Hutt like some sort of luxurious cloth, silky with running of blood, and with the fragrance of death and decay. His hovering Throne was like an opened crypt, and he was the single writhing maggot that they all shared together, devouring their bodies a little at a time as he felt the need. Zambrano however, uncustomary to his usual mannerisms, was in a state of perpetual paranoia, and he wore it on his face. Everything was a spider, all the illusions of sight were dangerous to him, they were to be feared... they were evil in his twisted psychopathic mind that had at one time knew no fear at all, in lacking any concept of mortality. Zambrano the Hutt however, had become his own personality, which weakened his resolve to the blithering ghastly gruesome fool he was before Beesga. But which was the greater fool: the foolishly fearful and gruesome figure of power, or the fool who invited him, and betrayed him?

"Spiders..." Zambrano whispered. His only sanctuary was on his ship, that which prevented his blindness, and showed him the things in the dark of his mind. Without it? That darkness returned, and within the sickening arachnids filled every crevice of his waking hours. The Directory had practically sentenced Beesga and his crew to death... and anyone that had been involved with him and his betrayal of the Warlord. Tyro'din would be protected by the guards, as he had been sent her earlier to relay them information... but his mission was over now, since it was clear that the Hutt had betrayed Zambrano and the Directory. It was why the Warlord was coming home earlier than usual, and why his mission would be interrupted. It was likely some Primeval Guards would seek to rescue those not entirely directly involved with the Hutt... especially if they were pretty, so then Kloe too would be spared, should she encounter one of the guards. The doors opened, the Hutt was revealed to the crowd, and revealed to Beesga.

"Rustyards... Rustyards?!" Zambrano squeaked out towards Beesga.

 

[Armand Temi]

As Zambrano the Hutt was announced to the Throne Room and slowly made his gruesome entrance, Agent Sparrow stifled the urge to gag. This was not a laid back Hutt like Beeska. The Hutt Warlord was alert and predatory and covered in a blanket of corpses, carrying a barbed whip. If there was an entry in the galactic encyclopedia for exceedingly frightening Hutts, Zambrano's holopic would come up.

Khloe didn’t want to attract attention to herself but with a feathered touch, she brushed his mind with the Force and was quickly repelled by the monstrous psyche within his mind. Not going to do that again, she thought.

Beeska, unaware of the impending slaughter, welcomed Zambrano with wide, stubby arms. “The Rustyards have been sold, my friend. But can I interest you in a rental property near the Evocii swamp? It’s a small cantina. I think it would be a good investment for you.”

Khloe’s stomach dropped as she heard the meager offering that Beeska was trying to foist onto Zambrano. Agent Sparrow considered herself a generous Lorrdian, with a good nature for the most part. She normally didn’t wish harm on anyone but damn it, Beeska really deserves to die for being this foolish.

But if Beeska dies, what happens to me, she thought?

[member="Zambrano the Hutt"] [member="Tyro'din"]