Private Two Shuttles Passing in the Night

[Skeevi Merrill]

DEEP SPACE
OUTER RIM
NEUTRAL TERRITORY

The rendezvous was about the most secret shavvit Skeevi had yet experienced, and they'd been at the edges of both Darkwire and Black Sun and under the Corpos' noses and etc. A trustworthy pilot flew the shuttle and otherwise Skeevi was it.

Skeevi sat alone by the airlock, drumming their fingertips on the bulkhead with great anxiety, and waited for someone to come through. The potential for mutual benefit was complex and sensitive enough to prompt not just a face-to-face but Skeevi's least disreputable clothes.

They got to pacing in the hold, cybernetic knee clicking.

Ronhar Tane

 

[Ronhar Tane]

The MIN Fool's Errand dropped out of hyperspace at the designated coordinates, far away from the prying eyes of the Imperial Confederation. The crew had not been briefed on their reason for being here, nor on who they were meeting or why. All they had been told was that Captain Ronhar Tane was meeting with an important person, someone who might be of value to the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant.

As the Fool's Errand began tacking stock of the situation, its sensors indicated that they were not alone. A small shuttle had been located in the area, apparently waiting for someone or something. That someone or something, of course, was the Fool's Errand.

The Nebulon Fire-class Light Carrier launched a squadron STX-TIEs out of its spacious hangar bay, as the captain of the ship began broadcasting over the other ship's comms:

"Unidentified shuttle craft, this is the MIN Fool's Errand. Link your flight path to our fighters, and follow them into the hangar bay. Upon your arrival, you will power down your shuttle and wait to be boarded. You will then be taken to Captain Tane. Any attempts to flee will be taken as an act of hostility. You have been warned."

Without waiting for a reply, the patrolling STX-TIEs began circling around the unidentified shuttle, ready to take it into the bowels of the Fool's Errand...

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

Alone in the cargo hold, Skeevi could hear the incoming transmission pretty well, and the pilot's quietly frightened acknowledgement. Empires did things a certain way and you had to roll with it. Skeevi had taken extra special care not to be carrying anything an Empire might find objectionable.

Within minutes, the shuttle's ramp hissed down to reveal an Imperial docking bay and boarding personnel. Skeevi allowed themself to be taken to the captain, Tane was the name, not that they had much of a choice. The pilot stayed with the shuttle for similar reasons.

Along the way - Skeevi's first time on a warship other than a Black Sun raider corvette - Skeevi found the whole thing just fascinating. They especially kept an eye out for any cybernetics.

Ronhar Tane

 

[Ronhar Tane]

Luckily, the shuttle had entered the hangar bay of the Fool's Errand without incident, complying with all the demands of the ship's Captain. After its arrival, Ronhar had the ship searched from top to bottom, his Junktroopers combing every inch of the vessel for anything that could be used against the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant. Finding nothing of concern, the Junktroopers then escort Skeevi Merrill to Captain Tane, who was currently flanked by a pair of Chrome Guardians.

"Welcome aboard Skeevi Merrill . I trust that you’ll find your accommodations to your liking?", Ronhar said dryly as he began his contact from head to toe. They seemed rather ordinary at first glance, but Ronhar could detect the telltale signs of cybernetic enhancement hidden underneath their clothing. Not that he could blame them, of course, since cybernetics were always a hot commodity on the Galactic market. His own cybernetics on full display, Ronhar took a breath before he continued speaking.

“Come, we have much to discuss”, Ronhar stated as he and his bodyguards began walking away, not even bothering to check if their guest was following them. They made their way across the vessel into what appeared to be an improvised cybernetic lab. Scattered across a number of tables were dozens of different cybernetic pieces of varying quality. Some seemed to be little more than a random assortment of junk and scrap, while others were capable of rivaling the cybernetics that Ronhar was currently using.

Arms, legs, eye replacements and even neural implants were all available for sale…if the price was right, of course.

“Impressive, is it not?”, Ronhar boasted of the wares laid out before them. “With our Cybernetic Enhancement Chamber fully operational, we are now capable of producing cybernetics at an astounding rate. I understand that you represent certain…interests”, Ronhar said as he chose his words carefully. “We wish to develop a working relationship with you and your bosses, for we feel that such an arrangement would be beneficial to both parties involved. Please, take a look at what we have to offer”.

With that, Ronhar and his guards stepped to the side, giving Skeevi Merrill full access to the various cybernetic components scattered around the room.

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

Skeevi had not in any way expected to find a kindred spirit here on an Imperial warship. They took in Ronhar Tane 's extensive cybernetics and then the troopers' armor and the lab and its accoutrements and saw people used to making do. Carving out creativity and greatness against all odds.

"Just call me Doc, Captain Tane," they said, eyeing everything, let's face it, greedily. They shucked off their coat and draped it over the edge of a workbench chair. They had a few implants just now, some Tane might recognize as old iBorg and Iskalloni gear and some nobody would.

"Won't pretend we don't have a use for alla this. Who I'm working for, she's got me set up on Nar Shaddaa turning legbreakers into backup. Supply's what matters. Stable supply. Betting you'd never sell that chamberrrrr...but what comes out's good and plenty. If y'can get regular cargo to Nar Shaddaa. Big if these days."

Empires were busy people.

 

[Ronhar Tane]

Ronhar audibly scoffed at the question, quite insulted by what Skeevi Merrill was insinuating.

"Don't be ridiculous, Merrill", Ronhar said as he ignored their suggestion as to what to call them. "The Mahporeem Imperial Remnant is both fully prepared and fully capable of consistently sending shipments of our product to any location in the galaxy. Our Von Strauss and Arquitens-class Cargo Ships can easily handle any sort of order you may give us. Do not presume to underestimate the capabilities of our fleet", Ronhar stated with more than a hint of pride in his voice.

"In fact", he continued, "if I were you, I might be more concerned with the issue of payment. The creation of these cybernetics, no matter how simple or unassuming some of them may be, takes considerable time and resources on our end. We certainly have no intention of giving them away for free, even with the understanding of who and what you currently represent. That being said, as I stated before, I do wish to create a lasting business relationship between us and your employers. So I ask you again...what can you offer us in the means of payment? Luckily for you, we take both Underworld Credits and Scrap as legal tender, though if you're negotiating with the latter...you're going to need a bit more than a rusty shuttle if you want to do long term business with us."

With the end of his speech concluded, Ronhar motioned for his Chrome Guardians to step forward, and they actively began blocking Skeevi Merrill from touching or even looking at any of the cybernetics assembled before them. If they wanted to continue to negotiate with Ronhar, they'd have to now come up with a way to pay him for the items assembled.

Hopefully, they knew better than to try and double cross the Imperial Remnant...

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

"Thought y'said y'knew who I work for," said Skeevi softly, and got a little thrill out of that. Black Sun was often an impediment in their life and a danger too. But on jobs like this there were definitely upsides. "Credits won't be a problem if errything stays regular. Thisall's good enough that I can signal for a good faith chit, should be gettin it now, long as I can bring back what I need t'start.

"But if y'take pay in scrap too, tomorrow's a whole new world. Lemme tell you what we've got. Whole salvage dreadnoughts fulla the take from th'Battle of Wielu - High Republic ships, banking Lucrehulks, a three-mile asteroid city, and a packa freighters all got chewed by a hundred thousand mynocks. Most of it limped away but a lotta what didn't's all tidy at a Lagrange point over Nal Hutta, easy t'pack up again. That's justa start. We make a lotta scrap."

Ronhar Tane

 

[Ronhar Tane]

If Ronhar hadn't been wearing his helmet, Skeevi Merrill would have seen his eyes light up at the suggestion. As a matter of fact, that was exactly the kind of thing that Ronhar and the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant was looking for. Of course, Ronhar couldn't just come out and say it, as he needed a strong hand for the upcoming negotiations between him and the Black Sun Syndicate. No, he needed to play it cool, and to keep his composure in front of the criminal organization's emissary.

"I see. A most wise decision", Ronhar said as nonchalantly as possible. "Such an agreement will only be of benefit to both parties involved, and will surely generate a wealth of credits for everyone. That being said...are you currently authorized to make such a deal on behalf of your employers? I don't mean to judge, but..."

Ronhar paused before he was about to say something incredibly rude about Skeevi Merrill 's somewhat disheveled appearance. After all, looks could certainly be deceiving, and the fact that Merrill had come in with only a shuttle could perhaps be some sort of twisted test set up by the syndicate to test the temperament of the Imperial Remnant. It would be best to err on the side of caution, just in case. There were too many credits and too much scrap at stake to do anything in haste.

"Perhaps you need to contact your superiors?", Ronhar said and he adjusted the sentence he spoke aloud. "I will allow you to use my ship's comms to contact them, provided you are escorted at all times. My Chrome Guardians will show you the way, and will remain present for any conversation that you engage in. I trust you'll mind your manners with your employers, yes?", Ronhar asked rather icily as he directed his bodyguards toward the person in front of him. "Take them to our comms if they wish, I'd rather not waste anyone's valuable time if I don't have to", Ronhar commanded.

"Yes sir, we can take them right to comms if needed", his bodyguards replied as they turned to face Merril, waiting to see what they would do in response to Ronhar's proclamation...