Wanted: A Few Good Secrets (Part Two)

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

Everything was being set into motion as far as her mission goes. It seemed as though everything was being set into place. But now she had another part in it to do, one that was about the only part that she could do on her own. The success of her mission relied heavily on what happened here.

Kay turned Jaster's comlink over and over in her hands until finally she figured out what she was going to do or say. The man played her before at Sempra's White Palace and she didn't feel like being played again. She owed Jaster a favour and at some point she knew that he was going to cash in on it. How was another story.

Well....no time like the present. Kay activated the comlink and sent off a message to him. "Jaster? It's Lady Kay. I was hoping that we could have a meeting? It'll be worth your while as I am now a Senator. Please come and see me at these co-ordinates or I could meet you. Either way works for me. Thank you."

And now she waited, sipping her tea, thinking and plotting away.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Jaster finally had some time to rest aboard his ship, it had been a long hard patrol they had done in transit to the republic. He took refuge within his office, the one place of silence and security he felt within this hunk of metal he called home. As Viceroy he was not really support to be doing security patrols with trade caravans, but Jaster didn't like sitting behind a desk, so he chose to take action every now and then. This however had been a while since the old soldier truely commanded a fleet, it was tiring. He turned on his computer terminal and looked through his mail and communications messages, one stood out and sent a shiver down his spine.

Ms. Kay, she was a senator now.

Jaster gulped at the though of what she could want, it wasn't like they carried bad blood between one another, but she was trouble. Truth be told, Jaster was a little worried why she of all people were contacting him. Back at the white palace, Sempra played them both, Jaster only wanted to scare the slaves into submission, Sempra had other plans. His coalition of companies were the main transporter of Sampras slave and drug ring, he couldn't loose the contract the brough millions in contract credits. Sempra wanted to rule the slaves, scare them into submission, Jaster just didn't need a riot during transport, thus the act. The millions of credits that he received from the cartel were funding Jaster medical research programs, thus Sempra was a necessary evil.

The planet in which Madam Senator Kay represented was a much needed port world if he wanted to transport good through the republic. Smack dab in the middle of their core worlds, it would cut Jasters travel cost in half. Jaster of course knew that their was something this women would want, and most likely ask, but he still carried a favor with the women. Also he knew that her true identity was that of a Jedi, he kept the secrete since they first met, and blackmail was not something he liked, but sometime was needed.

He responded, "Hello Madam Senator, wonderful to hear from you after so long, I congratulate you on your knew positioning, the people truely know what's best for them if they choose a trustworthy person as you, as for a meeting, it just so happens I am in the area and would gladly meet you within the hour, I do much appreciated the invitation, can't wait to see you again senator."

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

"Wonderful. I will see you shortly then."

Ah formalities. Politics was a chess game and even rivals can speak with utter politeness, yet there was plenty to read between the lines. One could be polite yet insulting all at the same time. But she needed him and perhaps they needed eachother. Only the meeting would bring that about.

As she was holding this meeting as the Senator of Commenor, Kay had to dress the part. And so she did, dressed elegantly with her hair done up this time in a decorative bun. She waited by the docking bay of her ship as opposed to meeting on the planet she represented. This meeting had only some ties to her work.

She had no bodyguards with her or any of her guardians for that matter. There was only the crew of the ship on board. Jaster had never threatened her life before, so she felt no need to be paranoid. And he shouldn't either.

As he arrived Kay greeted him with a smile and bow of her head. "Welcome, Jaster. And thank you for coming on such short notice. If you could follow me to my office?" It was best for their discussion to be held in private as it could become heated and loud. Or it could just be polite. Either way, not everything needed to be overheard. She led the way and once inside, she closed the door behind him and gestured for him to sit down. "I'm curious as to what brought you this area that just happened to be where I was. Were you planning a surprise visit to Commenor?"

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Jaster arrival was as best on time as he could manage, after all he was still attached to the convoy. He left his Hammerhead Class Cruiser behind and only took a Shuttle to the meeting, alone with his thoughts he was beginning to wonder. Their last meeting, Ms. Kay was rescuing slaves, and she did so with his help. Jaster was well known for his double agenda, fighting openly for one opposition while exstending hands in the shadows. In the criminal world, Jaster was known for getting nearly anything you need, and in the buisness world considered a jack of all trades. He wondered what side this senator wanted, he'd done dealings with senators before, Denon, Alderaan, Mannan, and now this world. Politics was beginning to be Jaster second nature now, this however was a diffrent meeting, this women knew Jaster before he picked up his sliver tung, before he became more refined, she also carried very powerful allies. One mistake and Jaster could just possible be out more then just the contract.

He entered the airlock and saw the young senator, she still did grow from the short time he last saw her on the cartel planet. She also carried more questions on her face then she was letting on. She truely hadn't been in politics for too long he guessed.

"It was no problem at all madam senator, it is always a pleasure to see an old friend," stating that was a hope to probe why he was invited here. "as for my happening near your represented planet, I was given access to transport my goods through these parts to supply the Hutt Empire, our Mutural friend I hear has made an alliance with the Republic?"

Jaster of course all ready knew this, but it was still best to play dumb.

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

Kay sat down at her desk which was small and very basic. She didn't need anything elaborate or decorative, especially on this ship.

"There's no need for formalities, Jaster. No one is listening. You can just call me Kay." She folded her hands on the desk. "As far as I know, the alliance with Sempra is still in discussion and to be taken up with the Prime Minister and then put to a vote. Nothing is set in stone just yet....And as for Sempra being our mutual friend, well it appears that I am not welcome unless I want to be chased by bounty hunters. They call me a terrorist. Can you imagine?" She leaned back in her chair and shook her head. "He played me just as you did, yet I'm the terrorist, the one that they want to put on trial." Okay now she was just venting but it couldn't be helped as this was stewing inside her for weeks now.

But now she had to change the subject a bit. "Allowing for some of your goods to be transported via Commenor might help the both of us. But what goods would you be sending through? Surely you wouldn't be transporting slaves as the Republic feels as strongly against slavery as I do."

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Jaster was waiting for confirmation, he brough a snooping program to scan the room for listening devices. A common object that not just every buisnessman carried to negosiations, but some polaticians that he knew. The Scanner approved that there were no listening or transmitter devices within 30 meters of where they were, good.

Jaster sat in a chair opposist her and pulled out a flask, he layed it on his lap as he cross one leg over his knee. Ms. Kay was again someone who knew Jaster before his rise to higher statues. Seeing through his ploy was something he expected, though he was always cautious. "Well I was never good with acting when around you, though one can never be to careful, as for the Hutt Empire, I don't associate with them anymore then I have to, Sempra has been a long time ally of my company and I never go back on my word," Jaster uncapped his flask and took a quick drink, he never left home without some form of alcohol, "as for being called a terrorist, With the right influences, I'm sure that could change, and I would never transport slaves though the Republic, I have some standards Kay, no mostly guns and meds."

Jaster looked around the room before continuing, "Commenor has been the central trade hub for the Republic since the Neather Incident, why offer such a key location of statigic location to me, what do you get in return?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

She lifted her hands up, keeping her elbows on the desk as she rested her chin on her interlocked fingers.

"What do I get? I get an ally linked with the Cartel while you can save credits and balloon your profits by having access to Commenor's ports. Jaster, one of my fellow Senators has already tried to get Sempra to drop by bounty, but yet it remains. The bionic leader of the Jackals insisted that I be brought in. I'm not sure if anyone would be able to change that. I had never directly harmed anyone. I am just trying to free the captive slaves that don't wish for that kind of life. The Jackals raid villages and round everyone up to sell them and that's just wrong. I have to try to stop them. I might not always win, but at least some will be free."

She folded her arms across her chest now, showcasing that she was still very stubborn on this issue. "Any ideas as to what planets they go to for these raids? They need to have a fair warning so that some might be able to escape and that whole families are not lost."

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

This was truely an interesting proposition, it was true, Jaster had more pull with the cartel then was truely possible, but he did nothing for free. This trade port in Commenor was very important, it would cut Jasters transit to the Hutt Empire in half and gain access to vital supply lines. The thought through was that if he was to cash in his favors, he would need something in return, something that would be an increase in profit. The trade off was of course a sweet deal, but he needed something to trade with the Hutts, and a simple supply line wouldn't be enough. Support though, that could win them over, Sempra was desperate for the Republic Support, his Mercs were clawing for new jobs. That would have to be the deal.

"This of course would not be an easy request, even from myself, [member="Sempra the Hutt"] will need real cause to rain in his most loyal supporters, a trade lane to supply weapons and ships to the Empire would be profitable to myself, but I know exactly what will improve your cause," Jaster looked through a holo-projector and then a projection of another Hutt in what seemed like a custom suite just for Hutts appeared, "This is [member="Shettai The Hutt"], Sempras cousin, I know very little about the man, but he was chosen to be the Hutt Ambassador, you help him win the alliance between the Hutts and the Republic and consider your bounty paid for by me, and the Jackals off your scent."

This of course was a one sided deal, with the alliance, Kay would undoubtedly be forced to stop saving slaves. Then again, Jaster never know this women to give up so easily, so he would through in an added bonus for her, "As an added bonus between us and under heavy secrecy, I will transfer you all the locations of Slave Raids that I can get my hand on, but you did not get them from me."

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

Kay leaned back in her chair, arms still folded across her chest as she listened to what he had said. Sempra wants to provide weapons and ships to the Empire? Were they rising in power again? She hadn't heard of this. Granted she hadn't attended many Senate meetings as only a couple of them had been called since her election. But that thought was troubling. The Empire could prove to be yet another foe to the Republic, and they couldn't team up with someone playing both sides. But then Jaster was playing both sides as well. Politics. It can be so confusing at times.

"I am one voice among thousands. I don't hold as much weight within the Republic as you think that I do, especially since I am new to them. I held more weight within ArmaTech than I do in the Senate." She chewed the inside of her cheek. "And if it was so simple as to pay off my bounty, well I would have paid it off myself. But I don't think that they would accept that..."

This was not going as planned. So many wrongs just to make a right. Yet she had expected to just make a trade deal with Jaster for the small bit of info and be finished. Yet the chess game was much more complex than she had anticipated.

"Thank you for the offer, but I cannot accept as I am not confident that I can sway the Republic to Sempra's favour. There are many besides myself that don't like what he does and they believe that the Republic should not side with a necessary evil in order to stop a greater foe. I did put in my support, but that was without knowing all of the facts and for selfish reasons I thought that it could help me in my cause. Should I enter Cartel ever expanding territory again, then I do so without the protection of the Senate. But I do have allies in many other powerful organizations that can help me. I just can't sit idle on this issue, regardless."

One Jackal in particular had managed to pop up in various occasions to try to capture her and make her his slave. But so far she has always slipped out of his fingers with the help of her friends. Thankfully.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

The cartel didn't like being known openly as a criminal organization, as such Jaster preformed to call them the Hutt Empire. This helped with the whole public image of the cartel and separated themself from the criminal truth of the cartel. Jaster Conglomeracy of companies transported smuggled and stolen weapons to the cartel for their use. The black market was lucrative and sometimes very difficult to enforce, but arms dealing pairs good money. Jaster however had to sway Kay into his favor, she was a small cog in the greater machin Jaster was constructing.

He switched the Holo-Projector to another man, human who was in Senator clothing, "This it [member="Macharius Solaire"], Senator of Denon, he's also a secrete supporter of my alliance, he will also be swayed into supporting the Hutt Empire Allaince, along with three other senators I have dealings with, your support just pushes the alliance along,"

When Kay made the comment about her other friends not being able to pay for her bounties dealings, Jaster found it somewhat insulting. He carried more sway with the cartel then any other outsider, along with smuggling and arms dealing he made a killing this last quarter. He could pay the ransom of a kidnapped Naboo Queen of he felt like it. "I don't make friends Kay, you know this, I make allies who carry power everywhere, your friends may carry weight where they come from, but if you want something done and done rightin the criminal world, I'm the man that you come to, the Hutts don't like outsiders and they do nothing for free, so even if your support does not get the alliance rolling, I Personaly will guarantee your bounty taken away and as long as your outside of Hutt territory, you will not be hunted."

Jasters pride was hurt so he was blabbering on about things he possibly couldn't hold up to, but now that he said it, he'd tried his dampest to get it done.

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

Kay leaned forward again, placing her arms on her desk, interlocking her fingers as she folded her hands. She had seen Senator [member="Macharius Solaire"] at some of the meetings and now came to realize why he had offered support to the alliance. He was allied with Jaster.

As for his offer on her bounty, she spoke up. "That precedent has already been set. I am safe outside of Hutt territory, but already it has occurred that while I was on a planet not claimed by the Hutts, they had arrived and invaded. I just barely got away. I don't want to be trapped in Republic space as that won't help me to save lives. So I'll need to know where they are planning to invade or pillage ahead of time so that I could get out of there safely if I happen to be in the area."

She got to her feet and prepared herself some tea as she pondered. "It's either that or I go to Sempra or his cousin myself. But I just know what conditions that they might set, which is to stop freeing slaves." Kay sat back down at her desk and had a sip. "Yet doing so would be like telling you that you couldn't import or export goods anymore."

She couldn't figure out why she felt so strongly about slavery. She wasn't always like this. Perhaps it stemmed from the Sith Lord that had murdered her husband and how much he had controlled and enslaved the both of them into doing his bidding. Any signs of defiance brought a lot of pain and psychological torment. Kay never wanted to go through that ever again. Nor did she want anyone else to go through that either.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Slavery was no little thing that he scoffed at, but in the cartel Human Transport and Drug Exchanges were their largest export. He had no other contract of rare metals or any other resources, the cartel liked to keep their true buisness running. Jaster was an Arms Dealer and smuggler, he was to help people get what they wanted, if they stopped wanting it, then he was out of buisness.

"I think you forget Kay, I don't want you to stop freeing slaves, hell since you've been doing it Sempras hired me to transport more of his slaves to fill in the gaps you create, not only is it bad, but your continues effors make me more money," he took another sip of his flask, maybe his daughter was right, he was drinking too much, he decided to put the flask away in his vest inside pocket, "I already offered information about planets the Hutt Empire would invade, this along with your ties to very powerful people is a huge injury to my operation should you choose to fight them, so it's not really helping me, this agreement will only benifit you and Sempra, I'm just the middle man, if the alliance passes, then I do buisness with both sides, that's my only upside."

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]


"And what if the alliance doesn't pass?" She had another sip of her tea before cradling the cup in her hands. "Will I owe you another favour?" There were whisperings of the Republic dissolving and changing hands to form....something else. And that didn't bode well for her or the rest of the Senate, or even to the people of the Republic as a whole.

Kay just stared at her cup as she pondered. How many slaves had she freed? How many more did Sempra kill because of it? And how many had Jaster transported to replace those she freed? "It's a brutal cycle, Jaster. Every chance that I have to make a dent, it gets refilled as if nothing ever happened. There must be a way that I can stop it permanently." Outside of killing Sempra that is. There would always be someone to replace him too...

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Jaster looked at the women with curiosity, was she truely scared of the day he was to cash in that famous favor of his. A favor from a senator of a planet that the Republic considered a Strategic location was truely a treasure, one he didn't wish to waist. Back to the topic though, Jaster was a businessman, to be successful as many were, Morals were something that couldn't exist. He however found that to pray on others morals made for good money.

"What you have done in the past has effected Sempra more then you are aware, his enemy's are no longer feed to the great beast of his dungeons, but instead sent to the Slave Camps for Reeducation, he is forced to send other criminals to become slaves, his conquest to reclaim the Hutt Empire has effected his trade, because of you, slaves are now considered a rare commodity, Sempra can't execute his slaves like he use to, the spice mines and buyers are in high demand, and you keep the supply low, the cost of a single slave has risen from 5,000 credits to nearly 500,000 credits, you'll never end the slave trade, you kill Sempra and another more dangerous person will rise,"

Jaster remembered something, "while on the subject of product, I've brought a gift for you from one of our exploration missions, new creatures from a new world," Jaster clicked his radio and a pair of crew members from the shuttle entered caring a cage with a Creature and placed it on Kays Desk, they then proceeded to leave. The creature was very docile, even acted like an average cat, "The locals called these Rukya, very rare indeed and difficult to capture, a gift with no charge, just a sign of friendship between old aquatints."

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

What he had said about her efforts against the slave trade made her feel a whole lot better and she hoped that it was true.


Kay sipped her tea and raised a brow as Jaster had brought her a strange gift. For the moment everything else was forgotten. What an odd little thing. She had never had the luxury of having a pet or even a droid for that matter. They can always be used against people like her.

"Thank you, Jater. You are too generous." She wasn't sure what to do with it. For the moment she just reached out and let it sniff her hand. "Where did it come from and what does it eat?" Kay wasn't sure whether or not to keep it, yet she couldn't offend Jaster by not accepting it.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

The talk of other people's problems were beginning to effect Jasters reasoning for being here. He truely didn't care about the Cartel or their business, they made him money and he went on his way. Sempra needed man power and war machines to truely construct his ideal empire. Sempra truely wished to reconquer his home world of Nal Hutta, the birth right of all Hutt Leaders, without it Sempras true might was only as strong as the sands of his capital. The alliance was truely not something Jaster cared if passed or not, but if some senators showed their support for the alliance, then hostility between the two would become non-existent. Trade was like all things a casualty of War, if things escalated between the Hutts and the Republic, Jasters Tradelanes would be forced to reroute to compensate his neutrality. This would cost him billions of billions in profits and that was not good for business.

Talking about the new creature was a way to get off the subject for a breather, "The creature comes from Deleritas, a new planet discovered just recently, it's diet is made up of meat, and from my travels I've come to realize it can speak as well as detect force users, they rather enjoy Jedis it seems as she has taken a liking to you."

Jaster opened the cage and let the creature roam out, it took a strong stair at Kay before looking over to Jaster, "So this is the human you spoke about?" it was a female voice, she purred and began to strut across the table before sitting next to Jasters Holo-Projector. Jaster nodded in confirmation of what they has spoke about, the feline then turned to Kay, "Pleasure, my name is difficult to state in basic, so Jaster named me Alexia."

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

Kay was a little startled that creature seemed fully sentient and spoke perfect basic. She had never had such a companion before and she wondered if it was safe to do so. But she has been alone for a good number of years since her husband's death. The number of friends and allies that she had were many, but she only saw them when they were needed, nothing more.

"Pleasure to meet you as well, Alexia." It was a bit dangerous that the creature could detect Force users and Jedi to boot. If brought into the wrong hands, they could be used as weapons or detection devices. But Kay had nothing to worry about from Jaster. He may play her for his own gains from time to time, but he had never caused her harm.

She sipped her tea and brought herself out of her thoughts. "Okay Jaster. I am willing to allow you to use Commenor for your transports. But we must lay out our conditions as I'm sure that you have them as well as I do."

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

There were always conditions to every negotiation, Jaster always had an upper hand in knowing that. Nothing in the galaxy was free, so he would have to gather what those conditions were.

"So what would these conditions be, I already know that Slave Trade and Smuggling is outlawed in the Republic, so what else would be required of me and my fleets to abide by?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

"They must agree to inspections and should I ever lose my seat as Senator either through the actions of Commenor's government or by the Republic or even by my own death, then the contract remains but can be renegotiated by my replacement."

She sipped her tea and noticed that Alexia had taken a strong liking to Jaster and remained with him. It was curios as to whether the creature was captured or left her world willingly.

"Do you have any conditions to add for myself or the people of Commenor?"

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Inspections? That was all he had to accept to continue his trade at half the price he was paying to fly ships constantly. The planet was a Hub, a small stop to refuel before heading on to its final destination, it allowed Jaster to load more supply's instead of fuel. It was a great trade off since Jaster and his merchant fleet captains were masters at bribing port investigators.

"That seems fair, though I would like for my company to construct its own Trade Port on this planet the use the Goverments Ports, your customs office will have full access to the port, but we like our security to those that we don't truely trust."

This was easier to regulate the ships that Jaster was able to maneuver through the system.