[SWAW] Rutan 5 (7)

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  • Ladro Eyes

    "Let's find whoever's selling these pelts in the market. Hosk, none of them have seen you, so when we find them you can check it out, ask some questions. I don't need a pound of flesh, but I do want to make sure the trap's airtight, however we decide to spring it."
  • After a quick screen wipe, we come up in the Market. It's under the shadow of the Water Tower, a series of rows of concrete buildings with smaller carts that are wheeled in every day.

    Hosk finds the pelts in a hunter's stall, a small trailer of a thing that could be hauled away by a hoverlifter, isn't a permanent structure, but is rather heavy. You see the female Rutanian and the male who watched you over the rise. They're moving these pelts rather quickly, a small queue formed up.

    What do you do?
  • edited November 2014
    Ladro Eyes

    I was going to let Hosk do some intel-gathering, but seeing these two I get hot under the collar. Ignoring the line, I walk right up to the stall.

    I address the Rutanian woman directly, looking her in the eyes and speaking almost intimately, using a soft voice that contrasts with my words. "I don't like being shot at. I don't like being lied to. I most especially don't like being shot at and then lied to."

    My blaster's in open view, but it's really the knife that's appeared in my hand that's the star of the show, I think.
  • Dangerous and Sexy

    (Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 6, 3. Total: 11)
  • edited November 2014
    The female narrows her big eyes when you accuse her. But the tone gives her pause.

    LeediRutanian
    "Why... should we let something go to waste, friend?" Her hands are below the front of the stall, she hasn't brought out a weapon. There are a few guards here with rifles, none watching you.

    Another Rutanian, a potential customer, starts to bump you, but he holds back after looking at you. Squall is right by your side, ze looks actually somewhat intimidating with zir blaster holster.

    Hosk is blending in, no way they immediately know he's with you. Other than being another alien being.
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Go to waste? Are you telling me you were actually on official business, culling more of these incredibly rare animals than have ever been seen, much less seen together? Are you really still lying to me?" I turn to Squall. "Squall, I think she's still lying to me."
  • image
    With narrowed eyes, Squall says in zir creepiest voice, "She's a lying saber cat."

    How good is Squall's "scary voice"?

    LeediRutanian
    Leedi shifts a bit under your gaze, "What are you asking for? A cut?"
  • Ladro Eyes

    I'm actually taken aback a little when Squall uses zir creepy voice. Ze's showing a side very different from the "I'm not good with temptation" squirmy, flirty Squall, and I like it.

    "A cut? You're going to pay for the repairs to my kriffing shuttle, sure, but what I want is the truth. How long have you been hunting eksyx? Before or after the water problems? You wouldn't have shot at the shuttle if you were doing sanctioned work."

    Spending 1-hold. Leedi's not paying attention to anything else but me until I let her go.
  • LeediRutanian
    Leedi walks over to the side of the stall so she can continue focusing on you. Her male partner continues selling pelts. She blinks a few times while looking at you, "Listen, friend... nobody hunts eksyx. Maybe younglings sent on a prank. When I came upon the cave, I knew I'd hit the jackpot. And yes, I was investigating the problems with the water. I'm not stupid. I've dealt with organics in my crops. It's just that until I had their biological specimens to compare, nobody had put it together. Yes, we shot at you. We thought you were poachers trying to horn in on our action, alright?"

    She leans forward a little closer, "I'll pay for your repairs, friend. Can we make amends here?"

    image
    Squall clips out, "She's still lying, Ladro. Let's put a hole in her head and call it a day."
  • Read a Person

    How full of poodoo is she?

    (Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 1, 5. Total: 7)
  • Is Leedi telling the truth?
  • Leedi's a hunter, not a farmer, you don't just throw up a stall and sell pelts in an hour. You don't skin that many animals that quick without practice or tools, either of which means she's a hunter.

    The farmer line? That's poodoo. She didn't "stumble into" the eksyx problem. She was hunting them first, and found their breeding spot was involved with the water contamination and used that to back her way into being a big damn hero.
  • Ladro Eyes

    Right now, I'm wishing Squall knew my signals as well as Hosk. "Fine. I'll take two Creds for the repairs and hope never to see you again." My hand's back toward Squall like "let it go."
  • LeediRutanian
    Leedi's mouth drops open in surprise. "Two? That's..."

    image
    Squall sneers, "It should be four, sleemo. I'm doing the labor. You should see the karking parts list of what you and yours cost us. If you want to take it up with a tech at the spaceport and compare estimates, that's fine. But then, you're paying four. Solid. Cred."

    LeediRutanian
    Leedi's still only got eyes for you, but she answers. "Fine. Two it is."

    image
    Then, Squall pushes zir luck, hand on zir blaster, "And I want a pelt for me and Ladro. To remember this dustball speck of a planet by."

    Leedi's eyes narrow, but she hands two pelts to you.

    What do you do?
  • Ladro Eyes

    Once I have the cred chip, or the local equivalent, I walk away. Just... walk away. Hand Squally the pelts. I know Hosk will follow after he makes sure that we aren't being followed.

    "Nice work, Squall. We've got video, we've got physical proof. Not sure that they're anything more than opportunist pieces of dreck that stumbled across something that looked like an easy pile of creds and took it without thinking about anything other than the bottom line. But... they shot my shuttle up, and killed too many of these beautiful animals. Time to nail them to the wall. Who was that Water Czar again?"
  • image
    "Pushaan Atswanna," answers Squall. "I have their office number and home address." Ze looks around, "I think the office is closing soon. Want to wait for them at home or rush it before the office closes?"
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Home. Don't want to chase after a bureaucrat in its own natural habitat, if we can help it. Especially when it's time to punch the clock."
  • edited November 2014
    Hosk brings up the rear and Squall walks beside you. You make your way to one of the larger buildings in the colony, a five story apartment complex. There's minimal security measures, merely a set of camera pods at external entrances. You head into the lobby, take a lift to Pushaan Atswanna's flat on the fourth floor.

    image
    Squall asks in the lift, "How do you want to play this?" Hosk's ears flicker as he listens in.
  • Ladro Eyes

    "I think we keep it simple. 'Good Sir or Madam, we believe that the eksyx breeding cycle is the root of your water problem in some way. We were taking a look around the periphery and encountered poachers killing dozens, if not hundreds, of the animals. The poachers also shot at our shuttle. Here's the proof.' Something like that."
  • edited November 2014
    Pushaan Atswanna
    A male Neimodian answers the door, looks at the pair of you suspiciously (Hosk is hanging back in the hallway, "Good evening, gentlebeings. How may I assist you?" He seems a bit worried at this unexpected visit.

    image
    "Pushaan Atswanna," Squall says in a light tone. "I'm Squall, and this is my friend Ladro. We've come to speak with you about your water problem. We have important data about the source that would be of great interest to you."

    The Neimodian lets you in. Hosk sticks around in the hallway unless you bring him inside. Do you?

    Atswanna-header
    Pushaan Atswanna heads to a small cooking desk after offering you each mallow-chairs for sitting. They're an odd gelatin-like substance that forms around you when you sit down, made for hosting many different beings. Pushaan Atswanna's flat is colorful and sparse, but well appointed. You see he is making something to drink, "I would like to share klava with you. Do you drink it?"
  • edited November 2014
    Ladro Eyes

    Squall and I follow him in. Hosk lurks in the hallway, something he's particularly skilled at.

    The smell of Klava, and the offer, are like the reminder of a claw lightly tracing along the back of my neck, and my skin comes out in goosebumps. "I do, Pushaan Atswanna. And I'm always interested in the way others spice it."
  • Atswanna-header
    "Klava..." Atswanna says as he steeps his mix in the small ceramic pot. "It is like the bantha. You can find it nearly anywhere in the galaxy, if you look hard enough. My great great-gran taught me how to brew it. It is my favorite beverage." He gently pours three cups and places them on a matching tray, which he carries over, "I would not say it is spiced... we prefer our Klava sweeter than most." He turns the tray "just so" and offers first Squall, and then you a cup. The little cup has no handle, but the ceramic is room temperature despite the steaming liquid inside. He takes a seat on a mallow-chair as if relaxing into it. "I hope that you like it."

    image
    After a sip, which seems like it's more polite than enjoyment, Squall pulls out zir datapad, "We believe we've found the source of the water contamination."

    Atswanna-header
    He finishes his sip and says lightly, "The eksyx? I heard of this earlier today. Do you believe it is true?"

    image
    "I do. I've compared samples from several eksyx against the biological material in your contaminated water. It is a match." Squall answers in a quick tone.

    Atswanna-header
    "Leedi told me she took care of the animals, drove them out..." Atswanna says after another sip. "Are our troubles over?" He looks to you now, inviting you into the conversation.
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Your klava is excellent, Pushaan. Sweet and strong."

    I take another sip, then continue. "Leedi didn't drive the eksyx out. She slaughtered them, en masse, and is selling the pelts at the market." I pull one of the pelts from my bag. "She and her companions also shot my shuttle as we passed over, looking for the source of the problem."
  • Atswanna-header
    Atswanna puts his cup down as his mouth gapes ope, "Slaughtered them? And... shot at you?"

    image
    Squall nods, "Yes. Nearly a hundred. According to the colony's records, more than have ever been recorded, all dead."

    Atswanna-header
    Shaken, the Water Czar says, "Oh... oh my." He looks to each of you, unsure how to take this sudden information. Squall takes the cue to hop up and show him the video footage of the slaughter, and Leedi and her cohorts firing on you.

    Do you add anything in?
  • Ladro Eyes

    I let the video speak for itself, watching the Neimodian's reactions, hoping he's properly horrified.
  • Atswanna-header
    He is shocked, and horrified. "This is..." He looks up at you, "Was anyone hurt? From your crew?" I assume you shake your head no, and he breathes out a sigh of relief, "Good. Good. I am so sorry for this trouble. I need to call the Colonial Security Office now. Will you please excuse me?"

    He heads into another room, leaving you alone with Squall. Ze looks over at you, checking your reaction. Probably looking for approval.
  • Ladro Eyes

    "Squall, you're amazing. Really amazing. Excellent work." Is it just outrage at what happened to the animals that's brought her tough side to the surface, I wonder, then remember how she walked with the blaster strapped on, from the time we left the ship.

    "What grabbed you, Squall? You've been... different, since we touched down."
  • image
    The compliments put a smile on Squall's face, a nice one that lights up the room. Ze shows teeth and it touches zir eyes. When you ask what grabbed zir, Squall bites zir lip for a moment, thinking about how to answer, "It was the kiss. When I just went for it, and tried to make it happen. And... it didn't. It was like a puzzle piece fell in place. I didn't love the solution, but I finally saw it. Clear as could be. You don't want me." There's not a whole lot of hurt in zir voice. It's almost relief, in a way.

    "Then, I just focused on the puzzle of the water. And I realized that meek little Squall wasn't going to get poodoo. But...." Ze smiles again and looks down at zir blaster, "Mean Squall, ze gets what ze wants. And, it was fun. Right"
  • edited November 2014
    Ladro Eyes

    I almost laugh out of relief. That may have the best answer ze could possibly have given me, right now.

    I do my best to imitate zir voice, which isn't very good, but I'm sure the intent will be clear. "It should be four, sleemo." Then I do chuckle, a little. "Yes. It was fun. I like mean Squall, as long as ze's not being mean to me."



  • image
    Your impression of zir elicits a mirthful laugh. Ze covers zir mouth. "I have no plans to be mean to you, Ladro. But... I've decided the crush is over. I hope that's zeng."
  • edited November 2014
    Ladro Eyes

    "Zeng, Squally. I think we're far better as friends and team mates than we'd ever have been as lovers. I've still got your back, and I hope you've got mine. Right?"
  • image
    "Right." Squall answers without hesitation. Ze quirks a smile and adds in a flirty tone, "Too bad for you, though. I have a high pain threshold, I'm very... open-minded annnd I'm double jointed. But hey, friends is great." Ze snickers.

    Now that you've got things pretty much wrapped up, anything left for Rutan 5, Ladro?
  • Ladro Eyes

    Well, I would like to know in what way things get "wrapped up," and whether the water supply is actually fixed. Seesk is going to be disappointed, but I hope she won't be angry. I really wouldn't like her when she's angry.
  • Leedi and her cohorts are arrested for poaching. The eksyx have disappeared again, perhaps never to return. The water filtration system still isn't able to cope with the biological matter, but the Water Czar estimates that in three standard months, the toxic substance will have washed out.

    Leeadra is able to land a couple return trips during that time as the colonial government still wishes to hold onto their reserves. This, in turn, means that Seesk is happy. It also means the Libation stays in the black for a couple more months.

    --END SESSION--
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