Out of the Frying Pan... (d20 Star Wars)

[shadowbloodmoon]

Felia stretches out with the Force, trying to get a fix on the Gran. Their alien mindset is confusing at first, but you soon feel at ease with them. You almost feel as calm as they do. Then you realize you are absorbing their feelings into your own. Quickly disconnecting, you simply gather that they are following orders, no more, no less. The calmness is odd though, almost inorganic.

The procession ends when a large set of double doors slide open. Slowly, the room is revealed to be lavishly decorated, the centerpiece being the dais upon which a great greenish grey slug sits. You aren't certain, but his eyes seem glazed over and it seems he is smiling. He allows you a moment to take in the rest of the room.

You see leading down from the dais two sloping walkways, upon which are situated many couches and divans. Seated upon these are aliens of various types and humans, all seeming to be lost in thought or simply enjoying the company and light conversation. The only thing that looks out of place are yourselves and the two Wookiees standing on either side of the Hutt. You also notice (Meaning some of you made a Spot check) that some of the beings in here are holding a tube of some kind that leads into the center of the floor. One of those beings is Dofina, seated near the dais on one of the couches.

The Hutt finally speaks and the blue droid translates for those of you that don't speak Huttese. "Greetings. I am Torrba the Hutt, or as some of you may know me, Torrba the Serene. It seems that I have come to a quandary. Dofina here, your matron, has informed me that you managed to escape a Republic assault force. He pauses, a grumbling sound coming from inside him. "Pardon me, you escaped an Imperial assault force. Not only that, you also managed to escape a Sith woman. This, as far as I am concerned, is a nearly impossible feat. Combined with escaping the Imperial clones, this makes me quite impressed. This doesn't happen often." Another rumbling.

"My quandary is what to do with you. I could let you leave, but you know the building and some of my operations here. Individuals as you are, this information can easily be bought from factionless people like yourselves. I can not allow that. I could also have you work for me. However, since you are individuals and even Dofina has said she doesn't know some of you that well, I can't trust you. Nobody works for me that I can't trust.' This last statement is said with a finality that the droid mimics perfectly.

"Or I simply have you killed. I hate killing people. I really do. It leaves such a mess and my customers," his flabby arm flourishes the room, "would become rather upset. Therefore, I leave it up to you. I will allow you to convince me of my next course of action. Provided it pleases me, you'll live. If not, well, I'll give you a choice of being alive or dead when I feed you to Rortak."

 

[Ambrus]

Turning to look at 1X, though addressing the room at large, she asks in a soft voice, "What can you tell me of the great Torrba the Serene?"

A moment of silence passes as the diminutive probe droid starts down the hallway, it then answers in its whisper-soft voice; Report: Torrba is a Hutt well known for his ability to remain completely calm in stressful situations. He has a diverse and lucrative business portfolio in the defense and entertainment sectors. During his career he has proven himself a shrewd and capable business-person.

Upon first entering the audience chamber, the diminutive black probe droid turns towards the hutt and executes its odd little tilt-bow. Then, as the others file in behind it, DRK-1X continues forward towards where its Mistress is seated. It stops momentarily in front of her and, if she doesn't address it, simply traces an arc through the air to take its usual position behind and above her left shoulder. It then turns around to face the assembly while spinning back and forth to watch the various speaking individuals, keeping an eye open for Kellon and Four. Assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that as a droid servant of a guest it isn't being addressed by the hutt it doesn't answer Torrba.

OOC: Being experienced with picking up Dofina's moods by her demeanor and mannerisms, can I get a general sense of how she's feeling and perhaps get a cue as to how she intends to play this?

 

[Kemrain]

Felia stands before Torrba the Hutt, her blood running cold. Holding their lives in his pudgy, misshapen, hermaphroditic hands, the hutt's altamatum hung in her mind. However, it didn't make sense.

You're threatening our lives, she thinks to herself, without having disarmed us, without even searching us! Tal has a repeating blaster, and he could blast your head off if he chose to. And you're threatening us? No, you have something up your sleeve that makes us impotent. I just have no idea what it is. Either that, or you're a bigger bluffer than you are an eater!

"Your greatness," she starts, her voice soft and humble, yet loud enough to be easily heard, "Surely ones who have so impressed you should not be cast aside so lightly. It seems clear to me that we could be of use to you, and that killing us would be a waste in addition to upsetting to your guests."

She glances at Tal, her expression calm but worry showing in her eyes. Her gaze falls to his blaster and back up to his eyes, lingering for a brief moment before returning to the hutt.

"I'm confident that there is something we could do to earn your trust and esteem, great Torrba. I don't suspect that you mistrust us any more than any prospective employee on this world, and we have more to offer you than most of them.

"I don't believe that we have seen anything you have not wished us to, and we haven't wandered your property. I know you are above showing us your secrets merely as an excuse to kill us, and we have not seen anyting that could threaten you.

"That said, I don't believe that you truely intend to have us killed, your greatness. If you did, I'm sure you would have forced us to relinquish our weapons. Mr. Remar here would not be pleased to be anything's food, and you have not yet placed him in a position from which he can do nothing to prevent it from happening."

Taking a deep breath, she continues.

"What can we do to prove to you that we are trustworthy? I'm sure you would find the services we could perform more useful than the nutrition we could provide to your pet."

OOC: Diplomacy +7, and making copious use of it. Ambrus, I'm hoping you're right about Torrba!

 

[Bobitron]

Tal steps up to a position near Felia. Huh. This guy might be a Hutt, be he's no different than half the other humans I worked for. Less-than-savory morals and too many credits for his own good. She's doing a good job, though. He's just playing with us. He keeps his mouth shut and lets the well-spoken girl speak. A flash of nerves comes when she glances over at him, but he calms as she keeps talking. Wait for it... wait for it...

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

Femi stands before the Hutt impassively. Fully aware that the force is all but useless against a Hutt, the slight weight of his lightsaber under his shirt serves to comfort him. He would rather this situation not come to blows, but is prepared for such an event. With no direct experience dealing with a Hutt, Femi is content to let the others do the talking unless he is addressed specifically. With one hand free to grab his lightsaber in an instant, his other hand rests on the grip of his holstered blaster, which is almost laughable given his very limited experience firing it. When Felia starts talking, Femi remains quiet, ready for whatever may come.

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

You are not sure it is possible, but you could swear that you see Torrba's mouth move to imitate a smile. He waits a moment before speaking. In that moment, X sees that Dofina's eyes are completely glazed over and she seems to be unaware of her surroundings at the moment.

A strange rumbling sound comes from the Hutt's mouth. You're not sure, but you think it might be laughing. "You are absolutely correct. Rortak would be lucky if he found an ounce of good meat on any of you." He continues to laugh, some of the patrons laughing with him. "As a matter of fact, there is something you could do for me. Get it done and I'll see to it that not only my people will leave you alone, but you will also be well compensated for your time. Your senses tell you it's hard to believe a Hutt would be willing to part with any credits, but Torrba continues nonetheless.

"You see, your friend Mistress Dofina is now on a certain government's most wanted list. With the times changing, I can see that this new 'Empire' is in a position to start cutting the strings of those that helped it get off the ground. This means that someone will be coming for Dofina, and it won't be for pleasantries. This also means that any activity regarding her will also affect me. This I most certainly can not have.

"For ages, the government has seen fit to stay out of our business as long as it doesn't directly interfere with theirs. The new government is a wild card now. It would be...embarassing, if it had become known that I was involved in this Empire's crackdown of our activities." The Hutt pauses again, seeming to look all of you over.

"You can see where I'm going. I want you to either accomplish one of two things. Remove Dofina from the Empire's wanted list or, barring that, find a way to remove any evidence pointing her activities to me. How you go about this is up to you, but I suggest making yourself discreet. It makes things so much easier that way.

Without saying another word, he motions for the Gran to wander off and he waits to see if you have anything else to say.

You know, Femi is running dangerously close to Dark Side thoughts with all the lightsaber-happy thoughts

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

You know, Femi is running dangerously close to Dark Side thoughts with all the lightsaber-happy thoughts

These are dangerous times...

 

[Ambrus]

OOC: I was afraid of this. Does Dofina regularly indulge in drug use? Do I know what Torrba and his guests usually smoke and what it does?

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

X has had suspicions, but has never actually seen Dofina on any sort of drugs. Barring now that is. What they are partaking of is unknown to you. You know that Torrba doesn't regularly deal in drugs, but you do know, as is evidenced here, that he does offer them for his court. You could take a reading of the air if you'd like to determine the chemical composition of it.

 

[Ambrus]

Cognitive Processing
Datum: Mistress Dofina is currently intoxicated and unresponsive.
Com-channel #9876342H: "...were the historic words spoken by the newly elected Emperor during..."
Datum: Mistress Dofina's welfare is being discussed.
Emotive Node: Uncertainty 36.2%; Anxiety 32.3; Melancholy 31.5%.
Proposition: It is Mistress Dofina's best interests to be sober at this time.
Algorithmic Node: Master preservation protocols apply.
Volition Threshold has been reached.
Priority Hierarchy established.
Deploy starboard manipulator arm.
Uploading directives to repulsorlift unit [X=+0.4m.,Y=+0.1m., Z=-0.3m., V=0.33m./second]

While listening to the others speak the diminutive probe droid, concerned for its Mistress' welfare, unfolds a single arm from its housing, slowly drifts down and delicately plucks the drug delivery hose from Dofina's hand. It scans the gas issuing forth from it in an attempt to identify it before closing the small valve at the tip and depositing the hose gently into her lap. Before returning to its position behind her DRK-1X will hover in front of its Mistress' face, scan her vital signs and twiter softly to try and draw Dofina out of her stupor.

Cognitive Processing
Retract starboard manipulator arm.
Datum: Torrba believes that the Galactic Empire will be seeking Mistress Dofina.
Com-channel #9876342H: "...his final speech as Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. Now all eag..."
Proposition: There is no evidence that would link Mistress Dofina with the Separatist movement."
Heuristic Node: DRK-1X must speak on Mistress Dofina's behalf at this time.
Algorithmic Node: Subservience protocols apply.
Heuristic Node: Override. Master Preservation Protocols take priority.
Emotive Node: Uncertainty 34.1%; Anxiety 29.3; Resolve 23.8%; Frustration 12.8%.
Volition Threshold has been reached.
Priority Hierarchy established.
Upload diplomatic scripts 16A and data to vocabulator buffer 32A.

DRK-1X, hating to speak on its Mistress' behalf while she is present but having no other recourse, addresses itself to the hutt in its genderless voice; "Request: Pardon me sir. Statement: The Separatist command center's computer core and all battledroids on Taris were programmed to erase all their data files concerning Separatist activities and personnel in the event of capture to prevent enemy forces from gaining military intelligence. Mistress Dofina herself destroyed her auxiliary transport and hangar bay as well as their data files before fleeing Taris. Although the imperial forces are aware that a separatist shuttle left Taris at no time in her escape did Republic forces see or identify Mistress Dofina. Mistress Dofina has likewise taken precautions to mask her financial activities with the Separatist army as well as her dealings with you. Inquiry: What proof do you have that the Galactic Empire is aware of her involvement with either and that they will seek her out?"

OOC: I'm assuming that the Dofina and the Separatists, as cowardly but cautious as they are, took these basic and straightforward precautions to protect their interests. Let me know if I'm assumed too much. BTW, someone remind me to bitch-slap Dofina later.