Follow Our Brothers, Topless bar for John and Whirl

In a Hutt war mercenaries were the real winners, those that survived at least. The escalating violence between the Besk and J’rik kajidics had drawn every two-bit fool with a blaster looking to make some easy credits. It wasn’t a bad idea, most of them were paid just to stand there and look mean, which was good since that was all most of them could actually do. Mandalorian mercenaries had been on short supply since the gi’e attack on Manda’yaim so Get expected to receive an audience with Booba. Mandalorians were rarely welcomed anywhere but desperate Hutts were more likely than most to be cordial to a visiting Mando.

Get didn’t stop to play tourist when he landed on Nal Hutta, as soon as he was off the ship he hired a sled driver and made his way towards Booba’s Palace. Nal Hutta was a lot of things but ‘Glorious Jewel’ wasn’t one of them, despite whatever the slugs may think. The raised road they traveled over was the only stretch of land not covered in fetid swamp water. In the wastes surrounding the raised permacrete the swamps were empty. Get stood on a gently gliding repulsorsled drifting towards the waiting palace. The machines were favored by most Hutts and he could tell why, just about anything with wheels would get bogged down on Nal Hutta’s surface in a matter of moments. The roads offered a thin web of usable land meandering from one palace to the next.

Get’s HUD recorded the entire trip though for most if it there was little to see. Gradually the walled gates of Booba’s palace dominated the view before him and the driver was forced to a stop. Get waited for the usual Hutt drivel to arrive, Gamorreans, Klatooinians and Weequay. Hutts’ chosen thugs were the same the galaxy over, big, mean and stupid. He’d called ahead to announce his imminent arrival. If they didn’t let him in immediately he at least hoped Booba’s Majordomo would be nearby. It was impossible to speak with the brainless guards Hutts surrounded themselves with.

Booba knew he had a rich bounty on his head but he had also been hiring mercenaries like mad. Get hoped the Hutt took him to be one of the latter rather than the former. By announcing his presence, and arriving alone he hoped he reinforced that belief. Of course he had every intention of killing Booba but unless the Hutt’s fat fingers reached deep into Mandalorian channels he’d be unaware of that fact. Get had worked with a lot of scum over the years, enough to earn a reputation in certain circles, but he had never worked with Ussul the Hutt. His fellow Mando’ad was working those channels while Get acted out his own part.

((Mandalorian Words:
Gi'e: Fish (Feds)
Manda'yaim: Mandalore (Planet)
Mando'ad: Mandalorian))

((Hutt Words:
Kajidic: Hutt Crime Family))

((Is Get allowed entrance? Do they take him Booba straight away? What does he see concerning security and the layout of the palace? How much is his HUD able to record?)

This post has been edited by Kegan Kelt on Apr 17 2009, 04:14 PM

((Get is allowed entrance and after a little wait is taken before the Hutt. Booba is surrounded by those loyal to him. One man, even a Mandalorian, isn't seen as a threat. Get should know he'd be cut down before even twitching funny. There is heavy security around the perimeter of the palace and more formidable systems inside. Droids and fleshy guards stand watch at vital positions or patrol the grounds.))

Get had to wait a few moments while the guards went through proper channels but eventually they let him through without much fuss. They didn’t seem overly concerned by his presence and it was easy to see why, several guards lined the walls and their mechanical counterparts, patrolled the grounds. Get paid attention to the security systems within the halls but he focused more on memorizing the turns in case he needed a quick exit. Booba knew he had a rich bounty on his head but he had also been hiring mercenaries like mad.

The halls were wide and tall, built to accommodate the sleds preferred by the lazy slugs but the whole place was dimly lit, though his filtration brought him clean air he could feel the overbearing stench. It insisted upon a feeling of closed claustrophobia. By announcing his presence, and arriving alone Get hoped he had piqued the Hutt’s interest. Of course he had every intention of killing Booba but unless the Hutt’s fat fingers reached deep into Mandalorian channels he’d be unaware of that fact. Get had worked with a lot of scum over the years, enough to earn a reputation in certain circles, but he had never worked with Ussul the Hutt. His fellow Mando’ad was working those channels while Get acted out his own part.

The guards didn’t even bother to disarm Get as he entered Booba’s throne room. Within the large room even the fleshy eye candy that usually accompanied Hutts was mission, Booba kept only those he trusted in his presence. It was an ugly group, unwashed and unkempt. Get might honestly have been the prettiest one in the room and that was saying a lot. It made him appreciate the insulation of his heavy armor, there was a fetid aura exuded by those men, the kind of thing that stained the soul. Get stopped when his escort stopped and kept his hands at his side, in a fair fight he’d crush the teeth of any one of the lousy fools but there was a mob of them and going down shooting wasn’t part of their plan. He waited for the Hutt to speak, they were arrogant creatures and it was usually a good idea to let them have the first word.

((What does Booba say? Does he mention work? Does Get notice anything else of import within Booba's palace?))

((Booba sluggishly turns towards the armoured Mandalorian and blinks lethargically, the lids of his eyes struggling to reseed over the glossy surface. Struggling to turn his neck, Booba looks expectantly at the escort who rattles off something quick in a language that Get doesn't understand. Booba responds curtly in the same language and his gaze settles on the Mando. In a vague approximation of a nod, Booba the Hutt invites Get to speak.))

Get remained silent and unmoving as Booba struggled to pay some semblance of attention to the situation, eventually giving him a slight nod as if to invite him to speak. It seemed anything beyond that was more than he was will to exercise. The Mando’ad kept his T-visor squarely on the Hutt though he knew another would end up translating his words. He chose to speak Mando’a, if they seemed uncomprehending he’d switch to basic but while there may be some hiding falsely behind Mandalorian armor there were few of those that could speak the language and none that could match them in skill.

Get didn’t know more than a handful of Huttese words, most of them unpleasant but he did know a simple greeting so he started with that. “H’chu apenkee Booba. You’re head is worth a lot to others. It seems it might be worth even more to you.” As he spoke he took a pointed look around at the men and droids surrounding the Hutt. He was already paying heavily for protection it seemed but along with his considerable skill Get brought the weight of an entire warrior culture in his presence. Men tended to take pause when sizing up a Mandalorian. Opening his empty claws he displayed them in a show of his amicable presence. “I’m more than worth my price, no guild of cut throats can match a Mando’ad Ori’ramikad, Hutt.”

Hutts tended to be stingy, they disliked parting with any of their credits but they disliked parting with their heads even more. If Get didn’t haggle for every credit he could get from the slug his offer wouldn’t look believable and he really was worth it. While he had every intention of killing the Hutt eventually there were only two men in the Galaxy he’d let get near Booba. He’d earn his credits until John and their momentary ally showed up, he couldn’t let someone else take their bounty after all.

((Ori'ramikad: Mandalorian Supercommando))

((How does Booba react to the offer? Does he open with a price or wait for Get to name his?))

((As Get mentions the bounty on Booba's head, the tell tale whine of half a dozen energy weapons spooling up sounded. No doubt one gesture from the Hutt would have ended the mandalorian's existence, or at least attempted to end it. But Booba, like his bloated form, was incapable of quick or rash thought. Nothing happened and nothing continued to happen for some time.

A theelin slave emptied a silver bucket of live creatures into the Hutt's gargantuan and awaiting mouth as he thought. Insects scrabbled between wide teeth before they were pulverised. Booba spoke, spitting chitin and wiping his mouth with a stubby arm. He asks how much Get's services would cost.))

An audible hum of energy weapons powering up accompanied Get’s speech, slightly delayed by the translation. Get remained motionless but he readied his flamethrower with an almost imperceptible flexing of his wrist. It was the only weapon he could get to without drawing attention and showing his aggression. He doubted they’d do anything though. After all, as the translator was no doubt continuing to convey he’d just offered his services. While get maintained an appearance of ease and comfort, his tensed muscles hidden by his armor, Booba seemed genuinely at ease. That or his thick fat played a similarly deceptive role.

Booba was content to let his jumpy guards calm down a moment while he enjoyed a literal bucketful of live and deservedly frightened creatures that attempted desperately to escape the Hutt’s large maw. Get had eaten a lot of unsavory things in survival situations but Hutt’s paid fortunes to eat ‘delicacies’ the Dashade counted below drinking his own urine. With the same slow, slothlike motion he’d held the whole time Booba consumed the food with minimal chewing and turned back to the Mando’ad. The first garbled words were incoherent amid the spatter of chitin and disgusting fluid that erupted outwards. Get saw at least one live bug scurry away in relief, he was glad it was the translator and not him that was required to make sense of that jumbled message.

When the question of price was presented to Get he smiled beneath his buy’ce. The deal would be settled; there was just a matter of the details left. Not only did this make the bounty that much easier to collect but he’d wind up getting paid twice for it, one from the client and again from the unwitting victim. Of course he started high and prepared a convincing back and forth barter for a high price but that was more to finish the act than to get the credits. If he settled for anything too low, especially if Booba knew what a Mando’ad Ori’ramikad was, it’d be suspicious to say the least. Better to squeeze the Hutt for all he was worth until they finally popped him and collected from their other Hutt.

((Do the negotiations work out? What is the weekly price they negotiate and is it one that pleases Booba w/o making him suspicious? Is Get now a proud bra?))

((Booba laughs at the price Get demands, throwing a frankly offensive low ball offer. After a little back and forth, the pair come to an agreement of, as expected, about half of what Get had originally asked for. After the negotiations are over with, Booba dismisses the mandalorian and he is escorted to a side chamber to sort the details of the agreement.))

John had heard that Nal Hutta once used to be a jungle world, much like Dxun, but the Hutts had transformed it into the polluted and burdened wasteland it was today. Most of the surface was covered by flat, marshy bogs, stagnant, muddy puddles and patches of sickly marsh grass inhabited by insects and spiders. The atmosphere was polluted by the strip-mining operations in the industrial centres started by the Hutts and as a result greasy rain drizzled down on the surface. Being in the capital city of Bilbousa, John and the company he currently held avoided the worst of the stench of the marshes, but the pollution was very much present. They could consider themselves lucky that Booba the Hutt, an important slug in the Guarja Shipyards companies, had his palace among his fellow industrial giants.

That being said, despite their distance from the marshes, he was still thankful for his relatively airtight suit and air scrubbers. While he wouldn’t have complained had he been required to actually breathe in the foul air, he preferred to breathe canned air when it came down to it. This couldn’t be applied to the man he was currently restraining. The Devaronian didn’t possess any sort of rebreather, so the sentient being was suffering the full brunt of the stench of Nal Hutta. John however wasn’t too concerned. It was the Devaronians own fault for not being prepared. A warrior had no room to complain, but the Devaronian wasn’t what John would consider a warrior. The aruetiise had been attached to him, unwilling on John’s part. He did not want to babysit a slicer who’d annoyed the one they were planning on bringing in, but it would work in their favour, so John found no cause for complaint.

The Devaronian in question was sufficiently restrained. Restraints in place around his wrists and a shock collar around his neck. What others didn’t see, however, was the fact that the restraints weren’t properly fastened. If the Devaronian wanted to, and hopefully when it was time, the restraints could be easily removed by the would-be captive. John marched behind the horned individual, an armoured hand on his back as they put up the pretence of a bounty hunter leading his prey to the gallows. John made no attempt at being overly rough, nor did he soften his attitude on the Devaronians behalf. The Devaronian had agreed to the plan, which meant John had no need to adjust his manner.

Turning down another crowded street, John spotted their destination. He’d been contacted a week ago by his other partner in this deal, informing him that he’d gotten securely into the building. They had agreed that a few weeks were the best space of time to wait before they moved in for the kill and John was merely acting on the schedule they had set. If the other Mandalorian had met trouble, he had not alerted John, which meant things were out of their hands.

With purpose, John shoved the Devaronian in front of him as he headed directly for the front doors of Booba’s stronghold. With a hand on the Devaronians shoulder, he prevented the man from stepping any further as he reached out with the other hand to hit what passed for the doorbell. Hopefully Booba’s minions would have enough sense of mind to recognise the one he held as the Goner that their Hutt Lord had put as bounty on and let them in.

((Does anyone answer their summons? What questions are they asked, if any? Are they allowed entrance?))

(( The door is answered--and opened--by a pair of Trandoshan thugs. No questions are asked, but both John and his 'captive' are scanned thoroughly for anything suspicious--armed thermal detonators, for instance. They do not notice the improper fastenings on the collar, as that's pretty low down on their list of things to check for. If a bounty hunter can't properly secure his prisoner, then he doesn't get paid. No scales off their back.

Once the inspection is complete, they are met by a barely dressed Zeltron female with a nasty edge to her smile. She 'escorts' them to a room to stay in while they await their audience with the 'Great Lord' of the manor. She not-so-subtly advises John what she feels would be the best way to spend his time before his summons. ))

Agragon’shar’Drexin, better known as Goner, had nearly retched when they had arrived on the planet and the hatch had opened. Nal Hutta was a cesspit of the most foul degree and he had no idea why any creature aside from a Hutt would, or even could live here. Hutts were disgusting creatures though they served their purpose in the crime world, and one of them signed his paychecks. If it weren’t for that particular Hutt, he wouldn’t be in this position either, manhandled by a stolid Mandalorian with funny looking armor. What was with this guy anyhow?

During the entire trip over the man hadn’t said anything more than what was needed to describe the mission at hand. The story was air tight and there wouldn’t be any reason for Booba to doubt how the Devaronian had been picked up. It would also guarantee that the Mandalorian would be permitted entry to the palace without too much questioning. What bugged the Devaronian most about this mission was that he’d be without his weapons. Not even his vibrok nife would be permitted into the palace if it was on his person. Prisoners weren’t allowed to have weapons. Something about potential break outs and the ability to kill one’s hired help if that happened, if not the one that ordered the bounty. Goner breathed through his mouth and could swear he could even taste the air. This planet is disgusting, he thought to himself.

John - the Mandalorian behind him - kept his hand on the slicer’s back in order to direct him properly towards the palace. Being restrained by shackles and a shock collar was humiliating enough, but they had been forced to dock a good deal away from the palace, and so Goner was forced to be paraded through this part of the city like an animal on display. ‘This is what happens when you mess with a Hutt crime lord’ the message conveyed. Goner had even attempted to hack into the Hutt’s banking account to add even that much more realism to the story they were going to tell Booba when the time came. Add to that the very real cuts and bruises he had allowed John to inflict to cement the story of the slicer trying to run after being found out and they were in business.

Goner wasn’t one to gripe or complain if he was being paid for what he was doing, but this definitely topped his list of most difficult jobs taken. Never before had he been forced to come up with such an elaborate story in order to get in close to someone. Usually he got away with claiming himself a tech, since he knew what he was talking about with that kind of stuff. A few questions about electronics and whatnot usually got him where he needed to go. This mission wasn’t going to be so easy, since a tech didn’t usually carry any sort of weapons on him. Vibro knives weren’t exactly uncommon, though they weren’t something you’d let even a man surrounded by blasters carry with him to their holding cell.

Even though the restraints weren’t fastened properly the Devaronian still didn’t care for the fact he had to wear them. Vocal about these misgivings or not, his body language showed that he was agitated about the whole thing. Keeping his limbs stiff wasn’t such a great idea, for when John gave him a rough push forward as they reached the palace, the Devaronian stumbled and nearly fell flat on his face. That would have been just perfect. Covered in Force only knows what and unable to wipe himself off. John sure as hell wasn’t going to do it either, even if they had been traveling as partners rather than captive and captor. Goner figured the man was probably a droid that fancied itself a Mandalorian after quite a few missed memory wipes.

Speaking of the quiet Mandalorian, he reached out and pressed the call button next to the giant door that would easily accommodate two, maybe three Hutts… or a good sized starfighter. Moments later two burly Trandoshans exited with scanning equipment and proceeded to check both people for anything potentially dangerous. John passed even with his weapons and they moved to Goner. Needless to say his own treatment wasn’t as kind as what John had received. It really was a bad idea to piss off a Hutt crime lord if you expected any sort of civility when “visiting” their palace after being caught trying to steal from them. That entire thought was just ironic though.

Once the Trandoshans were done a scantily clad female Zeltron exited the palace and Goner’s mood lightened just enough to allow a sly smile to grace his lips. Goner noticed the smile the Zeltron wore and figured he might just stand a chance of getting to play a little before he was brought to Booba for what passed as a trial. Basically it was just an hour of gloating followed by a slow death or being turned into a trophy. John followed the Zeltron as she escorted them to a rather bare room that was probably more a cell than a waiting room. “You may stay here while you wait for the Great Lord Booba, owner of this glorious manor.”

Either the woman was a slave, brainwashed or just completely daft. This place was a hellish pit of stink and grime. How could anyone in their right mind stay here without vomiting every time they took a breath? Goner was holding back from just such a thing only barely and didn’t think that he could last very long without having to resort to plugging his nostrils to breathe without tasting the air too. Obviously the Zeltron wasn’t bothered by stench because she flat out told John she wanted him to “ride her like a rancor”. Goner grumbled and had to remind himself he was here for a reason, and that didn’t involve wrecking the chick. Hopefully they’d be called for an audience sooner rather than later.

John waited expectantly as some time passed after he’d alerted the servants of his presence. It didn’t take too long before two Trandoshans came from the now open door, carrying equipment to scan both of them. John endured the scan with the customary patience he was known for; the two seemed to find nothing of note with his equipment and went on to scanning the prisoner, which they were far rougher in their treatment. John let a frown cross his face, but reminded himself that there was no use in stepping in, the Devaronian was supposed to be just another packet for him; he couldn’t go out of his way and antagonise the guards just to save his partner some grief. It was all part of the act. John didn’t like acts, but this one was necessary. Considering the security around Booba, it was unlikely they could go the direct path most Mandalorians preferred. He accepted this as the easiest and most efficient path to their goal.

When the Trandoshans finished, they left the two in the hands of a Zeltron, dressed in the customary garment all females tended to wear when in a Hutt’s service. John gave it little attention, finding her manner of dress irrelevant to his work, but identifying her as a potential trouble if she chose to bother him. He wouldn’t like to forcefully remove her if she proved to be a problem that could potentially slow them down, but knew that if it came to that he wouldn’t hesitate to do so. She led them to a waiting room of sorts, far less extravagant than others. John suspected the Hutt send unimportant guests to this room, while those of more note were ‘worthy’ of the fancier waiting room. John didn’t mind, as long as he knew they would get into the Hutt’s presence.

Apparently the Zeltron saw no need to attend to other duties, as she approached John in a lithe manner after she had led them to the room. She seemed to completely ignore the Devaronian prisoner John was taking care of and the apparent danger of ignoring him should a prisoner try to choose a moment to escape. While this was an unnecessary worry at the moment, in any other situation it would be a plausible reason to leave a bounty hunter alone. John took a step back as she approached, only outward sign that he did not wish for her attentions, but she ignored him and pressed herself against his armour and wrapped her arms around his waist, as that was as far as she could reach. This move did nothing to affect John, merely making him react with sharp alarm as he realised she would encumber his movements if she continued.

She spoke a few suggestive words, ending with her unsubtle opinion on how John should spend his time waiting. It was illogical and not a good use of his time. He’d never ridden a Rancor in his life and she was by no means large enough to pass as one. How she thought they would manage to do something like that couldn’t be answered in his mind. Instead of wondering more on the matter, he instead opted to remove her from him. He stepped back swiftly, and with trained speed brought an arm in between himself and the Zeltron, pushing her back gently and giving a firm shake of his helmeted head. Hopefully she would take this as a sign of his declining her suggestion as well as a request for her to leave him alone and refrain from coming with such illogical utterances.

Apparently she gave up and left him and his prisoner alone to wait. John shifted slightly on his feet, his eyes flitting around and taking in the potential entrances to the room, as well as listening for anything suspicious.

((Are they soon led to the Hutt? What do they see and what happens? Is Get in the room?))

((After waiting an appropriate amount of time to see someone of Booba's standing, they are given an audience. The Zeltron stays, languishing suggestively on a low sofa and giving John come hither looks. She sighs melodramatically as they leave.

Booba stares impassively at the Mando and his capture, blinking slowly, the slit of a mouth opens wide and he bellows a laugh. Saliva and masticated food spews from the cavernous void. It seems that Booba is happy. He congratulates John on his prize. Get is in the room, far off and to the side.))

Get’s time on Nal Hutta had been the easiest credits he had ever earned. There had been 3 attempts at claiming the bounty, only one of which had made it inside the compound proper. By the time that poor bastard had gotten in front of the Mando’s sights there wasn’t enough left of him to shoot. Deceit had definitely been the proper approach. Get was a shoot first type of guy but he appreciated a good ambush this one was working out well for the moment. Booba tended to keep his prized Mando in his presence so when a Mandalorian and his Devaronian bounty were let in the front gates the Dashade took his usual place within the throne room. He wasn’t even sure Booba noticed him any more.

Get knew before he saw them that the two men were his partners. As easy a gig as he’d gotten the stench and monotony were getting on the Dashade’s nerves and he was ready to get the mission over with. He played his usual bored role though, standing impassively with his rifle cradled in his folded arms. He wasn’t the doorman, that was for thugs like the Trandoshan brothers and he certainly wasn’t pretty enough to be the hostess, that was for the delightful Zeltron. That horny bitch had even tried to get Get out of his armor, though once she finally did she was much less enthusiastic.

Get had a pretty good idea of the welcome John was getting in the waiting room and he was equally sure of the rebuttal the Zeltron would receive. He didn’t know John’s particular appetites but he did know that no true Mando’ad would get laid while he was trying to kill a Hutt. When the doors opened John and the Devaronian were led into the center of the room just as Get had been while the Trandoshans and the Zeltron returned to Booba’s side. Both moves were expected and Get was comfortable where he was. He was in a good position to offer cover to his vod and he was comfortably settled in among the other guards.

The way they had set up the mission there was little chance of Booba connecting the two Mandalorians beyond their shared heritage and Get honestly didn’t know a damn thing about the Devaronian. He knew the poor bastard was in on the job and he’d try to keep their horned companion alive if he could but he wasn’t planning on relying on the guy. Get didn’t rely on anyone without a T-visor, well technically John didn’t have a T-visor but Get was sure there was a biological or tactical reason behind that.

Booba didn’t so much as glance at Get when John entered, a good sign. The Hutt managed to stop laughing long enough to congratulate the Mando and then proceeded with a colorful array of choice names for the Devaronian, he was pretty sure none of them had been given by the man’s mother. He certainly hoped so at least. Get was far less exposed and in a better position to react than his vod so he continued to wait unmoving until John made the first move. Getting rid of all the guards quickly would be tricky but it could be done.

((How are the guards arrayed around the room and how many of them are there? What had Get learned about the guards’ habits and abilities? Are there any defenses or escape routes Get has learned about during his time in the palace?))

((The guards are situated around the perimeter of the throne room at set intervals, with a larger mass around the bloated form of their master. If a fire fight was to break out, there would be little place to run from the overlapping fields of fire.

Get has learnt quite a bit during his short stint under Booba the Hutt. A good number of his men are thugs with little true skill apart from muscle and intimidation. They are on the lower pay scale. The higher pay scale is dominated by a number of individuals that could give a mandalorian a run for his money.

Though the throne room is occupied at all times, Get has noticed a semblance of an escape tunnel behind the raised dias. He hasn't been able to get close enough to examine the mechanism to open the door or know where it leads.))