Taanab
"It’s a girl!”
Tav Garvin sat down next to his wife, Clara Molariou, as the doctor handed her their baby. Clara looked exhausted but happy as she cradled the child.
Clara’s striking red hair was tied back, but a few strands had escaped during the birth. She casually brushed them aside as she looked at their baby. “Welcome to the galaxy, Alis Garvin,” she murmured. “You sure took your sweet time getting here.”
Tav laughed as he reached over and tickled the baby’s chin. Alis looked at him with curiosity, her bright blue eyes taking in all the new information. She then cooed with happiness.
“I’ll leave you two – sorry – you three – alone so she can recover,” the doctor said to them. “We’ll keep a medical droid in the room to monitor Clara’s condition, but it’s just a standard precaution. Her vitals are strong and I see nothing to be concerned about.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Clara replied absently. Her attention was on Alis as she let the newborn grab her finger. “Strong grip, just like her mama!”
The doctor politely excused himself and the medical droid plugged itself into the data screens showing Clara’s life signs. They were effectively alone. It was the first peace and quiet they’d had since Clara went into labor. Soon there would be a rush of family members all crowding around to see the new addition, but for now there was only the steady beep and thrums of the medical equipment.
He took a moment to admire the sight of his wife and new daughter bonding. There were times in the past when he hadn’t been sure either he or Clara would make it this far. The galaxy had been poised to rip itself apart several times and they had usually been in the middle of it somehow.
“Let’s not forget that she was born on Life Day,” Tav commented to Clara with a smirk. “Remember when the doctors mentioned how unlikely that would be? She beat the odds!”
“Of course she did,” Clara replied with a grin before nuzzling Alis. “Never bet against a Garvin and never tell a Molariou something is impossible.”
“Well said,” Tav agreed as he leaned over and kissed his wife. “You're amazing. Do you need anything? I can go grab a-”
Suddenly his comlink started beeping and interrupted the rest of his sentence. Tav laughed a bit as he dug it out of his pocket. “That didn't take long. Wanna take a bet on who it is? I’m thinking it’s Ami. That aunt of yours is poised to spoil Alis rotten.”
“Makes it easy to find a babysitter,” Clara quipped. “No, my bet is it’s probably Sis calling to ask if the baby has been born yet.”
“Well, let’s find out,” Tav remarked as he turned on the receiver. “You’ve reached Tav Garvin.”
A small holoprojection sprouted to life from Tav’s comlink and coalesced into the form of a Hutt. Not just any Hutt, it was one Tav knew well and also one he had hoped to never cross paths with again. The Hutt grinned as he clasped his grubby hands together, causing the golden Aurodium bracers he wore over his wrists to gleam as they caught the light.
“Dorval!” Tav identified him, speaking before the Hutt crime lord had a chance. “How did you get this frequency!?”
Dorval didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest at Tav’s ire as he waved off the question. “Oh, that wasn’t difficult. You should be more pleased to see me. I thought I'd give you some good news after the birth of your newest spawn.”
“Daughter, Dorval,” Clara corrected him angrily, putting emphasis on it. “The word you should be using is daughter.”
Dorval briefly laughed in the deep booming way that only Hutts could manage. “I’m so pleased to see settling down hasn’t diminished your fire any, Clara.”
“I’d ask how you knew our daughter was just born, but I don’t think I’d get a straight answer to that either,” Tav interjected before Clara could really tear into him. “So Just tell me what this good news is that you have for us.”
Dorval smirked. “Right to business, I can appreciate that. Regretfully it’s not for the both of you - just you, Tav. I’m pleased to tell you that I’ve found the location of your mother.”
Tav felt his blood freeze and his mouth go dry as Dorval’s words opened up some old wounds that had been closed long ago. He forced himself to reply and was pleased when his voice remained steady. “My mother? What kind of scheme is this, Dorval? She was killed when I was still just a teenager. It’s not like you to get your facts wrong.”
“Well, this is interesting...” the Hutt replied as he narrowed his eyes. “Whatever you choose to believe is your business, Tav, but I don’t peddle in false information. Your mother is alive and I know where to find her.”
Tav wanted so badly to accuse Dorval of lying to him, but the Hutt was right. For all his faults, Dorval was too calculating to simply call him up just to antagonize him with a hurtful lie about his mother. Undoubtably the Hutt was working an angle, but it wouldn’t involve planting false stories.
Which could only mean that Dorval was telling the truth and it was clashing with another source that Tav thought he could trust: his own father.
Dorval rubbed the fat folds that doubled as his chin as he watched Tav struggle with his revelation. “I can see you need some time with this. Contact me once you’ve had a chance to digest what I’ve told you and we can get down to business.”
“What makes you think Ace will bother reaching out to you again?” Clara demanded before Dorval could end the connection.
Dorval flashed a confident smile. “He will,” he said to her before his hologram dissipated.
The room was silent after the transmission ended. Alis had fallen asleep during the call with Dorval and was resting while being cradled in Clara’s arms.
Finally, Clara spoke. Her voice was quiet so as not to wake their baby. “You’re going to call him back, aren’t you?”
Tav turned and bowed his head. “No. Even if Dorval is telling the truth, I can’t leave you right after you’ve just given birth to go on some wild Bantha chase.” He turned to look at her. “Besides, if my mom is actually alive, what would I even say to her? If she’s not dead, then it means she’s been out of my life for forty years.”
Clara sighed. “I hate it, but you need to call Dorval back and find out what he knows. Family is important. You deserve to know why she has been gone for so long.”
“What about you and the baby?”
His wife adjusted her position to sit up a little more so she could give him a proper indignant stare. “You’re sweet, but do you think after raising our son for almost five years that I can’t handle another child?”
Tav chuckled a bit despite himself. Their son, Jaris, had inherited his creative way of thinking and Clara’s boundless reservoirs of energy. It was a dangerous mix. He had a knack for finding ways to get into anything and everything. Sometimes it seemed like the only one who could keep up with Jaris was his mother.
“I know better than to argue with you,” he said as he held up his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, I’ll do it, but there’s someone I need to speak to first...”
***
A day later Tav was sitting across from his father at a little bistro close to the Pandath MedCenter where Clara was staying.
Gerred Garvin was an unassuming man. At over 80 years old, his hair was completely white, but his face still had the same affable charm it always did. He was retired from his job at Industrial Automaton, but only because the rigors of age had made his hands too shaky to continue to work on droids at the pace modern society demanded.
They were both enjoying Nerf burgers, locally sourced from one of Taanab’s many farms. Each had a slice of Taanabian cheese atop the meat; the preferred topping to use on the planet. The cheese was a light blue, a byproduct of being made from Bantha milk, and filled with holes of varying sizes from the fermentation process.
He enjoyed Taanabian cheese for its mild and nutty flavor, but he was still undecided about putting it on burgers. He preferred a good yellow Corellian cheese for burgers, but he had gotten used to it after settling on his wife’s homeworld.
Tav gentle chided himself for getting distracted by food when he still wasn’t sure how he was going to broach the subject of his mother’s fate to his father. It was because of his father that he had believed his mother to be dead all these years.
Finally he decided to just wing it: “Do you ever think about Mom?”
Gerred looked over at his son in surprise. “Of course. Every day of my life.”
Tav set his burger down and took a sip of his drink as he tried to remain casual. “You ever wonder what it would be like if she was still alive?”
Gerred raised an eyebrow at the question. “I... yes, I loved Tendra more than words can possibly convey. What is this about, Son?”
“You told me she died shortly after the Battle of Yavin,” Tav answered him as he felt a tinge of anger flicker to life. “Was that true?”
Gerred chewed his food slowly instead of answering, clearing trying to delay his response, but the tactic could only last so long. Eventually he had to swallow both his food and his hesitation.
“I’ve told you about Tendra’s other life as the bounty hunter Brisa Wild,” he finally said. “That was her way of challenging herself and her limits. She was good at it too. They called her the Lady of Fortune because luck always seemed to smile on her no matter how terrible the odds.”
“I know all this, Dad...”
Gerred held up a hand. “Indulge me, please. Even after all these years, it’s not easy for me to talk about this. Tendra was always careful to keep the real identity of Brisa Wild a secret, but she could never quite give up the life even after we had you. It was who she was, but I always feared one day she would never come back from one of her hunting trips. Then one day-”
His voice suddenly cracked as Gerred cut himself off to try and compose himself, but the moisture around his eyes showed that he was only partially successful. He cleared his throat as he picked up where he had stopped. “Then one day she didn’t.”
Tav’s brief flash of anger abated at seeing the emotional state of his father. “Why did you tell me she died?”
“I tried to find out what had happened to her, but I’ve always just been a simple droid mechanic. I didn’t have the kind of underworld knowhow that your mother had. Eventually I had to admit to myself that she was beyond my means to locate.” Gerred looked away in shame. “Telling myself, and you, that she had died was the best way I could cope with the pain and my own failure. I always hoped one day she would return to us, but it never happened.”
Tav leaned back in his seat as watched his father unburden the secret that had surely haunted him most of his life. He didn’t want to get his father’s hopes up, but he had to say something. “I might have a lead on finding her, Dad.”
Gerred nodded numbly as he looked back at his son. “I was afraid that was where this conversation was going. Tav, I know you’ve overcome some incredible odds adventuring around the galaxy, but I’m urging you to let this go. There are only two reasons why your mom never came back: either she wasn’t able to or she didn’t want to.”
“That’s why I have to see this through, Dad,” Tav argued. “One way or another I have to know why she didn’t come back.”
“I know,” Gerred admitted with a sigh of defeat. “You’ve always been much more like your mom than me, but please be careful. I don’t want to lose you too. You have a good thing here; with a wonderful wife and now two children. If it turns out someone was able to defeat Tendra and keep her imprisoned, then they shouldn’t be underestimated at any cost. You might end up repeating history if you go after her.”
All Tav could do was nod quietly as he found he had no appetite anymore.
OOC: If you're interested in joining this thread, the OOC is here: viewtopic.php?t=12387
Fortune Hunting
Moderator: VagueDurin
Master of the Ninja Post
Posts: 8975
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Location: A galaxy far, far, away...
Master of the Ninja Post
Posts: 8975
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Location: A galaxy far, far, away...
Re: Fortune Hunting
A day after speaking with his father, Tav was back at the Pandath MedCenter. He was once again sitting with his wife, this time it was in the private room she was staying at. Tomorrow she would be released and they could all return to their home; baby Alis included.
Alis was currently being doted upon by Clara’s family: her two brothers, her parents, and of course, Aunt Ami. Meanwhile Jaris was out sightseeing with Tav’s father and Quex; Tav’s ever faithful astromech. Tav had insisted that his father take the droid along, but he wondered if just the two of them would be sufficient to keep Jaris under control.
Regardless he was thankful that he once again had some private time with Clara. They had agreed that she would be present the next time he spoke with Dorval. He was glad she was with him because his stomach was doing flips trying to imagine what Dorval knew and why his mother had been gone so long. There were so many questions...
Clara must have sensed his apprehension because she quietly grabbed his free hand in a supportive grip and gave him a nod. “Good or bad, I’m here. Let’s do this.”
Tav smiled a bit as he took out the comlink and keyed in Dorval’s frequency. “Okay. Here we go...”
A moment later Dorval’s image once again coalesced into midair. Tav was a little surprised it went through so fast, but the crafty Hutt had probably cleared the frequency to reach him directly instead of it just being a general number to his kajidic.
Dorval was all pleasantries. “Tav, I’m so pleased that you returned my call so promptly! And Clara... I had a feeling you’d be joining us. You’re more than welcome to hear what I have to say.”
“Let’s cut to the chase, Dorval,” Tav replied. “Tell me what you know.”
“That is the purpose of our little chat, isn’t it?” Dorval agreed. “You know how this works, of course. Information is not free. If you want to know where your mother is, then you’ll have to agree to my price.”
Tav could feel Clara’s grip on his hand tighten as she glared at Dorval. “We know how it works, but I swear if you try to extort Tav in any way...”
“Clara! You make ‘extort’ sound like such an ugly word,” the Hutt replied, pretending to be offended. “Rest assured that I don’t want money for this information. All I want is for Tav to retrieve some items for me. As luck would have it, they’re in the same location as his mother. I’ll even pay him once the job is done.”
Tav frowned at the odd statement. What were these items that Dorval wanted and why would his mother have them? “Nothing is ever that simple with you, Dorval. In fact this sounds much too generous for you-”
“How much are you going to pay him?” Clara suddenly interrupted.
Tav glanced over at his wife in surprise. She usually didn’t care too much about credits, so it was an odd question for her to ask.
Dorval seemed a bit flustered at her question. The Hutt had always been notoriously tight-fisted when it came to paying out credits. He didn’t usually offer up sizable payouts unless it was something he really wanted. With a flash of insight, Tav suddenly understood the reasoning behind Clara’s question. The price Dorval named would be a good indicator of how important these items were to him...
“Let’s set the price at 100,000,” Dorval finally said. “I trust that’s sufficient to get your interest.”
“For now,” Clara replied, but she briefly squeezed Tav’s hand a bit harder. The meaning was clear: the high reward worried her.
“We’ll negotiate the price later, after I hear everything,” Tav said. “Clearly these items are located somewhere that’s not easily accessible or you’d just send some of your cronies to pick them up for you. You need someone with my skills to get the job done, so spill it, Dorval. What aren’t you telling us?”
Droval grunted a bit in annoyance, but didn’t argue the point. “Very well. Are familiar with the pirate lord Whit Solomon?”
Tav scratched his chin as he thought about it. “Just some tall tales. He was some big shot outlaw who terrorized the Outer Rim like 1,000 years ago. I mostly know the name from that old spacer legend about the lost planet of Baehorde, where he supposedly hid all his treasure.”
Clara raised a dubious eyebrow. “Baehorde? That story gets passed around in bars more often than the booze. Don’t tell me the place actually exists.”
Dorval’s eyes narrowed. “It’s very real and you’re off by about 200 years. Try 800 years ago. During that time Solomon had several clashes with my grandfather, Mortrassa, as they competed for control of the Kanz Sector. The conflict remains a black mark on the history of the Trinivii kajidic. As a rule we do not speak of it. However, I’m making an exception for this job.”
“Hold on!” Clara stopped him. “You’re telling us that not only is Baehorde real, but you know where to find it?”
Dorval smiled. “Indeed. The planet was found by a group of treasure hunters just about twenty years ago. The coordinates are still not widely known, but they can be obtained if you know the right people.”
“I get it...” Tav spoke up. “You have the coordinates, obviously, but there’s a reason you’re not sending a bunch of your minions to loot the place. Whatever it is that you want me to retrieve from there, it’s something you want to be kept discrete.”
“Clever as always, Tav,” Dorval confirmed. “Good. You’ll need to be if you hope to survive what awaits you on Baehorde. The planet is riddled with ion storms and the surface is mostly inhospitable. Solomon’s lair, meanwhile, is a giant maze filled with all kind of tricks and traps. Ever since it was found by that first group of treasure hunters, there have been others who have tried their luck there. Very few end up returning.”
“100,000 is not enough,” Clara decided. “And you still haven’t told us what you want Tav to retrieve from there.”
Dorval hesitated for a moment as he tapped a few of his fingers together in thought before he finally relented. “Fine. I’ll double the price and whatever other treasure you find there is yours for the taking. Is that generous enough for you?”
Tav exchanged a glance with Clara. She was just as surprised as he was that Dorval was willing to offer so much after so little bargaining. Either this item he wanted was very important or Baehorde was just that dangerous. Probably both.
“Okay,” Tav said with a nod. “I think we understand each other. What is this item you want so badly?”
Dorval lowered his voice so that it was almost conspiratorial. “During the conflict with Mortrassa, Solomon stole some funeral urns that contained the remains of Alir the Vast; a very important Hutt within Trinivii. That is why we do not speak of those times. It’s been a source of private shame to my grandfather for centuries.”
He then smiled. “However, Mortrassa is getting old enough that he’ll soon be naming a successor to take over as the new leader of Trinivii. If I present those urns to him, my position as that new leader will be assured. In light of that I’m willing to be generous, but I’d advise you not to test me on that point any further.”
Tav decided to let the point stand. The truth was Dorval was being generous. 200,000 credits was nothing to sneer at. “There’s one thing I still don’t understand. Why is my mother there? For that matter, how do you know she’s there?”
“You’re not the first person he’s tried to send,” Clara guessed. “Isn’t that right, Dorval?”
“There were a few others,” Dorval admitted. “They underestimated the deviousness of Solomon’s traps. As far as your mother being there... a pirate group known as the Void Demons have recently taken control of the planet to try and loot it all for themselves. They're the ones who have your mother.”
This time Tav was the one who squeezed Clara’s hand. What was his mother doing with a punch of pirates?
“Great, so you expect me to tangle with pirates and navigate a deadly tomb?” Tav summed up. “Anything else? Maybe taunt a few Sith while I’m at it?”
“As long as you return those urns to me safely and intact, I don’t care what you do,” Dorval replied. “Do we have a deal or not?”
Tav sighed in defeat. They both already knew the answer. Now that he knew his mom was alive, he had to find out had happened to her. It was possible that he could find the location of Baehorde without Dorval, but there was no telling how long that would take and he’d be doing that freelance. At least this way he’d get paid for putting his life in danger.
“You have a deal,” Tav agreed. “Send me the contract.”
Dorval grinned. “Excellent. Once the contract is signed I’ll send you Baehorde’s coordinates and the rest of the information I have on the planet.” The pleased tone then turned more serious. “Don’t fail me on this, Tav.”
“I’m already invested in this, Dorval, no need for threats,” Tav assured him. “I’ll contact you once the job is done.”
“Very well,” Dorval agreed. “I look forward to seeing your progress.”
Then the transmission ended.
Alis was currently being doted upon by Clara’s family: her two brothers, her parents, and of course, Aunt Ami. Meanwhile Jaris was out sightseeing with Tav’s father and Quex; Tav’s ever faithful astromech. Tav had insisted that his father take the droid along, but he wondered if just the two of them would be sufficient to keep Jaris under control.
Regardless he was thankful that he once again had some private time with Clara. They had agreed that she would be present the next time he spoke with Dorval. He was glad she was with him because his stomach was doing flips trying to imagine what Dorval knew and why his mother had been gone so long. There were so many questions...
Clara must have sensed his apprehension because she quietly grabbed his free hand in a supportive grip and gave him a nod. “Good or bad, I’m here. Let’s do this.”
Tav smiled a bit as he took out the comlink and keyed in Dorval’s frequency. “Okay. Here we go...”
A moment later Dorval’s image once again coalesced into midair. Tav was a little surprised it went through so fast, but the crafty Hutt had probably cleared the frequency to reach him directly instead of it just being a general number to his kajidic.
Dorval was all pleasantries. “Tav, I’m so pleased that you returned my call so promptly! And Clara... I had a feeling you’d be joining us. You’re more than welcome to hear what I have to say.”
“Let’s cut to the chase, Dorval,” Tav replied. “Tell me what you know.”
“That is the purpose of our little chat, isn’t it?” Dorval agreed. “You know how this works, of course. Information is not free. If you want to know where your mother is, then you’ll have to agree to my price.”
Tav could feel Clara’s grip on his hand tighten as she glared at Dorval. “We know how it works, but I swear if you try to extort Tav in any way...”
“Clara! You make ‘extort’ sound like such an ugly word,” the Hutt replied, pretending to be offended. “Rest assured that I don’t want money for this information. All I want is for Tav to retrieve some items for me. As luck would have it, they’re in the same location as his mother. I’ll even pay him once the job is done.”
Tav frowned at the odd statement. What were these items that Dorval wanted and why would his mother have them? “Nothing is ever that simple with you, Dorval. In fact this sounds much too generous for you-”
“How much are you going to pay him?” Clara suddenly interrupted.
Tav glanced over at his wife in surprise. She usually didn’t care too much about credits, so it was an odd question for her to ask.
Dorval seemed a bit flustered at her question. The Hutt had always been notoriously tight-fisted when it came to paying out credits. He didn’t usually offer up sizable payouts unless it was something he really wanted. With a flash of insight, Tav suddenly understood the reasoning behind Clara’s question. The price Dorval named would be a good indicator of how important these items were to him...
“Let’s set the price at 100,000,” Dorval finally said. “I trust that’s sufficient to get your interest.”
“For now,” Clara replied, but she briefly squeezed Tav’s hand a bit harder. The meaning was clear: the high reward worried her.
“We’ll negotiate the price later, after I hear everything,” Tav said. “Clearly these items are located somewhere that’s not easily accessible or you’d just send some of your cronies to pick them up for you. You need someone with my skills to get the job done, so spill it, Dorval. What aren’t you telling us?”
Droval grunted a bit in annoyance, but didn’t argue the point. “Very well. Are familiar with the pirate lord Whit Solomon?”
Tav scratched his chin as he thought about it. “Just some tall tales. He was some big shot outlaw who terrorized the Outer Rim like 1,000 years ago. I mostly know the name from that old spacer legend about the lost planet of Baehorde, where he supposedly hid all his treasure.”
Clara raised a dubious eyebrow. “Baehorde? That story gets passed around in bars more often than the booze. Don’t tell me the place actually exists.”
Dorval’s eyes narrowed. “It’s very real and you’re off by about 200 years. Try 800 years ago. During that time Solomon had several clashes with my grandfather, Mortrassa, as they competed for control of the Kanz Sector. The conflict remains a black mark on the history of the Trinivii kajidic. As a rule we do not speak of it. However, I’m making an exception for this job.”
“Hold on!” Clara stopped him. “You’re telling us that not only is Baehorde real, but you know where to find it?”
Dorval smiled. “Indeed. The planet was found by a group of treasure hunters just about twenty years ago. The coordinates are still not widely known, but they can be obtained if you know the right people.”
“I get it...” Tav spoke up. “You have the coordinates, obviously, but there’s a reason you’re not sending a bunch of your minions to loot the place. Whatever it is that you want me to retrieve from there, it’s something you want to be kept discrete.”
“Clever as always, Tav,” Dorval confirmed. “Good. You’ll need to be if you hope to survive what awaits you on Baehorde. The planet is riddled with ion storms and the surface is mostly inhospitable. Solomon’s lair, meanwhile, is a giant maze filled with all kind of tricks and traps. Ever since it was found by that first group of treasure hunters, there have been others who have tried their luck there. Very few end up returning.”
“100,000 is not enough,” Clara decided. “And you still haven’t told us what you want Tav to retrieve from there.”
Dorval hesitated for a moment as he tapped a few of his fingers together in thought before he finally relented. “Fine. I’ll double the price and whatever other treasure you find there is yours for the taking. Is that generous enough for you?”
Tav exchanged a glance with Clara. She was just as surprised as he was that Dorval was willing to offer so much after so little bargaining. Either this item he wanted was very important or Baehorde was just that dangerous. Probably both.
“Okay,” Tav said with a nod. “I think we understand each other. What is this item you want so badly?”
Dorval lowered his voice so that it was almost conspiratorial. “During the conflict with Mortrassa, Solomon stole some funeral urns that contained the remains of Alir the Vast; a very important Hutt within Trinivii. That is why we do not speak of those times. It’s been a source of private shame to my grandfather for centuries.”
He then smiled. “However, Mortrassa is getting old enough that he’ll soon be naming a successor to take over as the new leader of Trinivii. If I present those urns to him, my position as that new leader will be assured. In light of that I’m willing to be generous, but I’d advise you not to test me on that point any further.”
Tav decided to let the point stand. The truth was Dorval was being generous. 200,000 credits was nothing to sneer at. “There’s one thing I still don’t understand. Why is my mother there? For that matter, how do you know she’s there?”
“You’re not the first person he’s tried to send,” Clara guessed. “Isn’t that right, Dorval?”
“There were a few others,” Dorval admitted. “They underestimated the deviousness of Solomon’s traps. As far as your mother being there... a pirate group known as the Void Demons have recently taken control of the planet to try and loot it all for themselves. They're the ones who have your mother.”
This time Tav was the one who squeezed Clara’s hand. What was his mother doing with a punch of pirates?
“Great, so you expect me to tangle with pirates and navigate a deadly tomb?” Tav summed up. “Anything else? Maybe taunt a few Sith while I’m at it?”
“As long as you return those urns to me safely and intact, I don’t care what you do,” Dorval replied. “Do we have a deal or not?”
Tav sighed in defeat. They both already knew the answer. Now that he knew his mom was alive, he had to find out had happened to her. It was possible that he could find the location of Baehorde without Dorval, but there was no telling how long that would take and he’d be doing that freelance. At least this way he’d get paid for putting his life in danger.
“You have a deal,” Tav agreed. “Send me the contract.”
Dorval grinned. “Excellent. Once the contract is signed I’ll send you Baehorde’s coordinates and the rest of the information I have on the planet.” The pleased tone then turned more serious. “Don’t fail me on this, Tav.”
“I’m already invested in this, Dorval, no need for threats,” Tav assured him. “I’ll contact you once the job is done.”
“Very well,” Dorval agreed. “I look forward to seeing your progress.”
Then the transmission ended.
Master of the Ninja Post
Posts: 8975
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Location: A galaxy far, far, away...
Re: Fortune Hunting
“You’re going to need help,” Clara said to him. “There’s no way you’ll be able to do this alone. I don’t care how good you are. You know who leads the Void Demons, right?”
“Uh, not really...” Tav admitted. “I always found it best to avoid pirate gangs.”
Clara held up two fingers. “Sabra and Kevro,” she informed him. “One’s a Zabrak, the other is a Devaronian. They call themselves the Devil’s Pair to play up on the fact that they resemble demonic beings from various myths. They’ve been running the Void Demons for over 40 years.”
“That is... impressive... and scary,” Tav admitted. “There is a piece of Corellian wisdom that states: always fear the older ones in a profession where most die young.”
“Pretty sure that’s a universal truth, Ace,” Clara remarked with a smirk before her amusement faded. “It’s worse than you think though. Those two used to pal around in Nashka’s old crew; the same one that employed my uncle.”
Tav felt a shiver run down his spine. Those were names he knew. Nashka had been an assassin among assassins; one of the deadliest to ever work in that profession. Clara’s uncle, Habas Molariou, had been a marksman reputed to be able to shoot a single credit chit thrown in the air from five miles away. If the Devil’s Pair had been skilled enough to be part of that group, then they were even more formidable than he’d thought.
It was also rare for Clara not to refer to someone without giving them a nickname. It was usually a sign that she was taking something very seriously.
“Well... it sure was nice of Dorval not to go into detail about any of that,” he grumbled. “You’re right, of course. I’m going to need help. I’m starting to think I should pop over to Tython and see if I can convince a few Jedi to join me...”
“That might not be a bad idea, but you should at least put in a call to Sis first,” Clara suggested. “Brisa Wild’s exploits inspired a lot of people to become bounty hunters. That includes Sis. Trust me. Your ma was one of her idols.”
“Yeah, but Isis is a senator now,” Tav countered. “She gave up the bounty hunting life a long time ago.”
Clara snickered at the remark. “Just because Sis went ‘respectable’ it doesn’t mean she’s any less crazy. You know that! Besides, even if she can’t help you herself, she might know some people you could contact. Worth a shot.”
“True...” Tav conceded with a thoughtful rub of his chin. “For that matter, if I’m going to be facing former assassins, maybe I should reach out to Hirai and Micaiah. They’re family too.”
“Now you’re thinking straight!” Clara beamed. “And, uh... I don’t want you flying to Baehorde in some rented piece of junk. Take the Final Shot.”
He looked over at his wife in surprise. “You’re sure?”
Clara fiddled with her blanket as she answered him. “Yeah... Yes! You’re my husband and this is important. You need the best ship you can get. Just... just make sure you bring it back in one piece.”
If Tav had needed any other sign to show how concerned Clara was, lending him her ship was it. It was probably accurate to say that the Final Shot was Clara’s real first child. The Vanguard-class Heavy Gunship was the last gift she had ever received from her beloved uncle and as such she went to great pains to make sure it always looked good and ran at peak efficiency.
The fact that she was loaning it out to anyone else, even her husband, was practically unheard of.
“I’ll do my best to make sure she doesn’t get a scratch,” he teased her.
“Just come back,” Clara replied seriously. “The kids need their father and I need my husband. I’ve just given you the best ship in the galaxy, now fill it with the best people you can find.”
“Uh, not really...” Tav admitted. “I always found it best to avoid pirate gangs.”
Clara held up two fingers. “Sabra and Kevro,” she informed him. “One’s a Zabrak, the other is a Devaronian. They call themselves the Devil’s Pair to play up on the fact that they resemble demonic beings from various myths. They’ve been running the Void Demons for over 40 years.”
“That is... impressive... and scary,” Tav admitted. “There is a piece of Corellian wisdom that states: always fear the older ones in a profession where most die young.”
“Pretty sure that’s a universal truth, Ace,” Clara remarked with a smirk before her amusement faded. “It’s worse than you think though. Those two used to pal around in Nashka’s old crew; the same one that employed my uncle.”
Tav felt a shiver run down his spine. Those were names he knew. Nashka had been an assassin among assassins; one of the deadliest to ever work in that profession. Clara’s uncle, Habas Molariou, had been a marksman reputed to be able to shoot a single credit chit thrown in the air from five miles away. If the Devil’s Pair had been skilled enough to be part of that group, then they were even more formidable than he’d thought.
It was also rare for Clara not to refer to someone without giving them a nickname. It was usually a sign that she was taking something very seriously.
“Well... it sure was nice of Dorval not to go into detail about any of that,” he grumbled. “You’re right, of course. I’m going to need help. I’m starting to think I should pop over to Tython and see if I can convince a few Jedi to join me...”
“That might not be a bad idea, but you should at least put in a call to Sis first,” Clara suggested. “Brisa Wild’s exploits inspired a lot of people to become bounty hunters. That includes Sis. Trust me. Your ma was one of her idols.”
“Yeah, but Isis is a senator now,” Tav countered. “She gave up the bounty hunting life a long time ago.”
Clara snickered at the remark. “Just because Sis went ‘respectable’ it doesn’t mean she’s any less crazy. You know that! Besides, even if she can’t help you herself, she might know some people you could contact. Worth a shot.”
“True...” Tav conceded with a thoughtful rub of his chin. “For that matter, if I’m going to be facing former assassins, maybe I should reach out to Hirai and Micaiah. They’re family too.”
“Now you’re thinking straight!” Clara beamed. “And, uh... I don’t want you flying to Baehorde in some rented piece of junk. Take the Final Shot.”
He looked over at his wife in surprise. “You’re sure?”
Clara fiddled with her blanket as she answered him. “Yeah... Yes! You’re my husband and this is important. You need the best ship you can get. Just... just make sure you bring it back in one piece.”
If Tav had needed any other sign to show how concerned Clara was, lending him her ship was it. It was probably accurate to say that the Final Shot was Clara’s real first child. The Vanguard-class Heavy Gunship was the last gift she had ever received from her beloved uncle and as such she went to great pains to make sure it always looked good and ran at peak efficiency.
The fact that she was loaning it out to anyone else, even her husband, was practically unheard of.
“I’ll do my best to make sure she doesn’t get a scratch,” he teased her.
“Just come back,” Clara replied seriously. “The kids need their father and I need my husband. I’ve just given you the best ship in the galaxy, now fill it with the best people you can find.”
Master of the Ninja Post
Posts: 8975
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Location: A galaxy far, far, away...
Re: Fortune Hunting
"Well, Quex ol’ buddy, I think Shug’s Spacebarn is where we’ll need to go to make the proper modifications to the Shot,” Tav said as he reviewed the list of potential places to go. “The other options just won’t work. Clara would kill me if I let Granth touch her ship and setting up an appointment with Outlaw Tech would take too long.”
QX-1, better known as Quex, shook his dome in a close approximation of the human gesture. The white and gray R2-unit was a custom creation, built by Tav’s father long ago to watch over him. It was a job that Quex still took very seriously.
“I had hoped we’d never have to go back to Nar Shaddaa again,” Quex said wearily. “I’ll never understand why you enjoyed living there.”
They were on the bridge of the Final Shot reviewing all the information that Dorval had sent them. According to the Hutt’s sources, Baehorde was regularly wracked by ion storms from the system’s star. Any ship unprepared to deal with the ion interference was going to be disabled in a hurry. Oddly enough the storms occurred on a predictable schedule, so they could be avoided entirely if one knew when to expect them, but that also meant any ship entering the system during a clear period would be spotted pretty easily.
With the Void Demons apparently camped out above the planet, Tav wasn’t especially eager to be seen by them. The problem was that the Final Shot was a Vanguard-class Heavy Gunship and they weren’t built for stealth. Although he could potentially punch through the pirate ships in orbit with the Shot’s heavy armament, he wanted to save that as a last resort.
Instead Tav had decided to try something much crazier. He was going to intentionally arrive at Baehorde during a time of high ion activity. All of that ionic interference would make scanners practically worthless, which would allow him to fly right by the pirate fleet undetected. Of course, to pull off that trick, he would need to shield all of the Shot’s systems to protect them from the ion energy.
Not an easy task. The one advantage he had was that the Vanguard-class was built by the Corellian Engineering Corporation, which meant the modifications would be easy enough. The tough part was making sure he didn’t miss a spot. One unprotected system could cause a cascade failure throughout the ship. There was also no telling how long the shielding would last against constant ionic bombardment.
Tav sighed before cracking his knuckles as he thought about all the work he had ahead of him. He looked over at his droid companion. “You know, you don’t have to come along with me on this one, Quex. You might have been built to withstand ion blasts, but I don’t know how well you’ll handle a planet full of the stuff. We just have Dorval’s word that Solomon’s Cave is protected from the storms.”
The droid was resolute in his answer. “Even if my primary programming wasn’t to protect you, I would do this for Tendra. Besides you and your father, she was one of the few biologicals that never treated me like an object. The galaxy needs more people like her.”
Tav smirked at his answer. Every so often his overly cautious companion managed to surprise him. “Well, I can’t argue against that. Just remember that you’ve now technically volunteered to come along, so no complaining.”
“Don’t give me a reason to complain and we have a deal.”
Tav chuckled. “We both know that’s going to be impossible, but I’m glad you’re coming along with me regardless. Anyway, since we’ll be heading to Shug’s place, I think Nar Shaddaa will be a good place to interview for the rest of our potential crew. I’ve got piloting handled, you can take care of tech and slicing, but we’re going to need some muscle and someone with expertise breaking into places.”
“And they have to be trustworthy,” Quex added.
“That might be a little much to ask, but I have a potential solution for that too,” Tav said to him. “If I can convince them to come along, they’ll be our insurance against anyone who might think about selling us out. It’s going to mean a side trip to Tython though.”
Quex swiveled his holoprojector camera around in an arc. Tav had learned long ago that it was the droid’s equivalent gesture to someone scratching their head in confusion. “A Jedi? Aren’t all the Sinclairs off planet right now? Who else do you know there that could help us?”
Tav laughed. “You’ll see. Let’s just say his family owes me a favor or two that I’ve never bothered to collect until now.”
QX-1, better known as Quex, shook his dome in a close approximation of the human gesture. The white and gray R2-unit was a custom creation, built by Tav’s father long ago to watch over him. It was a job that Quex still took very seriously.
“I had hoped we’d never have to go back to Nar Shaddaa again,” Quex said wearily. “I’ll never understand why you enjoyed living there.”
They were on the bridge of the Final Shot reviewing all the information that Dorval had sent them. According to the Hutt’s sources, Baehorde was regularly wracked by ion storms from the system’s star. Any ship unprepared to deal with the ion interference was going to be disabled in a hurry. Oddly enough the storms occurred on a predictable schedule, so they could be avoided entirely if one knew when to expect them, but that also meant any ship entering the system during a clear period would be spotted pretty easily.
With the Void Demons apparently camped out above the planet, Tav wasn’t especially eager to be seen by them. The problem was that the Final Shot was a Vanguard-class Heavy Gunship and they weren’t built for stealth. Although he could potentially punch through the pirate ships in orbit with the Shot’s heavy armament, he wanted to save that as a last resort.
Instead Tav had decided to try something much crazier. He was going to intentionally arrive at Baehorde during a time of high ion activity. All of that ionic interference would make scanners practically worthless, which would allow him to fly right by the pirate fleet undetected. Of course, to pull off that trick, he would need to shield all of the Shot’s systems to protect them from the ion energy.
Not an easy task. The one advantage he had was that the Vanguard-class was built by the Corellian Engineering Corporation, which meant the modifications would be easy enough. The tough part was making sure he didn’t miss a spot. One unprotected system could cause a cascade failure throughout the ship. There was also no telling how long the shielding would last against constant ionic bombardment.
Tav sighed before cracking his knuckles as he thought about all the work he had ahead of him. He looked over at his droid companion. “You know, you don’t have to come along with me on this one, Quex. You might have been built to withstand ion blasts, but I don’t know how well you’ll handle a planet full of the stuff. We just have Dorval’s word that Solomon’s Cave is protected from the storms.”
The droid was resolute in his answer. “Even if my primary programming wasn’t to protect you, I would do this for Tendra. Besides you and your father, she was one of the few biologicals that never treated me like an object. The galaxy needs more people like her.”
Tav smirked at his answer. Every so often his overly cautious companion managed to surprise him. “Well, I can’t argue against that. Just remember that you’ve now technically volunteered to come along, so no complaining.”
“Don’t give me a reason to complain and we have a deal.”
Tav chuckled. “We both know that’s going to be impossible, but I’m glad you’re coming along with me regardless. Anyway, since we’ll be heading to Shug’s place, I think Nar Shaddaa will be a good place to interview for the rest of our potential crew. I’ve got piloting handled, you can take care of tech and slicing, but we’re going to need some muscle and someone with expertise breaking into places.”
“And they have to be trustworthy,” Quex added.
“That might be a little much to ask, but I have a potential solution for that too,” Tav said to him. “If I can convince them to come along, they’ll be our insurance against anyone who might think about selling us out. It’s going to mean a side trip to Tython though.”
Quex swiveled his holoprojector camera around in an arc. Tav had learned long ago that it was the droid’s equivalent gesture to someone scratching their head in confusion. “A Jedi? Aren’t all the Sinclairs off planet right now? Who else do you know there that could help us?”
Tav laughed. “You’ll see. Let’s just say his family owes me a favor or two that I’ve never bothered to collect until now.”
Master of the Ninja Post
Posts: 8975
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Location: A galaxy far, far, away...
Re: Fortune Hunting
Tython
Tav always had mixed feelings whenever he came to Tython.
It was a beautiful world for the most part, certainly the landscape around the Jedi Temple and the colony of New Joy were well maintained. There was also, arguably, no safer world in the galaxy. With an Imperial fleet in orbit, a garrison on the ground, a mix of Jedi and Imperial Knights ready to respond to any predicament, and Jedi Master Kalja Sairu Leidias herself watching over everything, it was not a place that invited trouble.
That was all fine.
What bothered Tav was mostly a personal issue. He was Force-sensitive. It was a fact he had known for most of his life, but he had always done his best to not develop his abilities. There were too many stories out there of good people going bad after losing control and embracing the Dark Side. It was a complication he never wanted to face.
When surrounded by so many trained users of the Force, especially with many that he considered to be friends and family, he couldn’t escape feeling like he was some kind of underachiever. It was a ridiculous thought to burden himself with – and he knew it – but it didn’t prevent it from popping up in his mind from time to time.
Tav did his best to ignore his nagging insecurities this time as the Final Shot entered the system. The appearance of so many Imperial ships in orbit would have been alarming to him back when he was a younger man, but now it was merely a formality as he requested clearance to descend to the surface. Since he had business at the Jedi Temple, and he was expected, he was given permission to land there instead of having to use the spaceport at New Joy.
Once he was on the ground, Tav exited the ship to find that the person he wanted to meet with was already waiting for him.
A reptavian barely a meter tall, dressed in the typical brown robes favored by Jedi, bowed from the waist in a formal manner. “Greetings, Tav Garvin. I’m Halak Ofdirin. I’m honored that the savior of our race wishes to meet with me.”
“None of that, please,” Tav urged as walked up to the diminutive Jedi. “All I did was help your people escape from a nasty situation a long time ago. That’s it. Call me Tav, I insist.”
Halak straightened up and took to the air with a pair of wings that had been folded on his back. “If that is what you wish. How may I be of service to you?”
Tav scratched at his chin hesitantly. “Well, I have an extremely dangerous mission ahead of me and I’ll need people with extraordinary skills to pull it off. Having the help of a Jedi and a Sage would certainly prove to be very useful.”
“It’d be an honor to be the one chosen to repay our gratitude to you,” Halak said as his eyes lit up with delight. “I am at your disposal.”
“You’d be on my team, Halak,” Tav corrected him. “And I don’t like to think of others as disposable, especially my teammates.”
Halak looked mortified. “No, of course not. I just meant-”
“It’s okay, Halak,” Tav interrupted him. “I know what you meant. I’m just a little stressed. This mission is very important to me. We’re going to try and find my mother.”
“Then I am even more honored to be chosen to assist you,” Halak replied. “Although Sages reproduce differently from most other species in the galaxy, I do understand the importance of parental figures. Every one of my siblings understands the sacrifice that Dirin Ofnasha made to create us.”
Tav nodded as he vaguely recalled what he knew about the Sage reproductive cycle. They were effectively immortal beings, so the concept of reproduction wasn’t something the Sages had ever considered until their race was in danger of being wiped out. One of their kind, Nasha, had developed a way for them to split apart into new beings. The only drawback was that it meant the end of the original Sage that chose to reproduce. Everything the original Sage had been was then divided into the handful of new lives that spawned from it.
It was the ultimate choice and it made Tav very glad Humans didn’t have to worry about it.
“One other thing, Halak,” Tav mentioned. “Although I bet you’d join my crew for free, I still intend on paying you. It’s not going to be a lot, but I’m not here to take advantage of you. If you want more, it’s possible we might find some kind of treasure where we’re going. If so, you’re more than welcome to take as much as you like.”
Halak’s reptilian countenance hissed a bit in amusement. “I have little need for credits, but your thoughtfulness is not lost on me. I will accept your payment so as not to insult the spirit in which it was given.”
Tav chuckled a bit himself. “Blast! Here I was hoping you’d insist on doing it for free!”
Halak immediately looked alarmed, but quickly seemed to realize that Tav was joking. “You almost had me with that one.”
“Sometimes I regret being such a good person.” Tav then looked around. “Anyway, we need to leave immediately. I’ve got a few stops left to make and I want to get off planet before Kalja corners me into having lunch with her or something. Grab what you need and hurry back. We’ll lift off as soon as you return.”
Halak patted the lightsaber at his side reassuringly. “I already have all I need. As for the Headmaster, you’re quite lucky she is always busy with something, otherwise she probably would have been here before me.”
“You can’t hide from Kalja Sairu Leidias,” Tav agreed before he stepped aside and gestured up the onramp. “Welcome aboard, Halak!”
Halak grinned as he landed and hopped onto the ramp. “I can hardly wait! This is so exciting!”
Tav followed after the Jedi and closed the ramp once they were both inside the ship. “If you think this is exciting, just wait until we make it to our next stop. I promise you that Nar Shaddaa will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.”
Tav always had mixed feelings whenever he came to Tython.
It was a beautiful world for the most part, certainly the landscape around the Jedi Temple and the colony of New Joy were well maintained. There was also, arguably, no safer world in the galaxy. With an Imperial fleet in orbit, a garrison on the ground, a mix of Jedi and Imperial Knights ready to respond to any predicament, and Jedi Master Kalja Sairu Leidias herself watching over everything, it was not a place that invited trouble.
That was all fine.
What bothered Tav was mostly a personal issue. He was Force-sensitive. It was a fact he had known for most of his life, but he had always done his best to not develop his abilities. There were too many stories out there of good people going bad after losing control and embracing the Dark Side. It was a complication he never wanted to face.
When surrounded by so many trained users of the Force, especially with many that he considered to be friends and family, he couldn’t escape feeling like he was some kind of underachiever. It was a ridiculous thought to burden himself with – and he knew it – but it didn’t prevent it from popping up in his mind from time to time.
Tav did his best to ignore his nagging insecurities this time as the Final Shot entered the system. The appearance of so many Imperial ships in orbit would have been alarming to him back when he was a younger man, but now it was merely a formality as he requested clearance to descend to the surface. Since he had business at the Jedi Temple, and he was expected, he was given permission to land there instead of having to use the spaceport at New Joy.
Once he was on the ground, Tav exited the ship to find that the person he wanted to meet with was already waiting for him.
A reptavian barely a meter tall, dressed in the typical brown robes favored by Jedi, bowed from the waist in a formal manner. “Greetings, Tav Garvin. I’m Halak Ofdirin. I’m honored that the savior of our race wishes to meet with me.”
“None of that, please,” Tav urged as walked up to the diminutive Jedi. “All I did was help your people escape from a nasty situation a long time ago. That’s it. Call me Tav, I insist.”
Halak straightened up and took to the air with a pair of wings that had been folded on his back. “If that is what you wish. How may I be of service to you?”
Tav scratched at his chin hesitantly. “Well, I have an extremely dangerous mission ahead of me and I’ll need people with extraordinary skills to pull it off. Having the help of a Jedi and a Sage would certainly prove to be very useful.”
“It’d be an honor to be the one chosen to repay our gratitude to you,” Halak said as his eyes lit up with delight. “I am at your disposal.”
“You’d be on my team, Halak,” Tav corrected him. “And I don’t like to think of others as disposable, especially my teammates.”
Halak looked mortified. “No, of course not. I just meant-”
“It’s okay, Halak,” Tav interrupted him. “I know what you meant. I’m just a little stressed. This mission is very important to me. We’re going to try and find my mother.”
“Then I am even more honored to be chosen to assist you,” Halak replied. “Although Sages reproduce differently from most other species in the galaxy, I do understand the importance of parental figures. Every one of my siblings understands the sacrifice that Dirin Ofnasha made to create us.”
Tav nodded as he vaguely recalled what he knew about the Sage reproductive cycle. They were effectively immortal beings, so the concept of reproduction wasn’t something the Sages had ever considered until their race was in danger of being wiped out. One of their kind, Nasha, had developed a way for them to split apart into new beings. The only drawback was that it meant the end of the original Sage that chose to reproduce. Everything the original Sage had been was then divided into the handful of new lives that spawned from it.
It was the ultimate choice and it made Tav very glad Humans didn’t have to worry about it.
“One other thing, Halak,” Tav mentioned. “Although I bet you’d join my crew for free, I still intend on paying you. It’s not going to be a lot, but I’m not here to take advantage of you. If you want more, it’s possible we might find some kind of treasure where we’re going. If so, you’re more than welcome to take as much as you like.”
Halak’s reptilian countenance hissed a bit in amusement. “I have little need for credits, but your thoughtfulness is not lost on me. I will accept your payment so as not to insult the spirit in which it was given.”
Tav chuckled a bit himself. “Blast! Here I was hoping you’d insist on doing it for free!”
Halak immediately looked alarmed, but quickly seemed to realize that Tav was joking. “You almost had me with that one.”
“Sometimes I regret being such a good person.” Tav then looked around. “Anyway, we need to leave immediately. I’ve got a few stops left to make and I want to get off planet before Kalja corners me into having lunch with her or something. Grab what you need and hurry back. We’ll lift off as soon as you return.”
Halak patted the lightsaber at his side reassuringly. “I already have all I need. As for the Headmaster, you’re quite lucky she is always busy with something, otherwise she probably would have been here before me.”
“You can’t hide from Kalja Sairu Leidias,” Tav agreed before he stepped aside and gestured up the onramp. “Welcome aboard, Halak!”
Halak grinned as he landed and hopped onto the ramp. “I can hardly wait! This is so exciting!”
Tav followed after the Jedi and closed the ramp once they were both inside the ship. “If you think this is exciting, just wait until we make it to our next stop. I promise you that Nar Shaddaa will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.”
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