[IC] Star Wars Old Republic: The Founding of Cyphan

[TheUnknowable]

Three days ago Kale brought his ship, going by the name Prairie Dawn, into Jakku's atmosphere. He had been in contact with a woman there, a Jedi recruit that he assumed had become a Padawan before leaving the order during the Mandolorian wars. He assumed that she was living on the remote dessert planet to try and avoid the Republic.

As he angled the ship towards a clear area of ground outside the city, he activated the comm unit. "We are now entering Jakku's atmosphere. Sorry about not warning you. I haven't actually had a passenger in a while. M2, could you get the cargo ready?"

He had brought several crates of Correllian Whiskey with him, almost depleting the colony's reserves, but it should work as a nice excuse for why he would be out hear. The world had a bit of excess salvage, and worlds like this tended to have a high demand for alcoholic beverages.

---

Kale walked down the boarding ramp of his ship and shivered in the cool morning air. He was parked in a field just outside Cyphan city, near where he was building a temple, but had left the landing pad free so that supply shuttles could use it whenever Captain White needed to make a delivery.

Wind blew through the knee high grass and he could see a pack of Kath hounds in the distance, and an Iriaz flying over head. This world was too much like Dantooine, in his opinion, for it to be a coincidence. At some time in the past someone must have brought life from one to the other. The fact that this world was lost from the hyperspace charts meant that it was unlikely it was the republic.

Jenna walked down the ramp as well and activated the controls on the underside of the hull, lifting the ramp back up. "Well, are we going to get breakfast, or what?"

Kale smiled, motioned towards the town 300 meters away, and started walking towards the cantina.

[Sirkaithethird]

In orbit around Cyphan

Captain White was tired after his long trip to Cyphan,

---

In the soft blue glow of the bridge he stood scanning the surface for a safe place to land near the settlement. Outside was the planet of Cyphan, a planet covered in sub-continents and islands all surrounded by the sea, he could see lush forests and jungles, large open grasslands, a band of desert islands around the equator, and the beautiful coastal areas,
“Not bad” White muttered to himself
Then the scan showed a landing space about 2 km away from the settlement. White entered the coordinates into the control column, and walked to the cargo bay, there he made sure everything was secured.
His hold carried, Food to last the settlement 3 months, construction supplies, tools, a generator, scrap that might be of some use, some fuel, some items requested by Kale, and his BDY crew skiff that he striped to hold cargo. He strolled back to the bridge and hit engage. Then hailed the settlement on an encrypted channel.
“This is the Altar, I'm descending ” he sent the coordinates to the ground, hoping that the settlement have their radio system set up and that he didn't just send a message to no one.
This was the life, his own ship, and this time no army to give him orders, just like old times. He sighed and lowered his landing gear. Feeling the bump coming from the landing, a feeling that he has become so used to, it's like a friend, and in the galaxy you can't find many good friends anymore. As he lowered the ramp he could see that it was a bright and sunny day, he set himself to the hard task of moving the cargo onto the skiff. Looking at the energy of the ship White noted that next time he should leave the Altar in orbit and take the skiff down.

---

[slayerofkings]

(1: Owner = Self. Self = Self. Unit Designated Battle L-Class Assault Droid Elite. 2: Owner to be paid for use. Owner = Self. Self to be paid for use. 3. Purpose = end life for payment to Owner. Owner = Self. Self to end life for payment to Self. 4. Upgrades...not found. Decision returned to Self for decision. Decision = 3rd: Objective: End life for payment to acquire upgrades. Update...Planet not optimal for Objective: water = too much. Objective altered: Objective: End life for payment to acquire means of leaving planet and upgrades. Course decided. Pursuing Objective.)
BLADE entered Cyphan City with on foot, each of its two pairs of eyes moving to take in its surrounding. Its eyes scanned for likely places to offer employment.

[Burning Kitty]

Harma Allyn was never one to stay in one place to long ever since she was rescued by her now deceased Jedi Master. She grew weary of travel but only felt at home on a starship. She wanted to find a nice planet to settle down on maybe find a regular partner for horizontal excercises. She thought she found her place amongst the Jedi, but they were weak and pathetic or war mongers, she joined and was nearly tortured to death for some sicko’s amusement. Not a single person tried to help when she did get free they were like ‘hunh, you survived.’ She was just another cog in the meat grinder. She wanted a life where she mattered to someone, anyone. She heard of a settlement that sounded an awfully lot like a cult. She figured it couldn’t be any worse than the Jedi and they were in some super secluded sector of space that Mandalorians were not fighting there. She was sleeping when she got a call from someone.

She stood up walked over to the chair her clothes were draped over. She grabbed her Lightsabers and left her clothes. She never went anywhere without them. She sat down at the com unit. She stretched out, putting her feet up. “This is Harma Allyn.” She yawned. “Sending coordinates. Knock loudly.” She went back to sleep with the cool metal of her Lightsabers resting against her skin. A random man got out of her bed and got dressed. He left the ship. He never did get her name nor did she get his.

[TheUnknowable]

@Burning KittyKale landed the ship near the coordinates he was sent and went to find Jason @caliban22. "I'm going to go meet Harma, and I'd like you to come along. I had M2 add your biometrics to the loading ramp, though, in case you want to go into town. Either way, I know we didn't really have time for any lessons beyond the basic droid one, but I would like you to try and stretch out with your feelings while we're on the planet. There are a lot of shady characters around, so you could be in danger. Try to sense their intentions.

I'll see if Harma knows where we can trade our Whiskey after I meet her."

With that, he called for M2 to join him and opened the ramp. The hot, dry air flooded the ship.

He made his way past another cargo ship that was offloading crates. He could feel that the captain was glad to finally be getting rid of the merchandise and getting paid, but he didn't probe any deeper. No use digging into his mind if he wasn't a threat.

When he got to the ship he double-checked the coordinates and drew his lightsaber and banged the pommel against the end of the door, making sure he would be out of the way if it opened. Well, she did say knock loudly.

---

@Sirkaithethird
A1 ran down the ramp of the ship which was still named Prairie Dawn. "Sir." he said in a slightly accented voice, "Captain White just sent a message that he is coming in for a landing."

"Good," said Kale, pausing to adress the droid. "In that case, take M2 and do an inventory of the cargo. Have my crate of scrap loaded in the Dawn's garage." He motioned towards the ship. "And tell the captain that if he wants to join us for breakfast, I'm buy."

"Yes, sir. I shall relay the message."

M2 came down the ramp, having been sent a summons by A1, and the ramp closed. Kale and Jenna headed to town, and the two droids made their way to the dock to wait for Captain White.

@slayerofkings
As the two Force users entered town, though, they saw an unusual droid. Doubting that someone else had brought one in without them knowing it, as Captain white was the only other person that could and he hadn't been here in several days, they walked over to it. "Excuse me, but I don't remember seeing you before." stated Jenna, as city security was her job. "Who do you belong to? Did Harma bring you?

[Sirkaithethird]

As Captain White finished loading the skiff his communicator beeped. As he read a smile spread across his face. He responded @theunknowable "I'm 2 km away, and you're going to have an empty wallet".
White was starving, all he had to eat was some bowl of noodles back at some cast off planet.
He climbed into the cockpit and took off. Enjoying the sunny morning. As he traveled he planned for the future.
A list of things to be done was formulating in his mind
1) set up base, maybe a warehouse
2) Grow The settlement
3) Make money and live comfortable, and make friends
This was all he needed, in the army he saw his share of violence.
Once he arrived he send kale a message saying that he has arrived and proceeded to walk into the cantina

[slayerofkings]

As the two Force users entered town, though, they saw an unusual droid. Doubting that someone else had brought one in without them knowing it, as Captain white was the only other person that could and he hadn't been here in several days, they walked over to it. "Excuse me, but I don't remember seeing you before." stated Jenna, as city security was her job. "Who do you belong to? Did Harma bring you?

@TheUnknowable

BLADE rotates its head to look at the force users before swiveling its body towards them. "This Unit designated Battle L-Class Assault Droid Elite. This Unit owns itself. I am therefore I think. I offer violence in exchange for payment."

[Burning Kitty]

The loud knocking woke up Harma again. To allow the recruiter in she moved one foot over barely hitting the button to raise the door. She announced over the comm systems. "On the bridge. Follow the snoring. Up late last night, you might have seen why leaving." She proceeded to fall asleep again and immediately began snoring again.

--------------------------------------

Harma was working on some Cyphanian's speeder, he was dumbass and drunk wrecked it. She fabricated some of the aesthetic pieces from scrap metal using the Force to mold it into shape. When the guy came to pick it up. "Hey moron the paint doesn't match." She slapped him across the face with her Lightsaber hilt. "I told you I don't paint, if you want it to match paint the shit yourself or find someone else to do it. If you insist on driving after drinking each crash is going to get more & more expensive. This time is the same price as non-drunks. Next time I double it, time after that double it again, so on and so on. When it gets to the point you can't pay I take it and sell it. Learn to control yourself or give up drinking dipshit." She kept her Lightsaber in her hand. She hates drunks they are nothing more than cockroaches, she likes to advantage of them. The more she takes from them the better.

[TheUnknowable]

@Sirkaithethird
Kale got the text but didn't bother checking it yet. After all, it wasn't every day you got to meet a @slayerofkings self-aware droid, and said just that.

"Wow, I wasn't aware we recruited a self-aware droid. Did Captain white recruit you?"

Jenna spoke up. "Actually, about two hours ago a ships crashed about 12 KM from the city. We didn't detect any lifesigns, though, so I was going to take a team out after breakfast. I'm guessing he's from it." She turned and faced the droid. "We don't have a military, or a need for a bounty hunter but we have had a problem with Kath hounds attacking outlying farms. We could also use an extra hand when we go out to salvage the ship, someone to watch for Kath hounds while we remove anything worth taking. I assume you have sensors that are better than our eyes. If it's your ship, I guess that entitles you to a portion of the salvage too."

---

@Burning KittyKale walked up the lowered ramp and to the bridge. It was the same model as the Prairie Dawn so he already knew the layout. "Hello," he said. "I take it you're Harma.." He then realized that the woman laying there snoring was stark naked. "Uh, excuse me." he said, turning his head to the side and using his hand to block his peripheral vision. "I didn't realize you weren't dressed yet."

[Burning Kitty]

Harma got up and stood there unapologetically in her birthday suit holding her lightsabers. She stroke a pose. "I wasn't planning on leaving the ship till night fall, I don't do that heat. The goddess sure as hell didn't design this planet for human life. So you the guy that's going to fiddle with my navcom so I can get away from this batshit crazy galaxy to a more sane one? Can't leave right away, expecting a delivery. Just need a guarantee that there aren't any Mandalorians." She stroke a pose. "You know you can look if you want."

[slayerofkings]

Kale got the text but didn't bother checking it yet. After all, it wasn't every day you got to meet a @slayerofkings self-aware droid, and said just that.

"Wow, I wasn't aware we recruited a self-aware droid. Did Captain white recruit you?"

Jenna spoke up. "Actually, about two hours ago a ships crashed about 12 KM from the city. We didn't detect any lifesigns, though, so I was going to take a team out after breakfast. I'm guessing he's from it." She turned and faced the droid. "We don't have a military, or a need for a bounty hunter but we have had a problem with Kath hounds attacking outlying farms. We could also use an extra hand when we go out to salvage the ship, someone to watch for Kath hounds while we remove anything worth taking. I assume you have sensors that are better than our eyes. If it's your ship, I guess that entitles you to a portion of the salvage too."

@TheUnknowable

BLADE turns to focus one set of eyes on Jenna. "The ship is mine..the salvage is mine..A price can be negotiated..I require transport off this world so I can fulfill my purpose."

[Sirkaithethird]

White arrived at the town, and saw Kale and Jenna @theunknowable talking to a curious looking droid. He parked his Skiff and strode over to them he waved a kale and waited near by enjoying the sight of the settlement. But after waiting a while White's hunger took over and he strolled into the cantina

[Burning Kitty]

Shortly after Mr. Recruiter came to her ship the goon with her droid boarded without permission. Harma went to confront the bastard. She grabbed him by a wrist and wrenched his arm behind his back. "You need to learn to respect boundaries goon. You'll still get your payment anything you can carry out of my cargo hold. Remember if it is bigger than you it stays. Also do you remember the if you break you buy it, I have a similar policy, instead you buying it you get a broken bone. I'll be watching." She broke the wrist she was holding. "Good luck." She pushed him towards the direction of the cargo hold. She had no clue what was in there, the cargo in there was there when she stole the ship from the dead Mandalorians who owned it or stole it themselves, who knows with vessels like these often used for smuggling. She has their helmets mounted to the wall above her bed.

She went back to Mr. Recruiter with her droid following. "Mr. Recruiter meet Mr." The droid started beeping & booping. "T3-B6." She bent over at the waist to face the droid. "Get used to it Tee." She turns back to Mr. Recruiter. "Mr. Recruiter we can leave as soon as the goon with no respect for boundaries gets his payment. That's only half the payment, paid the other half last night." She winked.

--------------------------------------

After the drunk paid and left with his joy ride she went back inside the ship and locked it up. She immediately proceeded to disrobe. "Tee how goes the security upgrade?" Tee beeped & booped. "Yes I know the Mandalorians fucked it up quite a bit, just get it done. If you do I'll do what you always ask me to do."

[TheUnknowable]

@Burning Kitty"Actually, it would be more accurate to say that you didn't mind if I saw. I'm married to a jealous woman and am a bad liar, so there's a good chance that if I looked my wife would find out and chew me out. He had to admit, though, that somehow the fact that she wasn't dressed made her even more intimidating when confronting the man that delivered her droid a minute later. After the guy left he told her "I actually have three cases of Corellian whiskey I was hoping to trade in town for supplies. Would you have any recommendation on who I should talk to about that?"

---

@Sirkaithethird"Actually, I'm heading to Nar Shadaa's refugee sector in five days to meet a contact. I'd be willing to take you with me. If you really want to be a bounty hunter, guard, or even an assassin, I'm sure there's someone there that will hire you. In fact, my contact works for Vogga the Hutt. Maybe you could pay him for an introduction."

"As for the salvage, though, let's say you give me the ship and escort the team there and back, protecting them from any danger, and I give you a ride to Nar Shadaa and five hundred credits on top of it, half in advance, half when you get back."

@SirkaithethirdKale nodded to Captain White, acknowledging him, but couldn't go talk to him right now. It would be fine, though, they'd meet him in the Shrieking Mynock in a few minutes for breakfast.

[Sirkaithethird]

White walked into the dimly lit Cantina, sat down at a table, and caught a whiff of the food, as White sat and waited he looked down at his trading reader. In the soft blue glow White read the state of galaxy trading, his stocks, and an interesting article about where scrap is selling the highest. As White was scrolling down the page an ad for a droid auction caught his eye. White mentally recorded the date and kept reading.

[slayerofkings]

"Actually, I'm heading to Nar Shadaa's refugee sector in five days to meet a contact. I'd be willing to take you with me. If you really want to be a bounty hunter, guard, or even an assassin, I'm sure there's someone there that will hire you. In fact, my contact works for Vogga the Hutt. Maybe you could pay him for an introduction."

"As for the salvage, though, let's say you give me the ship and escort the team there and back, protecting them from any danger, and I give you a ride to Nar Shadaa and five hundred credits on top of it, half in advance, half when you get back."

@TheUnknowable

BLADE says still. "Your proposal is...currently acceptable"

[Burning Kitty]

"Of course I don't mind you seeing. If I minded I would have covered up. One looses their inhibitions about being san clothes when they are forced to spend days being tortured in the nude by those godless Mandolorians. Might have been weeks or months, one loses track of time in a windowless room, half drugged, possibly concussed, while being tortured. Not even tortured for information just for fun. As for your jealous wife, if she can't trust you that says something about your relationship and it's not good. As for your whiskey same deal I gave the droid seller anything in the cargo hold for it. If nothing there you want couldn't help I haven't spent much time with the locals during business hours the deal with the droid was brokered before I landed. I have only gone out at night and only to find a partner for some fun. The night life here leaves a lot to desire. They do have a bar but they specialize in locally source booze, it's tastes absolutely horrible but man does it have a kick. I haven't bothered to ask what it is made from, don't want to know either."

--------------------------

To sweeten the deal with Tee she put on a silk robe. "See. I can compromise." The droid beeped in response and got to work. She walks away mumbling complaints about the prude droid.

[TheUnknowable]

@Burning Kitty"Let's just say that the guy she dated before me cheated on her with a Twilek dancer, and she decapitated him and sent the dancer his head. I don't want to take the chance, because she used to be a Sith assassin and could kill me if she got the chance and had a reason."

"I'll try the bar. The Zabrak that runs our cantina back on Cyphan makes a pretty good Juma Juice out of the local fruits, and even started a bit of an orchard. Maybe I should bring him a bottle and see if he wants to buy some of it too. Could be a valuable export. Some of the stuff in your hold might be worth something on Cyphan, too, if you had an inventory of what was there so we could sell it. Or I could look it over once we're on Cyphan and make you an offer. My warehouse is still being built, though. Could take a few days."

Once the conversation was finished he went to the local bar. It smelled like sweat and alcohol, and the smoke from some type of spice was in the air. He forced himself to not gag as he lead his grav sled up to the bar. "Hello," he said to a chubby twilek behind the bar. "I'm from Cyphan Trade Company and was wondering if you might be interested in buying some Corellian Whiskey."

---

@slayerofkings"In that case", Kale counted out 250 credits and handed them to the droid, then pointed to the cantina. "Meet us in the Shrieking Mynock in one hour, so we have time to call in the other salvagers and eat breakfast. There's also a mechanic over there," He pointed to Harma's ship, "who might have some droid upgrades in stock if she's bothered doing inventory of the stuff in her cargo bay. Otherwise I'll you'll have to come by my shop after we get back, look over the equipment and upgrades I've been making and repairing from the junk I've been buying. I've got to go now, though. Need to start messaging people to get a team together."

One of the people he messaged was Harma, telling her about the self-aware droid and offering her a spot on the salvage team. Salvagers only got to keep half the stuff they gathered now, as Kale technically owned the wreck, but he was sure plenty of the people in the colony would be willing to go, as it was much easier to earn credits that way than farming, and they could get some decent parts that way too.

@Sirkaithethird"Sorry to keep you waiting." Kale said, sitting down across from Captain White, with his wife between the two of them. Jenna messaged anyone she thought might be interested in joining their salvage run while Kale explained himself. "There's now a self-aware droid in the colony that apparently is programmed to kill to earn money. I've got it pulling guard duty for a salvage team I'm putting together to go to the ship it crashed in. You can join in if you want to, by the way. At the very least, you've probably got a speeder to haul junk back with. I'm not sure how many we'll have besides that junky speeder truck I got on Jakku."

[Sirkaithethird]

@TheUnknowable
White looked up as Kale and Jenna sat down. After hearing about the droid and the salvage run. White said "Do you trust this... droid programmed to kill I mean think about it, but if you trust it I will also. As for the salvage run, I'll join in with my skiff, after I unload my cargo. Here's what I have"
White handed over his pad with the Altar's cargo manifest.
"Now let's eat"
(On the manifest was: miscellaneous scrap, Food for 3 months, construction supplies, tools, a generator, and a shipment of weapons that was obtained using less than legal methods)

[slayerofkings]

BLADE stands outside the mechanic's residence and scans the interior with its sensors. There are no upgrades that it deems superior to its own parts. It walks to The Shrieking Mynock, where it stands in a corner and waits.

This planet's ability to supply it is limited, but BLADE calculates that its best bet is to wait until it can acquire further resources.