Don't shoot, we're not vandals. [D7, MM]

[Vandil]

Vandil gestured for one of her many goons to inspect it. They nodded and she said, "Rise, so what is that you want?"

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

Vaya rose, and allowed Verse to do so without further kicking, and got to the point, as Vandil seemed to desire. Not having been told explicitly to knock it off, she maintained the Hutt-appropriate polysyllabic groveling.

“As you no doubt know, Lady Vandil, my training is as a scholar of antiquities. In my research, I have come across references to a planet unknown to modern star charts, on which I believe there may be some things of interest. My young friend and I hoped that, by consulting your own organizations’ admirably extensive records, we might find our way there. In exchange for this small beneficence of knowledge, and taking the funding and risk of the expedition entirely on ourselves, we would offer you a portion of the goods of material value we recover, if any.” Having made her pitch, she offered a much smaller bow (first position), and waited.

Ooc: This is obviously full of partial truths -- the things of interest we expect are personal rather than of material value, we’re not really expecting to come back with much of anything, Vaya is kind of half-betting Vandil will get herself killed before they could even return from such an expedition, etc. Vaya does have a vaguely conceived backup plan of offering Vandil something (her services?) if she’s in a mood to be offended by a total goose egg, but that’s on the end of a lot of uncertainties (do they find what they need in her archives, do they go there, do they come back with something or nothing, etc.).

Tl;dr let me know if you want me to roll Deception.

[Vandil]

Vandil considered that and said, “We do have extensive files, but I would like to know more about this off-the-beaten-path world. You could return with nothing of value and then well, the only valuable thing to take from you would be your lives.”

“I don’t profit from that, enjoy it, possibly, but no profit. So walk me through this, what are we looking at and do illuminate how I stand to benefit.”

[Verse Aura]

"Wait, you're just *offering* her treasure without first hearing what she'd ask?" Verse looked at Vaya with concern, "What if she was going to ask for less than that?"

[Vandil]

"Wait, you're just *offering* her treasure without first hearing what she'd ask?" Verse looked at Vaya with concern, "What if she was going to ask for less than that?"

"Now my cut is 30%," she responded.

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

Vaya did her best to keep her smile bland, breaking it only to shoot a quelling look at Verse.

“Forgive my young friend, Exalted One.” The phrase was becoming a mantra. “Auraterra is a storied planet in the history of the galaxy, of interest to governments and ancient orders alike.” She knew that Vandil had sought the spear, for her own sake or otherwise; perhaps that vague reference would pique her interest without drawing too much attention to the possibility of Jedi. “Some do not even believe it even exists, but I do. While isolated, I believe it to be inhabited. References exist far before the Ruusan reformations. Possible finds include artifacts of value to museums or collectors, technology lost to the wider galaxy, or any of the natural resources a habitable planet may or may not have.”

She spread her hands. “It is possible also that there is little of worth there -- but to this I would say we ask very little of you, Lady Vandil. We would do the research, front the funds for and organize the expedition’s starship, supplies, and crew, fly the little-used and dangerous hyperlanes, brave whatever dangers we encounter on the planet itself, and then return through those same dangeous ways. If at any stage -- research, hyperspace, the planet itself -- we find nothing or suffer misadventure, you have spent nothing except our minutes of conversation here. If we return with anything of value, you have gained.”

[Vandil]

Vandil listened and then said, "This venture shows promise."

The twi'lek started walking towards another chamber. She said over her shoulder as she left, "Show them to the library and then out, you have one hour."

The armed guards gesture for the duo to follow.

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

“Thank you, Lady Vandil. You are most generous.” It was said to her retreating back.

Vaya let out a breath and grabbed Verse’s hand to pull her after before she could say anything.

Ooc: Difficulty? Does my 50% research time help, allow a second check, allow in the first place, other?

[Dapper Dog]

The library is a large half circle chamber with physical and digital texts and several art pieces including a rather masterfully done painting of Neela Takee for some strange reason. Signed by Mahon.

OOC: You can make two checks, difficulty is Hard with two boost die for the library.

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

Vaya thought about making Verse take the lead as punishment for annoying Vandil, and offering only the most annoying and teacherly answers to requests for help (“Well, where do you think we should start? That’s interesting. Why do you think that?”). But an hour is not very long, and Vaya instead makes ruthless use of her as an unskilled research assistant, fetching media, doing brute-force searches for particular terms, and so forth.

D7MM Verse vs Books 1 (hard outer rim, 2 book boosts 1 aid boosts): 1eP+3eA+1eB+2eD 4 successes, 1 advantage


D7MM Verse vs Books 1 (missing boosts): 2eB 0 successes, 2 advantage


Total of 4 successes, 3 advantages. Waiting to see what we get before rolling a second time.

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

“Hmm,” said Vaya, very seriously. “I think we’re on the right track, but we haven’t quite cracked it yet. Why don’t you get me that astro-atlas… no, not that one, the one on the very top shelf…”

Ooc: Vaya wants to take this time to sneakily try to find out Something Else. First thought is some route or planet of use for an off-Bankor resistance evacuation point or secret base (Vaya is a pessimist about how long the Sword will last). She’s not telling Verse (I checked with player, though). Difficulty and skill?

If you don’t like that one, other thoughts are something easily sellable, or something that would be of value to Vandil’s enemies.

[Dapper Dog]

OOC: Average Computer or Astrogation check.

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

D7MM Verse vs Books 1 (boost from Verse, PC flip): 2eP+2eA+1eB+2eD 4 successes, 2 advantage


Ooc: wasn't sure if improved researcher (+2 advantages after successful knowledge roll) would apply, but if so, 4 advantages. Also assumed that this wasn't with 2 boosts from the library.

If there's a question of Vandil noticing, will happily spend any number of advantages on that not happening!

[Dapper Dog]

She finds several locations within a week of hyperspace travel that could be suitable.

[Verse Aura]

Verse was trying to be as helpful as she could be; but this was really Vaya's area of expertise; so she stayed out of the way more than anything. She had no reason to expect that Vaya would secretly be seeking for other information, either.

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

Vaya put her datapad back in her satchel decisively. "We have what we need," she told Verse, and turned to the guard. "Please emphasize to Lady Vandil the depths of our gratitude." They were ready to leave.

[Verse Aura]

"I still think we shouldn't have offered treasure right from the start," Verse said, seemingly without a care in the world as they walked back to the ship, "what if she finds out there isn't any? And also... did you see that statue?"

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

"Lady Vandil is wise, and will give nothing away for nothing," said Vaya sweetly, still aware of the ears of the guards. "When I explained to her the risks, she found the offer worth her while. We could have hoped for nothing better." Vaya gave Verse a smirk. "You're telling me you've never seen a Trandoshan before?"

[Dapper Dog]

They are shown the way out.

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

As Verse takes the ship off the landing pad, Vaya keeps a closer eye on the sensors than someone who just conducted entirely aboveboard business with a crime lord might, as if wary of a sudden powering-up of turbolasers or pursuit craft....

[Verse Aura]

"Of course I've seen a Trandoshan," she'd answered, "I've just never seen a statue of a naked one. Seriously, where would she even buy something like that?"

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

Vaya considered teasing her further about her discomfort with what was, in her opinion, relatively inoffensive reptoid anatomy, but relented.

"So, we found it," she said after they had shifted to autopilot. She pulled out her datapad and, holding up the screen, displayed a map. "The records of a shipwrecked smuggler," she said. "The hyperplanes have probably shifted a bit, but with a good navigator or maybe an Industrial Automaton astromech, and this map, you'll get there."

She watched Verse for a reaction. She had, she realized, pursued this out of sheer intellectual doggedness, in the void left by the discovery of the Temple. It didn't take a credentialed anthropologist to figure out what connection a Padawan who had only vague memories of a planet might have to it, but she'd never asked.

[Verse Aura]

It was hard, actually, to tell exactly what she was feeling, just from looking at her. Despite her many humorous; and admittedly often foolhardy; antics, Verse was still a Jedi; one who was quite adept at not letting her emotions rule her. Even more so in recent weeks; during which her 'I'm a butterfly on the wind' demeanor had seemingly started to shift from mere airheadedness to an almost... supernatural... expression of taking things as they came.

She did seem pleased though. But then, she always seemed pleased about something or another.

"I hope so," she said, "it's a really nice place. I bet even you could feel the Force flow around you there, Vaya."

[Vaya Mer'darrow]

Vaya stared at Verse for a long time, after that, thinking. They'd set down briefly at the Sword so that Vaya could pass on word of her discoveries to Bowze, but then they'd fly onwards to the Industrial Wastes....