PART 24 – Sticking it to the Man
Where we left off, we had just landed on lovely, arboreal Edean, just as our carpet friend opened up to us. Let’s proceed. I guess I’ll finish this LP one day.
Looks like we have no choice but to talk to this guy, then.
Matton Dasol:
Just be sure to pay cash. The interest on his loans will drain you like a Deluvian flatworm on a Hutt’s backside.Eli Gand:
First off, Hutts are ALL backside. Secondly, I don’t much like the comparison. No need to get personal. It’s just business. Poor fellow, he’s been waiting for his friends to return with my money for a standard month now. Ah, but you don’t need to hear of this. What can I get you?
:
What do you know of Kashyyyk?Eli Gand:
I don’t concern myself with what goes on past this landing port. The Wookiesare *ahem*… very difficult to deal with. No business sense.
:
No business sense? You mean they don’t like to be cheated out of all their belongings and freedom.Eli Gand:
No, I mean they don’t respect the finer points of a good business plan. Give and take. This is why the Czerka Corporation simply takes.:
What do you mean by that?Eli Gand:
You’d have to take you questions to Czerka Corporation, and the Wookies themselves. I keep to myself.:
I want to go back to my other questions.Eli Gand:
Of course. I am here to serve.:
Do you always enslave your debtors?Eli Gand:
Enslave? I resent that. Simply fair business. This man’s fellows left without settling their debts, so he must make up the difference.Matton Dasol:
I know, I know, it’s standard trading rules. I just want to know where my crew went. I was only gone for two days. This isn’t like them.Eli Gand:
Yes, very sad that they would abandon you, especially while you were doing me a favor and helping repair one of my freighters. You think you know someone, and they turn out to be a cheat. Oh, not like you, Matton. You honor your deals. A word is a bond in trade.:
How much debt buys a man’s life?Eli Gand:
Oh, it isn’t about the amount. After all, as a skilled mechanic, Matton is worth much more than what is owed. Especially on this remote planet.Matton Dasol:
Oh, you flatter me, Eli. I guess we’re best buddies now.Eli Gand:
*ahem* As I was saying, it’s a matter of principle. I am nothing if not honest in my dealings, and I demand the same. He will be free to go when his friends turn up and the debt is paid. I honor my deals. Let no one say otherwise.:
Do your debtors have a habit of running off?Eli Gand:
Ah, it happens from time to time. Credits are scarce out there, and not everyone is as honest as Mister Dasol here.:
No, they’re not. An honest man is pretty scarce, too, wouldn’t you say?Matton Dasol:
You’ll get your money. My crew will be back.Eli Gand:
Of course they will. Until then, however, I can make use of you as a mechanic. Very rare to find skills of your kind out here.:
Perhaps I could settle some of his debt?Matton Dasol:
Thanks, but no thanks. No offense, but there’s no point in exchanging debt to Eli with debt to you.Eli Gand:
Besides, he is a hard worker. I’d prefer to keep him.Being a bit creepy aside, Eli is the general trader in this area and is the go-to man for supplies. Unfortunately, he doesn’t sell spikes and parts (something I will end up missing).
Scientist:
I’m sorry, I don’t understand Wookieespeak. Shyriiwook, I think it’s called? What did the Wookiee say?:
You work on Kashyyyk and don’t understand the language?Scientist:
Czerka Corporation calls the planet Edean, and no, I don’t understand the language. The local Wookiee leader made it so we don’t need to.My current headcannon is that Czerka forces its employees to call it Czerka Corporation all the time or they get fired.
Scientist:
Wookiees are unable speak basic, but for the last decade the residents of all local villages have been trained to understand it.:
Why would a Wookiee leader do that?Scientist:
I understand he works very closely with Czerka Corporation. He wants his people to work well with us. It eases tensions.
:
And it makes my people more desirable as slaves.Scientist:
What did he say? I don’t usually have a translator I can ask.:
That knowing Basic just makes his people better slaves.Scientist:
I just work here in the lab. I… I don’t have anything to do with the taking of slaves.:
Why don’t you do anything to stop it?Scientist:
I’m just an employee. You’ll have to take your concerns to Janos. He’s the voice for Czerka Corporation on this outpost.:
What is your job here?Scientist:
I’m conducting experiments on various samples of indigenous plant life. There may be untapped pharmaceutical resources here. Of course, that will take some time, and the Wookiees are a more immediate source of income. Please, I must return to my work.Janos is just up ahead, but there is a bit of unique banter from one of the scientists milling about.
Scientist:
Local fauna is amazing. If I could isolate why the trees grow so big, it would be worth more than a thousand Wookiee slaves. There is so much to learn about this planet, but they keep us cooped up in here. I think Czerka is missing an opportunity here. The forest could teach us so much.What’s this? The one person in the whole game who calls Czerka just… Czerka? Madness!
:
Tell me about the planet. You called it G5-623 before.Janos:
G5-623 is the numerical designation. The galactic Basic name is “Edean”, chosen by corporate ballot among stockholders. It would seem you are already acquainted with this world, given your choice of traveling companion.:
I have been away for a very long time.Janos:
You let the beast speak for you? You allow it more liberties than most of our customers.:
Allow it more liberties? What do you mean?:
He means they are slavers. They take my people from their homes and sell them to the highest bidder.Janos:
Your current Wookiee seems displeased with the situation, but I fail to see a concern. You seem to be a satisfied customer.:
Zaalbar is no slave. He has pledged a life-debt to me.Janos:
Ah, a very difficult thing to stage. I commend you for it. So much easier than relying on restraining collars.:
Do not demean the life-debt! Do not!Janos:
I must warn you that you will be blamed for the actions of your Wookie. Please… call him off.:
Why do the Wookiees tolerate you doing this?Janos:
It is not me, personally. I merely represent Czerka Corporation at this outpost. There are other directors at other stations, of course. Arrangements have been made with the Wookiee leadership. Harvesting is handled as delicately as possible, relatively speaking.:
[Force Persuade] You want to tell me about these agreements.Janos:
[Success] I can tell you about the agreement. We supply arms in exchange for a supply of healthy Wookiees. We are kept profitable and an agreeable leader is kept in power. It keeps the process from becoming a constant firefight.:
What is this leader’s name?Janos:
I believe his name is Chuundar. I don’t deal directly with them, thank goodness. Far too brutish.:
Grrr… that was not a name I wanted to hear.Janos:
It sounds as though your thrall has an opinion about our arrangement with this leader, but it doesn’t matter. Chuundar is unquestioned.Janos will never not talk about Zaalbar as anything other than a slave. Nor will anyone else in this outpost, for that matter.
:
What about it, Zaalbar? What’s the matter?:
This is not something I will talk about. Not yet.Of course he won’t. Should’ve seen this coming when he got chatty all of a sudden.
Janos:
Please, is there anything else? I have work to do.:
I’d like to ask about the Czerka Corporation.Janos:
Czerka Corporation has branches in many systems, mostly concerned with weapon production for personal and ship-mounted use. Of course, the many outposts on this world are only concerned with bio-acquisitions.:
I’d like to talk about the slaving operations here on Edean.Janos:
I’ve a very limited number of things I can say. What do you wish to discuss?:
I can’t allow this to continue.Janos:
It’s not up to you. This planet is not a member of the Republic, and its backward citizens hold no rights. I’m sorry you are offended, but this operation is very humane. Even the Wookie leadership knows it is more beneficial to work with us.I wonder why authors still keep using words like humane in settings where there are aliens around.
:
Humane, you call it? Beneficial? Sounds like a bunch of excuses, if you ask me.Janos:
Besides, even if you did do something drastic here, the Czerka Corporation has other outposts on Edean. It would change nothing.Janos also sells weaponry, but nothing notable.
Finally, the gate so we can proceed.
Captain:
Wookiee hunters usually keep numbers down, but I think they leave certain areas infested, just hoping a Czerka guard will get killed.:
What do you know about the Wookiees?Captain:
You’re the Wookiee-lover, why don’t you tell me about them? I’m sure you’re real close friends.:
Grraarrr!Captain:
Keep your pet on a leash or you’ll be wearing him. I’ve no love for these animals. I’ve seen guards ripped to shreds.:
So the Wookiees are fighting back?Captain:
Not anymore. Look, you want to know why the Wookiees are acting compliant, you go ask them. When they rip your head off, we’ll fish it out of the Shadowlands and give it a proper burial. How about that?He will refuse to answer any questions while Zaalbar is in the party, so there’s a single option that will get us anywhere.
:
I’m going past you. I paid the landing fee.Captain:
I won’t stop you, but you leave this area at your own risk. We’re here to protect the company, not you.
There’s kinrath as enemies here. I guess you can also finally see what they look like when not in shitty lighting.
:
This walkway is new, probably built by the slaver, but I remember the trees. My village is not far from here.:
Is there anything I can help you with?:
It is kind of you to offer, but my problems are very personal. I’m not sure if I am ready to deal with them. I must warn you of one thing… I don’t know if I will be a help or hindrance to you here. My father was very powerful… a chieftain, Perhaps his feelings have mellowed, but if my brother had his ear all this time… I may be very unwelcome.:
We’ll deal with that when the time comes.:
That is what I am dreading. My shame was meant to be forgotten on some far away world. I never thought I’d come back. I’m sorry, I’ve taken enough of your time. We should press on.
Further ahead we have some free experience in droid repairs (at the cost of parts and spikes, that I am running low on) and a bunch of Czerka wage-slaves.
Guard 2:
You think I can? Do you know what they get for a healthy one of these things?Patrol Captain Dehno:
We’ll work it out later. We’ve got company. What do you want, spacer? I’m Patrol Captain Dehno and you’re interrupting Czerka Corporation business.:
My name is Deth Sord. What happened here?Patrol Captain Dehno:
This Wookiee slave got a little… rebellious. We had to put it down.I love how all the Czerka npcs refer to the Wookiees as “it”.
:
You “put *it* down”? We’re not animals!Looks like Zaalbar has a problem with the Man
de-humanizing de-sapientizing (is this even a word?) his fellow carpet, though.
:
Zaalbar, let me handle this.:
But their disregard for the life of this Wookiee is too much!:
I have asked you to let me handle this. Honor my request.:
I will do so. For your sake, not theirs.Guard 1:
Careful now… that growl sounded pretty threatening. Keep your slave on its leash or we’ll have another accident.Patrol Captain Dehno:
Just shut up, you trigger-happy idiot.:
Do your superiors approve of you killing Wookiees?We can also ask him about Czerka and
Kashyyyk Edean, but why would we?
Patrol Captain Dehno:
No, of course they don’t. Why would you ask me that? Are you doing some sort of inspection? You’re trying to get me to admit incompetence, aren’t you? Not going to happen. I stand by my patrol. This Wookiee got out of hand and *had* to be put down. We’ll find another easy enough.:
This may cost you more than you know, fool.Well, that escalated pretty quickly.
Patrol Captain Dehno:
It… is a bit costly. Look, why are you asking this?:
[Force Persuade] You want to pay me so this stays off your record.Patrol Captain Dehno:
[Success] I… I think I should probably pay you so this stays off my record. Yes, that’s best.Guard 1:
Uh, Captain… what’s going on? Is this one of those inspector shake-downs?Patrol Captain Dehno:
Give is up, men. If we don’t pay this leech we’ll get a black mark on our records a sunspot couldn’t burn off.Guard 1:
But I, I… if you say so, sir. I don’t think we have enough… here.:
I’ll just take it from your corpse then!Neutral challenge!
Patrol Captain Dehno:
What the…? Blasters ready, men! This fool wants to die!
This is pretty much the ideal result of any conversation. Points towards both sides of the karma scale, as well as cash.
This is pretty much what will be going on between conversations for the rest of the update.
There’s also this thing, whatever it is.
The computer in the back of this picture can be hacked to give some supplies… or you can use the patrol captain’s id (only if you killed him) to get them for free.
Further ahead…
I don’t suppose we could settle this with Pazaak like civilized gentlemen, could we?
No? Shame.
Anyway, these guys can actually be hard. They have plenty of stuns and managed to win in my first attempt against them by one-shotting our dear protagonist with a lucky crit, then stunlocking the party. If you are having some trouble, Bastila is a good pick for this thanks to the sentinel immunities. They got some great loot, though.
Anyway, to wrap up this update, here’s what the Czerka gate guard has to say if you don’t have Zaalbar with you.
Captain:
Make it quick. I’m no information booth. Talk to Janos in the Czerka office.:
What do you know about the Wookiees?Captain:
What’s to tell? They’re big, powerful, difficult, and worth the most when caged and shipped off this forest-covered rock. You’re not some anti-slaver, are you? If so, go talk your crud somewhere else. I’ve seen guards ripped to shreds. They’re animals.He’s got nothing new past this, so this is where we end it.
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Topic: Knights of the Neutral Republic - UNDEAD LP: Recap Episode (Read 94821 times)