"I should point out that the bounty for his dead body is extremely unlikely to be larger than that for his live capture; if there is any difference at all, it would appear logical that he's worth more alive than dead. I see no reason to kill him now."
Erit blinks.
"I know you will not listen to my ethical advice, but I believe the economics of this situation should receive careful consideration before you...damage...him."
The sudden eagerness to cut into the captive makes Aurelia look like she is going to be sick, and she quietly ducks out, uneasy with the uglier side of their profession, which isn't likely to be helped by the addition of another gunslinger to their little band.
She makes her way to her bunk until she is needed, gets rid of the dirty set of coveralls and climbs in, listening to the humm of the ship through the bulkheads.
Though Wayde seems to be vacillating, the others seem inclined to want to keep Greebu alive - particularly since there's a bounty on the little turd. Jileeza shrugs and goes to sit down.
"It seems the real issue is that we need to settle with Gulgo - permanently. I have ideas on how to do that, if anyone is interested."
"Okay, here's what I was thinking," Jileeza says, taking a seat and starting to work on her nails again. "First, I adopt one of my many disguises, and arrange travel to Gulgo's home. It should take me about a day or so to get settled in and learn my way around.
"The rest of you show up on the Chance and create a big fuckin' distraction. While they're dealing with you, I deal with Gulgo."
"A distraction? I think our motley crew can handle that. We can do subtle, but not sneaky."
He scratches his two-day stubble, pulling off a layer of caked-on blaster residue and dirt with his fingernails.
"Erm...In the meantime, I'm hitting the showers. I'll come up with some sort of gameplan while I'm in there. You know, my best work has come from inside a latrine."
Lent, who has been listening and idly cleaning the blaster pistol Wayde had given him smiles when he hears the plan.
"I take it this Gulgo isn't the most reputable business man in the galaxy. What can you tell me about his home and the surrounding area? Why do you have it in for him so bad?"
Lent holsters the now meticulously clean blaster and before he gets his answer begins going through various assault scenarios in his mind. (Gooooo Commando Training!)
Lent picks up a Storm Trooper helmet and begins inspecting it. After a few moments he says: "We should really find some new armor. Not only is this stuff conspicuous, but its bulky and limits your vision. Grenades and mines would be a real help in this endeavor as would some type of shaped charge for breaching doors."
He pauses and thinks for a moment as if he's listening to a voice that no one else can hear.
"Restraints. We need restraints." He seems to snap out of his reverie and adds: "Something lightweight but secure and in relatively high quantities."
He smiles. "I'd prefer not to have to kill everyone I meet.
Arnae and Wayde bring the Chance safely into Sullust's orbit. The planet's surface turns from ruddy brown to black with scattered lights as they cross the terminator on their way in. Quickly landing in the first available docking bay, Jileeza makes ready to leave the group and find her own way to Gulgo's abode. As for Greebu's fate, it's not too hard to find Alliance sympathizers on Sullust. Wayde uses some of the group's rapidly-dwindling funds to rent a cheap hotel room and he soon has a meet set up.
"10 Credits an hour...for this place? What a shithole!" Wayde complains, as he dares not sit on the bed in fear of picking up no less than five communicable diseases.
He specifically chose a first floor room, remembering been thrown off a sixth floor balcony some time back. Wayde rubs his elbow, examining the small scars left from a stay in a bacta tank.
Donning the disguise of a generic maintenance worker, Jileeza slips off into the city. Her first goal is to get a good feel for the layout of the area. Maps are great, and she'll get one if she can, but personal experience is best.
Lent, who, after learning the fate of the Jedi, would have changed out of his Jedi Jammies into something more non-descript prior to leaving the ship, follows Jileeza's lead. Waiting till about an hour or so after Jileeza leaves so as not to draw suspicion, Lent turns to Wayde and says:
"I'm going to go scout out the area. I want to know the best way to get around the city and I want to see what kind of supplies they have. I also want to find out where the people with guns -- both official and unofficial-- like to hang out."
'Za soon finds a map, and soon after finds it necessary - Sullust's underground urban tunnels are not laid out in anything approaching logic. The majority of non-Sullustan foot traffic stays to a network of large tunnels, while the mouse-jowled natives, though omnipresent, seem to congregate more in the older side tunnels. Weapons seem to be discouraged but not banned; the local law enforcement as well as Alliance troops are out in force near the docks.
Lent travels the main roads, making notes of quality supplies in storefronts. He saves the purchasing for after he sees what the Rebels are offering for Greebu, however.
Jileeza spends a substantial amount of time both studying the map and exploring the tunnels on foot, particularly the older side tunnels.
The rest of her time is spent familiarizing herself with Gulgo's abode and activities. She's looking for some opportunity in the next few days to have a pretext to enter his home - perhaps as a dancer or something else relatively benign.
On his way back to help Wayde oversee the meet, Lent continues his observations. He passes a side tunnel a little too closely at one point and is met with jeers of "pinkskin" and "go home whitey" from a small mix of Niktos, Rodians, and a Gamorrean - sure sign they're working for a Hutt in some capacity.
A little while later Lent gets back to the hotel room, where Wayde has been pacing a hole in the floor. Not soon after, there's a sharp rap at the door. After the usual awkward greetings, most of which involve two people exchanging terse words while other people train blasters on the door and wall where they think other people with similarly aimed blasters are standing, Wayde lets a Rebel 'captain' (like they're a real army) and two other soldiers inside, both of which are handling large containers on repulsors. Greebu goes in one, and the other is opened to allow Wayde and Lent to pick and choose from an assortment of arms and armor.
---
Elsewhere, 'Za's followed the tubetrains to the "flavorful" district where Gulgo's headquarters is. Biting her tongue and forcing herself to be flirtatious, she easily makes her way through the neighborhood to the Gamorrean-patrolled entrance.
"We received the information you sent us," the Rebel says, eyeing Wayde and Lent suspiciously. He scratches some stubble and continues: "Whatever you're planning on doing with this stuff, just don't do it round here." With that, he lets the recently-unfrozen soldier and ex-Imperial start rooting through their holiday gifts. Lying on top are three piecemeal and blaster-pocked suits of blast armor. One suit has both upper arm and thigh protection, while the remaining two are simply torsos and shoulder protection. Two helmets are included as well, one with a full face visor, the other one being of the open-faced naval variety. There's a repeating blaster with replacement barrel and energy pack, three Imperial-issue blaster rifles (slightly used, never successfully), a handful of grenades, five door charges, macrobinoculars with a helmet clip, at least a dozen wrist binders, and a sawed-off bantha gun.
The Rebel looks expectantly at Wayde and Lent, waiting to see if the deal will be concluded satisfactorily...
---
The entrance to Gulgo's fortress-mansion looms over Jileeza as she plots a way in. Content to wait for the time being, she doesn't approach the doors yet, instead staying out of sight. She watches what traffic does go by; a small gang of thugs enters after a brief conversation with the Gamorreans, and they later come out minus one of their number and looking rather nervous.
Eventually, 'Za sees a chance. A Twilek pimp with a retinue of females from a variety of species, escorted by three guards, approaches the entrance. They're going to walk right by her little nook.
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