Thread: Star Wars: Shroud of Fear [501st + The King in the North]

No matter how much the galaxy changed, a few things remained constant. The Jedi, the Sith, the Force. And the Hutts. Their slimy fingers always managed to maintain control of it's dark corners, pulling the strings in all sorts of illegal operations. The Republic had discovered the planet of Quesh , locted in Hutt space, during the Great Galactic War against the Sith Empire. It was a dead planet, all but abandoned since massive quakes had unleashed a toxic haze upon the surface. Whereas most would see it as a place to be avoided, the Republic saw an opportunity. The chemicals found on the planet were known as Hutt Venom, a main ingredient in many of the most powerful adrenals available. That made Quesh both economically and militarily valuable that needed to be kept in secret from their enemies. That's where the Hutts came in. They were experienced with the process of refining these chemicals and had the resources to make it happen quickly. Generally, Hutts tried to avoid becoming entangled in the politics of the galaxy, especially during a war. Credits were the language that spoke the loudest to those devious worms and they quickly realized the opportunity at hand. For the first few years, everything went smoothly and the profits rolled in, keeping the cartels fat and happy. The trouble began when their mining operations uncover ed remnants of the planet's past. At first there were a few ruins, artifacts, things which would be of interest only to Republic scientists. Then they found it . Zeebak breathed heavily beneath his gas mask as he leaned on the railing of the platform. Another day of claustrophobia in the Quesh heat doing the Republic's dirty work. The Sullustan operated the laser drill which was raised high above the surface. It was used to expose new vents of toxic gas for refining. Get back to work! A harsh voice rasped over the intercom in his helmet, the familiar grumpiness of the Overseer ringing through loud and clear. He muttered a few curses to himself in his native tongue as he took his seat back at the controls. The machine came to life with a few taps at the console, the monitor showing where his drill was positioned over the surface. The survey team had already located a promising new pocket for him. Let's get this over with, I need a meal. He said to no one in particular as he pulled the trigger. The laser melted through the surface of the planet easily and in a few moments a brand new geyser was spewing noxious gases. Zeebak was getting out of his seat when the whole platform began to shake. Oh blast... He took off down the walkway at a full sprint, but the metal plating feel out from under him before he could make it even halfway. The screeching of metal filled the air like the death throes of some great beast, then there was only darkness. Zeeb slowly opened his eyes, thinking he was blind for a moment before he realized he was in an underground chamber. His hands shot to his face but to his relief the mask remained uncompromised. The only light was filtering in from the hole in the surface far above. Then he remember the emergency glow-rod attached to his belt. It gave off a bright, green glow which illuminated the immediate area. The chamber was much bigger than he had though with the wreckage of his drill only filling a quarter of the space. Something caught his attention in the middle of the room. A great black obelisk sat alone in the middle of the room. As soon as he saw it, he felt a sense of palpable dread knotting in his stomach but his curiosity got the better of him. A few steps away he finally got a good look at the object. The obsidian surface was seemless with no visible markings to be seen. He felt as if he was looking into an abyss, a sky with no stars. The thought sent a chill down his spine. Even still, he felt the urge to touch it. The stone was cool to the touch which was unheard of on a desert planet such as Quesh. Before Zeeb knew what was hapening, he began to feel lightheaded and the darkness flooded his vision. Gruesome images flashed through his head, the broken and mutilated bodies of his coworkers, the Overseer. When his vision returned a moment later, he found himself in a prison cell aboard the Hutt's orbital station . He recognized the layout from when he had first arrived to work the mines, though he knew he must be dreaming. So, the murderous scum is finally awake? The guard standing at the door to his cell gave him a menacing look, blaster at the ready. He wanted to speak, to ask what the guard meant, but he found his mouth was drier than the surface of Tatooine. Nothing to say for yourself? Oh well, the boss will figure out what to do with you. The Hutt carefully observed the stone obelisk from his throne. Gorth had ordered it brought to his chambers immediately after it's discovery, though the account of the violent rampage that followed had caused him to take great caution in bringing it here. It rested within a plasteel container in the center of the room. His guards had taken a position a few paces back ever since it had been brought in and he didn't blame them. The stone had a presence to it that even those who were not in tune with the greater powers of the galaxy could feel. Nothing but trouble would come if it remained here. That didn't meant that he couldn't make a profit from it, and he knew just the right buyer. Contact the Republic. Tell them we have something the Jed-i will find most intriguing.