WotH Chpt 5

==War on the Horizon - Chapter 5 -==
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===In Contact with the Local Authorities===
Surface - 30 BBY, Beloria system, Seswenna Sector, Outer Rim Territories
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"So, they can hear us, but we can't understand each other," I sighed. "That's just great."
 
"We'll have to get HK in here to translate," Lieutenant Hober said. "And hope that everything goes well."
 
We brought the rust-colored droid in just as we finally managed to tune the communications systems to something that could send and receive audio.
 
"HK, we're going to need you to translate for us," I said to the ancient droid. "Don't try to get us into a fight and I'll figure out a way to let you loose on the galaxy once again. Do we have a deal?"
 
"Agreement: Should you keep your promises then we will have a deal," the droid's eyes glinted menacingly. "Threat: Should you decide to not keep your end of the bargain then I will break free and kill all of you meatbags."
 
"Bargained well and done," I responded. "Now get to translating, I want to know if we've got a fight on our hands or not."
 
"This is Commander Wilhuf Tarkin of the Outer Regions Security Forces, we are responding to the call for aid that was transmitted," HK translated.
 
"We good to transmit, Hober?" I asked.
 
"Should be." The officer and pilot of The Archon's Favor replied with a shrug. "Let me double-check everything first though."
 
I nodded as the man began running through the various settings and controls before giving me a thumbs up.
 
"This is Colonel Mark Hull of the Marksman Mercenary unit, we fought off a pirate raid a couple of weeks ago and have been operating as a defense force ever since. You can land and ask questions in person if you wish, or we can continue over the comms channels. The choice is yours."
 
"Colonel Hull, we will be landing and interviewing the local authorities as well as yourself, please do not fire on our vessels or it will be taken as a sign of aggression and we will respond in kind."
 
"Copy that," I translated through HK. "You may want to bring a protocol droid with you though, we're still learning Basic and I'm currently speaking through a droid myself."
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===I am a Mercenary===
"You ready?" Sheppard asked as we looked at the sky, watching a trio of ships come down with what looked like ASF escorts.
 
"Yeah," I replied as I adjusted my uniform, the trio of us who were going to be present all in the same uniform. "Good thing we still had paint for HK," I gestured toward the robot who was now painted black with gold trim. "Better to give a good first impression."
 
The ramp of the lead ship began to lower, a uniformed man stepping down with two escorts with sidearms at their hips, the caps on their head perfectly straight and the uniforms squared away just as their officers were.
 
"Commander Tarkin, I assume," I greeted the officer with a firm handshake as HK translated for me.
 
"Colonel Hull," was returned. "I was concerned that you were pirates merely masquerading as mercenaries, but it appears that you are indeed professionals. Now, if you'll bring me to the current leadership of the settlement we can begin getting the legal proceedings out of the way."
 
"Of course," I replied. "The main settlement for the planet is several kilometers away, so we'll need to take a transport over. I made a circle in the air with my hand and a truck began pulling up, the military vehicle giving a low roar as the powerful engine brought it over.
 
"No repulsors?" Tarkin frowned. "Why would you go with such an inefficient means of transportation?"
 
"Because it's more rugged," I replied. "It might be limited, but anything that floats has other issues that something with treads or wheels don't."
 
The group followed me into the armored truck, the normal gunner's position sealed off while we began heading toward the one big city that was the capital of this world.
 
"How many ships did the pirates have?" Commander Tarkin asked as we sped down the dirt path that led to the capital.
 
"Five ships," I replied. "In lieu of being paid, we are being allowed to keep the ships as long as we return the stolen belongings."
 
"Are any of the pirates alive for further interrogation?"
 
"There might be one or two, but they weren't high up enough in the ranks to know much of anything," I replied. "We're going to be going through the computer systems though and we'll relay any information that might be important to the proper authorities."
 
"The ORSF will be grateful for any information on pirate-related activities that you might come across," Tarkin stated. "And will offer a bounty on any well-known pirates that you might happen to come across whether you bring them in alive or dead."
 
"We'll keep that in mind," I said as I leaned back, considering the offer. "We'll have to discuss proper contracts and negotiations at a later date. For now, we're going to need to focus on the here and now."
 
"You are correct," the younger man agreed. "I must verify that the local government has indeed hired you to act as a planetary defense force."
 
"We're still in negotiations for that," I said with a shrug. "So right now we're only obligated to defend the section of the world that we occupy."
 
"I will still examine the contract," Tarkin said with a small smile. "Should it come out that you are forcing them into this then the ORSF will intervene."
 
"I'm a mercenary," I scoffed. "If I did not keep to my word then I would be out of work."
 
"So you say," the stoic man replied. "But if I took every man that said he was honorable at his word then I would be a fool indeed."
 
"Well, we'll just have to see if I'm telling the truth when you examine the documents that I've been working on with the planetary government," I shrugged. "I have no need to lie for this. But I understand your point all the same.
===Getting to Work===
Marksman Base's Housing facilities - Beloria system, Seswenna Sector, Outer Rim Territories
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Lieutenant Hober continued touching up the nose art on The Archon's Favor, the curves of Katrina Steiner becoming more detailed as he focused on her face today, the pinup becoming more and more lifelike as he worked on it.
 
"Still working on it?" the other Sting pilot asked as he sat down with some chow.
 
"Yep," Hober replied as he added another small dab of paint to fill in some color that had been lost on reentry. "I'm gonna get it detailed to the point that one day people are wowed by it."
 
"Dude, they already are," the other pilot gestured at where the Outer Regions Security Forces soldiers were eyeing the pinup. "I think you've done pretty well on it too."
 
"There's just something missing from it," Hober sighed as he put the paint away. "I'll figure it out one day."
 
"Well, I think I might have to start working on something of my own to compete," the other pilot muttered.
 
"You don't want to turn this into a competition," Hober grinned. "because I'll get the other dropships in on it too."
 
"Nope, we're doing this," the woman laughed. "I'm gettin' the tankers involved too," She tied her hair back into a ponytail. "May the best art win."
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Chapter 5