Log:Jex Co.: Mynock Hunt - Ryloth Girl Watching

Jex Co.: Mynock Hunt - Ryloth Girl Watching

OOC Date: July 2nd, 2020
Location: Ryloth
Participants: Hex, Jax Greystorm

Everything in the whole New Republic Military seemed to be in flux at the moment, but that didn't operations didn't still happen and things still needed to be handled. Case in point the pirate group that the Irregulars had been hunting down, intel had put their capital ship on Ryloth. Alright the Rancor's Handmaiden was a Marauder Corvette, so tiny capital ship. With all of Ryloth's corruption, political unrest, Jax had turned to one man, well one male Twi'lek. Alright besides Lorana, Hex is the Twi'lek Jax knows that's from Ryloth. Still he'd called in a favor to scout out the new pirate base, figure out the local flora/fauna. Whose, who, and what did the Irregulars needed to do to take out the pirates without killing innocents and not lighting the powder keg. The pirate base in question? Well it was a poor villiage hidden in the rocks of the equator of the planet but only just in it. Just a bit too close to the bright side. The village a mixture of cave apartment and actual built structures. The Marauder in question was sitting with a motley crew of about 6 star fighters in a natural canyon. There's a few pirate guards of different species on patrol around the space port. The twi'lek of the village seem to go about there business of eking out an existence. If there's anything weird between the pirates and the village it's not popped up yet.

At a higher level in the shadow of a crack lays Jax with a pair of electrobinoculars as he watches the scene below. He absent mindedly reaches back to a bag of some snacks he'd picked up at Hex's recommendation and promise they were human safe. Guess we're going to find out.

Hex doesn't always have the greatest command of what's going to poison a human and what isn't, but living with Kasia has definitely improved his metrics on that particular measure. He's gonna hear about it if he poisons that particular human. The snacks are safe. Probably. Most Twi'lek food has a definite umami funk to it, though. There isn't much agriculture here besides varying forms of fungus.

"This is the kind of place I was from. Further out in the Bright Lands, but this kind of garbage little village was the closest thing to civilization," Hex notes, peering through his own pair of binocs. He's ditched his resplendent floral duster for more local style Twi'lek clothing, suited to the heat, in shades of the desert. He looks like a local boy. Maybe he still is.

"People in villages like this go two ways. They're suspicious of the outsiders, we call them sa'sinaku, and don't give them much support beyond a small bit of hospitality... they stay aloof. Or, said outsiders bought the right person. A boss, a headman. And then everybody's got no choice but to put up with it."

Jax wrinkles his nose at the treat. It was earth to say the least and not one bit crunch. "Definitely not Corellian." He says fishing for his canteen. He takes a drink, gags, and tosses the bag to Hex. His binocs scanning the area. "I grew up with Kadi as one my neighbors." Jax says knowing Hex knew about the rest of Jax's childhood for the most part or the important Ambrosia part. "So when you saying like the Captain in good with the local mafia and is here with their blessing or the Captain bought the mayor's favor or put the fear in him and now everyone's got to put up with these people? I know it's always somewhere in between but are the locals going to be more hostages or accomplices? This thing dusts up they going to back out and let the offworlders fight?" "Tcha, Corellian food has no flavor," Hex is unrepentant about his snacks. He catches them one-handed in that cybernetic beast of a limb Sesti installed four years ago, and then munches. More for him. He doesn't elaborate on his childhood; after a certain point, it was not good.

"Right, that's what I'm saying," Hex agrees. "If they're smart, it's what they'd do -- buy the gang or the headman who runs this town, and no one else in town can say anything about it. What the locals will do if a fight breaks out... it's hard to say without boots in town sniffing it out first. It depends how complete the control of the boss man. Is everyone in this town a gang member? Or just a few, and the rest just scared? Twi'leks in general are more avoidant than interested in an outright fight. I do know that if it looks bad for the sa'sinaku, they will disappear."

"Dad's first wife was a twi'lek. She'd cook some nerf dish for him that she'd made human safe. It's one of the things he'd make when he cooks to this day. Yeah it's spicier than anything on Corellia and that's saying something. That's after she made it human dumb."

"Well I do have access to a capital ship. I could bombard the landing field below at the onset. That's just messy though and seems like something bad waiting to happen. You got any advice or what we should do next here?"

"Was it gruuvan shaal? We make it out of rycrit here, but you can substitute nerf off Ryloth," Hex cheerfully participates in Snackchat, lowering the binocs briefly so that he can look at Jax. "Kind of a stew type thing? Really spicy? It's a classic. Every Twi'lek knows and loves gruuvan shaal."

Back to business. "You'll risk killing the villagers if any action against the landing field goes awry. I think what you need to do is sort out the nature of the pirates' relationship with the town. Are they on board with this? Are they under duress? Are they going to disappear, fight against you, fight /with/ you? If they hate this occupation - and Twi'leks do hate occupation - they might help you." -

"That means, you and me should probably get closer." Jax says as he scans the area and watching the Twi'lek doing their thing and seems to be looking for stragglers. "So how do you want to do this? Do we want to try to see if we can find somebody to talk to? See if we can grab a villager or go into town. They don't know me but I doubt my smiling face will make people real happy to see me and if they're that paranoid. They aren't going to be happy to see you. You're not from this place. Maybe go plant a bug or two?"

"Sounds like it, Dad just called it Spicy Ryloth Nerf stew."

"Ka, they'll know us for outsiders," Hex agrees. "But they'll like me a little more than they like you, regardless of whether they mistake you for one of the pirates or not." His lekku, the right one painfully amputated a bit shorter than the left, stir contemplatively. "How about I talk to whoever you want distracted, long enough to do the plants? I'm not good at stealth." A hint of amusement. "You know exactly how not good at stealth I am." - "Hmmm. Lets see, probably should find somebody who might know enough to know something but isn't in the inner circle and will go tell on us." Jax scans the workers working the fields and settles on a young twi'lek woman. Pretty enough with chalk white skin. She's working a paticular patch of the communal garden. Of course she happens to be the mate of one of the 'Head honchos' favorite up and coming skull cracker.

Jax for his part slips down from his position sticking to the shadows or so he seems as he waits for Hex to go chat up the young woman. Of course he's sticking out like a sore thumb as an Elderly woman sitting in what passes for an rocking chair sits on her 'porch' the lip of her cave. Rocking her grand child or grand child chewing on a local root that passed for tabac around here. Jax hadn't heard her mumbling about the spiced up outworlder thinking he's hidding.

Operation Go Chat Up this Gal is GO. It's a bit of a hike down from their binoc-spying perch, but Hex was born out in these deserts, further even into the bright lands than this. He is, happily for everyone, not completely thrashed by the journey, which allows him to look like at least sort of a normal person as he approaches the woman working in the fungal garden. "Kassurra," he calls to her, followed by a wave of lekku communicating the nuances Twi'leks can attach to their speech -- respect, without flirtatious intention. Just one person greeting another. "I'm passing through on my way to Sal'kaasa," Hex continues in Ryl. "Lot of outsiders here, aren't there?" He has no idea Jax might be spotted. He has complete faith in Jax.

The Young woman looks at Hex for a moment as if she's trying to figure out what to make of the stranger in front of her. Hex was obviously from another village, though is he here cause of the pirates, is he here to steal her away, or what he simply says. There not much of a chance for her to figure this out. When another woman, the sleeping child's mother, steps out on the porch to see Jax snooping around. She calls out at the top of her lung, 'Outworlder. Stranger. Snoop!' Jax has been seen for sure and everyone knows. That's when the white skinned woman makes up her mind about Hex, 'His partner is here.' Hex now finds himself with a 'hoe' pointed in his face. Everything's going along great. "Ryma'at," Hex curses, taking the name of Ryloth's most cherished goddess somewhat in vain... which may not be the best move, these little villages can be conservative and quite proud of their local shrines! But it's instinct, unguarded and unfiltered. He does put his hands up in the face of the menacing garden implement, however. "I really am going to Sal'kaasa!" he insists, changing his plans at that moment to actually go there. "My sister lives there, her name is Varanyash'lan. I'm Heksash'kuri." He side eyes the Outworlder, Stranger, Snoop, and briefly contemplates claiming he's never met that man in his life, but Hex has never been the best liar, and he errs on the side of honesty. "We're not with the pirates. But I don't like their kind on Ryloth, and I wanted to see why they came."

The guards were on their way to investigate where Jax was as he moves further into the shadow and simply vanishes. The force had chose to be his friend after a moment. NO bugs would be planted but no Jax would be found. The sanity of the woman who had called out Jax would be questioned and chided.

The white skinned Twi'lek furrows her brow and as often with twi'leks, It's not what is said but what isn't said with their mouth that comes. "Why would we give up or protector and providers? We are not rich stranger and they bring us wealth." Her eyes cut to a green woman just over to the edge. 'I don't want them here either. None of the women do. Give us a sign the dawn before you attack. We will keep our men distracted that night.'

Hex takes a step backwards, hands still up. "I've trespassed on your hospitality and your goodwill, and that of your benefactors. I apologize, and I'll make my way to Sal'kaasa without causing any trouble. Mother give you safety."

It would be fair to say he's more than a little relieved to see the 'hidden' message from the women, however, and although his command of lekku-language is slightly stunted by his injury - like a speech impediment - he manages to communicate to them in return. 'Look for smoke. West ridge above town. See smoke, it is time.'

The two women nod, then the white female prods Hex in the chest with the 'hoe' "Go. Heksahs'huri. Never come here again or we will show you our villages hospitality." It did not seem she meant the famous Twi'lek hospitality that even JAX knew about but more physical violence.

Jax emerges from the shadows to find his way at the place they'd hidden initially.

The Hex that appears back at the rendezvous spot is a much tireder, dustier, sweatier Hex than the one who left or arrived in the village, cause you know what, it is UP hill this time, not down. UP HILL in the sun, the sun that never, ever sets or moved, day and night being always fixed in place as they are. "RYMA'AT," he repeats again, huffing and puffing, when finally he makes his way back to Jax's side. "Goddess give me mercy, I am way the hell out of shape." He plops down on a rock. "Ah, kriff me." Wheeze. "Good news though ok ka, the ladies are on your side."

Jax smirks, "No comment, I'm sure my mom's gave you the lecture." He says holding out the canteen to Hex. Jax makes a hmm sound, "Everything I know about the Greystorms. The ladies run the thing. Is that going to be enough for the village? What's your take on things?" - "You know she hasn't, actually? I'm a little disappointed. When I went to pitch in with the Resistance before Exegol, I kept waiting for it!" Hex says about The Lecture, mopping his brow with a sleeve. "I don't know how to live in this galaxy anymore if Ambrosia Greystorm is just going to look at me in thin lipped disapproval instead of telling me my fat ass needs to lose sixty pounds. I think the politicians are getting to her."

Back on track, he continues, "The women don't like the pirates here, and they asked for a signal before the attack. I told them to look for campfire smoke at the west ridge above town. When they see the smoke signal, they're planning to keep their men distracted. And they're Twi'lek women, so..." Big shrug. "Those men are probably gonna be distracted. As long as you issue the signal, and they see it, I think you can expect the pirates will not have many Twi'lek allies at the time of a conflict."

Jax sighs, "I think she's mellowing out in her old age or I'm waiting for her to spring a trap on us all." He says at the mention of Amber being nice or what passes as Ambernice. Jax grins, "That's all I ever wanted. A chance to take out the pirates and not injure the locals." Jax sighs, "I'm running a team called the Irregulars. Usually we use codenames but doing mostly counter intel for the New Republic. You want in when we do this?" Jax sighs as Hex doesn't take the canteen and takes a drink. Then digging into his pouch he produces a flask and offers it to the Twi'lek instead. It was good Corellian Whiskey. Probably stolen from Ax over a year ago.

Hex does not need to be asked twice to take whiskey. He cleaned up his act, once upon a time -- but then he fell off the wagon, a couple years ago, and sobriety has been an elusive goal ever since. He's almost always just a little bit faded... just enough to take the edge off all the thoughts and memories he doesn't think or talk about. Flask accepted, opened, and drank from. "Hit me up when it goes down and I'll see what I can do. If I'm not halfway across the galaxy in a panic over what bad people I can't stop might do to my wife, then yes, I'll come along and help. You should try to have a Ryl-speaker on board either way."

"If it's the bad people I think it is. You can always call me. I'm not a jedi but I know what ones supposed to look and sound like. I have no idea why though they have an intrest in Kasia. I mean she is Kasia but well they usually go after other force sensitives." Jax stumbles to his feet and offers Hex a hand, "You ready to hoof it back to the speeder bikes and then to the ship?" "You'd have to ask Kasia," Hex morosely replies regarding the 'interest' in the pretty proprietress of the Blue Light by certain bad actors. He accepts the hand up and rewards Jax for the help with the return of his flask. "I don't want to take you up on that, Jax, but I think it's too much for her to deal with alone. Depending on what happens. Could be that's a favor I really do have to call in. Ka, ni muchi," yes, my friend, "Let's head on back."