Collan and Niil: Seekers

[Niil Spaar]

Niil laughed as he saw the firepower all within her easy reach.  "Okay, I'll give you that.  We'll stick around for another hour or two - if you don't mind - and then we'd best be on our way.  We might go see how your husband and his crew are doing as we head out.  But I'm curious . . . what made you and your husband trust me and Wez here?"

[GM Craig]

She gives a secret smile and goes back to work in the kitchen. "Yer both terrible liars. No pirate or thief would lie as bad as the two of you."

[Niil Spaar]

Niil gaped at the woman, and felt the skin on his face start to burn.  He'd conned Imperial troops before, and this woman saw right through them?  "Ummmmm, could you . . . expand on that, ma'am?"  Niil chuckled, and added, "Please?"

[GM Craig]

She laughs gently, not looking up from what she's doing. "Boys, we're the first homestead between Tase an' Tez?st. We see more people come through than most - half a dozen a year or so - an we learned there's only two reasons people come to the Bladesea: to run away, or to find someone who ran away. We couldn't tell if you was running or seeking - maybe a little of both - but that don't matter none. You seem good people. When you gave my man those phony names, we figured you had yer reasons. So we put you up, and asked no questions. I don't want any answers now - whatever you're hiding, you got yer reasons, and I don't need t'know 'em."

[Niil Spaar]

Niil laughed; yes, this woman and her husband were smart cookies.  And very hospitable.  "Well, let's just say that you and your husband were right on both counts.  Looking for a friend, and keeping out of Imperial sights."  He hesitated, and then added, "Say, have you heard any rumors about the Imperials building a subterranean high speed rail system through the Bladesea?  It's supposed to be for public access, which makes me wonder if the Empire's actually building it for the public."

[Collan]

Collan added, "And even if you have us pegged, you are protected and so are we with false names being used."

[GM Craig]

She nods. "Well, if yer done eating, you can be on yer way. If you plan t' stay until Jerrol gets back, I can put you to work, if ye like. Or you can rest. Long drive yet to Tez?st."

[Niil Spaar]

Niil looked at Collan, and shrugged.  "What do you think?  Help out around here until Mr. Grumb gets back, and leave early morning?"  Niil nodded to the woman, "That is, if you don't mind us staying another night?  Or we could leave before you close up the homestead for the night."

[Collan]

Knowing that a superior officer was fine with staying abit helped Collan make his decision.

"I'd like to stay and help a bit. If only to repay for letting us stay," he said, "You disn't have to and we appreciate that."

[GM Craig]

She shrugs. "Well, there's no debt t'speak of, but I'll not say no to help whe it's offered. If yer good with yer hands, there's a bunch of power storage units in a room behind the red door that need cleaning and refurbishing. If you could clean those up, that's be a big help. If that's not good fer ye, there's a storage room beside that room. The hands made a mess when they left for the harvest. If you could clean it up and organize it, it's be much obliged."

[Niil Spaar]

Niil looked at Collan, and shook his head with a laugh.  "I, umm, think we'd best stick to cleaning and organizing the storage room, ma'am.  If we tried to tackle those power storage units, we'd probably end up breaking more of them than we fixed."

[GM Craig]

You guys head down to the indicated room. She did not lie - the room is a mess. Open crates and storage containers, and sealed one all scattered, with most of the shelves bare.

You spend the next several hours working off your meal and earning another one as you haul the heavy containers around, stacking and sorting them on the storage racks. It is good, hard manual labour more typically done by droids and the like, so you find you are working muscles unused to such work. You are just about done when you hear the ancient gate whine and grind open, and several vehicles roll into the compound.

[Niil Spaar]

Niil wiped the sweat from his brow as he heard the compound's gate open.  A few vehicles, by the sound of things.  Likely Mr. Grumb and his helpers.  "I'll be back in a sec," he murmured to Collan as he left the room to go have a look at the newcomers.


OOC:  Going to have a look at everyone that showed up.  Hopefully one of the hired hands isn't one of the guys we were shooting at the last day.   

[Collan]

Collan nodded, unclipped the clasp that held his blaster in place.

[GM Craig]

You both put yourselves on alert, and Niil goes out to the compound yard to have a look.

Three ground vehicles have rolled in to the compound, with about a dozen beings getting out of the vehicles. They open up the cargo bays and start moving heavy-duty energy storage devices out of the vehicles, forming a chain gang down to the workshop beside the storage bay.

You see Mr. Grumb overseeing the work. He spots you and nods pleasantly. A couple of the workers smile and nod as they move past you, but otherwise tend diligently to their work. The workers look (and smell) like they have been in the field a while. They seem a happy group, joking and kibitzing with each other. You don't see anyone you recognize among their number. Most of the workers are human, with three of the Kothe by their look. There is also one Gran among the workers.