Governor's Gambit - Star Wars SI into Imperial Governor

[Yacov]

We just need something to really make the Myto Sector really be distinguished.

We can't say the shipyards, that's a consumer industry with more reliance on outside products to finish their work.

Perhaps the unexplored jungles or biomes of Minda 2 will pull a miracle and give us the next pharmaceutical wonder. Las and the Guild did seize the assets and data from that company that hid the knowledge of the lizard people civilization, maybe they found stuff worth lying and trying to interrogate that princess.

Click to shrink...

If we are talking about a territory/sector advantage for the Myto Sector in coming years of conflict, I can think of two words: mobilized population. Large amounts of the Sector's population are either armed and varying degrees of loyal, or working to directly or indirectly supporting Moff Las' agenda. It may not sound as glamorous as shipyards or tanks, but it is still really valuable to have.

The surrounding sectors may be more populous than Myto, but I think Myto would have the claim to having the largest proportion of the Sector's population actively pulling in the same direction and that direction being loyalist. Come Endor I can see the other warlords try to achieve Myto's level of internal unity, but there are just going to be too many internal factions and dissidents pulling in different, conflicting, and even adversarial directions.

That level of unity is going to allow Las and Myto to punch far above the weight their numbers would suggest. Las may not have the most amount of elites like Stormtroopers, but post Endor he is going to retain one of the most "filled out" armies among the warlords with things like logistics chains and relatively large amounts second line formations to take care of things while the offensive formations go and smash Las' enemies.

 

[OrderedOrb]

If we are talking about a territory/sector advantage for the Myto Sector in coming years of conflict, I can think of two words: mobilized population. Large amounts of the Sector's population are either armed and varying degrees of loyal, or working to directly or indirectly supporting Moff Las' agenda. It may not sound as glamorous as shipyards or tanks, but it is still really valuable to have.

The surrounding sectors may be more populous than Myto, but I think Myto would have the claim to having the largest proportion of the Sector's population actively pulling in the same direction and that direction being loyalist. Come Endor I can see the other warlords try to achieve Myto's level of internal unity, but there are just going to be too many internal factions and dissidents pulling in different, conflicting, and even adversarial directions.

That level of unity is going to allow Las and Myto to punch far above the weight their numbers would suggest. Las may not have the most amount of elites like Stormtroopers, but post Endor he is going to retain one of the most "filled out" armies among the warlords with things like logistics chains and relatively large amounts second line formations to take care of things while the offensive formations go and smash Las' enemies.

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Robert Baratheon: What's the bigger number, five or one?
Cersei: Five, obviously.
Robert Baratheon: (Holds up hand with fingers spread) Five. (Clenches fingers into a fist) One.

Pretty sure that quote sums up the big unity advantage right there, and it's a good point to make. Many times in history have larger or more powerful forces on paper been defeated by smaller forces because the former couldn't get their shit together even as the latter punched WAY ahead of their weight class to take them down.

 

[TheWrittenWyrm]

"N-no? I'm just a normal stormtrooper…"

She laughed at that. "No way! I've seen normal stormtroopers, and most are mediocre at best. The older ones are pretty good, but not very common."

"W-well, I…I'm pretty a-average, I think." He replied, suddenly very glad he was wearing a helmet. The blush on his face was atomic.

Click to shrink...

What they teach in the Myto sector is how to score dates with the ladies, it seems..

 

[Yacov]

Omake: PER-C Light Duty

Production Information

Manufacturer: Cushions Express (subsidiary of the Imperial Guild of Commerce, Production, and Protection)

Model: PER-C Light Duty

Type: Light duty scout ship

Cost:

• 52,000 credits new (military model)
• 42,000 credits new (civilian export model)

——

Technical Specifications

Length: 8 meters

Width: 12 meters

Height: 2.25 meters

Engine unit(s): 2 Hoersch-Kessel ion drives

Maximum atmospheric speed: 900 km/h

Hyperdrive: none

Shielding: decent civilian grade shield generator

Power: civilian grade fusion generator

Hull: titanium hull

Sensors: medium range sensors outside of the holocam system

Armament:

• Standard military model
  • 1 laser cannon
• Civilian model
  • None
• Modified fighter-bomber model
  • 1 L-s1 laser cannon
  • Small bomber bay

Crew: 2

• 1 pilot
• 1 reconnaissance specialist

Minimum crew: 1

Passengers: Up to 2

Cargo Capacity: 200 kg, more if the two passenger seats are removed

Life Support: high quality

Consumables: 5 days

Other systems:

• Wide canopy
• Comfy seats
• Enhanced stabilizers
• Enhanced internal thermal regulation
• 57C holocam
• Longe range data transmitter
• "Piercing Wail" model distress beacon

——

Usage

Availability: Licensed

Roles:

• Reconnaissance
• Non-combat military duties
• Military trainer
• Racing starfighter
• Civil touring

Affiliation:

• PDFs
• Fourth line military formations
• Low ranking starfighter racers
• Civilian touring companies

——

Description
"And if you look on the left you will see a lovely view of the valleys just outside of Edinspire." - Highreach Canyon Tours pilot giving an update during their civil tour flight.

The PER-C is a light duty small craft designed for low priority scouting missions and other non-combat operations. This starship has maintained an untainted reputation despite being manufactured and utilized by the Galactic Empire. The PER-C also enjoys a niche in the civilian market as a touring and racing ship with its unarmed civilian variant.

Procurement History
"We don't need another TIE or some hanger queen. We just want an affordable ship that can do a quiet patrol and get back to base with minimal chance of issues." - Wording of the procurement officer when discussing their requirements.

At the dawn of 2 ABY the Myto sector was facing a starfighter frame shortage. The uptick in piratical activity proved to be increasingly more severe throughout the sector. Sector and system forces responded by building and refitting more TIEs to frontline postings. Things were getting so bad some system navies were resorting to plundering outdated Y-wings from local salvage yards.

This increasing frontward facing focus would have its consequences however. Low priority patrol routes were left undersupplied as flights that were flown by the TIE Light Duty lagged behind or were not flown at all as anti-pirate patrols kept being given greater priority. Using shuttles proved nonviable as they were required for an ever increasing amount supply runs and requests for Viper probe droids were denied as sectors with significant Rebel activity were deemed higher priority.

The issue was made startlingly clear when a pirate raid surprised a remote research facility on the world of Quxitol, making off with substantial quantities of scientific equipment. This brazen attack was a wake up call and the a short term procurement contract was put out for a ship design to perform non-combat missions until the situation calmed down or production of other platforms could be increased.

Representatives of major shipbuilding firms such as Kuat and Seinar did not even bother to respond to the contract. They saw it as too short term and limited in scope to invest the capital into. A design that would only be in limited production for a few years was considered not worth their time and the effort of retooling production when demand for more profitable designs was at an all time high. This left the military contract up for grabs for smaller players, and eventually it reluctantly fell into the hands of Cushions Express, a civilian ship manufacturer within the IGCPP.

Design
"Would I want to fight in a PER-C over a TIE? No. Would I want to fly a long patrol without combat in a PER-C over a TIE? Definitely." - Imperial pilot comparing the amenity differences of a PER-C and a TIE.

Cushions Express built their designs with crew comfort and reliability in mind and the Peripheral Environment Reconnaissance Craft, or PER-C for short, continued in this design philosophy. A relatively large amount of Credits were spent on pilot comforts as compared to a standard TIE. Comfortable seating for long flights that the company also put in its civilian designs, a wide canopy for viewing with your eyes instead of relying mostly on sensors, enhanced stabilizers for long flights, and a more spacious and pressurized cockpit with enhanced temperature controls to be able to take off your pressurized helmet mid flight for some fresher temperate air. It got to the point that some the procurement committee tried to argue the pilot amenities were excessive and could potentially damage discipline. However Cushions Express managed to lower the price enough due to already having the supply chains set up for other projects that those concerns were dismissed.

The shape of the PER-C was more wide than long with most of that width taken up by the wings. Its two engines were placed next to the body of the plane rather than the tips of the wings. Once again there was some pushback citing the ship would not fit in hangars designed for the smaller TIEs. However it was pointed out that these bases were already suffering from a ship shortage and most were designed to fit Lambda shuttles, so finding space for the wider ship shouldn't be an issue.

The most technically sophisticated piece of equipment in the PER-C was a 57C holocam modified to take reconnaissance holographic images. The military grade holocam was installed in the bottom of the craft and could be retracted back into the body to avoid damaging it. Those high detail images could be transmitted back to base from hundreds of kilometers away for current or later review on a holoprojector. This was often enough for simple patrols from back line bases in low conflict areas.

Unfortunately commissioning a company that primarily manufactured civilian ships for a military project did have its drawbacks. Outside of the holocam, Cushions Express did not have the access or clearance for most other military grade technologies and components. This resulted in the PER-C being composed primarily of civilian technologies such as the propulsion being two Hoersch-Kessel ion drives instead of a more militarized drive like the twin ion engine and a weaker laser cannon than a L-s1. Even if such components were available, the power draw from the long range data transmitter and the shields meant that the PER-C would be unable to power more powerful weapons or engines with its standard power generation. This resulted in a ship that was evaluated as overall weaker than the starfighter it was replacing in terms of speed and combat performance.

There were efforts by buyers to enhance the combat utility of the PER-C. One common post-purchase modification was to remove most of the holocam compartment and replace it with a rather anemic bomber bay. This change made a PER-C capable of launching a small barrage of unguided bombs all at once downwards relative to the craft via a simple repulsor installed in the top of the bay. Enough firepower to soften up the defenses of a small town or an unfortified criminal hideout for the ground troops. Its electronics systems modified for calculating targeting solutions rather than for scouting purposes. The removal of the long range data transmission capability allowed for the laser cannon to be upgraded to an L-s1 bringing this variant up to half the fighter-to-fighter firepower of a standard TIE/ln. This turned the PER-C into a below mediocre fighter-bomber for formations struggling to source better bombers such as TIE Bombers or decades old Y-wings to destroy hard targets.

However this poor combat potential did little to dissuade the PER-C's designers in making the best ship they could. Rather than bemoan their lack of access to most of the military supply chain, they turned it to their advantage. In parallel with the military PER-C development, Cushions Express worked on a civilian export model with the military components and weaponry removed and the military grade holocam changed out for a civilian one. This civilian model would swap reconnaissance flights and supply runs for civil touring and in-system courier contracts.

The heavy use of widely available civilian components in both models allowed the production lines to be swapped between the two fairly quickly as needed. Given the temporary nature of the production contract and the low evaluation of the ship, the Imperial government turned a blind eye to this practice. Labeling it as an acceptable cost of acquiring a solution to their temporary shortage from the civilian sector.

Typical Pilots
"You can't be mad at someone for winning a race in a PER-C. It is just too respectable." - A common saying in the racer community.

The PER-C is a starship that straddles two worlds. On one side it is expected to operate in a military setting and keep consistently performing even under less than ideal conditions. On the other side it was also designed to be appealing to a private consumer who wants to be comfortable and enjoy the activity of flying. This is expressed in the two kinds of pilots that the PER-C is known for.

First are those pilots that tend to fly the military and unmodified civilian models. These pilots tend to be on the older side with a reliable, mature nature. They don't fly for glory or the adrenaline of combat, but rather to earn a paycheck and support whatever dependents or long term expenses they have. While none of them are ace pilots, they have a reputation for consistent performance with lower instances of burnout and volatility from continuous flights than average. Nevertheless when backed into a corner they can often prove deceptively skilled at evading enemy fire and keeping their cool.

The second kind of pilot the PER-C attracts are amateur starfighter racers. They take advantage of the export models' cheap price and generous space to modify it to their personal tastes and turn it into a racing starfighter. Racers would often shave down the wings and convert the space meant for passengers and cameras into a bigger reactor and more thrusters. While these variants are not good enough to compete with starfighters specially designed for the sport, the PER-C is a decent option for beginner racers who have yet to attract a sponsor. These pilots are often amateurs in it for the fun of the sport and value comfort and enjoyment over peak performance. They might not always be at the podium, but they tend to always have drinking buddies at the afterparty.

Conclusion

"Flying in my PER-C is all I can do these days with my bad back, but I wouldn't trade the feeling of taking to the skies for anything." - Retired Imperial pilot in an interview following his honorable discharge.

The PER-C at its core is a workhorse more than a warhorse or a racehorse. Designed for those who military pilots who have lost the taste for glory, but still have the desire to fly whether for duty, adventure, or just to pay the bills. It might not be high spec, but it can certainly do the lazy low priority patrols while the real dogfighters go off and fight pirates, Rebels, and other things that will try to kill them. Yet the second life in the civilian market proved it had worth beyond the short lived contract it was designed for.

——

Figured with all the TIEs getting converted to better and more expensive refits, something had to take its place for all the not shooting stuff. For all the focus on high spec top of the line fighters, a no nonsense basic aircraft to handle non-combat military flights outside of logistics is also essential in any sane air force. And no, suicide sleds where all the corners deemed unnecessary are cut for mass production like the standard TIE don't count. There is a difference.

Inspiration for this one is the Percival Vega Gull, a British wood and fabric plane produced in the latter half of the 1930s and was retired in 1945. It had a respectable service record in both civilian and military aviation history that didn't revolve around killing people. Which is impressive considering what was happening in the 30s and 40s. Inspiration for the shape came from the Northrop XP-79. A failed plane design built in 1945 that I feel captures the logic and whimsy that Star Wars' ships are known for. Look at it and tell me it wouldn't fit in a Star Wars starport or fleet overlook scene. I ended up giving it the Percival's body length so it could fit the 4 people for the civil touring role.

Crossposted on SB and SV

 

[AdrianXIV]

Biggest advantage that Las's TIEs have over Thrawn's Defenders:

Factiories making them still exist

 

[SwaffleWaffle]

Biggest advantage that Las's TIEs have over Thrawn's Defenders:

Factiories making them still exist

Click to shrink...

Las is also still around, whereas Thrawn is missing in action, at the very least

 

[Freefaller]

Chp-116-Interlude

Ecressys
Velcar Sector
2.6 ABY
1 month post holo-net crisis

"...and I assure you, this will not happen again. More opportunities will come your way, of that I can promise."

The merchants and magnates arrayed before him seemed at best only slightly mollified by his words, if their grumbling was anything to go by. Still, his relief was palpable as they left the holo call one by one.

Only once he was alone in his office did his sigh. These damned merchants, couldn't they give him a break!

Sure, he'd promised them the deal of a lifetime. The entire Myto Sector, open and ripe for expansion. The deal he struck with that slimy Moff Mola was supposed to give Velcar merchants every advantage possible!

Better prices, better deals, and the ability to expand their companies into the sector as they saw fit! Sure, it was only until the holonet crisis ended, but that should've lasted months!

By the time it was over, Velcar interests would have a major power bloc in the sector, making further expansion easier. Instead, within a week most of the relays were back online, and now nearly a month later the sector was nearly back to its previous state.

But the worst part? The Velcar oligarchs kept harassing him about it! Even after all this time, they were still on his ass about his failure to ensure a good opportunity, making snide comments about getting a better Moff.

Now his position was in danger, and he was stuck there, having to appease the snakes that surrounded him.

"Master?" came a voice to his side. A Twi'lek girl, young and green skinned. He couldn't place her name yet, she hadn't been around enough for him to bother remembering it.

"What is it!" he snapped, too annoyed to even enjoy her still developing curves.

"Gregor Raquoran sent out an invitation to most Commerce Zone members for a gala in his palace. The Governor-General has been invited as well."

The slaves shaking hands held out a datapad, and he snatched it from her, waving her away with his other hand. As he read through the invitation, a growing sense of unease washed over him.

This invite wasn't for him, of course, but one his people had intercepted. Gregor was a longtime rival, the obese wall of flesh having angled for his seat for years. But Ecressys was smarter than that.

He knew Gregor would jump at this opportunity. But the Governor-General? Hiral was by and large focused on the mid-rim sections of the oversector.

No, the Governor-General wouldn't go – a representative! Less power, yet a connection to Hiral nonetheless, and more easily bribed at that!

The datapad went flying, slamming into the wall as screamed in rage. Damn that Moff Mola and his trickery!

–

Darna Sabrir
Minda System
2.7 ABY
2 months post holo-net crisis

Darna Sabrir considered herself something of a rational person.

Oh, sure, she had her moments of anger and passion. But for the most part, she maintained a professional and controlled demeanor.

After all, she was Guildmistress of the IGCPP. Her word had immense political and economic power, and it was her responsibility to wield that power with sound judgement.

Yet, as she'd already said, Darna had her moments of anger. Of passion. It was why she started HAVEN, after all. Why she worked with that stuck up ISB officer.

It was why she was cackling like a madwoman as she read the report before her.

After the Holonet crisis, HAVEN had been hard at work scouring for any possible source of the attack. The kill teams had been prepped for immediate deployment at any sign of a source.

She'd never seen Las sign off on an order so quickly. Then again, she'd never seen Las that angry.

Scared, sure. Nervous, on occasion. Tired just about all the time. But angry? It was a new one.

They hadn't found anything, though they kept looking. Agents scoured the sector, but leads were few and far in between, and had yet to lead to anything coming close to notable.

But that hadn't been the only place they'd looked. After the Velcar sector put forth that awful deal, Las had ordered HAVEN to cause a little mischief there.

The Velcar Sector, being the premier slavery capital of the Oversector, was a target HAVEN was all too happy to go after.

And the report before her detailed just that.

Nothing huge, no. That wasn't the goal. But small things. Technical malfunctions that meant the environmental regulator was a little off, so when some magnates sat down for a meeting, they were sweatier than they should've been. Uncomfortable, so to speak.

And when powerful people with too much pride and too little sense are uncomfortable, they get irritable.

That meeting hadn't devolved into a screaming match, but it had come close.

Another was paying off a waiter to bring one magnate's guest a smaller, colder portion during a dinner. The guest saw it as a slight, and stewed silently in anger while the others chatted away carefree.

These things weren't the larger info gathering operations HAVEN was used to within the Myto sector. But, given time, the ego of the slavers would do most of the work for them.

Especially when laxatives were involved. Those were her favorite to read.

The more chaos reigned in the Velcar sector, the safer Myto was. And eventually, she hoped HAVEN would have the power to start covertly freeing slaves throughout Velcar space.

A long way off, she knew. Las was many things, but reckless wasn't one of them. He'd wait, as he always did, and while she didn't always agree with his choices she respected the command structure.

After all, it ensured that Thorne, with that stick up his ass, was kept in check. Hell, the stick was probably up to Imperial regulations!

"Ma'am" came the voice of her secretary through the intercom "your shuttle is ready."

"I'll be right out." she responded, as she took one last look at herself in the mirror. Her dress was an ocean blue, with golden stars shooting across its features. Various strips of looser fabric hung from her arms and lekku, toned to lighter shades reminiscent of shallow seas

All planned, of course, as she was off to a dinner with both representatives of Abyssal Industries and Quarren United. The latter being a newcomer to the sector and wanting space on the same water-moon that Abyssal currently dominated.

After all, the Myto Sector had just become more enticing after showcasing its ability to bounce back from a crisis so easily. Business was booming, from a nascent local hyperdrive and nav-computer industry to shipyards galore, it was a true center of local commerce.

So, she was to settle the dispute over a lovely dinner, ensuring both parties got their share and played nice with local laws. Though, if she was being honest, she would be trying to get the Quarrens to stay.

They may be an isolationist species, but if they knew anything about Mon Calamari shield designs, it would be worth it.

Ife would owe her big time.

–

Jir Coru
Minda System
2.8 ABY
3 months post holo-net crisis

"Given the information arrayed before me, I will be denying your promotion to Rank IV."

Jir's voice was smooth, her assessment delivered with the crisp tone of someone used to command.

In the corner of her vision, her Yewcast Augmented Reality glasses listed cultural tonalities.

Cultural Persuasion Note: Mandalorians value honor, discipline, and martial might. Maintain eye contact and keep speech clear and concise.

Perfect. It wasn't as though she operated in any other way.

Across from her desk, a helmeted Mandalorian sat, emotionless visor staring back at her. The beskar shone in the soft lighting of the meeting room.

The lighting was reminiscent of the light of Mandalore's star, a part of the Guild's cultural accommodation. As Mandalorians wore full armor and Mandalore itself was only livable within climate controlled dome-cities, full environmental regulation was unneeded.

Better than dealing with Wookies. Kashyyyk's climate was so humid she'd had to wear a special uniform to keep from sweating or wiping her brow constantly.

"...and why is that?" His confusion was evident, laced with an almost accusatory undertone.

If Jir hadn't read the man's file beforehand, his tone of voice would've told her everything she needed to know.

"While your status as a Mandalorian Clan Mercenary does give you some benefits, it does not entitle you to advancement past Rank III without a proper promotion. And currently, while your skills are up to par for a Rank IV, your client-side skills are abysmal."

He scoffed, leaning forward as though to challenge her claim, but Jir barreled onwards. Giving abrasive types like him a chance to retaliate was always a bad idea. Her time at the academy had taught her much.

"We've received dozens of complaints from various clients regarding your conduct. Your after-action reports are barely competent. And you often leave mission sites a smoldering wreck."

"Keeping them intact is optional!"

"Not if you want a promotion. Now, it's not as though this is unfixable." She wasn't quite sure of that, but upselling was the name of the game in the Guild. Her glasses were filled with small 'side quests', as they were called.

Frivolous, but Jir excelled in all things, and that would include selling mercenaries courses on 'Intricacies of Alderaanian Baking' if that meant rising higher.

"Your client-side skills can be improved by taking this set of courses" a press of a button had the rooms miniature holoprojector light up, listing five courses on client mannerisms, common cultural taboos for the most common species and cultures, and more.

"As a Clan Mercenary these are covered by your Clan contract and should function adequately as a starting point. However, better performance can be achieved by attending our advanced courses, such as Advanced Conflict-Descalation and courses in alternative mission-completion methods."

Successfully Advertised: Advanced Courses +15GP

Another dozen courses appeared on the list, these of course being paid courses. The Mando's helmet moved slightly as he read through the list.

"Low Observability Infil-Exfil? Psychological Warfare and Fabricated Realities? Non-Lethal Subjugation and Containment? These are fools games! I am a Mandalorian, and my enemies will face the wrath of my blaster–"

"And you will stay unpromoted." Jir butted in, killing off his momentum. "Most mercenaries average out at RIII, so staying at the rank is perfectly acceptable for someone of your current competency. However, RIV members are held to higher, stricter standards. They accept more difficult missions, work in more delicate and variable environments, and are therefore expected to exude excellence."

The meeting continued, the Mandalorian bringing up more and more points, and getting shot down time and time again. At the same time, Jir ensured she continued to advertise as many things as possible.

Successfully Advertised: Tolerance Courses +15GP

Successfully Advertised: Advanced Starfighter Training +15GP

Successfully Advertised: TR-55 "Coral" Blaster Pistol +5GP

Successfully Advertised: Introduction to Alderaanian Baking +30GP

By the end of it, Jir left content with the work she had done, and the Mandalorian left without a promotion, and a schedule packed with classes.

Not to mention, she'd earned a large amount of Guild Points. That free Luxury PDA was hers! It could sell for at least 200 Credits at the right places.

At that point, the day was over. In her mind, a map appeared of her route to her apartment. She could check her PDA, of course, but it was always prudent to have a perfect mental map. You never knew.

From the office, she'd take the train down to the Kailin district to run some errands and pick up a new blaster from her contact. Unregistered, of course, the other unregistered pistol didn't have a secure enough background for her liking, it was just the cheapest she could manage.

Under her uniform, she subtly adjusted the armoring hidden beneath. A holdover from her days as an Imperial Commandant, she'd had some flexible armor plating fitted to her proportions. They fit well under this new uniform as well, and she always wore them. They were rated for low level blasters, vibroblades and variety of other threats.

From there, she'd pick up groceries from that small store on the corner run by one of the Tula natives. They only sold native foodstuffs, and at least for the moment got tax breaks to help integration making their products cheaper. She already had backup options ready for when said tax break ended.

After that, it would only be a quick stop at– "Hey Jir!"

Annoyance settled across her mind even as a polite smile graced her features. "Hello, Melandre."

The Torgruta just smiled that blinding, irritating smile of hers. "Me and the others were going out for a drink or two. You want in?"

No, Jir thought, I don't want in. "I see no reason why not."

But what she wanted wasn't relevant here. What she needed was an in.

This so called 'friend group' had been remarkably difficult to ingratiate herself to. But her progress on other fronts was stalled, so this was her best bet. Make 'friends' here, and use them to rise up the ranks.

That was how she found herself in a bar, two hours and three drinks later.

"...and then she came back, holding a blaster twice her size, asking if it was regulation!"

Jir hadn't thought Colber was one for comedy, but once drunk apparently she was. Somewhere in the distance, she thought she heard someone laughing alongside the others.

The joke was funny, she thought. Outloud, she said–

"Ha! Tha's a sharp one. Wha's a good circuit-burner, an' da's no slaggin' lie. Har'ly breathed, I did."

The others stopped, eyes staring at her. What? She thought, I just said–

Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't say 'the joke was funny'. Her eyes darted to the menu a second slower than she would've liked.

She hadn't read the alcohol percentage. Melandre had ordered for all of them.

The others were still staring. Her heart was beating faster now. She let the accent out. In a quick motion, under the table, she brought a fingernail down hard on the soft flesh between her index finger and thumb.

Pain emanated from the nerve point, washing over her, the adrenaline fighting back just a bit against the inebriation.

"I gotta–I must be on my way." she said abruptly, already on her feet. She heard questions, a protest or two, but it didn't matter. Her bag was around her shoulder and she was gone.

First, into the bathroom. She ran the sink cold, filled it up and plunged her whole head in, waiting a few seconds without breathing to activate more of her fight or flight response.

After that, she took the back exit. Her mental map wouldn't be reliable. Instead, she plotted the quickest route to her apartment using her PDA. A quick few button presses overlaid the route onto her glasses. Her personal ones, of course.

From there, she was off. Her mind focused on one thing at a time. Stay no more than 6 inches from the nearest wall, walk straight, keep all items of value in your bag, and your bag held with both arms.

Yet, a part of her mind didn't focus on that. Instead, it reran that moment at the bar over and over again. Berating her, mocking her. Telling her she never really left Coruscant, did she. Not truly.

A part of her would always live in those tunnels.

The route was longer than normal, on account of the metro that normally connected right with her building being maintained. Instead, she was forced to navigate the city by foot.

She could've taken another form of public transit, but in that moment her mind was focusing on as few variables as possible. The less she had to track, the fewer chances for the inebriation to cause problems.

The longer route took her through mostly main streets. However, a few necessitated shorter paths, cutting through the narrow alleys of the city between the shadows of skyscrapers.

It was in one such alley that someone tried to mug her.

He was tall, human looking, though most other details escaped her. He was talking, something about money or whatnot. It didn't matter. She didn't back down from fools like this.

Out of pocket came a knife. Shit. She wasn't going to be fast enough to draw on him.

Instead, she backed up into the wall behind her. Removing any chance of flanking, and anchoring her. Inebriation would just make fancy footwork and dodging impossible.

Her arms started to come up, a defensive posture. Catch the blade on her arm, get him as he overextended. Then the blade started to hum.

Vibroblade.

She raised her arms higher, extending outwards closer to eye level. If that thing hit her arms she'd lose one. Better to let the armor tank it.

The man lunged, arm extending outwards. It hit, buzzing noise slicing through the air.

Instead of gutting her like a fish, the blade caught on her armor, shredding the cloth above.

He started to pull back, readying another stab but she was already on him, hand on his head, fingers scrabbling–

A scream ripped through the night, painful and high.

Her thumb was in his eyesocket, glove only barely muting the sensation as the eye popped beneath her finger. The sudden pressure brought heat with it, blood and intraoculur gel flooding into the cavity.

The other eye went next, the Jir bringing her other hand to bear. The mugger hadn't stopped screaming, blade already dropped on the ground as his hands rushed up to his face, desperate to stop the pain.

As he tumbled down, body spasming in agony, Jir went for the weapon. It slid easily into his heart, no more resistance than poking a finger through paper.

She left it there. The gloves ensured no prints would be left behind, and keeping a murder weapon was always a bad idea. Instead, she removed the gloves, hiding them in her bag as she left the alley post-haste.

It took another twenty minutes, but she arrived at her apartment. Tired, drunk, and feeling as though the world was coming apart.

Part of her wanted to curl up in her bed and cry like she used to. Back when she was dragging herself through Imperial society from the underworld, every day feeling like it was all coming apart around her, a crisis that never ended.

But she was better than that now. Even drunk, she refused to wallow in misery. Instead, she took up her PDA and added a note to it. She was buying Insta-Focus shots ASAP, so as to avoid this inebriation fiasco in the future.

Jir had worked too hard, buried too many bodies, to let this be her end.

That little girl in the sunless underside died down there, and it would stay that way.

–

Yo. Did a lot of research for this part. For Ecressys, I dug into the psychology of slavers, specifically chattel slavers in the American South. Very interesting stuff, saw themselves as almost paternal figures, had a whole system of honor. Very 'you are courting death junior brother!' vibe.

As for Jir, I actually based her off my own mom. Not in the sense that my mom is a bad person, far from it. But in the sense that my mom came to America with no English skills and through sheer perseverance dragged herself into graduating from a great college with honors in the 90's with a major accent. Not easy. And while Jir has had an objectively harder life, many lessons could be learned. Its why I chose to give Jir an underworld accent of sorts she hides.

Honestly, I straight up interviewed my mom on her life to write Jir better, and while it doesn't all come across here, it will in future appearances. Its super interesting the things a harsh life does to people, like for example making them super goal oriented, at least in my mom and Jir's case.

-Freefaller

 

[Hobbes]

Based mom

 

[krahe]

Ngl, was fully expecting her to get jumped after work by this angry merc for denying his clan promotion

 

[Frater Astrotechnicus]

The slang gave me brain damage

 

[Yacov]

"...and I assure you, this will not happen again. More opportunities will come your way, of that I can promise."

Click to shrink...

The issue with dealing with exploiting other is that sometimes the other side learns to play the game too.

This invite wasn't for him, of course, but one his people had intercepted. Gregor was a longtime rival, the obese wall of flesh having angled for his seat for years. But Ecressys was smarter than that.

Click to shrink...

Wow these two sound so assassinatible. No matter which one wins the power struggle they both sound doomed after Endor. Ecressys' power base will be too eroded, and Gregor will be too new for either to maintain stability.

Nothing huge, no. That wasn't the goal. But small things. Technical malfunctions that meant the environmental regulator was a little off, so when some magnates sat down for a meeting, they were sweatier than they should've been. Uncomfortable, so to speak.

And when powerful people with too much pride and too little sense are uncomfortable, they get irritable.

That meeting hadn't devolved into a screaming match, but it had come close.

Another was paying off a waiter to bring one magnate's guest a smaller, colder portion during a dinner. The guest saw it as a slight, and stewed silently in anger while the others chatted away carefree.

Click to shrink...

This sounds like some Cold War level espionage. Minor and petty, but able to cause Sector wide consequences if angled right.

They may be an isolationist species, but if they knew anything about Mon Calamari shield designs, it would be worth it.

Click to shrink...

Layered shields are going to be very welcome for Myto designs. The constant low level warfare in the sector means more durable shields are going to be quite handy.

Successfully Advertised: TR-55 "Coral" Blaster Pistol +5GP

Click to shrink...

Ay new blaster mention. Probably has a good stun option if Jir is shilling it.

Successfully Advertised: Introduction to Alderaanian Baking +30GP

Click to shrink...

Wonder if it includes how to bake an Aldera Meatpie? At the very least the Mando will appreciate the flatbread lessons.

Not to mention, she'd earned a large amount of Guild Points. That free Luxury PDA was hers! It could sell for at least 200 Credits at the right places.

Click to shrink...

Jir seems like the person to respond well to a point system. Especially one with tangible benefits.

She left it there. The gloves ensured no prints would be left behind, and keeping a murder weapon was always a bad idea. Instead, she removed the gloves, hiding them in her bag as she left the alley post-haste.

Click to shrink...

Well that is one way to make a bad night worse. Hope this doesn't come back to bite her since this really was no fault of her own. Still killing someone and not reporting it could cause trouble if they track it back to her.

 

[Kasikan]

Hope with all this background stuff for Jir that her kids learn some of it so they can try to reconcile things in the future. Otherwise it's just sad to see. No one should go through life like that and have nothing to show for it except more pain. At least if it can be helped. Though most families tend to have members burn each other and never ever try to reconcile. Hopefully it'll go better here for them.

It'd be interesting to see what could happen if he had his family helping him and him not trying to keep distance with all of them. Though I do get that's the SI's general idea to not take the memories of the body as your own, it would likely be better to try to grant himself a few more connections to a family that did in their own way care for the body he's piloting around. Especially if he does have the body's memories.

 

[Watching]

All planned, of course, as she was off to a dinner with both representatives of Abyssal Industries and Quarren United.

Click to shrink...

I thought the Quarrens fucked off to space with the Mon Calamari after the republic turned empire and came for their homeworld? Is this maybe another rebel front company?

 

[Blackenedthorn]

I thought the Quarrens fucked off to space with the Mon Calamari after the republic turned empire and came for their homeworld? Is this maybe another rebel front company?

Click to shrink...

Or part of a Quarren Separatist movement wanting to stay in the Empire's graces and thus they look to the most tolerant sector in the Empire; Myto.

Jir is doing very well for herself, she in an environment where she is excelling and she has a solid group of companions to relax with. Meanwhile Moff Ecressys overpromised something that he failed to investigate fully and had he known Myto would be back in business in a months time, he likely would have hired his own people to sabotage things further to stretch out the happy times as long as possible.

Spoiler: Also Moff Ecressys is responsible for this gem in the Post Endor environment, in Disney Canon

 

[Xx_BoneIdle_xX]

She needs all the therapy me thinks!

 

[Gordian_Knot]

I'm... genuinely a bit befuddled that Jir didn't report that to the authorities immediately.

She must be REALLY out of it to fall back on underworld instincts when she's in a city with a functioning and competent law enforcement sysyem.

 

[AldariSiradla]

To the guy at the other sector...
Get fucked, bitch~
Should have read the fine print!

Ah, to see HAVEN advancing nicely.
And mayhaps we can get them shipbuilders to stay?
Yeah, good good tech on the horizon, I feel.

Looks like Jir is doing well for herself.
Instincts and the mentality is still there, hard to deprogram after all that.
But she seems to be getting better somewhat.

 

[Venerable Ro]

Nasty trauma response that, though certainly understandable considering what would have happened if she'd slipped like that back in her first career. The hardest habits to drop are the ones that kept you alive.

 

[sperance]

I'm... genuinely a bit befuddled that Jir didn't report that to the authorities immediately.

She must be REALLY out of it to fall back on underworld instincts when she's in a city with a functioning and competent law enforcement sysyem.

Click to shrink...

She doesn't want to admit she lives in a city with a functioning and competent law enforcement system, because if she admits that she has to admit Las was right and she was wrong. And the whole reason she's even still in Minda is to prove that her way of life was right and that Las was wrong for discarding her.

 

[Heidao]

The den of slavers wriggling in rage like the snakes they are, pissed off that the easy money promised in exploiting medical sales in Myto was not as they expected. It's even funnier to know HAVEN was doing the equivalent of poking them with a stick from the shadows, but those slavers are already riled up as is, and the self perceived slights will have them gutting each other on their own.

Looks like Mom relaxed too much and let her old self leak out, so deep she is in her facade that bringing out the deep slum girl to the surface, horrified her. While her friends are looking agog that such a different, more chill Jir lies under the hood, she bolts in a hurry home.

Good job on the kill with the mugger, I'm sure the quiet surveillance system that Las paid for public security, will notice her when the body's found later. But self defense is fine, she'd probably get flagged by the guild to aid in the low level merc classes.

 

[Kilvanya]

The mom seemed waaay happier working her way up the ladder then when she was actually higher up

 

[GrimmKenway8646]

Ngl, was fully expecting her to get jumped after work by this angry merc for denying his clan promotion

Click to shrink...

Nah, I'm perfectly sure that the Alderaanian baking course completely changed his life and he's currently on his way to a promotion.

 

[RageKnight]

I'm... genuinely a bit befuddled that Jir didn't report that to the authorities immediately.

She must be REALLY out of it to fall back on underworld instincts when she's in a city with a functioning and competent law enforcement sysyem.

Click to shrink...

Remember , she's drunk as fuck to the point that her gangster accent came out

 

[Deathwings]

Whoever came up with the idea of giving guild employees "side quests" truly is an evil genius.

 

[Rustic]

Chapter 116 I enjoyed the mother in this chapter even before you left a note about your own mother.

You know you haven't really talked about how the general who was shafted for equipment was doing.

I am aware you have plenty of toys but the army has a bad budget. So couldn't get cool toys and equipment. Could we get a follow-up on your ground pounder infantrymen.

 

[dogbertcarroll]

Mando sends a mugger to deal with petty bureaucrat. Watches from cover as she deals with the problem and covers her tracks. Develops a crush.

 

[Yacov]

Omake: PL-340 Sentihauler

Production Information

Manufacturer: Imperial Shipyards in the Myto Sector

Model: PL-340 Sentihaulter

Type: Passenger liner

Cost: 1,800,000 credits new
1,300,000 credits used

——

Technical Specifications

Length: 200 meters

Engine unit(s):

• 1 large ion engine
• 2 small secondary ion engines

Hyperdrive: Class 3, Class 2 if available (primary)
Class 15 (backup)

Shielding: equipped

Power: fusion generator

Hull: titanium hull

Sensors: ANs-9.5w wide range sensor system

Armament: 12 laser cannons

Crew: 150

Passengers:

• 1800 with business accommodations
• 3600 with steerage accommodations
• 7200+ with refuge accommodations

Complement:

• 4 large shuttles
• 8 small shuttles

Cargo Capacity: 3500 tons

Life Support: Well Equipped

Consumables: 1 year

Other systems:

• Extensive and easily divisible passenger accommodations (i.e. bedrooms with divider walls and beds, dedicated common areas with PADs with a downloaded library of in-flight entertainment, a decent amount of quality refreshers, etc)

——

Usage

Availability:

• Licensed

Role:

• Low-medium ranking IGCPP personnel transport
• Civil government transit
• Primary migration ships in a transit fleet

Affiliation:

• IGCPP
• Migration flotillas and fleets
• Myto Sector Government

——

Description
"Looking for a new start? Book passage on a PL-340 today and see greener (or cultural equivalent) pastures." Add for a system transit company.

The PL-340 is a large passenger liner designed to ferry large amounts of sentients between worlds on IGCPP business or as part of migration fleets. This class of vessel has been frequenting the hyperlanes around the Myto Sector assist with internal and external migration.

Design
"I don't care if it is cheaper to use a bunch of light freighters and shuttles. We are not made of hyperdrives out here, so design something able to haul more passengers per hyperdrive." - Myto Committee on Migration submitting a request for a larger passenger ship to R&D.

The overall structure of the PL-340 was designed with simplicity of construction in mind. At the front is the main passenger area filled with cabins and accommodations. Behind that is the main engineering areas, life support facilities, and crew quarters including the captain's quarters. At the back of the ship is a main large ion engine with a couple of small ion engines for support and in case of a malfunction.

Component wise, the PL-340 was kept to primarily civilian components. The only systems approaching military grade would be the armor and shields, which while tough, lacked the ability to stand up in long engagements with a similar sized foe. Armament wise, the PL-340 came with 12 laser cannons. A majority of these cannons were positioned in the front of the ship behind locked turret rooms. The designers chose to prioritize keeping the main passenger area protected than maintaining an aesthetic for the guests. These defenses were more for running away or holding off the enemy until the hyperdrive charged.

One of the sacrifices in the PL-340's design is an inability to land on the surface of most planets. This was done a cost cutting measure in both Credits and production. This deficiency is primarily supplemented by a PL-340's complement of shuttles to ferry passengers and cargo to and from the ship. Supply runs can also be supplemented by smaller freighters within the migration fleet or by employing cargo orbiters from the more developed systems they visit along their routes.

Accommodations
"Code Red! Code Red! A PL-340 has just entered the system with an Imperial fleet! Write your wills, holo your love ones, and pray!" - Nonreligious Imperial bureaucrat delivering news of an incoming fleet heading towards their planet.

Despite its size and passenger capacity, the PL-340 doesn't really fit a luxury liner classification given it was meant to ferry working class sentients than luxury tourists. This is clear in the accommodations offered to its passengers. A passenger area is filled with cabins that is decently sized for a small family initially. However these areas also have the ability to be easily divided into more communal units with divider walls and additional beds depending on the class of accommodations.

At the highest accommodations, the PL-340 can house up to 1,800 passengers in the business class accommodation. This is for mainly lower level white collar workers or supervisors of blue collar jobs. Enough space for a dedicated office area and the utilities and amenities will always be available. When a PL-340 is filled with business class accommodations that often means one of three scenarios. One a bunch middle class sentients are moving from one well-to-do system to another well-to-do system for a job transfer or another similar situation. Two there is a business convention happening and a large amount of businesspeople need to gather in one system where the convention is happening. Three the Sector Government decides to ship throngs of low level bureaucrats to a system. The third tends to happen either because an existing administration is getting expanded, or an existing administration is getting purged. This has led to the PL-340 to be viewed as a harbinger of doom by Imperial bureaucrats.

Should more passenger capacity be needed then passenger cabins can be divided up into halves for steerage accommodations for up to 3,600 sentients. Everyone still has their own bed and a small amount of room to themselves. Things might get a bit cramped in the hallways and most will be glad when the trip is over. There might be small waits for things like the refresher during peak use times. This accommodation is the most common among PL-340s. One will often find mining or agricultural workers here being shipped to a new IGCPP operation, or a large amount of immigrants seeking a new life away from whatever meager circumstances they had previously. This is the most common level of accommodation found on PL-340s with repetitious routes or are part of major migration efforts within a subsector.

Finally if the situation is truly dire, there are refuge accommodations. This reduces the room space per cabin into a fourth of what it originally was. Standard refuge accommodations are designed to uncomfortably hold up to 7,200 passengers, although it can go even higher at the cost of further straining consumables and utilities. It is common practice with this accommodation to assign an entire family to a single bed or expecting different passengers to sleep at different designated times in the same bed throughout the day. The ship's crew will be expected to share their utilities with the passengers to ensure everyone has access to refreshers and the like. This same crew may also be better armed and go on more frequent patrols in order to prevent riots and disorder among the passengers. High food and other consumable requirements will decrease travel distance and time between resupply due to high passenger count.

Refuge accommodations are only allowed to be implemented in the Myto Sector by licensed and inspected vessels or in extenuating circumstances. This is due to the potential of passengers being subjected to refuge accommodation's poor conditions without cause. Being caught with passengers in refuge accommodations without a license or a very good explanation in the Myto Sector will lead to criminal charges and fines. This has not stopped refuge accommodations being utilized outside of the Myto Sector for mass transit.

Fleet role
"You'd better get out there and defend that PL-340 with your shields and your hulls if you have to! It is our livelihoods on the line if it goes down!" - Commander encouraging his noncombat ships to protect the most important ship in their transit fleet.

All these accommodations, travel time, and passenger numbers can be augmented by the other ships within a PL-340's fleet. A lot of migration or transit fleets have compositions that allow a PL-340 to perform its job better than it would if it was just flying on its own.

In most of these fleets, one or multiple PL-340s are going to be making up a vast majority of the passenger space. This gives the PL-340 primary priority in these fleets whose main purpose is to get these passengers to from point A to point B. They will typically be positioned in the fleet formation that maximizes protection or the ability to flee should the fleet come under overwhelming fire.

Most smaller ships within a fleet containing a PL-340 will be dedicated to servicing the PL-340. This is especially true when the ship is using refuge accommodations. There could be container ships for consumables like fuel, water, and food. Light freighters might be assigned to increase the speed of unloading or offloading passengers, scout ahead to make sure the route is secure, or detach from the main fleet to go on auxiliary supply runs to keep the ship supplied. Other auxiliary functions can be extra cargo space for passengers, transportation for extra crew and other specialists, to even providing luxury tours for passengers.

Another vital component of a fleet with the PL-340 is the defense element. These can range from armed light freighters at the lowest level all the way up to escorts and proper military corvettes. Corvettes are usually the max size for hired mercenaries or private companies who use a PL-340. Rarely will a defense ship be larger than the PL-340 unless it is a government convoy or the passengers are specially important to someone of high rank. In the most extreme circumstances, non-militarized ships may be called to shield the PL-340 to give it time to escape. Although that is far less common for private ventures, even when their paychecks are on the line.

Conclusion
"I still think we would be better off not building something the size of a small warship just for hauling folks around. Better off making more warships to fight the pirates. Not like we are getting overwhelming hordes of newcomers anytime soon." - Soon to be reprimanded Minda Shipyard worker loudly complaining about the PL-340's size and his superiors' production decisions.

With an ever increasing number of migrants traveling into and around the Myto Sector, vessels like the PL-340 have been in ever increasing demand. Talks of dedicated shipyard bays are beginning to be suggested in the Sector government. Whether this large passenger ship fad lasts or falters in the face of utilizing waves of smaller vessels remains to be seen. However, the PL-340s that have been constructed are likely to remain in service for decades to come.

——

There has been some recent discussion on population on one of the sites, so I figured it was a good a time as any to finish a half finished design to haul all those personnel around the sector to operations. So why not go with the old historical route and make the something similar to a Kaiser class ocean liner. It will also be helpful moving around the thousands that will be coming in Battlestar Galactica-esque refugee fleets fleeing the collapse of the Empire. Not like whatever bucket of bolts these refugees come in on is guaranteed to be up for further traveling once they hit (sometimes literally) the first friendly port in the Sector they come across.

The image inspiration for this one is the Prison Ship from the Freelancer games. I was going to go with the Luxury Liner from the same series, but the diagonal points sticking out of it just rubbed me the wrong way.

Edit: DunHozzie over on SB contacted me with some great potential images of the PL-340. He has my thanks and appreciation since I am absolutely terrible at art design and only passable at image searching.







Crossposted on SB and SV

 

[Stelarwand030]

Technical Specifications

Length: 200 meters

Click to shrink...

I think you are missing a few 0's. 200 meters is tiny and in no way can fit 12ish thousand people.

 

[Yacov]

I think you are missing a few 0's. 200 meters is tiny and in no way can fit 12ish thousand people.

Click to shrink...

I based the passenger numbers a bit on the CR90 Corvette. If a 150 meter fairly thin ship can fit potentially 600 passengers plus crew, then something 50 meters longer, quite a bit wider and taller, and specifically made to haul passengers should be able to fit around 1800 comfortably. The Kaiser ocean liner was an aquatic boat class of a similar length and it could fit 1500 passengers including 400+ first and second class passengers with all the luxuries that entails and hundreds of crew in addition.

Now the steerage accommodations are bit like converting everything into the lowest acceptable class of accommodation. The stuff you find on really cheap airplane tickets outside of the major airlines. Something anyone of any amount of means is going to be leery of. In other words something perfectly normal to the standards of the Outer Rim lower classes.

Refuge accommodation is outright stuffing in as many passengers as possible. We are talking sleeping bags in a semi truck container and you have built a second floor out of plywood for more sleeping space levels of cram. Will it fit a lot of people? Yes. Is it legal or safe in any way? Heck no.

When you use these accommodations you are throwing out any adherence to health and safety regulations and should be arrested for using them in most situations. However there are emergencies when those regulations are better off ignored in the name of getting more people away from danger. Environmental disasters like mass volcano eruptions or dire infrastructure failures like when the oxygen generators stop working in a habitat dome for some examples. Sometimes you just need to get as many people out of a bad situation as possible as quickly as possible.

 

[oscar e Sampedro Lopez]

existing administration is getting expanded, or an existing administration is getting purged. This has led to the PL-340 to be viewed as a harbinger of doom by Imperial bureaucrats.

Click to shrink...

Hahahaha the doom of pencil pushers