Tentacle Covered Chaos Chapter 11: Nothing's Simple

Tentacle Covered Chaos

Chapter 11: Nothing’s Simple

<<<Poppy>>>

Poppy… stared at her escort, or guards, or whatever pretentious name they wanted to choose.

“Did they draw straws or just pick knights that just went through their trials?” Her hopes of getting through her job without any trouble was plummeting by the second. Still, she could be professional about this.

And if she kept telling herself that, it might even become true at some point. The Force was bullshit like that, so it was legitimately possible. Unlikely perhaps, but entirely possible.

“Right, I hope you two can keep up,” She said to them, “And if I hear you speaking of anything being planned or put into place I will personally go to Yoda and ask that you be put into the agri-corps for being terrible at operational security. Loose lips sink ships!”

That got the two Jedi to gulp, which was soothing to Poppy for some reason. She also had the urge to smirk but didn’t.

“Right, let’s go then. We have limited time on the surface and I don’t want to waste it,” She continued, gesturing to an air car, “We’re going to be looking at the area around the biggest underground city, looking for places to put turbolasers and shields. I want a proper look at it, just in case the satellites missed some spots.”

The landscape of Ryloth was a mixed bag of a planet, it was dotted with forests, jungles, mesas, valleys and volcanoes, with a breathable atmosphere for Twi’leks and humans alike.

It was also a hellscape of horrible conditions, predators, and diseases; for when the deserts and mesas didn’t kill you. Really, just a visit was enough for a visitor to realize they lived underground for a damn good reason!

“Honestly, the absolutely best thing that could happen is to have the entire Twi’lek species just relocated to a different world entirely.” Though she also knew it wasn’t something that was economically feasible at the current time.

Or ever, in all honesty.

“Mm, you see that cliff face?” She asked, one of the two jedi, pointing at a spire nearby the city, “That either needs to be fortified or torn down. I wasn’t sure based on the maps, but dropping some artillery on top would threaten the city pretty easily. Cheaper to tear it down, really.”

Not that it was a big risk, but it was a risk. The people were used better as slaves, not dead. The CIS knew that, so mass killing them was likely off the table but it was better to remove the risk entirely. “The cities also need to have shield generators, but we don’t have the budget for that.”

“I can’t believe the Republic isn’t supporting them,” One of the jedi, the one farther away, said with a small amount of despair in his voice.

“It should have been done decades ago,” She agreed, “Fly lower, I want a look into the canyon around the spire. I have some ideas, but I need a look at it.”

More security holes, true, but she wasn’t trying to stop single infiltrators. That was impossible for an entire city, especially with the budget restrictions, but she could plan something to stop most armies.

Her aim was to give them the basis and tools for them to catch the infiltrators themselves and to stop slaver raids. Though with Kota’s little scheme that would only help. 

“Right, I have a plan,” She said, “Pull into the city before the sandstorm hits, we don’t want to get caught in it.” Was it a good plan? Not if the attackers didn’t mind mass civilian casualties and destroying industry. If they did care about that, it would be much more effective.

She hated that she had to qualify that. “Fuck I hate sith.”

The jedi seemed concerned, likely from her emotions, but they could shove it. They were supposed to keep her safe, not happy.

Honestly, she would’ve preferred some actual soldiers. Yeah, they wouldn’t have any space magic fuckery but if things went to shit they would go for the kill and not play defensive like a Jedi would. Well, if the Republic actually had an actual military that hadn’t degenerated into a ceremonial or status symbol.

Something more than fresh knights would also be nice.

Honestly? Living in a Galaxy far, far away kinda sucked.

The car shook as it landed and she left quickly, though not so quickly the knights couldn’t keep up, and moved towards the ambassadorial offices she’d been assigned to. “Right, I’m going to need some recaff and or some real strong stimulants because this is going to go on for a while. Politicians hate spending money, you see.”

One of the knights grumbled something about being guards and not errand runners.

“Correct, which is why I expect you to take initiative and listen to the force,” She replied, giving him a pointed look.

They must’ve drawn straws or the Council just picked them and decided they needed experience.

“Yes, ma’am,” At least the other knight had the decency to not grumble.

“Proactive security,” She started once she’d gotten into the suite… and covered it with her own tentacles, completely muffling her words from the microphones that were surely there (something that freaked her escorts out some), “Is better than reacting to an attack or breach.”

“Yes, ma’am,” The knight said once more.

“I’m glad you understand,” Poppy replied, “Also, I do need your names? I realize I was a touch rude by not asking, and I apologize for that.”

“Jenkins and Harry,” The knight Jenkins said, “Freshly Knighted.” Poppy didn’t need to be told that.

“Right, Jenkins I want you to find all of the ways an army can get into this place from the ground,” She requested, “And Harry, I want you to look for infiltrators that already exist. Don’t worry about the people who are anxious, look for the ones that aren’t. Also, put a collar around your throat and disguise yourself as a civilian here. Hide your lightsaber too.”

Poppy was pretty sure neither of them had spy or infiltration experience, but they were also knights and so had to have had something in the way of reasoning capabilities.

It took them a moment, but they realized what she wanted. Now she just had to hope the politicians did the same…

She wasn’t going to hold her breath, however…

<<<Harry the Knight>>>

“Stupid freaky alien…” Harry grumbled as he made his way through the underground city.

This was hardly the first mission he expected when he passed his Knight Trials. He didn’t expect anything grand like hunting down a sith or anything of the sort. But to be essentially stuck on babysitting (escorting, but really it was babysitting) duty to the Council’s latest interest was the last thing he was expecting!

Force, he wouldn’t have minded being put on the new Temple security team!

But now he was dressed as a slave, with painted green skin and ragged clothes that just so happened to cover his head to make him look like a twi'lek. It was humiliating! There were actual twi'lek slaves that were dressed better than he was!

Still, people didn’t seem to suspect he was anything but a native so maybe she had a point. Maybe.

“Wonder where those fucking Jedi went to?” Someone thought from nearby, “Heh, maybe she ate them. Wouldn’t surprise me.”

Harry didn’t stop, as that’d just draw more attention to him, and instead he casually made his way in the direction the thoughts came from. All the while wondering about the whole ‘eating’ thing. There were a lot of rumors surrounding Poppy, after all. And while he didn’t really care, he couldn’t help but feel a little curious.

It didn’t take long to see who it was, his disguise was worse than Harry’s, but he was moving quickly; practically rushing through the crowds. It made following him a pain, but…

“You don’t notice me,” He pushed into the man’s mind as he gave chase, “I’m just a slave rushing to their master.”

Ryloth did practice indentured servitude, after all.

His mind wasn’t particularly resistant, the man was human and not particularly bright, and so he was able to follow at a faster pace than would normally be allowed.

Eventually Harry followed the man to what looked to be a bar, and instead of following him in he walked around to find a place where he wouldn’t be spotted and decided to spy on the man through the Force.

Enhancing his hearing and trying to find the man’s voice proved somewhat irritating, and without any visuals he was left guessing more often than not, but eventually he found the man, or at least he hoped. 

“I can’t find the Jedi, are you sure she had an escort?” The man asked, perhaps he is using a communicator?

“She’s supposed to have two of them, and they were seen coming out of the transport with her,” A man on the other side said, “They may be in the room with her, so I need a distraction for them. You know what to do.”

“Sure, I hope the payday is worth this,” The man said, “That… thing gives me the creeps. Have you heard the rumors about it?”

“Yes, which is why I’m prepared for it.” Their voice was irritated, but controlled. “Anything else?”

“No, good hunting,” The man said, “Now… what should I do to distract the jedi?” Clearly he’d deactivated the communicator.

Now Harry was left with a choice, either return to tell Poppy or deal with the man… What was it that Poppy requested? ‘Proactive security’? Well, he could do that… the man didn’t strike him as an overly dangerous individual, just a lacky more than anything.

Harry heard the click of a device in the man’s coat as he pulled out a thermal detonator, investigating the glowing orb for a moment before standing and beginning to move. His danger level had just increased dramatically, but if attacked right then and there… a few older teens ran by.

“Sithspit!” Harry thought.

Quickly looking around he grabbed the nearest object, a rock, and, trusting in the Force, threw it hard enough to knock him out. The rock flew through the air and hit the guy causing him to fall down face first. Seeing the man down Harry threw himself towards him, snatched up the grenade and was already beeping in his hand, and, trusting in the Force once more, threw it into an empty building.

The detonation caused panic, a lot of it, as molten rock dripped from the room’s ceiling. Not that he could hear it, his ears were ringing too loudly. “Calm down,” He ordered the crowd through the force, “The situation has been resolved. We aren’t under attack.” The ‘yet’ remained unspoken.

He needed to get back to Poppy before the bounty hunter did.

Honestly, he kind of wished it was boring again. And the irony wasn’t lost on him either.

<<<Poppy>>>

“Never let it be said I’m predictable…” Poppy grumbled, “And never insinuate that sith aren’t.” Her eye wasn’t twitching, there was just something in it.

That something was rage.

Really, was it too much to ask to do her damn job without something going to hell? Even if the escort, Harry she believed, hadn’t come to tell her that there was a plot against her… well the sound of a thermal detonator would’ve answered that faster than he could use a communicator. The only problem was if it was just a greedy idiot or a team. 

Probably a team, judging by what he said. “Right, here’s what we’re going to do,” She started, talking to Jenkins, “We’re going to go up to orbit and wait for them to reveal themselves.” That earned a frown from him. “Once they do, we’re going to pretend that I’m surrendering while Harry works out a way to kill them.”

“Ah, clever,” Jenkins said, “However, are you certain their deaths are necessary?”

“Stupid Jedi not-pacifist bullshit…” Poppy thought with a sigh, “Yes. What makes you think they’ll stop if they fail? Besides, anything you can get from their brains will be on their computer systems, not that I think anything will actually be there.” Her hand waved dismissively. “I know who sent them, I just don’t have the capability to prove it and making the allegation wou-” Her words were drowned out by their transport exploding.

Poppy stared at the flaming wreck. “Oh you motherfucker…” She growled, “Ok! New plan! I gut them like a fish and you stand by and watch. There will likely be screaming.”

Jenkins didn’t look like a fan of that plan, but Poppy was simply too pissed to really give a damn what a green as grass Jedi Knight thought about her or if his opinion was nose diving! Since she’d landed in the damn galaxy she’d been in a near constant state of paranoia and anxiety, and to have some acceptable targets would do her a world of good!

“Ah, ah, ah,” She heard, voice distorted, “You don’t want to do that. Why, if you kill me there would be so many traumatized children.”

The bounty hunter was standing in the hangar, walking out of the smoke. A human wearing armor, a mask, and a long cloak. He was armed with a weapon, though what kind was impossible to tell, but his words implied that he’d set things up…

“Deadman’s switch?” He chuckled at the question. “I hate you so much right now. And always, for that matter. So, is my bounty alive or dead, sweetheart?”

“You’re not that first to say that,” The bounty hunter said, “Dead actually. Though I had the feeling the client is testing you. But, it doesn't matter to me… I’m going to get paid either way.”

“Fucking called it…” Why couldn’t she have been wrong? Why couldn’t it have been… some Hutt wanting to collect a unique slave or something? Why did that darkside fucker decide she was worth testing? 

“Alright, I see how this is going to go.” She squinted at him, head tilting. “You are bluffing, not that I care to test it but any deadman’s switch will go off when you leave the star system at best and something tells me you didn’t splurge on that range. So either you’re bluffing or you planned to kill them anyway.” One of her tendrils rose, glowing with hatred and energy. “So, which is it? Your life’s on the line either way; so best answer quickly and surrender.”

The jedi were almost certainly doing something, though she had to spend all her focus to keep from getting caught in a mine, trap, tripwire, or hijacked turret so she couldn’t really pay attention to that.

She also didn’t recognize the bounty hunter. She knew Bane wouldn’t be bluffing, but he’d honor the deal. Durge wouldn’t have bothered. Fett was dead… the galaxy had too many bounty hunters that didn’t mind working for psychopaths.

The bounty hunter chuckled. “Hmm, you’ve got a fifty-fifty chance,” He said, “You sure you’re right?”

“Does it matter if I’m wrong?” She asked, “They die if I’m wrong, but they also die if I surrender. That’s a sixty-six percent chance. Care to open one of those doors, bounty hunter?” Pressure built behind a bone spur, hollow needles filled with a paralytic poison hidden within.

Even if she was wrong, she still won. He wouldn’t die, he would suffer.

“Hmm, fine…” The bounty hunter relaxed his rifle, “I can live without getting my full payday. Besides, I couldn’t live with myself if I actually wasn’t bluffing. I’d be haunted till the day I died.”

She snorted. “No, you could. You just wouldn’t live very long, the galaxy doesn’t take kindly to child killers.” Her voice was flat.

“There’s that as well,” The bounty hunter admitted before glancing up, “Heh, seems like your Jedi is wiping up the lingering pirates. Always a pleasure to see proactive Jedi that aren’t cast out of the Order.”

“Not going to surrender?” Poppy asked, swapping the paralytic for an anesthetic in the hollows.

“Nah, really the whole job was more of a test than anything,” He said freely, “My client wanted to know if you were ruthless. Why? I don’t know, I don’t get paid to ask questions.”

“A shame you’ll never be able to tell,” She replied, firing as she did. It  wouldn’t go quite as quickly as a bullet would, but it was fast enough to not be dodged and once the venom seeped into his blood… unconsciousness wouldn’t be far behind. “You aren’t making it back to him.”

“Ah!” The bounty hunter glanced at the trio of needles in his arm, “-Clever girl. Heh, but bold of you to assume… the client doesn’t already know…” He said before falling forwards.

“You can tie him up now,” Poppy said, voice dead, “Interrogate at your leisure. Just a bit of alcohol to wake him up, and make him more pliable on the side. I’m going to go back and do my job now.”

“... Yes ma’am,” Jenkins said.

“All I wanted was one day without this shit…” She whined internally, “Welcome to Ryloth, it’ll get worse from here…”

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