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Akh watches the screens avidly as the ship clunks down through the atmosphere to the landing site. "Yes, this looks like exactly the kind of place where we will encounter problems. I'm starting to look forward to our inevitable miserable surprise." He unleashes an internally echoing sigh "But we will power through whatever it is. Somehow."
Once on the ground, Akh floats out and stretches himself to his full length in the light of the day. His body shimmers brightly, creating even more contrast against the destitution of the slave miners. Like Strek, he lets Guess handle the talking. The hobgoblins seem to like him, anyway.
Jaraduk frowns as they spot slaves during the landing.
I don't suppose we can do anything about them he mutters to his crewmates before they disembark.
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There has to be somewhere to take this shipment. This is where we were directed?
Jaraduk looks around, incredulous and irritated.
The crates are packed with explosive tape. You could wait to disarm it until ready. I'm pretty sure your... slaves won't kill themselves over this.
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Guess? translates for the rest of the crew, "Hey guys, they said the following: Oh!! Captain Grant and the esteemed crew of BD514!!! This is Lieutenant Sham of the Gideron Authority and we've been eagerly anticipating your arrival! Your crew's presence marks a joyous occassion for us! It's not often we meet transportation specialists of your caliber! We'll stop our scans immediately because to continue with any more will be disrespectful. You have our permission to land... no wait.. we REQUEST that you land as it is OUR HONOR for you to join us planetside! Labor Camp 1120 is nestled at the base of a large mountain in the northern hemisphere, sending coordinates now. Welcome friends!!"
Guess? shrugs at the rest of the crew. "Funny... they speak much friendlier in Goblin than Common. I guess compared to Goblin, they're just not as good at expressing themselves in Common."
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As the crew lands and observes the unpleasant surroundings, Guess? says to everyone, "I agree the environment is awful. But these people are at war. And it sucks to be prisoners on the losing end of a war. However, unless we want to break away from the Pact Worlds banner, lose our protections and rights as Pact World citizens and become outright criminal pirates with probably the Diaspora as our only place of safe harbor, then I suggest we keep our head down, get this delivery done, then get out.
"Normally, these circumstances can be favorable for some very, very profitable war profiteering. Afterall, these guys are hobgoblins and I'm a goblin. Ya know what that smells like to me? Take a guess?!? It smells like the perfect recipe for cha-CHING!!" Guess? rubs his thumb and index finger together to signify money.
Guess? glances out at the view of the camp again. "But given everyone's feelings about this place and prisoner living conditions, I'll agree to us just getting this deal done by the book and getting out. No funny business on the side. Which also means we don't take any actions for or against those prisoners. We remain neutral. Sound good?
"And later, when we're out of the war zone, if any of us believes that the Pact Worlds should enter into the war against the Gideron Authority then we can write or respective governmental representatives. Although I'll tell ya, no congressperson is gonna listen to me specifically because... goblin."
"Oh and by the way guys. While we're on this planet, my name's 'Grant.'"
Listening to Siib's statements, Guess? replies in Goblin...
"But like my colleague said, the cargo crates are sealed with explosive tape so if anyone unauthorized tries to access these weapons, ka-boom! Dead. The drow suppliers take the security of their arms deliveries very seriously.
"However, security precautions aside, I understand it doesn't solve the problem - which is the need for a secure location to store these weapons. Perhaps it is time to contact Commander Vash? He's the one who ordered these weapons so we're here simply as the delivery persons to drop off his order as instructed.
"While we can do so, I don't think he'll want this shipment returned to the drow on Apostae. That might also mean the drow may refuse future weapons orders. Having one's arms supplier refuse one's orders while engaged in a shooting war with Marixah trash isn't a great position to be in, I presume.
"Maybe there is an alternate planetside location that you and the Commander would like us to bring these weapons to? Just provide us the coordinates and we'll be happy to oblige. It's the least we can do as professional cargo delivery persons who care about the satisfaction of our customers and, more importantly, to support The Fight To Reclaim Our Rightful Hobgoblin Lands!"
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Very quietly over team comms, Akh comments in response to Jaraduk "This does look very sad. Some people can be happy as servants, but these definitely are looking like they'd rather be just about anything else. You don't think... maybe... we could borrow a few of them? Are these Gideron Authority people really going to notice? There's so many, after all." He stretches "Maybe they won't miss one, or ten."
Jaraduk lights up a little at one of Guess?'s suggestions.
Yes... just observe for now and maybe we can come back later. Bide our time... I think that's smart.
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"I don't always grab the first donut I see. Sometimes I'll wait and watch which ones everyone else pays attention to before making my move."
And then after maybe ten seconds of dead silence, Strek adds, "That's a metaphor, Guess?."
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"Or twenty," Del adds, nodding her head to Akh's comment over the comms. She scrunches up her nose at Guess?'s suggestion they wait for a foreign government to free slaves from another galaxy. "Yes, I'm sure a well-worded ecomm complaint will set everything right." After a moment she adds for Akh's benefit, "Sarcasm, Akh."
She crosses her arms and sighs, then tilts her head back and forth, considering Jaraduk and Strek's suggestions. "I suppose there's nothing we can do about it now. We're outnumbered, outgunned, and out-trained. Still... Donuts... Maybe we can watch this place and get word to the Marixah Republic or something. Or come back later and smuggle some out, at least. We can't leave kids in this place."
Lars nods along with the group, "Not our problem right now. We need to get this job done and get paid. I don't want to live on the street again, and I sure don't want to end up in a place like this."
At Siib's comments Lars does reply, "That's the contract, here's where we deliver. Call some more guards or something. As we've said these crates are sealed with explosive tape."
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"Grant" 's words seem to calm down the Quartermaster a tad, but she's still not budging. “I’m not signing off on this,” she insists in Common. Then she switches back to the more comforable Goblin.
One of the hobgoblin soldier's runs off on an errand. Guess? and the Quartermaster discuss terms for a minute, and eventually it seems like she leaves "Grant" little choice but to agree with her deal. Siib stomps off to a large tent with the remainder of her retinue and the lone hobgoblin solder returns with keys to two heavy duty hovertrucks. The hobgoblin calls out in broken Common. "Boxes into trucks. I get help." He slowly walks off, hopefully to return with more soldiers.
Not in a hurry to get the job done, you take a few minutes to eye the labor camp around you. Dwarf, human, and shirren "donuts" are being slowly starved and worked to death. Hobgoblin guards routinely abuse the adult prisoners, sometimes whipping them with taclashes; these whippings have shredded the shirts of many of the prisoners. Eventually a half dozen hobgoblin soldiers amble up and begin to move the large weapon crates into the back of the hover trucks.
Jaraduk notices some commotion as the truck is loaded up. The the west of you, a shirren is running towards you truck. They have just thrown a metal bucket of raw meat into the air and are fleeing for their life. You'll later notice their terrified expression, threadbare clothes, and bare feet, but for now you're more distracted by the dozen dog-like monsters breaking out of a large pen behind him! The dog-things scatter in a few directions, several attacking the nearest hobgoblin guards. But a trio of the monster hounds chase the fleeing slave and are coming right towards you!
These are hobbe hounds! Though hobbe hounds vaguely resemble canines, they are actually a species of large, blunt-nosed rodents descended from creatures known as “goblin dogs” on lost Golarion. Long ago, hobgoblins used alchemy and selective breeding to fashion their smaller cousins’ pets into sturdier and more ferocious stock for their warbands. The modern hobbe hound stands 4 feet tall at the shoulder and is 200 pounds of solid muscle. Most hobbe hounds are bred and trained to have vicious temperaments and to be loyal to only their hobgoblin keepers. These hounds are known to grab a hold of their prey and shake them until dead.
Luckily, Jaraduk's warning gives you all time to react!
Jaraduk beholds the spectacle and scratches his head.
Or sometimes a... um... donut just presents itself. Herself?
He drops his hailcannon down off of his shoulder as he glides to the right and fires at the dog in front of him.
Oh man, that's probably going to hurt our relations with the client...
In his hesitance he makes it a "warning shot."
"End up in a place like this?" Del asks Lars with a raised eyebrow. "Why would we end up in...?" She pales, then looks around nervously and whispers. "They would put us in here, wouldn't they? ...For causing trouble?" She clamps her mouth shut and her eyes dart back and forth, making her look super suspicious.
Forgetting—for a moment—the paranoia Lars's pleas instilled in her, Del points at the shirren and shouts, "Look out! We've got to help him!" She pulls out her pistol and fires at the pink dog she could kind of see.
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Akh, having been watching the donuts for any opportunities to grab one unremarkable one and store them inside himself, reacts quickly when one starts running toward the group. "Here!" He opens his mouth wide "Hide inside here!" His voice booms.
He runs toward the fleeing shirren, taclash up and ready to strike at any of the dog-creatures if they pursue.
Replying to Strek after the awkward silence, Guess? says, "Don't wait for you. I just pick my donut first. Got it!"
Addressing Del's paranoia, "Don't worry Del. I know how these people work and I'll get us all out in one piece. Who's got this? Guess?!!"
After discussing terms with Siib, Guess? will translate / explain the whole agreement to the rest of the crew and end with, "But delivering the the crates to the armory is no big deal. It's just like when we had to drive trucks back and forth to pick and drop off the yaro berries, amirite? It just so happens that these berries..." Guess? uses his thumb to point over his shoulder at the weapons crates behind him, "...are less prone to spoilage and more prone to detonate. No problem!!"
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"Trucks... I think trucks are the problem..." mutters Guess?, recalling that every time in recent memory the crew had to interact with trucks, trouble broke out.
Guess? draws his rifle and fires at the pink dog - trying his darndest not to hit Akh or the shirren-shaped donut!
"Wait wut? I hit it??"
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"Here!" He opens his mouth wide "Hide inside here!"
"I gotta do a better job at explaining metaphors.."
Strek strides adjacent to Jaraduk and draws his heavy weapon.
"Here!" He opens his mouth wide "Hide inside here!""I gotta do a better job at explaining metaphors.."
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Jaraduk's "warning shot" doesn't seem to slow the dogs at all, who keep barreling after the shirren. Del almost gets a bead on the closest hound, but the shirren prisoner keeps getting in her way! Strek and Akh prepare to get into the fight as well, but Guess? is quick on the draw. The goblin whips out his sniper rifle, spins in a complete circle and fires off a laser blast without even pulling up the scope! The laser goes right over the shirren's shoulder and directly into the oncoming dog's forehead. And yet... it doesn't slow down and it seems some of the laser was absorbed by the thing's thick hide.
The chase scene continues in front of your eyes, just out of your reach. The shirren runs forward, limping on a wounded leg. Two beasts pound after them, dodging under Akh's taclash strike. Each chomps down into one of the shirren's unarmored legs, tearing into muscle and bone. With a soft gasp the shirren collapses to the ground, bleeding out. One of the hounds picks the shirren up in it's jaws, clamped down hard. It shakes the shirren from side to side, trying to break it's life force.
On the other side of the crates, the third beast bounds forward at breakneck speed to Charge Strek! It opens it's mouth wide, biting down on Strek's arm. Luckily for the brakim, his flexibility prevents the dog from being able to clamp down onto him the same way the other did on to the prisoner.
Jaraduk SP 7/7 HP 13/13
Akh SP 9/9 HP 11/11 RP 3/3
Strek SP 1/7 HP 12/12
Guess? SP 6/6 HP 7/7
Del SP: 5/5 HP: 9/9
Lars x2 SP 5/5 HP 9/9
Blue Dog 0 Damage, charged last round
Green Dog 0 Damage
Pink Dog 8 Damage
Shirren Prisoner 15 Damage, Grappled, DYING 1
Strek takes a Guarded Step away from the dog and shoots it once..
But, seeing his shot have minimal effect, he turns to the goblin, "Hey, Guess?, how good are these dogslicers at, well, slicing dogs?"
Without skipping a beat, Guess? replies, "Paw-sibly better than your agitator."
Seeing that the dogs have some resistance to his rifle, Guess? draws his pistol and again fires at the pink dog.
Seeing how far off his shot had missed, Guess? says "Whew! It's okay, everything's back to normal now."
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"Not a metaphor! There is literally space inside me. Why does no one remember this!? We wouldn't have had that crisis with the light-unstable space turtles if people would just trust me." Akh despairs as the shirren falls "its cozy in there. or so sinjin said."
Akh aims for the hound holding the shirren, then lashes out with his taclash, empowering it with extra energy.
Guess?, what do you say we both take some target practice next time we're back on the ship.
He looks down at his heavy canon, frowning and shaking his head before dropping it to the ground. He slings the tactical doshko off of his back and swings it at the nearby dog.
Okay, now this hefty thing should do the job!
Worried over the poor shirren, Del rushes forward and shoots the green dog with her pistol. "Get away from them!"
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Strek's targeted microwaves hit the attacking beast square in the chest, but it doesn't seem to do anything more than make it angry! Guess?'s pistol shot seems even less effective than the sniper burn, though that may be because the goblin's bullet went into the nearby building. Akh and Del seem far too distraught over the shirren to fight, their weapons hitting nothing but air.
But then comes Jaraduk. Trumpets blare, a light shines down from the heaven, and the nuar's massive axe crashes into the hound's side. The beast yelps in pain and surprise, turning towards the threat!
The hound bites at Jaraduk twice, it's second attempt weakening the nuar's defenses!
One of the two dogs abandons the fallen shirren, heading towards the next closest meal. It hits Del like a freight train, clamping it's enormous jaws around her leg. Even as blood pours from her wound, it shakes the sarcesian's leg back and forth.
The only person in a worse situation than Del, the shirren's limp form continues to be shaken by the hobgoblin military monster. You're not sure how much longer they will last.
Jaraduk SP 1/7 HP 13/13
Akh SP 9/9 HP 11/11 RP 3/3
Strek SP 1/7 HP 12/12
Guess? SP 6/6 HP 7/7
Del SP: 0/5 HP: 3/9
Blue Dog 8 Damage
Green Dog 0 Damage
Pink Dog 8 Damage
Shirren Prisoner 15 Damage, Grappled, DYING 2
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Lars maintains his usual silence, instead drawing on the mysteries of the digital universe.
Without a word he sends a barrage of magical code at the hounds threatening his friends. The dog latching onto Del's leg collapses, releasing her. The beast attacking Jaraduk whimpers a little but continues to fight against the doshko.
Jaraduk SP 1/7 HP 13/13
Akh SP 9/9 HP 11/11 RP 3/3
Strek SP 1/7 HP 12/12
Guess? SP 6/6 HP 7/7
Del SP: 0/5 HP: 3/9
Blue Dog 19 Damage
Green Dog 0 Damage
Pink Dog 27 Damage
Shirren Prisoner 15 Damage, Grappled, DYING 2
"Thanks, bud. That really made a dent!"
Strek releases one hand from his heavy weapon, draws his dogslicer, and circles around Jaraduk.
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Akh persists in his attacks against the green dog, hoping that it'll get discouraged at least by the loud swooshing noises his taclash is making. However, the moment he starts swinging, something feels a bit different about these attacks...
Guess? moves to a spot where he can get a clear shot on either of the remaining two dogs, yells his distracting bluff and shoots!!
"Leave the prisoner alone! He's been having a ruff day!!"
or below is flat-footed
and -2 to saves if Stunt and Strike succeeded
It's time to put you down, pup!
Jaraduk winds up and slams his doshko on the tenacious dog.
Frustrated at a miss, he leans over and bellows at the dog, frustrated that its not intimidated by him.
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As Strek repositions defensively, Jaraduk swings right over the attacking dog's head! On the other side of the melee, Guess? threatens the dog, which apparently does not speak Goblin and is not impressed. Akh, however, bites twice into the feeding beast with his whip. The hound, jaws bloody, looks up from the dying shirren in anger and pain.
The by the truck leaps onto Jaraduk's chest, knocking the large nuar over! It's teeth rip into the side of his neck, breaking through the armor and unleashing a gush of blood. Your crewmate's limbs go limp and the hound steps off his body victoriously. Your HUD flashes brilliantly. J. COMETRUNNER VITALS DROPPING. SUMMON EMERGENCY AID IMMEDIATELY.
Akh has problems of his own, the hobgoblin menace turning on him! It attacks twice, the second time dodging under his guard to break through the android's outer shell! Akh's circuits flare once as a small amount of circulatory fluid leaks out the wound.
To the side of the battle the shirren's chest stops moving as they quietly, without ceremony or final words, pass into The Boneyard.
Jaraduk SP 0/7 HP 0/13 RP 4/4, UNCONSCIOUS, DYING
Akh SP 0/9 HP 9/11 RP 3/3
Strek SP 1/7 HP 12/12
Guess? SP 6/6 HP 7/7
Del x2 SP: 0/5 HP: 3/9
Blue Dog 19 Damage
Green Dog 12 Damage
Pink Dog 27 Damage
Shirren Prisoner 15 Damage, DEAD
Quietly, Akh says "Oh no... the donuts..." as the shirren expires. But he doesn't have time to contemplate long with the hobbe hound's crushing bite. He swings his taclash persistently, trying to knock the hound loose.
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"Tha beef's not for dinner!"
Strek rounds to the dog's flank and strikes with the mightiest of weapons..
.."Wow, these things really ARE good!"
Ignoring the pain in her mangled leg, Del pulls out a healing serum and pours it down Jaraduk's throat.
Then she aims her pistol at the blue dog towering over her friend and shoots at it.
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Del reaches her long arms out, bringing Jaraduk back from the edge. On the other side of the prone nuar, Strek really proves the goblins right. One slash of his dogslicer and the hound falls atop Jaraduk with a dull thump.
or below is flat-footed
and -2 to saves if Stunt and Strike succeeded
Guess? pulls up his pistol, firing a single round into the last dog. It stumbles towards him... one, two steps, before falling dead.
A few moments later, a trio of Gideron Authority troopers stroll onto the scene; they’re in no hurry to help. "Backward hound weapons, impossible to control." The leading trooper gives the shirren prisoner a kick with his foot while the other two pick up and heave the hound corpses onto a hover lift. "At least they took one of the occupiers with them." The hobgoblin points to the shirren's corpse and snaps twice. The troopers move over to pick up the corpse and add it to the pile. The lieutenant sighs and looks you all over. “See the medic tent if you need your wounds patched up. Occupational hazard, working with these monsters." See your looks, he raises his hands in protest. "Don’t waste your time showing pity on these pathetic specimens,” the trooper says. “All they’re good at is rushing out of their hidey holes when we least expect them, snatching what they’re after, and disappearing again. We’ll soon exterminate them.” He turns back to the other Gideron troopers. "Alright, grab the last hobbe hound and take the meat-piles to the other hound-pen. Find a sturdier prisoner for the feeding this time."
Jaraduk SP 0/7 HP 2/13 RP 4/4
Akh SP 0/9 HP 9/11 RP 3/3
Strek SP 1/7 HP 12/12
Guess? SP 6/6 HP 7/7
Del SP: 0/5 HP: 3/9
Green Dog 22 Damage
Blue Dog 24 Damage
Pink Dog 27 Damage
Shirren Prisoner 15 Damage, DEAD
Akh badly feels the need for a rest to recover from his bite wounds, but he can't help but voice a question to the troopers "Do you normally have the uh, pathetic specimens, hiding out somewhere and stealing things from the Authority?"
Guess? just nods but doesn't interject or further interact with the soldiers, trying to maintain a neutral demeanor.
Looking concerned for his teammates' health, Guess? says, "As much as you may not want to accept it, Jaraduk, Akh, and Del, I suggest you head to the medic tent anyways. It doesn't do anyone any good if we continue the delivery with you injured. And Strek, looks like you could use a breather?
"While you guys get patched up - assuming you acquiesce to their medical care - I'll keep loading the trucks."
Guess? will get to loading the trucks and getting prepped for the truck ride.
Jaraduk blinks awake, seeing the dead dog on top of him. As he re-orients to consciousness he shakes violently and throws the dog off before standing up and feeling his neck to check on the fatal wound.
He looks over at Del and realizes what has happened.
Thank you.
Jaraduk does head to the medical tent for treatment.
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Del smiles at Jaraduk, then pales as her eyes widen and she runs over to the shirren. Finding him already dead, she puts a hand to her mouth, looking absolutely distraught.
As the soldiers talk she takes a few steps back and her hands ball into fists. She can't recall a time she's ever truly wanted to hurt someone. But now? She would not mourn the hobgoblins.
She doesn't want to speak to them. Doesn't want to sully her tongue. But she shoves aside her look of disgust and asks as innocently as she can, "They sound resourceful. How many are left uncaptured?"
She nods at Guess?, agreeing that she'll accept their medical aid.
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The Gideron Authority soldier smirks. "Yes, the wretches seem to prefer the dank dark of abandoned mining tunnels to our fine accommodations. We'll stamp them out soon, though, do not worry." He nods reassuringly to Del, completely misunderstanding her intentions. "Do not worry young lady, there are very few. No more than a few hundred scattered across these hills, I should guess."
The hobgoblin troop carry the four bodies towards another pen where snarling and the gnashing of teeth soon after erupts to haunt the camp for a few cursed minutes. The injured trio rushes to the med tent where they wait in line with a half dozen hobgoblin soldiers with similar wounds. You overhear a pair of soldiers grumble about "old fashioned weapons for old fashioned enemies" and how they would "file a grievance against the beast master once the troop gets off this mudhole." Eventually the grizzled medic gets to you, spending a minute bandaging you up.
As the doctor walks away, a very loud rings across the camp as the lunch bell rings and you feel much more prepared to take on this world.
As the trio gets back from the tent to help Strek and Guess? with the boxes, another of the camp’s hobgoblin guards approaches you. He pauses a moment, taking in the details of your group - specifically Del and Jaraduk - before speaking. Oddly enough, he addresses you in Dwarven. “Word is you all are transporting guns and grenades,” he says in a casual tone. “It sure would be a shame if they ended up in the hands of the resistance.”
Whoever this is, they've changed their appearance through a pretty good disguise. In fact, you're pretty sure they're not a hobgoblin at all.
You're pretty confident that this hobgoblin soldier is a member of the Vohxa Resistance!
The nuar frowns, scratchings the back of his head.
Uh, yes yes. That would be a shame. We sort of... need this job to go well, so that we may procure a bonus!
Akh, feeling rather on edge after the sudden and rather unexplained attack, as well as the callous attitude shown by the hobgoblins, is mostly oblivious to the conversation going on between the newcomer, Del and Jaraduk. His thoughts drift to what might happen to the BD team if they crossed the Authority. It's not a pleasant picture.
Oblivious of the innuendo, and not understanding Dwarven, Strek keeps an eye out for any more donuts.
Saying this aloud if no others are around to hear. But if others are within potential earshot, then Guess? will text this to the rest of the crew, "Guys, whomever this person is, I'm pretty sure he's a member of the Vohxa Resistance. I can't possibly conceive of a reason why a hobgoblin would help the resistance or can speak dwarven... but here we have it nonetheless.
"While I'm not a fan of what the GA are doing here, I'm of the opinion we just do our jobs, deliver the goods to the contracted buyer and get off-planet without getting entangled in either side of the war."
A thoughtful look suddenly crosses Guess?'s face. He looks at Del and Jaraduk and says/texts, "But hey, it wouldn't hurt to ask a question, amirite? A question such as: If the weapons happen to land in the hands of the resistance, how many credits would happen to land in our resultingly-unemployed hands???"
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23 (So close!)