"This is outrageous! You attacked a peaceful planet! You fired upon it with ship-based weaponry! This is a scandal!"
While the Senator of Ryloth, Orn Free Taa, ranted and shook his enormous cheeks... No, they really were gigantic, which was extremely surprising because in all my life in the Far, Far Away, I hadn't seen a single fat Twi'lek. And here was a prime specimen.
Which, however, wasn't surprising, considering that even their own authorities sell Twi'leks into slavery. You only have to arrive in Hutt Space to see hundreds of representatives of this race in chains on every corner. And it's not hard to guess who gets the lion's share of the profits from this "lordly table."
Ugh, how I'd love to go through the worlds of those filthy slugs with fire and sword, but...
Glancing at the raging Senator, who was non-stop pouring filth on everyone around him and screaming about dangers and threats to the public, I clenched my fist with all my might.
My mood was frankly rotten, and everything happening here was the cause.
Our stunt on Ryloth hadn't gone unnoticed, and before I could even step onto my own flagship, Rick contacted me, gently inquiring: "What the hell am I doing?"
It was lucky that along with his position, Rick Dicker hadn't lost his brains, so after listening to the explanation, he agreed with my actions and said he would try to settle everything.
He settled it, alright. By involving the Santhe/Sienar corporation, we managed to reach a consensus, and therefore everything happening now was just a beautiful play staged to calm the agitated Senate.
And the Senators were unhappy. Many of them made money on illegal things, and since our mercenary army had become quite popular, all the representatives of the Outer Rim and Mid Rim planets were rightfully concerned.
How they all irritated me. Bastards trampling on Holy Liberty and Democracy, defiling these beautiful things by their very existence.
Especially Orn Free Taa, shaking with fat that was barely covered by his spacious robe. This Twi'lek was a true double-faced son of a bitch, because just a few minutes ago, before the other interested parties arrived, he was talking to us quite normally, glancing warily at the dissatisfied Narro Sienar.
But as soon as the future witnesses of the public flogging entered the conference hall, Orn Free Taa was transformed. Disgusting... Politics... Fucking synonyms.
Speaking of interested parties. There were many people here, both representatives of specific Senatorial groups and loners...
"And all of them are clearly afraid for their shady businesses, thinking we'll march over their enterprises with an iron boot."
Well, it couldn't be any other way.
After all, it's one thing when savages from the Outer Rim kill each other or ruin the business of upstarts who don't share the loot. It's another thing when the home world of a respected sentient is attacked by a band of mercenaries who, on paper, report to the Judicial Forces.
And no one gives a damn about the people of Ryloth or what actually happened there.
Everyone was indifferent to Narro's kidnapping and the fact that without our help, an extremely unenviable fate would likely have awaited him.
And even more so, everyone was frankly indifferent to the lawlessness and slave trade happening on the planet, which infuriated me even more.
Just the fact that we could pull off something like that already worried "serious" people, forcing them to do stupid things—the prevention of which was why we staged this public flogging.
But, like any performance, this one also came to an end. Senator Luren Korta, Chairman of the Defense and Security Committee, listened to all the outrages and accepted them with a kind smile, promising to punish the innocent and reward the uninvolved... figuratively speaking.
My part was already, thank God, over, so I just waited to the side, standing at attention, just like Rick Dicker.
When all the unnecessary people left the office, the atmosphere of solemnity, tension, and the grim satisfaction of the pleased Senators left us, leaving only tired and exhausted sentients.
"For now, that is all." Wiping sweat from his forehead, Orn Free Taa deftly fished a pillbox from his pocket, then tossed a whole handful into his mouth, squinting with pleasure and transforming before our eyes. His reddened cheeks returned to a normal color, and his breathing became calmer and more peaceful. "It was a pleasure working with you, gentlemen. Once again, forgive this incident. All the best."
After listening to the return farewells, the Twi'lek, nose held high, departed. With difficulty moving his legs, he slowly floated toward the exit, barely making it into the elevator closing before him. It was amusing to watch him try not to look at me and avoid my gaze in every way, but...
Orn Free Taa still managed to defeat the gravity of his enormous body and left.
"Next time, be so kind as to warn me earlier if you intend to pull something like this," Luren Korta addressed us. A stately, tall man with a thin mustache and dark skin. He looked very much like an actor from the TV series "Game of Thrones." There was a prince there who bedded anyone with the appropriate orifices. "And to you, Mr. Narro, I must apologize. This whole sad incident almost led to an intergalactic scandal..."
Sienar only nodded gloomily, trying to avoid the gazes directed at him. Ever since his rescue, the man had been dissatisfied and upset, although at first he had been eager to talk to me... but there just hadn't been time.
Even now, after a listless farewell, the man looked toward me questioningly, which, by the way, did not go unnoticed by our interlocutors.
"Then I shall not detain you. All the best. Mr. Sienar. Mr. Altman."
"Senator. Rick." A return nod, and turning on my heels, I quickly left the hall, hoping to be back on my ship as soon as possible, surrounded by thousands of soldiers and hundreds of massive guns. Narro scurried after me, trying to keep up with my pace. "Mr. Sienar..."
"You can just call me Narro. You did save my life, after all."
"Out of personal gain..."
"Be that as it may." Shrugging his shoulders, a light smile blossomed on Sienar's face, and the reason for it quickly became clear. As soon as we stepped out of the building where the hearing took place, a blue-skinned Twi'lek woman ran toward Narro...
"Well, now... Now it's clear why he wanted to fight for the rights of slaves."
Letting the lady pass me, I watched with a laugh as she buried the happy Sienar in her ample chest. Piling on him with a thousand questions, the girl named Asha was sincerely fussing over her chosen one, her savior and knight on a white horse... though in our case, it's better to say on a warship.
After feeling touched by this scene—which clearly made the middle-aged Sienar blush as he acted like a lovestruck boy—I waved my hand, beckoning them to board the shuttle that would take us to orbit.
"Forgive me... Asha is just..."
"It's fine. On the contrary, it's good." Winking at the man, I received a dashing smile full of contentment and the blueing cheeks of the Twi'lek in return. "Come on, I'll take you back to Ryloth..."
"No! Sorry," Sienar quickly corrected himself, waving his hands. I turned around too sharply at his shout, even reflexively placing my hand on the grip of my Blaster, "we don't want to go back to Ryloth. Not right now, for sure."
"Are you sure? We have a contract." Raising an eyebrow in surprise, I asked the logical question. My tone changed slightly, causing Asha, who possessed good seeds of empathy, to recoil behind her man's back. "I don't want to threaten you, but I will officially..."
"No, no. You don't understand." My other eyebrow crawled up. "I will continue working on the project, just in a much safer environment for me, Asha, and my other colleagues."
"That I can organize," I said, nodding thoughtfully at the engineer's words as I continued walking forward, simultaneously giving the order to change course to the ship, "but what about your developments?"
"All here." Tapping his temple with his index finger, Narro smirked, clearly feeling better with every passing second. Well, not surprising, with such safety cushions behind his back. "Besides, now I'll give it my all when creating your ship."
"Not your best choice of words. I'd prefer you didn't tell me you were planning to work at half-strength."
"I... didn't quite mean it like that."
Stepping inside the shuttle, I nodded to a pair of Helldivers who promptly closed the ramp behind us. Plopping into a seat, I leaned back against the hard backrest designed for transporting big guys in full gear, not for a comfortable ride in my favorite red cloak.
"Need to buy a formal version, something more comfortable..."
"Um, Mr. Altman. Before we head to a safe place, I would like to stop by Corulag."
"That's quite a detour." I didn't want to fly there. Planets in the Inner Colonies and the Core aren't particularly hospitable to people like us. If it were up to me, I'd never go near Coruscant in my life. "Is it worth it?"
"Oh, yes. Believe me, you won't be disappointed."
***
"The creation of a starship begins with the development of the hull, which serves as the main structural part and is responsible for protecting internal systems." Opening his datapad, Narro once again looked at the battle tactics of the Helldivers, further confirming his conclusions. "Ships are needed to assist in the assault of planets, which means it must be particularly durable to constantly move in low orbit and leave it when necessary. To be protected from debris, asteroids, and junk..."
Turning on the voice recorder, Narro Sienar took a holographic pen from Asha's hands, immediately activating it and beginning to draw on a three-dimensional hologram.
"The hull is generally made of light and durable materials... Durasteel, possessing high tensile strength and resistance to extreme temperature conditions and radiation." Taking a piece of steel sheet from a tray, Sienar ran his fingers over it, recalling the exact specifications in his head. "There are simply no other options."
Under his hand, a long, elongated silhouette took shape. Moving the pen over the model without stopping, Narro became so immersed in the work that his usual slightly apathetic and calm tone changed to the complete opposite, causing his only listener to turn desperately blue.
*
"The technological process will include automated processing systems," opening a set of images and video footage, Sienar demonstrated what he was talking about. Excitement flickered in his voice, and he became more active and restless, "such as laser cutting and robotic welding, which provide the necessary precision when joining components... Modular construction? No, it will affect the strength of the joints... Dangerous."
Brewing the engineer some caf, the Twi'lek tenderly placed it in the shipbuilder's hand, to which he didn't even react, simply sipping from the cup without looking at the contents or tasting it.
"Optimize aerodynamic properties and load distribution, which will significantly increase the overall efficiency of the ship and reduce the likelihood of damage during flight." Biting his lip, the man erased part of the image, then began drawing anew. "We'll sacrifice maneuverability for the sake of durability."
A new silhouette began to appear on the modeling screen. A much more massive and even visibly durable construction. Massive side wings for the engines... were instantly erased. Narro leaned his palms on the table.
"The hull must also be capable of withstanding the impact of micrometeorites and space junk, making it critically important for long-term missions in orbit."
In the designer's head, a rough silhouette was already taking shape. Working day after day, he applied more lines, removed the unnecessary—creating a true war machine of its time.
Before his eyes was a silhouette that gradually gained more detail. A huge vessel, almost seven hundred meters long, furrowing through space. Against the backdrop of the infinite void, it slowly floated toward a planet, preparing to enter battle.
Gradually, the ship was fitted with engines, glowing with blue ion thrusters.
*
"Three... no, four main engines to maintain a medium-allowable speed," a sleepy Asha lifted her face from a notebook of records and, wiping drool from her chin, went for a new portion of caf, "three more on the sides so it can shift in orbit without turning... and a pair of braking ones right here..."
For a moment, the ship in Sienar's imagination flickered its engines, then a blue ripple ran along its hull. Like ripples on water, it spread across the entire ship, enveloping it from all sides.
Saturating with light, the bluish film acquired a pronounced color, completely covering the ship.
*
Waking up in the middle of the night, Narro blindly shrugged off the blanket draped over his shoulders, then returned to work. His red, madman's eyes stared into the silhouette of the ship, examining every detail.
Remove here, add a few strokes, lay new lines for power transmission...
"It's time," reaching back but not receiving what he wanted, the man turned around indignantly to see Asha sleeping. Leaning back in the chair, the girl had covered her face with some magazine featuring engine advertisements and was sleeping peacefully. "Asha... Hm, alright. Let her sleep."
*
Again, Narro's eyes closed, and now weapons began to grow on the ship rotating in orbit. One after another, in fast-forward, the parts mystically joined together until huge turrets with menacing gun barrels began to rotate in different directions in search of an invisible enemy.
Aiming at a nearby meteorite, the ship's guns turned in sync, then fired a salvo.
"No, too many... Not enough power, and nothing left for the belly... Need fewer." Rubbing the month-old stubble on his face, the man scratched it with his fingers in dissatisfaction, promising himself he'd shave in the morning, as he had been doing for two weeks straight. "Eight, no... six DBY-827 heavy dual turbolaser turrets."
The guns on the ship were replaced by powerful square turrets, two on the port and starboard sides and two on the belly.
"A few more H9 twin medium turbolasers in the rear and lower hemispheres, about twelve..." Small square recesses for guns were filled in the ship. "And across the entire surface, we'll add point-defense laser cannons for close range. Forty will be enough."
Guns of various calibers grew on the ship like mushrooms after rain. Nodding with satisfaction, Sienar popped a couple of pills for alertness, then returned to work before his creative fervor faded.
"Hm, still a little room left... Quad turbolaser cannons would be an excellent option. Two? Seems enough for three... I'll put two, and in the bow section, we'll cram in launch tubes." Recalculating everything once more, Narro smiled contentedly. "They eat a lot of power, but I have a solution for that problem... Then one on top, one on the belly; Sam asked to cram as much as possible in there..."
The ship in the engineer's imagination moved more actively. The engines flared, the blue ripple again ran along the hull, and then several guns struck nearby targets.
A powerful war machine was coming to life before his eyes, gradually turning into what Sienar had envisioned for his saviors and fighters against the tyranny of slavery in the galaxy.
*
"Bring the white case, please. It's under the bed..."
"On my way!" Jumping up playfully, Asha dashed off for the item, while the man himself checked the lines across the entire ship. Looking it over again and again, he became more convinced of the correctness of his idea. Let him spend his heritage... He didn't care that the idea, which should have brought him and the Santhe/Sienar company millions, if not billions of Credits, was going to an outside party. He wanted to do this, after all the changes, after his life had taken on new colors... after what he had seen on Ryloth and how it was treated in the Core worlds. "Here..."
Pulling him out of his somber but determined thoughts, Asha handed her beloved the case and began to watch with childlike interest as he opened it.
Inside was an ordinary memory drive, which was immediately connected to the computer. The minutes of waiting seemed like an eternity, and then Narro was again actively typing and drawing with the holographic pen...
"Finished." Stepping away from the table with the model, the man fell into a chair, and a moment later the Twi'lek sat on his lap; he reflexively hugged her, continuing to stare intently at his creation.
"Is this it? What you were talking about?"
"Yes..."
Shifting his gaze from Asha's beautiful, naive eyes back to the blueprint, Narro couldn't tear his eyes away from the label of the last part he had added to this ship.
"I-a1 solar ionization reactor."
Closing his eyes, he saw his creation. Practically a child, so much effort and time he had invested in this project. Not just now, but long years of work, research, projects, victories, and failures—all of it was imprinted in his work on the ship for the Helldivers...
*
His heart beat like crazy; every breath full of delight was difficult. His sweaty palms constantly slipped from Asha's fingers, who smiled understandingly and only silently supported him.
Straightening his back, Narro stepped closer, feeling his back grow wet.
Opening his eyelids, Narro Sienar swallowed thick saliva, watching through the panoramic window as the huge cruiser moved. From behind came the sound of heavy steel boots, and Sam Altman stood beside him, hands behind his back.
"This is..."
"Yes. I've finished. Your new ship."
"What did you name it?"
"..."
***
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