NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 155: Chapter 155
---Tatooine---
Putting the New Genesis in geosynchronous orbit over Mos Espa, I took Amallyn, Ahsoka, Bo-Katan, Rose, Samus, and a company of Helldivers planetside in a large shuttle pod. Granted permission to dock at the spaceport by a very nervous tower operator, a group of heavily armed guards awaited us at our assigned spot. Attempting to intimidate us with their equipment and size, they quickly began to regret their decision when the seven-and-a-half-foot-tall Helldivers disembarked with me right behind them. Looking up at our towering figures, a few of them fainted while the rest broke out into a cold sweat.
"Is this how you typically greet foreign dignitaries here on Tatooine?", I inquired, as my comrades exited the ship. "My name is Victor von Stark; I am a Primarch of the Imperium of Man. Who among you speaks on behalf of your planetary governor or lord?"
Upon discovering who I was, a green Ishi Tib hurriedly came forward to properly greet me. Pushing the security guards out of his way, the representative commanded them to stand down immediately before they incited a war.
"Forgive our wariness, Lord Stark. When you abruptly arrived in the star system, Lord Tiure was uncertain what was happening. Had we known you were an esteemed member of the Imperium's nobility, we would have prepared a more hospitable welcome!", the Ishi Tib explained, "Allow me to formally welcome you to Tatooine, my lord. May I inquire what brings such a high-ranking member of the Imperium to our humble world?"
"You do not need to be so rigid with me. Unlike most of my countrymen, I hold no disdain or ill will toward other races.", I told him, with a stone-faced expression, "As for why I am here today, a small Rogue Trader fleet went missing a few hundred light years from here. Rumor has it that part of the crew was sold as slaves to someone here on Tatooine. I am here to secure their freedom and return them safely back to our country."
"I would be more than happy to arrange meetings with various slave traders to help your search.", Ishi Tib offered, fear beginning to seep into his tone.
"There is a more personal reason for this visit as well. During my search for my countrymen, I had the pleasure of watching several podraces. I hear that Tatooine is home to several such events. If one is happening within the next week, my hope was that your lordship would allow me to participate.", I added.
"If you would, please give me a few minutes to confer with Lord Tiure. While I am sure he will approve, it is better to be safe than sorry.", the Ishi Tib requested, his nerves beginning to settle down again.
Satisfied that I was here on friendly terms, the Ishi Tib walked away from us to make the call. Hijacking their communication channel, I patiently waited for the reptilian slug to pick up.
"Have you determined who the owner of that city ship is?", Jabba asked immediately after picking up.
"Lord Tiure, the city ship belongs to the Imperium of Man. One of their Primarchs has come looking for the crew of a Rogue Trader fleet.", the Ishi Tib informed him. "What would you have me do, sir?"
"Graak Vikzel, you are absolutely certain they are with the Imperium of Man?!", Jabba spoke, his voice cracking slightly.
"Sir, I am looking at a company of extremely well-armed Space Marines and the Primarch's personal entourage.", Vikzel responded, wishing he was not the representative sent by his lord, "It is worth noting, this Primarch is far more open-minded than the others we have heard about. His entourage includes a female Space Elf and a Togruta."
"I see, in that case, give him the VIP treatment as my esteemed guest. Show him around Mos Espa's slave market; do your best to convince him we are doing our utmost to help him. Once he is satisfied that the crew is not on Tatooine, take him to my casino for drinks, food, and the finest entertainment we have to offer.", Jabba commanded.
"Of course, Lord Tiure, I will see this through every step of the way.", Vikzel assured him. "The Primarch had one more request of us. He would like to participate in a podrace, if you will allow him to. Apparently, he has taken quite a liking to them."
"Is that so?", Jabba chuckled. "I see no issue in his participation in the upcoming Boonta Eve Classic. If anything, adding a competitor from a foreign nation will increase betting and viewership. Let my esteemed guest know we are happy to add him to the lineup."
Ending the call there, the Ishi Tib took a deep breath and collected his thoughts. Once he was mentally ready, he walked back over to us and gave me his employer's response.
"Lord Tiure has asked me to serve as your guide for the duration of your stay on Tatooine. I will do my utmost to help you find your citizens and negotiate a fair price for their release. Of course, if you happen to see other slaves you are interested in, I am happy to help with purchasing them as well.", Vikzel said, turning to the guards, "You may return to your posts. Lord Stark is now our esteemed guest."
Grabbing their unconscious comrades, the guards fled from us like their lives depended on it. Stifling a chuckle, I looked back at my Helldivers for a moment before looking back at him.
"Should I dismiss my bodyguards as well?", I inquired.
"You are welcome to have them accompany us, but they may cause mass panic among the locals. As you mentioned earlier, most nonhumans are acutely aware of the xenophobia that is rampant in the Imperium of Man.", Vikzel answered, with an apologetic look.
Acknowledging his concerns, I had the Helldivers teleport back to the New Genesis. Much more relaxed, now that their cold gazes were no longer fixed upon him, Vikzel motioned for us to follow him into the city.
"In case I forgot to introduce myself earlier, my name is Graak Vikzel.", Vikzel stated, "It is a pleasure to meet all of you."
"Likewise, thank you for taking the time to show us around.", I responded, opening a private channel with Luxion. "Luxion, please dispatch several stealth and surveillance drones to Jabba's Palace; it is the ornate structure on the outskirts of the city. Based on their conversation, it is safe to assume Jabba already took possession of the Imperials and is keeping them in his dungeon."
Since it would be a bit before we arrived in the market, I began asking our guide general questions about the city. Playing the part of a curious tourist to the best of my abilities, he readily told me about the various things to do in Mos Espa.
---A Short Time Later---
Unlike the dark, gloomy slave markets I was accustomed to seeing, Mos Espa's traders operated out of booths, stalls, and tents in an open-air market space. Looking around our immediate area, hundreds of slaves were being bought and sold like livestock at a farmer's market. Admittedly, I had no issues with criminal slaves being bought and sold, but I doubted hardly anyone here fit that category.
"My word, I had no idea there were so many races in the universe!", Rose gasped, looking at all the slaves on offer with intrigue.
"This is only a small fraction of what is out there in the universe.", Samus told her as she nudged Amallyn. "You see those groupings of slaves over there? Those are what we call Space Elves."
Turning her attention to where Samus was pointing, Amallyn looked on in disbelief as she saw people that looked nearly identical to herself. Initially believing they might be a lost Aeldari subspecies, she attempted to communicate with them psychically, only to discover they had no psychic power whatsoever. Excusing herself, my Eldar lover rushed over to communicate with them verbally to hear their story.
"Well, if it isn't Mr. Vikzel!!", a Zagerian slaver called out from a nearby tent, "What brings you to the market today? Is Lord Tiure in need of more fresh slaves?"
"Oh good, I thought you might be out collecting slaves again today.", Vikzel stated, leading us over to his friend, "Lord Stark, this is Dezas Nozralill; my employer frequently purchases slaves from him. Mr. Nozralill, this is Primarch Victor von Stark of the Imperium of Man."
Immediately turning pale white, the Zygerian began looking for a quick escape route, fearing he would meet his abrupt end at my hands. Quickly stepping in to smooth over the misunderstanding, Vikzel assured him that I was not a xenophobe like other Imperials.
"Lord Stark is a much more open-minded individual than typical Imperials.", Vikzel said, motioning to Ahsoka and Amallyn. "He is already being accompanied by xenos. There is no need to worry about your safety."
"As he said, I hold no disdain for other cultures and races.", I chimed in with a smile. "Moving on, do you happen to have any Aeldari or Human slaves?"
"What is an Aeldari?", Nozralill asked, having never heard of the race before.
"They are similar in appearance to Space Elves, but instead of magic, they utilize psychic energy.", I answered, motioning over to Amallyn, who was still deep in her conversation. "My wife Amallyn is an Aeldari."
"My apologies, Lord Stark, I am afraid I have neither race on offer at the moment.", Nozralill answered, clapping his hands. "That said, I have plenty of other races that might interest you."
Hurriedly rushing out of his tent, a large group of slaves took up positions inside evenly spaced circles in front of the tent. Keeping their heads down and their eyes focused on the ground, the slaver began rattling off the different races he had in stock. Tuning him out, I glanced back at Ahsoka, who was staring at a few Togruta in the lineup.
"If I purchase their freedom, could you arrange for a transport back to your homeworld?", I asked her telepathically.
"You would be willing to do that?", Ahsoka replied, with a hesitant look, "I… I do want to save them, but what about the others? Saving just my fellow Togruta and leaving the rest would weigh heavily on my heart."
"Until the Jedi and the Republic are ready to begin truly enforcing the law, all we would be doing is enticing him to make bolder moves to capture innocent people. Believe me, I would love nothing more than to destroy the illegal slave trade, but what I can do here is incredibly limited. Wiping out obscure places like Fort Paragon is one thing; stamping out slavery across an entire galaxy is a whole other ballgame.", I remarked, with a soft expression, "I do not have the manpower or resources to do that alone."
'He is right; I cannot expect him to do this alone for us. The Order and the Republic need to step up to help as well! Hopefully the High Council, Padme, and Satina will agree to assist with resolving this matter permanently.', Ahsoka relented, with a determined look, "I promise to repay you for freeing them… somehow."
"I am in no hurry to collect.", I chuckled, turning to the slaver, "Mr. Nozralill, forgive me for interrupting you, but how much are you asking for the Togrutas?"
"Ten thousand credits a head.", Nozralill answered with a greedy smile. "I know it is a bit above the normal going rate, but every one of them is in the prime of their life. The men are great workers, and the women have yet to know the touch of a man."
Slowly lifting their heads, the Togruta began violently trembling when they realized how large I was. Latching onto my right arm, Ahsoka spoke to them telepathically in her native tongue. Reassuring them that we were allies and were trying to save them, they slowly settled back down, placing their trust in her.
"I will purchase all of them for eight thousand a head.", I countered, with a stone-faced expression.
"My lord, that is far too low. That is what I paid my supplier for them.", Nozralill lied.
"Mr. Vikzel said you capture them yourself; nice try, though.", I refuted with a grin.
Glaring at Vikzel, the Zygerian made a mental note to charge him a surcharge next time for blabbing about his business.
"Nine thousand.", Nozralill offered, crossing his arms, "That is as low as I am willing to go."
"A pleasure doing business with you.", I stated, shaking hands with him.
Paying him forty-five thousand credits immediately, the Zygerian transferred ownership of them to me and provided me with their contracts. In the event I was stopped by the law, these contracts were a way for buyers to skirt the legality of slaves. Since they "willingly" agreed to the terms of the specified contract, there was nothing the law could do to take them away.
"By the way, Lord Stark. Would you be open to the idea of selling a member of your entourage?", Nozralill asked me, staring at Amallyn and Bo-Katan. "Mandalorians are rarely seen on the market, and as I have never heard of an Aeldari before, she is also sure to fetch a high price."
"I believe you are gravely mistaken…", I said, my murderous intent bringing the area to a standstill, "These five lovely ladies are not my entourage; they are members of my harem. If you are still standing in front of me in five seconds, no number of guards or shielding will prevent me from reducing you to a shit streak on the roadway."
Understanding my message loud and clear, the Zygerian turned into smoke as he bolted back inside his tent. Content on leaving things there, for the time being, I had the Togruta teleported aboard the New Genesis. Suggesting we continue our search, Vikzel took a moment to calm himself, as he had nearly experienced a heart attack.
"Lord Stark, you… you have my sincerest apologies. I… I had no idea they were your wives!", Vikzel panted, "To prevent further altercations, I will ensure slavers know this moving forward."
"See that you do; our husband is fiercely protective of us and will not hesitate to slaughter anyone that comes close to us with ill intentions… including those considered to be deities.", Amallyn said, with a proud smile.
"Surely you are jesting…", Vikzel remarked, with a dry laugh.
"No, I am not. He killed one about a week ago.", Amallyn boasted, as if she had been the one to do it.
Looking at me, trying to gauge my reaction, when I did not chuckle or laugh, his eyes bulged in sheer terror. Realizing that the rumors were true about the strength of Primarchs, he hastily suggested we move on our way.
---Two Hours Later---
Purchasing several more Togrutas from various traders, by the time we reached the last slaver's tent, daylight was beginning to give way to darkness. Heading on in ahead of us, to ensure they understood what not to say, Vikzel and a female Neimoidian beckoned us inside. Far more luxurious than other places we had visited today, the slaves here were of a noticeably higher quality than everywhere else in the market.
"Welcome to the Elysian Exchange, lords and ladies!", the Neimoidian woman said, giving us an overdramatic bow. "My name is Tai Zrartox, and I am the proprietress of this fine establishment."
"Miss Zrartox is Mos Espa's sole exotic slave trader.", Vikzel explained, standing beside her. "She has extensive connections throughout this region of the universe and can almost always secure whatever your heart desires."
"My high-quality slaves usually end up as bodyguards, concubines, or mistresses for the ultra-elite. While I unfortunately do not have any humans from the Imperium of Man, I do have two Aeldari and many other people you might be interested in.", Zrartox bragged, noticing Amallyn's bloodthirsty glare. "Now before you get upset with me, I purchased them off of some Dark Space Elves from your home galaxy."
"They are Drukhari, not Dark Space Elves…", Amallyn corrected her, "Show us the Aeldari you have immediately!"
"Of course, please follow me.", Zrartox said with a greedy smirk.
Leading us to the middle of her large tent, she stopped in front of two seductively dressed Eldar women. Treating them like Space Elves, they were done up in a way that highlighted their ethereal beauty. Initially glaring at me, both women leapt up with joy when they noticed Amallyn beside me.
"You said they were sold to you by Drukhari?", I pressed her, hoping to glean more information.
"Not directly; the Drukhari sold them to some Orions, who in turn sold them to me.", Zrartox explained. "I have them marked as Space Elves since no one in the Republic knows what Aeldari are. Many of my clients wanted to purchase them, but these two bitches chase everyone away."
"That is because we refuse to be toys for disgusting Mon'keigh!", one of the Aeldari women spat, glaring at Zrartox.
"I will sell them to you for seven thousand credits each; that is what I paid the Orions for them.", Zrartox offered, wanting to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
"Deal!", Amallyn accepted, pulling her kin into a hug. "We will ensure you are safely returned to your Craftworlds."
Paying the slaver her money, I sent the two Eldar women back to the ship to get something to eat and mediate. Taking us to the other slaves she felt I would be interested in, she showed us Asari, Angaras, Diathim, Orions, Quarians, Romulans, Vulcans, and several other races from around the universe. While intrigued by her wide range of races here, I was about to suggest we head to dinner when a group at the very back of the tent caught my attention. Unlike the other slaves, these ones were locked up together in a relatively small cage and were covered in bandages.
"What is the story with these slaves?", I asked, motioning to the group in question.
"Oh them, they are criminal slaves…", Zrartox remarked, "Treasonous criminal slaves to be exact."
"We are not traitors!", a blue Dathomirian woman snapped. "Those cowards framed us to protect their public image!"
"You keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.", Zrartox mocked her. "Once your wounds are healed up, I am sending you all to auction."
Slowly approaching their cage, most of the people inside cowered in fear while the blue Dathomirian stood her ground. Looking up at me defiantly, I used magic on her to verify the validity of her claim. Receiving a positive response from the spell, next I used the Force to determine if they were good people.
"You have my attention; tell me exactly what happened.", I told her.
"What good would come from telling you our story?", the blue woman questioned, surprised I was even talking to her.
"I always have room for capable warriors in my legion. Whether I purchase all of you or not depends on what you have to say.", I answered, "Is that reason enough?"
Glancing back at the others, they sheepishly nodded their heads in acceptance. Choosing to live as warriors, not miners, she accepted their response and began speaking again.
"We are what is left of the Aldo Mercenary Group.", she began, motioning to the Dathomirian, Mirialan, Miraluka, Rattataki, and Theelin behind her. "All of us are outcasts among our own kind for one reason or another, and we turned to mercenary work to support ourselves. The founder of our group, Turbulent Aldo, brought us together since only a few people would hire us individually. We took on jobs that most mercenary groups would balk at, but to us, it was our bread and butter. One of those jobs we took was helping evacuate the civilians from the nations that vanished shortly after the Indominus Crusade began. While we were evacuating the capital world of the Vaspil Principality, some bastard nobles stole our ships because theirs had been destroyed. With no other option, we were forced to hijack an enemy vessel to escape the planet. During the fighting, Aldo and most of our comrades were killed by Chaos Space Marines. We guided the foreign vessel back to the Republic's border, where we were arrested. The nobles who took our ships claimed we had switched sides halfway through the evacuation and killed thousands of innocent people. As they were nobles, and we had no proof to counter their claims, the authorities believed them over us."
"Since our arrest, we have passed through the hands of several people until eventually ending up here.", a bronze Theelin added, looking at Zrartox, "Our wounds have been slow to mend because we receive only the minimal amount of food and no medical care."
Verifying the legitimacy of her story with magic, I was satisfied enough to purchase them. Seeing this as a chance to further genetically diversify my forces and simultaneously save them from a grim fate, I turned to Zrartox and asked her price for them.
"Are you sure you want to buy them?", Zrartox confirmed.
"Very sure, what is your price?" I repeated.
"One hundred and fifty thousand credits for the lot," Zrartox answered.
"I will take them.", I agreed, believing that was a fair price for them. "Jarvis, please have the medical team on standby to receive them."
Paying her promptly, the group of twenty-nine people thanked me profusely before being swept up in a blinding flash of light. Having done enough exploring for the day, I began walking toward the exit when Zrartox jumped in front of me. Insisting she had a few more slaves to show me, the Neimoidian attempted to entice me with quintuplet Twi'lek sisters she had on offer. Letting out an exhausted sigh, I shook my head and politely declined the offer.
"I will be in the city for a few days. If you happen across someone truly exotic, I will gladly come back and have a look.", I told Zrartox.
"Please feel free to contact me directly, and I will arrange the meeting.", Vikzel advised her. "Now then, how about we grab dinner and a show at Lord Tiure's casino?"
Readily agreeing, as I was honestly famished, the seven of us left the shop and made our way there.