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Word Gets Around 2000
short story by Mark Newbold Thirty
years after Episode IV – A New
Hope “I’ll say it
one more time. If there’s no payment
then there’s no delivery.” Tannis Rixx narrowed his eyes at the squat Gamp and
waited for a response. The
thick-hided alien turned, consulted a notepad and scratched away for a few
moments before turning back with a placid smile across its face. “Okay, okay
Mister Rixx. I think I know
what you’re saying. Let us say that
you leave the delivery. I then
consult my associates and we mutually agree to send the money
on afterwards. That would be
satisfactory, yes?” Tannis closed his eyes and allowed the fresh breeze of
Kanina to wash over him. Gemo the
Gamp was putting plenty of emphasis on what he was saying, only in the wrong
places. Here, close to the edge of
what was once a great oceanic continental shelf but was now a dry swampland,
Rixx could almost feel at ease with the galaxy - if he allowed himself to. With life, the universe and everything
else in it. But there was a turf war
raging throughout the Setnin Sector.
Fights for independence, for territory, fights over old rivalries and
new alliances. Battles with allies
who swore never to breach the peace.
Battles on the floor of the Chamber of Systems and throughout the once
powerful and influential but now fractured underworld. Tannis blew out a long, tired breath. And here I am on a swamp of a planet
haggling credits and regulations with a squat little doorstop like Gemo the
Gamp. Where’s the sense in that? Gemo squinted up at Tannis as the suns began to slowly
set across the vast horizon. Rixx ran
his hand across his bald, scared head, from the bridge of his nose to the top
of his spine and stared down, his pure white Janite eyes reflecting the glow
of the distant suns. It made his eyes
look aflame. “Gemo, I know
that you’re a good customer and I believe that we could work this out
but if I don’t get the money for the Cipple sisters then I know that
I’ll have to leave with my cargo undelivered.” He leaned in closer to the Gamp, who
nervously looked from side to side for support. But that support in the form of four bodyguards had melted back
a number of meters. Not even they
were foolish enough to get aggressive with an ex-Janos Executioner turned
smuggler like Tannis Rixx. Gemo was
on his own. “And if I get back to
Amagad in the dead of winter with a full cargo then the only thing that will
thaw will be your cold dead head in a bucket of ice, because I’ll be damned
if I’m taking the rap for a stunted tree stump like you.” Rixx looked angrily at the four
bodyguards, a stare that at once invited their attack and informed them of
what would happen if they were foolish enough to try. “Do we understand each other?” They wisely remained rooted to the spot. Janos Executioners weren’t know for giving
ultimatums and it would be rude to ignore one offered so…reasonably. Gemo swallowed a wad of phlegm and nodded eagerly. “Okay, okay
Tannis, I get the picture. C.O.D or
nothing at all.” He motioned in
irritation to one of his bodyguards who approached. “Fifteen thousand credits, not a donalee less. Satisfied?” Tannis Rixx snatched the purse away from the Gamp and
opened it. A credit stick with the
agreed price sat at the bottom of the velvet purse. He forced away a satisfied smile and stared harshly at the five
men. “The Cipple
sisters don’t have to hear of your reluctance to pay me.” “Glad to hear
of it.” Chimed Gemo as he folded his
arms and allowed a self-satisfied grin to leak across his face. Rixx narrowed his stare and furrowed his
hairless brow. Gemo shrank the smile
away into a lipless fixed line of fear. “But if I ever
have to ask you for anything twice again then it will be the last
time. Do we understand each other?” Gemo the Gamp nodded a muscle-knotted nod as Rixx stood
to his full height and secured the purse.
He took a final glance at the boiling sun as its last vestiges of
flame flickered over the horizon and turned to return to his transport. “Per-per-perfectly
Mister Rixx.” “Good. The Cipple sisters would hate to lose
another satisfied customer.” It was the worst storm he could remember. Snow whipped around the Bay of Amagad in a
furious blizzard of steel-edged snow.
Outside, the flecks lacerated like shards of cutting diamond. Inside his vessel, the Worons Pride,
his shields were just about the only thing keeping the hull plating attached
to the ship. And Tannis Rixx hated
the snow. It was yet another thing
that reminded him that every world was inferior to his beloved Janos. The red sands, the blistering suns, the
salt flats. Here on Amagad, a planet
thrown into a nuclear winter by the impact caused by the legendary Janite
ship the Heed over twenty years ago, a temperate climate had given way
to a furious ice box of a weather system that showed little sign of
abating. Certainly, scientists had
predicted that the orbit of Amagad was rapidly returning to its former
state. Many believed that the
regularity of the storms would lessen swiftly over the next handful of
years. But that was too long for
Tannis Rixx. The only thing that kept
him coming back to Amagad was the regular payments of the Cipple sisters, and
the work they shifted his way. But it wasn’t always like this. Tannis had still been a Janos Executioner when Glann Cipple,
the father of Bessa and Breia Cipple, had fallen. When the Heed had destroyed what was the most
influential criminal empire in the Setnin Sector since Duze Jostenn’s
reign. Others claimed their spoils
but in effect the Setnin Sector underworld had never been the same
since. It had fragmented, shattered
down into the component parts of what was once a unified underworld. Of course, within that underworld there
were power struggles. Cipple,
Dressel, Geon Tasar, Pocock. But
Cipple was now believed dead, as was Dressel. Tasar had died at the hands of the mercenary Ryath Centaur, now
leader of the sector-famed Iron Claws mercenary unit. And Jomobol Pocock had gone legit. Which left Setnin without the backbone
that had kept the Empire largely at bay.
Kept the likes of Black Sun and Jabba the Hutt away from its
borders. Kept the autonomy of the
sector from the looming influence of the New Republic after the final demise
of the Galactic Empire. But even that
had changed. After almost fifty years
Setnin had rejoined the larger galaxy by signing a reintegration treaty with
the New Republic, later renamed the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances
after a crushing defeat at Coruscant by the invading Yuuzhan Vong, and many
Setnin citizens believed that it was for the best. But they were wrong, and it took a Janite to realise this. It took Tannis Rixx to realise this. And therein lay the problem. Janos Executioners were not expected to hold opinions,
especially political ones. Janos was
a world of doctrine. Of religious
fervour and belief. And the Janos
Executioners were the ultimate weapon in the Emperor Priests continuing
struggle to cast the wisdom and the will of the Janite religious system
across the remainder of the sector.
But Tannis Rixx was a restless soul, and one who had thoughts and
beliefs that demanded to be heard.
And so when he was brought up before his superiors to be held
accountable for harbouring `Thoughts of an independent nature’ he
plead guilty and fashioned an escape, never to return to his beloved
homeworld. And all because he had a dream. One that held no place for the Galactic Alliance, the Empire or
any other organisation from outside Janos’ borders. He wanted a return to the old, isolated days. So he did what no other isolationist would
do. He renounced his military ways
and travelled the galaxy as a smuggler with the intent to learn as much about
the alien infidels as he could. To
compile a true guide to the galaxy and take it home to his people, even if it
meant his death upon delivering it.
And fifteen years later he was still compiling, but his motives had
altered. The galaxy wasn’t the place painted by the teachings of
the Janite leaders. Certainly it was
a place of debauchery and sin, but in no larger measure than on his
homeworld. And a common decency was
widespread throughout the sectors, although the criminal elements were
uniformly less than honest. Rixx
found the galaxy no more or no less than what he expected. But it wasn’t the galaxy that the Janite teachers said it
would be. It wasn’t the galaxy that
the Janite teachers said it was. His travels had brought him into contact with a number of
beings, the novelty of an ex-Executioner making him an unusual number to have
available. Soon he was employed with
regularity as a smuggler who always got the job completed and who would
travel to the bleakest worlds without complaint. And as his reputation increased, so did his paycheques. And with that, the regularity of his work.
And so within a few short months his
efforts to compile documents on the galaxy slowed to a trickle and his
attentions shifted to the business at hand.
Being a smuggler. His time of learning coincided with the disappearance of
the sectors most famous smuggler Jan Lomona and so Tannis Rixx, along with
Petrol Merritch, became one of the pre-eminent smugglers in the local
regions. And as time passed his
excursions out of the Setnin Sector decreased and eventually the bulk of his
work was within Setnin’s borders. And
whilst in any other field that narrowing of his operational parameters would
be seen as a hindrance, those in the know could see that his focusing on the
Setnin jobs was a sure sign of his excellence. And two sisters saw what they wanted in the Janite smuggler and
made certain they employed him. Breia and Bessa Cipple. Rixx was impressed with these two young women. Both were strong, independent characters
with iron wills and a firm grasp of what they wanted from life, and the
Setnin Sector. The elder sister Bessa
had spent years away from Setnin and so her appreciation for the sector was
wrought from a fierce pride in the influence Setnin held over other systems
and sectors. Brea had also been away,
with her mother Bella after Cipples fall, but had returned to join her sister
and stake a claim as leader of the Setnin underworld. And in Tannis Rixx’s eyes they had done
just that. After all, would he be
working for them if they were anything less?
No – only the strong, only the determined, only the believers were
worthy of his services and loyalty.
And Rixx had been loyal to the sisters, and they to him. He’d follow them through the gates of hell. Worons Pride powered down swiftly, her intra-ship systems kicking in
to protect the ship from the icy blasts outside which had made other visiting
vessels to Amagad susceptible to the heat changes as they blasted away into
the unforgiving friction of the atmosphere and then the icy depths of
space. Wrapping a heavy cloth shawl
around his shoulders and over his sheer-domed head he ran his hand across the
scar that adorned it, paused in thought and then exited his ship. Rixx ran up to the Fortress. Being of Janite extraction he felt the cold more keenly than
most, but braved it without so much as a snarl. Certainly, he hated this world. A previous visit during his years compiling his guide had shown
him a devious, underhand society, but one with a climate he could adjust to. Modern-day Amagad…it was just as well the
Cipple sisters were worth the discomfort. He entered the Fortress and was ushered into the
turbolift without a word. A smooth
elevation to the ninth floor followed, past the Shadow Warriors complex on
the fourth level. Rixx grimaced at
that. Shadow Warriors, trained by
Ferrereans, a race that he and his world had fought against many times. Two warrior societies, so similar but cast
apart by cultural differences and the belief that they were the superior
race. Which of course the Janites were. The turbolift reached its destination and the doors
parted, allowing Rixx a view down the long corridor leading to the Cipple
sister’s office. He removed the
shawl, slung it over his shoulder and strode to the doors. Two unfamiliar guards momentarily blocked
his path, but parted when they realised who it was. Nodding curtly to them he opened the doors. Brea was stalking the balcony, the full fury of the storm
whipping around her like the claws of a mad witch. Rixx frowned as he closed the doors too – is she mad? The snow shards will cut her to pieces. He noticed Bessa working away at the
desktop computer and she smiled as she raised her elegant head towards
him. Her deep brown eyes were a
magnet, luring Rixx deeper into the room and he welcomed their attraction as
he moved to the desk and seated himself without invitation. Bessa sat straight and nodded. “Tannis, you’re
back.” “Evidently so.” “You have the
Gamps money?” Tannis reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out
the velvet purse. He opened it and
allowed the cred-stick to roll onto the tabletop. Bessa smile and reached across to retrieve it. Fifteen thousand credits. Not bad for two days work. Tannis motioned towards Brea, who was
still walking across the balcony like a caged animal. Bessa smiled again. “Force field. Really Tannis, do you think I’d risk my
little sisters life with such abandon?”
It was a light-hearted comment, met with a furrowed brow. “Only for the
right reasons Bessa.” Bessa Cipple froze for a second, unsure if this was
another example of Rixx’s dry wit or a damning comment on her modus
operandi. Bessa could be as ruthless
as her legendary lost father at times, and added to the assets of her mother
that made for a volatile combination.
She let the moment pass. “I need you to
do something for me.” “Anything. You know that.” “This is a
little out of your remit. It’s not a
smuggling job.” Good, thought Rixx.
New challenges inspire me. “What do you
want me to do?” Bessa stood, her full-length gown shimmering across her
as she moved to join Brea on the balcony.
The younger sister turned at the sound of her approach and closed her
eyes. “The storms are
so fierce today. So dangerous. It’s intoxicating.” Bessa raised an eyebrow in agreement. “It will
pass. All things pass.” She turned to Tannis. “Even the Setnin Sector will eventually
pass.” Tannis shook his head a notch, almost imperceptibly but
enough to register his disagreement. “Never. Setnin will prevail through all. And Janos shall endure even that.” “A sentiment
which I wish I could share. My spies
have brought me disturbing news. As
you know, Janos has declared war with the sector.” Rixx stiffened, his jaw clenched tightly. “I am aware of
that.” Bessa touched him on the arm in a comforting gesture. “Tannis,
relax. What I think of you and what I
think of Janos are two separate things.” Rixx eyed her closely. “Are they? They shouldn’t be.” “Why?” Interjected Brea as she joined their
conversation fully. “You agree with
what Janos is doing?” “In a way,
yes. We’ve always craved
isolation. Janos is best left
alone. But our new Emperor Priest
believes that we should become even more a part of Setnin than our beloved
former Emperor Priest did. And the
presence of the interfering Galactic Alliance jeopardises that.” “What makes you
think that?” Asked Bessa with
interest. “Because the
Galactic Alliance hates Janos almost as much as the Empire did. And everyone knows that a Setnin Sector
without Janos would be easy pickings for any aggressive power bordering
us. The Ki-Ki Sector, Quarshannel,
Lebbat, any sector with aggressive tendencies towards us. Our Emperor Priest Akallon also knows
this. And I truly believe the reason
Janos has decided to declare war on Setnin is not to attack Setnin, but to
protect it from within.” Bessa nodded and folded her arms across her chest. “An interesting
interpretation of the events.” “It’s a Janite
state of mind.” “It’s of Janos
that I wish to speak with you. As I
said, my spies have brought disturbing news.
News that I want you to confirm for me.” Rixx cocked his head in interest. “What news?” Brea interjected with a flourish. “That will be
made clear to you on your journey.
The walls have ears, Tannis Rixx, and we don’t want to make your
mission any harder for you than it already is. But I shall say this.
Pack light and take your sun block.” Bessa nodded in agreement and raised her perfectly arched
eyebrow again. Rixx at once
understood, and the rush of adrenaline and dread flooded his senses. A mission to Janos.
A journey home, after two decades.
But to do what? Bessa watched him keenly as the thoughts ran through his
mind. “Do you accept
Tannis?” Tannis Rixx bowed curtly to his lady and nodded. “How could I
ever refuse?” Word Gets Around 2000
short story by Mark Newbold Thirty
years after Episode IV – A New
Hope Histories
– Part of the
Ki-Ki invasion stories, this introduces the Janite smuggler Tannis
Rixx and goes a
long way to showing the history of the man who the Cipple sisters Bessa and Brea have utilised as their number one most trusted
operative. Cast of Characters Tannis Rixx Bessa Cipple Brea Cipple Gemo the Gamp |