[Originally written by Jento] [BEGIN HOLORECORD: SVARTHOS, TOMALAS : ENTRY 001] Captain's Log Nah, just kidding, always wanted to say that. So, quite a bit has happened over the last couple weeks and I figured I outta record it down, might make a decent holonovel one day. So let’s see…. About two and a half years ago I took over as president of Sokol. Didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, I had already been running the place after the old man got caught with those two Twi’lek girls on holonet news. (His wife wasn’t too happy, but ended up that way when she took most his money). I had been avoiding this turn over so I could keep hauling and pushing the edge until they planted me behind a desk and I’d be dodging paperwork instead of shady deals. Boy was I wrong! We were still working in that amazing office on Corellia, just outside of Coronet. Beautiful place, lots of style, fountains… that front desk secretary. *ahem* I was just starting to enjoy the place when all hell started breaking loose. They say war is great for business, well that’s a load of bantha shit if you are sitting right in the middle of it. Bombs flying everywhere, fighters in the sky, droids in the street, and soldiers not careful what they are shooting at. There is a damn lake of hypermatter just around the corner now. Who stores hypermatter like that?! Last I checked that stuff is pretty dangerous, probably should be kept underground, but hey no one asked me. So my first real move as the big dog in charge was to get the kriff out of this warzone, stat. Fast forward two months, eleven cargo hauls, and too many close calls to count and we’re here.. that’s right good ole Nar Shaddaa. Completely my idea, all the suits and crunchers hated the plan, which made me want it even more. Hell, they couldn’t even make up their mind if we should move to an aligned planet or not. That’s just stupid. War is indeed good for business IF you can sell to both sides. I don’t do guns, well sell them at least. What we do is right on the tin, energy system, ship overhauls, cargo hauling, we’ve got all that. Need a good set of blasters strapped to your rig, sure I can get behind that and we’ll find some for you, but I’m not dealing arms, that’s bad news quick. I love wheeling and dealing. If someone wants to haggle or cut a long term deal, it’s like sparklepodwer of the mind. Art of the deal is a guilty pleasure… I’ve got people for it now, but I just can’t stop. I love it and I’m pretty damn good at it. If the suits don’t like it, they can kiss my ass. What are they gonna do fire me? Ha. But yeah, all that is great, but there is another bit which is great about wartime business. Information. There is always something being said and someone else interested in it. I love it. Collecting, finding, hacking, selling information, it’s like a spice addiction except it pays better. Funny thing is, I honestly could give a kriff about the information itself, it’s just merchandise to me, a little piece of the game, and Nar Shaddaa is a hotbed of players. I try to fit a little bit of info dealing in each day, just to keep the night interesting, usually before hitting the Slopes or my weekly pazaak game. Kriff I hate that game. Signing out, talk to ya soon. [END RECORDING] ________________________________ [BEGIN HOLORECORD: SVARTHOS, TOMALAS : ENTRY 002] I ever mention I love being here on this moon? I probably did once or twice, wait, this is just the second recording… I should hire someone to do this. Well anyway, once you find all the dark alleys and slip some creds to the right people, Nar Shaddaa is really a pretty good place to hang out. I found this high-rise building up on the north side, they didn’t really want much for the place.. the building I mean, but kriff the suite on the top floor was worth every cred. Great balcony, dual sonic showers, fantastic full sized kitchen, and the master bedroom… yeah don’t get me started on that. I think I can get used to this having money idea, I just hope the company doesn’t start to wonder where it all came from. I might need to give myself a bonus or something. That seems legit, we did after all turn a 37% increase over last quarter. That seems pretty good considering we left a warzone and rebuilt… I’ll give a few people bonuses, they did most of the work anyway. I think tonight will be holomovie night, wonder what is playing. Gotta run, talk to you soon [END RECORDING] ___________________________
[BEGIN HOLORECORD: SVARTHOS, TOMALAS : ENTRY 003] Yeah so… about that getting back to you soon, sorry about that; it’s been busy and nothing really interesting to talk about honestly. Alright, so.. kind of been a year and some change since we moved into these new offices. Well at least the old offices; we bought this building here about four months ago. What a difference! Almost like the old place back on Corellia, although the view isn’t nearly as good. I’m rambling. Aside from good business I’ve really started to embrace this whole important person persona. It’s nice, ever since we started butting head with Czerka and putting out all those holo-ads (even though I hate that pose they make me do) people recognize me and it’s pretty handy. Morus has set me up a permanent tab as long as I keep up a steady supply of Correlian coming in every week, which I’m more than happy to accommodate. Man that guy goes through some Corellian ale, I think everyone on Nar Shaddaa must drink it! It’s actually such a great contract I decided to buy out Coronet Dark, my favorite local brewery, back on Corellia. I owned about a third of it anyway from years ago but Yarn Dilcore was getting pretty desperate for creds. He’s an idiot to sell that company for what I offered, a complete moron, I almost feel guilty, almost. So… that little company is off the books, at least as far as Sokol is concerned, I thought about rolling it into the portfolio but it just doesn’t make sense with the other companies we’ve bought up lately. Plus, I like drinking. I’m starting to have a nice little collection of odd little places to hide away creds and computers now and keeps life pretty interesting. I’ve been needing a place to hull up these shady types I hire on an ‘as needed’ basis and the Coronet Dark warehouses I just opened on Nar will work out just fine. But enough of that nosey! I’m not really one to dress up very often. I don’t like tight collared shirts and formal boots aren’t very good with my wide feet, but… ‘Make an appearance’ they said, ‘shake some hands’ yeah yeah… alright. At least the Miss Nar Shaddaa pageant will have some good scenery amongst all the work. I have to say one thing for those pageant organizers. Open bar, excellent opener, it really helps keep the crowd entertained. I had no idea a bunch of pretty ladies took so long to walk out onto a stage. I had about lost interest in the whole thing… already had shook every hand I could find, patted every baby head, even danced with a few people, and the night was dragging on and on… Then she took the stage. Trully Cosma… that flowing emerald hair, those pretty eyes, I nearly dropped my drink I was so smitten. I’m not normally one to be awed by a first impression but holy kriff, it was like the room fell silent, at least to me. She came and went… it wasn’t a surprise that she won the contest, no one else really held a candle to her, but man, those eyes. Anyway, despite the stupid amount of credits I palmed around trying to find out where she was staying, no one seemed to know anything about her at all. Maybe she’ll be back next year and I’ll buy myself a judges seat. Promise I'll be back sooner next time -T [END RECORDING] ________________________________________________
[BEGIN HOLORECORD: SVARTHOS, TOMALAS : ENTRY 004] Work work. I think I’m going to go insane if I don’t find some time to take a vacation. Figures, I buy that nice yacht and haven’t had one second to spare to actually enjoy it. Maybe I can trade it in on that bigger model now that I more than paid for it in side deals. Speaking of side deals, you wouldn’t believe the amount of info business I’ve had lately. I haven’t even had to go looking around for it, just standing in the Sloopes it practically walks in the door looking for me. Ha! Couple months ago I started doing a little broker work, more than just information, ships, goods, sometimes contracts, easy to close stuff. No slaves or spice, just in case that crossed your mind, I’m not said but kriff that mess. Sorry, got sidetracked there. So I’m minding my own business, catching up with Morus and in walks this fine marvel of feminine baddassery. Lean, dark hair, had some experience on her face, and holy kriff that outfit hugged her like a … *ahem* I must have gotten caught checking her out, cause she made a b-line right for me… I figured I was about to get a good slap or worse but, surprise surprise. Name was Kashira, didn’t catch her last name, didn’t really ask honestly. She’d been in the joint, didn’t say why, but looked like she’d rocked someone to earn that wrap and I left it at that. Looking for a bounty contract.. my lucky day. You see the Bounty Broker’s Association has broken the sort of taboo of offering contracts to anyone, if you pay the fee you can get a link in and broker out contracts as long as they sign for them. I hadn’t really done too much brokering contracts but it’s easy money and virtually no risk. The BBA will go collect if they kriff the nerf and I keep the fee either way. Like I said easy money. So anyway, this chick wanted to hunt a Red, which works for me, they have more listings generally, and I’ve got bit in the Blue vs Red game anyay. Found her a juicy target, claimed my 3% plus the bonus fee and, ching! Credits in the bank. She was pretty flirty too, might have to catch her later for a drink, hope she doesn’t get shot… that’s happened twice this month. -T [END RECORDING]