[Originally posted by Boot] * Foreword - Note to Reader * Aight y'all, Here's Prologue of an estimated 3 chapters and a afterward. It took me a week or so to realize that, I'm not a writer. As much as I do enjoy writing, I’m glad I'm not a novelist. With that being said. I've settled for getting my point across and not perfection. Any help with my writing would be greatly appreciated. And if my story is confusing please let me know. I got my story locked in my head, and I'd hate for my lack of skills to ruin it;). To the best of my knowledge "Partaylir megin gar liser Ramaanar" is a rough translation from Mandalorian for Remember that you are Mortal Partaylir megin gar liser Ramaanar Remember that you are Mortal Prologue Stronger then Dirt Coba smiled up at the older yet still beautiful blue twi'lek dancer as he set down his brew. He was deep under cover for the I.A. 47th IEF, and rarely ever in his life had his missions been this rewarding. He leaned back in his chair pleased, checked his secured wrist Holonet and went over the contract papers . Fifty Galactic hours ago he put out a Bounty on the Holonet, it was a politically sensitive job and he was tasked to solve it. He decided the less connection the Empire had with it the better and he put out the hit on a pro-republic list with false cover name and paid lower then a good Bounty Hunter would take. It was a win/win bounty, If the Bounty hunter succeeded; a powerful local Lord that refused to negotiate with the Empire would be eliminated, if it failed which he expected, the bounty would be tracked back to the Republic and would be a borderline "Act of War" giving his Battalion an excuse to move in Empire troops and Occupy the resource rich area. Twelve Galactic Hours ago he received a confirmation that the bounty was filled successfully from a Mercenary known as "Boot" and he was on his way to this location to present proof and collect payment. The location and time was chosen by the mercenary and it originally made him uneasy. After some quick research and eavesdropping he learned the Cantina he was to meet in; Had no name, and was called by the locals "No Name" was a peculiar oddity. Not that it didn't have a name, but that it was located on Nar Shaddaa and wasn't controlled by a Hutt, The Empire, or the Republic, not only that but slavery wasn't tolerated with in its premises. It was an small shielded Oasis in a the middle of a shit storm. He never felt more safe... and on that thought he scanned the room again. It looked like any other cantina except there was no political affiliation. The clientele was the same, it had particularly beautiful dancers and capable looking muscle, All in all unassuming. His dancer excused herself as he was deep in thought while scanning the main room. Coba watched her walk away, more out of amusement then business. Boy, could she move with...grace. Smiling he watched her lean against an Average looking human male in simple yet effective looking armor and twirl his hair whispering something in his ear as she walked by. Coba immediately lost his smile when he saw the human looking at him intently. Where the Fuck did this guy come from? Sure as hell didn't come through the front door. The Male reached behind the bar and grabbed a small bag and walked with a purpose towards him. Coba stiffened up, he had been to lax and had be reconned while he was too relaxed. Damn! The human made a quick flick of his wrist as he approached Coba’s table. Coba immediately noticed the only table near by was cleared by the cantina’s muscle effectively isolating him. The human stopped 2 paces shy of the table and asked simply “Are you Fra’Lo?” Coba blinked in mild surprise, that was his cover name for the bounty he placed. “Yes I am, are you Boot?” Coba asked in what he hoped was a calm voice. “I have your evidence Imperial” Boot replied. Coba blinked again in obvious surprise. “I like to do my homework when I do a job, Don’t worry I’m loyal to my contracts Fra’Lo” Boot said the name with obvious sarcasm. Then tossed a small bag onto the table. Coba leaned forward looking into the eyes of Boot. “You must be stronger then dirt to fulfilled this contract, call me Coba mercenary” Coba said while he grabbed the bag and peaked inside. “Is that his head? And what about the secondary objectives?” Boot leaned on the table with obvious scorn “I don’t do slaves, I don’t do Twi’leks. I don’t have a problem with lost Imperials though” “Calm down Boot, just doing my job” Coba tossed Boot the small lockbox full of pay. “Interested in another contract?” Boot grunted “I just need to know more about you. Specifically your reasoning behind your anti slave and twi’lek contracts” Boot waved his hand as he sat down across from Coba. A different twi’lek brought two cups and poured them drinks. Then took away the lockbox “Why would I care Imperial” Coba grinned “because I have a unique well paying professional opportunity that may pique your anti slavery and twi’lek interests, keep you employed for a extended period of time, and still allow you to take side work.” Pausing he gauged he had Boot’s interest. “I need to start a file on you as well as confirm your history.” Coba threw 100 credits on the table “tell me about what got you here and I‘ll work on verifying your history.” Boot glared at the Imperial. A 100 credits for a story, he had been paid less for worse. Boot took a sip out of his mug and started talking with a cold voice. A voice that sounded as if it came from somewhere else. "Stronger then dirt, I like that. Listen up Imperial, I'll only say this once" Chapter 1 Let it be, let it be I remember the smell of the other bodies cramped in the darkness. The sounds of muffled sobbing, of prayers to unknown Gods. The feel of their sweat drench bodies as they stumbled around in the dark. I have no idea how I came to be there, I just know that’s where I began my life. In a hole of a world where my first memories came from. A cargo-hold of some Slaver ship that had no use for little children like me. The group of slaves were made up of all types of “people”. None were human, although some seemed close. The only humans on this ship were the slavers and myself, and they cared more for the slaves then me. I was never fed, never given water. I would have died if it wasn’t for a blue skinned Twi’lek sharing her rations with me. I remember crying from hunger and thirst, with no way to a take care of myself. She would whisper in a soft sweet voice as she shared her rations with me. “Let it be, Let it be” If it wasn’t for her, I’d of never seen the outside of that hold. The slavers came for us, we were to be all sold. I’m still not sure why but as I clung onto Jung’Ya as we were escorted out of the hold, Three slavers grabbed Jung’Ya out of line knocking me down in the process. Jung’Ya slapped the slaver that knocked me down and picked me up with a defiant look, and then stared them all down. The slaver Jung’Ya slapped took a swing at her, the lead slaver, caught his rifle butt, then knocked him to the floor. Apparently Jung’Ya was worth a lot to someone on the ship. The leader separated Jung’Ya and me from the rest and locked us into a small room. I guess she was worth enough for the both of us. As those initial slaves left the hold we were left to a guarded semi freedom. Jung’Ya would work almost every day as I would be locked in to the cargo hold. When she finished guards would escort her to me and she would take me back to her room. This lasted but a short while until the slavers found more cargo. Then the slavers would come for me. It would be time for another haul. With the added slaves, they didn’t have time to amuse Jung’Ya, I’d have to be locked away. When they came for me, Jung’Ya would begin to cry. All I could do was say “Let it be, Jung'Ya let it be”. The slaves came and went from this world. I spent years living this cycle. Every time the slaves were dragged into my world; their eyes were always the same, bright with defiance as they were herded in, to a dull glow when they were hauled away. I didn’t know why I wasn’t among them. I shared their misery. I lived with them, but I was never chosen to leave. Jung’Ya held a lot of power over these humans. She didn’t share my misery in this hold, but she saved me from it. When the hold was empty of all other souls, the blue skinned Jung-Ya would come for me singing softy. Often the food she brought would be the first time I had eaten in days. She would brush my hair and coo in my ear. I would often fall asleep in her lap to only wake up in a different world. Where the slave hold smelled of lost dreams and despair, her room smelled of hope and life. Where the hold was hard and cold, her room was soft and warm. Too often I’d fall asleep to the moans of slaves and the jingle of shackles. When I was with her, I’d fall asleep with soft singing and my hair being tussled. I would often wake in her room alone. At first it scared me, but Jung’Ya would often return hours later, escorted by the rough men who didn’t care I was alive. Her eyes told me what her smile hid; she was a slave like me. The slavers would come to get her almost every night, and she would return a little more beat down than before. Seeing the concern in my eyes, she’d tussle my hair and say “Let it be Boot, let it be”. I’d be escorted back to the stale air and despair, too this day I can’t piss without cringing. Slaves moaning in agony and cries of defiance echo in my head when I sleep. I found myself resenting the slaves for being here, hating them for their weakness, resenting myself for the same reason. It was then I would dream of the time I would fight, not just for me but for sweet Jung‘Ya, and the bastard slaves that refused too. I put the one the one thing I had to use; Time. This constant cycle of Hell and Purgatory continued for what had seemed like years. As I got near the age of the younger slaves. I would see the slavers eyeing me as Jung’Ya came for me. I could hear whispers of the slavers debating not so much when to sell me, but where I’d be worth the most as they escorted me back to the hold. My dreams turned into plans, the next time they came for me I wouldn’t “let it be”.
Imperial Army 47th
