STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- Trials

The staring contest lasts until a distinct clank-clunk is heard. The Pirate Leader looks away, towards the doorway he had come through.

A figure emerges from the doorway. Clank-clunk. Clank-clunk.

He is not terribly short, this man, but certainly shorter than you by a half-foot. Atop his head is a battered tricorne, with the feather of some exotic bird placed in it. He dons a blue coat, well-worn, over a white buttoned shirt with frilly cuffs. A ludicrously oversized pistol hangs from his belt, as does a sheathed cutlass. His right foot wears a brown leather boot, but the left, the source of the clank, is a metal peg.

His dress is nearly comical, but it is his face that is menacing, bushy black eyebrows over beady black eyes, constantly burning as they scan the line of prisoners. He strokes his full beard as he glares over the lot of you, toying with the gold wire and beads that have been braided into it.

This is the Pirate Lord Svidrigailov.

Xavier eyes the Pirate Lord as he enters. He waits for whatever happens next.

As Svidrigailov eyes his captives, two beings trail behind him. The first is a Trandoshan wielding a very large and very unfriendly repeater. The second is a Geonosian wielding a very large and very unfriendly sonic rifle.

Svidrigailov, having looked you all over, turns to the Pirate Leader. He seems frustrated.

"You call these slaves, Frost?" he roars, his face turning pink.

"I should hope so," the Pirate Leader, apparently named Frost, replies. "They seem capable and fit. We were certain not to take those that appeared weak in any way."

Xavier looks at everything. Wondering what will happen next, if this was the common greeting.

Either way Xavier knew all this would end soon.

Svidrigailov glares at Frost for a moment, then turns back to the captives.

"Listen up, th' lot of ye. Ye are my captives, and I be Svidrigailov, Pirate Lord of the Sklaboreans and Captain of The Trade. Every last one of ye will be sold on the markets as slaves ter the highest bidder. If ye try anything... well, ye won't be sold. Ye'll simply be kicked out the airlock after I thrash ye ta the point of bein' unrecognizable. Is that clear?"

Silence.

"Is that CLEAR?!" he yells, flecks of spit flying from his mouth.

An uncomfortable nod is adopted by the newly-christened slaves.

Svidrigailov pauses for a moment, then turns to Frost.

"Which one did ye say tried ter fight ye?" Svidrigailov asks him.

(Yeah he even talks like a pirate 😱 )

Xavier doesn't nod, barely recognizes the threat. He simply stares and waits to see if the Pirate Leader points him out.

The Pirate Leader does indeed, and Svidrigailov stomps over to you. He looks up at you with an expression of hatred.

"I hear ye tried to fight back," he says, a bit of a laugh mixed with the liquor on his foul breath. "Is that right, boy?"

"I was merely trying to defend myself Pirate Lord," Xavier says looking down at the gruff man.

Svidrigailov laughs heartily at your response.

"Amusin' answer, boy," Svid finally sputters. "But I doubt even the finest of warriors can contest Frost. Nor me. Do you think ye could take me in a fight, boy? Be honest, now."

"Maybe, if your men are any indication. I found them to be rather easy to beat," Xavier's says in his normal monotone voice.

Svidrigailov's face becomes blank and he takes a step back.

He lifts his left leg with the metal peg and stomps it hard into the floor. The perforations in the front of the peg glow a bright blue as a wave of kinetic energy sweeps you off your feet, sending you crashing onto the deck.

Svid bursts out in laughter, as does his crew.

Xavier gets knocked back. He knows he isn't in any real danger right now. Thus he takes his time getting back up to his feet.

Xavier stares at Svid, "That is impressive."

Before you can rise, Svidrigailov draws his oversized pistol and places it to your head. The nozzle presses into your scalp.

"Let this be a lesson," he snarls, "that ye're not ter cause trouble on my ship."

He raises the metal peg and the perforations glow slightly again as an electromagnetic shell encases the peg, sparking with electricity. He kicks you solidly in the forehead, giving you a painful jolt.

"Got that, boy?" Svidrigailov backs off. "Ye couldn't hope ter win against me. Not for a moment."

Xavier takes the jolt and he almost wants to pass out. For a second all he can think about his snapping Svid's neck. Still he knows his mission. He can not jeopardize it just yet.

"Yes Pirate Lord," Xavier says standing up.

Svidrigailov nods, satisfied with his display of power.

"Let his lesson be a shared one," he says, addressing the other captives. "If ye give trouble, ye get trouble. Remember that."

Your head is throbbing from that kick, Xavier. Unpleasant tool, that peg leg of his. Hopefully the kinetic manipulator and the electromagnetic device are all that he has in there...

"Fer ye'r first lesson as slaves," Svidrigailov says. "Ye'll be cleaning up after our feast."

At the word 'feast,' the pirates on the walkways above start cheering, pumping their fists and rifles and clubs into the air. They immediately clamber down as Svidrigailov punches a code into a panel. A long piece of the floor slides away and a banquet table rises to take its place.

Xavier rubs his head where it most throbs. Cleaning up after people, Xavier thought this a waste of his abilities.

Still he had no choice, so he stood around waiting to clean up as best he could.

Soon the feast is in full swing; exotic foods that Svidrigailov has no doubt pillaged from dozens of worlds in the Outer Rim is spread about the table, a variety of meats and soups. It may come as a complete surprise to you, but the pirates are the sloppiest eaters you have ever witnessed.

One pirate makes a point to spill soup on your boots.

Xavier fights back the natural reaction to kick the pirate in the face. Thankfully he manages to do so. He goes on trying his best to keep everything cleaned up and running.

Although food is flying everywhere on him, and Xavier has been spit on.

Most of the slaves are also getting slopped on, but you seem to be getting the worst of it. You have incurred the wrath of Svidrigailov, his crew will react accordingly.

It could be worse.

Just then a soup bowl shatters against your head, having been tossed by one of the pirates that had finished his soup.

Xavier's body sends electrical impulses letting him know his body has been attacked. Xavier glares at the Pirate for a moment. He takes a deep breath then starts to pick up the pieces of the soup bowl.