Ah.
Rand will submit a request to the Mecrossans for assistance in the assassination of Emperor Rivas, labeling him as a threat to Rand's operations. His request is for any assistance they deem appropriate, though he will specifically mention the type of assassin probe that they sent to help him take over Doon's base.
As for the Epireans, Rand wants to bring a handful of mooks to aid them in their fight. Is a dozen too many for this?
What is the status on the Epireans that became our personal minions?
We can use the Epireans to carry the crates. Would they pass for unqualified work force, Ush?
Also, can we determine if there is still Bureau presence on Selene?
Does Torvus want to go? He is not that good in combat, being a thief, I understand.
What is our escape plan, again? Use ground vehicles to run to our ships at starport?
RAND
Whoooooa.......
... is basically what the Mecrossans say.
'Now, we did you a favour with Doon," they said. "And it was n the middle of nowhere and a successful takedown blanked the slate... and to be honest, that droid we sent took a scan of that tablet Doon gave you before it left. You know we value history.
"This is different. This is a high-profile massacre you are planning. We are not mercenaries, Rand! For a start, we're much more expensive and even with a discount, I don;t think you could afford that price. But in any case, we pride ourselves on precision work. We go in planning the least amount of death and disruption needed to 'retire' the target. That's our reputation, and so it was since the days when the Sith hired us for work. Talking of which... when did you last do a job for us, hmm?
"You make whatever enemies you like- but making enemies of the entire Treganna Void was not on our game plan. So... if you want us to wade into an open gunfight, you better give us a better reason than just you asking."
RELLE
"You want to terminate Rivas?!" says Graf over your quintuple- encoded channel. "Ah hell, I mean, I'd give it a go just to see if I could, but from what you tell me about your associates they'll probably want to make the final blow. And his guys are all about being up close, and so are you... which is not quite my style.
"There's a bigger problem than that, though. You go to the Elders and ask them about Rivas then it might be me they ask to 'deal' with you about it. You know they have deals within deals within deals to keep our financial interests afloat, and they try to keep that as far away from Republican law as they can. So that means dealings with Hutts, the Golden Serpent... and incredibly mineral rich Pirate empires in neutral space. Why would they mess with that?"
DAK
Well, much as those Arnians loyal to you... hmm. Not as many of them left alive as you want. But as loyal as they are, they were kinda hoping when you made contact it would be about opportunities, ways to gain power, hidden weapon stocks, offering to assassinate Admiral H'lar, that sort of thing... actually, they WERE going to sound you out about returning an heir to the royal family to power...
... anyway. They are glad you want to make this deniable but you do seem to be asking them to reptile-shield themselves between you and harm's way. Not quite what they had in mind.
AZARL
"Rise, my... oh bugger..."
He's gone again. Lacking Fix-It, you've never quite been sure where its self-activation switch is. However, you know what it is doing. It has a psychological obsession with learning languages; it'll be among the Epireans again.
Oh... that could mess up your agreements...