Interlude I: Mercenaries

[Why would we work for you? There would be no hunts, no points! What honor would there be in the eyes of the Scorekeeper?!] The Trandoshan said, hissing dangerously.

"It is well-paying work," I countered. "and while money may mean little to you, I would imagine having it would be useful for when you hunt on your own time. Get whatever supplies, weapons, or transportation you need after you save up. Yes, it may be less straightforward than some of the alternative careers your people are known for, but you will make far fewer enemies this way. Earn a few month's pay, take a week or two to yourselves to travel to another planet, get legal hunting permits, and earn all the points you can. No having to evade authorities, no having to hide your hunting parties, your ships. If you like, I can even have provisos in your contract to ensure you get enough time for your hunts. What you do on your time off matters little to me."

I was slowly working them around, I could see the thoughtful looks, the contemplation.

[You say we could have our hunts without fear of reprisal, but the greatest of prey resides on Kashyyyk, in the shadowlands. The Wookies would never simply allow us passage, and we will not plead with them. You would have us give up the greatest of prey?]

"Hardly. The Wookies are more than happy to allow offworlders to hunt on Kashyyyk, encourage it even. After all, every beast slain by an outworlder is one the Wookies do not have to risk their lives themselves to slay. It is one thing to seek glory fighting a Krayt Dragon on a distant planet far from home. It is another for that same Krayt Dragon to be threatening your homes, your young. You need only remain civil, that they do not refuse you out of spite."

The lead Trandoshan stared evenly at me. [You assume much.]

I spread my hands, smiling at them. "If all else fails, I am more than happy to speak to the wookies on your behalf. After all, Money is a language all its own."

The Trandoshan smiled knowingly.

-----

The Wookie stared at me as if I had grown a second head. To be fair, I might as well have.

{You would have us let the Trandoshans into our heartlands, right into our ports?!}

"That is one way of saying it, yes," I said, trying not to piss myself. Not a single movie, cartoon, or comic had ever done the sight of an angry Wookie justice. Not one.

{And how else would you say it?!} He roared.

I took a breath to calm myself. "You would be making the Trandoshans pay you to hunt dangerous beasts threatening your cities, your people, your young. They would pay fees to dock their ships in your ports, right out in the open, where you can keep track of them, and prevent them from leaving should they decide to hunt your people. Why you'd even have them paying you to have a mandatory tracking beacon attached to their person. For their safety, of course. Every Trandoshan legally applying for a hunting license, where you can see them, is one not landing a ship on the beaches, setting up slaver camps. That is how I would say it, anyways."

The Wookie was slowly sitting down, taking my words in slowly.

{It does have a certain... poetic justice to it...}

I spread my arms smiling at him. "Indeed. The only real price to this is remaining civil to them, that they do not refuse you out of spite. Let them start any arguments. What's a few social niceties, some polite words, compared to becoming wealthy off of your enemies? After all, Money is a language all its own."

The Wookie smiled knowingly.