Wizards and Warriors

[Corgus Rhymer]

Bespin, Cloud City – Almclair Industrial District – L275


Day 143

Final Summation

“Subject continues to show rapid improvements within the core frame, particularly in regards to intuition and instinct. Internal data repositories continue to replicate, but at a slightly inadequate pace. DY-13 shows prominence in reaction techniques and articulation, far greater than that of DY-05. Critical barriers expected attainable within weeks. Lastly, core heat indexes are considerably high, much higher than anticipated. Axel pistons 3 and 17 have suffered internal damage from exhaust overhaul. Repair could take days..”

The Ugnaught took the data slate from him and began reviewing the newly gathered results from the day’s work. This ‘critter,’ as they were often referred to by local Bespians, was especially hairy, and especially small; so small that he could crouch and be mistaken for a ball of bantha shavings. He called himself Trord.

Trord and his kind were a particularly invaluable source of labor to the colony, and were widespread and easy to come by if you had the coin, which was partially why he had chosen them when he first arrived. They were so widespread and common that just about every plant and manufacturer within an interval of sixty or so levels employed them. If you didn’t enlist the critters in your industry somehow or somewhere, it was obvious. Obvious to your peers. Obvious to the authorities. Obvious to the Empire.

Trord was one of many Ugnaughts at the facility and one of his most devoted workers. At times they could be most mischievous if left unsupervised. He had solved that problem early on with a line of droids specifically designed to “facilitate” their workflow tasks. If an Ugnaught failed to perform repeatedly, warranting multiple shocks from a BK-1, they would be taken and used as targets during combat training weeks. This was partly for spectacle, and partly for keeping the peace. What good were an army of Ugnaughts without the installation of order? To many this was unethical. To him it was effective. By now he had weeded out most all the bad eggs. Now his Ugs served and served well in the process.

“My friend.. please see that this information reaches the others and that DY-05 is properly tuned.. thank you.”

Trord acknowledged with a very wry grunt and a grin revealing a boar-like face and several nasty teeth. The ball of fur strutted off down a long hallway, vanishing from sight.

Wrapped in a cool grey cloak the man stood, his gaze distant. He looked past the triple plated plasma glass, past the workshop below where Ugnaughts traveled back and forth holding various parts and bits. His mind grappled with things from the past, and things yet to be.

A deep imperative voice boomed over the vox in the ceiling.

“DOCTOR RHYMER. VISITOR. SOUTH GATE.”

He snapped back to.

“Very well.”

[Corgus Rhymer]

The facility was small compared to many others in the district, but one could easily get lost within due to a number of hallways, corridors, and even ducts designed specifically for the Ugs. Corgus rented the lab from Calius Tazar, the facility manager of the plant above his. Calius was also his window to the labor pool. Every so often Corgus would buy new shipments of Ugs when his numbers were running low, and his contact always knew where to get nothing short of the best.

Corgus pressed onward to the south gate, his cloak flowing behind him. Lights every so many feet reilluminated his features. His face was flat, not entirely defined, with pale grey skin, his white hair slicked back behind his collar. Corgus had never been handsome, or nice to look at. He blamed this on a long lineage of snowy ancestors. In fact many times in his life he had been mistaken for a corpse while sleeping. Corgus was far from gaunt. A healthy appetite saw to that.

After several more turns he arrived at the exit, or entrance depending on which side of it you were standing on. A larger droid stood sentry on a balcony in the musty room, the light was particularly dim here. It was as if this area had not been accessed for some time.

Corgus waved to the droid. He heard the click of its blaster sliding back into its holster.

"VESEETOR DOCTOR RHYMER."

"I'm here aren't I? Thank you Python."

The droid was aptly named due to the nature of his steel cranium that he had received. Python was a scary sight really, a small angular head on a larger disfigured body. Corgus had a tendency of naming his droids after certain creatures and animals. It sat perfectly still, its singular yellow optic never wavering from Corgus.

He flipped open a panel on rail by the door revealing an array of keys. Corgus entered a short sequence and a video stream appeared above the door, revealing the outside surroundings and the visitor. The man stood smiling at the camera, arms crossed. The shadows of the gate bay revealed a hard facial structure with sharp features and deep green eyes. The mans hair was dark and pressed forward.

Corgus struck a key and the door unlocked. The sound of metal on metal gears grinding echoed throughout the room. He greeted the visitor.

"Braxus!"

"Doctor Rhymer. All is well?"

"Of course of course." Corgus replied. "Well indeed, come in come in. You're early... eighteen hours early to be precise."

"I know, figured I would get a head start with your facilities before we begin the usual."

Braxus stepped inside, the door shutting hard behind him, nearly clipping his red jacket. Python sat, watching his every move.

"You really should tell that thing to lighten up."

"Oh him?? Python is a product from an older generation. He serves his purpose quite well actually." Corgus let out a cough that echoed down the corridor. "If I were to tweek him now it would be a travesty."

"Pity."

As the two men turned the ground began to shake, turning into a violent rumble.

"You might want to hang onto something." Corgus yellled.

"I know I'm used to it!"

A loud drone could be heard, clearly the source of the seismic vibrations they were enduring. Panels fell from the ceiling. Tubular piping began to spill smoke from the rafters. Corgus grabbed for a railing while Braxus remained in place. After several minutes all was silent. They waited for the ringing to clear out of their ears. Corgus sighed.

"Do you know how much that ones going to cost me?? There honestly is no method to their testing anymore."

Braxus remained quiet, unimpressed. Corgus' lab was located directly beneath a massive repulsorlift plant where large thrusters for various craft were developed and tested on a not so routine basis. If you didn't know better you would have sworn Cloud City was collapsing during their evaluations.

An Ug passed them out of nowhere, headed towards the flashing lights at the end of the hallway.

Braxus looked at the Doctor, who was still recovering from the shock.

"You were saying?"