Prince Simus
Dec 8th, 2001, 01:16:43 PM
The singing quartet handled their instruments like professionals, while emitting melodious tunes of relaxation across the room. They had been paid to entertain the guests of the Flamewind Casino with popular jizz tunes that were heard throughout the Galaxy. This quartet was comprised of a Bith, an intimidating Talz, a Kitonak and an Ortolan. This exotic band was obviously an expensive one, as many patrons subconsciously noted. Their musical instruments were top of the line and seemed brand new. They were dressed in expensive silken clothes woven from skilled hands. Yes, it seemed as though the band was not having any financial problems. It did not really matter, their lives were insignificant compared to the lives of others. If this band were suddenly gunned down in a pirate raid, they would not be missed. A new group of musicians would simply be hired to replace them.
There were others, who did not care about the musicians at all. No, they were more interested in the size of their wallets. It was intriguing how credits could drive a desperate person into doing almost anything. Money was an important motivational factor and could buy one almost anything. It was a pity that credits always ended up being spent on useless things. The Flamewind Casino specialized in sucking the credits out of one’s pockets, or so to speak. Admission into the casino was two thousand credits alone. Quite a substantial amount, but it had been justified by the free drinks served at the bars, and the free meals that could be obtained at the food court. The Sabacc tables were always high stakes games for high stakes gamblers. The slot machines were efficient in ridding one of their credits, yet the patrons kept on coming back. Obsession was also something that could be exploited by the strong, if and when needed to. The rich had an obsession for credits, and how to obtain more credits. Ironically, it was only the rich who could afford to waste money at the Flamewind Casino.
The Flamewind Casino was located in the thick of the Oseon system on asteroid 5794. The asteroid was one of the largest in the system, and could house up to forty million beings at a time. The Oseon system itself was totally comprised of asteroids. Seven distinct bands of asteroids orbited Oseon, the primary star in the system. The Oseon system was named after Gadfrey Oseon, a legendary crimelord. He operated a travelling circus that served as a front for his illicit operations. Legend said he got into trouble during a performance on Nal Hutta, and fled to the most remote area of space he could find. There, he discovered a star system made up of seven belts of asteroids, which eventually came to be known as the Oseon System. He was forced to remain in the system because of the occurrence of the Flamewind, and he began dreaming of using the wondrous natural event as a tourist attraction.
The Flamewind of Oseon occurred when the system's primary star flared up in a spectacular display, once a year. A major influx of tourists is seen in the Oseon system during the Flamewind. The asteroids are primarily vacation sites and pleasure spots for the filthy rich of the galaxy. The system itself was also the home to a huge population of mynocks, which is why any ships travelling through the system were well advised to protect their ships from the parasites.
Mynocks were not the only parasites to plague the Oseon system. There were many more, all different sizes and all different shapes. Criminals, animals, pirates, Imperial renegades and much more had made the Oseon system their home. Most notably, one parasite operated under the very noses of the people of Oseon. This parasite, in his own respect, was not only a man of physical and mental power, but also of newfound wealth. He often declined any public outings or parties, although there were many. It was not unusual for a rumor to sprout up here and there about one of the most wealthiest men in the Oseon system. Unbeknownst to most, many of those rumors held some form of truth to them. The man’s occupation in the Oseon system was newfound, having been there for only two months.
In the past two months, Belli D’rue a fat human from Kalarba had sold the ownership rights of the Flamewind Casino and unexpectedly fled the system with all of his belongings. The man responsible for purchasing the ownership rights of the Casino was known to the outside population as Prince Simus. He was the current topic of discussion for those who had nothing else to talk about. Only the upper echelons of the Casino’s staff had any interaction with him at all. Although most were not reluctant to admit that this Prince Simus had done a great job in managing the casino. Since his arrival, he ordered the construction of a new wing to his casino. The Flamewind Casino’s overall performance substantially rose, as some found themselves returning each and every day. Another kilometer of rock had been hollowed out of Asteroid 5794 to make room for a hotel resort. Indeed, it had been expensive, but Prince Simus and his staff found that the hotel had been a potential gold mine. The wealthy tourists from all over the Galaxy accessed it daily. The patrons were pleased, and that was one of the main reasons they returned.
Sadly enough, when one had obtained wealth, enemies were not far around the corner. There were other wealthy dignitaries in the Oseon system that completely despised Prince Simus for his good fortune. Casino owners found that most of their previous customers had been swayed away by the flashy Flamewind Casino. It was not only the disgruntled casino owners and the rich folks that wanted this Prince Simus, whom they’ve never seen or spoken with, locked away. The law enforcement agency in the Oseon system had heard rumors of this Simus character operating with narcotics and illegal substances. The constabulary had yet to find evidence against the dignitary, but they knew they would find something. Undercover officers were a nice way of uncovering useful information…
“My lord, you have two visitors.” The man who spoke was decidedly weak by the way he looked. He seemed to be in his late forties, although he possessed determined eyes. At his side he wore an ancient DL-44 blaster. “They are waiting outside your chambers, for admittance. Shall I let them through?”
“Tevendro, do they have an appointment?” The voice emerged from what seemed to be an empty room.
The aging human could only see what was through the cracks. There were no lights, just darkness. He did not understand how Prince Simus could live in such inhuman conditions. At the moment it did not really matter, one day he would unravel part of the mystery. He spoke back, “Yes, Prince Simus. They made an appointment to speak to you last week.” He glanced at his datapad in between intervals, to make sure everything was correct. Simus did not appreciate insolence.
“I do not recall agreeing to any appointments.” Simus shot back, the anger in his voice was evident.
“It says here that they wish to speak to you about your current,” Tevendro paused and lowered his voice, “life crystal imports.”
Simus was interested by what his underling had to say, for once. He would have known if an appointment had been made for him, yet he had not been notified. Simus was not short minded, at all. He could recall each and every event in his life that had taken place in the past five months. He could smell Tevendro’s fear in the next room. His ever-faithful servant was afraid he would displease Simus. The Prince could feel past the walls, even further then that. Two life forms stood just outside of his quarters in the spacious waiting area he had formed for his business associates. They felt a small amount of fear as well, interesting he noted. Their presence could only mean one thing that would answer all other questions that he had presented before himself. These beings outside of his door were members of the law enforcement agency of Oseon. Simus smiled to himself. A rarity that no one, even Tevendro, had the pleasure of seeing.
“Oh yes. Them.” Simus decided he would have a bit of fun. “Allow them in, and express my deepest apologies for keeping them waiting.”
“Yes…Prince Simus.” Tevendro was confused. This did not sound like Simus at all, and when Simus did not sound like himself he was plotting something. The aide walked toward the door and opened it, quietly. He allowed the two humans in, one man and one woman. The woman had dark auburn hair and a slim form. She had obviously been put through a rigorous physical training program. The man seemed fit as well. He wore two blasters at his side, and his hair had been slicked back. These officers had dressed up like street rogues or common smugglers. Simus could see through the crack of the doorway. They had entered his chambers, and were slowly making their way toward the half-closed door. It seemed like an eternity before they finally entered.
“Welcome, to my quarters.” Simus called out from the dark. His voice seemed more like an echo. A few lights above illuminated the room in an eerie glow. Still, they could not see Simus or pinpoint his location.
“Greetings, Prince Simus. I’m Jax Raan and this is my business associate Ulija Kerr.” The man spoke first, keeping his hand near his blaster.
“Are you sure of that fact, Mr. Raan?” As Simus spoke, something moved in the shadows…Something large. It wasted no time in waiting for its prey to react. Jax felt a block of ice form in his stomach as the head of a serpent revealed itself. This serpent could easily swallow an average human full. Jax relieved his blasters of their holsters and fired round after round at the serpent. The female Ulija fumbled for her own blaster. Both undercover agents fell back, unable to scream or move as the reptile struck out at them, teeth and all. It was only after a few moments that they realized this serpent was not real, but a shadow. Both were shivering in the fear of the after effect. It seemed the serpent had been created by a holoprojector of some sort…But it looked so real.
“Your arrival displeases me.” Simus called out from the shadows. “I did not want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice.”
Darkness consumed the two…
There were others, who did not care about the musicians at all. No, they were more interested in the size of their wallets. It was intriguing how credits could drive a desperate person into doing almost anything. Money was an important motivational factor and could buy one almost anything. It was a pity that credits always ended up being spent on useless things. The Flamewind Casino specialized in sucking the credits out of one’s pockets, or so to speak. Admission into the casino was two thousand credits alone. Quite a substantial amount, but it had been justified by the free drinks served at the bars, and the free meals that could be obtained at the food court. The Sabacc tables were always high stakes games for high stakes gamblers. The slot machines were efficient in ridding one of their credits, yet the patrons kept on coming back. Obsession was also something that could be exploited by the strong, if and when needed to. The rich had an obsession for credits, and how to obtain more credits. Ironically, it was only the rich who could afford to waste money at the Flamewind Casino.
The Flamewind Casino was located in the thick of the Oseon system on asteroid 5794. The asteroid was one of the largest in the system, and could house up to forty million beings at a time. The Oseon system itself was totally comprised of asteroids. Seven distinct bands of asteroids orbited Oseon, the primary star in the system. The Oseon system was named after Gadfrey Oseon, a legendary crimelord. He operated a travelling circus that served as a front for his illicit operations. Legend said he got into trouble during a performance on Nal Hutta, and fled to the most remote area of space he could find. There, he discovered a star system made up of seven belts of asteroids, which eventually came to be known as the Oseon System. He was forced to remain in the system because of the occurrence of the Flamewind, and he began dreaming of using the wondrous natural event as a tourist attraction.
The Flamewind of Oseon occurred when the system's primary star flared up in a spectacular display, once a year. A major influx of tourists is seen in the Oseon system during the Flamewind. The asteroids are primarily vacation sites and pleasure spots for the filthy rich of the galaxy. The system itself was also the home to a huge population of mynocks, which is why any ships travelling through the system were well advised to protect their ships from the parasites.
Mynocks were not the only parasites to plague the Oseon system. There were many more, all different sizes and all different shapes. Criminals, animals, pirates, Imperial renegades and much more had made the Oseon system their home. Most notably, one parasite operated under the very noses of the people of Oseon. This parasite, in his own respect, was not only a man of physical and mental power, but also of newfound wealth. He often declined any public outings or parties, although there were many. It was not unusual for a rumor to sprout up here and there about one of the most wealthiest men in the Oseon system. Unbeknownst to most, many of those rumors held some form of truth to them. The man’s occupation in the Oseon system was newfound, having been there for only two months.
In the past two months, Belli D’rue a fat human from Kalarba had sold the ownership rights of the Flamewind Casino and unexpectedly fled the system with all of his belongings. The man responsible for purchasing the ownership rights of the Casino was known to the outside population as Prince Simus. He was the current topic of discussion for those who had nothing else to talk about. Only the upper echelons of the Casino’s staff had any interaction with him at all. Although most were not reluctant to admit that this Prince Simus had done a great job in managing the casino. Since his arrival, he ordered the construction of a new wing to his casino. The Flamewind Casino’s overall performance substantially rose, as some found themselves returning each and every day. Another kilometer of rock had been hollowed out of Asteroid 5794 to make room for a hotel resort. Indeed, it had been expensive, but Prince Simus and his staff found that the hotel had been a potential gold mine. The wealthy tourists from all over the Galaxy accessed it daily. The patrons were pleased, and that was one of the main reasons they returned.
Sadly enough, when one had obtained wealth, enemies were not far around the corner. There were other wealthy dignitaries in the Oseon system that completely despised Prince Simus for his good fortune. Casino owners found that most of their previous customers had been swayed away by the flashy Flamewind Casino. It was not only the disgruntled casino owners and the rich folks that wanted this Prince Simus, whom they’ve never seen or spoken with, locked away. The law enforcement agency in the Oseon system had heard rumors of this Simus character operating with narcotics and illegal substances. The constabulary had yet to find evidence against the dignitary, but they knew they would find something. Undercover officers were a nice way of uncovering useful information…
“My lord, you have two visitors.” The man who spoke was decidedly weak by the way he looked. He seemed to be in his late forties, although he possessed determined eyes. At his side he wore an ancient DL-44 blaster. “They are waiting outside your chambers, for admittance. Shall I let them through?”
“Tevendro, do they have an appointment?” The voice emerged from what seemed to be an empty room.
The aging human could only see what was through the cracks. There were no lights, just darkness. He did not understand how Prince Simus could live in such inhuman conditions. At the moment it did not really matter, one day he would unravel part of the mystery. He spoke back, “Yes, Prince Simus. They made an appointment to speak to you last week.” He glanced at his datapad in between intervals, to make sure everything was correct. Simus did not appreciate insolence.
“I do not recall agreeing to any appointments.” Simus shot back, the anger in his voice was evident.
“It says here that they wish to speak to you about your current,” Tevendro paused and lowered his voice, “life crystal imports.”
Simus was interested by what his underling had to say, for once. He would have known if an appointment had been made for him, yet he had not been notified. Simus was not short minded, at all. He could recall each and every event in his life that had taken place in the past five months. He could smell Tevendro’s fear in the next room. His ever-faithful servant was afraid he would displease Simus. The Prince could feel past the walls, even further then that. Two life forms stood just outside of his quarters in the spacious waiting area he had formed for his business associates. They felt a small amount of fear as well, interesting he noted. Their presence could only mean one thing that would answer all other questions that he had presented before himself. These beings outside of his door were members of the law enforcement agency of Oseon. Simus smiled to himself. A rarity that no one, even Tevendro, had the pleasure of seeing.
“Oh yes. Them.” Simus decided he would have a bit of fun. “Allow them in, and express my deepest apologies for keeping them waiting.”
“Yes…Prince Simus.” Tevendro was confused. This did not sound like Simus at all, and when Simus did not sound like himself he was plotting something. The aide walked toward the door and opened it, quietly. He allowed the two humans in, one man and one woman. The woman had dark auburn hair and a slim form. She had obviously been put through a rigorous physical training program. The man seemed fit as well. He wore two blasters at his side, and his hair had been slicked back. These officers had dressed up like street rogues or common smugglers. Simus could see through the crack of the doorway. They had entered his chambers, and were slowly making their way toward the half-closed door. It seemed like an eternity before they finally entered.
“Welcome, to my quarters.” Simus called out from the dark. His voice seemed more like an echo. A few lights above illuminated the room in an eerie glow. Still, they could not see Simus or pinpoint his location.
“Greetings, Prince Simus. I’m Jax Raan and this is my business associate Ulija Kerr.” The man spoke first, keeping his hand near his blaster.
“Are you sure of that fact, Mr. Raan?” As Simus spoke, something moved in the shadows…Something large. It wasted no time in waiting for its prey to react. Jax felt a block of ice form in his stomach as the head of a serpent revealed itself. This serpent could easily swallow an average human full. Jax relieved his blasters of their holsters and fired round after round at the serpent. The female Ulija fumbled for her own blaster. Both undercover agents fell back, unable to scream or move as the reptile struck out at them, teeth and all. It was only after a few moments that they realized this serpent was not real, but a shadow. Both were shivering in the fear of the after effect. It seemed the serpent had been created by a holoprojector of some sort…But it looked so real.
“Your arrival displeases me.” Simus called out from the shadows. “I did not want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice.”
Darkness consumed the two…