[J7 - Iridonia - CFS] Intrigue on Iridonia: Swoop Slums

[RocketBoy]

*Your entry has earned 14 XP (x2 for limited challenge)*

 

Iridonia, the gateway to the Outer Rim.
                The red sphere was a dry, harsh world, the home to the hardy Zabrak. The Zabrak had a centuries-long tradition of hyperspace trade, rivalries with the Duros, and a shareholder’s slice of the pie when it came to making decisions about hyperspace tariffs. Their homeworld’s placement provided leverage, leverage that the current regime was glad to exploit.
                The House of Kesh had ruled Iridonia for decades. Lord Kesh had proven himself a violent, unstable, vain tyrant who murdered outsiders and made his own people slaves. The rest of the galaxy might have ignored this, but Kesh also made a habit of choking the Coruscant-Dantooine hyperlanes. Hitting people’s bottom lines was a good way to draw their attention.

                For over a month, a growing team of CFS diplomats had been hunkered down on Iridonia to try to negotiate a deal with its government, working to arrive at some sort of agreement, both among themselves and the Iridonian leadership. Everyone in the room had different priorities: some represented the CFS Merchant Core and just wanted to relax tariffs, others had the plight of the people in mind. Some wanted to take Kesh before a trial, deal with things peacefully. Others at the table would rather see him dead.
                A sandstorm of intrigue surrounded the diplomats since the moment they arrived. Spies hung on every corner and doorway: CFS spies and Iridonian spies, and spies working for individual diplomats, advancing causes unbeknownst to their colleagues. While the gears of diplomacy grinded on, some had initiated more direct action.
                Forgun Bohani had been the third diplomat to arrive in the Iridonian court. He was a clever old man, always watching and listening, who found himself on the side of a peaceful transition of power. He had listened to the bickering in the court long enough to decide a fresh voice was needed. He knew exactly who to summon: a young diplomat who had negotiated terms at Kril’Dor after the Pyerce insurrection, a rising star named Lan Honn. Honn seemed intelligent, studious, and honorable, precisely what was needed here. Bohani sent a message asking for the young man's help, offering himself as a sponsor.

 

The Noble Lan Honn encounters the rascal Dak Sirah

Spoiler

(I wrote this after watching 8 hours of Shakespeare, so forewarning, the dialogue is weird.)

 

When the message arrived, Lan Honn was struck speechless. Once he had composed himself, calmed his excited nerves, and closed his gaping jaw, he jumped at the opportunity with appropriate seriousness. He became a tireless student of the Iridonian situation as he traveled, pouring over not only the current stakes of the negotiation, but Iridonian culture, art, and history. Anything that might help him understand their point of view. He stared out the viewport of his transport at the grim, dust-red planet’s surface.
                Though he would soon join the CFS entourage, he chose to mask his arrival by docking at a swoop slum far from the city center. He traveled in plainclothes accompanied only by his bodyguard, the dangerous Esno Bo’Barbi.
                The landing pad was deserted. The only people in sight were offworlders who looked more than worse-for-wear. As Honn and Bo’Barbi walked down the gangplank, a fat, bearded Lannik approached.
                Honn turned to his companion. “Here comes Dak Sirah, a rogue if ever there was one, true and merry-faced though he be.”
                “Aye,” replied the gruff Bo’Barbi. “Untiring after his own interest. Though if his and ours overlap, he becomes a useful fellow.”
                Honn smiled at Sirah. “Dak! It’s good to see you. Live you on borrowed credits, or your own?”
                “Lan Honn!” cried the bearded man. “Prince among men! Don’t you look…discrete. For once, I’m the handsomer of us two! For a diplomat, you make a lousy first impression, y’know. Don’t jest about my finances, I try to do my best.”
                Honn grinned. “You’ve never once succeeded, though you’re not without other merit.”
                Sirah peered at him. “Honest for a diplomat, too. Let’s put aside the squabbling, eh? I’m here on Bohani’s behalf, he got your message and sent me to lead you to the courts. I’d say welcome, but there’s nothing welcoming about Iridonia at present. What do you know about the situation, Honn?”
                “I’ve read up on my way.”
                “Ah! Of course you have. I should’ve known.”
                “But pretend I haven’t. I want to hear it from your perspective.”

                Dak sighed. “It’s a port of wolves, Honn. The Iridonians waste no pity or kindness on their own people, much less the Duros or offworlders. Both sides watch each other, constant with their spies. Yours truly, in fact, does some work on the side for Lord Bohani! Though, come to think of it, I wasn’t meant to let on to that.”
                “I would think Bohani would bring on tighter-lipped spies. Though he’d be hard-pressed to find one more likable.”
                “Ahhh, that’s my trick, there. No one suspects a guy like me to do anything more subtle than a public one-man-show! Keeps ‘em off the scent. It’s a good thing you’re here, Honn. It’s all been infighting and circling so far. Every day new proposals, new amendments, but nothin’ seems to stick. They’ve needed some fresh ideas, I think you’re just the one for it.”
                “Thank you, Dak. I mean to be of service.”
                Sirah scoffed. “You seem nervous. You kidding me? You’ll do great, you’re a bright guy. A lot brighter than some of the statues they’ve got at the table right now. Scaft, I nearly forgot to greet your bodyguard. Mister Bo’Barbi, the most dangerous man in the galaxy, enemy to nere’do’wells! A title I hope I don’t merit.”
                Bo’Barbi raised an eyebrow. “An enemy to flatterers, too, mister Sirah.”
                “Ah . . . Point taken. Lovely to make your acquaintance, sir! Ol’ Dak means no harm, no harm at all.” Sirah crinkled his jolly face. “Not unless you’re a bottle of Mantelli Scotch, anyway.”
 

Background Extras

Spoiler

A human on a Mobquet Zephyr-J putters off to the shop to fix his oversensitive alarm.

This Iakaru just got word that his cousin was stopped by the Iridonian guard. He saddles up his Ubrikkian Streethopper to bail him out.

 

The old man who lives under the gate enjoys a nice mid-day puff.

 

Geonosian merchant Pok-Mok returns to his boarding house after a successful deal. He’s pleased that he’ll have less surplus Imperial turbolasers taking up space on his ship.

 

Gobert the Ugnaught has a disagreement with an offworlder Jawa he thinks has an ego too big for his robes.

 

Two Zabrak guards keep a close eye all the comings-and-goings.

Build Photos

Spoiler

 

Thanks to the CFS community, and the wider SWFactions community for all the feedback. 

Thanks for your time!

 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2020 by goatman461

[Simulterious]

Fantastic build! Maybe my favourite so far in the challenge! 

[marvelBoy123]

A nice build with some more advanced techniques but it feels a little too cluttered to me - the colour blocking on the buildings and landscape could maybe do with a little work. The speeders do feel more of an afterthought as well. That said it is definitely a step up for you - the circular windows look good as do all the alien minifigures. As ever a great story as well!

[Ross Fisher]

I love the terrain, but it feels like the bikes were a bit of an afterthought. It's going to be a tricky one to score, because it's the swoops that we'll be focusing on. 

[RocketBoy]

50 minutes ago, Ross Fisher said:

I love the terrain, but it feels like the bikes were a bit of an afterthought. It's going to be a tricky one to score, because it's the swoops that we'll be focusing on. 

Do you think I'd get a fairer score on the build itself if I took it out of the contest? I'm willing to do that. Obviously the bulk of the work went into the build itself, so I don't want to gip myself out of being rewarded for that because the swoops are (comparatively) just background content.

Edited September 21, 2020 by RocketBoy

[goatman461]

@Ross Fisher he checked all the boxes for the LTC as far as I can tell. I think it should be scored as a freebuild (with the LTC bonus applying independently), but as a judge you can score it as you like. 

[JintaiZ]

Fantastic build!

[Darth Bjorn]

Nice! You pack a lot of stuff onto a 16x32 space... There's some details that are a little crude, but the overall look and feel is brilliant. I really get that SW fringe feel from this! Good job!

[Simulterious]

12 hours ago, goatman461 said:

@Ross Fisher he checked all the boxes for the LTC as far as I can tell. I think it should be scored as a freebuild (with the LTC bonus applying independently), but as a judge you can score it as you like. 

I honesty agree with the Goat, a build should be scored in it's entierety, with the bonus being applied in the end... 

[JShortForJay]

Really awesome build packed with details, I love the all the fun aliens and the man smoking. You've got some nice compact speeders, the colour variation really sells them as homemade junker bikes, great! 

[Ross Fisher]

17 hours ago, RocketBoy said:

Do you think I'd get a fairer score on the build itself if I took it out of the contest? 

Nah, I'm persuaded. It's a good build and I'm gonna score this high. 

[Denal31]

Nice job! You've captured the slum look very well. Fantastic story as usual!

[RocketBoy]

Thanks everybody!

[MKJoshA]

I'm going to come back and read the dialogue once I have more time. But I have to say your buildings are fantastic!