[Day 2 - Mid Morning] Early Smoke

[Vec Gunnar]

As the morning started out in the moon, Vec ventured out of the Imperial Compound for his morning walk once more. This time he found himself in Shadow Town. He was on a walkway above the streets that provided him a good vantage point to the people below going about their morning. These were the lesser fortunate people he found himself among another lifetime. Different planet, but the same story. Sometimes, he could still pick out the wolves from the sheep among people there.

The pulled out a canteen from his long coat and poured himself a cup of caf.

[Dapper Dog]

“Good morning, I suppose though I get disoriented by the constant twilight and the long days. I find the city here confusing and intimidating,” Lana says as she leans on the railing.

“I don’t quite understand how people seem to just know where they are going around here. It just seems so chaotic.”

[Vec Gunnar]

Ver narrowed his eyes and glanced beside him to see Lana. A girl? His glance lingered on her, wondering for more than just a moment where were her guardians or parents. Eventually, he merely settled in and took a sip of his cup. "Good morning, there. Yeah, it's a bit of a head trip but not too different from being on an orbital station or on a planet with an endless night..."

"That's the beauty of having a simple life, miss," he said before taking another sip from his cup and his eyes on the crowd below. "When you're just trying to survive, there's just a natural order of things, yeah?"

[Dapper Dog]

“It is unnerving,” Lana says with her crisp Imperial voice.

“These people value their freedom, and yet they live in squalor and filth with little to show for it. Survival is the act of animals. I just don’t understand why they resist the Empire, we could make this place an orderly safe world.”

[Vec Gunnar]

He raised a brow at the mention of the place being unnerving, whether it be the slums below or the cycle times here.

"They got their reasons and I don't really blame them, or see less of them. It's sometimes the bigger fish keeping them down and they don't really see beyond the scraps in front of them. They don't know they got the option. Or they're not convinced. They don't think the Empire is going to drop down tranports with its troops handing out supplies on good will."

Vec didn't either, not overnight, but kept that to himself.

[Dapper Dog]

She looks out at the lights and says, “So it all comes down to winning hearts and minds then? After my observation and interaction with the Sith… not our strongest point. Imperial authority would go a long way to satisfying the needs of these people. Better more equitable social services, order, and direction.”

“This is just chaos going in every direction, I don’t understand why the Hutts allow it. Perhaps they find value in the disarray?” she finishes looking to the older soldier.

[Vec Gunnar]

He bit back a smirk as he felt the length of his lower jaw, as if checking for stubble on her recently shave face. "An equitable way of life and great and all...But again, I don't know if people want that. They don't want equal, they want to be on top. Even if they have to wade in the mud and they only get one shot at it. To have it all, while stepping on their former neighbours while talking tall. Why do you think gambling dens are so popular around here?"

"That's how they make their credits, or how I reckon they do," he nodded in confirmation. "Chaos is great for pulling a few fast ones, while nobody suspects nothing'. Nice of them to host us, huh?"

[Dapper Dog]

“They will live in squalor because they think they have a chance to be rich? That is foolish. The Hutts will only allow others to get so far before they reigned them in,” she says in reply.

She frowns and looks at the people scurrying below and says, “Even more reason we should eventually dislodge these Hutts and bring order.”

[Vec Gunnar]

"There are as many stories are there are people there, some are the same and there are some unique ones. That's just my best guess when it comes to choosing freedom over security." He shrugs as he finished the rest of his cup of caf, pouring another from his cateen. "Hutts are supposed to be real charismatic, I hear. That's one reason I avoid talking to one whenever possible."

He gave a glance around, rather bold words coming from a young girl. Especially so in the hutt's own turf. "You say that, yeah? Would you be willing to inherit this city if they gave you the keys? Tall order, if you ask me."

[Dapper Dog]

“I think I could manage,” she says thinking the question over.

“Appoint me as governor and I would clear out the ghettoes, relocate the squalor by stripping the Hutts of their wealth and using that to build suitable housing and education. I would abolish the narcotics trade, execute those that fail to fall in line and then begin a series of public works to aid the people. Create jobs and stability.”

“As my Master says, there is nothing a Sith cannot do.”

[Vec Gunnar]

Vec gave her a long look after she delivered her solution to fixing the slums. He would like to think the girl was far more a politician than naive, if she was under the tutelage of a Sith, it was doubtful she would waste her master's time.

He gave a deep nod, just going along with her plan. "Yeah, sure. That would be a start. I guess the Hutts can go into hiding to keep their wealth and make a good killing with the hidden narcotics trade, drive prices up now that there's enforcement. Enforcement can serve to wipe out one provider, while the other one thrives. Might allow another to take its place. It'll be hard to change people's mindset overnight, so they might slack behind while everyone else has to pick up the weight for them."

[Dapper Dog]

“I would not let the Hutts get away reclaiming their wealth is vital to the success my plan… if I were governor,” she admits.

“What would you do, Trooper?”

[Vec Gunnar]

"Heh, probably no better than you, first off," he gave a shrug as he casually patted his coat for his tin of smokes but abstained, seeing as his current company might mind. "I'd probably not step on the whole narcotics thing, govern it then rather than abolish it. It's a tainted lifeline, so to speak. Unless you hope to execute anyone and everyone who's addicted to the flippin' stuff. Everyone at the bottom, some at the top. That's a whole another pit of sarlaccs. If it were up to me, I'd rather leave the whole damn place alone...or bomb it, one of those. It ain't worth the headache."

He took a casual sip as he gazed down at the streets. "Sometimes, it really does take a slug to govern a pit of worms."

[Dapper Dog]

“The status quo has not served anyone but the Hutts,” she says looking at the streets.

“We could tax the narcotics line, legitimize it. The state would be responsible for more addicts but w would have revenue from their weakness. Not ideal but better than simply ignoring it altogether,” she counters.

[Vec Gunnar]

"Yeah, that works," he nodded in agreement, that was vaguely the idea to what he was getting at. Being a soldier, he couldn't quite articulate into bureaucracy. "Then again, that might be the Republic's way of thinking. I'm not too sure but you wouldn't want to seem weaker because of it. Still, you'd be surprised to know how tough worms can be."

[Dapper Dog]

"I don't see the Republic as weak, it has lasted a millennia and weathered many calamities. We should respect our enemy and their capabilities," she counters.

[Vec Gunnar]

"Heh, well, that pretty much show what I know about politics, my lady," he shrugged at that with a faint smirk. "Sorry, I was just trying to offer some food for thought. Between us, you probably have a better idea of what you're talking about. I don't think I would see you hanging out around the Darth if that wasn't the case. I'm just a grunt. So, you're aiming to become the governess of this jewel on a moon someday?"

[Dapper Dog]

"Not at all, I rather loathe titles, that was all just hypothetical. I don't think people would even listen to me, most don't even notice I am there," Lana responds honestly.

[Vec Gunnar]

"That's because you're young, obviously, and still figuring things out. Heck, I'm probably still figuring things out now," he looked on to the streets with a shake of his head. "You do spend time around some rather notable people to not get noticed. What are you hoping to become, then?"

[Dapper Dog]

"I hope to earn the right to be Sith and then serve the Empire and bring order to the galaxy. I do not need any more than that," she says honestly looking around.

"I did not choose to be a servant of Darth Xevious, he chose me."

[Vec Gunnar]

"An earnest soul with no ambition other than serving the Empire? You're the few around here," he finished the remainder of his cup and turned it upside down, flicking the remaining drops below.

He looked curiously at the girl, just learning a tiny more about her. Or maybe it was already known and he only picked it up now. "Huh, that's something I didn't know. Yeah? He just up and chose you, because you were special or something? That must be it."

[Dapper Dog]

"I don't know, he said he was impressed with my sensitivity to the Force," she says not really understanding what that meant.

[Vec Gunnar]

He couldn't quite help the girl with her cluelessness but he was getting the vague feeling that she was needed greener than he had initially thought. "That's a good thing, yeah? Do you talk much with his other children? Or with the other Sith, or Jedi? Don't recall seeing you at that big hand-holding bashed last night."

[Dapper Dog]

"I tried to talk to his children... I don;t think they like me. Probably just see me as a rival. I talked... to some of the Sith, but mostly they just tell me what to do. Which is fine, I learn from observation and doing. I don't have... friends," she says honestly though not sadly.

"Just always been better in my head."

[Vec Gunnar]

Vec gave a sidelong look at Lana, Aw, heck. Don't tell me a lost little lamb was adopted by wolf now. Not by some Sith master. Maybe she should have attended the little hand-holding soiree. "That's unfortunate you don't have much friends, my lady. It's a big galaxy but finding friends is tough, just how things go. Pretending is easier for some people. That's why you got diplomats and negotiators." He snickered, recalling the gathering last night.

"In your head? I wish I could tell you more about the Force. I spoke to some doctor Jedi last night, briefly. I know how to shoot and I'm decent at it. If you're into that, that I can teach you."