Cassiopeia: An Unconventional Hero

Chapter 1

While much of galaxy had already been discovered and colonized, the wild space beyond the outer-rim still held unknown worlds, and many brave and adventurous souls risked death, or worse, to find them. A standard year ago, a dangerous hyper-route was discovered that lead to a small solar-system that contained six planets, with the fourth being perfect for most organic life forms. It was typical for a life-sustaining world, with abundant vegetation, numerous indigenous wildlife, an unlimited water supply, and room for any group to grow, but there was one major problem: getting there. The only available hyper-route passed uncomfortably close to a collapsed star, and the subsequent black hole was capable of pulling virtually any ship out of hyperspace, and into the singularity. The pilots that discovered the world were hired by the RAIS to cart them back and forth, as they knew the tricks to arriving unscathed, but the Republic had decided that since only skilled pilots could traverse the route, trade was impossible, and therefore the planet was labeled as uninhabitable.

The RAIS wasn't willing to give up on such a beautiful world just yet, and they began searching for adventurous colonists to occupy a planet that would be basically cut-off from the rest of the galaxy. They soon found, however, that there were a multitude of people from numerous races that were fed up with the Republic, and were willing to pay handsomely to live upon their own world, with their own government, without any outside interference. The RAIS had never been short on cash, but now they were sufficiently funded to begin a major colonization effort, and step one was coordinating a research team to set up camp and prepare for future colonization. Two administrators were chosen, a human named Yato Rhe, and a rodian known as Fa'as, to put together a team to begin preparing the planet, dubbed Selkor IV, for colonization.

Yato and Fa'as had access to some of the finest scientific minds in the galaxy, but neither of them knew anything about building an advanced recon and research team. They used the Republic Colonization Bureau's standard team-template as a model, but since the recon teams were designed to protect the scientists from potential hazards, they had to look to the shady world of mercenaries to hire suitable individuals. They ventured into Coruscant's underworld in an attempt to find a non-criminal element to make up their recon team, while not getting killed in the process. Their research took them to dirty bars and seedy taverns, where they learned of a Mandalorian warrior who would not only lead the team, but could most-likely assemble it himself.

Karsis Partokian once led a Mandalorian mercenary crew whose services ranged from gun-running to high-end protection. They staged rebellions and fought wars for whomever had the cash, regardless of the political, moral, or ethical alignment of their employers, and they always stayed until the contract was complete, as the Mandalorian code placed honor above all things. Honor only went so far, however, as running out of money would render said contract null-and-void.

The two nervous administrators caught up with Karsis on Ord Mantell, where they had been pointed by a besalisk on Coruscant whose reputation for information had come highly recommended, although said information cost them several credits, along with two cups of surprisingly good coffee. They arrived on the backwater planet in their RAIS MC20A yacht, which stood in stark contrast to the various ratty freighters that littered the local spaceport. Yato and Fa'as exited their gleaming starship and proceeded to a nameless building on the southeast side of the city of Yek'oor; a reasonably respectable city that boasted a legitimate government and a massive trade hub.

The building seemed like a job-fair for mercenaries, with a small soup-kitchen in the rear and several dorm-like cubbies where hopeful mercs could bunk between jobs. Another rodian led them through the tattered building, all-the-while giving the well-dressed Fa'as dirty looks, as most rodians had a reputation for unsavory work practices, and Fa'as had eschewed that characterization to become a respectable citizen and scientist. Condescending attitude aside, the rodian led the duo into a surprisingly nice central room, with comfortable couches and a wet bar. Yato and Fa'as were seated, and unlike the immediate attention they'd received during their trip to the Jedi temple, they were forced to wait for nearly an hour before their audience was finally granted.