"Maybe on this particular issue," Master Kenobi admitted.  "But I get the feeling we may have future opportunities to work with them."

OOC: Any other comments/actions before the magistrate calls things to order?

OOC Nope.

As the noise in the courtroom started to die down, the magistrate stood up and banged his staff on the marbled dais to call everyone to attention.  "Welcome everyone to our auction of the ancient ship.  I will now go over the rules for the auction."  He paused and shook out his arms.  "First, today is just for registration of your intent to bid."  Audible grumbling commenced at this announcement, but the magistrate continued on.  "This registration will cost 500 credits.  After you have registered your intent to bid, we, the government of Bheriz, will check into your backgrounds to ensure you each have enough funds to participate in the auction."  As the groans increased in volume, the magistrate struck his staff on the floor again.  "Once you have registered, you will be given a comlink with a specific comcode to contact planetary security, who will be in charge of relaying messages between myself and those participating in the auction.  When everyone's backgrounds have been cleared, the bids must be delivered in person within 12 hours.  The minimum bid is 5,000 credits.  All bids will be entered into our computer system secretly so that no one will know what anyone else has bid.  After all the bids have been delivered, the bidder with the highest bid will be declared the winner and will be announced the next day.  Does everyone understand?" the magistrate asked in conclusion.

OOC: Any questions from Divatox?

OOC Nope.

With no pending questions hanging, the magistrate announced "Very well, I invite each group to come up one by one and register on the computer system."  He struck his staff on the marbled floor again to formally conclude announcements and begin the registration.

The Hutt, who Master Kenobi identified as Lorga, pushed his way forward to be the first to register.  After finishing at the computer he let out a might "Ho, ho, ho," and then slithered off.

Next was the group of professors that Divatox had tried to work with.


OOC: Make a Perception check.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:57, Wed 20 Jan 2021.

OOC 14+6=20

As the professors registered, Divatox noticed one of the professors slip the magistrate a piece of flimsiplast.

Divatox scowled and related what she saw to her master in a whisper.

Master Kenobi nodded, "Yes I noticed that too.  My guess is that they are giving the magistrate some way to contact them later.  They dare not bribe him here."  Master Kenobi glanced sidelong at Divatox to see what she made of that.

"Hedging their bets, I'd imagine," Divatox replied.  "They likely won't be the only ones.  Everyone will assume the others will do the same so they'll try it first."

"An astute observation," Kenobi said complimentarily.  "Let's keep our eyes open."

Sir Malthac, the finely dressed Human who had been arguing with Lorga the Hutt, was the next one to register.  After he finished, the group of students approached the registration computer.

OOC: Make another Perception check.

OOC 16+6=22

Divatox notices that after the students register they seem very satisfied about something, even gleeful.

OOC: What does Divatox do?

Divatox decided to file away this information for later.  As she and her master approached the registration computer, Master Kenobi mumbled a "Hmmm."  When Divatox gave him a questioning look, he whispered "I feel like those students are up to something, but I'm not sure what."

After Divatox and Master Kenobi registered and returned to the crowd, the dark-clad woman stepped up.  Immediately after finishing her registration, she spoke directly to the magistrate in a voice loud enough for the other bidders to hear: "I want to see the ship and the crash site before the bidding begins," she demanded.

"An interesting proposal," the magistrate countered.  He paused as he considered the idea, then turned to the rest of the bidders.  "I put the idea up for a vote.  What do the rest of you say?  Can Miss Selan Mela see the site before the bid?"

Master Kenobi gave a questioning look to Divatox to see what she thought.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:37, Sat 03 Aug 2024.

"I propose that we ALL see the crash site, that way things are fair."  Divatox responded, wisely.

When the vote was first proposed there was some murmuring among the crowd, but after Divatox's offer, the mood started to shift to a more positive result.  "I agree, we should all see what exactly we're bidding on," one of the young students spoke out first.

"Yes, let's all see it," Professor Zerka concurred.

"Indeed," Sir Malthac said simply as his rival Lorga grumbled something in Huttese that sounded positive.

Selan Mela looked about desperately as the situation changed around her.  This was clearly not an outcome she had anticipated or desired.

The magistrate turned back to her.  "Well Miss Mela?  Will you concede to allowing all bidders to see the property?"

Selan seemed frustrated by this, but clearly saw no way out of it.  "Very well, I concede."

"Excellent!" the Magistrate pronounced.  "The site is best scene in good light, so since we are heading toward twilight, we will dismiss this company until the morning at 0800 local time.  We will meet here and I will arrange for a tour of the site.  And don't worry, we will not delay the background checks for this so that the bidding will proceed as quickly as possible."  With that the Magistrate turned to other business and the several different bidding groups headed out, each receiving their promised comlink.

After Master Kenobi took their comlink and received the corresponding comcode, he and Divatox exited the courtroom.  "So what shall we do now?" Master Kenobi asked casually.

OOC Knowledge (Galactic Lore) check 18+1=19 on the planet we're on.

Divatox knew that Bheriz was in the Outer Rim along the Triellus Trade Route.  They planet was led by a Viceroy.  It is a mining planet whose major export was teniline granules, a mineral crucial in the production of hyperdrives.

Divatox simply said, “I defer to your wisdom, Master."

Master Kenobi gave a small chuckle. “Well, my wisdom says we should find lodgings, this may take a while. Then we should do some research into our opposition.”

OOC: Does Divatox have any comments?

After finding suitable, if dingy, lodgings, Master Kenobi set Divatox to work researching the other bidders.


OOC:Roll for Gather Information.

OOC 19

Divatox learned that Sir Malthac, the rich looking noble, was from the Core Worlds and his pastime was competing with other collectors to build the greatest collection of antiquities in the galaxy.  Lorga, the Hutt, inherited his enormous wealth legitimately from his parents. And, for the most part, he has remained legitimate.  Over the past few years Sir Malthac and Lorga have been having a competition with their private collections, but Sir Malthac has gotten the best of their most recent encounters.

The students were part of a group called the United Beings for the Preservation of Antiquities, a radical group of students from the same university as the professors. They have no respect for the professors and are here to prevent the professors from gaining access.

Selan Mela was more of a mystery, with no information available on her background.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:20, Thu 24 Oct 2024.

Divatox returned to her master with this information.

"Excellent research Padawan," Master Kenobi complimented.  "We may have more opportunities for diplomacy during the tour of the ship tomorrow morning, and this information will give us some insight to their motivations."  He then paused and stroked his neatly trimmed beard.  "I do find it troublesome that Miss Mela has no background."  He shrugged, "But I suppose that is a riddle to solve at a later time."

OOC: Any further actions before bed and the tour the next day?