Bonadan.

Bonadan Conservatory - (Botanical gardens)




Carefully eyeing his Nebula Orchids for signs of greenfly, Mr Vinda, was taking a rare break from his usually non-stop schedule. Lately he had developed a fondness for the Conservatory , and mainly thanks to his patronage , they had aquired quite a rare collection of the Galaxies various plants and foliage.

It was a quiet place, and as such when he needed peace and quiet this had become a favourite haunt of his.

It allowed time for quiet contemplation.

Although the place was of course tended to by specially designed droids, he still enjoyed getting 'hands on' and tending to some of the planets himself.

(it didn't always go to plan though, but the Vinda-Corp figurehead was picking up tips quickly)

As he tended to one of his orchids, he heard the Conservatory door slide aside, and the two pairs of footsteps as they entered. One pair were unmistakable,

Achinta...

The other...

Vinda turned to greet them both, still holding the greenfly spray in one hand, and a cigarra in the other.

Achinta stepped forward and introduced the man whom he had just met, and Vinda's eyes settled on the stranger before him...

Placing his cigarra back into his mouth, he offered his now free right hand up in greeting...


"Welcome to Bonadan Mr Wilkar...My colleague, Mr Vega tells me you are in need of assistance?..."

Wilkar extended his had out to shake Mr. Vinda's. The room was very hot. Wilkar thought about removing his jacket but remembering that it was unprofessional to do that refrained from it.

"My ship hit an Imperial indictor blockade on the way out of the Kuat Sector. We were heavily damaged but we made it out. Without repairs my ship will never leave the Bonadan orbit until gravity gets to it of course.

Wilkar paused for a moment. This was hard to say.

I've got about twenty dead and nothing to do with them. If I send them back to Kuat to be burried the Empire will arrest their families or something.

Wilkar realized that he was sweating straight through his jacket and took it off.

"So Mr. Vinda can you help me or am I too hopeless?"

Wilkar then realized that he had not slept in five days and collapsed into a chair.

As the stranger shook Vinda's hand the Corporate man chewed on the end of his cigarra , listening intently...


"My ship hit an Imperial indictor blockade on the way out of the Kuat Sector. We were heavily damaged but we made it out. Without repairs my ship will never leave the Bonadan orbit until gravity gets to it of course.


A slight frown crept over the businessman's face as he heard Wilkar's tale.

Instantly, his mind went into overdrive...

...Imperial blockade?...

Vinda's eyes took in the appearance of the man, he had clearly been through a lot, the stress of the whole affair had taken its toll. Still, he had to wonder what the Empire wanted with the person before him.

Perhaps there was more here than met the eye?...

What Wilkar said next jolted Vinda out of his thoughts, quickly...

"I've got about twenty dead and nothing to do with them. If I send them back to Kuat to be burried the Empire will arrest their families or something...

So Mr. Vinda can you help me or am I too hopeless?"

Taken aback, Vinda was about to respond, when Wilkar suddenly collapsed into a nearby chair...

Vinda threw Achinta a look of concern, and with a simple nod of the head , the bodyguard was on his comm unit , a medic would be on their way soon...

Placing the Greenfly spray down upon a worktable, Vinda turned to fetch a glass of water and handed it to the exhausted stranger...

"I think its best we get you checked out, as for ...er..crew, we can arrange something for them here, don't worry for the moment...nothing is ever hopeless...difficult maybe, but never hopeless"

With this the Corporate mogul smiled broadly...

Despite the various questions playing on his mind, this man and his crew clearly needed help, the reasons behind why would have to wait for another time.

Wilkar relaxed for the first time since Kuati Commercial Applications had been nationalized by the Empire. His crew had been checked into a hotel on Bonadan, his ship had been towed to drydock in high orbit and his dead were buried.

Now Wilkar was sitting in the gardens drinking water. He had a meeting set up with Mr. Vinda to discuss the future of his crew, his ship and him.

Just yesterday Wilkar was discharged from the local hospital. The combination of heat, dehydration and stress rendered him ineffective.

Wilkar heard footsteps and came to his feet.

"Mr. Vinda! Good to see you again. I don't know how I will ever repay your hospitality."

Vinda smiled warmly as Wilkar greeted him, and reached into his inside suit pocket for his Cigarra pouch as he approached the visitor...

"Ah, you're most welcome, its my pleasure, its good to see you up and about..."

Shaking the man's hand again, he glanced down at his Cigarra pouch and carefully selected an appropriate specimen, then offered it to his guest.

"..Cigarra?..."

"...Cigarra?..."

"Why yes, thank you Mr. Vinda"

Wilkar took the Cigarra and bit off the end. He then borrowed a lighter from Mr. Vinda and began smoking.

"Ready to talk some business Mr. Vinda?"

Vinda grinned broadly as Wilkar accepted the Cigarra, and lit his own, sending plumes of curling blue smoke above his head...

"Ready to talk some business Mr. Vinda?"

"you're direct...I like that..." The businessman said as he took a particularly long drag on his cigarra, before getting down to it...

"You're a Merchant Captain, yes? we have need of experienced men, men who are trustworthy, look out for their own, who are responsible for their cargo and their crew, men who are resourceful enough to evade an Imperial blockade, should the need arise..."

Vinda turned and looked Wilkar directly in the eyes...

"..men like you Mr Wilkar.." (He paused to take another toke on his cigarra)

"..that is of course, if you were interested?" ..and the subtle traces of a wry smile crept across his lips.

"...this is of course, if you were interested? ..."

Wilkar took a short drag on his Cigarra and pondered a moment.

There's no going back to Kuat....

There's no going back to Kuat for the crew either

Wilkar sat back in his chair and took a long drag on his Cigarra. He then exhaled, leaned forward and looked Mr. Vinda in the eye.

"Mr Vinda you have yourself a new crew..."