Ethics [Thursday, October 5, 1st period]

[sith_happened]

When the Ethics class arrived in the Danger Shop, they stepped into an entirely different world.

An incredibly dry, hot one. That smelled really bad.

Anakin waved his hand around the room. "Welcome to the embodiment of gluttony," he said, "the palace of a Hutt."

He concentrated on the controls on the far side of the room, and the simulation sprung to life: dozens of beings drinking, eating, and dancing, with all activity centered around a vile slug of a beast laying on the raised dais at the front of the room.

In a place of honor on the wall was a man, face twisted in a silent scream, encased in silver. Anakin ignored it as he walked past to point at the creature on the dais. "That," he said, nose wrinkling in disgust, "is a Hutt. This particular version was named Jabba, one of the most powerful crime lords in the galaxy." A grim smile turned the corners of his mouth up. "At least until he met my children."

He shook his head. "That is neither here nor there. Today is an interactive experience for you, class. Take a good hard look around. See the effects that gluttony can have."

His eyes went flat. "Touch any of the dancing girls and you'll regret it. That's a promise."

Comments

Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

Why? Why would you do that? He has a handy protocol droid next to him for those of you not fluent in Huttese.

Careful, though. To talk to him, you need to stand on a trapdoor. If he doesn't like your questions...down you'll go.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[irulan-atreides.livejournal.com]

Irulan ignored his look of disdain and asked, "How does a criminal like you come to be so powerful? Does your world not have laws?"

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

Jabba let out a low chuckle, then a series of gutteral noises.

The golden protocol droid nervously translated. "The mighty Jabba says that on many worlds he is the law. He fears no being, Imperial, Alliance or otherwise."

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[irulan-atreides.livejournal.com]

"Might is right?" Irulan said, looking at the droid warily. This was the first time she'd even encountered a true mechanical mind.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

More laughter, then a hand gesture.

A blaster shot rang out and one of his minions slumped to the ground.

"In this case, absolutely," the droid translated.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[irulan-atreides.livejournal.com]

If Jabba had hoped to intimidate her, he was mistaken. Irulan was far more familiar with machiavellian machinations than anything else, she did look at the minion's body in distaste.

"That's a waste of resource."

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

"Oh, not really," the protocol droid assured her. "He owed the Mighty Jabba money and was trying to double-cross the majordomo."

Jabba snarled something and slapped the protocol droid with his tail.

When the protocol droid stood up again, a green slime streak covered his torso.

"And I'm not supposed to speak out of turn," he said sullenly.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

Gavin and John took their turn talking to Jabba. Gavin tried not to make faces.

"Hello," he said. He figured that was safe.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John was rarely successful at not making faces. But he was pretty good at not saying much. "Hey there," he said.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

A slightly slime grimed protocol droid stood to the side of the Hutt. "The mighty Jabba wonders what tribute you have brought him," he said.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"Uh." Gavin looked at John. "I've got some gum."

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John checked his pockets, "I have a toothpick I'm willing to part with." It was clean. In a wrapper even.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

The droid was still babbling on. "The mighty Jabba enjoys exotic foodstuffs, weaponry, ships, jewels, untraceable funds, naturally..."

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[honoraryphd.livejournal.com]

Victor walked up to the Hutt and asked, "Why do you limit your base of operations to a backwards planet like this?"

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

Jabba chuckled, long and low, then explained. "Because the law enforcement officials are cheap," the droid translated, "and his family hates the dry heat, and stays away."

There was a pause. "It really is quite clever, young master," the droid said. "The Hutts prefer humidity and they really are each other's worst enemies."

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[honoraryphd.livejournal.com]

Victor nodded. It did make sense. However... "But why settle for bribing the enforcement officials here? Clearly, you have a significant amount of power here. Why not go the rest of the way and take the planet for yourself? Be a king, bend the law to your will rather merely remaining as a criminal who slips past the law with petty bribery?"

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

Jabba rumbled out a long reply, then laughed again.

"He says he hasn't had to bribe officials in decades," the droid repeated, "and being actually in charge of Tatooine is far too much bother. His influence extends to many hundreds of systems. He has no interest in learning how to make sure people get fed or watered."

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[honoraryphd.livejournal.com]

Victor scowled. "Then you are, effectively, the lord and master of the people on this desert planet. You have influence over hundreds of planets? That's billions of people who are nothing without you. Their dependence upon you builds your strength, makes you so much more than the slug you presumably were before them. If you don't nurture them, then you undermine a significant part of your power base. And considering that you don't look like you can even move under your own power, I imagine those people are a larger part of that power base than you realize."

This was probably the first time Victor had exposed this side of himself in Fandom. Sure, he had no problem with the idea of tyrants making people bow to their will, but that meant that those people were yours to take care of.

It may have been a bad idea to expose this side of himself to Jabba the Hutt, of course.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

Jabba stared at him.

The pushed the button that yanked the trapdoor back and dumped Victor into the woefully rancor-free pit beneath it.

Call him a slug, huh?

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

You know that one person in every roleplaying group who doesn't understand that you're supposed to be pretending it's really real? Who doesn't really get the whole "in-character actions = in-character consequences" thing? Yeah, guess what?


Sokka walked up to Jabba. "Oh, BOY, are YOU ugly!"

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

Jabba snarled and pressed the button to the trapdoor, dropping Sokka into the inescapable pit under the throne, then turned to yelled at the protocol droid. "I don't know where the rancor went!" it stammered back.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

"OHHHHHHH, it's down here! I've got plenty of rancor for you, Sluggy!!! Now LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!"

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

Cue the evil laughter far, far above him.

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

Sokka stalked over to the heavy iron gate and started trying to shake it.

"Okay, this SUCKS!!! Sifu Skywalker, can you let me out, now?"

Re: Talk to Jabba the Hutt!

[sith_happened]

A few moments later Anakin appeared and lifted the gate. "Don't piss off a Hutt."