Day 1 | Night | Hooked on the Brothers

[Bernard Martikova]

Taking Hardrian to the side of the camp, giving them a small bit of distance and privacy and the others, he looked around in the darkness and what was around him, basking in the light gained from what ever bioluminescence that was within view and a campfire and small torches to aid them. He wasn't too sure what his brother wanted; maybe just to let out some panic from the experience, or who knows what else. Maybe he was worried about the stock. A odd time to do it, but from what he understood about stress, all sorts of things can pop into your head as it occurs.

And this...this was a stressful situation.

"Alright then. What's on your mind, then?"

[Hadrian Martikova]

Hadrian wondered where to begin as he tended the fire.

"Okay, soooo.... heh," he chuckled, "do you remember a couple of years before you left, when the Almeida's had a bad crop?" He licked his lips. "Dad... out of the goodness of his heart, gave them a loan without terms. Then of course the following season we end up with a bad crop and the Almeida's are no where to be found?" A pause. "Well I'd say that's the beginning of the tale I need to cut you in on. And of course it wasn't just us. It was a bad year, there was a drought. Many families took loans out in Cidrit." He cleared his throat. "And then shortly after was when you deployed."

"What you don't know, and what I didn't know until two year later when I got a hold of the books, was just how royally screwed the vineyard was. I mean we both know how bad dad is with record keeping, with money spending. But it was bad Bern, we came damned close to losing the vineyard." Hadrian said. "So fucking close... and dad." He laughed and shook his head. "But you know, I pulled us out. What you don't know is how. And you never asked questions Bern."

There's a pause as Hadrian collects himself. "Settle in Bern, settle in. This is going to be a long fucking tale that I wish I didn't need to tell."

"You see, I got friends in low places. I've always been on good terms with the hands that came and went. Looked the other way when they dipped into the vats, made sure their people had what they needed and were well looked out for. And as a consequence word spread that the Martikova's were good fair people. So we'd never hurt for help when we put out calls."

He smiled, "But dad hadn't been making payments, debts were getting called in, and our patron was breathing down MY neck. He'd gotten fed up with dad, was wondering why the vineyard wasn't producing, it was a shitshow." Hadrian cleared his throat. "So I got creative. Word got out amongst the other hands not to do business with the Almeidas until they paid me, not dad, ME... what they owed. And they did, but it wasn't enough. So I went to Javi."

He looked at Bern curiously.

"You remember Javi right? Rough and tumble sort, family were hired hands for four seasons before they moved closer to the jungle?"

[Bernard Martikova]

Bernard sat and listened to the tale before him. He did recall that year in question and his family woes. He had known of the drought before he left (most of the reason he did leave was to boost the income of his household.) But the dire straits of the house after he left was conveniently left out of his communications from his father and siblings. So hearing this, his normal cheerful demeanor sank a little.

"Hot damn.. sounds like you had the world on your shoulders there, Hadrian. Sorry you had to deal with it mostly solo. I know dad's never been...smart with our money. I assumed we had a upswing with things, so I never bothered to check on the why."

This was a big bomb and something he had held in for quite some time. Now he had to wait and see if this was relevant to the situation at hand or just him venting after nearly dying. Given the "lower end people" talk, it sounded like this was a mix of both.

"Yeah, Javi. Shakey guy, big bushy beard, like to talk your head off sometimes about random topics. What about him?"

[Hadrian Martikova]

"Javi! Love Javi..." Hadrian laughed, "... great guy. Salt of the earth and as true a friend as you can ask for. D'ya know he's a forester now? Keeps the other farms and developments from encroaching further on the jungle. Now I don't know if it's true but the rumor is he takes the occasional bribe to look the other way when the cartel needs him to right?"

Hadrian pushed a log closer in towards the center.

"Of course it's likely just that, a rumor. Javi's business is not mine, I'll have a drink with him but it's not like I'm watching his kids for him you know?"

He clicked his tongue.

"But Javi occasionally has meet ups with his other forester buddies in the jungle - or so he tells me. And for a while there I'd run a load of wine to them. They pay way more than market price for our shittier wine, then I'd sell them our livestock for a massive premium before leaving the jungle. The fuck do I care what happens after that huh? Looks shady but we needed the money and the receipts are all kept, taxes paid."

"Well... somehow, that stock found its way off world and in the same room as a couple of dead cartel goons. And as a consequence I had the Atreides breathing down my neck." He shrugged. "What are you gonna do, we've got the receipts. Ask Javi I say. Can't blame us for other peoples shitty behavior." An eye roll, "What a pain in the ass... and the shit fell back on Javi who shrugged it off like it was Tuesday or something. Everything came back hunky dory that time."

"But this guy... He keeps looking, and looking, and you know what they say. Look long enough you'll find dirt." Hadrian broke a few more branches and added them to the blaze. "Well maaaybe I should have been paying closer attention to our hands, who can say. But this guy is so convinced I'm a smuggler and working against the Atreides that now the family is getting eyed as seditionists. One of our hands gets caught running, says it's on our behalf, and now it's their word against mine, you know? Little cretin."

Hadrian laughs, "So this guy has officially annoyed me, and fuck knows the family can't afford a legal battle, so he makes me an offer. He says to me, 'prove your loyalty' and I say... 'Alright whatever, whadya need?' He says, 'go to this place, board this ship, take this amount of wine, trade it with this person, bring back this many crates.'... and I say 'Sure, fine, whatever'. He says, 'do this, be a big damned hero, make lots of tendies, and the family is golden.'... So what do I do? I begin making regular fucking trips Bern. The Martikovas are loyal, and being a big damned hero pays good damn tendies. Now the family is richer than ever before." Hadrian smirks, "Buuuuuut, I'm also now technically what I was previously accused of. Even if I still have all the receipts. Oh, and the crates I'm bringing back? Yeahhh they're guns."

[Bernard Martikova]

"There's a long, long stare at him at Hadrian as he spoke. He looked long and hard at him and a deep sigh. "Well, can't blame you for trying to fix all of this." He left all those crates with the elder Lanville. If a soldier felt thirsty and opened the wrong crate...

"Okay." There was a exasperated deep breath as he said those. "Well, I can't be mad at you for doing what was needed...nor 'answering the call' as it was so done. Maybe could have fought me a little about Lanville holding onto the crates." He looks at him. "Hopefully the brass back over there is in on this display of patriotism, otherwise our family is one thirsty soldier away from being thrown under the bus." He grunted a little and turned his head. "You still keep in contact with Javi, then? Having a source of contact with the natives could be helpful...depending how we approach it."

[Hadrian Martikova]

"No, no, no, no... the wine we brought is our best to mid grade. The crap I'm exporting is pure plonk. Supposedly gets better with travel, but it's still sauvignon plonk. And every bit of it goes through the spaceport. Stays stored at the spaceport. Goes nowhere near the vineyard. It isn't even produced by us. My guys buy kegs of the stuff from the smaller vintners at a discount then bottle it with something close to our packaging."

Hadrian massaged his temple.

"Javi and I are cool yeah, but there's a reason I'm telling you all of this. And while I have no idea what the Lanvilles know. Though I'd hazard a guess that Roger knows plenty given small cues I picked up back during the festival. What I suspect is that I was as much voluntold to join this deal as you were. And for the survival of both you, me, and the family, if I see something I'll tell you. But Bern... IF, and I need you to hear me when I say this - IF I tell you something, you NEED to listen to me. And even more than that I need you to back my play. That the cartel might be involved puts me in a precarious fucking position. Especially if one of my workers, contacts, or even godforsaken Javi should turn up."

[Bernard Martikova]

He stared at him and gave a long breath. "I'm not thrilled at the prospect of lying to everyone; I'm not that good of a liar. So long as we get out of here alive and we do our mission, I'll listen to what you have to say. It'll be my final choice on the matter; but if it's us or the mission, it's going to be us at the end of the day." He took a deep sigh. "Not just because I'm loyal, but the blowback that the Duke's heir was potentially at risk due to our family would devastate us. Until then, think of a way to figure out how you can use those connections without tipping your hand too much. You may get some side eyes, but they're mostly mercs who either don't know or care about those finer details. That may help us get out of here alive and potentially give us a edge in success; that is what will help with those loyal to the Duke."

He was a honest sort, but he wasn't a fool, either. If things were done successfully, they tended to not care a whole lot on the hows and whys it happened. So long as there was no blowback to them, of course. "You're much more clever than I am, brother, so spend the night thinking how our burden can be a boon for us here. If you can do that, we'll end up better than where we were before by the end of this mission."

[Hadrian Martikova]

He stirred the fire and sighed, "Well my mind has been in flux since roll call this morning." He winced. "And don't worry, I've got my finger on the pulse of the situation. By now you should have gathered that I'm not nearly as out of my depth as you might have otherwise suspected. But, hey, if push comes to shove... If it's the family or myself I'll... I'll not hesitate to tell you to cut me loose - and long before that have a road laid out to save us face."

He started fortifying the fire for when they step away.

"But that's the worse case scenario." He grinned, "I'm an optimist brother, we're going to be big damned heroes." He stood up and patted his brother on the shoulder. "Also what do you think about Laila and me? Think I can make that work?"

[Bernard Martikova]

"I never thought you were out of your depth, for what's it's worth. You know that I really didn't believe the brass when he said you were on this mission because of your singing voice." He grinned. "I'm not that stupid."

He smiled. "Hopefully it won't come to that. I'm not blind to what you've done for me or the family; I'll do what I can for you." At the mention of Laila, he cracked a smile. "Well, you did say you were optimistic..." He said with a deep sigh and laugh. "She is cute, though. Strong too; helpful in a pinch."

[Hadrian Martikova]

"Oh?" He teased, "The Bernard Martikova seal of approval? If only she knew the honor such a thing carries." He finishes safety proofing the fire and slaps his brother on the shoulder. "Pay closer attention Bern, when I'm optimistic it's because I see a path to victory. Regardless of how the dice roll I'm feeling pretty confident that things will work out for us."

He grins, "So let's go. I've told you what I needed to tell you, and you've still got to report in to your boss."


/move to end thread and rejoin the others

[Kannon]

[End of Thread]