Omega Force: Rebellion (OF11), стр. 46
"I'd have thought that Mok would fly around on something more…intimidating," Twingo said. "That yacht is gorgeous, but it hardly inspires fear."
"That's the point," Jason said. "If he came in, hiding behind the armor of a frigate-class warship, it makes him appear weak and fearful. Instead, he rolls in like he hasn't a care in the world in a fully decked out pleasure ship. People know that he's not without security, but walking about freely, on a civilian craft, through his own territory reinforces that it's his territory."
"Sounds like you're starting to admire him," Kage remarked.
"I'm starting to understand him," Jason corrected.
The Phoenix's autopilot took instructions from Formenos's orbital control system and guided them smoothly into the atmosphere. Once they passed through the thermosphere, the ship rocked gently as plasma streamers arced past the shields. To the best of Jason's recollection, they'd never been to Formenos Prime, but what he could see so far impressed him. The planet was clean, the layout was intelligent so as to utilize the landmasses without waste, and had the evolved appearance of a Tier One world, not just some backwater feeder planet supplying a service to a regional power. The local government seemed to have its shit together, a far cry from so many of the other colonized planets they visited.
The runabout that Mok had brought down from his yacht, a craft that was just a tad too big to land at the smaller starports without drawing too much attention, was fairly generic looking though the engines gave it away as being Eshquarian in design. As he cycled the landing gear on the gunship, he saw Similan standing near the small ship, shielding his eyes from the downwash of the repulsors. Jason let the Phoenix touch down with a mild jolt before setting the brakes and shutting down the main drive.
"Twingo, check her over and call for fuel. Doc, you and Kage see about getting my new wetware. Take Lucky with you. Crusher, you're with me…let's go see what Mok has kicked up."
"Armament?" Crusher asked with a yarn.
"Concealable sidearms for you and me, Lucky can take whatever he wants," Jason said. "Kage has his own gear, and I don't trust Doc with a gun after that last time."
"So amusing," Doc sighed. "It will take a few hours to prep for the procedure, and then you'll be off your feet for a day or so until your implant fully negotiates with the upgrade."
“So, we won't be doing it until we mesh-out of this system," Jason said. "Get it ready and we'll do it on the way to…well, wherever the hell we're going next."
Once the rear ramp dropped the crew scattered and went about their tasks. Jason started towards the runabout when Similan held up a hand to stop him. Normally he would ignore the presumptuous gesture just on principle, but for some reason he just didn't feel up to antagonizing the stoic consigliere. It was only a few moments later when a skinny alien was flung from the hatchway, landing hard on the tarmac, and struggling to get up. An icy calm Saditava Mok appeared next, walking purposefully towards where the pitiful creature was now cowering with its hands up.
"I would kill you for stealing from me, but there's no profit in it," Mok's voice rumbled across the ramp. Jason had rarely seen him in full gangster mode, and he had to admit the heavily muscled alien cut an imposing figure. "Instead, I'm just taking everything you have. Everything. But here's where you can redeem yourself, vermin…you can buy your way back in if you replace everything you've taken, plus another thirty percent."
"Th-that's very generous, sir," the alien groveled. "B-but how will I earn if you take my territories?" Mok reached down and backhanded the alien across the face. There was so much power in the seemingly negligent gesture that the alien rolled twice across the ground, blubbering in terror.
"I give you your life, and this is how you thank me?" Mok roared. "Get out of my sight! Now! Move!"
Similan sprang into action and dragged the alien away, still spluttering and trying to apologize.
"Your friend doesn't fuck around," Crusher said quietly.
"Not my friend any more than he is yours," Jason said. "He's got a business to run, same as we do. We're not exactly choirboys."
"Fair enough."
"Sorry about the wait," Mok said as he crossed the tarmac to where the Phoenix sat. "Just dealing with a little bit of a middle management issue."
"The political changes here really make that much a difference down at the street level?" Jason asked.
"You'd be surprised," Mok sighed. "Any little shift and suddenly the low-level players all think we're no longer watching them. That little worm was running three full territories on this planet, an operation that included gambling and protection rackets for some of the bigger corporate players on Formenos. When the ConFed moved in, he thought it was his time to be the big boss and quit passing the profits up the chain.
"Normally, I'd let the Point that handles this area come down and impress upon the employees the need for loyalty, but sometimes it's good to get out and be seen. You want to talk aboard your ship? There's more room on the Phoenix than there is on that tiny shuttle."
"After you," Jason waved him up the ramp. "Similan is also welcome. We have external security active on the ship right now if that's what he's worried about."
"Sure, come on up, Similan," Mok said to the surprised looking servant. Similan fell in behind Mok and gave Jason a nod as he walked by. Jason had no real reason to include him other than trying to build a little trust and camaraderie towards the one person Mok seemed to