Arms Deal—Please Vote, Recommend, and Follow

43, Arms Deal

On Tatooine, in a stretch of desert wasteland outside the northwestern district of Mos Eisley.

"I've more or less figured it out." Yuri Orlov skillfully handled the Type 21 assault rifle in his hands, the fierce sunlight of the Tatooine desert reflecting off his sunglasses. A cigarette dangled from his mouth. "Those Bosa in the bar are with Broderick Shatterstone. Yesterday, he was looking everywhere for someone to sell him heavy weapons, but no one would deal with him."

"That's right. He's definitely being ostracized by the locals." Vitaly Orlov wore sunglasses as well, holding a bottle of green soda in his hand. "Aren't you worried that after you sell him weapons, his enemies will come looking for you too?"

"If his enemies come looking for me, then I can talk to them about the price of this M-427 General Purpose Machine Gun." Yuri took a drag on his cigarette and kicked the T-850 behind him. It held a 12.7mm machine gun, compact and lightweight despite its caliber.

"I don't think they'll be talking to you about that." Vitaly shook his head.

"Vitaly, Vitaly... that's your problem." Yuri waved the cigarette between two fingers. "Have you ever seen anyone sell weapons to only one side? Sure, there are people like that, but they've all gone to hell. If you sell to only one side, the other side has every reason to kill you. But if you sell to both sides... heh..."

"Then both sides have every reason to kill you," Vitaly shot back.

Yuri Orlov's hand twitched, and his cigarette fell onto his pants. He hurriedly shook it off, but it still burned a small hole in his pant leg.

"Fuck you, Vitaly! Now bring that man over here! Immediately, right now, this instant!" Yuri cursed, stepped forward, snatched the drink from Vitaly's hand, and took a huge gulp himself.

"Me? Alone? Go find that Bosa?" Vitaly was dumbfounded. "Do you know it took me half a day just to accept that these strange creatures were also 'people'? And now you want me to negotiate alone with those things that look like upright poodles? Give me a T-850!"

"Are you kidding me? You're taking a combat robot to negotiate with someone? Who the hell would talk to you like that? Listen, just like before, we work together properly—you bring the man here, I sell the heavy weapons. One crate of ammunition free for every ten guns, ten percent off for returning customers, and I can even buy him a glass of this blue glowing drink. That's it."

"Don't even think about it! Fuck you, Yuri! You're pushing me into a pit of fire!"

Yuri sighed, walked over, put an arm around Vitaly's shoulders, and stuffed the little drink he had left back into his hand. "Listen to me, Vitaly. We came aboard this mothership because we wanted to start a new life, and the Administrator gave us that chance. And now, listen—a war sweeping across the entire Milky Way Galaxy! How many people are there in this fucking galaxy? Even if just one percent of them were armed with our weapons, what kind of result would that be? You'll find that everything from before was complete fucking bullshit!"

"I know what you mean, but..."

"If we don't move forward, we'll never know the outcome. What do you say, my brother? Brother in arms..."

"Brother in arms..." Vitaly lightly punched Yuri on the shoulder. "Fine, fine. I'll give it a try. But you have to come save me at any time!"

"No problem."

Vitaly drained the drink in one go, gathered his courage, and walked toward the chaotic shantytown. The Bosa were drinking beneath a tattered tent while loudly cursing in the Bosa language. Everyone around them kept their distance, afraid of provoking these desperate outlaws and becoming targets for their rage.

Vitaly cautiously approached, trying to look harmless. Rubbing his hands together, he said in clumsy Galactic Standard, "Um, guns! Heavy guns! I have!"

"Fuck off! Useless pink-skinned monkey! Stay one second longer and I'll twist your head off and shove it up a Bantha's ass!" A scar-faced Bosa snarled viciously.

Vitaly felt like crying, but he forced himself to continue. "I have guns. Other than me, you can't buy!"

"You fucking here to mess with me?" Scar, the leader, drew a gleaming curved saber with a swish and advanced on Vitaly. Though Bosa were shorter than humans, this group clearly lived by the blade, and their presence was terrifying.

Vitaly backed away step by step and continued, "I sell guns. Kill me, and those guns will... shoot you!"

"You really have guns?" Scar stared at Vitaly.

"Guns! Lots of guns! As long as you have money."

"Where?"

"In the outskirts. Not far. Follow me."

Scar grabbed Vitaly by the collar, pressed the sharp curved saber against his waist, and snarled, "Lead the way!"

Behind a rock in the wastelands outside Mos Eisley, Yuri Orlov watched through binoculars as Vitaly was marched toward them with several Bosa holding blades to him. He muttered to himself, "Good job, brother. You! Stay beside me! You, and you, take sniper rifles and set up ambush positions on both sides!"

The three T-850s nodded and immediately obeyed.

The Bosa escorted Vitaly over and saw Yuri Orlov, dressed in a suit and sunglasses, sitting atop more than a dozen ammunition crates. A row of Type 21 assault rifles lay beside him. A T-850 stood behind him.

"Looks like business has come knocking, hahaha. Welcome, welcome. My name is Yuri Orlov, an ordinary merchant." Yuri did not even stand up. With a cigarette in his mouth, he spread his arms and laughed. Not once did his eyes so much as glance at Vitaly.

"These are your guns?" Scar shoved Vitaly.

"That's right. I heard you wanted guns, and I happen to have a batch on hand. If you can afford them, then we can talk." Yuri Orlov tossed away the cigarette butt in his hand. "Send that unimportant fellow away so we can have a proper conversation."

Scar yanked Vitaly in front of him and lightly traced the curved saber across his body. "So this guy is just an unimportant little nobody? Then you won't mind if I kill him?"

Yuri smiled faintly. "Of course I mind. He delivered a message for me and took my money. If he dies because of that, it would be very unlucky for me. Because I'm a merchant, naturally I wouldn't want you to die after making a deal with me either, would I? So if you kill him, I'll feel that this deal isn't worth making."

"Then how about I kill you too?" Scar pointed his curved saber at Yuri.

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Bonus chapter illustration 1: Bosa

Bonus chapter illustration 2: Yuri and his brother