Grabby’s Delight

1999 short story by Jonathan Hicks

Under a year before Episode IV – A New Hope

“Thank you for your custom, sir. Please call again.”

Grabby Cap placed the wrapped DL-44 Blaster into the hands of his customer with a huge smile. The tall, broad creature, hide as thick as steel and a brain to match, grunted his answer and took the box, turning without another sound and stomping heavily for the door.

“Tight frecker.” Grabby murmured as the door to the Gunshop hissed open then closed.

Grabby’s Gun Shop, Level Eleven, Northside, Unit 1181, Chancai. The planet of Zelon. That was the holographic sign that blazed proudly outside his shop. Unfortunately business was at an all time low; the increased presence of the Empire on the world forcing him to get rid of most of his stock, especially considering that under Imperial law most of them were illegal. With the lack of weapons on show and the small trickle of new stock coming in, the Chancai Board Of Commerce was at a loss as to where he was getting the credits from to pay his rent and rates.

Grabby sighed and looked at the small amount he had just taken from the Chortese customer. Trust a thick-skinned brute like that to knock me down in price, he thought.

Ah, well. Best to be knocked down in price than actually knocked down.

Grabby stuffed the triangular credit chips into the till as the door swooshed open, admitting two tall beings. The first was well dressed with high boots and light coloured clothes, his hair oily but quite short. The other was lithe and thin, dressed darkly with long fingers and an even longer neck. The neck terminated in a furrowed face with two slits for nostrils and a mop of patchy hair. The eyes blinked often and quick.

“Grabby, my man!” The human shouted his arms raised in welcome. The alien next to him pointed a finger at the shopkeeper and smiled in an action that seemed to split his head in two. “Mister Cap, sir, you're looking good!” He said.

Grabby smirked, and scratched his tanned forehead. His head, almost bald from continuous work on Blaster energy packs, shone with sweat from the heat inside the shop. Zelon’s sun was especially high today.

Grabby caught hold of the human’s outstretched hand.

“Hello, Boba.” Then he shook the alien’s hand. “Hey, Blasticker. What brings you pair down here? I thought you had a job on Wennicas.”

“Well, other than dodging people who hate my namesake,” Boba said, clucking his tongue after once again reminding Grabby of the fact that he had a similar name to a notorious bounty hunter, something he found quite funny.

Blasticker laughed sarcastically.

“Grabby, I’ve had to put up with that all afternoon. Every time someone asks his name, instead of saying ‘Boba Dallagra’ he just says ‘Boba’ and waits for a reaction.”

“Hilarious,” Grabby said and rolled his eyes.

Boba laughed.

“Actually, Grabby, we’ve come here for a favour.”

“As always.”

“We’ve spoken to Nemec Niern and he says that Luschia approached him with some schematics for a gun she wants building. He said he sent her to you because, well, that kind of modification is out of his depth.”

There was brief moment of silence as Grabby contemplated Boba’s words. Yes, Luschia Arkensaw had come to him, but what she was asking was illegal and he had a professional code of confidentiality to uphold. Telling the two beings before him would be a breach of that code, held dear to weaponsmiths and doctors alike.

“Yeah, she came my way.” Grabby said. “Wants me to build her a massive freck-off gun. Why?”

Well, I guess the code means more to doctors, Grabby thought.

“I’ve got this job on Wennicas,” Blasticker said, “and, as you know, I’ve had most of my arsenal confiscated by Imperial customs. I need some heavy support. Me and Boba are closing down a spice refinement facility and it’s gonna get bloody.”

“Get the hell out of here,” Grabby growled with mock anger. “I haven’t even tried firing tests yet. Why don’t you just get an assault cannon or something?”

Boba smiled innocently.

“Because Nemec said you were building the weapon with scanner refractors. Just the thing for smuggling the gun past the heavy immigration posts on Wennicas. Just what we need. Heavy firepower and virtual invisibility to the port master’s scans.”

Now there was another long moment of silence.

The two beings watched Grabby expectantly.

“Just loan it to us, Grabb.” Boba said.

More silence.

“Just for a day or two. We’ll put it through its paces. Give it a shakedown. You wouldn’t want to sell inferior goods to the lovely Miss Arkensaw, now, would you?” Blasticker continued.

More silence punctuated by a small cough from Grabby.

“We’ll give you five percent of our earnings from this one.” Boba offered.

“Deal.”

Well, that’s this months arrears paid for.

Blasticker frowned.

“Do you even know how much we’re making?”

A shocked expression passed over Grabby’s face, quickly replaced by one of one who was nonplussed.

“Heavy assault job on a well guarded refinery, Glann’s paying you...I guess your getting well paid for that one.”

With a clap on Grabby’s shoulder, Boba began walking around the counter to go into the back of the shop.

“That’s my man.”

Grabby depressed a switch under the counter, which effectively sealed the doors to the shop and made his way into a back room, followed by the two mercenaries. He pressed another secret button under a dirty sink and a table in the middle of the room split open, another table rising from its centre. On the table were several weapons in various states of disrepair and a huge rifle with bulges and attachments all over it.

Boba smiled broadly and stroked the weapon as a man would stroke a wild animal, carefully and cautiously. His smile became even larger.

“Goodness me.” Was all he was able to say.

“What the hell have you created here, Grabby?” Blasticker was amazed. “It’s a monster.”

“ABR-4 assault cannon with long range targeting and range analysis scope. I’ve installed a pump action BlasLas under the barrel and added a twin miniature anti-vehicle rocket launcher on the side. The cooling and kickback system is installed in the butt.”

“Perfect!” Boba almost shouted, picking the weapon up and testing the weight. With all the modifications it was still light. He put it up to his shoulder and tested the weight. “Amazing. Grabby, you’ve excelled yourself.”

“I was paid to. I’m still trying to figure out a way to install a small flame thrower and palmprint analyser without compromising the weight.”

“I’ll take two.” Boba said, squinting down the scope and smiling again.

“Just bring it back in one piece.” Grabby insisted, throwing a large bag at Boba. He quickly slid the weapon into the carryall and sealed it up. “It’s got a full pack but the sensor refractor bleeds the power, so keep it topped up. I’m throwing in two missiles because, well, I like you.”

“Grabby,” Blasticker said, grabbing the shopkeeper by the shoulders, “you won’t regret this.” He pressed a bag of credits into his hands.

Grabby looked at the almost childish expression on his friend’s faces and smirked.

“I already do. Believe me.”

The mercenaries laughed and walked out, pressing the counter button to unlock the main doors. Grabby watched them exit from the doorway to the back room.

He sighed heavily and scratched his eyebrow.

“They’ve gone.”

Another door leading to a store cupboard opened and another figure emerged. She was clad in black with a short bantha leather coat bulging with items she had no doubt collected from the shelves whilst hiding in the storeroom. She walked up behind Grabby and peered into the empty shop.

“Excellent! I knew Boba wouldn’t be able to resist playing with a new toy.” Luschia Arkensaw giggled. “When Nemec told me he was looking for heavy equipment I thought it would work. No, I knew it would work.”

With narrowed eyes Grabby looked at Luschia’s smug grin.

“Now, I don’t want those boys hurt.”

Luschia tutted.

“Grabby, I promised didn’t I? Dressel’s paying me good money to make sure no-one hits his spice refinery, and that’s just what I’m going to do. Trouble is, I knew that Glann would have a go and I like his employees too much. I guess I’m just too soft hearted. Now, you’ve done what I asked?”

“Yes, I gave them the old prototype with false additions. It’ll fire off a couple of shots and then seize up.”

“And then I’ll chase them off Dressel’s property and Dressel will love me. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt them. Here.” She handed Grabby a bundle of credit chips and then kissed him on the cheek. “You’re a darling.”

Grabby blushed in spite of himself. Luschia walked to the shop exit.

“Must go, darling, and beat the fellows to Wennicas. Ta-ta!” She gave a small wave and walked out.

Grabby regarded the two bags of credits in his hands.

“Another profitable day at the gunshop.” He mumbled, and then contemplated shutting shop early.

Grabby's Delight

1999 short story by Jonathan Hicks

Under a year before Episode IV - A New Hope

Histories - A brief story by Jonathan Hicks that shows the every day dealings that occur on the massive Chancai Trade Centre - usually at the back of the shop. Grabby Cap, a character much referenced in the NHP Star Wars Universe stories is the focus here, along with two other major regulars. Blasticker was seen briefly in Jan Lomona and the Sirens of Amagad, as was Boba Dallagra. The female mercenary Luschia Arkensaw (a creation of long-time RPG-er Andrew Curtis) crops up at the end of the tale, showing us the ruthless edge, which will serve her so well through the coming years.

Cast of Characters

Grabby Cap

Boba Dallagra

Blasticker