(L,F&E 81) A Night at the Holo-Vids

[kalenath]

((And now for something COMPLETELY different...))

 

<Coruscant>

 

The theater was packed. The audience was a mix of old and young. A small child with a family near the front row was starting to cry, probably hungry by the sound. Definitely not hurt. As always the screen lit up with advertisements that most people ignored. A few of the teen couples were shamelessly doing what teens did in semi private settings. It wasn’t a large theater for Coruscant. Even on an urbanized planet, there were regulations about how many people could be crammed into a single indoor room at a time. Maybe especially on Coruscant where space was a premium. Of course there were no regulations about how many theaters could be crammed into an entertainmentplex. This theater was one of the lower ones in the mile high building that served as an entertainment area for a good block or so of Coruscant. One of two hundred and six theaters in the –plex and this was a small –plex the man who struggled into the row thought to himself as he nodded to the girl in the seat. He wore civilian attire that looked a little odd, as if it were bulkier than normal, or maybe had things hidden in odd places? His eyes were a piercing blue as the settled on his quarry and she gazed back with innocent green eyes. An act, he knew. She was anything but innocent.

 

“Nice place.” He said sarcastically as he sat near the girl. She grinned at him. “Yeah, right. Why here?”

 

“Nice contacts. Everyone wants me to ‘get out’, ‘experience life’, ‘change the oxygen in my brain’, ‘stop being so stern’ all that rot.” The bitterness in the girl’s voice could have cut durasteel. “I just want to live, you know? All my life all I have been doing was surviving.”

 

“You want to live by going to a movie?” The man managed to keep incredulity from his tone, somehow. “Oooookaaaayyyy…” He shrugged and smiled a little. “I am adaptable, but hey, if it is what you want…”

 

“Not really. What I want is to be normal. Ain’t going to happen.” The girl replied quietly. “But, I will settle for a family outing.”

 

“You didn’t…” The man stared at the girl and then had to chuckle as the people in the seats nearby turned to look at him and he recognized several of them, all of whom smiled at him. Istara in particular was grinning from the seat beside Sara. “You are crazy girl. Utterly, totally, completely crazy. So… did you get popcorn?” He asked sarcastically as he sat.

 

“Yeah…” The girl sighed as she pulled out a bag of the foul smelling stuff. “I don’t see what the appeal is. I keep getting the kernels stuck in my teeth.” She complained as she nibbled on a piece. “And the prices, I could barely afford the bag…. 20 credits for bag of toasted corn? That is ridiculous.”

 

“Last time I checked it was my dime. You do know you could get a full meal here? Not the best, but you could. It would actually cost less than the popcorn, candy and drinks. Go figure.” The man snickered at her expression and held out hand for the bag which she held out to him. “You are eating it wrong.” He picked a piece out and with a flourish, flipped it whole into his mouth and swallowed. He grinned wider at her expression.

 

“Well, you are weird.” She said as she tried to emulate his feat and the piece fell down the front of her dress. “Aw drat…” She shook herself trying to get it out and finally managed to scoot the errant piece of food down a sleeve and into her hand. “That is just…eeew.” She threw the bit of popcorn into the air. Despite the fact that the bin was a full meter away, the popcorn scored a direct hit and vanished into the maw of the garbage droid. She looked at Istara who smiled innocently. She took another piece and managed to snag the flying piece of corn this time.

 

“Good. You will make an amateur popcorn eater at this rate. Someday anyway.” The man sniped as he threw a piece of popcorn behind his back and snapped it out of the air. “So… What’s the show?”

 

The girl snickered a little. “Come on, don’t tell me you didn’t check before you came in. I know you.”

 

“Titles don’t tell a person diddly squat and I didn’t have lot of time for data searches.” The man sank back into the chair with a sigh. “I shouldn’t be here, I should be out looking.”

 

“Seriously man, you need to relax, just like I do. And I guarantee you will like this movie.” The girl patted the hand closest to her. “You saw the title.” It wasn’t a question. It was sort of blazing on every screen, above the advertisements.

 

“Yeah. What kind of title is ‘The K-Team’ anyway? Sounds like some kind of Korrellian Kop Kapers or something. I haven’t been to a holo-vid in a while.” He paused as the girl laughed.

 

“Yeah, your wife said the last time she dragged you to one, you fell asleep in the middle of it.” She was grinning like a madwoman at his expression now.

 

“Come on… How interesting is ‘March of the Tauntauns’? I had been on straight combat ops for two weeks, I needed the sleep.” He shook his head, his kin defined strange. “So, what’s this about?”

 

“The usual. Betrayal, love, duty and some seriously crazy hijinks by all accounts. It’s billed as a military comedy.” The girl was grinning as the man stared at her dumbfounded.

 

“Military… comedy…” The man’s voice was utterly disbelieving. “Is that joke?”

 

Before she could respond, the lights in the theater dimmed a bit. Then they dimmed further until suddenly the place was pitch black, but only for a moment. The screen lit up and a figure appeared. The man’s voice was low but easily audible in the theater. The man stiffened in his seat, he knew that face. It stared at him from every mirror he had ever used. The actor's voice -at least it wasn't his own- rang through the theater. He didn’t need to look at the girl in the seat beside him to know she was grinning even wider than she had been.

 

“You have got to be kidding…” Several people made shhhing noises in various languages as the face on the screen started to speak.

 

“Ten years ago, a crack team of commandos was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they did not commit. These beings promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Coruscant underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, and no one else can help and if you can find them, maybe you can hire… THE K-TEAM!”

 

As the music started blaring, a soft male voice was heard the back of the theater. “I am so going to wring Cranna’s neck…”

Edited September 19, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

<On the screen>

 

“Why can’t these people just use a com like everyone else?” The drably dressed woman complained quietly as she sat on the bench in the public park. Everything about her was mundane, except her eyes. Something in her eyes spoke of pain and barely repressed rage. Her yellow hair glistened in the light of the bright Coruscant afternoon. It was a fairly nice day, for Coruscant. The park, built as it was on the roof of one of the magascrapers that were the norm for the urbanized planet, had a mixed population in it. She looked around, yet again, but none of the people anywhere near her matched the description she had been given. She froze as a voice sounded from nearby.

 

“Don’t look around again, and don’t move.” She had just looked that way, there hadn’t been anyone there! “You have been asking questions, interesting questions.” She licked her lips and looked at the ground before responding.

 

“I am looking for Captain ‘Cannibal’ Kith.” She said in a quiet tone, a careful tone. If this was who she was supposed to meet, well… He defined dangerous. “I have a job that needs doing.”

 

“Lots of people do jobs these days. All kinds of jobs. You have been asking questions in some very odd places, even for a reporter.” The quiet tone had the woman stiffening in place but when she would have looked to where the voice was coming from, he spoke. “Don’t…” He warned. “You have a silenced slugthower pointed at you. Make a wrong move and you will be found sitting there dead with a very surprised expression on your face. I don’t want to traumatize the kids here, but I will if I have to.” She looked to where two toddlers were playing in a sand box under what had to be their mother’s watchful eye and nodded soberly.

 

“I want to hire the K-Team.” The woman said quietly. She was not expecting the voice to laugh.

 

“You are Sandi Kuioloa, investigative reporter for the paper ‘The Coruscant Star’. Reporters do some odd things these days, but… Why would you want to be associated with wanted felons? You do know that the K-team is wanted by the Republic. Just saying what you did could get you arrested if the military hears about it. They couldn’t hold you, and couldn’t prove anything. But it would not be fun for you.”

 

"Fun? I don't care." Sandi shook her head slowly and when she spoke it was soft. “I was on Nar Shaddaa recently. I was doing some research for a project on Nemro the Hutt. Nothing illegal, and nothing defamatory about him. Just background. They didn’t like me asking questions.” She shuddered a bit.

 

"Geez." The male voice from nearby sighed. “When are you reporters going to learn? Leave the Hutts alone. They kill people who ask questions on general principle. Doesn’t matter who you are, you go poking into their business, and bad things happen.”

 

“I know.” Sandi agreed quietly. “I think they were going to kill me. Then one of them said they might be able to ransom me. They threw me in a cell and… well… I… Well…” She broke off.

 

“Well, you are alive." The man said quietly. "You got ransomed I take it?”

 

“No.” Sandi said flatly. “I was helped to escape after I was abused by two of the guards. I want to hire the K-team to get the person who helped me out.”

 

"Oh." A low whistle came from the unseen voice. “That… would be expensive. Very.”

 

“I have resources…” Sandi began, but stopped as the male voice spoke.

 

“As of today, you have two hundred and seven credits in your bank account. You don’t have any hidden assets. How would you expect to pay for it? Cheating people like that is a bad idea.” She wasn’t sure what was worse. That this man knew how much she had or the derision in his tone.

 

“I know.” Sandi said flatly. “But I also have this.” She laid a card down on the bench beside her and inched a bit away from it. When she looked down it was gone.

 

“You cannot be serious…” The man’s voice held awe now. Not surprising with what was on the card.

 

“That is a numbered account from a bank on Alderaan, I have access to four more on other worlds. You can check the numbers. That card gives you full access. Before you ask, this is not my money, it’s hers. She gave those numbers to me, to keep them out of the hands of her enemies. But it feels wrong doing anything with the money besides getting her out. She helped me, she comforted me, she healed me as best she could after the guards… after they...” She broke off, struggling with her emotions.

 

"Dang it." Another sigh came. “I shouldn’t ask, but I will. Is she a slave?”

 

“Yes, and she has been for a very long time.” Sandi said as she reclined, trying to act casual. A security guard walked by, nodded to her and continued on his rounds.

 

“You realize…if the K-team gets this information and acts on it do this, you become a target.” The man’s voice was quiet and unemotional now.

 

“I am already a target, I escaped. I have two bounties on me already, both ‘Wanted Dead’. But I have to do this.” Sandi pursed her lips and then sighed. “Are you Captain Kith?”

 

“What is her name?” Was it her imagination or was the voice a bit concerned now? “The slave?”

 

“Her name is Cranna." Sandi said softly. "Will you do it?”

 

“We will be in touch.” The male voice said and then, it was gone.

 

Sandi sat for a moment and then froze as a pair of armored forms approached. They wore Republic colors, but that meant little even here on the Republic capitol planet. The larger of the two spoke to her. “Sandi Kuioloa?”

 

“Who wants to know?” She asked in a resigned tone.

 

“I am Colonel Deckler, Republic Special Forces, and you… are under arrest…” Sandi stared at the armored from and then looked to where the male voice had come from, but of course, no one was there.

 

“You can’t do that. I am a Republic citizen and I have done nothing wrong.” But she didn’t resist as the smaller armored form pulled her to her feet and cuffed her hands behind her back.

 

“You have been asking questions about the K-team. I would…‘request’ that you turn over all information you have on them, or this will get messy.” The man’s responses could have come right out of a textbook, or off a drill field.

 

“Messy, you stupid myrmidon? You have no idea what messy is.” Then she was falling as something slammed into her from the side.

 

“Sniper!” She heard someone shout as darkness claimed her.

 

<The theater>

 

A gasp came from the audience as the woman fell, a smoking hole in her chest and the two armored figures moved to return fire.

 

"Of all the..." The man in the back row shook his head. “She didn’t die. And his name wasn’t Deckler. It was Shulz, he was a sergeant, not a colonel…”

 

“Hush. It’s called poetic license.” The girl in the next seat slapped his arm lightly and they focused on what was happening on the screen. “Don’t talk during a movie. Didn’t your parents teach you anything…?” She broke off, her face working and the man patted her arm.

 

“It’s okay, for now, I will stay and follow this… this drek…No promises if I will stay to the end. And I am going to have a long talk with a certain Hutt after this…”

[kalenath]

<The Screen>

 

“We need to move, people.” The man in black armor said quietly as he walked into the dimly lit room. He didn’t need to see them to know his team had weapons in hand. Quiet noises sounded from the areas around as the team started packing up. “They are getting a bit too close for comfort.”

 

“What is the word, boss?” The slight human female asked as she finished stripping down her blaster rifle and concealing it in various pieces of civilian luggage. Lieutenant Tania Peck did not waste a lot of words. No, she did a lot of things fast and impeccably. It was her specialty, speed and accuracy. It was what made her such a deadly sniper when she had been in the regular services.

 

“It’s Deckler.” All activity stopped for a moment and then resumed as the man in black started packing as well. “Yeah, I know…”

 

A rasping voice spoke next from the shadows where a hulking form was shoving clothes and weapons into a satchel. Aqualish as whole were not small, and this one was fairly large for one of that species. “We are going to have to do something about that foo’.” Former Sergeant Ackrusk shook his head and scowled, not that Aqualish had many other facial expressions. Of course his handle was perfect due to his size and species. Big Aqualish equaled…

 

“Can it, BA. We have been shafted, but we have not lost who and what we are. We don’t kill Republic soldiers. Despite everything, we are still Republic soldiers.” The quiet finality in the man in black’s voice had everything silenced for a moment. “We have a line on a real job, a hostage rescue.”

 

“Where we going to go then?” There was something slightly off about the male Zabrak’s voice. Of course, Major Modock was crazy but if it had wings, vanes or anything remotely resembling gravitic drives, he could make it dance. Usually while singing bad songs off key. Matter of fact, he was currently singing something that sounded a lot like the Republic anthem, but the words were a vulgar drinking song…

 

“Nar Shaddaa.” Now all three of the others were staring at him. “Yes, I know it’s a bad place to go with a price on our heads, but that is where the hostage is.”

 

“Why do I get the feeling this is a bad idea? Wait a sec… Did you say Nar Shaddaa? No way…” The Aqualish shook his huge head. “Not going to happen. I am not getting on another starship with him.” He waved at the Zabrak. “Never again… Not… going…” He stared at the team and then at his leg which a brightly colored dart was sticking out of. “You… rats…” He choked out as he keeled over. The human female caught him and eased him to the ground.

 

The man in black raised an eyebrow as he finished packing. “You know he is going to try and take your head off for that, Face.” The woman smirked as she put away the dart gun in her hand.

 

“I know his weakness. I will be fine.” She stood up after checking her luggage. “I will get a droid to carry his fat tail and our gear.”

 

“Discretely this time.” The man in black said in a tone that said it was half order, half plea. Lt Peck grinned slyly at him.

 

“Hey… It’s me.” With that, she was gone. The captain stare dafter her for a moment before sighing and turning to the team pilot.

 

“Hey, Modok, check this out. See what you can get from it.” The human passed the Zabrak a card and the Zabrak froze in place. The he pulled out a computer and started tapping keys. As he tapped he started bouncing and singing off key again. The he jumped in joy.

 

“Ooo… is this… Oooo.. We is rich, we is…” Then the Zabrak shook his head. “Uh… actually, no we ain’t.”

 

“What do you mean?” the captain asked as he picked up a pile of stuff and shoved it unceremoniously into a bag.

 

“This is an access point. And it is free and clear. We can read how much is in there. 35. But it needs a code.” Modok froze as the captain did. “I take it we didn’t get the code? Crap…”

 

“35 what? Hundred, thousand?” The captain said as he looked at the card that was still in the Major’s hand. Technically, the Zabrak outranked him, but… No one sane took orders from Modok.

 

“Add about… oh, three zeros. 35 million.” The captain stared at him and Modok nodded. “Whoever had this card was loaded.” But now the Zabrak shook his head and turned serious. “Boss… There is really only one kind of being who might have this kind of card carried around just in case...”

 

“Yeah, a Hutt…This is starting to stink…” the captain shook his head. “Well, I guess we need to get that code then.” The Zabrak just looked at him and the captain shrugged. “How hard can it be? I know where they will have taken her. Bounty hunter shot her, but she was alive when they loaded her up…”

 

Modok shook his head slowly and for once his sanity seemed to be strong. “We going to need the big guy?”

 

“Nah. Let him sleep…. But some contingency planning never hurt anything.”

 

<The theater>

 

“Well, they got that part right…” The voice was inaudible beyond about three seats and the man in the back row shut up as his neighbor shot him a nasty glare. “Hey, I will sit with you, but expecting me to stay quiet is pushing it.”

 

“Just hush. For once in your life, enjoy something silly.”

 

“I do enjoy silly things.” The man said quietly as the screen faded to another. “But this is beyond ridiculous…”

[kalenath]

<Onscreen>

 

The observation lounge in the secure wing of the Forn Dodanna Naval Base Hospital on Coruscant was quiet. The man in armor watched impatiently as the medical team finished up and started closing the terrible wound that his sole source had received from the bounty hunter scum that had attacked her. While the colonel and his subordinate’s return fire had killed the idiot, his only link to the fugitives he hunted obsessively had come very close to dying while in transit. He wasn’t tapping his foot in impatience, the ringing noise from armor on the deck made his ears hurt, but he was trying hard to remain patient. She was alive, he still had his lead to the traitorous scum he was hunting. His blood boiled, yet again, as he recalled the impudence of the fool who had actually flipped him off as he escaped the last time.

 

“I will get you this time, Kith…” Colonel Deckler said quietly as he waited for the medics to exit the surgical suite. The nurse remained, to finish up post surgery chores. None of the medical personnel had allowed him or his sergeant into the surgical suite and truth be told, he understood. He didn’t like it mind, but he understood. Finally the door opened and the doctor walked out, his face a mask of weariness, mixed with optimism. “Doctor Houlihan?”

 

“Colonel…” The doctor scowled at the armored form and then sighed. “She is alive and she will remain that way.”

 

“When can I talk to her?” Deckler asked quietly, squashing his impatience.

 

“Whenever the hell she wakes up. She was hit in the chest for goodness sakes. She wasn’t wearing armor. It was sheer luck that the shot missed her heart. If she wakes up anytime in the next eight hours, I will be incredibly surprised.” The doctor moved to wash his hands and Deckler did not wince at the gore on the gloves, the soldier had seen and done worse.

 

“Doctor…” Deckler knew that bucking a doctor on the doctor’s home turf was a bad idea. But…

 

“Can it, Colonel. You bring her, a civilian, into a military facility, into MY hospital and demand her to be treated. Fine, that is what we do. We see enough blast wounds we are quite good at treating them now, even upper chest trauma like hers. Well then, you can very well sit there and wait while she recovers. I am not going to compound the laws you just broke by allowing you to hurt or kill this woman.” The ice in the doctor’s tone matched the chill that settled into Deckler’s guts at those words.

 

“Doctor… She is a witness to criminal acts. We need to have her remanded to a secure facility for her safety and for debriefing.” The glare that the doctor leveled on the colonel had the hard bitten soldier actually shut up and back up a step.

 

“Colonel, you take her out of that bed and she is going to DIE. Do I make myself clear?” The doctor actually advanced a step, despite being clad in surgical garb and unarmed, the armored soldier took a step back. “You just broke… I don’t know how many laws, so she is going nowhere until we heard from JAG…”

 

“Sixteen.” Came a soft voice from the door and both turned to see a human male with an incredibly long nose come in. His expression as about as mellow as a glass of lemonade and both braced to attention as they saw the stars on his shoulder. “Doctor Houlihan? Prognosis?”

 

"Sir." The doctor looked at the general and nodded slowly. “Blast wound with accompanying trauma to the upper left chest. Left lung damage which we are regenerating. Given time and proper care, she will make a full recovery. if certain people do not kill her with ham handed stupidity that is.” The scorn in the doctor’s tone could have cut through a stone wall.

 

“Sir…” Deckler started, but cut off as the general snarled at him.

 

“Shut it, Colonel. If you are very lucky, the least that will happen to you is a demotion. Really… Kidnapping, improper behavior, failure to properly assess an injury to a civilian, violation of articles 37- A and 56-B of the Code of Military Justice …” Both of which covered the role of military personnel in civilian matters, and were highly restrictive. “And to top all that off, you brought her onto a military base? You passed by three fully equipped trauma centers to bring a civilian to a military base! You moron!” Now the general was shaking his head. “You will be very lucky if you see the light of day in the next ten years. And you dropped about a metric ton of paperwork on my desk. So the least I can do is spread it around.” The general pulled a satchel from his side and opened it, showing a reef of papers.

 

“Sir…” The doctor started, only to pause as the general turned his gimlet eye on the medical professional.

 

“Not your fault doctor. Your department is in the clear. You did as you should, and you notified your chain of command. Hence why I am here. You and Nurse Pierce are in the clear. This fool on the other hand…” The general’s glare fell on the colonel again and Deckler swallowed.

 

“Sir, that woman is instrumental in an ongoing investiga-…” He broke off as the general’s eyes glinted dangerously. When the general spoke again, it was soft and silky smooth.

 

“Are you bucking for a section 8 soldier? You act like it.” Now the general shook his head slowly. “Let me make this perfectly clear, Colonel. If you do not want to be a private again in the next ten seconds, you will do exactly what I say, when I say and give me no lip whatsoever. Do I make myself clear?” The general did not raise his voice, did not make any threatening gestures, but the colonel retreated a step anyway.

 

“Sir…” Deckler swallowed again. “Yes, sir.” He did not want to be a private again.

 

“You will go into that room.” The general waved towards an empty staff room. “You will sit down. You will fill out each and every one of these forms, in triplicate.” He extended the satchel to the Colonel who took it, wooden faced. “You will get all of those forms back to JAG within the hour. Do I make myself clear?” Deckler nodded slowly and moved to the door. He shut it behind him. A moment later a pair of humans in medical garb pushed a gurney into the room and nodded to the doctor and general.

 

“General… What…?” The doctor asked as the general relaxed slightly.

 

“Is she safe to transport, Doctor? Professional opinion?” the general asked quietly, his demeanor changing completely to worry.

 

“Yes, sir. Given a competent transport team, she should be… But sir, I dislike sending her anywhere I don’t know…” The doctor was torn. On one hand, she was his patient, on the other, she was a massive hot potato. If anything went wrong with her, his tail would be in the line.

 

“We are taking her to Coruscant Interstellar Medical, you know them?” It wasn’t really a question, but the doc nodded anyway. That hospital as one of the best on the planet and one of the most secure. “Class six transport, full escort. Ambulance will be here in ten. We have to show we were not at fault in any way. If that idiot is lucky, we will be able to spin this, but she has to survive. Clear?”

 

“Clear, General Klinger. She will be ready and all the records will be ready as well.” The doctor started to supervise the orderlies as they wheeled the gurney into the patient’s room.

 

The general started off towards the main desk and finger his nose, just a little. He grimaced as it moved in a way that no flesh and blood nose would. He fixed it and smiled, his eyes twinkling. When he spoke it was soft and in Captain Kith’s voice. “So nice working with professionals…”

 

<The theater>

 

“Drat.” The man in black sighed deeply, but when he spoke, it was quiet. “Another ID burned. And I liked General Klinger…”

 

“Don’t tell me you have used it since then.” The girl beside him said quietly.

 

“No… but…”

 

“No buts… Hush…”

[kalenath]

<Another hospital>

 

Sandi Kuioloa woke up without pain. Which was very surprising as the last things she remembered was falling after a hammer blow to her chest. She had been shot. She had assumed that the hunters who had been after her would get her sooner or later, but to attack her while two armored members of the Republic Special Forces he d been right there had to have been dumb… She hissed as she tried to move and pain flared for a moment.

 

“Don’t try to move to quickly, Ma’am…” A familiar voice had Sandi’s eyes shooting open but the face that met hers was not the one she expected. It was not the human male she had found a solitary mug shot of. His nose was so long as to almost be a beak, and his hair was a dark gray color instead of his normal black. He smiled at her from his chair beside her bed.

 

“I…” Sandi managed to croak out as she lay there. Then the pain ebbed. “Captain Kith?” Why was he wearing a general’s uniform? She shook her head, it wasn’t important.

 

“The same, Ma’am. Easy…” he cautioned as he held out a glass of water to her. “You were hit in the upper chest. The docs that moron Deckler took you to were good. And now, you are safe.”

 

“No such thing, Captain.” Sandi replied quietly as she sipped through the straw. It tasted heavenly. Then her brain caught up with her. “Wait…Why are you…You shouldn’t be here.” She tried to sit up and hissed as she hurt again.

 

“Easy.” The disguised captain cautioned as he held her in place effortlessly. When she stopped trying to move, he let her go and sat back. “You are out of danger, as long as you listen to the docs.”

 

“You shouldn’t be here.” Sandi protested. “You are in danger here, wherever… Um…W here are we?” This was obviously not a military hospital. The décor was much nicer.

 

“Currently, you are a guest at Coruscant Interstellar Medical. This is the secure wing, for dignitaries, brass and other VIP types. Which you qualify.” He patted her hand as she stared at him in confusion,. “Colonel Deckler is going to be a very unhappy man very shortly. He should have brought you to a civilian medical facility. He broke a bunch of regs in doing what he did to you.”

 

“There is… no way… I would ever be able to afford this…” Sandi stared at the two paintings on the wall, both of which likely cost more than she would see in a year.

 

“You are not paying for it, Ma’am. The Republic Military is. They messed up. Or actually…” He broke off as the door opened. Sandi stiffened, but then relaxed as the woman who came in was in dress uniform. A major if she was not mistaken. But then she stiffened again when the man sitting beside her did not relax.

 

“Ah, you are wake.” The major said brightly. “My name is Major Sina Mackenzi and I hope the accommodations are pleasing, Miss Kuioloa?”

 

“Ah… yes… What is…? um…” Sandi felt her face heating. What the hell was going on?

 

“No doubt you have many questions. I can answer them, but for this moment I have a question for the ‘general’ here. “Sandi froze as the major’s voce turned sour. “Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what is about to happen?”

 

“You know me, Sina.” The man smiled at Sandi’s expression. “Do I ever not have an exit plan?”

 

“No. I think I can get you five minutes. Be safe.” She smiled at him and left the room.

 

Sandi stared at Captain Kith and shook her head. “What the fu-…?”

 

“No time. She can explain once I am gone. But I have to give this back.” He handed her a card. No… Sandi realized. The card!

 

“Wha…?” Sandi asked as she took the card that had information on how to access more money that she would ever see in her lifetime.

 

“It needs a code, and it’s too much. Ma’am…” Kith’s voice was totally serious now. “If you had handed that card to anyone else, and I mean anyone else… You would have never seen him, her or it -or the money- ever again. Really, ma’am… 35… Million…?”

 

“You need money… It won’t be cheap.” Sandi protested as she tried to sit up and hissed as she couldn’t.

 

“Here is what you are going to do. Make arrangements for the bank to set up another account with that access. Code will be my mother’s maiden name, password your mother’s maiden name. Put 1 mill in it, we won’t use it all. I can guarantee that.” Kith was standing now.

 

“But…” Sandi was fading now, but she struggled to stay awake.

 

“We will do the job, Ma’am. But you offered too much. She is Hutt isn’t she?” Kit’s hand brushed Sandi’s and she sighed.

 

“Yes. But… not… normal…” Sandi slumped as sleep came for her.

 

“Sleep well, Ma’am. We will get your friend out.” He patted her sleeping head and then he was in motion. He was out the unmarked door and heading…

 

“Kith!” A shout came from the elevators as the doors opened and squad of heavily armed armored forms barreled out, Deckler in the lead.

 

“So much for five minutes…” Kith snarled quietly as he bolted in the other direction. He went through a door marked ‘Fire’ and smiled as he found the stairs he had been told about. He was on short time though…

 

***

 

Colonel James Deckler snarled as he puffed up the final steps to the roof of the building. Of course Kith couldn’t take the elevators, and the entrances were all locked down. But what was the man thinking? The airspace was locked down. Nothing flying would be able to get anywhere close. He slamed the door open with an armored fist, the complaint for that would actually be minimal compared to the rest that would have occurred from his essentially invading a civilian medical facility. He had maybe five minuets to catch this slippery… “Fan out…” He snarled at his men. “Find him!”

 

“Sir…” One of his subordinates, a guy named Hicks -or was it Hudson?- pointed to the side of the building where…

 

Deckler stared for an instant and then yelled. “Kith!” as he pointed his gun at the guy in the odd suit. It was odd, the outfit, the head, elbows and knees were covered by orange wraps and wooden handles protruded from a orange belt. And was that a turtle shell on his back?

 

Captain Kith turned for a moment and then yelled loudly as he jumped off the edge of the building. “Cowabunga!”

 

Deckler and his team ran to the edge of the building and froze as they saw a hoversled there. With cameras? “What the frack?”

 

“Get off my set!” A bearded guy shouted. “Who the hell are you guys?”

 

“Colonel Deckler! Republic Military police! Who the hell are you?”

 

“Lorge Jucas! This is my movie! Get lost soldier! Keep filming!” The guy ordered. “He is about to hit three hundred… This is great. Man that guy is crazy… but what a scene…”

 

Deckler stared at the guy for a moment and then turned to stare at the small green speck in the distance. “I will get you, Kith, I swear I will get you…”

 

“Not today Colonel.” A soft voice spoke form behind and he spun to see two squads of security police, all of whom had weapons out and trained on him and his men. The voice came from a female in the uniform of a major. “Major Sani Mackenzi. Judge Advocate General Corps. You are in violation of so many articles that you might see the light of day in ten years or so. I ‘suggest’…” She smiled mirthlessly. “You drop your weapons. Now.”

 

Deckler sighed and did as orders. It just wasn’t going to be his day…

 

<The theater>

 

“You… didn’t… really…” The girl’s incredulous expression matched the expressions of everyone else in the row, all of whom were staring at the man in black. “Jump off a building on Coruscant…”

 

“No comment.” The man in black smiled thinly as he sat back in his chair and focused on the screen.

 

“…in that costume…” The girl’s voice was somewhere between awe and humor.

 

“No comment.”

[kalenath]

The man in black was shaking his head slightly as the character on screen landed on another skyscraper and started to get out of his suit, assisted by a team of techs, most of whom were shaking their heads in disbelief. It hadn’t been, quite, like that. He was SO going to have some words with a certain being he knew well. Ah well, at least parts of this drek were entertaining… He froze. An official looking guy with a droid had come out of a door in the back and was looking at the back row. Oops… Maybe I should have kept quieter.

 

The man and droid walked to where the man sat and spoke to the girl of all people. “Ma’am? You are disturbing the other viewers.”

 

The girl sitting beside him scowled but then nodded. “I apologize. It has been some time since I was last at a holovid.” The man in black had to struggle to keep his face straight. She had NEVER been to a holovid. “I will be quiet.”

 

“I am going to have to ask you and your party to… to…” The official broke off as the man in black looked him in the eye. ‘You… Wait a sec… You are… Oh dear…” The man in black filed that away, the guy couldn’t possibly know him. Was he being mistaken for the actor?

 

“We have been disruptive. I understand that.” The man in black’s voice was very quiet now. “But my sister here wanted to see the holo vid. We will be respectful from now on.” He didn’t need to see to know that at least three blades were at the ready. If this flunky and his droid made a wrong move, they would die and then there would be all kinds of hate and discontent.

 

“Rules say I have to escort you from the theater if there are any complaints. There have been three. I need you…” The man in black tensed, if this guy tried to take Sara anywhere… there would be a mess. He almost did not see a hand waved from the end of the row and could barely hear Istara’s voice.

 

“You don’t need to take her out of the theater.” Istara’s voice was calm and matter of fact.

 

“I don’t need to take her out.” The flunky’s voice was slightly distracted. Istara smirked at Will’s expression. Aren’t mind tricks fun? And this isn't even against the Code... Istara's voice popped into his head and was gone.

 

“She will be quiet from now on.” The man in black and the girl beside him shared a glance at the Bladeborn Grandmaster’s calm and cool tone. They didn’t need to look to see that the other Bladeborn were relaxing. The very soft sound of metal on metal told them that the blades were back in their sheaths.

 

“She will be quiet.” The man’s voice became a little stronger.

 

“Enjoy the holo.” Istara’s face had an ironic smile on it now.

 

“Enjoy the holo.” The man nodded to them all and strode away.

 

The man and his sister shared another amused glance and turned back to the screen.

 

<On screen>

 

“You did what?” The team scrounger stared at her boss and shook her head savagely. “How much did you give up?” They were standing a docking bay, near the team’s starship. The ship looked like a piece of junk, but it purred.

 

“It was too much, Face. You know that. What would have happened?” Captain Kith stood on the ramp and shrugged. He had worked through all of this himself. And he had specifically returned the money WITHOUT telling the more… um… resourceful member of the team.

 

“i… I know… But…”The woman guided a heavy lift droid carrying the team’s gear, and the unconscious form of a large alien, into the ship. She sighed. “We would have used it is what would have happened. But… 35 million… Boss…”

 

“We are soldiers, Face. Not thieves. If we steal, we steal from the bad guys, not our employers.” Kith shook his head as he passed the GMC logo that adorned the hatch. “You are a soldier, not a thief. Tell me I am wrong.”

 

“Boss, you are wrong, we could have used that money. So many things need fixing. There are some things I just can’t get by scrounging… Or seducing people. I am sorry, that is the way it is. Hyperdrive parts are seriously hard to come by.” Tania had a worried look on her face as the ramp rose.

 

“We have some, Face. We have a mil. I checked as I arrived. She changed the account. And…” He held up a warning finger as the scrounger’s face lit up. “I am going to account for. Every. Single. Credit.”

 

“Boss…” Lt. Peck’s voice was sour now.

 

“Something about this job stinks, Face.” Captain Kith moved to help secure the cargo and the slumbering Aqualish. Not that anything short of a Force cage would hold the being when he finally woke up.

 

"Yeah." Tne LT agreed. “I couldn’t find any information on anyone named Cranna on Nar Shaddaa. Of course it is Nar Shaddaa.” Face said quietly as she finished strapping things down.

 

“Yeah.” Captain Kith agreed. “Well, we have options and I have laid some groundwork for us. We are mercenaries looking for work.”

 

“Honest or despicable?” That was a very good question the Lt posted. Depending on which way they went, they had to act in character the whole time.

 

“Depends on who we wind up working for. You know the drill.” Kith smiled at her expression. She hated acting like a scumbag, even if she did it very well. “We will try for honest this time.” Both paused as voice came over the intercom.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, please turn off any portable tech devices you have and fasten your seat belts for takeoff.” The two soldiers needed no urging. Modok’s flying was not for the faint of heart. BA had actually enjoyed flying until he had been tossed out an airlock by an errant maneuver. He had been wearing a space suit, but… going ‘Dutchman’ as spacers called it, was no joke. They had picked him up, but… “Activate interlocks! Dynotherms connected! Infracells up! Mega thrusters are go! LET'S GO VOLTRON FORCE!“

 

Face and Cannibal shared a glance as the ship rumbled. Modok was nuts.

[kalenath]

<A starship enroute to Nar Shaddaa>

 

Everyone aboard knew that when the Aqualish that everyone called BA woke up bad things would happen. And right on time…

 

“I AM GOIN’ TO KILL YOU FOO’S!” Came a shout from the cargo bay and both Face and Cannibal looked at each other over the plan they were scrutinizing.

 

“You said…” The captain nodded to the LT who…smiled? She pulled a bag out from under the table and opened it.

 

“Five… four… three… two…” They both jumped as the hatch of the dormitory slammed open. It shouldn’t have been possible to slam a hatch, but somehow, the Aqualish managed as he stalked in.

 

“I warned you…” The voice of the hulking being was soft and silky now, but even more menacing. “You… Oh you rat…” His voice suddenly changed as the human female held up something that was moving in her hands. Something with fur. “What the…? You idiot!”

 

The LT did not move as the huge Aqualish snatched the bundle out of her hands and turned partially away. But what was odd was the tone that the Aqualish was using now. “Did that nasty human scare you? She can be a pest. Come on, let me look at you…” The tone was gentle, coaxing and the bundle in his hands was moving again.

 

“It snuck aboard. Had to do…” Face broke off as BA turned a fulminating glare her way. She wasn’t stupid.

 

“A puppy ‘snuck aboard’ a starship. Yeah, sure.” The Aqualish was cuddling the small furry animal now and it was licking his face. “Did you even feed him?” The hands that petted the small dog were gentle and soothing and the puppy was making a noise that might have been a soft bark or a loud whine. Its fur was a mix of white, brown and black and its eyes were huge as it stared at the Aqualish. It was maybe six months old and was obviously hungry. It looked at Face and made a sound that was distinctly a growl. The Aqualish laughed sourly. “Yeah, I don’t like her either. I am still mad at you.” He said to the others as he cradled the small dog in gentle hands. “I know we had to use a ship to get to our job. I understand that. I understand that we cannot take commercial transport or we get caught. But that Zabrak is dangerous. Putting him behind the stick of a starship is stupid… Sirs…” His tone had hardened and the puppy whined a little. “Sorry little fellow, come on, let’s get you fed…”

 

“Keep him out of the engine room and cockpit please…” Captain Kith said as BA carried the animal out of the dormitory. The glare that BA shot him promised pain and the captain wisely shut up. Only after the hatch closed, with a bit of a whine from the abuse it had taken, did Captain Kith look at Face who was smiling. “Do you have any idea how much trouble a puppy will be on the ship?”

 

“More trouble than him killing us?” Face asked innocently. “I checked with the store. It is housebroken, and apparently was born on a ship.”

 

“Good point. You know that Modok is allergic, right?” Captain Kith was obviously trying not to smile. “And if anything happens to that dog…” Face gulped and nodded.”Anyway, nicely done. We have a contact point on Nar Shaddaa. It’s vague, probably on purpose. It says she will find us. Did you find anything on this Cranna?”

 

“Nothing at all. It’s weird Boss. Most anything is for sale on Nar Shaddaa, but this… It’s like the information on this being is stuck inside a black hole or something. I don’t know. I get a bad feeling about this.” The human woman shivered a bit. “You think it’s a Hutt?” The captain shrugged.

 

“I don’t know. Information is power, no question. On Nar Shaddaa, information is life. Well, that and money. Speaking of money… We have some disposable income now.” Face smiled and Captain Kith raised a warning hand. “I am going to account for every credit. But…” He smiled as Face looked downcast. “That doesn’t mean we can’t indulge ourselves a bit. Mercs tend to be a bit flashy at times, it can act as advertising. And we will be advertising ourselves, but in a specific market.”

 

“And the competition?”

 

“Taken care of.” Captain Kith’s smile could have likely frightened a shark. Whatever face was going to say was cut off by the hatch opening again and the pilot staggering in.

 

“Boss…? What the…? Who brought a dog aboard?” The Zabrak’s face was red and streaming with tears as he tried to keep from sneezing. Who would have thought a Zabrak could or would have a human allergy? Face and Cannibal shared a shrug and Face moved to the medi-kit. They carried a full set, just in case, and that included antihistamines.

 

“Glad you are here, Modok. Time to think things through. And… Yep…” The hatch hissed open again. Was it the imagination that it hissed open faster? BA came in, his hands gentle as he held the puppy which was squirming a bit. “Good to see you BA, we have planning to do.”

 

“Get that thing away from me!” Modok cried out as he recoiled back to the other side of the room. “A-CHOO!” He sneezed loudly and did not move as Face injected him with a hypo, but fear was oozing out of every pore as he looked at BA, no, at the puppy!

 

“It’s not a thing, foo’. His name is Mr. T. And if anything happens to him, I pity the foo’ who done it.” The Aqualish sat down, petting the dog whose unhappy eyes were on Face. “I hope I am clear on that. I will get him a good home when we are done. He is a good dog.”

 

“If you say so, BA.” Face agreed quietly.

 

“I do say so…” BA didn’t –quite- snarl at her. “What is the word Boss?”

 

“The word…” Cannibal smiled at the interplay between his friends. “…is ‘flash’. We need flash, we need memorable. We need a crew of mercs so distinctive that no one, no one would possibly connect them to us. We want them to be so focused on us that no one sees what we are doing until we are long gone. We have been unable to find out anything more about this hostage, prisoner, whatever she is. We do have some more intel on where she is. And we are meeting someone on the ground. Someone named Vixirina of all things…”

[kalenath]

<Nar Shaddaa >

 

The cantina was packed and most of the patrons were busy with drink and other pursuits that people pursued in such places.

 

“Look, it can’t be them.” A form in the shadows said to another one quietly. “There is simply no way that they would come here of all places.” The figure froze as the temperature seemed to plummet around him and he shook his head quickly. “I am not doubting, milord, it just doesn’t make sense.”

 

“You would do well to keep from questioning me.” The other figure shifted a bit and black showed as its clothing passed the light for a moment. “My patience is not infinite. Besides, how many other mercenary teams consist of two humans, an Aqualish and a Zabrak who sings off key? It is them. Are you ready?”

 

“Of course milord. But if they are here… Every team of hunters on planet is going to be looking for the bounty. Either the one the Republic has on them, or the one the Empire does. We better move fast. Orders?” The shadowed form moved a little and a very feminine form was visible for an instant.

 

“We require the leader alive. He has information we need. The rest…” The form in black shrugged. “Do was you will, captain. But the leader alive.” There was no mistaking the quiet command or the implied threat under it “I have…many questions for him.” With that, he was simply gone.

 

The female in the booth just sat for a moment, thinking. An inebriated human stagger towards the booth but thought better of whatever he was going to do as a heavy blaster pistol appeared in a blue skinned hand and red eyes bored into him. The blaster vanished and then the female stood. Her walk was confident as she stepped from the cantina, but her heart was troubled. Something was wrong…Very wrong. As good as she was, without the Force she had no real way of knowing she was under surveillance. Just a feeling…

 

<Nearby>

 

“Gotcha…” The shadows of Nar Shaddaa contained many odd things. But this one was fairly odd even for Nar Shaddaa. The long ears, furry skin and long nose all proclaimed this being to be a Squib. No one paid much attention to Squibs, well except to lock up anything shiny while they were around. Which made them exceptional undercover agents, IF one could get past their annoying turned of speech and their ever present desire to find the best deals on junk. The small form snapped a quick pic and stepped off to follow the female form that had exited the cantina. But in his haste, he turned the corner too fast and a blue skinned hand grabbed him and pulled him deeper into the shadows by his ear.

 

“Ow, ow! Me ear!” He froze as he came face to face with a calm and serious female Chiss. Chiss as a whole were not well known in Republic space. Most of them served the Empire. “Why you grab me?” The Squib whined, but did not struggle. Chiss were dangerous. “Meanie!”

 

“Why you follow me?” The words might have been mocking. Then again, they might not have been. Chiss controlled themselves so well, it was hard to tell. The hand that held the ear twisted, just a little, while the other frisked the Squib quickly and thoroughly.

 

“Ow, ow, ow! Leggo me ear!” The Squib protested. “Paid to follow you, see what you do.”

 

“By who?” The Chiss’ voice could have been a glacier on her homeworld for all the emotion it showed.

 

“Dunno. Blind account. Holo-vid was blocked. Ow. Leggo!” He did not resist as she took his blaster. “Hey, dat’s mine!”

 

“Was yours, now it’s mine. Who hired you? Don’t tell me you didn’t check. What was the name?” She twisted again harder and her finger bit deep into a nerve cluster buried under his sensitive skin. He screamed, but no one was going to notice, this was Nar Shaddaa after all.

 

“Na… Na… Naglis…” The Squib bit out. The hand that held him let up a little.

 

“Naglis, a known associate of Nemro. That was easy. Almost too easy. You wouldn’t be lying to me, would you, Squib?” The red eyes bored into him like twin laser cannon, unblinking. The Squib tried to shake his head but stopped when the hand that held his ear gave a warning shake.

 

“No lie! No lie! Was worried, did some checking. Paid good. Too good, a set up.” His eyes fell and he slumped. “Now… I guess I die…”

 

“Die?” The female Chiss’ voice was amused now. “Now why would I kill you? How… unimaginative. No, now you work for me.” The Squib’s eyes went wide. “My name is Jilu’talis’thrawn’misli’anda.”

 

“What?” The Squib stared at her. “Jilu… Jilu’talinthwanmiscana? Say what?” The Chiss sighed.

 

“Why is it so hard for you fools to pronounce respectable names? Don’t answer that!” She cautioned as the Squib opened his mouth. With another twist of the ear the Squib shut his mouth. “Very well, you may call me Misli’anda if your primitive brain can handle that.”

 

“What if I don’t want to…?” The Squib shut his mouth again as the Chiss smiled. There was no mirth in it and her eyes went towards a railing that was close at hand. Nar Shaddaa was not called ‘The Vertical City’ for nothing. The fall from such a height might take days. The Squib’s fur went wild with fear. “No! I will do anything you says…”

 

“Yes, you will. Do what I say and you will be rewarded. Cross me and die. What is your name?” Her face and voice were back emotionless now.

 

“Squadi me name. What you want me to do?” The Squib asked cautiously. After all, this dangerous female still held his ear in hand.

 

“You will report back to who hired you that you lost me, but can find me again. You will tell them what I want, when I want. You will tell me, instantly if anything changes.” The hand on his ear vanished and so did the Chiss.

“Garbage for brains…” Squadi snarled quietly as he massaged his ear. “Silly female… How am I supposed to tell her anything if I can’t find her?” A hand tapped his shoulder and he froze. It was blue.

 

“I will be watching.” Squadi stood there for several minutes before daring to move again.

 

<The theatre>

 

Jilu’talis’thrawn’misli’anda? Istara's soft thought came through. That doesn't sound like a Chiss name.

 

Poetic license I bet Istara. Sara said softly. Will... I have to know... Did you really...?

 

Yes I jumped off a building dressed as a turtle. Will said soberly. It wasn't something I ever want to do again, but it was a rush and a half. Don't say it!

 

What? 'Turtle turtle'? Sara asked with a smirk, Or 'I'm going to be a master of disguise! I'm going to be a master of disguise!' ? Will just groaned softly.

 

Sara! istara said with a mental laugh. That is not nice. But she was grinning.

 

Why? Sara asked softly. Was it to get away?

 

In part. Will said with a shrug as the scene started to change to an empty hangar bay. But mainly I was paid. We needed a lot of income in those days. We didn't have any pipelines set up, and the Stormhawk is VERY expensive to maintain, let alone fuel.

 

How much was that worth? Sara asked, her face speculative.

 

100k. Will said soberly. And don't even think about it. After two stunt men died trying to duplicate it, that kind of thing was banned. BASE jumping on Coruscant is just dumb anyway. Aw come on... He complained as the screen brightened. Are they going to... No not this...

 

Hush. Istara said sharply as noise started to be heard on screen.

[kalenath]

<The screen>

 

"Well... Here we are." The ramp of the small starship lowered and a human male strode down it as if he hadn't a care in the world. In appearance, he was nothing like Captain Kith. His suit was absolutely covered with medals of various kinds. The blaster at his hip was well worn however, and well cared for. He sighed deeply. "I know you are there. Might as well come out. Might save any... expensive mistakes."

 

"You got balls." A harsh voice sounded from the corner of the room. "I like that. But this our turf." The dirty Rodian said with a snarl as a dozen other grubby forms appeared from hiding places, all armed. All upset.

 

"Indeed?" The man in uniform said with a small smile. "Well, no problem. I have business here. It should be quick, and then I will be gone. Tell your employer that. I am not interested in starting a fight or expanding my territory. We have no cause for conflict."

 

"You leave now." The Rodian snapped, his rifle coming up to firing position, only to stop as the man in uniform sighed. "What?"

 

"I have business here." The man said quietly. His hand was not near his blaster, but menace suddenly rang in his tone. "Expensive business. You will not get in the way of my business."

 

"How you stop us?" THe Rodian asked snidely, then paused as a landspeeder nosed its way out of the small ship. The man in uniform moved to the side and the landspeeder stopped at the base of the ramp. It had obviously been heavily modified. Armor plates had been crudely welded to the sides, and two heavy repeating blasters swiveled to aim at the now sweating Rodian. "Ah..."

 

"Do we need to do this?" The man in uniform asked sadly. "It would make such a mess."

 

"No." Another voice answered him. "We don't." A human female stepped out of the shadows and nodded to the man in uniform. Her attire was much cleaner than the others. "Grulo... Stand down, go get a bath."

 

"Boss..." The Rodian protested. "We got the launcher!" The Houk with a rocket launcher looked very worried when everyone looked at him. He kept his hands still.

 

"Grulo..." The woman sighed. "He has a better one." She waved negligently to the side and the whole team of grubby mercs stared at the small human who had just stepped out of the shadows the ship created. The rocket launcher in her hands was aimed. "Grulo, these guys have us outclassed. There is no point in fighting a battle we cannot win for no pay. Go. Take. A. Bath. Now." She commanded. The team of mercs slowly retreated and then, without a word left the bay. The head merc looked at the man in uniform. "Would you guys be available to hire?"

 

"Sorry." Captain Kith said sadly. "You couldn't afford us."

 

"Probably not." The merc said with a sigh. "For whatever it is worth, thanks for not slagging my idiots. You could have killed them all by yourself." She met the captain's eyes. "I know who you are. And if I do, others do. Word of advice... Whatever business you have, get it done and get out of here. The last thing we need is the feeding frenzy that will result when your name gets dropped."

 

"Thanks." Kith said soberly. "And the rest?"

 

"You are crazy." The woman said sadly. "I put the word out like your informant asked. But... Why Hutta? Why send them all there?"

 

"Don't ask." Captain Kith said gently. "You do not want to know. We should be gone by tomorrow morning. Think the hunters will have figured out it's a red herring by then?"

 

"Maybe." The woman said with a scowl. "Look you paid me a lot for this. WAY more than you should have. I cannot guarantee that ANY of the hunters will take the bait. Any smart ones will realize quickly that you are not going to just fly down into the Hutt's hands. Not after what you did to Kor'das' treasure ship. And Kor'Das himself."

 

"Stealing the whole thing and tossing the Hutt out an airlock was excessive, yes. But... It was full of slaves." Kith said off handedly. "My companions feel very strongly about such things."

 

"I bet." The woman said with a sigh. "All right. The shuttle you are supposed to take is in Bay Three. Get out of here. And for what it's worth... Whatever you are doing... Good luck, Captain." Then she was gone.

 

"Good luck yourself, Corporal." Captain Kith said sadly. "Damn I hate seeing a good soldier go that way, but... It was her fault." He waved a hand in the air and the landspeeder started off. The Aqualish jumped out, a wriggling bundle in hand. "BA!" Kith snapped. "Do not take the dog into combat!"

 

"Well I am not leaving him on the ship." BA said with meaning as the ship's hatch closed. The landspeeder started off. "Why couldn't we keep that one, Sir?" The Aqualish asked, hurt in his tone.

 

"We need a diversion while Modok takes the ship up and gets lost in the crowd." Kith said gently. "I bet the hunters who are crowding that bay will be... unhappy to see it. Are the auto controls online?"

 

"Right here." BA said with a frown as he opened a datapad. "I have control. How big a mess do you want?"

 

"Make it last as long as you can, BA." Kith said. "Face needs time to make her purchases, and I need time to get into position. Do not stay here. I know you want to hurt the slaver scum, but..."

 

"Boss..." The Aqualish said, hurt.

 

"The puppy, BA..." Kith said gently. "He would get caught in the crossfire." The Aqualish sighed and nodded as Kith moved off. The man saw his other contact and nodded. The blue skinned Twi'lek nodded back and they started off in silence. In the distance they heard blaster fire, Lots of it. The Twi'lek looked at him and he shrugged.

 

"We came with lots of ammo." He said diffidently. "Shame to waste it."

 

"Auto control?" Something about the Twi'lek spoke of madness. Kith nodded. 'You will be lucky to hit the broad side of a dreadnought."

 

"We want a diversion." Kith said soberly. "If we blow up half of Nar Shaddaa..." He paused as the Twi'lek smiled at him.

 

"It would only improve the place." The female said nastily. "You good?"

 

"We are good, Vix."

[kalenath]

The two guards, a Weequay and an Ubese moved through the corridors of Naglis' palace with practiced ease. Both were heavily armed, and both were surly. It was obvious that neither wanted to go where they had been sent. For good reason, being who were sent there usually did not come back. They got to the door and it slid aside. Both stepped inside and paused.

 

"What?" The Hutt asked acerbically in Basic. The Hutt's voice sounded...female. "Can't you idiots see I am busy?" Then she spoke again, hastily. "No, not you guys, some Real Life idiots. Come on, we almost have the boss down, I have his aggro, pour the DPS on! Hurry... Before the enrage timer hits. We have... a minute... Come on, rogue! Stealth and do your backstab! No, heal me! If I go down, we wipe!" The pair of guards stared at the Hutt who was hitting keys and snapping orders. "Yes." She crowed and slumped a bit. "Ok guys, bio break. I should be back soon. What?" Her voice turned sharp. "No. I don't need any of this gear, you guys roll for it. The whole point of this raid is to get you guys geared. Huh?" She demanded. "Ok, fine, you go solo the next boss. I want to watch. I'll be right back." She slithered away from the desk and chains showed, connecting the collar on her neck to the wall. She took off a small headset and snarled at the guards.

 

"What?" She snapped. "What does that pissant Naglis want now? This is my guild's raid night. He knows better than to disturb my raid night." Her eyes went wide as the Ubese drew a blade and stabbed the Weequay in the neck. It fell without a sound. Then her eyes narrowed. "Aren't you a little short for an Ubese?"

 

"I am not an Ubese." The being in the enviro-suit said as he pulled his helmet off. "Cranna? My name is Kith, I am here to get you out." He froze as a small, almost tiny pistol appeared in the Hutt's hand. A disruptor pistol. highly illegal in most places, it would disintegrate his body if set for full power, which it seemed to be from the hum.

 

"Right." The Hutt said softly her tone dangerous. "Naglis must really be getting desperate to try this again. I told him that deal was a bad investment. He wanted to play the stock market. He paid."

 

"This isn't a trick, Ma'am." Kith said soberly. "Sandi sent me."

 

"Sandi is dead." The Hutt said savagely. "Naglis' scum caught her on Coruscant. He told me."

 

"He lied." Kith said gently. "She was shot, but she is alive. Sandi hired me. I can prove it."

 

"How?" Cranna snapped.

 

"Like this." Kith slowly pulled a small holo-tranceiver from a pocket and set it on the floor. "It needs a code form you. I have no idea what is on it."

 

"Really?" Cranna said slowly. "Code 'Huttaburns'." She stiffened as the holo activated.

 

"Cranna." The tiny holo of Sandi was obviously in a bed. She was bandaged, but her voice was strong. "I sent this to the guy I hired. I forgot to tell him what might make you trust him. I am such an idiot Cranna. I am sorry. I hope he can get you out. See you... I hope..." The holo vanished.

 

"Sandi...?" Kith had never heard such a tone from a Hutt before. Fear, rage, pride, sadness, regret...? "You..." She turned to Kith. "You... really..." Her tone now was bemused, almost childlike.

 

"I am here to get you out, Ma'am." Kith said as he touched the holo device and it started to smoke. "I can have you out of those chains in a minute."

 

"Wait..." Carnna said slowly. "There is a bomb..." She waved at her neck. She demanded as he came close and touched the collar. "No!" She screamed. Then she paused as the collar fell off with a click and fell to the floor inert. "What the hell?"

 

"Standard slave collar trap, Ma'am." Kith said sadly. "I deal with a lot of them. We don't have a lot of time before they find the body I got the suit from."

 

"Right." Cranna said slowly. "Get the chains off. I will handle a few... things..." Kith started working and she picked up the headset and spoke into it, her tone somewhere between fear and hope. "Guys, I just had a big real life issue come up." She sighed. "Yeah, Yeah, I know. Yes..." She snapped. "I know we all planned this. Yes..." She said, her tone turning resigned. "I know, but... real life has to come first. Guys, I am sorry... At least I didn't just drop on you. I wouldn't do that." She quivered in indignation. "Hey! Same to you! I am not a newb, you know that." She listened for a second and then snarled, obviously losing patience. "Fine, you go solo that level 156 Jedi Monk. I have to take care of this. Right... I'll be on when I can. Sorry guys. Yeah... Yeah... Later." She smiled as the chains fell away. She hit a series of keys and a small box extended from her desk. She took it and hit another key. A small wisp of smoke started to come from the back of the desk. "Well, That is done. My system is rewriting itself. I really hope you are not lying to me. I just blew my guild's raid night."

 

"I am going to regret asking..." Kith said slowly. "But what the hell?"

 

"I am a level 200 Shield Tank." At Kith befuddled expression, Cranna spoke again. "Stories of Spacescapes, fabulously popular MMORPG. I have a lifetime subscription. I doubt they knew I was a Hutt when I bought it. I am the main tank for my guild."

 

"You realize nothing you just said makes any sense to me?" Kith asked softly. "At all?"

 

"What?" Cranna asked. "Can't a girl have a hobby? I want to burn this place down, but the only thing I could hide was this..." She waved her pistol and paused. "How far?"

 

"About three hundred meters." Kith said slowly. "Lots of guards. You have a floater?"

 

"Maybe..." Cranna said dubiously. "Naglis kept trying bribes at first... Let's see..." She started rummaging through a pile of stuff near one wall and nodded as she pulled an anti-gravity floater out of the pile. "It's old, but it will work. "

 

"Old?" Kith stared at the logo on the side. "Czerka hasn't made floaters like that for three hundred years. How long..."

 

"About seven hundred years." Cranna said with a sigh as she slithered up onto the floater. "My pistol and your rifle are not going to be enough."

 

"Seven hundred..." Kith whistled inaudibly. "Okay, come on. There is an armory close by."

 

"Armory?" Cranna asked. "I couldn't get a good floor plan. How far...? You are kidding!" She snapped as Kith opened the door next to hers and a veritable cornucopia of weapons shone. "Oh..." Cranna's eyes went wide and she nearly started salivating. "Oh...." She started laughing evilly as Kith pulled a heavy repeater down and started checking it professionally." She picked up a rocket launcher and Kith shook his head.

 

"Do you have any idea how to use that?" He asked.

 

"What is to know?" Cranna asked. "The end with the big hole points at the bad guys. I played FPS games too."

 

"I so don't want to know..." Kith said with sigh.

 

<The theater>

 

Uh... Sara's soft mental vocie was somewhere between shock and hilarity as the figures on screen started loading themselves with ordnance. That is why Cranna likes big guns?

 

Like she said on screen, she played FPS games. Will replied laconically. And it wasn't nearly that easy convincing her. Took most of the night and Vix showing up to prod her. I am still going to wring her neck.

Edited August 27, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

The halls were empty. More than empty, they were utterly deserted and quiet. Kith was shaking his head as he moved up, yet again, to find a corridor devoid of enemies. Matter of fact, they hadn’t even seen a DROID, let alone a flunky or anything remotely resembling a guard.

 

“Sloppy…” Kith muttered sourly as he started off again.

 

“What was that?” Cranna asked as she moved to follow. Her floater was laden down so thoroughly with munitions, explosives and weapons that it could barely manage the pace that a normal Hutt float sled could do. Kith shook his head, but focused on the way ahead, while at the same time keeping a wary eye behind. Face was around…somewhere. They had found two bodies that had been killed in her style. Neither had known what hit them and both had worn almost identical expressions of disbelief.

 

“This is sloppy.” Kith complained. “I don’t mind working with professionals. I dislike fighting professionals mind you, but this… This is anything but professional. Why not just put a big red neon blinking sign that says ‘Trap ahead!’ I mean… Come on... This Naglis has lots of… ooo…” Kith paused as he approached a hatchway and it opened to show a hangar bay with… guess what? Lots of guards. “Now this is more like it!”

 

The guards were disposed in various forms of cover about the hangar bay, which was otherwise empty. Most had basic weapons, but a few had heavier ones. And a large holo shone in the middle of the group. Naglis the Hutt wore the customary sour Hutt expression and spoke Huttesse. A translator droid spoke from near the holo.

 

“Welcome Captain Kith. I hope you did not plan to leave so easily with my property.” The guards around the area all kept their blasters on Kith who shrugged.

 

"Naglis!" Cranna seemed to swell a bit. “You lying sack of poodoo!” She replied in Basic, a nasty insult to any Hutt. “You never owned me, you ‘acquired my lease’ no more, no less. Oh and, um… by the way… It was bought from you twenty minutes ago.” Kith looked at her with a quizzical expression and she smiled as only a Hutt could. “You think I just sat in my tail for the last seven hundred years? I spent most of that time planning. Naglis just lost every single credit he has. All of his regular accounts, all of his hidden ones, even the payments he sent for his huttlet support just evaporated. He won't be able to pay his goons, any of them.” The Hutt's enforcers all looked at each other.

 

A guttural laugh came from the holo and the droid spoke again. “The master says: Defiant to the last, eh Cranna? No matter, I will have my money out of you. One way or another.” The holo moved as if it was touching a control panel and Cranna screamed. Kith stared as the Hutt beside him seemed to convulse. Naglis’s gloating face was triumphant now. “The master asks if you think he did not plan for such a thing? Guards! Take them alive! I want Cranna and the good Captain to understand what it is to cross me!” The guards started to move.

 

Kith looked at the holo, at the guards and then he ducked into cover, a spray of small objects shooting from his hands to land on the floor between the guards and the still convulsing Hutt. A guard trod on one and was thrown back, screaming in his native tongue as the small mine blew his foot off. That made the guards VERY leery about closing. The fire that Kith started to lay down, while from a single blaster, was disturbingly accurate and rapid. Naglis started to snarl at his goons and then paused. He spoke rapid Huttese again and the droid translated.

 

“The master asks what she offered you, Captain. You are a mercenary. I will double whatever she offered you. You are very capable. Much more capable than these idiots it seems.” Naglis snorted as yet another of his goons went down with a smoking hole in its head.

 

“So hard to find good help these days.” Kith agreed softly as he remained in the shadows. “I hope you understand. I took her money, I gave her my word. No matter how much you offer, you cannot buy that.”

 

The droid seemed perplexed by that, but then Naglis spoke again through the holo and the droid spoke again. “The master says: Everything is for sale, Captain. Name your price.”

 

“My price?” Kith snorted. “A good cigarra, on occasion. But no… Sorry, Mr. Hutt. I am going to have to say ‘No’. I know you do not understand, that in your world anything and everything is for sale, with the right price. But in mine… When I give my word, I keep it. And I gave her my word.”

 

The Hutt stared at him and then spoke slowly. The droid translated just as slowly into Basic. “The master will give you a million credits, free and clear, if you turn around and walk out of here, leaving her here.”

 

“Too late…” Kith smiled. “She offered me more. And you know what? I turned it down. I am doing this because… I. Hate. Slavers!” Suddenly every mine that he had thrown exploded and Cranna was rolling back into the hallway. “You good?” Kith asked. Cranna just snarled and Kith snickered. “You wanted to use that rocket launcher? Hit that support strut over there.” He pointed.

 

“You… You dragged that out… Didn’t you… because you could…” Cranna was gasping, but managed to get the rocket launcher unshipped and pointed in the right direction.

 

“Had to give him a distraction. Scream at me later. Hit that strut before they recover and we can get out of here.” Kith smiled as Cranna focused on the launcher and then a streak of fire shot from it. The guards all screamed and threw themselves flat, but the rocket flew true. It hit the wall and… did nothing. A loud clang sounded but no boom.

 

“A dud? You gave me a dud?” Cranna screamed at Kith as he shook his head. “You made me carry this heavy thing and it was a dud?”

 

Kith smiled at her and there was a wicked grin on his face. “Did I say it was a dud? I never said it had a high explosive warhead. You never looked.” He covered his head. “You might want to duck.” He threw himself down and covered his head with his hands. Cranna stared at him for a moment and then at the wall. Then she threw the launcher away and threw herself down as well. Just as she did, the wall she had hit blew in. An outlandishly painted airspeeder flew in, it’s hull bright… um… pink? And was that LIPS that were painted on the nose? Kith sighed. “That was a target marker. Face… always so flamboyant…Come on!”

 

Fire was coming from the speeder now, at least four heavy repeating blasters were firing at the dazed troops that were in cover from Kith’s fire. They were wide open to the fire from the airspeeder, which had a door opening now and a huge form was beckoning the pair on as they ran. Well, Kith ran and Cranna slithered very fast. Both made it into the airspeeder and the Aqualish shoved the door shut. Kith shoved the Hutt to the side and dove for a set of restraints.

 

“Go!” BA shouted as fire pinged off the hull. The airpseeder seemed to quiver in midair and then it was in motion. The Aqualish started firing a side mounted gun back the way they had come.

 

Kith was smiling as he made his way to a seat nearby. “I love it when a plan comes together!” Then he made a huffing noise as a huge mass landed on him. He looked up into enraged Hutt eyes.

 

“You made me carry that heavy piece of crap, made me think I was going to blow up Naglis, and now you grab me and carry me off.” Cranna slammed her pudgy hand into the captain backside. My god! She was spanking him! “I don’t like being lied to! I wanted that scum to burn!” she paused as the Aqualish held out something. A remote? “You… You… You…” She sputtered, at a momentary loss for words.

 

“We wanted to make sure there were no civilians anywhere nearby. We got his other slaves out.” The Aqualish was… smiling? The huge alien waved at her. “Oh, keep it up. He deserves some humiliation.”

 

Cranna stared at the remote for a moment and then with a grimace hit the button on it. A loud rumble was heard behind them. Cranna looked from the Aqualish to the human who was still pinned under her not inconsiderable bulk. “How big?” She asked clinically.

 

“Class A thermal detonator next to the main reactor.” The human female known to her teammates as ‘Face’ called form the cockpit. “Oh… Be my guest… He needs some humility…”

 

Cranna looked from the cockpit to the Aqualish to the human who was staring at her, his hands pinned by her bulk. “You interrupted my game! You made me carry a bunch of stuff I never got to use! You could have jammed that pain signal any time! Tell me I lie!”

 

“Kept you out of trouble.” Kith gasped as Cranna moved a bit on top of him.

 

“You…. You… You…” Again, Cranna was sputtering in incoherent rage. Finally, she growled. “Be very glad I do not do the tail puppet thing.” Two sets of eyes, human and Aqualish, went wide at that. For Hutt to use its tail to … Eeeew… But then the angry Hutt continued. “But… You are an insufferable creep!” She slapped him again, and again, and again. “Let me know when we get to wherever the heck we are going! I am going to be… Busy…” The huge Aqualish took one look at her eyes and backed off, a first for him. The sounds of a pudgy fist making contact with a rear end echoed.

 

<The theater>

 

Laughter echoed throughout the theater as the Hutt spanked the captain. All eyes on the back row were on Will, who ignored them. Sara shook her head and her mind voice was awed. Wow… Um… I knew she SAID she had… but…

 

Will didn’t respond and Sara smirked. Talk about potential blackmail material there. She froze as Will turned to look at her and his eyes were bleaker than space.

 

Don’t even think about it. It was the sheer desperation that underlay it that had Sara pausing. Besides… It’s not over…

 

Its not? They got away… Istara’s questioning voice came through loud and clear on whatever channel they shared in their minds.

 

No. Will’s soft and pain filled tone had both women looking at him and then focusing on the screen. Not yet...

[kalenath]

It was very quiet in the airspeeder as it moved towards the landing zone that the team had chosen. Kith was sitting oddly, but given how much the enraged Hutt had pummeled him, that was not unexpected. The Aqualish was working on something and the Hutt… Well, she was sitting on the floor and trying not to fume. That might not have been the best time for Face to call from the cockpit. “Boss… Trouble…”

 

“What’s up?” Kith sat up, his face going professional.

 

“No reply from Modok, and no telemetry from the ship.” Face’s voice was worried. “He is nuts, but he never misses a check in. Always with some off the wall joke or quote, but he never skips one.”

 

Kith looked at the com panel and then at BA who stared back at him. The big Aqualish shook his head slowly. “Last check in was…” He checked the chrono. “Thirty six minutes ago.” The Aqualish shook his head again and pulled a heavy repeater from the wall and started checking it. The Hutt stared at him and then at Kith who was checking his armaments by touch.

 

“This wasn’t part of the plan, was it?” The formerly enraged Hutt asked quietly as she checked her own gear, as little of it as she had. Basically, she had her portable computer and her gun.

 

“No. The plan was for the ship to touch down at various intervals, in different landing spots. Less chance of being intercepted. We had a bunch of IDs…” Kith’s voice trailed off and then his face hardened. “Tania… Those IDs… could they have been hacked?”

 

“Um…” The pilot’s voice was uncertain when she answered. “Anything can be hacked, Boss, but… Man, it would take more computing power than that Naglis scum possessed. Cranna there might be able to do it, but Naglis? Even if he wasn’t in his mansion…”

 

“He wasn’t.” Cranna’s voice was soft. “As soon as I got loose, he would have run for cover somewhere. He knew what I was going to do.” Now her voice held a touch of humor. “He had no clue what you were going to do, but then again…” Now her voice hardened again. “Neither did I.”

 

“We had no way of knowing if he had you wired for sound and video as well as location and pain. It would have…” Kith’s voice trailed off and he swore loudly. “Cranna… Do you trust me?”

 

“What kind of a question is that?” Cranna asked nastily. “I let you interrupt my guild’s planned raid. I let you monkey with the bomb on my neck. I let you drag me along. I let you throw me into an airspeeder. Short answer, yes, within reason.” Kith let out a deep breath.

 

“BA?” He said softly and Cranna watched as the huge alien pulled a medical scanner from a locker.

 

“What?” Cranna asked softly as the Aqualish ran the scanner over her and froze. The Aqualish stared at the scanner and then showed the readout to Kith who froze in place as well. “What?” She demanded.

 

“Face, orbit us, keep us moving and away from the landing grid for a bit.” Kith took the scanner from BA and the Aqualish started hitting controls. The room filled with static from various devices and then Kith spoke. “Cranna, you are wired. And not with Hutt tech.”

 

For the first time, Cranna seemed to wilt. “What are you saying?” She asked softly. Then her eyes went wide as the Aqualish pulled a packet out of the medical locker. One marked ‘Field surgery’! “Hey!” She shouted as she slithered away from the Aqualish. Not that she could go far inside the cramped airspeeder.

 

“Cranna…” Kith’s voice was soft and gentle now. “There is an Imperial Intelligence tracking and discipline implant module inside of your body. I know that design. It has a small charge of detonite nestled inside it. If it goes off, you will die. Hutts are tough, no question, but it’s right beside your main fluid pump.”

 

“I…” Cranna stared at Kith and then down at herself. “I know they did things to me… I know they hurt me… I know they put things inside me… But Imperial Intelligence? I killed the Sith who… I…” She broke off. Kith stared at her for a moment and then sat beside her.

 

“What did they do to you?” He asked softly.

 

“I was young… I was stupid…” Cranna’s voice was soft and full of remembered pain now. “I didn’t want to get involved in the business. I was…different. My progenitor didn’t need an heir, he had several, so we could do as we wished. I wanted to learn how to fight. So I took lessons and trained myself. Another Hutt, whose name I will not say… He decided to muscle in on my family. We fought of course. But he had more money, and he had…odd allies. People who acted like Jedi but used red bladed lightsabers.” For just a moment, the old Hutt sounded young and very vulnerable.

 

“Sith.” The captain looked as if he wanted to spit.

 

“My progenitor and clan were overwhelmed. We were… outmatched. We did damage. He lost a lot of goons, a lot of money and his allies lost a few as well, but the leader… The man who led them was evil. The things he did our staff, the beings who had served us loyally and well…” Crana’s voice hardened again. “I killed him. He didn’t expect me to be armed. I killed him, but…” She slumped. “He did something to me before he died. And then I woke up a slave. And I didn’t leave that cell block until you came.” She sounded so lost and alone for a moment.

 

“I am sorry Cranna. I understand what the Sith do to people. I understand it well.” He bared his forearm and a number was shone, branded into the skin. “I have been a guest of them myself.” He recovered his arm and shook his head. “Cranna, we have to get that thing out of you. And we have no drugs to dose you with.”

 

“Stunner?” Cranna asked clinically.

 

“Small arms only. We can stun the area, but it wouldn’t affect your whole body.” Kith sighed as the Aqualish finished preparing and nodded, his face covered by a surgical mask.

 

“Do it.” Cranna said as she laid down as best she could. “You are a surgeon?” She asked the Aqualish, who shrugged.

 

“Veterinary.” BA said quietly as he examined her skin and ran a scanner over it.

 

“He is good.” Kith said quietly as she checked his blaster and set it for heavy stun. She handed it to him and he nodded.

 

“We are so going to have words after this…” Cranna said as Kith fired his weapon at her back and the Aqualish moved close, sonic scalpel in hand. “Bet on it…”

 

<In the theatre>

 

More than one person in the audience gagged as the screen faded to black.

 

Oh my god… The soft mental exclamation came from Sara. Will… Her mental projection held horror.

 

Yeah. It was that or let her die. Will said soberly. I did what I could, but I am no surgeon.

 

She doesn’t blame you. Istara’s mental voice was neutral.

 

Doesn’t matter if she blames the Sith who put it in, or me who took it out. I sterilized her. Will replied quietly. I sterilized one of my best friends. A caress of comfort was the only answer as the screen lightened again, this time showing a spaceport.

[kalenath]

The speeder landed and Kith slowly strode from it. He saw his compatriots fan out beside him. The bulk of their ship was visible close by. So was the black robed form that stood by it's dropped ramp and the blue skinned form that stood near heavy cover. A slumped form lay near the Sith's feet and Kith could not tell if the Zabrak was breathing or not.

 

"Incultus." Kith said conversationally. "I might have known."

 

"You have led me a long chase, Kith." The Sith Lord said quietly. "But here it ends."

 

"For one of us." Kith said looking around. "How many more goons did you bring? You cannot just have the one. Not after the last time."

 

"I don't need any more." The Sith said as he stepped forward. "My ally is resourceful."

 

"How long until you strangle her?" Kith asked, his hand on his gun. "You know he will sooner or later. He kills subordinates no matter how skilled." He pitched his voice to the female who ignored him.

 

"She is loyal." The Sith said with a grimace. "No, no..." He snapped his hand out as BA lowered his repeater into firing position. None of that!" The repeater was yanked from the stunned Aqualish's hands and then swung around to hit the huge alien on the back of the head. From the sound and the way he fell, he was unconscious. A small form bounded from the airspeeder and snarled at the Sith, who paused. "What is this?" He asked, incredulous, as the tiny dog barked at him.

 

"Something Sith cannot understand, so they hate." Kith said sadly. "Love."

 

"You fool." The Sith Lord said softly. A wave of his hand and the small dog went flying a startled yip sounded and then a canine scream of pain that tapered off to whimpers. "Love is no match for the power of the Dark Side."

 

"No?" Kith asked as he saw the tiny bedraggled form struggling to get back to the unconscious Aqualish. "I think you are the fool. I assume this is where you start monologuing?"

 

"Why not?" Incultus sneered, ignoring the now whining puppy. "And where is... Ah..." He smiled and nodded. "Come out Lieutenant... I want to see you real face..."

 

"Tania!" Kith shouted but did not move as Face staggered from the shadows, her rifle hanging loose and her face a mask of pain. The SIth moved his hand and she jerked forward another step. "Leave her alone! Your quarrel is with me!"

 

"Indeed it is." The SIth agreed almost absently. "She is...a looker..." He said quietly. "I think... Yes... I think I will take her. She will serve me well."

 

"Never serve a Sith!" Face bit out, trying to fight the power that held her.

 

"Oh my dear..." Incultus said sadly. "Who said you had a choice? Sleep now. When you wake, we will... talk some more. And maybe more." The female soldier fell to her knees and then to the floor, her face slackening as she lost consciousness. The Sith nodded and turned back to Kith who hadn't moved. "You took everything from me with your deception. Your fake holocron scheme. I am going to take everything from you. Only after I have tortured all of your friends to death, and maybe after I have turned that pretty girl into my bed warmer, will I finally kill you."

 

"You fell for it." Kith said quietly. "You never were all that bright, just cunning and vindictive."

 

"Misli'Anda." Incultus snapped. "Secure the... What! No!" He screamed as Cranna rose up from the side of the hangar she had snuck to. Right behind the CHiss. She pointed the... rear of the rocket launcher at him and fired.

 

The back blast from the launcher, with the safeties disengaged as Kith had done, threw both the Chiss and the Sith away from the snarling Hutt. The CHiss slammed into a wall, instantly unconscious. The Sith rose, his robes smoldering.

 

"Who are you?" The Sith snapped, his demeanor changing to angry. "Oh. Naglis' pet. Die!" He threw out his hands and Force lightning sprang from them. It hit the Hutt and...did nothing? "What the...?"

 

"Did you think I sat on my shebs the whole time, Sith scum?" The Hutt snapped just as angrily. "Force lightning is electricity. I am grounded."

 

"Her name is Cranna." Kith said softly in the sudden silence. "And while I so want to kill you, she has a prior claim."

 

"You all are no match for the power of the Dark Side." Incultus snapped and power flowed from his hands. Onjects small and large all around the bay suddenly lifted, pulled up by dark power. "I will take you alive, Kith. This... think on the other hand..." He snapped. "You will die!"

 

"That is not a good idea." Kith said mildly. Incultus snarled at him and Kith just sighed. "Ok, whatever..." He paused and then hit the floor, covering his head with his hands. The objects careened towards Cranna who sat there, an expression of mild distaste on her face. Then they paused as Cranna laughed coldly.

 

"You... want this?" The Sith asked, incredulous. "You want to die?"

 

"No." Cranna said evenly. "I wanted you to raise that transformer over that small fuel tank. Thank you." Her hand blurred and a disruptor bolt flew into the sparking object that was now hovering over..

 

"No!" Incultus screamed as the area filled with fire. The scream cut off with dreadful finality.

 

<The theater>

 

Wow... Sara's mental voice was awed. And I thought I could be pyrotechnic... Was that really what happened?

 

More or less. Will said softly. It was an acolyte, not a Sith Lord. Took me by surprise, had me down. Cranna surprised him. Surprised me too... But power plus fuel equals boom. Surprised the hell out of that Sith. They can't sense Hutts very well in the Force, you see.

 

Yeah. Istara said flatly. It's a pain on occasion. So the reason he didn't sense danger...

 

Yeah. Will agreed. Was tightly focused on me, him, oh whatever...

 

Tunnel vision sucks. Sara said with a shiver. Istara rubbed her arm gently. Wait... there is more? She asked as the screen faded back to the hangar bay.

 

Oh yes... Will's mental voice was slightly sick now. Word of warning... Do not get on Cranna's bad side.

[kalenath]

"Boss?" Tania's voice was cautious as she checked the slumped form. "You okay?"

 

"Yeah." Kith said as he rolled upright. "The others?" He groaned. "Dang that hurt. "Did you plan on using the transformer?" He asked Cranna who was still where she had been, her blaster in hand. "Or is this just some kind of revenge?"

 

"No Captain." Cranna said snidely. "If this was revenge you would know it."

 

"BA?" Kith asked as he stumbled to his feet, ignoring the smoldering pile of black robed that sat stinking nearby.

 

"Mr. T is hurt." The Aqualish said sadly as he held the puppy close. He laughed as the puppy licked his face. "Easy there, big guy. Damn Sith broke his leg and a couple of ribs."

 

"Right." Kith said. "Modok?"

 

"I am here boss." The Zabrak said slowly. "That hurt. Can we do something else now? Something fun, please?" He begged.

 

"Get the ship ready to go." Kith ordered. The Aqualish snarled, but it was half hearted. "We got to go, BA. We will keep him in line. no Space Combat Maneuvers this time if we can help it." The Aqualish nodded and with Face's help staggered into the ship, following the Zabrak. "Cranna?"

 

"We have a problem." Cranna said evenly. Kith went to her side and paused. The Chiss was awake and looking at them. Her arm hung at a bad angle -obviously broken in more than one place-, and her face was bloody and bruised. But her eyes were clear.

 

"Wherever you go, the Empire will find you." The Chiss said slowly. "Kill me or look over your shoulder for the rest of your life." Kith sighed and raised his blaster.

 

"Wait!" Cranna said slowly. "I know of you. You are Jilu’talis’thrawn’misli’anda." Kith and the Chiss turned identical expressions on her. Disbelief. They stared at each other and then away. "You know what the Sith will do to you."

 

"I know my duty." The Chiss said soberly. "I serve the Empire."

 

"Yes you do." Cranna said slowly. "Give me a minute?" She asked Kith who stared at her and then at the pistol in her hand. "If it needs to be done, I will do it."

 

"If?" Kith asked incredulous. "You heard what she said. But okay." He walked to where the Sith lay smoldering and started searching the man.

 

"You will not turn me." The Chiss said slowly. "I serve the Empire."

 

"Oh girl..." Cranna said sadly. "They are not worth your loyalty."

 

"I disagree." The Chiss said as she closed her eyes. "Do it."

 

"Girl..." Cranna's voice became gentle. "Incultus was rogue."

 

"What?" The Chiss asked, her eyes snapping open. "What do you mean?"

 

"I can't show it to you right now, but..." Cranna sighed. "I hacked Imperial comms, to stay in practice. I hacked a week old code a day ago." She looked away for a moment and then back at the Chiss who had not moved. "Incultus disobered orders from his master. He IGNORED orders from his master. You know what the penalty for him and any who serve him is. Your name was on the termination order."

 

"What?" The Chiss said slowly. "I did as ordered." She slumped. "If the Empire demands my death... So be it."

 

"That would be a waste of talent." Cranna said quietly. "You have talent. You are not Cipher level, but you are close." The Chiss' eyes widened fractionally and Cranna nodded. "I had a lot of time to learn how to hack systems. Hundreds of years. I am going to need people, people I can trust."

 

"You can't trust me." The Chiss said, wonder dawning in her eyes.

 

"I think I can Jilu’talis’thrawn’misli’anda." Cranna said gently. "Imperial intelligence file security is good, but... Not invulnerable. You worked for the Acendency secret police, then you were recruited to Imperial Intelligence. One thing in your file stands out. If you give your word, you keep it. And I give you my word, I will never use you against the Empire or Ascendency in any way. If you stay, your masters will kill you. It will probably take a long time and be very painful. I can make it painless, even less painful than the suicide capsule in your sleeve." She pointed to the Chiss' broken arm. "Or..."

 

"I..." Jilu’talis’thrawn’misli’anda obviously had no idea how to react. "I don't..."

 

"Cranna!" Kith shouted from the ship as the hangar door opened suddenly. The HUtt started and snarled as she saw what was just outside. "Stay down!"

 

"You are going nowhere you thieving scum!" Naglis screamed from his perch on the hovertruck. The medium repeater he had in hand wobbled a bit. Obviously he had never held one before. "Alive! I want her al-"

 

Whatever else he was going to say was cut off by the whoosh of a rocket launcher. Cranna shied away from the back blast as the Chiss threw the launcher down and slammed herself back into cover. The rocket flew straight and hit the hovertruck square. Bodies of goon and pieces of bodies of goons went flying in every direction. Naglis went flying as well to land in an ungainly heap near one wall. He shook himself and started to roll upright, only to pause as a calm female voice sounded. He froze as he stared at the Chiss and the weapon she held.

 

"This launcher has one more High Explosive round, milady." Jilu’talis’thrawn’misli’anda said with a nod to Cranna. The weapon did not waver despite her broken arm. "Do you wish me to use it?"

 

"Ah... No..." Cranna said with a somewhat feral smile as Kith came running back down the ramp. "Captain? Does this ship of yours have a galley?"

 

"Yes..." Kith said, slowly, carefully. "Why?"

 

"I am suddenly hungry." Cranna said with a smile at Naglis that had the other Hutt actually start to beg. "Can you restrain him while I get the area set up for a good old fashioned barbeque?" Both Kith and the Chiss stared at the female Hutt and then at each other before shuddering in unison.

 

"It will make a big mess." Jilu’talis’thrawn’misli’anda said slowly, not disagreeing. Just stating facts.

 

"I will clean it up." Cranna said with a smile. "Captain?"

 

"Right." Kith said as he pulled his rifle and fired a stun bolt that caught Naglis in mid whine."I don't know about this, Cranna... He smells pretty bad..."

 

"What is it you soldiers say?" Cranna said as she finally put her pistol away and the Aqualish came down the ramp with a loader. "Enough hot sauce and even a Hutt would be edible? I have read some marvelous things to do with spices too. Jilu’talis’thrawn’misli’anda ." She nodded to the Chiss. "I take it you agree."

 

"I do, mistress." The Chiss agreed. "Call me Misli'Anda."

 

"My name is Cranna, Misli'Anda." The Hutt corrected her employee gently. "Let get your arm taken care of and we can talk to the captain about some possible future business. This may be the start of a beautiful friendship..."

 

 

<The theater>

 

The credits started to roll and people started to rise.

 

"Gah!" Will said quietly as the seats around him started to empty. The Bladeborn did not move, neither did he. Sara looked at him and he flushed. "Okay, okay... It is a good story. But I am still going to wring her neck."

 

"How much of it was real?" Istara asked quietly. "You said some of it was."

 

"About half." Will said with a shrug. "More or less. There wasn't a team, just..." Whatever he was GOIGN to say next was cut off by a high pitched squeal from nearby.

 

"Captain Kith!" The young Twi'lek said with joy on his face. "It's Captain Kith!"

 

"Ah..." Suddenly Will found himself surrounded by small, and not so small forms clamoring for his attention. And his autograph. His mental voice was harsh. Not. A. Word.

 

Sara and the Bladeborn, after one grin apiece, found other things to occupy their attention. Will worked quickly to sign, remembering at the last second to write "Kith' on the papers, flyer, programs and even one shirt that people wanted him to sign. He was so busy that the credits ended before he was half donr, but then, the screen changed and his attention was pulled back with everyone else's.

 

On screen was a sentence.

 

'I am sorry, Will.... They threw money at me...'

 

He shook his head and went back to autographing.

Edited August 12, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

Will finally finished signing the autographs and shook his head as the happy kid ran to meet his parents at the door.

 

“Now that was just too surreal…”

 

“What?” Sara asked quietly as she rose to stand beside him. “That they mistook you for the actor who played you or that they wanted your autograph?”

 

“This whole thing…” Will said as he started for the door. “Okay, okay, I get that it is a good story… Even if Cranna does have a very firm hand for a Hutt…” He winced in memory and Sara smirked at him. He waved a finger at her. “Wait until you get on her bad side. And you will eventually. You will learn.” He looked at her and stiffened. “Are you okay?”

 

“No.” Sara snarled. “I need to use the refresher. All that pop and corn and crap… I really need…” She broke off as Istara made a gesture and a quartet of Bladeborn, female Bladeborn, started towards the door. “Hey! I can go to the bathroom myself, thank you very much.” She stalked towards the door and was gone in an instant, the four females struggling to follow.

 

“Man…” Will shook his head slowly. “Is she getting any better?” He asked as Istara came up and the pair walked out of the theater into the lobby.

 

“In fits and starts.” Istara said quietly. “This was as much for her benefit as yours. Cranna suggested a relaxing time. I wanted to take her to a spa, she wanted to do an adventure course, with guns mixed in. This was the compromise that we came up with. Arguing with Sara is like arguing with you or your mom. It doesn’t work.” She scowled as Will grimaced. “I am sorry, but Maria would not want you, either of you, to be moping around.”

 

“Grief is not logical, Istara. I know she is safe from Republic Intelligence Special Branch now, I know she is with dad, but…” He broke off and Istara laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. There were not a lot of people he would let casually touch him, but Istara was a law unto herself, in any number of ways.

 

“You are not alone… What the…?” She spun in place as a commotion sounded near the female refresher. A human male in an odd coat was propelled from the doorway and one of Istara’s female Bladeborn was there. “Tiana?” Istara’s voice was cool, but held command.

 

"Istara." The Mon Calamari female nodded to Istara. “That… being… was hiding in one of the stalls. He jumped out as Sara did her business.” Both Will and Istara’s faces had the same cold expression on their faces, but Tiana forestalled them with a smile. “Sara told him, and I quote… ‘What? You expect me to be scared? I am unimpressed. Word of advice pal, try it on Jawas, maybe you can frighten them…’ I think we need security here.”

 

Both Will and Istara stared at each other and then, in unison, they burst out laughing. Istara nodded to another Bladeborn who started for the security kiosk. A few minutes later a harried looking human in uniform came up and scowled at the man on the floor who was obviously trying not to soil himself as Will scowled at him.

 

“Oh… Not him again…” The elderly human snarled as he grabbed the would-be flasher by the neck. “Anyone want to swear out a complaint?”

 

“For what? Embarrassing himself? He is the most pathetic excuse for a lowlife I have ever seen.” A voice came from the refresher and Sara came out, her face red from scrubbing. The flasher stared at her and burst into tears. “Hey, pal, be glad Cranna isn’t here.”

 

"Oh." The man stared at her and then his eyes went wide. “Oh, Miss Sara… I am sorry… We were told to watch out for you… Are you sure you are okay?” He cuffed the flasher and hauled the scum to his feet, despite his protests.

 

“I was never in any real danger.” Sara smiled at him. “But… You might want to get him out of here before any of my… um… companions…get any angrier at him.”

 

“She insulted me!” The flasher protested, but he shut up and cringed as Istara, Will, Sara, most of the Bladeborn in the area, which were a few, and the guard all glared at him. The tableau was broken when Sara laughed coldly.

 

“You should pick your targets more carefully. Oh and um… As to being scared or intimidated by that? You... um… Try Jawas. I don’t think anyone else would be impressed.” Her grin was evil as the man collapsed, only to be jerked up by the guard again. The guard was obviously trying not to laugh as he led the flasher away.

 

“We can’t take you anywhere, can we?” Will shook his head sadly, but smiled at his sister. Then he stiffened into immobility as a form appeared nearby.

 

“What is this we… stuff…?” Sara broke off as she too saw the apparition coming towards them. The dress that the female Chiss was wearing was downright gorgeous. It looked very expensive.. The female nodded to Sara and spoke.

 

“Well done, Sara. I think that scum will rethink his life, don’t you?” Her voice was kind, cultured and her tone held bottomless humor.

 

“Do I know you?” Sara asked quietly. The Bladeborn were tense, but Will…relaxed?

 

“No you do not. Our paths have never crossed before this. I am pleased to make your acquaintance at long last. My name is Hess'Anda'nuruodo. I am a special agent of Cranna’s.” The Chiss bowed slightly to Sara.

 

“That is one way of putting it, Anda.” Will had a grin on his face, but then a scowl followed it. “And you…agreed to this drek?”

 

“There is a good reason, my old enemy.” The Chiss held out a hand and in it was a slip of paper. Will took it and then, she was gone as if she had never been there. The Bladeborn all froze in place, but there was no sign of her. Will shook his head and they slowly relaxed.

 

“And she calls me a… show… off…” His voice trailed off as he looked at the paper.

 

“What is it, Will?” Istara asked quietly.

 

“Likeness fees, royalties, licensing, taxes… holy flarging osik…” Will seemed to be at a loss for words. Sara came up, looked at it and gave a low whistle.

 

“I know who is buying dinner.” Sara said with a grin. Will slapped her lightly and they group set off.

 

A cloaked form in the distance watched as the group started for the exit. He had them, now to call in the hunters and get the payoff. He hit his comlink and paused. ‘Signal lost’? What the…? Then a something small, cold and round pressed into the back of his head. A soft voice spoke in his ear.

 

“Mesa think yousa should leave themsa alone.” The barrel of what had to be a blaster pistol dug into his neck and he did not resist as hands dragged him back into the shadows.

 

“One night of ease, we can give them.” Hess'Anda'nuruodo’s voice was cold as she looked the spy over. “Come on Squadi, I think Cranna will want to talk to this one.”

 

“Yousa think she will give me any of the leftovers?” The Squib asked in a nasty tone as he goaded the caught spy further into the shadows.

 

“Probably not. But look at it this way… There will be more of them. You may even get to use your rocket launcher again…” The Chiss smiled evilly as she led the way through the maintenance tunnels that permeated the entertainment plex.

 

“Yousa sure know how to please a Squib, Chiss lady…”

[kalenath]

((Well... I needed a something different, and this WAS very different. Sara is... Well... Sara. Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might get spanked by a Hutt. No I am not kidding. At least she wouldn't do the tail puppet thing... *shudders*))