"In the Shadows of War" by Shadow Master
(BtVS/Star Wars Universe/Other)
email: ryley[underscore]breen
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the copyrighted material contained herein. They are the rightful property of their respective creators and associated companies. I make no money off of this whatsoever and I have no intention of changing this at any point in the future. I write fanfic because it's fun and because there are those who enjoy reading my work. Therefore I would be appreciative if no legal action were taken against me for using the copyrighted material to tell a story. I can assure you that my total net worth is nowhere near big enough to satisfy any of the big wigs who'd probably choose to sue me.
Note 1: HERE IT IS! WHAT MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! THE SEQUEL TO 'DIVERGENCE'. I can't say for certain how long this will be or what will be included in terms of 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' the CG animated series, episode three or beyond but I promise I'll do my best to make it a worthy read.
Note 2: One thing to keep in mind though is that I have recently rejoined the workforce and am now successfully employed. As a result I will not have the free time I've had the last three years to write fanfic so I cannot guarantee regular updates. However I will do my best to devote time to this fan fiction when I can.
In the Shadows of War
Civilian Space Port, Coruscant
Xander's POV
"So you're clear on what you need to do?" he said, looking at the Rodian female he'd rescued from the clutches of Davros not too long ago.
"Yes, Jedi Xander. I will do as you ask," she replied with a respectful bow.
"Once you commit the communication code I gave you on that disk to memory, destroy it," he said with utmost seriousness. "If the wrong people got ahold of it you could get sent into a trap, or I could."
He knew he was asking a lot of these ladies after all the trauma they'd been through at the hands of Davros but the mission he was asking them to take on was vitally important. Whether or not things took a step towards his vision coming true would depend on their ability to stay one step ahead of trouble and be able to get word to him when trouble did find them. Still, the ship they'd be using was fast and well-armed, so if they did run into trouble they'd stand a good chance of getting out of it, assuming the opposition wasn't too strong or numerous. Fortunately he'd given them a list of ports that would be able to fuel and service their ship but were also far enough off the beaten path that the odds of them being tracked would be reduced. Plus, with the new paintjob they'd be getting, they'd blend right in with the usual trade ships that they wouldn't raise any suspicions. He truly hoped that they wound up being bored out of their skulls for the duration of the war since that was how long he suspected their mission would have to last, but just the same he'd be ready to help them if trouble found them.
"They will never get the code. I swear it!" she declared with resolve that convinced him she would do all in her power to keep both the disk safe and the information locked in her head.
"Good. May the Force be with you," he said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder before turning away.
He knew he was going to catch flak from the Jedi Masters for this but, considering the potential consequences of NOT doing it, the lecture would be well worth it, as would any punishment they saw fit to dump on his shoulders. Hearing his com-link beeping on his wrist, he had a feeling that lecture was going to happen sooner than he'd hoped it would.
"Xander here," he said after pressing the button to answer the call.
"Report to the Council chambers, Padawan Harris," Master Windu said over the com-link. "Your new master is here and you have your first assignment."
"I'm on my way, Master Windu," he said before ending the call.
Hearing the engines of a ship taking off, he truly hoped that the Dark Side would be sufficiently distracted by the war that the one who had to be protected could be taken away from the planet that was her home without being noticed. In fact, the more time that passed before anyone there realized that she was missing, the less likely that they would be able to follow very easily. Anyone who wanted her dead would have to put spies in every major port looking for her and those were too many to count. Unless they could anticipate the evasion and hiding strategy of the woman's protectors, it would be random chance alone that could cause things to take a turn for the worse.
Walking over to the speeder taxi that'd brought him to the departed ship, he got inside before telling the driver to take him to the Temple. As the vehicle entered the traffic lanes he began to wonder what lay ahead of him both as Padawan to Master Kuro and the assignment that'd come up. He knew that he'd be doing spy work with his new Master, so the new assignment could be anything from going undercover somewhere to covertly infiltrating a military facility, to simply staking out a specified region of space for anything suspicious. His experience with the whole spying bit was pretty much limited to what he'd seen in the movies and what little his imprinted soldier memories could tell him. The soldier he'd gotten turned into on that Halloween night so long ago had been tough, had been skilled, but spying, black ops, hadn't been his area of expertise. Still, if the rumors around the temple were anything to go by, Master Kuro had been doing the spy stuff for quite a while, so he'd follow her lead.
He had to admit that he was a little curious to see how being a spy in this reality differed from the examples he'd seen in movies and TV shows.
More thought on the matter proved to be pointless since without any information to work with trying to think up strategies or ideas that could prove useful was pretty pointless.
It didn't take long for him to get to the Jedi Temple and, after paying the driver, he took a moment to marvel at the look of it all. No matter how many times he saw it from the outside, the structure and the additional structures around it never ceased to impress him. To think that the Temple had existed virtually untouched for over a thousand years, with only tech upgrades every century or so in order to keep up with the times. It was a testament to the enduring nature of the Jedi Order and a reminder that they would always exist in one form or another.
Too bad the same could be said about the Sith, he thought as he walked up to the front doors, showing his ID hologram to the guards before proceeding inside. If the history files in the Archives tells me anything, it's that as long as there are Force users willing to give into their anger, aggression, fear and hatred, the Sith will always return.
As he proceeded to the elevator that'd take him up to the Council chambers, he noticed changes occurring within the Temple. They were subtle ones, not something a random visitor would spot, but to someone like him who'd been living in the Temple for years it stood out as clearly as someone spray painting the inside of your house pink and a smattering of white polka dots. The older Jedi were moving around in groups with data pads in their hands discussing strategy for large scale battles, the ones in their twenties were sharpening their lightsaber skills against sparring droids, and the Padawans were trying to make sense of it all. Some were treating it like all the adventure tales they'd heard coming to life while others were afraid about what'd happen to the Order as well as the galaxy.
Him? He knew that, win or lose, the war would change the galaxy from one end to the other, though he wasn't quite sure yet if it'd be for the better or the worse even if the Republic emerged victorious.
When he was almost to the elevator he sensed a presence trying to sneak up on him but he still picked up on it and, more than that, he recognized it.
"You're going to have to try harder than that to sneak up on me, Rreya," he said without looking back at her. "What's up?"
"Sithspit!" Rreya cursed before she fell into stride beside him. "I thought I was doing a good job concealing my presence."
"Guess I'm just that good!" he said with false arrogance and a pinch of humor.
"Dream on, Xander Windu!" she said with her usual cocky smile. "As for why I'm here, I've been called to the Council chamber to receive my orders."
"Funny coincidence, so am I! Master Windu said my new Master and assignment were waiting for me in the Council chambers," he said in mock surprise before dropping the humor. "Considering what I was told after we all got back, I think it's pretty much a given that Master Kuro is going to be my master and, since she's a spy, that's what I'll be doing during this war."
"Master Kuro? OH! You mean the Dark Woman," she said, momentarily confused about the name. "I hear she can be pretty brutal with her training methods. Lots of people talk behind her back in the Temple."
"Oh, she just annoys their Jedi sensibilities a bit, is all," he said dismissively as they reached the elevator and pressed the summon button. "The Order is all about peace, harmony and finding nonviolent solutions to problems. Having one of their Masters kick her pupils around the training room and test their self-restraint by pushing all their buttons just throws them off their game a bit."
"You're not worried?" she asked, sounding a little surprised.
"If the rest of her training is anything like the lightsaber training we've done together, it'll be rough but I think I can handle it," he said as the elevator doors opened and the two of them entered. "Besides, with all the missions we'll likely be going on, it's not like she's going to be able to put me through six months of hell in a row. She'll only be able to train me in between missions, which means the missions themselves will be my 'breaks' from her lessons."
"You're actually considering going on a spy mission BREAKS!?" she exclaimed in shock at what she'd just heard.
"Well… yeah. I mean, spy work will probably be murder on the nerves but it's more about avoiding getting into a serious fight than anything else," he replied as though it were common sense. "After all, the whole point about spying is not letting the people you're spying on know you're a spy, or that you're doing something they should be paying attention to. It means I'm going to reach new levels of sneakiness if I don't want to be caught and likely killed."
"Then I hope they got a new Padawan waiting for the Dark Woman," Rreya said with a smirk that implied she didn't think he'd last long.
He would've said something back at her but the lift door opened, revealing the Jedi Council chambers where he could see Masters Windu and Kuro but, to his surprise, there were two other people that he hadn't been expecting to be there at all. First was a member of the Jedi Order that he'd seen in passing in the hallways and had even managed to spar with a handful of times since he'd joined up, Jedi Knight Serra Keto. His first immediate thought was that she was just here to receive her own orders along with the rest of them but, judging from the body language he was seeing, it could be something else. The second unexpected person was someone he knew all too well but had truthfully expected to be back on Naboo with their security forces, the Cathar Sarahari. The last time he'd seen her was shortly after his improvised rescue party had been brought back to Coruscant from Geonosis to be treated for their injuries before heading home. He'd thanked her for the help on Geonosis, she'd thanked him for saving her from Davros and then they'd gone their separate ways.
So what was she doing there?
"Padawans Xander Harris and Rreya reporting as ordered, Master Windu," he said with casual professionalism as he bowed towards his former Master.
"Good. Then we can begin the meeting," Master Windu said before pressing a button that caused the windows to go black and a hologram generator to rise from the center of the chamber. "As you're likely aware, with the deployment of the clone army Jedi Knights and Masters have been assigned to lead them. After the period of peace began a thousand years ago, the previous incarnation of the army of the Republic was reduced to a mere symbolic force, with them being assigned to the judicial forces. Instead the Republic came to rely more on the Jedi Order and the local militaries of the various member races to keep the peace. As a result, outside of the Jedi, there is no one capable of leading the clone army with the needed level of skill.
"However not all Jedi will be sent to the front lines to lead troops into battle. Some will aid the war effort as spies gathering information, sabotaging enemy efforts and acquiring items that could aid the Republic in bringing this conflict to a swifter conclusion," Mace said with the authority natural to a member of the Jedi Council. "Padawan Harris, you will be assigned to Master Kuro and support her in her efforts wherever they may take her as a spy of the Republic. This will be your first assignment."
With another press of a button the symbol of the Jedi that had been hovering over the hologram generator changed to display a file with the picture of a baby Hutt on the left side.
"Roughly three days ago Rotta the Hutt, son of Jabba the Hutt, was abducted by an unknown party on Tatooine. Jabba contacted us shortly afterward asking for help in recovering his son. Normally we wouldn't choose to aid Jabba since he's a known gangster as well as a member of the Hutt Crime Families, but this crime provides us with an opening we sorely need." The file changed to a map of space with special focus on the area under Jabba's control. "Dooku's moved quicker than we thought and has already managed to seize control of the major hyperspace lanes connecting core systems to the outer rim. Without a way to supply our forces deployed there, they'll eventually deplete everything they have and be defeated."
"But if we can rescue Jabba's son and get little Rotta home safely, the giant slug might just let us funnel supplies through his territory and maybe the territories of the other Hutt crime bosses as well," he said, finishing the explanation as understanding reached him. "Any leads so far?"
"A few. However time is of the essence since Dooku has also decided to 'help' locate Jabba's son and will almost certainly do whatever he can to hinder our efforts," Windu replied with a nod. "Several clone scout teams have been sent out to neighboring systems and possible hiding places within three days travel of Tatooine as well."
"And when we find out where the little Hutt is, who's gonna be sent to get him back?" he asked, wondering if he and Master Kuro would be given that job.
"It'll depend on whoever is closest to where Rotta is being held captive and what sort of opposition the rescue team will face," Windu replied before shutting down the hologram generator. "I've already provided Master Kuro with the list of possible leads. You depart in one hour."
"Guess I'll have to wait until we see each other next to hear all about the 'respectable people' you talked to on your mission," Rreya said in a 'better you than me' tone.
"Actually, you won't," Master Windu stated to the Twi'lek. "Due to the need for experienced Jedi in the field, all Padawans and younglings that are old enough are being paired with either a Knight or a Master. In this case, you, Padawan Rreya, are being paired with Jedi Knight Serra Keto, who will also be assigned to Master Kuro's spy group. Given the volatile and dangerous nature of being a spy, it has been decided that a team will be more successful than just one or two operatives."
"Just how large is this 'team' going to be?" he asked, a little worried that if it got too big it'd be hard to move about unnoticed.
"Counting you, the team will be six in total," Master Windu replied without pause.
Me, Master Kuro, Jedi Keto, Rreya, Erica… he thought as he counted up who he figured was on the team but when he got to five he realized there was one person who hadn't been specified but he guessed. "I assume you're the sixth member of the team, Sarahari?"
"Yes. With the war between the Republic and the Separatists, no system will be unaffected by such fierce winds," Sarahari replied with a nod of her head. "On Naboo, as a member of the security force, I can do little to bring this war to an end. As a member of your team, I can do more."
"You do realize that the sort of things we're probably going to be doing is a bit outside what they might've taught you at the Naboo Security Force academy, right?" he asked, wanting to make sure the Catharian knew what she was getting herself into.
"And just what do you think we'll be 'doing', Padawan?" Master Kuro asked with an inquiring tone.
"Sneaking into secure facilities to either steal something or download some data, hang out with the scum of the universe who know things we don't and generally help make the Separatists secrets not so secret anymore?" he replied honestly with a bit of mock casualness. "You know: FUN stuff."
"Do you think this is a game?" Master Kuro asked with a disapproving tone.
To that question his levity dimmed since he knew he had to answer truthfully and seriously. "No. War can never be a game," he replied, looking his new master straight in the eye. "It's horrible and even if your side wins you come out of it changed in countless ways. But if you're to come out of it without losing yourself to the horrors war produces, you have to seize the good times, the happy moments, when you can."
It was the truth.
While others might not have called it that, the battles he fought alongside the Scoobies were akin to an ongoing guerilla war with no end. With all the horrors they saw and the demons they fought, most people would've cracked or run away to someplace safer but the Scoobies held the line with friendship as well as the good times in between battles. They fought to protect their friends, they fought motivated by the happiness they'd experienced and they fought through the darkness for the happiness they'd experience in the future. If they didn't focus on the good times, if they didn't fight for them, then they would've been crushed a long time ago like many other human hunter groups did within months of beginning their campaigns against demonkind. Desiring revenge against the demons and the vampires could only fuel someone for so long. More than that, such emotions tended to blind a person to the important things in life. Fighting for your friends, fighting with your friends, fighting for all the people worldwide who had so much to look forward to and for what your group had to look forward to was superior in terms of motivation.
"True enough," Master Windu said with a half nod. "You'll depart aboard the 'Shinigami' within the hour to begin looking for information on Jabba's son. Master Kuro already has the co-ordinates of a few possibilities."
This was when his anxiety spiked as he knew there was one little problem with those plans and he knew the others sensed it.
"Um… the thing is, Master Windu… Master Kuro…" he said carefully, scratching the back of his head with unease. "…the 'Shinigami' is kinda… unavailable at the moment."
Surprise dominated most of the group but from the two masters he got both frowns as well as stern looks. They didn't even have to ask 'what do you mean' because he could see it in their eyes and in their body language. Lying wasn't an option since he was nowhere near skilled enough to keep his two teachers from picking up on his deception so he went with the truth.
"A little while ago I asked some of the ladies I rescued from Davros who'd been treated for their injuries here on Coruscant to go to Tatooine on the 'Shinigami' to pick some people up for their protection," he explained, trying not to be intimidated by the looks being sent his way.
"Who?" Master Windu asked in an even tone.
"Shmi Skywalker and the Lars family," he replied without any hesitation in his voice or weakness in his position.
"Why?" Master Kuro asked, not revealing any more than Windu had.
"It's a matter of record that Anakin has the highest midi-chlorian count of the entire Jedi Order since it was founded. That means that he has the potential to become the most powerful of us and be capable of things we can't imagine," he replied as the unease disappeared from his voice. "At the same time, though, if he was ever converted to the Dark Side he would become a Sith to rival Exar Kun and Naga Sadow. That's reason enough to take measures to ensure he doesn't Fall. Based on what I found out on Tatooine someone is already targeting Shmi for death and that would definitely plant one helluva seed for turning him into a Sith. So I figured load them all on the 'Shinigami' and have them stick to the remote sectors and only pop into civilization when they need refueling, repairs or the essentials."
"That was not your decision to make. That ship is the property of the Order and I hardly think that recently traumatized women will be sufficient to keep her safe if your suspicions are accurate." Master Windu said with rising disapproval in his voice.
"That's why I told them to stick to the hyperspace routes less travelled rather than load up on weapons. I didn't tell them to fight. I told them to hide," he said, standing by his decision. "Regardless of who they are, the Sith have to use the same tools and resources the rest of us do. By keeping themselves from populated areas where they could be seen or travel routes where they'll pop up on sensors, the only option the Sith Master will have is to use the Dark Side. I doubt he has the time to spend in meditation searching all of known space for one ship."
"And what happens if they get into trouble? What happens if they're found?" Master Kuro asked, pointing out the worst case scenario.
"I worked out a method of communication that'll let them tell us if they need help," he replied, not letting her words shake him. "They'll put an ad in one of the more popular net sites using a combination of words, numbers, symbols and colors to let us know their status. On the surface to anyone else it'll look like any other ad but for us it'll let us know how much trouble they're in, where they are and where they're headed. As long as we check it regularly, we should be able to get them help no matter where they are."
After he finished the two Jedi Master's started doing the whole 'speak with looks and body language' that he had noticed all Jedi of that rank did when in groups. He'd tried to decipher it a few times but eventually he concluded that it had to be something that people learned by the time they got to that age. Still, even if they decided to shut down his plan, the 'Shinigami' still lacked the slave circuits that would allow them to take control of it. Add to that once they hit hyperspace, it'd be near impossible to track them, so they'd have no choice but to let things play out.
"It would seem that we have no choice but to let your efforts play out, Padawan," Master Windu said, sounding mild-to-moderately displeased. "However in addition to your training in the ways of the Jedi Order, I think Master Kuro and I are in agreement that you will also be taught to consult with those higher in the chain of command before taking such bold actions."
"Indeed. As to the matter of the ship we require, I believe I know where we can get one," Master Kuro said with a look that implied she'd make sure to drive the point home with him. "I trust you had the sense to remove everything of importance from the 'Shinigami' before it left?"
"Of course. Everything I'll need to keep up the 'Slade Ordo' personae going plus a few odds and ends we picked up after leaving Coruscant I took off beforehand," he replied with a nod. "Sure, I'll need a new lightsaber seeing as how Dooku trashed my old one. Guess I'll have Erica whip one up."
"No, you won't," Master Kuro said with a tone of finality, "but first we'll get the ship. Meet me in the speeder hanger in thirty minutes. Change into something… civilian."
With that the Jedi Master that some of the more traditionally minded members of the Order referred to as 'The Dark Woman' strode out of the Council Chambers, leaving the rest of her team and Mace Windu behind. Her words had left more than a few question marks in his mind but that was pretty much expected with teacher-student relationships.
I probably won't be able to understand her until I'm ready to be promoted to Jedi Knight, he thought with a mental shrug.
With that he led the group to the lift so that they could go to their quarters in the Temple and change clothes.
It was only then that he realized that, aside from the Mandalorian armor he used to pose as 'Slade Ordo', he only had customary Jedi clothes.
This could be complicated.
A Speeder in the Flow of Traffic
Rreya's POV
"Soooo… you think anyone's clued in?" she asked as they flew along to their destination, their cargo securely tied on the back.
"I doubt it. We don't look like Jedi or people who work at the Temple and I'm not exactly well known, so even if someone sees me they won't be able to ID my species, much less anything else," Xander said from her right, not sounding worried at all. "So long as we don't start singing the Jedi national anthem at the top of our lungs, we should be able to get wherever we're going without any trouble."
"The Jedi don't have a national anthem," she pointed out with a little confusion.
"I know. We'd have to make it up as we went along and that'd guarantee that it'd be so bad that anyone who heard it wouldn't be able to ignore us and would probably try to find out who was doing the singing, so they could complain," he said in a matter of fact tone of voice. "That'd blow our cover real quick."
"You have a strange, strange mind, Xander," she said with a shake of her head, causing her lekku to sway back and forth a bit.
"Helps with the unconventional thinking that keeps the enemy guessing what you're gonna do next," he said with a half grin as Master Kuro began her approach to one of the lesser used docks for starships.
"As long as you don't leave your allies guessing as well, it should prove useful," Master Kuro said as the speeder came in for a landing.
Getting out, she looked around, trying to figure out who they'd be borrowing a ship from so they could start looking about for clues as to where the Hutt gangster's son was located. Personally she seriously disliked Hutts since they were one of the main species that often trafficked in slaves and, in particular, female Twi'leks such as herself. She was safe enough since she was a Jedi and had training in the use of the Force but other females of her race weren't so fortunate. When she thought of what was being done to them, she wanted nothing more than to swoop in and free them all by any means necessary. Sadly she was not skilled or strong enough to do such a thing on her own and she had little doubt that the Jedi Council would forbid such action. It wasn't that they condoned such treatment but that they'd consider the task to be futile since there'd always be a market for female Twi'lek slaves.
"So where are we exactly?" Sarahari asked as they followed Master Kuro.
"It's a dock that's owned by an assortment of senators and Jedi Master J'oopi She. They comprise a group often referred on the Holonet as the 'Republic Group', though their names have not been discovered, much less released to the public," Master Kuro replied as she took a right turn. "They're a clandestine organization of covert loyalists who work together to restore the reputation of the Galactic Republic by uncovering the corrupt and treacherous in the Galactic Senate. They also oppose Supreme Chancellor Palpatine since they find his actions to be contrary to the spirit of the Republic. Using various holding companies, both real and fabricated, they're able to get to important Core worlds without drawing attention to their actions."
"Sounds like the sort of people who'd have a ship or two to spare," Xander said, sounding confident in their course of action.
"Don't expect it to be free. While they might have solid backing, they can't afford to throw too much money around or else it'll draw the wrong kind of attention," Master Kuro warned as they arrived at a door that she knocked on in a specific pattern. "Still, I'm confident I can reach an understanding with them."
A few minutes passed but eventually the sounds of the lock on the door disengaging could be heard and then the door slid open to reveal a human woman with gray eyes, wearing a fur-trimmed brown jacket, cargo pants and strapped boots. With blaster carbine rifle strapped to her back she looked like she could handle the majority of the armed thugs that populated the less law abiding areas of the galaxy but not those capable of handling superior numbers with relatively small groups.
"Shit. So the bosses weren't lying. It really is you, Kuro," the woman said, sounding like she expected things to get bothersome.
"Yes, it's me, Aren," Master Kuro said in a completely business tone of voice. "Can we go inside? We have some business to conduct."
Without verbally saying anything Aren stepped aside to give them the room needed to enter the building. A little strange but still in keeping with a clandestine group that preferred to avoid getting noticed by those in power, so she didn't pay it any further mind. Once inside she could see the usual bits and pieces you'd expect to find at such a place, ranging from maintenance equipment to cargo containers and finally scattered data-pads containing a variety of information both interesting and boring. After a few twists and turns they arrived at a room where two men waited for them, one with blonde hair and blue eyes while the other had gray hair and hazel eyes.
"So what can we do for the Jedi Order today, Kuro?" the blonde haired man asked, sounding like he expected to be amused by the answer.
"We're in need of a ship, Jadak. One that's not connected to the Jedi Temple but capable of traversing to… dangerous places and getting away from them relatively unscathed," Jedi Master Kuro replied, not sharing the man's interest in amusement. "It must also be appropriate as the ship of a soldier for hire in that it is armed but not too heavily. Do you have any you could loan us?"
"Hmmmmm… planning on going places you're not supposed to be, eh? Doing some spying?" Jadak asked, sounding like he was getting an idea of what they'd be using the ship for. "Not many ships would be up to a job like that. Fortunately for you my ship, the Stellar Envoy, is here and currently without assignment. She's ship enough for you."
"Then you'll let us borrow your ship?" Master Kuro asked, sounding interested. "What's the fee per month?"
"Now, now, now! I said my ship was available," Jadak chastised with a shaking finger. "I didn't say that I'd give her to you. After all, me and Reeze have put a lot of hours of work into the girl 'upgrading' her systems. It wouldn't be smart for us to just give her to strangers to do whatever they needed to do with her, even if they are Jedi."
"What would it take for you to allow us use of your ship?" Master Kuro asked, not giving away what was going on inside her head.
"Simple: me and Reeze go with you wherever you go," Jadak replied with a smile of impending victory. "Agree to that and we'll help you however we can. Interested?"
"You do realize that we'll be going on missions that will require the utmost secrecy?" Master Kuro asked, weight added to the words. "Anyone involved will be forbidden from discussing what they experienced or even admitting that it happened. Ever. That's not even getting into the danger involved. Do you truly wish to be involved in such matters?"
"We work to expose the corrupt and make sure they get what's coming to them. That isn't exactly safe work since they usually want to keep things going business as usual," Jadak replied with a 'do you really think you can scare us off' look. "That means ships, thugs and blasters of all shapes and sizes coming at us, usually with the idea of turning us into smoking corpses."
"You ever gone up against large numbers of battle droids of various configurations or a Sith Lord?" Xander asked, pointing out to Jadak that his usual opponents were a league below what they'd be encountered on their missions.
"Can't say we've ever faced a Sith Lord but scrap heads are easy enough to take down if you know where to shoot them," Jadak said, showing he wasn't taking their warnings lightly. "So long as you don't do anything too crazy, I'll take you guys wherever you need to go and be there waiting when you need to leave."
For a moment silence filled the air but then, with a sigh, Jedi Master Kuro reached a decision. "Very well. You and your friend will remain the crew of the ship but if for some reason you wish to withdraw from this arrangement, I expect you to at least have a few suggested alternatives we can use," The Dark Woman said in a 'take it or leave it' tone of voice. "When it comes to spying, time is a very valuable commodity."
"Reasonable enough. I know a few places where you can get a respectable ship for a low enough price," Jadak said with a nod in agreement with the terms of the deal. "How soon do you need to leave?"
"The sooner, the better. We've got a kidnapped Huttlet to locate and a lot of space to cover," Kuro replied while not being overly specific. "We've brought what we need for our assignment. All that's needed is for you to prepare your ship for departure."
"You were that certain we'd agree to let you use one of our ships?" Jadak asked with a raised eyebrow of inquiry.
"I was confident that so long as we repaid you in an acceptable manner that we'd get a ship." Kuro replied with a knowing smile on her face.
"Well, in that case, the 'Stellar Envoy' will be ready for liftoff within the hour," Jadak said as he got out of the chair he'd been sitting in. "Here's hoping you have a destination ready for me by then."
It was only after their team was left that Xander Windu decided to say the stupidest thing she'd heard him say in a while.
"We're not gonna let'em keep the name 'Stellar Envoy', are we?" Xander asked, sounding quite against the idea. "I mean, it's supposed to be the ship of 'Slade Ordo', soldier for hire. The ship ought to be named something cool or mysteriously intimidating."
"Then you can make the request for the temporary name change, Padawan," Master Kuro said in a tone that implied she'd not involve herself in the least. "It'll be up to them to accept or reject it though. I won't force it."
"Shouldn't be too hard. What guy doesn't want his ship to have a cool name?" Xander asked rhetorically, sounding confident that Jadak would agree with the new name.
Hanger of the Republic Group
Xander's POV
"Sleek, functional, doesn't stand out and, according to you, one of the fastest ships of its size out there," he said as he looked over the disk shaped ship. "Should fit fine with the image we want people to have in their heads."
"And what image would that be?" Captain Jadak asked as he stepped off the boarding ramp.
Walking over to one of the containers that hadn't been loaded, he popped it open before taking out the Mandalorian helmet part of the armor that made up the 'Slade Ordo' personae.
"The image of the Mandalorian soldier for hire known as 'Slade Ordo'. There's always a market for a professional soldier and with the war there'll be people looking to hire on both sides and that's not counting the crime bosses who might want to hire a Mandalorian warrior," he replied, holding up the helmet for the starship captain to see. "If we pick and choose employers just right we can get good info on Dooku and his army of battle bots. Info that can shorten the war and save who knows how many lives."
"Well, you're right about people wanting to hire you," Jadak said with a look of moderate surprise. "Word's gotten around about what happened in Davros' little underground arena. Someone manages to do that much killing in so… graphic… a way and they'll get offers for anything ranging from assassination jobs to bodyguard duty."
"I know. We'll only be choosing jobs that'll either help the Republic or keep up the kind of rep 'Slade Ordo' needs to have in order to get the jobs we'll want," he said as he put the helmet back into the container before locking it up. "If any others try to hire us, we'll tell'em that we've got another job waiting and we don't accept more than one offer at a time."
"And if they won't take no for an answer?" Jadak asked, pointing out that some employers wouldn't take rejection well.
"Then we 'convince them' that pressing us for a yes would not be in their best interests," he replied with a firm look. "If it means making it so that they wind up wanting a hospital more than they want to hire us, then I don't mind at all."
"Don't welcome causing others suffering, Padawan," Master Kuro warned, emerging from a darkened area of the hanger. "As you said earlier we cannot allow this war to change who and what we are. We are JEDI. We are keepers of the peace."
"I'm not going to go looking for a fight or hurt anyone I don't have to, but acting too Jedi-like will ruin the charade, making it a lot harder to do the spying or the sabotaging," he said as he turned to his current teacher. "After all, there can't be too many soldiers for hire or mercenaries that act just like Jedi out there."
"None last I checked. Most are just interested in getting paid and staying alive," Jadak said, sounding half respectful and half disapproving. "The 'Envoy' is ready for launch Kuro. All we need is you and yours on board and a destination."
"Then let us proceed," Kuro said as she walked towards then onto the boarding ramp.
Stacking the containers of clothes, equipment and Mandalorian armor that were his, he lifted them off the ground with the Force before making them follow him. While he might've had trouble lifting something telekinetically in the past, now it was easy enough to establish locks on his pile of things, lift them a foot or three off the ground and pull them behind him.
Going up the ramp, he had to admit that, for a ship that was over three decades old and almost within range of its fourth, the ship was in pretty good condition. Sure, there were signs that some patch jobs had been done or something 'good enough' was put in place of a professional job, but Jadak didn't look like the type that liked to play Russian Roulette with his life. Therefore the ship had to be space worthy without any problems that needed immediate tending to or any that were expected to pop up in anything less than a few weeks time. Seeing Kuro turn to the left, he followed her while hearing Rreya and the others following him all the while, doing what he could to commit what the layout of the ship to memory.
"We'll be putting you lot up in the main hold," Jadak said from behind. "The crew quarters on this ship were only meant to manage three people at a time. First chance we get we'll try to get a few things to make them more livable but until then, try to bear with it."
"We will be fine, Captain," Master Kuro said over her shoulder in a cold tone of voice. "This is not a vacation, after all."
A little chilly but correct nonetheless.
They were now spies of the Republic and the Jedi Order with a mission to root out the secrets of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, to thwart their ambitions and restore peace to the galaxy. To that end they had to be willing to endure hardships, deal with discomforts and push themselves past whatever pain might come their way. In that respect not having beds to sleep in was pretty inconsequential so, as they reached the main hold, he looked before choosing the spot that was best from a strategic point of view. Piling his stuff up against the nearest wall, he turned to see others choose their own spots, only a little puzzled to find both Erica and Sarahari covertly sending glares at each other as they adjusted their choices by varying degrees. It confused him a bit since, to his knowledge, neither had a reason to dislike one another, but he just shrugged, figuring that if it wasn't bad enough for them to speak of it or throw a punch, he'd let them resolve matters.
If it got bad enough to interfere with the carrying out of their mission, he had a feeling Kuro or Keto would set them straight.
If they didn't, he would.
"So, you got a destination in mind?" Jadak asked, obviously eager to get going.
"Tatooine. While the Hutt gangsters have no small list of enemies thanks to their illegal enterprises, most of their enemies number among their own kind," Master Kuro replied once she was finished setting down her things. "According to the latest information out of that region, Jabba's main rival is a Hutt by the name of Boorka. He's wanted to get rid of Jabba for years and kidnapping the gangster's son would provide a good bargaining chip. Jabba's not in his prime anymore and, given his species' low fertility rate, it's unlikely that he could sire another heir anytime soon."
"And if he doesn't have the kid?" Rreya asked, pointing out a distinct possibility.
"Then he'll have some idea of what happened and where we can start looking next. It's even possible that he provided the kidnappers with the Huttlet's travel route," Kuro replied, not sounding uncertain in the least. "In case you've forgotten, the planet is essentially one large desert with scattered rock formations. The odds of being able to finding the Huttlet's armored skiff in the middle of nowhere are slim unless you know where to look."
"Makes sense," he said with a nod. "And if he's any kind of gangster, he'll have done some research on whoever he sold the info to. What do you think are the odds that he'll give the info to us without a fight?"
"Not at all if there's nothing in it for him," Master Kuro replied with a shake of her head. "Gangsters are motivated by greed and self-interest, after all. Fortunately Master Windu has made available several caches of valuables, at least one of which should appeal to the Hutt. Bribery, however, will only be employed if more… frugal methods prove ineffective."
He didn't know what that meant but he figured it was something along the lines of the Order not wanting to waste resources if they could get what they wanted for free.
"Well then, get ready for lift off, 'cause we're off to Tatooine," Jadak said as he left the main hold, presumably for the cockpit, to get them on their way.
He hoped the ship was fast because he had a funny feeling that time was not on their side.
The Private Chambers of the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic
Palpatine's POV
So… he has left Coruscant. How troublesome, he thought as he turned off the display that had up until a few seconds ago had shown the 'Stellar Envoy'. Normally I would not bother with such an insignificant Jedi but Yoda's spawn has done what none of his pathetic Order has managed to do: thwart my latest efforts to pull Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side.
Indeed, the boy was proving to be something of an anomaly and such things could prove to be quite annoying at the most inconvenient times.
No, he would not ignore this troublemaker only for him to once again hinder his plans.
With the press of a button he secured his chambers both from unwanted entry as well as all known means of eavesdropping or spying. He was confident that he could construct a suitable excuse if any of ignorant politicians or staff members inquired about the loss of contact. After pulling his hood over his head to conceal his features, he operated the control panel to open a line of communication to someone quite qualified to dispose of the Padawan nuisance on its way to Tatooine. Yes, the Dark Side of the Force had already told him where young Xander was going but, even if it hadn't, the choice was obvious. Boorka, after all, had been the one to provide Dooku's forces with the route Jabba's armored skiff would be taking back to the palace and, while there had been no report that the Hutt had gone snooping where he shouldn't, the possibility remained.
Two Wamp Rats with a single stroke.
"What is your command, my lord?" his secret general asked from bended knee, like a true subordinate.
"A group of meddlers travel to Tatooine to learn the location of Jabba's son from Boorka the Hutt," he replied, allowing his true self to rise to the surface. "It is possible they might succeed. Ensure that they do not and SILENCE the Hutt."
"Then it is time?" his secret general asked, sounding quite eager to finally step out of the shadows.
Understandable.
Up until now he had arranged it so that the general could issue orders to his droid army from a distance through heavily encrypted communications, with his droid officers strictly programmed to never refer to their supreme commander by name. This had caused his secret general quite a bit of frustration as the warrior had been of the opinion that he could serve much better from the front lines rather than from the shadows. Up until now he had chosen to maintain the status quo, but now… now it would seem that the time had come for the Republic to see the face of the one that would sow terror into their clone army.
"Yes. The time has come for you to take the stage and show all why you should be feared," he replied with a malevolent smile on his face.
"It shall be done, my lord," the general said and the transmission was terminated.
Standing up, he walked up to the window that offered him a view of his domain and he imagined what it would look like after his plans had finally reached fruition.
He could not help but chuckle in dark glee at what his mind conjured.
Tatooine System, Aboard the Steelar Envoy
Jedi Master Kuro's POV
"So, what's the plan?" Padawan Xander asked as they watched the planet of Tatooine getting closer but not yet close enough for atmospheric friction.
"You will be taking the lead. Your identity as 'Slade Ordo' has already been established and is spreading through the criminal underworld. Boorka will be more receptive to a known quantity than to an unknown," she replied as she turned her head to him. "Show him respect in the beginning, make him think you're impressed by his position and power, but at the same time don't flatter him too much or it'll make him suspicious."
"Got it. No one likes a bootlicker or trusts one," Xander said before a look of disgust manifested on his face. "But seeing as how Hutts don't have feet, much less boots, and I'm even less likely to lick whatever they do have."
She couldn't help but roll her eyes at her pupil's attempt at humor, especially since she would have to deal with it for the foreseeable future. Through her sporadic nightly training sessions with the young Jedi she'd gained a rough measure of the young man and, while sharing some of Skywalker's more infamous traits, there was a decent amount of restraint and caution present. Both were good traits to have and, while she would prefer to dictate the pace of his training, she imagined the war would serve to teach him the important lessons through firsthand experience well enough. She would just have to make sure that he didn't get in over his head too much because experience gained through war held the risk of turning fatal if one wasn't careful enough.
"Erica and Sarahari will accompany you as your subordinates," she explained, continuing the briefing. "This will show that you are skilled and possess charisma enough that others are willing to follow you. It will be especially impressive that you will be seen to have a Catharian's loyalty, since it is not easily earned."
She could sense Rreya's dislike of this arrangement but it was for the best since, among the Hutt clans, female Twi'leks were regarded as slaves. To have one show up and not act completely submissive as most slaves did would either arouse suspicion or contempt towards 'Slade Ordo', weakening Xander's bargaining position. Seeing Jedi Keto place a calming hand on her Padawan, she took comfort in seeing the negative feelings disperse back to the dark place from whence they came.
"Your cover story will be that you've come in pursuit of a thief that's been known to work for Boorka from time to time. Jedi intelligence, however, has already confirmed him to be elsewhere and that it is unlikely that he'll return to the Hutt's palace anytime soon," she said as the ship began to penetrate Tatooine's atmosphere. "Naturally Boorka will tell you this but you will tell him that you will stay until your target returns. It is unlikely that the gangster will have any problem with this and might even approach you for a job. Feel free to make him think you might be interested but don't commit to anything."
"No problem there," Xander said, understanding the guidelines as she'd laid them out.
"Don't bother trying to ask about the abduction since Boorka will likely not approve of anyone trying to help his rival. Instead merely listen to those around you," she ordered, secretly inserting some training into the mission. "While the smarter ones will know enough to keep what they know to themselves, there are bound to be some incapable of restraining themselves from gloating of their master's victory over Jabba. If you learn nothing by the time the suns set, return to the 'Envoy'. We will then have Erica use her ability to turn invisible to infiltrate Boorka's palace and access his database. With luck she will be able to uncover something we can use in our search."
"And if it turns out that Boorka had nothing to do with the kidnapping of Jabba's son?" Sarahari asked, pointing out a valid possibility.
"Then we will move on to the next likely source of information and begin our search anew. Possibly with someone known to deal in black market spaceships or the modifying of said spaceships," she replied, conceding that it was a possible outcome. "I know of one who is quite diligent in keeping a close watch on his competitors so as to surpass them. Now I think it is time that you get properly dressed and into character, Padawan. We will be landing shortly."
"Right," Xander said and he retreated to the main hold where his Mandalorian armor and weapons awaited him.
While surprisingly complete given how Mandalorian warriors tended to value their armor, it still lacked a few bits and pieces, such as a Z-6 jetpack. While not absolutely necessary, it would help to sell the idea that Xander was indeed a Mandalorian warrior and silence most of the skeptics who'd accuse him of being a fake. She would have to include known Mandaloarian tactics and strategies in with the curriculum of Jedi teachings she already had in mind. Until such time as 'Slade Ordo' finished serving his purpose, it was in their best interests to take whatever steps they could to ensure the identity's credibility in the eyes of the galaxy.
"Set the Envoy in Mos Osnoe. While I'd prefer someplace closer, Boorka's palace doesn't have a landing pad of its own," she ordered Captain Jadak once they successfully made it to the planet's lower atmosphere.
"Consider it done," Jadak said as he began to adjust the Envoy's course accordingly.
Turning to leave the cockpit, she began to consider her own activities once they set down on the planet. While she'd considered going along with her Padawan, as well as adding Jedi Keto to the group, she decided against it in the end. While not as an attractor of the spotlight as some members of the Jedi Order, her accomplishments had earned her some notoriety amongst the unlawful of the galaxy, meaning there was a chance she could be identified by one of Boorka's men. While something of a prodigy in lightsaber combat, Serra Keto didn't have the needed experience to keep her status as a Jedi a secret from the scum they'd be mingling with.
It would be far better for her, Keto and Rreya to remain aboard the Stellar Envoy as backup should things become too complicated for her Padawan's team to handle on their own.
Still, there will be times when we will need everyone to accomplish out mission, she thought as she walked down the corridor of the ship. I will have to work with Keto to teach her how to hide the various tells that Jedi give off without realizing it. It will be difficult, acting contrary to how she's been taught, but it will be necessary so long as she works as a spy rather than a front line soldier. It is a spy's job to not stand out, to not reveal that they are a spy in the first place, and that means blending into their surroundings whatever they might be.
A part of her was irritated that she'd been assigned a team rather than being allowed to work solo, especially since they were all amateurs when it came to spying during wartime. Nevertheless, those were her orders and, while not intentional, she knew the underlying reason for being made Padawan Xander's Master. The young man was powerful thanks to the contributions from Masters Yoda and Galia, implying that he could be a great ally or a deadly enemy, depending on how his life went. By the Padawan's own admission he had tapped into the Dark Side of the Force in response to the provocations of the late criminal named Davros and, while Xander had pulled back, the residual effects remained. She had little doubt that in the back of his mind the darkness whispered to him, tempted him, trying to get him to partake of its 'power' once more. If they were at peace it wouldn't be such a concern, since time at the Temple, in meditation and with counsel from the Masters, would cause the whispers to vanish.
But they were fighting a war and such times were rife with experiences that would make a relapse all the more likely.
Loss of friends, the death of innocents and defeats that would lead to the prolonging of the war were things that could not be avoided in such climates.
It is my secret mission to keep him from the darkness and, should I fail, ensure that his career as a Sith ends before it has a chance to begin, she thought grimly as she pondered her secret duty. I suppose the Council considers it appropriate considering my alias 'The Dark Woman'. I suppose it is at that.
Her devotion was to the Order and its principles above all else.
If Padawan Xander Harris proved to be a threat, she would eliminate him without hesitation.
A Rock Path on the Planet of Tattoine
Sarahari's POV
This place is fouler than I thought it'd be, she thought as she did her best to breath through her mouth. I pray we do not need to remain here for very long.
Indeed, as a daughter of Cathar her sense of smell was quite acute and, whether it was Mos Osnoe or Boorka's palace, they would both smell equally repugnant to her. It hadn't taken her long to take what steps she could to keep from catching the scents of everything that'd ever travelled the same route as her group or used it as an impromptu toilet. All the while she made sure to maintain an acute awareness of her surroundings, keeping her hands close enough to her weapons that she could fight at a moment's notice. A vibroblade was sheathed and secured to her back beneath her coat while a DC-15 side arm blaster was strapped to each of her legs, ensuring that she would be deadly at close and mid-range.
Coupled with all that she had learned of unarmed combat, both from her own people as well as the Naboo Security Forces, it would take something rather impressive to defeat her.
Looking ahead as Boorka's palace got closer, she could see a quartet of Gamorrean guards hefting their usual weapons and appearing about as intelligent as they looked. True to the image he was trying to convey, Padawan Xander did not break stride or give off any sign of being intimidated by them, but nonetheless stopped a few feet in front of them.
"I need an audience with your boss Boorka. Arrange one," Xander said with a slight distortion effect altering his voice through the helmet's external speakers.
Three of the tusked cretins aimed their weapons in their general direction while the fourth waddled over to communications interface installed to the right of the palace's main doors.
Filthy, disgusting, creatures! she thought with a restrained growl of distaste. Fighting is about all they're good for and how they fight can at best be called brutal and uninspired.
It took a few minutes but eventually the fourth Gamorrean guard returned and grunted out something in his language but she couldn't make any sense of it.
"The tusk-face says Boorka will see us but that they'll be keeping an eye on us," Erica said, translating for those that didn't speak or understand Gamorrese.
"Understood," Xander stated with a slight nod of his helmet.
With that two of the Gamorrean took the lead as the massive front door of the palace rose up to allow them entry while the other two likely would resume their usual standard of keeping watch for strangers or attackers.
Anyone hostile to Boorka with even a little skill at stealth or strategy, though, would be able to slip past them easily enough in her opinion.
As the door ground shut behind them, she found that the foul odors prevalent in the place were perceivable even if she didn't breath through her nose. Hopefully she would get a chance to clean the stench from her fur after the mission or her sense of smell would be of little use trying to peer through the smells that would cling to her body. Thugs, slaves and workers were scattered about the hallway they were being led down, with some merely laying about while others behaved like she expected scum to behave. When any of the males among them caught sight of her or Erica they predictably leered at the two of them and even made a few lewd propositions about how they could spend their time. They pushed her patience to varying degrees but she restrained herself from taking action that would endanger the success of the mission.
It was very difficult at times.
Eventually they entered the main chambers of Boorka the Hutt and she could not keep the reaction of revulsion when she beheld the slug in all its corpulence. Still she kept it to a disgusted expression and did not put her feelings into words.
"The mighty Boorka welcomes you and asks why you have sought an audience with him," the 3PX-series protocol droid said after his master spoke in his native tongue.
"I've been hired to capture and deliver someone you regularly employ to another world," Xander replied, keeping his response short. "Will you stand in my way?"
"The mighty Boorka requests that you name who you are here to capture. Only then can he judge whether it is necessary to stand in your way," 3PX replied after the Hutt voiced his response.
"The Weequay bounty hunter Shahan Alama," Xander replied before taking out a mini-holodisc that projected the image of the target. "My sources say he comes here often to check on bounties and work."
More Huttese was spoken, much more than before, but thankfully it came to an end before irritation become an issue.
"The mighty Boorka knows of this Weequay and has used him successfully in the past. He asks how you would compensate him for the loss of such a useful agent," 3PX said, conveying his master's words in Galactic Basic.
"I'm prepared to cut you in for fifteen percent of the bounty and I will speak with my employer about contacting you," Xander declared before shutting down the projection. "It will be up to the two of you to reach an 'understanding'."
The Hutt seemed to consider this before uttering a question.
"What is the amount you were promised for Shahan Alama?" 3PX asked, translating the question into Basic.
This was the tough part.
While she had learned from others that they had been given access to certain funds in order to facilitate their spying efforts, it was not a bottomless pit of credits. She did not know of what they could spare would be enough to entice the Hutt into leaving them alone.
"Fifteen thousand Republic credits alive. Ten thousand dead," Xander replied, not giving anything away with his voice.
This definitely caught the Hutt's attention. Not as much as a reward in the hundreds of thousands or millions would've but she was beginning to feel as though it would be enough.
"The mighty Boorka would be willing to allow you to capture Shahan Alama if his portion were increased to twenty-five percent," 3PX stated after conferring with his master.
Typical greed from criminal scum, she thought with a light snarl. Never satisfied with what they are honorably given.
"Twenty percent. No higher," Xander stated in a tone that made it clear that he would not budge further.
An aggressive tone blanketed Boorka's response to this as he spoke and her sense of hearing informed her that several of the armed individuals in the room were adjusting their positions.
"The great Boorka asks why he should settle for twenty percent when he can capture you and your followers, torture you to get the name of your employer and collect all the bounty," 3PX asked, not employing the same sort of emotion in its words.
"One: my employer hired me and not you. He will not turn over the bounty simply because you took over the request," Xander explained, keeping cool and factual. "And two: I assume you all have a healthy desire to live."
An electronic sound reached her ears coming from Xander's position and, when she turned to look at him, she saw that in his hand was a thermal detonator.
A Class-A thermal detonator to be precise but, seeing as how it had not detonated yet, she assumed that it was fitted with a fail-deadly feature, meaning it would only detonate if Xander removed his thumb from the arming button.
"Just so you know this is a Class-A thermal detonator fitted with a fail-deadly feature. This means that within two seconds of my removing my thumb from the arming button, it will explode," Xander said, confirming her appraisal of the weapon. "With its blast radius it WILL kill everyone in this room."
This caused more than a few of the chamber's occupants to back away rather quickly and a couple to even leave immediately rather than stay to witness the outcome of the confrontation. Not that she blamed them since death by thermal detonator was generally not something a sentient being looked forward to.
"HAHAHA! HOHOHO!" Boorka laughed, causing its slug like body to jiggle most unpleasantly.
Was the Hutt being amused a good thing? She wasn't sure and so she slowly moved a hand towards one of her blasters.
When the Hutt spoke he sounded quite amused and she hoped what the droid would tell them would be positive.
"The almighty Boorka is impressed by your resolve and your resourcefulness," 3PX stated in the same tone as always. "He hereby grants you permission to capture your quarry unhindered in exchange for twenty percent of the bounty."
With those words the detonator was deactivated before being returned to its place on his belt.
"Then the deal is made," Xander said before he turned to her and Erica, indicating that they should follow him to a relatively unoccupied part of the chamber.
"Well done, 'Slade'. Neither Boorka or his subordinates will act carelessly after that," Erica said in a voice that would not carry outside their little group.
"True. However we can't waste time here. After enough time goes by without our 'bounty' showing up, they'll wonder why we're still here and suspect something's up," he said, likewise keeping his voice low. "Take strategic positions about the room, make it look like you're waiting to pounce on Shahan the second he shows up, then listen extra carefully for anything about Jabba's son."
"And if we hear nothing?" she asked, casting a wary gaze about the room.
"Then we'll return to the Envoy and wait until everyone in the palace has fallen asleep," he replied, turning to look at her through helmeted eyes. "It'll then be Erica's turn to do some electronic digging. Now go."
With a nod she looked around before spotting a location that would serve well to aid her Catharian hearing in eavesdropping on the surrounding conversations. It'd also be an acceptable ambush point to support the story that the Hutt and his minions had been fed. Walking over to it, she noticed how some of the criminal filth looked at her and knew that they likely were entertaining what they'd like to do with her if an opportunity arose. With a low warning growl she gripped one of her blasters, one finger just waiting to wrap around the trigger.
While some of the dimmer ones were undeterred, those with a modicum of intellect wisely reigned in their leers.
Not precisely what she wanted but it'd do for now.
Erica's POV
Hours had passed and, while a few of the lounging criminals had mentioned that Jabba and his organization was in an uproar, she could had yet to get confirmation that Boorka was behind it or where the little Huttlet could be. Some were discussing taking advantage of Jabba's distraction to launch sneak attacks on the holdings of their master's rival while others seemed content to merely sit back and 'enjoy the show' as Xander sometimes said.
Not as productive as she'd hoped but her time wasn't being completely wasted as she canvassed the area looking for possible outlets through which she could access the information network of the palace.
Three in this chamber that I can see, she thought as she continued her visual search. However, depending on the sleeping arrangements this place usually, has I'd prefer something a little more private.
Unfortunately she couldn't go off searching the entire palace for that private spot without arousing suspicion and possibly getting the rest of the group into trouble, so she focused in the chamber where they waited instead.
Noticing movement to the right, she watched as one of the criminals approached Xander and, out of concern for her master, she focused the acuteness of her auditory sensors in that direction.
"Nice move earlier. Boorka's not easy to impress," the criminal, an Ubese from what she could see, said with some respect. "Think you'd be interested in some extra work?"
"Perhaps after I've delivered my target to my employer," Xander replied, giving away nothing about what was going on inside his head. "I never take two jobs at the same time. Avoids conflicts of interest. Those can be…bmessy."
"True enough. Still, a slow way to pile up the credits, though," the Ubese said with a nod of concession.
"Won't get ANY credits if you try to do two jobs and fail both of them," Xander pointed out while not losing sight of the rest of the room.
"Suit yourself," the Ubese said before walking away with a lesser opinion of 'Slade Ordo'.
She personally wasn't surprised since it was in keeping with the image Xander wanted to convey to those who didn't know the truth. Besides which, it was only logical that, if one tried to do too much, the quality of effort put into each task would also diminish until failure was almost certain. Better to give one job, one task, your undivided attention and ensure success than split it between multiple ones.
Seeing Xander once more alone, she resumed listening in on the conversations going on around her for any word of Jabba's son or the abduction in general. Sadly, as the hours went by, all she got for her efforts was an abundance of gossip, a handful of crude jokes and maybe one or two tidbits about future criminal acts that would be performed by members of Boorka's gang. While she could probably see to it that the details of these future crimes made their way to the appropriate law enforcement organization, it wasn't what they were looking for. Did this mean that Boorka had nothing to do with the abduction of Jabba's son? Possible, but she still believed that no one on the lawless side of the galaxy who managed to carve an empire did so without keeping an eye on the competition.
When she saw Xander give the signal that they'd be leaving for the 'Stellar Envoy', she actually found herself grateful since it meant a reprieve from the crude humor and complete lack of morality that filled Boorka's palace. Still, she maintained the appearance of being a loyal subordinate to 'Slade Ordo' until she was sure that the group was well clear of any senses, whether they be natural or artificial.
"Any luck?" Xander asked while still sounding like he was looking for signs of eavesdroppers or someone shadowing them.
"None, I'm afraid," Sarahari replied with a growl of dissatisfaction. "Despite my best efforts I neither heard nor saw anything that could help us locate Jabba's son."
What the Catharian didn't mention was that one of the reasons why she hadn't been successful was the fact that, surprisingly enough, she'd been the target of quite a few unwanted advances by males loyal to Boorka. As a result there had been times when the woman's attention was not on her task but rather dissuading the men who approached her of the idea that she'd EVER want anything to do with them. To the female feline's credit, though, she'd kept her methods of discouraging the advances discreet, with a minimum of commotion and without injuring any of Boorka's men.
Force knew she'd probably wanted to more than once.
I wonder why none of them ever made a pass at me? she thought in a moment of puzzlement.
Briefly she consulted her memories and the efforts she had taken to appear more attractive where Xander was concerned but nothing she could remember seemed wrong or repulsive. In fact, if some of the looks she'd noticed coming from Captain Jadak indicated anything, it was that she was indeed quite pleasing to the male eye. She had even noticed Xander staring the few times she managed to take on a subtle sexual pose that accentuated her toned body, but he almost always tore his eyes away, no doubt out of fear that one of the Jedi Masters would notice and disapprove.
I can only assume that they don't like human females, she thought before mentally shrugging. Not that I want the advances of criminal scum but, if I am to succeed in gaining Xander's romantic affections, I must refine my efforts using whatever means at my disposal.
"I faired no better. Despite my acute senses I heard nothing pertaining to Jabba's son," she stated, adding her failure to Sarahari's.
"Then I guess you'll be doing your ghost routine to get access to his systems," Xander said with some disappointment. "With a bit of luck, what the scumbags won't talk about they'll at least store in their databases. If worse comes to worse we'll at least get enough incriminating information to shut down Boorka's entire operation."
"There'll likely be guards on duty even during the night, but so long as none of them are particularly perceptive it shouldn't be a problem," she said before mentally drawing up a route of entry into the palace as well as a way of exit.
"That should not be difficult," Sarahari said haughtily. "I doubt very much that there's a single perceptive person amongst them."
"Don't underestimate them," Xander warned firmly after turning to look at her. "You don't last very long or get very powerful as a criminal if you don't develop a healthy amount of paranoia and a certain degree of ruthlessness."
"I won't," she said with resolve. "Still, it'd probably be a good idea to be close by in case I need help making my escape."
"Don't worry. Between my helmet's sensors and Sarahari's skills, we'll be as close as can without being found out," Xander said in such a way so as to erase all doubt that help would be there if she needed it.
Now all she needed to do was gather what she would need to penetrate the systems of a Hutt gangster, preferably without being discovered, and look for the information they sought in a timely manner.
No problem.
