(The Red-Light Nemesis)
I walked into the cantina in the red-light sector of Nar Shaddaa, Rask had elected to stay behind on the ship, in case this was a trap, I was to check in via holocall in under two hours. As I waded into the shady cantina, I noticed a fast assortment of thugs, Weequay, Advoze, a couple humans, and even some Mirialans, as I was surveying my surrounding one of the various female dancers, a Twi-lek, approached me, " Would you like to make the beast with two backs?" I was speechless
I squinted slightly, and replied sarcastically, "How subtle…" I couldn't believe anyone was that forward.
She slapped me, "…Prick!" and strutted off to ask one of the nice thugs in the corner the same question.
I rubbed my check, "Rude prostitutes…" and proceeded to the back of the cantina and sat down in the bleakest looking corner, no light, no dancers nearby, and with a decent view of both side hallways to watch for any unfriendly visitors. However, someone did slip past my line of sight and came up right next to me without any warning whatsoever.
"Are you lost?" The Voss said, I'd never seen one up close before, only pictures and holorecordings, His eyes, I'd heard and seen the male Voss eyes as being yellow, but his, they were orange and there was something about them, I felt as if I were staring into a mirror.
"I wish." I looked away only to be more shocked when I realized, he wasn't wearing clothes, just what looked like black latex covering…
"You seem out of place," he titled his head to the side and blinked, "you do not belong here." He smiled.
"I'm out of place!" I stood up, for some reason I sounded angry, when I was really very uncomfortable, all of my senses were screaming at me to run away, "You're the one in your underwear."
The Voss looked down at his attire and then resumed staring at me, "The Hutt likes it this way."
I blinked, "I don't know what to say to that."
The Voss put his hands on my shoulders and leaned in slightly examining "You appear shocked." I didn't want to cause a scene but my hand drifted toward my lightsaber.
A female voice broke the sudden silence, "Khi-Tyn, you're scaring the little Jedi, I didn't think you'd come," The miralukan woman from the holocomm sat down across from me, she pouted her lips.
"It was against my better judgment," I sized her up, she wore the usual skimpy dancers outfit, I knew I'd seen something very similar to it before, she had a thing bone-like mask covering her eyes, and an unusual way of holding her lips, like they were in constant pout, but smirking at the same time. Her skin appeared extra smooth, unnaturally so.
"Where's you lizard friend?" The Miraluka scanned the area, looking for Rarsk, "He's usually lurking about."
"That's not your concern, I didn't come here to chat, so you either give me the information you promised or I walk out that door," I stood up and threatened her just loudly enough that it got across but not loud enough to draw attention.
The Miraluka rose up and shoved me into my seat and ran her right hand across my face whispering, "I think we both know why you're here."
"I should have sensed it was you," cold realization and recognition washed over me as I reached up and ripped off her mask, I never thought I'd see her again.
"It did take you longer than I thought…" Li'Rinna's cold red eyes glared back at me, as a smile seemed to dance across her face. I took another glance at her oh-so-smooth skin, I was sure she was in a latex body suit.
"Give me one reason I shouldn't throw your faux white butt in prison," I reached for my blade, it would have been so easy, I could finally have some justice for Denai, but something stayed my hand.
"I'm innocent," she smirked, I reached for my lightsaber, she immediately dropped the act, "okay maybe not innocent, but I didn't kill the Jedi on Coruscant."
"Areeva saw you," that was proof enough for me, I stared her down, her red eyes glaring back, I held so much contempt for her it was hard not to lash out in anger, I started to murmer the code in my mind, there is no emotion
Li'Rinna looked over at the crowd and then leaned in to whisper in my ear making sure it looked like something else, I almost didn't play along, "Maybe you should ask her exactly what it was she saw, because she didn't see me."
"Why should I believe you?" I felt strange, part of me felt she was being upfront with me but I couldn't pretend what happened on Coruscant didn't exist.
The Voss, Khi-Tyn, interrupted us his luminous orange eyes seemed to stare into my soul… it made me uncomfortable, "This is not a matter of trust, this is an exchange, belief has nothing to do with it."
Li'Rinna stepped back, realizing this was not a time to use her body to manipulate what she wanted, "He's right, I know you have the mask, and I want to help you stop the Genoharadan," for once, she was ready to stop playing games.
"Do I look stupid to you?" I wasn't sure whether I was trying to get her to convince me or trying to convince myself to distrust her.
"…Not this time," Li'Rinna smirked, and I felt a bit offended but before I could respond she elaborated, "After Coruscant, I became the most wanted assassin the galaxy, and the Genoharadan hung me out to dry," an unpleasant frown settled on her face that slowly turned in to a vindictive smile, " I'd like to return the favor."
"Let's say I believe you, what do you have?" I felt like I was walking across a tightrope, I could only go forward, I would have to trust in the force to see me across.
"Khi-Tyn," she gestured toward the Voss, "He's the Genoharadan conduit, they have found a way to exploit his force-vision and use it for their own agenda, which is how they found out about you, Kradok," I remembered in my brief conversation with Drakkus on Coruscant that he said his associate had foreseen I'd cause them trouble, it was hard to believe that a practically naked Voss was the associate he'd been talking about, "you pose a more than significant threat to them, which is why they sent me after you."
"What does the Chevin Conglomerate have to do with this?" I pulled out the coin Hal had dropped and set it on the table, Li'Rinna and Khi-Tyn exchanged a bemused expression, "I see you've been busy, They have teamed up with the Genoharadan to find a set of rare artifacts, one of them was the lord of Hunger's mask."
"How do I find the other artifacts they're looking for?" Sure I had one, but I was sure that if the Genoharadan got any of them it would be exceedingly unpleasant.
Khi-Tyn broke his silence, staring into my eyes, it was like he could read my most private thoughts, "In my last vision, I saw a lightsaber lost in dunes of Tatooine…"
I blinked sarcastically, "…That narrows it down…"
"The Chevin have funded numerous expeditions into the sands, I believe they are closing in on the lightsaber," Li'Rinna noticed that some of the other patrons were beginning to pay attention to us, she placed her mask back over her eyes.
"So, we need to steal their information," I was definitely placing a lot of faith in the force trusting Li'Rinna, but she posed a significant value, she was an ex-Genoharadan assassin, I could definitely use her information to my advantage.
"Correction, you need to steal their information," Li'Rinna had to wrap this up quickly, she picked up the coin and gave it to Khi-Tyn, and looked around for the best way out.
"You aren't going to help," I was on the verge of not trusting her again.
"I didn't say that, Khi-Tyn will get you past security, I'll meet you inside," Li'Rinna slapped me to make it looked I'd offended the stripper she was supposed to be and ran off into the back room, Khi-Tyn just smiled and looked at me, I didn't like this at all.
"Looks like it will just be the two of us," Khi-Tyn placed his hand on my hand and began to play around with my hair, I was sure some part of him enjoyed making me uncomfortable, I sighed resignedly, "…Can you put some clothes on."
Rarsk paced around the holoterminal anxiously, he didn't like that Kradok had gone off all by himself but he knew it was necessary for Kradok's growth, he could hear the droid 3C-FD beeping below, tinkering with the hyperdrive, He was waiting for contact, he had a favor he had to ask and a truth to disclose, suddenly the Holoterminal began beeping loudly. Rarsk accepted the call and Ssravek, the leader of his clan looked down upon him, "Is good to hear from Rarsk, How go journeys with Jagganath Jedi?"
"Well, Rarsk score many points on many worlds," Rarsk had to show the usual respect and formalities before he could get to the point.
"You honor Ssravek, honor Scorekeeper," Ssravek was pleased to see that Rarsk was showing their clan in a positive light in the galaxy once more, he always though Rarsk had great potential, even when the others shunned him.
"I have done Ssravek dishonor," Rarsk replied, Ssravek didn't respond physically or emotionally he just blinked and motioned for Rarsk to go on, "Home, Kradok challenged Ssravek, Rarsk… Rarsk… Rarsk betrayed Ssravek…" and with that Rarsk began to explain to Ssravek about his force abilities and how he used them to help Kradok out during the match.