Chapter 41: Hutt and Go Seek

Nal Hutta, the glorious jewel in the crown of the Hutt syndicate. A symbol of the grandeur of their great enterprise, and a glimpse of the Empire they once ruled long ago. The world that told you everything you needed to know about the Hutt clans and their business.

Avaryss was not impressed.

Her first real glimpse of Nal Hutta had been in the shuttle coming down from Nar Shadda. She would have preferred to arrive aboard her Fury, but the Hutts would not allow warships to touch down on their planet, Empire or otherwise, and since the neutrality treaty the Hutts enjoyed needed to be upheld, Avaryss once again found herself riding in a shuttle down to the planet's surface. It had been understandably nerve racking, considering how her shuttle ride down to Hoth had ended, but this time things went off without incident.

She watched as the bloated yellow and brown world filled the viewport. Its oily surface was a stain against the blackness if space, much like the gangsters themselves. According to what she had heard, Nal Hutta was not the original homeworld of the slug-like creatures, just a world they had seized. Few of the original inhabitants remained, but their numbers were fewer and fewer each year, in time they would slip into history with barely a whisper, and the Hutts would truly be the masters of this world. As for the planet's surface, the Hutts had spent years transforming their new homeworld into their ideal version of paradise.

It was far from what Avaryss would consider paradise, but then again, she was no Hutt. What she considered beautiful, and what the slugs did was two entirely different things.

They broke through the atmosphere, and skimmed over the smoggy swamp gas filled sky. The palaces of various gangsters popped up through the swamps like metallic implants on diseased skin. Around each had grown small settlements where the Hutts' servants lived and labored. According to Mister Rink, most Hutts saw their servants as property, even if they weren't slaves, a Hutt would not allow anyone under his control to be too far away from his master, they hoarded their people just like they hoarded their credits.

It was never a good thing to find yourself in the thrall of a Hutt.

Now, she sat in the back of a swamp speeder while Rink maneuvered them through yet another of the stagnant marshlands that made up the Hutt capital's surface. Strange winged creatures screamed over head as they continued their journey, on their way to meet with the Hutt that did the most business with the Empire, or rather with House Feer and her allies.

She hoped that the slug would prove useful.

She wrinkled her nose as the speeder flew past other Hutt structures. Beric sat in the passenger seat next to Rink, keeping his eyes out for any trouble. Though they presented a united front to outsiders Hutts were not above trying to embarrass their rivals by arranging accidents for high priority guests.

It was not so different among the Sith, she realized, though we tend to be cleaner when we wish to embarrass a rival.

In the seat next to her, sat Quenya, the Devish girl had been silent since Hoth. Through the Force Avaryss could sense her indecision. The young Sith had hoped that exposing the girl to the darkside, letting her see the power that could be hers would be enough to draw her deeper down the dark path, so far, she had been disappointed.

Perhaps I was wrong about this one, she thought, perhaps it will become necessary to remove her.

She nodded thoughtfully to herself.

She hated wasting resources, but if that is what it took that is what it took.

Quenya would join the Sith, or she would die.

Succeed or perish.

There could be no middle ground.

She had brought the girl along to test her resolve, to see how she reacted in the presence of the Hutts, a group that the Republic continued to court the favor of. She wanted the girl to see that the Empire and the Republic were not so different. Both were willing to go to great length to secure the future, even if it meant making alliances with creatures such as these.

"What are we knowing about this Niro the Hutt," the girl asked, "Is he being a friend or foe."

"He is neither," she replied, "He is simply a Hutt who has proven open to Imperial advances; therefore we must try to cultivate his favor."

As you say," the alien girl responded, her emotions hidden from Avaryss.

It did little to endure her in the young Sith's eyes.

In truth though, she found herself sharing her fellow's concern. From what Warmaster Feore had told her, Niro was not the most powerful Hutt on the planet. Many of the old guard Gangster Lord viewed him as an upstart, taking his stance on the Empire as a weakness, and did little to aid his advancement because of that.

It made her question the wisdom of seeking him out in the first place, but her master had been adamant.

The slug had his uses.

"Do not underestimate Niro the Hutt, apprentice," Lord Feer had advised her, "He has never been a big player in the Hutt clans, but he is ambitious, and he is our way into the Hutt cartel, and will be even more valuable to us when the Empire finally deals with the Republic."

Her master had grinned.

"He will help you find what you need."

"As you wish, my master," she had replied. She hoped her master was right about this. Niro was his contact, after all.

He was only willing to act so far on the advice of a rival.

Her master was understandably skeptical about this latest deal offered by Darth Baras, even more so that he had chosen to offer it to his apprentice rather than bring the information straight to him.

It had fallen to her to put her master's mind at ease, to make sure he did nothing rash to jeopardize what they were about to attempt.

"If Baras thinks to turn me against you, he is wasting his time," Avaryss assured him; she kept her eyes downcast, not rising from her bended knee.

"A daughter would never turn against her father. Baras clearly does not understand how deep our connection to each other goes."

Feer had nodded, she sensed…acceptance from her master, buying what she was telling him.

Good.

"He has always viewed his apprentices as disposable commodities," Feer agreed, "It is the reason he has so few lords in his service. They know what type of man he is."

And I know what type of man you are, my master, Avaryss thought.

That is how I'm able to keep you blind to what I'm really after.

She was eager for the day to come that she could stop playing the loyal apprentice, when she could resume her true feelings towards the man who had taken her family from her. For now though, she needed to be patient.

No empire was built in a day after all.

"We are approaching Lord Niro's dwelling, my lord," Beric called over her shoulder, "You should prepare yourself for this meeting."

Avaryss smiled. Her brother did not need to tell her that. She slipped on her mask and helmet, pulling up the hood of her cloak. It had been Rink's idea that she meet with Niro so armored. He thought it would make things go more smoothly.

"You can't afford to let this Niro think he is your superior, boss," Rink had advised, "I never got a chance to interact with the slugs much during my time on Nar Shadda, but when I did I noticed one thing above all others."

"And that is?" she had asked.

"Hutts seem to have a craving for what non-Hutts consider beautiful, and I'm not simply talking art or luxury items either. You will often see a Hutt in the company of beautiful slaves, male and female both. I'm not really sure why they do so, but from what I saw, they seem to equate what we consider beautiful as either lesser than they, or weak."

Avaryss thought that she might have an idea of why the Hutts behaved so. It was not about the appreciation of beauty, but about status. Hutts knew what their non-Hutt rivals desired so they sought it out to prove their own superiority. By possessing such beauty they proved their grandness, and when it came to destroying such possession, it served as an example, it showed their ruthlessness.

An enemy would no doubt learn quickly just how much they were worth in the eyes of a Hutt. They would see the creatures destroy something of great beauty as if it was nothing.

Some saw that as power, she did not.

It was nothing compared to the power of the Force.

Still the former street rat might have a point.

"You think my looks may work against me, Rink?" she inquired.

He shrugged.

"You are an attractive young woman, boss, you don't want some Hutt-lord using that against you. You don't want him to think that you are just some pretty thing that your boss is parading before him. Show your power first, and things will go much easier for you, trust me."

Avaryss had smirked when she heard that.

Attractive am I?

"You consider me attractive, Mister Rink? I thought your heart belonged to your Twi'lek girl?"

He had smiled then.

"Simple art appreciation, boss," he replied, "I can recognize beauty without lusting over it. It is the equivalent of seeing a speeder that I really like, one that I could never afford in a hundred years."

Avaryss had laughed at that.

"Stay loyal to me Rink and you will be quite surprised by what you can afford by the time our game is done."

He acknowledged that with a slight nod. Rink may have been a fool about some things, but in this he had been wise.

He knew who was likely to give him what he wanted. Avaryss was the key to his success.

He was smart enough not to jeopardize that.

The swamp speeder made its final turn, entering a small walled courtyard with several large docks. Two large porcine Gamorrean guards stood waiting on the end of one, each with a vibro-ax in hand.

Avaryss smiled.

They had entered the lair of Niro the Hutt.

Now it begins, she thought.

Showtime.

IOI

The large tan domes of Niro's palace rose up like three boils from the swampy landscape. Avaryss and her party were quickly ushered inside. The largest dome served as the Hutt's audience chamber and throne room, rising up almost three stories tall, and lit sparsely, casting many shadows, the Hutt's dwelling was a court of shadows.

Avaryss reached out with the Force, feeling the menace of this place, the sense of foreboding and helplessness. It was a sensation that she had been feeling since her arrival on this planet.

The Hutts seemed to encourage it in others, even feed off it.

She supposed that that was why they had never truly shut the door on Empire, that and the lure of Sith credits.

Though it was dark, she could make out the denizens that made up the Hutt's court, a collection of rogues and thugs, bounty hunters and hired guns she suspected, as well as the odd thrill-seeker, places like this often attracted such rabble. Most were alien, Aqualish, Quarren, Rodian, Gamorrean, even a few human or humanoid species, all armed to the teeth.

She was surprised that the Hutt allowed so many weapons in his court, but then again, if not for Niro, what would these creatures have?

To the right of the throne, on a pile of giant crimson colored pillows, lounged twelve young women, all lithe, beautiful and scantily clad humans, Twi'leks, Rodians, Sullustans, and what might have been an identical pair of Cathar females, their markings making them almost indistinguishable from the other.

Avaryss sensed little from these, their emotions were dull in the Force, as if in a dream; their surface thoughts were of the softness of the pillows or the feel of the silk on their bare skin. They were completely relaxed, but not really acknowledging what was going on around them.

Drugged? It was possible. She had seen such things before. The Sith were not above drugging their own pleasure slaves, it made them more…pliable, less likely to be…disagreeable.

Such is the fate of the weak, the darkness whispered in the back of her mind, their beauty is all they are, they are nothing.

They deserve to be nothing.

Avaryss felt nothing for these. She might have pitied them once, but now…

She smiled.

I'm making progress, the less compassion I feel, the better.

It will make things easier when I finally do ascend to my master's throne.

A single dull yellow light shown down on the high dais, it was here that the Hutt had made his throne, though throne was not really the proper name for it, it was just a large flat stone platform, a platform with a long single railing on its far right side. It was here that the Hutt lord lounged, puffing contentedly from a pipe attached to a large hookah.

As they entered a broad shouldered human emerged from the shadows, his arms and legs hinted at a career as an enforcer, but it was clear from his growing belly that he had been indulging in the pleasure of a high office in the Hutt's service. His features were squat and ugly, his greasy blonde hair slicked back tight against his rounded skull.

The man smiled, showing a mouth full of gold teeth.

"Welcome Sith," he called out, "I'm Thom Istris, Majordomo to his splendid highness, the might Niro."

The majordomo bowed respectfully.

"I bid you greetings in the name of our most splendid master."

Avaryss nodded slightly, first to the Hutt and to his toady.

"Mighty Niro," she said, "In the name of my master Darth Feer, lord of the Itae and Zahn systems, I thank you for granting me this audience."

She smiled beneath her mask.

"It was most generous of you."

Niro the Hutt chuckled, a slight wave of revulsion washed over Avaryss.

This creature did little to endear himself to her.

The "Splendid" Niro was small for a Hutt, slimmer than the ones she had seen in the spaceport after landing on the planet. His skin was a dark yellow hue, mottled with green markings. She suspected that this creature could move quickly when he needed, his small waddled arms were quite thick, hinting of muscle that had not gone to seed from days of lounging in his palace. Like other Hutts he wore no garments, only a large monocle in his right eye, perhaps some direct data-feed device, she thought she saw symbols flash across its surface. They were cold indeed those eyes, cold and full of menace, large blue eyes that peered out from beneath a heavy brow. The Hutt's wide frog-like mouth was mottled with brown spittle a green slime, its lips twitch as he looked at her

Avaryss tried not to quail under that gaze...

A large purple tongue slithered out and ran along that wide hungry mouth, the lips twisting into what might have been a smile.

The Hutt rumbled a laugh, and said something in Huttese.

Thom Istris smiled.

"My glorious master offers you thanks for your courtesy and applauds your manners."

"It is a rare thing in these troubled times."

Avaryss did not stop smiling,

Liar, she thought

Before coming here, Holli had made some modifications to the sonic dampeners that Avaryss wore in her ears. Normally the devices served merely to mute loud noises, a necessary function given the damage her hearing had suffered during a botched interrogation on Korriban. Now they served a new purpose, and equally as useful.

"I've installed translators into your ear pieces," the changeling engineer had informed her, "And I've programed them for Huttese."

The red haired woman smiled.

"Could come in quite useful."

In this, Holli seemed to have been proven right.

Those modifications were functioning perfectly.

What the Hutt had really said was.

"Does this slip of a creature think to scare me? Feer says he is sending a Sith, but it is a little girl that arrives. Black armor and masks might work on the slaves that think them gods, but not me. Find out why Feer's lackey his here servant, before I grow bored."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

A little girl was she? She was tempted to give the arrogant Hutt a demonstration of her powers. If he was growing bored, she was certain that she could spice things up, perhaps choke him through the power or the Force, or perhaps a life drain spell on his slimy hide, and see how long it took to drain away a few years of his mid-begotten life?

Hold your temper, her conscience chided. You still need him, at least for now.

There will be time to answer slights later.

Avaryss silently acknowledged that fact.

She would be…patient…for now.

"Great Niro," Avaryss said respectfully, "I come here seeking an enemy of the Empire. One who has sponsored terrorist acts against my fellow Sith. The Rodian known as Goobik of the Republic Senate is believed to be here on Nal Hutta. I come on a mission of delivering him to imperial justice."

The Hutt did not wait for any translation from his servant; his booming voice again rang out in Huttese.

"She thinks me blind and dumb, this one. She is insolent, and lucky she stands for our friend Lord Feer. Tell the little Sith that we are aware of Vogga's pawn, servant. Tell her that she will need more that pretty words if she wishes to take this one's life.

The Hutt belched loudly.

"I doubt this piece of silken floss will survive ten minutes against Vogga's men. She will likely be left broken and lounging beside the old slug's throne, just like my pretties here."

"Great Niro has heard your master's request, and looked into the matter," Thom Istris informed her. "The one you seek is currently a guest of the illustrious Vogga, a powerful and well connected lord of the Hutt clans."

Istris bowed his head.

"Master Niro believes you will have some difficulty seeing to the man's punishment."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed, clearly the Hutt did not understand exactly who or what he was dealing with.

The Force granted many abilities. Even a powerful Hutt lord would be wise not to provoke her.

"Your master's concern is appreciated," Avaryss replied diplomatically, "I will use caution in dealing with this matter, but I will need to know where Representative Goobik can be found."

That is what my master paid for, yes?"

The Hutt laughed.

"The Sith whore thinks she will just waltz in and stick her lightsaber through him, is that it? Amusing! Tell her about the Rodian's trick, servant. Tell her why it will not be as easy as she thinks."

"Listen well, Sith," the major domo said, "We have learned through our sources that Representative Goobik is no fool."

The man pressed a button on his wrist guard, a hologram of a group of Rodians shimmered into existence between Avaryss and the Hutt.

The young Sith took notice of what she was seeing. Four Rodians, all dressed identically, all with the same type of skin, and surprisingly, the same facial markings.

"The Representative never travels alone," Istris continued, "He travels with a full company of bodyguards, plus three decoys. When the representative is travelling it is these decoys that that aid him in his work. They are said to be indistinguishable from their master, possessing the same mannerism, and vices, it is even said that they speak almost identically. Finding the real Representative will likely prove difficult."

Avaryss considered that. If what the Hutt said was true, then things just got tricky.

If she picked the wrong one, the real representative would get wind of what had happened and flee, leaving her with nothing for her trouble.

Despite his insolence, the Hutt was not wrong.

This hunt would not be easy.

"Does the great Niro have any ideas how to smoke out the real representative," Avaryss inquired, "It would truly be a shame to come all this way and end up with nothing."

Niro licked his lips; he seemed a bit agitated; she thought she saw a flicker on his monocle, some kind of update from the data feed built in perhaps."

"It seems that the fortune smiles on Lord Feer's pawn," the Hutt said to his servant, "The gambit that we started after hearing from her lord has finally bore fruit, tell the girl what she must hear, servant, we will need to end this meeting quickly if we are to take full advantage."

"Lord Niro has anticipated your request and has seen to it," Thom Istris informed her, "A plan has been set in motion that will aid the Sith in her work here on Nal Hutta."

Avaryss listened as the Hutt's man outlined what he had done for her. Surprisingly, it was not that bad of a plan.

Niro had arranged for Vogga the Hutt to receive false reports of his off-world holdings being attacked. When word of this got back to him, the old Hutt would respond much as anyone would to be set upon by his enemies. He would lock down his holdings, and secure what he valued…including anyone who might be his guest at that time.

The Rodian Representative would fall into that category.

"Vogga has done this before Sith," Istris assured her, "When he does, he has also insisted on a complete communications black out, to ensure that no enemy could slice into his comm systems and give this forces false orders or misinformation. The blackout only ends when Vogga sends one of his lieutenants to make the rounds and inform the various captains that the danger has passed."

Istris smiled confidently.

"That should give you the time you need to…extract the one you seek."

Avaryss nodded.

If what the Hutt was telling her was the truth…?

It was possible.

It could work.

"How long would it take this Vogga to realize that he is being deceived? How long will this blackout last?"

"We can offer the Sith a ten hour window, no more. The Great Vogga's minions understand their lord's anger. They will work quickly. Time is credits to the Hutt clans. They will seek to restore order as fast as they can."

Then I will need to move fast, she thought.

"The splendid Niro has learned the location of four of the great Vogga's safe houses, here on Nal Hutta. I'm downloading it now to your data pad. You will find your prey there, both the representative, and his decoys."

"What kind of security force will the Great Vogga use?"

Soldiers culled from the ranks of his own forces," Istris assured her, "Such men should be no problem for a Sith, as for the Representative's personal guard, the Splendid Niro cannot say for sure about them."

"Tell the Sith child that she is on her own if she gets in trouble," Niro spat, "I will not waste my own men if she gets in trouble. She fails. She will be left to Vogga's mercies."

The Hutt chuckled.

"That will not be pleasant for her."

"The Mighty Niro is sad to inform you that he will not be able to offer aid if you get in trouble. Our own forces will be engaged elsewhere, and will not be able to come to your aid if you need it."

Avaryss smirked.

She had expected little else.

She suspected that Niro was using her to sell his own plan. When she attacked these safe houses, this Vogga the Hutt would believe that the reports he was getting from off world were real. If she failed Niro would no doubt throw her under the land speeder. Any blame would be shifted to the Sith Empire. It could threaten the treaties between the Hutts and the Emperor, but Avaryss did not think it would.

Darth Feer would not come to her aid either, if she was defeated by ones such as these. He would likely deem her unworthy of further training. He would not sacrifice his position in the Empire.

She was fine with that.

She had no intention of failing.

She also recognized the fact that she would not be able to leave any witnesses behind. If she picked the wrong safe house and found only a decoy, she would need to slay him and everyone else there. It was the best way to ensure that the treaty between the Hutts and the Sith remained intact.

She would use the Force to try and pick the right one, but that could be chancy, the will of the Force was not always the will of the Sith that wielded it.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

If she picked wrong, she would need to slay everyone, not just the guards, but the servants and their families as well, if any existed there.

Such a realization would have daunted her in the past, but now…now…

Avaryss smiled.

The bloodletting back on Hoth had caused a stirring in her blood. The darkside had awoken fully during that raid. If it did so again here, she would not turn away from it. She would embrace its power.

She was looking forward to it.

"Inform the mighty Niro that he has my thanks. Now, I shall gather my forces," she informed the Hutt's lackey, "We shall begin the attacks immediately."

The Hutt laughed and rumbled a response.

"Hopefully the whore does not march to her death," Niro cackled, "It would be a shame to waste such pretty flesh."

"The Great Niro wishes you good hunting, Sith," his man said, "May your enemies fall before you."

Avaryss chuckled.

"Don't worry," she said with a slight bow.

"They will."