Entry Ten – Days after Geonosis, Seventy
It seems I have been spared the need to negotiate directly with any Hutts. In the complex nested binding that forms the Bucket's criminal syndicate hierarchy they are lesser players. Their influence cannot match that of Black Sun, the Pyke Syndicate, or Wandering Star. Also it seems that the Hutts find the distribution of those narcotics popular among the locals and the small time graft that dominates everyday criminal enterprise in this region to be beneath them. Coruscant's most prominent resident Hutt, who due to the nature of Hutt hierarchical systems must dominate all the others, is Ziro. He resides in a glamorous palace in Galactic City. I suspect that some equally glamorous Senator will be chosen to negotiate with him, a burden I am grateful to avoid, at least for now.
Unfortunately, an accord with the Hutts remains elusive. Strange to think of that as a problem, but the impacts of the war have begun to filter down to the underworld in a serious way. The price of droid parts has spiked. Food prices have also increased, though only in a manner that impacts restaurants and luxuries. The vitamin-enriched nutrient pastes and ration bars that serve as the staple diet of the average Bucket resident remain perfectly plentiful, and there is little risk of malnutrition or starvation. I do fear that many businesses will suffer, however, as they may soon be unable to offer meals at a price their customers can afford. The gradual loss of the ability to express one's sense of taste serves as a particularly poignant representation of the war's impact.
This privation does seem to have reduced support for the Separatists, or at least the activity of their loyalists. The number of bombings has fallen, and several cells have been reported to the police. Despite this, there has been no commensurate increase in support for the Republic. Instead there is a general discontent directed against all outsides. I have largely been spared this. Apparently my presence here is considered welcome. This is not greatly surprising, healers are rarely driven out in times of struggle. Such limited arguments as I have been able to make on the Republic's behalf have fallen on deaf ears however. I do not think I have convinced anyone.
Shortages have also impacted medical supplies, drastically in fact. I confess I did not properly anticipate this, even though the result is incredibly obvious. I have received one round of additional medicines to replenish my clinic, but the receiving officer at the Temple made it clear that he can make no promises going forward. The limited funds available for my mission will not support substantial purchases, and even an emergency medpac now represents a significant expense. Even anti-fungals, a material with little direct linkage to battlefield action, have become a restricted commodity. That much I was at least able to research. Apparently clone forces have deployed to a number of worlds with dangerous ambient spores and such medicine is essential to sustain operations.
My stock of anti-fungal medication is already dangerously low. This has become the singular most common ailment I encounter. I do not find that problematic, the various fungal forms present a unique symptom profile for almost every species and formulating regimens suited to the vast local diversity that walks through my door not only provides stimulating work on its own, it is well suited to my expertise and the insights offered by the Force. Should I somehow find the time I believe I have at least ten papers worth publishing. For now I worry that time will become available when my stores run dry.
I have meditated on this problem and found no solution. Not surprising really, meditating rarely seems to help, but I haven't searched out a conventional one either. All the local hospitals have similar problems. Medical production has increased in response to massive wartime purchases authorized by the Chancellor's Office, but it will be some time before new production matches wartime demand. I have made some basic estimates of the possible outcome of a year of unrestricted incubation. The possibility of a pandemic is quite serious.
The ideal solution is a vaccine, and that would have benefits far beyond the immediate crisis, but fungal vaccines are tricky and though I have some ideas for the Bucket's resident spores – which remain nameless, a problem to correct when I find a suitable label – I'm at least a year or more away from even basic testing. Absent such an achievement I need to somehow secure a new supply, for myself and the local hospitals too. Perhaps it is possible to manufacture what is needed locally. A surprising number of my patients work in manufacturing, and though the best anti-fungals utilize botanical compounds that must be grown in specific planetary environments, perhaps there is an entirely synthetic secondary option that might serve. I shall have to research this, though I fear it may be difficult to find funding for any such project. Perhaps not though, I truly do not know. It's strange, I never really worried about credits before. Medical Corps projects always had generous grants supporting them, and no one spends credits in the Temple. Truthfully, I do not understand the mechanisms of the everyday economy, especially not in this strange place. Officer Morne is slightly better, but he too has lived his life in the world of government. Perhaps I should try and make friends with someone in business. Pity I have no idea how to do that, nor any time to spare.
Notes
The three crime syndicates mentioned here are all canonical and known to have underworld associations. Ziro's presence on Coruscant does indicate that the Hutts have interests there, but it seems likely that they focus on a high-tier of the economy.
With regard to anti-fungals, this is a real class of medicines including the compounds used to treat such conditions as Athlete's Foot. Like that condition, fungal conditions tend to proliferate in damp, warm, crowded environments, which fit the underworld perfectly, so they will play a outsize role in this story. Also I kind of wanted to be a little non-traditional and not use bacteria or viruses.
Fungal vaccines, mentioned here by Nema, are cutting edge and in some cases slightly theoretical medicine on Earth today, but it seems reasonable they would have been developed long ago in the Republic.