Information Gathering

Maul had been waiting for some time, he was not used to his people being so slow when it came to getting answers. Saxon had been reassigned to find out more about this raid on the warehouse after the incident the previous week. He had actually left Zaiya well enough alone for the time being. Something about the whole incident stuck in his mind and he couldn't stop thinking about it. The way she had glared at him, looking past the weapon with no fear in her eyes.

It was intoxicating.

More than that, the final moment, the juvenile little tap on his nose. The moment had thrown him right back to a time he'd almost forgotten. A fleeting moment in his childhood; the closest moment to happiness he'd ever experienced. Before the fire, when all of it was ripped away.

His mind kept going back to that moment, was that why he had kept tabs on her? She reminded him of another girl he'd once known? It was the same gesture, the same words. How could this odd white-haired girl know it? They looked nothing alike so how could it be the same girl? …Perhaps the saying wasn't uncommon. That made more sense, it couldn't be just her that said the same thing.

It wasn't the only thing that stuck in his mind. She was stunning. Her hair looked so soft, those snowy curls hanging down her back. The gentle sultry scent of her perfume, the careful touch of her hands. Full perfect lips and cute facial piercings. Even the dark makeup was alluring and mysterious. So arrogant and smug, she walked around with the airs of an Empress and eyes like blue flames in water. What would she look like splayed out before him? Helpless and begging for him…?

He couldn't think about this.

Maul shoved the stupid useless thoughts from his mind, he had other things to focus on, and it was then -thankfully- that the moment was interrupted by his phone. He waited for a few seconds, seeing it was Saxon's name flashing on the screen.

"Yes?" he said flatly, he had noticed his temper being exhausted far more quickly than usual in the last few days. Everyone seemed to be irritating him.

"Sir, we've found who we might think to be responsible for the raid on the warehouse." The Mandalorian's voice was rushed but not panicky, he seemed to understand that promptness would serve him well in this instance.

"And?" Maul urged.

"We found a weequay that had ties to the Ohnaka gang that gave up a few things," Saxon snickered and Maul did not bother to ask how they acquired the information. Truthfully he didn't care.

"Ohnaka…" he mused. He'd heard the name, though not often, it was some trade group or other. At least that was the front of whatever he was really doing, apparently they had a side hustle in spice and gun running though Maul had paid them little attention. Much to his peril, it seemed. His tattooed lip curled. "I want to speak with this Ohnaka, give him a chance to grovel before I destroy him."

"I believe the gang is a large one, sir, are you sure that's a good idea?" Saxon advised. There was a long pause.

"You would suggest I don't punish those that crossed us, Saxon?" Maul growled threateningly.

"N-No! No sir!" Saxon backtracked quickly, "I just meant that it would take a lot of effort." Maul smirked, he could hear a sliver of fear in the human's voice. It was then that he remembered the flash of bright blue eyes and the smirk turned into a sneer.

"That is why we shall talk to them first," Maul said coldly. "Arrange a meeting."

"Well well! What a surprise this is!" said a loud and heavily accented voice as Maul entered the room. It was a small office in comparison to his own, though lavishly decorated where Maul's was more simple. A fine arrangement of art pieces, gaudy furniture, a decanter half-filled with an amber liquid. If he had to guess, Maul would say that most of the items in here were fake or knock-offs, making it seem as though the owner of the office were more wealthy than he actually was.

The owner himself sat in the large padded chair, his boots on the desk and a wide smile on his wrinkled face. He was flanked by two other weequay, both as dark and leathery-skinned as their "Captain" -so he liked to call himself. His boots seemed well made and he was clad in what looked to be fine clothing, a white shirt, dark pants and a red jacket hung over the back of his chair. He lowered his feet from the desk and stood to extend a ring-encrusted hand to Maul and the two men that had accompanied him, Vizsla and Savage.

Maul met Hondo Ohnaka's grin with a flat stare as he lowered himself into the seat facing him, as he unbuttoned his black suit jacket to sit more comfortably. The shirt he wore was a deep red, the top button undone and he had forgone a tie, there was no need to be so formal on account of this low level criminal. Maul did not take his hand.

"As I understand it," Maul began slowly, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee, and leaned back, his hands impassive in his lap. "There is a debt to be paid."

"A debt?" Ohnaka asked, he lowered his hand, placing both on the desk. What is it that you owe me? I am very understanding, you will find." The absolute audacity of this fool! Maul's brow furrowed into a scowl.

"One of my warehouses was raided, a large amount of inventory was stolen from me." Maul made his face expressionless once more. Ohnaka blinked behind his glasses.

"And you think I had something to do with this?" he asked, his gravelly voice full of surprise. Maul knew better than to assume the Weequay was telling the truth and stared back at him, saying nothing. Ohnaka scoffed, seemingly offended. "Why would I do such a thing?"

"Perhaps you did not know to whom the warehouse belonged." Maul kept his voice measured.

"I am not in the business of running about and stealing things from warehouses! What do you take me for?" he said as he waved a hand laden with gold rings in Maul's direction.

"Do you not steal the very shipments you are hired to deliver?" Maul asked with a twitch of his brow. There was a heavy pause before Ohnaka burst into laughter.

"You have me there!" he grinned and rapped his knuckles on the table. "So! You say you have some things taken from you, I do not see how this could be the fault of Hondo! What makes you think I would-" He trailed off as Maul pulled out an itemised list from inside a concealed pocket in his jacket and opened it. He then handed it along to Ohnaka who frowned, adjusting his glasses as he read. There was little change in his expression, and indeed Weequay were very hard to read, however there was a telltale crease in his brow.

Maul had him. He recognised some of these items. Though, of course he tried to feign ignorance.

"I don't have any idea what this is!" he protested.

"No? I have a man that claims to be one of yours, perhaps we will ask him…?" Maul drawled and Ohnaka looked concerned for a moment before his energetic nature returned.

"Yes, bring this man! If one of my men was so stupid as to do something I did not tell him to do, then on his head be it!" He tossed the piece of paper down onto his desk. "Bring him!"

It was a minute or so later when the door opened, Saxon and Kast dragged in a younger Weequay man. He was bruised and bloody and cowered from the Mandalorians. Oddly from Kast most of all, despite her being much smaller than the 6'3" man that was Gar Saxon.

"It was you, Shandors?"

The second he saw Ohnaka he broke from the patetic whimpers he'd been making and attempted to crawl over to the other man on his knees.

"Please! Pleash boss! I didn' mean t' say nuffin! I wosn' jus' me! It was Nark's idea! I swear I didn'-" He reached Ohnaka and clawed at the man's leg for some pity or salvation, but Ohnaka met Shandors jaw with a solid kick that sent the man sprawling.

"I did not bring you into this company for you to take orders from Nark!" Ohnaka barked. The corner of Maul's mouth twitched, finding this act all very amusing. However he did not have all day, and stood, re-buttoning his jacket. He pressed one finger to the list on Ohnaka's desk and slid it toward himself, taking it to tuck back into his pocket. Better not to leave written evidence of illegal items lying about.

"I see you have your hands full," he said with no shy amount of snideness. "We shall reconvene when you have your affairs in order, and we can come to an arrangement for the missing items." He glanced over to his entourage and inclined his head. "I believe your people have a saying in the old tongue for those that interfere?" he asked with some dry amusement.

"Ke nu'jurkadir sha Mando'ade." Vizsla almost snarled. Maul smirked in approval, then looked to Ohnaka who was now standing.

"I expect to have recompense when we meet again, Ohnaka." Then, with a final glare, he swept from the room, head high as though the crown he bore were made of gold. The three Mandalorians and towering yellow zabrak followed out after him. Ohnaka was in a tight spot and Maul began to realise that this might be an opportunity. Perhaps an expansion for his operation was in order?

Notes:

Hello friends! In case some of you have not been catching up with my notes in APOD, I am back from my holiday and changing up my posting schedule. I will now be posting Sunday nights (Sydney time) alternating between A Prince of Dathomir and Sins of the Father.

I hope you guys enjoyed this one, I have been writing like mad for Sins and I hope that you all will like it as much as I do. I am pretty excited for the things coming up in the story, I have many plans!
As always any and all feedback is welcome and I really do love to know your thoughts so I know where to focus my writing and also where I can improve. So please, any and all comments are encouraged.
Thanks so much for reading, I hope you are all well. I shall see you next week for APOD and in a fortnight for the next part, titled: Puzzle Pieces, where Fives and Zaiya will delve deeper into the players in this game.