When explanations are needed

Nar Shaddaa was called "Smuggler's Moon" and there were reasons for it. Streets filled with "rookies", bounty hunters, slave traders and more filthy thugs. But it was not Nar Shaddaa that troubled Aliisza, but her hunger. She felt it: a strong urge to feed upon energy of living things. Humans called that little doses of energy "souls", but for her it was just a meal. The ache begun to stun her and the longer she waited, the stronger the pain and dizziness were. She swayed and leaned against the wall to keep on her feet. Despite her hunger she still was able to form a plan for fulfilling it. She slowly proceeded to the Pazaak Den, since her quarters where there. The barman recognized Aliisza real quick and aided her. She was a bit numb, but that was all – and she knew why. She sensed the presence of "souls" around her, and felt a hasty urge to pull out her fangs and eat until her hunger will disappear. She managed to push that thought away just for her own safety – it was most important for her to hide her real identity. Nonetheless she stayed in the main hall of the Pazaak Den and started to search for a prey.

She wasn't looking with her eyes, as it was irrelevant, but instead she studied the "souls" around. Some of them were weak and faint, others bear scares from wars or betrayal. Sometimes she found ones black as obsidian, but she never dared to taste them. She knew that they would harm her from the inside and she could even die because of it. Eventually she caught a light blue beam of light with the corner of her eye. Her fangs start aching once more, but she managed to look upon the soul's owner. It was a rather boring-looking man with big, wide open eyes and thin hair. Aliisza frowned, as she didn't like to feed on unattractive males, however this time she had no other choice… excluding death of course.

"Thank gods that it's not needed to have a 'thing' with my prey. It sometimes would be unbearable." She thought, and approached the man. He was a bit drunk and a few glasses of juma juice were standing on the table in front of him.

"Wanna some company?" she asked seductive.

OOO

When Aliisza was finally full she liked her lips, sensing the cold presence of the soul she had swallowed. It was enough to keep her safe until next week, because the soul was nearly untouched. She never thought about her victims, but this one was strangely calm. "He was aware of who I am, that's for sure. And he knew he couldn't escape, so he just concentrate on peace. Strange… I didn't thought that humans can accept their close death with such a dose of self-control."

Her room at the top of Pazaak Den was quite a luxury accommodation, with all electrical gadgets and a videophone on which her boss use to contact her. Although she kind of like the room, she had a strange feeling like someone was always watching her. Not that she didn't like that thought, but she was curious who it might be.

She quickly realized that it is late, so she rushed to the door, living the lifeless corpse on the floor.

OOO

The Cantina was always occupied by crowds and that was the advantage. It was the only place Aliisza could feast upon little pieces of souls and nobody would ever notice it.

She found Atton near the entrance, where he was playing pazaak with somebody. Aliisza rolled her eyes. "This guy is addicted."

He noticed her and ended the game. "Good to see that you arrived. For a moment I thought you won't come." She smirked.

"I like to talk with you, honey, and I wouldn't miss an occasion to do this." She sat next to him and lolled on the sofa. Her fingers started to play with the medallion she wore. It must have been distracting for Atton, because he started to shift nervously. She lift her eyebrow, and begun to reveal her real causes for meeting him. "You talked with Voga the Hutt, and I know he told you about work on Peragus. But it's a trap, he only want to get your money, your ship and your docking space with it. And after that he will make sure you won't come back from Peragus. Well, not alive, that is."

"And why do you tell me this? Voga is a big part of Exchange, and you betray them by telling me this, you know."

"Because I have my plans for Voga. That smelly Hutt who looks like a pile of shit is going to be… replaced. Soon."

"And you are telling me that for free?"

"Of course not. You heard my words and you understand them. Now tell me, what consequences you see in the future they represent?"

"Mostly it depends on WHO will be Voga the Hutt's successor. And HOW Voga will be removed. Bounty hunters may be a bit confused to… "

"I didn't ask about that. I'm asking about Nar Shaddaa, not the Exchange."

"Economy?" Atton shot. Aliisza nodded sharply.

"But… it won't change…" started Atton.

Aliisza frowned.

"You're wrong. It's simple. Voga the Hutt don't realize what is the real potential of Nar Shaddaa location." She pointed at the Pazaak Den's entrance. "Even that joint is a part of economy, but that Hutt don't understand that too. He sees Nar Shaddaa in a base way: it's a planet filled with thugs for him."

Atton chucked. "And he isn't wrong at all, Aliisza. Nar Shaddaa is like that. It's a pit filled with mud. And we're all sinking in it."

"You want to leave so badly? It's a bit desperate."

"Let's say I have someone breathing on my neck. For money."

Aliisza shacked her head and looked at his pazaak deck.

"Gambler's debts, you mean."

Atton nodded slowly. He felt a cold shiver crawling down his back. How did she managed to assemble all those information in an instant?

"So, you need a sponsor." She assumed with a smirk on her lips. "Or a cancellation of those debts. And I know someone, who could do it with little pain."

"Whoa, slow down, OK?" he chuckled grimly. "I'm not a fool, I know that a sponsor wants his money back and a cancellation is another way of telling 'being sold to slavery'." Atton crossed his arms on his chest. Aliisza's eyebrow quirked a bit.

"You underestimate me. I can cancel your debt without selling your ass to slavery."

"Make me believe in it. Tell me, just how you can do it and what I will have to do to live when the debt will be cancelled."

Aliisza chuckled.

"I have my friends and allies on Nar Shaddaa… but I have hostiles too. I need someone to blast them down. Remove Voga the Hutt and I'll do everything I promised." She narrowed her eyes into slits and leaned towards him. "And even more, I assure you."

"So you want to replace Voga, don't you?" Quipped Atton. Aliisza slowly nodded.

"But not without support." She replied after a long hesitation. "So what's your answer?"

I just noticed it should be Vogga not Voga, but I'm too lazy to change it so don't let it spoil the fun.

Oh, and review please!