Nar Shadaa: Two small aliens sat on barstools in a lower level bar known as The Meltdown. One, a diplomat, was drinking krayt milk and eating some dianoga pie, while the other, a Jedi, was sipping some Corellian brandy.
"I sense a disturbance in the Force," said the Jedi putting down his glass. An instant later the counter shook as a bruised and bloodied human was slammed into it by another. The bloodied human grabbed a bottle and smashed it against his attacker as he shoved himself off the counter and continued brawling.
"Was that it?" asked the diplomat putting down his glass of milk. Jedi shook his head.
"No," responded the creature before sighing. "I think the Bernadelli Insurance Company is after us again."
"Oh great," said the diplomat annoyed. "Do you think they're sending a representative after us?"
"After that last one went insane?" asked the Jedi incredulously before calming down. "I dunno maybe. But it's probably just a ruse."
"You think so?" asked the diplomat looking at the Jedi through his shades. "You think we finally pushed Bernadelli over the edge to want to get rid of us once and for all?"
"You recall him threatening us with that three strikes and you're out policy forty years ago, don't you?" asked the Jedi sipping his brandy. "I think our last game qualified as the third strike."
"Bah," said the diplomat waving his hand. "That last game was only one hole long and we only caused 100,000 creds worth of damage. That shouldn't have counted as a strike."
"Strike or no strike he is pissed. So it looks like we've traded one threat for another," said the Jedi.
"What's wrong?" asked the bartender nonchalantly while on the other side of the counter cleaning out a glass as the fight dissolved into a flurry of laser fire scorching the area around him. "Forget to pay your policy?"
The Jedi and the Diplomat groaned and then shook their heads at him as the bartender smiled.
"Nice one buddy you got another?" they asked annoyed. The Meltdown was the two aliens favorite haunt whenever they came to Nar Shadaa and the bartender had long remembered them as his most irregular regular customers.
"No, no I don't," said the bartender as he took out his cloth and began wiping at some of the new carbon scoring on the wall. More laser blasts flew back and forth in the bar as various aliens scattered behind tables and other obstacles to protect themselves from the laser blasts. The only people who didn't scatter were the bartender and the diplomat and Jedi. But that all changed when a laser blast took out the Jedi's bottle. The Jedi looked at it in silence before pushing himself off his stool and walking towards the center of the blasterfire. The bartender replaced his bottle as the sound of an energy blade snapped on and there was a flurry of laser blasts and a scream in agony before the Jedi returned to his seat and poured himself another drink as the rest of the patrons put all the tables back up and sat down and went back to their business except for some who dragged out the two laser blaster ridden humans.
"Thanks," said the bartender. The Jedi shrugged.
"Just keepin' the peace," said the Jedi simply as the diplomat laughed. Then both instantly became silent as did the rest of the patrons as a squishing sound was heard. A massive Hutt squeezed his way into the bar as the other creatures hurriedly finished their drinks and tore off out of the bar. The diplomat and the Jedi continued sitting where they were as they both starred at the bartender and the glasses on the shelves behind his head. The bartender sighed and moved off as the Hutt drew closer and closer. The diplomat put on his shades and swirled his milk as suddenly both creatures found their vision blocked by a pair of large hands.
"Guess who!" said the deep voice that was still somehow exuberant at the same time.
Zoda sighed. "You know perfectly well that given the fact that there's only one Hutt in the universe who doesn't hate us that kind of limits who it could be."
"Yeah," said Neva Kee. "How's it going Zobba?"
The Hutt removed his hands and became and laughing as the Jedi and the diplomat spun around on their stools and faced him.
"Hi guys!" said the Hutt happily as the two other aliens sighed. "What're you doing in my neck of the woods?"
"Just passing through," said Neva not offering any other information than that.
"Oh, are your diplomatic skills needed here on The Smuggler's Moon?" asked Zobba sincere and confused.
"You never know," responded Neva Kee. "You never know."
"And how've you been Zoda?" asked Zobba. Zoda shrugged.
"Murder, mayhem, destruction, you know how it is," said Zoda sipping his drink again.
"No, I don't," said Zobba sincerely. "But it's great that you're here at this time though because I need a favor."
"What is it this time?" asked Zoda annoyed. "We both nearly got killed the last time you had us perform one of your 'favors'."
"You know it's always for a good cause," said the Hutt hurt. Zoda groaned as Neva Kee sighed.
"Yes you're right, we're sorry," said the diplomat. "So what is it? We're kind of in a small rush here."
"Yeah because if you found out we were here than Jabba knows too," said Zoda finishing his drink.
"Alright, can you please accompany me to my abode?" asked Zobba preparing to leave. Zoda and Neva Kee shared a glance even through their sunglasses before each took out some coins and deposited them on the counter before leaving with the Hutt.
"You really think Jabba is going to try something?" the diplomat asked as they trailed the Hutt.
"Unlikely," responded the Jedi. "Even though it would be incredibly convenient he's not going to risk having the Hutts find out about this little debt, it'd ruin his reputation. Jabba isn't about to risk that."
"All the same we should still be careful, somehow I don't see Zobba's request being just a walk in the park," said the diplomat darkly.
"Agreed," responded the Jedi as he patted his two trusty dueling sabers as they advanced further into the darkness of Nar Shadaa.
Spaceport: Keira cracked her neck as she emerged from the passenger craft and looked over her makeup that made her appear much more dangerous than she would otherwise. There was no customs building on Nar Shadaa as the virtually non-existent local government didn't care what happened on their planet at all. As she advanced through the field, she carefully looked at every ship before finally spotting the blue Y-Shaped vessel that had torn over her head back on Kuat.
"That's it. So they are here," she thought. Although she was going to be happy to see them, ultimately she knew that her job came first. As she advanced towards the ship wondering if they were inside, a gang of tough and heavily muscled creatures instantly appeared and stood between her and the ship.
"What do you think you're doing?" demanded a Luwingo, clearly the leader of the bunch.
"Does this ship belong to Ambassador Neva Kee?" asked Keira calmly as she calmly made she her blastech was in an easy position for her to get out if things turned ugly.
"Who wants to know?" demanded the Luwingo.
"I have business with him and his companion Zoda. I need to leave a message with them telling that I am here," she said.
"Even if that is true and this is their ship, we are here to protect it and we won't allow anyone near it," said the Luwingo.
"I see," said Keira slowly as she wondered what to do about this mess. Bribe them maybe?
"You can't bribe us. We're protecting this ship thanks to the massive debt we owe the owner of this ship. But if you really want to get in touch with them, the last we heard they were at a place called The Meltdown," said the Luwingo crossing his arms indicating the end of the conversation.
"Thanks," said Keira nodding her head and leaving. As they watched her go, the gang looked at each other confused before the Luwingo pulled out a comm. unit.
"Sir," he said into it.
Elsewhere: The diplomat, the Jedi, and the Hutt were in a massive elevator headed to the top of an extremely tall building.
"Here," responded the diplomat into his comm.
"You had a visitor," said the Luwingo. The diplomat looked at the Jedi who shrugged unsure as to who it could've been.
"What did he want?" asked the diplomat into it.
"It was a she actually," said the Luwingo. The Jedi and the diplomat's eyes went wide-open at that one.
"Yeah we were surprised too. She had spunk I'll give you that," said the Luwingo also bewildered.
"What did she want?" asked the diplomat.
"She said she had business with you and your friend and that she needed to contact you," said the Luwingo.
"What did you tell her?" asked the diplomat.
"That the last place we knew you were was at The Meltdown. Sorry if that throws a kink into anything," said the Luwingo regretfully.
"Don't worry about it we're no longer there," said the diplomat. "And if she finds us she finds us. Just keep watching the ship and don't worry about it."
"Will do," said the Luwingo as the comm. went dead. The diplomat put it away.
"Bernadelli's representative?" asked Zoda.
"Maybe," said Neva Kee. "But let's not worry about that right now, we have more pressing matters to attend to."
The elevator doors opened revealing a wrap around auditorium with a single person sitting near the bottom next to a holoprojector.
"Oh thank goodness," said the man nervously. "I was worried something happened."
"Relax," said Zobba holding up his hands. "I found the help as I said I would."
"That's it, just two aliens?" asked the man confused.
"They're the best of the best," said Zobba. "May I present Grand Master Z, weapons expert, and Captain N: The Gamemaster whose specialty is negotiations. This is R. Chase."
The two aliens slightly nodded their head in his direction but remained silent.
"Mr. Chase is a dear friend of mine who has run afoul of some trouble," Zobba explained. "He came for me to help and I in turn come to you for assistance. Chase."
R. Chase nodded and breathed in and out nervously as he thought about where to begin.
"Quickly," said Zobba. "My two friends are in no mood to wait. And besides we don't have much time."
"Fine, fine," said Chase. "I used to work for a Lord Clyde, leader of a spice cartel called the Coyotes, years ago but I got out of his organization recently to live a more clean life with my fiancée. But last week she turned up missing on her way to work and I tried frantically trying to search for her. Then yesterday I got this."
Chase pressed a button and the holographic imager came to life of a gray haired man with a cane and a monocle.
"Hello Chase," said Clyde simmering with anger. "I'll make this short. I have your girlfriend with me and if I'm not paid 1,000,000 creds at this location and at this time then I'll kill her. And then I'll find you and kill you too. Oh, don't bother bringing any weapons, there's an energy dampening field in effect here that'll block all weapons. Later."
The image then exploded with light, which Chase shut his eyes toward while Zobba's eyes accommodated quickly to the change and the diplomat and the Jedi's sunglasses instantly adjusted as well revealing a map with a dot on it before instantly shutting off. The diplomat and the Jedi glanced sideways at each other for several moments in silence, as if debating their options, before the diplomat held out his hand and Zobba put a briefcase in it and the two left without a single word.
"Was that it?" asked Chase shocked. "Did they agree?"
"Yes the agreed. If they hadn't they would've just left," said Zobba as the elevator doors closed.
"But do they know I don't have the entire fee?" asked Chase as Zobba led him out of the room.
"They know," he said.
"But then why take the briefcase?" asked Chase.
"That was their fee," said Zobba simply.
"Wha-," began Chase in shock.
"I said they didn't come cheap. You chose to accept that, it's out of my hands now," said Zobba. "Now let's get you home, your fiancée should be home soon."
"And if they fail?" asked Chase.
"Then you have more important things to be worrying about," said the Hutt as they exited down another elevator.
Elevator: Zoda was kneeling in front of the briefcase and was counting the credits.
"325,000 credits," said Zoda putting the final one back and closing the briefcase. Neva Kee shook his head.
"That doesn't offer him a lot of leeway. It's 450,000 minimum Zobba why didn't you tell him that?" said Neva Kee to the heavens.
"Do you not want to go through with it?" Zoda asked standing back up.
"No. Like Zobba said it's for a good cause," said Neva Kee sighing.
"What do you think he did to piss of Clyde?" asked Zoda after a couple moments.
"I don't know but it must have been something big. Clyde rarely resorts to kidnapping because if you piss him off he'll have you killed," responded Neva Kee.
"Do you want to discover what it is?" asked Zoda.
"Nope," said Neva Kee decisively as the elevator rumbled to a halt and the two emerged into the now rainy street. Unperturbed the diplomat and the Jedi went straight head long into it headed for their meeting.
"Where do you think our tail is?" asked the Jedi after a couple moments.
"Who cares?" said the diplomat annoyed. "I've got more important things to worry about at the moment than someone who'll never find us."
The Meltdown: "I'm looking for these two guys," said Keira to the bartender. "Have you seen them or not?"
The bartender looked at her nonplussed and then at the photos of Neva Kee and Zoda.
"Even if I have why does that concern you?" the bartender asked cleaning out a glass.
"It just does," said Keira. "Now are you gonna tell me where they are or not?"
The bartender shrugged.
"I don't know where they are," he said. "But they left here not too long ago with a Hutt named Zobba. That's all I know."
"Thank you," said Keira as she put away the photo.
"You want some advice?" asked the bartender.
"Not particularly, no," said Keira putting on a coat to brave the rain outside.
"Don't chase after these two. If you do and you confront them, you won't ever be coming back. Believe me I know. I've sent more than a few people who came looking for them their way and none have ever been seen again," said the bartender. Keira sighed and tightened up her coat as she tossed a couple coins onto the counter.
"Thanks," she said annoyed.
"Don't mention it, not that you'll ever have the opportunity to," said the bartender simply as he put the glass on the shelf and Keira left with a scowl. As she advanced through the streets she wondered what she was doing chasing two aliens who were on a simple quest to play a round of Golf like no other. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she failed to notice a pair of smaller robed aliens walking right next to her in silence, one of whom had a metal briefcase. The two aliens would nearly have escaped her notice had she not turned right and they left resulting in them colliding with each other causing them to fall over.
"Sorry," said Keira suddenly as she got up and tried to help the smaller figures who waved her off. She tried to pick up the briefcase but found it plastered to the ground by some invisible force.
"We'll get it," said one of the aliens picking it up with ease and both headed off away from her. Keira nodded and was about to continue walking when she heard something that made her stop.
"So where do you think our balls are?" asked one of the aliens.
"Somewhere near our destination actually," said the other alien gratefully as he looked at a small portable scanner.
"Excellent. Nothing better than killing two rancors with one rocket launcher," said the first with a grin.
"Must everything you say involve death or mutilation?" the second alien responded. The other shrugged as silence descended on them again. Keira meanwhile looked at the two aliens in shock.
"Of all the luck," she thought before slowly following them curious as to where their destination was.
Later, warehouse: The Coyotes stood behind Lord Clyde in a large empty warehouse waiting for their quarry to show up. Tied to a chair behind them was R. Chase's girlfriend, bound and gagged.
"Don't worry," said Clyde with mock sincerity. "Soon it'll all be over and you and your boyfriend will be able to free."
He laughed to himself as the doors at the opposite end of the warehouse opened and in strode two small aliens. The Coyotes snapped up their weapons but found that they couldn't squeeze down on their triggers.
"Well, well, well," said Clyde shaking his head in shame. "If it isn't Grand Master Z and Captain N: The Gamemaster. Well it's certainly a surprise to see you two again."
The two aliens stood at the end of the warehouse in shadows completely silent.
"Let me guess, Chase conned Zobba into conning you two into helping him," said Clyde.
"That's right," responded the diplomat.
"And I suppose you're here to stop me," said Clyde.
"That's right,"
"And surely you've realized as I have that by now negotiations are over," said Clyde. "Because I don't normally take hostages."
"That's right,"
"And I suppose what's in that briefcase isn't the 1,000,000 credits I asked for and is instead your fee," said Clyde beginning to be come irritated.
"That's right," said the diplomat begin to show a grin.
"And Grand Master Z, I suppose you've also found a way to somehow circumvent the dampening field that's blocking your lightsaber from working," said Clyde beginning to become even more angry. The sound of metal scrapping against metal was heard as the small alien produced a pair of katana blades and quickly spun them around in his hands. All the group saw at the other end was a glint of metal.
"That's right," responded the Jedi this time around with a grin as well.
"Just so you know, I hope there's no animosity between us," said Clyde thoughtfully. "You probably don't want to be here anymore than I do and I certainly no what it's like to be the go between guy. We're cool correct?"
"That's right," responded the diplomat again. Clyde began growling.
"You're not going to say anything other than 'that's right' are you?" demanded the gang leader.
"That's right," said both of them with big grins.
"Take 'em down!" shouted Clyde to his gang as they opened fire with projectile weapons. The diplomat flung up the briefcase to shield himself from the bullets as the Jedi began slashing and deflecting the rest all over the place before Force running towards the other side at an incredible speed. The diplomat pulled out a modified revolver and began firing at the other side with it taking out a pair of gang members before ducking behind the briefcase as more bullets flew by. Zoda meanwhile had speed up so fast he had left the ground and was running along one of the walls towards the gang while still deflecting bullets. Outside, Keira heard the shooting and raced as quickly as she could to the warehouse in the distance.
"Take him out with the rocket launcher!" shouted Clyde as he had his gang focus their entire assault on the Jedi. One of the more obese gang members, Molo, hauled out a rocket launcher and aimed it at the Jedi who was still running along the wall. The rocket went flying out at the Jedi who tossed his right katana into his left hand and used the now empty right hand to deflect the rocket straight up into the ceiling where it exploded.
"Ha!" said the Jedi happily as he landed again on his feet and deflected a couple more bullets.
"Zoda you idiot!" shouted Neva Kee from behind him as he ran from falling debris. Unfortunately the explosion had now caused the roof to start caving inwards as the debris not started hurtling towards everyone.
"Whoops!" said Zoda embarrassed. "It's not my fault, they shot the rocket!"
"Just rescue the hostage!" shouted Neva Kee as he pressed a button on the suitcase and wheels popped out of left side and the blue alien ran for a little bit before slamming it on the ground and riding it across the falling debris field. The Jedi meanwhile finally reached the other end of the warehouse and began taking out Coyotes left and right. As Neva Kee was coasting along the floor, his scanner suddenly went off and he looked up to see the two golf balls plummet to the ground from where they had apparently been resting on the roof.
"Excellent!" said Neva Kee with a grin as Zoda deflected yet another stray bullet from yet another Coyote into the ceiling, blasting away a piece of rubble about to fall on the diplomat.
"Zoda!" Neva Kee shouted over the destruction.
"What?" demanded Zoda over the noise.
"We're in business!" shouted Neva Kee as his club extended. Zoda's expression turned from seriousness to glee. Keira meanwhile finally reached the doorway but screamed as debris fell all around her as she leapt back outside. The entryway was now nearly completely covered with debris but she could still make out the two forms of Zoda and Neva Kee.
"Just give me a minute!" she heard Zoda say over the noise as he cut down another guard. "Where're we going this time?"
"Bothawui!" Neva Kee shouted back as he rolled past his ball and swung his club with one hand causing it to connect and have the ball go rocketing off into the stratosphere. The Jedi meanwhile slashed the prisoner's shackles it two and she rubbed her wrists.
"Get out of here!" shouted the Jedi as he sliced away another piece of debris and flung another away with the Force. The woman nodded and tore out of the room as Neva Kee went coasting by and held out his hand, which the Jedi grabbed and was swung up onto the briefcase.
"Nice wheels?" Zoda laughed as Neva Kee tugged on the rope that he was using to hold onto the thing and directed it back to the remaining ball as more and more chunks of the ceiling rained down.
"If we don't hurry, your balls going to be crushed and you'll be a stroke behind," said Neva Kee with a grin.
"Ha, ha," said Zoda annoyed. The golf ball loomed closer and closer and they finally reached it as Zoda used the Force to guide his actions as they went past it and he back swung, connected with the ball and it went straight off to Bothawui as well.
"Not too shabby," said Neva Kee as the briefcase came to a halt as one final piece of debris came falling on their heads.
"If you would do the honors," said Neva Kee handing Zoda the rope attached to the briefcase.
"It's nice to be needed," Zoda huffed as he hopped off of the briefcase as the piece of debris came closer and closer.
"Just do your job," said Neva Kee as he laid down onto the case and held on for dear life.
"Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts and prepare for takeoff," said Zoda as suddenly they were gone and the piece of debris hit the spot where they had been. Keira watched them vanish before she leapt out of the way of the remaining slot in the debris filled doorway as dust went flying out of it. She sighed and shook her head as she dusted herself off and was about to chase after them when she heard police sirens in the distance.
"I do not believe this," she said shaking her head as she grabbed her blastech and ran off from the scene. On the other end, Zoda and Neva Kee went flying out the doorway before Zoda slammed to a halt and Neva Kee spilled off the edge of the briefcase as the cord when taut and the thing was yanked off of its wheels.
"Way to go Z," said Neva Kee rubbing his now sore behind. The Jedi meanwhile was looking at Clyde who was holding the escaped hostage with a blaster to her neck.
"You loose negotiators," said Clyde happily as blood streaked down his face. "I've won and the hostage is going to die thanks to my now functional blaster. What do you have to say about that?"
Zoda and Neva Kee looked at each other through their shades before reaching a decision.
"Well let's go then," said Neva Kee. Zoda nodded.
"Right with you Captain N," said Zoda as both began walking away.
"What?" demanded Clyde as he and the hostage watched them walk away in shock. "That's it? What about your assignment?"
"Assignment's over," said the diplomat turning to look at him simply. "We won."
"But the hostage is still going to die," said Clyde.
"Our assignment was to free the hostage from the warehouse. We did that. Whatever happens after that no longer is our concern," said the diplomat simply.
"Yeah," said the Jedi. "If she escaped the building only to get hit by falling debris, we can hardly be held responsible for that. Well…good day Clyde, maybe we'll see each other again sometime."
The two continued walking away in silence.
"Don't you dare turn your backs on me," Clyde said as he aimed his blaster at them and fired. But as soon as Clyde fired he realized that with the dampening field now down, his blaster wasn't the only thing that had begun working again. Zoda's twin dueling sabers shot out of his sleeves and spun around his hands before he spun around and deflected the shot back at him while simultaneously using the Force to yank his hostage away from him. The blaster bolt slammed into the blaster and it exploded causing Clyde to drop to his knees in pain.
"Oh cheer up, it's just a first degree burn," said Zoda walking up to him. "The cops'll fix you up in no time."
"You'd better go," said Neva Kee to the hostage who took off running.
"You know we never did get her name," said Zoda watching her leave.
"Probably for the best after all the less people you know the less people who will want to kill you," said Neva Kee as the sirens blared louder and louder.
"Well let's be off," said Zoda as he and Neva Kee took off. But as they ran from alleyway to alleyway they suddenly encountered a steep drop off to the abyss below.
"Oh great," said Zoda annoyed. "This is what I get for letting you lead."
"When will you ever learn, there's more than one way to skin a cat," said Neva Kee.
"Now who has the gruesome references?" asked Zoda as suddenly Neva Kee's ship rose up from the cavern and hovered next to them.
"You were saying?" Neva Kee asked as he hopped into the entrance hatch.
"Forget it," responded the Jedi also leaping onboard. An instant later the craft tore off into the nighttime sky.
"Odd that we didn't encounter Bernadelli's representative," said Neva Kee pressing some buttons on his console as the craft made a couple twists and turns through the steel canyons of Nar Shadaa.
"Yeah, The Force usually doesn't lie about these sorts of things," said Zoda slightly confused. "But maybe it was just a premonition instead. Nevertheless, that woman we ran into earlier looked familiar."
"Yeah I though so too," said Neva Kee. "Oh well I doubt we'll be seeing her again. Next stop Bothawui!"
Steets: Keira watched the blue spacecraft fly overhead before angling upwards and vanishing into space.
"I'll see you two on Bothawui," said Keira to the skies as she headed for the spaceport.
Kuat Drive Yards: "Ah Mr. Bernadelli, how can I help you?" asked Lord Kuat. He and the head of the Insurance Company were currently in his office as a pair of massive battlecruisers were seen being built behind him in the drydocks.
"I have come to purchase some of your fine craft," said Kuat simply.
"Ah good," said Kuat inwardly disappointed. "We have the finest luxury craft in the galaxy perfect for…"
"I'm not looking for pleasure craft I'm looking for warships," said Bernadelli decisively. Kuat looked at him wide-eyed.
"Ummm…okay," he said at a loss for words. "May I ask the intended target?"
"A green imp who has pulled my last straw," said Bernadelli. "His actions are threatening to bankrupt my company and I will see to it that he is eliminated before that happens."
"I see," said Kuat before smiling inwardly. "Thank you Zoda, you did provide me with that war after all."
"Well we do have a few models that I think you'll be please with," Kuat began as the holoprojector on his desk sprung to life showing a bunch of ships, everyone of them triangular shaped in design.
"Excellent," said Bernadelli. "Soon you will be dead Zoda and then I will be able to finally find some peace."