Chapter 5: Shidar Zhol'skar

Thellus Asteroid, Dressel System

While humans often referred to prostitution as the 'oldest profession,' and engaged in lively debates about its morality, like everything else, Bothans never gave the institution any philosophical pondering. At the time of the Manda Contact Event three centuries ago, Bothans were certainly engaged in it.

Shidar Zhol'skar had jet-black fur and, like most Askars, spent more time grooming her shiny sharp teeth than she did any other part of her body. Most unusual however, were her violet eyes. Shidar had never met another Askar with the trait.

A week after her eighteenth birthday, she began working at the Sleepy Hollow Brothel in the Gal'skar Docks District. Most of her clients were Bothan, mostly males, mostly from other systems, and mostly starship crew. Two or three times a week however, she would get a human.

To her surprise, this human, a tall, muscly one with a line shaped scar cutting across his eyebrow, was now spending the entire night with her. That's never happened before, she thought as her fur danced excitedly at the prospect of making 310 Zav in one night. But then Ugh.

The human began smoking a death stick.

That should be illegal.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing," she growled with a grimace, leaning on his chest. She stroked his pecs for a moment, trying to think of something sexy to say. "You are just so strong and handsome," she said.

"Yeah. I bet it's a huge relief for you to get a handsome guy like me instead of a fat ugly kriff, huh?"

Shidar stared down at his scarred face. You may be well-built, but you're hardly a looker. "Yep," she growled.

"You wanna know my real name?" he asked with a devious smile.

"You did tell me your real name. Jom. I seen it myself, kiz? Esh the law for you to show me your ID," she growled wearily. Great. Another client who is gonna lie about being Alderaanian Royalty, CorSec Special Forces, an RSF pilot, or—

"—Since I've kriffed you, I can tell you," he said confidently. "My Mandalorian Clan only allows us to tell clan members and partners our real name. You're my partner right?"

"Kiz! Definitely!" she growled enthusiastically, narrowing her violet eyes with an amused feral grin. Mandalorian! Damn this tops all the stupid stories I've heard.

The Mandalorian stretched, lying back in bed with his elbows out and his hands behind his head. "The name's Pul. You're of Clan Askar? I am of Clan Shar," he mumbled proudly with the death stick in his mouth.

She grabbed the death stick from his mouth with her furry fingers and dropped it in the ash tray. "Sorry Pul," Shidar said. "My nose, I am… I am sorry."

"Oh yeah, sorry. Forgot about your nose," Pul said, tapping two fingers on the end of her snout.

Shidar blinked in surprise.

"May I call you riduur?" Pul asked. "It's Mando'a for someone in a love-bond."

"Sure," Shidar growled wryly. "May I call you rurzask? Esh Bothese for cunning."

"Rurzask…" Pul mumbled to himself, repeating it back at her in the thick Askar Bothese accent he heard the word in. "Hmmm… I like the way that word curls my tongue. Sure. My mother always said I was her smartest son."

o-o-o

Shidar's fur now swirled with suspicion. She looked down from her datapad's screen to the sleeping human, then back at the screen. On the datapad, she had a Mando'a to Bothese Dictionary open:

"Riduur: Закон; романтиск партнер. Умтона за усжул яку корн ўођали."

[Riduur: Spose; romantic partner. Used as a complement.]

Hmmm so it was a Mandalorian word… Shtak. I gotta sleep. I've booked this room tomorrow from 1500 to 2300.

o-o-o

Gavin Azi'skar

The reports from Bothawui-9 indicated that everything was going faster than planned. The Varnek dome was now complete and the prototyping facility was nearly finished. Things were going fast enough for him to focus on the Futures Symposium two weeks away, an exposition showcasing new areas of research, proposals for economic strategy, and, of course, the second-largest auction in Bothan space.

This year, with the Clone Wars effectively ending every such expo in Republic and Separatist space, attendance was going to be larger than ever.

I need someone else to help me, Azi'skar realised as he fumbled through the list of attendees on his datapad. Olanir… Olanir and Klaes!

He began dialling Varnek when suddenly, his holopad buzzed. It was coming from the chief of police.

"Good afternoon Grum," Chief Sylvester Geradino said professionally.

Azi'skar remarked the human's holopresence for a moment. "Good afternoon. I am a bit busy right now…"

"You'll never believe this," Geradino muttered. "A prostitute from the docks swung by and said she kriffed a Mandalorian," he guffawed. "She said… she said… hahahaha…"

Azi'skar closed his eyes in frustration. I don't have time to listen to a crazy story about some prostitute.

"She came by with DNA evidence she wanted us to check on—"

"—Gross," Azi'skar snarled furiously. "What does this have to do with anything? Chief, I told you I was busy. Just because some stupid kakawar from the docks believes every story her clients tell her, does not give you the right to disrupt my afternoon."

"I am sorry Grum," Geradino stammered nervously. "I'll get to the point. You told me to bring by any mention of Tarkin to you sir."

Azi'skar's fur swirled nervously. "Yes?"

"She said that she was only telling us because she fears the threat of Tarkin against her Grum…"

"Shtak!" Azi'skar yelped. "How does she know the Tarkins were involved with anything? How does she even know that name?"

"My question exactly," Geradino muttered. "She wants to meet with you and says—"

"I'll be there in twenty," Azi'skar croaked wearily.

"Glad to hear," Geradino said brightly. "Grum, what do you want me to do with the evidence?"

"Throw that shtak away!" Azi'skar snarled impatiently. "I don't see how it's relevant to anything."

"As you wish, Grum."

o-o-o~

Shidar Zhol'skar

Unlike most members of her trade, Shidar liked to follow a slogan posted on many motivational posters under Gavin Azi'skar's face: Kita woks ba zharn aynimat? Reyho woks ba zharn aynimat? Gin-zega woks korn aynimat.[See something dangerous? Smell something dangerous? Then say something.] Shidar's father often liked to quote that one.

It was thus one of the most thrilling moments of her life when Azi'skar himself had come to meet her after she reported the Mandalorians.

Shidar's fur danced with excitement as she sat at a wooden desk in the interview room, drinking a caf. The Grum is coming to meet me. They are taking these Mandalorians very seriously.

Her datapad buzzed. It was her Union Rep Katyir, replying to her request for advice. "Гин-рикордаўоксзомат." [Record everything.] Her fur swirled nervously. All right. She pressed the record button on her datapad once she heard footsteps outside.

She stood up politely as three Bothans entered the room. Two were armed and the third wore a regal black cape with Clan Askar's Sigil—his face she recognised on all of the posters and the five Zav coins, Gavin Azi'skar. All three were dark brown-furred, but Azi'skar had patches of grey. He looked much older than she expected.

Azi'skar blinked in momentary surprise when his gaze went up her body, then reached her eyes. Shidar had seen it a million times. The shock at seeing violet eyes on such a clearly Askar-looking Bothan.

Shidar growled nervously, "Dhųsk shąshąy, phąm Ghrųm ąth phąnam…?" [Good afternoon, Grum and…?"]

"Phąnąm Fręyįr ąth Trigger." [Freyir and Trigger], Azi'skar said casually, without introducing his bodyguards' family names. He walked around the desk and sat down. Freyir and Trigger continued standing by the doorway.

Glad I don't have their job, Shidar thought. Azi'skar must not like them very much. [Grum, I am very glad you are taking this predicament seriously. You are very wise.]

Azi'skar's fur did not dance with excitement at her praise.

Shidar's fur swirled nervously.

[You have very interesting eyes,] Azi'skar noted.

Her fur danced excitedly. The sudden disarming complement relaxed her. [Thank you. I hear that a lot.]

[So… What can you tell me about the Tarkins?] Azi'skar growled cautiously.

[Nothing,] she growled, raising her hands in front of the table in a Spacer hand shrug. [I just heard that the humans were after you.]

[But you used the word 'Tarkin' am I correct?]

[Yes Grum,] she growled nervously.

[Where could you have heard that from?] Azi'skar growled, much more impatiently.

[Um…] Shidar paused. Shtak. This Tarkin stuff is serious. [Prostitute-client confidentiality?] she growled with uncertainty, suddenly avoiding eye-contact. Her fur swirled guiltily.

[That is not a thing,] Azi'skar snarled. [That doesn't exist. You made that up.]

[Oh,] Shidar muttered. [Well, what are we going to do about the Mandalorians?] she asked.

[What Mandalorians?!] Azi'skar growled impatiently.

[Grum,] Shidar sighed. [The Tarkins are after you. Mandalorians are here. Does this not make you think that—]

[—Just because an Arkanis economics professor tells you he's a Mandalorian doesn't mean anything,] Azi'skar growled in a surprisingly fatherly tone. [Humans don't have fur. When they lie, you can't tell so easily. Do you understand? Next time, don't believe everything they say.]

Shtak he thinks I am a total moron. Shidar paused, exhaling slowly, thinking of what to say next. Instead of what the confident tone she wanted to set, her explanation came out as a whiny growl. [Grum, I didn't believe him at first, but then he spoke Mandalorian.]

[It's Mando'a,] Azi'skar sighed. [Have you ever heard Mando'a before?]

The name is irrelevant. [Grum, no I haven't, but—] she stammered.

[—Then how do you know he really spoke Mando'a?]

[My Mandalorian to Bothese dictionary. Grum, I have it right here,] Shidar growled more confidently, pulling out her datapad.

[You are adorable,] Azi'skar snorted. He gave a deep, hearty, mirthful laugh. [We need more un-prejudiced Bothans like you if we are to reform our society. Fewer Bothans with an agenda. Keep being you, but next time—next time someone, a Marine, a Marshal, a cop, I dunno; next time someone tells you classified information, I want you to tell them to stop. Can you do that?]

[Yes Grum,] Shidar growled obediently. Her fur swirled with embarrassment.

[Thank you for your time,] Azi'skar chuckled.

o-o-o

The more Shidar thought about it, the less sense any of it made. An economics professor with scars like that? An economics professor built like a warrior? An economics professor who smokes death sticks and swears like the captain of a garbage scow? Azi'skar must have seen the pictures of the human. He just did not believe her. Very unwise. Very stupid, Shidar thought with an angry scowl.

They would take me seriously if I reported a spice dealer. Mandalorian? No, it's crazy, she frowned. As she rode the maglev back to the Gal'skar Docks District, the inquisitive Bothan began to formulate a plan. A plan to pursue this investigation further even though no one believed her.