Y'toub System – Nar Shaddaa
It wasn't a long hyperspace trip to the Smuggler's Moon. I used my Basilisk's computers to locate this "Club Diverso," and located a landing pad nearby. It was in the Hutt sector of Nar Shaddaa, known as Nal Varl. I hadn't much experience of the Hutts, only knowledge. All I knew was, they were fat blobs that once had an empire, and were now just major crime lords. Simple as that. I landed the Basilisk, equipped my gear, and set off.
Nar Shaddaa was as it always had been – dark, grimy, and smelly. It wasn't just oil that stained the ground and buildings. At least we Mandalorians cleaned up after ourselves. Damn aruetiise put no faith in basic hygiene or cleanliness. It sounded crazy, sure, Mandalorians putting value into such things – however, people can't operate well if their bodies are diseased. The night sky had a dark green hue to it, a symptom of centuries of pollution.
A dock officer, a Gran henchman, approached, but paused as I exited the Basilisk. This might have been my second time to the Vertical City, but it was probably his first time seeing a Mandalorian. I walked by him, saw he had choked on his words, and simply flipped him a credstick. Whatever I thought dryly. I walked through the dirty streets of the neighborhood, past merchants, local denizens, and small cantinas. I got the usual stares. It was odd, being among…so many sentients. Aruetiise, anyway. Usually these crowds had been trying to kill me…now they just simply stared, and I had no reason to fight them.
My current affairs led me eventually to Club Diverso. The club's blue neon lights brightly lit up the word "Diverso" before forming into the shape of a half-naked woman. The bouncer let me in, and the obvious "main attractions" were on stage doing what they did best. I headed straight to the bar, the exotic pink and orange lights setting the mood for the joint. The patrons ignored me as they watched the women on stage. A Twi'lek gal approached and started her sweet-talk routine with me as I reached the bar, but I ignored her and played the quiet type. Seeing she'd have to put too much time into me to get any credits or even a drink, she walked off. I had my back to the bar, eyeing the establishment. I was looking for somewhere that Rajja could be found. Various guards kept watch over the door to the girls' dressing room, but those Gank bodyguards standing by the turbolift caught my eye. They noticed my attention as well, and kept an eye on me. I turned back around to the bar, mindful of the guards and their interests. The bartender, a Near-Human of some sort, meandered over to me.
"What'll it be?"
"Varl Beeska." I answered. Now was the time to see if Zu'mar's information was worth it.
The bartender paused for a moment, before turning to make a drink on the counter behind him. I watched him, suspicious. Was this a trap? I noticed him press a button on the underside of the counter, and a few moments later turned around to give me a drink. He looked me straight in the visor, and nodded with his head towards the lift. Head on up. I dropped a credstick on the counter and passed the drink to the bloke next to me at the bar. I walked off towards the turbolift. The Gank guards stood aside, having already admitted plenty of people to see their master. I entered the turbolift, and went up.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
The turbolift opened, to a room full of more Gank guards, a small number of bounty hunters, and the Hutt himself on his dais. The room had one-way windows on the left wall, overlooking the stage. Adjacent the windows was a small bar, while on the right side of the room was Rajja on his dais. The Hutt was flanked by his guards and with his guests standing in front of him. My entrance warranted everyone's interest – and blasters – on me.
"Hold your fire men. You, Mandalorian. How did you get up here? GUARDS!" Rajja yelled. The Ganks had already come into range to blast me at point blank, and forced me into a corner of the room. Rajja was on the comm to the guards downstairs. After a few minutes, Rajja got the picture. I had been allowed entrance after using the right pass phrase. Now there was suspicion of where I had learned it from. Rajja was on the comm again, speaking to all his contacts. After several more minutes of talking and myself restrained by his guards, the bounty hunters crowding and talking, Rajja looked over at me.
"Let him go. Mandalorian, I understand you're looking for a mark." Rajja began. Apparently he had some friends in high places…His guards backed off, and I walked forward. The other bounty hunters looked at me with suspicion and incredulity.
"I was told you had a job needed doing, Hutt."
"I do. This job was a special invite for these gentlemen, but another bounty hunter could help. Especially one of your kind. Now then, where was I?" Rajja asked.
The other bounty hunters walked back over, but kept their distance. I identified them. There was a Saurin, an Ithorian, Ubese, Human, and a Stereb. They were obviously all seniors in the trade, and probably didn't like a newcomer making his way right in. Whatever.
"The money, Rajja." The Saurin said.
"Ten million Republic Credits, divided between the victors." Rajja replied. It was a lot of money – high price for a big mark. I was getting anxious. I wanted to hear who it was. Rajja activated a holo. "My client has placed a bounty on a Mandalorian general. Cassus Fett. A survivor of the last war."
I didn't know what to say or do. My first instinct was to walk out. I wouldn't hunt a fellow Mandalorian. I wanted to confront Zu'mar on this. After a moment I calmed myself. This was my first bounty. I told myself I was going to do it, and that was that. The past was the past – I was a bounty hunter, and what came before didn't matter. Only the mission mattered.
"What did this 'Fett' do to earn himself a bounty?" The Ithorian asked.
"Made a name for himself in the war as the Mandalorian leader's right hand man, killed millions. Topped it off by personally killing a Republic Captain at Jaga's Cluster." Rajja elaborated. The Battle of Jaga's Cluster. Cassus had gone into hiding after that. Apparently, somebody had found him.
"With a Mandalorian around, I'm sure it'll be easy finding this Cassus." The human said. I looked at him through my visor, and noticed his sneer. I didn't like it. I made it a point to return the attitude when all was said and done.
"Perhaps. My client has already given us a tip. There's a mining operation on Omman Minor that they believe is a front set up by Cassus. I'm sending my own men to aid you all on this mission." Rajja said. Probably wanted more than a finder's fee I mused to myself. "That is all, bounty hunters." Rajja said. As I turned to leave, the Saurin and the Ithorian confronted me.
"Hey. You." The Saurin started. He pointed at me as he and the Ithorian drew near. I turned to look at them, but said nothing. The other hunters gave our exchange a passing glance before heading for the turbolift.
"This one's quiet. Too quiet. Those are always the odd ones, Irkchik."
"You got that right. Listen here, Mandalorian. I can tell you're new. I can smell it. You might think you're the hot new blaster jock-"
"Don't lecture me and don't waste my time. Get to the point." I said, cutting him off. The Saurin seemed to scowl at that, while the Ithorian crossed his arms.
"Fine. Here's the rules in bounty hunting: Don't waste your life over a bounty. Credits aren't worth dying for. Second: The mark is the main priority. Being a bounty hunter doesn't give you a license to kill everyone in sight."
"Didn't plan on it. Continue."
"We bounty hunters work together when we're co-hired by the same employer. We fight as a team. We don't fight each other for the money. When we work solo, we don't try and take each other's bounties. Lastly, we're not murderers or butchers. If you capture a target, the job is done. You don't execute a prisoner. We aren't in the business to make a bloodbath. We're professionals. We respect each other and we're not out for blood. Do you understand, Mandalorian?"
It was all self-explanatory, and it was nothing I was surprised by. "You don't have to worry about me, Saurin."
"If you say so. I'm Irkchik Nas Torr. My Ithorian friend is Palscho Alto. The human you saw with us is Terran Haas, the Ubese is Suuvarsh, and the Stereb is Munshaan. And you?"
"Fett. Douglas Fett." I replied.
"Must be personal then." The Ithorian said.
I waved it off. The Saurin and the Ithorian looked like seasoned hunters. I realized that despite my own experience in the war, there was something new to being a bounty hunter. I hated being the "new guy" in a trade where my background surpassed those around me, but I'd have to suck it up for the time being.
As we left Rajja's quarters to head back downstairs, my mind settled on our target. Cassus Fett. I couldn't get it out of my head. I was hunting a fellow Mandalorian, and a Fett. I tried to wrap my mind around having to hunt him, that it was just a job. The mark came first, everything else second. Rajja's girls went on about their business as we left, and the clientele barely noticed our exit. As we went outside the club and headed for the landing pads, the other human called out to me.
"You got your own ship, Mando?" He asked. Terran Haas was his name. His distaste for me was evident in his voice.
"That's no concern of yours." I replied coolly. He shrugged.
"Just making sure. We all flew in on the same ship, and there's no room left for you." Terran said back. Meaning, you're on your own, dude.
Terran and the Stereb, Munshaan, spoke with each other. I couldn't tell if they were having a serious private conversation, or snickering at me. The Ubese was silent and didn't make small talk. The Ithorian, Palscho Alto, and the Saurin, Irkchik Nas Torr, were talking about weapons. I was the new guy, an outsider, and if I wanted into the bounty hunter community, I'd have to work for it. Very well. We got to the landing pads, and before splitting to our ships, Irkchik gave me coordinates for the planet. There was no time to waste. We got into our ships, left Nar Shaddaa, and blasted off into hyperspace.