Episode 15 – Chain Breakers Part 2
Quinlan Vos: Revealed! After decades in hiding since the end of the Clone Wars, the Kiffar Jedi Master has been unmasked as the enigmatic leader of the slave rescuing swoop gang: the Chain Breakers! Supported in secret by pirate-turned-crime lord: Hondo Ohnaka, the Chain Breakers lead a crusade to eradicate the illegal slave trade being carried out in Nar Shaddaa's underworld! Now the Jedi Order seeks to reunite with Quinlan and bring him into the new Jedi Order!
Aboard the Florrum Firaxa, in low orbit over Nar Shaddaa…
T'ra Saa approached a room on the Providence-class carrier/destroyer, the door closed. She reached out to knock only to find it open for her. Inside she found an aged Quinlan Vos, seated in the center of a simply kept room, his back turned to the door.
"Come in, Master Saa." Vos said as T'ra walked in, closing the door behind her.
"Hello Quinlan." She greeted softly with a small but sad smile.
"No…I'm not of the Dark Side." Quinlan said.
"I never said-." "You were thinking it." He interrupted.
"Then why do I sense darkness about you? What has happened to you since we last met?" T'ra asked.
"Despite the fowl stench and the rampant crime that pollutes this city, I have lived in relative happiness. Khaleen, Korto, and I lived happily and peacefully together for many years. We were able to avoid the notice of the Empire and Korto has grown up without a speck of the Dark Side upon him, for which I am proud. But eventually the Dark Side caught up to us. Khaleen…my love…she was captured while at the market a few years ago. She was sold into slavery and when I found out who had purchased her, I hunted down her 'owner' and demanded to see her. Now I wish I'd never seen her…oh Khaleen, my beautiful Khaleen." Quinlan said as T'ra knelt down behind him, realizing what had happened.
"I'm sorry, Quinlan." She said as Vos let out an audible shudder of sadness.
"She was so beaten, so abused. She no longer resembled the woman I loved. She was so relieved to see me, so happy to be free. Then they killed her before my eyes as an example of their cruelty, and in my grief and anger I…I…" Quinlan explained as tears flowed from his eyes.
"You killed them." She deduced.
"Yes. I killed them in cold blood. It was only after they were all dead, that I realized what I had done. I looked into their pasts and found out who it was that they purchased her from. I swore vengeance there and then. So T'ra I am not of the Dark Side, nor am I of the light. I am a Jedi no longer. I am not Sith either." Quinlan said as T'ra placed a hand on his back.
"There are many wounds I know to heal, but wounds of the heart are something even I cannot cure. But perhaps by finding solace with the Force, among fellow Jedi, you will find peace." T'ra said but Quinlan shook his head.
"I know what you're trying to do, Saa, but I won't be joining you or the New Jedi Order. I am lost, forever, but there is one who I want off this force-forsaken planet. Please, try and convince Korto to join the Order. I want him to become a Jedi like his father before him. He himself has asked me on several occasions to train him, but I am no longer fit to be called a Jedi." Quinlan explained.
"That is not your decision to make, Quinlan. Redemption isn't beyond you. Even the one who betrayed the order at the end of the Clone Wars, the one who hunted our fellow Jedi to near extinction, has returned to the Light and has been welcomed back into the order. He himself, a proud father and grandfather to a dynasty of great and powerful Jedi." T'ra said but Quinlan shook his head and turned towards her, his old face gnarled and scarred.
"T'ra, this isn't a matter of redemption. I want only three things: to see my son leave Nar Shaddaa to become a Jedi, to end the cur who enslaved my wife, and then, when all is said and done, to become one with the force and be with my love forever more." Quinlan said as T'ra gave a sad nod.
"Okay. I will let you go in peace, but know that should you ever choose to abandon this crusade for vengeance, that the Jedi Order will have a place ready for you. You need only contact us." T'ra said as she rose to her feet.
"Master Saa…thank you for seeking me out. It's good to know that there is someone from a better time in my life still alive to remind me of said times." Quinlan said as T'ra smiled at him.
"May the force be with you, Quinlan Vos." T'ra said before turning and leaving him in peace.
…
Up in the tower of the old destroyer, now Hondo Ohnaka's "throne room," Hondo sat on his throne, a cup of some nameless alcoholic beverage in hand, Mara, Maris, and Pooja watching from the sidelines as some of the pirates and Chain Breakers danced to the music being played by the Bith band on one of the upper levels of the room. Griff and, surprisingly R2-D2, were among the dancing crowd, the young Twi'lek unintentionally living up to her species' reputation for being graceful dancers, her lekku almost floating in the air at times as she danced. R2 was proving to be a capable dancer himself, amusing Mara who was wishing she had a holo-recorder so she could take a recording of the droid's dancing back for Luke and Ben to enjoy. Korto and Meria sat in a booth in the far corner of the room, openly making out and whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears in Huttese. Meria had switched her scant clothing for a suit of comfortable leather armor reminiscent of the late Zam Wesell's only in blue and forest green colors and was perched comfortably on Korto's lap.
"Ha! This is what I call a party! Come Jedi! Join in the fun! This is a time to celebrate! More slaves have been freed, another slaver is defeated, killed even, and best of all; more opportunities for profit for me!" Hondo declared with a swig of his drink.
"Thanks but we're not in the mood for a celebration right now Hondo!" Mara yelled over the music.
"Oh come-come! What is there not to celebrate? In this time of war, we need a party like this to forget our troubles and our worries! Come on and dance my friends!" Hondo replied.
"I don't dance!" Mara replied, earning a wry glare from Maris who knew otherwise.
"Says an ex-dancer, right Arica?" Maris asked, earning a glare from Mara.
"Oh-ho-ho-ho! So the Jedi has a wild side after all! Come, prove to me that you Jedi know how to live a little!" Hondo laughed.
"I am a married woman! I don't dance like that anymore! Not even for my husband!" Mara retorted.
"Then how the heck did you become pregnant with Ben in the first place?!" Maris asked with a cheeky smirk, earning a condemning stare from Mara. Pooja couldn't help but shake her head and smile at the exchange taking place while Hondo was laughing drunkenly. About that time T'ra entered into the room, working her way through the crowd.
"What's the matter, Jade? Afraid you can't keep up with Griff over there?" Maris asked Mara who ran a hand over her face, glancing at the teenaged Twi'lek who was giggling as she danced with R2.
"I'm getting out danced by a droid!" Griff exclaimed over the music, trying to keep up with R2-D2 much to Hondo's amusement.
"Enough, Maris!" Mara groaned.
"What if Luke were here?! Would you dance with him?!" Maris asked.
"Like Farm Boy can dance!" Mara replied.
"Ladies, I think that's enough of this discussion!" T'ra said over the music.
"Hang on, let's go somewhere we can actually hear ourselves think!" Pooja yelled, the three Jedi nodding in agreement and heading for a door on the first floor of the room behind the two staircases leading up to the second level. Korto noticed their movements and whispered something to Meria who gave an understanding nod and climbed off his lap, the Chain Breaker heading towards the back. He saw the three Jedi and one Senator enter a conference room that was vacant at the moment and followed after them. The room had some soundproofing but not much so the music was at least softer in there.
"Ah, Korto, I was hoping we could get a chance to speak." T'ra said as she noticed the man enter.
"Any luck with my father?" Korto asked but T'ra shook her head.
"Afraid not. He is stubborn and refuses to rejoin the order. He told me what happened to your mother." T'ra said as Korto gave a solemn nod.
"I see. Then you understand why I help him in his quest." Korto said.
"I do but he asked me to see to it that you left Nar Shaddaa and begin your training to become a Jedi." T'ra replied.
"I am honored by your offer, but unfortunately, I must decline for now. We have as yet to bring the slaver that sold my mother to justice and I want to make sure he is. Once he's been dealt with, then I will join the Jedi Order." Korto said.
"Korto, your father appears to be on a quest for vengeance. Revenge is not the Jedi way. We don't hold grudges. Continue down your father's path, and it will only lead to the Dark Side." T'ra said as Korto gave an understanding nod.
"I know, Master Saa, but you must understand that I don't want revenge like my father does. I only want my father to find peace. He refused to take me as his Padawan, yes, but he did teach me a great deal about the force regardless. He's a grieving man and he started the Chain Breakers to put an end to Nar Shaddaa's underground slave industry. We've had some successes but they've been limited. We're trying to instigate a rebellion amongst the slaves." Korto explained.
"When the Rebellion was formed, the galaxy needed a symbol to rally behind and someone to lead them. General Marek became the Rebellion's leader and led them to victory. Who do the Chain Breakers have? Somehow I think Hondo would make a poor rallying figure." Mara said as Korto nodded in agreement.
"Hondo's only providing us with support. He's angling to become the new dominant crime lord of Nar Shaddaa but he's old. He's popular already among most of the people but he's not the rallying figure. My father won't show himself so he has me operate in the field. I'm essentially a figurehead but I'm no symbol." Korto said.
"I wouldn't say that. Quinlan told me what happened to your mother. Abused and killed by her slave masters. You can relate to every person who's ever been enslaved or had a friend or family member enslaved by these corrupt slavers." T'ra said as Korto nodded understandingly.
"Yes, I can, but do you think that people will look to me for leadership?" Korto asked.
"As one who has seen many leaders rise and fall throughout her lifetime, having served in the Imperial and later the Republic Senate, let me tell you Mr. Vos, that you already are a leader, you just haven't realized it yourself." Pooja said.
"So let's help kick start this Rebellion. Who's the crime lord responsible for the most slaving here on Nar Shaddaa?" Maris asked.
"The same one who enslaved my mother. Rotta the Hutt, son of Jabba the Hutt." Korto replied, causing Mara to pause.
"Rotta? Mmm that might be difficult. We're talking an assassination attempt here." Mara said as Korto nodded.
"But if we can remove Rotta, it'll serve as a rallying cry to people opposed to slavery across Nar Shaddaa. Most folks here think the Chain Breakers are just a Swoop Gang. We keep that appearance to keep secret the fact that there are many cells of us across the planet. We're all waiting for Rotta to die to begin our ouster of the slavers from Nar Shaddaa." Korto explained.
"We're Jedi, not assassins. We won't help you kill someone, no matter how evil they are." Mara said. Before any of them could respond, Pooja shushed them.
"You hear that?" she asked.
"I don't hear anything." Maris replied.
"Exactly." Pooja said as she headed for the door. The five exited into the throne room, hearing a pair of voices as they entered, one of them being Hondo's, the other being the booming Huttese tones of a Hutt. As they got closer, they saw a large hologram of Rotta speaking with Hondo.
"Rotta, you are trying my patience! First, you muscle in on my territory, then you intercept my spice shipments, and now you insult my daughter and accuse me of consorting with those criminal Chain Breakers?! I am beginning to wonder whether you didn't get dropped as a Huttlet, or thrown." Hondo said angrily. Rotta then began to argue back in Huttese, a real time translation of basic overlaying his speech.
"Then prove to me that you aren't involved with the Chain Breakers. I am expecting a shipment of new slaves from Ryloth. Send some men to provide back up and we can split the profits from the sale seventy-thirty…but only if the transport makes it without interference by the Chain Breakers." Rotta offered, earning a scowl from Hondo.
"How dumb do you think I am? Hmm? How big of a nerf herder do you take me for, Rotta? I am neutral in this fight between you slavers and the Chain Breakers! I loan you men to support your slave operation and the Chain Breakers start interfering with my operations! The Chain Breakers have left my operations alone because I neither help nor hinder theirs." Hondo replied but Rotta belted out a laugh in amusement.
"Then what would you say if this found its way onto the holo-net?" Rotta asked as a hologram of Hondo and the deceased Gorun appeared, their exchange from earlier being played. Hondo scowled at the hologram as it played.
"How do you explain that, Ohnaka? Your neutrality is finished. I don't understand why you oppose slavery when it can be very profitable. My ship will be arriving at docking platform S27 with the delivery. If your men aren't there, the transmission hits the net. If they're there and the Chain Breakers still kriff things up, it still hits the net. Either way, you're a target for the Chain Breakers now, Ohnaka. I'll be hearing from you soon to split the profits from the sale." Rotta said before his hologram disappeared.
"That stunted peace of slime! How am I supposed to make an honest living with the sleemo making it hard for me to make a profit?!" Hondo spat as Griff approached him.
"You're not really going to give in are you, Papa Hondo?" Griff asked.
"Griffon my dear, as your grandmother always used to say: Son, when life gives you Jawas, strap bombs to them and send them to your business rival. She always hated Jawas. Well Rotta just gave me a whole lot of Jawas and he's my primary rival!" Hondo said, standing up and straightening his coat.
"What's the plan Hondo?" Korto asked as he approached.
"That's the problem so far, Korto. I have the Jawas, I know where to send them, but not how to get them in. My mother never mentioned that part. At the moment the bounty on your heads is looking promising but of course that would be a conflict of interest. You wouldn't happen to have a plan would you?" Hondo asked. Korto thought for a moment but before he could say anything…
"I do."
Everyone turned towards the second level of the room, towards the door leading to the turbolifts to see Quinlan standing in the entryway. Quinlan quietly descended the left flight of stairs, walking down towards the front of the throne room to stand next to Hondo.
"Rotta wants to force you to pick a side. I say go ahead, but pick the side he doesn't expect you to. He thinks he's got your allegiance either way, but he won't be expecting you to join his enemies. Join us, Hondo. Openly ally yourself with the Chain Breakers and help us stop Rotta. If we can destroy him, you'll become the most powerful crime lord on Nar Shaddaa." Quinlan explained as Hondo pondered in though.
"Hmm. So if I side with you, you can guarantee that Rotta will be dealt with, yes? So I become the official ruler of Nar Shaddaa and you will allow me to continue my business without interference from you and the Chain Breakers." Hondo stated.
"So long as your business excludes slavery, then yes." Quinlan said as Hondo thought for a moment then smiled.
"Done, you Jedi know how to negotiate." Hondo said as he and Quinlan shook hands.
"Alright we're gonna need a plan to take down Rotta. What've we got?" Korto asked as Quinlan turned towards his son.
"A two pronged attack. We attack the slave transport and Rotta's palace simultaneously. We rescue the slaves and kill Rotta in one swoop." Quinlan said as Korto nodded.
"Right. So am I to lead the attack on Rotta's Casino or the slave ship?" Korto asked.
"The slave ship. I'll be leading the attack on Rotta's Casino personally." Quinlan said, holding up his lightsaber.
"Then I'm coming with you." T'ra said, approaching Vos.
"I won't stop you from joining me T'ra, but don't stop me from achieving my goal." Quinlan said as T'ra frowned slightly.
"I make no promises." T'ra replied.
"Korto, you can count on me to assist with the raid." Maris said as Mara nodded in agreement.
"Me too." Mara added.
"You're going to help us, Jedi? Very honorable indeed." Hondo stated with a smile but Mara and Maris had expressions that indicated a sense of dread.
"Our motives aren't completely honorable though. We both sense a disturbance in the Force, a dark presence. We want to make sure nothing goes wrong." Mara replied.
"What do I do then?" Griff asked.
"You're to remain on the ship with me. No sense getting you mixed up in the shooting and the blasting and the laser swords with the vroom-vroom." Hondo said as Griff arched an eyebrow.
"You mean lightsabers?" Griff asked as Hondo snapped his fingers in realization.
"That's it!" Hondo exclaimed.
"So I just sit here on the ship and do nothing?" Griff asked, annoyed.
"Of course not! You can man the guns. Once Rotta realizes we've joined up with the Chain Breakers, he'll send his ships to attack us and we'll need to repel them! I want you by my side, helping to coordinate our defenses. The automated ones specifically." Hondo said as Griff smirked.
"You can count on me, Papa Hondo." Griff said, saluting.
"That's my girl!" Hondo said with a grin.
"So then, we'll divide into groups and prepare for battle." Quinlan said as he departed. Mara then looked to Maris.
"We better inform the Jedi Council about this." She said as Maris nodded in agreement, the two setting off towards the turbolifts.
…
The Jade Shadow had been transferred to the Florrum Firaxa by remote guidance from Mara and the two Jedi Masters were now within the main hold with R2, Pooja, and T'ra as R2 projected a small hologram of the Council atop a nearby cargo container.
"I don't like the idea of this attack on Rotta's Casino. Too many innocent civilians could get caught in the crossfire." Galen commented.
"And Hondo isn't completely trustworthy himself. He is opposed to slavery, perhaps, but wouldn't think twice about capturing someone then selling them off to the highest bidder as he once tried to accomplish with me and Obi-Wan during the Clone Wars. That being said, he became a valuable ally a few times afterwards." Anakin added.
"What concerns me more is this disturbance in the Force we all are sensing right now. I suspect there's more to this slaver business than meets the eye." Luke said.
"We're aware of that. The possibility of a trap has crossed our minds and we're taking precautions." Mara said.
"You can take all the precautions you want, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to spring the trap without incident." Kyle replied.
"I have a bad feeling about this, Mara. The Dark Side surrounds this mission. How do we know that Quinlan can be trusted? If what Master Saa says is true, then he could very well be a Sith Lord in disguise." Luke said but Anakin didn't seem convinced.
"No, if anything, I believe Rotta would be the one involved with the Sith. Akul and I were involved in his rescue when he was a huttlet, so Akul might be praying on that to hold his loyalty. Although this could be a move by Akul to use Vos to dispose of a tool she doesn't need anymore." Anakin said.
"I dunno. I'm not buying that story. Having a crime lord under your thumb is a valuable tool, although if Rotta loses control of Nar Shaddaa…" Mara postulated.
"Then he would be disposable. Be mindful, Mara. There are too many unknowns for me to feel comfortable with this mission." Luke said as Mara gave a nod.
"Luke, you know me, I'll be careful." Mara said as Luke sighed and nodded.
"Alright. May the Force be with you all on this undertaking. And…" Luke said, clearing his throat before whispering something, Mara heard his whisper through the force…
"I love you." He had whispered. Mara smiled at this.
"Feeling is quite mutual, Farm Boy. Skywalker and Brood, out." Mara said before the hologram disappeared.
"He's right. The Dark Side is strong here." Maris said as Mara sighed heavily.
"You'll notice I left out the part where we had already committed to the raid." Mara said as Maris nodded.
"Oh I noticed, I just hope we all know what we're getting into." Maris replied as they headed for the boarding ramp. As they exited into hangar bay, they saw Korto with Meria coordinating a group of Chain Breakers and Hondo's men around a holoprojector of a box shaped docking area.
"Docking area S27 is not your typical landing area. Its neck deep in Rotta's territory, his casino is only four blocks away. There are only three points of entry for our swoop bikes, here, here, and here. We'll need support from Hondo's gunships to help keep the transport from escaping once we attack." Korto said to one of Hondo's men.
"You can count on us. Rotta's made our lives miserable so we've got your back." The Weequay pirate said with a determined grin, the rest of Hondo's men nodding and voicing their agreement.
"Where do you want us in the plan, Korto?" Maris asked.
"Master Brood, I'd like you to go in first with Hondo's men. The plan is to send Hondo's men in first, let them unload the slaves and then the rest of us swoop in, and in the confusion, Hondo's men turn on Rotta's while we rescue the slaves. After the slaves are out of the area, the remaining pirates and Chain Breakers rally near Rotta's Casino to assist in its capture. Master Skywalker, we'd like to use your ship to transport the slaves back here." Korto said as Mara nodded.
"Deal, but my droid's in charge of the ship." Mara said, R2 beeping happily.
"Fair enough. Meria will join Master Brood with Hondo's gang. She's our best infiltrator." Korto said as Meria immediately began morphing into a Weequay woman, earning leering looks and catcalls from Hondo's men. Meria merely smirked and struck a seductive pose while putting an arm around Korto.
"Look all you want boys, but I'm already taken." Meria said tauntingly.
"Alright we have our orders. Now let's go bring down a crime lord!" Korto said as the pirates and Chain Breakers cheered and raced off to take their marks at their vehicles. Mara and Maris lingering behind as T'ra Saa approached.
"Korto, a word before we launch the mission." T'ra said, approaching the man.
"Yes Master Saa?" he asked, bowing to her.
"What will you do when this mission is over? Will you join us in the Jedi Order?" T'ra asked. Korto looked at Meria on his arm who nodded to him.
"I will on the condition that Meria be allowed to join me." Korto replied as T'ra looked at the changeling.
"You are together?" she asked.
"Meria and I grew up together. We've been friends for most of our lives and only recently have we decided to act on our feelings. We've celebrated together, bled together, grieved together...we tried to have children once but…we just aren't compatible in terms of species. But it hasn't changed our feelings in the slightest. We can't imagine being separated." Korto said as T'ra smiled.
"You remind me of a Jedi I once knew very well. I loved him very much and, like your own situation, we were not compatible as two different species. I continue to carry the memories of our time together." T'ra said, holding a lightsaber in her hand.
"Master Tholme?" Korto asked as Saa smiled at him and nodded.
"Yes. I take it your father has told you much of his past adventures." Saa said but Korto cocked his head to one side.
"Not directly no. I possess the same power as he, to be able to read memories from objects through the Force. I practiced and honed this ability by reading the memories from my father's lightsaber and other items of his from throughout his life. That's how I recognized you when we first met and how I was able to learn much of the ways of the Jedi." Korto explained.
"Then it seems you are already taking your first steps down the path to a new and different world. The path of the Jedi is neither easy nor glamorous. You must be ready to make a commitment to follow the will of the force, not your own. Can you do this?" T'ra asked.
"Master Saa, I've been preparing my whole life for this moment. I might be old for a Padawan but I have always felt that the path of the Jedi is the path I was meant to take." Korto said as T'ra smiled and turned towards the two Jedi Masters behind her.
"What say you, Masters Skywalker and Brood?" T'ra asked as Mara approached, placing her hand on Korto's shoulder.
"Then if you are willing to begin your training, then as a member of the Jedi High Council I hereby confer upon you the title of Jedi Initiate. When we arrive at the academy you will need to demonstrate your abilities for us so that we might be able to better determine what remains to be learned so that your training can truly begin." Mara said as Korto bowed to the three Masters.
"I am honored and humbled. I make no assumptions on my existing abilities and I will humbly accept any and all guidance you have to offer." Korto said. Meria held back a tear of pride.
"We can discuss this more later, for now we have slaves to rescue. May the force be with us." Maris said as they hurried to their marks.
…
Outside of Jabba's Jive Casino, the locals were mingling in the open commons area outside, stalls and kiosks set up around. They then heard a steady rhythmic marching coming from one of the streets, a large transport ship docked at a nearby cargo area and unloading a veritable army of well-armed pirates and mercenaries, personally being led by a man in black robes, a hood over his head, a determined glare on his face, a lightsaber in hand, accompanied by a woman in brown robes with a lightsaber of her own, headed directly towards the casino. Four blocks away, three old armed troop transports and a number of swoop bikes and airspeeders approached landing area S27, depositing a large number of Weequay pirates, including a Weequay woman and a Zabrak woman, the Zabrak carrying what appeared to be a pair of rather slender looking blaster rifles. The two women joined up with one of the Weequay pirates, approaching a Rodian and his escorts.
"Quite a lot of you for one shipment. Hondo must really be invested in Rotta's business to have sent this many." The Rodian said to the pirates in Huttese.
"The boss want's nothing going wrong with this shipment. If he's going to get paid for it, he wants to make sure the goods get to where they're supposed to." Meria said, imitating the Pirates' accent.
"Good because our shipment's arriving now." A Gran man said in basic, motioning towards an old Imperial Lander covered in Huttese markings, along with the markings of the Desilijic Kajidic. The lander touched down on the platform, the boarding ramps lowering as a number of humanoids shrouded in grey or black robes were escorted out of the transport at gunpoint by a number of thugs. Maris immediately sensed something was off and spun her Tonfa styled lightsabers back into place but didn't activate them.
"Something's wrong. I have a bad feeling about this." Maris said quietly to Meria.
"What do you mean?" Meria asked. Before she could reply they heard the distant sounds of distant laser fire and explosions. Some of the pirates and thugs all spun towards the source of the explosions.
"I know that sound. That's cannon fire!" the Gran exclaimed as he ran towards the edge of the platform, raising a set of trinoculars from around his neck to his eyes. The pirates subtly began to raise their weapons. After a second he uttered a curse in Huttese, spinning towards the others.
"E chu ta! We've been had! It's the pirates! They're-!" the Gran called before a blaster shot rang out and the Gran fell to the ground, dead, a smoldering blaster hole in his back. The pirates immediately turned their weapons on the thugs, a firefight breaking out. The slaves quickly dropped back behind the thugs but this didn't go unnoticed by Maris as she crouched behind one of the swoop bikes, watching the slaves.
"Why would slaves hide behind their captors?" she asked before her eyes widened in horrid realization just as a number of swoop bikes flew in bearing the Chain Breaker insignia, Korto and Mara Jade flying in among them, Mara leaping off the back of the swoop and landing with her lightsaber active.
"MARA! IT'S A TRAP!" Maris exclaimed, confusing the Jedi Master.
"What?!" she asked, startled. Suddenly they heard the distinct hiss of lightsabers activating. They both turned to see the "slaves" ripping off their disguises to reveal themselves as a squad of Sith Commandos and two Dark Jedi.
"SITH!" Mara exclaimed as Maris leapt up from behind her hiding space and ignited her lightsabers. The two Dark Jedi charged towards the two Jedi while the commandos and remaining thugs opened fire on the Pirates and Chain Breakers.
"Sith?! Here?!" Korto asked in disbelief, diving into cover with Meria, the changeling dropping back to her normal form.
"If they're here at the landing area, could that mean-?!" Meria asked as horrid realization flashed across Korto's face.
"They could be at the casino too!" Korto exclaimed as he reached for his comlink.
…
Meanwhile at the casino, the first four floors of the casino were a warzone as the pirates and Chain Breakers exchanged blaster fire with Rotta's thugs, while Quinlan and T'ra cut their way through to the turbolifts. The lifts had been shut down within minutes of the first shots being fired. Rotta could be heard over loudspeakers, berating his men and ordering them to fight off the intruders, as well as intermittently cursing Hondo for joining up with the Chain Breakers. Quinlan and T'ra were now on the fourth level, the old Kiffar cutting through the thugs with his lightsaber while T'ra protected him from behind, occasionally using the force to toss thugs over the balconies into the open common area to their doom on the first floor below. Quinlan then turned and saw a cargo lift open with a number of thugs. The two Jedi quickly turned and started cutting the thugs down until finally they reached the lift. Quinlan pressed the button for Rotta's penthouse lounge but the lift jerked slightly as it locked down.
"He's trying my patience." Quinlan said calmly.
"Allow me, then." T'ra said as she deactivated her lightsaber and clipped it to her belt. She then raised her hands straight out to the sides, closing her eyes. The lift began to groan and vibrate before Quinlan saw the back wall rip clear off, the lift traveling steadily upwards towards the top floor. Less than a minute later, they reached the top level, the doors remaining shut. Quinlan immediately cut a hole into the doors, stepping cautiously into the room but finding no one there. T'ra quickly dove into the room through the hole, the lift falling towards the bottom floor seconds after.
"Something's wrong here." Quinlan said as T'ra took a deep breath, a look of nervousness on her face.
"The Dark Side is strong here." She said, activating her lightsaber. They then heard Rotta's booming laugh coming from the room at the end of the hall, taunting them in Huttese.
"Rotta." Quinlan said with disdain as he started walking towards the entrance into the penthouse lounge, T'ra close behind him. As they entered the room, they were horrified to discover that Rotta was there, but not physically, a hologram of him being projected from a projector hidden amongst his cushions.
"Rotta you coward!" Quinlan spat as Rotta laughed in amusement.
"Puny Jedi! You think you can barge into my home to kill me and not expect me to be prepared for you?! I predicted Hondo's betrayal! I knew he would join up with you Chain Breaker scum! And I've taken the appropriate measures to deal with both Ohnaka and you." Rotta said in Huttese with a Basic overlay.
"Measures?" Quinlan asked but Rotta merely laughed as the hologram disappeared just as Quinlan's comlink activated.
"Father! It's Korto! We've been had! Rotta's allied with the Sith! We've got Dark Jedi!" Korto reported as Quinlan and T'ra's eyes widened in shock as the darkness behind Rotta's throne was illuminated by a pair of red lightsabers. The lightsabers' wielder then emerged into the light, revealing the armored form of Darth Stalker.
"A Sith Lord." Quinlan hissed but Stalker remained silent holding his lightsabers in a reversed grip. Around his waist were the stolen lightsabers of several slain Jedi, including Jaden Korr's two lightsabers and Rahm Kota's.
"You made a mistake coming here, Sith. Nar Shaddaa will be your grave." Quinlan said. Stalker immediately leapt into action, his moves swift and deadly. It was all the two Jedi could do to keep up and defend. The two Jedi exchanged blows with the Sith Assassin, but neither could gain an edge over him. T'ra came in with both hers and Tholme's lightsabers in an effort to knock the Dark Lord off balance, succeeding in knocking him onto his back only to get launched into the air with a powerful force push, knocking her against a control panel. As she recovered, they heard the sounds of machinery starting up in the columns around the room. They suddenly found themselves riding the floor in the center of Rotta's lounge slowly downward on a set of seven long rails into the casino area below as part of a heavy duty cargo lift, the battle still raging only now Rotta's thugs were being supported by a handful of small squads of Sith Commandos.
"Is that a Dark Jedi?!" one of the Chain Breakers asked, the Jedi and Sith continuing their battle.
"I dunno but you better get this on holo!" one of the Pirates replied, the Chain Breaker quickly pulling out a recording device amidst the battle.
"Quick someone get me the Florrum Firaxa!" the Chain Breaker yelled.
"Over here!" one of the pirates yelled near the entrance to the casino, the pirate running in with a portable transmitter set up on his back.
"Get word to your boss! Relay my transmission to him!" the Chain Breaker exclaimed.
"Right away!" the pirate replied, plugging in a cable from the holo-recorder into the transmitter.
…
On the Florrum Firaxa's bridge, Hondo sat in the command chair with Griff nearby as mercenary fighters in the employ of Rotta the Hutt attacked the ship, the ship's guns repelling the attackers while Pooja and R2 in the Jade Shadow evaded the fighters, several Chain Breakers, pirates, and Pooja on the Jade Shadow manning the turrets. Suddenly the holo-recording of the battle between Quinlan and Saa versus Darth Stalker appeared on the bridge.
"What is this?! Where did the Dark Jedi come from?! Who invited them?!" Hondo asked.
"We don't know sir! It's likely Rotta!" the Chain Breaker reported, Hondo's eyes widening in realization.
"Oh fantastic! We cannot compete against the Sith Empire!" Hondo exclaimed but Griff had an idea and immediately ran to the communications console, immediately going to work on the systems, her fingers flying across the screens. A hologram of a Weequay then appeared next to the feed from the Casino.
"Boss! This is Kalin! We're gettin' overrun at the dockin' area! Those ruddy Sith are here too! The Jedi 'ave the swordsmen tied up but we're takin' a beatin' from their kriffin' commandos!" one of Hondo's men reported. Hondo let out an audible growl of frustration as he got out of his chair.
"This effort is no longer profitable! Return to the ship, we're getting out of here!" Hondo ordered to his men.
"Wait! Just a few minutes more! The Jedi are still down there!" Griff exclaimed.
"Griffon my sweet, to quote my dear mother; sometimes you might fight to run away. Prepare to break orbit! Set a course for our secret hideout!" Hondo ordered to his men before hearing one of them let out a pained cry. He turned in time to see the Weequay standing at the console next to Griff was on the floor cradling his now dislocated knee while Griff had a blaster pointed straight at Hondo.
"You forgot another of her sayings, Papa Hondo! You never leave your most valuable property behind for someone else to steal or destroy!" Griff threatened. Hondo glared at her with a scowl for a moment, the two staring at each other. Finally Hondo let out a frustrated groan.
"How dare you use my mother against me! Fine! We wait for the Jedi!" Hondo scowled, plopping back down in his seat. Griff quietly stuck the blaster in her belt and turned back to the communications console, pulling on a headset.
"Jedi! We're bugging out! Get back to the ship, hurry!" Griff yelled over the comms, her fingers flying across the screens again. Down at the docking area, Mara defended against one of the Dark Jedi, pressing against its lightsaber with her own.
"We're a little busy at the moment!" Mara replied as she shoved the Dark Jedi away. Korto and Meria along with the surviving Chain Breakers and pirates had managed to eliminate Rotta's remaining thugs but the Sith Commandos were still formidable and holding the line. Maris was exchanging blows with the other Dark Jedi, the Zabrak Jedi Master proving to be a nimble fighter. She suddenly managed to knee the Dark Jedi in the stomach, giving her an opportunity to dropkick him to the floor onto her upturned lightsaber, killing the Dark Jedi. She quickly raced over towards the commandos, turning her Tonfa Lightsabers against them, cutting the Commandos down despite their best efforts to gun her down. At the same time, Mara managed to disarm her opponent, knocking the saber away from him but he quickly retaliated by knocking her back with a powerful Force push. The Dark Jedi quickly called its lightsaber back to it with the force but before the lightsaber could reach it, the lightsaber was intercepted by Korto who grabbed the hilt in midair and spun around with it in hand to decapitate the stunned Dark Jedi with its own lightsaber.
"Sorry Master Skywalker but I felt the battle was taking too long! We need to get out of here!" Korto said as Mara climbed to her feet, pulling out her comlink.
"Agreed on both counts! R2! Get down here!" Mara ordered, receiving an acknowledging series of beeps and whistles. Soon the Jade Shadow came roaring in, the boarding ramp extending
"Quick! Onto the ship!" Mara ordered as the pirates, Chain Breakers, and Jedi raced onto the Jade Shadow, evading blaster fire from the remaining Commandos. Mara, Maris, Korto, and Meria quickly entered the cockpit, R2 unplugging from the controls as Mara took the helm.
"Let's get over to the Casino and see if we can lend a hand!" Mara said as she brought the Jade Shadow around to head towards the Casino, the yacht coming in low over the commons area outside of the casino. As they approached, they saw the flashing of sabers in the commons area as T'ra and Quinlan continued facing off against Darth Stalker. The moment they saw the Sith Lord, Maris's eyes widened in realization.
"That's the Sith Lord that killed Jaden and Master Kota at Yavin!" Maris exclaimed, Mara leaping up from the controls.
"Let's go make sure he doesn't take any more Jedi lives then!" Mara said as she and Maris raced for the door, R2 plugging back into the ship's controls as the boarding ramp lowered, the two Jedi Masters joining the other two in the commons area, leaping down from the ship and activating their lightsabers. Stalker saw the two approaching and quickly leapt into the air, landing away from the Jedi just at the entrance of the Casino. At the same time, the surviving Pirates and Chain Breakers boarded the Jade Shadow, one of the Chain Breakers still recording the battle as they ran.
"You're outnumbered! Surrender peacefully! We don't want to fight you!" Mara called to the Sith Lord. Darth Stalker only let out a snort of contempt before raising his hands towards the Casino behind him. Suddenly they heard a loud creaking and groaning as the base of the casino tower started to buckle, crinkle, and implode, the base being crushed through the Force. The four Jedi Masters were all stunned by the Sith Lord's apparent power as the tower began to topple forward towards the Jedi and the Jade Shadow. The Jedi quickly combined their strength in the force and caught the falling casino tower, all four of them struggling to hold it up as the Sith Assassin tried to bring the building down on them.
"I…can't…hold it…much longer!" Maris grunted.
"He's too strong!" Mara added, sweat running down her forehead as they continued trying to hold it up. Quinlan looked back towards the Jade Shadow and saw Korto standing at the base of the ship's ramp. He then turned back towards the Sith Lord and lowered his hands, the building taking a sudden lurch downwards before the Jedi compensated for him.
"Quinlan! What are you doing?!" T'ra asked, straining to hold up the building.
"Take care of my son, T'ra. Make sure he gets this." Quinlan said, clipping his lightsaber to T'ra's waist while calling one of Stalker's stolen lightsabers to his hand and charging towards the Sith Assassin. Stalker was immediately forced to release the building and ignite his sabers in order to defend against the Jedi. With Stalker not pushing against the building, the Jedi were able to easily raise it higher and with less effort.
"We can't let this fall into the city!" Mara exclaimed. Korto looked up and saw the Florrum Firaxa flying overhead nearby and immediately raised his comlink.
"Hondo! Lock onto my comlink and fire at will with everything you've got!" Korto yelled before throwing the comlink at the tower, propelling it into the structure through the force. Suddenly the casino tower was bombarded by turbolaser fire, reducing the tower to much smaller chunks of debris. The three Jedi quickly turned and leapt aboard the Jade Shadow as the burning debris began falling towards the ground.
"R2 get us out of here!" Mara yelled as Maris and T'ra turned back and resumed holding up most of the debris overhead from the Jade Shadow, smaller chunks and pieces continuing to fall regardless.
"But what about my father?!" Korto asked, looking towards Quinlan as he fought Stalker. Stalker was suddenly forced back as a large metal casing of some sort landed on top of him, trapping him beneath it but already the casing was beginning to move, the Sith Assassin attempting to break free. Quinlan immediately looked towards Korto with a smile.
"Go son, it's better this way! I'm going home to your mother!" Quinlan yelled. Korto's face fell in shock before sadly giving a tearful nod.
"Father!" he called as Quinlan smiled at his son, the Jade Shadow pulling back and the boarding ramp retracting as the ship escaped the area. Quinlan looked up as the debris began to fall again.
"Khaleen…I'm on my way." Quinlan said as he dropped to his knees, and closed his eyes with a smile mere seconds before he was crushed by the burning debris. Korto entered the main hold of the Jade Shadow with Meria and Maris where the surviving pirates and Chain Breakers were gathered, a somber expression on his face.
"Korto? Where's the Boss?" one of the Chain Breakers asked.
"He's…gone. He died fighting for a cause of freedom. He died trying to bring an end to the galaxy's most vile of vices. He died trying to eliminate the underground slavery network of this world. Rotta the Hutt has thrown himself in with the Sith Empire in an effort to continue this evil practice and while he may have escaped, his crimes have been exposed to the galaxy." Korto said, the pirates and Chain Breakers lowering their heads in honor of the great Jedi's passing. The solemn moment was interrupted as the ship was rocked by laser fire.
"We've got fighters on our tail!" Mara exclaimed from the cockpit as the Jade Shadow raced through the Nar Shaddaa skyline, a squadron of Sith fighters pursuing them.
"Hondo, we've got everyone! If we're going to bail, let's do it quick!" Maris said into the comms.
"We're way ahead of you Jedi!" Hondo replied as Mara brought the Jade Shadow around in time to see the Florrum Firaxa breaking orbit but being pursued by two mercenary frigates with Desilijic markings on them.
"They're getting hammered!" T'ra commented.
"Yeah but what can we do?!" Maris asked. On the Florrum Firaxa's bridge, Griff leapt from the communications console and ran to the shield controls.
"E chu ta! Our aft shields are down to twenty percent!" Griff explained, tapping into the controls.
"Well don't just stand there! Do something!" Hondo ordered.
"Like what?! There's nothing I can do at this point! If we can't get some distance between us and those frigates, our shields will fall and they'll take our engines with them and we'll go falling back towards the surface!" Griff explained as Hondo groaned then shrugged.
"Well Griff, I guess this is goodbye." Hondo said as he started leading the young Twi'lek towards the escape pods.
"What, are you insane?! I'm not leaving you Papa Hondo!" Griff replied, blocking Hondo's path. One of the bridge officers immediately started yelling something in Huttese.
"What do you mean?! What ships?!" Hondo asked. Outside, scores of privately owned starships started intercepting the Hutt frigates, opening fire on them while squadrons of mercenary starfighters and freighters engaged the Sith fighters pursuing the Jade Shadow.
"What the-…where did these guys come from?!" Mara asked as Korto ran into the cockpit.
"I don't think they're ours." Korto exclaimed. Suddenly they started receiving a transmission.
"Breaker Six to Hammer One, come in Hammer One do you copy?!" a voice on the other end asked.
"Hammer one?" Maris asked as Korto grinned.
"That's my codename in the Chain Breakers! These ships are ours!" Korto exclaimed in realization as he sat down at the comms controls.
"Hammer One to Breaker Six! I copy!" Korto said into the comms.
"Acknowledged sir! We received your broadcast transmission, and we're moving in to cover yours and Captain Ohnaka's escape!" Breaker Six replied.
"Transmission, what transmission?" Korto asked back, confused.
"The battlefield recording of Master Vos fighting that guy with the mask! We thought it was the call to arms! All Chain Breaker cells are striking against slaver camps all across Nar Shaddaa as we speak! How did you get it to broadcast across all of the planet's holo-billboards?" Breaker Six asked. On the bridge of the Florrum Firaxa, Hondo and Griff had been listening into the conversation. Hondo immediately turned towards Griff with a knowing smirk, while Griff smirked back towards him.
"What?" Griff replied as Hondo started laughing.
"Why you little monkey-lizard!" Hondo declared as he picked the teenaged Twi'lek up in a hug, kissing her on the cheek.
"Hondo, we're coming in for a landing! Standby to engage the hyperdrive the moment we're aboard!" Mara said over the comms.
"Right away! Set a course for home, boys!" Hondo ordered as the Jade Shadow flew into the hangar on the Florrum Firaxa, touching down inside mere seconds before the carrier/destroyer jumped to lightspeed, leaving the Chain Breakers to deal with Rotta's remaining forces.
…
On the surface of Nar Shaddaa, scavengers were already picking through the rubble of the casino. One of the scavengers moved a piece of metal out of the way and found what appeared to be a lightsaber clutched in a bladed, gloved, hand. The scavenger attempted to remove the saber but was suddenly impaled by the blade as it activated with a hiss. An armored figure suddenly burst up from beneath the rubble, part of its helmet broken off, allowing a single Dark Side infused human eye to be seen in conjunction with part of a head of long brown hair, the hair's length possibly a result of keeping it within the helmet for years on end. Darth Stalker glared up at the sky in anger through his damaged mask, the large chunks of debris beginning to vibrate and the scavengers around him suddenly starting to gasp for air as Stalker literally shook with anger. Stalker ignored the dying scavengers as he stormed away towards a Sith transport that began to touch down nearby.
Later…
"Ah it's good to be home again!" Hondo said as he exited a shuttle, setting foot on the rocky surface of Florrum, stepping out onto a cliff ledge that overlooked his new pirate fortress. The Jade Shadow was landed near his shuttle as the pirates and Chain Breakers disembarked. The Florrum Firaxa was in low geosynchronous orbit overhead, shuttles and cargo transports hauling supplies and pirates down to the base. The fortress had been built on the grounds of his old fortress from the Clone Wars but was noticeably bigger than the old fortress had been prior to its destruction by the Separatists.
"You going to be okay out here Papa Hondo?" Griff asked.
"But of course, Griffon. Florrum was where I got my start and it is Florrum where I will start again. Mark my words little lady, Captain Hondo Ohnaka will become a name among pirates once again!" Hondo said as Griff smiled at him.
"If you want me to stay, I will." Griff said. Hondo turned towards her and placed a caring hand on her shoulder.
"Griffon, I want you to stay more than I want Rotta's head on a platter right now, but Florrum is no place for a child. No-no my dear. You belong with the Jedi. Besides, I don't necessarily trust some of these womp rats around you." Hondo said, motioning to some of his men, as Griff frowned sadly but nodded understandingly.
"Alright. I'll be sure to keep in contact on occasion." Griff said as Hondo smiled.
"Please do, oh and, just between us…where are the Jedi hiding these days?" Hondo asked but Griff smirked and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Papa Hondo." She replied in playful scolding.
"Well I gave it a shot. I am on old pirate after all. But please, anytime you're in the neighborhood, don't hesitate to drop in and see old Hondo, yes?" Hondo said as Griff quickly embraced him in a hug before running off to board the Jade Shadow, passing Mara, Maris, T'ra, Pooja, Korto, and Meria as she ran.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Korto. Quinlan Vos was a great Jedi and he will be missed." T'ra said, handing Korto his father's lightsaber.
"Thank you Master, although I am comforted by one thing. Before he died, I sensed something within him that I hadn't sensed from him ever since mom was enslaved. I sensed a feeling of peace within him. He died at peace as a Jedi should. I know he and my mother are together once more as part of the Force so he will remain with me as the Force does." Korto said, clipping Quinlan's lightsaber to his belt.
"What's more he died a martyr for his cause. He died fighting for the freedom of others bound in slavery. As a result and according to the reports from our brothers and sisters on Nar Shaddaa, people are flocking to support the Chain Breakers and the slavers are fleeing the system en mass. You could say that we won in the end." Meria said with a smile.
"Yes but I wouldn't count that victory as being permanent just yet. The crime lords of Nar Shaddaa will retaliate and will try to restore their slave trades. They'll have a tough time of it but so long as people are willing to stand up and fight, then they'll have to watch over their shoulders every time they attempt a slavery operation." Mara said, Korto nodding.
"We laid the groundwork, but it's time for the Chain Breakers to stand on their own two feet. My father's and my work is done. It's time for us to move on. I'm ready to join the Jedi Order, Masters, to honor both my parents' wishes, and to follow the will of the Force." Korto said as he bowed to the Jedi.
"You go ahead and have R2 fire up the engines, I'll be right there. I need to have a word with Hondo first." Mara said as they all headed for the Jade Shadow, Mara walking towards the Pirate Captain.
"So, Jedi, I suppose this is the end of our business arrangement, yes?" Hondo asked as Mara gave a nod.
"For now, but I did pass along the coordinates of your base to my father-in-law. He's got a proposition for you. He's offering you a bounty on Sith Starships. You can keep whatever ships and cargo you capture but you hand over any prisoners to the Republic and allow us to sweep their databanks. We'll also reward you for any information on Sith fleet movements in this and any outlying systems but only if the information proves accurate." Mara said as Hondo smiled and nodded.
"Hmm, considering the last several times I tried to strike bargains with Sith Lords did not end so promising for me, I'd rather deal with the Jedi than with them. You can inform Skywalker that Hondo Ohnaka agrees to his proposal and that he is welcome here any time. Who knows, I might even try to ransom him off again for old times' sake." Hondo said with a friendly smile but Mara smirked cheekily as she reached for a holoprojector in her back pocket.
"You haven't seen him lately have you?" she asked, confusing Hondo for a moment.
"Don't tell me, he's gone bald, hasn't he?" Hondo asked as Mara activated the projector, displaying a family holo of Luke's side of the Skywalker family. The holo was recent as Anakin was in his Vader suit, standing behind Luke and Mara with his arms around them while Mara held Ben in her arms. Hondo blinked at the holo.
"That's…an impressive recreation of Darth Vader's armor." Hondo said but Mara's smirk tightened.
"Oh no, that's actually my father-in-law. He used to be Vader. So do you still want me to mention that whole ransom thing to him or-." Mara said but Hondo quickly shook his head.
"What?! No-no-no! It was just a joke! Just a joke! Ha-ha! Forget I said anything." Hondo said as Mara shut off the projector and pocketed it with a smile.
"He'll be in touch, Hondo. May the Force be with you." Mara said before turning and heading towards the Jade Shadow.
End Episode 15
Hondo will likely make a reappearance in Season 2.