Location: Space Port in the Industrial Sector on Revuilt Nar Shaddaa.
"Carful!" Barked the Devaronian, in response to the ill treatment of his cargo by the dock's skill-less labourers. On most docks, on most planets, it would be the responsibility of the ship's crew to load and unload goods.
However, on the Hutt controlled moon, the Hutt's interests were of primary concern. You couldn't just come to Nar Shaddaa and do a little business on the side. The Cartel demanded to be cut into the action; at least 60 percent.
To ensure savvy freighter pilots, didn't short-change them, the Hutts controlled all the space ports, and saw to it that their people loaded and unloaded all merchandise on Nar Shaddaa.
The Devaronian could only watch on in disgust as the 2 Rodians carelessly banged the hoverskid containing his precious cargo against the walls of the bay.
"Listen you Mudlickers! That Crate holds more credits in Corellian brandy, then you will ever see in your MEANINGLESS LIFETIMES! PLEASE! CAREFUL!"
After a few more scrapes and dings, the large container was up the ramp and secured in the "Lasting Chance's" hold.
It wasn't until the light freighter entered hyperspace, that captain Garos left the cockpit and made his way back to the ship's modest cargo hold.
He was eager to check on the status of his cargo. He rushed to the crate, and activated the container's retractable lid. Inside was something more precious to him than Corellian brandy...
Slaves.
Sentient beings.
People that had arbitrarily been denied the most basic of freedoms all thinking creatures deserved.
Devaronians, as a people, where not known to give off warm fuzzy feelings. But in the eyes of the box's occupants, Captain Garos was their saviour. It didn't matter that his head sported two demonic horns, or that his teeth mimicked small daggers. The man radiated something that had been desired, but never felt by the occupants of the crate: Kindess. Concern.
Among the 6 fortunate soul, who were crammed inside, was a lime-green Twi'lek.
Sea'Yawna, could still not believe it. She was free!
She would never have described herself as strong willed person. Even after the slave revolted elsewhere in the galaxy she had resigned herself, to knowing no other existence.
But what she had heard at the meeting... Hearing what Luke Skywalker had done to save those innocent aliens had touched something deep inside. Her hope had been kindled, for the first time ever. That hope was accompanied by galvanized determination upon learning of the plot to Kill Luke.
She had looked for opportunities to get the message out, but the truth was, there weren't any. Her Master Gardulla, surrounded herself with like-minded beings; Cruel, greedy, and arrogant. They couldn't have cared less if Skywalker had a death mark. It was only a day or two before she realized, that the galaxy would not be coming to her, she must go to it. And that's what she did. It took a few more days after that realization to actually muster up just the bare minimum of courage to walk away from her master. She knew at that point, that she would either be killed in the following hours, or free. And her she was! Free!
The Captain, and his Noghri co-pilot helped everyone out of the container. Sea'Yawna was last.
Garos was about to pull the Twi'lek out, just as he had done everyone else, but he paused. There was a panic in her eyes; a raw instinctual terror at the thought of being touched.
Unfortunately Garos had seen that look too many times on the faces of too many young female slaves. It came from a lifetime of abuse. From their early teens, slave girls were treated as soulless objects of pleasure. They came to fear any tactile contact from another. Touch meant pain. Touch meant... Humiliation.
It would take years before they could trust another person to touch them, if ever. For some, the emotional and psychological damage was great enough to preclude the possibility of any future intimate relationships.
Abandoning the idea of physically helping her out of the crate, Garos encouraged her with a smile and a gentle "come here" wave of the hand.
"That's it... Come on... you can do it! Your free now! Your safe!
In the depths of his pupils, she could see the promise of respect and dignity. With that realization came an eruption of emotion; 23 years of pent up pain and fear, unleashed in a torrent. She leapt out of the box towards Garos like a confused and frightened animal. In desperation she grabbed hold of him, all the while bursting into sobs wails.
He just let her squeeze him, and stifled the urge to embrace her in return.
He just kept repeating words that caressed her wounded soul like a salve:
" You are free... you are free"
All the former slaves became overwhelmed with emotion, and the next 20 minutes was filled with tears and embraces of solace.
Over the next hour Karuk'cakk laid out bed rolls and blankets and provided everyone with a warm meal. That's when the stories started. It was a necessary part of the healing process. The former slave would all set around a thermal generator, relating their unique experiences of their now past lives. There would be more tears, but the mood had shifted to something more relaxed and reflective. Last to speak was Sea'Yawna.
It was a common tale: a slave born to slaves. A girl destined for a life of indignity... until last week. This is where her story truly began: The day she heard about the great deeds of Luke Skwalker. Everyone was mesmerized by Sea'Yawna's account of what she had witnessed. She told them about the planet with helpless aliens. She told them about the manufactured disaster, and how Skywalker had flown in and used unimaginable power to avert that apocalypse.
Then came the schemes of Gardulla and her cohorts. The planned chaos. The distraction. Luke Skywalker... Dead!
It was Karuk'cakk that spoke first: "This cannot be allowed." He wasn't speaking to anyone in particular. His eye's were staring off into the void. After a moment, he focus on the Twi'lek and again said more forcefully:"This cannot be allowed!
"This is why I have escaped!" Sea'Yawna replied. But I don't know where to go, or who to bring this warning to."
Without hesitation Karuk'cakk said: "We will bring it to the Noghri people...
"We will bring YOU to the Noghri people, and you must tell them everything you have seen and heard!"
Captain Garos was on the verge of turning down the suggestion, albeit gently. This seemed like an important matter, but what him and Kruk'cakk were doing was also important!
Looking around however he could see the nods of agreement from the others. He can see concern for Luke in their face, and a spark of determination in their eyes. This wasn't his mission. This wasn't what he signed up for... But it was...
If Luke Skywalker's spark of hope was extinguished in the galaxy, he knew in his heart, that society would regress. All the great strides that him and others had made would be undone.
He smiled and said: "Ok! where are we headed then?"
The Noghri bowed his head in silent thanks to his captain's acquiescence, and answered:
" Honoghr! We must go to Honoghr!"
Location: Nystao, on the planet Honoghr
It was the first time Kruk'cakk had ever been to Honoghr. He had, like so many of his generation, been born and raised in a Noghri refugee settlement on the planet Wayland. But thanks to his Maitrakh, he understood the struggles his people had endured. The great ship crash during the clone wars that poisoned their home world, killing off most plant and animal life. The betrayal of the Noghir's trust by the empire, that left them in indentured servitude for decades. And the sad decision to abandon the planet for 2 generations, while the land healed.
The Land hand't healed on it's own. "Lady" Organa Solo and the new republic had invested a great deal of resources and time in efforts to rehabilitate the planet. For this and other reasons, the Solo/ Skywalker names were ones that evoked great feelings of admiration and indebtedness in his people.
All these thoughts and many other swirled around his mind and heart as the "Lasting Chance" made touch down at Nystao spaceport
A large public transit speeder ferried all the freighter's passengers to the Grand Dukha. Kruk'cakk had sent a transmission to his clan's Maitrakh telling her that he had news regarding "The Son of Vader". That was all that was needed. A grand convocation had already been called and was waiting.
Sea'Yawna was nearly struck dumb. She knew how she felt. she knew what she wanted. But this...
She didn't know how to handle this. She was never the subject of anyone's attentions other than that of the cardnal variety from the galaxy's scum. She stood in the centre of a great meeting room, with all the planet's Dynasts and Maitrakhs looking at her with a mixture of confusion and anticipation.
Kruk'cakk had said somthing to them all in his language, and after a few exchanges between him and one of the Dynasts, he waved her to the centre of the large hall.
"You can do this Sea'Yawna... You must!" He said
She looked at the crowed but tried not to focus on any one face in particular. Instead, she just scanned the room with her eyes. That seemed to keep her from becoming overwhelmed.
"My... My name is... I'm ... Sea'Yawna. Kruk'cakk and his captain rescued me... Rescued us."
Her hand gesturing to the group of former slaves standing off to the side with captain Garos. All of them were stricken with the same awe and disbelief as her. But they also had a sense of pride conveyed through their eye. She was one them, and she was making a difference. Slave weren't useless. They could make a difference!
She allowed their faith in her to carry her on.
"I have ... 2 important messages that Kruk'cakk thought the Noghri needed to hear. The first..."
She went on to describe the plot General Kratebor and his pirates had orchestrated. She told them about the ship carrying millions of tonnes of planet killing poison, that fell out of the sky on a frightened and helpless population. She described what she had witnessed on the holo display: Luke Skywalker and his crew neutralizing the danger.
The look of confusion had fled the faces of those gathered and in it's place, an expression of heartbreak settled onto every face she could see. These word hit too close to home, for the Noghri people. They had been that helpless group of primitive's in virtually the same situation. Now, things would be different. The Son of Vader would make sure a disaster, liked the one visited upon them, would never happen again! It was like a book being closed... Never again! NEVER AGAIN!
That's what made Sea'Yawna 2nd message, that much more shocking to them.
"My former owner Gardulla, the mandalorians, and many other organizations... Well... They have decided... to Kill Luke Skywalker."
There was the briefest of pauses followed by an uproar. All around her the grand hall erupted in a cacophony of screams and shouts, all of them expressing feelings that ranged from despair to rage.
Sea'Yawna momentarily faltered from her position, and was about to flee from the hall's centre, when Kruk'cakk appeared by her side.
"It's not you that they are angry with! It's them! It's alway's them! The Greedy! The Mighty! The strong who always crush the week!
After a minute or two, the crowd calmed down, and then the chief Dynast spoke: "Thank you Lady Sea'Yawna. You have proved to us that your heart is a Noghri's heart; the heart of a courageous warrior. We also feel as you do. We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. The conspirators must not prevail. We will join you in your quest to stop the death of Master Skywalker! Evil cannot win!
Once again, the whole room was filled with an uproar. This time, however, it wasn't the sound of anger, it was the sound of determination, of unblinking moral rightness. A call to battle!
Garos knew, he absolutely knew that he was watching history being made. He knew his work was important and life changing but this... He knew this was right. "Maybe this is what Jedi called the will of the force." he silently thought to himself.
He had to help them. He could give them the use of their ship. He knew many other "Freedom flight" pilots would help out as well. There was one more thing he could do. In his fight against slavery, he once had a strange encounter with an equally strange race of beings that had a deep hatred of slavery and slavers. He would do his best to contact them. They were about to go up against the most ruthless organizations in the galaxy, and any ally in that fight would be needed.
Escaping his thoughts he saw Sea'Yawna looking back at him. He nodded his assurance to her, and silently to himself:
"There's no going back now."