Chapter 27
"Sir," a voice called from behind Vader. He turned around to see a young man. The masked figure bowed slightly before him. "Your great-grandchildren wants to see you..."
"Great-grandchildren?" he asked himself quietly. Before he could ask the stranger anything more two children no older than five ran across the floor of the void towards him. He watched in awe as their small frames rushed over to him.
"Great-granddaddy/father!" They all called to him in the most adorable child voices he had ever heard. Vader's eyes snapped to them. All of them had the same brown hair, albeit for one, he was different from the rest. There was a familial connection between all of them, albeit one of them resembled Luke ever so much which brought Vader pause.
Vader scooped them all up into his hands and grinned as they buried their heads into his side. He loved them all so much. All four of them were alluring.
The guard clasped his hands behind his back before standing at attention, "I apologize for the interruption, your majesty. Try as I might, Princess Jaina, Prince Jacen, Prince Anakin, and Prince Ben would not be moved from seeing their great-grandfather."
"We missed you, great-granddaddy!" Anakin shouted.
"Yeah, where have you been?! Can we go next time?!" Little Jacen shouted eagerly.
"I can fly the ship! Please, let me fly the ship!" Jaina cried. "I love flying!"
"Great-grandfather, let's hear another war story! They are so cool!" Ben Skywalker said, calmer than the rest just like his father.
"My great-grandchildren," he said as he held each of them closer than he had before. He closed his eyes, drinking in the unconditional emotions - the main being love - he felt from his great-grandchildren through the Force.
Opening his eyes to steal another look at them Vader noticed that his arms were now empty and the guard disappeared with them. It was a premonition, a possible future if anything else, maybe the Force toying with him again about how much was at stake now that he'd began the long-awaited fight against the Hutts and this galaxy if he was being frank. He'd received plenty of them. Withdrawing from his meditation through the Force did not leave anything but mild pain. He shook his head, clearing it from the vision of the possible future, and focused on his current objective.
Vodran.
The Vodrans were a sentient species of egg-laying reptiles who evolved in the Si'Klaata Cluster. The Vodrans were humanoid beings who stood no taller than a human, but who exhibited several physiological differences: monochromatic eyes; hard, leathery skin; underdeveloped facial muscles; and a ring of spikes around the face. While peaceful by nature, Vodrans made strong fighters. Most Vodrans considered the benefits of the collective before those of the individual, showing almost no individuality; the few freethinking Vodrans were considered pariahs and rogues by their fellows.
Even before the establishment of the Galactic Republic, the Vodrans were slaves of the Hutts. The legendary Vodran warrior Kl'ieutu Mutela signed his whole species into servitude through the Treaty of Vontor, and the Hutts imposed their own culture upon the Vodrans and eradicated the reptilian species' independent civilization. The Vodrans believed that their partnership with the Hutts profited both sides, and as such the reptiles readily sacrificed their own lives in great numbers to preserve the ostentatious lifestyles led by their Hutt overlords, even though such wastrel-like activities were one aspect of Hutt culture that the Vodrans did not emulate.
The Hutts initially recruited the Vodrans — along with the neighboring Klatooinian and Nikto species — to fight the forces of the Human warlord Xim the Despot at the Third Battle of Vontor. After their success at Vontor, the three species were kept on retainer by the Hutts, commonly for use as enforcers or thugs. The Vodrans proved to be the most loyal slave species in the Hutts' retinue, and they never attempted any rebellion against their masters.
Given what the Hutts did to many of their own, that certainly wasn't surprising. They would order all their families and friends to death and yawn throughout the funeral ceremony while thinking about the future of their own planets. Sidious was much the same way.
When the already war-torn planet was later brutally subjugated by the Galactic Empire, which destroyed many of the world's cities. Vader had heard about that report, and while he disregarded it at the time and never thought about it afterwards, it was at the front of his mind now that he was making ratifications.
Regardless of whether they approved over his presence or not, Vodran was an important strategic location for the Hutts, serving as a key trade route and a center for black market activities. Liberating Vodran would the Hutts' control over vital trade routes, hindering their economic dominance even further and weakening their influence furthermore.
When they landed on the planet, they didn't have the inclination to act with aggression.
Vader stopped outside of the palace and frowned, his hand sliding over his lightsaber hilt as he could see a group of Vodrans already scurrying up to meet him, blasters in their hands as they looked at them with mixture of hostility and fear.
"Stop where you are!" The Vodran at the front shouted.
They raised their blasters in their direction. At times like this, he'd almost envied Obi-Wan's negotiation skills, knowing that his old Master could talk his way through almost any conflict.
At his subtle command, the liberators didn't retaliate, not even wishing to do so knowing what the Hutts were capable of and having been at their non-existent mercy before.
In truth, he didn't needed the Vodrans. Their disorder could be counterproductive. Them throwing themselves at the Hutts or Vader's people would unfortunately be necessary sacrifices. He didn't have time to recruit diehard loyalists to the Hutts who believed themselves of value to the Hutts. Refusing to kill them and giving them another chance to live was different.
"You're not allowed here!" The Vodran barked.
"Drop your weapons!"
Vader could sense their loyalty with the Hutts ran so deeply. It was twisted, yet there had been small signs of individuality. Despite this, Vader was not going to waver from his current mission.
He pushed forward the Force within their minds. Given the species were known to have a disorder better known as psychosis, it wasn't so difficult to tap into their minds, and push through the conditioning wrapped around them. His recently gained conscience didn't want to sack the world, just remove the Hutt's presence and leaving the Vodrans to their devices which would allow them to either join them or go about their own way.
Vader spreaded the connection through the Force, extending his Force dominance outwards. Some of them were independent thinkers unlike their comrades so Vader decided to see if they could be reasoned with. They were even more brainwashed than the Clones so they would follow any order no matter how suicidal they were.
The more independent thinkers who had the nature to fight against his control were the few still standing and looked around with horror, surprised by what just happened. These were the ones that had some independence. A few of them were jumpy, wanting to take on these oppositions that appeared out of the skies, yet Vader hadn't sensed they would do anything out of pure shock.
Save for one who raised his blaster back up.
"Easy now, we don't wish to bring harm on your people,
"You came on our world as armed travelers and killed our people!" Another one exclaimed, notably anxious but keeping their composure. There was a tad of that peacemaking custom that they once followed, for at their very cores they weren't even followers of violence.
Vader pointed out. "If we came here with the intention to harm you, we would not be speaking. If you pull that trigger, you will be dead. The Hutts are plights to the galaxy and must be exterminated."
"What you claim is impossible," the Vodran at the front responded coldly, a tremor in his voice. "It's better we follow the Hutts for survival instead of taking war against them and allowing their fleets to wipe them all out.
"Come now, let's start. My name is Vader."
"...My name is Tantam Raji," the Vodran replied, still keeping his blaster poised at his direction. "We don't want any conflict with the Hutts."
Vader fought a sigh but couldn't refrain from putting his hand on his beard as Obi-Wan use to do whenever the old man was thinking about something. He was not deterred from their lack of seeing the beyond, knowing that the liberators could easily neutralize them.
Removing his hand from his lips, Vader chose his words carefully. Again, he envied Obi-Wan's quick wit and negotiation tactics.
"Look around you. You are being held by an iron fist, a greedy Hutt buying what she views as merchandise from your planet and taking the credit. They feed on your suffering. Break free of them. You could do it." Vader encouraged.
To their credit, the Vodrans showed no signs of being moved, but their presences were different. These were the few that knew that the Hutts were using them all. They decided not to argue
"We... have no choice," another Vodran responded, looking down with a mixture of defeat and contempt, a younger one. "If we go against them, we will die or be subjugated to a worse type of slavery."
"And you are...?" Vader prompted again, waving his hand at them.
"Omar Thif," the Vodran responded in a gruffer tone, standing straight at the proclamation of his name, before sinking his shoulders and asking sharply.
Ann came forward at that moment, pointing the blaster down. "I was a slave to Jabba the Hutt. Vader found me one day - along with my twin sister, Tann." She indicated to her sister in kind who was nodding along with her sister's speech. "We had trained and fought together for weeks, recruiting others to our cause. We didn't even have the time to properly strategize. We did it because it was the right thing to do."
That earned a bit of an uproar from the audience. They hadn't been prepared for this, especially not after centuries of being under cruel treatment. How could this army of liberators come here with modified weapons, ships, and such?
Omar protested as calmly as possible. "W-we couldn't do what you're doing. They would come at us."
He raised his blaster back up and fired, and Vader caught the blaster bolt in midair, keeping the bolt in a Force stasis.
"Hold your fire," Vader barked before the freedom fighters instinctively fell into their battle stances as he disintegrated the blue blaster bolt.
The Vodrans lowered their blasters at that.
One shouted out, her voice a tremor. "You're a Jedi?!"
He pushed back his cloak to reveal the lightsaber hilts hanging on his belt.
"No," he responded. "I have a different philosophy."
Tantam appeared to be thinking before motioning for them to lower their weapons. This, they happily followed, not wanting to risk being mowed down after hearing legends of the Jedi.
"You needn't fear me," Vader continued, sensing them slowly growing cooperative. "I haven't come here to claim your world. I am willing to deal with the Hutts and leave you be. What you choose after this is up to you."
The Vodrans exchanged looks once again before nodding as Tantam grumbled.
"Our colonies will be driven into violence over this."
Harra the Hutt was one for her fashion. That much was for sure. She made her fortune buying, selling and trading exotic creatures, including rancors, for other Hutts around the galaxy. Truth be told, she'd despised still chatting with other Hutts, for Vodran had been the one planet where she felt like the major power in the galaxy.
Living on wealth and having those Vodrans carry out her orders was satisfying for sure, but there had been times when she felt particularly bored.
The other Hutts found her viewpoints exasperating, that much was certain, but she'd been the type who would tell the Hutt Council to go kriff themselves if the rest of the slugs ever dared to reprimand her about her preferences.
When the doors opened, Harra felt her pride. Another day. What was in the works today? She could simply order it and the command would be followed.
"You, I want my breakfast."
The Vodran nodded. "Of course, Madam Harra." There was a bit of spite in his tone, she could feel that much, and it earned a frown.
She would not tolerate that insolence, that much was for damn sure.
Harra pressed a button on her throne, allowing it to move her behind the Vodran. She could simply walk but being treated like royalty did tend to make one lazy.
The Vodran dashed out at that moment, and she decided to deal with it later. She had her own minions after all to deal with insubordination.
Finally, she'd been inside of her kitchen, but stunningly there was a cloaked form in front of her. The figure remained silent, and she could feel something cold wrapping around her.
"Move," she commanded. "Move," she repeated adamantly, teeth grounded together.
She would find out whoever this was and wipe the skin off his face for not obeying her commands.
The Hutt drove her fist forward. He would obey her or else!
"Did you not hea-" her voice stuck in her throat as she felt her first loosening up and shooting up to her neck, a small lump escaping.
"Your minions have been disposed of," the figure finally spoke, fist flexed at his side. "I must thank you for being stupid enough to leave your access codes on one datapad. Now, taking over your routes shouldn't be too difficult for me and my allies."
And that was the last she'd heard before the building was consumed by explosions.
The last thing she saw was his lips quirking up in a smirk as the flames traveled around him but not through him.
And last nothing.
The explosion and debris came all around him as the palace did it best to collapse.
The Force might under the former Sith did not allow for the outcome. Vader was the type who didn't went off on what ifs and maybes for outcomes so he'd decided to see if the Hutt was another casualty or if he would have to put an end to her himself.
He looked down at the charred body of the Hutt and stormed through the fortress, having ordered both the liberators and Vodrans to allow him to deal with this one.
Not every foe needed to be remedied with lightsabers or Force powers after all, especially given the slaves have been more or less collected.
He pressed on, knowing that the building would not fall until he commanded it to do so.
The Vodrans already recovered their own who had been inside of the palace before he'd approached the deplorable Hutt and finally ensured an end to her reign. They came up with good excuses for why they were required outside so Vader didn't have to meddle with their minds any further. Omar was the one Vodran inside before the building exploded.
One might have thought him suicidal to have taken a simple stroll through the burnt palace, to be at the head of it, but Vader was honestly enjoying this.
Not the death as they were mere necessaries but the freedom of touching the Force even without venting on convenient targets.
All of the bodies within have been disintegrated into ashes, the former beings not realizing that death was seconds way from greeting them.
Vader hummed the "Imperial March" as he walked through the palace. Enjoying wanton slaughter wasn't normal, but the Hutts were beings that had to go. The more he'd killed Jabba.
At last, when Vader exited the palace, he allowed the palace to collapse onto the ground. He could see the anticipated eyes of his companions, but the shocked ones of the Vodrans who had been obviously expecting him to die in the flames.
"How did he do that?" One of them asked Hakyrr who smiled innocently with his canine teeth.
"You would get used to it," the Cathar responded, shrugging slightly, before walking up to Vader. "You sure know how to leave an impression. I almost feel bad for the poor bastards."
The Vodrans surrounded them, eyes wide with surprise, following their leader.
The hooded brunette stayed silent. There were still sights of Hutt's presence on planet as well as more Vodrans who were still carrying out their last orders, but when they returned, they would be allowed to make their own choices.
"We have other colonies on planet," Tantam Raji replied, following behind Vader who kept marching. He had to practically to run to keep up with Vader. "Your reception here would be mostly negatively received."
"How that concerns me is inconsequential," Vader said plainly. "I didn't conquer your planet, just remove the Hutts. Should you prove foe instead of friend, we'll retaliate."
The moment the feeling settled on the few beings who understood what just happened, they felt another revelation. They could be their own custom, their own people without having to depend on the Hutts for substance, and not have to allow anyone to claim anything from their planet.
Never in their lifetime did they thought that someone would care enough about coming down, most of all the Jedi of legends.
The flames represented not disaster but hope that they have long since found lacking. Vader could have come down here and demanded their acceptance of his new leadership, yet he'd managed to move through them without killing any of them, and they now understood something else:
The Hutts could be defeated.
Vader was living proof of that, having walked in without so much as a scratch and walking out unscathed. What increased points by them was the fact that nobody got killed.
The Vodran froze, stammering over his words, before coming out with it. "Why do you wish to risk the opportunity of us rebuilding to rebel?"
"Either you can build upon yourselves and rebel when the time comes or die. The choice is yours to make." Vader offered his two credits as his allies broken away from them and followed him to their ship. The Vodrans didn't dared to fire. Most of them were unconscious, and if they do now, they would be mowed through with significant ease.
When the ship left the ground, most watched as it disembarked from the surface, before flying up into orbit and disappearing.
Two outcomes were possible for them. Either adapt or die. They were no middle ground. They would now be leaderless and that would leave a void of who would take over, but Vader's work with the planet was done. Their routes would be useful for when Vader's upcoming system came to fruition.
Regardless, Vader had two more major crusades before life changed for all of his crusaders forever.