[17 BBY]
[Hanger Bay Zeta-Nal-Hack-12473T, Spaceport, Nar Shaddaa, in orbit Nal Hutta, Y'Toub system, Mid Rim, Hutt Space]
"They are attempting to gouge us on everything!"
Depa Bilaba smiled wanly at her padawan's complaints as they took a brief break from working on 'their' freighter. They were both clad in the clothing that would be almost traditional wear to 'independent small traders' as it would be seen, with Depa making an effort to appear both a little younger, but also some scruffier and 'cruder' than she would prefer in the now filthy mechanics outfit, but with light body armour atop. Blaster at her hip…because this was no safe place after all. An inelegant weapon as Master Kenobi would say, but when hiding one had to not run around obviously wielding the symbol of the, in chaos, Order.
'There will be no prisoner exchanges now after all. Nor lack of those eager to gain a bounty' she thought sadly as she paused in sipping her hot carbonated beverage, nodding at her disguised padawan and taking on a teasing tone "Of course they are, it is Nar Shaddaa child"
Caleb dislike being called such, but mother and son, of a no-we're-not-smugglers-honest independent trader family was the most convenient disguise. Let alone that it was, unfortunate as it may be, good training for her padawan in dealing with the touch of the Dark Side without the traditional methods to deal with such terrible things in the world. Depa loathed having to be so near to such things, but masking their Force signatures was a concern, and Caleb could…slip. Nar Shaddaa….
Well, Nar Shaddaa was Nar Shadda, and there were very valid reasons that Jedi, and Sith, had fled here at some many stages in the histories that the Council once had available. The city-moon was a horrid place, one of the worst in the galaxy, and there had been a Sith Academy near this starport in the distant past, back before the Ruusan Reformation, before the Order had thought it had erased the monsters once and for all. It had been the reason the self-proclaimed Sith Lord that had corrupted Master Ti on Dac had hidden, and Depa Bilaba was not so proud as to copy such a strategy. She suspected a number of other Jedi had similar ideas, but she as yet had come upon none as she and Caleb put all efforts into staying hidden.
Her padawan sighed, sitting back on the crates "I know ma…mother, but, it is just…"
Depa nodded, eyes on the holo-news and shows playing in the large repair hanger within the spaceport, open, at a fee, for those like themselves to repair their vessels, or simply make modifications. Theft here was unlikely, what with the various Hutt thugs overseeing such facilities, and the 'fees' were as much protection credits as rental. Criminals they may be but allowing trouble within their domain would diminish their standing…and therefore their power and profits. It was a disturbing thought on such matters as it would be much more dangerous in formerly safe systems away from the warzones across the known galaxy.
"The price of learning a trade Kanan" she replied using the name her padawan had chosen. The identity that would be on their documentation, and useful for him to remember as he had designed it himself. It would give him experience and knowledge should the worst occur, and they be separated, or she be slain "And the skill of barter is needed in our career, and in this changed galaxy"
Nar Shaddaa had another advantage too, even if they visited here rather than risked staying here for an extended period, as there was information here. Information that Depa desperately needed, along with information that they could trade in the wider galaxy to maintain their masks. The Hutts were one of the few species where most of the Holo-Net still existed with, where information could be gotten with relative ease compared to the disrupted, and/or propaganda filled, lag that was the outside galaxy. And Nar Shaddaa, smuggler's moon that it was, a dark smaller sibling to Coruscant, had the most up to date news and rumours in Hutt space. It was costly, but Depa yet had some funds and access to few deep-cover Order accounts.
Even down to simple matters of the holo-news playing now, reporting on Separatist victories mostly unfortunately, but also their reversals. Even if some of those were unwelcome as well as the Sith on Dac and Master Ti turned back a Separatist fleet at Munto Cordu. It was increasingly clear to Depa from her investigations while here the Hutts had no great desire for the Confederacy to win, with a great deal of obsolete warships, along with credits and mercenaries more importantly, going towards the Mon Calamari alliance. Or into 'ignoring' small pirate groups striking into Separatist territory, only to resupply in the unofficial regions of Hutt Space.
'Which makes all these sudden Bothans about mildly confusing' she mused watching as a trade agreement, along hyperlane access, was signed between the recently changed sides Bothans and the Hutt Council, this time represented through Grakkus the Hutt. There was a bit of slight there too, though she gave Caleb an amused look "Now lad, don't stare it isn't polite. Each of us finds our way in this darker galaxy"
In truth her padawan was a mixture of angered, confused, and disgusted rather than what she implied a young male human would be at the sight on the holo-display near to the giant slug-like Hutt. Scantily clad barely covered the description Depa noted clinically, recognising Knight Ameesa Darys standing there, though the other, a Lanu Pasiq, she guessed was a former Agri-Corps member. Slaves now. Self-sold slaves at that, and more bodyguards than the….indignity they were being paraded around as. Almost naked they might be, wearing collars…but they still carried lightsabers, and Depa had seen reports where they'd used them. Let alone that those bare things they wore were worth more than some planet's entire planetary banking system.
Her padawan only saw the surface and got confused. He did not yet see beneath. That there were slaves, and then there were Slaves with the likes of the Hutts. Both of those females were far, far, safer than either she or Caleb were, and likely to be living in the lap of luxury for the rest of their lives for the prize of acting as they were, while being essentially very deadly attack rancor. Considering that the Separatists very much had Amessa Darys on a Wanted list due to her former Master's actions parading her about as such…
'Yes, the Hutts are intent on showing their power it seems' she thought darkly know that it was a sign that plots and other things were swirling even more beyond her sight 'With all this, and Beldorian's return…only the Force knows'
The Hutt Fallen Jedi Beldorian was a major concern but had been left alone because…he was strong, Dark, and generally didn't leave his world of exile. Better isolated than provoked or risking the loss of Knights had been the Council's judged about two centuries before Depa's time upon it, and generally such decisions were left as were unless there was significant reasons to change such. Time after all would have eventually taken care of that particular problem…
'Till the galaxy was upended' she mused sipping at her drink as they both drank in the newsfeeds most of the others present with their own ships. Such news would be valuable down the hyperlane after all. It would also help inform Depa on what she and her padawan would do. Something she'd been carefully avoiding, beyond checking to contact any other Jedi such as they to little avail, as making a decision needed to be carefully considered. Master Windu, her mentor…he was gone, and so was the Council by and large, and those that survived were making…
'Poorly thought-out decisions' she reasoned unhappily. Jocasta Nu had, by all accounts, fled with a number of promising padawans and trusted librarians and allies, with part of the Archive. If Depa knew Master Nu…she would never see them again in her lifetime as that contingency was followed. The name of the Jedi was horrifyingly bad now within both the Core and Outer Rim, and now the Order itself was divided into competing Sects. Good and Bad that. Especially when what had been the Galactic Republic had been taken over by a Sith Lord, or was fighting the Sith, but also viewed all Jedi in the same manner as those monsters and were arresting any who would not swear allegiance.
The Separatists had been led by a Sith Lord, now dead, and while offering 'amnesty' their military was very much adopting an 'Ahh! Jedi! Everybody open Fire!' approach by all accounts. Mon Calamari military forces were led by yet another Sith Lord, and a fallen Master of the Council, and that was without Mandalore where a bunch of the Order had encamped. With Darksiders there as well in some uneasy peace as they all resisted both the Separatists. Depa didn't know what to make of such.
No. Now there were three Jedi Orders, one upon Corellia, which was a problem as nearly everyone outside Corellia loathed the Corellians. Depa genuinely understood why Master Kenobi and the others had done as they did and understood the necessity of it…but heading there, and adding herself to it was a very bad idea. Adding herself as a former Member of the Council would imply things, further widen splits. Or do nothing. The Force was silent on the subject. It was still better than Grand Master Yoda who had decided…
In all honesty she had no clue what Master Yoda had been thinking or was now thinking with that stand with the Wookies. Now it just meant he and all those who'd rallied to him were trapped there, on pain of death, on pain of a war restarting, after the Wookies did the sane thing and made peace. He was the true Master of the Order, yes, but…but…
'It is so pointless' Depa thought on the matter long and decided she and her padawan would not be going back there, legitimacy or not. Then there was the old Knight whose image was flashing up on the screen, a man who had the talent to be a Master if he'd ever learned to tow the Council's line, or, at the very least, tow Master Yoda's like. Rahm Kota was a good man, even if the forces he was loyal to were just as uncomfortable, albeit for very different reasons, than Corellia. But, sadly, like Corellia, the Eriadu backed Republic remnant was at least maintaining the Jedi Order and not arresting them outright. Even if they were also allowing a concerning number of Nightsisters off their kriffing planet into civilized space!
…but, that wasn't likely the former Knight Kota's fault Depa expected, as much as he was likely taking the blame from the like of Master Unduli and others she suspected. Now he was on the holo-news as reports from Naboo of all planets announced that, yet another battle had started between the Eriadu Republic and the Separatists. Depa could only pray the self-appointed Grand Master survived whatever was happening there, but, right now, she had her padawan to see to, and her curiosity to sate as Master Windu once put it. He'd also call her glib, and ignoring her duties, but, well, he was gone, and the galaxy turned cruel. Making a mistake now and the galaxy would tumble further into the Dark…
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