Ask Nar Shaddaa Last Minute Audiences

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Location: Kessels Bounty, Nar Shaddaa​

Nor'baal hated coming to Nar Shaddaa. It was far too cramped, smelly and wet - but as Supreme Leader, it was beholden on him to show face here occasionally. It was why he was on day three of a tour of the planet, meeting the various Hutts who called this place home. Now they were floating somewhere in the major cities, aboard his sail barge 'Kessels Bounty', which was escorted by a detachment of skiffs.

He had listened to various different Hutts come and tells him how hard up they were.

Boredom had nearly overcome him about an hour ago, but he had smoked his way through it. Now, he reclined in the empty audience room, alone save for a cluster of guards, stuffing his face with Nala Tree Frogs as his next guest was shown in. Kara Lok.

He couldn't remember if he had met her before, yet here she now way, shuffling her way into the audience chamber. He would look down at the female, scoff to himself, and then take a long drag on his pipe before scowling at her, and barking in Huttese <Tee? Hi chuba da naga hee?>

 

[Kara Zaa Fenn]

Travelling to Nar Shaddaa had been nerve-wrecking. A few years ago this had all been Crymorah turf, or more specifically, that of the Zaa Fenn. Now the Hutts ruled it again after the new leaders of the Crymorah had unceremoniously abandoned what was probably the most valuable spaceport in the Outer Rim. Announcing yourself to the Majordomo of the Supreme Mogul, telling them your real name -which everyone probably knew was listed on the Bounty Boards- and basically surrendering your life over to a Hutt that was known for double-crossing everyone as its guards escorted you to a barge floating above the Shaddaa skyline.. the entire thing was definitely one of the scariest things Kara had ever done.

When she shuffled into the Hutt's audience chamber she thought the whole thing was too surreal. She couldn't help herself to look around and see for herself of the rumors about the rodian gunslinger at the Hutt's side were true and.. they were. Kara had never met Preef Zaa Fenn, who was better known under his birth name of Callo, and had no way of knowing for sure if the old rodian that was looking at her from Nor'baal's side was the former Crymorah boss that was presumed to be dead. Still, the resemblance seemed uncanny...

"Kaa Dauau Nor'baal, Bimahau Kasii dee Yih Lanka an masii see tah danko." she began in beginner's Huttese that she still visibly struggled with. She had figured that trying to speak Huttese would increase her chances of walking out of this meeting alive. "Dobra Kara Jaa, kantkesonh dee Zaa Fenn Pheca Woceuea." her eyes involuntarily darted over to the rodian to see whether he would react to hearing the Zaa Fenn name.

Regardless of the reaction, she continued in strained Huttese; "Mah koutimahe bmala cohai ba koutimahe jensm an Jee hee Jee tee caie kotka bu jensm see mee dauau bmala biweoo bai koi. Jee baucayan cah uba bai cahcata mi bai sobahesa du doyoee." That was it. That was all the Huttese she managed to imprint in her memory on the flight over to Nar Shaddaa. Hopefully it worked in her benefit.

"I have come here before you today, Great and Magnificent Supreme Mogul of the Hutt Cartel, to exchange information for credits. I ask of information about the Zaa Fenn Crime Family and will pay."

@Nor'baal

 

[Preef Callo]

An old man, Preef was quickly getting accustomed to the luxuries that were reserved for the premier champio of the Supreme Mogul. Once he had a similar position and had found it to be particularly draining. Meeting underlings, meeting other syndicate bosses, other faction leaders, meeting the crimelords, holding audience with the people under your jurisdiction. There had barely been time to draw his blaster. Yet now he could shoot, then drink, smoke and be entertained. He barely joined Nor'baal for mere audiences, simply because here on his barge the Hutt didn't need him as a bodyguard. Here the Supreme Mogul was untouchable.

Something about Kara Lok intrigued him. He recognized the name from the bounty boards and knew that she was associated with the Zaa Fenn Crime Family. His Zaa Fenn.

When she walked up to the Hutt he caught her eyes once. She had something, a brightness of mind, that he had seen in Marissa Hesse, too. Ringleader of the Zaa Fenn, indeed. He listened intently and he knew the dire state of his former family. He had spoken with Nor'baal about it. He had met with Gareth, too.

So when Kara finished her introductions it was the rodian who stepped forward. "Kara Lok," he emphasized her last name as if to say that because it wasn't Zaa Fenn, she should not announce herself as one of its ringleaders. "What happened to Marissa?" Slowly he drew his peacemaker in a naturally threatening way that he usually only did to murder those that truly deserved it.

"Why did you let-" the disdain in his words grew, "-your underling stun my brother?" His brother being Gareth Zaa Fenn, the White Lion now gone mad by the Dark Side of the Force and a long prison sentence. Preef knew, or rather had learned, that Shane Covax had been on Kara's payroll as part of the "ring" she lead.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

<Beuanka!> Nor'baal raised his right hand, clenching it into a fist as if to punctuate his command. He would not see his Enforcer speak to a guest in such a manner unless Nor'baal himself had commanded it! The Hutt did not look over at Preef, arrogantly assuming that his barked order would be sufficient to end the interjection, as he then moved on to address Kara directly.

He had heard much of the Zaa Fenn of late. It was a name being bandied around like no tomorrow, with the Cymorrah's new boss having allegedly claimed what little the group had left when he had ascended to power. Nor'baal scoffed at that idea - he had taken what was left of the Zaa Fenn for himself, at least he had taken what mattered - Nar Shaddaa and the Glorious Jewel.

The puny clan and its Cymorrah 'overlords' could fight over the scraps for all he cared.

The fact this 'ringleader' came with an offer of credits for information was insulting to the Hutt. He was not some information broker to be bartered with over credits! Bah! He shook his head, flirting with the idea of having Kara seized, and allowing Preef to execute her if he chose to.

A scheme gave him pause for thought.

If she called herself ringleader of the Zaa Fenn, then she must have a reason to do so. Either others called her that, and she had support, or she possessed some sort of fanatic zeal to see herself in such a posting. Either way, she no doubt disputed the claim for the Cymorrah, a lesser Syndicate Nor'baal had been keeping an eye on, to command that title for themselves.

If he could fuel her ire, then perhaps she would act against his rival for him? He smirked to himself as he let his scheme sink in. Mulling over Preefs words as well, Nor'baal felt a plan forming.

<Kantkesonh uba sey?> he asked, faux curiosity laden on his tone as his droid translated <Keelya fa dodi che mee Lanka bai tee bo, um dopa vap?> he asked, as innocently as he could muster. <Koo fa doth Callo, hee goo kouomay.> the Hutt continued, completely aware of the irony of the fact the 'disappeared' Rodian was standing next to him <Hee fa doth bu Jaana, coo flunka- an tweepi liebonkoy woi bai Shane Covax?> he asked, contempt oozing off of his words as he practically spat the last name out.

 

[Kara Zaa Fenn]

Kara's heart skipped a beat. No, for a moment there when the rodian stepped forward and drew his blaster she was sure her heart wasn't beating at all. As if it already knew that soon it would never do so again. She didn't have an audience with the Supreme Mogul. She was facing the legendary Preef Zaa Fenn.

"I-" she was about to answer to questions she did not have an answer for when the Hutt suddenly burst out in Huttese. Luckily its droid translated for her.

Her eyes never left the rodian. The man who had dragged the Zaa Fenn Crime Family from destitution on Eriadu to syndicate leadership and intergalactic fame and power. His reputation had at one point been enough to repel a Jedi invasion of Kessel. The Huttkiller who was now working for the Hutts?

None of this made sense to Kara. Not yet. So she refocused on the Hutt's words. "It is Crymorah hierarchy, master Nor'baal-" she began, "Ringleaders such as myself lead gangs and answer directly to the crimelord." she paused and looked at Preef again, "As part of the Zaa Fenn Crime Family I answered to Crimelord Marissa Zaa Fenn." she chose not to expand on whatever became of her, for she didn't know, nor did she think it was wise to not answer the Hutt properly, being on his barge and all. "The crimelords convene in a commission. This Commission is the Crymorah and the syndicate boss-" she motioned towards Preef as she said it, -presides over their meetings."

Gareth Zaa Fenn had been more like a temporary boss, a placeholder boogeyman, because it was the Zaa Fenn Crime Family that enjoyed the most support from the other crime families (meaning it was most powerful). "It is a Crymorah rule that only those who are either born or formally adopted into one of the crime families can ascent to Crimelord and Syndicate Boss." Although her heart, which had stopped a moment ago, was suddenly pounding in her chest and she felt herself getting lightheaded from the nervous tension her body was building, the corner of Kara's mouth curled as she shot the Hutt a smile. "In other words, Shane Covax, is not the boss of the Crymorah Syndicate. Just an enforcer who got rich by double-crossing his ringleader." Meaning Kara. Shane Covax had been her underling, her responsibility.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Now this was interesting.

If there was one thing Nor'baal loved, it was hearing about dissent in the ranks of other Syndicates. The Cymorrah had always been one he had harboured a particular dislike for, especially given their predilection for harming Hutts back in the day. To hear that there were elements of the Crymorrah that disputed the position of their erstwhile leader, and were prepared to do so openly, was music to the Hutt's ears.

Nor'baal was interested to know if she had allies, and resources to support her claims.

<Fa lova num bacaka mee ahsonepa gee lhonbau chaduae see juju chamy bai bargon cay.> Nor'baal replied, as he reached for his pipe again. Making it clear that he considered the Cymorrah very much other - after all, the Five Syndicates was no more - the Hutt paused for several moments, a dismissive gesture if ever there was one. Whilst it was apparent that Kara had an agenda to being here, Nor'baal was unsure as to what she expected of him.

She could be planning to move on Covax, a 'double-crosser' as she had called him. However Nor'baal was not sure why this was any of his problem. Nor was he sure she had the resources needed to see such an endeavour through. <Tee danko doth cuanesa cay dopa- neyoha kung boa, peee tee uba bla. Toupee mi, wonkee woy bu wompa dee Cymorrah dayan bai doth bedwana bankop bu Yih du tah heee?>

 

[Preef Callo]

Preef had listened with interest and understood something that an outsider wouldn't. "She came here wanting information on the whereabouts of those that still have the Zaa Fenn name. Marissa, Gareth, Shere and me. Though I suspect she thought me dead." the rodian smiled and holstered the peacemaker, recognizing even more of Marissa in this young human.

Kara Lok didn't just call herself a ringleader because that was her old status within the Crymorah Syndicate. She called herself that because you need to be a ringleader first before you can become a crimelord. She was smart and ambitious. The only obstacle in her way is the old rule of adoption.. a matter of legitimacy she just explained to the Hutt.

"In other words, she wants me to adopt her."

An audience with the Supreme Mogul of the Hutt Cartel wasn't a cheap thing. Her going all the way to the top, treating the Hutt as an information broker was brazen and stupid, but also ambitious. The Zaa Fenn name still carried some weight in the galactic underworld and she seemed determined to keep it on everyone's lips.

Preef turned to Nor'baal and spread out his arms with a mischievous smirk, "I do neither know or trust her," he began, "and adoption into one's family isn't to be handwaved."

By now the Hutt would've realized where the rodian was going with this, for Nor'baal had the greater mind of the two. "Kara Lok offers you her services, Master Nor'baal. I shall personally oversee her uses to the cartel."

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

A new servant would certainly not be something Nor'baal would be saying no to. He nodded as his Enforcer spoke, considering how best to put her talents to use. <Uba doth mala bai tee panweba tah bo.> he reminded Preef, dragging from his pipe, and wondering how best to exploit this new addition to their ranks.

If Cymorrah graduated from 'mild annoyance' to 'direct threat', she would make a useful addition to the ranks of the Clans - a weapon that could be directed at their enemies.

<Grancha hee Preef, uba lwaa doth lohonka uen- bacdop du uen biplata,> he looked at the Rodian as he concluded <an uen flunka.> he added, making it exceptionally clear that Karas failures would also be Preefs.

 

[Kara Zaa Fenn]

Rumors confirmed by the rodian himself. Kara couldn't help but tremble as Preef Zaa Fenn guessed why she had come to Nor'baal. To replace Marissa Hesse, his old partner and confidant. Worst of all, Kara didn't see him offering her to the Hutt as a kindness at all. Sure, perhaps it saved her the two million credits she had reserved to buy her safe exit from the barge.. but being in the cartel's employ was..

maybe worse? Hutts were notorious for double-crossing their own underlings and profiting primarily from using slaves to mine and process spice. Kara had no interest in being part of the 'traditional' spice mining operations that were so common in Hutt Space. Nor was she a smuggler or an enforcer. She was a ringleader, she didn't offer her own services, she offered other people's services.

Maybe that was the thing they wanted her to prove.. if she could recruit and lead a new gang, while under the watchful eyes of the legendary Preef Callo, perhaps that made her fit to become not just a ringleader, but a crimelord as well. Kara Zaa Fenn, the trembling stopped, the dizziness returned as the extremely high stress level in her body fluctuated erratically.

"I accept your-" a sudden flash of light blinded her and she lost consciousness..

@Nor'baal

 

[Preef Callo]

The moment Kara opened her mouth, Preef drew his peacemaker on the stun setting and shot her in the face. She collapsed rather unceremoniously to the floor of the audience chamber. "Shouldn't have talked," the rodian shook his head. First lessons always were the hardest to learn.

Some of the onlooking servants seemed rather shocked, so Preef motioned for them to go to her unconscious body. "Put her in a cell. No food or water, and remove the bed." If he was going to be responsible for her failures and she wanted to prove herself worthy of the Zaa Fenn name.. well, then it was time she learned how Preef and Marissa survived in the early days of their notorious careers.

As the servants dragged Kara's unconscious body out of the audience chamber, Preef holstered his peacemaker and turned to face Nor'baal again. "Thank you for your generosity, Great and omnipotent Nor'baal."

Kara Lok would make the Hutt millions before she either got adopted into the Zaa Fenn Crime Family, or died trying.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

<Ho! Ho! Ho!> laughter permeated through the silence that had fallen across the room after Preefs gunshot rang out. He gestured for the guards to continue, and Kara was soon hauled away.

All-in-all, this had been a very interesting interlude to his day. He had learned a considerable amount about the internal division within the Cymorrah, alluding to the fact they had less influence than he had feared - and must be supported by another Syndicate or power broker in the region.

And he had got himself a new pawn.

Not a bad end to the day. He snapped his fingers, eager to return to the revelry he so enjoyed, and music instantly started. Leaning back, he reached for his snackquariam, and yanked a squalling creature out and threw it down his gullet.

/endthread