The Belching Frog Saloon was closed for the night. A special private event was taking place. Preef Callo's own enforcers guarded the outside and everyone in Mos Espa knew that the saloon -and the entire street- was under his personal protection. So, too, did the invitees.
Haro Mothkari of the Mothkari Crime Family was more cyborg than human. Once, a few hundred years ago when he originally came to power, he was simply the heir-apparent of the family. Now his ties with the Droid Gotra and the deals he made in the past from his stronghold on Hollastin had made him one of the most powerful crimelords in the Crymorah Syndicate.
Leo Xaa Hafven of the Xaa Hafven Crime Family stood at the beginning of such an illustrious career. His family had been reduced to only a handful operators in the war with the Zaa Fenn Crime Family, one which they ultimately lost and saw their enemy rise to become the leader of the Commission, or rather the 'Crymorah'. Leo was a young Twi'lek who ran a spice racket on Ryloth and was the first to openly use the Xaa Hafven name.
Then there was Kara Zaa Fenn of the Zaa Fenn Crime Family. Twenty years ago they rose from destitution to become the most powerful crime family in the galaxy. Names like Marissa and Preef Zaa Fenn were synonomous with scoundrels who had made it, who had become too big to fail. They rose too high and became celebrities, with Preef even becoming the leader of The Collective, the governing body of all Five Syndicates, until the galaxy decided to stump them down to the underworld where they belonged. Kara was a young human, but she had apprenticed under Marissa and was now being mentored by the old rodian himself. Her adoption in the Zaa Fenn signalled a new beginning.
The empty seat at the table was reserved -mockingly- for Shane Covax of Tenloss Interstellar. An outsider who occassionaly worked for the Zaa Fenn Crime Family, Covax had used his access to the family's headquarters on Coruscant to betray the then Vanguard of the Crymorah, Gareth Zaa Fenn, and claim control over the syndicate's spice distribution network with an enormous line of credit. No one believed a mere merc could accomplish something like that and most notably he was never adopted, thus by crymorah law not a member of this body. Yet, the fear for his benefactor and the seemingly endless supply of credits and spice had, for a time, secured the syndicate's allegiance.
Word spread quickly in the underworld, however, and that news was that Shane Covax had been put on carbonite by the Supreme Mogul of the Hutt Cartel. Not only that, he had come with a Sith Lord in an attempt to murder the leader of the cartel in an ill-thoughtout and badly planned coup. Luckily, neither Nor'baal the Hutt nor Preef Zaa Fenn were fools to allow such a thing a second time.
"Dear members of this esteemed body-" Kara began, ignoring for the moment the large empty space at the head of their circular table, "-of the Crymorah."
Haro Mothkari was motionless. Perhaps due to his many implants making it difficult for him to convey any kind of emotion or facial expression. Leo Xaa Hafven was notably thrilled, finally getting the recognition he craved.
"I welcome Boss Mothkari-" she nodded towards the Crimelord of the Mothkari, "-and Boss Xaa Hafven," her nod Leo as she recognized him as the Crimelord of the Xaa Hafven was a more tense one, for their families had a bloody history.
It was Haro Mothkari who took over as the oldest and most powerful family in the Crymorah Syndicate, "and we-" he spoke for Leo Xaa Hafven, too, although the latter had no real choice in the matter, "-recognize Boss Zaa Fenn," and for lack of facial expressions he motioned towards Kara, who blushed slightly at finally seeing her dream become a reality. "And thank Preef Zaa Fenn-" the former head of the Crymorah, "-for hosting and his protection here on Tatooine." Kara smiled a thank you in return. She would tell the old rodian later that Haro paid his respects to the former syndicate leader. She knew -everyone knew- that she was only able to replace Marissa as the Zaa Fenn representative at this table because of Preef. His power and influence within the Crymorah, despite his age, was unsurpassed.
"Before we begin," Kara sighed slightly as she gestured towards the large empty place at their table, "we will be joined by the Supreme Mogul of the Hutt Cartel." Haro Mothkari had agreed to this, beholden as he was to the Hutt, thus giving the Hutt's presence here a majority vote in its favor.
The doors would then open to allow the Hutt and his retinue to enter.
@Nor'baal