Part 1: Negotiations
Promenade, Nar Shaddaa
Spices, drugs, and exotic foods — their strong smell filled the air of the Promenade. Traffic zoomed below and above, but the distance muted the roar of its millions of engines. Ads floated about like a cloud of insects, and the sweet voices kept repeating the same offers in a loop. A cafe on Nar Shaddaa, what could be a more neutral spot for several sith to meet. With their order in disarray, the need for secrecy would compel them to be civil, or so Ervius hoped.
Nar Shaddaa had not changed much, as far as he could see. It was the same when he visited it many years ago as an acolyte. The Hutts who ran this criminal moon had little incentive to renovate the place, therefore, it retained quite a few ancient structures, its criminal underworld being by far the oldest one.
Ervius adjusted the hood of his jacket and checked the datapad. Each of his companions-to-be received a clear description of the meeting spot, complete with coordinates.
When a powerful sith contacted him requesting assistance, Ervius had to check his watch, then his eyes. He had an unflattering opinion of his fellow sith, one the order fully deserved. This request came as a pleasant surprise though: it promised ‘an expedition of a lifetime’. His brethren could be arrogant and sometimes excessively violent, but they rarely lied to each other so brazenly. Therefore, Ervius accepted the request to meet and discuss the terms of their impending cooperation.
The sith who offered him a job needed an archeology expert, which came as a surprise in and of itself. Few had the appreciation for the ancient ruins and their contents to require a specialist like Ervius. Most sith looted whatever remotely old structure they could find and went on their merry way.
“Something light for me,” he told the approaching waiter. The twilek gave a feeble affirmation and scurried off. The back of their neck spotted a shock collar. Ah yes, slavery, the second oldest institution of Nar Shaddaa.
Nar Shaddaa had not changed much, as far as he could see. It was the same when he visited it many years ago as an acolyte. The Hutts who ran this criminal moon had little incentive to renovate the place, therefore, it retained quite a few ancient structures, its criminal underworld being by far the oldest one.
Ervius adjusted the hood of his jacket and checked the datapad. Each of his companions-to-be received a clear description of the meeting spot, complete with coordinates.
When a powerful sith contacted him requesting assistance, Ervius had to check his watch, then his eyes. He had an unflattering opinion of his fellow sith, one the order fully deserved. This request came as a pleasant surprise though: it promised ‘an expedition of a lifetime’. His brethren could be arrogant and sometimes excessively violent, but they rarely lied to each other so brazenly. Therefore, Ervius accepted the request to meet and discuss the terms of their impending cooperation.
The sith who offered him a job needed an archeology expert, which came as a surprise in and of itself. Few had the appreciation for the ancient ruins and their contents to require a specialist like Ervius. Most sith looted whatever remotely old structure they could find and went on their merry way.
“Something light for me,” he told the approaching waiter. The twilek gave a feeble affirmation and scurried off. The back of their neck spotted a shock collar. Ah yes, slavery, the second oldest institution of Nar Shaddaa.
@LadyRen @Tulos