Nar Shaddaa

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

The signal from Judyc's self-destruct order did quite make it to each of the ordinance packets within the floorboards due to the signal blockers just inside the main room and those that had fallen against the side of the room opposite of the entrance during the struggle. However the field didn't extend as far as the secret room Judyc had emerged from earlier and, as Mica made his way out, the floor lurched beneath him.

 

By the time he'd regained his feet, smoke was pouring from the half-opened doorway. “Briia!” he half-cried, half-choked over the open channel as the other residents began pouring out of the other apartments in response to the blaring alarm.

 

Fighting against the stream of people, Mica made it back to the doorway and pulled open the manual release so he could get into the apartment to assist or rescue Briia as needed. He shifted his visors display to filter based on vital signs and quickly located the unconscious woman and their original target.

 

Without thinking twice, Mica shouldered the Twi’lek woman and placed a round through Jurgen’s skull. A cleaner death than the man deserved, but he wasn’t about to let the man live and didn’t have time to affect a rescue of both of them.

 

As he ran down the hall he relayed what had happened to Fett, just as another set of blasts rocked the building as the blaze caught up with the other explosives. Flames ripped down the corridor as he was thrown off his feet by the concussive blast.

[Moon Knight]

ShadowFett saw and heard the series of explosions before the comm came from Mica and he immediately knew what had happened. Viba had once again managed to make a ba'slan shev'la exact a high price on his enemies and simultaneously cover his tracks. It seemed like Fett was just one step behind him like he'd been against Faust over Kuat. Doesn't matter, he can't stay hidden forever if he's going to make an attempt on Mirdala, he thought. And we did what we came here to do. According to Mica, Bialle was dead. Not how Fett would have liked it, as once again they now had no leads on who employed him and Viba, but justice had been done and the mole was silenced permanently.

 

But those were thoughts for the debriefing, and there was still work to do. Already a series of hovering beskar'ade armed with fire suppressant devices were closing on the scene of the incident and Fett had his own part to play in the aftermath.

 

Triggering his repulsor pack again, Kandor flew up to the floor of the safehouse, intercepting one of the response droids on the way. It buzzed in protest at him but he gripped it tightly and steered it forcibly to the entrance of the safehouse. The door was open and inside the hallway were Briia and Mica, apparently struggling to get clear of the flames. "Do your job," he told the droid. It gave him an indignant beep but immediately set to work spraying the area with cold foam before moving to assist the Mando'ade.

 

Kandor didn't stick around. He flew up to the level above and found the door of the next housing unit still sealed shut. He drew a jetii'kad, lit the blue blade, and thrust it through the control panel before dragging it across the doorway. The slab of metal fell away in pieces and two humans and an Ishi Tib came rushing out of the smoke-filled interior coughing. One of them was gasping and pointed back at the apartment, confused by the lightsaber-wielding Mandalorian before her but surmising that he was in fact here to help.

 

Fett immediately charged through the doorway with his penetrating radar flipped on, closing down the blade. The smoke was thick and the room was hot, with big gaps in the floor where the explosion below had buckled the support, but there was no active blaze and his beskar'gam which could support him in outer space efficiently sealed him against the hostile environment and his vision enhancements cut through the particles with ease. With just a glance he found a small, soot-covered child trapped on an island of surviving floor, maneuvered over to her with another careful touch of his repulsor pack, scooped her up and returned the way he'd come in.

 

Returning the child to her immensely grateful parents outside, he stepped back to survey the situation further and found that the response droids now had the situation more or less under control. Mica and Briia had gotten the rest of the way out, too. "You're injured," he surmised as he approached Mica. "How bad is it? Need to find out how good Nar Shaddaa hospitals are?"

 

Lawless or not, Fett knew for a fact the world had some good medical centers, like most worlds with high population. They were just expensive. He started calling up locations on his buy'ce's HUD in case Mica needed one.

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

Mica coughed and pointed to Briia who lay still beside him. “I’ll be fine. She was in the damn place when it blew. If we take her local, we’ll need to stick close to her,” he coughed some more and spat onto the street whatever he’d manage to extract from his lungs. “Don’t trust the locals and out of armor she’s just another Twi’lek to get lost on Nar Shadaa. And some of the locals have already been giving her trouble...”

[Moon Knight]

The search came back with multiple results nearby. Kandor picked the Archiban Kimble Hospital, which had been relied upon by several Moon Knights in the last four millennia for injuries they couldn't overcome on their own. It said something about the place's discretion for them to have trusted it in such a way, so it would be good enough for Briia and Mica both.

 

-----------------

 

Two and a half hours later Fett sat in the waiting room, finishing up preparing his report for Taen. Mica's injuries were relatively minor -- smoke inhalation and a twisted ankle, and they had him monitored but for the most part he insisted on remaining with Briia, apparently paranoid that she would be mistreated here. She was worse for the wear. Comcussion, smoke inhalation, internal bleeding from the shockwave, cuts and bruises. Nothing life threatening, but she would be put up for a couple days.

 

Kandor was determined to finish the report, but while he had no injuries, he really needed some time for a sanisteam and some gear maintenance. His beskar'gam was grey with ash and still coated in many places with leftover adhesive from the grenade. Most of the substance had hardened and broken off after five minutes, but its immediate exposure to the heat of the burning apartment complex had had a negative impact on the process. And it wasn't just all over his armor, it coated his weapons and gummed up the tools built into his gauntlets. He kept Flirt turned off, wishing to spare himself how much time she would spend complaining about the situation.

 

The report was fairly brief and hit the main points. Jurgen Bialle was dead; his handler or associate was a Kyr'tsad named Judyc Viba, who had escaped; Viba had triggered explosions which had dealt noncritical injuries to Ad'Selfort and Silvar. He also noted that Viba had referred to a bounty on Mirdala's head, something that not everyone needed to know but he thought was certainly relevant for the Sector Protector. He also made a slightly-different copy of the report and sent it forward to Rhys, Viscount and the other Omicrons at the steading on Concord Dawn, with a promise for a more complete debrief in person once Briia was cleared from the hospital.

 

That sent, he made accommodations nearby to put himself and Mica up for a couple days to wait out her recovery, and swung by a local store to pick up some industrial grade cleaners....

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

A few days later the trio of Mandalorians boarded their ship and headed back to their home sector.

[Judyc Viba]

It's just as well, Judyc thought of Bialle as he sat down in a local bar where men of his stripe weren't uncommon but at least it was quiet enough he could eat in peace. He'd emerged from the battle uninjured, though ShadowFett had wrenched his arm pretty well when he'd disarmed him of his shield. The real cost had been his safehouse, in order to replicate which it would take the majority of the sum he'd made on the hunt with Fieyr, given that they only got credit for one of the two jetiise.

 

If Mand'alor and his Protectors hadn't shown up and put a blaster bolt through his kovid, Judyc would've had to do it. Then he would've had to dispose of the body, clean up the remains, cover the whole thing up. Generally a huge hassle.

 

It still made him angry just thinking about how Fett had chosen this moment to return to his roots, and out of all the dalase in the oyu'baat he'd had to get involved with Mirdala Ad'Goran, who'd then pulled him into all the Seeker business. It was such incredible bad luck that it was almost enough to make him believe in fate.

 

But now Jurgen was dead, and one of the links was broken. Judyc growled to himself. It had been a stupid idea, and he supposed he would have to sweep that whole chapter of his life under the rug, undoing whole decades of work and forsaking a promise he'd made to one of the few people he'd ever cared about. But better to lose that than his life.

[Emerald]

The Nebula's Glory winked out of hyperspace and descended swiftly upon the Smuggler's Moon. The Blood Gem Pirates entered the atmosphere, and as they passed through the thin, ever-decreasing layer that burned hot against the ship's hull, Emerald breathed a sigh of relief. Coming back to Nar Shaddaa almost felt like coming home, in the best way. The trio of pirates had crossed each others' paths for the first time here on this haven of hooligans. The surface of the moon, one sprawling city, was vaguely reminiscent of Coruscant. But the absence of the elite and powerful here meant that the care and concern given to the grandeur of Coruscant's landmarks were also notably absent. Unlike the other city-world, Nar Shaddaa felt lived-in. Others might call it decrepit. To the Blood Gems, it was home. Or at least, the closest thing to home they had.

 

Emerald leaned forward on her elbows as Sapphire brought the ship easily through skylanes and alleys between skyscrapers. It was beautiful in its chaos, a perfect place to get lost in the galaxy. In their case, it was also the perfect place to lie low while they made repairs.

 

At the thought, the blonde wrinkled her nose. She had just finished scrubbing all the fire retardant out of her hair, and wasn't looking forward to spending the next few days covered in hyperdrive grease. But what needed to be done would be done. Her reflexes were feeling a bit slow, and it would be good to get a chance to "tune-up" her physical condition as well as the ship's. Some sparring matches might be in order, she thought smugly.

 

No landing instructions were transmitted, no registration fee solicited, no identification required. The Glory slowed to a hover, and touched down on a landing pad that was all-too-familiar. Grinning, Emerald looked over at Sapphire. "You didn't tell me we were coming to Jalos' garage," she raised an eyebrow. "You sure he'll be glad to see you after what happened last time?"

[Sapphire]

Nar Shaddaa...the Vertical City. This place understood her. It lived--it had a pulse, one that could beat with the rush of violence or with the rhythms of dance music. There were beings of every species, of every background. The only thing that united them all was the desperation of life, the pursuit of whatever one wished, whether that be money or power or just to have a good time.

 

For Sapphire, this would always be the place she felt the most like she fit in. It had been here that she had fled when she had first left Hapes, fed up and sick of the hoity toity Hapan lifestyle. She had landed here with no prospects and with no idea what she wanted to do with her life. She had fallen in with a criminal group, using her hacking skills to help pull off several minor heists. It had been a crazy time, and while she had held no love for any of the people she had worked with, she found that she loved the lifestyle. She had it all--drugs, sex, alcohol, and money--and most of all, freedom. It had been here where she had vowed that she was never going back to her stuffy Hapan upbringing. Alai Dov had died here. She was Sapphire the pirate for life.

 

The red-head brought the ship gracefully down to a landing on an empty landing pad and turned to catch Emerald's grin. "No, probably not," Sapphire replied. "He'll probably charge an arm and a leg. I'll probably have to sleep with him too. But his people are some of the only ones I trust to do the job right. I mean, it's not like I'd ever take the Glory back to Rut'aan's place!" She shuddered. "I'll take Jalos' overactive libido over Rut'aan's slimy tentacles any day."

 

She hit the switch to lower the ramp and came striding out of the mist that came with the hiss of the repulsors. A group of humanoids was already assembled. "Aw, a welcoming party?" Sapphire called out. "You didn't need to do that."

 

"Didn't I? You know we like to pull out all the stops for the Blood Gem Pirates," came the response from the tall brawny human in the front of the group. His hair was dark brown, almost black in his scraggly beard. A long scar, a common sight among the denizens of the Smuggler's Moon, crossed his nose and turned downward underneath his blue eyes. His hand twitched on his blaster. "You've got a lot of guts coming back here, Sapphire."

 

"Come on, Jalos," she replied scornfully. "You know as well as I do that that Hutt was going to track you down for what you did to him. It was only a matter of time. Besides," she added, striding forward, "wouldn't you rather put that whole mess behind us? For old times' sake?"

 

Jalos had been one of the first people she had met on Nar Shaddaa. He had quickly become obsessed with her, and while at first she hadn't given him the time of day, he was so persistent that eventually she had given him what he wanted, hoping that that would be the end of it. Instead, he had turned possessive. That had eventually lead to an all-out brawl between them that had ended with Sapphire dumping his sorry behind in a trash compactor. That was years ago, now, though. They had seen each other on and off over the years. Despite their history, Sapphire did overall trust his men's workmanship. When it came to ship repairs, there were few garages as good as Jalos'. And few prices were too high for Sapphire to pay to get her ship fixed right, especially when it came to men as uncreative as Jalos.

 

He grunted noncommittally at her words. "Why are you here?"

 

She gestured at the ship with her chin. "The Glory got a little banged up on our last job. Need a team of techs and mechanics to look her over and give her some TLC."

 

"That's going to cost you quite a bit," he replied, looking her up and down. "I'm not sure you'd be willing to pay what I'll ask." But he waved a hand and several techs came trotting forward. He knew Sapphire wouldn't be here if she hadn't already agreed to his price. "It's gonna be 8,000 just to have my guys take a look at her, plus the cost of whatever new parts she'll need, and labor of course."

 

"Fine, but the cargo bay is off limits. If I catch any of your men put one toe in there, we leave without paying a thing."

 

He grinned. "Of course, of course. That'll cost you something extra, though, darlin'."

 

"Please," Sapphire snorted. "You know you can't handle it."

 

"Come now," he drawled. "Is that the way you want to talk to the people fixing your beloved ship?"

 

She rolled her eyes and walked away. As she passed him, he slapped her rear. "I'll pick you up later and take you to a nice dinner," he grinned.

 

Sapphire raised her chin. "After the job is done."

 

He paused, but nodded. "Sure. Give you time to work up an appetite."

 

She kept walking. It would be easy for her to ruin Jalos completely, but then his mechanics would scatter and find jobs elsewhere, and it was worth it for her to put up with him to get her ship fixed right. His prices were steep but his work was good, and that was all she really cared about. The other two Gems had finished locking up the cargo hold while she negotiated, and now the three of them headed off the platform and down to the main thoroughfare. She hooked arms with Emerald as they walked, her demeanor changing. She glanced at an ad that displayed the current local time. "Well ladies, looks like it's still early afternoon here. What sort of trouble shall we get up to with what's left of the day? I'm thinking it's time to celebrate."

 

This was their neighborhood. The Gems kept a large apartment a few blocks down, stocked with everything they needed, including whatever part of Emerald's extensive wardrobe she didn't feel the need to take with her. There were several of their favorite watering holes nearby, and all the shopping and nightlife three pirates could dream of. The sky was the limit.

[Emerald]

The reception that Jalos had prepared for them, for all intents and purposes, was much more gracious than the lithe Hapan had expected. While Sapphire handled the negotiations concerning the repair of her beloved ship, Emerald shuffled around the ship throwing her belongings in a duffel. Her complement of combat jumpsuits had been thoroughly exhausted on this trip, and it was time for some thoroughly impractical clothing. Her heart fluttered at the thought.

 

She stopped outside the cargo hold, where Ruby was pass-locking the door. "Ready?" she asked with a nod, and then draped her arm around the Chiss' shoulders as they meandered down the ramp.

 

"Sure, give you time to work up an appetite," Jalos was saying as Sapphire gave him a concerted eye-roll and passed him. His playful slap drew a grin from Emerald, who let go of Ruby long enough to saunter up to the garage boss, wrapping her hand around his chin and squeezing his cheeks gently. "Now now, Jalos," she intoned with a heavy and overplayed wink. "All good things to those who wait."

 

She kissed him squarely on the mouth, holding the kiss for a count of three before pushing him back playfully, releasing her firm grip on his face. Jalos had never had more than a passing, shallow interest in her, which she utilized when it suited her. Sapphire was the one he had his eye on, and his constant unwanted attentions were a thorn in her side. Many a long night, the woes of their red-headed friend had been aired to Emerald and Ruby over a large helping of Kashyyykian rum. But for all his refusal to take a hint, Jalos was useful to them. He was a fun plaything, anyways.

 

She let her fingers fall down his neck and brush across his shoulder as she walked away. "Bye, baby," she said airily. "Don't miss me too much."

 

Her display of power complete, she sped up her steps to catch up with Sapphire, letting the syrupy demeanor fall away as they walked. "Ahhh, it's good to be home," she laughed. "First things first, though. If we're planning a night out on the town, we need to be dressed appropriately."

 

Ruby, a pace behind the other two, groaned audibly. Turning her head to look over Sapphire's shoulder, Emerald shot her look of teasing disdain. "Oh, suck it up, spoilsport, it ain't so bad."

 

---

 

After a short walk, the Gems found themselves in their hidey-hole. Emerald emerged from the walk-in closet that held her rather impressive array of dresses and disguises with her arms full of dresses. Squeezing her cheek to them in a dramatic hug, she sighed. "Oh, my loves, I've missed you." After a good thirty minutes of trial and error, she finally settled on a form-fitting, shimmery sleeveless jumpsuit in varying shades of purple that bore provocative slits along the torso. Pausing in front of the mirror, she clasped the halter-top around her neck and tousled her hair in staged carelessness. The last touch, a pair of tall stiletto boots, and the green-eyed minx was ready. A swell of confidence surged within her. While Emerald had, at points, dreamed of seeing her name in lights, that didn't feel necessary anymore. Tonight, she owned Nar Shaddaa. Their Hapan haul would set them up for months, and by virtue of achieving a level of interdictor capability, a world of possibility opened up to them.

 

Soon, all of Nar Shaddaa would know their names, even if the galaxy tried to turn a blind eye.

 

---

 

Three cocktail glasses balanced carefully in her hands, Emerald rejoined her companions at their table. After some brief discussion about where to go, they had settled on the Crystal Decanter, which was one of the more expensive bars on this side of the moon, but as a result, attracted a significantly wealthier and promising clientele. Tonight, a cover band filled the atmosphere with Max Rebo-style music, and there was a stag party of some sort cavorting near the bar. Settling back into her seat, she distributed the drinks.

 

"One Corellian whiskey on the rocks for the blue one, some mess of spiced Kuati rum and bitters for the nerd, and THIS magic for me." The cocktail she set in front of herself bubbled and fizzed, but the key feature was a pulsing green light that ran down the center of the glass. Laughing at the dumbfounded and slightly skeptical looks on the faces of her friends, she explained. "It's a Death Star. Eriadu tree-fruit liqueur, bourbon, and sparkling jawa juice. Or that's what the bartender said."

 

Holding her glass in front of her, she raised a toast. "To a successful heist. May there be many more like it. Preferably soon."

 

Savoring the explosion of flavor that rolled across her tongue, she leaned back in her chair, tugging her bangles toward her wrist. "So what's next, ladies? The galaxy is our Manaan pearlfish."

[Sapphire]

This, Sapphire thought as she tossed back her head and laughed at Emerald's handling of Jalos, was why the Blood Gems were best together. The three headed off towards their apartment, Sapphire's mood still sky high. Nothing, not even Jalos' drooling, could make her lose her euphoria over their most recent heist.

 

Their apartment was spacious and fully-stocked. This was their permanent residence, and the three sections of it each reflected the Gems' personalities. Sapphire headed towards hers, carpeted in deep blue, and sank into her bed with a long sigh. Ahhh....I love this bed.... But she wasn't in the mood this evening to stay in. She wanted to hit the town, live the high life, and have some fun. To that end, she rose and headed to her own closet. While not as extensive as Emerald's, Sapphire's wardrobe held fewer but more expensive pieces. Her real weakness was for shoes. She had several hundred pairs at least.

 

In the end, she chose a slinky black dress with one long sleeve, whose low-dropping back and sky-high skirt would be ridiculously scandalous anywhere else in the galaxy, and paired it with some killer golden heels. She threw the top part of her hair up in a golden clip, and put on some large gold-and-diamond earrings to match. Emerald might have the edge over her in beauty, but only when they were right next to each other, and Sapphire was well aware of her allure.

 

Deadly, dangerous, and drop-dead gorgeous, she thought smugly.

 

***

 

When they arrived at the Crystal Decanter, the pirate relished the stunned looks and whispered comments that flew among the patrons as the Blood Gems walked in. Emerald went to get them drinks, and Sapphire flashed a smile at Ruby. "You know you love this as much as Em and I do," she winked. She took her drink with a relish, and laughed at Emerald's ridiculous concoction. "An emerald drink for Emerald," she chuckled.

 

"To a successful heist," Emerald toasted. "May there be many more like it. Preferably soon."

 

"I'll drink to that!" Sapphire exclaimed. She tossed back a swallow of the rum. "Well, we'll probably be here for a week or two at least. The Glory's repairs are going to take time. But I think there's plenty of mischief we can get into here on the Smuggler's Moon." An idea struck her, and she laughed again. "Emerald, you should go see Dorjoola."

 

They continued chatting and drinking for the next ten minutes, but then were approached by several of the men from the stag party. "Can we buy you ladies some more drinks?"

[Emerald]

Throwing her head back with a falsely exasperated sigh, Emerald put on a fake shiver. "Ugh, Dorjoola? Come on, Sapph, at least give me an hour of shore leave before you start inventing things for me to do."

 

She tossed the rest of her drink back, and barely had time to set her empty glass on the table before a handful of tipsy males had appeared to whisk it away. With an airy glance upward at the handsome but nervous-looking groom-to-be, she seized him by the collar and pulled him down to kiss him briefly. "Another one of those, if you don't mind, be a doll," she called as she shooed him away with a gentle wave of her hand. When the attendees of the stag party had returned timidly with their second round, Emerald accepted her glowing green drink with a brief wink and a smile. "Keep it up, boys, and we'll have to see about rewarding you for your trouble." They blushed as they turned back toward the bar, and she couldn't help but scoff at their earnest innocence. From the looks of it, they were all unused to the ragged edges of places like these on Nar Shaddaa--or, more likely, the Smuggler's Moon itself.

 

As the girls chatted idly about all the places they needed to visit, Emerald found her thoughts turning to Dorjoola. The Hutt controlled at least half of the Moon, and Emerald had been in his employ for most of her adolescence, ever since she departed Hapes. She had been his favorite and most effective agent, having had tutelage in the Mistryl arts, but she didn't like reporting to anyone, and chafed under his slimy thumb. Eventually, he had worked to take away all of the options she felt she had until she was little more than his slave.

 

The thought made her blood boil. Maybe it was time to pay him a visit.

 

"Okay, you wanna talk shop? Let's talk shop," Emerald said, kicking her heels up onto a corner of the table. "Dorjoola ain't gonna want to see me. He's still frizzed about that fierfek with the KDY rep and a couple hundred grams of ryll. But if we can get in, get an audience? I don't know. There's a haul to be made there," she led in with a predatory smile, her teeth stark white against the dim light in the bar. "What did you have in mind?"

[Sapphire]

Sapphire smirked the entire time Emerald was playing with the men. Causing mayhem and mischief was the Blood Gems' specialty, in all forms. It was sad, really. These boys clearly thought they were being bold and daring by coming here to Nar Shaddaa and even entering an establishment such as this, much less buying drinks for three women so far out of their league. They probably all had boring-as-Sithspit desk jobs and went home with their modest salaries to their bland lives. Honestly, the Gems might be doing them a favor by giving them a wild night; one taste of real life before they returned to their haze of insignificance.

 

Wanting to test her hypothesis, she winked at Emerald and then rose. Walking over to the group, she pretended to stumble into the groom-to-be. "Oh, so sorry," she said with a sly wink, slipping her hand into his pocket and stealing his ID while he was too distracted by her lithe body pressed against his. She continued walking, and once she was out of their sight, she examined the ID. James Antilles...human from Coruscant...boring blue-collar neighborhood...goods inspection manager at Terinfalds Warehouse and Trading Company. She almost laughed out loud. She couldn't think of anything more boring in the entire galaxy than sitting behind a desk reading through reports on goods inspections. She returned to the table with the other Gems and tossed the ID on the table with a smirk. "We seriously need to mess with them." She let the other two pirates read the ID, then pocketed it again.

 

For the next few minutes, she concentrated on finishing her drink. Then Emerald brought the conversation back to Dorjoola. "What did you have in mind?" she asked.

 

Sapphire leaned back in her chair nonchalantly. "Remember that jewelry shop we stopped in on the way here? While you were drooling over that emerald-encrusted titanium ring, I overheard a Rodian and a Nikto talking about your old Hutt friend. Seems he's lost a lot of money recently in some bad business dealings. He's getting desperate to turn a profit, and fewer and fewer smugglers are working for him." She raised her eyebrows suggestively. "We could go in a make sure he's ruined completely...or we could take over what's left of his little empire." A fire glinted in her deep blue eyes. "It might be time for us to grow our own assets."

[Emerald]

In the hum of conversation and music around the bar, Emerald thought, it was likely that Sapphire's comment wouldn't be overheard, but she still flinched a little. "Keep your voice down," she cautioned, leaning forward. "He owns this side of the moon. No telling what kind of attention we're attracting."

 

An overplayed wink at the starstruck group currently doing shots at the bar emphasized her point. The Blood Gems would stand out anywhere. Maybe it was time for them to play off of that notoriety. Unlike shadow organizations, they hadn't needed, or bothered, to cover their tracks. Ruby's signature displays of demolitions were becoming their trademark, leaving a blasted-out and burnt chaos in their wake. The administrative side of controlling a large organization like Dorjoola's had never appealed to her, and yet, there was something to be said for streams of passive income that didn't involve pulling a heist every time they ran low on cash. As someone who had once been an intricate part of his organization, Emerald knew the ins and outs of it flawlessly. In fact...

 

"Sapph, you're right," she said in a low voice, her excitement barely contained. "Padding our pockets in the long run can't hurt. I might have a few calls to make. If he's getting desperate to keep employees, I think I know what strings to pull."

 

The network of smugglers she had worked to maintain while she worked for the slimy warlord was hardly loyal to him. If anything, a bit of well-applied pressure to some key "old friends", and the Hutt would be forced out of his own smuggling ring. Or better, they would get him into such a tight corner that he would voluntarily pay them a steady percentage of his earnings in tribute. This idea was sounding better all the time.

 

With a knowing look at the other two, she leaned back in her chair again, cradling her drink. The implication was clear: we'll talk about this later. Changing the subject dramatically, her voice returned to its normal playful levels.

 

"I still want that ring. I'm thinking of going back for it. Then again, I hardly feel like I can justify spending any more money on shiny things when we still have a cargo hold full of Rainbow Gems." Setting her empty glass back on the table, Emerald licked her lips. "Well, shall we go ruin the marriages of a handful of respectable little snots?"

 

She sauntered slowly toward the stag party, walking slowly to accentuate the movement of her hips, and leaned casually against the bar. "You boys want to come out to play?"

 

The groom-to-be, one "James Antilles" from the ID that Sapphire had lifted from his pocket, stared at her agape, obviously questioning whether or not he had made the right decision in encouraging the attentions of this deadly group of women. Emerald wasn't going to give him the chance to overthink it. Curling her fingers around his necktie, she pulled him closer. "I can show you something you won't find in the financial sector on Coruscant," she purred in his ear.

[Sapphire]

The excitement of the hunt twisted in Sapphire's belly at her fellow pirate's ideas on how to deal with the Hutt. Her mind flew from one idea to the next, each with the potential to be extremely profitable. Emerald seemed equally excited--but this was hardly the time or place to get into the details. Emerald dramatically changed the subject, and Sapphire was happy to let her. She might love her work, but she loved to play just as much.

 

She adjusted the already low neckline of her dress and tossed back the rest of her rum. "Let's give them something to remember," she agreed, following Emerald to her feet.

 

The two pirates promenaded over to the group. While Emerald turned her attention on Antilles, the red-head used her hips to slip her way in between two of his friends. "Of course," she said, batting her eyelashes, "there's plenty of us to go around." She turned and put her arms around the neck of the man she had seen always ordering them more rounds, assuming that made him the best man. "Why don't we take this party somewhere we can show you boys some real fun?" She put her full lips next to his ear and gave him a light nibble.

 

That was all the encouragement these boys needed. They eagerly escorted their new "conquests" to a back room they had reserved for the night. Upon entering, Sapphire's eyes landed on the woman already there. She wore a Mandalorian helmet and a ridiculous mockery of Mandalorian armor, too small plates failing to cover her feminine assets, the logo "Rando Mando" stamped on one of them. She laughed. "These gentlemen won't be needing your services anymore tonight, dearie," she told the stripper. She tossed the girl a credcoin with a scornful glance. "Go home."

 

The stripper glared daggers at the two pirates, but the handful of men only had eyes for them, and she left in a huff. Sapphire exchanged a smirk with Emerald. Now they just needed some old classic Core Worlds rock and roll, and maybe...Sapphire grinned as she remembered which dress she was wearing. "You boys ever tried rokna blue?" She rolled up the hem of her already too short dress and pulled out a small clear packet with several nearly-microscopic crystals in it. "It's quite...euphoric."

 

For herself, Sapphire rarely took drugs. They tended to dim the mind, and while she had many valuable physical talents, that was the one she relied upon the most. But the last time she had worn this particular dress had been on a job on Iego, where the Blood Gems had infiltrated a drug lord's compound and made off with his entire collection of almost priceless Hyperspace Wars-era art. Rokna blue had been a good investment as insurance on that trip; after all, the drug was highly euphoric, but also highly deadly in any quantities more than a microgram, making it the perfect subtle weapon for people of their type. She hadn't had to use it on Iego, but the added danger of the drug was just what these poor blue-collar snots needed to break free of their pathetic lives.

 

She winked at the groom as she set the drug on the table, not bothering to fix her hem. She then slipped herself in between the best man and another friend, wrapping her arms around their waists. "Alright, gents, how shall we start?"

 

***

 

Later on, once all six men were passed out in various piles around the burgundy-draped room, Sapphire zipped her dress back up and slipped her heels back on. Hooking arms with Emerald, she grinned broadly. "I think we should go get you that ring after all."

[Emerald]

((Actions posted with permission.))

 

Tossing her hair up into a high ponytail, she surveyed the damage. All around the back room, their benefactors of alcohol were sprawled in various stages of undress. With a pitying scoff, she turned on her stiletto heel and marched back through the all-but-deserted bar, arm-in-arm with Sapphire. The bartender, a confused-looking Devaronian to whom they blew a kiss as they passed, was wiping down glasses with bleary eyes. Last call had come and gone, and the only one remaining was Ruby, sulking in the dark corner of the bar where they had left her, nursing her final Corellian whiskey. When the Chiss turned gloating eyes on the two humans, Emerald cocked her head with a teasing glare. "Come on, don't give me that look. Just because you missed out on the fun, doesn't mean it was time wasted."

 

Holding up her hands, she fanned out their various credcards, six in total. Emerald tucked them back into her pocket and seized Ruby's wrist. "Come on, loser, we're going shopping."

 

She exited the bar, inhaling deeply the stench that was Nar Shaddaa. Sapphire was standing out front, hailing a speeder. A sleek, blood-red monstrosity came to a halt in front of them, and Sapphire and Ruby climbed in the back. Emerald moved to climb into the front passenger seat, but just before sitting down, thought better of it, and dealt the Rodian speeder pilot a well-aimed kick with her heavy boot that sent him flipping over the side and sprawling out on the permacrete below.

 

"Hey Nar Shaddaa, we're back!" Emerald yelled to the clear skies above them, and with a hearty whoop she punched the accelerator, rolling off into the night.

[Sapphire]

Once the speeder was theirs, Sapphire climbed into the front passenger seat and flipped the radio on. A rolling beat blared from the speakers. "1-2-3 take my hand and come with me, because you look so fine and I really wanna make you mine!" the singer belted. Sapphire joined in. "4-5-6 c'mon and get your kicks, cause you don't need money when you look like that, do ya honey?"

 

She laughed as Emerald's driving threw her against the door. They were the queens of the universe right now, and nothing was going to stop them.

 

***

 

They had headed to the most upscale shopping district on Nar Shaddaa. Unlike on more civilized worlds, however, this one still retained the character and personality of the rest of the Hutt-controlled moon. And like the rest of the Moon, this place never slept. So it was that Sapphire found herself at a jeweler's shop at 3 am local time, bargaining for a better price for a new setting for some of the rainbow gems they had recently picked up. She was ordering a hairpiece akin to an understated tiara, and a ring set with alternating diamonds and rainbow gems. The gems themselves were extremely valuable, but Sapphire didn't want to just convert them all into credits.

 

Finally, they settled on a price, and Sapphire promised to deliver the gems to the jeweler in the morning. Then she headed back across the street to where she had left Emerald and Ruby. Emerald had gone crazy in a clothing shop, and Ruby had stayed with their dress-crazy friend to supervise her. When Sapphire reentered the shop, Emerald was still in raptures over several gowns, and Ruby was looking exasperated. Sapphire was about to commiserate with the Chiss when her eyes fell on a stunning golden gown made of silk and satin. "Oh, Ruby...this would look so good on you! You have to try it on! Emerald! Help me make Ruby try this one on!"

[Emerald]

Emerald paused from the other side of the shop, where she stood with her arms full of Kuat-import satin. At Sapphire's request, she raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What do you want me to do, kick her in the head and knock her out? Ain't no way you're getting her in that otherwise."

 

She went back to the rack of dresses before her before her face lit up like a child on Life Day. Then what she had said hit her full-force. Whipping her head around to stare at the other two, she hollered, "Ruby! TRY IT ON!"

 

With a flying tackle, she knocked the Chiss to the ground, endeavoring to pin her arms at her sides. "Sapphire--oof--come--ow--over here and--kriff, Ruby, that hurt--put it on her!"

 

The wrestling match and ensuing laughter drew the attention of the remainder of the patronage of the store, and a couple very horrified clerks who would have called security... if there were any police force on this moon.

[Sapphire]

Of course, Ruby looked gorgeous in the gown, just as her fellow pirates knew she would. They pushed her in front of a mirror and forced the Chiss to look at herself. Sapphire laughed at her friend's expression, and quickly snapped a holo of Ruby before the Chiss could take the dress off. As Ruby was changing, she showed it to Emerald--it showed the Chiss stuffed into a golden gown, a deep frown on her face, while Emerald and Sapphire laughed in the background. "I'm totally hacking all of her datapads and computers and changing this to her background," Sapphire whispered conspiratorially.

 

All of a sudden, she noticed a display: SPECIAL LAST MINUTE LIFE DAY SALE. Her jaw dropped. "Ladies!!" she breathed. "I just realized---TODAY IS LIFE DAY!"

 

Sapphire was obsessed with holidays. She always overdid everything when it came to them. Life Day, Nal Hutta Summer Feast Day, Boonta Eve, the Festival of Light, Coruscant's Carnival Week...she didn't care what planet of origin it was from: if it was a holiday, she always wanted to do something to celebrate it. "I can't believe I didn't realize it was today!" She suddenly glared at Ruby, who had reemerged from the dressing room. "I blame you. I bet you were trying to make me forget! Emerald--pay for those gowns and let's go! We've got a lot of preparations to do before dawn!!"

 

Thus began three hours of manic preparations. Sapphire wouldn't take no for an answer on anything. She dragged the others through buying a large green tree, gifts, and all sorts of decorations. Then they headed back to their apartment and Sapphire began transforming the place. She decorated every spare inch of the apartment with colored lights, greenery, and festive signs and ornaments. Then she gathered the other two and made them help her decorate the tree with more lights, holo-ornaments, and ribbons.

 

No until the entire place glistened with glitter and cheer did Sapphire let herself and the other pirates collapse into bed. It had been a long night of celebration, and she was determined that tomorrow would be merry and bright.

[Emerald]

Emerald awoke the next morning to an altogether too-cheery redhead in her face, shrieking something about Life Day and relevant celebrations. Groaning, she shoved Sapphire out of the way and stumbled out to the living room of their ornate apartment, only to find that the very sight of it caused her head to pound. Squinting, she wheeled about as if to head back to her bed, but found the motion too much, and lost what little balance she had left, falling face-first into the plush Devaron carpet.

 

"Urnnnng," she grunted as she pushed up onto all fours, bracing against the nausea that came with her dizzy, swimming head. "What did I do last night?"

 

Closing one eye, she turned her head around to the impressive display of lights Sapphire must have arranged at some point the evening before. Pushing herself up to standing--or at very least, wobbling--she leaned against the wall and wrinkled her nose. Somehow she had fallen asleep in the finery she wore to their night out, and the ring of the halter top was digging into her neck. Tugging at her collar, she stumbled back towards her bedroom. "I'm going to change. Someone make caf, before I kill something."

 

She made it halfway back down the hallway before ducking into the refresher, stomach heaving. Staggering back out, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand, she grinned absent-mindedly at Ruby, who was curled up on the sofa in the corner of the room. "Well I guess I had fun last night, at least."

 

With a too-forceful giggle, she collapsed into a pile in the middle of the hallway.

[Ruby]

Unable to even pretend she was still unconscious both of her friends up and about and causing a ruckus, Ruby gave up. The hangover she had was no joke, and every little noise seemed to be amplified ten times louder than it should've been. Grumbling curses in Cheunh that would horrify civil company, she extracted herself from the corner of the sofa as Sapphire flitted here and there about their apartment still on a high about the holiday. “Caf,” she growled at the red-head, echoing Emerald's statement, “or Life Day or not, someone is going to suffer.”

 

Holding a hand to her temple she turned towards the hallway to take her turn in the refresher, unaware that Em was lying in a heap squarely in her chosen path. With a yelp, she toppled over the blonde, landing in an uncharacteristically ungraceful jumble of limbs. Ruby halfheartedly swatted at Emerald as she extracted herself from the mess, deciding that maybe it would be a better and safer idea to crawl down the hallway. “What in the nine Corellian hells did you two do to me last night? I haven't been this hungover since the last time we were on Tatooine.”

[Sapphire]

Sapphire's blue eyes twinkled as her fellow pirates awoke. She chuckled at Emerald staggering around the apartment. "Looks like those 'Death Stars' were stronger than you thought!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "We certainly made a night of it! The real question is what didn't you do last night?"

 

Emerald and Ruby both staggered in the direction of the refresher. Normally, Sapph would have just pointed and laughed, but today was a holiday after all, and that meant it was a special occasion. The caf had already been brewed--Sapphire had already drank three cups of the stuff--but she set out some mugs for her hungover friends. Then she went into her quarters and came back out with two large purple pills. "Come on, ladies, no time to be hungover today. I'm sharing my tranadipthaline, so get your behinds out here."

 

Reached down, she hauled Emerald up and sat her on the sofa, sticking a mug of caf in one hand, and a pill in the other. "C'mon, you too, Ruby!"

 

Sapphire had already taken a pill this morning. The drug was a miracle worker, clearing up the symptoms of hangovers in just 15 standard minutes flat. The downside was that each pill cost about the same as an Iridonian zintha gem, so the pirates took them sparingly. But today was worth it for Sapphire. Not only was it a holiday, but they already had an idea for their next job--AND Sapphire was getting her delivery of Alderaanian nerf steaks today. She winked at the other women. "The celebrations have just begun."

[Emerald]

Tranadipthaline was a staple of the Gems' arsenal, and was often kept on-hand for when they had to drink an opponent under the table for the purpose of information gathering or incapacitating. However, it came in handy after celebrations of the variety that they had engaged in last night. Emerald, having donned a stretchy charcoal-colored jumpsuit, tucked her legs underneath her on the plushy overlarge violet couch. Groaning as she sipped her caf, waiting for the pill to take effect, she glared out of half-closed eyes at Ruby. "Don't mention Tatooine. If I wanted to remember our worst fiasco, I would watch the holoreport."

 

With an almighty yawn, she sipped delicately from her mug, watching the twinkling lights as the pounding in her head decreased with every passing second. Sapphire had put on some Kashyyykian Life Day music and as the Wookiee choir growled none-too-delicately in the background, Emerald felt almost festive.

 

---

 

Later in the day, after a fantastic brunch, the highlight of which was a drink made from Tanaab sour-sap fruit and bubbling vine-drop, the Gems sat around their ornately carved dining table, a series of datapads laid out before them as they organized their plans. Flicking her comlink on and off out of a fidgeting nervous habit, Emerald shot her companions a gauging look.

 

"So assuming Tarvil can get us in to see Dorjoola, we offer him a Luke Skywalker, yeah?"

 

In the pirates' lingo, a "Luke Skywalker" meant that they would offer the Hutt a chance to surrender his holdings willingly. If that plan should fail, it would be up to them to assemble their contacts on Nar Shaddaa for what might prove to be a knockdown, drag-out fight.

[Sapphire]

Sapphire nodded. "For old times' sake," she winked at Emerald. "I think that's our best option for plan A anyway. He'll be a hard sell, but if he's smart, he'll know not to try to go up against us. The only thing working against us is how small we currently operate. But," she added, pulling out one of the datapads from the pile on the table, "with this assessment of our assets, we should be able to prove that we have the bigger guns."

 

She glanced at Ruby. "Of course, things never go with plan A. Even that time in the Chandrila system. So I'll make sure to leave a virus in his systems when we leave. Probably the 'Diamond Friend' one I just developed. Haven't gotten to use that beauty yet." Her predatory grin was also longing. Developing new viruses and codes was her hobby and passion, but it was no fun if there wasn't someone to use them on. "Anyway, that'll get us access to most of his systems and we can go from there."

 

She rose. "Put in the call to Tarvil, Em. See if we can get into see Dorjoola tomorrow."

[Emerald]

Emerald raised her eyebrows at the redhead. "If you're sure about this. Here goes nothing," she sighed.

 

She stood, pulling her comlink out of her pocket, and strode out onto the back deck of their apartment, looking out over the vast grimy cityscape. This would be an all-important call, and they were about to set events in motion that might have galactic repercussions. Not only that, but she would be putting elements of her life before the Gems into play, and she often liked to pretend that it hadn't existed, that her association with the Gems was the limit of her life. But that was decidedly not the case, and here she had a chance to play it to her advantage and theirs. Whatever their faults, her fellow pirates had become her family. While she was reticent to trust anyone with her life, if they were going to pull this off, she'd have to take some chances. But that wasn't even the hardest part.

 

Ignoring the luxurious closet brimming with dresses for yet another undercover operation seemed to be her lot in life.

 

Thumbing her comlink's activation switch, she tapped in a too-familiar comm code, and the line crackled to life. "Hey, Tarvil, you there?" she said, testing the waters.

 

A smooth, rich male voice responded. "Emerald Ta'ara. I didn't think you'd ever dare to show your face in this system again."

 

She grimaced at the use of her given name. "It's just Emerald now, Tarv." She sighed. "Listen, I need to call in a solid."

 

A sharp intake of breath followed. "You've been out of the game too long, kid. It's different now around here."

 

"The Hutts don't change," she shot back. "And you haven't changed."

 

"I've pushed the envelope one too many times, and I'm not sticking my neck out for you," he retorted, warning creeping into his low baritone. "Not after what happened last time."

 

"Look, Tarv, I'm not asking you for the whole moon." A churlish smile crossed her face. Actually, if all went well, she'd be able to give him the moon. Or half of it. Nuance. "I just want to come see you. For old times' sake."

 

Tarvil sighed. "I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?"

 

Her grin widened. His resolve was weakening. "I'll make it worth your while. You decide what you'd like as payment."

 

There was silence, and Emerald thought the line had gone dead. "Two standard days," his voice echoed finally, its tone commanding. "Meet me at the old cantina. And wear something nice for once."

 

Plunging her hands into the tiny pockets of her jumpsuit, Emerald sauntered back into the living area, where both the others looked at her with expectant eyes. Nodding to the Chiss, she gestured with her chin. "Ruby, get your Sabacc deck warmed up."

[Sapphire]

Sapphire grinned. "We're on."

 

Over the next few days, the Gems went into detail putting everything into place. A bit of research had turned up the knowledge that Dorjoola's favorite game was sabacc, and that the Hutt usually frequented a certain large cantina. Sapphire focused on modifying a special sabacc deck. It was tricky, because sabacc decks were routinely put through rigid anti-cheating scans. But Sapphire was the best for a reason, and after spending a good amount of time, she was able to rig a device that would affect the randomizer, essentially giving her control over what Ruby's opponent would have, as well as what Ruby would get. All she had to do was watch the cards, and they could guarantee a win. She would also make sure that she deactivated his credit chits so that he couldn't pay his debts when he lost; it was important to meet him the next day in Dorjoola's palace.

 

That was all the actual prep that was needed at this point. All three girls knew the drill and their roles, and they had some standard disguises in place for when they needed them. Sapphire herself was going to use one for the first phase of the plan, and so late on the second day, she emerged from the 'fresher with locks as blonde as Emerald's. "Guess we'll have to see if it's true that gentlemen prefer blondes," she commented wryly. She was dressed in nondescript clothing--after all, the goal this time was to not draw a ton of attention--but she knew she was going to get some just because of her figure, blonde hair or not.

 

She slipped the randomizer-hacker into one pocket of her multi-pocketed pants, and the credit-chit scammer into another. Emerald was going to meet with Tarvil and get the groundwork laid, while Ruby and Sapphire beat the Hutt in sabacc. It was the first step in a highly detailed and complicated larger game the Gems were playing, and the stakes here were higher than simple credits. For her part, Sapphire was ready. This was the best kind of work in the galaxy, and she had the best two people in it to work with.

 

Finally, it was time. Moved by a sudden sentimentality, Sapphire gave the other two a quick hug. "Let's go get 'em, girls."

[Emerald]

"Hey baby, are you a Jedi Master? Cause Yo-da-licious."

 

"I'm on duty."

 

"You're smokin' hot like Mustafar, baby, but you're lookin' for love in Alderaan places."

 

"I'm not interested."

 

"C'mon, aren't you a little sexy for a stormtroo-"

 

Emerald's fist shot out, seemingly of its own accord, catching her would-be suitor in the windpipe. The greasy smuggler back-flipped off of the bar stool he had pulled up alongside hers, and landed in a heap. Standing, she sauntered over to him and placed her swarthy stiletto boot on his chest. "Hey, 'baby'," she said, her tone mocking. "I find your lack of subtlety disturbing. Now get lost before you scare off my date."

 

Digging the heel into the soft spot below his sternum where his ribcage opened, she turned back to her seat at the bar, fighting not to show the amusement that she felt. Her guise as Ruby's bodyguard felt comfortable, minus the cosmetic changes. A wave of jet-black, curly hair fell across her face, and briefly she caught a glimpse of the elaborate false Kiffar facial tattoos she wore in the mirror behind the dingy and worn slab that was the bar. The armor-weave charcoal-colored jumpsuit she wore was unassuming, but laden with her favorite weapons. This cantina was one of several places she felt she could truly call home, and to arrive dressed as someone else felt odd. But it was necessary for the next step of the Blood Gems' plan.

 

"I almost didn't recognize you until you started throwing punches," a familiar dusky voice came from behind her.

 

"Hi, Tarv," she said coolly, cocking her head to look sideways at him, every muscle dedicated to the game she was playing. "I wouldn't have to, if Dorjoola would quit letting slime in here."

 

"Dorjoola's standards aren't what they used to be, unfortunately," grinned the chocolate-skinned man, his teeth almost too bright for the dim light, as he waved the bartender over and pulled up the stool next to her. "What can I do for you?"

 

"If you came through on what we talked about, it's already done." She sipped her drink dispassionately. "Dorjoola's not backing out now, is he?"

 

"He'll be here in an hour. The high-stakes room is already set up. I hope you know what you're doing," he warned, before tossing back half of a Corellian ale in one go.

 

"Hey, come on," she shot back, a sly grin crossing her face, "don't I always?"

 

He rolled his eyes and disappeared the rest of his drink. "I hope she knows what she's doing."

 

Emerald stood, depositing a credit chip on the counter, before she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, lingering just a moment longer than would be perceived as casual. "We'll come out of it all right," she murmured in his ear, her tone sultry. "We always do."

 

Crossing the dimly-lit cantina, weaving between patrons of all species in various states of intoxication, Emerald tucked herself into a nook near the lavatory and flicked one of her rear molars with her tongue, activating the hidden comm. "Inform Her Excellency that the plan is a go. The Cavalcade needs to arrive in approximately eighty standard minutes. Her Excellency's personal security will be waiting."

[Sapphire]

Everything was ready. Sapphire arrived at the cantina fifteen minutes before Dorjoola was supposed to arrive. She was playing the part of a normal patron who would become a part of the interested crowd watching the high-stakes game that was about to take place. She sidled up to the bar and ordered a drink—nothing fancy, just a mild Corellian spiced rum—and set herself to enjoy the atmosphere of the bar and ward off all the proposals from various men trying to flirt with her.

 

Ten minutes later, Ruby arrived and was escorted to the room off to the side where the high-stakes gambling was done. There was an interested murmur from the crowd as she took her seat. Everyone knew that something big was going to happen. A few minutes later, Dorjoola himself arrived, in all his slimy, blobby glory. The Hutt was on the small side for his kind, and wore a bandolier made of Rodian leather, studded with gems as an obvious display of wealth. His flabby fingers sparkled with rings, and Sapphire noted that he had gotten some vertical tail-striping tattoos since she had last seen him. His presence clinched the change in the atmosphere in the cantina. He slithered over to the game.

 

“So, you wish to challenge me, the Mighty Dorjoola?” he burbled in Huttese. A matte brown protocol droid faithfully translated his words.

 

Ruby’s response was lost to Sapphire as a pair of loudly chattering Gran passed between her and the Hutt. She hopped down off her barstool and began to meander over towards the game, joining the crowd already forming there. Pushing her way forward, she found a spot to stand where she would be able to see both player’s hands, but also wouldn’t be in the very front. Luck was with her, and she found a great spot behind a trio of Drall. They were wide enough that any moves she made with her scrambler would be hidden, but short enough that she could see over their heads.

 

Ruby arranged for the stakes to be high, and as the game began, Sapphire got to work.

[Non-Playable-Characters]

The casino was loaded. And by loaded, it didn't matter how many people crowded the floors, it didn't matter how respectable the establishment was, It didn't matter what the stakes were at the tables. No, Whitney looked around the casino, and noted immediately that the patrons were very, very wealthy. More than the usual street rats that Nar Shaddaa offered. Not crazy wealthy, like owned a planet kind of wealth, that was never a mark someone would go after, they always had their own private security team, and rarely frequented casinos. No, just that many of the beings were just wealthy enough to show it. Nice coats, purses, rings, timepieces, fancy comlinks...that sort of thing. The perfect kind of people for a person of her skill set to prefer to be around.

 

The lithe Besalisk walked down into the casino proper, much more feminine and muscular than the fat male members of her species. Her fingers twitched on each of her four arms as her eyes darted about, identifying potential targets. Whitney's particular specialty was pickpocketing, aided easily in that by her larger form and the fact that most two-armed beings never paid much attention to the extra arms. Easy to distract anyways. The picking and sleight-of-hand was simple practice, the rest was know-how. Whitney had it in spades. As she walked, she bumped into a human walking the other way with the side of her hip, miming trying to move out of his way. It was subtle, but it worked.

 

"Oh! I'm so sorry, sir, please excuse me!"

 

The man grumbled a few curses under his breath, then continued on towards the refreshers, never realizing his banking card and comlink were no longer on his person. The palm was easy, the hide clean. The black dress she wore had several hidden pocketsWhitney allowed herself a slight grin as she brushed herself off, and continued her stroll across the floor. Eventually, she found herself in the high-stakes room, near the back of the crowd. She'd taken enough for the time being, and was simply biding her time, waiting for the casino security to relax a bit into the night shift. That was when she would leave. They may have had a few reports of missing items, and wanted to wait until the doormen were lax about scrutinizing the body scans of the patrons. Softly, but firmly, she felt something press into her side. She moved a bit, but it jabbed a tad harder, a gruff whisper in her ear.

 

""

 

She understood the , but couldn't quite place the voice. It wasn't quite basic, but close enough.

 

""

 

Whitney's stomach dropped. This was is then. She did as instructed, feeling whatever weapon the male voice had on her pull away as she was guided back out into the main casino.

 

"Can I at least see who got me?"

 

""

 

She slowly turned, finally getting a look at the Duro that was still closely escorting her. She could break him, her strong arms would be more than enough to overwhelm- which is when she recognized him.

 

"Cid?!? What are you, how did you find me?"

 

""

 

She was astonished. She hadn't seen him since...

 

"Then...you still remember?"

 

""

 

It was an enticing proposition, but not the one she was expecting.

 

"That's...that's not what you promised..."

 

Cid grinned, smiling with small teeth. Slowly, he reached into his jacket, pulling out a small box.

 

""

 

Whitney nearly carried him off out of the casino. It had turned out to be a very good night indeed. The patrons might have been a good crowd for marks, but she had finally caught the one mark that she'd waited her whole life to score.

[Emerald]

Hutts were revolting. How had she forgotten this? In the years since leaving Hutt Space, the only thing that gave Emerald pause in returning home to Nar Shaddaa was the utter disgust that the hermaphroditic slugs riled up in her. With this in mind, she skirted the table, trying to keep as far away from the creature as possible. While Dorjoola wasn't exceptionally attentive to human physical characteristics, neither did she want to take chances with being recognized too early, so she had pulled a decorative headscarf over her dyed hair and across the lower half of her face, her malachite eyes gleaming from between the wispy fabric.

 

Sapphire, hopefully, was somewhere in the building by this point, but Emerald had yet to locate her. The Cavalcade that she had referenced in her call to the redhead was comprised of a series of smuggler friends and well-paid vagrants, who all honored Ruby as some foreign dignitary from Csilla with a made-up title. Of course, their blue-skinned compatriot just loved all the attention, the fawning, the limelight. Even if this job didn't go according to plan, it was worth it just to see her cornered in the position she had reluctantly agreed to, and then only after seeing the number of credits attached to their success here.

 

Ruby was a dab hand at sabacc, Emerald had to give her that. Even her own performance during the ill-fated mission on the Shadow's Gambit paled in comparison. The tournament had gone on for a solid couple hours, with Ruby sitting on most of the high-stakes pot with one hand to go. The Hutt was getting desperate. But even so, there was no guarantee she would be able to scrape together a winning hand with Dorjoola going all-in. That's where Sapphire would work her magic.

[Sapphire]

To Ruby's credit, there had been very little that Sapphire had had to do except nurse her drink and watch the game. The Chiss was a natural at the game, and abnormally lucky. But when it came down to the final hand, Sapphire wasn't going to take any chances.

 

"Let the final hand commence," the droid running the game announced calmly. It dealt both the Hutt and the Chiss two cards. Craning her neck, Sapphire could see that Dorjoola had received a 2 of Sabers and a Queen of Air and Darkness, while Ruby had gotten a Master of Coins and 3 of Staves. Both players raised, and the droid dealt them each another card. There was murmuring from the crowd as Dorjoola received The Evil One and Ruby the Commander of Coins, putting the Chiss well over the needed score of 23. To her credit, Ruby remained ice cold, her face and body not betraying a tiny clue. Dorjoola was looking pleased with himself. The odds of him getting Endurance and thus claiming a Pure Sabacc were small, but his odds were better than Ruby's. Even if she got an Endurance as well, it'd still put her at 21, and Dorjoola would win.

 

This was time for Sapphire's secret weapon. Fingering the randomizer in her pocket, she sent a signal to the table. The field chimed, and suddenly all the cards were randomized.

 

The crowd leaned forward eagerly.

 

Doorjoola was sitting fairly well with an 11 of Flasks, a 13 of Staves, and Demise. He'd need one more round to feel confident to call it, but it was a pretty good hand.

 

Ruby on the other hand had a 2 of Coins, and Mistress and Demise, which canceled each other out. There really wasn't anything she could do except try for an Idiot's Array, and only a fool or a desperate person would go for it with that type of hand. A fool or a desperate person--or someone with an Ace up her sleeve, and in this case, that Ace was Sapphire.

 

Ruby looked dejected, but Dorjoola had raised the bet, and she reluctantly saw it. A burst from Sapphire's toy ensured that Ruby was given the 3 of Coins, and she noticed that Dorjoola had received an 8 of the same suit. Whispers flew around the room. Rules dictated it was Ruby's call this time. Like a woman with little hope, she made one last bet. Dorjoola eyed her carefully--Sapphire shuddered on Ruby's behalf--then gave a smile, wide even for a Hutt, and called it.

 

The tension in the room was palpable as both players revealed their hands. Then the droid played out the last cards. There were whoops and hollers in the room as Dorjoola received a 2--Pure Sabaac, the first of the night. He chortled loudly. But Sapphire had already guaranteed what the next card would be. She put on an anxious face, and then the droid gave Ruby the Idiot. A shocked pall descended for a moment. Even Ruby wisely looked astonished at her own "luck"--and then the cheers re-erupted. The Idiot's Array was extremely rare, and everyone there counted themselves lucky to have seen it.

 

The Hutt appeared grumpy, but he at least had the decency not to immediately claim that Ruby had cheated. This was his bar, and if he accused her of cheating, that would mean that his own cards and own droid were faulty. He had too much pride for that. "Rydal, pay the Chiss and let's go," he rumbled in Huttese.

 

This was where Sapphire's other toy came into play. A quick signal sent scrambled the credit chits. When the Gran handed them to Ruby, she slipped them under the scanner on the table to make sure they were good--standard procedure--then exclaimed hotly when the scan came up negative. "Hey, what are you trying to pull?!?!" she yelled.

 

Sapphire lost track of the situation in the bustle of the crowd for a few moments, but when she was back in earshot, she heard Dorjoola ordering Ruby to come to his palace tomorrow to receive her payment. She grinned. Everything was working perfectly.