Question By The Light Of The Smuggler's Moon

3617 BBY
Slippery Slopes Cantina, The Promenade, Nar Shaddaa

One of five moons of the Hutt's homeworld, and Nar Shaddaa sounds like one of the most dangerous places in the galaxy. Slavers *growls in anger*, some of the worst imo. Karagga the Hutt running the whole place, already don't like him. 87 hour long days, I would go nuts!

With the mention of a meeting, I thought it was Nyeomi, but remembered Bree was sent on a mission to find Torm, her father. 6 months of enduring all this so she can find her father, Bree has incredible self-control and willpower not to lash out at someone by this point. Tatooine Blues, ouch, sounds like a painful song. This Odu is an idiot to hit on her like that. Something about Karagga, please say Bree gets to deal with the head of the Hutt Empire, please.

Conspiracy theories, great, even in a galaxy far, far away those still exist. Makeb, is that a word or a name? A data chip, I hope the information on it is worth Bree's time. Gamorrean thugs, oh brother. This Weequay and his goons have no idea who they just ticked off. 2-finger jab to throat, followed by a sequence of brutal moves and a broken arm for one thug, Bree is scary deadly. *eyes bug out* Whoa, that was a brutal takedown and kill by Bree.

If the message Bree gave to deliver to Karagga doesn't work Karagga is more arrogant than I first thought. Calling her Princess, they really hit all her buttons while she was already on a short fuse, didn't they. Respect from the bouncer, at least someone knows to respect a professional. The statue of Karagga is so over the top, perfect for a Hutt.

Holo-chat with Kale and almost lecture on plugging a chip in without checking it for spyware first, heh. Good grief, where did Odu get this chip from? Nal Hutta, is this the one place safe from Karagga's reach mentioned earlier? Ouch, memories of Ruuria, what Zakuul did to it and its people, no pity for his deserved fate when it happens. Won't admit to being in love with Koth, silly girl, that is how your mother and father started out.

What was the full wild story Odu spun and why would Karagga want anyone who knows it silenced? I would hate to land a spacecraft in this spaceport. I wouldn't be able to restrain myself from harming the slaver and freeing the slaves, probably harm the Chagrian too. The Black Eagle, cool ship and name.

I remember overhearing my mother once while she was talking to herself saying they looked like the Millennium Falcon and a TIE Interceptor had a baby, but when I asked her what she meant, she'd just smiled at me and said it wasn't important.

Nyeomi, no revealing stuff about the future or at least potential future now. I just hope Kale has learned how to treat women from his parents, well, at least from his father. With his looks, a lot of women will be interested. Brothers not liking their sister's boyfriends/significant others, though I wonder if something happened while Bree was gone to get Kale upset at Koth.

“These are shipping manifests, freighters, departures, arrivals, they leave from Nar Shaddaa but the destination field is blank. I thought you said he was going to give you the location?”

Hhm, check what is being shipped out, might be more clues in this data than you first think. And all going to the same place, just what is going on? Please don't tell me Karagga is making deals with Zakuul.

“He spun some wild tale about an interstellar conspiracy that Karagga was wrapped up in, how the Hutts were going to take advantage of the Zakuul invasion and become a rival of the Major Powers on their own terms, blah, blah. I didn't believe a word of it.”

This is one conspiracy I would pay attention to, it sounds like something a power-hungry Hutt would definitely do.

“Makeb isn't a person, it's a planet,” he scolded me. “Here, on the Mid Rim in the Aida Sector, right on the edge of Hutt Space.”

So the name of a place, not a person, hope this is the lead they needed.

Yikes, if they could have used the Force on each other as kids... Toborro the Hutt, High-Value Prisoners, sounds like Torm was sent there. Kale, the odds of Toborro being reasonable instead of just trying to lock you both up as two more High-Value Prisoners as lower than snow in Hell imo. Koth went out to buy some fresh fruit, considerate guy there.

"Fresh Shuura?” asked Kale as he walked by with a crate in his arms. “I'll wait for that.”

*roll eyes* Kale, you need to play nice with your sister's boyfriend or she might get annoyed at you.

3617 BBY
Aboard the Black Eagle, over Makeb, Aida Sector

Kale trying to explain all that, just enjoy the scenery for once. Aww, Torm worried about his little girl going into the same dangerous kind of work his wife is in. Good grief, the strength of the electromagnetic field of Makeb to get that kind of response from the instruments, frightening. Hutt Cartel, fire first then tell them to heave to and prepare to be boarded, a nice way to make sure you get attacked once you board them, idiots.

Filed and approved flight path, yet this scum is going to destroy them if they don't do as told. I hope Koth makes it out alive and takes these scum down hard.

Arriving by escape pod onto a planet shouldn't really be on anyone's bucket list; it's not fun.

And yet here on Earth I bet a ride simulating the experience would make big bucks. Just what the heck have the Hutts been testing on this planet to cause this? All those uneven mesas, it is like an earthquake machine or some kind of gravity bomb went off. Yet rebuilding already underway, any clue as to just what happened to this planet?

The sights were bad enough, but this world positively vibrated in the Force with fear, uncertainty, staggering loss, and unadulterated terror.

Okay, now I'm not sure I want to know what happened. Great, motley crew with a bunch of blasters shows up basically saying hands in the air, never a good sign. Slavers, go get them, Bree! Only two of the slavers surrendered and lived, smarter than their former allies.

"They were once our protectors,” piped up the only man among them. An elderly fellow with white hair and clothing that was once quite splendid, but now hopelessly stained and torn. “The Regulators were a contract security force, until the Hutts bought them off to enslave us!”

Wanting to escape a bad place one of the slaver's excuse, *sigh* The council of this planet letting the Hutts in due to greed, they need a lesson in how you treat your citizens. Tarlam Avesta, for having just been saved by them, is rude and more than a bit arrogant. Ranna Tao'Ven recognizes a Sith Lord when she sees one, impressive. Refreshment hidden in the ruins, I have to wonder if any place on this planet is truly safe.

A former plantation owner is forced to watch as his goods are given to someone else, no wonder Tarlam is so full of himself. And the women were all plantation staff, with what we know about Ranna and Twi'lek I'm getting a picture of what Tarlam did to her, and I don't like it one bit.

Tarlam, like most of his generation and station, liked the little pastoral fantasy they'd been living, with 'artisan' farms that could never be profitable even at the ridiculous rates they wanted for their produce, worked by wage slaves who were chattel slaves in all but name. The Planter Class had resisted the mining for what it would do to the environment, not to mention the influx of miners and off-worlders who might take offense at their bygone era lifestyle and do something about it.

*seethes with rage* Tarlam, the younger generation may have been greedy, but the way you lived is sickening.

In remarkable time, the Hutts had dug deep into the planet's crust and were liquefying and draining off whatever it was they were after so fast, the planet's mantle had become unstable. Sinkholes and massive ground quakes had become a daily terror. The planet's ocean had been used to flood some of the abandoned caverns, but that had only added to the problem and now the entire world was in danger of collapsing and breaking up.

Over-mining destroying a world, and the Hutts didn't care because it isn't their world. What the Hutts did to this world and its people, monstrous is the best I can come up with and it doesn't seem strong enough.

Ranna's daughter Vette is interested in Kale, that poor boy isn't used to such attention. Isotope FIve, not that stuff, that gives a lot of power to Toborro if something isn't done and fast. Pays them, yet Ranna calls Tarlam master, and with Vette's eyes we know he did a lot more with Ranna. This creep took advantage of all these women just because he had power over them, ugh.

Her chin rose a bit, and a little metal entered her spine. “Then I am indebted to your sense of honor, my lady, and can certainly do worse than cast my lot in with you.”

Kale stood from the table and crossed his arms to address them all. “My sister and I are members of an Alliance sworn to wage war against the Eternal Empire. You are welcome to join us, but know what that decision entails.”

"You freed us,” Vette declared at Kale. “I would be honored to help you free others.”

I like her. And a lead on where Torm is probably being held, good. The sooner off this planet the better.

3617 BBY
Estate of Toborro the Hutt, Sunrise Hills, Makeb, Aida Sector

Well, at least the animal life has started to adapt, I just wonder how much longer the planet has. For a palace, this place seems more like a freaking fortress. A lack of security compared to the rest of the place on the delivery entrance seems foolish at best. Bree is right on this, Kale, go in like you plan and you will end up High-Value Prisoners as well. No Service and Incoming call on her holocomm, it's a trap!

Both plans are doomed to fail and they have a mysterious benefactor who wants to see Torm freed as well. And he knows her full real name, Taybri Belos-Fens, not just her nickname. This guy is communicating through a probe droid and somehow Karagga is dead, didn't see that coming. A way in that is 3 to 4 hundred meters climb, yikes, hate it when the only option is the extremely dangerous one.

"But I want...” she started, but I shook my head.

"You can seduce my brother on your own time, not mine.”

"What?” demanded Kale, but Vette's blue skin just darkened to nearly purple.

Kale doesn't even realize Vette is trying to seduce him and likes him, he is very dense when it comes to romance, isn't he.

Making Vette drive and not be able to flirt with Kale, aww. I hope Vette isn't interested in Kale just because of his looks and wealth, or at least that it can grow into something more. Even I understand why Vette is trying to seduce Kale, I just wish they could have met under better circumstances.

That brought a tickle to my 'twin' sense, causing me to turn and look at Kale. The look on his face, staring at me, perfectly silently demanded, Since when is my sex life your business?

I smiled and winked at him, which caused him to roll his eyes. Jealous? No, I'm not jealous of the little whore at all.

That 'twin' sense is going to be a pain when one of them gets married.

All that in 3 years or less, they had to have used slave labor to speed things up, creeps. The fastest ship there hasn't flown in 4 months and might not be fueled up another potential snag. Clever little relay drone Kale developed for the Alliance. The Kestral, name sounds familiar. Vette is so sneaky, guess you have to be to survive where she was raised.

*facepalms* Kale, if you can't see that Vette is trying to seduce you, acting like this is her first time firing a blaster when she is hitting clusters like that, you are denser than I thought.

Trying to connect with the Force on a planet this ravaged seems like a bad idea imo. All those outfits for stealth and Vette find an all-black, skin-tight sneak suit for herself, how? Down from there to the emitter, don't tell me Bree has a crazy idea. Of course, Bree jumps, using the Force she can land safely, then safely lower Kale and Vette when they jump.

“What is your problem with me?”

It was brave, I have to admit; foolish, but brave. “Who do you imagine, you're talking to, whore!” I snarled, one hand up, either to choke her with The Force, or slap some respect into her mouth, I'm honestly not sure which. Not that it mattered, because Kale had me by the wrist with one hand and the other had the harness his little trollop was wearing and snatched us both to arms length away from each other.

"That's enough!” he growled, in that tone that he'd finally managed to imitate from dad that demanded attention and obedience. “You don't like who I sleep with? Too bad, sis! I put up with that disgusting traitor you're playing with, you will give me the same courtesy!” Then he whirled on Vette. “And you, do you think I didn't notice you pressing her buttons as hard as you were pressing mine? Are you suicidal? Poke a Sith Lord again and be damned if I'll come between you and my sister, even if you're the best piece of tail in the sector! Work together, damn it! The mission is more important than this bantha fodder!”

Never make Kale angry, you wouldn't like him when he's angry. Dang, Vette getting the door open that fast, just what other useful skills has she learned?

And the mystery voice once again, who is this being? Forced to admire from afar, not able to help Vette escape her situation, are they talking to a droid or computer of some sort?

“I am Doctor Juvard, the architect of this magnificent palace, and the systems that guard it.”

"And Toborro imprisoned you?” Vette asked.

"Loose ends, he called it,” Juvard complained, bitterly. “My reputation alone should have vouchsafed that his secrets would be safe. Even as a five time winner of the Bao-Dur Science Prize my intellect is meaningless without the patrons to finance my creations. But Torm and I were taken prisoner, first as somewhat forcible 'guests' to oversee the final installation. Then we found I had constructed our prison.”

And this is why you never trust a crime lord to keep any part a deal or not double-cross you. So Juvard knew where Nyeomi was and how to free her, if Torm had only been patient.

Toborro gave a genius scientist his own private lab so he could create stuff for him never once thinking he might use them as a means to aid his escape. Not that clever if he couldn't figure that out. Juvard ordered the Kestral, what else they have dealt with has he been behind so far? A route designed to avoid internal sensors, stealth needed to get to Torm, then to Doctor Juvard, then to the Kestral so they can escape the planet. Now no one say anything to jinx this.

Gahh, my mental eye, the image of that security guard, it burns!

"You're scary, you know that, right?” Vette remarked, noticeably upset with either the casual killing, the display of power, or both.

My yellow eyes locked with her blue ones. “Only to the people on my bad side,” I warned her.

"Do Sith have good sides?” she wanted to know as she searched the desk and corpse for keys.

I chuckled as we went down the corridor to the door Juvard had indicated. “Ask my mother, if Kale takes you to meet her.” She shrugged as she fell in beside me.

"If your Alliance happens to need a morale officer, I'm game. Kicking Arcann's butt should require a full-time party planner.”

Okay, warming up to Vette, she has a good sense of humor. Bree running up to hug Torm while crying and saying Daddy, so sweet. And Juvard is Torm's friend, even told him about the plan, good. Both parents back, now to get them reunited, so help me if Torm dies at this point I will be upset.

Kale, you should have waited until you are all safely back together to fill in Torm on how Bree rescued their mother/his wife. Only her dad can call Bree princess.

He kissed my forehead and got stern. “Of all the excellent qualities you could have copied from your mother, her recklessness is something you can do without.”

"That wasn't reckless,” I replied in my defense. “It was calculated. This, was reckless, but you are worth it!” He smirked at me, shaking his head.

So adorable. Juvard is a Hutt, now there is a big surprise. Bree having to be stopped by her father's voice and Juvard.

“Bree, allow me to introduce my friend, Doctor Juvard Illip Oggurobb.”

"All Hutts speak Basic,” he informed me. “Most simply refuse to as a way of asserting dominance. As a scientist, I find any disruption in the accurate transmission of data to be appalling, so I speak in Basic when I am conversing with beings whose primary language is Basic. On a personal note, I find the language readily lends itself to innuendo and puns that amuse me as well.”

I should have known that about the Hutts, always trying to assert dominance over others in any way they can.

“Yes, we've shared a mutual hardship,” he told me ruefully. “And he's a mean Dejarik player, as I've discovered.”

Well, it is nice to meet a Hutt who isn't a greedy scumbag. The Kestral is that close to his cell, dang, Juvard is good.

Hutts' weakness for humanoid females has been the downfall of more than one, I bet. Escape, and then most of the way to orbit. No response or sign from the Black Eagle, please let Koth be okay. Lose anyone tracking them and go back for Kanna and the other servants.

"None taken,” Juvard assured him. “You can't think less of my species than I do.”

The one or one of the extremely few good ones out of the whole Hutt species, poor guy. Torm finding out about the fleet that Lana was able to bring together since he left.

The basso voice rumbled with something like pride. “Then count me in as well. I owe your mother a debt of gratitude for allowing you two to rescue us and a Hutt, well, this Hutt in any case, always makes good on his debts.”

Bree, he is a Hutt but one who has so far kept his word and shown to have honor. Give him a chance.

Tarlam just proved what a scumbag he is once more, guess I shouldn't have expected anything. Poor Vette, you just want to hug her right then. Brought a tear to my eye what Bree does for Vette, comforting her, Vette deserved better than Tarlam for a father. Darn it! Don't tell me those same fighters from before are still intact. A few minutes of that while trying to do calculations for a jump, Kale under a lot of pressure and Vette saved them from debris from a starship, no, please don't let it be the Black Eagle's remains. Kale having to get them into hyperspace to escape, Bree in shock and frozen, it was the Black Eagle, Koth is dead, the Hutts will pay!

3617 BBY
Commander's Apartment, Alliance Headquarters, Odessen, Wild Space

That has to be the best base location I've ever read, perfect for a defensive position, hiding, and land to farm for their own food supplies. Nyeomi and Torm reunited, I pity the fool who interrupts them before the morning. After-action report to her mother and father, oh boy. Asking why she didn't sense Koth's death in the Force, Bree using the state of the planet and the situation they were in to explain why she might not have sensed it.

The thought shot through my brain like a laser blast, ricocheting around my skull. This time, however, I was able to keep control of my mouth so I didn't babble. “I honestly can't answer that, mistress. I cared for him, but I don't know that I would use the word 'love'.”

"Taybri Belos-Fens, do not play clever word games with me. Did you love this boy?”

In other words, don't try to BS your mother or yourself with fancy talk. The excuses of the state of the planet and the Force there not cutting it, if she could sense her mother being frozen in carbonite from that far away she should have been able to sense Koth's death from the planet's surface is what Nyeomi is getting at.

Dad chuckled. “I'm no Sith, but even I know that's not how the Force works.” Mom playfully slapped him on the shoulder.

Goofball even after these years.

"What are a million strangers to you against someone you love?” she wanted to know. “Of course we use our power to do the most good for the most people, that is why we gather power in the first place. But we are neither soulless nor passionless and so those closest to us will always matter more than a stranger. That is only natural.”

For being Nyeomi's daughter Bree can take some leading to reach a point, if Koth's isn't dead that means he was captured by Toborro's forces and is a prisoner now.

"Well done, my apprentice,” she congratulated. Then it hit me who Darth Tari had gotten her teaching style from and I felt more than a little embarrassed.

Hehe, of course, Tari teaches as Nyeomi does, she learned her teaching style from her master. And with what Bree sensed I'm afraid my guess as to where Koth is is right, being tortured for information as well.

3617 BBY
Main Briefing Room, Alliance Headquarters, Odessen, Wild Space

A short chat with Dr. Juvard and Nyeomi has him doing a presentation, yup, Isotope-5 is as bad as I thought. Darth Tari with all her apprentices, past and present, Master Vost, Admiral Aygo, Commodore Barsal, Uncle Silas, Aunt Fable, Lana Beniko, and Theron Shan, that is a lot of important people in one place.

“This is Isotope-5, a highly radioactive, degradation of Illerium that we've managed to create in a few experimental laboratories in small amounts. This, gentle beings, has been discovered, in a stable state, on Makeb. This is Toborro's great discovery at the center of Makeb. Something truly unique in all the galaxy–and worth destroying this planet to obtain. Imagine a substance as light as shimmersilk but stronger than durasteel. It distorts gravity and electromagnetic fields so predictably that it can be refined into fuel.”

Okay, so much worse than I thought, so much worse.

“The energy potential of such refined Isotope-5 is so great, a micro gram could power this holotable for a century. This is the source of the navigation and electromagnetic interference on Makeb. And with it, Toborro intends to build a new series of weapons and ships, powered by Isotope-5 to make the Hutt Cartel a major player on the galactic stage, perhaps even to the point to challenge Zakuul.”

This is bad news for everyone, that energy potential if turned explosive *shudders*

"Not in so many words, Admiral,” she replied quickly. “I mean to perform a surgical strike, to cut the head off of Toborro's organization, liberate Makeb and return it to its people and make off with any Isotope-5 he's mined and make Makeb useless to him or anyone else by destroying the mines and refineries.”

When Nyeomi makes plans, she doesn't go small. Weak planetary defenses, and good PR to liberate the planet from the Hutts, win-win if it works out. Taking an orbital elevator, won't the Hutts realize what is happening and take it out, or would that cost them too much?

3617 BBY
Paddock and Stables, Alliance Headquarters, Odessen, Wild Space

Bree having all those feelings because of Koth and what he is going through, not being able to go rescue him immediately, at least the Force is making her realize she is almost acting like her father did when their mother went missing. Fond memories of the stables and her pony, only for it to hurt thinking about it dead back on Ruuria and them forced to flee from their home.

Banthas and Blurrgs and Fathiers, oh my, quite a menagerie. Vette a farm girl so is helping out, to handle Banthas she has a lot of experience. Yes, Vette is going to be a good friend, both of you need it.

"Got ya!” She offered me the canteen again and this time I did drink from it. “You Force users are all wound too tight. You need a friend like me to keep you from taking yourself too seriously.”

Ain't that the truth, Bree needs Vette and to get Koth back quick, maybe then we can see her fun-loving side more. Kanna has taken over the kitchen, good, now they can have good food made by someone with a lot of experience.

Darth Tari is here and due to Nyeomi being frozen in carbonite they are the same age physically, heh. Kale is a Captain, he definitely earned it. Vette knows about Gravity Hook 7, that close to the plantation,

"Excellent.” Turning to me, she declared, “Dr. Oggurobb believes the Regulators may be holding your man Koth there.”

"They have a base just beside the mesa!” Vette volunteered.

Oh, the Regulators and those they work for are in serious trouble now. Aces and Eights, woohoo! The legend flies into action again, Vette, Bree, and Kale with Tari, the next generation.

3617 BBY
Aboard the Glorious Jewel, over Makeb, Aida Sector

Those tech boys earn whatever praise they get, great job, the Glorious Jewel is perfect for sneaking onto Makeb. A lightsaber under your nose will make most beings piss themselves, scary weapons. Clearance code, Jablogian is saving his own skin, but whatever works.

Complete control of communications and alarm systems that fast, they work fast. All those people, they were turning everyone remaining on the planet into slaves! When Tari says to kill all the slavers you have screwed up big time.

One of the Jedi who had been assigned to this mission made a motion as if to object and Darth Mur wheeled on her, Tari's own blades still ignited, but in neutral positions. “Defend these slavers at your own peril, master Jedi!” she warned.

The Jedi swallowed and shook her head. “I...didn't say anything...” she managed.

"Don't,” Tari warned her, and to my immense surprise and delight, I clearly heard Vette's voice from behind us.

"Damned right!”

When the leader of the Jedis working with the Alliance agrees with hunting you down then you have gone beyond screwed up, you committed an atrocity. Glad to see the refugees rescued and being taken off Makeb to safety.

I remembered a similar situation, my first and only mission I had undertaken as my mother's apprentice and smiled at the memory before I gave it voice again. “Nobody fart,” I commanded. As it had years ago, the tension was broken and laughter washed like a wave over the carriage. Vette rolled her eyes at me, but she was grinning from ear cone to ear cone.

I was waiting for Bree to do that, got me laughing too, perfect tension breaker. Good planning, Jedi and Sith Lords in the front to shield everyone else, those experienced working with lightsaber wielders behind them next. Darn, some on the Alliance side still wounded.

Ambush, feint to distract them, have to fight smart on enemy turf. The soldier refuses to answer where the prisoners are kept and Bree makes an example of him, next guy is smarter and answers quickly. Binding the guards, I hope Koth is here and still alive after all this. Have to pacify the Regulators first before Bree can go rescue Koth, shoot. Pierce and the soldiers with him are good. And this place is massive, 10-minute jog to get to the other side. Regulators fought until only a dozen or so were still left alive, stood their ground, I give them that.

Meet back up with Major Pierce and Nyeomi, low casualties at least for the Alliance from the sound of it.

"It will be my pleasure, Mistress,” I assured her.

She smirked at me and I got a little embarrassed that my mother was picking up on accidental innuendo on my part. “Business first,” she ordered and gave a dismissive gesture. “On your way.”

Hehe, Bree is going to have to have a long chat with her mom after all this is over.

3617 BBY
Headquarters of the Interstellar Regulators, base of Gravity Hook 7, Makeb, Aida Sector

The non-fighters of the Regulators turned tail and ran seeing how the fight was going, the base camp that quick to set up or tear down, guess they have to be on the move with who employs them. Leaving the slaves behind and locked up as they fled, cowards.

Ack, why did Lanaka have to be one of the slaves and think Bree is her mother, let alone refer to her by Ed, she still hasn't let that go after over 20 years. Finding out the life Nyeomi has made, a family and children, Lanaka says it isn't fair, she sabotaged her own life once again and blames Nyeomi. Trying to manipulate Bree like this, using Nyeomi's former identity against her, Lanaka has learned nothing since she came to this universe. Ticking off Bree by saying Nyeomi is pretending to be a Sith Lord, Lanaka still hasn't accepted this is their new reality and new lives.

Saying she should be Bree's mother, saying Nyeomi, Silas, and Darius have all lied to her, Lanaka, you ruined your second chance and are trying to ruin others, you are a petty and vindictive woman. Bringing up Darius after he died to save Bree and her team, Lanaka, you have screwed up for possibly the last time. Vette thinks she has found Koth, yet Lanaka says she hasn't, how can she know?

Lanaka, at this rate you are going to have any secrets you know ripped out of your mind by Nyeomi for messing with her daughter.

"Now,” I purred in satisfaction. “Let me tell you how this association is going to work. You're going to answer every question I have and give me every assistance in getting my man back. Once I have him, I'll give you the key to the collar and we go our separate ways. Give me trouble and...” I pressed the button on the remote I'd also taken from Vette, eliciting a squeal of pain from the Chiss as the collar shocked her. The Force released her and she staggered and fell to the floor of the cell. “Try to run, and it will blow your head off your shoulders. Understand?”

Good, this is about the only way you will get the truth out of Lanaka, she is insane and refuses to accept her new life completely. Nar Shadda, great, we get to deal with the head of the Hutt Cartel.

Information, more speeders, and a store of munitions, not bad. Bree going on a mission to rescue Koth while Nyeomi and Tari lead the forces against the head of the Hutt Cartel, I hope they take him down in the process. If Bree told Nyeomi who her lead is she would insist on seeing her, what she would do to Lanaka I have no idea.

3617 BBY
Mezenti Spaceport, Nar Shaddaa

Getting to watch Nyeomi and Tari storm the palace and take on Toborro the Hutt, figures he upgraded himself with cybernetics for at least one limb.

Parents get all kinds of practice making children feel ashamed for their faults and shortcomings. Between that and Lana's pointed barbs, Toborro looked like a petulant brat, being taken to task rather than a would-be player of the Great Game of Empire.

Too perfect. A massive Isotope Five powered war machine reduced to scrap, Nyeomi and Tari back together are awesome.

Yet again, Lana proved her skills at public relations as the image of my mother shaking hands with Director Shalim Avesta of Avesta Mining and, I supposed, Vette's half brother, while Toborro was being taken away on a force field sled was the lead story around the holonet for days. The Eternal Alliance and its Commander had been well and truly established on the Galactic Stage.

A victory but everyone on Makeb is going to have to leave, the planet is doomed. At least the Hutts have been brought to task for it. Lanaka bashing Nyeomi, calling it all luck, still so bitter, I almost pity her.

Back where it all started, 6 months ago Bree came here for information on her father and now there to rescue her lover. Lanaka pointing out the person who took Koth, I still don't trust her information, she could be leading them into a trap.

She quickly got the shock collar off and looked at me askance. “You don't want to know my information? You like living a lie?”

I rolled my eyes. “I know my mother loves me. I don't know or care if you were involved with her or not. Though I must admit I am grateful I share nothing from you, genetically. Take your mutterings somewhere else, you mean nothing to me.”

"Have it your way,” the Chiss replied and sulked off into the night.

I hope letting her go doesn't come back to bite them in the butt later. Glad Vette is there to give out good plans, otherwise, Bree might have just charged in there.

Having a destiny does not let you off the hook of doing your part.

Finally someone who realizes that. A painful lesson, no, please don't let any of them die. Break-in, kill the jailers, and Koth is bound...and gagged. It's a trap! Vette hit by blasters on stun, an ambush, a droid projecting a hologram in the door. Princess Vaylin! Lanaka was a honeypot trap, I knew she couldn't be trusted. Vette with a blaster under her chin, surrender or they all die, darn it! Lanaka works as a Bounty Hunter, all a trap to lure in someone from the Alliance. I knew leaving her alive would come back to bite us in the butt.

The rescue mission to find and get Torm back, I never expected it to lead to a planet being exploited by the Hutts like this, mined to death for Isotope Five and enslaving the population. I understand Bree being catty towards Vette, someone going after your brother and thinking she is just using them, but I'm glad they worked it out and became friends. Vette is certainly interesting in her own right, never expected those skills with locks. Doctor Juvard I never expected to be a Hutt, especially not one so polite or against his own species ways.

The plantation workers, so glad they get new lives not being exploited. Taking down the Hutt Cartel like that, if only it would last. Everything done in the raids to liberate Makeb was well done and thrilling, nice to see the regular troops get some action again. Plus Nyeomi and Tari back in action together again.

The rescue of Koth, I was shocked he survived to be taken prisoner like that, only to end up as bait for a honeytrap. To think I almost pitied Lanaka for how far she had fallen when she is working as a Bounty Hunter and for Vaylin of the Zakuul Empire, she has become pure scum and I hope we finally get to see a fight between her and Nyeomi where she ends Lanaka. How will the others go about rescuing Bree, Vette, and Koth from the heart of the Zakuul Empire? I can't wait for the next story.