After finishing up Sidious's dirty work. Of which, I left the room so that I could have plausible deniability if I needed it later. I returned, and already the alcohol was flowing again. The mandos were fighting. And they were bullying the poor barkeep, likely the only one left alive because their alcohol pouring skills were to valuable to waste...

  I grabbed the holorecording off the table and crushed it, nothing that somebody dedicated could figure out what was on it, which was why I was going to take the pieces to an incinerator later. I didn't need to take their answer, if it was yes, they would be contacted later. I already knew it was yes. And the Trade Federation was going to deliver weapons discreetly to help them. Personally I found the Death Watch to be stupid. The Super Commando Codex was much better in all ways, Death Watch was just a group of thugs. This suited Palpatine's agenda perfectly... Hmm, I could do something with this...

  Leaving the cantina, not a bar, not a pub... because reasons that were beyond me... I walked almost face first into a goon squad of enforcers. Shit. The enforcers obviously saw me leave the cantina and that was what they were after obviously. I was so very screwed. "Are you with the ones that attacked our turf, bounty hunter?" Asked the slave girl in the middle. It was clear she was in charge, and her 'brothers' and 'sisters' were leading them. Protected in the middle of a massive group of 50, they stood no chance. I wagered that there was another 2 or 3 groups at any of the other possible exits, but probably didn't breach much over 100.

  "No, that's the ones inside, mandalorians." I said. The enforcers looked like they were ready to pounce. The honed axes might not look like much in a world of lasers and star ships but I knew, they were more useful than they appeared. They were for boarding actions, designed to take down enemies with a brutal efficiency, you didn't want to come across a Gamorean around a corner. The slave girl in the middle nodded, and sent several enforcers around the sides of the entrance. As soon as the mandalorians came out charging they would find Gamorean axes in their faces. A good if useless plan. I didn't want to see it fall apart, but I was stuck here until their were done with me.

  "You can go." She said, and I took the reprieve for what it was. I made a hasty retreat, almost disapearing down a side alley when one of them stopped me, a younger twilek girl.

  "Wait!" She called. I stopped instantly, ready to pounce or run. Her guards were too far away to protect her, but I had no illusions that she wouldn't be able to tear into me with whatever hidden blades she had around her body. Hutts were viciously cruel like that, they found it funny when you couldn't see the obvious hidden knife in the skimpy slave girl outfit. So when you were given reprieve to 'try it' thinking you were hot stuff, and got stabbed, it was your fault, and it was 'hilarious'. Wouldn't be the first or the last time Nute saw it happen.

  Still, slave girl assassins took people by surprise, if he surprised her first, she would go down, literally zero armor. "Why were you in a cantina filled with mandalorains?" She asked. "Business." I replied. "And what did you need from a bunch of mandalorains?" She asked. "." I replied.

  I could see her getting frustrated at not getting answers. Slave girls were the interrogators of the Hutts with literally kinds of ways to get information out of their targets. But I wasn't a target, and I wasn't about to let myself be. Before she could press further the lead girl called out "Mora!". It seemed her time was up. Before she could leave I felt the urge to call out, "When the shooting starts, run, and take your girls with you." I said, leaving alone that there were 'males' mixed in with those 'slave girls', she knew what I meant. Of course, she scoffed at my advice, not thinking it would mean anything. I just hoped I hurried along her decision to run later. These pour SOBs didn't know what Geonosian hive the were poking.

  I left before they shooting started, I guess the enforcers were organized enough to surround them but they lost the element of surprise by the time the encirclement was complete. Still, I hurried away, and so did everyone else. This was not really a good thing, as it pushed gangs and malcontents together. fighting soon broke out, only to run and gun as the shooting got closer and further away.

  I was forced to draw my gun, I noticed an old man on his doorstep aiming at me, I shot to stun. I missed, but he jumped back. I didn't miss the second time, and he fell down inside his home stunned. Maybe a scav would get him, maybe he would get up while the scavs would get him, I didn't want to be one of the ones going full lethal. Not when I wanted to get into Hutt controlled territory.

  Obviously the mandos had been foolish to take on a protected business. Usually, that is enough to prevent the gangers and scavs from being stupid, not always, spice was common. But those that did and didn't live in the Hutt territories thought they had enough firepower to prevent it, and simply wanted the Hutts to clean up the mess. Clearly the mandos didn't care, and they did an oops. Now, they would have to run, and I would have to burn this disguise. Luckily that was what it was meant for. Though I didn't want the attention, the makeup I had used wasn't good.

  But I wasn't the one being hunted anyway, so it didn't matter, if the Hutts could get their hands on me, they would torture and question me, but that was a later Nute problem. Still, Nute Gunray would be above such questions anyway. I saw an enforcer, , it was massive, and carried some kind of like it was a regular rifle. Only the furry beasts could do such a thing...

  Of course, the moment of your relief is the moment things get nasty. The gangs had gotten a 'brilliant' idea. In hindsight it should have been obvious, they were taking tolls. And as it was obviously just outside Hutt controlled territory, and the enforcer was bribed logically, the Hutts weren't doing anything. But it wasn't going very well. Nute would obviously pay some small bribe. Other areas were clearly doing that, but this gang was new, so if you didn't hand over everything you had on you, *blam* a blaster went off, a child screamed as their father was killed in front of them.

  I don't know who shot first, well, from our side. But I looked over from the smoking corpse of the shooting ganger to the several bounty hunters, gangers, and reasonably successful scavs. There was an entire negotiation with our eyes in a matter of seconds, because that is all we had. There must have been hundreds of gangers, to mobilize them all must cost this gang a small fortune in credits, a fortune they were looking to get back. So they were pressing all of the scum that were looking to the reasonable safety of the Hutt demarcation line. There it was safe, here it was not.

  The shooting started, the idiot that shot first was also... got shot first. The scum that were my impromptu allies were all looking for somebody to hide behind. The mother was able to grab her still reaching daughter as she grasped for her still smoking father's corpse, able to escape in the confusion. Luckily I was able to find a dumpster, the only gangers that could shoot at me were the far side, and they were more interested in the scum on their side then mine. I shot them of course, mostly those that were looking to shoot at me... I will not say what my accuracy was, but it was enough. I was halfway through pulling out my rifle on my back when I saw it, almost in still motion.

  Somebody on the promenade behind the Hutt enforcer was shot. I don't know who, or what it was, but... I knew I had to get out fast. I turned around to look behind me for an exit, not the way I came, that was going to be stupid terrible. everyone here, not a 'civilian' and I use the term loosely only to include those already in the Hutt territory regardless of profession, or a Hutt enforcer, is dead. In hind sight, it was stupid to start a firefight with the gangers here. Also in hind sight, it happens... a lot...

  I clipped my rifle back to the mag clamp end pulled my pistol again. Firing wildly behind me, maybe hitting and wounding some of the fellow scum, which was just a bonus for me at this point. I had maybe a 30 meter dash to the nearest alley. Something that would bring me out of sight. There was one on the other side of the dumpster I was hiding behind, but it would have been suicide to go around. It was still suicide to run for the one I was heading toward. I felt blaster fire wise by my head. The searing heat of a sun projected to kill me, and angrily missing each time. Spitting off cursed heat as it passed and bussed in my ear.

  To say that I was the closest I had ever been to death would be an understatement. I didn't remember dying in my old world. In this one I was bout to have that memory literally drilled into my skull. I watched people screaming ahead and next to me die. I shot behind me as long as it didn't effect my gate, shooting wildly. There was only gangers and scum back there anyway, so I probably wouldn't hit anyone important.

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  I made it into the alley just in time, as a wave of blaster fire hit the front of it. I could hear the telltale whine of the Hutt skiffs running up behind. I dodged around allies, even jumping a 3 meter dead end that I don't remember HOW I managed. Nute wasn't exactly in good shape, and it wasn't like I was a star athlete with enough skill to make up for it. I did this kind of wall run thing jumping up and off the wall before latching on. The blaster fire sending my alien endocrine system into overdrive to get me up and over before I realized I just jumped over a 3 METER WALL!

  Thinking of where to lay low for a while, I knew just the place...

  Diden was having a bad day. first the Hutt enforcers roll through his neighborhood in force. That was fine by itself, they weren't after him this time. But then the alien scum panic and start to run. Now, Diden was no racist like those core world karkers. But he just couldn't stand the look of em'. Then one of em' looked his way. He knew that look, it was the look of evil. Cuz' of course the alien scum was after his stuff. Some Duros in a mask thinking he was the hot poodoo.

  A hell na'! Diden was going to show em' why they didn't belong in his neighborhood. So he reached for his blaster, made her on Nar Shaddaa! That wasn't really a good thing from what he had put it together with, but it was overcharged enough to count as a small fighter's weapon. Would be a right karnky slug to recharge though, but it would show that alien scum!

  Problem was that the scum wanted to steal his stuff! So the evil thing fired first! Probably could only afford one of those fancy core world stunners too! That poodoo on it's back probably didn't even work! But it was enough to put him lights out. Diden came too with a couple of those short scabs. They were no children, all colored the wrong way. Sub-human filth! Diden elbowed the one and was about to shoot the other when the evil thing was back! It raised it's stunner and was going to shoot him again! Hell na! Diden brought around his blaster *zizit* and the world went black again...

  I came around to find a couple of urchins rummaging through the old man's pockets. He looked to be a down on his luck Correlian, you could always tell the scruffy bastards. I couldn't tell the difference between most of the human races and origins in this verse, I could barely tell them apart by color these days, still couldn't tell you where they came from or who they were. But a Correlian? Easy, just look for the scruffiest bastard of the lot.

  "Get inside kids, and don't make a noise." I said still pointing my blaster at them. It was set to stun, but it would still nock these kids right out. They moved back without a word. They looked at the old human, the hurt obvious. They were used to it, they thought they could get a quick score and get out, now they were trapped with an alien. Hopefully he would sell them and they would be able to eat once a day, working the gangs running spice had been great. Only getting beatings once a day! Sometimes 3 meals a day! Sometimes none, depended on if the spice heads where tripping and remembered or not to give them their one meal.

  Now they were probably going to die to silence them. "The Hutts are riled up, need to lay low for now. Some idiot decided it would be smart to shoot a civ in the Hutt space." I said. "Don't look at me like that, you can rummage his pockets as long as your quiet. And don't say anything if the enforcers come around. Well, go on, he probably has some food in the cabinets over there." I said, waving towards what looked to be the kitchen. One leapt into action the other slowly went back towards the stunned human. I grabbed the dangerous looking pistol, who it was most dangerous for, the person it was aimed at or the person aiming it was beyond me. As well as the vibro boot knife. But I didn't care about how many creds he had.

  I moved over, it was made of some kind of beast hide and like it might have been a coach, if it wasn't surrounded by trash, being the central support for the pile. I didn't want to sit in it, but it honestly looked like the cleanest spot, and I was dead tired. I also knew I was going to be staying here a while.

  "You going to slave us mister." Asked one of them, the pink one with bright blue hair. "No, I have no need of slaves." I stated. "Why? We could be real good slaves mister." Stated the blue one with red eyes and black hair. "Yeah, we can even do adult stuff!" Said the pink one.

  "Do you even know what adult stuff is?" I asked, "No, don't answer that, this is Nar Shaddaa." I retracted. I did not want to know what they did to kids here, nor what kids did to survive, these little urchins were probably already worse scum then the worst of most worlds. And they were still probably considered innocent 'kids' around here.

  For some reason looking at my thoughtful face made the pink one laugh. "your too naive mister, you don't belong here." She said. "You mean about your sister here picking through my pockets while you try to attract my attention?" I said. While the pink one laughed the blue one had the good sense to look embarrassed. Of course, aside from a handful of credits there wasn't anything in there. Something that seemed to bring her no end to consternation as she was rifling through my pockets.

  Why would I have anything in there, this was just a disguise and not my real outfit. I just needed this to last me there and back. Though it did blow all my plans for arrangements. I going to meet with a couple of Hutts in open court, to arrange for some *cough* random pirates and accidents to hit several areas. I needed more power, in a lot of areas, if I was going to get out from under Sidious any time soon. Specifically before Dooku gained power.

  The two urchins cuddled up to me and got comfortable. I was only slightly perturbed about how easily they decided to cuddle up to me. But I won't say I minded it much. They were cute, and cuddled into me like a cat, or a small animal. I had a cat in my apartment, I remember that now that they cuddled into me like my Larry. I don't remember anything about him, or about my apartment, or even all that much about my past, now that I tried to focus, something was pushing it away.

  I wanted to be angry about that, but I could feel this thing pushing against me was also keeping me from missing everything I lost. So it was kind of a wash, since if I did, I would be inconsolable. I could feel that I should, being close enough to family/friends/life to have wanted to miss it. But it was hard to miss what you couldn't remember. And hard to be angry when you couldn't feel angry about it. I still didn't like it, obviously, I didn't want anything controlling me, especially in my own mind. But it was useful, and beneficial, so I let it go for now.

  I could feel the breath of the two kids on my neck as they slept. They had almost fallen right asleep. It seemed strange, but at the same time I understood. These two urchins probably never stopped running. The only time they were able to relax was when they were under the thumb of somebody powerful. That meant you either picked the furthest corner and stayed out of sight, or cuddled up to the biggest monster. And it just so happened that I was the biggest monster.

  I almost wanted to go to sleep myself, if it wasn't for the bantha in the room. Or realistically, the old Corellian dozing in the center of it. Apparently, even he was getting his sleep...

  It was probably a good thing I stayed up too. Not even an hour after the kids dozed off there was a pounding at the door. This seemed to be enough to jerk the jerk awake, at least slightly. He stirred but did not wake up. Good too, as that would mean I would have to stun him again, then I would have to explain it.

  It was a weequay at the door. Ugly face that looked like a skin colored turd. "You know what happened in Szidan's district today?" Said the enforcer. in hindsight it was obvious what he was, but I hadn't realized in my daze, didn't change anything though. "No Sir, just sleeping off some cold ones." I said.

  By this time an enforcer in the back had already scanned me, and he came up negative. I hadn't noticed him as he was on the other side of the door but when the scan from the terminal beeped an negative they turned away. Which was exactly when the old man woke up...

  You know, at this point I should have tied him up and put him in the basement... Or just killed him and got it over with. Instead, I slipped out my blaster and stunned him again. Of course, between our draws, his mouth was faster, so it wasn't before he got off an "Damn aliens, ugly ass poop faced weequay." In hindsight, I probably saved his life.

  At first I could see the anger, and then the processing happening behind his face. I took out some of the bribe money I had prepared. The kids gasped, annoyed that I had somehow kept the money stashed away from them in spite of their grabby hands. I had to hide a smug smile at that. I held out my hand for a shake "It's a good day knowing that you fine Hutt enforcers are protecting us from those 'damn aliens'." I said.

  He smiled, the most brilliant shit eatingly smug pleasant smile you had ever seen. Truly, and absolute punchable smile, which was in itself impressive given his turd face already. "Yes, we endeavor to protect upstanding citizens like yourself from 'damn aliens'. As a friendly reminder, stay off the streets for a day. There has been some, unpleasantness and we wouldn't want you to get caught up in it." he said as he turned around and walked away. The other enforcer looked like they were about to say something but was stopped by his fellow. They slipped out and his fellow slipped his arm around the other and discussed life. And by that I mean he slipped him one of the cred sticks. Considering I gave him four the other enforcer never even realized he was short changed.

  I looked behind me at the kids and they looked at me with a betrayed look. I shrugged, the sticks were literally sewed into the jacket, and I had to cut it open. The pocket now just looked like a normal hidden pocket that they hadn't noticed, but I still had plenty more. You couldn't be poor and expect to walk around unmolested on Nar Shaddaa. And if there was one thing Nute was not, it was poor.

  I put the old man in the conservator after I tied him up, and tied that up for good measure. Before you judge, the thing didn't even work anyway. And none of the 'food' that was inside was fit for consumption anyway. In fact, i doubted that any of the 'food' here was fit for consumption. Especially the ration packs. Maybe the alcohol, self stabilizing... I looked around the apartment, no, probably not even that, I did not want to imagine where it was made...