I stirred awake not even having realized I had fallen asleep. The reason for that being a slight shift in one of my cuddle bugs. I supposed they did better than a space heater in this environment. Still, good to know I hadn't completely lost all sense. The slight movement had woken me from my stupor. I would claim I wasn't asleep if pressed, but I will be honest, I was out like a light. But apparently not as much asleep as it would seem.

  Granted, my tensing had woken the blue one, and I had noticed her freezing up. She didn't put her hands in any inappropriate places, just seemed to have shifted in the night. Besides, they had already fondled me looking for creds earlier, and knew better than to go near the weapons I had placed behind my back. It was uncomfortable to have them there, but I was sleeping on an island in the middle of a small pond of trash. Getting up the pink one had a strange expression on her face and reached for something only for the blue one to let the four limbed octopus to latch onto her.

  It seemed like a good a time as any to look in on our prisoner, he had gotten quiet after the first hour or so, probably stressed his old heart and conked out. Who am I kidding, stubborn old gristle like that was going to out live me.

  I raised the DC-15 ready to stun him and opened the door to the conservator. Well, It looked like it did try to kick on at some point, but that just meant he was the only one with AC in here. Hmm, his face was a bit red, and his breathing was a little hitched. Probably from sleeping upside down, which at the time we found funny. I picked him up and flipped him over while putting him back in the conservator. That seemed to wake him and before he could say anything wis wide eyes caught a face full of stunner.

  It seemed he had loosened his bindings so I tightened those again and closed the conservator. Then I tightened the bindings around that to make sure it closed long enough that I wouldn't have to worry about him escaping and looking for me or the girls until after they woke up.

  I left a blaster that I had looted earlier, and forgot about honestly, on the table. It's stun function worked but I wouldn't trust it to fire a blaster round. Still, it was in better repair then most of the guns running around in this neighborhood, and was better then a scrounge gun.

  I plucked another one of my hidden cred sticks and tossed it at the edge of the couch. The little blue girl** had such an amusing look on her face that I couldn't help but release a quiet chuckle. She seemed more offended that she couldn't find my hidden cred sticks then the fact I had more, and yet a look of consternation, focus, and who knew what else. I took a pic of it with my goggles because it was just too precious.

  As I turned to leave I could see that the ** seemed to become distressed in her dreams, but didn't wake. I hardened my heart, I was a monster already, and couldn't look after two scav orphans. It was like looking at a couple of stray cats and walking away. At least that's what I told myself as I turned around.

  The blue one didn't wake the pink one, or say anything really. She just watched me as I left. I was thankful for that.

  I ended up on the streets. I could see a single board enforcer looking around, trying to be intimidating. This was both a good and a bad thing. It meant that the crackdown was 'still in effect' but this was Nar Shaddaa. The Hutts just wanted to look intimidating. That meant, hopefully less riots, and less ganger activity. Still, this was Nar Shaddaa, unless the people killed were truly important, which was doubtful, there was a crackdown at least somewhere, and likely multiple somewheres at any given time. I just happened to be in the middle of this one.

  I head back to the ship, taking the smuggler's route, which is simple enough. With the enforcers running around I don't even need to kill my followers, because there aren't any! I quickly change out of my getup, no super spy skinsuit for this diplomat. Luckily, this minor interruption only prevented me from tertiary meetings, nothing important. I had a much more important meeting today with an actual Hutt. And to top it off, she sent me an escort! I was so, soo, ...

  "What is a Niemidian worm doing here as a republic dog? Tired of sucking off senetor's for more creds and decided to see if your ass could take on a Hutt?" Said the Duros bounty hunter in the lead. Because of course, if the fact that they sent a bunch of bounty hunters to escort me wasn't obvious enough, sending a Duros to escort the Niemidian must have tickled the Hutt pink... or whatever color they change too.

  "Well, if your offering, I wouldn't mind a round or two from a beautiful woman such as yourself." I stated to the female bounty hunter. Ever since my people split from her's our ideology was incompatible. Duros considered us disgusting and base, we considered them insignificant and only worth the credits to buy them... Which is why her bringing a hand around my throat obvious in hindsight.

  "I'll give you a round or two, a Niemidian like yourself could never stand up to me!" She said. Oh, was that a challenge? I smile back at her, even as my droids prepare to fire. I had programed them into standby mode. While they should have fired she had a hand on my throat, their programming can be a bit slow at times. An unfortunate time to be that slow, but not useless. Since if they had fired, and no doubt killed the enforcers, they would have caused an incident, an incident I might not have been alive for. While I could take on a wasted mandalorian that was too drunk to stand, I doubted I would be worth even as much as a normal thug.

  "Oh, my ship has bed chambers if you wish to 'challenge' me in there?" I stated, she screamed and wound up to punch me. There was a cough from behind. Not mandalorain, but obviously an armored merc, including full face helmet. An interesting rarity, but not uncommon. There were mercs with the common sense to keep their most valuable asset intact with armor. "I believe our orders were to bring him alive and intact, ma'am." Stated the SIC.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  She turned back to me, seeing my shit eating grin, shaking with rage she lowered her hands. My droids stepped in blasters still pointed at the interlopers. "DosoDos, the great and mighty requests your presence. We are here to escort you to his compound where the council awaits your presence, republic dog." She stated, the heat of her glare still there. And so was the hand imprint on my neck. So what you will of growing up in higher gravity, she still had the strength advantage on me, hands down.

  "Then lead the way." I stated, not holding back my sight as I looked her up and down. Her hands gripped into a fist as she knew what I was refering too. If she turned now, I would get a good look at her ass. Not the best, even amongst Duros. However, this was all a power play, as is everything in Nar Shaddaa. She probably didn't want to become just another Hutt slave girl. It was why she played bounty hunter even when working for the Hutts. And yet, I was debasing her as such. "Your droids will not be necessary, we will protect you." She said as she opened up a standard protection circle.

  I knew what she was doing, she was trying to prevent me from getting a good look. Honestly, I had better looking cheap floosies waiting for me, literally, back where my Niemidian sycophants would gladly sell me their wives for favor. But I did love a challenge, something both I and old Nute enjoyed, though different forms and different reasons. He hated playing with the strong, and loved toying with the weak. I was of a different opinion however.

  "I believe that I shall indeed need them, after all, I have already been attacked once already." I stated as more B2s walked out. I had 8 in total on the ship, I would be taking six, not because I thought I needed them, but because it would be a snub. My ship would need less protection than I would while walking with DosoDos enforcers. At least after the last interaction. I would also be taking my four droidika, leaving another 2 on the ship. Of course, there were also plenty of B1s on the mounted guns, but those were 'supposed' to belong to the dock, and not to me.

  She looked like she would argue with me more, I almost thought she was getting a taste for it. But her second interrupted again, gently reminding her "We have an appointment with the Great and Mighty DosoDos and shouldn't make him wait." I could see a vain throbbing in her head, but she still turned and walked at a fast pace, I whistled.

  Her steps hitched as she realized her fast pace had made her hips sway. Her fist tightened again, I was wondering if there was going to be a super sonic crack or an explosion of air if she tightened her fist any more. Well not literally, she wasn't a wookie. She resumed walking, though this time with a stiff military cadence. Her fellow mercs didn't dare to make a comment. However, it was clear only some of them were under her command, whether she belonged to a larger unit of mercs under the Hutts, or this was all hers, I didn't know. But this was clearly a mixed group amongst the mercs that were glad to see her taken down a peg, even if they themselves were taken down one with her.

  The trip to the Hutt's palace was uneventful. No-one was going to attack a Hutt convoy of enforcers unless they knew the targets value dead to somebody else, and who that somebody was. Maybe another Hutt would take me out, hoping to take me out before I meet DosoDos council. Because I knew this wasn't 'the' Hutt council. Maybe DosoDos thought that as a republic diplomat I wouldn't know enough to know, who knows. Still, he wasn't somebody I needed to please. So when the slave girl at the door told me that "The great and mighty DosoDos is not ready to see you know, please wait a moment." I just turned around and started walking away.

  Everybody panicked. Even those that did not know what was going on. DosoDos had many petitioners, looking for a favor from the Hutt. I wasn't one of them. DosoDos contacted me, and requested me on behalf of the republic. I was here as their diplomat, but I wasn't anybody's doormat... Ok, well I had a list of people who's doormat I was currently, but DosoDos wasn't even on the list of those I had to respect.

  "What, where are you going? The Great and Mighty DosoDos will see you soon! You can't leave!" She said chasing after me. The gaurds, a group of humans or near humans and a single gomoraen looked like they really wanted to block my way, but also 'not' battledroids. The mercs had less compunction to stay put, but they also knew that actually blocking me wasn't a good idea. So they literally just stood in my way, and still let me pass.

  "That's great, you have a shopping district near her, yes?" I said. The poor girl seemed taken aback. Of course there was a shopping district near here. If nothing else, there was DosoDos own shops nearby, and this was Nar Shaddaa, it was one big shopping district. "Uh, yes, why do you, you can't leave! Where are you going DosoDos will see you!" She said trying to catch up as I walked the halls, trying to get out. By now more slave girl attendants were following me, and I had a great parade of DosoDos people, including the original mercs that were looking around unsure if they should be still escorting me.

  "Well, if DosoDos isn't ready to see me, there is nothing I can do about that, but I will not waste my time or his, so I guess I will just do a bit of shopping. And if he can't fit me in, I have a meeting with Berlieeb The Hutt later, I can't be late." I stated. The hall grew quiet as if they couldn't believe what they had heard. But the did not stop following me.

  Luckily for the little door girl, an older slave girl came to her rescue. It was clear that she was 'no longer favored' by the Hutt as she didn't ware the normal slave girl attire, completely clothed head to toe in elegant silks and metals like a slave girl, but not showing skin. She had an elegant slave girl collar, and honestly, 'no longer favored' my bright green ass. She was obviously one of the true masters, only a step down from the Hutt himself. Probably one of the Hutt's bonded servants that performed the training for the other slave girls, and only answered to the Hutt and only the Hutt, and no other senior staff.

  "DosoDos will see you know, it was rude to your fellow guests, but he has done you this favor." She stated, eyeing me warily. "Oh, my apologies, I thought the schedule was for 11:30 curesca standard, my mistake, should I pencil him in some other time? I'm quite busy, lots of meetings while I'm here. Maybe I could catch him next time?" I said. My captive audience was aghast. They had literally never heard such a thing. But the old servant wasn't so easy to throw off.

  "As I stated, DosoDos will see you now. There is no need to move your appointment. Though you will have to apologize to his last guest." She said, her eyes glaring, daring me to say something. So of course I did.

  "Oh is that all, poor thing. I have no problem giving alms to the needy." I said and tossed over some pagets like loose change. Though to me it kind of was, I could literally throw around that kind of money all day and barely effect myself, it wasn't something a normal person should do, especially not a Niemidian. A Niemidian parting with it's money? There was a saying about that in our language, and it equivalated too something like 'over my dead body, and my family's'. The audience stepped back as if physically slapped. For a Niemidian to give out money as 'loose change'...

  Chiss or decent. However, being an orphan on Nar Shaddaa and that near humans can commonly reproduce with humans or other near humans, her ancestry is up in the air.