Star Wars: Shadowbound Chapter 14 - The Bodies Fall, Quest Galore, The Bait & The Droid Sale

Doc - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FNZJ0aoS-w4jbX86hkVsnP2bq_FdQ4yja5W7kXex4cg/edit?usp=sharing

[A/N: Next chapter tomorrow will be the Northern Tyrant. Wrote this extra Star Wars chapter today to get the 10$ tier reward ball rolling.]

Dominator, en route to Dodz

“Uba druka ma paakajidik senka na, anta chasa shag!”

The holovid recorder was rolling. Seated atop the high platform, on cushions, was Beldorion the Dread. There were curtains behind him, and the entire hall was brightly illuminated. It looked like a crime lord's den. 

In a ringing voice, Beldorion interrogated the ten frightened Zygerrians who knelt below the platform, stripped of all their weapons as they begged for mercy. And as per the script, Beldorion had his purple lightsaber ignited, raised high. 

Behind the holovid recorder, Arenval stood with his crew, directing everything. Since Beldorion didn’t feel right executing the slavers while they begged for mercy, it was Arenval's job to carry it out and make it seem as though Beldorion had done it. 

Of course, Arenval didn't like this. He had hoped his crew would have understood his plans by now. But they seemed to think he still worked according to the Jedi tenets. That he would not kill, torture, or use underhanded tactics to win. 

They were utterly wrong. 

"Lord Beldorion, please give us one chance."

"We made a grave mistake. We will pay you for this, and never return."

Beldorion retracted the lightsaber blade and raised the other hand as if to Force-choke. "Schutta! Kava chuba makacheesa mee con moulee-rah? Chuba tinka mee sama koona Hutta? Nobata! Mee nopa dolya, nee mee so moulee-rah-greeda tah ignoree kee baatu."

Beldorion was quick to deny them any mercy. It was unknown if the Zygerrians understood Huttese, but it didn't matter. Those words were meant for the wider world, for when the holovid would reach every corner of the galaxy. 

"Ghk!"

Although it was Beldorion who made the choking gesture, in truth it was Arenval who performed it from behind. It was all about visualising a hand through the Force, and he could also choose from which direction the grip reached them. 

To Zygerrians and the holovid, it would seem as if Beldorion was doing it. 

Arenval raised his other hand as well, and imagined a few more chokeholds reaching for the rest of the slavers. They were Zygerrians; they were slavers, nothing else mattered to Arenval. 

"Arghk!"

"M-Mercy…"

The slavers begged as their bodies were slowly lifted into the air. All ten of them were raised at the same time, a simple show of Arenval's mastery in basic telekinesis. If he had been a true Jedi, this would have been impossible. 

Even if he had been a Sith, killing ten of them at the same time in that manner would have been tough. But he lived draped in the Dark Side since his very first breath. Force Choke came to him easily. 

But this was his limit, too. His hands shivered, and his eyes narrowed in focus.

The ten Zygerrians kicked the air needlessly. 

Hisssss!

And then, as per the script, Beldorion ignited his lightsaber. 

“Na koona dopa mee wanga bu permission! Jee-jee, no chuba darey sleemo slaverie unapproved!”

With Beldorion's loud declaration, the purple lightsaber floated in the air while the ten Zygerrians were dangling in a single line. Arenval made the lightsaber hover on their side, at waist height, and then. 

Woosh!

Flesh vaporized instantly, the heat so scorching it choked out any scent. There was no spray of blood, only the hiss of sealing wounds as the blade passed through. For a heartbeat, their lower halves collapsed to the dirt, leaving Arenval holding the suspended torsos.

All the Zygerrians still had their eyes open in fear and disbelief at what had happened. 

Ting!

"Clean it!" 

Beldorion angrily commanded. Then a trapdoor under the severed dead bodies opened, and they all disappeared below like discarded rubbish. A Hutt crime lord had to have a trapdoor, after all. 

And then, just to make the holovid more viral, Beldorion suddenly shifted and looked directly into the recorder. The Hutt angrily pointed and shouted. 

“Keesa ya!”

The recorder fell as the holovid was cut mid-fall, making it seem like it was a secret recording. 

Clap! Clap!

Arenval applauded a job well done. "Well done, everyone. That was an excellent recording. I'm sure it'll reach every coreward planet worth its name."

Despite his cheers, nobody other than Komari seemed excited. Beldorion urgently slithered down from his throne, fastening the lightsaber to his belt. Aayla was quick to take the recorder and leave. Shmi busied herself with managing the clothes they had put on the droids. 

Arenval didn't like this. It showed their hesitation. They were going along with his plans, but didn't seem to fully accept his ways. 

"They are weak, Master."

He shook his head at Komari's comments. "No. They're simply not like us, Komari. Bel and Aayla lived as Jedi. They believed what they were taught. Now I'm trying to undo all of that. It will take time. Have patience, as I did with you."

"I will do that, my Master."

"Let's go. We should help Bel make Dodz his home. Then we will head to Altor 14 and see if we can establish a starship yard there."

"What sort of ships will we build, Master?"

"For now, we'll build the Fury-class. Later, you and Aayla will each command your own teams from those ships. I'll make sure they're fitted with the best weapons and cloaking systems inspired by the Scimitar."

Komari's eyes shone. "I will have a command?"

“Of course. You’re my apprentice, and soon you’ll need to carry more responsibility. I can’t be everywhere at once, no matter how much I’d like to save every slave.”

"Master, name the slave, and I will set them free, even if I must give my life for it."

He gave her stiff shoulder a pat. "I doubt that will be necessary."

Walking, he soon parted ways with Komari and entered his quarters. T7 was waiting for him there, sitting idle in a charging station. He had been so busy that he hadn't even trained much, forget about checking the SSS-Assistant or using the dome for Dark Side training. 

"What was that chime?"

"Quest Complete = Good Job // Aren = Get strong"

"Show me." He sat down on the bedside and waited for T7 to roll over to him and show the hologram. 

Right away, a red screen hovered. 

"Huh?" Arenval frowned. "Why are there six notifications?"

T7 beeped and booped, extending his mechanical arms to make gestures. "Aren = Lazy // Notifications = sitting for days."

He scratched his head and tapped open the list. Instantly, he felt bombarded with so much information. 

[Hidden Minor Quest Completed - Information Warfare
Description - The government is never there to help.
Goal - Establish your own communications network.]
Reward - Dark Side Inhibitor +0.3%, K-wing assault starfighter blueprint.]

A K-wing? 

Arenval waited to open the blueprint and read the other things. 

[New Sector Meter Available]

[Sector Favorability Meter - Chommell Sector
Current Favorability - 31.2%] 

[Hidden Minor Quest Completed - Master Honeytrapper
Description - It's good to have a few Senators close by.
Goal - Gain intimate trust and support of a Senator.]
Reward - Dark Side Inhibitor +0.1%.]

"..."

Arenval felt like defending himself. That what happened between him and Silya wasn't honeytrapping. But who was he supposed to debate with?

[New Sector Meter Available]

[Sector Favorability Meter - Thesme Sector
Current Favorability - 69.4%] 

He sighed and continued reading. 

[New Major Quest - Bane of Zygerria
Description - Slavery empowers you. But what about the root of that slavery?
Goal - End Zygerria
Reward - Dark Side Inhibitor +5%, Force Ghost]

End Zygerria? Not just the slavery?

[New Minor Quest - Thesme Cleansing
Description - A promise given is a promise kept.
Goal - End slavery from Thesme Sector.
Reward - Dark Side Inhibitor +0.5%, TIE Defender Blueprint]

That's… a bountiful harvest. 

Arenval sat there just staring at the screen in silence. So many quests had piled up now. He already had so many abilities lined up to master. The speed was too fast, and his progress was slow. He hadn't even killed Gardulla yet, while the final quest in that sequence was about taking over the Hutt Cartel or destroying it. 

"Teeseven, we're going to be very busy."

T7 happily whirled. "Aren + T7 = Work hard // Galaxy = Slavery Free."

"That's the dream. But what happens when there are no slaves to save?"

"Ending Slavery = Impossible // Reducing Slavery = Possible."

It made sense. The galaxy was too big for him to actively patrol every planet and ensure slavery wasn't practiced anywhere. Even if he ended all the slave traders and all the pirates, there were some worlds where their isolated culture promoted slavery amongst each other. 

"I suppose you're right, Teeseven. Now raise that shield; I’ll practice Crush Opposition today."

T7 saluted with his utility arm, clearly still developing a personality. 

####

Dominator, 

It had been more than two weeks since Master Fay had found Arenval and taken to living aboard the vast ancient ship. She knew well what the vessel was. She could feel the traces of the Dark Side lingering in it, though they were unlike the darkness that seemed to dance around young Arenval.

Recently, the ship had briefly moved away from Dodz. No one had told her what had occurred, but the Force had spoken clearly enough. The Dark Side had stirred in answer, and several lives had been lost to whatever it had been directed against.

"Slaves?"

She remembered what Arenval had told her. What he had done, and what he intended to continue doing. Fay tried not to stand in his way. Even now, she couldn’t say why the Force had guided her to him.

Most of her time was spent in meditation in the quarters given to her, searching quietly for some kind of answer.

Knock! Knock!

She shifted from her seat and opened the door, finding Shmi Skywalker. 

Of all those aboard, this woman, as Force-sensitive as any common being in the galaxy, was the one Fay had grown closest to. They would often sit together during lunch or dinner.

Through Shmi, Fay had come to understand a little more about Arenval. The kind of man he was, and the life he had lived. She heard of the changes in him since Nam Chorios, and of his journey toward rediscovering the emotions he had long kept buried.

"Master Fay. Are you joining us for dinner?" 

Fay smiled, sensing the kindness that seemed to flow so naturally from the woman. It amused her that despite living amongst dark siders, she still kept such warmth within her. “So, it is just the two of us again?”

"Aayla is waiting for us in the cafeteria."

She followed Shmi and soon arrived at the cafeteria. A few Theran Listeners were also there, seated at other tables. But she headed towards the one with the blue Twi'lek and, surprisingly, the human darksider woman. 

Master Fay maintained her distance and sat down opposite the Twi'lek Jedi, while Shmi sat beside her. A droid soon brought over a tray filled with a complete meal. 

"I felt a small disturbance on the ship a while ago," she said, indirectly asking for some answers.

"Tends to happen while being around Aren," Aayla snappily replied. 

"Lives were lost?" 

"Only for the good," the Twi'lek answered. 

"What sort of killing is good?"

"The sort that ends slavery," Komari replied. "Don't be too curious, Jedi. My Master has allowed you to live here, not to question his ways."

Master Fay let the questions rest and began eating, glancing toward Shmi instead. “How fares your ship engineering, young Shmi?”

"Wonderful, Master Fay. I always thought Anakin had a talent for tinkering, but Aren has shown me how much my son still has to learn. I'm studying a ship's weapons systems, and for that, I can't imagine a better ship than this one."

"Of course!" Komari scooped. "There is no better ship than the one once wielded by the Si—mmmm"

All of a sudden, Aayla's hand landed on Komari's mouth, shutting her up. Komari's eyes turned furious for once, but then horrified. 

Fay chuckled. "Sith Empire? Girls, I am old. Old enough to remember this design, and old enough not to lose my calm in the presence of someone like Arenval."

"How fortunate for you, Jedi." Komari sneered. "If you were as blind and foolish as the rest of your Order, my Master would never have allowed you near him."

"For that, I am grateful," Fay replied, seeing that her words only irked Komari more. "Where might Beldorion be, girl? I had hoped to speak with him."

"He's busy," Aayla chirped. 

"With what? May I ask?" 

"Being a Hutt."

####

Jedi Temple Refectory, Coruscant

Orbe sat alone in one of the cafeterias in the refectory, eating a meal made of fried hawk-bat eggs and an adult-sized serving of caf. Oh, he loved caf; it was a staple he'd learned to enjoy ever since he became Master Billaba's Padawan. 

She was a demanding master, but also caring and attentive at the same time. So many years with her, she was more akin to family than a Master now, having been through countless missions and hardships together. 

He had been learning Vaapad as well, but Master Billaba had kept it at a very slow progression as it involved the Dark Side. Getting Master Windu's approval alone had taken him years. 

Yet, he never forgot his other little family. His two oldest friends were now somewhere in the Outer Rim. And for that reason, he made sure to read any news related to the Outer Rim every morning, hoping to catch something about Aren or Aayla. Already, he had learned about the deal between Tython Tech and Naboo. Recently, he had received an update from Master Kenobi as well. 

It seemed Arenval had grown by leaps and bounds already. Even emotionally as well, and he wanted to see that side of him now. 

As he ate, right beside his food tray was a palm-sized holotab, its flat, see-through screen dimly lit to show all the headlines. Since he already knew where Arenval was now, he kept the search limited to that general area of the galaxy. 

Pirates. Slavery. Is there anything else?

The thing was, Holonet didn't really provide much information; its primary goal was communication. It was already clogged with constant transmissions related to communications. There was no real-time exchange of non-communication data. Hence, everything needed to be downloaded first. 

By definition, it should allow free flow of information. But that rarely ever happened. Holonet transceivers and relays already functioned at their limit. So instead of live news, there were countless forums related to every matter one could imagine. And regularly, information was updated there. 

Tython Tech's holotabs had somehow bridged the gap, making entertainment possible through holovid scheduled downloads. But it still wasn’t a true instant transfer. Hence, information on the Outer Rim's never reached Coruscant because it was irrelevant to the people living there. 

Only a few forums discussed the Outer Rim, and even then they were limited to more popular and important regions. Like Hutt Space, though such forums were also mediums of the black market.  

[Rise of the Jedi Hutt - Beldorion the Dread]

"Huh?"

Orbe's mouth stopped moving as soon as he read the headline. He tapped on it and watched the download bar slowly load information. At the same time, he tried to remember how many Jedi Hutt there were. 

The answer was none. Well, other than the one recently found. He'd learned about it unintentionally when he had bribed Anakin Skywalker with outside treats for information about Arenval. 

Minutes passed, and finally the article appeared. It was surprising that a text-based thing was so long. 

[On the edge of the galaxy, in a scarcely known and visited sector called Zoraster, a new Hutt hegemon has risen. This one dons the Jedi robes and wields a purple lightsaber. First seen in Thesme…]

Reading, he soon realised why the article had taken so long to load. There was a holovid attached to it. It showed a golden room, decorated with curtains, and a Hutt on a platform. He played it and noticed Zygerrians kneeling. 

"..."

His jaw was left hanging when the ten slavers were Force-choked, and then sliced in half by the flying lightsaber. It was so utterly violent, yet somehow less repulsive than expected. Simply because a Hutt had done this. 

"What are you doing, Aren?"

Orbe's instincts told him that this wasn't just the Hutt's doing. Until recently, Anakin had sung praises of this Hutt's gentle personality. 

When the holovid ended, he looked up. 

"Should I report this to Master?"

He really didn't know. 

"They must have already seen it."

####

Office of the Supreme Chancellor, 

Chancellor Palpatine sat in his office, all alone with a large screen on his table showing the holovid circulating all over the Holonet. It was rare for something from the Outer Rim to make this much noise. So when something did, it was usually substantial. 

And this one personally pleased Palpatine. 

"Wonderful! Magnificent, my boy!"

Palpatine watched the execution of the Zygerrians and took pleasure in it. Well-versed in the Dark Side, he could tell this wasn't all the Hutt's doing. Perhaps five were handled by the Hutt and the other five by Arenval Tython. 

Bzzzz!

The lightsaber sliced the Zygerrians on screen. It was beautiful and ruthless to his Sith eyes. It almost made him euphoric just imagining having someone like Arenval as his apprentice. A man willing to be this violent for something as puny as slavery. 

Then Palpatine glanced at the other screen, which showed the ship Arenval Tython currently occupied. He didn’t know where the boy had found it, but it was a welcome surprise. After all, it would serve as a decoration in his future Empire. A ship from the old Sith Empire in his new one. 

He made the mental calculations to ensure the ship wouldn't be damaged over the planned period of chaos. However, that didn't mean he wouldn't push Arenval further towards the Dark Side. He could tell by this scheme to remain in the shadow that his future apprentice was yet to fully embrace the Dark Side. 

"How shall you fare when your very vessel becomes the most wanted criminal ship in the galaxy?" he murmured with a delighted sneer. "When will you fully reveal yourself to the galaxy, my boy? Show them the power of the Dark Side."

Beep!

Right then, his executive holotab rang. A reminder for his schedule, which showed an upcoming meeting with the Masters of the Jedi High Council. 

"Naturally, hah! The Jedi are panicking, utterly clueless as ever."

####

A new Hutt crime lord was already something worth noting by the entire galaxy. But a Force-wielding Hutt crime lord was an even bigger matter. Within days, the entire galaxy watched the holovid of the execution. 

Eventually, the holovids started to get censored on some systems. Especially the so-called core worlds that seemed to consider themselves more cultured and civilized than others. Still, the holovid simply moved to some less friendly underground forums, hard to find but still there. 

Beldorion the Dread became a name known by most outer rim corporations, as well as smugglers and haulers who moved goods around. Thankfully, Zoraster Sector was at the edge, and it could be easily avoided. 

But while the rest of the galaxy could afford to ignore Beldorion, the other Hutts could not. 

As weeks went by, the wider galaxy forgot about the Hutt Jedi. However, information kept flowing through Hutt channels. And a particular piece of secret information eventually reached Tatooine's Mos Espa spaceport. 

Inside the Mos Espa Grand Arena, a practice race was ongoing. But that didn't mean gambling didn't happen. And if there was gambling, there was Gardulla Besadii the Elder. It was her vice, and her lifestyle. Despite having lost much to gambling already, she remained one of the biggest gamblers there. 

Under the shade of the guarded observation deck, her pod floated, including an extra pod holding food and beverages for her. She watched the lineup of the pod racers, selecting her new gamble. 

Though she wasn't alone, and despite her distaste, she spoke in basic. 

"Be quick and leave me; I have important matters."

The Falleen man bowed his head. "Interesting information has reached us through our contacts in the Zoraster Sector. You instructed us to investigate Beldorion, and we have uncovered more."

Gardulla glanced at the green thing. "What have you uncovered?"

"Beldorion was once a Jedi, but he vanished hundreds of years ago. We don't know where he was, nor how he returned. But we do know why he has chosen Zoraster as his home. A vein of aurodium has been discovered on the moon of Dodz, and there may be other worlds in the sector rich with precious gems. But from what we have learned, the aurodium vein alone will make Beldorion the richest Hutt alive."

"Do you take me for a fool?" Gardulla scoffed. "An aurodium vein?"

Skepticism was expected. Aurodium was a metal so rare that even a small ingot of it the size of a human figure was worth hundreds of millions of credits. A single coin of it could buy you a ship the size of your choosing. Aurodium standard was once used as a guarantor for the value of galactic currency.

And a single vein of it could make one not just the wealthiest Hutt, but the wealthiest being in the galaxy. And if such a vein was found, especially in the Outer Rim, from the Republic to every crime syndicate, pirate group, outlaw group, mercenary group, and any navy with a ship or two would rush for it. 

"I have the sample here," the Falleen said, holding out a small vial. "Beldorion has gathered several fallen Jedi to guard both himself and the mine. Only three in the Black Sun know of its existence, including myself. Considering our previous dealings with you, Gardulla, we believed an alliance would serve us both. If Beldorion is dealt with now, we can claim the mine."

"The Black Sun will attack?" Gardulla asked. 

"We will. But we require an ally capable of dealing with a Hutt. If you kill Beldorion, the matter would be settled then and there. Of course, if you have no desire to do so, we are prepared to discuss this with Jabb—"

"Do not speak his name! The likes of Jabba are not worthy of something so precious. We will form an alliance, and the mine will belong to me. Black Sun can move the goods."

The Falleen merely nodded. 

####

Naboo, Theed Royal Palace, 

Queen Padme Amidala honored her position and held herself up to the standards of a queen. She wore her traditional face paint, she wore the headgear befitting Naboo's queen, and she wore the heavy gown every single day. 

But sometimes, she felt frustrated because she had to hide away her excitement. And right now, she found it really hard to hold back. 

When Jedi Tython had brought up the idea of a new type of Holonet communication, she had high hopes. But despite those high hopes, she found herself taken by surprise when, just a few months into that experiment, she was informed that the new Holonet, called Galaxyweb, or G-web and even simply web, for short, was already up and running. 

So, she gathered with her entire advisory council to test this Galaxyweb firsthand. She held a large, fourteen-inch holotab in her hand; it was the latest model made to take advantage of the Galaxyweb. 

It was a sleek rectangle with a see-through glass screen. The top bezel held the camera as well as a mini holoprojector. The bottom bezel held the speakers and had slots for customised add-ons. For her, this was enough to perform her executive duties. 

Unlike the previous holotabs, this one had more sophisticated options, yet easy to understand. Each program was denoted by a small tile with a name underneath. Vidflix, where Tython Tech ran its holovid services, she knew that one. But now there were others, such as Sabacc, Dejarik, and Pazaak games. Then there was a tile called Webcall, another called Webtext, Gallery, Camera, Webreader, Webmart(Beta), Hyptube(Beta), Translator, and a few more. 

"What are these Webmart and Hyptube?" Padme inquired. A representative of Tython Tech, a green-skinned Twi'lek, stood before her table. 

"Your Highness, these are experimental programs we hope to launch soon. Webmart will begin as a sector-wide galaxyweb marketplace, with plans to eventually expand across the galaxy. Everything from grain to cargo ships could be purchased from the comfort of one's own planet. Naturally, strict safeguards are being developed to prevent the sale of illegal goods, which is why further testing remains necessary.

"Hyptube was suggested by our founder. It is intended as a platform for sharing culture and creativity, bringing the galaxy closer. Using a Holotab, anyone could capture images or holovids of themselves, nature, the stars, their journeys, crafts, or talents, and share them with the entire galaxy."

Padme stared at the Holotab and tapped on the tile that showed Hyptube. The symbol on the tile was a very simple triangle. But once the program launched, she saw the demo layout. The first page was an endless downward scroll of images. Some were nature, some were starships, some were of sunsets on various planets, even a few Naboo photos. Then, on the next page accessed through a button at the bottom were lines of tiles showing interesting names of holovids with an image that caught her attention. 

[Journey through the Outer Rim - Day 2098]

[Hills of Chandrila - A Love Letter]

[Guide To Ghorman Fashion]

[History of Mandalore]

[Jedi Order - Who are they?]

[Secrets of the Sea - Naboo Edition]

[I went to the deepest level of Coruscant!]

[Evils of the Trade Federation!]

[Can you survive dangling out of a ship in Hyperspace?]

[I pranked my wife by bringing a Twi'lek wife home! I'm a Sullustan!]

[Life with my Wookie friend!]

[Is Jedi Grandmaster Yoda An Evolved Frog?]

[Ranking the hottest Senators!]

[Coruscant Gossips - Episode 19,980]

[Gorgeous Queens of the Galaxy - Naboo Edition]

Padme held back her blush at that last title. It was enough to break her focus, and then she realized she had been scrolling nonstop without realising. Minutes had passed while the rest of her council looked at her. 

"I find this very interesting." She voiced, hiding her emotions. But inside, she wanted to ask more questions. She could imagine so many possibilities. Entire educational lectures from illustrious universities could be uploaded to this program. An artist in the outer rim could impress a collector in the core worlds. The possibilities were endless. 

But she couldn’t freely speak as the queen. 

"Your Highness, to access Webcall's primary feature, simply select the green tile. Arenval Tython is currently awaiting you in the Kreeling system."

Padme straightened her back without realising. "Jedi Tython is in our sector?"

"Yes, Your Highness. We were informed only a few hours ago. From what we understand, he is merely passing through."

Padme nodded and selected the green tile. Immediately, a list appeared, but only the name 'Arenval Tython' was on it. She instinctively touched that name, and a new option popped up, asking her if she wanted to communicate with just her voice, the flat screen holovid, or a full hologram. 

She touched on the hologram, and instantly a blue light shot from the top bezel. The hologram was tiny, just the size of her hand. It showed Tython Tech's logo blinking while a ringing sound came. 

Click!

Then a snap rang. Unlike normal Holonet communication, filled with noise and distortions, this one was clear, albeit blue. The upper half of Arenval Tython appeared, facing her. Unlike the last time, he had a bright smile on his face. She found it charming, but she couldn’t tell him. 

"Greetings, Jedi Tython."

"Your Highness, you look as elegant as ever. I hope I'm clearly audible."

He sounds different. More… alive. 

Padme suppressed a smile, finding Arenval's own rather contagious. "I can, Jedi Tython. The quality of this communication is remarkable. Your people from Tython Tech explained this new invention to me. I have no doubt it will bring the galaxy closer together."

"That's the plan, Your Highness. Not merely closer, but more intimate. Soon, someone in the Chopani Sector may find their destined one in the Kriz Sector. A kind citizen can upload a holovid exposing injustice on their world. A slave can reveal where they're being held."

Padme utterly detested the burden of her crown in moments like these. The inability to speak her heart and agree with Arenval, and share her own vision that matched his. It felt suffocating. She wanted to give suggestions. She wanted to hear what else he was up to. 

Arenval Tython's galaxy felt so much wider than her own. She wanted to be a part of it. 

"That appears to be a wise plan, Jedi Tython." She answered stoically, before allowing herself to voice the thought she had kept private. "Will you be coming to Naboo?"

Please, I need someone to share my thoughts with. 

"Apologies, Your Highness. Perhaps another time. My attention is needed elsewhere just now."

Padme's heart sank. She wanted to meet him again. 

"Then I wish you good fortune, Jedi Tython."

"Thank you. I should be going now. May the Force be with you."

The last thing she saw was him smiling and winking at her. Then, the blue light disappeared. 

Padme sighed inside and placed the holotab down. 

####

Scimitar, Kreeling system, Chommell Sector, 

Arenval set the holotab aside and glanced at Komari. "Let's head back to Dodz. We should prepare for Gardulla's attack while the Falleen lays the rumors."

"I will set the course, Master."

Arenval stood in place while Komari took the pilot seat and started to tap buttons. This whole little outing was unplanned, but things had gone well, and Komari's past contacts had helped a lot. 

"Entering hyperspace." 

Arenval took one of the passenger seats and tightened the seatbelt. Moments later, the stars outside the viewport turned into streaks. 

"Can we trust that Falleen, Komari? I find it hard to believe a Black Sun operative would honor his word," he asked.

"I have known him for some time, Master. He was the one who arranged my meeting with Gardulla years ago. And we have his family, so he has no choice but to obey us."

Arenval sighed and glanced at his side. On the three passenger seats sat a Falleen woman and two children, a boy and a girl, all unconscious. This was the mission: to kidnap them and force the Black Sun operative to feed Gardulla false information. 

"Well, let's make sure they stay safe."

"They are safe, Master, as long as Lakuur keeps his bargain."

"Whatever happens, let's not hurt them. They've done us no wrong."

"Master, the Black Sun is filth. This woman and her children belong to it. They know all that Lakuur does. The Falleen control the syndicate. If necessary, we must hurt them and force Lakuur to draw back Black Sun's mercenaries during Gardulla's attack. We must, Master, or they will overwhelm us."

Arenval sat back in his seat, deep in thought. She was right, no doubt about it. But hurting children was still too much for him. The woman? He wouldn't mind. 

“Then let’s focus on strengthening our firepower.”

In silence, he brought up the SSS-Assistant and opened the shop. He went to the weapons section and began searching for droids. Of course, there were B1s there, but he avoided them because they were too new. And most likely the Assistant would tell him the location of where he could steal them. 

No, he focused on older versions. 

Droid after droid, he soon came upon a name on that long list. 

[Skytroopers - 20,000 SP]

That's the same price as the terraformer. 

And that terraformer was a tough beast in its own right. He was still studying that thing, and even with his heightened Mechu-deru, it was taking time. 

Wait, is that just for one?

Quickly, he input a number in the quantity. First, he input one thousand. 

[Skytroopers - 20,000 SP]

The price didn’t change. 

How many are there?

He put in two thousand. The price did not change. Then he put five thousand, and the price still didn't change. So, he input ten thousand next. 

[Skytroopers - 120,000 SP]

Ah, there are more? Must be a different location then. 

Still, just to try, he input a hundred thousand droids. 

[Skytroopers - 120,000 SP] 

"..."

That meant the droids were there, out there somewhere. Likely more than just a hundred thousand. And he had an inkling of which part of the galaxy. The higher price likely also meant greater risk just reaching it. 

Although he did have plenty of slave points, he decided not to waste them on just droids. He needed ships as well. 

So, he purchased the first option. 

[Skytroopers - 20,000 SP
Description - Manufactured by Eternal Empire.
Location - Odessen, Wild Space]

Ah… Wild Space.