Conversations with the Dead #3
§§§§ Implant serial #046284-38374 receiving recording command….
§§§§ Recording….
Oh Aaynnie! We did it! Kaltho's gone! My mind is still reeling from the events of the last day but I feel closer to the Balance than ever! Ok, I need to tell you about this. I still can't believe we survived.
We started out tossing this hairbrain idea together. The one I told you about last time? Yeah, it's crazy. I guess my new friends haven't told me their complete story. Not that they needed to, but apparently they've had a run in with this particular Hutt before. I think the Hutt even had a price on their heads! Keva and I were going to pose as bounty hunters and try to deliver 87 as a prize. Fake cuffs and all. I know, I know Aayn, a real original idea right? Remember that Holo we watched together? They did the same thing with some big guy. I thought this idea was so stupid it just might work.
So me and Keva were trying to get some bounty hunter credents when… and this is so strange Aayn! I saw … well, I thought it was… ….. I had to follow! Or at least try. In my haste I lost them in the crowd. I wonder……
Anyways, we met back at Vane's place. That little crazy alchemist? Yeah, he brewed some awful smelling potion from some of the roots we carried back. Slee and Keva downed the whole amount! I think I would have tested it on something else first. But they didn't die, so that's good. I don't think it did any good either.
So now back to our plan. Panau made the deal with Kaltho and we offered 87 up as bait. The stupid Hutt took it and we arranged to deliver 87 in person on his yacht. We were waiting for one of his freighters to finish unloading the “medical” supplies he had promised Panau. That's when we set our plan in motion.
This was supposed to be easy. Well, the plan was to take control of the freighter. A little sneaking around here and there. A couple of thumps in the dark. Nope. Full out blaster fight right in the middle of the spaceport! Luckily the local gov was on our side. I hope that wasn't the Balance telling me something…. but it can't be!
Aaynnie, there was a child! I saw her in the hospital when Keva and Slee were getting some of their doses. She was a Twi'lek! Her lekku didn't even move when she turned her head. She seemed so sad… The Balance would reconcile her sorrow. I resolved myself then Aaynnie. I would be the one to return a smile to that Twi'lek child. Kaltho's crimes must be balanced.
We did end up taking the freighter and it was only a short trip up to Kaltho's yacht. Slee didn't even bang the freighter up too much when docking. We were ushered down the hall to an ornate audience chamber. I hadn't met Kaltho personally before this but I guess he was a little more classical than some of his other kin. Ornately carved wooden spears was the only weapon I saw. Kaltho greeted us and we started negotiating the price of 87's bounty. Well, the plan was to get some incriminating evidence in case our insane plan didn't work. So I hauled out this holographic gem. It was really big. I can only imagine what the real one looked like. This seemed to surprise the Hutt which is a feat all on it's own.
And then I got this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach as in walked that one-eyed egg-sucking son of a slime-devil thug that got away from 87 in our alley fight. Kaltho signaled to his guards and the whole world went to Chaos. A magnetic trap! I thought these weren't even used anymore, not with the new transparisteel alloys that had been developed in recent years. It had a devastating effect on us though. 87 rushed upwards like a Drexl on fire as he slammed into the ceiling. I wasn't far behind with all the blessed durasteel in my arm. Keva seemed to gracefully float upwards. Cheeky little mouse. Well, we managed to get a signal out to Slee, who was undercover on the freighter with a few others. He was going to disable some of the systems for us. Kaltho's damn laughing filled the room. Stinking Hutts!
All of a sudden it was as if the power was cut. The lights go out and the trap disables. Unfortunately the gravity generators had their own power supplies. As the deck rushed up to meet my face I managed to hurl 87's gun over to him. I couldn't stand wearing the thing anyway. So heavy.
I wasn't planning on a firefight right here in the audience chamber but… the Scales had tipped and it was time. 87 powered up that mean looking gun while I started slashing the nearest thing with my vamblades. At least the thugs didn't have any blasters or vibroswords. I hate ambushes though. Unfair fights seem to spit in the face of the Balance. But the Balance has ways of striking back. Order would be restored and justice would come for that innocent Twi'lek girl.
I hate ambushes all right, and I hate fire on a spacecraft even more! Especially in close quarters! I guess the Balance didn't want me to run Kaltho through with my blades or crush his eyes in my fist. It was definitely time to get out of there. I sure hoped that Slee and Keva had time to work their magic. Just as 87 and I fought free from the audience room we saw Slee and Keva running and slithering as fast as they could, so we joined them. Slee tossed his little explosive present, a decoy of course, on the floor and we disembarked on the freighter as fast as we could.
Of course we now had the yachts turbolasers and support craft to deal with. Hah! A battered old YT-1300 versus a luxury yacht and who knows how many starfighters? And this was part of our plan! What on Ryloth were we thinking of when we hashed this together?!
All we needed to do was get out of proximity. 300kms, 200kms, 100kms, 50kms. I could hear the hull screaming as the laser fire slammed into us. All of a sudden the stars began to blur in very familiar and very welcome lines. Hyperspace at last!
So the plan was this Aayn: Slee and Keva were supposed to slice into their hyperdrive and upload false coordinates. We knew we couldn't take them in a firefight… but what if they accidentally flew into a sun? Slee had assured me that Kaltho would give chase. Jeepers, what had these guys done to the Hutt? Maybe I don't want to know. We danced around hyperspace a bit until we deemed it was safe to return. I think we all held our breath when we emerged from hyperspace back at Varonat. Kaltho's ship was gone. His support craft was beating a hasty retreat from the ground turrets.
We landed and were greeted with a cheers! A hero? Nah, that isn't me at all Aayn. Without you here I could never be a hero. I grimaced as Panau invited us over to a feast. I didn't need this. Knowing the Balance was satisfied was enough for me. I would have danced with you my dear Aaynnie. That's a promise.
I couldn't take any more of it. I had to get out. I excused myself and started heading out of the chamber. That's when I saw her Aayn. I saw the Twi'lek child again. And… she had a smile on her face… She was holding what must have been her mothers hand and looking up at her. Her lekku twitched with life.
The Balance is funny Aayn'aren, but it's always true. It's the ultimate Justice. Sending Kaltho into a sun was necessary to bring joy back this this little girl.
Aayn'aren. I willl see you again. May the Scales find you and Judge you. Balance is Perfection.
At least… I'm sure Kaltho ended up in a sun… …… right?
§§§§ End of Recording
