Badump

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Badump

Badump

The frantic beating of Charuri’s heart continued. Adrenaline coursed through her body, eyes dilated and senses heightened every nerve ending upon edge Not for the first time did she look behind her shoulder past her companions and into the darkness stretching before her. They had no light themselves but her own lowlight vision provided enough to peer into the unsettling silence. They had been lucky so far, since their first encounter with the clone squad, they had not been spotted since. Though if they reached out into the force, they could feel more and more bodies slowly filtering into the tunnels. They were caught in the middle of a net that was slowly drawing closed around them.

If Charuri had been alone she would not of been sure of her ability to make it of the chaos, but at the current moment at least the faint breathing behind her reminded she was not alone. Sure Jenner and Naat were both only padawans like herself, but they were both highly skilled and she wouldn't of been surprised if either of them had been promoted to knighthood. But.... now as the bombs fell above them and the smell of smoke and burning flesh slowly found its way through the vents and into the tunnels it would seem that their would not be any knighting ceremonies for awhile, maybe even forever. It was funny, one of the first lessons Feemor taught Charuri once the young Cathar had come under the venerable Jedi Master’s wing was the importance of change. As a practitioner of the Living Force it only made sense. She remembered his old sayings with melancholy know as she heard his voice in her head. As the seasons change so must you my young padawan.

Though this certainly could not be the change that Feemor had told her about. He had described something powerful and galaxy altering but at the same time gentle and warm— providing a cathartic release for the living. This, this felt nothing like that. This was angry and filled with hate, it was accented by the sounds of the dying and the shaking tremors in the force as hundreds of lives were silenced all across the galaxy. It felt less like a rebirth and more like an ending, a final denouement for the Jedi before a hand wrote The End on the page and would forever end their tale in the galaxy.

Trying to release the emotions from her body, to prevent the pessimistic thoughts from getting to her head, Charuri looked around. She remembered traveling through this service tunnels in her younger years and dominating them, knowing the passageways and the shortcuts like the back of her hand. Now it was several years later and in the chaos of the moment, caught in the dark her memory was starting to fail her. The featureless walls all were starting to look the same and the longer they pushed the less they seemed to move forward in time. Her worst fears came to light as they came across a familiar intersection as five separate tunnels stretched out around her she cursed under her breath and slammed a hand into the nearby wall. The gravity of the situation and her own panicking having caused more obvious cracks in her composure.

“Chaos take me...... I just lead us in another karking circle. Nice job, Charuri present a brilliant escape plan to live another day and you can’t even make it out of the tunnels. Why do you even try sometimes? ” She voiced out loud to her companion's, voice accented with a slight tremor, her back turned to them as she hammered her fist into the wall once again, clearly frustrated and still rather frazzled by the circumstances in front of her.

As Charuri lamented over the feeling of being lost, Naat didn’t seem to share in her frustration even though she very well knew that danger could have been very well approaching them. Her first Jedi Master had taught her to think on her feet and aggressively get to the bottom of a situation, a fact that recalled as she stood there as Charuri continued with her self-depreciative complaints. A smirk rose on the blonde-haired girl’s lips as she recalled something in the back of her mind about the teachings of Master Shen-Jon. That thought took her back, albeit briefly, to a situation she had been in with her master and the words he told her: ”Waiting afraid of the wrong answer will only lead to defeat. There is a time for contemplation but this is a time of action. Let us not dwaddle as enemies are at our heels.”

“Well, I’m not going to flop on my back and let blaster fire take us. My master said something to me once: there is a time for contemplation but this is a time of action. We pick one and move before this whole place comes down upon us. I will not meet ghosts so soon.”

“Easy for you to say, you’re not the one that is going to get us killed if you pick the wrong tunnel.” Charuri responded with a soft but noticeable tone of bitterness to her voice. But what was she supposed to suspect from Naat? She spent her days more focused on swinging her lightsaber. Faced all her problems with brute force.

“We go this way.” Naat replied bluntly as she pushed past her friend and fellow Jedi, taking the decision out of her hands.

"You sure about that? We don't have time for any more wrong turns." Charuri called after Naat nervously as she lead the group onward into the darkness. Slowly though the nervousness began to subside as she began to notice things, the air gradually became cooler and beyond the rumblings of the bombardments and the blaster fire above, they could hear a different kind of roar the roar of masses of life slowly coming through the force. And final clarification came in the form of an age old sign on the tunnel wall, rusted from the constant condensation in the tunnel but still barely readable.

Exit.

“Guess we're almost out of here. Hope one of you has a plan once we get out though. The undercity isn't the nicest place in the world.” She muttered, as she looked at the sign for a moment trying her best yet obviously failing to hide her signs of relief.

Naat nodded before she called back to the Cathar, “How familiar are you with Coruscant’s undercity?”

“Enough to not get us killed. But not much beyond that.” It was true enough. Feemor and her had done a few missions in the undercity, mostly to secure some ceasefires between the gangs that had ran rampant down there for years. The Republic had enough to worry about with the war going on, they didn't need to worry about a gang war starting.

Naat nodded, “With your familiarity I suppose you should take point again, then?”

“You sure you don’t want to remain upfront Ms. Battlefield Commander? You're obviously much better suited to a leadership position than me.” Charuri responded obivously not wanting leadership thrust upon her again, she casted a look towards Jenner who only shrugged in response obviously wanting to stay out of it.

“We can share, if you’d like.” Naat shook her head, nearly chuckling at the retort.

“....That would be ideal. I’ll make sure we don’t get lost and you do your fancy stuff with your lightsaber to make sure we don't get killed. Deal?” Charuri responded with something that almost resembled a grin, as somehow even despite all the prior events the mood began to lighten.

They pushed forward until they came to another intersection. This one was simple their tunnel continued forward towards the perceived exit and a large horizontal cross path disected it. As soon as they entered the intersection, Charuri felt it. Something off and something wrong and then suddenly life burst through the force. The sounds of footsteps in the darkness, she ignited her lightsaber looking left then right frantically. Dread filled her body once more as faceless white forms filled in the three tunnels around them. Of course the clones would have plans of the temple, of course they would know of simple exits like the supply tunnels, of course they would set up traps for any survivors. They had fallen right into the center of the net. But Charuri would not go easily, not without a fight. She could not die yet. As the clones surrounded them and moved in for the kill she reacted like a spring uncoiling. Reaching her hand out in front of her at the lead trooper she reached out into the force and pushed hard with her mind. For a second nothing happened but then she felt it happen, a sudden push as the lead clone was thrown backwards off his feet as if he just got punched in the chest. He tumbled backwards into his companions with a cry. They were preoccupied for a moment. A moment was all they needed.

“RUN!!”

Naat’s brows narrowed, in a sense of fight or flight… survive or die. Had she had not to worry about Jenner or Charuri perhaps she would have acted differently. Air left her lips as Charuri’s cry to run came out like thunder and Naat frowned as the situation’s intensity seemed to increase exponentially by the second. Her lightsaber had drawn and the flash of blue hued at the intersection as the shadows of the overcity made it seem like it was as dark as the night. Her eyes looked to Jenner who had choked in the stress of the situation. She was sure Charuri saw Jenner’s fear take him and if they were jedi they would not leave a comrade behind. Naat sent out a push of force with her free hand to give additional impact on their former comrades in arms… their current enemies. Eight. That was the number of the troopers around Naat Reath. But it didn’t really seem to affect her— she had dealt with worse odds and situations during her time serving as a Jedi Commander; she would not be afraid even in the shadow of death.

The world seemed to slow down around them as instincts began to take over. Seeing Jenner freeze up, without even Charuri thought reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his brown robe dragging him forward. She slashed out widely with her other hand her movements traced by a flash of brilliant green to keep the clones away. Ploughing her shoulder into one of the troopers she knocked him to the side as she dragged herself and Jenner forward. The other padawan's feet moving listlessly behind him.

A flash and a cry. Suddenly she felt her arm connected to Jenner begin to be pulled downwards. The pair stumbled to the ground as Charuri hit the floor with a thud. Rolling over she saw that a blaster shot had torn straight through Jenner’s calf ripping and sundering through flesh and bone. Frantically Charuri moved to her feet trying to pull Jenner up but now failing as the larger and heavier boy could not help her support his weight as his leg hang limp under him. She looked back desperately at Naat who was still deep in the fray.

“Charuri this is never going to work.” Jenner spoke as Charuri continued to try every method to be able to get him to his feet. She knew that he was right but she wasn't going to stop. She refused to try and stop, they were Jedi, they saved people that was what they did. Too many had died today, too many had died and Jenner would not be added to the list. Shaking her head she continued trying to pull him up only for his body to fall down. She was too weak and he was too injured to help. She felt as his hands grasped her shoulders stopping her motions as she began to try another attempt to lift him.

“Listen Charuri. You gotta go help Naat. They are all focused on her and even as good as she is. She can’t escape from that alone. She and you still have a chance. My leg is gone, not even bacta would save it now. You have to let go.” Jenner explained meeting her eyes. It was strange what was once filled with fear moments ago was now replaced with an almost ethereal calm as if he knew what the will of force know was. As if everyone suddenly made sense with a blindy clarity that one can only have moments before the end. But he was right the clones at least for the moment had forgotten about the pair.

“Jenner... I can’t. We are Jedi, we are supposed to preserve life. I can’t leave you to be killed by them.” Charuri pleaded her voice desperate and pleading as she fought back tears as she continued to try and get him back to his feet but at this point it was pretty much a fight that had already been lost.

“But sometimes the best way to honor a life is to let it go. Or at least that’s what Master Fora always told me.... And right now the best way you can help me is by helping me let go.” He responded to her trying to keep a straight face through the pain as he dragged her hand still clutching her now unignited lightsaber to the center of his chest. “I don’t want to give them the satisfaction of killing me. I want to die with my honor and dignity in tact. I don’t want to be put down like some sort of dog.” Charuri continued to shake her head even as in the back of her head and far away she could hear Naat talking.

“Why are you doing this? This is genocide.” Naat questioned as her blue eyes looked upon the troopers before her as the hue of her lightsaber guarded her form. The jedi padawan couldn’t understand the actions that caused such a camaraderie to turn into treachery. Sure, she had read the texts and read of several Jedi who fell to the darkness of the force but this was different. She had fought with troopers on Sarapin, Tatooine, Krant, and Malastare. A rumbling of force energy left Naat as she asked her question; her longing for an answer reaching out to the minds of the clone troopers before them.

“I...I can’t. That’s against the code Jenner, that’s against everything we stood for, everything we still stand for. The force decides who lives or dies, we don’t, we are not executioners. You don’t kill unless in self defense!” She protested even as his hands found hers and lead them over to the button which would ignite the saber. She was openly crying at this point, her body shaking as she continued to shake her head.

”Charuri please...”

As Charuri and Jenner found themselves distracted, back at the intersection a response came from one of the clone trooper’s that had turned their attention on Naat Reath… and an answer that just seemed to open more questions for the padawan. “Just following orders.”

Naat felt disgust at the answer as the troopers regained most of their composure; at least the one’s who were not aiming down at Jenner and Charuri, anyway. Naat’s eyes seemed to go ‘dead’ as she took in their answer; analyzing her enemies in seconds. Five of them were aiming down at the other two jedi while three were preparing to blast her like they were so eager to comply with. Naat was angry and she would not let this be the end. The padawan's thoughts went back to Master Windu and the way she held her lightsaber’s hilt shifted to a change in form. She would have to rely on a style that was fast but more importantly… unforgiving. But it would be the first time she would use such a thing in combat.

“I’m sorry.” Naat whispered before she moved— the force pushing her body forward with vicious speed.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

There was more blaster fire and screams… but none of them were Naat’s. The sound of bodies hitting the metal floor… and then a scream of frustration, a click as two pairs of hands moved together, a snap hiss, a gasp and then nothing. Charuri looked down at her hands as she pulled the lightsaber out of Jenner’s chest. There was a smile on his face. Legs shaking... no her entire body shaking, the sensation of wanting to vomit building in her stomach. She looked back down the tunnel where Naat stood alone, a silent figure of tranquil fury. She connected eyes with her. She tried to speak, she tried to say anything but as soon as she did she buckled over and emptied the contents of her stomach.

As silence overtook the intersection, Naat frowned as the hum of her lightsaber went dead as it whisped back into the tool. She said no words as she attempted to re-center herself as she began to walk away from the bodies before her, reaching down and grabbing one of the trooper carbine weapons from the floor. Naat could feel the darkness growing… looming; she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“May the force forgive us both.”

She could feel it on her face now. A warm breeze coming from ahead of them trickling in from some unseen exit ahead. The warm air thick with the smell of rot and grim that persisted in the undercity drifted by to no real response. Charuri's feet moved forward slowly like a child's old wind up toy. Glazed over eyes framed an unfocused face that stared blankly a million away in the distance somewhere far beyond the tunnel. Her body still reeked of her own vomit. The minutes melted away into a strange feeling as each slow and forced footstep wemt by at the pace of an eternity, body aging, falling apart and dying before being reborn again step after painful step. Her hands were clutched tightly around two cylindrical objects, one of them felt almost like an extension of her own being and the other was foreign and strange. Once they might have given her comfort, now all they were pulsars of death. She looked up ahead at Naat who was leading them still ever forward down the tunnel. They hadn't spoken since then, what was she supposed to do? What was she supposed to say to her? Nothing.

Her own memory drifted back to the first time she had killed someone. Growing up in the Funack'r Kajidic, she was no stranger to death. Death permeated the air everyday, she could still remembering hearing the screams and cries of mercy as those that displeased Zulo were taken out back to be dealt with another corpse to fill the gutter of Nar Shaddaa. Zulo himself fed his own greed by being a merchant of death during the Huk War and it was these deaths that would eventually lead to the Jedi coming to take him in. And before Charuri could be spirited away to a new place to set out to become something better than what her destiny had planned for her more death had to follow. Her mother, her friends, everyone she knew. Now she knew of the terrible crimes that they committed but back then? Zulo wasn't a crime lord he was Uncle Zulo the one that took care of her and her mother, he was the one that didn't t punish her when she was caught in the hallways of his compound after her curfew, he was the one that made sure that she was smuggled extra snacks after dinner, he was her friend. But it wasn't until after she became a Jedi that she actually brought death upon another being.

It was one of her first missions with Feemor, they were dealing with a disagreement between two trade companies on Axum that had gone decidedly violent falling into full blown open corporate warfare that threatened to throw the whole planet into chaos. This was something that the Republic couldn't afford as Axum was one of the core industrial centers of the core worlds. The peace negotiations that they were supposed to oversee between the two companies went sour quickly and before they knew it they were getting shot by mercs on both sides. During their heated escape from the compound, Master and Padawan were separated and Charuri was ambushed by a brute with a vibroblade. He had lunged first at her but it was Charuri's blade that had found it's way home under his arm and into the body. He was a Duro, his big red eyes frantically searched about in his last moments, mouth gasping for air over and over again. For the next few weeks the nightmare followed plaguing her mind and every thought as she tried to move. Eventually Feemor deduced what was bothering her and he asked why she hadn't brought it up earlier and his young's padawan's response made him laugh. Charuri explained that she did'nt want to seem weak for feeling bad about killing someone that had been presently trying to kill her. But Feemor then postulated that those feelings were essential to being a good Jedi, that even if the Force wills an action it doesn't mean that a Jedi has to feel good about the actions that had to be done.

What would Feemor think of her now? She had betrayed the ideals of the Code. Jenner was dead because of her own hand, she had killed another Padawan and for what? Because he asked her to? Where the teachings that had become ingrained in her so weak and fragile that when pressure was placed upon her that the ideals that were placed upon her could shatter so easily? At the current moment she did'nt want to think about any of it, she just wanted to find a nice hole to crawl inside of and wither away in for the rest of her short existence, she did'nt deserve to live. But at the current moment she couldn't. A Jedi did'nt let the past weigh them down, a Jedi was concerned with the present. But was she still a Jedi? Where their going to even be any more Jedi by the time the night was done? She took a deep breath and pushed onward listing in the darkness.

Eventually the tunnel they continued down came to an end, reaching out with the Force Charuri could feel the heavy presence of life beyond the door. It was a sharp and almost jarring contrast with the feeling in the Temple as it had gone silent, a place of death in the middle of a center of life. She brushed past the side of Naat to the left hand side of the door where a control panel dimly lit up the darkness from the under lighting on its buttons. She entered the code that she still remembered into the panel and got no response, frantically she typed in another code and once again no response followed, five more times she tried and five more items nothing happened. The codes weren't working, they were stuck, they were going to die in the tunnels, Feemor, Jenner and all the others died for nothing. No, a blast door wasn't going to stop them. Hands shaking she ignited her light saber and with a yell slammed it into the door ahead of them. At first the door did not give but soon the blade began to sink into the metal and with tremendous effort the young padawan slowly began cutting a path through the blast door. As she did she turned back to Naat speaking to her for the first time since the incident her face a mask of concentration.

"Can I get a little help here?"

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Finally.

The loud metallic ‘clang’ rung out, echoing throughout the tunnels as the metal hit the floor, scaring off what few vermin lived at the bottom of the damp, rust-covered corridors that existed far underneath Coruscant’s Jedi Temple. The hum of the two lightsabers the only sound to be audible as Naat Reath’s eyes looked inquisitively outward from the blast door’s former seal. They had made it; they had made it past the tunnels, and were now upon the next step towards their quest of surviving the madness that had transpired. Naat Reath was not sure where to go from where she was standing but she was glad to have gotten to this point— she had not wanted to lose herself in the tunnels among the misery and the darkness… and she knew she had to help Charuri recover from the darkness that was dwelling in her heart— it was her role as a Jedi Guardian to defend others from the dark side of the force and she knew what had happened was something Charuri was struggling to move past. A small, relieved smile crossed the blonde-haired human’s lips as she looked back at her companion with a reassured but hushed tone.

“We did it.”

The heartbeat of the Undercity was one Naat Reath was not well acquainted with, though she had heard the stories and educated herself as well as she could about it; dreading the day she would have to interact with Coruscant’s own little “Nar Shaadaa”. But following the events on Krant Naat had taken much solitude with the archives— better trying to understand, comprehend, and find knowledge where before she held only ignorance. There were many things she didn’t know about the Undercity but with the knowledge she did have as well as her license of skill as a Jedi Investigator she had confidence that she could survive in the shadows of skullduggery and deceit if it meant getting off of Coruscant before the Emperor’s hit squad could find them.

Our assassins in white.

Naat wished she could’ve been more able with the other jedi as the troopers stormed the main rooms of the Jedi Temple but she knew had she been closer in the thick of it then she would’ve doomed others. The force had guided her to Charuri and Jenner; although one had fallen she could not let the other do the same; she would honor the force in its subtle wishes and would not hope for something so infantile as a “warrior’s death”. But she couldn’t help but keep thinking about the scenario in full; how their former friends and comrades turned their blasters on them from what had to be a whim. There was no way the Jedi deserved this kind of abhorrent genocide. What had happened with Master Windu? Naat knew he had set off to discuss important council matters not long before the massacare and that he told her that the war was coming to an end— that he believed he knew who had been causing the true turbulent discord in not only the senate but the galaxy. Naat needed answers, but they were so far out of reach.

She took a light breath, keeping her smile. She needed to worry about getting away from Coruscant, not trapping herself on it.

“You mentioned earlier that you knew the Undercity well?”

“I'm... no stranger to it. Feemor and I.... well we did a few missions down here that's all." Charuri responded as she peered out past the door. Hot air rose from the manufacturing plants below pressing hot durasteel into prefab molds, a mixture of a strong chemical odor and the stench of decay. They were far away from the the polished outer shell that was the Upper City having traveled into the true heart of the Galaxy. The young Cathar took one last look behind her down the long tunnel that lead back into the temple.. It would be the second home she would escape from in a smoldering ruin. There was a sound from further in the tunnel.. They had to move.

Charuri turned back to face the open doorway and what lay ahead. She tapped Naat on the shoulder giving her a thumbs up and a weak attempt at a smile. Then she breathed and stepped out of the tunnel into a different type of labyrinth all together one not of tunnels and darkness but of towering buildings and interconnected alley ways lit by harsh neon signs advertising everything from cheap droid parts, alcohol and prostution. Some eyes followed them as their trademark brown robes made them stand out among the crowd. News traveled fast on Coruscant and faster still in the Undercity. It was only a matter of time before people started connecting one and one together.

“We are going to have ditch our robes soon." She whispered to Mast as they moved deeper into the crowd in an attempt to blend in Oddly enough though the girl felt more at ease here among the thugs. It reminded her of her childhood and it at least made her at ease as she was in her ‘element’ as they say. One hand naturally stayed clasped to Naat's in an effort to not lose the girl in the crowd as they weaved their way forward. She intermittently squeezed her hand in small pulses keeping a constant connection as if she was afraid it would slip away at any moment. Among the chaos and throng of people she spotted something promising; off of one of the side streets sitting in a bundle of rags and garbage was an elderly Rodian male, a cup at his feet. Charuri gestured with her head towards him as they pulled off from the crowd.

"Just try and look semi-threating. “ She told Naat as they approached the beggar. The Rodian kept his head down as they approached either half-asleep or lost in contemplation. The girl kneeled down next to him careful not to let her pants brush against the dirt and grime covered floor. After several failures at gaining his attention she sighed and shook him back into the world of the living. The beggar let out a shout of surprise pulling back from the young Cathar who was looking at him intently.

“Do you speak basic?” Charuri asked meeting his large saucer like eyes only to receive a gruff and rather unpleasant slur in Rodian as a response.. The Cathar sighed fighting the urge to slap him as much to his surprise she fired right back at him in his native language. “Well you could of said it nicer you know."The beggar's big blue eyes widen as he realized his mistake as he began to eye the Cathar more closely.

“A fur covered annoyance that can speak properly. Well you don't see that everyday."

“Yeah well I’m just full of surprises." Chauri shot back without hesitation. Now this, this was what she was good at. She was no fighter like Naat or as stealthy as Jenner had been but talking? She knew talking. That was the consular’s way, tongue as sharp as any lightsaber serving as the vital bridge between the Order and the people. Or that was there purpose at least.

“Well unless you have something worthwhile to say girl. I'm tired and need some rest." he explained as he begin to turn over to his side but was stopped as the Cathar grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him back into an upright position.

“You can go to sleep after we are finished. First I have some questions. “ Charuri stated her voice firm.

“Spit it out than. “ The Rodian replied clearly annoyed but seemingly resigned to the fate before him.

“Well if somebody needed to vanish for a long time. Preferably off world where would they go."

"... I might know a place. But as I see it you and your girlfriend over there haven't given me anything worth while. So why would I tell you anything at all let alone help you out?" The Rodian replied smugly.

"She's not my!" Charuri yelled angrily as she raised her fist in the air. Before she did anything drastic though she took a deep breath and centered herself lowering her fist slowly as the Rodian who had slunked away when the fist was raised visibly relaxed a knowing grin on his face. He had thrown her off guard, but Charuri would not let him maintian the advantage. She had to push and she had to push hard."Listen you know who we are right?"

"Jedi Scum." The Rodian replied gesturing to the outfit.

"Yeah Jedi. And you know what we do? My human companion over there has destroyed dozens of battle droids and killed warriors of much more sterner stuff than you. And we've both had a long day and she is just waiting for an excuse to skewer you alive. And trust me I don't think anybody is going to really care if we did it. So if you want to keep yourself in tact I suggest you start talking and quickly." She explained her voice cold and angry loosing any and all inflection of politeness. She didn't mean it really, well not all of it but sometimes to get answers one encouraging threat could end up going a long way. The Rodian seemed caught for a moment in indecision unsure of what do in the moment, he looked from Charuri to the much more scary and imposing Naat and back between them. Finally he sighed and held up his hands in defeat.

"Alright. Alright I get your point." He explained as he sat up from his pile of rags. "You'll be looking for Zaarda."

"Zaarda?" Charuri repeated the name foreign to her ears and not ringing any important bells.

"She's a Hutt. She specializes in 'exports' around here."

"A Hutt? I haven't heard her name spoken among any of the big Kajidics" Charuri replied slightly curious. The Rodian laughed as if the statement was the funniest thing he had heard in awhile his entire body shaking in the rags.

"That's for good reason girl. She's not from any of the big Kajidics. She's an independent." The Rodian replied and Charuri could only shake her head in disbelief.

"The others must not be happy about that." Charuri muttered.

"Yeah. Somehow though she's managed to maintain power in the area. Everything around here is under her control, she's the most powerful living thing on this level."

"And she'll be able to get people off world?"

"Mhmm. She smuggles everything out from drugs, weapons to people on occasion Though don't expect her to do it for free. She is a Hutt after all, they are all in it for the business." He explained even though he spoke his insult in a hushed tone as if he was worrying if somebody was listening in on their conversation

"Where can I find her." Charuri asked as she began to stand up.

"The Lazy Wormp. It's her base of operations. Just follow the main street down, you can't miss it." The Rodian replied, Charuri nodded her silent thanks and walked back over to Naat switching back over to basic as she relaized that the other girl was probably very confused at the moment.

"Well the good news is that I think I have our way out off here." Charuri explained trying to sound happy. "The bad news is it involves dealing with a Hutt. So there is that. Unless of course you have a better idea that is." Charuri explained as she began to explain the conversation she just had with the Rodian to her companion waiting for her input on what to do next.

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A better idea would not to deal with a Hutt.

Naat’s comprehension of other languages outside of Galactic Basic may have been rusty at best but she didn’t need to be fluent to get the gist of the conversation. Hutt’s were cunning devious manipulators at best and Naat had no interest in owing any favors to an overgrown slug with a power complex even if they were “independent”— especially considering what had happened the last time she had trusted a Hutt.

Under her first master, Echuu Shen-Jon, Naat had seen firsthand what the effects of allowing a Hutt to intervene in your mission resulted in. The terminology that the less “virtuous” side of society called it was pretty apt— favors for favors; and that was exactly what happened. Jabba the Hutt had played the Jedi like fools and convinced them that the only way they were going to get timely information would be through his aid. It was only an ironic coincidence that benefited Jabba that his rival he wanted removed from power had aligned with the Separatists and their agenda. Naat still felt strongly about the issue despite it being one of the more brief moments of her early career as a Jedi Commander. But in the present she knew it was rather illogical to be picky given their current situation and the dangers that were stalking them not too far behind.

But she still wanted to find an alternative— preferably one without strings attached. There had to be an option on Coruscant, a planet filled to the brim with opportunity and a vast sea of options no matter what walk of life you were from or what sector you lived in. She let a light sigh as she looked to answer Charuri’s comment.

“I don’t trust anything remotely involving a Hutt.” She stated, honestly. “There are too many strings attached— strings of favors, manipulation of information. If she knows we are Jedi she will betray us just to get extra credits in her account.”

She wasn’t sure if Charuri agreed with her if it was potentially possible in the window they had, but they had to try. Indebting and trusting a Hutt was suicide.

“If we could get a quick change of clothes, get settled on any number of the transport ships leaving on the current date, and keep moving without manipulative aid it would result better for us. Though, there is the other optionable fact— if you can get me behind the console of a ship, I can pilot it.”

Naat took another breath out of nervousness.

“Anything is better than indebting ourselves to a Hutt.”