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 CHAPTER 26: TOUCHDOWN ON NAR SHADDAA Previously posted:JOLUNE MOL'NEUX travels to the lawless world of NAR SHADDAA in search of the latest Jedi Master to be infected with the mysterious darkside plague...    [VIDEO: The Cult Man] (hey look, I got videos now)  : Nar Shaddaa is a den of corruption, excess and gang violence. A wretched hive of scum and villainy, if you will. It is ruled by a crime syndicate, the Hutt Cartel, that takes a cut from every black deed. : Surely someone must stand up to this Hutt Cartel?: The Cartel deals badly with those who say “no”. Frankly it doesn't deal that well with those who say “yes” either. But now, despite its power, the Hutt Cartel is clashing with a new group called the “Guiding Hand”. : Blind obedience to a secret leader... if it is Fain, he's got the makings of an army. : That is my fear : But how could he build a cult to challenge the Cartel so fast?: Nar Shaddaa is fertile ground for charismatic force users. Cultist is the fifth most popular occupation there; after prostitute, organ harvester, professional gambler/alcoholic, and “legitimate businessman”. : The Guiding Hand has attacked Cartel spice shipments-- operations Fain despises-- in a way that shouts Fain's tactics. It's him. I know it.: I'll find him, Master. Hopefully he'll be cooperative.: Fain has flirted with darkness for years-- the plague may have finally tipped the balance. But Fain alone isn't the problem. : So far the Hutt Cartel has tolerated-- even aided-- the Republic, but if it discovers a rogue Jedi is hurting business...: We'd lose the Cartel's trade routes, information and credits. : We must find Fain before the Hutt Cartel discovers his involvement. I have a contract on Nar Shaddaa who can help you, named Tharan Cedrax. Tharan is a professor of exo-technology. He was once a friend of mine, and of Fain's.: If Tharan Cedrax was friends with Fain, he might not be willing to help me.: Being Fain's friend puts him in danger, if the Cartel uncovers the truth about the Guiding Hand. He'll help you.: Unless he's working with Fain, in which case our first meeting will probably go downhill pretty fast.: Tharan has offices on Nar Shaddaa's Promenade. He's usually there... if he's not “nurturing his genius” in a casino.   : Spaceport full of neon. Hurts eyes.: You're just being a grump. I wish I could see it.: Thought you used Force to see?: Shapes and the... idea of colour, sure. Vivid lights, forget it. : Tell me what you see, Qyzen.: First aid station, taxi rank, ten thousand stupid adverts. What do you see?: Life! The hope and fears of millions echoing in the Force. Tython, Coruscant and Taris were all like graveyards compared to this place. It makes me want to... to do something! Live a little, you know?: Want to get drunk? Burn down another cantina?: NO. And I didn't burn down the Olaris cantina, I just... singed it a little. I love the Nar Shadda skyline, though I'm pretty sure it'll give you an epileptic fit if you stare at it for too long. Nar Shaddaa's cropped up in Star Wars videogames a few times over the years, because “enormous city full of criminals” is a good setting for casual violence, and I think SWTOR has the best (or at least the most colorful) portrayal.  : The taxi said this is the Promenade... Look at this place! All those people dancing around the Hutt in the Hat... It's been too long since I've seen anyone just having fun.: Missing Taris?: Ha. Ha. Ha. : That's Professor Cedrax's place over there... Why would a scientist have an office in a shopping mall?: Convenience?: Exo-technology shouldn't be convenient! That's the kind of stuff that can level planets if you aren't careful. The best place for it is a thousand space miles from anywhere, not sandwiched between “Bel'opel's Discount Jewellery” and “Keenser's Key Kutting Kabin”. : Plush. Exotech clearly pays the bills.: Everyone want biggest gun. [VIDEO: Jolly Holiday] (It's Tara Strong!)  : If you have an appointment, please make yourself comfortable while-- oh. Oh my goodness. : Orange is a pretty warm shade already! It's the same colour as most suns. I think it sets off my comple- why am I talking with a hologram? Is there an actual person on staff here?: Well, that just hurts my feelings. I do have feelings, you know. I'm a fully sentient holographic lifeform. Unique in the galaxy, or so Tharan says.: You can't be that unique. I must've run into dozens of holographic lifeforms, and I've only been travelling for a few months.:  : Oh no, I'm sorry! I-I mean, I'm sure you're very special and have many unique qualities and... um... : You're a Jedi, aren't you? If you're here to see Tharan, he's... well, I've been waiting for him to get back. For hours and hours.: Perhaps he's delayed. Does he often just disappear? :  : Stop that Qyzen, you don't even have eyebrows.: Tharan had a special order to design a weapon, and the customer wanted him to deliver the prototype to the Nikto sector. The aliens there hate humans, the Republic... hygiene. He should never have agreed to go.: I hope he doesn't get himself killed before I find him.: Oh, don't talk like that. What would I do without my Tharan? : Let's go, Qyzen. : So our contact is a arms dealer with a gambling habit, who uses a sex doll as a secretary. How does Master Bakarn know these people? On Tython he seemed so...: Boring?: ... I was going to say stolid. But boring works too.   : The Nikto Sector. No happy dancers here. It's like being back on Coruscant.It really is. Nar Shaddaa has the same structure as Coruscant, with the Promenade as the hub in place of the Senate, and has many similar environments, just with a whole bunch of extra neon signs around the place.  : There's the Chop Shop... Why couldn't it have a less menacing name?   : No, Tharan Cedrax, I will take the prototype to the Master drenched in your blood.: Ooooookay, I've clearly come in at a bad time. Let's not let this fall to violence.: Just a small Jedi. I've stood before a great Master. In a few words, he showed me the true way.  : He'll start going on about “the darkness” next.: The darkness is coming...: See!: The darkness is coming, and the gangs of Nar Shaddaa are united against it. We are the Master's Guiding Hand, to crush the Hutt Cartel! : He is the Master. He needs no name. Now stand aside, I swore to bring Cedrax's prototype to the Master. Perhaps he will grant us an audience!: The Master has affected your mind. Listen to yourself: “he needs no name”. Who says stuff like that? Crazies, that's who. You're doing this under suggestion. : Psst! Diplomacy tip: don't call people crazies. Are you new to this?: It's not like you were doing any better before I showed up!: Enough! No one will stand in the way of the Master's work! The Hutt Cartel must fall! : Good luuuuuuck... This guy isn't much of a fight, and his two minions are pathetic too. The battle ends quickly.  : Master... [VIDEO: Professor Smooth] : And from such an exquisite young woman too. Loveliness and a lightsaber-- a rare synthesis.:  : Herald?: Oh! Tharan Cedrax? Holiday said to look for you here.: Business before pleasure, I suppose. : Impressive title. I'd love to hear more... when your Trandoshan friend is gone. : Challenge the Hutt Cartel? Ha. Where'd they get such delusions of grandeur?: I think you know the man responsible...AFTER A BRIEF RECAP OF THE BRIEFING BAKARN BRIEFLY BRIEFED US ON EARLIER...  : But Syo's right. If the Hutts find out Fain is behind this Guiding Hand business, it'll leave the Republic high and dry.: Master Syo said you could help me find him.: Unfortunately, it's been years since we last spoke. But if Fain's using Nar Shaddaa's gangs, perhaps that's our opening. I know a local gang, the Red Light Lancers. A bunch of tech “specialists” and slicers of ill repute. Rumor is, they're part of this Guiding Hand. : The Lancers have been pestering me to do a “special job”. I could pretend I'm interested and set up a meeting for you.: And then... I join the gang! Like one of the cool kids! Yes! This is a good plan.: I was going to suggest just asking them about Fain, but fine, whatever, we'll do it your way. It won't be easy joining though. You'll need to prove your expertise. I suppose... this prototype would do it. Though I hate to part with it...: Your genius will stop a rogue Jedi Master, and help me start to make up for spending my entire life in a monastery.: Hmph. I wish I was immune to flattery. Here.  NEXT TIME: The Rise and Fall of Lord Bloodmurder. BONUS CODEX CONTENT: Exo-technology posted:A very rare and highly specialized field, the study of exo-technology focuses on items or devices believed to originate somewhere beyond the borders of the galaxy. Understandably rare, these advanced and complex items are constructed using unique materials and radical engineering otherwise unknown to Republic and Imperial scientists. Whether these items are relics of ancient civilizations that disappeared long ago or artifacts from thriving cultures waiting to be discovered is almost always unclear, as are the explanations for how the technology found its way to known space. Inferior fucked around with this message at 21:53 on Mar 1, 2014 |
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