” I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” - Isoroku Yamamoto after the sacking of Pearl Harbor
The night sky was beautiful. Full of stars but not so bright that it was practically daytime. It was a perfect backdrop for the dinner that was being held. There was music, food, art and great conversation to be had as the night was young and was proving to be one to remember. Each of the invited were well to do and wanted for more or less nothing. They all may have worked their way into their position, but now they all were in the position of luxury and responsibility. Each of them was high-level lieutenants in a Hutt crime family.
Each guest and their +1’s were not here to threaten those under them, or oversee their operations. They were not even here to answer for anything, or report on any progress. Tonight was about excess and was about forgetting about their responsibilities for the night. This was a rare evening that they could just kick back and enjoy themselves without consequence.
The host for the evening was none other than Ssadrah the Hutt third son of the head of the family and considered “Consigliere”. He was not the one who oversaw day-to-day either Ssadrah knew this and knew his place. He wanted his followers and knew how to bring them together, and It was not uncharacteristic of him to do something like this because it bred loyalty and gave more meaning when he exploded on someone or made an example of them. He was not a monster, so to speak, but he was feared when he needed to be.
[“Enjoy yourselves tonight, there’s plenty of food, plenty of booze, plenty of everything.”] The Hutt bellowed from his throne.
His second lieutenant “Torsk”, the Weequay “clean energy” magnate held a glass to which all followed. There was laughter to be had and they all eagerly participated.
Valenko, the Wookiee Enforcer growled out a “We’re with you, boss!” as he downed what looked to be a pitcher of something alcoholic.
Maybe it was the alcohol, but the environment seemed to be changing. It was as if things were growing out of the table and off of the walls.
“Where did you get this alcohol? It’s good stuff.”
“No kidding!”
The more things changed though, the more it seemed to breed some level of concern. It was crazy, but it seemed like there were shadows in the windows. None of them knew or could understand what was going on but the paranoia was beginning to set in. Slowly, armed guards began to file in until the room was full of thugs.
Now was as good a time as any for the two smoke grenades that broke the glass flying in. Quickly the dining hall filled with clouds of white and gray, thick smoke was not choking the air, but it was eliminating anyone’s ability to see. Naturally, it was a call to evacuate the room, but before anyone could, the power was cut. The automatic doors were no longer opening automatically, everyone was trapped.
Cue the massive Jedi Master, Caltin Vanagor crashing through the same window as the grenades. Lightsaber in hand, he only used it to block weapons fire at him, be it at any power outlets or consoles, but to redirect them back the weapons they emanated from. The big guy was attacking, not defending, attacking everyone physically. Punches, kicks, knees, and throws ruled the day. It did not matter who was in the room, they would be unconscious before Caltin turned his attention on the host.
[“Impressive, but I’m not harmless.”] The crime boss pressed a button on his sled that shocked him consistently until he released the control.
Caltin just stood there and touched a finger to his own ear.
Thanks, Roller. I have it from here.
The familiar beeps of the astromech in response brought an instinctive nod as his hand came back down to his side and Caltin disengaged the blade on Conservator. Not moving, he remained quiet for several moments, a tactic to get under Ssadrah’s skin.
It worked.
[“Something troubling you? What is it you want? Speak? You have nothing on me, or anyone in here!”]
I don’t need to have anything on you. I don’t need anything on anyone in here. I’m here because of who you are.
This brought a laugh out of Ssadrah.
[“You’re going to have to do better than that to intimidate me.”]
You’ll know it when I’m intimidating you.
Slowly, his left hand leveled on the Ssadrah as the Hutt’s body suddenly froze in place. If he was not concerned before, he was terrified now.
[“You’re mad!”]
Sometimes it’s only madness that makes us what we are.
Slowly his hand began to close into a fist, very slowly, he kept it slow because he was crushing the throne around and into the Hutt. Ssadrah was literally becoming encased in his own sled by no choice of his own. Bellowed screams fell on deaf ears as he had forgotten that the room was soundproof.
[“You are a Jedi! You have rules! You cannot kill me like this! You have limits!”]
Caltin just smiled angrily.
All sentients have limits. They learn what they are, and learn not to exceed them. I tend to ignore mine.
[“You kill me, my family… they’re going to come after you. They’re going to make you feel a level of pain you could never understand. I swear it. We will find you. We will do worse than kill you. We will hurt you.”]
Walking over after sheathing his lightsaber hilt, Caltin physically lifted one side of the sled and tipped it over on its side.
You’ll never need to chase me, as I will come back again and again. You will do what I want you to do or you will see me again, and your brothers, and your father. You can never escape me. Blasters don’t harm me. Nothing can harm me, but I know pain. I know pain. Sometimes I share it. I share it with someone like you.
The Hutt had shown fear in a manner usually only reserved for his father.
[“Fine. What is it you want?]
You’re going to arrange a meet with your father.
[“Are you crazy?! NOONE meets with my father! It will not be on his ship either.”]
The big guy began to display his physical strength again and started tipping the sled until the Hutt threw out his hands,
[“ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! IT WILL BE DONE! He’s going to ask me what for.”]
Letting go of the sled, he jumped on it and reached out through the Force one more time, as he was putting the Crime boss to sleep through the Force, he explained.
Your father makes it his business to know where each and every Jedi are. I want him to tell me where those are that are unaffiliated.
[“A reunion? Th… that’s it?”]
Don't make me wait.
It was not merely a “reunion”, there were Jedi out there. Those who were disillusioned, those who were falling into “habits”. Maybe he could find them, talk to them, maybe not, but he was going to try. Leaving the way he came in, the big guy was not recruiting for any organization or faction. He was looking for the purpose of simply finding them, letting them know that they were not alone.
