Prologue: On a Wing and a Hutt

[Ishana Pavanos]

THE PAVANOS DANCE: NUMBERS CRUNCH​

PROLOGUE, ON A WING AND A HUTT​

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A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY​

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A FORMER TIE PILOT BY THE NAME OF ISHANA PAVANOS FINDS HERSELF AT THE MERCY OF KOSSAK THE HUTT. THE PILOT TURNED SMUGGLER HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN BY SOTTA THE HUTT'S DEVARONIAN SNIPER AND BOUNTY HUNTER 'TIXI.' AFTER CAPTURING ISHANA, SOTTA FOUND HER DEBT NOT WORTH HIS TIME OR EFFORTS AND HAS SOLD HER AND HER DEBT TO KOSSAK. KOSSAK HAVING DESIRES TO SEE HIS OPERATIONS EXPAND SEEKS TO USE THE SMUGGLER FOR HIS OWN GAIN AGAINST A RIVAL HUTT ON THE PLANET OF NAL HUTTA. WHAT THAT PLAN IS AND WHAT KOSSAK PLANS ON DOING WITH ISHANA IS STILL BEYOND THE SMUGGLER, FOR NOW SHE ONLY HOPES TO SURVIVE IT ALL ONE WAY OR ANOTHER... ​

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Ishana looked down at the binder cuffs that secured her hands together. "Easy, easy fellas." She told the Rodians who brought her to their boss. "Can we not bruise the merchandise, fething twi'lekkian dancers, boys." If anything, Ishana was mouthy even while being cuffed and escorted through some Hutta's palace. Although she had to admit this Hutta had some taste with her lips puffed out she nodded. "Gotta say, fellas, your boss does good work."

Both of them looked at her and tried to shut her up, Ishana leaned back and watched them hit each other. "Guys, guys cmon. I know I'm hot but please, can we not fight over me while I'm in cuffs. Just isn't my kinda thing, ya dig?" Ishana winked at them both while being shoved into the cantina portion of the palace. "You boys got Theelins and Zeltrons?" She let out a whistle while being dragged into the back of the cantina and throw into the lift. "Hey, hey just for that when I get out of these I'm gonna sock you both in the face."

The Rodians cursed her in their native tongue, and Ishana spoke in Rodese to them both. "Fellas, fellas no need to be hostile. I just don't appreciate being pushed around, alright?" She looked ahead with her shoulders slumped, it wasn't the first time that the former Imperial had been cuffed and it wouldn't be the last. When the doors to the lift opened she could see the Hutta's court and sighed, "here we go again..." The smuggler wondered what task she'd be given to 'clear' her debts, with a sigh she staggered forward with both of her escorts flanking either side of her.

[member="Kossak the Hutt"]

 

[Kossak the Hutt]

These were exciting times for Kossak the Hutt. He had recently taken over clan Hestilic’s kajidic, which expanded his resources and holdings considerably. Not only that, but he had been able to move back from Balosar to Nal Hutta. Kossak was a hungry hutt, even as far as Hutt were concerned. He was looking to expand his operations on Nal Hutta as well as dive into the profitable pool that was Nar Shaddaa.

A piece in one of his plans was one Ishana Pavanos. He knew little of her other than that she had been a pilot and smuggler of some talent. The opportunity had more or less landed on his slimy lap, and he intended to exploit the situation to the fullest. Maybe she’d die. He didn’t care. On the off-chance that she succeeded, however, he stood to gain a lot. She had the advantage of being foreign, and a new addition to Kossak’s court. There were those in his employ he had thought of using in a similar way, but the suspicion towards them would be too great he feared. She seemed perfect. Now all that remained to be seen was whether he could use her for the mission in mind. Kossak felt confident, he was a persuasive Hutt.

Once Ishana entered into the so-called ‘throne room’, she would find it a large, round room, lavishly decorated. Two Gamorrean guards stood guarding the entrance. Inside there was a mix of species, though Weequays seemed to have a slight majority in numbers, along with some Niktos and even Twi’lek. Some were thug-types under his employ, others businessmen. Then there was a sizeable group of retainers who were obviously slaves. Out of the slaves, the females were unsurprisingly more lightly dressed, while the males had longer robes.

At the very back of the room was an elevated stage, upon which one large hunk of slime and fat rested. The slug with a green skin tone was of course none other than Kossak the Hutt. It was intentional, how his place was elevated above all other. It had an imposing effect, presenting him up there and forcing everyone to look up to meet his gaze. Everything was a power play.

Next to the Hutt, a tier below Kossak but above the rest, stood a Quarren. The man, ‘affectionately’ nicknamed Squid-Face was the only of his kind here, and served for the time being as Kossak’s Majordomo. He had fine robes, perhaps of some silk or similar fabric, in a mix of deep purple and black.

“Your Excellency, the gift from Sotta the Hutt has arrived!” Squid-Face announced the arrival as she got nudged forwards towards the center of the room by her Rodian escort. ‘Gift’ was not exactly the appropriate term considering a transaction had taken place, but that was how it was being presented. “Slave, you are in the presence of the illustrious and magnanimous Kossak the Hutt” as if on cue the Rodians kicked at the back of her knees, to force her down into a kneeling position. The act was much to their satisfaction. Again, while she may perhaps not be a slave technically speaking, she did wear chains and she was a slave of debt. In the eyes of Kossak the Hutt, all lesser beings (read: non-Hutts) were slaves. Though they came with a variety of titles, they all served.

[member="Ishana Pavanos"]

 

[Ishana Pavanos]

"Ow." Ishana grumbled and turned her head to look at either Rodian, "s'right guys. When I get outta here, gonna remember that." She says to them both in Rodese. "Blah, blah, blah they all say that." She scoffed with an eye roll and then looked up to the Majordomo with a raised brow. "What?" Taking a deep breath she rolled her eyes again, "alright, alright." Clearing her throat she looked up to the slimy Hutt and in her best, and most routine voice (because for Ishana this is most likely, routine).

She bowed, "oh thank you, your magnanimous, illustrious honor, sir." She thought more like a slimeball, but hey you don't vocalize these things when a guy has more Weequays and Nitkos than he did twi'leks. Ishana found that Hutts' courts were about as diverse as an Imperial TIE Fighter squadron. Weequays, Nitkos, Twi'leks, Gamorreans, and even Rodians tended to be something of the norm. Humans maybe, dotted here and there - better if they were cyborgs. Sotta only glanced at her and then waved her away to be transported. Something about being too old, which by the way, she resented.

"How may I serve you?" She finally added and then raised up, knees still on the ground, while she occasionally glanced down at the binder cuffs. Could probably get out of these once they threw her in whatever they considered, to be a holding cell around here.


[member="Kossak the Hutt"]

 

[Kossak the Hutt]

The deep, booming laughter of Kossak the Hutt filled the throne room. The girl was fierce and it amused him. The attitude she gave the Rodians was entertaining. Of course he was less likely to tolerate it than they were, but he enjoyed her acting this way even as she was brought to him in chains. A fire still burned within her, and she was far from broken.

Though there might have been some sarcasm infused with the words she used to address him, the Hutt seemed not to notice, eating up the flattering titles. After giving another, brief laugh, he replied to her in Huttese "Da samanba dah mee waki mallya" (that depends on your talents). The Quarren Majordomo was quick to repeat what Kossak said in Basic so that she could understand what was being said. Though the Quarren added a question of his own, a follow-up to Kossak's own words. "What are your talents? The great Kossak could always use more dancers" he said with both neutral tone and expression. Of course, they already had a task in mind for her... But could they trust her to go through with it? And if she could serve multiple functions, why not. She had after all been sold and handed into Kossak's care.

The large Hutt raised a hand and made a gesture "Jot ten!" (leave us) he announced in a loud voice. Slowly people started funnelling out of the room. Eventually this would leave just Kossak, the Quarren, two Gamorrean guards by the door, and Ishana left. Though Kossak was of course the undisputed lord of his castle, all bowed to him... There was still the chance that someone was misguided enough to only do so to his face, only to reveal secrets and hidden information behind his back to his rivals. The way in which he intended Ishana to serve him could not leave this room. His enemy could not be allowed to see her coming.

[member="Ishana Pavanos"]

 

[Ishana Pavanos]

It was days like this that she really, really wish that she had taken the time to learn Huttese while at the Academy. Oh yes, let's skip Huttese 1301 in favor of Ithorese?! When has that ever been useful, Shana? When?! Ishana looked bored, even when the Hutt bellowed in laughter, she looked bored. With a side of mildly irritated, mostly at herself. She should've never been caught by that karkin' Devaronian. Always gotta try and get that loot, don't ya? Fethin' loot. Neither her avarice or lust would get her anywhere. There was that one Mando girl on Nar Shaddaa before I was rudely shipped off to Nal Hutta... And then the Quarren spoke, and she had half a mind to tell him that she could understand him at least, but instead listened to his terrible basic, and the accent that went with it.

Terrible as in she was sure the snooty core world kids would laugh his arse right out of their castles. "I dance, I was dancing for Sotta at his club, House of Jewels, you know the one where he sells jewels and then he sells ju-els." She pulled the syllables from their sockets and motioned down to her chest. "I happened to be one of the better dancers, not my fault one patron decided to occupy all my time, and she did pay very, very well from what I hear, not that I ever saw a cred of it." She replied in basic as well, then the Hutt dismissed everyone.

"Ooo-kay." Ishana reacted with a raised brow looking around as suddenly the room came down to the Hutt, his Majordomo, and like two guards. She cleared her throat nervously. "Listen, guys, guys I realize that I'm not necessarily cooperative, but hey, I'm good with a pair of blades, alright? I can probably pilot anything you call a ship, and maybe seduce my way around things, but seriously. Seriously, I dance, I flirt, I wine and dine, and clearly I'm good at losing other people's money." Wait. "Scratch that, listen, I can be useful, but you know I'm really useful if I'm alive."

[member="Kossak the Hutt"], [member="Ashtah Ordo"]

 

[Tanith Alde]

[member="Ishana Pavanos"]

Ashtah had wandered into the palace, just like any other evening. She had expected a few private minutes with her dancer, and then likely take her home for some intimate cuddles. But no, those dreams had been dashed to the rocks when she learned her dancer had been sold off to Nal Hutta of all places, not even a hive of scum and villainy, a cesspool of it.

But now she was down on that Gods-forsaken world, trekking through palace and cantina one after another in search of her lost girl, growing steadily more frustrated with each failed attempt. She had crossed the 49th one off of her mental list, when she strode into Kossak's palace, still dressed in her armor.

A guard likely would have tried to stop her but, she was at a point in time where she could browbeat a Gammorean guard into submission, radiating an aura of "Do not kark with me" strong enough to have unsettled even a sith as she stalked through the Palace, occasionally forcing her way past patrons in her search for [member="Ishana Pavanos"]

 

[Kossak the Hutt]

The Hutt seemed to eye her with more interest now that she explained how valued and talented of a dancer she had been. For a moment he regretted sending everyone out and not demanding she give them a demonstration. But ah, business first. There was always time for dances later. He could barely believe that thought crossed his mind. Letting the opportunity of a dance pass him by? Kossak must've really been interested in getting this little mission off and going.

It seemed as if the girl thought they were preparing her execution. The Hutt laughed, a dark, booming laugh that probably did little to alleviate her fears. "My dear" his voice echoed, though surprisingly he spoke in Basic this time. "If I wanted to kill you I wouldn't have people leave. That would be entertainment wasted" although suppose he could've appreciated it on his own. But death was such a fine thing to observe, that the charitable Kossak would share it with his subjects.

Kossak much preferred Huttese, but he did speak Basic. Now that they were alone he had little problem switching over. He imagined it'd be much more annoying to have to wait as what they said went back and forth through his Majordomo translator, than it would be to just make it easy and speak Basic himself. It was a lesser tongue, true, but what could one do with dealing with lesser beings (read: non-Hutts).

"I have a job for you. It will probably require you to do all those things. Dance, flirt, wine, and dine. Then kill" he paused for effect while looking over at her to see how she took the news. "Do this, and I will see to it that your debt with me and Sotta is removed. Try to escape, and I will make sure that a bounty is added to that debt. Then you won't be alive very long." he followed up with the threat. He was fine with freeing her if she did the job. There was a good chance she'd die trying anyway, so he had already taken into account that he'd be one dancer less.

[member="Ishana Pavanos"][member="Ashtah Ordo"]

 

[Ishana Pavanos]

Ishana felt a little more relieved to be honest, although she might've scoffed when he said he'd have killed her already. Right. How many times has she heard that before? She was relatively disinterested until the Hutt began to tell her of his plan. Oh, oh, oh this guy. This guy, Ishana's facial expression changed. Wow, he had some... well he just had some. "So, wait." She moves her hands up and then looks at the binder cuffs and then puts her hands back down. "So you want me, to go to this other Hutt's court and cantina, dance, flirt, wine, and dine with like all the things."

A hand to her lips, "and then you want me to kill."

Fingers tapping along her lower lip, "so just, let me get this straight. You, Kossak the Hutt. Want me Ishana the Dancer to smuggle myself into this guy's court, and take him and his court out." She nodded in acknowledgment, "wow." Exhaling her eyes went wide and her cheeks puffed out a bit. "Uh, and that's my debt to you and Sotta, huh?"

"So I'm gonna need to slip into something just a little more comfortable." Clearing her throat, Ishana added. "I also need directions, and a way in, if you can do that then we have a deal." Although how in the world she was gonna knock over an entire court she didn't know, but there was plan, a half-arsed plan but a plan formulating in her mind.

[member="Kossak the Hutt"]