Treasures of Nar Shaddaa

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco had left Aldera for Alderaan to oversee the finalizing of the planet’s defenses, and replace the Avenger-class Starfighters there with the more adept Ra’gr-class Superiority Fighters. He really liked those new starfighters. Overall they were only slightly superior, actually slower and less maneuverable overall, but capable of short bursts of speed that matched an A-Wing and capable of a couple maneuvers that even those craft weren’t capable of.

All in all he was quite pleased with the new design and had mostly went to Alderaan to meet up with his Apailana-class Yacht, taking it out on its first voyage before he gifted it and something special to his princess. For the flight to Nar Shaddaa he had been accompanied by a pair of the Ra’gr-class starfighters, flying as Guardian One and Guardian Two while he sat aboard the yacht letting anyone else take the controls. If there was one thing he was the worst at, it was flying spacecraft. He had been lucky not to crash land every vessel he had ever landed by hand, and he had actually crashed a number of times despite never flying in combat or going through any tricky maneuvers.

The yacht was comfortable and smooth, slipping through the void of space while Draco focused on his previous week, or previous two weekends. Alderaan in the lake country had been a shift, the whole world for him shifting upside down, twisting his world and outlook into something else. Aldera had been much the same, but had convinced him it would be much harder to achieve the life he wanted than he had originally planned. It would happen, but it would take work.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The Yacht slipped into the atmosphere of the Smuggler’s Moon, Nar Shaddaa, rolling through smog clouds and thick pollution before breaking underneath the cover of the clouds and exposing the bright lights of the Casino District beneath the sleek chromium yacht. When the Yacht landed alongside the pair of Ra’gr Starfighters, the Mandalorian Force Master descended the ramp, nodding to his escorts. The pair of pilots stood stretching after a long flight, “You two can go grab a nap in the ship, let the others go on ready status. I don’t expect trouble, in fact I’m going through great lengths to prevent trouble.”

“Yes, Commander.” Came their reply, a bit of a snicker and the pair jokingly moved onto the ship speaking in Mando’a as they teased each other about one thing or another while a separate pair moved to stand at the ready against the idling starfighters.

The Mandalorian moved through the city planet, slowly but surely, keeping a lookout for the place he was seeking. The auction started in only a few minutes and he couldn’t afford to be late. What if the item he wanted went up for bid first?

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The auctioneer began speaking, telling everyone the lots that would be up for bid, and Draco’s brow furrowed as he heard the full list of items and the update that apparently the one he wanted was not going to be up for bid anymore.

The only item at this particular auction of any value to Draco had mysteriously been pulled off the docket at the last minute, supposedly the owner of the object having decided that it didn’t benefit them to sell it at this particular time. Why Draco had wasted all this time flying from Alderaan to Nar Shaddaa was beyond him now. He thought perhaps, with a little flash of credits and a little charm he could arrange a one on one meeting with the current owner of the piece, but for now he was forced to sit through item after item that was completely worthless to reformed Sith Lord.

It agitated him, but he waited, and he waited, the full auction taking about two hours to complete, as it was high class, meaning that rather than rattling off numbers and bids they took their time, further agitating the Mandalorian Warlord.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Once the Auction was finally complete Draco made his way to the auctioneer, traditionally the host of the event who would have the names and information of all the owners, who had requested to be kept silent. There was a reason that the auction had taken place on Nar Shaddaa after all.

“Excuse me sir,” Draco’s voice through the annunciator rasped with a familiar deep tone that indicated the Mandalorian wasn’t pleased with his current circumstance. “I was wondering if you could help me with some information. Lot D. I was rather hoping to see it up for bid, even if only to see, and well, I was disheartened to hear it wasn’t going to put to the floor. Would you mind elaborating.”

The auctioneer, looked down his nose at Draco and scoffed, “I am afraid I cannot. You would have to ask the owner, and I’m not at liberty to tell you their information without their permission. Perhaps I could be persuaded to make a case to them for you, assuming the reward was worth it.”

Draco scowled from behind the mask, “Very well, five thousand credits if you get me an audience with them. Have them met me at the White Orchid. Its an upscale restaurant on the Upper East of the district.”

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco sat, his helmet on the table, casting its shadow on the white table cloth of the White Orchid. He couldn’t quite remember why he knew about this particular place, but he had kept its information with him since the last grueling time he had been forced to come to the Smuggler’s Moon.

After about thirty minutes after his guest was supposed to arrive a young woman, blonde hair, white dress, tan skin entered and was directed to his table by the matradee, a surprise to the Mandalorian warrior. Draco stood and smiled, holding his hand for her to take. “Good afternoon, I’m Draco Vereen, Alor of Clan Vereen.”

“Good afternoon, my name is Jessa Klovis. I was told you wanted to know about a piece that was expected to sell at auction today?” She said, her voice sweet and laced with silver as she spoke with a slight smile.

“I did, but, you are the owner of said piece, its not like you are just a broker or a go between correct?” He wasn’t interested in wasting his time with a pretty face. As pretty as she was, she was no Faith Organa.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The woman smiled, taking a seat and taking off her sunglasses, and glancing at the table. “Yes, I own the piece. It was my father’s, and after he passed away a few months ago I decided to sell it in order to pay off some taxes from my Father’s estate. I decided I just couldn’t let it go right before the auction.” She was warm and forthcoming, obviously prepared for this conversation.

“Well, I see. Its a sentimental piece to you then. I’m afraid we may be at odds then, because its a very sentimental piece to me as well. You see, I represent the Royal Family of House Organa, and we, we would very much like to have it back.” He smiled, taking a drink from his tumbler of brandy and setting the amber liquid back down on the white table cloth.

“Oh?” She wasn’t expecting that news, that technically, the rightful owners were seeking their property through an auction. “And you are here to lay claim to it then?” She was a bit uneasy now, and that wasn’t Draco’s intention, but it did help his cause.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

“No ma’am. I’m here because I was hoping to purchase it at auction, and I was hoping through this meeting we could come to an agreement and I could purchase it off you, but...” He let his eyes drop a bit and his voice trailed off. He wasn’t used to this game, but he could play it somewhat, and he wasn’t a bad actor when he chose to act. “But, as it holds sentimental value to you personally, perhaps we can still come to some agreement.”

The woman looked about for a moment, sucking on her teeth as she thought, “Mister Vereen, perhaps we can take a walk. I don’t think this is a conversation for a restaraunt.”

“Very well, miss Klovis, give me a moment.” Draco pulled some credits and dropped them on the table, helped her with her chair and clipped his helmet to his belt once again. All that alchemy and he mostly wore it on his belt. She slipped her arm through his and walked with him through the light district and began speaking again.

“Mister Vereen, I don’t doubt that the people you represent could afford the piece at a fair price. I’m sure with their backing you could have outbid your competition. But I’m afraid that the piece isn’t worth just credits. My father loved that painting and watered it himself, by hand, for ten years before he had to rely on an automatic watering system. I couldn’t just part with it.”

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco nodded to himself, trying to remember if his father had had anything like that. Well, there had been the family pet, an anooba they had. The old man had coddled the creature when it was sick and even let it sleep across his legs that week, but otherwise he had treated it like any other animal, occasionally petting it and feeding it, sometimes complaining it made too much noise. “I understand your concerns. I must admit, House Organa won’t be paying for this piece. I will. They are still of the belief that it was never recovered after the Gulag.”

She furrowed her brow, thinking about what he was saying, “So you, were expecting to pay for a piece that could have went for three or four million credits. Sir, what does this piece mean to you?”

“Well, in truth, my fiancee has talked about wishing she could see it several times. She’s an art aficionado, but I am not. She often visits the museums on Alderaan and talks about how she wishes they had some more pieces there from the time before the Gulag, some of the ancient works. I was hoping to give her this one for her birthday. We’ve… we’ve had a rough road, and she could use the bright spot of her planet’s history.”

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Jessa stopped and thought about it, “So it would be taken care of, and I’d be able to come see it if I wanted?”

Draco shrugged, “I can’t see why not, it might spend most of its time in a museum, but knowing her she will want to take care of it personally for at least some of the year.”

“Very well, I will consider selling it, assuming you can match what my financeer said would be the highest it would fetch at auction.” She said, slipping her hand from his arm and crossing both arms in front of her.

“Alright then, how much was his estimate?” Draco said, as she was painfully unaware how much money he carried with him at all times, he the maker of the golden suit.

“Four point six million was what he told me. He said it ninety odd times when I agreed to put it up. You are more than welcome to check its value and have it appraised if you’d like. He had me go through it, but I don’t mind you double check.” She said, leading him towards the space port, where he could see a fairly nice yacht parked, that was most obviously hers. Across was his, an Apailanna, the first of five in existence, that he had originally bought on a whim, and was now intended to be given to his beloved. The Ra’grs beside the chromium vessel accented it well. They were sleek, and while obviously military vessels, they didn’t appear so rugged or brutish. “I wonder whose that is. Its a lovely ship.” Jessa said as she lead him up the boarding ramp to the vessel.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

“Well this is it. This is Killik Twilight.” She was quite proud of the moss painting he could tell by the tone in her voice, even if he didn’t have the Force, he could have told.

“Yes. Yes it is. Miss Klovis, I am grateful for your generosity in giving me this chance to purchase it, but there is only one issue.” He say her eyebrows raise, certain that he didn’t have the money to purchase the painting for her asking price.

“What is the issue.” She asked, her tone a little demanding, eager.

“I can meet your asking price, however, I will need a day or so to put together that kind of transfer to a private account. You see, most of my funds are in stocks and bonds or cash in a vault. Not in bank accounts. If you can give me twenty four hours, I will have your asking price, no questions asked, but… I need to leave today.”

She eyed him carefully, and then relented, “It will be on Alderaan, or I will spend the rest of my inheritance putting a bounty on you mister Vereen.”

He smiled, “No worries there, Ma’am. I’m sure Queen Arianna would assist you in putting that bounty on me, she just needs the excuse.”

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Roughly an hour later he was making his return trip, the Ra’gr-class fighters zipping through the void around him, the painting hanging in front of him. Faith would certainly love this particular treasure he had found for her and her family, he only hoped she liked it as much as he thought she would. A few million credits was nothing compared to the shining light he saw in her when she was overjoyed.

The trio of ships made the jump to Hyperspace and the Smuggler’s Moon disappeared behind him, making his way back to Alderaan to await the Republic’s response to his claims to the planet.