Cat's Cradle [completed]

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

<center>Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we try to decieve....</center>


Sasseeri rolled over and kicked her silky sheets off her legs, shoving the other occupant of the bed out with a firm push. Kal Olorin landed on his feet, and then turned to face her, his face a little indignant.

The half breed Cizerack admired the strong lines of his body, and stretched, arching her back. With a smooth motion she was next to him, pressed up to him and kissing him soundly. His arms snaked around her slim body, and Sass again pushed him away.

"jI am surrre you have worrrk to do, Kal." She lay back on the bed as he dressed.

"I'll see you later Sasseeri." Olorin winked at her as he quietly exited her bedroom.

Sasseeri purred softly. "jI am surrre you wjill." She slid over to the refresher, and was soon out again, examining her business suits. She picked a conservative grey, the skirt knee length, yet slit up the front until it was nearly obscene. Buttoning the jacket over her thin silk camisole, Sasseeri went over her plans for the day.

She was recently returned from a series of trade conferences in the Arkanis Sector, greasing palms and making the next year easy for the Sector Rangers by lining up contracts. jIt wjill be a prrrofjitable yearrr. In more ways than one.

After her appearance was to her satisfaction, Sasseeri headed for her office, only one floor down from her penthouse. She passed Kal's office, which he shared with Onslaught (who was late, as usual) and he looked at her appreciatively. She blew him a kiss as she walked by.

Sasseeri took her messages from her secretary, and entered her office. Once inside she read the memos, and then tapped a manicured finger to the intercom. "Get Sanjis Prrrent jin herrre. jI don't carrre wherrre he jis, jI need hjim herrre now." She leaned back in her chair behind her desk, her long legs crossed. A smile started to form on her full lips as she waited for her unwilling employee.

[Sanis Prent]

(With everything shaking down as it had of late, I'd started to dread meetings with Sasseeri. Not that I had any cause to think that she knew something she shouldn't...but everything was so close to going down. Despite what I told Saa, I didn't know how it would all pan out. Sasseeri was extremely sharp, and I was suprised we'd even gotten this far. But there wasn't an ounce of me that wanted to turn back. I knew what I wanted, and it wasn't living under her thumb. Okay, maybe I didn't know what I wanted just yet, but what I didn't want was to be chained to her ankle.

I straightened the collar of my jacket, and walked into Sass's office...

...although being chained to her ankle had certain benefits.

As always, she was a knockout. Maybe that was half of my concern. I'd always liked a pretty face, and it made it tough to see that she was rotten inside. Her pretty blue eyes held alot of green behind them...green with envy of anything she didn't have already. I could see that every time I looked at her. She was sizing me up, and seeing how she could tighten the leash on my neck. If I didn't do what I did...she'd probably have exactly what she wanted. I wouldn't object too much. Sasseeri was definitely a looker. But the price was just too high. I'd told myself that plenty of times. But ever since Dalee died...I'd just been a little distant. Nobody had gotten that close to me, and I guess it was a shock. When she was gone, I was tossed back into my world. All that I'd gotten used to and enjoyed was now hollow. Beautiful girls, one night stands, and sleaze...they just reminded me of what Dalee wasn't. I'd resisted the inevitable as long as I could...but sometimes, "No" for Sasseeri just isn't an option. It was a foregone conclusion that I'd have to butter her up in more ways than one. It was the only way I'd get breathing room.

Sitting down, I ran a hand through my hair, removing my shades, and pretending to be preoccupied with a paperweight on her desk.)

You called?

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She waved him inside, and pressed the intercom again. "Hold all my calls, as always." Letting go of the button, Sass smiled at Sanis, and motioned for him to take a seat. He did so, looking a little uncomfortable, as he always did. It amused her.

"jI trrrust everrrythjing has been prrroceedjing smoothly herrre jin my absence, Sanjis. jI was wonderrrjing how yourrr worrrkjing rrrelatjionshjip wjith my nejice has been gojing." Sass kept her tone one of a concerned aunt --which she was not. Sanis would most likely see right through her facade. She would be disappointed if he didn't.

[Sanis Prent]

(The typical progress report. For something so innocent and unassuming, I'd begun to loathe it. There was never any telling how much of it was genuine concern, and how much was baiting for a response. I licked at my lips)

Well, I don't think you've got anything to worry about. She's like you, but with stripes.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri purred softly, "Surrrely therrre jis morrre to say than that." She leaned forward slightly, leaning her elbows on the desk and studied him. "Perrrhaps not. Neverrrtheless, jI need you to do somethjing forrr me. jIt jis not totally unrrrelated to Saarrrrrreeaa."

She tilted her head to one side. "You wjill make the tjime, of courrrse."

[Sanis Prent]

(I cocked an eyebrow at her. Sometimes, she was a little to vague and evasive for comfort)

What did you have in mind?

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sass tossed a datapad at him, which he caught neatly. "jI am surrre you arrre awarrre of the spjice cache on Nal Hutta." Sanis nodded as he accessed the information on the pad. "jI am gojing to take jit."

She nudged another datapad over to him. "jI need Saarrrrrrrrreeaa to worrrk on thjis as well, jI need numberrrs that look good forrr thjis 'prrroject' of mjine." Sanis grimaced slightly at the mention of her neice. Good. "Even the Sectorrr Rrrangerrrs would have some explajinjing to do jif the Hutts caught wjind of thjis. jI've explajined jit all on herrr datapad, as jI need a place to sljip the extrrra money jinto." Sasseeri smiled as he grasped the audacity of what she intended.

"Perrrhaps we can meet forrr lunch to djisscuss yourrr jinvolvment furrrtherrr. All thrrree of us." Saa and Sanis had spent quite a long time running te Rangers alone. It would be useful to see them together.

[Sanis Prent]

Nal Hutta?

(I almost choked on the name. It was out of the blue)

Sasseeri...how the hell are we supposed to "liberate" all the stim on Nal Hutta?

Do you realize what you're saying?

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She frowned slightly, her face pouting a little. "Of courrrse jI know what jI'm sayjing. Now, go gjive that to Saa, and meet me jin fourrr hourrrs forr lunch."

Sasseeri dissmissed him with a slight wave and a wink. "Don't worrrrrry so much, Sanjis."

[Sanis Prent]

(It was easy for her to say. She was on top of the food chain, so to speak. Whether she did or didn't have any knowledge of the Hutt spice cache didn't matter. I did...and I knew that you didn't just stroll onto the planet and ask for the spice in a nice manner. It wasn't a simple matter at all.

Then again, I did have a plan of sorts in effect. Not a bad way of executing it either. But I wasn't exactly ready to put my plan on the line for Sasseeri. But then again, if I could toss her a ball of yarn to keep her occupied...it just might work.

It was a lot to think about. I'd need alot of expenses taken care of.)

Okay, we'll meet and Landries in four hours.

(I got up quickly, hoping to leave without any other parting shots)

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

He was scrambling to his feet, and Sasseeri also rose from her desk, walking around the corner as he stepped toward the door. "Beforrre you leave..."

She reached his side, and pulled on his lapels, bringing his head down for a kiss. It was long and sweet, tasting a little like a mint he must have had right before entering her office. Sasseeri pulled away and patted his posterior, "jIts been a long tjime, Sanjis." Her voice was a little husky with passion. "jI'll see you at Landrjies."

[Sanis Prent]

(The kiss, as usual for her style, was deep, passionate, and hungry. Her strong arms kept me down while she did her thing, and I had to admit, half of me was glad to be there. Coming back up for air, I looked at her. She looked half fulfilled, and half eager to continue what she'd started. I was half turned-on, and half reserved. After all, there was alot more at stake than my libido.

I smiled, brushing a strand of platinum hair away from her face, much to her enjoyment)

I'll be there.

(With that, I turned and left)

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She watched him leave, half of her wanting him to stay, and locked the door behind him. There were plans to make before noon.

Sasseeri returned to her desk and flipped her computer screen up, tapping rapidly on the console. She sent a message to Olorin, and then was soon deep into her work.

[Sanis Prent]

Four hours later

(Landries was one of those "theme" restaurants. Posh enough to attract major credits, but without the atmosphere of a fancy restaurant. It was themed to the old republic, with all the old-timey furnishings and such everywhere...trying to make you think you were living 70 or more years ago. Somehow, there were enough rich people willing to spend alot of money here for the place to keep a good business. I arrived with Saarrreeaa, dressed to the nines, as I usually did on social calls. My associate dressed accordingly as well, although both of us showed enough anxiety past our professional garb.

I walked inside, to the table that Sasseeri had reserved. Looking at Saarrreeaa, I saw the same concern in her eyes that was probably in my own)

Lets just get through this. I know the gist of it, and I think we're still pretty safe.

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Saa adjusted her jacket, and looked at Sanis. "jYou had betterrr hope ssso. jI've got a lot rrrjidjing on thjisss." Morrre than jyou could jimagjine. Her reputation with the Pride would be hurt if she did not do well here. And if she fell from favor...then she would be little more than Sasseeri Reeouurra in their eyes.

She ordered a water while they waited for her aunt. "jI fajil to sssee whjy ssshe jisss gojing afterrr the Huttsss, and not Kessssssel. Not that jI'm upssset. jIt jussst botherrrsss me." Saa twirled a claw in the ice water.

[Ketoi Gwl]

Ketoi Gwl, recently hired on by the Sector Rangers for security work (at least that was the offical title), felt strange sitting down on the job. Sasseeri Reeouurra, his employer, had instructed him to be at Landries fifteen minutes before she was to arrive. The Twi'lek male sat at his table, lekku draped normally around his shoulders, and his massive frame hidden in his semi-formal attire.

He was not a major-dormo, although many Twi'leki excelled at such things. Bib Fortuna was a prime example, however unfortunate his end was. Gwl was a warrior, and had been traveling the galaxy for some time, going from job to job. He had done some bounty hunting, dabbled in bodyguarding, and even ...

Gwl's eyes tracked the odd couple as they walked towards Reeouurra's reserved table. Sanis Prent, jack of all trades, and Saarrreeaa Meorrrei, Sasseeri's niece. Excellent. Right on time. As they sat down he couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but Saarrreeaa was pretty antsy. Something was upsetting them. Prent was cool and collected, as always.

He'd read extensive files on both of them, as per Sasseeri's request. And speaking of the devil....here she was.

[Sanis Prent]

(I ordered a pint of cold draught, and sat as well)

Well, she might not have all the information we have. I mean, its one thing to know that TSE is getting out of town, but its another thing entirely to think you can just "go get Kessel". I mean...you don't just land on the planet and say that you claim this land in the name of Sasseeri Reeouurra. There are names to drop, connections to use, and favors to cash in. She probably doesn't have any of that working for her, and in comparison, pilfering off the hutts is childs play in comparison.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She walked briskly into the restaurant, and brushed past the maitre'd, making a beeline for her usual table. Sanis was there with Saa, and they didn't look too happy. Gwl was in place across the way from their table. Perrrfect. She seated herself, and looked at her employees.

"jI suppose you arrre currrjious as to my latest plan." A waiter walked up, and she angrily waved him away after placing an order for red wine. "Prrrent, tell me what you know about the spjice cache."

[Sanis Prent]

(Of course, Sasseeri didn't disappoint. She was direct when she knew what she wanted. I set my mug down, licking moisture away at the corner of my mouth)

Well...its heavily guarded, for one. The Hutts overbuy spice, generally. They've done that for hundreds of years. Before, they could do it more often because of their weight on the market, no pun intended. That created a surplus, which they kept in a series of store houses on Nal Hutta. Whenever the market got bad, blockades increased, or other things...they'd inject some of that surplus into the market, and could exercise some control over it. They buy mostly from Kessel, but also from a few much smaller vendors. I'd say about 1/10th of all the spice in the galaxy is in those storehouses.

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Saa pursed her lips, and nodded slowly. What Sanis said made sense. Still...it was awfully coincidental that her aunt would choose something so similar to their own endeavor. It made her nervous, which was good, as it kept her alert.

She looked absently across the table, past Sanis, and caught sight of an impressive specimen sitting at a table near them. He was pale blue, and Twi'leki, but she wouldn't hold that against him. His frame indicated muscles that his clothing tried to hide. jImprrresssjive. His red eyes met hers, and she let her gaze slide off him as her aunt breezed into the restaurant.

As Sasseeri spoke to Sanis, Saa pulled out a datapad, bringing up the accounts that Sass had wanted a look at.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She nodded while listening to Sanis speak, but her mind was elsewhere. He didn't have anything to tell her that she didn't already know. It was good to find out what he knew, anyway. "Saa, you have the accounts jI wanted?"

Her niece nodded, and handed her a datapad. "jI couldn't pull up a lot on sssuch ssshorrrt notjice, but jyou can sssee what jI am plannjing on worrrkjing wjith. The Arrrkanjisss account needsss rrreworrrkjing, asss therrre jisss too much spendjing on -" Sass waved her hand dissmissively.

"Yes, yes, thjis looks good, Saa. We'll need morrre capjital to worrrk wjith, but jI ljike what you've done." She accepted her wine from the waiter, and frowned. "Thjis glass jis djirrrty." The male took it away, apologetically.

She looked at the two sitting with her, and raised her eyebrow. "You both prrrobably know that Nal Hutta jis contrrrolled by the Sjith Orrrderr. The Hutts stjill arrre verrry much arrround, as much as the Sjith would trrry to jignore them and rrreprrress them. The worrrms arrre qujite resjiljiant. Admjirrrable, rrreally.

"So that brrrjings me to another djiffjiculty jin thjis plan. The Orrrderrr and the Rrrangerrrs have danced arrround the subject of an alljiance of sorrrts forrr qujite some tjime. A move agajinst the Hutts mjight make the Sjith crrreaturrres morrre affable, orrr jit mjight make them rrreally angrrry." Sasseeri sipped her new glass of wine as Saa ordered a blood merlot from the waiter. "Rrregarrrdless of thejirrr rrreactjion, jI stjill plan on dojing thjis."

Sasseeri looked at the two, and put down her glass. "jI want to hearrr yourrr objectjions, and yourrr rrreasons forrr those objectjions. Be honest. jI jintend to do thjis, but jI of courrrse want to look at thjis frrrom all angles." It was also important to let them think their opinions mattered. Not that she really cared what they thought. They would do as she told them. Sasseeri stretched a little in her chair. It had been a long day already.

[Sanis Prent]

Taking the cache?

(I stretched my hands wide, up in the air)

Where to begin?

The Hutts can field an awful lot of manpower, and that translates further to firepower. Whatever they've still got maintained on Nal Hutta is gonna be locked up tight. If you're asking if we can pull this off solo, I can tell you definitely no. At the very best, I'd need 20 people, and a handfull of fast, well-armed ships that can also carry a good amount of cargo.

Not to mention that I'd need some really incredible plan to put into effect, which I don't have.

(Of course, I did have such a plan, but I'd tabled it for something sweeter)

Guess it would depend on how cozy you are with the Hutts? I know we don't have much business in the Coruscant district that concerns them, but seeing as how Arkanis is closer to Nal Hutta...maybe you could tell me what I don't know.

(Of course, digging a little information, no matter how trivial, was always a plus with Sasseeri. The more I got of a picture of the setup, the more I'd see where her next move might be.)

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri nearly purred with delight, but instead scratched her chin with her index finger. "A good questjion, Sanjis." She leaned forward slightly, "The Hutts arrre a ljittle suprrressed underrr the fjist of the Sjith. jI had some dealjings wjith one jin patjicularrr overrr the courrrse of the trrrade conferrrences jin Arrrkanjis."

She licked her lips as Sanis seemed to understand. No matter jis he mjisunderrrstands orrr not. Sass had nothing else to say to him on the matter", although he would probably guess much, so she abruptly changed tack. "Man power, jis, of courrrse, neverrr a prrroblem."

Gwl was sitting at his table, eating a bowl of what looked like maggots, so Sasseeri looked towards Saarrreaa instead. "Perrrhaps you had somethjing to add?" There was a tinge of impatience in her voice, but this game she played with them was an old one, and enjoyable.

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Saarrreeaa slowly shook her head, trying to stay focused on the problem at hand. The image of that Twi'leki male kept distracting her. Consciously she did not look back at him, and instead fixed her eyes on her aunt. "An operrratjion of sssuch, magnjitude, would have to be hjidden well. One sssljip up, a mjiss-placed brrrjibe, orrr a loossse ljipped employee could rujin the Sssectorrr Rangerrrsss."

She leaned forward, "jI am sssurrre jyou have thought about jit, but thjink of what jyou rrrjisssk, Sssasssssseerrrji." Saa managed to sip her blood merlot as her mind went over figures. "jIt can be hjidden...the expendjiturrresss, jI mean. But the Huttsss wjill neverrr allow anjyone to get awajy wjith thejirrr cache." Saa's eyes tracked back to the Twi'lek.

[Sanis Prent]

Not all of it, no.

(I looked up from the table, an idea forming)

But then, we don't have to steal all of it to get what we want.

[Ketoi Gwl]

Ketoi chewed his meal with his sharp teeth, and noticed the little bitch of a Cizerack watching him. Younger and more supple than Sasseeri, no doubt, and just as tasty. He ignored her, or seemed to.

Quite aware of his job requirements, he allowed his eyes to meet Ms. Meorrrei's as she glanced back at him. Gwl returned his attention to his bowl of rhrss'ta, the caterpillars of a poisonous moth. They were quite safe to eat until they pupated, after which time the poison could incapacitate a grown humanoid, even to the point of death.

The Twi'lek skewered another forkful of the wriggling insects, and studied them, all the time keeping an eye on Sasseeri's table...and on her niece.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sass smiled a little at Sanis' comment. She had not underestimated him after all. "You arrre jintujitjive as always, Sanjis. No, we do not have to take jit all. But, therrre jis tjime enough forrr talk whjile we eat." She nodded to the waiter that came up. "The usual."

Saa looked a little ill, and only ordered a double portion of dewback steaks. Sass frowned. "Arrre you feeljing all rrrjight?" Her niece waved away the question. The waiter turned to take Sanis' order, and soon left them alone.

"jIndeed, Sanjis jis qujite corrrrrrect jin hjis assessment. jIf we only take, say, half at most of the stjim..." She looked to Sanis, waiting for him to finish her sentance.

[Sanis Prent]

(I removed a stim cigarra from my lapel pocket, placing the end between my lips)

The rest...

(I lit the end)

...we burn.

(Funny how high-price commodities work. Changes in quantity could change values drastically. And if supply goes down, demand goes up. If quantity lowers, price skyrockets. Half the Hutt cache going up in smoke would make the surviving half worth at least 25% more than its original take.)

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Saa folded her napkin on the table, and smiled slowly. "jYesss...jI can sssee jyourrr pojint." She gazed off across the table, quickly going through numbers in her head. She got a "far away" look in her eyes when she did that. Sssassssss jisss gojing to make a lot of monejy off thjisss, jif ssshe can pull jit off. But then, what wjill ssshe do wjith the monejy?

Sass always had an ace and a wild card up her sleeve. But which had she pulled out already? Saa didn't feel much like eating. If her aunt even suspected what she and Sanis had done behind her back, they were both already as good as dead.

[Sanis Prent]

So...you're planning on destroying the cache?

(I smiled. She was diabolical, but great minds often thought alike)

And what about the Hutts? I know that in the scheme of things, you're as much of the King of the Hill as any of the old Vigos, but the Hutts were doing this back before there was even a Republic. There's a reason nobody's done this before...because its damn-near suicidal.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri turned from watching Saa not eat, to face Sanis. "The Hutts arrre as good as dealt wjith. jI cannot djisscuss jit herrre, of courrrse. But you wjill be brjiefed when the tjime comes."

She let a sly smile creep around her lips. "jI assurrre you both, the rrrewarrrds on thjis job wjill be ample... -ah, herrre jis ourrr food." Sasseeri dug into her seafood platter almost before the waiter set it on the table.

[Sanis Prent]

But you wjill be brjiefed when the tjime comes

(I mulled the phrase over in my mind. I never liked being in the dark, and especially not when there were probably a few guns in said dark.)

Thats pretty easy to say from behind a desk, Sass.

(I leaned forward)

Look, I'm a pretty crazy guy, I know...and I have a high threshold for doing the impossible, but I know how the Hutts operate, maybe more than you. I worked their spice cartels years ago, and I know that they have enough firepower to go toe to toe with an Imperial sector force.

If I'm going in blind, you'd better rethink my price tag.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri looked up sharply from her fish, and carefully placed the morsel she had been holding back on the platter. "Do not underrrestjimate me, Sanjis. jI only meant that jI would not be brrrjiefjing you herrre jin the rrrestaurrrant." Her voice was threaded with barely controlled anger at his impudence, and lapse in intelligence. Fool!

With an effort she uncreased the lines on her forehead, and smiled a little at him before returning to her meal.

[Sanis Prent]

Okay.

(I didn't like her tone. Then again, she could run me over a few hundred times before I'd feel it. Sometimes, these things were all in terms of pain threshold.)

When you're ready to talk about the mundane details...you know where to find me.

(I glanced to Saa, and back at Sasseeri, suddenly a bit aggrivated at the whole encounter)

Are we finished?

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri looked at Sanis as she licked the last fragments of fish from her fingertips, recognizing his expression. He was frustrated, and a little angry at her. All the betterrr to keep hjim on hjis toes.

Saarrreeaa shrugged a little at his question, but Sass nodded, "Yes, we arrre done herrre. jIf youve fjinjished eatjing, that jis. jI wjill need to meet wjith you both agajin tomorrrrrrow to go overrr the jintrrrjicate detajils. Earrrly morrrnjing." Neither of her two lunch companions had so much as touched their meals yet. She used her napkin, and then tossed it in her plate. "jI have anotherrr meetjing to go to, jif you wjill excuse me?"

Without waiting for their approval, Sass got to her feet, adjusting her skirt, and took her leave of the pair. They were getting along better than usual, she was not blind. And soon she would know exactly how well they were tolerating each other. Sasseeri left the restaurant, and stepped into her private vehicle.

[Sanis Prent]

(I watched her leave as care-free as she entered. Or as much as she put on airs, at least. I knew a bit better than to fall for it. Glancing to Saa, I pushed away my plate, standing up.)

Lets get out of here. We have a few hours to figure out what we're gonna do.

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Agreeing, Saa stood to her feet, tail swishing gently and then curling around her arm. Sanis was hard to frustrate, but Sasseeri always seemed to have a knack about getting under people's skin.

As the unlikely pair walked out of the restaurant, she leaned near him, and whispered, "What arrre we gojing to do? The booksss wjill wjithssstand ssscrutjinjy, essspecjialljy now that Kessssssel jisss fjinjissshed. But what jif ssshe knowsss...what jif thjisss jisss a trrrap, to get jyou, orrr both of usss kjilled?"

Saa glared at him as they stood waiting for a taxi. "jI happen to ljike ljivjing, jyou know. A whole lot."

[Sanis Prent]

(There were alot of variables to kick around in my head. It was the part of the game I never enjoyed. It seemed the longer you thought about the what if's, the more times you got burned whenever you decided to roll with it. I didn't have alot of time to weigh it in my head. Go with it or not. Then again, I was probably giving myself too much credit. Sasseeri dealt the hand, and I had my money on a stacked deck. She'd see that we did what she wanted, one way or another.)

Saa, think about her. Why would she go through those kind of theatrics to kill us? If her nose caught wind of anything, she'd likely do the job herself, in public.

[Ketoi Gwl]

Keto'igwl reached under his robes, and activated the tiny bug the waiter had planted on Saarrreeaa Meorrrei's shoulder when he had refilled the blood merlot. He frowned a little as he heard only static in his earpiece..and then...

Kessel? Saarrreeaa was concerned about Kessel. Prent replied, but there was something wrong with the bug, and the words were lost in a haze of static. Frelling hired help. The waiter must have wrecked the equipment somehow. The hulking Twi'lek tinkered with the receiver discreetly, and smiled a sharp-toothed smile when the static went away.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

<center>(Continued in <a href=http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=190954#post190954>Cradle Will Rock</a>)</center>