One Last Sunday Drive

Continued from here


He had dozed off a few times during the trip, stirring awake only a few times to inquire as to their progress. And, once informed, promptly nodded off once more. He was ready to be home, and while he knew that Master Vymes was not exactly excited to be going back to Nar Shaddaa, there was still the knowledge that being back within the 'walls' of the Vertical City meant safety. Old Mekhi knew that protecting his underlings meant protecting himself. And Zeno would do anything for Mekhi.

The slight shudder that passed through the small ship woke him, and Zeno blinked sleepy eyes before turning them up to the distant sight of Nar Shaddaa.

"Nothing like home," he murmured, stretching as much as he was able.

Vymes took in the sight of the approaching planet with an entirely different demeanor. The world was, like many of its denizens, a two-faced thing. The dark side of the world was a shimmering quilt of city centers and billions of artificial lights. Where the daylight touched, however, the patina turned to an ugly smear of oily brown stratus clouds.

"Though our experiences here differ greatly, I can agree with you on that."

He accelerated forward. Any moment now, the harbor master would contact them.

"Which Hutt does Mekhi have his arrangement with these days?"

While their common benefactor controlled a great deal, this was still Nar Shaddaa, at the slimy heart of Hutt space. Respect had to be paid.

Hooking a thumb between one of the belts of his crashstraps and his left shoulder, Zeno rubbed at his front teeth with a finger from his other hand.

"Karban died about a year ago, and his cousin Kesto stepped in to take over. It was a sudden death, I'll admit. Even Mekhi was surprised."

Rolling his shoulders then, he angle his head to the side, letting out an audible sigh of relief as a crack sounded from his neck.

"No one ever gets a break on Nar Shaddaa."

A sudden death, but likely not a peaceful one. The natural order on Nar Shaddaa usually involved something untimely.

"Bad for Karban. Good for Kesto."

The comms began to crackle. They were in range.

"Na halawa wo peedaki cha Nar Shaddaa." the line popped with interference, an audio-only feed from a gravelly voice speaking Huttese. The shoddy connection hinted at one or more parties listening in. It was the expected sort of thing.

"I have no cargo and one passenger. Please give my best regards to Kesto, my great benefactor, whose friends can vouch for me."

The line clicked, then the interference went away.

"Otai cha danutaa cawonchee ba."

Vymes cut a small grin as he terminated the line.

"Hutts live and die, but things remain the same."

"That they do," Zeno mumbled as he angled his head to look at the view. Rising spires, glittering with lights; a snarl of skyway traffic, all of it was like a living painting where the brush never stopped. Instead it only became more manic and erratic. In some places there was frantic movement, and in other a steady stream of motion. It never stopped, it never slept.

It was Nar Shaddaa.

"How'd you meet my mo-" he stopped himself, paused, then went on.

"... Lonia. How'd you meet her."




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