FORSAKEN IV - Harbinger of Chaos

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

"State your business," said the TT-8L gatekeeper droid, exiting from a side door of a warehouse. The sign above read, "U-Stow," in aurebesh. The depot doubled as a Black Sun clearing house for stolen goods.

"We're here to see Bee-Li," said Jarriss.

The mechanical eye scanned the Je'daii and said, "Proceed."

Rows of towering racks stocked with second-hand merchandise filled the dimly-lit depot. The dealmaker, Bee-Li, a crochety Gotal with a data eyepatch and a ring in one of his horns, came out from the back of the warehouse to meet them.

"You're back again," he said. "What happened? Nothing to sell this time?"

"Just a meeting," said Virra.

"Too bad. Business is slowing down thanks to the Imps."

"Be careful, we have one of their agents on our trail," said Kroven.

Bee-Li scoffed. "It's about time. You guys have been lucky with the kind of business you've been bringing in. Go ahead. The others are at the back, waiting for you."

The Je'daii passed the NED-series loader droid, NED-B0B, on their way to the employee's lounge. "Hey, Bob," said Jarriss.

The droid nodded in acknowledgement.

Along with their seconds-in-command, the six heads of the pirate crews, who worked in conjunction with the Je'daii to raid Imperial shipments in the Southern Reaches, sat a rectangular table. The pirates had no idea that most of the cargo they stole, and a good percentage of the credits produced from some of the fenced items, funded the Rebels. Most of them only cared about their generous cut of the profits and that they were doing so by sticking it to the Empire under the protection of the Dark Consortium.

"Ah! There you are, my mayhem-prone friends," said Hondo Ohnaka, a Weequay wearing a Deservar infantry helmet, goggles, and a brocade. He held a glass of koja-rum in his hand. Pilf Mukmuk, a red Kowakian monkey-lizard with green plumage, rested on his shoulder, while his first mate, Gwarm—a red and yellow Weequay—sat by his side at the table. "I see you rescued another Twi'lek?"

"Zilvara is the newest member of our crew," said Kroven.

"Well, congratulations. You joined a great crew." The pirate toasted.

"Thank you," said Zilvara.

"Trust me, girl. I led them for short while, and even taught them a few tricks."

"Yes, you taught us that working in a spice mine leads to brain damage," said Jarriss.

"Where is everyone else?" said Fennec Shand. The human bounty hunter was garbed in black. She had a helmet with an open narrow visor on the table by her side.

"Busy. Thank you for coming in such a short notice. We have to move fast to stay one step ahead of the Empire. Chanath Cha told us the Imps sent an assassin after us, someone called Ochi of Bestoon."

"Never heard of him."

"But he certainly has heard of us," said Virra. "So, you better be careful."

"We knew targets would dry up the moment the Empire got involved," said Kroven. We're here to discuss the dissolution of our association."

"Don't take this wrong way, but I have a hard time taking financial advice from a Zabrak," said Hondo. "How to rough someone up, yes. But not business. Why quit now when there are still credits to be made?"

Pilf Mukmuk voiced his agreement.

"I have to agree," said Enfys Nest. The vocoder chest box rimmed by decorative fangs kept the voice of the leader of the Cloud-Riders unidentifiable, as did the battle helmet that prevented facial recognition. "We can't let the Imps push us underground. We have to continue raiding their shipments to limit their actions in the Rim."