A Jedi's Child (Star Wars Fanfic)

The Hutt's Offer

Zith looked around at various senators as they talked, she had been invited to some party by Padme. It wasn't really her type of get together but she didn't want to be rude, plus a few Jedi were there as well. Zith had mostly been keeping to herself or chatting with people she knew. "So, how did you get mixed up with that nautolan?" Anakin asked her.

"You know how life is on Tatooine. Hutts rule and Hutts have family." Zith shook her head as she thought about it. One job sent her to Nar Shadda to deliver a clear message to another Hutt, then she met her ex.

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "So you both worked for a Hutt? I remember we used to see each other on Tatooine from time to time, but I don't remember any nautolans."

"Different Hutts. My clan serves Jaba, something I'm not proud of." Zith frowned and looked to her feet. "He served a Hutt on Nar Shadda working as a bodyguard. One day Jaba sent me to the Hutt with the head of one of his favorite slaves. It was to show that if he wasn't careful, he'd be next." Sensing his shock Zith decided to clarify. "I didn't kill the slave. I was just the messenger. That Hutt in particular is afraid of Mandalorians."

Shi burst in the door just then, breathing heavily. "Zith, you are an incredibly hard woman to find. More so than you used to be. You used to frequent one of four places. Tatooine, and to find you there all I had to do was ask the Jawas. Why Jawas? I always had to trade with them for information."

Everyone had stoped to stare at the suddened interruption and they looked from her to Zith. "My clan deals with Jawas. They have useful stuff."

Shi didn't seem to listen. "Or you would be on Glee Anselm, which was a lost cause because we both know I can't swim and waiting on some little island was not going to help. You would sometimes be in that stupid cantina on Nar Shadda with those male twi'lek dancers. I don't know what you saw in them."

"They were...friends." Zith tried to explain to the confused and shocked senators. "It was Nar Shadda. What do you expect? Honest family fun?"

Shi continued going. "Or you were at our apartment here on Coruscant. Not now though. All over the galaxy, on planets I haven't heard of or you're off at the Jedi temple. You also tend to frequent the clone bar."

"Shi!" Zith growled. Before she could say anything else her holocomunicator started ringing. When she answered she saw Jaba and his translator droid.

"I came to warn you he was calling." Shi said looking to her feet.

Zith glared at her. "That would have been something to start the conversation with."

"I...well... Yes it would have." Her crimson friend looked away and rubbed the back of her head.

Now everyone was really interested in Zith. "This can't be good." Anakin muttered.

"Jaba hopes you remember the agreement made with your clan." The droid said.

Zith nodded. "Of course I do. Why? Are they not doing their jobs?"

The droid waved her hands. "Oh no, they are. He just wanted to make sure you remembered. The last leader didn't. Jaba also has a job for you."

Zith stopped the droid before it could say anything else. "I have no use for your credits. Ask one of your bounty hunters."

The Hutt shook his head. "Jaba does not wish to part with any of his credits for this task. He wants your services and in return he will give you information."

"What kind of information?" Zith asked with heavy sigh.

"He knows the location of your brother."