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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2002146" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 144: Compact SpacesThe hyperspace trip to Nar Shaddaa was long. They had spent nearly twelve straight hours sitting in the cramped cockpit of the X-Wing, and it was getting to both of them. Akan had found a way to sit so that he didn’t constantly think of the ache in his tail, while Shadow had just passed out. They didn’t speak much. What was there to say at this point? Yes, Akan still had a thousand questions about the whole Marix thing...but Shadow seemed to still be working that one out herself. Intellectually, he knew that there were currently three of them in the X-Wing. Of course, it was easy to understand something without grasping the concept at all.    Finally, the blue tunnel of hyperspace gave way to the black of space. Far ahead of them, but still visible through the canopy, was the planet Nal Hutta, the homeworld of the Hutts and their crime syndicate. The planet itself was literally a mud whole, and Akan couldn’t help but pity anyone that set foot on the place. Sometimes he thought he could smell the planet’s scent from the moon of Nar Shaddaa. The smuggler’s moon. A city-wide moon, with great valleys between towering buildings and walkways exposed to the sky that criss crossed everywhere. And though the moon was still too small to be seen from this distance, Akan found himself expecting a comm call.    But none came. This was not Coruscant or any of the Core Worlds. This was a place for criminals and smugglers and the unsavory folk of the galaxy to come and drink and do business. They would have to find a spot to set the X-Wing down and then deal with whoever happened to claim the territory. Akan watched the Nal Hutta grow ahead of them, even noting a few other ships in the area. It wasn’t until they got within sight of Nar Shaddaa that Shadow spoke up.    “We’re doing this my way, Akan.”    He nodded, specifically doing that because she couldn’t see it. But then, after a moment, he said over his shoulder, “Awwww....”    She rolled her eyes, knowing that while he couldn’t see it, he could damned well feel that through the link, “This isn’t like Coruscant. And if I know Ket...which one of us does...he’ll be dug in.”    “Seems to me like he wants to be found,” Akan commented almost off hand.    “So you aren’t a complete idiot,” Shadow said calmly, “At least you catch on to some things. The worst possible thing we can do is to hint that there are a couple of Alraxians on Nar Shaddaa. Word gets around. He’ll find out.”    “You’re talking like you actually expect to surprise him!” he grumbled a little louder than was necessary while moving the fighter onto a new course to bring them to the moon that was slowly starting to dominate the canopy, “We don’t even know where he is!”    “Forget about my earlier complement.”    “That was a compliment?!”    Again, Shadow rolled her eyes, “The trick is to let him lead us to him, but only up to a point. When we know where he is, we can back up and go in from a completely different angle.”    “This is assuming a lot, you know.”    “Yes, I do know, thank you very much,” Shadow growled, sighing and leaning as best was possible, “The point is, we’re going to be doing some snooping around. Information gathering. Subtle things. Things you’re bad with. These bodies will get us noticed in a second. Human would blend in fine.”    “Two humans, hm?” Akan shrugged and tried his best to focus on both morphing and piloting into the moon’s atmosphere. He was getting better with the morphing, so it only took a few seconds and he couldn’t help a smile at the lack of tail pains, “I’m assuming since I’m so bad with subtlety, you’ll be doing the talking and I can do the stand around and look dangerous roll?”    “No,” Shadow’s voice sounded different. Higher pitched and quieter. Akan grinned slightly. She probably didn’t even notice that detail as she mentally complained about other human problems...such as lack of tail. But that was only mentally, as she continued speaking anyway, “You’ll be doing the talking. Nine will expect it the other way around...if they are looking, they’ll be looking for two Alraxians, one of them being an intelligent female.”    “Someone’s harsh today,” Akan grumbled under his breath.    “You shot my ship!” Shadow snapped back suddenly. Then, after a deep breath, said more calmly, “We’ll need names and a good cover story. I’d say noble siblings from a somewhat questionable family but we look nothing alike.”    Akan sniffled, speaking like a small, lost child, “But I always wanted a sister.”    “Shut up,” for the third time, Shadow rolled her eyes. This time, even Marix was questioning Akan’s sanity. She knew first hand all humans weren’t like this, so it wasn’t just a species problem. It most definitely was Akan. Ignoring his childish whimper and noting that he was starting to navigate the upper sections of Nar Shaddaa for a good place to set down, Shadow tried again, “Look, there isn’t time for you to play around right now. You’re Aled Kinthrath from Corellia. Noble type. Arrogant and the usual bastard. Just be yourself except try to actually look serious and cut the sarcasm. You’re traveling with your bodyguard and the reason for your trip is your own.”    “I want a better name.”    “Akan.”    “Fine, fine,” he sighed and grumbled, “You never let me have any fun.”    She nearly threw up her hands in frustration as the X-Wing moved through the gigantic buildings before finally settling near a mostly enclosed hangar. It was another moment before they were slowly descending, and Shadow tried to ignore the thousands of lights and ships and everything that were all around.    The X-Wing set down softly in the circular hangar, and above them two doors slowly closed. There were a few humanoids of various species heading out towards them, with one in particular stepping out in front. He was human, tall, and had a datapad. Obviously the leader. Before they climbed out, Akan made sure to button up his jacket and quickly ‘fixed’ his hair to look more...more...whatever the word for trying to be better than the galaxy as a whole was. Just before hitting the switch to bring the canopy up, something very important struck Akan.    “How exactly are we paying for this?”    He was up enough to see Shadow grin, “You’re a noble. The bodyguard handles those details.”    “That’s not comforting,” Akan said quietly as the canopy lifted up. He pulled the small ladder out from its section inside the cockpit and hooked it onto the edge before climbing down. A moment later, as the canopy closed again, Shadow followed. She stepped in front of him and waited as the group approached them.    The tall human looked up from his datapad, speaking in a slow and almost bored voice, “These hangars are the property of Halpak Industries. If you wish to keep your ship here the fee is three hundred and fifty credits per day.”Shadow didn’t even flinch. It was amazing to Akan how she held her focus despite things. She carefully watched the tall human, a dangerous look about her despite the smaller human body, and said simply, “Two hundred.”    “I’m sorry,” the man said with not even the slightly hint of apology in his voice, “But the price is non negotiable.”    “My Lord Kinthrath will pay two hundred and fifty,” Shadow said in the same simply tones that were statements of fact more than suggestions.    For a moment, the man looked to his datapad, then to a Duros to his left, then to Akan, then back to Shadow, “Two fifty it is.”    Shadow allowed herself the slightest of smiles and a nod. One hand went for an unseen pocket and she retrieved a small chip, “Seven fifty. Three day’s worth.”    Taking a mental cue from Shadow, Akan started walking past them without a word or even looking to them. Shadow nodded to them and followed him to the exit. As they stepped out into the packed, twilight lit streets and picked a random direction, Akan ‘spoke’ up. [Halpak Industries?]    [He always had an ego.]    Akan smiled slightly as they passed by a large group of Mon Calamari. He was looking around curiously, amazed at how much was packed onto this small moon. [Where to from here?]    “We’ll find a place to dig in, ourselves,” Shadow said quietly, the crowd having forced them against each other. She figured it wasn’t any trouble to actually speak at this point, “There are some upscale hotels around here somewhere. Find one, get a place, then we’ll do some snooping.”    “Do I want to know where you’re getting all this money from?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, narrowly avoiding toppling over a small Chadra-Fan.    Shadow waited until they got to a less packed area, a walkway between two of the larger collections of buildings, before grinning, “Probably not.”((Sorry for the short update...not feeling all well, today.))</blockquote>

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