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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 3523478" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 457: Ryloth Underground“Is there any chance...” Venda began, taking a step back and turning her active lightsaber from Marix to the six others pointing blasters at the both of them. At Marix’s side, she risked a glance to the Alraxian woman, who was a good head taller, and finished the sentence, “...that you speak Huttese?”    That didn’t seem like something very important, truthfully. Or...    Marix found herself nodding, starting to put a plan together, finally, “He said drop your weapon.”    Actually, that was a lie. He had actually said, ‘drop your weapons’, but since Marix wasn’t holding one she decided to ignore that minor detail. She couldn’t really drop her weapon, anyway...as, technically, she was that weapon. Jyren would probably have yelled at her for that thought, but it was the simple truth.    Before Venda had a chance to respond, though, Marix quickly added, “Do it.”    She didn’t say why. It was likely at least one of these thugs could speak Basic, and saying that this was the best way to track down where this Hutt was probably wasn’t the best plan. So, instead, Marix could only hope that this Jedi wasn’t an idiot, like a certain so-called-Jedi she closely identified with...    A fizzling sound echoed through the tunnel as Venda did the intelligent thing and deactivated her lightsaber. They now had only the dim lights that lined the walls to see by, but it was more than enough for Marix and she barely noticed the change. And so she had no trouble watching Venda follow up by tossing the hilt of her lightsaber to the feet of the six Hutt lackeys.    Slowly, the nearest of them, a red-skinned male Twi’lek, reached down and picked up the weapon, eyed it for a moment, then slipped it into his jacket. Then, with his blaster rifle, motioned for them to turn around, “Kapa tonka. Gorla keesa to naya. Boska!”    Understanding that, Marix started walking forward. So they were taking them to Gorla. Good. That solved that. So now the problem was figuring out what she was going to say to this Gorla the Hutt. As the six lackeys led them, at gunpoint, through the tunnels, Marix went over what she was actually doing on this damned planet again.    The Hutts were going to stay neutral in the war. That was fine. The Alraxians were, too. But...but Hutt Space was vital to any travel through the galaxy and a major section of space. And, from the sound of things, they were going to be more than neutral, actually allowing the Vong to freely pass through their space. With what Marix knew of the Vong, that was more than just neutral. But...why did this matter?    That was still bothering her because she wasn’t quite sure. It had something to do with the Peace Brigade. Those damned Vong sympathizers, most of which looked to be from Hutt space as it was. That didn’t mean that the Hutts were behind the Peace Brigade; they probably weren’t, it wasn’t there style. However, there was something there and at least one Peace Brigade ship knew of the Gateway’s location...along with who knew how many Vong. But the latter she couldn’t do anything about just yet...the former...well, maybe that was it. The thread she was following almost blindly.    “Where are they taking us?” Venda’s voice was barely a whisper, but Marix’s ears easily picked it up.    Keeping her voice just as low and hoping the human woman would actually hear, Marix whispered, “To Gorla...I assume you were looking for him, also?”    “Not directly,” the Jedi woman shook her head just slightly. It was a small enough motion to be taken as normal movement and not communication, which their escorts probably wouldn’t approve of, “I have been following rumours of a group of Vong working under Ryloth’s cities with a powerful crimelord.”    Interesting.    “Gorla is one of the Hutts who has signed a neutrality treaty with the Vong,” Marix said in the same low voice, using the Force to make sure they weren’t heard. She could tell that the six others were keeping their distance, probably because they were intelligent enough to understand the threat a Jedi could be. They probably hoped a meter or so distance would give them enough warning...it wouldn’t, but it was worth hoping for them.    “You sound like you’re going to kill him.”    Marix thought about that for a moment. In it, she noticed that the rough patches of the tunnel below their feet was hardening and becoming smoother. They were getting closer to their destination, “I do not plan to.”    “What do you plan to do?” Venda asked as they both noticed a brighter light not far ahead of them.    Again, she took time to think about that question. No, this wasn’t a good time for planning. She had to think on her toes and keep her mind clear, “Nothing yet.”    Both of them then went silent as they could see four other figures ahead of them, all humanoid and probably well armed. Guards. So here they were, the illustrious underground hideout of Gorla the Hutt...Marix wondered if the other Hutts knew Gorla was hiding underground and out of Hutt Space. They probably wouldn’t like that. The slugs were as distrustful as one another as they were everyone else, and having someone as powerful as Gorla out of sight of the rest of the Hutts had to be unsettling.    The four guards turned out to be humans, and they were in front of a large door that lined the entire corridor. Orders were shouted and Marix casually listed to a quick, heated argument between the Twi’lek and one of the humans. But then, finally, the Trandoshans that had been with them stepped closer to she and Venda and carefully searched them for weapons.    It took every ounce of control for Marix to not simply break their necks and fight her way straight to Gorla.But she didn’t, allowing them to find that she carried no weapons at all. They also found no other weapons on Venda. Marix couldn’t help rolling her eyes. A typical Jedi. Even Jyren always carried a blaster or three with him. It was just smart. This was ignoring the fact that she had none, of course, as she didn’t need any.    “Bsha,” the Twi’lek said in a gruff voice. One of the humans moved over to a panel on the door, hitting in a key-code that Marix couldn’t see, and then the large door slowly opened upwards. There would be more of a walk before they reached wherever Gorla was, but they were in now, at least.    As they were led through the doorway into a building with finely carved walls, a stark contrast to the unfinished looking tunnels outside, Marix made sure to take in everything. Doors. Hallways. Droids. Anything that might be needed if things went south.    And they usually did.</blockquote>

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