The Underworld | The Coratanni Cartel exploitation of Nar Kreeta

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

Blood had already been spilled at that point. The three Weequay guards had meant with a swift, and careless end. His own soldiers had enveloped them as soon as they had neared the shuttle, three quick flicks of a blade and the aliens had fallen to the landing pad floor, dragged away onto the shuttle without a trace.

He didn’t say anything as they moved towards the palace, didn’t need to.

His men were thugs, but they were smarter than the average thugs. Most of them had been trained, and most of them knew exactly what Slevin expected of them. Four of them split off from the main group, three stayed with him.

They moved through the Palace’s side door, the one nearest to the landing pad. The Guards outside, those belonging to dear Kobaa could be ignored. Once they realized there was an alarm they would come running of course, but by then they would see their boss dead on the floor. Slevin moved through the halls quickly, two more guards falling as they pushed towards the center of the hall.

He had no doubt that someone had seen them, and by the time they reached the first grand hall his suspicions were confirmed.

Slevin stepped into the grand hall, not finding Kobaa the Hutt or any of his guards, but instead a single figure in armor. It was a woman, Mandalorian by the T-shape of her helmet. She stood holding a rotary blaster aimed directly towards him. Slevin frowned as he stepped into the hall. “My my.”

 

[Noire]

[member="Slevin Thawne"]

Slevin's comm would give a small beep. It was Natalia.

Jaarl had acquiesced to her proposal, and now they had the go ahead to take care of Kobaa the Hutt. While it was just done for ceremony, Natalia would contact her beloved to give him the go ahead he already knew would be coming.

The click, click of her heels would echo as the woman left the Hutt's presence. Unlike others, Natalia was not the sort to linger too long unless she had to. She had no desire to play fawning guest. They had a plan to see through and that called for blood.

Another small ring, and the brunette awaited for Slevin to pick up.

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

“Honey.” Slevin said as he picked up the communicator, still staring at the Mandalorian woman who seemed to be threatening him with her weapon. “I’m rather busy at the moment.”

He truly was.

The Mandalorian was an oddity. He had expected Kobaa to be completely unaware of himself and to die rather swiftly, but it seemed that the slug was more prepared for intruders then one had first expected. Of course, he doubted that anything actually mattered all that much. No doubt The Hutt was still on the premise, and after he killed this woman he would go and slit the creatures throat.

Simple really.

He took a step forward. “What is it dearest?”

The Mandalorian aimed her weapon at Slevin and looked like she was about to speak, but before she could get a word in edgewise Slevin raised a hand, blade still bare with blood, stopping the Mandalorian from saying a single word. He didn’t want someone interrupting his beloved after all.

 

[Noire]

[member="Slevin Thawne"]

[ We have the all clear. ]

Her voice practically purred through the comm. One would be able to imagine the self-satisfied smirk that would hang upon her lips.

[ Have fun dearest. I wish I was there with you. ]

Natalia could be as cold-blooded and brutal as Slevin. That such a pretty face could enjoy such savageness was an intriguing paradox. Perhaps this was exactly what the Doctor that created them had intended. Thirty-Seven and Thirty-Nine may never truly learn why the Star Cabal had them created, but they did.

However, where they had been intended to live a life of shackles, they were now their own masters to carve their place in the galaxy as they pleased.

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

The communicator was slipped back into his pocket, eyes finally allowed to settle on the Mandalorian woman.

From the way she stood it was clear that whoever she was, she wasn’t very patient. That was important to note, but more important was the fact that she had in fact waited when told. It was interesting, and was a small testament to just how much authority Slevin could actually pull from nowhere. He smiled slightly at the woman, and then finally spoke.

“You can speak now, if you wish.” Came the taunt, his shoulders lowering slightly as he tried to take a less aggressive stance. His eyes followed the weapon which seemed drop towards the ground. “Do you enjoy working for the Hutts?”

She stiffened slightly, a smile twitching on Slevin’s lips.

“I thought not.” He slowly began to move towards The woman, as if he were a large Nexu stalking it’s prey.

“You could work for me instead.” The suggestion dropped, the Mandalorian still not having said a single word. “I promise, I pay much better.”

 

[Noire]

[member="Slevin Thawne"]

While Slevin would take care of the little matter with Kobaa, Natalia knew that she needed to set in motion what they were planning to do with Jaarl next.

First things first; determining who was still loyal to Jaarl and finding out if they could be swayed to work for Coratanni -- or if they would need to be quickly dispatched.

"Find me Vuro," Natalia told the Neomodian assistant as they headed back to the shuttle.

"I need to know who is still left on Jaarl the Hutt's payroll."

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

The Mandalorian didn’t respond to his inquiry, but she dropped her guard, and that was enough.

They were an odd sort of people, Mandalorians. A warrior culture that espoused about Honor and Justice, but in reality most of them were just Mercenaries. Slevin had no idea how he knew that, or even why he felt that way, but he most certainly did. As he approached the warrior he couldn’t help but feel somewhat...ruefull, as if he was regretting what he had to do.

Perhaps it was because he hated to waste a blade.

“I-”

The woman began to speak just as Slevin reached her, but by then it had already been too late. He moved upon her like a viper. His free hand reached out and grasped the barrel of the heavy repeated, his other hand shooting up and pointing the knife towards her throat. The Mandalorian was tugged forward, quite literally falling onto the knife as she couldn’t find her balance.

The blade pierced the thin liner of her armor at her neck, right beneath the chin of her helmet. Her weight collapsed onto Slevin, the crime lord holding her for just a moment before whispering. “Sorry, can’t trust someone who’d sell themselves.”

With that, he unceremoniously dropped her to the floor.

 

[Noire]

[member="Slevin Thawne"]

Vero was a sleazy little Neimoidian. However, even sleazy rats like Vero had their place in society. In this instance, it was to be information broker to Natalia. The Coratanni Cartel had a bit of a history with the Neimoidian, so when Natalia called, he was sure to pick up. At least, if the weasel wanted to keep his head on his shoulders.

Natalia and her entourage had settled into the suite provided by Jaarl the Hutt. Well aware that nothing he offered was done without a price or a bug, Natalia ordered a full sweep of the room. When all the bugs had been neutralized, the redhead sat herself down in front of the holo array and had Vero patch through.

"Miz Thawne... what a lovely surprise." It wasn't. Vero's eyes were bulging, and even the hologram could show the telltale beads of sweat growing over his mottled skin.

"I'm sure it is, Vero,' Talia replied shortly, canting her head to the side.

"I'm sure you were given advanced notice of my orders."

"Yes, " he stammered, "Of course..." a few motions of his hand and the list was sent over to Natalia.

"How many are on Nar Kreeta?"

"We are looking at least fifty-two. The most are mercenaries for hire, so providing them an option may sway their alligences."

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

“Spread out.” Slevin ordered, his voice booming through the chamber as the Mandalorian woman bled out onto the floor below him. “The Hutt is bound to be here somewhere, and I’d rather not let him get away.”

There was no doubt in his mind that this woman was supposed to have killed them, she had been poised to do just that after all.

Hubris had once again won the day. The Hubris of a Hutt. Their dear friend had likely wanted to brag, and the Mandalorian had probably been ordered to turn on her communicator, or there was a projector somewhere. Slevin knew how the slugs worked, and he knew that they couldn’t help but gloat before actually getting the deed over with.

Perhaps he had been waiting for just the right moment.

“Come come. Where are you hiding?” Slevin asked as he began to wander around the circular room, heading towards the dais that would normally contain the overgrown slug. His fingers ran along a smooth edge, until finally he found what he was looking for. He depressed a small button, the ground rumbling for a second as the Dais pulled back and revealed a tunnel.

 

[Noire]

[member="Slevin Thawne"]

Fifty-two. Natalia narrowed her eyes. A large spread that was for sure, but doable. It was just a matter of finding out which could be bought out and which had to be neutralized.

"Highlight the names of those more likely to switch loyalties. I want to know what it is that they want; be it credits, women, men, drugs or equipment." it didn't matter. Finding out the weak spot and utilizing it to their advantage was Natalia's forte.

As instructed, Vero made a few selections. The names on her list highlighted to a brighter orange to designate those requested.

"Well, seems we will have a busy day ahead of us."

Now the real bargaining would begin.

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

That tunnel would undoubtedly lead to some sort of escape tunnel hidden deep beneath the jagged palace.

It wasn’t too surprising really, of course the Hutt would have something that hid him away while everyone else did the work. He found himself wondering if there were automated defenses or anything of the sort within the tunnel, something that a smart person would place at their backs. He frowned for a moment and then motioned to one of the guards. “You.”

The man half froze.

“Get in that tunnel.” Slevin motioned towards the dais. “See if there’s a door of some sort. The rest of you find me some explosives.”

He would be surprised if the Hutt didn’t keep something around. Kobaa wasn’t an arms dealer, but at the very least he had mercenaries and that meant more than likely they had an armory somewhere on the grounds of the Palace.

The guards all did as they were told, including the one sent into the tunnel.

 

[Noire]

[member="Slevin Thawne"]

"We both know Jaarl is runnin' scared." the voice would bargain with four of the slimy hutt's mercenaries. Natalia had to do this meticulously, ensure that no one would go running back to rat out the Coratanni Cartel. She couldn't have the annoying hutt know what Slevin's and her game was.

A silver flash would flicker in between Natalia's fingers. She was playing with a small vibroshiv, twirling and gently caressing it with her right hand.

"If he can't handle Kobaa or the other Hutts, then what makes you believe he'll last long here?" her green eyes would glitter, presenting a viable option.

"Meanwhile, others come in to make strides..." Natalia's grin turned wolfish. "One wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of the fight, no?"

Truth be told, someone who sold their loyalties was not someone Slevin, nor Natalia would keep in their employ. There was no respect in that. Fear and the knowledge that the heads of the Coratanni would come after them to make them personally pay for betraying them is what kept the dogs leashed.

All these who swung over for mere credits would be taken care of once their use was up.

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

There was no surprise when the guard that he had sent down into the tunnel began to scream. The sound of laser fire...and buzz saws? Sounded out just seconds before.

Traps.

One couldn’t really be too surprised, the Hutt’s were known cowards and would do anything to avoid a fight. Slevin shook his head slightly as the screams continued for a moment more before eventually silencing themselves. He waited half a second, then motioned to one of the men who had brought back explosives from a nearby armory.

“Make a bomb.” He said plainly. “Something big enough to wipe out everything down there.”

They had plenty of Thermal detonators, and a few of those strapped together could create quite a blast. The man nodded to him, and quickly the group of soldiers went to work doing as they had been told.

A few moments later they held a large collection of silver orbs, each strapped around a singular baradium charge. “I need a volunteer.”

Slevin said the words with a grin, the smallest of the mercenaries being kicked forward by the group. The Crime Lord looked the man up and down, then shrugged, motioning for him to throw the bomb into the tunnel.

 

[Noire]

[member="Slevin Thawne"]

Out of the fifty-something that was under Jaarl's employ, Natalia was able to have eighteen switch loyalties. The others were not apt to switch a contract when they'd been hired to do a job. Out of those, Natalia had to verify which would keep their trap shut and which would run squealing to Jaarl.

However, Natalia kept in mind which were holding their ground. Some may very well be good to snap up once Jaarl was under their thumb.

For now, the woman was playing set up to prepare for Slevin. Once he had taken care of Kobaa... all the other cards will fall into place.

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

The explosion tore through the tunnel half a second later. The very foundation of the palace seemed to rock as the silvery orbs exploded and then quickly imploded. There were half a dozen secondary blasts and the power source for turrets and droids lit up as well, burning explosions incinerating the inside of the tunnel and rendering it completely lifeless. The surging shockwave came half a second later, pressing out of the tunnel exit and cracking the dais that Slevin stood in front of.

A whistle escaped his lips.

"Well." He said quietly. "Who wants to go first?"

The Crime Lord waited a moment, then slowly turned to his remaining mercenaries. They all looked sheepish of course, but eventually one stepped forward. As soon as he did so Slevin waved in him, watching as the boy climbed onto the now shattered steps and headed into the tunnel. A few moments later, after no blaster fire or buzzing saw blades could be heard Slevin turned to the others and signaled them forward as well.

Slowly they headed down into the tunnel, Slevin still brandishing the small blade.

They walked half a dozen meters before coming to a bend within the underground network, stepping over a broken set of blast doors that had been scorched and crumpled within the blast. He smiled slightly as they moved into an ante-chamber, peering around for more guards or automated defenses. When they found nothing he motioned his guards to move forward, pointing towards a heavy set of wooden doors at the far end of the room.

Slevin pulled out the communicator from his pocket. [Honey. We're nearly done here.]

 

[Noire]

[member="Slevin Thawne"]

This was about the time for a break. Such a break demanded sending her beloved some enticement. With a salacious smirk, the brunette took her datapad. It had been a gift from Slevin; the boys had procured it on a raid outside of rishi from a rich socialite. State of the art and with all the apps and gizmos she'd desire, Natalia enjoyed it tremendously. Yet what gave Natalia a rush was what she could do with the advanced holo camera it contained.

To entice Slevin along, the brunette decided to send him some visual stimulation for doing good work. Positioning the datapad for the shot she desired was easy; a small little clicker allowed her to take the portraits without having press the shutter button on the datapad itself.

The shot would display Natalia's assets wells, a glimmer of silver nestled in between like a tempting little jewel.

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

There weren't many sights in the galaxy that made Slevin happy. He was no great patron of the arts, he was no lover of nature, but this...the beautiful sight of his beloved and the treats she offered him, that, that was something Slevin could appreciate. For a few moments he stood within the ante-chamber in silent contemplation, staring at the small screen until finally his attention was caught by a gargling, almost guttural cry. He frowned for a second, clearly displeased with the interruption.

"Boys." He motioned to the guards. "Bring me the slug."

There were some soft mumbles, then a quick burst of activity as the guards moved through the heavy double doors that had blocked them. Slevin stayed within the ante-chamber, eyes moving between the screen of his communicator and the double doors. A small smirk crossed his lips as his fingers wrapped around the communicator, thumb gently depressing onto the touchscreen as he pulled something up. Beyond the doors there was a loud crash and some yelling, his eyes flickering up even as his thumb slowly slid a small indicator across the screen.

He glanced down at the screen confirmed his action, smirking.

"Come now Kobaa, I'm a very busy man." There was a loud grumbling roar, and then finally the doors finally slid open.

Slevin watched as Kobaa was slowly lead out from the room, though his eyes flickered to the screen once more, thumb slowly sliding across the screen to push the indicator just a tad forward.

 

[Noire]

[member="Slevin Thawne"]

Natalia bit her lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Her eyes fluttered, and nails curled inward at the sudden sensation. Oh, he was enjoying himself. Ruby red lips curved upward into a wolfish grin only to part again.
The leather seat was comfortable, and the desk wide.

Like pieces on a chess board, Natalia had set up the confrontation with Jaarl to be ready for Slevin's return. The slug would come to heel or they would make him.

Everything was moving according to plan. From what Natalia could tell, so were things with Slevin. His prize would be in the form of a snap holo film for him to enjoy.

Followed with a throaty, "Come home soon."

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Natalia Thawne"]

Slevin looked up as the slug slithered it's way into the room, his thumb accidentally pressing the indicator all the way to the right as he lowered the device, slipping across the screen without notice.

"Kobaa." The Crime Lord said with a smile. "It's nice of you to join us. We tried ringing the doorbell, but you were either indisposed or your...well was that woman supposed to greet us? The Mandalorian? I suppose that was why she was there, though hindsight is twenty twenty."

A shrug rolled over his shoulders

"Who do you think you are, you wo-"

The Hutt garbled his guttural tones, Slevin rolling his eyes as the creature began to yell in his nearly unintelligible language. In truth he had no idea how he was even able to understand The Hutt. The creatures spoke in such a way that it sounded more like they were constantly choking than actually speaking. He glanced down at his feet for half a moment, then stared up at the ceiling, considering for a few seconds as he felt the communicator in his hand vibrate. He glanced down at it for a moment, a small smirk playing across his lips as the auto-play feature kicked in. He watched the screen for half a moment, then finally pulled his eyes away.

"I don't care about anything you just said." Slevin said plainly.

"In fact, I have no idea what it was." His other hand drew the blaster from it's holster, a Disruptor pistol that had been stolen off a shipment from Vanir Technologies. It wasn't anything fancy, not like the weapons he had given to Natalia, but it did for the work that he was here for. "You're done Kobaa. You. The Hutt's, all of you. Your day is done. Nar Kreeta is ours, and everything you've ever owned is ours as well. I'll send your regards to Jaarl."

With that, he raised the blaster and fired.

There was another guttural cry of protest as the thin disruptor line shot through the Hutt's head, but as soon as the beam vanished the creature fell limp to the floor. An awkward squish could be heard as the slug crumpled, and Slevin looked down at the now dead Hutt in disgust. "Gather the remaining mercenaries here, they work for us now."

Finally Slevin allowed himself to turn around and away from the entire scene. His eyes wandering back towards the communicator screen. The small film was playing on repeat as he glanced down, though as he began to climb the charred steps he slowly hit the return button, a small smirk crawling on his lips as he finally saw what he had accidentally done a few minutes ago. He mused for a second on what Natalia had sent, then decided to simply leave the indicator where it was, slipping the device back into his pocket. A few more minutes wouldn't hurt, or perhaps an hour.