Post by Mara on Jan 23, 2015 16:39:43 GMT -5
[...from Gathering Dead Ends]
Looma's yellow nose wrinkled in disgust as she stepped off the ramp of her transport and out onto the terra of Bilbousa, the capital of the Hutt world of Nal Hutta. Everything around her seemed to be rotting and stagnant, and the air was thick with pollution. If she hadn't been so intent on her quest, she probably would have turned and ran back into her ship and asked the droid to get her the hell out of here. As it was, a bit of her was regretting her decision not to go directly to Nar Shaddaa, which was relatively more cosmopolitan, if not slightly cleaner.
But she had been somewhat hopeful in her thought that the Hutts on this world may be more susceptible to talking to her than those on the moon. Isolated from all the business being conducted on Nar Shaddaa and all the other scum that went along with that. No ulterior motives to steer her away or change the subject. Though, as she looked around, perhaps it would be the other way around. Unless it was just wishful thinking on her part, hoping to get her answers before she passed out from the smell. Maybe this would be a short visit, after all.
She had traveled from Korriban to Ryloth and here to Hutt space, looking for any traces of her sister Leef, who had been sold into slavery over a decade ago. Her parents' decision to do so had destroyed her and had probably indirectly aided her descent into the dark side of the Force. But it hadn't been until a few months ago that a plan had began forming in her mind. During one of her darkest moments, haunted by horrified visions and dreams of her sister, she had decided to settle it once and for all. Only then would she feel whole enough to return to her training as a Sith.
Ryloth had been a dud; none of the slave traders she had found had any information for her. If they even deigned to speak to her in the first place. Many had sneered at her and slammed doors in her face. Looma had figured it might be a longshot; though her sister had been born on the planet and sold from there, it was likely the buyer wasn't native to Ryloth anyway. And so her next destination had been Hutt space, the hotspot of everything bad in the universe, as far as she was concerned. But before she poked around on the Smugglers' Moon, she had wanted to take a shot at Nal Hutta, hoping to uncover a stale clue to her sister's whereabouts.
Leaving her ship in the care of her pilot droid, she hurried around freighters and other starships of various sizes, needing to put the spaceport behind her. Looma was still clad simply in bland beige clothing with her black cloak covering all, including her head. Her yellow lekku disappeared into its shadows. But while on Ryloth she had left all weapons behind, believing her touch of the Force to be enough, she had snapped on her lightsaber at the last minute before departing. Nal Hutta might prove more dangerous than the planet of the Twi'leks. And though she was not proficient in the least with the blade, its presence comforted her.
The first place she elected to try and gather information in was a cantina just a block from the spaceport. She hoped she wouldn't have to go door-to-door. Listening in on conversations in a crowded bar could give her some leads on which establishments to knock on first. Looma was also hoping that here away from the Republic's prying eyes, proprietors of the slave trade wouldn't be so disguised. No hiding behind business fronts, likely advertising out in the open.
Stepping through the door, she walked unobtrusively among the patrons and found an empty table towards the back where she could sit in peace. A few moments later a young female Twi'lek with reddish skin came up to her. Looma tried not to stare too much, horrified at the lack of clothing the girl wore. She merely just ordered a water, keeping the evidence of her species hidden within her hood. As the server walked away, Looma carefully stretched out with the Force, amplifying her hearing so that she wouldn't have to reveal herself and could still listen for anything interesting. It was time to get started...
Looma's yellow nose wrinkled in disgust as she stepped off the ramp of her transport and out onto the terra of Bilbousa, the capital of the Hutt world of Nal Hutta. Everything around her seemed to be rotting and stagnant, and the air was thick with pollution. If she hadn't been so intent on her quest, she probably would have turned and ran back into her ship and asked the droid to get her the hell out of here. As it was, a bit of her was regretting her decision not to go directly to Nar Shaddaa, which was relatively more cosmopolitan, if not slightly cleaner.
But she had been somewhat hopeful in her thought that the Hutts on this world may be more susceptible to talking to her than those on the moon. Isolated from all the business being conducted on Nar Shaddaa and all the other scum that went along with that. No ulterior motives to steer her away or change the subject. Though, as she looked around, perhaps it would be the other way around. Unless it was just wishful thinking on her part, hoping to get her answers before she passed out from the smell. Maybe this would be a short visit, after all.
She had traveled from Korriban to Ryloth and here to Hutt space, looking for any traces of her sister Leef, who had been sold into slavery over a decade ago. Her parents' decision to do so had destroyed her and had probably indirectly aided her descent into the dark side of the Force. But it hadn't been until a few months ago that a plan had began forming in her mind. During one of her darkest moments, haunted by horrified visions and dreams of her sister, she had decided to settle it once and for all. Only then would she feel whole enough to return to her training as a Sith.
Ryloth had been a dud; none of the slave traders she had found had any information for her. If they even deigned to speak to her in the first place. Many had sneered at her and slammed doors in her face. Looma had figured it might be a longshot; though her sister had been born on the planet and sold from there, it was likely the buyer wasn't native to Ryloth anyway. And so her next destination had been Hutt space, the hotspot of everything bad in the universe, as far as she was concerned. But before she poked around on the Smugglers' Moon, she had wanted to take a shot at Nal Hutta, hoping to uncover a stale clue to her sister's whereabouts.
Leaving her ship in the care of her pilot droid, she hurried around freighters and other starships of various sizes, needing to put the spaceport behind her. Looma was still clad simply in bland beige clothing with her black cloak covering all, including her head. Her yellow lekku disappeared into its shadows. But while on Ryloth she had left all weapons behind, believing her touch of the Force to be enough, she had snapped on her lightsaber at the last minute before departing. Nal Hutta might prove more dangerous than the planet of the Twi'leks. And though she was not proficient in the least with the blade, its presence comforted her.
The first place she elected to try and gather information in was a cantina just a block from the spaceport. She hoped she wouldn't have to go door-to-door. Listening in on conversations in a crowded bar could give her some leads on which establishments to knock on first. Looma was also hoping that here away from the Republic's prying eyes, proprietors of the slave trade wouldn't be so disguised. No hiding behind business fronts, likely advertising out in the open.
Stepping through the door, she walked unobtrusively among the patrons and found an empty table towards the back where she could sit in peace. A few moments later a young female Twi'lek with reddish skin came up to her. Looma tried not to stare too much, horrified at the lack of clothing the girl wore. She merely just ordered a water, keeping the evidence of her species hidden within her hood. As the server walked away, Looma carefully stretched out with the Force, amplifying her hearing so that she wouldn't have to reveal herself and could still listen for anything interesting. It was time to get started...