Unfortunately, I didn't expect security to be manned completely by droids. All basic at that. Unfeeling machines are harder to intimidate your way past.
I said I was a Bounty Hunter in pursuit. They wanted to know my mark. I wasn't willing to divulge that just yet, as I wasn't quite sure if I was going to turn this Zaragoza in. I did know that I needed to get to her before the competition did, or it would be out of my hands.
They weren't willing to let me by without identifying my target. So I asked about entering as a civilian. They wanted my weapons and armor. Fat chance.
So I IDed the Denovian, and they settled for taking my weapons. That was fine with me.
I won't lie, the place is impressive. Even the lower tier where we were was something you won't see on any hick backworld goverment's party. The inverted view of Ardor shined above us, with stars twinkling below our feet. It was downright romantic, if you don't happen to be a professional manhunter permanently trapped in a metal suit.
Humans thronged everywhere, with the occasional near human and the rare demi-human cropping up. I was curious about the segregation, but my suit stole any trouble I would have there, providing its own brand of gawkers and nosey socialites who wanted to take it up with the guard as if I'd stood over their mothers with a bloody knife.
Apparently hoping that she'd stand out in this crowd was too much. It was taking far too long to find her, I'd have to try a change of tactics.
Centering myself, I called upon the Force and reached out to touch her mind. You're in danger, I thought, Come with me if you want to live.
I noticed her just after that...I don't know if she believed me or not. Unfortunately that became the least of my worries.
Everything goes dim, and I felt a pointed disturbance in the Force. In retrospect, I'd like to say it felt as if an entire city ship's audience cried out 'Oh Shit', and went silent.
On a side note, Huttese is a wonderful language for expressing yourself in the most vulgar way possible. Basic really doesn't do it justice at all.
The man of honor came on stage in the dim lighting. He was ancient for a human, but he had an aura of command about him. Some nagging thing tells me I really should bone up more on the local knowledge when I fly into a new system.
He began to speak, and a cold chill trickled down my spine.
“
Only near the end of his speech did I notice the security droids landing and powering down. I was too wrapped up in my search to see the trap spring all around me. If I survive this, I'm going to chew my own ass out later.
"There is but one true empire."
I hear the familiar hum of lightsabers igniting all around. And here I am, weaponless and standing out in a crowd. Something tells me this is going to get interesting.
-Naveed Stryker
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