Ask Nar Shaddaa Always Family

[Preef Callo]

Word on Nar Shaddaa was spreading that the legendary gunslinger Preef Callo -Preef Zaa Fenn- wasn't as dead as the galaxy had believed him to be and that meant his days of walking around the spaceport incognito were over. Wherever he went, regardless of direction, people's heads would turn and whispers accompanied him the entire time he was out in the open.

So he was considerably older than he'd been back when he ruled over the Crymorah Syndicate and committed Hutticide during live HoloNet broadcasts. The sight of his signature peacemaker was still enough to keep the masses at bay, however, and none were foolish or confident enough to challenge him to get a pat on the back from a Hutt. Sure, it helped that the rumors also said that the Fastest Draw in the Outer Rim now worked for the Supreme Mogul, Nor'baal Desilijic, himself.

The reason he was out and about today was simple: Pidge Batana.

The Twi'lek scoundrel had worked for the Crymorah Syndicate for many years. First under the Mothkari Crime Family and then for Preef's very own Zaa Fenn Crime Family after Marissa had taken over the reigns as its crimelord. She had been there from the very beginning. But where Preef and Gareth had shot and punched their way up into galactic infamy, Pidge had remained on the background and thankfully so, for she was still able to travel the galaxy freely without the fear of syndicate assassins.

She had reached out after hearing the rumors of the rodian's return and that's why he was at the spaceport today; Pidge would be arriving soon at Hangar #13.

@Kestrel

 

[Pidge Batana]

Pidge spent so much time on Nar Shaddaa, it was practically her second home. There were always things to do there if her life on Coruscant got boring. That, however, was not the reason for today’s journey. She’d even canceled an interview for an engineering position for the event. If they really wanted her, they‘d call her back anyway.

The ship jerked as the landing gear hit the ground in Hanger 13. Before the ramp had fully extended, the twi’lek leaped off. Barely pausing, she shouted to the pilot over her shoulder.

”Credits are on my seat. Thanks Pejj! Oh-- also your hull pressurization indicator light was on! I’ll check it out when I get back.” The last part may have been a white lie because she wasn’t sure when she was getting back, but if he thought she would help him, he’d be more likely to be her chauffeur for future trips. She’d already fixed his ionic combusters, so there really wasn’t anything to feel guilty about.

Thank the stars for Shere Cann. If she hadn’t taken up the bounty, she wouldn’t have had the curiosity to trace the sending address or finagle with the system database to discover a familiar name. She’d nearly collapsed from shock when she found a land deed allocated to Preef Callo. Naturally, Pidge had questions, so she reached out, only to be more surprised when the Rodian asked to meet. Preef was her boss. Had been her boss. She was good at being a chameleon so when she’d heard of his fall, she had stepped back to disappear into the noise. Hopefully he wouldn’t hold it against her. A girl did what she had to. Not to mention the fact that he had remembered her. And called her back? It was such an honor! If Preef didn’t kill her on the spot, she just might kiss him. She wrinkled her nose at the thought. A hug would probably suffice, actually.

Although they‘d both gotten older, Pidge had no problem recognizing Preef. Judging by the stares of others, neither did anyone else. Smiling wide, she gave him a swift embrace, then backed away. “Preef! I’m so glad to see you. Should we get a drink and catch up?”

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

The old rodian immediately felt much younger when he spotted Pidge coming over and in for a swift hug, "Pidgelle," he smiled, "Good idea, I know a great noodles place." Okay, so maybe it wasn't really a place to 'get a drink' but it did serve them! Preef was also just really craving noodles for some reason.

About twenty minutes later they had sat down at 'Rodia (re)Fineries' and a steaming bowl of noodlesoup was placed in front of the aging gunslinger. "Thank you, Sleef-" Preef said to the rodian waitress in the most courteous tone of voice, "-can you bring us a bottle of Eriadu Cognac, too?" the waitress knew better than to tell him that noodles and cognac weren't a great mix, pallet-wise, but then again she knew the legendary gunslinger well enough to know his favorite drink was sewer-riped moonshine and probably didn't have such a sense of taste that he would know.

"So, as I was saying-" he turned back to Pidge, having been in the middle of a long recap of his life up until he started wandering again. "-I was here on Nar Shaddaa, staying at what I thought was the abandoned palace of one of the Hutts we'd killed." He took one of his chopsticks and pretended he shot someone in the head with it as if he'd actually been wielding his trusted peacemaker, "When the kriffing Supreme Mogul walks in."

He laughed a bit half-heartedly and shook his head as he now took both chopsticks and began slurping some of the noodles. "So-" -Splirrrtschlup- "-where have you been all this time?"

@Kestrel

 

[Pidge Batana]

The rutian twi’lek cocked an eyebrow at the suggestion of noodles. Well… alright. No one who knew Preef would dare to question his choice of establishment. Whether he was going senile, was opposed to drinking before six standard time, or just wanted noodles, Pidge wasn’t going to question her boss. Ex-boss? As long as he was paying, she’d eat anything. There was always the chance he had good taste.

The noodles really were that good. Preef, however, did not turn out have good taste, so she had gotten lucky with the delicious food or he had some level of self awareness.

”Thanks for recommending this place. Mmmphh,“ Pidge shoveled another spoonful of noodles into her mouth. “I’ll pass on the Cognac, though... Sorry, you can keep going.”

Preef, clearly wrapped up in his own story, continued, gesticulating wildly with his chopsticks. Pidge listened, entranced. She was aware the the small or even large details may not have been entirely accurate, but the rodian seemed to be basking in the memory and she was more than happy to accept the privilege of joining him.

”…When the kriffing Supreme Mogul walks in.” He chuckled. Pidge, who had been watching his body language as much as she’d been listening, laughed too, although she could tell his laugh was somewhat strained. Was he content with his life, even after the abrupt change of pace he’d had? Maybe she was frequently bored, but by keeping her head down, Pidge had stability. She never had to change or hide. It wasn’t something she had thought to be grateful for until now.

”I can’t say I’ve been busy. Preef, I lost people when you left. I had some contacts, but no one wanted to hire me for awhile. I guess it helped me keep a low profile. After all, I’m not as much as a threat as I’d like to think I am. I ran the occasional score, mostly small, low stakes missions for independents. Flirted with every vaguely attractive humanoid from Coruscant to the Mid Rim…“ She held up her hand, devoid of any rings. “Obviously no luck with that. That’s alright though. I still sell modded tech and picked up my job at the medbay again. My dad’s not going to be around for much longer, but I still have to pay for his care.“ The twi’lek sighed, then grabbed a glass and the Cognac. “Changed my mind. So… why did you agree to meet me here?”


@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

In reply to Pidge's bad luck, Preef raised his own left fingers and showed her his own wedding band. "Got a son, too. Jon-" the pain he felt was clearly noticeable on his face as he mentioned the name of his son, "-he's a lot smarter than I am." and a Sector Ranger that would no doubt arrest and jail them both if given the chance. Better not mention that fact, though.

The old rodian poured himself a shot of cognac and threw it back. He was hurting, sure, but there was some pride in his last words as well. Jon Callo had a good childhood, was smart and didn't have to work through all the horrors that Preef had been subjected to. Maybe Jon could make up for the bad stuff his father had done..

"So you still mod tech," the rodian changed the subject, "There's actually a job for you then, if you want it." He was referring to Rache Robotics, which was at the moment the only place where members of the Zaa Fenn Crime Family openly met without the fear of prosecution. Not by the Hutts, anyway. No promises on whether or not the new leaders of the Crymorah Syndicate wouldn't try something. Still, a job like that would have to be sanctioned by the Supreme Mogul and Preef rarely left the Hutt's side. Even random bounty hunters knew better than to work without the express permission of the Hutt Cartel.

@Kestrel

 

[Pidge Batana]

Some might have resented Preef for his success in all spheres of life, but not Pidge. He had more or less told her that even infamous crime bosses could settle down and have a family. So she had a chance-- find someone, not be so lonely, maybe even wrangle little rapscallions of her own. The twi’lek inhaled deeply. That was a long time off. Kriff, she hadn’t even started saving for retirement.

Pidge watched closely as Preef knocked back a shot. She smirked, then followed his example.

“I once knew a girl who could mix the best drinks you’d ever had. Too bad her bar’s on Coruscant and you’re so wanted you’d end up in a different clink first-“ she faltered. He seemed oddly pained. Something told her he and Jon might not be as close as he would like. “So, I assume Jon hasn’t continued the family trade?” The cynicism in her voice was gone, but the question remained. Not that it was very likely the rodian would answer.

“And, yeah. I still mod tech. No interview or anything?” She smiled easily. “Just promise you won’t make me do a background check.” Pidge paused. It seemed like Preef was serious. Well, she couldn’t turn down an offer like that. “Say I’m in. Tell me more.”

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

"Sector Ranger" Preef sighed. His son had been so appalled by the deeds of his father that he'd sworn to spend his life chasing outlaws. That wasn't the bad part, though. No, when Jon was still a child they'd have a good relationship. Preef brought him on trips to town, played with him between chores and they learned to read together as Tumi -Preef's wife- taught their son. Unfortunately there was one thing that scared the rodian most of all in the known galaxy. The Force. That magic thing which made people lose all sense and become impulsive killers. The Sith.. well, they had proven to be countless time and the Jedi he had seen were no different on either Sullust or Kessel. What scared Preef most was his son. Jon turned out to be Force-sensitive.

"Kara runs it," he explained, "so the shop is Zaa Fenn. Contracts, too." Not to mention that while within Hutt Space and while Preef worked for the Supreme Mogul, their old family enjoyed Nor'baal's protection. "She could use your expertise," he smiled again, having succeeded in thinking of other things than the Force and the thought of his most common nightmare: Seeing his son's face as the one who attacked him on Eriadu, as the Empress, or the one who so menacingly used it to intimidate like Emryc Thorne had done. "Certainly could use someone younger than Gareth or me for company, too."

Oh yeah, had he mentioned he had found Gareth, too?

@Kestrel

 

[Pidge Batana]

Sector Ranger?! If Pidge hadn’t perfected the art of keeping a good poker face, her jaw would have hit the floor. Well, family dinners sure had to be interesting for them. Preef didn’t elaborate, suggesting the topic was done being discussed. He didn’t need to know she’d be neck deep in records looking for information about Jon. Her own curiosities weren’t worth risking her job or her boss’ temper for.

As for the shop Kara ran, the deal kept getting better. Pidge could keep her head low, get a stable income and work contracts, the spice of her otherwise grimy and monotonous life. At Preef’s comment about age, she chuckled.

“I’m not exactly brimming with youth myself, but you’re wise to flatter me about my appearance. I paid to much for anti-aging cream for it to go unnoticed. Just in case everything fell through and had to go back to dancing,” They both knew she was joking— about the last part at least. The twi’lek’s skincare routine was a secret. She hadn’t hated dancing, but she had ended up in a bad place, and there was no way in hell she was testing this waters again. “Tell me about Kara. She single? How are the benefits she offers?”

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

Preef chose to ignore the joke about her skin routine. Pidge looked as amazing as he remembered, but he also didn't want to give her the wrong impression by telling her that. He was an old rodian, after all, and married, too. "Kara is a handful," Preef shook his head with a chuckle, "used to be Marissa's right hand. Covax was part of the crew she lead," that fact alone would say a thousand words. The guilt Kara felt over the Zaa Fenn's downfall by bringing in that mercenary after he failed in becoming one of Preef's Legends, must've been the reason she was so adamant about keeping together was remained.

Although Preef wasn't entirely sure Pidge meant her other questions, it also didn't feel right to ignore them either. "She'll get you anything you need. Apartment, credits, equipment and access to a bacta tank if you need it." He wasn't entirely sure why Pidge would need a bacta tank, but he also wasn't quite sure what she meant with 'benefits' either. "She'll break your heart if you let her, Pidge-" the rodian warned the Twi'lek. He hadn't seen Kara care about anything other than business and the family name. Their romance would always take second place to her professional goals, "-she's ambitious."


@Kestrel

 

[Pidge Batana]

Preef seemed to know lots about Kara and Pidge soaked up all the information she could, storing it away for whatever social manipulation, blackmail, or genuine purpose it might serve later. The more she heard about the woman, the more she admired her. Being Marissa’s second-in-command and working with names like Covax granted notoriety and earned immediate respect. Among criminals, at least.
Then there were the accommodations. If the twi’lek trusted Preef any less, she would have thought the situation too good to be true.

A strange expression crossed Pidge’s face when the rodian mentioned the bacta tank. Did he know about the accident she had caused that had disabled her father? It didn’t seem in the spirit of the ex-crime lord to be so cruel, but it was a strange thing to bring up nonetheless. Hopefully he was just making sure of her access to affordable medical care, though she should likely avoid mentioning her history of bacteria and explosions to Kara.

As for the woman breaking her heart… everyone seemed to be in that business. Oh well. A job and an apartment was still an amazing deal. And she was sincerely grateful.

”How do I meet Kara? And more importantly, if you ever need me to return any favors— digging up secrets or burning them, doing some light hacking, whatever— let me know. You don’t know how much of a chance you’ve just given me.”

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

The old rodian finished up his noodles and gentle shoved the empty bowl to the side of the table as he listened. "Kara will put you to work," he replied, meaning that Kara handled business like Marissa had done before. She was the brains who told scoundrels where to go for what reason and if they had to bring slicing gear or a blaster. Pidge was family, but at the end of the day even family needed to put in the work. For crime families, that meant just doing some tinkering on tech didn't suffice.

Then the rodian did seem to think of something, "Nar Shaddaa is my childhood home." His gaze shifted from Pidge to the window and the busy street on the other side. "Yet I've lived on scarcely populated worlds since I was fourteen," when he started his career in armed robbery and shooting folks that didn't deserve to be shot. The wandering lifestyle had suited him more than the penthouse on Eriadu ever could. "I'll be travelling through Hutt Space a lot," for he had signed up to be the Supreme Mogul's chief enforcer and to uphold his will among the countless of ambitious scoundrels in the cartel's employ. "Shaddaa just reminds me of the bad stuff. Slavery, death and that kriffing virus," he had taken the Smuggler's Moon from the Hutts in an effort to save the population from the virus, yet he had awoken many nights on Takodana in cold sweats over the sight of the thousands of zombies that then roamed the lower levels.

Through his words it was clear that his head wasn't in the moment. Memories flooded and not necessarily in chronological order. Preef was clearly running from something. Not someone, but something. The old rodian's life had done more than a full circle. He climbed all the ranks of a syndicate, lived as a member of the elusive Collective that ruled the underworld for the entire galaxy for a time, was seemingly killed by a Sith Empress and then lived as a content rancher and father. Now he was back to wandering. Shooting folks and showing up personally to do it. It was almost like he was convinced that for gunslingers and murderers like Preef Callo, there was no retirement. One day he'd be too old and someone else will be quicker on the draw and that will be his end. That wasn't a fate he wished for the people around him. It wasn't something he wished for Pidge.

@Kestrel