THE DRAGON'S CLAW, PART II
--Bar'leth--
"Fascinating."
Long mauve fingers twisted the magnification lens lodged into the Koorivar's right eye. Bright yellow eyes shined as they studied the triangular object in front of them.
Sitting across from the old Sava of Bar'leth, Valrisa waited as patiently as she could for the Koorivar to finish her examination. When she finally set the item down, Valrisa took the opportunity then to speak.
"Well? What do you make of it?"
Leosa Vantare entwined her bony hands together as she affixed her with a piercing stare. "It is genuine."
Valrisa resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Yes, but what is its importance? What's so 'fascinating' about it?"
"Well, unless all my years of experience have gone to waste, I do believe this is the Eye of Kaas, a Sith totem from the reign of King Nakgru."
"A Sith totem?" Valrisa's eyebrows raised inquisitively. "What would a Sith totem be doing in a Hutt's possession?"
"Who knows? That's what's fascinating about it." The Sava grinned, flashing a row of rotten sharp teeth. "You're more than welcome to ask them about it."
Valrisa wrinkled her nose. "I'll pass, thanks." She reached across the table and took the totem, turning it around in her hands. "So how much would you reckon this would go for?"
Leosa's ridged face fell into a frown. "I would not recommend attempting to resell an item such as this."
"Why not?"
"It would paint a target on your head. Those two men you dealt with on Tatooine... by the sounds of it, they were likely Sith or at least Force users with an interest in the Sith. If they survived their encounter with you, they're undoubtedly on the hunt for this totem. Putting it out on the market will only give you more grief?"
"What would you suggest then? Hold on to it? Leave it with you?"
The Sava's left eye twitched. "Heavens no. What would I be to do if they were to find me? I'm only a poor, old woman without a fighting bone in her body."
Valrisa thought for a moment, before saying, "What if I destroyed it?"
Leosa stared at her, yellow eyes unblinking. "What?"
"What if I just found a hammer or something and smashed this thing to pieces? Would that be acceptable?"
The old Koorivar nearly sputtered in her response. "Are you mad?! Don't you have any idea what that would do?"
Valrisa couldn't help but smirk. "Enlighten me."
The Sava leaned across the table, her bright orbs boring into Valrisa's eyes. "The Sith were masters of alchemy, even before the arrival of the Jedi Exiles. This totem is sure to be enchanted -- or cursed, I should say -- by Sith magic."
Valrisa nearly snorted. "Magic? You can't be serious."
Leosa glared at her. "I have heard many a tale, child, and have seen many things in my ninety years that would put you in a stupor. I have seen the Sith, young one. I know what they are capable of."
"Right." Valrisa pushed back her chair and rose to her feet, turning to leave. "You know, it's never too late to retire. A woman at your age deserves the rest."
Leosa scowled. "And let Loo-Tahn take my place? Over my dead body."
"Give it time, Lee," Valrisa remarked as she stepped out. "It won't be hard for them."
* * *
The dark room was lit only by the blue glow of the hologram displayed before Zarin Kal's dark eyes. The recording showed the image of three figures: two Kiffar and one Besalisk. The audio was slightly distorted but still good enough to listen to.
"--forever in your debt, Plun," one of the Kiffar were saying. She had thick black hair and bore facial markings similar to Zarin's own: a single gold stripe across the bridge of her nose. "If it wasn't for you, Xav and I would not be here today."
"Don't mention it, Kalina," grunted the Besalisk. "Just doing my job as a friend and fellow Partisan."
"And for that, we are eternally grateful." Kalina glanced at the man next to her, who gave her a nod and assuring squeeze of the shoulder. Biting her lip, she turned back to the Besalisk.
"We're expecting a child...."
Plun's eyes went wide. "A child? Now of all times?"
Xav chuckled weakly. "It wasn't exactly planned, of course...."
Plun was shaking his head, exhaling heavily. "This is... this is very dangerous, you two. The Empire could be on our doorstep tomorrow and here you are with this to worry about."
"We know," Kalina said sadly. "Which is why we're bringing this to you now. What are we to do, Plun?"
The Besalisk opened his mouth... and froze. The recording had stopped.
From the shadows of the room, a frail voice spoke. "As I've said, the rest of the file was corrupted. That was all we were able to recover."
Zarin nodded as he switched off the holo, plunging the room in darkness. "I understand."
A small light flickered on, illuminating the frail old man standing in the corner of the room, leaning on a cane. Tired eyes regarded Zarin from behind gray locks.
"I still fail to see why you are interested in any of this. There is nothing in these recordings that you didn't already know. There was no conspiracy involved in your birth."
Zarin smirked. "If there was, that would be exactly what you'd want me to think."
The old Kiffar's face showed no humor. He took a step forward, wobbling slightly on his cane. "Don't be coy with me, Zarin. I know you're here for some other reason."
Zarin rose to his feet. "I'm here for Quinlan Vos' holocron."
The elder raised a bushy eyebrow. "Is that it? And just why would you be interested in such a thing."
"I have my reasons. Do you have it?"
The old Kiffar hesitated for a moment. Then, he slowly nodded. "Yes, I do. But why should I give it you?"
"Because it might help me solve a problem I'm having right now."
The elder let out an exasperated sigh. "And they say I'm needlessly cryptic." Turning on his heel, he beckoned for Zarin to follow him. "This way."
"Thank you, grandfather," Zarin said as he walked after the elder.
Korin Zar harrumphed. "Just don't make me regret this."
"Trust me. I won't."
* * *
Dark eyes narrowed as they studied the blue hologram before them. A gloved hand stroked the scraggly beard owned by the human bounty hunter, the cogs of his brain working to put a name to the face in front of him.
"I think I know her," he said, eyebrows still connected in concentration. "She's one of Malvis' people. Real piece of work. Nobody likes her. Including myself."
"Would it be possible for you to track her down?" asked the cloaked figure sitting in front of him.
The man snorted. "You kidding? Why do you think we're called Snatchers?" He then raised an eyebrow at the stranger. "Although you have to be offering a heavy price if you want any of us to go toe-to-toe with her."
"You will be payed adequatly once the job is done. However, it is not her I care for, but rather the item she carries with her."
"And what would that be?" inquired an Ishi Tib standing to the man's right.
The cloaked being changed the image of the hologram, replacing the woman with a pyramidal-shaped object bearing the carving of an eye.
"This is the Eye of Kaas. While it might not look much, it is estimated to be worth over ten million credits."
The eight gathered Snatchers all stared at the hologram in awe, eyes glistening with greed. One of them, a one-eyed Abyssin, raised his head back to the cloaked one. "So how would the money be split among us?"
"Evenly. About twelve percent each." The stranger tapped their fingers on the table. "Of course, they could very well increase depending on how many of you survive."
The human Snatcher cleared his throat as he leaned back in his seat. "So when do you need this by?"
"The sooner, the better. At most, you have until the end of the week." The cloaked stranger leaned forward slightly. "I trust you will have it sooner than that?"
The man smirked. "Hey, have some faith. They don't call Trask Moran the best Snatcher for nothing."
"Then let us hope you live up to your title, Trask Moran. My master does not take disappointments lightly...."
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