Indiana Jones and the Sith Stone
Posted by: Darth Danno 11.08.07 12:01am

These events take place approximately nine years before the Eriadu summit, which took place @ six months before the events of "The Phantom Menace".

As he soared across the desert wastes in his rented landspeeder, Palpatine mulled over upcoming events. He knew he could have found someone else to do this for him. He had been the senator to Naboo now for over a decade, and had acquired many aides, compatriots, and persons who were more than happy to do whatever the Senator required. But the less who knew about this...secret project, the better. He had an apprentice back on Coruscant who was more than up to performing this task, but thought it prudent to keep him in the shadows awhile longer. Lord Maul's time would come soon enough, he knew.

Palpatine, disguised as a simple moisture farmer, with his true facial features hidden somewhat by synthflesh, his hair died a darker color and slicked back, and his apparel a stark contrast to what he normally wore when on Coruscant, or in the privacy of his own chambers for that matter. He was disguised without blatantly looking like he was disguised. He had no doubt his host would never guess his true identity. Not that he should care even if he did find out. Money was all that mattered to their kind. As long as the appropriate funds crossed the appropriate hands at the appropriate times, there was not much to worry about...usually. Of course he was more than up to dealing with the kind of lowlifes he would soon be surrounded by. He had kept up his Sith training with surprising regularity, even though it all had to be done in secret. Hopefully events here wouldn't reach the point where violence would be necessary, but with his lightsaber hidden up his sleeve, he was ready for anything. Having the Force as an ally was also a great benefit. He knew his host would be immune to any sort of Force persuasion or mind tricks, but the Force could prove useful in so many other ways. He just had to make sure to remain open to whatever it may offer up to him at any point and time in this meeting.

The twin suns beat down upon him as he reached his destination. It was an old monastery that once belonged to the B'omarr monks. Now the monks did still occupy the facility, at least a few of them did in the lower levels, but it was currently the domain of the vile gangster, Jabba the Hutt.

How Palpatine wished there was some other course of action than this. He didn't care for the idea of using this bloated sack of puss as a go-between between himself and his goal. In his everyday dealings, he either had met, or heard about various sundry characters that would be more than willing to undertake this job. But would they succeed, he wondered. If he sent one off, and they returned empty handed, or didn't return at all, he knew he wouldn't have the time or resources to try again. He needed someone competent, someone capable of doing the task assigned, and also reliable enough to not try and double-cross him once the job was completed. Jabba would know of such an...artisan. But to be sure they would not come cheap. Nor would the Hutt's finders fee.

Palpatine exited his landspeeder and walked up the pathway to the massive metal door of the fortress. He looked around for some sort of bell or buzzer to announce his presence, but found nothing of the sort. So he simply rapped loudly on the door itself. For a few moments, nothing happened. Then, a round hatch opened in the center of the gate and a round orb attached to a long metal rod extended itself out. The orb opened, revealing a single, central eye that gazed upon Palpatine, sizing him up. In Huttese, it asked him his business. Palpatine replied he wished to see the master regarding a matter of business that had the ability to make the Hutt quite a wealthy...being. The eye stared at him for a few moments before the optical shutter surrounding the eye closed, and the stalk attached to the orb retracted back into the door. Then with a loud creak, the massive door slid slowly upward, granting the senator just enough room to pass under.

Once inside, a blast of cool air greeted him. It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust from the bright light of Tatooine's twin suns, to the darkness of the entryway and the expanse beyond. There were very few lights in here, he noticed. Probably helped keep things cooler. Glancing around, he realized there was no one to greet him, so he began to walk down the wide passageway towards the center of the structure. As he made his way along, his senses began to pick up a myriad of smells coming from all around him. Old libations that had been expelled from the body in one form or another seemed to permeate from the ground. Days old intoxicants hung in the air, like long dead spirits, trapped between this word and the next. By the strength of the dank, musty aromas that assaulted him, it was obvious that most, if not all of the inhabitants of Jabba's court, not to mention Jabba himself, didn't practice regular personal hygiene rituals such as bathing. This was to be expected, of course, considering these were the scum and villainy of the galaxy, not the elite and privileged. They remained as dirty as the work they were hired to perform.

A figure stepped in front of Palpatine, interrupting his train of thought, he stepped back and saw it was a Gamorrean. A hulking green skinned creature with two horns protruding from the top of its head, and a pig-like snout right in the middle of its face. Palpatine knew Jabba employed these creatures as bodyguards for their brute strength, ornery disposition, and unwavering loyalty. The Gamorrean glared at the intruder with its small, deep-set eyes. It carried a large battle-axe in its right hand that he slowly brought up and crossed it over his chest. But before it could do anything further, another figure came up from behind it and laid his hand on its shoulder. The guard turned quickly, and seeing whom it was, quickly stepped aside.

The new arrival wan none other than Bib Fortuna, Jabba's right hand man and major- domo. Bib was a Twi'lek, with a large set of lekku, or tentacle head tails, protruding from the back of his skull. Even in the dim light, Palpatine could see the Twi'lek's clothing was made from only the best materials, befitting his stature as aide to one of the most powerful crime lords in the galaxy. Bib Fortuna looked Palpatine over with some reluctance, as if this simple peasant could have, or say anything that would be worth his master's time.

"Don't let the clothes fool you, my good sir." Palpatine began in his best Huttese. "Tatooine is not the type of place one wants to go about wearing their finest, unless they enjoy getting robbed and/or accosted. I represent one who has sizeable wealth and influence, and he wishes to gain the Hutt's favor, in return for some...information."

Bib mulled over Palpatine's words carefully, never taking his eyes off of him the whole time. He ran his long, sharp fingers across one of his lekku as he thought about weather or not to grant this stranger an audience with the mighty Hutt.

Then, he nodded and shouted, "Boska!" as he turned and strode off in the direction he had come. Palpatine followed a few meters behind, and the large Gamorrean brought up the rear as they made their way toward the Hutt's chambers.

TO BE CONTINUED

Darth Danno