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"Meaning the high-and-mighties looked down on us," Rorq said, crossing his thick arms. "Called us subrats."
"Even though we kept everything ru
"So the order of things," Euraana said, holding her hand up and flipping it over, "is now reversed."
"Subrats on top," Swa
"The citizens below depend on the tu
"We saved their hides," Rorq growled.
"We've gotten a taste of power, and we like it," Swa
"Everything has changed," Euraana said quietly.
"Before the Purge, Euraana here wouldn't have given me the time of day," Swa
"Oh?" Euraana said, cocking an eyebrow. "Do you know me so well, Swa
Swa
"Maybe you should stick to things you know about," Euraana snapped in a tart tone. "The crimelords, for example." She turned to the others. "The tu
"They are paid by the crimelords for their services, as well as by the citizens."
"Why shouldn't we be paid?" Swa
"Tell us about the crimelords," Obi-Wan said. If he didn't step in, he had a feeling Euraana and Swa
Swa
"Let's start with Decca," Obi-Wan said.
"She's a Hutt," Rorq said with a shudder. "The daughter of Gardulla.
Decca took over Gardulla's organization when she died. Her center of operations used to be on C-Foroon, near Tatooine, but she got chased off.
She came here and brought her goons with her. She's mainly in the spice trade."
"But she has a personal grudge against Striker," Swa
"The only trouble is, she doesn't have fuel for them," Rorq said.
"Striker keeps raiding her fuel supplies, just to make her angry. He doesn't need that much fuel. He doesn't have as many transports."
"Nobody knows who Striker is?" Anakin asked.
Swa
"And Feeana Tala?" Yaddle asked. "A native of Mawan, she is."
Rorq nodded. "She controls most of the goods and services that are sold to the citizens below. Small potatoes for the other crimelords."
"Still, they raid her when they feel like it," Swa
Euraana looked at Yaddle. "So what is our first step?"
"Return and take back the city, the citizens must," Yaddle said. "So control of the power grid we must have."
"You'll have to guarantee their safety," Euraana said.
Yaddle turned to her and blinked in a gesture that was very much like Yoda's. "Guarantee, you say? Guarantees, there never are." She spread her hands. "Help them we will. Courage must they find themselves."
Euraana nodded. "If we can get the power grid back, we might be able to persuade them to leave the tu
"That is our job," Obi-Wan said, indicating himself and Anakin. "They must be told that if they don't voluntarily leave the planet, Senate security forces will make them go."
"If the Senate will send them," Euraana said worriedly. "They still have not agreed."
"Agree they will, if take back the city we can," Yaddle said.
"What if the crimelords don't listen to talk?" Swa
"We have to find a reason to make them listen," Obi-Wan said.
"Everyone is vulnerable somewhere. For now we just need to learn more about their operations."
"Swa
"Safer down there in case something bad happens," Swa
"Take us below," Obi-Wan said. "We'll be in touch while you take care of the power grid," he said to Yaddle. Yaddle nodded good-bye.
"If you'll follow me." Swa
Obi-Wan and Anakin strode after the two. Obi-Wan's instincts were on alert. He had his doubts about the value of Swa
They were scruffy, rude, and probably untrustworthy.
Qui-Gon would have befriended them instantly.