I was try to have this done by yesterday but alas, nothing really ever goes as planned.

But I hope you enjoy!

"His life here will be difficult and confusing; the other children will see him as an outcast. As his parents I know you both want him to have a good life and I can assure you that a better life awaits him elsewhere."

A lightly sweet voice spoke, "I truly don't know what I think of it…we may need time to consider."

"Yava….I think he's right. We can't be selfish here…"

*Knock, Knock, Knock*

The dream faded, and taking its place was a blackness laced with a red splotches as light tried to penetrate his eyelids.

*Knock, Knock, Knock*

He groaned, his legs glided against the sheets while he tried to find a comfortable position.

*Knock, Knock, Knock*

"UGH! WHAT!?" He shot up finding Lyna in the doorway. She held one hand on her hip as the other hovered beside the door, daring to knock again.

"Wake up buttercup, you've had plenty of naptime."

"I just laid down…" He sighed, falling back onto the pillows.

He wiped the sleep from his eyes as she strolled over, "Yeah, about 4 hours ago. I let you have more sleep than you did for me."

Hiram blinked several times to clear the blurriness in his vision and sat up to meet here, "Well, how did it go then? Did you get paid? Are we back in hyperspace?"

"No on both accounts," She brought her hand upto her chin, "There seems to be a new regulation concerning senate stamped shipments that's keeping us here."

Hiram looked at her surprised, "What? That stamp means instant access. Any other port just takes it at face value and lets you go."

Lyna hummed to herself, "Well, not Coruscant. They said something about an assassination attempt by a senator."

"Wowww, I'm impressed. The senators don't usually like to be the ones doing their own dirty work." Hiram got up, threw his shirt into the floor and began foraging through the closet for another, "Well what's the regulation? How long are they keeping us here?"

"I don't know. All they told was they wouldn't accept the cargo and they needed to get an official to come down here to authorize the stamp's validity."

Hiram found a purple one her liked and threw it on, "You know I bet it's actually just Coorr keeping us here so he can come verify the spice himself."

Though I'm very curious about why the drug would be that important.

"That," Lyna appeared beside him as he closed the closet door, "Or Hondo called him about the message you left back on Florrum." She widened her eyes slightly and crossed her arms.

Hiram laughed, "Well they started it, if Coorr is actually coming himself then I'll explain."

Lyna scoffed, "You better. The last thing I need is to be losing business because of some crazy vendetta you have against pirates."

He smirked, "Well, it's not just pirates. The Hutts, the Pykes, I hate them all."

"Hating pirates is somewhat understandable, but how can you hate your biggest employers?"

"Doesn't everyone hate their bosses?" Lyna hummed in response, "And I assume you wouldn't be snuggling up next to Jabba if you got the chance. The crime lords aren't exactly the people anybody gets buddy-buddy with."

"I suppose that's true, just don't go messing up anything for me. Some of us have to pay the maintenance of this baby," she said patting the walls of her ship, "You know maybe I should start charging you rent."

Hiram walked out the bedroom door, Lyna not far behind, "Oof, no you should not. I very much like the current arrangement."

"Getting off scott-free while I give you a place to sleep?"

"Yes." He glanced back at her as they made their way into the lounge, "But let's not forget that I can also throw in my eternal gratitude. And of course you get to learn how to play dejarik from me." He said motioning to the holo table, "Free lessons are a big deal."

She scoffs, taking a seat, "Yeah right." Hiram sat down opposite her, rubbing his hands together as he fired up the board. Then Lyna's comlink buzzed to life, "Finally, this is probably the dock official." She got up to retrieve as Hiram pouted and turned the table off.

Lyna received the transmission, "Attention, Attention. All crew of the Sunstrider must vacate the vessel immediately. Repeat, all crew aboard the Sunstrider vessel must vacate immediately."

Hiram made it to her side as the hailing ended, "Well, that doesn't sound like we're about to get paid."

"No it doesn't" She said, "I have a bad feeling about this."

Hiram smirked, removing the blasters from his thigh holsters and setting down his scramblerkey on the holo-table, "Well I guess I better get out there."

"You're going without your blasters? Are you crazy?"

Hiram made his way over to the loading door, "They're just gonna take them from me as soon as I get down there, I prefer they stay here so I can get them back later," She nodded in acceptance. "You just stay up here in case anything goes sour. I signal you if I think you should take off."

"I like this plan," She grinned.

He hit the button to release the door, "And you wonder why you keep me around."

"Yeah, yeah, shut up." She said, turning around to go sit in the cockpit

Hiram looked out upon the familiar hustle and bustle of the major city. He could hear the roar of the speeders flying by the dock as the door set down, revealing two clone troops clad in red, and in between a small togruta wearing a padawan braid.

And this is why I hate coming to Coruscant.

He walked down the ramp, posturing his hands openly, "Wonderful people of Coruscant, is there anything I can do for you today?"

They did respond as he made his way in front of them, he eyed the padawan as she looked him over. She looked to the clone on her left and nodded. The trooper brandished a pair of energy cuffs and the other walked behind him, patting him down and forcing him to kneel.

"I'll take that as a no," He managed as they bound him in the cuffs.

"Be quiet smuggler," the padawan barked, she then activated her comlink, "Master I've secured the Sunstrider's crew. We're about to offload the shipment know."

"Good job snips, we'll find out what Coorr's up to in no time. I'll be waiting for you here."

Hiram scoffed, "I wouldn't be so sure of myself if I were you," he pressed his comlink against the floor.

The padawan tried to reach for him but it was too late. The ramp retracted back into the ship and the engines whirred to life. The dark red Sunstrider lifted itself into the air and took off, diving into one of the access wells towards the lower regions of the planet.

"No!" The togruta yelled, "Fox, notify the police droids below the surface about that ship."

"On it!" he activated his comlink and ran off toward the dock headquarters.

"You must be pretty new to the Jedi gig if you didn't even think to lock down the ship with a tractor beam." Hiram gloated, getting back up to his feet despite the cuffs, "I guess the jedi are picking just anyone these days."

She huffed, "You are not making this any better for yourself." She signaled the clone next to her to make him kneel again.

"Now wait just a minute," he said, getting the clone to pause in his approach. "On the contrary, I think I have created an opportunity for the both of us to benefit."

The young padawan crossed her arms, "I'm listening." The clone dropped his arms and back away from Hiram

"You obviously want that spice, or your master is going to be pretty disappointed when he finds out you were tricked by a lowly smuggler like myself," He added emphasis to lowly, "And I want my partner and I to get our money's worth and get out of here. You see I know what's in that shipment, I can tell you what it is and where we got it from but I need things in return."

"You're not really in any position to bargain, it won't be long before the patrols find your partner. A ship like that is hard to miss in the lower levels."

"You won't find her, a smuggler is only as good as their hiding places, and she just happens to be the best one I know," He shrugged, "But you can save yourself a lot of time. Just indulge me, I think we got off on the wrong foot. What was your name?"

She groaned but eventually caved, "Ahsoka. Ahsoka Tano." She reached to shake his hand but quickly realized her mistake, "Lev, take off his cuffs."

"Commander, are you sure? I don't think we should trust this guy." He hesitantly made his way behind Hiram, waiting for her to change her mind.

She reaffirmed him with a nod, so Lev removed the cuffs and Hiram heaved a sigh of relief as he rubbed his wrists. "Thank you Ahsoka, my name is Loto Fandelli." He reached for her hand this time, and she accepted.

"Well Loto, what can you tell me about the shipment you're smuggling for Senator Coorr?"

Hiram paced from side to side in front of her, "Well it's a spice shipment, from the size of the containers it looks to be worth about 100,000 credits."

Ahsoka brought a hand to her chin, "Why would Senator Coorr be smuggling spice? There are several legal channels that allow a senator to buy and donate spice to medical facilities."

He smirked, "I have my own hypothesis for that as well, if you're willing to tell me why the jedi are investigating the senator."

"Why would you want to know?"

"Well a businessman such as myself should know a few things about his client, especially if said client is getting me into trouble with the republic."

Ahsoka shifted he weight from one leg to another, "Smuggling alone will get you in that much trouble."

"True I suppose, but like I said before. Just indulge me if you will."

"Hmm. Well, the senate suspects that senator Coorr is accepting bribes from the separatists in exchange for moving the Isenian fleet away from Republic planets so that the Seperatists can invade them unhindered. His actions have cost the lives of thousands spanning over 4 different systems." She finished.

Kill him

She waved her hands in front of him, "Does that satisfy you?" She asked, pulling him from his momentary trance.

"Oh yes," He refocused, she looked at him expectantly, "So I tested to see what the blend was before we delivered it, for reasons I don't plan on talking about, but it looks like this spice is going to be turned into a pretty strong hallucinogen. I don't think he's planning on donating that, nor do I think it's for his personal use. That amount would spoil before he could use it all, even if he was a major junkie."

Ahsoka thought for a second, "I'd like to have some the republic scientists confirm the blend if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Hiram shook his head, "But my partner and I still want to get paid."

Ahsoka scoffed, and activated her comlink, "Thorn, run the name 'Loto Fandelli" through our criminal database and tell me what comes back."

Hiram sucked his teeth, playing as if she'd cornered him, "Well that wasn't very nice."

She crossed her arms, "So how about you just take not being arrested for whatever comes back on that report as your payment."

"Gladly, but you didn't hear me out." He said, "Let us deliver the package straight to Coorr at his residence, and you can raid him right after we leave. That way we get paid, we get out of your hair, and you have both Coorr and the spice together."

Ahsoka nodded, "Catching him with it would make using it for evidence in his trial easier. It's probably another bribe from the seppies, but this much could also mean he's up to something new." She paced a bit, before coming up with a solution, "Ok, so I'll let this happen on one condition."

"Hit me with it."

She stepped closer to him, pointing at him as she spoke, "When you meet up with Coorr. Try and question about what this spice is for, and if you find anything then I need you tell me about it."

Hiram nodded, and emphatically put his hand over his heart, "I swear upon the name of Loto Fandelli that anything I find is yours to know."

She leaned away from him, "Well that's a bit dramatic but fine, I guess this is what we'll do then." She activated her comlink, "Master, I've worked out a deal with the smugglers carrying Senator's Coorr's shipment. It's spice, and they're going to deliver it so we can get Coorr red-handed. I'll explain more when I get back up to you."

"Way to go snips, you're thinking more and more like me every day."

Ahsoka relaxed her arm as the transmission ended, and Hiram spoke up, "Oh so you're gonna take credit for my plan. Alright, I'll remember that."

She shook her head, "I am the one who approved it, I think I deserve half the credit."

Hiram waved his hand dismissvely, "Oh whatever, but I'll contact my partner and tell her the plan. We'll be delivering in 3 hours. Be ready." He said as he turned to walk away from her, "It was nice meeting you Ahsoka."

"The pleasure was all mine," She said sarcastically. She began her walk back to the dock headquarters to tell Fox to call off the patrols when her comlink beeped at her.

"Commander Tano, we have the report on Loto Fandelli. I'm sorry it took us so long sir but we couldn't find anything on the name Loto Fandelli."

"Hmm, maybe he's not such a bad guy after all."

"No commander, we went as far as checking birth databases for all the systems up here. No one has been born under that name."

Lev gasped beside her, "See! I knew we couldn't trust him. I'll get him." They both turned around to find an empty view, looking out at the traffic of Corsucant. Hiram was nowhere to be seen, "Agh, well he couldn't have gotten far. What now Commander?"

"Nothing sergeant, I think he's going to go through with that plan. Go ahead and tell Fox to withdraw that notice from earlier. I'm going to debrief Master Skywalker."

With a simple nod, Lev took off one way as she went another. Ahsoka smiled to herself, he had been thinking ahead when he used that name, but something about his attitude told her he had full intentions of going through with the plan.

As they began walking in different directions, he swore that he would hold up their end of the deal and to be ready for the arrest in 4 hours. Then ahsoka's comlink buzzed to have thorn say that there was no Loto Fandeli in their system, nor anything that linked to the name. She would try to turn back to find him, but he would be gone. She would sigh, recalling the patrol on the ship, instead tell both thorn and fox to be ready for a raid on Senator Coorr home in 4 hours.

Meanwhile, Hiram hung from the dock by the end of a grappling hook fired from his wrist. He made a quick escape just in case that report gave his fake identity away, but he managed to make it out before it did. He activated his comlink to call Lyna.

She answered, "Hiram, you alive?"

He looked around as speeders raced just beneath him, "Oh yeah I'm fine. The jedi and I had a nice chat about our lives and we're all set to go."

"Really? What about Coorr? And our payment?"

"Oh we're still getting paid, I'll tell you about when you come get me. And please make it fast, I don't like just hanging here."

"On my way."

Ta-daaa. That concludes chapter 2. So I have received two requests to take on an OC from you guys, and while I am willing to take one do not be dejected if I refuse him because I don't see him fitting into the story, and I would need you to be ok with making some decisions with the character you may not necessarily like. But other than that feel free to send them and I'll see if I like them.

Until the next one.