The discussion about an appropriate name seemed to be going in the right direction,which Aria was pleased to note though the conversation would be put on temporary hold as another familiar voice which they had not heard for some three months spoke up to offer her own input. Aria turned her head as another chair floated up to join them with the blonde-haired Miraluka perched in its seat and returned the smile, nodding slowly as Malu offered up her discoveries pertaining to the High Sith language and suggested a name that they might all find agreeable. 
“Qyaari…” she echoed, as if trying the name out before she nodded again. “I like it, has a nice ring to it.”
Similar murmurs of approval followed from the other members of the Council which sealed the deal and made the name official. 
Cheriss frowned thoughtfully as she too tried to place the name. “Lugansa...yes, I'm sure I've heard it but I don't know if I recall him enough to put a face to the name. At any rate I don't imagine Lugansa himself survived Bracknell's purge; though as you say it's good to have the possibility of some other competent Force users, even if they will take time to recover.”
Their meeting at that point was interrupted by an urgent call from Chancellor Saresh who had worrying news about the state of affairs on Nar Shaddaa. Before Aria knew it she and Yerbol had been volunteered to go and investigate the disturbance. 
“We just can't catch a break, can we?” she groaned, though she couldn't keep the smile from forming. Saresh was right, they couldn’t risk agitating the Hutts by sending in an entire military fleet, and if they were able to sort out the problem it would only stand the Alliance and Force users in general in a better stead with the Hutt cartel...
_____________

The members of Havoc squad were all too happy to see the duo again, Bex and Abbeth particularly so. They spent the journey to Nar Shaddaa catching up with the squad members,  which was nice. The only thing that was missing, Aria thought absently with a pang of sadness, was Neta, who it seemed as if they hadn't seen in forever. In some way  Aria was glad of that, because it meant the ex-pilot was safe and happy with her kids, but it didn't mean she didn't miss the way Neta always seemed to look out for her and Yerbol.

When they arrived on the smuggler’s moon, they found that ‘dark’ may have been a slight under-exaggeration of the situation. Nar Shaddaa was normally a bustling hub of activity, full of vendors, traders, pilots, bounty hunters and all other manner of people looking to make a quick buck or to hit the red sector for a much needed break during a stop off...so to see the streets almost entirely devoid of occupants was very concerning. They hadn’t taken more than a few steps off their respective ships before they could tell something was indeed very wrong. Even the spaceport was nearly empty, with only a few maintenance droids buzzing past, only two other people stood near the exit, a Rodian and an individual decked out in classic Mandalorian beskar armour. Their attention was fixed on the display screen suspended above the customs check in area.
“This doesn’t look very good, does it?” Aria muttered as they edged closer to the terminals to see what all the fuss was about. Playing was a news bulletin that appeared to be coming out of Coruscant rather than from Nar Shaddaa directly, the images displaying bloodstained streets of the Promenades. No bodies were shown, though a bold title claimed in large lettering:
“PROMENADE MASSACRE: HUTT BOSSES FOUND BUTCHERED”

The reporter delivering the story sounded highly anxious as he supplemented the headline with further details. 
“Never has a crime been so brazenly committed on Nar Shaddaa nor has anyone been bold enough to target the cartel directly. No successful contact with Nar Shaddaa has been made since the bodies were discovered...all comm channels appear to be unresponsive,  whether this is a technical or manpower issue we cannot confirm.” this backed up the intel Saresh had given them over the holo before they had left.  “Nal Hutta have contracted investigation teams to attempt to get to the bottom of this but as of yet they have not made contact to deliver reports. The team have been on radio silence since arriving on Nar Shaddaa and the Hutta bosses begin to fear the worst. Chancellor Saresh cautions everyone NOT to panic and to abstain from travelling to the smuggler's moon until the issue is resolved.”
“This bad, not worth sticking around for. No Hutts to take contracts, Moon no good for bounty hunting any more.” one traveller, a Rodian, insisted.
“Like this is anything new!” his companion protested, her voice obscured by the visor of her helmet, “Just gang crime finally catching up to the Hutts. Some business owner probably got tired of being swindled and paid them to take the slugs out.”
“You not see bodies. Very brutal. Worse than gang killings, this not gangs.” the Rodian muttered. “Me not sticking round to be next kill.”
Aria struggled to see over the men's heads to get a glimpse at the images on the terminal but she doubted they would be any help if the whole moon had been dead to comm channels for weeks. 
“You been down there, have you?” she asked the alien who had spoken. The bounty hunters eyed their little group with wary mistrust. 
“Just answer the question, please.” Elara urged as Havoc joined them after scoping out the area. “Saresh sent us to take a look at things.”
“Lady wants to end up in coffin that her choice!” The Rodian hunter exclaimed, his voice going up an octave. “Need much weapon, much smarts to avoid being torn to pieces!” 
“This place is bad.” the Mandalorian added. “all the other travellers cleared off a few days ago, and most people stay off the streets just to be safe. Anybody who doesn't lock their doors vanishes and nobody hears from them again; if you were smart you'd probably go back to wherever it is you came from.”
“I'm sure we can handle it.” Aria chuckled, lifting her cloak to tap the lightsabers at her belt. “So, what's the situation? Did anybody actually see anything or anyone going for the Hutts before they died?” 
The Mandalorian shook her head. “So far as we know it was business as usual, next thing you know there's a huge commotion down on the Promenade and then everything goes dead silent. People went down to investigate and never came back up, my partner here was one of the only ones who managed to make it out and even he doesn't want to talk about what he saw.”
Aria wasn't sure it was possible for the Rodian’s eyes to get any wider than they already were. 
“Me not see much.” He insisted. “Saw Hutt body torn apart, not get close before chase by strange thing. Red eyes, that all me see before running. Almost got caught but was faster than others, ran back here and not stop to look back.”
Red eyes. That didn't sound good. Aria exchanged a glance with  Yerbol as they dismissed their informants and began to head for the Promenade. As they descended the steps, the stench of decay hit them, Aria grimacing and covering her mouth and nose with one hand.
“Ugh...doesn't smell good either.”

Bodies were littered across the street, not just the Hutts but others too, of all species and age. All had been torn open, viscera and entrails spread out in a gruesome display. The Rodian was right, this was overkill even for a gang war. 
“This isn't a gang crime.” Elara muttered as she stepped back from the corpse of a woman who had desperately tried to protect her young child but to no avail. “Gangs target opposing gang members, and even when people get caught in the crossfire...never like this.” 
Picking their way through the carnage, they found the Hutt, who was in no better condition than the other bodies.

 Aria swallowed, the sour taste returning to her mouth. Red eyes, the Rodian had said. 
She and Yerbol exchanged a knowing glance, hands closing around their weapons as they moved to survey the area. They were here…