Seated within the Glorious Jewel of the Hutts, the Winter Palace is situated on a remote island near the planet’s equator. Although blanketed with the pollution from Hutt industry, its location makes the climate hot and humid. Surrounded with trees and vines, it could be considered to be a paradise, even among the barren wasteland of Nal Hutta. Outside of the Winter Palace, a network of sewer pipes transfer the waste from the palace to wherever seems far enough to dump into the oceans surrounding the island. Flora and fauna that have adapted to the Hutt’s environmental changes thrive in the polluted forests surrounding the Winter Palace.

Stepping through its gilded gates, the lavish interior serves as the main audience chamber. Once belonging to the wealth of Jiliac Desilijic Tiron, the gleaming stone of the main aisle leads up to a Hutt’s dais lined with an expensive carpet. Beautiful tapestries line the high walls, telling of the sordid histories of those who woven them, awaiting execution in Jiliac’s dungeons.

Finally, the antechamber to the "throne" room is illuminated from above with high-skylighted ceilings. Constructed from lightly colored stone, the antechamber might have been where the late Hutt entertained his guests before an audience with spice and exotic dancers. In the hands of the Hutt Kajidics, however, these traditions have continued as the Winter Palace now serves as a front for criminal and business ventures that come and go.

Sabe hated Nal Hutta. Every bit of it offended her, from the stench that permeated every surface to the oppressive climate. But she also hated it for her past, slavers often used Nal Hutta as a port of call. It was all around a terrible place, but orders were orders. Warhost Special Operations wanted her to deploy on a mission by Clan Naga Sadow’s Security and Intelligence Agency, to eliminate a High Value Target that was considered a security risk. The target was easy enough to track, he was a boisterous and flashy Mandalorian who was strutting along the bazaar outside the gates of the Winter Palace.

As Sabe stalked her target through the crowd, he stopped at a stall, speaking with an unknown armored figure. Without another thought, Blaze shouldered her E-11D and fired off a pair of crimson bolts that snapped into the back of the Mandalorian’s helmet. He dropped without another word, and had there been no flash from her rifle, few would have been the wiser. But the unknown visitor couldn’t miss it, and he turned to face Sabe.

“What is the meaning of this?” The speaker asked in a mechanical voice.

“Nothing to concern yourself with, sir. Please go about your business,” Sabe replied, turning away and slinging her rifle.

“That was my business. And I am still speaking to you, do not turn away,” The speaker growled. Sabe stopped, but did not turn around.

“Then find a new business partner. Seems your most recent find went into early retirement,” Sabe rolled her eyes under her helmet.

“Look at me when I am speaking to you!” Sabe slowly turned to face the speaker.

“And just what makes you so kriffing important?” Sabe approached the speaker.

“You speak to a Knight of House Tarentum. I know your insignia, Sadowan.” Sabe rolled her eyes again under her helmet.

“Good for you. Hope that works out for you and all that. But you’re making a scene,” Sabe said and turned around once again, only to stop as she heard the slow hiss of a lightsaber igniting.

“You will show me proper respect, girl. Or I will leave you here for someone to make better use of than your pitiful Clan has,” The Tarentum Knight said. Sabe immediately spun around, drawing her WESTAR-35, and fired a pair of crimson bolts. Her target sidestepped, and the bolts slammed into the stall behind him. The merchant cried out, which got the attention of civilians around them, and they scattered.

“Say when,” Sabe growled.