Path of the Stars- Chapter 8

The meal that Shmi prepared for us was of rather poor fare. But she was also dirt poor, and Tatooine wasn't exactly known for having a plethora of food options for the people who were dirt poor.

But food was food. I ate it, and then washed down the 'flavor' with some fruit juice that I made for everyone as well. And it was almost adorable watching Shmi hug the cold glass of juice like it was the best thing ever and sip at it slowly.

"Hmm, we will be staying here. No need to buy further property when this lot is so large anyway. We will be living mostly underground anyway." I mused as I was already planning for the future.

I was here on Tatooine now, the 'Second Armpit of the Galaxy' beyond Nal-Hutta, for example, being the 'King of Armpits' in shithole planets to live upon.

And while I was here, using the massive amount of broken-down ships here in Watto's scrapyard that had been all but crash-landed here. I could do a great number of things.

I was honestly thinking of pushing my Abundance power to its limits in making an Xianzhou Ship from Honkai Star Rail. The source of my Path Power of Abundance.

 In HSR, Xianzhou ships were space ships that were self-contained planets with their sheer size. Often, the size of a large moon held the populations of the Xianzhou long-lived natives.

Though such a ship, right now, even if I 'could' make it, which I cannot right now. My faction, besides myself, was two crazy women who I could barely trust not to stick me as I was sleeping.

"So, beyond selling fruits and living it up on this Hutt world. What are our plans for the near future?" Talon asked as she carefully trimmed a nail with a knife.

I hummed and then said thoughtfully. "Getting some high-powered explosives, anti-tank rockets, and then blasting a Krayt Dragon for it's pearls is our top goal." 

Well we could just straight buy or steal some pearls from the sand people... And the Jawa's as well, probably. But I didn't want to deal with them frankly.

"Finding such weapons will be easily here on Tatooine; the issue is that they will be a bit expensive. Though we still have more than enough money for such things." Kali said thoughtfully.

I nodded as if there was a plus to living on this shit hole. It was that, getting illegal weapons was just a matter of money being exchanged.

"Anyway, you two should go clean out that room over there. I will expand the house and make a basement in the morning." I said, pointing towards Watto's room.

The two women shared a look before getting up to go make the room, as we were all clearly on the tired side after dealing with Tatooine's heat for the last few hours.

And as they reached the room, my lips twitched with amusement as Talon gagged at the leftover... Flavor that tainted Watto's with his leftover stank.

"Hmph! This is... Nothing compared to the real shit heaps back on Coruscant!" Kali said with pride. 

And I would believe her, if it wasn't for how her olive skin had gone a bit pale. And her cat ears atop her head were twitching as she failed to completely suppress her reaction.

The two then went into the room with a metal door shutting behind them. Silencing their reactions. And leaving me alone with Shmi for the moment.

There was a silence for a moment as Shmi pinched her threadbare dress that hung on her voluptuous body... And then I said with a slight chuckle as I decided to see how actually submissive she was to her owner.

"Well, Shmi, let's get going to bed then." 

Shmi blinked at my words before she said. "Uhm, ok?" And she moved to go to her room with me following, and as we both entered her room, she seemingly only then realized I was there.

She gave a light flush at the realization before her soft eyes met mine, and she asked softly. "Will master be sleeping with me tonight?" 

"Yes," I said simply as I wanted to pressure Shmi to see where her will was.

And my answer was Shmi merely nodding silently with her padding over and dropping her dress from her form and exposing her body that was wrapped in a bra that was tied in a knot around her back and a pair of simple grey panties that were clearly like half Shmi's own age at least.

Then she untied her bra, exposing her large breasts, before she climbed into the bed as I also stripped down to a pair of shorts before I climbed into the bed and laid beside Shmi.

The woman exhaled before she asked quietly. "How do you want me master?"

And I coudn't help a wry smile as I said almost jokingly. "Willing is the most preferable." 

There was a silence as Shmi most certainly didn't expect that answer... And she finally said calmly in a simple statement of fact.

"I am your property master. I want to serve you, I want to make you happy so you don't beat me with a wrench like Watto did when I didn't get enough food with the money he gave me." 

'Yeah... That's a total boner killer.' I thought helplessly before I mentally said. 'Fuck it.' I pulled Shmi into my arms, and she made a noise of confusion as I wrapped my arms around her possessively with one hand on her upper back and one on that thick ass of hers.

"Yup, just snuggles for now. Get happy, get happy, get happy." I said with each 'get happy' being a gently smack to her butt that clapped out like a flesh drum.

After a moment, Shmi with her face against my chest and facing away from me. Said quietly. "I will be happier then." 

I knew that she was lying, basically but what could I do honestly. It's not like I could just 'fix' her via love when she had been tormented her entire life and knew her lot in life after thirty-something years of it being beaten into her soul.

Still... The lowly attitude and her being 'broken in' made her a far better snuggle pillow than Kali, As Kali ruined snuggle time when she had a fucking rusty knife hidden in her waistband that would cut me if I held her waist.

-

The next morning I was up bright and early before the twin suns even crested over the horizon of the basin that Mos Elsey was built within to avoid the sand storms, and as much sunlight as possible really.

Still, I was busy for a good hour using the power of Abundance to create pillars of wood to burrow under the workshop and house to support it. And then opening up a large basement that went underneath the house, more than twenty meters below the ground.

And the hardy limestone and bedrock that Mos Elsey was built upon made the building alot easier than it had any right to be as I didn't need to worry about the large basement collapsing.

"Now, to make a little growing operation. Along with some 'moisture collectors' that will form an easy little business for me to profit from without any effort." I mused as I knew that here on Tatooine.

Just selling water in small barrels would be an easy side hustle that would make a lot of money.

A lot of money that wouldn't require me to go in person to make the deals with the cartels in the area to sell food or water to them directly.

"Are... Are you a jedi or a sith?" Shmi asked softly with wonder as the basement filled with a cool moist air that was almost painfully different from the dry oven-like heat that was Tatooine's outside temperature.

"Nope... I am a Pathstrider of the Abundance." I said honestly, even though I knew that Shmi had no idea what it would mean.

Still, I was a bit surprised to see Shmi nod and clarify. "So you... Make life in abundance, right?"

I couldn't help but chuckle, as although she was 'right' The Abundance wasn't merely just 'Life in Abundance.' No, it was life overwhelming. Life that chokes out all other life, unbound by death, and infinitely expanding.

"You could say that." I said simply as explaining how the truly powerful beings that walked my path were cosmic horrors almost unkillable in concept besides by forces that were beyond the power seen here in this universe.

Then with a hum, I laid my hands on a large destroyed hull of a cargo ship that clearly been hit with missiles and was destroyed internally. The innards were destroyed by what looked like a multi-stage fragmentation missile.

The innards of the ship were literally shredded by shrapnel, and all of the major components were ruined after being exposed to the vacuum of space.

Said innards included obviously life support, radar systems, the control system, the engine system, and most importantly... The Hyperdrive was fucking scrap.

The ship was utterly unfixable due to how utterly raggedly destroyed it was.

To normal people and mechanics anyway.

To me?

Lol, Lmao even.

The ship glowed brighter as I exhaled pure life into the ship. The jagged wound blasted into the ship quickly healed. The metal smoothing out and regrowing in place of missing metal.

Likewise the inside of the ship began 'healing' as well. Data was brought back to life, power was restored to the ship. The ship's seals and mechanical 'organs' were restored over twenty minutes.

And that included the Hyperdrive most importantly!

I pulled back my hand with a thoughtful hum and I mused. "A free cargo ship. The question is, who can I sell it to." 

Then it hit me... I could almost for sure just sell it to Jabba as he would no doubt welcome another cargo ship. And I doubted I would even meet with the oversized slug as his own men would likely be 'happy' to buy it off of me.

Still that was a thought for later as Talon's voice rang out. "Jake, some men of another cartel are here for you."

I raised an eyebrow at that and told Shmi. "Go ahead and take some money from the store room in the basement to get actual good food. Money isn't too much of a worry."

Shmi gave me a slight bow in response and as I made my way towards the front... I paused before turning to her with a smile and said. "Oh, and also... Get yourself some nice underwear and a couple nice dresses you can be seen beside me with."

Then I made my way forward into the shop... Where I saw a human female and two Gamorreans were laid out on the ground and visibly smoking with their clothes singed in places.

My face twitched as I gave Talon a look with her saying blandly. "The Gamorreans said some nonsense... So I corrected them. The woman tried to shoot me and thus I corrected her as well." 

I just shook my head before with a flicker of healing green light the sith lightning burns were healed... Though I left them with a bit of nerve damage to keep them honest with the leading woman it seemed slowly coming to a kneeling position.

"Master Sith... We-" She struggled and I just gave the wretch with burnt hair a dull look as she all but groveled back down as lightning loudly crackled between Talon's fingers.

I just gave her a long look before I spoke softly. "You came to demand a cut of the fruit right? That I could ONLY sell my fruit to you right?" 

I leaned in and with a hum I said gently. "That is not happening. So good bye." 

My hand snatched forward and she screamed, whoever it was screamed bloody murder as the Abundance tore through her mind and body. Overloading her soul with life to the point of turning it into the wood of Abundance to grant it the glory of eternity.

"Shh... No need to scream child. You are free, you are free of death, of old age, of disease. You shall live eternally now." I whispered softly as the woman was engulfed in Abundance.

But that wasn't all! The woman clearly had potential, force potential at least or maybe potential for Mass Effect Biotics as none of the other people I turned could accept as much power of the Abundance.

As she transformed into a Houyhnhnm, which was a centaur like being with a thick exoskeleton of Abundance wood, and gems that glowed with a soft green light.

"Most impressive... You will be a powerful creature I am sure." I said with a wide smile as I patted the Houyhnhnm on the side.

Though I was a little dissapointed she didn't evolve into an Ascended of Abundance though. As while still bound to my will, she would have been able to keep her mind and been even more powerful.

But I had a feeling that only beings that had the potential of Jedi Knight at the very least would be able to turn into such a being. Or like wise with a Master or Darth having the potential to make some very special beings for sure.

Either way, I then turned to the pig like Gamoreans and said simply. "Roll on out of here. I will allow you to live and tell your boss that I will not be selling to only his business in any case." 

The two piggies nodded furiously with fat tears streaming down their ugly faces before they did as I commanded... And literally rolled out of the shop before they threw their fat forms up with suprising speed before taking off in a dead piggy sprint.

"That was less subtle then I expect." Talon said rather blandly.

In turn I just shrugged before I gave the Houyhnhnm a look before I patted it's armored horse shoulder and said. "Go into the back and rest. Get used to your new self."

The abomination of abundance silently made it's way into the back even as I saw Talon hold in a flinch at the large monster striding past her without even glancing at her.

And then I looked to Talon and asked bluntly. "And which cartel did she and those pigs belong to?"

Talon gave me a raised eyebrow but she said calmly. "The Clixia Cartel supposedly. She got too mouthy and I shocked her before I got more information out of her however."

"Then, I suppose you should go find out their backing, and where they live. They have seemingly volunteered to join this wonderful family and show the rest of the people of Tatooine the love I can share."

Talon's calm expression twitched but I paid her no mind. I made my way into the cool basement and checked the barrels of water to see they were fine and filling up just as I hoped.

A few minutes later as I was just relaxing in the cool basement, the sound of the metal door to said basement rang out as it was pulled aside.

My eye's slowly opened and I took in Kali walking down the stairs. Each step down said stairs making her ample breasts bounce with the motions.

I remained silent for a moment as Kali approached and as she got closer she finally spoke.

"Jake, I found a arms running gang that often sells high power weapons to visiting nobles who come to hunt the Krayt Dragons and such." 

I hummed thoughtfully and said. "Oh? And did you already did the weapons?"

To which Kali gave a helpless smile and said flatly. "No, I don't have the money to do that obviously. And their group is to say the least, heavily armed. So it's not like I could just steal it from them."

That was a fair point. So I rocked forward off the seat I was relaxed in. And after standing up, I spoke with amuesment. "Very well. Then let's go visit the gang."

I then picked up the money we had saved up and with Kali directing me. We took a repaired speeder across Mos Elsey to the 'nicer' area which was more heavily controlled directly by Jabba the Hutt.

As this area was for his 'trusted' smugglers and where filthy rich people would send their servants to pick up slaves and other illegal services/products.

And as we made our way into the enclosed gang territory within the nicer area. We walked directly into another large shop and I coudn't help but think. 'Damn... These guns are just completely and out in the open huh?'

But... Even with rocket launchers clearly for sale right next to ammunition, I knew that 'stealing' wasn't going to be an option. As the shop was locked down tight with more than a dozen automatic turrets tracking our every motion.

And before we even entered the store, there was a sign that said very clearly that the turrets would kill anyone who took a weapon in hand or came in with said weapon in hand.

I walked directly to a fat male Togruta and he spoke with a light grin. "So what can Dead End Arms do for you?"

"I am looking for some tools to hunt a Krayt Dragon or two." I said simply.

And the man gave a thick grunt before raising an eyebrow at me. "Ya ain't no spoiled little noble brat with too much credits. You would have come with a safari group and woudn't have even left your ship. So what kind of budget are you workin with."

I smiled thinly and said calmly. "I am getting an anti-tank rocket launcher. Several land mines, and a few mining blasting charges."

The Togruta shrugged as he also realized I wasn't going to be upselled on trying to sell me nonsense that I didn't want.

And he just waved over a few more xeno non-humans to bring him a catalog of the options in which I went over.

After choosing said weapons, I quickly realized that although I had enough for the missile launcher and land mines. I didn't have enough for the blasting charges.

As I still wanted to have some funds for my daily life as living good on Tatooine wasn't cheap in the slightest.

"Now, would you like to buy information on where to find said Krayt Dragons? They can be... Quite difficult to find in the desert, and it would be quite misfortunate if you ran into trouble outside of the city." He said with his teeth showing.

For a moment I wondered if he was threatening me... And then I realized that it didn't matter if he was as there was too many customers in the store to so blatantly try to extort me under threat of the turrets.

As should news of such acts come out. The shop woudn't be getting business for long obviously.

"No. We will be quite fine thank you." I said with a small smile. As I already planned to find some Jawa's or Sand People to find out where some Krayt Dragons were. I wasn't going to pay this guy for probably outdated information.

I then pulled the cases filled with the explosives and missile launchers out of the store and put them into the back seat of our speeder before Kali said rather cooly. "Jake, he likely plans to send bandits after us or something... I bet you anything these cases have trackers on them!"

I gave a thin smile and I said in turn. "Then I will deal with them then. Either way, I rather not make the massive mess it would take to take down a dozen blaster turrets and whatever weapons they are packing. To say nothing of them arming themselves with heavier munitions."

Oh sure, I could block some blaster bolts and slugs with my Abundance powers to say nothing of very quickly healing any wounds I do take. Even normally lethal one's weren't an issue after all.

But did I WANT to take a thermal grenade to the face?

Hell no, I did not want that. Thank you very much!

Kali rolled her eye's at my 'weak' answer but then I paused as my head turned to the side as something... No, what was clearly the force telling me to look aside.

I saw the head crest of a Asari's purple head that was heading down an alleyway. And yet the force was screaming at me to follow her for some reason.

'Fuck it... Let's see what the galaxies weird hive mind subconcious wants me to do.' I mused before I spoke to Kali firmly. "Take the weapons home and put them away in the basement. I have something else to do for now."

Kali grumbled at me in annoyance, but I couldn't hear what she muttered under her breath as I strode past the throngs of mostly xeno non-humans to follow that armored Asari into the alleyway.

I followed the rather not at all fucking subtle force whispers and after a couple of minutes I caught up with the Asari as she had climbed atop one of the nearby sandstone buildings.

And while hiding in the eaves of the building, she was staring off at another larger gang that even had it's own landing strip. I saw she was using a large set of binoculars that I bet also doubled up as a transmission device of sorts.

Then, as I stared at her form from another building... I recognized the armor she was wearing, along with the armor patch on her shoulder.

'A Spectre? Oh, hell no... A Spectre is something I really shoudn't be messing with. Especially a fucking Asari Spectre.' I thought, as I had hoped, that she was merely an assassin or bounty hunter.

'What the hell does the force want me to do with a Spectre?' I thought before I relaxed and looked away as the Spectre put the large pair of binoculars away behind her, and onto a maglock it seemed on her back.

I kept in the shadows, pretending to be some vagrant hiding from the twin burning sun's in the sky and as she passed by my gaze and jumped down with a flare of biotics breaking her fall.

I knew that I really... Really, shoudn't be fucking about with a spectre.

But honestly? I could stand to give the whispers of the force one chance before I mentally locked it away for having terrible idea's or something.

So I got up, and as the Spectre turned around the corner. I heard the loud crack of a Mass Effect weapon in particular before I realized what she was doing. 

'She is trying to clear out that gang for some reason... Why is she doing that? Why is a Spectre clearing out a gang hide out?' I thought with a frown as I saw the deadly Spectre with her energy shield and biotics.

Just fucking tear through the poor bastards. But I quickly noticed that for all her shock in awe, and brutal headshot focus shooting style with the DMR style rifle she was wielding.

She was also letting alot of gangster run away from the site of the slaughter.

To the point that it rather confused me even as I watched her throw several large grenades into the main building and then lay some charges onto the landing pad to blow it up as well.

'The gun fire isn't anything new for Mos Elsy, even in this 'nicer' area. But explosives aren't something so subtle.' I thought as I covered my face as the roar of the explosives rang out in several powerful booms that brought the building down.

And with a hum, I saw the Spectre running away from the scene as she left merely wreckage behind.

'Fuck it. Might as well make contact.' I thought before I fueled my body with both the force and Abundance before I hopped down to the ground. In front of the path of the Spectre as she was running in my direction, where she had obviously scouted before, I followed behind her.

And I raised up a hand to create a shield of Abundance wood that loudly cracked as in a split moment, her hand raised up a pistol and shot at my knee and arms.

"Hey hey! Friendly here!" I called out jokingly, but my answer was my form glowing blue, and I muttered. "Oh fuck." Before I was lifted bodily up into the air... And then fucking thrown over the next building and more than thirty meters away past another series of buildings.

Having an Asari 'witch' take my person right to gravity and violate like an cheap whore did not feel good I could say for certain as with a loud crash, I smashed my side into a dome and fell down another half a dozen meters to land on the side building's roof with my body hitting the stone roof with a heavy thud.

"Ow." I muttered as I slowly rolled up to my feet. And then I nodded before I said flatly. "Yup, that was some Skywalker level of following the force to find some bullshit."

I mean... The force was pushing me to follow and interact with an Asari spectre. I didn't exactly have a good opening to converse with her.

And I doubted I could, or even should follow her back to her ship or whatever base she had here in Mos Elsy.

But that left one important fact to be answered. What was an agent of the Citadel Space doing here in Hutt Space was the real question?