In Hutt Space, a lone starship emerged from hyperspace and approached a planet whose surface blazed with artificial light so intense it could be seen from orbit.
"We're here," Anakin announced from the pilot's seat of the Twilight.
"Nar Shaddaa," Obi-Wan observed after a moment. "The Smugglers' Moon."
"That's not what we used to call it," Anakin said with a bitter laugh.
"What did you call it?" Peter asked, glancing at the young Jedi.
Skywalker looked away from the others and let out a heavy sigh.
"Back on Tatooine—that's where I lived before the Jedi found me," Anakin explained. "We called this place 'Little Nal Hutta' because the Hutts control everything here."
Skywalker's tone indicated he didn't want to elaborate further on the subject, and Steve and Peter exchanged a meaningful look before turning to Obi-Wan, who watched his former Padawan with quiet understanding as they descended toward the planet.
They eventually located a landing pad that didn't require registration or permits—exactly what they needed for an off-the-books operation.
Upon disembarking on Nar Shaddaa, the group was immediately assaulted by an overwhelming mixture of industrial pollution, overpowering neon lights, and an unsettling sensation that they were being watched and evaluated as potential targets.
Not because they had done anything to offend anyone.
Simply because they were here—that's how Nar Shaddaa operated.
It was a disturbing reality, to say the least.
"Okay, this is..." Steve said grimly as he surveyed their surroundings. "Exactly what I expected from a criminal haven."
It was indeed a massive city-world like Coruscant. However, seeing it up close, the group could observe how polluted and dangerous it truly was.
The more legitimate businesses operated on the upper levels of the vertical city, while the shadier enterprises were buried deeper in the lower sectors.
The upper levels maintained at least a veneer of respectability.
The underground areas were where criminal organizations held sway, with territories constantly shifting through violence and betrayal.
It was an excellent place to acquire contraband, transportation, and information—mostly through intimidation and unethical means.
All in all, it was precisely the wrong place for any Jedi or Avenger to be operating.
Obi-Wan took a moment to assess their immediate environment.
"What is that smell?" Peter asked, wrinkling his nose beneath his mask.
"Which smell specifically? Industrial pollution, organic decay, rampant corruption, toxic waste, or the rotting corpses that are probably nearby?" Anakin asked with dark humor.
"Wow, that got dark really fast, Anakin," Peter replied dryly.
"Let's keep moving," Steve commanded. "Standing around here makes us targets."
"Agreed," Kenobi nodded, and the group departed their landing pad as numerous unsavory characters began taking interest in them.
As the team began navigating the streets of Nar Shaddaa, they moved cautiously, maintaining constant vigilance in this decidedly hostile environment.
The beings around them were criminals, bounty hunters, pirates, smugglers, scavengers, and every other variety of galactic scum.
What the group didn't realize was that while they were tracking a rogue mercenary from Earth, another Earth-born individual was operating on Nar Shaddaa at that very moment.
In the lower sectors, a man with unkempt facial hair sat at a table in what appeared to be a legitimate shop—though it was merely a front for his real operations.
The man held a piece of purple metal in his hand, examining it with obvious satisfaction.
"Ah," the man sighed contentedly. "Exquisite craftsmanship. I'm pleased you managed to acquire this for me."
"If I'd known you'd react like that, I would have brought you some spice instead," commented the surly Quarren across from him.
The bearded man gave a slightly unhinged chuckle.
"This gives me exactly what I need," he said with manic enthusiasm, holding up the metallic component. "This is perfect."
The man then manipulated the metal with his other hand—which suddenly moved with mechanical precision, revealing advanced robotic components where flesh should have been, the metal sliding into internal storage compartments.
"Now then," the man said, addressing the various clients in his establishment. "What's our next order of business—"
"Republic forces in the sector!" a voice called from his shop's entrance, causing everyone to look at the newcomer. "Jedi spotted!"
Instantly, nearly everyone present began scrambling to evacuate the area.
The man watched in complete bewilderment as they fled in panic.
"Hey! Hey! Wait!" the man with the advanced prosthetic arm shouted angrily. "We still have business to conduct!"
"No choice, we have to run! The Jedi are coming!"
"What the hell? What's a Jedi?"
"Those four," his contact pointed toward the street outside.
The man with the cybernetic arm turned and froze when he spotted four figures walking down the main thoroughfare.
"The ones with the metal cylinders on their belts."
But he wasn't really focusing on the Jedi—rather, he was studying their companions.
"Avengers..." he muttered under his breath.
He tried to remain calm, but his attention was drawn to the youngest member of the group.
He clearly remembered seeing that particular figure during his last return to Earth and before arriving again in this galaxy.
"Spiderman..."
In that case, he needed to pack up quickly and disappear before being spotted by people like them.
The man shook his head. He'd better get out of here immediately.
Whenever the Avengers appeared, chaos inevitably followed, and he'd rather not get caught up in their activities like he had on previous occasions.
The two Jedi and two Avengers moved through the crowded streets somewhat aimlessly, uncertain where to begin their search in this criminal metropolis.
"Where do we start?" Steve asked, scanning the area.
"I'm not sure," Anakin admitted. "This is Nar Shaddaa we're dealing with. We can't simply approach random people and ask if they've seen our targets."
"So what's our approach?" Peter asked, grateful for his mask since this place was genuinely unsettling.
Anakin considered their options carefully. "Peter, is your tracker still functional?"
"Uh, yeah, it's working fine."
"Then we locate the ship and work from there," the Jedi decided. "They may have abandoned it, but it's still a lead. They might be in the vicinity. If not, we can make inquiries from that location."
Peter quickly activated his suit's tracking system, his HUD displaying a navigation path. Taking point, Peter led the group through the maze-like streets while the others followed closely behind.
Following the signal, they eventually arrived at a grimy, deteriorating warehouse complex, with Rumlow's stolen ship parked on a separate landing platform some distance from the main structure.
"There," Peter pointed. "That's definitely the ship I tagged."
The question now was whether their quarry was still nearby—or if they had already moved on to conduct their business elsewhere in the criminal underworld.