Down we go!
"I don't believe this planet! Even the beggars are trying to shake us down."
Oh, here we go.
"Who are you? What are you doing here in the Undercity?"
Beggar #1: "We are the Outcasts, banished and reviled by those who dwell above!"
Beggar #2: "Here in the filth and darkness we claw out a wretched existence, scavenging and begging just to survive long enough to see another wretched day."
Beggar #1: "This is our village. We live here in the undercity. You have to pay us five credits for using our elevator."
These two deserve a bit better, and in any case it's not like we aren't ridiculously rich by this point.
Beggar #1: "Credits, my brother! We have credits! Now we can buy food and medicine!"
Beggar #2: "Hush, or the others will hear us! They'll want our credits! We have to hide them!"
Then I get a terrible non-picture of this woman running up to us.
Here's a better one.
"The surface is a beautiful place."
Shaleena: "I've never been to the surface, but sometimes I think I can see it in my dreams. The sun, the sky, the stars... it all sounds so... so... so wonderful. Gendar, the leader of our village, tells me I should spend more time trying to improve things down here and less time dreaming about something I can never have. Maybe he's right. You probably think I'm a fool, having dreams of a place I've never even seen. But when I was little, Rukil used to tell me stories of what it was like up there."
"Rukil? Who's that?"
Shaleena: "Rukil's the oldest man in the village. The kids call him Rukil Wrinkle-Skin, but he's a kind man. He used to tell me the greatest stories when I was a little girl. I still like to listen to his tales about the Promised Land, even though I know they're just legends. But it helps to make the Undercity seem less... less dark, somehow."
"Tell me about this village."
"I'll be going now."
Shaleena: "Oh... okay. Well, if you ever need anything, or if you just feel like talking, come back and see me. I hardly ever get a chance to speak to someone from the up-world."
Well, then, let's try Rukil first.
"Be careful... this one might be crazy enough to be dangerous."
Rukil: "Speak to me, up-worlder! Tell me what fate you unleash upon us - salvation or damnation! Speak, up-worlder - I beg you!"
"Uh... okay, then. Could I ask you some questions?"
Rukil: "A question. You are uncertain. Bewildered. Perplexed. Understandable, I suppose. Even after a hundred years of life I myself still become confused at times. Perhaps I can make things more clear. Some things, at least. My name is Rukil, the oldest Outcast here in the village. Rukil Wrinkle-Skin, the children call me sometimes."
"I'm Hazar Denolo. What do you want from me, Rukil?"
Rukil: "Once I was honored for my wisdom, but over time the villagers fell away from the true path. Eventually there was only a single apprentice who followed me - and now she is gone, too."
"What happened to your apprentice?"
Hazar's more worried about actual people than this man's damn fool idealistic crusade.
Rukil: "My apprentice is... lost. I sent her out into the Undercity to find... well, I cannot tell you. Not yet. Sadly, my apprentice has not returned. Please, up-worlder - will you help an old man? Will you seek out my apprentice in the Undercity? Her name is Malya. I must know of her fate, whatever it may be. I must know what she... found."
"I'll be back if I find anything out."
Rukil: "I wish you luck, up-worlder. Come speak to me again once you have discovered the fate of my apprentice."
Hm. Alright, right across the "street" for this little village's leader.
Gendar: "Why have you come into this dark and sunless place? Is there something you need of me or my village? I will help you however I can."
Let's see if he knows where Mission is.
"You said something about other up-worlders who came by here recently?"
Gendar: "Our village has seen many visitors from the surface recently: armored troops, swoop gang members, mercenaries. They come to search our sunless world. They are even searching the sewers."
"I'm looking for a Twi'lek named Mission Vao."
Gendar: "Yes, I have seen this Twi'lek many times, though I have never spoken to her. She and her Wookiee companion often pass through our village on their way to explore the sewers."
As good a lead as any, I suppose.
"How can I get to the sewers?"
Gendar: "There are two entrances into the sewers from the Undercity: one to the north-east of our village, the other to the south-east. But the sewers are dangerous, UpWorlder. If you dare to travel those dark tunnels you would be wise to go heavily armed, unless you wish to become a meal for the rakghouls and other foul creatures."
"I think I'll be going now."
Gendar: "As you wish, up-worlder. Should you have need of anything else, come speak to me. I represent the entire village and I will do my best to help you however I can."
Who else is there to talk to around here?
"What are you talking about?"
Esala: "The villagers infected with the rakghoul disease are quarantined beyond this gate. It's only a matter of time until they transform into horrible creatures that would destroy us all."
"So you just lock them away in a cage?"
Esala: "For the sake of the village, we have to keep the infected ones locked away. And when they finally do transform into rakghouls we'll let them destroy each other."
"There must be something someone can do!"
Esala: "Nothing can be done for the infected villagers. Even the serum to counteract the rakghoul disease wouldn't be any use, now. Nobody would be foolish enough to risk going into the pens to give them the cure: the infected ones could transform into rakghouls and attack them at any moment."
Guess who'll turn out to be foolish enough to risk going into the pens to give them the cure?
Also, she can heal all our wounds without us having to resort to medpacks.
The last person to talk to here is:
To get an idea for this guy's accent: Imagine if the "ea" in his name was instead an "o". That's the sort of person he sounds like.
Unnecessary conversation short: Igear sells salvage to those from the higher levels in exchange for supplies, and doesn't like the fact that Gendar wants him to share with the rest of those in the Undercity.
More interesting is his inventory. He has six antidotes, which will come very, very much in handy against rakghouls, as well as a nice pistol which Hazar can afford, but only barely - better to wait a bit for more money. Now, time to head out the gate...
Hendar: "Open the gate! Quickly! There isn't much time!"
Trewin: "And if I open the gate they will kill us all!"
Woman: "Please, make him open the gate. Hendar will die if he doesn't!"
Trewin: "I can't open the gate... not while the rakghouls are so near."
"Open the gate... I will kill the rakghouls."
Trewin: "You would risk your life for a stranger? Heh. You are brave, up-worlder. I will open the gate for you, but you've got to be quick. In a few seconds I must close and lock it again."
Well, that was easy. Hazar gets poisoned, but a medpack means he can "power" his way through it without wasting an antidote.
Alright, time to head on out.
Oh, hey, there's a familiar face.
"Whoa, slow down, Mission. What's wrong?"
"It's Zaalbar. He's in trouble - big trouble! We have to help him. If we don't they'll sell him into slavery!"
"Zaalbar? You mean your Wookiee friend? What happened?"
"Me... me and Zaalbar were just wandering around here in the Undercity. You know, looking for stuff we could find, just kind of exploring. We do it all the time."
"I guess with a Wookiee at your side you've got to figure you can handle the odd rakghoul attack."
"Only this time they were waiting for us. Gamorrean slave hunters. We didn't even have a chance to run. Big Z threw himself at them, and he roared for me to run! I... I took off; I figured Zaalbar would be right behind me. But there were too many of them - he couldn't get away. They're going to sell him to a slaver - I just know it!"
"Do you know where they took him?"
"I don't know for sure, but hose Gamorreans like to hang out in the sewers. The stink reminds them of home, I guess. That's probably where they took Big Z."
"Why don't you ask Gadon and the Beks to help you?"
"I can't ask Gadon - he's always telling me not to go into the Undercity. He says it's too dangerous with the rakghouls and Gamorreans and all. He'll never send his Beks down there."
"If I help you get Zaalbar back you have to get me inside the Vulkar base."
"It's a deal - as soon as we get Big Z back, I'll show you a way into that Vulkar base! Now, come on - We have to find Zaalbar before they sell him to slavers - or worse!"
We have a couple things to give her; the armour, along with a blaster rifle.
Hm. I wonder who set these?
Oh, hello - another Republic soldier!
"Wait here... I'll see if I can find something to help you."
Soldier: "No... no!!! I can feel... ARGH!"
Oh. Hm. We dispatch the poor fellow. Now, time to move on and see what's elsewhere.