The Multiverse Hunter

Ali strolled casually down the bustling streets of Tartek's capital city. He tilted his head slightly, taking in the incredible sight of a massive gap in the cityscape. From below, flying vehicles emerged out of the ground like mechanical fish breaching the surface of a metallic ocean, soaring upward toward towering skyscrapers that seemed to pierce the clouds.

'Never seen anything like this before,' Ali thought, his eyes following the rhythmic flow of vehicles. The sheer scale and intricacy of the city's infrastructure amazed him, though his expression betrayed none of his awe.

He had deliberately chosen to explore the richer districts of the capital, where the Empire's most affluent citizens lived. Ali's discerning gaze scanned his surroundings, noting the immaculate streets lined with luxury stores and cafes. Spotting a quaint, elegant cafe on the corner, he decided it was the perfect place to gather intel.

Ali stepped inside, his polished shoes clicking against the marble floor. A faint aroma of freshly brewed tea and delicate pastries filled the air. Without a word to the servers bustling around, Ali made his way to the second floor.

The upper level offered a panoramic view of the city streets below, as well as a chance to observe the cafe's clientele—an assortment of upper-class women, draped in expensive silks and jewels, seated at tables adorned with porcelain cups and silver cutlery.

He found an empty table near the edge of the balcony and took a seat. His eyes wandered to the street below, but his enhanced hearing focused on the women around him. Their gossip filled the room like a buzzing hive.

'Name a better place to get information than bored, high-class women entertained by their own gossip,' Ali thought, a faint smirk tugging at his lips beneath the glasses he now wore. He tuned into their conversations, filtering through trivial remarks for anything useful.

"Oh, my husband has been obsessed with this auction," one older woman said to her companions, her voice carrying a tone of exasperation. "He even sold his favourite speeder for extra credits. Can you believe that?"

Ali's expression darkened slightly. 'They're not even trying to keep this auction discreet,' he mused, annoyed by how publicised the event seemed to be. 'The more people that know, the more variables there are to account for.'

A shadow fell over his table, interrupting his thoughts. Ali looked up to see a middle-aged server standing politely with a notepad in hand. The man had short, neatly combed brown hair, and his uniform, though simple, was immaculately pressed.

"Can I get you anything, sir?" the server asked with a professional tone.

Ali studied the man briefly, his sharp eyes taking in every detail. 'An older server in a cafe filled with women who probably prefer younger boys to cater to their whims? He doesn't fit.'

"Get me ten of the best desserts you have," Ali replied, his voice calm and composed as he turned his attention back to the streets below.

The server hesitated for a fraction of a second, clearly surprised by the unusual request, but nodded respectfully. "Of course, sir," he said before heading downstairs. Ali noticed the man stopping to chat with a few customers on his way, earning smiles and laughter from some of the older women.

'A fighter's build, and his hands have calluses… not from trays, but weapons,' Ali thought, narrowing his eyes slightly. 'Interesting.'

As Ali waited for his order, he sent a quick message through his comms to Lena, instructing her to gather more information on the server. His instincts rarely failed him.

Moments later, hushed whispers from a nearby table caught his attention. Two older women and two younger ones were glancing at him, their voices barely audible to ordinary ears. Ali's heightened senses, however, caught every word.

Before long, one of the younger women, dressed in a flowing violet gown adorned with jewels, rose from her seat and approached him. The entire cafe seemed to hold its breath as she stood next to Ali's table.

"Excuse me," she said softly, her voice carrying a shy yet deliberate tone.

Ali turned his head toward her, tilting his glasses down slightly to reveal his strikingly handsome face. The woman's composure faltered as his dark eyes briefly scanned her from head to toe, noting every detail of her appearance.

"Yes?" he replied, his tone indifferent.

"I was wondering if you would be interested in joining me for a cup of tea," she said hesitantly, her cheeks tinged with pink.

Ali used his middle finger to lower his glasses before he leaned back in his chair. "Nah, I'm good," he said bluntly, his dismissal causing an audible gasp from the other patrons.

"You bastard!", the women shouted at him not taking the public rejection well.

The woman's expression crumbled, her eyes welling with tears as she took a shaky step back.

"You can fuck off now," Ali added, his tone cold and dismissive as he turned his attention back to the street.

The girl bolted down the stairs, her friend chasing after her in an attempt to console her. The remaining customers stared at Ali in stunned silence, their gossip shifting entirely to the shocking rejection they had just witnessed.

'Damn, now I'm getting cussed out,' Ali thought, smirking faintly at the drama he'd inadvertently caused.

The server returned moments later, balancing two trays laden with ten exquisite desserts. He laid them out neatly in front of Ali, who began eating with quiet efficiency. Each dessert disappeared in just a few bites, his clean yet unrestrained manner of eating drawing judgmental stares from the other patrons.

The server lingered nearby, his curiosity evident. "Are you new in town, sir?"

"Yes," Ali replied curtly. "I'm here on sudden business."

"What kind of business?" the server asked, his tone casual yet probing.

Ali paused, his fork hovering over a slice of cake. 'Mistake,' he thought. 'That was too forward and intrusive.'

"I don't remember the part where that's any of your business," Ali said sharply, fixing the server with a cold glare.

The man bowed his head slightly, apologising before retreating downstairs.

After finishing his meal, Ali paid the bill using the Empire's credits and left the cafe. He stopped by a modest clothing store in the poorer part of town, purchasing a wide-brimmed hat to obscure his face. The crowd around him was dense, and Ali activated his Force senses, scanning for anything unusual as he walked toward the auction house below the city's surface.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a hooded figure pass by.

Ali turned his head slightly, his gaze narrowing as he followed the figure's movements. 'It's not the hood…' he thought, studying the way the fabric clung to the person's curvy figure. 'It's what's underneath it. Damn.'

With a smirk hidden beneath his calm exterior, Ali changed course, deciding to follow the mysterious woman. 'The auction house isn't going anywhere.'

The hooded figure walked into a shabby hotel, she walked through the front door and looked at the stairs of the hotel.

"Can i help you?", An older man at the reception desk asked.

The hooded figure ignored the man and walked through the hotel's entrance towards the stairs.

"Hey wait. Where are you goi—", the man couldn't complete his sentence as the hooded figure waved her hand and a green light enveloped his face before he fell to the ground unconscious.

Ali walked after her, he couldn't see where she went but then he noticed the reception desk empty, Ali looked around it and spotted the receptionist slumped unconscious behind the desk, faint traces of green energy lingering around him.

Ali crouched beside the man, brushing his hand through the faint residue in the air. "A Force user?" he muttered. "Jedi?"

The sound of footsteps drew his attention, and he hurried up the stairs, his presence masked. He followed the faint trail of green energy to a room on the second floor.

"It was here," he heard a voice say softly from within.

Ali's eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward, his hand smashing through the wooden door with a thunderous BOOM. He used the Force to sweep through the room, trying to seize the person within, but his grasp met only empty air.

The room shook violently as Ali stepped inside, his gaze locking on faint traces of green light that flickered and disappeared.

"How?" he murmured, his hand passing through the green traces in the air.

"What was that?"

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