2267, Death vs. Ventress
Although every side tried its best to conceal it, word of Black Sun leader Xomit Grunseit's murder still spread through the underworld.
Ni Yongxiao's gang had operated on Nal Hutta for decades and had long become local kingpins, so they quickly learned of the news. It was then passed to Salatan Morse of the Duchy of Dawn Military Intelligence Department, where it was analyzed and processed before being delivered to Grand Duke of Dawn Tang Xiao.
Looking at the intelligence laid out before him, Tang Xiao slammed the table and rose to his feet. "That's right! It's Darth Maul! The Shadow Collective has begun to take shape!"
"Although no video footage was left at the scene, surviving witnesses said there were two attackers, both Zabraks. One had red skin, the other yellow skin, and one of them wielded a double-bladed Lightsaber," Salatan Morse said.
"The Shadow Collective includes the Neimoidian gangs, Hutt gangs, Black Sun, Death Watch, and Crimson Dawn. It will, for a time, become the largest criminal organization in the Milky Way Galaxy... We cannot underestimate it. The most critical point is that Crimson Dawn is ours. If Dryden Vos is killed by Darth Maul, the loss will outweigh any gain..." Tang Xiao said thoughtfully.
"If the Shadow Collective operates in the Eastern Outer Rim, it will be beyond our sphere of influence. It will be difficult to handle," Salatan Morse said. "My lord, what sort of state is Darth Maul in? Whom does he favor?"
"He probably won't go back to serve Darth Sidious. Sidious already has Darth Vader as his apprentice." Tang Xiao frowned as he analyzed the matter. "So we may indeed have a chance to win Darth Maul over."
"But we have no way to contact Darth Maul right now."