Palace of Doom
By Buck Tadlock
The starlines dwindled down to individual stars in the viewport of
Bebo Lokk's starship, Creeping Death. It is one of the smoothest
models of ships to decelerate from hyperspace in. A Corellian model
freighter with a major modification job on weapons and the defensive
systems.
Bebo has a communications droid that remains on board his ship, CD8,
who also acts as a co-pilot when needed. CD8 is well equipped, It has
many functions in which its owner utilizes. Included in the droids
modifications are a state of the art weapons system.
The ship was given to Bebo as a reward for tracking down and bringing
in a traitor of his former homeworld of Memakk, a planet in the
Mandalore star system. The Mandalore faction had a secret installation
on the planet, the traitor decided that the information was more
valuable than the safety and security on the planet. Bebo and several
other members of his squad, tracked the man down and after an intense
interrogation, ended the mans life.
"We are about to enter the upper atmosphere," the droid informed Bebo.
Bebo was busy at the controls, logging in data and checking status
reports. "Which port shall we take it in at, sir?"
This job assignment that Bebo had taken, required a little prep work
to be done in advance. Bringing in Bamba the Hutt would not be an easy
task, tracking him down was the easy part, getting behind his body
guards and into the palace would be a little more difficult. Not to
mention the bulk and weight of the large beast.
Bamba, much like his cousin Jabba, was notorious for surrounding
himself with the scum of the galaxy. Following on his cousins path, he
took over the palace, procuring it from the B'Omarr monks. Much like
the palace of old, the new owner had it set up as the headquarters for
his illegal activities, it was also a hideout for many of his
employees. There they would gamble, do drugs or drink themselves into
a slur.
Bebo and Bamba had a run in once before, Bamba getting the better of
the Mandalore soldier that time. Had it not been for Chukk Barnoo, a
fellow soldier, Bebo may have met his end.
"Let's take her in at Mos Eisley," Bebo said to his droid. "I am
supposed to meet my contact person there. The guy is apparently a
regular at the palace and may be able to get me in. For the right
price, of course." Bebo looked directly at CD8, "Once I leave, you
need to stay alert. After I have my prisoner, I'll activate the homing
beacon and you will need to show up quickly."
"I hope this 'fee' is worth it," the droid commented, "especially if
you have to make another of your escapes I've come to love so much."
Bebo enjoyed the sarcasm that was programmed into the droid, it made
for more entertaining trips. Besides being good for a few laughs, the
droid was also a worthy opponent at many games.
"So what is the fee, if you don't mind me asking."
Bebo pulled his helmet out of the storage compartment where many of
his uniforms and suites of armor were stored. "Two thousand credits,
just to get me in the door."
"What a cover charge!" the droid shouted in excitement.
"Yeah, about what I'll be making for taking him in. Makes you wonder
if we're in the right business, doesn't it?" He asked his droid.
The twin suns of Tattoine beat down on the armor covered Bebo as he
walked away from the docking bay. "Here we go again," he said unto
himself as he walked down the steps and into what had become probably
the most popular cantina in the galaxy.
Sitting alone at a booth, Bebo sat with a straw running up under his
visor. He was enjoying the tunes the band was playing when a large,
beady eyed humanoid loomed over him. Bebo looked up and could sense
that the creature was sizing him up.
"Glad you could make it on time," the creature said in an accented
basic. "Wearing just what you said you would be. Kill one of em' or
are you one?" he asked.
Bebo thought for a moment about telling the creature he had killed one
of them, but realized he would be more intimidating if he just told the
truth. " I was in the Mandalore army, if that helps you out any."
Since the short resurgence of the new Mandalore army, it was not
uncommon to run across someone posing as a soldier, though the armor
did make for good protection. The gear was easy to come by on the
black market, if one had the sources. However, wearing the armor made
you subject to test your skills.
"Thought maybe you were one of those that just stumbled across it and
tried to scare your enemies," the creature said in a taunting tone.
"Try me," Bebo replied in a deep, dry voice, that made the hair on the
creatures neck stand on their ends. "Not afraid, are you creature?"
"Juno, I go by Juno. No, I'm not afraid, especially of any humans,"
the creature replied. "Do you so easily forget about the company I
keep?" The creature sat down and leaned forward, only inches from the
visor of Bebo's helmet, "do you have the credits," he asked.
The straw retracted from under the visor as Bebo leaned even closer to
Juno. "Yes I do," he stated. "So let's do it!"
As they approached the palace, the perspiration began to multiply on
Juno. Bringing a human into the palace was a risky move. Juno knew
that Bamba did not trust many humans, though many wanted in to try
their luck. If all went well, one could leave the luxurious palace a
lot wealthier than when they arrived. All Juno knew was that his
client needed a way in, what he didn't know, was the reason.
"Nervous?" Bebo asked in a sarcastic manner.
The jumpsuit he wore under his armor was made of an infra red
technology that allowed Bebo to remain at an ambient temperature.
Though the heat of the dessert did get a little warm, Bebo remained at
a comfortable temperature.
For miles, there was nothing to see except the sand dunes that
surrounded them all across the landscape, the sky was a cloudless blue
and the bright shining twin suns.
"Once we're past the guards, you are on your own," the large creature
told his passenger as they neared ever closer to the palace before
them. "Any bad things start to happen, don't even think about looking
to me for help."
Bebo had already counted that option out, he knew from the onset that
this beast would have no part in a plot to take out his boss. Bamba
had a way of instilling fear into his employees, so none would even
think about turning on him. Of course, the amount they were being paid
had great deal to do with that as well. Bribing was out of the
question as far as getting some inside help, the New Republic was
having enough troubles to overbid Bamba for someone's services.
"Don't worry, I don't think you could be much help to me anyway. I
know how scared you are of your boss, it's written all over your face,"
said Bebo, instigating the creature.
Since joining the New Republic, Bebo had been on several small caliber
assignments, this one he volunteered for, wanting a challenge. They
offered to send an entire special ops team in, but Bebo told them he
could operate better alone, plus going solo would be easier to remain
under cover. Now, Bebo was beginning to have second thoughts, maybe he
should have at least brought some support personnel along for backup.
Getting past the guards was not as difficult as he thought it would
be. The helmet, covering his face, enabled easy access. The guards
did not even require him to take it off for identification purposes.
Gamorreans were not known to be among the brightest of creatures
either.
Inside the palace, the atmosphere was wild. Loud music, drinking,
smoking, dancing and gambling engulfed the place. Some creatures had
even passed out on the floor or at their tables where they had been
drinking. By the smell of the place, a dead body could go unnoticed
for quite some time.
Bebo made his way into Bamba's main audience chamber, a Rodian and an
overweight human were wrestling on the floor. Bamba laughed away as
the human choked the green man into unconsciousness. The room was dark
and humid, smoked lingered and the stinch of death was in the air.
Bebo found and empty seat at a sabbacc table. A game was already in
progress between Twi'lik and Quarren. After observing for several
rounds, Bebo realized that the stakes in this game were high, they had
both bet swoops, which was their source of transportation and several
expensive gems were laying on the table as well.
Understanding of multiple languages was a specialty that Bebo
possessed, however at this table he was having a hard time
understanding the slang the two were using. Judging their body
language, it was very apparent the situation had become tense.
Violence was eminent.
Not wanting to get any unwanted attention drawn his way, which would
be certain if the two began fighting, the masked Mandalore slipped out
of the main audience chamber. Wanting to get a better feel for the
place, Bebo began to snoop around. The place was just as the history
books had it, nasty and a place that would be low on someone who
possessed half a brain, as a place to visit. The corridors were dark,
dim halogen bulbs emitted the only light present. For a place that was
sitting in the middle of the heated desert, Bebo felt a cold chill
encompass his entire body. Feeling the stability of the walls, Bebo
began to talk to himself, "Hmm, must have been built eons ago." After
a little more investigating, Bebo put a call through to CD8, "8, do you
copy?" he asked.
"Yes, I am here," the droid replied.
"When I send the signal, the best spot will probably be the east
entrance, make sure all systems are a go as well, just in case."
"Have big plans do we?" a strange voice asked from the darkness ahead.
A Devaronian appeared out of nowhere. He was about a head length
taller than Bebo, not including the horns that erected out from his
bald head. The creature was smiling, sharp fangs glistening in the dim
light.
"Indeed I do," Bebo said in return, wandering if the Devaronian had
heard his entire conversation or had been following him the entire time
he wandered the halls.
The huge humanoid turned as if he were going to just walk away.
Suddenly he turned with extreme speed, extending an arm that connected
brutally with Bebo's visor. The blow sent the masked soldier tumbling
down the hall, head over heels. Sprawled across the dusty ground, Bebo
looked up in time to see a giant boot coming down on his head. Showing
off his own speed, the Mandalore grabbed the foot of the Devaronian and
rolled it over to one side, bringing the giant creature crashing to the
ground himself. Jumping to his feet, Bebo grabbed his blaster and was
about to let loose a barrage of shots.
"No! Don't shoot him!" a voice cried out from the darkness.
Bebo spun around, blaster in hand and ready to let whomever stood
there feel the power of his weapon. The human that stood before him
was unarmed, itching to pull the trigger, Bebo knew he couldn't shoot the
unarmed figure, it was against his code of honor.
"We don't mean you no harm," the man said. "He was just going to give
you a hard time, an initiation, if you will."
Bebo looked back at the Devaronian, who had already stood back up and
was smiling his evil smile.
"Where did you pick up that armor?" the man asked. "It looks like
the real deal."
As the human reached out to touch the chest plate of Bebo's armor, the
Mandalore backed a step and leveled his blaster at the mans' chest.
Bebo knew better than to trust anyone in this place, especially if they
tried to get touchy with him.
"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" Bebo inquired.
The man looked at his counterpart and spoke with pride, "I am J'Coola,
and this is my good friend, Landrott. Bamba saw you in his chamber and
just wanted us to keep tabs on you, that's all."
"Well I am here to try and win my fortune. And if possible, find
someone who may be interested in a business venture," Bebo threw in,
trying to convince them of his reason for being in the palace. The
types that hung around in this place were always looking for a way to
make money on the side, so Bebo thought he would try his luck on these
two and see how far they would go for a few tokens.
"You will have to explain yourself to Bamba, not me," said J'Coola,
"he wants to see you. Entering his personal chamber without
introducing yourself or an invitation to even be there was pretty
stupid," J'Coola added.
'Stupid!' Bebo thought to himself, J'Coola was right, how could he
have been dumb enough to walk right in front of Bamba and the large
Hutt not have any suspicions.
Bebo thought that he would get a quick glimpse of where Bamba
entertained himself and see what kind of protection he kept on hand.
Obviously he underestimated the large beast.
J'Coola and Landrott escorted Bebo to the chamber where the Hutt was
perched upon his dais. Bebo could not help but jerk his head at the
odor the Hutt emitted. Being hospitable was not a specialty that
Hutt's made a custom, especially to someone who was caught spying or
snooping around their business.
[Ha, ha, ha, what do we have here,] Bamba said in his native Huttese
language.
Creatures of his nature were good at reading people for what they
were, so Bebo figured the Hutt had him pinned as a possible assassin,
which would only work that much more against him. They were quick to
judge and quick to hand out punishment. Bebo could only hope that he
would not be a snack for some flesh eating creature pet of Bamba.
Bebo, knowing many languages, understood the Hutt. "I am here to try
my luck, I'm kinda short on credits, if you know what I mean," Bebo
said.
[There is something familiar about you, who are you?] asked Bamba
Bebo looked around, surely the Hutt could not identify him with his
helmet on. He could only hope that the Hutt was high on spice and not
have that well of intuition. Or even worse, Bamba could be force
sensitive. That would make getting out of this mess ever the more
difficult.
Bebo was about to blurt out a made up name, one that he assumed on
several occasions while working undercover.
"Bebo Lokk!" a voice blurted out. From behind the large creature,
another man stepped out of the shadows.
Bebo felt a sense of emergency when the man stepped into the light.
It was someone wearing the same Mandalore armor that he wore. "It
can't be," Bebo said to himself as he recognized the markings on the
armor.
The Mandalore that guarded the Hutt held his blaster level on Bebo.
The blaster itself was even a Mandalore model, which helped convince
Bebo that the man behind the armor was his former fellow soldier in the
new Mandalore army.
"Jeb Bluu, what are you doing this for?" Bebo asked, not even sure
that it was who he presumed it to be behind the mask.
Jeb had been a longtime friend of Bebo, and fought next to him during
their battle on the industrial moon of Ethel. The two had fought off
Imperial troops together as well. A well trained warrior, Jeb would be
a tough obstacle between himself and Bamba. Not to even mention the
hundreds of other patrons that would defend the Hutt.
"It was a lucrative opportunity that I just couldn't pass up," Jeb
said, assuring Bebo of who wore the armor.
[Bebo Lokk,] the Hutt cut in, [we have met before, ha,ha, yes I do
remember that,] the giant creature did something with his hands as he
laughed hysterically.
The floor dropped out from under Bebo, twisting and tumbling until he
crashed onto the soft floor of what appeared to be a dungeon. Human
and animal bones littered the floor, death was in the air.
A shot of fear ran through Bebo as he regained his senses and realized
he was in the pit that Jabba had housed his pet Rancor in. The mighty
Luke Skywalker had nearly met his doom in this very same place. Bebo
began to wonder if Bamba housed any carnivorous creatures that ate
humans as well. 'Entertainment for the day,' the Mandalore soldier
said to himself.
Cheers, hoots and hollering filled the room, bets were being placed as
creatures of all varieties jockeyed for better positioning to view the
match. Only a few of them at a time would be able to see what was
going on below. Bamba, of course, would have the best seat in the
house.
Chains rattled as a gate slowly opened. In the doorway stood three
creatures, a Devaronian and two Gamorreans. The Devaronian was
Landrott, being punished for losing his earlier fight with the human.
The Gamorreans were regulars in the pit.
As the two shorter creatures waddled forward, Landrott came charging
out of the gate at Bebo, lunging for any piece of him he could get his
hands on.
Bebo stepped to the side, evading the initial attack by the
Devaronian. A Gamorrean was right behind, swinging his vibro axe at
the mid section of Bebo Lokk. The Mandalore jumped over the attempt of
the first guard and activated his flame thrower, burning the second
guard to a smoldering, squealing lump of a carcass.
Seizing the opportunity, Landrott grabbed Bebo from behind, nearly
squeezing the life from him. Bebo struggled, with his last bit of
strength he reached and flipped another switch on his wrist gauntlet.
"Yeowee!" The Devaronian cried as the thrusters on Bebo's jet pack
ignited, burning into his legs. The horned creature released Bebo and
the two of them fell to the ground, Landrott clutching his legs.
Snorting, the remaining guard charged with his vibro axe held high
over his head. Bebo rolled several times until he reached the spot
where the burned carcass had dropped it's vibro axe.
With the axe in hand, Bebo went on the offense, swing several times at
the snorting creature. The hoglike beast was just fast enough to turn
away the stabs Bebo made.
'These things are heavy,' thought Bebo, as he blocked the advances
made by the guard. The weight of the vibro axe was not a problem for
the creature whose arms were as big around as Bebo's waist.
The axes' crashed together several more times before the overpowering
Gamorrean knocked the axe loose of Bebo's grasp, sending the Mandalore
falling to the ground. The guard raised his axe high, about to give
the death blow when a lanyard shot from the wrist of Bebo and looped
several times around the arms of the beast.
Taken by surprise, the Gamorrean hesitated, giving Bebo time to loop
the slack around the guards neck. The creature gasped as his supply of
oxygen ran out.
"And for my next trick," said Bebo, as he reached into a pouch on his
utility belt.
Several shots were heard from within the smokescreen that bellowed out
of the dungeon and began to slowly engulf the entire lower levels of
the palace. As the smoke began to clear, the doors to the dungeon had
been blown open and several creatures lay motionless on the ground.
Bamba's eyes bulged, almost out of their sockets. [That's
entertainment!] he said. [Now go and find him!] he ordered to the
Mandalore at his side.
Jeb and several other creatures of Bamba's court scoured the dark
corridors of the palace, searching high and low for Bebo Lokk. Bamba
offered the one who brought him in, dead or alive, a credit line of
five thousand.
J'Coola, the lowlife gambler, tiptoed through the dark halls. With
the air so still he could hear his own heart beating. Blaster held
shoulder high, pointing at the ceiling, J'Coola turned a corner holding
his breath, as he did every corner. Deeply in debt, the man needed
this credit, though it would not cover all of what he owed the Hutt, it
would show he was a loyal servant. With his mind distracted as he
thought of getting the jackpot, J'Coola did not even notice that a
magnetic tip on a lanyard grabbed hold of his blaster until it was to
late. Froze stiff as the blaster flew through the air, he watched as
it landed in the hands of Bebo Lokk. Shaking it off, he immediately
grabbed his blade and charged the soldier.
"Even better," Bebo said as he grabbed his own blade. Without blaster
shots being fired, he knew that his position would not be compromised.
As long as he could take the gambler out quickly and quietly, Bebo
figured he could remain undetected.
To Bebo's surprise, J'Coola was skilled at hand to hand combat. The
two rolled around on the ground, aggressively attacking one another.
After several missed attempts, Bebo landed his fist square on his
opponents nose.
"Aghhh," cried J'Coola as blood showered from his nose.
Bebo took the opening to put his blade through the mans chest.
J'Coola fell to the floor, lifeless.
Late into the night, Bebo crept into the Hutts' main audience chamber,
where the obese creature lay sound asleep. With a skid in tow, the
Mandalore stepped over bodies that were crashed out on the floor. Bebo
released the gases from a small device that would help the patrons
sleep a little deeper, blaster set on stun in case the gas didn't take
on the Hutt.
Bebo moved swiftly to load the body of Bamba the Hutt onto the skid,
grunting and groaning as he labored over the weight.
"CD8," He began. "Do you..."
A brilliant flash of energy sliced through the air, just over the
shoulder of the worn out soldier.
"Don't assume everyone in this dump is a drunk," Jeb Bluu said as he
took a few steps closer to Bebo.
The helmet that the two wore was equipped with a filter that did not
allow the gases to take any effect on them. Jeb Bluu was as well armed
as Bebo and possessed the same technology incorporated into the gear.
"If you leave now," Jeb added, "you have a good chance of living."
Bebo was aware that Jeb had been raised the same way he had. No
matter what course their lives had taken them in, they had a code of
honor to live by. Jeb Bluu was hired to protect the Hutt, that is what
he would do.
Jeb walked a long circle around the backside of Bebo. Stopping just
opposite his employer, he turned squarely with Bebo.
Bebo thought that Jeb had gone nuts, putting a target and an ally in
the same firing lane was something to avoid, yet Jeb had stopped in
just that position.
"Looks like we're in a bit of a bind then, doesn't it?" Bebo asked as
he sat upon the dais that Bamba had been removed from.
Jeb stepped a little closer, "you know you don't have a chance in
beating me and getting out of here alive, I will allow you to leave,
there will always be another time," the Mandalore said.
Bebo leaned to the side, extending his arm to brace himself. The move
was natural, no harm meant.
Several bolts shattered into the ceiling as Jeb fell, the trap doors
opening beneath him. Realizing he underestimated his former colleague,
Jeb lay motionless on the dungeon floor.
"Got to move fast now," Bebo said, as he began to move the skid across
the motionless bodies of dozens of aliens that were scattered about on
the floor.
Creeping Death sat on the landing pad just outside the east entrance.
Engines humming and entrance ramp down, CD8 had done his job.