I'm going to jump around a little, so this chapter is on Alderaan. Minor spoilers for the planet quest. No significant spoilers for the bounty hunter's quest.

Gault

Gault regretted ever going to Tatooine. If someone had told him before he'd ever gone to that cursed rock that he'd be working for a bounty hunter that had tried to kill him, he would have told that being to go space themselves. For a guy who tried to kill him, this hunter wasn't so bad. Sure, his ship was cramped, but he had his own space and the other two left him alone for the most part. The girl he traveled with wasn't so bad to look at either- for a human. He wouldn't mind seeing Mako in a cantina girl's get-up, even with that metal stuff on her face. Obviously his boss didn't mind- he was human himself, and he also had his own fair share of metal on his face. He was curious why the guy needed an eye implant, but he didn't ask. He didn't want anyone asking about his missing horn, so he returned the favor by not mentioning the eye implant to his boss.

The other thing he liked was that his boss usually took Mako with him. In fact, the girl almost pouted if he asked her to stay behind. Part of it was that he could tell she didn't trust him, mostly because Gault had tried to kill them right back on Tatooine. The day Mako trusted Gault to have anyone's back was the day he turned into a Jedi.

Now, though, they were on Alderaan. He was hanging out in the tiny little cantina near the Thul estate, lamenting the cursed desert rock that had lost him his ship and freedom. The hunter only had to stay two words, Tyresius Lokai, and he'd have no choice but to cooperate with him. But he had a feeling that the hunter wasn't really supposed to leave him alive- a disobedience he was very grateful for, and a piece of leverage he could use if necessary. The hunter had a code, and he could respect that. The hunter also seemed to admire his resourcefulness and ability to get out of a tight jam. When they were in a jam, or when Mako was busy with something, were the only times their boss ever really needed him. Which he was just fine with. If the girl wanted to get shot at, then let her follow the hunter on his jobs. Gault was just as happy in a cantina, watching the girls dance and drinking various local beverages.

As if thinking about them had called them, the hunter and the girl entered the cantina just at that moment. They were arguing about something, and he was always interested in overhearing good information.

"Geeze, can you just sit still for a minute, please?" Mako had a kolto patch in her hand, and was trying to dress what looked like a blaster burn that had gotten between two armor plates on his arm.

"I'm fine, Mako. Leave it." He shrugged, looking uncomfortable at the attention. Gault could relate- what man wanted to be fussed over like that? He took off his helmet and shook out his sweaty hair. The hunter looked over at Gault and nodded briefly in greeting. They may not be exactly friends, but they were cordial with each other. Mako didn't notice anything beyond trying to pry apart the armor plates in her way as soon as the hunter's arm stopped moving for more than a second. This earned her a grimace from the hunter, who seemed to realize she was determined. He finally sat down and offered her his injured arm.

"I don't know why you two insist on going places where you get shot at, anyway." Gault drained the rest of his drink and pushed the empty glass away from him.

"We found some interesting enough stuff. Better than sitting around at those fancy parties." The hunter shrugged again, making Mako grab his shoulder firmly to keep him still. "Gotta go to House Panteer later, and see about some aggressive negotiations with Ulgo. Heading to Girard now to give them an update."

Gault made a sour face. "For a planet full of aristocrats, these people are awfully violent. I'll pass, I've had enough of people who look at me like I'm something the kath hound dragged in. Let me know when you're ready to leave this rock."

Mako stood up and brushed her hands together. "There, that should do it." The hunter stood too, and started putting the armor plates back into place over the bandage. He rolled his shoulders to test his range of motion. "Thanks, Mako." Gault didn't miss the ghost of a smile he gave her, and he knew the boss's annoyance was just an act. The guy had a sense of humor, dry though it was, but still didn't smile or laugh very often. Mako noticed it too, and briefly turned bright red. "Come on, I wanna see the look on those nobles' faces when we tell them we got the job done." She smiled brightly and walked out of the cantina. The hunter scooped up his worn helmet and followed her, a bemused expression on his face.