An hour later, the Mantis landed in a dusty spaceport. Estar slipped on her helmet. Not only was it protection from the elements, it disguised her Chiss features. Chiss rarely appeared beyond their home world, making them a noticeable anomaly. She didn't need people to recognize her, making her job much more difficult than it already was.
Following the map that Tytus had marked, Estar made her way through the busy spaceport. People gave her plenty of space, her armor signaling that she was dangerous. Mako and Tytus stayed on the Mantis as usual, feeding her the data she needed. Tytus didn't even use his power to track Tyresius, Estar was just going in based on the tip. If she found Tyresius's apartment with his belongings, then they could track him from there. Mako stayed behind to keep track of the holonet, which had the best reception from the Mantis. Mako was similar to Tytus in the dislike of violence, which Estar didn't mind either. She cared for Mako almost as much as she did Tytus, wanting to keep them both as detached from the hunt as possible. Sometimes Estar wanted a partner, but it would have to be someone she could trust to take care of themselves without her having to worry.
Stepping out into the blazing hot sunshine, she was thankful for her filtered helmet. The filters blocked out the suffocating odor of engine fumes, sweaty bodies, tired animals, and dry sand. Well, they blocked out most of it, at least. She checked her map on her wrist comm. Tyresius's projected location was a bar at the other side of town. It was rush hour, people bustled in the streets. That made it easier for her to slip through unnoticed, but the crowds also made it difficult for her to scan for threats. Running into competing hunters was not uncommon, especially with a price as high as Tyresius's. She had to be careful.
Estar almost laughed out loud when she found the bar. Run down and seedy, it was the most clichéd place possible for this guy to hide. Pushing past the swinging door, she entered the smoky bar room, making her way to the bartender. The hefty Zabrak eyed her narrowly as she sat down, leaving her helmet on.
"What'll it be?" He asked her, wiping a grimy glass with a gross rag that was only making it dirtier.
She shook her head, "Not looking for drinks," She replied. The voice filter gave her a deep man's voice, "But I am looking for a friend of mine. Want to give him a surprise,"
"No funny business here, pal," He wagged his finger at her warningly.
Raising her hands innocently, "Nothing rough, just a little catching up. If things do go sour, I'll take him out for a little walk to sort it out,"
He huffed. Having had worked in this place a long time, he probably knew her type, also knowing there was no profit in arguing with her, "My policy is not to give out that info. You can go sit in a corner and watch for your friend, just make sure you buy a drink every hour, or I'm tossing you out. Got it?"
"Clear as water,"
"Ha, water ain't clear here,"
She ordered a single glass of the generic whiskey, taking the drink to a booth in the far corner where she could all the exits. Nestling down in the cracked leather booth, she waited.
Thirty minutes later, her comm pinged. Shutting off her audio emitter, she was able to talk without her helmet projecting it, giving her a private conversation. It was Mako.
"Hey, boss, got a problem," She sounded anxious, "Looks like we've got someone else looking for Lokai, too. Big time hunter, named Trumbull. If you see a Duros come in, possibly with a droid companion, watch out,"
"Gotcha," Estar replied, instantly checking around the bar. No Duros, but that didn't mean she was clear. A flicker of movement caught her eye. She felt her pulse quicken as Tyresius Lokai stepped into the bar, his gold eyes scanning the bar. He wore a long dusty coat, an empty holster strapped across his chest "Target in sight, got to go," She said, hanging up before Mako could argue.
Tyresius sat down at the bar, the bartender automatically handing him a glass.
Estar kept her head lowered, looking interested in the glass on her table. She obviously was not drinking it, but he didn't seem to notice her. The front door swung open, a gust of hot sand blowing in. A tall Duros with a small hover droid behind him stepped in.
"Hey," The bartender called, "We don't serve droids here,"
The Duros said nothing, glancing at his droid. He only nodded to it, and it quietly hovered away. He walked past Estar's booth, slipping his hands in his pockets. She glimpsed a blaster tucked under his long coat. Definitely Trumbull, she decided. Trumbull sat down at the far end of the bar, opposite Tyresius.
If Estar wanted to catch Tyresius herself, she would have to act fast.