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Episode 3: Mandalorian Fugitive
Chapter 2: Wide Path
There was a flash of white light and the tone of the ship's engines dropped several octaves as they emerged from hyperspace. Below them lay the dusty baked surface of Ryloth.
It had taken Tersen less than half an hour to finish re-installing the Hypermatter Reactor Igniter. In that time the rest of the crew, aside from Era who sought to monitor B'ura B'on's health, went about restoring the interior of the ship; organizing supplies and cataloging items they might sell or barter once they'd landed.
In that time B'ura B'on had taken the opportunity to freshen up, but even with his skin cleaned of filth he still looked rough. Without a replacement wardrobe he was forced to wear his gamey clothing again. Still, it was an improvement. Jarek couldn't complain. The rest of them weren't looking any better. Whoever B'ura B'on's friends were, Jarek hoped they had a decent fresher.
By the time Tersen and Madlyn agreed they were prepared to make the jump to hyperspace, the Krayt Fang was in as good a shape as it was going to be.
As with many Rylothian settlements, large portions of Nabat existed underground in order to protect its inhabitants from the harsh environment and wandering predatory lyleks. The upper levels of Nabat were exposed to the elements and consisted of several landing pads, warehouses, shipping ports, slum dwellings, and cantinas.
For Millennia the Twi'leks of Ryloth have managed to navigate the gray areas of Galactic law and structure their economy around to commodities for which there is always a demand; slavery and spice. Experts at negotiation, Twi'lek Clan Lords skirt anti-slavery legislation by indenturing lower-caste Twi'leks through "Free Will" contracts, slavery in all but name. While such habits skirt Galactic law many otherwise law-abiding cultures are only too happy to turn a blind eye to this practice in order to obtain Twi'lek slaves.
Spice saved the Twi'leks from becoming a permanent underclass to other species thousands of years prior when vast deposits of ryll were discovered on Ryloth. Mined from blooms below the surface Ryll could be used as the active agent in both medicines and narcotics. Suddenly Ryloth had another resource valuable to the Galaxy. The Clans exploited the spice themselves rather than outsourcing the labor. As a result Twi'lek slaves became a much rarer but still highly demanded commodity fetching higher prices without depleting Ryloth's population.
Visitors, like the crew of the Krayt Fang, found it a world of harsh conditions. Much of the terrain was rocky and barren, blighted by Ryloth's sun. Tremendous heat storms roll across the surface without warning allowing only the hardest of creatures like the armored lylek to survive the weather. It is more temperate around the equator where most Twi'lek settlements are located including Lessu and their destination of Nabat. Those Twi'leks who choose to live elsewhere find shelter either below the surface or shielded in behind mountain rock in cavernous cities like Kala'uun and Roancu.
As Ryloth's economy was primarily based on exports, there is little indigenous industry and almost all technologies are imported. However, the Twi'leks weren't technophobes. They preferred to maintain their position in the galactic community through bargaining and trade.
As Anti-alien Prejudice grew in the Galaxy the Twi'leks, given their similarities to humans, managed to dilute its impact on Ryloth by ingratiating themselves with Imperial officials. Slick explained one executive of Sienar Fleet systems found himself visiting Ryloth so frequently he built corporate offices in Kala'uun's caves.
Upon their approach the Rylothian Air Traffic Controller demanded there Identification and destination. Before Madlyn could say anything, B'ura B'on grabbed the comm link. "This is B'ura B'on," he said his voice much stronger and clearer now that he'd had a decent meal and proper rest, "request clearance for landing. Authentication code: Oo'rha of the Lonely Third." There was a brief pause before the traffic controller gave them permission to land without any further questions or objection.
Madlyn smiled at the Twi'lek. "It's good to have popular friends," she said with a wink. B'ura B'on merely chuckled. Minutes later Madlyn brought the Fang in for a feather-light landing that the Twi'lek praised. As they disembarked B'ura B'on offered to see to it that the Krayt Fang was safely docked and that any repairs needed were carried out and paid for by his contacts in Nabat. When Madlyn mentioned the transponder he spoke to a member of the ground crew who along with a droid mechanic moved to complete the task. At the concerned look of the crew, B'ura B'on assured them that the Krayt Fang was safe for the time being, explaining he had sympathizers among the spaceport staff. A claim vetted by the traffic controller's hasty obedience earlier. Jarek had to admit he was impressed at how much authority B'ura had. It was no wonder Teemo wanted the Twi'lek out of the way.
With the oppressive heat of the day looming B'ura B'on was eager to get away from the surface and into the tunnel complex below. He leads the group from the surface deep under the ground, to a district of the city where individual residences were dug into the cavern walls. The only other structures Jarek had ever viewed underground were the ruins back on Kalevala he'd seen as a child. To see so many structures, with beings in residence, built into and around the columns and walls of the bed-rock nearly made his jaw drop. The Mandalorian was grateful his helmet covered his look of awe.
Era, on the other hand, wore her excitement on her sleeves. She kept up a running commentary of the how and why the Twi'leks constructed such impressive structures. Her enthusiasm made everyone smile, except Gare. Jarek wasn't sure if the Gank even knew how to smile beneath his grim mask.
The narrow corridors were packed with various beings going about their business. Hundreds of Twi'leks thronged the walkways and passages, but they were not the only citizens of Nabat. There was a menagerie of other sentients intermixed with the native Twi'leks. Swaggering Aqualish shouldered their way past them while beeping droids scurried between shops and tunnel ways. Human traders hawked their wares from stalls set within niches to the side of the walls. It was a chaotic mix of various species that their diverse crew of sentients barely drew a cursory glance. It was pleasant to finally be in a place where no one recognized or was actively trying to kill them.
Teemo's Palace:
The bounty hunter stood on the landing pad next to the transport...waiting. Around him, engineers, technicians, and slaves buzzed about loading equipment and munitions and prepared the ship for launch. His blood boiled with frustration. The Trandosian was eager to proceed. Only a half hour ago he'd received a signal from the Fang's transponder that the Mandalorian and crew had landed on Ryloth. If they had discovered the Twi'lek then that might account for the return to his home planet which meant they'd be headed to New Meen eventually. Teemo the Hutt had interests on the planet, some involving slave trade and the mining of Ryll.
Jarek and the others had escaped Teemo's custody in Trex's ship several hours prior and had been on the run ever since. This was the first real break they'd had in the hunt.
The Trandosian hissed in anger at the memory; watching the ship - his ship! - The Krayt Fang fly away overhead. The pain of the cauterized hole through his skull echoed through the scar tissue that was quickly healing. Jarek had left him for dead, but he had underestimated his species healing factor. While limited it had kept him alive long enough for some of Teemo's people to recover his body and toss him into a bacta tank. When he awoke, to say he wanted revenge was putting it mildly. However, he wasn't stupid.
He'd misjudged the Mandalorian's skill. Trex wouldn't do that again. He girded himself in the anticipation of the bloodletting. To his people, nothing was more exhilarating than the hunt. The more hunts the more jaggath points one received. The more points earned them a higher status in the afterlife. His failure to kill the Mandalorian the first time coupled with the loss of his ship and its cargo had cost him those points, now he had no other choice but to hunt him down to earn them back. But he wouldn't do so unprepared, no matter how eager he was to wrap his claws around the human's throat.
At that moment a dark-skinned human male in a set of fatigues walked up. Trex nodded respectfully at Teemo's head of security, Lex. He may have been a human, but he was a human who survived Tatooine, the slave pits, and several rounds in Teemo's fighting arena. He was a fighter with the scars to prove it. He'd even held his own against the traitor Gare.
The loss of the Gank was another wound to Teemo's pride that warranted retribution. Gare had spent years as Teemo's loyal henchmen with no signs of treason. The same could be said for the rest of the crew though Trex had doubted the loyalty of the Mirialin within moments of seeing her. He never trusted females of the softer species and she along with the Alderanni had not disappointed.
The human, Lex, produced a data-pad and showed it to him. On it was a list of names. Twelve of them to be exact. Each one a mercenary with cycles of experience. They consisted of a pair of Weequay, five humans, three Nikto, and two Rodians.
"I got you what I could," Lex stated, his voice rolling like gravel, "Short notice, but they're all quality." As he spoke the strike team in question exited the palace and started marching towards the transport. They all wore medium tactical gear that had seen plenty of use. Lex reached over and scrolled down to a thirteenth name. "And I pulled you one ace." As if summoned another human stepped out of the palace wearing cross country gear with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He wasn't armed and yet Trex could see the lethality in every step. "Teklis Emil. Former Imperial ISB." Trex watched as the group of hardened mercenaries split to allow the smaller man through and board first. Trex new he'd like this guy, as long as he followed orders.
"I know you had to call in some favors for this Lex," Trex hissed genuinely appreciating the assist. He respected the human but didn't go as far as trust. In the Outer Rim, you lived longer by keeping everyone at arm's length. Trex also knew that Lex would want a favor in return.
The human glared at him. "Just make it count. These runaways cost us. You failed once." He held up a finger threateningly. "I covered for you...once. The Next time I'll throw you to the dire cats myself." Trex believed he would, but he wasn't about to show any sign of fear. Instead, he hissed before joining the rest of his team on the transport.
Jarek's actions at Teemo's palace and the running battle through Mos Shuuta had cost the Hutt thousands of credits in terms of lost personnel and damaged property. Not to mention the price of calling in favors to the Imperials. A Hutt's reputation depended on his ability to attain power and wealth and then maintain it. So far Teemo had managed to suppress the finer details of the loss, blaming it on Tuskin Raiders. Normally the cartel would hire a bounty hunter and be done with it, but Teemo wanted the mission to be kept quiet lest he alerts the other Hutts to his ineptitude to run his domain or make them aware of the various schemes he had going behind the scenes.
Trex could understand the thought, but wouldn't deny that it was personal to him that he be the one to bring Jarek and the others in. His reputation, his life-stang-his afterlife hinged on capturing those...fugitive scum.
The transport rose off of the landing pad and began its ascent. The strike team was buckled in and waited patiently. To further maintain their cover, Trex and Lex had decided they'd take an unarmed jump freighter to Ryloth in order to dissuade any sort of suspicion. A fourteen man hit-squad was bound to draw some sort of attention eventually but they wanted to make sure it wasn't until the very last second.
Trex stood and activated a holo-projector for all to see. It revealed a still image of Jarek along with the other members of his newly acquired crew. A female human, a male Pantoran, male Lannik, female Mirialin, and of course the Gank.
They'd made a clean escape from Tatooine and survived four Imperial TIE Fighters, and even somehow discovered and suppressed his ships hyperspace transponder. But there was one thing Jarek hadn't accounted for; the greed of sentient beings. A spy in Teemo's employ had confirmed the group's arrival on the planet along with the final ping of the transponder before it was permanently deactivated.
Your hide and jaggath points will be mine soon enough, he hissed to himself.
Out loud he spoke to the team. "These are the target. Live capture, if possible." He noticed a couple mercenaries scoff. Probably wondering why they needed a whole strike team for six sentients. It wasn't hard to relate. One hunter for one escaped slave; too easy. Fourteen trigger pullers for a dead-or-alive bounty was overkill. You took down embassies with smaller numbers. He glared at the crew. "Teemo wants them alive so he can deal with them personally." Never underestimate a Hutt's lust for personal vengeance. "If you take them alive, there's a hefty bonus involved."
"We have local support?" A Nikto asked. It was a logical question.
Trex shook his head. "No. Teemo wants it tight and quiet." Aside from their spy amongst the populace, Trex was aware of the compound outside of New Meen that Teemo owned with its own security force, but the Hutt had ordered they be kept in the dark. It seemed to be a case of one slimy hand of the Hutt Cartel being unaware of tails activity. Trex despised political schemes.
"What's so impressive about these guys?" A human asked analyzing the hologram with a critical eye. He wasn't being sarcastic. This was a group that performed professionally, but only when they knew all the angles.
Trex's hiss caused the man to gulp nervously. Trandosians were carnivorous, and it was this fact that made anyone leery about becoming their next meal. An assumption Trex enjoyed using to great effect. "Escaped slaves, and debtors. That's all you need to know" This was a lie of course. One more smoke screen Teemo concocted to keep his competition off of the scent. The entire team seemed to buy it...except one.
Teklis glared with mistrust at the Trandosian. This was a man with a long history of learning and keeping secrets. A professional liar and killer. His file said he was 38 standard years old yet he had the look of a man approaching 50. He'd endured a lot and it showed. Teklis didn't believe a word Trex said.
Good. He might live longer.
"Any fighters amongst them?" the former ISB agent asked. This got the rest of the team's attention and they all looked at the Trandosian for confirmation.
Trex didn't like being put on the spot and it didn't look like his savage persona would get him clear of the question. He changed tactics. He growled menacingly, causing the nearest gunman to unconsciously back away. "Your targets, are a fugitive of the Hutt Cartel who stole secrets that Teemo would like to keep." Not completely untrue. Jarek possessed limited knowledge of the Hutts organization, but combined with the knowledge of his crew could know more than he let on. "They are also implicated in the deaths of several mercenaries and number of Imperial Stormtroopers." Trex reached up and indicated the scar tissue on his head, "And he tried to kill me. So don't wait to see if they are fighters!" It was necessary propaganda that reinforced the need for them to take the job seriously because if they failed, they died. "Stun them or kill them, we will bring them in."
Ryloth, Nabat City:
B'ura B'on lead them away from the busier thoroughfares and knocked on a large metal door. Twi'lekian code words were exchanged and after a moment they were shown into a spacious room filled with relaxing blue light and comfortable chairs. B'ura B'on turned to the group and whispered, "This dwelling is occupied by a cell of the organization dedicated to protecting the interests of common Twi'leks on Ryloth. We will be safe here."
No sooner had he spoken when five sentients with holstered pistols entered the room. The militant group consisted of three Twi'leks and two Humans. Jarek and the others stiffened at their sudden arrival but upon seeing the cordial exchange between B'ura B'on and a female Twi'lek with buff-colored skin, they relaxed.
After B'ura recanted their story the group was more than eager to welcome the crew into their home. As introductions and small talk were exchanged Jarek was able to determine that the name of the group's leader was Nyn Kablo, the female Twi'lek B'ura B'on had initially greeted. She appeared to be soft-spoken and bore an air of languid grace. Apparently, while the rest of the group came and went as they pleased she was always in residence, living in a small room off to the side of the main area. Grateful for B'ura B'on's safe return she invited the crew to relax while she talked to the elder Twi'lek about his ordeal. The crew was provided with food and drink, brought from a side door, which they accepted eagerly.
After a hurried conversation between the two Twi'leks, during which Nyn fussed over B'ura's missing lekku, female Twi'lek approached the crew.
"We are deeply indebted to you for the rescue of our friend," she bowed low, the ends of her lekku nearly touching the floor. Straightening she went on, "While we have little we can offer you, B'ura B'on suggested that perhaps you would like to partake in a little business venture once we get our mining operations under control." When none of the crew commented she pressed on. "He leads me to believe that you have some troubles with the same Hutt boss we suspect of being behind much of our present woes, is this so?"
When no one replied Jarek looked around and saw they were all looking at him. His heart skipped a beat when he realized they were looking towards him for guidance. On the one hand, it made sense, he was the one to get them all into this mess. On the other, he had had no desire to be the leader of anyone. Once he had dealt with Teemo and assured his friend's safety he fully intended to strike out on his own once more.
It was a thought for another time.
With his own mental reservations, the Mandalorian stood drawing Nyn's attention. He nodded before briefly explaining the circumstances of their escape from Teemo's palace and coincidental rescue of B'ura B'on. If they planned on working together he felt the group needed to know that the elder Twi'leks rescue was not intentional, but rather a fortunate outcome.
As he spoke Nyn listened with a sympathetic expression. She also maintained eye contact the entire time taking in every detail only occasionally interrupting to ask for clarification on certain points. When he finished she laid a hand upon his. The unexpected physical contact made Jarek blinked in surprise but he didn't flinch away. "I promise," She replied softly and sincerely, "that my people are willing to help bring retribution to the Hutt once we settle matters on Ryloth." Jarek nodded his gratitude before she lowered her hand and stood straight. She continued to say, "I would ask one more favor of you for now. Call it the price for the safekeeping and repair of your ship. The miners who worked alongside B'ura B'on in New Meen are coming under increasing pressure from the thugs who own the land nearby, be they part of this Hutt's meddling or not. Having B'ura returned to them as quickly as possible would boost morale and enable us to decide on further action. We could provide you with a speeder with space for B'ura and at least three of you. Rest here for the night, but if you could set off in the morning it would be of great assistance to us."
To be honest, Jarek thought the request was more than reasonable considering the group was willing to fully fix and fuel their ship. All they asked for in return was to escort B'ura B'on to New Meen. However, even though the crew had looked to Jarek as their spokesman he wasn't about to assume the mantle of leadership. At that particular point, the crew was more than capable of going their separate ways. If he was going to make a decision he wanted the input of his new, albeit temporary, crewmates.
"Could you give us a moment," he asked. Nyn nodded and ushered B'ura and the rest of the group into an adjacent room to give them a relative amount of privacy. The gesture was appreciated though he doubted the hatch would muffle any amount of conversation they had.
Once they were gone, Jarek turned and looked at the rest of the crew. Gare was leaning against the far wall with a clear view of the whole room. Tersen and Era occupied a pair of chairs next to a table, while Slick and Madlyn lounged on the couch, fingers intertwined. They all looked tired and worn from their long journey together. They also appeared grateful for a chance to sit still for a moment. Jarek could sympathize.
"Well?" he asked, intentionally leaving the question open for anyone to answer.
