Disclaimer: I do not own star wars or any of its character and while plot points are from various RPG games I take no credit for their origins only of their application in the story therein. This a labor of love and not for profit though if Disney or Lucas Arts would like to hire my creative brain I'd be more than happy to drop everything and come running. Please read and leave a review.

Episode 2: Mandalorian Servant

Chapter 2: Defining Moments

Teemo's Palace: Slick's private chamber

Slick leaned over the data map going over what he had learned so far. There was still so many pieces missing and yet much was already clear. Teemo the Hutt wanted to control Ryll operations on Ryloth and he had an operative on site prepared to make it happen. It wasn't merely for credits either. This was a power play; a small part of a larger scheme. But where did Tersen Aboleth fit in? Teemo had acquired the Lannik technician months ago and had him constantly tinkering with a bunch of old B1 Battle Droids with little success. Then there were mentions of activities on Geonosis.

So many questions and yet very few answers.

Still, the Pantoran had what he needed and quickly sent off the coded message to his contact, maybe his handlers at Ryll Corp would know more.

"You spies and your spy-craft," a female voice chirped behind him. Slick wasn't startled to hear it. He'd known Era Oldessi had been there the entire time. The lithe green skinned black haired Mirialin female sat on a small workbench toying with an Imperial Blaster Pistol she'd acquired. She wore a dark jacket over a white blouse, outdoor trousers, and rugged boots. An ever-present satchel hung across her torso.

"Speaking of," Slick quipped walking over and taking the blaster from her and hefting it, "you been keeping your ears open lately?"

Era and Slick went way back to the point that the bounty hunter trusted the rogue archeologist/explorer with his primary mission in Teemo's palace as a spy. Unlike Slick, Era grew up nurtured by a loving family, far from the reach of the Empire and, in truth, civilization. While Slick's home had been whatever he could put over his head, Era Oldessi's was amongst the ruins and dig-sites of ancient civilizations. Unlike Slick, Era ended up an activist against the pro-Imperial Onderonian government in an effort to stop their destruction of the ancient world.

Era's, however, did not survive her first contact with the enemy. While on a dig outside Onderon's capital, her group was attacked by pro-Imperial forces. Era was the only one to survive, hiding in the rugged hinterlands of the planet.

Her loyalty to the cause gone, Era began selling her skills as a researcher and scout to the highest bidder. While business on Onderon was quite good, Era was eager to leave the planet where she had lost so many of her friends. An opportunity arose when Slick came to Onderon and needed help tracking a bounty through some trap-laden ruins. Era led Slick to his quarry and, in return, the Pantoran gave her a ride to Mos Shuuta on Tatooine.

In its own way, Tatooine had its fair share of ancient mysteries, and Era was able to continue serving as a freelance scout, which helped fund her own private research into the ancient Rakatan Empire and various other pursuits that caught her fancy. During that time she struck up friendships with Slick and Teemo's lead mechanic, a Lannik named Tersen Aboleth. The true danger on Tatooine for Era was the rule of the Hutts and their minions; enough of Oldessi's idealism remained that in service to Teemo she'd discovered the evil that lurked beneath the galaxy.

"I heard what happened," the Mirialin acknowledged taking the blaster back to finish calibrating the sights, "Glad they're still alive." She arched an eyebrow at the Pantoran, "They are still alive right?"

"For now," he confirmed, "Teemo put a bolo out on them."

Era grimaced before hopping off the workbench holstering the blaster. "He must be pretty sore about that lost cargo then."

"And the ship," Slick supplemented, "He's very angry about losing the ship too."

A brief look of fear crossed the archeologists face before hesitantly asking, "...angry enough to...kill them?"

Slick thought for a second before shaking his head. "Not as long as he thinks he can get his credit's worth out of them."

Era grimaced again. "Why would you want to keep working for a slime-ball like Teemo?" It was a fair question seeing as she was freelance and could come and go as she pleased. Slick once again laid out the deal he had with Teemo and the Ryll corporations on Ryloth. A sympathetic look crossed her face when he explained about the Hutt's secret deals to take over the mining firms and the predicament it placed him in. After he finished Era nodded saying, "Sounds like you've already made up your mind."

Perhaps he had. Lowering his head in thought he turned and leaned on the workbench. He'd had time to think on his situation and in truth, Jarek had been right. Teemo's backroom deals effectively nullified their contract. He was free to go home. That just left one small problem...

"I can't leave Maddy like this," he started looking up at Era with conviction in his eyes. No one could ever deny he wasn't loyal to the mouthy Alderannian. Or obsessed depending on one's point of view. 'The heart wants what the heart wants,' he often quoted.

"Or Jarek for that matter," Era added. Though she and the Mandalorian had never officially met the pair knew of one another in passing. Era had even admitted she found the brooding mercenary 'a tad fascinating.'

"You know what I mean." Slick crossed his arms and tapped a nervous finger on his gauntlet. His decision reaffirmed he said, "I plan to leave Tatooine with Jarek and Maddy." He quickly ran down his encounter with the pair earlier in the cantina.

"Wait, you saw them?" she gasped before chuckling darkly, "If Teemo finds out, you're going to have some trouble."

"Not as much as Jarek and Maddy when he finds out they plan on skipping out on their debt." Slick and Era both grimaced at the thought. No being no matter how weak or powerful wanted to die after all. Most would rather it come at the end of a blaster then at the hand of their employer, Teemo the Hutt. The underboss of Jabba the Hutt enjoyed watching his captives fight for their lives in the small gladiatorial arena at the heart of his palace. The gluttonous slug also had a reputation for strangling and sometimes eating his victims whom he deemed as failures to his business.

Slick had never witnessed the second part. He figured it was more rumor than fact. He still wouldn't wish such a fate on anyone. More specifically he had no desire to be one of his victims to prove the tale true. He'd rather be amongst his scantily clad slaves than his main course. Though neither thought had much appeal.

Era placed a hand on Slick's shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. "Whatever you decide, I am with you. I owe you after all." A thought seemed to occur to him and he smiled again, "If there's room I'm sure I can persuade Tersen to come as well."

Slick chuckled as they made their way to the door. "I'm sure he's bored from fixing decrepit droids and beat up freighters anyways. Maybe a change in scenery will cheer him up."

"Alright then," Era mused, "What about-"

Just then the door slid open and a hulking form clad in well used yellow armor over a black and brown body suit barred their way. Gripped in one cybernetic hand was a blaster rifle, also well used. A pair of dark eyes glared down at them beneath the brow of a skull-shaped armored mask causing both beings to shrink back. By the look of him, he'd been standing there for some time.

The Gank growled menacingly as it stepped forward into the room forcing them to step back. Era began reaching for her blaster but stopped at a look from Slick. The Pantoran straightened and swallowed the nervous lump in his throat. "Gare," he greeted trying to sound natural and failing. It hadn't been long ago that he had witnessed this very being rip the arms off a captured Tuskin Raider in Teemo's gladiatorial arena. He was also renowned as one of the Hutt's main enforcers. And he quite possibly overheard their entire dissenting conversation. "What can I do for you this day?" Slick asked trying to appear calm and oblivious to the encroaching danger.

The Gank glared down at the pair of them, his grip tightening on the handle of his blaster. Reaching for the door terminal with his free flesh and blood hand he replied, "We need to talk." With that, he pressed the control. The door hissed shut and the lock engaged.

The Whomp Rats Den

Jarek stood and slid his helmet back on at the same time Kallos downed her final glass which amounted to half a bottle of Tharaxian Brandy. Jarek mused that any other human, himself included would've been passed out on the floor. The Alderannian smuggler, however, looked annoyingly sober, if a little too cheery.

"Time to face the music, my friend," she crowed tossing the Deveronian a hefty tip.

Jarek wasn't sure if this was the best mood to be approaching Teemo with. Equal parts drunk and intolerable. If they had any chance of talking their way out of this mass they'd need tact and sobriety. At the very least so they could have an opportunity to escape. Either way, it was now or never.

"Going somewhere Mandalorian?" came a low growl in huttese.

Oh, ancestors preserve me, Jarek groaned to himself. Both he and Madlyn turned to see a single Weequay pointing a blaster pistol at them.

"Yes Drana," Madlyn replied holding up a pair of placating hands, "we were just on our way to see the boss."

The Weequay spat to the side and kept the blaster trained on him. "I'm afraid Teemo's patience has run out Kallos. You've messed up for the last time."

This time Jarek spoke up, "Look Drana, we really are on our way to see Teemo. We know he's upset about the lost shipment and we wanted to assure him we had the credits to pay for the damage." It was a lie of course but Drana didn't need to know that. Jarek just wanted to make it out alive at this point. If the Weequay was right and Teemo was fed up with them then talking their way out was no longer an option.

"Is that so?" the Weequay smirked still talking in Huttese, "then maybe you give it to me and I forget I ever saw you."

Madlyn also smirked and shrugged. "C'mon Drana, that's no way to deal. First, we offer payment, then you counter, and then we counter-counter." She expelled an over-exaggerated sigh of exasperation. "Honestly you've no head for deals," she said with an annoyed tone that made Jarek roll his eyes, "I guess that why you'll always be just the Hutt little errand boy."

Drana's face wrinkled in anger and he focused his aim on Madlyn's cocky grin. He yelled a stream of profanities at the smuggler, as his finger tightened on the trigger. That was all Jarek needed. In a flash, he drew his own blaster pistol and fired three shots from the hip. All three bolts slammed into the Weequay's torso leaving large smoldering craters. Drana looked surprised as he crumbled to the floor.

Kallos was just starting to draw her own pistol when in a flurry of huttese a dozen of Teemo's goons swarmed into the cantina, weapons drawn. Jarek was good with a blaster, maybe even one of the best on the planet, but he wasn't going to trick himself into thinking he could defeat twelve armed assailants in a quick draw, even with Madlyn's help.

As much as it galled him, Jarek holstered his weapon and raised his hands. Madlyn did likewise.

"Kriff my luck," Madlyn sighed and Jarek grumbled in agreement.