Chapter 6
Bane and Tierra landed in the Undercity District, where it was riddled with crime. There were humans, droids, and aliens running around, searching for anything worth stealing or find someone to kill.
Bane led Tierra to the alley where he met the stranger. "And you have no idea who he was?" Tierra asked, while she looked around for anything that was a clue.
"No, he wore some sort of mask over his face, and I don't bother asking for my clients' names, unless otherwise," Bane answered, leaning his back against a wall.
Tierra continued to look around and then noticed on the pavement what looked like an oily substance. She took a sample of it and looked at closely; it had to be on the ground for over a day and she would test it to see what hovercraft it came from.
"Do you know what kind of hovercraft your client came in?" Tierra asked, putting the sample away in her vest.
Bane, however, did not answer as he was looking around in the alley, having heard something. "Someone's watching us," he whispered and pulled out his blaster. Tierra armed herself with a dagger.
Then, some aliens came out of the darkness. There were a few Yuuzhan Vongs, who displayed their sharp teeth, some feral droids, and some humans, all of looked hungry with lust.
"You fellows better go back where you belong," Bane advised, holding up his blaster.
The group laughed and one human said, "You think that we would let you off that easy? This is our territory and unless you want to get out alive, you're going to let us have fun with the lady."
Rage filled Bane as he refused to let anyone touch Tierra, but at first he thought, 'Let them take her and you'll be free.' Then, his thoughts told him, again, 'Don't let them kill her, otherwise you'll lose the rest of the 75 million.'
"Touch her and I will kill all of you," Bane threatened, still holding up his blaster. In a flash, one of the Vongs jumped forward, teeth showing, but Bane shot him twice in the chest, and the alien died before he hit the ground.
The hostile group charged at Bane and Tierra, some going for the woman, but with the fighting skills she was taught, she able to defend herself by kicking, punching, and stabbing them with her dagger. Bane shot rounds at the feral droids and they collapsed to the ground.
Then, one of the humans pushed at Tierra and she fell to the ground and lost her grip on her dagger. The last Vong kicked it away and saliva dripped from its mouth. Bane saw what was going on and he charged at the last two humans. He placed a death grip on one's neck and shot the other and then, broke the neck of his captor.
The Vong displayed its teeth and it was ready to bite Tierra. When the Vong's head came down on her, Bane got in between them, using his left arm as defense, but the Vong bit hard on it and Bane wailed in agony.
Tierra grabbed Bane's blaster and shot a few rounds into the Vong's chest and pushed it off of Bane. The alien died and the fight was over. Tierra went over to Bane, as green blood oozed out of the bite wounds.
"That looks bad," Tierra said, but Bane shook his head, despite that the wounds were painful.
"It's not that bad," he replied.
"C'mon, we better get you to a safe place where I can look at it," Tierra said and the two left the alley, but they did not notice the dark figure who had watched the whole event and it followed them at a safe distance.
()()()()()()()()()()
Bane and Tierra went into a run-down bar that seemed to be safe enough for them and they took a seat at a booth, pretending to be customers. Tierra had Bane remove his trench coat and saw the extent of his wounds, they were deep and green blood still oozed out of them.
Tierra cleaned the blood with some napkins and took out a veil of blue liquid. "Just what are you? A healer?" Bane asked, but reacted in pain as the liquid came into contact with the bite wounds.
Tierra wanted to yell at him, but she took a deep breath and says, "You know, you're not a good patient. Just hold still, while I wrap this up."
She pulled out some gauze and wrapped Bane's arm up. "What was that stuff you put on my arm?" Bane asked in a rather curious tone.
"A healing potion, it's made from the sap of the flowers from Felucia and ice water from Hoth. My father and I traveled to almost every planet in the Inner and Outer Rims, and we bought this potion when my father accidentally cut himself," Tierra explained and continued when she noticed that Bane was interested. "I was born on Naboo, but my mother died a few days later from a high fever. My father took me to every planet that he considered the 'most exotic'.
"But that changed when we went to Metellos. We were confronted by thugs who wanted our valuables, but my father protected me and fought with them, but it cost his life," Tierra added.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Bane said, feeling remorseful.
"The thugs were going to kill me, but Celio Lowell came in and fought them off. He took me in and promised to help me avenge my father, but it took a lot of time and a lot of training for me to find the thugs and kill them. Once the job was complete, Lowell asked me if I wanted to stay in the organization as I had no one left in my family, so I accepted and became a permanent member," Tierra finished explaining.
Bane looked at her, having listened the entire time, and then looked at his bandaged arm as it was not hurting anymore.
"So," Tierra said, breaking the silence, "Aren't you going to tell me about your bounty hunting hobby?"
"Well, as with any Duro, I prefer to explore different places, but I grew bored with just being an explorer. I decided that I needed money, so my first job was to steal some gems for a client and he paid me a lot of credits. I found myself as being a bounty hunter as the danger brought excitement in my blood. A few years later, I earned quite the reputation as a bounty hunter, as I will work with those who would pay me a lot," Bane explained and put his coat back on.
"So, you only do the work if your clients give tons of money?" Tierra asked.
"There were some clients who gave me billions of credits and the dangers were worth it," Bane replied.
"I probably can't be a bounty hunter, I don't know why," Tierra said, but Bane chuckled.
"I think you can pass as a bounty hunter, you have the skills of a manipulator, very good in fact, and you can finish the job in no time," he replied and got out of the booth, "I owe you a drink, what would you like?"
"Jawa beer," Tierra answered and Bane nodded his head.
"By the way, thank you for cleaning up my arm," he said and Tierra looked at him.
"And thank you for saving my life," she replied and Bane nodded his head, again, and went to the bar to order their drinks.
Tierra watched as he vanished in the crowd, but then, a voice whispered to her, "Kenina? Kenina is that you?" Tierra turned around to see a human man with black hair and black eyes, he wore a cloak over some elegant clothes.
"Kenina it is you! I was worried sick, where were you?" the man said and embraced Tierra.
"Sir, I'm not who you think I am," she replied and the man looks at her and that's when Tierra realized who he was. "You're Tytus Daube, Lady Kenina's half-brother," she added and he nods.
"Forgive me, I thought you were my sister, but can you tell me what's going on? I've looked for Kenina almost everywhere on this planet," Tytus asked.
"All that I can you is that your sister hired me to impersonate her in order to fool the assassins, but they won't suspect that the real Lady Kenina is in hiding," Tierra explained.
"Can you tell me where I can find her?" Tytus asked, but Tierra shook her head.
"I'm sorry, that information is classified and no one close to her ladyship is not allowed to know where she is," she said, but Tytus frowned.
"I'm the only family she has left," he replied.
"I'm sorry, but I am sworn to secrecy and no one is allowed to know the location of Lady Kenina," Tierra said, keeping her calm.
"What of that bounty hunter? I recognize him from the wanted posters and he has a reputation," Tytus replied, but Tierra was confused, and he adds, "Not only is he a slick one, but he double crosses anyone who partners up with him by leaving them without splitting the profits in the end."
"What?" Tierra asked in astonishment.
"He is only after the money and I suspect that he wants to get away from you as soon as possible. Take me advice, save your skin and ditch him," Tytus warned and he put up the cloak's hood and walked away.
Tierra sat back down at the booth, she felt so confused. Bane didn't seem the type to double-cross anyone, but that was according to her. She was still in a daze, even when Bane came back with their drinks.
"I tell ya, these run-down places are the-" he stopped talking when he noticed the look on Tierra's face, "Are you all right?" he asked and Tierra snapped back into reality.
"Yes, I was just thinking," she answered and Bane handed her her beer and they began to drink.
In the shadows, Tytus began to think of conducting a sinister plan.
From the author: It seems that I found some time to write this up. Anyway, Bane and Tierra are finally warming up to each other, but what is Tytus planning? Find out later.
