The Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Star Wars: The Clone Wars or any related titles, characters, plots, settings, etc. These rights are the sole property of Dave Filoni, George Lucas, the Walt Disney Company, and their various publishers and distributors. I own only the original elements of this story, the writing and publishing of which earn me no money.

The room was quiet, tense, but Hondo was having a wonderful time. He was sitting comfortably at the table, across from Jango Fett and his apprentice Zam Wesell. Despite the unease hanging in the air - a common feeling when more than one bounty hunter was gathering in one area - Hondo had already drained one cup of highly-intoxicating brew and was working his way through another. Rather than risk boredom, Hondo decided to make conversation with his otherwise silent companions.

"And how are you enjoying your apprenticeship, young one?" Hondo asked politely. He was always polite - except when he was rude. His dear mother had always taught him that manners were the mark of someone in complete charge of a situation... which Hondo always was, of course.

"I'm learning a great deal," Zam Wesell said after glancing at the fully-armored Jango Fett for approval to answer.

Well, there was not much he could say to that, but never let it be said that Hondo Ohnaka let silence live unbroken!

"How is the job going, Jango?" he asked instead, draining his second cup.

Fett shrugged. "I let them take bio samples and they deposit credits into my account. Easiest job I've ever taken."

That did sound simple. Hondo was filled with jealousy, though he took care to keep it from his expression. A face as handsome as his shouldn't be marred with such an unsightful emotion.

"Ah, but I've heard you have been taking other jobs as well," he said, wagging a finger at Fett. "The word around the Outer Rim is that you've been a busy man."

"Always good to keep your skills sharp," Fett said evasively. "No job lasts forever."

"True, too true!" Hondo agreed loudly. "Keep that in mind, young Wesell! The best bounty hunters-"

"The best bounty hunters don't take advice from pirates," Fett finished, speaking over Hondo. Wesell nodded as if this was the best tip she had ever received. Hondo, on the other hand, was insulted.

"Ach! Tch! I can only hope you do not teach such nonsense to young Boba! He must learn to listen to his godfather if I am to apprentice him someday."

"I'd better be dead before you try to apprentice my son, pirate," Fett growled. "And you are not Boba's godfather."

"And where is the man you thought would be a better guardian than me, hmm? Late, as always," Hondo said petulantly.

"Keep yer shirt on, Ohnaka," ordered the rough voice of Cad Bane, shortly before he rounded the corner and narrowed his red Duros eyes in Hondo's direction. "An' I've told ya a hundred times: I got no interest in bein' da brat's godfather."

Hondo turned victoriously to Fett. "I would never call my godson a brat."

"Stars," Fett muttered. Before Hondo could blink, the Mandalorian had a blaster in his hand. Only a second later, Wesell had one aimed as well.

Hondo turned, alarm coursing through his body, and found himself looking at a young Palliduvan female. She was also holding a blaster, though her strengths clearly came from confidence and bravado rather than skill.

Hondo could relate.

"Who'd you bring along, Bane?" Fett asked sharply.

"Her name's Sing. She's been workin' as a bounty hunter in some of da remote systems for a couple-a years. Already built herself a nice reputation," Bane explained, glancing back in Sing's direction. "Put it away, kid. Yer outclassed. That's Jango Fett, one-a da best bounty hunters in da galaxy."

Hondo cleared his throat and Bane stared at him for a moment.

"An' dats Zam Wesell, Fett's apprentice."

Undaunted, Hondo cleared his throat again and Bane grimaced, the tubes attached to his cheeks moving oddly with the expression. "An' dat's Ohnaka, a worthless pirate Fett keeps around for da entertainment value."

Sing holstered her blaster while Hondo made noises of outrage.

Fett, having holstered his own blaster, ignored Hondo completely. "Why is she here?"

"Now, is that any way to treat a guest?" Hondo asked, clicking his tongue disparagingly. "Come in, come in! Take a seat. What can we do for you?"

She narrowed green eyes at Hondo. "I don't need anything from you, pirate."

Hondo made more outraged noises, but moved to pour the ill-tempered Sing a drink anyway. Bane chuckled at her venomous response, and a smile passed over Wesell's face, but Fett was unamused. "What do you need, Sing?"

"Bane says I need a mentor," she said brashly, taking a seat at the table and swigging at the drink Hondo handed her.

"Does he, now?" Fett drawled. "Just so happens, I already have an apprentice."

Sing's gaze slid over to Wesell and she scoffed. "I can tell you right now that I'm better than her."

"Wesell," Fett said simply.

Wesell's face changed smoothly, rapidly, and an exact copy of Sing was sitting by Fett's side a moment later. "I can tell you right now that I'm better than her," the copy said in a precise mimicry of Sing's confident smirk.

"Ever met a Clawdite?" Fett asked, not waiting for Sing to answer. "There's a lot you don't know and I don't have the patience to teach someone so obviously green."

"I haven't been green in a long time," Sing said, the confidence clear in her strident voice. "I might not know how to identify every species in the galaxy, but I know how to capture or kill them."

"Without getting killed, yourself?" Fett shook his head. "You walked into a den of unknown bounty hunters with only one weapon and it wasn't even drawn. You put your blaster away without noticing the emergency blaster Wesell had pointed your direction since you stepped to the table, and you took a drink from that cup without checking for poison. Most importantly, you sat down with your back to half the room. Ohnaka could have put that vibroblade through your skull before you had known what happened."

Sing whipped around to stare at Hondo, who held both hands up to show that he was not actually holding a weapon. When she turned back around, clawing reddish hair from her face, Fett had both of his dual blaster pistols drawn and aimed - one at her head and one at her chest. "And now you'd be dead."

"Teach me," Sing commanded.

Fett only gave a derisive laugh as he holstered his pistols again. "Why would I do that? Like I said: you're green. Not my job to fix years of cocky mistakes."

Hondo felt an unexpected surge of pity for the young bounty hunter. "Come now, Jango. Surely it wouldn't be so difficult to train her? Not for a man of your skills and renown."

A tilt of Fett's helmeted head was all the warning Hondo received, and he knew he was being carefully considered. "Why don't you train her?"

"Him?" Sing asked, clearly disgusted.

"Him?" Bane asked, even more disgusted.

"Me?" Hondo asked, most disgusted of all.

"Yeah," Fett said, satisfaction in his tone. "Get her a little less green and I'll consider taking her on."

"And what do I stand to gain from such a deal?" Hondo demanded.

"I'll make you Boba's godfather," Fett answered with the air of a man who had laid a perfect trap. Bane scoffed and pulled his hat a little further down over his eyes.

Hondo watched Fett for a moment through narrowed eyes and finished his third drink. "Come, Sing. We have much to do and very little time to get it done."

Sing pushed back from the table and made to follow Hondo, a stunned look on her pale face, but Fett stopped her with a single word:

"Sing." She turned back slightly and he crossed his arms over his armored chest. "Here's a free piece of advice: get the karkin' hair out of your face. A weakness like that will get you killed."

When they were outside, Sing spoke again. Her confidence had clearly been shaken, but it was coming back. "Why did you agree to this? What does a pirate know about bounty hunting?"

"Not much," Hondo admitted freely. "But I can teach you to be tricky and suspicious and mean. From everything I know about bounty hunters, that will be a good start. Now, come along. I have visitation rights to earn and a child to corrupt."

"Double-cross me and I'll kill you," she warned, and Hondo grinned. He liked her already.

Author's Note - This was a request someone sent in on Tumblr and I thought I would share it here! The request was for just for something featuring Hondo and Aurra, but I couldn't resist throwing in a few more bounty hunters at their first meeting. Also, I know the timeline is wonky. We're just rolling with it. If you want to make a request or just check out some of my other works (ones that can't be posted on this site for various reasons), feel free to check out my Tumblr! Username WanderingInkSplot.

For those who follow me and were hoping for an update on one of my other Clone Wars stories, I'm sorry! I promise that updates are coming soon! For the rest of today, I'll mostly be cross-posting some pre-written works.

Thank you for reading! If you have a spare moment, please let me know what you thought, and I hope you have a lovely day!