Chapter Three

The Mos Eisley Cantina.

It wasn't the most respectable place in the galaxy, and as far as Nosaj Evol was concerned, the galaxy was pretty big. After all, he had been traveling since before he could remember, and he had been to many places similar to this, but none quite like this Tatooine establishment. He had been to the better known places like Coruscant, Corellia, and Bespin at least once or twice, but it was the most remote and desolate planets that he had frequented lately.

One of which he was in right now, waiting for his companion to come to an important decision. The young human gave and annoyed sigh, and toyed with the rim of his drink.

His companion was an older human man. Rosoh Ago'Ett was a smuggler and bounty hunter for hire, doing whatever he could to earn a few credits and make out an existence. He lived life on the edge, teetering. Throughout the years, Nosaj had spent with the old man, he quickly found out how to do the same. It was no wonder that the ship Nosaj had lived on most of his life was called the Razor's Edge. Too bad it was stolen on Corellia a few months back. He and Rosoh now resided on a smaller, less armed ship than the one Rosoh had commissioned, dubbed the Razor's Edge II.

Rosoh's black and gray hair was clinging to his forehead for perspiration as he leaned in closer to speak with the fluttering Toydarian. Both shrewd in their business, Nosaj was supposed to be paying attention, but the bounty hunter wasn't really interested. As his foster father, Rosoh wanted Nosaj to do things by his book, but the youth would much rather follow his own set of nonexistent rules.

His dark eyes roamed the cantina, taking in the sights, sounds and smells that the other alien species had to offer. Most were here for illegal reasons, such as theirs.

Across the room, Nosaj spied a hooded figure, alone in the shadows, at a table that wasn't very noticeable. Ever so slightly, Nosaj narrowed his eyes as he studied the stranger. He couldn't discern what species he was, but there was something unsettling about the way he just sat there, never touching a drink, never moving. And the stranger's eyes were staring straight at Nosaj.

He felt an uncomfortable lump in his throat, and he forced his eyes away. He tuned in on the conversation Rosoh was having with Gudo, the Toydarian.

"Come on Gudo," Rosoh was pleading, "There's gotta be work somewhere out there that you can arrange for us, hmm? For an old friend's sake?"

The Toydarian's snoutish nose pulled back slightly with his sneer. He spoke something in his alien language that didn't seem too friendly. Rosoh flushed a bit, then quickly regained his composure. "We're willing to do anything. Bounties, smuggling, maybe a few errands…" His voice trailed off when he saw Gudo's unpleasant expression. There was a final word from the Toydarian that Nosaj figured must've meant "Forget it." He fluttered away from their table and into the crowds of the cantina.

Once the blue skinned alien was out of sight, Rosoh banged his fist on the table. "Blast! Gudo was the last choice I had in getting us a few runs. I thought he was sure to give us something. I trusted him."

Nosaj tried to hide his smile as he lifted his drink to his lips.

"Well," he spoke after taking a sip. "He doesn't trust you either. It doesn't take a slug to pick up on that."

"I never should've come back to this forsaken rock." Rosoh heaved a large sigh and prepared to stand up. "Let's get back to the Razor's Edge II and…" He stopped in mid sentence.

"May I be permitted to join your table?" A low menacing voice spoke. Looming over their table stood the mysterious hooded figure from across the room. Nosaj stared at him, dumbstruck.

Rosoh opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. The stranger took it upon himself to take the seat opposite of Rosoh, before the permission to do so was granted.

"I have a proposition for you." He began. Rosoh blinked a few times and cast a brief wary glance toward Nosaj. The stranger's eyes never wavered.

"I'm listening." Rosoh said.

"I am looking for…a certain individual."

Nosaj again narrowed his eyes at the stranger. He was human, or at least humanoid. That was definite. All he could see was a pair of feral green eyes and the outline of a thin-lipped mouth.

" A bounty?" Rosoh raised his eyebrows. This was getting better. It had been so long since he had been on a bounty hunt. " Who, and how much you offering?"

The thin mouth moved into a cold grin.

"The price is fifteen thousand a head."

"There's more than one?" The old man asked incredulously, rubbing the stubble on his chin slightly. Nosaj continued to stare at the dark man with growing suspicion.

It was a good price…

"Yes. I only requite one stipulation. I want them alive." The stranger spoke the last few words in an ice cold voice. His eyes briefly glanced at Nosaj.

"Alright, no problem. Who?"

There was a long pause before he spoke again.

"Jedi."

Rosoh's hands both shot up in a defensive stance. "Whoa, hey, we don't have dealings with Jedi, Imperials, dignitaries, or politicians. Anything else, fine, but I am not risking my neck against any of those."

Nosaj's gaze flickered to his companion. Rosoh was looking a little pale.

The dark man just continued to grin. He lifted his right hand and said slowly and calmly as he moved it slightly. "You will find the Jedi."

"We will find the Jedi." Rosoh agreed, a slightly glazed look in his eyes. Nosaj immediately realized what was going on. This man was using some sort of Jedi trick! He jumped to his feet, reaching for his blaster.

It happened so quickly. Nosaj blinked as he gaped at his empty hand. His blaster was now in the hands of his intended victim. He glowered at him.

The grin on the dark one's face widened across his shadowed face as Rosoh jumped back. Nosaj simply stared, infuriated.

"We'll be in touch." Was his final words. He placed the blaster on the table in front of Nosaj, and in an instance, he was gone. They found themselves staring at an empty seat. Quickly, Nosaj grabbed his blaster, and pointed, trying to spot him out in the crowd. He was gone.

Rosoh hung his head.

"I have a bad feeling about this."