While Hagamoor 3, a moon orbiting the Imperial-held world of Antemeridias, was far removed from any significant notice from the galaxy, those who were working within the moon's scientific research facility gave quite a lot of attention to the two new arrivals now wandering their domain.
In contrast, the two Mandalorians who passed by the scientists and security personnel in the halls took little notice of those around them; if they posed any trouble, they could simply use their arsenal of weapons to massacre everyone around them if it came to that. And their beskar armor was more than capable of standing up to potential blasterfire from the stormtroopers around them.
But Mandalore Boba Fett and his granddaughter Mirta Gev knew that it wouldn't come to that; not when what Head of State Jagged Fel and his wife, Jedi Knight Jaina Solo Fel, promised them meant so much.
It only took a few minutes for Fett and Mirta to reach their destination: a lab labelled 897S. The door automatically parted before them and they entered a sterile lab that contained a whole slew of mechanical apparatus, liquids in beakers, the white-robed scientists working on everything, the whole nine yards.
Standing in a corner, away from the scientists' work, were Head of State Fel and his wife looking back at the Mandos with neutral expressions.
After a moment of silence, Mirta removed her helmet, hooked it to her belt, and gave Jedi Solo Fel a friendly (enough) smile.
"Jaina, it's good to see you again," Mirta said.
Jaina returned the greeting, her own smile no less warm. "Likewise, Mirta. It's been quite a while. How's the husband?"
"Ghes is doing all right, thanks for asking," Mirta replied.
"Enough pleasantries," Boba Fett finally spoke up.
Jaina's eyebrows lifted. "Good to see you, too, Fett," she said wryly.
"You told Mirta that your husband was developing a cure, Solo," Fett said. "This is it?"
"Well, actually, the hard-working scientists here are the ones working on the cure, Mandalore Fett," Jag said loudly enough for the scientists' benefit. "But, yes, this is the very laboratory where the cure to the nanovirus plaguing your homeworld is being developed. I'm sure one of our doctors would be willing to give you a layperson-friendly lecture on the process."
"That won't be necessary," Fett said. "I trust you to keep your word."
Both Jaina and Jag looked mildly surprised. "Coming from you, that's surprising," the former stated.
"If it were anyone else overseeing the development of this cure, I'd wanna verify it," Fett responded. "But I trust you and your husband, Solo. Just tell us, though: how much longer will it take before the cure's complete?"
"Our estimation is about half a year," Jag said. "But, honestly? That's being generous; it could take up to another two years, if that."
"And I assume that you want me to outlaw any and all Mandalorians from hunting down Jedi anywhere in the galaxy, even in Imperial and Hapan space, right away?" Fett asked.
"Would there be a problem with that?" Jaina asked.
"Quite frankly," Fett began, "it wouldn't matter if you had this cure completed and deployed right away over Mandalore. You're asking me to tell the entire Mandalorian nation that it's now illegal to hunt down a specific kind of bounty; while I'll have my supporters, do you have any idea how many are on Belok Rhal's side on hunting Jedi? You might as well be asking me to start a civil war within Mandalore."
"We don't wanna break your people apart, Mandalore Fett," Jag said. "But you have to understand, Chief of State Daala won't-"
"What Daala does and doesn't wanna do isn't my concern unless she pays me enough to make it my concern," Fett said.
"Oh, really?" Jaina interjected. "You and she are quite chummy. I wouldn't be surprised if you were to break her out of prison, even if she didn't pay you for it."
"What makes you say that?" Mirta was the one to ask. "And what's with this hypothetical scenario about breaking her out of prison? Last I checked, she was Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance."
"And she also used to be an Imperial warlord," Jaina countered with an edge of ice in her voice. "It's funny how changes in the galaxy land people in the most unexpected of positions."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mirta asked. Whatever friendliness between her and Jaina was rapidly evaporating.
"It means that if your grandfather doesn't put a kabosh on the Mandalorians hunting down Jedi," Jag said, "neither of you can ever set foot down on Mandalore ever again. Everything you see here, the research, datafiles, even handwritten notes, can all just disappear if you, Boba Fett, don't cooperate. And don't think that you're badass enough to find these scientists once we hide them from you or any of your mercs if you try to find them."
"You'd be surprised, Fel," Fett replied coldly.
"Well, maybe I would be," Jag replied with a mock-conciliatory tone. "But we won't make it easy, or bloodless, for you. Sure, you're not afraid to get your hands dirty, but I imagine you'd rather this whole thing go over much more smoothly."
"And don't think you can just back out now and say that it doesn't really matter to you whether or not you, your daughter, or granddaughter can't go home," Jaina added. "Not when you've already come all the way out here to hear us out."
Except for the sound of work coming from the scientists, who seemed to be oblivious to the tension growing between the Fels and Fetts, several heartbeats of silence passed before anyone said anything.
"There's no way I can convince Daala to call off Rhal's mercs," Fett said. "But maybe I can have a sit-down with Rhal himself. I can't promise he'll agree to corral his people; in fact, I find it highly unlikely that he will."
"Then maybe there's an alternative arrangement," Jaina suggested.
"We're listening," Fett said.
"You can at least allow your people to talk and do business with the Imperial Remnant and Hapes Consortium," Jaina said. "That way, we can hire you out."
"You Jedi want Mandalorians to protect you from other Mandalorians?" Fett asked incredulously.
"Well, not as bodyguards, if that's what you're thinking," Jaina said. "But maybe they can aid local law enforcement the same way that Daala has her Mandos over in the GA."
"So that way," Fett said, "when one of you Jedi gets in trouble with Rhal's mercs, one of my people can come in and lend a hand, is that it?"
Jaina nodded. "Sounds about right."
Fett crossed his arms and was silent for a moment; Jaina figured that he must have been thinking the agreement over.
"We have a deal," the Mandalore finally said.