Oyu'baat Cantina, later that night

"So then I pull out my gun," Janada managed to choke out, "and he goes, I've got a bad feeling about this…"

Jay groaned, stifling a laugh of her own. "Why do they always say that?"

"… and before he can so much as blink, he's buried under a half-ton of bantha poodoo!" Janada roared with laughter, slapping her thigh plate. "Oh, it took weeks to get the smell out of his armor."

Verdo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "In my defense…"

"You had no defense," Mia chuckled. "You were a wet-behind-the-ears bounty hunter with a gun and a big mouth. It was just rookie's nerves."

"Anyway," Janada said after downing a sizable gulp of her net'ra gal, "that was the first and last time Verdo and I helped Cin out with a bounty contract. Man, you could almost see the steam coming off of Stripes' helmet, he was so mad."

Verdo sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Why are we only telling stories about me? Why don't we go back to some of Janada's funnier moments in jail? Or that time Brianna was mistaken for a Nar Shadda prostitute?"

"Because," Janada said, slinging her arm around her boyfriend's shoulders, "you were the one who had the bright idea to crash our little girl's night out. Now you have to suffer the consequences."

"Consider them suffered," Verdo said. The green-armored Mandalorian shook his shaggy black hair from his face and said, "Can I leave now?"

"Only after you buy us another round," Jay said. "Aramis! More beverages!"

The bartender obediently delivered them another tray of drinks, growling, "You ladies seem to be in a particularly fine mood. What's the occasion?"

"Jay here," Mia said, putting a hand on the young woman's shoulder, "just brought in her twentieth bounty."

"The Terrible Twenty?" Aramis said. "Jate'bora, vod. Seems our little aruetii's all grown up now."

Jay hadn't known until she and Vhetin had returned that among Mandalorians, bounty hunters were only considered "official" after they had brought in twenty targets. But now that she had been congratulated by virtually every hunter she knew (including the ever-stoic Handmaiden) she was feeling much happier about the previously-unknown achievement.

With her newfound fame as a recipient of the prestigious Jaig eyes award, Jay was quickly gaining fame among the Keldabe Mandalorians. Her public recognition for her part in stopping the Caranthyr bombings was still only a small sidenote in the grand scheme of things, but the Mandos knew she had gained their respect.

It felt somehow freeing, to be treated as a near-equal to such renowned warriors. She had spent the last year ducking from Imperials and bounty hunters alike, never quite knowing if the more fanatical Mandalorians would respect her status or turn her over to the Imperials for a hefty profit. Now though, she knew that her friends and fellow hunters would stand by her to the death to defend her.

Aramis set down their drinks before retreating back to his place at the bar. Janada reluctantly let Verdo slink off to the restroom, more focused on her drink to argue with him. After she had grimaced at the bitter taste of the beverage, she turned her gaze to Jay and said, "So… how did Cin do on the contract?"

Jay frowned. "Not as well as he would have liked, I think. The target put up a fight. Drew a gun, started shooting from down an alleyway. Cin took two bolts to the shoulder and I took one to the forearm."

"And you're sure you're all right?" Mia quickly asked. "Rame could still take a look at the two of you."

She shook the woman off. "I'm fine, thanks. We both are. I think Cin's frustrated more than anything. These past few months off haven't exactly kept his skills sharp, and that pneumonia virus he was infected with is messing with his instincts even more. It doesn't take a genius to see that pisses him off."

Mia shook her head. "Poor Cin. That job is his life. I can't imagine what he would do if he couldn't hunt anymore."

"It's not like he's crippled," Janada chipped in. "I mean, yeah he's a little rusty, but he's still far from the worst hunter out there."

"But that's the problem," Jay said. "He doesn't want to admit to himself that he's struggling. He wants to go on pretending nothing's wrong. And that kind of behavior will get him killed."

"It may get you both killed," Verdo said, sliding back into his chair after returning from the rest room. He folded his hands on the tabletop and fixed Jay with a sympathetic look. "So what do you plan to do?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure. Taking more time off sure isn't going to help. And sending him back out there is just upping the chances for something to go wrong."

"Between his training with the Echani and the simulation testing up at MandalMotors," Janada said, her voice echoing slightly as she raised her mug to her lips, "he should have plenty to keep him occupied for now at least."

"Yeah. It might just give me time to pull something up. Maybe a nice, calm contract. I thought I heard something about a bail jumper on Naboo that looked promising."

Mia smiled. "Make sure to extend an offer to Brianna, then. She's always wanted to go to Naboo and try out some painting there. Apparently the lake country is beautiful this time of year."

"And how is our resident artist?" Janada asked. "I heard she managed to patch things up with Stripes after all."

"As best as they can be patched, I think," Mia replied. "I haven't really heard from her."

"Neither have I," Jay said. "She's been keeping to herself lately."

"I've seen her talking with Cin more," Verdo chipped in. "On occasion. They seem to be able to talk to each other without shouting now, which is an improvement. But I don't think they're going to be getting back together anytime soon."

"Pity," Janada said, staring into her mug. "Might do Stripes some good to get laid."

"Janada!" Mia gasped.

"What? I know that's what you were all thinkin'."

"I am nowhere near drunk enough for that kind of talk," Jay said, sipping at her drink.

Mia just glared at the engineer, as if daring her to continue. Janada glowered at her but fell silent, busying herself with her gal.

The bell over the door let out a chime as a tight knot of Mandalorians entered, talking and laughing raucously. Jay's heart sunk as she saw an all-too-familiar man among them, with black-red battle armor cut at the shoulders to reveal his muscled arms. His long black hair was tied back in a tight ponytail, revealing the twisted and sharp-edged tattoo stretching along his neck.

"Uh-oh," she murmured, nodding toward the group. "Di'kut alert."

Mia sighed. "Must be Galaar's new hunting friends. I heard he was forming a team to head out on a contract."

Janada glanced over her shoulder, then her face drew down in a furious scowl. She cupped her mug of gal between her hands and muttered, "If it were up to me, assholes like them wouldn't be allowed in here."

"The Oyu'baat is neutral territory," Jay pointed out. "Aramis doesn't turn away anyone as long as they behave themselves."

"And if he wants to serve Mandalorian brew to Imperial tin cans," Janada said, "I'm fine with that. But catering to bastards who don't know the first thing about being Mandalorian is another matter entirely."

"Now Janada," Mia said in a calm and soothing voice, "you know Galaar and his friends are just as dedicated to the Supercommando Codex as you are. The fact that you two don't like each other doesn't change that."

"Don't talk to me like I'm a kriffing child, Mia. I know what I'm talking about. Galaar's just a half-step above Caranthyr in my books."

"Really?" Verdo said, raising an eyebrow. "The local bully is only a half-step above a wanted terrorist and mass murderer?"

Janada nodded, hunched low over her mug. "Caranthyr was a monster, but at least he's gone. Snake is still front and center, sticking his stupid fat nose in everyone's affairs."

"Brianna sees something in him," Jay said. "I don't know what, but she sees something."

"It's certainly not his people skills," Verdo said, nodding toward the bar. Snake and his friends had taken up several seats next to another group of Mandalorians, Aramis brought them their drinks and warned them to quiet down, but Snake and his buddies just laughed him off. Snake's group began heckling the others, shoving their shoulders and laughing in their faces. They seemed to be focusing mostly on the non-human Mandos in the group: an insectoid Verpine, a catlike Togorian, and a heavily-muscled Trandoshan.

"Uh-oh," Janada said, hiding a grin. "He's stepped in it now. Those folks are from Clan Lok. Certified badasses."

Jay listened closer, filtering through the ambient chatter of the tapcaf to eavesdrop as Snake slapped a dark-skinned man on the shoulder and said, "Nice to see you back in town Ulick. Heard you and your grunts just got back from the equator."

Ulick said nothing, throwing back a shot glass of a dark blue liquid. Snake stared at him, then slapped his shoulder again. "Why are you slumming it with those jungle monkeys? Why don't you and your grunts get yourselves a real contract? Join up with my squad. We could always use the help, and we can charge double for our services."

Ulick finished off another glass, then rested his hands on the bartop and stood from his stool. "First," the tall man said, "my men are not grunts. Second, the Rangers aren't jungle monkeys. And third, I'd march my team through hell before signing them on with you."

Snake's smile faded and he folded his arms across his chest. "Is that so?"

"It is," Ulick said. "Don't think I forgot what you and your cronies pulled on our last Protector op."

"You made an idiot call, di'kut," Snake said. "I wasn't going to risk lives to pull you out of your own mess."

Ulick's eyes blazed with fury. "You left me and my men to die."

"Too bad for all of us you all made it out."

Ulick's crew took note of the interaction and stood as well, hands resting dangerously close to their various weapons. Jay could see vibroblades, blasters, even a massive beskar war axe. Fights in the Oyu'baat weren't uncommon, but with so much firepower at play she wasn't sure others would be safe if a fight broke out.

Another of Snake's crew stepped up next to him. The new man was wearing bulky armor with twin horns protruding from the forehead of his blue-white helmet. He folded his arms and growled, "Want to take this outside, Ash'amur?"

Snake shook his head. "No, Sholo. No reason we can't settle this right here and now."

Ulick narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, almost nose-to-nose with Snake now. "You want to do this? Let's do it. My men are not grunts and I won't stand by and let you walk over them like this."

"Yeah? So what are you going to do? Fight us? Or just slink back down to your jungle monkey friends?"

Aramis quickly interceded, slamming his hands on the bartop. "Both of you! That's enough. You wanna kill each other, do it outside."

Snake didn't move, and neither did Ulick. All the tapcaf-goers nearby were staring at the two. The tension between the two was palpable, and it felt as if the entire situation could explode at a moment's notice.

Jay acted before she could think better of it. She stood and approached the bar, putting a hand on Snake's armored shoulder pad. "Galaar, that's enough. Don't spoil a perfectly good afternoon by picking fights. You really think Brianna wants to see you in jail?"

"Back off, aruetii," the blue-white Mando, Sholo, growled at her. "This is a Mandalorian affair. We don't need you foreigners mucking up the works."

Snake glared at him. "You do remember Brianna's a foreigner?"

Sholo nodded. "Yeah. But an aruetii's an aruetii. Just 'cause they're pretty doesn't mean they're like us."

Jay pressed on. "I don't know what kind of beef you have with these guys, but it's not worth getting carted up to Imperial Command for incarceration. Just go your separate ways and try not to kill each other. Okay?"

Snake stared at her, long enough that she started to grow uncomfortable. He was almost a whole head taller than she was, and was carrying two deadly-looking pistols on his belt in addition to the vibrosword sheathed across his back. She didn't want to see those weapons unsheathed. He finally spoke, lip curling as he stared at her. "You're nosy, Moqena. I don't like that."

Sholo chuckled from his shoulder, resting his hand on the butt of his pistol.

"But," Galaar continued, "you're Brianna's friend. That means you're my friend too. For what it's worth."

From somewhere behind her, Jay heard Janada snort in derision. Snake ignored her, turning back to Ulick and his team.

"You're in luck, Ulick. Jaimie here has reminded me that I'm not in the mood for a fight today. Just know that my boys won't be there to pull you out of the next mess you toss yourself in. Best go back to your jungle monkey friends and stay there."

"My men," Ulick snarled, "don't need your help. And we're not going anywhere just because you told us to."

Snake just smirked at him. "Your funeral."

He jerked his head to the door. "Come on, Sholo. We're late for our briefing."

Snake and his cronies quickly finished their drinks and left, obviously basking in the attention the other tapcaf patrons were giving them. When the cantina door slammed behind them, Ulick and his team finally returned to their seats at the bar. Jay overheard one of them mutter, "Kriffing beroyas."

Aramis glared at the door. "That's the third time this week Snake and his thugs have come in here and tried to stir up trouble. Much more and I'll have to start denying them access."

"Leave them, Aramis," Ulick said. "They're nothing but talk. Besides, my team is heading back down south in a week's time anyway. Snake can find someone else to pick on after that."

"If you say so, vod."

Jay let out a sigh as tapcaf conversation started up again. "Well… that was a little more intense than I usually like."

Ulick snorted, taking a seat at the bar once again. Aramis slid him another blue-hued shot glass. "Fifty credits says that asshole will be back in here tomorrow trying the same damn thing with someone else."

"I don't get it," Jay said. "Snake behaves himself perfectly well when he's with Brianna. And when he's with the rest of his team, he acts like every other Mando I've ever seen. What does he get out of antagonizing other bounty hunters?"

Ulick shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he just likes the attention."

"I'm not sure alienating your brothers and sisters is a good way to earn popularity," Jay pointed out. "Especially in a society like this."

"Snake has the support of Clan Dorah," Aramis said. "Highly respected, highly lethal warriors. He probably thinks he's untouchable because of it."

Ulick downed another glass, then grimaced at the taste. "Doesn't really matter. This time next week, me and my boys will be back on the frontier with the Rangers. Won't have to worry about Snake and his bullshit anymore."

Jay took a seat next to him. "You two mentioned something about Rangers? What is that?"

"Mandalorian Rangers," Ulick said. "Frontier soldiers that keep the rural farmers safe. Good work for freelancers if you want to sign up."

"Keeping people safe? Safe from what?"

The big man shrugged. "Bandits, Imperials, Kalo wolves… Mandalore is still very much a frontier world. Lots of trouble brewing outside the cities."

"Really? Apart from the bombings, Keldabe usually seems like a pretty calm place."

"It is. But have you ever been outside the city?"

"A friend of mine owns a grassgrain farm-"

Ulick chuckled. "That's not outside the city. I'm talking about farms that are out hundreds of miles from the nearest settlement. Farming communities that are so deep in the wilderness that the only access is hiking for weeks through unexplored forests or mountains and every nasty native creature that prowls in between. That is the true frontier.'

"Wow. And people patrol these areas willingly?"

"We need to. Mandalore has an agricultural economy. We need those farms and we need them to not be crawling with monsters twenty-four-seven."

He sighed, raising his glass to his lips. "Now more than ever…"

Jay cocked her head. "What's that? Is there some kind of problem?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "My boys just got back from a tour with the Werda Kurs border patrol."

"Werda Kurs…" Jay frowned, thinking hard. "That means Dark Forest, right?"

"Good job. It's a massive jungle to the south. Hundreds upon hundreds of miles of untouched, unexplored jungle. Full of beasts and bandits and Force-knows what else."

"What needs protecting down there?"

"A couple hundred years ago, Mandos started settling in the jungle. Fertile land down there, if you can cut your way through the wolf packs and Echo Snakes. Scenery's even nice when it's calm. And the local Rangers have set up a permanent deployment along the border of the forest."

"So what's been happening?"

"Not surprised it hasn't hit the news yet. Rangers have been disappearing."

Jay stared at him. "Disappearing? As in…"

"As in they go into the forest, drop out of comm contact, then never come back. Been happening for a few weeks now. No one knows what to make of it and the Rangers are short-staffed as it is, so they're reaching out to any and all comers for assistance. They've even got aruetii mercenaries bolstering their numbers now. My team and I are helping them out and making a pretty penny working with it."

He shrugged. "Last patrol to vanish was Tamai Vasser's group. A shame; she was a good girl with a good head on her shoulders. No way some mindless Blackstalker or Echo Snake took her and her men down. Whatever got her was… worse. Something bigger. Something we haven't seen before."

"Is that common?"

He shook his head. "In three hundred years, we've barely explored fifty miles into the jungle. Only an idiot would believe we've seen all the Kurs has to throw at us."

Jay nodded, running her fingertips over the rough surface of the bar. "And… what kind of work do you do down there?"

Ulick shrugged. "We're usually assigned to daily patrols, agricultural assistance duty – fancy term for helping out the farmers – and sometimes engage local creatures to keep them away from the jungle farms. Plenty of fishing and hunting on downtime."

"Almost sounds nice."

"If you think slogging through the jungle looking for missing soldiers on a daily basis is nice. It's a job, and one that needs to be done. We can't give up on those soldiers, but it's not exactly a mission that inspires a lot of confidence in people assigned to search and rescue duty."

Jay nodded to herself, staring at the bartop for a few moments. Then she patted Ulick's shoulder plate and slid a cluster of credits across the bar. "Thanks for your time. Next drink is on me."

He tipped his glass to her. "Much appreciated."

Jay made her way back to the table with her friends and Janada glanced up as she took her seat again. "Well?" she asked. "Have a nice chat with the big man and his team?"

"I did," Jay said. "It was very… enlightening."

Mia raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so."

She bit her lip. "I think Cin and I have a new contract."

Author's Note: A lot of people are interested to see Snake's return and the role he'll play in the series. Unfortunately, he's not going to be playing a very big part in this story. That won't stop him from messing with his fellow Mandalorians, though. ;)

We have some guest appearances for this chapter: Ulick Lok and his team appear courtesy of Mandalore the freedom, while Sholo appears courtesy of ChaosSpartan575. Both authors have various works posted here on fanfic if you want to check them out. Ulick and Sholo will both return to this story before long.

Happy reading! As always, comments or reviews are always appreciated.