A/N: Whelp, here I am. After a long time between actual stories, wondering what it was that I would write again I decided to come back to where it all began. Those of you who have followed this series will know that I wasn't certain if a third installment would happen. After much debate however and watching a lot of Star Wars content I have decided to round things off and make the Night Fury series a Trilogy. I don't know how long this installment will be but I am very excited as to how it will end. So buckle up and get ready... The Night Fury squad has returned.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Mexican ;p (Feels good to say that again)
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Vendors shouted from their stalls that lined the market, trying desperately to get anyone to stop and buy their merchandise. Fruits, vegetables, hardware, clothes, jewelry, you name it, and it could be found, for the right price though.
The girls smiled and laughed to themselves as an overly enthusiastic merchant nearly jumped over his stand trying to show them some cheap necklace that he said would make them irresistible to men. They might have humored him if it were any other day, but today they were looking for something extremely specific, something dangerous, something that every market has if you know where to look…information.
Mission and Meetra Haddock navigated the bustling streets with ease, heading toward the grimy and seedy section that every market seemed to have. They had been here before, several times over the past fifteen years, hoping to hear something, anything; however, each time they come they leave disappointed. They should have stopped coming years ago, if someone was going to pick up the fight like Avida said, they would have heard of it long ago. They had to try though; they couldn't give up what little hope they had.
The familiar cantina came into view, complete with several blaster holes, a blinking sign on its last legs, and the Duro bouncer it felt like seeing an old friend. The girls nodded to the bouncer who returned the gesture as the door opened with a strained hiss.
"Try not to cause any trouble this time." The Duro muttered with a smirk.
"Wouldn't dream of it." Meetra responded in kind as she patted the Duro's shoulder.
The door closed behind the girls as the Duro chuckled to himself as he shook his head and started a timer on his watch.
"That's what you say every time." He muttered as he continued to watch the street.
Inside the electronic music thumped against the blown-out speakers, patrons sat in booths or at the bar, and flashing lights completed the aesthetic look. Working their way through the crowd the girls found two spots at the bar and waited for the bar tender to notice them. It didn't take long as two girls like them weren't a common site in a place like this. The bar tender gave an exhausted sigh as he laid eyes on the girls. He knew that every time they showed up his bar was left a mess.
"What can I get you fine ladies?" He asked tiredly.
"Well, aren't you in a fine mood." Mission replied.
"When you two to come in my mood suddenly grows dreary." The bartender snapped as he crossed him arms.
"But we do such a good job of living up the mood." Meetra replied sweetly.
"If that's what you want to call it, but you always leave conveniently before the authorities show up." The bartender hissed back.
"And yet you don't tell them about us, curious don't you think." Mission summarized.
The bartender scoffed and gave half a smirk before his frown returned. He leaned back as he looked away to a far corner, before nodding and turning back to the girls.
"Yes well, I never claimed to be wise or smart. Now what can I get you?" The bartender asked again, this time leaning in and in a hushed tone.
"Two rounds of a little birdy." Meetra replied quietly as she placed a small pile of credits on the bar.
The bar tender deftly took the credits and grabbed a bright green bottle, filling two glasses before placing them in front of the girls. They took the shots before getting up and heading to a back corner of the cantina. They knew the table, took a seat, and waited. They didn't wait long before a masked figure sat down at the table, holding the same bright green bottle and three glasses.
"I believe you ordered a drink." The muffled voice said over the drumming of the music.
"And a bit more." Mission answered.
"You always do." The voice replied as he poured the drinks.
He poured the drinks and passed them to the girls, he lifted his mask just enough to take the drink. No one broke eye contact as they did before slowly putting the glasses back down. The masked man looked over both girls before sighing and leaning back in his seat.
"There have been whispers, more so than usual." He began.
Mission and Meetra perked up; this was the first time they had news since they started coming here.
"Where?" Mission asked.
"A few places, though where they came from is uncertain. And you don't find them, they find you." The masked man explained.
"What have they attacked?" Meetra inquired.
"Small convoys, a remote outpost here and there, but they are getting bolder. Hitting more targets, gathering allies. Sounds a lot like what you guys used to be." He replied in a wistful tone.
Mission and Meetra looked at each, hope filling their eyes. This was the news they had waited for all these years. A new Rebellion was forming. The drumming of their hearts pounded in their ears drowning out the music. They were taken back by the news they never noticed the group of angry patrons who had just entered the cantina and cut a path right to them. The masked man got up without a word and slipped out the back.
"YOU!" One of the angry patrons shouted.
Mission and Meetra were startled out of their daze to see the group of five angry men glaring over them. They looked around for the masked man, but he had slipped away into the darkened cantina and drumming music, just like he always did. Turning back to the angry men at hand the two sisters recognized them as a group that they had gotten into a fight with the last time they were here.
"Oh, hey guys. Fancy seeing you here." Meetra replied with an uneasy laugh.
"You two made fools of us last time, now its time to pay." The man snarled at them.
Looking around for a way-out Mission noticed that the green bottle was still on the table. Looking over to Mission and giving a quick nod she grabbed the bottle and threw it into the crowd of patrons at the bar. The glass bottle shattered over the shoulder of an unsuspecting patron who shouted out in surprise and pain. The music stopped and everyone in the bar looked to where the bottle came from. Mission and Meetra had ducked under the table to remain out of sight and when the bar noticed the group of five men in the area where the bottle came from, they all drew the same conclusion.
Angry shouts, flying glasses, and fists filled the cantina as a massive brawl ensued. Using the distraction the two girls made a dash for the exit, weaving in and out of angry patrons they got to the door and took in several deep breaths.
"This is the last straw, don't you two ever come back!" The bar tender shouted at them from behind the bar.
"Don't worry, we won't!" Meetra shouted back as they rushed out the door.
The ran past the bouncer who gave an exhausted sigh as he pulled out his blaster pistol and set it to stun.
"You know I think that took longer than usual." He commented.
"SORRY!" the two girls shouted as they raced through the market back to their speeder.
Once they were soaring through the plains far away from Khoonda did the girls allow themselves to breath and relax. They looked to each other with wide eyes and beaming smiles as they broke out in laughter. The tension eased as they grew closer to home.
"That was a close one." Mission said as she eased off the throttle.
"Nothing we haven't done before." Meetra replied in between her laughs.
"True but usually we are closer to the door." Mission quipped
"Details." Meetra said dismissively.
"Come on we have to get home and tell everyone the news." Meetra said excitedly.
"I know, I know, but I want to get there alive." Mission replied calmly.
She glided the speeder over the rolling plains until a familiar house came into view. She parked the speeder as she and Meetra jumped out and raced through the door. The house had grown empty for the past fifteen years the rebels that had escaped Onderon with them had scattered across the galaxy, trying to rebuild their lives.
Heather, Cami, the twins, Fishlegs, Hiccup, Astrid, and Avida were all that remained now. Sprinting through the house they called out for anyone who was in ear shot until they came to the main room where they found everyone had gathered.
"Oh, good you all are here." Meetra said as she let out an exhausted breath.
"Where have you two been?" Astrid asked as she stood up.
Eyeing their sweaty and dirt covered brow she frowned as she awaited the answer she already knew.
"It looks like they went to that cantina again and got into a fight." Cami replied as she continued to work on her blaster.
"And you didn't bring us?! I feel betrayed." Tuff grumbled as his sister nodded in agreement.
"Okay, look, yes we went to that cantina again but this time we have news okay." Mission stepped in.
That got everyone's attention, every time the girls went to the cantina, they always came back with nothing. This was something new. Hiccup and Avida stood up and walked over to the girls.
"Okay, tell us what you heard." Hiccup prompted gently.
The two informed everyone of what the masked man had told them. A new faction that was getting bolder, hitting more targets, and gathering allies. It was the most promising sign anyone had heard in fifteen years.
"Do you know where they are?" Fishlegs asked.
"The man said that you don't find them, they find you." Meetra replied.
"Well, isn't that perfect." Heather remarked.
"Look I know it's not much, but I was thinking that maybe Avida still has some old contacts that might have heard a bit more." Mission replied.
"It's the most we have heard in years, and you said to keep our ears to the ground and that someone would pick up the fight. Well, it sounds like someone has, perhaps the time is right we can't ignore this!" Mission exclaimed.
"No one is ignoring you, or this Mission." Hiccup replied gently.
"I'm sure we are all in shock just like you to hear this is all." He continued.
"Avida would you be able to hit up some of your old contacts and see if they know anything?" Hiccup asked as he looked to the aging Mandalorian.
"I will see what I can do." She replied as she turned out of the room.
"Now then come and have a seat so you can tell us why you two look like you got in a fight with a Iriaz." Hiccup stated as he guided the sisters to have a seat.
The girls told everyone of how the fight came to be while Avida was at the far end of the house sending out a number of encrypted hailing frequencies to former contacts to see if these whispers had any truth in them.
A/N: Let's see if Avida has any contacts left after 15 years. Let me know what you think of chapter one and how you think it will end.
Publish date: 02/04/2022