Chapter Thirteen: Holocron Heist

"You look like you need a drink."

I lifted my eyebrow at the drunk Twi'lek. Before I could even get a snappy word out, Merl cut in from behind the bar I leaned against.

"Beat it, shabuir," he growled over my shoulder before handing me a drink. The Twi'lek scurried away quickly as I turned to lean forward over the bar, taking a long swig of the dark liquid in the cup.

"You spoke Mando'a," I commented with a small smile. "I'm impressed."

Merl merely shrugged at me as he continued to fly out drinks to the pressing customers of my club. "You mumble it enough. I started to catch on a bit."

I raised my brows. "Did Pinky help you?"

"Pinky helped a little."

I laughed, not only because I found it endearing, but because an elderly Weequay saying Pinky with as much sass as Merl used was rather amusing. I leaned back on my stool, letting the man work the bar as he always did. My club was doing well, as usual, but had seen an abrupt increase in clone attendees. They would always give me nods, but I made it obvious that I wasn't about to go party with them. I needed to stay unattached. Despite not going out of my way, I'd heard what they had started to call my club.

"Fett's Place," they called it.

No one seemed to catch on to what they meant apart from the clones, so I let it slide. It was endearing in a way. Still, deep down, I worried that one day Boba would hear about that. It was no secret that I was mentored by Jango, considering I didn't really try to hide my Jaig eyes when in my club, but I preferred Boba didn't add me to his hunting list. I'd prefer not to beat up my little brother.

A group of clones laughed boisterously in the corner, each holding up their glasses as they toasted something. Probably something cliche. Like the Republic. I rolled my eyes in good humor as they cheered and knocked back their drinks.

"You alright, Kida?"

I turned to look at the concerned Weequay who'd finally found a moment of peace at the bar. He spread his arms over its shining surface and stared into my eyes.

"Why do you ask that?"

Merl shrugged. "You haven't been the same since you stopped working for the senator."

"You know why I had to stop that," I sighed. "We've been over this before."

"I know, I know. I just think...maybe it wasn't the right choice."

I watched Merl silently for a long moment before shaking my head and rising from my stool. "I'm not having this conversation." I turned away and walked through my club, many of my patrons giving nods or lifting their glasses to me. I downed most of my drink as I greeted some of my most loyal guests, giving them dazzling smiles and fake laughs.

"Drink with me, Kida," many of them would say. With most, I complied. I had to keep my club up and running, after all. At one table, as I drank with a Bith and a Dug, I heard the boisterous clone table quiet suddenly. My nerves sparked to life as I sensed familiar presences.

"General," one said formally, despite the slight slur of his words.

"At ease, soldier," returned the smooth curved words of Obi-wan Kenobi.

I nearly spit out my drink, coughing wildly. The Bith mumbled at me in his language, asking if I was alright. The music quieted around me as the entire club stared at the jedi.

"I'm fine," I insisted between coughs. "I'm fine."

"It seems you may have drank a bit too much tonight," Kenobi voiced as he walked toward me. I coughed a few more times before casting him a dark glance. My security team, made of two massive Gen'Dais, were slowly moving towards the jedi and his companions, their giant armored hands moving to grip Obi-Wan's shoulders. "I would advise you to release me," he said to no one in particular. Whether it was to me or the Gen'Dai, I couldn't say.

"Stand down," I ordered gently, looking over the jedi's shoulder to see Cody and his men. My security team backed away, but stayed close. I understood. "Please excuse my team," I said slowly. "Down here on the lower levels, we don't have much trust for jedi." I would have added clones, but the patrons of my club had gotten rather used to their presence of late.

Obi-wan hummed, watching me. "I see."

"What brings you to my club?"

"A job."

"Are you looking for someone? If so, don't expect me or my guests to rat anyone out. We have a code."

The jedi hummed again. "Fortunately, I'm looking for you. Is there somewhere more private we could discuss? I have an offer for you."

My mind raced. If the Republic was asking for my help even after what I'd done, it must be serious. "Who has an offer? The Republic?"

"The council, actually."

Windu knew my lineage. Did Kenobi? I kept my expression calm and my emotions on lock down. "Delilah," I said to one of my passing servers-a pretty Mirialan. "Please take the jedi and his companions up to my office. I'll be there shortly."

"Of course, miss," she said, immediately setting down her tray and gesturing for the group to follow her through a back door. I knew that door would lead to an empty hallway that held only a password-protected elevator that led to my office upstairs. Kenobi cast me a backwards glance as he passed through the doorway, suspicion rippling off him in waves.

"Kida," Merl started, but I waved him off, snatching a bottle of ale from behind the counter before heading towards the service door.

The girls were flooding the back rooms, donning new outfits and applying new products to their hair and faces.

"Kida," a few of them greeted as they hurried around.

"Miss Kida, good evening."

"How are you tonight?"

"You look well today."

I gave them all polite nods, but didn't respond. They knew I cared for them. I may have been their boss, but I protected them. That's why so many dancers wanted to work at my club. They wouldn't be touched, as per my policy. And if someone broke that policy, they'd hope they were never born.

I climbed the swirling metal staircase at the end of their hall, sweeping back my hair nervously. Why was I nervous? Since when was someone like me nervous?

I rolled my eyes at myself as the door's security recognized my handprint before opening. Inside, the jedi and clones waited for me. Kenobi stood beside Cody, both of them looking out my one-way glass that displayed the club's main showroom. The floor was smooth and polished, clicking beneath my heeled boots. The walls were a dark gray, only illuminated by the gentle glow of my few wall lamps. I didn't try to hide the displays of Mandalorian armor and various weaponry, since the Republic was already well aware of my affiliation.

I walked casually past the clones, snatching glasses from the polished cabinet before placing it all on my wooden desk that sat before the massive windows. Kenobi turned to watch as I poured out various glasses of the dark liquor, his eyebrow raised.

"Come on," I prodded as the clones hesitated, lifting a glass towards one of the soldiers. "Take off your bucket and try it."

"What is it?" Kenobi asked, lifting a glass to his nose and breathing in the spicy scent.

"Ne'tra gal." The interest of the clones peaked at my words, their helmets coming off slowly. The first man accepted my glass with a gentle nod of thanks. Cody didn't hesitate to accept my next glass, immediately taking a long sip of the sweet and spicy black ale.

"Ne'tra gal," Kenobi repeated, his accented tones smoothing off the harsh consonants of old Mando'a. He tried it, seeming to like it.

I sat easily once the glasses were handed out, taking a drink from my own. "So what is it the council wants from me?" I tensed as Kenobi breathed deeply, taking a long drink as I waited for what he may say. I silently requested that the will of the force be in my favor.

"Your knowledge," the jedi answered vaguely.

"About…" I prodded.

"Skywalker's men mentioned that you were acquainted with a bounty hunter called Cad Bane?"

I sighed a slight breath of relief. It wasn't about my heritage. I supposed the scholar was good to his word...and my money. Good. I'd have hated to have to kill him.

"I know him," I said nonchalantly. "What of it?"

"Did you know he was on Coruscant?"

I shrugged. "I'd heard he took a job here. Don't know what it was." Despite my feigned relaxation, I worried for a moment if Padme was alright.

Obi-wan seemed to think for a moment, his gloved hand stroking his beard. "The men of the 501st mentioned you'd have a checkered past with him. Would you be opposed to working against him?"

I paused, my cup touching my lips. My eyes lifted to meet the jedi's. They wanted to hire me to oppose Bane. Interesting. My mouth curled into a smile. "What did he do?"

"Are you opposed to it?"

I allowed myself a drink now. "Of course not. He's a selfish bastard who abides by no code." I rolled my eyes at myself. "Not that I'm actually part of a guild." What could I say? The guilds, while holding their benefits, were sometimes too restrictive in specialities. Besides, my clients came to me personally. Not through the usual network of scum. So who needed a bunch of so-called hotshots breathing over my shoulder, making sure I followed their rules?

Obi-wan regarded me for a moment. "He stole a jedi holocron."

I nearly choked on my ale, coughing violently. "I beg your pardon?" I choked out. The jedi didn't respond as I calmed down. "How in blazes did he get into your temple?"

"That's beside the point," Kenobi dismissed. "We need you to help us get it back."

I leaned back in my chair, thinking. "Why did he take it? It's not like he can use it."

"Precisely. In addition, in order to open a holocron, one needs a kyber crystal."

"Easy. Don't you jedi have them in all of your lightsabers? He'll just steal one. Or snatch one of a black market." I shrugged, thinking. "Or whoever he's doing the job for already has one."

"That's not how they work," Obi-wan sighed, leaning against my desk as he took another drink. "Our holocrons, while they can contain information, are also a means of reading kyber memory crystals. The crystals in our sabers are very different."

"Seems like an impractical way to store information," I mused aloud. "So he needs a crystal. Is he looking for one in particular?"

"Ahsoka caught Bane's accomplice, Cato Parasitti." I lifted my eyebrow, knowing the name. Good for the padawan for besting the shapeshifter. "She mentioned Bolla Ropal."

"Who is?"

"He's a jedi and a keeper of one of our memory crystals."

I regarded the group for a moment. "What does this crystal contain? Why would Bane want it?"

"That doesn't matter."

I hummed, downing the rest of my glass and standing. "It seems you have this all figured out, Kenobi." I brushed past the jedi and clone commander, making my way to the elevator. "Get to your jedi first and catching Bane should be easy."

The jedi sighed as I cast him a wink over my shoulder, electing to not get involved in the war.

"It contains all the names of known force-sensitive children," Obi-wan called finally, his voice grim. "The crystal, I mean."

I stopped, staring at the closed elevator doors. "That sounds serious."

"Bane is working for a dark force," he continued, putting down his glass and walking behind me. "Whether it be Dooku or his master, Bane has the backing of the Separatist army and will be able to track down hundreds of children."

"What would he do with them?" I asked, turning back to look at him. For a brief moment, I wondered if my name was ever on that list.

"I don't know." Obi-wan's face was worried and sad. "But if he gets that holocron, those children are in danger."

I thought for a moment. "How would I help?"

"You know Bane. He may even have a respect for you." I pressed my lips into a line, mulling over the jedi's words. "Anakin and his men have already headed towards the Devaron system, where Cato was last seen. Meet them there. Advise them. Appeal to Bane if you have to. But don't let him get the crystal."

I breathed slowly. "Bane won't take a counter-deal. He's not like that."

"Could you stop him? Despite that?"

"Maybe. He's clever. And he's had time to plan this, so he'll always be one step ahead." I glanced between the clones, seeing their varying expressions. "But I'll do my best."

Obi-wan's face washed with relief, despite trying to hide it. "I knew you'd come around."

"Don't think I'm doing it for free." I tried to keep my voice hard.

"I wouldn't dream of it, dear." He smiled at me. "I'll contact Anakin and tell him you're on your way."

I hummed in agreement, turning heel and opening the display case that held my armor. "Apex," I spoke aloud, the room beeping as the AI came to life in the mechanized room. "Get my ship ready. We have a job."

"Wonderful."

MANDO'A

Shabuir- extreme insult ('jerk', but much stronger)

Ne'tra gal- black ale; sweet, almost spicy black beer

Author's Note:

As always, thank you for reading. Reviews and PMs are welcome and appreciated.

-Ryder