Dec Ktar stood facing the three bounty hunters, looking them up and down in turn. She sneered. "Apparently you have a proposal for me...Mandalorian...let's hear it then. I warn you though if I find it insulting then there will be consequences..."

Mando looked at the woman. She was humanoid, with deep blue coloured skin. He estimated that she was roughly the height of an average human woman. She was dressed in a dark red military style uniform, her long jet black hair pulled back into a high pony tale. Her eyes were completely black. Although she was unarmed, she was very imposing, with an unmistakable evil presence.

Bossk took a step forward. "I am the leader here, not him. You have something my employer desires. A black gemstone. We will pay you for it. Enough credits to allow you to heat this place". He laughed at his own attempted joke.

Mando shook his head slightly.

Dec Ktar's mouth formed into a frown. She kept an even tone as she stepped slightly off to one side and stood next to one of the troopers, looking at him as if inspecting him. The trooper kept an unflinching aim towards the bounty hunters. "Is that it ?" She said to Bossk without looking at him.

"Lady, you clearly don't know who you are dealing with here. Give us the gem, and then we will go on our way. No need for..."

Before he could finish Dec Ktar moved with blinding speed. She grabbed the troopers rifle raised it up and fired once. The whole motion happened so quickly that none of the bounty hunters could even react.

There was no sound from Zuckuss as his body crumpled to the floor, a small smouldering circle on his forehead the only evidence that anything had happened.

Mando moved first, as he drew his rifle up and pointed it at Ktar. Bossk looked down at Zuckuss. "You...you killed him !" He gasped.

Dec Ktar then moved the rifle to point directly at Bossk's face.

"You insult me. You think I don't know what I own ? You think I don't know who you are or who sent you ? You think of me as some brainless fool ? With every word you insult me...and I told you there would be consequences if that happened..." Ktar paused as she looked down at lifeless body of Zuckuss, "your friend here paid the price for your words..."

Bossk didn't move, although he chose his next words very carefully. The rifle was still aimed at him as he spoke "Dec Ktar. There has been a huge misunderstanding here. The person who employed me..."

Ktar cut him off mid sentence "...is my cousin...Grand Emperor Thrawn...", she moved the rifle away as she motioned to the troops behind her. "The armour my men now wear belonged to his elite drop team. He has already tried to obtain the kyber crystal with as much force as he could discretly use. And he failed. So now he thought sending Bossk to get it for him would fair any better ? I don't think so. You and our Mandalorian friend here are only still alive as you will be useful in performing a little task for me. Call it a payment for making me angry. Unluckily for Zuckuss, I only need the two of you. He had the reputation for being able to predict the future...he didn't see that coming though did he ?"

Ktar moved her hand slightly and immediately all of her troops lowered their weapons in a synchronised movement. Follow me. We have much to discuss..."

Dec Ktar walked back towards the turbolifts, the two guards nearest Bossk and Mando took their weapons from them and motioned for them to follow her. They started walking into the cave, flanked on both sides by her guards.

When they reached them, Ktar summoned the middle lift, and went it arrived all three got in and started to decend underground.