Chapter 28: Anchorhead
Authors Notes: Alright, another chapter is up! Though I'm a bit disappointed with the lack of reviews going on right now. Ah, well just keep going and hope for more to come. I did actually quit writing my other Star Wars story cause of a lack of reviews but I don't think I'll be doing the same with this story.
For the sake of this story I'll have some of the things take a little longer as you'll see soon. No sense rushing through everything.
I know the last chapter was on the short side. Maybe I should have gone bigger but it felt like a good place to stop last time. Well, this one will hopefully be bigger.
After the crew of the Ebon ate, they headed outside and were met with a dock official in an orange and black uniform that Calak recognized as belonging to Czerka Corporation. Czerka was a galaxy spanning business that was notorious in making all sorts of deals, even the kind that was considered unethical. But Calak put that aside, his enemy was the Sith not Czerka. At least not today. But he knew of the Wookie enslavement on Kashykk, which was Czerka business. He'd have to go the Wookie homeworld sooner or later. He didn't know what he'd about the enslavement there, if anything. He certainly didn't approve of it though. Wookies may not be as developed as other species in terms of technology, but that didn't mean they should be enslaved.
"Welcome to Anchorhead, potential customer," the dock official greeted. "We just have a couple things to cover before we allow you to leave this hangar. First your ship is not on our list of planned arrival for today. There is a docking fee of one hundreds because of this. Second we will require names of all your passengers and crew members."
Calak nodded. One hundred credits was no big deal. Though the names might be a problem if the Sith had spies here in the space port that were checking for any Republic agents. At least only Carth, Bastila, Juhani and Calak himself might fall under that category. Calak doubted he was a person of note though that the Sith would know his name. He'd just been a soldier from a remote world until he arrived on Dantooine and become a Jedi. Carth meanwhile had been a hero and Bastila became one thanks to her Battle Meditation. Any Sith spies would probably recognize their names. But Canderous, Mission, and Zalbaar were likely safe along with Calak.
"Here you go," Calak said handing the official the credits.
The man smiled and looked around at the others. "Its one hundred credits per sentient sir."
Calak frowned now. Czerka was definitely showing its greedy side now. He waved his fingers and reached out with the force.
"No, I think only the captain should have to pay."
The dock official blinked. "Yes I think only the captain should have to pay."
Calak waved his hands once again. "You don't need the extra money."
"I don't need the extra money."
"We are free to conduct business here," Bastila joined in with the mind tricks.
"You are free to conduct business here," the official said. "Have a good day now."
And he left.
Juhani frowned. "Are you sure that was an appropriate use of the force?"
"It's the captains responsibility to cover expenses of ships landing. Forcing passengers to pay is an abuse of authority," Bastila said.
"We seriously need to crack down on law and order in these Outer Rim Hutt controlled planets," Carth said. "People can get murdered in the streets and the Hutts wouldn't care. They only care if it affects them directly. This place will be a slave colony I bet sooner or later."
"Well lets just go and see if we can find anyone with information on the Star Map," Calak said. "We'll stand a better chance if we split up."
"Let's just hope we don't run into any Sith," Carth said.
"I'd welcome a fight," Canderous replied defiantly.
"Well I hope we can avoid fights for a while," Mission said. "At least until I find my brother!"
"Bee woo wor." T3 beeped in agreement.
"Arr!" Zalbaar roared.
"I'm for that," Calak said. "Alright, Mission why don't we go to Czerka Corporation and see if we can find your brother?"
"Sounds good to me!" Mission agreed.
"Rarr!"
"Sure thing Big Z! I'd love to have you come along!" Mission agreed.
"I guess the rest of us will go off and ask some of the locals," Carth said.
The divided into groups, Calak with Mission and Zalbaar, Carth with Canderous, Bastila with Juhani and T3. They headed into the town outside the spaceport. After a time of walking, Calak's group found Czerka's building.
When they entered however, they found an argument occurring. A Duros male shouting at a woman in the Czerka uniform.
"You will be hearing of this, you Czerka puppet!" the Duros yelled in his species dialect. "You can't just massacre an entire village!"
"This isn't some peaceful village you idiot! These are nothing but animals! They've attacked us unprovoked!" the woman said.
"To them it surely looks like an invasion!" the Duros objected.
"If you aren't here to help us, get out!" the woman demanded. "We have a business to run and you are not helping by protesting the annihilation of the Sand People! There is no way to negotiate with savages like that! Force is the only way to respond when met with resistance."
The Duros growled. "I can see I'm wasting my time here!"
He then turned and stormed out. The Czerka representative then looked at Calak.
"I do hope you have some business and are not here to harass us," she said.
"I do have some questions," Calak said.
"Very well," she said with a slightly disappointed look. "First off if you are looking for hunting licenses we are not selling them right now."
"That's not what I'm here for," Calak said.
"We're looking for my brother," Mission said. "He's supposed to work for you. His names Griff."
"Griff?" the woman frowned slightly. "Uh, there's no Griff here."
Calak hated to indulge people like this but felt it would probably work. She was clearly disinterested and wanted the chance to gain. He could have used a mind trick on her but she had just had to deal with someone giving her trouble so might as well do something about that, even if she might not be the best sort of person. He also had plenty of credits still.
"Maybe a few credits to refresh your memory?" he passed her a fifty credit chip.
She smiled with a greedy gleam in her eyes at the bribe.
"That will definitely get you something. Yes now I remember Griff. A Twi'lek right?"
"Yes, Griff Vao," Mission said.
"Your brother huh?" the representative asked. "Well we hired him some time ago. Not a very good worker according to his command chief. He entered false time sheets and slept through his shifts. We even suspected him of stealing Czerka's supplies but we couldn't prove it."
"Yep that would be Griff," Mission said. "So where is he now? Sleeping?"
The representative sighed. "Afraid not. He's been… lost."
Calak's eyes widened and he felt Mission's fear.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"We've been having some trouble with the Sand People. Its as though their chieftain has decided to wage war against us," the representative said. "They've been stealing our equipment, attacking our sand crawlers, and attacking or capturing our miners. I'm afraid your brother was lost in a recent attack."
Mission's eyes were filled with horror.
"What happened to him?"
"We didn't find his body so we assume he was captured," the rep said. "He was the only survivor apparently. Probably hid while the others fought."
Coward. Calak thought in disgust. But that may have saved him.
He then thought back to what Lena had said. Had Griff really abandoned Mission?
"We have to get him back!" Mission said. "Please tell me you have a search party?"
"No," the representative woman said. "All employees sign a wave absolving the company of any blame."
"Are your workers expandable?" Calak asked getting angry now.
"Oh there is a reward for those that are up to the job," she told him before looking at his weapon. "You're a Jedi I see! You would probably be the capable sort. I might be willing to make you a deal. You agree to stop these Sand People attacks, we'll give you a hunting license as well as pay you for the gaffi sticks of any Sand People you kill!"
Gaffi Sticks were the Sand People's primary weapons. Sticks topped with sharp points like short spears, crude but effective weapons.
"A hundred credits per stick, and I'll give you a bonus for the Chieftains Gaffi Stick," the rep continued. "You'll be eliminating a big thorn in our side as well as a threat to the citizens here and perhaps find your friends brother."
"That will be quite a challenge," Calak stated.
"The Chieftain will be well protected in his clan's enclave," the representative agreed. "But the greater the risk, the greater the reward."
Calak didn't like the idea of eliminating an entire village or tribe. But there might not be a choice. Calak had never met Sand People before, but as far as he knew no one had ever managed to learn their language and lived to tell the tale.
"Fine, I'll do it."
The representative smiled. "Good."
She walked to a computer and after a few minutes of questions, handed him a hunting license.
"Anyone you wish to come with you will be allowed. Just show the gate guard your license when you go and you'll all be allowed out. But I hope your young Twi'lek isn't going. She's rather young, and would probably sell well."
Mission glared at her. "I ain't no slave!"
…
Calak headed back into town and soon reunited with the others back at the Hawk.
"Did you guys find anything on the Star Map?" Calak asked.
"Nothing," Bastila said. "I doubt many people here explore the wide dessert. For all we know the Star Map could be on the other side of the planet."
"We found something," Carth said. "But its not anything on the Star Map. We spotted a group of Dark Jedi in the streets while we were asking around."
Calak grit his teeth. "Dark Jedi? What are they doing here?"
"Who knows? They might be trying to scout out the planet to prepare to conquer it," Carth suggested.
"Or perhaps to guard the Star Map," Juhani thought aloud. "Malak would probably have suspected someone might find out about the Star Forge, whatever it is."
"That seems unlikely," Bastila said. "If they were here to guard the Star Map they would probably be stationed near it. Though they could be here for supplies. In any case it would be best to avoid them if possible."
"You're right," Calak agreed. "Which is why I think its best if you stay on the ship."
"What?" Bastila's eyes widened.
"I think Calak's right," Carth agreed. "You are a high priority target of the Sith. We have to make sure you're kept safe. Malak wants you alive. Stay on the ship for a while while we search for information."
Bastila didn't like it but saw their points. They all returned to the ship which was thankfully cool even in the hot desert twin suns. Calak looked down at his Jedi robes which bore a bit of sweat.
"I think I better switch to something else to wear," he said. "The Dark Jedi probably won't attack me if they don't know I'm a Jedi."
He headed to his bedroom side and changed into his old set of clothes that he didn't often wear. The green and brown outfit was well suited to jungles and had a utility belt as well as a flask for water. It wouldn't provide good camouflage in the dessert but it would allow him to pass for a bounty hunter or something the like. He also took the blaster rifle he'd gotten on Dantooine and the prototyple vibroblade from the Endar Spire. Now he didn't look like a Jedi. He still kept his lightsaber and hid it in the side of his backpack, just in case.
"Well, I suppose the rest of us will go out and search a bit more?" Juhani guessed.
Calak shook his head. "No. I need you to stay here and keep Bastila safe."
Bastila shook her head. "Calak, I'm not a helpless woman!"
"I know that Bastila," Calak told her. "But I feel better knowing you aren't here alone if the Dark Jedi come."
"But what if they attack you?" Bastila asked.
"They won't!" Calak said confidently. "I seriously doubt Malak even knows I exist!"
They headed back out. Calak now looked like an ordinary man, or at least a man from a jungle world ready to hunt some game or fight. The twin suns hit his skin and clothes but it certainly wasn't as bad as it would be if he had been wearing metal. Carth had changed out of his armor as well as the metal had heated up pretty quickly when he was out with Canderous.
"This place is hot," Mission complained. "But I think after all the battles we've been through I could really use my own set of armor for when we're on less sunny worlds."
"Probably a good idea," Canderous said. "I could use a good set of Mandalorian armor or something like that."
"We'll keep an eye out for that," Carth said. "In fact Czerka might have some that could do."
"Let's go shopping then," Mission said. "Got plenty of credits… if you lend us some Calak."
Calak nodded. He'd been in charge of the money up till now but reached into his pocket and handed several of the more valuable chips to the others.
"There, that should work. I think I better visit a place for hunting around here," Calak said.
"Count me," Canderous said. "I could use the thrill of a hunt."
"Well I won't go hunting any innocent people!" Carth said. "I'm coming too! To keep an eye on him."
"Fine," Canderous agreed with a scowl.
They split up from the others and found themselves at the Hunting Lodge after asking around for places where hunters could be found. Talking with some of the hunters there, he found a variety of them in different shades. A human named Tannis who used droids to hunt, not very sporting. A Twi'lek veteran hunter named Komad, and an Ithorian named Fazza who was in charge of buying the goods from hunted game.
But the ones that seemed like they would be a bit of trouble were a group of Gammoreans.
When Calak approached them, their leader snorted in his language of pig squeals.
"Lookie boys! It talk to me!"
Calak frowned.
"Uh… hello," he greeted.
"It say hello!" the lead Gammorean said to his fellow two before turning back to Calak. "You hunter too? Well we Gammoreans are best! We always get what we want! So you better watch out!"
"Yeah you tell it Gurke!" Another Gammorean said.
Calak had a feeling that was a threat.
"What do you hunt?"
"Whatever we come across!" the leader, Gurke said. "So you better stay out of our way!"
"You Gammoreans only understand one language! A blaster in your face!" Carth said as he put a hand to his main pistol.
"Yeah! Too dumb to move on to blasters!" Canderous said. "Always using those simple cleavers!"
He gestured to the large axes the Gammoreans carried. They were a primitive race that despised technology. A blaster would have an overwhelming advantage against those weapons. Of course the same could be said of other melee weapons. But if one managed to get up close the advantage of range was gone.
Calak looked at his companions. "Now now, I'm sure they didn't mean to make threats. They're probably smarter then they look right."
Gurke had seemed a bit uneasy but put on an ugly smile. "You right. At least I smart. No we don't mean to make threats. Just warning you not to get caught in our hunt."
That could be a subtle threat. But Calak decided to let it pass. He wasn't afraid of these piggies but he didn't want to goad them.
"I'll say the same to you then. You stay out of our way, we stay out of yours."
"Deal hummies!"
Hummie must have been what they called humans. The three men grabbed some drinks and exited the lodge afterwards. Hopefully they wouldn't have any trouble, but Calak was sure he could handle them. After all, he had a lightsaber, and that could cut right through their wooden axes. Not to mention many of his crew had blasters.
"Excuse me!" A voice called out in a desperate tone.
Calak looked and saw the source was a young woman in her early thirties.
"Are you a hunter?" she asked.
"Yes," Calak told her. "Why?"
"My name is Sharina. I need to sell something," she said. "But I can't without a hunting license. Please!"
Calak could see the look of sadness on her face and could feel her fear and desperation thanks to the force. If not for that he might have assumed she was a lying scammer and walked away. But
"What's wrong?"
"My husband… he was a hunter like you! But he died in a recent hunt. Either by beast or another hunter maybe," she said sobbing. "He managed to kill a desert wraid with his group and acquire its head plate. They are very valuable at five hundred credits. Please, will you give me that much? Its all I can hope for to get the money to get back to my family on Coruscant with my children. You can easily sell it to Fazza and make that much in return, I know it!"
Calak looked at her with sympathy.
"I'll help you," he told her reaching into his pocket and handing her three gold one thousand credit chips.
Sharina looked at him in astonishment.
"Three Thousand? This is too much!"
"I can sense your fear and desperation," he told her before turning his backpack enough to let her see what was on the side.
She spotted the lightsaber. "Are you a…"
"Jedi," he told her. "Its my duty to help those less fortunate. I still have a good amount of credits left. Don't worry about it. You have far more need of it then I do."
Of course they might be running low if the others were finding some expensive suits of armor to buy at Czerka. But what were they fighting for if not for the people of the Republic?
"Thank you Master Jedi! May the force be with you!" Sharina said gratefully as she ran off to get her children so they could go.
"Welcome!" Calak called after her.
"Nice to know we're still the good guys here," Carth said.
"Hmph. I say we shouldn't waste time with the weak," Canderous huffed. "But its your credits not mine."
"Well, lets just see if we can find anything about the Star Map," Calak said.
They headed further into town along the sand covered roads and tan buildings. But as they continued through the settlement, they came across an unwelcome sight. Dark Jedi in hooded black robes carrying lightsabers.
Calak felt a shiver run down his spine. The Dark Jedi looked at him, but he took a breath to calm himself and remind himself that he'd changed out his Jedi robes so he shouldn't drawn any attention from them. As long as he didn't-
"You!" the Dark Jedi in the middle suddenly shouted.
Calak's eyes snapped back at the Dark Jedi in shock.
"You're a high priority target!" the enemy said. "Lord Malak was most displeased when he learned you had escaped Taris alive! He's promised a great reward to whoever destroys you!"
Calak gritted his teeth. It seemed his escape from Taris had drawn more attention then he'd thought. But how could Malak know about him? Though, there had been cameras back in the military base on that world. Perhaps Malak had managed to get footage before he had his fleet destroy the planet? But he'd only been a soldier? Why would Malak make him a high priority target? It didn't make sense.
In any case, Calak now had to fight for survival. He drew the purple hilted vibroblade at his hip with his right hand, and called the lightsaber out the side of his backpack with the force. The blue blade sprang to life in his left hand. Carth and Canderous both drew their melee weapons as well, knowing that any blaster bolts they might send at Dark Jedi could potentially be sent back at them. This would not be an easy battle.
