Salaarg:
Kara entered into the town with KT, passing by Merian's house as she made her way to the smith. Via had already branched off, headed towards the nearby cantina. Kara entered into the market, following the route Via had led her along only a couple of days before. Day was just breaking and the market was at its busiest as locals shopped for their food. Kara pushed through the bustle, emerging at the smith's stall. Bronto was sitting at his bench, hammering a copper pole.
'Ah, Kara. I suspected we would meet again soon, but not so soon' called Bronto, not even looking up from his work, his voice once more reminding Kara of her friend Kings. 'What brings you back to my workshop with your new companion?' He gestured to KT.
'I need something fixed, or slightly remodelled' responded Kara, walking to the opposite side of Bronto's bench.
'Of course, what is it that you wish to have fixed?'
'A suit of armour. I want you to remove the lower left leg and use the metal to slightly readjust the torso' explained Kara, dropping the sack of armour on the bench. Tarkin had been roughly Kara's size, but she knew the armour would require minor readjustments. 'Also, I want you to remove the Imperial Crest.'
Kara spilled the contents of the sack onto the bench, revealing the armour. Bronto looked up from his work, shoving the pole aside. 'I would be interested to know how you acquired this, but you are a client and I don't ask clients those sorts of questions' he said, looking at the armour curiously. Kara nodded, glad she wouldn't have to explain her past to him. 'How soon do you need it done by.'
'As soon as possible. Preferably within the next hour' responded Kara.
'I can do it Kara, but you will have to pay me and I must warn you not to wear the armour anywhere the Kobane might see you. I do not think they would take it very well.'
'Are they in town?'
Bronto snorted with laughter. 'Yes. They're looking for two girls out in the desert who attacked the Kobane. I assume that's you.' Kara couldn't help smiling.
'That would be us.'
'But again, I need payment. I can't waste my time and resources on doing this without payment' explained Bronto and Kara knew he wouldn't budge. At first Kara looked to KT, wondering if she could bring herself to sell the small droid but KT must have known what she was thinking, because she began shaking her head vigorously.
'I did notice you've acquired a droid friend' commented Bronto as he waited for Kara's response. She knew she would have to pay him and she immediately looked to her hand. Sitting on her finger, was a black ring. She looked up at him, hoping he would give in, but knew it was not to be so.
'Will this cover the cost?' asked Kara reluctantly, slipping the ring off her finger.
'I noticed that the moment you first came here. Do you know the value of it?' quizzed Bronto, raising an eyebrow.
'No. I don't even know what it's made of' grunted Kara, still not sure whether she could trade her ring for the armour.
'It is made of pure Beskar Steel. I have never even touched it during my career. It is possibly the most valuable resource in the galaxy. More valuable than Kyber. It is only found on Mandalore' explained Bronto, reaching for the ring. Kara took a deep breath. She didn't care how much the ring was worth, it was worth even more to her. Kara rolled the ring around in her hand for the last time and dropped it into Bronto's hand.
'I will forge your armour to the best of my ability' stated Bronto proudly, slipping the ring into his apron.
'Well do it quickly' grumbled Kara. 'I need a spot to stay, do you mind if I stay in the back of the workshop?' Bronto nodded and Kara walked around the bench into the dimly lit work space, where she sat on a chair, cut into the stone wall. Bronto began preparing a furnace of coals, lighting a flame underneath them. He took the armour, setting aside it's pieces next to the tub and arranging them. He took a hot poker and pressed them against the grey shoulder pads, burning away the Imperial Crest while he waited for the coals to begin smoking. The smoke spat up over Kara and she moved farther back into the workshop to avoid them. It was fortunate that she did, because only a moment later, a bounty hunter approached the smith's workbench. Kara spotted him as he was coming and alerted Bronto. Bronto hid the Imperial Armour and Kara moved back deeper into the workshop, hiding against a few crates. She glanced through a crack in the large boxes, to watch as the armour-clad bounty hunter reached the bench.
'Can I help you?' asked Bronto disinterestedly, pretending to be working on his copper pole again. The Bounty Hunter wore the same armour as a Mandalorian and with a start, she saw that Bronto had left her ring sitting on the bench. The ring had come from Mandalore. The Bounty Hunter's armour was covered in green and red, and he had a jetpack strapped to his back. A large rifle was strapped to his jetpack. Kara had no doubt, this was Boba Fett.
'I am looking for a fugitive of the Kobane' said Fett, his voice full of command despite its obvious youth. Judging by the lanky frame of the bounty hunter and his voice, Kara guessed he couldn't be any more than sixteen or seventeen years old. 'She was sighted by locals in the vicinity.'
'Perhaps you could describe this dangerous fugitive' responded Bronto, maintaining the illusion that he was simply a disinterested smith.
'I am quite well connected, and I have been told you are quite a bright man. The fugitive is a girl, of heavily tanned skin and long black hair, with green eyes. If you see anyone fitting this description, you would be advised to inform the Kobane,' explained Fett, menacingly. He then went onto gaze around the workshop, as if he knew Kara was hiding in there.
Kara could feel her heart hammering inside her chest and her hands were slick with sweat, she slowly scrambled back, wanting the darkness to swallow her up.
'However,' Fett's voice echoed down the stall, 'I would be most interested to hear where you came in possession of this Beskar Steel.'
'Oh, I've had the ring for a long time. The traders sold it to me a long time ago, at least four seasonal cycles,' responded Bronto casually, but Kara could sense the urgency in his voice.
'Well, I'm glad to hear it. I trust you will do the right thing' called Fett coolly, spinning around and disappearing into the market. Bronto turned away from the copper pole, snatching up his ring and moving further back into the workshop to continue his work on the armour. Sweat was rolling down Bronto's temples but Kara was glad he had handled the situation with suck skill and experience, and Kara began to wonder if he'd ever had something similar. Shrugging the thought aside, she moved back into the open.'
'Thank you Bronto' she said, smiling sweetly. KT nodded her thanks as well.
'Don't worry. I wouldn't sell anyone out to the Kobane' responded Bronto, grunting as he tried not to breathe in the silvery fumes that were spilling out of the coals. Kara returned to her space where she tried to straighten her thoughts out. Her loyalties were divided. She had no more faith in the Empire, but the Phantom Order were better and she knew she could save them. She trusted Via more than anyone else, even Reeve. What they had experience together over the past week had completely changed Kara's perspective.
Kara temporarily faded out of consciousness, separated from her body as her mind wandered freely. Her eyes opened when she finally smelt the sweet aroma of hot steam rising. 'My work is done here' called Bronto. Kara looked up and glanced out the front of the stall into the sun. It had climbed even higher while she had dozed off. Kara stood up, moving towards the armour that Bronto had laid out. He had left the helmet untouched, but had readjusted the armour and torso piece to fit her. He had removed the lower leg piece. Her artificial leg was already made in the same colour as the armour and would blend in when she put it on. Kara took the armour, it was still warm from the fires. The tech had been pulled out of it long ago, back in Via's workshop and it was now built for purely protective purposes.
'You may try it on' called Bronto, disappearing further into the workshop. Kara clambered into the arm. It was a snug fit, almost an exact replica of her old armour but even better tailored for her. She pulled the leg pieces on and then the torso piece. She suited up, putting the gauntlets on. She worked her legs back and forth, trying to loosen the joints. She rolled her shoulders around a few times before retrieving her helmet. She slid it back on, and she finally felt as though she was whole again.
'What do you think?' asked Bronto, re-emerging. Kara pulled the helmet off and grinned. She opened her mouth to respond, when she stopped dead in her tracks. Bronto's face had fallen flat. Kara slowly spun around, already expecting to see Fett behind her.
What she saw wasn't as bad, but not by much.
'I'm sure the Kobane will enjoy picking an Imperial Spy apart, limb for limb' snarled Gutso, turning and rapidly flying away from the smith on his fat little wings.
'Crap' swore Kara, pulling the helmet over her head. Bronto hurried across to one of the crates Kara had hidden behind and pulled a large assault rifle out.
'This was my father's. Take care of it for me. There's a door out the back. I hope you have arranged a way off this planet' said Bronto, a sad smile crossing his face.
'Where are you going? They'll kill you Bronto if they know you helped me' asked Kara.
'I'll find a place to hide. Don't worry about me Kara and if they do catch me, I'll give them hell from you' responded Bronto. Kara grinned, nodding her thanks. She holstered her pistol and slung the assault rifle over her back, in the same pouch as her staff. KT hopped up from the crate she had been sitting on, landing on Kara's shoulder and the pair of them raced out of the back of the stall.
Kara emerged in the street and made a break directly towards the Vigilance. Via should have already found a pilot and gotten back. Kara raced down the street, spinning down a side alley. She burst into a wider street and turned only to see Gutso further along, hurriedly urging six Kobane down the street towards the market. Kara ducked back into the corridor, glad she hadn't been spotted. She loaded Bronto's rifle, moving back the way she'd come. She checked down either end of the street before breaking into the open.
She sprinted down the dusty alley between the homes. She spun around another corner, colliding directly into Carval. The gruff, thick necked man was knocked off his feet and landed on the ground, winded. KT's claws gripped into Kara as she avoided being thrown off. Carval growled in anger as he spotted Kara who had tumbled into the wall. Carval was carrying a TC20 Blaster rifle and Kara knew he was hunting her, so she picked herself up and sprinted past him, kicking him in the gut as she run. She found herself in the market once more and could hear yelling behind her. She darted aside just as three of the Kobane exploded through the corridor behind her, with Carval hot at their heels. The people in the market scattered, trying to escape involvement with the skirmish that was sure to unravel.
Kara aimed the assault rifle at Carval's chest as he ran past her hiding spot. She squeezed the trigger just as Carval tripped on a hitch in the ground. Carval toppled over and the blaster bolt whizzed over his head, revealing Kara's position. She swore, darting away but knew she was being closely pursued.
KT climbed onto the back of her neck, to avoid being thrown off Kara's back as she spun round corners at break neck speed. Kara spun around, firing into the stalls. The two Kobane dived aside and Kara disappeared into the market. She sprinted up stone steps onto the top of a home situated at the edge of the market. Kara leapt over a gap between two homes, sprinting across the roof tops towards the edge of the town. Streaks of red blazed through her peripheral vision as she tumbled onto the next rooftop. Another member of the Kobane appeared behind her, climbing up the side building.
Kara spun around, firing a shot at the ugly brute of a man that followed her. She caught him in the stomach and he stumbled off the side of the building. Out of habit, Kara almost tossed her helmet aside but stopped herself when she remembered she didn't have an endless supply waiting in the sky. Two Kobane burst out of another stair case and onto a roof. They both took shots at Kara, who managed to slide into cover behind a crate. She poked her weapon around the crate, nailing the Salaargi in the throat.
The crate above her exploded in flames and Kara somersaulted out of the way, before coming to a rest on her knee. She sighted on the Nikto thug in front of her and put a blast through his leg. He let out a piercing scream stumbling back. Kara leapt over the gap that separated the two buildings they were on. She landed hard tumbling next to the Nikto. He swiftly pulled a knife out of his boot and sent it arcing towards Kara.
Kara put her gauntlet up just in time. The knife glanced off the side of the gauntlet, landing beside Kara. She grabbed it and lifted herself upright. The Nikto stumbled back as he fumbled to reload his rifle. Kara leapt forward, planting her foot on his chest. She pushed on him, sending her toppling backwards over the edge of the building. Blaster bolts screamed overhead and Kara knew she had to get back on the move.
Kara leapt onto a home with a thatch ceiling. She plunged straight through it's top, falling into a living room where a small family of humans were huddled in the corner. Kara nodded apologetically to them before diving out of the window.
A nearby blast told Kara that the Kobane were now resorting to using grenades in the close quarters of the town. Kara sprinted between a narrow gap, made by two houses pressed close together. Ahead of her, another Kobane member burst out a doorway. Kara swung her rifle like a club, knocking him unconscious instantly. She jumped over his body, entering back into the main street. Six Kobane were at the other end and Kara made a break for the edge of the town, turning her back to the Kobane. She dodged between carts and risked a glance backwards to see if the Kobane had spotted her. She looked ahead only to see a buzz baton the same instant it connected with her chin.
Blood spewed out Kara's mouth and into her helmet as she doubled over on the ground. KT was thrown to the ground and begun to blindly stumble away. Kara let out an angry gurgle, reaching out with her arm. A foot stomped down on her gauntlet, crushing her hand inside. Kara let out a scream, looking up to see who her captor was. Standing confidently above Kara was the bounty hunter, Boba Fett.
Everything went black.