Chapter 7
As Blad fled toward the freighter, the combat droid fanned its remaining lightsaber and lunged toward Conn. He narrowly dodged the attack as the pile of armor he'd landed in was sliced to molten ribbons on the floor. Conn fired two more shots at the knee joint of the droid, to no effect. It certainly wasn't beskar, but it was still tough. He pulled a pair of grenades from his belt and loaded the launcher on his left arm as he kept his distance from the lightsaber. Conn pumped pistol shots at the droid, who worked fervently to deflect the bolts, then fired a grenade at the droid's chest plate, knocking it across the large room. He knelt as the droid stood up. It charged him, jumping to avoid the second grenade blast. Conn bowed his head, bent forward, sending a missile straight at the droid, obliterating it. He took the droid's arm, lightsaber still clutched in its hand.
"86, where's my little Dug friend?"
"The bandit Q'evarra is currently trapped on the balcony nearest your position." the droid updated.
"Beautiful work. I'll be there in a minute."
True to the droid's information, Q'evarra had tried to flee the same way Conn had entered the compound. Unfortunately for the bandit, he didn't have the aid of a jetpack. The door slid open, Q'evarra whipped around to shoot at Conn, who swiftly disarmed the Dug with two well-placed rifle shots. Q'evarra drew his third pistol and collapsed when a stun blast hit him. Conn collected his quarry and descended onto the courtyard below, making his way for the prison cells aboard his ship.
"Why did Bendo escape?"
"I was not aware he was a captive aboard this vessel."
"He wasn't."
"Then he did not escape." 86 responded.
"Is the slab still secured in the hold? And I want you to see what alloy this is." Conn said as he handed the droid arm to 86.
"The frozen sentient was left in the haste of Doctor Bendo."
Conn secured Q'evarra in a cell and placed his weapons in a locker within the armory. He checked the file on Q'evarra one last time and set course for Cato Neimoidia. Cantle Bick owed ten thousand credits, though the Neimoidians weren't known for their bravery, so maybe some information wouldn't be much to ask.
The estate of Bick was as lavish as one could imagine, making the castle he'd just helped shoot up appear minimalist somehow. He was led through the mansion to an enormous room with a cage large enough for a rancor, though the restraints only meant for the numerous pylat birds singing inside. He could almost see the arena well enough to watch its spectacles from where he stood. This guy stepped on a lot of toes to have such an impressive dwelling.
After a few moments, the mechanical throne that carried the Neimoidian strode into the room, settling a meter from Conn. Bick carefully dismounted and practically floated to greet Conn in an overly formal gesture.
"Greetings, bounty hunter. You have business with me?" Bick said in his classic Neimoidian accent.
"I've come to deliver the Dug bandit Q'evarra to you." he said, presenting Q'evarra's weapons.
"Oh, I see. Yes, it seems the last shipment of goods arrived intact. I suppose you are to thank for that as well?" Bick inquired.
"You might. You might also be able to tell me how a two-bit thug caused so much trouble for someone such as yourself, being so well connected." Conn pressed.
"Your skill is complimented by your reasoning, bounty hunter. But I can give you fifteen thousand for such swift results." Bick countered.
"Fair enough, for now."
"Is there anything else before we complete our transaction?" Bick pushed.
"One last thing. I heard the name Trang by one of the locals accosted by this bandit. Does it mean anything to you?"
"Articus Trang? She's a mysterious lady who runs a botanical garden on Pure Neimoidia. Very cultured, but very mysterious. Will that be all, Mandalorian?"
"You might want to open your options for gardens." Conn dismissed.
With Q'evarra delivered and Neimoidia behind them, Conn began to seek answers about Trang. She was indeed mysterious. Little was even known about the garden that Bendo had effectively just stolen. 86 had discovered her combat droid had been plated with Ultrachrome armor, which was ancient. The questions seemed to be multiplying. Curious that it would have lightsabers, as well.
"Do we have the means to treat an extreme case of hibernation sickness?" Conn asked.
"Depending on the duration of-"
"Short answer." Conn interrupted.
"Yes."
"I'll be back shortly. See if you can find Bendo or Blad." Conn instructed.
In the cargo hold of the Deadbolt, latched to the wall stood the frozen form of a young woman. Her robes, hands, and face twisted in fear. Conn monitored the readout on the side of the slab. She appeared in good condition. He decided to risk freeing her. As he set the block to thaw, she limply fell into Conn, catching her before she hit the floor. She coughed a couple of times and spasmed in a panic. As a wave of kinetic force hit Conn, he was thrown into the opposing wall of the cargo hold. The woman began shouting, holding her hands out and blinking profusely.
"It's okay, you're safe. You're fine." he tried to reason, "Can you tell me how you ended up frozen?"
"You're...you're not her." she said in pure exhaustion.
Conn scooped her up as she collapsed, carrying her to the modest medical bay on his ship.
--
As Mi'tha cleared the purse worlds, he let out a sigh of relief. Telling the bounty hunter about his alarming discovery seemed right at the time, but he wasn't staying around in case the bandit or his mercenary partner managed to slip by. But the shock that Miss Trang had dozens of bodies frozen in stasis, as well as explaining her strange habits, was nearly too much for him. He'd been under the impression he was growing Bota for medicinal purposes, not a front for whatever it was she did with these people. Being that most of them appeared to be Jedi explained a lot about Mistress Trang's lightsaber collection. It also presented some complexities about how to right the situation he was in. Separatist space wasn't the place for it, either.
"Oh, what have I done?", he thought aloud.
"You've gotten yourself into a bad spot, that's for sure."
The Ithorian's face visibly sank when he turned to see a battered Trillem Blad physically closing off the exit from the cockpit.
"This can be easy, or it can be real easy. It looks like you've got a few dozen Jedi in your cargo hold. That gives me leverage. And it gives you purpose. You're going to go make that carbon freeze equipment functional again.", Blad said.
"You don't know what you're doing. Who you're toying with.", Bendo pleaded.
"Save it, hammerhead. You get to that equipment while I find a place to lay low and figure some things out."
--
Conn returned to the bed in his meager medical facility to see a light-skinned woman, likely in her early thirties, lying asleep. Her dark hair was a mess all over her pillow, partially covering her face, which had a tattoo over one half, much like the Mirialan. Her vitals appeared stable as she slept. He turned to leave.
"Wait. Tell me, how did I come to be in your presence? I thought for sure I was dead.", she asked.
"I found you while tracking a bandit to a facility farming bota."
"The miracle drug, how I was lured into her trap. Who are you, or what are you? My vision hasn't yet returned.", she inquired.
"I'm a bounty hunter."
"You're not one for words, are you?"
"Conn Vallai. Information is a commodity out here, and most of my time is spent with a droid, or criminals. Sorry."
"My name is Lira Ansii. Jedi Master Lira Ansii. You'd be doing the Republic a great service returning me to them."
"I have no intent of holding you for ransom if that's what you're implying. I'm too close to this war as it is.", he said, "I'm more interested in tracking down the one who froze you. I'm told she had more victims. I'm working out a way to track them down."
"I can try to help you if you'd escort me safely to my next post. A world called Fractis Minor. I'm expected there, though I presume I'm late. But for now, I need to rest."
"Your slab indicated you've only been out for a week or two, so the sickness should pass shortly."