5
CHAPTER THREE
DEVOTLAN-YEARS AGO
Devoltan was a former Imperial outpost for officers traveling to other parts of the galaxy. It was also a mining colony, filled with semi-precious metals that added to the coffers of the emperor's wealth.
Mara entered. The hood of her cape almost covered her face. The smell of cheap Metian cigars and the sweat of those who toiled in the mines almost overwhelmed her. She barely missed colliding with a drunk, who somehow managed to make his way out the door. The floor was slippery from spilled drinks and broken glass.
Vessya needs to hire a better cleaning crew, she thought.
Loud, raucous laughter erupted from a group of bounty hunters drinking at a nearby table. As she passed, a half-drunken man at the table grabbed her arm.
"Hey! Join us for a drink."
Mara violently jerked her arm away from his grip. His smile disappeared when he saw the anger in her green eyes. "Sorry. It won't happen again."
Mara made her way to the bar. A large, tough-looking bartender walked over to her.
"I'm a friend of Vessya's," Mara said.
The man gave a nod to the barstools to his right. Once she was seated, Mara pulled some credits from her pocket.
"What do you want?" The bartender scooped the credits into the palm of his hand, then into his pocket.
"Argolian Ale," she replied in a low, monotone voice.
Mara kept her head down. Her senses were on high alert as she patiently waited for her contact to appear. The man set the drink in front of her and left.
Two pirates got into a shouting match. Mara put her hand on the blaster under her cloak. She had two knives hidden in her boot pockets, with a mini-blaster wristlet on her left wrist. Her lightsaber was attached to her belt.
One of the pirates overturned a table, grabbed the other by the neck, and started fighting. "Take'um outside," the bartender shouted to the bouncer.
Mara watched the melee. The bouncer grabbed the two men by their necks. They almost collided with a customer who entered the cantina. The man had a red handkerchief in his hand.
The man was about a foot shorter than Mara. He wore a dark cape with a brown shirt and pants, and his boots looked relatively new. The man appeared uncomfortable as he scanned the cantina. Mara winced as he waved the handkerchief around, hoping the contact would greet him. To make things worse, the man had a medium-sized blaster attached to his waist. Someone could easily disarm him.
Mara rolled her eyes and sipped her ale. Oh no, she thought. That's all I need-a novice on his first mission.
The man wiped his brow with the back of his hand as he approached the bar. "Excuse me, my good man," he said to the bartender, pulling out a paper. "I am a friend of Vessya's," he said, reading from his note.
Sithspawn, Mara cursed.
The bartender jerked his thumb to the end of the bar. "Take a seat down there."
The man nodded, sitting next to Mara. "Okay," he asked. "Whaddya want?"
"I'll have a glass of Corellian Brandy, Grand Reserve."
Mara winced. Of all the things to order, this was the worst.
"Corellian Brandy? Grand Reserve?" The bartender laughed. "Where do you think you are? You're in a cantina. Not some fancy joint on Coruscant."
"He'll have an Argolian Ale," Mara answered, firmly.
"Corellian Brandy," the bartender muttered, shaking his head.
Mara noticed the man's hands trembled. She pulled out her red handkerchief, placing it near her glass. The man breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh, wonderful." The man smiled and held out his hand. "My name is Haryon Melchik and."
"Quiet," Mara hissed. "Keep your head down and whisper. We don't want to be too obvious."
"I'm sorry," he whispered, ashamed he had made her angry. "I've never done this kind of thing before."
"Is that a fact?" Mara muttered sarcastically.
"Oh. But it is, my lady."
His earnest reply made Mara giggle. At least he's sincere, she thought.
The bartender put the drink on the counter and left. Melchik lifted the glass to his lips and took a little sip. He recoiled at the taste.
"How can anyone drink that?" He pushed the glass away from him.
"It's an acquired taste," she whispered in a good-natured way.
Melchik kept his head down. "Miss," he whispered. "We are under a tight schedule. We must leave soon."
"Be patient. We'll leave when the time is right. And my name is Mara Jade." Mara flashed a little smile.
Mara soon got her wish. Another fight broke out between the pirates and the bounty hunters. The brawl was more intense than the earlier one, as it involved smashing tables and tossed chairs.
"GET DOWN!"
Mara slid off the barstool and curled into a ball on the floor. Melchik threw his body on the vacant seat beside him and covered his head with his hands. Another oversized chair flew past, breaking all the bottles on the bar.
The cantina soon turned into a free-for-all scuffle that had everyone fighting, overturning tables, and breaking chairs and bottles with each other. The bartender leaped over the bar as he and the bouncers tried to break up the fight.
"Come on." Mara tugged on Melchik's cape. "This way. The side exit," she ordered.
Melchik was breathing heavily when he and Mara were safe in the alley. "Tell me," he asked. "Does that sort of thing happen often?"
"Tonight's a quiet night," she retorted, with humor in her tone. "Where's your vehicle?"
"This way," Melchik pointed down the alley. "Around the corner at the end of the alley."
"Good. Let's go."
Mara followed the man down the dimly lit alley. Melchik walked with determined steps a few feet in front of her. He would occasionally glance over his shoulder to make sure she was following. They walked past overflowed dumpsters and an occasional passed-out drunk.
A lone individual slowly stepped from behind one of the dumpsters after they passed. He watched for a moment before sneaking behind another dumpster, doing his best to be as quiet as possible.
Mara's senses were on high alert. As they passed a light, she whipped around, blaster in hand, and aimed it at the stranger.
"Stay where you are," she ordered.
The individual came to a halt, his hands in the air. He wore a long cape with a hood that covered most of his face. The man had a blaster in his holster.
"Toss over your weapon. NOW!"
The man slowly reached for his weapon and threw it to her feet. He put his hands on his head. Mara kicked the weapon over to Melchik. "Pick it up," she ordered.
"But," he said in a fretful tone. "This is His Grace. The man in charge of this mission."
"For all you know, someone could have killed him and taken his place," she replied. "Step forward. Let me see who you are."
The man moved slowly toward her, his hands on his head. He stopped underneath the light and removed his hood. Mara's eyes grew wide as she lowered her weapon.
"I. I know you," she whispered.
"That day in the Imperial Throne Room," he nodded. "I'm the man the emperor imprisoned. Sebastian Al'Guion."
"Mara. Mara Jade," she uttered.
They stared at each other in silence. The defiant teenager Mara had seen that day had grown into a strong, confident man.
"You are in charge of this mission?" Mara stared in disbelief.
"Yes," Sebastian nodded. "You're with the Alliance?"
"Yes," Mara nodded.
"Lando said that Talon would send the best person for the assignment. Never in a million years did I think it would be you."
"Yeah, well, it's a long story," Mara grinned. "I'll give it to you later."
"Sir," Melchik pleaded. "If we are not at the rendezvous destination at the agreed-upon time, the merchant will leave."
The man's urgent plea to Mara and Sebastian ended their conversation. "Yes," he nodded. "You are correct. Let's be on our way."
The trio walked with quick steps to the vehicle. A blond-haired woman dressed for combat guarded the land speeder with a blaster. As soon as she heard the footsteps, the woman aimed her weapon at the group, lowering it when she saw who they were.
"Mara, this is Peri Montune," Sebastian said. "Her husband, Kael, is my second-in-command."
The two women shook hands. Peri was slightly shorter than she but possessed a fierce determination in her eyes. "I just spoke to Kael," she said. "Everything is in place."
"Where is your ship, Mara?" Sebastian said.
"In the transport area. Hanger Seven," she responded.
"Good. Let's go."
Sebastian and Mara climbed into the back seat of the landspeeder. Peri powered up the vehicle with Melchik next to her. Moments later, they were traveling across the smooth terrain of Devoltan in route to the rendezvous point.