Mara Jade was once again in one of her visions. She watched as she saw Peter was hunting someone down. Peter tracks the man down to an abandoned building with the things he stole from the house. "Who's there?!" He asks and starts shooting around the room. He gets afraid and runs to the door."Who's there?!" He asks and starts shooting around the room. He gets afraid and runs to the door.
But Peter was already on the other side and kicks him back into the room and starts beating the guy to a pulp.
The killer tries stabbing him with a knife, but Peter knocks it out of his hand and grabs him before throwing him against a glass window.
"Please, don't hurt me. Just give me a chance!" He pleads to Peter.
"What about my uncle? Did he get a chance?!" Peter asks before pushing him closer and grabbing him at his shirt collar and slamming him against the window, breaking it.
Mara Jade was shocked to see this kind of anger inside Peter Parker. She felt his anger, the rush, the acceptance. He would have made a fine Inquisitor. A fine member of the Empire.
Peter was taking some time to train Gwen using the Suit as a reference as he shot a giant tendril her way, causing Gwen to be latched onto it and slammed into the ground. Gwen groaned but her advanced healing and durability made it easy for her to get back up like nothing happened. She has come a long way since she joined the fight with the rebellion against the Empire, but she's still got a long way to go.
"You could try going a little easier during these training sessions," Gwen said as she rubbed her arm.
"You think our enemies are going to take it easy on you?" Peter asked with a snarl. "You need to be prepared for anything. Stormtroopers, Inquisitors, Sith Lords, Mutants, anything the Empire is going to throw at us."
As they were talking, Kanan exited the Ghost and met with Ahsoka and Bucky. "This is unexpected. Don't get me wrong. It's always good to see you. But usually, it means there's trouble."
"What I have to say is Jedi business," Ahsoka said as she looked at Bucky. "You mind?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm good," Bucky said as he walked off and met with Sam.
"What's that about?" Sam asks Bucky.
"Classified, for now," Bucky responded.
"Then I guess I qualify," Kanan told Ahsoka.
'You qualify more than I do." Ahsoka said as they headed inside, Ezra overhearing. They headed into the Ghost and entered one of the bedrooms for some privacy. "Me and James have been monitoring transmissions from Mustafar to find out more about the Sith Lord."
"And?" Kanan asks.
Information about him eludes me, but I've learned more about his Inquisitors." Ahsoka said with a sigh. "It seems they have a secondary mission to make retrievals."
"We know they hunt Jedi, so what else are they after?" Kanan wonders.
At this point, I could only guess." Ahsoka said. "I managed to decode two sets of coordinates. I'm on my way to investigate the first one with James."
"And you want me to check out the second." Kanan guessed as he headed for the door. "I'm in."
"You should have Ezra join you," Ahsoka tells him.
"He's already briefed on the mission," Kanan said, opening the door, causing Ezra to fall and crash onto the ground, showing he was listening through the door.
"Hey! She did say this was Jedi business." Ezra defended.
"Bring Zeb and Peter as well," Ahsoka told them. "They've proved themselves against battling the Inquisitors before."
"So, where are we going?" Ezra wonders.
Picking up Peter and Zeb, Peter left Gwen and told her to continue her training with Rex. Dodging blaster fire to help her dodge Imperial troops. Sabine overheard he was going to fight the Inquisitors, and after the incident on the last mission, she asked to tag along. She wanted to keep an eye on him. Hera's concern about the suit got her worried Peter might be changing. They flew and landed on Takobo where they expected the Inquisitors to be.
"Did Ahsoka say exactly what we were looking for?' Peter asked as they exited the Phantom.
"No," Kanan said. "She just said we have to get whatever it is before the Inquisitors do. Chopper, you have those coordinates?"
Chopper downloaded a map of the city through a terminal, showing the locations.
"Housing units? What would Inquisitors want there?" Ezra asks.
"I doubt they're renting." Kanan scoffed. "Zeb, you, Sabine, and Peter take a look around the spaceports for the Inquisitors' ship. If they're already here, I'd like to know."
"Don't worry," Zeb said as he saw he brought detonators. "If I find any sign of 'em, you'll hear about it."
"Bring Chopper," Kanan said. "I trust BD, but Chopper has clearance if you need it."
"That's a fair point," Peter said, getting BD to chirp.
"Stay in touch," Kanan said as they separated.
Over with Ahsoka, she was on her ship with Bucky and Sam. They were helping her out as backup. Ahsoka was flying the ship through Hyperspace with Sam and Bucky in the seats behind her.
"What's going on in that cyborg brain of yours?" Sam asked him, seeing Bucky had been staring off.
"It's computing," Bucky replied.
Sam then looked ahead to Ahsoka and to Bucky. "Is something going on here?"
"What?" Bucky asks.
"Just saying," Sam raised his hands in defense. "No offense. We're all different species. I mean, I am more surprised with just how many humanoids there are in the galaxy."
"What's your point?" Bucky asks.
"No real point," Sam assured. "Just saying, the kid got together with that Mandalorian, I don't see anything wrong with Ahsoka. She's a nice girl. And I saw that little kiss back during the Christmas party." He didn't get any response and Bucky just continued to stare. "You know what? I can actually see it. I can see the gears turning. Oh, they're malfunctioning. Shutting down. Yep, they're on fire."
"God, I hate you," Bucky sighed.
"We're coming up on the coordinates," Ahsoka tells them.
Exiting Hyperspace, they were met with a ship left floating in dead space. Once they docked, Sam and Bucky took the lead as they entered the ship, blasters raised to keep Ahsoka safe. Or so she can keep them safe, it's hard to say. They searched the ship and saw no signs of life anywhere. Ahsoka took notice of the scorch marks on the wall, implying Inquisitors were indeed here.
"Help." An elderly voice called. "I'm here."
"It's okay." Ahsoka approached while Sam assessed the wounds. "You're safe now."
"Help me. Help my grandchild." She begged.
"Your grandchild?" Bucky was confused.
"They took her." The elderly told them. "The red blades, they knew that she had it. Find her. Shehasit..."
"Shh. Rest. You need to rest." Ahsoka said as she looked at Sam. "How is it?"
She lost a lot of blood, but surprisingly, she might survive if we get her out," Sam admitted he was surprised.
"Alright, let's go," Bucky said, keeping his gun raised as they headed back, in case the Inquisitors stuck around.
Peter, Sabine, and Zeb were wandering through the streets following Chopper. They were getting a little annoyed with how long it was taking.
"I'm not following you anymore," Zeb tells Chopper. "I've lost track of where we've checked." Chopper didn't seem to wanna listen as he strolled over to another lock. "Hey, where ya going?"
Chopper opened the doors and revealed the Inquisitor's TIE Fighters.
"Okay, yes. You found them. Congratulations." Peter said as they approached, but stopped when they saw a probe droid. Like the one they saw the Sister had at the medical station.
"It's one of those lousy probes." Zeb sighed, using his rifle to shoot it.
"If I never see one of those things again, it'll be too soon," Zeb said as they walked toward the ships. "Let's blast this ship and get outta here."
"I thought you never ask," Sabine said, bringing out her explosives.
That's when Peter heard a baby crying. "Wait, hold on."
Zeb groaned. "What is it?"
"That sounds like a..." Peter looked into the windshield of the TIE. "A Baby?"
Sabine, Zeb, BD, and Chopper were all confused when they heard that. "Baby?"
"Why would the Inquisitors kidnap a baby?" Peter asks.
"Well, I just hope that's not a baby Inquisitor," Zeb commented.
Chopper grunted and beeped, asking if they could leave kt.
Sabine smacked the droid upside the head. "No, we can't just leave it here."
Chopper bleeped and reminded them they needed to blow the ships.
That's when BD zapped him with his foot for saying that, and that's when those 2 have an argument.
"BD is right, Chop. We'll blow up the ship after we get the baby." Peter scoffed as he leaped on top of the TIE, using his strength to rip open the hatch. "God, what is wrong with you? You've got a problem with babies or something?"
Ezra and Kanan were searching around and saw no sign of any Inquisitors.
"No sign of Inquisitors," Ezra says.
"That's what worries me," Kanan said as they entered the building and found the number. "This is it."
Entering the room, they saw the place was destroyed with scorch marks everywhere.
"Kanan, I- I think we're too late," Ezra said.
They heard cries for help and looked over to see an Ithorian woman under a table.
"She's alive," Kanan said. "What's your name?"
"Oora."
"Save your strength, Oora," Kanan said.
She began to speak, and they could translate it pretty loosely.
"Pipey"?" Ezra asked.
"Her child." Kanan translated better. "She thinks they came for her child. Two red blades. They didn't get it. She managed to send her child away with a droid."
"I promise you, Oora," Ezra said, grabbing a stuffed animal. "We'll find your Pipey."
"Oora, as soon as you're able to, get to docking bay 12," Kanan said, helping her stand.
"Kanan, what do they want with her child?" Ezra wonders.
"I don't know, Ezra." Kanan shrugged.
Peter, Sabine, and Zeb were back in the Ghost when they were told that the Inquisitors were out there hunting another child. Chopper was playing with the current kid so they could be told.
"You're telling me there's another baby out there?" Zeb asks.
"And it's headed your way," Kanan said. "When you find the droid, tell it that the mother, Oora, sent you."
"Understood," Sabine said. "We're on our way out."
Zeb spun to Chopper and chuckled. "That one's all yours."
Chopper whined as he knew he was going to be stuck with it.
"BD, make sure he doesn't kill it," Peter said.
BD chirped and jumped over to the baby, getting close so the baby reached out to grab him, causing BD to step back.
They split off into two teams with Sabine and BD going one way and Zeb and Peter going another around the blocks to try and find the droid.
"Garazeb Orrelios. Honored soldier, feared rebel, baby hunter." Zeb sighed.
That was when they spotted the droid coming their way.
"At least you're good at one of those things." Peter joked as they approached the droid.
"Hey, droid! Wait, wait, wait." Zeb called to the droid as it kept on moving. "We're here to help! Its mother, Oora, sent us."
The droid seemed to react to the name.
"That's right, Oora," Zeb confirmed. "She sent us for her child."
The droid held out the basket and let the two look at the baby Ithorian. It giggled at the sight of the two of them.
"Aww." Peter cooed at it.
Zeb was still disgusted. "Ugh. That's a baby?" He then reached down and grabbed it from the basket. "I hope I'm holding it right-side up." The baby was beginning to squirm and fight against the hold it was in. "There, there, baby... thing. Shh. It's okay. It's okay. Ah, karabast. Why'd it have to be us?
Peter felt a little offended by it. "Dude, watch what you say. It's a baby."
Zeb grimaced in disgust, apparently not a baby person. "Tell me something I don't know."
Peter sighed and rubbed his head. "Here, let me take it from here." He took the baby from the Lassat and rocked it, soothing the baby. "Call Sabine and Kanan." Zeb got right on it as Peter soothed the kid. "Hey there, little guy. You're an adorable baby, aren't you? Yes, you are. Yes, you are."
Zeb was a little confused at what he was seeing. "How are you so good at that?"
"I used to do babysitting jobs for people in my apartment complex for a few extra bucks," Peter explained as he rocked the kid. "I got pretty good at it before the spider bite. Had to stop for a while after that since I was worried about hurting the kids."
"Kanan, we found the baby," Zeb called in.
"Already? You're pretty good at this." Kanan said.
"Yeah. I know. We're taking it back to the ship. Meet us there, Sabine." Zeb said.
"Copy that," Sabine said.
"We'll meet you there," Kanan said.
The droid began to follow them.
"No, I'm sorry. You can't come. You have to act as a decoy." Zeb tells the droid.
The droid seemed to comply and sped off, taking a turn to then keep going around the city. They were beginning to leave, but Peter stopped when he sensed something coming.
"Oh, shit..." Peter said in fear.
"What?" Zeb asked, followed by the droid being spliced and fragments being flung down the street. "Uh-oh. That's not good."
That's when the Fifth Brother, Seventh Sister, and Mara Jade approached, revealing that they destroyed the droid. They saw that the child was missing and growled.
"That's really not good," Peter said in terror.
Then the baby began to cry, getting their attention as they turned and saw Peter and Zeb with the baby. "Zeb? Run."
Zeb listened to Peter and ran as the Inquisitors approached Peter.
"Peter Parker," Mara Jade snarled as she drew her blade again. "Been a while since we've seen each other."
"I dont know what you want with those kids, Mara Jade," Peter said as the Symbiote morphed around him. "You don't strike me as the motherly type. So if you want that kid... you've gotta go through me."
"Spectre-1, making it back to The Phantom is not going to happen," Zeb said as he turned and saw Peter fighting the Inquisitors.
"Copy that, Spectre-4. Where are you?"
"On the move," Zeb said. "Ran into your friends. We'll be in the tower at the Grid Nine intersection. Hurry.
Peter shot out a tendril that smacked Fifth Brother and Mara Jade tried to sneak up on him. But that was when a tendril shot out from the back, grabbing Mara Jade and smashing her into the building to slow her down. Seeing he gave Zeb enough time, Peter leaped and rushed off to try and help Zeb out. He leaped and used the rooftops to try and find Zeb and rushed into the open window.
The Inquisitors raced off to follow when they heard crying. "Wait." They heard the infant crying as they eyed the building. "They are inside."
Seventh Sister then activated another Probe Drois. "You will be my eyes out here."
Sabine, Kanan, and Ezra rushed to grid nine to try and find the others.
"This is grid nine," Kanan said as they raced down the street. "Tower should be just ahead."
Ezra looked up and noticed the probe droid. "Guys, stop!" They stopped and hid behind a barrier.
"This is definitely the place." Sabine guessed.
Not wanting to give away their position, they rushed inside and began to look around rather than call on the commlink. They searched a few of the floors when they saw Zeb peaking his head out of a doorway.
"Hey. Over here." Zeb called them over.
"How's the baby?" Ezra asked.
"Quiet, for the moment," Zeb said, gesturing to Peter who was trying to keep the baby calm. "Spider-Man has a knack for it."
"Let's see him," Ezra said.
"I wouldn't if I were you." Zeb warned him, "It'll just start shrieking again."
Ezra approaches the baby, which indeed causes him to shriek.
"I told you not to disturb him," Zeb stated, pushing Ezra.
"I was trying to be nice." Ezra defended.
"Well, try holding him," Peter said, handing the baby over.
"He's right. You have the talent to connect, use it." Kanan agreed
Ezra tried to calm the baby down, but it kept crying louder. "What's wrong with him?"
Peter sighed. "Dude, it's a baby. He needs his mother."
"Ezra, you have to be calm to keep him calm," Kanan said, worried the crying might attract trouble.
"Don't you think I'm trying? I don't know what to do with him." Ezra said.
Sabine and Peter looked at one another. Seeing there were some obvious things he was doing wrong.
"Whatever you're doing stop it!" Zeb tells him.
Ezra shushed him. "Shh! You are making it worse!"
Peter groaned and rubbed his face. "Oh for- give me the baby!"
Ezra hands over the crying baby back to Peter.
"Shh. It's okay. It's okay." Peter tried to shush him again. "Hey, listen to this. If you're happy and you know it clap your hands. If you're happy and you know it clap your hands. If you're happy and you know it and you really want to show it if you're happy and you know it clap your hands."
That's when the baby starts to laugh and calm down shocking the others.
Sabine was surprised with how well that worked. "Wow. You really are good with babies."
"What can I say, it's a gi-" That's when Peter's Spider-Sense kicks in and so does Kanan's senses.
"Zeb! Get back, now!" They both cried.
That's when a red saber bursts out from the floor. Lucky, Zeb and Ezra dodged it. They then looked and saw a blade poking through the door. Then there was one on the opposite wall. Seventh Sister, Fifth Brother, and Mara Jade.
"Where to now?" Sabine asks, aiming her blasters at each saber frantically.
"Only one way left," Ezra said, looking upward.
Ezra and Kanan raced over and used their sabers to cut the ceiling. They created a hole and then jumped through it before looking back and Zeb grabbed an explosive.
"I've got something they can retrieve," Zeb said, dropping the detonator.
As they ran down the hall, they noticed the detonator was thrown back. "Move, move!"
The baby continued to scream as Peter handed the baby to Ezra, so he could stretch his arms out and create a barrier using the Symbiote. It wouldn't stop them, but it would slow them down.
"Come on, Pipey." Ezra tried to calm him. "If you keep this up, we'll never shake them."
"Wait! Maybe that can buy us time." Kanan came up with a plan. "Keep moving, and keep your comlink on."
After finally slicing through the Symbiote mess, the three of the red blades made their way up the stairwell and heard crying.
"They are here." Fifth Brother said.
"Are you certain?" Seventh Sister asks.
"You would question me?" Fifth Brother asked as he walked down the hall.
"Only when you're wrong," Seventh Sister stated.
Mara Jade however felt something was off and looked down another hall. She made her way down the hall and followed her senses.
"Nice plan, but if you hadn't noticed, we've run out of floors," Zeb informed Kanan.
"They hunt Jedi, right? Instead of Pipey, let 'em hunt me." Kanan said.
"Don't you mean "us"?" Ezra asks.
"You and Peter have to get the little one outta here," Kanan said as he looked up. "And I think I know how." He then opened a hatch to the ducts. "Use the cooling ducts."
"I won't let you face them without me," Ezra said.
"Hey, you made a promise to return this child to his mother." Kanan reminded him. "And the best chance we've got to keep it is for you to calm him down."
"I can't," Ezra stated. "He's terrified.
"Because he senses your fear," Kanan stated.
"What? How could he sense Ezra's fear?" Peter asked with a scoff. "What is he, some sort of baby Jedi or something?"
Just like that, what Peter said hit Kanan realizing he was right. "You're right. He's strong with the Force." He almost smacked himself for not getting it. "Ah, I should've seen it. The Inquisitors are after these kids because they're like you, Ezra. They're afraid the children could grow up to become Jedi."
"All very illuminating, but as time is at a bit of a premium," Zeb said.
Ezra stopped fighting and leaped into the ducks. "Don't have too much fun without us."
"May the Force be with you," Kanan said as he closed the door.
Ezra and Peter crawl through the vents with Pipey screaming. "Look, it's gonna be fine, Pipey." He tried to calm the kid. "Peter, any advice?"
"Not really. I had months of practice with kids, can't exactly teach that." Peter said. "All we gotta do is find a way down."
Ezra looked down and saw there was a drop. "Well, hang on, little buddy. We're gonna go for a ride."
Ezra dropped down first and then crawled down the vent. Peter gave him a second before then dropping himself. But when he did, he immediately sensed Mara Jade was close. That was when a blade pierced through the vents, getting them to back off.
"Whoa! Pipey, quiet." Ezra tried to calm the baby, crawling to the other side. "Calm down. Calm down. Calm down..."
They were still piercing the vents when the others showed up. "Hey!" Sabine called.
"Ooh Kanan Jarrus." Mara Jade said. "You've crawled out of hiding at last."
"You again?" Kanan asks.
Sabine then opened fire, followed by Kanan and Zeb helping. Peter was getting sick of this and used the Symbiote to punch a hole in the building for them to jump out and used a tendril to lower them safely to the ground.
"I am seriously sick of these guys," Peter said with a groan. "Seriously, Jedi should've just allowed their people to have kids. I mean, what is really the worst that could become of it? Like Luke. He's that Skywalker's kid, nothing bad has come of that, has it?"
"Let's just go," Ezra said, running off.
Both of them missing the probe droid that overheard everything.
Ezra and Peter made it to the doorway to get to the ship when he saw the doors were locked. "Let me in! Let me in, Chopper! Paranoid droid."
"The door is locked, Kanan!" Peter said into the comms.
"I'm a little preoccupied at the moment!" Kanan shouted, getting them to turn and see the Inquisitors and the others running towards them.
Zeb opened fire a few times, only for the strikes to be blocked off, followed by Kanan running in to strike. Sabine opened fire, but Mara Jade took it upon herself to deflect them back toward Sabine, causing her to get hit. Her Mandalorian armor held up, meaning that Sabine was only flung back and felt the impact, but wasn't injured from the attack. Kanan was lifted and flung into the wall with Zeb, knocking them down, leaving Ezra and Peter to fend off the Inquisitors, Mara Jade, and defend the children.
"I don't have time to waste on you, children." Seventh Sister said, trying to force them back, only managing to throw Ezra, the Symbiote latching him onto the ground. "Get out of my way."
"I told you... I won't let you harm those kids," Peter promised, the Symbiote suit morphing with a more menacing look to it.
"This should be fun," Fith Brother said, preparing to fight him off.
That was when they were fired upon, getting them to step back as Peter and Ezra saw Sam and Bucky shooting from above the doorway. "What are you two doing?" Peter asks.
"Sorry," Sam said. "She wanted to stop by and pick up a friend."
"Friend?" Peter asked.
The atmosphere was tense, electric even, as the doorway slowly creaked open, revealing Ahsoka Tano stepping into the dim light. The brilliance of her presence illuminated the scene, but she was not alone. Emerging from the shadows, cloaked in his flowing cape that billowed dramatically in the wind, stood Obi-Wan Kenobi. The air thickened with astonishment as the Inquisitors and Mara Jade turned their gazes toward the pair, disbelief etched across their faces.
"Unexpected, but not unwelcome," remarked the Seventh Sister, her voice carrying a mix of surprise and determination.
"Ezra, get the youngling to the ship," Ahsoka urged, her voice filled with urgency. She turned to Peter, locking eyes with him. "Make sure they're safe."
Peter nodded resolutely and rushed over to assist the others, rallying them with a spirited call, "Come on, guys!"
"Guys! Get up! Get up! We gotta get moving!" Ezra exclaimed, shaking Zeb and Kanan from their daze.
"What about Ahsoka?" Kanan questioned, his gaze darting between her and the looming threats, having yet to notice Kenobi's presence.
"She's doing fine," Ezra assured him, a hint of confidence in his voice.
In an instant, Ahsoka and Kenobi surged into action, their movements fluid and precise. The ominous Inquisitors raised their crimson blades, the energy crackling with menace. Ahsoka activated her two white lightsabers, their glow a stark contrast to the darkness surrounding her. She engaged the Seventh Sister fiercely, their blades clashing, the sound echoing like thunder.
Meanwhile, Kenobi faced off against Mara Jade, her presence radiating fury and determination. Although the passage of time had dulled his speed, Kenobi moved with practiced grace, dodging her aggressive strikes with an agility that belied his age. He adopted a defensive stance, skillfully parrying her blows while patiently waiting for the right moment to counter.
As the battle intensified, Mara Jade advanced, her lightsaber blazing as she aimed for a decisive strike. Kenobi propelled himself into the air, narrowly evading her attack. He landed deftly, preparing to outlast her relentless onslaught.
"When I take you to him, he will be pleased," Mara Jade promised.
"He isn't one to be pleased, especially by me," Kenobi retorted.
Ahsoka, with graceful agility, dodged the strikes from the two Inquisitors, expertly flipping through the air. As Fifth Brother lunged at her, Ahsoka deftly parried his attack with her second blade, using a Force push to send him sprawling to the ground. In that brief moment of respite, Ahsoka closed her eyes, centering herself in meditation.
Seizing the opportunity, Seventh Sister charged in, seeking to land a finishing blow. Yet, with her mind focused, Ahsoka harnessed the Force, deftly shutting down the Inquisitor's saber before sending her crashing to the ground.
Ahsoka's gaze shifted to Kenobi, who was skillfully fending off Mara Jade's relentless attacks. He noted the echoes of familiarity in Ahsoka's fighting style, and as she aimed another strike at him, he sidestepped effortlessly, countering by knocking Mara Jade off balance. She fell heavily, the impact forcing the breath from her lungs but leaving her uninjured.
As the dust settled, both Ahsoka and Kenobi stood resolutely, surveying the defeated Inquisitors around them. Victory was theirs, a testament to their skill and resilience in the face of darkness.
"You are beaten." Ahsoka proclaimed.
That was when various troops were running towards them.
"Hmm, your capture will please Lord Vader." Seventh Sister stated.
Ahsoka watched the Phantom take off with her ship following with Sam and Bucky on board. "Tell your master he'll have to wait."
Ahsoka then leaped and landed on the Phantom and they began to take off, leaving the chaos behind.
"That was crazy but worth it," Zeb stated as they saw the parents and their kids reunited.
"They're Force-sensitive," Kanan tells Ahsoka and Kenobi.
"I've seen this before," Ahsoka admitted. "A Sith Lord attempted the same thing back in the Clone Wars, but the Jedi Order stopped him."
"And now there's no Jedi Order to protect them." Kenobi sighed.
"I guess that task falls to us now," Kanan said.
Mara Jade and the Inquisitors reached their ships to try and chase after them, but they saw that they had already reached the ships and blew them up. They groaned in anger when the probe droid from before returned to Seventh Sister.
"I am seriously sick of these guys, Seriously, Jedi should've just allowed their people to have kids. I mean, what is really the worst that could become of it? Like Luke. He's that Skywalker's kid, nothing bad has come of that, has it?"
That caused Seventh Sister to reverse the audio to make sure they heard that right.
"Luke. He's that Skywalker's kid."
"Skywalker's kid."
Skywalker's kid...
Beneath the scorching twin suns of Tatooine, a clandestine gathering unfolded in the vast expanse of the desert. A group of Pykes, identifiable by their distinctive, elongated features and traditional garb, huddled together amidst the shifting sands, flanked by a contingent of intimidating Stormtroopers. Their eyes glinted with a mix of eagerness and wariness as they engaged in the shadowy business of smuggling spice—a highly coveted and illicit substance swept away from the markets since the Rebel assault on the Spice Mines of Kessel. The Empire's presence on Tatooine was surprisingly lenient compared to their tighter control over the rest of the galaxy, creating an underground network for those in the know.
"Everything is accounted for," one of the Stormtroopers declared, his monotone voice echoing under the glaring sun.
The Pykes responded with a sly smirk, "We'll take the spice and leave the credits." Their confidence radiated in the arid atmosphere, suggesting a familiarity with high-risk exchanges.
Suddenly, the silence of the desert was punctuated by the soft crunch of sand underfoot, drawing the attention of everyone present. Emerging from behind a cluster of moisture vaporizers was a figure cloaked in a sun-drenched aura. She exuded an air of daring charisma. Dressed in a light brown crop top that accentuated her athletic frame, she paired it with matching shorts that brushed just above her knees. A stylized cowboy hat sat jauntily on her head, casting a shadow across her determined eyes. Her impressive, knee-high cowboy boots, crafted from dark leather, added a striking contrast to her ensemble, catching the light with each purposeful stride.
At her hips, twin holsters cradled two sleek blasters, prominently displayed and ready for action. Even as she stepped forward, the Pykes and Stormtroopers remained oblivious to her presence, their focus locked on the spice deal at hand. Little did they know, the arrival of this formidable woman could change everything.
"Evening, boys," She greeted, getting the Pykes and Troopers to freeze and spin in her direction. She was leaning on one of the vaporizers and gave a friendly wave. "I have a feeling you don't know where you are, and you figured that this was out in the middle of nowhere. But let's make something clear. You're in Mos Pelgo territory. My territory. We've already liberated ourselves of the Empire's command, so the Empire has no command over us. I'm not sure what kind of arrangements you have with the authorities at Mos Espa, and to be honest, whatever goes down in Mos Eisley is none of my business. That's the big green guy's problem. But out here, I'm the one protecting folks from the likes of the Empire and the Pykes. But... I'm in a good mood today. I had a good morning, so let's see if I can end without shooting anyone. Break my record of a whole day without shooting. If you leave right now, I'll let you off with a warning. Doubt you'll tell your superiors of this little encounter, considering you're likely doing this under the table."
The girl watched as the Pykes and troops considered their options, and then reached for their blasters. The girl then drew both of her guns and opened fire. She shot the troops down as well as all of the Pykes who reached for their guns. She left one Pyke standing and aimed both her guns at him.
"Ah-ah-ah, think it through, buddy," She dared him. "I'm not skittish, and I am definitely trigger-happy. Your friends already killed my good mood, do you really wanna be the next thing to die?"
The Pyke raised his hands to stop her from shooting him.
"Smart. You must be the brains," She said, spinning her blasters in her fingers before placing them back in the holsters. "Take your dirty Imperial money, and tell the Pykes that spice isn't welcome around here. And leave the spice. Consider it your fine for trespassing on my turf."
"It's worth more than any town," Pyke said.
"Good compensation then," She stated.
The Pyke then began to listen as he took the case of spice and dropped it on the floor. Then the Pyke got back into the speeder and sped off. She marched over towards the case and kicked it over, watching the spice be mixed into the sands of Tattooine.
Marching off, she leaped on her speed bike and drove her way back to Mos Pelgo. When she reached the town, she saw the people setting spikes with the stormtrooper helmets on them.
"How'd it go, kiddo?" Cobb Vanth, appointed marshal, called as he saw she returned.
"Normal patrol," She shrugged.
"How many this time, Temple?" Cobb wondered as he leaned against the building.
"Only... five," Temple said.
"Of course," Cobb sighed as he then gestured to the building. "You've got a message."
Temple was surprised to hear that as she made her way inside and saw the holo-phone beeping. She activated the call and saw the other end showed the Avengers logo. "Seems you made it, Inez." The mysterious voice who spoke to Riri greeted Inez Temple. "How's my surprise treating you?"
"These blasters are working out well, why'd you gift them to me?" Inez wonders.
"Seems like you needed a hand protecting the town." The mysterious voice shrugged. "I might be going dark for a while. The Empire is beginning to wise up on my moves. Tracking my contacts."
"Oh, does this mean I am not the only one?" Inez asked sarcastically.
"This is serious, Inez." The voice stated. "My contacts are trying to destabilize the Empire across the galaxy. If they find you through me, they not only get me, they get my whole network."
"Alright, I got it," Inez said. "Not like anyone's coming here."
"Don't be so sure about that," The voice replied. "The Empire might not come after you, but the Pykes? One bounty hunter and a dirty trooper, you're done for."
"I'd like to see who they send after me," Inez stated as she sat down, crossing her legs on the desk, spinning her blast in her fingers.
Far beyond the confines of known space, nestled within the cold, metallic walls of his ship, a Duros male sat intently watching a flickering display. The blue-skinned bounty hunter, known as Cad Bane, scrutinized the footage capturing the fierce encounter between Inez Temple and the notorious Pykes. With his wide, expressive eyes partially hidden beneath his broad-brimmed hat, he exuded an air of calm determination that belied his ruthless reputation.
Cad Bane was not just any bounty hunter; he was a legendary mercenary, feared across the galaxy for his cunning and skill. He had been contracted to eliminate the thorn in the Pykes' side—none other than Inez Temple herself. Her audacious actions had recently disrupted the criminal organization's operations, and they were willing to pay handsomely for Bane to restore the status quo. As he replayed the footage, a smirk crept across his face, revealing a glimpse of the deadly intent simmering beneath his composed exterior.
"One measly girl?" Cad asked with a scoff as he bit on a toothpick. "Child play."