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To Harry, it seemed like time froze in the cantina. The buzz of conversations, the clinking of glasses, and even the low hum of background cantina band seemed to fade into silence. Every eye in the room turned toward the center of the standoff, but no one dared to move. The tension was so thick Harry could almost feel it pressing against his skin. He wasn't sure how long they stood there, unmoving, before the bounty hunter finally broke the silence.

"Ah," the bounty hunter drawled, his voice a deep, gravelly baritone with a faint rasp, like sandpaper over stone. It carried the weight of experience, tinged with a hint of amusement. "So, I was right—a Jedi. Never fought one before. But even with what I've heard about your reflexes, I'm pretty confident I can shoot the kid before you can stop me." He paused to let out a chuckle. "And luckily enough for me, I can't imagine you'd attack me unless I did something, so it appears we're at a stalemate."

Harry swallowed hard, his eyes darting around the room for a clue for something that he could use to help. His master chuckled softly, a sound that seemed almost out of place given the situation.

"You must know," Obi-Wan began, his voice smooth and measured, "that it's unlikely you'll be able to stand there forever with your blaster pointed at my Padawan. If you did shoot him, I'd kill you—without hesitation—and then I'd walk out of here in one piece." His tone was matter-of-fact, devoid of any bravado or threat, which somehow made it all the more chilling. "And if our intelligence is correct, you're more of a soldier of fortune than a martyr for some crime syndicate's cause. Especially not over a vendetta against a senator on Corellia who's making things a little inconvenient for them. I'd be willing to bet you'd enjoy walking away from this encounter in one piece just about as much as we would."

The bounty hunter paused for several seconds before humming in affirmation. "You've done your homework, can't argue with your logic even if I don't entirely believe your dismissal of the leverage I have right now," he said, his voice dripping with wry amusement. A few seconds passed before he let out a low chuckle, then slowly lowered his blaster from the middle of Harry's back.

Harry exhaled a breath and as he turned around cautiously, he finally got a good look at the bounty hunter. The Duros was taller than he'd imagined, with bluish-green skin, large red eyes, wearing a long duster coat and a wide-brimmed hat, which despite seeming out of place somehow made him appear even more dangerous. His blaster, although no longer trained on Harry, was still in his hand, held loosely but with an air of readiness. Harry's eyes darted to Obi-Wan, who was standing just behind the bounty hunter, his lightsaber still ignited.

Obi-Wan's eyes flicked to the blaster. "Why don't you put that down? You've made your point."

The bounty hunter's expression hardened slightly, and he shook his head. "While you were convincing earlier, Jedi, I'm not about to leave myself completely at your mercy by tossing my weapon away." His voice took on a dry edge, as if amused by the suggestion. "You must be greener at this than I thought if you expect me to throw my blaster aside like some backwater thug."

Obi-Wan's gaze held steady, his calm demeanor unshaken. He began to circle the bounty hunter slowly, keeping his lightsaber in a defensive position. Harry noticed how his master's presence seemed to press down on the situation, a quiet strength that demanded attention. The bounty hunter, for all his bravado, kept a careful eye on Obi-Wan's movements.

Finally, Obi-Wan came to a stop between Harry and the bounty hunter, his stance relaxed but purposeful. Satisfied that Harry was out of immediate danger, Obi-Wan tilted his head slightly. "So, what do you propose now?"

The Duros shrugged, the corner of his mouth quirking upward. "Might as well have that chat you were angling for. That is what you want, isn't it?"

Obi-Wan regarded him for a moment longer before nodding toward the booth Harry had been approaching before the confrontation began. "Very well." With a flick of his wrist, Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber, the blade vanishing with a quiet hiss.

"After you," he said, motioning toward the booth.

The bounty hunter smirked, tipping his hat slightly as he moved toward the table. The tension in the room didn't dissipate—it shifted, coiling tighter as every patron in the cantina watched the odd trio navigate the room.

Harry followed Obi-Wan's lead, keeping his steps steady and his mind focused. Though he didn't sense immediate danger through the Force, he knew the situation could spiral out of control at any moment.

The three of them slid into the booth, Obi-Wan and Harry on one side and the bounty hunter on the other. Though Obi-Wan's lightsaber was deactivated, Harry noticed his Master's grip on it hadn't loosened. Below the edge of the table, his hands rested lightly in his lap, the hilt positioned for a quick draw if needed.

As he looked across the table Harry could tell that the bounty hunter's posture seemed to mimic Obi-Wan's and didn't doubt that one of them had the blaster trained on them from just below the edge of the table.

The Duros bounty hunter leaned back in the booth with a practiced ease, the faint smirk on his blue-skinned face signaling his confidence. He rested his other elbow on the table, leaving the other hand holding his blaster beneath the edge, while his crimson eyes briefly flicked to Obi-Wan's lightsaber resting in his lap.

"Relaxed as I am," the Duros said, his gravelly voice carrying an amused edge, "you Jedi don't do this kind of calm by accident." His lips curled into a smile. "I appreciate the honesty and respect."

Obi-Wan offered a faint smile in return but said nothing, his posture as composed as ever.

The Duros inclined his head. "Based on the questions you and your boy here have been asking around town, it's obvious word of this job leaked out. I'm impressed you tracked it to me. And since you apparently know who I am I'm not sure if the introduction is necessary, but I'd like to know who I'm sitting with. I'm Cad Bane," he said with a small flourish of his hand. "And you are?"

Obi-Wan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he regarded the bounty hunter with a steady gaze, unblinking and inscrutable. Bane chuckled, shaking his head.

"You have to know by now, Master Jedi, that I've got enough resources to find out your names the moment we leave here. Seems unnecessarily rude not to just tell me outright."

The silence stretched between them for another beat before Obi-Wan inclined his head slightly. "Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi," he said, his voice even. He gestured toward Harry. "And this is my Padawan, Harry Skywalker."

Bane's sharp eyes lingered on Harry for a moment, a flicker of something—recognition?—crossing his face before he turned his attention back to Obi-Wan. "Well met, Jedi Knight Kenobi," he said with mock politeness. "I presume this is the part where you make some bold statement like, 'I'm here to stop you from your mission and prevent you from killing the senator.'"

Obi-Wan chuckled softly as he waved off a server who cautiously approached their booth. "You've made this easier than I expected," he said, glancing at Harry before returning his gaze to Bane. "It's always nice when they don't bother denying the truth." His smile fell from his face as he looked back to the bounty hunter a serious expression was back on his face. "But yes, something along those lines was what I had in mind."

Bane smirked, his sharp teeth glinting. "That's too bad. We were just starting to get along." He leaned back in his seat, gesturing lazily with his free hand. "You must understand, Jedi, I can't just walk away from a job just because you asked nicely. Professional courtesy and all that. And even if I did manage to talk me out of it—or you managed to stop me here—the cartel would simply find someone else. They'd still get the job done. Maybe not as cleanly as I would, but this is Corellia. Even if they didn't go through the expenses of bringing someone new in there are plenty of willing takers for the right price."

Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered the bounty hunter's words. "I suppose you're not wrong," he said finally. "But stopping you is a good place to start and will remove one thing that we need to worry about."

Bane glanced at his chronometer, a slow smile spreading across his face as he looked back at the two of them. "Who says I'm the one you need to be worrying about?"

Harry felt the flicker of danger a split second before the blaster bolts sizzled through the air. Trusting his instincts, he threw himself sideways out of the booth. At the same moment, he noticed Obi-Wan use the Force to push him farther away from the danger, while the Jedi himself rolled out in the opposite direction.

The wall behind them scorched and smoked where the bolts struck, leaving jagged, blackened marks. The cantina erupted into chaos as patrons ducked for cover, screaming and shouting filling the air.

Harry shook his head to clear it, as he cautiously made his way to his feet. Obi-Wan nodded to him. "Good reflexes, Harry. I probably didn't need to assist you, but caution never hurts."

Harry smiled nervously, but his attention was drawn to movement on the far side of the cantina. Bane had slipped out of the booth and was heading for a back entrance, passing a small floating droid that he grabbed as he moved by.

"I'll go out the back after him!" Harry said, starting to move, but Obi-Wan held up a hand.

"No," his master said firmly.

Harry froze, looking confused. "We're not going after him?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, motioning for the server to return. The young Rodian server hesitated, glancing nervously at the fresh blaster scars on the wall, but eventually approached. Obi-Wan ordered a pair of drinks, then turned back to Harry.

"As much as I hate to admit it," Obi-Wan said, his voice calm and measured, "the bounty hunter has a point. There is no actual benefit to capturing him now and it accomplishes little besides putting us and innocent civilians in risk as we expanded the chase to the city. We already know who hired him and why. Even if we did manage to catch up to him and capture him, the cartel will just hire someone else. Someone we won't recognize and can't track."

"But he'll get away!" Harry protested, his frustration clear.

"Yes," Obi-Wan said with a shrug. "And that works to our advantage. He'll be looking over his shoulder now, knowing we're aware of his involvement. That knowledge may slow him down or make him careless. In the meantime, we can use the time to focus on dismantling the larger threat—the cartel itself. On our way to this cantina, just before you noticed our tail. I got a message from the head of the senator's security detail. It seems like some of our words managed to sink in and the senator has left the planet for a brief impromptu trade talk with one of the neighboring planets in the sector and will return at the end of the month … his return just happens to coincide with the anniversary of the day Correlia joined the Republic. The day I imagine the assassination attempt will occur. So we have until then to stop the cartel and leaving the bounty hunter in play gives us another potential crumb to follow."

As the server returned with their drinks, Obi-Wan picked up his glass and raised it in a small toast. "To patience, Harry. A Jedi's greatest ally."

Harry picked up his own drink and took a tentative sip. The sharp, bitter flavor caught him off guard, and he immediately spat it out, narrowly missing the server.

The Rodian shot him an indignant look, clearly more offended by the drink mishap than the earlier blaster fire. Obi-Wan, however, chuckled softly, raising his glass again. "Not quite to your taste, I see."

Harry wiped his mouth, managing a sheepish smile. "Not at all."

As the tension in the cantina began to dissipate and the other patrons cautiously returned to their seats, Harry found himself mulling over his master's words. He didn't like letting Cad Bane escape, but Obi-Wan's reasoning was sound. Their real target wasn't the bounty hunter—it was the cartel pulling the strings.

And if Obi-Wan was right, they had just under a month to stop them before the senator's return. Enough time to uncover the cartel's plans and ensure they didn't need to worry about Cad Bane—or anyone else.

Harry wasn't sure how long he stared at the still mostly full glass reflecting on his master's words but was eventually startled out of his thoughts when Obi-Wan set his empty glass down with a soft clink and gave Harry an amused glance. "I take it you won't be finishing yours?"

Harry shook his head firmly, his face still contorted in distaste. "Not a chance."

"Well," Obi-Wan said, standing and adjusting his robe, "since we've concluded our diplomatic exchange with Cad Bane, I suggest we head back to CorSec and make our report. I think it would be good practice for you to present our findings."

Harry blinked in surprise. "Me? You want me to do the report?"

Obi-Wan smiled faintly. "Consider it a practical exercise. The Jedi are not just warriors; we are negotiators, mediators, and leaders. Reporting our activities with clarity and honesty is part of that responsibility. You'll do fine."

Despite his nerves, Harry nodded, resolving to rise to the challenge. They left the cantina, stepping out into the bustling streets of Corellia's capital city. The sounds of swoop bikes, market chatter, and distant factory hums filled the air as they made their way to the local CorSec headquarters.

The station bustled with activity as officers and agents moved with purpose. Captain Myra Falco, looked up from her desk as they entered. Her gaze immediately narrowed.

"You're back," she said, standing and crossing her arms. "Please tell me you've made some progress and were not involved in some commotion at a cantina."

Obi-Wan smiled as he inclined his head politely. "I believe my Padawan will be able to answer your questions."

Harry stepped forward, feeling the weight of the captain's piercing stare. He cleared his throat. "We made contact with the bounty hunter Cad Bane."

Captain Falco's eyes widened slightly. "You what?"

Harry hesitated, glancing at Obi-Wan, who gave him an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, he launched into a summary of their encounter. He described the meeting in the cantina, Bane's admission of his mission, and the subsequent ambush. When he explained Obi-Wan's decision not to pursue Bane, Captain Falco's expression darkened.

"You let him go?" she said, her voice tight with disbelief.

"Yes," Obi-Wan said calmly, stepping in to support Harry. "It was a calculated decision. Capturing Bane would have been satisfying, but ultimately counterproductive. The cartel would simply hire another assassin, leaving us back at square one. By keeping Bane in play, we retain a known variable and a potential lead."

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "You're gambling that he'll slip up before he succeeds in killing the senator."

"He doesn't necessarily need to slip up to be useful. It's a risk, yes," Obi-Wan admitted. "But I believe it's a calculated one. The larger threat is the cartel itself. If we dismantle their operation, the motivation to target the senator disappears and why would a bounty hunter continue with a job for clients who are out of business and unable to pay the remainder of his fee."

The captain's jaw tightened, but after a moment, she sighed and nodded. "I don't like it, but I see your point. Still, it would've been nice if you'd looped me in before deciding to poke a rancor with a stick."

Harry raised his hands defensively. "To be fair, I wasn't confident we'd run into Cad Bane. We were just trying to gather information about his plans."

Falco raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting between Harry and Obi-Wan. "This was your idea?"

Harry nodded, and to his surprise, the captain's expression softened. She reached out and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Not bad, kid," she said. "Maybe I've misjudged you."

Harry flushed, feeling equal parts pride and relief.

Falco returned to her desk and leaned against it, her arms crossed. "So, what's the plan now? It's going to be harder to move around now that Cad Bane knows who you are."

Obi-Wan nodded. "That was inevitable. Bane is resourceful; even if he didn't know about us when we landed, he would've heard something sooner or later. The important thing now is to focus on the cartel. Stopping Bane certainly won't eliminate their motivation to kill the senator. If we can cut off their operation or neutralize their leadership, the threat diminishes significantly."

Falco frowned, tapping her chin. "The cartels have deep roots here. They've got influence in every sector, from the docks to the corporate towers. You're talking about dismantling an organization that could be woven into every aspect of Corellia."

"Precisely," Obi-Wan said. "And that's why we need your help. CorSec's resources and knowledge of local networks will be invaluable. Besides we have time now that the senator will be off planet for the rest of the month."

"Wait, how did you know that … were you responsible for his decision to abandon all his scheduled events. Do you have any idea how much additional work that is for …" The captain sighed, her pragmatic side taking over. "Fine, I suppose it's for the best anyways. I'll have my team start digging into confirming which of the cartels is responsible and then finding out everything we can about them. We'll focus on their financial records, safe houses, known associates, and especially the leadership. But if we're going to do this, we'll need to coordinate closely. No more surprises."

Obi-Wan inclined his head. "Agreed. We'll keep you informed of our movements."

"Good," Falco said, pushing off her desk. "I'll have my team compile what we have on the cartel by tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I suggest you two lay low. If Bane's smart—and he is—he'll have eyes on you."

Obi-Wan and Harry exchanged a glance before nodding.

As they left CorSec headquarters, Harry couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. He was proud of how he'd handled the report and grateful for Falco's unexpected praise, but the weight of the mission ahead loomed large.

"Master," he said quietly as they walked back to their quarters, "do you think we can really stop the cartel? They sound like they could be ... untouchable."

Obi-Wan placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "No organization is untouchable, Harry. And criminal organizations who thrive on fear, secrecy, and corruption … they work best in the shadows. If we shine a light on their operations, expose their weaknesses, and disrupt their power, they'll crumble."

Harry nodded, his resolve strengthening. "Then we'll stop them."

Obi-Wan smiled. "That's the spirit. Now, let's get some rest. Tomorrow, the real work begins."

Kind Regards,

FavoriteAuthor

If you like this content do not hesitate to smash that like button and subscribe. Haha but seriously if you do enjoy the story - do favorite it, other than messaging me or leaving a comment it's the only way I know if you are enjoying the stories and chapters.

Story Note 1 – For anyone worried that that initial conversation between Obi-Wan and Cad Bane was a little OOC for Obi-Wan, there is no need to worry. He was just bluffing. I highly doubt he would have let Cad Bane kill his padawan and then casually walk out of the cantina after killing the man who killed him as if it didn't affect him. However, as this was there first interaction Cad Bane did not know this (even if he might have suspected it).

Story Note 2 – Have certainly been eagerly awaiting introducing Cad Bane, hope he was well received! Definitely do provide feedback as he, along with a bunch of characters, will be recurring individuals in the story and want to make any edits to how I write them as soon as possible.

Story Note 3 – The last several chapters have all been slightly longer so this one ended up being a slightly shorter more action focused, faster paced chapter which will set up the next several chapters. Was an interesting meeting, I'm just glad they made it out fully intact!

A large thanks to those of you out there who enjoy my stories, I promise to keep updating the stories as long as you all are enjoying them, and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to leave feedback or have reached out to me directly.

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Sissyboi, Ptool, - Thanks for the feedback and I hope you continue to enjoy the story as it progresses!

THE BIGKLEW - Thanks for the review and I agree. I definitely think there are some spells that are deflectable while others are not! This will be looked into more as the story progresses. Magic will certainly start to take a more prevalent focus as the story progresses.

Pinkypi - Glad the story is working for you!

cameron1812 - Thought that would be a fun inclusion! This will be a small arc with him, but there is a chance he might definitely pop up again ... haha

jslee102 - I'm glad the relationship is coming off well! Obviously Harry is different than Anakin but I think this Obi-Wan is different as well which is contributing to the new dynamic.

Jostanos - Thanks awesome! Happy New Year! Woooo looks like you got it! Nicely done!

Monkey D. Conan - Well done! This is certainly an early career Cad Bane (the time frame works) so this Cad Bane will hopefully feel like the Clone Wars Cad Bane although a little more early career.

WhiteElfElder - I certainly bet the shield will appear and play an important part in the story.