Star Wars: Tales from the Outer Rim (Closed for Danilicious)

It was a hot day on the desert planet of Tatooine, like most other days. Under the glare of the two suns, a speeder bike pushed up a cloud of dust as it bolted off, the city of Mos Eisley in the distance behind the rider. He was covered in thick clothes of varying shades of brown to protect himself from the sand, his shoulder-length brown hair blowing in the wind. His face was several days unshaven, and his lips felt a bit chapped from the sand.

As Kylar Stern sped along, the palace of Jabba the Hutt came into view. He came to a stop, stepped off his bike, and was quickly admitted into the building.

“Jabba, my friend!” said Kylar as he approached the enormous Hutt, speaking in Huttese. “I hear you have another mission for me.”

“More than just a mission, Stern,” Jabba replied. “Consider it an... extended assignment. I have recently invested in mining operations on the planet Muatoya. My men captured the natives there for slave labor in the mines, but some of them don't want to serve the great Jabba. They must be dealt with. I think you understand, yes? Hahaha.”

“Of course, Jabba,” said Kylar, “but Muatoya is in Wild Space. Surely this is a job for some low-level henchman, not the finest warrior on your payroll?”

“No one appreciates your skills more than me,” said Jabba with a laugh, “which is why I want you specifically for this mission. My men say that the natives are beginning to show signs of Force-potential, when they showed no such powers before. That means there is a Jedi on Muatoya, training these beasts and ruining my operations! I want him dead! You used to be a Jedi, Stern, so you are the only one who can kill my enemy and bring me his head.”

“Ah yes, I see,” replied Kylar. “I will depart at once. Please send the exact coordinates to my ship.”

“Stern,” said Jabba as Kylar turned to walk away, “you will not be going alone this time.”

“Of course not,” Kylar smiled. “I have Iggy and R6.”

“No, Stern. I mean a new teammate on your mission. A twi'lek girl named Ardana Galor will meet you in Chalmun's in two hours. She is young but skillful, I am told.”

“Whoa whoa whoa, wait just a second there, pal,” said Kylar, waving his hands. “I work for you, but the Valiant Wing is mine, and I decide who my crew is.” Jabba burst into fits of laughter.

“She is on this mission,” he said. “I am not the only investor in this operation. The mining colony is jointly funded by myself and the Shilhi Syndicate. They have insisted on sending along one of their own people as well.”

“Alright, Jabba,” Kylar sighed. “You win. But this better be worth it.”

“It always is, yes?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

With that, Kylar took his leave. Soon he was sitting in the cantina, sipping on brandy and going over information on his holopad.

Ardana climbed off her land speeder, setting the heel of her leather boots in the sand, and taking a suspicious look around. She was still being cautious after meeting Jabba the Hutt a day earlier. The meeting had gone no worse than she expected. He hadn't tried to kill her right then and there. A part of her expected that her dead body may have been used to send a message to Caleb, reminding him that he was in no position to make demands. The Shilhi were influential in certain areas but their power was insignificant compared with the Hutts. If Jabba didn't want someone on the team, he could have easily said no and there wouldn't have been a fucking thing that Caleb could have done about it. Yet during their meeting, it had been clear that Jabba was not thrilled that she was there, putting her a bit on edge.

With her goggles still down, she fiddled with her bag as she watched people come and go, mostly making a point to keep their eyes to the ground. Just like in certain sections of Taris, it wasn't safe to be too curious about the people you shared the streets with. The white cloak that she wore had quickly lost its color, now a dingy off-white or even brownish. There were times when her appearance was an advantage, but here on this beige, wasteland of a world, she hoped to draw as little attention as possible. She would be happy when they left this shithole, albeit for some other shithole even further removed from any real civilization.

The cantina was just across the street and she kept a watchful eye for any danger that may be lurking, but she seemed to be safe, at least from any coordinated attack by the Hutts. She reminded herself to keep her guard up. She assumed that Jabba had expressed his displeasure with her presence to Kylar and even if he hadn't, she was sure the well renowned mercenary would be less than enthused to have a partner forced upon him.

As she walked from the bright sun into the dimly lit cantina, she lifted her goggles without removing her hood, which cast a shadow on her youthful features and lavender skin. She could sense a few eyes upon her as she glanced around the room before noticing her teammate at a corner table, staring intently at a holopad. A couple men considered approaching her, but lost their nerve after she shot them a dark glare. She made her way over to where Stern was sitting. She could feel the nerves in her stomach. She had been through many missions, but had never had the chance to work with someone with this kind of reputation. A smile spread across her lips, and said in her calm, seductive purr, "What girl hasn't dreamed about taking a ride in the Valiant Wing into Wild Space? Is this seat taken?"

As Kylar sat at the table, he suddenly felt a Force-sensitive enter the cantina. Ever since he had a close run in with Obi-Wan Kenobi in Anchorhead a few years back, he had taught himself to suppress his Force presence, but that didn't stop him from sensing it in other people. Immediately, his feelings told him the presence he was sensing now was the twi'lek. He kept his eyes on his holopad until she approached him and spoke.

"By all means, have a seat," he said sarcastically and set down his holopad. He did not hide his discontent at her presence. "The ship is in Docking Bay 89. It departs in an hour whether you're on it or not."

Kylar glared at the girl for a moment and then picked up his holopad and returned to his reading. In his head, however, he couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful Ardana was. He'd be lying if he said she didn't turn him on just by being there. But she was still a nuisance, a pest Jabba had forced upon him, and that prevented him from putting too much thought into how sexy she was. He was also more preoccupied with her Force-sensitivity. Did she know how to use the Force? Had she been trained, or was she unaware of the power within her? He knew he would find out sooner or later.