✦ Fourteen

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As soon as I entered the compound, the gray door slid shut behind me with an abrupt finality, enveloping my surroundings in darkness. 

One by one, a strip of lights turned on with a click, blinding white beams illuminating a short hallway. I made my way towards the single door, also gray, at the end of it. As I moved closer, a cacophonous melody of various voices slowly became apparent. 

With fleeting trepidation, I came to stand in front of the door. It slid open as the other had moments before, and I set foot in the circular room.

The layout of the area was nearly identical to that of Mos Eisley's main cantina, however the atmosphere, the energy about the space, differed greatly. It radiated an aura of power, similar and yet so different from that of the Force. Beings of all different species - humans, Trandoshans, even Besalisks - carried out their illicit business here. Most cantinas were a place to unwind, celebrate or meet with friends or acquaintances, but the room in which I stood was unique. 

This cantina in particular was reserved solely for the outliers; those who had made an impression and were therefore accepted into the secret society of sorts. The only rule of this space was unspoken - do not question someone's past and they will offer you the same courtesy.

Right as I entered, the raucous chattering of the crowd came to a standstill, all heads turning to meet my armored figure in the doorway. Then, as soon as they stopped, people began to talk all at once, as if I had never been there. I scanned the room for a certain Twi'lek, knowing that she would stand out amongst the crowd.

Most patrons at this cantina stayed at an arm's length to a red-skinned Zabrak who sat in the corner and offered menacing stares to anyone who dared to hold his gaze for longer than a second. As my eyes swept over the place, seeking out any familiar faces, I recognized him from years past. The lone Zabrak's attention snapped to me, gaze softening only a fraction as he gave me a curt nod before returning to his drink. 

"Y/n! Is that you under the armor?" I smiled, knowing that there could only be one person, or rather Twi'lek, who could sound so cheerful in a place like this. 

I turned to my right and stepped forward to the bar to greet Silya Azano. 

The teal-skinned Twi'lek wore a leather jacket and broad grin, contrary to the frowns spread all throughout the cantina. She leaned forward, setting her elbows on the counter and resting her chin on her hands. 

"Nice to see you, Silya."

"You too, y/n. You look good," she winked. 

I chuckled lightly at the banter, responding, "So do you. How are things here?"

"Believe it or not, they're better. We've got some new faces around here."

"I can see that," I mused, scanning the room once more. This time, a few people stood out - a  gruff Togruta leaning against a wall with her arms crossed, a nervous-looking Rodian who couldn't have been older than eighteen, a hooded Nautolan sitting with a young boy.

Silya's smile wavered momentarily as she looked down, gesturing to my lightsaber where it rested securely against my hip, partially covered by my cloak. She glanced to her left and right, leaned further forward, and lowered her voice slightly. "You still use yours?"

I shrugged. "Only when I have to. The Empire may be gone, but you can't be too careful."

Silya nodded in understanding. She began to prepare a drink for an impatient Weequay, narrowed gaze fixated on him to ensure he was aware of her irritation. "So, how's life with the Guild?" she inquired, pouring spotchka into a glass.

Right. The Guild. I tensed, recalling my rather unfortunate, recent encounter with the Guild. "The Guild didn't exactly work out. That's why I'm here, actually. Do you have anything for me?"

"So you didn't come here to see your dear friend?" asked Silya dramatically, pouting with mock disappointment. I rolled my eyes fondly, remembering what it was like to be in the presence of someone whose facial expressions were not nonexistent. 

Silya pursed her lips and contemplated my request for a moment. "You're in luck. There's a reward well over 10,000 New Republic credits, I think, for a small crime syndicate around here who have been making appearances and running off with people and resources for over a month. Everyone wants them gone, but as usual, they're too afraid to actually do anything." I nodded absently, pondering the circumstance of this task. 

A crime syndicate?  Mos Eisley had evidently changed a bit, seeing as the town was usually too chaotic for a single party to control it. Even so, that was before Jabba the Hutt...

"Sounds like the perfect job for you," added the Twi'lek with a lopsided grin.

I laughed softly and gave her a playful glare. "I'll take it. How far?"

"Mos Elrey. It's at the edge of the Jundland Wastes, 'bout an hour from here on a speeder bike. There should be one outside." Silya rummaged through a box before tossing keys to the speeder as well as a small brown pouch over the counter. Puzzled, I caught the keys and the pouch. Upon opening it, I discovered a few hundred gold and silver Imperial credits inside.

"It's an advance, new policy," she explained.

"Thanks, Silya," I said genuinely. "I appreciate it."

"Of course, y/n."


I exited through the gray doors, nodding in acknowledgement once more to the hooded Zabrak as I left. As promised, there was a rusty speeder bike parked around the back of the dull beige building. I started it, and with some sputtering, it roared to life, letting out a sound not unlike that of the Mudhorn Mando and I fought when we first met. The incident seemed like an eternity ago.

I sat down and pulled the hood of my cloak over my head, then pressed the ignition and began traveling west at full speed. As I rushed past dunes, cliff faces, and rock formations buried in sand, I allowed my thoughts to wander.

For a wretched hive of scum and villainy, Mos Eisley harbored quite a few allies.

• • •

A/n: My apologies if my updates have been short or sporadic recently, I've been swamped with schoolwork at the moment. Thank you for reading, and I hope you're enjoying the story so far!

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