Star Wars: Plo Koon Survives

Hired Gun

Now that Plo has acquired a new cloak he felt safer to travel through the nasty streets and walkways. He saw a cantina and he started to walk in that direction. However, he felt something—the gaze of someone watching him.

A smooth rumbly voice came from behind, "So. You have credits. I'm gonna take that off your hands. Now turn around nice and slow."

The voice reminded him of a bounty hunter from the clone wars, Bane. The Duros from the transit system. Plo turned slowly as he said.

One had that rifle unslung and in his hands. Plo felt it pointed at his head. The other held a simple pistol.

The one with the rifle snapped, "And we'll take that new cloak of yours."

The other replied, "Yeah, do you think you're some kinda Jedi or somethin?'

They both lagged at that prospect. Little did they know, but Plo couldn't use his Force powers obviously to avoid detection from other sources.

The rifle wielder stopped laughing abruptly and shouted, "Give us your credits now!" He shoved the gun forward to threaten Plo.

Plo told them in his dark calm natural voice undaunted by their threats, "What a pity it is when the fools have been led astray."

The Duros both looked at him confused. They looked at each other, and back at Plo, utterly bamboozled by what he said.

"Last chance!" the pistol wielder yelled.

Plo replied, "I'm sorry you both have been led down this path of corruption."

Plo felt bad for all the people here. The gangs. These two most likely had no choice in becoming gangsters and criminals. They were indoctrinated into it by their parents. Those parents by their own parents, for generations. More and more this place reminded Plo of the Coruscant underworld. If only they had a choice.

Plo spoke to them, "It is not your fault you've been made this way. You never had a choice, but I am giving you one now. Lay down your arm and choose to be free. Be better. You don't have to do this."

The rifle wielder growled, "Enough talk," ignoring what Plo had offered them.

The Duros pulled their triggers to shoot Plo down. To their surprise they missed him. Plo ducked and waved around the bolts. He grabbed both their arms and lifted the guns above their heads. They both snarled at him. Plo flipped over them with their arms still in hand and the force of Plos' jump pulled the Duros to the ground. They both dropped their weapons. With a quick double movement, Plo kicked both guns away. The Druos scrambled to their feet. One pulled the large knife off his hip. The other stood there dazed. The knife wielder swung at Plo, but Plo answered by grabbing his arm and spinning him around. Plo used his momentum to throw him into his dazed companion. The collision knocked them both out. Plo stood there and looked at them and felt sorry for a minute before carrying on. Plo readjusted to his surroundings.

Two Aqualish were standing by the door seemingly guarding it. Both big and buff, each packing blasters holstered on their hips. Their solid black eyes peered at Plo. Their curled tusks were brutish and weathered from experience. Plo continued to make his way to the cantina.

The biggest one on the right noticed him, "Stop!" The beastly humanoid approached Plo, "We are required to search you before you, can't have you starting, trouble."

Plo remembered he had taken the pilot's DC-17, he grabbed it and handed it to the brute, "Here this is the only weapon I have. I am looking for someone that can help me find my way to a temple on this planet, do you know of anyone?"

The smaller Aqualish stepped forwards, he had a deeper voice then the bigger one, "If you go to the back table there is usually a guy sitting there. He is a local hunter. We don't know but he will know of the temple you speak of."

"Thank you," Plo bowed his head.

The Aqualish stepped aside to let him in; The interior was bustled, and lights flashed across. There were many varying species, sitting and drinking. Groups of various species gathered in a corner with a symbol on all their tunics. They must be part of a gang. The whole place was really alive. Creatures were drinking and passing out on each other, laughing and hollering having a grand old time. Plo thought this was so uncivilized. He avoided them and continued to where the Aqualish guards had instructed him. In the back corner as the pair had said. A tough-looking brooding Sullustan. He had a metal shoulder plate on each shoulder and had a dark leather jacket. Around his neck, he had a necklace covered in teeth. So many unique and various teeth. His left arm had a gauntlet with three bones tried onto it. Like all of his species, he had eyes that were nearly entirely black. Plo thought it was odd such an intimidating species could have a face and appearance full of malice.

Plo walked up to the table with his hands interlocked in front of his body and his grey cloak covering everything but his mask. The spikes from the mask gave off a dangerous appearance.

The Sullustan saw Plo on his way to him. This made him nervous

He spoke with a slightly darker voice than his species' average pitch. The space between his words was wide. "Oh great, trouble," he whispered to himself.

Plo approached the scoundrel and spoke gently, "Hello, I heard you have an expansive knowledge of this planet."

A rough-looking Talz at the central bar took notice to Plo's arrival at the table. He lumbered over and pulled out a retractable spear. Raising his arm, the spear exploded out of the two foot long cylindrical hilt and he slammed the spear on the ground in a defensive way. The spear tip was high-tech looking, it was about a foot long. It had four long blades that made a plus shape if you looked down at the body. Sparks of electricity zapped. His fur was dark grey. Unlike most of his native people, he wore no head crest. He wore a large light brown cape that draped over the left side of his body. In his right hand in which he held his weapon, he bore a dark metallic glove. On the end of each finger were dangerously sharp metal claws. Continuing from the glove he had a metal gauntlet on his forearm. His tiny peach-orange trunk wiggled and it made a strange organic beeping sound. The muscles above his four, pitch black eyes made him appear angry as he directed his eyesight at Plo.

The Sullustan changed his view to the Talz and told him, "Easy big boy. I want to see what he wants."

The Talz beeped more at him and retracted his spear. He backed off and gave them some space but kept his eyes on Plo

"Well," the Sullustan looked back at the scary-looking figure before him, "That sounds like me, I am Remand Orlo," he said with clarity. "Who wants to know?" He leaned forward and asked, "And why?"

"I am Mirreak and I would like you to bring me to a mysterious temple on this planet. Do you know of it?"

Remand appeared as if he looked inside himself looking for knowledge. Then he seemed afraid.

"I do. That place is cursed, it'll cost you quite a lot for me to bring you there." The fear in his voice was subtle.

Plo was curious as to why he seemed nervous but he continued their conversation, "How much?"

Remand spoke quickly, "5,000."

Plo was not expecting such a large number. He thought of what he could do to satisfy his request. Plo countered, "How about you show me to the temple and bring me back to the south wall hanger and I will sell my Clandestine Type 85 X5. I hear it is an expensive ship. With the profits, I will buy a cheaper ship for myself, and you can have the rest of the credits.

Remand looked at Plo for a moment but followed up with, "Seems fair."

"More than fair," Plo shot back with a calm hostility, "This is very urgent, we will leave as soon as possible. I must get to that temple."

Remand rolled his pitch black eyes. No one could tell but he could feel his muscles carrying out the act. "Very well, We will get my ship ready."

Plo stood still as the Remand got up.

Remand told Plo, "We are on landing pad 14, meet us there when you're ready."

"I shall," Plo bowed his head to them as Remand left, Plo heard shuffling. A bunch of people were heading to the now empty table. They brushed by him and took the vacant seat. Plo decided it was now best to leave.