Heart Of Darkness (Star Wars)

Chapter 12: What Could Go Wrong?

Once we landed on Nevarro, Mando, Kuiil, Cara, and I rode out of the ship on the blurrgs while the IG-11 remained in the cargo hold. Meanwhile Ani trailed beside us along with the child who was in the closed pod. We saw Karga feet away from the ship with three bounty hunters behind him.

"Sorry for the remote rendezvous, Mando, but things have gotten complicated since you were last here. It appears that introductions are in order. It seems we've both provided a security detail." Karga commented. "I recommend the shock trooper guards the ship. These lava fields are lousy with Jawas."

"She's coming with me." Mando said.

"But the town is now run by ex-Empire. If a Rebel Dropper is with us, they'll all get their hackles up." Karga protested. 

"She's coming." Mando argued. 

"Fine. Fine. At least cover your tattoo. No need to flaunt it." Karga retorted. "Now, where is the little one?"

Mando pressed a button on his vambrace, moving the pod towards Karga. He then pushed another button, opening the pod to reveal the child. I kept a hand around my belt in case anything was about to happen.

Karga wore a smile as he picked up the child. "So, this little bogwing is what all the fuss was about. What a precious little creature. I can see why you didn't want to harm a hair on its wrinkled little head."

"Well, I'm glad this matter will be put to rest once and for all." Karga said as he gently placed the child back in his pod. 

Mando then quickly pressed a few buttons on his vambrace, closing the pod and returning the child to our side. I lowered my hand from my belt. 

"The sun drops fast on Nevarro. We can walk for a spell, camp out at the riverbank, then make our way into town at first light." Karga suggested. 

With that, we made our way across the lava fields. It wasn't long until night fell and we made a campfire where we would rest for the night. We grilled one of the beasts that is always roaming around these parts of Nevarro. As we ate, Kuiil gave some of the meat to the child for him to eat. Karga watched rather amazed. "I guess the little bugger's a carnivore. Never seen anything like it. They were ready to pay a king's ransom for that thing. Must be for some kind of highfalutin menagerie." 

"Let's go over the plan again." Mando suggested. 

"We both enter the common house. We show the client the bait. We join him at the table. And you kill him." Karga mentioned. 

"Tell me about his reinforcements." Mando urged. 

"They're all ex-Empire. As soon as they lose their paycheck, poof, they'll all scatter." Karga assured him.

"And what if they don't?" Mando asked. 

"They will." Karga replied. 

Mando shook his head. "That's not good enough."

"If, for argument's sake, a few of them don't realize that I'm their best path to alternative employment and they elect to react impulsively, then these three fine Guild Hunters, along with Helia and that battle-hardened shock trooper, will cut down anyone who bucks." Karga explained. 

"How many will there be?" Mando asked. 

"No more than four. He travels with, at most, a Fire Team. Trust me. Nothing can go wrong." Karga said as he approached the campfire to grab more meat. 

At that moment, a creature with wings swopped down and grabbed some of the meat, scratching Karga in the process. Karga screamed as he rushed out of the way. The creature screeched as it flied back up. Several more winged creatures flew down, grabbing one of Karga's bounty hunters. Mando immediately closed the pod. Ani let out a growl as he moved next to the child to protect him. Cara and Mando used their blasters, firing at the creatures. One of the creatures managed to grab one of the blurrgs, taking it away into the night sky. I then took out my purple lightsaber as more of the creatures swooped down. While Cara and the others fired in the air at the creatures, I closed my eyes, allowing the Force to be my guide.