"A Dish Best Served Plasma-Heated."

Written and Directed by:
Paul Burton.
Fiction by: Paul Burton and (mostly) Anthony Hummerston.
STARRING:

Karnov,   Jimmi,   Niall,   Rojic,   Mama
And special guest stars:
Hen3ry , Joe-9T, Trio and 'Blinkie.'
as the droids.

AND
Storm Cutter
Their home from home from a long time ago....
AND Special Guest Star, Ta'alan. As himself.

A storm is raging on Ryloth.

Heat….Light….Power….Strength….A lull….

Fury….Rage….Calm…. Fervour….Calm again…..

-But enough about Julan and Mama’s rekindled sex life! The storms on Ryloth are going through a similar cycle. Huge gouts of flame surge through the lava tunnels, where Niall, Karnov and their party are sheltering. The blistering heat can be felt several hundreds of meters from the lava. Over the roaring of the flames and the rushing of the wind, the Jedi and their party can hear something else in the tunnels. Ta’alan is the first to voice their fears. “There’s something out there….Either a creature or creatures!” Jimmi agrees. “It’s a scuttling noise like a crab on a rock.” The Twi’leks look scared. Karnov asks, “What can it be?”

“There are several creatures that roam the deep tunnels. The storms and seismic activity bring them closer to the surface….” Another interrupts, “Sometimes they get loose and roam about the towns.”

“What is ‘they’?”

“They might be Lylek….They’re about ten feet tall, with multiple legs, tentacles and a stinger like a scorpion.”

Another Twi’lek adds, “They have chitinous hides, sharp fangs in their mouths and like to dine on flesh and rocks in equal amounts.”

“Anything else we should know?”

“Not really. It usually takes a platoon of soldiers to take one down.”

“We’ve got two Jedi….”

“Then we’re so humped….Er….I mean that’ll do nicely!”

An insectoid chittering interrupts them. In the gloom, they can make out a shape silhouetted against the glow of lava. “A Lylek!” One of the serving staff yells.

“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Karnov asks. Ta’alan isn’t sure either. “I dunno I got turned around in the dark. What about you Jimmi?”

“Me? I got turned around by all the Twi’lek girls!”

There is no time for further argument, as two Lylek start to advance from opposite directions, hoping to get some nice humanoids in their pincers by executing a pincer movement. The Lylek start to hiss angrily. Ta’alan says to Niall, “Aren’t you going to defeat them single-handedly? –You know, for the glory and the adulation of the girls?”

Niall resents this. “No. I’m doing it because it is my job. Defending the weak, protecting the innocent. – Karnov is doing it for the kudos.” He and Karnov light lightsabres.

“Okay. I’m the only one doing it for the girls!” Ta’alan clarifies, “Unless Jimmi wants a share?”

“I’ll maybe take one or two….And possibly a boy or two as well….”

The two Jedi beat one of the creatures back. It screams and hisses at them. Ta’alan takes aim and shoots a volley into the creature. This leaves carbon scoring and blast points all the way up to the head. As Niall advances, a tentacle lashes out. He leaps with the blow, mitigating some of its effect. Jimmi now has a clear shot, and two blaster bolts streak the creature’s way, but the Lylek skitters on spindly legs and the bolts shoot wide. The Lylek’s tail lashes at Karnov. The sting in the end tries to bury itself into flesh. Karnov deflects it with the hilt of her lightsabre, and poison drips all over her robe.

Rojic, meantime, is keeping the other creature at bay by missing every shot he fires. Karnov and Ta’alan are pressing their attacks, while Niall nimbly leaps in to slash at the creature and slide out of the way. The large legs thrash, trying to impale him. The creature rears up and tries to strike at them with powerful forward kicks. Its tentacles whip around. This only hardens their resolve, as shots and blows rain in. Niall feints, then ducks and rolls, which gives Joe-9T a chance to fire off a long burst from Sarah-Jane. The creature rears on its hind legs, trying to stamp on Niall. As it drops down, Niall leaps up. Using the combined speed of its movement and his leap, he slices deep into the neck. On completing the leap, he completes the cut, and the head comes clean away, cutting short a scream. The body shudders for a second. “Maybe it doesn’t need the head!” Karnov gasps, as she runs in. Without eyes to see, the body cannot defend itself. Karnov takes full advantage and slices through two of the front legs. The Lylek collapses. There is no time for respite as the second creature starts to harry the Twi’leks at the other end of the cave. Joe-9T keeps his finger on the fire button and spins halfway around. It is only luck that he turns the right way, otherwise he would have cut through the frightened Twi’leks like a grim reaper in the corn. He continues firing a long burst into the second Lylek. The others push through a rapidly parting crowd and engage.

Rojic yells, “Just throw it a Twi’lek or two and make a run for it!” The creature’s tail lashes at Karnov who responds with her lightsabre. Niall Ta’alan and Jimmi press their attacks and beat it to one side. Karnov sees an opening. She signals to the others to keep attacking and she runs in. As the Lylek turns to face Karnov, she lunges forward and plunges the lightsabre into its vitals. Its mouth opens to scream, but nothing is heard. The creature falls dead.

“Jedi two. Monsters nil. – I call that an away win. –Three points!”

“I play away all the time….” Jimmi says to a Twi’lek girl who is very clingy. She giggles and squeezes Jimmi’s waist even harder. However what she says next is lost as Jimmi runs over the fight. Something was slightly odd. There is no time for reflection though, as Ta’alan leads them out of the cave. As they cross lava-tubes, a thought suddenly hits Jimmi. –That when Ta’alan was hurt, there was a flare in the force. – What this means is not known, but it is something to ponder. Karnov and Niall bow to one another over their handiwork. Jimmi stiffens. “What’s wrong? You smell something?”

“I think I should ‘look at my old cross-stitch patch.” Jimmi tells them.

“What does it say?”

“’This way danger lies.’ –Signed Yoda.”

“Yeah, sure…. Okay anyone else got any good ideas?”

Ta’alan sets off at a run. “I know the way!” Jimmi trots after him. There is a roaring ahead. Just at the last second, Jimmi catches up with the youngster and drags him back. A blast of flame crosses the passage from a lava tube joining the cave. Had Ta’alan been standing there he’d be toast by now. “Phew that was a close one!”

“Remember son, I won’t always be there when you cross the road.”

“I think I’d rather take my chances than be lectured by a creepy old man!”

The Twi’lek girls are all over Jimmi the hero and are giving some attention to Ta’alan too. “We should do this more often!” Ta’alan says. “Yup. It’d surely keep the idiot population down to a comfortable minimum!” Rojic growls at him.

They pick out a route that is neither hot nor crawling with crafty and chitinous chittering critters. The city is quiet as they emerge into the pallid sunshine and dusty air.

“It’s usually like this after a storm. – They’ll seed the clouds and wash the streets with rain eventually.” One of the waitresses tells them.

They deicide to let the waitresses go home, and proceed back to Julan’s apartments. The streets are starting to fill again as the inhabitants emerge from the shelters. The storm has damaged nothing significant. – After all, this is a frequent event here on Ryloth.

Julan’s apartments are quiet. The driod on the desk waves them through. There are no staff evident. They start to wonder why. Then they start to get suspicious.

“It’s quiet….It’s too quiet!”

“I have a bad….”

“Shh!”

“Bad….Er….Reaction to people shushing me!”

By the time they get to Julan’s palatial office, they have the distinct feeling that something isn’t right. Ta’alan decides to scout it out. The others hang back a little. Soon they can hear voices, and something in their tone does not bode well….

As the main group of heroes and Rojic are creeping up on the office, we backtrack a few minutes to what is happening inside it. Julan and Mama have weathered the storm comforting one another blissfully under a blanket in a bunker in the basement.

“This bunker is more like a dungeon.”

“Your point being?”

“Why do you have a dungeon in your basement?”

“Um….I….Er….Like horror movies.”

“Good. ‘Coz there’ll be a bloodbath if that isn’t the case.”

On hearing the winds abate and strange noises, Julan and Mama creep up to the office. There is no-one outside, but the smell of death-stick smoke lingers in the air. –This puzzles them both. As they step into the office they see several things at once. – Two guards step across the doors, blocking their retreat. A table is set for dinner, and A’Dara is there with a blue Twi’lek girl….Oona!

More guards step from the walls, some belong to Julan, but there are also Nosaurians and a huge Togorian. Mama and Julan stand rooted to the spot. A plume of smoke rises from behind the chair, which slowly turns around, while an oily voice says, “So we meet again….”

“What do you want?” Julan says. Mama is eying up the creature in the chair. Green scaly skin, long sucker-ended fingers and a reputation to scare even hardened bounty hunters. “Igbo of Rodia.” She goes for a blaster, but a roar from the Togorian, and a look of pure hatred from A’dara stop her from drawing it.

Igbo puffs away at the death-stick. “Well, mister Redmoreton,” He says eventually, pointing at Mama, “This requires retribution.”

Julan looks at Mama. He turns back to the crime lord. He tries to steady his voice. “What…What do you want with my wife?”

“There’s a considerable price on her head. –I should know….I put it there.”

“I…I’ll pay.”

“Of course you will, Mister Redmoreton….I should ask hundreds of thousands….But I’m being generous…. After all I already have the lovely Oona….-And soon maybe her sister and that tramp Kory Velek. I have something very special arranged for those three….Spoiling a Rodian’s sport is a very big mistake.”

“I’m sure we can come to some arrangement, Mister Igbo sir.”

“I’m sure you’d like to negotiate.”

“Twenty thousand?”

“Forty.”

“Thirty.”

“Thirty four.” Igbo sighs. “I’m tired of this already….Thirty four.”

Mama is about to ask “Final answer?” but decides against antagonising Igbo. After all, there are lives at stake here.

Julan hasn’t any wriggle room. “Okay. Thirty four…. And we walk out of here unscathed.”

Igbo laughs a guttural laugh. “….And she walks out of here. I haven’t finished with you, Redmoreton.”

Julan gulps inwardly, but hides it well. Mama is furious. “If you give this nimrod thirty four thousand , I’ll shoot you myself!”

Igbo glares at her. “I suggest you keep quiet, unless you want Myrryan here to remove your tongue with her lightsabre.”

Julan has no choice. “Okay. I’ll pay.” He shoots a look at Mama. “I just need to sort some stuff out. You’ll get your money.”

“I’m glad you’re starting to see sense.” Igbo says, “Now, it’s been a long day, and the delights of Ryloth await. –But in the meantime, I propose some supper.” He nods and a lackey takes covers off plates on the table in front of them. “Sit!” The crime lord tells them in a commanding voice. Mama and Julan sit on adjacent sides of the table. A’dara and Igbo sit on the other two.

“Why do villains always want to feed us? Do I look like I’m wasting away?”

A’Dara hisses at Mama. “Silence!”

Ta’alan has been eavesdropping. He doesn’t like what he has been hearing either. He steps back and relays the basics to the others.

“We go in blasting. No messing. Anyone involved with Igbo can either surrender or die.” Jimmi says.

“Not so fast.” Karnov warns.

“Okay…. We…. Go…. In…. Blasting…. No…. Messing…. Anyone….Involved….”

Niall gives Jimmi one of those ‘I don’t have time for this’ looks. He consults with Karnov about what to do. “I’ll hang back….Be your backup.” Karnov offers.

Ta’alan has another idea. “He doesn’t know me. If I go in there and tell him that you all perished in the storm it might buy some time, and give us the element of surprise.”

Niall claps him on the back. “I’ll come as far as the entrance. Knowing hostage situations, this could go one of several ways.”

The plan worked out, Ta’alan lopes up the corridor. He walks in on Igbo. Immediately the guards raise their blasters and Myrryan stands up.

Igbo isn’t surprised. “I’m not surprised.” He says, surprising no-one. “But I’m surprised that you’re still living….” He turns his gaze to A’Dara.

Ta’alan is slightly wrong-footed. “Er….There was a big accident. The dome….The panels that shelter the dome from the storm….They failed. Everyone’s dead….But me.”

Mama tries to shore up this story. But Ta’alan isn’t a very convincing liar. “What? All dead?”

“All dead.”

“Niall, Karnov, Jimmi?”

“All dead. –Except me and Rojic.”

Igbo isn’t taken in by this charade. “You lie boy. –I haven’t any quarrel with you, so run along.”

Ta’alan stands his ground. “Who are you anyway?”

Mama does the introductions. Somehow she senses that the others might be close, so to outline all the people in the room is actually a ruse to relay the information. “These are Igbo’s Nosaurian guards, and the huge Togorian is one of his champions. –. A’Dara and Myrryan you already know… -And this is Igbo of Rodia.”

Igbo dips his head in a bow to show how humble he is. Mama catches him off guard when she adds, “He’s just criminal scum!”

Igbo is enraged. “You’re not free yet…!” He forgets himself for a second. “I could have been someone…. I could have been a contender, but for an unfortunate accident….”

“An accident of birth!” Mama says, goading him.

Igbo ignores her. He addresses Ta’alan. “Best show the others in.” Ta’alan doesn’t move. “Or the hostages will die.” Igbo adds, and four guards come forward and aim blasters at Mama and Oona. Myrryan stands close by too.

Niall has heard enough. He signals to the others to watch his back. He leads them from their vantage point in the corridor. He wanders in rather casually. He takes in the situation, and says to Myrryan, “You will release the hostages….”

Myrryan echoes his words. “I will release the hostages….” She makes a movement, but stops. She gives a wry grin. “I don’t think so!” This makes Igbo chuckle in a peculiarly Rodian way. Igbo repeats his threat about them all coming into the room. Karnov and Rojic appear at the doorway. “Good,” The crime lord continues. “I was in the middle of negotiating with the captain’s husband. –And only now he realises who he was working for….”

Mama interrupts. “You bastard!”

Niall tries to defuse the situation. He turns to Myrryan. “Where did you receive your training?”

“At the temple…..My people don’t take too kindly to Jedi. So….” She tails off.

Jimmi tries to be friendly. “I’m sure we can settle this matter. After all, a little supper and some money can always smooth the most ruffled feathers….” Igbo isn’t convinced. “We’re off to somewhere more….Appropriate.”

“The hunting grounds?” Rojic asks, voicing what everyone is fearing.

“Oh yes!” Igbo gloats, “I have a particularly splendid spectacle for you. –Prepare to move out!” The guards come to attention. “I’ll need your weapons of course…..” Igbo purrs, looking straight at Niall and Karnov.

“We’re keeping them.” Karnov informs him. “I’m not going through all that work again.”

“I’ll shoot these two if you don’t comply.” Igbo slams a fist on the table, making everyone jump. Mama leads the way, and passes her belt over. Rojic follows suit. Finally the two Jedi and Jimmi hesitate. Ta’alan sees an opportunity. “You said that you had no quarrel with me. Let me take the weapons. I’ll take them to our ship….”

Igbo is not amused, but doesn’t see much of a problem with this plan. A guard gathers the guns and waits patiently for Niall and Karnov to hand over their lightsabres. They are about to hand them over to Ta’alan. “Be sure to take them back to the Jedi temple on Coruscant.” Niall warns Ta’alan, who nods his understanding. “Okay. I promise.”

Igbo grins wolfishly. “Actually I’ve changed my mind. I want to see them used properly when we get back. Hand the weapons to my guards.”

Ta’alan refuses. “I made a promise. -I’ll take them back to the temple.”

“Hand them to my guards, or I shoot these two.” Igbo insists. “Then you may go.”

Ta’alan stands his ground. “I made a promise.”

“Then break it! Or I break them!”

Ta’alan can’t see a way out of this. He hands the weapons to a guard. Igbo suddenly thinks something is very funny. He chuckles to himself. A’Dara does so too. “Okay….” Igbo says after his little giggle. “Get the collar.”

“Collar?”

“To ensure mister Redmoreton’s compliance. While I have his wife in a collar, none of you dare do anything.” A guard brings up a loop of metal. It fixes around Mama’s neck with a click and an electronic buzz, and a look of pure hatred from the captain. Igbo indicates that he has a remote. “One press, and your wife will suffer the consequences.”

Mama is enraged. “It’ll take more than a shock collar to keep me down. Why don’t you press the button to prove it!” She yells at the crime lord.

“Not a shock collar. An explosive collar.” Igbo says in his most foul and oily voice. Mama pipes down immediately. Igbo can’t think of anything else that needs saying, so his guards lead the remainder of Storm Cutter’s crew away. As they go along the corridor, they can hear Joe-9T threatening. There is a sparking noise and he goes silent. “I even found a big enough restraining bolt for your nasty droid…..Now my plan comes together!”

“What is that exactly?” Julan asks.

“I’ll deal with the Jedi in my own sweet way. They can go into a new arena. One so remote that no-one will come to their aid. As for Oona….Well let me say that she owes me. –She’ll scream for months before I kill her!”

A’Dara sits impassively. Igbo resumes his meal. Julan picks at some food but doesn’t eat much. Mama refuses. “I’d rather die . –Before I eat with a maggot like you.” Igbo ignores her. He certainly doesn’t reveal where the remote for the collar is by threatening her.

Igbo finishes his meal. He lights a death-stick. Julan and Mama are sizing one another up. She still isn’t sure if he’s on her side, working for Igbo, or himself. The others languish in the storm shelter. It seems that this easily doubles as a prison cell. The guard at the end of the hall keeps a sharp lookout. They cannot be sure whether the room is bugged. Niall slumps against the bars that make up the wall facing the corridor. The others huddle in a group in one corner. “What’s up with Niall?”

“I think he’s meditating.”

Jimmi points out that if one puts one’s back to the guards, it shows contempt. It can also unsettle them into thinking that one is up to something. Niall is meditating. He is also concentrating on the location of his lightsabre. “If I can track it across space as far away as the ‘I’ of Anobis….” He thinks. However finding it is one thing. Bringing it to him is another. – As yet is hasn’t left the building. Heeding Jimmi’s words, the others slump down near to Niall. Only Rojic keeps flapping around. “Is Rojic asleep?”

“Probably. -I think that Toydarians can sleep with one part of their brain, while the other keeps them hovering in level flight. – A bit like a bird does when it migrates.”

“I wish we could migrate out of here.”

Niall opens one eye. “The force will provide.”

They wait. Nothing happens.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Sure.” Niall tries to sound sure.

Several minutes go by. Nothing happens.

Jimmi is about to ask if Niall is sure again, when a voice behind Niall says, “Well….What sort of trouble have you got yourself into….Sweetie?”

“Big trouble apparently.” Niall replies. Normally only Oona calls him ‘sweetie’ except for….

A bag is passed through the bars. “Wait a few ticks.” The voice says. “There!”

There is a metallic clunking sound and the door swings outward. Niall and the others stand up and open the bag. In it are two lightsabres and several guns. Niall turns around and hugs the source of the voice. “Kory!” He whispers. “I’m so glad to see you I could kiss ….Er….” He glances at Oona, “Er….I mean thanks.”

“No problem. Now what’s going on?”

They fill her in on the details. She looks concerned. “Sounds like a variation on the slave collar. –Normally they shock one into submission.”

“I think if it goes off we’re all in for a shock!”

Kory leads them up a stairwell at he back of the building. “Most of the guards have been stood down. One or two are lying down.”

“Permanently?” Karnov asks.

“They won’t be getting up for a while.”

Onna asks, “Are you still using that lipstick?”

“Oh yes! It’s just so my shade!”

“I gave her that lipstick.” Oona says proudly. Jimmi adds, “I think Niall tried it too. -He slept like a baby.”

“Then what happened?” Ta’alan asks.

“Oona took advantage of him….Then the ship exploded!”

Niall has no time to refute this story when they emerge in a corridor adjacent to Julan’s office. They duck into a small room, and discuss tactics.

“By the way, where’s Joe-9T?”

Kory tells them. “They put paid to him. Took his legs off and slapped a restraining bolt in him….Though not necessarily in that order!”

“No matter. We’ll have to do this alone. Time’s ticking.”

Kory outlines a plan. “If you can create a diversion….Maybe I can hotwire the collar. If it’s based on a slave’s shock collar, then it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”

“And if they spot you doing this and it blows?”

“I guess I’m going to need someone to spoon feed me for the rest of my life, ‘coz I’ll have no hands.”

“You’re a really ‘up’ person!”

Kory sneaks across the hallway and peers through a chink in the door. She reports back. “Several guards. Julan’s regulars and Igbo’s thugs. The door on the far side is less well guarded. All we need is a distraction.”

“I think bursting in all guns blazing and lightsabres slashing should do the trick.” Karnov says.

“True. But remember….We don’t know who’s side Julan is on. Leave his guards to the last if you can. – At least stun some of them. –And turn Igbo’s attention away from Mama.”

“I could sing.” Jimmi offers.

“You open your mouth and I’ll slap a collar on you. – The lightsabre kind!”

“Ready?”

“Ready!”

The plan goes more-or less as they anticipated. Karnov bursts in through the west door. With two quick sweeps, she slices two guards before they can react. The sound of a lightsabre is strangely fascinating to the rest. Karnov is followed by Rojic, who spies Igbo and takes aim. The Togorian blocks his aim, and he lets fly at the cat creature. Niall does a similar trick at the south door, slicing through both door and guards in one wide attack. Ta’alan and Jimmi have entered the south door, firing all the time. They stun one guard, and Ta’alan manages to kill three more. Jimmi is firing carefully, picking targets. One dies from a precision shot, and other dives for cover under a side table. Jimmi’s shot going over the guard’s head. Oona comes in after Niall, shooting a guard to her right, while the Togorian rushes Karnov. Myrryan ignites a lightsabre and advances on Niall. He shoves Oona to relative safety. Igbo stands,and faces Niall. Julan shouts and ducks down. A voice says in Mama’s ear. “Keep your head down, honey.” Mama feels two soft pillows press into her back. –Or maybe they’re puppies, nuzzling their noses.

Quick hands start working on the collar. Igbo hasn’t seen this, as his back is turned. Mama reaches for a blaster and a hold-out blaster, in order to shoot the crime lord the second she is free.

Ta’alan is firing rapidly. Two more guards go down, and he manages to injure A’Dara, who swings around to face him. Julan has spun around in his chair, and pushes it over. He fires at Jimmi, who kicks over a table and ducks behind it. The bolts char the table, but don’t otherwise connect. Karnov is weaving between blows from the Togorian, who has two large vibro scimitars.

Niall’s blow is parried by Myrryan. Oona shoots A’Dara. Rojic starts taking shots at Igbo, making him keep his head down and his thoughts away from the explosive collar. A’Dara spins around and puts a neat hole through Rojic’s wing. “Winged him!” She taunts.

Jimmi and Julan are trading shots. Julan from behind a robust chair, Jimmi from the doorway. Jimmi helpfully shoots the chair into a hundred pieces. Using the force, Jimmi drags a second table across to duck behind. Rojic loses altitude, spoiling his aim. Niall and Myrryan are trading blows, but neither can find an opening. Ta’alan manages to get a shot on A’Dara, who shrieks in pain, but has other plans. The young Togruta rolls beside Jimmi and snaps off two more shots.

On the other side of the room, the Togorian is towering over Karnov, who is defending valiantly. The creature is using brute force to smash through Karnov’s defences, wearing down her stamina. It growls with the exertion and the pleasure. The irony of an oversized cat playing with an aquatic creature is lost in the heat of battle.

The fire fight intensifies. Karnov and the Togorian are slugging it out, while Niall and Myrryan are also closely matched. Myrryan feints to the left. Niall follows the move, but is too slow to stop her wrenching the table away from Jimmi and Ta’alan. Jimmi drops a shot to pull another table into position. A’Dara takes two quick steps to change her angle of attack, enabling her to shoot around the hastily thrown up barricade. This proves to be her undoing, as Jimmi sends a flurry of shots close to her, making her step back toward the middle of the room. Under Jimmi’s direction, the heavy dining table slides and lifts, catching her and pinning her under it. Igbo responds with a stream of quick shots, making Jimmi and Ta’alan keep their heads well down behind the table. He’s looking to clear a path for a quick escape, and they happen to be inconveniently in the way.

Kory finally manages to disable the collar. As pieces of the device are flung across the room, she tells Mama, “Go get it sweetie!” Mama needs no prompting and directs her fury and her blaster bolts at Igbo, who half turns and slaps at a pocket. In the corner of the room there is a soft detonation and a puff of smoke. The device is destroyed, but it hurts no-one.

Upon seeing his wife free, Julan decides whose side he is on and signals to Myrryan to stand down. She pushes Niall back, and extinguishes her lightsabre. Unfortunately this puts Niall in the firing line of A’Dara’s blaster. Jimmi telepaths a message to the Zeltron woman to surrender. She resists the suggestion however. Jimmi looks into her mind. It is filled with fear, anger and aggression. Jimmi decides that more persuasion is needed and sends another two shots her way. She manages to squirm out of the way, despite being pinned beneath the dining table. She shouts to Igbo. “Flee master!” She uses the force to lift the table from her trapped legs and hurls it across the room toward Jimmi and Ta’alan. The young Togruta has the hunter’s reflexes to jump clear, but Jimmi isn’t so lucky. The table crashes down on Jimmi, and for a second Ta’alan fears that his friend might have been killed. Igbo has seen the tide of battle turn around swiftly, and makes a characteristic run for it. Niall shoots a look at Myrryan who completely stands aside with a nod. Niall leaps for the fleeing Rodian.

To Niall’s left, the Togorian lets out a mighty roar, and brings a massive blow down upon Karnov. Blood flows from a frightful wound in Karnov’s cheek and shoulder, and she struggles to remain on her feet. There is blood in her eyes, but she doesn’t back down. As her enemy raises the blade for a killing blow, Karnov senses an opening. In a deft move, she switches the lightsabre to her off-hand and with an upward thrust runs the creature through. With a final yowl it topples forward, dead. Karnov gets a clear view of the fleeing Igbo, but her wound and the distance stop her closing the gap in time. Rojic gets two solid hits on the crime lord’s back. A’Dara shoots from the floor to clear a path for her master, hitting the prone figure of Jimmi and narrowly missing Ta’alan.

Ta’alan and Igbo cross paths. The Rodian firing from the hip to clear an escape path. Ta’alan ignores him and strides purposefully forward, shooting with both guns at A’Dara. Oblivious to the danger, the young man puts shot after shot after shot into the woman, still fighting from the floor.

Mama squints as she takes aim. A stream of bolts spit from her blaster at Igbo’s fleeing form. “Not a second time!” She seethes at him. The shots burn away armour and flesh across the back of the crime lord’s neck. Igbo stumbles from the ferocity of the attack. His life is ebbing away quickly and he is even more determined to escape. More shots slam into him. -Mama isn’t giving in until he lies dead! Niall takes advantage of Igbo’s stumble to close the gap. At full stretch he cuts a diagonal blow across Igbo’s back, exposing more flesh under the armour. His speed is more than that of Igbo’s and with an upswing and a cross-cut, he gains the extra few inches of reach that he needs. The blow from the lightsabre severs Igbo’s head at the exposed neck. Two more shots from Ta’alan stop A’Dara. There is a stunned silence as Igbo’s head falls into the spilled debris of the evening meal.

Our heroes gather around the severed head. Its lips move soundlessly for a few seconds. “A fitting end to scum like you….” Mama says with venom. –Echoing the thoughts of many of the assembled crowd. The spark if life in Igbo’s eyes fades away.

Ta’alan covers A’Dara, and goes to Jimmi. Pleased to see his friend alive, he lifts the corner of the table while Oona pulls Jimmi clear. A moment later, and Jimmi is upright and okay. Julan turns to Kory. “Thanks, honey.” Kory grins and nods. Julan looks for Mama and puts his hand on her arm. Mama finally turns away from Igbo’s two body parts. She doesn’t have any more words for a moment. Julan doesn’t either. The others regroup and make sure A’Dara isn’t going anywhere.

“I’m glad that’s all over. –All sorted out.” Jimmi says.

“We could collect the bounty on Igbo. I expect there is one.” Rojic muses.

“The more we put things right, the more Rojic is as greedy as ever.”

Julan is unsure of what Mama wants to do now.

“Can I trust you?” She asks.

“Of course.”

“You wouldn’t lie to me?”

Julan reassures her. For the moment she believes him. She opens her arms wide and steps forward for a hug. He relaxes, relived that they are both okay. Mama feels safe in his arms once again. After a moment she feels slightly embarrassed that the others are watching and pulls away. A second later a shot rings out. –She’s shot Julan!

The others are still a little jumpy, and go for their weapons instinctively.

“I didn’t see that coming…..” Jimmi jokes, trying to defuse the tense situation. Julan’s face is a picture: Anger surprise, shock….Then it breaks into a watery grin. “I guess I had that coming too.”

“I guess we’re different people now.”

Julan nods, seeing the moment between them fade. He clutches at the wound in his leg. Mama holds out a hand and helps him to a chair. “Are we even?” Julan asks. “Oh no. Not nowhere near even….” Mama leans down and plants a big kiss on his lips.

“I’m even!” Ta’alan says, picking up Igbo’s head and making the lips move. “Kissy kissy!”

“I’d sooner kiss a Toydarian.” Mama jokes, shooting a look at Rojic.

Rojic flaps away at R-17 speed. “Eeeww!”

“I think I’d like this as a trophy.” Ta’alan says, tucking the still warm head under his jacket.

“We’ll see.” Niall tells him, promising nothing.

They troop out of the trashed office, leading A’Dara and the remaining live guards. They scour the building for Joe-9T. Rojic can’t believe that he’s been treated so badly. “We’ll fix you Joe….”

“Mmmfff-p’Wllmmmff..mmf!”

“What’s that?”

“Er….Restraining bolt….” Karnov reminds Rojic. Rojic pries it off with a tusk.

“Why you little!” Joe-9T says, grabbing Rojic by the throat.

“Glurk!” Rojic coughs.

Karnov stops Joe-9T. “No! Save your strength. –There’ll be another time!”

“Yeah! We all want a go at throttling Rojic!” Jimmi jokes. They find Joe-9T’s legs and find a bag to put them in. In the room next door is a noise.

“What’s that?” Niall asks, listening carefully.

“Sounds like foreplay.” Jimmi says.

There is a collective, “?”

They burst into the room. There are a couple of young Twi’lek girls there and man of about thirty. He looks rather dishevelled, and is obviously either drunk or has been taking stims. –Or both.

“Who’s this?” Kory asks.

They turn the man around and pry him off the girls. “Well he doesn’t look much like his holo any more….But if I’m not mistaken….It’s Illum Andromak!”

The man is revealed. He slumps on the bed.

Julan explains, “He came here a while ago. He said he was on the run from Kuat and Cor-Sec. He told the crew of the ship that the Kuat ruling families had framed him and put a price on his head. He skipped here with the clothes on his back and a case full of money.”

“Here are the clothes.” Niall says, sniffing. “The once fine robes of a Trebun of Kuat. Covered in….Eeeew!”

“Where’s the money?” Rojic asks.

“Spent,” Julan says, “On drink, drugs, stims, spice….Girls of negotiable affection….”

“All in the space of a few weeks?” Karnov can’t quite believe it.

“What a way to go!” Niall says.

“What a pathetic creature.” Jimmi adds.

Niall backpedals furiously. “Er…Yes. Pathetic. Low….Debased. I said that, right?”

“Pathetic or not, he’s on the wanted list. This man is a saboteur, a traitor and a murderer. We take him in and hand him over.”

“He’ll be dead in a few weeks if you leave him here.”

“To pleasure himself to death?” Ta’alan says before realising what he has said.

After the laughter dies down, they recompose themselves.

“We hand him over. They’ll put him in rehab while he serves his term. I’m guessing thirty years minimum.”

“Not for us to decide.” Niall yanks Andromak to his feet. “You’re coming with us.”

With A’Dara and Andromak to hand over to the Republic, they wander back to Storm Cutter to plan their next move.

Niall asks where Myrryan received her training. “At the academy. I was a student under Master Windu for a while.”

“That would explain the style. –What will you do now?”

“I might go back. Patch things up. I left under a bit of a cloud. I’m seeing things differently all of a sudden.”

“See that you do. Good speed and may the force be with you.”

They all pause at the ramp of Storm Cutter. “I never thought I’d see this old crate again.” Julan says. “The original and best.”

Obligingly, a rusty durasteel plate drops off with a clang onto the concrete docking apron.

Mama drags him close. “I can’t wait to get out of this dress Jules.”

Julan’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise and delight. Rojic and Ta’alan make rude gestures. The others are more polite.

“Would you like me to help you out of it?” Julan says, suggestively.

“Oh yes please….”

Mama leads him up the ramp, still talking, “I absolutely hated the thing from the get-go. Once you’ve undone the zip you can go and get everyone a stiff drink!”

Ta’alan whoops and jumps into the air in excitement. Mama shouts down, “Except the boy. He can have a Bjórlíki!”

“Bjórlíki, what’s that?”

Rojic tells him. “Almost but not quite entirely unlike alcohol. Actually more like antifreeze.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“I think a sniff of Andromak’s jacket might be preferable – and more intoxicating!”

“It’ll make you go blind.” Jimmi says, unfurling the white stick.

They all sit on the ramp sipping their drinks and watching as Ryloth gets back to normal in the late sunshine.

“More drinks?” Trio asks, trying to be helpful. She addresses Julan. “How about you, Madam?”

“Er....Yes. Yes please.”

“Top everyone’s drink up.” Mama tells Trio. “After that, you lot can all go on some shore leave.”

“I want to fix Joe-9T....” Rojic protests.

“I want to contact the Jedi temple.”

“I want to see what that boy has done to my cabin!”

“I need a lie down....And a massage!”

Mama rounds on them. “Storm Cutter is out of bounds for a little while.”

“Why?”

“I just got my husband back. That’s why. –We’re making up for lost time in the bedroom department!”

“Okay! Okay! We get the message! We’ll give you time to....Er, Get it out of your system!”

Jimmi nudges Julan as the others troop off. “It’s okay, we’ll be back when you’re finished.”

“Thanks.”

“About twelve minutes okay?”

Jules throws a cup at Jimmi. Jimmi neatly catches it and puts it on Trio’s tray.

“Bye!”

“Just the two of us....” Julan says to Mama.

“So what are you waiting for?” She says leading him to the captain’s cabin, “Or have I got to shoot you again?”

+ + + + + + + + + +

Star Wars Weather: With Chancellor Palpatine!

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Footnotes:

None today!