SNATCHED
If there was one thing that could silence an entire world of smugglers, bounty hunters, and criminals, it was this: Bossk was dead.
Bossk, son of Cradossk, former head of the Bounty Hunter's Guild, which was almost, if not as famous as Black Sun and Crimson Nova, was dead.
And as if that was not enough, there was more. Over the past ten years, the Snatchers, which Bossk was a member of, were depleting in numbers, explaining their recent lack of action.
Dengar had retired after his brain and emotions were restored and went off to marry a female Aruzan named Manaroo. Kale Karsa was captured by the Mandalorians after Bossk's death, along with his ally Thrak Jal'daan, and was imprisoned on one of Mandalore's moons.
Meanwhile, Kyta Parasiti had attempted to kill the Snatchers' Boss, Cad Bane, after finding out that he was, contrary to her belief, responsible for the death of her lover. Ever loyal to the Boss, the Kyuzo Embo protected Bane and severed one of Kyta's arms, leading to her 'resignation'.
The Jedi hunter Naaro Viin had also resigned after his partner Tarr-Nar-Mall was killed on Mandalore, and found better payment from the Sith and the Empire, who were at war with the New Republic. Most of the other Snatchers, including Alor Onab and Ran-Dal, had also left due to Bossk's death, who, in their eyes, was the greatest bounty hunter and deputy leader in the Snatchers' history.
The once-notorious mercenary group was now down to only four members. Their end was nigh...
* * *
Cad Bane sat in silence in what was known as the Boss' Den. Across from him sat Zuckuss and Embo, both who had they arms crossed over their chests as they stared coldly at the Duros mercenary. Nearby stood 4-LOM, whose photoreceptors were scanning the room meaninglessly.
After nearly a half-hour of silence, Bane sighed. "I think this may be the end, boys," he said quietly.
Zuckuss scoffed. "You think? Our situation is worse than that incident on Tatooine fifteen years ago! Everyone is either dead, missing, or retired! The Snatchers are finished!"
Bane's eyes glowed at the Gand from beneath his hat. "Then why are you, Embo, and Four-LOM still here?"
Zuckuss started to speak but stopped himself, realizing the meaning in Bane's words. "I don't know," he finally said. "I suppose it is because I made a promise to myself when I joined the Snatchers; that I would stick with them until the very end. And I guess Four-LOM has decided to stick with me as well."
Bane nodded curtly and turned to Embo. "And what about you? You could have rejoined Sugi's band a long time ago, when you had the chance."
Embo narrowed his eyes. "I know," he replied.
"Then why didn't you?"
The Kyuzo hunter stiffened briefly before taking a deep breath. "Do you know who led the Snatchers before Zoran?" he finally asked. "After the Clone Wars? During the Dark Times?"
Bane shook his head. "I joined when Zoran was the Boss."
"Her name was Marka Zurge," Embo went on. "She was a Devaronian, and a short-tempered one at that. Even though she chose Zoran to be her deputy, I think she...respected me more than anyone else."
"How did she die?" Bane asked, knowing that would be the result of this tale.
"I don't know," Embo said quietly. "Last I saw her, she was going on a mission to the Alderaan system, which was when..."
The Kyuzo's eyes widened slightly. "Which was when they destroyed Alderaan." He looked up at Bane, boring into the Duros' eyes. "The last thing she said to me...was to make sure that I would continue her legacy...until the end."
"I see," Bane muttered, not even remotely touched. "Well, the end's right here. The Snatchers are officially finished."
Embo quickly rose from his seat, glowering at Bane. "No," he said firmly. "This is not how Marka would want it! Or Zoran, or Dan'Wal! We will go on, even if there is only four of us!"
Bane glared at the Kyuzo, rising from his seat as well. "Tough luck," he growled, "because this is how it's going to end, regardless of what my predecessors would want."
Suddenly, Embo lunged at Bane, pinning the Duros against the wall. Zuckuss and 4-LOM could do nothing but watch.
Leaining towards Bane, Embo spoke quietly but menacingly, "The only thing that's going to end is you." Reaching into his weapons sack, he whipped out a pointed dagger and pressed it against Bane's throat.
"Let me tell you something," Embo growled, in a voice that did not sound like his own. "Roughly nine centuries ago, there was a Duros, like you, named Nad Malum. He was one of the first Snatchers, I believe. Anyway, his specialty...was killing Jedi.
"Now then, being a Jedi killer, Malum had to have been Force-sensitive, correct? And he must have somehow gone under the Jedi's notice, right? And why is that, I wonder?" Embo chuckled softly. "Because during that time, I knew two Sith Lords, both who had been gladiators or fearsome warriors once. One of them - Sareth, I think her name was - knew of the Snatchers, and of Nad Malum. So she took him as an apprentice, and ol' Malum eventually became a Dark Lord of the Sith."
Bane, despite having a knife near his throat, managed to scowl at the Kyuzo. "And you're telling me this why?"
"Don't you see?" Embo said. "The Snatchers actually influenced the Sith of all people, and indirectly led to the rise of Emperor Palpatine himself! So how can we let the loss of one, slimy Trandoshan stop us?"
Bane glowered at him. "You're delusional..."
"No," his attacker said. "I am Mujambo. I have managed to survive all these years with the help of cryogenic stasis from my partner, Daraga the Hutt, and ensure that the Snatchers would live on." The Kyuzo narrowed his eyes at Bane. "And that is just what I will do."
Bane held his gaze on Mujambo for a moment before sighing. "Fine. Have it your way. You're the Boss."
Visibly pleased, Mujambo moved the dagger away from the Duros' throat. "Wise choice," he said quietly. "Now leave. Right now. I never want to see you set foot on Nal Hutta, or Nar Shaddaa, or any other planet in this sector. Understood?"
Bane nodded wordlessly, adjusting his hat. Shooting one last glare at Mujambo, the former leader of the Snatchers walked out of the Boss' Den.
Once he was long gone, Zuckuss turned to Mujambo. "So...have you always been pretending to be Embo?"
"No," the Kyuzo said simply, without looking at the Gand.
"And...that story about Marka Zurge?"
"Mostly true," Mujambo replied. "While she did indeed exist, and she did lead the Snatchers, everything else about her I gathered from other, reliable sources."
"I see..." Zuckuss murmured, idly tapping his fingers together. "So now what?"
A smile showed through Mujambo's eyes. "Now? We continue business as usual."
FIN
No comments:
Post a Comment