Star Wars Invasion: Episode II, Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

   Anakin stood patiently in the shadow of the Dowager Queen, a crashed ship in Mos Eisley that had been turned into a hotel, as he waited for Kyle Katarn and Commander Naar to return from the Chalmun's Cantina. Nearby stood C-3PO and the Sullustan GA lieutenant Sev Nep, who had chosen not to go with Arek and the others to explore Mos Eisley.

   "I've been to spaceport cities like this before," Sev had said. "They're all breeding grounds for thieves, pirates, and other scum."

   "That's an apt way to put it," Anakin had said in reply. It also made him wonder what Kyle thought he would find in Mos Eisley, let alone its cantina.

   As the minutes passed by, multiple times did Anakin notice a masked being from the corner of his eye. But whenever he turned to look at them, they were gone, replaced by a Rodian or a Jawa passing by. And each time, he could have sworn it was the Revanchist he and the others had encountered on Dantooine who he was seeing.

   But why would he be here? Anakin wondered. Isn't he supposed to be protecting Dantooine from these Glorians?

   His musings were interrupted by the sound of laughter. He looked to see the five stormtroopers of Ronn Jokar's team returning from wherever they had been. This was the first time Anakin ever saw them out of uniform. Dressed in casual clothes, some which closely or vaguely resembled his father's smuggling outfit, the stomtroopers looked a lot less intimidating than they were before in their armor.

   "I'm telling' ya, Kalvin, that Jawa nearly made Levat wet his pants!" the trooper known as Vex was saying. "But you can't blame him," he added, patting the Duros trooper Levat on the back. "That little guy probably had set his zapper thing to kill!"

   As the other troopers laughed, Vex caught sight of Anakin and Sev and waved to them. Noticing Kyle and Naar's absence, he frowned. "Don't tell me those two aren't back yet..."

   Sev sighed, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "Either they've found what they were looking for, or someone has drunk too much Jawa juice."

   "I can get behind the latter reason," Vex muttered with a smirk.

   At that moment, Anakin finally saw Kyle and Naar emerge from the cantina, followed by a short, light-skinned man with thinning hair and brown, almost hazel eyes, filled with what looked like greed.

   Kyle gestured to the man in introduction. "This is Jast Kyjar, an old smuggler accomplice of mine back during the Rebellion. Jast, these are some of my friends in the Galactic Alliance."

   "Pleasure to meet ya'," Jast said, shaking hands with the stormtroopers and Sev, the latter who did so hesitantly. The short man then looked at Anakin and narrowed his eyes.

   "Say, Katarn. Did Han Solo drink a youth potion or somethin'?"

   Kyle laughed. "No, Jast. This is his son, Anakin Solo."

   Jast cracked a wide grin. "Well, no wonder!"

   He grabbed Anakin's hand by the wrist and shook it vigorously. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Anakin Solo! I'm sure you'll be just as great as your father!"

   "Er, thanks..." Anakin muttered, rubbing his wrist once Jast had let go of it.

   Looking up, Kyle noted Sev and the five stomtroopers' presence but seemed to realize that Jokar, Arek, and the other two Alliance troopers were still missing.

   "Sev, see if you can hail Arek on your comlink," the Jedi Master told the Sullustan. "Tell him that we're going to rent a few transports and head for Anchorhead."

   As Sev did so, Anakin again suddenly felt the presence of a masked man. Without turning his head, he glanced to the side and saw the mysterious being, clothed in similar black robes and red armor to the Revanchist, standing amongst a group of conversing tourists that had just walked out of the Dowager Queen. Keeping his eye on the man, Anakin turned around fully to face and confront the stranger, but his vision was suddenly obstructed by a large, passing Baragwin. Once the burly reptilian had moved out of the way, Anakin lost sight of the man.

   He then felt Kyle tap his shoulder. "Anakin?" the Jedi Master asked with slight concern. "You all right?"

   Anakin nodded, at the same time shaking the suspense he had felt in his head. "Yeah, I'm fine."

   Although Kyle did not look fully convinced, he said nonetheless, "Okay, if you're sure."

   He turned to Sev. "Any luck?"

   The Sullustan shook his head. "None. Not even Commander Jokar is picking up."

   Kyle frowned, worry creasing his eyebrows. "What about Reeda and Jasel?"

   "I got a blast of static from Reeda's comlink," Sev replied. "The only think I could hear her say was something about being 'snatched.'"

   Jast Kyjar let out a small yelp. "'Snatched?' Oh no...that's not good."

   Commander Naar looked at him. "What do you mean?"

   "There's a mercenary group- they came to Tatooine sometime last year- that call themselves the Snatchers."

   "Mercenaries, huh?" Kyle's face fixed with concern as he turned back to Sev. "Where did Arek and the others go to?"

   "Somewhere in Kerner Plaza," Sev replied.

   The Jedi Master nodded. "I'll go search for them. The rest of you go to Anchorhead. We'll meet at the Tosche Station."

   "Should I go with you?" Anakin asked, but Kyle shook his head.

   "No need. I've dealt with mercenaries before. These guys shouldn't be a problem."

   "I certainly hope you're right on that, Master Katarn," Naar muttered. He signaled for Sev, Anakin, and the others to follow him. "Let's go. Jast, do you know a place that sells landspeeders?"

   "Yeah, there's a Toydarian trader down Spacer's Row," the short smuggler replied. "Follow me."

   As they all followed Jast, Anakin once again felt the feeling of being watched. This time, he did not so much as glanced at the masked man he knew was standing there. Instead, he pretended to ignore him as they walked further and further away. Soon, the mysterious stranger was far behind them. Despite this though, Anakin still heard a faint whisper in a strangely cold breeze. When it spoke into his ear, Anakin though the voice sounded very familiar.

   You should not have come.