CHAPTER EIGHT
"Thank you for choosing Trek's Taxi Service," the talking Jawa said as his Gotal companion brought the landspeeder to a stop before a secluded building located on the outskirts of Anchorhead, which Anakin assumed was the Snatchers' base to which the Bosph had fled.
"Many thanks, Trek," Donhran Remker said as he and Anakin climbed out of the vehicle. The two Jedi then rushed towards the building, stopping before a window-shaped gap in the wall. Quietly, Remker then slowly raised up to peer through it.
After a minute, Anakin whispered, "What do you see?"
"There's a Barabel and a Wookiee guarding a door," Remker replied. "No sign of our bug-eyed friend."
"He must've gone into the other room. How do we get past them?"
The Zabrak Jedi flashed him a grin. "The old-fashioned way, of course."
* * *
Ragath stifled a yawn as he leaned against the wall next to the door which he guarded. He used to despise such duties with a passion, much preferring to go out on the hunt instead. But he soon found hunting more enjoyable when he had a lot more rage and anticipation built up. Thus, standing guard was now more like sitting in a waiting room to him.
He glanced at his Wookiee partner, Snoova, who detested guard duties as much as he did, and said, "This one wonders what they're talking about in there."
Snoova growled in response, portraying indifference.
Ragath sighed. He knew that Snoova had different reasons for disliking guard duties. The Wookiee was rather paranoid and preferred working alone. If it weren't for the Boss' charismatic manners, he probably would not have joined the Snatchers in the first place.
Ragath was about to speak again when something caught his eye. He wasn't sure what it was, but when he turned to look at it, it was gone.
"Did you see that?" he asked Snoova.
The Wookiee grunted as if to say, "No."
"This one could have sworn-"
A loud clunk cut him off and this time Snoova clearly did hear it, for he looked in the direction the sound had come from.
"What the kark was that?" Ragath wondered aloud.
Before either of them could investigate, a humanoid figure moved from the shadows and knocked Ragath out cold.
* * *
"Wow," Anakin said under his breath, staring at the Barabel and Wookiee, both who Remker just knocked out unconscious. Turning his gaze to the Zabrak Jedi, he said, "Why hasn't Master Baran made you a Jedi Master yet?"
Remker smiled. "He has offered to make me one. But between you and me, I don't believe I can handle that kind of responsibility."
He then turned his attention to the door which the two Snatchers had been guarding and planted his ear next to it. Anakin did so as well, but all he could hear was mumbling.
"Stand back," Remker whispered. Using the Force, he caused the door to slide open an inch- barely a two- enough so that he and Anakin could at least hear what the people on the other side were saying.
"Are you sure that is what they're after?" said a gravelly voice, which sounded like it was coming from a hologram.
"Quite certain, Boss," said a second, buzzing voice, which Anakin assumed was the Bosph. "Why else would they land in Anchorhead and ask the locals about it?"
"Have they found its location?"
"I'm not sure. They found a Jawa who did, but I'm pretty sure I killed him with my gas bomb."
"'Pretty sure' is not good enough," the Boss growled. "If they find the Star Map, our contractors will punish us severely. And you, of course, will take the worst of it."
"I...understand, Boss," the Bosph murmured.
"I do hope so. Now then, what do you suppose we do about this?"
"Um, kill them?" said a gruff-sounding voice, prompting laughter from others in the room.
The Boss did not sound amused. "That would be the easy way, wouldn't it, Vejo? What say you, Viper?"
"Perhaps we could try relocating the Star Map," said a raspy feminine voice. "The Glorians told us that it must stay on Tatooine, but they never said where on Tatooine."
"Ah, very true. An excellent idea, I must say. No wonder I made you my new deputy. Oversee the transfer, then. Boss, out."
Anakin heard the hologram fizzle out and glanced at Remker. "So the Snatchers are working with the Glorians."
"Sure sounds like it," Remker said.
"So, what do we do?"
The Zabrak Jedi grinned. "We do things my way."
* * *
"Will he be all right?"
Zaylii looked up from the wounded Jast whom she was healing to see Commander Jokar standing before her.
"I don't know," she said sadly. "I've never really dealt with something like this before. If Master Cilghal was here, he'd be as healthy as a gualaar by now."
"Do what you can," Jokar said. "In the worst case scenario, Tesara's got a medpac that can pass him by until we can find more help. I'm not going to let someone die on my accord."
Zaylii sighed. "You may have to deal with that someday...."
Jokar opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by the sudden arrival of a landspeeder. He turned around to see the other three Jedi and stormtroopers of his team return.
"Any luck?" he asked his Kaleesh lieutenant, Par Je'mak.
"Well, there's good news and bad news," Je'mak said. "Which do you want first?"
Jokar took in a deep breath and exhaled it. "Which did you find out first?"
"The good news, then. We found a Twi'lek who is associated with someone who knows something about the Star Map."
The commander steeled himself. "And the bad news?"
"His associate is a brain in a jar who can only speak droid languages."
"Lovely," Jokar muttered. "Where's he at?"
"An abandoned droid shop not far from here. Shall we go?"
"I suppose so," Jokar grunted.
In his mind, he added, Though I'm not sure I have the stomach to see a live brain.
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