CHAPTER EIGHT
"This isn't gonna be a habit is it?" Wes Janson whispered to Loth as the duo watched Eriadu officials examine Scur Bodalla's corpse. "I walk away for a few minutes and you get into trouble? 'Cause if it is, then I'm out."
"You're free to drop out," Loth replied. "I only needed you for the delivery anyway."
Janson merely scoffed at the Bothan's attitude.
A few minutes later, a human male officer walked up to the pair and said, "You say that you were making a delivery to Bodalla?"
Loth nodded. "Yes, I was delivering him that pyramidal object which the Jedi took from his body before vanishing."
The officer typed in a few notes into his datapad before saying, "I take it, then, that you were not in league with the Jedi?"
The Bothan shook his head. "Don't even know his name or if he is indeed a Jedi."
"I see. You also said you heard a jetpack going off as soon as Bodalla was shot."
"Yes. It could've been a bounty hunter."
"We'll look into it. Thank you for the tip. Just give me your comm frequency and you can leave Eriadu until we need to call you again. Have a nice day."
As Loth and Janson headed back for their ship, the latter said, "You can drop me off at Coruscant. I think I'm getting too old for this."
Loth raised an eyebrow. "Too old for what?"
"Doing stupid stuff."
The Bothan shrugged nonchalantly. "Suit yourself. I have to report to Director Nalas anyway."
"The Givin? Yeah, I spoke with him when he sent me to follow you. Pretty creepy guy."
"Yes," Loth murmured. "Yes, he is."
* * *
Bone-colored fingers idly tapped on a desk made of bronzium. Sunken black eyes stared emotionlessely at the nervous Bothan that stood before him. After a long moment of silence, Director Sladru Nalas finally spoke.
"Scur Bodalla is dead and the decoy Sith holocron is gone."
Loth cleared his throat. "Yes, well, the good news is that the real holocron is in the Jedi Order's custody."
The Givin pressed the tips of his scrawny fingers together. "What about the stolen decoy? I highly doubt any Sith holocron is less dangerous than the others."
Loth shifted his feet. "The person who took it was a man wielding a violet lightsaber. My assumption was that he was a Jedi and was taking the holocron back to the Order."
"Assumptions do us no good, Agent Ja'far," Nalas said coldly. "It would be best to speak with the Jedi Order and inquire which of their members are out and about, and narrow it down to the one you encountered on Eriadu."
Loth chewed on the corner of his lower lip. Bad enough he needed help from the Jedi once....
"Very well," he said. "I shall go to Ossus and speak with the Jedi."
"Good," Nalas said quietly, leaning back in his seat. "You would do well not to fail me."
* * *
Serra blinked as she stared at the alien who called himself Hrakh. Rikk-Deri and Kepor were doing the same, the former muttering something under his breath.
"The heir of Darth...?" She shook her head. "No offense, but you need to lay off the spice."
Hrakh snorted. "I beg to differ. I've never come within ten feet of that substance. You are the heir. I know it to be true."
Serra's face contorted in bafflement. "Okay, yeah, I'm Anakin Skywalker's great-granddaughter. But what does it mean to you?"
Standing up, Hrakh gave her a toothy smile. "My people have long awaited the day that a descendant of the savior would complete his task and save our race from extinction."
Serra glanced around, wondering if this was some sort of prank. "Well, I've never seen your kind before, so I don't know how I can help you."
"Just ignore him, Serra," Rikk-Deri said. "Maybe he'll go away."
"Please," Hrakh said with a frown. "My home is in dire straits. My master told me that you'd be able to repair it."
"I've repaired ships and speeders, but not planets," Serra said. "I'm sorry."
Sorrow crossed the alien's face. "But... the Elders said-"
"Can we go now?" Rikk-Deri said, jumping off the bench. "This guy is driving me bonkers."
Serra nodded and followed him and Kepor. Hrakh did nothing to stop them.
* * *
"Get. The heck. Out of. My shop."
Despite having a blaster trained on his head, Brakh said nothing as he lifted up Anakin Solo's unconscious form and slung him over his shoulders. Turning to the female human behind the shop's counter, he grinned.
"I wouldn't fire that if I were you, sweetheart," he growled. "I might use this Jedi as a 'flesh shield.'"
Ire flared in the woman's eyes. "What did you just call me?"
Without answering her, the Noghri turned to leave the shop only to stop when a blaster bolt hit the wall beside him.
"COME BACK HERE AND CALL ME 'SWEETHEART' AGAIN!" the human cried. "I DARE YOU!"
Brakh rolled his eyes as he brought out his Death Commando rifle and fired a paralysis beam at the woman, knocking her out unconscious. As he strode out of the shop, he replaced the weapon with a comlink.
"Master, I have captured Anakin Solo."
"Excellent work. What of his daughter?"
"No sign of her. Hrakh set out to find-"
He paused as he heard a feminine voice cry out. Turning around, he saw a young human female running towards him. Behind her was a Rutanian, a Mrlssi, and his brother, Hrakh.
Brakh grinned. "Never mind, master. We've got her."
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