Chapter One

A young ronto howled as Jawas ran around him, pushing and shoving to move him down the dusty street. A Weequay yelled something in his own tongue, gesturing towards the pallies and other fruits he was selling at his stand while a skiff filled with cargo screamed past. A squad of stormtroopers was moving quickly towards a docking bay, led by a woman in a red and cream-colored robe. Mos Eisley was alive with peoples of every species busy going about their lives. No one stopped for a moment.
    But Meyor Khar'Cadon just smirked and watched them all. People were like that. Never stopping even for a moment, even to take a breath. No one ever noticed the tiny scurriers, running around to catch the tiny bits of food that dropped from the mouths of the hungry businessmen. Or the small children, running about in the wrecks of the old podracers and speeders, pretending to be pirates. Or even the destitute old woman who sat crying on a sandy step. All of that seemed so obsolete in a world where time was money and money was everything. Taking a moment to realize that there were other things took time, and thus money.
    He chuckled when he realized he was like that most of the time, so his present behavior was a bit hypocritical. He glanced at his chrono, again demonstrating his hypocrisy.
An old Corellian YT-1300 transport ripped out of a nearby docking bay, followed closely by crimson blaster bolts. The ship tore into the bright blue sky until it disappeared, leaving a burning scent in the Tatooine air. It was probably Solo, making his getaway for one reason or another, most likely from those stormtroopers he had seen earlier. How Meyor wished he could be up there too. He shrugged and rippled his fur. He couldn't leave until he spoke with Jabba anyway.
    A growl came from the dewback he was perched upon, and Meyor patted its bright green hide. "Getting bored, Gollum?" The Bothan smiled. "Well, let's go. We've got time for a quick walk." He flicked the reigns and the beast turned back into his usual, active self. He rode down the avenue, pulling at his collar as the hot suns blazed overhead. He turned Gollum back around and made him head back to the spot they had just left, since that was the spot Jabba was supposed to meet with him. As they neared the previous spot, next to Wuher's Cantina, Wuher walked out, patting his forehead with an old rag.
    He looked up and smiled when he saw Meyor riding towards him, and waved his hand. "What are you doing here Khar'Cadon?"
    Meyor waved back. "Looking for Jabba. Apparently he has something I'm supposed to deliver."
    "Wouldn't happen to be a job for me, would it?" Wuher asked looking back at his cantina. "Everyday this place gets worse. Had one old guy come in today and he ended up taking his lightsaber to a human and an Aqualish, and then we had an entire squad of stormtroopers in after two droids, and then Solo fried Greedo, one of Jabba's bounty hunters."
    Gollum roared but Meyor quieted him down with a few pats on the back. "Sounds fun. And you want a job with Jabba?" He raised an eyebrow.
    "Believe it or not, I'd bet my bottom credit it's better than this womp rat den."
    A shadow began to grow behind them. When Meyor looked back, he saw a man in dark green Mandalorian armor. He spoke with a stern voice. "Captain Khar'Cadon?"
    "Boba Fett?" Meyor said.
    "Yes, Bothan." He said. His Mandalorian helmet hid his emotions and his features, but Meyor could picture his dark face. "Jabba wants to see you. Better hurry up, Solo just pit him in a bad mood."
    "Not that that's hard to do," Meyor said under his breath. "Thank you, Fett. Tell him I'll be right there."
    Fett nodded. "The sail barge is parked over there. Docking bay one." He turned and left, mounting a swoop and disappearing in the crowd of people in the streets."
Meyor waved sarcastically. "Always a joy."
    Wuher chuckled. "Yeah, I love bounty hunters. Alright, I'll let you go."
    Meyor turned Gollum around face where Fett had gone. "See you in a while, Wuher. I'll want a Juri juice when I get back."

* * *

    The sail barge reeked of Hutt. Meyor did his best to hold his nostrils closed, but the smell seemed to seep into his fur and skin. The enormous creature before him began bellowing Huttese.
    "Welcome Captain." A maroon-colored protocol droid translated. "The great Jabba the Hutt bids you welcome."
    "Yeah," The Bothan answered. "Same here. What do you want Jabba?"
    The giant roared more Huttese.
    "He asks you a favor. He needs you to go to Coruscant and bring a shipment of disruptors and spices back for him."
    "A shipment of disruptors from Coruscant?"
    "Yes, Black Sun actually. Jabba will be supplying you a droid that contains all the instructions and clearance codes you'll need."
    "And what's in this all for me? I'm the emperor's new rug if the Imperials catch me with disruptors."
    Jabba must of thought the idea was funny, for he chuckled loudly. As he laughed, the old Twi'lek beside Jabba spoke some Huttese of his own.
    The droid translated once again. "He promises you the sum of fifty-thousand credits, plus five-thousand for each disruptor delivered safely."
    "Twenty-thousand a disruptor."
    Jabba spoke and the protocol droid spoke in response. "Ten thousand."
    "Done. And how many disruptors are there?" Meyor questioned again.
    The droid seemed aggravated. "Again, Captain Khar'Cadon, the instructions will be given to you. But if you must know, two-hundred."
    "So I can get more than two-million on this trip?"
    A smile curled across one side of the Hutt's face. He spoke briefly, and then chuckled.
    "If you survive." The droid translated.
    It was all Meyor needed to hear. "So where's the droid?"
    A small R5 droid wheeled out from behind Jabba's dais. Jabba growled a few last words.
    "If you accept, Captain, then Jabba is done with you today."
    "Yes, Jabba, I accept. See you when I get back."
    The Hutt nodded and slithered off his platform after shoving a small amphibian into his mouth. It was disgusting to see something be pushed into the abyss of what lay past Jabba's lips. Meyor turned for the door and heard the protocol droid's voice. "Good luck, Captain."
 

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