The Art of Chaos and Darkness

Chapter Four

Din made sure to watch the scanners carefully as they dropped from hyperspace.

But there was no one waiting for them this time. He carefully piloted the ship down to the surface of the tiny moon. He landed on one of the many empty landing pads, setting the ship down with a hiss. He strode from the cockpit and into the cargo area. He strapped his rifle back across his back and tied the empty satchel around his waist.

"Stay put." He said to the half-passed out female. She didn't answer, the black and blue bruises around her throat growing with every passing hour. A flicker of guilt flashed through him. He shoved it down. He was a Mandalorian, he needed to start acting like one again.

Din stepped off ramp and onto the spongy ground of the moon. The air was so damp and humid he could feel it even through his Beskar. More than a few people stopped to stare at the silver plated armor and weapons. In a tiny place like this they probably rarely saw any bounty hunters let alone a Mandalorian.

He managed to flag down the cowering space port worker and arrange for his ship to be fueled while he went to restock their food and water. Din made his way through the spaceport and into the heart of the small city. He easily located the cantina among the few white-clay buildings. The door hissed open revealing a small interior with only a few customers and poorly stocked bar. Din walked up to the counter and the Twi'lek behind the bar looked up at his approach. His blue-skinned lips stretched into a grin. "Mando!"

"Chandu." Din dipped his head in greeting.

"Mando! It's been so long I was beginning to think one of your crazy jobs finally got the best of you. But I suppose not."

Din chuckled softly. News of Moff Gideon and Grogu would not reach such a small place like this moon. The people lived in blissful ignorance.

Chandu set down a glass in front of Din, though they both knew he wouldn't touch it. "What brings you all the way out here? A bounty?"

Din patted his empty satchel. "Fuel and resource stop. And I need information." He flashed credits in his gloved palm.

Chandu nodded animatedly. "Of course. Ask away."

Din passed his satchel across the counter to Chandu who began to fill the bag with a small assortment of ration packets.

"Have you ever heard of the planet Moraband?"

The packet in Chandu's hand fell to the ground with a thud. The Twi'lek grabbed it and stood quickly. He leaned toward Din. "Where did you hear that name?"

Din watched his reaction carefully. "Around."

Chandu resumed his work. "I have not heard that name spoken for a very long time. It is an old and ancient planet. Best left alone."

"That's not an option."

Chandu let out a sigh. "I have only heard rumors. I cannot confirm what is true or not."

"Understood. Just tell me what you have heard."

"Moraband is the birthplace of an ancient cult of dark and evil warriors who once sought to control the galaxy. They were called Sith."

Beneath his helmet, Din frowned. "Sith?"

"It is said they were the enemy of the Jedi. For eons the two sides have fought."

"Jedi? Like the Jedi of the Republic?" Din's mind flashed to Ahsoka Tano and Luke Skywalker, whom he had just handed Grogu over to.

"Lower your voice!" Chandu hissed though the cantina was all but empty. "Yes. The Jedi of the Republic. Years ago, during the Clone Wars the Sith sided with the Empire to try and defeat the Jedi and Republic."

"So Moraband is where the Sith began."

"Supposedly, yes." Chandu shrugged his shoulders. "As I said, it is just rumors. Everyone knows the Empire was defeated and the Jedi are no more. It has been that way for years. The age of sorcery and grand armies is over. Moraband is nothing more than an empty wasteland of dust and sand."

Except the Jedi are not gone. Just forgotten.

Chandu handed the full satchel back to Din. He stood, taking the bag and pushing the credits into Chandu's hand. "Thank you."

The blue-skinned Twi'lek nodded. "Be careful, my friend."

Din nodded and exited the dark cantina. He'd gotten some of his questions answered but this only brought about more unknowns. If Moraband was just a wasteland, why was he tasked with taking this woman there alive? If the Jedi still existed was it possible their evil counterpart, the Sith were alive too?

Din took a breath. Why did it matter so much? Why did he even care? Could he not just deliver this woman and leave it alone? Once he arrived on Moraband he would see for himself whether the planet was just a desert wasteland or not.

Din walked back through the spaceport, noting the strange lack of people. Before the place had seemed mildly busy but now not a person was in sight. Unease crept into his gut.

Blaster fire sounded from the landing pad.

Din swore and broke into a run, drawing his weapon as he went. The satchel banged against his leg as he approached the ship. The ramp was still down but smoke wafted from the inside. A body was slung over the ramp, half on the ground, half on the metal plating.

He swore again, drawing both his blasters now and made his way up the ramp and into the darkness of the ship.