Cad Bane - The Concept of Trust

Lost and found

It took Bane two days to track down her destination, Lothal, and one more day to find out where she had stayed there. The room she had rented was clean and in order, only thermal binoculars were on the windowsill, and some clothes and a few other small effects were placed neatly on the bed. She definitely had been doing some good old-fashioned reconnaissance, but something had happened mid-mission. Some questions and credits later, Bane had a surveillance holo-recording that showed how four Abyssins had knocked her out cold after a short fight on the street next to the lodging, and had then dragged her away. That was over a week ago. Bane did not like what he had witnessed, but they had hauled her away, so whatever this was, it was not about just killing her. At least not immediately.

One more day passed before Bane figured out where the Abyssins had taken her, and at the same time he found out more unpleasant information that made him scowl. What he learned indicated that this particular group of Abyssin mercenaries were serving a certain Neimoidian family, the Bazos, whose crown jewel and only heir Bane had captured, and delivered to the Hutts to answer for his debts. There was no question that they held a grudge, and it became quite clear that the head of the Bazos family was out to exploit anything he could use to get Bane in on their terms.

The Abyssins had never left the planet. It was likely they had thought that Bane would know where she was on her missions. Like she would tell him. Bane snorted. Would have helped a lot to sort out this mess if she would have. Instead, he found out that there was a large barracks complex they had rented out. A Rodian he paid for the information had told him that there had been a couple of busy days a week ago, when a large group of Abyssins and one Neimoidian had been making some constructions in the compound, dragging stuff in and employing some workers there. It was late evening when Bane approached the complex.

"Todo, run the scan. What does it show?"

"Twelve individual bioreadings Mr. Bane. Seven on the front part of the complex, five on the back. One bio imprint is ...unstable. Here is the layout". Bane watched the holoprojection of the barracks. She was very probably held in the far end, but getting there was the tricky part, as there was a group of Abyssins between them.

Bane surveilled the building, trying to figure out the best way to get in. As luck would have it the outer core's hatch doors opened, and one Abyssin came out, making a short patrol round outside. The guard's demeanour expressed that this was a rote order, as he paid no real attention to what he was doing, and simply looked bored. Idiot, but a useful idiot. You will be my ticket in. Sloppy, and the last mistake you will ever make, Bane thought, and when the Abyssin returned to the hatch, Bane fell in step behind him, and ended the mercs' life the moment the doors opened. As the Abyssin slumped to the ground before him, The Duros came face-to-face with a second guard. The reaction of this guard told Bane that while they were expecting him to be there, his arrival was most untimely. The mercenary's single eye widened, and he reached for his gun. But before he could open his mouth to shout an alarm, Bane ended him with two simultaneous bolts that tore through the merc's head at the throat and eye. Even an Abyssin does not recover from that, Bane thought, stepping over the pieces of skull and brain matter that had sprayed the compound's floor.

Bane waited and listened for a moment. All was silent. Good. With some luck he still had the element of surprise and momentum. He heard some snoring from rooms along the corridor. Bane was glad they were being so careless. Abyssins were a pain in the ass to fight with, and he did not want to cause any more ruckus than was necessary, nor give the bastards the slightest chance. So, he dealt with the other unsuspecting, sleeping mercenaries in other rooms with poisonous gas detonators he had prepared in advance for this, killing the mercs quickly and silently. Bane smirked as the last door closed behind him. All too easy.