Star Wars The Old Republic: The Jedi Crusader

CHAPTER 10 - TATOOINE - HATRED

Mara's ship sped in to orbit as the ship's holo bleeped. Mara answered hastily, aware of the nearby Republic presence.  It was the Rat King.

"Hello Mara. Was your operation on Rishi successful?" He asked.

"Yeah it was. Your intel was good. We found Brontes. He had been making a monster out of a girl. We put a stop to it." She explained.

"I see. Well, my condolences. But something more pressing is afoot. I need you to come to Tatooine. Seems Tyrans is on to me. I'd like you to be here when me and him have a chat."

"I understand. We'll set course ASAP."

"Good stuff. See you soon."

Rat King's holo vanished as Mara quickly set the ship's co-ordinates for Tatooine. With her crew exhausted, she found herself alone on the ship. And so, she turned to her meditations to pass the time. Mara saw her past. She saw her brother. Her friends. The Jedi. She saw everything she had lost due to war. Everyone that had gone before her. A stern reminder of what she was fighting for.

She was soon snapped out of her meditative trance when her ship was coming close to Tatooine. She rose to her feet and grabbed her lightsaber, which was still leaving low in the air.  She marched to the cockpit and brought the ship out of hyperspace and closed in on Rat King's co-ordinates. She arrived in a remote area of the desert where there was nothing but sand for miles and miles. Though there was one remote cave, one which Mara made her way in to.

Mara ventured inside to find herself up to her neck in disreputable figures of all varieties. She surveyed the cavern to see nothing but folks trying to escape the law and a handful of guards watching over proceedings. They were all looking at her though. She slowly made her way to the bar where she was quickly the centre of attention, with every man at the bar drooling over her very presence – some ladies too. Despite countless offers, Mara bought her own drink and finished it quickly before any of the patrons got too close to her.

Following her instincts, Mara walked deeper into the cave and came to a wellspring where only more-reputable folk could be found. Businessmen from both sides of the war as well as those who had profited from the Hutt influence in the galaxy, many of them revelling in the company that their significant others would not approve of. She came to the final chamber in the cave, where she finally saw him. The Rat King was sat on a throne constructed of bones and gold while he was decked out in royal garbs that were also aligned with bones and vermin insignia.

"Mara Tallian. We finally meet." He rose from his throne and walked down the steps leading to it, grabbing his bone-engraved sceptre as he did so. He offered his hand out to her.

Mara shook it. "A pleasure, Rat."

"Now, you know why I invited you all the way out here to my little slice of paradise. Tyrans is on to me. And by me, I mean us."

"Should we be scared?"

"No. We should be cautious. He is a master tactician. But he is as arrogant as the rest of them." He pressed a button on his wrist. "Come." He gestured her to follow as he walked towards the entrance. She followed him back through the cave and to the bar where he sat and ordered a drink. Everyone quickly vacated the bar on his side and Mara sat next to him. Rat King ordered her an ale as he offered a drink to her. "To those who have gone before us." He wheezed.

"Cheers." Mara clanged her drink against his when she felt a series of hands touch her inappropriately. She slammed her drink down on the bar and turned to see a Nikto cowering with his wrist in the air. Nico had a hold of it and was grasping it tightly, causing a smile to light up Mara's face.