Cad Bane - The Concept of Trust

Your own worst enemy - Part I

I think I'll be spilling more beans in this story arch than ever before. Two stubborn bounty hunters may have to face some facts about. *gasp* feels. Also, I'm so happy to bring back a character from previous chapters. Enjoy!

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"Have you heard yet, Lady?" Bane stepped in the Justifier's cockpit where She was once again tweaking with the ship's capacity threshold, completely dwelled in Her work.

"Hear what? You think I'm a Jedi or something, who can read your mind?" She glanced at Bane a tad annoyed when losing the count with Her calculations.

"Well, you should be happy you are not, or we wouldn't be here in Nar Shaddaa now, having this conversation, though I would be a hefty sum of credits richer."

She smirked. "You haven't delivered all the Jedi you know in the Empire's hands... Maybe you would have made an exception with me too?" Her tease was amiable. Bane had some soft spots, even if the Duros never admitted it. It was only a few years back when Bane had revealed Her that there was one Jedi in Tatooine he knew about, and whom he visited from time to time. She had taken Bane's revelation as a sign of significant trust, as the Empire was still, after all these years paying huge sums regarding any information of force users, especially regarding this particular Jedi. But, this one Bane wasn't going to cash in, and She never asked his reasons, only letting Bane know this information was now safe with Her. "I know. You've shown how stubborn Eopi you are, even if there's no need. No one could get that info out. ...Except maybe a jedi themselves..." Bane had growled.

"Lady, I would have sold you the first opportunity to save myself from your wisecracks!" He now responded with a toothy smirk.

She laughed out loud. "Fair enough. What haven't I heard, then?"

"Feli Dren has escaped from the Hutts."

She stared at Bane for a moment. "Well, druk. Ain't that swell? One more ahoo loose cannon who holds a grudge against us is at large..." She remembered Dren's vivid threats very well.

"Maybe you should have felt like cleaning," Bane smirked.

She snorted. Sometimes it felt like the Duros was so used to having someone wanting him dead that he didn't even care anymore, or, more disturbingly, seemed to sometimes welcome someone trying. She, on the other hand, was more worried, but it was as Bane had said; She had made Her own share of enemies after Bane had stirred Her out of Her comfortable insignificance. What was one more on the list? Still, She was somewhat troubled. Feli Dren wasn't someone you wanted to end your days with.

Their evening stretched to small hours in one of the Nar Shaddaa's bars favoured by the bounty hunters. Not drinking this time, as they needed to be sharp next morning when meeting a client, but just talking with other hunters, sharing information, and catching up. Though neither of them favoured sleeping outside either of their ships, it now made no sense to head back for a few hours, and a small familiar motel offered clean enough rooms to sleep.

"I'll go grab some food from the Mandalorian's food booth nearby, Lady. Warm the bed for me, will ya?"

She chuckled. Bane's tendency to seek warmth emphasized his reptilian nature.

"What? Draan Dovoo's food stall is still open? Bring me some Gi dumpling soup, and Uj'alayi, will you?" She was already between the sheets, mumbling from there.