Serran

Chapter 18: Spice Bounties

The vessel Serran and the crew were on exited hyperspace. They were above a light grey, misty planet. Serran could sense something off about this planet. He couldn't tell what it was about this planet but he knew that he had to be careful around it.

"Welcome to Oba Diah." Esther said from the pilot's chair.

"Oba Diah? The headquarters of the Pyke syndicate are here." Serran stated. He glared at Esther. "You're selling spice to the Pykes of all people? Are you a laserbrain?!" He yelled at the captain, fury pulsing from his eyes. Riu Mahn grasped the blaster that was hanging from his belt.

The Pyke Syndicate, also known as the Syndicate, Pyke Family, or simply as the Pykes, were spice traffickers within the Spice Cartel that operated in the criminal underground from their homeworld of Oba Diah. The Pyke Syndicate owned a large complement of Pyke patrol ships and freighters to transport their enforcers and goods around the galaxy. The Pyke Syndicate almost completely controlled the production of raw spice in the galaxy.

The Pykes were responsible for ensuring the flow of spice from Kessel to Oba Diah to Coruscant, utilizing smugglers and freighter captains to carry out Kessel Runs to ensure spice deliveries.

Esther spun around in the chair to face Serran. "Now you know why we needed you." Esther pointed out.

"Are you trying to get me killed?!" Serran yelled as he drew his lightsaber and ignited its crimson blade. Riu Mahn and Atrus pulled out their blasters and aimed them at Serran and Krass pulled out a dagger.

"If you kill us and take our ship then the Pykes will just come after you instead! Is that what you want?!" Esther warned. She was right. If he killed them all, the Pykes would come after him until he was dead.

Serran extinguished his lightsaber and clipped it back to his belt. "You lot are going to get yourselves killed." He scoffed. Atrus rolled his eyes.

"It's an easy job. Let's just get it over with." Atrus said, leaning back in the co-pilot chair.

~

The vessel slowly landed on a landing pad in front of the Pyke syndicate headquarters. The headquarters were huge and had a sort of dark energy to it. They had to be careful. As soon as the door of the ship slid open, the crew was greeted by a group of Pykes.

"Esther Bukenya, we are pleased to see you." The Pyke at the front greeted. The rest of the crew walked into view and stood behind Esther. "I see you have a new member." The Pyke pointed out. His small face smiled.

"Yes, we do. And we have your spice." Esther said, walking down the ramp from the ship. Krass pressed a button next to the door. Multiple crates that were held at the base of the ship moved out from the ship and were then set down on the ground.

Riu Mahn, Atrus, and Krass joined Esther on the ground. They were unarmed as to not provoke the Pykes and to make them more trusting of them. Two Pykes stepped forward and went over to one of the crates. They opened it and revealed a red-orange powdery substance. One of the two Pykes ran his fingers through it and then let the powder fall back into the crate.

"It's real spice." He said. They closed the crate and went back to the group of Pykes. The crates of spice were then taken from the ship and moved into the headquarters.

"So, where are our credits?" Esther laughed, trying to strengthen the relationship between the Pykes and her crew.

The Pyke leading the group forced a smile. "There are none." He admitted.

"What?"

Suddenly, they were shot at by the very Pykes they sold spice to. Esther, Riu Mahn, and Atrus managed to find cover behind nearby pillars of stone but Krass wasn't so lucky. The child had tried to run back into the ship but had been hit multiple times with blaster bolts and had died.

"Krass! Damn it!" Riu Mahn yelled. He had deeply cared for the child and had treated Krass like the son that had been taken from him. Losing another son was the one thing that made him snap.

Riu Mahn came out from his cover and grabbed a small blaster that he had hidden in his boot. He fired the blaster over and over again, hitting a few of the Pykes and killing them.

"Riu Mahn! Get back here, you'll be killed!" Esther screamed out. Riu Mahn kept firing his blaster, shooting at people, and being shot himself.

"I don't care if I'm killed. Get to the ship and leave!" He shouted at her. A blaster bolt hit his chest and he then fell to the ground, dead.

"NO!" Esther screamed out, her voice full of pain. She hit the com attached to her arm. "Serran, get out here! Now!" She yelled into the com. She had no weapons. None of them had any. Their only chance of survival is to rely on the Sith.

Serran stepped into view from the ship, his lightsaber drawn. The Pykes started aiming their blasters at him, attempting to kill the Sith in front of them. He spun his crimson blade around himself and redirected the blaster bolts at the Pykes, killing the three nearest to him.

He lept off the ramp and flew through the air. He landed on one of the Pykes and pierced his lightsaber through his hexagonal head. He then lifted the corpse of the Pyke and threw it at the remaining Pykes with the force, knocking two of them over.

Without wasting a second, he darted to the last Pyke. He kept his body low to the ground and his arms behind him to quicken himself. The Pyke fired his blaster rapidly and sporadically, fearing for his life. Serran then regripped his lightsaber into a reverse grip and slashed through the Pyke's chest.

Serran breathed through his teeth with a slight smile. He then straightened himself up and extinguished his lightsaber. "What the hell," he cursed.

Esther and Atrus came out from behind the pillars. Esther sprinted toward Riu Mahn's body and kneeled to him. The Kage was dead. His platinum skin and golden hair were stained with dirt and blood. Even though he had gone out as a true warrior, his eyes were kind and calm. It was like he knew this would happen.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you." Esther whispered. A blaster bolt then shot her through the head. She collapsed to the floor next to Riu Mahn, now both dead together.

Atrus looked over and saw that one of the Pykes had survived. He rushed toward him and tackled him to the ground. The Pyke struggled to escape Atrus's grasp but it was no use. The former trooper had the Pyke pinned down. "Why did you attack us!?" He yelled at the Pyke.

"You all... have bounties on your heads. We just wanted the extra money." The Pyke admitted. In an act of rage, Atrus snapped the neck of the Pyke. Atrus then got up and headed to the ship.

"Let's go." He ordered. Serran followed him back onto the ship. The spice run had been a complete disaster. Everyone was dead and they both had nowhere to go. All they could do was nothing.