Dealing with Nyron

Chapter Seventeen: Intellectual Interrogation

"Olulm, are you there?" Ishti spoke into his comlink.
"Yeah, is everything okay?"
"That depends, has anyone come onto the ship while we've been away?"
"Let me check."
Ishti and Da'bral waited impatiently.
"Blast!" Came the Duros's voice through the comlink, "Someone's been on. Nyron?"
"Most likely." Ishti grimaced.
"You let him get away?"
"I don't even know how it happened, I could swear he's not human. Has he taken the box?"
They waited again.
"Yes. The box is gone. Next chance we get we're dropping him off, I don't care how useful he is."
Ishti sighed. "Fine. Ishti out."
"Where do you think he went, Ishti?" Asked Da'bral.
"Which toilets are nearest the ship?"

It didn't take them long to teach the toilet, running as fast as they did, but they stood apprehensively outside the door for a while, listening for Nyron. Their eyes caught sounds of whispered muttering, and Ishti looked over to Da'bral.
"On three?"
"One."
"Two."
"Three!" They said together.
Ishti kicked open the door, and they both rushed in.
"Nyron! You'd better be in here!" Yelled Da'bral.
"Okay," they heard Nyron whispering in one of the cubicles, "let's try again: a, b, c - ah!" Ishti grabbed Nyron's lapel and hauled him up from where he'd been crouching. "Hey! What're you doing? I was trying to teach some stupid - uuuugh." Ishti took the dart out of Nyron's neck and slung him over his shoulder. "Let's get out of here." he said.

Olulm still had some more work to do on the ship when they got back, and Fero probably hadn't repaired Ishti's suit yet, so they had some time to kill: perfect for interrogating the pirate. Ishti and Da'bral walked into the cell together, but Ishti had decided to let Da'bral do the interrogation. The pirate smiled and stood as they entered. He was a tall, clean shaven man with straight black hair. He had sharp eyes, as if they were trained to pick out details, and his gleaming teeth where white. He wore his red cloak and golden jewellery with pride and confidence.
"I must congratulate you, my friends." He said, almost succeeding to hide an ironic smirk, "you have captured the fearsome Ven Dagda, the greatest pirate to grace the Gordian Reach!" He bowed.
"Huh, I've never heard of you." Da'bral didn't even bother to hide his amusement at the pirate's failed opening, but Ven didn't seem to care.
"Oh, how frightfully embarrassing." He said, feigning crestfallenness. "Well, I suppose it's to be expected. I don't do business outside of this sector; if I concentrate my efforts here, I establish my territory clearly. No other pirate gang ever did business here!"
Ishti rolled his eyes in his dark corner, a posh pirate.
"But that's unimportant. Now to the real reason you're here: I presume you wish to ask me about my employer. After all, why would a pirate such as I transport a single small box personally from one end of the sector to the other? And that is where I must disappoint you. You see, I don't know who employed me. I took the cargo from some other pirates, and I was meant to give it to yet another group of pirates."
"You're telling me you didn't recognise the pirates you took it from?"
"Well, I suppose that a few credits might help me remember. I presume you have credits, bounty hunters such as yourselves."
"It doesn't look like you're in any position to bargain, pirate. Now tell us who you collected the box from."
"Very well, they were Morellio's men, from the Thanium sector. Now, am I free to go?"
"One more thing: on an unrelated note, are there any unpopulated planets around here suitable for stranding people."
"You want to strand me? After all I've done for you? My dear fellow, I thought we were friends! Why not repay your debt to me by dropping me off home on Korphir?"
"Oh, don't worry, I wasn't thinking about you. We have a troublesome teammate we'd like to be rid of."
"Ha! Alright: Arda 1, Atorra, Betshish, Elamposnia, Kushibah, Ladarra, Troos, Xochtl, Yavin 8, and Yavin 13 would all be suitable worlds to strand someone. All very isolated and very unpleasant."
"Did you just list them alphabetically?"
"Oh yes, I'm sure you can imagine how often I make use of that list. Pirates can be just as troublesome as bounty hunters."
Da'bral laughed dryly. "Trust me, not this bounty hunter."

As expected, Nyron had both Ishti's money and the box, so they left him unconscious and went to help Olulm on the hyperdrive. Soon, they finished, collected Ishti's suit from Fero - who was relieved to see that they actually had the money - and left the station. They had barely taken off when they received a transmission.
"Attention! This is Qan Selma of the Dagda Gang! Please return our captain or prepare to be annihilated!"
Ishti cursed. "I thought I heard an escape pod leave their ship!" He said. "And we have no guns! We're completely defenceless!"
"That's not completely true." Said Olulm, "Unlike Corellians, we Duros can manoeuvre; I can pilot us out of this."
"Or we could just hand him over." Da'bral pointed out. "We don't need him anymore, right?"
Ishti pondered for a moment. "I would've liked to give him to Gan for an extra reward, but I guess you're right."
Olulm hailed the pirates and they let Ven out, who seemed genuinely surprised.
"Good man that Quarren," he said, "I guess I'll have to promote him after all. Are you sure you can't give us the box back?"
"Very sure." Said Ishti firmly, and shoved him into the boarding tube that the pirates had attached to their ship. Ven turned around and saluted as he joined his crew, and Ishti shook his head as he returned to the cockpit. He sat down beside Da'bral, and told Olulm to set a course to Yavin 13.