Chapter XIII – Questions
– Part II
The following day…
“Oh,
I can hardly wait,” Vaarn replied sarcastically. He
put down the datapad he had been reading and walked
over to the terminal.
Neither of the Clawdites was surprised to see the
face on the screen in front of them. Zula was the
right hand of Reynard Sindre and shadowed him
everywhere. Anything uttered from this Clawdite was
a direct repetition of his boss. The gangly man
stood as usual, with no expression on his face, but
rather an odd calm or indifference that made others
pause. Zula never raised his voice, his tone was
always even and it unnerved many in the
organization. His ghastly grayish skin tone didn’t
improve matters either and only seemed to enhance
his peculiar appearance more. A long, slender finger
tapped at the viewscreen at the Clawdites on the
receiving end as Zula muttered, “Master Reynard is
very displeased at your ineffectiveness. He orders
you to locate the merchandise immediately and
recover it.”
“Or
I suppose he’ll penalize us, right?” Vaarn cut in.
Zula
further displayed his indifference and quietly said,
“Yes.”
“We’ll find it. Rest assured on that!” Rheu spoke
up. He was still fairly new to the organization and
had heard horrible stories about their boss.
Unfortunately for him it was after he had already
been employed and powerless to do anything about it.
Absently he reached up and touched his ‘necklace’.
Suddenly aware of his actions, he quickly brought
his hand back down.
Vaarn’s eyes shifted over at his nervous counterpart
and then back to the image of Zula who was waiting
and said, “We’ll locate it. Nurgh out.”
Vaarn ended the conversation quickly and cut the
transmission. Turning away from the desk, he walked
over and retrieved the datapad he was looking at
earlier. He tapped the item into his palm a few
times and then tossed it over to Rheu.
“Read it.”
Rheu
looked at his mentor quizzically and then began to
read the datapad’s contents. It didn’t take long and
he looked up when he finished. “So, a few
adventurous kids found a couple of dead bodies. So?”
Vaarn rolled his eyes and stated, “You really are
green aren’t you? Read it again!”
Lunar Beach:
It would seem that the ‘Festival of Fools’ has taken
a deadly turn. The bodies of two men were discovered
today in one of the many caves on Lunar Beach by
some teens. Investigators have the area quarantined
off but the area has drawn several curious
spectators. The identity of the men is unknown at
this time and the cause of death has not been
released. All that is known is that an altercation
took place judging by the blaster markings on the
cave walls. We will bring you further details as
they come in.
Rheu
looked back up at his partner. “You think this may
have to do with the shipment?” he hesitantly asked.
“Yes, I do,” Vaarn answered. “How many people are
killed, and I’m surmising that this wasn’t an
accident, in a cave, especially here? We know that
the ones who took the toxins came here, for whatever
reason. Perhaps this was their deal that went sour.
In any case, this warrants some investigation on our
part. We can shape shift into a couple of the
officials and walk right in.” Vaarn smiled smugly,
“Besides, I could use a walk on the beach.”
“Should we report back to Reynard?” Rheu asked
skeptically.
“Report what? There’s nothing to tell the pompous
bastard yet.”
“You
really hate him, don’t you?”
Vaarn took a deep breath. “He’s a genius with a real
evil streak. Even I have issues with that.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Garen sat on the bed in the quaint room he had been
assigned as an employee at the Montique Resort
peering at the vials he had taken from the cave. He
slid the datachips aside and picked up one of the
duraglass tubes, his eyes narrowing at the liquid
inside. “I wonder what you are?” he said aloud.
Carefully, he removed the lid and sniffed the inside
of the vial. Perplexed, he turned it onto its side
and a drop of the light orange liquid fell onto the
bed cover. He watched to see if anything would
happen and when it didn’t, he was even more puzzled.
He was so fixated on the vial that he nearly fell
off the bed when his door chime sounded.
“Some assassin I am – getting freaked out by a
little noise.” He shook his head in disbelief and
replaced the vial’s lid. Getting up from the bed he
walked over to the door and opened it.
“Hey, you coming to work today?” asked a jovial
young man with blonde hair and lively green eyes.
“Sorry, Jas, I’m not employed here anymore,” Garen
replied as he stepped back into the room, allowing
Jason to enter.
“No
way!” Jason appeared shocked at the news. “Hey, does
that mean I can use your trademark routine to get
more tips?” he asked, hopeful for a favorable
response.
Garen snickered and said, “Yeah, go ahead, man.
Knock yerself out.”
“Thanks.” Jason was grinning from ear to ear and
then saw the mess on the bed. “What’s all that?”
“Nothing. Just something I’m working on.” Garen
moved closer to the bed and began stuffing the vials
and datachips into a bag.
“Oh,
ok. Well I gotta go before I get in trouble. Good
luck, man.”
Garen placed his hand into Jason’s extended one and
replied, “You too. See ya around.”
With
a nod, Jason turned and left leaving Garen alone
once more.
“I
need some air,” he told himself. He knew that he
still had some time left before the resort would
change the lock on his door so why not take a
leisurely stroll along the beach? He didn’t have to
contend with Yurrn or Irgan anymore, Mara had no
idea he existed, and he was in possession of their
‘prize’ so why not relax a little?
Garen was glad he no longer needed his job and was
all too happy to quit. Hauling other people’s
luggage around and forcing himself to be their
servant irritated him to no end. Of course acting
like a bumbling idiot did garner more tips, but
still, not enough to make him want to stay. And then
there’s the minor detail of having a bounty on your
head. No, these had not been the ideal days of late
for Garen Qeenet but that, he felt, was about to
change.
“I
wonder if my assets are still frozen?” he pondered
as he walked out of the front door of the resort and
into the glaring sunshine. “Then again, I really
didn’t have any,” he chuckled quietly to himself,
“except for my ship, which Sequ took right away. At
least I was able to make an escape. Running into
Yurrn and Irgan was a stroke of luck. And now that
they’re dead I can steal their ship to get out of
here.” Garen smiled at how his fate was on the
upswing. “Still,” his hand moved along his jawline,
“I think that wench was lying. I’ll know soon enough
when I can get those vials tested. There has to be
something to them.”
Happily content to continue talking to himself,
Garen made his way toward the entertainment
district.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Rheu, you ready?”
There was a slight pause. “Yeah,” he answered.
“Then let’s go,” Vaarn growled.
The
two Clawdites strode out of the front doors of the
Maquisic Inn and immediately hailed one of
the nearby hestan drawn carriages and climbed
aboard.
“Where to, gentlemen?” the driver inquired.
“Lunar Beach,” Vaarn gruffly replied.
With a slight nod the driver set his team into
motion and they pulled away from the Inn.
Garen had removed his shoes and let his feet sink
into the soft, white sand that stretched all along
the shoreline of the ocean as he walked. He knew he
shouldn’t be quite so carefree but in this place he
couldn’t help himself – it truly was a paradise in
and of itself. Kuryn was a favorite vacation getaway
for many of the galaxy’s more prosperous clientele,
which is why Garen had found his way here. Not only
could he mingle with the rich he could hide amongst
them in this pretentious atmosphere. No one that
traveled in his circle would be in such a place;
they would consider it too aristocratic and they
certainly didn’t want unwelcome attention drawn to
them.
He finally came upon the cave where the Uyllt
brothers’ bodies had been found. There was still a
small gathering of curious onlookers and reporters
trying to get the latest scoop for their holonews
report. Garen chuckled at their futile efforts,
knowing they wouldn’t find anything to help their
investigation.
“Except the lightsaber…” He paused to think. “Only
Force users have those weapons. I could alert the
authorities to that Mara wench, which would satisfy
me to no end.” He continued his walk, still
exploring the possibilities when a voice shattered
the plot he had begun to formulate.
“Hello, Garen.”
It was a familiar voice, deep in tone and
unforgettable. Garen knew whom the voice belonged to
and wished he were anywhere but where his feet were
placed. “Hello, Vaarn. Taking a vacation?” he asked
pleasantly, looking up into the man’s face.
“Yes and no,” he answered, blocking any further
forward movement by his old acquaintance. Rheu took
a similar stance from behind Garen.
“Ooo, sounds mysterious. Don’t let me keep you.”
Garen tried to maneuver around the large man.
Vaarn smirked and stopped Garen in his tracks. “What
are you doing in such a rich environment? Who did
you rob to even be able to afford the passage?”
“I’m here on vacation, same as you.”
Vaarn didn’t sound convinced and let the man know
it. “Yeah, and I have a pet gundark.”
Garen shrugged. “To each his own.” Suddenly he had
an idea that would rid him of Mara Jade for sure. He
wouldn’t have the chance to kill her but she would
get her just dues all the same. “You know…there’s
someone in town you’d be interested in,” he slyly
said.
Vaarn looked at the man with disinterest. “Who might
that be?” he inquired.
“What’s it worth to ya?”
“Perhaps you’d like me to beat it out of you?” Vaarn
replied, completely serious.
Garen shook his head and grinned. “Now, now, I doubt
your employer, whoever it is now, sent you here to
mingle with us common folk. Tell you what, you give
me 5,000 credits and I’ll spill.”
“And what makes you think it’s worth that much?”
Vaarn argued.
“I don’t have to think about it – I know,” Garen
retorted, his grin taking on a devilish look.
“And I suppose you think I carry around that much in
my pocket?”
Garen ignored the sarcasm in Vaarn’s voice and
replied, “Not at all. We can go somewhere to
complete the transaction.”
Vaarn had a mission to complete but a slight
variance wouldn’t hurt. Besides, if Garen wanted
that much, the information had to be good. Of
course, if it weren’t there would be one less
assassin in the bounty hunter’s realm.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
The trio traveled back to the entertainment district
and entered the North Wind tavern, another
one of the many establishments that served tropical
beverages, tantalizing women, and an abundance of
gambling tables. Garen had found this place not long
after he arrived and couldn’t get enough of it.
“I see you haven’t changed much,” Vaarn snidely
commented.
“Old habits die hard I’m afraid,” Garen admitted as
he waved down a waitress.
A voluptuous brunette waltzed over to their table,
her translucent outfit hugging every curve of her
body. “G’day gentlemen, what can I get for you?” she
cheerfully queried.
Vaarn snorted, more interested in what information
Garen had than the woman. “Antakarian
Fire Dancer,” he abruptly responded.
“Blue Ale,” Rheu replied.
“Ithorian Mist for me, darlin’.” Garen eyed the
woman appreciatively.
Shandilla pleasantly smiled and further asked,
“Would you gents care for anything else?”
“No,” Vaarn spat.
Shandilla arched her eyebrow at the large man and
left to go place their order.
“Still have the manners of a Tusken, I see.” Garen
shook his head.
A few minutes later their waitress returned with
their drinks and set them down. “Anything else?” she
sweetly asked, looking straight at Garen and eyeing
his appealing physique.
“I’ll let ya know, sweetheart.” Garen winked at her.
Shandilla returned the wink and bent over the table,
giving everyone a glimpse of her assets. “All you
have to do is whistle,” she said in a sultry voice,
gazing deeply into Garen’s eyes. She slowly brought
herself upright again and left to attend other
customers.
After the woman had gone Vaarn immediately asked for
the information.
“Hmm? Oh, yeah, credits first,” Garen said with a
shake of his head.
Vaarn leaned back and looked as if he were hunting
and finally found his prey. “I hear you have a
bounty on your head,” he said slyly, tilting his
head to one side.
“A misunderstanding I assure you. Nothing more.”
“That’s not what I heard,” Rheu chimed in.
Garen turned toward the man, his light brown eyes
displaying none of the unease he was beginning to
feel. “Well then you heard wrong. I’m at the top of
my game.”
“Oh, really?” Vaarn stated not believing the man for
a minute. “Personally I don’t care if you’re a
wanted man or not – I want the information you
promised. Your gambling debts are your own affair.”
“And my 5,000 credits?”
Vaarn chuckled and took a long draw of his drink
before answering. “You give me the info and I won’t
turn you in.”
“I should have known better than to trust you. You
could at least pay my tab for what you’re getting,”
Garen argued.
“Done.” Vaarn leaned forward and placed his arms on
the table. “Now…spill.”
Garen’s eyes danced from Vaarn to his partner and
back again. Then a wayward smile began to creep up
his lips. “You’ll never guess who’s visiting Kuryn.”
“I’m in no mood for games, Garen,” Vaarn warningly
stated.
Garen took his time answering; instead he picked up
his drink and slowly sipped it before carefully
setting it down again.
“The Emperor’s Hand.”
Vaarn’s eyes narrowed angrily and he leaned closer
to Garen. “She’s here? Mara Jade is in Kuryn?” This
was not the time for a practical joke.
“In the flesh.” Garen knew of Vaarn’s hatred of Mara
and equally knew he would hunt her down and kill her
given the opportunity.
Vaarn’s thoughts drifted to the woman Jedi Knight he
had recently met. “Where?” Vaarn testily demanded.
“Oh, I saw her in the entertainment district just
last night.”
“And you didn’t take the opp to kill her?” Vaarn
eyed him suspiciously.
Garen shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t have a clean
shot.”
Vaarn glanced at his partner and then back to Garen
again. “You’re hiding something. What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Why don’t I believe you?” Vaarn retorted.
“I don’t know – history maybe?” Garen sarcastically
retorted. “Seriously I was going to take her out
until we met up. Knowing how you despise her I
thought you’d like to do the honors.”
Vaarn leaned back in the seat and said, “Drink up,
you’ve earned it.”
If there was one thing Garen Qeenet could handle it
was his liquor intake – a detail Vaarn hadn’t
remembered until Garen was on his fifth drink and
not even the slightest inebriated. When Shandilla
had given him his fresh drink he had decided to drag
her out onto the dance floor. It was more than
comical relief for the two Clawdites for it gave
them a chance to laugh at the couple and converse
privately.
“Same old Garen.”
“How long have you known him?” Rheu asked.
“Too long I think. We’ve traveled the same routes
together on occasion.” Vaarn glanced back at the
dance floor and slowly shook his head. “He could be
here all day and night for all I know,” he said
disgustedly. “Just be sure you follow him. There’s
something here…it just doesn’t add up.”
Rheu nodded in understanding. “He won’t slip past
me.”
Vaarn gazed hard into his colleague’s blue eyes.
“No, he won’t.”
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