The parked four passenger speeder provided Okha some cover. However, it was about to become an explosion at any moment. It had taken heavy fire from the bothan suspect and more blasts were on the way.
Several feet away, her speeder was ablaze with her custom R5, which she affectionately called TIC, still on-board and about to become scrap.
Imperial Tie-fighters flew overhead. Their engine roar was the distraction Okha needed.
Just as the bothan looked up, Okha jumped out, ignited her jetpack and began firing her two WESTAR-34 pistols. She needed the suspect alive, so she made each shot count. One shot disabled the blaster the suspect was carrying, the other grazed the left shoulder.
Falling to the ground in pain, the bothan began whelping and cradling the injuries.
Okha ran to her speeder. Despite the flames, she reached in to manually release her R5 unit. Despite her tough Mandalorian armor and flame-resistant flight suit, the heat became too much to bear. However, she was not giving up. Pulling on the leavers and kicking the unit with all her might, there was still no progress. Suddenly, the R5 unit lights up and slowly whistles.
“COME ON!! TIC!!” she kicks the docking clamp with all her might.
Finally, the R5 unit comes loose.“I replaced your OEM motivator, so no excuses! Move it!”
Just as they clear the wreckage, the speeder is engulfed by a fireball. The shockwave knocks both Okha and TIC to the ground.
Shaking it off, Okha comes to her feet and helps her R5 up. With disdain, Okha looked over at the injured bothan still whelping from the pain.
The cries, they sound like he's… not a... Okha’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted.
Glaring lights from two Tie-Bombers filled the area.
Her helmet's polarized visor blocked most of the overwhelming brightness.
What is this? Okha could not believe her eyes.
An Imperial Shuttlecraft, escorted by two Imperial Tie-fighters.
Vader perhaps?
Okha knew the suspect was highly sought after and felt that whomever was stepping out of that shuttle should be ready to pay-up for a job well done.
The shuttle lands. Within moments, the ramp lowers and a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers rapidly descends from it in formation. A moment later, two Deathtroopers escort Director Kogonis.
Good, one of Vader’s stooges, Okha thought to herself in relief.
The last thing she heard about her mentor, Boba Fett, dealing with Darth Vader was less than positive. Although, the outcome for Boba was good in the end.
Two Stormtroopers approach the fallen suspect with blasters drawn.
“Don't move!” barks one of the troopers as the other prepares the cuffs.
Approaching Okha, Kogonis nods, “well done.”
“Did you expect any less?” Okha smiled, although it was not visible through her helmet.
“A little more conspicuous perhaps,” he pauses, looks around and signals the squad leaders to divert the crowd.
Standing next to the Director, Okha felt pride and disgust. It was a successful bounty. But, it was for the Empire. She didn't necessarily agree on their methods. All she wanted was the credits. This bounty, plus the others in the diner should bring her closer to her dream freighter. Nothing else mattered.
Suddenly, the Director signals one his Deathtroopers to approach. He points at the bothan, “make sure she is well secured in my shuttle”.
Wait… She?! Okha’s eyes widened as she frowned in surprise. She never allowed anything to affect her. Knowing that her reaction was not visible under her helmet, gave her a little leeway.
Kogonis continued, “this little one is quite the escape artist, there is much information we need to extract before her execution.”
Okha’s heart sank.
“I know it's not my place to ask, but isn't he…” Kogonis interrupted with laughter “no, no, no. You see, these little beasts are masters of deception. And, you, my dear, were easily deceived.” Pointing at the cuffed bothan girl, he continued, “she was a prime example, and now we need to make an example out of her…”
Suddenly, the Stormtrooper squad leader approached with a data tablet and handed it to Kogonis. It was displaying a map of the area, to which he pointed at the diner where the chase began, “is this where the others are?” looking at Okha. Confused and shaken, she looked over at the map and nodded.
“Great, commander, you know what to do.”
The Stormtrooper walked away and began talking on his communicator.
The roaring of Tie-Bombers echoed.
The bothan was a young girl… Okha began replaying the whole thing in her head.
The older female.
The younger male.
The older male.
This one was…
Okha’s heart sank yet again, “I was right.”
They were a family.
Suddenly, a large explosion shook the entire area. The huge orange glow came from a fireball that Okha would recognize to be that diner she identified.
“NOOOOO! NOOOOO!” Cried the young bothan girl as she ran out of the shuttle.
A Deathtrooper takes aim with a blaster set to stun and takes the shot. As if in slow motion, the girl drops to her knees. Suddenly a memory within Okha is triggered. The same cry. But by a young human boy, Nooooooo! Echoed within her head. The rest of the girl’s upper torso hits the ground. The sound was now accompanied by a vision of that human boy falling to the floor inside of a space freighter. The vision was suddenly interrupted by the Director suddenly turning to her, “Looks like that did not go as well.”
Okha had nothing to say. There was a long, uncomfortable pause. Then, he continued “Oh, and… what about the droid?”
“My R5 is damaged, but I can…” Kogonis interrupts with yet another laugh,”no, no, no… THEIR droid…”
Okha’s face really changed to one of further confusion and anger under the helmet. “Their droid?” she asked with the greatest of disbeliefs.
“Yes, of course. You mean, you did not see it?... your trinkets and such didn’t alert you to it?” Pointing to the prisoner, he continued, “If this one here has the information, then you bet the droid does.” After a brief pause, he turns to Okha with a smile as fake as they come, practically taunting her.
Okha did not know what to say. Thinking back, the presence of a droid would have explained the disruptions while she was trying to listen in. The same droid must have had the critical information.
The WA-7 !! NO! Okha thought to herself in disbelief, But it was inactive.
Okha now realized that the droid was hiding in plain site. As she fought off the bothan family members, by the bar stood what appeared to be an inactive waitress droid. The most important piece of the puzzle. Now it all made sense. Three family members willingly stayed behind so one could create the distraction, allowing the opportunity for the droid to eventually get away. Now, her three would-be bounties in the diner are disintegrated, leaving little to no evidence of who or what was there.
“Don’t be so disappointed.” taunted the Director, “at least we got the young girl.”
It all shattered into pieces. Okha could not believe what she had just been a part of.
Without warning, the Director turned his back to her, and began to walk away toward his shuttle. He turned his head slightly back, ” and don’t worry, you will be paid for her capture”
“What about the others?” Okha asked in a very relaxed and calm tone, although inside she felt nothing but disdain for how everything transpired.
“What others?” His pacing didn’t even slow down as he continued onto his shuttle as his Deathtrooper escort followed closely.
Of course, she thought to herself.
Not only was she responsible for a family being destroyed, she was only going to get credits for one bounty. Which at this point, felt like blood money. As if things could not be worse, there were some other mission details she was not privy to.
Okha kept replaying the scenarios in her mind.
“What did I miss?” she softly asked herself. “Why didn’t I… ?”
Aggravated she looking at her speeder, or, what was left of it. She knew it was irreparable, like everything that transpired. TIC looked like he had been chewed up by a Fire Rancor and spit out.
“You okay, TIC?”
A slight whistle and two beeps was all TIC could muster.
“Me too,” Okha sighed.
Engine roara from the The Imperial shuttle and the two TIEs disrupted any train of thought as they lifted off.
Okha suddenly felt tormented as her thoughts dwindled on the young bothan girl.
How could have I… despite the pit in her stomach, she kept herself together. It was time to go. She knew Emaneld Ude wanted to meet with her about something. Just before the current mission, she received a message from him regarding a bounty that would be the dream job.
