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The Star Rider: Episode 2: Blood Trust (Part 4)

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(Part 4)


Pitch black. Jak couldn't see anything, as always. But he could feel the embrace. He could even smell the perfume that was worn. But the voice...


“Stay. Please don't go. Stay here with me.”



Those words had filled Jak with sadness for years. This was a memory he relived in a dream over and over. Even now, he realized he was only dreaming. But he couldn't stop thinking about what he wouldn't give to have this moment back. But at the same time, wishing that he could just forget everything.



Jak awoke from his sleep. His bed was soaked with his sweat, his eyes welled up, and his mouth was dry.He looked around his room, trying to remember what he was supposed to do. Then Moz's voice cracked over the intercom.


“Jak. You up?”


Jak lifted himself on his bed. Maybe I shouldn't of took that nap, he thought to himself.  


“Yeah. I'm up.”


“You ready?”


“Ready for-”


Then Jak remembered what they were doing. They were taking a job on Ruresh. A sniper identified as a Lethan Twi-lek took multiple Rutian Twi-lek lives. Jak and the crew had to find out who the sniper was, in hopes that this didn't start a war between the two groups.


Jak looked down and realized he was half-naked. He was most definitely not ready.


“Uhm. Just give me a minute.” Jak said.


“Alright. Well, we're just waiting on you, just so you know.”





Jak had gotten ready and met the crew outside on the ship. The first thing that hit Jak when he stepped on Ruresh was the heat. Jak had been on Ruresh before, but he never really got used to this planet. Minutes on this planet could give those sensitive to heat a massive stroke, he always wondered why any Twi-lek would even settle here. And although it wasn't impossible, the air was very difficult to breathe in.


Ruresh had a few tall buildings in the capital, but most buildings were more wide than tall and were made of brick and concrete, instead of sand and rocks like a lot of planets in the galaxy.


“Uh-huh. I hate this place too.” Sig said with obvious disgust.


“I hate to complain but -” Moz started.

Sig smiled, “ But you'll always complain anyway.”


“Hey, I'm just saying you couldn't even light a match in this type of atmosphere. You might spontaneously catch on fire from just lighting a cigar.”


Jak laughed. “Probably another reason why you shouldn't smoke, Moz.”


“As long as the law permits it, I'm allowed to do whatever I want.”


“Yeah, and that'll end up killing you.”


“Yeah, and so will jumping in front of a gun, but that doesn't seem bother you guys at all.”


“Point.”


Jak looked around... trying to remember what was where.


“I guess you'll be taking lead on this one since you've been here before, right?” Sig asked.


“Yeah. I'm just trying to remember where is where.”


After a few minutes, it started to come back to him.


“Okay. So the Lethan enclave is about 3 miles North from here. I'll head over there. The Rutian enclave should be about 10 miles South from here. Sig, you and Nya should rent a landspeeder and head over there.”


“Whoa. Wait” Nya said rasing her hand. “Why am I going?”


Jak couldn't help but chuckle Nya's hand raising.


“While you're with us, you're going to be in a lot of...interesting situations. In a lot of situations, you're going to need experience. So you're going to accompany Sigana and watch how she deals with situations.”


Nya nodded her head in understanding, but Jak could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't comfortable with it at all. But that was normal, Jak believed. But Jak also had little doubt that she would get used to this sort of thing with time.


“So. What do you want me to do, exactly?” Moz asked.


“You can stay with the ship. Make sure you're ready to pick us up in case we need to make a quick exit, and make sure no one tries to steal our ship.”


“Got it.”


Jak looked at Sig. He could tell she wasn't happy about Nya tagging along at all. But who knows? In time, Sig may think of Nya like the little sister she always wanted. But Jak knew that was more than likely wishful thinking on his part. In either case, Sig was trying her best not to vocalize her displeasement with the situation. Progress, Jak hoped.


“Alright, We'll go and see if we can rent a landspeeder. Lets go, kid.” Sig said, and walked off. Nya obviously didn't like Sig calling her “kid”, but she refrained from replying with any snarky comments. Instead she just followed Sig.



“Why do I get the feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful long-lasting friendship between those two?” Moz said sarcastically.


“They'll get along.” Jak said, but not really sure if he believed that. In fact, he was starting to wonder if he should've just let Nya tag along with him instead.


“The people of Ruresh aren't going to respond well to you guys, are they?”


“Nope. But the sad thing is, they'll like us more than they like eachother.”


“A damn shame. It was bad enough when people didn't like other species. But to dislike their own species, and because of skin color? That's just dumb.”


“It's a crazy galaxy. And it's one that we can't really change. We just have to do our own thing and try move past the ignorance that surrounds us.”


“Well, I hope you figure out who shot who, and hope no more blood gets spilled in the process.”


“We'll be back before you know it, Moz.”



***


Sig and Nya had rented a landspeeder from a dealer in the local plaza of Ruresh. It wasn't exactly the nicest landspeeder Nya had ever seen. But then again, it's not like she spent a good amount of time looking at landspeeders.


The landspeeder was able to carry up to four people, two in the front, two in the back. It was white with red stripes. The dealer bragged how it once belong to a champion in one of the local races on Ruresh. He even tried to up the price on renting the speeder. But Sig was having none of it, so the dealer let them rent on the advertised price.


Sig noted that it took them longer for them to get the speeder than she had intended. That was because in trying to convince them in which landspeeder they should rent, the dealer would at times look at Sig and suddenly forget his sellers pitch. The man was apparently awestruck by Sig's beauty. Unfortunately this would cause a minute or two of uncomfortable silence, and staring by the dealer.


Nya envied Sig. She remembered in Jabba's palace that some of the attendants and guards were also surprised by just how beautiful Sig was. But despite this, Sig didn't smile that much, and rarely, if ever, was she happy. It seemed that most of the time, she just wanted to punch & shoot people...and make a lot money in the process. Why she seemed so angry was a mystery Nya couldn't seem to figure out.



They were almost to the enclave now. Sig drove fast, almost a little too fast. But Nya didn't comment on this. Instead, she let the passing wind blow past her hair face. Seeing how there wasn't an air conditioner to be found on the landspeeder, this was most likely the best Nya would feel on this planet.


“So what are going to do when we get to the enclave?” Nya asked, hoping that passing wind wasn't too loud for Sig to hear her, and that Sig wasn't too focused on driving to hear the question.


“We''ll go to where the shooting happened, determine where the shooter fired from, and then look for clues.” Sig replied.


“You think they'll just let us walk around the place?”


“Maybe. Maybe not. If things don't go the way they're supposed to, we can just sneak in.”


“And what if we get caught?”


“I'm not getting caught. You? I'm not so sure.”


“Okay...So what if I get caught?”


For a moment Sig didn't say anything, and she looked irritated by the question.


“I won't let anything happen to you. I promise.”


Nya was surprised. She expected a sarcastic response from Sig. But she genuinely meant what she was saying. Nya started to think that maybe Sig didn't hate her as much as she thought she did.


Sig looked at Nya and saw the expression of surprise on her face. “Don't give me that look. We're not friends. I'm protecting you because I know that's what Jak expects me to do. If it were completely up to me, Your butt would be on your own. Understand?”


And the sudden feeling of building camaraderie faded away almost as soon as it had came...


“Understood.” Nya replied.


“Good.”



***



Jak made his way to the Lethan enclave on foot. The area of the place was, to his surprise, dark. Fortunately, the sun was still up, so a good bit of the area was still visible.


Jak started toward the enclave doors. The Lethan enclave, was actually pretty small, at least compared to the Rutian enclave. Jak hadn't really been to Rutian enclave, but he'd heard locals talking about it. Jak started up the steps, then all of a sudden he heard a loud noise.


“Look what we got here. A Humie!” a voice said.


Stepping out of the shadows were five Twi-eks, all were Rutian, late teens possibly, average build and height except for the one in the middle. The one in the middle, more than likely the leader of this group, was probably about 6-4, he had a particularly large build, and a noticeable scar on his left eye.



“Howdy, gentlemen. Can I help you?” Jak asked.


“Yeah. Give us all your credits!” The leader said, pulling out a knife, and pointing it towards Jak.


Jak laughed. The leader did not like that at all.


“You think this is a joke!? Hand us your credits!” The leader yelled.


“Okay, you realize what you're doing wrong here, right? I mean other than holding the knife the wrong way?”


“What? I'm not holding it wrong!”


“Your pointing a knife at a guy who has two swords on his back, and a pistol holstered on both his hips. That's not a very good idea, and seeing how I have the right to shoot you for drawing a knife on me, I'd say that what you're doing is pretty stupid.”


“I-I, Hub, let me see your gun.”


The Twi-lek beside him shifted beside him uncomfortably. “H-huh?” He said.


“Your gun! Let me see it!”


“But...But I don't have it on me.”


“What!?”


“I forgot it at my mom's house! I'm sorry.”


“Your so stupid! How could forget something like that!”



Jak shook his head, this turned from somewhat funny to just plain sad. “I'll tell you what.” Jak said. He took out his gun on his right holster and threw it towards the Rutian leader who grabbed it.


“Use that.” Jak said, pressing a button on his gauntlet. “ I needed to test something out anyway.”


The expression on the leader's face turned from confused to angry. “You making fun of me?”


“To be honest, kid, making fun of you isn't really that hard.”


“Why you!? I'll show you, just watch!”


The young leader than took Jak's pistol and aimed it at Jak. But before he could fire, Jak extended his right gauntlet as far he could, and what emerged from it was a small concealed pistol. Jak aimed, shot, and hit his intended target, which wasn't the kid, but instead his own pistol.


But to Jak's own surprise, the bolt that was only supposed to temporarily disable the pistol, also shocked the leader.


The leader of the small Rutian gang had dropped the pistol, and later he followed it to the ground, face first, unconscious, but not dead.


One of the other Twi-leks had grabbed Jak's pistol, aimed at him, and pulled the trigger. But the gun didn't fire.


“That one won't be working for another half-hour.” Jak told him. “I could throw you my other pistol if you'd like.”


The Twi-lek dropped Jak's pistol, then he and the other three Twi-leks ran off leading their leader behind.


Jak stepped down the steps and picked up his pistol. Looking at the young leader, He couldn't help but pity him. So Jak grabbed the unconscious young man by the arm and carried him up the steps into the Lethan enclave.




The place wasn't that large inside either, it pretty much looked like a normal restaurant with a bar to Jak. There were a few tables, offices, and what Jak believed was the restroom. There were a few Lethan Twi-leks in the enclave, but Jak believed that was because they didn't want everyone to be in one place in case the Rutian Twi-leks went crazy and came after the enclave.


But what was most noticable was the air. It was much cooler, and much easier to breathe in than the outisde. Jak assumed that this was because not everyone who entered here was human, and the Lethan clan made sure that whatever outsider visited their enclave was comfortable.


The bartender was the first to notice Jak, and at first his expression was welcoming, but then he saw the young Rutian Twi-lek draped over Jak's shoulder, and the warm expression quickly vanished.


“What do you want?” The bartender asked with a noticeably annoyed tone.


“I came to do business with Ishnar.” Jak replied.


“And the Rutian?”


“We had a disagreement about where my credits should go. I won the argument.”


“Good. Leave him outside.”


“I'm not sure that's a good idea, leaving him on the street where anyone could get to him. I just want to leave him somewhere safe where he can recover and walk on home.”


“And you think this is safe place for him? Don't you know what's going on here, human?”


“I do.”


“Than your even dumber than you look, cowboy. He can't stay here.”


“I'd like for Ishnar to make that judgment, if you don't mind.”


“I do mind. And I don't much care for the way you talk to me, human.”


Jak shrugged. “In any case, I'll be waiting for Ishnar. So if you could go get him, I'd very much appreciate it.”


Jak thought this uncomfortable conversation couldn't get any worse. Unfortunately, he was wrong.

Behind the bar, the bartender started to reach for something. He was using both his hands, Jak could tell, and he wasn't taking his eyes off of Jak or the unconscious Rutian.


“So, how do I know he's still unconscious and not merely pretending? The bartender asked, still reaching, for what Jak suspected was a rifle.


“I shocked him with a blaster bolt.” Jak replied.


“Really?”


“Really.”


“And I'm supposed to just believe a Mercenary?”


“How did you know I was a Merc?”


“Well, you sort of look like a Mercanary. And you just confirmed that you are indeed one. So I ask you again, Why should I believe you?”


“Maybe you should go ahead ask Ishnar.”


“How do I know that you aren't trying to bring him out so you can kill him?”


“Ask him, and you'll know. Don't you have a way to contact via com?”


“Maybe I do, maybe I don't.”


Jak was starting to grow frustrated. Why wasn't anything ever easy? Jak took a deep breath, and put down the Rutian before he spoke again.


“Look-”


“No! I don't wanna hear another word, outsider!” The bartender snapped. And this time he confirmed a rifle was indeed under the bar as he pulled out aimed at Jak.


“Are you crazy?”


“Are YOU crazy!? The Rutian clan wants our heads on sticks! They want our blood! We all know it! You said that you know what's going on here, and yet you bring in a punk from the Rutian clan who's been scaring off any outsider that comes near this place!? I don't know you! And so far, I sure as hell don't like you! So take the Rutian and get out!”


Jak knows he could disarm the bartender easily without getting shot himself. But the other Lethan Twi-leks were also looking on, and most of them were armed as well. Jak could probably get out of this with a few scratches and bruises at the most. But he couldn't guarantee that no one wasn't going to get hurt or worse, killed.


Jak threw his arms up in surrender. “Okay. I'll take the kid and go. When you see Ishnar, tell him I'm sorry we couldn't do business.”


Jak grabbed the young Twi-lek and started out the door. But then a familiar voice called out. “Wait! Jak!”


Jak turned and saw around the corner, coming out of an office was Ishnar. The taller Lethan Twi-Lek went up the bartender and snatched the rifle away from him.


“Fool! What is wrong with you?” Ishnar snapped.


The bartender seemed confused and a little afraid.


“Ish-Ishnar, this outsider brought that Rutian in here and...”


“And asked for help? Right? Yes. That's called being a decent being! You ever tried that?”


“S-sir, I...”


“Do you know who this is?” Ishnar said pointing at Jak. “This is Jak Rider. One of the best Mercenaries in the galaxy! He could've taken you and everyone else in here out!”


Jak didn't like this. Not one bit. “Ishnar.” he said. I wasn't going to do that.”


“I know.” Ishnar replied. “Because as great as you are as a mercanary, you are an even better man.”


Ishnar's attention now turned back to the bartender, who seemed to be in a state of shock. “This man...” Ishnar continued. “Deserves your respect. You owe him your sincerest apology, and a free drink.”



“That's really not necessary, Ishnar.” Jak said.


Ishnar shook his head. “ I insist. Now please, Jak, come into my office.”


“Alright. But do you have somewhere he can rest, until he wakes up?” Jak asked, pointing at the young Rutian.


Ishnar looked at two other Lethan Twi-leks in the enclave, he snapped his fingers, and they rose from their seats, walking toward the unconscious Twi-lek. “Yes. We have a nursery, he can rest there and then go home.”


Jak followed Ishnar into his office.


“I'm sorry for what just happened. Everyone seems to be a little too on edge around here.” Ishnar said.


“It's okay.” Jak replied. “I honestly didn't realize it was this bad.”


“Without your help, Jak, it could get a lot worse.”



Out of the two groups on Ruresh, Lethan Twi-leks are the “calmer” group of the two. This made Jak wonder...



Just what did I send Sig & Nya into?

Arrival on Ruresh! In part 4 in Episode 2 of The Star Rider, the crew lands on the planet of this troubled society. Each member gets their assignment, but after a few encounters, Jak wonders just how the bad situation Ruresh really is.
© 2015 - 2024 ndwwrestler2
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dwpor's avatar
Just read it. Very good.