Coruscant Industrial District
A massive warehouse had been repurposed as the headquarters of Fronis and his gang.
It was packed with smugglers, outlaws, bounty hunters, and more. And of course, clients—if you had a useful skill, any skill, you could make money here. If you had credits, you could buy anything.
Deep in a back room, a bounty hunter with a bandaged right arm placed an envelope on the table. It was the same envelope the trench-coated man had exchanged at the Chaos Bar, later left behind at the counter, now delivered here.
"Excellent. Here's your reward," Fronis said, tossing several hundred-credit chips onto the table. The bounty hunter snatched them up with his good hand and exited the room cautiously.
Fronis picked up the envelope and allowed himself a rare, satisfied smile. After years of effort, he had finally secured an invitation to Black Sun—his ticket to true power.
Just as he was about to open it, shouts echoed from outside.
He turned to check when one of his men burst into the room, yelling, "The Empire! They're attacking! Run!"
Before the words finished, a spinning red light flashed into the room—a lightsaber—slicing the man in half.
"Damn the Empire!" Fronis cursed, grabbing the envelope and pressing a hidden switch. A smooth panel slid open in the wall behind him, revealing a narrow door. His personal escape route.
He dashed through it into a small storage room and turned to glance at a secure vault. It held the fortune he had scraped together over the years, everything he had bled for. And now, all of it would be lost. Once the Empire swept through, they would seize everything.
He gritted his teeth and tucked the invitation into the inner pocket of his coat. Then he ran down the corridor toward his ship.
He had spent a fortune on that custom freighter. It boasted top-tier speed and defenses, with spare credits and escape plans already stashed aboard. With connections in Coruscant's outer zones, all he had to do was board that ship and he would be free.
He didn't know how the Empire had discovered his operation, but with Black Sun's invitation, he would return someday. As a legend.
The landing platform came into view. Fronis picked up speed.
"You really think you can escape?" a chilling voice called from ahead. Fronis froze.
"No... Impossible! How did you—?!" he stammered, eyes wide in disbelief. This route was secret, known only to his inner circle.
A black-robed figure stepped into view, calmly raising a blaster and aiming it at Fronis's head.
"Whatever you want, it's yours! My vault's back there—I'll give you the code! I'll owe you!" Fronis pleaded.
A screeching noise behind him—the unmistakable sound of a lightsaber slicing metal.
"They've found my tunnel!" Fronis tensed, hand inching toward his blaster.
"Goodbye, old friend," the figure said—then fired.
"AAHH!" Fronis rolled aside, drawing his blaster and firing wildly.
The fight was over in seconds.
The black-robed figure turned, right arm hanging limp. He calmly pocketed the envelope and walked away.
Fronis lay sprawled on the floor, eyes wide, lips twitching. In the moment before the shot, he had seen it. Tentacles beneath the robe.
"Hhh... Sainir..." he whispered—and died.
WENG~ A crimson lightsaber hummed to life, casting red light on Fronis's corpse.
"Fronis is dead. The vault doesn't contain what we seek, Lord Vader."
"Yes, my lord. I will continue the search."
The saber hissed shut. A slender figure turned and walked silently away.
Looking at the 2,000 extra credits in her account, Veronica smiled. "Sainir's got his moments. Even gave us a 400-credit bonus."
"Let me see!" Jay crowded in front of the screen.
"Not bad. We didn't get full payment, but it's still solid. That means each of us gets... uh..."
"Five hundred, idiot," Rango said, pressing down on Jay's head and shoving him aside.
"Well, since you're up, Jay, I guess we should head out. Mels just messaged me," Amir yawned from the couch.
"Okay!" Jay grinned. With credits in hand, he no longer cared how the mission had turned out.
"I'm out too," Rango said, still visibly downcast.
"I'll transfer your cuts. See you tomorrow," Veronica said.
"Tomorrow," Amir mumbled as he dragged himself off the couch. Jay followed. BD-4 hopped onto Amir's back. Rango trailed them.
They left Veronica's small apartment.
Years ago, when Amir had first visited, her parents had been alive—warm, kind people. Until they joined the resistance.
"Amir, want to race in the industrial district later? I can finally buy a secondhand bike. You can help me mod it, right?" Jay beamed.
"Right now? I just want to sleep," Amir muttered.
"You're doing it again. Every mission, you turn into a sloth. Eighteen hours of sleep a day!"
"That's the price of greatness. Too much effort. I'm exhausted," Amir smirked.
Usually, Jay would shoot back a sarcastic remark. But this time, he said nothing.
"Amir, I need a word," Rango said suddenly.
"What is it, Rango? Jay, go on ahead with BD. I'll catch up." Amir turned to the quiet Falleen.
"No shield could have stopped that blast," Rango said, locking eyes with Amir.
"That was..." Amir had never seen him so serious. He was at a loss.
"I'll protect Jay from now on," Rango interrupted, then turned and walked away.
Amir smiled, deeply moved.