Black Spire Outpost is a small but thriving settlement on the Outer Rim world Batuu. Although Batuu’s remote location — it’s so far off the grid that couriers have to carry interstellar messages to a planet with a Holonet beacon — has given it a reputation as a good place to lay low and avoid attention, Black Spire has witnessed skirmishes in both the Clone Wars and the more recent war between the Resistance and First Order.

The Spire is a market town where Batuuans and the occasional outlanders come to buy and sell a surprising variety of wares. The main bazaar features handcrafted toys, clothing, pets, and the pervasive, mouthwatering scent wafting from Ronto Roaster’s grill, a converted pod racer engine. Customers interested in specialty goods tend to stick to Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities or Hondo Ohnaka’s latest “highly legitimate and extremely legal import/export business venture.” The most out of place customers must be the trickle of spiritual seekers who flock to Saavi’s scrapyard to pick through rusted durasteel and droid bits in search of something special.

Although people from small Rim communities are known for a certain aloofness with outsiders, Batuuans have gleefully adapted to the increased foot traffic in the bazaar and the planet is something of a minor tourist destination for coreward travellers with a taste for the exotic. Smiles and cries of “Bright suns, traveller!” invariably lead to foreign credits lining Batuuan pockets.

Although the planet has its share of thugs, typically found in Oga’s Cantina, even a First Order garrison couldn’t shake the feeling that this is the happiest place in the galaxy.

Titius entered the bazaar, hugging the wall as he slid his eyes across the crowd. The sun was just rising, sliding razor thin rays between the rounded walls of the dwellings around the thoroughfare. Stopping at a vendor, he palmed a fruit as he engaged the attendant in a conversation about his expectations for the day. Moving away, he weaved his way through the early morning crowd.

The challenge had arrived on his data pad mere days before, inviting him to this over jovial cesspool. Never one to turn down a challenge, Titius figured it would do him good to stretch his muscles and his brains. The lightsaber trophy he collected would go far to buying his next armament, maybe an Amban this time. I wonder how the embarrassment of losing her most valuable possession will affect the empath in her His challenger, a Proselyte going by Atashi, was known for being intensely optimistic…perhaps to a fault…useful.

Back to the present, Titius spotted a roof line that stood between two towers. Switching his implants to low pass mode, he made his way to the stairwell of the left tower and ascended. The noise of the awakening crowd faded out as he started listening to the lower frequencies. A thrum of a droid here, the footfall of a packbeast. It calmed him listening to the undertones, knowing his implants were now hardened against the high whine of his rifle, should it fire. Reaching the roof, he stepped and dropped to a knee.

Several minutes passed as Titius settled in to wait. His perch was in half-shadow, blending with his assassin suit. He let out a breath and sighted in his scope on a fuel line halfway downrange. Lets play with some fire his thoughts intoned. He knew his opponent would be searching for his thoughts so he let them pass lazily. He was admiring cloth at this vendor, he was greeting a friendly patron, he was smiling at a child's glee as they passed. Titius smiled because there was so much potential for loss, so much pain. Snapping back to his senses, Titius decided to move. Slowly, he eased himself back off the roof peak and slid his way to the right tower. He was vulnerable now but a still assassin was a dead assassin.

Atashi gave a long, easy stretch as she breathed in the sights and sounds of the bazaar. A warmth spread through her body, taking in the first blessings of the early morning sun. She'd made sure she had some extra time to explore the wonders of this place. It was unlike anything she'd seen before, and she felt the buzz of both the novelty and the undercurrent of activity lift her spirits.

Elaine will be proud, she thought to herself. Her recent activity within the Brotherhood had got her noticed by Knight Elaine Conrat who had taken her as her student, and had been teaching her the ways of the Clan. She'd urged her to explore all the possibilities that were on offer. Part of that was issuing a challenge to another new recruit, Titius Osseus, who had also recently acquired a Master. The duel wasn't scheduled to start until the hour was up which gave her more than enough time to do some exploring in the meantime. She was looking forward to properly meeting another recruit. She couldn't wait to share the tactics they'd both learnt to date through the friendly duel, and then after to learn everything about him.

Her eyes scanned the various stalls until they rested on one with a handmade sign, scrawled with the writing "Bartez Menagerie Incorporated". Heart leaping two beats, she pushed her way through the crowd to take a closer look.

SQUEEEE As she approached the stall, the creatures seemed to sense her excitement, turning towards her and giving a variety of cheerful chirps and humble growls. She'd always felt more at home with both beasts and droids. She understood them on a level that was far more primal than the complexities that more sentient creatures seemed to bring to the table. Her attention settled on the Porg at the back who was rather more dolice than the rest of the bunch.

"You OK fella?", pressing her face close to the cage. A whiff of straw and waste hit her senses, and she felt a sharp stab deep within. The Porg remained quiet and looked at her with deep, brooding eyes. Atashi didn't even try to locate the owner, and simply shouted, "How much for the Porg?!".

"That'll be 9,000 credits". The response gave no room for bargaining. This was just business.

Atashi pulled up her data pad to check her balance. Blast! A wave of feeling overtook her. She looked back into it's eyes with sorrow, as she muttered, "I'll be back for you, little guy... I promise".

The energy that had previously bolstered her was quickly draining. Why hadn't she worked harder already?! There'd been so many opportunities to gain a little extra credit and she'd squandered it. For all she knew, the Porg would end up as some Wookie's next meal. This was all... her... own... fault....

As she reached into the depths of the feeling, she sensed something else. She couldn't quite place it, but there was some kind of fleeting uneasiness she just couldn't shake, and a small voice within her telling her to be on the lookout and alert.

Reaching his new vantage, Titius drew his rifle to bear. The market noise was getting louder causing a harmonic to start in his implants. Thumbing the volume down, he passed his sight over the lively crowd. Being so dialed in, he nearly jumped when the stark white hair of his target filled the reticle. Little too much zoom. Titius blinked. Definitely a cup of recaf with my name on it later. He had been forced to skip his routine brewing ritual, owing to the microtremors it gave him. When hunting any being in the galaxy, they were easy to ignore. But not with Force Users, where the twitch could spell disaster.

Breathing deeply, Titius brought forward his Tibanna canister. It seated with a click-pssh as it pressurized. Allowing himself a fleeting introspection, Titius remembered why he chose his rifle. He could feel the loading sequence through his body, even when his implants were off. It was reassuring each time, knowing the rifle was ready to reach out and take life. He bowed his head down, inhaled deeply, and brought his body into alignment. Center mass. Minus 3 cm axial, +- 0 cm sagittal Titius recited. His opponent was Human like him but he wanted to avoid a kill-shot...for now. A lung puncture was survivable provided aid was rendered quick enough.

Time seemed to slow for Titius. Patrons moved in a undulating wave around the bazaar. A finger crept forward to the trigger guard. Exhale A child ran through his vision, appearing to cry gleefully at the caged animals nearby. Inhale The target waved then dropped her shoulders as if being told bad news. Exhale Titius felt the flow of Tibanna stop as the chamber equalized. He reached his thumb up to release the safety. Inhale The target turned away from the menagerie stall...

Exhale

The rifle crescendoed and screamed as ignition took hold, launching the furious red bolt straight at the target. The market erupted in chaos as the shot reverberated off the buildings, joined shortly by panicked wails of the crowd. Titius did not look to see if his shot was true. He instinctively knew it was and his focus had to be dodging the security forces sure to show up within seconds. Caressing his rifle, he slid off the edge of the roof, away from the pandemonium he wrought. Landing roughly, he took off at a sprint towards his exit route as he returned his implants to normal.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the blaster bolt approach. Right.. towards.. the Porg. Instinct took over and the barrier was formed around the cage. The bolt was deflected in a flurry of sparks at the exact angle needed to uncover the perpetrator.

Atashi followed line of sight to see a slim form perched on a nearby roof, blaster still smoking. On focus, the sheer malice assaulted her senses. She'd sensed this energy before. Things did not end well. She also recognised the figure.

She took a deep breath to center. The past did not dicate her future. More than that, first impressions can be wrong. She could make this right.

She took a step forward. "Titius?! We're umm... meant to be... Elaine said..."

Another blaster bolt landed right by her feet, scorching the earth and causing her to side step.

Atashi felt the familar crackling of energy surge up within her. She fought back the urge to let herself sucumb to the force lightning that was brewing. Elaine would not be happy if she killed a fellow recruit... She needed to restrain herself... She could restrain herself. She knew she could.

But he went after the Porg, the voice answered back, echoing in her brain.

That thought reverberated throughout her, conflicts and excuses coursing through her mind. What felt like an hour battle transpired within a few seconds.

A single glare in Titius' direction before a hand faced in the direction of the assailant. The dark side had won, this time. A deft motion and she watched Titius' weak body be thrown from the roof, buckling under the force of the impact of the cold, hard floor.

She approached with care. He was still alive. The willpower was clearly strong with this one. Noticing a trickle of blood coming from one of his implants, she wedged her jacket under his head to make him more comfortable. "Be nicer", she whispered.