What a fracking miserable world.
The thought summed up everything Lontra Boglach felt about Tatooine, its inhabitants, and both kinds of temperaments. A desert planet was the last place Lontra wanted to see, he’d much rather be listening to the sounds of jungle or navigating a tightly packed market, but the mission given to him required this destination. Unfortunately for the taskmaster, also known as Captain of the Voidbreaker II, his assigned field trip was going to have to take a backseat for a dopamine sidequest.
‘Chalmun’s Spaceport Cantina’ read a sign in aurebesh that Lontra quickly turned at and followed the direction of its arrow. Behind the man clanged an Imperial Sentry Droid that quickened its pace as it changed its direction to follow its master. While carrying no weapons, the droid known as ‘Vortex’ was still an imposing figure with its tall and wide frame along with its wild explosion of colours.
“You’ve missed the exit, sir!” The droid proclaimed as he stomped up beside his master and matched his pace.
“We aren’t going out there yet, ‘tex.” Lontra snapped with no further explanation.
“Good,” Vortex’s response was immediate and drawn out as if he purred. “The less time I have to spend outside the better.”
When Lontra didn’t answer, the droid continued as if he felt it needed to answer the silence.
“I don't like sand. It's coarse… and rough… and irritating… and it gets everywhere -”
“Shut up, ‘tex.” Lontra sighed. Processing at the spaceport had been taxing on the man’s patience, mostly because of the droid. A drink with some more lively conversation would be just the kind of sidequest needed.
As the pair made a brief passage outside, they came to a single story building made of sandstone that had several speeders and various animal mounts hitched outside. Overhead a large cargo freighter could be seen climbing from the top deck of the neighbouring spaceport before it veered away from the settlement and took off towards the atmosphere. From the entrance of the cantina, the lively sounds of a brass and horn band playing created an inviting vibe that had Lontra rushing through the door and ignoring a dull tone that sounded from the door behind him.
“Hey!” A man behind the bar shouted. When Lontra didn’t immediately respond, the man repeated it with a heavy fist slammed onto the countertop. Immediately silence filled the room as the band stopped playing and various conversations were interrupted so patrons could turn to see what had happened. When Lontra turned his doe-eyes to the bartender, the man continued to shout.
“We don’t serve their kind here!”
“What?” The word was spat from Lontra with complete confusion.
“Your droid, we don’t want it here” The bartender’s growl seemed to match the temperament of the room as several patrons looked at the Sentry droid with disgust or openly bared teeth at Vortex. Lontra quickly told the droid to get back outside, before breathing a sigh of relief that annoyance was conveniently gone.
Stepping down from the entrance into the cantina, the main floor was jam-packed. The drink tables were set into wells along the walls, allowing a larger area around the centre bartop to house a crowd of jocund humanoids of every colour and shape. Each being here had their own story, their own thread connecting them to the Galaxy…given enough time, and credits, the man from Tralus would’ve stayed to listen to all their adventures.
But all that wonder and curiosity melted away when Lontra stepped up to the bar. Before the man could get his credits out and order the house special, a heavy shove spun the man around and placed his back upon the bar. This left the man face to face with a grumpy-looking besalisk who sported a thin, black mustache and a short, black ponytail. Confused, Lontra quickly held his hands up in front of him and gestured for the creature to stop.
“Easy there, big fella!” Lontra could feel how loud his voice sounded as the music and nearby conversation ceased once again. “Did I take your spot, sorry about th-”
For such a large being, the besalisk’s hands moved fast. His two upper hands latched onto Lontra’s wrists and reefed up. This lifted Lontra from the ground and, for a moment, the man expected to be tossed like a doll and braced himself for the throw. Yet, instead, he felt the besalisk’s lower hands feeling around his waist and patting along his belt line all while Lontra hung in the air by his wrists.
“What’s with all the handsy-ness?! Did I not pay a cover or something?!” Lontra bellowed before straining his neck to try to see the bouncer again. “I take it you’re a no tip establishment?!”
“Shut up, cop!” The besalisk answered the man with a snarl. “Your kind isn’t welcome here either.”
“Cop? What are you talking about…” Lontra felt his cheeks warm as he wondered if he had seen this creature before. His mind drew a blank on ever having arrested a besalisk while working for CorSec but that didn’t mean they hadn’t crossed paths before. But the returning look of distrust from the besalisk screamed that danger was coming.
But before the besalisk spoke, he first pulled an item from the back of Lontra’s belt and produced it between their faces and high enough for much of the bar to see.
“Not a cop, eh?” The creature growled as Lontra eyed the pair of stun cuffs that he regularly carried with him.
“Oh, that…” Lontra said with a growing smile on his face before he winked. “I’m a Jedi actually…”
It wasn’t clear how the man thought that answer would help the situation but as the eyes of the besalisk grew, they reflected the image of a large brown boot as Lontra drew his right leg up and buried his heel into the chin of the fuming besalisk.
