Greeta's asking price was low—practically a friendly rate. Even though she insisted she wouldn't give Amir a discount, she'd clearly done ju
Greeta's asking price was low—practically a friendly rate.
Even though she insisted she wouldn't give Amir a discount, she'd clearly done just that.
If only more people were that bad at keeping promises.
After paying with an equivalent amount of rare metals, Amir received a detailed list of ships that had passed through Coruscant, along with their affiliations.
Three of them were marked in red.
"These three belong to someone I know—a ruthless slaver. That makes them our top suspects," Greeta said.
"Where were they headed?" Amir asked, scanning some unfamiliar names.
"Sha-Wu," she replied. "There are three mining facilities there, close to the system's core."
"It's rich in rare metals, with high output. The ruling authorities place a lot of importance on it—there are even military bases stationed nearby."
"That's the problem," Amir said grimly. "People like that tend to be in bed with the authorities."
Even during the days of the Republic, slavery had existed in legal gray areas. In the Outer Rim, it was often treated as just another form of trade.
Under the Empire, entire species had been subjected to genocide. Strong-bodied species were enslaved on a massive scale. Wookiees, for instance, were brutally exploited for hard labor.
With the Imperial leadership setting the tone, slavers grew bolder. Some Imperial officers even worked with the criminal underworld—selling off prisoners at a premium, or buying cheap labor for mining operations. The profits were enormous.
The slave trade in this sector clearly had military backing, which meant that any operation here would likely put Amir directly at odds with Imperial forces.
"Don't count on a peaceful solution," Greeta warned. "Others have tried—and they're mining there now."
"First, I need to find out which mine my friend's in," Amir said, glancing at the display on his wrist. Lango's signal had gone completely silent. His commlink had likely been destroyed.
"If I'd known, I would've stuffed a tracker in his head," Amir muttered bitterly.
"If it's Sha-Wu, I can send a ship to assist you when the time comes," Greeta offered.
Amir nodded. Even if she had her own reasons for wanting a rival taken out quietly, it was still a rare gesture of goodwill—especially for someone he'd only met yesterday.
Greeta went on to provide details about all three mining facilities.
"Thanks. I'll do some recon first. When it's time to move, I'll call you," Amir said, tapping his commlink.
Everything was going more smoothly than expected. First stop, and he already had detailed intelligence. Either his luck had turned—or the Force was guiding him.
And if it couldn't be explained, well, it had to be the Force. No doubt about it.
Just as Amir stood to leave, the tavern doors creaked open.
His attention snapped toward them.
A Mandalorian walked in.
Silver helmet. T-shaped black visor. Weapons hanging from every part of his armor.
No mistake—it was him.
Amir had seen this Mandalorian before, back at the coliseum. They'd fought side by side and cleared the arena together. There hadn't been time for introductions, but the image had stuck.
It was him—the lead from the holodrama. Din Djarin.
The all-silver helmet was rare enough. And the design matched perfectly.
The Mandalorian didn't seem interested in rest. He slowly scanned the room, clearly searching for someone.
His gaze passed over Amir briefly, but then kept moving.
Even so, a Mandalorian attracted attention like few others. Nearly everyone in the cantina was staring.
Greeta sensed trouble and started to rise from her seat.
Amir called out, "Over here, Mando."
The Mandalorian didn't move his body—just turned his head, eyes locking onto Amir like a hunter spotting prey.
"We've met. Coliseum," Amir said as he approached.
"I've met a lot of people," the young voice inside the helmet replied.
Amir realized he couldn't be older than twenty.
"But not many shoot as well as you," Amir said with a smirk. It wasn't just flattery—he'd seen him take out gunmen with precise shots to the arms. That took real skill.
The Mandalorian turned to face him fully.
"We could always have a rematch."
"Come have a drink first," Amir offered, heading back toward Greeta's table. The Mandalorian hesitated for a moment, then followed.
Once seated, Greeta exhaled quietly in relief. The Mandalorian was a walking arsenal, and he hadn't come in with good vibes. If a fight had broken out, the cantina would've needed a full remodel.
A server quickly brought over two fresh drinks.
Amir looked at his armored guest and chuckled. "Right… You guys never take your helmets off. How do you even drink?"
"…"
"If you came here looking for a fight, you should take it outside," Amir added when the silence lingered.
Greeta rested an elbow on the table and said, "Don't ruin my guests' meals."
"My target's not here," the Mandalorian replied flatly. Whether that was true or just an excuse, no one could say.
Amir took a sip of his drink. "You ever heard of a straw? I've got a few on my ship. Want some for the road?"
The Mandalorian sat up straighter, clearly annoyed. "So why'd you call me over?"
"Old friends catching up," Amir replied casually. Honestly, that was all he'd intended—just a chat.
But then he had a thought. "Actually… I've got a job. Interested?"
The Mandalorian leaned back in his seat again, interest returning.
"Let's hear it."
Amir brightened. Having a heavy hitter like this on his side would change everything.
He quickly laid out the situation.
"All you'd need to do is cover me if things go south. If everything goes smoothly, you won't have to lift a finger."
"Payment?"
"One thousand credits. Paid in rare metals," Amir replied. He didn't have much cash, but he still had enough high-value metal to cover it.
"Deal."
Amir sighed. No haggling. Outer Rim bounty hunters really were broke. That kind of payout wouldn't impress a teenager on Coruscant.
Or maybe this Mando was just uniquely broke.
"When do we leave?"
"Right now," Amir said without hesitation. He wasn't going to waste another second.
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