Rarity giggles wildly as you all step into her office. "Oh, you two were amazing! Thank you so much!"
You chuckle. "No problem. Happy to help."
You and Sunset remove your helmets and Rarity goes behind her desk. "Now, I assume you want a little payment for this, yes?"
"That would be nice." Sunset says.
Rarity grabs a few credits and Sunset approaches her to retrieve them. "There you are. I really appreciate the help with Suri."
Sunset brings them over to you and gives you half. Only a couple hundred credits. It was a relatively small job, so you're not surprised.
"There's something else though, you two. Suri isn't the only reason why I called you here." You and Sunset look up to Rarity. She's holding a little holodisc in her hand. "A transmission came for you."
You step forward and take the holodisc from her, inspecting it in your hand. "Who sent it?"
"I'm not sure, darling." She replies. "But they said it was from someone you knew, and it was important."
You and Sunset sit down in the chairs in front of Rarity's desk and set the holodisc down. Once you press play, it lights up like normal and the image of a Republic Officer appears with his hands behind his back. More specifically, Captain Shining Armor.
"Ugh." You groan out loud. "Not this asshole..."
He clears his throat and begins speaking. "Greetings, Anonymous and Sunset. No doubt you both remember who I am."
"Yeah, yeah, Shining Armor..." Sunset also does not sound pleased.
You take a quick glance at her before looking back at the message. "I remember what you said on your stance and views the last time we spoke. I have a contract for you."
You lean in close, intrigued. This could be interesting.
Shining Armor continues. "As you're doubtless aware, the Republic Military is...shorthanded. Problems of every kind are popping up all over the galaxy, and we just don't have the manpower to combat them all right now. We're accelerating our enlistment programs and broadening our requirements to meet the challenges for the future, but until then, well, desperate times call for desperate measures... Which leads me to the offer I have for you." His image fades away and is replaced by the face of a Devaronian male. "You are to locate this individual, dead or alive. The only name we have on record for him is an alias: Discord. He is the leader of a notorious group of pirates known as 'The Draconequui'. Of all the problems the Republic is dealing with right now, they are the most irksome."
Rarity looks down like she's deep in sudden thought. Has she heard about these guys before?
Discord has a wicked smile. One of the two horns on his head looks warped in some places. Looks like he got shot there.
Shining Armor continues. "If you capture him alive, your reward will be 500,000 credits."
Your eyebrows shoot up. "Woah."
"What?!" Sunset gasps louder than you've ever heard her.
This guy must be a HUGE problem for the Republic for a price that size.
Shining Armor continues speaking. "If he's brought in dead, we'll reward you with 400,000. We prefer he face official disciplinary action, but we understand that these situations are risky and nothing is certain. From what you went through with the Rakghouls to rescue Twilight, I can think of no one better for this than you two. I have the utmost faith in you both. Good luck, and happy hunting."
You take a small glance at your robotic arm when he mentions the Rakghouls. You hate those things. But you push those thoughts away when you remember the price tag on this guy.
Discord's face pops up again on the hologram and Sunset turns to you, eyes wide. "500,000 credits! Anon, that would make us for life!"
"It totally would! You in?" You ask.
She nods excitedly. "Hell yeah, I'm in!"
She starts laughing as she looks at Discord's face, already planning how she's going to spend the reward, no doubt. You're honestly thinking about how you'd spend it too.
"Not so fast, you two." You both look up at Rarity. She looks a bit worried. "I'm not very sure about this one."
You and Sunset glance quickly at each other again. "Do you know anything about the Draconequui?" You ask.
"Nothing specific." Rarity says. "All I do know is that they're extremely violent, and that they're likely responsible for some of the recent raids on supply freighters around the Mid-Rim. They've been using something to disable the ships so they can board them and pick them clean, leaving only a scene of violence and destruction behind."
"They don't destroy the ships though?" You ask.
She shakes her head. "They rarely do. It's like they're trying to make a scene, or send a message or something." Rarity looks over at Discord's face, staying silent for a moment. "It's odd. This group has been around for a while, but it's only recently that they've been raiding more often and more violently. I wonder what changed with them."
That is a wonder.
You take the holodisc and turn it off. "Do you know of any leads? Anywhere we can start looking for them?"
Rarity takes a deep breath and thinks for a moment. "Maybe..."
She moves behind her desk and turns on her personal terminal. You cant see the screen, but she thumbs through and looks through a few things for a couple of minutes before waving you and Sunset over.
"Here's someone who could be useful." You and Sunset get up and walk over to her side of the terminal to see an image of a smiling, pink Zeltron with big hair. "Her name is Pinkamena Diane Pie. She used to run with the Draconequui a few years ago."
Her last name is Pie? You wonder if she's related to Jedi Master Maud Pie.
"Pinkamena Diane Pie..." Sunset pinches her eyebrows together. "Pinkamena Diane Pie... Why does that name sound so familiar?"
"Because she has a very infamous reputation." Rarity looks into her bio a little bit more. "It says here that, to a select few, she's known to be a thief. A very good one. The public knows her as one of the best Pazaak players, if not the best Pazaak player, in the Outer Rim."
This girl's got quite the rep.
You lean in to get a closer look at Rarity's terminal. Pinkamena's bio says that she's usually found in or nearby the old Pazaak Den on Nar Shaddaa. You haven't been to the Pazaak Den in forever.
"Well, I think we'll go pay this one a visit." You stand up straight and head toward the door with Sunset. "We'll have a nice little chat and see if we can't learn anything from her."
"Anonymous, please be careful." She says.
You look back at her and shrug a little. "It's us, remember?"
She nods. "Yes, yes, I know, but still. The Draconequui are not to be taken lightly. And, for 500,000 credits, this Discord character must be very dangerous. Even for you two."
"It's just another job, Rarity." You and Sunset slip your helmets back on. "Send us Pinkamena's full bio."
You both exit her office and make your way back to your ship. You try to maintain your 'tough Mando' appearance for the Neimoidians as best you can, but it's all you can do to not grab Sunset right then and there, and jump up and down while giggling like a little girl.
500,000 credits! That is insane!
Once you and Sunset reach your ship and climb aboard, you both make a mad dash to the main hold, removing your helmets and practically throwing them onto the table in the center.
"Go!" You shout. "Start the ship and get us to Nar Shaddaa! Go, go, go, go, go!"
"Okay!" She squeals excitedly.
You both laugh like idiots as you run to the cockpit. She jumps into the pilot's seat and you switch on the navcomputer in the co-pilot's. The ship starts up and begins to hum as you frantically select Nar Shaddaa, but the computer won't set a course. Your ship isn't in space quite yet.
Sunset, please hurry.
The ship roars to life and you slowly rise into the air. The ship points upwards and you take off into the atmosphere.
As you're about reach orbit, Rarity contacts you on the ship's computer. "Alright, you two. I've sent you Pinkamena's information." Pinkamena's picture and bio appear onscreen next to Rarity's face. "I must advise extreme caution with her, Anonymous. She's dangerous."
"How dangerous could she possibly be, Rarity?" You ask. "No offense, but you're acting like we've never done this before."
Rarity holds her hands up defensively. "I just care about you not dying, darling! Don't blame me! Look here." Pinkamena's bio lights up in a few places as Rarity highlights them.
A closer look reveals that she's had quite a few prices put on her head in the past. There's a whole list of people who had placed bounties on her, but each one of their names has been redacted.
"What the..?" You scroll down the list even further. Each and every name is in red and crossed out. That can't be right.
"I thought it was an error as well, but I dug a little deeper." Rarity says. "Every person who has placed a price on this girl's head, along with each subsequent bounty hunter that has gone after her, has been killed by her. Every. Single. One."
You stare at the names and Sunset leans over to get a look at the screen as well. "Damn..."
The two of you look at each other. You hate to think that it's possible you're in over your heads with this girl. All that jubilation that you were feeling from the thought of being rich is starting to fade as reality sets in. This will be tough.
Rarity gets your attention again. "She hasn't done wrong by me, so luckily you aren't after her. I don't even know this girl."
She's probably glad for her sake more than anything.
Rarity continues. "Still, I implore you to be careful. I know how much you love a good fight, but I don't want to hear about your death by her hand next, Anonymous."
She won't. You're not after Pinkamena, but if you were, you'd still be fine. It's unlikely that she's fought two Mandalorians at the same time, should it come to that
"We'll be careful." You assure. "We'll make sure she knows we aren't after her."
"I personally think you should just avoid the 'bounty hunter' topic at all costs." Rarity suggests.
"That's a good idea." Sunset says. "We'll ease her suspicions right away if it comes up."
"Alright... Again, please, be careful, you two." Rarity says.
"We'll be fine. Thanks, Rarity." You shut off communications and look out the cockpit window as you enter the vastness of space.
You take a deep breath and lock in the coordinates to Nar Shaddaa.
"You're not nervous, are you?" Sunset asks.
You look back to Sunset and shake your head. "No. There's just a ton of money on the line, and we don't have a plan yet. Once we figure something out, we'll be good."
She nods, understanding. "It is a lot of money..."
500,000 credits...
No, Anon. Don't worry about anything. You and Sunset are the best.
"We'll be fine." You say. "We always are."
The ship twists around in space and the hyperdrive whirs louder as you hit the throttle and head off to Nar Shaddaa. Sunset sighs and leans back in her chair. You both stay silent as you ponder to yourselves.
She looks over at you. "You've been to the Pazaak Den before, right?"
You nod. "Yeah. A long time ago."
That was a bad day.
You were never a pro at Pazaak, but you could hold your own in a game pretty well, you'd like to think. You're pretty sure you still have your old deck here somewhere. Pazaak was a good game, but you stopped playing after visiting the Den. You won only a couple matches against maybe two guys there, but you lost all your money in the end, so you decided to retire after that. It wasn't the first time you had lost money gambling, but it was your wake up call to stop.
Lucky for you both, you're not going to gamble this time.
"Hopefully the password is still good." You say out loud.
'Holdout'. That's what it was...
---
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ick4b5ZtbY
As the doors open, you and Sunset both step inside and look around at the smoky room. Patrons of every race, gender, and species are gathered at nearly every table playing a game. The music is soft, but jazzy.
It's just like you remember it, and that's not good.
"Oh boy..." You mutter.
You want to play Pazaak with someone...
Maybe all this time away from it has given you a chance to gather your bearings and recover. Maybe you have a better chance to compete with the pros in here this time. These guys don't look that bad. Maybe you have time for a game or two. Or three...
Sunset snaps her fingers in front of your face and brings you back to reality. "Anon, focus."
You realize that you were just staring blankly at a couple of Gran seated at a nearby table. They were arguing with each other about something with their game and didn't even notice you.
You shake your head and take a deep breath. "Thanks..."
She cocks an eyebrow at you. "You want to wait outside?"
You grin a little. "No. No, I'll be fine. I just need to focus, you're right."
She gives a little chuckle and looks around the room. "Let's spread out. Look around for her, or ask other people if they know where she is."
Pinkamena Diane Pie.
You nod. "Sounds good."
You both spread out and look around the room. You pass by a few Twi'leks, Duros, Ithorians, and Humans, to name a few, all playing, arguing, or drinking with one another. No Zeltrons though.
You head to a nearby table where an older human male is seated. "You here playing, old timer?"
He looks up at you and chuckles before taking a sip of his drink. "No, not anymore. I retired a long time ago. I like to come back here and bask in the memories though."
You look around the room at everything. It's a wonderful sight to see, you have to admit.
You grin a bit and turn back to him. "Think you can help me? I'm looking for someone. Pinkamena Diane Pie. Do you know her?"
His eyebrows shoot up and his smile widens. "You're looking for Pie? You a challenger or just a fan of hers?"
"I'm... just a fan with a question for her. Big fan." You lie.
He smiles and nods as if he understands.
From behind, you hear someone loudly scream "No!", followed by crowds of laughter. You look to see a Zabrak male clenching his fists in fury and stomping away from the crowded back corner of the cantina toward the entrance. He must've lost.
The man points to where the Zabrak came from. "She's just back there, son."
You turn back to look at him after a moment. "Alright, thanks."
You both nod to each other and turn around to face the dispersing crowd of people. You weave through them until you reach the back corner.
Seated at a table in front of you is a girl leaning on the back two legs of the chair she's sitting on with her feet up on the table. In her hands, she's counting a bunch of credits that she's apparently just won. She's swinging her toes from left to right and humming to herself. Her back is turned to you, and all you see is her big pink hair.
You take a step forward and clear your throat.
"Yes?" She doesn't turn to face you, but she has a bubbly, sing-song voice.
"Are you Pinkamena Diane Pie?" You ask.
"Hmm." She pauses. "That depends! Does she owe you money?"
"No." You reply.
She stays still for a few moments before stacking her credits together in her hand and putting her feet down off the table. She turns her head around to look at you. There's a wide smile on her face and her eyes are a bright blue. Her skin is pink, and her hair is even pinker. It seems to explode out of her head.
"Then I'm your girl!" She says with a smile. "You can call me Pinkie!"