Roona, a Rodian scout with a shock of pink hair, stepped into a dimly lit cantina of Mos Espa. The twin suns had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the dusty streets of Mos Espa. She took a deep breath, savoring the stale mix of alien spices and the faint scent of oily droids. The hum of conversations and the occasional clink of glasses filled the room, providing a welcome reprieve from the quiet solitude of the desert outside.
This particular cantina, known as the "Cosmic Whirl," was a place she had visited often during her brief moments of respite. The name was fitting for the eclectic mix of patrons that frequented the joint: Humans, Rodians, Twilek, Jawas, and various other creatures from across the galaxy. The walls were adorned with holographic signs advertising drink specials that promised to take your taste buds to the stars and back. The neon lights flickered, casting a rainbow of colors on the smoke-stained ceiling.
Roona made her way to the bar, her goggles pushed up on her forehead to reveal her piercing black eyes. She was a creature of habit, ordering a glass of the strongest blue milk the cantina had to offer. The bartender, a burly Besalisk, nodded in recognition and slid the drink across the counter. It had been a favorite spot for her while in town, a place to unwind and share stories of adventures across the Outer Rim. But tonight, she was the only one from her group present. They had paid her debt to Teemo the Hutt and had moved on to their next mission, preparing to receive their very own ship.
Kel Daro, an ex-teammate, spotted Roona from across the crowded room. His once-friendly gaze had hardened into something colder, more calculating. Kel was a human with a reputation for being quick on the draw and even quicker on his feet. He had always been the team's wildcard, but his loyalty was unquestioned. Or so Roona had thought. The fact that he was a bounty hunter for Teemo the Hutt was always a worry in the back of her mind, but Kel had gone on several missions with the team.
He sauntered over to the bar, his blaster holstered low on his hip, a smug smile playing across his face. "Roona," he said, his voice a gravelly drawl that seemed to suck the air out of the room. "Long time, no see. Teemo wants me to tell you he still wants his money." The irony was not lost on the Rodian scout.
Roona's heart skipped a beat, realizing her mistake in trusting Kel and allowing him into their group. His skin was a deep tan, a testament to his time spent in the harsh Tatooine suns. His eyes, once filled with camaraderie, now gleamed with greed. She had been so sure her debt to Teemo was squared away, but here was Kel, ready to collect the bounty on her head.
"What trick this, Kel?" she growled, her voice thick with the Rodian accent that she had tried so hard to mask. She didn't have a great mastery of Basic and preferred talking in Huttese or even Rodian. The music of the cantina seemed to fade into the background as the tension between them grew palpable. The patrons, sensing the shift in the air, began to discreetly move away, leaving a clear path to the exit.
Kel leaned in closer, his hand hovering near his blaster. "Teemo's not a forgiving type, Roona. You know that better than anyone. You owe him 8000 credits, and your friends thought they could pay me off and keep you out of his clutches. But I've got news for you, sweetheart. That's not how this works."
Roona's hand tightened around her glass of blue milk, her knuckles turning white. She took a sip, trying to calm her nerves. "Not pay you money, Kel. Debt paid. Chuba Stoopa."
Kel's smile grew wider. "I know they paid ME. I decided to keep that money. But that doesn't change the fact that you still owe Teemo. And if I bring you in, I'll get paid for that part of the deal as well." His hand dropped to his holster, the leather creaking under his grip.
Roona's eyes narrowed. She knew Kel was dangerous, but she had always counted on her skills to keep her out of trouble. "E chu ta! Mistake," she warned, sliding off the barstool and standing to meet the much taller human eye to eye.
But Kel wasn't intimidated. He sneered, "Mistake? This is the best decision I've made in a long time." His hand hovered above his holster, his thumb poised to draw his blaster. She clutched the glass of blue milk tightly, the cool condensation slicking her palm. In that moment, she knew what she had to do. She had no intention of letting Kel take her in. A fight was inevitable.
With a flick of her wrist, she threw the contents of the glass in Kel's face. The blue milk splattered across his features, momentarily blinding him. His smug smile dissolved into a snarl as he wiped at his eyes, the liquid mixing with the dust and sweat to create a frothy mess. The cantina fell silent. Roona took advantage of his temporary disorientation and dove for cover behind a nearby table. The wooden surface was sticky with the remnants of a thousand spilled drinks, but she didn't care. Her heart pounded in her chest as she drew her blaster, the cold metal comforting in her grasp. The room was a blur of movement as the patrons realized what was happening and scrambled to get out of the line of fire.
Kel, his eyes red with rage and milk, pulled his blaster and fired blindly in her direction. The bolts sizzled through the air, narrowly missing her as she rolled to the side. The smell of burning wood filled the cantina as the bolts hit the floor and the table she had just been hiding behind. She returned fire, her shots wild but accurate enough to keep Kel pinned down. One shot hit him in the hand, knocking his blaster to the floor.
With a roar, Kel wiped the milk from his eyes and lunged at her, his blaster forgotten. She met him with a swift kick to the chest, sending him stumbling backward. The impact reverberated through her boot, and she felt a twinge of pain in her leg. Kel was sturdier than he looked.
Roona took the opportunity to aim her blaster, her hands steady despite her racing heart. Her next shot hit him in the shoulder, the bolt searing through fabric, armor and flesh. He howled, clutching at the wound, and she saw the shock in his eyes as he realized she wasn't going down without a fight.
Kel staggered, but he was fast. Faster than she had anticipated. With a snarl, he lunged for her again, his movements a blur. She sidestepped and fired off another shot. It connected with his thigh, sending him crashing into a nearby gambling machine. The machine's lights flickered and died with a mournful whine. Roona's ears rang from the echoing blasts, but she didn't dare let her guard down. Kel was down, but not out. She took a deep breath and aimed for the center of his chest, her eyes never leaving his. The next shot took him down, his body convulsing once before going still. The cantina was eerily quiet, all eyes on the two former comrades locked in a standoff that had turned deadly.
With trembling hands, she searched Kel's body, her eyes scanning for any sign of the credit chits that would confirm his treachery. Tucked into an inside pocket of his vest, she found a small, leather pouch. Opening it, she discovered a stack of credits that gleamed under the neon lights. It was half of the 8000 credits her team had given to send to Teemo to clear her debt.
Her anger boiled over as she held the chits in her hand. The weight of the cold, hard evidence was almost too much to bear. He had used her, betrayed her trust, and now he lay on the floor, a testament to his greed. The room was still silent, the patrons watching her with a mix of fear and curiosity. Roona's mind raced. She had to get out of here before more of Teemo's goons showed up, or worse, the local authorities. She pocketed the chits, the smooth metal a reminder of her precarious situation. The bartender, his eyes wide, nodded subtly towards the back exit. She took his silent cue, her legs shaky as she made her way through the crowd.
A Traitor in our Midst (Roona's Interlude)
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