Watch Your Back [Star Wars]

Chapter 1: Back to the start

Song of the day: Doing this again! by Bears in Trees

After was a time for loneliness to set in.

The ship his little sister was in took off and Storm was hit by the degree to which his life had collapsed. After his sister, Nora, woke up from her coma, with a mixture of scorn and dread in her eyes, he knew that there was no fixing what he had broken. This was inevitable. After their mother had died, over a year before, having disappeared chasing whispers of his older sister across the galaxy, Storm was left with the responsibility of Nora. Their vegetable patch was hit by a fungal disease, shrivelling years of hard work to dust, and the money that he had raked in at the fighting ring was running solely on fumes, Storm knew that a part of their lives was coming to a close. He didn't know that it would end as badly as it did, though.

Pax Eldar, the Mandalorian who had once offered his help, if they should need it, was responsible for Nora now. She had made the choice herself, and Storm wasn't sure if he resented Pax or if he was grateful for the man.

He had a plan, now. Become a bounty hunter, save enough credits for a ship and blast out of this salty-smelling corner of the galaxy. Then he was free to do whatever he wanted. Eventually, Storm would be useful in the fight against the Empire, and he would enact his mother's revenge. His plan had more holes than most moons.

When he had lied to Pax about being 'able to handle himself,' Pax had been too lenient. Storm was used to people, like his mother, ferreting out his lies like it was a sixth sense. Although, Pax had said that he only helped those that asked for it, and Storm had insisted that only Nora needed it.

The little planet of Bandomeer was the perfect place to start anew, even if he was completely alone. Forcefully, he reminded himself of his training, running his hand over his still-growing horns. Deep breath in, let it go.

"Get to it," he muttered to himself, starting the trek to the city on the coast, the only one on the planet. It was much larger than anything he'd seen on Agamar, or during the two years after his birth on Dathomir. He knew some things about Bandomeer: there were no recent wars to speak of and had negligent, distant Imperials. Being raised in the middle of nowhere on an ocean-side mountain range, the transition to the deafening noise and bustling crowds made him wish that he could hide until it died down. Harshly, Storm reminded himself that this entire situation was his own fault and he had to face the consequences.

The Vali Cantina, his best bet for bounties, was a colourful establishment with orange-stained transparisteel windows. He squared his shoulders and marched down the stairs. He had a part to play and he would play it well. Lying and acting went hand in hand, after all. Right now, making enough money to get his new life off the ground was his priority. Luckily, his skill-set made him a perfect fit for bounty hunting. For a moment, he scanned the room, assessing it for threats like he'd been trained to. Two small groups of sentients sitting down. A couple of harmless-looking droids lethargically wheeled around, motors squeaking as they cleaned the floor. Behind the circular bar at the centre of the room, there was a twi'lek dressed in a form-fitting yellow dress. Her demeanour was calm and kind, and Storm decided she was safe.

"How can I help you?" the woman called.

She was a shade of teal akin to the cold ocean near his childhood house. Cerulean eyes that were too tired for someone who must've only been in her late twenties.

"I'm looking for a job," he said, trying to sound like he was implying something as he lightly patted the blaster on his belt. Its previous owner, his mother, had held on to it ever since the fall of the Jedi. The battered DC-17 hadn't seen much action in the last fifteen years.

"Any references?" she asked, her voice rasping ever-so-slightly, like a smoker's. "Either way I could use the help, my father just retired." It didn't seem like she understood Storm's meaning, maybe she couldn't see the blaster.