Worth: A Star Wars Story

35. Outer Rim Excursion

-20 BBY, Four Months Following the Discovery on Zeffo-

-Three Months Months Before the Battle of Umbara-

"We're going where?" Hex stared at me as I heard Grek and Red groan behind him.

"Tatooine," I nodded, "for Ambassador Emar Talani. She's being sent as an envoy to a Hutt there to see if we can secure Outer Rim Shipping lanes through his turf, and we, gentlemen, have been assigned to be sure that she is adequately protected."

I had to agree with the sighs and groans. Out of everywhere to be stationed, going to Tatooine on what was essentially glorified babysitting detail was not my idea of a good time. We wore armor and bodysuits, and if one thing didn't mesh well with either of those things, it was sand, and Tatooine was full of it. However, we go where the Republic sends us... even if it's sand hell.

The report about the area that Ryder had put together for us was bleak. Syndicates were warring over the small city of Mos Ano, a small city that was parked near an oasis with a steady supply of fresh drinking water- a valuable resource for the desert world. It was besieged by syndicates and by Tuskens, apparently, and the Hutt in charge, Shebmulla, was letting it all happen to see who came out the victor and then offer them his influence and support. It was about what I expected out of a Hutt from what little I knew about them.

As for Talani, I knew that she was an ambassador from Corellia, and I had heard a handful of her impassioned speeches to the Senate calling for just representation for new worlds entering the Republic who had never elected Senators to speak on their behalf before, and I had to admit, she was impressive in that regard alone. She had given talks in the Senate advocating for underrepresented tribes on worlds not yet under either Separatist or Republic control, working extensively with Jedi Pathfinders to do it. Pathfinders were a little impressive on their own. I knew that a few Clone Legions had been assigned to their sect of the Order to carry out long-range scouting and contact missions on far-flung world under Separatist threat, and every single Clone who went on those expeditions loved it. From what I had heard, Pathfinders were adventurous for Jedi, a little on the daring side and never afraid to jump headlong into unknown circumstances, and that suited a lot of Clones just fine. had to admit, the prospect of getting out there and doing that sort of work was an exciting thought, and I almost envied the Expeditionary Legions that got to run those Ops regularly.

For now, the closest we'd get was running op with an ambassador and, according to the orders we received, a Jedi.

It didn't take us long to pack out things and make our way down to the departure center to meet the ambassador. The Orders had come in last minute, so I assumed that she ahdn't been he one to put in for us. I fully expected her to be at minimum annoyed and at most tacitly pleased to have bodyguards. Some Ambassadors believed that sending us on protection details was stirring up trouble, and the second we showed up, I had to get an earful about how we weren't asked for and how we would likely ruin negotiations. It never damaged anything at all normally, and sometimes we'd even be able to help out depending on the civilization.

It didn't take us long to find her when w e arrived. She was the nicest dressed person in the room, as we expected out of a Republic Ambassador. I hadn't ever met Ambassador Talani before, but she cut an impressive image, sliver makeup standing out in all its metallic brilliance against her dark skin. She smiled as we approached, and I greeted her first, "Ma'am, Captan Kando of Breaker Squad, reporting for duty..." My voice trailed off as a familiar figure approached, and Talani chuckled.