Page 114 - Star Wars Insider (Special Edition 2019)

Brand narrowed her eyes and the finger on her blaster shoot me, I’ve been wondering, once you got your revenge on

curled around the trigger, but he was still alive, so Howl Annaz, why did you keep picking up bounties?” He swirled the
pressed on. “Ju-ju took ill next. There was a cure; you just liquid in his glass before taking another sip. “Not to come off
didn’t have the money to pay Malandro for it. So you took a job. as maudlin, but why me?” Evon eyed the woman before him
Boosted a speeder. Got caught. Landed in jail. By the time you as she furrowed her brows, quietly considering his words.
got out, your little brother was dead.” To a casual bystander, Brand would have been mistaken for
Evon set the datapad on the desk and leaned back in his a vagrant on any world. Her gray trousers were loose and worn,
chair. “Lauren disappeared after that.” He raised an eyebrow. with assorted bulging cargo pockets. But beneath her tattered
“Have I missed anything?” old cloak, the simple black blouse under a maroon, hip length
Brand tightened her grip on her blaster; Howl ignored it. jacket in pristine condition gave the lie to Brand’s carefully
“A few years later the Empire showed up and tried to bring cultivated shabby appearance.
their version of order to Tangenine. They just didn’t realize how Brand spoke, drawing his attention back to her carefully
deeply imbedded Malandro was. It’s not unheard of, the Empire neutral face.
turning to bounty hunters, but it was a desperate move, and “Things were turning sour with the Empire. I needed off
desperation sometimes breeds opportunity. That’s about when planet, and this was my ticket.” She shrugged, meeting his
Brand pops up; a bounty hunter who took jobs almost exclusively gaze fully. “It’s just business; nothing personal.”
against Malandro.” Giving her a wry smile, Howl waved lazily “Well, you’ll excuse me if I do take it at least slightly
at himself. “At least until recently.” personally.” Angling his face up, Evon gazed at the vaulted,
marbled, ceiling. “You know what’s amazing? Office like this

The Falleen jerked her head up in surprise. “Who let you for an Imp administrator,” he jutted his chin at the snoring
in here?” Governor, “on a back-world planet like Allst Prime, and there’s
Brand raised her blaster. “Hands where I can a city full of half-naked kids just outside the gates,
see them.” digging through trash heaps for junk to sell or
“Wait!” Annaz froze in the act of pressing trade so they can get a bite to eat.
the comm button under her desk. “This is “If you shoot me, Brand, you’re siding
a place of business; you can’t just barge “IT’S NOT with that system. And you know as well
in here—” as I do the Empire is, at heart, no
Brand lunged forward and jerked UNHEARD OF, THE different than Malandro.”
Annaz’s arm out from under the EMPIRE TURNING TO “You saying the Rebellion is?”
desk. Holstering her blaster, the “I don’t know. Maybe. I can’t
bounty hunter pulled out a long, BOUNTY HUNTERS, speak for the Alliance as a whole.”
black, serrated blade and buried BUT IT WAS A The captain laced his fi ngers
it up to the hilt in the Falleen’s DESPERATE MOVE, together in front of him, resting
green hand, pinning it to the desk. them comfortably on his stomach.
She wasn’t being needlessly AND DESPERATION “But you know Twilight Company
cruel—which would be no less SOMETIMES is different. Besides, if you kill me,
than Annaz deserved; Brand knew who’ll take care of the new recruits?”
that the surge of pain would BREEDS “Fresh meat’s not my problem.”
overwhelm any attempt the Falleen OPPORTUNITY.” A large belly laugh rumbled from
could make to release pheromones Evon as he swept his booted feet atop
in an attempt to subdue her attacker. the desk.
Annaz shrieked and tried to pull out the The bounty hunter furrowed her brows
knife with her free hand, but Brand’s blaster was together and the blaster wavered, just a little.
back out and trained on her. “Move, and you’ll lose that “I’ve been watching you ever since you joined us
arm for good.” on Veron. Oh sure, you tried to keep your distance—at least at

“Who sent you?” Blood oozed from the Falleen’s pinned hand, first—but when we picked up that load of recruits off Dorvalla,
and she was gasping between her words. “What do you want?” I noticed you hovered.”
Brand tugged off her hood. “I did no—”
She regarded Annaz carefully, wanting to savor this Captain Evon raised a hand. “I don’t mean like a momma
moment. The Falleen stared up at Brand, her flint black eyes bird with her chicks. That’d be too obvious for your liking.

holding no hint of recognition. More like a nexu supervising her cubs on their fi rst hunt.
“You don’t know who I am.” You only stepped in to keep someone from getting hurt.
“Should I?” The Falleen hissed through gritted teeth. And before you say it was just part of your cover to get at
“I remember the families of everyone I kill.” Brand fi red me, why don’t you explain what happened out there today?”
a shot into Annaz’s knee. The Falleen wailed incoherently
as Brand aimed her blaster between the woman’s eyes. Brand tackled the Mirialan boy to the ground just as the
“No!” Annaz held up a shaking hand between the blaster All Terrain Scout Transport’s bolt sizzled into the tree behind
and her face. “What do you want? Credits?” them, blasting it to pieces.

Brand’s gloved finger curled around the blaster’s trigger. “Hey, Brand! I’ve been looking for you.” Lylee Anaraku
“Please! Don’t! I can give you anything! A new life even!” grinned as a shower of wood splinters rained over them.
“You already gave me that.” Brand rolled off him with a grunt. “Seems to me like you
should have been looking out for the walker.”
Captain Evon took another sip. Brand still had the blaster “Pshhh.” Lylee waved his blaster dismissively toward the
pointed at him, but if he was going to die, it might as well be maneuvering AT-ST. “That stalker doesn’t have a chance with you
with the taste of good whiskey in his mouth. around.” The gleeful curve of his lips made the young man’s black
“If you wouldn’t mind humoring me a bit longer before you diamond cheek markings spread out across his yellow-green skin.

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