Talyc stood by the stand he had rented in the market area near some Manaan ferns not far from the water’s edge. A beautiful fountain cascaded the planet’s natural waters and flowed into small streams all around the dais. He leaned forward, slouching, resting his chin on his hand, his elbow on the countertop of the stand.
            He sighed. ‘No one’s interested in our beskar, Nriwe.’ His voice sounded dull and bored.
            ‘That Selkath earlier was asking an awful lot of questions about how much beskar would be equal to how much kolto,’ Nriwe reminded him.
            ‘Not to mention wanting to know how much is required to cover the exterior of a submersible,’ said Talyc. ‘Good thing Emerick gave us all the necessary data before we left Mandalore.’
            The place was calm and quiet. A stand not far was selling medical supplies; a few Duros were trading nearby as well. Most of the vendors were Selkath. A petite Rattataki woman was fixing up her kiosk further down the market area.
            ‘That Rattataki sure likes to move around, doesn’t she,’ said Nriwe. ‘She can’t sit still. I saw her doing stretches earlier and walking around from kiosk to kiosk.’
            ‘She’s a bit short for her species, no?’
            ‘Yeah. She gave me a business card earlier. Not much to it.’
            ‘Gave me one too,’ said Talyc. ‘She’s persistent, if anything. Shadie said she gave her one on the transport. Knarf said he ran into our vendor friend on his way to the caf yesterday.’
            ‘Our friends aren’t too bored locked up in the room we’re renting, I hope?’ inquired Nriwe.
            Talyc shrugged. ‘We’re a bit cramped. I mean, we’re a motley bunch sharing the same room.’ Talyc chuckled, shaking his head. ‘We’ve been here a week already. You’d think people on Manaan wouldn’t shy away from buying the more refined products.’
            ‘It’s expensive.’
            ‘I know that, Nriwe, but all we need is one submersible, one excuse to demonstrate and go down into that ocean.’ Talyc pointed towards the ocean view.
            Nriwe put a hand on his armoured shoulder. ‘Hey, we’ll get there.’
            ‘I’m sure we will. The question is: when?’
            Talyc bent down and started fiddling with some of the compartments of their stand, sticking his head in, trying to busy himself reorganising some things.
            Nriwe crouched beside him. ‘You don’t have to hide your head in there.’
            ‘I’m not hiding my head,’ Talyc complained.
            ‘I know you’re trying to resist putting your helmet on.’
            ‘What gave you that idea?’
            ‘The tears I saw in your eyes.’
            Talyc wiped his eyes. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ He closed his eyes and put his hand to his face.
            ‘This stand open?’
            ‘Uh, yeah!’ Talyc stood, wiping his eyes. ‘Sorry, allergies, fern pollen.’
            An older woman stood staring at him. She was dressed in proper attire and had her shoulders back in a pristine posture. Talyc couldn’t tell if she was dignified or arrogant.
            ‘Manaan ferns don’t have pollen,’ she said. Her accent was Imperial.
            ‘Florist went by,’ said Nriwe. ‘Anyway, what can we do for you?’
            ‘You’re selling beskar?’
            ‘The finest, straight from Mandalore, ma’am,’ said Talyc, all business-like. ‘We’re offering a service to showcase what our best beskar’gam can do when applied to a submersible.’
            ‘Interesting,’ the woman said. ‘How much for the whole lot and how quickly can you work?’
            Talyc saw Nriwe’s eyes widen before she caught herself. ‘Well, we brought a crew of helpers.’ He told the woman. ‘It depends how many submersibles you need done.’
            ‘Let’s just say, if you can do a few, show me the benefits so I can record it and take it back to my firm, then we can order en masse. Say, hundreds.’
            ‘Uh, wh.. Whoa! Wow!’ Talyc didn’t know what to answer.
            ‘But first, you have to convince me why your beskar is worth my money and why submersibles need it. I have an interest, but I need compelling arguments if I’m to convince my superiors.’ The woman stared at Talyc as he just blinked. ‘Well, I’m waiting.’
            ‘Oh, right. Sorry.’ Talyc began explaining some of the ins and outs and benefits of having submersibles layered with beskar. ‘And of course, a large order will grant some significant discounts, which I’m sure a lovely woman such as yourself would appreciate.’
            ‘Oh!’ The woman blushed, giggling. ‘You flatter me, Mister…?
            ‘Kandera.’ Talyc held out his hand. The woman shook it.
            ‘Mrs. Holt, Czerka Corporation.’
            ‘Czerka, eh,’ said Nriwe. ‘No wonder all those big credit questions.’
            ‘Yes, but flattery alone can’t sell me the lot?’ Her tone become one of curiosity. ‘What would your discount be, potentially?’
            ‘I’ll need to round up some figures for you,’ said Talyc. ‘And I’m not just trying to flatter you. You look a well-kept woman of high standards.’
            ‘Thank you. A woman my age has to look presentable,’ replied Mrs. Holt.
            ‘Of your age?’ said Talyc. ‘You can’t possibly be older than forty, surely.’
            Mrs Holt blushed again. ‘Try sixty.’
            ‘What? No way, I know women half your age who aren’t as gorgeous as you.’ Talyc was being serious; the woman was of astounding beauty, especially for her age.
            ‘You sure know how to talk your way into a woman’s heart, Mr. Kandera. I’m sure you’ve charmed many a-woman that way.’
            ‘And men,’ he admitted.
            Mrs. Holt laughed. Talyc could tell that by her tone she was amused and his flattery pleased her greatly.
            ‘Really,’ said Mrs. Holt, touching her well-kept bun with her hand, ‘that isn’t the way to talk to a woman much older than you in front of your wife.’
            ‘Oh, he’s not my husband,’ said Nriwe. ‘My husband’s not human.’ Mrs. Holt nodded.
            ‘And mine is,’ said Talyc. Mrs. Holt gave him an intrigued smile. ‘But I’m sure you rather we round up prices rather than ages and species.’ Talyc felt himself blush. He smiled sheepishly. ‘Give me a number and I’ll send the info back to Mandalore. I’m sure he’ll approve the discount, but I’ll put in a good word for it anyway, the best in fact. You’ve been our only customer in a while, if I’m honest; I’m not letting you slip away. I’m a man of fine taste and when I see something I like, I grab onto it with all I’ve got. And you’re just the woman I’ve been waiting for.’
            ‘You can ease up on the flattery, Mr. Kandera.’ Mrs. Holt suppressed a smile. ‘I’m interested.’
            ‘Flattery is his middle name, though,’ said Nriwe.
            ‘Talyc Flattery Kandera,’ said Talyc. He chuckled, feeling excitement at the potential of finding Fane soon. ‘Now, would you like us to arrange one sample? Then we can demonstrate the benefits for you to see first-hand, as we dive deep into the ocean. With beskar, you can graze the ocean floor without any worries at all.’
            ‘I’ve got a Czerka Corp station down near the ocean floor with dozens of submersibles waiting to be upgraded and outfitted with a better hull than they currently have. I can take you down there. We outfit one of them, and we can go for a stroll if you’d like.’
            ‘Your words are music to my ears,’ said Talyc. ‘Allow me to call in my crew.’
            ‘Excellent. I’m going for a spot of lunch. Try to get your Mandalore to have some figures for me so I can send them to my boss ASAP. Try not to delay, I’ll be at the table over there, waiting.’
            ‘Yes, ma’am!’

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Talyc sat with Lord Void, Emerick, Lashika and a few others. The others were sharing a bottle of ale, while he was staring at it, contemplating it, knowing it would be best for him to not even consider it.
            ‘Are you all right?’ asked Void.
            ‘I’m fine!’ Talyc snapped a little too abruptly for even his own liking. ‘Sorry, I’m tempted to drink.’
            ‘Remember your discipline,’ said Void. ‘Only you can decide and choose what is best for you. Do you drink, get drunk, let yourself escape your woes, or do you face what you are feeling, let yourself feel it, and allow the pain to exist?’
            The others looked at Talyc. ‘Whatever you decide, my friend, we won’t judge,’ said Emerick.
            ‘If you need us to put it away…’ Lashika began.
            Void put a hand up. ‘Temptation exists as an opportunity, for either ill or benefit. While it would be easier if none of us were drinking before you, Talyc, you would not have the opportunities and lessons presented to you otherwise. The choice, however, has to be yours, and its reasons, have to support your choice.’
            Talyc took the bottle and brought it to his nose. The smell reminded him of all his failures, all his mistakes, and it was enough to change his mind.
            ‘The pain is better than to fail and make a mistake I may regret forever,’ said Talyc. He gently pushed the bottle back towards the others.
            Lord Void nodded approvingly. ‘Very good. I know Sith who can’t discipline themselves even for a second.’ He looked at the other Mandalorians. ‘You Mandalorians are proving to be knowledgeable in disciplines that qualify you as worthy opponents. Worthy warriors.’
            ‘I don’t need your approval,’ said Talyc, feeling discouraged. ‘I just need…’ He trailed off.
            ‘Fane.’ Lashika put a hand on Talyc’s.
            At that moment Talyc’s comlink chimed. He took it and the small holo image of Shadie appeared. She looked anxious.
            ‘Talyc! We found him!’
            ‘What?’ Talyc stood from his seat and walked a few steps away to have a bit of privacy. Lord Void followed. ‘Where?’
            ‘It was Thera and Ren who found him while meditating. We’ll explain when you two get here, but you need to come right away.’
            ‘You’re going to have to give me more than that if I’m to convince Mandalore to let me go back so soon,’ said Talyc. His heart was racing with anticipation.
            ‘Manaan. They’re on Manaan, deep down on the bottom of the ocean floor,’ said Shadie. Talyc didn’t know if he felt relief or apprehension. He stared at Shadie’s holo image, his heart pounding out of his chest, or so it felt that way.
            ‘Manaan is a neutral world,’ said Void. ‘They won’t take kindly to a group of Jedi coming to say they need to extract something from the bed of their ocean. They will protect their kolto and everything near it, basically everything in the ocean. And if we make too much of a fuss, then it will draw unwanted attention. If word spreads of your presence on Manaan, then Awgro will get whiff.’
            There was a slight pause. ‘I have an idea.’ Talyc felt his eyes light up as a new purpose ignited within him. He gave the holotransceiver to Void and walked to the table. He heard Shadie telling Void about his grandson.
            ‘He says we didn’t kill Relsor, we saved the Force so that he can exist in it,’ said Shadie. ‘Says it was a shame Relsor was the vehicle of illness, but that protecting the Force will allow it to be safe from other beings like Relsor from spreading an illness.’
            ‘Wise kid,’ Talyc said over his shoulder. He looked at Emerick. ‘You still have your forging machine?’
            ‘Yeah, why?’
            ‘I might need to borrow it. Remind me again how it works?’
            Emerick went through the process; Talyc took a few notes down on his datapad. He walked back to where Void stood.
            ‘I have an idea, but I’m going to need help convincing Mandalore.’ Talyc looked at Void. ‘You good at persuading without the use of the Force?’ Void nodded. ‘Then follow me.’

* * *

Continue reading Chapter Four

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