The man wearing little more than rags cringed as the weapons were brandished against him. "Please, put your weapons away, I mean you no harm," the man simpered.
Raezyr took him in at a glance. He looked much older than her probably was, late 40's but looked more like early 60's. The twin Tatooine suns and harsh desert climate hadn't been kind to the man. His skin was dark brown and leathery and his bearded face was deeply lined. "I am Owen Loneozner, and if you're enemies of the Raiders, then I'd like to help."
The four still hadn't lowered their weapons, wary of a trap. "Unless you can get us past all these mercs and bounty hunters, I don't think you'll be of any use to us."
"But I can, you see," the man said, cowering a little less. "I can, because I do it all the time."
"What do you mean?" Trychon asked.
"I live in the encampment outside Jama's compound. I sneak in and out for supplies all the time," he replied.
They all thought of the "encampment" they had seen as they drove in. Run down and abandoned adobe houses being used by the unwanted and undesirable. Raezyr was about to turn down the help, cringing at the thought of being in proximity to the likes of them, but Trychon spoke first. "Owen, if you can get us out of here in one piece, you will have not only the gratitude of the Black Phoenix, but of the Sith as well."
The man frowned at the mention of the Sith as if he were reconsidering his offer, then said, "Come with me. There are secret passages within the old mining millworks here." He picked up a dirty burlap sack and then dropped to the floor, scrambling into a panel that had been taken off the wall. "Whoever comes last, close that panel."
Raezyr let the others go first, bringing up the rear himself. He didn't really like the thought of following this man, and the frown he had given at the mention of the Sith wasn't reassuring either. It was something to keep in the back of his mind.
Once inside the wall, there was more room than Raezyr expected, and he easily reached back through and secured the panel. None too soon, as he heard the sounds of booted feet on the metal walkways approaching. He listened at the panel for a moment.
"Well they clearly came this way, but Takk says they haven't made it up to the first landing yet, they're still waiting," said one voice.
"I don't know... you and your men go down that way, check every nook and cranny. Jama wants them DEAD!" said a familiar female voice he recognized as belonging to that of Lexa Teal.
For a moment, Raezyr considered climbing back out to get a crack at the beautiful bounty hunter, but dismissed it just as quickly. Quietly, he crawled along in the direction the others had gone.
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