Debts Owed

Dinner is bantha steak stew, which Elan had been specially simmering for days, but it tastes like dust in Elan's mouth, and he has to force himself to finish his serving. The children, too, are silent and despondent. When they're all finished, he stands and stretches.

"I think I'll head to bed," he announces, gathering the bowls.

"We can clean up, Elan," Dia assures him.

Elan smiles and pats Dia's head. "Thank you. Sleep well, both of you."

"He's a deep sleeper," Dia confides to Boba with a chuckle as the pair bring their dishes to the counter.

Walking to his bedroom, Elan rolls his eyes, but smiles despite himself. He'd been skeptical about Boba at first, but seeing how Dia always smiles and laughs around Boba, more than he ever did before, changed his mind. Likewise, Boba is always tense as a coiled vexis, and just as ready to strike. But around Dia, he relaxes, just a little.

They're good for each other, Elan thinks as he douses the lanterns in his room. Before he climbs into bed, he prays to his gods that the situation will turn out well for Dia and Boba. Even if my life is taken instead, let them be happy.

________

They're setting out the futon when Boba notices something out the window, from the corner of his eye.

"Who's that?" he asks Dia, who peers out the window beside him.

A tall figure is striding towards Grane's house. Their wide-brimmed hat obscures their face from the moonlight, but no one here in the middle of the night can have good intentions.

"Elan…" Dia calls nervously, forgetting the older slave is already asleep.

The children jump in surprise as the figure kicks down the door of Grane's house and ducks inside. The lights flicker on in the windows, then off just as quickly. They hear a faint scream.

Together, Dia and Boba are out the door before they know what they're doing. They sprint over the sand, then skid to a stop and hover uncertainly at the threshold, before the splintered door. 

The moonlight shows them the scene: the hat-wearing figure towers menacingly over Grane, who cowers, whimpering, on the floor.

The stranger looks over their shoulder, and Dia sees blue skin and red eyes under the brim of the hat. Red eyes which land on Boba and widen in surprise.

"You. What's your name, boy?" the stranger asks in a slow drawl. His voice is deep and rough, like he's been gargling gravel.

Boba narrows his eyes and sets his jaw. "Boba Fett."

The stranger pauses, then chuckles. "Well, I'll be. Jango Fett's son. And here, of all places."

Dia keeps his mouth shut, feet tense and ready to run. The stranger's hand is curled loosely around a blaster, but Dia doesn't doubt he could kill him and Boba before they could so much as blink, if he chose to.

"The name's Cad Bane," the stranger introduces himself.

"Cad Bane?" Boba repeats, moving as if to step backwards. His eyes are wide. "The Cad Bane?"

Who's Cad Bane? Dia wonders, completely lost.

"You know, me and your dad used to work together," Cad Bane continues. "You land here after he died?"

Boba chuckles humourlessly. "Yeah, my dad mentioned you."

"What'd he say?"

"That you were a ge'hutuun who owed him a dozen favours."

Bane's eyes narrow. "How charming."

"Why are you here?" Boba demands.

"To collect a bounty. This sleamo's been ducking out of his gambling debts." Bane gestures at Grane with his blaster.

Grane whimpers, and Dia feels a twisted delight at seeing him so terrified. Now you know how it feels.

"Say," Bane says. "What if I trained you? You could be a bounty hunter like your dad."

Boba hesitates, then glances at Dia.

I suppose he'll agree. Dia looks away, trying to hide his disappointment. Well, at least if this bounty hunter takes Grane away, I might end up with a kinder master. It's unlikely.

"Fine," Boba agrees. He points at Dia. "But only if you free him."

Dia's head shoots up. Warmth explodes in his chest. He's really going to save me!

Grane starts to protest in anger, but once glance from Bane shuts him up.

"You're a slave?" he asks Dia, addressing him for the first time. He gestures again at the slave master. "His?"

Dia nods, still not daring to speak.

"Sorry, kid. No deal." Bane shakes his head, and Dia's hopes crash to the sand.

"Wh– Why not?" Boba demands, stepping forward.

"I'm only here for the bounty. If you want me to train you, I might be amenable. But I don't have time for some womp rat."

Dia feels like his feet are slowly sinking into the ground. Oh. That's… that's fine, right? That's what I expected. It's not a big deal.

Spluttering, Boba turns to look at him, and Dia quickly schools his expression into something calm.

"It's okay," he forces himself to say, even as his mind screams, NO! It's not okay! Save me! "I'll be fine here. You should go with him."

Before Boba can reply, a shadow appears behind them. Both children jump to a defensive stance, Boba facing Bane and Dia facing the new threat: a lanky, blue-skinned woman leans against the doorframe, arms crossed. She barely spares a glance at Boba and Dia.

"Kriff, Bane," the woman drawls, "what's taking so long?"

"Mind your business, Aurra," Bane answers.

"This is my business. We've got a deadline for this bounty, you know."

"I know. I've got the bounty, so let's go." Bane gestures with his blaster, silently ordering Grane to stand up.

Aurra looks down her nose at the children. "Who're the kids?"

"That one's Jango Fett's son," Bane reveals.

"Oh?" Aurra straightens up, suddenly interested. "That's interesting… Sorry to hear about your dad, by the way."

Bane sighs. "You deal with the bounty, I'll go start the ship." He pushes past Dia and stalks out the door.

"Alright, come on." Aurra levels her blaster at Grane. Dia counts at least two knives on her belt and one in her boot. Not to mention the sniper rifle slung across her back.

She must be another bounty hunter, Dia realizes.

"Wait." Boba steps to face Aurra. "You're Aurra Sing, right?"

Aurra looks down at Boba and tilts her head. "Yeah. What do you want?"

"If you free him – " Boba points at Dia – "I'll help you with your next job. I can be your apprentice, if you want. I'll do whatever you need."

Dia winces. "Boba, you don't have to – "

A hand closes around his neck, cutting off his air. His feet are suddenly off the ground, swinging wildly. He scrabbles at the meaty hand slowly crushing his windpipe.

"You'll never be free," Grane snarls.

Blood is pounding in Dia's head. He gasps and claws and kicks, and all he can see are Grane's horrid, yellow teeth and bloodshot eyes.

Nonono – this can't be it – can't die like this – so close – so close – help me – SOMEONE– !

The next thing Dia knows, his face is pressed against the rough stone floor. In front of his eyes are someone's boots, brown and scuffed.

As he struggles to make sense of what happened, he notices something dripping onto the ground, onto the boots.

Red… Is that… blood?

He looks up. The boots are Boba's, the blood is Grane's, and Boba stands, arms shaking, with a knife plunged into Grane's chest.

Grane groans, and his eyes roll back in his head before he drops to the floor with a loud thud.

Boba lets go of the knife, letting it clatter to the floor. His shoulders rise and fall quickly. He must have grabbed a knife from Aurra's belt.

"B- Boba…" Dia croaks out. He forces himself up onto his knees, his head spinning.

Then Boba's in front of him, with wide brown eyes full of concern and bloody hands holding Dia's tight enough to bruise.

"He's dead," Boba whispers. "You're safe. He's dead, I promise."

Grane is… dead. He's dead. Dia chokes on a sob and presses his forehead to his and Boba's joined hands. His throat aches, but he ignores it, raising his head again and looking into Boba's eyes.

"You saved my life," he breathes. "I swear a life debt to you. I swear I'll stay with you forever."