Since they were stuck for a bit, they might as well get some information while they were there. Though he would find himself smirking when [member="Dusaro Dresari"] would remind them of the last time they had been there, and shook his head. "That bloated old whale was nothing but a bully" He would respond, rolling his eyes in turn. He hoped that Herglic had been lit up like a Christmas tree by now. Either way, he would lead the way, putting the hood of his robes over his head and motioning for the Padawans to do the same as they walked in...
Mos Espa, even years later, still seemed as dry and desolate as ever, despite the years since Josh had a chance to visit it's cantinas - aside from the time he'd tried to visit here before but had been interrupted rudely by a fat whale before he could get settled. It had been some time since Josh had paid a visit to a few old friends, but he had to pay a visit to the man who took care of him when he was stranded here with no memory.
Hiding his force presence, the man under a brown cloak and hood, along with his companions, would enter the Mos Espa Cantina and quickly take a seat at the bar, waiting to see which bartender had come around. They'd gotten more than one since he had been 18, getting free food and drink from the bartender in exchange for podracing stories. It was the only currency he could offer in exchange for the means to live. Not the most fair of trades to them, but Josh was grateful that they'd sunk money just for the sake of making sure he lived to go another day.
Of course, Tatooine was no stranger to all sorts of types... Bandits, Hutts, even Bounty Hunters. It had been years since his bounty had been cleared, of course. Without the Black Sun, his tab was clean.
The bartender would walk up, and noting the hood, would quirk a brow. "You know, usually it's just the shady characters who pop up with hoods and all that, you know" He would remark. A chuckle escaped the man in the hood as he would pull the hood down, revealing long blonde hair, and brimming brown eyes staring back at the man.
The bartender had to stare for a moment, squinting... And then he realized. It was hard to recognize him with that beard, after all. It made him look a fair bit older...
"Well I'll be damned..."
The bartender would begin to laugh, and slap the Jedi on the shoulder.
"Boy! How long has it been?"
"I'm going to say about a decade, friend. It's been a long road indeed."
The bartender was stunned, but the pure look of joy on his face was obvious.
"You've grown up. I can't believe it, you've grown up. But you're still the same kid who did all that racing so long ago."
Josh's eyes were lit up all the same, meeting an old friend... A man who'd been a father figure to him for so long when he had been stranded here... And he wouldn't be here if not for him.
"Things have changed since. Sorry I haven't had a chance to check in. Things have been busy."
"Oh, don't worry about it. We'll have a chance to catch up, though I'm sure you're probably in a rush, knowing you. So! What can I get-"
The bartender was interrupted by someone in a suit and mask tugging on his sleeve, prompting a glare from the bartender. "Hey, tall glass of some blue milk" the suited man had demanded.
"Hey! Can't you be sodding patient and see I'm-"
Josh smiled, shaking his head as he placed a hand on the bartender's shoulder.
"It's okay. I shouldn't have held you up. You can take my order after his, I don't mind. I don't want any special treatment" He spoke calmly, his smile bright.
The bartender would growl low as he would move to fix up the man's drink, as Josh would turn toward the masked stranger.
"What's your name, mate?"
"I go by Zander" the new man decided to say. Zander then added "Whose your friends over there?".
The bartender didn't seem to want to talk to him after he'd interrupted him, but had at least slid Zander the drink he had requested.
The Jedi, meanwhile, would nod his head at Zander's introduction.
"Josh" He responded. "Call me Josh."
Zander glanced over at the man in the hood. "Nice to meet you, whats with the hood?" He asked, pouring his blue milk into a canteen.
"Occupation of this planet is... Rather strict. Most people are smart enough to keep hooded" He would remark as he would place the hood back on his head and over his face. "If you're someone the governing body doesn't like? Well... They'll find an excuse" He remarked, smirking lightly in turn as he would look toward the bartender, who seemed to already know what drink he wanted and poured Josh his before sliding him it.
"So really, it's best to just take precautions. You never know who you've pissed off, after all..."
Letting out a yawn as he stretched out before taking a sip, he decided he might as well question the young man.
"So tell me... Heard any rumors about moisture farmers turning up missing as of late? Some of them have been turning up dead soon after being reported missing."
The young man would let out a sigh in turn as he would motion his two companions, who had been watching, to take a seat. They both were robed as well and hooded, their faces unable to be seen.
"Do not fear my companions, they will do you no harm. No strings attached, no "Give me the info or we beat you within an inch of your life" or anything like that, it just happens that one of them is a native here, and someone who... Studies under me, as an apprentice of sorts"
He would smile as he took a blaster from his belt, spinning it about between his fingers. It wasn't one he planned to actually use, it was merely there to blend in with. "Been teaching these boys to shoot for a few years. Been thinking of forming a mercenary trope" He would lie, calmly. "Been thinking..." He trailed off as he held a hand to the sky, motioning around as he worded the name. "The Sandrock Savages. Hmm, maybe something just as threatening, but not so... Primitive. I'll think on it a little more" He would remark, chuckling lightly. "But one of them, one of my boys here I mean... Well... He has a personal stake, the native. Has a family here. Moisture farmers. Doesn't feel comfortable leaving this rock to seek his fortune till we make sure the common laborers like his 'fam, are safe and sound and all that.
So if you had any information that might help us find them, we'd greatly appreciate it. We haven't been in town long, we've generally been operating out in the sands, little homestead we've got. Got a few neighbors, actually, who are moisture farmers. Kind of worried about seeing them go kaput too. So admittedly, word of their lot turning up dead has only recently reached our ears. But as you can see... It's kind of put a bit of a damper on our plans of scouring the galaxy for riches and action."
"I havent heard of any moister farmers going missing lately, honestly havent been here to long either" Spoke the new guy. He paused, then, with a big sigh he began:
"Although, I met a man on the way here who said he had a rather ... strange encounter. He said a man came up to him and asked him where the nearest ship dealer is. He simply said go west, but as the man was walking away he noticed something on his hands, he said it looked like blood, but, cant trust a lot of people around here."
He then glanced over at the mans companions, not knowing to trust them or not. It seemed as if Zander was calculating every move he made, every action he did, and everything he said.
"I suggest staying here until we know more about the situation"
Zander then took a look around the bar, he seemed to never be relaxed, something Josh picked up on quite quickly. Josh nodded his head in turn, letting out a sigh. It seemed he wasn't getting anywhere thus far. Though the man would then go on to say that he'd met someone who had met someone who had blood on his hands... That wasn't exactly useful, considering the nature of Tatooine, but a lead was a lead, he supposed.
The man wanted him to stay until they knew more, but Josh knew they couldn't wait long. At the least, the bartender would then step forward as he would pour Josh a refill before speaking. "I heard something about a group of armored man leaving the scene of a moisture farm, shortly before it's occupants were reported missing. It was one of the last of it's kind to happen, definitely recent. If you know of any moisture farmers in the area, that haven't been kidnapped before, I would suggest you start there."
Josh would growl low. It seemed that Doug's idea had been the better one after all. It had been worth a shot, but he let out a sigh. "I'm afraid we cannot stay then. It was good meeting you, sir. But it's best my companions and I get to work" He would remark as he would then turn and pay the bartender for both his drink and Zander's. "Consider this my thanks for the help, at least."
As he would rise to his feet, an armored man sitting at a corner table would begin to aim his blaster...
Josh's senses kicked in right then and there, just before the blaster was fired square at the back of his head. He held out a hand and the blaster bolt would stop in mid-air. The cantina had gone silent after the blast had been fired, and watched the blast stop in mid-air before looking toward Josh with a look of horror... The Jedi Master would snap his fingers and the blaster shot back. But the pause gave the new armored man a chance to dodge, though was caught in the side and injured. This new foe would quickly take off out of the cantina.
"I'm afraid we cannot stay, friend. Thank you very much for your information, and conversation" Josh spoke toward Zandar before nodding toward the bartender, disappointed their reunion had been cut short. He'd have to visit again before they left. "Starwind, Dresari, we're leaving!" He barked, back in serious Jedi Master mode, with a commander's, a leader's, strict and sharp tone behind it. "He must be one of them! We need to question him!"
[member="Dusaro Dresari"] [member="Douglas Starwind"] [member="Zander Starkiller"]
