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So I wrote this with inspiration from a conversation with someone on Discord, if they want me to shout them I will do so. This my first time writing both Ahsoka and Boba Fett, so I hope I've got their characters down, even if I am taking some license to make the premise work.
14 BBY
Mantessa [1]
A Firespray Class Patrol ship had touched down on the jungles of Mantessa, a planet known for its fierce beasts. However this was a most unusual hunt in both quarry and circumstances. Around a table sat two figures one a Human with lightly tanned skin and short wavy brown hair, the other a female Togruta with orange skin and white and blue montrals and gati. [2]
“So if orbital recon is a bust and cannot give us a clear location of where they are, how are we going to do this?” The togruta speakers' blue eyes were met with a brown glare that looked away from the display in the center of the table. “Do you ever show anything other than irritation?”
“You’re a Jedi, you should know the answer if you can sense emotions.” The togruta gave him an irritated look right back.
“I’m a former Jedi, and for somethings you just don’t need the Force to use to understand.”
“But to answer your questions, I’m irritated because it’s tough to say what is the right choice here. On a world as remote as this any settlement we come across could be infested by those maniacs. We are going to go as more than armed tourists this time”
“Are you sure you can’t find them? Considering what we’ve seen of their hideouts, they don’t exactly keep them clean.”
“There’s too many settlements that don’t stand out and not enough info on this world. We know nothing outside of a few hunting lodges, a panthrac reserve and a private lodging. Even if we did know where they are, just sending in Slave One guns blazing wouldn't do, if he goes to ground, I’d be losing a hefty payday.” A weary sigh escaped the togruta's lips as she raised her hands in frustration.
“Even after everything they've done to people and among themselves, this is still about money for you?”
The practiced chipperness in her voice started to fade to irritation. It was a conversation they had several times over the course of this hunt, but it wasn't as if the hunter really minded having to kill his targets' thugs as disgusting as they were.
“Sentimentality doesn’t pay, and don’t you have Jedi business with this cult? You are not exactly here out of charity.” The human countered only to be met with another serious look.
“My ‘Jedi business’ is that they wield the Dark Side of the Force. Even if this cult didn’t reek of the Dark Side and if I were never a Jedi, no one should have to live in fear of psychotic cultists. Especially ones deceiving or outright kidnapping people to fight to death in bloodsports so they can make others into killers like them.”
The former Jedi’s voice was firm, but was one example of her true resolve, and the human appreciated that. And when it came down to it, she was a good fighter even if she was annoying at times.
"Fine. Ex-Jedi.”
The human didn’t exactly believe her, she still seemed to preachy about darkness and how some people could be better. However consider what these Verda Be Traycin’tal were like, the human wondered if he should have. [3]
“Either way, we have to take a stealthy approach to this task. That means we can’t be wearing anything that could easily make us stand out. “The Human gestured towards his armor and her cloak. “We might even need to make up new identities again, especially if my target is who he says he is, and if word of this gets back to my employers that makes things needlessly complicated. So we can’t go around as Boba Fett and Ahsoka Tano.”
“I suppose I can be Vish Kwiiks again. What about you?” [4]
Ahsoka asked, curious as to what name the bounty hunter might come up with.
“Jodo Kast.” Boba’s reply was curt. [5]
“Jodo again? I guess no one would care, unless they were Mandalorian.”
The ex-Jedi's words only received a shrug in return.
“It works, and who cares I’m not Mandalorian.”
Ahsoka seemed to ignore the comment even if she questioned how true that was seeing how Boba seemed to value his armor.
“Is there anything else we need for disguises, like dye for my ‘lekku’ again?” That question felt more like a challenge, one of the few the bounty hunter did not want to go after.
“I said I was sorry about that."
Boba heard a chuckle, it was one of the rare times he had to be apologetic, and it amused this woman to no end.
"You could have told me beforehand they were called gati.”
“It made for a nice commotion for someone to give us a discount to the Hurtex Arena." What wasn't mentioned was what they found there, behind the scenes.
You’ll never let me live that down will you?” The bounty hunter was rummaging through Slave One’s storage lockers, looking for gear they might need.
“Nope, even if I do like the ‘Lekku’ buffer.” Even if he couldn’t see her face, he could clearly imagine her smugness.
“Considering how remote this world is, we shouldn’t have to worry about things like what your montrails and gati look like. We will need to camp, we can’t afford to be encumbered with too much, but we might even need to use less advanced weapons. I hope you're fine with having to use a bows and knives?”
“I’ve taken up practice, it’s not like having to be on this ship for a few months has left me with much to do outside of meditation, sparing, or the occasional sabbac game.”
“I thought Jedi did not like weapons?” Boba suspected she gravitated towards some of his less noisy weapons, and possibly cheated at cards.
“I’m still not a Jedi.” Somehow the human didn’t quite believe that, even if she did not believe he wasn’t a Mandalorian either. “Besides bows and knives, like a lightsaber can be a tool, there's a lot of dangerous wildlife on Shili.”
“Hmph, if you say so.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea, I don't care for blasters myself but considering how hard they the Verda to take down do we have to pack that lightly?” Caution from the Jedi, was something Boba knew to be serious. This wasn’t the first time this unlikely pair was working together, in fact if it wasn’t for the fact this job wasn’t normal at all, they probably crossed paths on less favorable terms. But they both had their reasons for working together.
“Small groups of these Verda, are terrible enough and we are not here to fight an army of them. especially if what you say is true with those Jedi powers of yours.”
“It’s not ‘Jedi powers’, it’s my innate connection to the Force. When I reach out and sense life around me, they appear like a jumbled dark haze of hate, fear, and even joy.” Boba swore he heard a ounce of concern. “We know they use special death sticks but I also feel the presence of the Dark Side, but that is just as chaotic as these warriors.”
“I would say it sounds insane, but this was a discrete contract and my employers are convinced that this Montross that leads them is the real one. Even if it should be impossible. Lord Vader-” Boba stopped for a moment as he felt a chill, he strangely only felt those when Ahsoka was angry even when it shouldn’t be possible. “Does not share that same opinion, He thinks some things can defy even death.” [6]
“For once, a Sith would not be wrong.” The chill slowly dissipated. “But you said you know this target, or at least that the name is familiar to you?”
“My father told me stories of his own childhood." A smile crept on the human's face. "He was taken in by the Mandalorian Protectors under Jaster Mereel, after the Death Watch killed my grandparents. However one of the other Mandalorian Protectors did not like him, Montross. Eventually as my father got older, Montross would betray Jaster and sought to take over the Mandalorian Protectors and failed my Father stopped him. They both went there separate ways and ended up facing each other one last time on Kohlma.” [7]
“Where the Bando Gora was supposed to have been finished there and it is also where your father hunted that bounty on that Dark Jedi that led to the Clone Army.” The Jedi apparently knew the origins of the old Grand Army of the Republic from the Kaminoians, and also him. “But is there any reason why Montross would lead a group like this?” [8]
That was just one more mystery to an entire filled with them. The 'Old' Mandalorian Protectors split after father took command of them. Some joined the Kryze's others left, and the rest stayed until Galidraan. But since they were neither supports of Kryze or the Death Watch there was no real place for them. Montross like his father went on their own paths [9]
“Hm, no it's another question we have yet to answer." The Jedi felt a mix of irritation, but an unease that mirrored her own." The brutality these warriors use is definitely his calling card, even outside of the few stories my father told about him, I learned enough that he never took a live bounty.”
“But if he’s supposed to have died eighteen years ago and is older than your father, he wouldn’t be young. He’d be pushing old age without access to serious medical care. If the Verda Be Traycin’tal are anything like a traditional Mandalorian group, wouldn’t they respect strength? Even if they aren’t traditional, I don’t think this ‘Montross’ would go down easily, something is assisting him in keeping power.” [10]
A small smirk appeared on the bounty hunter’s face.
“Hm you're learning afterall, you’d make a nice bounty hunter even if you are inexperienced.”
“I’m four years older than you, you know.”
“And? I’ve been Bounty Hunting for eight years. My father always said, any idiot can go out and shoot a blaster, but the best hunters always investigate every lead they can. We know there are hunting lodges and a few settlements on this world, as well as some fierce beasts.”
“So I take it, we are here as hunters and we ask around for any gossip?” Boba only nodded. ”Simple armor, maybe cloaks for concealment and weather.”
“Sounds about right.”
“Pelts?” A look of annoyance and disgust crossed the bounty hunter’s face.
“If these are genuine hunters, pelts just come off as showing off, especially if they think you bought them. Among bounty hunters, Bossk frowned on such things, trophies were one thing, wearing them is vanity is both unsightly and could risk getting you killed if it became a calling card.”
“Then what is your armor?” Ahsoka replied both annoyed and curious considering Mandalorian armor stick out.
“It’s distinctive, but it is functional. Having idiots try and fight you because of it comes with the territory, but it’s not impractical.”
“I thought I was done with hunters six years ago.”
“Six years?” The Jedi only betrayed the Republic four years ago, not that Boba cared about either. “If there weren’t bounties on jedi then, what happened?”
“Me and a group of Padawans were captured by Trandoshans and put on a hunting preserve.” The togruta noticed the bounty hunter glared at those last two words. [11]
“Cowards.” Ahsoka had a look of surprise. “Bossk felt there was no sport in hunting others in closed and artificial environments with no danger to yourself. I largely agree.” The surprise soon turned towards disappointment.
“I don’t understand you. Yes, you're a bounty hunter that works for the Empire, but you could easily have tried to turn me in. A jedi is worth a small fortune.”
The human only shrugged.
“You are not my target, I hunt for money, but I’m not greedy enough to hunt bounties I haven’t taken up yet. Besides considering how dangerous these warriors, I’d be an idiot to turn away help.”
“I generally thought most bounty hunters work alone.”
“It depends on the bounty. Sometimes you have competition other times you split a bounty, but most bounty hunters that say they work alone are largely two bit goons looking to be tough to go impress someone or they are legitimately dangerous. My father worked with plenty of people, and even had a friend Roz who gave him information.” The young Bounty Hunter seemed to freeze up. [11]
Ahsoka could feel his sadness, even if his face did not show it.
“Father said that she would have loved to have met me.” Boba allowed himself to smile. “Father says she probably would have been a bad influence, but somehow he never seemed to be mad about that.” Then Ahsoka felt a slow simmering anger and it showed on Boba’s face. “Montross killed her, all to spite him.”
“Then even if it is late we will find justice for her and everyone else he and his gang of thugs have hurt.”
“Hm, No speech of how I shouldn’t do this for revenge?” The Bounty almost expected to hear him be dissuaded from this course of action.
“Master Windu once told me about how you wouldn’t seek vengeance on him, even if you could never forgive him. I can’t exactly lecture you on something you already know.”
The young bounty hunter held his breath. This hunt hasn’t been normal, the things this cult did to these people were horrific enough that the lucky ones might have already been dead. It didn’t help that this was a personal enemy of his father.
“Sentimentality doesn’t pay.” It was quick and it was supposedly to be emotionless, but Boba didn't have to be a Jedi to figure she could sense his unease. “Then what are you doing this for ‘Ex-Jedi’ vengeance?" Boba hoped it would change the subject.
“I’m not doing this for vengeance, but for justice for the lives Montross has taken be it through death or even brainwashing with deathsticks. Even if you apparently don’t believe in sentimentality, surely we agree that we have to stop him.” Boba simply gave a quick nod before looking back at the cargo hangar.
“We have our weapons and armor sorted out, We are going to need transportation. Can ‘Trash’ carry supplies?” The bounty hunter never understood how someone could call a Joben T-85 speeder trash, but he figured there were worse names.
“She can.” The togruta replied with no hint of fierceness this time. “Is ‘Aiwha’ up to the task?”
Boba’s speeder bike was a slightly modified 74-Y speeder bike with the ability to carry slightly extra storage. Especially if he needed to go a long excursion, and it might take them weeks to go find Montross.
“Yes, I almost wish we had the Silver Speeder.” Ahsoka laughed, recalling the speeder never really lived up it's name. ”Of all the ex-Jedi I had to meet, it had to be one with a sense of aesthetics.” [13]
“And a sense of humor.”
“Allegedly.” The former Jedi noticed a ghost of a smirk on an otherwise serious face. “We still need to bring supplies and rations, across two speeders. I have motion detectors for any intruders. Sleeping arrangements are going to be tricky. Montross didn’t exactly pick a planet that is a nice place to camp.”
"I’m fine with sharing a tent if sleeping bags or separated tents would be a death trap. Will we have at least have separate bedrolls?”’
“Of course. There’s a big enough tent, but no matter how we sleep we need perimeter sensors. Wild beasts might just be the least worrisome thing out there. The Verda don’t care what we do to them, or who they face. The last thing we need is to be caught off guard.”
“Understood, If we do meet anyone else and they are not hostile, Jodo and Vish are just two hunters out to hunt a dangerous quarry. It’s believable, and not exactly a lie.”
“All we need to do is make sure the ship is secure and we will start to head out.” A few miles out from here are a series of outposts. That is where we start investigating, assuming they are hospitable enough.”
Once the ship was firmly secure two speeders began racing down a trail towards the nearest hunting lodge.
[1] A jungle planet which happens to have dangerous wildlife in the form of panthacs, feline predators.
[2] The use of the lekku for Togruta doesn’t really sit right with me when lekku both distinctly Twi’lek and have a lot of symbolism and function to them for Twi’leks that does not seem to be there for Togruta, and montrals only seemed to really deal with the horns, so I decided to make up a term for the lekku that sounds distinctly Torgurtan.
[3] Vish fitting with the Indian theme of some Togruta names is based on Vishnu, Kwiiks is an allusion to Jedi Master Bela Kwiiks introduced in SWTOR.
[4] The Warriors of Fire blood in Mando’ade, with Verda in particular being an antiquated form of Verd.
[5] This is something of an ironic joke, Jodo Kast in Legends was the name of someone who tended to impersonate Boba Fett to get more credits, which he did before Boba Fett just decided to kill him. There does happen to be a Clan Kast in Canon.
[6] Montross was another Mandalorian Bounty Hunter of the prequel era and contemporary of Jango Fett. He basically ends up left for dead during the events of Star Wars Bounty Hunter. Well, here he's alive
[7] Basically this is Jango Fett’s Legends backstory. Although if you see point nine, I need to work around some of the canon bits of Mandalore
[8] In Legends The Bando Gora were a cult lead by Komari Vosa. Komari Vosa was one of Dooku’s Padawans when he was a Jedi other than Qui-Gon Jinn. She was captured by this cult, and she managed to become its leader. Count Dooku put out a bounty on her, with the intent of finding and testing the perfect template for the Clone army, which is shown in the game Star Wars Bounty Hunter. The game exists in a state of semi-canon as Dooku has a now unnamed female Padawan who falls to the dark side and is later killed, with the two lightsabers being given to Asajj Ventress.
[9] The problem with the backstory of Jango Fett, even with assumption that Jaster Mereel is still canon is the fact. The Canon Mandalorian Protectors were apparently the Mandalorian Royal Guard, but it wouldn't really make sense for Jango to be on the outs of Mandalorian Society even if the Death Watch was secret. If he was a part of or associated with the 'winners'. So I'm running with the idea that The Mandalorian Protectors under Jaster and Jango were pretty much one the groups that emerged in the lead up to the Great Clan Wars and might have been wiped out at the battle of Galidran in 44 BBY before the the Great Mandalorian Clan Wars kick off.
[10] A reference to the Clone Wars (2008) episodes of Padawan Lost and Wookie Hunt.
[11] Roz or Rozatta was a Toydarian who was a friend of Jango Fett and while she did ask for a finder fee when it came to leading Jango to bounties, she didn’t want Jango to devote his entire life to it. She ends up killed by Montross.
[12] Ahsoka did have a speeder bike with the same nickname and model for at least three episodes.
[13] A vehicle used by Boba Fett in Star Wars Droids, which never really lived up to its name, as it had green and gray as a color scheme.