Fixing Our Broken Pieces || The Bad Batch

Chapter 20: Infested

"Where is she," Orla asked, without raising a threat.

"Cid's out, this parlour and Ord Mantell are now my territories, but if you're looking for work I might have use for you."

Does he really mean Ord Mantell, all of it?

He may be bluffing over all of Ord Mantell but Zelda's cantina was only a mile off and if the Pykes are working with him it's very possible to take over that much territory.

"We'll have to come back to you on that, thanks anyways." Orla signalled it was time to leave and they exited calmly through the parlour without any violence necessary.

"We're getting off Ord Mantell, Tech prep the ship, the rest of us will gather supplies," Hunter instructed the squad.

"I know some planets you can settle down that offer quiet mercenary work but I have to check on Zelda to see if that Devaronian was being serious about claiming Ord Mantell as his territory."

Before Hunter could agree Omega voiced concern about the whereabouts of Cid and Tech theorised that Cid was forced out or taken out. Omega worried over Cid and insisted that they must help her. Orla saw the danger and worried it was too risky to get involved if there was the possibility of getting tangled with the Pykes. A mistake she swore not to repeat.

But instead, they found Cid, hearing her loud obnoxious voice inside the Marauder and she ordered the squad to get inside. Once out of sight of the Pykes Orla let down her hood and tucked her mask safely away.

"So you've all met Roland, he's a former client and the son of crime boss Isa Durand. Rolands trying to make a name for himself by joining up with the Pykes," Cid caught them all up with her dilemma.

"I knew those Pylkes were not just a friendly visit," Orla mused,'' Why are they on Ord Mantell?"

"This port's connected to multiple hyperspace routes, ideal for smuggling. My parlour's right in the middle of the action, Roland saw the value and took it!" Cid voiced frustration, "but we are taking it back!"

"We?" Hunter denied.

"If I lose, you lose, don't forget how good I've been at keeping secrets."

Orla couldn't remember if Cid knew she was a Jedi, she doubts it but there were other "secrets" obviously important to the squad.

"I believe she's threatening us," Tech pointed out.

"You're quick."

"When we needed help, we came to Cid, remember? Now she needs help, we can't just walk away," Omega reminded Cid was supportive of her conclusion but Orla was not.

"Well it was more like Cid was the only person in the galaxy you knew that could be of use because you assumed the Jedi trusted her which honestly I think Cid was also a worst-case scenario person to them and they only worked with her once. You could have worked with Vizago and gotten better deals and he's a shady crime lord."

"Hey I find that to be an insult," Cid huffed

"I'm gonna be honest Cid it is, this is an insult," Orla's tone was sardonic and Cid sneered.

Clearly fed up and knowing there was no other solution other than to hear Cid's plan Hunter decided to her out and hoped for the best it wouldn't be too much of a messy mission.

☆☆☆

Out of the Marauder and back down the working streets of Ord Mantell, Cid briefed on her plan. Orla wore her temple mask again under her hood, in case of lurking Pykes.

"My sources tell me that a buyer is meeting Roland tonight to acquire a shipment of spice he's storing in my back office."

"You want to disrupt his supply chain by stealing the equipment and thereby sabotaging the deal," Tech said.