It definitely felt awkward this time. Boba had spent the entire morning avoiding Din and Nia. At the same time, Din was behaving a bit possessive of her. As soon as they approached Boba's land speeder at the palace, Nia felt a firm hand wrap around her bicep as Din yanked her away from Boba as the group climb onto the speeder. Oh maker! This is going to be a really long day!

The Tatooine dessert was as hot and harsh as ever, and Nia was glad she brought her hooded poncho. Boba, Bossk, Din, Fennec, and Nia all ride out to meet up with Cobb Vanth at Mos Eisley, which was still the same sleazy shit hole it always is. According to the marshal, Adwin Charu, a Red Key employee, is said to come to the Chalmun's Cantina regularly to gamble and drink. As the team pull up to the walkway leading to the cantina, everyone gets out to greet Cobb, who was leaning against the wall of the building.

"Good morning everyone," Cobb says in his usual charming voice and smug smile.

"Vanth, nice to see you again," Din replied as he holds out his hand as the two men share a handshake.

"He's inside," Cobb says flatly.

"Let me speak with him," Nia suggested, which caused both Din and Boba to glance at her in protest. "You two will only intimidate him and he may run off before we could interrogate him," Nia says firmly.

"Interrogate?! I'm hoping to kill him," Boba sneered, speaking for the first time since leaving the palace.

"At least let me walk in first before you boys barge in with pointing your guns at him," Nia says as she takes a step forward, but suddenly she feels a firm grip on her forearm, preventing her from moving. Nia looks over her shoulder to see Din giving her a disapproving look under his helmet. No need to see his facial expression, or use the Force, to understand exactly what he is trying to tell her.

"I just need to touch him, it could give me some insight to the location of their secret hideout," Nia says firmly, trying to convince the armored man in beskar to let go of her arm.

"No," he ordered with a growl.

"You know that I'm perfectly capable of defending myself. I just need to get close to him," Nia says as she looks up at Din, meeting his eyes under his helmet. With a heavy sigh, Din grits out 'fine' as he releases her arm.

"He's sitting in the back with one of his bodyguards," Cobb says softly as Nia nods her head and walks inside.

Once inside, Chalmun's was as packed as ever as Nia looked around warily. The crowd inside had changed. Larger humanoids and aliens, and a more shifty looking patrons is gathered at the bar, but everyone's attention was soon focused on Boba the second he walked in. The entire cantina fell deathly silent as the King of Tatooine, in his infamous dark green Mandalorian armor and blaster rifle in his arms, steps up beside Nia by the front entrance. His power and influence is a fucking turn on, there's no doubt about that.

However, the tension in the air got even heavier the moment Din enters the cantina in his shiny beskar holding his Amban phase-pulse rifle, followed by the infamous assassin, the Trandoshan bounty hunter and then the marshal of Mos Pelgo. When Adwin and his bodyguard see this, they were on high alert as the two men reach to grab their blaster rifles.

Suddenly, Adwin jumps to his feet and aims his rifle at Boba. His bodyguard also does the same and readies his own weapon at any who decide to make a sudden move. In response, both Boba and Din lift up their rifles, then unintentionally step in front of Nia, before aiming their weapons at Adwin and his men. Bossk, Fennec and Cobb also do the same as they take out their rifles to defend the team. Under these circumstances, now there's a stand off between the two groups as each person is ready for a gunfight, but Adwin and Nia were the ones to speak first.

"Lorgan gave you our answer Fett, now if you come any closer we'll shoot!" Adwin sneered as he grips his rifle with both hands.

Not wishing to wait for anyone to make the next move, Nia emerged from behind Boba and Din, "Oh I'm sorry to hear that. For me, I prefer a non-violent approach. All I ask is for your cooperation."

Din and Boba's helmet both zip to Nia, but she ignored their silent attempts to ask her to stand down.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Adwin growled as he moved his rifle at eye level to Nia's forehead.

"If I were you, I wouldn't want to start a fight. Seeing as you are clearly outnumbered," Nia smirked as she takes a step forward, pulling her poncho back to reveal her two lightsabers on her belt.

Adwin froze up but didn't back down, "So, the rumors are true. You're allying with a Jedi," he sneered at Boba. Adwin's weakness is his arrogance.

"I am not a Jedi!" Nia blurts out forcefully. "Now are you going to cooperate with us?"

"Fuck you!" Adwin snarled as he prepares to fire his rifle. However, Nia anticipated this and used the Force to disarm him, as well as his associate. She drops the two gun, then uses the Force to grip Adwin and his bodyguard in place, preventing them from escaping.

"Taylir ibac jag (hold these men)!" Nia spoke in Mando'a. In response, Boba swiftly tosses his rifle over his shoulder, then takes a few giant steps towards Adwin and wraps his strong arms around his neck and shoulders in a sleeper choke hold. Din does the same with the bodyguard as they wrestle with each other for a brief moment.

"Ah! Fuck you Fett! My boss will hear about this!" Adwin choked out as Boba grips him tightly around his neck with his arms. Then the rest of team step up closer with their rifles leveled to Adwin and his bodyguard. "Ngh! You fucking bastards! Let us go!"

"Now I can't stop him from breaking your neck, but if you cooperate, we might let you live," Nia threatened as she pulls up one of her gloves.

"Stay away from me, you Jedi scum!" Adwin says as he spat at her. Boba tightened his grasp on his neck even more, causing the man to gasp for breath. Without waiting any longer, Nia placed her hand on his forehead as a vision immediately flashed before her eyes.

Vast and deep labyrinths of sand dunes and high cliffs, which spread across the desert wasteland from horizon to horizon. A vision of a semicircle of jagged rocks is seen, which gave the impression of sharp teeth. Natural rocky pillars cut through the rifts, lining a series of twisting passageways and mazes, which led to a remote military outpost built in between two mountainous ridges. A fairly large settlement made out of stone and clay. Buildings strategically constructed and perfectly concealed inside a deep canyon and ravine.

Then the vision faded...

"Jundland Wastes," Nia pants out, her skin was red and clammy as she removed her hand from Adwin's forehead. Boba zipped his helmet up to see Nia's distressed facial expression. "There's a military base nestled between two canyons. It looked old, probably has been there for years."

"When Lorgan finds out, you assholes will-" Adwin begins to say but Boba snapped his neck in one swift motion. Adwin lets out a faint grunt as his body collapsed on the cantina floor with a loud thud. Most of the bar patrons, who did not want to be witnesses, have ran out through the back door the moment Boba and Din were wrestling with Adwin and his associate. Once Adwin's limp body hit the ground, Boba instantly stood up to unsheathe his pistol. When Din tosses the bodyguard to the ground, Boba shoots him before casually walking towards the front door.

"You didn't have to do that," Nia sighed and rolled her eyes at Boba.

"Yes I did," Boba replied flatly as he exited the cantina, with Bossk and Fennec directly behind him.

***

The Jundland Wastes is a harsh land. Full of grit, rocky gorges, and sandy mounds that stretched out for miles. The two suns baked and cracked the stone ridges, sucking up all moisture and beating down on every surface until the intense heat burned your skin raw. A terrain far too hostile for anything green to live.

The ride took several hours across the Dune Sea. Endless seas of sand surrounded them far beyond their eyes could see. By early evening, Boba stopped his land speeder between rocky cliffs. Then the team instantly hear roaring echoes throughout the mountainous terrain.

As the sounds get louder and louder, Din and Boba both step out of the speeder. But when Nia and the rest of the group climbs down to follow them, Din and Boba hold out their hands out to stop them. All of a sudden, several Tusken Raiders appeared with multiple four-legged canines and banthas.

Nia heard loud gurgling noises coming from Din and Boba as their hands began gesturing in a specific patterns. Nia watched the two men in wonderment at their newly discovered skill. She had no idea they could speak Tusken! As more sand people started gathered together, one of them gestured his hands and pointed at the group.

"What the hell is going on?" Cobb whispered as he watched the group of Tuskens communicate to Boba and Din. After a short exchange, Boba and Din turn around and walk towards the team who were still sitting inside the speeder.

"They want to help fight the Red Key, too. Plus, they know the location of their hideout," Boba says as he got closer.

"They are also offering us a place to rest with them until morning," Din added.

"I didn't know you two spoke Tusken," Nia replied with a smile.

"We are long time allies," Boba answered as he climbed onto the speeder. "Is everyone ready?"

***

It's nearing dusk when the team finally spots the glow of the Tusken camp in the distance, tucked between the sandstone cliffs that rise like a dragon skeleton from the dunes.

Once the second sun dips below the horizon, the team sees one Tusken approach them from the camp, walking towards the team slowly with his weapon at his back. The Tusken stops, tilts his head towards Din and Boba, who were still sitting in the land speeder. Boba and Din get out slowly and gestures to the team to do the same. The two men communicate with the Tusken with more grunts and hand gestures.

After a few minutes, Din turns to the group and says, "He wants us to come with him," he says, turning without waiting for them to follow.

Down at the mouth of the valley where the sand dunes rise high into the night air, Nia watches the Tuskens with hidden curiosity. Around the outer edge of the camp there are few more scouts keeping watch, who greet the Tusken with a nod.

The tents are arranged in half circles against the cliff, with lanterns between every other campfire. They see children running around in the center of the settlement, safe from the rest of the outside world. They were wearing neutral brown robes, hiding their appearance just like the adults. There's a smell of meat being cooked, most likely from a krayt dragon, and the musk of animal pens. The dog-like creatures yelp as they pass by. The Tusken scout doesn't react, so Din and Boba, along with the rest of the team, follow silently behind.

The Tusken scout guides them further into the center of the camp. Up against the outcrop of the rock, they see a blazing fire pit illuminating a group of four Tuskens deep in discussion. The cliffside is painted in complex patterns, swirling designs that radiate from the middle of their circle. The group of Tuskens pause upon seeing the team approach. One of them stands, greeting the scout before turning to Boba and Din.

The two armored men step forward, their heads lowered. They both know they are not to make eye contact with the leader until spoken to, so they focus on the sturdy boots of the group of Tuskens. The leader stands up and speaks to Din and Boba in his native Tusken language.

Din turns to the group and translated their conversation, "The leader says we are welcome here the night. In the morning, they will guide us to the Red Key outpost."

"Is it far?" Fennec asked.

"Only a few hours north," Din replied. "They have a group of warriors ready to assist us, but right now we can sleep here by the fire."

Once evening finally approached, Nia was grateful for the cooler temperatures. As the team ate by the campfire, Boba and Din continue speaking in Tusken with the leader. Soon enough, the entire camp fell silent as everyone settled down for the night.