You Need Him Alive, Try to Reason With Him

Walden and his friends want to get Nojahl off the planet, and you don't get paid for a corpse full of holes. You holster your weapon, put your hands up, and walk down the dune towards the camp.

Nojahl spots you and approaches cautiously. You note that with your hands up and his claws out, he's at a significant advantage. Hopefully he takes that as a sign you want to talk.

"Quite the uprising you have here, Nojahl."

He frowns, and calls to you in a deep rumble. "How did you find me, human? And why have you come?"

"Two questions, one answer. I found you because of Walden, and some of the other slaves you freed. They helped me piece together where to look for you, because they want you to abandon your uprising and get to safety." You look around. "Although I'm guessing there's more to this story than even your friends know. Can I put my hands down? Walden sure as hell isn't paying me to shoot you."

He nods assent, but doesn't invite you closer. "They scraped together quite a bit of money to hire me. They say they have a ship to take you off planet."

"One I don't deserve. There is no uprising, as I'm sure you see around you. The slavemasters fear it, because they are cowards, but I have no illusion of overthrowing them. I don't correct the record because it gives the slaves I free hope. But I am no champion, or revolutionary. I will do what I can, to free those I can before I'm killed. That is all there is for me. I'm sorry you've come, but your time is wasted. "

"Yeah, speaking of getting killed. This uprising rumour? You're about the only one who doesn't believe it. The bounty on your head is going to make someone rich. I'm the first to find you, but I think your days out here are numbered if you stay."

He considers, before flexing his claws dangerously. "Perhaps... if I am to die... it would be better to kill you. If you cannot collect from Walden, at least those I've freed won't lose more on my account."

Well shit. You draw before he can act on that thought. "Why don't we let Walden decide what you are or are not worth. Don't you think you owe them that much? Whether you like it or not, they idolize you. You might be worth more as a living inspiration than a corpse."

He considers, and to your relief he agrees to go with you. You don't know if you believe the whole inspiration line, but you do know you'd rather not get involved in a deathmatch with a former gladiator who has nothing to lose.

Nojahl climbs onto the speeder, and you collect the bounty pay from Walden without incident. You don't stick around to find out what happens, but word is soon spreading through the **** quarters that the hero Nojahl has escaped off world. The official story is that he was chased off world by a daring freelance bounty hunter, but whispers are quietly spreading among the slaves that the same bounty hunter was responsible for saving him. You are getting warm smiles and clandestine handshakes wherever you go.

The takeaway for the merchants is that whatever the truth, their boogeyman is gone and you're responsible for that. You're the hero of the hour to everyone involved, and that's worth celebrating.