Terran's skull cracked sharply against the speckled stone of the wall and he slid down to the refuse-littered ground, head muddled and vision browning out around the edges.
Shaking his head to clear it, he struggled up to a knee. "Listen," he mumbled as he held out his hand to forestall the inevitable confrontation. "We can talk this out. That's the Jedi way, right? Temperance and...and…" he paused, blearily grasping for the right word. "...concessions?" he finished weakly, questioningly. As he spoke, he willed the Force to smother the furious protests of his skull.
Korroth's lips tightened into a sneer, his normal serenity lost as his gaze shifted from Terran to Thayer before stepping between the pair. "We don't bargain with Sith collaborators." The words were half-snarl and half-incredulity.
So much hate in him for the Sith. It's blinded him. The Jensaarai wondered briefly if it was still prejudice if it was right. He can't even imagine that this situation might be different. It was almost comically tragic in such a paragon of temperance. Still, the Arconan would use it without hesitation.
"Listen," Terran repeated, his voice growing steadier. "I'm taking him in. You can't stop it. But we don't have to fight either. What can I do to convince you?"
"You don't get it, Arconan." The Pau'an practically spat the title. "It wasn't your home they destroyed. It wasn't your people forced to run heedless across the galaxy, hiding, dying, clawing tooth and nail for some small respite, some place to breathe without the specter of death looming over you as you slept." The words sounded ripped from the Odanite and Terran swallowed instinctively, taken aback at their passion.
With a sigh, Terran reached into his dun duster and pulled out a modest bag of cred chits. "Look, you take the bounty," he replied, forcing a note of hopeful enthusiasm into his voice. "I take him in. We share the info we gain. Everyone wins!"
Korroth opened his mouth, a scathing retort no doubt tumbling across his tongue, as Terran tossed the bag in a lazy arc towards him. As it sailed through the humid air, the Kiffar caught Thayer's eye with his own. The spy nodded once, sharply, from behind the Odanite. Then Terran's hand shot out, fingers splayed, and he made it rain.
The bag's weakened seam ripped open and dozens of small, sharpened cred chits exploded from it. A glittering rainbow of plasticized shrapnel showered the Pau'an and he rolled to the side, trying to get clear. Thayer seized the brief opportunity, darting towards freedom. He dropped an item at Terran's feet as he passed and the Kiffar suppressed a grin, pocketing it and standing as the Odanite regained his footing.
Terran circled the Pau'an, forcing him to turn with him, away from the alley's mouth and the retreating spy. "You can't stop me from tracking him," the Odanite stated flatly. Terran shrugged silently, preoccupied with his footing.
There. Perfect.
Allowing himself the smallest smile, Terran reached into his coat pocket. The Pau'an responded by unclipping the lightsaber at his belt.
"Last chance, Arconan. Do the right thing, here."
"I am."
He punctuated his reply with another gesture and the Odanite moved reflexively, dodging the small maelstrom of refuse and discarded cred chits that soared towards him. He never saw his own stuncuffs, retrieved from the Arconan's pocket, as they shot behind him.
Korroth's sunken eyes widened to small saucers as the cuffs clicked into place around his cadaverous wrists and Terran let his small smile blossom.
The Pau'an bared his jagged teeth and growled in frustration just as a half-dozen prison guards rounded the alley's mouth. Terran spotted Thayer behind them, grinning like a fool. Terran nodded his thanks as he quickly assessed the shifting situation.
"There he is, officers," Terran shouted, forcing a wheeze into his voice. "I'm not sure who he was trying to break out of prison."
The officers took in the sight of Terran standing unworried, the stuncuffs on Korroth's wrists, and the Pau'an's vicious looking teeth and claws. They made a split-second decision - the right one, as it turned out.
At least, Terran thought so. Prejudice may be wrong...but it certainly is useful at times.
"Mesa thank you, citizen," the lead peace officer said gratefully as the prison guards surrounded Korroth, electropoles at the ready.
"Think nothing of it, officer." Terran struggled to sound sincere before smiling at the Pau'an. "We Jedi are always happy to help."
Minor, but you need a comma for the introductory clause here (At that moment,).