After former bounty hunter Boba Fett had been captured by a Tusken tribe and proved his worth to them, the members had accepted him as one of their own. Fett learned from the Tuskens that a Pyke repulsor train had been intruding on their lands; their attempts to stop it had been unsuccessful. While the Tuskens were going about their daily lives, the repulsor train sped past and fired at several Tuskens, killing them. After seeing one of the tribe's youth being flung into a cremation pyre, Fett was unnerved by the sight and decided to take action into his own hands. The chieftain allowed him to leave to seek aid, although he was unsure if he would actually succeed.
Fett made his way to Tosche Station, where he found some Nikto bikers harassing some human patrons, Laze Loneozner and Camie Marstrap. Fett beat up and killed several bikers before taking their speeder bikes back to the camp. The Tuskens were initially scared, but after recognizing Fett, the chieftain ordered them to stand down. They then tried to dismantle the speeders, but Fett stopped them, stating that they would instead use them to fight the train. Fett taught them how to use technology while learning how to use a Gaderffii stick. Soon after, one of the tribe's sentries spotted the train.
Using what Fett had taught them, the tribe immediately went into their battle positions. Fett, alongside several Tuskens, rode the speeder bikes to get close to the train, while a few others took position on some dunes. The Pykes also went into position in the train and fired on the Tuskens, killing several of them in the process. However, their distraction allowed Fett and the others on the bikes to get onto the train, although one bike was destroyed before its riders could board. A Tusken youngling spotted the train and used his mirror to signal the other tribesmen from a distance, who took up position and began sniping the guards from afar.
The Pykes, seeing the invaders on the train, attempted to repel them but were mostly unsuccessful. As Fett and three other Tuskens leapt from train to train, the Pykes emerged and began firing on them. One Tusken was slightly wounded before Fett managed to use a hatch for cover, although the Pyke fire meant that they were unable to fight back. The lead warrior, seeing her allies in trouble, slammed her bike into the train and leapt onto it.
The engineer droid, AL-42, seeing the train damaged, immediately began to accelerate the train to stop the female warrior from boarding, although its attempt was unsuccessful as she vaulted into the train through an open window. There, she began disposing of the Pyke guards with ease before managing to reach the Pykes suppressing Fett and the others and relieved them. With less opposition, the Tuskens made their way forward, but AL-42 began to accelerate even further, causing the engine to singe one of the Tuskens and nearly blew them off the train.
Two more Pykes emerged, with one grappling Fett. Another came out of a hatch, but the lead warrior killed the guard with ease. Fett and the other guard tumbled to the side of the train, where the guard lost their grip. Fett managed to get his gaderffii stick and vaulted into the cab, where he ordered AL-42 to stop the train. AL-42 instead leapt out of the window, forcing Fett to stop the train with his gaderffii stick and caused it to crash.
The rest of the tribe arrived to begin pillaging the train while rounding up the Pyke survivors to Fett. Fett then demanded for the leader to speak with him, in which a Pyke traveler answered his call. The Pyke asked Fett if they would be killed, but Fett stated that it would depend on how his questions were answered. First, Fett asked if they were carrying spice, which the traveler denied and feigned ignorance before two Tuskens spilled a crate, prompting Fett to state that it was looking bad for him.
The traveler then told Fett that his people thought the Tuskens were uncivilized raiders and that they were protecting their route. Fett told them that the sands belonged to the Tuskens and that if they were to pass from now on, they would have to pay a toll to them. He also stated that any deaths the trains caused would be returned tenfold before telling them to walk towards the twin suns, as they would lead them to Anchorhead where they could inform the syndicate of the new terms. When the traveler protested that they would be killed, Fett allowed the Tuskens to escort them. The traveler then protested that they would die of dehydration without their water cart, so Fett stated that they would be given black melons to sate their thirst before ordering them to leave.
As the Pyke survivors left, one of the Tuskens opened up a water cart, causing some of them to gather their containers to collect as much water as possible. The chieftain then arrived with two escorts; seeing the train disabled and his people gathering water, he nodded to Fett in respect. Fett would later be inducted as a member of the tribe.
The Pykes returned to Anchorhead where they presented the terms to their boss, who then reported it to his superiors at Oba Diah, although they refused to pay the Tuskens, as they head already paid the Kintan Striders Gang for payment. The Pykes massacred the tribe and subsequently framed the Kintan Striders so they could avoid paying altogether. When Fett returned, he saw his tribe killed and burned them on a pyre per tradition before slaughtering the gang himself. Fett would only learn the truth from bounty hunter Cad Bane when the Pykes attempted to seize Tatooine for themselves.
- "Crime and Punishment" — Star Wars Insider 209
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