"We have searched the entire ship and she'd not here!" Ganodi wailed.
"Maybe she got sucked into space!" Petro exclaimed.
Byph gibbered in worry.
"She was not sucked into space!" Katooni insisted.
"The pirate ship was only about a foot from the door. She could have ended up on their ship." Zatt commented.
"And gotten caught by the pirates!" Petro said, eyes wide.
"Rawrrawrar." Gungi lamented.
"But she's great. Ahsoka could fight those pirates." Katooni said, trying to sound optimistic.
"Or she just got sucked into space and she's dead!" Ganodi exclaimed.
Katooni frowned "I think we should be –"
"I'm getting a transmission from Ahsoka!" Zatt exclaimed suddenly. The other younglings crowded around the control panel.
"Ahsoka?" Katooni asked tentatively. Suddenly the image flickered on to show Hondo standing relaxed, his kowakian monkey lizard playing on his arm.
"Unfortunately not, younglings." The younglings stared at him in shock. "Where's Ahsoka?" Petro demanded, leaning towards the hologram.
"Oh, she's here too." Hondo said gesturing behind him and Ahsoka appeared in the hologram. She looked tired and slightly bruised, with no lightsabers and her hands cuffed in front of her.
"Ahsoka!" All the younglings exclaimed. And then all started talking at once their voices overlapping as they all tried to communicate.
"You weren't killed!"
"What happened?"
"Is she okay?"
"Are you okay?"
"Don't you dare hurt her!"
"Rawrrr!"
"How did they all get away?"
"Where are your swords?"
Ahsoka glanced at Hondo but didn't say anything. "Children… children…" Hondo said brushing off his monkey lizard. It chattered and leapt over to Ahsoka.
She winced as it climbed up her arms and head, arranging itself on the top of her head, its tail swinging one inch from her nose.
"What do you want?" Katooni asked, pushing Petro aside.
"I want wealth, something you can provide for me. I want your crystals. Then I shall release Ahsoka."
Ahsoka hands shot up in front of her face, trying to grab the monkey lizard but it reacted to quickly, scampering down the back of her montrals and her fingers only grasped at empty air. Cackling softly at her effort he dug his claws in, head just peeking over the top of hers. She winced from the claws and shook her head back and forth trying to dislodge him. He hung on and Ahsoka paused, letting him hand there as she thought.
"How can we trust you?" Katooni demanded
"You can't." Hondo said simply. "But unless you trade with us. Ahsoka may become a more permanent resident."
Ahsoka tried to grab him over her left shoulder sending him scampering around the other side and onto her front. Before he could flee again, she picked him up with the Force and tossed him to the side and out of the range of the hologram.
There was a shout from outside the range, a large clatter and the younglings who'd been watching this tussle all let out a cheer.
Hondo whirled around and Ahsoka smirked at him. He turned back to younglings. "While I respect Ahsoka to some degree, she is making it increasingly easy to dislike her." As he said this, Ahsoka stared directly at the younglings, shaking her head back and forth trying to discourage them from whatever scheme they might plan.
"If you would like to save her some considerable trouble, I suggest you hurry with those crystals." And the transmission ended.