"MOMMY, NO!." Nine year old Peri Sanders woke up from yet another one of the nightmares that had plagued her for the past two months since she was stolen away after her parents were killed after failing to pay up the Debt they owed to the Vile gangster Jabba the Hutt who had sent one of his henchmen to "punish" her parents for their failure but instead, little Peri had been spared and was taken immediately after her Mom was shot in front of her, taken back to Jabba's palace and had a chain placed around her neck and was now sitting on a huge rock in front of the huge worm creature Jabba himself who was holding onto the chain around her neck like a dog leash. Quickly brushing the tears away from her face, she looked around to see that it was almost dawn which meant that everyone would be waking up soon. She looked over at a green female alien who was also being held prisoner and used as a slave girl for Jabba's own entertainment whilst Peri was there for him to taunt, reminding her everyday that her parents would still be alive if they had did what they were told. Peri wanted to escape so badly but the last time she attempted to escape, she was caught and received the punishment of not being given any food and right now, the little girl's stomach was grumbling due to not eating hardly anything for a while. Feeling drowsy and weak from hunger, she decided to drift off a little while longer until she felt a tug on the chain around her neck.
"Who gave you permission to sleep" Jabba said in his own language which Peri had learned during her imprisonment and the child slowly sat up, turning around to face the the giant slug.
"When are you going to let me go?" she asked only to have Jabba laugh in response along with the rest of his henchmen apart from the girl alien who held Peri's hand in a comforting gesture.
"Where would you go if I did set you free?" Jabba asked "both your parents are dead, you don't have anywhere to go." With a deep sigh, Peri hung her head and quickly brushed away tears that began pouring from her eyes. She didn't want to show these criminals her tears, her Mom always told her that crying in front of bullies showed a sign of weakness but the memory of her Mom only had it difficult for her to conceal her tears but the girl alien who was being held prisoner along with her noticed the little girl's tears falling down her cheeks and quickly brushed them away.
"Don't be sad" she said.
"I'm sorry" Peri replied "I was remembering my Mommy and Daddy, I miss them." She could still vision that day when the bounty hunter burst into their home, she could still hear her Dad yelling at him, telling him to leave their family alone before she could hear him being shot to the ground before her Mom was shot down next, right in front of her, the screams still echoed in her head two months on from those nightmares that had plagued her. A few hours passed by and Jabba was starting one of his many parties which he held every single day and he often forced the girl alien to dance for him and would sometimes make Peri to the same also and she hoped he wouldn't make her do any dancing today, she didn't have the energy from not being given any food for the past few days and feared she would probably pass out and receive further punishment for " falling asleep" in the middle of dancing. It had been nearly a week since she tried and failed to escape, it was the middle of the night and Jabba had accidently let go of the chain and Peri saw her chance so she got up and made a break for the exit only to be caught by the green pig like guards who dragged her back kicking and screaming to the evil giant slug who had then admitted that she would not be given any food or water as punishment and threatened to throw her in the rancor pit below if she dared to try and escape again. Peri had never seen the rancor before but she had seen those who had wronged Jabba the Hutt thrown in there and heard the beasts mighty roars as it devoured it's victims and decided that it would be a good idea not to try an escape attempt again. Whilst she sat thinking about her escape attempt and wishing she had succeeded, her attention then focused on two Robots who had entered the thrown room, one was humanoid and gold in colour who spoke in some kind of british accent whilst the other was small, blue and white with a dome shaped head.
"Good morning" the gold robot greeted as he and the smaller robot approached Jabba before turning to the smaller dome headed robot "show him the message Artoo." The Smaller robot who Peri assumed was called Artoo made some kind of bleeping sound before a beam of light emitted from it's Dome head and an image of a young man in his early twenties appeared dressed all in black.
"Greetings, Exalted One." he spoke "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight and friend to Captain Solo. I know that you are powerful, mighty Jabba, and that your anger with Solo must be equally powerful. I seek an audience with Your Greatness to bargain for Solo's life" Jabba and his cronies just laughed as Peri glanced over at the man in the carbonite hanging on the wall, wondering if there was actually a man stuck in there "With your wisdom, I'm sure that we can work out an arrangement which will be mutually beneficial and enable us to avoid any unpleasant confrontation. As a token of my goodwill, I present to you a gift, these two droids. Both are hardworking and will serve you well." The image then disappeared as the golden robot appeared to be confused.
"Artoo, are you sure you were playing the right message?" he asked the dome headed robot who only bleeped in response.
"There will be no bargain" Jabba announced, tugging slightly on Peri's chain "I will not give up my favorite decoration. I like Captain Solo where he is." Peri remembered seeing the man in carbonite when she was first brought there but had no idea there was an actual person in there.
"Artoo, look! Captain Solo. And he's still frozen in carbonite" the gold robot pointed out before he and the smaller robot where escorted away and before long, a party had started and the female alien was dancing in front of Jabba's thrown as Peri curled up as the effects of not eating anything for nearly a week was slowly taking it's toll on the little girl. After a while, the female Alien refused to do any more dancing and she was immediately thrown into the rancor pit.
"No" Peri yelled as her only friend in this place disappeared down the hole just before someone entered the thrown room. From what Peri could regonised, it was a bounty hunter as this person looked a little like the one who had taken her after he had shot her parents and it had a large hairy creature on a chain.
"I have come for the bounty on this Wookie" the bounty hunter announced as the gold robot seemed to regonise the hairy creature he had with him.
"At last we have the mighty Chewbacca" Jabba said before summoning the gold robot who reluctantly approached.
"here I am your worshipfulness" he replied. Jabba began speaking as the gold robot began to translate "the illustrious Jabba bids you welcome and will gladly pay you the reward of twenty-five thousand."
"I want fifty thousand. No less" the bounty hunter demanded causing Jabba to fly into a rage and he pulled on Peri's chain slightly.
"Uh, the mighty Jabba asks why he must pay fifty thousand" the gold robot inquired and the bounty hunter said something before showing them a silver metal ball in his hand "Because he's holding a thermal detonator." The Aliens in the throne room all gasped and went into hiding except for Jabba who just chuckled in response.
"This bounty hunter is my kind of scum. Fearless and inventive" the huge slug like Alien said as Peri tried to shift away only to be pulled back again before saying something.
"Jabba offers the sum of thirty-five. And I suggest you take it" the gold droid translated. Jabba and his cronies all looked at the bounter hunty waiting for a response whilst Peri looked at the large creature with pity as the bounty hunter put the detonator away, indicating that he agreed. Later that evening as she slept, Peri was woken up by a tugging on the chain as Jabba announced that someone had entered that there was someone in the palace and that they should all hide and surprise them.
"I don't want to" Peri said "I don't want another person to be taken prisoner." Jabba just chuckled at the girl and put his hand over her mouth to stop her from calling out for help in case it was a family friend looking for her to rescue. Despite not being able to call out, Peri could still hear what was going on from behind their hiding place. She heard what sounded like the bounty hunter who had brought the hairy creature followed by a man's voice she had never heard before before the bounty hunter's voice changed to that of a young woman.
"Let's introduce ourselves to our visitor" Jabba declared before pulling back the curtain they were hiding behind and Peri noticed that the man must have been the one in the carbonite block on the wall.
"Hey, Jabba. Look, Jabba, I was just on my way to pay you back, but I got a little sidetracked. It's not my fault" he said as he stood in front of the young woman in an attempted to protect her despite his shakyness and sweating.
"It's too late for that, Solo. You may have been a good smuggler, but now you're Bantha fodder" Jabba said to him before he ordered his guards to take him away before focusing his attention on the woman "Bring her to me." Two of his guards then grabbed the woman and dragged her forward towards the giant Alien slug.
"We have powerful friends. You're gonna regret this" she told him as Peri stared up at her, wondering who she was and why she was dressed like a bounty hunter. Jabba had the young woman put in a gold bikini type outfit and was now sitting next to Peri. She seemed quite surprised that there was a little girl there, being held prisoner and immediately began to reassure the Nine year old, despite having never met her before.
"How long have you been here for?" she asked her in a whisper so that she wouldn't wake up Jabba.
"Nearly three months" Peri replied "my parents got into a huge debt with Jabba and they failed to pay him so he sent a bounty hunter to dispose of them or that is what he calls it when killing somebody but for some reason, I was spared and brought back here and since then, I've been a prisoner."
"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking" the woman stated obviously concerned on how young the girl was.
"Nearly Ten" Peri replied "why did you come here dressed like a bounty hunter with that wookie?"
"Well we're on a mission to rescue someone" the woman explained.
"The man in the carbonite" Peri stated and the woman nodded before taking the little girl's hand and looking at her with a concerned expression.
"What's your name honey?" she asked.
"Peri" the little girl replied "what's your name."
"Leia" the young woman replied "don't worry Peri, we'll get out here, trust me." Peri nodded, relieved that after almost three months in captivity, she was finally going to get out of this place.
"Thankyou" the little girl whispered before throwing her arms around Leia who hugged her back. before long, Peri fell into another nightmare induced sleep as she relived the moment of her parents being mercilessly killed in front of her.
"NO!" she screamed as she bolted awake in a cold sweat. The little girl felt someone putting their arms around her shoulder and realised it was Leia who had seen Peri wake up screaming.
"Are you all right?" she whispered "what happened?"
"I had another nightmare" Peri replied, her voice shaking "about my Mommy and Daddy." The child quickly wiped her eyes as tears began to fill them, wishing she wasn't a captive, wishing she was safe in her own home and that her parents where still alive but Leia could see that the child was clearly distressed and pulled her in a hug.
"Don't worry, we'll get out of here." Peri nodded just as she heard a couple of voices and one of Jabba's henchmen entered the thrown room accompanied by a man in a cloak and Peri recognised him as the man from the hologram that the little dome headed droid had shown the day before.
"Master" the henchman said to Jabba who awoke suddenly "Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight."
"I told you not to admit him" Jabba yelled.
"Don't worry" Leia whispered to Peri "Luke will get us out of here."
"You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookiee to me" Luke said as he approached the giant alien slug before he noticed Leia and the scared little girl sitting next to her as Jabba only chuckled in response.
"Your mind powers will not work on me, boy" Jabba declared.
"Nevertheless, I'm taking Captain Solo and his friends" Luke informed as he moved further towards Jabba's thrown and Peri noticed he was standing right over the trap door that led right down into the rancor pit "You can either profit by this... or be destroyed! It's your choice. But I warn you not to underestimate my powers."
"Move away, you're standing on the..." Peri tried to warn him but Jabba yanked on her chain before she could finish.
"There will be no bargain, young Jedi" Jabba replied, ignoring Peri's squeal as he pulled on the chain around her neck "I shall enjoy watching you die." At that moment a pistol,came flying across the room and Luke grabbed it before Jabba yelled and pressed a switch, sending the Jedi into the pit.
"That wasn't fair" Peri yelled.
"Quiet girl, if you think he's going to save you and those friends of his, think again" Jabba taunted before proceeding to watch the fight in the pit in which Luke managed to crush the Rancor to death by using a gate leading into the pit in which Jabba became furious.
"Bring me Solo and the Wookiee" the giant alien slug declared furiously "They will all suffer for this outrage." Peri watched as the guards dragged Luke from the rancor pit followed by someo the guards dragging the man from the carbonite and the wookie from the dungeons.
"Where's Leia?" carbonite man asked.
"I'm here" Leia replied.
"There's a little girl here too" Luke pointed out as a slightly annoyed expression grew across carbonite man's face at the thought of a innocent child caught up in all of this.
"What the hell are you playing at you great slimy space slug" he yelled, trying to break free from the guards despite being blind "you've really stooped to a new level, kidnapping a small child."
"I'm so sorry to interrupt" the gold droid announced "But his High Exaltedness, the great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately."
"Good, I hate long waits" carbonite man said with sarcasm.
"You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc" the gold droid continued "in his belly, you will find a new definition of pain and suffering, as you are slowly digested over a thousand years." After the gold droid made his announcement, Jabba had everyone on board his sail barge to witness the execution whilst keeping Leia and Peri still in their chains.
"Do you think they'll be able to get themselves out of this?" Peri asked.
"I'm sure they will" Leia reassured her " Luke's smart, he'll figure something out." Pretty soon, they all came to a stop and the gold droid began to make another announcement.
"Victims of the almighty Sarlacc, his Excellency hopes that you will die honorably. But should any of you wish to beg for mercy,the great Jabba the Hutt will now listen to your pleas." Peri heard carbonite man yelling something about how Jabba would get no such pleasure from them before she heard Luke telling Jabba to set them free or else.
"He's being very calm about the whole situation" Peri whispered as she watched the Jedi give a nod before giving a salute. The little girl's stomach grumbled again and she almost fainted before Leia managed to catch her before she fell backwards.
"I haven't eaten in almost a week" Peri replied weakly "they're punishing me for trying to escape by not feeding me." Leia was surprised as to how a child as young as Peri had managed to survive almost a week without eating but her almost fainting strongly indicated that the child needed food in her system and with a huge rush of anger, Leia leaped to her feet, grabbed the chain that had been placed around her neck and threw it around Jabba's large neck, choking the slug like Alien until he was dead.
"Artoo, over here quickly" she said to the dome headed droid who wheeled over, making bleeping sounds "can you get these chains off me and peri." the dome head droid bleeped and used some kind of laser device to break the chains away from Leia and Peri. After they were both freed, Leia scooped up Peri who was barely concious and ran out onto the top deck where Luke was taking down Jabba's henchmen with his lightsaber.
"Get the gun!" he yelled to the young woman who set Peri down on the ground "Point it at the deck!, Point it at the deck!." Leia ran towards a huge cannon and swivelled it around before firing it's cannon then rushing back to Peri who was beginning to become to weak to stay concious.
"Let's get out of here" Luke said as he rushed over "you go on ahead, I'll take her." Leia nodded and ran over to the rope to swing herself over to the other barge as Luke scooped up Peri and swung across to the other barge.
"Thank god for that" Leia said with relief " I'm so relieved we got Peri away from that place." Jabba's sail barge exploded to smithereens but the gang managed to escape whilst Peri began whimpering and sobbing.
"Hey it's okay little one" Luke who was still holding the little girl said, rubbing her back as she continued to whimper "it's okay, you're safe now, you're safe."