A/N: I am surprised at how quickly I am busting out these chapters, given I just started writing this story a few days ago, but this will be the last one for about a week, given I am going on vacation today.
I'm also introducing in this chapter a sort of interactive reader/writer scenario.
As any of you who have been reading, Tyber is hiding some object in a private container. I've decided to see if anyone can guess what it is, which is actually quite possible.
If you can correctly guess what it is, I'll included an OC of the any reviewer who does so in the following chapters. If you are interested just post a review with you guess, and a short bio of your OC, including name, race, fighters stats if they are a warrior( i.e skills, weapons and fighting experience), if applicable to your character, otherwise include other aspects to your character traits, for example if they aren't a warrior or fighter but instead a sort of mechanic or engineer, included how good they are and work experience, as well as a short background for them. This will be open to both registered users and guests. If no one can guess it, I'll still included some OC's if any are submitted via a process to be reveled.
I'd also like to thank everyone who took the time to review my last chapter, Moniker, SeleneRaven1999 Spectre8, and RadicalCat I truly do appreciate it.
Any way onto the story.
Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucas Film.
Chapter 3
Kanan couldn't place it, but something was wrong on the Ghost and he didn't need any of his Jedi training to know it. Sabine, normally an outgoing person, rarely raised her head to meet anyone's gaze. Ezra, also seemed to be preoccupied with something, their training, which Kanan had never considered an overtly smooth affair was now riddled with distractions, and despite his effort's Kanan couldn't get Ezra to open up about the real issue.
Hera even had shifted somewhat in terms of personality. She had seemed to be quieter, less out spoken for the past two days. The only real difference to the crew that had come along was their new quest, Tyber Zann.
Kanan was leery of the man, for sure, he seemed cold towards the deaths of his own men and had given Ezra more than scare. But, as far as Kanan could tell, he wasn't much different than a hundred other criminals they had dealings with in the past, more sophisticated than Vizago, certainly more well spoken, obviously coming from a higher society family with a better education. But, all in all, Kanan still hadn't actually seen Zann do anything to warrant more than the standard level of distrust he showed any outsider affiliated with the underworld.
He supposed it might just be everyone being put on edge from his presence, he was one of the most wanted men in the Empire, and they weren't exactly unknown themselves, affiliating with him could result in a higher level of attention being directed towards them, but that didn't feel right either.
No, something seemed to float around Zann, something like a shroud that only partially covered him, like he was only half attempting to hide something, or that he was trying to keep them from learning more of something about something they had glimpsed. Kanan supposed that may be what he was hiding in the crate, which seemed to be calling for more attention the longer Zann had it.
Soon however, he'd be gone, and they might even know what they were shipping with Zann. Another hour and they'd be arriving at Ryloth, Zann would be handing whatever it was to Jabba the Hutt, they'd be paid and on their way, and maybe have a useful new contact on Ryloth as an added bonus.
But even these semi comforting thoughts did not ease him entirely, like something still hovered behind him, poking him in the shoulder. He knew from experience that it wasn't good to ignore these feelings, but he had no context for it, weather the feelings were from a threat to the crew, the ship. If it was a threat from Zann or to Zann, or if the mysterious package was the root of it.
Resolving to keep an eye on Zann and the package until they parted ways. Whatever it was, he also felt that whatever it was would come to pass soon. The best he could do was be on his toes, and wait and see.
Now Zeb was not the more adept at reading the moods of the others. Oh, he certainly wasn't totally oblivious to the body language of others, but compared to all the other's, which included two force users and two women, he supposed it was natural that the only one on the ship who was worse at picking up on these things was Chopper.
But he'd have to be blind to not notice Ezra and Sabine's sudden bout of melancholy. He knew that Ezra had been taken with Sabine from almost the instant he had met her. Sabine, however didn't return the feelings, at least in the manner Ezra wanted.
Zeb was willing to bet that was the source of this sudden coolness and distance they exhibited. Something had happened between them, Ezra's fault probably, the kid didn't mean any harm, Zeb knew, but of the two he was the one more likely to do something stupid to try and get Sabine's attention.
Normally Kanan and Hera would sort this sort of thing out, but Hera was distracted, Ryloth no doubt was weight on her mind, bringing unpleasant thoughts to the forefront of her mind. Kanan, was a different story. Despite being their "fearless leader" in terms of talking with a teenage girl, he was near hopeless.
Zeb himself was no better, and his relationship with Ezra was to informal for him to really give him much advice, but this was getting extremely uncomfortable.
Making his decision, wanting this concluded before they landed on Ryloth, he went to find Ezra first. This was, as he knew more going through the motions than actually needing to look the ship over, he had stayed in their cabin like he was told, but Zeb looked into quickly to make sure, as Ezra wasn't exactly known to stay put when told. He had followed Kanan's order's this time and had been occupying himself with superficial maintenance on his Lightsaber.
"Good." Zeb thought, taking care to avoid making noise. "Now, just to find Sabine."
Looking over his Lightsaber, Ezra was suddenly pulled out of his work by shouting and grunting as the door to the cabin slid open with a hiss and Sabine was shoved in unceremoniously by Zen with a smirk on his face.
Sabine shouting "Zeb!" as she stumbled in, with the door shutting behind her. Not even turning to Ezra Sabine made for the door and tried to open, but the door just clicked and shuttered, like somthing was holding it shut.
"Whatever it is you two are havin' trouble with, talk it out and get back to actin' normal."
Zeb smirked at his own cleverness. Why get involved? They were old enough to handle this themselves, they just needed to be forced to deal with it.
Kanan came jogging to the cabin, having been drawn in by the noise. "Zeb what's going on? What was that sound?"
"Therapy." Zeb said smirking as he banged on the door, with Sabine shouting at him to let her out.
Kanan's confused look forced Zeb to continue. "These two are fightin' about somthin', figured it would be best to force them to work it out." he said indicating the locked panel screen, which surprised Kanan, who didn't think Zeb had the technologic savvy to do that to the locking system. Or, more likely, he had Chopper do it for him.
"Well..." Kanan drawled, thinking on the issue. He wasn't up to playing arbiter right now and maybe Zeb's method would work.
"Alright." he said simply, "We'll give your way a shot."
"Zeb! Let me out!" Sabine shouted pounding the door with her fist.
"What is he talking about?" Ezra said rising to his feet .
"I don't have a clue." she said giving the door one last kick before turning to look at the young Jedi.
"Well." Ezra began "You have been acting a bit weird Sabine." Ezra trying and failing to sound nonchalant, this however got him a look, and not a good look.
"You're one to talk, you've been in a funky mood ever sense.." and she paused like she was trying to think of an exact time when it started. Ezra watched as comprehension dawned on her face. "Ezra, did Tyber...did Zann do something to you?" she said quickly "I mean after that first night."
"What?" Ezra was a bit taken by surprise by this, he was put off by Zann, but the man hadn't actually done anything to Ezra that was wholly out of line after Ezra had tried to pick pocket him. No what was wrong with Zann was something he couldn't place in an exact way. It was more than a feeling, but Ezra noticed something in her voice, like wanting, needing understanding.
"Did he do something to you?" she said, more Ernest in her voice.
"No, Sabine why..." he began before getting cut off.
"No reason." she said briskly, before turning away. This, in Ezra's mind confirmed the general idea in his mind, Zann had done something to her, and his mind went to worst possible scenario.
"He did something to you." Ezra stated, not asking, his voice cool and even, not portraying how he really felt. He was certain of this, his gut was telling him and so was Sabine's reactions. "What did he do!" he said through gritted teeth "Does Kanan know!"
"No, Ezra, nothing happened..." she said her voice becoming somewhat more frantic. "Nothing well really, he didn't do anything to me that hurt me or anything, he just." She paused realizing she was telling more than she intended to.
"Sabine, what happened!" Ezra near shouted.
With a sigh, knowing that she'd been found out and with nowhere to go and knowing Ezra wouldn't drop it she knew she'd have to tell him, especially if she wanted him to keep it to himself, if he just had a vague idea of the worst possible scenario, he's tell Kanan as soon as he could, he might even cut the door open to do it, and she didn't want the ship to be damaged.
"It was just... the first night after your 'incident' he asked me to stay for a minute." she paused "I did, and he got the drop on me, took my blaster and held it to me, told me basically that if I ever did it again, well you get the picture." she finished lamely, and hearing this version out loud sounded incredibly stupid, but she had consciously omitted the more, disturbing part's and her more embarrassing reactions. But it looked like it had done the trick.
"Why didn't you tell someone." Ezra's voice was much calmer and his expression not quite so livid.
"I didn't want to anyone to know about it okay!" she said in a somewhat stressed tone, and it wasn't a lie, at least not purely, that was part of it. "I didn't want anyone to know he got the better of me and took my blaster, you wouldn't understand, for a Mandolorian or any warrior to have their weapons taken from them because they let their guard down, it's a pretty big shame."
Understanding in the vaguest sense he could Ezra nodded. He wouldn't tell Kanan if she didn't want it out. But before he could say anything else, Sabine started on him.
"Okay, so what's been up with you? You haven't been acting normal either." her tone saying she wanted to move away from the previous topic.
Ezra was more prepared to answer, his issue was simpler to explain, if more abstract. "I just don't trust the guy, something is off about him, he just." and he stopped when he heard loud bagging on the door.
"I hope you two made up, where landing in five minutes." Zeb's voice rang through the door
"Yeah, we're fine now Zeb, you can let us out." Sabine yelled through the door, but not looking away from Ezra as the lock clicked on the door.
The cockpit was as full as it was ever likely to get, the entire crew plus Zann watching as Hera piloted the Ghost through the atmosphere, following coordinates Tyber had given her and before long a large palace built into the side of a mountain.
"Excuse me." Zann said taking the comm link "Now hear this, this is Tyber Zann, making my approach in ship not registered to the consortium or cartel, security code, Iron Crown."
They waited for a moment to hear a response, which crackled in a moment later. "Code recognized, welcome back sir."
"That was eerily military for a criminal organization." Kanan said in a casual tone.
Zann smirked, "Well, organization may be one of the only useful thing I learned from the Empire."
Landing in the hanger, Zann lead them crew off the ship to a be meet by a motley crew of thug's. "Sir." one said running up "We tried to contact you, but the signal couldn't be picked up, we meant to tell you..."
Zann cut him off with a raised hand "What is it? Get to the point."
The man, a looked nowhere near as dangerous as his fellow criminals, looked at his feet before looking up. "Jabba, sir he's not going to be here until tomorrow, he had business on Klantooine, something to do with the 'Fountain of Ancients' I'm not sure." he rambled on.
Tyber wiped his hand over his mouth, clearly thinking things over. "Well, I suppose all things considered, this isn't too bad." he said before turning to the crew of the Ghost."Well, if you're interested, you can stay and meet Jabba, or you can be on your merry way, I'll pay you of course, but I dare say it won't be as much as I'm certain Jabba would." he said with a slight smile creasing his face.
Hera spoke up first "We'll wait till tomorrow, if it's all the same to you." Hera ignored the looks of the other crew members, but continued to look at Zann, who didn't break his smile.
"You are my guests of course, I'll put you up for the night, and when Jabba arrives tomorrow, well, I'm sure you know Hutts, there will be a reception, you'll be the guests of honor of course saving me and" he reached into his jacket pulling out the container "this, I dare say Jabba will be much happier to see this than me, but I'm not that upset to be honest, I'd take this over him as well. My men will show you two your rooms.: he said turning to leave, not waiting for them to response as Zann's men signaled them to follow.
"Hera, what was that! I don't want to stay near this guy longer we I have to!" Sabine hissed at Hera as she was lead to their rooms.
Hera, not wanting to tell her the real reason she wanted to stay gave a prepared response. "Sabine, Jabba the Hutt is probably one of the richest most powerful beings in the galaxy" she said "And probably one of the most vile and disgusting" she thought to herself, " he can pay us more than Tyber, but getting on his good side doesn't hurt either, he's probably got one of the biggest information broking rackets in the galaxy." she finished in a tone telling Sabine the conversation was over.
Kanan hadn't questioned her, but she was expecting him to do so tonight before bed, and she might tell him more than she told Sabine. But in truth she wanted to see if Tyber had been telling the truth, about Jabba turning the planet over to him, for him to start reform on Ryloth. This felt like a child's dream, and as such she was a bit embarrassed to voice it out loud.
As they marched along Hera tried to distract herself by taking in the palace, and it certainly lived up to such. It was opulent and filled with priceless works of art, and almost certainly had some sort of atmospheric control, as the temperature and arid air typical of Ryloth. The building's high ceilings and bright lights, the building looked like it belonged on Naboo or Aldereaan rather than Ryloth. This made her stomach twist, knowing the living conditions of the native Twi'leks, this opulence did not seem appropriate.
As they finally got to the rooms, the men escorting them, gestured to three doors. "Three rooms, sorry for the close accommodations, but with Lord Jabba coming tomorrow, we can't open up any more." the meek looking man from earlier said, genuine regret in his voice.
"It's fine, we're used to close living conditions." Kanan said turning the crew "Ezra, Zeb you know the deal." Both grunted, but didn't put up protest, and headed to the first room. "Sabine, given you gave up your room for Zann, you should get a room to yourself." he said smiling at her, hoping this would help make up for displacing her on the ship. She smiled at him, but it seem strained, before going into her room.
And with that Hera and Kanan went to the last room.
"Look at this place!" Ezra shouted as soon as he and Zeb saw the room. It was large suite a filled with very expensive looking furniture and pieces of art. Zeb didn't say anything but stated picking up the art and looking at it.
Ezra on the other hand, had pulled out a small knife and cut a line into one piece of art. "Zeb, this crap is solid gold!" he near shouted, getting the Lasat's attention. "We can just carve it up and take it when we leave, and if those gem stones are real, well it's another small foturne."
Zeb looked tempted, but his face fell "I don't know, stealin' from the Empire is one thing, but Tyber."
"Is a crime lord Zeb, I don't think he's got exactly the moral high ground her, this stuff right here." he said indicating the art pieces on the room "Is food, fuel and ammo, besides, he'll never know it's missing." Ezra said, cutting up the piece into smaller more manageable pieces.
Zeb pondered the idea for am moment before smiling. "I'm gonna check the other rooms." Zeb said running off to grab more valuables.
"You wanna tell me why you really wanted to stay?" Kana said arms crossed, but looking at Hera unkindly.
Well, she had expected this, and while she didn't want to talk about it, it made her feel foolish, but of everyone Kanan was probably the only one she could talk to.
"It's Ryloth, Tyber told me, that if Jabba is pleased with the results, that Ryloth will be transferred to him." she began, feeling the blush creeping up her face, "He's not interested in the slave trade Kanan, say's it's a dying business, if he's in charge, well, he said he'd end it her, turn the locals to other markets, maybe not legal, but anything is better than slavery." he voice almost pleading for him to understand.
Kanan, to his credit didn't balk the idea, but knew he must handle it with tact. "Hera...I know why you want to believe that, but Zann is a Crime Lord, you can't take what he say's at face value." he paused thinking of how to go on "Maybe he will do it, but the chances are."
Hera cut him off "why would he tell me it though?" her wanting to believe over riding her own self restraint. "He didn't have anything to gain by it, we we're already coming here, why would he just make it up?"
That, had Kanan stumped, it really didn't make sense for Zann to tell anyone this story, especially someone he probably would never have direct contact with again,
"Look, love" Hera began, the name she always called him when she wanted him to do what she wanted "let's just get ready for bed alright? Forget I said anything, we'll just see tomorrow if any of its true, okay?" her face making a smile, and genuine but weary smile.
Sighing, Kanan replied "Alright, we'll just see where this goes." and with that, both headed to bed.
Sabine looked around the room. It was obnoxious to her, Zann clearly did like his art, the room was covered in it. But it was all "high society", extremely expensive gold, bronzium and electrum, some even peppered with precious and semi-precious stones.
No, she liked street art, paintings, bright colors, not shining metal and stones. Sighing she ruffled her own hair, she felt dirty, not having had a proper shower in two days, not feeling comfortable doing so with Zann prowling the ship, but he was far away now, and she decided to indulge herself.
Heading to the shower, she noted to herself that it was odd that she felt safer from Zann in his own palace than on what was she considered her home. Granted the physical distance was the clear reason for this, but it didn't make it feel any less odd.
In his office Tyber is looking into the container, as if transfixed by its contents. This was the key, was what he thought, the key to his plans. The pilot had been important for sure, but this, this was the truly irreplaceable key.
Shutting the box, he stood up from his chair and walked it back to his safe and locked it in. He needed to do some more work on the Ghost's crew, or he wanted to at any rate. A little more insurance, get them on his side, keep them close, get them entrapped.
The two Jedi, well he figured he had gotten in their good graces as much as he could, they would never trust him completely. The pilot, Hera, he was certain he had her firmly in his favor, and the Lasat, well he supposed that as far as that brute was likely to warm up to him in the time frame available allotted.
That left only the Mandolorian girl, the one he had probably managed alienate the most. He could of charmed her, he saw that in her face when he approached her, but his pride and temper had gotten the better of him. While it had turned out fine, it was going make something later on somewhat more difficult. If he could ease her tension around him, that would make things easier.
Leaving him officer, Tyber decided to make some headway in that area. Grabbing something out of the top drawer of his desk.
Sabine felt rejuvenated after her shower. Getting dressed for bed, she felt an uneasy, like someone was watching her. Making her way quickly to her clothes to retrieve her blasters. But to her surprise and shock she couldn't find them.
Panic creeping into her stomach as she shuffled things to try and find them. Then she heard something that bad her heart pump ice water.
"Looking for these?" Zann said holding one blaster in his hand while twirling the other around his fingers, the smile, the one she hated, plastered on his face. "Here, you can have them so long as you behave yourself." and with that he tossed them to her, and she snatched them out of the air.
"What do you want Zann?" she gripped the blasters, but didn't level them at him, remembering how badly he had reacted the last time she had done so. She'd drop him if she had to, but she didn't want to set him off.
A lot of being hurt, a clearly fake one however, spread across his face. "I'm wounded, why do I have to want anything? I'm just checking on my quests , making sure they're comfortable, I trust the accommodations are to your liking."
Snorting she responded "The art it a bit tacky to be honest, a shame I thought you at least had good taste in art."
He laughed at this, which she hadn't expected. He started towards her, still laughing. "You, my fine young girl, certainly are a Mandolorian, never afraid to speak you mind, although I must say, you don't seem as aggressive as some the other's I've met, I dare say some of more ornery ones would of attacked me by now."
Sabine didn't smile back but continued to look him over trying to see if he had a weapon on him. All she noticed on him other than his evening wear was a ring on his right hand she hadn't noticed before, and she was certain he hadn't had it on the ship.
"You." he said placing his hand on her shoulder. She felt a sudden prick from his ring, on her should and winced at it, Zann either ignoring it or not noticing continued "could be a valuable associate if you took some more time to train under more seasoned Mandolirans. I could arrange for this, if you wanted to come work for me."
"What!" she knocked his hand away, his smile still not fading "What I do is important, we..."
"Yes you harass a backwater Imperial outpost, breaking their things, taking pot shots at their bases and scuffing their boots, why I bet the Emperor will be surrendering any day now." the sarcasm dripping from his voice.
Sabine was ready to rage at him, to explain how they offered more than just direct interference, they inspired hope, helped people, gave an ideal to strive to. But her anger did not seem to want to rise, like she couldn't bring herself to be angry at him. Was it she thought he was right? No that couldn't be it, then what was it. Was her getting to her again? No, she didn't care how handsome he was. "No!" she wasn't going to think like that, she was just tired, and need to go to sleep.
"Tyber, please just leave, I need to sleep." and she did, she was feeling exhausted all of a sudden.
He only nodded "Of course, but if you change your mind let me know, it always helps to have a Mandolrian on hand, the more, the better." and with that he turned to leave "if you joined me, I could offer you Imperial Targets." he said at the door "I hate the Empire as well." and with that he left. Sabine feeling like she had just ran a marathon, climbed into bed and fell asleep.
Tyber smirked as he took of the ring and inspected the tiny needle on it. The Mandolorain girl had just received a dose of a highly experimental brain washing drug some of his men had been working on. This current rendition only worked on humans and, much to his chagrin and despite his best efforts, failed to work on force sensitive's in their trials, which he really would of liked, and army of brain washed force user under his thumb would of certainly of helped him.
The total effect weren't known yet, but so far it had generally worked in turning people to his cause and tended to loyally follow him. This would serve as the first test outside of a lab, and frankly the delivery system only allowed for a minimal dose, but given how she had failed to rise to his barbs and her more docile attitude compared to after he had stuck her, it seemed to be working. If this managed to work out, he start mass producing it.
The ring, was ugly little thing but it had served its purpose, he supposed he better put it away, not sense in wearing it and risk sticking himself, which he was not sure how would affect him, but he didn't care to test it.
Turning down the halls back to his room, he mentally prepared for the next day, he'd need to.
Ezra was eager for Jabba to show up, he wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, and not just because he and Zeb had a fair amount of stolen goods smuggled onto the Ghost. But he didn't like being around Zann or his men. He's tried to talk to Sabine about it, figuring she'd understand, but he was shocked in her attitude turn around, she now seemed like her old self, more outgoing and happy. Despite wanting her to be happy, this didn't feel right.
The Hutt ship pulled into the hanger where they all waited eagerly for the arrival of the Crime Lord. Tyber standing in the front of the group holding the box Ezra had tried to steal...a look at.
Within a few minutes the largest grossest Hutt he had ever seen slithered his way off the ship, with Zann walking out to meet the part.
"Lord Jabba, it is good to see you again." He said with his arms wide open in a greeting. The Hutt nodded and started eyeing the package Tyber had. He continued gesturing back to the crew of the Ghost "These are the ones who obtained the merchandise for you, saved me from the Empire, and of course brought me and the merchandise back here. " Zann gave the Hutt a knowing look, who waved a hand signaling one of his men to bring a chest forward and hand it to Kanan. Who placed it on the ground to open it.
It was full of gold grade credits, the largest amount they had ever had at one time. Kanan closed the chest and handed it to Zeb, who started to carry it to the Ghost. Ezra keep and eye on the credits the whole time, he couldn't believe how many they had now, they could probaly by a whole new ship if they wanted, a few of them.
"Tyber." Jabba said in his low rumbling voice. Not needing to say any more for everyone knew what he wanted. Tyber handed the container over the giant Hutt while informing the Hutt of a massive feat that was being prepared in his honor. Ezra's heart started to race as the hutt opened it up, reached in a pulled out the item Tyber had so sternly guarded.
A/N: Okay end of chapter 3.
Please Review, and if you're interested in having an OC featured, make sure to have a guess at what the object is.
