A/N: Short chapter, I know but it is something.
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The Princess and The Pirate
Chapter 8
Heating Things Up
Captain Antilles and Chewbacca headed into the Broughtin Cantina, looking around for their contact. It did not take long to spot her. She was in a dim corner of the bar – though Wedge couldn't help but think all corners of all bars seemed dim – and waved at them as they came in. If she noticed the young man who came in a few minutes later and ordered a Corellian Ale from the robotic server before sitting down in a booth across the aisle, she didn't show it.
Wedge nodded at her and could not help but take note of her exceptional beauty once again, as he and Chewbacca slid into the vacant bench across the table from her. Kalena was Mupallion in origin. Mupalla was a world not well known, but Solo had traded with them during his smugger days. Antilles figured he had been attracted by their beautiful women. The women of Mupalla were exceptionally striking, with all colors of hair – and it was always long and uncut. The women of the higher class families had hair that was curly; the servant class always had straight hair. The women were also usually very discreet in nature and very pleasant to be around. They could, however, be quite dangerous if crossed.
Other than the long hair and beautiful women, there wasn't much interesting about Mupalla, however, those two things were enough to make the women especially sought after as negotiators and diplomats. Kalena had been working on Tal-Edonn in her current capacity since before the Empire was destroyed. She enjoyed her work and had stayed on to help with the transition after the Rebel Alliance had defeated Palpatine.
However, for the first time, she was regretting her decision. Kalena was a woman of strong morals and good character. She came from a family of professionals who took pride in their work. However, they always valued stability and none of them had ever been involved in anything very dangerous. So Kalena was exceedingly nervous. When she had agreed to be the contact between the suppliers and the Rebel representatives, she had seen it as one more job to do; one more opportunity for possible advancement in her chosen career. She had not signed on for what it had become. She had met Judge Cadnell before the rebels had reached Tal-Edonn and had found him to be personable and charming. He was the one who had been brokering the supplies to begin with.
But everything had changed shortly after they had arrived. Kalena had been followed home after the first negotiations had been completed. She had been told by the Judge that things were not as they seemed and that he required her help. He told her that since he was Judge, he had legal authority for his dealings and had demanded she take certain actions on his behalf. When Kalena had balked, not liking the sound of these new duties, she had been threatened. Pictures of her family had been produced and details of their schedule and agendas had let her know the Judge had resources available to him that would enable him to carry out his threats. Not knowing what else to do, she had agreed to his demands. But she didn't like the situation at all.
Judge Cadnell had told her his story after he had coerced her into cooperating. He said he had been the victim of a horrible crime and because it had taken place when the empire was still in control, he had no recourse for justice through the rebel alliance. Therefore, he was taking matters – and justice - into his own hands.
The Judge alleged his family had been peacefully living in a small town on a world that had chosen to remain neutral. But during the height of the war, a rebel alliance ship had landed at their small spaceport. Thinking they could stay neutral, the small government had decided to not re-supply the alliance ship when they were asked to help.
Cadnell's take on it was that they were not really asked at all; it was demanded that they resupply. When they advised the rebel leaders they were choosing to stay neutral, the ship's commander had opened fire on the small village, annihilating everyone there. Cadnell had been on the other side of the planet and by the time he heard about it, there was no one left alive in his family. There were only a few survivors, and they had given him the name of the man who had been leading the rebel mission and who had ordered the town destroyed. Cadnell had vowed that he would hunt down and take his revenge on this man – no matter no long it took.
And when Kalena had inquired as to the identity of his adversary – the Judge's face had turned into a mask of hatred. "The man was Corellian. It has been my experience that almost all villains are Corellian – or at least all Corellians are villains. This one is the worst of all. His name is Captain Wedge Antilles. And I intend to see him brought to his knees before I kill him."
Kalena had gulped with fear, wondering just how she had gotten herself into this mess. Her instructions had been to set up a second meet with the New Alliance members, offering them additional mining supplies. The supplies were being delivered to a warehouse by the Judge's troops. She was to show them the high quality merchandise and delay them long enough for the Judge to get his soldiers in place. His hope was that Antilles would be with the group who came for the negotiations; but if not, he would capture whoever did, and use them as bait.
Of course, Kalena knew that the ones who had been captured were none other than the Princess Organa-Solo, her husband Han Solo, and Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker. She had wondered how the Judge planned to subdue the two Jedi, and had watched in astonishment as the Yalsimiri's had served their purpose.
She had been in the shadows as the Princess and the others had been led away, captives of the Judge. And she had been the one contacted by his right hand man, Kenfer, with instructions on exactly what she was to tell Antilles, and more specifically, what she was to give him. A day after the Alliance members had been captured, one of Kenfer's lieutenants has brought her a small chip – and told her to give it to Captain Antilles. They were sure the Captain would contact her, has he had no other leads on what had happened to his friends.
And now Kalena was sitting in a cantina, talking to that same captain and his large companion, the Wookie Chewbacca. She gulped, knowing the reputation Wookies had for being loyal to their friends. She had heard of his life debt to Captain Solo – who in the entire galaxy hadn't? She was more than a little afraid of the large being, in spite of his gentle blue eyes, which were now trained on her, as if assessing her, trying to see if she could be trusted.
Kalena turned her attention to the Captain, trying to decide if he could possibly be the evil criminal the Judge had told her about. He just didn't seem the type to gun down innocent civilians, but then, she knew she wasn't a particularly good judge of character. After all, she had trusted the Judge. Realizing however, that she had little choice in the matter, since she had no desire for her family to suffer the same fate as the Judge's had, she decided to get to the point quickly. She knew she was being watched; she had seen the same lieutenant that had delivered the chip to her sitting at the bar when she had first come in.
"Captain Antilles. I know you must be wondering what has happened to your friends. I can tell you only what I know. They have been taken – and I am to give you this." Kalena carefully handed over the small chip to Antilles. "I have been instructed to tell you to access the information on this chip. Your friends are in danger, but it isn't even them they are after. It's you Captain. And unless you cooperate with the instructions here, what you see recorded here will only be the beginning."
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Many things happened simultaneously as the Judge took in what was going on in the prisoner's cell. Han managed to launch himself toward the Judge, just as Luke could feel the force flowing fully back into him. Leia was not quite as quick to recover her complete force senses, but made up for it as her concern for her injured husband came to the forefront. As Han rammed into the Judge, Luke used the force to wrench the table leg free and hurled it through the air, just over Cadnell's head, using it to knock one of the guards senseless. Judge Cadnell did not know whether he was more shocked at Solo's surprise attack or at the obviously return of force abilities to the Jedi Knights. But before he could complete his thought, even has he crashed to the ground with Solo on top of him, he had another problem to deal with.
Leia Organa Solo had had enough. She had no intention of seeing her husband abused further. Using the force to enhance her movement, she delivered a swift and brutal kick to her enemy's head and watched in satisfaction as his eyes first went wide in shock then closed in unconsciousness.
Bending down, she eased Han off the man and helped him roll over onto his back. "Han," she chided gently, "Just once couldn't you lie patiently on the floor and let us do the work?" Han, who had no idea that his wife and brother-in-law had somehow gotten their use of the force back, just laid his aching head back and groaned. "I can't keep up with you Jedi types. Just once, couldn't you let me in on what you're doing?"
Luke knelt beside him and smiled. "Sure, Han, we could, but you never listen to us anyway. But for now, how about we try to get out of here?" For at that moment, they could hear shouting and shots being fired some distance away.
"Ah, good idea. Someone help me up, okay?" And a very bleary eyed and confused Han Solo lifted his hand toward his companions, allowing himself to be hauled to his feet. "I think I'm tired of this party, anyway."
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A/N: I am wondering if there is enough interest in this story to continue? I could just be finished here or it could continue, either for one more chapter or a few more. I have a few different ways in mind to end it, but the interest seems to have dropped off. Please let me know and thanks.
