Thanks for the responses, and for those following each chapter. Special shout out to thechosenbibliophile and D.D.5851 for the support. Question about Mon Mothma. I tend to see her as being more like she is in the new canon materials, more supportive and down to earth, still stoic, and though she can't allow certain things, or condone certain things, may take delight in things working out when someone goes against orders, even if she has to reprimand them. I know in the EU she seems to want to use Leia as a political pawn, or others have made her more strict. I also like the idea that she is the most likely person who would suspect anything about Luke or Leia's true parentage, and that Darth Vader may possibly be Anakin, yet understand as well that it is best to keep it secret. Not so much that she may or may not have been told by someone like Bail Organa, but more that she was around long enough to remember and put things together herself. Anyway, hope that helps clear it up, and thanks for reading.

The docking bay in Mos Eisley was more out of the way than the one she had been able to get the last time she was here. It made Ahsoka a bit nervous, in the event that she needed a quick get away, but it wasn't like she hadn't been in more precarious circumstances before. She was to meet her contact in another docking bay on the other side of the small city, it was night, but that never seemed to matter too much in Mos Eisley, it was alive any time of the twin suns cycles. It was easier to not be seen slipping through alleys and behind the buildings to get to her destination. She wore a cloak, as not to be recognized, and even if they didn't, at least she wouldn't be obvious. She still feared that Vader would find out she was still alive, though it was possible he already felt she was, as much as she tried to mask it. There weren't many stormtroopers here, they only had a small garrison, apparently left over from the time of Luke's departure when they were searching for the rogue droids with secret plans. Tatooine was still under the control of the Jabba the Hutt, and it sounded like they had worked out some kind of deal about the Empire using the space for their own needs, and it also coincided with many of the Hutt's own business concerns. Not that the Empire couldn't control it if they wanted to, but why bother, they got what they wanted, and the Hutt would just do the rest without using too many of the Empire's own resources. Still the small garrison was a reminder of who really would pull the strings in the end, and there were not enough stormtroopers to worry Ahsoka much. She just wouldn't think there would be this many here.

She made her way to the specified docking bay. It was empty. She took to a corner, and waited. She wasn't sure who her contact was, but was told that the contact would be making a whistling sound at random intervals, and that there would be a ship already docked there. Ahsoka sat for an hour waiting before she heard the sound of whistling. She clicked back the designated sound of response. The agent whistled again. Ahsoka came out from the darkness, and saw the agent. It was the same Twi'lek from before here in Mos Eisley, the one in her vision, the one who recruited her. Before she could say anything, an older Rodian came out pointing a gun. "Who is this?" he called in Huttese.

"You! You sold me out!" Ahsoka lashed out at the Twi'lek, attacking her with her hands and pushing her to the ground using the Force. The Twi'lek got up fighting back, cowering a bit to cover her face and then shook her arms back and forth.

"Calm down, calm down." The Twi'lek said as she tried to restrain her, but Ahsoka keeps pushing her back. The Rodian hit the blaster on stun towards Ahsoka.

"She'll be alright. Let's tie her up and get some sense into her. This was not the way this was supposed to go." The Twi'lek said as she wiped her lip. "Probably got nervous with the last job here, is all. It will be all right. Trust me."

They carried Ahsoka up onto a ship, and restrained her to a chair on ship.

As Ahsoka came to, all she heard was, "I'm still going to get my money, right?"He said in Huttese.

"Oh, you'll get your money, if you do what I tell you to do,"answered the Twi'lek.

Ahsoka started to struggle. "Calm down, you aren't in any danger. I understand why you felt threatened, after what happened last time. Jeeta here is a bounty hunter, he's working for me. Don't worry, he's not after you, not this time, and he will keep quiet, he owes me. You did great on that last job, though you should have gotten the hint when I said to don't ask questions and go. You handled yourself though, that's what Cracken said, anyway. If I untie you, think you can get it together enough to chat? I assure you, we are on the same page. Cracken told me you might be a bit weary of me." The Twi'lek untied Ahsoka, the Rodian still with the blaster pointed at her.

"I don't understand all of this?" Ahsoka answered wearily.

"As you shouldn't, but I will fill you in as best I can under the circumstances. As you know who I work for, the same people you work for, Jeeta here came to me with some interesting news, knowing I would pay for it. He's not after you either. After some intelligence passed on to my superior, and a chat with Jeeta here, Jeeta is going to keep your secret. Unfortunately, Jeeta is the go between of some other bounty hunters, hired by another individual, one that probably doesn't need to know who you are. Why that is, we can't tell Jeeta, sorry Jeeta. So, we aren't going to mention your name or your race, understand? You will need to be in disguise. It's going to be a bit of a stretch, but some interesting developments have made this necessary. Right now, you have to calm down, and trust me, understand?"

"OK. I think." Ahsoka relaxed.

"Good, stopping someone from getting to a certain friend of yours. I know this sounds kind of vague, but I will fill in the blanks later, I promise."

Jeeta spoke in Huttese, "These bounty hunters have been hired by someone else in the Empire."

"So you're with the Empire and helping us?" Ahsoka asked, completely confused, this Twi'lek better have a great explanation for all this, she thought to herself.

"Jeeta is only out for Jeeta and who pays Jeeta, this time though, you and I have a mutual friend in on it as well, he wants you protected. Seems you did him a favor and he owes you. Even if they think we are scum, some of us bounty hunters still have a code," Jeeta responded in Huttese. "I don't know who you are, but you have done something for a partner of mine, and we don't forget"

The Twi'lek directed him out the door and on his way, she then closed the hatch and waited.

"I have to get some bacta. You are quite the fighter my friend. I understand why you didn't trust me, sorry about the stun. We had to," she walked over to the medicine kit and brought it over to a table and sat. Come, sit with me. I will let you know what you need to know. Cracken told me about what you said about thinking that your Commander is in trouble. I've been watching for Boba Fett. He's here. Boba Fett isn't concerned for your Commander, but someone is concerned for this Skywalker. More than one person in fact. Jeeta is the go between for Zuckuss and 4-Lom, he doesn't know who hired them, but if I was to guess, it's Vader. They came though after the other guys. The other guys are who you need to worry about. Cracken told me that Mon Mothma doesn't want Zuckuss to know you are here. Cracken seems to want to keep your identify from Vader, I don't know why, I'm sure you do, so Zuckuss doesn't know you are here. Jeeta is working with another bounty hunter, we pay them. This is what I know. Zuckuss isn't to kill or try to capture this Commander, only to keep the other group from trying to capture or kill him. Only person I can think higher than Vader is the Emperor, or maybe it's just one of his up and coming Moffs wanting to move up in the ranks, I don't know. Anyway, Vader or whoever, and I conjecture it's Vader because that is who paid Boba Fett, according to Jeeta, who heard from Zuckuss, doesn't want Commander Skywalker dead, I don't know why, I don't care, all I care about is that we take out whoever is trying to get to Commander Skywalker. Cracken said you might have communication with Skywalker's friends here on Tatooine?"

Ahsoka sat there and stared a moment. Could she trust this woman? She reached out into the Force for an answer, and she seemed sincere. There was that dream, but didn't it come to pass? She could always contact Chewbacca, without her around. She spoke, "Yes, I can contact them, when I left, he still hadn't arrived. Does this Zuckuss have an idea of the bounty hunter who is looking for them?"

"Not only does Zuckuss, but I do as well. Look, we are set to meet with Jeeta again in a bit, he's gone off to see Zuckuss. Zuckuss has a man in Jabba's palace, and said that Boba Fett is there as well. That's how Jeeta knew about Fett, even though we are kind of working with Zuckuss, we don't trust Zuckuss, just we have the same goals and are sort of, well, using each other here," The Twi'lek answered.

"Commander Skywalker's friends have a man in Jabba's palace as well, could that be of some help? What do I do, am I expected to work with this Zuckuss and what was that, 4-Lom?"

"You won't meet with Zuckuss, but we have to find something for you to get yourself in disguise. Those montrals are going to be tough, maybe we can change your markings with some paint, don't know how you will feel about that, different clothes, a shawl, just let me see what I have here. You can go make yourself comfortable over in that room there, it's the crew's quarters. It will give you some privacy. Will check back with you when I see what I can come up with," and with that, the Twi'lek went to a back storage compartment, leaving Ahsoka to make her way to the crew quarters.

She was able to get up with Chewbacca and Leia. Luke still hadn't arrived, and wasn't expected for another day, she asked if they had gotten any suspicious activity and to be weary of any lifeforms in the area. They themselves were in a very remote area of the desert. Chewbacca gave her a contact in Mos Espa, for backup if they needed it. He also told her that he could put word into Lando if he had to. They were going to have to give him a heads up anyway before they implemented the rescue plan.

The Twi'lek, whose name Ahsoka never got, and who seemed to like that she didn't know her name, came back with a few different disguises to try, just in case someone could identify her. Ahsoka was beginning to wonder if Mos Eisley, with it's bounty hunters and criminal organizational activities, was such a great place to be a rebellion spy, and one who was also presumed dead and certainly would be hunted if found alive, but when she looked in the mirror, after the Twi'lek has done her magic, she barely recognized herself. The Twi'lek then took Ahsoka out of the ship and onto the street to a private room above a cantina two streets away. Jeeta and his partner were due to meet them there.

When Jeeta came in, he was followed by a small alien covered in the shadows. Ahsoka hid in the corner. When the alien came closer, she immediately recognized him as Seripas, a bounty hunter she had remembered from back in the Clone Wars. "Not so knee high now are you, my friend?," he spoke directed towards Ahsoka.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I saw you on Cerea, you didn't see me though! I have found being small now is an asset, not a handicap."

"Better than that bulky armor," she laughed as the last time she had seen him, he had been wearing a mechanical suit to make him look much larger.

"Yes, and I never forget a kindness," Seripas smiled. "This is a very strange dealing, I'm sure. Jeeta's being paid by the Rebellion, and I am the one who found the information for Zuckuss. Jeeta doesn't know your name, I know you do not wish it known. I have found my size very useful in the past many years, and in part I have you to thank. I am small enough to listen in the most unusual places, and Jeeta and others have found that to be very handy. Zuckuss has found me useful as well. There were three in Mos Espa, and Zuckuss got rid of them, but five here are hired for the job as well. I don't know why Zuckuss is keeping them from finding your man, or why your man has a target on his back."

"Pretty much, after we get these individuals threatening Skywalker out of the way, we have to somehow keep Zuckuss and 4-Lom from reporting back to their employer, until they are safely off planet. You say he has a man in Jabba's palace? He will have to be taken care of somehow," The Twi'lek agent responded. "To keep him from reporting back on the activities of those we are protecting."

"I thought of that, remember, Seripas is small. I know who Zuckuss has and I have a plan, I'll get into the palace myself, and drug him. He won't be able to inform Zuckuss when Skywalker arrives," Seripas informed the group.

"So we use or hope Zuckuss is successful in his plan of taking out those endangering Skywalker's rescue attempt. I don't know how comfortable I am counting on another bounty hunter working for someone else to take out a threat to my friends," Ahsoka said.

"I understand and I do agree with you, but know that we have some of our own people here as well, not just you and I. We have a great priority to protect both the Commander and our other, um, individual located here," The Twi'lek answered.

"Zuckuss assures us he will not get paid if Skywalker is killed," Jeeta said.

"And these other people are willing to kill him?" Ahsoka said.

"It's of my belief that Black Sun is involved, possibly involving the Emperor, I honestly do not know, but that's the educated guess." Seripas said.

"And it's Vader who wants him alive? I understand," Ahsoka replied.

"We don't understand why, but that is what Zuckuss is being paid for," Seripas replied, "We need to go, you have my comm if you need me, and you know how to get in touch with me or Jeeta."

Jeeta and Seripas left the room. Ahsoka and the Twi'lek made their way down the hall to another door and stepped out. There was the opening to a cantina, where there were several bounty posters, a band playing, a fight, some deals and a lot of noise. They made their way through the alleys back to 418's ship. 418 offered to get Ahsoka some caf and some food and to have a seat.

"Where do you and I fit in on this?" Ahsoka asked, as the Twi'lek sat down.

"Well, I was trained as a sniper, and I understand you are great at not being seen, as well as a great many other things, like I said before, I already know you are a legend," the Twi'lek answered, "Just call me, 418 for now, it's a code name, if you need to refer to me, just tell Cracken, 418 and he will understand. For now eat, then get some rest, we have a busy day tomorrow."

The next day, Ahsoka and 418 grabbed a speeder and headed for a rocky range not far from, but not in close distance of the Millennium Falcon. 418 planted several detonators in the ground along a perimeter that could be taken out by remote. They climbed up to a higher point as a look out where they would be able to see for miles around using electrobinoculars, including the area around the Falcon. As they were scoping the area, the Twi'lek began to talk.

"You probably have some questions about your assignment before involving the imperial defector. I told you to take him and don't ask questions. He wasn't going to pass the prints and facial identification. That man was murdered. We found him two days later. I hoped you would get the message by the way I said what I did. I see that you did. I apologize for having put you in jeopardy, but assumed you could figure it out, and am relieved you did. I had copies of everything, in case you didn't. I had to do that, anyway, I'm sorry, but the mission is more important than the agent. I hope you understand, and as I said, I'm relieved you figured it out. There was a message for you on the package, it was cryptic, but that was my back up plan. I didn't know how dangerous he was, only that he wasn't our man. When I told Cracken, he said to go on with the plan, he seemed to know that you could take care of it. I have to say, I'm impressed, but still, it could have gone a different way. We were able to weed out a mole because of the whole incident, which made it worth it, but losing that defector, the things he knew, that would have been a big boost for intelligence. Still, it wasn't a complete loss. You know as well as I do, sometimes you have to make sacrifices to keep information. And if you knew more, and he took the ship? That would have made it worse," The Twi'lek explained.

A beep came over the comm, it was the Jeeta, "Zuckuss is following behind a group of speeders out to the desert." He said in Huttese.

"OK, be on the look out," 418 said, "See there, moving out on the horizon. We got to move in closer."

418 and Ahsoka moved down the canyon. 418 directed Ahsoka towards a canyon, where they could look out from the ground, "Chewbacca, you there?"

Ahsoka heard a growl.

"We have incoming, has Luke arrived yet?"

Chewie growled.

Ahsoka looked towards 418, "Luke's just coming out of hyperspace and entering the atmosphere, they must have someone scoping the skies."

418 nodded.

As the convoy of speeders approached the detonators, 418 pressed the button. Sand flew everywhere, Ahsoka couldn't see through the microbinoculars, "We have to move in closer!" Ahsoka yelled.

"Wait for it to settle first!" 418 yelled.

"Don't worry about that! I don't need to see! Trust me!"

They moved the speeder in closer. They couldn't see, but Ahsoka could tell where the convoy was. By the time they got there, the sand was starting to settle, bodies and vehicles were everywhere, those that weren't dead were starting to come up with blasters in hand. 418 started shooting. Ahsoka, making note that Zuckuss could still be out here, diverted the blasts back to where they came from. It was like a dust storm. Ahsoka thought fast, using the Force she swirled the sand into a giant funnel around the group and out further into the desert. There was a sandstorm for miles. The shock from those few who were still shooting was enough of a distraction for 418 to take the rest out. Then further away, another speeder approached, shooting, 418 threw a detonator, and it blew it to bits. "Get out of here! Zuckuss is coming!" 418 yelled.

"I can't leave you!"Ahsoka yelled.

"Go!"

Ahsoka ran out of the sand and back to the canyon and into a cave. There were more blasts and more blaster fire. She peered out and looked through the microbinoculars, but the sand still kept it from being visible. The blasts stopped. Ahsoka comm'd Chewbacca,"Did Luke get in yet?"

Chewbacca howled an affirmative, but they almost didn't see him for all of the sand. The sandstorm that Ahsoka created. It honestly wore her out a bit. She sat and waited, and hoped that 418 would make it out. In the meantime, all she could do was wait.

After some time, the sand did settle, and 418 made it back to the canyon. "Slacking off there, Tano?"

Ahsoka slowly came out of her slumber and noticed that 418 got hit by a blaster on the arm and the leg. 418 just collapsed, "Can you get to the speeder? I have a kit in there."

Ahsoka made her way to the speeder, it was a bit of a walk and between it being the hottest part of the day, not to mention the difficulty moving in the sand left from the storm, not quite yet packed and settled, it took some time, but she was able to make it back, with both the speeder and the kit. She gave 418 some water, and got out the kit, "You OK there?" Ahsoka asked.

"Never better, just a scratch," 418 replied and passed out.

Ahsoka put her in the speeder, and headed back to Mos Eisley. Not knowing what happened after she left 418 to battle it alone put her at a disadvantage, but she figured the best thing right now was to just get her back to town. When she passed the battle scene, it was mostly covered by sand, with a few chunks of metal here and there sticking out. Otherwise you would never know anything happened there at all. She only hoped that the danger for Luke had passed as far as the bounty hunter issue was concerned. She comm'd Chewbacca. Chewbacca said that he had arrived, and they were starting on their plan. Luke had departed for what sounded like a place he knew already, so she assumed that perhaps he went to Obi-Wan's old home as he had told her he would do, and Chewbacca and Leia were working on their part of the plan. She grabbed 418's comm and tried to contact Jeeta. Jeeta said that Seripas had been able to take care of the contact in Jabba's that Zuckuss had on his payroll. No one was sure about Zuckuss, if he was still in the desert, or if he had gone back to town, Jeeta couldn't bring him up on his comm at all, but it was possible he got buried with 4-Lom in the sandstorm.

Ahsoka was able to get 418 back into her ship and clean her up. She was starting to come back to consciousness a bit, the bacta helped heal her wound, and she wondered if she should get her some real medical help. She couldn't contact Cracken from inside 418's ship, and she didn't have her codes, so she just tried to heal her as best she could with her use of the Force, and the medical supplies on hand, security was the most important thing. She still couldn't get Chewbacca on the comm, either. They must be already implementing the plan.

Later Seripas showed up. Seripas had gotten out of Jabba's palace after drugging the agent on the Zuckuss payroll to keep him quiet. Ahsoka just hoped that their plan would now go smoothly, and they were able to direct any threat away from Luke and the others while they conducted it. At this point, she really had no way of knowing, short of going to the Falcon and waiting, and that would probably just put another target on them. She just hoped Zuckuss didn't inform Vader, or whoever was paying him, that Skywalker was on Tatooine. Seripas shook her hand, and left Ahsoka with 418.

It was hours before 418 was conscious. Ahsoka made her some soup, and 418 smiled. Sometime later, she started talking,"I thought I was dead there for a minute. Thanks for bringing me back."

"Jeeta hasn't heard from Zuckuss, but he's led to believe that the threat is gone for now," Ahsoka told her.

"I think I may have taken Zuckuss out, I don't know. That droid of his was out there as well. They might be the only ones who knew if there was anyone else here. Still, we should stick around, and make sure Skywalker and the rest can make it back out," 418 replied.

"You aren't in any shape to do anything right now, rest, I haven't called Cracken, I couldn't from your ship, I didn't have access."

"Don't. Not yet. Help me to the cockpit."

418 called through a bit later on the safe channel to Cracken. Another agent had been patrolling the area after Skywalker's landing and found the space safe for now. They didn't have the man power or ships to patrol the atmosphere, but it would have made it even more dangerous if they could, as it would just bring more attention the the fact they were even there. They couldn't even afford to have a nearby frigate close enough to hyperspace in if a star destroyer showed up outside the planet. It was fortunate that the Empire and the Rebel Alliance were both being distracted by more important matters than the whereabouts of two individuals, no matter how important they may be to either. They were instructed to be on standby, so it was just a sit and wait.

It was a matter of time before Seripas showed back up again. "Zuckuss and 4-Lom were spotted taking cover in the desert. I sent Jeeta out there in a speeder. He's telling them the speeder is broken, but he was able to comm me, and they had to catch a ride with some Jawas. Who knows when they will get back to town. Seems they have no way to get in touch with anyone. That buys you a couple of days," Seripas told them.

"Boy, Jeeta sure is going to expect a nice payment if he has to do all of that. Good work though," 418 answered.

418 gave Seripas the credits for his work and for Jeeta's. Seripas looked very satisfied and gave Ahsoka a nod before leaving.

It was a couple of days before they got word from Cracken that the mission was complete. Nothing was said about Luke making it out, or anything else about that, just that it was done. Ahsoka couldn't help but wonder about Leia, Luke, Chewbacca or the others. 418 was still in bad condition, but well enough to move a bit, "I can leave my ship here. Really can't risk flying it right now. Can you give me a ride off planet? I already OK'd it with intelligence," 418 asked.

"Sure, we can take my ship, if you tell me where," Ahsoka responded.

"I can't tell you where, but I can show you," 418 responded.

On the way to her ship, they heard chatter in the streets that Jabba the Hutt was dead, no one was sure how he died. Oh, there were certainly different accounts of his demise, but consensus seemed to be that only that his barge was found destroyed, and he had been on it at the time. It gave Ahsoka hope that her friends were successful. Once they got to Ahsoka's ship, 418 insisted on putting in coordinates for each jump herself. Of course, if Ahsoka wanted to, she could check records and sense what 418 was doing, but 418 insisted on doing it all herself, with Ahsoka doing all of the piloting. The last two jumps required some kind of verbal communication, and that's when it became apparent as to why. "The Rebel Alliance isn't supposed to know about this place, and honestly, they probably do, but I know about it, and they'll take care of us, just trust me," 418 informed Ahsoka.

Trust me seemed to be 418's favorite words.