Chapter 17: Tatooine or Bust
World Between Worlds
"Ok" called Obi-Wan looking at the entire group. They were all standing around the battle board listening to Obi-Wan layout the plan. From what I've study of our plan attack it can be broken up into three stages. Due to playing such a key role in the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan had become the leader as it were of their strategy group. "The first stage is the shock and awe, for the warriors of the group you're likely going to imagine a stun grenade going off and causing disorientation and confusion. for those who are more pacifiers do you may imagine the ripples caused by a pebble dropped into a body into a pond. Because of this, the first stage as many different small battlefields and a lot more talking then what some are you are used to."
"I know right," interrupted Galen.
Obi-Wan ignored him. "The idea is to get people thinking. The next stage is called call collation or recruitment. The problem with a lot of the worlds is that after several centuries of having the republic and the Jedi solve their problems is that people are now incapable of helping themselves. They don't know how to fight, there are no standing armies, or it could be as simple as just not knowing their own rights. You have to teach those people how to be self-reliant because they can no longer count on the Jedi or the republic. The clones war is stretching the two too thin and a lot of planets were left to fend on their own for the sake of the whole. They weren't just harmed by separatists either. A lot of scum took advantage of the fighting to make a profit. Bandits raided entire planets making off with not just the food but also people to sell into slavery. Anyone who wasn't taken die of starvation before any help could be reached if it was sent at all."
Obi-Wan let his words fall on the group before he continued. "Sabine, Ezra, and Leia you three will take point on this stage. This work is gonna be very similar to what you do for the rebels."
"Understood," said Leia. "But I'm looking at this list that you gave us a lot of the problems that the planets had was one of the supplies. We just have enough for ourselves, we don't have the gear or the food to feed so many planets. Where will we get the supplies."
"and where exactly do rebels get their supplies," asked Obi-Wan. "They take it from the empire. Well in this century there isn't an empire, but there are those who are profiting from this war, and if you ask me that makes them just as bad the empire. They are the perfect targets for you guys. With Bail's information, and also my memories, I can provide Ezra and Sabine a list of targets, of convoys, secret stashes, and ways even their private communication lines. You'll be able to attack them without any issues
Ezra jumped in. "Sounds easy enough."
"Correct you two would be in charge of supplies, the rest of you are going to be in charge of the teaching. To be specific Galen will teach fighting Alina will teach medicine. Leia and Luke will be in charge of the more political aims along with how to organize themselves into a unit. Understood. Now this will take you about a month or two. After you are done working on all those planets we will move to the biggest battlefield of this stage. Tatooine. The republic and separatists both claim to be fighting for liberty and justice. I think that these guys need a little lesson on what they are preaching and nothing will teach them more than a successful slave revolt in Tatooine. Leia, you will play a key role in this battle."
"Me," sputtered Leia, "wouldn't Luke play a more crucial role."
"Luke will assist you, but you will be playing the major role and that's because of the mythical creature, Leia the storm of freedom."
"Huh."
"It's an old slave story that is told around fires. It's about this creature born from the mother of the desert and her sole purpose is to give freedom to slaves. They say that wherever she goes the sandstorms follow and her name is Leia. Didn't you ever wonder exactly why your parents named you Leia?"
"No."
"Well now you do," explained Obi-Wan. "Don't you see your perfect for this, you're practically the representation of Leia the freedom storm. How she comes from the wind; thanks to Luke's obsession with all Skywalkers must walk through the sky, you learn how to fly, yes. And back when Luke and I lived on Tatooine, I notice that whenever the two of you flew, you sent the sand scattering into the wind. It creates the illusion of flying on a sand storm. Besides Leia you are a rebel leader, you are all about freeing people just like the Leia from the story. You can be yourself and people will still think you're her."
"Oh," said Leia slowly, "I am not sure how comfortable I feel about that this. I mean your right I've lead rebel armies before but never has some sort of mythical creature. And what about my appearance? I look just like my mother how we can get around the fact that people who open their newspapers are going to say 'oh Padme it is leading a slave rebelling on Tatooine.' If I truly take after anyone it's going to be my mother and let's admit it her leading a slave revolt sounds like something she would do."
"Agreed," snorted Obi-Wan. "But that's an easy fix. We will just cover you up, like Alina."
"Well what about my weapons asked Leia. She knew that she was maligning excesses but didn't care. I can't fight with my lightsaber, otherwise, I don't look like some sort mythical creature, I just look like some sort of rogue Jedi."
"I think I can help," stated Corran speaking for the first time. "Back when I was on Ossus I found a few ancient swords that the Jedi used back before they discover the sabers. No one will make the connection and if they did it would just add to you mysticism."
"Great so no reason why we can't do this," muttered Leia.
Tatooine
"I can't believe I'm about to do this" muttered Leia. She was pacing right outside a slave trading post trying to get the nerve to make her theoretical entrance. The outfit that Galen had made her was surprisingly comfortable and not as mystic as she had first feared. He had made it out of the same material that his own was made off, the hide of a bantha. A bantha skin was capable of surviving the blistering of Tatooine days and the freezing Tatooine nights. It was also a secret which was why the guards on the other side of the fence were chattering so loud that Leia could hear them.
"You got this moon," congealed Luke for the millionth time over the comms. He, along with Alina and Galen was watching not far from the base. If Leia needed help they would be there in a matter of minutes. "Don't think, just jump and let your actions speak for you. They are slave guards. They are used to their opponents being in chains and cages. They will be no match for you."
"Right I can do this I can do this." Leia stood right in front of the wall and prepared to jump. She turned away at the last second "I can't do this," she whined.
"What," yelled Luke. "Princess Leia of Alderaan, rebel leader is too shy to take on some lowly guards."
"I'm not shy I'm embarrassed there's a difference," hissed Leia. "I'm dressed up in this ridiculous outfit pretending to be some mythical being. This is humiliating they are just going to laugh at me."
"What is wrong with the outfit," yelled Galen on the comms. "I made it base on my own clothes. Are you trying to say that my clothes are stupid."
"Focus," yelled Luke blocking off the rant. "Leia you need to jump over there and take on the guards." Leia stared at the wall some more. The more she thought of how ridiculous this was the more reluctant she was. "Luke I can't do it."
Luke sighed over the comms. "Fine. You're probably right, the guards would find this ridiculous. I mean a woman warrior."
Leia froze, "excuse me."
"There is a reason why the slavers don't care enough to stop the slaves from telling stories about Leia. The idea of a female fighter, it's laughable."
Leia chuckled "I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to get me mad so I will forget to be embarrassed and beat up those guys."
"No, I'm serious. I mean just look at the females they deal with on a normal basis. All slaves who have been beaten too much to be a threat. With them being the only woman they deal with its understandable why they would think Leia is laughable. I bet a year back when our father came here with Ahsoka to return the baby hut. Jabba and the others probably thought padawan was just another name for a female companion. The idea of a female Jedi is just as silly to them. Heck, you could tell them that she is your teacher and that would incapacitate them with laughter. You wouldn't have to lift a finger."
Leia had always been warned about her temper, that it was similar to her father, that seeing red wasn't good. Right now though all she could think was that the wall looked good red and that she wanted to paint it in blood. Luke was her prefer to target to sink her talons into, but he was out hiding under a dune-like a hare does to avoid the hawk. On the other side of the wall through some scurrying rodents didn't know the hawk was nearby.
With a banshee yell, Leia jumped over the wall and landed among the prey. Like any Jedi she was skill in sabers and Corran had given her two blades before she left, but she didn't draw her swords. Instead, she settled for the therapeutic thump of her hands and feet as they made contact with flesh. Besides this way, the man knew that they were beaten up by a girl with nothing but her fists. Ahsoka had taught her how to fight with basic hand to hand combat, Ahsoka herself once took on five inquisitors by herself, that was how good she was and these men would pay for thinking any different.
Leia did a palm thrust, breaking one man's nose before pinning his arm and using him as a shield for his friend's laser whips. She threw the man at one of them before ripping the other guy's arm out of his socket and kicking him in the stomach before turning on the man who had successfully pulled Leia's shield man off himself. She launched onto his back until she pulled him down to the ground where she kicked him in the gut.
Galen whistled from his outpost watching the bloodsport in the complex. "Impressive Luke, I mean Sun."
Luke smiled from his hiding spot against a dune. "I wouldn't be a good brother if I didn't know which buttons to push."
"Hmm," muttered Alina from her location, she didn't care for the fighting. "Leia hasn't even noticed the slaves or attempted to free them. And if you ask me she could have ended this fight long ago."
"In her defense, those guys keep getting up. If they were smart they would realize that they are outmatched and pretend to be dead until she is gone."
"Slavers aren't the smartest batch but they have a lot of pride," admitted Luke. "They won't give up anytime soon." A few guards who had been on the other side of the compound had finally reached their friends. He flinched as they soon joined their friends on the ground.
Alina frowned, "she is so-"
"Hot," finished Galen. Alina shot a look at him that he picked up. "What angry women are hot. Just because I'm married doesn't mean I'm blind. Besides you should see Juno when she is pissed at me."
Finally, the men stopped getting back up, and no matter how furious Leia was there was no sport in beating up unconscious guys. She sighed as she straightened her outfit and took in her soundings for the first time. There were large cages around the enclosed wall, all filled with people of different species and genders. They all looked at her with fear as if they thought that they were her next target. Leia was a little taken aback. Maybe she was a little rough with the guards. "Don't worry," she called to the group. "My name is Leia, I'm here to help you." A few people gasped and begin to talk to the others in Huttese, no doubt repeating her words. The others began to look at her in growing awe.
"Right," thought Leia. "They think I'm that Leia." She had forgotten the plan when she had jumped over the wall. During the brief fight, she had been just Princess Leia, not warrior Leia but it seemed like without even trying she channeled the myth. "Crap," she thought to herself. "Obi-Wan was right I am practically the living representation of the myth."
Not giving herself a moment longer to dwell or freak out about it, Leia drew her swords, and with the same effect as a lightsaber she sliced up the cages and chains around the slaves. Shortly after they were free Sabine and Ezra appear on the scene with the ghost ship landing next to the compound. Luke, Alina, and Galen joined the group. "Alright," he said to the new order "before anything else can be done we have to remove the trackers/explosions. Now we practice it, the goal is to do 10 in 5 minutes everybody to their stations."
Leia nodded as she turned to address the crowd of slaves and say the one line that she learned in Huttese, "everybody please form a single line. We will be removing your trackers."
The slaves complied without argument. Galen pulled out a stopwatch "alright ready set go."
Ezra went first with a giant marker. After a quick scan with the force, he would mark the part of the body where he detected the tracker. Any force sensitive person could do this but Ezra was chosen due to being the youngest and thus more energetic than the others which would play a role when they were doing this for a hundred people at a time.
He was followed by Alina with a scalpel. If the mark wasn't on top of a vital organ she would slice it open right there and remove the device. If it was on something that couldn't be safely cut then they would have to be pulled off to the side to receive surgery. Alina as the only medic was the only person that the group trusted to cut someone.
The final person in this strange production line was Luke. Besides Alina, he was the only one who could heal being that healing was the most difficult skill a Jedi could learn. He would follow being Alina and heal the cuts so they wouldn't get infected.
Once they were done Galen stop the stopwatch. "30 minutes," he proclaimed. "Considering that there were thirty slaves that are not good people."
"But it was good for a first try," defended Alina. After giving her two cents she left the group to see to her new patient. Out of the thirty, there was one slave who had a tracker in a vital spot, his neck. Alina needed to perform surgery and the sooner the less chance of it being activated.
"I suppose so," sighed Galen sitting down on the ghost's ramp and pulling out a beer he had placed in the cargo. "What," he defended, "all that's left is Leia's speech I can be buzzed for that."
Leia's stomach dropped. Right she had to give a speech to the newly free slaves.
Luke sensed her fear. "You can do this Leia" he reminded her. "Its the same speech you always give to rebels and that you have been using the last few months to encourage people to take back their planets from the separatist. The only difference is that they don't fight for their planet, they fight for their people. You don't even have to call yourself Leia the myth, they will make the connection themselves."
"Yeah," muttered Leia. She turned around to face the group. Luke had helped her the last few months memorize a speech in perfect Huttese for this purpose. He had been surprisingly helpful since Leia had informed him of Obi-Wan's plan. She had thought that he would be offended that. She was manipulating his people like this. When she confronted him he merely stated that the myth was about hope and that was what they were giving the people.
Leia addressed the crowds. "For generations, you have lived in squalor just trying to survive against all the odds. For generations, you have been mistreated, beaten, and starve and treated less than a living being. And despite this, you have never let go of your hope. Hope for your children, hope for a better future, a future where you rise and take what belongs to you. Your pride, your dignity and you're freedom."
The group broke out into a wild cheer at this. Leia let them continue before calling for silence. "Well now is the time to prove it. No one is going to give you your freedom, not even I can do that. You must fight for it, you must fight for your brothers and sisters. It won't be easy, it will be difficult but it is better to strive for freedom than live comfortably as a slave. Tonight we gather here to form an army, a free army that will not rest until all our brothers and sisters are free."
When the cheering calm down Leia went to the next portion of her speech, the part where she lay out the actual plan. "This is the ghost ship." She pointed behind her, "it will take those who can not fight to a safe haven where they can wait for their brothers and sisters to join them. Those who wish to fight will assist me where we will not leave this planet until everybody is free and Jabba himself is dead by our hands."
The group erupted into a loud cacophony of shouts as the rest of the new order stood by and watch. "We are going to have to force the kids on the shuttle," admitted Sabine, watching the thin little faces that were just as passionate as the adults.
"Along with the elders," admitted Luke staring at the grandparents in the group.
Galen let out a burp as he finished his beer. "You know what just hit me. If we are going to kill Jabba and free his slaves, he does have a large harem of them. The gorgeous women who are going to feel very grateful to me."
Sabine smacked him upside his head. "You're married."
"Right." Galen ponders it for a minute before he had a new idea. "Do you think if I get one of their outfits Juno will model it for me."
"I'll give you credit," admitted Sabine, "most guys are too embarrass to come out and say what they actually thinking."
"Hey," defended Galen. "I was raised by the sith, say what you want about them but besides violence they were prudes."