Chapter 18: Slave Uprising

Tatooine

One of the benefits with Leia being so uncomfortable as 'Leia the warrior' was that it encouraged her to get the Tatooine front over as quickly as possible. The next day she led her free army, with members new orders covertly hidden among them, to a plantation run by slaves. At the end of the day, the new army saw their numbers double. The next day it tripled. Leia was moving so fast that the army had to be broken up into shifts since the soldiers couldn't keep up with her.

Supplies weren't an issue; Ezra and Sabine had taken advantage of the federations war trade to the point that they began to jokingly refer to their ships as grocery stores. With their effort not only was the army base completely loaded with any sort of good needed but the haven planet for the slaves who couldn't fight was getting more then they needed to create homes and farms.

Daily the numbers grew and Luke along with a few others began to spy for the rebels, sitting in bars listening to the hunters and slave owners to see where their next target should be. They came back with the news that greatly upset Leia. Either by stupidity or denial, the slavers didn't see an army of free slaves coming for them. The way that they talk made it clear that they consider all the attacks separate freak incidence and refuse for one reason or another to consider it a sort of pattern. The plan was pretty clear, for Leia to take the victory and be done with her charade she needed to officially defeat them and she couldn't do it if they were in denial and unaware of her existence.

Leia locked herself in the command tent with the new order and the leaders among the free slaves trying to figure out the next attack. Part of her wanted to storm Jabba's palace, the final step of freeing Tatooine. Luke stopped her reminding her that only the new order could take down the palace and the difference between them and the old was that they won't fight others battles. The slaves needed to win their own freedom so that they knew they were truly free and their army wasn't big enough yet to successfully take down Jabba and his hunters.

Finally, they decided on an overlooked and thus soft target. While Tatooine had two cities and both had a slave trade and spaceport, Mos Espa was in hut control land and saw the most of the slave trade between the two cities. The spaceport has security and all the slave owners that lived there had their own version of defense. The attacks that they were expecting was a few slaves uprising of pirates trying to take off with their cargo. One a planet whose military and police were nothing more then bounty hunters they were not equipped to deal with an army.

The plan was simple. Leia and the army of three hundred free slaves marched into the city. They moved like a wave through the street clearing out the locals and taking the slaves they found. They were peaceful unless crossed then they attack. Some owners handed the slaves overseeing what was coming but a majority fought only to be arrested or killed.

No real sort of defiance was felt until the army reached the spaceport. The spaceport was the hub of the trade. Due to the survival rate of a slave on Tatooine, new slaves had to be shipped in daily on overfilled cargo ships and stored in the containment around the port. These were the people used to fighting and killing people, the people whose entire wealth and way of life was dedicated to the trade and they weren't going to let it go easily.

Leia's army was well-armed and it had members of the new order secretly among them, capable of taking on many men at once. But what ended up playing a big role in the fighting was Leia herself. The slavers may not know who Leia the warrior was but that didn't mean that they weren't awed by the figure dress in white who floated on air and who wielded ancient swords. The slaves though did recognize her and were eager once release by their free brothers to join in the fighting. The army had started off with three hundred that morning but by the time that they reach the port they were an army of two thousand and growing for each container of slaves lost by the traders.

Eventually, the slavers saw the way the fight was going. While some refuse to stop a majority that was still alive ran to report back to Jabba and Leia allowed it knowing Jabba would be forced to take them seriously once the reports reach him.

In the end, Leia had taken Mos Espa with the loss of 50 people but now had over five thousand and continuously growing. The following days were full of celebration of Mos Espa liberation for not only were the former slaves happy but so were the poor who had more in common with slaves than their owners. As the two lower classes celebrate the few who were not of the class covertly left the city and were allowed to do so. Now Mos Espa wasn't so much as a city but a barrack. The entire city was swallowed into the army and for the first time ever they began multiple raids on the farms, mines, and trading posts that lied outside the city. The spaceport and all the ships were claimed for the army as they began to transport all those who couldn't or wouldn't fight to the safe and still kept hidden haven. Even those who were never slaves were allowed to go. Ships would leave filled with people and come back loaded with supplies.

People who once had no future or opportunities jumped on the chance to gain some. The learning curve was steep but the newly free or just poor people were willing to give their studies all they could. They learn leadership, politics, fighting, healing, and flying. It wasn't long before the new order who had been the backbone of the movement at the beginning was being outshined by the newly free people. Leia was still there, but she had taken on more of a cultural figure. The people were still awed by her, even the poor due to having many friends that were slaves had heard stories of Leia. Wherever Leia walked in the city she would be followed by glances and whispers of awe. And of course, if asked all would proclaim their freedom was due to her and never themselves. Even though the army was now lead and maned by them, while their healers saw to their injure and while their fleet of ships both attack the underbelly of the federation and run the supplies needed for their people on both planets. For Leia the Warrior had done exactly as the legend predicted, she would give the slaves the means to break their own chains.

Mandalore

Obi-Wan wasn't looking forward to this. The Hutts had reached out to the republic to report a surprising event. An army of free slaves had taken Mos Espa. The Hutts ask/demand that the republic do something or they will close their section of space from republic travel. Considering that the republic was using their trade routes to bring men and supplies to the fronts, it would be a disaster if closed. Still, the idea of the republic putting down a slave revolt was disgusting to many including Obi-Wan. The Senate finally agreed on a bland response that would please the Hutts without the republic doing much. All Obi-Wan had to do was deliver a verbal warning to Mandalore not to get involved. Simple but very painful personally for him. Still, he was the only Jedi with a rapport with the duchess and the order thought it would lose some of the venoms if do by a friend.

Obi-Wan thought it would have the opposite response.

Still, he walked into the throne room and gave a deep bow to the duchess in greeting before mentioning what brought him here. he couldn't help himself but look secretly for the nearest exit. If she still contained the same personality that she had as a child, then she was likely going to be throwing things at him by the end of the conversation.

"Master Kenobi she called down from the throne. What a pleasant surprise this is."

Obi-Wan followed the rules of decorum and bow again. "It's very wonderful to see you again," he said.

"What brings the Jedi to Mandalore," she asked.

"Well…its rather awkward to see your majesty," he said placing his hands behind his back. There have been some slave uprisings going on in the Hutts system. "The biggest one and the one that started it was on Tatooine."

"Oh," the duchess looked surprised, "would the republic would like me to make a joint statement with that about how we support democracy."

"Not exactly your majesty," he said calmly, "you see we rely on the Hutts space for travel, and the Hutts have been very eager for the republic and order to get involved in the situation."

Satine looked at him in shock, "please tell me you're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting."

"We are not getting involved," stated Obi-Wan. "The republic still considers slavery abhorrent however for the sake of friendship we have decided to investigate any possible supports of the movement. The senate believes that there is no way a slavery revolt could happen without support from someone. Considering certain evidence-"

"Evidence?" Interrupted Satine.

"Certain evidence," continued Obi-Wan "suggests that Mandalore is the force behind it and is doing it for there own benefit. As in to weaken the bond between the Hutts and the republic and force the republic to cease its war."

"Excuse me," insisted Satine, "did you come here to accuse me of something."

"I'm merely saying that considering the evidence-"

"What evidence," she demanded "I have a right to know what I am behind accused of."

"Before the Tatooine uprising there were many reports both in the republic, and separatist systems about planets that all of a sudden announce neutrality and align with your peace collations."

"Those systems were always with us. It was their leaders that were against the people and the leaders paid for that by their own people's hands. We didn't raise a finger against them. Is that all you have?"

"No milady, there have also been a few reports of a person dressed in colorful Mandalore armor. All the planets that I had mention have reported seeing this Mandalorian. On top of that, the trade federation has been repeatedly attacked by the same Mandalorian fitting the descriptions."

"I see so because I'm the leader of the Mandalore then that means that whatever any Mandalorian does in the entire galaxy is because I order them to do it. Well, it's not unheard of I'll grant you. I know many people who believe that the Jedi are behind the war because Dooku is on one side and the rest of the order is on the other. I suppose that if you guys can be that devious then I can be as well."

"Dooku is a sith."

"And yet only a Jedi can tell the difference. For all, we non-sensitives know that's just another way of saying that he isn't under your thumb."

"Look," sighed Obi-Wan, getting frustrated "I didn't come here to fight, I'm not even here to accuse you of something. This was just a customary warning to tell you not to get involved. It was the least we can do and still maintain good relations with the Hutts."

"So pretty much we are your scapegoats," accused Satine, she wasn't letting it go. "Well, there are a few small problems with it. First off, if you had come a few months ago I would admit that we did have some rouge Mandalors calling themselves the death guard, but they are all gone now. Second and your biggest problem is that if I was involved in the slave revolt I would admit it loudly, why? Because unlike the republic or the Jedi, Mandalors stay true to their convictions. We consider it unlawful and we are not afraid to shout it on the rooftops."

"The republic does care," defended Obi-Wan.

"Only when it doesn't conflict with their goals," snapped Satine. "Your precious war means more to you than your morals. And don't say it's just until the war is over. One thing that Mandalors know is that when your back is up against the walls, that is when one finds out what they truly made of. If this war has taught the republic and the order one thing its that even your morals don't mean anything to you."

Obi-Wan waited until she was done. He was expecting her to say something like that. "Well, I warned you now if you are done I will leave." He bowed and moved to leave when Satine threw a vase at him. It missed but Obi-Wan knew it was supposed to and that if she wanted she would have hit him. But where was the fun in balling out an unconscious man?

"I'm not done," yelled Satine. "So don't go patronizing me now." She jumped off her throne and walked over to Obi-Wan. She stood so she was a hair's breadth away, staring directly at his eyes. Obi-Wan had learned years ago that she would not look away first. "I was honest when I said that I wasn't involved and when I said that I didn't care if you knew it or not. So listen closely I wasn't involved at first but now after your little visit, I am. I will welcome any slave and offer any aide I can to the revolt. And I don't care if you tell your 'friends' or not."

Obi-Wan knew it was childish but he was determined not to look away first. "If that is how you feel milady."

"Oh yes."

"Then there is nothing more to discuss. I will be on my way."

"Good go." The two continue to stare, neither one backing down. Finally, the silence was shattered and Obi-Wan lost when he went to answer his ringing comm. He had to step to the side just so he would have enough room to reach it.

"Kenobi here."

It was Master Adi Gallia who responded. "Kenobi you need to go to the Kessel mines now. You are the nearest Jedi to the base."

"Why what has happened," Obi-Wan took a few steps away so he could talk privately but Satine followed him, clearly still annoyed.

"Its the new order. They caused a jailbreak."

"That doesn't sound like them."

"Agree but it gets even weirder. They contacted Senator Amidala and asked her to come with medics. They said that they will need both her and the medics' expertise. We need you to go there and find out what exactly is going on."

"Understand Kenobi out."

"I'm coming too," insisted Satine.

"No your not," defended Obi-Wan. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Oh yes, it does. Your no doubt going to come back here and blame me for it. I will like to know what exactly I'm going to be blamed for. Now come on." She walked towards the door. "We'll take my ship, it's faster."

Obi-Wan stared at her retreating back, "I have a bad feeling about this."