It was early morning on the Great Mesra Plateau as the Millennial Falcon made her approach to Mos Eisley spaceport on Tatooine. "Mos Eisley Control, this is the Millennial Falcon piloted by Rey Skywalker requesting landing instructions." Pause. A longer pause. An even longer pause.
"Mos Eisley Control do you copy?" Rey is getting impatient.
"Howdy, this is Mos Eisley. I'm Joe. We don't really have a control exactly. Y'all just pick a hangar with an empty pad and set 'er down. Make your docking arrangements with the hangar when you get there."
"Told you," said Kylo. "They're really informal here."
"That doesn't make me feel any better Kylo."
"It is what it is Rey. My Uncle Lando used to call it the galaxy's armpit."
"I guess pick out an empty hangar and set down." said Rey, peering down through the cockpit windscreen.
"Pick one close to the Old Quarter. Our contact is meeting us at Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina."
"How about that one?" asked Rey, pointing down at a hangar with an open pad. "It will do." said Kylo.
They set the ship on the empty pad and shut down, wondering what happens next. After a few minutes an older man walks out of the personnel door of the hangar. . He has grey hair resembling a monk's tonsure surmounted by a dome of bright pink skin. He compliments that with grey and brown stubble covering the lower half of his face. His clothing can best be described as two steps away from the rag bin. To complete the ensemble he is wearing a blaster holster with a very clean, very shiny blaster nestled therein under a loosened flap. Rey lowers the boarding ramp and they go down to talk with this character.
"Howdy folks, the name's Joe. I can take your parking fee right now. I prefer cash but I'll do a credit stick transfer for a small handling fee."
"Are you the same Joe I talked to when I was requesting landing instructions?" asks Rey.
"Naw, that was my Cousin Joe. He keeps an ear on the comm stations in case someone comes along looking for the nonexistent Traffic Control. Like you two." Joe chuckles a bit as if he had made a clever joke.
"What is the parking fee?" asks Kylo dryly.
"And does it include ground crew servicing?" continues Rey.
"Just the parking fee." replies Joe. "If you want ground crew that's extra. And it takes a while to round up a crew so you would probably have to stay overnight. That's an extra fee too."
"Just the parking fee then." decides Kylo while Rey nods in agreement. Kylo pulls out a credit stick for the Bank of Naboo. Joe fritzes with his datapad a moment and then shows them the total. "What?" exclaims Rey. "That's highway robbery!"
"No ma'am," replies Joe placidly. "Highway robbery is when you take the road from Mos Easley to Anchorhead and you get hit by Tusken Raiders. This is a business transaction. Or you can move your ship and see if another hangar will offer you a better deal."
"We'll take it" said Kylo, handing Joe the credit stick.
"Pleasure doing business with you, folks." smiled Joe after the credit stick processed. "Y'all have till sundown. If you decide to stay longer I'll just add on another parking fee."
"Lando was right," said Rey as they walked into the Old Quarter. "Mos Eisley is the galaxy's armpit. So where are we meeting our contact?"
Kylo points. "That cantina in front of us. The owners call it a 'colorful pubic house with a storied past.' That means 'seedy bar with shifty customers' in plain speak."
"I hope Symon is waiting for us" continues Kylo as they neared the entrance of the cantina. "I want to finish this deal and get the hell off of Tatooine."
"Why?"
"It's the galaxy's armpit. What other reason do I need?"
"There is that. So we're picking up a load of Shipstones for Maz right? And we are just getting paid costs, right?" asked Rey.
"Yep." replied Kylo "We owe her a favor."
Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina, while famous in the Outer Rim as a popular stopping point for pilots, smugglers, and bounty hunters, was not what one would consider a high class establishment. You could call it a dimly lit, seedy bar but that would be giving it too much credit. A small sign hung in the window next to the entrance proclaiming 'Han Shot First.' Kylo glanced at it, shrugged and muttered "Of course he did. He wasn't stupid."
As they entered the stuffy, dark establishment Kylo scanned the room for their contact. "There he is." exclaimed Kylo. "He's the bald guy leaning on the bar."
Symon Kinnan was an aggressively bald man who compensated for that with huge bushy eyebrows and a long, droopy mustache that would make Fu Manchu jealous. He was dressed in Mos Eisley standard - ragged shirt, torn jeans, scuffed booths, and a very well maintained blaster holder with a very clean and shiny blaster.
[[Kylo, does he have creatures hanging from his upper lip?]]. {{Please don't make me laugh, Rey.}}
As they walk up to the bar Symon turns around and smiles at them. "Ben Solo! I haven't seen you since you went on that run with your Dad a decade ago! Get yourselves a drink and we'll grab a booth."
{{Rey I would go with something that isn't alcoholic. Also, make sure you watch the bartender make it.}} [[Maybe I'll just have some water.]] {{Going for an expensive drink I see.}}
Kylo orders two waters and directs Rey to the booth toward the back of the cantina where Symon has taken up residence. He picked the booth with a small sign inscribed 'Han Solo Memorial Booth'. Of course.
Symon is drinking something dark brown with alcoholic fumes rising from the top of the glass. He tosses back his drink and refills his glass from the bottle sitting next to him.
"So," he says,"the Hutts are looking for someone to move a load of glitterstim. A big payout for the right person."
"Why don't you take the job Symon?" asks Kylo, sipping his water.
"You know I contract shipments, not move them." he replied easily. "Are you interested?"
"I wouldn't give the Hutts the time of day, much less move glitterstim for them."
"Ok, ok. Let's talk about the Shipstones then."
At this point Rey interrupts. "K - Ben, do you need me here? I'd like to refill some of our supplies before we head out."
"Naw, I'm good. Stick to the markets in the New Quarter. They have a better selection and you can talk them down easier."
As Rey heads out to the exit she hears Symon say to Kylo, "You found a real cutie. Are you …"
"She's my cousin. No touching, Symon."
As Rey steps out of the dark, dingy cantina she stops and blinks a few minutes to adjust her eyes to the intense sunlight. This place reminds her a bit of Jakku. Dusty, hot, with an unforgiving sun high in the sky. She's almost homesick.
As she wanders over to the market area she starts thinking about the Hutts and their glitterstim shipment. Granted, glitterstim is a risky thing to transport, but sealed and boxed up properly there should be no chance for it to get into the ship's recirculation systems. She doesn't understand why Kylo doesn't want to deal with the Hutts. Yes, they are a crime syndicate but everything she's heard about them is that they treat their smugglers fairly.
She left her datapad on the Falcon but she can access the holonet on her wrist comm if she needs to. Now where would the Hutts be located? A short holonet search directs her to the Desilijic Complex in the Old Quarter. Current head located on Tatooine is a Hutt named Rakka.
She thinks a little bit more. On the one hand, the shipment is glitterstim. On the other hand, they should make enough to put them over the top on ship repairs and maybe get that crew quarters upgrade they desperately need.
For Rey it was an easy choice. Yeah, Kylo might be angry with her but he can't stay mad forever, right? Just in case she raises the strongest shields she has and mutes the Force Bond. After all, no reason for him to know until it's a done deal.
She soon finds herself at the Desilijic Complex and after 10 minutes of waiting she convinces the doorkeeper to let her in for an audience. She walks down several dimly lit halls until she reaches what appears to be a throne room. There is a big slug like creature reclining on a couch at the top of a raised dais.
She clears her throat and says, "Rakka, clywais fod angen rhywun arnoch i symud llwyth o glitterstim." (Rakka, I heard you needed someone to move a shipment of glitterstim.)
Rakka looks her over and says, "Wel, a phwy ydych chi, smyglwr bach?" (And who are you, little smuggler?)
She gathers her courage and responds "Fy enw i yw Rey Skywalker." (My name is Rey Skywalker)
"Skywalker?" chortles Rakka "Enw o'r fath i gonsurio ag ef." (Skywalker? Such a name to conjure with) He moves the fingers on one hand slightly. Rey gasps as one of Rakka's hanger-ons shoots her in the back with a blaster set on stun.
Rakka laughs loudly. "Wel, bydd hon yn dlws hyfryd ar gyfer ein cyfarfod nesaf o'r Cyngor." (Well, this will be a lovely trophy for our next Council meeting.)
A couple hours later the Shipstones are at the Falcon and stored in the cargo hold. Kylo transfers the payment that Maz had sent with him and shakes Symon's hand.
"Pleasure doing business with you Solo." Symon says as he walks away.
Deal completed, Kylo tries to tune into the Force bond. Ok, he can feel her through the connection and she's ... upset? Can't get a feel for why. Is she upset about a bad deal at a market stall or is she upset because she's in danger?
He follows the connection through the streets of Mos Eisley until he reaches a walled compound in the Old Quarter. He curses under his breath. She was in the Desilijic Complex. He'd thought he had told her they didn't do business with the Hutts.
Suddenly he felt her talking in his head. [[Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten us into Kylo.]]
{{Me? Damnation woman, I said I didn't do business with the Hutts!}} he replied indignantly.
[[You could have explained why we didn't deal with the Hutts!]]
{{Well, once we get away I'll tell you the whole story of the idiotic plan my mother and uncle mounted to rescue my father from Jabba the Hutt. Oh, and why mother's nickname was Huttkiller.}}
[[Huttkiller, huh. Well try to hurry up. This pleasure slave costume is beginning to chafe.]]
Kylo's thoughts sputtered to a stop. {{Did you actually go to see Rakka Hutt wearing …}}
[[NO!]] She interrupted. [[One of his hanger-ons stunned me from behind. When I woke up my clothes were gone and all I had to wear was this damn metal bikini.]]
There was a long pause in the mental conversation. [[Kylo?]] said Rey worriedly.
{{ mental image made my brain stutter.}} replied Kylo.
[[I'm not sure how much I can do with the Force yet. They hit me with a pretty heavy stun.]]
{{Why am I not surprised? I'm coming to get you.}}
He loosened the flap over the blaster on his hip. He was a decent shot, but he preferred a lightsaber. After this trip they really needed to find some kyber crystals.
{{Did you tell Rakka you were a Skywalker?}} asked. Kylo.
[[Yes. Is that a problem?]]
{{The only people the Hutts hate worse than Skywalkers are Solos.}} he responded.
Well, if he wanted his bond mate back he was going to have to storm Rakka's castle. Alone. Without a lightsaber. The Force has a damn peculiar sense of humor. Well, if he had to do this he may as well do it with style. Just have to decide how much Dark Lord vibe he needs to throw into this situation.
Kylo stepped up to the door and banged on it loudly. Forcefully. After a few minutes a round scanner on a long steel arm pokes through an opening and demands "Pwy sy'n dymuno mynd i mewn i gastell Rakku the Hut?" (Who wishes to enter the castle of Rakka the Hut?)
Kylo grabs the arm and squeezes with the Force. The steel bends almost to breaking. Kylo says with a sneer "Dywedwch wrth Rakka fod Ben Solo yma. Dylai fy ngweld cyn i mi fynd yn ddig." (Tell Rakka that Ben Solo is here. He should see me before I get angry.)
The sensor retreats into the door, which opens a few minutes later. Kylo strides down a maze of twisty passages, all alike. No problem. The Hutts use the same floor design for all their complexes. Plus he can follow the Force Bond to wherever they've stashed Rey. After walking down several dark hallways he arrives at Rakka's throne room.
Rakka is still sprawled on his couch on the raised dais. Next to him sits Rey with a completely disgusted look on her face. She is wearing said metal bikini with strips of burgundy silk threaded through the bikini bottom belt and draped in front and behind her body. She is wearing a golden collar that has a golden chain attached to it. Rakka is holding the end of the golden chain.
Kylo rolls his eyes. It's been 30 years since his mother was in this same position and the Hutts are doing the same pleasure slave with chain motif. He also takes a moment to remind his libido that this was neither the time nor the place.
He faces Rakka and says in his most insulting tone, "Rydw i wedi dod am fy nghefnder." (I've come for my cousin.)
"Nid ydych mewn unrhyw sefyllfa i wneud galwadau, Solo!" (You're in no position to make demands, Solo.) replies Rakka with a roar
Kylo hardens his tone and channels a bit more Dark Lord. "Rwy'n gofyn yn braf. Nawr. Ni fyddaf mor rhesymol os bydd yn rhaid imi ofyn eto." (I'm asking nicely. Now. I won't be so reasonable if I have to ask again.)
"Nid wyf yn ofni amdanoch chi, Solo." (I'm not afraid of you, Solo.) declares Rakka.
"Fe ddylech chi fod." (You should be.) says Kylo darkly.
Kylo gathers a crap ton of Force power and launches it out around him in a Force push, driving hanger-ons and armed thugs into wall with concussive effect. Then he pops the lock on Rey's collar. {{Take the chain and wrap it around Rakka's neck. Pull it tight enough to knock him out but don't kill him.}}
[[I'm really pissed Kylo. What if I want to kill him?]]
{{If they have to take care of him it might slow them down. If he's dead they just scream a lot and try to chase us down.}}
Rey whips the chain around Rakka's neck, wraps the ends around each other and pulls with all her considerable upper body strength. Rakka gasps for air. His eyes bulge and his tiny arms reach for the chain around his massive neck. In a couple of minutes he's passed out cold.
Meanwhile Kylo is still Force pushing with one hand and blocking blaster bolts with the other. Rey jumps down from the dais, runs past Kylo yelling "Come on!" and heads down the hall. Kylo takes off after her, catching up at the cross hallway.
"Stop Rey! There's a door near this hall. Turn right!" He grabs her arm and hustles her along the hallway. "Ok, ok, it's right … here!" Kylo hits a section of the wall with a Force blast. The thin wall section crumples and sunlight pours through the hall.
"How did you know that?"
"The Hutts use the same design for all their complexes. They haven't changed a thing in over a hundred years."
They run through the hole in the wall and into a narrow alley. Kylo spots a hover scoot sitting unattended. "Come on!" he hollers to Rey. They run across the alley and hop on. Kylo hands his blaster to Rey and says "Keep them occupied."
"Keep who occupied?" she demands.
"Them." Kylo points at the thugs piling out through the hole in the wall. He reaches into the hover scoot ignition with a Force tendril and starts it with a roar. He guns the accelerator and they fly down the alley and onto Paradise Road, accelerating around the Jango Fett Arena and straight down Spacers Row.
"Faster! they're gaining on us!" yelled Rey as she shot the blaster at their pursuers.
"Careful with that!" shouted Kylo as he weaved through the heavy pedestrian traffic.
"I know what I'm doing!" she retorted as she picked another thug off of his scooter.
They roared past Straight Street and slid onto Kerner Plaza, desperately dodging rontos, dewbacks and more pedestrians. They had lost the majority of their pursuers, though two persistent thugs were still on their tail.
"Hold on!" yelled Kylo as he slides the hover scoot under the belly of a ronto onto Outer Kerner Way. As they fly by Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina they see Symon leaning against the wall near the entrance, watching them with absolute astonishment.
"Bye!" yelled Rey, waving to him and his mustache creatures.
As they barrel toward the Falcon Kylo asks Rey "How's your Force connection?"
"Better!" she replies.
"Good! Reach out and get the boarding ramp down!"
They roar up just as the ramp hits the ground. Kylo kills the engine and they both jump off and run up the ramp. "Hurry! Lets get her up and out of here" exclaims Rey. They jump into the pilot and co-pilot seats and run through the launching sequence. As the Falcon starts to lift Rey remembers the ramp is still down and hastily closes it. The Falcon tears through the atmosphere as it wings away from Tatoonie. Kylo hastily sets up the route to Takodana.
"I can't sit still! That was amazing!" giggles Rey. She jumps out of the co-pilot's seat and starts bouncing on her heels. "That was just like a holo-adventure movie!"
Kylo stands up and grins at her. "Yeah, I'm still vibrating."
Some impulses are hard to resist, especially when you are hopped up on adrenaline. Kylo looked down at Rey's flushed face, holds her shoulders, and kissed her hard, relief pouring off of him at their escape from the Hutts.
Rey, in turn, looks him in the eye and slaps him across the face, hard. "That's for taking advantage!" she snarled into his startled face. Then she grabs his shoulders, pulls him down and kisses him hard. "And that's for getting me out of there."
As she flounced back to the crew quarters to change Kylo is becoming more convinced that he will never understand the way women think.
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Author's Note: I have to admit this is my new favorite chapter. :-) Comments are welcome!