Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its associated characters; they all belong to their respective owners. I only own any characters or plotlines that you do not recognize.
38. "The Gungan General" (pt. 2)
Hondo was greatly displeased at the turn of events. He may be a pirate, but he was a hospitable pirate––if he had to be. And he'd had to be! He'd treated the Jedi well, offered them respect. And, yes, he may have drugged them, but he did give them the best cell in the compound to wait in! Yet despite all this hospitality, despite all his kindness, they'd gone and betrayed him. Twice! They'd broken out of their cell and attempted to escape him twice! That was simply something that did not happen, not to him. Hondo understood that Jedi were tricky, but he hadn't expected this.
"Captain!" called Turk.
From his spot at the head table, Hondo turned his head over his shoulder to cast a glance over his shoulder. He then faced forward again, expression still grimaced as he mulled over the insult the Jedi had dealt him.
"Well, Turk, has the Republic arrived with my spice?" he asked. The envoys should have arrived an hour ago, and there was still no sign of them. He'd asked Turk to do a job, one simple job; and there was no evidence that it had been done at all.
"The Republic deceived us!" Turk announced, voice gravelly with heated emotion. "They didn't send the ransom––they sent an army! They ambushed us in Doshar Field. I suggest we counter-attack with tanks."
Hondo twisted around on his stool, and propped his elbow up on the table. His eyes locked on Turk, whose face was twisted up in determination. "Where are your men?"
Turk dropped his gaze regretfully.
"I was the only survivor. I think they will try and attack us to free the Jedi!"
So the Jedi lied, then. Not only had they come into his home, accepted his hospitality, and then spat it back in his face––but they'd lied to him. It caused his mouth to snarl, and a rumbling growl to worm its way through his chest and out of his mouth. Hondo's fist flew down onto the tabletop, and the cups and utensils atop it rattled at the impact.
"I warned them… I didn't want to torture anyone! But now, even in a galaxy at war, you hope to find some honor…"
"Let me take our tanks. I'll make em pay!" Turk snarled, pumping a fist into the air.
"Go," Hondo agreed. "Stop them before they reach the compound. "I will deal with the Jedi…"
"Yes, Captain."
Hondo turned his back on the grand hall once more, hunching over the edge of the table. His eyes fell on the three lightsaber hilts laid out before him. One for each Jedi. One for each traitor. Weren't Jedi supposed to be an honorable sort? He snorted and scooped up his cup, sweeping it up towards his mouth. It was a shame, really; he thought they might all have been friends. Especially that Pretty Jedi, the thought of who had the corner of his mouth lifting.
It was then that Hondo froze. Slowly, he lowered the cup, and the cogs in his head started to turn. She had a bounty on her head. Half a million credits. It wasn't nearly as much as he would've gotten if he'd received the spice, but… it was something. And after all that had happened, he deserved something. It would be a shame, more of one than them being honorless. Because of them all, she was the most decent. She was witty, charming, and pretty. Very pretty. It still confounded Hondo that someone like her could have a bounty on her head. But life was life, he supposed.
Then there was the matter of the alliance with the Hutts. Hondo reached out and took hold of Elara's saber hilt. He weighed it in his hand and turned it this-way-and-that. As a self-proclaimed low-life of the Outer Rim Territories, Hondo and his crew were, in a way, beholden to the Hutts. He didn't mess with their business, they didn't mess with his. They, in their own way, had an alliance. If he was to take advantage of the bounty on Elara's head, then he'd be breaking his own unspoken alliance with the crime family. And because he was associated with them, the Republic would likely view it as the Hutts breaking their treaty, too. And how would that really affect him? Plunge the Outer Rim into war? They were already at war!
He deserved some recompense, Hondo decided. He'd played the Republic's game, and now they were going to lose. Afterall, he was a pirate––and pirates didn't play by the rules.
OOOO
There was a throbbing ache slowly circling its way around Elara's torso. Though she hadn't checked yet––nor would she likely be able to for a time––she was sure she'd garnered some nasty bruising. It wasn't every day one had to bear the weight of an entire full grown man around one's waist; and she desperately hoped that it was an experience that she would never have to experience again. It had felt like something was trying to snap her in half, bisect her in the most cruel manner possible. She'd heard that, on certain planets, wrong doers were torn limb-from-limb by having them tied to frightened creatures of all sorts. The pain that she'd felt, the breathless pull and yank that she'd experienced––Elara imagined it likely felt similar to that.
But she hadn't broken anything, and she certainly hadn't been snapped in half. Instead, they were back in their cell with aching ribs and throbbing fingers. The tether had been removed from around their waists, but the manacles remained. Four guards were posted outside the cell door to ensure they'd not escape a third time. All three Jedi had chosen to sit on the floor, but Dooku, ever imperious, had opted to remain standing. The situation, Elara had to admit, was starting to look a bit hopeless. Both of their escape attempts had failed. They'd exhausted the resources they had––or rather, resource. The Force. There weren't many Force tricks left to exercise that would do them any good. The guards were instructed not to talk to them or listen to anything stated to them directly. They were told to keep a keen eye out for floating objects. The unlikely company of Jedi and Sith had shown their hand; there was no obscuring it again.
"We have to find a way out of here before Senator Kharrus and Jar-Jar arrive. We'll look like fools," Obi-Wan said.
Elara, who sat massaging her aching ribcage as best she could with manacled hands, winced and offered him a wary look. "Does looking foolish even matter? We've been captured by pirates, who are renown for being an enterprising kind of folk. They pulled one over on us, which we suspected was a possibility."
Obi-Wan sighed, troubled, and shook his head. His expression had pinched up, likely displeased with their lack of control over the situation. Or the frustration. She could see the frustration leaking into his expression, hear it in his voice.
"Which is why we shouldn't have allowed it to happen."
"So what if we're ransomed back to the Council? At least we'll make it out of this alive. The only thing that will make us look like fools, is if we attempt a third escape and wind up right back here again. Or worse off. Pirates don't take kind to being betrayed. Hondo was honest when he said that killing us had been an act of kindness. Now that we've betrayed him twice? We'll be lucky if they don't send our corpses back to Coruscant to send a message," Elara pointed out.
"Well, regardless of what we do, I think it's time to lose the dead weight," Anakin snipped, slowly rising to his feet. His eyes were hotly fixed on Dooku, who stood with his back pressed against the cell wall. Anakin took a dangerous step forward, bringing him directly into the Count's personal space. Dooku sneered at him.
Obi-Wan was quick to stand. "Anakin." It was a warning spoken carefully, no sign of sharp reprimand edging his tone. This situation was tenuous at best. They couldn't risk a hot-headed mistake.
It took a little more effort than usual for Elara to get to standing. In part this was because of the manacles, but it was also because of her soreness. Once she was on her feet, she reached out for Anakin's elbow, and grasped hold of it with both her hands. His head tocked to the side, turning it slightly over his shoulder.
"That's close enough," she said softly.
Anakin's shoulders hiked up a little further before the tension slowly started to leach out of them. And just as he took a begrudging step backwards, Dooku scoffed. He'd been relatively silent since their second recapturing. But now his lips curled, twisting them into something imperious.
"I would have thought you had no qualms with being close," Dooku said.
It felt as though all the breath had been stolen from Elara's lungs. She stared at him, eyes suddenly wide. Every limb in her body had locked up, causing it to go rigid. Even the fingers around Anakin's arm locked up, trapping it in a vice grip. Dooku's eyes bore straight into hers, with a sharp kind of heat she swore she could feel. Those eyes then cut towards Obi-Wan, and Elara found her own eyes following their path. Obi-Wan, too, had gone stiff. His expression was, perhaps, a little more schooled than her own, but she could still see the shock in his eyes. And in that moment, Elara was struck with something. He'd seen it. All of it. Dooku must've sat and watched as she and Obi-Wan, in their unconscious states, embrace each other. He'd seen how they'd acted in their waking moments. A pit formed in her stomach at the thought.
The soft, quiet moments that she and Obi-Wan shared were often done in private; and there had been an unspoken rule that they were to remain that way. To know that they had been seen felt like an invasion. And for it to be Dooku of all people? That made it feel even worse. Because of all the people that could've seen their embrace, he's one of the worst possible options. Because Dooku filed things away. He kept them tucked close to his chest till the moment suited him; and that was very, very dangerous.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Anakin grumbled.
The tension that had swiftly built in the cell was broken by the sound of the cell doors whooshing open. Elara––finally able to move her frozen body––craned her head over her shoulder to see three pirates strolling in. They weren't the guards, they were a small squad of some sort. An unsettled feeling gurgled in her stomach, and it caused her to frown. She released Anakin's arm and turned to face their newly arrived guests.
"Hey, you three," one of the pirates drew his finger in a line through the air, gesturing to the Jedi, "come with us."
One of the other pirates––this one armed with a rifle––stepped forward and wedged his way between the Jedi and the Sith Lord. It was a not-so-subtle insistence that they get moving. To further the point, he jabbed the muzzle of the blaster into Elara's back, unintentionally prodding the hidden bruising. She hissed in pain and startled a step forward. The urge to turn back and glare at him was strong, but she resisted it. If they were being separated from Dooku, they were likely in deep bantha shit. The last thing that she should do was antagonize them even more.
They were escorted all the way back to the grand hall, which was deathly silent. There was no raucous music, no cheering, no wildly swung about drinks. As they were marched in, everyone turned to watch them, any quiet chatter ceasing. Elara swore she could feel every pair of eyes. Their heavy, burning gazes. This much was clear––they had truly worn out their welcome, and they were intent on letting them know that. At the front of the hall, Hondo stood with his arms crossed. There was no roguish smile, no jaunty stance; he stood with his shoulders squared, legs braced apart, and his lips pressed into a thin line. The trio of Jedi were halted before him, and he took the chance to stare each of them down individually. He then jerked his head backwards.
"Hoist them up," he ordered. That was when the raucous noise roared to life. There were hearty shouts, enthusiastic and vehement, calling for 'the traitors' to be made an example of. Elara felt someone seize her by an arm and start to jostle her forward. "Wait––not her. She stays down here with me."
Instead of being pushed forward, she was promptly dragged backwards. If they hadn't been so drastically outnumbered, and if they'd had any access to their weapons, Elara might've tried to break free. But she knew these kinds of folk. They were pirates. They didn't play fair. Which meant if she did manage to struggle out of their grasp, one of her feet would likely come crashing into the backs of her knees to send her sprawling. So she stood quietly, though obviously displeased, as she watched Obi-Wan and Anakin be thrust forward. They were made to stand back-to-back at the front of the room, and with the pull of a lever installed in the floor, two beams of white energy burst to life. They snapped forward to connect with the energy chain that connected the manacles on their wrists––and then hoisted them upwards. Both men now dangled approximately seven feet off the ground.
Again there was a cheer, and pirates lunged for tables to grab forgotten drinks. This was a display. One that showed that even a pirate could be better than a Jedi––than three Jedi, in fact. But the fact that Elara was not up there with them, not put on display for all to laugh and snark at confused her. Hondo hadn't been particularly subtle of his like for her; but, surely, that wasn't why she'd been spared. He was still a pirate. He wasn't soft.
"I take it the Republic didn't arrive with the ransom," Obi-Wan stated.
Laughter echoed through the room, and drinks spilled as weequayans punched one another's arms in amusement. Anakin glowered over one of his shoulders, countenance twisted. The shadows on his face were severe, thanks to the energy beam. Hondo swaggered forward, drink in hand, Kowakian on his shoulder.
"Ah, your Republic obviously doesn't want the Sith Lord," he replied.
"They didn't show?"
"Oh, oh, they did! They did show…" He nodded and reached out to slap a hand down on the shoulder of one of his men. "With a huge army that they thought would be enough to get the better of me! Hondo!"
"That can't be right," Anakin contested.
Hondo leaned forward and pointed a slow, dangerous finger up at the younger Skywalker. "Are you calling me a liar?"
"Uh, isn't that kinda what you do for a living?"
"You reject my hospitality…" Hondo started, voice grave, "refused to wait in your cell… and now, you're going to insult me!?" He'd charged up the short few steps of the front dais, and glared up at the two Jedi.
"I'm just saying––"
"Anakin!" Elara butt in, taking an instinctive step forward. A second pirate rushed forward and grabbed her other arm, forcibly pulling her back to her previous spot. She bit back a grunted sound of displeasure.
"What? He is a pirate!" Anakin exclaimed.
"And I thought we agreed that we were going to be kind to the pirates!" Elara almost winced at how juvenile her response sounded.
Hondo lifted a hand and snapped, then flapped his fingers forward. "Bring her here." The crowd parted a little to allow Elara to be walked forward, and they all jeered and snickered at her as she passed. Once she was up by Hondo, he waved her escorts off, and they released her––albeit a little roughly––and melted back into the throng. Without looking, Hondo reached back and hooked his arm through hers; he pulled her closer and tilted his head towards hers. The Kowakian leapt off his shoulder, scampered between the energy beams, and leapt up onto the table. It stood guard over the three lightsaber hilts sat atop it, occasionally picking up one to inspect it. "Do you know why you're not up there with your friends, Pretty Jedi?" he asked.
"Because you've discovered we share a strange yet profound bond that you wish to explore?" she deadpanned.
Beside her, she heard Hondo scoff a sound. She'd managed to rouse some of his humor, but there was a flatness to it. A dryness that suggested he was no longer in a joking mood.
"Though I wish that were true, I'm afraid that you're wrong. You see… that ransom was going to be quite the pay day. And now, I will get nothing because your Rebuplic has decided to lie to me. Because they have attacked me. Your two friends here, they will bear the punishment for their actions, and you––you will get me my money," he informed.
Elara looked over at him, expression crumpled; he slowly turned to look right back at her, expression dangerously cool. "I'm afraid I don't understand. You believe that I can get the ransom from the Republic?"
"No, no, my dear. I no longer look to the Republic for false promises. I'm turning to a much more reputable enterprise. You see, I was informed of something very interesting… you, Pretty Jedi… have a bounty atop your charming little head." To emphasize his point, he tapped the top of his own head, which fell into a tilt.
Hondo's words slammed into Elara like a speeder bike. A bounty. On her head? For a stunned moment, all she could do was stare at him. It was a ridiculous idea. A bounty on the head of a Jedi, of a General of the Army of the Grand Republic. She was a humble woman, but even in that humbleness she had to admit the suggestion was absurd. Bounties were, in her experience, usually placed by and on the scum and villainy of the galaxy. A way to enact vendettas, drag back escapees, and sometimes even ensure the killing of an enemy. Sure, every now and then one would hear about higher-ranking targets––politicians, lower nobility, officers. But a Jedi? The thought of it caused something in Elara's head to short circuit. Hondo must be lying. He was a pirate, afterall.
"I… I'm sorry, what?" Elara asked, breathlessly stunned.
Hondo threw his shoulders into a shrug and lifted his cup to his lips. He drained a large gulp from it, and then gestured wildly with his hand, causing some of its contents to splash out and onto the floor.
"A bounty. Surely you know of bounties, coming from Tatooine and all. There is a price on your head––and a hefty one at that! Half a million credits for the capture and delivery of one very lovely Elara Skywalker," he confirmed.
"You've got a bounty on you, Lari?" Anakin asked, voice pitched up a step. The expression on his face was painted somewhere between disbelief and impressed.
"No! No, I most certainly do not!"
"I thought it was a falsity too, at first. Who hunts a Jedi? But then I went and had a look for myself, and there you were, in the bounty may call yourselves keepers of the peace, but you Jedi are no better than us." The statement had grunts and noises of assent rippling through the throng of pirates. Hondo leaned into Elara, pulling on her arm to get her as close as he could get her. His eyes were narrowed behind those green tinted goggles, and there was a dangerous gleam to them that she hadn't seen before. The gleam of a wicked pirate captain. "You make your enemies. For every being you save, there is one you have scorned. So how many have you spurned, Pretty Jedi? And which one of them wants you so badly they do not care if you're half dead when you get to them?"
They were very nearly nose-to-nose. Hondo's voice had dropped into a low rumble, the latter half of his little speech meant only for her to hear. Elara stared at him, dumbfounded––because he was telling the truth. She could sense it. The air didn't tremble with deception, the Force did not warn her that this was trickery. Everything about Hondo in that moment was cool and collected. Everything that he'd just said was truthful. And that rendered her absolutely speechless.
A bounty. On her head.
"You aren't lying…" she murmured.
"Of course I'm not! I may be a thief, and I may lie––but I do tell the truth," Hondo informed proudly.
"Who set the bounty?" Elara breathed.
"That information is protected until I bring you to them. I know them only as 'the Client.'"
A new voice cut into the air, familiar in its warmth and timbre––yet the clippedness of it was sharp and unexpected.
"This planet is under the watchful eye of the Hutts, is it not?" Obi-Wan asked. He'd spoken the name 'Hutt' with a particular venom, like it poisoned him just to say it. If Elara had watched him speak, she would've seen the way his lips twisted at the mention of the crime family.
Hondo slowly turned his head, eyes remaining locked with Elara's. Then, finally, his gaze snapped up to the restrained, dangling Jedi. "Aye."
"Then I needs must remind you that the Republic struck an alliance with the Hutts not too long ago. By turning Elara in to whoever this Client may be, you would be breaking that treaty," he reminded sharply, smartly.
Obi-Wan's reminder hung heavy in the air. It seemed to dampen down the mood of the room a little, with pirates now murmuring rather than talking with loud abandon. Elara watched as Hondo twisted his body away from her own, turning to face forward properly. Suddenly, a bright grin split across his face and he threw his free arm out wide.
"We are pirates!" Hondo proclaimed. His cry was met with proud shouts from his crew, who were happy to break the quiet. The captain scoffed and smirked crookedly. "What need do we have of alliances, huh? We are not a part of this war––or we weren't until your Republic brought an army to my front door! It is in our nature to lie, as you say, to betray. What better way to repay betrayal than betrayal?"
"You're bound to the Hutts," Anakin spat. He was more audibly and visually upset by the turn of events. He squirmed in the air, the muscles in his arms tensing as he appeared to try and pull himself free. "If you do anything to her, you'll incur their wrath; and you and I both know you don't want that."
Hondo turned to Elara and flapped a hand at her compatriots.
"Do they always speak so boringly? You must find yourself starved of good company."
Elara stared at him, expression flat. The shock of the situation had already worn away, and in its wake left a burning insultation. It simmered hotly in the very pit of her being, and it steeled her exterior like its own kind of armor.
"And am I to take it that you're offering me good company? How long might I enjoy that before you sell me?"
With her eyes, she dared Hondo to contest her accusation. Because, at the root of it all, that's what a bounty was. Turning someone in for money was as good as selling them. Elara had been sold before. Felt the humiliation of being passed off to someone like an object, of being appraised like livestock, of being given a worth point that was always bartered down to something more 'reasonable.' It was a horrendous insult to anyone being seen or treated in such a manner. And Elara very much did not appreciate being made to feel such a way again.
"Sell you? Oh, no, no, no… this is just business. In fact," Hondo sidled closer again, a finger raised between their faces, "I have every confidence that once I turn you over––and once I get my money… that you will handle the situation with your notorious Jedi grace."
There was a snarled sound of disbelief, which had torn its way from Anakin's mouth.
"You piece of––"
Before Anakin could finish what was sure to be a scathing insult, Obi-Wan interrupted.
"Anakin!"
"He's going to sell her, Obi-Wan!"
"And do you think that insulting him is going to give you a better chance to stop that?" Obi-Wan posed. "So now might now be the best time for you to speak."
"But––"
"At all, Anakin!"
Hondo dug his hand into his pocket and extracted a small remote, which had a single red button on its face. His thumb pressed down on it, and the zapping, popping sound of electricity crackled through the air. It arked off the energy beams holding Obi-Wan and Anakin aloft and bit into their bodies. Both men seized up, bodies tensing and shaking. Pain––excruciating pain––twisted their expressions. Strangled cries choked from their throats.
And the pirates laughed.
"Stop it," Elara demanded, horror apparent in her tone.
"I have to make an example of them. I cannot let it be known that one can betray me and get away with it," Hondo said, as though it were simple.
"And if you kill them?" she was quick to reply. Her eyes darted back to the convulsing forms of her brother and friend, her heart plummeting as their cries of pain crashed against her eardrums. "What will the Republic do if you kill two of their top Jedi Generals? I don't know what… army you think came knocking on your door, but if they die by your hand, if you break this treaty––you will have three clone battalions seeking revenge. And the Grand Army will let them."
It wasn't often that Elara dealt a threat. She found that level-headed discussion and calm words often worked best. But she was not in the company of diplomats. She was head-to-head with men and women who were quick on the draw, more accustomed to shooting first and talking second. So she allowed the threat to roll off her tongue with ease. The words were not spoken venomously, but evenly, conveying their danger in how assured they were. And in that moment, Elara felt just as level-headed as she did when she played the role of diplomat.
Hondo's eyes danced between either of hers. They then proceeded to roam over her face, which was firmly tensed into a quiet expression that screamed 'try me.' A breath huffed out of his nose and a self-assured smirk started to creep up the corner of his mouth.
"I think we can take some clones," he drawled.
"You haven't met the 442nd. They are some of the loyalist men I know, and if you do anything to me, if you do anything to them––you'll discover just what loyalty means to them." There was a snickering from the pirate beside her, but her expression didn't budge. "You have your crew. I have mine."
The firm statement halted his laughter. His amused expression froze, and then the cockiness of his expression started to fade. It finally seemed to strike him just how serious she was. How much she meant what she said. Because if Hondo did drag her off, if he did exchange her for money, Acks and the 442nd were going to be on his tail, and they would be merciless. On this, Elara was assured.
That was when the power went out.
The room was plunged into darkness, and the crackle of electricity disappeared. There were thumps as Anakin and Obi-Wan dropped to the ground, no longer suspended by the energy beams. Hondo made a displeased sound and started to repeatedly press the button that controlled the electricity.
"What happened to the power!? I was having fun!"
Seizing an opportunity, Elara yanked her arm out of Hondo's grasp. She thrust her hands forward and called her lightsaber into them, sighing in relief when the hilt snapped into her palms. The blade activated in an instant and she briefly tapped it against the tether between her manacles. It snapped, which allowed her to wrap one arm around Hondo's front and place the blade at his throat.
"What the––" he muttered, head sharply craned back to avoid being nicked by the warbling blue blade.
"I'm afraid I'll have to forgo your good company, Hondo," she said into his ear. Just as the assembled group of pirates rushed forward to defend their captain, Obi-Wan and Anakin jumped forward to flank Elara, their sabers bared and glowing in the darkness. She turned her attention to the pirates, who halted their movements with grimaced expressions. "I have no desire to hurt your captain. Let us go freely and I shall not be forced to cause him harm." Elara then turned her attention back to Hondo. "Will you cooperate?"
He chuckled. "I have told you how I feel about these swords, about the damage they cause––I'd like to keep my head, thank you."
"I always knew that pirates were an honorable sort. Now move."
Elara seized one of his arms and nudged his leg forward by tapping his heel with the toe of her boot. They slowly started to move their way through the grand hall, the pirates making way for them, but following in their wake. Obi-Wan and Anakin focused on ensuring they didn't advance on them, and Elara focused on keeping Hondo moving. She was walking them both backwards, trusting the Force to guide her so she didn't have to take her eye off the pirates.
"If you were not a Jedi, I might have asked you to join my crew," Hondo rasped, his head craned back so far his mouth hovered by her ear. She heard him chuckle throatily. "I have always been partial to strong women."
"I'm sure you are," was her simple response. She continued to back him up, keeping her lightsaber a consistent distance away from his throat. Close enough to threaten, but far enough away that she'd not hurt him accidentally. That would be one misstep they would not be able to come back from.
Just as the heel of Elara's boot met the seam of flooring and dusty earth, a grating chugging sound met their ears. She carefully maneuvered Hondo around so she could turn, and her eyes alighted on the sight of two of the pirates' tanks rolling up to the headquarters' entrance.
"Looks like your forces were destroyed, Jedi," the pirate captain drawled, satisfied.
Before Elara could clippedly inform him that they hadn't sent for any back-up, that something had clearly gone wrong, the hatch of one of the tanks flipped open––and Jar-Jar Binks popped up out of it.
"Ani! Obi! Lari!" he exclaimed, waving his gangly arms through the air.
It was safe to say that Elara had never been so relieved to see Jar-Jar before in her life. A breathy laugh passed through her lips. And then a sense of relief coursed through her veins as a number of clone troopers exited both tanks, fell into formation around the ship the Jedi had arrived in, and drew their blasters. It was a stand-off now––and for the first time since arriving on Florrum, they had the upper-hand.
"Jar-Jar?" Anakin scoffed in disbelief. The corner of his mouth quirked up in amusement, his head starting to move in a slight shake.
"Mesa have arrived with the spice-en!"
"Excellent, Jar-Jar," Obi-Wan praised. Despite the arrival of their ally, they all still remained on guard, sabers ignited. "Assuming the pirates still have Count Dooku to trade."
There was a whirring noise, and they all turned to see one of the pirates' ships rise into the air over the canyon just beyond them––and zip off into the atmosphere.
"Well, that answers that question," Anakin snarked.
Elara twisted Hondo back around to face the pirates, and started to pull him backwards again. "Should've left more guards with him. Of the four of us, he's the one that would have given you the most trouble," she said.
They proceeded to slowly maneuver their way back to the ship, the gangplank of which was still down. As they retreated, the pirates continued to advance.
"Commander, start the engines, please," Obi-Wan politely ordered.
As the commander jogged up the gangway, Hondo hummed lowly. They came to a stop a respectable couple feet away from the ship. It would give them ample chance to dart inside if things went south quickly.
"So, what now, Jedi?" he asked. "You're going to arrest me, eh?"
"No." Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber and holstered its hilt. He turned and locked eyes with Elara, who felt a slight thrill rush between each vertebrae of her spine. "Elara, if you would."
She tore her eyes away and turned them on the pirate in her charge. The man had threatened to turn her in for a bounty and insulted her in the process. He'd tortured Obi-Wan and Anakin with joyous abandon. He was the epitome of insufferable pirate, and a shameless flirt. And yet, despite all that––Elara agreed in their letting him go. They had the upper-hand, now, as previously observed. And for as genuinely insufferable Hondo could be, killing him was not the answer, nor was arresting him. But she did make a show of bringing the saber slowly away from Hondo's throat before she clicked its button to deactivate it. And no sooner did she stand down, than Anakin stepped forward and took Elara's place, his saber at Hondo's throat once more. Only one incredulous word left his mouth.
"What!?"
Despite his short response, Elara could feel the undercurrent of what it meant. He didn't understand why they were letting the pirate go, especially since he'd tortured them, and especially because of what he'd threatened his sister with. She placed a hand on his arm, fingers gently squeezing both flesh and mechanics. His eyes cut over to her, and she lifted her eyebrows gently.
"Anakin, let him go."
"Captain, you have nothing we want," Obi-Wan said, addressing the pirate, "and since we're not prisoners anymore, you have no bargaining power."
"What!?" Jar-Jar exclaimed. He gasped and slapped both hands to his face. "Yousa was in bombad trouble? Mesa rescued you!"
Anakin awkwardly cleared his throat, and rolled his shoulders back in as much of a preen as he could manage.
"No, Jar-Jar, we weren't in any trouble," he denied. Elara rolled his eyes as he stubbornly attempted to maintain the image of the unmoved Jedi.
"Let's leave on even terms." Obi-Wan pointedly inclined his head at Anakin, who let out a quiet sigh. The younger Skywalker shared one last look with his sister before he deactivated his saber, and gave the pirate a shove on the shoulder.
The three Jedi moved to walk up the gangway, but stopped when they heard the rush of footsteps. Elara turned to see the pirates rushing forward, and the clones stepping forth to defend the ship. Hondo stood between both sides, his arms suddenly outstretched, palms thrown up in a 'halt' gesture.
"Hold, hold!" he ordered. Once the pirates stood down and the troopers relaxed some, Hondo turned to gape up at the Jedi incredulously. "Jedi, after everything, you're just going to… walk away?"
"We have no quarrel with you, and we seek no revenge."
Anakin snorted softly at the 'seek no revenge' comment and Elara shoved the toe of her boot into the heel of his own.
"Indeed. Very honorable, Master Jedi."
"Oh, Captain––you will find that Count Dooku does not share our sense of honor, and he knows where you live," Obi-Wan forewarned. He then turned to start up the gangway again, with Anakin and Elara following suit. They only made it a couple of steps before Hondo tried to grab for the last word.
"Pretty Jedi! I hope that the events of today do not sour our… how did you say it? Ah, yes––strange yet profound bond?" Hondo called.
Elara came to a sharp halt in the middle of the gangway. Ahead of her, both Anakin and Obi-Wan did the same, their shoulders growing tense in a mere blink of a moment. They turned so suddenly that Anakin's hair fluttered in a self-produced breeze, and Obi-Wan's tunic swayed about his knees. Anakin looked as though he was severely regretting not dragging Hondo to the brig. Obi-Wan's face was dangerously passive, his eyes stonily focused on the pirate who'd just spoken. After a tense, quiet moment, Elara swung her hands behind her back and clasped them there. She twisted around on her heels, and found Hondo's smiling face waiting for her at the bottom of the gangway.
"They say there is an honor amongst thieves, and I have always believed that, amongst thieves, pirates are the most honorable of them. If you're allowing us to leave, which I believe is what you're letting happen… you have proved me right," she told him.
Hondo beamed and swept his arms through the air. He tipped forward in a slight bow, and when he rose, he cocked his head to the side curiously.
"Does that mean we part as friends, then? Which could then lead the way to… something more, hm?" he suggested roguishly.
Someone behind Elara choked on air. She didn't know whether it was Anakin or Obi-Wan––though she hedged her bets on her brother. Elara allowed a smile to pull across her face, though one of her eyebrows arched slowly.
"I'm afraid it would never work between us," Elara informed, her tone light.
Hondo leaned back and slapped a dramatic hand over his heart.
"You wound me!"
Elara inclined her head to him and then turned away with a grin as she said,
"Goodbye, Captain."
Afterword: Again, a little shorter than usual, but it felt like a good stopping point! And thus, we have concluded our first adventure with Hondo, and what a joy it was to write. These chapters have satiated my need to write some kind of pirate story, because I just… I love pirates. Very much. I'm looking forward to seeing whenever Hondo swaggers into the story!
Review Replies!
DCDGojira: Thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
MsRosePetal: Obi-Wan's in deeeep––poor man does not know how to handle it. I'm very excited that Satine will be entering the story fairy soon, so I'm loving being able to drop tidbits about her whenever I can! Especially because she's such a big part of Obi-Wan's history, and how he's handling what he feels for Elara. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Sammiemoosam: Ahhh, thank you so much! I've really loved building up to their almost-kiss, and the final build up to the real kiss is already ramping up! And I do watch the Madalorian! I absolutely love it, the series is so wonderfully done. And I do have a Mando story in the works! I'm in the planning stage, but I've finally got a character developed and a concept in the works. I'm a sucker for subtlety, and what Pedro Pascal does with Din is just… oh, it's so good. The subtle tilts of his head, the emotion he can convey through just his physicality… I'm very much looking forward to getting to write for him eventually. And I did actually have an HP story planned many, many moons ago, but the very short draft of it sits dusty in my docs folder. I hope that you're doing well, too, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Princess Jaquline Chess: I'm a sucker for symbolism, what can I say? Four years in a performing arts college will do that to a person. And Jedi are supposed to be selfless––and Obi-Wan is displaying a wondrous amount of selflessness in worrying for Elara, and what would become of her. And Elara feels much the same way about him. They're both very, very protective––and very protective of each other. This week has been a rollercoaster, all right, but it's getting better; and I hope that you're doing well. Thank you again, so much! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
northernfiction: I'm so glad you enjoyed Obi-Wan's POV! It's a fun challenge to write his POV, it's a lot like… trying to write poetry. I always have to find just the right words. And I'm so flattered that you get so excited to see updates for this story! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
RemiSparklez: I wanted the last chapter to be longer, too! But I just got… so drained by everything happening, and I didn't want to post something that wasn't up to par. But here's the rest of Gungan General! I'm really so, so glad that you're enjoying the story sto much. I take such delight in being able to write it and get it out to y'all. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
09sasha: I'm looking forward to writing more and more Obi POV as we get into the meat of the romance plot! It's going to be so much fun. No kiss this chapter… but soon, I swear it. Soon. I'm glad that this story can lift your spirits whilst you're not feeling well––and I hope that you're feeling better! I, too, and too invested in these characters' lives. My 4 hour playlist for this story proves that, I think xD I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
RJNorth: I cannot say how much the Jedi Path book helped me figure out how to use those precepts! And yes, yes, yes––the 'not letting go' sequence! I'm a sucker for symbolism, and as the Big Moment creeps ever closer… Obi-Wan choosing not to let Elara go (physically or emotionally) is a biiiig step. We are so incredibly close to the breaking point, and I am itching to write it. I hope that your vaccination symptoms subsided quickly! I feel you on always feeling a little icky after getting a shot, it's the absolute worst. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again! And may the Force be with you!
lolistarkiller: My plans for post-Ep. III are developing more and more every day. I'm keeping leeway/growing room because 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' hasn't come out yet, but I've got thoughts. Also, Uncle Acks? He would be such a great uncle! He'd have no clue how to handle a child at first, but it would be so endearing! He would absolutely be like 'no, no, no, you don't hold it like that, you hold it like this,' and give them a (fake) blaster. I'm glad you love Acks as much as I do! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Pinnney: I'm happy you were so excited for this chapter, and hope it didn't disappoint! So the bounty has been revealed, but it has not been acted upon… not yet at least, and not by the pirates. Hondo's got a bit of a crush on Elara, so I don't think he'll be looking to cash that in any time soon. If there is one person that Elara has the thinnest patience for, it's Dooku. It's, like… the width of a candle wick. He annoys her so, so much, and it's so, so much fun to write. Also, I adore Pirates of the Caribbean! I watched those movies so much as a kid, I could––and still can––recite massive chunks of dialogue. Also, amongst aaaalll my drafts, I do have a PotC story stuffed away. Hondo is absolutely a space Jack Sparrow and it delights me. And I really, really wanted to get the last chapter up the day I posted it, and with everything going on I was like 'we could all use a distraction from a galaxy far, far away.' I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thank you again, so much!
bambam411: Obi-Wan certainly seems to be hurtling towards making some kind of move… and we'll discover if he does, very, very soon! And if that pirate had tried to kidnap Elara––it would not have gone well for him, not in the least. And I'm really, really happy that this story can provide some happiness, especially with everything going on in the world! And, truly, all of you made that day, and the following one, much, much better. My week's been kinda up-and-down, but it's always lovely to come here and chat with you all. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope that you're doing well in this crazy, crazy world; thanks again!
monkeybaby: I'm really glad that you enjoyed the last two chapters! I've had a lot of fun with this arc, and I'm glad that all the POV switches read well! The week has certainly gotten better for me, and I hope that you're doing well, too! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Shadow Wolf 15846: I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And I hope that you enjoyed the conclusion to this arc, which has been an absolute blast to write! Thanks again!
Nerdette92: Ahh, thank you so much! It has certainly been a journey to get Obi-Wan and Elara to this point. I've had a genuine blast writing it all. It's the slowest burn I've ever written, and the pay-off of it has been great. But, pretty soon, everything will be aflame! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
ObiWanWinchester: I see your wager of 'jUST GivE IN My dUDe, iT'll be NICe,' and I raise you: hE's So ClOsE tO gIviNg In! I'm so excited to crash through the breaking point, which is so, so, so close! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Guest: It's entirely possible that I could try and work a young Admiral Piett! If Tarkin's lurking about, I'm sure Piett is somewhere to be found. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Eomy: Turk did not succeed (thank god), but that bounty is still out there, just waiting for the right baddie to pick it up. And I figured that if you want someone to hunt down a Jedi, the price has got to be high. 'Cause Jedi are so specially trained, and their lightsabers wreck house against anything that isn't beskar. And Obi-Wan really is a sweetheart! He's always known how much becoming/being a Jedi has meant to her, and he'd be loath to discover he was the reason she could no longer pursue that path. And I, too, want things to turn out well for them. They really deserve it. If you're interested in learning more about the Code, Wookiepedia is pretty decent on explaining it––but there is a book, too. It's called 'the Jedi Path' and I've been using it to help supplement my understanding of it. 'Cause it is quite confusing. 'Cause I've never seen anything that says Jedi are celibate, but so many people think that they are… so I just went with 'intimacy, okay; romance, not okay.' I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
the7horcrux: Thank you so much! And writing has been a saving grace this week for sure. A lot of things happened. Again, thank you so much, and I hope that you're doing well! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Duchess of Lantern Waste: Ahh, I'm so flattered you enjoy this story so much! And if Elara and Dooku were ever attached to one another alone? Forced to work together? It would take them forever to figure out, because they just… hate each other so much xD And I'm so glad you loved Obi-Wan's POV! I felt like the almost-kiss was such an important moment I needed to have both of their POVs on it. Because for as much as it's freaked out Elara, Obi-Wan's brain has just become white noise. And, eventually, as things keep growing between Obi-Wan and Elara, Dooku will absolutely keep throwing jabs at them. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
thenerdnextdoor: It's a good thing to be doing a big heckin' concern over the bounty! The pirates may not have snagged it, but their interest in it means that people are going to be interested. The question is… who will step forth to try and claim it? And, truly, what Elara and Obi-Wan both deserve is to be bundled up in a cozy blanket, given some hot tea, sit near a lit candle and have a good talk. But, pretty soon, the big break is gonna happen… someone's gonna make a move. And I'm so excited for the Mandalore episodes! And if the drama that you're referring to is what I'm thinking it is––that 'these two women like/liked this one man' drama––then I'm not particularly a fan of it, either. But I have plans. Because, quite frankly… I don't see either Elara or Satine engaging in that kind of drama. I'm so excited for what I've got planned! I've been having a lot of fun with my Tumblr, even if it's mostly me reblogging things; so I'm glad you've been liking seeing what I repost! The 'It's A Wonderful Life' scene just… I watched it this year and went '... wait. That. THAT!' This story seriously won't leave me alone xD And, funnily enough (if I'm remembering correctly) I think at some point we had family in the Galway area. We don't know of any family there now, but we have been able to track family history back to Scotland. My mother's side of the family were silver miners for a time, I believe. And, oh, I love Scotland! Only got to stay a week, but very much wanted to stay longer! Thank you, again, for such a lovely review! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
LoveFiction2020: I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
PhAnToM 1212: I'm so glad you liked Obi-Wan's POV! It was an absolute blast to write. And, hey, what can I say? I love some good symbolism––and I love foreshadowing :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
camelotprincess1: I didn't intend to start and end the last chapter with Hondo (it was supposed to be longer), but I do love a good bookend! I'm also kinda sad this arc is over; Hondo is a blast to write, and I had so much fun writing his flirty, smirky dynamic with Elara. And Hondo is absolutely to Elara what Ventress is to Obi-Wan! And I really cannot tell you how much it means to hear (read?) you say that Obi-Wan's POV is written naturally. He's a tricky man to write the inner thoughts of! And I often agonize over his POVs for a long while. I will stare at a paragraph for an hour and be like 'is that the right word?' So I'm really, really happy he's staying in character! We're definitely going to be hearing more about the difference between the feelings he had for Satine and the ones he feels for Elara. Because they are markedly different; and nothing is going to throw that into perspective more than the Mandalore episodes! Also, after I wrote "I won't let you go," I was like 'where did I hear that before?' Titanic. Titanic is where I've heard it before xD I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
And thank you to those that added this to their follows/favorites; it means a lot!
That's it for now, y'all! Next chapter will, at the very least, include some down-time, and then we'll start sinking into the next episode. And y'all better buckle up, 'cause… things are about to get real interesting for Elara and Obi-Wan. I hope you all are doing well! Thanks again for rockin' so much!
~Mary
