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.
55. "Bounty Hunters" (pt. 3)
Elara had set out while the relative coolness of the jungle nighttime still clung to the morning air. While she walked, winding up the path the pirates had zipped along the night before, she took the opportunity to admire the flora. A barely present breeze caused trees to sway, and leaves and petals to dance gently; it carried their scents through the air, combining to create the unique perfume of Felucia's landscape. The chirp and buzz of insects had already risen to a near deafening din. It was an all-around peaceful morning, and for that Elara was grateful. It gave her time to think, and, in a way, meditate while she walked. The Force hummed calmly all around her, which kept her nerves at ease. She was confident her plan would work. Taking advantage of Hondo's fondness for her would work. But she would never be so foolish as to believe the plan didn't have its faults. First of all, being surrounded by pirates with no allies nearby was a gamble. Pirates––especially these pirates––didn't play by the rules, which meant they'd take no issue in flipping the script on her. Then there was the fact that she had ultimately opted to make this trip unarmed.
The lack of weight on Elara's left hip had her hand flinching up towards her belt. Her thumb grazed over the spot where her lightsaber usually sat. It was odd that it wasn't there. She rarely went anywhere without it nowadays. It was a gamble to not take it, even though she had insisted that it was the best course of action. She was sure that bringing it would put the pirates in a foul mood. Blasters would be shoved in her face, jabbed into her spine, and restraints clapped around her wrists. And it wasn't as though she'd be totally useless if she found herself in a situation where she needed a weapon; she did know how to fire a blaster, and there were plenty of objects that could become an improvised weapon if needed. What truly seemed to bother her about the lack of weapon wasn't that it felt wrong not to have it, or that it left her at a disadvantage––it was because she'd promised Obi-Wan she'd bring it. A frown twitched at the corners of Elara's mouth. She hadn't necessarily promised him. She'd only nodded, but had, indeed, wordlessly agreed to the stipulation of taking her lightsaber. Leaving it behind, on her bedroll, felt like a betrayal of his trust. And given that they were already on shaky footing… that could lead to potentially irreparable damage.
Though their interaction the night before hadn't been outstandingly optimistic, it had felt better. There'd been no scathing looks, or biting words. Nor did they make sure to keep a defined distance between one another. Their words hadn't been so weighed down by formality, and a familiarity had started to creep back in instead. It had been a shuffled step in what felt like the right direction. It hadn't been perfect, she wouldn't have expected it to be. But it had been good––and good was all that she could ask for. Elara worried––it was a lingering, disruptive worry––that her actions would leave them reeling several steps backwards. But it would be for the good of the mandate. It was what the mission called for. It was what a Jedi would do… and that was what they were. They were Jedi. Dedicated to their jobs, to their mandates, to the good of the galaxy. Any and all relationships were supposed to come second to all that… no matter how much it stung.
With a sharp inhale and matching shake of her head, Elara thrust those thoughts aside. The situation was far too tedious to have such things disrupting her focus. A gloved hand rose to scrub across the back of her neck. It was now warm enough to cause sweat to start beading there, and hair had started to stick to her skin. That hand flopped back down, brushing against her lightsaber-less hip, and she grimaced again. It was the right decision, she was sure of it. She just had to keep telling herself that, she had to re-convince herself of that. She needed to believe it by the time she reached the pirate's camp. It was just… hard not to think of Obi-Wan Kenobi, for any number of reasons. Be it because of his insufferably perfect, calm demeanor, or how effortlessly handsome he was, or how she'd started to notice how red his hair could be in the sun… he was just someone who stuck in her head. He'd found a place and made a home there. And it was clear that, no matter what happened, he wouldn't budge. The memory of him––and his smiles, his voice, and his touch––would live there inside her head forever. And it didn't bother her in the least bit.
Elara heard the pirates before she saw them. Just as she was about to start climbing a slight rise in the jungle path, the raucous sounds of laughter, shouting, and light music pierced the air. It would seem that these men and women were happy to party, no matter the occasion or the time of day. Even if she hadn't heard them, she would have sensed the shift in the Force. How its peaceful hum that matched the calm of the morning started to warble and shake. It alone was warning enough that they were near. But it would seem that she was not the only one becoming privy to the presence of others. For a pirate stepped out of the jungle thicket just off the side of the path, ducking under a looping vine. He stepped into the middle of the path, at the top of the hill, and stood, leg braced apart, hands on his hips. A look-out. He must've seen her, just as she'd heard them.
"What're you doin' here?" the pirate rasped unkindly. One of his hands very obviously danced over the blaster holstered on his belt, which sagged at a sharp angle and hung low beneath his hip. Everything about him looked rag-tag, from the droop of the belt, to the rattiness of the bandana looped around his neck.
Elara came to a relaxed stop, unperturbed, as though something like this happened to her often. And, in a way, it did. She'd become used to having to remove obstacles in her path, be they living or inanimate. She then became aware of two more presences behind her. Through the din of chirping insects, the sound of boots trodding through underbrush reached her ears. A subtle glance over either shoulder revealed this: two other pirates had stepped out of the jungle to her left and right, and were meandering towards her with grim looks. A look-out squad, then. Still calm as ever, she returned her attention to the first Weequay and inclined her head to him, with all the polite poise she'd been trained to have.
"I've come to speak with your captain," she announced.
The pirate snorted, shoulders and chest jolting with it. His hand curled around his blaster, fingers drumming against its grip. He then proceeded to wheeze out a laugh as he started to speak. "And what would someone like yourself want with him? Jedi and pirates don't have dealin's with one another."
"What business I have with Hondo is strictly between us," she replied coolly. When she saw that her response spurred him to curl his fingers around the blaster's grip––and the sound of two others being drawn behind her, she offered a faint smile. Wrong answer, it would seem. "I wish to talk. Nothing more."
"Anytime we come into contact with one of you Jedi, you're always muckin' things up. Gettin' us into fights, humiliatin' us. You're nothin' but trouble!"
With a purse of her lips, Elara bit back a comment about how the same could be said for them. That the last time she had encountered them, they'd drugged and tortured her and her companions. That, in all honesty, both parties were equally as threatening. That they were both formidable foes; but that in this situation, she wasn't the one to necessarily worry about. But given that they were all outfitted with blasters and she had nothing on her person, it would be too rash to do so. It was something that Anakin would have done with no qualms whatsoever, and it would most likely end with him doing literal backflips to get out of the mess he'd created. So Elara swallowed down the bitten words, which scraped against her throat all the way down. It was then that she raised her hands slowly. They lifted away from her sides, fingers splayed in the humid air, as a display of complacency. All things considered––even with the blasters––this wasn't a bad start.
"I am not here to cause trouble, I assure you. I would be much obliged if you took me to Hondo; there are things we must discuss. I've come unarmed, and you are free to check to ensure it."
The pirate at the crest of the hill eyed her with a narrowed gaze, suspicious and wary. The weight of his gaze was almost palpable. He gestured––far too casually––with his blaster, waving forward one of his comrades stood behind Elara. The scuffle of heavy boots against soft dirt met the air just over her left shoulder. She kept her eyes affixed on the pirate she'd been conversing with, steadfast and cool. It didn't waver as the second pirate stepped right into her personal space. He started to pace a slow circle around her, eyeing her with a gaze so critical, she wouldn't be surprised if he'd be able to see how tightly the fibers of her tunic were woven. How some of them pulled wider from where she tugged at the hem. The pirate stopped dead in front of Elara, which was when she broke her gaze with the squad's leader. She watched as the pirate pointedly looked to her belt, where her lightsaber usually hung. He frowned, then proceeded to open and peer into the leather pouches attached to her belt. There wasn't much in them––a holoproj, a comlink, a couple of credits. With a little, and perhaps surprised, huff, he turned to their leader and heaved his shoulders into a shrug. His thumb swung up and over his shoulder, jabbing at her.
"She's clean. Doesn't even 'ave that laser-sword on 'er," he confirmed.
Elara arched her brows gently and returned her attention to the first pirate.
"May I pass, then?" Elara asked.
The pirate had grimaced, his shoulders were hunched forward, and his eyes were still narrowed. She kept her arms raised, but her fingers relaxed a little. One of her eyebrows raised higher than the other, prompting and perhaps a little smug. She could chance taking on a bit of an attitude. Just a bit. There would surely be some pirates that would appreciate it, that would lend her some kind of rapport. It would be helpful to have more than just Hondo feeling amiable towards her. It was evident, however, that the Weequay at the top of the hill would not be one of those that took kindly to her. For he scoffed, displeased, with an expression that suggested he might rather just spit at her.
"We'll see if the captain has time for you," he deadpanned.
And allowing herself a moment of cockiness, she replied with an assured: "He'll have time for me."
The grimace turned into a sickened sneer, and his shoulders squared with an almost violent sharpness. "Don't you dare try anythin' funny." He lifted his arm and gestured to her pointedly with the barrel of his blaster, his sights set on her in a threatening promise. "We'll have guns on you the whole time; an' we're not afraid to shoot."
"I'd expect nothing less."
And so, with a three pirate escort, Elara was taken up and over the top of the hill, and into their camp. It was relatively small and located just off the path in a small clearing. It was dominated by their ship, the saucer-like appearance of which cast a large arch of shade across the jungle ground. The air was so heavy with the smell of spice that it stung Elara's nostrils. Her eyes scanned the camp with a learned wariness. It was always fruitful to get the lay of the land. No matter how confident one was with their plan. For it was easy to see that, should anything happen, her best course of action would likely be surrender. For there were pirates everywhere. She was vastly outnumbered, and very much outgunned. Some were doing routine maintenance on their weapons, others were looking over their speeder bikes, and others still lounged in the shade with a drink in their hands. One individual even sat playing a flute-like instrument in a tune too jaunty for so early in the day. And one-by-one, each one of those pirates cast their attention to the new arrival. To the Jedi who, though flanked on either side and led by one of their comrades, they eyed with heavy suspicion. Weapons shifted. Statures changed. She was now the focus of the entire camp––even the musician had stopped playing.
It was identical to what had happened when she and her compatriots arrived on Florrum. And given how poorly things went on Florrum… it didn't particularly bode well.
"What happened to the music, huh?" erupted a loud, familiar voice. Hondo came traipsing down the gangway of the ship, flapping a hand at the pirate with the instrument. "Strike up! We have much to do, and it is better done with music!" The pirate captain appeared to be in good spirits that morning. Of course he would be, Elara supposed. He was looking forward to what would hopefully be a very large payday; surely he was giddy and excited and ready to gear-up and ensure he got his payment. That unmissable red coat flapped around his legs as he bypassed the rest of the ramp, hopped to the ground, and landed beside the musician. He leaned sideways, momentarily teetering on one foot, and snatched the instrument from the pirate's hand. "You do it like this, see?" He proceeded to bring the flute up to his mouth and blew into it, fingers fluttering tactlessly over the holes drilled into its length. The sound he produced was horrific and ear piercing.
"Uh, Sir," addressed the pirate leading her escort. They'd come to a stop in the dead-center of camp, just on the edge of the shade. Elara had clasped her hands at the small of her back again, looking the prim and proper image of an exemplary Jedi. "There's someone here who wants to see ya."
"Who!?" The question was spoken with a vehement, unabashed confusion. Hondo's head whipped around towards them, eyes narrowed through green tinted lenses. His posture, slightly hunched from pilfering the flute, shifted upon his noticing who was present. Hondo stood perfectly straight, and then let himself slouch into something perfectly roguish––hip slightly cocked, head tilted, and a grin spreading across his face. "Do my eyes deceive me? Or has the Pretty Jedi graced us with her presence?"
It was here that the charade had to start. She needed to put on a convincing show, needed to play his game with a gentle subtlety. It was a game of words and intentions, of gestures and flirtations. Elara did not think herself particularly well versed in flirting. Some part of her scoffed and forced her to recall all the times that she had done so with Obi-Wan. All the sly comments, winks, terms of endearment. All things that she'd likely need to use now, but her stomach squirmed at the idea of doing so. In theory, she'd had no issue with it. But now, faced with putting it to work, it felt… odd. But it was necessary. It had to happen.
So Elara inclined her head as she was wont to––but also smiled at him, soft and pleasant, as she did so. "Hello, Hondo."
With a pleased chuckle, he chucked the flute carelessly over his shoulder with a flick of his wrist. The owner of said instrument scrambled to catch it. Hondo started to saunter towards her, the grin on his face growing wider and wider with each step. "So you did come all this way just for me…"
Elara raised her head once more and offered the slightest of shrugs. Almost coy in nature in its smallness.
"I did, yes…" Her eyes, which had still been downcast, lifted to search out Hondo's. "But I have been told that it's possible you won't have the time to see me," she said.
Hondo's grin disappeared in a flash. He looked offended, genuinely offended that someone had said such a thing to her. A disbelieving sound tumbled out of his mouth, and he swiveled a matching look at those around him. He then proceeded to pitch forward at the waist, still walking towards her.
"Which one of these idiots said such a thing? Huh?" He came to a sudden stop and wheeled his attention––and an accusatory finger––to the pirate at the head of her escort. "Was it you, Bim?" It was he that had said such a thing. But before Bim could say anything, Hondo made a gruff, dismissive sound, and pushed him aside as though he were nothing. Hondo proceeded to right himself primly, snap an arm behind his back, and hold a hand to his chest. He stood directly before Elara and ducked into a low, dramatic bow, the hand that had been pressed to his chest sweeping outwards. "I always have time for you, Pretty Jedi."
There was a disgruntled snort from Bim, who, now recovered from being shoved, stood several feet off with a frown and arms folded over his chest.
With a raised eyebrow, Elara cocked her head to the side, letting it fall into a vaguely coquettish angle. "You call me that so often, I wonder if you remember my actual name."
"Oh, of course I do!" Hondo snapped into an upright position and waved off her other two escorts with both his hands. "How could I forget it? It is such a lovely name. Elara." He beamed and gestured to her with a sweep of a hand. "It feels so good rolling off the tongue, I could say it all day! Eeeeee-la-raaa!" He leaned backwards and slapped a hand over his heart as he drew out her name, as though it struck him to the very soul. "I could never forget such a name."
Despite herself and her composure, a slight wheeze of a laugh tickled out of Elara's throat. The slight twinge of a smile she'd painted across her face pulled into something more genuine. For Hondo was nothing if not dramatic. No one had ever proclaimed her name in such a way, and she suspected––hoped––that no one else ever would. His ridiculousness was a defining feature, it made him seem frivolous and unassuming, and it was absolutely the perfect cover to hide what it was that made him dangerous. The cunning. The cruelty. The blatant disregard for rules, ethics, or morals. He was, at his heart, a pirate. A true pirate, the likes of which people told stories about while crowded around cantina tables. The kind of vagabond that other thugs dreamed of being. For as much as he was fanatical, he was sinister. He played a game. One that Elara was endeavoring to play with him, to try and turn against him, and that was tricky; for she may be called 'Master' amongst the Jedi Order, but Hondo was a master at this. She had to play her cards right, and at the proper moments. Otherwise, the deck would be tossed into the wind, and she wouldn't have a fighting chance.
The pirate captain in question righted himself once more, tugged on the front of his coat, and dashed his hands across its front, batting away unseen wrinkles and dirt.
"So, Elara," Hondo emphasized her given name with a roguish smirk, "what is it you came to see me for? My good company, no? To investigate this… unspoken and profound bond?"
"While it's always a pleasure to spend time with you, I fear I have come on matters of business," Elara admitted. She let the sentence fall at the end, as though there were some kind of regret in being there for business reasons.
Hondo heaved a sigh. "Ahh, of course. You are ever beholden to your job––which, by the way, does not seem to allow for any kind of fun." He started to pace a slow circle around her, like a loth cat circling its prey, keen eyes peering. And Elara simply stood here, following him with her eyes until he disappeared around her back. Then suddenly, and with a playful lunge, he appeared on her other side. "But… so long as it is you I am doing business dealings with… I think we could marry business and pleasure… Come." He came to stand beside her and extended his arm, which was bent at the elbow, to her. An obvious invitation to take it. "We will talk business."
"But, Sir!" It was Bim who had spoken up, stepping forward with incredulity painted across his face. "She's a Jedi, she's with the village, d'you really think that's a––"
"Uh-bup-bup!" Hondo interrupted, a hand shooting up to wave a finger through the air. His face became stony in the blink of an eye, all semblance of charm gone. "I am the captain here, I get to choose whom I speak with. And I would like to speak with the Pretty Jedi who took the time out of her day to walk aaaall the way here to see me. I'll hear no more nonsense about my not speaking with her. Understand?" He widened his eyes, clearly looking for an answer. When all Bim did was grumble, Hondo's face fell further into something distinctly dangerous. "Understand?"
Bim sniffed, tugged at his rattle bandana, and folded both arms over his chest. "Yes, Sir…"
With a satisfied nod, Hondo allowed a burning look to linger on his crewmate a moment. Then, in the jarring blink of an eye, he was smiling again, all charm and roguishness; he leaned towards Elara a little, pushing his arm towards her. With a demure smile, Elara fitted her gloved hand into the crook of his arm. When he lowered his arm, it drew her closer to him, the closest she'd been to him since she had held her lightsaber to his throat to ensure that she, Obi-Wan, and Anakin escaped. Being so close, her nostrils were assaulted by the smell of him. It was a strange mix of fragrant incense and the acridity of spice, which formed a unique musk that perfectly belonged to him. Hondo started to lead her into the shade provided by his ship's saucer-like appearance, and towards what appeared to be a makeshift table and chair set up, created exclusively by crates that had been pulled from the ship.
"Since we are to marry business and pleasure… perhaps you will join me for a drink," he suggested.
Elara arched a wry eyebrow and slowly turned a look on him. "You do recall the last time I shared a drink with you, you and your crew drugged my friends and I? Then proceeded to lock us in your cells and ransom us off?"
Hondo clucked his tongue and patted her hand. "That was so long ago, surely you can look past such things?"
"It was only a few months ago."
"See?" he insisted, eyes wide. "Long ago!"
With a roll of her eyes, Elara let out a quiet sigh. "I'm not one to turn down your hospitality; but we will have drinks from the same bottle."
"Consider it done! Ay, you!" Hondo gestured to a nearby pirate, who snapped to attention at being hailed by his captain. He had been in the midst of polishing his blaster, but the task now forgotten. "Go get some keela, the best we have!" The pirate bolted, shoving his blaster into its holster once he received his order, darting towards the ship on swift feet. With a satisfied nod, Hondo brought himself and Elara to a stop beside the make-shift table and chairs. "Now. What business is it you'd wish to discuss? Surely it has nothing to do with all that nastiness with that silly village."
Elara pulled her hand from the crook of Hondo's arm, and seated herself on a squat crate, which was likely filled with blaster gas capsules. This was where the real work began; she'd laid out a good foundation––she hoped––and this was where she had to strategically start to build on it. Every word she said had to be spoken carefully, as not to give anything away. She watched as Hondo moved to sit across from her, flicking out the tails of his coat as he lowered himself onto another small crate. If he so much as picked up that they were assisting the villagers, preparing them for the fight to come, this whole thing would be for naught. It would all go sideways quicker than she could stop it from happening. So, with a mask of soft diplomacy, Elara nodded.
"I'm afraid it does," she confirmed.
Hondo, who was in the middle of shifting around to get himself comfortable, froze. He stared at her for a long moment before he simultaneously started to shake his head and cluck his tongue. "Oh, no, no, no––Kenobi said that you Jedi were not involving yourself in the matter."
"We aren't," Elara lied smoothly. She reached out and brushed a bit of dirt off the crate that separated them and would act as a table. Hondo leaned forward, forearms resting on it, and eyed her with something more critical than charming. She met his gaze evenly and then dropped it, as though suddenly a little unsure. "This is more… something that I would like to ask of you."
Since her eyes were averted, she more heard than saw him shift. It was an intrigued shuffle forward, arms sliding overtop the crate, feet skittering across the ground. When she looked back up, Elara found that Hondo had leaned so far forward over the crate, he was almost crouched, and his chest almost flush to the top of it. His head tilted sideways, and his eyes danced across her face.
"Oh? And what is it you'd like to ask?"
"That you give the farmers time to harvest their crop."
Hondo's eyes narrowed.
"And why should I do that, huh? They are already late in paying me, why should I be lenient?" He pushed off the crate as he asked and leaned backwards, arms folding over his chest. His fingers started to drum against his own bicep, calculated and slow. Waiting. Watching.
Before her was no longer the charmer who had escorted her to her seat; it was the experienced pirate captain who was used to getting his way. In this moment, charm could not beget charm. This was a negotiation. This was something that Elara was comfortable and well versed in. So she crossed one leg over the other, sat straight, and folded her hands in her lip.
"If you want the crop harvested properly, then they should be allowed the time to do so. I imagine you wish to reap the rewards fully. If you rush them, they are sure to miss out on something. I don't imagine you would know, but I'm very interested in botany––the study of plant life. Sillim is a very… particular plant. There are certain conditions that it requires in order to grow; the soil needs to have the right moisture content, the sunlight has to be direct, and the climate has to be tropical. And harvesting it properly also requires a particular amount of skill… If done wrong, you could ruin the entire plan. You wouldn't want an incomplete harvest, would you? Especially since you have waited so long?" she asked. She spoke with a lightheartedness that also managed to be serious; a tone of voice she used with stubborn diplomats or enemy generals. It matched that ever-useful mask of Jedi competency, which sat on her face with a careful indifference.
Silence grew between them as a stare-off of sorts commenced. The natural cadence of all the jungle insects filled that silence with a tenuous, buzzing din. Around them, the crew had started to tentatively return to their tasks, so their low chatter entered the mix, too. With the intensity that they matched one another's gaze, it felt as though they should be playing moul-moo. This was Hondo trying to discern whether or not she was lying. What her agenda was. And this was her holding her ground, digging her heels in, and committing. Ensuring that he could not see the cracks, nor peer through them. Because pulling this off could mean all the difference for the village and its people. Winning them even half an hour would mean that she had succeeded on this mission. But tricking a trickster was difficult. They knew all the tricks and twists, knew how they were utilized and disguised. That was what Hondo was trying to see in her; and that was what she was valiantly attempting to hide.
The pirate that Hondo had ordered off minutes before came scampering up to the table. He said nothing, simply placed a bottle of keela on the table, and then put an empty glass before each individual. Not sparing him even a side-long look, Hondo waved him off. With eye-contact maintained with Elara, he reached out, grabbed the bottle, and curled his hand around its top. He started to twist his hand side-to-side. The cork squeaked and squawked like his lizard-monkey as it was worked out of the bottle. With a hollow popping sound, he managed to pull it free.
"And why are you concerning yourself with some measly farmers from Felucia, hm?" he asked as he poured a splash of keela into her glass. He then moved to pour himself the equivalent of a gulp of the liquid. "Surely there are more pressing things that require your attention; such as getting off this planet."
"We have a way off planet."
"With those bounty hunters?" He made a tsking sound, set the bottle down, and took up his glass. "I would have thought you'd want to avoid such people."
Elara lifted her glass, pulled it towards herself, and sloshed the keela around. "As a Jedi, you often have to trust people you wouldn't often trust otherwise," she said. She brought the glass up to her lips, lifted her gaze, and arched an eyebrow at the pirate sat across from her. Like him was the unvoiced statement in that simple gesture.
Hondo, who must have realized this, chuckled. He took a hearty swig from his glass, leaving behind only a sip of keela, and propped an elbow up on the crate. With a waggle of his hand in her direction, he asked, "You still have a bounty on your head, do you not?"
She froze. Keela gently lapped at her lip, and its bitterness stinging against sensitive skin, which had chapped slightly due to exposure to the elements. The muscles in her arms locked up, and the vaguely relaxed posture she'd had stiffened. It was instinctive, at this point, to react in such a way whenever the bounty was mentioned. Especially when it was brought up by the only person who had ever attempted to capitalize on it. This was likely what Anakin and Obi-Wan had worried about. Because this was not only a casual mention; beneath it there was an underlying threat. Hondo knew the bounty was still active, because he checked on it. That suggested either a morbid curiosity in knowing whether or not she had been taken in, or that he was keeping tabs in case he should ever need––want––to try and take advantage of it. Hondo, for as much as he liked her, was still a pirate. And even though he had poured both of their drinks from the same bottle, taking that drink suddenly seemed like a very terrible thing to do.
Slowly, Elara lowered the glass and dashed her gloved fingers over her lips. The durable fabric soaked up what keela had touched them. With an ultra calm demeanor that didn't betray the anxious pattering of her heart, she set the glass back down on the crate. Both eyebrows rose skyward, which lifted her expression into something almost aloof and knowing.
"I am well aware," Elara said loftily.
"And how has that been working for you, hm? I imagine it must be difficult dealing with criminals such as myself––it must worry you. Now, when we last met, you hadn't a clue about who it was that wished to find you so badly… Tell me… have you discovered who it is?" Hondo's eyes were alight with curiosity, genuine curiosity. But there was still something darker gleaming there, something dangerous and sinister, that Elara knew to be wary of.
So she inclined her head, which caused rogue strands of hair to fall into her face. They were starting to grow wavy with the rise in humidity. Both of her hands folded in her lap, fingers squeezing at each other in hopes of relieving some stress. "Yes. I do, actually."
With a boisterous laugh, Hondo slammed his glass down, sending what little keela was inside sloshing out and down its sides. He clapped once, loudly, and was on his feet in an instant. He all but shoved both the bottle and the glasses out of the way, creating a space on the edge of the crate. It was there that the pirate perched himself. One of his forearms dropped to brace against his knee, which gave him leverage to lean forward, and towards Elara just slightly. A grin had pulled over his face, and he looked positively delighted. It was a toothy look, just like all the ones he would shoot her way before he called her 'Pretty Jedi' or put up a charming front. However, this time she was unsure whether the smile was because of what she'd just told him… or because he had just physically put himself in a position of power above her.
"Oh, you simply must tell me who it is!" he exclaimed.
"You'll have to forgive me for not wanting to divulge such information."
Where before Elara's responses had been laced with a witty playfulness, her words, like her expression, had gone stoic and flat. It was an instinctive reaction to such a sensitive subject. A way of trying to protect herself and the information. But the switch in demeanor didn't seem to deter Hondo in the least. If anything, it seemed to spur him on. For he grinned wider, all teeth and delight, and leaned further towards her.
"But what if I know them?" he teased. "What if I could lead you right to them?"
"I'd rather not risk them being tipped off because someone happened to let something slip. We're trying to be covert about the matter." The comment was paired with a pointed look that conveyed something very poignant––she didn't trust him. She then proceeded to tilt her head, an eyebrow arching. "We've gotten off topic, Hondo. Have you been trying to distract me?"
With an offended little gasp, he pressed a hand to his chest. With a shake of his head, he made a show of frowning severely. "I would never! I simply worry about you aligning yourself with such a group of people."
A laugh, slight and quiet, made its way out of Elara's mouth. Hondo quirked his head in response, and she went about folding her arms over chest, fixing him with another look.
"If you're so worried, perhaps you wouldn't mind informing me where I can find the bounty contact?" she posed. She watched as Hondo pressed his lips together and she threw a shrug into the mix. "If I know where to find them, I can also track down the person who set it. That way, I won't have to worry about bounty hunters anymore––and you wouldn't have to worry about me."
The smile that appeared on Hondo's face was chiding, like he was about to reprimand a naughty child. A chuckle, good and low, rumbled inside his chest. All it took was for that smile to make Elara nervous. Because that was the look of a man who was about to take the upper hand. Who had some way to throw her off her rhythm. Hondo now felt immovable, unswayable as he smiled knowingly above her. This was the feeling of coming to a wall, and realizing she had lost the means to scale it. For the first time since she arrived, her confidence was shaken. Everything she had counted on to carry her through this seemed to be stalling, and that caused a shock of worry crackled deep in her stomach. It had her shifting in her seat, wondering if perhaps both Anakin and Obi-Wan were right; that this was a terrible idea. And if they were right, she knew that her brother––once he got over his concern––would be touting the 'I told you so' arguments. But, at this point, it didn't matter. None of it mattered. The only way out of this was to see it through to the end… even if it meant she left, completely unsuccessful in what she'd come to do.
"Now, now… you keep asking things of me… but you are not offering anything in return. I thought that the Jedi were more hospitable than that," he rebuked in a drawl.
It was a stalemate then.
Hondo wasn't going to budge unless she offered something in return; Elara didn't have anything to offer for what she had asked. And he knew that she didn't. Otherwise, she would have offered it up when they were trying to barter a ride off of him the night before, or presented it earlier when she was trying to buy the farmers more time. It was a discouraging place to be. To feel as though she were so close to potentially getting what they wanted… but far enough away to mindlessly frustrating. But before that frustration could bubble to life, hot and dangerous, in her stomach, Elara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. In that breath, she sought out the Force, and when she reconnected with it, it flooded over her in a wash of calm. It soothed the pins and needles of anxiety, which had started to prickle at her skin. Cooled the threatening burn of frustration in the pit of her stomach. She had been in tight places like this before, she reminded herself, and she had gotten out of them just fine. What she needed to do was backpedal, take a look at her options, and then get creative.
When Elara's eyes opened, her demeanor had shifted. The Force had lent her a comfort and a calm that had momentarily escaped her. Now her shoulders had relaxed, her expression rested gently between calm and attentiveness. And when she looked up at Hondo, she found him peering at her curiously. She painted an apologetic smile on her face and, as she rose to her feet, reached out to place a hand on his arm. His eyes dropped from her face to that hand, as though surprised she had touched him so willingly.
"You're right. How very rude of me to expect you to give me something and expect nothing in return." Her hand dropped away from his arm––which he watched fall away. Elara swept both hands behind her back and clasped them there, business-like and relaxed. "I will revoke my request you tell me about the contact. We are currently investigating the matter, anyways, and are sure to find them soon. And, as you well know, I don't have much I can offer you. I have credits, but I know you won't take them. So, I will offer you this." She stepped around to the other side of the crate, where Hondo had shoved both glasses and the bottle. The pirate twisted around awkwardly to watch her refill his glass. "I will have a drink with you––if you agree to let the farmers have the afternoon to harvest the sillim."
Hondo hopped off the crate and spun on his boot heels, which ground into the soft soil. He had fixed her with an unreadable look––lips pursed, eyes narrowed, head cocked. It was almost contemplative. To reiterate the offer, Elara picked up both glasses and held one out to him. Both of his eyes roved a trail across her face, along her neck, down her arm, and to the glass of keela. The blue liquid sloshed about enticingly, as though beckoning him in to accept her offer. Without any of the languidity they had taken before, Hondo's eyes shot back up to Elara's, and they had narrowed.
"You have become involved," he accused flatly. And though it was an accusation, it did not feel damning. It did not scare her, nor did it have a chill running along her spine. It was almost a keen observation––one that she could not let him know was correct.
"No," she lied. "I simply want what is best for us all, in the long run."
Hondo leaned forward and gripped a hold of either side of the crate. His head slowly rolled to the side, both curious and cautious. "And what is best for you in the long run is to make a deal with a pirate? One who will surely come to collect a favor later down the line?"
Elara held his gaze steadfastly, expression almost stern. She continued to hold his glass out to him, the offer firm and obvious.
"He will not come to collect, because I am offering to have a drink with him. And in taking that drink, I am offering him my trust; that, alone should be enough for him––that I have chosen to trust him," Elara contested. There was an edge in her voice, commanding and hard; the voice of a woman in command, like the General of the GAR that she was.
Because it was, in fact, true. Her offering him her trust in this way was a big step. Given the life she had lived on Tatooine, Elara was not quick to trust criminals of any sort. Hondo had drugged her, kidnapped her, ransomed her, tortured Anakin and Obi-Wan and then almost took her in for the bounty money. It was not the best start in getting her to trust him in any sort of way. Though she knew that the keela hadn't been tampered with, her accepting the drink was, indeed, a show of trust. A trust that he would keep his word, and allow the villagers the time to properly harvest the sillim. And if he at all felt any kind of true, amiable friendship towards her… perhaps this would be enough payment.
Something in Hondo's expression had lightened. The tension that had gathered in the muscles of his face and pulled them taut had disappeared. His eyes fell to the glass in her hand again, and this time he did consider it. Again, the buzzing of insects seemed to grow in volume as the silence built up between them. It felt as though the world had shrunk in on them, all oppressive heat and deafening sound. It wasn't a pleasant disappearance of the world around them, as Elara had experienced time and time before with Obi-Wan. This was strangling and heavy. That feeling only abated when Hondo swept a hand forward and snagged the glass from her hand. He raised it up to eye level, as though inspecting what was inside. His eyes slipped sideways until they met hers.
"Just give them the afternoon?" he clarified.
"Just the afternoon," Elara confirmed.
She held her own glass out, then, offering to seal the deal with a toast. At this point, the intensity of her gaze all but dared him not to take the offer. She dared him to try to add a stipulation or back down. But this, of course, was Hondo. A man who didn't back down from a fight or a challenge.
"I would rather the harvest come in complete, anyway. I will give them the afternoon," Hondo agreed nonchalantly. He threw his shoulders into a shrug, trying to look nonplussed about it all. Like this had all been his idea, that he had guided the negotiation, that this was all by his design. It took everything in Elara not to roll her eyes. If she had, it would have shattered her composure completely, and likely opened a whole new host of problems. Then, a smirk crawled across his face. "And, just maybe… if I am feeling generous… I will shout the name of where to find the contact as I fly away."
Elara allowed herself to both smirk and roll her eyes this time. With an arched eyebrow, she lifted her glass a little higher. "Then here's to generosity."
With a grin, Hondo let his glass careen forward to knock into hers. They knocked together noisily, and keela spilled over the edges of both vessels.
"To trust, my very Pretty Jedi."
Afterword: So, I intended to finish "Bounty Hunters'' this chapter, but it's been a not-so-good-day, and I was unable to do it. Also, the Hondo-Elara negotiation took up more pages than I had originally predicted. I want to properly expand upon stuff at the end of the episode, so we'll have one more "Bounty Hunters'' chapter, and then we'll be moving on! I loved writing all the Hondo stuff in this chapter, but I feel a little burned out (perhaps because I wrote the majority of this chapter today). It's a little shorter than normal, but I wanted to make sure my waning mood didn't affect my writing too much.
Review Replies!:
DCDGojira: Thank you! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter!
MidnightReader1: Ahh, thank you so much, I'm glad that you've enjoyed it so far!
GoldenGod48: So, fun fact, I never intended this story to be as long as it currently is. I didn't originally intend to include any of the Clone Wars, and was just going to do the three films. I thought that, given with what aspects of the films I wanted to use, it would make sense to keep them all in one story. The other original intent was that I would make two more stories in the OG trilogy and the sequel trilogy connected to this one, so each having a single story made sense to me. But, now that we're in the thick of the CWs… it does sort of hit me that separating them out might've been a good idea. But I feel like I've made my bed at this point, and that separating them now wouldn't make much sense. But I totally see where you're coming from, that there's a lot going on ('cause there is); and since I do want to do those other two stories, I'll definitely consider a change in formatting to make things read smoother! But, thank you so much for giving this monster of a story a read; and I am very happy that you seemed to have enjoyed it, too!
zikashigaku: Anakin is that meme from BuzzFeed Unsolved with Shane going 'I've connected the dots.' He's starting to piece things together, he's just… he's missed a couple of very crucial dots. Hondo is absoLUTEly a peacock; he loves to strut and show off. And it was a lot of fun to write him this chapter. To balance the sinister, dangerous side of him with the cocky, flirtatious side of him. He's just such a great character; he's too much fun! I hope that you enjoyed the Elara-Hondo interactions this whole chapter! Thanks again!
MsRosePetal: I really enjoyed writing the Obi-Lara stuff in the last chapter; it's been so long since they've interacted that way––in a manner distinctly more intimate than anything that's happened between them recently. I'm itching to get back to it. I feel like I've got a weird partial block when I write, sometimes, and I think it's because it's soooo close to them being all good again. And Obi-Wan being sad over the lightsaber… that image hit me at the very last minute, and I just had to end it on that. It just… it works so well. We'll get to catch up with him next time! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
turtlethewriter: I find Hondo so much fun. Because he's so outwardly outlandish, but there's a side to him that very, very dangerous, and I love to play with that dichotomy. I'm really glad that you've enjoyed all of the emotional character arcs. Playing them off one another and developing has been wonderful character study work for all of them. Also, I am overjoyed that you view Elara as such an organically grown OC! One of my biggest fears when I started this story was that she wouldn't seem to blend into the world well enough, or mesh well with the other characters. It's also been a joy to work her and her conflicts into both the films and the CW series, and see how all of that affects everyone else around her. I am so, so happy that you've enjoyed the story so much so far! We'll have some Obi-Lara goodness next time! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
RemiSparklez: The 'exemplary Jedi' comment is going to haunt Obi-Wan forever. And it was a very good thing he was not present for this chapter, otherwise he would have been crawling out of his skin with how Hondo was interacting with Elara; and how she was playing off that. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Duchess of Lantern Waste: Ahh, thank you! The last couple of weeks/chapters I've been worried about the quality. This past month, for whatever reason, has been rough emotionally so I sometimes worry my less-than-enthusiastic real life mood sometimes affects my writing. But I'm happy that they don't appear to be! :) Next chapter we will get Obi-Wan returning her lightsaber to her… and see just how he feels about the fact she left it behind. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Nerdette92: I hope you enjoyed all the Hondo content in this chapter! Playing him against Elara is so much fun, especially when she's trying to play his game and bandy back all of his flirtations. The slow build back to all the Obi-Lara goodness continues in the next chapter! I'm very excited for the Mandalore arc… because all the things will start to fall into place… I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Lady Basara: Hondo is the space pirate that we all deserve to have xD He's flirty, devilish, dangerous, and so damn over the top! And just you wait till Obi-Wan and Elara get together, 'cause if they run into Hondo again… hell will hath no fury like Obi-Wan shutting Hondo down. And I just had to end it on some emotional Obi-Wan through Anakin's POV. It just felt… like the way to end it. Because Ani is with them all the time; he sees all of their interactions, knows them both so well. And yet, his own thinking about who Obi-Wan is prevents him from seeing the truth. And ahh, I cannot thank you enough! So many of the canon characters have such defined personalities, that I sometimes get scared when I write them. I am still terrified to write Mace Windu, because I still don't feel like I've got a grasp on his character. This story has also been kind of my love-letter to writing OCs. I have fallen in love with developing Elara as a flawed, realistic character, and the same goes for all of the 442nd. It's been an absolute joy to write Elara and Obi-Wan's relationship from young adults through to adulthood, and I'm so happy that it's read as natural and realistic! I am truly honored that this long-ass slow-burn has been one you've sat through and enjoyed! Thank you so, so much!
monkeybaby: Ahh, thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
northernficton: Since you love Hondo and Elara interactions so much, I sure hope you enjoyed this chapter! 'Cause that's all it was xD Don't worry, them finally admitting to one another that they're hopelessly into each other is coming… very soon… ;) I'm so glad that you––and so many others––have been loving the insight to Elara and Obi-Wan's relationship through Ani's eyes! It was a last minute decision to end the chapter that way, but I think it worked out really well! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
ZabuzasGirl: Because there's a sweet sadism in being a writer and getting to write endings like that one xD It hurt my soul too, don't worry; I almost deleted it 'cause I thought it was too sad! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
bambam411: Obi-Wan is DEFINITELY not going to let her get out of this one without an explanation! As she mentioned earlier this chapter she never said the word 'promise'... and yet she did promise and she broke it. Look forward to that convo next time! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
MalirBly: Anytime I write Hondo, I end up back on my pirate bullshit xD I had so much fun writing so much Hondo in this chapter, but he is also EXHAUSTING to write. I don't know if there's ever been a character that I've written that has been genuinely tiring to write for. He's so exuberant. He's got so much energy. Hope you don't mind the three-parter turning into a four-parter! 'Cause I wanted to give justice to the Obi-Lara stuff that's gonna happen next time; the ending of the next chapter is going to be a BIG OL' step in the right direction for them both! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Gem: I'm so happy that you look forward to the new chapters each week! It makes my heart immeasurably happy to hear that. Obi-Wan and Elara will talk soon-ish… but the ending of the next chapter will have some good Obi-Lara stuff going on! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
MotherAiya: Obi-Wan is VERY MUCH about to be putty in Elara's hands. I'm really looking forward to openly lovey-covey Obi-Lara stuff… it's gonna be so, so sweet! And the aftermath of this chapter is nigh… I'm very excited for it. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
thenerdnextdoor: My past few weeks have blurred together, so I totally get you on that! This week in particular has been ROUGH, so everything has definitely been blending together for me, just like you described. Turns out that 'some one-on-one' stuff became the ENTIRE chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it! It was fun to write, but also tiring. Hondo, as a character, ended up being shockingly and genuinely tiring to write for such a long period of time. He's got energy that I do not, and probably will not ever have. But once I got into the groove of certain sections, it all ended up flowing smoothly, thankfully! And you say you enjoy the Obi-Lara tension ramping up… well, buckle-up, 'cause next time it's gonna skyrocket, and the entertainment factor will be through the roof! 'Cause Elara's gonna have to explain why she left the lightsaber behind, and then I've got a lil' something planned for the very end of the chapter… 'Cause there's always room for more tension. And, of course, Obi-Wan's gonna be wondering about what went down with Hondo and the wee bit of jealousy may rear its head again for a moment. We'll also have to see if the bounty hunters end up finding out about Elara and her bounty… (we love tension) Okay, and hear me out about this cowboy AU! xD I'm just picturing surprisingly prim and proper cowboy Obi bringing badass homesteader Elara books anytime he finds one in his travels. It melts my HEAAART! I am also wholly in love with Arthur Morgan, he is as you say––A MAN. They did such a beautiful job developing that game and those characters, ugh, it keeps me going back and playing it again! Also, super happy you finished S1 of Fantasy High! The finale of it was just phenomenal! And the standalone sessions they did (especially the one about the theatre) were amazing! I welcome your newly evolved final form; for I have reached a similar state! As always, it's wonderful to speak with you, and I hope you're doing well! Thanks again!
Elizabeth: Elara is absolutely willing to do whatever it is she can to aid in their mission/the good of the people. If she's gotta flirt with Hondo a bit to buy time, she'll sure as hell do it. Because we all know that she'd much rather be flirting with Obi-Wan, so it's really just a word game for her. I'm so glad you've enjoyed my toying with Hondo's more dangerous side! Because we see it in flashes. It's always a blip of a moment, and then it's gone. So I wanted to play with the fact that, as someone who grew up around such people, Elara knows to stay wary despite his flamboyance. One toe out of line, and you're done. He's got you cut down. There's a reason he's as good a pirate as he is… and it's probably because people take to underestimating him. And Obi-Wan, even in the moments where he was trying not to be as involved with Elara, would never back away from a chance to assist or defend her. It's ingrained in him, now, because he cares for her so, so much. The planning session I partially wrote, and then ended up majorly rewriting. Because I was originally gonna jump into the scene where the episode drops us, but thought it might be a cool opportunity to expand on the planning session and get Elara more involved. I'm glad you like Sugi's interjection of basically 'let the woman speak'; female solidarity, even if they don't like one another all that much! The fact that this story/that scene has inspired your want to try some digital art makes my heart so happy! I love it when art inspires art, and I'm always endlessly humbled and flattered when it's something that I've written that inspires such things :) Which, then, in turn, inspires me! It's a beautiful cycle! Also, I adore that your Apple Pencil has an Obi quote on it! I absolutely love writing tension building moments to help ramp up the anticipation! I swear to god it's fully rooted in my love of Regency media. It just… it works so well for these two! I also realized in the last chapter that I'd never explicitly stated that, in situations like this, she isn't necessarily asking for Obi-Wan or Anakin's permission. She wants them to back her up, even if they're not all gung-ho about what she's going to do. And Obi-Wan knows that he will never (and never wants to) control her, that she makes her own decisions as a Jedi Knight AND as a General; if it's what she believes is best… who is he to stop her? The Ani POV was spur of the moment, and I am delighted that everyone enjoyed it so much! His ruminations on not believing Obi-Wan can feel are actually based out of a quote from a Star Wars book. I think it's "Lair of Evil"..? I can't recall. But he's basically like "Obi-Wan does not, and cannot love." That's just what Anakin believes which is… so, so heartbreaking. And I thought it worked well with his view on Obi-Wan and Elara's relationship at this point. And, yes… Obi-Wan the contradictory Jedi. Love him so much. Don't worry about review length! I love all sorts, super long, super short––what I love the most is just getting to chat with everyone :) Thank you again, so, so much! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
camelotprincess1: I'm so glad you're enjoying my arc interpretations! Especially since this one has been VERY long for something that's only a single episode! "Bounty Hunters" feels like it's a two episode arc, but it's just one, it's absolutely insane. Elara definitely lives on the precipice of either smacking or bantering with Hondo; a little closer to smacking this time around, it feels. It's so much fun to write him flirting with Elara whilst Obi-Wan is present. Because calm, cool, collected Obi-Wan is always moments away from stepping in and telling him to shove off. But he restrains himself because he knows Elara will do that for herself. The Regency era has restarted! Huzzah! Ugh, I'm in love again xD I also really like witnessing Obi-Wan and Elara's relationship through Anakin's eyes. Because it's so typical little brother of 'ew, my sister likes my best friend.' But it's tangled with 'wow, my best friend broke my sister's heart,' and 'oh no, he'll never love her back, this is awful.' He's got a lot to contend with to try and make sense of everything. It's a fresh perspective, especially as he's trying to piece it all together. I hope that you enjoyed all the verbal sparring in this chapter! Thanks again!
And thank you to those that added this to their favorites/follows; it means a lot!
So that's that for now! Sorry it ended up being TWO days late instead of just one; the week has been a relative rough go of it, and this chapter just ended up being a bit of a beast. But I hope you all enjoyed it! Thank you again for all of your patience! Next time we have the ACTUAL conclusion of "Bounty Hunters," which will have a nice, wee Obi-Lara surprise! Thanks again, y'all! You guys rock!
~Mary