Double update today! 2 of 2.
Gemini wasn't sure about the feeling she woke up with.
The sky was beautiful, Zeb was in a good mood, and Ezra actually did well in his lessons, but the twisting in her gut and the low buzzing of the Force told her that something was up.
She psyched herself up and pushed the feeling aside. Today was going to be a great day.
——————
Today was not going to be a great day.
Kanan, Zeb, and Chopper were coming up the ramp followed by a stranger that made the Force do something funny. Whoever this guy was, he must have been important for the Force to do whatever it just did.
Zeb looked nervous. "Hi, I can explain," he directed towards Hera.
"Explain what?" She asked.
Kanan cleared his throat. "Hera, Sabine, Gemini, Ezra. This is Lando Calrissian. He needs a fast ship to move some cargo past the Imperial blockade of Lothal."
Lando bowed slightly. "Yes. For some reason, this planet has an unusually large Imperial presence. But are you sure you can get this vessel past the blockade, Captain . . . Hera, is it?"
His smooth voice, suave appearance, and constant smile made her lips twist in disgust.
"It is." Hera crossed her arms. "And the Ghost can mask both its signal and signature. We'll get you past the blockade. What's the cargo?"
"I was told 'No questions asked,'" Lando replied almost smugly.
"That's fine. It just costs more."
"Kanan and I already settled on a price," he said, gesturing to said person. "But I assume he requires your approval."
"He doesn't."
"Excellent." He and Kanan shook hands. "When the job's done, you'll be paid handsomely, and as agreed, I'll return your droid."
Hera's head shot up. "Return our droid?"
Chopper chattered angrily, hitting Zeb's leg.
Zeb spoke up hesitantly. "Uh, yeah. Funny story. You see, Lando and I were playing Sabacc, and I kinda . . . bet Chopper."
Gemini's eyes widened. She stepped out of her way so Hera had a clear line of sight to Zeb.
Hera rose up in anger. "Garazeb Orelios, Chopper wasn't yours to bet!"
Zeb raised his hands in surrender, pointing to another member of the crew. "Kanan said it was okay."
Hera turned her fury on Kanan, who cringed and tried to make himself smaller. "And you should know better! Chopper is a member of this crew!"
Lando held up his hands in a pacifying gesture. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. We should go. I need to pick up my cargo, and I don't want to keep my supplier waiting. Besides, if all goes well, there won't be anything for you good people to argue about."
Hera backed down, but not before slugging Kanan on the arm. She growled, storming her way to the cockpit.
Kanan shrugged sheepishly at Lando.
She rolled her eyes. For being her and Ezra's guide to the ways of the Force, he could be really stupid sometimes. She looked at Ezra, who looked to be thoroughly enjoying Kanan and Zeb's pain.
"Gemini! Get up here!"
She exchanged glances with Sabine and shrugged. Ezra was still grinning away from his spot on a stack of crates as she made her way to the cockpit.
"Yes?"
Hera was still grumbling to herself angrily. "You're copilot."
Her eyes widened. "Me? But I've only just started-"
"You'll do fine. I have complete faith in you," Hera interrupted, getting ready to tack off. "Have a seat."
She took a seat quickly, flipping the switches that Hera had begun showing her a few weeks ago. She sent a quick apology to Kanan, who sent confusion back. She rolled her eyes.
Kanan and Lando entered the cockpit just before takeoff. Kanan grabbed the seat behind her, just in case she needed to switch out. Not that she would, even if she was in over her head. She would NOT be sitting next to Lando any time soon.
Lando whistled once they left the atmosphere. "You're quite the pilot. That's the smoothest takeoff I've had in years."
"And you're quite the smooth-talking smuggler," Hera shot back, a little calmer than she was earlier.
"'Smuggler'? Such a small word. I'm more of a . . . galactic entrepreneur." He paused. "That means businessperson," he explained.
"I know what it means," Kanan grumbled. "Chopper, I need you to fix the signature modulator so we can get past the blockade."
Chopper grumbled.
"Chopper's right," Hera agreed sarcastically. "He's no longer a part of the crew. He doesn't have to do what you tell him anymore."
"I can see you have some things to work out." Lando lowered his voice. "I wonder, my new friend, if you'd be kind enough to give me a tour of this fine ship."
Chopper made a sound that sounded like he agreed with Lando, which wasn't a good thing since the signal modulator still wasn't active.
The two left, and a few tense minutes later, Ezra's amusement turned to disdain very quickly. She smirked, sending an "I told you so" along their bond. She received a Force version of a shove back.
——————
Lando was back in the cockpit when they exited hyperspace. A cargo ship was waiting for them.
"Merchant-One, this is Calrissian. Requesting Permission to dock."
"You have the goods?"
"Always."
Hera rolled her eyes.
"Ah, then permission granted."
Hera docked with the cargo ship, then rose from her seat. "Don't leave this cockpit until I get back," she ordered.
"Yes ma'am," she replied quickly. That made Hera smirk as she followed Calrissian out.
She mostly twiddled her thumbs until Kanan told her to detach. She quickly switched to the pilot's seat, pushing her worry aside and smoothly detaching from the ship.
Kanan stormed into the cockpit a few moments later. She switched back to the co-plot's seat. "Where's Hera?" She asked.
Sabine crossed her arms, nodding to Lando.
"Of course," she mumbled, flipping a switch. "I'm reading an escape pod on our scopes."
"As discussed," Lando said. "You really should have more faith in our captain."
She turned her chair. "Our captain?" She directed towards Lando.
Kanan turned an angry glare at Lando.
Sabine stood up. "Um, we'll go prep the airlock." She quickly escorted Lando out before Kanan could say anything.
She turned to Kanan. "'Our captain'?" She repeated.
Kanan grumbled angrily to himself as the ship jolted.
"Kanan, Hera's aboard," Sabine reported.
"We should probably make ourselves scarce," Lando advised.
"Somebody should," he said out loud, jumping the ship to hyperspace.
"Why'd we take this job again?" She asked.
Kanan grumbled something about Zeb in another language. She decided she didn't want to know.
Their blessed quiet was interrupted by a strange squealing. She and Kanan turned around to see Ezra and Zeb trying to act nonchalant, then running after something.
There was yelling and more screaming, then Zeb was yelling something, then a poofing sound. At that she turned around, trying to figure out what in the galaxy was going on.
Kanan walked out into the corridor. "What is going on out here?" He asked angrily.
"It's a, um, puffer-"
"I don't want to know." He turned right back around, sitting in his seat like nothing had happened.
She did the same.
——————
"We've reached the blockade," Kanan announced. "I could really use Hera on this side of the pig right about now."
"Yeah, I don't see that happening," Zeb said.
"Any idea what the Imperials are hoping to find with this blockade?" Hera asked Calrissian.
"Rebels?"
"Besides that."
"Unauthorized mining equipment, perhaps."
"And why would they be looking for that?"
Calrissian sighed. "Maybe because I tried smuggling some here a week ago. Don't worry. The Imperials are scanning for equipment, machinery. But our girl here is 100% organic. Their scanners won't detect her, so long as your ship can mask its signature."
"You know it can't until you ask Chopper to fix it."
He laughed. "You're catching on. All right, my little friend. Would you like to be a hero and fix it for me?"
Chopper grunted an affirmative. She rolled her eyes.
The signature modulator's screen turned blue. "Okay, signature modulator's back online," Kanan said. "And just in time."
"Tontine, prepare for scanning."
A sudden surge of anger came from Ezra, and she turned to find him attempting to climb over the pig to get to the other side.
"Ezra!" She quickly ran over to him, grabbing a foot and dragging him back down. He crashed to the floor with a grunt. "What are you doing? You could have set off the pig!"
"Nothing! I was just, uh-" He rubbed the back of his neck.
She sighed. "Look, I wanna punch Calrissian too, but you can't just climb over a puffer pig like this. What if you made it worse? You have to think these things through, Ezra."
He grimaced. "Sorry, Gem. I'll do better, I promise."
She could tell he meant it.
She rolled her eyes playfully, heading back to the cockpit. Kanan was about to press another button, the wrong button.
"No, Kanan, it's this one." She flipped a switch above his head.
"Doesn't that one control the pitch?"
"No, that one controls the pitch. This one is the descent stabilizers."
Kanan raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Are you sure? 'Cause I thought that-"
"Kanan, this is Hera we're talking about."
He sighed. "Yeah, you're right." He looked over at her. "You wanna take over?"
She looked at him in surprise. "Really?"
"Yep." He pressed a button, transferring control to her. "Make Hera proud."
She grinned and pressed a button, moving the landing coordinates to her screens. After entering the atmosphere and arriving at the coordinates, she bean the landing sequence. The Ghost landed lightly on the ground.
"Nice job," Kanan praised, standing to his feet.
She smiled. "Thanks."
The rest of the crew had managed to de-puff the pig while they were landing. They left the ship with it calmly walking beside the group.
"This time, try to keep it calm," Ezra told Zeb. "We don't want you inflating it again."
"Hey, it wasn't my fault."
"It's your face's fault."
"This is your land?" Hera asked Calrissian, choosing to ignore the two doofuses leading the group.
"Bought it off a charming fellow named Vizago."
"Perfect," she said sarcastically. "But why was it so important to get this pig here?"
"Because a puffer pig has a nose for precious minerals. It can do the job of a dozen mining scanners."
"And the Empire doesn't want private landholders mining Lothal."
"We're done here," Kanan interrupted. "Pay. Us, and we'll be on our way."
"He has other debts to pay."
She inched a hand towards the blaster on her hip when a short and stubby fellow with tiny little legs came out from behind a pile of crates with a blaster in his hand. About half a dozen others popped up around the site.
"Azmorigan?" Calrissian said in surprise.
"You forget I introduced you to Vizago, huh? I knew where you were headed."
"But your ship . . . you couldn't have hidden it anywhere close. Did you walk here? You don't walk anywhere."
"Well, I do what's necessary to claim my property, Calrissian."
"What do you want?" Hera asked.
"My demands are simple. I want my pig back, and you. Plus this ship and this crew as compensation for my sore feet." He looked at her, licking his lips.
She turned up her nose in disgust, Ezra inching in front of her.
"But first . . . first, I want to bury Calrissian," he growled.
Calrissian backed up in fear.
"Yeah, yeah, I understand the feeling," Hera stepped in front of Calrissian protectively, "but no."
Kanan perked up. "Now, wait, lets consider that last demand for a sec."
"I've run out of patience!" Azmorigan exclaimed. "Get them!"
Well, that was quick, she thought as she dove for cover. She ended up next to Ezra and Kanan. A feeling of relief filled her before she pushed it away. She took out her blaster, trying to hit one of Azmorigan's forces.
She ducked back behind the crate. Ezra grabbed his lightsaber, peeking out from around the crate. Kanan yanked him back.
"No lightsabers, not unless we're-"
"You worry too much," Ezra smirked. He turned back around and fired something from his lightsaber at the soldier standing on a roof. The soldier seized, them collapsed.
"Hey, mine doesn't do that."
She turned to Ezra. "Dude, cool!"
He grinned. "I might not be able to sword fight yet, but I can shoot."
"Kid, you continue to impress," Kanan said.
From across the yard, a "Nice shot Lando!" came from Sabine.
"Yeah, just not as much as Lando," Ezra said bitterly.
One of her shots came very close to hitting one of Azmorigan's soldiers. Out of nowhere, the pig ran across the field, squealing in terror.
"Zeb, the pig. Scare it!" Hera yelled from across the yard.
"What? How?"
"Just be you."
She lowered her blaster, staring incredulously as the pig inflated and bounced off of two soldiers, knocking them over. Sabine quickly made her way to the building in the middle using the pig to bounce her higher.
She spotted an opening, running over to Zeb. "Go help Sabine. I'll cover you."
Zeb nodded, running across the yard as she fired at another of Azmorigan's forces.
The two remaining solders were cornered by Sabine and Zeb. She stood up to say something to the two of them —
— but felt the cold metal of a blaster barrel pressed against her back. She glanced over her shoulder, groaning. She had forgotten all about Azmorigan.
She raised her hands in surrender, sighing.
"New terms," Azmorigan announced. "I get Calrissian, and this pretty little lady lives." He nudged her with the blaster. She refused to move.
The others stood up from behind their cover.
"I get Calrissian, and you all can go free."
A quick "You got it" / "Deal" came from Kanan and Ezra. Ezra raised an eyebrow in her direction. She sent annoyance across their bond.
"It's tempting, but the answer's still no," Hera vetoed.
Kanan and Ezra slumped.
The Ghost fired in her direction out of nowhere, knocking her down. She quickly grabbed her blaster, pointing it at Azmorigan. She looked to the Ghost, nodding to Chopper gratefully.
"My terms. You and your men leave now, and we let you live," Hera announced. "Start walking."
Azmorigan was reluctant to leave. She motioned her head to Zeb, who came over and kicked him in the back with a smile.
He and his men quickly left the compound.
Ezra came up to her quickly. "Are you okay?"
She rolled her eyes. "Did you hear what he called me? I'm scarred for life."
Ezra smiled and joined everyone else by Hera.
Once again, Lando started talking. "I like everything that just happened except that you let Azmorigan live. That'll be a problem for me later."
"I think you have a problem now," Hera said. "You don't have the credits you owe us, do you? In fact, you never did."
Lando bent down, petting the pig. "But I will once my baby's worked her magic."
"You mean, if she finds what you're looking for and you've mined and smuggled it off-world?"
"I can give you back your droid."
She wasn't sure if Chopper was happy or irritated.
"That won't satisfy your debt to me," Hera warned. "Not after what you pulled."
"Then how about we settle that debt with a little game of Sabacc?"
"Then you'll just have to owe me one."
They headed back to the Ghost. She leaned over to Sabine. "What did Lando do?"
"He traded Hera for the pig," she responded quietly.
She rolled her eyes. "Of course he did."
Chopper muttered angrily at the front of their group.
"Come on," Zeb pleaded. "I saved your circuits. Isn't that apology enough?"
Chopper muttered to himself.
Ezra walked faster to catch up with her and Sabine. "I always appreciated you, Sabine."
"Yes,Ezra. I know," Sabine said, smirking at her playfully. She grinned back.
Chopper moved a large cylinder from behind a stack of crates.
"Oh, hey," Sabine realized, "Chopper stole Lando's fuel!"
"You mean he was playing Lando the whole time?" Zeb asked.
Chopper raised his hands in celebration.
Gemini took a deep breath, glad that she would never have to see Lando Calrissian again.