Chapter 2

A beeping interrupted one of Todo's stories as Nova worked some wiring under panels in the cockpit area. "Oh dear," said Todo then pressed the red flashing button on his wrist and Bane's voice came booming in from the other side, he did not sound happy. "Todo, I'm going to get rations, make sure Nova has our ship ready for takeoff in the next 6 hours. I want off this planet. And don't let that scaly humanoid bastard near my ship you got it?" "Yes Mr. Bane, no one gets on this ship I unersta…" Click was the only sound that could be heard on their side.

"Does he always hang up on you?" Nova chuckled

"Mr. Bane is just stressed; he is trying to figure out how to open a magic box for one of his clients and is unsure on how to do so. Stress can make people do crazy things"

"You did not answer my question" Nova smiled while still working on those panels

"I guess I didn't, the answer is YES he does hang up on me often".

"So, tell me more about this box" But before he could answer there were voices from outside the ship

"This is his ship, where is he?" an unfamiliar voice stated.

Shit, who could that be thought Nova, she knows Bane is not the most popular with making allies based on stories she has heard, and this could only mean trouble.

Nova looked around the room and began to hide away anything that might be considered valuable to help Bane since she had no idea why these people were here. This included that "magic box" Todo was rambling on about. She used a part of her already torn pant leg, ripped off the fabric and threw it over the box, and wrapped it making sure not to touch it in case this "magic" was dangerous.

"Todo hide, NOW" she harshly whispered through her teeth as she tucked away the blue box in a storage compartment in the droid's back. Todo was just looking side to side no moving, so she grabbed him and pushed him in one of the lockers, "power off so they can't locate you when the ship is scanned". Todo powered down, one less thing to deal with.

"I'm sensing one life form on board, be mindful". Another voice came from outside the ramp. shit, there are two of them? Well, there is not much left in the ship that she could hide or even hide if needed to. Shit. Well, if she is going to die, she wasn't going to be a coward about it.

"Hello?" she called stuttering over the word. Nova kept her hands and data pad out in front of her and slowly exited the ship "who's there?" a little more confidently. She slowly exited the ramp and was met with two men in robes one with a blonde beard and neatly done hair and the other with unkept longer dark hair and a scar over his eye. The darker-haired one looked puzzled and was staring at her "I don't know who you are looking for, but I am the only one on this sh-" she started to say as she returned her gaze to the ground as a slave does.

"Nova?" The man with dark hair said with a confused look on his face.

Nova froze and looked up slightly to get a closer look at his face. There was something she recognized when looking at this man "Wait… I know you, don't I?" she was meet with silence as the two stared at each other "Ani?" Nova said matching his confusion. This could not be the small, sweet boy she knew; this was a man, a free man.

With two long strides, he was in front of her again and he paused to stare at her then all of a sudden embraced her in a huge hug "Nova! I cannot believe it is you! I'm so happy to see you". She was in shock her childhood friend was here with her again. After she was done being spun around in a hug, she collected herself before speaking.

"It's good to see you again Ani, it looks like you're doing well," she said with a smile. Anakin did not match her smile though he was concentrating on the 'R' on her cheek he was about to say something when she cut him off, she was not ready to talk about that.

"So, Ani who is your friend?". Anakin still staring at her cheek, the stranger behind him cut in trying to ease the situation.

"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi; it is a pleasure to meet you," he said with a genuine smile and a small bow.

"Pleasure is mine". She returned the bow returning her gaze to the floor again. "Soo, what brings you men out here?".

Nova was still in shock of what was happening, and she had so many questions and wanted to know more about what happened to her friend. Obi-wan smiled and said "Oh yes, we …" then was cut off by Anakin who now seemed to finally get out of whatever trance he was in and started speaking again. "We are currently looking for the bounty hunter named Cad Bane, he is the Duro that owns this ship".

As much as she missed her childhood friend, she could not bring herself to tell him Cad Bane's location. Bane has been nothing but kind and fair to her for the last few years when many were not, even providing her with food, allowed her breaks while working, and even shared stories of his adventures while they worked on the ship together (sometimes) at least when he was in a good mood. It might not sound like much, but Bane was a friend in her eyes, even if he did not see it the same.

"OH, I'm sorry to disappoint you guys but no Duro was in this ship when it landed just a droid which left here going that way" Which she pointed down a random hallway "several hours ago. I can contact you if you like when it returns," she said as she shrugged her shoulders to show it was of no inconvenience. She could tell Ani wanted to talk more you could see the sorrow in his eyes.

"I will come back for you, I promise" he whispered as he handed her a commlink when Obi-wan left his side and was walking up to Bane's ship.

"I have heard that one before" she whispered with a sad smile while looking down.

"I mean it! I …" Anakin started but Nova cut him off as Obi-Wan Kenobi returned into their conversation.

"It was good to see you again Ani, you as well Sir Kenobi" she stated with a bow, turned away, and entered the ship not wanting to look back afraid of the tears that may spill over her eyes while in front of them. She could feel Anakin linger on the ramp but did not follow her and they took off in the direction that she provided.

0000000

From the small warning, Bane was given from M'Beg he had figured he outstayed his welcome. He had already called Todo and told him to prepare to leave but realized that fucking box was still on his ship. He needed to get that before taking off for his supply run in case M'Beg gets any ideas of stealing shit in his ship while he is away. He tried to com Todo but no answer, that's weird, he tried again the same outcome. Something was wrong. Bane picked up the pace, as he was approaching the hallway to the hanger, he could see the Jedi he had been trying to avoid.

Shit, the Jedi were already here? He thought he would have had more time. He slides behind a pillar to stay out of sight. Bane could see them approaching his ship, but then Nova came out and started talking to the Jedi. Okay, seems the slave and the Jedi know each other, a question for another time. He was not able to hear their conversation but sees she was pointing in the opposite direction of him. Whatever she said they must have believed her because they did not even bother searching his property. He was able to see where Obi-Wan placed a tracking device on his ship so it will be easy to remove later. His eyes drifted back to Nova and saw she was given a commlink from Skywalker and both the Jedi took off in the direction she had given as Nova reentered the ship and continued repairs.

Fucking traitor is going to rat me out! That's what I get for trusting someone. Shame, I will have to kill her.

He waited a moment to ensure the Jedi had truly left, right when he was about to step out into the open, he saw M'Beg who apparently saw the whole ordeal as well. M'Beg walked straight to Bane's ship and entered.

"Not my ship mother fucker" Bane spat with rage to himself as he rushed inside the hanger area. As he got closer, he heard yelling from inside. Bane entered the ship through the open ramp silently hugging the wall trying not to be seen.

Even from where Bane was standing, he could see Nova was visibly shaking but for whatever reason, she was just staring at the floor not moving while her master continued his shouting in his native tongue.

M'Beg walked over to Bane's workstation and grabbed a small pipe very calmly. Suddenly he began to bash Nova's head and arms with it, and was not holding back his swings either, all while shouting with rage. He stood over Nova with his bloody pipe holding her up by her shirt to get her closer to his ugly mug while continuing to yell things in a language Bane did not understand.

"Enough!" Bane finally said pointing his blaster at the back of M'Beg's head. He was all for killing this human traitor but watching Nova slowly being beat to death was not what he had in mind. Even if she did try to turn him in a quick death would have been enough. M'Beg on the other hand can die slowly without an ounce of remorse on Bane's part.

M'Beg started laughing and continued to hold the front of Nova's shirt keeping her from falling. "Oh, how sweet of you to try and help MY slave, she is mine to do what I please. I called those Jedi to find you!" He shouted while pointing the blooded pipe towards Bane "so I may get my reward for your bounty but instead this bitch sends the Jedi on a wild chase for a ghost." He started laughing again.

"Looks like you had a guardian angel Bane", he dropped Nova. She crumbled to the floor M'Beg rotated his full body to face Bane now while staring down the barrel of Bane's blaster. "You can't kill me Jabba the Hutt will have your head. You kill me and there will be more than Jedi hunting you down".

"Your right" Bane said calmly and holstered his blaster fully aware of his predicament.

M'Beg started laughing again but then was cut off when he was meet with Bane's fist in his face, over and over again, taking the fight to the floor Bane got M'Beg to drop the pipe. He continued to hit him until M'Beg lay almost motionless, similar to how Nova was, gasping for air. Once Bane was satisfied with his work, he stopped hitting him. M'Beg laid there in a bloody mess, cuts along his face, eyes and even broke a tooth or two. Bane held him upright by his shirt like he did to Nova and spoke to M'Beg once more while wiping M'Beg's blood as well as his own blood off his knuckles with his pant legs.

Bane leaned in close "Let's go have a chat with Jabba then" said Bane standing up and dropping him to the floor.

Bane looked in Nova's direction and gave a head nod gesture to say get up while he still partly standing over M'Beg. She understood and struggled to stand as she was favoring her right side but after great effort, she was able to manage to stand herself upright. Her face was coated in blood a large gash was through her eyebrow and up part of her forehead, you could already see the swelling starting around her left eye. She was holding her left arm for support as well.

"Where is my droid" he spoke to Nova while still not taking his eyes off M'Beg. Nova raised her good arm and pointed to his locker.

"I hid Todo in your locker when some guys walked up to your ship, Sir" Her voice was still very shaky and raspy.

M'Beg really did a number on her Bane thought. He got off of him completely once Nova was up. He then walked right to the locker and saw his powered-down droid and turned him on.

"OH, hello Mister Bane h…."

"Shut it" Bane was already so pissed off he didn't want to hear that fucking useless droid's voice.

He looked at the empty cabinets that were left open from Nova searching his ship earlier right where he was keeping the blue box.

"Where is it" Bane hissed through his teeth, his patience was now completely gone. Nova looked pale white and scared to death, she was shaking hard, and Bane was pretty sure lost quite a bit of blood at this point. He will make her death quick so long as she tells him what I want to know.

Todo hovered right in front of Bane as he started to approach Nova and stopped him.

"I have it," Todo said in a hushed tone. He opened up his back compartment to show his master. "Nova put it in here before we were going to get raided and powered me off to ensure I was not located". Bane looked around Todo at Nova who hasn't moved since he first arrived at his ship with tears running down her face, but no sound was coming out.

Bane grabbed then dragged M'Beg off his ship leaving him a crumpled mess on the hanger floor as Nova limped her way down the ramp. Bane waited for Nova to step off the ramp before locking up the ship. He started to walk past Nova but once he was shoulder to shoulder with her, he pauses and spoke softly in her direction.

"Don't show any weakness to anyone, even if it hurts don't give anyone that satisfaction". After that statement, he continued to walk in his original direction and headed for Jabbas Palace.

"Bring the girl" was all that was said to M'Beg as Bane continued to walk away.