Chapter 22 - Smuggler
DISCLAIMER: We (unfortunately) do not own Star Wars. :P
Author's Note: Familiar faces show up! ;)
After the regular update next week, this will be released every other week.
~ Amina Gila
Anakin lands the shuttle in the spaceport. No one asks any questions, even when he transmits the documentation for the ship. He supposes that's a good thing because it will hopefully give them enough time to find another ride off planet. While they could theoretically sell the ship for credits, he doubts they'd be able to find a buyer on so short a notice.
He's single-mindedly focused on getting off Corellia and leaving the twins on Tatooine while he and Ahsoka travel to Coruscant to save Obi-Wan. In the Force he can sense that Obi-Wan will indeed be taken to the Imperial Center, so there's no point to delay the confrontation with Sidious. They might as well speed it up with the hopes that Obi-Wan will be able to help them.
They disembark from the shuttle, carrying their belongings as they mingle with the other beings milling about and make their way to the main streets to mix with the crowd. The best place to find pilots will be in a cantina, so that's where he'll start looking.
Anakin inhales slowly, attempting to let go of the fear which is clogging his mind. Panic is gnawing at him, and he only cares about getting Obi-Wan away from Sidious to safety. He's lost his former master once, and he can't bear to lose him again. The possibility fills him with a paralyzing fear. No. Not Obi-Wan. He lost Padme. He can't lose his brother too.
Almost as if unbidden, the memory of the moments with dream-Padme surface in his mind. "I'll always be with you, Ani. You know that," she had said to him. He knows that it's true, but he's never been terribly interested in the esoteric parts of the Force. He's only cared for those who are physically in front of him. Well, cared isn't quite the right word, because he still cares for Padme and his mother, but they're beyond his reach. He can't help them anymore. All he has left is memories, and he won't let the same be true for Obi-Wan.
Ahsoka reaches out, squeezing his arm briefly before Luke grabs his right hand as they continue down the street. Maybe it's time that Anakin try to do what good Jedi do: follow the Force. Blowing out another breath, he pushes back the panic and fear filling him, touching his children's presences to ground himself. The Force nudges him slightly after they've been walking for an hour or longer, and he stops walking in front of a small, dingy looking cantina.
"Stay here. I'll see if I can find anything in there." He motions to the building. Ahsoka nods, and he walks ahead, the twins standing dutifully next to her as he steps inside. He blinks to adjust his eyes to the darkness inside. Rowdy music fills his ears, and he ignores the drunken people staggering around, heading to the counter to order a drink.
Anakin rarely ever consumes alcohol, but he'll make an exception now. For one, it will help him blend in, and for another, he wants the effect it can provide, much as he's loath to admit it. "One shot of your strongest," he requests, flipping the credits onto the counter.
The bartender passes him the small glass within a couple minutes, and Anakin subtly glances around the room. He doesn't see anything which the Force might have wanted him to find in here. All he's seen is a scantily clad, female Twilek dancer who is performing on the other side of the room. He turns his back on her, shuddering inwardly. While she might not be a slave, the sight invokes memories of slavery he'd rather not think about.
"I'm looking for a pilot," he informs the bartender, who sets down the glass in front of him.
"A pilot," the bartender repeats, pointing across the cantina. "You might wanna go talk to that man over there, the one with the Wookie companion. They're looking for work."
Anakin follows the motion, spying the pair sitting in the corner, shrouded in darkness. Nodding his thanks, he drinks down the shot of alcohol, shivering as he feels its strength. Pushing away from the counter, he meanders through the beings, gingerly sidestepping a puddle of something which looks like dried vomit. Gross. Is this place ever cleaned?
"I heard you're looking for work," he states, leaning down to rest his hands on the table. The human is a young man with brown hair and hazel eyes. He's dressed like a smuggler, and Anakin gets the feeling that he is one. The Wookie next to him straightens when he sees Anakin, elbowing the man who seems to be dozing.
"Yeah, that's right," the man tells him, eying him speculatively. "Whaddya want?"
"I need a pilot who can take me and my family off world," Anakin explains, lowing his voice. "No Imperial entanglements."
The man hums. "That'll cost more."
Anakin shrugs. "I can pay for it." He pauses, considering his options. "If you do well, I'll hire you again."
"Ten thousand credit down payment then," the man declares firmly.
Anakin nearly laughs. "No way. Five thousand."
"Nine," he counters.
"Six." Anakin narrows his eyes. The Force is insistent that he hire this particular crew for some reason, and he doesn't want to start disobeying now, not with Obi-Wan's life at stake.
"I know him," the Wookie suddenly growls in Shyriiwook, and Anakin feels a flare of surprise in the Force. "He's Anakin Skywalker! We have to help him!" Anakin twitches, but forces himself to remain calm. He knows that Wookies are being oppressed, so this one would have no reason to sell him out.
The man scoffs. "You're kidding me," he mutters to his partner. "Eight, and I'm not lowering it," he says to Anakin.
"Deal." Anakin digs around in his pocket and drops one thousand in credits on the table. "I'll get you the rest when we're on your ship."
"I'm Han Solo," he finally introduces himself, "And this is my partner, Chewbacca."
"I'm Lars," Anakin tells him. He's been using the same name which he'd used on Zygeria so long ago. It almost feels like it's been a lifetime since he was fighting in the Clone Wars, even though it's only been eleven years.
Solo doesn't seem to believe him if the dubious expression on his face is anything to go by. "Lars, right. Well, meet me at docking bay one fifty-three in half an hour, or is that too soon?"
"We'll be there," Anakin promises, straightening. He gives Solo once last look before making his way out of the cantina. He doesn't know what to make of the man, but they need a transport off world. If the ship isn't good, they can find another on Tatooine. Anakin doesn't think he can really afford to be picky, and besides, the Force wanted him to choose Solo for whatever reason.
"Any luck?" asks Ahsoka anxiously as he rejoins her in the street outside. They begin moving with the other passersby, carefully sidestepping the patrolling stormtroopers.
"I got us a ship," Anakin responds confidently. "Now let's hope our luck holds. No one knows what we're wearing – well, they hopefully don't know you're here at all. And while they probably suspect Leia is with me, even if the reason is unknown. The fact that Luke is here should mean we're safe." He subconsciously reaches out, taking his son's hand, while Ahsoka holds his daughter's. As usual, they're keeping the children between them.
"Where are we going?" Ahsoka wonders.
"Docking bay one fifty-three." He scans the area. "It should be that way, but maybe we should hire a lift?"
"We'll get out of sight for a time, so might as well," Ahsoka concedes.
They approach a parking lot with speeders for hire. Anakin narrows his eyes, senses tingling. "We need to hurry," he whispers. "Maybe you should go this time." If something goes wrong, he wants to be here to protect the twins.
She glances at him and nods, stepping ahead and walking quickly towards the building. Anakin pulls the twins to the side, moving into the shadows of an alley where they'll be away from the sight of any passing troopers. The minutes pass, and as if sensing the immense danger lying ahead of them, Luke and Leia stand very still, pressing themselves as close to him as possible.
Two passing stormtroopers stop as their commlinks beep. Anakin enhances his hearing with the Force picking up the words. "Attention! The Jedi Anakin Skywalker is in this city. He must not be allowed to escape. Report any sightings immediately. He is likely in the company of other individuals and must be considered armed and dangerous. Do not kill him."
This… this is not good. He doesn't know how they figured out, maybe because of their shuttle? How much do they already know if they've determined he's here? Well, at this point, he can safely assume that the Empire is aware of Ahsoka and Luke.
"Father," whispers Leia, staring up at him, terror in her brown eyes. Either she heard it too, or he's projecting his fear too strongly. He strengthens his shields, pulling them both closer to him and pressing his back against the building. Ahsoka should be here any moment.
"It'll be fine," he assures them, though his voice lacks much of its normal strength. He doesn't care if he has stormtroopers chasing him – he can more than handle himself – but the problem arises if his family is being pursued. He cannot, will not abide by that.
As if on cue, the speeder flies up, a helmeted pilot at the controls. "Come on!" calls Ahsoka, sticking her head out. "I paid for us to be taken back to the spaceport."
He climbs inside silently, and Ahsoka definitely doesn't fail to notice the worry on the twin's faces as they settle in next to him. Anakin has his hood up, mostly obscuring his face from sight, but it's not going to be enough. They need to get off Corellia. Now.
"What happened?" Ahsoka sends through their bond.
"The Empire has started a manhunt for me in the city," Anakin explains grimly. "I'm not sure if we'll be able to make it off. If not… you need to leave with the twins. I'll draw their focus away, do whatever I have to."
He can see the horror blossom into the Force around her. "Anakin! I can't simply abandon you! I'm not going to leave you. The twins… They'll be fine on Tatooine."
"We might not have that long," he returns darkly. The speeder stops outside the spaceport, and they disembark, hastily ducking into the crowds as they make their way towards the hanger bay. He can already see an increasing number of stormtroopers around them as they walk, and he struggles to shroud them in the Force, so no one pays them any attention. One forty-seven. One forty-eight. One –
"You there!" shouts a voice from behind them. "I need to see your identifications!" It just went from bad to worse.
Final Note: This is one of four things I'm releasing today. ;)
Astromech Shenanigans
Trial of the Times Prologue - Rewritten
Dark Legacy Chapter 1
MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU! :D