Chapter Two – Revelations
In which the smuggler discovers that her new client is more than she bargained for
Disclaimer – See Chapter 1
His eyes were open, but no one in the bar could tell that. Face once again hidden deep within the hood of his robe, he watched his surroundings on many levels. The room at large took up the bulk of his attention, keeping tabs on the various patrons, giving them little mental 'nudges' with the Force to keep them away from his table. The street outside occupied a second level as he scanned the street outside for the mind of his little green contact and the woman he was supposed to bring with him.
Obi-Wan had far more experience with diplomatic affairs, but the council felt that the sudden disappearance of tancho spice from the black market was important enough to warrant an investigation. The substance was not harmful of itself, in fact it barely qualified as a mild intoxicant, but it was a key component to a performance enhancement drug that mercenary armies used. Several of the other ingredients of the drug were also fast disappearing from the marketplace.
And two plus two equal four. He thought grimly. So off he had gone, a new, young knight, still younger in fact than any other knight in the order, and just possibly needing a break from being both teacher and father to the thirteen-year-old Jedi demi-god his departed master had saddled him with.
Master, I miss you terribly, but sometimes you could be such a bastard.
His conscious mind snapped back from that stray thought as the Force revealed the arrival of his contacts. Obi-Wan turned just enough to watch the entrance. The bar's smoky dark interior and brightly lit doorway continued to give the seated patrons that often crucial extra minute to examine new arrivals and he took the opportunity to study the little man's companion. Although he had expected a woman since the little man had let that information slip, he had then assumed she would be either ugly and menacing, or older than master Yoda. She was neither. Not a stunning beauty like the diplomas he had met or some of his fellow Jedi, she was still definitely easy on the eyes. The girl possessed a wealth of messy, chin-length, dark red curls that framed a heart-shaped face. Her chin was almost too pointed, but was saved from being too long by a wide, if somewhat thin mouth. Her nose tipped up at the end, stopping her chance of being a beauty by the standards of the day, but nice to look at. What truly surprised him was how young she was, maybe even younger than him. He had a hard time imagining a twenty-something pretty girl running a smuggling ring, even a minor one.
You said to live in the moment Master, and expect the unexpected, but still…
She was dressed as a smuggler though. A long, loose-sleeved tunic, covered by a close-fitted embroidered vest, pants with the ever-fashionable yellow side seem piping, tall boots, and the large hip-holstered blaster made up the ensemble of a wealthy smuggler ready for anything. The girl and her associate took seats across from him.
"So, here's da boss lady, you ready to make a deal?"
"Of course, as I said before – "
"Excuse me," She cut him off swiftly, "You wanted to see the boss, and here I am. Now you have to deal with me."
"Yes, your participation is appreciated, Captain-?"
"Delorolo, Captain Delorolo. And you would be?"
"The man with the money."
"Right." Her bright green eyes turned rock hard. "You wanted to see me, so now it's your turn."
He raised one hand, making the smallest of gestures at her, "You don't need to see my face, it's not important."
Crossing her arms over her breasts and narrowing her eyes, she attempted to turn him to a burned-out husk with her glare, "Yes I do. I'm not selling a commodity as hot as tancho is right now to some one I can't see face to face. I understand that you want enough spice for fifty men for two years? That'll be expensive in both money and trust."
It'll be easy Obi-Wan, these are cloth smugglers who got lucky with some hot spice. They'll be desperate to get rid of it. I hate you Mace and the rest of the council, even that miserable little troll. Obi-Wan wanted to lean back enough to beat his head against the wall, and he found himself comparing the color of her eyes to a particular green jewel that came from Alderaan… "How much will it cost to buy the spice and remain anonymous?"
"Fifteen thousand. Four right now and the rest on delivery." She quote the price as though it was on a handy mental list that she used every day and Obi-Wan began to plot the deaths of the council members in particularly violent and messy ways.
"Fifteen! I could almost go get it myself for that much! Twelve, and I'll give you two in advance."
"Yeah? Maybe you could, but could you get it back here by yourself, not bloody likely. Fourteen, and I'll settle for three in advance."
"Robbery! It can't be that difficult. Twelve-five, and you can have three in advance, I can't trust you anymore than that."
Fury raged through those green eyes and she surged to her feet. "I come down here in person to deal with a first time customer, because you lured me out with the promise of Dombreks. Then you insult me by saying I'm untrustworthy and offering me a pittance in said ingots. I'll sell you the goods for Thirteen-five, without your name – and believe me I'll be glad not to know it – and now I want five advance, or no one in this quadrant will do business with you again."
"Thirteen and I'll give you four in advance, but I think that's as reasonable as I'm going to be."
She shook her head. "It was worth a try I guess, nice to not do business with you." Standing, the fury making her eyes snap and a spot of red appear on each cheek she surged from the booth and turned away, her assistant following.
I hate you Master Yoda; I hope those pointy little ears of yours rot and fall off. They actually took two steps before the dark robed figure spoke again, softly, but clearly. " Thirteen-five then."
And it was as simple as that. The Captain returned to the table, spat on her palm and held out her hand. One emerged from the right sleeve of his robe as he stood, and grasped hers firmly. He read a feeling of surprise in her, but saw nothing on her face. Grinning inside his hood, getting just a tiny bit of his own back, he realized she was expecting to see a paw or a scaly-clawed appendage, not a human hand.
"I can expect delivery when?"
"Tomorrow. My associate will meet you here at midday to take you to the pick-up spot or tell you if delivery is delayed."
A leather satchel appeared on the table. It made a delightful clinking sound, and caused an even more delightful look of consternation on her arresting features when he said, "Four thousand. You may count or test it as you wish."
Goddess protect me! He's a fucking Jedi! Frozen in place for the moment, she could hardly believe her eyes. A moment before she had been standing in the hanger next to her warehouse, taking payment from this mysterious hooded figure who could have been anyone, when he grabbed her arm, stopping her in mid-sentence, and ordered every one to take cover. The heavy dark brown hooded robe he wore had come flying off and she had discovered that he was in fact human. In that instant, just before he shoved her behind a crate, she'd gotten her first good look at him. No wonder he wore that robe and hid his face! Even with the full beard he looked like a damned teenage kid!
A tremendous explosion blasted the south door into a million pieces, and twenty battle droids came tromping through the opening. The boy pulled out and ignited a light saber of all things. Blasts came from a four-meter wide field of fire to cover the hanger, but he didn't get a mark on him. Shots ricocheted off the blade and blew up droids, as the Jedi (for what else could he possibly be?) flipped up into the air, sailing over the enemy and coming down among them, twisting and spinning, deflecting and slicing. He shoved out with one hand and sent a half dozen of them smashing against a wall, breaking into pieces. In less than two minutes he stood in the middle of their smoking remains, the only sound the electronic hum of the saber. He shut it off, clipped it to his belt and walked calmly through the wreckage to her side. Extending a hand he helped her to her feet.
"Problems with your 'droids…Captain?"
"No, why do you ask…Jedi?"
She growled mentally, He's not even breathing hard, not even sweating, how is that possible?
The residents of the hanger began to crowd around the two of them. Smugglers were not easily surprised, but most of them looked like they'd just seen a hutt do the hula.
"Captain? - "One of her older pilots leaned close with a question in his eyes.
Meeting his gaze, then looking around the hanger she made one of those instant decisions that had kept her alive and in business. "Everyone! Grab what you can carry and get to a ship!" She activated her comlink, "Attention, this is Delorolo. Anyone not in the hanger activate emergency procedure Beta-9 and get to the hanger in ten or you are going to be left behind." Around the large cavern ships engines began to whine and in less than five minutes began to take off. Delorolo turned to the Jedi. "So?"
"So what?"
She huffed impatiently, "So is that it or are there more coming?" She gestured sharply at the still smoking heap of battle-droids that made a rough U-shape around them.
The Jedi closed his eyes and concentrated then looked down to meet her furious green ones, nodding. "Yes, and several of them are destroyers."
"Meaning?"
"They are equipped with double blaster cannon and personal shields."
"Which makes them a match for one measly Jedi I suppose?"
His raised eyebrow was his only reaction to the jibe. "I could handle three or four, but 10 or 12, while still protecting you? That's likely beyond even my considerable skills."
She blinked and then grinned at him, "Not cocky or anything are you? So our next option would be – run?"
"Yes, that would be an excellent idea."
"Do I have anyone left in the building?"
He scanned the hanger with his eyes, "You can't tell?" He nodded to her communicator.
"I can't raise anyone. Either it's all clear or some one is jamming me."
Again his eyes lost focus, "No one is left."
"Great! Let's get down to my ship then."
"Down to your ship?"
"Of course. What kind of successful smuggler would I be if I didn't have an escape plan?"
"Very well then, lead the way."
"With pleasure."
Darth Sidious paced furiously back and forth, his agitation coming through to the two smugglers even in his holographic form. "All of them escaped?"
The smuggler trembled, "Yes sir."
"And the spice?"
"They left most of it behind. We got two thirds of it."
"That is something at least. You are certain…the buyer was a Jedi knight?"
"He wore Jedi attire, fought with a light saber, and there are the 50 droids he destroyed single-handedly."
"What did he look like?"
"Like a Jedi." A wave of icy cold emanated from the hologram and the pair suddenly found it difficult to breath.
"H- h – ack – he was human, young had long reddish hair and a beard. He was of average height, more we could not say! Please – cough – my lord…"
The grip on their throats eased but did not entirely go away, as the hologram emitted a low growling hiss. "Kenobi! That boy is an irritant! Where is he now?"
"T – ta – to the best of our knowledge the Jedi escaped with the smuggler captain in her personal ship.
"Arrgh! Find them! He has interfered in my plans for the last time and she has outlived her usefulness. Do not fail me or your trading in this galaxy is finished!"
"Yes sire."
"Yes my lord!"
The hologram faded out and the lady smugglers former employees Bim and Agis, turned to regard one another. Bim grumbled, "Tell me again why we agreed to this deal?"
"Because we wanted to control Delorolo's operation and I have an old mother and you have a young son."
"Oh – Right."