(A/N: For some reason, I imagine Sean Thornton doing Ohyama's English voice.)
27: Excessive Violence
A humid wind blew through the canopies of Thyferra's capital, stirring willowy limbs and making the narrower bridges sway. This was the only movement the city saw, as its citizens didn't go out much anymore.
Though the breeze was warm, Baron Kasuga still shivered. He walked swiftly through the network of bridges, surrounded by a quartet of stormtroopers that were supposed to make him feel safe despite of the fact that they were entirely useless. It was the same damn sprint every single day to get to his offices; he'd have started to work from home if it wouldn't be seen as a sign of weakness.
It had almost become routine. He had nearly managed to get rid of the sickening feeling that maybe this would be the day… "Sorry, I was distracted," he said quietly, giving his communicator a little shake. "Yes, of course I'll contribute to Osaka's reconstruction. And let me tell you, when I find out who murdered my niece…"
The Baron was interrupted by a simply indescribable sound. It was a Vratix Rebel's claws punching through a stormtrooper's armor and telescoping the poor sod into the ground. Black streaks fell all around him, their falls punctuated by similarly horrifying crunches and pops.
His hand fell to his blaster, but it was already too late.
Empress Yukari was concerned. It wasn't an emotion she was used to, and it made her a tad waspish—more so than usual, in any case. She'd been sitting for nearly an hour staring at a map of the Endor system, brow furrowed, chewing on a thumbnail anxiously.
"You're not normally like this," Nochichi observed, fading out of nowhere behind her.
"Nyamo," the Empress growled, as if that should explain everything. She started panning the map about, searching for something she couldn't identify. "This whole thing is just another wager between us… and that lousy cheater would never make a wager with me unless she was sure of winning. She's got something up her sleeve, I know it!"
"What happened to your confidence?"
"Oh, I'm sure I'll come out on top!" Yukari affirmed, though she sounded as if she was trying to convince herself. Affecting a deep, official voice, she said, "I have forseen it."
"Forseen it, eh? You, who rarely thinks more than twenty minutes ahead?"
"You're on thin ice, buddy!"
The Sith Lord turned purple with amusement and vanished.
"Oh, great rescue," Tomo lambasted. "I knew I could count on you guys."
"Oh, shut up," Yomi groaned. The four conspirators now shared the cell she had spent all of yesterday in, manacled securely to the wall (with the exception of Chiyo) and awaiting the judgment of the crimelord. The Valerian nodded at their Jedi, who was sprawled on the floor, looking around as if she'd never seen any of them before. "Do you think she's going to recover?"
"Doubt it," Kagura replied sadly. "Remember the party after the Implacable battle? One glass of champagne and she was done all night."
"Damn."
"I've got it!" Chiyo surged unsteadily to her feet. "I's gotta plan."
"Here we go," Yomi sighed.
"No, no, no, I hitta home run 'th this 'un!" the prodigy said thickly, holding her arms out to keep her balance. "Okay, get this… Jawas, yo! I call 'em up, an' they ram the door down in their sandcrawler, an'…"
"Do you even know their language?" Yomi asked tiredly.
"Shh! Shh! You're messin' with my brainwave!" Chiyo waved her hands in the other's face to emphasize her point, "I call 'em up, an' then… uh… what was I talking about?" After a moment of puzzled consideration, she collapsed once more.
"At least she's not paranoid," Kagura offered.
To be fair, Chiyo had planned against such an assault… but it hadn't occurred to her how difficult it would be to perform on her patented poison diffusing technique while in a narcotic stupor. Straining with every ounce of her will, she managed to focus her mind on the matter at hand for a precious few seconds. "Di' they… search Ms. Tomo?"
"Uh, no…"
"They wouldn't dare!" Tomo crowed.
"What would be on her, anyway?" Yomi asked.
"No, Ghost Jawas!" the Jedi suddenly cried, "Tha's it! They're like Jawas'n stuff… but… uh… they're all dead." Everybody stared at her. "'N stuff…" And then, muttering something about pearls and swine, she finally passed out.
While drifting in oblivion, she witnessed a few disturbing things. Chiyo saw herself wandering through a burning forest, dazed and caked in blood. She saw the caped girl smile and hold her hand out to Tomo and Kagura, who responded by drawing their blasters and mowing her down. As the woman fell, her smile became rueful.
Then a strange, fish-headed man appeared before her. "Greetings, Chiyo! I am Admiral Ackbar, your spirit guide!"
She stared at him. "What are you the Admiral of?"
He blinked. "That's easy. I'm the admiral of… uh… the Spirit Fleet! Yeah! I'm just here to tell you that the new stuff they shot you with is kicking in, so none of the dreams you'll be having will be indicative of anything, be it your own mental state or that of the universe at large."
"Oh. Uh… thanks."
"No problem. Aargh! My head turned into a chicken!" And so it began…
"Beautiful day for a trip, eh, Ms. Mizuhara?" Mako said serenely, leaning back in his chair. Above their heads, great triangular sails bulged in the vicious winds that cut across the Dune Sea. They were mostly for show, of course; the sail-barge slid through the air under its own power, twenty meters above the golden sand.
It was a gorgeous vehicle, nothing like those that manned it, all sleek lines and shining armor and thrumming power. The two skiffs that escorted it, however, were more utilitarian. One carried Chiyo and six guards, the other held Tomo, Kagura and five more.
Poor Yomi, however, was stuck with their "host." Spince had attempted the gold-bikini and chains bit, but after about four concussions his lackeys gave up. And in retrospect, he recognized that having a chain between them would have been a very bad thing for his health. "Where are we going?"
"The Pit of Carkoon," the crimelord answered happily, reaching for a glass of wine. "It's the home of a creature called the Sarlacc. Ever heard of it?" He paused for her to answer, but she only stared at him, sunlight blazing off of her glasses. "Oh, it's a very interesting beast. Rather like an anemone, have you heard of those?"
Yomi tried her restraints again. Chains were about her wrists, attaching her rather painfully to the rail along one side of the barge's poop deck where she'd have a perfect view of the execution.
"It seems you're not as charming as you think you are," Ohyama commented. The bounty hunter leaned on the rail across from Yomi, turning his face to the wind casually. He was probably the only person on Tatooine who could get away with saying something like that to Spince.
"Hmm, I guess not." Mako took a sip of his drink. "Would you like some of the wine, either of you? It's really very good."
"Sure," Yomi suggested through gritted teeth, "Why don't you unchain me so I can have a glass?"
"Don't think I'm not considering it. But I'm not sure my men would enjoy reigning you in again. You know, that's what this excursion is for, Ms. Mizuhara; the enjoyment of my employees."
"Is that so?"
"I always wondered how you kept them in line," Ohyama said. "It's not like you can offer them a whole lot of money…"
Mako grinned, but it didn't take a Jedi to see that his good humor was fraying. "It's one of my management secrets. There isn't much this scum enjoys more than a good execution. They love seeing blood without risking themselves… but really, you could say that of most people, now that I think on it."
The bounty hunter shook his head. "It's sad, isn't it, Spince?"
"Mister Spince, thank you."
"Very well, then… Mister Spince."
"Oh, look ahead, Ms. Mizuhara, we're almost there!"
She did, and her heart sank. The Pit of Carkoon was a great, perfectly round hole in the otherwise pristine desert, entirely filled by the Sarlacc's gaping maw. It stood eternally open and waiting for unsuspecting creatures to wander near, where they'd be captured by ropy tentacles bursting from the sand and cast to their doom, trapped by downward-swept fangs to be digested for hours…
Planks extended from the sides of the two skiffs.
"Barbarous!" Yomi spat. "You enjoy this as much as they do, don't you?"
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the production a little…" Spince hummed up next to her, making her flinch with his proximity. "If you think I'm an animal, you should be watching the commoners down there."
Sure enough, all of Spince's employees that could find posts on the barge or pay for the show were clustered against the rail beneath them, watching avidly. A few tried to start chants, but thankfully the crowd was too disorganized to get anything going.
"They really are a rabble," Ohyama sighed, looking the crowd over. "You deserve better, Mr. Spince."
"Interested in a permanent job?"
"I might be."
Yomi tuned them out as Chiyo's skiff passed over the pit and drifted to a halt. Yomi could see one of the men push the girl towards the plank, noting that they'd let her keep the wooden sword across her back, most likely as a joke. ("Oh, look out! She'll take out your knees!") She shuffled towards the end, barely able to walk a straight line down its length.
"Looks like she's having trouble," Spince commented.
"I hope you like surprises," Yomi replied angrily. She didn't actually know that Plan B would go off, but she was mad.
"Oh, I love surprises. They're… refreshing."
"They can be," she conceded, pulling the thin chains tight around her wrists. It was just possible… as she tensed her arms, Yomi saw something odd. The skiff was just close enough that she could make out individuals on its tiny deck, and it seemed that Chiyo's breath was misting pink. What in the world could that mean?
On the plank, Chiyo's mind was slowly clearing. The more of the narcotic she cleaned away, the easier it was to focus and expel more. The guards didn't seem to notice, though one of them wobbled a little when he passed through a cloud of her breath.
"How about it?" Spince called from the distant barge. "Want to try begging for your life? It won't get you far, but it makes the show more fun!"
Chiyo cleared her throat, shook her head rapidly, and yelled back incredulously. "You expect me to beg?"
"No, Ms. Mihama, I expect you to fall into that pit where you'll die an excruciating death over the course of several hours!" Spince frowned and scratched at his goatee. That didn't quite have the ring to it he was looking for.
"She doesn't sound very stoned," Ohyama said quietly.
"Makes her death less merciful," Mako replied, shrugging. "An interesting trick, though. I wonder how she did it."
"I don't expect we'll find out now."
The guard gave Chiyo a push and she was suddenly plummeting. For an instant, panic flooded her and she froze, an unreleased scream pressing into the back of her throat and adrenaline surging through her small body. For an instant, death was certain.
But then she turned calmly in the air and caught the edge of the plank. As her weight bent it slightly, she cast an arm towards Tomo. The Honorable Captain cried out in surprise as something yanked itself from one of her deep pockets and shot glittering through the air to Chiyo's waiting hand.
"…the hell?" Spince gaped.
Chiyo vaulted back into the middle of skiff, right over the guard's befuddled head, and drew the wooden sword. Unfortunately, one of them was a little quicker on the uptake than the others and snapped off a shot at her as soon as she landed.
Without thinking, Chiyo caught the bolt on her bokken and it burst apart into burning splinters. Everybody on the skiff stopped in shock, the guards from seeing her block a blaster shot, Chiyo from losing her weapon. She stared at the flaming wreck for a few seconds, her expression at first dismayed, then resigned, then finally settling into one that was eerie and completely unreadable. "You'll wish I had that in a moment," she advised softly.
The guards flinched back, momentarily assailed by the feeling that the young woman before them was somehow green, though they couldn't say why. A lightsaber sprang to life in her hand, straight and amethyst. It was Sakaki's old off-hand lightsaber, the perfect length for her.
"Damn, you had that this whole time?" Kagura yelped.
"Had what? What's going on?" Tomo asked frantically.
The men on their skiff were so transfixed by Chiyo's confrontation that one of their number didn't even notice as Kagura drew his blaster for him and set his corpse tumbling into the Sarlacc.
"Oh, bloody hell. We've never had an execution like this before," Mako gripped the arms of his hoverchair uncertainly.
"Aren't you refreshed?" Ohyama asked. "I am. Looks like the lady is, too."
The crimelord cast an aggravated glance at him, then hit the intercom. "Engine room, put some distance between us! Run out the guns!"
"Waugh! I'm defenseless!" Tomo tried to blunder away from danger, but she had no idea where it was on the skiff. More to keep her from falling off than anything else, Kagura thrust a lead pipe into her hands—realizing only in retrospect that she'd armed a blind Tomo. What have I done? The soldier threw herself to the deck to avoid the whirling steel.
"Wheee!" Tomo shrieked, "Let's go!"
Even in her few years as a Rebel, Kagura had never before seen pure gumption and enthusiasm win a fight. It was a heartening experience to watch the thugs desperately and futilely trying to evade Tomo's wrath on a deck the size of a station-wagon.
The last guard on Chiyo's skiff cowered away from her as she turned and contemplated the sail barge, ignoring him. Finally screwing up his courage, the man fired a shot at her—which she caught on her artificial hand without turning. Wringing her hand absently, she turned and cast a completely unconcerned glance back at him, but he had already bailed out over the rail.
"How about that?" Yomi smiled at the crimelord fiercely. "You have a backup plan now?"
"I always do," Mako replied, nodding to Ohyama. The bounty-hunter smirked, pushed his glasses up on his nose, and jetted out over the Pit of Carkoon to the cheers of the rabble.
The crimelord laughed, rubbing his hands in anticipation of the show, but was interrupted by the most un-refreshing surprise of all: the sickening flinkt! of Yomi's chains finally giving. "Holy-! You really are a Valeri-urghk!"
Chiyo skittered back across the deck of her skiff, expertly warding Ohyama's stuttering three-round bursts. The bounty hunter twisted in the air as he approached, keeping one blaster braying at her while he went for something on a holster about his calf. This he flung sideways at her, and when her lightsaber intercepted it—
BOOM!
Chiyo jerked back with a squeal of pain, lightsaber falling from her grasp and clattering against the edge of a scupper. Before she could recover, one of Ohyama's patented bolas whirled about her thighs and brought her crashing to the deck. He landed on the skiff's prow and raised his blaster towards her with a cold smirk.
Meanwhile, Kagura was having a situation of her own. "Tomo! Idiot!" She ducked another swing. "They're all down! You're not fighting anyone!" The blind woman wound to a stop and turned in her general direction. "What? Already?"
"Yeah! I've been yelling at you for two minutes!"
"Well that sucks," Tomo moped, carelessly throwing the lead pipe away.
"Good night, Ms. Mihama," Ohyama leered. But just as he pulled the trigger, the lead pipe came spiraling out of nowhere and buried itself a quarter-inch into his jetpack. He only had time to go "Uh?" before the jets roared to life and he was sent screaming skyward. "WAAAUGH!"
Watching the bounty hunter pinwheel through the air, the sail-barge's gunnery chief barked, "Draw a bead on those skiffs, swabs! Blow them out of the air before they get here!"
"Boss? We have a situation."
He turned and saw that one of the guns had been pulled from its moorings and turned so that it faced down the line of cannons. A towering man sat atop it, grinning merrily and holding a pair of heavy blasters on them. "Hey, guys!" Yuichi greeted.
The barge's deck had been in absolute chaos, but all at once it fell silent. All of the crewmen and thugs stared at Chiyo as she stood straight and (almost) tall on the rail, jacket flapping in the wind and lightsaber humming angrily. Remember when it was admitted that no force in the galaxy could have made her imposing?
Forget that.
The young Jedi looked the crowd of them up and down and then, satisfied with what she saw, extinguished the saber and clipped it to her belt. Chiyo hopped down from the rail and walked casually into their midst. They parted for her easily--towards the poop deck she strode, and not a hand was raised against her.
"Well?" Spince howled, his voice slightly strained. One of his hands was against his neck, holding off the bundle of chains Yomi had wrapped about his throat. She stood with a foot to the back of his hoverchair, using it as cover against his assembled minions. "Get her! You spineless-" the chain tightened, "Urrgh!"
"You realize I could take your head right off with this," Yomi said conversationally. "Be reasonable."
"Reasonable…" he growled. "Shhh… shoot her!"
One guy listened that time. He was standing behind Chiyo with visions of 230 million credits dancing in his head. At the shouted command, he drew his blaster and fired a shot squarely at the back of her head—and was thrown to the deck, clutching at his chest where the bolt actually ended up.
Chiyo extinguished her lightsaber once more and addressed Mako. "Mr. Spince…"
"I don't want to hear it," he growled. "I don't negotiate with terrorists! Especially ones that shouldn't be out of primary school!" Yomi would have tightened the chains again, but she was honestly wondering why he wasn't blacking out.
The Jedi spread her hands. "Mr. Spince, please! All we want is our friend back. Nobody else has to get hurt! Please call your men off and let us go!"
Mako sat there, staring at her venomously for a full minute, before he finally reached into his armrest and tossed her the keys to one of the skiffs.
"Thank you, Mr. Spince!" she called, glowing with relief.
The crimelord hung his head, secretly smiling. Plans A, B and C had all failed, but he wasn't quite done yet.
As Chiyo left, she knelt next to the unfortunate man and sadly closed his eyes. "What are you doing?" Mako asked. She stood slowly and turned back to him before answering. "I don't like hurting people," she said matter-of-factly.
The skiff went off one way and the barge another, leaving the Pit of Carkoon alone in the empty desert. Well, almost. "What are we gonna do now?" the fallen guard whined, watching them go.
"Don't talk to me!" Ohyama snarled.
As the day reached double-noon, Mos Eisley came into sight. Chiyo stood on the skiff's prow, alone with her thoughts as was usual now. Yomi sat in the very back, occasionally casting faintly annoyed looks at Tomo, who'd fallen asleep on her shoulder shortly after coming aboard.
"Well, that was fun," Kagura said to the air.
"I'm getting too old for this shit," Yuichi said in much the same tone.
The soldier looked up at the prow and seemed faintly troubled, but slapped on a smile before speaking. "What are you gonna do now, Chiyo-chan? Gonna keep the lightsaber?"
She shook her head slightly without turning. "It wouldn't be right. I guess I'll use it to figure out how to build my own."
"Isn't the technique lost?"
Chiyo shrugged. "I'll figure it out. Oh, and we should all bail out."
"What?"
Her voice was as calm as ever. "I just realized that there's a bomb on the skiff that will go off in eighty seconds."
So failed Plan D.
Nobody on the barge noticed a cloaked, orange-haired figure that sat atop one of its mighty sails. Unbothered by the howling wind, scouring grit and blistering heat, he produced a communicator and spoke softly into it. "Figure moves. Skill level and capabilities are as expected. I've found Mihama… Darth Mito."
