TRIGGER WARNING: Violence and brutality.

A/N: This chapter starts the same day as the last ended.

Disclaimer: I own nothing recognizable as the property or Disney or Lucas Films!

Chapter 17

Fait Accompli

Wrists bound behind her back, a large rough hand gripped each of Sarita's biceps, dragging her into the shadowy throne room. They left purple bruises on her delicate blue skin to match the dark ones on her face. The blood from her head wound had long since dried in her matted hair. She had no idea where Spiker was. He would have protected her; Sarita had seen it in his eyes. Despite the terror growing inside of her at that moment, she couldn't. No matter how easy it would have been to reach for him. A single tear leaked from her eye and slid down her cheek.

The pebbles on the floor cut into her knees through her torn bodystocking as they dragged her, bringing Sarita back to the present. The music died on the shrieking note, and a hush sunk over the room. Those large hands settled onto her shoulders, forcing her to stay down. The faint putrid smell of death and decay reached up to her from the grate below her knees like a ghost whispering of her own passing.

Despite the gash on her head, Sarita was aware of everything. She knew what was happening to her.

Oddly she wasn't as afraid as she would have expected to be. She lifted her bloody bruised face, her eyes settling on Bib Fortuna as he spoke to Jabba in Huttese.

Now all she could do was wonder how the Maker would bring her end. Most likely the beast in the cage below her. Sarita swayed forward slightly. Apprehension and fear danced across her skin. She squeezed her eyes closed, reminding herself this would all be over soon. She lifted her chin as she opened her eyes, tossing her loose hair from her face as much as she could. She would meet her end with grace to which she was born and the knowledge, she would see those she had lost again soon.

Sarita watched and listened to the Twi' pontificate to the gelatinous slug reposing on the dais. The slugs' large slitted eyes turned to Sarita. He spoke, looking directly at her. Sarita didn't understand, she knew nothing about Huttese. That had been a flaw in Fortuna's plan. She couldn't tell him everything Spiker said if she only understood him part of the time.

Fortuna approached. "You dare to disrespect your most magnanimous and grand benefactor?" He snapped.

Sarita continued to hold his pink gaze with her yellow. He stopped directly in front of her, blocking out everything behind him and forcing her to crane her neck to see him. Anger flashed through his eyes when she didn't look away. He pulled his hand back, slapping her, the noise resounded through the room. Sarita's head snapped to the side, her long hair flying around her face and shoulders, she nearly toppled to the side. Her cheek stung even as the taste of blood filled her mouth.

Sarita righted herself, tossing her hair back. She met his gaze again as she leaned forward and spat blood and saliva on the bottom of his robe.

Earlier The Same Day

Sarita glanced at Spikers nearly giant frame, laying on his stomach in the center of the bed one more time before she hurried out the door. Sarita pushed her thick black hair back from her face and looked in both directions as it wooshed closed behind her. She hesitated, unsure where to go. Anywhere she went, Bib Fortuna would find her, or someone else would. Noise on the steps caught her attention, and she darted across the hall and hid behind a stack of crates. She peeked between the containers and the wall just in time to see Kiya exit the stairwell. A sick feeling swirled in Sarita's stomach as she watched Kiya turn in the kitchen's direction and vanish from sight. Sarita had to breathe in through her mouth and out through her nose several times to keep from vomiting.

Kiya didn't understand, and the more she tried, the more Sarita felt helpless. Kiya kept trying to tell Sarita there was hope where there wasn't any. Kiya wasn't faced with the same choice as Sarita. The choice that wasn't even a choice. Survival for the sake of survival wasn't something Sarita was sure she wanted to experience or could do. Kiya said she had to decide to be strong, but Kiya didn't understand. Sarita's only choice was to become a whore and Bib Fortuna's creature and give up all of herself along the way. Sarita was sure Kiya wouldn't make that decision either.

Sarita pushed away from the wall, hurrying toward the stairs. Her steps slowed when she reached the main hallway. Her attention moved to the right at the entrance to the kitchen, she watched for a moment. The chef, Porcellus, passed in front of the doorway, a tall white hat perched on his head. Sarita turned her attention in the direction of the pit. Unsurprisingly there was no movement there.

Sarita looked toward the kitchen again as she continued to the stairs and went down.

She looked about frantically when she stepped out of the stairwell, helplessness growing inside her. There was nowhere she could go, nothing she could do. She couldn't breathe, she had to get out of here. She'd rather die than live this existence. She reached inside the bodice of her bodystocking pulling out the small vile she placed there last night. She had left her gloves somewhere above, and the little jar was warm in her bare fingers. She opened it, dumping some on her hand between her thumb and pointer finger. She snorted, leaning back into the wall. The cool of the stone contrasted brightly with the welcoming warmth that accompanied the spice. Sarita's head lolled back against the wall, liquid numbness sliding through her, her fingertips tingled. She watched from the shadows as one of the blast doors opened. Faint morning light illuminated the opening. The large Gamorrean guard waddled across the space in his furry loincloth, leading a small hover sled loaded with barrels and totes.

He continued out of sight. Back pressed into the wall, Sarita watched a scurrier run into the palace. He turned and darted right back out.

Sarita shoved away from the wall and out the door without hesitation or even realizing she did it. She paused for only a moment, looking around once she stepped outside. At the base of the bridge that led down from Jabbas Palace, there was a Jawa Camp, and several landed crafts. Despite the effects of drugs, Sarita knew she couldn't go that way, she ran to the left and into the dunes.

XxX

Kiya held a large tray of coffee, tea, and pastries before her as she stepped into the dancers' pit. She hadn't left the kitchen since she returned from her extra chores a couple of hours ago. Phelgmin followed close on her heels with a tray of egg beignets, mini quiche, and an assortment of fruit. She set her tray down on the table to the right of the door, where they always placed them. Phelgmin did as well and left the room.

Neelah lay spread out on the lounge asleep like Kiya frequently found her. It was still early for the dancers to be up on a typical day, but last night Melina Carniss had told Porcellus to send the dancers repast earlier than usual today. Kiya didn't follow Phelgmin; instead, she hurried down the narrow room's length to the sleeping quarters.

She bit her lip, looking about the space. Her stomach dropped. There were a couple more beds occupied than earlier this morning, but Sarita wasn't in either. One was the other girl who arrived with Kiya and Sarita, and the other was a girl whose name Kiya had never learned.

Kiya hadn't honestly expected Sarita to be here. But she refused to think of the alternative. Hope springs eternal in sentient breasts is what her grandfather would say. He would also say false hope is the crutch of fools.

Yarna sat up on the cot she occupied in the back right corner. She met Kiya's pale blue eyes with dark ones of her own. They held each other's gazes for a moment. Kiya simply shook her head no.

"No sign of her yet?" Yarna asked.

Kiya shook her head again. She wanted to be mad at the Askijian; Kiya wanted to tell Yarna she had no right to be concerned when she had treated this entire topic so cavalierly, but Kiya couldn't, not at this moment. "I haven't seen her yet today."

Yarna nodded and remained silent.

Kiya ignored the sick feeling churning in her stomach. "I had better get back to the kitchen."

"I'm sure Porcellus is glad to have you back," Yarna said.

Kiya nodded, this time a slight smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, he is. He's spent the entire morning barking at Phelgmin to pay attention to me. I am a good helper."

"Do you suppose he likes the kid at all?" Yarna asked.

Kiya shrugged. Phelgmin took patience and a lot of instruction.

"I know you were angry with me yesterday, Kiya, but…" Yarna's words trailed off for a moment. A far more emotional look slipped across her face as she continued, "you know as well as I do, you have to keep certain things at arm's length in this life. I don't want anything to happen to Sarita, but I stand by what I said before."

Kiya knew she was right, just as she had that first night.

"I don't, however, plan to let anything happen to Nola. When the time comes for me to leave, I plan to take her with my children and me."

Kiya held the older female's gaze. "Will Jabba allow that?"

Yarna nodded slowly. "Yes," she began, pausing for a moment before she went on. "I believe he will."

Kiya's attention drifted over Yarna's face. She couldn't tell if Yarna's hope was the fools clutch her grandfather had warned her about long ago. From what Kiya had seen, she didn't know that she could be as hopeful as Yarna. Yarna may have an arrangement with Jabba, but others here did as well. Porcellus, for instance, though it was Yarna who told Kiya of Porcellus "indenture." Yarna didn't appear to think the famous chef would ever be allowed to leave. Jabba the Hutt was insidious and capable of all manner of evil to get what he wanted. They all belonged to giant gastropod no matter the arrangement, even Bib Fortuna, with his little fiefdom he believed he ruled over. Everyone except for Fett, a voice in her head corrected. Something told Kiya he wasn't owned and never controlled.

Kiya nodded yet again. "I have to go. When Sarita returns, will you try to let me know?"

"Yes."

Lyn Me stepped into the room just as Kiya reached the door. "Spiker is looking for Sarita," she said, worry creasing her face. "He just asked me if she was here."

That sick feeling coiled Kiya's stomach again. "She isn't with him?"

Lyn Me wrapped her arms around herself as her attention moved past Kiya to Yarna. "Apparently not."

Neelah appeared in the doorway behind Lyn Me. It was evident from the dark circles under her worried eyes she had just woken up.

"She has to be here somewhere, right?" Kiya asked. One would think she did have to be here, but that really didn't mean anything. "Where would she go?" Kiya asked next.

Kiya's gaze passed over the others before she turned, looking at Yarna. The Askijian was still sitting up on her bed.

"She wouldn't be the first sentient to go missing here and never be seen again." Sy Snootles said in her nasally voice from the bed across from Yarna. "Working for Hutt's is a dangerous business, honey." The female Pa'lowick inspected her nails dismissively. "Those are the breaks, shoog, but if that big hunk of male meat is looking for her, she's probably just sleeping him off somewhere else. I know I'd need to."

Kiya had absolutely no idea what to say to her, she stared nonplussed. As revolting as the thought was, part of Kiya hoped the singer was right. But if Sarita wasn't here, where would she go?

"We should try and find her before Fortuna or Carniss realize she's gone," Neelah interjected.

"I'll find Rystall, she stayed in the throne room all night," Lyn Me said.

"Waiting and pining for Fett's return, no doubt," Neelah said snidely.

Kiya almost said Boba Fett was back but stopped herself. His presence was irrelevant to the situation at hand, and she was aware of Sarita's warning to be careful no matter how unwarranted the concern.

XxX

"Fortuna is asking about Sarita," Toroga said as he stepped past Kiya. The band played away energetically as if everything was as it should be. Kiya had been making rounds with trays in the throne room for the last several hours, but she knew Sarita hadn't been found.

Kiya watched him for a second as he passed out a drink. "What did he say?"

"He wanted to know if we had seen her. He suspects she's gone."

An anxious feeling settled into the pit of Kiya's stomach, twisting it. She had hoped the sleemo Twi' wouldn't notice this early. Kiya stayed where she was, muscle coiled, watching Toroga, the anxiousness turning to dread.

"He was angry," he added a moment later. They both knew what this meant.

Kiya forced herself to move and continue to pass our drinks. "How long do you think we have?" Kiya asked, her attention sweeping the room before it came to Yarna, where she danced away to the band. Panic threatened in her chest; Kiya needed to tell the others. Why she didn't know. There was nothing any of them could do.

"Not long, would be my guess," he said softly.

She stepped past Toroga. "Thank you," she said as she started for the patrons leaning against the wall by the band, hoping to get Yarna's attention.

She glanced at the Askijian as she continued past her, meeting the other female's gaze. Kiya stopped in front of the humanoid males leaning against the wall, holding up the tray. Her gaze moved across the room to the main doorway as Bib Fortuna entered the room. He almost wrung his long-fingered hands before him. A look akin to nervousness marked his pasty features that she'd never seen before. Apparently, even the Twi' could feel anxiety.

She continued to watch, tensing as Bib Fortuna bowed down in front of Jabba. Her eyes darted over her shoulder to Yarna. Their gazes held in understanding for a second. Kiya's attention returned to the Twi'.

Kiya walked closer to the dais; wanting to hear what Fortuna had to say, she offered drinks to the guards standing closest to Jabba.

"Your greatness, I bring the most disturbing news," Bib Fortuna began.

The tan and green Hutt cast his eyes on his most loyal servant as he took a puff from his hookah. Jabba lowered the brass end of the pipes tube from his mouth. Bib stayed bowed but lifted his eyes.

"Tagwa, da chuda?" The Hutt asked.

Bib cast his eyes to the ground again, quickly. "It appears the Wroonian girl has disappeared, Your Most Exalted Greatness," said the majordomo warily.

"Kava oid beet happen?" Jabba demanded. The band stopped playing, and silence settled over the room.

Bib Fortuna lowered himself even closer to the ground. "I am unsure, Your Greatness."

"Beet mistake uba. Should jee nind someone else bal uta-sha job?" Jabba said. Kiya might not have understood all of the words, but she didn't mistake the warning.

Fortuna"s lekku turned ever paler if that were possible. "I assure you, Great One, the girl has been most disappointing since the day she came into your most esteemed service." He lied, sweetly and very conveniently. "I will send guards to retrieve her if she still is alive."

Kiya's attention moved past Fortuna settling on Boba Fett where he stood on the dais next to Jabba, more dread settling inside her. Sarita's fate was decided. Yarna appeared beside Kiya a moment later.

XxX

Sarita fell, sliding the rest of the way down the steep dune on her butt. The blinding suns beat down on her skin; a bead of sweat trickled down her spine before it dried into her clothes. In every direction, the tan sand dunes stretched on infinitely a soft dry wind pulled at her hair.

She climbed to her feet, stumbling as she tried to gain her balance. She licked her dry lips.

Water.

She was thirsty.

So, thirsty.

She had no idea where she was or how long she had been gone, only that she wondered.

She wasn't so far gone on the spice not to know she needed to find shelter, either.

She thought she had seen a rock formation in this direction a few dunes back. Sarita lifted her hand, shielding her eyes from the sun, and continued up the next dune, the soft sand slipping under her feet. She fell forward onto her hands and knees; the sand was hot under her hands. She struggled to her feet again and kept climbing up the giant pile of sand.

When she crested it, she saw the rocks again, only a few dunes away. By the time she made it to the rocks, it was several degrees hotter. She looked up at the towering rock formation. Several low outcropping marked the front, punctuated or hidden by small stands of the same jagged brown rock. Sarita scuttled under the nearest one; a small pile of stones near its opening would partially conceal her. She could sleep for a bit and maybe find water when the coolness of the evening came. Sarita laid down on her side, curling into a fetal position, already falling asleep. She was too tired to care that she had no idea how to find water in the desert.

She awoke with a scream on her lips as something dragged her through the sand. She tried to claw her way out of its grasp; her hands dug into the sand. The next thing she knew, she was being yanked to her feet by bruising hands and thrown to the ground again. The rocks she had hidden in behind her.

Sarita scrambled to her knees, peering around herself through a fall of dark hair. Jeers and laughter surrounded her as she became aware of the crowd gathered around her. Several speeder bikes and crafts sat off to the side. She started shaking, unable to move. They had found her. A rough hand gripped her chin, forcing it up. She recognized the humanoid male as one of the many who frequented the palace. He brushed the hair back from her face with deceptive gentleness. His upper lip curled upward, revealing a row of gnarled yellow teeth. "Lovely. I see why you wanted this one, Blue Boy," he sneered. He squatted beside her forcing her to turn her head to the side, she met Spiker's gaze.

There was no hatred in his red gaze when their eyes met. There was something else there, and Sarita was reminded again; he had never actually hurt her. She suddenly knew he would help her if she dared ask him. The idea made Sarita recoil. He would help her stay alive, and she would belong to him. One of Jabba's Weequay guards stepped between her and Spiker. He gripped an energy whip in his hands and wore a snarl on his thick-skinned face.

Sarita was violently pulled to her feet and shoved forward. The male she was stumbling toward moved out of the way, and she fell forward, unable to catch herself before her head connected with one of the rocks. A sickening thud filled her ears, and a sharp pain tore through her skull.

Sarita laid there her head by the rock, the world floating in and out of focus, her ears ringing. She was aware of the strange gushing feeling emanating from the side of her head, but she couldn't move. Moaning, Sarita rapidly blinked, trying to clear the fog from her head. She was aware of the crowd around her and their taunts and laughter, but none touched her. Slowly she could move again. Sarita struggled to her knees, fighting a wave of nausea.

She vaguely heard the energy whip buzz through the air, and it landed between her shoulder blades. She gasped, white-hot pain tearing along every muscle and nerve ending. She fell to the ground again, her body convulsing in the sand.

Muted laughter filled her ears, and more garbled words were spoken in Huttese. Her stomach turned violently as the muscle spasms subsided. She rolled to her side, small pebbles biting into her tender flesh, her stomach heaving again. Yellow bile covered the sand beside her as it lost its contents.

Coughing, Sarita looked through the feet gathered around her. Her audience parted for a minute. On the other side of his companions, Spiker was there fading in and out of focus: his red helmet off, his red eyes on her. Pain shot through her again, and her hands flew to her scalp as she was violently yanked to her feet by her hair.

It was one of the Weequay; he pulled back harder, forcing her head back. "Shame," he said in basic, looking over her head. "Such a waste."

"Enough," a deep voice she knew to be Ghizz's commanded. His enormous frame stepped in front of her, towering over everyone else. He glared at them all from his red face. Sarita didn't know what he was, but there was something decidedly canine about his features. "Fortuna said alive."

There was no mistaking the contempt in his eyes as he looked down at her. The others stepped away from her; he hadn't done this to help her, she knew that. Part of Sarita wished he had just let them finish what they had started right here on the sand. Let her die here in the desert wastes.

He covered her shoulder in his enormous hand. His long red fingers nearly brushed her elbow. Sarita struggled against him; he spun her around anyway, jerking her arms painfully behind her back, cuffs closed around her wrists. "If you try to run, these will electrocute you," he said matter of factly. "But not enough to kill you just yet."

He pushed her forward through the parting crowd toward a hovercraft.

When they reached the craft, he shoved her over the side. Sarita landed on the floor, she rolled to her side but stayed there, squeezing her eyes closed. Tears leaked from them as the craft lurched forward. Still, peace settled over her. She clung to the image of her parents filling her head. She wouldn't give any of this filth the satisfaction of seeing her beg for her life. That's what they expected. She would meet whatever awaited her with bravery. Her father had always said there was honor in a bravely met death.

Sarita had said thinking of your old life made you weak. Right now, it was where she drew her strength. She only hoped her parents would somehow find peace with whatever they learned of her fate.

XxX

Kiya's gaze slid over the room again, traveling to the dais as she made her way down the steps, a tray of drinks in hand. Where Boba Fett was, Kiya had no clue, but he wasn't part of the party hunting Sarita. Bib Fortuna had seen to it, the man in the Mandalorian battle armor stayed behind. Part of Kiya had to question if that wasn't because the kriffer didn't want Boba Fett to learn he was making Sarita spy on Spiker. The why didn't matter, however. Kiya was just relieved Boba Fett wasn't out there, not that it made Sarita's odds better, nor did Kiya fully understand why. She just knew she was relieved he wasn't.

The band played across the room, and Lyn Me sang a solo, but everyone was tense. Well, everyone who wasn't a patron of Jabb's hospitality and the majority of them were absent. Kiya felt like she had hardly breathed since the hunting party left, dread swirling inside of her. They had been gone for an hour or more now. Kiya hoped fate would intervene, even though she knew it wasn't going to happen.

Thanks for reading!

A/N: Sorry for the wait. This chapter was a lot heavier to write. I think I listened to Falling a few hundred times on repeat. The lyrics might not fit, but the heartwrenching tone did. I really can't wait to know what you all think.

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