The Millennium Falcon jolted out of hyperspace, the motion further awakening its temporary pilot.
Rubbing her eyes, Tallis sighed and looked out the viewport, the yellow planet starring back. A hopeless dustball, the furthest planet from a mythical bright center of the universe as Luke usually put it with his own unique and dramatic flare.
Flicking the comm switches, Tallis waited several moments before before a voice filtered through the static.
"Mos Eisley space port. What is your business?" Said the voice of an elderly humanoid.
"Guess you hadn't heard." Tallis said, trying to force her tone to a cool, cocky imitation of her smuggler friend. "Jabba the Hutt has a bounty on Han Solo right? Well I was ordered to get his ship too."
There was a few moments of silence.
Tallis drummed her fingers impatiently.
"Go to docking bay ninety-six."
"Thanks."
Taking off and flying a ship was one thing. But landings turned out to be just a little tricky as Tallis readied the landing gears. Instead of a smooth, level landing, one gear touched ground while the others were still in air. The ship rocked, jolted, nearly bashed into the docking bay's walls, and then finally settled with a final obnoxious clang.
Standing, Tallis was glad to find the dizzy spells had lessened considerably. Perhaps she did have a chance after all. With some quick thought, she grabbed a cloak, Han's extra charges for his blaster, and a medkit. She shoved the charges in her belt satchel and clipped the medkit to the belt as well before heading out.
The twin suns were setting, shadows already swallowed much of Mos Eisley as Tallis flipped her hood up over her montrals. The darkening atmosphere gave her a chance to come upon a few parked speeder bikes. Stealing was never something she cared for, but she hoped to return it after her endeavor. Maybe.
Settling in the seat, Tallis gave the machine a rough look over before starting it up with relative ease. "You were the best, Mom." She muttered to herself before pushing forward. A straight shot to Jabba's palace. Hopefully Drionn had not gotten too far ahead.
~~~
Han strained his hands against the metallic cuffs pinning his wrists behind his back. Chewbacca sat beside him in an identical bind. Two Gamorrean guards stood watch at the doorway. The prisoners were held in a backroom of one of Jabba's sailbarges. The slug had sent it with full security for Drionn and the safe transportation of the hostages. The odds were looking grim, and grimmer still.
The whole welcoming party had been a surprise to Han. He never got to use the slices of metal still hidden in his boot. And such meager weaponry was no match for his new bonds. However the clever smuggler still looked desperately for a way out. There had to be a way, and currently, Tallis did not seem like an option to wait for.
"Don't worry buddy. I'll think of something." He tried to reassure Chewbacca, who simply grunted his trust and equal enthusiasm to find a way out.
~~~
Driving over sand was smooth until one flew over a sand dune and landed with a jarring motion. Such a movement nearly smacked the binoculars from Tallis' hand as she scanned the horizon. And finally her efforts were rewarded. Ahead was a sailbarge, the kind Tallis had once observed with Luke and his unruly gang while exploring old podracing tracks. Luke explained that sailbarges such as these were used by Hutts for their cost, size and potential for luxury. Nearly no one else had such transportation on Tatooine. And that made it for the perfect target. Han and Chewbacca were there. They had to be.
Putting the binoculars back in the bike's container, Tallis pushed the engines to the max, gaining slowly but surely as she raced over the dunes in hot pursuit.
Finally she closed on the rear of the ship. "No return for you." She told the bike in light regret. Stomping the breaks out, the vehicle continued on its breakneck speed til it was mere only a few yards from the barge. Tallis settled her feet on the seat, crouched low and readying to spring.
Another another yard went by, and another. One more.
She jumped.
And nearly slid right off due to a near smooth texture. Grasping a slightly opened window shutter, Tallis pulled herself up and with the Force's help, sprang to the top deck. Slipping over the railing, Tallis crouched again as she picked up on lumbering footsteps. Taking a lightsaber from her thigh holster, Tallis moved behind a large machine blaster, waiting until the footsteps proved to be a Gamorrean pig creature armed with a battle axe. A nuisance to the young Togruta as she came up behind the large being and ignited the lightsaber into the pig's gut. Before he could squeal Tallis used the Force to push him over the railing and down into the sand. A dead body left behind.
This act was repeated twice more as Tallis looked for a way below deck, eventually finding the way in.
With a light touch, she began to lift the wooden trapdoor, only for a sudden shift in her surroundings to interrupt her efforts.
"Stay still." Said a low voice.
Tallis recognized it. "Ocubas." She greeted with feigned cheerfulness. "Still working I see."
Ocubas snorted. "Can't stop til Jabba pays me."
Abruptly Tallis turned around to face the hunter. His finger tightened around the trigger of a rifle blaster, but did not shoot.
"I guess so." Tallis said with a nod. "But I've a better idea. Leave now and I won't kill you."
The hunter laughed. "Didn't Drionn tell you? I've killed your kind before, older than you, child."
"You killed Jedi children." Tallis said, disgust dripping through her tone. "You're not strong enough to take a trained Jedi. And you won't beat me."
"We'll see." Ocubas said. "Jabba has a shortage of Togruta slaves. You'd be a nice little bonus to Solo's bounty."
Tallis drew her lightsaber. "I warned you."
Ocubas smirked, leveling his rifle at the Togruta.
A stun web shot from the blaster. Tallis side stepped the trap just barely, feeling the electricity tingle her skin before it continued past her. In the same movement she coiled her arm back and threw her lightsaber with skillful precision.
The green blade met its mark, burning through Ocubas' right eye and straight through his skull, brain, and back out. The hunter fell dead without a single sound.
Tallis retrieved her lightsaber manually, starring down at her previously gloating opponent.
"I'm not impressed."
Outstretching her hand, she lifted the body and tossed it over the side.
Once this was done she went back to the trapdoor and lifted it noiselessly, following the stairs downward onto the second floor. There she reached out with the Force, scanning the lifeforms ahead. Most were pigmen. However, the sudden burst of negative energy gave Tallis a guiding hand. As well as the sounds of a scuffle towards the end of the corridor.
With a wave of her hand the door unlocked and Tallis walked into quite the sight.
Han Solo had his cuffed hands around a Gamorrean's neck, hanging off the pig's back in an attempt to choke him. Chewbacca finished his own guard as Tallis entered and raised an eyebrow at the ruthless human.
"What are you doing?"
Han smirked. "Look who finally showed up. I got this, Blue." With that, his cuffed hands produced a piece of sharp metal. The guard never knew what stabbed into his neck and ripped right through. The giant creature fell as Han lifted his arms to avoid the brief onslaught of spurting blood.
Coming forward, Tallis used her lightsaber to cut away Han and Chewie's cuffs. "We've gotta get going."
"Have you seen Drionn?" Han asked as he rubbed his wrists.
"No." Tallis said bitterly. "But I did take Ocubas out of the picture, so we're basically in the clear."
Han nodded. "He must be in the pilot compartment, let's go."
Chewbacca wuffed urgently.
"Ah yeah, weapons." Han agreed as they left the room. A few scuffles and a quick search got Han and Chewbacca most of their things back. Chewbacca would have to replace his satchel. But the bowcaster, it's ammunition and the DL-44 were still retrieved. Tallis offered Han his extra charges and soon the trio was ready to take on the rest of the barge.
Each kill was quick and clean as Han led the way to the frontal section of the barge.
"You ready, Blue?" Han asked as they reached it.
Tallis offered a weak smile. "Not really. Let's go." Taking her other lightsaber, Tallis plunged both into the doorway and cut through the sides. She then used a slight push of the Force, causing it to fall. Blasterfire immediately met her blades as two magmadroids appeared on the other side. Chewbacca aimed his bowcaster at one while Tallis kept fire from hitting him. With a single shot to the chest the droid fell apart. The second machine met the same fate.
And just beyond the droids was Drionn. A stoic figure with one hand on the butt of his currently holstered blaster.
"And here I thought you'd have learned something." The Mando said dryly.
"If there is one thing I've learned, it's that you are a disgrace to your people." Tallis said, spitting her words like a curse.
Drionn barked a laugh. "Disgrace? Last I checked the real Mandalore and your Jedi of old never got along. If anything, I've always been a disgrace to what few of my people remain."
"I trusted you, Drionn. We were friends, family even." Tallis shook her head. "Why are you doing this? If you stop . . . if you just stop we can start over. I can still forgive you."
"You know what?" Drionn said almost conversationally. "I didn't know at the time that the Empire had a bounty out on your Luke friend. The bombing was for Solo. Maybe when you're dead and Jabba has your scummy friend, I'll find out who Luke is and collect on that bounty."
Tallis squeezed her lightsabers, blue skin turning white over her knuckles. There was no return. And no redemption for the monster before her. "You'll have to kill me to get to either of them."
"Have it your way, you always were the stupid one."
Drionn suddenly threw a grenade from his belt. Han shouted as the Mando fired up his jetpack and smashed through the viewport, flying away as the grenade's beeping became faster and louder. Tallis picked it up and threw it before getting into the hallway with Chewbacca and Han. The grenade went off with a fiery explosion.
