A/N: This following chapter took too long to write. And by too long, I mean years. When I first started writing this, Rebels was still on and the Clone Wars had long since concluded. The only newest movie out was Force Awakens and maybe Rogue One. Then Rise of Skywalker was here before I knew it, and well, you know. Anyway, I've tried to get this story back on track. I have a confession, I never kept up with Rebels and OF COURSE I had to make it difficult on myself and pick Ryloth of all the planets I could have picked. So let's see how this goes. Thank god for wookieepedia though
The travel time to Ryloth was spent rather awkwardly. For one, Jo was again late in meeting up with Luke and Threepio. Jo profusely apologized for her tardiness. Luke only laughed it off and told her it wasn't a big deal. Now having to make up for lost time, Jo helped Luke load the crates of supplies and weaponry into a rather large ship. Luke had explined that the ship had few amenities, including two small crew cabins and a refresher. This made Jo incredibly nervous to be sharing such close quarters with the young Skywalker. Luke sensed her nervousness and told her they would make a schedule on who used the refresher later. They hastily boarded the ship and plugged Threepio up to the computer so he could monitor for the coordinates. The flight was spent in a few conversations. Jo asked Luke if he thought Leia was okay to which Luke replied that he was certain. She could tell that he didn't want to talk more on the matter and he changed the subject to asking after Han. Jo told him she didn't really know what was going on with Han and Chewbacca and that Leia had given them their own special mission as well. They were quiet for a long period, until finally Luke asked her a question that had been left unanswered since Jo's untimely arrival to this universe.
"Jo?" Luke started. He never took his eyes off of the dark vast of hyperspace ahead of them.
"Hm?" Jo hummed in acknowledgment.
"How did you get on Han's ship?" he looked at her through the corner of his eye. Jo tensed in surprise and felt the sudden urge to throw up. Luke turned to look at her fully and raised his hands. "It's fine if you're not ready to answer. If you did smuggle aboard, I won't tell him. I just wanted to know is all."
Jo was quiet and debated her options. "I didn't exactly smuggle aboard." Luke waited for her to finish, but she never did.
"Well, like I said. If you're not ready to talk about it, I understand. Just know that if you want to talk about it, I'll listen." He said encouragingly and turned his attention back to the control panel.
"Thanks," she said genuinely just as one of the lights on the control panels started to go off.
"It says we'll be coming up on Ryloth soon. Let me go get Threepio," Luke stood up from the pilot seat and stretched. "You might want to buckle back in. Turbulence might be pretty rough." He slid past her and walked through the cockpit door that led into the main hold.
Jo followed his advice and clicked her belt around her back together. She knew she should be honest with him. But then where would that get her? 'Sure Jo, tell him you're from Earth. You know, the one solar system that somehow doesn't even exist out of all the systems in this place! I'm sure he will understand. Tell him you know Darth Vader is his father real quick too, while you're at it.' The door to the cockpit whooshed up once more and Luke stepped back through with Threepio in tow. Luke quickly sat back in the pilot's chair and looked at the main screen.
"Master Luke, I do not think we should proceed any further," Threepio's worried voice came from behind Jo.
"Threepio, are you sure they gave you the right coordinates?" Luke said urgently flipping through the touch screen of the computer.
"I am quite certain," Threepio assured him.
"What's wrong?" Jo asked Luke catching on to his urgency.
"He says he picked up on some Imperial frequencies coming from Ryloth. I don't know how that's possible!" Luke switched off the computer and fiddled with the controls overhead. "We're coming out of hyperspace in 3, 2, 1. Brace yourself." The ship jerked forward as the blue swirling light of hyperspace ceased and the view was replaced with a large rust colored planet. "Well, that's Ryloth alright." The ship drifted closer. "Nothing is coming up on my scanner. I don't see any evidence of possible Imperial bases, but then again that doesn't mean they aren't there." Luke frowned. He looked to Jo. "When we land, don't leave the ship. I'll go ahead and see if I can scope out the party we are supposed to be meeting. I don't want to take the risk."
Jo felt relieved and agitation all at once. She was relieved that she did not have to follow him, but also agitated that Luke (like Han and Leia) still considered her too much of a liability. Luke reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "I need you to stay and watch the ship. I'm going to have Threepio take over communications to see if there are still Imperial code transmitting. The last thing we need is to run into any old friends." The ship had reached Ryloth's atmosphere and they flew in among the sky of the planet. The planet almost mimicked Tatooine with the same rust colored dry terrain. The only exception being occasionally there were large trees that would pass by under them. They reached a barren place, though, that reminded Jo of the Grand Canyon with larger trees that drooped over head. Various caves were scattered about. Luke helped Threepio attach back to the main computer and then reached for his blaster. Jo watched him anxiously.
"I won't be far. I'm going to check it out," he opened the cockpit doors and readied the bay.
"But what if something happens," Jo said softly.
"I agree with Mistress Jo," Threepio piped up from his perch by the computer.
"It won't," Luke said trying to give Jo reassurance. "I won't be long."
"But Master Luke!" Threepio cried as Luke left. The door shut behind him.
"Typical. That's what they always say and then things always happen," Jo muttered and watched him from the cockpit descend to the land below. He had only been gone two minutes when there was a blip on the scanner. Jo had lost sight of him from the cockpit.
"There! There it was again!" Threepio alerted Jo. Jo felt the pit of dread in her stomach grow larger.
"That's it, I'm going to look for him," Jo said kicking her legs down from where she had them pulled to her chest.
"Mistress Jo, I really do not think that is wise," Jo ignored him and looked around for the spare blaster Luke had packed specifically for her. She found it in one of the compartments and opened the cockpit door.
"Well, I'd say it won't take long, but we know that's probably not true," she said to Threepio. She stepped through the door and tried not to listen to Threepio calling after her. She cautiously exited the ship and the warm dry air met her outside. She descended the ship's ramp and was met with the rocky earth below. She looked all around her to find Luke, but could not see him. She felt drawn to one of the caves embedded in the canyon ahead of her. She slowly approached it when she heard a gruff voice say, "Stop." She whirled around and came face to face with a large blue Twi'lek.
"That didn't take any time at all," Jo said in amusement to herself. The Twi'lek heard her and was not amused.
"Jinqa su nu?" he questioned her coming closer to her.
"Erm, pardon?" she said nervously.
"You," he said gruffly. "who are you?"
"Oh! Jo, My name is Jo. I am looking for my friend Luke Skywalker. We were told to meet somebody here. Have you seen him? I have seemed to lost sight of him," Jo prattled on trying to look around the Twi'lek man.
He stood in front of her and reached for her blaster. Jo pulled it away from him. "Your weapon. You do not need."
"I'd rather keep it with me, thanks," she snapped.
"Jo! I asked you to stay in the ship," Luke's voice called out from behind her. Jo turned around to find Luke walking out of the cave she had been drawn to flanked by three other Twi'lek.
"I don't remember you asking. I remember you telling me," Jo snapped. Luke approached her and put his hands on his shoulders inspecting her. She shrugged him off. Luke took notice of the Twi'lek male behind Jo.
"What's going on here?" he questioned him.
"She was searching for you, jun muchi," the Twi'lek said turning his dark eyes to Luke.
"Threepio is getting more of those signals again," Jo told Luke. "I came to find you."
"They don't know what I'm talking about. They keep insisting that there aren't any Imperial bases around. Besides, I haven't found the pilot Leia wanted me to find yet. Looks like we are going to be settling in for the night. Guess we better keep an eye out," Luke leaned down a bit to mumble this to her lowly. The Twi'lek watched them carefully.
"Who is it that you are seeking?" he asked Luke.
"Ish sayku ish chir looking for Glie. Leha princesku sent him," one of the Twi'leks that had accompanied Luke out of the cave answered him.
"Why isn't it she who accompanied you?" the Twi'lek said thoughtfully.
"She is gone for the time being. She sent me," Luke said shortly.
"Y'know this was a bad time to leave Threepio on the ship," Jo whispered to Luke.
"I'm only following her orders. We were told somebody would meet us here," said Luke.
"And we were promised to meet with the princess. You are not," the Twi'lek said back.
It was a showdown to say the least. Jo bit her lip. What if they were prisoners now instead?
"I promise you we mean you no harm," Luke sighed. "I've only come here in search of the Twi'lek you know as Glie Klubb."
"Glie will choose whether he meets with you or not," the Twi'lek said passively. "For now, I can only assure you that I believe you are no harm to us."
"Then let Glie know that we will leave in the morning. He has time to decide. I hope he chooses to meet with us. We could use him," Luke replied.
"You Rebels use everything," the Twi'leki spat.
"Just tell him we're looking for him, alright?" Luke glared.
"He knows." and with that the Twi'lek motioned for his company to leave back into the cave.
"That's it then? So, we're just going to wait?" Jo asked Luke as they both watched the Twi'leks disappear through the mouth of the cave.
"That was him. He's not fooling me," Luke said staring after them intently. He said it more to himself than to Jo.
"What?" Jo reached out to grasp his sleeve without thinking. She blushed and dropped it.
"C'mon, let's head back to the ship. I'll make us some food. I need to check those scanners, especially if Threepio is still hearing what I think he is," Luke said nodding to the spacecraft in question. Jo decided to drop her remaining questions and scampered after him, up the ramp.
Dusk fell upon them, and they had just finished their dinner. Jo had ate it without complaint as she hadn't eaten anything else since the night before. If she hadn't been so hungry, she would probably not have touched the food as Luke was a pretty shit cook otherwise. She guessed the Chosen One couldn't have all of the skills of the universe. The Imperial frequencies had disappeared from the ones they had heard when they first arrived. Threepio still manned the scanners, much to his irritation. Threepio couldn't understand why Luke just wouldn't listen to him the first times he heard it. Jo was beginning to think the same thing. Luke assured them both to quit worrying about it. Needless to say, either were not reassured.
Jo was sitting with Luke in the cockpit who was idly staring at the scanner clearly lost in deep thought. Jo was beginning to nod off when the scanner started to go off. Jo jerked awake and swiped at the drool falling below her chin. "Whazzgoinon?" she slurred.
"It's not the Empire. It's a bounty hunter," Luke told her quickly as he jumped up throwing on his signature yellow jacket. "that's what Threepio has been picking up. It's a disguise." He reached for his blaster holster.
"Where are you going now?" Jo tried following after him.
"I've got to warn them. We aren't far from Tatooine. The Hutts have been known to prey on Twi'leks," Luke said. "I'd ask you to stay here, but we both know that you won't."
"Not a chance. Especially if you say there's a bounty hunter out and about," Jo said bitterly thinking about the many bounty hunters who would love to take her to Darth Vader.
"Grab the spare blaster and stay close to me," they left the ship and hurried to the Cave the Twi'leks had appeared from earlier that day. They hadn't stepped so much as a foot inside when two Twi'leks stepped out with their weapons raised.
"Koa passage," one of them hissed flashing his sharpened teeth.
"Please, we must speak to Glie!" Luke said trying to push past them.
"Luke!" Jo whined trying to get him to stop.
"Qa chir leha meaning jehsa all thiku!" The large blue Twi'lek from earlier came through the mouth of the cave.
"I know you're not ready to speak with us yet, but my scanner picked up on a bounty hunter in the area," Luke pleaded.
"You are certain?" and then it dawned on Jo that his Twi'lek was the one they were looking for. 'Honestly, Jo you really need to catch up.'
Luke nodded. Glie turned to the other Twi'leks at the mouth of the cave and spoke to them in brief Twi'leki. He signed something to the pair of them and turned back to face Luke. "Follow me." Jo went to follow, but Luke held his arm out to keep her from doing so.
"Wait, I don't think—," Luke was abruptly cut off as the entrance to the cave erupted in a deafening explosion. Jo was thrown backwards and away from Luke. She fell against the hard ground and felt her forehead collide with the gravel underneath her. The cave was on fire from the inside. Jo's ears were ringing as she tried her best to sit up. Her mouth tasted like metal and she spat it on the ground as she got to her knees. Her vision was blurry, but she could make out in the wreckage a lone figure staring menacingly back. In all his lizard glory was Bossk.
"I have come for my reward, come to meeee or die," his low snarl reached her ears.
'This is it, he's come to take you,' and with that, she laid down to accept her defeat.
a/n: little shorter than i would have liked it. But I'm trying to wake up the star wars part of my brain. Hope you enjoyed! Let me know