A/N: This chapter gets a little bit violent. Please Read and Review!
Chapter 3: Slave
The ramp to the Millennium Falcon lowered down. Dust whirled by and flecks of sand entered the ship. Ben lifted his brown hood over his head and pulled the ends of his cloak towards each other. Han adjusted his leather jacket. Chewbacca held the medium sized box in one arm and with his other, he reached out for Ben's hand. The young boy grabbed it and took a deep breath.
"This will only take a few minutes. Ben, don't talk to anyone and whatever you do, stay in sight." Han warned his son. Ben nodded his head and lowered the tip of his hood to eye level.
Han Solo stepped down the ramp of the Falcon first, then Chewie followed by Ben. Ben could see that the planet was sandy, course and a brownish yellow color. The ramp to the Falcon lifted. There was no going back now. As the three of them began walking, Ben felt as though he was going to sink into the ground from the amount of sand around him. He had to lift his feet higher than usual in order to walk. The blazing desert sun was beating down them. Ben tried to ignore the heat and kept his head low under the hood of the cloak still holding Chewie's hand. He could see figures of creatures large and small, surely not human at all. There were droids of all shapes and sizes as well walking freely among the beings.
They were approaching a market area. The shops were located under tented areas. The shopkeepers had a variety of goods laid out on tables and on top of mats. The shop keepers sold strange items from ship parts to animal limbs. The customers of these shops were strange as well speaking dialects that he had never heard while living on Naboo. Of course, there were some that could speak Basic and Ben understood. He also understood that in order to purchase a good, they either needed Galactic Credits, or to trade an item that the shop keeper would deem being of equal value.
Ben could feel eyes watching him, drilling holes into his back as he walked. He squeezed Chewie's hand. The three maneuvered through the crowd. Ben saw a grey creature with a long neck and thin arms get flung from the tent of a shop and skid across the ground. The shop keeper was small with tiny wings and a mouth full of sharp fangs. He hovered over the creature on the ground and cursed it.
"Don't you come back here again!" The shop keeper shouted.
The citizens continued with their business ignoring the creature on the ground as if this happened often. Chewie tugged Ben's hand as they continued walking.
Ben tried to focus on other things like the different species on the planet, or the rounded shapes of buildings they were approaching, but he couldn't shake the ugly feeling he was having. Someone was definitely following them. Ben turned his head around to peek over his shoulder, but the mass of people would not allow him to determine just who was looking at them.
"Father," Ben finally spoke up. "I believe someone is watching us."
Han looked at his son nervously. "Don't worry, we're just about at our destination."
A moment later, the three were at the doorstep to a dusty Cantina. Ben could hear upbeat swing music playing from behind the bronze door. A heavy creature opened it. He was orange with a pudgy body and four arms clearly meant to take down unwanted visitors. He looked down at Ben.
"No kids allowed" he said to Han. Han grit his teeth and frowned.
"Are you sure you can't make an exception? This will only take a minute." He said sweet talking the doorkeeper.
"No." The doorkeeper said and shut the door. Han stayed quiet in thought. After a few seconds of silence, he sighed heavily
"Ben", He paused crouching down to his son's height. "I'm going to need Chewie here to help me negotiate. You're a very brave kid especially since you're my son. Do you think you can handle waiting here for five minutes at most?"
Ben thought about it. He couldn't feel the eyes watching anymore and felt a small amount of comfort. He knew a little bit of how to use the Force from his meditations at the creek. He could probably take someone on if he had to, and his father did say just five minutes. What's the worst that could happen?
"Okay." Ben answered his father. Han smiled and pat Ben on the head.
"That's my boy. Now remember, don't talk to strangers and wait by the door." Han Solo said. He stood up and knocked on the door. The doorman let them in this time making sure that Ben didn't try to run in after them.
"We'll be back" Chewbacca growled and followed Han into the Cantina.
-Inside-
Han walked around the cantina glancing down at every table. He was looking for a peach skinned creature with a horn on its head and black bulging eyes. He and Chewbacca had come across the buyer on their last adventure who then offered Han an extreme amount of money for an old box of Spice that Han had kept in his early days of smuggling. The box was something Leia had never paid any mind to so it had been in their closet for nearly ten years collecting dust and aging like fine wine.
"There" Chewie pointed out.
In the corner of the cantina was the peach skinned customer wearing a black leather vest and white undershirt. They approached the creature. Han pulled out a chair and Chewie stood next to him still holding the package.
"Han Solo" The creature said. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't show."
"Gallon. I brought what you asked for." Han said. Chewbacca set the brown box on the table. Gallon opened a corner of the box and peeked in. He smiled widely revealing sharpened teeth.
"Good." Han smirked taking note of the customer's expression. "Now let's talk payment."
-Outside-
Ben leaned against the outer wall of the Cantina and shoved his hands in his pants pockets. His brown hood still covered the top half of his face. If Ben didn't feel watched before, he sure did now. It was as if there was a spotlight above his head. All creatures that walked by the Cantina glanced at him before continuing about their business.
Ben didn't want to see them. He was feeling brave and did not need their criticizing stares, yet he stayed alert. This wasn't his first time on a foreign planet. He was also used to being alone for long periods of time. Five minutes was nothing to him.
Ben thought about his mother. She was probably still at the senate and had no idea he was with his father. He wondered if his mother would have gone on one of these trips. His mother had told him that she was once the princess of a place called Alderaan that was later destroyed. Ben had only heard fairy tales of what his parents were like before they met each other. He didn't know the full story. Perhaps they had told him at a very early age.
Ben was no longer paying attention, lost in thought about his parents. He felt a sharp knock on his head come out of nowhere. When did he lose focus on the crowd? Darkness engulfed him and he collapsed.
Han and Chewie stepped out of the cantina proudly. They had gotten a full ten thousand credits out of the deal for a box of Spice that Han had been eventually planning to get rid of anyway. It took a little longer than expected, but no more than ten minutes was spent negotiating.
"Ben, let's go!" Han called out. He glanced around the area.
"Ben. We're done!" Han called out again. This time he hoped to see his son, however no little boy came running to him.
"Ben!" Chewie yelled.
Han looked around the area and noticed a small brown cloak trampled on the floor near the wall of the Cantina. He reached down and picked up the cloak patting the dirt off. Han's heart began to race and panic set in.
"Leia's going to kill me." He said aloud.
Ben regained consciousness. His head ached and he felt a wave of dizziness. Ben placed his hand on the back of his head. He winced touching the area. A large bump had formed. Ben realized he was laying down on a cold concrete floor. He sat himself up and discovered his cloak was missing.
"Ah, I see you have awoken." A slimy voice said. Ben looked up. The voice came from a figure cloaked in black robes with a long black mask on. The figure was behind bars, or rather, Ben was behind the bars now that he was becoming aware of his surroundings. He was in a prison cell with a torch next to the locked door.
"You were the one following." Ben said.
A cackle was released from the figure. "Indeed."
Ben frowned. He picked himself off of the floor and approached the bars of the prison cell.
"Why?" Ben asked the figure holding his head high.
"They will pay good money for slaves. If you're lucky enough, the Order will buy you." The figure replied.
"Who's paying? What Order?" Ben asked grabbing the bars.
The figure cackled once more. "You ask too many questions." It said and walked away from the cell, it's laughter echoing down the hallway.
Ben pressed his face against the metal bars of his prison cell. Down a thin hallway, there were other cells as well. There were no windows, just torchlight. Across from his own cell, Ben could see a human boy younger than him clothed in rags that was huddled in a corner of the cell.
"You there!" Ben shouted. The boy across the cell did not look up. Ben tried again.
"Hey!" Ben shouted louder. The boy lifted his head. His eyes were red and water marks stained his cheeks.
"Are we to be sold as slaves?" Ben asked. The younger boy put his head back down.
"I'm talking to you!" Ben yelled. Clearly he was getting nowhere with the other prisoner.
Ben knew he had to escape. He looked around his cell for anything that might help him. The entire floor was cement and the walls were sandstone. There was no bed other than a rag meant to serve as a blanket. The prison bars were made of iron and stretched from the bottom of his cell to the ceiling. The door to the cell was made of iron bars as well and wore a heavy metal lock with chains wrapped around. Ben grabbed the cell door and tried to shake it open. The gate shook but did not budge. The lock was too strong to let loose.
Ben paced around the cell. What would his father say? Ben wouldn't be allowed to go on another smuggling trip for sure. He recalled his father telling him stories of tight situations like being tortured on the planet Bespin or frozen in Carbonite. His father was a brave man. He had to be as well.
Ben continued to pace his cell with his arms behind his back. The torchlight flickered in the hall and illuminated his shadow on the wall. He needed a key. The creature who kidnapped him likely had that key, but how would he get it?
Ben sat down on the bare cement floor and crossed his legs in a meditating position. He took long breaths and slowed down the fast thumping of his heart. The last thing he needed was to lose focus of escaping. Ben thought of his mother. His mother didn't even know that he had left with his father. If she found out, he and his father would be in serious trouble. 'Will I ever see her again?' he thought. No. He cannot have doubt. He was going to escape someway, somehow.
"Ben." A soothing voice said. It came from inside his head, but was so clear it was as if someone was right next to him.
"Ben honey, it's me." The voice said again.
"Mother?" Ben asked aloud.
"What's wrong? Where are you?" She asked him. Ben had never spoken back to the usual voice in his head. He closed his eyes and focused. Ben imagined his mothers' soft face, her loving smile. Ben could feel his mother's energy through the Force.
"I'm in a cell" He said back through the force.
"You have to get out of there." His mother immediately responded. Ben smiled with his eyes shut having done a small accomplishment.
"I know. But how?" He asked knowing that she may not have an answer. He could feel his mother pause for a moment.
Just then, the ghostly black figure similar to the kidnapper quietly passed Ben's cell eyeing each captive member. Ben could feel the dark energy seeping through the bars of his cell.
"Use the Force" His mother said and faded away. Ben's eyes shot open. Despite Leia's voice having disappeared, he felt his mother's headstrong energy act within him. He knew exactly what to do.
Ben leaped up off of the ground. "You there!" he called to the figure in the hallway.
The figure turned slowly and looked at him from behind the mask.
"There is no talking." It said grasping a black baton. The figure began to approach Ben's cell.
Ben could feel his mothers' energy flowing through him almost as if she were with him at that moment. He adjusted his posture, raised his head high and glared directly into the eyeholes of the figure's mask keeping focus on where to point the Force.
"You will release me from this cell unharmed." He commanded the figure. His heart began pounding. He had never reached into another creature's mind before.
The creature behind the black mask took a step forward. Ben held his breath and kept his focus on directing energy towards the creature.
It hesitated and let go of the baton. It moved a hand towards a set of keys hanging from its belt and found a thin black key.
"I will release you from this cell unharmed." It repeated to Ben. Ben let out his breath. The creature turned the key into the bulky lock and the chains unraveled. The bared door swayed open. Ben calmly stepped out of the cell and felt his mother's presence slipping away from him.
He made eye contact with the grim spiteful eyes of the boy in the cell across from his. A twinge of guilt spiked his body. Ben could've left then and there. He could have bolted down the hallway in seconds and have been free. The Force was not as strong as when his mother was with him moments ago so another mind trick was out of the question. There was only one thing to do.
Ben clenched his fist and swung his arm, punching the head of the blackened creature. The creature released the keys and toppled to the floor. Ben caught the keys in midair and raced over to the younger boy's cell. Ben fidgeted with the keys and tested each one until the lock finally sprang open.
As soon as the chains on the bars fell, the younger boy sprang to life and took off running out of the prison cell and down the hallway. Ben could hear other children down the hall call out to the other boy for help.
Ben frowned and looked down at the creature below him. It wouldn't be long until the figure regained consciousness. He had to act quickly.
Ben raced to the next cell. There were nearly a dozen other children calling out for help. He unlocked each cell as fast as he could and the young girls and boys all ran towards the light at the end of the hallway. Once the final cell had been opened, he dropped the keys and escaped into the light.
Immediately, electricity surged through his body. Ben dropped to his knees and cried out in pain. A green pig faced monster with a rod jabbed him in the side.
"You were the one who freed all the prisoners". It said and poked him again with the electric staff.
"Aaaahhhhhh" Ben screamed in agony. Another creature cuffed his hands behind his back with iron shackles and lifted him up onto its burly shoulder.
"Have you seen my kid?" Han asked several shopkeepers. "He's about this tall and has black hair" Han fixated his hand to represent height. The shopkeepers all shook their heads. Chewbacca also asked around as best as he could to those that were able to understand him.
It had been two hours looking through the city since Ben disappeared. Both were on a frantic search without a clue of where to find him.
"This would be so much easier if Luke was here!" Han told Chewie feeling the frustration sink in.
"He's only 8 years old, where could he have wondered off to?" Han said aloud.
"You can just buy a new child."
Han turned around and saw an old bug-like creature speak to him. It began laughing hysterically through a long white beard.
"Where?" Chewie asked. The old creature motioned a hand for the two to follow him.
The creature was surprisingly fast for its age and Han had to run in order to keep up. They maneuvered through the city and were led towards the outskirts of town. In the distance, they saw a gathering of creatures out in the burning sun. In the center of the crowd was as a stage.
The bug-like creature that led Han and Chewie to the location vanished into crowd. On the stage was a line of twelve children all handcuffed and linked together by chains. There were several creatures wearing black robes and blacks masks behind the children guarding them.
Han gasped when he saw his son at the very center of the stage.
"Ruffian Human Boy" A black cloaked figure said.
Ben stared at the stage floor and could hear the crowd cheering. His right eye was swollen as the thing he had used a mind trick on had taken revenge for the hit. Ben's arms were linked behind his back and he was on his knees. Sweat trickled down his forehead from the blazing sunlight above.
His plan to free all the children had failed as the guards were all gathered at the end of the prison tunnel and caught each child that had been freed. In the end, he couldn't save anyone. 'If only I had been stronger' he thought to himself. Ben felt weak. The feeling of electrics shocks still pulsed through his body. He had no idea what was going to happen to him.
"BEN!" Han bellowed at the top of his lungs. Ben looked up and saw his father pushing through the crowd in the distance.
"Let the auction start at one thousand credits." The creature on the stage said to the crowd. Someone raised their arm. The bidding began.
'No.' Ben thought. He couldn't be sold off now, not when his father was right there.
"Five Thousand Credits." One crowd member raised his arm. Ben fidgeted in his handcuffs. They were too secure to break off with brute force and he wasn't entirely sure if the Force could help free himself. Ben struggled anyway.
"Ten Thousand Credits, going once… twice" Ben's heart dropped. He could not remove the cuffs in time. All hope was lost.
"Fifteen Thousand!" Han yelled to the blackened creature finally reaching the stage.
"Sold to Fifteen Thousand!" It said and kicked Ben forward. Ben's face smeared across the stage. The creature stepped over him and unlocked the handcuffs. Ben wriggled separated his arms and pushed his head off the ground.
Chewbacca finally caught up to the two and paid the masked creature. Chewie lifted Ben off of the stage and wrapped him tightly in his arms. The three began to walk away.
"Father, what about the others?" Ben said weakly wrapping his arms around Chewbacca's neck. Han did not look Ben in the eyes.
There was silence before he finally answered, "You can't save everyone son."
Ben's eyes widened. He found the younger boy being lifted onto the stage next to be auctioned off. There was betrayal in the younger boys face and he looked at Ben with eyes pleading for aid. Ben felt utterly helpless. He tried to use the Force but the distance between the two was becoming greater and his reach became limited.
Ben tucked his head into Chewie's shoulder not wanting to look at the scene before him. He clenched Chewie's soft brown fur with his hands.
You can't save everybody.