I am so pissed right now, so I ask to be excused ahead of time for any typos or mistakes I may have missed in editing this. Why am I pissed? Well, there's two reasons but one of them I can do something about. This one, I can't. A week into the semester, the director of my school decides to inform me I'm not eligible for one of my classes. In fact, I wasn't eligible before I registered for term! So I'm like why didn't you all tell me this... I don't know, before term started and I bought the book for the class!. I never curse, but right there in my mind I was cursing every curse word in the English language and a few in other languages. So I had to drop the class and now, if I want a full load again, I have to take a second session class which is like summer classes that last two and a half hours. Man please! I'll just keep the three I have and take five courses next term. This is ridiculous. I can't believe this. And to tell me after I've sat in two darn classes! That's so messed up. Ugh... Read, enjoy, excuse any errors I may have missed in my anger, and Review!
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Chapter Six
Shili
Darth Vader almost began to feel sorry for his former jedi-master, and that was saying something. He would never know how two children managed to cause so much trouble where ever they went. Multiple fires, a few avalanches, one flood (he had no idea how they managed that), countless injuries, many deaths… just one disaster after the other. They were walking environmental hazards. Darth Vader gave them credit though. Their intentions were good. Darth Vader had been trying to deal a blow to the underground slave market for years, but the emperor didn't find it to be a priority. In fact he seemed to encourage it in the outer rim. However, Vader couldn't excuse the damages they were also dealing to Imperial structure and security with their crazy endeavors.
He also found out that the two children had diddle dallied in smuggling for money and, whether knowingly or unknowingly, had aided the rebellion. However they too had helped the empire on occasion. The Crisis on Lianna, an outer rim ecumenoplis planet, was proof of that. Lianna was virtually a very peaceful planet and was also the place where most of the Imperial war ships, like ties, were designed. The rebels had figured blowing up the man designing and building facility would strike a large blow to the empire, and even Vader admitted that would have been a heavy blow to the military. He would never know how the two children just happened to be on the planet, in the building, and fought off the rebels as well as disarmed the lethal detonator, and were gone well before Vader even had a chance to investigate what had happened.
The emperor wasn't pleased that two force sensitive children were zipping around the galaxy wrecking havoc, while also managing great good in some form or another, with reckless abandon in his empire. The emperor had ordered Vader to kill them. But Vader, despite the fact that he was still displeased that they had dishonored his dear Padmé so blatantly, had a better more personal idea for the children. He had been trying to figure out a way to defeat the emperor since he was put in the blasted suit that supported him. If he could get his hands on the children, turn them to the dark side, and hone their force talent, and perhaps find a way to get rid of their impeccable affinity for finding trouble, they would be valuable allies to him.
"Lord Vader," an officer said approaching him as Vader looked out into space from the bridge of the star destroyer. "Intelligence reports claim that the rebel children Kyle and Kyla were spotted on Shili and are currently still there. A torgruta tribe has hired them to save their princess."
That was another thing Vader had to get settled with the children. He was positive those weren't their real names. Something in the force just whispered it to him. But he rather them go by those names than the other two they sometimes went by… Anakin and Padmé. He was trying to forget those names and they had to remind him. But those were just pairs of names in a long list of aliases that they used.
"What's the nearest ship to that system?"
"Commander Nyklas sir. He's recruiting workers for the Hall of Heroes sir."
"Tell him that he'll be making a detour. I want him to seize those children's stolen ship and hold the passengers. I want them alive."
"Yes sir," the man spun back to his monitor and Vader nodded.
He would soon have those children in his grasp.
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"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Leia complained. "This is worse than that time we infiltrated that trading post. At least there we weren't getting in the middle of a war."
"We got into the middle of a war on Affavan," Luke pointed out.
"That was different," Leia replied.
Luke rolled his eyes. Leia amazed him to no end.
"Besides, we free slaves. Not save torgruta princesses from rivaling tribes."
"And what do you think they're going to do with her eventually?" Luke asked dryly.
Leia thought for a moment and then sighed. "Fine. Point made."
"Besides. Your little spirit friend wants to go," Luke pointed out.
"Sure."
The spirit friend was what Luke had taken to calling the spirit that sometimes came to guide them. Leia had first encountered it on Affavan and claimed that her mother sent it. By then, Luke knew not to doubt any of the strange things that happened to them. The funny part was though, that Luke and Leia seemed to be the only ones that could see it.
"How did we find this anyway?" Leia asked.
Luke sighed. "We're running low on supplies. They're offering a big reward for it and I figured it couldn't hurt. We need it."
When Luke started talking about money, Leia knew they needed it. Luke had never been very materialistic and Leia didn't know whether it was from growing up on Tatooine or anything else. For him, he could either have money or not have it. He only wanted it when they desperately needed it. The only thing he may indulge in was the Queen Amidala. In that area, they were both similar, but Luke had a much bigger heart than she did. Sure she had a soft spot for human suffering, but she didn't believe that she should get in the middle of the torgruta who were in the middle of civil war. She didn't understand why either. They were the exact same people, but because they were in different tribes, they fought.
"How much we talking?" Leia asked.
"Lots of valuables. Some things we can sell. This tribe is more like a city too. I think they use some Imperial credits. Either way, enough to last us a while," Luke said.
"Are they expecting us?"
Luke nodded. "They've agreed to watch our ship and refuel it in addition to the rest of the reward after we get the princess back."
"One more thing," Leia said. "They won't be like our last mission will they?"
Luke thought back to a month ago during their last adventure and laughed.
"It wasn't funny. That dumb king proposed to me!"
Luke stifled a laugh and then Leia huffed and crossed her arms.
"If I recall, you weren't happy about it either. Didn't you almost use the force on that guy for even thinking about making me apart of his harem?"
Luke scowled as he began to get permission to land in the palace. "Oh yeah…"
Leia laughed. "Oh come on. Why are you so upset about it? Planning on marrying me or something?"
That comment put Luke back in his good mood. "You wish Leia."
"Do I?" she asked. "Actually, I think I want someone a little taller."
"In that case, I should have left you with that king when he asked for you."
From when he was, Threepio shook his head. "Humans. I'll never understand them," he said to Artoo. "I can't properly place their relationship. According to my databases they show some of the signs of a romantic relationship, but for the most part, it's platonic. Very confusing."
"Stop talking or I'm going to shut you down," Leia said to the droid, but he was right.
Luke and Leia both knew where they stood in their relationship even though other people didn't see it. People thought they were too close, but they both knew no one would understand their friendship if they didn't know what they had been through and shared in the last two years. Beyond some of Leia's casual flirting and teasing, something Luke had gotten used to by now and didn't turn scarlet over, they were just friends more like siblings really.
Luke shut down the ship and then pulled his weapons belt from under his seat. Leia was already ready with her arms crossed. The sooner they did this the better. They walked down the ramp of the ship together followed by Threepio and Artoo. Luke didn't know what they'd do without the two droids. They had saved their lives many times over in their missions and it always had to do with little things that Luke and Leia never would have thought about.
When they got to the bottom of the ramp, the king and queen were waiting for them with royal guards. Leia looked around and then looked at Luke.
They call this a palace?
Luke mentally sighed. You act like a real spoiled princess sometimes.
So you tell me all the time. But this is more like a large mansion than a palace.
The torgruta aren't as rich is that other king we met, or even as rich as the Queen of Naboo. They don't put as much value on large palaces.
You sure we're going to get paid for this well?
Luke didn't reply and nodded his head to the king and queen. Leia regarded then silently for a moment before doing the same.
"If our ship is at all damaged or we find out you're trying to set us up, believe me when I say your lost princess isn't the only thing you'll have to worry about," Leia warned.
"Sorry about her. That's my sister's way of saying hello," Luke explained.
Leia!
I'm just warning them. In this kind of work, we always have to meet people with the expectation that they'll betray us later. We don't need what happened with Marina happening here.
You don't have to remind me. I remember what happened. It was my fault, remember? Luke snapped and then closed their link.
Leia sighed. Luke was having one of his mood swings again. It hadn't been entirely Luke's fault. Leia had let her guard with Marina too, simply because Luke had trusted the girl back on Corellia. They met the girl in their efforts to take over a ship that was headed to an unknown location where some big imperial project was being built. Luke and Leia assumed it was the Death Star they had been investigating. It had taken much planning and the two had been there the better part of a month, meeting Marina in the process. It wasn't so much that Luke actually trusted Marina, than the fact that he really liked her. Normally Leia was the one that regarded everyone with wary but because Luke liked her so much even she let her guard down.
As it turned out, Marina had been working for the Imperial that was chartering the flight. It had very nearly gotten Leia killed when she found out what Marina had done, and tried to stop her. Leia had never seen Luke so angry in her life except maybe the night they left Tatooine. Since then Luke was a little harder and wary of people, and though Leia hated that it happened, she was glad it got Luke to open up his eyes a little. Sometimes he forgot they weren't on some great adventure that would end all happy and perfect like in the movies.
"So tell us exactly what happened to your princess and who took her?" Luke asked.
The queen explained about the neighboring tribe and how although they had always had tense relationships, they were never hostile until a minor disagreement a few months ago.
"They infiltrated our palace and kidnapped our princess a few days ago."
"And you're sure she's alive?" Luke asked. The last thing they needed was to go looking for someone that was already dead.
"They wouldn't kill her yet," the king said. It was the first time he had spoke. Luke opened up his senses to the man and found he wasn't happy about getting outside help to find their princess, especially from two kids.
"Why not?" Leia asked playing with her blaster.
"Because they've been trying to use her as leverage to expand the lands of their tribe," the king replied. "But there's only so long that we can hold out."
"And then what?" Luke asked getting the feeling that he wouldn't like the answer.
"Either we give in or our daughter dies," the king replied.
The queen glared at him. "That is not an option!"
Luke nodded. "Don't worry. Me and Padmé will get her back."
In the last two years, Padmé was only one of the names Leia had used to keep her identity secret, but it was also her most common while Luke's most common name was Anakin (even though he adamantly denied being related to Anakin Skywalker).
"Where is this other tribe?" Leia asked.
"West of our city, about ten miles," one of the guards said.
"That's pretty close for a rival tribe," Leia pointed out. "How long have they given you?"
"We have two more standard days. They gave us a week," the queen said.
Luke exchanged a look with Leia.
"And you didn't call us sooner because…?"
The queen shrugged. "My husband is stubborn, but we heard about you and thought with your unique abilities you could help us."
"We'll need to get on this right away," Luke said. "Do you have a speeder we can use?"
"You won't be able to take the main paths. They'll see you coming. You'll have to go through the scrub lands from behind the village. It'll take a little longer to get to the palace the tribe, but you'll arrive mainly undetected," the queen said.
"That is, if you don't get attacked by the predators that hide in the turu grass," the king added.
Leia raised her eyebrow. "What's that?" she asked.
"It's the meter high grass that grows in our wild scrublands. It's very dangerous because of its colors, predators easily hide in it," the king said with a small smile.
Luke had the feeling that the king really didn't want them there and was hoping they failed. He heard torgrutas had a lot of pride, and it was probably killing him to have to ask for outside help.
"Alright Padmé," Luke said nodding to her. "Let's go."
The king looked at them in surprise. "You do not need to plan?"
Leia sighed as she looked at Luke. "We almost never do," she said though it wasn't her fault. Luke still had some adventurous farm boy tendencies in him despite the fact that his eyes were opened to some harsh realities over the last two years, particularly betrayal. That never stopped him from rushing into things though. It was the reason they were here now. They should have been looking for information on the super project of the Empire, The Death Star.
Over the last few months, they heard whispers of it from some higher ranking Imperials. Most didn't know about it. Luke heard that it had the fire power to take out a planet in one blast. Leia didn't care what it did, all she cared about were the excessive amounts labor that was needed for the project which meant slavery or darn near close to it with some of the wages she heard people were paid. They were mostly poor workers.
Either way, they both wanted to find it and had scourged the galaxy to find where it was being built just to get a good look at it, but so far, no luck.
As soon as we're done here, we need to go back to searching for this crazy super weapon, Leia sent.
Fine, Luke said following the royal guards to the grasslands.
They stopped at the edge of it and Threepio jumped as a loud roar was heard. Luke and Leia looked at it without fear, even though it grew over both their heads. Leia grabbed it and raised an eyebrow at the red on one side and white on the other.
"Oh my…" Threepio said. "Master, would you mind if I just stayed here with-."
"No way Threepio. We need you and Artoo," Luke pointed out and then turned to Artoo. "Let us know if you sense any life forms before we do."
"We'll be back tomorrow," Leia said to the king and started into the grass. When they began to get deep in the forest she turned to Luke. "I can't believe you talked me into this."
"Oh come on Leia. It's simple enough," Luke replied.
"Sure," Leia said as she felt with the force to see if they were going in the right direction.
That was another change in the last few years… Well, it wasn't as much a change as it was development. Their powers had only increased and although Luke and Leia didn't know how it worked, they knew it had something to do with faith and confidence in what they were doing which was the reason they were stronger in desperate situations.
They were silent as they walked and even Luke was beginning to wonder why he had agreed to this. So far, nothing was happening.
Please don't think that, Leia sent picking up on Luke's thoughts. Because the moment you do is the moment-.
"Argh!"
Luke and Leia felt the warning before they ever heard the roar and stopped. Artoo began to roll around in anticipation and began communicating frantically.
"Artoo," Threepio chided. "You're talking to fast. We don't know what you're saying."
"What direction is it coming from?" Luke asked pressing his back against Leia's.
Artoo made a single beep and Luke turned to the west taking out his blaster and shooting into the grass. Whatever was in the grass didn't like what he'd done and Leia pushed him out the way just as a large creature with orange fur and sharp teeth came into their view.
"The king was right. This grass is the perfect camouflage. We were about to walk right into it," Leia yelled as she and Luke got up.
The beast roared and charged at them. Leia got off a shot at the beast and ran around the beast.
"Threepio!" Luke shouted. "What is that?"
Threepio, who was cowering behind a rock, gasped as the beast started to run to where he was.
"According to my databases, that an Akul. It's the only thing the torgruta fear. It's known to destroy their villages and destroy local ecosystems."
"I can see why they fear it," Leia said hoping one of her blast would penetrate the beast's skin. "It's huge!"
"It usually takes a whole tribe to take one down. Facing one is a sign of great courage among them," Threepio added.
"What good is courage if it gets you killed?" Luke asked and leapt into the air over beast. It reached up with one of its forearms and slashed his arm. He yelped in pain and then ducked out the way as it charged at him and continued on to Threepio who hurried away, but the Akul was too fast. It grabbed Threepio in its powerful jaws.
"Threepio!" Luke yelled and ran to the Akul. It swiped at him and Luke wisely backed away.
"Oh no!" Threepio cried. "This is the end for me Master Luke! Miss Leia! Save yourselves. It was a pleasure to sure you these last two years."
"Most dramatic droid in the galaxy," Leia said rolling her eyes and Artoo whistled in agreement as it went up to the side of the beast and shocked it only succeeding in irritating the beast further.
However, in its irritation it flung Threepio aside, the only damage being that one of his legs was broken off.
"Ohhh," Threepio moaned pathetically.
"If it takes a whole kriffing village of torgruta to take one of these down, what hope do we have?" Leia asked.
"There's got to be something!" Luke muttered as he kept moving around to keep the beast confused so it wouldn't charge. Just then, a ball of light appeared in front of him and dance around him, the spirit that Leia claimed her mother sent to help them.
"What is it?" he asked. The light rose over the top of the beast and then to the big rock that was near them.
Luke looked at the beast and then the rock as it dawned on him what the spirit was saying. The problem was neither he nor Leia had tried to lift something so heavy with the force before. They were usually limited to chairs or doing silly things like passing food to each other.
"Luke," Leia shouted. "If the Akul could use the turu grass for camouflage maybe we can too."
"Alright. Do it. I've got an idea. Artoo. Hide behind the rock," Luke said as he ran a few feet from the Akul and lied low in the grass. The beast roared and looked for its prey in confusion. It began to smell the air.
Alright. Now for you part, Leia sent telepathically.
See that rock? Your spirit friend suggested we lift it over the Akul with the force and crush it.
Luke felt the doubt in his and Leia's bond as she said, But we've never lifted anything so heavy before. I can barely lift a chair. How?
We've always been more powerful when we work together. Come on Leia. We can do this. We can lift that rock.
I don't know…
If we doubt it we'll never do it. Besides, we don't really have the time to debate on this.
Leia sighed. Alright.
Just picture the rock doing what we want it to do. I always find it easier that way, Luke said and Leia nodded.
Luke closed his eyes and touched his bond with Leia so that their energy combined. He pictured the rock floating into the air. Artoo began to whistle excitedly and Luke knew it was working.
"Almost there," Leia muttered feeling the mental strain as the rock lifted higher into the air.
The beast didn't wonder why the rock was floating. All it knew was that Artoo was suddenly back in its line of sight. It charged for the droid.
"Wait for it," Luke muttered.
"And…" Leia said
"Now," they said together just as the beast got under the rock as it chased after Artoo who was rolling away.
The rock crushed the beast with a sickening crunch of bone. Leia stood up and raced to where Artoo was looking at the dead Akul. Luke approached a little slower, his bleeding arm slowing him down.
Artoo said something to them and Luke nodded.
"Yeah buddy. I think it's dead."
Leia sighed and began to curse under her breath as she searched her back pack. She pulled out some bandages and bacta before pulling Luke to her all the while continuing to swear.
"They could have told us about this," she snapped.
"They did," Luke pointed out. "It's our fault for not being alert enough. The grass hides predators."
"All I know is that this had better be worth it in the end," Leia snapped as she hastily wrapped Luke's arm up. She didn't have time to do it properly.
Luke tested it and then stood up. "Come on princess," he said and Leia scowled at the nickname. It wasn't a compliment when Luke called Leia princess. When he called her princess, it meant she was acting like a spoiled brat. "We still have a long ways to go. We've already lost time fighting that thing.
"Wait what about-?"
"Oh," they heard Threepio moan and ran to the droid's side.
"There's no hope for me Master Luke," and the teens rolled their eyes at the dramatic display. "Leave without me. I'll just continue to slow you down."
"Looks like we're going to be losing a little more time," Leia said sighed as she started to help Luke attach Threepio's leg to him.
It took them longer than usual to re-attach Threepio's leg because the Akul had ripped some important circuits, but as soon as they were done, they started back towards their destination. They needed to make it to the other tribe before it got dark. No telling what beasts were out at night. If they hadn't taken Threepio and Artoo, they could have made better time. When they finally got to the edge of the village, the sun was starting to set, and Leia was grumpier than usual.
"You must be going through your phase," Luke pointed out as he looked through the binoculars to case the village.
"What phase?" Leia asked looking through her own binoculars.
You know. The one you go through every month, Luke sent as a torgruta walked past the bushed they were crouched in.
Leia blushed. I am not!
Then it must be coming so. You're always in a nasty mood before it and for the first day or so, Luke pointed out with a grin.
You're not supposed to know!
How can I not? We live together. Remember?
Leia groaned slightly and then removed her binoculars as she turned to Luke.
"It looks like the security isn't very tight. They must not expect a lot of enemies to invade them," Leia pointed out.
"They're a small village. Not as big as the one we just came from. They're palace is kind of small," Luke said. "This place hasn't been bothered by the empire much it appears."
"Another reason we should have never come here. It's under the jurisdiction of the empire," Leia muttered.
"This shouldn't be too hard. Artoo and Threepio will stay here. Me and you will sneak inside the palace, get the princess and leave. We'll use our stealth," Luke explained.
Stealth was a power they had recently discovered in the force. When they didn't want to be seen or found, usually, they weren't. Leia had discovered that on one of their missions and Luke was glad she had. He didn't want to have to kill someone unnecessarily. Since the day they had left Tatooine, he had never used the force to kill anyone again, but when it came to Leia he certainly felt like doing so sometimes. It made him nervous when he felt like that. It was like Luke wasn't in control of himself anymore or aware of anything except the sole task he was doing. He tried to avoid using that part of the force even though the only time he wanted to use it was when he was angry or desperate.
"You're talking like this is going to be easy," Leia replied.
"It's not like we have to get around some high tech security or something Leia. Really…"
Leia sighed. "You would think you know by now that nothing is ever that easy for us. If I recall, we can never leave anywhere without someone being injured, collapsing a building, getting chased, setting something on fire, or a combination of all of it. I'm betting on getting chased and setting something on fire today."
"But that's the fun in it," Luke said with a grin.
"Let's just go. I have a bad feeling about all of this," Leia said getting up. "We can hide in the bushes and go around the perimeter of the bushes and through the gardens to enter the palace from the back."
"Now you're making this sound easy," Luke said gesturing for Artoo and Threepio to stay put.
They tiptoed around the perimeter of the village until they got to the gardens settled behind the palace. Then they started through the small garden. Leia stopped a few times to look at some of the different vegetation. She wondered if any of it was safe for humans. They easily snuck through the back of the small palace and reached out with their senses to show them the direction of the princess.
"This was," Luke said starting to walk around the corner.
Leia pulled out her blaster, grabbed Luke's shoulder and pulled him back just as a torgruta royal guard came around the corner with a long spear in hand. She took one shot at him and he fell to the ground.
He had long since become accustomed to it, but Leia's casualness when it came to killing even when necessary still amazed him. She didn't usually ask too many questions. In fact, she didn't really ask them at all. Her coldness worried Luke sometimes. If he had to do a mental evaluation of her, he'd say she was a bit of a psychopath. The only thing that disproved that was the fact that she cared so much for the well being of those who couldn't help themselves.
"Don't worry," Leia said reading his mind. "It was set to stun. I didn't kill him."
"Good," Luke said. He liked to avoid killing anyone on this simple mission. They started down the halls and then took a turn that led to the back of the palace. It was a little darker, less light and Luke assumed it was their version of a detention bay.
"This is it," Leia said walking slowly as she took noted of the cages made of strong wood. "I wonder how these things open. I don't see any locks on them."
Luke shrugged. All of the cages were empty except one near the back. He went to it and stared in disbelief. Leia felt it through his bond, went to stand next to him, and looked in shock for a moment before throwing her hands in the air.
"Oh for the love of the force," she said. "They sent us after a baby! A baby Luke! She doesn't look like she can walk. I thought we were at least talking about a, I don't know, six year old who could follow instructions."
Luke bent down to look at the sleeping child and smiled at Leia. "Come on Leia. It's not so bad. Besides, it's easy that way. She can't be hardheaded."
"Luke, babies cry. She's going to blow our cover or attract every predator within a two mile radius on our way back," Leia complained all the while trying to figure out a way to open the cage.
"How would you know?"
Leia gave him a pointed look. "I was a slave! I took care of little spoiled brats and it always got me in trouble."
Luke would also add dual personality to his mental evaluation of Leia. She was caring one moment and then calling children brats the next.
"We could sure use Artoo right now. He could have cut this wood, whatever it is," Luke said. "Don't you have a dagger on you or something?"
Leia took out a small knife and began trying to cut away at the wood. It wasn't working that well but she was making slow progress. A warning tickled her senses and Leia stopped to meet Luke's gaze. Something was very wrong about all this.
Did you feel that? Luke asked.
Yeah… something's not right.
Wait a minute, Luke said and then paused. We're in a detention area where they're holding the princess of their rival tribe hostage and there are no guards posted and no one's detected our presence. Don't torgruta have some kind of senses with their headtails?"
Leia put down the knife and grabbed her blaster. This is way too easy…
Luke and Leia had long since learned that if they were accomplishing their goal without many hassels, then it was trap or the desired thing they wanted wasn't there. Since they had found the princess…
Luke duck just in time to miss a torgruta jump out the shadows with a long spear. He swept him from under his feet. The torgruta fell over and managed to stab himself in the chest during his fall. Meanwhile, Leia was trying to wrestle a spear out a female guard's hands while another came behind her. Luke started to telepathically warn her, but Leia sensed the other guard and twisted around so that the woman she was wrestling got stabbed instead.
She took the spear twirled it in her hands and blocked the spear the other guard tried to swipe at her with one hand while aiming her blaster with the other. She fired a blast to the guard's stomach and he fell over.
Leia ran over to where Luke was and picked up her knife.
"We have to get out of here," she said working with more effort to cut the cages and then blinked. The part she cut had grown back.
"What the-?"
Leia was cut off as she jumped when Luke kicked someone that was coming up behind her.
"I'll take care of the guards. Get the princess," Luke yelled taking out one of his blasters and jumping over the spear.
While Leia had no qualms about killing someone, Luke only wanted to disarm the guards and so aimed a shot at his wrist so he'd drop the spear. But it seemed like every time he disabled one guard, another followed until her was surround by at least five guards all with their spears pointed at him as Leia furiously worked to cut the cage.
"Surrender now and we will make your execution quick," one of the guards said.
"Thanks," Luke said dryly hooking his blaster. "But I like the option that involves me not being killed."
"You are surrounded," another torgruta said coming in the area and judging by his clothes, Luke guessed he was the chief or king of the tribe. "It would be pointless to keep fighting."
Luke sighed and put his hands up as if surrendering as he closed his eyes. He had to really concentrate if he wanted to pull this off…
He sensed one of the guards begin to walk towards him and then with a final prayer unleashed the power he had built up. The guards were pushed in various directions by an invisible force startling the chief.
"Jedi!" he shouted.
"Maybe the son of a jedi," Luke admitted. "But not a Jedi. Leia you got that ca-."
He was cut off by Leia's scream as a particularly big torgruta pulled her against him by the waist with the knife to her neck. Luke was sure other than doing his job which was to stop them from taking the baby princess, he meant no other harm to her. But seeing Leia like that, her eyes wide with panic as someone pressed her against them and she struggle in vain took him all the way back to that night on Tatooine.
"Surrender or I'll killed her right now," the guard said.
Luke was vaguely aware of what he said as he felt something dark creep up from inside him, the same feeling he had that night when he wanted Leia's master to die for the cruelty he had done to her.
Luke reached out his hand imagining it was around that guards bare throat.
"I said-." The guard stopped as he suddenly gasped for breath and dropped Leia from his grasp as he clawed at his neck. Leia sat on the ground with her hands over her face gasping for her herself.
If he hadn't been so focused on trying to kill the guard that had Leia, Luke probably would have sensed the guard behind him before he stunned him.
"Luke," Leia screamed and started to point her weapon before feeling a prodding in her back. She didn't even have to ask what they wanted. She slowly put her weapon on the floor next to her and raised her hands in surrender all the while cursing Luke for convincing her to do this.
Damn it!
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Luke opened his eyes slowly and blinked against the light of the day. He sat up and looked around. He was outside and in a cage… Slowly, it all came back to him, including the fact that he had tapped into something dark the night before in trying to protect Leia. Speaking of her… He looked around for Leia and saw her huddled in the corner with the baby torgruta in her lap fixed with a permanent frown on her face.
"I was wondering when you were going to wake up. You we're out all night," she said dryly staring straight ahead.
"I was," Luke said looking around. "What happened?"
"They stunned you, I surrendered, and now we're up for public execution," Leia explained simply. Luke had a feeling when they got out of this trouble Leia was going to kill him.
"How?" Luke asked.
"Well," Leia said her voice laced with sarcasm. "There's the huge fire and there are two ropes. So I'm guessing it'll be a combination of hanging and being burned alive."
Luke noticed the large fire in a pit in the ground and the rope, along with a huge gathering of the tribe.
"They don't take well to outsiders do they?" Luke pointed out.
"Especially when said outsiders break into their palace to take war prisoners. Note to self Luke, we're never getting in the middle of a war again," Leia said sighing.
"Why have you been in such a shitty mood?" Luke snapped.
"Because I had a bad feeling about this mission from the jump. I'm confident we're going to get out of this, but I want to get off this planet and pronto. I feel like something dark is watching me," Leia admitted.
"Want to know something?" Luke asked sitting next to her."
"What?"
"I did too, but I also felt we had to come," Luke said. "It's destiny."
"We won't have a destiny unless we get out of here," Leia pointed out. "They took all of our weapons and I still haven't figured out the cage. They just seemed to open for the torgruta.
"Wait!" Luke said. "Threepio and Artoo."
Leia blinked. "I forgot about them," she admitted and then looked around with a smirk. "Speak of the sith…"
The torgruta were bringing Artoo and Threepio to stand next to their cage. Threepio sighed with relief.
"Oh thank heavens," he said. "We were so worried about you Master Luke and Miss Leia. Artoo was in an awful mood when you left us and in an even more awful mood when the torgruta apprehended us. Next time, take him with you. He's horrible company when he's in a bad mood."
"I know the feeling," Luke said smirking at Leia who, despite herself, smiled.
Artoo began to speak indignantly and Threepio shook his head.
"Don't you deny it. You've been whining and moping around all night."
The chief stood up from the chair he was in making a grand announcement to the tribe and gesturing to the fire pit, the large tree, and the two ropes.
"Threepio," Luke said frantically. "What's he saying?"
"It's hard to be sure. The torgruta language is not just words, but it's also signs with their lekku and montrals. Some even think it may be a part of telepathy It orig-."
"We didn't ask for a kriffing history lesson Threepio. What's the chief saying? In general?" Leia added.
"You're to be hung… by your hands I belief and slowly cooked to death over the fire pit before they feed you to the predators of the scrublands," Threepio translated.
Luke and Leia let out a string of huttese obscenities at the same time before Leia said. "What about the princess?"
"She shall suffer the same fate, except they will personally deliver her corpse to her people," Threepio replied.
Artoo said something angrily and Leia nodded in agreement.
"It is sick," she said. "She's just a baby. I had no idea torgruta could be so barbaric."
"They are predators," Luke pointed out. "See the sharp teeth?"
"What now?"
"We figure out how this cage works," Luke determined.
"Too late," Leia said as guards came. They stopped in front of the cage and the wood seemingly melted away to create a hole in the cage. They pulled Luke out.
Leia knew she had to do something quick or she and Luke were toast, quite literally. She replayed the image of the torgruta opening the cage in her mind. He wade some kind of motion with his head tails and montrals. Threepio said it was also used as a form of communication, telepathy even. Leia snapped her fingers.
Perhaps the wood was more like a plant with a small level of conscious. That would explain why Leia could never cut it and it would also explain why the cage had no doors.
"Okay," she muttered so the torgruta guard wouldn't hear her. She imagined that doing this would be similar to communicating with Luke through their bond. She concentrated and felt the presence of the wood in the force… There was a very dim life… no it had plenty of life. This was more like conscious a dim one.
Luke, when I say so. Fight off the guards.
What? Luke said as he stopped, forgetting that there was rope tied around his hand and stumbling when they continued to tug him along to the pit.
Just do it.
Leia turned to Artoo. "You still got those two… things I stashed inside your compartment?"
Artoo beeped in the affirmative and Leia nodded. She touched the conscious of the wood again.
Open, she thought and then said it again for good measure. Open.
At first nothing happened and Leia thought she had failed until the wood began to melt apart again.
Luke now!
Luke stopped and yanked hard on his rope pulling the guard guiding him back. The guard standing next to the cage ran forward to help and Leia hurriedly stood up with the baby cradled in her arms and ran out the cage.
Artoo threw out one of the blasters to her and Leia caught it in her hands. With her almost perfect aim. She took out the two guards in two quick shots. Luke used one of the spears to cut away the ropes away from his wrist and then ran to where they were. By then the entire crowd was in an uproar and more guards were headed their way. Artoo tossed him the other blaster and Leia turned around ready to meet the guards.
"Don't worry," Luke said getting in front of her. "I'll hold them off. Get the princess away."
Leia nodded and took off with Threepio following closely behind her. Artoo decided to stay with Luke.
Luke grabbed one of the fallen spears and ran to meet the guards, careful not to get too close to the blazing fire. The chief stood up and yelled something in his native language and Luke didn't have to speak it to know it was something along the lines of, "Get that human child!" He had heard it many times before.
He carefully maneuvered under the spears even dropping to the ground a few times as the torgruta attacked him. They didn't expect him to shoot from below him. One shot got a guard in the leg and he stumbled back, right into the fire pit. The fire grew higher and sparks began to spew from the pit igniting the branch above it.
Luke heeded the warning he felt in his senses and shot the guard directly behind him, darting past the warrior in his distraction. As he ran, he set his blaster to stun. It seemed like even injuries didn't stop the aliens so it was better to knock them out. Just as he got out the way, the burning tree branch fell right onto the torgruta guards and set them aflame, if the branch hadn't crushed them. The phonetics from the chief changed, and Luke was thankful he was now more concerned about his village burning than about the prisoners escaping.
"Come on Artoo!" Luke yelled.
Leia meanwhile stopped to hide in a bush right on the perimeter of the village. The small forest on the edge of it made too much noise for her to risk continuing. If the guards following her heard her, she was dead. They ran much faster than she could.
Threepio laid flat on the ground in front of her. A guard was making his way near them. Leia sat stiffly as she watched him pass her and let out the breath she had been holding. Then the unthinkable happened. The baby began to stir out of its sleep and Leia shook her head. She knew from the night before that torgruta babies had strong lungs and if it woke up, it would start crying again.
Stay sleep. Don't wake up, Leia thought as she rocked the child gently. It was starting to work until a sudden uproar from the village startled her awake. The child began wailing.
"Stang," she swore barely able to comprehend what was happening as the spear came through the bushes and struck Threepio in the back denting his copper plating.
"Thank you!" Leia said silently to whatever entity was watching over her and open fired on the guard. It might have been excessive, but she couldn't get a clear shot and calm the baby at the same time.
"Leia!" she heard Luke yell. "Let's go while we have the chance."
Leia didn't need to be told twice as she came out the bushes followed by Threepio who was moaning about his back.
"We've got to go now," Luke said pulling her.
"On foot?" Leia asked rolling her eyes.
"I don't see anything that can help," Luke snapped.
"Not here. I saw some horses not too far from here when they were bringing us out," Leia said.
"Horses?" Luke said. "Man they really are stuck in the pre-galactic history."
"It's better than nothing," Leia said leading the way. They made it to the horses and Leia started to climb on one of them.
Artoo began to protest and Leia slapped her head. "Oh I forgot. Artoo."
Luke looked around and saw a water bin for the horses. Luke dumped out the water and helped get Artoo into it before taking off his belt and tying the bin to the saddle.
He got on a horse with Threepio who was fretting over how high they were and got the horse going following Leia who was already ahead of them. Artoo fell on his back in the bin and verbalized his displeasure. Luke looked back as they got on the main path out the city since they didn't need to sneak in anymore.
"Wow," Luke said with guilt. "That fire's really spread. Maybe we should go back and help. It was our fault…"
"Have you gone nuts?" Leia snapped as she balanced on the horse with one hand. "I'm putting as much distance between me and that city as possible."
An hour later, after they had slowed down rested before keeping on to the palace, Leia was still fussing.
"I swear Luke," Leia snapped trying to control the crying baby torgruta princess. "The next time someone asks us to save a baby princess or prince, we're charging them double our usual asking price."
"I thought we didn't have an asking price," Luke replied as they made their way to the tribal palace.
"We do when it come to these torgruta. Not only do they have rare jewels and wealth, but we're risking our lives being so close to the core," Leia snapped.
Luke rolled his eyes. "It's not that close. We're somewhere between the inner rim and the mid rim, the expansion region I think. Besides, as if we don't risk our lives all the time anyway."
"Whatever," Leia grumbled.
"Look. There's the city," Luke pointed out.
Leia would have jumped off the horse and started running towards it if it weren't for the princess in her arms. When they got to the palace two torgruta guards with many knifes and two long swords crossed over their backs greeted them at the gates and let them through. They made their way directly into the palace and then to the throne room. The queen and king were sitting there and both Luke and Leia bowed in respect.
"Is this yours?" Leia asked holding out the child with disdain. She and Luke had gone through a lot of trouble for the child.
"I hope you didn't go through a lot of trouble," the queen said softly obviously trying to contain her joy, as a servant took the princess.
"Oh no," Leia said sarcastically. "Just sneaking into the palace, taking on royal guards, getting captured and threatened to be hung and burned, along with having nearly getting stabbed to death in a bush when the baby started crying. But other than that. No trouble at all…"
Leia! Luke sent and the said girl sighed.
The king looked at her passively and said, "We will certainly compensate you for your trouble."
"Heavily," Leia added.
"As you wish," he said and then turned to the servants. "Escort Mr. Kyle and Miss Kyla to a room for the night, where they can clean up and get some rest."
"Thank you," Luke said mentally nudging Leia to keep her mouth closed. "Is they somewhere we can get our droids cleaned up?"
"We will take care of that," the queen said and Luke thought she would probably give them just about anything for bringing her daughter back.
Luke and Leia bowed slightly and followed the servants out the throne room and down the hall.
"Luke," Leia said softly as they walked.
"What is it princess," Luke said sensing that whatever Leia was saying was going to be demanding.
Leia ignored the insult and said, "When we leave this Shili, you're taking me on a vacation."
"As you wish princess."
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In the next chapter, Luke and Leia are captured on board a Star Destroyer in command of Commander Nyklas who has orders from Darth Vader himself to keep them alive, although the dark lord didn't specify how. Thankfully and surprisingly to Luke and Leia, the Lieutenant charged with making sure they don't escape, Han Solo, isn't anywhere near as bad as his superior officer. But that doesn't mean Luke and Leia want any more to do with him when they escape. That is until he refuses Nyklas when he's ordered to skin a wookie alive after he attempts to escape.
AN: I'm so totally pissed right now. I don't even have anymore comments besides those in the beginning. Again, excuse any mistakes that I may have missed on account of my anger. Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!