As it turns out, Bald Man's ship was actually a landspeeder. They had been traveling in it for sometime now across the Western Dune Sea. Baldie had not said a single word the entire time while his knuckles had turned white as he steered. Ahsoka had been trying to mend Lolly, who had been kept under her belt. Almost all the mud has been wiped off, and her skirt was torn, but besides that she seemed fine.
"Um, where are we heading to?" Ahsoka asked. R7 chirped quietly behind her.
"You'll know when we arrive there." Baldie said with a shakey voice. His face was as white as snow. Ahsoka sighed and continued to clean off Lolly.
After more miles of sand, sand, and more sand, Ahsoka could see what Baldie was heading to. A huge metal and stone palace in the distance. She had been there before, with Anakin. They had almost died there, too.
"They're at...Jabba's Palace?" She asked, uncertain. R7 beeped nervously.
Bald Man nodded. "He told me this was where he was heading. That's why he needed my friend's speeder. He said he needed to get away from a Jedi, and quickly. He threatened me until I finally gave in. He told me if I told you where he was heading, it would be the biggest mistake of my life."
Ahsoka felt a tad bad for him. "Don't worry, I won't mention you at all."
Baldie gave a sigh of relief and then stopped at Jabba's Palace. Ahsoka climbed out of the speeder, R7 following her. "I won't be here to take you back!" Baldie called out to her.
"It's fine! I'll find another way back!" She said to him. He quickly drove away from her. Ahsoka braced herself and tucked Lolly under her belt. "Well, R7, "She said to her astro droid, "Let's get this over with."
According to the people of Teth, Cad Bane had not been here for quiet some time. Anakin was getting a bit restless. He and Obi-Wan had been searching for him for almost three days now. According to Obi-Wan's sorces, Bane should be here.
"Let's go, Anakin." Obi-Wan said as he walked toward their ship. His former Padawan followed. "You seem upset," Obi-Wan observed. "Don't worry. That bounty hunter will be tracked down in no time."
"It's not just that, master." Anakin said, looking toward the ship, "Bane made a threat against my family, and now someone told you he's been passing information to the Sith."
"Yes, and that's why we're doing all we can to capture him." The other Jedi told him, "Just because he isn't here dosen't mean he's disapeared completely."
"I know." Anakin sighed. They boarded the ship, R2-D2 rolling in behind them. When Obi-Wan started up the engines, Anakin contacted his wife. He promised he would after they finished on Teth, and he also wanted to know who she found for a babysitter.
"Anakin?" Padme asked. "Are you alright? Did you catch Bane?"
"Unfortunally, no. I'm alright, though." He told her hologram. "How's Bail doing?"
"Oh, he'll be fine. Breha and I have been taking cae of him. I think she's glad that I can to help her." She smiled at him, "Also, guess who's looking after the twins?"
"I swear, if you hired Jar Jar, I will go there and-"
"No, no!" Padme laughed, "Ahsoka's babysitting."
Anakin was surprised, "Ahsoka? Ahsoka Tano? My Padawan Ahsoka? She's babysitting?"
"Yes." His wife said putting a hand on her hip, "She was on Naboo refeuling and I asked her and she said, 'Sure'."
"Wow, didn't see that coming." He said. "Is she doing okay?"
"Last time I checked she was getting the twins ready for bed."
Anakin nodded, "Alright. I'll check on her soon. Right now we're about to go into hyperspace, so I'll talk to you later."
"Okay. I love you." She told him.
"Love you, too." He said. Then her image flickered away.
Criminals, bounty hunters, and thugs. That is what Ahsoka was surrounded by. She never enjoyed Jabba's Palace, it was dark and loud and way too crowded. A few mind tricks on the guards and she had gotten in, but now that she was, where should she start looking for Bane and Robonino?
R7 had been closely beside her the entire time. Ahsoka had gotten the impression that he wasn't exactly comfortable here either. They had been strolling around the party for a while now, doing their best of not sticking out.
Reach out with the Force. She could almost imagine Anakin saying. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, reaching out all across the party area. The Force allowed her to listen in to other's conversations while she relaxed and listened.
"I swear Greedo, if you don't pay up now, you'll find your head on Jabba's dinner plate!" A tall, Human man was yelling at a Rodian. Ahsoka shook her head and listened elsewhere.
"...Yeah we broke up years ago, ever since he cheated on me with that Aruzan dancer." said a yellow Twi'lek female to her friend. Ahsoka shook her head again and focused harder.
"Oh, you're so sweet, Robonino." A blue bikini clad Twi'lek girl purred to a Patrolian with an eye patch. Ahsoka's eyes shot open and she then rushed over to the corner where the bounty hunter was hiding.
The couple looked up to find her standing at the edge of their table, one hand on her lightsaber, the other ontop of the table. "Remeber me?" Ahsoka asked glaring at Robonino.
The Patrolian was looking around her, as if he were hoping someone would help him out of this mess. The Twi'lek girl look confused, "Baby, who is this?" She asked innocently.
"Nobody." He said as he stood up. As he started to reach for his blaster, he said, "You might want to leave now." The girl nodded and fled from them.
The two enimes stared each other down for a few moments as more of the crowd hid the spot where they were. "Where's the twins?" Ahsoka asked in a threatening tone.
"Not here, young one." The bounty hunter said as a grin appeared on his fish-like face. Ahsoka Force-pushed him up against the wall. He dangled there as his blaster fell.
"Then, where are they?" She asked in a threatening tone.
"L-listen. Bane just dropped me off here to throw you off course! I have no idea-" He pleaded. Ahsoka didn't believe him. She Force-pushed him to the ground and stood over top of his pathetic body, her lightsaber still pointed at him.
"If you don't tell me where they are right now, I will shove my lightsaber through your neck!" She yelled. Party guests were beginning to stare, but she could care less.
"He didn't tell me anything except he'll give me my share when he returns! I swear-"
"TELL ME!" Ahsoka yelled. R7 was now beside her. He whistled to her, and she sighed, knowing he was right. She should calm down.
"OKAY! Okay!" Robonino said holding his fin-like hands up. "Bane told me where he was handing the kids off to the boss." He then whispered the location to her. It was quiet enough so only she could hear it, and none of the other guests.
"Alright then." She said as she let him stand up. She walked over and cut his blaster in half with her weapon. He was about to say something to her, but she held up a hand and cut him off, "If you lied to me, I will hunt you down with my master, Anakin Skywalker." His red eyes widened as he reconized the name. "Yeah, and I bet he won't be pleased when he finds out that you helped kidnap his kids."
Ahsoka then left the scene as Robonino's Twi'lek girlfriend came back to see if he was alright. R7 followed her as she left the palace and 'borrowed' a speeder to get back to her ship and on with the rescue mission.
The tall man had landed the ship again, only this time to take Luke and Leia out of the dark room. He pointed his blaster at them as he led them out of the ship and into a planet covered in red water and black skies.
Leia was shivering beside her brother, even though it was very warm here. Luke looked up at the tall man, "Why is there red water?"
"Stupid kid, it's lava!" He growled. Luke's mouth fell open. Mommy told him 'stupid' was a mean word. The tall man led them inside a black building where they walked down many hallways before they stopped.
Leia clutched her belly again and Luke wondered if it hurt like before. He then felt bad too, like something had entered him that shouldn't be there. Tall man moved them into a large room and made them stand there until a dark figure came foward.
"Well done, Bane. It looks like you did bring them here in one piece." The figure said as he came foward. He leaned down to Luke, his cloak covering his wrinkled face. "My, how you look like your father."
*Whew!* Sooo sorry this took a while to post, but I seriously have been busy. I really hope you enjoyed it and I promise to get the next chapter out sooner. In the meantime, I really appreaciate all the reviews guys. They motivate me and keep me going. Thanks to you all:)