"The Mighty Jabba demands to know what you are doing here."
The protocol droid spoke in a hollow, metallic voice that didn't sound even remotely like a demand. I only barely held in a snicker, only keeping my street face by the knowledge that losing my cool could potentially be the same thing as losing my life.
"I need work," I spoke respectfully, but with a slight growl to my voice that would help show that I would make a tough hunter for hire. "A bounty hunter, assassin, whatever."
The immense slug-like creature in front of me let out another string of vowels and syllables that made up Huttese, the most widely-spoken language on Tattoine.
"The Mighty Jabba," the droid creaked, "would like to know if you would be able to kill a Force-user. He says he is in need of lightsabers to decorate his wall."
"Sure," I snorted slightly, knowing that no Jedi could beat me in a saber duel.
"Good. There is a young Jedi Padawan who has recently escaped from the feared Citadel that goes by the name of Linx."
My heart stopped. Kill someone I'd just saved? This Hutt must be crazy!
"Anyone else?" It took all my energy just to keep my voice from croaking nervously.
Jabba thought for a moment, thoughtfully popping a small frog-being into his mouth.
Please be an enemy, I thought to myself desperately, please be an enemy.
"There is another," the droid spoke, shattering my thoughts. I swelled with anticipation.
"Yes?"
"A Sith apprentice they call BloodLust."
My stomach dropped, taking my heart with it. They had to be joking.
"You're sure there are no others?" I asked, a small bead of sweat running down my forehead.
"No,"
I gritted my teeth, squeezing my eyes shut. If there was no way I would kill Linx, there was even less way I would kill Blood. It just wouldn't happen.
But I had to choose. I knew the slimy Hutt wouldn't wait for very long before he dumped me into his Rancor pit, or worse.
I took a shaky breath, pulling out my blaster. I hefted it in my palm, feeling its weight, running m fingers across its smoothe surface. Who would it kill easier: Linx or Blood?
I opened my eyes, those eyes that flamed such a bloody red, and they narrowed into deadly slits.
"Have you made your decision?" the droid spoke dully. I looked up, staring the my slug employer in his sickly yellow eye.
"Yes, I have," I stood up straighter, my muscles relaxed, my mind at ease.
"I choose you."
"Master Yoda?" Linx peered cautiously into the meditation room.
"Yes, young one?" The small green creature's voice cracked with age, but still held that unmistakable quirkiness of a youngling. "Come and speak to me, you may."
The Padawan stepped into the small area, pausing for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dim lighting and serene shadows.
"Master Yoda, I keep having visions. They're very indistinct." The black-haired boy cut to the chase, not wanting to waste another sleepless night dwelling on what could happen.
"Come meditate with me, why do you not?" Yoda patted a thick pillow next to him, and Linx obliged, easing himself down with a sigh.
"Just close your eyes," the comforting voice of the Jedi Master filled the teen's head, swirling around as the deep crimsons and rusts of the meditation room turned to black. "Close them and relax…"
Soon enough, the deep, even breathing of Master Yoda fell away to be replaced by footsteps and gunshots. The serenity fell away to disorder, the comfort to fire.
And there was that girl in the middle of it all, her brown hair swirling, her scarlet eyes flashing, clearly loving every minute of it. Her face beamed, she looked so happy and at home with the anarchy and chaos. The setting changed to thick metal walls, electric traps, and cruel guards. It was a frightening place, a place Linx knew well.
The Citadel.
Immediately, the Padawan knew this was a vision of the past. He saw himself being carried by Master Kiri, and he felt his bones creak together and old bruises flare up as his limbs smacked ruthlessly together. Battle droids and Droidekas rolled back and forth, blasting shots at the escapees and calling orders to one another in deadly, undecipherable code.
But he knew he was safe. He was with his master, after all. She had never failed him before, and she never would.
But then he noticed something. She looked… different. She was no longer the calm, collected Kiri he had come to know and love, but a panicked, terrified Rodian who was lost and afraid.
Suddenly, he did not feel so safe.
Linx looked around to see that every other refugee's face had the same expression, hopeless, beaten down.
And the there was the girl, leading them on confidently, her ruby blades blazing a path for them through the droids.
So she really is a Sith. The boy heard her speak the word Jedi with more hate and malice than he'd ever heard in his life, and his heart sank. Linx felt his stomach coil up into confused knots as he thought...
He saw her shove the refugees into a ship to rescue them from commando droids, risking her own life.
And she really did save my life.
He woke from his vision with determination burning red-hot in his eyes.
"Going, where are you?" Yoda jerked up, startled, as the teen sprinted out of the room.
"I don't know!" Linx cried out as he head towards a nearby ship. "The Force will guide me!"
Yoda gazed after him, pride glowing in his eyes for a brief second before he adopted a wise expression.
"Tell your master, what should I?" he asked, tilting his head to one side.
"Tell her she was right!"
those were the last words Yoda heard before the Padawan blasted off, turning into nothing more that a speck of light amongst distant stars.
She was right, Linx thought to himself as he burst towards where the Force told him to go.
Everyone deserves a second chance.