Chapter 93
AN: Sorry for how long this has taken. I hope everyone enjoys it though!
It was around midday and Jabba was lounging when Ari realized that Luke was setting his plan, whatever it was, into action.
She was coming back from a short lunch break, which had once again not tasted very good, when she spotted a pair of familiar droids. One was the short, domed form of R2-D2. The other was the nervous, golden human like form of C-3PO. Not wanting to be seen, Ari let the other dancers pass her. When Arica walked by, she shot Ari a look that was so cold, it made Hoth look warm. However, Ari did not say anything. Instead, she pretended to be tying the laces of her boots, watching the two droids carefully, though she had to look down to make the tying of her laces look real.
When she stood up, she saw a holographic image. It was the one that Luke had recorded the night before she had arrived. She had missed the first line of the message since she had been crouching. "I know that you are powerful, mighty Jabba, and that your anger with Solo must be equally powerful. I seek an audience with Your Greatness to bargain for Solo's life. With your wisdom, I'm sure that we can work out an arrangement which will be mutually beneficial and enable us to avoid any unpleasant confrontation. As a token of my goodwill, I present to you a gift: these two droids."
"What did he say?" Threepio spoke up and Ari felt bad for the droid. She understood Luke's reasoning as to why he had not informed the droid, but Threepio seemed very surprised and worried.
"Both are hardworking and will serve you well," the hologram of Luke continued then disappeared as Threepio spoke up again.
"This can't be! Artoo, you're playing the wrong message!"
While she didn't understand Huttese, the Hutt's booming laughter was the only answer Ari needed to hear to know that Jabba would not accept Luke's offer. Luke knew that though. Whatever his plan was, he must have anticipated this.
Her attention was caught as Threepio spoke again. "Artoo, look! Captain Solo. And he's still frozen in carbonite." Ari found herself glancing over at the wall again, though she disliked it. Seeing Han like that was not something she wanted to keep looking at. His face was twisted and his hands up, fingers bent, as if he was trying to claw his way out of his carbonite prison.
Finally, she looked away and saw the droids being led away, probably to be given assignments. While she was glad to see them, she hoped that they would not be stationed in places near the dancers. R2 would not say anything, but Threepio certainly would.
She didn't have time to think about this though because the band was starting to play once more which meant it was time to dance. While she had only been here a short time, she felt slightly more confident. She was not good enough to be Jabba's favorite, like Oola who was attached to his dais. However, she was not bad enough that they would get rid of her.
In just a few minutes the audience chamber was more alive as the band played faster songs and the dancers moved around. Oola was the center of attention it seemed. Ari would hate that, but she was glad that meant that the attention was no longer on her.
Soon, Yarna d'al' Gargan joined Oola in the center of the room, dancing with her. Yarna d'al' Gargan was an Askajian. Ari had never seen one before, but had heard that she was doing this to get enough money to find her children which, in Ari's mind, was a very noble cause.
While this was occurring, Ari saw Rystáll, Lyn Me and Greeata line up close by the band. Aside from Oola and Yarna d'al'Gargan, they were the ones that had been there the longest and thus were held in higher esteem than those like Ari and Arica who had just started.
"You should sit this one out until I can hear how well you sing," Melina told her before making her rounds around the various beings in the audience chamber. Arica was also standing off to the side so Ari was fairly certain that she had been told the same thing.
At least, that was what she first thought until she saw another figure by the dancing girl. A shining, golden figure. Threepio. Ari felt her eyes narrow as she watched them. She didn't trust Arica, and Threepio was only too willing to answer any questions asked.
Each moment that they spoke made Ari feel more nervous. She could not go over there though, because Threepio would certainly would address her. She had heard the horror stories of what happened to those who could cause harm to Jabba. So all she could do was stay out of sight until Bib Fortuna went to the pair and sent Threepio hurrying to Jabba.
Ari's attention was pulled to the band as they started to sing a more up tempo song. Rystáll, Lyn Me and Greeata were singing back up vocals and moving in sync with simple steps and arm movements while Joh Yowza and Sy Snootles sang the lead parts. She had to admit, she was very impressed. She didn't understand the words, but it had a good beat. Oola was dancing during this and she clearly had a lot of experience. She was extremely graceful and flexible.
Apparently Ari wasn't the only one impressed by the alien's talent. Jabba was pulling on Oola's chain and she was fighting him, pulling back on the chain that connected to the collar around her neck.
Why didn't anyone help her? She immediately answered the question herself. No one else wanted to get into trouble with the Hutt. Ari looked around and noticed that some beings were watching the band while the others were watching the struggle between the Twi'lek and the Hutt. Oola was shouting something, probably begging him to let her go. Ari thought of another story she had heard about Hutts. They often used their employees to their own personal use, whatever that might be. Oola clearly would not allow that and Ari silently cheered her on.
All of a sudden, under what looked like just a floor of sand, a trap door opened and Oola fell in. Everyone in the audience chamber froze in surprise and then a number of them rushed forward to see what was going. As Ari snuck over to the door, she heard a roar that caused a chill to go up her spine. Without even looking in there, she knew that unless there was another doorway, Oola would meet her untimely end.
While she didn't want to look, she had to see what was down there with the dancer. She found herself being elbowed as everyone made a circle around the trapdoor that was once again closed. She saw Oola trying to escape a massive reptilian like creature. It walked on two stubby legs and large, sharp teeth. Bones of its previous victims littered the ground of this pit. While she didn't know what it was, she thought she heard the word "Rancor". Maybe that was what this creature was.
Unable to watch this creature attack Oola, Ari pulled away from the group and back to a darkened corner. Even though she didn't see it, in her mind's eye she could see the creature grab Oola, and she could not block out the scream that followed. The crowd was cheering on the creature it seemed and Ari felt sickened by this display.
This display was cut short as the sound of a blaster sounded through the chamber. Everyone looked over as the crowd parted to allow a strangely dressed bounty hunter enter. With the helmet on it was impossible to tell the bounty hunter's gender or species though from what could be seen, the being was probably human or humanoid.
Attention was not on the bounty hunter though. Instead, it was on the large Wookie that was chained. Ari gasped. Chewie! How was this possible? Hadn't she just seen him? How could this happen?
The bounty hunter was speaking in another language Ari did not understand. Luckily, Jabba called for Threepio to help translate with this bounty hunter.
"Oh, uh, yes, uh, I am here, Your Worshipfulness. Uh... yes!"
Jabba spoke and the droid translated. "Oh. The illustrious Jabba bids you welcome and will gladly pay you the reward of twenty- five thousand."
Apparently the bounty hunter said something that Jabba did not like because he threw his arms back in anger, knocking Threepio over. The droid quickly righted himself and went back to the Hutt who was still upset?
"Uh, oh... but what, what did I say?" Threepio asked Jabba before turning to the bounty hunter once more. "Uh, the mighty Jabba asks why he must pay fifty thousand."
While Ari did not understand the languages, when the bounty held up a small silver ball that was beeping, Ari gasped. She knew what that was.
"Because he's holding a thermal detonator!" Threepio exclaimed. Instantly, all beings close to the bounty hunter backed up, clearly worried. The only one who seemed unconcerned was Jabba who just looked at the bounty hunter for a few seconds before laughing.
"Jabba offers the sum of thirty-five. And I suggest you take it," Threepio spoke again. Ari frowned slightly as something came to her through the Force. Chewie would not allow himself to be captured and if so, he would have continued fighting. The realization hit her like a wave in the ocean. This was all a part of Luke's plan. This was one of the things he had refused to tell her. While Ari was thinking this over, the bounty hunter was thinking over Jabba's offer.
"Zeebuss," the helmeted figure spoke and turned off the thermal detonator, much to everyone's relief.
"He agrees!" Threepio exclaimed and the crowd erupted in cheers before the party started again. Ari saw Melina nod at her and Arica. Apparently it was their turn to dance and Ari knew she had to do well. She did not want to end up like Oola.
As she walked onto the dance floor, she saw Chewbacca getting lead away, probably to a cell. If this was part of the plan, what part did the bounty hunter play?
Once again the answer came to her with clarity. The bounty hunter had to be one of the Rebels, due to how small the bounty hunter was and Chewie's apparent capture, Ari knew it could only be one person. She smiled to herself as she started to move to the music. Glancing around, casually leaning against a pillar watching the party, she saw the disguised and helmeted Princess Leia.