Chapter 96

AN: Thank you to everyone for your reviews and ongoing support!

Ari's heart was still racing from all that had happened and she found herself being pushed along with the crowd. She turned back to look for Jabba and Leia, but she could not see over the heads of the other beings around her. All she could do was let the crowd move her along.

Soon they were in a hanger, Ari thought it was the same one from before, but she could have been mistaken. While Jedi were most likely supposed to have a good sense of direction, she had gotten turned around from all the tunnels that looked identical to each other.

When she entered the hanger, she saw that Luke, Han and Chewie were already being forced onto one of the small skiffs and guards were getting positioned with them and on the second small skiff. All the guards had numerous weapons such as blasters and vibro-axes, not to mention other weapons that could be hidden, such as vibroblades.

Going closer to the skiffs she saw binders being put on Luke, Han and Chewie. While they could be taken off without too much trouble, it did not help her uneasy feeling. What could Luke be planning? And how long would he wait before he put this plan into action. He looked very at ease, relaxed.

Luke looked up, probably sensing that he was being watched and he gave her a small, somewhat mischievous smile before turning back to Han. It would be dangerous if others even thought that Luke and Ari knew each other.

Ari looked at them for another moment, knowing she should get on the sail barge, but then felt a heavy, firm hand on her shoulder. She froze, heart skipping a beat.

"Better get onto the sail barge before they can tell you no," Lando's familiar voice whispered before he slipped past her to go join Han, Luke and Chewie, as one of their captors though, not as a friend.

Knowing he was right, relieved it was not Boba Fett or any of the other members of Jabba's audience chamber. She scrambled aboard the sail barge as Jabba, along with Leia, was being brought in on a gravsled which slid into a special area just for the Hutt.

As she found a place that would be somewhat near Jabba, she had to be ready for anything. Also, she wanted to be in a place where she could help Leia, if need be, since she was attached by a chain as Oola had been.

As she got into place, she saw R2 going around with a tray, which would be used for serving drinks. "R2?" she asked, surprised. She would not have thought that the feisty droid would have done such a task without a fight.

R2 beeped in response, pausing for only a moment before carrying on through the sail barge. The musicians, who were now in place, started to play a song as the last beings got in. Looking out a window, Ari gasped when she saw Arica there, talking to Jabba. She looked very upset and after a few exchanged words, she stalked off. That meant she was not going to be coming with them. Ari smiled for a moment due to this.

Slipping back so she was in the shadows slightly Ari made sure she was near a window so she could watch the skiffs. Soon everyone, including Jabba and Leia, were in the correct places.

The sail barge lifted off the ground and exited the hanger. Ari had been looking out the shuttered windows, then winced. It had been awhile since her eyes had been subject to so much light. After blinking her eyes once or twice, she got used to the sunlight and saw the two skiffs flying along side them.

Everyone on board the sail barge was having a good time, laughing and drinking, but Ari stayed near a window, watching the sand dunes go by. It looked like Luke and Han were talking, and Luke still looked at ease.

Ari saw that Leia was also looking out the window, a worried look on her face.

"Oh…a girl for fun," a voice came up behind her and a humanoid male grabbed at her. She recoiled and pushed him away. "Hey, now, you aren't supposed to do that to me. Come on, let's dance."

Ari was disgusted by this and pulled back a bit more. After a few steps back, she felt her almost bare back touch the cool metal wall. The man was not getting the hint and he came even closer. She frowned then and lifted her foot, bringing her heel down on his toes, hard. While her boots were soft, it still managed to cause him enough pain to get him to pause in his pursuit. At the same moment, Ari reached out with the Force and pushed him back, and he stumbled back into a group of beings who were sharing drinks. When they started to argue with the man, Ari used that as an opportunity to slide away from the area.

As she found another spot to watch, a bit further from Leia, Jabba and the others, she noticed that they were starting to slow down. That could only mean one thing. They had arrived at the Sarlacc Pit. Even though Luke still looked calm, Ari could not feel it. What plan could he have now?

While she could not see the Sarlacc as well from here as she could from the skiff, she knew what to expect. A large hole with tentacles that reached out to grab its victims and a large, disgusting tongue that would taste them before they were cut by the razor sharp teeth or tumbled to a slow, painful death in the Sarlacc's stomach. While she had never seen one in person, her parents had been very cautious, never allowing her to this part of Tatooine, Ari had seen holos of the creature.

Shaking her head from these thoughts, Ari's attention came back to the moment, and what was occurring outside. The prisoner's skiff was hovering over the gaping sharp toothed maw. A plank was extended from the skiff, where Luke, Han and Chewie would be expected to fall or jump from, to curb the Sarlacc's unending hunger.

Luke's hands were freed from his bonds as he was pushed onto the plank. Even in such a position, the Jedi did not seem nervous. He seemed very at ease.

Luke… Ari sent to him through the Force.

Don't worry, just be ready, he replied in the same manner. It was surprising to Ari that it was almost as easy to talk through the Force as it was to talk aloud to each other. They both had advanced greatly in their training.

All of a sudden, a hush fell over the crowd in the sail barge, probably an order from Jabba. Ari did not pull her gaze away from the prisoner's skiff though. Not even when Threepio's voice came over the loudspeakers that would broadcast his message to all on the sail barge, both skiffs, and to whoever else was foolish enough to travel in the near vicinity.

"Victims of the almighty Sarlacc: His Excellency hopes that you will die honorably. But should any of you wish to beg for mercy, the great Jabba the Hutt will now listen to your pleas."

Ari frowned at this. Did Jabba honestly believe that Luke or the others would beg for mercy? They were not like that. She watched as Han, who was still unable to see, since Chewie had to turn him the correct way to the sail barge. "Threepio, you tell that slimy piece of...worm-ridden filth he'll get no such pleasure from us." He then glanced over to where he thought Chewie was and said something though Ari was too far away to hear. Whatever it was, the Wookie gave a growl in response.

Then Luke spoke up. "Jabba! This is your last chance. Free us or die." He sounded very certain of himself, and Jabba, along with the rest of his court started to laugh. After the laughter died down, Jabba ordered something over the intercom.

Still, Luke looked fine as he stepped onto the plank. He looked over at the sail barge and gave a salute and Ari frowned. What was he doing?

The Hutt gave another order and Luke was prodded to the edge of the plank, the crowd on the sail barge cheering loudly. That was actually a good thing because then no one could hear the blonde dancing girl. "Luke…" her voice was almost a whimper. She could sense something was about to happen, but she wondered now if perhaps he was going to do something crazy like Ben Kenobi had done. Sacrificing himself for the group.

What happened in the next few seconds happened so quickly it took Ari a moment to have everything register. Luke stepped off the plank, then twisted and grabbed the plank with his fingers. He used it as a springing board and flipped upward, landing catlike on the plank, one hand outstretched. Less than a second later, his lightsaber, which had been tossed from somewhere on the sail barge, was in his hand.

The cheers from those on the sail barge changed to shouts of surprise, and then bellows of anger as Luke attacked the guards. The one that had pushed him toward the plank was sent over the edge of the skiff, screaming into the mouth of the sarlacc below.

Lando meanwhile was battling another guard and after dispatching the first guard, he moved on to help Lando with the rest of the guards on the skiff.

Ari could hear shouting; especially Jabba's and while she did not catch the words, she could tell from his tone that he was angry. It made her smirk slightly. Luke truly had outfoxed them all.

The uproar among the crowd was almost overwhelming as they ran around, some to get weapons while others seemed lost and confused. As some went by, one accidentally stumbled into Ari and she feel forward then frowned. It was going to get much more chaotic and she wanted to be fighting alongside the others. It no longer mattered if she was discovered to be a Rebel. However, she hesitated for another moment torn as to what to do. She could go to Leia and help free her, or go on top to where a number of the guards were going. She needed a weapon and a plan.

While she did not receive a weapon, the plan became clear to her just a few moments later. Luke managed to get the binders off of Chewie just as a volley of shots came from the sail barge, hitting the skiff. Lando, who had been standing at the edge as he battled a guard, was tossed as a shot rocked the small skiff. He barely managed to grab hold of the rope hanging from it, dangling above the hungry Sarlacc.

Ari did not even hesitate as she rushed to the upper deck. While she wanted to help Leia, she was probably fairly safe for the time being. The others needed help more. Her soft boots were silent as she emerged onto the deck, which was quite busy. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of reflected sunlight as Boba Fett leapt into the air, heading to the skiff using his rocket pack.

Ari rushed to the deck gun. She had to get control of it before they could fire at her friends again. Skiffs were not made to be highly protected against numerous direct hits. As she ran toward the large weapon, the twin suns continued to beat down relentlessly upon all of them