A/N: I do not own Star Wars: Infinities
Italic for Huttese.
Chapter 4: The Debt to Jabba
"I grow impatient, admiral." Darth Vader spoke to Admiral Ozzel who was standing nearby as AT-ST walkers passed them. The stormtroopers of the 501st have just destroyed another rebel base and there was still no sign of Skywalker. It was clear to both Lord Vader and the Emperor that the boy was definitely the offspring of Anakin Skywalker.
"Yet, another dead end. No Solo and no trace of Skywalker." Darth Vader added.
"Perhaps you should focus your efforts elsewhere, milord." Captain Firmus Piett spoke out. "Perhaps on the construction of construction of the Emperor's new battle station. I have heard rumour that Skywalker was killed on Hoth."
"That rumour prove your undoing, captain. Skywalker is alive." Darth Vader boomed, threateningly pointing his finger at Piett. "I have sensed his presence. He does live. After I'll find him, he will join me and together we shall do the Emperor's bidding. I suggest you remember that captain."
Filled with dread, Piett nodded and once the Sith lord left him alone, the naval captain looked at the snobbish and foolish Ozzel with disdain as the admiral gave him a mocking look. The moment they met each other, Firmus Piett despised and hated Kendal Ozzel, the obese, foolish and pathetic excuse of a man who got high positions through nepotism, as he came from a rich core world family. Piett on the other hand came from a poor origin, being born and raised on the Outer Rim world of Axxila. He was the true commander of this fleet, not Ozzel. It is he, Piett, who was willing to do his duty and give his own life if needed to exterminate these rebels, for he knew the threat they pose to the galaxy. He was in his late teens during the Clone Wars and saw what the Separatists and the Separatist-backed pirates did to his home planet Axxila. He would not let these Rebels, the new generation of Separatists, sack the galaxy and plunge it to chaos. Never.
"I am returning to the Executor," the Sith lord told the Imperial officers as he headed towards his Lambda-class T-4a shuttle. "Inform them of my arrival."
Not waiting a response from the two naval officers, Vader entered the shuttle and set out. Soon the T-4a landed within the hangar bay of the Executor. Descending down the gangplank, Vader was greeted by one of the few Imperial officers he trusted most; Lieutenant Gregg. He served the Sith lord since the foundation of the Galactic Empire and served him well. Darth Vader trusted him, especially with his affairs in hunting the surviving Jedi.
"Lord Vader! A fresh shipment of probe droids just arrived and additional bounty hunters await your orders." Gregg reported as Vader noticed the droids stored and heavily armed bounty hunters standing there.
"Launch the droids as soon as they've been programmed, and brief the bounty hunters." Darth Vader ordered, passing the bounty hunters. "I sense my search is coming to a close."
Soon, Skywalker will be mine…
Mos Eisley on Planet Tatooine.
It was hot, very hot that day on the sand world of Tatooine. The twin suns high above the surface, heating the planet like a radiator. Most of the people in Mos Eisley were hiding inside the buildings of the town where it was dark and cold. Still, the streets and hangars weren't abandoned as the Millennium Falcon landed in one of those hangars.
"It took us longer than I thought." But we did it. Now all we've got to do is transfer the money to Jabba." Han told his co-pilot, who roared in agreement as they left the Falcon. Knowing the hot desert climate of the planet, Han changed his blue jacket from Hoth to his iconic sleeveless black vest on top his long-sleeved beige shirt.
"Of course, we're not gonna walk right up to him. I arranged for a courier. After all this time, there's no way I'm setting foot anywhere near Jabba." Han assured the Wookie. The entered a corridor, where a Devaronian was waiting for them. He had one horn missing.
"Hey… are you Grahrk?" Han asked.
"Call me Uncle Villie." The Devaronian with one broken horn pleaded.
Han nodded. "Um, right. Uncle Villie, I'm Solo. You'll take my money to Jabba?"
"Actually, is change of plan" Villie told him, and went off. Suspicious, Han, Chewie and C-3PO followed him, only to be immediately surrounded by numerous bounty hunters and mercenaries. Their firearms aimed directly at the trio.
"Oh my!" the golden droid exclaimed, immediately raising his arms up.
"Uncle Villie decide to sell you to Jabba instead" the Devaronian explained, grinning. "Uncle Villie make more money that way – and get to keep your ship."
The mercenaries began disarming Han and Chewie as he smirked, walking away.
"I'll get you Grahrk! We're not finished!" Han threated as he was taken away. He and his friends were placed into speeders and taken to Jabba's palace across the Dune Sea. When they entered the throne room, there was a party apparently thrown as music swarmed across. Numerous mercenaries, bounty hunters and smugglers were drinking and smoking spice. A female green-skinned Twi'lek was dancing in the middle. Due to her revealing outfit and a chained collar on her neck, the Twi'lek was a slave of the Hutt lord.
Seeing the intruders, Bib Fortuna, a tall Twi'lek with pale grey skin approached his master. "Master, visitors have arrived with a pleasant surprise." he whispered in Huttese.
"Excellent! Bring them to me!" the Hutt boomed, while continuing to watch the girl's performance. As they were approaching, Jabba pulled the chain, causing Oola to dash back to her master. Seeing Han Solo and Chewbacca standing before him, Jabba boomed with laughter.
"Ho-ho-ho! Han, my long-lost boy!"
Han immediately spoke up. "Jabba, listen, I've got your money…"
"It's too late for that." Jabba cut him off. "You stole from me. I can't let that go unpunished. Take them away!"
"Jabba, wait!" Han pleaded, but the Hutt was deaf to his pleas as the guards took him and a roaring Chewbacca away to the prison cells.
"Get in there!" one of the Nikto guards demanded, threatening to hit the Wookie with a Force-pike. The two smugglers had no other choice but to enter the cell. Once the door was locked behind them, Han began banging against it with his fist.
"I've got to speak to Jabba!" he yelled. "I've got his money, I tell ya!"
Chewbacca, meanwhile, roared in frustration, obviously not happy of the current events. Understanding him, Han approached and sat beside him.
"I really messed up this time, pal." he admitted to his friend. They spent a night together in a prison cell until the guards burst in.
"Get up, you trash!" one of them yelled, taking off Han's black leather vest. "You wanted to talk to Jabba? Here's your chance."
But Han could ask, he and the Wookie were taken to what seemed to be a pit, filled with bones. Han looked up, and saw Jabba sitting on his throne, watching him from above. The slave girl Oola was rested against the Hutt's slimy skin. C-3PO, the golden protocol droid, stood beside.
"I was told you had something to say to me, Solo." Jabba began speaking.
"Jabba!" the Corellian called out to him. "I can get you more money if that's what you need. It wasn't my fault I had to dump that spice! You gotta give me another chance!"
Jabba only sighed. "Han, don't take this personally. I always liked you, but business is business. Besides, I'm bored, and watching you die should prove entertaining!"
Han tried to speak up once again when he and Chewie heard the gates being opened. The two saw eight eyes glowing in the darkness. What happened next was that the mysterious creatures leapt at both the Corellian and the Wookie, roaring. Han quickly managed to dodge the beast and saw it. They were attacked by a pair of nexu. The feline beast roared at Han Solo, while Jabba laughed at his doom.
"Oh my!" C-3PO cried, while Oola watched in horror. Chewbacca, meanwhile, after tackling the other nexu, finally managed to take down the creature off him. As if reading each other's minds, both Han and Chewie grabbed for a large bone and used them as weapons, hitting the heads of the two nexu very hard. Already bleeding, the nexu became even more madder. Behind the gates, the Gamorrean guards stood and snorted, laughing at the misfortune of the two smugglers. Behind their backs, R2-D2 passed them, approaching the controls for the gates. Fiddling with the controls, the astromech managed to open the gates.
"Chewie! The gates!" Han shouted to his friend when the Wookie blocked another attack from the nexu. The two quickly dashed to the gates, pushing the panicked Gamorreans out of the way. Joining R2, they ran through the corridors, trying to escape the palace while the nexu began slaughtering and eating the guards that stood on their way. Thirsty for blood, the freed nexu began rampaging across the palace, reaching the throne room.
"GAHHH! No! Stop them! Don't let Solo escape!" Jabba raged, only to panic when the nexu ran wild into the throne room. "gasp The nexu… they're coming for us!"
Meanwhile, Han, Chewie and R2-D2 reached the shipyard. One Trandoshan was standing guard. From the look on his face, the reptile heard that something was going on in the palace.
"You'd better hurry – Jabba needs your help!" Han told the Trandoshan. The mercenary left, and the three escapees quickly got into one of the ships. "Good going, R2!" the Corellian complimented. "Close the hatch and get ready for lift off."
As the droid did what Han told him to do, Chewbacca approached Han and roared.
"No time to go back for Threepio now." Han answered as he took seat within the cockpit, starting the engines. "We'll have to try and get him later" he then observed the controls on the ship. "It ain't the Falcon, but it'll do until I can get the old girl back."
The next morning, an Imperial Lambda-class shuttle landed on the bay where the ship stood last night. The gangplank was released and Darth Vader marched down. The shipyard was already swarmed with stormtroopers, searching the area. Without hesitation, the Sith Lord marched towards the sergeant.
"What happened here?" he asked.
"Not sure, milord" the stormtrooper answered. "But we have held the perimeter since before sunrise. No one has left the building."
Nodding, Darth Vader marched into the palace. The throne room inside was a mess and in ruins. Bodies of various criminals lied across the room. The floor ruined with blood. Jabba continued to sit on his throne, holding Oola tighter than ever, while giving orders to his major-domo.
"And make a note – no more nexu!" the Hutt told him. "Get something more controllable, a Rancor perhaps."
"Jabba the Hutt!"
Jabba almost jumped when he heard the mechanic voice calling his name and saw Darth Vader approaching him with a squad of stormtroopers. Both Bib Fortuna and Oola cowered in fear at the sight of him.
"I've received word that you are holding Han Solo and the Wookie Chewbacca prisoner." he spoke. "You will hand them over to me."
Jabba gave him an incredulous and angry look. "Solo?! If I never hear that name again, it will be too soon!" he said. "You're too late. Solo and his Wookie escaped last night. They stole a cargo vessel and disappeared. I don't know where they are… and frankly I hope to never see them again!"
Understanding Huttese, Vader felt enormous anger filling him right now when suddenly he heard a familiar voice. A voice he had not heard for more than twenty years.
"Oh, my circuits!"
Darth Vader froze as he saw who spoke. C-3PO, the golden protocol droid was standing right in front of him. It was as if the Sith saw a ghost. The droid felt that Vader was staring at him. Silence and tension reigned until Vader finally made a decision.
"I'm taking that droid." he declared. Jabba only raised his hands as the stormtroopers seized the droid.
"Fine. Take the droid. It belonged to Solo anyway. Good riddance!"
Having no more business here, Darth Vader marched towards the exit, with the stormtroopers and the droid following him.
"Fortuna?! Where are you?!" Jabba barked in Huttese. "Now we need a new translator droid as well!"
The moment they landed onto the Executor, C-3PO was immediately brought to Vader's personal cabin. The golden droid stood while Vader locked the doors behind him.
"Do you recall who built you?" the Sith Lord immediately asked him.
"I no longer have that memory, sir." the protocol droid answered. "I'm afraid that information was lost long ago."
"Unfortunate," Vader replied. "For I am your maker. And as your make you now serve me."
C-3PO almost jumped in shock. "My apologies, sir, but I am the property of Master Solo," he protested. "And shall remain so until he instructs me otherwise."
Vader put a hand onto the droid's head. A sense of nostalgia was in the Sith Lord's mind. "No apologies are necessary." he told the droid. "But perhaps you can answer a question for me. Where is Skywalker?"
"Oh my!" the droid exclaimed. "I can't tell you that, sir! It would be against my programming to betray my master or his colleagues!"
Vader once again felt anger. Anger for his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. That Jedi took away everything from him. Including the droids. Still, he knew he should have expected this.
"As I thought so." he stated. "No matter, though." he then declared. "There are other ways of finding out what I want to know."
Before Threepio could react, Vader approached the droid from behind and disconnected his head from the body. Using the nearby tools, Vader began interrogating the droid.
"Now, let me ask you again. Where is Skywalker?"
"Da-go-bah…" came the reply from C-3PO. Almost tossing the head onto the table, Vader immediately left the cabin, storming into the bridge, where Ozzel and Piett were arguing again.
"Captain!" he addressed to Firmus. "Change course and have my shuttle prepared."
"Where to, Lord Vader?" the naval captain asked.
"We're going to the Dagobah system…"
