Star Wars : Chapter 97: Negotiations I

The great door slammed shut behind them with amonumental crash that echoed through the dark cavern.

For a moment the two frightened robots stood there without moving; then, haltingly, they stepped forward. They were immediately joined by three large Gamorrean guards where they ushered the two droids down the dark corridor without so much asa nod. When they reached the first half-lit hallway, one of them grunted an order. Artoo beeped a nervous query at Threepio.

"You don't want to know," the golden droid responded apprehensively." Just deliver Master Luke's message andget us out of here quick."

Before they could take another step, a form approachedthemfromthe obscurity of a cross-corridor: Bib Fortuna, Jabba's right hand man of his enterprise.

"Even after all these years, Bib continues to serve Jabba longer than expected"

"Jabba has little patience when it comes to failure, so I could see Bib maintaining his post through his skill in both his work and dealing with Jabba"

He smiled thinly as he stopped before the two droids ."Die wanna wanga." Threepio spoke up officially. "Die wanna wanaga. We bring a message to your master, Jabba the Hutt."

For a moment the two frightened robots stood therewithout moving; then, haltingly, they stepped forward. They were immediately joined by three large Gamorrean guards where they ushered the twodroids down the dark corridor without so much asa nod. When they reached the first half-lit hallway, one of them grunted an order. Artoo beeped a nervous query at Threepio.

Bib shook his head emphatically. "Nee Jabba no badda. Me chaade su goodie." He held out his hand toward Artoo.

The small droid backed up meekly, but his protest was lengthy series of beeps.

"Artoo, give it to him!" Threepio insisted. Sometimes Artoo could be so binary. At this, though, Artoo became positively defiant, beeping and tooting at Fortuna and Threepio as if they'd both had their programs erased.

Threepio nodded finally, hardly happy with Artoo's answer. He looked apologetically at Bib. "He says our master's instructions are to give it only to Jabba himself.

Master Fisto cupped his chin with interest, looking over at his fellow Jedi. "What do you think?", he asked them. "Do you think Master Kenobi may have taught him a bit of his skills as a negotiator?"

"I am inclinded to say that he may as well have as a means to reinforce the patience that young Luke has if we are going to compare him to his father", Master Tiin spoke out in response, wanting to see how this goes.

Bib considered the problem for a moment, as Threepio went on explaining. "I'm terribly sorry. I'm afraid he's ever so stubborn about these things." He managed to throw adisparaging yet loving tone into his voice, as he tilted his head toward his small associate.

Bib gestured for them to follow him. "Nudd chaa." He walked back into the darkness, the droids following close behind, the three Gamorrean guards lumbering along at the rear. As Threepio descended into the belly of the shadow,he muttered quietly to the silent R2 unit, "Artoo, I have abad feeling about this."

The two droids stood at the entrance of the throne room, looking in. "We're doomed"

The room was filled, wall to cavernous wall, with the animate dregs of the universe. Grotesque creatures from the lowest star systems, drunk on spiced liquor and their own fetid vapors. Gamorreans, twisted humans, jawas—all reveling in base pleasures, or raucously comparing mean feats. And in the front of the room, reclining on adais was the notorious crime lord Jabba the Hutt.

"Ugh...it looked liked he didn't age one bit...", Ahsoka uttered in contempt and mild disgust at the crime lord. "I'm still surprised that he had lasted this long"

"A man and his vice are soon departed, Ahsoka", Obi-Wan merely told her.

Shafts of light from above partially illuminated the drunken courtiers as Bib Fortuna crossed the floor to the dais. The room was composed of an endless series ofalcoves within alcoves, so that much of what went onwas, in any case, visible only as shadow and movement. When Fortuna reached the throne, he delicately leaned forward and whispered into the slobbering monarch'sear.

Jabba's eyes became slits... then with a maniacal laugh he motioned for the two terrified droids to bebrought in."Bo shuda," wheezed the Hutt, and lapsed into a fit ofcoughing. Although he understood several languages, as a point of honor he only spoke Huttese. His only suchpoint.

The quaking robots scooted forward to stand before the repulsive ruler, though he grossly violated their mostdeeply programmed sensibilities. "The message, Artoo, the message," Threepio urged

Artoo whistled once, and a beam of light projected from his domed head, creating a hologram of Luke Skywalker that stood before them on the floor. Quickly the image grew to over ten feet tall, until the young Jedi warrior towered over the assembled throng.

All at once the room grew quiet, as Luke's giant presence made itself felt.

"Luke...", the voices of both Anakin and Padme said at the same time, watching as their future son had significantly grown compared to the farmboy they had seen just hours ago. The son, of whom they considered to be the last hope of the galaxy, stood strong at his quest to rescue his friends.

A value that he inherited from his father.

"Hmm, stronger in ability, he is", Yoda observed with a keen eye at the boy. "A fully fledged Knight, he could be"

"If he had both Masters Kenobi and Yoda guiding him in his path as a Jedi, who are we to say thay he does not?", Shaak Ti mused, equally curious as to how far Luke had gone in his training.

Mace, however, was unconvinced. "But the question remains as wether or not he is ready to face two Sith Lords on his own, especially with an Empire at their beck and call"

Ahsoka sighed, seeing through Windu's words. "As Captain Rex said, experience outranks everything. And they certainly have them"

"Greetings, Exalted One," the hologram said to Crime Lord. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight and friend of Captain Solo. I seek an audience with Your Greatness, to bargain for his life."

"Knowing Jabba, he is not so easily to be bartered with", Saesee Tiin pointed out. "Especially if it is something personal like that with Han Solo"

At this, the entire room burst into laughter which Jabba instantly stopped with a hand motion. Luke didn't pause long. "I know that you are powerful, mighty Jabba, and that your anger with Solo must be equally powerful. But I'm sure we can work out an arrangement which will bemutually of my good will, I present to you a gift—these two droids."

"Hang on, what?", Rex stuttered in surprise.

Threepio jumped back as if stung. "What! What did he say?"

"At ease, Threepio", Anakin commented a the golden droid on the screen. "This is part of Luke's plan. I'm sure of it"

"Likely the primary plan to begin with", Plo Koon then spoke up. "If that fails, then it is certain that he has another that will serve as a backup should matters become more concerning than they are now"

Luke continued. "... Both are hardworking and willserve youwell. "With that, the hologram disappeared.

Threepio wagged his head in despair. "Oh no, this can't be. Artoo, you must have played the wrong message."

Jabba laughed and drooled. Bib spoke in Huttese. "Bargain rather than fight? He is no Jedi."

"Frankly because that is not how we do due process", Obi-Wan quipped harshly at Jabba's second-in-command.

Jabba nodded in agreement. Still grinning, he rasped at Threepio, "There will be no bargain. I have no intention of giving up my favorite decoration." With a hideous chuckle he looked toward the dimly lit alcove beside the throne; there, hanging flat against the wall, was the carbonized form of Han Solo, his face and hands emerging out of the cold hard slab, like a statue reaching from a sea of stone.

"First plan is a bust, they're going to need a second one if Han is going to be rescued at all", Ahsoka spoke out loud.

"Likely to buy them some time. We still have yet to see Luke or Leia make their move after all", Kit Fisto added

Artoo and Threepio marched dismally through the dark passageway at the prodding of a Gamorrean cells lined both walls. The unspeakable cries ofanguish that emanated from within as the droids passed echoed off the stone and down the endless catacombs.

Periodically a hand or claw or tentacle would reachthrough the bars ofa door to grab at the hapless beeped pitifully. Threepio only shook his head. "What could have possibly come over Master Luke? Was it something I did? He never expressed any unhappiness with my work..."

"I have the feeling he did that because he wouldn't count on Threepio holding the truth if he cracked from the pressure", Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Knowing him, I have to say it's possible", Anakin agreed with him.

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