Never Talk to Strangers...

Chapter 14: Jabba’s Palace

The skimmer jerked and sputtered to a halt. Aislynn stared up at the building which loomed before them, rising out of the sands like some great nmonstrous living thing. She couldn’t see a door anywhere, but as they approached the wall, a panel slid open and a strange droid appendage poked out.

Boba growled at it, and the wall slid apart. A gust of foul smelling, musty air washed over her. She shuddered involuntarily.

He leaned in to speak in her ear, “You may return to the ship, if you wish.”

She shook her head, and straightened her shoulders. “I’m fine.”

“Stay close to me. Don’t be afraid.”

“I’m not,” and even as she said it, she was surprised to find it was the truth. Nothing within these walls could equal what had already happened to her. She stepped with him into the darkness and descended the stairs.

The pig-like Gomorreans were nothing new, and they ignored Fett, trying instead to get a better look at her. Deeper into the pit they walked. She could hear music drifting up from below.

At the foot of the stairs, the corridor opened into a huge antechamber. At the far end of the chamber was the Hutt, resting on a raised dais. To the left, a semi circular stage, and the musicians.

“Max Rebo,” she whispered, not realizing she had spoken aloud. The words echoed in the corridor.

She heard the murmurs following them as they entered the room. Boba spoke briefly to a Twi’lek, who bowed quickly several times and crossed the room to speak to the Hutt. The room smelled of mold, sweat and stale booze. Her feet stuck to the floor. She grinned, reminded immediately of Kip’s.

“Wait here. I’ll only be a moment.”

Boba moved away from her and crossed to the dais to address Jabba. She watched two droids roll in the cart which held Solo, encased in carbonite. The sight brought a rush of noise through the hall. Boba haggled with the Hutt for a few minutes, eventually settling. The droids took Solo off to somewhere else and the Hutt called the Twi’lek over to engage in a private conversation with the bounty hunter.

The Twi’lek motioned her up to the dais, and moved to stand beside Boba. He placed a protective hand on her shoulder.

“This bounty hunter has told me an incredible story. Is it true? Has Vader brought the Black Prince low?” the droid translated the Hutt’s gutteral language.

She nodded.

“You were there? You saw the Falleen die?”

“I saw him die.”

The Hutt was silent for a few moments then he shifted his enormous mass and spoke to the crowd. “The Fett and his Lady bring news of great importance. Tonight we feast.” He turned back to the two of them, “You will remain tonight as my guests, and on the morrow, we shall speak of other, more pressing issues.”

“As you wish,” Boba said, bowing slightly, and turned, taking her by the arm. He led her past the dais and into a hallway beyond. Beyond the main hall were several suites of rooms. “Most of the Hutt’s guests sleep in the main chamber,” he explained. “I informed him I would not have you sleeping on cold stone.”

She could detect an edge of apprehension in his voice. “What are you not telling me?”

“Patience, just a few more steps...” they came to a steel door. He tapped a code into the panel and it slid aside. Once inside, Boba reset the security locks to register their voice codes and did a once-over of the room before he was satisfied.

Aislynn sat down on the bed, running her hand down the soft velvet cover. Dim lights, thick carpet, sound proof walls. Mirror over the bed... “Rumpus room?” she hazarded a guess.

“For the Hutt’s more discriminating guests.”

“Could it be a little more...red?”

“I could have him change the wallpaper,” he growled, stripping off his armor and tossing it into a corner.

“I was just saying... never mind. It’s fine. It’s wonderful.”

“Glad you like it, because we may be here awhile.”

“What are you talking about?”

“This friend of Solo’s, this Skywalker kid...”

“The Jedi?”

“He’s no Jedi, but Jabba’s worried he’ll come after Solo. Apparently he slipped away from Vader after our last meeting. That or the Alliance might show up, since Solo’s one of their top pilots. Either way, the slug’s offered to pay me to stay here and play bodyguard.”

“For how long?”

“Until he feels safe. Until Vader offs Skywalker. Until he can’t afford me anymore. Or until I feel like leaving. We haven’t discussed the details. I wanted to talk to you first.”

She was stunned. He was asking her. “Whatever you think would be best.”

“That’s not good enough anymore Ash. My choices so far haven’t paid off particularly well. Here, I can protect you. But I don’t do well indoors and grounded.”

“It’s not forever. And as long as you can change your mind, as long as we can leave...”

“I am not fool enough to let myself get written into a permanent contract. That much you can trust me not to do. Are you willing to stay here for a while?”

“Will he let me sing, do you think? I’d love to sing with Max Rebo.”

A moment of silence and then he laughed. “I’m sure that can be arranged.” He pulled her into his arms. “I’ve always felt as though I had a good grasp on my life, Aislynn. I doon’t feel like that anymore. I don’t want to make a mistake and get you killed.”

“I know the risks. I’ve always known. I love you.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

~ ~ ~

After the months in the Black Prince’s palace, it was strange to be home again. Home. Strange to think of this place as home, but it was. More than all the glittering halls in the entire galaxy, these dark halls filled with bodies and sweat and stale beer were more comfortable than anywhere else. Only Kip, and Mac and Riley could have completed the picture more perfectly.

During the day, she watched Boba pace their small quarters, wearing a deep pattern into the plush carpeting as she wracked her brain to find new ways to distract him from his wanderlust. At night, he stood watch at the edge of the dais as she sang, completely protected from the Hutt’s strange unpredictable fits of temper.

No word came from the far reaches. No mysterious strangers appeared from the mists. The world seemed to have forgotten them for the time being, and Aislynn found that a relief. She clung to each moment, and as the days passed, one into the next, she relaxed into her new role. It was strange to have him always here beside her.

Strange, and wonderful, and more than she could ever have hoped for, no matter the place or the circumstances. She learned snatches of several new languages, and never ceased to be amazed by the parade of strange species which came through the palace. She quickly learned that the Hutt had a core group of “regulars”, as she had at Kip’s and she befriended most within this group.

Once they knew who she was, they tried all sorts of tactics to pry information from her about her mysterious consort, but she learned to smile and change the subject. Of herself, she spoke openly and often, and she found she enjoyed the game.

Early in the evening, two months after they first came to the palace, she leaned against the wall outside the main hall conversing with one of these regulars - a short stocky bounty hunter who went by the name of Dengar. He had once been a swoop jockey of some renown and loved to tell stories of the glory days before his accident.

With each telling, his stories grew richer in detail, and she was only half listening as a rag tag group of slavers entered the hall. She knew they were slavers by the remotes in their hands, connected invisibly with the collars around the necks of their captives.

She knew from listening to Boba that bounty hunters used the same sort of devices at times, but hunters rarely worked in groups and preferred to bring in their quarry on at a time. She met the eyes of the leader, who appraised her as though he were looking at a prize horse. She glared at him as he passed.

He turned and said something in a language she didn’t recognize to the man beside him, who laughed, harsh and gutteral. Most of the slaves were women, half dressed and filthy. Aislynn knew that Jabba would most likely laugh in their faces. She felt tears well up and was about to turn away from the group when her eyes fell on a familiar face at the end of the line.

It was A’zael. Her lithe body covered in bruises and filth, her right eye swollen and dark, but unmistakably A’zael. The other woman met her gaze for a moment, no recognition flickered within her blank eyes.

Fury rose, hot and white in Aislynn’s chest. She swept past the line of slow moving men and women, and stepped into the path of the group’s leader. Her moement forced the group to a halt in the narrow corridor. The man in front of her growled a warning.

“You speak common?” She asked, harshly, raising her voice until it echoed down the hall.

“Yah, grrrrll. Got business wit da Hutt. Move...”

“I know your business slaver. The woman at the far end on the right. Where did you buy her?”

“Alpha 3, I think. no business of yours...”

“I’d like to buy her from you. Name your price.”

“Not for you, girl. For the Hutt, first.”

“I will pay whatever he would pay. How did you come by her?”

“Whore stood up her pimp, I think... no business of yours...”

She cut him off. “Liar. I know her, and she works not forty clicks from here, and A’zael’s not needed a pimp in all the time I’ve known her. What sort of drugs are you pumping into these people you filthy...”

He forced himself into her space, filling the hallway in front of her. “I don’t deal with whores, I sell whores. Tell you what, grrrlll. I slap a collar on you, take your money, and I got two whores for da price of one...”

His hand came up and reached for her shoulder, but she saw it coming. Stepped back and slammed the flat edge of her palm into his rather prominent nose. Bright red blood blossomed, as her knee came up into his groin and she flipped him neatly onto the ground, stepping on his throat. She pressed her booted heel into his throat as she reached down and pulled his own blaster from it’s holster.

She heard shouting behind him, saw flash of weapons appearing, and heard Dengar’s voice behind her. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you...” Then more quietly to her, “He’s on his way.”

“He’s here,” the familiar voice at her shoulder instantly slowed her heart, which was threatening to break its way out of her chest.

She heard one of the slavers gasp his name, and heard the clatter as a blaster hit the floor.

“Did he touch you?”

She nodded once.

Boba took the blaster from her and fired, twice. The man’s body twitched. He tossed the gun onto the smoking corpse and turned to her. “What happened?”

Aislynn pointed towards the battered figure at the back of the line. “A’Zael. I...”

He pushed past the stunned men, and raised the woman’s chin gently. “Drugged.” Then turned to the ragtag group. “The Hutt does not appreciate damaged goods.”

They nearly fell over each other trying to get back down the hallway. He grabbed the last one as he passed. “The girl...”

A flash of light and the collar fell to the floor. Aislynn had to catch the other woman as she fell to the stone floor.

“Take her back to the room. I’ll clear this up.”

“Clean up on aisle three,” Aislynn muttered under her breath as she and Dengar half carried the woman through the throne room, pursued by the churning of the rumor mill.

They deposited her less than ceremoniously on the bed. Dengar shook his head at the sight, and said “I wouldn’t give her anything to eat until the dope wears off, but she needs to get fluids in her. Stay here. I’ll send up a med-tech,” then hurried out of the room.

A’zael lay still on the bed, struggling to breathe, her pale face ashen.

The door slid open and Boba came into the room accompanied by a medical droid. As the droid worked, they stood off to the side, talking quietly.

“Next time, love, don’t even try to bargain with them, just shoot the bastard.”

“Jabba’s not upset with me?”

“No. He’s actually quite amused, playing back the fight on security cameras right now to make sure no one missed it. He shouldn’t have touched you.”

“He didn’t know...”

“Are you defending him?”

“I’m just saying...”

“It doesn’t matter. One less slaver in this galaxy is a good thing as far as I’m concerned. Looks like she put up a good fight though.”

“She would.”

He glanced at the readout on the droid’s instrument panel. “He’s pumped enough shit through her to kill a Bantha.”

“She’ll make it. She’s tough.”

“She’ll need something clean to put on when she wakes up, and I doubt she’d appreciate anything in Jabba’s store rooms. Dengar’s still outside. Have him drop you off at the port. I’ll send someone to pick you up if he doesn’t want to hang around.”

“I want to be here when she wakes up.”

“She won’t wake before you get back.”

“You’ll stay with her? You won’t leave?”

“I’ll be right here. I would go myself, but my fashion sense is rather... lacking... and I don’t want to hear the complaining when she does wake up.”

Aislynn smiled. He was right, of course. A’zael called it “discriminating taste”. “I won’t be long,” Aislynn said. She snatched up a hand held com unit and kissed him on the cheek. “If anything changes, call me.” She hurried out the door.

Boba sank back into the chair, watching the droid work. Gradually the color came back to the girl’s face and the bruises began to fade. It would take a few treatments for them to disappear completely, but she looked much better. The droid finished it’s work, left him with a printout of instructions and left the room.

He listened to the sound of the woman’s breathing, now steady, and, satisfied she was resting comfortably, he allowed himself to drift into a light sleep.

“Where am I?” The harsh question brought him instantly out of his doze.

A’zael was sitting up, blinking sleep and the last traces of the drug from her eyes, looking about in confusion. “You can go straight to that bloody slaver and get a refund. I’m a free agent asshole...”

He chuckled. “Down girl. Your among friends.”

“That voice. I know that voice...” she shook her head and groaned, then snapped to recognition. “Fett? Where’s Aislynn?”

“Now why would you think she had to be involved?”

She glared at him for a moment, then her face broke into a smile. “How much do I owe you for the rescue?”

“More than you can afford in a year, in cover up fees alone,”

She reached out and laid hand in the center of his chest. “I’m sure we can work out a trade,” she purred.

He scooted the chair back, and pushed her hand away. “Aislynn would....”

“Hmmm...now that’s an interesting proposal...” she pretended to consider it. “Though I wouldn’t risk it if I were you. I may steal her away from you.”

He finally realized she was teasing and relaxed.

A'zael arched her back like a cat. He heard her back crack loudly. The woman looked around.

“Where am I?”

“Jabba’s.”

“Oh shit. So that’s where you two slipped off to. It’s about time, y’know. Although I can’t say I would have chosen the same port of call.”

“Man’s got to work.”

“Oh spare me. You’ve probably got enough cash stashed away to buy a small planet, or a very large moon complete with terra-forming. You should take that girl and split. Go somewhere warm with blue seas, and green grass and have lots of babies.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Thank you, of course, for saving my ass. But I’ve known that little girl for years and I love her like a sister. When I heard Black Sun had her, Mac and Kip and I were fixin’ to take up a collection for a snatch and grab. Then Kip told us you’d gone after her, and we decided to stay out of your way.”

“I don’t need a lecture.”

“Someone needs to do it, may as well be me. I ain’t scared of you, not like most. I remember you back when you first showed up at Kip’s, just a green snot nosed brat trying to make a name for himself. Did a fine job of it too. You know...” She looed around, and a slow smile spread across her face. “This could be a big money maker for me.”

“What?”

“Being in your bed. I’d be the first whore in ten years not to be lying when I said that,” she fixed him with eyes too green to be natural. “That means something. It means, whether you say it to her or not, that you love the girl. So you ought to fess up and tell her, because in your line of work you may not get another chance.”

“Are you finished?”

“I’ve said what I have to say, and I needed to say it years ago. And again, thanks. I’lll make it up to you.”

“You’ve always been her friend.”

“That I have. A girl’s got to have friends,” she turned her head too quickly and groaned.

“You should rest.”

“I think I might,” A’zael sighed, sinking back into the mattress and she wwas asleep a few moments later.

He watched her for a long time, listening to the sound of her breathing, and rolling her words around in his mind.