Tempting Twi'lek

Author’s note: Thanks for reviews. I’m very grateful. I’m quite pleased with my hit to review ratio. I’m also amazed how long this story is dragging on for.

To Blood Price, thanks for the tip. I kinda thought it was just accepted without saying that the Force was heightening their reflexes and increasing their speed etc in battle, so I just didn’t mention it. However, you’re probably right. I should have made that clearer. Thanks for the review and the hint!


Obi-Wan awoke to find several figures looming over him. He started and went for his lightsaber, then read the Force signatures and realized whom they were. The Jedi.

Every muscle in him screamed with pain. He groaned.

“You’ve taken quite a fall, Master Kenobi”, Salus Cross said.

Plo Koon reached down and helped Obi-Wan up with his big, broad arms. It was only then that Kenobi got a real look at the Jedi Master. His robes were torn and ragged, and he was bruised and bloodied.

“What happened?” Obi-Wan asked unsteadily.

“That cyborg got Aayla. He’s taken her with him”, Reaz explained, as Obi-Wan tensed in anger, “Master Koon defeated the bodyguard droids, and after a while we took out the battle and destroyer droids”.

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, “We have to go after Aayla”.

“We will”, Plo Koon said wearily.

“And we must find a way to destroy this droid foundry”, Whison Puroth added.

“We will, we will,”

***


“I don’t understand your logic here, General”, Dooku chastised.

In San Hill’s office, Grievous dropped the unconscious Aayla to the floor with a thump. San Hill and the other Muuns looked at her uncertainly.

“Bringing her here alive is a great risk”, Count Dooku continued.

“Yes, My Lord. But I will use her as bait for the other Jedi slime. I will take her away from this planet and they will follow to save her, no doubt. Then I will destroy them”.

Dooku nodded, “Very well. Be it on your own head, General. However, I will not allow the Jedi to know of my presence here. I shall leave immediately”.

Without another word, he turned and strode out, cape flowing after him. Grievous turned to San Hill suddenly, frightening him.

“Wait until the Jedi have left the factory, and then lock it down. Activate ray shields in front of the doors. That’ll keep the Jedi from cutting through. I will bait the Jedi and lead them away”, as he spoke, he thrust violently with his finger, pointing it almost accusingly at Hill. Every action he did seemed to be violent and dramatic.

Grievous doubled over again into another coughing fit, startling everyone else in the room. Then he reached down and seized Aayla and stormed away, heading for the fortress hangar.

***


Aayla’s eyes flittered open and she awoke to an unfamiliar setting. The walls were bare metal and sterilized, and she lay on a hard steel bed. Instruments of apparent medical origin hung from the walls. The room itself was small and cramped.

She remembered with a jolt what had happened. The cyborg. Heavy breathing heralded his arrival, and the door slid open. He stalked in, glaring at her. His considerable robotic bulk filled the room, allowing her even less space.

“Ah, you’re awake!” he snorted, “I was beginning wonder if I would have to do it myself”.

In a flash, her hand went to her belt to grab her lightsaber. It wasn’t there. The towering figure laughed at her.

“Perhaps I should explain. I am General Grievous, Jedi slayer. Welcome to my personal shuttle, the Iron Hook. I collect lightsabers for sport. Your specimen”, he opened his cloak and pointed to her saber, which was tucked into a pocket, “happens to be the third piece I own. Never fear, I shall soon add more”.

“What do you want with me?” she whispered.

“Oh, one or two things. I’m using you as bait for the other Jedi. They will come after you and I will destroy them.

“You’re wrong. They will defeat you”.

“I’d like to see them try", he chuckled hoarsely again. He seemed to find everything amusing.

“And what’ the other thing?”

“Ah, you’ll have to wait and see what that is, my dear. You will in time”, his bone cold metallic fingers reached down and stroked her cheek lightly, paralysing her with fear, “I’m sure I shall find a use for you”.

He wheeled about and stomped out of the room again, leaving Aayla alone.

***

The Jedi had made it out of the fortress with surprising ease. Half a dozen security droids had attempted to stop them, but it was pitiful resistance. Obi-Wan was suspicious.

As they mounted their speeders, one or two mounted blasters on the fortress opened fire, but it was easy to evade and nothing compared to the firepower the building seemed capable of unleashing.

Nonetheless, the Jedi raced out of the city and headed back for their cruiser at top speed. They parked their vehicles inside and entered, glad to discover nothing had been damaged by scouting battle droids.

“That was too easy”, Obi-Wan commented a Plo Koon slid into the cockpit pilot chair.

“Why can’t you just be grateful we got away when we did?” Salus Cross the Padawan grumbled, exhausted.

“No, Kenobi is right. Something is amiss here”, Plo Koon remarked as the ship took off and shot off towards the atmosphere boundary.

“Like that”, Reaz commented calmly, pointing ahead out of the cockpit widow.

Up ahead was a wicked looking craft, curving into a great vicious hook shape at the stern. It was heavily armed, but smaller than the Republic Cruiser. It was moving slowly away out of the atmosphere.

“That must be Grievous’ ship. Now that is just too much of a coincidence,” Obi-Wan shook his head.

“Yes, and also the fact that it is not hiding its co-ordinates. It’s jumping into hyperspace, heading for the Itorus system”, Plo Koon pointed out.

The Jedi looked at each other.

“Well, the only way to discover the nature of the trap is to walk into it”, Obi-Wan said.

Salus looked at him sidelong, “Yes, and you want to find Master Secura”.

Obi-Wan felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He looked at the Padawan, who was staring out of the cockpit window. Was it really so obvious? Did they all…

Flushing a deep red, he turned and headed for his quarters, frustrated and embarrassed.

When he was out of earshot, Whison Puroth turned to his Padawan, “That was unnecessary, young one”.

“What, Master? Kenobi’s motives are obvious. They would be even to a non-Force sensitive. His mind is clouded”.

“I concur”, Reaz Thrush said.

Whison sighed, “Yes, I suppose you are right”.

There was a rough edge to Plo Koon’s voice as he spun around in his pilot chair and faced the other Jedi, “No, you are wrong. Master Kenobi has a right to be concerned for a friend. I will here no more slander of him for today”.

“But Master Koon, we are merely wondering if Kenobi’s judgement is….” Reaz began.

Plo Koon shook his head, “No, you are not. You are gossiping idly. That is not an especially useful use for the powers the Force has given you. When you are all following all aspects of the Jedi Code, you may lecture others. Until then, I advise you give Master Kenobi and Master Secura some peace. Now leave me be. I need to plan our hyperspace route”.

Shamefaced, the other Jedi bowed and shuffled out. Alone, Plo Koon finished entering the code for hyperspace and leaned back in the chair, still bloodied and weary from his duel with the guards.

“I have a bad feeling about this”.

***


Aayla quietly entered the bridge of the starship she was on. Instantly, two bodyguard droids like the ones she had faced back on Lumigrounds turned to face her, switching on their electrostaffs. She backed off warily, hands up in a token of surrender.

“IG-105! IG-106! Relax. Let our guest enter”, Grievous’ voice boomed.

Instantly, the guards dropped their aggressive stance and turned off their weapons. From a corner of the bridge, Grievous approached. Aayla glanced around the room. A few pilot battle droids were at the ship’s controls as they raced through hyperspace.

“Now, my dear, you will be interested to know we are heading for the Itorus system. I have some important business there. My mission is to secure another contract with Baktoid Armour Workshops. I shouldn’t really be telling you this, but, well, you’re hardly going to be telling anyone else, are you?” Grievous hissed.

She didn’t answer. She just looked at him.

Grievous continued, “Now, what are…my, where are my manners? I don’t even know your name”.

“Aayla. Aayla Secura”, the twi’lek said. She realized if she was going to come out of this alive she would need to co-operate.

“Aayla. A divine name”, he commented smoothly, “As I was saying, Aayla, what are you doing on the bridge?”

She placed one hand on her hip, “Forgive my intrusion. I felt the need to explore my surroundings”.

“Ah, understandable. Do you know, Aayla, I hate Hutts. With a passion. But I have learned one or two things from them. The people of Baktoid Armour Workshops will be more impressed with my arrival if I were to arrive with a companion. To be more precise, an attractive female companion. Go to your quarters. In the cupboard you will find what I want you to wear upon our arrival”, suddenly, he leered at her chest, “Not that I’m entirely adverse to what you’re wearing at the moment”.

She stared in disbelief, “I will not be a pawn in your perverted politics”.

His eyes narrowed, “Guards. Take the Jedi and dump her out of the airlock”.

The two droids reached for her, and she stepped away, “No, alright. Alright. I’ll do what you want”.

Grievous towered over her and said proudly, “Good. You know it makes sense”.