Light in Her Darkness

Chapter 5

"And you're sure I'm not going to get skewered by a lightsaber?"

Bilba let out an exasperated huff. "For the last time, he's not going to hurt you."

Her companion didn't look convinced, which was annoying. It had taken forever to find someone suitable, which she blamed completely on Kili. He was irritating so it made sense that anything related to him would be equally as obnoxious.

She'd had to find a young man, approximately the height, weight and build of what she appeared to be in her modified armor. He also needed to be attractive which is where she'd struggled the most as, outside of the aforementioned height and build, she had no idea what Kili found appealing.

She'd eventually realized that he'd only ever seen her in a helmet which meant he most likely didn't know either. After that she'd just looked around until she'd found people she felt fit the definition of attractive and gone from there.

Of course, even then her irritation had continued as many potential candidates had bowed out the second she'd said the word "Jedi."

Cowards.

The young man who'd finally fit all the criteria and agreed even after hearing the word Jedi raised an eyebrow expectantly. Bilba rolled her eyes and reached for her credit pouch. She wasn't sure why paying him more would encourage him. If she was wrong, he'd be dead either way and unable to spend said credits.

Aldaron, if she recalled correctly, grinned as she handed the credits over. He had shoulder length dark hair, dark eyes and a quick smile. He was a very nice young man all things considered and Bilba would never have asked him to do anything if she wasn't completely sure it was safe.

The fact she was that certain was...not something she felt like thinking about.

"You remember what I said?" she asked for the thirteenth or so time.

He huffed in exasperation. "Yes, it's not complicated."

Bilba nodded in satisfaction. "He won't see it coming." Kili Durin was incapable of taking anything seriously. He'd never suspect her and, even if he did, he'd still fall for it because he didn't think her capable of actually capturing him.

Jerk.

She'd show him. Her plan would work and then her mission would be over, and the bastard would leave her alone and she wouldn't have to put up with Durin anymore and...that would be that.

Her life could go back to normal.

Endless days of nothing, by herself with no one to talk to and nobody to look forward to aside for the next bounty. Constantly looking over her shoulder, worrying about Shire finding her.

Aldaron's eyes narrowed. He leaned one shoulder against the wall of the building they stood next to and studied her. "You don't seem all that sure about this."

Bilba's scowled in annoyance. "Just get it done. The longer we sit out here talking the greater the chance he decides to leave."

Aldaron shrugged and pushed off the wall. "Your credits."

"That's right," Bilba said, trying to sound intense the way her father always had. "My credits and my plan, so get to it."

He chuckled, which was not at all the result she'd been aiming for and headed into the club.

Bilba watched him go and then melted back into the shadows of yet another alley and settled into wait. She should start a business, tours of alleys across the universe. If she did, this one would make her list of which alleys to not visit. It was on one of the lower levels of Coruscant, Kili's latest stop in his trek to nowhere, and to say it was seedy would be a gross understatement. For not the first time, Bilba was grateful for the filters in her helmet as she was sure the stench alone would have knocked her flat.