Redamancy - Han Solo [3]

Chapter 2: Okay, you got me!

Her chance came the next day.

After one of their sets, Tasha disappeared from the throne room out one of the back passages, off towards where the droids were kept when not in use. She came across a long room lined with power chargers, a droid plugged into each one, restraining bolts firmly in place. Grimacing inwardly, Tasha looked for the familiar white and blue pattern of Artoo's paint job.

Found him.

"Artoo," Tasha whisper shouted, crouching down next to the droid. The droid spluttered to life, squealing at her in an accent and a language that was definitely not Artoo.

"oh, I'm sorry," she said quickly, standing as the droid continued to shout obscenities at her for interrupting its nap. The longer she took the less luck she was going to have. She scanned the room again, not seeing another blue and white droid. The grunting sounds of conversing Gamorrean guards sounded in the passage behind her. Cursing under her breath, Tasha's eyes darted around, looking for somewhere to hide and finding absolutely nothing to help her. Welp. Her heart pounded in her ears. The conversation was getting closer. She could try and bluff her way out, use a jedi mind trick to make them think she was meant to be there, but if any of them mentioned it to anyone else her cover would be blown. And she couldn't fight her way out of Jabbas palace. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"hey you!" came a gruff voice. Shit. Shit. Shit. Tasha smiled as she turned around, holding her skirt in her hands, twirling it slightly. "what are you doing here?"

"oh, I'm terribly sorry! I think I took a wrong turn somewhere! I'll just go back this way and-" Tasha started moving towards the exit, still facing the guard, until her back hit something solid – and metal.

"what's going on here?" came boba Fett's voice from behind her, and just like that, Tasha knew she was well and truly screwed. Her jedi mind tricks didn't work on Mandalorians (something she'd found out the hard way).

"I found this girl sneaking around the droids," said the guard pompously, and Tasha smiled up at Fett.

"I wasn't sneaking around sir, I promise," she said, cringing inwardly at her own whiney tone of voice, "I was just lost. Honest." Boba Fett surveyed her, tilting his head to the side, masked face impassive.

"your roots need retouching, Captain Ryann."

Yep. Well and truly screwed.

***

"okay, okay, you got me, we get it!" growled Tasha as she was dragged back through the corridors to the throne room, the other guests watching her. She yanked her arm free and stood in front of Jabba, hands on her hips, glaring at the big slug.

"Captain Ryann," said Jabba in an amused tone, "I was wondering how long it would take for you to make your move."

"yeah, well, congrats," she replied bitterly. Jabba chuckled again.

"it was Mr Fett who recognised you, about four months after you arrived. I was curious to see exactly how long you would wait to rescue captain Solo." He gave another sinister chuckle as Tasha's eyes flicked to Han for a moment before going back to the slug.

"some of us actually have interpersonal relationships," her gaze never wavered, "and care about our friends." Her gaze fell on Bib Fortuna, stood next to the slug, before she continued, "I wouldn't want to be any of your 'friends' when you're having a bad day."

Lando walked into the throne room from a door behind the dais to begin his next guard shift. He'd been on a break, and had taken the moment to catch up with Artoo, without knowing that Tasha had thought the same thing. Until he heard her voice snapping at Jabba. Bloody hell. When Han gets the full story about what's been happing here, he was going to kill him. Just then, a blast rang through the crowded room. Everyone's heads quickly snapped in the direction of it as a Gamorrean guard tumbled down the steps into the main audience chamber, a smoking blaster hole in his chest. A howl that Tasha and Lando recognised followed, and Tasha grit her teeth. Their plan that they'd spent months on was to blast them out?! When they got out of here, she was going to kill them. The clanking of chains followed, and Tasha fought the urge to cover her mouth in shock as Chewie was dragged in by a masked and armoured bounty hunter.

"oh no, Chewbacca," came Threepio's wail from behind Jabba. The gangster just laughed his amused laugh, watching Tasha's emotions flit across her face.

"I have come for the bounty on this Wookiee," the bounty hunter's voice was strangely distorted through the mask. Probably to mask his identity, Tasha thought.

"at last, we have the mighty Chewbacca." Jabba laughs loudly, the whole room joining in on the blood-curdling chorus. He motions to Threepio, beckoning him closer. Reluctantly he takes a couple of nervous steps forward.

"oh, uh, yes, uh, I am here, your worshipfulness. Uh . . .yes!" Jabba kept speaking, Threepio now translating him in his squeaky and apprehensive voice.

"the illustrious Jabba bids you welcome and will gladly pay you the reward of twenty-five thousand." The bounty hunter was having none of it.

"fifty thousand. No less." They said flatly in Ubese. Jabba was not amused. The great Hutt flew into a rage, knocking Threepio into a clattering heap on the ground next to his throne. The bounty hunter adjusted his weapon defensively as Jabba continued to shout and Lando and another one of the guards helped Threepio up off the floor.

"uh, oh . . . but what, what did I say?" said Threepio deliriously, touching his head with his metal arm before speaking directly to Boussh again: "the mighty Jabba asks why he must pay fifty thousand?" his voice was still uncertain. The bounty hunter holds up a small silver ball, the shine in it showing up against the grime of their tough gloves. Tasha's pulse instantly sped up as she realised what it was. Not good.

Threepio seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

"because he's holding a thermal detonator!" shouted the droid in a panic. Everyone in the room seemed to yelp collectively, backing away. Tasha tried to use the distraction to get the hell away from Boba Fett, but he tightened his grip on her arm as he pulled out his gun defensively. Lando's eyes met Tasha's for a moment, panic reflected in both of them. Jabba just sat there (not that there was much else he could do, the round lump) before laughing. And kept laughing.

"this bounty hunter is my kind of scum," said Jabba in Huttese, his booming voice sounding loudly through the otherwise silent room, "fearless and inventive." Tasha snorted derisively, causing Fett to tighten his grip and Tasha's smirk to turn into a wince. Jabba babbled something to Threepio, which the droid dutifully translated.

"Jabba offers the sum of thrirty-five, and I do suggest you take it."

You could cut the air in the room into easily chewable pieces as everyone waited to see whether they'd all get blown up or not.

Boushh lifted his finger off the device, the light on it going dead. Tasha didn't hide her relief, letting out a sigh.

"he agrees!" exclaimed Threepio, his relief clearly apparent as well. A cacophony of cheers erupted around the room as the party returned, the band striking up another tune. The now trio of girls watched Tasha as she glared defiantly at Jabba as he spoke to the guards.

"take the Wookiee to the cells," he said, "and the captain . . . can go with him." He chuckled at the end of his sentence, the courtiers chattering and jeering encouragingly.

Tasha snarled at Jabba as the guards grabbed her arms, pulling her away after Chewbacca, his howls sounding over the din of the music.