THE EIGHTH [han solo]

[1.01]

In my 9 years as a pilot, I've learnt a lot. How to piss off large crime bosses seems to be one of the first things I leant. Luckily, the second was how not to get caught. My name is Octavia, my friends would call me Via or Vie, if I had any. I seem to work better with just me (shut up Tee, you don't count). Octavia paused the recording for a second, looking behind her and half grinning, then resumed. Tee is my droid, they're the only the only other thing I seem to get along with. I'm not a very pleasant person to be around, I'm always getting shot at or yelled at or ripped off by a crime boss, I love my job though, if you could call it a job. I'm basically exploring the Galaxy and taking pretty things that I like. I'm a renowned thief on Mos Eisley, lots of people know my name, most of 'em hate me. A few have tried to kill me (not now Tee, I'll get to that bit in a minute) Tee wants me to tell you about how I stole The Thunder. She's my ship, my baby. Stole her right outta Jabba's slimy hands. It was dusk on Mos Eisley, everyone was heading home and closing up, since Jabba tightened his grip the nightlife seems to be getting less and less rough and rowdy, it's a bit of a shame really, it was so easy to steal a wallet or two off a drunk- (yes tee, I know I'm getting sidetracked hold up, lemme get back on topic) and I was in a local Cantina that I knew Jabba was at, he got shitfaced drunk and told me where his keys were kept. Being the best pickpocket around I just swiped them from 'im and took the ship. Never looked back. Octavia paused the tape recording once again to check the gauges and dials on her dashboard. Then she nodded and shoved the tape recorder into one of the many hidden draws in the cockpit. It landed next to a diamond encrusted headdress and necklace. The one Octavia stole them off never wore it anyway. Landing back on Mos Eisley was risky for Octavia, especially since not one, but three of the Hutts had placed a bounty on her head. But she had a job to do. Regardless, she had to land discretely, because if she was going to assassinate her target, it would have to be done quietly. "Okay Tee, you stay on the ship, get it ready for take off." Octavia said, pulling off her distinguishable blue military coat, the one that almost dragged along the floor as she ran, her favourite thing (other than Tee and Thunder) she hung it over the back of her chair, and took off the goggles too, she briskly walked into her cabin, pulling on a dark ensemble of clothes, with sandy coloured over-coats to help her blend into the dusty planet. She stocked up on weapons, blasters, knives and even a couple of smoke bombs to help if she got into a situation. Pulling the hood of her cloak up, she walked down the front corridor and swim the catwalks to the cargo bay, ready to disembark. Sticking the communications line into her ear, she signalled to Tee to open the door. It hissed open and she jumped out into the sand. The tiny data pad she had secured in one of her pockets beeped with the file of the Smuggler she was to take out. The hit was issued anonymously, kill the hit, give proof, get credits quick. The man in the picture, if you could even call him a man, was young, maybe a few years older than Octavia herself, a name wasn't given, just a code. She memorised his face and shoved the data pad back into her pocket. She treaded carefully so she wouldn't get sand in her boots. One of the facts on the file said he could be found robbing houses or drinking in the Cantina. She would try the Cantina first, but if Jabba was there she'd have to bolt. Looking at the entrance to the Cantina, she sighed loudly and checked her weapons quickly.

[THE CANTINA
MOS EISLEY]

The Cantina was crowded and hot, but she refused to take her hood down or even shed a layer or two. The band were playing something lively and there were all sorts of people lounging around. No one noticed her entrance which was good for staying undercover. To blend in, she decided to order a drink. Octavia wandered over to the bar, slid into a seat and looked at the man sat next to her. Oh, this is way too easy. She thought, her target was sat right next to her at the bloody bar.
"Whatever he's having." Her voice came out gruff and low and the bartender nodded at her, scuttling away. She supposed he was used to mysterious figures causing trouble. He handed her a blue shiny drink. Octavia raised a single eyebrow and looked at her target from under her hood, stifling a laugh. He didn't look like the kind of person to order a blue shiny drink. She almost laughed but stopped herself, taking a sip of the ridiculously coloured drink. It tasted exotic and fruity. Reminded her of far off planets that were peaceful and nice. She rolled her eyes, it was unlike Octavia to be reminiscent or soppy. She decided to just observe, she had no poisons to spike his drink with, so she'd have to wait until he was outside to kill him.

A little over three hours later, her target exited the bar. Octavia had been lounging around at the back of the room, taking part in a few card games and earning herself a bit more money, she watched him leave, then took her feet off the table and followed him out. She hadn't drink anything else after the blue cocktail and so her senses were a lot more in tune than his. He half stumbled out of the moonlight and into the shadows of one of the buildings. She rolled her eyes, bringing out her blaster. It would be easy enough to just kill him there in the streets and run, but on second thoughts there were too many witnesses, and where the hell would she dump the body. Octavia was by no means weak, physically not mentally, but he looked bulky and she wasn't sure she could take his weight. Making plans, Octavia left nothing to chance, she had to be sure she could carry him before she'd subject herself to it. Fine. She thought to herself. I'll do it the hard way. Octavia decided she'd do something that had worked every time. She pulled her hood down and checked her face in the reflection of a dagger. She looked fine. Then she used his tipsiness and her sneaking skills to get herself in front of him. She then 'tripped' and fell into his arms. She batted her eyelids at him
"Oh, thank you." She smiled, trying not to gag at her innocent-girl façade.
"You're welcome, are you alright?" He asked, steadying her on her feet.
"I'm Alilah, who are you?" She giggled, giving a fake name.
"You're drunk."
"No! I'm Alilah, you're drunk!" She giggled, trying not to give the game away.
"You need help." He said, rolling his eyes.
"No, I need you." She turned up the dial. He looked at her, slightly confused and pulled her closer.
"You're really drunk." He said.

Leaving him passed out, Octavia was almost sad that she didn't get further than kissing him. She spiked his drink with something she'd picked up at the bar. She won it during a game of cards. He was lay, tangled in sheets, completely out. Octavia pulled her cloak tighter around her, and searched the ship for something worth stealing. The ship was beautifully built. The guy was a smuggler, so there must be something worth nicking around here. She'd find whatever it is, then she'd kill him. Maybe take some parts too. It didn't take her too long to find the shipments in the hidden compartments. Unfortunately for Octavia, she was a little too noisy when she found them and he woke up as she was shovelling some more of the shipment off his ship.
"What the hell?!" He yelled, pointing his blaster at her.
"Sorry sweetheart!" She winked, throwing a smoke bomb down as he began to shoot at her. She rolled out of the way, but one of the blaster bolts clipped her upper arm, she bit her lip so as to not yell, stood up and returned fire. Then she ran and ran as fast as she could, yelling at Tee over the Comms link to start the engines and prepare for takeoff. He shot at her still as she ran away. Octavia was going to let him get away, but because of the shot that hit her. He was going down.