Untangle the Lies, You Must

6~Keep Calm and Trust the Wookie

I felt the dread return. Like I said, it always failed.

Immediately when I walked in, I saw the furry brown and black back of a Wookie. Out of everything in the room, out of all the creatures, it was the Wookie that held every ounce of my attention.

Did I find the person I knew who could help us? Kind of. I found his first mate.

My face went pale as I imagined his reaction of seeing me but I knew it was better with them both, than with complete strangers we didn't have faith in. Or more importantly, trust.

Fighting my will and fear back, I pointed to the back of the Wookie and looked at Obiwan. "There."

It might not of been Obiwan's placid face that revealed his amazement, but his tone did. "What do you mean?"

I frowned as I shared the information I knew. "He's the first mate to the fastest ship I know of. The Millennium Falcon."

Luke went silent and stared at me for a moment as R2 beeped a few things, earning him a probably hard pat from 3PO. Obiwan gaped silently at the Wookie and then turned his head back at me as if expecting more information or an explanation. He wasn't getting either.

I crossed my arms and stuck my chin out. "Ok, since no one is going to do it and trust my knowledge." I made the decision to walk up to the Wookie I knew.

I sidestepped a few men, and their heads turned in my direction. I knew they couldn't see my face and wondered what they thought was under my hood. A head of snakes was more than likely one of their thoughts.

"Chewbacca?" The alarmed noise I received from him made a smile spread to my lips. "It's nice seeing you alive, Chewie."

His fur shook with waves as an enormous furry arm wrapped around my shoulders in a warm embrace. I chuckled as the Wookie practically choked and squashed me. He made another noise and Obiwan's painfully hurt voice made me turn.

"He said it's a relief to know you aren't dead."

I met the hurt and suspicion with a strong posture but pitifully weak eyes. "Don't worry about it. It's just been a while."

Luke's eyes swept between the both of us. I saw as he shifted his weight and shifted his gaze mainly toward me and Chewie.

Chewie made another sound but this I had heard before, it was apologetic. Obiwan narrowed his eyes at me and the pain curled into my stomach. "You were right. Who would trust you?"

I winced visibly and looked away from him. My heart seemed to crack as Chewie lifted my chin to look in his eyes. I gritted my teeth and pressed on with the situation as beady black eyes met my green ones. "We need a ride to Alderaan, Chewie. Is there a way for you to help us out?"

He nodded. I could read the enthusiasm in his movement and laughed with a bright smile but Obiwan pushed me off to the side, out of his way. I snarled at him as his strikingly cold eyes met my now dark ones. "Take it easy."

But it wasn't him that I needed to chew out. A horrendous crash sounded just to my back. I turned to find Luke sprawled over a now broken table. My breath hitched as he winced in pain and rubbed his head when a human man advanced on him.

I reacted with instinct and drew my blaster. I pressed it against the back of the man's neck before he could hurt Luke any further.

"Don't. Just don't." The room grew deadly silent as my strongly held voice echoed in the stinging silence.

The man laughed harshly but he didn't move. I smiled. That was good. "A woman?! Threatening me?"

Ok, not good, was a thought before he turned and met my hooded face with the blaster now pointing into his neck. He laughed again. The room began to buzz with tension which made my stomach knot.

His eyes went cold and a mad glint glittered in their depths that only a madman could have. Totally not good. "You must be an ugly thing to cover your face."

I grinned sideways and a cold tone reached my voice that had not invaded in many years. "Or I can't afford to show it."

A growl came from over my shoulder. Chewie's unmistakable arm into view. A loud crack slit tension of the cantina. At first I didn't comprehend what happened until the man turned his back and pushed past the crowd. Chewie had punched him.

Luke lifted himself quickly, a little too quickly, and he leaned heavily into my side for new balance. I looked at Chewie as he protectively stood in front of me. Obiwan drew his lightsaber as a second ran forward with a vengeance. An arm suddenly laid on the floor in a bloody heap and the man yelled in pain.

Chewie roared with triumph, revealing his canines. The cantina suddenly resumed their own business and grew loud with conversation and music as Obiwan let everyone take in the sight of his glowing blue lightsaber. Letting them know he was a Jedi and wasn't taking anything from anybody.

I looked at Luke as his eyes stopped whirling with confusion. I sheathed my blaster, finding I no longer needed its use, and helped Luke steady himself.

I felt his muscles shift under the fabric of his shirt and removed my hand as a soft blush snuck into my cheeks. His now watered but steady eyes fell on me. I caught myself from smiling as I found I held his attention once again. I wouldn't deny the odd feeling of pleasure rising into my gut the longer he looked at me. "That was rather cocky and risky of you to do that."

I laughed. "My strongest suits, cockiness and risk taker."

Chewie was still glowering at the crowd and I carefully placed a hand on his back. He turned to look at me, now calm, and made that noise of his. My brow furrowed as a question rolled carelessly off my tongue. "Why did you do that, Chewie?"

He answered. I looked at Obiwan for a translation. He opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again to finally speak. "He said he did it for Han."