Reckless • Han Solo

3.1 Backfire

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"You'll be fine Chewie," Ellia smiled at the Wookie like she had done so many times before. She placed the shackles around his wrist and placed her own helmet on her head. She was already hot under the Tatooine suns. She wasn't in her regular clothes, she stole an outfit from a bounty hunter, and also his helmet, it altering her voice.

"Let's go Chewie," Ellia said in her now deep robotic voice. She led Chewbacca in the hot Tatooine sand to Jabba the Hutt's palace in an attempt to recapture Han Solo.

Ellia's heart had ached for one year. An entire year without Han was like breathing without air. Her lungs filled with nothing but the feeling that she was missing something vital to her. She cried every night, wanting to be back his arms and during the day she took her anger out when she trained with Luke. Even with all her friends around her, she still felt uncontrollably lonely. Luke and Leia weren't the same as Han, yes they were great but they weren't him. They wouldn't argue back, they never had witty and sarcastic comebacks, they never did anything in the moment. They were too much like Ellia, boring and thoughtful.

Once she tricked the guards and was somewhat safe inside the palace she was ushered into Jabba's sitting room. It was a crowded room that was filled with drinking, music and, exotic dancers, Ellia and Chewbacca stuck out like a sore thumb.

Jabba, the vile blooped shaped creature sat upon his throne, as if he was almighty. He had dancers in skimpy clothing chained to the throne dancing to the music and catering to all of Jabba's needs. C-3PO, who Ellia missed dearly stood behind Jabba, looking awfully frightened.

Bib, Jabba's henchman took his place beside Jabba, announcing to him Ellia's and Chewbacca's appearance. He pointed to the both of them as Jabba listened intently.

Ellia bowed to the gangster and began to speak in the strange, electronically processes language, known as Ubese.

"I have come for the bounty on this Wookiee," Ellia spoke in Ubese.

"Oh, no! Chewbacca!" 3PO gasped, the plan Ellia and Luke formulated was unknown to the droid.

"At last, we have the mighty Chewbacca," Jabba grinned, speaking in Huttese. He let out a loud, blood-curling laugh and turned to 3PO, waving him closer.

3PO was reluctant but obliged, "Oh, uh, yes, uh, I am here, Your Worshipfulness. Uh...yes!"

Jabba kept speaking as 3PO nervously translated his words. "Oh. The illustrious Jabba bids you welcome and will gladly pay you the reward of twenty-five thousand."

"I want fifty thousand!" Ellia exclaimed, "No less."

Jabba immediately flew into a rage, knocking 3PO off the raised throne. "Uh, oh...but what, what did I say?" 3PO asked Ellia confused. Jabba spoke once more. "The mighty Jabba asks why he must pay fifty thousand."

Ellia, as the bounty hunter, held up a small silver ball in her hands. 3PO looked at it, then looked at Jabba, then back to the bounty hunter. He looked very nervous, "Because he's holding a thermal detonator!"

The guards instantly backed away, along with most patrons in the room. Jabba continued to stare at the bar, which began to glow in Ellia's hand. The room fell into a tense hush as Jabba stared at Ellia with a malevolently until a sly grin crept across his vast mouth and he began to laugh.

"This bounty hunter is my kind of scum," Jabba said, "Fearless and inventive."

"Jabba offers the sum of thirty-five," 3PO continued Jabba's speech, "And I suggest that you take it."