Bounty (Alex Rider/Star Wars Crossover) (BOOK 2)

Chapter One

Days were always hot on the desert planet of Tatooine. Even during the cold season, its two suns provided more than enough heat for one planet. The coarse sand seemed to absorb the heat burn the existence out of all vegetation and life. This is what Alex was thinking as he walked the two hundred feet to his master's sandspeeder. Well, really, it was his uncles, but his uncle was his master, so technically that would be correct. He could feel the sweat pooling underneath his thick, lock-sleeved Jedi tunic, and his neck and face were getting even more sunburned by the second. He scolding himself the umpteenth time for leaving his lightsaber in the speeder. He could hear his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi telling him, "Never lose your lightsaber. You must keep it at all costs. It is your life." Hence the reason Obi-Wan was making him go out and get it.

Alex had been a Jedi now for just about two years. Normally, Jedi were not trained as old as he was. He was almost twenty. He should have been a full-fledged Jedi knight by now, but things were different. Alex had been brought to Tatooine on very last-second notice by his uncle, who he thought was Ian Rider, who actually was Obi-Wan Kenobi. As Alex made his way back to the much cooler stone house where he and his uncle resided, his thoughts drifted to his home planet of Earth, a planet in an entirely different galaxy. It was a very long story about how he ended up on a planet that was entirely desert, but here he was, and he might as well make the best of it. Alex was still learning of the many differences between this galaxy and his own, but he was a fast learner. Besides, he had a good teacher, one of the best, actually.

He wandered into the stone hut that was his home, the cool air rushing to meet him as he opened the door. The hut, completely concealed by a sand dune, was chosen particularly because of this feature. Obi-Wan chose Tatooine as his planet of exile when the evil Sith Emperor Palpatine took over the Galactic Empire.

Obi-Wan looked up as he entered, smirking. "Well," he asked causally fidgeting with the hilt of his own lightsaber, "Did you get it?"

Alex rolled his eyes. "Of course I did," he replied, somewhat annoyed. "You are so immature," he accused, laughing.

Obi-Wan feigned a look of bewilderment. "Me? Immature? I don't know what you are talking about, my young apprentice."

"Yes," Alex confirmed. "You, Mr. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, are immature."

His uncle laughed. "Why do you say that?"

The padawan placed his hands on his hips in a pertinent manner. "Because, you sit there, pretending to be a master, and you practically laugh at me having to walk outside to get my lightsaber. That's why you are immature. And that's also what makes you the best uncle ever."

Obi-Wan rose from his seat at the table. "Well, that escalated quickly."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Way to ruin the moment. Seriously, though, I am very lucky to have you as an uncle and as a master."

"Well, thank you, my young apprentice," Obi-Wan acknowledged. "I pride myself in being the best uncle-master there ever was."

Alex raised his eyebrows unbelievingly. "Now I know you are lying. Isn't humility one of the most important Jedi traits?" He shook his head and clicked his tongue. "And you're supposed to be a master."

"Well," his master began, "I think I picked up a few things from you."

"Do I talk like that?" the padawan asked.

His master nodded. Obi-Wan watched Alex give himself a look of disdain.

"Well, now that that's cleared up, why don't we..." his voice trailed off, as he heard the beep of the holocom coming from the next room. "I wonder who that could be," he asked himself aloud. As he rose to go to the next room, Alex followed him. When he reached the next room, he picked up the holocom and pressed the flashing blue button. Instantly, a hologram of Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan appeared in front of him, a bluish figure pixelated because of the poor quality and the long range of the call.

"Greetings, Master Kenobi," Organa greeted him. "How are you faring?" he queried cordially.

"I am faring well, thank you, Senator," Obi-Wan replied, just as cordially. "If you don't mind, let us skip the pleasantries and get to the point."

The senator chuckled. "What, Obi-Wan, growing impatient in your exile?" he kidded lightly.

"No," Obi-Wan shook his head, "It's lunch time and I am hungry. Now what is it? Is there a problem?" he asked inquisitively, slightly worried at the fact that Organa was contacting him at all. His instructions were to contact the Jedi only if absolutely necessary.

"Well, actually I do have a problem, that is, we have a problem," Organa began.

Obi-Wan was puzzled. "We, meaning who?" he asked, trying to get some answers.

"We, meaning you and me."

"What are you trying to say?" Obi-Wan asked the senator. He was getting a little worried about what the answer might be.

The concern was also obvious on Senator Organa's face. "I think Vader might know about Leia."

Obi-Wan's mind reeled at the impact of those few words. How could he know? How did he find out? Would he come for her? Hundreds of questions were flooding the Jedi Master's head. "What makes you think he knows?"

Organa shook his head. "One of Senator Organa's aides intercepted a transmission from Grand Moff Tarkin's cruiser earlier this week. We had been keeping an eye on him. The emperor has appointed him to the task of supervising the hunt for remaining Jedi. The transmission contained information of a surprise visit from Vader sometime soon."

"And you think it is because Vader knows about Leia?"

This time the senator nodded. "Given that Tarkin is over the search for Jedi and other Force-sensitive beings, I think that Leia might be the reason for the visit. I don't think it would be Ferus or Damar that they are tracking. They have been off-world for several weeks, so I don't think they know of his presence here."

"It is possible you are right, my friend." Obi-Wan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Master Kenobi," the senator spoke up, the fear written plainly all over his face, "If anything happens to our daughter, I don't know what we will do. My wife and I have grown to lover her like our own, and we are the only family she knows. I don't want anything to happen to her."

Alex looked at his master's perplexed expression. "What are we going to do?" he asked quietly, trying not to interrupt their transmission. "We can't just let Vader find her."

"I know," Obi-Wan agreed. "I know." He turned back to face the Senator. "Where is Ferus?" he asked, referring to Leia's protector.

"Like I said, he is off-world for several weeks, helping to start up the resistance on Naboo. We keep in close touch. I notified him, and he said we should call you right away," the Senator informed him.

"We are on our way," Obi-Wan agreed reluctantly. He ended the transmission. There was now way Ferus was strong enough to beat Vader on his own, even if he had to, so Obi-Wan and Alex had better get there as soon as possible. There was a better chance of their winning if Ferus had more help.

The Jedi Master turned to his apprentice. "Alex, get your lightsaber. We are going to Alderaan."