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

Chapter Six

The planet Florem was barren and rocky. Its only inhabitants were pirates. The leader of one particular group of pirates, Honda Ohnaka, a shrewd man, held a certain amount of respect for anyone with honor. There was not very much honor among these thieves, as the saying goes, but Hondo liked to believe that he was honorable in his own way. He sat at one of the many long, wooden tables in the cantina that was owned and operated by the pirates, his feet propped up on the edge, leaning back in his wooden chair. He sipped a cup of pirate brew, which in reality was probably nothing more then fruit punch mixed with something a little stronger. He was just thinking about how lucky he was when one of his men approached him.

"Hondo," the pirate said.

The pirate captain was disgusted. Did his men not have any respect for their leader? "What is it?" he asked. He spoke Basic with a heavy accent.

"A ship has just entered the atmosphere," the pirate reported. "It's trying to contact us."

Hondo rolled his eyes. "Well, then answer it. It's probably just some outlanders trying to get something for free." He stood up from his relaxed position and set his glass down. "I will contact them." He strode down the hall casually and entered the communications room.

He pressed a button and a blurry hologram appeared. "What do you outsiders want?" he demanded. "Don't you know that this is private property? I could call the emperor! I have him on speed dial, you know."

The image cleared up. "That's very unlikely, Hondo," Obi-Wan said. "Besides, I know for a fact that the Empire has no presence here." He studied the pirate's face.

Hondo stared back at Obi-Wan. "You, Jedi, are going to get yourself into trouble one of these days and I will not help you."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Well, I had hoped that you might," the Jedi master replied. "You see, I am already in a bit of trouble."

Hondo threw his hands up in exasperation. "Okay, you may land, but just his once. I am warning you, if any armies or Jedi opposites..."

"Sith?" Obi-Wan corrected him, eyebrow raised slightly,

"Yeah, those guys. If anybody comes and wants to wipe us out while you are here, I'm holding you responsible. Is that clear?" The pirate held up a finger as if to prove his point.

Obi-Wan smiled. "Crystal." He piloted the small ship down to the surface and set it down gently. The ramp opened and he stepped out.

Hondo was ready to meet him. "Well, the years have not made you any better to look at."

"I could say the same. By the way, I'm expecting another ship to land here shortly."

"What is this? Visit Florem day?" Hondo cried. He put his hand to his face. "I never know what to expect of you, Jedi."

Alex woke up, and found that he was still on the medical transport sled. He must have passed out from the pain during the procedure. Then, he remembered what Vader had said. The device would cut his connection with the Force. He decided to test it. Alex tried to reach out to the Force, but there was nothing. He felt strangely empty. He didn't know what to do. He truly had no hope left. He was left to wonder what would happen to him.

He wasn't left very long. No sooner had he awoken than a group of stormtroopers once again entered the medical room. An officer was with them in place of the normal commander. He leaned in close to Alex's face, so close that Alex could smell the officer's dinner on his breath.

"Prepare to die, Jedi," the officer hissed at him.

Alex stared right past the officer. The sled was returned back to its horizontal position, and began moving again. The officer walked right behind it, staring into Alex's eyes the whole time. He could not bear it anymore. Alex closed his eyes to try to concentrate on the Force once again, but nothing was working. Instead, he devoted himself to studying the beings around him. There was an overwhelming amount of stormtroopers in this particular hallway. A few more meters down the hallway, Alex could hear the sound of a turbolift. The door opened, and the sled was pushed into it. There as very little to see inside the lift. The same old stormtroopers and officer were simply making faces at his discomfort.