Star Crossed

Return of the Jedi

"Relax," Jo told Leia as she adjusted her helmet once again. 

"They aren't going to believe that two bounty hunters worked together." Leia shared her concerns with her friend. 

Jo rolled her eyes which went unnoticed because of the helmet. "Remember, if they ask- which they won't- we'll say we both found him and agreed on sharing the reward because he's such a handful." As Jo said it she looked up at Chewie. "Right?" To play his part he waved his arms around, though it wasn't quite as enthusiastic as Jo hoped for. "Right." Jo shook her head as she looked forward. "Just don't say anything. Let me do the talking. Don't reach for your blaster unless things go bad, okay? There's no need to escalate things unless we absolutely have to."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Leia's voice came out as masculine and mechanical behind her helmet.

Jabba's guard- or assistant- walked into the thin hallway to address them. "Jabba will see you now." 

Jo pressed a small button on the side of her helmet that would translate whatever she said into his language. Lando told her to use it to cover her true identity. "Great." She gave him a curt nod. Though she said the simple word, what the rest of them heard was a series of harsh sounds. 

"I hope you do not mind these three guards escorting you-" He held up his hand as three of Jabba's guards entered the hallway behind him. 

Jo looked them over warily. "Not at all." She wrapped one gloved hand around Chewie as she guided him forward. 

As they approached the guards, one reached out for Chewie- whether he was planning on hitting him or taking him- Jo didn't wait to find out. She pulled her blaster out and shot the guard square in the chest. He flew back and hit the wall as the other two pulled out their own blasters. "No one touches my bounty." She told them sternly. "Understood?" She pointed her blaster at the last two guards steadily. "I just want my money, but I can also handle a little trouble if it comes my way."

"Put your blaster away!" The guard on the left told her. 

She raised a brow- which they didn't see. "Put yours away first." She told them. Her voice held so much authority they listened and placed their blasters back in their holsters. To show her good faith, she put her blaster away and held up her shooting hand. "See? There's a friendly way we can go about this." She told them as she continued to lead the way into Jabba's main chambers. 

As she entered with Chewie and Leia, the room went entirely silent. Jabba's crowd of servants and onlookers parted way for the guards and bounty hunters with their bounty. 

The two guards led the group to the middle of Jabba's open space. 

Jo looked around discretely to find that every side of them was covered with some of Jabba's men- or... well creatures. On the wall to Jo's left, she saw Han's form still frozen in carbonite. It was exactly as she remembered him- what little she could remember from that day. His face was frozen mid-scream as he held up his hands defensively. It was enough to make her angry all over again. 

Leia elbowed Jo's side harshly to turn her attention back to Jabba. She shook the horrifying thoughts from her head and looked towards the disgusting crime lord. He was basically a glorified slug. She wasn't sure exactly what species he was, but if she had to guess she'd think he came from some sort of swamp planet where all the ugly insects rule over instead of being squashed. 

Jo bowed to Jabba as a form of respect. As she did, Leia bent forward to copy her actions. When Jo raised herself up, she spoke as the helmet translated. "I have come for the bounty on this Wookie." She presented Chewie to Jabba. Chewie gave a growl as he moved his arms away from Jo.