Unexpected

chapter twenty-one: negotiating

Elara stretches as the sun peeks over the horizon. The strange warmth emanating from beside her draws her attention and she smiles as she finds Echo still asleep. He had escorted her to her quarters last night, trying to get any bit of information out of her about her mission. Eventually the two fell asleep and it seems like she'll be the one leaving without a goodbye this time.

After slipping a shawl on over her yellow dress, she grabs her small bag and heads to the main hangar. It had been decided that she would take public transport as to not draw attention to herself, so she waits for the next shuttle outside of the Senate building.

"There's no ship to sneak onto this time." Elara stifles a laugh as a familiar soldier stands beside her. "Good morning Fives." She smiles up at him, not exactly thrilled to see him with his helmet on.

"Good morning cyar'ika." He looks down at her.

"Have you come to stop me from going?" She asks.

"I came to see you off." He admits. "And I'll be waiting right here upon your return."

Elara smiles at him. "Rex is worried sick, isn't he?" She sighs.

"He didn't get any sleep." Fives admits. "And Echo never came back to the barracks."

"Oh, Echo actually spent the night with me." Elara admits and Fives raises his eyebrows under his helmet. "We were talking and ended up falling asleep. He was still passed out when I left."

Fives just hums in response as a shuttle lands on the platform in front of them.

"Well that's my cue." Elara sighs. "I'd give you a kiss goodbye but.." She gestures to the helmet over his head. "Give Rex my love." She winks before boarding the shuttle.

Fives sighs as he watches the shuttle pull away. He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep either, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

Once he reaches the barracks, he pulls his helmet off and falls onto Echo's bed. His lack of sleep catches up to him as soon as his head meets the pillow.

*

The shuttle lands on Onderon and Elara puts her hood up before grabbing her things. She blends into the crowd of travelers as they step off of the ship and immediately spots her contact on the side of the platform.

"Senator Bonteri." Elara nods politely.

"You must be Elara Erso." The woman smiles. "It's nice to finally meet you."

The use of her full name causes Elara to stiffen. She glances around to make sure nobody heard, but fails to notice the suddenly interested man walking by.

"The pleasure is mine, m'lady." Elara forces a smile back.

Mina Bonteri is a good friend of Padme's, despite being on different sides. Padme had hoped that by sending Elara to meet with her, Mina would start a motion in the Separatist council for a peace treaty. If both side petitioned for peace, the war would come to a swift end.

"Now dear, tell me, what do you think of this war?" Mina asks as they enter her home for some privacy.

Elara spares no detail in explaining how this war is quickly destroying people's lives, using her own story as a primary example. For arguments sake, she speculates on how the world would be after the war—most likely ending in a dictatorship rather than a democracy—regardless of who wins.

Throughout Elara's argument, Mina finds herself deeply intrigued as she hangs onto every last word. The Senator would admit she's very impressed by the handmaiden's natural talent for public speaking, though she would expect nothing less from someone so close to Padme.

"I must say, you make quite a compelling argument. Are you sure you're merely a handmaiden?" Mina teases playfully. "The Senate has a meeting tomorrow, I shall start a motion for a peace treaty. It's not much but it's all I can do."

"It's more than enough, thank you Senator Bonteri." Elara smiles.

Mina smiles. "Tell Padme I say hello. Once we have peace in the galaxy, I'd very much like to catch up with her."

"The feeling is mutual." Elara assures her, explaining how Padme wished to come today as well. "Thank you for your hospitality and your time. I'm sure we'll be seeing eachother very soon."

The two say their goodbyes and Elara makes her way through the city, back to the platform to get onto the next shuttle. As she waits, she allows a small smile to creep across her face at how well these negotiations went. Maybe she's making a difference after all.

"Erso." A voice thinks aloud from behind her. "What a funny name."

Elara turns her head to find a weequay man fiddling with a knife.

"It's the kind of name that, if you hear it once, you'd never forget it." The man continues. "I knew an Erso once, seemed like quite a guy. The Separatists really loved him for some reason, as if he was some sort of trophy."

Elara swallows nervously as the man approaches her. She tries to grab her blaster from her bag but the man stops her.

"I'll take that." He holds his hand out as he points the knife in her direction. Elara clenches her jaw as she hands the small bag over. "What do you say you and I take a walk? I've got some people who would love to meet you."

Not having much of a choice, Elara walks beside the man as he softly presses the knife against her back. They reach a round, silver ship on one of the lower hangars and the man pushes her onboard before closing the ramp behind him.

"Ah, Goru! Where have you been? The rest of the crew finished with repairs hours ago." Another weequay man speaks as he steps into view. "Who is this?"

"Who are you?" Elara counters.

The man in the red trench coat laughs. "I like this one." He says to the man who brought her there, now identified as Goru. "I am Hondo Ohnaka. This is my ship. And they are my crew." He gestures to the other weequays on the ship, both male and female. "Now, who are you?"

Elara just glares up at him and Hondo sighs.

"I heard someone address her by the surname Erso." Goru speaks up.

Hondo's face lights up. "Erso! I used to know an Erso." He smiles at Elara. "He was quite the technician, it's no wonder the Separatists use him to design their droids. He's the best!"

Elara's heart sinks. Galen is the one creating these droids?

"Tell me, Erso. What business do you have on Onderon?" Hondo asks, but Elara still doesn't speak. "Hmm, I see. Well, we'll get you to talk sooner or later." He smiles. "Take her to the brig."

Elara's eyes widen. "You can't keep me here!" She shouts as she's dragged away. "I am a Senator of the Republic!" She lies.

"A Senator!" Hondo laughs. "Perhaps there may yet be use for you."

Goru and another man throw her into a cell and lock the door before disappearing. Elara pulls on the bars with all of her strength, but to no use. She groans in frustration and kicks the gate before plopping onto the ground.

There's no way she's going to sit here and wait for whatever those pirates have planned. She needs to figure out a way off of this ship.

Before she even gets the chance to think of a plan, the ship begins to move. Based on the sudden jump in speed, she comes to the conclusion that they're travelling through hyperspace and sighs. Her escape will have to wait.