Star Wars | Episode X: The Edge of Destiny

Chapter 10: The Bidding

"Wake up!" I shout as I enter the lobby of our private wing.  I look at the sofa and see Chewie passed out with Poe snuggled close to the sleeping Wookie.  Looking down I see Finn in a deep sleep, snoring, on the floor by the sofa.

"I said get up!" I shout again.  This time I use the Force and wrap hold of them and give them a little shake.

"Wha..." Poe says as he stirs from Chewie's side and puts his left hand to his throbbing head.

Finn rises very slowly to a seated position and I can tell the effects of the alcohol are still lingering in my comrades.  Chewie chirps a little and gets up quickly from the sofa.  I can sense the lingering alcohol in his stomach wants to come out.  He did drink about five of those Reactor Cores last night.  Running past me and down the hall to his suite; I hear the door open and shut quickly after. 

Poe licks his lips and opens his eyes looking towards me. "How...are you...," he searches for his words. "...so awake...right now," he finishes. 

"Come on.  We have a job to do," I say walking past the lounging area and into the dining area of our suite.  The table is full of fruits, meats, and loaves of bread.  I'm famished and my stomach growls for relief of this hunger.  I have never been one for meat, so I grab bread and fruit as I take a seat at the large table.  I start eating the food and stop mid-bite on the bread and see Poe and Finn staring at me in confusion. 

"What?" I question with a mouthful of bread.

"You are the most fascinating thing in this universe, Rey," Poe says groggily standing and walking over to the table.

Finn still looks at me perplexed and stands without wavering eye contact from me.

"You seem, perky," he hiccups. "Considering how much," he hiccups again.  "You drank last night, Rey," Finn says with a chuckle as he slowly walks over to the table. 

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I just have a better tolerance to drink is all," I lie with a smile. I cannot be drunk and become distracted at a time like this.  Neither these two have a very high alcohol tolerance and I do enjoy poking fun at that fact.  And, using it to my advantage. 

Turning from my plate and looking down the hall, Chewie and our other companions coming out to breakfast.  They all take a seat at the table and start eating the food.  Chewie reaches over Finn and grabs the entire plate of freshly cut meat.  He lifts it and takes it over to his chair at the table. He plops down in his chair and digs in at the platter.

We all stop what we are doing and look at the Wookie in amazement.

"You are going to eat all that, pal?" Poe says sarcastically.

Chewie howls in response at Poe.  He is very grumpy from the effects of alcohol. I chuckle and continue on my bread and fruit. 

Time passes and everyone has finished their breakfast.  The door to the suite opens revealing the Twi'lek from yesterday and a handful of IG Assassin Droids.  They march in formation and enter the dining room.

"I bid everyone a good morning. I hope you rested well from your journey.  If you would, please, your escort is ready to take you all to the bidding chamber."  

I look around at my party and see them get up without hesitation. Keeping my guard up and walking with our group out of the suite and down the hallway.  The droids are massive next to me.  All are equipped with several weapons of various destruction capabilities.  They remain silent and have their large blaster rifles across their chest plates---ready for an attack.

***

Some time passes, and we navigate to an incredibly large blast door at the end of a hallway.  The young Twi'lek presses a few buttons and the doors slowly open.  I can tell from the magnitude that these doors can withstand quite an attack.  No wonder the Hutt's keep their valuable items behind it.

We walk through and I can see a large golden lobby with elaborately decorated furniture---just like the suite.  In the center of the room is an incredibly large and impregnable vault. We walk in cautiously and the Twi'lek ushers for us to take a seat on the loungers surrounding the vault. 

"If you'd all please take a seat." she ushers with her hand to the loungers.

We all do as she asks and I turn my head around to see the IG Assassin Droids walking towards the wall of the room and lining up---standing guard by the door. 

Everyone remains silent. "As you can imagine, his highness values security above all else.  That is why you will get all the schematics and information on the two items for auction inside this vault." She turns and opens her hand up towards the vault. "I will give you all plenty of time to look over the information on the HoloPads.  I will tell you that the other party here for the auction was quite interested in the information we provided," she says with a smile.

I sense through the Force that she is trying to entice our bidding even more.  I grab one of the pads and begin looking at the data on the ship. It appears to be an advanced Imperial Tie Fighter.  There are coordinates left in the ship's navigation drive.  From the data provided, that ship is still in working order.  I continue and find the readings on the datacron left on the ship. All it shows me is the shape of a cube and that it contains a very large drive of data. 

I can feel my blood boiling.  I must know if this is the datacron that contains the information I need.  The information I have been hunting for over three years now.

I place the pad on the table and a few of the others do the same.  I lean back in the lounger slightly and try to calm the rising anxiety inside.  A few moments pass and everyone is standing and walking around the vault---viewing its magnitude.  I find my way to Poe who is on the other side of the vault---away from the door.

"What do you think?" I question him.

"I'm wondering if we can trust it.  Something doesn't sit well with me, Rey."

I touch his left shoulder with my right hand and wave my left hand slowly passed his face.

"You want to get this item for the safety of the Republic.  You trust what they say is inside.  It doesn't matter the cost.  You will pay whatever price to win this item at the bidding.  The Republic needs it," I say calmly in a soft voice to him.

"I will pay whatever price," he says with a smile.

"Wonderful," I say squeezing his shoulder and giving him a warm smile.

"Hey, they are ushering us out to take us to a private auction room now," Finn says as he walks over to us.

"Perfect," I smile at them.