Chapter 55:
I realize the night drags on and Leia nor Chewy have returned. I'm starting to get worried. I walk out to Luke. "Have they come back?" I ask in a bit of a panic.
"No, should we go?" he says. I nod and I ready myself. I make sure my lightsaber is in my boot and my blaster in the other. I tie my hair back and I follow Luke to find Jabba's Palace.
After a long awkward walk, we get to the palace. I raise my hand and I make the door open. Luke and I walk through and split up. I go one way, silently and subtly. Gracefully leaping past lights that make my shadow seem like a dancer's. I stop at a wall as I hear growling. I peek around the wall and I see two creatures. What the heck are those? They're armed, so I can't just walk past them.
Come on Mara, think. Wait, they don't look well educated. I know I can do this. I walk out and they look to me. I raise my hand and I make them confused and I skip by. I try to look both ways but a hand grabs my hair and my hands. I let out a noise.
"Sneaking around? Let's bring you to the boss," a voice says. I look at him and see the Boba Fett bounty hunter.
We walk to a room with a bunch of sleeping people. I see Jabba's slave, and it's a familiar face. It's Leia. I try and go to her, but Boba tugs on my hair, pulling me back. She looks to me with panic hidden in her eyes. I stay put and I see a shadow come by. Jabba's personal worker goes to it.
"I must speak with Jabba," a voice says. Luke's here. He looks at me and I feel Boba tug on my hair again.
"No need to tug so hard," I hiss to him. "Listen, I'm sorry what happened to your-" I start to speak but he tugs on my hair again.
"You will take me to Jabba now," Luke hisses to the worker. They start to walk here. "You serve your master well. And you will be rewarded." Luke walks into the room. I try and not look at him, but Luke looks directly at me. Disappointed.
"At last, Master Luke's come to save us!" 3PO blurts. I didn't even see him. The worker talks to Jabba and Jabba jolts awake. Ugh, he looks disgusting.
"Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight," the worker says. Jabba outbursts in a language I don't understand.
"Boss, I found this one sneaking around," Boba pushes me to the open light. Jabba speaks as he looks to me.
"He said that Vader has a high price on your head, and that he'll give Vader Miss Mara with reward," 3PO translates. Isn't that great, Anakin's still hunting for me.
"I must be allowed to speak," Luke butts in. Jabba pulls in his worker and he talks to him.
Jabba says something and says, "Jedi mind trick." I'm not sure I taught Luke that, but maybe Yoda did. Luke flips off his hood.
"You will give Solo and the Wookie to me," he tries. Instead of giving Luke Han and Chewy right away, Jabba laughs. Jabba says something. Luke replies with, "Nevertheless. I'm taking Mara, Captain Solo and his friends." Luke, come on, it's never that easy. "You can cooperate with this, or you can be destroyed." What the hell does he think he's doing?! "Do not underestimate my powers."
We're all dead.
Jabba starts to laugh his gross, deep laugh. "Master Luke! You're standing on the-" 3PO tries to warn him. I look to below Luke's feet and I see a line. That doesn't look like stable floor. I look around and I see Lando in disguise as Jabba keeps talking. Luke forces a blaster to his hand and Jabba presses a button. The floor from below Luke opens and Luke falls into it.
"No!" I yelp and Boba pulls on my hair again. He lets me look down into where Luke fell and I see Luke tumble down with one of those creatures with him. The creature starts to panic and pound on the wall behind him, begging to be let up again. Lando rushes to Leia's side and I kind of whimper as Jabba's platform covers the hole in the ground. I hear a squeak from down below and I can only wonder if it's their way out or their way to their doom.
"Oh no!" 3PO exclaims. What, what?!
I sense Luke panic and I too start to panic. A large beast crawls into the light and roars. It looks disgusting and violent. Everyone and everything around me starts laughing except for Lando and Leia. The beast grabs the creature and eats it whole. I gulp. The beast then focuses on Luke. Come on, act quickly. Luke grabs a bone from a rock and stances himself. The beast closes in on Luke, letting me not be able to see him. I hear the beast roar, giving me goosebumps. I see Luke now, in the beast's grasp. Come on. All of Jabba's 'groupies' start to cheer. I hear the beast roar and it drops Luke. It looks up at us and I see that Luke blocked its mouth with the bone. Good thinking. Luke hides as the beast chomps the bone, allowing it to open and close its mouth as much as it wants. I look away and I hear the beast roar again. I look back and I see the beast roar at the sky again and Luke run past it and to a door. The beast searches for Luke and finds him. The door down there is blocked. Now, Luke is cornered. I see Luke's breath speed up as he tries to find another way to get out. I look to Leia and see her tug on her collar. I look and see the door shut on the beast, killing it. I feel a smile grow on my face. Boba tugs on my hair again. Jabba starts ranting. I hear him say 'Solo and Wookie.' This cannot be good. I see them pull out Han from one side and Luke from the other.
"Han!" Luke calls. They come side to side.
"Where's Leia?" Han asks.
"I'm here," Leia chokes out.
"Don't mind me," I sarcastically say. I see Chewy.
Jabba says something. "Oh dear.. The great Jabba the Hutt has decreed that you are to be terminated," 3PO translates.
"When? I hate long waits," Han spits out.
"You will be taken to the Dune Sea and dropped into the mouth of the beast," 3PO adds. I start to panic. "In the belly of the monster, you will find the new definition of pain and suffering, as you are slowly digested."
"You should have bargained, Jabba," Luke blurts. He's been told he is to die and he is still going on about the bargain that didn't stand a chance?! Really? Jabba says something and they escort Luke, Chewy and Han away. "Last mistake you'll ever make," Luke says. I've given birth to a naive little brat. Yeah, we're all going to end up with a sad ending. Jabba tugs on Leia, making her lie on him. Boba tugs my hair, making me hit my head on his shoulder, and I'm too hopeless to pick it back up.
