A Long Time Ago, In a Galaxy Far Away

Chapter 58

Artoo and Threepio made their way down the winding path to Jabba the Hutt's palace. Although it was well used, it was sometimes hard to locate do to the ever changing sands, but it was the one way to get to the palace.

"Poot-wEEt beDOO gung ooble DWEEP!" Artoo commented.

"Of course I'm worried," Threepio replied. "And you should be too."

Artoo tootled a response.

"If I told you half the things I've heard about this Jabba the Hutt, you'd probably short circuit."

Artoo whistled his response timidly as the two continued to make headway against the sand, nearly running into Threepio when the taller droid halted, seeing the looming palace suddenly come into view.

"Watch where you're going, Artoo," Threepio said before continuing, with Artoo at his side. The golden droid began to ramble, Artoo listening with half a sensor, ignoring the rest: "Why couldn't someone else have delivered the message? No, whenever there is an impossible mission, they turn to us. No one worries about droids. Sometimes I wonder why we put up with it at all."

The two continued along the road, eventually arriving at the massive door that opened to Jabba's palace.

"Artoo, are you sure this is the right place?" Threepio asked, as if hoping that the was another more foreboding palace that was hidden further among the dunes that was their actual destination.

Artoo replied with a confirming tootle.

"I better knock, I supposed," Threepio muttered to himself while Artoo beeped in encouragement. Musterring what little resolve had been programed into him years earlier, he raised a golden hand and lightly knocked on the massive door three times. "There doesn't seem to be anyone here," Threepio said, turning to Artoo. "Let's go back and tell Master Luke."

Before Threepio could take another step, a small mechanical hatch opened up and an electronic eye popped out, startling the potacol droid for a moment.

"Tee chata hhat yudd!" the eyeball spoke in a mechanized voice.

"Artoo Detoowha bo Seethree-piosha ey toota odd mishka Jabba de Hutt," Threepio explained as the eye looked from one droid to the the other before retreating and slamming its little hatch closed. "I don't think they're going to let us in, Artoo. We'd better go," the golden droid said, turning to leave.

Artoo beeped in reluctant agreement.

Then, suddenly, there was a horrific screeching sound as the massive door to the palace began to rise. Artoo entered as soon as it had opened high enough for him to slip under the door, leaving Threepio forlorn in the desert for several moments.

"Artoo! Wait!" Threepio cried worriedly before following his shorter companion into the darkness. "Oh, dear.... Artoo! Artoo, I really don't think we should rush into all this."

Artoo let out several beeps in response.

"Oh! Artoo!" Threepio cried again, seeing a figure emerge from the gloom near the door. "Artoo! Wait for me!"

Artoo let out several smug beeps before accidentally running into something, or rather someone. He quickly swiveled his dome to find himself sensor-to-snout with a Gamorrean guard. Artoo quickly backed up, finally deciding to wait for Threepio who quickly came up behind him.

"Just deliver Master Luke's message and get us out of here," Threepio said apprehensively, doing his best to stay away from the two Gamorrean guards Artoo had found, not liking being anywhere near either one of the brutes who's species was known for disliking droids. The door shut behind them, sounding far too final for Threepio's liking as Bib Fortuna, a pale skinned male Twi'lek, came up to welcome the two.

"Die wanna wanga," Bib said in welcome.

"Die wanna wanga," Threepio replied, doing a slight bow.

Artoo tootled a "Hello."

"We bring a message to your master, Jabba the Hutt."

Artoo beeped a postscript.

"And a gift," Threepio added, before thinking about it and, looking as puzzled as possible, turned to Artoo. "Gift? What gift?"

"Nee Jabba no badda," Bib replied, holding out his hands and running one over Artoo's dome despite the droid's slight protest. "Me chaade su goodie."

Artoo shook his dome, beeping his protest.

"Artoo, give it to him!" Threepio said.

At Threepio's prompting combined with Bib's insurance, Artoo was defiant, beeping and tootling at both Bib and Threepio as if they'd both had their programs erased.

"He says our instructions are to give it to only Jabba himself," Threepio translated finally, hardly happy with Artoo's answer. Bib considered the problem as the golden droid continued. "I'm terribly sorry. I'm afraid he's ever so stubborn about these sort of things," Threepio finished, somehow managing to throw a disparaging yet loving tone into his voice.

"Nudd chaa," Bib said, gesturing for the droids to follow with the Gamorreans taking up the rear.

"Artoo, I have a bad feeling about this," Threepio commented apprehensively as they were lead further into the depths of the palace.