022. FROM ONE PRISON TO ANOTHER
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"Right this way," the Weequay that Finn recognized as Beal led them to the brig.
"It's nice to see you guys again," Poe said with a false sincerity.
Finn sighed. Poe was going to find himself in even more trouble if he kept up this attitude. Finn nudged him hoping that he would catch the hint. Unfortunately, he did not.
"Now what did you do with my droid?" he asked but it felt more like a demand.
"Oh, the little ball was yours," Vol asked, starting to smirk, "Didn't we send 'im to the scrapper, Krav?"
Poe tried to lunge at the Weequay but he was restrained. Krav started to laugh in response. As they were crowded into the cell, Kenobi tried to gain the attention of one of the pirates.
"If Hondo would just see us, I'm sure this could all be sorted out."
"'Ondo won't see nobody," Beal replied and turned to leave.
"Hondo will see me," Kenobi waved his hand between the bars of the cell.
Beal raised an eyebrow and shook his head, "No, he won't."
The Weequay shook his head and left muttering under his breath, "Thinks he's one of those sorcerers or something."
"Funny," Kenobi looked at his hands, "That usually works."
"Maybe you're getting weak in your age, old man," Anakin spoke up, "Step aside, I'll take care of this."
Anakin cockily approached the door and held out a single hand as if he planned to rip the door out from the wall; however, it didn't budge. He frowned as he stretched out his other hand and grunted in concentration. His breathing became heavier and the volume increased the longer that he tried.
"My, my," Kenobi raised an eyebrow amused, "Is the mighty Skywalker having maintenance issues?"
Anakin scoffed, but the sound was amplified by his helmet, "Curse this ghastly thing."
"Isn't it keeping you alive?" Evangeline asked.
Anakin said nothing, but he was most likely frowning beneath his helmet. Luke was next. But after trying to steal the keys off the passing guard and clutching only air, he quickly gave up as well.
"Would anyone else like to try?" Kenobi asked.
"Probably something wrong with the cell," Anakin muttered.
Kylo Ren silently stood from where he had been sulking and opened the door with a wave of his hand, "There, it's open."
"Or maybe this force thing everybody's hooked on ain't all that it's cracked up to be," Han stated as he followed his son out of the cell; however, he stopped talking when he just about ran into Hondo.
Kenobi pushed his way to the front of the group, "Hondo—"
"Who do these belong to?" Hondo asked as he held up a pair of lightsabers.
The crossguard, Finn instantly recognized as belonging to Kylo Ren. He could only assume that the other was Rey's or at least he could until the saber was ignited and a bright purple light emerged.
Without answering the question, Ben used the force to snatch his lightsaber back within his own hand; however, before he could ignite the blade, he was stunned by the surrounding pirates.
"Put him with the other," Hondo instructed.
"Hondo—" Kenobi tried to speak again.
"Does nobody wish to claim this one?" Hondo turned the lightsaber off and extended it to the group.
Finn risked looking behind him to try and figure out who the weapon might belong to. There were still three other jedi in the cell after all. He knew Luke's lightsaber was blue since it had been passed down to Rey. And since Anakin had been a sith lord, Finn assumed that his saber would be red. That left Kenobi... who also looked at the weapon like it was a foreign object.
"Ah, a pity," Hondo smiled as he attached the weapon to his belt, "I guess I'll just have to keep this one for myself."
"You planned to do so anyway," Kenobi noted.
"You," Hondo wagged a finger in the air, "You remind me of someone..."
"Hondo," Kenobi repeated the Weequay's name, but with more annoyance, "It's Obi-wan Kenobi and—"
"Obi-wan Kenobi!" Hondo exclaimed as his eyes widened, "Of course it is... wait you're still alive?"
Finn looked between the two, "Do you know each other?"
"Know each other," Hondo mocked an offended expression, "Why Kenobi and I were practically best friends."
Hondo pulled the man close to his side and slung an arm over his shoulder. Kenobi rolled his eyes and slowly removed the arm that was draped across his shoulders.
"It's certainly an experience meeting you again, Hondo," Kenobi seemed to ignore the previous statement.
"What are you doing out here in Florrum?" Hondo asked with a chuckle.
"We crashed," Evangeline answered as she crossed her arms, "So is he a friend then?"
"Without a doubt," Hondo said with a nod of his head, "A friend of Kenobi's is a friend of mine."
"Great," Evangeline stated as she held out her hand and the lightsaber zoomed across the room, "That belongs to me."
She almost looked surprised that the lightsaber had ended up in the palm of her hand.
"Oh ho ho," Hondo looked impressed, "You've come to me with a secret army of jedi, Kenobi! And here I was thinking that they were all dead."
Evangeline shook her head and walked past Hondo to exit the cell, "I'm no jedi."
Finn raised an eyebrow as to why she was so defiant against the label. Then again, he wasn't too happy about belonging to the label of stormtrooper at one point himself.
"Now that we're all friends," Finn decided to speak, "How about you give us back our friends."
"Of course, of course," Hondo nodded his head, "Given a small courtesy fee."
"Courtesy fee?" Finn wrinkled his nose.
"Well hospitality is not cheap these days," Hondo explained before noticing Kenobi's disapproving look, "Nevermind the fee has been waived."
"Perhaps you could help us out with some transportation issues that we seem to have come by."
Hondo jumped as Anakin spoke, "New droid, Kenobi?"
"Droid?!" Anakin sound offended.
"Anakin," Kenobi chastised.
"Anakin?" Hondo looked him over before muttering, "You've certainly changed... Now what was that about transportation."
"We're stranded," Poe jumped straight to the point, "The resistance would be willing to pay you for your troubles if you could loan us a vehicle."
"Alas," Hondo shook his head, "I do not have any vessels that I could spare, but..."
"But what, Hondo?" Kenobi asked annoyed.
"I may not be able to give you a ship, but I could take you there myself," Hondo stated, "For insurance purposes."
"You don't trust us?" Luke asked.
"Of course he doesn't," Han added his own input, "He doesn't trust anyone that knows they can't trust him."
"Very perceptive," Hondo nodded, "So, do we have a deal?"
"Let's just see how Rey is first," Finn suggested.
"I want my droid back as well!" Poe quickly demanded.
"Yes, yes," Hondo nodded his head before motioning them onward with his hand, "Follow me, my friends."
A pair of Weequay pirates walk toward them with Rey between them. Finn finally relaxed seeing that she was safe and unharmed. She looked a little bruised, but he was unable to tell whether she had acquired them here or on board The Supremacy. He and Poe quickly ran to her side and the three embraced one another in a strong hug. The moment grew sweeter as BB-8 was brought in to join them.
"So sweet," Hondo broke the moment, "Now about our deal?"
"You made a deal with the pirates?" Rey asked looking at Poe and Finn.
"They're going to take us back to the base," Poe explained.
"And you can trust them?"
"Nope," Evangeline spoke up.
She had somehow found some sort of desert fruit and had taken a bite out of it as she spoke. She then pulled something out of her satchel and tossed it to Rey.
"My lightsaber!"
"Wasn't sure if I'd see you again, but I thought that I might as well grab it on my way out."
"Thank you."
Evangeline only shrugged in response. Now that things had settled down, Rey finally noticed that their group had grown since the last time that they seen one another.
"Master Skywalker?"
Evangeline seemed to wince at the title, but no one aside from Finn seemed to notice. Luke nodded in response and quickly introduced his father and Kenobi. Han needed no introduction since they had been acquainted before. He offered a gruff salutation, but there was fondness in his eyes.
"Where's Ben?" Rey then asked.
Finn had almost hoped that she had forgotten him so that they could leave him behind.
"He got stunned," Evangeline explained and almost seemed as if she were trying to hide a small smile.
Finn made no such effort, but quickly changed the expression once he noticed Rey looking at him.
"He'll be right out," Hondo stated casually as if this sort of thing were common, "My men had him moved to a special containment unit after the last time we dealt with sith."
"He shouldn't be a problem," Rey said.
Finn scoffed. Unfortunately, out loud. He quickly shrank behind Poe as Rey gave him a look. As Hondo said, Ben was brought out to them. Thankfully, he was still unconscious. Within the next hour, the pirates and their "guests" had all boarded Hondo's ship and had started to prepare to finally leave the system. Not soon enough, much to Finn's displeasure. He took a seat and tried to relax with the knowledge that this nightmare was finally over. He was finally heading back to the resistance base where, hopefully, Poe would stay out of trouble for a few days once the general got ahold of him. That was certainly something that he wasn't looking forward to, but he'd rather deal with the general than another one of Poe's crazy antics.
He opened his eyes and looked around the room. He could have sworn that he had heard something. Although it wasn't impressive on the exterior, Hondo's ship felt much larger on the inside. Finn finally had some time and space to himself. Yet, he had this strange feeling that he wasn't alone. Aside from hearing things, the shadows seemed to play tricks on his eyes. He quickly rubbed them and decided that maybe he just needed to rest. It was something he hadn't thought about; therefore, he had forgotten that sleep was necessary. So while Kylo Ren had dozed off in the sand and Rey had been stunned unconscious, Finn had spent the time since Jedha awake and unable to relax. Knowing that he was safe for the time being helped the tension ease from his body.
"Told you it would all work out."
And all of the tension was back. Poe seemed to notice that his expression changed the moment that he entered the room.
"What's wrong, buddy?"
"Oh nothing," Finn shrugged, "I just have this headache that keeps popping up."
"Is it Kylo Ren?" Poe asked, "Because that guy has gotten on my nerves these past few days too."
"Poe," Finn blinked.
Poe seemed to get the idea, "Ah, you want to be alone."
"I just," Finn yawned, "Need some time to recharge."
Poe nodded his head, "I get it."
"Besides," Finn slowly smirked, "You need to prepare your defense for the general."
Poe seemed to pale slightly, "Right... the general."
Finn chuckled under his breath before he yawned a second time and allowed his exhaustion to take over his actions. Although he was lying in the ground, it was only seconds before his eyes drooped drowsily and he let sleep claim him.