Chapter 14
He pointed at the second gang, pale faced and nervous. Padme's face fell a little when she looked at him. Her uncle was in too deep this time. Tasu spoke to them in a strange language she didn't hear often.
"Wrong again, Solo. It's over for you," Tasu Leech cocked his blaster, ready to fire. Padme stopped smiling. It was no use at this point. Han did too, and yet he still tried to negotiate.
"Boys. You're both gonna get what I promised! Have I ever not delivered for you before?" That was a silly question.
"Yeah," Bala-Tik shouted.
"Twice!" Tasu said. Han paused and counted on his fingers.
"What was the second time?" He asked. If they weren't in mixed company, Padme would have rolled her eyes all the way to Geonosis and back.
"Your game is old. There's no one in the galaxy left for you to swindle." Bala Tik interrupted him.
"Nowhere left for you to hide." Neither of the gangs seemed happy to see her uncle, and to be quite honest, neither was she.
"Those BB units," Padme flinched at Bala Tik's words. "The First Order is looking for some just like it," She wanted to get out, but his eyes drew to hers. "And three fugitives," Uh oh, Padme knew they were in a bad position, sandwiched between two gangs. She knew she was outnumbered and outgunned. It was at that moment that she swore to bring her lightsaber everywhere. But for now, while she was trapped without a weapon, she would observe and wait for the right time to attack. The BBs hid behind the humans.
"First I've heard of it," Han tried to say casually, but if you were looking for the uncertainty you would surely find it.
"Search the freighter," A Kanjiklub member started walking towards the family above. Padme stepped forward slightly and spoke up, against her better judgment.
"I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement, right?" Her voice cracked at the last word. "Let's just talk this out, I'm sure Solo here will get your money soon-" He interrupted her with a protest.
"Padme," But she continued.
"He can get your money now! How about that?" She had no idea how they would do that, but for now, they needed a fix. The gang member's steps faltered, but it wasn't enough to stop him entirely. She knew there was no stopping them. Both clan's started to scatter. Padme felt something, something was about to happen. So, she turned to violence. The only thing she knew how to control.
"Boys, I loved our talk, but it's over," She unhooked her blaster. Turning to Han, she warned him what she felt. "We need to get out of here now!" She whispered to the old man. He turned to her with wide eyes.
"Oh really? Incredible observation!" He sneered, grabbing his blaster too. "I have a bad feeling about this," A loud and terrifying sound echoed through the halls. Roars soon followed.
"Right," Padme muttered before she turned to the members of Bala Tik's gang.
"Kill them! And take the droid!" Both gangs turned their weapons to the five in the middle.
"Bad feeling, Han, bad feeling!" Padme shouted just before a giant living ball of mucus and tentacles rolled around the corner, grabbing two members of Bala Tik's gang. The humanoids caught in the center reacted quickly and tried to run towards the other gang. Just as they started, another creature turned that corner and started attacking them.
The hall turned to chaos and Padme wished she had just stayed in the hangar. She ran to the only hallway left and the others quickly followed, hot on her heels.
Another Kanjiklub assailant went after them, but Padme swiftly knocked him back and shoved him toward the nearest creature. Rathtars, she presumed.
She sensed a force drawing her to another corridor and she turned into it, followed by BB-7. Han, Chewie and BB-8 went the other way. Padme slowed down and walked for a bit, catching her breath.
"Sev, why didn't that dork of a droid follow us?" She asked her steel friend rolling next to her. BB-7 answered quickly. "No, I think he saw us turn, you were right next to him," The droid did her equivalent to a shrug and kept rolling.
A few feet in front of the two, a grate rose and Padme reached for her gun, remembering it was confiscated by the First Order.
The grate was shoved aside and Padme saw two familiar faces emerge from the pipelines. Sev rolled to meet them.
"Oh hey you two, kind of you to join us," Padme smiled, glad her friends were still alive.
Finn ran to her. "I thought you were dead," He hugged her tightly.
"I'm fine Finn, you have no faith in me," She laughed, seeing his bewildered face.
"No, I have faith in you, I was just-" He stuttered, but thankfully Rey stopped him while he wasn't too far behind.
"What do these things look like?" She inquired.
Just then, one turned the corner and started to violently roll towards them. Padme saw her friend cover her mouth to stop herself from screaming.
"They look like that!" Padme took off again, yanking Rey with her so she didn't freeze up. But when they turned the corner, they were stopped by a second Rathtar.
"This way!" Finn shouted.
"Are you sure? Because I'm - Aah!" Padme screamed when Finn was grabbed by a tentacle belonging to the Rathtar behind them.
"Finn!" Rey shouted after him. The two girls looked at eachother panicked, then chased after the monster that took their friend hostage.
"Padme!" They heard him shout, the name echoing through the halls. "Rey!" He tried again, but the girls quickly lost him in the maze of corridors. They turned another corner and realized he was gone. Sev voiced her concern.
"Finn!" They both hollered for him, but to no avail. Padme turned back, running towards the control panel they passed a few seconds ago.
"Padme, where are you going?" She jogged after her and soon saw what Padme was planning. Padme stood looking at the screens, trying to make sense of them.
"That one," Rey said, pointing at one of the screens of a door. Padme focused on the door and held her hand over the button. Just as the Rathtar went through the hatchway, she slammed down on the button, cutting off one of the tentacles and freeing their friend. Padme smiled in relief and ran to meet him where he landed.
"Finn!" Padme shouted, running full speed for him. She didn't slow down much and collided with him with such force. She wrapped her hands around him and laughed. He returned the gesture, but a little more softly. She could almost hear the fear and relief vibrating off him.
"It had me! But the door -" He tried to explain what had just happened.
"That was lucky!" Rey told him, before they took off again to escape the halls now riddled with Rathtars.
The three fugitives ran together, Sev at the front leading them back to the falcon. They ran from corner to corner, finally reaching the cargo hold. But instead of silence, they were met with fire between Han, Chewie and BB-8 and the two gangs in pursuit of reimbursement. Padme saw her uncle practically carrying Chewie into the falcon.
"Han!" Rey shouted, but Padme was more concerned for the wookie next to him. They raced to the door into the freighter. Han turned back to them.
"You, close the door behind us!" Han pointed to Rey, then to Finn. "You take care of Chewie!" Finn nodded, but Padme knew that wouldn't end well for him. Han put attention to her now. "And you -"
"I know. I'll wait there," She remembered the place where she and her uncle always met to talk about things.
They all ran to do their jobs, but Padme saw Rey chase after her uncle. She ran after Rey to make sure she wasn't piloting. If Han had seen her piloting his ship earlier, he would have died right there.
Padme entered the cockpit right as Rey had sat down.
"Hey, what are you doing?" He protested.
"Unkar Plutt installed a fuel pump too, if we don't prime that we're not going anywhere," She explained. Padme realized she might know more about his ship than he did, after all those repossessions.
"I hate that guy," Han settled down and looked back at his niece. "And what are you doing?"
"I'm not just gonna wait there," She explained sarcastically.
"You could use a co-pilot," Rey tried to enter the conversation again.
"I got one, he's back there," He pointed backwards. Padme rolled her eyes. Even old, you're still just as stubborn, she thought.
"Watch the thrust, we're going out of here at lightspeed," Han warned.
"From inside the hangar? Is that even possible?" She was shocked.
"I never ask that question until after I've done it," Rey looked back at Padme, who was now sitting down and buckling into the chair behind Rey. Just as they prepared to take off, one of the Rathtars attacked the front of the ship and started chewing at the glass. Rey screamed.
"This is not how I thought this day was gonna go," Han clicked more buttons. "Angle the shields," Han said. Padme ran back to the main hall.
"Hang on!" Padme shouted to Finn and Chewie. She found the two wrestling in a medical bed.
"No problem!" Finn said, seeming to struggle for his life. Padme laughed and went to a chair. She heard heavy fire on the ship and felt the engines start to warm up, but nothing happened. She started to panic. If they didn't leave then, they never would.
"What's happening up there?!" Padme shouted. Just as she did, the ship jumped to hyperspace and she was jolted to the side, slamming into the wall.