"Quick, get on my lap!" Obiwan ordered. He unbuckled his seat belt as Melanie threw her dignity aside and struggled to move towards him due to the turbulence. Finally, she made it and he clasped the belt around the two of them.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Anakin asked Obiwan and Ahsoka.
"Almost certainly not." Honestly, the only thing going through Obiwans head was how close Melanie was to him. Everyone fitted an oxygen mask over their faces as the ground rose to meet them.
"Looks like we're doing this the hard way... Starting the ejection sequence."
"How come every time you fly, we crash?" Ahsoka snapped. If she was in a different situation Melanie would have laughed but she was dead scared. She was also very conscious of Obiwans torso pressing against her back
"It's not my fault. It's the ship!" Anakin retorted.
"Ready to eject."
"Wait... now!" Ordered Anakin. The four were thrown out of the ship, which crashed into a large rock formation. The vulture droids flew after it, also crashing. A protective bubble formed around the seats, keeping those inside safe.
Melanie couldn't help but scream as they free fell. She was pretty sure she had lost her stomach by the way she was feeling. Obiwan wrapped his hands around her waist to stop her from slipping, grunting as their bubble hit something and bounced to the ground. As they rolled to a halt, Melanie finally felt like she could breathe.
"Classic." She grumbled as the seal on their bubble broke. She unlatched the seat belt and jumped off Obiwans lap, desperate to get some air and put some space between herself and the Jedi.
"You alright there, Master?" Anakin said with a laugh as he exited his own bubble with a cough.
"I'm fine, Anakin." Snapped Obiwan.
"Where on Felucia do you think we are?" Ahsoka asked as she looked around at the strange-looking plants.
"I'm not sure..." The oldest Jedi replied.
A growling sound could be heard in the distance and Melanie drew closer to Anakin. "I don't like the sound of that."
"And I don't like the look of that." Anakin pointed at two big lumbering giants that were stomping just up ahead. Melanie gasped in fright. She had never seen anything like them before. "We don't want to scare them."
"We can't just wander around aimlessly, we need a plan." Obiwan, the wise one, spoke up as the monsters continued their journey.
"You always taught me to go on instinct, and my instinct tells me to go that way."
"No, that doesn't seem right. I think we should go this way."
"Why do you even ask for my opinion? You never do things my way."
As the two boys continued to bicker, Ahsoka looked around the clearing, assessing where she thought they would go. Suddenly her eyes caught something. Elbowing Melanie in the side she nodded towards the horizon. Melanie grinned at the girl.
"We crashed the ship your way."
"Very funny," Anakin said sarcastically. "I see your sense of humour survived the landing."
"It's about the only thing."
"Um, If you two are done arguing, Ahsoka has a plan." Melanie rolled her eyes at their antics. They haven't changed a bit.
"I think there is some smoke on the horizon, which means people and a way off this planet." With that, the two girls began walking towards the tall cylinder of smoke. The two boys shrugged at each other but followed along.
This planet is an interesting one, Melanie thought as she walked. Blue tropical flowers the size of herself grew all around and strange knobbly cylindrical pillars lined the walk. Not to mention the strange animal cries that rang out in the distance every now and then. Melanie's hand inched over her staff for most of the journey. However, after a little bit, she caught sight of the village and called out to her companion's.
"Look, a village." She said.
"Maybe they have a ship we can... borrow," replied Anakin.
"Borrow my ass. You'll crash it. If we find a ship, Ahsoka and I are flying us home." Punching Anakin in the arm, Melanie scanned the village.
Smoke rose from the chimneys of little pod-like houses that were surrounded by paddocks of red plants. It was a quaint little village however something was off. It was too quiet. Everywhere she looked she could not see a soul. There was no one there. At least that the group could see.
"They're growing healing herbs." Noted Ahsoka.
"Nysillim, I believe," Obi-wan added. "One of the most valuable crops in the Galaxy."
"This place looks deserted." Melanie finally said out loud as they neared the entrance to one of the houses.
"I don't believe it is... The crops are ready to be harvested. Tools are lying around. No, somethings amiss." Obi-Wan said quietly, scratching his beard.
"Well, there's one thing I learnt where I grew up if you want to know what a farmer is up to, look in their barn," Anakin said.
With that, the group made their way towards the big barn at the centre of the village. Anakin pressed a big square button and the doors slid open to reveal a spaceship.
"This is an odd ship for farmers," said Obiwan. "Perhaps someones here to pick up the sillim."
"I still don't get it." Ahsoka began before trailing off.
"Where is everyone?" Melanie finished for her.
They began a search of the village. Anakin and Ahsoka split off from Obiwan and Melanie to check inside one of the houses. Together Obiwan and Melanie check inside a few of the houses but found nothing until Obiwan felt something.
"Come," was all he said as he took off in a brisk walk towards the house Anakin and Ahsoka went in. Melanie was forced to jog to keep up. Through the window, she could see a few figures and the familiar glow of lightsabers.
"We don't count you, knee-high." Came a mechanical voice.
"Do you count us?" Melanie asked as she entered the house with Obiwan. She extended her staff at the same time Obiwan ignited his lightsaber.
The tensions inside of the room skyrocketed and Melanie felt her heartbeat race. She became very aware of every little movement that each person made.
"Stop! Don't harm them!" Yelled a frail, heavily accented voice, breaking the tension. All eyes spun behind Melanie and Obiwan to a small green figure with a long neck. He came up the stair with his four-fingered hands raised. He turned to one of the bounty hunters and said "Can't you see these are Jedi. We are saved!"
"Saved?" Ahsoka questioned.
"Need I remind you, Cassis, you already made a deal with us?" The woman Bounty hunter that Cassis was talking to answered.
"But with the Jedis' help-" Cassis continued
"Excuse me, but help you with what?" Melanie interrupted, getting sick of not knowing what was going on. Cassis reached up to the female bounty hunters gun and lowered it.
"Pirates." He replied in a grave voice. Obiwan and Melanie exchanged glances before lowering their weapons too. Despite all the weapons being lowered, tension still hung in the air. "Come, let's discuss this somewhere more comfortable."
The group descended the stairs out into the outside world. The light was fading fast. Cassis led the group towards a larger home. In the middle of the home was a large table which a majority of the group sat around. A few, such as Anakin, leaned up against the wall due to the lack of seating. Melanie sat in between the female hunter, and the strange man with a disc on his head. Across from her Obiwan and Ahsoka sat.
"So what do the pirates want with you?" Melanie asked in a kind yet direct voice, something she had mastered after many years as a political advisor.
"Simply stated, if we don't give the pirates a portion of our crop, they will destroy our houses with us in them."
"Hmm... I see your dilemma." Obi-Wan thought aloud.
"Sillim farming is a meagre trade. Without our herbs to sell, we will have no money for food, fuel or equipment."
"And yet you can afford to pay mercenaries?" Poked Obiwan, trying to find a motive.
"These bounty hunters drive a far more reasonable bargain than the pirates" Cassis was a little offended but he took it in his stride.
"Why not just fight them yourselves?" Came Anakin's voice from the wall.
"Easy for you perhaps, but look at us. We're farmers, not warriors. Even with the bounty hunters help, I had feared the worst. But now there - there are eight of you!"
"What do you want, Jedi." The female bounty hunter next to Melanie asked Obiwan, turning the attention away from Cassis.
"We need a ship. Ours is beyond repair, I'm afraid."
"Thanks, Ani," Melanie said under her breath, catching a grin from Ahsoka who had been quiet the whole time.
"The one in the barn, that'll do," said Anakin.
"That's our ride." Scoffed the woman. "It doesn't go anywhere without us, and right now, we're busy."
"Busy extorting farmers?" Melanie glared, losing all diplomacy.
"I don't hear you offering to help." The woman turned her fiery gaze on Melanie. Melanie's fingers itched to slam a good punch across her cocky face. Melanie knew that this was only a job for the bounty hunters but something about this lady put her on edge.
"Unfortunately we couldn't help even if we wanted to." Obiwan cut in before Melanie could say anything, ending their stare-off.
"What!" Ahsoka and Melanie both yelled.
"If you don't mind, we are just going to have a little conversation outside." With that Obiwan stood, looking at the two of them. He made his way down the stairs and outside with Anakin close behind him. Melanie and Ahsoka got up and made their way after the two Jedi.
"Master, these farmers are in trouble. Why can't we help them?" Ahsoka asked as soon as she made it outside.
"Believe me Ahsoka, I would like nothing more." Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "However, we need to report that the medical station has been destroyed. If we stay too long, the separatists will show up, looking for us here."
"But-" Melanie started, glaring at him.
"Better they get robbed by Pirates than attract the interest of General Grievous and his hoard."
"Pirates!" Yelled a small voice as the small body of a villager approached at pace. "Pirates! The pirates are back."
The bounty hunters came rushing down the stairs to stand next to the group of four. In the distance, they could see disturbed dust clouds rising from the ground. The Pirates. They sped through the gates and drove right up to the group.
"That's far enough." Called the lady bounty hunter to the Pirates. "I speak for the people of this village. State your name and business."
"My name is my own business." Yelled back the pirate, pointing his weapon at us. "And my business is taking what's ours."
"There is nothing here that is yours unless you're here to buy it." Okay, maybe Melanie judged her unfairly, this lady was kind of cool or at least she was actually going to stick up for the people, unlike Obiwan.
"Buy it?" Laughed a voice in the shadows of the Pirates. A figure walked out into the light of the green fire. "Kenobi. Skywalker. I can't believe you came all this way just to see me."
Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other and groaned "Hondo."
"You know each other?" Melanie asked, cocking a brow.
"Of course we do! Tell them how far back we go, Kenobi." Hondo said as he advanced closer.
"Too far, I'm afraid."
"And here I thought we were friends."Hondo laughed and clapped Obiwan on the shoulder. He turned his gaze on Melanie and looked her up and down taking in her tight white top that really accentuated her womanly figure. Melanie wished she had worn something a little less revealing. He took a step forward and placed a hand on her waist, which she slapped away with a glare. "And who might this be...."
"If you were truly interested in friendship, Hondo, might I suggest you stop threatening these farmers." Obi-Wan tried his best to ignore Hondos comment and action towards Melanie.
"Threatening them? Oh please tell me you haven't been listening to this bounty hunting scum."
"Scum?" The lady bounty hunter glared. "We're just here to help them protect what's theirs."
"Oh come, come, my dear. How much are they paying you? Bup bup bup, does not matter. Whatever it is, I will double it and all you have to do to earn it is... step aside."
"We. Don't. Break. Deals." She fired back, getting very sick of this pirate. As she said this, everyone started pulling weapons on each other. Obi-Wan shoved Melanie behind him towards Ashoka.
"Steady, everyone." Obi-Wan pushed Hondo and the bounty hunter apart.
"What is your stake anyway, Kenobi."
"All we want is a ride to the nearest Republic outpost, and I'm willing to pay your handsomely for it, twice what you could get selling this crop."
"Well, um, how do you plan to pay me?" Obi-wan's statement had caught the interest of the pirate. Pirates sure do love money.
"A funds transfer when we arrive."
"Republic credits?" Hondo clicked his tongue, unsatisfied. "We've been over this before, Kenobi. My associates don't accept that currency."
"I'm offering a deal that benefits us all, Hondo. Don't let your greed blind you to that fact."
"You know, I like you, Kenobi, but, um, no one leaves this planet until I get my sillim."
"Then I hope you enjoy it here because you'll be staying a long time, parasite," Melanie growled at him.
"You know, this crop has not been harvested. You better hurry, old man, before things start to, uh, die on you?" He turned to leave, nodding at Obiwan, and brushing a hand across Melanie's cheek. "I'll see you around, my dear."
Melanie felt sick.
Crikey she's a bit of a long chapter, amiright.