Chapter Text
Flashes of red bounced off the walls and ceiling of the bright white room in a pattern that would make anyone who tried to watch it dizzy. But no one was watching the light show. If any of the men wielding the red bladed lightsabers let their concentration waver from their opponents they’d be at least one limb lighter.
“Stop.”
Everyone in the room froze and extinguished their lightsabers. They turned as one. The woman who had spoken strode into the room. “You are nearly ready, but only ten of you will be joining me on our journey.”
The woman swept her gaze across those in the room. Then turned on her heel, letting the door close behind her.
The moment the door closed it was like a starter’s pistol had gone off. Every fighter in the room understood that no one but those ten should be alive when the woman came back.
oOOOOo
“This is horrible.” The bartender waited, “Give me another.”
“A double?”
The blonde bounty hunter shrugged, “Sure, what the hell.”
A dark haired woman woman sat down next to the blonde, “You’ll have to tell me how you managed to keep your blasters in here. Hardest place to get into with weapons on Yavin 4.”
“Know the owner. Friends. Sorta--”
The blonde could feel the newcomer studying her, “Friends with Widow Lucas? She doesn’t have many friends.”
The blonde shrugged, “I saved her granddaughter, then slept with her granddaughter. But Granny forgave me for the second thing. And now she always says something about how she got the biggest Trouble on her side and so the rest of the rabble are no problem.”
The newcomer laughed, “Let me guess, she calls you Trouble?”
The blonde finally looked over, “No Princess, she calls me Emma. You can call me Swan.”
“Leia.”
Emma looked Leia up and down, “Slumming it?”
“No. I’m here to hire you.”
Emma frowned, taking a swig of the drink that was put down in front of her, “Yeah? Why?”
Leia looked confused, “You’re a Bounty Hunter, right? I need you to-- find-- someone.”
Emma finished her drink, threw some credit on the bar, and stood. “You hesitated on the word find. you want this someone killed.” Emma shook her head, “I’ve done a lot of horrible stuff in my life, haven’t killed a person though.”
Leia put hand on Emma’s arm, “This woman is holding a boy against his will, and she’s not on the side of good.”
Emma shrugged off Leia’s hand, “Answer’s still no. She could be Darth Vader for all I care. I don’t plan on killing anyone. Ever.”
Leia was silent for a moment, “Alright. Don’t kill them. Rescue the boy. Bring his captor back to us alive.”
“All this for a boy? He’s gotta be powerful huh?”
“Very.”
Emma shook her head, “Yeah, my answer is still no.”
Leia stopped Emma in her tracks with a question, “What if someone had cared enough about you as a kid to set a bounty hunter on your trail?”
Most of the bar’s patrons could hear Emma’s teeth grind together. As if summoned by the grinding a young brunette woman dressed all in red (well, what clothes she wore were red) appeared. “Everything all right Emma?”
“Perfect. I was just getting a lesson about my life from the Princess here.”
“I can…”
Emma shook her head, “Nah Ruby, it’s fine. I’m gonna get out of here though. Tell Granny that I said hi.”
“Wait…”
Leia closed the distance between them and spoke in Emma’s ear. When Leia moved back again Emma stared at her for a minute, “Fine. You play dirty pool, but fine.” She held out her hand, “The information?”
Leia handed the data cube to her. “It’s all here. Thank you.”
“Yeah, right.” Emma shook her head, “Why do you want this boy so much?”
“As I said, Henry’s powerful, very powerful, and Regina will use that power only to hurt and destroy, not help.”
oOOOOo
“Young man.”
Henry rolled his eyes, “I’m 14 years old Mom, I’m just saving the veggies for last. I promise.”
Regina watched Henry for a moment, then went back to her dinner. Silence fell over the table as they both ate.
After he finished the vegetables he put down his fork and spoke, “While you were out Ziro came by.”
Regina sat up straighter, “What did he want?”
Henry sighed, “There’s a new Bounty on your head. It’s really big.” He looked past Regina, “They probably really want me.”
Regina reached across the table, “I will never let that happen Henry.”
Henry nodded as he stood, “Yeah, I know. I should go to bed.”
“Henry—” He stopped in his tracks, “What aren’t you telling me young man?”
He put down the plates on the counter and turned, crossing his arms over his chest, “I should just go. I’d go with them, and then they’d find out that I’m not the new Jedi Savior or whatever they think I am and they’d leave us alone.”
Regina joined him at the counter, putting an arm over his shoulders, “My son, you’re my savior.”
Henry smiled just a bit. “I know.” He paused, “The other part, what Ziro said. We have until noon tomorrow to leave or he’ll turn us in himself.”
Regina grumbled, “I’d like to see him try—”
“Mom…”
“I know… I know. So— where should we go?”
Henry stared out the window, “Further out into Wild Space? I do like forests and trees though.”
Regina stared right with him, “They’ll expect us to do that. But, what if we go farther in… and to a rebel stronghold? What do you think?”
Henry’s eyes lit up, “Ooh, we should go to Endor. I loved Endor when we visited it.”
Regina sighed, “Not exactly what I was thinking— Ewoks—” She made a face.
“—are awesome and can kick as— butt totally. Doesn’t Chirpa owe you a favor too Mom? C’mon, c’mon— Endor would be perfect.”
Regina sighed and kissed Henry’s cheek, “Okay, okay— Endor it is. Go— go get packed. I don’t think either of us will be getting much sleep tonight.”