chapter thirty-one

AMORA CAREFULLY TIPTOED BEHIND the bulky, slimy body of Jabba the Hutt, anxious to avoid the attention of anyone in the palace. The last thing she wanted was to be caught while she was meant to be working. It would only be an excuse for Jabba to trigger her shock collar. Again.

To put it simply, a year had passed since the incident on Cloud City, and Amora was still as angry as ever. Along with Han, Boba Fett had sold her to the disgusting Hutt for a little cash and a few extra brownie points. She was immediately put to work as a bartender and waitress, except unlike her coworkers, she was a slave. So not only was she treated like trash by her peers and customers, but she was also forced to wear a dehumanizing outfit that left practically nothing to the imagination. It consisted of a scarce black leotard with a dangerously deep v-neck, not to mention the ghastly black, heeled boots that made even walking a chore. It wasn't enough that she was a servant. She also had to appeal to their tasteless, sexual fantasies that she wanted nothing to do with. She served the palace every waking hour, in more ways than one, which is what she was supposed to be doing right now. But she had something a little more important to do instead of laboring away for dirty, perverted criminals.

Amora, reaching the end of Jabba's snake-like tail, ducked down behind a table near Herat the Jawa and crawled as close to the platform's edge as she could. She was only a few feet away from the lounging green Twi'lek she was trying to speak with, which was close enough.

"Oola!" she whispered as loudly as she could without attracting the attention of Jabba.

The girl's head snapped up, Amora's voice clearly audible over the smooth, calm jazz that filled the room. She sat up immediately to locate the source of the voice, but only looked around cluelessly in confusion. Amora sighed and moved forward a few more inches.

"Behind you!"

Oola turned her head backwards, eyes widening when she saw the girl, but spun back around immediately. She instead scooted backwards a bit, keeping her vision forward, and leaning back to discreetly speak.

"Amora?"

Oola was a fellow slave of Jabba's that Amora met two months ago, despite her being there from the very beginning. With their two differing jobs, there was just no reason for them to ever interact beyond brief glances. It wasn't until Oola approached her with information on the guards' work schedule to suggest an alliance did they really start talking. It was difficult at first, since Oola spoke broken Basic and Amora spoke broken Twi'leki, but they managed. Since then, they had been scheming and plotting an exit together.

Amora peeked around to make sure there were no eavesdroppers before reporting. "I think I can actually get us outta here this time!"

Oola paused for a moment in thought, but quickly sighed in disappointment and shook her head. "Amora, I hope this is not-"

"No, no, not like last time," she rushed to clarify promisingly. "This might actually work!"

That didn't change Oola's skeptical expression, although she silently waited for Amora to continue.

"Remember that friend I told you about? Lando Calrissian?"

She gave a tiny nod. "The one in disguise."

As far as Oola knew, her and Lando went way back, the best of friends that would infiltrate a gangster's palace to save the other. She didn't know that, after discovering his secret spy mission, it actually took Amora weeks to warm up to him after the betrayal on Cloud City, nor did she know about the betrayal at all. But he told her about everything that happened. Everything. From the surprising blindside he pulled to save Leia, Chewie, and Threepio to finding Luke devastatingly defeated by Vader, there were too many genuine reasons to trust him. If Leia and Chewie moved on, then so would she. And yes, she did contemplate the idea that he was lying about everything. But in the end, it just wouldn't make sense for him to go through all the trouble. She wanted to believe he was telling the truth.

"Yes, him," Amora confirmed. "The whole reason he's here is to spy. He's been secretly forming a plan with my other friends to get us outta here!"

Oola perked up at the more assuring description, struggling to not turn to Amora in delightful surprise. "You are serious?"

"Yes!" she said brightly. "I don't know all the details, but he said phase one is supposed to start today, whatever that means."

"We will escape?" Oola wondered hopefully.

Amora smiled enthusiastically and nodded, even if it wasn't seen. "I don't know how long it'll take, but it'll be soon. I promise."

Before Oola could say anything else, the low, rugged barking of Bubo broke the relaxed atmosphere of the throne room. Bubo was a frog-like creature that Jabba had tied up as a bodyguard, and he was very good at his job. If he was barking, then there must be an unwelcome visitor. Amora looked away from her friend and peered curiously at the room's entrance, but all she saw was Bib Fortuna. He was here all the time. Why was Bubo barking? But that was before she saw the two droids who followed him.

Wait, Amora realized with a sudden surge of joy. I know them!

It was Threepio and Artoo! They looked awfully out of place, but in the best way possible. The way that they were here, no matter how odd it must feel, was brave of them. She was proud and appreciative of the effort. Letting a thrilled smile spread across her face, she watched the nervous Threepio and Artoo shuffle over to meet Jabba at his throne.

"Oola, this is it!"

But Oola didn't appear nearly as impressed as Amora was.

"Your friends..." she started hesitantly. "Are droids?"

Amora laughed shamelessly and shook her head. "Only some."

Arriving in front of Jabba, the droids stopped in a position that was blocked from Amora's view, but she didn't mind. She could hear just fine.

"Ohhh!" Jabba rumbled in amusement at the sight of the two.

There was a moment of quiet before Threepio politely greeted. "Good morning."

More quiet on Jabba's end filled the air until he babbled out impatient nonsense.

Threepio, probably nervous and shaken, hit Artoo softly and scolded. "The message, Artoo, the message!"

He then retorted with something that sounded vaguely like "I'm going as quick as I can, you spray-painted piece of scrap metal!"

Her day was made, just seeing these two banter so casually. It had been too long since she witnessed droids argue, which is something she didn't think she would miss so much. For a second, she almost forgot where she really was.

It's nice to see nothing's changed.

"Bo shuda!" Jabba exclaimed, although Amora really couldn't sense the tone to guess what he said.

One of the worst things about being sold to Jabba, of all people (monsters?), is that Amora didn't speak Huttese. A language like that wasn't valuable to her job in the rebellion, or so she thought. It was a good thing Threepio spoke over six million languages. That was one thing she knew to never take for granted again.

Artoo beeped crazily for a moment, which let Amora know he was pulling up whatever message they brought. It took an old droid like him a while to do some basic tasks, but she would never say that to his face. He got the job done when it counted, just like right now, as his beeping was replaced with the sound of the message fizzing to life.

"Greetings, exalted one."

Amora's heart almost stopped beating right then and there.

"Allow me to introduce myself."

There was no need. She knew exactly who that was. She had been hearing that same voice ring ruinously in her head for months on end. Except this time, it was real.

"I am Luke Skywalker, Jedi knight and friend to Captain Solo."

All of Amora's cautious hiding was thrown out the window as she shot out from behind the table and thrust herself next to Oola, eyes wide and glistening with eager, restless captivation.

And that's when she thought she would burst with happiness.

It didn't feel real. He looked a little different than the last time she saw him. More grown, more sure of himself. Maybe it was the fact that he was a Jedi. But that didn't seem right, no. She didn't see him as a Jedi. Not for any recognizable reason, but because above all, it was Luke. Just Luke. He could be the most powerful Jedi in the whole galaxy and Amora would still see the excited young boy who wore ponchos and bucket hats. All he had wanted was to become a Jedi, yet it was so hard for her to see that part of him. But he did it. He was a Jedi, just like his father. He made it. Either way, no matter which side she saw, Amora was flooded with joy to see him. Just the simple picture of him in front of her, not the illustration she painted in her dreams. If this feeling, this complete and utter euphoria, was her reward for torture she endured for twelve long months, she'd do it all over again.

"I know that you are powerful, mighty Jabba, and that your anger with Solo must be equally powerful. I seek an audience with your greatness to bargain for Solo's life."

Amora, too caught up in her own ecstasy, nearly jumped out of her skin when her shoulder was nudged.

She looked over to see Oola with her eyebrow raised and a knowing smile. "You know him?"

There was no point resisting the bashful smile that painted her own lips, the heated blush tinting her cheeks already saying enough. "You could say that..."

Amora hadn't exactly gone into detail about her past with Oola. She only gave the precise information that was necessary for their escape, no fluff included.

Well, that's at least what the professional side of Amora told herself. The truth was actually much simpler: she didn't know what to say. How could she ever put her feelings into words? The way that not a day has gone by where she hadn't thought of him? The way that she tried with all her might to reach out to him even though she didn't have the Force? The way her heart ached every time she saw Lando because she thought that maybe, just maybe, he would come instead?

No, Amora preferred to keep that all to herself.

"With your wisdom, I'm sure that we can work out an arrangement which will be mutually beneficial and enable us to avoid any unpleasant confrontation."

Oola nudged her again, this time with a smirk. "You never told me."

Amora could barely manage more than smile. "You never asked."

"As a token of my goodwill, I present to you a gift: these two droids."

Amora's smile slipped away in a matter of seconds, astonishment and confusion crashing down at that sentence. Up until now, she wasn't really listening. She was far too happy to see Luke to even question the logic of the plan. But as the reality of the conversation hit, the bliss ended. Really? He's sacrificing the droids? More than likely, Amora just didn't understand his true intentions, but she really failed to see how this could possibly help.

"What did he say?!" Threepio voiced her thoughts in a panic, frantically turning to Artoo for an answer, but he whistled shortly and quickly told Threepio to shut up.

"Both are hardworking and will serve you well."

In what system is a rescue mission executed by turning in your friends to said captor?!

"This can't be!" Threepio wailed. "Artoo, you're playing the wrong message!"

But Artoo made no move to retrieve another message as the image of Luke slowly fizzled out, leaving Amora with only the ghost of his presence and a million new questions. There wasn't even time to dwell on them as Salacious Crumb broke her train of thought with his horrible, shrill laughter.

I wish I could pop the head off that little circus monkey...

With a full view of the current scene, she finally noticed Bib Fortuna standing at Jabba's side. He was whispering something to the Hutt with a cocky smirk, probably insulting Luke's attempt at a deal. It made Amora furious.

Did he sound like a fool with his speech about peaceful negotiations on a crime lord's turf? Yes, definitely, but only Amora was allowed to say that. How could everyone here really pin him as weak and ignorant? Hadn't they heard the stories of the Jedi? They were said to be the most powerful beings in the galaxy! She may see him as naive and harmless, but she knew that wasn't true. His plan was probably brilliant and crafty. It was probably meant to be seen as half-witted. He was much smarter than he was given credit for. That was Luke they were talking about, her Luke, and she didn't appreciate them treating him as anything but extraordinary.

Jabba, after Fortuna finished talking, announced something else to the droids with a careless wave of his hand.

Threepio leaned down to Artoo and whispered loudly. "We're doomed!"

Based on his reaction, Jabba must've refused the deal. But that must be part of the plan. Lando did say this was phase one, meaning there were other phases to follow. That is what that meant... right? Because if this was the plan, they were never getting out of here. But Amora had faith that this could work... whatever "this" was.

Jabba continued speaking, all a jumbled mess to Amora, but she did recognize one thing. Solo. She instinctively glanced over to Han and felt the same pit in her stomach that always seemed to appear. He was hung up on the wall like a rare piece of art (which, in a way, he was) for every guest to gawk and awe at. Han was Jabba's most treasured trophy, the prize he showed off to every esteemed visitor. There wasn't a chance he'd give him away.

"Artoo, look!" Threepio exclaimed in shock. "Captain Solo! And he's still frozen in carbonite!"

At his words, the room erupted into a giant fit of laughter. They didn't care that there was a real, living man underneath all that carbonite. And the ones that did care were happy that he was. No one felt anything but loathing towards Han. She hated to even be in the same room as them.

As the laughter died down, Jabba announced yet another thing to the room that was absolute gibberish to Amora. But Fortuna understood him perfectly, immediately acting on his words. He stepped down from the platform, leering at the droids in disgust, and spat out some words that roughly translated to "follow me." They did just that (not without Threepio muttering about "terrible hospitality") and headed off in the direction of the dungeons. But as Threepio and Artoo disappeared from view, she was left with her thoughts once more, only reminding her of the absolute wreck that was phase one. Truly, she didn't understand what Luke had in mind.

This is what happens when they don't have me to help make plans.

Amora quickly turned to the again-doubtful Oola and assured. "Okay, I know it looks bad, but-"

"Hey, dollface!" a horrible, raspy voice yelled over the music. "We ain't payin' you to chit-chat!"

Amora squeezed her eyes shut and scowled. That's exactly what she didn't want to happen. The voice was Nizuc Bek, her "boss" who worked her to the bone. His yell was just loud enough to not only interrupt the party as a whole, but to also attract the attention of Jabba. The slug sputtered to life and scanned the room until he spotted Amora next to him.

"Bolla beet, schutta!" he shouted as he brought his grubby hand down onto a button next to his drink.

Not again...

A sudden current of deadly energy exploded from the metal around her neck, stinging and burning with an agonizing ache until her veins almost burst.

"Agh!" Amora released a strangled cry of pain, hand flying to her neck on instinct.

The jolt was sudden and short, but it always throbbed terribly for minutes afterwards. And, like always, Jabba's guests laughed. This was their entertainment. Her pain was their sense of humor. They laughed and laughed until they found their next slave to humiliate. She was sick and tired of it.

Oola offered her a look of sympathy, but then nudged her head in the direction of the bar. The message was clear. Yes, they were the most appalling monsters to work for, but they were the ones in charge. Slaves and servants don't have power. They just had to do their job and hope they could make it to the end of the day.

It won't be long now... just a few more days and this'll all be in the past...

Amora sighed and pushed herself off the ledge onto the main floor. "You're not paying me at all..."

~  ☼  ~

author's note -

welcome to act three!! so happy to have you back<3 ik im like a broken record about it BUT there will be chapters about amoras time in jabbas palace that dive into her getting there, meeting people+lando, trying to escape, luke trying to contact her through the force, basically all the stuff referenced in this chapter and i hope youll stick around for them after the book is done! i dont have much to say rn so thank u so much for reading and i hope youll vote or comment! :)

edit - before anyone mentions it, luke never mentions amora in his bargaining bc it wasnt expected to work anyways. plus even if jabba was hypothetically expected to agree to giving up han, giving up him and amora only decreases the chances of it working. its not a mistake its just a choice :)