chapter thirty-two

AN UPBEAT, JAZZY SONG overflowed in Jabba's palace, stirring up the illusion that it was a wonderful place to be. It masked the crimes and fights with hearty laughter and fun that was too disgustingly fake for Amora to feel relaxed. The music was the only thing that gave these heartless creatures soul. Their bodies swayed in a temporary liveliness that matched the joyless dancers who had no choice but to entertain. Yet Amora knew of how vile they were when the music was shut off. This was just their idea of enjoyment and it'd be gone soon enough. Then again, that was none of her business.

Amora was glad she was distanced from the central party. The bar, although busy, was usually less populated than the dance floor and wasn't as stressful as the environment near Jabba. If she were to be grateful for anything, it'd be the fact that her job was ideal. It was distracting and easy, not to mention the secluded location. And sure, there were always more negatives, like the endless social aspects. But while she was busy at work whipping up a classic Tatooine sunset, her current customer was one that she actually enjoyed serving.

"Phase two is today."

Amora looked up from the glass she was holding and stared at Lando with a delightfully befuddled expression. "Uh huh, and what exactly does that mean?"

"You know I can't tell you that."

Amora poured some orange liquid from a bottle as she shook her head in disbelief. "There's absolutely nothing you can say?"

Lando sighed in thought. It's not like he wanted to keep her in the dark. He wished he could keep her updated on every little piece of news. It's actually what he was supposed to be doing, anyways. As far as Luke knew, Amora was caught up with the plan and was ready to break out tonight. But Lando knew better. It'd be great for her to be on the same page as everyone else, but it'd be worse for someone to overhear or peek at a message, ruining the rescue for no reason. So yes, maybe he lied to Luke a few times about how much Amora knew, but it was all for her and Han's safety. He'd dealt with his fair share of gangsters. He knew just how dangerous it was to have that sort of information floating around. But if phase two went down correctly, Amora would need to know at least one important thing.

Lando swept his gaze around swiftly before leaning in closer to Amora, hand covering his mouth as he whispered. "Leia's coming."

She tried to bite back the smile at the mention of her best friend, just the thought of seeing her again made her gleeful. "You said today?"

"Could be any minute now," he nodded. "Tonight, you'll be gone."

Tonight.

Amora was thrilled. Leia was going to save them tonight. She'd never have to see another Tatooine morning again. This was the best news she'd heard in a while.

"That's all I'm saying," Lando glanced around while leaning back casually. "You never know who might be listening..."

Right as he finished his sentence, the loud song that blared through the palace came to a finish. A great applause covered the lack of music for the performers, and almost immediately another song started up. Amora stayed silent as she stirred Lando's drink and soaked up the music as she finished. Sy Snootles, the lead singer of the band, was performing now, and while her voice wasn't the most bearable, it was certainly the best source of entertainment here. She hummed along to the song as she placed the finished drink on the counter in front of Lando.

"Just so you know," Amora started as she placed her elbows on the counter. "I am expecting a tip for that."

Lando raised his eyebrows in question as he looked from the drink to her. "Thought these things were free."

Amora deadpanned. "They are."

They stared at each other blankly for a couple of seconds, each waiting for the other to break. Amora raised her eyebrows to mirror his expression, struggling not to laugh. But Lando didn't care enough to continue, finally shaking his head with a smile. He reached into his pocket and slid a few credits across the counter before taking a satisfied sip of his drink. Amora smirked proudly, even though she didn't actually win anything, and scooped them off the table in one motion.

"Always a pleasure."

All of a sudden, a piercing scream ripped through the air, the music immediately cutting itself short while whispers commenced. But Amora was used to the drunken fights that happened often and wasn't bothered by it.

She rolled her eyes as she pocketed the credits and turned away, reaching for a bottle from the back shelf. "For the millionth time, alcohol and delinquents do not mix."

But instead of chuckling at her comment, Lando remained in an unsettling silence, waiting just a beat too long before speaking. "I don't think-"

A fierce roar overpowered anything else that he said, the malicious noise of Jabba's pet rancor, Pateesa, shaking the palace walls. Pateesa was typically well-behaved, only causing a fuss when he was disturbed or annoyed, which is why Amora became so unnerved. This type of scene only happened when Jabba decided he was tired of someone in his home and sent them down to Pateesa for his amusement. Did he really kill off someone else? That would be the third one this week!

"Amora," Lando began softly. "That friend of yours..."

Friend of hers?

Amora furrowed her eyebrows and turned around to face the party. The dance floor was emptied of all dancers, although the party-goers were still as hyped as ever. They were hooting and hollering downwards, so she must've been right about Pateesa. But Lando mentioned a friend of hers, and the only person she'd remotely consider a friend was Oola... but it couldn't be her... right?

Amora stepped out from behind the bar counter and walked forward to meet with the crowd. She pushed past a few people and, while she couldn't see down into the rancor pit, she had a clear view of the frightened dancers huddled up in a corner away from everyone else. Yarna, Lyn, Greeata, Diva... And sure enough, there was someone missing from that group.

Another blood-curdling scream burst from the rancor pit and the crowd went crazy. It was a high-pitched cry of terror that Amora didn't take long to identify. She couldn't stop the gasp that escaped from her lips at the awful realization. That was Oola.

A heavy pit formed in her belly as she watched Jabba's guests dance around giddily, absolutely delighted to witness the execution. Amora backed a few steps away from the dance floor and clutched the fabric of her outfit tightly. Her stomach was aching as she replayed the screams in her head. All the noise blurred together, but maybe it was for the best. Everyone was laughing. Oola's final terror-filled seconds of life were to the tune of applause and praise.

She hadn't known Oola that long, and even then, their conversations were short and limited, but she did consider her to be a friend. They had helped each other out when times were especially rough. They had planned to leave this place together! Apparently, that would no longer be happening. It was impossible. She was gone.

But a small part of Amora wasn't horrified or numb, simply because she remembered what Oola really wanted. She did leave this place. Maybe not together, like they planned, but she did leave. That's what Oola wanted. It was a terrible exit, a fate that shouldn't belong to anyone, but she would've preferred it to being Jabba's personal sex slave. She'd said it before, and she was dead serious. And now, she was only dead, but the "serious" part still applied. So yes, Amora was sad. But deep down, she knew Oola was okay. She was safe now. And she would want Amora to escape.

Yoda had told her it was okay to feel this way. That's what made her human, the complex emotions beyond anger and joy. So with a deep breath and a self-assuring nod, Amora would keep moving forward.

All of a sudden, an explosion of blaster fire was heard from the main entrance tunnel, the laser's impact booming loudly in the already-quiet throne room. Amora snapped her head to the entrance, although was unable to see anything. There were too many people blocking the view. The crowd had already lost interest in Oola's death and were solely focused on the commotion outside, peering around each other curiously to see what was going on.

Oola was just another number to them.

She tried to push those thoughts aside as the crowd split down the center to reveal the cause of the chaos, and it wasn't necessarily a joyous sight... at first.

The first (disappointing) thing that Amora noticed was a captured Chewie that struggled against his captor like a caged animal. He growled uncomfortably at a smaller, masked bounty hunter that strutted in proudly with the Wookiee in hand. She gulped timidly and watched as he cried for help.

But the more Amora stared at the duo from across the room, the more she understood what was really going on. Chewie wasn't captured. This was all part of the plan! And if this was all scripted, then that means the bounty hunter was Leia!

Lando said that Leia could be arriving any second now, and although he declined to mention Chewie, the plan was still obvious. Or... was it? Was the plan obvious? To be fair, neither of them had said a word, but the initial confusion about what their objective was was still swirling in Amora's brain frantically.

She took a peek back to the bar to wordlessly confirm her theory with Lando, but he was gone, his empty glass being the only evidence that he was ever there. But she didn't need him to tell her what she already knew. That was Leia. This was phase two (even if she still didn't know what that meant).

As Leia dragged Chewie to the center of the room in front of Jabba, Amora could more clearly see their faces. Well, really just Chewie. His was the only visible face. Yet she could make out the details of Leia's disguise and recognize her identity by her mask. But once she put two and two together, she felt panic rush through her body all at once.

Despite being the lowest on the food chain, news from around the galaxy still reached her ears. Every story, from executions by the Empire to heists gone wrong, made it to this palace, including the fate of a very prominent bounty hunter. She had seen Boushh around this place more than once, which is why she could recognize Leia's disguise so easily. He knew most bounty hunters affiliated with the Hutts and was a popular employee of Jabba. So naturally, it was no shock that gossip surrounding the Ubesian was common on a planet like Tatooine, including the very last story that was told about him: Boushh was killed on Ord Mantell several weeks ago. And if she knew about Boushh's death, then there's no doubt Jabba knew the same.

Amora's heart pounded as Leia's voice, grainy and raspy, spoke Ubese (a language she was familiar with) through a vocal modulator. "I have come for the bounty on this Wookiee."

Amora pressed her lips together in dismay, staring at Leia intently and nervously. She had given them the benefit of the doubt before, but it was getting a little late for that. So far, the plan only consisted of sacrificing their friends... that was it. Wasn't there a way to save her and Han that didn't involve trapping the others on purpose? Didn't that make things harder?

And using the disguise of a known dead man? Doesn't that make things harder?

Apparently, blind faith in the plan would have to suffice for now. Living in the moment and going with the flow was crucial for this to work, especially considering she didn't know what was going on. So she turned her attention to Jabba, who was speaking with dramatic arm movement, assuming he was calling for Threepio. He had been using him as a translator for any guests who came through, and while that didn't add up to many so far, it was enough for her to understand what he wanted.

"Oh! Uh, yes!" Threepio stuttered as he appeared from seemingly nowhere behind Jabba. "I am here, your worshipfulness! Uh, yes?"

Jabba didn't even spare him a glance as he went on talking carelessly. Amora did recognize the word "Wookiee," but that was the extent of her knowledge. Overall, he didn't look angry or confused in the slightest. No hint of suspicion was anywhere in sight. He had to know about Boushh. There's no way he didn't. So why was he so calm? What was he saying?

Luckily, Threepio was wonderful at his job and hopped right on translating the information. "The illustrious Jabba bids you welcome and will gladly pay you the reward of twenty-five thousand."

Did he forget?!

Leia responded without hesitation. "I want fifty thousand. No less."

"Fifty thousand, no less," Threepio reported back to Jabba.

But the Hutt was apparently very displeased with that answer as he groaned in outrage and slapped Threepio backwards, the droid toppling over with a dazed yell. But, in typical Jabba fashion, he kept on talking, droning on and on without a care that his translator was nowhere in sight. Luckily for him, Threepio did reappear rather quickly, this time covered in a disgusting green slime that Amora did not want to know the source of.

She cringed as he stumbled forward and cried out in bewilderment. "Oh, w-what did I say?"

Jabba ignored him and made his voice louder as he spoke directly to Threepio, still cool and smug. At this point, Amora was wondering if Boushh really was dead.

"The mighty Jabba asks why he must pay fifty thousand," he translated shakily.

"Because of this," Leia stated as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, baradium ball that could only be one thing.

Leia really committed to the character!

"Because he's holding a thermal detonator!" Threepio shouted fearfully.

Even though Amora knew it was Leia and she wasn't in any actual danger, seeing a real, active thermal detonator sent her gasping with the rest of the crowd. Some ducked, some screamed, some were already passed out drunk during midday. Yet Jabba ignored the horrified whispers of his guests and forced out a deep chuckle for a few awkward seconds.

Of course he finds it funny, Amora mentally scoffed. He's probably too big to even be affected by it.

His laugh shifted into words, speaking to Threepio enthusiastically for a short while. Once he finished, the droid rotated slowly and looked at Leia.

"Jabba offers the sum of thirty-five thousand," he informed. "And I do suggest you take it!"

There's gotta be a catch somewhere. He knows this isn't Boushh!

A thick silence settled as Leia stood in thought. Amora could practically feel those around her holding their breaths as they awaited the important answer. She didn't blame them. For all they knew, that bomb could kill them all with a single click. But fortunately for them, they didn't have to worry about that.

Leia deactivated the detonator before pocketing it once more. "Deal."

"He agrees!" Threepio cried out happily.

The audience all let out the breaths they were holding and the music resumed as if there was no interruption in the first place. And just as quickly as the music, two Gamorrean guards immediately approached Chewie and pulled him away from Leia, fighting against his struggles in order to drag him down to the dungeons. It was just like how the droids were imprisoned the day before.

Again, she had no clue about the details of the plan or what Leia was meant to do, so this could possibly be a genius breakout that Amora just didn't understand. But it was so hard to ignore the nagging thought in the back of her mind that the plan made no sense and had far too many holes. For instance, why in the world was Chewie sold to Jabba?! The droids being gifted to him was questionable enough, but this was beyond questionable. Unless the plan involved Chewie, Threepio, and Artoo starting a prison riot and taking over the palace, the goal wasn't clear.

Not to mention that, as of right now, Leia and Lando were the only two who were free and were capable of doing anything. How were the two of them supposed to break out five prisoners, one of which is an unmoving brick? Then again, there was always Luke, and Amora trusted him with her life, but she didn't know what he was doing or thinking. She really needed to be in the room when plans were being made.

But there was a phase two for a reason. Leia came for a reason. What that reason was, Amora didn't know, but Leia must have a job involving her freedom in the palace. Otherwise, she wouldn't be here. Since Lando wouldn't tell her anything, she just had to trust that Leia could do her job on her own, which she definitely could.

Or, she could under different circumstances...

Leia didn't know about the trouble she was in! Whatever plan she was currently pursuing had to be changed! Jabba knew she wasn't who she said she was. He just had to! No doubt he was one step ahead. Anything she did would be useless if Jabba knew about it.

She had to warn Leia.

After discreetly peeking around and finding her boss nowhere in sight, Amora slid behind the crowd and weaved through as casually as possible. No one paid her any special attention, which is exactly what she wanted. Leia wasn't far. She was near the front of the room speaking to Bib Fortuna. Amora just needed to get close enough to tell her what she knows without being suspicious. Easy.

At least, that's what she thought, until her right arm was roughly grabbed from behind before she could even make it past the band, spinning her around to face none other than Boba Fett.

Act natural, act natural...

"Oh, it's you again," Amora remarked in nonchalant disgust.

This would all be for nothing if Fett realized what was going on. She just hoped it wouldn't take long.

He ignored her comment and spoke in a low, gruff voice. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Serving drinks," she answered casually with a tone of fake cheeriness. "This is a party, in case you haven't noticed."

But he made no sign of moving as he spoke. "I know what you're doing."

Kriff...

"Well, I'd hope so," Amora replied with a small wave of her bottle, trying to brush past him once more. "That mask shouldn't make you blind."

"You and I both know Boushh is dead."

Amora gave him a blank look that feigned confusion, but on the inside, she was panicking. She figured he already knew, but hearing him say it to her face was a different story. He could blow their cover at any time and there was nothing she could do about it.

"I don't know what you're talking about. He's right over there," Amora insisted as she nudged her head in the direction of Leia. "Probably thirsty, too. Excuse me."

She attempted to leave once more, but his grip on her arm only tightened. Locked into place, she sighed and gazed up at him with her eyebrows raised expectantly.

"That's one of your little friends," he spoke condescendingly. "Don't act like it's not."

How does he know everything?

"Hate to disappoint, but not all of us are friends with criminals, Boba," Amora deflected the accusation.

"Jabba knows, too," he continued as if he didn't hear her. "He's got eyes watching you both."

Amora's stomach was churning and her brain was rushing for a solution. He was right. She couldn't tell Leia. Jabba would know. He had spies everywhere. He'd kill her for the fun of it. Why didn't she think of that? But instead of admitting anything, she rolled her eyes and kept up the act.

"Flattering, really, but he's got to have better things to do than watch me serve drinks all day."

Fett's voice somehow lowered even further as he threatened. "If you even look at your friend, you're dead."

She would be dead. There was no way around it. And even if she did get around it, maybe by telling Lando, what good would it do? Jabba already knew. She couldn't help Leia, even if she did tell her. The information may not die with her, but it'd be just as worthless as if it did.

He then leaned in closer to whisper. "Or maybe you'll be chained up like all those little Twi'leks. After all, there's a spot open."

Amora's body tensed as she clenched her jaw, her blood boiling. How could he stand there and mock someone's murder without batting an eye? Boba Fett was no better than any of the deadbeats who cheered on her death. But she wouldn't let him get the better of her. Instead of lashing out like she probably would've last year, she straightened her spine and gave him an intense yet emotionless stare.

"Good thing Boushh isn't my friend," Amora lied as she yanked her arm out of Fett's grip. "And for the last time, leave me alone. Seriously, it's like you're obsessed with me or something."

~  ☼  ~

author's note -

rip oola u were alive for like five minutes but u deserved better :( oh and ok i do realize that it may seem like amora got over oola rly fast but like...they werent like super good friends. yes amoras sad but she barely knew her at all and its more like an inconvenience for her. OK THAT SOUNDED BAD but u get what i mean i hope. also rotj is my fav movie so no hate but the plan to rescue han is just so...odd.. so ofc i gotta have amora be straight up confused cuz rly what was the plan. anyways hope you enjoyed the chapter and ill see you next time! :)