"Sir, what have you done this time?"

Hondo groaned low under his breath, his head hitting like the aftermath of a pirate brawl pit.

"Well, Cody–"

"Don't well, Cody me, sir."

Hondo's eyes opened, settling on the second speaker. "Kenobi! My friend!"

"Sir, I might be your second in command, but I did not sign up for this," Cody sighed.

"Kenobi, what is going on, my friend? Are you finally living the pirate life?!"

Obi-Wan sighed before turning around to raise an eyebrow at Hondo.

"Well, you've kidnapped me!"

Obi-Wan sighed again before pinching the bridge of his nose, "we need someone with information about this area, you know information."

"Blackmail?! Brilliant!"

"Hondo. It is only until we can negotiate your release and you have helped us," Obi-Wan explained.

"And you're ransoming me!" Hondo clapped, "we'll make a pirate of you yet, my friend!"

Obi-Wan did not groan in frustration; that is below him.

-----

Hondo sneaked a look behind him before grabbing something from his pocket. He'd found the lockpick set in the previous building that they'd visited.
If he were smart, he'd be in an escape shuttle before any of them realised.
He smirked when the lock opened with a click; pulling the door open, he was met with an unimpressed Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Hondo–" Obi-Wan stated, voice low enough it was almost a growl.

Even while freezing up and dropping the lockpick set on the floor, Hondo could not help but state, "threatening, how wonderful!"

-----

Despite the looks and the cheers he was getting, Obi-Wan could not help but slip into a mindset similar to that of Rako Hardeen, even if it was more pirate-like this time.
He'd never gotten to experience such freedom before, and it seems like it is slightly addictive.
The addictive nature was what Obi-Wan was blaming when he started the negotiations.

-----

"Sir, why?!"

Obi-Wan finished adjusting all the plates of armour and pulled on the gloves, "because this might work out in the men's favour, and I do not want the pirates on our tail because of this."

"And you've had this armour the whole time?"

"Only since the Hardeen incident," Obi-Wan sighed, grabbing his helmet.

Cody sighed, "I do hope you know what you are doing."

Obi-Wan sent a grin at Cody before placing on his helmet, the voice modulator disrupting his usual tone, "of course."

-----

Hondo could only watch as he was dragged towards a ship by a person in armour. He had deduced that it was Kenobi by the way that the clones didn't freak out.
He could only wait as he was shipped off into hyperspace.
He could only sit as he was restrained to a chair.
Hondo could only listen as Obi-Wan began the ransoming.

Obi-Wan made sure that there was no way that the call could be traced back to anyone in the Republic, letting it seem as if a bounty hunter had captured Hondo. He opened up the open line communications with both the Separatists and the pirates.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"I have captured Hondo Ohnaka; I am aware that he is your leader and the one that captured and held hostage your leader," Obi-Wan stated, his voice gravelly with the voice modulator, "only one of you will be able to receive him, and I want what I am due."

"And what do you think you are due?" The Separatist representative asked.

"Let's start with a crate of alcoholic beverages and work our way up."

-----

"So you offer me a crate of alcoholic beverages, two boxes of weaponry and a container of exotic food. Whereas, you only provide me with the alcohol and 10,000 credits?" Obi-Wan asked, his helmet hiding his raised eyebrow, "I can see clearly who has the better deal."

The Separatist representative disappeared as Obi-Wan disconnected their call.

"Once you send through evidence of what you offered, I will send through the coordinates," Obi-Wan stated before disconnecting the pirate.

"Not how I would have done it, but very good for your first go," Hondo grinned from where he was still restrained, having finally spat out the gag.

"I got what I wanted, and you will get to be released," Obi-Wan stated.

-----

"Sir, how did you get all this?" Cody asked, looking through each of the crates.

"I pitted the Separatists and pirates against one another to see who would give the best deal," Obi-Wan chuckled, "I think it went quite well."

"Sir, some days, I don't know why I put up with you."

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