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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Of Spies and Sabacc (Pre-ESB/Leia, Han, Luke, Chewie) Thanks for the Noms!

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction Stories--Classic JC Board (Reply-Only)' started by LadyPadme, Oct 5, 2002.

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  1. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Chapter Eight

    Los V?yani was the biggest city on the planet of Konedor. Like its more famous counterparts on Ord Mantell, it was a gambler?s paradise. It was a beautiful mirage placed over a festering stink hole occupied by some of the lowest scum in the galaxy. Enormous, glittering casinos lined the main avenues of Los V?yani, attracting visitors from all over the galaxy. Most of the profits from these ventures went straight to fill the coffers of Pago Tekor, but this was an irrelevant fact to the millions who came to try their luck. Intermixed with the casinos were hotels and bordellos, fancy restaurants and exclusive shops. Underneath and around the city were the slum houses of the poor and hideouts of criminals.

    Unlike the tiny spaceport of Koneyos?ti City, Los V?yani had five immense ports scattered around the city. Each spaceport had several levels of moveable platforms capable of holding thousands of ships.

    Han landed his ship in the spaceport farthest from the center of town. He agreed to take one of the lower levels of landing platform, which provided him with a larger space (very few people liked using the lower levels), and more privacy, making it easier for him to effect repairs on his ship.

    He had better luck getting the part he needed here, and within an hour was heading back to the spaceport. The streets of Los V?yani were bustling, and the open-air speeder taxi that Han took experienced several near collisions. At one point, the driver of the taxi stopped his speeder and had an argument with the driver of another speeder.

    While the drivers were jabbering away at each other, Han sat in the back seat, impatiently wondering if he should just leave the taxi. While he sat in momentary indecision, his attention was caught by the sight of an extremely beautiful and nubile, light violet-skinned Twi?lek female who was walking with a man wearing the uniform of an Imperial Starship Captain. Han had seen many beautiful women in his travels throughout the galaxy but there was something about her, either the dignity of her stance or something about her mesmerizing brown eyes that caught Han?s breath momentarily. Han had a half-formed thought that she reminded him of someone, but before he could pursue this thought, the Twi?lek woman turned and looked at him.

    ?Help me,? she mouthed, before her companion pulled her away.

    Han half-rose from his seat, but at that moment his taxi driver chose to restart the speeder. Han nearly fell out of his seat as the speeder shot off down the street, returning Han to the spaceport. The sight of the spaceport drove all thoughts of the beautiful Twi?lek from his mind.

    Five minutes later, he was under the Millennium Falcon with Chewbacca making repairs and modifications to his ship. While Han might curse and yell during these sessions, tinkering with his ship was one of his favorite pastimes. They finished the repairs after a couple of hours, just as twilight was falling over the city.

    ?What do you think, Chewie? We go into the city and grab a bite to eat and a hotel room?? Han asked dusting off his hands.

    Chewbacca gave a vociferous growl of agreement. That was the best idea he?d heard all day.
     
  2. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    Another great addition! :)
     
  3. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Seriously, HanSolo29 if it wasn't for you and my other two faithful readers (Hi, RebelMom and BigFishy :))...I think I would just pack up camp. You guys really keep me going. :D

    So...any other OT readers? People who glance through and don't post? Roll call! Who else is out there?
     
  4. SeventhMoon

    SeventhMoon Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 6, 2002
    Where on Earth has this dropped to? I had to look through my recent posts just to find it.

    bumpity.
     
  5. obaona

    obaona Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 2002
    *waves*

    I'm here! Just found it and I think its wonderful. I especially like the fact that Luke is having dreams - I can easily picture that happening. I'm also very interested as to why Han is thought to be a spy.

    Great posts! And please more! :D
     
  6. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Hi again, SeventhMoon. Yep, this post was probably on page ten when you fished it out...thanks for looking! :)

    Obaona: Welcome aboard! Glad you like the story. Another post to follow as soon as I can load it in from my MS Word.

    Thanks for posting guys...this really makes my day! :D :D
     
  7. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Han found two rooms in a small hotel near downtown Los V?yani. It wasn?t very luxurious but it was fairly comfortable. Han and Chewie cleaned off the grease they acquired from doing repairs. Afterward, unable to resist the lure of the city, they left the hotel and went to the casino across the street, the Imperial Coruscant. It was one of the larger casinos in the city, and Han hoped the crush of people of various species would make him and Chewbacca blend in better. Unlike the casinos on Ord Mantell, weapons did not have to be checked at the door here, which suited Han and Chewbacca just fine.

    Eight extremely beautiful and well-endowed casino dancing girls of several different species strolled past in their elaborate headdresses and skimpy costumes that hid almost nothing. Two or three of the girls gave Han smiles as they passed him

    ?Why can?t we get more assignments in places like this?? Han asked.

    Chewbacca guffawed in laughter and entered the casino. He was immediately drawn by the smell of roasting meat served in the casino?s grand dining room. With a howl of triumph, Chewbacca headed for the buffet tables with their long spits roasting a staggering variety of meats from all different planets.

    ?Hey, wait, Chewie!? Han called after him, exasperated, but Chewbacca had merged into the lines at the buffet tables. Han shook his head, resignedly. ?Always thinking with his stomach,? he muttered to himself, following his friend into the dining room. He got a plateful of food for himself, and then they sat down at one of the tables, enjoying better food than they?d eaten in months.

    ?Definite improvement over shipboard grub and military rations,? Han commented as he finished his meal, which was washed down with a glass of fine Andoan wine and another of aged Luranian Brandy. ?I?m going to the gaming tables, Chewie, how about you??

    Chewbacca, who was now on his third round of food shook his head, not yet having had his fill.

    ?You?re going to stay here eating??

    Chewbacca nodded.

    ?Are you going to the tables at all??

    Chewie shook his head and wiped off some gravy from his paws.

    ?All right, old buddy. Enjoy,? Han said, rising, ?Listen, when you?re done, head back to the hotel and send out a message. Our next transmission is due in an hour and a half.?

    Chewbacca nodded again, picking up another rack of ribs of some unknown, but enormous creature.

    Han laughed, and leaving the money for his meal on the table next to Chewbacca, headed for the main gaming room.

    The main gaming room at the Imperial Coruscant was enormous. It had the capacity for over fifty thousand gamblers. Ten thousand workers wove in between the guests serving drinks and dealing cards and chips. The floor was noisy and crowded. People from all sectors of the galaxy were here. A fair number of the gamblers were Imperial officers who had come from their star base in the next star system.

    Han traded some money for chips and then walked around for a while surveying the gaming machines and the card tables. Finally, he wandered toward the sabacc tables. Over a hundred tables were set up in one section of the room. He looked at the tables, seeing which ones had empty seats, and getting a feel for which ones were ?lucky?.

    Just as Han decided on one of the sabacc tables toward the middle, he looked up and saw, two tables away, the beautiful Twi?lek woman he had seen earlier in the day. She was standing behind her Imperial officer companion, dressed in a breathtaking glittering outfit of silver chains that showed off all of her sinuous curves and left very little to the imagination. A long silver necklace with a silver twelve-point star pendant hung from her neck. The woman looked up and met Han?s gaze. Immediately, her sensuous brown eyes were imploring, ?Please,? she mouthed.

    Han looked at her companions. The Imperial officer was one of the players, as was another human who was richly dressed. Three humanoids sat at the table, as well. Their dealer was a Brogune, who used his four eyes to see all around the table at all ti
     
  8. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Hello?

    Upsy daisy!
     
  9. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Sigh...
    All right, up once more!
    Readers? Anyone?
     
  10. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    All right...next post here...but no more posts after this if I don't start seeing readers!

    **********************************************

    In the game of sabacc, Han was a true professional. In fact, he had won his beloved Millennium Falcon in a sabacc game. While he served on the Alerion base, Han would get a game together with some of the junior officers about once a week as a way of doing something relaxing and enjoyable. While others might sweat and strategize, the sabacc goal of reaching 23 points (positive or negative) without going over was something Han found as easy to do as breathing.

    Two hours after he?d joined the game, Han was doing very well. He had won nearly five thousand credits; with an almost unprecedented six hands in a row where he scored +23. The Bimm had already lost all his chips and left the table. Two other players had come and left. As the dealer was shuffling the cards out to deal again, another stranger approached the table.

    ?Can I join this table??

    Han looked up and felt a stab of dismay as he saw a face from his past.

    Dreko Dyno, an old smuggling associate from Han?s dark, early days stood behind the empty chair next to Han. Han hadn?t seen him in over five years, when he had witnessed Dreko swindling his own partner in a nine-planet spice smuggling ring. Dreko had been very thin and ratty looking back then. Since that time, Dreko seemed to have grown prosperous. He dressed better and a prominent belly proclaimed a change in Dreko?s eating habits. His blond hair had thinned substantially, and he now had some sag to his jowls. Nothing could disguise the nasty, shifty look in his eyes, though. Around his neck, Dreko wore an attack stohl, an expensive and lethal, but somewhat indolent pet.

    Han had been on cordial terms with Dreko but had always been wary of him, trusting him no more than he would trust the attack stohl that Dreko wore around his neck.

    The other players welcomed Dreko, hoping this new player would change their luck again. Alorik Patrinko started up the round of introductions again as Dreko threw in his chips. He gave Han a curious stare when Alorik introduced the Corellian as ?Tion Blade?, but said nothing. Dreko eyed the Imperial officer very warily, let his gaze linger salaciously over the beautiful Twi?lek, and ignored the others.

    Han noticed that the Twi?lek appeared alarmed when she saw Dreko and returned his gaze with a look filled with loathing.

    The dealer started distributing the cards again, and Alorik asked, ?And what?s your name, stranger??

    Dreko gave Alorik a look as though he thought Alorik was an idiot, but refrained from saying anything insulting. Instead, he answered, ?Pleyan Cryso.?

    Han tensed on hearing the name of the partner Dreko had cheated and eventually killed. He gave Dreko a sharp look. Dreko returned his look with a sly smile, and picked up his cards.

    ?So?? Dreko drawled, slowly, ?Blade?is it??

    Han nodded, trying to appear disinterested.

    ?Have we met before?? Dreko asked.

    Han hesitated a moment. ?Perhaps,? he answered, looking down at his cards.

    ?Hmm?ever made it to Ator??

    ?Don?t go to the interior too much,? Han replied, in a bored tone of voice, sidestepping an answer. Inside, he was starting to get very annoyed at being baited.

    ?I?d swear I?d seen you there once before, but maybe I was mistaken.?

    ?Are you here to play cards or are you trying to pick me up?? Han snapped, losing the tenuous hold he had on his temper.

    ?Hey, stop flapping your trap and put down your cards,? Blyto snarled at Dreko. He turned to the Twi?lek behind them, ?And what are you waiting for? Get me another drink!?

    The Twi?lek moved with alacrity, quickly crossing the room to get the Captain his drink. Many heads turned when she passed, mesmerized by the swaying of the silver chains that adorned her body. She approached a Kel Dorian waiter who was wearing an oxygen-filtering mask. She returned quickly with a blue colored drink. With a grunt, Blyto accepted his drink. She seemed to accept the boorish t
     
  11. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
  12. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    All right...
    Last try...
    Anyone out there?

    :( sob! :(
     
  13. obaona

    obaona Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 2002
    *waves frantically and jumps up and down*

    I'm here!!!

    Oh, I like how this is going. I especially liked Han's comment about Chewie thinking with his stomach. [face_laugh] The characterization is fantastic - you've got Han down wonderfully! A scoundrel with a good heart. :) And the woman is telepathic, eh? This is getting more and more interesting. :D

    More, please. And sorry, I didn't see this had been updated before. :D
     
  14. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Ahhhh! Great sigh of relief!

    Obaona: You've restored my faith in humanity! All right, another post tomorrow, I promise! Thanks for writing! :D :D :D :D
     
  15. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    Hey, don't close this story down yet!! I'm here! I'm here! :D

    Awesome posts! I liked the bit in the dining room. That was funny with Chewie. :)
     
  16. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Hi HanSolo29!
    Nice to see you again!
    Another post tomorrow...promise!
     
  17. RebelMom

    RebelMom Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 20, 2000
    Sorry for the delay in replying. Boards were down last night.

    Great characterization of Han and Chewie. Things don't look good for Han at the moment. This Twi'lek woman is interesting.

    Don't give up. It takes time to get readers. :)
     
  18. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Yes, Master RebelMom , your Padawan forgot the virtues of patience...and let herself be consumed by thoughts of the Dark Side... :)

    Anyway, it does feel very rewarding to see posts...at least I no longer feel like I'm sending my story out to an empty cyberspace. :D

    And, without further ado, next post. Enjoy!

    ****************************************************************************
    An hour later, it was clear that Dreko?s arrival had changed the luck at the table. Although Han managed to hold on to most of his winnings, his lucky streak broke. The Imperial officer started to win more money, becoming more confident and arrogant with each hand.

    Livulba the Dug, who had been doing fairly well, had now lost most of his money and was starting to become desperate. Finally, a hand came where he and Blyto were the only players left. The game pot had reached fifteen thousand credits, and the pot for that individual hand was a thousand credits. After everyone else dropped out, the last player left with chips would win the big game pot; however, the pot for that individual hand was enough to keep Livulba solvent.

    The Captain laid down his cards: a perfect +23.

    At that point, the Dug stood up and began shrieking, ?Cheater! That Commander card of yours is a skifter card!?

    The officer sat upright in his chair, indignant, ?How dare you, you worthless lowlife! You?re talking to an officer of his Imperial Majesty?s navy!?

    ?You?re a liar and a cheat and you don?t deserve to wear a uniform!? Livulba shouted.

    Those were the last words the Dug said. With an almost lazy movement, the officer shot Livulba with his blaster. Without a sound, the Dug fell backward, knocking over his chair as he died.

    All conversation in the casino halted momentarily, as everyone turned to see where the shot had come from. Blyto leaned back in his chair unconcernedly.

    ?What are you waiting for?? he snarled at the dealer, ?Start the next round and get someone to come clean up the mess!?

    An RH7 Card Shark droid arrived to examine the cards in Blyto?s hand. If one of them had been the skifter card, a cheater card that could electronically change to any card in the deck, Blyto would have been stunned and arrested; but in this instance, Blyto was actually innocent, having gotten a natural +23. Blyto was incensed at having his statements questioned and glared at the dealer who had ordered the droid.

    The phlegmatic dealer shuffled the deck again, as though nothing had happened. Around them, there was a low murmur, which gradually built up back into the usual crescendo of noise in the casino and people returned to their gaming. Two maintenance workers removed the Dug?s body without comment.

    ?Anyone else wishing to back up what that idiot Dug said?? Blyto challenged.

    No one else at the table spoke, although Han noticed that behind the Imperial officer, the Twi?lek had turned a shade paler.

    For the next several hands, the table was quiet, although the momentum was building back in Han?s favor. The game pot was up to twenty thousand credits, a very princely sum. Then thirty thousand. The Tunroth folded. Then forty thousand. Patrinko folded. Then forty-five thousand. With a curse, Dreko folded as well, but stayed to watch the outcome of the game.

    Han and Blyto were the last two still in the game. Han felt almost a little dizzy as he stared at the pot, imagining that he would finally be able to pay off Jabba the Hutt. The pot had gone up to fifty thousand. A sizeable crowd had built up around them, and people were making bets behind them over who would win that enormous pot. A few casino guards started strolling by to keep an eye on the proceedings. The tension started to mount in their corner as people were cheering on either Han or the officer with each round.

    Finally, the officer threw in his last chip. Han still had a thousand credits left. He couldn?t believe it! If he won this hand he would finally have enough money to pay of Jabba! He would be free of this damned debt! He?

    ?He looked up and saw t
     
  19. obaona

    obaona Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 2002
    [face_wants_more] ;)

    You're really leading up to something. I can tell. [face_suspicious]

    Great post! The detail and characterization were excellent - you're a talented writer!

    And, like I said . . . more. ;) :D
     
  20. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Hi Obaona! Why, thank you for the compliment! I'm glad you're enjoying the segment. More to come tomorrow... :)
     
  21. RebelMom

    RebelMom Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 20, 2000
    How could Han miss his heart - Blyte didn't have one. ;) Great casino brawl. :) Hmmm. Can't wait to see what's next.
     
  22. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    Wow! Awesome, LadyPadme! The cantina brawl was very well written. I can't wait for more! :)
     
  23. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Hi RebelMom and HanSolo29: Glad you both liked the brawl -- somehow, it just seems to be Han's natural milieu, isn't it?

     
  24. LadyPadme

    LadyPadme Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    To my readers: Thank you for your support thus far. I'll be out of town till the 23rd, so next post will be Wednesday. See you soon!

    ******************************************************************************************



    It took over an hour before Han finally made it back to his hotel. For a while, he was hopelessly lost in Los V?yani?s maze of streets. When he finally made it into the front lobby of the hotel, the first streaks of dawn were visible in the sky.

    Han groaned as he headed down the hall toward his hotel room. Two more hours until they were due to make their next transmission to General Rieekan. He hoped Chewbacca would be awake for this.

    Han opened the door to his hotel room, and instantly felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck. The room looked the same as he had left it, but something felt out of place. He backed into the hallway, and was immediately surrounded by a dozen large, hulking humanoids. One of them clubbed Han over the head with his meaty fist, and Han went down.

    ******************************************************************************************

    ?You?ll fetch quite a bounty,? Dreko gloated when Han awoke with a terrible, splitting headache. ?Between Jabba and the Empire, I?ll be able to get up quite a bidding war?and I never would have thought that your sorry hide was worth so much.?

    Han opened his eyes to a room more brilliantly lit than he would have liked. The light stabbed into his eyes like a knife. Seeing Dreko?s abnormally ugly face in front of him didn?t help, either. Behind Dreko were at least thirty members of his group: large, menacing humans, and hulking humanoids who appeared to have muscle in inverse proportion to brainpower.

    ?Since when did kidnap and bounty hunting become part of your repertoire?? Han asked. ?You were just a small time smuggler the last time I saw you?and a lousy one at that.?

    ?The operation has expanded somewhat,? Dreko said, ignoring Han?s goading, adding, ?and things can get even bigger with the little nest egg I?ll get for you. I might even get a little bonus for your Wookie-pet, there??

    At this, Chewbacca gave a ferocious growl and furiously rattled his handcuffed paws.

    ?Easy there,? Dreko said, turning back to Han, ?I might have let him off a little easier, but I?m a little annoyed that he killed two of my men and injured six others and caused quite a lot of trouble on the way here. Maybe would could train him as a traveling carnival act. He?s quite the fighter, there. It took twelve of my men to subdue him.?

    ?Chewie, you?re slowing down,? Han said, ?You should have been able to handle at least twenty of these goons without trouble.?

    Chewbacca growled, annoyed.

    ?Too bad your pretty little Twi?lek slave isn?t here,? Dreko purred, ?She would have fetched a really good price in the auctions. What happened, Solo, losing your touch? Even women you save don?t want anything to do with you??

    Dreko?s men gave an obliging laugh.

    ?So?enjoy your stay in our humble little vault,? Dreko continued, ?I?ll be back when we decide where you go. And?these walls here are a meter thick, made out of galvanized durasteel, so I wouldn?t try escaping if I were you.?

    Dreko and his group left Han and Chewbacca, closing the vault door behind them.

    Chewbacca growled at Han.

    ?I know, I know,? Han said, checking his pockets and his clothes. Everything of any value had been taken: his blaster, the spring-loaded knife he kept hidden in his boots, the credits he?d scooped off the sabacc table, even the tiny intragalactic compass he?d kept from his early youth.

    He looked around the vault, and sighed, ?Well, it?s nice and quiet around here. At least I can catch up on my beauty sleep.?

    Chewbacca grumbled at Han disgustedly.

    ?Well, what do you want me to do?? Han asked. ?Construct a durasteel cutter out of my belt buckle??

    Chewbacca growled again, accepting that this seemed to be a hopeless cause.

    ?Well, maybe not entirely hopeless. We missed our last few transmissions to base?maybe they?ll sen
     
  25. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    Excellent, LadyPadme! The plot thickens. Now if only Luke and Leia can find Han and Chewie before it's too late...
     
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