Chapter 76 – Leisure

Back into the Phoenix, Layan entered the coordinates and was ready to take off when HK-47 gave him a summary of what happened while they were meeting Jango's contact.

"Statement: A meatbag believing himself to be stealthy put a tracker on the hull. Query: Should I destroy it?"

"Yes, it could be fun to take care of this group of idiot, but we have better to do."

While the two were discussing, Jane Doe seated behind Layan's seat was listening to what was happening and was trying to guess who were the peoples who rescued her.

Two of them had lightsaber hilts at their belts while the last one was an antique, a hunter killer droid like she saw in museums.

"What is this Jebble Box thing?"

"A crate filled with old Jedi artifacts if the stories are true. It rarely appears and disappear for long times usually, now that an opportunity came, I can't let go of this opportunity. Sorry for this, I know you must have things to settle on Pantora."

"No, I'm just a pawn anyway, if I come back, I'll be used as a justification or be killed before I can attest of what happened to me."

The voice of the young woman was filled with dejection, and with the information Layan got from inside the head of the soldier, he understood why.

"You're a noble, can't you use your family influence to take care of whoever is pulling the strings behind you?"

"… No, my family loves me but they love the power they would obtain in giving me as a puppet to someone with even more influence. If I have to say, those who kidnapped me belong to an opposite faction, at the beginning, I even though I would be free after all this settle down."

Jane Doe was a bit surprised that her savior was in the know of Pantoran's customs and concluded she was a noblewoman only by her clothing and accessories. It gave her a bit of comfort and so she started to talk about her family matters.

"You know, I'll give you a piece of advice my apprentice repeated me countless time. Smile more, and I'm sure it would make you even more beautiful. As for your problem, I have some acquaintances in the Republic that could help if you wish."

"No, thank. A direct intrusion in Pantora's internal matters would only worsen the current situation."

She was a bit surprised that Layan had contacts in the Republic which could act in other worlds but prefer to not make things escalate further.

"We have to hurry if we don't want to miss our timing."

"The trip to Aridus will take us some time, HK I leave you in command of the ship, try to not shoot T3."

"Beep.Beep."

After leaving the cockpit, T3 already talking to the old droid, which was ignoring the little trash compactor as he called it affectionately.

The three of them were talking in the lounge around a tasty meal. Jane Doe didn't eat since a day and was starving, so she enjoyed this meal.

"So, what are you really? Some kind of princess?"

"Ahaha, I would like to. No, just a girl used by her family and who got into a pinch, wasn't it for your help. And you, what is your story?"

Lyn and their guest start to sympathize during the meal.

"I'm a pretty and intelligent Twi'lek girl which after a twist of fate became a slave and was then saved by a neurotic and self-reproachful half-assed Jedi and was then taken as his apprentice."

"And you?"

"It's not worth mentioning; and Lyn you forgot to say you're boastful."

"I'm realist. There is a big difference"

"Whatever."

The chatter between the two made their Pantoran guest relax as still didn't know what kind of persons they really were and were traveling in company of an assassin type droid.

"Let me show you the fresher suite, you must not have the opportunity to take a shower while suspended in your cell."

"Gladly."

The two young women left for the fresher suite, near the airlock, leaving Layan alone in the lounge while C2-V2 was taking care of cleaning the table and everything they left behind.

The discovery of Jane Doe, or as Layan knew her the future young senator of Pantora, Riyo Chuchi was a good augur for him as she was on the same side as Padmé Amidala and Bail Organa.

He didn't know a lot about her, except a few cases where she crossed the ways of the Jedi and that she was a righteous person which could be a good ally after she was freed from Cho's influence.

The two came back some time later, the future senator was wearing Lyn's spare clothes and her lavender hair were loose and still wet, with her wet blue skin, it was giving a seductive vibe which stunned Layan a bit.

*You want to taste her? Didn't know you were into blue skin. *

*Can't you stop your unending teasing? *

Seeing her master reacting differently than usual make Lyn smile with a mischievous smile. It was a good opportunity to tease him, and she did so immediately through telepathy.

"Are you talking via telepathy like the Jedi in the stories?"

"Yes, sorry, it was disrespectful. On my behalf, she started it."

"Hey!"

Some time after their bickering was finished and HK-47 adjusted the coordinates for another jump in hyperspace, Layan wanted to explain their method to obtain the Jebble Box.

Lyn and Jane Doe, aka Riyo Chuchi were playing Dejarik on the holotable while C2-V2 was serving them drinks.

"The Jebble Box is said to be impossible to open except for force-sensitive individuals and was always an object of desire so we may await enough blasters on Aridus to start a war. Inside, there may be Jedi artifacts, but also Sith artifacts, so better be wary of it, we will open it either on an uninhabited world or a sterile room to avoid unwanted complications."

"Don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about it."

"Wait, if there is so much goes where we are heading for, how do you want to obtain it? You are three, even if you are strong and can use the force, it doesn't make you invincible."

While she heard stories about the Jedis and these space monks become romanticized after the disappearance of the Sith, they were not seen as invincible.

���We will enter the game at the last second, there will be surely dozens of groups and organizations fighting for it. We just have to wait for our chance and get out."

While talking, the two girls were still playing using the holotable and Lyn was gritting her teeth as Chuchi was crushing her.

"You really are a muddlehead."

"She's talented, not my fault!"

"I played it often almost every day with my grandfather in the past. It took a long time to become able to win against him."

Lyn wanted to see him lose to make them equal, so she encouraged Layan to play.

"Master, you have to avenge me."

"Yes, an opponent a bit more challenging would make it more entertaining."

"Hey! I don't suck that much at it."

Layan sat in front of the young woman as the Dejarik game was reset. As he spent most of his years in space after leaving Felucia, he was used to playing to Dejarik and other games to make time flow faster.

Slowly, the two of them started to move their pieces.

"Can't you go faster? I'll fall asleep before the game end at this pace."

Chuchi giggled as Lyn just gave the reason why she lost so easily. Layan was more patient and was giving her more resistance. In the end, the game ended almost half an hour later with Layan's defeat.

Layan as a good sore loser asked for a for a rematch, and this time, he won. But this victory wasn't win by proper methods. It was going to be a tie or last forever, so he used his telepathy to anticipate her actions and turn the tide of the game.

Lyn immediately let the cat out of the bag and sold Layan out.

"Don't be mystified! He is cheating, he is a sore loser, he used the force to cheat!"

"We do the rematch and without using the force. Lyn is the referee."

The competitive instinct of the Pantoran was awakened, and she wanted to do a final match. This time it last for an hour, Layan had to play with Lyn's gaze focused on him which was complicating his focus.

Taking his time even more to plan his action, he won, but Lyn was almost falling asleep while watching the two plays.

"Let's go sleep. I'll see how it goes on HK's side."

After a brief check in the cockpit, Layan headed to his room. The other two were already inside their sleeping quarters.