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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟖
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐖

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Aurora didn't know how long they had been walking for, all she knew was that every inch of this planet looked the same. If she didn't know any better, she would think they were going in circles. But Count Dooku was smarter than that. The Jinn woman knew that he knew exactly where he was going, and the only thing that did was make her worries double. There was a small part of her that couldn't help but wonder if the Jedi Council would even consider rescuing her. After all, Aurora tread the fine line of following their code and her instincts. Mace would be the first to admit that everything would be easier if she weren't in the Order. But she was a much larger part of her that knew the Order wouldn't leave her behind. Well, Obi-Wan and Anakin wouldn't leave her behind.

After making it to the top of the next hill, Count Dooku forced Aurora to stop. Shock coursed through the Jedi's veins as she stared down at the clearing below them. From the look on the Sith Lord's face, Aurora could tell he wasn't expecting what they were seeing either. Right below them sat a very large and very round ship, one that seemed somewhat familiar to the Jinn woman. The ship's crew moved around right outside of it, taking parts from both Count Dooku's and the Jedi's destroyed ships. It wasn't long after that when the former Jedi Master forced Aurora to continue walking.

They trekked down the steep slope before reaching flat land and approaching the ship, where they assumed the captain was waiting for them. The brunette woman was surprised to discover that the man standing in front of them was a familiar face. They weren't friends, but he was someone she had met a few times as a child with her parents when they were looking to bring back Naboo's native flora. Aurora hoped that simply knowing him might help her get out of her current predicament, but she wasn't willing to reveal her knowledge just yet.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" Hondo Onaka muttered under his breath while studying the newcomers in front of him.

"Who are you?" Count Dooku questioned, earning a glare from the man in front of him.

"More importantly, my friend, who are you?" the Onaka man retaliated as his crew stepped forward to stand beside their captain. When the Sith Lord didn't respond, the pirate captain continued speaking. "I assume this ship is yours. Your solar sailer is very beautiful. It's a pretty rare ship, very expensive. What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I was on my way to deliver this prisoner. We sustained some damage in an asteroid storm and had to make a landing," Count Dooku explained while continuing to closely study the man circling him, "feel free to help yourself to it."

Hondo stopped circling the Sith Lord and took his place in front of him once again. His eyes bounced between Count Dooku and Aurora before settling on the latter. The pirate captain just stared at the Jedi until his attention moved back to the man beside her. "If you need transport, the nearest planet is Florrum. It's six parsecs away."

"Is it civilized?" Count Dooku asked, not bothering to hide the hint of annoyance in his voice.

"That depends on your definition of civilized," Hondo admitted as he turned and walked toward his ship. He only took a few steps before calling over his shoulder. "But you would certainly be more comfortable there than here. Vanqor is no place to be after dark."

Chills ran throughout Aurora's entire body at his words. But she wasn't able to think about it long before Count Dooku forced her to follow the Onaka man. "Perhaps I shall take you up on your offer."

"Very good. Now all that's left to do is, uh, settle my fee," the pirate captain said with a large smile on his face. His words caused the Sith Lord to stop in his tracks, forcing Aurora to stop with him. When Hondo saw the confused look on Count Dooku's face, he continued speaking. "Just a little something to cover my expenses. It shouldn't be a problem for someone so obviously wealthy as yourself."

The former Jedi Master remained silent, thinking over the Onaka man's words. After pulling his cloak closer to his body to hide the lightsabers on his belt, Count Dooku finally responded. "I'd be happy to compensate you for your services."

The smile on Hondo's face did nothing but grow as he turned to face his crew. "That's it, boys! We are heading home!"

After flying across the galaxy for an unknown amount of time, the pirates' large ship stopped just outside of Florrum's atmosphere. It was only then that Aurora was forced to board a smaller version of the ship they were currently on. Once everyone who was going to the planet's surface was on board, the smaller ship detached from its larger counterpart and flew toward Florrum. It wasn't long before they landed within the walls of the pirates' compound. Count Dooku made sure he had a tight grip on Aurora's arm before they followed the pirates off the ship.

The Jinn woman wasn't surprised when they were greeted by more pirates when they walked off the ship. And she definitely wasn't surprised that each of them held a blaster. Aurora knew they were walking into a trap the second Hondo offered them transport off Vanqor, she was just glad that Count Dooku didn't figure it out.

"Welcome to Florrum," the Onaka man said with a sinister smirk on his face. The Sith Lord glanced back at the pirate captain before reaching for his belt, only to discover that the lightsabers were gone. "Lose your flashy swords? Are these what you were looking for, Jedi?"

Count Dooku simply glared at the pirate captain. "I am more powerful than any Jedi. Know that you are dealing with a Sith Lord."

The former Jedi Master raised his hands toward Hondo, only for them to fall when every pirate aimed their blaster at him. That was all it took for the smile on the Onaka man's face to grow. "You're still outnumbered. The leader of the clanker army and a Sith Lord, no less. Someone is sure to pay a pretty price for you."

The pirate captain took a few steps forward to stand in front of Count Dooku. The two of them just stared at each other until Hondo's eyes fell on Aurora. "Have we met before? You seem vaguely familiar."

"Does the name Langston Tinsley ring any bells?" the Jinn woman asked, earning a shocked look from the man standing in front of her.

However, before Hondo had a chance to respond, the Sith Lord continued speaking. "Provide me with the proper means of communication. I will arrange for any ransom to be paid."

The Onaka man kept his eyes glued to Aurora for a moment longer before looking back over at Count Dooku. "And you will arrange for your armies to crush us as well. You don't survive in the Outer Rim by being stupid. If the Separatists will pay to get you back, chances are, the Republic will offer even more."

"I can arrange communication with the Jedi Order," Aurora declared, drawing all attention back to her, "all I ask in return is to be freed from these stuncuffs."

The large grin soon returned to Hondo's face. "We have a deal, Aurora Tinsley."

It wasn't long before Count Dooku was securely locked away in a cell. He stared down at the floor in defeat while Aurora watched him from the other side of the cell door. Even though she wouldn't even think about letting it show, the Jinn woman couldn't help but feel some sort of joy seeing the Sith Lord so helpless. It made everything that had happened since leaving the Jedi Temple worth it.

Aurora was soon pulled out of her train of thought by approaching footsteps. When she looked toward the source of the sound, she found Hondo returning with a communication device. The Jinn woman had some mixed feelings about the whole situation. She was happy about the capture of Count Dooku. And yet, something didn't feel right about working with pirates, even though her father had done business with them when trying to restore Naboo. But Aurora just kept telling herself that she was almost finished with her mission and could return home soon.

A large smile soon appeared on the Onaka man's face as he placed the communicator in Aurora's hand. She quickly entered the coordinates before waiting for the call to go through. What felt like an eternity passed before they finally made a connection and a familiar face appeared. "Senator Palpatine."

"Master Jinn. We just got word of your disappearance. Is everything alright?" the Supreme Chancellor asked, making Aurora aware that he wasn't alone in his office.

"I'm fine. There were some...complications. But Count Dooku has been captured. But we have a small problem. There wasn't any way out of this one," the Jinn woman explained before Hondo snatched the communicator out of her hands.

"I am the one who captured your Sith Lord," the Onaka man declared while staring down at the hologram, "if you want him, it will cost you a million credits. The payment will be in spice, delivered in an unarmed diplomatic ship."

"We will need proof he's alive and a promise of Master Jinn's safe return before agreeing to your terms," Palpatine responded, earning a scoff from the pirate captain.

"Let me present your fearless Sith Lord. I'm afraid he's too embarrassed to speak," Hondo announced after turning the communicator to show Count Dooku. He held the device there for another moment before turning it back to himself and Aurora. "As for the Jedi, I can promise she's returned safely...once I receive my payment."

The Jinn woman couldn't help but glance over at the Onaka man with a hint of annoyance in her eyes. But she knew getting home wouldn't be as easy as she hoped. Especially when she was dealing with a pirate.

"A hologram can be faked," the Supreme Chancellor declared, keeping the stoic expression on his face.

"You want proof?" the pirate captain asked before removing the Sith Lord's lightsaber from his belt and igniting it, "this is his lightsaber."

"Hm. Yes. Belongs to Dooku that lightsaber does," Yoda commented from somewhere off-screen.

"This scum having possession of Dooku's lightsaber proves nothing," Palpatine said while getting to his feet.

"If you refuse, I am sure the Separatist Council will be more than willing to meet my price," Hondo responded as a sinister smirk appeared on his lips, "especially if I add Master Jinn to the deal."

"We can't let the Separatists have Aurora. And we may never have a better chance to capture Count Dooku," Padmé said with a hint of desperation in her voice, causing the uneasiness that Aurora was feeling to vanish. If there was anyone who could get her out of this situation, it would be the Amidala girl. It wasn't long after that when the young Senator appeared in the hologram. "We would like to send two Jedi to confirm you have Count Dooku and to ensure Master Jinn is safe. Once we have their confirmation, we will deliver the ransom."

"Send your Jedi, but they must be unarmed," the Onaka man told her, earning a shocked look from the Amidala girl. A chuckle passed over Hondo's lips before he continued speaking. "They will be safe. We have no interest in getting involved in your war."

Before anyone had a chance to continue their conversation, the pirate captain ended the transmission. Aurora just stared at the device in his hand before her eyes moved to meet his. "You're using me as a bargaining chip now? That wasn't part of the deal, Hondo."

"That was before I realized how important you are, Master Jinn," the Onaka man retaliated, sending chills throughout Aurora's entire body.

"So now I'm your prisoner?" the Jinn woman questioned, not bothering to hide the irritation in her voice.

"Not at all! Think of yourself as my guest."

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Aurora had been sitting off to the side in the grand hall, watching everyone socialize with each other for what felt like an eternity. It was unnerving to witness how they treated each other. She didn't know which was worse, being captured by Dooku or hanging around a group of uncaring pirates. Aurora didn't know how long she had been sitting there, only that she was praying someone would come soon to get her out of there. Luckily, her prayers were answered when a pirate announced the Jedi's arrival. The Jinn woman couldn't get out of her seat fast enough before making her way outside.

What could only be described as joy flowed through Aurora's veins as she watched the Jedi ship land. However, she wasn't expecting to see Obi-Wan and Anakin. The Jinn woman had mixed feelings about their presence. She was overly happy that they were alive and well, but a small part of her knew the Skywalker boy would claim he rescued her. And she would never hear the end of that.

The pirates instantly raised their blasters at the new arrivals, causing Aurora's blood to run cold. But neither Obi-Wan nor Anakin was phased by their actions. Instead, they approached the one pirate without a blaster with nothing but confidence in their eyes. The pirate used a device to scan both of them, checking to see if they were truly unarmed. Once it was confirmed that they didn't have their lightsabers, the pirate gestured for them to follow. Aurora didn't hesitate to step in line with her allies, grateful to finally be in the company of people she trusted.

"Seems you've gotten yourself into some trouble," Obi-Wan said just loud enough for his allies to hear.

Aurora couldn't help but roll her eyes before responding. "I have everything handled."

"Looks like it to me," Anakin mocked with a smirk on his face.

"I do. All we need to do is get Dooku out of here," the Jinn woman insisted, earning a chuckle from the boy beside her. Aurora chose to ignore his actions before continuing to speak. "Just keep your guards up around these guys. They'll do anything for some extra credits."

It wasn't long after that when they entered the building. All eyes were on them as they followed the pirate toward their next destination. None of the looks they received seemed very friendly, which somewhat surprised Aurora. They were civil with her during her time spent there. She didn't understand their sudden mood change, but she wasn't going to question it. Instead, the Jinn woman simply focused back on the situation at hand. They continued walking until they reached the table where Hondo sat. He didn't seem to notice them at first. But when he finally did, a large grin appeared on his face.

"Gentleman! Welcome!" the Onaka man greeted after taking a moment to study Obi-Wan and Anakin, "can I offer you something to drink?"

"No, thank you," Obi-Wan responded while watching the pirate captain take a long sip of whatever was in his cup. The only response the Kenobi man received was Hondo pushing a cup across the table. It stopped right in front of the Jedi Master, who simply stared at it with a blank look on his face. It wasn't long after that when his attention returned to the pirate captain. "Congratulations on your capture of Count Dooku. Very impressive."

"Yes, it was. Even a Sith Lord is no match for my warriors," Hondo responded as the smile on his face slowly grew, "he put up quite a fight. Blasters, cannons, that glowy thing."

"You mean a lightsaber?" the Kenobi man asked, unable to hide his small smile after watching Hondo mimic a lightsaber's noises.

"That's it!" the Onaka man exclaimed before a more serious look appeared on his face, "and I don't need to tell you, those things can do some damage. Carved up some of my best men pretty good before I could get the jump on him."

Aurora forced herself to keep her lips sealed, knowing that contradicting the pirate captain's story wouldn't help them in any way. However, Anakin thought differently as soon as he saw Hondo's pet holding his lightsaber. An irritated look instantly appeared on the younger Jedi's face, something that the Jinn woman didn't miss. But there was nothing that Aurora could do to stop Anakin from making their current situation worse.

"And how exactly did you get the jump on him?" the Skywalker boy questioned before holding his hand out, summoning his lightsaber into his grasp, "with this?"

Every pirate had their blaster aimed at Anakin in less than a second, making Aurora tense. Her eyes scanned each and every one of their faces, knowing none of them would hesitate to take out the Jedi at their captain's command. No one said a word as they watched Hondo's pet jump onto one of the pirates' blasters before snatching Anakin's lightsaber out of his hand. The Skywalker boy instantly glared at the creature, earning a not-so-gentle elbow in the side from Aurora.

The Jinn woman ignored the glare she was receiving from Anakin as she turned her attention toward the pirate captain. "You know that we aren't looking to make enemies with you, Hondo. Once they confirm that you're holding Dooku, we'll go."

"I understand that, Miss Tinsley," the Onaka man responded, causing shocked looks to appear on Obi-Wan and Anakin's faces, "I will arrange a meeting."

No one said a word as they followed one of Hondo's men down a long corridor. Cell doors lined the walls as far as the eye could see, making Aurora wonder just how many prisoners the pirate took. It wasn't long before they stopped in front of one of the doors, where two other pirates were standing guard. Not even a second after that passed when the door slid open, revealing Count Dooku restrained in the middle of the room.

Obi-Wan couldn't help but chuckle as he and his allies entered the room. He studied the man in front of him for a moment before breaking the silence surrounding them. "Look how the mighty Sith Lord has fallen."

"This place suits you, Count," Anakin mocked while he and Obi-Wan circled the restrained man.

Aurora remained by the door, watching everything with a stoic look on her face. Something still felt off to her, but she didn't know what it was. It was driving her crazy. But the Jinn woman had been told on numerous occasions that she needed to learn to trust her instincts. So instead of joining her allies in mocking Count Dooku, Aurora remained on high alert, preparing herself for whatever was to come.

"It wasn't so long ago that you yourself were in similar surroundings on my ship," Count Dooku retaliated, clearly irritated by the situation he was in.

"Yeah, but now I'm free, and you're not," the Skywalker boy stated after he and Obi-Wan stopped in front of the Sith Lord.

The former Jedi Master just stared at them with a blank look on his face before responding. "I'm confident the situation will rectify itself soon."

"Soon you'll be brought to trial by the Senate and most likely spend a very long time in a cell just like this one," Obi-Wan declared with a large grin on his face.

"And that's if you're lucky," Anakin added.

"Oh, my naive young Jedi. You must be overly optimistic if you think these Weequayans plan to let you leave this planet," Count Dooku said before letting out a low chuckle. It wasn't long after that when his eyes landed on the Jinn woman. "Even Aurora can see that they can't be trusted."

At the sound of her name, the Kenobi man glanced back at Aurora, only to find her staring at Count Dooku with a blank look in her eyes. He knew that look well and had seen it a few times when they were on missions together. Obi-Wan could tell that something was bothering the Jinn woman. But he didn't have a chance to question her thanks to Anakin continuing the conversation.

"They're planet-hopping thieves looking for a quick score. They have no interest in picking a fight with Jedi," the Skywalker boy retaliated while keeping his eyes glued to Count Dooku.

"They are devious and deceitful and, most importantly, stupid," Count Dooku declared, not caring if one of the pirates heard what he was saying.

Obi-Wan's attention soon returned to the Sith Lord. However, his mind was still plagued by the look on Aurora's face. But his smile masked his thoughts as he began speaking. "It's a wonder you don't get along with them, Dooku. You have so much in common."

"You underestimate them at your own peril, Kenobi," was the last thing the former Jedi Master said as he watched the Jedi walk out of the cell.

The three Jedi walked back down the hall in the direction they had come from. Anakin walked a bit ahead of Obi-Wan and Aurora, lost in his own thoughts. That gave the Kenobi man the perfect opportunity to talk to the woman beside him without being interrupted.

"Care to share what you're thinking?" Obi-Wan asked, drawing Aurora's attention toward him.

The Jinn woman just stared at him for a long moment before letting out a long sigh. "My father used to make deals with Hondo. Nothing big, just to get some native plants and animals back to Naboo. I went with my father a few times. He always told me to be careful around pirates because no matter how many credits you offer them, they'll still stab you in the back."

"Do you think that's what's happening now? That they'll turn on us?" the Kenobi man questioned as they turned down another hall that would take them outside.

"It's possible, but I can't say for sure. All I'm saying is that we need to keep our guards up," Aurora admitted while thinking back to all the stories Langston told her about Hondo. Obi-Wan simply nodded in response as they walked outside.

Anakin soon slowed down his pace to walk beside his allies, completely unaware of the mixed emotions they were experiencing. The smile on his face did nothing but grow as he thought back to their conversation with Count Dooku. "I don't know about you two, but I could use some rest."

"Remember, Anakin, this could be a trap. We need to be ready for anything," Aurora warned the younger Jedi.

"You're not worried about Dooku, are you?" the Skywalker boy questioned in a slight mocking tone.

"No, we're worried about these pirates," Obi-Wan responded, earning a small smile from the Jinn woman.

It wasn't long after that when they boarded their ship to contact their allies. They needed to update the Chancellor before they could do anything else involving Count Dooku. The Jedi only waited for a few moments before their allies appeared as holograms in front of them. Obi-Wan quickly explained what they had learned since arriving on Florrum while Aurora and Anakin stood behind him in silence.

"No question they have Dooku. Send the ransom," the Kenobi man declared after finishing his explanation.

"He's being securely held?" Senator Palpatine questioned.

"Yeah. And very cranky about it," Anakin said with a large smirk plastered onto his face.

"Good. Senator Kharrus and Representative Binks will be dispatched immediately."

After ending the call with their allies, the Jedi exited their ship. They were ecstatic that their mission was a success and were ready to leave Florrum. Now, all they needed to do was confirm their deal with Hondo before the Kharrus and Jar Jar arrived. Aurora thought the next steps should be easy, but those thoughts soon left when one of Hondo's men approached them with a large grin on his face. "Jedi! Now that your business is completed, we invite you to join us in the grand hall for a banquet. And a true Weequay banquet is not to be missed."

Aurora instantly glanced over at Obi-Wan and Anakin, who both seemed as hesitant as she was. But none of them wanted to cause problems when their deal with the pirates was almost completed. So instead of denying the invitation, the three Jedi followed the pirate into the grand hall. He led them to a table before leaving them to enjoy the festivities. While the Skywalker boy looked around with interest in his eyes, Obi-Wan and Aurora both looked as though they wanted to be anywhere else but there.

Just when the Jinn woman thought things couldn't get any worse, she spotted Hondo approaching them. He wore a large grin on his face as he stopped behind Anakin and Obi-Wan and placed his hands on their shoulders. "Now can I persuade you to join us for a drink? It's a tradition, in the name of friendship."

The Kenobi man couldn't help but glance over at Aurora, who was skeptical about the whole thing. Despite agreeing with her, Obi-Wan knew they couldn't jeopardize the deal they had with the pirates. "Alright, but nothing too strong. He's flying."

The grin on Hondo's face did nothing but grow as he looked over at one of his crewmates. "Bring our guests some...refreshments."

Not even a second after that passed when three cups were placed in front of the Jedi. Aurora just stared at the green goop circling around the cup, knowing whatever it was would give her a stomach ache for a few days. She contemplated not drinking it at all, but those thoughts soon changed when she heard Hondo's next words.

"To a successful transaction!" the Onaka man exclaimed, earning cheers from everyone in the room. 

The Jedi exchanged a quick look, knowing what they needed to do. With the pirates distracted, they used the Force to swiftly and stealthily exchange their drinks with men at the table with them. As soon as the swap was complete, Obi-Wan began speaking, wanting to seem as nonchalant as possible. "To powerful pirates and new friends of the Republic."

His words received some cheers, but none as joyous as the ones Hondo received. Once everyone's attention was back on the celebration, Anakin turned toward Obi-Wan and Aurora. "I still don't get it. How did a bunch of drunken pirates manage to catch Dooku when we couldn't?"

"Because he underestimated them," Aurora answered, earning a questioning look from the youngest Jedi, "Dooku knows and is prepared for what we're capable of. He didn't know anything about these pirates. He thought he was smarter than them and could trick them into getting what he wanted. Clearly, his plan backfired on him."

"Maybe there's a lesson to be learned here," Obi-Wan added, now receiving a slightly irritated look from his former Padawan, "it's to remind us to be humble and never too proud to accept a gift when it comes our way."

"Well, to unexpected gifts then," Anakin said while holding up his cup, causing both Obi-Wan and Aurora to tap their own against his. Not even a second after that passed when the pirates they had exchanged their cups with collapsed, showing the Jedi that their alliance with the pirates was far from friendly.

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