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Asajj and Captain Panaka stood shoulder to shoulder in the cockpit of the Queen’s ship. They were alone, speaking to Master Jinn, who was reporting from someone’s home, on his search for the necessary hyperdrive. Well, ‘speaking to’ was a bit of an exaggeration. It was more one-sided.
If she was honest with herself, it made sense. Master Jinn was talking because he had things to say. Asajj and Captain Panaka were listening, because they had already reported that there had been no change. There was nothing for them to report. But Asajj had been getting more and more irritated as Master Jinn continued speaking. It sounded like a litany of excuses and bad ideas.
‘Oh, we can’t buy anything with Republic credits. Clearly, it’s time to gamble,’ she silently mocked. ‘Never mind the fact that the current owner of what we need is a slave-owning scumbag. We need to act according to the slave-owner’s rules!’
As if acquisition via gambling was any more ethical than acquisition via theft. Gambling might be fairer, but Asajj was hardly worried about being fair to a slave-owner. Especially since his slaves were working against him. Master Jinn himself had admitted that Shmi Skywalker, Watto’s slave, had told him that Watto was weak to gambling, essentially giving them permission to kriff her owner over to the best of their abilities. Now, Asajj just needed to figure out how to verbalize her thoughts in Core-World.
“Master,” she tried to interrupt. As always, the word was bitter on her tongue. Her first Jedi Master hadn’t asked her to call him that.
“Watto has agreed to allow Anakin to race; I have asked already,” Master Jinn continued. “We are claiming that I am providing the pod-racer, since Watto would claim ownership over it if he knew Anakin had made it. I convinced Watto to bet the hyperdrive for the pod-racer. The Bonta Eve Pod-race will be soon, so we won’t have long to wait.”
“Master,” Asajj tried again.
“Yes, Padawan? Is there something you wanted to say?”
“Yes. Why are you going through this… convoluted plan? Why not just take it?” Asajj asked.
Master Jinn frowned.
“Take it? You mean break in and steal it?” Master Jinn clarified. “No, Padawan. We are trying to avoid drawing attention, not embracing it. If that is all, I have things to do.”
Before Asajj could respond, the call ended. His communicator’s click seemed to echo in the small room.
Asajj spun around, putting her back to the holo, stomped a few steps away, and snarled under her breath. It came out hissing, and she imagined biting Master Jinn.
“Master Jedi…” Captain Panaka said hesitantly.
“Yes?” Asajj asked, trying to hide her anger.
“Are you alright?”
Asajj pressed her lips together, holding in a furious tirade. After she got herself under control, she spoke.
“Don’t mind me,” Asajj dismissed, smiling a little bitterly. “Master Qui-gon Jinn and I are kind of new to each other. We are having some growing pains in our relationship.”
“If you say so. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Yes,” Asajj said slowly. “Or maybe. What is the Queen’s position on stealing from evil people?”
Captain Panaka looked a bit panicked.
“We need you here,” he said. “Please don’t go.”
“It would only be for a little while,” Asajj argued.
“What if you were caught stealing?”
“Nothing would lead them to you.”
“But we would be left defenseless,” Captain Panaka insisted.
“Are you made of glass?” Asajj scoffed. “You wouldn’t be shattered by a touch!”
“Please try to see it my way,” Captain Panaka begged. Asajj noticed his fear in the Force, and was shocked by its strength. “I saw you cut through those droids in a way I simply can’t. If the Trade Federation shows up, our only hope is that you can equal whatever they send. We certainly won’t be able to!”
Asajj took a deep breath. It was not the Jedi way to frighten the innocent without reason. It was not the Jedi way to act in anger, which was what she was doing. Words were worth less than action, but they could still cut, could still threaten, could still hurt and frighten. It was not what her teacher Ky would want. Asajj took another deep breath. She hadn’t always agreed with every one of Ky’s opinions, but she could respect his wishes, particularly when it would be senseless cruelty to ignore it.
Asajj looked at it his way. He was afraid of being left defenseless, of being overwhelmed by the forces of the Trade Federation. That was fair. Asajj was a powerful warrior, as most Jedi were. Asajj could reassure him.
“You don’t have to worry about me vanishing out of nowhere,” Asajj said. “I would inform you before doing anything, and ensure that the Queen is defended. I won’t just leave out of nowhere.”
Captain Panaka slumped a little, breathing out most of his fear. It coiled in the Force before dissipating as he breathed relief in.
“And you’ll give me forewarning, I hope?” he said. “Not just tell me and go in the next breath?”
“Yes,” Asajj said firmly. “I promise.” She paused. “I suppose I don’t even really need to, if Master Jinn’s risk pays off. And I won’t go off without some agreement from you and the Queen. But if it doesn’t…”
“Then we will likely have to risk attempting to steal the hyperdrive,” Captain Panaka agreed grimly. “I see no other option. Though… I dislike all this risk.”
“I know,” Asajj smiled with equal grimness. “The Queen is very vulnerable right now. Far more than she should be.”
“She should be safe, at home in the Theed Palace, without anyone hunting her,” Panaka said, his voice aching with longing. “Our skies should be clear, without a blockade. The Trade Federation’s armies should be nothing more than a fever dream.”
“That would be a better galaxy,” Asajj said wistfully.
But that was not the galaxy they lived in. The Queen of Naboo was stranded on Tatooine. One of her handmaidens was out and about, in the sandy, slaver-filled streets. And if the Trade Federation followed them, Asajj Ventress was one of her only defenders.