To Hire a Jedi: Part 1

Sugi looked at the remainder of her crew. "Seripas, what about you?"

Seripas shrugged his battlesuit's shoulders. "As long as you're in, I'm in."

Sugi's lips curled upward. "I guess it will be the three of us. Seripas, you'll be the pilot and the muscle, if we need extra. Ahsoka, you'll be in charge of navigation and making sure we're dealing with the right rebels. I'll do the negotiation with Hondo and the rebels."

"You don't want me doing it?" Ahsoka asked. "You said I did well negotiating with the farmers we hauled spice for."

Sugi finished her drink. "Those were farmers. They weren't on the bad side of the Empire so they were more comfortable with someone less rough around the edges. This is Hondo. He'll recognize you if he gets a good look at you."

Ahsoka nodded. "But the rebels, I could do that."

Sugi folded her arms across her chest. "It doesn't take a Jedi to know you're close to those Onderonian rebels. I don't want that interfering with business."

Ahsoka hung her head. Every once in a while, the hardened hunter reminded her of the Jedi, even if Sugi was the farthest thing there was from a Jedi knight. Then again, Sugi was about the closest thing to a Jedi left in the galaxy. Ahsoka sighed.

Sugi stood. "Latts, you can go find a different job. The rest of us will go to our meeting point." Sugi waved her hand. Seripas and Ahsoka followed her to the run-down spaceport across the street from the bar. Seripas climbed into the Halo and hopped out of his battlesuit while Sugi reached into a compartment and grabbed a green cloak. She tossed it to Ahsoka. "Wear this. I don't trust Hondo."

Ahsoka put the cloak on even though the heat of Tatooine made it uncomfortable. Hondo was too smart to turn her into the Empire but Ahsoka hadn't outlived the other Jedi by taking risks.