MEETING HAN SOLO

As my consciousness slowly faded from the Jedi Temple, I felt the familiar sensation of traveling through space wash over me. When my senses finally returned, I found myself standing in the midst of a bustling street, surrounded by beings of various species and droids scurrying about. None of them seemed to give a damn about me.

The air was filled with the hum of starships and the strange sounds of alien languages.

As I took in my surroundings, a wave of recognition washed over me. This was Mos Eisly, the infamous spaceport town on Tatooine. The distinctive architecture and sand-colored buildings were unmistakable. The sight of towering moisture vaporizers in the distance confirmed my suspicions.

I couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and trepidation at finding myself in such an iconic location.

Mos Eisley was known for its vibrant markets, shady dealings, and association with Jabba's smuggling empire. It was a place where dreams clashed with harsh realities.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I focused my thoughts on the matter at hand.

I could not understand why the system had brought me to Mos Eisley instead of Mos Espa, where the Hutt's palace was located. I guess this is what comes with the hard quest mode.

To retrieve the Holocron, I knew I had to first find a way into Jabba's palace.

Luckily, Mos Eisley wasn't a bad place to begin. The place was a hub for all sorts of characters, and acquiring information wasn't hard if you knew how to ask. Better yet, most of Jabba's smugglers flocked to the spaceport's cantina. I would have to make a deal with one of them after all; I needed some wupiupi or peggats to be able to hire a flight to Mos Espa.

After some little trouble navigating the confusing streets, I finally found the local cantina.

As I entered, the smooth melodies of some jazz riffs greeted my ears. The dimly lit room was filled with a cacophony of alien races and a variety of creatures downing their favorite intoxicant. Despite their calm appearance, I knew that this pangalactic watering hole was packed with cutthroats and cutpurses, assassins, humans and aliens, gangsters and thieves, and death wasn't a big deal within these walls.

I made my way through the crowd cautiously, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. The air was thick with a mixture of smoke and the scent of various alien concoctions.

Slowly, my eyes were carefully scanning the crowd for a sight of someone familiar, and sure enough, I noticed the furry creature seated at the far corner.

Chewbacca! What the hell!

Now I know there had to be several wookies in Tattooine, but the calm mannerisms of the creature I was looking at definitely made me know this was Chewbacca. Besides, the rockstar-like man sitting opposite him had to be the famous Han Solo, one of Jabba's most treasured smugglers. At a glance, I knew I had hit the jackpot.

Seeing these two, I found myself, for the first time, questioning what Star Wars timeline I was in.

I mean, this was no simulation; the system quest was in a real Star Wars world, which meant whatever time I was in had to be in the canon. But the sight of the two in the cantina implied that they were still in Jabba's pay, so I was likely within the events of 'A New Hope, and the timeline was probably around 0 (BBY).

I decided to push my luck. I ordered water and proceeded to Han's table. I did not have a single credit except for the Jedi starfinder that I was going to trade with Jabba. Even if I had any, Republic credit was not accepted in Tattooine.

Reaching the table where the two were seated, I settled down on the empty seat facing Solo.

"You must be Han Solo," I began in a carefree tone. "I am told you can help me".

Han Solo looked up from his drink, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. He took a long sip before responding, his voice laced with skepticism.

"And who might you be?"

I straightened my posture, trying to exude confidence despite the nerves bubbling within me. "I'm in need of your expertise, Solo. I've heard you have connections with Jabba, and I require passage to him."

Han's co-pilot, Chewbacca, let out a low growl as if assessing my intentions. Han glanced at Chewie before turning his attention back to me. "You're not the first person who's come looking for help," he said cautiously. "What makes you think I can assist you?"

With a quick glance around the cantina to ensure no unwanted ears were listening in, I unpocketed the starfinder and leaned closer to Han. "I possess something that might pique Jabba's interest," I whispered.

I could see that this had captured Han's attention; his eyes were fixated on the artifact, but years of smuggling still made him suppress his interest.

"Are you mad? I don't care what you have; no one just walks into Jabba's palace uninvited, and certainly not with me guiding them.

I knew what the pilot was doing—trying to gauge my desperation to know how much to charge. I decided to cut to the chase.

"You know what this is, I said in a hushed voice. This is one of the original Starfinder Solo. If Jabba finds out you denied him a chance to possess it, I bet you will end up in the Rancor's Pit."

Han broke into laughter while his colleague let out deep chuckles, and then, as if they had planned it, they were all suddenly dead serious.

"Five thousand for the passage, all in advance, Han Solo said sternly.

"Well, I replied confidently, my voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. " I can't afford to pay upfront. But if Jabba does acquire the Starfinder, I promise you a generous 10% of the sale price. That's a fair deal, isn't it?"

Han Solo's eyes narrowed as he considered my offer. He excelled in his ability to navigate treacherous waters. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded slowly. "Alright, kid," he said gruffly. "You've got yourself a deal. But what if Jabba doesn't buy?

I smiled with certainty. The star finder was an ancient artifact with immense value. It was sought after by countless individuals throughout the galaxy, and the chance of Jabba refusing such a goodie was almost nonexistent. The only question was whether he would agree to the offer I had in mind.

"No chance of that solo!"

We sealed our agreement with a firm handshake. Han's colleague growled again.

"Chewie says you better sell it high; that way our share will be high as well." I nodded, finding no reason to explain myself at the moment.

"Docking Bay 93, we leave when you are done, Han Solo declared as both stood to go. I stared at the untouched mug of water before me. I took a sip only to spit the liquid on the floor. The thing tasted like rusted metal.

"Well, I am done," I said, standing up. Both Han Solo and Chewie stared at me as if I were mad. "You must have plenty of peggat, kid, to leave your water half-drunk."

"Actually, I was hoping you would pay that for me. I will reimburse you when...

"Jabba blah blah...." Han said, interrupting my sentence and staring at the faces that had turned on hearing Jabba's name.

"I am starting to have a bad feeling about you, kid".

Solo reached for the mug of water and drained it in a few gulps.

I might as well pay for something I have drunk," he said.

*****POWERSTONE PLEASE*****