Promise - Anakin Skywalker

.19

"Well, this is fair," Ella grumbled as three droids took a shots at her simultaneously. They had pushed her back so far that she was nearly on the edge of the tall cliff that surrounded the side entrance to Jabba's palace. She used the Force to jump with all of her might above the droids' electric rods and kick one.

As her feet collided with the middle droid's chest plate, it did not budge. Not even a little. She was sent flying backwards off the edge of the cliff.

Not wanting to crush the huttlet under her, Ella flipped through the air attempting to land on her feet. The slope was so steep and the sand was so loose that she started to tumble down the slope. Thankfully, she was able to slow herself to a stop as she approached the jagged rocks at the bottom. The huttlet started to wail.

"It's like playing in the sand!" Ella said, trying to be lighthearted. Her words only made Jabba's son cry louder.

Suddenly, there was a clank of metal followed by the zapping of electricity. R2 noticed the droids first and started to beep rapidly. There was a shocking noise and R2 went silent.

Ella whirled around, a fierce glare on her face. "That's it," she growled. Her lightsaber flew into her hand and she ignited it. "You've officially pissed me off."

Not giving the droids time to jab at her, Ella swung her lightsaber back and forth without aiming or focusing. But as soon as she started to have shortness of breath and her muscles began to ache she stopped. Ella focus, she told herself silently. You'll never hit them at this rate.

She finally remembered to use the Force, shoving two away from her and pulling the center one in, impaling it with her lightsaber. Suddenly, while fighting with the other two, Ella felt a sudden wave of worry enter the Force around her. Anakin.

"Master!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, hoping he'd hear her. Deep down, she knew he wouldn't. Ella was so out of breath she could barely speak at a normal volume, let alone be heard so far below the pathway to Jabba's castle. "Anakin!"

He flew passed her on his speeder, leaving her unnoticed. Ella groaned loudly, continuing to fight off the droids. She cut through the middle of both of their rods, cutting them in half, each one with a different lightsaber.

Satisfied knowing they couldn't hurt her anymore, Ella turned around and made her way over to R2. Suddenly, thankful to her quick reflexes, Ella whirled around and crossed her lightsabers in an X. This shape blocked the four lightning rods that were about to strike the huttlet in her backpack.

The rods still work. Great. Ella thought sarcastically as she resumed the battle with the two droids. She used the Force and jumped into the air, flipping over the droids. Then, she shoved them down the slope letting them tumble down into the jagged rocks below. She herself slid down the slope, but kept upright as she surfed down the loose sand.

Now, they were cornered in between three large rocks. Ella blocked their only way out. She crossed her arms, putting a lightsaber on either side of them. Then, she swung, cutting both droids in half. Their electric rods dropped to the ground and shut off.

Ella extinguished her lightsabers and started to poke and prod the droids with her foot.

R2 happily beeped as he rolled over to her. Ella whirled around in surprise to see him upright and perfectly fine. "Have you been fine this entire time?" Ella asked. R2 beeped a yes. She threw her hands in the air. "Thanks for the help, R2."

Ella trudged back up the steep sand mountain, hurrying as fast as she could on her aching legs. Anakin was inside, and who knows what was happening since he didn't have the huttlet with him. Out of breathe and achey, she stumbled up to the tall castle.

In awe, Ella stopped at the door to marvel the entire building. It blended in with the surrounding dunes, but towered above them with many towers and turrets each with its own intricate design.

"WHERES MY PADAWAN?" She heard someone bellow from inside. A lightsaber ignited and there was a commotion.

Ella used the Force to pry open the heavy metal door. She rushed in, sprinting through the darkly lit halls to where she heard all the chaos.

"Stop!" She yelled, making everyone freeze and turn to her. Ella made her way through the crowd of creatures, showing the huttlet to its father.

Both hutts started to chatter happily as they reunited. Ella stepped back and stood next to Anakin. He smiled down at her. She could feel his pride, and she hoped he could feel her own.

"Kill Jedi!" Jabba growled, pointing a green scaly finger their way.

"What?!" Ella and Anakin both cried, looking from each other to Jabba.

The bounty hunters surrounding them cocked their guns once more. Jabba's son began to cry with his usual high pitched wail. Ella and Anakin acted fast, moving back to back and igniting their lightsabers. "Does this always happen?" Ella asked, her heart racing.

"Everywhere I go," Anakin sighed.

Suddenly, the holoprojector started to beep and flash interrupting their "execution."

Jabba's translator droid accepted the call. "You uncle Zero is calling, mighty Jabba."

"Greetings, Jabba," the man in the hologram said with a bow. "I'm Senator Bail Organa of the Galactic Congress. I have discovered a plot against you by one of your own. Your uncle will admit he conspired against you with Count Dooku to kidnap your son."

The hologram switched to another Hutt. They started to argue back and forth in a language Ella could not understand. "Please Jabba, it was Count Dooku!" were the only words she got out of it. The hologram switched back to Bail Organa.

"Mighty Jabba would like to inform you that his uncle will be dealt with...most severely." The translator droid said.

"Perhaps now, you will allow the Republic to use your trade routes and hostilities can come to an end," Bail suggested.

Jabba started to speak once more. "Jabba agrees, a treaty is necessary," the droid replied. That was enough for Anakin and Ella to extinguish their lightsabers and move back to being side by side.

"You will not regret this, Jabba," Bail said.

"The clone armies may pass through Jabba's territory," Jabba's droid translated. His son started to chitter happily. A smile grew across Ella's face. "Jabba would be most appreciative if you brought Count Dooku to justice for his crimes against the Hutts."

"You can count on it, Jabba!" Ella laughed, nudging Anakin to see if he understood her joke. He shut his eyes, smiled, and shook his head.

"I think," he smiled down at her with twinkling eyes, "that's our queue to get going."