Part 8

Qui-Gon landed on cat feet and stayed crouched, stretching out his senses through the Force. He sensed nothing immediately, so he assumed the rancor was elsewhere at the moment. If that was the case, he needed to start hunting an escape route of some kind. There were several nooks and crannies scattered about and he headed for the one that looked the smallest, but deepest. It was also noticably absent of body parts, telling the Jedi that the rancor couldn't even reach in.

He tripped as he moved and looked down. It was the head of the Trandoshan. Well, a good portion of it at any rate. He grimaced and moved on. He bent over and headed as far back into the crevice as he could get and turned back to face the open area just in time to feel the ground move.

The rancor was coming for it's snack.

Qui-Gon forgot how ugly the things were. It's slack jaw had saliva dribbling from it and it's short arms and long-fingered claws constantly clawed at the air compulsively. Qui-Gon shuddered in disgust. "Damn I wish I had my lightsaber."

Shinoba had voiced loudly her approval of Qui-Gon's imminent demise to Jabba as Si'Haad skulked her way around behind Jabba. Stealing the icon out from under Jabba's nose would not be difficult. Stealing it out from under his nose with witnesses would be harder, but not impossible. Shinoba was to wait a while and then leave, supposedly to report the news of the rival's death to Si'Haad, leaving Si'Haad free to steal the icon back and the now added burden of rescuing the Jedi.

Clipped to her belt and invisible just like she was, Jinn's lightsaber seemed oddly heavy there. Part of it was because she was not used to the added weight. Everything in her suit and on her person was familiar, allowing her total confidence in movement. The lightsaber shifted the balance.

There was more to it, though. It was as if the weapon knew its owner was in danger and needed it.

Si'Haad waited for Shinoba to leave, which eventually happened, peering down occasionally at the rancor that was trying to get at his Jedi dinner. Qui-Gon, it seemed, had managed to cram himself into a corner and was entrenched enough it was going to take a crowbar to get him out. Si'Haad allowed herself a brief smile.

Or a little black box.

The evening wore on and Si'Haad bided her time. Jabba was distracted by a dancer of some species that Si'Haad personaly found totally distasteful and she took that as her chance. In one fluid motion, Si'Haad backflipped over the large grate in the floor that afforded visitors a view of the proceedings below. One hand dropped the concealed lightsaber into the pit. No one noticed it, for as soon as it left her grip as she was upside down in her flip and it dropped soundlessly. As no could see her, no one took note. With her other hand a small metal dot shot from an aparatus on her wrist, attaching itself with a slight pinging sound to the icon next to Jabba. It immediately vanished, but no one noticed that right off.

Pleased with herself, Si'Haad casually walked up to Jabba, made a face at him and picked up the invisible statue, placing it in the shoulder bag on her back. She then moved to where no one would inadvertantly bump into her to watch the fun.

Qui-Gon immediately saw his lightsaber fall, having been so tuned to the Force that he sensed its fall. With another pull from the Force, he called the weapon to his hand, reassured at its familiar weight. He belted the weapon, not really wanting to take on the rancor. It didn't guarantee him a way out, anyway.

The rancor continued its growling howl of displeasure at being denied its dinner, but Qui-Gon ignored it. He had no intention of slaking that hunger. Now that he had his lightsaber, he could find a way out. Over the course of the evening he'd been looking around the cavern cage. Across from him, he could see between the rancor's legs, was a set of barred doors. It might take time but Qui-Gon was sure he could cut his way out. The only problem was the rancor.

"Are you dead yet?" yelled someone from above.

Qui-Gon frowned at the taunt but called up just to aggravate, "Yes, I could use a hand!" There was a blaster shot, a maddened scream and a thump. Qui-Gon peered past the rancor, who was distracted by the new addition. It was someone's arm.

The owner shortly followed, dazed from pain and not realizing his danger. Qui-Gon darted between the rancor's legs and grabbed the man's good arm, tugging him as quickly as he could back to the gaping hole that the Jedi had been using as a safe haven. The rancor's massive head dipped down and Qui-Gon autmatically ducked, was missed and the other was scooped up in strong jaws. The crunching sound that followed made Qui-Gon's stomach turn as he ran back into his cubby hole.

He'd tried, but it still didn't help matters any. With a humphing sound, Qui-Gon sat on the gritty floor and contemplated his situation.

If he ignited the saber and used it, everything would be blown. Word would get around about a Jedi posing as a thief. However, being the creature's appetizer wouldn't help matters any either. He scrunched back a little farther for safety's sake and sank into meditation, hoping for an answer in the Force.

"What is he doing?" Si'Haad asked herself for hundreth time. No fancy lightsaber fighting had happened and the rancor had already finished off about five people that Jabba threw down when they complained of no screaming from the 'thief', not counting the poor soul who lost his hand and life.

At about that time, Jabba noticed his prize statue was missing. He let out an outraged bellow of anger and began to shout obscenities at everyone his eyes landed on. The room still a moment and then erupted into a flurry of movement. Si'Haad tucked herself further into the corner with a satisfied grin.

This was fun.

"Bring me the thief!" bellowed Jabba, pointing down into the rancor cage. Si'Haad grinned. Even better. If the little black box was still on Qui-Gon's person, this was going to be one memory she'd cherish for a long time.