Chapter 3: Betrayal on Kessel

"Anything that can go wrong will."

The ramp of the Gilded Claw hissed open onto Kessel, and the planet's air hit Ahsoka like a physical blow. It was thick with the acrid scent of spice, metal, and unwashed bodies. The sky was a permanent bruised orange, choked with industrial smog that blotted out the stars.

"I hope you're proud of that landing," Ahsoka muttered, her voice tight as she steadied herself on the ramp. Her bare arms prickled in the foul air. The short brown dress, more of a rough smock, offered little protection from the elements, and the bantha hide collar felt tight and demeaning around her neck.

"Proud?" Hondo scoffed, placing a hand over his heart in mock offense. He gestured broadly at the dusty, abandoned alleyway where he had set down. "My dear girl, that was a masterpiece of precision flying! An artful descent through the most treacherous sensor net in the Outer Rim! A lesser pilot would have been vaporized."

"You bounced us off a gas giant," she shot back, her eyes scanning the grimy street beyond the alley. "I think my teeth are still rattling."

"Details, details," Hondo waved away her concern, his vibrant coat a splash of color against the grime. "It is the result that matters. And the result is, we are here. Incognito. Unharmed. Mostly."

Their bickering was cut short. At the end of the alley, the street opened into a busy harsh, sun-bleached plaza. After a few minutes navigating the meat stalls, slave markets, and tech vendors, Hondo struck out his hand in front of her chest, stopping ahsoka silently. She looked up. Guarding the entrance to a newly erected, gleaming tower of dark metal were four Pyke sentinels. Their long, pale faces were impassive beneath wide-brimmed hats, their hands resting on the butts of their pulse rifles. The tower stood out like a shard of obsidian against the ramshackle mines, a monument to high-tech oppression.

"Ah, our welcoming committee," Hondo whispered, his earlier joviality vanishing. He straightened his coat, putting on his most disarming smile as he strode forward. "Gentlemen! A fine day for oppression, is it not?"

The lead Pyke did a doubletake and stepped forward, his voice a low, guttural rasp. "Ohnaka. You have nerve showing your face here."

"Business brings me to many interesting places," Hondo replied smoothly. "Speaking of which, about my last shipment..."

"You dumped it and ran from the Republic," another Pyke snarled. "The shipment is gone. The debt remains. Payment. Now." The Pyke guards quickly surrounded them.

Hondo held up his hands, his smile unwavering. "A misunderstanding! A tactical retreat! I was merely preserving my assets to ensure I could settle my account. But Hondo always comes through! As a sign of my good faith..." He turned, and before Ahsoka could process his intent, his hand was on the small of her back, shoving her forward.

She stumbled, the coarse dress, tight around her upper thighs tripping her up, and fell hard to her bare knees in the dusty plaza. The impact was jarring, sending a sharp pain through her legs. She looked up, her face a mask of disbelief and fury.

"...I bring you payment... in full!" Hondo finished, gesturing to her as if presenting a prize. "One of my finest acquisitions. Her name is Liana."

The Pykes' heads tilted in unison, their large, black eyes assessing her kneeling form. "A puny slave?" the leader questioned, his voice dripping with suspicion.

"Not just any slave!" Hondo insisted, his voice ringing with false sincerity. "She is... multi-talented. And strong! Excellent for the mines, I imagine. But do not be fooled. She may be easy on the eyes, but her true value," he leaned in conspiratorially, "is her mind. She is quite educated with mainframe technology and a master anti-slicer. A real asset for a... modern operation like yours. I thought it was a waste to let someone so talented keep working for Crimson Sun. Though if you dont approve, i could always take her to Zygerria and get twice as much, then return with exact change. But I am in a generous mood today!"

Ahsoka's blood ran cold. She stared up at Hondo, her mouth agape. He met her gaze, and for a split second, his theatrical mask dropped. He winked, a quick, knowing flick of his eyelid. He leaned down, his lips brushing her lekku more intimately than she would have preferred as he whispered, "I'm getting you inside that tower. I hear that may be a clue to what you're looking for. And at the same time... you've just paid your debt for my services. I told you it would be a fair bargain!"

The realization hit her like a physical blow. This was the plan. This was the infiltration. He was selling her to pay off his debts. Rage boiled up inside her, hot and swift. She shot to her feet, her hands clenched into fists, ready to lunge at him.

But she never got the chance.

With a flick of his wrist, Hondo produced a small, silver remote from his coat. He pressed a button, and a jolt of searing electricity shot through metal rivets inside the bantha collar. Ahsoka cried out, her body convulsing as pain exploded across her neck, shoulders, and breasts. Her legs gave out and she crumpled back to the ground, gasping for breath as her exposed thigh muscles spasmed uncontrollably. She could control and dampen that pain with the force, of course, but the shock had caught her completely off guard.

While she lay twitching on the dirt, Hondo strode over to the lead Pyke and handed him the remote. "I suggest you don't take that bit off," he said with a chillingly casual air. "She can be... spirited."

He then knelt down and looked down at Ahsoka, a playful glint in his eyes as he noticed one of her small, peach-toned breasts fully peeking out the side of her dress. "Of course," he added, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "you can take everything else off if you'd like. Hmm... yes, I would like my dress back... for sentimental reasons, of course!"

Ahsoka stared up at him, her vision swimming with tears of pain and rage. The look of fear and embarassment in the jedi's eyes was everything that he had hoped for and more. Hondo let the silence hang for a moment, savoring her reaction, before he burst into loud, booming laughter.

"Kidding! Of course, I am kidding!" he wheezed, slapping his knee. "You should see the look on your face! Almost makes me wonder..."

His laughter died as she moved to cover herself protectively. The lead Pyke stepped forward menacingly. Hondo straightened up, his time had run out. "Well, gentlemen, our transaction is complete. A pleasure doing business with you."

The Pyke with the remote grabbed Ahsoka by her dress, his grip like iron. He hauled her to her feet, the collar still humming with residual energy. Without another word, they began dragging her away from the plaza, toward the yawning entrance of the mines and the dark, imposing tech tower that loomed beyond. Hondo watched them go, his expression unreadable, before turning and strolling casually back toward the market.