Chapter 13

                                    

                                              
- Tatooine
                          
Obi-Wan and Numa arrived in the dining room to find Aaron at one end and Lovely at the other. Aaron then spoke up. "Ah, slaves... have a seat, anywhere you'd like," he said. Obi-Wan took Numa's hand and sat on the right side of Lovely with Numa to his right.
                          
"Lunch will be served in a moment," Aaron said, leaning back in his chair as he crossed his feet on the table. Obi-Wan discreetly rolled his eyes. So uncivilized... he thought.
                          
Just then, a servant droid came into the room carrying a tray of drinks and began placing them onto the table. In front of Numa, the droid placed a small cup of blue milk. In front of Obi-Wan and Lovely, the droid placed two tall glasses filled with red wine, then proceeded to place the same thing in front of Aaron.
                          
After doing so, the droid retreated out of the room. Hopefully to return with lunch. Obi-Wan thought as his stomach growled in agreement. "Tell me, Jedi slave," Aaron started. "How did you end up all the way out here, and in such a state?" he asked. Lovely looked at Obi-Wan with wide eyes. "You're a Jedi?" she asked.
                          
Obi-Wan gulped as he shrunk down slightly in his chair with a small nervous laugh. "Um... y-yes..." he answered, then proceeded to answer Aaron's question. "I'm sorry, Master, but I'm afraid I cannot tell you that. It is confidential information," he said.
                          
Aaron nodded in his head in understanding. "Then answer me this, instead... If I gave you your lightsaber back and gave you a job as my bodyguard with the will to roam wherever you please, would you promise that you won't try to escape?" he asked.
                          
Obi-Wan looked down in thought and licked his lips. Can I trust this man to keep his word? Or a better question, can I even trust myself to keep my word? Sighing, Obi-Wan looked at Numa to his side. While I'm his bodyguard, what will he continue to do to her?
                          
Finally, Obi-Wan decided on an answer. "I'm sorry, Sir, but I'll have to decline the offer if my companion here," he gestured to Numa. "Is still a working slave. Now, say, if she were to have free will as well, I might be persuaded to take the position. But, if not, then I'm sorry, you'll have to find someone else to take the position," he explained.
                          
Aaron closed his eyes and thought before nodding. "Very noble of you, Jedi... I shall grant your request in favor of my own protection," Aaron said. Just then, the servant droid from before returned with a tray filled with plates of food. "You shall receive your lightsaber, but first, lunch," Aaron said with a smile as a plate of food was placed in front of Obi-Wan.
                          
The meal looked to be made up of a mix of things. "Tatooine flatbread, Worrt casserole, deb-deb, and for dessert, Zucca fruit pastry," Aaron said with a smile as the rest of the plates were placed before Lovely, Numa, and himself.
                          
Obi-Wan did his best not to give a disgusted look at the unique food before picking up his fork to take a bite. Surprisingly, after the food had pasted his lips, it wasn't as bad as it looked. Well, this is something to tell Anakin. Obi-Wan thought as he took another bite of the food.
                          
"I apologize for my behavior at the auction, Jedi. I had to keep up the act of slaver after all," Aaron apologized, as he too, took a bite of his food. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "At the auction, yes, I could see where you're coming from. But what about what happened in the stable?" Obi-Wan questioned.
                          
Aaron sighed. "That was a matter of my driver, Baku... You see, before he started working here, he was a slaver and mistreated his slaves... He believed I did the same even when I tried to convince him otherwise. For all these years that he's worked for me I've had to keep the act that I mistreat my slaves, at least, in front of him I have to... But you see..." Aaron laid down his fork.
                          
"In reality, any slaves I've had here have been kept in good shape for the most part," he explained, rising from his seat, "There's just one problem... in order to rescue other slaves, I've got to sell the ones I already own," he said.
                          
I've got a bad feeling about this... Obi-Wan thought as he watched Aaron walk around the table towards his seat. "You see, Ben... I want to ask a favor from you..." Aaron put his lips close to Obi-Wan's ear as he whispered, "I want you to stay here and work for me... stay here and charm some female slaves for me... and in return, the Twi'lek girl goes free..." Obi-Wan shivered at the sound of the man's voice.
                          
Aaron pulled away with an evil smile. "So... do we have a deal...?" he asked. Obi-Wan stared at the table for a moment before narrowing his eyes and looking up at Aaron. "No," he said firmly. He heard a growl erupt from Aaron. "Well then, you'll be pleased to know you no longer have your privilege of freedom or the ability to wield your lightsaber."
                          
It was at that moment that a knife was taken out of Aaron's pocket as he grabbed Obi-Wan's hand and drew the knife blade over Kenobi's palm. Obi-Wan yelled in pain as he drew his hand away from the man, grabbed a napkin on the table, and wrapped his hand with it.
                          
"I think you'll be pleased to know that I am just like every other slave driver... a good liar who knows how to punish a slave when they misbehave..." Aaron said with a smirk. He then turned towards Lovely. "You, woman, are to stay here and eat while I take these slaves back to their quarters," he growled as he grabbed Numa's wrist and Obi-Wan's arm, then began dragging them towards the stable.
                          
~
                          
When they arrived back at the stable, Aaron shoved them onto one of the hay beds. "As I said, slaves... If you misbehaved, no dinner tonight. Have fun starving." Aaron said, walking out of the stable and closing the door, locking it behind him as Obi-Wan got up and ran towards the door.
                          
Obi-Wan pounded his uncut fist against the door. "Please! Let us out! If not me, at least the girl! Please!" Sadly, Obi-Wan's pleas were in vain as he turned around, back against the door, and slid down towards the floor with tears in his eyes.
                          
Cradling his wrapped up and cut hand towards his chest with his other hand over his face, Obi-Wan Kenobi began to cry. "This is my fault... it's all my fault... everything is always my fault..." he whispered out.