Lost and Longing.

Chapter 30: CH 30



Harry was no less confident in himself. But unlike Anakin he didn't seem to care if he projected it or not. He didn't seem constantly worried about the image he presented or the need to seem in control and garner respect from everyone. Harry honestly seemed completely apathetic. Even from a few days exposure to her, he was more than willing to share stories that poked fun at himself as much as anyone else, and did so without a care in the galaxy.

Despite the differences in the way it was presented, the utter confidence in themselves, and their use of the Force… or in Harry's case, Magic. Like they knew it wouldn't fail them. When Harry had told her to relax, that the bounty hunters literally surrounded weren't going to get her, she had done just that. There was such assurance in his voice. There was no strain, no panic, no worried looks around as he plotted. He simply assured her that it would not happen as if any other outcome was not only unthinkable, it was impossible.

Harry flicked up a strong notice me not charm on the two of them as they walked, his voice was amused, though he looked a bit tired. "Well, that was fun. I thought I was a trouble magnet. How many people have you pissed off, girl?"

Ahsoka looked somewhat abashed as, for a moment, she was somewhat concerned that Harry might consider her too much trouble, but then she discarded that. He had twice gotten her out of trouble, three times if she counted the two Masters. And he had never once seemed like he was having second thoughts about her. His tone was teasing and a smile quirked the corner of his lips.

She frowned a little bit, still looking around as they got further away from the bar "Um, more than a few… I can explain more detail later if you want, but what are we going to do about your ship?"

Harry tilted his head as they walked, "What about my ship?"

"That guy we met with, the slicer. He said they were already at the ship." Ahsoka replied looking around as casually as she could

Harry snorted slightly, "I knew that. Hell, several entered the hangar before we made it to the bar."

"How did you know that?" Ahsoka asked before she could stop herself but she held up her hand to keep him from replying, "Wait, let me guess… magic?"

Harry grinned, pleased. "Exactly, we haven't even gotten to a discussion on wards or protections yet. But their attention was on us from the minute we came into the system."

"How did they know?" Ahsoka asked, though a feeling of dread was in the pit of her stomach.

"How do you think? There should have been only one group of people that knew you were on that ship or could infer it," Harry said, though he didn't sound really upset or perturbed by the idea of what he was saying, it was more a matter of fact statement.

"The Jedi wouldn't have told people where I was going! Certainly not bounty hunters!" Ahsoka said, sounding affronted. She wasn't willing to believe the Jedi Order had fallen that far.

"I don't know that I can say I think the same thing. But they wouldn't necessarily have to have told anyone. The Jedi could be currently being spied upon, or could have a leak." Harry shrugged a bit. "Not exactly uncommon in politics, religious organizations, or law enforcement, all three of which are lines that the Order straddles with some frequency."

Ahsoka lapsed into silence at that, unable to deny the truth of that statement.

Harry chuckled, "I do know, that if I hadn't surrounded us in a notice-me-not charm from the moment we left the ship, we never would have made it to the bar at all."

"Notice-me-not…." Ahsoka frowned and then tilted her head, "Another one of those spells that does exactly what it says?" She asked.

Harry nodded, looking pleased. "It keeps people from paying attention to you, from noticing you in the first place. I couldn't keep it up in the bar, because I needed to meet the contact. And it would have failed miserably once we were there with so many eyes on us."

Ahsoka frowned and shook her head slightly, refocusing on her initial question. "So what are we going to do about the ship?"

Harry shrugged, "Hope there's not too much of a mess to clean up? Dobby doesn't like intruders."

Ahsoka frowned, "Your mysterious cook and mechanic who I have yet to see so you can prove he's just not a figment of your imagination?"

Harry laughed a little bit an amused smirk crossing his face though he didn't reply.

Ahsoka frowned again, she had only thought she may have glimpsed him once or twice out of the corner of her eyes moving about the ship. Every time she went to investigate she couldn't find him. She even thought she glimpsed a small figure going into a small store room. She had followed quickly after, and hadn't taken her eyes off the door, but somehow he had disappeared from the room.

She had looked through the engines which were well-maintained, if not overly impressive. She couldn't deny that she felt she was being watched but for the life of her she had only found the white bird, and the droid. Harry's ship was small there shouldn't have been a way or space for someone to hide.

Yet meals had been ready and appeared with regularity. She had asked and Harry just chuckled and said Dobby makes his own decisions. She had begun to think he was just a hoax

"Where are we going? The ship is in the other direction?" She asked suddenly, realizing where they were headed.

"I'm hungry and figured and there's a vendor that sells the best berry tarts. I'm not sure what's in them or what type of berry, but it's good." Harry replied cheerily.

Ahsoka shook her head slightly, "Shouldn't we head out at soon as possible?"

Harry shrugged indifferently "They knew we were here, when no one reports seeing us at the ship they'll assume we've gone into hiding and start to search Nar Shaddaa in addition to staking out the ship. If things get really bad Dobby will activate the intent wards."

Ahsoka blinked at the response, not truly understanding what would keep them safe, nor Harry's logic in how the bounty hunter's would respond. She had to keep herself from looking furtively side to side as anyone who turned their direction even briefly, Ahsoka imagined following and plotting against them.

Harry certainly saw the look on her face, but apparently it wasn't enough to deter him from his newly made plans. "Come now, 'Berry Surprise' awaits!"

Not for the last time did Ahsoka wonder about the sanity of the person she had fallen in with.

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