A Widow on Tatooine
If there is a bright center of the universe, Tatooine is the planet it’s farthest from. I never knew how my aunt and uncle were able to live there. Regardless of how terrible that world really is, that’s where Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, ended up. To this day, she is by far the most intimidating person I’ve ever known. The very thought of her glare gives me the shivers. But she is also one of the most selfless people I’ve ever known, despite the red in her ledger. All that red became her motivation to make the world a better place. By why stop with one world, when you can change the Galaxy. And that goal began here, on the crime ridden planet of Tatooine.
-An excerpt from The Fight for Justice, by Luke Skywalker
Natasha ran through the barely lit halls of Jabba’s Palace. Bounty Hunters and Gamorian Guards were right behind her. She turned a corner, blaster bolts hitting the wall right by her.
The Black Widow was unphased and just kept moving.
“Attention. All stations. Natasha Romanoff is now an enemy of the Hutts. 500,000 credits for anyone who eliminates her. 1,000,000 for anyone who brings her in alive.”
The Avenger’s expression didn’t change. She just kept running.
Red blaster bolts flew past her head. She responded by pulling out her own pistols and firing back at her pursuers.
Three Gamorians and one Hunter fell to the floor. But there were still more.
Natasha looked ahead to see her objective.
The hanger.
The entrance from this hallway wasn’t very large. The former assassin smirked as she pulled out a thermal detonator. She threw it at the entrance’s ceiling. She ran into the hanger, and those flies went right into her web.
Those who weren’t killed in the explosion were certainly crushed by the rubble.
The Avenger took in her surroundings.
There were some speeders. Can’t get high enough.
She saw a personal fighter. Too small.
Then she saw it. A Razor Crest. That could work.
There was just one problem. There were three Bounty Hunters in her way.
“Stay right where you are, Romanoff,” the Trandoshan hissed. “We’re taking you alive because we like you.”
“Not me. I just want more credits,” the one holding a sniper rifle proclaimed. “Besides, this bitch has had it coming.”
“Aurra!” the ten year old human reprimanded.
“Bosk, Boba, you two should really reconsider your relationship with her,” Nat said.
“Natasha, please! Don’t make this harder than it has to be. We’ll talk to Jabba. Maybe he’ll-”
The Avenger shook her head. “Sorry, kid. That’s not an option. Jabba’s not gonna be merciful after what I stole. And I’m not giving it up.”
The three Hunters moved closer, blasters aimed trained on her.
“There’s nowhere to go, Romanoff. Besides, you’re outnumbered,” Sing arrogantly stated.
In one fluid motion, Earth’s deadliest woman delivered a roundhouse kick, knocking Bosk’s gun out of his hands, climbed on top of him, and wrapped her legs around his neck, putting him in a chokehold.
The Trandoshan tried to pry the Widow off. But before he could Boba fired a stun blast, and Natasha flipped them over. The blast hit the giant lizard and he fell to the ground unconscious.
Sing fired a volley of stun blasts. Romanoff rolled to the left and launched her Widow’s Bite. The electric shock coursed through the Hunter as she too fell unconscious.
The Avenger smirked. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy that.” She then turned to Boba, who was aiming his pistol at her. The two locked eyes. “Kid, come on. Put down the pistol. I know you don’t really wanna do this.”
After a few moments, the young Clone lowered his gun, sighing in defeat.
“Boba, listen to me. Leave this life behind.”
“I-I don’t know what else I’d do.”
“You talk about your father a lot. Is this all he ever wanted for you?”
Fett was silent.
“Just think about it.” Nat then marched to the Razor Crest.
She entered the ship and sat in the cockpit. She turned on the engine and flew the ship out of there.
After putting some distance between herself and the Palace she pulled the ship up. She was close to exiting the atmosphere where her scanners beeped, showing one of Jabba’s ships behind her.
“Right on time.”
The Black Widow put the ship in a nosedive, and turned to face her opponents. Then she turned on the autopilot and left the cockpit.
She ran into the cargo hold and grabbed a jetpack and a breathing mask. Once she had them on she pushed a button, opening the main door. After waiting a few moments she leaped out of the ship.
Romanoff proceeded to dive through the air and went right past her pursuers with them even noticing.
Jabba’s men fired upon the Razor Crest relentlessly. It soon burst into a ball of flames.
All according to plan. Now Jabba thinks I’m dead.
Once the enemy ship was out of sight, the Avenger pulled her parachute and slowly descended towards the desert ground.
Earlier That Day
One might think that when Natasha first arrived on the desert planet she must have been panicking. Not her. The Black Widow doesn’t panic.
Instead she did what she’s always done. Fight anyone she has to. And that’s what she did.
When they refused to let her in the palace, and were even foolish enough to shoot at her, she just killed the guards and kept walking.
She walked into the giant slug’s party, got herself a drink, and broke the arm of this guy who tried touched her the wrong way.
The slug, she later learned his name was Jabba, was impressed by her. He laughed and said in his native language, “This is my kind of scum.”
Then he offered her a job, which she accepted, because she needed it until she could find her teammates.
Of course, it didn’t take long for her to hate him. The fact that he was a slave owner was enough to make her plan his downfall.
So here she was in Mos Eisley, wearing a robe to avoid unwanted attention, \ waiting for her contact to arrive and give her the information she needed.
After an hour of waiting several Weequay pirates walked into the cantina. At the front was her contact. Hondo Ohnaka.
“Well, you certainly are more beautiful than I expected! It is quite the pleasure to meet you, Ms. Romanoff.”
The pirate offered his hand and Natasha shook it. He sat down across from her.
“Shall we have a drink?”
“Sure.”
“You,” Hondo said to one of his men. “Bring us two glasses of Corelian brandy.”
“Yes, Captain!” The pirate went off to the bar.
“So, tell me about yourself. How did you come to work for Jabba?”
“He saw me break one of his best Hunters’ arms.”
Hondo laughed. “That would impress him! What made you do it?”
“He just wasn’t my type.”
“Well perhaps you’ll find your type soon enough,” he said flirtatiously.
Wow. This guy is easy. Good.
“Maybe,” she responded in the same tone.
“That aside, what is it that you want?”
“Information.”
“Information? Ah, yes. I do have lots of that. Not many know this, but I began my career working as an advisor to Porla the Hutt back on Boonta.”
“I know. That’s why I’m meeting with you.”
“So you want information on the Hutts. That is veryexpensive.”
“Name your price.”
Ohnaka laughed gleefully. “I knew I liked you! I ask for only 100,000 credits in spice.”
Natasha pulled a small box from her robe and placed it on the table. “This is 50,000. You can have the rest after you tell me what you know.”
“You are clever. I like that.” The pirate grabbed the spice and handed it to one of his men. “Ask away, my new friend!”
“I need dirt on Jabba. And it needs to be sensitive.”
“Well, he has made plenty of business decisions that have been less than legal.”
“Any in particular that stand out?”
“Well I’m certain you already know about the slavery, smuggling, spice trading, and assassination.”
“Only the general aspects. What I need are the particulars.”
“I’m afraid I don’t have that. But I know where you can find it.”
“I’m listening.”
“I had to travel to Coruscant recently for business. The way the War has been changing has created new opportunities. So I met with Ziro the Hutt, Jabba’s uncle. And he told me that in Jabba’s vault is a copy of the Hutt Council records. A holodiary that contains all of their illegal business dealings.”
The Avenger allowed herself a smirk. Then she handed Hondo the rest of the spice. Their drinks arrived soon afterwards.
Hondo raised his glass. “To a very profitable friendship!”
Natasha also raised her glass. “Here, here.”
Natasha returned to Jabba’s Palace to find it in absolute chaos. Confused by this, she went to the people who were the closest thing to friends at the moment.
“Boba, Bosk, what’s going on?”
Bosk hissed, “Jabba’s son has been kidnapped. He’s scrambling as many Hunters as he can to find him.”
This could work.
“Well, keep me posted. I have to go take care of something right now.”
“Sure thing, Nat,” Boba said before they left.
The two Hunters ran past her. Seeing no better opportunity, she made her way to the vault.
For the second time in two months, Natasha walked through Tatooine’s desert. Searching for a safe place to stay. Luckily the suns were setting, so the heat was declining.
Then she saw a small moisture farm in the distance, and two people were watching the sunset. As she got closer she saw they were a young man and woman. Probably a couple. She stopped once she was in earshot.
“Excuse me.” The couple turned to her fright. The Widow raised her hands in a placating manner. “It’s all right. Didn’t mean to scare you. Been walking in a desert for the past hour, and I need a place to stay for the night.”
Their faces softened and they shared a glance before nodding.
“Hi, I’m Beru.”
“I’m Owen.”
“Natasha.”
“You can stay in the guest room.”
“Thank you.”
Beru led her to the guest room and once inside, she sat down on the bed and pulled out a computer spike.
The young woman took notice of this. “What’s that?”
“Something that will change the Galaxy for the better. Do you have a terminal that connects to the Holonet?”
“Uh, yeah. Downstairs.”
“Thank you.”
Natasha walked downstairs to the terminal and plugged in the spike. The hologram came to life and showed several files. Owen and Beru’s eyes widened when they came in.
“What is all this?” Owen asked.
“The Hutts’ records of their entire slave trade. Every transaction, deed of ownership, location, all of it. And I’m gonna put it on the Holonet for everyone to see.”
Owen and Beru couldn’t believe their eyes. “My…my stepmother was once a slave of the Hutts….She got freed by my dad, but it left a mark.”
“And with this, they’ll all be free.”
“You were a slave,” Beru realized.
“Not to the Hutts. But yeah. I got out, and now so will they.”
And with the press of a single button, the Avenger did exactly what she said she’d do.
Padme stood in her podium, listening to the proposal from Senator Risi Lenoan of Kuat.
“The War has only gotten worse in recent months. That much is certain. Separatist attacks have increased in their frequency. While the Jedi Avengers are a force to be reckoned with, there simply are not enough of them.” This was met with many Senators murmuring in agreement. “If the Republic is to win this war, we need to increase the size of our military, beginning with our most vulnerable point: the Republic Navy. The Separatist Navy outnumbers ours significantly. I propose that the Republic cancel the production of any more Venators, and enter a new contract with Kuat Drive Yards. We have designed a new vessel: the Imperial class Star Destroyer.”
Senators began to speak amongst each other left and right. But the overall reaction was one of intrigue.
“While these new ships lack the carrier abilities of the Venator, they make up for it with their immense firepower. And the construction only takes nine months.”
“That’s longer than it takes to build a Venator!” one Senator shouted.
“Three months is of little concern when a stronger navy is our reward.”
The Senate Chambers were soon filled with the sounds of the regular shouting match. Insults and arguments everywhere one looked.
It was at this point that Padme spoke before the large group. “Senators, increasing the size of our military will only escalate the conflict! Not resolve it! If we are to end this war, then we must-” the Noobian was cut off by the sound of not only her tablet beeping, but every other Senators’ as well.
Everyone proceeded to pick up their tablets and learn what was going on. Seeing that no one was still listening, Padme did the same.
Her jaw dropped when she saw the information.
It was full scale confession of the Hutts’ slave trade handed to her on a silver platter.
Her eyes left the tablet and locked with her friend and ally, Bail Organa. He had the same expression on his face. Their shocked looks turned into grins as they realized what this meant.
The Republic would not be able to ignore this. Would finally have to intervene with the Hutts’ operation.
“Senators,” Chancellor Palpatine’s voice resounded through the halls. “There has been a new development that must be properly examined. Any further debate on Senator Lenoan’s bill will have to be delayed. We’ll meet tomorrow to discuss this new information. Meeting adjourned.”
Padme had no idea who did this, but she was going to find out and show them how grateful she was.
“Will these exposed files from the Hutts damage our plans, my Master?” Dooku’s hologram questioned the Dark Lord.
“Under normal circumstances, yes. But much has changed since the Avengers’ arrival to the Galaxy. The escalation has fed the desperation in the Senate. A desperation that will serve our plans. The only change is that the Republic’s treaty with the Hutts will need to be adjusted for this new development. In the end, the Hutt’s exposure of their slave trade will benefit us. Continue with your mission Lord Tyrannus. And I’ll continue with mine.”
On Christophsis, Anakin couldn’t possibly be happier. Sure, given the large army of droids heading their way with very few defenses left to hold them off until reinforcements arrived, and that one of their best Lieutenants had put them in this situation, he really shouldn’t be.
Yet here he was, laughing in pure joy.
It’s happening, Mom. It’s actually happening.