Chapter Text
"So, tell me, my little one-eyed one, on what poor, pitiful, defenseless planet has my monstrosity been unleashed?" Jumba towered over Pleakley, or at least it felt like he did. The Queltequanian was tall and wide, his four eyes blinking out of sync as he gazed at Pleakley.
Pleakley drew back further. Why, oh why, had the Grand Councilwoman picked him for this? Pleakley had already read the news, yes he had, and the idea of being the only one there to control Jumba... well, it seemed like an impossible task. Wendy Pleakley was no brave warrior, no matter what name his mother had given him, and he feared all would be lost the moment they got on that ship.
All would be lost now, alone in this jail cell, with a massive criminal lunatic! Queltequanians were strong, sturdy, and far faster than their weight made it seem. For a Plorgonarian, Pleakley was strong and muscular- but even the strongest Plorgonarian would be helpless against a Queltequanian.
He was going to die here, never having made anything of himself, and no one would care, and--
"Hello?" Jumba poked Pleakley's head repeatedly. "Galactic Command to Plorgonarian, anyone in there?"
Pleakley made a rather undignified squeaking sound. "Please don't hurt me!"
Jumba laughed as Pleakley cowered before him. "Is no reason for me to hurt you, one-eyed one. Was promised freedom if 626 is captured. Would have to be idiot to give that up!"
Pleakley wasn't sure if he could trust Jumba. This was still a criminal, after all! But, Jumba was right. It would make no sense for him to harm Pleakley, at least in this situation.
"Y-you promise?"
"Yes, yes, I promise. No hurting here." Jumba stepped back, and Pleakley straightened up a bit. "Now tell Jumba about planet."
"Well, it's- it's called Earth. A small planet in the Gamma quadrant, third from its sun. It's known for its water, bonded hydrogen and oxygen that-"
"Known for its water?!" Jumba yelled. Pleakley flinched back, scurrying out of Jumba's reach to press himself against the wall.
"Yes, uh... 71% of the surface is water. The total amount of water on Earth is even more than that of Kreplok 8, despite Earth being far smaller!"
"Is frozen on Kreplok 8," Jumba said dismissively. "Would mean nothing to 626 if sent there. But liquid water... 626 will be stuck wherever it lands."
Jumba was pouting. Pouting! It was a strangely adorable expression on such a menacing face. He looked more like a child no longer allowed to play with toys, than the terrifying Doctor Jookiba whose arrest had been intergalactic news. Pleakley put a hand over his own mouth and tried not to laugh.
"If it had landed on Kreplok 8, you'd stay a prisoner, because the Kreplokian government would be dealing with it." He peeled himself off the wall, tentatively stepping closer.
"...Eh. Is true. Perhaps Earth is good planet for landing after all. You know much about it?"
"I'm an expert on Earth, actually. The expert." Not that that meant much right now. Pleakley had been one of a handful of students in his Earth Studies classes- a Plorgonarian handful, at that! But it would mean something someday, he was sure of it.
"Must be important job. Should tell more-"
"Agent Pleakley," a voice interrupted. "Preparations have been made. Go and pack your things for the trip."
Pleakley turned around. The glass door-wall had been lifted again, and a gray-skinned woman stood there. She was shorter than him, although not by much, and her two widely-spaced eyes scanned the room in disdain.
"Excuse you," Jumba said. "Evil genius was having conversation."
Her antennae twitched. "You can have your conversation later."
Pleakley carefully stepped onto the lift. The glass door-wall closed behind him.
Had that really just happened? Jumba had called his Earth expert job important, and asked him to explain more about the planet! No one ever did that!
...What did it say about Pleakley that the first person to respect his job was a convicted criminal? He didn't want to think about that.
The lift descended, and Pleakley stepped off as soon as it landed.
"Thank you, Lieutenant Tzektli. I'll get ready right away."