Solo
Prologue:
The Corellian sun was blazing, a small boy in very fine garments stood at a balcony, overlooking the great city. This will all be mine someday. He thought wildly about this, how much he didn't want it, how he wanted to run away and become a pilot and fight with the Jedi. Those were merely dreams… The door slid open behind him,
"Master Solo, supper is ready; your father instructed me to retrieve you!" The boy turned, the platinum protocol droid stood in the doorway.
"Okay Heely, I'll be down in a second." The boy turned to the balcony once more, he shut the doors and strided down to the dining hall. The dining hall was the boy's least favorite place in the whole castle, he hated how nice it looked- quite frankly he hated anything that looked nice, he was always messy. His parents and his siblings were already gathered at the table, they awaited his arrival, his seat was always adjacent to his father's. The boy adored his father, gruff and stern- yet loving and compassionate. His father was the King of Corellia, destined by the Mother of the Moon to lead the Corellians to salvation (or something like that, the boy could not remember the correct verse of the legend)
"We've been waiting for you Han." His father said,
"I'm sorry, I got caught up." The boy said,
"Star gazing again laser brain?" From across the table, his brother: Thracken.
"Shut up! Nerf herder!" Han fired back at his brother,
"ENOUGH!" Their father rarely raised his voice. "You two will be gentlemen of this house, we're expecting a guest; a Jedi of the Republic!" His father slumped back in his chair. Han's eyes lit up with excitement,
"Really?! A real Jedi?!" Han couldn't contain himself, the door slid open, a lean man with a brown robe, matching his facial hair strided in. Han's family rose to greet the Jedi.
"Everyone, I would like to introduce Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi." Han's father motioned his hand as the Jedi sat adjacent to Han. He couldn't contain his excitement.
"Jonash and Jaina, pleasure to meet you again, I see the children are in fine health." His voice was soft, and eloquent. Han's parents nodded and sat down, the first course was served. Han had to say something to the Jedi,
"When I get older, I want to be a Republic pilot and fly next to the Jedi like you! If I get lucky you know." Han's voice trailed off, Obi-Wan glanced at the boy,
"In my experience, there's no such thing as luck."
Chapter 1:
Vader walked along the straight catwalk of the bridge, officers, lieutenants and troopers scurried below Vader. He stood next to Tarkin, they stared out the window,
"Your squadron is ready m'lord. They await you in the hangar." Tarkin said as he rubbed his chin.
"Make contact with the Mandalorian insurgents, tell them to either back down or they will face the wrath of the Empire." Vader started to walk away,
"I shall not contact them- you will go and you will destroy them. Now be a good pet and see to that." Tarkin had his back to Vader. The Sith Lord marched into the hangar without a word. Three pilots greeted him, waiting in front of their TIE fighters.
"Garb Herrondus at your command m'lord." The first pilot said,
"Zapp Onubrum at your command m'lord." Vader continued down the line,
"Han Solo at your command m'lord." Vader stopped in his tracks, he looked at the young man- dashing; long wavy hair coupled with the looks of a royal born.
"Solo, as in the Royal Corellian family Solo?" Han lowered his salute,
"Yes Lord Vader."
"I expect to see great things from you Solo- Do not disappoint me." Han released his breath as the Sith Lord strided away to his TIE fighter.
Vader lowered himself into his ship, he flipped the ignition- he heard the subtle shriek of the engine. He pulled on the controls and the ship moved up and forward, careening into space. The Mandalorian fleet was not more than two frigates and a small band of starfighters.
"Prepare the assault, all wings- form on me." Vader relayed over comms, "Blue squadron, guard the bombers as they attack the frigates, the rest of you- engage the smaller fighters." Vader's ship sailed through space, the frigate opened fire; their smaller fighters charged head on into the Imperial force. Blaster bolts zoomed past Vader as he banked through the fray. He was tailing an attack freighter no larger than his ship, his ship's locking mechanism took over, the computer locked and Vader fired two proton torpedoes. The freighter exploded into a cloud of fire and metal. His squadron closely followed Vader, guarding him from oncoming attacks. Vader noticed one of his squad members were outperforming the other pilots, it was Han Solo, his TIE fighter ducked and banked over fire, he sent his fighter into a barrel roll as missiles scarcely grazed his ship. Vader looked over the battlefield, the bombers destroyed the frigates, their husks dangling in space.
"Sir, there's a transport shuttle- we're getting reports that some members of the Death Watch are on board, but they're among civilians. What's our move?" One of the pilots over comm relayed.
"Fire upon it, no Mandalorian will escape."
"But m'lord, the civilians!" Han chimed in,
"You will fire upon the transport, that is an order!" Vader replied. The entire TIE wing open fire upon the transport, the ship exploded into pieces, bodies could be seen floating away from the metallic carcass. Vader flew his ship back into the hangar, he darted toward Solo, "what was the meaning of that?" Vader towered over the pilot,
"They were civilians, innocent people I-" Vader picked Solo up by the throat,
"Question my orders again and you will be among those 'innocent people.'" Vader released his grip, Han fell to the hangar floor.
"What the hell was that Han! Do you want to die?!" Zapp helped Han to his feet,
"Those were innocent people Zapp! We murdered them in cold blood." Han was regaining his breath. Garb joined them,
"That's war Solo, we have to follow orders- it's what we do. Now come on you two, I heard the mess hall is serving blue milk- I wanna get there before it's all gone!" Garb rushed out of the hangar, Zapp started off after him, he turned to Han,
"You coming?"
"Yeah, I'll be right behind you."