Number 11 in the Vader's Cat series. (Formerly called Vader and Cat but we decided we liked Vader's Cat better.)
In order they are:
Cracking the Armor
Another Disturbing Crack
Completely Cracked...and the Cat Came Back
Cracking the Death Star
Cracking Imperial Center, or: Cat Goes to Coruscant
Pruneface Cracks, or: Cat vs. Palpatine
Cracking the Dark Lord
Crack to Nature
Cracking His Confidence
A Fleet Full of Crack(pots)
Carbonite Cracks, or: Cat vs. Fett
Carbonite Cracks, or: Cat vs. Fett
Vader knew that something was going to go wrong as soon as the cat started nosing around the carbon freezing chamber. He, Calrissian, and Boba Fett were standing around the perimeter of the freezing platform while the cat inspected the mechanism itself, pawing at the grille until Vader was forced to pick the beast up. He couldn't imagine what was so fascinating about carbon freezing, nor could he see any conceivable way that the cat could damage the chamber, but he knew without a doubt that it would happen. With an air of resignation, he kept the animal firmly draped over one arm, his other hand moving in an absent, placating rhythm to counter the annoyed flicking of its tail.
"Jabba don't like cats," Fett groused. "If I find one cat hair stuck to Solo--"
Flatting its ears against its head, the cat glared balefully at the bounty hunter and hissed. Vader lifted his arm, placing the cat directly at eye level with Fett. They faced off for a moment, the cat's tail continuing to flick dangerously against Vader's arm as it bared its teeth and hissed again. Fett took a wary step back. Chuckling to himself, Vader stroked the cat's back and regarded the bounty hunter with a steady, menacing gaze of his own.
"You were saying?" he asked casually.
"Nothing," Fett quickly shook his head.
"Exactly as I thought," agreed Vader.
Then he sent Fett and an escort of stormtroopers to bring in Solo, the princess, and the Wookiee. By the time they returned, the cat's mood had improved enough that it sprang onto his shoulder. Vader knew that he should have kept it in his arms, but he also realized the futility of trying to convince the cat that it needed to be held. Having no desire to argue with it now, he allowed it to assume its perch without comment, focusing on the exchange between Calrissian and Solo.
"What's going on buddy?" the smuggler was asking.
"You're being put into carbon freeze," Calrissian replied in a distinctly uncomfortable undertone that Vader did not like.
"What if he doesn't survive? He's worth a lot to me," Fett asked, moving away from the group to stand near Vader, though he kept a wary distance from the cat.
"The Empire will compensate you if he dies," Vader replied, though he was sure the smuggler couldn't really be worth the ridiculous price that Jabba the Hut was willing to pay. "Put him in!"
Then, realizing what is about to happen, the Wookiee let out a wild howl and attacked the stormtroopers surrounding Solo. In the confusion, the cat sprang from Vader's shoulder and descended on Fett with claws outstretched. The bounty hunter spun to try to fend the animal off, but Vader knew from experience how well it could dig its evil claws even into solid armor. Thrown off balance, Fett staggered toward the freezing platform, tripped and landed on it. The grille opened and Fett dropped inside. Vader fully expected him to come rocketing back out a second or two later with the cat still attached, but instead fiery liquid begins to pour down in a shower of white hot sparks and fluid. Steam billowed up, clouding Vader's vision, and when it cleared, he heard a curious, questing sort of meow over head. He looked up to find the cat clinging by its claws to some hoses attached to the carbonite outlet.
"Impressive," he said calmly. "Most impressive. Now, how are you going to get down?"