AN: I don't own Star Wars. Again. Still. With the Han movie coming next month, I decided to write out my own version of my favorite character's backstory, using various ideas that have already cropped up in some of my other fics (most notably my "Defenders of the Force" series – and yes, I WILL continue that). Han being raised by the Wookiees is taken from the deleted ROTS idea for young Han to appear on Kashyyyk. Enjoy!
"Among the Wookiees"
By EsmeAmelia
Chapter 1
28 BBY
By the time the Wookiees received the distress call, it was too late.
The Corellian ship had crashed on Kashyyyk, apparently due to a malfunctioning hyperdrive and then a burned-out engine. Chewie was sent with a team of Wookiees to investigate the crash and search for survivors, but his stomach was already churning at the smell of smoke and burnt metal. The ship itself looked like it had crashed cockpit-first and nearly cracked in two. It took a bit of prying from the group's two strongest Wookiees to get the hatch open and they all had to duck in order to get inside.
It was deathly quiet inside as the Wookiees crept down the gray hall, which strengthened the twist in Chewie's stomach. With every step, he expected to see bodies, or maybe pieces of bodies. The burning stench was intensifying, creeping into Chewie's nostrils and daring him to gag.
[Split up,] Captain Tarful roared when the hall forked. [Group A to the cockpit and Group B to the cabins.]
Chewie was silently thankful that he was in Group B. Bodies would more likely be in the cockpit.
In the first cabin was a double bunk and a suitcase that had sprung open and spilled its contents onto the floor. Clothes and . . . toys. Chewie gulped at the sight of a toy X-Wing broken in two. There were children on this ship.
Lamta, one of the other members of the investigation party, picked up one of the now-empty suitcases and examined the name on the tag. [Solo,] she read. [Traveling from Corellia to Coruscant.]
Solo, traveling from Corellia to Coruscant. There was something so finalizing about those words. [Do you think the family's name is 'Solo'?] Chewie asked.
[Likely,] answered Lamta, sounding like she was trying not to let her voice shake. [Come on, let's keep looking. There might still be survivors.]
The next cabin was empty as well, so the party only gave it a quick scan, during which Tarful contacted Chewie on his comlink. [Three bodies were found in the cockpit,] he said in a quick, crisp roar. [A human woman, a human man, and a human boy that we estimate was around seven years old.]
Chewie couldn't respond with anything except, [We'll join you after we finish our search.] His paws trembled as he hung up. A dead family. Mother, father, and child. All of whom might have been saved if they had just gotten the distress call in time. Why didn't they receive it earlier? His heart was racing. Why were they even still looking for survivors when the family was confirmed dead?
A general sense of unease hung over the small group as they made their way to the next cabin. Chewie made his way to the door, expecting another empty room devoid of all life just like the rest of the ship, but then a small sound pierced the air.
A baby's cry.
With a sudden burst of energy, Chewie slammed his fist against the button to open the door. There in the small cabin, strapped to an infant seat that was itself strapped to a regular seat that was itself attached to the wall, was a wailing baby – red-faced and terrified, but alive.
Chewie rushed over to the baby while Lamta contacted Tarful. [We have a survivor!] she practically shouted. [A human infant has survived. Repeat: A human infant has survived!]
The baby's cries softened a bit when it saw Chewie. It stared up at the Wookiee with wide hazel eyes – Chewie figured that it had never seen anything like him before. The baby had downy brown hair darker than his eyes, pudgy little cheeks, and tiny hands gripping the light blue bib he wore.
[Hello, there,] Chewie said to the baby in as gentle a voice as he could muster. [My name is Chewbacca, but everyone calls me Chewie.] The child wouldn't understand him even if it were old enough to speak, but talking to it seemed to be calming it down. [Is there a way to learn your name, or will we have to give you a new one?]
The baby kept staring at him for a few moments as if studying him, then its tiny hands released the bib, letting Chewie read what was printed on it.
"I'm Han and I'm cute!" it read.
Chewie swallowed at the bib that the child's parents had obviously lovingly made for him. [Han?] he said. [Your name is Han?]
Of course the baby couldn't answer, but he made a soft noise that seemed to indicate that he liked the sound of Chewie's voice.
Chewie dared to reach out and run his paw over the child's – Han's – downy head. Strangely enough, Han didn't seem frightened, as if he sensed that the Wookiee meant him no harm.
[Your parents are dead,] Chewie growled in a whisper. [So is your brother, but we'll take care of you. We'll help you find a home and people who will love you.] He stroked the baby's head again. [I promise.]
Now the baby reached for his paw, as if he thought it might be a toy. After a moment of hesitation, Chewie decided there would be no harm in letting the child play with his fur, so he let the baby grab hold of it, feeling the little tugs as Han yanked with his tiny fingers. As he played, little Han made tiny noises that sounded like cute little giggles, which made Chewie momentarily want to smile despite the situation.
[Han,] Chewie murmured. [Han Solo.]