A New Hope

by Minstrel164

In a AU galaxy far, far away rebel Princess Kate with the help of smuggler and part time storyteller Rick Castle, do battle with the evil Empire led by Darth Bracken.

Author's Note:

This story was originally intended to have been a chapter or two in my on going From The Movies series. What was supposed to have be a two parter was hijacked by the characters to become a stand alone multi-chapter story. I blame it on the force, and Torontosun who made the suggestion to me. So, here's my version of the Star Wars story, Castle style. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1

Obi-wan Montgomery stood on a rocky ridge and gazed into the distance. His eyes surveyed the wide desolate desert landscape that was known as the Waste Lands spread out before him and which had been his home for more years than he cared to remember. These days on this planet he went by the name of Roy Montgomery but he would always be Obi-wan Montgomery.

Tatooine's two suns were half way to setting for yet another day. The suns' scorching heat had baked the land for hour after hour after hour as they had been doing since time immemorial. It was a planet where only the hardiest creatures, both human and animal, survived in this bleak and unforgiving environment.

Obi-wan Montgomery knew that he had to leave from where he was standing. He knew that Tatooine's fierce Sand People would soon be venturing out of their lairs. It was very dangerous to be out when the Sand People were on the prowl.

Yet Obi-wan Montgomery remained statue-like, a silent sentinel as he continued to gaze into the distance. There had been a disturbance in The Force. An ever so slight ripple that had caught his attention. It was the reason it had brought him out here. Even now he tried to grasp hold of it, trying to discern what it was but it had been ever so faint and it slipped through his grasp when he tried to catch it. He could only feel a fading echo.

After some moments of staring Obi-wan Montgomery slowly turned his gaze from the distant horizon. He raised his head and gazed up at the darkening sky. It was too soon for any stars to make an appearance but they were not too far away. His ageing eyes caught sight of a bright sparkle and then a couple more streaks of light.

Dropping his head Obi-wan Montgomery began to frown as he turned away from the edge of the ridge and started to make his way down the path to the valley. He might not have been able to fathom the meaning of the disturbance nor what those streaks of light in the heavens but he was sure of the feeling in the pit of his stomach. His hermit-like existence would soon be coming to an end.

XXX

Princess Kate Beckett, a member of the Alderaan delegation to the Imperial Senate, was in her stateroom pacing back and forth trying to calm her nerves but failing in the task. As well as being a member of the Senate, Kate's other role was a far more secret one. It had to be. She was one of the senior members of the Rebel Alliance.

For the past hour or more she had been pacing the floor. Her high heeled boots beating out a steady tattoo on the hard floor of her stateroom. She could not contain the gnawing in her stomach. Her consular ship, the Tantive IV would soon be approaching Tatooine. Not for the first time she resisted the urge to hit the comm button and ask the bridge if they had reached their destination yet.

Kate had been nervous ever since the ship had passed through a restricted system and had received the transmissions that had been beamed up from one of the planets. The agents who had sent the transmissions had risked their lives getting the information and sending it to her. She was enough of a realist to know that those agents were as good as dead. The Empire was ruthless when it came to dealing with rebel spies. Kate silently prayed that those lives had not been lost in vain.

So far there had been no sign of any Imperial ships but the feeling in her stomach told her that it would be only a matter of time before one or more Imperial Star Destroyers showed up. She hoped she could get to Tatooine and find a certain man before they showed up.

"Senator, we'll be entering Tatooine orbit in two minutes." Captain Demming, the commander of the Tantive IV announced over the comm link.

Kate practically jumped at the sound of the voice. She dived to the comm link located on the wall and hit the button.

"Thank you, Captain Demming." Kate responded. "Any sign of...?"

"Nothing, Senator." Captain Demming assured her.

Kate moved away from the comm link and was about to resume her pacing. A frown began to crease her forehead as she turned to the door of the stateroom. She started to move towards the door. The feeling in her stomach was getting worse. Bursting out of her room she ran the thirty metres up to the bridge of the Tantine IV.

She was racing up the stairs that led to he bridge when the first salvos of turbolasers struck the ship. Kate found herself flung down on the steps of the stairs almost knocking the breath out of her. Immediately alarms sounded throughout the ship. She could hear members of the crew rushing to their battle stations. Grabbing the handrail Kate hauled herself to her feet and continued to the bridge.

Kate was greeted with more alarms and a cacophony of shouted voices as she stepped onto the bridge. Another volley of turbolasers struck the ship rocking it violently. Kate had to grab hold of the nearest console to stop herself from flying across the bridge.

"Sir, there's a breach in the hull midships." A crew member shouted from his console.

"Seal the breach, increase power to the shields, midships and aft." Captain Tom Demming ordered calmly.

Kate eased herself from where she was standing and moved over to where Captain Demming was standing. She practically fell into him as more turbolasers struck the ship. Deming caught her before she fell.

"What's happening?" Kate asked frantically.

"We've got company." Captain Demming replied, pointing to a view screen on his command console.

Kate looked down at the view screen and saw vision of a huge Imperial Star Destroyer looming up behind the Tantine IV. A glance at another screen on the console told her that the destroyer was rapidly closing the distance between the ships. She saw more turbolasers being fired from the destroyer. Seconds later the ship was rocked by the impacts of the laser blasts.

"Weapons stations two, four and six have been knocked out, Captain." A crewman reported.

"Continue to return fire."

"Where did they come from?"

"Doesn't matter now where they came from, Senator."

"Can we outrun them?" Kate asked.

Captain Demming looked at Kate and then shook his head. Kate looked down at the view screen to Imperial Star Destroyer and its relentless approach. She knew enough about Imperial Star Destroyers to know those massive spaceships had formidable weaponry, sixty turbolaser cannons and another sixty ion cannons. So far the Imperial vessel was only firing its turbolaser cannon.

"There's a breach on the engineering deck, Captain." Someone else reported.

"Seal the breach as best you can." Demming responded.

The ship rocked violently as more laser blasts struck home. The ship seemed to heave to port from the impact and Kate had to grab hold of the console to stop herself from falling. Some crew members on the bridge were not so lucky being flung violently across the bridge and getting injured.

"Why haven't they used their ion cannons?" Kate questioned. "Are they toying with us?"

"They mean to board us." Demming informed her.

Kate looked at Captain Demming and immediately knew the truth of the Captain's statement. The muscles in her face twitched as she dragged her eyes from Demming and focused her gaze to the large windows at the front of the bridge. The orange red planet that was Tatooine loomed large in the windows. Somewhere down on that desolate looking planet was General Montgomery the man she had come to find. She had been so close, she thought to herself. So very close.

"How long we got, Tom?" Kate asked quietly but her voice still carried above the noise on the bridge. Captain Demming turned his head to look at her.

"Five, maybe seven minutes." Demming shrugged his shoulders as if to say he really was not sure.

Kate nodded her head in understanding.

"You'd better leave the bridge, Senator."

Kate was about to step away from the console but paused and looked at Captain Demming. Though his face was schooled in a mask his eyes betrayed the emotions he was feeling. Demming was a good captain and a good man. She had gotten to know the man beneath the uniform and she had liked what she had found. Under different circumstances things could have turned out happily, she thought. It pained Kate to think what was going to happen to him once the Imperials got their hands on him and the crew.

Suddenly Kate stepped up to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good luck, Tom." She whispered.

"You too, Kate."

As Kate started to move towards the door that led out of the bridge she cast a final glance at the tall, handsome captain and saw him issuing a string of orders to the crew of the bridge and the rest of the crew.

"Engineering, give me everything you got." Demming ordered.

The ship shuddered violently as another volley of laser blasts struck the ship. Kate practically flew through the doorway out of the bridge.

XXX

Human Cyborg Relations Droid See Threepio was get more anxious with each passing second as he shuffled along a passageway of the Tantive IV. He let out a startled cry of terror as the ship shuddered under the impact of more laser bolts.

"Artoo where are you?" Threepio called out.

Receiving no answer See Threepio continued walking along the passageway.

"We're doomed." The droid muttered to himself. "Madness! Simply madness."

A heavy bulkhead door slid open and a small squad of heavily armed crewmen came barrelling through the doors almost knocking See Threepio down. The crewmen did not pause to assist the startled droid they just continued rushing down the passageway.

"Oh, honestly." See Threepio huffed. "Artoo Detoo where are you?"

The droid had been searching for his droid companion from the moment the ship had come under attack. His anxiety levels had risen with each passing minute and as the attack grew in intensity. Though he would never admit it but he was scared and he needed to find his companion.

Reaching a door that led into one of the ship's cargo bays See Threepio opened the door and peered in. The small cargo bay was mostly in darkness. The lights had been turned off and the power diverted to other more important areas of the ship. In the semi darkness See Threepio could just make out the form of his droid companion Artoo Detoo. See Threepio was about to call out to his friend but stopped when he saw the figure of a young woman bent in front of Artoo.

The young woman who was dressed in a white robe turned in the direction of the doorway and spotted See Threepio standing there. She quickly turned back to Artoo and shoved a wafer thin cartridge into a slot on Artoo. Then she straightened up and quickly made her escape through the door on the other side of the cargo bay. See Threepio did not know who the woman was but he had seen her aboard the ship. She must have been a passenger he figured.

"Artoo, there you are." See Threepio called out, finally finding his voice. "What in the world are you doing in here?"

Artoo Detoo came to life to life it swivelled around to face See Threepio.

"Who was that you were with?" See Threepio inquired.

Artoo responded with a series of short whistles.

"What do you mean, who was who?"

Artoo responded with a chirp. He swivelled his barrel body and started rolling towards the same door that the young woman had disappeared through. He entered the passage way and set off down that passage way in the opposite direction the woman had taken. See Threepio let out an exasperated sigh and crossed the cargo bay after his droid companion.

"I mean who was that woman who was standing front of you not a moment ago." See Threepio demanded once he had caught up with his companion.

Artoo let out a short whistle and then a chirp but continued rolling down the main passageway.

"Don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about." See Threepio retorted. "I saw her with my own eyes."

The two droid units had gone only a short distance before the ship was struck heavily by a series of violet laser blasts. The ship lurched to one side and the other as muffled explosion could be heard elsewhere on the ship. See Threepio was almost thrown to the ground but somehow he remained upright.

Recovering his balance See Threepio cocked his head to one side.

"Do you hear that?" He said but he did not wait for a response from his companion. "The main engines are offline. They must have taken a direct hit."

Artoo chirped his agreement.

"We'll be destroyed for sure." See Threepio said fearfully. "This is madness!"

A squad of rebel troops came running down the passageway and began to take up positions on either side of the passage a short distance away from a sealed door at the far end of the passageway.

Both the troops and the droids realised that that the shooting had stopped. Some troops looked up at the ceiling of the passageway clutching their laser blasters tightly.

"Steady as you were." The sergeant of the troops commanded from his crouched position.

The tension of the eerie silence was etched deeply on the faces of the crouching, waiting rebel troops. The tension grew palpably with each passing second. A minute later a loud metallic scraping sound shuddered through the hull of the ship. A couple of the soldiers murmured.

"Steady." The sergeant's voice called out.

From the other side of the sealed door running footsteps could be heard as well as more metallic scraping.

"Steady..."

See Threepio bent a little towards his droid companion.

"There is no escape for the captain this time." He whispered.

No sooner had his words left what constituted as See Threepio's mouth than there was a tremendously loud explosion. The blast blew a hole in the door sending smoke and debris along the passageway. Two crewmen standing either side of the passageway closest to the door were flung backwards by the explosion and were dead before their bodies hit the floor.

With the smoke still billowing from the explosion laser fire erupted from the breached door. Deadly laser bolts struck the walls of the passage while others ricocheted in wild random patters. A crewman was struck in the chest by a laser bolt and he cried out and fell to the ground.

"Fire!" The sergeant screamed.

The remaining crewmen started firing at the blown door just as white armoured and helmeted Imperial Storm Troopers came pouring through the door. A couple of the storm troopers went down in the initial volley but their comrades continued on, returning fire.

Artoo Detoo looked at the battle that was taking place. He issued a worried sounding series of chirps and buzzes.

"I agree." See Threepio replied. "It's getting too dangerous standing here."

Artoo swivelled his body around and started to trundle down a cross passage. Leaving his companion behind. See Threepio turned his head and saw the little droid rapidly moving away.

"Wait, where are you going?" See Threepio called out above the noise of battle. His companion did not repond. "Wait, wait for me Artoo!" See Threepio set off after his little companion. "Don't leave me!"

XXX

Darth Bracken stepped through the blown doorway of the rebel ship and paused. Immediately he felt fear. Not his own and not from his soldiers. It was fear from the rebels. And well they should fear him, he thought to himself. He was dressed all in black from head to toe. He also wore a black helmet as well as a black breathing mask that covered his face. His sartorial ensemble was completed with the long black flowing cape. It was a uniform that never failed to inspire fear.

And if that was not enough to cause fear then his position certainly did. He was the right hand of the Emperor.

Darth Bracken surveyed the aftermath of the battle in the passageway. Behind the mask he wore Darth Bracken smiled with amusement. The passageway was littered with the bodies of the rebel soldiers and crewmen who had tried to repel his Imperial Storm Troopers. The survivors, now disarmed, were lined up along one wall under the guard of several storm troopers. These surviving rebels had no idea what fate awaited them, Darth Bracken thought to himself. But soon they would.

Did these rebels think they could withstand the might of the Empire? The battle on this ship had lasted barely ten minutes before these rebel scum began to surrender, hoping for mercy. They would soon find out there was little mercy for those who opposed the will of the Emperor.

Completing his survey Darth Bracken commenced walking along the passageway. Behind him came a small squad of heavily armed storm troopers. Darth Bracken's destination was the bridge of this ship.

The dark lord reached the bridge of the Tantive IV to find it a twisted and broken mess of metal panels, and smoking wiring and a few bloodied bodies. Darth Bracken slowly surveyed the scene mildly impressed with the destruction. His gaze came to a halt on the captain of the ship. Captain Demming was bloodied and dazed, and was being held up by a pair of storm troopers.

Darth Bracken came to a halt in front of the defeated ship's captain. Suddenly he reached out with his left hand and grabbed Captain Demming by the throat and effortlessly lifted him off the ground. The two storm troopers quickly stepped back.

"My Lord, the information retrieval system has been wiped clean." An Imperial officer reported to Bracken.

Darth Bracken did not like hearing that. To show his displeasure his gloved fingers slowly closed around Demming's throat, squeezing it.

"Where is the data you intercepted?" Darth Bracken demanded in the deep booming voice that was generated through his breathing mask. "What have you done with those tapes?"

"We...intercepted...no information." Demming wheezed back, struggling to breathe. "This is a consular ship...didn't you see our markings? We're on a diplomatic mission..."

"Where are those tapes?" Darth Bracken said angrily.

"No...no tapes." Demming gasped in reply.

"This ship carries the crest of Alderaan. Is any of the royal family on board? Who were you carrying?"

Demming stared down at the dark lord but his mouth was sealed. He felt the powerful gloved hand close tighter around his throat. Alarmed, Demming tried to grab at the powerful hand around his throat but he found he could barely move. His eyes bulged as the life was squeezed out of him. He tried to draw some breath but the powerful hand crushing his throat prevented him. His vision began to darken as what little air he had in his lungs was expelled.

A gruesome snapping of bone reverberated around the bridge. Captain Demming's desperate struggling came to a sudden halt and his body went limp. Darth Bracken instead of just dropping the body of the captain, he threw it across the bridge. Captain Demming's lifeless body hit a wall and fell to the floor in a crumpled heap.

Darth Bracken immediately turned and faced the assembled storm troopers.

"Start tearing this ship apart piece by piece until you have those tapes." Darth Bracken shouted. "Find those passengers. I want them alive!"

The assembled storm troopers saluted and marched out of the bridge ready to carry out their lord's orders.

XXX

Kate hid behind several large metallic storage boxes trying to catch her breath. She was in a small cargo bay down on one of the lower decks of the ship. In the little time she knew she had she took stock of the situation she found herself in. The situation did not look good and was not going to get any better.

So far she had managed to avoid the searching storm troopers but it would not be long before some of them came down to this deck. She had seen many of the surviving crew members being rounded up and marched off the ship. Every ounce of her being had screamed at her to do something for those doomed men and women but she had done nothing. There was nothing that could be done and she knew that. The Empire had captured the Tantive IV and her crew and that was that. Soon the storm troopers would find her too.

Kate clutched the blaster in her hand a little tighter. She was not going to make it easy for them that was for sure. She had picked up the weapon on her way down to this deck and was more than ready to use it.

Kate rose slowly from her crouch. She was ready to make the dash down to the end of the passageway. There was an escape pod hatch located in an alcove at the end there. She had resolved to make an escape using the pod. Her chances of escaping the clutches of the empire were not good but she had to try. The Rebel Alliance needed her. She silently hoped that little R2 unit had followed her orders and managed to get off the ship.

Kate was about to burst through the doorway when she stilled. The crump of marching boots was coming steadily along the corridor. Crouching down Kate peered out the doorway and saw the two storm troopers approaching.

Taking a deep breath Kate rose from her crouch, pointed her blaster at the two storm troopers and started firing. At the same time she burst through the doorway and rand down the passageway.

"Set for stun." The first storm trooper told his companion.

Both storm troopers stood their ground despite the volley of laser blasts aimed in their direction. They raised their weapons and fired down the passageway. Kate let out a sharp cry of pain as a paralysing ray struck her. She fell to the floor and did not move.

The storm troopers rushed up to her and the first trooper bent down and inspected the inert woman.

"She'll be all right." He announced to his companion. "Inform Lord Bracken."

The storm trooper's comrade nodded his head.

XXX

Darth Bracken stood in the shadows of the stateroom that served as a reception room when the Tantive IV hosted diplomatic passengers. The once stately room was now a smoking ruin. He silently watched as a squad of storm troopers came marching into the room. He smiled to himself on seeing the tall slender woman in the middle of the storm troopers. Her hands were manacled he noted. When the woman faltered one of the troopers behind her gave her a rough shove in the shoulder propelling her forward.

Darth Bracken slowly stepped out of the shadows. The storm troopers and prisoner stopped abruptly. The troopers stepped aside.

Kate stared up at Darth Bracken and her face darkened.

"Lord Bracken." She practically spat out the name. "I should have known."

Darth Bracken came to a halt a couple of feet from where Kate stood.

"Only you could be so bold." Kate continued angrily. "The Imperial Senate will not sit still for this, when they hear you've attacked a diplomatic..."

"Don't play games with me Your Highness." Darth Bracken interjected, cutting off Kate's angry threat. "You weren't on any mercy mission this time."

Kate glared up at the masked man standing in front of her.

"You passed directly through a restricted system. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by spies. Spies who are now unfortunately dead. I want to know what happened to the data they sent you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kate retorted. "I'm a member of The Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to..."

"You're a part of the Rebel Alliance...and a traitor!" Darth Bracken shouted. "Take her away!"

Darth Bracken watched as the princess was escorted out of the room. He had to concede that he had a touch of admiration for the young woman. Defiant was a word that sprang to mind to describe her. She would learn soon enough the consequences of defying the Emperor's will.

Darth Bracken felt the presence of an Imperial officer. The officer cautiously came to stand behind the dark lord and waited.

"What is on your mind, Lieutenant Raglan?" Darth Bracken asked without turning around.

"It is dangerous holding her, my lord."

Darth Bracken slowly turned around and looked down at the officer.

"If word of this gets out, there will be much unrest in the Senate." Lieutenant Raglan said nervously under the gaze of the dark lord. "It will generate sympathy for the rebellion...She should be destroyed, my lord."

"My duty is to find that hidden fortress of theirs." Darth Bracken replied. "We have traced the rebel spies to her. She is my only link to discovering the location of their secret base and I intend to use it."

"She'll die before she gives you any information." Lieutenant Raglan said casting a look in the direction the princess had been taken.

"Leave that to me." Darth Bracken straightened up to his full height. "Send a distress signal. Call it a meteorite storm."

"Yes, my lord."

"Then inform her father and the Senate that all aboard were killed." Darth Bracken added.

"Your will, my lord." Lieutenant Raglan responded, bowing his head in acknowledgement of the order.

Darth Bracken turned his attention to a squad of four storm troopers who came marching towards him. The troopers came to a halt and their leader took a couple of steps froward and came to attention.

"The data tapes are not on board this ship, my lord." The trooper reported.

This was not the news Lord Bracken wanted to hear. He frowned behind his mask.

"No transmissions were made from this ship." The trooper added. "A malfunctioning escape pod was jettisoned during the fighting but we've confirmed that there was no life forms aboard..."

"They must have put the tapes in the escape pod." Lord Bracken interjected. His frown began to vanish. He looked at the troop leader. "Send a detachment down to retrieve them but be subtle. I don't want you attracting attention."

"Yes, my lord." The troop leader responded and then saluted smartly.

"Vaporise this ship. Don't leave anything."

"Your will, my lord." The troop leader added.

Darth Bracken turned on his heels and began to leave the room. Lieutenant Raglan fell into step beside the tall dark evil lord.

"The data on those tapes could prove to be most damaging. I want that stolen data destroyed at all costs." Darth Bracken glanced at the lieutenant. "See to it personally, Lieutenant."

"Yes, my lord."

Darth Bracken nodded his head as he stepped into the passageway.

"There will be no one to save them now." He added, a happy tone lacing his voice.

XXXXXXXX

I'd love to know what you thought of this first chapter.

Con