Star Wars: Family Lost and Found
Chapter 2
Luke Skywalker stood outside the council's chamber, waiting to be ushered in. He had no idea why he had been called here. He had just come back from a mission and he didn't think they would be assigning him a new one so soon.
"Hey kid," a familiar voice came from behind Luke. It was Han Solo, Luke's good friend. "You've been called here too, huh? They called me too, though I don't know why. I already told them I have to go pay off Jabba. If they want me for a job, they gotta pay me. They know I don't work for free. How have you been?"
"Oh good," Luke said, with a smile. "I don't know why I have been called either. I just got back from a mission to Ithor. It went pretty well. The Ithorians are interested in joining the Alliance, but they still have some doubts about declaring their allegiance to us yet."
The two continued to make small talk for awhile before the door to the chamber opened. "Commander Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, come on in."
Surprised, they looked at each other. "I didn't know we had a meeting together," Han stated, puzzled.
"Neither did I," Luke said, shaking his head.
When they entered, they saw a group of six men and women, including Leia Organa and General Madine, sitting at a table in front of them.
"So what can I do for you, your worshipfulness?" Han said teasingly to Leia.
"No time for jokes Captain Solo. We have serious matters to discuss first," Leia declared, with a dirty look.
"First things first," Madine started, "Commander Skywalker have you looked at the wanted section recently?"
"Not since I came back from Ithor," Luke replied. "Last I checked, the person who destroyed the Death Star was worth five million credits. The good thing is that they don't know it's me."
"Well that seems to have changed," Leia informed him. "A few days ago, Maden Carley, one of our spies, was captured and tortured for information by Darth Vader himself. It seems that Carley must have told him your name because there is a ten million credit reward on your head for anyone that brings you in alive."
"You're kidding," Luke said astonished. "Ten million credits? And alive? I would have thought that since I destroyed the Death Star, they would want me very much dead."
"I know," Leia agreed. "We were quite surprised ourselves. This can only mean that the Emperor and Darth Vader have an alternate agenda. What we need to do now is to concentrate on your protection. Normally we'd say that you should stay on base. However, we need you to continue going out on missions to boost support for the Alliance."
"So what's your idea, your Royalness? And exactly why am I here?" Han asked, looking pointedly at Leia, his arms crossed.
Leia gave Han a dirty look as General Madine answered. "We would like Luke to continue what he has been doing. The Alliance needs all the support it can get. But we would like someone to go with him, as protection."
"We were thinking that we could hire you, Captain Solo and your Wookiee partner Chewbacca to look after Luke. Travel around with him. All you have to do is protect Luke from bounty hunters, nothing else. And we all know that you have plenty of experience escaping bounty hunters already," Leia stated, a tinge of disgust in her voice.
"Look your Highness," Han said with a scowl, "I will do this, but I am only doing this because I like the kid and I don't want him to see him taken by the Empire. I am not doing this for you or Rebel Alliance. I am doing this for Luke. But I'd better be paid well."
"Don't worry, you will be. You are dismissed Captain Solo," Leia said, dismissing him. "Please stay here, Commander Skywalker, we have some other business to discuss with you."
Later
"You know you don't have to be so rude to them Han," Luke chided, while helping Han with some repairs on the Millennium Falcon. "Especially when you agreed to it."
"I know," Han said shrugging, "It's just that people of authority get on my nerves. I hate the idea of being bossed around. I'm a smuggler, I do as I feel and I enjoy having no one to tell me what to do."
"You work for Jabba the Hutt though," Luke pointed out.
"Yeah well, I don't anymore," Han said, with a sigh. "He has a big price on my head. Though not as big as yours."
Luke winced. "Don't remind me. At least they don't have a picture of me yet, just a general description. So I could probably get away with a false ID. Got any of those handy?"
"Depends on where we are going," Han said.
"Bespin," Luke said quietly, while looking around. "Got to meet a contact there about some new repair droids."
"Hmm," Han said, rubbing his chin. "Bespin shouldn't be too bad. A mostly peaceful planet and very few bounty hunters stop by there. No Imperial garrison. Plus I know someone there, which will be a help. And he is no friend of the Imperials."
Luke looked relieved. "Good, Imperial garrison means any Imperial presence will be light. Plus, having someone you know there is a bonus. So when will we be ready to leave? I promised to meet my contact in two days' time."
"We will leave as soon as this bucket of bolts is ready to leave," Han said, kicking the access panel to the Falcon. "Then we have time to settle in before you meet this guy. And to keep her worshipfulness out of our hair. How's it looking Chewie?"
There was a growl from inside the cockpit.
"Give us an hour or two, kid. Then we should be ready."
AN: Thankyou for reviewing my last chapter. I hope you enjoy this one. Thankyou again Jedi Princess Jainakin for beta-reading for me.