A/N: the fact that this story is drawing even a little attention makes me happy. hope you guys enjoy this chapter.
TsubasaWitch: yeah, that was one of my reasons for attempting to make the story. I couldn't find any good Force Unleashed based stories. Yes! It was the old crazy hermit that he felt guiding him but i can't give away too much on that. hopefully you like this chapter as well (:
"Damn" Han toggled a few switches on the speeder as they drove through the sand dunes. Galen snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at the dash. "Doesn't look like we're making it back to Mos Eisley by nightfall, kid." Unfortunately their run in with Jabba had meant that they had to take all the side and back roads to the port city. That of course meant using extra fuel and time and now the twin suns were beginning to set.
"Can we set up camp?" Galen asked over the waning engine.
"It's risky. Word is Tusken Raiders get pretty crazy in the deserts at night" Han informed him. Galen thought for a second. Whatever these raiders were he could definitely handle them, that wasn't the question. It was merely a matter of did he want to go through the trouble of risking that or just take the safe route and find a place to stay for the night. That's when he felt it. A small force calling out to him, maybe even unknowingly. Like an old recon beacon that was never shut down.
"Alright, head east" Galen finally spoke.
"East?" Han questioned looking back at him. A nod from his partner was all he needed as they proceeded on their route. "Y'know maybe I was wrong about that glow rod. It's a handy little thing."
"It gets the job done" Galen agreed. "Nothing beats a blaster though right?"
"Of course" Han replied grinning.
The dusk had begun to settle in when they finally spotted the lights of a small establishment. "Most likely a local moisture farm. They're pretty common on this dust bowl" Han commented as he slowed the speeder. Galen could only pray that the thing started up again when they needed it.
"Let's hope they aren't working for Jabba" he remarked as they hoped out of the speeder. Han instructed Chewie to stay in the vehicle and Galen left his cloak. They needed to appear as friendly as possible or as friendly as a rogue Jedi and smuggler could appear. If they couldn't stay here they were in trouble. As they were continuing along he had become less worried with the Tusken Raiders and more about the sandstorms that were beginning to pick up. It would be almost impossible to set up camp in one of them.
Coming up to the doorway, Han knocked rather harshly on the door, giving Galen a shrug. It was a moment before finally the door pulled open. Standing before them was a shaggy haired boy. At first glance he appeared to be at least around Galen's age or maybe a year or two younger but certainly too young to own this place on his own. "Can I help you?" he asked looking at his too guest.
"Yeah, our speeders out of fuel do you happen to have a place to let us stay until morning?" Han asked. Galen gave him an incredulous look. In his short time of knowing Han Solo he never heard him sound so proper and kind. Luke glanced out the doorway to see their parked speeder a few paces off. He didn't know what it was but there was something about this kid. Galen could sense that he had some presence in the force but he didn't seem like a Jedi or Sith. The way he looked at them was a genuine expression; certainly not a sith.
"Uncle Owen!" he called back into the house. Galen and Han exchanged looks, uncertain if this uncle owen would be friendly or not. Coming up to the doorway an older man hobbled towards them; his expression a lot less welcoming. Starkiller assumed he was an older man hardened by the times before the Empire. "These guys ran out of fuel. They're hoping for a place to stay the night" Luke informed his uncle. The man looked over the two guests trying to sum them up the best he could. Galen kept his expression straight but gently fed the older man warm thoughts through the force. He had nothing to fear from them.
"Heh" he grunted. "They can stay in the garage. Show them the way, Luke" with that he turned and hobbled back into his house. Galen could tell that the youth was trying to suppress a gleeful smile.
"C'mon. it's this way" Luke headed out the door and proceeded to take them the back way to the garage. Han waved to Chewbacca for him to follow them. "So where were you guys headed this late?"
"We're on our way to Mos Eisley" Starkiller informed him.
"What brings you out here then? Mos Eisley's in the complete other direction" Luke said pointing for emphasis.
"We, uh, we got lost out in the desert" Han said stumbling over his words. Still, Luke didn't seem alerted at all. Galen doubted he received many human guests here so there was no reason not to trust the few that they did get.
"Yeah it gets a bit hairy sometimes" Luke nodded sympathizing with their story. "You guys aren't from around here are you?"
"Nah, just stopping here for some business. Then we're heading for Corellia" Han said before Galen could speak. Luke stopped in front of the garage and looked at them with a sort of new sense of awe.
"I hope to be able to fly one day. Get off this moisture farm" he seemed to glare up back to where the house was. Something told Galen that Luke would have already tried to leave if it weren't for his uncle. The man didn't seem like the most pleasant person after all.
"Hey you never know kid" Han said patting him on the shoulder. "Maybe the stars will come calling." Following Han into the garage he nodded to Luke. He still couldn't shake that sense in the force he was getting from Luke. There was definitely something different about this simple farm boy that made him not so simple. Then there was the presence in the force that had brought them here. Luke was obviously not that force, he didn't even seem to be aware of it. That hardly meant he could have projected his presence. There was someone on this planet strong in the force, but he couldn't remember anything about Jedi being on Tatooine when he was working for Vader. Perhaps he was just being paranoid.
After enduring Han's complaining about their quarters, sleep finally consumed Galen as he drifted off.
"Hey Luke, there's no one else in this area is there?" Galen asked the youth. Luke stood by their speeder hooking up the gas nozzle. It had taken a bit of convincing but after assuring his uncle that they'd pay them for anything they used, he allowed them to fill up their speeder.
"Uh, not really" the sandy haired teen looked up at him. "The next farm isn't for a few acres. Ol' Ben lives around these parts though."
"Ben?"
"An old hermit in these parts" Luke said with a shrug. "Been here as long as I can remember. My uncle calls him crazy but I don't think he's too bad." Galen thought for a moment. Could this old hermit be a Jedi? Tatooine certainly fit the description of a place for exiled people to hide away. Given that he was an older person it was possible he lived through the purge. Was it so farfetched that an old Jedi would be on a planet where a young man also had a force presence?
"Where are you guys headed after this?" Luke questioned after Galen remained quiet. Snapping out of his thoughts, he gave the young man a shrug. Where was he going after this? His goal was to get Boba Fett but how long would he be here.
"Corellia" came the voice of Han as he and Chewbacca approached. Galen turned along with Luke as this was news to him as well. "An old buddy of mine is in a jam, asked if I could assist him." Han's vagueness wasn't exactly comforting to Galen, considering he would most likely be accompanying the smuggler on this trip. Looking back at Luke, he could feel the young man's disappointment. It was obvious that he didn't get many visitors around here. Let alone ones that were close to his age. His disappointment was understandable.
Luke stared at them for a moment, a sense of envy and awe in his eye. "I hope I'll be able to travel the galaxy one day" he commented absent mindedly. Galen couldn't help but feel for the young man. He knew what it was like to feel out of place. Like this wasn't who you were destined to be.
"I keep hoping" Luke replied giving his best attempt at an encouraging smile. They didn't know the sad reality that Luke had been trying to leave since his fifteen life year. That was when preliminary training at the academy could begin. At first his aunt and uncle had said he was too young. But three years later and no entry into the academy, Luke was starting to lose hope that they would ever let him leave the farm. After all, sons rarely did. Why would he be any different? "Well looks like you guys about ready to go" he said, pulling out the gas nozzle.
"Thanks kid, I just finished paying your uncle inside" Han said patting him on the back. "Who knows, maybe we'll meet again up there" he nodded upwards towards the stars.
"Good luck with everything Luke. You're going to do big things" Galen said, getting in the backseat of the speeder. He didn't know what it was, but he knew if Luke discovered the force there was no way Tatooine would be enough to hold him. Luke gave them all a farewell salute before they took off kicking up sand.
"So Corellia?" Galen questioned over the hum of the engine. "Are you really doing a favor for a friend?" his skepticism was obvious in his voice.
"Of course" Han said looking back. After he saw that the jedi wasn't going for it, he figured it was best to tell the whole truth. "I just have to retrieve something for him."
"I assume we won't be going and just asking for this something" Galen assumed which was affirmed by Han's momentary silence.
"It'll be a quick in and out, trust me." This caused Starkiller to roll his eyes. The man had just held the truth from him twice in the past ten minutes and he wanted him to trust him. Smugglers.
"Chewie get us out of here!" shouted Han as he shot down another foe. As they arrived at their landing bay, they had run into a bit of trouble courtesy of Jabba the Hutt. After shooting and slicing their way through the first pair they were able to get to the ship and were waiting to take off. "Everyone's a bounty hunter!" Han threw his hands up as he ran up the ship's ramp for takeoff.
"What did you expect?" Starkiller said, tucking his lightsabers away. It had been more like a training exercise Vader had put him through than a battle. "The biggest gangster on the planet puts a price on your head, every low life here is looking for you. last I checked that was the whole population."
"I thought they'd at least give us a head start!" Han retorted as he sat in the pilot's seat.
"Because that makes sense."
"Just sit back already. Chewie are we ready for hyperspace?" the wookie gave a growl of approval after checking the dials. "Good. Let's get out of here before one of those low lives learns how to fly a ship." At this Starkiller couldn't help but grin slightly as they jumped into hyperspace.
"Yup that's the building. Fifteenth floor" Han said as he lowered the binoculars. He, Chewbacca, and Starkiller stood on a building meters away from their target. They were close enough for the binoculars to be effective, yet far enough not to be seem spying.
"What's the plan again?" Starkiller asked raising an eyebrow.
"Chewie and I will drive by to create the distraction while you climb the stairwell, bust in there and take what we came for" Han said. Galen was amazed at how the pilot had the ability to make the most difficult plans sound easy seeing as this plan would most likely result in him fighting some armed men.
"Right" Galen said before turning to look at the building again. The faster they did this, the quicker he could get out of here. "Good luck" with that, he jumped off the ledge they were perched on. With anyone else this would be reported as a suicide attempt on the evening news, however Galen had the force. Slowing his descent, he spotted a bus flying beneath him. He landed with a thump, causing the roof to dent. However, he didn't wait for the bus to stop, instead he was leaping to the next transport.
Stepping into the backseat of a speeder, he felt the vehicle swerve as driver realized he had an unexpected passanger. Jumping towards the roof of the next speeder, he was taken by surprise when it made an abrupt turn. Suddenly he was falling through the air. His progress was stopped when he landed hard on the roof of a police cruiser. As he stared up at the sky he watched as Han's speeder flew towards the apartment building overhead. Cursing mentally, he pulled himself up before the officers inside could react. Ascending quickly through the traffic now, he hurled himself through an apartment building window seven floors below.
Glancing around, Galen was happy to see the inhabitants were missing. Getting up, he pulled the door open with the force. Racing into the hallway, he found the exit stairwell. Using the force to propel him upwards, he ascended the stairs two at a time. As he came to the correct floor, he pulled the door open and ran down the hallway. Using the force, he expanded his sense through the room. Seven men, their attention all towards the window and no doubt Han. When he heard blaster fire erupt, he knew Han had done his job. Suddenly jumping to the side, the door flew open and four men poured out of the room and towards the elevator. Galen couldn't believe his luck, but that still left three men within.
Hearing the elevator door close, Starkiller unclipped his lightsaber and slipped into the room. He hoped he would have to use it if it wasn't necessary. The room had gone dark, but directly in front of him was the silhouette of a man. Coming behind him Starkiller brought the hilt of his lightsaber onto his neck, knocking the man out. The slight thump of his body hitting the floor caused his partner to turn in Galen's direction. Before he had a chance to shoot, Starkiller extended his hand and sent the man into the wall with a force push. Through the force he could feel the fear of the third man like a drum beating against his head. Coming around the corner, he was face to face with the man holding a blaster. With a click of a button his lightsaber ignited and the man proceeded to run out of the room.
"Swing around to pick me up" Starkiller said into the comm link as he approached the wall safe. Thrusting his lightsaber into the lock, he watched as the metal gave way to the heat of the lightsaber.
"Uh…give me a minute" Han said, his voice sounding distracted. Galen rolled his eyes as he deactivated his lightsaber when the safe door fell open. Reaching in, he pulled out a data chip. Tucking it into a pouch, he looked out the balcony and saw no sign of his getaway. Cursing he made his way out of the room and towards the elevator.
"I'm going to grab a speeder from the garage" he said through the comm as he stepped into the elevator. Luckily, the garage was on a middle floor which only gave him two to travel. Grabbing the quickest and easiest accessible vehicle it only took a second to start up. As he prepared to leave the garage, three speeders flew past the exit. The recognizable brown fur in the first speeder told him that it was Han and his pursuers. Pulling out, he turned sharply into traffic and followed.
As he accelerated, he was happy to find that he hadn't picked the slowest vehicle in the garage. He quickly found himself advancing on the last chaser. Nudging the back of his speeder, Galen brought his alongside it. Drifting to the right , he slammed the wheel left to collide with the speeder. Startled, the two enemies turned their attention from Han to their new attacker. While one kept his attention on flying the other proceeded to pull out his blaster. Instantly reacting, Galen dropped the speeder, the blaster shot going overhead. Maneuvering, he came up on the driver side of the speeder. Reaching out with the force, he yanked the blaster toward him causing a chain reaction of events. The owner held onto the gun and was subsequently pulled as well. His body slammed across the driver, causing him to put the speeder into a vertical spiral. As the speeder disappeared from view, Starkiller focused his attention on the next vehicle.
Coming up behind the speeder he wasted no time with this one. The passenger was busy shooting at Han and Chewbacca , that they hardly realized Starkiller had jumped onto the back of their speeder. It was only when a lightsaber was burning a hole through their dashboard that they realized they were in trouble. Retracting his blade, and running across the hood Galen jumped onto the back of Han's speeder using the force to hold him on. Behind him he could hear the whine of an engine as it spiraled downward before the distant explosion reached his ears.
"Thanks kid" Han yelled over the wind as they slowed their pace. Starkiller simply nodded as he slid into the backseat. "Did you get it?" Remaining silent, Galen held the chip in Han's vision. A satisfied smirk came across his features. "I'd say it's time to get out of here." Galen couldn't agree more.