Luke, made a decision. He flipped several switches. The stars shifted as he took his fighter into a steep turn. The X-wing shifted sharply and flew away in a new direction. The monitor screen on Luke's control panel printed out a question from the concerned Artoo.
"There's nothing wrong, Artoo. I'm just setting a new course," Luke said.
Artoo beeped another question.
"We're not going to regroup with the others," Luke said.
Artoo began protesting, whistling an unbelieving, "What?!" Luke read Artoo's exclamation on his control panel.
"We're going to the Dagobah system," Luke told the little droid.
Luke checked his readouts and made a few adjustments. He rode along with only the soft hum of the instruments breaking the silence. Finally, Artoo chirped up uttered a soft, carefully phrased steam of whistles.
"That's all right. I'd like to keep it on manual control for a while," Luke told the little droid.
The little droid let out a defeated whimper. Luke smiled, and continued on his course.
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The Millennium Falcon sped away from Hoth, closely followed by one huge Star Destroyer and four tiny TIE fighters. As it is pursued, the Falcon raced toward two very bright star-sized objects.
In the cockpit Chewie let out a loud howl. Han checked as the ship is buffeted by exploding flak. He appeared to be doing six things at once.
"I saw them! I saw them!" Han shouted.
"Saw what" Leia asked.
"Star Destroyers, two of them, coming right at us," Han said.
"Sir, sir! Might I suggest..." Threepio said bumping and banging into the cockpit.
"Shut him up or shut him down! Chewie check the deflector shield!" Han said flipping switches and adjusting the controls.
Chewie barks a reply as he readjusts an overhead switch.
"Oh, great! Well, we can still outmaneuver them," Han said pulling back some levers.
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The Millennium Falcon races toward one of the huge oncoming star destroyers. Suddenly, the falcon starts into a deep dive straight down, closely followed by four TIE fighters. The underside of the star destroyer continues on a collision course with two oncoming star destroyers. Slowly, it starts to veer to the left. The Millennium Falcon races away from the colliding star destroyers, still followed by four TIE fighters. Laser bolts spark the pitch-black skies.
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"Prepare to make the jump to light-speed," Han ordered.
"But sir!" Threepio protested but is ignored as Han adjusts some controls.
"They're getting closer!" Leia shouted.
"Oh, yeah? Watch this!" Han said and attempted to make the jump to light-speed but the hyperdrive failed. Han and Chewie exchange a look of concern.
"Watch what?" Leia said narrowing her eyes. A feeling of forbidding settling deep within her.
Han attempts to jump to hyperspace again but the hyperdrive is still failing. "I think we're in trouble," he said.
"If I may say so, sir, I noticed earlier the hyperdrive motivator has been damaged. It's impossible to go to light-speed!" Threepio said.
"We're in trouble!" Han said and jumped out of the cockpit and ran into the main hold into the maintenance access pit. He worked furiously at some control panels while giving various orders to Chewie.
"Horizontal boosters...!"
Chewie barked.
"Alluvial dampers...! Well that's not it,"
Again Chewie barked.
"Bring me the hydrospanners!" Han ordered.
Chewie hurried over to the pit and placed the tools on the edge.
Han popped back up from the pit and said, "I don't know how we're going to get out of this one," before grabbing a tool and disappearing again.
Suddenly, a loud thump hit the side of the Falcon, causing it to lurch radically. Chewie barked and the tools fell into the pit on top of Han.
"Oww! Chewie!" Han yelled from the pit. The ship rocked again and Han lifted himself out of the pit. "That was no laser blast! Something hit us," he said and raced back into the cockpit where he saw hundreds of asteroids race by.
Han changed places with Leia who had been at the controls, and Chewie got into his chair. Han worked his controls as a chunk of rock crossed in front of the ship.
"Chewie, set two-seven-one," Han said.
"What are you doing? You're not actually going into an asteroid field?" Leia asked from behind Han.
"They'd be crazy to follow us, wouldn't they?" Han said with a glint in his eye.
Another asteroid thumped against the ship and Leia winced at the jolt.
"You don't have to do this to impress me," Leia said.
"Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately three thousand, seven hundred and twenty to one," Threepio said.
"Never tell me the odds!" Han ordered as he navigated through the asteroid field.
Asteroids raced by the cockpit window as Han piloted his trusty craft through the dangerous field. Looking out the cockpit window, the Falcon crew saw a big asteroid drop past the window, narrowly missing their ship. Chewie barked in terror as a slightly smaller asteroid came especially close -- to close -- and bounced off the Falcon with a loud crunch. Threepio's hands covered his eyes. He managed a short peek at the cockpit window. Leia sat stone-faced, staring at the action. Han gave her a quick look.
"You said you wanted to be around when I made a mistake; well, this could be it, sweetheart," Han said.
"I take it back. We're going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer," Leia said. They watched as more asteroids flew past the window.
"I'm not going to argue with that," Han said looking thoughtful. "I'm going in closer to one of the big ones," he said finally.
Everyone echoed the word 'closer' in alarm but Han ignored them and worked on the controls bringing the ship closer to a large asteroid. "There. That looks pretty good," he said.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Leia said.
"I hope so too," Han replied as he dipped down by a crater in the large asteroid and into a small cave going deep into the core of the asteroid.
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Anakin reached the rendezvous point on the planet of Riflor just as the leaders of the rebellion were discussing their new base which wasn't ready yet. Well, Anakin thought, it'll have to be ready now. As his X-wing landed he caught up with the rest of the pilots looking for Luke, but Anakin knew through the force that Luke wasn't on Riflor or anywhere near it for that matter. Where in the name of the sith did he go? Feeling frustrated he went over to the rebellion's leaders to see if they had any idea where Luke had gone
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Luke piloted his X-wing towards the cloudy cover of Dagobah. Artoo, rode on the back of the fighter, turning his head back and forth with some anxiety. The little droid beeped a question to Luke. Luke watched Artoo's words as they were translated and screened on the computer scope.
"Yes, that's it. Dagobah," Luke said into the comlink.
Artoo beeped a hopeful reply on whether or not they'll be turning back.
"No, I'm not going to change my mind about this. I'm not picking up any cities or technology. Massive life-form readings, though. There's something alive down there..." Luke said looking at his his computer.
Artoo beeped a worried reply and Luke smiled.
"Yes, I'm sure it's perfectly safe for droids," Luke said.
Luke saw the clouds race by as he took his X-wing to the planet. He operated his controls carefully since the cloudy cover has completely obscured his vision. An alarm buzzed in the background, Artoo beeped and whistled frantically.
"I know, I know! All the scopes are dead. I can't see a thing! Just hang on, I'm going to start the landing cycle" Luke said as he maneuvered his way to land. Only to land in a swamp of some kind.
Luke popped opened his X-wing and took off his gloves as he looked around. Dagobah was nothing but swamps. "Hardly a place for a jedi master to be," he muttered as he lifted himself out of the X-wing and tossed his helmet inside the X-wing. Carefully he made his way down into a shallow part of the swamp. Artoo whistled causing Luke to turn to him.
"No, Artoo, you stay put. I'll have a look around," Luke said.
Artoo let out a short beep as Luke made his way in the swamp. Artoo lifted himself from his cubbyhole in the X-wing and as he fell into the water of the swamp he made a worried whistling sound.
Luke jumped back onto the nose of his X-wing and looked at the spot where Artoo had been. "Artoo? Artoo! Where are you?" Luke called
A small periscope broke the surface of the water and Artoo let out a gurgled beep. The periscope started to move. Luke let out a relived breath.
"You be more careful," Luke admonished.
Artoo let out another gurgled beep.
"Artoo, that way," Luke said pointing in the direction of the shore, the opposite of where Artoo was going. Artoo let out another gurgled beep and headed for the shore.
Luke jumped off of the X-wing once again and headed to the shore when he sensed movement. Turing around quickly he saw something swallow Artoo. He pulled out his blaster and shot at the swamp beast. But Artoo was gone. The silence was deafening as Luke searched for any sign of Artoo, refusing to think of Artoo as gone. Suddenly a sound is heard and Artoo comes sailing out of the swamp with Artoo whistling all the way. Luke rushed to the spot where Artoo landed.
"Oh, no! Are you all right? Come on. You're lucky you don't taste very good. Anything broken?" Luke said helping the droid up and wiping sludge off of the droid. "If you're saying coming here was a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree with you. Oh, Artoo, what are we doing here? It's like... something out of a dream, or, I don't know. Maybe I'm just going crazy," Luke said glancing around the foggy swamp hearing all the different lifeforms around him. He looked back to Artoo to see him project a stream of slime.
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In the Millennium Falcon Han and Chewbacca were shutting down the engine and all electronic.
"I'm shutting down everything but the emergency power systems," Han said to Leia.
"Sir, I'm almost afraid to ask, but...does that include shutting me down, too?" Threepio asked.
Chewbacca barked a 'yes' but Han thinks otherwise.
"No, I need you to talk to the Falcon, find out what's wrong with the hyperdrive," Han said and suddenly the ship lurched violently causing every thing loose to go flying.
"Sir, it's quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable," Threepio said
Han looked at the droid incredulously. "Not entirely stable? I'm glad you're here to tell us these things. Chewie, take the professor in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive," he said.
As Chewie took Threepio out of the cockpit Threepio muttered, "Oh! Sometimes I just don't understand human behavior. After all, I'm only trying to do my job in the most..."
The door closed behind the indignant Threepio as Chewie and he moved back to the hold. Suddenly, the ship lurched again, throwing Leia across the cabin into Han's arms Then, abruptly, the motion stopped as suddenly as it started. With some surprise, Han and Leia realized they are in each other's arms.
"Let go," Leia demanded.
Han put his finger up, "Sshh..." he said.
"Let go please," Leia said less demanding but a bit more pleadingly. She flushed a little, but didn't try to get away.
"Don't get excited," Han said in a mixture of suavely and cocky tone of voice.
Leia started to get angry, "Captain, being held by you isn't quite enough to get me excited," Leia told him forcefully.
Han let her go and grinned wickedly at her. "Sorry, sweetheart. We haven't got time for anything else," he said and left the cockpit.
Once he was gone, Leia's confused emotions clearly showed on her face as she debated with her self over Han Solo.
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Anakin paced at the Riflor rendezvous point as the leaders of the rebellion discuss their new base.
"We've just received a codded message from Princess Leia, her and Captain Solo are hiding in an asteroid field eluding the imperial fleet. Still no word from Commander Luke Skywalker ," An officer said.
"Thank you, Durk," General Rieekan said and glanced at Anakin.
Anakin was aware of his gaze and continued to pace. At least Leia and Han were accounted for. Where are you Luke, he thought. Then he remembered something. Luke's muttering from when he almost froze to death. What are you up to Obi-Wan? Now knowing where Luke was, Anakin ran to his X-wing and jumped in.
"Commander! Where are you going?" an officer asked alarmed but Anakin ignored him and took off for Dagobah.
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The mist had dispersed a bit, but it's still a very gloomy-looking swamp. Luke pulled an equipment box from the shore to the clearing. He ignited a little fusion furnace and warmed his hands before it. Taking a power cable, he plugged it into Artoo's socket.
"Ready for some power? Okay. Let's see now. Put that in there. There you go," Luke said.
Artoo whistled a response and Luke took out a metal container and opened it revealing food rashins. He took a crisp meat stick out and took a bite before sighing.
"Now all I have to do is find this Yoda...if he even exists," he said and looked around before setting his meat stick down. "Still...there's something familiar about this place. I feel like...I don't know..."
"Feel what do you?" a mysterious voice asked.
Luke jumped and grabbed for both his blaster and lightsaber before turning around. There stood on a log a green two foot tall creature with large pointed ears dressed in rags and leaning on a stick.
"Like we're being watched," Luke said dangerously.
The creature covered his face with his hands. "Away with your weapons, I mean you no harm," it said.
Luke hesitated, but them clipped both his blaster and lightsaber onto his belt. The creature walked up to him leaning heavily on the stick.
"I am wondering, why you are here," it said.
"I'm looking for someone," Luke said.
"Looking? Found someone, you have, I would say, hmmm?" it said and then laughed.
Luke looked at the creature skeptically for a moment, "Right..." he said.
"Help you I can. Yes, mmmm," it said.
Luke laughed a bit, "I don't think so. I'm looking for a great warrior," he said.
"Ahhh! A great warrior," it said and shook his head laughing, "Wars not make one great." With the aid of a walking stick, the tiny creature moved over to one of the cases of supplies. He began to rummage around. Artoo moved to the edge of the case -- standing almost eye level to the creature who is carelessly handling the supplies -- and squeaked his disapproval. Their tiny visitor picked up the container of food Luke was eating from and took a bite.
"Put that down. Hey! That's my dinner!" Luke said chasing after it.
It spit out the food and made a face "How you get so big, eating food of this kind?" it said.
Luke came over and shut his food container. "Listen, friend, we didn't mean to land in that puddle, and if we could get our ship out, we would, but we can't, so why don't you just..." he said.
"Aww, cannot get your ship out?" it teased.
It spotted something of interest in Luke's case. Luke, loosing his patience, grabbed his case but it retained his prize which was a tiny lamp.
"Hey, you could have broken this. Don't do that. Ohhh...you're making a mess. Hey, give me that!" Luke said making a grab for the lamp but it back away clutching the lamp tightly.
"Mine! Or I will help you not," it said drawing close to Artoo who was sticking his claw arm out.
"I don't want your help. I want my lamp back. I'll need it to get out of this slimy mudhole," Luke said.
"Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is," it said defensively.
Artoo's claw arm grabbed the lamp and engaged it in a battle of tug and war over the lamp. It banging his stick against Artoo screaming "Mine! Mine!"
"Oh, Artoo, let him have it," Luke said giving in but Artoo remained in the tug of war with it. "Artoo!" Luke said in a warning tone and Artoo let go of the lamp.
It held the lamp closely and yelled, "Mine!"
"Now will you move along, little fella? We're got a lot of work to do," Luke said.
"No! No, no! Stay and help you, I will," it said and laughed, "Find your friend, hmm?"
"I'm not looking for a friend, I'm looking for a Jedi Master," Luke said.
"Oohhh. Jedi Master. Yoda. You seek Yoda," it said with wide eyes.
Luke looked at the creature sharply. "You know him?" he asked now looking at the creature with interest.
"Mmm. Take you to him, I will," it said and then laughed. "Yes, yes. But now, we must eat Come. Good food. Come."
Luke watched it scurry away into the fog, the lamp indicating where he was going. Luke shook his head and followed him.
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Han entered the hold and kneeled on the floor near the control box.
"Sir, I don't know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect. I believe, sir, it says that the power coupling on the negative axis has been polarized. I'm afraid you'll have to replace it," Threepio said.
Han looked at Threepio feeling annoyance with the droid. "Well, of course I'll have to replace it," he said and picked up a coil of wire. He stood up and handed the wire to Chewie who was working near the ceiling. "Here! And Chewie..." he said and look briefly at Threepio and back to Chewie before speaking quietly, "I think we'd better replace the negative power coupling," he said.
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Leia finished welding the valves she has been working on and attempted to reengage the system by pulling a lever attached to the valve. It wouldn't budge. Han walked in and noticed her struggle. He moved to help him but she rebuffed his help.
Han moved back with his hands up, "Hey, Your Worship, I'm only trying to help," he said.
Leia continued to struggle with the valve. "Would you please stop calling me that," Leia asked with no hint of animosity in her voice.
Han noticed this. "Sure Leia," he said.
Leia sighed. "Oh, you make it so difficult sometimes," she said.
"I do, I really do. You could be a little nicer, though," Han said and watched her reaction for a moment, seeing that she has no negative reaction to that but silence he continued. "Come on, admit it. Sometimes you think I'm all right," he said.
Leia stopped her struggling and rubbed her sore hands. "Occasionally," she said and gave a small haltingly smile, "maybe...when you aren't acting like a scoundrel," she said.
"Scoundrel? Scoundrel? I like the sound of that," Han said and took her hand starting to massage it.
"Stop that," Leia said.
"Stop what?" Han asked with a smile.
Leia flushed a little. "Stop that! My hands are dirty," Leia told him.
Han leaned in closer. "My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?" he said.
Leia looked into his eyes thinking that he had never looked more handsome than in that moment. "Afraid?" she asked confused.
Han took her other hand in his and noticed that she was trembling. "Your trembling," he told her.
"I'm not trembling," Leia told him defiantly.
Han drew her closer to him. "You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life," he told her.
"I happen to like nice men," Leia said in a husky whisper.
"I'm a nice man," Han told her.
"No, you're not. You're..." Leia didn't get to finish because Han then kissed her slowly but passionately. Leia melted into the kiss. She had never been kissed like this and she felt her legs begin to feel like jelly. Suddenly Threepio entered disrupting the scene before him.
"Sir, sir! I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling," Threepio said.
Han turned around at the droid in annoyance. "Thank you. Thank you very much."
"Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir," Threepio said oblivious to Han's annoyance.
Leia took that opportunity to slip away. When Han turned back to her after Threepio left, she was gone.
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Anakin crash landed in much the same style as Luke on Dagobah right next to Luke's X-wing. Anakin popped open his X-wing getting wet from the rain.
"Well, looks like my hunch was right," he said seeing Luke's X-wing. "Now lets see what your up to Master," he added as he felt a familiar presence as he jumped into the swamp and made his way onto the land noticing Luke's little camp. But Luke was no where to be found. Reaching out with the force he tried to pinpoint Luke's location and if he were okay. He was fine. Anakin pulled his hood up and let the force guide him to where his son was.
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Luke sat cross legged in the creatures small little hut which structure was fit for it's size only. It scurried about in it's own little kitchen cooking up a meal and being a good host. Luke watched it impatiently.
"Look, I'm sure it's delicious. I just don't understand why we can't see Yoda now," Luke said impatiently.
"Patience! For the Jedi it is time to eat as well. Eat, eat. Hot. Good food, hm? Good, hmm?" it said.
Luke moved over to the stove with some difficulty due to his size and smallness to the hut. He dished himself out some of the unfamiliar concoction. He tasted it and was surprised at it's taste, it was actually quite good. He then added some spice to the food and began to eat.
"How far away is Yoda? Will it take us long to get there?" Luke asked.
"Not far. Yoda not far. Patience. Soon you will be with him," it said and tasted his own food. "Rootleaf, I cook. Why wish you become Jedi? Hm?" it said.
"Mostly because of my father, I guess," Luke said.
"Ah, your father. Powerful Jedi was he, powerful Jedi, mmm," it said.
Luke got a little angry and fed up. "Oh, come on. How could you know my father? You don't even know who I am," Luke then slammed down his bowl, "Oh, I don't even know what I'm doing here. We're wasting our time!" he said angrily.
It turned away from Luke and spoke to a third party. "I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience," it said.
Luke turned around sharply and saw now one there, but slowly it dawned on him that it was Yoda.
"He will learn patience," Obi-Wan's voice said.
"Hmmm. Much anger in him, like his father," Yoda said.
"Was I any different when you taught me?" Obi-Wan's voice said.
"Hah. He is not ready," Yoda said.
"Yoda! I am ready. I...Ben! I can be a Jedi. Ben, tell him I'm ready!" Luke said trying to stand up but hit his head on the ceiling.
Yoda turned to him, "Ready, are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained! A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind," he said and turned to Obi-Wan, "This one a long time have I watched. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things!" he then turned back to Luke, "You are reckless! Much like your father," he said.
Luke looked down, he knew that Yoda was right.
"So was I, if you'll remember," Obi-Wan's voice said.
"He is too old. Yes, too old to begin the training," Yoda said in a softer tone than his previous one. He turned from Luke and sat down on a cot.
Luke detected this. "But I've learned so much," he said softly.
Yoda turned to him and sighed, he looked to a spot above Luke. "Will he finished what he begins?" he asked.
"I won't fail you -- I'm not afraid," Luke said.
Yoda slowly turned to him, "Oh, you will be. You will be," he said ominously.
They were interrupted with a bang followed by some cursing in huttiese followed by Anakin's voice. "For someone who had spent eight hundred years in a gigantic temple, one would think about becoming claustrophobic in this dugout!"
