In Deep Space…

The Millennium Falcon flew at maximum speed while being pursued by a Star Destroyer. Inside the cockpit, all 4 Rebels held tight as the ship was being attacked by pursuing Tie-Fighters.

Han had his hands full as it was. "I saw them ! I saw them !"

Leia fought against panic. "Saw what ?"

Han pointed to the radar. "Star Destroyers ! Two of them coming right at us !"

C3PO thought it might be wise to alert the pilot of the "issue" he didn't press earlier. "Sir ! Sir ! Might I suggest…"

Han didn't have time to listen to C3PO's usual banter. "Shut him up or shut him down !" He motioned to Leia. He turned his attention to Chewie. "Check the deflector shield !"

Chewie let out a roar while adjusting a switch. Mina knew what he meant. "Deflector shield is pretty much fried, Han. We're gonna need a miracle right about now !"

Han turned over the controls to Mina. "I've had my fill of flight for now ! Snips, take over !"

Mina quickly took her seat. "Ok, everybody, I'm gonna pull an "Anakin" now… So, hang on tight !"

Han raised an eyebrow. "What the heck is that supposed to mean ?!"

"I'll attempt to outmaneuver them by spinning around, hopefully avoiding all blasts as I pull this off !" Mina explained.

Mina spun the ship around the two approaching Star Destroyers, almost having them collide with the first one pursuing them.

"Take evasive action !" The Imperials held on to their seats as the alarms blared as they came so close to colliding with each other.

As the Falcon spun around the blasts, Han couldn't believe Mina's "luck" at avoiding them. "I didn't teach you to fly like this ! Where did you learn to fly this crazily ?!"

Mina quickly looked over her shoulder. "My Mom taught me. She learnt those moves from Anakin Skywalker himself, whom was a great Hero during the Clone Wars."

"He must've been suicidal as well ! Ok, we've overstayed our welcome. Mina, make the jump to light-speed !" Han ordered.

"Calculations are in ! Here we go !" Mina was about to flick a switch.

C3PO pleaded with Han. "But, sir !"

Even Leia being to feel worried. "They're getting closer !"

Han shot her a grin. "Oh, yeah ? Watch this. Hit it, Mina !"

Mina flicked the switch to enter light-speed, but the engine made an odd noise.

Leia pointed at the switch Mina pulled. "Watch what ?!"

Mina pulled the switch again. The same reaction. "This has to be the slowest jump to light-speed I've ever seen ! Is it just me or we're just not going anywhere ?"

Han felt sweat trickle down his forehead. "I think we're in trouble."

Mina shot him a glare. "You don't say ! I would never have guessed ! What the heck is going on ?!"

C3PO finally blurted out the problem. "If I may say so, sir. I've noticed earlier that the hyperdrive motivator is damaged ! It's impossible to go to light-speed !"

Han pointed at Mina. "Pilot as best as you can, huh ? And no, no more "Anakin" stunts, you hear me ?" He looked at Leia. "Keep an eye on her, huh ? Me and Chewie are gonna fix things up !"

As Mina zigzagged around the blasts, Han and Chewie were doing their best to fix up the motivator. Han was in a small shaft, surrounded by leaking pipes. "Horizontal Boosters… !" "Alluvial dampers… ? Ow ! That's not it ! Bring me the hydrospanners !"

Once Chewie brought Han the necessary tools, he reached up to pick them up. "I don't know how we're gonna get out of this one !"

As Han went back to work, a blow caused his toolbox to fall on his head. "Ow ! Chewie !"

A strong blast caused Han to step out of the shaft. "That was no laser blast ! Something hit us !"

His comlink buzzed to life with Leia's voice. "Han, get up here ! Mina needs a hand !"

Han urged the Wookie to rush to the cockpit. "Come on, Chewie !"

As they arrived, they could see Mina was quite uncomfortable. "There's a lot of things I can do with a ship, but flying around asteroids isn't one of them !"

Han cracked his knuckles, pulling Mina off the chair. "Ok, Mina, sit back there." He turned to his first-mate. "Chewie, set 2-7-1."

Realization sunk into Leia. "What are you doing ? You not thinking of going into an asteroid field ?!"

"They'd be crazy to follow us, wouldn't they ?" Han focused on his flight, avoiding any and all direct hits with the oncoming asteroids.

"You don't have to do this to impress me !" Leia pleaded.

Mina grabbed her friends' shoulders, rubbing them gently. "He's in his "zone". Let him fly. Have faith in his abilities."

C3PO just burst in panic. "Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3720 to 1 !"

Han quickly looked over his shoulder. "Never tell me the odds !"

As Han flew the Falcon around the countless asteroids, 4 Tie-Fighters still pursued them through the belt. The first 2 Tie-Fighters either crashed right into an asteroid or ripped one of their wings, sending them spinning towards another oncoming asteroid.

All but Han flinched and covered their eyes as he spun around countless asteroids while avoiding fire from the last 2 Tie-Fighters. For once, Han doubted his abilities. "You said you wanted to be around when I made a mistake, this could be it, sweetheart !"

"I take it back ! We're going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer." Leia held on to her seat and braced herself.

Even Han knew her suggestion made sense. "I can't argue with that. I'm going closer to one of the big ones."

Leia did a double-take. "Closer ?"

Han flew the Falcon around an extra-large asteroid, skimming the surface and tilting the ship vertically in order to pass into a narrow trench. The Tie-Fighters, unable to switch their flight in such enclosed space, collided with each other, ending the current Imperial threat.

C3PO was nearly in hysterics. "Oh, this is suicide !"

Chewie noticed something on the radar, pointing at it, it caught Han's gaze.

"There. That looks pretty good."

Leia couldn't make sense of what he meant. "What looks pretty good ?"

Mina read the scans. "I see it. There's a large crater in the middle of the asteroid. We can hide there and wait for the Star Destroyers to pass."

Han agreed with Mina's idea. "Yeah. That'll do nicely."

C3PO was so confused. "Excuse me, Ma'am, but where are we going ?"

The Falcon flew down the crater, which seemed to be a never-ending cave.

Leia managed to regain some calm. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Yeah. Me too." Han flew his ship into a new cave, which conveniently opened as they approached.

Dagobah

Having traveled through hyperspace for several hours, Luke finally reached the mysterious system of Dagobah. In orbit, it appeared green enshrouded in fog.

Luke knew this was the place he would find Yoda. "Yes, that's it. Dagobah."

R2 beeped a question, to which Luke quickly replied. "No, I'm not going to change my mind about this." He looked over to the planet readings. "I'm not picking up any cities or technology. Massive life readings, though. There's something alive down there."

Luke chuckled as R2 beeped another of his questions. "Yes, I'm sure it's perfectly safe for droids."

Once they entered the atmosphere, the thick fog kept them from seeing where they were landing. R2 beeped frantically. "I know ! I know ! All the scopes are dead ! I can't see a thing ! Just hang on, I'm gonna start the landing cycle…"

Moments later, Luke's X-Wing landed straight in the middle of a swamp. Once he opened his compartment, all that Luke could see was swampy marshlands, with an array of odd creatures going about their business. Seeing that his ship was half-sunk into the muddy waters, Luke tossed his gloves on the control board, clearly frustrated.

As Luke ventured forth, R2 wanted to join him. Luke looked over his shoulder. "No, R2. You stay put. I'll have a look around."

A slight tremor sent R2 tumbling into the waters. Luke quickly turned around, looking for the astromech. "R2 ? R2 ! Where are you ?"

Seconds later, R2's periscope surfaced, gazing at the odd terrain. He goes off to a certain direction, whistling blissfully.

Luke rolled his eyes at the droid's carelessness. "You be more careful." He pointed to the nearby shore. "R2 ? That way…"

As R2 ventured around the waters some more, a creature from the swamp ambushed him, trying to devour him. Luke quickly took out his blaster, trying to locate his droid under the boggy waters. "R2 !"

All became silent for a moment, until the creature spat R2 onto the shore, having crash against some roots. Luke quickly ran to him. "Are you all right ?" He helped the droid back on its feet. "Come on, it's lucky you don't taste very good. Anything broken ?"

R2 beeped a series of whistles, signaling he was fine. Luke sat by him, beginning to wonder if the trip was really worth it. "If you're saying that coming here was a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree with you. Oh, R2, what are we doing here ? It's like… something out of a dream… or I don't know… Maybe I'm just going crazy."

R2 proceeded to "vomit" the excess mud and water that accumulated in his system, to the surprise and disgust of Luke.

Aboard the Executor, Vader's Meditation Chamber

Admiral Piett walked around Vader's special chamber. Looking inside, he glanced at Vader's bald head, covered with scars, before his helmet was fitted again. Once Vader was ready, he turned his seat to face Piett. "What is it, Admiral ?"

Piett nervously spoke. "Our ships have sighted the Millennium Falcon, my Lord… But it has entered an asteroid field and we cannot risk…"

Vader shrugged his shoulders. "Asteroids do not concern me, Admiral. I want that ship, not excuses."

Piett bowed. "Yes, my Lord." He went off to the bridge to continue their search.

Asteroid Cave

For the time being, the crew of the Millennium Falcon was safe from Imperial troubles. The ship rested in a dark, dank area of the cave. It was so dark, it was impossible to determine the height or width of the cave. While Leia stayed at the cockpit, Han, Mina and Chewie were working to shut down all of the ship's main controls.

"We're going to shut down everything but the emergency power system." He said to the other two.

C3PO was by their side, he had reasons to be fearful. "Sir, I'm almost afraid to ask, but does that include shutting me down as well ?"

Han pointed to the damaged hyperdrive. "No, I need you to talk to the Falcon, find out what's wrong with the hyperdrive."

A tremor sent Leia crashing to the side. "Oof !"

C3PO suddenly figured out something. "Sir, it's quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable."

Han groaned inwardly. "Not entirely stable ? I'm glad you're here to tell us these things ! Snips, take the "professor" in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive, will you ? I'll go check up on the Princess."

Once Han walked in the cockpit, Leia gave him a stern look. "What just happened ?"

"Not sure, but 3PO thinks the asteroid isn't quite stable. So much good that'll do to us, huh ?"

Another tremor sent Han tumbling into Leia, holding her tightly. "Let go. Let go, please !" She pleaded.

Han just held on. "Don't get excited !"

She quickly whipped to him, a frown on her face. "Captain, being held by you isn't quite enough to get me excited !"

He finally left her. "Sorry, sweetheart. We haven't got time for anything else." He left off with a mischievous grin on his face.

Leia on her end, just took back the seat and silently cursed her luck for being stranded with Han. Her thoughts burst once she heard Mina walking in, holding a cup of caf for her, as well as one for herself. "Are you all right ? Those tremors seemed to have stopped. I wish I really knew what's causing them. Drink this, it ought to bring your spirits back up."

Leia kindly accepted her cup. "Thank you. Can I ask you something ?"

Mina made herself comfortable, taking a sip. "Sure. What's on your mind ?"

"Has Han ever… made a pass at you ?"

Mina almost burst into laughter. "No, he hasn't. Guess he doesn't have a thing for Togruta. Which is fine in my book. He seems to be taking a shine to you, though."

Leia sighed deeply. "So I've noticed. Trouble is, I'm not too wild about him right now…"

Mina placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Give it time. Maybe the two of you will eventually find common ground. I mean, look at my parents. When they were teens, they were at odds with each other since they came from different governments. Years later, they met again and sparks flew.

I can say this about Han : He doesn't have an ounce of evil in him. Sure, he does tend to look out for himself more at times, but he's got good intentions at the end of the day. Give him a chance. Perhaps you two are meant for each other. All it takes are the right actions or right words to get a relationship going."

Leia gleamed over at the darkness. "I don't know… It's risky to have a relationship during this conflict…"

Mina pointed to herself. "My parents hit it off as they began to plan the Rebel Alliance. See what came out of their relationship ? I think it's worth the risk. You only need faith in each other. When he goes away for a mission, for example, don't despair that you'd never see him again. Instead, have faith that he'll be safe and sound. See where I'm getting ?"

Leia nodded. "Yes, I see your point, Mina. But I'm not quite ready to accept him so willingly. I need more time to think things through."

Mina took her last sip of caf and left off to join the boys. "What more can you do during this downtime now ? Think away !"

Swamps of Dagobah

Luke had gathered the last of his equipment to make encampment. R2 just stood there waiting. He beeped a notice to Luke.

Luke had quickly caught on to Binary. "Ready for some power ?" Luke started up his generator and grabbed a large tube to transmit needed energy. "Okay ? Let's see now… If I put that in there ? There you go !" R2 whistled a reply, stating things were good.

Luke sat near R2 and grabbed a snack from his rations pack. "Now all I have to do is find this Yoda… if he even exists." He gazed around at the swamplands. "Still, there's something familiar about this place… It feels like…"

"Feels like what ?" A voice called out from the side.

Luke quickly spun around with his blaster. He faced an odd little green alien, dressed in rags. "Like we're being watched !"

"Away with your weapon. I mean you no harm. I am wondering… why are you here ?" The alien held on to a small wooden cane.

Luke, still unwilling to lower his guard, stashed his blaster but kept his eyes locked on the alien. "I'm looking for someone."

The alien chuckled in response. "Looking ? Found someone, I would say, hmm ?"

In Luke's mind, no way could this silly alien be Yoda. "Right."

"Help you, I can. Yes. Hmm." He certainly had a wizened look to him.

Luke scoffed at him. "I don't think so. I'm looking for a great warrior."

"A great warrior ? Wars make not one great." He walked down from his branch over to Luke's supplies, looking over them with great interest. He finally takes the snack Luke was eating and took a quick bite.

Of course, Luke wasn't pleased. "Put that down ! Hey ! That's my dinner !"

The alien found the taste repugnant. "These new rations, terrible they are. Tasted much better, rations of the Old Republic did !" He looked up to Luke. "How you get so big, eating food of this kind ?"

Luke was starting to get irritated. "Listen, friend, we didn't mean to land in that puddle. If I could get my ship out, I would. But I can't, so why don't you just…"

The alien just rummaged through a storage container, tossing parts aside. "Aww, cannot get your ship out ?"

"Hey, you could have broken this ! Don't do that. Ohh… You're making a mess !" Luke noticed the alien really taking interest in a tiny power lamp. "Hey, give me that !"

The alien backed away, holding on to the lamp. "Mine ! Or I will help you not !"

Luke refused the offer. "I don't want your help. I want my lamp back. I'll need it to get out of this slimy mudhole."

The alien seemed slightly insulted. "Slimy ? Mudhole ? My home, this is !"

As they were both arguing, R2 rolled over around the alien and tried to snatch the lamp away using a pincer. The two engaged in a tug-of-war over the lamp. He grabbed his cane and tapped away at the astromech. "Mine ! Mine ! Mine !"

Luke knew he's better let the alien have his new "toy". "R2, let him have it ! R2 !"

R2 finally let go and retracted his pincer. The alien tapped him with his cane one last time, chuckling. "Still operational you are. Hmm. As wild as your old Master, you have become, hmm ? Shame with happened to him. Great shame."

Luke tried to shoo the alien away. "Now, will you move along, little fella ? I've got lots of work to do."

The alien shook his head. "No, no, no ! Stay and help you, I will. Find your friend, hmm ?"

Luke finally blurted out his reason for coming here. "I'm not looking for a friend. I'm looking for a Jedi Master."

Suddenly, the alien's careless expression changed to a serious one. "Ohh. Yoda. You seek Yoda !"

Luke finally got the feeling he was on the right track. "You know him ?"

He just laughed in response. "Take you to him, I will." He motioned Luke to follow him through the swamp. "Yes, yes. But now, we must eat. Come. Good food. Come."

In moments, all that Luke can see through the thick fog is the light of his power lamp. He finally decides to follow the alien. "R2, stay here and watch over the camp."

R2 beeped and whistled nervously as he looked in all directions, sensing lifeforms everywhere.

Inside the Millennium Falcon

"Oh, where is R2 when I need him ?" C3PO definitely had trouble understanding the beeps of the control panel before him. He turned to see Han coming towards him. "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."

For Han, this was obvious. "Of course, I'll have to replace it." He handed a set of wires to Chewie, whom was working in a compartment in the ceiling. "Here ! And Chewie… I think we'd better replace the negative power couplings."

In the next room, Leia had finished to reengage a system and needed to pull a lever near the valve. As much as she tried, the lever wasn't budging. Han, noticing her struggle, walked over and tried to give her a hand. Once Leia felt his hands around her, she rudely shoved him off her. Han backed away. "Hey, Your Worphip, I'm only trying to help !"

Leia was really getting tired in these silly nicknames. "Would you please stop calling me that ?" She struggled with the lever some more and finally placing it in place, but not without slightly pinching her thumb in the process.

"Sure, Leia."

"Oh, you make it so difficult sometimes !" She kissed her thumb, trying to relieve some of the pain.

He knew she was right. "I do, I really do. You could be a little bit nicer, though." He noticed as her expression softened slightly. "Come on, admit it. Sometimes, you think I'm all right."

She looked at him, smiling a bit. "Occasionally… when you aren't acting like a scoundrel."

Han grabbed her hand and began to massage it gently. "Scoundrel ? Scoundrel ? I like the sound of that."

Leia still didn't like being touched by him. "Stop that."

Han played the fool. "Stop what ?"

She motioned to her hands. "Stop that, my hands are dirty."

Han couldn't help but smirk. "My hands are dirty too. What are you afraid of ?"

"Afraid ?"

"You're trembling." Han noted.

She shook her head. "I'm not trembling."

Han got closer to her face. "You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life."

Leia locked her eyes on him. "I happen to like nice men."

"I'm a nice man." Han argued, almost reaching her lips.

"No, you're not. You're…" Leia's words were cut off as Han finally moved in and kissed her. For the moment, she seemed to enjoy it.

Of course, C3PO had to ruin the moment by interrupting them. "Sir ! Sir ! I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling !"

Han quickly broke off from the kiss, looking at the droid. "Thank you, thank you very much."

"Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir !" C3PO walked off to resume his repairs.

Broken away from the sudden kiss, Leia slowly walked away from Han. "What did I just do ?! Guess Mina saw it coming afterall…"

Aboard the Executor

Asteroids were being blasted by the Imperial fleet as they advanced through the field.

Vader sat in his meditation chamber, busy communicating with Captain Needa, whom was the closest to find and capture the Millennium Falcon.

Needa's hologram fazed in and out. "…and that, Lord Vader, was the last time they appeared on the scopes. Considering the amount of damage we've sustained, they must have been damaged."

Vader wasn't going to let his quarry get away so easily. "No, Captain, they're alive. I want every ship available to sweep the asteroid field until they are found."

Needa' hologram bowed before disappearing. "Yes, my Lord."

As Needa's hologram fazed out, Admiral Piett's appeared in its place.

"What is it, Admiral ?"

Admiral Piett's face was pale. Something was frightening him. "The Emperor commands that you make contact with him."

"Move the ship out of the asteroid field, so we can send a clear transmission."

Piett's hologram bowed before disappearing. "Yes, my Lord."

Once the ship was free of the asteroids, all the lights went out in Vader's chamber. He stepped on a pedestal, kneeling. The hologram of his Master, Darth Sidious appeared. "What is thy bidding, my Master ?"

The Emperor peered down to his Apprentice. "There is a great disturbance in the Force."

Vader only nodded. "I have felt it."

Palpatine went to the point. "We have some new enemies. Luke Skywalker and Mina Bonteri. The son of Anakin Skywalker and the daughter of Ahsoka Tano."

Vader seemed surprised. "Can it be true ? The daughter must have been born following the Clone Wars. And Skywalker had a son ?"

Palpatine still feared the Prophecy of the Chosen One, believing it could be Luke. "Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You know it to be true. They could destroy us."

"They are but children, Obi-Wan can no longer help them." Vader argued.

Palpatine tried to peer into Vader's thoughts. "The Force is strong with them. The daughter has been gifted with rigorous training from her mother, who survived the Clone Wars and Order 66. She could pass on her knowledge to young Skywalker. The daughter of Skywalker's Apprentice must not be able to help the son of Skywalker to become a Jedi. Do not underestimate their abilities."

Vader suddenly came up with an idea to turn the tide. "If they could be turned, they would become powerful allies."

Palpatine considered the plan. "Yes, yes. They could be great assets. Can it be done ?"

"They will join us, or die, my Master." Vader bowed as Palpatine's hologram fazed off.

While Luke is about to receive some training with the Force from Yoda, the crew of the Millennium Falcon will have unexpected trouble when they arrive at Bespin. Feel free to leave a review.