Chapter 10: Escaping Bespin

Chewie and Leia marched down the stark, white hallways in a group surrounded by stormtroopers. Calrissian led them to the other side of the building.

There was suddenly a commotion as one of the imperial officers motioned for some stormtroopers to break off from the group. Leia looked around to see where the laser blasts were coming from. The officer grabbed her roughly and dragged her into another corridor. She fought his grip, and as they rounded a corner, she saw Luke.

No, she thought. He'll be destroyed for sure. I can't lose him too.

"Luke!" she screamed desperately, "Luke don't; it's a trap!" She grabbed the doorframe to fight the men dragging her away. "It's a trap!"

The stormtroopers quickly ushered them into a closet and locked the door to be sure Luke headed toward Vader. They were close together– too close. Leia's back was pressed up against Lando. She could feel him purposely press his body against her. He placed his hand on her shoulder gently, and she shook it off with distain.

"Don't touch me," she spat at him.

"It'll be alright…" he tried to comfort her– confused as to why she responded harshly.

"When we get away from the likes of you…" she responded shortly. She tried to get as far from him as she could. She was cuddled up against Chewie, who growled quietly at him. Lando threw his hands up in defeat, letting go of Leia and backing off.

Satisfied that Luke was past them, the stormtroopers opened the door, and they once again all continued down the hallway with Lando leading the way.

Where is he taking us? Leia thought. It seems like we're walking in circles. As they rounded a corner, Calrissian's men jumped the stormtroopers, and Calrissian took their weapons.

"Well done," he said to his people. "Hold them in the security tower. And keep it quiet. Move."

Lando handed the weapons to Leia and started to take Chewie's restraints off.

"What do you think you're doing?" Leia asked, astonished.

"We're getting out of here."

"I knew all along. It had to be a mistake," Threepio added.

"Do you think that after what you did to Han, were going to trust you?" Leia was so angry she felt like she could breathe fire.

As soon as Lando got Chewie's restraints off, Chewie grabbed his neck to choke him.

Struggling, Lando choked out, "I had no choice."

"What are you doing? Trust him! Trust him!" Threepio yelled.

"We understand, don't we, Chewie? He had no choice," Leia said sarcastically.

"I'm just trying to help..." Lando whispered as he was brought to his knees by the lack of oxygen.

Leia was glad Chewie was choking him– if he weren't, she would be. "We don't need any of your help!"

Lando struggled to say something.

"What?" She asked, annoyed at him.

"Han!" he choked out.

"It sounds like Han," Threepio stated.

"There's still a chance to save Han..." Leia looked at Chewie. She wasn't sure what to do with this information. Should we risk that maybe he is being sincere? Chewie wasn't convinced and kept choking him.

"At the east... platform."

She had to take the chance. Her gut was telling her that it was worth trying. "Chewie!" She rushed away. Chewie finally released Lando and followed her.

"I'm terribly sorry about all this. After all, he's only a Wookiee," Threepio told Lando.

Leia handed one of the guns to Chewie, and they blasted a few stormtroopers at the end of the corridor.

Lando came running after them.

"What do you want?" Leia shouted at him unkindly.

"I'm just trying to help!" Lando tells her desperately.

"Then help, but I won't trust you for as long as I live," she responded coldly.

"There's a shorter way over here– follow me!" They followed quickly behind him.

The door to a platform opened, and Leia rushed outside– she was ready to fight for Han's life, but she didn't get the chance. Boba Fett's ship was already taking off. She couldn't believe they were too late.

She felt desperate as she watched the small craft carry him away. They had been so close. There was a dull pain in her stomach that made her want to throw up. All she could think was, How will we find him?

Threepio yelled, "Oh no! Chewie, they're behind you!" They exchanged fire with more stormtroopers and darted inside. They could take cover in the hallways better than on a platform.

Leia yelled to them, "Come on, we have to get out of here. We need to get to the Falcon!"

Leia blasted a stormtrooper as they all piled into an elevator. Her shooting was getting better with spite– she was so mad at the Empire right now that she felt she could take on the Emperor herself. They came to a dead end. Lando fumbled with the controls and said, "The security code has been changed."

Threepio said, "R2, you can tell the computer to override the security systems. R2, hurry!"

Lando grabbed a microphone on the other side of the wall. "Attention. This is Lando Calrissian. Attention. The Empire has taken control of the city. I advise everyone to leave before more imperial troops arrive." The ensuing panic in the city was audible.

R2 started to spark, and his head spun wildly. Chewie pulled him from the computer as he started smoking.

"This way," Lando told them.

Leia put her hand on her hip and looked at Threepio. She gave him an eye roll as she turned to follow Lando.

"Well, don't blame me. I'm an interpreter. I'm not supposed to know a power socket from a computer terminal."

There was complete chaos as they ran down the halls. Smart thinking, Leia admitted to herself, we can blend right in with the panic.

R2 found an actual computer terminal, and Leia covered one side while Chewie took the other.

He beeped a few things at Threepio, and Threepio yelled at him, "We're not interested in the hyperdrive on the Millennium Falcon. It's fixed!"

More stormtroopers showed up from both sides. They were desperate for R2 to open the door.

"Just open the door, you stupid lump!

R2 managed it, and the door opened quickly with a whoosh.

"I never doubted you for a second. Wonderful!"

Leia kept blasting as they retreated to the platform, and Lando grabbed her. She elbowed him so he would let her go.

"Get off! I don't need you to protect me!" she told him sharply.

"I think you do– Han's not here and you're putting yourself in more danger than you need to. Chewie can cover as we run. Why do you keep trying to be the one to shoot?"

"What does it matter?" she asked over the noise of the laser blasts. "Every single one of these clones needs to die– even if I have to do it myself."

"Leia," Lando said softly as he placed a hand on her shoulder carefully. "We'll get him back." She looked at him kindly with desperate eyes. "You need to get out safe, though, for that to happen. Let's go." She paused for a moment to think then nodded and retreated to the ship.

The rushed out onto the platform. R2 smoked the place out– the stormtroopers couldn't see anything. He was such a clever little droid. Leia and Lando kept firing as Chewie ran in to the cockpit.

"Leia!" Lando yelled over the blaster noise, "Go!" She reluctantly turned and joined Chewie in the ship.

They took off hastily to avoid any major blasts from the stormtroopers. It wasn't the smoothest ride, but they were away.

Leia sat in Han's chair. She suddenly felt an incredibly strong yearning. It was as if someone were reaching out to her. She cleared her mind, and she recognized the Force of the person calling her– it was Luke.

Hear me, he said. Leia...

"Luke..." she whispered in response. "We've got to go back," she stated with certainty.

"What?" Lando answered. She looked at him and Chewie. She had never been so sure of anything.

"I know where Luke is."

"What about those fighters?"

"Chewie, just do it."

"But what about Vader?"

Chewie growled at Lando.

"Alright, alright!" Lando put his hands up in defeat. Leia knew Chewie would always be on her side.

She followed the feeling, and as they approached a structure, they searched for any sign of Luke. Lando spotted him first.

"Look, someone's up there," he pointed. Luke was hanging upside down on an antenna. He didn't look like he could hold on much longer.

"It's Luke. Chewie slow down," Leia ordered. "Slow down, and we'll get under him. Lando, open the top hatch."

They approached slowly.

"Okay. Easy, Chewie." They heard the top hatch open.

Some fighters came around, and they needed to get out of there– fast.

"Lando?" she asked over the comm. link.

"Okay, let's go," he answered.

The cockpit door opened, and Leia ran to embrace Luke. She grabbed onto him tightly. Minutes ago she didn't know if she'd ever see him again, and here he was.

"Leia," he gasped. They squeezed each other in a tight hug, and she led him to a cot. He was badly injured, but he'd be okay.

"Are you alright?" Luke asked her softly.

"I'm alright," she said. She thought about it for a minute, and then she placed a hand on her abdomen and told him, "We're alright." She gave him a little smile for reassurance. "We need to find Han…" she started to tear up– realizing that she may never see him again. "I don't want to do this without him." She looked down at her stomach and wiped away a few tears.

"We'll find him, Leia. I promise."

"What did Vader do to you?" she asked as she started to assess his state.

"We had a lightsaber battle. He cut my hand off…"

"Luke! That's terrible. She unwrapped him from the blanket Lando had draped over him, and he showed her his arm."

"I'm going to try to stop the bleeding. You'll be okay. Once we get to the rendezvous point, they'll take better care of you."

"Thank you Leia…" he whispered. She sensed that he was about to lose consciousness.

"Luke stay with me, okay?"

"Vader said…"

"Luke?" His eyes fluttered as he dipped in and out of lucidity.

"Vader is… my…" Leia couldn't understand what he was saying. She gave him some pain medication and told him to rest.

She tended to his wounds as the ship was rocked by laser blasts. She clamped off the blood loss from the stump that once was his hand. He was stable for the time being. She gave him a quick kiss to tell him it would be all right and headed back to the cockpit to see if she could be of any help there.

"I'll be back," she whispered.

"Are you two doing alright in here?" she asked Lando.

"We're fine– you don't need to worry about orders here, your Highness. We have it covered. Trust me."

Leia smirked at Lando. Apparently he didn't understand how things were run around here. Even Han, who didn't exactly like orders, would listen to hers.

"I think it'd be good for you to have a woman order you around," she teased.

Lando smiled and conceded, understanding that she was only trying to help. He chuckled and said, "You're probably right."

"Stardestroyer," she points out. They went the other direction, but three fighters were still on their tail.

"Alright, Chewie. Ready for light speed."

"If your people fixed the hyperdrive. All the coordinates are set. It's now or never."

"Punch it!"

Nothing. The ship sputtered and almost lost power.

Chewie and Leia looked at each other then turned to look at Lando at the same time, both amazed that they were still in the same position as before this whole ordeal.

Lando looked around– seemingly just as confused as them. Chewie started to throw a fit, and Leia sank into a chair. One thing after another... she thought.

"They told me they fixed it!" Lando whined. "I trusted them! It's not my fault!" Chewie jumped up and ran to mess with the ship's innards– again. Leia just covered her face with her hand in defeat.

As Chewie grabbed random parts and tried to tinker with everything at once, Leia and Lando continued to try to out-maneuver the fighters. "Chewie!" Lando shouted. A few sparks flew, but nothing started.

Leia turned to see Luke wandering in to the cockpit. He looked completely out of it– he should be lying down, she thought.

"It's Vader," he whispered as he looked up at the stardestroyer. He sat down in the captain's chair and breathed heavily. "Ben," he whispered. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Leia tried to tell Luke to go lie down, but he was too out of it.

"Try the hyperdrive switch one more time," Lando told her. Suddenly, the ship jerked forward, and Leia grabbed the switch hastily. She pushed up, and they accelerated to light speed just as they were about to be sucked in by the tractor beam.

As soon as they got to the rebel command ship, Leia brought Luke to the medical ward. They gave him a mechanical hand. It wasn't the same as having the original, but it looked and functioned like he needed it to. Leia stayed by his side while he was getting treated. She was being supportive, but her mind was elsewhere as she looked off longingly into space.

Lando called Luke over the comm. link: "Luke, we're ready for take-off."

"Good luck, Lando."

"When we find Jabba the Hutt and that bounty hunter, we'll contact you."

"I'll meet you at the rendezvous point on Tatooine."

"Princess, we'll find Han. I promise." Leia didn't answer. She stared at the ground– there was so little hope to that promise.

"Chewie, I'll be waiting for your signal. Take care, you two. May the force be with you," Luke said confidently.

Chewie bellowed a reply. Leia and Luke shared a laugh.

Leia looked out into space– this whole universe– Han is out there, and I'm not with him.

Luke jumped off the stretcher and joined her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders to reassure her silently while they watched the Falcon take off. Please find him, she thought.