**Chapter 9 – Mission Accomplished**

Leia turned to the wall on her right. By now she had learned by which means she would achieve the desired result. Her gaze then darted to Thrawn, who worked silently at her side. They never talked about it. Not after their first night together and neither after those that had followed. She shook her head. It was still too new and too complicated to fully understand it yet. Was she his lover? His friend? Confidante? Or merely his toy? A distraction? Or just nobody? She didn't know and neither would she ask. The real question however was: Did she love him? Sometimes, in her darkest moments, Leia was afraid she might. Whenever she thought of him, she felt an odd knot in her stomach and then they were together…well … Leia felt herself blush. She didn't believe that he loved her though, she wasn't even sure if he was capable of love. He was far too controlled and only on rare occasions permitted something like `affection´ to betray the impassive mask he wore so well. Leia sighed. Truth was, that she was sleeping with a man she might have feelings for, but could never have. Someone she should never have slept with in first place! Hence, she should not love him, even if she did…

…

"You!"

Leia spun around in alarm. Where had the guard come form? Had she really been that lost in her thoughts? Apparently so.

"You will come with me. Lord Mulkrin wishes to see you. "

Leia looked up in panic. "Why? What does he want from me? "

The Waroom punished her with a quick energy blast of his Vibrolance.

"Be quiet, slave! Or this will help you find your place!" He forcefully gripped her arm.

"Stop it!" Thrawn yelled, but two energy blasts easily brought the Chiss to the ground.

"Thrawn!" Leia tried to free herself from the alien's durasteel-grip, but this turned out to be a futile exercise and the guard only laughed at her weaknesses, while dragging her to his Lord.

…

…

"Han!" Leia wanted to run towards him, but was held back by the guard and bounced hard against his armor. Then she glanced at Han. He looked horrible. What had they done to him? Were was dried blood on his left cheek and all over his collar and he was chained to the floor.

"There she is, human. Alive and well. Now it is up to you to fulfill your part of the deal."

Han hesitated.

Deal? What kind of deal? Leia stared at her friend.

"What is it you are waiting for?" Mulkrin asked and got up, to underline his anger.

"This!" Han spun around and disarmed one of the guards that had respectfully bowed to his Lord. The alien weapon was now directed at Mulkrin.

"You wouldn't dare. The minute I die, the Princess will die as well." Mulkrin gestured to the second guard that now aimed at Leia.

Han hesitated and Lord Mulkrin grinned diabolically at Leia.

"Oh yes, it certainly would be a shame." he said casually, walking down from this command chair and then touched Leia's arm. "She might even become beautiful." Leia pulled away from him and spat in his face.

"I already told you to stay away from me!"

Mulkrin laughed. "Charming." Then he brutally turned her arm over, revealed a knife and brought it dangerously close to her throat.

"You know I will not hesitate to hurt her, so put aside your weapon. "Leia moaned softly as the knife slightly pinched her delicate skin, blood running down her neck.

Han cursed, but then put the alien blaster on the floor. Almost immediately the guard snatched it up again and roughly brought Han to the ground instead.

Han's face was twisted in pain, as Mulkrin smiled down on him, obviously enjoying the show.

"It has always been one of humanities greatest weakness – their worry for others. I should have known that you would betray me for her. Pity. But in the end it makes no difference. " Lord Mulkrin looked at Leia.

"I might have misjudged you, though. You are brave and have more fighting spirit than the average human female. Your sons will be great warriors. Maybe I should keep you for myself - as a trophy." He smiled down at Han. "What do you think, Solo?… After a proper embellishment of course. "

Mulkrin laughed when he saw Han's expression. Then he tightened his grip around Leia's arm and pulled her towards the exit.

"No, Princess, you stay with me." Leia struggled, but Mulkrin held her with an iron grip.

Han pulled at his chains, and then the reaming guard hit him with another energy burst so that the Corellian fell hard on the floor.

Suddenly he heard another, loud burst and saw the guard crushing down beside him - missing him by mere centimeters. When he turned around, he looked directly into Thrawn's face.

"Everything alright, General?"

"Perfect timing, Thrawn. As usual. How did you get here? "

"All in good time, General."

Thrawn aimed again, this time on Han's chains. After a small explosion of melted metal, he helped Han up and handed him the guards blaster. "Thanks. Mulkrin took Leia. We have to stop him!"

Thrawn nodded. "I know. I saw them. He will try to reach the surface to get to his shuttle. The next exit is located in the north of the mines. This way. "

Han felt terrible and every single bone in his body seemed to hurt. To make matters worse there was no trace of Leia yet and these never ending tunnels looked al the same to him. Suddenly they reached a door.

"We have reached our destination, General. Get ready."

…

...

The first thing Leia saw when the door opened was the space shuttle and the blaster-salves Han and Thrawn fired at them. Apparently, they had gotten here first. The Waroom guard that had been with them, went down first and Lord Mulkrin was so stunned by the sudden turn of events, that Leia used the chance to ram her elbow into his stomach, before pushing the weapon from his hand. Mulkrin went to the ground, and with that escaped a deathly slave from the Admiral. He quickly covered behind some cargo boxes and searched for his mini-blaster in his left boot. When he saw the Princess flee, he aimed for her back and Leia's body loudly crushed to ground .

"Leia!" Han yelled, but there was no answer.

Both men looked at her lifeless form in the no-man's-land before them.

"Thrawn! Give me cover! I'll get the Princess! "

Thrawn nodded and fired almost non-stop at the box, behind which the Waroom Lord was hiding, while Han ran to Leia.

Force, let her be alive!

Solo knelt down beside her and checked her faint pulse. A sigh of relieve escaped his lips and then Han pulled the princess up, swung her over his shoulders and returned to Thrawn.

…

They had to get out of her soon, before the reinforcement showed up. Thrawn caught sight of Leia, who was now peacefully resting in Solos arms. They made a good couple and it was obvious that Solo cared for her. At least it was more than pure physical attraction to him. She was lucky to have him. He winced at the thought. He knew lust and passion - both selfish and dishonest – but love...the kind of love a man should feel for this wife...he did not know. Lust, however, often faded quickly and lacked emotion, and only sometimes, on rare occasions, gave way to love…. He was not indifferent to Leia, and therefore the sight before him troubled him a little. But he also did not believe in soul-mates or love at first sight. He cared for and desired her, but didn't love her. In his opinion love, like a true friendship, needed time to grow and that they would probably never have.Suddenly a powerful energy discharge stuck the mountain formation right next to his head. Sith! This was not the time to ponder about this particular folly!

…

Once the mini-blaster denied its service, Mulkrin left his hiding-place in order to obtain the blaster Leia had previously pushed from his grasp. A grave mistake as it turned out, because the Admiral's shot did not miss its target this time. It was a perfect hit, right into the Waroom's head.

Thrawn cocked an eyebrow and turned to his comrade in arms.

"Do you think you can fly this ship, General?"

Han grinned at the Chiss. "Han Solo can fly everything."

TBC

Please leave a review!