"You increase your troubles when you breed
War in your gloomy soul;
There's no fighting the strong."
—Electra
Chapter Ten: No Fighting the Strong
Han ushered everyone into the hallway, where he immediately started pulling apart the floor.
"Under here." He stated. "This is usually used for mass storage, but it'll fit all of us."
"It'll keep us safe from their eyes, but what is there to stop them from using scanners?" Luke asked.
"You let me deal with that." Connan ordered. She turned to C3PO. "You first."
"What?" C3PO gasped. "Hide down there? Ma'am, it's filthy."
"I'm not going to argue with a droid about this." Connan barked, calling a lightsaber out and igniting it. She held it to C3PO's chin. "Either you get in there quietly in one piece or you'll get in there quietly in many pieces."
C3PO took a look at the hole in the ship and back to Connan. "I believe you're right. It is the safest place to hide."
"Smart. Help him down." Connan said, sheathing her saber and putting it back. She and Han grabbed both sides of 3PO and lowered him down.
"Wait a minute. How will we know when it's safe to come out?" Luke asked. "How will you keep us from being detected?"
"Never mind. Just get in!" Connan shoved a Luke, who took the hint and jumped down into the space.
Mission and Chewbacca jumped in after and helped Obi Wan get down before Han and Carth jumped in.
Connan grabbed R2-D2 and pushed his forward a bit. "All right, R2. Here you go." She held onto his head and pushed him off the side, where Han and Carth caught his feet and set him down.
Connan leapt in last, dragging the floor with her and settling it back in place.
"Keep still." She ordered. "Don't make a sound."
She closed her eyes and focused. Her mind's eye opened up and she started layering a cloak onto the hidden occupants.
"Close all outboard shields." Rang around them. The ship jerked as it landed, jostling Connan's cloak around a bit. She stretched it out over everyone, putting an extra few layers of Luke and Obi Wan, who would be more easily noticed than others because of their Force affinity.
As had happened in Atris' Jedi Academy on Telos, an extra wave of Force bounded around them. This time she was ready. She grabbed onto it before it could do any harm—like add another layer to the shield she'd made and hurt someone—and forced it outward.
It felt strange, doing two things at once and still having leftover energy. She could keep control of the buffer around them and keep track of the people outside the ship, monitoring who came in and who came out so they would know when it was safe to move.
Connan made a sweep around the large hangar they were in with her mind, counting the number of Stormtroopers. There were many of them, actually. They stood straight and silently while they were given orders.
Then someone else stormed into the room, someone she hadn't felt for months, though she supposed years would be the term to use in this era. She felt him immediately, as remnants of her old bond formed a weak link between the two of them.
It was Ani. He was there. She could feel him, she knew it was him; the familiarity of his Force was no mistake.
Yet, it wasn't Anakin. His thoughts were constantly on hateful things, and his entire aura was red-tinged. He walked briskly and roughly, as if he neither needed nor wanted any leisure time of his own to let off steam. He basked in his anger and hatred, and other ugly things that twisted people into machines of evil.
This wasn't Anakin Skywalker, Connan realized. Anakin Skywalker was dead. No, this was someone new. This was Darth Vader.
Connan whimpered.
"What is it?" Carth whispered.
Connan shuddered, wiping the cold sweat that had suddenly come across her forehead. "Vader." Her voice nearly cracked while saying the name and she stopped to clear her throat silently, giving Carth enough time to look completely horrified. "Vader's here."
Carth's arms went around Connan and he tugged her close.
"Old friend?" Han whispered.
"Something like that." Carth replied.
"Will he be able to find us?" Obi Wan asked.
"If he stays outside the ship, no. If he comes on, I'll have to add another layer." Connan stated.
Obi Wan nodded and remained silent.
The ramp opened and the Stormtroopers started filing through, checking all the rooms, going through all the files, checking the navicomputer; going through everything they could to try and find life.
It was a good thing Han kept everything on ghost files, where the information was counted as lost unless Han wanted to pull it up. Connan was suddenly thankful that she'd had the sense to keep her things with her at all times, so they couldn't find her lightsabers and start getting crafty in their searching.
The men walked right above them a time or two. Connan kept as still as anyone else, simply breathing in the air and trying to keep calm. As of yet, Vader hadn't tried to make an appearance on board, but that might only be because he felt something strange about him and needed time to investigate it before he went into an unknown ship.
Finally, after ten minutes of fruitless searching, the Stormtroopers left. Connan didn't move still, causing the others to keep as silent as she. Connan reached out farther, so she could actually see what was going on outside, instead of just listening to the Stormtroopers report to their leader.
Connan didn't pay attention to how many Stormtroopers she saw. She was focused on Vader. She wasn't sure what she had expecting, because the last time she saw Anakin, he was trying to kill them and he had been practically burned alive, but she knew she wasn't expecting the large black costume. She could feel the wires and machines attached to him, keeping him alive. He really was more machine than man. His torso and his head were the only two things on him that were truly his. Connan cringed as she remembered why everything else wasn't.
But still, Vader looked intimidating. His breathing mask was a large helmet, and made deep suction noises as he inhaled and exhaled. Inhale, exhale. It also changed his voice; she could tell that if he spoke, it wouldn't sound like the Anakin Skywalker she remembered. It would sound like a darker, hateful Darth Vader.
The leader of the group of Stormtroopers nodded at his regiment and turned to Vader.
Inhale, exhale.
"There's no on aboard, sir. According to the log, the crew abandoned ship right after takeoff." The leader reported.
Connan cast a glance at Han. He must have kept that in his original files, just in case something did happen to them on the way. Smart move. She gave him a quick smile.
Han smirked back, but she could tell he wasn't too sure about what she was smiling for.
"It must be a decoy, sir." The leader continued. Inhale, exhale. "Several of the escape pods have been jettisoned."
Connan frowned. She never even remembered to check the escape pods.
Inhale, exhale. "Did you find any droids?" The actual voice of Darth Vader startled Connan for a moment. It was brash, angry, yet strangely mechanical. She scoffed. He was going all out to sound completely robotic.
Inhale, exhale.
"No, sir." The leader answered. "If there were any on board, they must also have been jettisoned."
"Send a scanning crew aboard." Vader ordered. Inhale, exhale. "I want every part of this ship checked."
The leader bowed. "Yes, sir."
Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Vader looked up at the ship and turned his head, studying the whole thing. Connan could practically see his thoughts crease; he was on the edge of figuring something out, and he wasn't sure what it was.
For good measure, Connan sank a bit deeper into the cloak. "I never thought I'd see the day when I was hiding from Anakin." She thought.
"I sense something," Vader mumbled. Connan tried not to react to the words. "A presence I've not felt since…."
Pain bit a Vader's thoughts, causing him to stop his sentence. He turned and stormed out.
"Get me a scanning crew in here on the double." The leader ordered. "I want every part of this ship checked."
Connan finally pulled the cloak completely off, breathing in a breath of fresh air.
"He didn't find us," She reported. "He thought he found something for a second, but he walked off. He didn't try to find us."
Obi Wan grimaced. "What now?"
"They're sending in a scanning crew. We can take them out easily enough without getting caught."
"Well, let's get out of here before we make and finite plans." Han stated, pushing the floorboard up and looking around warily.
"Boy, it's a good thing you had these compartments." Luke said as he handed R2-D2 to Han and they pulled him out.
"I use them for smuggling." Han answered. "I never thought I'd be smuggling myself in them."
"Well, it's a good thing you don't have many escape pods," Connan said. "They checked those. It's one of the reasons why they don't think there's anyone here; there are practically no escape pods on this ship at all."
Han shrugged. "I tend to think ahead on some things." He held out his hand and hoisted Connan up. Then he shook his head. "Hiding on my own ship. This is ridiculous. Even if I could take off, I'd never get past that tractor beam."
"We'll just have to shut it off, then." Connan shrugged, grabbing onto Mission and pulling her up.
Carth lifted himself upward and turned around to help Obi Wan. "I suspect Connan already has an idea?"
Connan simply grinned.
"Leave the tractor beam to me." Obi Wan insisted.
"Damn fool, I knew you were going to say that." Han groaned.
"Who's the more foolish: the fool, or the fool that follows him?" Obi Wan retorted.
Connan barked out a laugh. "Too true." She nudged Mission. "Mish, you go with him." Connan saw Obi Wan about to protest and cut him off. "She's the best stealth person in the galaxy, trust me. She can stay out of sight just as easily as you can, and she's a great fighter."
Chewbacca threw C3PO out of the hole before jumping out himself. He shut the floors back up and stretched.
"She won't be in the way?" Obi Wan asked, inspecting Mission.
"In the way?" Mission asked, clearly insulted.
"No," Connan interrupted them both from starting an argument. "She won't be in the way at all. She's great with machines, too."
"Yeah," Mission cut in. "So if you need help with taking down the tractor beam, you just say the word and I'll get right on it!"
Obi Wan nodded. "All right. Come along, but don't get lost."
Connan clapped Mission on the shoulder. "And don't die on us."
Mission, who had read Connan's datapads and had been there to listen to Donella, Bastila, Jolee, and Carth gang up on her about keeping the getting-home-by-dying plan a secret for such a long time, knew what she was talking about and laughed.
"Please, Connan. I'm not nearly as old as you are. A simple little mission isn't going to kill me."
XXXXX
Connan and Carth made short work of the two people scanning the ship. They knocked their heads together and knocked them out instantly.
"Hey down there!" Han called down the ramp to the two waiting guards. "Could you give us a hand with this?"
The two Stormtroopers shrugged and trotted up the ramp into the ship.
Luke clocked one on the head, and the other took a swing at Connan before Han slammed his fist into the man's helmet a little too roughly, knocking the man completely out and bruising up Han's hand.
Luke and Han put on the two Stormtrooper outfits. Connan had to laugh. It became extremely apparent just how short Luke was when he put on the huge armor; it practically engulfed him. She held a hand in front of her mouth to keep from giggling.
"Well," Han stated. "We've got half a plan. Now what?"
Connan grinned. "You stay here," she instructed Luke. "And we'll make our way down to the control room. Once we're inside join us."
Luke groaned. "Why do I have to stay here?" He asked.
She ignored him. "Stand here and act like you have a bad transmitter. When they open the door to fix it, we'll surprise them and take them out. It's simple, really." She winked.
"All right." Luke conceded. "But you owe me."
Connan smirked. "Right."
XXXXX
It wasn't all that hard, really, to get a group of their size up to the control room. There weren't that many people playing guard, and the control room itself only had one window to look into the hangar with. So long as no one looked out that window, they were fine.
Connan and Carth stood directly in front of the door, with Han in Stormtrooper mode behind them and Chewbacca next to him. Behind all four of them stood Obi Wan and Mission, who were discussing tactics on getting to the tractor, the two droids listening aimlessly.
When the door opened, Connan had her sabers out and cut down the man standing in front of her. Carth pulled out a blaster and shot the man on the other side of the room at the desk.
Connan entered the room and looked around. She tuned out Chewbacca's roaring; they were just victory cries, and besides, she needed to concentrate on where the power console to the tractor beam was. She pushed the dead man out of the chair and sat in it herself.
"R2," She said. "Go to work."
As the droid set to the task of finding the tractor beam controls, Luke came in and sealed the door. "Between his howling and your blasting everything in sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know we're here."
Connan snorted. "Bring them on." She held her hands out to her sides. "I've been itching for an actual fight."
"I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around." Han agreed.
R2-D2 beeped.
"We found the computer outlet, sir." C3PO translated.
"Hack into it." Connan ordered. "He should be able to interpret the entire Imperial network."
R2-D2 plugged into the computer and got started. He kept beeping and talking to himself, mostly numbers to remember and sequences he would have to backtrack.
Finally, he started beeping actual sentences again. Connan nodded to R2-D2 even before C3PO translated it for the rest of them.
"He says he's found the main controls to the power beam that's holding the ship here. He'll try to make the precise location appear on the monitor.
Neon green images flashed along the square black screen in front of them.
"The tractor beam is couple to the main reactor in seven locations." C3PO explained. "A power loss at one of these terminals will allow the ship to leave."
Obi Wan sighed. "I really don't think you guys can help." He admitted. "I will go alone. I'm sorry, Mission."
"Whatever you say." Han shrugged. "I've done more than I bargained for on this trip already."
"Aww, but I want to go with you!" Mission whined.
"No," Obi Wan shook his head. "Stay here. This isn't just about the tractor beam anymore."
Connan sighed. "It's about Vader, isn't it?" She thought to him.
He simply nodded.
"All right." She conceded aloud. "Make your peace with him and return to us as quickly as you can. Mission, let him go alone."
Mission folded her arms and huffed, but she moved out of the way.
Obi Wan saw the look Luke was giving him and shook his head. "You've got to stay here and watch over the droids. They must be delivered safely or other star systems will suffer the same fate as Alderaan." He put his hand on Luke's shoulder. "You destiny lies on a different path from mine."
Obi Wan unsealed the door and looked at Luke. "The Force will be with you always."
Connan felt the overwhelming need to hug Obi Wan. She ran toward him and flung her arms around him. He snorted, but hugged back.
"Good luck, you damned old man." She whispered.
Obi Wan pulled her back and gawked at her, amused. "You're older than me, you know."
Connan grinned. Obi Wan patted her on the head and left.
Chewbacca placed his hands on his hips and growled.
"You said it, Chewie." Han agreed. "Where did you dig up this old fossil? Why did he say you were older than him?"
"Ben is a great man." Luke said defensively.
"Yeah, great at getting us into trouble." Han spat.
"What makes you think this is his fault?" Connan asked.
"I didn't hear you give any ideas." Luke replied.
"Well, anything's better than just hanging around, waiting for them to pick us up." Han growled.
Luke gawked. "Who do you think—"
R2-D2 beeped loudly, interrupting everyone. He began chanting the same thing over and over.
"She's here! I found her!"
"What? Found who?" Connan asked, rushing over to the little droid.
"What is it?" Luke asked.
"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure, sir." C3PO replied. "He says 'I've found her' and keeps repeating 'she's here.'"
"Who, R2?" Connan repeated.
"Princess Leia."
Connan stood. "Where?"
"Princess Leia." C3PO answered Luke.
"The princess? She's here?" Luke asked.
Connan slapped her forehead. "Well, if this isn't irony, I'm not exactly sure what is."
Carth agreed. "We should get her away from Vader."
Han sighed, shaking his head. "Princess? Don't tell me. She's another old friend of yours."
Connan shook her head. "I was there when she was born, is all. Carth and I both were."
"Where is she?" Luke asked.
"What's going on?" Han asked when people started ignoring him.
R2-D2 beeped, and a few seconds later C3PO translated. "Level five, Detention Block AA-23."
"Oh, no." R2-D2 beeped. "They've got her scheduled to be terminated."
Connan's anger flared so quickly she didn't even hear the golden droid's translation. She turned and gathered up her bag. Carth and Mission followed her.
"Oh, no!" Luke gasped. "We've got to do something!"
"What are you even talking about?" Han drawled, throwing his hands into the air.
"The droids belong to her." Luke explained. "She's the one in the message. We've got to help her."
"Now look," Han growled. "Don't get any funny ideas. The old man wants us to wait right here."
"That's right." Connan replied. "You guys stay here. Carth, Mission and I will take care of this."
"But Connan, he didn't know she was here!" Luke pleaded. "If he knew he wouldn't have told us to stay here." He turned to the droids. "Just find a way back into the detention block."
"He told you to stay here." Connan retorted. "He can't tell us what to do."
"Any why not?" Han asked.
Connan's eyes glinted. "We're in a category all our own."
Han crossed his arms and shrugged, sitting down at the chair. "Well, I agree. I'm not going anywhere."
"They're going to execute her." Luke implored.
"Not if I get to her first." Connan replied.
"Wait, Connan. Please." Luke asked so politely, Connan huffed and crossed her arms, waiting. "Look, a few minutes ago you said you didn't want to just wait here to get captured." Luke continued. "Now all you want to do is stay?"
"Marching into the detention area is not what I had in mind." Han snapped back.
"But they're going to kill her!"
"Better her than me."
Luke paused. "She's rich."
Chewbacca growled enticingly. Han slowly turned back around to face Luke. "Rich?"
Luke nodded. "Mmm-hmm. Rich, powerful; listen, if you were to rescue her, the reward would be…." Luke stopped to think of a number.
"Be what?"
"Well, more well than you can imagine." Luke challenged.
"I don't know," Han smirked. "I can imagine quite a bit."
"You'll get it."
"I better."
"You will."
Connan couldn't help herself. She let out a small laugh. Mission and Carth shared an amused look.
"Not bad, Luke."
"All right, kid. You'd better be right about this." Han grumbled.
"Hey, don't worry about it." Connan waved a hand in the air. "If you really don't want to go, Mission, Carth, and I will do just fine. Trust me."
Han groaned. "Well, I guess I can't leave you to fend for yourself out on the entire ship. I'm sure you won't let yourself get hurt, but I just don't want to take the chance." He stood, ignoring Carth's dark looks and Connan's frown. "All right, I'm in. What's the plan?"
"Um…" Luke looked around before placing his gaze on a pair of handcuffs. "Ah! 3PO, hand me those binders, there." C3PO picked up the heavy golden cuffs and handed them to Luke. "Okay, now…." He walked up to Chewbacca. "I'm going to put these on you."
Chewbacca threw his arms in the air, out of Luke's reach, and roared.
"Okay…." Luke shrugged. "Han, you—you put these on him."
"Calm down, Chewie." Connan said. "It's all right."
"Yeah," Han agreed, pulling at Chewbacca's wrists and fastening the links around them. "I think I know what he has in mind."
"Master Luke, pardon me for asking, sir, but what should R2 and I do if we're discovered here?" C3PO asked as Connan finally ushered Carth and Mission out the door. Han and Luke followed, pulling a chained Chewbacca along with them.
Connan shrugged. "Hide?"
"Lock the door." Luke suggested, slipping his Stormtrooper helmet back on.
"Fake being a Sith droid and tell them where we went?" Mission stated.
"Hope they don't have blasters." Han agreed.
Chewbacca growled in agreement.
"That isn't very reassuring." C3PO grumbled as the door sealed shut behind them.
XXXXX
Well, I'm done for today. How was your Thanksgiving? Did you do anything interesting? I saw three movies, three days in a row! I saw Bolt (cute) on Tuesday, Twilight (Not too horrible) on Wednesday night, and Role Models (I laughed so hard I almost threw up) on Thursday, Thanksgiving!
Friday we had a football game in Abeline, three our four hours away from where we live. Because they're cheap on the band, we had to take the regular school busses. THAT wasn't fun at all. We won, though, 55-15, and we're facing Stephenville next week again (we beat them last time with something like 69-3), but we don't know where for the quarterfinals.
I'm going to go see Twilight again today, because my friend wants to see it and I'm not adverse to seeing it twice. It's not like I paid for it the first time, right? Lol.
I have region for my music this Wednesday. If I get in I'll do a jig and call my old band director, and then rant about it in next Sunday's chapter. Wish me luck! Please?
I'm on chapter 31 and I'm 1:12:30 of the way through. Come back next week!
Amme Moto