10
Infiltration
A cacophony of footsteps shook the floor above the group. Han shook his head and looked up instinctively. Not only was the storage locker cramped, it smelled like poodoo. He choked on a stale breath and tried to keep silent. It had been at least a standard hour now. The Imperials had ordered a scan of the ship; the group was just waiting for their chance to escape.
Ben and Luke sat opposite him. They had taken to some sort of meditation and had been so quiet he had been tempted to check their pulses. Breha sat beside him, and while also quiet; her eyes were tense with fear and anger.
Han sighed for what had to be the hundredth time. This definitely wasn't what he had signed up for.
The footsteps started again and he leaned forward carefully towards Luke, outstretching a hand. The boy's eyes snapped open when he had gotten a half metre away. Han reeled back at the sudden movement, startled. In the past day he had seen how different Luke really was, but he still was reluctant to credit it to the Force.
The footfalls stopped for a moment and Han watched the ceiling. Luke did the same, his eyes peering through a narrow sliver of light behind the smuggler's head. Han smirked as the muffled voices of Stormtroopers sunk into the compartment. He could only make out a few words, mostly sharp replies of 'sir'.
Their voices slowly faded and a thud shook the small room.
"Are they gone?" Luke whispered. Han shot a glare at him, putting a finger to his lips. He hadn't heard any footsteps; for all he knew they were waiting to see if any passengers moved from their hiding spots. It wasn't likely, but he wasn't about to play a game of chance. Luke's expression turned sheepish and he became suddenly entranced in his borrowed smuggler's boots. Han leaned his head against the durasteel wall.
Only a faint vibration met his ears. He kept listening for a few moments, waiting for the voices or steps to waft back into the compartment. Minutes passed and he still heard no sound. Placated, but still wary, he kneeled and placed his palms on the compartment's lid.
"Help me with this, kid," he whispered to Luke.
Skywalker assumed the same kneeled position and they cautiously lifted the steel ceiling.
Luke nodded and inched his head up until his eyes were above the floor's level. The change in lighting burned his eyes for a moment and he blinked hard, waiting for his vision to adjust. The corridor was clear excepting a few tools that had been strewn about the hallway, most likely the result of the Stormtroopers' inspection. He turned to Han, who was also scoping the room around them.
"Nobody there, " he reported in a whisper.
Han leaned back onto his heels and shook his head. "I don't see 'em either."
The Corellian brushed off his hands and rested an elbow on the floor. The ship's stale air wasn't much better than the compartment's, but at least it didn't smell - nor was it suffocatingly hot. "Never did I think I'd be smuggling myself in there."
Luke still whispered. "How are we going to get out of here?"
Han boosted himself out of the dank room, pulling the metal lid backwards to fully open the compartment.
"They aren't going to just let us fly out of here if that's what you're asking." He then strode over to the other compartment and knocked on the durasteel roof. Chewbacca's paws appeared from beneath the floor and pushed the lid off. He let out a short trill and Han nodded in response, mouthing something to him. The wookiee nodded and stood up.
"There's got to be something we can do," Luke said, hope in his piercing blue eyes.
Han rubbed his brow. At this point he would have rather been back on Tatooine. Trying to escape from the Imperials was hard enough in the wide expanse of space. Here they were in the belly of the proverbial Rancor. "They've got shields up to stop us from leaving. Standard protocol. We aren't getting past the tractor beam" His hand fell to his side and he stood arms akimbo. "Not to mention the hangar's probably crawling with Imperials."
Skywalker scuffed the floor with his boot, his expression temporarily lost in thought. Han tried to form a plan. The shields were impossible to get through, they would have to somehow turn them off. Not an easy feat by any means. None of them were experts on Imperial technology. Chewbacca growled quietly. The ideas in his head dissipated. "That's what I was thinking, Chewie."
Luke snapped his head up. "What?"
Chewie barked twice. "Chewbacca thinks they've got a scanner team coming up. The Empire's not going to leave an unidentified ship without a search."
Ben's voice spoke from below them. "That is likely." He paused, the whirr of the hangar outside permeating the room. After a moment he continued. "It may also be our opportunity to escape."
The Wookiee trilled at Han, who turned towards Ben. "You don't mean we go in there and turn the shields off?"
The old Jedi nodded. "The shields will be easily dealt with. I will take care of the tractor beam."
"This is nowhere near my idea of easy," Han replied, shaking his head.
Luke frowned at the proposal. "Won't they realize?"
Breha stood, her voice breaking through behind them. The trio looked at her, surprised she was speaking. Her brown irises were flecked with determination. "They will find out eventually, but we cannot stay here forever. They will find us if we do nothing."
They exchanged glances for a minute.
"I hate to say it but they're right," Han grimaced, putting his palms up in defeat. They really didn't have a choice. Either way they were essentially Bantha fodder, but at least with the latter they would have the remote chance of escape. "They'll find us out either way. If we get to the tractor beam controls we might have a chance."
"I guess," Luke said, looking back at his feet. He felt anxious. Something wasn't right. He didn't know what, but something was definitely not right. The second-hand shirt he wore suddenly felt tight around the collar. Reaching a hand up to adjust it, his gaze went to Ben. The old Jedi sat quietly with his expression blank.
Luke sighed. If Ben wasn't worried it must just be nerves. He took a deep breath, hoping he could exhale some of the pent up energy.
"You alright?" Han asked.
Luke nodded and avoided the gazes of the others, which were now directed at him. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"If you say so." Han didn't look convinced. His reply was peppered with apprehension. He spun around and went up to Chewbacca, giving him a quick set of instructions.
The faint swish of Old Ben's robes came from behind him as he stood. His hand rose to his brow, concentration etched across his features. The two had been so focussed on each other they had failed to pay attention to their surroundings. There was a group just outside the ship. Their energy pulsed on the fringes of his mind. He did not expect either of them to have noticed the ripples of life in the Force, but their footfalls and the echo of their voices were both quite loud - even to his aged ears. He raised his hand up to draw the others' attention. In the moment he did, a chill passed through him. The bright spots of life vanished into darkness. He attempted to seek them out again, but they were obscured by the new energy - a swirling void that seemed to swallow all life around it. The old Jedi froze as the dark waves lapped against his psyche. Something about them was familiar, something he couldn't quite place. His breath hitched in his chest.
The feeling was fleeting. As quickly as it had come over him, it vanished. With each further second it faded into the background and then finally vanished completely. The others were still facing him, waiting for him to speak. He slowly placed his palm against the floor.
"Our opportunity is now." he advised, "Listen."
Han's hand instantly grasped his sidearm. Luke followed suit, holding his 'saber and tilting his head inquisitively before taking a hesitant step towards the boarding ramp's entrance. As he went to move forward again, Chewbacca let out a purr. Luke stopped and cast a sideways glance towards them. In the absence of his soft steps came the clanging of metal outside.
"Luke," Han whispered, waving him back towards them. Luke backpedalled and stopped alongside Han. The Corellian leaned close and lowered his voice further.
"Alright," he started, "we need to get the Stormtroopers' armour. We'll each take one of the scanners, then call the Stormtroopers aboard. Chewie'll help us out." He motioned to the Wookiee who was now hidden behind a small alcove just inside the doorway.
"And don't use that," he pointed to Luke's lightsaber, "We need them in one piece."
Luke nodded, dropping his hand to his side. He pondered Han's words for a moment, forming an argument. Han motioned to Breha and Ben to move out of the line of sight. Ben climbed out of the shallow compartment, moving to a corner with a view of the corridors. Breha remained inside, shifting to the opposite side where she was invisible to anyone entering.
The footsteps grew in intensity and the faint clacking of Stormtrooper armour came with them. Han signalled to Luke, then Chewbacca, once the sounds of movement drew closer. The armour stopped, but the sound of Imperial issue boots continued to come closer.
Two crewmen rounded the corner, setting what appeared to be scanner equipment down near the end of the hall. They stood for a moment before beginning to unpack. Their rank bars glinted in the dim light, allowing Han to keep his focus on them. They opened the box quietly; and pinpricks of red light flooded from its mouth. One of the men, average height and build with brown hair, reached in and grasped a datapad. The other squatted down and flicked a few switches. A hum emanated from the container, faintly vibrating the floor beneath them. The crewman near the ground handed the other one what appeared to be a wand. With a quick motion the man flicked the wand on. Light radiated outwards, a delicate icy blue that dusted their surroundings.
Chewbacca growled softly and tapped Han on the shoulder. They were getting close enough to find them now, the glacial light creeping into the small room where they hid. Han hesitated. If they charged him, the man's teammate could escape to the boarding ramp, alerting the entire hangar to their presence. An idea crossed his mind, bringing a smirk with it. Han turned, motioning for Luke and Chewbacca to back up.
He looked towards the room. There was nothing capable of making the type of noise he needed. Except the compartment lid. He waved to Breha, her head bobbing just above the floor. She nodded in acknowledgment. With only the rustling of his clothing sounding above the scanner team's ambient noise, he conveyed his instructions to her. He motioned to the lid and made a pulling motion. Breha nodded once more, her face serene yet understanding. She grasped the container lid, using small notches as handles to assist her in pulling the heavy metal across the floor. They all held their breath as it began to scrape lightly against the durasteel. She tugged it once again, and it grated against the floor more loudly than before.
The susurrations of the scanners ceased. In their place came whispers, then footsteps.
The trio waited in the alcove until the two men entered.
Not the smartest move, Han noted. The two of them leaving their post to inspect a noise. Of course, he wasn't complaining.
As soon as they reached the middle of the room, Han and Chewbacca charged. Han covered the brown-haired crewman's mouth, anticipating him to yell for help. Chewbacca quickly subdued the second Imperial, moving him to the far edge of the room. The other crewman wrestled himself free of Han's grasp; his hands instantly began to strike at the Corellian. Han anticipated most of the punches, blocking them, but a swiping kick knocked his feet from under him. He reached out and grabbed for the man's ankles, bringing him down as well. Han's head spun for a moment. Blood rushed to his eyes, the imaginary stars dazzling him. They both scrambled to their feet again, ready to face each other. Luke and Chewbacca were already prepared for the man to rise. Luke grabbed him from behind, and Chewbacca quickly took him out.
Han wiped a slight sheen of sweat from his forehead. His head pounded, him having taken much of the impact of the fall to his chin. Slowly he could feel the daze lifting from his vision. Ghosts of light dotted his view, and he paused a moment before deciding he could make his way down the corridor. He took another moment to catch his breath, then turned back to Luke.
"I'm going to call 'em up. Move the equipment out of there." He pointed to the box that still remained in the middle of the hall. Luke stepped forward cautiously. There was still noise nearby, but he could not pinpoint the exact source. It bothered him. He shook his head and looked to the left of the corridor, where some of their equipment had been left lying on the floor. To his surprise, Ben was already making his way to the pile of technology. The Old Jedi scooped it into his arms and took a few steps back towards the scanner box, swiftly yet carefully placing it within. He latched the box shut and waved to Luke.
Luke shook his head again and made his way to where Ben stood. His wizened face gave him an encouraging smile, one that reminded him of the lessons that he had given. The Jedi Code swirled in Luke's mind once again, and the nerves he had felt seconds ago evaporated into the quiet room. He lifted the box, feeling his strength slightly amplified by the Force. He had anticipated it to be quite heavy; it surprised him when it felt no heavier than the casing of a moisture evaporator. His pace was smooth as he located a new alcove in the corridor, shrouded by the ship's darkness. The box made little noise when he set it down and slid it into the shadows.
He turned back toward the hall. Han stood waiting. Luke nodded, backing towards the small room with the smuggling compartments. He watched as Han took a hesitant two steps towards the boarding ramp and called out.
"Hey down there, could you give us a hand with this?"
Han backpedalled, ducking into the small room as footsteps pounded up the metal ramp.
Within a few short moments, one of the two Stormtroopers had entered the corridor. Both Han and Luke could see him from their vantage point, the metal wall just barely obscuring their faces. The soldier paused, scoping the area before turning and calling to what seemed to be his partner. Out of the corner of his eye, Luke noticed Han's arm stiffen. His finger rested against the trigger; his focus on the Stormtrooper only a few metres away. Taking it as an unspoken signal to prepare himself, he stepped back slightly into the alcove and took a breath. He felt the Force hum at his fingertips - but it was of little use to him at the moment.
He peered back towards the dimly lit hallway, craning his neck to see the Trooper. A shadow stretched across the wall behind the white-plastic-clad soldier. It inched closer and took on a humanoid shape, before growing another head and splitting into two separate forms. One stretched down the hall, barely noticeable on the grey flooring. The other arched across the bulkhead, a stark contrast with the chromatic walls. The shadows began to shorten as their owners marched forward. The disembodied footsteps echoed, tinny in the metal corridor.
Three of them were approaching, not the two he was expecting. He clenched his jaw in nervousness; once more trying to repeat his teachings internally. There is no emotion, there is peace…..
Luke blinked, anticipating them to appear at any moment. Before his eyes opened again, a blaster shot rang out. His heart leaped. Adrenaline began to course through his veins; the Force tingled around his fingertips like electricity. It took him a split second to adjust, his eyes instantly searching for the source of the shot.
Han sent a glance towards him. His blaster was still raised, a thin wisp of smoke rising from the end and dissipating into the air. The Stormtroopers were rushing down the corridor towards them, the clicking of their plasteel boots sharp in the air. Luke took another deep breath, allowing his eyes to search the room. The others still remained in their places. Breha's caf-coloured eyes met his, a swirl of anxiety and bravery pouring from them. Ben's stood motionless. His breathing was calm, his attention seemingly on nothing at all. Luke knew better; the old Jedi Master was aware of everything in the room.
The clacking of boots interrupted him. Luke cut his awareness activity short, watching as the Troopers began to flood into the room. For a moment, his mind lingered on the others. The same anxiety he could see in Breha's eyes clutched at his throat, as if it had seen him as a better host. He swallowed and clenched his hand. The Force was still there, although lesser than before. It tingled slightly, dancing through his body. He blinked twice and tried to sharpen his focus. It worked, enough for the rest of the room to begin to fade away and the soldiers to take his attention. He paused. It had only been a few heartbeats, the Troopers barely into the room. Suddenly, Han darted forward.
The slow motion effect ceased, the speed of the action now dizzying. Luke rushed towards the Troopers behind Han. They raised their blaster rifles almost simultaneously, a barrage of red laser fire racing from the barrels. Luke dodged to the side; Han was already out of their range. The Corellian lurched forward again, ducking down and wrapping his arms around one of the Stormtroopers. Surprised, the Trooper tried to aim his blaster downwards. Han anticipated the move and grabbed the end of the blaster rifle, shoving it upwards and jerking it from the Stormtrooper's gloved hands.
Han swung the blaster up, aiming for the Trooper's helmet.
The Stormtrooper tried to dodge the rifle but only succeeded in stumbling backwards. A brief wave of fear caught him. In an instant, the E-11 clipped his chestplate. The force of the hit startled him further. It stung for a brief moment, burning in his throat before fading away. He reached for his comm instinctively. If he couldn't avoid the assault, he could at least call for back-up and alert the others stationed outside. His focus went to the small bar and he opened his mouth to speak.
He looked up again, the message on the tip of his tongue. Becoming distracted by his comm was a grave mistake. Han had closed the narrow gap, the rifle clutched in his hands. He swung it, and the Trooper barely had enough time to raise his hands. It made contact with his chin, dazing him and stopping him from avoiding the next blow. The last thing he saw was the Corellian swing the rifle once more, the last thing he heard the crack as it hit his helmet forcefully. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Han pulled his helmet off almost as soon as he had hit the ground and tossed it to the side. He surveyed the room. Chewbacca had already dispatched his Stormtrooper, and held the plastoid helmet beneath one furry arm. With a trill, he tossed it to Han. The Wookiee then turned and lumbered towards a far corner of the room. Luke had cornered the final Trooper, his rifle lying in the middle of the room.
Han yelled out, hoping to draw the soldier's attention away from Luke. Chewie had already made it to where they stood, Luke dodging the Trooper's blows but not succeeding in landing any of his own. His blue eyes glanced up. Acrid smoke from the blaster fire still hung in the air, dulling his senses. Han waved to him, pointing to where the Wookiee stood. Luke took a step back. He wanted to let the Stormtrooper corner him, to let Chewbacca grab him from behind. With agile footwork, he made it to the corner. The Trooper followed him; his attention not once leaving Luke's movements. Luke ducked. The Stormtrooper saw it as his opportunity, and jabbed his armoured fist toward Luke's head.
Before his hand had even made it halfway, Chewbacca's arm swung downwards onto his helmet. The armour clacked together and the Stormtrooper staggered. In a blink of the eye, he was down on the ground. Luke rose from his crouched position and stepped forward, closer to where the Trooper lay. He let his eyes wander, wondering whether Han still needed help.
Han was kneeled across the room. Next to him lay various pieces of armour, stripped from the second Trooper. Luke followed suit, slowly disassembling the armour of the Trooper. Chewbacca helped him, and as he glanced about the room he noticed Breha and Ben doing the same. Despite the sound of movement and the plastic armour clicking as it was disassembled, voices from the hangar still permeated the air.
He worked as quickly as possible, hoping that the other Imperials would not discover their plan.
-xXx-
Luke readjusted the helmet and tried futilely to wipe sweat from his chin. The armour was far more uncomfortable than the smuggling locker. The helmet was too large, and rolled from side to side with every step he took. Climate control was not an option, neither him nor Han knew how to work the suit. With the chance they could alert the other Stormtroopers to their presence, neither wanted to try and figure it out. One thing was for certain; the armour was a lot less glamorous than he had imagined.
Han was still putting the armour together. His arms were bare and the helmet still lay askew on the ground. Luke tapped his foot anxiously. Despite the suit being stifling, he could still hear the activity beyond the ship walls.
Breha and Ben spoke in the small niche, their voices so soft he had to focus intently to catch even the occasional word. They spoke of a woman, no doubt of the Senator they had come to rescue. Breha also mentioned something of her daughter, then Bail, her speech becoming strained as she said their names.
He could not discern any more of what they said. His attention floated to the corridor. Han was standing now, but the suit was still not completely assembled.
Static filled his helmet suddenly, startling him.
A voice broke through. "TX-421."
Luke's head jerked up, looking at Han and Chewbacca. They had both heard the message, from the looks on their faces. Breha stood and motioned to the corridor.
"Go," she whispered, "distract the officer momentarily."
She turned Artoo on quickly, looking to Ben.
Ben looked to Chewbacca and Han, catching on to Breha's plan. "Proceed to the command office, wait behind the doors. We will follow behind." With a quick and cautious step, the Jedi turned Threepio on. His eyes glowed to life and Ben quickly cut off his vocoder, anticipating the inevitable spew of conversation.
Luke clambered for the boarding ramp, noticing that Han followed close behind, his armour now completely assembled.
"TK-421," the voice called again, more insistently. The static buzzed in his ears, making it difficult for him to hear the activity of the hangar. A bout of anxiety flared in his chest as he reached the turn in the corridor. Their plan would be foolish if the hangar was filled with Imperials.
The disembodied voice continued, annoyed at this point.
"Why aren't you at your post? TK-421, do you copy?"
Luke stepped down the ramp and searched the wall in front of him. He waved to a window halfway up. Giving a short nod, he continued walking until he reached the ground. A man, evidently the source of the voice, watched as he proceeded down the ramp. Finishing his charade, Luke pointed to his helmet as if to say his comm was no longer working. It seemed they understood. The man nodded and turned away from the window.
Luke turned himself, ushering the group down the boarding ramp and towards a small alcove. Within it's confines there was another steeper ramp leading to the command office. They snuck quietly beneath the Falcon, quickly making their way into the protective shadows of the gallery. They proceeded up the ramp cautiously. It levelled out into a small platform ahead of them and then made a sharp turn, Although the space was quiet - barring the ambient buzz of machinery - there was no promise that more Stormtroopers did not await them. Han and Chewbacca disappeared around the bend first, no doubt to get rid of the officers that lurked above.
Casting a final cautious glance to the empty hangar, Luke hurried to catch up with the group.
