Author's note: Sorry for the long wait. I've been kinda preoccupied with my apprenticeship. Hope this chapter makes up for it! See the bottom for more notes.
Han Solo first met Chewbacca when he was Lt. Solo of the Imperial Fleet. He was assigned to fly the cargo freighter that carried new slaves from Kashyyyk when he saw his superior abusing one of their captives. Against his better judgement, Solo visited the injured Wookie in the ship's brig, trying to help the massive creature.
The Wookie was surprised that he understood Shyriiwook, even more so that he was apologizing for the Empire's actions against his people. Over the next few weeks, Han and Chewbacca planned an escape. Obviously, they couldn't go back to Kashyyyk, but if they could just hijack a smaller freighter, they would be able to flee to the Outer Rim.
On the day of the escape, Solo searched through the vast collection of impounded ships his star destroyer had collected. At last, he settled on a Corellian YT-1300f class light freighter. It was old and slow, but once they had escaped the clutches of the Empire and the wookies were free, Han took a liking to the ship.
With his reputation in the Imperial Navy gone, Han turned to smuggling to make his personal profit. Much to his surprise, in gratitude for freeing his people, Chewbacca pledged his life to Solo's services. Dubbing their stolen ship the Millennium Falcon, the two misfits set out to find their fortune.
Unfortunately, they ran into many problems soon enough.
After a failed job with the infamous Jabba the Hutt, the two misfits found themselves owing the crime lord a large debt. They had spent the last few years paying it off, and were now halfway through, but Jabba was not a patient Hutt. A bounty was placed on the smuggler's head, and he was running out of time. The entire Bounty Hunter's Guild was now gunning for them.
But despite the circumstances, they continued to look out for the wookies. They had recently been trailing a trafficking shipment to Riosa, and had stealthily ambushed two people who had been spying on them. Now all they had to do was get the information they needed.
"Raaagh!" Chewbacca growled as he aimed his bowcaster at their captives.
"Not yet, Chewie." Han soothed. "Let's hear what they have to say, first."
"Wait a minute…" Luke shook his head in slight confusion. "You can understand that thing?"
"Yeah, and that 'thing' can understand you. So I'd watch my mouth." He warned.
Mara's eyes remained locked on the smuggler, making sure he didn't see her reaching for her lightsaber in her coat pocket. But just as her fingers brushed against the durasteel, a laser bolt shot past her head, creating a hole in the wall. Her mouth was agape as she glanced back at the smugglers.
"Y'know, funny thing about Wookies…" Han started. "They're firm believers in life debts. Chewbacca and I go way back. I saved his life, and in exchange, he'll do whatever I say. Now, lucky for him, I don't ask for much, but is there any particular reason why I should tell him to aim a little further to the right?"
Both Mara and Luke cautiously shook their heads, making Solo smirk. "Now, what do you two have to do with the Empire's trafficking ring?"
"We're not with the Empire!" Luke defended.
"I know you're not with the Empire." Han rolled his eyes. "Otherwise you wouldn't be sneaking around them when they're transporting slaves. What do you know about it?"
Luke and Mara shared a quick glance, both unsure what to say. While Luke distracted the smugglers, Mara closed her eyes to reach out with the Force. Remembering what Garrus had taught her while they were on the run from the Empire, if she could just concentrate, the Force would reveal a person's true nature to her. But without any proper training, added to the drugs she had flooded her system with over the years, her body and mind were still in the process of reconnecting with the Force.
"Well, you see, my friends…" Luke started. "My associate and I were simply in the market for supplies my company needed. She told me that this smuggler's route offered a better deal than the Empire's commercial depots."
Han's eyebrow steadily lifted upwards. "Is that right?" Luke nodded. "That's funny… because -and I'm sure you hear this a lot- you bear a striking resemblance to the prince of that planet the Empire blew up." The smuggler leaned in close enough to see a few small beads of sweat leak from Luke's pores. "You're a bad liar, kid."
Chewbacca gave a low, throaty growl in agreement as he kept his bowcaster aimed at their captives. Han gently pushed the Wookie's weapon to the ground, easing his friend's anxiety. "So, you're not with the Empire, but you're not some snobbish entrepreneur either. Now, you either tell me who you really are, or I let Chewie use you both for target practice."
"We're with the Rebellion." Mara replied.
"Mara!" Luke lightly slapped her arm in disbelief. "You can't just-"
"We can trust them, Luke. They have no love for the Empire."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I… I just have this feeling." Mara argued. Her connection to the physical Force was still clouded, but the meditation had started to clear her mind. She could see that neither of the smugglers posed a threat to their mission.
Reluctantly, Luke decided to trust Mara's word. "Yes, we're with the Rebellion. We can help you, but we don't have much time."
"We don't need your help." Han retorted. "Just stay out of our way." Chewbacca gave another low growl, motioning to the Rebels. "No! We don't need any extra baggage, Chewie! I agreed to help the Wookies out, but we need to get back to our job!"
"You guys having trouble?" Mara cocked an eyebrow, curiously. "What's the rush?"
Han shrugged. "Not that it's any of your business, but in in a bit of trouble with Jabba the Hutt and the Bounty Hunter's Guild. And we're pressed for time."
"The Bounty Hunter's Guild?" Mara sounded impressed. "You must've screwed that Hutt over rather hard. What'd you do?"
Han peaked through the window, checking on the status of the Wookies. "I dumped a spice frigate I was smuggling when an Imperial Star Destroyer." Again, Chewbacca growled. "Even we get boarded at times! We didn't have a choice!"
"Is that so…?" Luke rubbed his chin. An idea was starting to develop in his mind. "So, if you were to rescue the Wookies, how do you plan to get them off this planet?"
"My ship, that's how." Han sneered. "The Millenium Falcon is the fastest ship in the galaxy."
"After mine, you mean." Mara interjected. "The Twilight has never even get's caught. It could fly circles around your crummy Falcon."
"I'd like to see that." Han growled.
"We'd be happy to help you." Luke offered, hastily. "The Rebellion is in need of new recruits."
"Weren't you listening, kid?" Han shot back. "If I don't pay off Jabba, I'm dead. We're only doing this because it's Chewie's people. Just stay out of our way."
Luke thought for a moment before rising from his seat. "So, the main problem you face is this debt?" Han nodded. "Very well. We will respect your wishes. Come, Mara."
The would-be Jedi followed the former prince back to her ship. She was rather confused as to why he suddenly dropped the subject, but didn't question it. Once they boarded the Twilight, Mara prepared for take-off, but Luke blocked her hand from the ignition button. "What're you doing?" She asked.
"Where's the commlink on this ship?" Even more confused, Mara pointed to a microphone on the control board. It didn't take long for Luke to understand the mechanisms of it.
[Hello? This is a restricted frequency. Who is this?"] A feminine voice asked.
"Aunt Mon, it's me, Luke. Can you please patch me into Jabba the Hutt's Palace on Tatooine?" There was a brief silence before a protocol droid's voice replied.
["The honorable Jabba the Hutt demands to know why you are wasting his time."]
Luke groaned and rolled his eyes. He was rather grateful that his parents never taught him to be so pompous. "Please inform the honorable Jabba that I wish to speak with him about a certain smuggler by the name of Han Solo."
Meanwhile, Han and Chewbacca were beginning their assault on the Imperials. Han got close to the ship while Chewbacca waited for him to give the signal for a distraction. Once the smuggler took out his blaster and nodded, his friend opened fire on the Imperial cargo ship.
"WRAAAAAAAAAGH!"
"Hey!" One of the Stormtroopers spotted the source of the attack and ordered two others over. "One of them must've escaped! After him!"
While five Troopers chased after Chewbacca, Han made his way to the ship's cargo hold. The Wookies roared in anger when they laid eyes on him, thinking that he was an Imperial agent. But once he released one of them from his shackles, their gruff screaming stopped.
"It's okay. I'm here to help." He promised. "But we have to move quickly before-"
("Hold it right there, Solo!") Han froze in terror at the sound of the Gand's voice. ("Turn around! Slowly…") Doing as instructed, Han shuddered at the sight of his best friend in the hands of two members of the Bounty Hunter's Guild. An insectoid Gand and a repurposed protocol droid.
"Hello, Zuckuss…" Han waved. "4-LOM… good to see you guys."
("I don't think so, Solo.") Zuckuss chuckled through his breathing apparatus. ("Jabba's placed a bounty on your head so huge, every bounty hunter in the galaxy is after you.")
["We are fortunate that we found you first."] 4-LOM added.
"Look… I was just on my way to pay Jabba back and I got a little side-tracked. Tell Jabba I've got the money."
("It's too late for that. Be grateful Jabba has offered the highest bounty for you alive.") Zuckuss sneered. ("You'll have that much longer to appreciate being alive."
"And what if we refuse to go along with you?" Han retorted, bitterly.
["Jabba requested that we bring you in alive."] 4-LOM aimed his blaster rifle at Chewbacca's head. ["Although, he never specified bringing you in unharmed."]
"Alright, stop!" Han shouted, throwing his weapon to the ground and kicked it over to the Gand. "Look, I'm the one who dumped the cargo, not Chewie. Just let him go and take me."
("Not a chance.") Zuckuss snapped. ("The bounty is for both of you.")
Chewbacca roared, angrily, stopped only by the barrel of a blaster digging deeper into his flesh. Han let Zuckuss put the restraining cuffs on him, then watched helplessly as he went on to restrain the other Wookies. Han knew that the Bounty Hunter's Guild often allied themselves with the Empire from time to time, but he figured they' be against slavery.
["You will now be transported to our ship."] 4-LOM ordered, coldly. ["Any attempt to resist, and we will-"]
Suddenly, a magenta blade of plasma cut through 4-LOM's arm, making him drop the blaster. This gave Chewbacca the chance he needed to grab the droid by its other arm and tear it out of its socket. Mara deactivated her lightsaber and threw Zuckuss against the wall with a desperate Force-push. Shortly after that, Luke arrived and tossed Wookie's bowcaster at his free hand. With a furious growl, Chewbacca caught his weapon and fired at the ship's main systems.
Just then, the Imperial Troopers arrived, only for the captured Wookies to trample them as they escaped, all led by Chewbacca towards the Falcon. Luke beckoned for Mara and Han to follow, but the pilot stopped dead in her tracks when she caught another glimpse of the bounty hunters.
Her lips trembled and her knees grew weak. She recognized the two criminals from her past. She recognized them as two of the six men who hunted her and her brother on Dantooine. The same six men who delivered Garrus to the Empire…
… where he was executed for being a Jedi Knight.
"Mara!" Luke shook his friend out of her trance and dragged her towards the Twilight. They followed the Wookies and Solo until they were certain they were all aboard the Millennium Falcon. Once they were all aboard, Luke shouted at Han to follow them.
Against his better judgment, Han agreed. His ship managed to get a lock on the Twilight and followed it into hyperspace.
["Zuckuss?"] The bounty hunters finally woke up as their commlink buzzed in their ears. ["Zuckuss? 4-LOM? Do you read me? Where are you?"]
("Fett!") Zuckuss answered. ("4-LOM and I found Solo and the Wookie! Their in league with the Rebel Alliance! Give us one day, and we'll-")
["Let them go, Zuckuss."] The Hunter Boss ordered. ["We've just received word from the Hutt. Solo's debt has been paid."]
Zuckuss and 4-LOM shared a confused glance. ("By whom?")
Crayt
The Twilight and the Millennium Falcon landed at the base's massive hangar. Luke was amazed at how thick the durasteel walls were, thinking it would take another Death Star to break it open. When they finally landed, Mara agreed to help the men unload the supplies while Luke explained to General Dodonna about the Wookies.
Thankfully, the general was very sympathetic to them. He offered them food and medical treatment to those who needed it, even offering them a place with the Rebellion if they wished. And although they turned him down, he agreed to help them find a new home away from the Empire's tyranny.
In the meantime, Luke was now talking to Han. "Now, Captain, I hope you'll reconsider my previous offer. About you two joining the Rebellion?"
"Look, kid…" Han sighed. "I'm grateful for your help, I admit it, but you don't know what it's like to have a bounty on your head."
"You're right." Luke replied as he crossed his arms. "Which is why I contacted Jabba the Hutt, myself, and purchased your debt from him. It took a while, but-"
"Get it through your head! The Hutts are-wait… did you just say you… you paid off our debt with Jabba?" The smuggler's lips curled upwards, as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.
"What? No, I-" Luke tried to correct the smuggler, but his voice fell on deaf ears.
"Did you hear that, Chewie?!" Han laughed, hysterically. "We're in the clear!"
"No, that's not-" Again, Luke was interrupted.
"We'll never have to put up with that slimy, piece of worm-ridden filth ever again!" Chewbacca growled happily in agreement. "This calls for celebration! Let's blow this crummy planet and-"
"HEY!" Luke's patience had finally run out. His outburst echoed throughout the hangar, drawing the attention of almost every pilot in the vicinity. Luckily, that included Solo. "Now, shut up and listen! I did not say that I paid off your debt with Jabba, I said I purchased it from him! Which means now, everything you owed him, you now owe me!"
Both smugglers were shocked at the prince's break from his usual posture. They backed away, uneasily,followed closely by Luke, who prodded at Han's chest as he continued. "But I don't want money, I want the Millenium Falcon! And the crew who pilots it! Jabba may have been a horrendous crime lord, but he never lost his planet and family! So, I will warn you once; do not even think about betraying the Alliance! This Rebellion is my father's legacy! And I will not have it ruined by some… some… stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking NERF HERDER!"
Han blinked twice as his jaw went slack. Both he and Chewbacca had written this kid off as a spineless, spoiled, rich brat who only saw the Rebellion as a profit. But never in their entire lives had either of them seen someone so serious.
Their nervous faces did not go unnoticed. Luke softened his look, surveying the surrounding area. Realizing that the pilots were all gazing at him, he straightened himself and cleared his throat before addressing Solo again. "Now… you may still do smuggling jobs on the side, so long as they don't come into conflict with the Alliance. Additionally, you will both be added to the database's roster and given a clearance code."
"So, what?" Han's brow furrowed in frustration. "We just traded one boss for another?"
"Well, I can always call Jabba and call of the deal…" Luke replied with a smug expression. When Han didn't argue, Luke shook his hand. "Welcome to the Rebellion."
Han begrudgingly returned the gesture and went back to the Wookies. Luke brushed his cape with confidence just as someone patted him on the back.
"You've got guts, your highness." Mara complimented, having heard everything. "I like it."
With that said and done, Luke made his way out of the hangar towards the command center. On his way, he spotted his friend Leia practicing lightsaber combat with Agent Fulcrum. The young prince was amazed as he watched how fluidly they both went through the motions. Flashes of blue and white plasma dancing over the walls. Leia looked as though she had been training with the former Jedi Knight for hours, given how her skin was coated in a fine sheen of sweat. She and the Togruta were now practicing more offensive techniques, used to deflect laser blasts and eventually disarm them.
Luke marveled at such an event. Growing up, his parents used to tell him fascinating tales of the legendary Jedi Knights as they safeguarded the Old Republic. Until the Great Purge that is. His boyhood dream had always been to one day meet a real Jedi, but up until recently, it had only been a fantasy.
And Leia? She had been more than a Jedi to him; she had become one of his closest friends. He wanted to spend more time with her, get to know more about her. And after conversing with Mothma and Dodonna, he'd get his chance.
"Leia!" He called out to her.
The padawan was so startled she swung her lightsaber at her friend. Fortunately, one of Ahsoka's most prominent lessons was restraint. The tip of the blade was just mere inches from Luke's chin, making Leia's eyes widen in fear. With a press of a button, the blade disappeared and Leia clipped the weapon to her belt.
"Evening…" Luke smiled, nervously.
"H-hello…" Leia replied, weakly. "W-when did you and Mara get back?"
"Only about an hour ago." He answered. "I've been meaning to talk to you."
"About what?" Leia tilted her head in confusion.
"I spoke with Aunt Mon and Uncle Jan." His smile became brighter. "They've arranged for you and Agent Fulcrum to join us in forming our own squadron."
"Really?!" Leia sounded excited.
"That's right! We'll be scouting for future bases of operation, going on supply runs, and recruiting new rebels." He explained. "We'll still have our responsibilities here, but at least the six of us will be more active."
"That sounds great!" Leia hugged him, tightly. Once he returned the embrace, her cheeks heated up. She loved the idea of spending more time with Luke, and now she would get her chance. "Wait… the six of us?" Leia's eyebrow lifted up.
"Oh, I suppose I forgot to mention…" Luke elaborated. "Mara and I 'recruited' a smuggler and a Wookie. They have their own ship, so they'll be helpful in supply runs."
"Oh…" Leia replied. "When, uh, when can I meet them?"
"Soon enough." Ahsoka stepped in. "I don't suppose General Dodonna will mind if we take a short leave?"
"Not at all, why?" Luke asked, curiously.
"Because it's time for Leia to start learning about the spiritual side of the Force." She went on. "Normally, I'd suggest we go to a Jedi temple, but the Empire has destroyed every temple I ever knew. So, we only have one option: Master Kenobi's personal journals."
"But… wasn't his only home on Tatooine?" Leia shifted, uncomfortably. Ever since what happened to her family, she had cursed that dreaded planet. But they needed Ben's journal to complete her training.
"I can go alone." Ahsoka offered. "I don't want to force you into-"
"I'm fine." Leia assured. "I'll go."
"Me too." Luke rubbed her shoulder, offering comfort.
"Don't forget me." A familiar voice piped up, and everyone looked to see the red-haired pilot, Mara Jade walking towards them. "I am this close to draining those drugs out of my system, and when I'm finished, I'll be on the same level as Leia. And there's no way I'm content to be on Hair-buns' level."
"Well, you're welcome to come." Ahsoka offered. "Normally, it'd be taboo to take on more than one padawan, but I'm not a traditional Jedi."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Luke clapped his hands together. "I'll go tell Solo and Chewbacca their first assignment has come up."
"Uh, you go on ahead. I'll catch up." Mara responded.
"Are you okay?" Leia asked, slightly worried.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll catch up." Mara repeated, waving her off.
Leia didn't question her, she just wandered off with Luke and Ahsoka. Once they were all gone, Mara's expression darkened. She backed herself into a corner of the room and slowly slid down to the floor. Only her hands muffled her sobbing as they pressed against her face. Running into Zuckuss and 4-LOM had reignited her heart-wrenching grief. The same grief she felt as a little girl that day had returned with a vengeance. All because of her memories. Horrible, painful, dreadful memories of a little girl silently begging for her brother to come back to her.
But soon, her grief turned into righteous fury as she remembered something else; a promise. A promise she made to the person the bounty hunters took from her. Her hand reached into her coat's pocket and pulled out the lightsaber of her beloved brother. Gingerly holding it in her fingers, she closed her eyes, trying to remember his face.
"I found two of them, Garrus…" She whispered. "Two of them… I haven't forgotten… I will keep my promise… the man who took you away from me… the man who gave you up to the Emperor… he will not go unpunished!"
Mara regained her footing and slowly headed for the hangar to join the others. "Boba Fett will die."
To Be Continued!
Author's notes: Whoomp! There it is! The murderer of Garrus Jade has been revealed! How will Mara find Boba Fett? What will she do when she does?