Probably my shortest chapter, but a lot going on here! Thanks for reading. Remember it's all just for fun.
Bespin-Cloud City
Chewbacca was livid. He had gotten up to get another plate at the buffet, returned, and Luke was gone. At first, he just figured Luke had gone to the fresher, but after sometime, there was no sign of him. He knew he had to have taken that card and went to look for that girl. Chewie finished his food then paid the bill, but there was no use in even trying to ask anyone if they had seen Luke leave because Chewie's soft howls had gone ignored. No one around seemed to understand Shyriiwook. Chewie frantically searched the corridors of the enclosed city for his friend. While he was quite angry, he still felt responsible for Luke. Because a frantic Wookiee can be misunderstood anywhere, and Lando was busy with other things, security found themselves detaining Chewbacca, who had calmed down trying to explain the situation without being understood. Chewie felt defeated, but he only hoped Luke was OK and that Lando would find out he had been detained and could sort this out.
Elsewhere in the city, the Devaronian vixen who they had spotted in the restaurant earlier making an eye for Luke looked at the small handheld device in her hand as the light was blinking. She had placed a small chip inside her card, and smiled when she saw it coming closer and closer to her. Ellian was really a bounty hunter who would take any job she could get, and could always remember a face, and this was a face she couldn't forget. She noticed his face right away in the restaurant and knew she had a great find, or at least something that could get her a few credits. She sent an off world communication to a talent agent she knew on Nar Shaddaa who managed a lot of the talent in the Outer Rim, including Max Rebo, who had noticed the amazing talents of Dak Janson at Jabba's Palace the last time he played there. They had gotten a holo while he was there and when Ellian, the Devaronian had noticed the resemblance, she knew she had to get in touch with Gwavon who gave good credits for such finds. He had been on the look out for this guy since he heard of his amazing performances at Jabba's and wanted to try to recruit him for other gigs and make him a star. When she got in touch with Gwavon though, she got a different story.
"He's bad news. Got him on Imperial wanted lists now as Tambo Sasmander. Might get something if you turn him into a local garrison. I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole myself. They might come after me next if I knew who he was," Gwavon answered in the wavering blue mist of the holo.
"Doesn't say what he did?" Ellian asked cautiously. "I mean, the guy is on his way here now! What if they think I'm his accomplice?"
"He's wanted for questioning, report to Vader himself is what it says. All I know." Gwavon answered.
Ellian thought for a moment. What to do here? Was there even a garrison here in Cloud City? She could still take him to one. Maybe she could just stall him when he gets here. She almost hoped he would change his mind. She didn't really want to get in this deep. Not with Imperial entanglements. There was no guarantee they would even give her a reward, the Empire did what the Empire wanted. She looked out of the window of her room. Cloud City's sky was beautiful, and the ships moving in the distance were beautiful. She could see an Imperial Shuttle coming though. Hmmm, maybe there was a garrison here after all or something. Did she want to risk trying to get credits another way? That was if the kid even shows up.
Down the corridor Luke walked to the location on the card. What was one more adventure? He could take care of himself? Who knows what this Dagobah was like? In his Rogue Squadron days, every day alive was a day to celebrate. She was cute, he couldn't deny that, and he always had a fondness for Devaronian women. Chewie would be mad he took off, but he'd understand. Just one more, Luke thought, one more before we leave Cloud City for good. He flicked the button on the door, a pause, and then there she was.
"Oh, hey handsome, never thought you'd take me up on my offer to come up. Come right on in," She smiled. She still wasn't sure what she was going to do with him.
The Lounge in the Administrative Offices of Baron Lando Calrissian
"How long do they expect us to wait here? They could at least offer us something to eat! It's been two hours!" Leia complained, "at least there's a water cooler here."
"Relax, I'm sure he'll show up soon. He knows me, we go way back, he won't leave us here unless it's something important. Wow, if you knew Lando like I did, and then learned he had a set up like this, you'd never believe it. The Lando I knew was all about running cons and gambling." Han whispered to Leia.
"You sure know the greatest people," Leia frowned.
"I know you, sweetheart," he looked back and smiled.
Leia give him a dirty look, "Well, right now I wish I didn't know you."
"Really?" Han exclaimed with sarcastic tone and kissed her forehead, "I'm hurt. Just wait, we'll be out of here soon, I promise you. I just hope he knows what happened to Chewie and Luke."
"Yeah, me, too." Leia leaned her head on Han's shoulder and he caressed it with his other hand.
At some point not long after, the door opened and there was Lando, bounding in the room up to Han. Han stood up in alarm, not knowing if he was going to have to defend himself or not. Lando didn't look happy.
"You sure do have a lot of guts to show up here!" Lando said with anger.
Leia stood up and backed away.
"Look if this is about..." Han started.
"Come here you!" Lando opened his arms and hugged his friend and Han hugged back. They were suddenly all smiles. Not even noticing Leia who had moved closer to the window.
Lando then whispers, "You're looking for the ship aren't you?"
"And Chewie, and our friend Luke," Han whispered back.
Leia moves up and introduces herself. "I'm …"
Han interrupts, "She's mine, don't worry about her. Now, what can you tell me..."
"Excuse me?" Leia says getting into Han's face.
Han takes her aside and whispers, "Look, it's probably better he doesn't know who you are see, and he kind of does this thing..."
"I can be more careful than that, but I'm not someone's 'thing', now if you'll excuse me," Leia says walking back over to Lando who doesn't know what to make of the whispering argument Han and his woman or whatever are having.
"I'm Leia," She says introducing herself.
Han puts his hand on his head.
"Hello Leia," Lando takes her hand and kisses it.
"Look Han, I'm kind of busy right now, but let me set you up in some quarters. Now, are the two of you sharing, or would the lady like some place a little more private," he said putting on the charm.
"She's with me and we'll share. That will be nice, Thanks. We need to get out of here soon though," then Han whispered. "About the other thing."
"I'll be around to see you soon. My man will take care of it for you. Lobot? Show my friends Draygo and his lady companion to some guest quarters. Have some food sent as well. Whatever you need, just say the word, and I'll be glad to take care of it. It's really good to see you. You might want to stay in your room though for now, there's a security issue," Lando says as he leaves quickly and whispers to himself, "Who's Luke?"
Han and Leia follow Lobot as Lando takes off with great speed.
Lobot shows them a nice suite, two rooms and a living area with a fresher. When they are left alone, Han looks around for listening and video devices. After he does his thing, he goes up to Leia and whispers, "Did you have to give him your real name?"
"I thought he was your friend," she gritted.
"He is, but, he's um, Lando." Han answered. "What's the thing with the 'security issue'."
"I've got a bad feeling about this. I know Luke is here. I don't trust Lando though, there's something about him," Leia said pacing and upset.
"Oh there certainly is, and I don't really trust him either," Han admitted. "He's my friend and all, but he'd throw you out to the rancors to save his own hide."
"Well how was I to know!" Leia shouted went to one of the rooms and slammed the door. Then she squealed,"There's a tub!"
Walking around Cloud City on his way to the berth where the Imperial welcoming party was stationed, Lando communicated a request to Lobot who had already left Leia and Han in their suite, "Have Boba Fett stunned or drugged or something, then get someone to put him on his ship, fly it out into space, and throw him out the airlock. Have it done as soon as you can. We need him gone. You know who to get who will do it. They can get the escape pod and get a pick up and brought back after it's done. Just let them think his ship flew off. It will just burn up somewhere or get hijacked or something after it leaves. I don't care. I can't afford to have him around here anymore! He always was trouble."
Lobot made some beeps and got right on to it. Lando was sweating. There was little time, he had to brief his men before that shuttle got to the dispatcher. They had let him know they were leaving the star destroyer, but it was right outside of Bespin space. Time was running out. He didn't know what he was going to do, but whatever it was, he was going to make saving himself the biggest priority.
One of the security personnel came up to Lando to get his attention. "Sir, we've just detained a Wookiee that was making a disturbance in the corridors earlier today. We've been waiting for a translator..."
"A Wookiee? I know some Shyriiwook, let me talk to him," Lando insisted.
"Right this way," the guard directed him.
As he was walking to the door, he thought to himself, 'This better not be Chewbacca'. When the door opens and he sees Chewbacca there in binders, he puts his arms up in the air in retreat. "I don't believe this. Chewbacca, what did you get yourself into."
Chewbacca tells him that Tambo got lost from him and he was only looking for him and was upset, but that people couldn't understand him so he got frustrated and then he was detained.
"Chewbacca, I'll undo your binders, but man, you are going to have to stay here for now. Trust me, it's for your safety. I'll find Tambo. I just hope he's not out there running around the city somewhere. I really wish you guys were gone by now, but can't do anything about that now. I've got some Imperial visitors coming. It's just best to keep a low profile. I know you're wanted by the Empire, Chewbacca. Just sit tight here, OK." Lando answers taking off his binders, he wasn't about to tell him that Han was here, he'd probably tear the place apart trying to find him.
Chewie howls softly.
In Chewie and Luke's abandoned room, the cleaning service had started to come because check out was supposed to have been an hour before and they hadn't officially let them know. The cleaning droids arrived, and Artoo and Threepio while making conversation with them, Threepio found them very rude and offensive so they proceeded to leave and look for Chewbacca and Luke.
"There seems to be no sign of them anywhere!" Threepio fretted.
Artoo beeped.
"We could try and go back to the ship, I suppose they may have gone there. I know Master Luke would never abandon us." Threepio said not sure where to go.
Artoo beeped for him to follow, and Threepio started to chase after him.
Outside a shuttle lands. Officials from Cloud City wait anxiously as it slowly descends down to it's berth. Running from inside, Lando quickly pauses before opening the door to catch his breath, then brushes off his clothing and waits to go out to greet the shuttle. After he hears the engines shut down, he opens the door, while his security staff wait to welcome what or whoever comes out of the shuttle. The ramp opens and six stormtroopers come out, and they move to the side at attention. Two imperial officers of some rank come out next. Lando isn't sure, never really paid attention to that kind of stuff, then he hears a sound. The sound of raspy mechanical breathing, and the large presence of Darth Vader appears.
Lando steps up to the Emperor's right hand man and extends a hand, "Hello, I'm Lando Calrissian. Welcome to Cloud City, Lord Vader."
Vader brushes away and says, "There is no time for pleasantries, Baron Calrissian. I only seek information and I expect to find it here. There will be no deceptions! Understand?"
Lando gulped, "I understand, now, tell me what I can do for you?"
"Has a ship which is known as the Millennium Falcon arrived here?" Darth Vader asked.
"Can't say I've seen that ship recently, Lord Vader. I know it well, but I haven't seen it in years. What's your interest in it, if you'll allow me to ask?" Lando asked meekly.
"It is none of your concern. I have been contacted by a man known as Boba Fett. He said he was here in Cloud City, and I wish to speak with him. Can you get him for me?" Darth Vader commanded.
"Lord Vader, Boba Fett was here, but I'm afraid he's left. I don't know where he is," Lando answered. "My dispatcher will confirm his ship left not long ago."
"Yes, deliver that to one of my men. If you'll allow me," Darth Vader started towards the opening of the landing pod. "We'd like to inspect your city."
"Follow me," Lando smiled and whisked ahead.
In Ellian's room, Luke made himself comfortable sitting on the edge of her bed, while Ellian gave his head a rub. She could tell it was a wig, but it was a good one. Whoever this Dak Janson was, he was wearing it in the picture, so maybe it was a cultural thing, she didn't know. She wouldn't have known if she hadn't touched his head, so it was a good one, "Would you like a drink, handsome?" She asked caressing under his chin.
"Sure, that would be nice," Luke smiled watching her as she loosened her top.
Ellian went to get two glasses and went to the ice bucket to take out a bottle and she poured a glass for both of them. What Luke didn't see or didn't sense was that Ellian put something else in Luke's glass. Ellian picked up the glasses and put them closer on the table nearby, then grabbed Luke's face and kissed him.
"Your mustache, it tickles," she laughed.
Luke laughed, "You're so beautiful."
"You're cute," Ellian said handing him his drink.
They clinked glasses and Luke downed his. She reached for his lips to kiss him some more, until he passed out on the bed.
"That should hold him for a couple of hours," she said to herself. Now to find those Imperials.
'He's here, I can feel him'. Darth Vader thought to himself as he took the tour. "Calrissian, do you have a detention facility here?"
"We do, would you like to inspect it, now?" Lando gulped.
"No, I'll have a crew exam it and report back to me," Darth Vader answered.
They toured his operations further and got to area where the gas was contained for shipment.
"A carbon freezing facility? Interesting," Darth Vader said observing the area with great curiousity.
"Yes, we use it it for shipping purposes," Lando explained.
Darth Vader thought to himself, if someone as powerful as he thought his son must be were captured, it would be hard to contain him. It would also be hard to hide him from the Emperor, but if he were encased in carbonite, yes, that could work. He could take him to Mustafar and hide him there. It would be perfect.
"I'll make a special note of it," Vader answered.
They walked the facility a bit more before Vader had had enough and asked to return to his shuttle. "My officers and my stormtroopers will stay here, you will make sure they are taken care of," he pointed at Lando. "I'll take that manifest now."
An assistant of Lando's produced the manifest showing when Boba Fett's ship left. Vader crushed it in his fists. He told him not to leave. Well, Fett would pay whenever he crossed Darth Vader's path again. Meanwhile somewhere out in space, Boba Fett's stunned body had been ejected while his ship flew unmanned in the vastness of space.
In Han and Leia's suite, Leia came out of the fresher from her bath with a huge smile on her face.
"That was wonderful!" she said and plopped down on the lounger.
Han sat next to her and kissed her and started to massage her neck. "Feeling a bit more relaxed?" He asked smelling her hair as he rubbed her shoulders.
"A bit, but something is still bothering me. This isn't right, it's not right at all. I know your friend said we should stay here, but maybe we should go check a few things out. Something really feels off," Leia said twisting her head back and forth.
"Maybe in a little while," Han purred in her ear and kissed her neck.
Leia smiled for a moment then said, "No, we have to get out of here. Something's happened to Luke."
Han walked up frustrated and a little bit angry. He walked out to a viewport of the city and as Han looked out of the window, he could see it. That really strange hybrid freighter that he just knew was his baby in disguise. It didn't really look like her, but he could tell it was her alright. Chewie must have done something to make it stand out less. Han called Leia over motioning his hand and pointed it out. Leia stared for a few moments, then let out a gasp.
"That's your ship isn't it? What did they do to it?" Leia asked puzzled.
"I don't know, I'm going to find out," Han said eagerly, putting his holster rig back on and getting ready to head out.
"I don't know about this," Leia bit her lip. "Take this comm with you, and be careful. Something is going on here and I don't like it."
Han grabbed her in his arms and kissed her, "I'll be alright. Make sure you have yours, too."
She looked hard at him a moment and he stared at her. As he walked to the door she called out, "I love you."
"I know," he said as he left.
Ellian found two stormtroopers mulling about near a security area and approached them cautiously. She smiled, "You fellows wouldn't happened to be looking for this man would you?"
Ellian brought up a holo.
"We're not sure, we can call it in," the stormtrooper answered. "Do you know his name, or do you just have a holo?"
"It's either Dak Janson, or Tambo Sasmander, not really sure to be honest," she grinned.
After a call and a silence, "Where is he?"
"Is there a reward?" She smiled.
"That depends ma'am, if he's where you tell us he is, there will be," the stormtrooper answered.
"Follow me, gentlemen," Ellian answered.
"CN-987 call for back up," the trooper called into his comm.
Han tried to walk through the corridors of Cloud City without being noticed. It seemed to be a shift change, or dinner or something, so there were crowds moving readily throughout. 'Just look like any good citizen walking through the city,' he thought to himself. As long as he didn't see anything of a security problem or Lando, he figured he would be alright. Hell, he might even find Chewie if he was lucky. He sort of figured out the general area where that ship was parked, and he hid around the corner. There was someone standing by the door. He heard a stormtrooper's voice off in the distance. He knew he was close if only he could get closer. He hid in a dark corner and he could see what was the shadow of a person standing by the door.
"What do you mean, Master Luke isn't here?" Threepio said hitting his friend's dome.
Artoo beeped.
"Well, I suppose you may do that if you wish," Threepio answered.
Artoo plugged into the panel to open it. He heard a blaster shot, and ran through the door opening.
"Hey you shouldn't be there!" a stormtrooper's voice yelled from far away.
A very crazy man started running. A blaster from the stormtrooper started shooting hitting Threepio and knocking him out. Artoo moved towards the ship, with Han Solo quickly picking up Threepio by the torso and racing towards the ship, with a blaster in one arm and dragging a damaged protocol droid in the other. He raced up the ramp, turned on the engines and blasted out into space.