Balance of the Heart
Chapter 36: Return of the Jedi Part 1
Luke Skywalker has returned to his home planet of Tatooine in an attempt to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of the evil gangster Jabba the Hutt alongside his family.
Little does Luke know that the GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun construction on a new armored space station even more powerful than the first dreaded Death Star.
When completed, this ultimate weapon will spell certain doom for the small band of Rebels struggling to restore freedom to the galaxy...
In Tatooine...
Threepio and Artoo made their way along the road toward the ominous palace of Jabba the Hutt.
Artoo beeped a response.
"Of course I'm worried and you should be, too."Threepio stated. "Lando Calrissian and Poor Chewbacca never returned from this awful place."
Artoo whistles timidly.
"Don't be so sure."Threepio shot back. "If I told you half the things I've heard about this Jabba the Hutt, you'd probably short-circuit."
The two droids fearfully approach the massive gate to the palace.
"Artoo, are you sure this is the right place? I better knock, I suppose."Threepio suggested.
He looks around for some kind of signalling device, then timidly knocks on the iron door.
"There doesn't seem to be anyone there."Threepio said. "Let's go back and tell Mistress Seira."
A small hatch in the middle of the door opens and a spidery mechanical arm with a large electronic eyeball on the end, pops out and inspects the two droids.
"Tee chuta hhat yudd!"A strange voice said.
"Goodness gracious me!"Threepio said in fright and points to Artoo then to himself. "Artoo Detoowha bo Seethreepiowha ey toota odd mischka Jabba du Hutt."
The eye looks from one robot to the other, there is a laugh then the eye zips back into the door.
The hatch slams shut and Artoo beeps his concern.
"I don't think they're going to let us in, Artoo."Threepio admitted. "We'd better go."
Artoo beeps his reluctances as Threepio turns to leave.
Suddenly the massive door starts to rise with a horrific metallic screech.
The robots turn back and face an endless black cavity.
The two droids looked at each other, both afraid to enter.
Artoo starts forward into the gloom followed by Threepio.
Threepio rushes after his stubby companions.
The door lowers noisily behind them.
"Artoo, wait, oh, dear! Artoo!"Threepio said nervously. "I really don't think we should rush into all this."
Artoo continue down the corridor with Threepio following.
"Oh, Artoo, wait for me!"Threepio begged.
The door slams shut with a loud crash that echoes throughout the dark passageway.
The frightened robots are met by two giant, green gamorrean guards, who fall in behind them.
Threepio glances quickly back at the two lumbering brutes, then back to Artoo.
One guard grunts an order and the two droids beeps nervously.
"Just you deliver Mistress Seira's message and get us out of here."Threepio said. "Oh my! Oh! Oh, no."
Walking toward them out of the darkness is Bib Fortuna, a humanlike alien with long tentacles protruding from his skull.
"Die Wanna Wanga!"Bib replied.
"Oh, my! Die Wanna Wauaga."Threepio said. "We-we bring a message to your master, Jabba the Hutt."
Artoo lets out a series of quick beeps.
"...and a gift."Threepio finsihed and looked at the droid. "Gift, what gift?"
Bib shakes his head negatively. "Nee Jabba no badda, me chaade su goodie."
He holds out his hand toward Artoo and the tiny droid backs up a bit, letting out a protesting array of squeaks.
Threepio turns to the strange-looking alien.
"He says that our instructions are to give it only to Jabba himself."He replied.
Bib thinks about this for a moment.
"I'm terribly sorry."Threepio stated. "I'm afraid he's ever so stubborn about these sort of things."
Bib gestures for the droids to follow.
"Nudd Chaa."He said.
The droids follow the tall, tentacled alien into the darkness, trailed by the two guards.
"Artoo, I have a bad feeling about this."Threepio admitted nervously.
In Jabba's Throne Room...
The throne room is filled with the vilest, most grotesque creatures ever conceived in the universe.
Artoo and Threepio seem very small as they pause in the doorway to the dimly lit chamber.
Light shafts partially illuminate the drunken courtiers as Bib Fortuna crosses the room to the platform upon which rests the leader of this nauseating crowd, Jabba the Hutt.
The monarch of the galactic underworld is a repulsive blob of bloated fat with a maniacal grin.
Chained to the horrible creature was the beautiful alien female dancer named Oola.
At the foot of the dais sits an obnoxious birdlike creature, Salacious Crumb.
Bib whispers something in the slobbering degenerate's ear.
Jabba laughs horribly, at the two terrified droids before him.
Threepio bows politely.
"Good morning."He said.
"Bo Shuda!"Jabba responded.
The robots jump forward to stand before the repulsive, loose-skinned villain.
"The message, Artoo, the message."Threepio reminded.
Artoo whistles and a beam of light projects from his domed head, creating a hologram of Seira on the floor.
The image grows to over ten feet tall and the Jedi towers over the space gangsters.
"Greetings, Exalted One."Seira greeted. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Seira Skywalker, Jedi Knight and friend to Captain Solo, I know that you are powerful, mighty Jabba, and that your anger with Solo must be equally powerful, I seek an audience with Your Greatness to bargain for Solo's life."
Jabba's crowd laughs at her response.
"With your wisdom, I'm sure that we can work out an arrangement which will be mutually beneficial and enable us to avoid any unpleasant confrontation."Seira commented. "As a token of my goodwill, I present to you a gift these two droids."
Threepio was startled by this announcement.
"What did she say?"He asked nervously.
"...both are hard working and will serve you well."Seira assured.
"This can't be!"Threepio panicked. "Artoo, you're playing the wrong message."
Then Seira's hologram disappeared.
Jabba laughs while Bib speaks to him in Huttese.
"There will be no bargain."He said. "I will not give up my favourite decoration, I like Captain Solo where he is."
The Hutt laughs hideously and looks toward an alcove beside the throne.
Hanging high, flat against the wall was Han in carbonite.
"Artoo, look!"Threepio said nervously. "Captain Solo and he's still frozen in carbonite."
One of Jabba's Gamorrean guards marches Artoo and Threepio down a dank, shadowy passageway lined with holding cells.
The court of Jabba the Hutt was in the midst of a drunken and raucous party.
Sloppy, smelly monsters cheer and make rude noises as Oola in front of Jabba's throne.
Jabba leers at the dancers with a lustful gleam in his eye beckons Oola to come and sit with him.
She stops dancing and backs away, shaking her head.
Jabba gets angry and points to a spot next to him. "Da Eitha!"
The female alien shakes her head again and screams.
"Na Chuba negatorie Na! Na! Natoota..."Oola replied.
Jabba gets furious and pulls her toward him tugging on the chain. "Boscka!"
He pushes a button and before the dancer can flee, a trap door in the floor springs open and swallows her up.
As the door snaps shut, a muffled growl was followed by a hideous scream.
Jabba and his monstrous friends laugh hysterically and several revealers hurry over to watch her fate through a grate.
Threepio cringes and glances wistfully at the carbonite form of Han Solo, but was immediately distracted by a gunshot off screen.
An unnatural quiet sweeps the boisterous gathering.
On the far side of the room, the crush of debauchers moves aside to allow the approach of two guards followed by Boushh, an oddly cloaked bounty hunter, leading his captive, Han Solo's copilot, Chewbacca the Wookiee.
Accompanying him was a Mandalorian bounty hunter wearing a grey armour.
Bib takes his place next to his disgusting master, and whispers into his ear, pointing at Chewbacca and the bounty hunter.
Jabba listens intently, then the two bounty hunters bow before the gangster and speaks a greeting in a strange, electronically processed tongue.
"We are here for the bounty on this Wookie."Boushh spoke in a distorted voice and some unknown language.
"Ah, the mighty Chewbacca."Jabba said in Huttesse.
"I am here Your Worship." Threepio responded obediently. "The illustrious Jabba welcomes you and will gladly reward you with the twenty-five thousand."
"Fifty, no less."Boushh insisted.
"Fifty, no less."Threepio translated.
Jabba growled and smacked Threepio angrily.
"Oh my...the mighty Jabba asks why he must pay you fifty?"Threepio asked.
"Because, I'm holding a thermal detonator."the Mandalorian Bounty Hunter replied.
"Because he's holding a thermal detonator!"Threepio panicked.
"This bounty hunter is my kind of scum. Fearless and inventive, thirty-five."Jabba laughed.
"The mighty Jabba offers thirty-five and I do suggest you take it."Threepio advised.
The second bounty hunter switched the detonator off and pocketed it.
"He agrees!"Threepio exclaimed in relief.
The guards took Chewbacca away to a cell and put him in.
The music started up again while Lando and Marina disguised as guards, lurked around the corner.
The dancing girls take the centre of the floor to the hoots of the loudly appreciative creatures.
The two bounty hunters leans against a column with gunfighter cool and surveys the scene their gazes stopping only when it connects with a glare from across the room.
Boba Fett was watching them.
The two bounty hunter shifts slightly cradling their weapons lovingly.
Boba Fett shifts with equally ominous arrogance.
In the Dungeon Corridor and Cell...
Gamorrean guards lead Chewbacca down the same hallway we saw before.
When a tentacle reaches out at the Wookiee, Chewie's ferocious roar echoes against the walls and the tentacle snaps back into its cell in terror.
It takes all the guards to hurl Chewbacca roughly into a cell, slamming the door behind him.
The Wookiee lets out a pathetic howl and bangs on the iron door.
Later that Night in Jabba's Palace...
The room was deserted, only the awful debris of the alien celebration giving mute witness to the activity here before.
Several drunk creatures lie unconscious around the room, snoring loudly.
A shadowy figure moves stealthily among the columns at the perimeter of the room and is revealed to be Boushh and the other bounty hunter.
They carefully made their way through the snoring, drunken monsters not to wake up them up.
Han Solo, the frozen space pirate, hangs spotlighted on the wall, his coffin-like case suspended by a force field.
The two bounty hunters deactivates the force field by flipping a control switch to one side of the coffin.
The heavy case slowly lowers to the floor of the alcove.
Boushh steps up to the case, studying Han and then turns to the controls on the side of the coffin.
He activates a series of switches and, after one last hesitant look at Han, slides the de-carbonization lever.
The case begins to emit a sound as the hard shell covering the contours of Han's face begins to melt away.
The bounty hunter watches as Han's body was freed of its metallic coat and his forearms and hands, previously raised in reflexive protest, drop slackly to his side. His face muscles relax from their mask of horror.
Boushh's helmet leans close to Han's face listening for the breath of life.
Han's eyes pop open with a start and he begins coughing.
The bounty hunter steadies the staggering newborn.
"Just relax for a moment."the Other Bounty Hunter commented. "You're free of the carbonite."
Han touches his face with his hand and moans.
"Shhh, you have hibernation sickness."Boushh admitted.
"I can't see."Han said.
"Your eyesight will return in time."the Other Bounty Hunter assured.
"Where am I?"Han asked.
"Jabba's palace."Boushh answered.
"Who are you?"Han asked.
The Bounty Hunter reaches up and lifts the helmet from his head, revealing the face of Leia.
"Someone who loves you."Leia replied.
"Leia!"Han said happily.
The couple kissed each other passionately as the Mandalorian Bounty Hunter also removed her helmet revealing to be Celine in disguise.
"We came to get you out of here."Celine commented.
"Celine, your here too?"Han asked. "How did you convince Luke to go along with this little plan?"
Celine rolled her eyes and smiled.
"I have my ways."She answered simply.
As the two girls helped the Smuggler on his feet, a Huttese cackle from the other side of the alcove.
"What's that?"Han asked. "I know that laugh."
The curtain on the far side of the alcove opens, revealing Jabba the Hutt, surrounded by Bib and other aliens.
He laughs again and his cronies join in a cacophony of alien glee.
"Hey, Jabba."Han said. "Look, Jabba, I was just on my way to pay you back, but I got a little sidetracked, it's not my fault."
"It's too late for that, Solo."Jabba laughed. "You may have been a good smuggler, but now you're Bantha fodder, take him away!"
The guards grab Han and start to lead him away.
"Jabba... I'll pay you triple!"Han shouted. "You're throwing away a fortune here, don't be a fool!"
Han was dragged off as Lando and Marina quickly moves forward and attempts to lead Leia and Celine away.
"Bring them to me."Jabba ordered.
Lando and Marina drag the beautiful young girls toward him.
Threepio peeks from behind a monster and quickly turns away in disgust.
"We have powerful friends."Leia stated coldly. "You're gonna regret this... "
"I'm sure."Jabba replied.
His tongue came out and the two girls turn away in disgust.
"Ohhh, I can't bear to watch!"Threepio said in panic.
In the Dungeon Cell...
The heavy metal door of the dungeon whines and slowly creaks open.
A guard throws the blinded star captain into the dark cell and the door slams shut behind him, leaving only a thin sliver of light from a crack in the door.
Han was trying to collect himself when suddenly a growl was heard from the far side of the cell.
The Smuggler jumps back against the cell door and listens.
"Chewie?"Han asked. "Chewie, is that you?"
The shadowy figure lets out a crazy yell and races toward Han, lifting him off the ground with a big hug that carries them into the light, revealing Chewbacca.
"Ah! Chew-Chewie!"Han said.
The giant Wookiee barks with glee.
"Wait, I can't see, pal."Han replied. "What's goin' on?"
Chewbacca barks an excited blue streak.
"Seira and Luke are going to rescue us?"Han asked.
Chewbacca barks a reply.
"Yeah, well, let's see how they will pull this off."Han stated sarcastically.
Chewbacca growls insistently and he holds Han to his chest as he pets his head.
"I'm all right, pal."Han assured. "I'm all right."
In the Main Gate of Jabba's Palace...
Noisily, the main gate lifts to flood the blackness with blinding light and reveal Seira and Luke wearing their jedi robes while their lightsabers were held safely on their belts.
The two jedi strides purposefully into the hallway and two guards move to block their path.
Luke raises his hand and points at the puzzled guards, who immediately lower their spears and fall back.
Seira smiled. "You've been practising."
"I learned from the best teacher."Luke replied.
The two jedi moved on down the hallway and Bib Fortuna appears out of the gloom.
Several other guards fall in behind them in the darkness.
"You will take us to Jabba now."Seira ordered.
Bib turns in hypnotic response to Seira's command and the two jedi follows him into the gloom.
"You serve your master well."Seira said.
Bib responds in Huttese.
"And you will be rewarded."Seira commented.
In the Throne Room...
Jabba is asleep on his throne, with Leia and Celine lying in front of him.
Salacious sits by Jabba's tail, watching it wriggle.
Leia was now dressed in a brown gold slave girl outfit and her hairstyle was now a braided ponytail while Celine wore a silver purple one with her hair tied up in a bun.
But thee two girls had chains around their necks that were held by Jabba.
Threepio stands behind Jabba as Bib comes up to the gangster slug.
"At last! Miss Seira and Master Luke has come to rescue me!"Threepio said happily.
Jabba awakens with a start and Bib continues, in Huttese.
"...Seira and Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knights."Bib said.
"I told you not to admit them!"Jabba reminded.
"I must be allowed to speak."Seira stated.
"She must be allowed to speak."Bib repeated.
Jabba, furious, clobbers Bib and shoves him away.
"You weak-minded fool!"He growled. "She's using an old Jedi mind trick!"
"You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookiee to me."Seira ordered as she and Luke removed their hoods.
"Your mind powers will not work on me, Jedi."Jabba answered.
"Nevertheless, we're leaving here with Captain Solo and his friends."Seira stated. "But also these innocent young maidens you took as your prisoners, you can either profit by this...or be destroyed, but I warn you not to underestimate my powers."
"Miss Seira, your standing on..."Threepio started.
"There will be no bargain."Jabba answered. "I like my new slaves, where they are and I shall enjoy watching both of you die."
Seira reaches out in the force and a pistol jumps out of a guard's holster and flies into her hand.
The floor suddenly drops down, sending Seira, Luke and the hapless guard into the pit.
The pistol goes off and blasting a hole in the ceiling.
Jabba laughs and his courtiers join in.
Leia and Celine starts forward but was restrained by Lando and Marina, who were recognizable behind their masks.
In the Rancor Pit...
The two jedi and the guard dropped into the pit and the hatch closed above them.
The guard let out a squeal in terror as the Rancor was released.
Luke stood terrified, as the massive creature roared angrily and saliva dripped from its fangs.
"I guess you didn't understand not to underestimate us, Jabba!"Seira taunted as she activated her lightsaber.
Luke brought out his new green lightsaber around and with a mighty strike, he passed his lightsaber through the creature's legs.
It roared in agonizing pain as it fell on its side, shaking the entire chamber as it landed on the dusty ground.
Seira leapt up and drove her lightsaber downward into the monster's brain, killing it instantly.
A startled gasp was heard from the stunned court.
Heads look to Jabba, who was actually turning red with anger.
Leia and Celine cannot suppress their joy.
Jabba utters harsh commands to his guards and they hurry off.
"Bring me Solo and the Wookiee!"He ordered. "They will all suffer for this outrage!"
In the Rancor Pit...
The Rancor Keeper have come into the cage and are examining their dead beast.
One of them breaks down and weeps.
The other glares menacingly at Seira and Luke, who were both happy to still be alive.
Several guards rush into the holding tunnel and take the two jedi away.
In the Throne Room...
The crowd of creepy courtiers parts as Han and Chewbacca were brought into the throne room, and other guards drag Seira and Luke up the steps.
Several of the guards including Lando and Marina, bring Seira and Luke from the other side of the room.
Luke smiled. "Han!"
"Seira!"Han called out. "Luke!"
"Together again, huh?"Luke joked.
"Wouldn't miss it."Han replied. "Where's Celine and Leia?"
"We're here."Celine replied.
Seira was glad that Han was blind at the moment and couldn't see Leia and Celine, but wasn't happy the way her niece and daughter were dressed.
Boba stood behind Jabba.
Threepio steps forward and translates for the captives.
"Oh, dear, his High Exaltedness, the great Jabba the Hutt has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately."He stated.
"Good, I hate long waits."Han admitted.
"You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc."Threepio said.
"Doesn't sound so bad."Han remarked.
"In his belly, you will find a new definition of pain and suffering as you are slowly digested over a thousand years."Threepio stated.
"On second thought, let's pass on that, huh?"Han suggested.
Chewbacca barked in agreement.
"You should have bargained, Jabba!"Luke warned. "That's the last mistake you'll ever make."
Jabba cackles evilly at her respond.
As the guards drag the prisoners from the throne room and a loud cheer rises from the crowd.
In a Sail Barge...
Seira, Luke, Han, and Chewie had their hands chained and were surrounded by guards, two of whom were Lando and Marina in disguise.
"I think my eyes are getting better."Han admitted. "Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur."
"There's nothing to see."Luke replied. "Me, Aunt Seira and Marie used to live here, you know."
"You're gonna die here, you know."Han stated. "Convenient."
"Shut your mouth, Solo or I would've happily left you in that carbonite slab for a long time, if Leia didn't beg for a rescue."Seira threatened with a blank look.
Luke laughed a little at his aunt's respond while Han simply gave him a small glare.
In the Barge Observation Deck...
Jabba the Hutt rides like a sultan in the massive anti-gravity ship.
His entire retinue with him were drinking, eating and having a good time.
Leia and Celine were watching their friends in the skiff when the chains attached to their necks were pulled tight and Jabba tugs the scantily clad girls to him.
"Soon you will learn to appreciate me."Jabba stated.
Threepio wanders among the Sail Barge aliens, bumping into a smaller droid serving drinks, spilling them all over the place.
The stubby droid lets out an angry series of beeps and whistles.
"Oh, I'm terribly sor...Artoo! What are you doing here?"Threepio questioned.
Artoo beeps a quick reply.
"Well, I can see you're serving drinks, but this place is dangerous."Threepio commented. "They're going to execute Miss Seira and Master Luke, if we're not careful, us too!"
Artoo whistles a singsong response.
"Hmm."Threepio said. "I wish I had your confidence."
In the Sarlacc Pit...
The convoy moves up over a huge sand pit.
The Sail Barge stops to one side of the depression, as does the escort skiff.
But the prisoner's skiff moves out directly over the center and hovers.
At the bottom of the deep cone of sand was a repulsive, mucous-lined hole, surrounded by thousands of needle-sharp teeth.
Guards release Luke's bonds and shove him out onto the plank above the Sarlacc's mouth.
Jabba, Leia and Celine were now by the rail, watching with worry.
Threepio leans forward and the slobbering villain mumbles something to him.
As Threepio steps up to a comlink, Jabba raises his arm and the motley array of intergalactic pirates fall silent.
"Victims of the almighty Sarlacc: His Excellency hopes that you will die honourably!"Threepio stated. "But should any of you wish to beg for mercy, the great Jabba the Hutt will now listen to your pleas."
Han steps forward arrogantly and begins to speak.
"Threepio, you tell that slimy piece of...worm-ridden filth he'll get no such pleasure from us!"He called out. "Right?"
Chewie growls his agreement.
"Jabba! This is your last chance!"Luke warned. "Free us or die!"
Lando and Marina moves unobtrusively along the skiff as Seira shoots a quick look of conspiracy to them.
The assembled monsters rock with mocking laughter as Artoo zips unnoticed up the ramp to the upper deck.
"Move him into position!"Jabba laughed as he makes a thumbs-down gesture.
Artoo appears from below and zips over to the rail facing the pit.
Below, in the skiff, Luke was prodded by a guard to the edge of the plank over the gaping Sarlacc.
Luke looks up at Artoo, then gives a jaunty salute: the signal the little droid has been waiting for.
A flap opens in Artoo's domed head.
"Put him in!"Jabba ordered.
Luke was prodded and jumps off the plank to the cheers of the bloodthirsty spectators.
But, before anyone can even perceive what is happening, he spins around and grabs the end of the plank by his fingertips.
The plank bends wildly from his weight and catapults him skyward.
In mid air he does a complete flip and drops down on the end of the plank in the same spot he just vacated, but facing the skiff.
He casually extends an open palm and his lightsaber, which Artoo has sent arcing toward him, drops into his hand.
With quick speed, Luke ignites it and attacks the guard who prodded him off the plank, sending the hapless monster screaming overboard.
Artoo sends Seira her lightsaber and she quickly grabs it before breaking her bongs.
The other guards swarm toward Luke and Seira.
He wades into them, lightsaber flashing.
Lando struggles with another guard at the back of the skiff as Marina removed her disguise revealing her silver jedi clothes and brown boots before activating her lightsaber.
A bewildered guard lands in the soft, sandy slope of the pit and begins sliding.
He claws desperately as a Sarlacc tentacle grabs him and pulls him screaming into the viscous mouth.
In the Barge Observation Deck...
Jabba watches this and explodes in rage.
He barks commands and the guards around him rush off to do his bidding.
The scuzzy creatures watching the action from the window are in an uproar.
Luke and Seira knock more guards off the skiff and into the waiting mouth of the Sarlacc.
Marina starts to untie Chewie's bonds.
"Easy, Chewie."She instructed.
At that moment, the deck gunmen on the barge unleash a series of blasts from a big cannon on the upper deck.
Lando was tossed from the deck of the rocking skiff.
He manages to grab a rope and dangles desperately above the Sarlacc pit.
"Whoa!"Lando shouted. "Help!"
With two swift strides, the dangerous Boba Fett ignites his rocket pack, leaps into the air and flies from the barge down to the skiff.
Boba lands on the skiff and starts to aim his laser gun at Seira, who was fighting off a guard.
But before Boba can fire, Luke spins on him, lightsaber sweeping and hacks the bounty hunter's gun in half.
Immediately, the skiff takes another direct hit from the barge's deck gun.
Chewbacca and Han were thrown against the rail.
"Chewie, you okay?"Han asked. "Where is he?"
The Wookiee was wounded and he howls in pain.
"I'm okay, pal."Han assured.
"The credits that Lord Vader will reward me for your capture will set me for life."Boba stated.
"Too bad you'll be too dead to collect."Seira replied simply.
Boba stepped back and shot his grappling cable at Seira, wrapping it around her.
The Older Woman struggled to free herself and flipped her lightsaber up to cut through the cable.
Luke and Marina focused on the other guards that were approaching them in the second skiff
Seira shrugs away the cable and stands free.
Another blast from the Barge's deck gun hits near Boba and he was knocked unconscious to the deck, next to where Lando was hanging.
"Han!"Lando shouted. "Chewie!"
"Lando!"Han called out.
The second skiff was loaded with guards firing their weapons.
Luke and Marina were in the middle of the second skiff and began decimating the guards from their midst before Seira did a leap to go and help her nephew and daughter.
Chewbacca tries to lift himself as he barks directions to Han, guiding him toward a spear which has been dropped by one of the guards.
Han searches the deck as Chewie barks directions; finally he grabs hold of the spear.
Boba Fett, badly shaken, rises from the deck.
He looks over at the other skiff, where Luke was whipping a mass of guards.
Boba raises his arm and aims his lethal appendage.
Chewbacca barks desperately at Han.
"Boba Fett?!"Han shouted. "Boba Fett?! Where?!"
The space pirate turns around blindly and the long spear in his hand whacks squarely in the middle of Boba's rocket pack.
The impact of the swing causes the rocket pack to activate.
Boba blasts off, flying over the second skiff like a missile, smashing against the side of the huge Sail Barge and sliding away into the pit.
He screams as his armoured body makes its last flight past Lando and directly into the mucous mouth of the Sarlacc causing it to burp.
Chewbacca growls a weak congratulations to Han.
In the Barge Observation Deck...
Leia and Celine turn from the spectacle outside, leaps onto Jabba's throne and threw their chains that enslaves them over his head around his bulbous neck.
Then the two girls dive off the other side of the throne, pulling the chain violently in their grasps.
Jabba's flaccid neck contracts beneath the tightening chain.
His huge eyes bulge from their sockets and his scum-coated tongue flops out.
The Exalted Hutt's huge tail spasms through its death throes and then slams down into final stillness.
In the Sarlacc Pit...
Seira, Luke and Marina continue to fight the aliens on the guard skiff as Han extends his spear downward to Lando, who was still dangling precariously from a rope on the prisoner's skiff.
"Lando, grab it!"Han ordered.
"Lower it!"Lando stated.
"I'm trying!"Han responded.
A major hit from the barge deck gun knocks the skiff on its side.
Han and almost everything else on board slides overboard.
The rope breaks and Lando falls to the side of the Sarlacc pit.
Luckily, Han's foot catches on the skiff railing and he dangles above Lando and the pit.
The wounded Wookiee holds onto the skiff for dear life as another hit from the deck gun rocks the skiff violently.
"Whoa! Whoa!"Han shouted. "Grab me, Chewie! I'm slipping!"
Chewie grabs hold of Han's feet, holding him upside down as Han extends the spear toward Lando, who was clutching to the side of the pit.
"Grab it! L-Lando!"Han instructed. "Grab it!"
Luke finishes off the last guard on the second skiff.
He sees the deck gun blasting away at his helpless companions.
Luke and Seira leap from the skiff, across a chasm of air, to the sheer metallic sides of the Sail Barge, when suddenly two windows open from between them.
With Jedi agility, Luke and Seira yank the helpless guards through the broken window and into the deadly pit.
The injured Chewie is reaching over the rail for the dangling Han, who was in turn blindly reaching down toward the desperate Lando.
The Baron has stopped his slippage down the sandy slope of the Sarlacc pit by lying very still.
Every time he tries to reach for Han, the loose sand moves him closer to his final reward.
"Grab it! Almost...you almost got it!"Han said.
Another blast hits the front of the tilted skiff, causing Lando to let go of the spear.
"Hold it! Whoa!"Lando shouted.
Again Han extends the spear toward Lando.
"Gently now."He instructed. "All...all right now easy, easy, hold me, Chewie."
Lando screamed in terror as one of the Sarlacc's tentacles has wrapped tightly around his ankle, dragging him down the side of the pit.
"Chewie!"Han shouted. "Chewie, give me the gun, don't move, Lando."
"No, wait!"Lando protested. "I thought you were blind!"
"It's all right."Han assured. "Trust me, don't move."
"All right! A little higher!"Lando shouted. "Just a little higher!"
Han adjusts his aim as Lando lowers his head and the fuzzy-eyed pirate fires at the tentacle. Direct hit.
The tentacle releases Lando and Chewie starts to pull them on board the skiff.
"Chewie, Pull us up!"Han instructed. "Come on! Okay...up, Chewie, up!"
The deck gunners have Chewie and the desperate dangling human chain in their gun sights when something up on deck commands their attention: Luke, standing before them like a pirate king, ignites his lightsaber.
The deck gunners have barely reached for their pistols before the young Jedi has demolished them.
Immediately, Luke and Seira turn to see two more gunners racing for them, firing their laser pistols.
Leia and Celine were struggling against their chains in desperation as Artoo zips through the tumult of confused monsters to the rescue; the stubby little droid extends a small laser gun and blasts the chains apart.
"Come on."Leia said. "We gotta get out of here quick."
"Right."Celine agreed.
Artoo, Leia and Celine race for the exit, passing Threepio, who was kicking and screaming as Salacious Crumb, the reptilian monkey-monster picks out one of the golden droid's eyes.
"Not my eyes!"Threepio shouted. "Artoo, help! Quickly, Artoo! Oh! Ohhh! You beast!"
Artoo zips over and zaps Salacious, sending him skyward with a scream, crashing into the rafters as Artoo, Leia, Celine and Threepio with his eye dangling from a wire hurry off.
Seira and Luke was warding off laser blasts with their lightsabers, surrounded by guards.
But then Marina appear and let out a battle cry before fighting off the guards with her cousin and mother.
Leia and Celine emerge onto the deck as Luke turns to face another guard.
"Get the gun!"Seira shouted. "Point it at the deck!"
Leia turn toward the barge cannon, climbs on the platform and swivels the gun around.
"Point it at the deck!"Luke instructed.
A laser blast hits Luke's mechanical hand and he bends over in pain causing Seira to take out the last of the guards.
"Luke is your hand okay?"Marina asked worriedly.
Luke looks at the wounded hand, which reveals the mechanism and flexes the hand; it still works.
"Yeah, it is."He answered.
Near the rail of the upper deck, Artoo and Threepio steady themselves and ready to jump.
"Artoo, where are we going?"Threepio asked. "I couldn't possibly jump."
Artoo butts the golden droid over the edge and steps off himself, tumbling toward the sand.
Luke runs along the empty deck toward Leia and the barge gun, which she has brought around to point down at the deck.
Seira grabs a hold of Leia and Marina in a rope before swinging toward the skiff.
"Come on!"Luke instructed and has hold on one of the rigging ropes from the mast.
He grabs Celine in his other arm and kicks the trigger of the deck gun.
The gun explodes into the deck as Luke and Celine swing out toward the skiff.
Han leans down panting against the rail as Chewbacca helps Lando onto the deck.
Luke and Celine land on the skiff with flair relieving Seira, Leia and Marina.
"Let's go and don't forget the droids."Seira stated.
"We're on our way."Lando replied.
The Sail Barge was exploding in stages in the distance and half of the huge craft is on fire.
Threepio's legs stick straight up from the dune where he landed.
Next to it, Artoo's periscope is the only thing above the sand.
The skiff floats above them and two large electromagnets dangle down on a wire.
With a loud clang, both droids are pulled from the sand.
The little skiff skips around the burning Sail Barge, which continues its chain of explosions.
As the skiff sails off across the desert, the barge settles to the sand and disappears in one final conflagration.
In Space...
The Millennium Falcon flew away from Tatooine.
Inside the Millennium Falcon...
Seira handed Leia and Celine white suits to wear before getting rid of the ridiculous slave outfits.
"I don't know."Han said. "All I can see is a lot of blowing sand!"
"That's all any of us can see."Marina replied simply.
"Then I guess I'm getting better."Han suggested.
Threepio hits a switch and the gang-plank lowers with a hum.
"I've got to hand it to you, kid, you were pretty good out there."Han remarked.
"I had a lot of help."Luke replied gesturing to Seira. "Think nothing of it."
"No, I'm thinking a lot about it."Han answered. "That carbon freeze was the closest thing to dead there is and it wasn't just sleeping, it was a big wide awake nothing!"
"Well, be grateful that your still alive."Seira commented.
Luke nodded as Chewie growls affectionately at the young Jedi warrior, mussing his hair.
Celine then warmly hugged Luke, who hugged her tightly.
"I'll see you back at the fleet."Luke assured.
"Why don't you two leave that crate and come with us?"Han asked.
"We have a promise we have to keep first to an old friend."Marina admitted.
Seira gave a weak smile knowing she was gesturing to Yoda.
Then Luke, Marina and Artoo took off in their X-Wings.
"Guess I owe you some thanks, too, Lando."Han said.
"Figured if I left you frozen like that you'd just give me bad luck the rest of my life, so I might as well get you unfrozen sooner or later."Lando replied.
"He means, you're welcome."Leia stated.
In the X-Wings...
Luke speaks into his comlink."I'll meet you back at the fleet, Aunt Seirie."
"Hurry, you two."Seira reminded. "The Alliance should be assembled by now."
"We will, mother."Marina assured.
A message from Artoo appears on the small monitor screen in front of Luke.
He smiles at the monitor and speaks to Artoo as he pulls a black glove on to cover his wounded mechanical hand.
"That's right, Artoo."Luke admitted. "We're going to the Dagobah system."
"That's right we have a promise to keep...to an old friend."Marina agreed.
SUPER SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter
Feel free to review of what you think so far:)