Day 37: A Jedi's Vision

Log of the Millennium Falcon

5/23/3902

There's still so much to do!

Thanks to Leia, the tools and most of the back hold are all organized, so at least when we get to Bespin this place will look pretty clean. Not that this is a big deal, but it's always nice to make a good impression, right?

Anyway, the shields are almost back up and Chewie told me this morning that the navcomputer is up and running again. Thankfully we haven't needed it over the past few days. Granted, once you're as close to the planet as we are, you don't need the navigation system much anymore, especially when someone is in the cockpit all the time.

Then again, 3P0 is the one sitting in the cockpit at the moment, and I'm starting to think that maybe that wasn't the best idea. I mean, he's a droid! Plus he seems to have a love of messing with things, and freaking out, and especially interrupting.

I mean, even if I did want something to happen with Leia, we'd still get interrupted, and that's getting annoying. I mean, we don't have much time left together so can't you just ignore the fact that there's work to do and let me kiss her and spend time with her in peace? Apparently that never happens, at least with us. And I doubt it ever will.

I have, on the other hand, started to think about what I want to do with Leia when we get to Bespin. I figure it won't take more than a day or two to do repairs, and I won't have to be there all the time, so I figure maybe I could take her to a nice meal or something. Yeah yeah, I know…Han Solo, all dressed nice and eating at a fancy restaurant…and with a Princess no less! But I feel like it would be nice for both of us. Plus, at a dinner like that, what's going to interrupt? Chewie will be on the ship, and 3P0 will…hopefully…be powered down, plus, no one is going to bother two strangers having a nice dinner, especially when they are obviously there together enjoying each other's company.

If that's what you even call it.

Han walked into the back hold to find Leia finishing with the last of the spare parts. She had a smudge of grease on her forehead and her hands were lined with the black substance.

"Almost finished Sweetheart?" he asked, moving into the room.

"Yeah, pretty much" she replied, taking in a deep breath after setting down one of the heavier pieces. She turned and began to move the next one, and while she did so he walked over to her.

Her back was turned towards him and after she set down the next piece he wrapped his arms around her from behind, his lips traveling to the skin on the back of her neck. She moaned lightly and leaned into the kiss. "What are you doing Han?" she managed to speak out.

"Just checking on how you're doing" he responded, whispering against her smooth skin.

"And this is what you call 'checking?'" she asked.

"Well it sounds like you're enjoying it" he pointed out as he moved away, turning her in his arms so she was facing him. She instantly pulled him into a kiss and he slowly backed her up so she was against the wall. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held tightly to him, standing on the tips of her toes in an effort to deepen the kiss.

He complied, leaning further against her. Suddenly she felt the need to wrap her legs around his waist, to let him carry and lead her to a place she was so uncertain of, but at the same time, she kept herself in check.

This was the man that was going to leave, and doing something like that would just make it harder. No matter how serious this relationship was, there was no going there anymore. It was too late.

"Han" she breathed, pulling away. "We…we have to stop."

He looked at her, his eyes understanding her meaning. He slowly pulled away, but took her hands into his. "Ok" he said simply.

"My hands are dirty you know" she laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

"I know, but as we discussed, dirty hands are a pretty weak defense system against scoundrels."

"So what did you really come here for Han?" Leia asked, changing the subject and pulling away to continue working.

Han paused for a moment, but then sat on a crate nearby, his arms on his knees, "I wanted to see if you need any help. I know that some of the parts aren't exactly light."

"No kidding" she laughed, moving another of the heavier ones. She set it down and then moved to the next one, but Han intercepted her.

"Wait, I'll move this one, you do that one" he said, pointing to one a bit lighter.

"You don't need to do that…what about the shields?"

"All fixed Your Highness" he said, picking up the part and moving it to where the others were across the room.

"Then don't you have something else to be doing?" following him with her own spare piece.

"I believe what I need to be doing is helping you" he returned.

"So there isn't anything else to fix?"

"Well, there's a few minor things, but those won't take long. There's a whole bunch but between the three of us…"

"You're letting 3P0 out of the cockpit?" she interrupted.

"No. I know you worked on ships when you were younger and…"

"I don't know everything Han. Are you sure you want me to touch your beloved ship?" she teased.

"I think you can handle a hydrospanner, can't you?"

"I suppose" she added, moving her last part. "But I haven't used one in years."

"Well then I'll just have to show you."

"Why do I get the feeling that this is just going to end with us getting nothing done?" she commented as he moved towards the door.

"I have no idea why you feel that way Sweetheart!" he laughed. "I'll meet you in the main hold in 10 minutes?"

"Sounds good. I'm just going to get this grease off" she agreed, moving towards him and the door.

"You mean you're hands won't be dirty anymore?" he asked sadly.

"That's right Flyboy" she finished, slipping past him and into the hallway.

As Chewie walked by the Main Hold and looked in, he saw Han working with Leia on one of the boards from the circuitry bay. They were sitting on the floor next to each other and Han was showing her how, from what he could see, to repair the circuits for the laser cannons so they would be re-connected to the switch in the cockpit.

The wookiee laughed to himself and continued onward through the ship, heading towards the engineering bay to do what he could on the hyperdrive.

As he worked, he thought about how much the trip had changed both Han and Leia. If you had asked him three years ago about Han falling in love, especially with a Princess, he would have laughed and walked away, and that's almost what he did.

Three years ago, almost to the date, a man named Obi-Wan Kenobi found him in a Cantina on the planet of Tatooine. Having known Jedi before, he could tell right away that's what he was. The cloak, the age, the lightsaber that he knew was there before he used it. This man was a Jedi, and that meant that he should trust him…no matter what.

After convincing Han to shuttle the man, along with Luke and the droids to Alderaan, and they lifted off, Chewie sought out the Jedi. Although he was unable to use the force, the wookiee sensed that there was something the man wasn't telling him.

Yes, he remembered the conversation well. He asked how the man knew to come to him. It wasn't exactly normal for a man to immediately approach someone like him. Wookiees weren't exactly known for kindness. But he did, before approaching anyone else.

The Jedi just answered, "Because I knew. It had to be you."

When he asked how he knew, the answer of the force was given back to him. He had figured. When helping Yoda during the Clone Wars he had seen similar things. It's how Yoda knew that he would have to stay hidden for many years, and how he knew of the death that could have captured him.

But there was more. The man looked at him and told him of a vision, a dream, he had not long before.

He explained how his old master had come to him, a ghost of the force, to tell him to seek out a ship called the Millennium Falcon, the Captain Han Solo and his co-pilot Chewbacca the wookiee. Then the old jedi told of how he had seen the future, but as it was always in motion, it may not be true. He saw death, destruction, and a light.

As the dream went on, the light evolved. Three figures appeared, two males, one female. She was dressed in white, her hair done in delicate braids, and tears flooded her brown eyes. She looked between the two men, one with blonde hair and blue eyes, the other taller, brown hair and hazel eyes.

As the vision progressed he saw her step once toward the blue-eyed man, but then turned and ran into the open arms of the other, her body ridden with terror. He comforted her, held her, and then the dream ended.

For a while the wookiee wondered what the Jedi could be getting at, but then he realized. The blue-eyed man was Luke, it had to be, and the hazel-eyed man had to be Han. The description matched him perfectly. And then there was the woman, who the wookiee figured to be the Princess, whom he had seen on the news a few time, always wearing white.

Later, before they left hyperspace, the wookiee stopped the Jedi again, before he could return to the main hold, and asked about the vision, and what he felt it meant.

The man responded, telling him that he felt it meant that maybe that was the reason he had to find them to take them, that's why it had to be them. Chewie asked about the three figures, and found that the Jedi obviously thought the same thing as he did, the woman was the Princess, and the men were Han and Luke.

But when he asked what he should do, what this had to do with him, Obi-Wan explained again how the force is always in motion, but that he should try to keep them together. He knew something terrible had happened that day, the destruction of Alderaan, and he knew the Princess would need a protector, someone who understood, who would be there to comfort her. And he finished by replying, "Sometimes comfort comes from the most unlikely places Chewbacca."

And with that he moved into the main hold, leaving the wookiee to return to the cockpit.

Chewie sighed, setting down the tool he was using. Since the conversation with the Jedi, even though it was three years ago, he had tried to keep them together. When Han wanted to leave, he convinced him otherwise…other than when they returned to Yavin and helped destroy the Death Star. Han had made that decision himself, and Chewie knew that his friend realized that maybe there was something to stay for this time.

And after that they grew closer, and to a point, the Jedi's vision had come true. Han would often leave in the middle of the evening. He'd just set down his tools and walk away, leaving Chewie to watch him go.

Once, he followed him. Han made his way through several halls before finally settling on the high councils. He made his way to the Princess's door, knocked, and when there was no response, continued on. Eventually he did find the Princess. She was curled up in a corner of the hanger, not far from where Han had been earlier.

Chewie watched as he sat down next to her, and slowly moved the bottle of alcohol away before pulling her into an embrace, his arms tight around her as she melted into his offer. He could see, even from his distance, that she was crying. Han whispered, his lips moving slowly, and he figured it was similar to the words he used to soothe the Princess not long ago when she attempted suicide again.

And when they had been on Hoth and they were instructed to leave, to get out as the Empire attacked the base, Han refused to leave. He kept making excuses to stay just a little longer. This had to be repaired, or something else. And then he disappeared, and Chewie had no doubts about where he had gone. He got the Falcon started and acted as if nothing had happened when they came running back, the droid in tow. He had risked his life for her…again.

And now Chewie could see, and was happy to see, that they finally admitted it, at least to themselves. He knew Han was set on leaving this time, to pay off the bounty on his head and hopefully survive…for her, but there was always the voice in the back of his head. The voice and wisdom of a Jedi.

"Sometimes comfort comes from the most unlikely of places…"

As Leia opened her eyes, she found that Han wasn't laying beside her, and when she glanced to the fresher, the light wasn't on. She looked at the chrono on the table beside her, 0230.

He had been there earlier when she had woken, once again, from a nightmare, and had coaxed her back to sleep, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she turned stood and stretched before walking to the door. She pressed the pad and it swished open, revealing the hall, with full lights.

This was concerning, as generally the lights were still dimmed at this time of the night, but she continued anyway, her feet taking her immediately to the cockpit.

The door slid open. 3P0 was sitting in his usual location, while Han and Chewie were in their seats.

"So you're finally up" Han said, an agitated edge to his voice.

"Yeah, what's going on?" she asked as she sat in her seat.

[You might want to strap in Princess] commented Chewie as he flipped some switches above him.

"Alright, but I still would like to know what's going on."

"Goldenrod here was actually useful for once. We've got a couple of Star Destroyers up ahead, but we're far enough away yet that they haven't noticed us."

"Amazing that we've come this far only to be caught" Leia said, now fully understanding the predicament they were in. "Why didn't you come wake me?"

Han turned his head to look at her, "I figured you could use some more sleep and we weren't in any real danger yet."

"Oh" she responded quietly. "Thank you, I suppose." She was surprised at her reaction. Normally she would have yelled at him, saying 'You still should have woken me!' or something, but her reaction had been quieter, more understanding.

"Mistress Leia?" came the electronic voice beside her, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes 3P0?"

"Do you think we will be alright? I fear that the last time we came in any close contact with a Star Destroyer we almost didn't make it away in one piece."

"I'm sure we'll be fine 3P0. Han knows what he's doing." And again, her response surprised her, she normally never stood for Han, especially in tight situations like this.

Chewie looked at his friend in the pilot's seat as she finished her sentence to see a small smile cross his face. Then Han noticed the wookiee's stare and turned back to his work.

"Well, any idea's Pal?" Han asked, sitting back in his chair.

[We could always try to go around] he suggested.

"Yeah, but that might add another couple days to the trip, and we don't have the supplies for much longer."

"I thought we were ok on supplies?" Leia asked quickly.

"Yeah, if you're talking supplies as in caf" he laughed. "We have enough water and air for a while yet, but the fuel is running low. Ships like this aren't designed to last for long periods of time at sublight speed. Luckily thanks to my modifications we can last longer than normal, but still."

"I see" she laughed quietly.

"What's so funny Princess?" he asked her.

"Just that you always are bragging about your ship, and generally a large portion of that bragging happens when we're in danger of being killed."

"Well it's not like there's much else to brag about at that moment, other than maybe my gorgeous looks."

[Cub, focus. This is no time to be fooling around. What are we going to do?]

Han pointed towards the looming ships in the distance, "It's hard to say what they're doing. They're not really doing anything."

"Don't you find it a bit odd that they just happen to be in our path?" Leia asked.

"Yes, Captain Solo. It is quite possible that someone has been following us. If they transmitted our trajectory the Empire would easily be able to intercept us before we reach the planet Bespin" added 3P0.

"Listen, I've met up with these guys how many times, and I've always gotten away. This time will be no different."