Chapter Thirty-nine:
Han clasped the bag firmly, fully prepared to use the bait within if the hounds showed up again. Han didn't blame the animals for their training: they were simply doing what their owner told them to. But they were still a threat, and as far as Han knew, he and his friends were still viable targets.
As they drew near another part of town entirely, Han noted how this area was a lot nicer, which meant that those who lived here made more money than their fellows. The streets were clean, there were decorations here and there that had been absent from the first neighborhood. Also, there were free-standing street lamps that were brighter, allowing a greater amount of light to illuminate things in the nighttime.
Han saw the occasional fenced area, and he even saw an owner with a pet outdoors in one of them. The animal yapped at them, but was ignored since it was contained. Han was keeping an eye out for the hounds instead in any case. If they showed up again, Han would be ready.
Obi Wan held their map, following Calla's directions to lead them to their destination. The house they arrived at was at the corner of the block, which Han found interesting. The location would allow for more than one exit if the occupant felt the need to vacate the premises in a hurry.
Anakin picked up his pace when the building was mere meters away. Obi Wan followed, though he spoke before they approached the door.
"She said he has two doors." Obi Wan indicated a path leading behind the abode. "We should have both covered in case he tries to escape."
Han lifted his hand. "I'll go."
[As will I,] Chewbacca added, already on the move.
Dewlanna merely followed the duo, leaving the Jedi to deal with the front door. Han and the two Wookiees took up strategic positions near the back door. Their positions would enable them to act swiftly as well as remain out of sight.
Once settled, they signaled the Jedi with Han's comlink and waited expectantly. Han almost wished the fool would try to run... he was looking forward to giving Saez two black eyes.
At the front, Anakin schooled his emotions before he approached the door, Obi Wan at his side. Anakin was reminded of many times he and his brother had done similar things in the Clone Wars. They had always had each other's backs, never questioning the other. Anakin secretly missed those days... they'd been the time he'd been closest to Obi Wan. The brotherhood they'd shared had been broken apart with Anakin's decisions at the end of the Clone Wars.
Anakin felt a nudge on his elbow and shook himself out of his reverie. "Right."
He knocked loudly, then stepped back and waited. There was no answer, though Anakin could sense a presence. Saez was nervous, and Anakin was glad: the man would be easier to deal with that way.
Anakin knocked again, and this time Saez approached the door, his apprehension building. The door opened, and Saez greeted them with a thin smile.
"Gentlemen, what can I do for you?" Saez asked pleasantly.
"You can tell me where my son is," Anakin demanded, his gaze hard.
Saez frowned. "Your son? Oh, the boy from the cantina, right?" Saez made a show of peace with his hands. "I don't know I'm sorry; I haven't seen him since the encounter at the tavern."
Anakin's gaze narrowed. "You sent us into an ambush, Saez. And now you have Luke."
Saez lifted his hands, trying to look innocent. "I did not know there would be an attack on you, I swear!"
Anakin glared. "You do know a Jedi can sense lies, right?"
Saez's eyes widened. "Jedi? No, they're all gone: Emperor Palpatine got rid of them all."
"He missed a few." Anakin ground out, stepping forward. "Where is Luke?"
Saez bit his lip. "I don't know, but I can help you look for him. Allow me to get my coat."
He closed the door and Anakin lifted his comlink, knowing what Saez was really doing. "Han, he's coming your way."
Han grinned in anticipation. "Good."
Sure enough, the door opened and Saez sprinted through, not even bothering to close the thing behind himself. Han counted to three for good measure and then took off after Saez, Chewie and Dewlanna hot on his heels. It didn't take long for the taller Wookiees— with their far larger strides— to overtake the two humans.
Saez shrieked when two pairs of furry hands grabbed him and yanked him back. Han arrived as the man was struggling against his captors. Han waited for the man to focus on him and then smiled sweetly.
"Hi, I'm Luke's brother. I've got something for you." Han sent a right hook into the man's face, and was gratified to see the man's head jerk. Han followed with the left, and then stepped back as Anakin and Obi Wan arrived.
Saez spat out bloody saliva, glaring at Han. "I hate kids."
"I know." Han grinned. "Calla told us."
Saez cursed, though he fell silent when the Jedi stopped before him. "I don't have your brat."
Anakin's jaw was set. "You sent the hounds after us, right?"
Saez sighed. "Yeah. But you survived, so why are you grouching to me?"
Obi Wan stepped forward. "We are the guardians of both children you were in possession of. We will not leave without them both."
Saez grinned, his teeth rimmed with crimson. "Then I guess you're going to become permanent residents."
Anakin hit him now, causing far more damage than Han had. Saez' head snapped back, and when he lifted it again, the man had one black eye and a bloody nose to go with his split lip. The man breathed heavily, and then straightened.
"You're wasting your time questioning me. I have nothing to tell you."
Obi Wan motioned and they walked back to the house. "That's okay; we have plenty of your things to search through. We will find what we need."
Saez glared at the man's back as the Wookiees walked him between them. "You can't just go through my house."
"Sure we can." Han quipped. "You let us in by leaving the door open."
Saez's venomous gaze fell on Han, who merely smirked. "You're awfully brave with two Jedi and two Wookiees to protect you, boy."
Han's smile died, and he was in Saez's face in the next moment. "I can take care of myself just fine, scumbag!"
Saez laughed. "I doubt that."
Han looked about ready to snap again when Anakin gestured. "Leave him, Han. He wants a reaction from you."
Han took a breath and walked away from Saez. When they entered the abode, Han broke from the group instantly to begin searching the premises.
00000
Luke stared, unaware that he was doing so until the girl shifted. He then averted his gaze. "Sorry."
Leia shrugged. "It's alright. What's your name?"
"Luke."
Leia tilted her head, sitting in a chair. "And how did you end up out here?"
Luke sighed, also taking a seat. "I was captured by a man named Saez and when I... didn't fit his slave needs, he disposed of me."
He saw her wince in sympathy, an action that was followed by her rubbing her chest gingerly. "He threw me out the airlock weeks ago when I refused his... advances."
Luke thinned his lips. "I'm sorry to hear about all that." Leia didn't answer right away, and Luke didn't press her on the matter. Instead he changed the subject. "Is there any way back to the township?"
She looked to him, a tinge of anger in her chocolate gaze. "If there was, do you think I'd still be out here?"
Luke shrugged, a little put-out. "I guess not."
Leia sat back with a sigh that sounded wheezy. Luke frowned somewhat, finding that strange. She'd sounded fine before.
Of course, we were on the run, so there wasn't time to pay attention to her breathing. Luke thought. And I was coughing, so... yeah.
Leia noticed his scrutiny and looked away, speaking softly. "Hiding in the trash helps to slow things down, but I've been breathing in this air for too long. I can feel my lungs slowly dying."
Luke's heart clenched, and he sat forward, determined. "We will get out of here."
Leia looked to him. "How? I've been searching for a way for weeks now."
"Those men chasing us, are they always down here?"
Leia nodded. "Yes, but their base is far from here, and their vehicles are too well guarded for me to steal. And they can't go higher than the heaps of garbage... I think." Leia shrugged. "I've never seen them go higher up."
Luke thought about it. "They have to have some way of getting their loot up into the town for selling."
Leia nodded. "They have a droid-piloted raft that they load up and send to town once a week. But it's not accessible except through the heart of their base."
Luke considered their options. "How often do they peruse the junkyard?"
"They're always out and about," Leia said. "This is their livelihood."
"And they always have a vehicle with them?"
"Yes." Leia leaned forward. "What are you thinking?"
"If we can get to one of their vehicles, we can take it," Luke answered.
Leia sighed. "I told you, there's no way to get to their vehicle."
Luke shook his head. "There's always a way."
Leia coughed, again rubbing at her chest. "Well aren't you Mr. Optimism."
Luke glared mildly. "I refuse to just sit here."
Leia returned the look equally. "And I don't? I've tried repeatedly to get out of here, but I can't ever get close enough to a way back! I just don't have the skill set to get close to their compound without getting caught." She lifted the hem of her shirt to show a gangrenous injury on the left side of her waist. "The last time I tried I was rewarded with this."
Luke cringed, wondering how she was able to live with that. But then he remembered she had little choice. "How did that happen?"
Leia glanced at the injury, turned a little pale, and lowered the shirt again. "I made it halfway into their camp when some creature sniffed me out. They have hounds that have been trained to protect the building. I managed to get away from the beast and its handlers but not before I slipped and fell onto an ammo can. It became infected soon after with the conditions I've been forced to live in."
Luke looked down. "For what it's worth, I know what it's like to be trapped in a living hell," he said softly.
Leia's brow furrowed, and she looked him up and down. "How so?"
Luke shifted at her scrutiny, wondering what she saw. "I was... coerced into something, and when my manager got greedy, he forced me to undergo a plethora of scientific studies... and he starved me to death, letting me only have a nasty tasting smoothie once a day."
Luke was hit with a vivid recall of his being force-fed, and he shuddered, trying not to vomit when he suddenly felt nauseated. He turned away, his own face green now.
To his surprise, Leia touched his shoulder. "I have memories I wish I could forget too." At Luke's inquiring glance, she smiled sadly. "I know that look." She explained, gesturing to his face. "Because I've worn it many times myself."
Luke smiled softly, nodding his thanks. For the first time, he felt a connection to Leia he could admit to, and yet... Luke brushed it off. No, he was just tired.
But he had to wonder. Was it the situation that was causing him to believe he felt a deeper, unexplained connection to the girl beside him? Luke shifted and tried to refocus. "Do you mind if I try to rest for a bit?"
Leia gestured to what was supposed to be a bed. "It's not very comfortable, but it's better than the floor."
Luke waved away her concern. "I've had worse, believe me." He settled down, realizing after he lay his head down that he was worn out. "Thanks."
00000
Han took great pleasure in going through everything he saw, though he was careful not to leave a huge mess. He didn't want to accidentally cover up something they needed to see. However, when Han got to the man's bedroom, his findings made his stomach churn.
This man clearly enjoyed the presence of women... and he wasn't shy about it in his private chamber. Han tried not to see the things around the space, and instead went through the dresser and closet.
Chewie came in at one point and wrinkled his nose in disgust. [I don't understand humans sometimes.]
Han snorted. "Believe me, Pal, I don't get my kind either sometimes."
Chewie shook his head and joined the search of the room. [Anakin and Obi Wan are looking through the second floor rooms.]
Han nodded, glancing up almost subconsciously. "Does this place have a basement?"
[I don't know yet.]
"Is Dewlanna watching Saez?" Han asked curiously, having not seen her in some time.
[She is,] Chewie answered.
Han looked to his furry friend. "So, are you married? I haven't thought to ask before."
Chewbacca smiled. [I am, actually. And we have a son.]
Han blinked. "You're a father?"
Chewie nodded. [I have not seen my family in a long time.] There was no mistaking the mournful note to his voice.
Han stared. "What's kept you away?"
Chewie looked to Han. [When you rescued me from those men, I had already been their prisoner for a year. And since then, I haven't had a chance to. Plus I have a life-debt now.]
Han frowned, turning more fully to the Wookiee. "So, what, you can't go see them because of me?"
[Not unless you give me leave to do so,] Chewie explained. [That is Wookiee custom.]
Han thinned his lips. "I know what it's like to be without family, and to not see them for a long time. So as soon as we are done with this crazy hunt for the girl— and now Luke— you're going to go see your family."
Chewbacca inclined his head. [Thank you Han.]
Han waved, turning back to his search. He knocked on the walls to see if there was any change in sound, and was rewarded with a hollow thud on the right wall. Han motioned to Chewie. "Hear this."
He rapped again, and waited expectantly for his friend.
[It's hollow.] Chewbacca agreed. {There's something behind the wall.]
Han began ripping the clothes from their hangars and tossing them onto the bed, and when he had full access to the wall, he peered closely for any seam. He ran light fingers around the outer edge of the wall, using his time with Garris to his advantage.
After several minutes of searching Han tried the adjoining wall, and finally found an irregularity. Han opened a panel to show a keypad, and Han scowled. "I doubt Saez will give us his code, so let's just do this our way."
Han promptly ripped the panel off the wall and began fiddling with the wiring, his fingers moving dexterously.
Chewie watched in apparent fascination. [You can hotwire?]
Han nodded, trying to concentrate. That wire there... this one here... no, not that combo... there!
The door hissed, popped inward and then slid to the side while Han grinned proudly. "There we go!"
He paused when the whiff of something metallic wafted to him on a slight breeze from the ventilation system within. "Chewie do you smell that?"
The Wookiee nodded, offering a concerned look. [Blood.]
Han lifted his comlink. "We found something in the master bedroom."
"We'll be right there," Obi Wan answered.
Han pocketed the communication device, and cautiously entered the room, fumbling to find a light switch. "Chewie, you don't happen to have a glowrod do you?"
Chewie shook his head, but helped find the switch. Finally they did so and when the space was lit, Han blanched...
... and just as swiftly ducked when he heard something coming at him. Whatever it was shot by where his head had been, while Chewie roared a warning. [Han get down!]
Han did as he was instructed and then rolled to his back to see what was harassing them. He blinked when a droid uglier than sin flashed by on repulsors. It had a blaster out that it was using to shoot at the intruders.
Chewie took a shot to the forearm as he tried to catch the droid mid-flight. With an angry roar, Chewie slammed a fist into the droid, which knocked it down. The thing began to float up immediately, but then it stood still, the blaster being ripped from its arm.
Han leaned to see Anakin with an arm extended, Obi Wan beside him as they both entered the room.
"Stand down," Obi Wan commanded the droid.
"Negative, you are not my master, and you do not have clearance for this area," the droid replied, still trying to follow its programming.
"Then you are no further use to us," Anakin said, igniting his lightsaber and slicing cleanly through the mechanical thing. The man stepped over the still-smoking halves of the droid and swore when he saw the room better.
Obi Wan spotted a computer and moved to the terminal, trying to access any information. Han joined the Jedi, and to his surprise, the computer wasn't locked. Han supposed that Saez wouldn't need the computer in a hidden room to be locked too. Obi Wan began to peruse the files while Anakin picked through the items in the room.
Chewie made a mournful sound. [I'm afraid this is Luke's blood.]
Anakin nodded, his lips tight, though his eyes were partially closed. "I know; I can still feel him in here."
"Anakin, look at this." Obi Wan called.
The younger man joined Han and Obi Wan at the terminal, following Obi Wan's pointing finger to a section of text.
Female child successfully chipped, her memory erased. Dark brown hair, brown eyes, blood type...
Anakin stared for a long minute. "Memory wipe?"
Han frowned deeply. "You can't do that to a person, right?"
Obi Wan sighed. "I'm afraid it is possible, though it's a dangerous procedure. There are planets that have the technology, though it's mostly a psychological thing."
Han rubbed at his head. "I'd rather die than lose myself."
Anakin had to work at calming his rising anger. "Does it say anything about Luke?"
"Not yet," Obi Wan replied. "I'll keep searching."
"Thanks."
Han watched as Anakin approached the bed, and observed how the man placed a hand to the headrest. Gentle fingers caressed the spot as if the man could feel his children in that motion. Then Anakin broke away and turned to look through the droid's parts.
