I don't own Star Wars Rebels or its characters

I own only Lisa Skywalker and my other OCs

Enjoy!

Sparks of Rebellion

Chapter 61: The Empire Strikes Back Part 1

3 years later...

Luke galloped across the windswept ice slope while mounting on a large grey snow lizard known as a Tauntaun.

Pulling off his protective goggles, Luke notices something in the sky and takes a pair of electro-binoculars from his utility belt and through them sees smoke rising from where the probe robot has crashed.

The wind whips at Luke's fur-lined cap and he activated a comlink transmitter nervously beneath him.

"Echo Three to Echo Seven."Luke said. "Han, old buddy, do you read me? After a little static a familiar voice is heard."

"Loud and clear, kid."Han answered. "What's up?"

"Well, I finished my circle."Luke stated. "I don't pick up any life readings."

"There isn't enough life on this ice cube to fill a space cruiser."Han stated. "The sensors are placed, I'm going back."

"Right. I'll see you shortly."Luke responded. "There's a meteorite that hit the ground near here. I want to check it out. It won't take long."

Luke clicks off his transmitter and reins back on his nervous lizard. He pats the beast on the head to calm it.

"Hey, steady girl."Luke instructed. "What's the matter? You smell something?"

Luke takes a small device from his belt and starts to adjust it when suddenly a large shadow falls over him from behind.

The Jedi in training hears a monstrous howl and turns to see an eleven-foot-tall shape towering over him which turned out to be a Wampa Ice Creature, lunging at him ferociously.

"Aaargh!"Luke cried out.

Luke grabbed for his pistol, but is hit flat in the face by a huge white claw.

He falls unconscious into the snow and in a moment the terrified screams of the Tauntaun were cut short by the horrible snap of a neck being broken.

The Wampa Ice Creature grabbed Luke by one ankle and dragged him away across the frozen plain.

In the Rebel Base Entrance...

Lisa walked around the main hanger deck and watched quietly as rebel troopers rush about unloading supplies and otherwise securing their base while Zack and Gwen were running pre-flight checks.

There were also mechanics, R2 units and various other droids hurry about in the hanger.

"Lisa!"

Lisa turned around and saw Gwen coming towards her.

"Has your brother returned to the base?"Gwen asked.

"No."Lisa responded. "Not yet, father. But I'm sure he'll come soon."

"I see."Gwen said quietly.

Lisa notice Gwen's cheeks turning a bit pink.

"Gwen, do you like Luke?"Lisa questioned with a smirk.

"No! Of course not!"Gwen snapped as her cheeks turned more red. "I just want to make sure he comes back quick! That's all!"

Lisa chuckled and rolled her eyes as Gwen walked away from her while Han rides his Tauntaun up to the entrance of the enormous ice cave.

The smuggler swings off his lizard and pulled off his goggles before walking into the main hangar deck toward the Millennium Falcon, which was parked among several fighters.

Han stopped at the Millennium Falcon where Chewbacca was welding on a central lifter.

Chewbacca stopped his work and lifts his face shield, growling an irritated greeting to his boss.

"Chewie!"Han called out.

The Wookiee grumbles a reply.

"All right, don't lose your temper."Han said. "I'll come right back and give you a hand."

Chewbacca puts his mask back on and returns to his welding as Han leaves.

General Rieekan straightens up from a console at Han's approach.

"Solo?"General Rieekan asked.

"No sign of life out there, General."Han reported. "The sensors are in place. You'll know if anything comes around."

"Commander Skywalker reported in yet?"General Rieekan asked.

"No."Han responded. "He's checking out a meteorite that hit near him."

General Rieekan checked the radar screen.

"With all the meteor activity in this system, it's going to be difficult to spot approaching ships."General Rieekan explained.

Taking a deep breath, Han blurted out what was on his mind.

"General, I've got to leave."Han admitted. "I can't stay anymore."

Princess Leia, standing at a console nearby, was dressed in a short white combat jacket and pants. Her brown hair was braided across her head in a Nordic fashion.

The Princess of Alderaan overhears their conversation and seems somewhat distressed.

"I'm sorry to hear that."General Rieekan apologised.

"Well, there's a price on my head."Han stated. "If I don't pay off Jabba the Hutt, I'm a dead man."

"A death mark's not an easy thing to live with."General Rieekan declared."You're a good fighter, Solo. I hate to lose you."

"Thank you, General."Han thanked as he turns to Leia as General Rieekan moves away. "Well, Your Highness, I guess this is it."

"That's right."Leia agreed with a hint of anger.

Han sees the Alderaanian Princess has no warmth to offer him, so he shakes his head and adopts a sarcastic tone.

"Well, don't get all mushy on me."Han complemented. "So long, Princess."

Han walked away into the quiet corridor adjoining the command center.

Leia stews a moment, then hurries after him.

In the Ice Corridor...

"Han!"Leia called out.

Han stopped in the corridor and turns to face Leia.

"Yes, Your Highness?"Han asked.

"I thought you decided to stay."Leia reminded.

"Well, the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my mind."Han admitted.

"Han, we need you!"Leia argued.

"We?"Han questioned.

"Yes."Leia agreed.

"Oh, what about you need?"Han asked with a hint of amusement.

"I need?"Leia scowled. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You probably don't."Han retorted.

"And what precisely am I supposed to know?"Leia demanded.

"Come on!"Han argued. "You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me!"

"Yes. You're a great help to us."Leia stated. "You're a natural leader..."

"No! That's not it. Come on."Han said and points to his cheek. "Come on."

Leia stared at the smuggler before understanding what he meant causing her to laugh.

"You're imagining things."Leia said.

"Am I? Then why are you following me?"Han sneered. "Afraid I was going to leave without giving you a goodbye kiss?"

"I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee."Leia declared.

"I can arrange that!"Han commented. "You could use a good kiss!"

Angrily, Han strides down the corridor as Leia stares after him.

Leia scowled in annoyance and made her way to the cafeteria, where a few rebel fighters were drinking a few beverages.

Nadia was sitting alone in a tabe before taking a third glass of kattadan rosé to drink with a glare on her face.

The woman in her late 30s had long hair held in a ponytail. She wore a silver twin tailed coat with long sleeves and grey trousers. A pair of dark thigh-high boots with light trim at the red top and a black belt that contained her lightsabers.

Leia went to sit next to Nadia.

"Something wrong, Leia?"Nadia suggested. "You're always angry unless something or someone is bothering you."

"Nothing is bothering me."Leia lied. "I'm fine."

Nadia pours a bottle of cider on a cup for Leia to drink.

"Take a drink and talk to me."Nadia insisted. "I know how to solve problems based on if someone is in love. Love can be a fragile thing. But it can also be a sanctuary, a safe haven for two hearts to grow up and grow old together. That was what I was told when I was getting married to Ferus."

Leia sighed before taking a sip of her cider drink.

"Fine."Leia responded. "I'll tell you."

In the Main Hanger Deck...

Ferus spoke with Zack and Gwen while Threepio and Artoo stopped at Han Solo's space freighter, were Han and Chewie were struggling with their central lifters.

"Why do you take this apart now?"Han demanded. "I'm trying to get us out of here and you pull both of these."

Chewbacca grumbled in a irritated tone.

"Excuse me, sir."Threepio spoke up.

Han wasn't listening to Threepio since he was busy talking with Chewbacca.

"Put them back together right now."Han instructed.

"Might I have a word with you, please?"Threepio asked.

"What do you want?"Han questioned.

"Well, it's Princess Leia, sir."Threepio responded. "She's been trying to get you on the communicator."

"I turned it off."Han declared. "I don't want to talk to her."

"Oh. Well, Princess Leia and Lady Lisa are wondering about Master Luke."Threepio admitted. "He hasn't come back yet. They don't know where he is."

"I don't know where he is."Han answered.

"Nobody knows where he is."Threepio added.

"What do you mean, nobody knows?"Han demanded.

Han glanced at the fading light at the entrance of the ice cave as night slowly begins to fall on the planet.

"Well, uh, you see..."Threepio started.

Han jumped down off the lift as Threepio followed after him.

"Deck Officer!"Han called out. "Deck Officer!"

"Excuse me, sir."Threepio said. "Might I inqu..."

Han abruptly puts his hand over Threepio's mouth as the deck officer approached.

"Yes, sir?"Deck Officer demanded.

"Do you know where Commander Skywalker is?"Han asked.

"I haven't seen him."Deck Officer replied. "It's possible he came in through the south entrance."

"It's possible? Why don't you go find out?"Han insisted. "It's getting dark out there."

"Yes, sir."Deck Officer said.

The deck officer leaves hurriedly as Han takes his hand off Threepio's mouth.

"Excuse me, sir."Threepio responded. "Might I inquire what's going on?"

"Why not?"Han asked.

Han walked away from Threepio, leaving the gold droid with Artoo.

"Impossible man. Come along, Artoo, let's find Princess Leia and Lady Lisa."Threepio suggested. "Between ourselves, I think Master Luke is in considerable danger."

Artoo beeped in respond.

The deck officer and his assistant hurry toward Han as he enters the tunnel.

"Sir, Commander Skywalker hasn't come in through the south entrance."Deck Officer exclaimed. "He might have forgotten to check in."

"Not likely."Han replied. "Are the speeders ready?"

"Not yet."Deck Officer answered. "We're having some trouble adapting them to the cold."

"Then we'll have to go out on Tauntauns."Han suggested.

"Sir, the temperature's dropping too rapidly."Deck Officer reminded.

"That's right."Han said simply. "And my friends out in it."

"I'll cover sector twelve."the Assistant Officer declared. "Have com-control set screen alpha."

Han pushes through the troops and mounts a Tauntaun.

"Your Tauntaun will freeze before you reach the first marker."Deck Officer reminded.

"Then I'll see you in hell!"Han snapped.

Han maneuvered his Tauntaun out of the cave and races into the dark bitter night.

Outside...

The jagged face of a huge ice wall sits gloomily in the dim twilight of a Hoth day.

Luke hanged upside down, ankles frozen into icy stalactites, his extended arms within a foot of the snow floor.

One side of his face was covered in a dried mask of frozen blood.

The Jedi in training opened his eyes as a chilling moan of the hideous ice creature echoes off the gorge walls.

Luke pulled himself up, grabbed a hold of his ankles and futilely tries to unfasten the throngs.

Exhausted, the blonde haired boy dropped back into his hanging position.

As he hangs there, Luke spied his lightsaber lying near a pile of his discarded gear, about three feet out of reach.

Luke focused on the saber and, as his hand strains toward the weapon, he squeezes his eyes tight in concentration.

Just as the ice creature looms over Luke, the lightsaber jumps into Luke's hand.

The young warrior instantly ignited his sword, swinging up and cuts himself loose from the ice before flopping to the snow in a heap.

The startled creature moves back, his giant yellow eyes blinking.

Luke scrambled to his feet and swung his lightsaber while the beast screamed in pain.

The Jedi in training staggered out of the gorge into the dark and snowy twilight.

Weak and exhausted, Luke stumbled down a snow bank.

The wind was blowing quite strong now, so Luke was struggling to stay upright, but a blast of freezing snow knocks him over.

The blonde haired boy struggled to get up, but he couldn't.

The young warrior from Tatooine dragged himself a couple of feet and then collapsed in the snow.

In the Main Hangar Deck...

Princess Leia and Lisa stood inside the dark entrance to the Rebel base, waiting for a sign for their companions to come back.

Chewbacca sits with his head in his hands while Artoo and Threepio move through the doors.

A Rebel lieutenant moved to Ferus, who was keeping watch with his 'nieces'.

"Sir, all the patrols are in."the Lieutenant said. "There's still no contact from Skywalker or Solo."

Lisa looked at Artoo.

"Artoo, did you catch any signal from outside?"Lisa asked.

Artoo beeped lowly and shook his head in respond.

"Mistress Leia, Lady Lisa, Artoo says he's been quite unable to pick up any signals."Threepio explained. "Although he does admit that his own range is far too weak to abandon all hope."

"I see..."Lisa whispered quietly.

Leia nodded an acknowledgment, but she was lost in thought.

"Leia, there's nothing more we can do tonight."Ferus admitted. "The shield doors must be closed. They'll probably come back tomorrow morning."

Ferus looked at the lieutenant.

"Close the doors."Ferus ordered.

"Yes, sir."the lieutenant responded and walked away.

Chewbacca lets out a long, mournful howl, somewhat like a coyote. At the same moment, Artoo began a complex series of efficient beeps.

"Artoo says the chances of survival are seven hundred seventy-five...to one."Threepio said.

Leia stood praying to herself as the huge metal doors slam across the entrance of the ice cave while Chewbacca lets out another suffering howl.

Lisa gives Ferus a small hug.

"I'm going off to bed."Lisa stated. "Good night, dad."

"Good night, Lisa."Ferus replied. "Sleep well."

Outside...

Luke laid face down in the snow, nearly unconscious.

Slowly he looks up and sees the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi, barely visible through the blowing snow.

"Luke."Obi-Wan called out quietly. "Luke."

"Ben?"Luke asked in a weak tone.

"You will go to the Dagobah system."Obi-Wan declared.

"Dagobah system?"Luke said.

"There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me."Obi-Wan explained.

The image of Obi-Wan faded away, revealing a lone Tauntaun rider approaching from the windswept horizon.

"Ben."Luke groaned. "Ben."

Luke lost his strength and dropped into unconsciousness.

Han pulled up and leaps off his Tauntaun before he hurried to his snow covered friend, cradling him in his arms.

Han's Tauntaun lets out a low, pitiful bellow, but Han's concern was with Luke and he shakes him urgently.

"Luke! Luke! Don't do this, Luke!"Han protested. "Come on! Give me a sign here!"

Luke doesn't respond.

As he started to lift the youth, Han hears a rasping sound behind him. He turns, just in time to see his Tauntaun stagger and then fall over into the snow.

The smuggler carried Luke to the moaning beast as the Tauntaun he rode took it's final breath and died.

"Not much time."Han commented.

Han pushes Luke's inert form against the belly of the dead beast.

"Ben."Luke moaned. "Ben..."

"Hang on, kid."Han instructed.

"Dagobah system..."Luke mumbled.

Han ignites Luke's lightsaber and cuts the beast from head to toe.

The smuggler then quickly tossed it's steaming innards into the snow, then lifts Luke's inert form and stuffs him inside the carcass.

"This may smell bad, kid."Han warned.

"Yoda..."Luke whispered.

"But it will keep you warm until I get the shelter built."Han finished.

Han struggled to get Luke inside the carcass.

"Ooh...I thought they smelled bad on the outside!"Han retorted.

The wind has picked up considerably, making it difficult to move.

Han removes a pack from the dead creature's back, taking out a shelter container.

The older man began to set up what can only be a pitiful protection against a bitter Hoth night.

Zack then contacted Luke through his comlink.

"This is Rogue Two. this is Rogue Two. Captain Solo, so you copy?"Zack asked. "Commander Skywalker, do you copy? This is Rogue Two. There is a sharp crackle of static, then a faint voice."

"Good morning."Han answered. "Nice of you guys to drop by."

The small shelter Han set up was covered with snow on the windward side.

A makeshift antenna rests gingerly on top the snowdrift.

Han spotted Zack's snowspeeder approaching in the distance and began waving his arms frantically at the tiny craft.

In the Medical Center...

When they are taken back to base, Luke was put in a bacta tank for healing under the care of medical droid, 2-1B.

Luke began to thrash about inside the bacta tank, raving in delirium.

Afterwards...

In the recover room of the rebel base, Luke sits up in a recovery-room bed with a smile on his face.

Gwen sat next to Luke and gives him a kiss on the cheek before touching his face.

"Does the scars hurt?"Gwen asked.

"Not much."Luke answered.

"You know you had us all worried."Gwen declared.

"Really?"Luke chuckled. "You were worried?"

Gwen opened her mouth to say something but stood up when the others came in.

Ferus, Lisa, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Leia, Threepio and Artoo entered the room to check the former farm boy.

Lisa gives Luke a hug, feeling happy that her twin brother was alright.

"Great that you are back, Luke."Lisa complemented. "Ferus was almost going to sent a squad to look for you."

"But make sure to go on patrol with your sister next time, Luke."Ferus instructed. "Zack almost couldn't find you."

Luke nodded as Threepio spoke to him.

"Master Luke, sir, it's so good to see you fully functional again."Threepio remarked.

Artoo beeped in agreement.

"Artoo expresses his relief also."Threepio added.

Han walked up to Luke.

"How are you feeling, kid?"Han asked. "You don't look so bad to me. In fact, you look strong enough to pull the ears off a Gundark."

"Thanks to you."Luke commented.

"That's two you owe me, junior."Han declared.

Han brought his attention to Leia while looking at her with a big devilish grin on his face.

"Well your worship, looks like you managed to keep me around for a little while longer."Han said.

"I had nothing to do with it."Leia stated. "General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we've activated the energy shield."

"That's a good story."Han sneered. "I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight."

Luke and Ferus rolled their eyes at Han while Lisa simply shook her head.

"Oh brother."Gwen murmured quietly.

Leia frowned at Han.

"I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain."Leia declared bitterly.

Chewbacca lets out a light laugh causing Han to glare at him.

"Laugh it up, fuzzball."Han scowled before going over to Leia and smiled. "But you didn't see us alone in the south passage. She expressed her true feelings for me."

Lisa raised an eyebrow while Ferus, Luke and Gwen at Leia.

"My?!"Leia shouted angrily as Han backed away from her. "Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder!"

"Who's scruffy-looking?"Han questioned and looked at Luke. "I must have hit pretty close to the mark to get her all riled up like that, huh, kid?"

Leia looks vulnerable for a moment, then the mask falls again and walked up to Luke.

"I guess you don't know everything about women yet."Leia scoffed.

With that Leia leans over and kisses Luke on the lips.

Ferus became shocked at Leia's action while Lisa looked at the sight with discomfort.

She didn't know why, but Lisa felt there was something not right about the kiss.

Then Leia turns on her heel and walks out, leaving everyone in the room slightly dumbstruck.

With some smugness, Luke puts his hands behind his head and grins.

Gwen frowned at what she just saw before quietly walking out of the recovery room.

Suddenly, in the distance, the muffled sound of an alarm was heard.

"Headquarters personnel, report to command center."the Announcer ordered.

The voice repeated the order and Han, Chewbacca, Artoo, and Threepio hurry out of the room, bidding farewell to Luke.

"Take it easy."Han instructed.

"Excuse us, please."Threepio said.

Ferus glared at Luke.

"Don't get any ideas."Ferus warned.

Ferus followed the others out of the recovery room while Luke looked at Lisa, who shrugged at him in respond.

Next is the Battle of Hoth:)