Dark Times: Chapter Two

Pale Shelter

Part 2

With barely disguised anger and frustration, Han Solo stripped off his gloves and threw them down upon the control console before him. He sat quietly for a moment listening to the engines of the Millennium Falcon wane and die as Chewbacca shut down her systems and watched the activity of the small rebel outpost from the cockpit window. There were pilots and technicians working on the small squads of X- and Y-Wing snub fighters, droids unloading a small cargo vessel which had come in a few hours before him, ground troopers marking the perimeter of the base and prefabricated buildings being erected by teams of droids and personnel.

The base, set high in a mountainous region of Adralii VI, was only a few months old and still in the process of being staffed and developed. After Yavin the Alliance had scattered its forces into smaller groups, not wishing to risk all of their assets in one large base. Command hoped that by doing so it could safeguard its strength until a more secure, and secluded, main outpost could be found and established. However, it had meant communications and supply difficulties between garrisons, but these were small prices to pay to remain safe and hidden. It was just these problems that had given Solo a steady income over the last two years as he and Chewbacca ferried supplies, personnel and communiqués from base to base.

Since Yavin the Rebellion hadn't been having a lot of success, and was doing well just to survive. Worlds that had given the Alliance support were invaded and razed, convoys of supplies were frequently lost; two of the smaller outposts were discovered and destroyed. Several others abandoned in fear that captured personnel would reveal their whereabouts under torture. Not a lot of success until three weeks ago when, acting on intelligence from the Escaal Resistance Network, Red Squad - based on Ra'imar - had taken out a munitions plant and weapon's development programme. But in doing so, it had lost pilots. It had lost Luke Skywalker.

Missing In Action.

It would have been better if they had said "Killed in Action." Dead meant dead. Dead meant everyone else could go on, knowing what had happened. Missing meant no-one knew what the hell was happening. Missing meant imaginations ran overtime thinking the worst and hoping for the best. Except Han had a good idea what had happened to Luke - what was still happening to Luke.

When word had reached them on Adralii about the mission, about Luke's loss, Han had immediately taken the Falcon to Escaal, only to find it was a closed system. Not even Imperial vessels were being allowed to land or take off. All ships entering the system were boarded and the crew questioned, cargo inspected. Han had obeyed the Imperial demands to haul to and be boarded. He allowed them to search his ship and had concocted a story that had seemed to satisfy the Imperial officer as his false documents were inspected. He'd taken the opportunity to ask a few questions of his own.

The officer shrugged at the question, answered in dull, bored tones, and it was obvious that he had already been asked this many times in the last few days. "I've no idea how long the restrictions will last." He offered Han his documents back.

Han shoved his fake vehicle and personal identifications into the back pocket of his pants. "What's all the fuss about anyway?" he asked as casually as he could.

"We routed a Rebel attack a few days ago. One of their pilots was shot down. They're looking for him."

Relief flooded Han. Luke was alive and not in Imperial custody. He looked sceptically at the man. "All of this for one Rebel?"

The Imperial looked sharply at him. "We've found that one Rebel can lead us to many more, if the right questions are asked," he informed Han, stiffly.

"Mind if we hang around for a while, see if you get him? I'm kinda anxious not to lose the haulage contract and if the restrictions are lifted then..."

"Just don't cross into the exclusion zone, Spacer," the officer told him, "and be prepared to be boarded and searched again."

"Sure, sure. No problem. Thanks."

So he and Chewie had stayed, only one ship of a growing number waiting in that sector of space for the restrictions to be lifted, or for fuel and supplies to run low forcing them to leave. They monitored the Imperial Com systems, patched into the local holonet and watched the news broadcasts. As the days passed they were boarded more often and Han repeated his story time and time again for bored, young junior officers. The longer they stayed, and with each repetition, the story seemed to get weaker and weaker and Han knew they were on borrowed time.

He'd been dozing in the passenger compartment when Chewie had wakened him and he'd pulled himself from the acceleration couch and followed the Wookiee to the cockpit. Both the Com and the holonet were buzzing with excited voices and animated presenters. Han only needed to hear the first few words before shutting both off.

"We have him!"

"Breaking news! Although it has not been confirmed as yet by Imperial High Command, there have been reliable reports that a suspect was, only moments ago, arrested after a brief skirmish in Bellard Park. Although wounded..."

"Shit!" Han cursed angrily, feeling helpless, wanting to gun the engines and take the Falcon down in a reckless attempt at a rescue. Chewie wailed and barked, placed a restraining hand on Han's shoulder.

"Maybe not, Luke? Of course it's Luke! And we can't get near him!" His words were angry, grief stricken and frustrated.

Chewie rumbled softly.

"Yeah, I know Chewie, me too."

They'd remained where they were for a few more days considering options, formulating rescue plans and discarding them as unworkable. They checked in on the Com from time to time anxious to hear word of the captive but, apart from reports confirming the prisoner was the Rebel pilot, there had been very little else until the Falcon's scanners had picked up a snatch of conversation.

"What is the prisoner's status?"

"The droid's administered another dose, sir."

"Any sign of submission?"

"No, sir. But he's been taking more shocks."

"No-one goes to him, until I arrive, even if he breaks. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

Chewie switched the Com off.

"That's it!" Han burst. "We're goin' in for him!" His hands worked quickly over the Falcon's controls, firing up the sub-light engines. Beside him Chewie barked out a question. "I don't know, Chewie. I'll think of something. We've gotta get the kid out!"

Chewie argued more, howling a logic Han wanted to ignore. Luke would not wish for Han to come to harm, would be appalled if they were to die for him. But, as Han turned the ship, an alarm klaxxoned and he glanced to the scanners and groaned at the sight of the approaching Imperial ship. "Stand fast and prepare to be boarded," a voice barked over the com.

They had been searched again, identification checked again, but this time they had been ordered to leave the area or be arrested. They had lingered too long and their luck had run out. Han had tried to argue, tried to convince the young officer to allow them to stay a little longer without showing his own sense of desperation. He needed time, needed to figure out how to get past the blockade and patrols, needed to figure out how to get to Luke. But the Imperial had turned his back on them and had walked from the Falcon his orders clear. Again Chewbacca grunted softly, repeating his arguments for Han to save himself for another day, that a useless sacrifice was not what their young friend would want. And as they had reluctantly turned the Falcon away from Escaal, away from Luke, as they prepared to make the jump to light speed, another Imperial Star destroyer had arrived, one that dwarfed all the others. A command ship.

And Han was more afraid for Luke than ever, and his own feelings of guilt at having to turn his back on his friend were overwhelming.

Han pulled his thoughts away from the memories of the last few days and brushed his hands through his hair, stifled a yawn. Chewie softly grunted beside him, bringing his attention away from the past few weeks and days, away from his worry about Luke, to the present time. "Yeah, start the re-fuelling. See if you can rustle up some supplies, too," Han requested, and then he turned and shouted at the Wookiee's retreating back. "But none of that dried emergency stuff!" Then he sat quietly back, watching from the cockpit, as his first mate crossed the open landing pad and as a small figure, casually dressed in a blue jump suit appeared from the nearest building and approached the Falcon's ramp. He had no idea what he was going to tell the Princess Leia Organa.

He remained where he was, waiting for her and remembering their argument from three weeks previous.

"You can't go!" The Princess stated firmly, her voice betraying her concern. "The Alliance can't afford..."

"..to lose Luke!" Han finished for her.

"No! That's not..." she burst angrily. Then she stopped herself and sighed, lowered her head, closed her eyes as though warding off an impending headache. "I want Luke back as much as you, Han, but we can't afford to lose anyone else at this stage," she said, more calmly. "That includes you and Chewbacca. The resistance Network on Escaal gave us assurances that they would aid any pilot shot down during the attack. We need to wait for their signal that they have him."

"And if they can't get a signal out? If they couldn't find Luke? If..."

"And what good will you be to them?" Leia wanted to know. "To Luke? It makes better sense to wait for the signal."

"We're goin', now," Han told her.

"Han, I can't let you..." She stopped at the sudden clouding of the Corellian's face, knew she'd just said the wrong thing.

"I'd like to see you stop me!" he yelled in sudden fury. "Just because I've stuck around running errands for you doesn't make me Alliance property! And we're talkin' about Luke! Luke! Who wouldn't think twice about crossing the Galaxy to save you!"

She had wilted then, shoulders slumped with worry and grief. "I know," She informed him.

"So, I'm goin'," he told her again more softly this time, seeing her reaction.

"I'll see what supplies I can get you."

"Thanks."

Soft footsteps from behind pulled him from his reverie. "Han?"

"You were right," he spoke softly as the princess slipped into Chewie's co-pilot seat. "We didn't do any good. We just sat there, floating in space, while they took him. And then we left him."

The princess chilled at Han's desolate words. "They took him? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Never mentioned him by name, but they got him. It was all over the Com channels."

Leia slumped into the chair and closed her eyes in grief as all her hopes for Luke shattered around her. This is what she had been afraid of all these weeks since she was told of his loss, this is what had crept insidiously into her mind during quiet moments, and her sub-consciousness had plagued her dreams with hideous images of Luke in Imperial hands. "We have to let Ra'imar Command know. Prepare them for immediate evacuation."

Han felt anger immediately bridle at the unspoken insinuation in Leia's words, but he stilled the harsh words he wanted to throw at her, quickly stifled his feelings as he understood what the princess was doing. Leia was thinking like a leader, was considering the larger picture and not the individual person. Luke was too painful to think of, the thought of Luke being tormented and broken was torture itself to the Princess and so she concentrated on the Rebellion so as not to feel her own anguish, her own loss.

"Luke's strong," he said softly, in quiet defence of his friend. He felt empty, helpless.

"I know he is," Leia whispered as she gazed out at the activity of the Rebel base. "He'll give us the time we need to evacuate."

"Princess…" Han began, his tone low. He wanted to reach out to her, wanted to shake her from her duty and responsibilities and reach the woman he knew was in pain under the calm exterior.

She kept her gaze away from him, kept looking out of the cockpit. "Don't, Han… Please don't…"

"Just don't give up on him, okay?"

She pulled herself from chair, caught his eyes for the first time. "You're going back out after him," she realised suddenly. "Han, you'll only be placing yourself and Chewbacca at further risk and…"

"Stop it!" he barked, a little too harshly.

Leia glared at him and then turned away, heading for the doorway.

"Stop being the Princess," Han called at her back. "Stop being the sensible commander. Stop thinking with your head and tell me what you'd really want to do!"

Her footsteps faltered, and she paused at the door, holding on to the side for support. "I'd want to get him back, Han," she whispered hoarsely without looking back, feeling tears begin to swell and spill. "I'd want to get him back…"

tbc...