Chapter 46- The Duel and Escape
Luke was barely holding his own against Vader. The sith lord was an impressive fighter, but Luke could tell the cyborg was holding back. Luke could barely understand why as Vader had killed his father and wasn't known for being merciful to those he considered enemies. Vader pushed Luke back to the steps. "You have learned much, young one," Vader commented. Luke detected a hint of pride in Vader's voice. Luke wondered what the sith would have thought if he knew that Luke had learned his lightsaber skills from Lena, Talon, and the old holocrons Lena kept of their father, Anakin Skywalker.
"You'll find I'm full of surprises," Luke said, almost instantly kicking himself for bragging like that. What in the name of the Force was he thinking to brag like that? Yoda, Talon, and Lena would have taken him to task for that kind of gloat. Talon's daughter, Cora, definitely knew better than to boast like that. Before Luke could think about it much longer, Vader thrust at him, and knocked Luke's lightsaber out of his hand. Luke dove after it, barely avoiding Vader's blade. Luke barely managed to get to his feet when Vader leapt after him.
"Your destiny and your sister's destiny lies with me, Skywalker. Obi-Wan knew this to be true," Vader said, keeping the red blade of his lightsaber in front of Luke's face.
"No," Luke said in a gravelly voice and he backed away as Vader moved toward him. Losing his balance Luke fell into a hole in the floor with a startled scream.
Vader watched as his son fell into the carbon freeze machine. His boy was powerful, but apparently not powerful enough to see the machine. Vader hadn't wanted to freeze his son, but the boy was really too much like Anakin Skywalker when he was the same age. The boy was reckless enough to be a Skywalker. Now that he had him, he could curb that wild spirit his boy had. "All too easy," Vader said, flipping the switch to the machine with his fingers. "Perhaps you are not as strong as the emperor thought," Vader said as the smoky stem came out of the hole. It was then he looked up and saw Luke clinging to cables. The boy had jumped out when his father wasn't looking. "Impressive. Most impressive," Vader said as he swung his lightsaber in an attempt to make the boy let go. Vader let out a scream as Luke steamed him in the mask and when Vader got his bearings he noticed that the boy had called his lightsaber to him.
"Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me," Vader said as he met his son's blade with his. Vader had no intention of letting the boy destroy him, but all the sith used this kind of claptrap in a duel and Vader was no exception. Of course he couldn't see that Luke had backed him to a ledge and at the right time pushed him.
Now that Vader had gone over the edge, Luke could try to escape. The only way out that he could see was the way he had pushed Vader, Hopefully Vader was gone. Luke's energy had been spent fighting Vader. Luke left the access chute he had entered and looked around. It was some control room with a large observation window. Okay. This can't be the way out," Luke thought, looking around in confusion. Luke stopped at the sound of Vader's respirator. He turned and saw the sith lord as he walked to him. Vader lowered his blade slightly and Luke heard and then saw objects from the walls as they flew to him. Luke deflected and Vader attacked, the reserve he had shown Luke earlier, gone.
Luke then felt other objects hit him. One of the objects broke the window and the strong gust of wind blew Luke out. Luke grabbed the ledge and pulled himself up to the catwalk, feeling bruised, bloody, and sore all over.
The stormtroopers came out of the walls and Lena, Leia, Lando, Talon, and Chewbacca fired blasters and deflected with lightsabers. They managed to get into the lift and made it to a port. "The security code has been changed," Lando said with frustration when the door refused to open.
"Artoo, you can tell the computer to override the security system. Artoo, hurry!" Threepio said as Artoo extended his manipulator claw.
"Lando, you might want to let your people know what is happening," Lena said to Lando. Lando gave a brief nod and went to the intercom built into the wall.
"Attention. This is Lando Calrissian. Attention. The Empire has taken control of the city. I advise everyone to leave before more imperial troops arrive," Lando said as Artoo squealed and an electrical current went though his squat metal body. Lena, Chewbacca, and Talon all jerked the droid free.
"This way," Lando said, running down a corridor.
"Well, don't blame me. I'm an interpreter. I'm not supposed to know a power socket from a computer terminal," Threepio said in a prissy voice as they followed Lando.
Out of the corner of her eye Lena noticed Lando's people running and Chewbacca as he killed a trooper. Lando stopped in front of a blast door and cleared a path for Artoo. Lena and Talon powered up their lightsabers and deflected shots fired at them from the stormtroopers. "Ah! We're not interested in the hyperdrive on the Millennium Falcon. It's fixed!" Threepio said loudly as Artoo whistled. "Just open the door, you stupid lump!. The door then slid open. "I never doubted you for a second. Wonderful;!" Threepio praised.
They all ran out the door and to the Falcon, with blasters being shot at them. "Leia!" Lando shouted and Lena, Leia, and Talon all entered the ship. Talon followed Lando and Chewbacca to the cockpit. and they took off. "Papa, can you fly this thing?" Lena asked, standing behind her father as he sat in the pilot's chair.
"I may be a Jedi who shuns all technology, but I know how to fly a ship, daughter," Talon said as the left Cloud City.