Adrianne Palicki as Lilah Amidala
Shelley Hennig as Thalia Kenobi
We don't own Star Wars. (Only our plot points)
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The group moved in their Stormtrooper disguises, Luke and Han were at Chewie's sides while Thalia walked behind the Kashyyyk warrior and Lilah was in the front leading the way as they escorted the Wookiee down the Death Star corridors. Only there was no getting around the fact that Luke and Thalia were the shortest of the group and could barely pull off being troopers, it was only made worse when the younger ones stood near Lilah and Han.
The five of them tried to remain inconspicuous as the elevator arrived to take the group toward the detention center level. Other troopers, imperialists, and robots all hustled by them without batting an eyelash at them. They were blending in just fine.
When they got into the elevator, the tension was radiating almost as Luke fixed Chewie's cuffs. "I can't see anything in this helmet." Luke complained as they went up to the detention level.
Han rolled his eyes before grumbling how he was feeling about the whole situation. Especially when a gray-uniformed bureaucrat attempted to follow them in, but Han held his hand up to caution him. Along with Thalia by pointing at Chewie for the reason why they wouldn't let bureaucrat inside the lift and the man moved onto another one.
The tension was high in the air and let out a small breath. "This is not gonna work." This plan was never going to work because their group was large and Luke and Thalia didn't have the height to be troopers, Lilah was tall about only a few inches shorter than Han himself, so they could pull it off. But the cuffs wouldn't click onto Chewie in the slightest so they'll have to pray to this mystical whatever was with them to the point no one notices cuffs.
"Why didn't you say so before?" Luke complained to the other male. Heart beating fast within his chest that he could almost feel the blood within his ears.
"I did." Han insisted to the kid with an annoyed tone.
"Boys quiet." Thalia ordered them, smiling to herself within her helmet as the elevator stopped and the door opened behind them. Making everyone turn around and walk out. Now was the moment for the force to be with them because they were gonna need it.
Everyone moved out of the lift rather slowly as an Imperial lieutenant, dressed in all black, moved from his position behind a semicircular control station. Behind him and off to the side were two other troopers dressed in black that stood beside the detention walls. One could take notice that a small set of steps led up to the cells where another trooper was standing.
The lieutenant was the first one to speak. "Where are you taking this..." he paused as he overlooked the Wookiee. One didn't know or could tell if he knew what kind of species Chewie was supposed to be. "Thing."
Thalia bit her lip. This Imperial didn't seem to know a Wookiee by sight and was none the wiser about what could happen. Rumors across the galaxy spoke of Wookiee's being able to rip arms off without much effort. Plus when Han said 'it wasn't wise to upset a Wookiee' earlier on the Falcon. It was going to be the Imperials' last mistake.
"Prisoner transfer from cell block one-one-eight-seven." Luke informed the officer with a firm tone.
"I wasn't notified." The lieutenant explained to the group. "I have to clear it." Moving back to the control panel.
"He doesn't believe us," Thalia whispered with some fright to Lilah. They were gonna be caught in the act if no one came up with a plan.
Looking down, Lilah knew she had to think fast. They would be dead if they were found out. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" She asked Solo in a quiet tone, surveying the situation, and looking down to one of Chewie's cuffs.
Han smirked behind his mask, looking toward the female. "Oh course, sunshine."
With a nod, they unfastened one of the cuffs and Chewie got loose. When the Imperial guard walked forward his gun aimed, the Wookiee hit him, making him soar across the room. A barrage of laser fire ensued as one by one the group took out the men, cameras, and alarms.
When the fire fight ended, Luke headed to the control panel. Lilah knew they had to find out which cell the Princess was in and fast. She knew it was only a matter of time before backup would be coming and their cover would be blown.
When they found where she was, Lilah volunteered to go get her. "I'll do it." Lilah began to walk down the hallway to get the princess. She never did have a problem with taking initiative on things.
Finally feeling his heart calm down, Luke took off his helmet seconds later with a heavy breath. Then he noticed the flashing red button on the panel and he went cold again. One of them was going to have to answer that.
Thalia looked at the flashing red button, took off her helmet, and moved forward to answer the call. Maybe she should've waited for Lilah to get back because the older woman was always better with plans and situations such as these. "Everything's under control. Situation normal." She spoke in the com with a calm tone like her father's.
Over the intercom a voice sounded on the other end, asking questions. "What happened?"
"Uh..." Thalia answered and lifted her tree brown eyes toward Han and Luke for an idea. Han did a movement to his blaster. "Had a slight weapons malfunction. But everything's alright now. Situation normal, sir." Even as she kept her voice official-she was praying to the force that everything she said was believable.
"We're spending a squad up."
"No we're-" Thalia tried to say only for Han to get involved.
Han whipped off his helmet and took over. "Negative. Negative. We have a reactor leak here now. Give us a few minutes to lock it down. Large leak... Very dangerous."
Luke looked pale with sheer panic and looked at Han and Thalia. They were panicking. They had to do something right now.
"Who is this?" The intercom voice asked, finding it strange that another person took over speaking. "What's your operating number?"
Han considered for a second when it came to answering the question before grabbing his blaster, taking aim at the commlink system, and firing the blaster at point blank range which caused the system to blow. "Boring conversation anyway." Han muttered to himself before looking in the detention corridor and shouted to Lilah, "Sunshine! We're about to have company!"
Luke looked pale with sheer panic and looked to Thalia and Han. For once he agreed with Solo when he shot the comm system. He wasn't a trigger happy guy, but it was the best thing to do right now. He waited next to the door, waiting for what was to come.
Thalia grew pale and started to head down the corridor of the detention area to help Lilah find the cell with the princess inside. It was only a matter of time before the troopers arrived now.
Lilah turned back around briefly to look back at the group before punching in the code to the princess' cell. Opening the door. Inside she found a woman around her own age in white and royal looking clothing. She was very beautiful in a soft and angelic way.
She watched her for a second in fascination before taking off her helmet revealing her own beautiful face. "My name is Lilah Amidala." She introduced herself rather quickly. "I came here with Ben Kenobi, we have your R2-we're here to rescue you." She informed the other woman.
"Ben Kenobi. Where is he?" Leia asked Lilah Amidala as they moved out of the cell and into the hallway only to be greeted by Thalia. "Who's this?" The princess asked the other female.
Thalia stopped beside Lilah and looked at the woman in white with two brown buns on the sides of her hair. Princess Leia had a kind and gentle face. "I'm Thalia Kenobi. Ben Kenobi's daughter. Hi." She spoke nervously before turning to Lilah. "Your boyfriend shot the commlink." She was only calling Han; Lilah's boyfriend because of how well the two were reading each other's mind without saying a signal word.
"He is not my boyfriend." Lilah said a little too loudly as Leia already attached herself to the women with wide eyes. "Okay run now, talk later." She told the other women but Leia shook her head and pointed to the cell across from them.
"There's a rebel on this ship in that cell, we need to get him out." Leia more or less ordered the tall woman. Her face was set in stone and Lilah quickly nodded and came to the door across from the princes. Slowing her breathing down she tried to focus on the force and let it guide her to open up the cell.
When it opened up it revealed an older man, around Han's age, and just as handsome in a dark way. Lilah was a bit thrown. "Come with us if you want to get out of here." She said and the man got, looking suspicious before he saw the Princess. She nodded and the man got out.
"Cassian Andor." He introduced himself to the trio of women rescuers, his voice accented.
"Lilah Amidala and this is Thalia Kenobi." Lilah nodded back as enemies' flooded in. "Okay we have to get out of here." They would have time to talk later if they all made it out alive that was. The four ran and when they skidded to a stop. Lilah took out her lightsaber, ready for anything that came her way.
Luke blasted at their enemies and ran down the cell hallway with Han and Chewie to the trio of women and other men.
Thalia took out her own lightsaber to reflect the blaster bolts from the troopers. She paused for a moment when she remembered the blaster she had gotten from her trooper armor and handed it to Cassian. "You know how to use this?"
Cassian eyed her and the weapon, he didn't have full trust in the group that was rescuing Leia and himself. But this female seemed to trust him with a weapon. "Yeah," he said before taking it and started to fire at the troopers.
"Can't get out that way," Han explained to the group before taking notice of the other male. "I thought we only came here for a princess."
"Change of plans." Lilah said as she kept the laser fire back with her magenta lightsaber. Using the force to throw laser bolts back toward some of the men. "He's a rebel too. We couldn't just leave him to die." And the princess wasn't going anywhere without him it seemed.
"Looks like you guys cut off our only escape route." Princess Leia snapped at the rugged tall man. Some rescue this was turning out to be.
Thalia rolled her eyes because today was not turning out to be a great day. "I had it all under control until Han shot the commlink." The action by Han did bring the group trouble in the long run.
"You shot the commlink?" Cassian asked Han, anger and rage rolling off him in waves which almost made Thalia move away from him. "You basically gave them your location."
Han rolled his eyes toward the younger man. About as annoying as Luke this one was, but Cassian held more bite. Solo really didn't like this rebel. "Maybe you and the princess would like it back in your cells."
Thalia rolled her eyes once again. She didn't want to be part of this argument and stayed focus on using the force to send Troopers flying away from them and using her lightsaber to block blaster bolts.
"Are you even with the rebellion?" Cassian chose to ask within that moment because this ragtag group didn't seem to be. The rebellion would never come up with such an idiotic plan. He didn't want to believe a plan like this one would come from the rebels. The rebels all believed Leia and he were dead-they wouldn't risk a rescue aboard the Death Star.
"Thalia and I are-them..." Well Lilah couldn't speak for them really. But she was in this until the end. She had been in this fight since she was born. Her Naboo grandparents, her aunt, had been helping the rebels-giving them aid.
Luke took out his commlink from his belt and continued to exchange fire with the troopers. "C-3PO!" Luke called desperately as they continued to fight off the troopers at hand.
"Yes sir?" The droid responded over the link in a fast manner, a calm voice in the sea of chaos.
"We've been cut off!" Luke cried desperately over the blaster fire. "Are there any other ways out of the cell bay? …What was that? I don't copy!" He yelled as the roar of blaster fire and lightsabers continued. C-3PO repeated himself and said that there were no escape routes-and that everyone had been alerted. "There isn't any other way out!" He yelled to his companions.
"Fantastic!" Lilah snapped back as she sliced a trooper who got too close to them.
Thalia turned to Luke and said; "Tell goldenrod to look again. There should be something somewhere in this station that could get us out of here." She didn't mean to be snippy with Luke, but she was getting stressed out like Lilah and everyone else at the moment.
"He's trying." Luke insisted to Thalia.
This was turning out to be some rescue. Finally having enough Leia grabbed a blaster, taking charge of her own unbranched rescue. Shouts of wonder, asked her what she was doing and Leia was having none of that.
"Well someone has to save our skins around here and it doesn't look like it will be any of you." Leia snapped as she blasted the grate. "Come on flyboy." Leia motioned to them all.
Lilah drives in first quickly too, clicking off her lightsaber. She was always the head strong one for sure of it. Ben said it was one of her worst qualities-too much like her father, she would hear him mutter. But she had her mother's brains at least. She heard the others follow her and they landed in a garbage chute. Cassian being the second one to dive in after her, followed by Leia and then Thalia.
When the girls were in, Luke finally ushered in Chewie with much difficulty. Looking at Han, he was the dark look that the older man caused his way.
"Wonderful girl," Han told the kid with sarcasm in his voice. That Princess was either going to be the death of them or going to solve all their problems. "Either I'm gonna kill her or I'm beginning to like her." Someone the princess was reminding him of Lilah in personality. "Get in there!" he ordered the kid.
Han continued to fire his blaster back at the Stormtroopers while Luke ducked laser fire and jumped through the hole. Han fired a few more blasts to create a smoky cover and then he held his blaster forward as he dived into the chute with a yell.
-8-8-8-8-
Tarkin sat in the conference room with his eyes watching Darth Vader with a blank expression on his face. The words the Dark Lord of the Sith spoke didn't seem to concern the human in the slightest.
"He is here," Vader spoke.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Tarkin said. He didn't believe what Vader was saying. It was impossible. "What makes you think so?" Fairchild and Kenobi and Master Yoda disappeared around the same time. Why would one of the three Jedi's resurface now?
"A tremor in the Force." Vader explained. The Force was never wrong. "The last time I felt it was in the presence of my Old Master."
Tarkin send Vader a doubtful look. "Surely he must be dead by now." In this day and age in the galaxy the old Jedi should be. Now was not time to chase ghost. Not when the weapon was endanger of a possible rebel attack.
"Don't underestimate the Force," Vader exclaimed.
"The Jedi are extinct; their fire has gone out of the universe," Tarkin explained. Order 66 made sure of it. "You, my friend, are all that's left of their religion." With Jedha city destroyed and the last temples of the Jedi being destroyed or buried within the galaxy the myth of the Jedi should fade away. Before anything else could be spoken between the two males a signal chimed from a comlink from a console in front of Tarkin's seat. He pressed a button on the console and spoke, "Yes."
An Imperial Officers voice spoke over the intercom, "We have an emergency alert in detention block AA-twenty-three."
"The Princess and the rebel!" Tarkin spoke, shocked. Maybe Vader was correct to be uneasy. But could it be Kenobi? "Put all sections on alert!"
"Obi-Wan is here," Vader declared. "The Force is with him."
Tarkin let out a small breath before looking up at Vader. "If you're right, he must not be allowed to escape." It was time for the Jedi to officially end.
Only Darth Vader understood Kenobi better than anyone. "Escape is not in his plan." Obi-Wan was not going to run from destiny any longer. That the Sith could understand. Vader turned toward the door and said knowingly, "I must face him alone."
-8-8-8-8-
The garbage room was a metal-walled chamber that contained heaps of trash, everything from broken metal beams to bits of plastic scrap of organic waste. A pool of foul-smelling muck completely covered the floor. Leia's white gown and everyone's Stormtrooper armor was covered in grime. Once Thalia landed onto the bottom of the garbage chute she accidently landed on Cassian. "Sorry." She mumbled to herself before averting her eyes away from him. Getting up quickly and away from the rebel.
"It's fine." The male mumbled to himself.
Soon, Chewie, whose fur was matted with swill and grime, Luke and Han, whose trooper white armor got covered in grim, joined the group. The Wookiee was already moving toward the hatch and tried to open it-which was locked from the outside.
Han was becoming unhappy with the situation by the minute. "Let's get out of here! Get away from there!" he told the Wookiee, drawing his blaster and shooting at the metal hatch.
"No wait!" Luke shouts.
"Han, stop!" Thalia shouts as well in warning.
It was too late for Han had already fired the blaster.
The blaster bolt that was fired was like a ricocheting laser that was going around wildly within the metal chamber. Bouncing off walls and the metal hatch, leaving behind small black spots on the metal. Thalia moved to the side as the bolt tried to hit her, making her stumble back into Cassian's arms. The bolt moved around faster and faster until it flew into the muddy water where the bolt disappeared. Not evening, leaving a signal dent in the metal door.
"Have you lost your mind?" Cassian snapped, helping the younger woman up. Thalia. The taller woman. Lilah, said this girl's name had been Thalia. It was hard to make out her features in such dark lighting but she was young and pretty, he could say that much. She had heart and spin too- he could appreciate that.
Thalia smiled up toward Cassian with a nod of her head. "Thank you." Thank you for catching me. Was her way of putting everything that had happened?
Chewie let out a low bark, coming off more like a whine as he banged on the sealed door. Lilah felt for the creature, she really did but that wasn't going to help at all.
"Will you forget it?" Luke snapped at Han as he felt something slither past him. He had never been very vocal, especially with agitation, but he wasn't going to die in this rancid place. "Lilah already tried it. It's magnetically sealed." He cried out.
"Seriously put it away before you get us all killed." Lilah barked at Han as she nearly stepped on his toe. She was clearly unhappy with the older man's stupidity right now. Oh how she would just love to smack him. But there was a time and place for that. Now was not the time or the place.
The Captain on the Falcon didn't like being ganged up on by his crewmates at the moment. At least he had a plan before they were led down here. It wasn't his fault.
"Absolutely, Sunshine." Han snapped to Lilah with a smug look on his face. "Look, I had everything under control until Your Highness led us down here." Gesturing toward the princess. "You know, it's not going to take them long to figure out what happened to us."
Leia just rolled her dark brown eyes at Han's comment and replied, "It could be worse."
Just then, a loud booming noise sounds along with an inhuman moan among the metal, making everyone look downward toward the murky and muddy pool of garbage, causing the moan to grow louder and echo off the metal walls which causes everyone to look at each other.
"Great," Thalia breathed out before looking toward Leia. "You just cursed us."
Han looked toward the princess as well, agreeing with Thalia, choosing to fire back the princess's words at her. "It's worse."
The horrid and inhuman sound could make anybody cringe. Chewbacca let out a frightened howl and Lilah looked at the princess. "You just had to say that." She deadpanned to the other woman as she drew out her dagger, she wasn't risking her lightsaber down here. She just really had to say that when things were going oh so well.
"There's something alive in here!" Luke yelled out with his laser pistol drawn. His frightened feelings were obvious as he backed up to where Leia was.
"That's your imagination." Han told the kid. The noise could've just been the metal framework of the station. No need to get nervous over anything.
"We need to get out of here." Cassian said as Lilah handed him a pistol. That woman had a walking arsenal on her and he nodded in thanks.
Luke suddenly jumped almost a mile high. Freaking out the others immensely. "Something just moved past my leg." He yelped and looked to the ground. There he saw a snake-like creature move in the water smoothly and ducked under. "There, did you see it?" He asked the others.
Lilah frowned at him and tried to find the creature Luke was speaking of. "Where?" She questioned the younger man.
And just as Luke was about to respond he was pulled under.
Thalia had felt the creature make a grab for Luke through the Force. "Luke. Luke!" She shouted in worry as her eyes searched the water as her senses were calling out to the Force to find Luke or the creature in that moment. There was no sign of Luke's armor body anywhere, but his presence in the Force was still there.
She would have to search the force...trust what she was feeling as she got herself ready to jump into the water after Luke, only to be stopped by Cassian.
"No," Cassian told Thalia, pulling her back with an arm around her waist. In his defense he didn't know what Lilah and Thalia were-that being Jedi- because the people he met on the planet Jedha were just guardians of the Whills. If he did, then he wouldn't let her join into the water? Only he didn't and didn't want anyone within the group doing anything reckless at the moment.
"Yeah, let me go." Thalia told the rebel. She could've force pushed the male away from her but chose against the violence of an alley. "We have to save him." Only she stopped struggling once she felt Luke was going to them.
Luke suddenly resurfaced gasping for air and thrashing his limbs. A long tentacle was wrapped around his throat cutting off more of his air supply by the second.
"Luke!" Lilah and Leia both shouted at the same time. She watched as Leia extended a long pipe to the thrashing young man so he could grab it, but it was to no avail. That thing had the death grip on him.
"Blast it, will you! My gun jammed." He yelled in alarm. He could feel it, the air leaving his lungs.
In a second Lilah took out her lightsaber and raised it, clicking it on, it glowed magenta in the dark, and without hesitation sliced off the tentacle that held Luke captive. When it released Luke, he gave the female Jedi a grateful look. As air returned to his lungs, he began to cough almost violently, feeling a slight head rush. Cassian released Thalia to let her go over to her friend, watching her with a plain protective look.
Thalia had moved forward and kneeled down beside Luke, rubbing his back as the boy coughed up water. "You're okay." She reassured, making sure the water was out of his lungs before hugging him. "You're okay little farm boy. You're safe." Kissing the boy's cheek.
Safe for now thanks to Lilah's quick actions and thinking. Natural born leader Lilah was in moments like these. Thalia could remember how her mother and father always praised Lilah for her actions within the moment-barely needing anything to think about a plan before acting.
"Yeah, I'm fine Thalia." Luke is reassured, being helped by the other female. Even with a kiss on the cheek he knew they were just friends and Thalia's nature to him was one of a caring friend and nothing more.
Suddenly the walls screeched out horridly and the room shook. The walls began to move in on them. They just couldn't catch a break.
"The walls are moving?" Luke cried out as he got up. Lilah put away her weapons, and the rebels looked around widely at the enclosed space. The metal walls were moving on them like a slow death. Despite the quick escape, it didn't prove much-since they were going to be crushed unless they could figure out some way to stop this. And fast too.
"Don't just stand there trying to brace it with something!" Leia exclaimed as she grabbed a pole and ordered everyone to help her.
Lilah and Thalia called upon the Force to slow down the movement of the walls as Leia, Han, Luke, Cassian, and Chewie got the poles in place. Only for the pole to snap and break from the wait of the walls. Nothing the group was going to do seemed to be working. They were never going to get back to the droids at this rate.
"The droids." Thalia whispered once they crossed her mind. "Luke, call the droids. They'll be able to help us."
Luke speaks out into the transmitter. "See-Threepio. Come in, Threepio! Where can he be?" Why weren't the droids answering? Had they been caught? Were they all going to die here?
It was a while before the droids answered. "Are you there, sir?"
"Shut down all the garbage mashers on the detention level, will you?"
Once the droids were able to shut them down the group broke out into cheers. They were alive and well. Plus, everyone in the group was hugging each other in celebration.
Thalia had a smile on her face, first she hugged Luke and then moved on to the kept person, who she thought was Lilah only to realize it was Cassian.
Cassian was surprised by the hug, it seemed like forever since he had kind human contact. But he was nonetheless happy he was alive, and soon after let go.
While the others were hugging close in celebration, Lilah got an unexpected hug from Han, his body was hot like hers. But as if someone doused the flame, they separated fast soon after. They were going to live to see and fight another moment it seemed.
"C-3PO we're alright." Luke said over the comlink with a big smile on his face. It was quite cute, showing off his childlike heart. "You did great. Hey...hey, open the pressure maintenance hatch on unit number...Where are we?" He asked the others.
"Three-two-six-eight-two-seven." Lilah said into the comlink with a smile. She had a beautiful one for sure of that.
It took a few seconds before the trash compactor 32-6-3827 opened and the group exited into a dusty and unused hallway. Han, Luke, Lilah, and Thalia got to work on removing the troopers but retained the troopers 'white utility belts, each of which carried blaster power cell containers, a tool kit, and a grappling hook attached to a fiber cord reel. Chewbacca sat outside the open hatch and tried to brush the grime from his matted fur. Leia smoothed out her gown and checked the pins that held her brown flowing hair in place. Cassian just stood by being ever watchful of his surroundings and everyone else like a hawk.
Thalia looked over toward the rebel male before taking off her trooper utility belt and handed it toward him. Already coming to the conclusion it would suit him better than herself. "You can have it. You look like you know how to use it better than I do." Most likely because being in the rebellion you learned how to use objects in a million different ways.
Han looked toward the strong willed woman that was Lilah, who was sitting next to him straightening her hair, trying to get the dirt out of it. "You sure do know how to give a man a fine time, don't you?" He adds with a grin on his face before winking at her. It's been fun with the near death experience the last few minutes. This group was chaotic in a fun way. "Now if we can all just avoid any more female advice, we ought to get out of here!"
Lilah just gave Han a deadpan look as they got out of the garbage chute. And here she might have been thinking he was a decent guy.
Cassian took the belt and hooked it around his waist with a nod as Luke took the blaster from Han. "We need to get moving." Cassian more or less ordered as Chewie began to growl.
"Chewie?" Lilah asked wearily as he pointed to the garbage room and howled like a beast. The Dia Nogu banged against the hatch relentlessly and a long, slimy tentacle worked its way out of the doorway searching for a victim to pull in.
Thalia moved out of the way as Chewie ran past her, getting away from the tentacle. "Really? You're bigger." She stated to the Wookiee that was scared of the creature. "It's in there and you're out here. It can't hurt you."
Han Solo was starting to be embarrassed about his Wookiee companion's behavior over the creature. "Where are you going?" He asked the Wookiee, who was just shaking his head at Han. Solo rolled his blue eyes before turning his blaster toward the hatch-aiming at the creature.
"Han, what are you doing?" Thalia asked the Captain of the Falcon.
"No, wait!" Cassian warned, accent thick. He didn't want Han to do a dumb and stupid act the moment they got out of danger. "They'll hear!"
It was too late once again. Han fired the blaster at the hatch and killed the creature, the noise echoed off the metal walls and into the hallway. Everyone in the group was displeased with Han's actions. The Falcon's Captain was a danger to everyone around him.
"Come here, you big coward!" Han called to the Wookiee, who stood trembling beside a nearby stake of barrels. "Chewie! Come here."
While Chewie shook vehemently at the monster in the trash. Lilah rubbed her temples. She could feel a headache forming because of all this stupidity and noise buzzing around her.
"Listen." Leia said with a straight face, taking charge of this situation. "I don't know who you are, or where you came from, but from now on, you do as I tell you. Okay?" She looked at Han straight in the face. Luke was a bit stunned by her boldness.
Lilah smiled widely at the other woman and then looked at Han. "Oh I like her." She claimed. She would like the bold Princess.
Thalia nods her head in agreement at Lilah's words. This Princess was staler. "I do, too." She would let the princess be the leader of the group if the older looking woman wanted to be. She was perfectly fine listening to anyone for the time being.
Han sent a glare toward Lilah because of her comment. Then he moved his eyes back toward the princess and felt rage feel him. What was with these women? "Look, your worshipfulness. Let's get one thing straight. I take orders from one person!" Then he pointed to himself. "Me!"
Thalia took notice of Cassian rolling his brown eyes at Han's words. She didn't like where this was going.
"It's a wonder you're still alive," Cassian spoke, crossing his arms against his chest.
"I've been quite curious about that myself." Lilah admitted to Cassian. She was honestly curious about how a man like Han Solo could survive in this world.
The retort out of Cassian's mouth made the older female Jedi smile and without hesitation followed after the princess. Oh she was going to get along just fine with this woman and Cassian. The male rebel quickly followed them, looking back to the other four and made a motion.
Luke shook his head and watched them go off. He finally looked back to Han, knowing full well they had to get going. They had to get moving again. Now wasn't the time to be playing stubborn.
When they finally got to the large bay view window, the rag tag team saw the Falcon shining in its glory down below as Stormtroopers milled over it. "C-3PO do you copy?" Luke asked over the comlink in a low tone as to not alert any unfriendly parties of their position.
"For the moment." C-3PO responded in a shaky voice, sounding very nervous. Could droids even sound nervous? "Uh, we're in the main hangar across from the ship."
"We're right above you, stand by." Lilah said into it and looked below them. Several troops moved in and out of the pirate ship and she looked back to the others. She had a bad feeling about this. A dark energy was on this ship and it disturbed her senses greatly.
The darkness that the female Jedi had been feeling within the station Thalia had kept within the back of her mind for a long while. Now she could sense that the dark energy was making a move. The person had a strong energy within the living Force but more within the dark side than the light. Thalia wondered if her father felt it and started to grow worried about him.
Could Obi-Wan Ben Kenobi actually handle the dark side force user within the station? What if the person had felt them-just like the three Jedi could feel him. They would have to leave this place. Now. Find her father and make a run for it because the dark side user found them.
"Thalia". A voice whispered-it sounded like her mother within the force. Still loving and joyful as ever. Why wait so long to talk to her daughter?
Thalia closed her tree-brown eyes to focus on her mother's soothing voice. She needed to hear it and discover what her mother was trying to tell her. A warning maybe about the dark being Lilah and herself had been sensing.
"Thalia. Everything will be okay." It was a male voice that belonged to her master Qui-Gon Jinn. The older and wise Jedi that had been her father's master that trained Thalia in the ways of the voice due to her parents not being able too because of the rules. It was always told by the Jedi that family couldn't train family. Which was why Jinn trained her.
"Everything that happens next was meant to happen." Maria adds before both went silent.
The voices disappeared as she opened her eyes once more. Taking notice of everyone looking at her, giving the female Kenobi odd looks. Believing something was wrong with her.
"I'm fine," Thalia answered, taking notice of Lilah's eyebrow that was up in the air in question. "Let's just get out of here before anything else happens."
"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought." Leia told the group as they walked out. This group had more guts than she originally thought and Cassian agreed. Lilah regarded her comment but for a moment looked at Thalia with serene worry.
As they started down the hallway, it was all quiet, too quiet, until it wasn't in front of them were over a dozen troopers. They all froze and tried to back up until it was all too late.
"Oh hell." Lilah muttered as they started to blast at the troopers. She clicked on her lightsaber and deflected easily. "Go! I got this." She yelled to the others, deflecting another blast. She could at the very least get them some time to get to the ship.
"I don't take orders from you, Sunshine!" Han blasted his rifle at the trooper's squad leader, knocking the trooper off his feet which caused the other troopers to back away from Lilah and him. Han fired again without any kind of plan within his head just to knock down every Imperial trooper in sight. "Get back to the sip!" he ordered the others.
With that being said Han, Lilah, and Chewie fought against the troopers when Luke and Cassian both nodded at the orders, almost reluctantly so, and took the girls-Leia and Thalia- with them in tow.
Lilah continued to fight the troopers. Looks like she had herself some partners. The headstrong young woman took off with the pirate, and Wookiee down the hallways to face the other troopers. Only to run into more of them she expected.
"Okay time to go." Lilah said to Han and used the Force to throw some of the troopers back. Stormtroopers chased after them and the trio only pushed harder. "Han split up." She called the older man. It was the logical thing to do at this point. "I'll meet you and the others back at the ship." She promised and suddenly turned down some random hallway. It would be too easy to divide the troopers' attention.
Han knew that splitting up was the logical choice and nods his head. So much for not listening to Lilah's orders and only his own. He knew Lilah could handle herself because that woman was a Jedi-or whatever the old man was training Luke to be. He might not believe in the Force but he believed in this little ray of sunshine.
"Come on, Chewie!" he shouted before running the other way with the Wookiee.
-8-8-8-8-
Obi-Wan 'Ben' Kenobi walked the hallways of the Death Star with his lightsaber in hand. He was able to disable the tractor beam. It would allow the young Jedi, smuggler, droids, Wookie, the princess and the rebel off the Death Star and to the rebel alliance with the stolen plans. Only the Old Jedi Master's attention was on one person.
Darth Vader.
Kenobi made sure not to be seen by a signal Imperial Officer, Stormtrooper, or droid. But he didn't hide from his former Padawan.
He continued to move along the access tunnel that led to docking bay 327. Only to stop when he took notice of the mechanical breathing as a shadowy figure stood at the end of the tunnel with a red lightsaber activated.
They stared at each other.
After all these years the two meet once again.
Then Vader moved forward as Obi-Wan activated his blue blade and stepped forward as well.
"I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan," Vader spoke, descending upon the older Jedi. "We meet again, at last. The circle is not complete." Kenobi stood in an offensive position. "When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master."
Ivy and Maria would be very disappointed with Vader's words. Both female's believed the Sith could still be saved. They took that hope to their graves.
"Only a Master of evil, Darth," Kenobi answered, blunt and emotionless.
The red and blue blade met for the first time in years.
A duel between Jedi and Sith began. A battle between a former master and apprentice. The light side of the Force and the dark side of the Force.
-8-8-8-8-
Unfortunately, before Luke, Leia, Cassian, and Thalia could reach the hanger that contained the Millennium Falcon the group of four were spotted by another squad of troopers and chased. Luke and Cassian fired their blasters at the troopers when Thalia took out her lightsaber to reflect the bolts before calling upon the force to blast the troopers backwards and away from them. Eventually the group rushed down a narrow hallway, trying to elude the troopers that were firing blaster bolts at them.
The sub-hallway came to an end at a short and narrow ramp that led up to an open door. They raced for it, only for the group to stop short and realize that the floor ended at an enormous air shaft that was in the middle of the room. It was like an endless hole that none of them could see the bottom too. One wrong move and they would fall to their deaths. Luke nearly lost his balance on the floor's edge, but Leia and Thalia grabbed hold of Luke and pulled him away by the back of his white shirt.
Thalia knew now was a time to be serious, but looking down with wind blowing in her air as she stared down at the hole in the middle of the room. She came up with a smart comeback to keep herself calm. "I think we may have taken a wrong turn," She said, her voice echoing around the room and off the walls.
A laser blast from the Stormtroopers reminded the three of the oncoming danger. Turning around Luke fired at the troopers behind them. Shooting the door, the younger man looked at the women and Cassian. "That ought to hold them for a while." He said as he looked for a way across.
Looking at the door's opening on the other side of the room. Leia was the first to speak. "Quirk, we've got to get across. Find the controls that extend the bridge."
Luke looked at the smoldering circuits on the doorway panel he blasted a few moments ago. A grim look spread on his face. "Uh-oh...I think I just blasted it." He said meekly.
Suddenly drilling was being heard on the other side of the door. Oh that wasn't a good sign at all. Cassian thoughts were leading him to frustration as he leaned over to look below than looked at the trooper belts they had. "The belts," he said with a sudden explanation. "We can use them to get to the other side."
The men handed over their blaster weapons to the women and grabbed their nylon cords and threw them across. The gravel hooked on the other side. Stormtroopers were on the other side and he knew it was time to go.
Leia and Thalia were stepping out with the blasters and firing at the troopers that were standing near the alcove to exchange fire before ducking back. The girls kept the troopers at bay as Luke and Cassian got the grappling hooks ready.
"Here they come!" Leia shouts to the boys. She fired at the troopers from across the shaft. One of her shots hit a trooper, and he collapsed.
"Come on," Luke said to Princess Leia, holding the princess by his side.
Cassian wrapped his arm around Thalia, keeping her close to his side. "Hold on!"
Thalia stared at his brown eyes for a moment, then moved her head to the side of his face and kissed his cheek. "Good luck." And may the Force be with us.
Pulling the women close, they prayed to whatever was out there and swung across the treacherous abyss. Once to the other side Cassian grabbed his blaster and returned fire at the troopers.
"Come on!" The older man yelled to the girls and Luke before continuing to run with them.
Finally the three of them met up with Han and Chewie. But Lilah was nowhere in sight. "Where's Lilah?" Luke asked the older man, concern on his face. Chewie let out a low whine in response to his question.
Han knew that question would come up when the others arrived. He didn't really know where she was, only that the female Jedi was still on the station somewhere. "She was holding them off and decided to split up because the troopers had the numbers. I didn't want to leave her, but she can handle herself, Kid. You know that." Luke knew how strong Lilah was. "What took you guys?"
Cassian let out a small breath before saying. "Let's just say-" he nods his head in the direction where the Stormtroopers were watching the Falcon, a glare in his brown eyes. "We ran into some old friends.
"Is the ship alright?" Luke asked Han, the troopers were in front of the Falcon, guarding it. Had the troopers found a way to damage it?
Han Solo was always one to be protective of his favorite ship in the whole galaxy. It was like his child that he took care of and always knew by sight if anything was wrong with the ship. From the looks of his ship he could tell it was perfectly fine and untouched by the troopers.
"Seems okay, if we can get to it." Han answered the kid. He didn't like the idea of a shooting match taking place between the troopers and them in front of his ship. He turned his attention toward Thalia. "Do you think your father got the tracker beam out of commission?"
It was the first time Han didn't call Ben Kenobi an old man or some other name which surprised Thalia. "I know he did." She had faith that her father got his part of the mission done and over with by now. Maybe he found Lilah and the others will be joining them soon once again and they could leave together. Only why would Han be asking her- "we are not leaving them." She insisted on the Falcon's captain.
Cassian felt the unease in Thalia and Luke, and even the troublesome duo. "Your friend knows what she has to do.'' He didn't know Lilah all that well, but he could tell a few things right off the bat; soldier, rebel, driven, reckless, and caring. She was goal focused and she probably would want them to get the princess out safely. "I'm sure she will be fine," he swore.
"Look!" Luke shouted. Everyone watched as the troopers moved away from the Falcon and toward somewhere else. Leaving a clear opening to the ship.
"Now's our chance. Go!" Han told the group.
Luke shifted, that same fearful confusion ran through him again. His heart rate climbed with worry as they all took off running with the others to the docking bay.
Suddenly he spotted a strange sight. "Look!" Luke yelled and pointed across to the far side of the bay. There on the far side was Ben and Lilah, engaged with a man all in black. Bad feelings permeated the air around them. This was not good.
-8-8-8-8-
A few moments before the others saw the fight that had been engaged. Lilah had run through the maze of hallways, having lost the troopers somewhere along the lines. Now she needed to get back to her friends. Shit. She thought as she turned a corner. Only to skip short.
There in front of her was Ben and the master of darkness. Darth Vader.
"Your powers are weak, old man." Vader said to his former master as they engaged in a duel. Lilah watched carefully for a moment and when she saw that the first opening had been created, she clicked on her sword and engaged as well despite the anxiety she was feeling. She sensed the men's surprised feelings but they did not falter at any time.
Obi-Wan was surprised when Lilah joined his fight against Darth Vader. That female Jedi woman was just like her father and mother in this very moment. Getting involved in a fight without thinking. It was not Lilah's time to fight Vader-it wasn't her destiny to face the male now.
"Ben," A female voice of Maria rang out from the force inside of Ben's mind. "It's time to let go."
"You can't win, Darth," Obi-Wan warned the dark side user that used to be his friend, his brother, his family. The person that was now more machine than man. After hearing his wife's words made him have the courage to say the words; "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." It was time to let go and trust the fate of the Jedi to Luke, Lilah, and Thalia.
"No." Lilah said upon hearing the soft and melodic voice. It wasn't just in his head, it was in hers. Maria. She thought to herself. "No it's not his time." She said as she fought harder against the man. But no matter how hard she fought skillfully, she was outmatched on years alone.
And she couldn't risk being discovered. Lilah was far more important than Ben was. She and her siblings had to be protected. Suddenly without warning, the female Jedi felt herself being pushed out of the battle, and away from the two men.
"Father!" Thalia's voice rang out from the hanger bay, being the first of the onlookers to speak. It caused the people from the battle to look her way.
"Thalia, no!" Cassian shouts, reaching out to prevent the female from moving into the fight.
Thalia didn't have much of a choice. Her father needed her once he used the force to shove Lilah away from the fight. He needed help. So she called upon the force and shoved Cassian away from her.
"Thalia don't." Maria warned her daughter, making Thalia stop in her tracks. "You can't stop this."
"Ben? Lilah?" Luke questioned after seeing the female and older Jedi Knight. He could only imagine the identity of the tall, black-clad humanoid who wielded a red lightsaber. He just wondered who Ben was fighting and why?
Darth Vader moved his eyes to the group and took notice of the one that had called out the word; father. So Obi-Wan and Maria did break the Jedi code and had a child after all these years. His blue eyes underneath the mask moved to the other members and wondered why the female that Obi-Wan used the force to shove away had Ivy's lightsaber. He looked over the other members of the group and took notice of the rebel from Scarif that helped steal the Death Star plans being with them, but he didn't know who anyone else was among them.
"Lilah, Thalia. You both must let him go." Maria explained to the females. "Just like you both did for me. It's time for your destinies to happen." Without any of us to be with you, but they will continue to guide them within the Force.
Sensing her fear. Ben made a conscious decision to protect her. To protect them. "Go my child." he ordered to a confused Lilah. Then with a serene look he looked to Luke then to his own daughter. Lifting his sword from Vader, he knew it was time.
Vader paid no active mind to the strong young woman. She had been educated in their ways of the Jedi. She was strong, but not as strong as either of them. With a swing of his sword, he swiped down Obi-Wan without any hesitation.
The female Jedi let out a cry when suddenly the old man was cut down in front of them all. Providing her and the others with the perfect way out.
It was the shock of the action that brought Thalia down to her knees, legs giving out from underneath the female Kenobi and her brown eyes just staring at what just happened before her very eyes. Her mind didn't seem to understand due to how fast everything happened. Her father, Obi-Wan Kenobi, was killed in front of Lilah, the others and herself. He taught them everything about the force and the Jedi and now they no longer had a teacher.
Her father was gone just like her mother. They were somewhere within the Force now at peace.
A Jedi must not take revenge and kill. Thalia must not kill and fight Vader in the future or that anger could lead to the dark side. It was always something her parents said about anger and revenge leads to the dark side no matter how good the intention could lead to the dark side of the force. Then there would be no going back.
Thalia hardly felt someone grab her arms and pull the female Jedi back onto her feet.
"Thalia," Cassian whispered to the female. He had gotten back over to her after she used the force on him. He grabbed her arm and got her back onto her feet. This reminded him of Jyn on Eadu, her begging to the deceased Galen Erso to wake up. It broke his heart seeing it again from some else within only a few days apart from the events. "Thalia." He insisted as she grabbed her face in his hands. Her tree-brown eyes weren't looking at him but passing him. "We have to go."
"Thalia, go." Maria told her daughter.
"Run." Ben shouts to her.
Thalia heard their voices and nodded her head toward the rebel male before they took off running from the Falcon.
Lilah stood unmoving for a second, her own heart twisted with an anguish as she stumbled back running as fast as she could. Guilt rushed through her like water flooding a system. She fired her blaster though as the troopers flooded in the docking bay in an attempt to stop them.
Luke, with a look of pure despair, was reluctantly tugged as she fired off some rounds as he ran to the ship.
"Run Luke, Lilah, Thalia." Ben's ghostly voice suddenly said to them softly. Luke and Lilah had to leave this place. They all had to leave this place.
Chewie made a loud whine as they got past the door. Lilah right behind them, feeling as though she was on autopilot as she continued at them. Cassian continued to shoot, holding on to Thalia, something Lilah was grateful for suddenly.
"Blast the door, kid!" Han advised to Luke
Luke fired at the control panel near the door, which caused the door to slide close to stop troopers and Vader coming after them. Then the others ran into the Falcon and Han shut the doors behind them.
Chewbacca, already on the ship and making sure everything was ready to go, was joined by Han Solo within a few seconds after he made sure everyone was on the Falcon. Chewie already had the sub-light engines started.
Han jumped into the pilot's seat. "I hope the old man got that tractor beam out of commission, or this is going to be a real short trip. Okay hit it!" He ordered.
The Wookiee punched the controls and the Falcon launched out of the hangar bay in reverse, then spun and blasted away from the Death Star.
