Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, good old George Lucas has that honor. He
pretty much owns anything you recognize in this fic. So, please, no one sue
me. Enjoy the fic and remember to review!
A/N: Wow, there sure has been a boom of these fics. Must be the anticipation of Episode II. Anyways, this fic doesn't stick somebody in the middle of the movie with the main characters. Rather, this fic covers the key events and branches off into other Star Wars adventures within the time period of ANH.
Star Wars:
Terran Eyes
A New Hope
by Tatt Skywalker
Part One:
From Earth to Kuat
Sebastian Corwin came into his room and flopped onto his bed. It was Friday and he was glad to be home from school. Tonight he was having a Star Wars movie fest and anxiously awaited the event. His Dad was going to be home tonight and he, Sebastian and Sebastian's older brother Virgil were going to watch the trilogy together for the first time since he was eight.
There was a knock at Sebastian's door. "Come in," he shouted.
In walked an older boy. "Hey, Seb," he said.
"What's up, Virg?" Sebastian asked.
"I've... gotta cancel tonight..." Virgil said a little uncomfortably. He knew how much Sebastian had been looking forward to this night. "I just get invited to his big party and there are going to be some major babes there so... next weekend? How 'bout it?"
Sebastian forced a small smile. "Okay," he told Virgil. "Next weekend." But Sebastian was crushed. He'd hoped the three of them could have some time together. His dad was always on business trips and Virgil was always at parties or out with friends. Mom and Sarah were always at the mall... and Sebastian was always alone.
Sebastian ran his hand through his untidy brown hair to try and straighten it out. It's okay, he told himself. Dad'll still come. He smiled. Dad would be there. That would make up for Virgil's absence. Sebastian ran downstairs to check the refrigerator. When he opened the door, there was nothing there! No sodas, no dip, no nothing. He checked the cupboards. No chips, no cookies, no pretzels...
Sebastian fumed. His mother had *promised* she'd get the things before she and Sarah left for a weekend at a spa in Tampa. He sighed. He walked into his parents's room and took twenty dollars from his mother's junk drawer. She always left money in there and never noticed if he took any of it.
He walked out the back door and picked up his bike from where it lay in the grass. Sebastian wiped the dew off the bike seat as he pulled the bike upright. He hopped on and rode out through the backyard into the alley. The supermarket wasn't very far from Sebastian's house and he was soon there.
Sebastian propped his bike up against the wall. The doors slid open as he walked up to them and allowed him access to the store. "Hey, Seb," the cashier said in greeting. Sebastian smiled at her. He walked through the store gather the supplies he and his dad would need. Soda, check. Chips, Check. Cookies, Check. Pretzels, Check. Squeeze cheese, Check.
"Throwing a party?" the cashier asked him as he carried all of his goods to the check-out counter.
"Nope," he said with a smile. "Just me and dad and a galaxy far, far away."
The cashier finished ringing up Sebastian's things. "You two have fun tonight," she told she told Sebastian.
"We will!" he shouted back as he ran out of the store.
Sebastian put the bags in the basket on the back of his bike. He tied them down with a little bit of rope and sped home. He quickly cleaned the living room, then set out the food on the coffee table. Sebastian took some popcorn out of the cupboard and stuck it in the microwave. Now for the last step. Going into the basement and getting the movies.
Sebastian ran into the kitchen and down the basement steps. The entire right wall was covered in movies. He looked for the S section. But when he found it there was a space where the Star Wars trilogy would have been. Then it hit him. Hadn't Virgil been holding something when he was leaving the house? Sebastian cursed. Virgil had taken them knowing full well that he and their father would still have watched the movies without him.
Sebastian checked his watch. His father was due to arrive at around eight o'clock and it was already seven thirty. There was only one option. Weezit's Media Rental. Weezit's was a famous place in the town. Frank Weezit had the largest collection of books and movies in the tricounty area. There was no way he wouldn't have the movies.
There were dark rain clouds forming outside. Sebastian put on his rain coat and ran out back to get his bike. It was a quick ride to Weezit's from Sebastian's house, only six minutes by bike. By the time he got there the rain was pouring down.
Sebastian hurriedly wheeled his bike into the rental place. He gazed around and saw no one. "What can I do for you?"
Sebastian jumped and spun around. Frank Weezit was standing behind him. He had graying hair and his blue eyes seemed alight with mystery. Sebastian had to look up at him because he was clearly over six feet.
"I... I want to borrow y-your Star Wars trilogy," Sebastian told him knowing full well that he'd have it. He had every other movie.
Weezit looked at him. "Tough out of luck kid. Someone else borrowed it tonight." Sebastian groaned. " Weezit said with a reassuring smile all but hidden by a mischievous grin, "But... I *do* have a copy of the first movie... or rather the fourth." Weezit pulled a copy of Star Wars out from beneath the counter.
"Yes!" Sebastian exclaimed. He looked at Weezit. "I only need it for tonight. How much do I owe you?"
Weezit waved his hand as if saying 'Forget about the money.' A wide grin broke across Sebastian's face. "Thanks, Mr. Weezit!" he shouted and wheeled his bike out into the storm. He rode home as fast as he could so he could.
Sebastian put his bike in the garage and ran into the house. He tossed the movie on the couch and walked into the kitchen. The popcorn was ready and he was about to pour it into a bowl when he saw the answering machine was blinking. Sebastian walked over and pressed the play button.
"Hey, Seb and Virgil," a man said. "I'm afraid I have to cancel on you guys tonight. Big business dinner I can't get out of. You two boys have fun and we'll watch movies some other night." But Sebastian didn't hear past the word cancel.
Sebastian left the popcorn in the microwave and walked out into the living room. "Why did they cancel?" Sebastian asked himself aloud. He had planned this night three weeks ago so his father and brother could clear their schedules. But still they both had canceled on him. He took the video and put it in the VCR.
The Star Wars theme blared as the introduction scrolled across the screen. Atleast the night wouldn't be a total loss. Sebastian hadn't seen the video in months so he'd atleast be able to enjoy it. Even if he was by himself.
Star Wars was just as exciting as it had been four months ago. It ended all too quickly. Sebastian sighed. Nothing was on television. With nothing else to do he pressed the rewind button and then started the movie all over again. It was late, around eleven o'clock, and Sebastian's eyes began to droop. He fell asleep before Luke even met Obi-Wan.
***
Sebastian woke up and felt like he was falling. There was the sensation of plummeting... faster and faster and faster. Sebastian opened his eyes. Wait a minute... he *was* falling. He was in a cockpit and he was spiraling straight down at the planet below!
He grabbed the joystick that he assumed controlled the craft and pulled up sharply. He came up, did a loop and then settled out. Sebastian sighed in relief. He looked outside the cockpit. Where was he? How did he end up there?
The craft he was in shook as something hit it. Sebastian looked out the cockpit. TIE fighters! Two of them were locking on to him. Years of arcade games kicked in as Sebastian scrambled out of the way. With a quick flip he came up behind the TIEs and blew them to pieces.
"Gold 7," came a voice over a comm unit somewhere in the cockpit. "Gold Leader is down and I'm hit-" The transmission was cut short. Sebastian heard an explosion and looked up to see an X-Wing explode above him.
"Okay... think..." he muttered to himself. Several TIEs came into view. Sebastian smiled. "Too easy..." There was a shake as he heard another TIE shooting at him from behind. He went into a quick dive and spun around behind the TIE and blasted it apart. Another X-Wing took out the two he had originally been going after.
"Not so easy, huh?" the other pilot quipped. Sebastian felt humiliated. Then he noticed a TIE coming right up behind the other X-Wing.
"On your tail!" he shouted and fired at the incoming TIE.
Several other TIEs came into view but no more X-Wings. It seemed it was just Sebastian and the cocky guy. "I'll take half if you take the others," Sebastian said to him.
"You got it, Seven," the other pilot replied.
"Don't get cocky, Nine," a voice said over the comm unit.
Nine grunted and flew off towards the TIEs. Sebastian followed suite. The TIEs swooshed to meet them, laser cannons firing. Sebastian did a roll to avoid a volley and saw Nine do the same. Sebastian took to firing and took out one of the TIEs. Nine began to shoot and got two just to show up Sebastian. He smiled and took to firing again taking out two of his own.
A TIE had broken away and was coming up behind Nine. "Look out!" Sebastian shouted and turned to fire at the incoming TIE. But it was too late. Nine exploded. Sebastian gritted his teeth and blew the TIE out of the sky. It was clear.
The cockpit around him seemed to dissolve. Sebastian gazed around surprised. Clapping met him as he turned to look to his left. He smiled and jumped down from the elevated seat he was perched upon. He was met with shouts of "Fantastic flying, kid!" and "Nice job, shorty!"
A man in a uniform walked over to him and extended his hand. Sebastian shook it and looked at the man trying to hide his confusion. "Great flying, son," the man said. "You'll make a great pilot."
"P-pilot?" Sebastian asked.
The man shook his head and laughed. "Sorry kid... I'm Kowt Shevel, recruiter for the Rebel Alliance. And considering you tracked us here and shot those TIEs down like that... I get the assumption that you're looking to join up. So... go over to the desk," he said as he pointed to a little table made of crates, "give 'em your name, age, planet and a little background and I'll say in advance: Welcome to the Alliance." Kowt turned around with a click of his boots and walked away.
Sebastian stared after him. What was going on? He glanced over at the "desk". Should he go over there? Maybe they could tell him what was going on.
Someone clapped Sebastian on the shoulder. "Seven," the boy stated simply. He was tall with sandy hair and unusually light green eyes.
Sebastian smiled in recognition. "Nine," he said.
"Call me Jaylee," Nine told him. "Some fancy flying there, Seven. Where'd you learn to fly? Corellian smugglers?" Jaylee laughed.
Sebastian started to laugh when there was a loud explosion in the compound. Jaylee it the ground and Sebastian ducked to avoid flying debris. There was the sound of blaster firing and Sebastian could see stormtroopers in white armor through the stacks of crates.
There was a man over at the "desk" with a loud speaker. "Everyone be calm! If you're caught don't give them your names, it'll just cause your family problems. Get on the ships quick! Galfa, they're coming through the delivery port! Shu, help h-" The man with the loud speaker fell off the top of the "desk" from where he was standing. His chest was smoking where he had been hit by blaster fire.
Jaylee was on his feet and he grabbed Sebastian by the collar of his shirt. The two of them ducked behind some crates right at the entrance of one of the landing docks. From their hiding place they watched as the Imperials gathered the Rebels into a place at the center of the warehouse they were in.
Sebastian watched in fear. Would they be caught too? He was already formulating a lie about himself. Where ever his family was he didn't want them to pay for his being where ever it was he was now. He was... Cor... Cor Wynt, Sebastian decided quickly taking his last name and changing it around a bit. And he was from... where ever he was. Yes... good.
Someone tapped his shoulder and he jumped. He would have shouted out if the person who had tapped his shoulder handing placed his hand on his mouth. Sebastian looked up and say that it was Kowt. He relaxed and the recruiter let him go.
"Relax, kid," Kowt said to him. "If I was an Imp you'd already be dead." Kowt looked at Jaylee. "There is a ship out there we can get to if we make a run for it."
"You think we can make it?" Jaylee asked skeptically.
"Better than dealing with them," Kowt told him indicating the Imperials.
"Good point."
Kowt pointed at three other young people. Two of there were aliens! Sebastian stared. Real life aliens. If he remember right, the one with the head tails was a Twi'lek and the one with the big eyes was a... Mon Calamari. Sebastian mentally kicked himself. This was unreal! Those were Star Wars aliens. And Star Wars wasn't real. But it was all so real...
"We got the six of us," Kowt said. "With enough cover fire, we should all make it. You two armed?"
Sebastian shook his head. Jaylee too shook his head. Kowt sighed and hand them both blasters. "Don't hurt yourselves," he said to them. Sebastian glared. He was fourteen, not a baby. He'd never handled a blaster but it seemed simple enough. He looked the weapon over.
"Just remember to pull the trigger," the Twi'lek told him. Sebastian got the impression these people didn't seem to like him much.
They watched the movements of the stormtroopers for a few minutes. Then Kowt started the count down. "We run in five... four... three... two... one... go!" he whispered hoarsely.
The six of them took off for the ship. "Hey!" one of the stormtroopers shouted. He and several others followed them, blasters shooting. Sebastian and the others looked back frequently to shoot off a few shots as they ran for the ship.
Kowt made it to the ship first and the ramp lowered. He waved the rest of them in and gave them cover fire. Jaylee was the last in and Kowt jumped in after him. Sebastian helped them up off the ground. He felt the ship rise and the engines star up. He almost fell the burst to life and the ship took off.
Kowt and Jaylee rushed to the cockpit with Sebastian coming after them. The Twi'lek was at the controls with one of the human of the three he didn't know. They checked some things and flipped some switches then turned to Kowt.
"Where do we go?" the Twi'lek asked him.
Kowt thought for a moment. "I know a guy Kuat," he told them. "He's with the Rebellion. He *should* know of a base we can go to." He looked at the Twi'lek. "Well, set the course already!"
She jumped into action and set the jump into hyperspace. The stars outside the cockpit turned to lines as the passed.
***
"I'm Reima Ooblar," the Mon Calamari introduced herself. "Came from Mon Calamari to sign up with the Alliance. Just my luck that I'd almost get caught before I got in."
"Hey, atleast we got out," Jaylee reminded them. "Now we really get the chance to prove what we're made of."
"If we're introducing ourselves, I'm Tazette Ayrno," the human boy said. He was about two years older than Sebastian. Maybe more. "I'm from Dubrillion. Actually, I was born on Destrillion but Dubrillion is home."
"You call that place home?" Jaylee laughed.
"Who are you to talk?"
"No one really," Jaylee said with a smile. "I'm from Tatooine. Dad was a moister farmer and my mom worked at a cantina in Mos Eisley. So me and my sister Lezni jetted. 'Course, she got married and left me all on my own. So... long story short, I'm here to do my duty as a pilot and bring home some medals."
The rest of them laughed except Sebastian who wasn't sure the comment was that funny. "What's the matter, Seven?" Jaylee asked him realizing how quiet he was being. "The rest of us are telling our roots... so spill it."
Sebastian hesitated for a moment. "My name is... Cor. Cor Wynt."
"Seven," Jaylee whispered. Sebastian smiled.
Taz gave him a grin. "And what hell hole do you call home?"
Sebastian was stumped there. This couldn't be real. But if this was Star Wars... "Corellia," Sebastian said. It was the first, and only, planet name he could remember.
"See? I was right. Seven, here, learned all those moves from smugglers," Jaylee told the group.
Sebastian quieted down. This was impossible. It couldn't be happening. There was no way he could be in Star Wars. No way. And if he was... where was Luke Skywalker? and Princess Leia? Han Solo and Chewie?
"Hey, Seven!" Jaylee called and brought Sebastian back to the wonder that was now. "You're Corellian... ever meet Han Solo?"
Taz laughed. "Han Solo?"
"What?" Jaylee defended himself. "Smugglers at the catina are always talking about Han Solo and the Wookie... er... Koochie?"
The entire room burst into laughter, Sebastian included. "You mean, Chewie?" the Twi'lek girl asked him while laughing. Jaylee went red.
Sebastian stopped laughing after a few seconds and returned to Jaylee's question. He'd never met them... This was unreal! *They* were unreal! There was no Han Solo. No Chewbacca. But these people said there was. It was impossible.
"No," Sebastian found himself saying. "Never met them." But did he ever know of them! This was unbelievable. He was sitting in a space ship talking about Han Solo like he was a real live person. Wait... if he was in Star Wars... which movie was he in? The first one? He had been watching it... no... that was impossible. Crazy. Sebastian tried to remember the names of the places in Star Wars but was drawing a blank. That was what he got for not watching the movie in months.
"How 'bout you?" Taz asked the Twi'lek girl. "Who are you?"
"Me? I'm Loum'ra. From Rodia," she replied.
The group got aquatinted some more. Sebastian didn't say much. He didn't know what to say. This was all so new and so strange. He was *in* Star Wars. Or rather... in the Star Wars galaxy. He was running from Imperials with a group of people and aliens. Could it get any more bizarre?
***
Yes, it could, Sebastian thought as he looked around him. They had landed at the Sylmuun Spaceport on Kuat. Kowt, Sebastian, Jaylee and Taz had left Reima and Loum'ra with the ship they had decided to call the Rebel Runner.
Kowt knew that his friend Vzin hung around this place. "Vzin is a scoundrel if I ever knew one. Always hangs around these places. Smuggling and betting and listening."
"Listening?" Sebastian asked.
"For a Corellian you sure don't know a lot about the trade, Seven," Jaylee joked. "Honestly, you fly like a smuggler but you have the makings of an honest business man."
Taz began to laugh but Kowt hit him. "Don't laugh," he growled. "We don't want to bring attention to ourselves."
They walked into one of the bars. Kowt told them to wait by the door and have their blasters ready. Sebastian watched as Kowt walked over to one of the card tables to tap one of the men on the shoulder. The man turned around to look at Kowt with a disformed face. His left eye was an inch lower than the other and his nose looked like it had been glued on to his face.
"What do you want, Kowt?" the man asked venomously.
"Information," Kowt responded.
"And how will you pay?"
Kowt pulled out his blaster and pointed it at Vzin's head. "Come with me and you'll find out." Vzin slowly rose and was pushed outside by Kowt. The rest of them joined the two men. "Where are they, Vzin?" Kowt asked the man.
"Who?" Vzin's baited.
Kowt punched him. "I'm not in the mood, Vzin. Where is the rebel base?"
"You go Imperial or something?" Vzin shouted.
If looks could kill, Vzin would have been down on the ground twitching. Kowt, however, didn't hit him again. "I've got five new pilots I'm trying to get into the Rebellion. The recruiting station on Commenor was raided and we have nowhere to go."
Vzin looked over at Jaylee, Taz and Sebastian. "Recruiting children are you, Kowt? You, boy!" he shouted at Sebastian. "What are you? Thirteen? Go home to your mother. Don't get mixed up with these people."
Sebastian didn't say anything and just stood there. He gripped the blaster he held tightly. Sebastian supposed that this man was just trying to get to him. But if this was all as real as it seemed... if he was shot down in an X-Wing he *would* die.
Vzin turned back to Kowt. "I don't know where they are. I haven't made a run for them in two months. Some new base they aren't trusting anyone with the whereabouts of." He dusted off his jacket. "Now, if you don't mind, I have business to attend to. But... you could try Elsos."
Kowt groaned at the sound of that name. Sebastian and Jaylee exchanged confused looks. Taz broke into a small grin. Vzin walked back into the building. "Let's go-"
A squad of stormtroopers came around the corner. "Uh-oh... uh... this way!" Kowt shouted and ducked into an alley. Jaylee, Sebastian and Taz quickly followed him, ignoring the calls to stop from the stormtroopers.
Kowt led them through several alleys and down several streets. The three teens stayed on his heels, trusting that he knew where he was going. There was the sound of blaster fire. The streets cleared and it was only them and the stormtroopers. "Halt!" one of the troopers shouted. He was met by blaster fire from Kowt.
They had soon reached the landing bay. The Runner was right up ahead and the group suddenly caught a second wind as they made a break for the ship. There was a cry of pain from behind Sebastian and Jaylee. They turned to see Taz on the ground, his leg smoking where he'd been hit. "Cor! Jay! Help!" he shouted.
The two of them turned and ran back to their companion. Sebastian dragged Taz to the ship while Jaylee covered them. Kowt picked Taz up with a strength none of the group realized Kowt had and laid him on the bed in the cabin. "Take off!" he shouted to Loum'ra and Reima in the cockpit. "Go! Go! Go! Set course to Corellia!"
Taz gave Sebastian a weak smile. "Looks like you're going home, Cor."
A/N: Okay people. You've read the first part. What did you think? I want to know! So, please, review!
A/N: Wow, there sure has been a boom of these fics. Must be the anticipation of Episode II. Anyways, this fic doesn't stick somebody in the middle of the movie with the main characters. Rather, this fic covers the key events and branches off into other Star Wars adventures within the time period of ANH.
Star Wars:
Terran Eyes
A New Hope
by Tatt Skywalker
Part One:
From Earth to Kuat
Sebastian Corwin came into his room and flopped onto his bed. It was Friday and he was glad to be home from school. Tonight he was having a Star Wars movie fest and anxiously awaited the event. His Dad was going to be home tonight and he, Sebastian and Sebastian's older brother Virgil were going to watch the trilogy together for the first time since he was eight.
There was a knock at Sebastian's door. "Come in," he shouted.
In walked an older boy. "Hey, Seb," he said.
"What's up, Virg?" Sebastian asked.
"I've... gotta cancel tonight..." Virgil said a little uncomfortably. He knew how much Sebastian had been looking forward to this night. "I just get invited to his big party and there are going to be some major babes there so... next weekend? How 'bout it?"
Sebastian forced a small smile. "Okay," he told Virgil. "Next weekend." But Sebastian was crushed. He'd hoped the three of them could have some time together. His dad was always on business trips and Virgil was always at parties or out with friends. Mom and Sarah were always at the mall... and Sebastian was always alone.
Sebastian ran his hand through his untidy brown hair to try and straighten it out. It's okay, he told himself. Dad'll still come. He smiled. Dad would be there. That would make up for Virgil's absence. Sebastian ran downstairs to check the refrigerator. When he opened the door, there was nothing there! No sodas, no dip, no nothing. He checked the cupboards. No chips, no cookies, no pretzels...
Sebastian fumed. His mother had *promised* she'd get the things before she and Sarah left for a weekend at a spa in Tampa. He sighed. He walked into his parents's room and took twenty dollars from his mother's junk drawer. She always left money in there and never noticed if he took any of it.
He walked out the back door and picked up his bike from where it lay in the grass. Sebastian wiped the dew off the bike seat as he pulled the bike upright. He hopped on and rode out through the backyard into the alley. The supermarket wasn't very far from Sebastian's house and he was soon there.
Sebastian propped his bike up against the wall. The doors slid open as he walked up to them and allowed him access to the store. "Hey, Seb," the cashier said in greeting. Sebastian smiled at her. He walked through the store gather the supplies he and his dad would need. Soda, check. Chips, Check. Cookies, Check. Pretzels, Check. Squeeze cheese, Check.
"Throwing a party?" the cashier asked him as he carried all of his goods to the check-out counter.
"Nope," he said with a smile. "Just me and dad and a galaxy far, far away."
The cashier finished ringing up Sebastian's things. "You two have fun tonight," she told she told Sebastian.
"We will!" he shouted back as he ran out of the store.
Sebastian put the bags in the basket on the back of his bike. He tied them down with a little bit of rope and sped home. He quickly cleaned the living room, then set out the food on the coffee table. Sebastian took some popcorn out of the cupboard and stuck it in the microwave. Now for the last step. Going into the basement and getting the movies.
Sebastian ran into the kitchen and down the basement steps. The entire right wall was covered in movies. He looked for the S section. But when he found it there was a space where the Star Wars trilogy would have been. Then it hit him. Hadn't Virgil been holding something when he was leaving the house? Sebastian cursed. Virgil had taken them knowing full well that he and their father would still have watched the movies without him.
Sebastian checked his watch. His father was due to arrive at around eight o'clock and it was already seven thirty. There was only one option. Weezit's Media Rental. Weezit's was a famous place in the town. Frank Weezit had the largest collection of books and movies in the tricounty area. There was no way he wouldn't have the movies.
There were dark rain clouds forming outside. Sebastian put on his rain coat and ran out back to get his bike. It was a quick ride to Weezit's from Sebastian's house, only six minutes by bike. By the time he got there the rain was pouring down.
Sebastian hurriedly wheeled his bike into the rental place. He gazed around and saw no one. "What can I do for you?"
Sebastian jumped and spun around. Frank Weezit was standing behind him. He had graying hair and his blue eyes seemed alight with mystery. Sebastian had to look up at him because he was clearly over six feet.
"I... I want to borrow y-your Star Wars trilogy," Sebastian told him knowing full well that he'd have it. He had every other movie.
Weezit looked at him. "Tough out of luck kid. Someone else borrowed it tonight." Sebastian groaned. " Weezit said with a reassuring smile all but hidden by a mischievous grin, "But... I *do* have a copy of the first movie... or rather the fourth." Weezit pulled a copy of Star Wars out from beneath the counter.
"Yes!" Sebastian exclaimed. He looked at Weezit. "I only need it for tonight. How much do I owe you?"
Weezit waved his hand as if saying 'Forget about the money.' A wide grin broke across Sebastian's face. "Thanks, Mr. Weezit!" he shouted and wheeled his bike out into the storm. He rode home as fast as he could so he could.
Sebastian put his bike in the garage and ran into the house. He tossed the movie on the couch and walked into the kitchen. The popcorn was ready and he was about to pour it into a bowl when he saw the answering machine was blinking. Sebastian walked over and pressed the play button.
"Hey, Seb and Virgil," a man said. "I'm afraid I have to cancel on you guys tonight. Big business dinner I can't get out of. You two boys have fun and we'll watch movies some other night." But Sebastian didn't hear past the word cancel.
Sebastian left the popcorn in the microwave and walked out into the living room. "Why did they cancel?" Sebastian asked himself aloud. He had planned this night three weeks ago so his father and brother could clear their schedules. But still they both had canceled on him. He took the video and put it in the VCR.
The Star Wars theme blared as the introduction scrolled across the screen. Atleast the night wouldn't be a total loss. Sebastian hadn't seen the video in months so he'd atleast be able to enjoy it. Even if he was by himself.
Star Wars was just as exciting as it had been four months ago. It ended all too quickly. Sebastian sighed. Nothing was on television. With nothing else to do he pressed the rewind button and then started the movie all over again. It was late, around eleven o'clock, and Sebastian's eyes began to droop. He fell asleep before Luke even met Obi-Wan.
***
Sebastian woke up and felt like he was falling. There was the sensation of plummeting... faster and faster and faster. Sebastian opened his eyes. Wait a minute... he *was* falling. He was in a cockpit and he was spiraling straight down at the planet below!
He grabbed the joystick that he assumed controlled the craft and pulled up sharply. He came up, did a loop and then settled out. Sebastian sighed in relief. He looked outside the cockpit. Where was he? How did he end up there?
The craft he was in shook as something hit it. Sebastian looked out the cockpit. TIE fighters! Two of them were locking on to him. Years of arcade games kicked in as Sebastian scrambled out of the way. With a quick flip he came up behind the TIEs and blew them to pieces.
"Gold 7," came a voice over a comm unit somewhere in the cockpit. "Gold Leader is down and I'm hit-" The transmission was cut short. Sebastian heard an explosion and looked up to see an X-Wing explode above him.
"Okay... think..." he muttered to himself. Several TIEs came into view. Sebastian smiled. "Too easy..." There was a shake as he heard another TIE shooting at him from behind. He went into a quick dive and spun around behind the TIE and blasted it apart. Another X-Wing took out the two he had originally been going after.
"Not so easy, huh?" the other pilot quipped. Sebastian felt humiliated. Then he noticed a TIE coming right up behind the other X-Wing.
"On your tail!" he shouted and fired at the incoming TIE.
Several other TIEs came into view but no more X-Wings. It seemed it was just Sebastian and the cocky guy. "I'll take half if you take the others," Sebastian said to him.
"You got it, Seven," the other pilot replied.
"Don't get cocky, Nine," a voice said over the comm unit.
Nine grunted and flew off towards the TIEs. Sebastian followed suite. The TIEs swooshed to meet them, laser cannons firing. Sebastian did a roll to avoid a volley and saw Nine do the same. Sebastian took to firing and took out one of the TIEs. Nine began to shoot and got two just to show up Sebastian. He smiled and took to firing again taking out two of his own.
A TIE had broken away and was coming up behind Nine. "Look out!" Sebastian shouted and turned to fire at the incoming TIE. But it was too late. Nine exploded. Sebastian gritted his teeth and blew the TIE out of the sky. It was clear.
The cockpit around him seemed to dissolve. Sebastian gazed around surprised. Clapping met him as he turned to look to his left. He smiled and jumped down from the elevated seat he was perched upon. He was met with shouts of "Fantastic flying, kid!" and "Nice job, shorty!"
A man in a uniform walked over to him and extended his hand. Sebastian shook it and looked at the man trying to hide his confusion. "Great flying, son," the man said. "You'll make a great pilot."
"P-pilot?" Sebastian asked.
The man shook his head and laughed. "Sorry kid... I'm Kowt Shevel, recruiter for the Rebel Alliance. And considering you tracked us here and shot those TIEs down like that... I get the assumption that you're looking to join up. So... go over to the desk," he said as he pointed to a little table made of crates, "give 'em your name, age, planet and a little background and I'll say in advance: Welcome to the Alliance." Kowt turned around with a click of his boots and walked away.
Sebastian stared after him. What was going on? He glanced over at the "desk". Should he go over there? Maybe they could tell him what was going on.
Someone clapped Sebastian on the shoulder. "Seven," the boy stated simply. He was tall with sandy hair and unusually light green eyes.
Sebastian smiled in recognition. "Nine," he said.
"Call me Jaylee," Nine told him. "Some fancy flying there, Seven. Where'd you learn to fly? Corellian smugglers?" Jaylee laughed.
Sebastian started to laugh when there was a loud explosion in the compound. Jaylee it the ground and Sebastian ducked to avoid flying debris. There was the sound of blaster firing and Sebastian could see stormtroopers in white armor through the stacks of crates.
There was a man over at the "desk" with a loud speaker. "Everyone be calm! If you're caught don't give them your names, it'll just cause your family problems. Get on the ships quick! Galfa, they're coming through the delivery port! Shu, help h-" The man with the loud speaker fell off the top of the "desk" from where he was standing. His chest was smoking where he had been hit by blaster fire.
Jaylee was on his feet and he grabbed Sebastian by the collar of his shirt. The two of them ducked behind some crates right at the entrance of one of the landing docks. From their hiding place they watched as the Imperials gathered the Rebels into a place at the center of the warehouse they were in.
Sebastian watched in fear. Would they be caught too? He was already formulating a lie about himself. Where ever his family was he didn't want them to pay for his being where ever it was he was now. He was... Cor... Cor Wynt, Sebastian decided quickly taking his last name and changing it around a bit. And he was from... where ever he was. Yes... good.
Someone tapped his shoulder and he jumped. He would have shouted out if the person who had tapped his shoulder handing placed his hand on his mouth. Sebastian looked up and say that it was Kowt. He relaxed and the recruiter let him go.
"Relax, kid," Kowt said to him. "If I was an Imp you'd already be dead." Kowt looked at Jaylee. "There is a ship out there we can get to if we make a run for it."
"You think we can make it?" Jaylee asked skeptically.
"Better than dealing with them," Kowt told him indicating the Imperials.
"Good point."
Kowt pointed at three other young people. Two of there were aliens! Sebastian stared. Real life aliens. If he remember right, the one with the head tails was a Twi'lek and the one with the big eyes was a... Mon Calamari. Sebastian mentally kicked himself. This was unreal! Those were Star Wars aliens. And Star Wars wasn't real. But it was all so real...
"We got the six of us," Kowt said. "With enough cover fire, we should all make it. You two armed?"
Sebastian shook his head. Jaylee too shook his head. Kowt sighed and hand them both blasters. "Don't hurt yourselves," he said to them. Sebastian glared. He was fourteen, not a baby. He'd never handled a blaster but it seemed simple enough. He looked the weapon over.
"Just remember to pull the trigger," the Twi'lek told him. Sebastian got the impression these people didn't seem to like him much.
They watched the movements of the stormtroopers for a few minutes. Then Kowt started the count down. "We run in five... four... three... two... one... go!" he whispered hoarsely.
The six of them took off for the ship. "Hey!" one of the stormtroopers shouted. He and several others followed them, blasters shooting. Sebastian and the others looked back frequently to shoot off a few shots as they ran for the ship.
Kowt made it to the ship first and the ramp lowered. He waved the rest of them in and gave them cover fire. Jaylee was the last in and Kowt jumped in after him. Sebastian helped them up off the ground. He felt the ship rise and the engines star up. He almost fell the burst to life and the ship took off.
Kowt and Jaylee rushed to the cockpit with Sebastian coming after them. The Twi'lek was at the controls with one of the human of the three he didn't know. They checked some things and flipped some switches then turned to Kowt.
"Where do we go?" the Twi'lek asked him.
Kowt thought for a moment. "I know a guy Kuat," he told them. "He's with the Rebellion. He *should* know of a base we can go to." He looked at the Twi'lek. "Well, set the course already!"
She jumped into action and set the jump into hyperspace. The stars outside the cockpit turned to lines as the passed.
***
"I'm Reima Ooblar," the Mon Calamari introduced herself. "Came from Mon Calamari to sign up with the Alliance. Just my luck that I'd almost get caught before I got in."
"Hey, atleast we got out," Jaylee reminded them. "Now we really get the chance to prove what we're made of."
"If we're introducing ourselves, I'm Tazette Ayrno," the human boy said. He was about two years older than Sebastian. Maybe more. "I'm from Dubrillion. Actually, I was born on Destrillion but Dubrillion is home."
"You call that place home?" Jaylee laughed.
"Who are you to talk?"
"No one really," Jaylee said with a smile. "I'm from Tatooine. Dad was a moister farmer and my mom worked at a cantina in Mos Eisley. So me and my sister Lezni jetted. 'Course, she got married and left me all on my own. So... long story short, I'm here to do my duty as a pilot and bring home some medals."
The rest of them laughed except Sebastian who wasn't sure the comment was that funny. "What's the matter, Seven?" Jaylee asked him realizing how quiet he was being. "The rest of us are telling our roots... so spill it."
Sebastian hesitated for a moment. "My name is... Cor. Cor Wynt."
"Seven," Jaylee whispered. Sebastian smiled.
Taz gave him a grin. "And what hell hole do you call home?"
Sebastian was stumped there. This couldn't be real. But if this was Star Wars... "Corellia," Sebastian said. It was the first, and only, planet name he could remember.
"See? I was right. Seven, here, learned all those moves from smugglers," Jaylee told the group.
Sebastian quieted down. This was impossible. It couldn't be happening. There was no way he could be in Star Wars. No way. And if he was... where was Luke Skywalker? and Princess Leia? Han Solo and Chewie?
"Hey, Seven!" Jaylee called and brought Sebastian back to the wonder that was now. "You're Corellian... ever meet Han Solo?"
Taz laughed. "Han Solo?"
"What?" Jaylee defended himself. "Smugglers at the catina are always talking about Han Solo and the Wookie... er... Koochie?"
The entire room burst into laughter, Sebastian included. "You mean, Chewie?" the Twi'lek girl asked him while laughing. Jaylee went red.
Sebastian stopped laughing after a few seconds and returned to Jaylee's question. He'd never met them... This was unreal! *They* were unreal! There was no Han Solo. No Chewbacca. But these people said there was. It was impossible.
"No," Sebastian found himself saying. "Never met them." But did he ever know of them! This was unbelievable. He was sitting in a space ship talking about Han Solo like he was a real live person. Wait... if he was in Star Wars... which movie was he in? The first one? He had been watching it... no... that was impossible. Crazy. Sebastian tried to remember the names of the places in Star Wars but was drawing a blank. That was what he got for not watching the movie in months.
"How 'bout you?" Taz asked the Twi'lek girl. "Who are you?"
"Me? I'm Loum'ra. From Rodia," she replied.
The group got aquatinted some more. Sebastian didn't say much. He didn't know what to say. This was all so new and so strange. He was *in* Star Wars. Or rather... in the Star Wars galaxy. He was running from Imperials with a group of people and aliens. Could it get any more bizarre?
***
Yes, it could, Sebastian thought as he looked around him. They had landed at the Sylmuun Spaceport on Kuat. Kowt, Sebastian, Jaylee and Taz had left Reima and Loum'ra with the ship they had decided to call the Rebel Runner.
Kowt knew that his friend Vzin hung around this place. "Vzin is a scoundrel if I ever knew one. Always hangs around these places. Smuggling and betting and listening."
"Listening?" Sebastian asked.
"For a Corellian you sure don't know a lot about the trade, Seven," Jaylee joked. "Honestly, you fly like a smuggler but you have the makings of an honest business man."
Taz began to laugh but Kowt hit him. "Don't laugh," he growled. "We don't want to bring attention to ourselves."
They walked into one of the bars. Kowt told them to wait by the door and have their blasters ready. Sebastian watched as Kowt walked over to one of the card tables to tap one of the men on the shoulder. The man turned around to look at Kowt with a disformed face. His left eye was an inch lower than the other and his nose looked like it had been glued on to his face.
"What do you want, Kowt?" the man asked venomously.
"Information," Kowt responded.
"And how will you pay?"
Kowt pulled out his blaster and pointed it at Vzin's head. "Come with me and you'll find out." Vzin slowly rose and was pushed outside by Kowt. The rest of them joined the two men. "Where are they, Vzin?" Kowt asked the man.
"Who?" Vzin's baited.
Kowt punched him. "I'm not in the mood, Vzin. Where is the rebel base?"
"You go Imperial or something?" Vzin shouted.
If looks could kill, Vzin would have been down on the ground twitching. Kowt, however, didn't hit him again. "I've got five new pilots I'm trying to get into the Rebellion. The recruiting station on Commenor was raided and we have nowhere to go."
Vzin looked over at Jaylee, Taz and Sebastian. "Recruiting children are you, Kowt? You, boy!" he shouted at Sebastian. "What are you? Thirteen? Go home to your mother. Don't get mixed up with these people."
Sebastian didn't say anything and just stood there. He gripped the blaster he held tightly. Sebastian supposed that this man was just trying to get to him. But if this was all as real as it seemed... if he was shot down in an X-Wing he *would* die.
Vzin turned back to Kowt. "I don't know where they are. I haven't made a run for them in two months. Some new base they aren't trusting anyone with the whereabouts of." He dusted off his jacket. "Now, if you don't mind, I have business to attend to. But... you could try Elsos."
Kowt groaned at the sound of that name. Sebastian and Jaylee exchanged confused looks. Taz broke into a small grin. Vzin walked back into the building. "Let's go-"
A squad of stormtroopers came around the corner. "Uh-oh... uh... this way!" Kowt shouted and ducked into an alley. Jaylee, Sebastian and Taz quickly followed him, ignoring the calls to stop from the stormtroopers.
Kowt led them through several alleys and down several streets. The three teens stayed on his heels, trusting that he knew where he was going. There was the sound of blaster fire. The streets cleared and it was only them and the stormtroopers. "Halt!" one of the troopers shouted. He was met by blaster fire from Kowt.
They had soon reached the landing bay. The Runner was right up ahead and the group suddenly caught a second wind as they made a break for the ship. There was a cry of pain from behind Sebastian and Jaylee. They turned to see Taz on the ground, his leg smoking where he'd been hit. "Cor! Jay! Help!" he shouted.
The two of them turned and ran back to their companion. Sebastian dragged Taz to the ship while Jaylee covered them. Kowt picked Taz up with a strength none of the group realized Kowt had and laid him on the bed in the cabin. "Take off!" he shouted to Loum'ra and Reima in the cockpit. "Go! Go! Go! Set course to Corellia!"
Taz gave Sebastian a weak smile. "Looks like you're going home, Cor."
A/N: Okay people. You've read the first part. What did you think? I want to know! So, please, review!