They considered reporting what they knew of the assassination attempt to
the Alderaanian government, but Obi-Wan eventually decided against it. The
guards would no doubt take measures to protect the senator, which would tip
off Uratis. If that happened, they might never get Leia back, and the
threat to Organa would still exist. And so all they could do was wait
apprehensively until two days later, when the attempt was to take place.
The letters they had found hinted that the attack would be sometime around
midday. Not wanting to risk anything, the group got up early in the morning
and began to prepare themselves for the harrowing day ahead.
In order to look less conspicuous, and to hide their illegal weapons, the four men outfitted themselves with long robes over their normal clothing. Han especially was not too thrilled by having to wear the locally popular garment, but remembered that it was a necessary part of Leia's rescue. And it allowed him to keep his familiar blaster at his hip without getting tackled by local security forces. Likewise, Obi-Wan and Luke had their lightsabres clipped to their belts and hidden from view. Han had urged Indy to strap on his spare blaster, but something had compelled the archaeologist to keep his revolver handy as well. He still wasn't quite used to Han's strange gun.
Just as the sun was rising, the group set out for the Capitol building.
* * * * *
Leia had been kept in the same small quarters for over a day. She had been provided with the necessities, but was starting to go stir-crazy. She didn't know when the assassination attempt was to take place, and that left her constantly on edge and lacking on sleep. Early on the second morning, her door swung open and she shot upright to see Uratis looming in the entry, wearing a long white cloak. "If you'll come with me, Madame," he said with a hint of mocking in his tone. As if she had a choice but to go with him. He led her by the arm through the large hallway she had seen when she first arrived. She noticed that now it was devoid of the practicing fencers she had seen before. That could only mean one thing.
Uratis led her up the stairs and out into the alleyway. It was still dark outside, and a little chilly. The two guards she had seen the first day were the only ones still there. They closed and secured the door behind them, then turned and began to lead the way through twisting side streets. Leia didn't have to ask to know they were going to the capitol building. The city was structurally the same as when she lived there, only with some differences in buildings that gave it, to her, and eerie quality. It was a spectre of the place she'd grown up in. She supposed she should feel at home there, but things being what they were, she was having a hard time feeling anything but tension.
As the sun was coming up, they turned the corner and Leia was presented with the familiar sight of Alderaan's capitol building. The sun warmed the colour of its high entrance arches from pale off-white to a glowing yellow stone colour. The building had no hard edges inside or out- everything was rounded off, giving it a soft, peaceful appearance. For a moment, Leia felt a little at ease. But then she spotted a few men milling around the great steps, looking casual and ordinary in their long white robes. To the casual observer, they fit in just fine. But they were wearing the same uniform as Uratis, and Leia knew they must be members of the Movement. They were all there, just waiting for Bail Organa to enter for his day's business. She shuddered inwardly at the thought.
With a nod to the guards, Uratis began to lead Leia towards the entrance of the capital, the other two men following at a casual distance. Without looking down at her, he said in a low voice, "I know you won't be trying to call attention to yourself now, will you darling?" She sneered but managed to keep quiet. He took that as a yes. "Very good." They walked up the steps and into the dome shape of the entrance. There were benches all around the friendly hall, and Uratis led Leia over to one on the far side, where they would have a clear view of anyone coming inside. Looking around the room, Leia could see several men and women in white robes acting perfectly naturally, but obviously members of the Movement. It disconcerted her a bit, but she reassured herself with the thought that the others would arrive soon to stop the plan, and rescue her.
* * * * *
Senator Organa arrived with his usual two guards by his side. It was a nice morning, so they had walked from his home to the capital. Out in the square in front of the magnificent building, Bail took some time to greet the locals who were already out and around. One of his most endearing qualities as a senator was his cordiality towards the people he represented. Now in his mid-thirties, he had already been a respected member of the Alderaanian political system for over a decade. His position in the galactic senate now gave him more influence on the local politics of Alderaan, a power he was determined to use for good.
Bail nodded and said a few 'good morning's as he made his way up the steps. His two guards were at ease as usual, having little need to worry about a threat due to the weapons ban on the planet. A man and woman dressed in pressed white robes smiled at them and Bail, and they returned the pleasantry. As he finally entered the round foyer of the capital, he noticed another white robed man sitting on a bench straight across from him. That struck him as a little bit odd, but he was soon distracted by the blatant stare he was getting from the woman seated next to the robed figure. Her dark eyes were fixed on Bail, and her jaw was a little unhinged. His brow furrowed in question for a moment as he regarded the strange young women.
Suddenly, the man next to her stood up and drew from beneath his robes a long metal sword. Bail's guards quickly drew their weapons and trained them on the man, but then several more such figures standing in the room drew their own swords and stood in en garde positions. The citizens in the room, save for the woman on the bench, quickly fled down the steps. No one tried to stop them. After only a moment, one of Bail's guards hit a button on his commlink to call for backup.
* * * * *
Leia had known she would be seeing Bail, but nothing could prepare her for the shock of it. Now here he was, much younger than she remembered him, and now with his life being threatened. His guards had blasters but looked nervous and were hopelessly outnumbered. She wondered where in the world the others were. Certainly they had found out when the attack would be, hadn't they?
"That won't be of any help to the senator, I'm afraid," Uratis said, slowly approaching the guards. The other swordsmen closed in with him in unison. Leia remained on the bench.
"Drop your weapons!" one guard shouted, pointing his blaster at Uratis. "Come one step closer and I'll be forced to shoot you!"
For a moment, everyone in the room was frozen in a standoff. Then, a movement in the entry caught Leia's attention. She looked over to see Han and Indy with blasters drawn. To their sides, Luke and Obi-Wan called their lightsabres into their hands and flicked them into their brilliant armed mode. The guards and Bail tensed at first, but then realising two of the men were Jedi, drew deep breaths of confidence. The four men joined with Bail's guards in a circle around the senator and faced the encircling swordsmen with confidence. Han locked eyes with Leia, and threw her a reassuring smirk, which she returned with a cautious smile. She was still well aware that Uratis was standing between them.
"I believe he said to drop your weapons, Uratis," Obi-Wan said in an even voice.
The tall man shook his head and made a 'tsk tsk' sound with his teeth. "I do believe," he said in a mock serious tone, "that your weapons are in violation of the ban." For a moment, Uratis relished in the look of confusion that passed over the faces of the band of rescuers. Then, with his free left hand, he reached beneath his robe to a box on his belt and pressed a button on its side. After a brief pause, a whirring sound began to fill the room, radiating from each of the robed figures.
First the lights went out, leaving only the natural light of the sun to see by. A second later, the green and blue glows of Luke and Obi-Wan's lightsabres wavered, then went out completely. Both looked down in alarm at the deactivated hilts, then at each other in shock. Han instinctively pulled the trigger on his blaster, but nothing happened; the power pack was dead. He looked to the guards, and saw their faces whiten. Even Obi-Wan and Luke were looking a shade paler than usual. Uratis, on the other hand, smiled and waved his troops in towards the group. Suddenly, Han had a very bad feeling about this.
In order to look less conspicuous, and to hide their illegal weapons, the four men outfitted themselves with long robes over their normal clothing. Han especially was not too thrilled by having to wear the locally popular garment, but remembered that it was a necessary part of Leia's rescue. And it allowed him to keep his familiar blaster at his hip without getting tackled by local security forces. Likewise, Obi-Wan and Luke had their lightsabres clipped to their belts and hidden from view. Han had urged Indy to strap on his spare blaster, but something had compelled the archaeologist to keep his revolver handy as well. He still wasn't quite used to Han's strange gun.
Just as the sun was rising, the group set out for the Capitol building.
* * * * *
Leia had been kept in the same small quarters for over a day. She had been provided with the necessities, but was starting to go stir-crazy. She didn't know when the assassination attempt was to take place, and that left her constantly on edge and lacking on sleep. Early on the second morning, her door swung open and she shot upright to see Uratis looming in the entry, wearing a long white cloak. "If you'll come with me, Madame," he said with a hint of mocking in his tone. As if she had a choice but to go with him. He led her by the arm through the large hallway she had seen when she first arrived. She noticed that now it was devoid of the practicing fencers she had seen before. That could only mean one thing.
Uratis led her up the stairs and out into the alleyway. It was still dark outside, and a little chilly. The two guards she had seen the first day were the only ones still there. They closed and secured the door behind them, then turned and began to lead the way through twisting side streets. Leia didn't have to ask to know they were going to the capitol building. The city was structurally the same as when she lived there, only with some differences in buildings that gave it, to her, and eerie quality. It was a spectre of the place she'd grown up in. She supposed she should feel at home there, but things being what they were, she was having a hard time feeling anything but tension.
As the sun was coming up, they turned the corner and Leia was presented with the familiar sight of Alderaan's capitol building. The sun warmed the colour of its high entrance arches from pale off-white to a glowing yellow stone colour. The building had no hard edges inside or out- everything was rounded off, giving it a soft, peaceful appearance. For a moment, Leia felt a little at ease. But then she spotted a few men milling around the great steps, looking casual and ordinary in their long white robes. To the casual observer, they fit in just fine. But they were wearing the same uniform as Uratis, and Leia knew they must be members of the Movement. They were all there, just waiting for Bail Organa to enter for his day's business. She shuddered inwardly at the thought.
With a nod to the guards, Uratis began to lead Leia towards the entrance of the capital, the other two men following at a casual distance. Without looking down at her, he said in a low voice, "I know you won't be trying to call attention to yourself now, will you darling?" She sneered but managed to keep quiet. He took that as a yes. "Very good." They walked up the steps and into the dome shape of the entrance. There were benches all around the friendly hall, and Uratis led Leia over to one on the far side, where they would have a clear view of anyone coming inside. Looking around the room, Leia could see several men and women in white robes acting perfectly naturally, but obviously members of the Movement. It disconcerted her a bit, but she reassured herself with the thought that the others would arrive soon to stop the plan, and rescue her.
* * * * *
Senator Organa arrived with his usual two guards by his side. It was a nice morning, so they had walked from his home to the capital. Out in the square in front of the magnificent building, Bail took some time to greet the locals who were already out and around. One of his most endearing qualities as a senator was his cordiality towards the people he represented. Now in his mid-thirties, he had already been a respected member of the Alderaanian political system for over a decade. His position in the galactic senate now gave him more influence on the local politics of Alderaan, a power he was determined to use for good.
Bail nodded and said a few 'good morning's as he made his way up the steps. His two guards were at ease as usual, having little need to worry about a threat due to the weapons ban on the planet. A man and woman dressed in pressed white robes smiled at them and Bail, and they returned the pleasantry. As he finally entered the round foyer of the capital, he noticed another white robed man sitting on a bench straight across from him. That struck him as a little bit odd, but he was soon distracted by the blatant stare he was getting from the woman seated next to the robed figure. Her dark eyes were fixed on Bail, and her jaw was a little unhinged. His brow furrowed in question for a moment as he regarded the strange young women.
Suddenly, the man next to her stood up and drew from beneath his robes a long metal sword. Bail's guards quickly drew their weapons and trained them on the man, but then several more such figures standing in the room drew their own swords and stood in en garde positions. The citizens in the room, save for the woman on the bench, quickly fled down the steps. No one tried to stop them. After only a moment, one of Bail's guards hit a button on his commlink to call for backup.
* * * * *
Leia had known she would be seeing Bail, but nothing could prepare her for the shock of it. Now here he was, much younger than she remembered him, and now with his life being threatened. His guards had blasters but looked nervous and were hopelessly outnumbered. She wondered where in the world the others were. Certainly they had found out when the attack would be, hadn't they?
"That won't be of any help to the senator, I'm afraid," Uratis said, slowly approaching the guards. The other swordsmen closed in with him in unison. Leia remained on the bench.
"Drop your weapons!" one guard shouted, pointing his blaster at Uratis. "Come one step closer and I'll be forced to shoot you!"
For a moment, everyone in the room was frozen in a standoff. Then, a movement in the entry caught Leia's attention. She looked over to see Han and Indy with blasters drawn. To their sides, Luke and Obi-Wan called their lightsabres into their hands and flicked them into their brilliant armed mode. The guards and Bail tensed at first, but then realising two of the men were Jedi, drew deep breaths of confidence. The four men joined with Bail's guards in a circle around the senator and faced the encircling swordsmen with confidence. Han locked eyes with Leia, and threw her a reassuring smirk, which she returned with a cautious smile. She was still well aware that Uratis was standing between them.
"I believe he said to drop your weapons, Uratis," Obi-Wan said in an even voice.
The tall man shook his head and made a 'tsk tsk' sound with his teeth. "I do believe," he said in a mock serious tone, "that your weapons are in violation of the ban." For a moment, Uratis relished in the look of confusion that passed over the faces of the band of rescuers. Then, with his free left hand, he reached beneath his robe to a box on his belt and pressed a button on its side. After a brief pause, a whirring sound began to fill the room, radiating from each of the robed figures.
First the lights went out, leaving only the natural light of the sun to see by. A second later, the green and blue glows of Luke and Obi-Wan's lightsabres wavered, then went out completely. Both looked down in alarm at the deactivated hilts, then at each other in shock. Han instinctively pulled the trigger on his blaster, but nothing happened; the power pack was dead. He looked to the guards, and saw their faces whiten. Even Obi-Wan and Luke were looking a shade paler than usual. Uratis, on the other hand, smiled and waved his troops in towards the group. Suddenly, Han had a very bad feeling about this.