Leia Organa, Jedi Knight
By: Julie the Tall Terror
Timeframe: ESB
Focus: Leia, Luke, Han, Yoda and Vader (notice I didn't say Anakin)
Summary: What would change and what would not if Yoda trained Leia?
http://tallterror.homestead.com
Part 3
~~*~~
Dagobah
~~*~~
Leia gazed apprehensively at the mouth of the cave. It looked even more damp and slimy than the swamp around her. "Why do I need to go in there?"
"To find yourself."
Leia was startled and a bit insulted. Was Yoda suggesting she didn't know who she was? Or perhaps that she had lost her mind and somehow climbing down in that hole would return her to sanity?
"Could we do this another time? I'm really exhausted and I doubt I'd be able to climb back out of there."
Yoda gave a grunt of displeasure, "Argue no more! Do this you must."
Leia walked closer to the tree. She wrinkled her nose as a dank smell of decay reached her. It wasn't the worst stench she'd experienced, that was the garbage compactor on the Death Star, but it was barely tolerable just the same.
Pinching her nose, she looked back at Yoda and nasally said, "It's disgusting."
Yoda glared at her and stamped his cane on the ground a few times in frustration.
"All right, all right," Leia grumbled. She took only two paces when Yoda spoke again.
"Your weapon, you will not need it."
For a moment, Leia just blinked at him. Then she remembered that she still had the old lightsaber in her other hand. Shrugging, she tossed it to Yoda.
Turning around, she missed seeing Yoda's shocked face when she actually didn't argue with him, but had obeyed. Leia was certain that Yoda wouldn't send her into danger without a weapon, so the cave must have some other purpose. Besides, at this point Leia knew that she'd be more likely to slice off her own leg than successfully defend herself with a lightsaber.
Taking a deep breath and holding her nose firmly, Leia cautiously climbed into the hole. It was extremely dark and the poor light from the entrance seemed to be absorbed at once. The air was thick with moisture and Leia choked on it. It was like trying to breath water.
Splashing through puddles, she continued forward with her arms outstretched and hoped she didn't have to touch too many slimy things. Leia's eyes adjusted slowly and she ducked to avoid roots and creatures hanging in them.
"This is stupid," Leia grumbled and plucked out a large spider she could feel crawling through her hair.
A dim light suddenly appeared ahead of her and Leia scrambled toward it. Sounds reached her now, footsteps and yelling. Odd clashing noises and weird sparks as well. As she came around the corner she saw two battling figures.
Both were cloaked in black and in the dim light Leia couldn't see their faces at all. Their lightsabers crashed against each other, one blue and the other red, sparking and screeching. She watched mesmerized for a moment before she realized that the figure holding the blue saber was losing. With a great shove from the other opponent, the blue saber flew away and landed at her feet.
For a second, Leia stared in shock as the figure holding the red lightsaber began to swing it down on the loser prone on the floor. He was about to murder the other person. Outraged and not thinking, she snatched up the lightsaber on the floor and flung herself forward. Before the red saber could strike, Leia had cleaved the victor in half.
Leia gasped for breath and was momentarily grateful that the darkness hid the grotesque halves. She turned around to look at who she had saved and only just ducked in time. The loser was attempting to cut off her head with the red lightsaber he had retrieved from the dead body.
Horrified, Leia stumbled back. Had she killed the wrong person? She had assumed that the one holding the red saber was evil, after all, he had nearly killed the other. Why would the person she'd saved want to kill her?
Her opponent slashed at her again and Leia barely blocked it. She didn't know how to duel properly and could only continue to retreat. However, she'd forgotten about the body and tripped over it. Sprawled on the wet ground, Leia stared up at her attacker in terror. She didn't have any useful weapons, no blaster, no vibro-knife, nothing but a fancy glowing blade.
And then Leia didn't have the lightsaber anymore, either. He swung hard and knocked it out of her hand. It skidded across the floor and vanished into the dark. The figure pointed his blade at her throat.
A feeling of absurdity washed over Leia. This was ridiculous, cowering like this just because she wasn't good at using a lightsaber. She'd always managed to win without one before and a few times had escaped danger even without a blaster. Leia began to wonder why she'd bothered to try to duel with the saber at all.
Leia's courage returned and the fear vanished. She closed her eyes and imagined her attacker floating high in the air. He would be too far away to reach her. She would be safe and if he was foolish enough to throw his lightsaber at her... well, she would just catch it. When Leia opened her eyes again it was dark. Both figures were gone and so were the lightsabers.
Leia sat in the mud for a long time before leaving the cave.
~~*~~
Cloud City
~~*~~
The evening had been a hit. Lando had been true to his word and had treated Han, Chewbacca, and Luke to the best Cloud City had to offer. During dinner, they had been forced to listen while Lando had described in excruciating detail how difficult and irritating administering the city was. But he more than made up for it at the casinos.
Lando had even given the three best suites in the city, but they hardly noticed. It was dawn by the time they crashed into their beds. Even Chewie was exhausted, despite Han and Lando's claims that Chewie had once partied for two days straight without sleeping.
It had been some much needed fun for the boys. The stress of hiding and then fleeing from Hoth had been terrible. A chance to forget about it all for a little while had been wonderful.
It wasn't to last.
The door to Han Solo's rooms opened silently and loud booted feet clunked on the floor. A loud bang woke Han. He immediately fell out of bed, grabbed his blaster from under his pillow and rolled into a crouch.
Han tensed as he finally began to wake up. Blearily, the door came into focus and he spared a quick look at the draped windows that shut out the mid-day sun. The banging repeated loudly outside his bedroom door and finally stopped when it slid open.
Instantly, Han opened fire. He got off five shots before realizing he was wasting power. No one was in the doorway.
"Hey, Han!" Lando's voice bellowed.
"Yeah?" Han called warily back.
Lando's face peeked around the corner and then behind himself at the blaster burns on the floor and far wall. "Good thing I remembered to stand back."
Han blinked at him and slowly lowered his weapon, but he didn't put it down. "What are -" he began to mumble irritably.
Lando strode quickly into the room and interrupted. "There has been a problem. Imperial ships are here."
"What?!"
"They haven't landed yet, but they'll get here soon," Lando said hurriedly. "I know that there is a price on your head -"
"The one on the Kid is even worse," Han said as he began to snatch up his belt and pull his boots on. "Have you woken Chewie?"
"No, I'm not suicidal," Lando gave him an askance look. "You can wake him, I'll get Luke."
Lando ran out of the room as Han finished collecting the few things he had bothered to take off of the Falcon. Hastily pulling on his vest, he raced next door to pull Chewbacca out of bed.
Minutes later, the four of them were racing down the corridors and arguing.
"We are going in the Falcon and that is final!" Han insisted fiercely as Lando began to lead them down the wrong corridor.
Han ground to a halt and hefted his blaster. Luke and Chewie slowed down to avoid running into him. With a roll of his eyes, Lando walked back to them.
"You'll never get past those Star Destroyers," Lando argued.
Han and Chewie were insulted. Chewbacca growled menacingly and Han scoffed, "I can get past anything in that ship and out ran a pack of Star Destroyers only a few days ago. Without even a hyperdrive!"
Luke suddenly spoke up, "The hyperdrive is fixed, isn't it?" he said suspiciously.
"Of course it is! I had my people start on it at once, top priority."
"Then lets go," Han turned around.
Lando shook his head, "You just need to lie low until they leave."
"They won't leave," Luke told him. A distant look came over his grim face, "They are here for us. I can feel it."
Han gave him a disapproving look, "You don't need to get all mystical about it, Kid."
"Well, if they are after you three, then they will know to grab the Falcon and the X-Wing!" Lando practically hissed and looked around the corner carefully.
"That's why we need to get there first!" Han turned and sped down the opposite hallway. Chewie followed at once, and after an apologetic look to his host, Luke ran as well. Lando threw up his hands in exasperation before chasing after them.
"This isn't going to work," Lando grumbled as he caught up with the rebels.
~~*~~
Chewbacca was first to reach the doors leading to the Millennium Falcon. His long legs carried him much faster and further than the humans and droid behind him. He burst open the door with one shot from a huge blaster rifle he had earlier borrowed from one of Lando's guards. Chewie spun and jumped back behind the corner just in time. The instant the doors had begun to slide open blaster fire had come streaking through.
Storm troopers were already on the platform and had set up an ambush. Chewie held up one hairy arm and howled at his companions. Han skidded to a stop and Luke threw himself against the wall to avoid a collision. Artoo and Lando brought up the rear.
Chewie began peeking around the corner and returning fire. Han knelt on the floor and helped him carefully shoot only at the troopers lest a stray shot managed to hit their ship. Luke watched the corridor ahead and behind them with his blaster ready.
"I told you so," Lando's voice was barely audible over the battle.
Han completely ignored him and Lando shook his head in exasperation. Artoo was busy plugging himself into a nearby wall socket. Feeling useless and very angry, Lando did the only thing he could and called for reinforcements on his comlink.
The droid gave a high trill and squealed. He spun his domed head around to look at Luke.
"What is it?" Luke backed over to him to see the readout. "Han! They've already impounded our ships."
Han cursed loudly, "Then we'll just un-impound them!"
Chewie began howling viciously and firing even more at the storm troopers without trying to be careful anymore.
Lando turned to Luke, "This is taking too long. We'll never get the ships unlocked in time. The Imperials will just blast us on the platform. We must use a different ship!"
"You just want to keep my ship!" Han bellowed at them.
Han's scathing accusation to Lando was too much. Lando's eyes narrowed dangerously, "I don't know why I'm bothering -"
"Let's try something else," Luke interrupted. Han looked furiously at him, but Luke held up a hand.
"No, I'm not completely agreeing with Lando, but he does have a point. When Lando's guards get here, Chewie and I can go with them and cause a ruckus the next platform over.
Luke glanced around for a second, "Artoo, pull up this floor plan, I'm sure there is a maintenance closet near here." he instructed the droid. "When those troops are called to deal with us," he gestured to Lando and himself, "you and Artoo can get the Falcon unlocked."
Lando liked this idea and grinned broadly, "I can 'carelessly' inform my people that we are trying a different route on the comlink. That's certain to draw the Imperials to follow us."
"We'll slip back when Artoo signals us," Luke told him.
"Freeing the X-wing would take too much time," Lando looked at Luke apologetically.
"I know, I can leave it."
"I'll ask my people to try to keep it here if they can, so the Rebellion can retrieve it later," Lando promised.
He then looked back at Han. His old friend's face was stony. Abruptly, Han went back to shooting around the corner and for a moment it seemed like that was the only answer they'd get. However, he started talking quietly to Chewbacca.
Chewie growled lowly to Han for a moment and Han listened in between firing. Han's voice was nearly drowned out by the noise, "We're at a stand off anyway," they heard him mutter to his co-pilot.
Finally, Han turned back to them, "Okay, where's this closet?"
~~*~~
End part 3
I love feedback! I never hold readers hostage with demands for reviews - that is just cruel. However, reviews do help encourage (i.e. guilt trip) me into writing new parts quicker! :)
By: Julie the Tall Terror
Timeframe: ESB
Focus: Leia, Luke, Han, Yoda and Vader (notice I didn't say Anakin)
Summary: What would change and what would not if Yoda trained Leia?
http://tallterror.homestead.com
Part 3
~~*~~
Dagobah
~~*~~
Leia gazed apprehensively at the mouth of the cave. It looked even more damp and slimy than the swamp around her. "Why do I need to go in there?"
"To find yourself."
Leia was startled and a bit insulted. Was Yoda suggesting she didn't know who she was? Or perhaps that she had lost her mind and somehow climbing down in that hole would return her to sanity?
"Could we do this another time? I'm really exhausted and I doubt I'd be able to climb back out of there."
Yoda gave a grunt of displeasure, "Argue no more! Do this you must."
Leia walked closer to the tree. She wrinkled her nose as a dank smell of decay reached her. It wasn't the worst stench she'd experienced, that was the garbage compactor on the Death Star, but it was barely tolerable just the same.
Pinching her nose, she looked back at Yoda and nasally said, "It's disgusting."
Yoda glared at her and stamped his cane on the ground a few times in frustration.
"All right, all right," Leia grumbled. She took only two paces when Yoda spoke again.
"Your weapon, you will not need it."
For a moment, Leia just blinked at him. Then she remembered that she still had the old lightsaber in her other hand. Shrugging, she tossed it to Yoda.
Turning around, she missed seeing Yoda's shocked face when she actually didn't argue with him, but had obeyed. Leia was certain that Yoda wouldn't send her into danger without a weapon, so the cave must have some other purpose. Besides, at this point Leia knew that she'd be more likely to slice off her own leg than successfully defend herself with a lightsaber.
Taking a deep breath and holding her nose firmly, Leia cautiously climbed into the hole. It was extremely dark and the poor light from the entrance seemed to be absorbed at once. The air was thick with moisture and Leia choked on it. It was like trying to breath water.
Splashing through puddles, she continued forward with her arms outstretched and hoped she didn't have to touch too many slimy things. Leia's eyes adjusted slowly and she ducked to avoid roots and creatures hanging in them.
"This is stupid," Leia grumbled and plucked out a large spider she could feel crawling through her hair.
A dim light suddenly appeared ahead of her and Leia scrambled toward it. Sounds reached her now, footsteps and yelling. Odd clashing noises and weird sparks as well. As she came around the corner she saw two battling figures.
Both were cloaked in black and in the dim light Leia couldn't see their faces at all. Their lightsabers crashed against each other, one blue and the other red, sparking and screeching. She watched mesmerized for a moment before she realized that the figure holding the blue saber was losing. With a great shove from the other opponent, the blue saber flew away and landed at her feet.
For a second, Leia stared in shock as the figure holding the red lightsaber began to swing it down on the loser prone on the floor. He was about to murder the other person. Outraged and not thinking, she snatched up the lightsaber on the floor and flung herself forward. Before the red saber could strike, Leia had cleaved the victor in half.
Leia gasped for breath and was momentarily grateful that the darkness hid the grotesque halves. She turned around to look at who she had saved and only just ducked in time. The loser was attempting to cut off her head with the red lightsaber he had retrieved from the dead body.
Horrified, Leia stumbled back. Had she killed the wrong person? She had assumed that the one holding the red saber was evil, after all, he had nearly killed the other. Why would the person she'd saved want to kill her?
Her opponent slashed at her again and Leia barely blocked it. She didn't know how to duel properly and could only continue to retreat. However, she'd forgotten about the body and tripped over it. Sprawled on the wet ground, Leia stared up at her attacker in terror. She didn't have any useful weapons, no blaster, no vibro-knife, nothing but a fancy glowing blade.
And then Leia didn't have the lightsaber anymore, either. He swung hard and knocked it out of her hand. It skidded across the floor and vanished into the dark. The figure pointed his blade at her throat.
A feeling of absurdity washed over Leia. This was ridiculous, cowering like this just because she wasn't good at using a lightsaber. She'd always managed to win without one before and a few times had escaped danger even without a blaster. Leia began to wonder why she'd bothered to try to duel with the saber at all.
Leia's courage returned and the fear vanished. She closed her eyes and imagined her attacker floating high in the air. He would be too far away to reach her. She would be safe and if he was foolish enough to throw his lightsaber at her... well, she would just catch it. When Leia opened her eyes again it was dark. Both figures were gone and so were the lightsabers.
Leia sat in the mud for a long time before leaving the cave.
~~*~~
Cloud City
~~*~~
The evening had been a hit. Lando had been true to his word and had treated Han, Chewbacca, and Luke to the best Cloud City had to offer. During dinner, they had been forced to listen while Lando had described in excruciating detail how difficult and irritating administering the city was. But he more than made up for it at the casinos.
Lando had even given the three best suites in the city, but they hardly noticed. It was dawn by the time they crashed into their beds. Even Chewie was exhausted, despite Han and Lando's claims that Chewie had once partied for two days straight without sleeping.
It had been some much needed fun for the boys. The stress of hiding and then fleeing from Hoth had been terrible. A chance to forget about it all for a little while had been wonderful.
It wasn't to last.
The door to Han Solo's rooms opened silently and loud booted feet clunked on the floor. A loud bang woke Han. He immediately fell out of bed, grabbed his blaster from under his pillow and rolled into a crouch.
Han tensed as he finally began to wake up. Blearily, the door came into focus and he spared a quick look at the draped windows that shut out the mid-day sun. The banging repeated loudly outside his bedroom door and finally stopped when it slid open.
Instantly, Han opened fire. He got off five shots before realizing he was wasting power. No one was in the doorway.
"Hey, Han!" Lando's voice bellowed.
"Yeah?" Han called warily back.
Lando's face peeked around the corner and then behind himself at the blaster burns on the floor and far wall. "Good thing I remembered to stand back."
Han blinked at him and slowly lowered his weapon, but he didn't put it down. "What are -" he began to mumble irritably.
Lando strode quickly into the room and interrupted. "There has been a problem. Imperial ships are here."
"What?!"
"They haven't landed yet, but they'll get here soon," Lando said hurriedly. "I know that there is a price on your head -"
"The one on the Kid is even worse," Han said as he began to snatch up his belt and pull his boots on. "Have you woken Chewie?"
"No, I'm not suicidal," Lando gave him an askance look. "You can wake him, I'll get Luke."
Lando ran out of the room as Han finished collecting the few things he had bothered to take off of the Falcon. Hastily pulling on his vest, he raced next door to pull Chewbacca out of bed.
Minutes later, the four of them were racing down the corridors and arguing.
"We are going in the Falcon and that is final!" Han insisted fiercely as Lando began to lead them down the wrong corridor.
Han ground to a halt and hefted his blaster. Luke and Chewie slowed down to avoid running into him. With a roll of his eyes, Lando walked back to them.
"You'll never get past those Star Destroyers," Lando argued.
Han and Chewie were insulted. Chewbacca growled menacingly and Han scoffed, "I can get past anything in that ship and out ran a pack of Star Destroyers only a few days ago. Without even a hyperdrive!"
Luke suddenly spoke up, "The hyperdrive is fixed, isn't it?" he said suspiciously.
"Of course it is! I had my people start on it at once, top priority."
"Then lets go," Han turned around.
Lando shook his head, "You just need to lie low until they leave."
"They won't leave," Luke told him. A distant look came over his grim face, "They are here for us. I can feel it."
Han gave him a disapproving look, "You don't need to get all mystical about it, Kid."
"Well, if they are after you three, then they will know to grab the Falcon and the X-Wing!" Lando practically hissed and looked around the corner carefully.
"That's why we need to get there first!" Han turned and sped down the opposite hallway. Chewie followed at once, and after an apologetic look to his host, Luke ran as well. Lando threw up his hands in exasperation before chasing after them.
"This isn't going to work," Lando grumbled as he caught up with the rebels.
~~*~~
Chewbacca was first to reach the doors leading to the Millennium Falcon. His long legs carried him much faster and further than the humans and droid behind him. He burst open the door with one shot from a huge blaster rifle he had earlier borrowed from one of Lando's guards. Chewie spun and jumped back behind the corner just in time. The instant the doors had begun to slide open blaster fire had come streaking through.
Storm troopers were already on the platform and had set up an ambush. Chewie held up one hairy arm and howled at his companions. Han skidded to a stop and Luke threw himself against the wall to avoid a collision. Artoo and Lando brought up the rear.
Chewie began peeking around the corner and returning fire. Han knelt on the floor and helped him carefully shoot only at the troopers lest a stray shot managed to hit their ship. Luke watched the corridor ahead and behind them with his blaster ready.
"I told you so," Lando's voice was barely audible over the battle.
Han completely ignored him and Lando shook his head in exasperation. Artoo was busy plugging himself into a nearby wall socket. Feeling useless and very angry, Lando did the only thing he could and called for reinforcements on his comlink.
The droid gave a high trill and squealed. He spun his domed head around to look at Luke.
"What is it?" Luke backed over to him to see the readout. "Han! They've already impounded our ships."
Han cursed loudly, "Then we'll just un-impound them!"
Chewie began howling viciously and firing even more at the storm troopers without trying to be careful anymore.
Lando turned to Luke, "This is taking too long. We'll never get the ships unlocked in time. The Imperials will just blast us on the platform. We must use a different ship!"
"You just want to keep my ship!" Han bellowed at them.
Han's scathing accusation to Lando was too much. Lando's eyes narrowed dangerously, "I don't know why I'm bothering -"
"Let's try something else," Luke interrupted. Han looked furiously at him, but Luke held up a hand.
"No, I'm not completely agreeing with Lando, but he does have a point. When Lando's guards get here, Chewie and I can go with them and cause a ruckus the next platform over.
Luke glanced around for a second, "Artoo, pull up this floor plan, I'm sure there is a maintenance closet near here." he instructed the droid. "When those troops are called to deal with us," he gestured to Lando and himself, "you and Artoo can get the Falcon unlocked."
Lando liked this idea and grinned broadly, "I can 'carelessly' inform my people that we are trying a different route on the comlink. That's certain to draw the Imperials to follow us."
"We'll slip back when Artoo signals us," Luke told him.
"Freeing the X-wing would take too much time," Lando looked at Luke apologetically.
"I know, I can leave it."
"I'll ask my people to try to keep it here if they can, so the Rebellion can retrieve it later," Lando promised.
He then looked back at Han. His old friend's face was stony. Abruptly, Han went back to shooting around the corner and for a moment it seemed like that was the only answer they'd get. However, he started talking quietly to Chewbacca.
Chewie growled lowly to Han for a moment and Han listened in between firing. Han's voice was nearly drowned out by the noise, "We're at a stand off anyway," they heard him mutter to his co-pilot.
Finally, Han turned back to them, "Okay, where's this closet?"
~~*~~
End part 3
I love feedback! I never hold readers hostage with demands for reviews - that is just cruel. However, reviews do help encourage (i.e. guilt trip) me into writing new parts quicker! :)