(Cough)
I'm just going to get through with this, god awful or not.
So ha!
So do your worst, if you dare.
_________________________
"Son of Mine"
Steve suddenly sounded hushed as if someone could be listening right by the door at any moment. Lando strained to hear him.
"How do you like it so far in Jabba's palace?"
Lando was exasperated. "What is this?"
"Well what I was thinking is perhaps we could.. I don't know.. leave?"
"What are you getting at?"
Steve spoke in a harsh whisper. "I mean to break out, you fool!"
Lando raised both eyebrows at this appealing remark. "You're crazy! Just how do you plan on us pulling that one off?"
With that the creature's eyes seemed to blink out and then re-open. "I don't have to help you, you know. Why don't you just sit here and think about my offer for a while."
"Look I'm sorry. But I need to get my friend out of here.."
"Friend? Perhaps it is possible.. Who are they? Maybe I have heard."
"His name's Solo."
"SOLO? Captain Solo as in Jabba's new wall ornament?" Lando flinched in the darkness. "Yeah, that's him."
"Now you are the crazy one."
"Then break out by yourself."
Steve thought and then spoke his answer. "Perhaps we may be able to work something out together.. Deals can be altered."
After a moment of silence, the alien began to place the pieces.
"If we are to do this, we are going to do this my way."
"As long as your way doesn't get us killed fine by me."
Steve contemplated how to begin his proposition. "Word had come in a few days ago that Captain Solo had aided the rebels. You are his friend; Do you know of the rebellion?"
"More trouble than it's worth.." This was going to be tricky. "Do you side with the rebellion or the Empire?"
"Look I--"
Steve just stared waiting patiently for an answer.
"I don't have much taste for the Empire and the rebels are going to get themselves killed if you ask me. But I owe them a debt.."
Before Steve could speak, Lando interrupted" Why do you need my help?"
"I too have a friend in the palace, although not frozen. It was not his fault he is forced into hiding. A few years
ago he lived on a peaceful planet name Ithor.
"Ithor? Like the Ithorian crops that used to be sold-"
"Yes the ones that used to be sold in the finer markets a few years ago. The planet used to grow it's own food and their crops sold was their main source of income among other jobs. When the Empire came they were unprepared; males, females, and children alike were interrogated for the planet's secrets of agriculture. The Empire has all the credits the galaxy could ever need!"
Lando spoke softer. "What happened to your friend..?" The alien continued off in to his own pitiful thoughts to the first person he had seen is so very long.
"His name was Momaw; Momaw Nadon. As head of agricultural affairs on his planet he knew everything. As the threats of the Empire increased they came to him and told him exactly what they would do to the planet if they did not hand over their secrets."
"What were they planning? And why bother with Ithor if they have so much wealth?"
"Does it look as if I, if he knew these things!? But they did say that Ithor was too independent from the Empire
for its own good."
"But that doesn't make any sense."
"Probably just an excuse for the Empire to strangle the life out of another planet. But in hopes that the Empire would leave his peaceful planet and they could avoid their fate--"
"So what happened??"
"As the storm troopers started to arrive with their weapons Momaw received a visit from Grand Moff Tarkin."
As the name was spat, Lando raised his head in surprise.
"He assured the planet's destruction as his word against the peaceful Ithorians. Momaw told.. They did leave but before they did Tarkin was there to wave it in his face. Word had spread of Momaw's.. betrayal and as a final act the Empire framed him in his own attempt to save his planet by making the news known worldwide. He was exiled from the planet he loved and eventually the Empire put the planet out of the agricultural business. With nowhere to go he came to one of the most remote locations on the outer rim to aid against the Empire. He said if it was an expert at lying to a planet that had done nothing, then they would have no problem deceiving all of every system they taint."
Lando remained silent.
"He has joined the rebel alliance and works underground for the rebels, here specifically. He gives me all the current news around the palace as Jabba's head chef. Before Fett left, my friend, while serving Jabba his food had overheard Jabba talking to Bib Fortuna.
"Who?"
"Jabba's right hand Twi'lek. Anyways Jabba has plans for Solo."
"Plans? What kind of plans?"
Steve spoke quietly again. "Something about reforming his talents in to smuggling again."
"But Han wouldn't do that. He's.. involved now. What does he expect, anyway?? A hearty handshake for being frozen and encased alive!?" "Hush! Not so loud. You said you're his friend right?"
"Well I was.."
"You can get on Jabba's good side, get him to lower his guard. If you could pretend to betray--
"Count me out, I won't do this to Han."
"You'll be helping him. If you can get Jabba to think that you're on his side and betraying Solo to persuade him to be Jabba's number one smuggler again then you'll both be on his good side. With me and Momaw as your information source we can all help each other escape while the filthy worm is wallowing in wealth and victory! Fatso always throws the most extravagant parties and just about anyone can walk in, or out with all the drunks and teases and bands and-"
"And just where do you think we go from there?" Lando asked sarcastically.
"The alliance."
Lando was in deep thought.
"Wait just one minute. You can't even get out of this cell. How are you ever going to help me do a damn thing?" "I didn't tell you? I'm in charge of maintenance. Any more ridiculous questions?" A frustrated grumble was heard. "Yeah. How am I supposed to convince Jabba of anything when I'm stuck in here?" "Jabba almost always brings out his new prisoners at parties for a good laugh. As Solo's
ex-friend, yes? You're almost guaranteed it."
_________________________
Leia laid on the cold metal bench that served double as a bed on her cell wall, very un-content. This was too much like her old cell on the Death Star. But Leia was far from the trembling girl suffering from flashbacks of her past confinement, which those idiot storm drones might assume. She was rather annoyed. Just who the hell does this emperor think he is? Who died and made him ruler of all known galaxies? Who _allowed_ him to do it!?
Han was gone; nothing she could do about that until she got out of here. During her period of thought, she wondered about everyone. Was Artoo still giving them more than they asked for? Did Threepio short-circuit from panic yet? Was Chewie alright? She hoped those relentless stuns didn't hurt him too much.. And Lando.. whose ever side he was even on..
It had, from the time she attempted to measure, probably about two days since their capture. The one thing that had worried her was she had felt the ship dock in the days before. And what about Luke? What could Vader possibly want? Ever since the Battle of Yavin it seemed he had not left her friend alone. Was it revenge for the Death Star? She just didn't know
*Things will get better, they always do.. I'll find Luke, myself, if I have to, and we'll find Han.* She wasn't alone. They were three friends that could practically be family. Han was hers and Luke.. How exactly did Luke fit in all of this? He was one of Han's best friends but had been one of hers as well. Somehow the romantic interest had died down and he had been one of the princess's closest allies. She worried for all three of them.
What would it be like to be frozen in carbonite? Is your mind adrift? If you're in hibernation do you dream of past events everyone you know? Does Han dream of me..?* Leia frowned. *Do you even dream at all?*
She stopped, something was tugging at her mind. Just as it had when flying away from Cloud City.. *Luke?* Leia sat up. She felt uneasy and cold. This didn't make any sense. She felt just like she did when Han was.. *How could I be so stupid!?* And how could she not remember? Not just frozen but tested for, she froze. *"Leia!!"* Leia whispered the word unconsciously to her self. "Luke.."
_________________________
No time to breathe, only time for a chilling pain unlike any other that had seized his chest and throat, and then, immediate darkness. Almost two days after the carbon freezing process Luke Skywalker's mind started to drift. In his world everything was as barren as the wastelands on Tatooine. *Something's not right..* As he turned around to look at his surroundings his foot caught on something, causing him to stumble.
*Or so I think.. This isn't real.. I must be dreaming.* But as many hysterics had claimed, it felt so real.. He slowly bent down and picked up the object on which his foot had caught and stared at the yellow and black checkered pattern. *Biggs' helmet..* It was the one he had wore on the Death Star run. *The last time I ever saw him.* Luke gently placed it down in the sand. His only mistake after standing up and turning around. There he saw the long-gone, charred skeletons of his foster aunt and uncle still tipped upset in their chairs. He looked closer and saw a footprint in the sand that hadn't been there before. *Storm troopers.* Shoving the anger down, he quickly turned around and saw a dark brown patch half sunken in the sand. He walked over cautiously and bent down, brushing his hand over the coarse material. * It's a robe, just like Ben's..* He looked ahead and then dropped to his knees. There were more robes but on many more bodies. It was like a lost battle scene of war. Then Luke suddenly realized who these people were. *The Jedi..*
He felt no life at all from the dead as he started to walk among them. All of the youngest had braids all behind their right ears. They looked as if they had all been trying to defend one of their adult partners or vice versa. Some of them were very young. Apart from all the rest, laid in a row, were eleven individual robes with no bodies occupying them, as if on display. Discarded from all the rest was another empty robe and had what Luke recognized as Ben's lightsaber resting on top.
There was something, something about those eleven. The way they were laid out, he had expected an even number to-
"The troll escaped." Luke spun around, stumbling to move in the thick sand up to his booted ankles. "You.." he half whispered, trying in vain to back away. "My son.." The dream Vader grabbed Luke's hand as the son jerked it away, something lubricating the appendage *Blood..* he shook. It now coated his left hand as it did the dream Vader's glove. *Their blood..* Luke tried to back away but he tripped over something black that stared right back at him. Looking back, he saw his broken face with the cold blue eyes in Vader's helmet. This couldn't happen! The rebellion needed him, he needed to see the rebellion! He needed to help his friends, help Han! The darkness came at him *You will forget in time, forget all the pitiful things that would just as soon turn on you..* The dream Vader spoke up. Another voice, deep and ominous reached out and seized hold of his mind. "The emperor is your master now; It is your destiny.."
He cried out the only way he knew how, to the only person that had never let him fall. *"Leia!!!"*
_________________________
"No, no! You can't do this! Artoo, Chewbacca! Heeelp!" C-3P0 wailed as he was drug from his cell. He had been turned back on after maintenance workers had re-done both his legs, despite the fact that only one was disengaged.
Lord Vader had said to give the pathetic being some dignity" Now instead of one gold and a silver, C-3P0 now had matching set of gold legs. Unfortunately, now he was being taken for a memory wipe. Outside of his own cell, for the same reason, R2-D2 was watching his friend, held in place by remote signal to his restraining bolt. He also just happened to be beeping as well as screeching oily dismantlement.
What no one saw was a small being around the corner that was fiddling with a computer terminal and tapping into the cell door locks. As a newly freed and rather peeved wookie stalked towards the two storm troopers from behind, they didn't turn around until it was too late. "I thought we put him in wrist and ankle binders!!"
"We did!"
Before they could fire off one shot, Chewbacca swiped them both against the wall with a mighty blow. Threepio, who was released in fear before the troopers were knocked unconscious, was joyous. "Chewbacca! I knew you were more than a smelly oaf!" Chewie let out a small warning growl as he quickly picked up both of the storm troopers' blasters that were sent flying along with them. The fallen troopers didn't get up until a few short minutes later, but it was with blasters pointed at both their heads. Not taking his eyes off of them, Chewbacca grabbed the one's remote and switched off Artoo's restraining bolt. Threepio, coming to his senses, was in shock. "How did you, of all beings, manage to escape and get your binders off?" Chewbacca leaned his head back and growled an affirmative towards the opposite corner. Out rolled the red droid R5-D4.
Artoo whistled in recognition and wheeled up to circle around his long forgotten pal. He hadn't forgotten what he had done for them. Chewie kept his blaster on the two storm troopers and let out a series of grunts. The troopers looked at each other confused as the wookie was obviously addressing them. The one on the left looked towards Threepio. "What'd he say?"
"I believe he said 'Call up your buddies and call off the memory wipe.'"
The one storm trooper laughed. He had fallen against the wall with his hand more towards his side and was waiting for an opportunity to try and turn on his com-link. "Well I don't make deals with traitors to the Empire."
The second storm trooper spoke up. "That's right; once those droids don't show up you'll-" Chewbacca saw the first storm trooper's hand reaching almost inconspicuously for his com- link. In a split second he had fired on stun and re-aimed the weapon at the other storm trooper's head, as he watched his partner slump to the side. Chewie growled again. C-3P0 didn't need to be asked this time. "He says that wookies are known to-"
"Alright, alright.. I've heard the saying.." As he mumbled under his breath a voice was heard coming from a small white object. "ST54, what's happening?" The storm trooper slowly picked up his com-link staring carefully at the towering wookie. "Nothing.. there uh, was a malfunction in the two droids--"
"What?"
"Seems they were," *Quick think of something..* "Damaged, are having problems operating and.. shorting out. The memory wipe'll have to be delayed so I can get these two checked out. I'll take them down with KT31 to maintenance tomorrow."
"Tomorrow!? We have to-"
"Look, we're busy enough as it is. It's not like they're going anywhere."
"It's your throat, but I'll reschedule. Carry on."
"Alright."
Chewbacca quickly grabbed the com-link and shut it off, firing a stun blast right after.
The door to his old cell closed with the two unconscious storm troopers, their busted com-links, the newly broken restraining bolt remote, and the useless, laser-cut binders inside.
Chewie then looked at his pile of stolen Imperial goods that consisted of two blasters, and two tool belts. Believing it was unwise to waste the equipment, but unwise to give anything such as a plaster to C-3P0, he wore two of the utility belts around his waste and put the second blaster in one of R2's compartments. He then began work on removing the droids' restraining bolts. R2-D2 still chattered at R5-D4 until C-3P0 spoke up. "Artoo Detoo, did you just see what happened?? We could have been found out or worse! And just who is that?" he indicated to R5. Artoo just whistled a sound that was the equivalent of rolling eyes and beeped the re-telling of what had occurred on Tatooine. "But then how did he manage to get-" More beeping interrupted him.
"Oh I see now. When the storm troopers came to Tatooine looking for us.. Master Luke said they had raided the jawas! They must have taken R5, too! But do you really mean to tell me that he was looking for prisoners of the rebellion and just happened to find Chewbacca?"
This time, it was Arfive who beeped an affirmative and some more of the story. "Oh so you cut through Chewbacca's binders and accessed the main computer to help free him, to free us, to free the princess!" Threepio shouted with excitement. Arfive just stared blankly, beeped a meaning of "Yeah, something like that." and then rolled off. Threepio shouted after him. "Wait you bucket of bolts! You have to tell us where Princess Leia is-" Chewbacca clamped his paw over the shouting mouth and shifted Threepio's head to R5, who was already searching the computer terminal for that answer.
_________________________
A mixture of smoke, laughter, and music filled the air at Jabba's palace and the main entertainment was not the Max Rebo band, Sy Snootles and the other back-up singers, or even Oola, but it was Salacious Crumb. Usually never giving up his cushioned spot his at Jabba's side, the Kowakian lizard monkey had decided to really earn some of the finer and give his boss, everyone else included, a good laugh.
"Get off! Ouch! He bit me!" Lando Calrissian swatted uselessly at the cackling, soon-to-be-target- practice creature if he ever got out of this, that was perched on the back of his neck and occasionally clasping his clammy little hands over Lando's eyes. Even the band stopped playing and laughed along with Sy Snootles and the various other aliens. This was the first time Lando had ever envied anything encased in carbonite. It seemed almost everyone was laughing. While Rystáll and Greeta just sighed at the simple antics, Oola was the only one besides her 'friends' not laughing.
"Ho jutta." (Enough of this.)
Jabba was indeed amused as Salacious Crumb clambered off of Lando and back to his master's side, next to the throne. He then proceeded to cackle wildly. The laughter of everyone started to die down to reminiscent snickers as Jabba spoke. "(Welcome, welcome most honorable guests.)"
At this everyone laughed.
"(Today or this night, rather; we celebrate. No one dares cross a hutt and just a few days ago I had received an example.)"
The hutt grandly swayed his stubby arm towards the direction of a wall.
"(Now I know many of you have seen my newest.. party favor-)" Lando flinched.
"(But many of you here who came tonight have not. I gave Captain Solo more than most any smuggler. Truly on his way to making smuggling an art, our boy got off track.)" Murmurs swam throughout the crowd as some wondered exactly what the overgrown slug was talking about. There was a deep red curtain hanging over the wall Jabba had motioned to draping down to the floor. Was Solo hiding behind there?
"(I have recently recieved confirmation that Solo was indeed trying to pay off his debt. Unfortunately, for him rather, smuggling is smuggling and business is business. Half way in to hiding he was going to 'someday' pay me off and-- Do you know what he was dong all this time? He was aiding the rebellion!)" The majority of the drunken lowlife burst in to obnoxious laughter, and some continued to whisper with the others at this, as ale continued to circulate throughout the crowd.
"(Now I ask you, would you tolerate this?)" Cheers came.
"NO!"
"(Do we desert each other!?)"
"NO!"
Bib Fortuna knew how to take a cue and he smoothly snatched the edge of the curtain and pulled it down to the floor. There hung Han Solo encased in a carbonite slab, reaching out in agony to what their minds could only imagine. A few gasps could be heard through the uproar of surprise.
"(Does this look pleasant!?)"
"NO!"
"(Can we let Captain Solo drift away from the good life? The one filled with riches, of where we are each a vital link in the chain of luxury!?)"
"NO!"
Bib Fortuna smiled a jagged toothed grin. *Jabba so greedy..*
"(Then I say we help our friend reform!!)"
Suddenly a voice burst out before anyone could reply.
"And I'm just the one to help you do it!!"
All eyes and eyebrows of anything that had them rose to Lando Calrissian.
All eyes were on Lando Calrissian as he felt himself break out a nervous sweat. Silence erupted throughout the palace but it was only to last a few seconds as a small cackle was heard from Salacious Crumb. "Aeh he he he.." Then the same silence roared into laughter.
*Not this again..* Lando was on a mission of unusual sorts but he was quickly tiring of this laughter. *Maybe if I..*
"Alright that's ENOUGH!!" Lando's raging voice was not enough to cut through the uproar but it did catch quite a few attentions, particularly Jabba's. "(Oh ho! Getting frustrated, my boy?)"
Boldly, Lando spoke. "Yeah, I am." The crowd started to quiet down at this.
"(Oh and I even see we understand Huttenese.)" Jabba said surprised and unconcerned, at his newest prisoner's amusing outburst, but not willing to let him get away with it too far.
*At least Han taught me that much.* "Yeah, I understand it. And I uh.. I've done some smuggling in my day and hearing your plan, it seems to me.." his voice dipped down casually and knowingly for effect. "You're going about things all wrong." The hutt's eyes lit up. "(Why do you concern yourself with Solo?)"
"Isn't it obvious?.." *Think, think!*
"He.. had my ship."
"(Ah, the Millennium Falcon. Quite a ship indeed, served him wel.)"
"Served me well too. That is until he stole it from me."
"(Stole? Solo, a thief? I always knew the boy had potential! Tell me about this.. theft.)"
*Uhh..*
"He cheated in sabaac. He couldn't keep his eyes off the prize." Jabba seemed rather annoyed.
"(You lost the ship to Solo.)"
However you want to put it, point is it was mine.
"(Prisoners do not need concern themselves ships.)"
"Who says I'll be a prisoner forever? Look, I can help you." Jabba was tiring of this prisoner's fast
"(You fool yourself. Guards..)"
The gammorean guards started to close in on him.
"Wait! Han won't listen to you!!"
"(And why is that?)"
"Before he was frozen, he was tortured; tortured by Vader himself. Even after that he was still fighting. What makes you think he'll ever listen to you!?"
"(What makes you think that you could possibly help me!?)"
The guards had a firm hold on him now. "I know his weakness! I betrayed that scum sucker once and I would gladly do it again!"
Jabba motioned for the guards to stop dragging Lando away but they held on tight, one on each arm, drooling in confusion at their master.
"(What is this weakness?)"
"Look, he doesn't trust you at all but I was once his friend for a long time. I can easily lie. Before you took him he had a.. girl of his own."
This astonished Jabba. The lone Soloman in love? No, women just got in the way..
"(What do you mean a girl?)"
*Forgive me buddy, but how else are you ever going to see anyone, including Leia, again?*
You know, a girlfriend. The man's in love not that you would know much about-"
"(What's your point!?)" The large hutt was tiring of this game.
"Like I said, he'll never trust you again. But I've only recently double- crossed him. He has friends now Jabba, decent friends. All this clouds his mind. He can be tricked again, just watch. All I have to do is put a whole new light on my involvement in his return home and earn his trust one more time. With that I can easily stretch the truth about his.. accomplices to break his spirit."
Jabba got the hint.
"Once a loner, always a loner. Even the wookie can be taken care of if he ever dares to show his face around here again. Him and anyone else who'd show up. It'd already be too late anyways."
"(What's in all this for you?)"
"The Falcon is gone, but maybe if you were to set me free..? No catches, just toss me out that palace door and we'll never meet again. Do we have a, no do I have to perform for you, illustrious one?"
"(Guards take him back to his cell.)"
"Jabba I-"
"(Save it, we may just see if it works sunrise. If not.. you've heard of the Pit of Carkoon.)"
*You better be serious about this idea Steve.*
_________________________
Leia wretched over in an explosion of feelings coursing through her, as she tried to concentrate on Luke. An agony of horror harpooned with a heart- crushing emotion coursed through her. She didn't understand. *Why... why is this happening!? The Force? Is that what he talks about all the time? That has to be it. Connects all living beings huh?*
Then incredible guilt, anger, and self-disgust came. She realized these feeling weren't hers. It had to be Luke. What were they doing to him?? What was Vader doing? *STOP IT!*
She couldn't take it. *I'm the one who drug everyone in the rebellion, leave... him.. be! You hear me Vader!? Stay the hell out of all of our lives! Give me Han, let Luke go and just leave us ALL... be..* She slumped of the bench and on to the floor just as the door slid open.
"Princess Leia! We've come to rescue you; I would like you to meet-"
Faster than anyone could've imagined, Leia careened out of the open door way, a firm hold on C-3P0's arm. She hustled past everyone dragging him stumbling into a run, away. She yelled a quick hello and thanks to Threepio along the way. *Which way, which way?* The two astromech droids whistled a squeal of surprise.
"(What happened to--)"
Arfive didn't get to finish as R2-D2 interrupted. "(Come on!")
Suddenly they felt a shift in the ship and Leia, by this time almost to the corner of the long corridor where Chewie was keeping watch, stopped and released the golden droid's arm.
She turned around in surprise. The ship was starting to dock.
_________________________
Lord Vader patiently awaited landing. *Soon, my son..* He stood by the slab of carbonite. The expression of pain couldn't be kept off the boy's face as the freezing substance had covered him. He looked like Solo. *Almost screaming.* he mused. Sometimes it took unwanted pain for one to realize the truth. Flesh searing molten lava had been needed for him to see the true Obi-Wan, as it would take bone chilling cold for his son to realize his destiny. His face barely softened behind the mask as he felt another pang of emotion from the boy.
Was he in pain? Was it a nightmare? He crouched by his son's slab on the floor and rubbed a glove hand just slightly once over his cheek. *Soon everything will be alright my son. You were meant for greatness.* It was a pity he had to loose a hand as well as a lightsaber. The weapon had been his. He had wanted him to have it.
Had Obi-Wan kept it all these years and fulfilled his wish of his heir one day having..? Yes, he had. *As a taunt. Just another collection of his thievery. Lives, my weapon, my trust, and my son.* They were docking now and soon everything would be alright. Vader rose and stiffened again as the black liquid ice threaded its coarse strands through his heart.
"You will serve the emperor well."
*"For a while.. We don't have to. You and I can-"*
A cold voice mentally slapped him, interrupting his pensive memories, perhaps something deep embedded in his conscience.
//*"Allegiance! Anakin is dead."
"Of course.. my master."
You now.. Vader, belong to me.."*//
The memory of those words always came back.
Yes, his son would be a fine asset indeed.
_________________________
Infinitely surprised, Leia jogged the rest of the length of the corridor up to Chewie. Giving her a big arm-squishing hug, he lifted her about an inch off the ground. She smiled a bit, content for a moment for the first time in days. "Hey Chewie.. good to see you too."
She then turned back to Threepio and looked down, really noticing R5-D4 for the first time. She bent down a bit and asked actually with a half smile on her face. "And who are you?"
The little red droid whistled softly and probably would've blushed if he could. He then rolled shyly behind Artoo. Threepio spoke up. "This is R5-D4. He locked into the computer terminal, freed Chewbacca, and then Chewbacca freed us, and then we freed you!" he stated a little too excited.
"Threepio?"
"Yes Mistress Leia?"
"Calm down." She smiled.
"Yes, of course."
Leia then looked at Chewie and seemed suddenly more disturbed like she had been, running up the corridor.
"Chewie, we have to get Luke out of here."
_________________________
Vader felt it. The final descent had finished. *This Death Star will accomplish more than the first..*
_________________________
*Pompous overgrown slug.. I should poison you as I work.* In the kitchen of Jabba's palace worked an alien. Clad in a birch colored cloak, the creature had the appearance of an upright snail without the shell and not a single thing such as hair or antennae sprouted on his dull yellowish-green head. Speaking of his head, it just happened to curve at his flat neck and his body like the shape of an 's'. Nicknamed Hammerhead, the Ithorian looked the part with two large, dark brown eyes on either side of his head, slitted in sadness.
Momaw Nadon knew he would never poison the large hutt, his species was too peaceful, him too timid and fearful. He instead brought the food on a tarnished silver platter out to Jabba.
"Ahhh.." was his only reply as the picked up the food with a slimy, meaty hand and stuffed it, still screaming, into his mouth.
Momaw turned away slightly in disgust as Jabba finished the rest of his meal and slouched back further on his platform throne, waving his hand in a dismissal gesture. Nadon took the platter and then fell flat onto the grimy floor. There, towering above him, stood the grinning form of Bib Fortuna. *Not today.. don't start it.. just go back in the kitchen..*
Slowly, he got up picking up the platter as he went just staring at the twi'lek. He then turned and swept back into the kitchen. Later that night, he had the food prepared for all the prisoners and it wasn't much. The last cell he visited, he didn't slip it through the bars on the door, he opened the door and spoke quietly to the skhaudbon who was in there, closing the door behind him. Momaw held his glow rod out and emitted a series of quiet noises.
"(Steve?)"
There he spotted his friend conversing with a human he had never seen before.
"(Is this the one for whom we've been waiting?)"
Steve spoke. "Meet Lando Calrissian, he's the one who'll be helping us."
Lando spoke. "Yeah, hi."
Steve then said "This is Momaw, the one I was telling you about."
Momaw could tell the human was miserable with the whole ordeal.
"(Look, I brought some food.)"
Lando raised an eyebrow at the dirty tray. "You sure about that? I mean.. thank you."
Momaw sighed. "(The plan starts tomorrow; here's what'll happen..)"
_________________________
*What the..? Oh no.. Stand still, no fear. It's him.*
Clanking footfalls could be heard a split second before the ominous, heavy machine-aided breathing of Darth Vader. Storm troopers were aligned in perfect rows on either side of where his shuttle had landed.
Moff Jerjerrod stood perfectly still as the Dark Lord of the Sith slowly stalked off his ramp and across the highly polished black floor of the second Death Star.
"Lord Vader, This is an unexpected pleasure. We are honored by your presence." They started to walk down the storm trooper-created path.
"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule."
"I assure you Lord Vader, my men are working as fast as they can."
"Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them." Vader remained nonchalant to the Death Star commander's plight.
Jerjerrod risked it and turned to face him. "I tell you, this station will be operational as planned."
"The emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation."
"But he asks the impossible." More quietly Jerjerrod stressed his point. "I need more men."
"Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives."
Jejerrod's heart froze and his face paled. "The emperor is coming here?" They stopped in place.
"That is correct, Commander; and he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress."
He tried to suck it up. "Then we shall double our efforts."
"I hope so Commander, for your sake. The emperor is not as forgiving as I am.
Vader dismissed the commander and motioned for a group of Imperial guards.
Quietly, the storm troopers milled about theories in their heads as the guards entered "Executer". What were they retrieving? Many were stunned and were almost tempted to step back as a rectangular object was carried from the ship with one blood red guard on each side.
It appeared to be a young human male incased in carbonite! Could they actually do that?
_________________________
Deep inside of Vader's ship humungous, spacious ship, the five heroes stood quietly. C-3P0 was as jittery as ever. "Well this is wonderful, what are we to do now!?"
Leia, who was in thought, spoke up.
"Vader'll come back for us soon. Artoo, Threepio, go back to your cells for now." C-3P0 was astounded.
"Princess Leia! Surely-"
"Trust me Threepio. It's all part of the plan."
Reluctantly, the golden droid walked down the corridor with his counterpart. Leia half whispered and shouted after them. "And act like you've had memory wipes!" When both droids had been assisted with the closing of their cell doors by R5-D4, Leia turned back to her wookie friend.
Chewbacca looked at her strangely. "Chewie, remember on the First Death Star when-"
"Hey!! Who are you!?"
Leia turned pale as she and Chewie were caught totally off guard by the stray storm trooper. Arfive froze half way down the corridor. Leia wanted to almost cry in frustration and Chewbacca wanted to rip off the head the trooper who had his blaster pointed at both of them.
A quick voice came from the storm trooper's com-link. "1023, 1023 what's going on?"
Carefully, never taking his eyes off the rebels, the storm trooper spoke into his com-link.
"Nothing, false alarm."
Chewbacca growled low and menacingly and stepped closer to Leia, who didn't feel like being too friendly to this stranger herself. "Well?.. What do you want?" she boldly demanded.
The storm trooper spoke.
"Princess Leia?"
Leia was startled for a second and spoke slowly and as low as Chewbacca's growl now that it was clear this storm trooper wasn't going to do his job. What reason? She didn't care.
"Out of my way."
The trooper started to pace with them to the direction of R2 & Threepio's cells until Chewbacca stalked towards him, ready to rip him into silence.
"Chewie, wait. What do you want?"
"My name is Davin Felth, and I side with the rebellion."
"Oh yeah, then what are you doing here?" she spat.
"I work undercover." By the looks he was getting he was pretty sure his story was flying like a rock.
Slowly rolling up the corridor, R5-D4 rested next to Princess Leia. Davin was amazed.
"I joined shortly after your first capture. We had been on Tatooine looking for the stolen Death Star plans and we found droid parts. When we looked for them, they found the jawas that had apparently captured them. That little guy--" Davin didn't get a chance to finish as he pointed to Arfive. The little droid had remembered him and his fellow troopers and screeched wheeling behind Chewbacca.
"Keep it down, will you?"
Leia was tired, she just wanted this all to be over with.
"Well?"
"They killed the jawas. I never thought the Imperial fleet would be like this. They said nothing about murder. It was sick-- look, after that they didn't stop.. They found who the droids had been sold to."
*Luke..*
Now Leia was listening. "What happened?"
"The officer commanded us to torch the place. The couple, I still remember them, they were middle aged, and they said they didn't know where the droids went. But jawas said there was another boy, the couple said there never was."
Leia couldn't comprehend this. Chewbacca looked like he did before he started to choke Lando on Cloud City.
"Well did your officer ever consider that might be all that boy has, or how much trouble that boy could get into after his only family was murdered!?"
"No he didn't. I couldn't stop them.. so I'm trying to help stop the Empire now." It sounded sappy to his own ears.
Leia nodded, wary of trusting this stranger.
"Good then. You can help us. Chewie," she commanded, "Take his blaster." And the wookie did, pushing the soldier in front of him.
"You understand." She said to him.
Ignoring the trooper for now, she started to walk back the way they had come. "Come on Chewie, let's get that storm trooper armor that you got those belts from. Hope you don't mind playing prisoner again." She smiled to the little red droid trying to get him to come out from behind the towering wookie. "Come on, Arfive."
Steve suddenly sounded hushed as if someone could be listening right by the door at any moment. Lando strained to hear him.
"How do you like it so far in Jabba's palace?"
Lando was exasperated. "What is this?"
"Well what I was thinking is perhaps we could.. I don't know.. leave?"
"What are you getting at?"
Steve spoke in a harsh whisper. "I mean to break out, you fool!"
Lando raised both eyebrows at this appealing remark. "You're crazy! Just how do you plan on us pulling that one off?"
With that the creature's eyes seemed to blink out and then re-open. "I don't have to help you, you know. Why don't you just sit here and think about my offer for a while."
"Look I'm sorry. But I need to get my friend out of here.."
"Friend? Perhaps it is possible.. Who are they? Maybe I have heard."
"His name's Solo."
"SOLO? Captain Solo as in Jabba's new wall ornament?" Lando flinched in the darkness. "Yeah, that's him."
"Now you are the crazy one."
"Then break out by yourself."
Steve thought and then spoke his answer. "Perhaps we may be able to work something out together.. Deals can be altered."
After a moment of silence, the alien began to place the pieces.
"If we are to do this, we are going to do this my way."
"As long as your way doesn't get us killed fine by me."
Steve contemplated how to begin his proposition. "Word had come in a few days ago that Captain Solo had aided the rebels. You are his friend; Do you know of the rebellion?"
"More trouble than it's worth.." This was going to be tricky. "Do you side with the rebellion or the Empire?"
"Look I--"
Steve just stared waiting patiently for an answer.
"I don't have much taste for the Empire and the rebels are going to get themselves killed if you ask me. But I owe them a debt.."
Before Steve could speak, Lando interrupted" Why do you need my help?"
"I too have a friend in the palace, although not frozen. It was not his fault he is forced into hiding. A few years
ago he lived on a peaceful planet name Ithor.
"Ithor? Like the Ithorian crops that used to be sold-"
"Yes the ones that used to be sold in the finer markets a few years ago. The planet used to grow it's own food and their crops sold was their main source of income among other jobs. When the Empire came they were unprepared; males, females, and children alike were interrogated for the planet's secrets of agriculture. The Empire has all the credits the galaxy could ever need!"
Lando spoke softer. "What happened to your friend..?" The alien continued off in to his own pitiful thoughts to the first person he had seen is so very long.
"His name was Momaw; Momaw Nadon. As head of agricultural affairs on his planet he knew everything. As the threats of the Empire increased they came to him and told him exactly what they would do to the planet if they did not hand over their secrets."
"What were they planning? And why bother with Ithor if they have so much wealth?"
"Does it look as if I, if he knew these things!? But they did say that Ithor was too independent from the Empire
for its own good."
"But that doesn't make any sense."
"Probably just an excuse for the Empire to strangle the life out of another planet. But in hopes that the Empire would leave his peaceful planet and they could avoid their fate--"
"So what happened??"
"As the storm troopers started to arrive with their weapons Momaw received a visit from Grand Moff Tarkin."
As the name was spat, Lando raised his head in surprise.
"He assured the planet's destruction as his word against the peaceful Ithorians. Momaw told.. They did leave but before they did Tarkin was there to wave it in his face. Word had spread of Momaw's.. betrayal and as a final act the Empire framed him in his own attempt to save his planet by making the news known worldwide. He was exiled from the planet he loved and eventually the Empire put the planet out of the agricultural business. With nowhere to go he came to one of the most remote locations on the outer rim to aid against the Empire. He said if it was an expert at lying to a planet that had done nothing, then they would have no problem deceiving all of every system they taint."
Lando remained silent.
"He has joined the rebel alliance and works underground for the rebels, here specifically. He gives me all the current news around the palace as Jabba's head chef. Before Fett left, my friend, while serving Jabba his food had overheard Jabba talking to Bib Fortuna.
"Who?"
"Jabba's right hand Twi'lek. Anyways Jabba has plans for Solo."
"Plans? What kind of plans?"
Steve spoke quietly again. "Something about reforming his talents in to smuggling again."
"But Han wouldn't do that. He's.. involved now. What does he expect, anyway?? A hearty handshake for being frozen and encased alive!?" "Hush! Not so loud. You said you're his friend right?"
"Well I was.."
"You can get on Jabba's good side, get him to lower his guard. If you could pretend to betray--
"Count me out, I won't do this to Han."
"You'll be helping him. If you can get Jabba to think that you're on his side and betraying Solo to persuade him to be Jabba's number one smuggler again then you'll both be on his good side. With me and Momaw as your information source we can all help each other escape while the filthy worm is wallowing in wealth and victory! Fatso always throws the most extravagant parties and just about anyone can walk in, or out with all the drunks and teases and bands and-"
"And just where do you think we go from there?" Lando asked sarcastically.
"The alliance."
Lando was in deep thought.
"Wait just one minute. You can't even get out of this cell. How are you ever going to help me do a damn thing?" "I didn't tell you? I'm in charge of maintenance. Any more ridiculous questions?" A frustrated grumble was heard. "Yeah. How am I supposed to convince Jabba of anything when I'm stuck in here?" "Jabba almost always brings out his new prisoners at parties for a good laugh. As Solo's
ex-friend, yes? You're almost guaranteed it."
_________________________
Leia laid on the cold metal bench that served double as a bed on her cell wall, very un-content. This was too much like her old cell on the Death Star. But Leia was far from the trembling girl suffering from flashbacks of her past confinement, which those idiot storm drones might assume. She was rather annoyed. Just who the hell does this emperor think he is? Who died and made him ruler of all known galaxies? Who _allowed_ him to do it!?
Han was gone; nothing she could do about that until she got out of here. During her period of thought, she wondered about everyone. Was Artoo still giving them more than they asked for? Did Threepio short-circuit from panic yet? Was Chewie alright? She hoped those relentless stuns didn't hurt him too much.. And Lando.. whose ever side he was even on..
It had, from the time she attempted to measure, probably about two days since their capture. The one thing that had worried her was she had felt the ship dock in the days before. And what about Luke? What could Vader possibly want? Ever since the Battle of Yavin it seemed he had not left her friend alone. Was it revenge for the Death Star? She just didn't know
*Things will get better, they always do.. I'll find Luke, myself, if I have to, and we'll find Han.* She wasn't alone. They were three friends that could practically be family. Han was hers and Luke.. How exactly did Luke fit in all of this? He was one of Han's best friends but had been one of hers as well. Somehow the romantic interest had died down and he had been one of the princess's closest allies. She worried for all three of them.
What would it be like to be frozen in carbonite? Is your mind adrift? If you're in hibernation do you dream of past events everyone you know? Does Han dream of me..?* Leia frowned. *Do you even dream at all?*
She stopped, something was tugging at her mind. Just as it had when flying away from Cloud City.. *Luke?* Leia sat up. She felt uneasy and cold. This didn't make any sense. She felt just like she did when Han was.. *How could I be so stupid!?* And how could she not remember? Not just frozen but tested for, she froze. *"Leia!!"* Leia whispered the word unconsciously to her self. "Luke.."
_________________________
No time to breathe, only time for a chilling pain unlike any other that had seized his chest and throat, and then, immediate darkness. Almost two days after the carbon freezing process Luke Skywalker's mind started to drift. In his world everything was as barren as the wastelands on Tatooine. *Something's not right..* As he turned around to look at his surroundings his foot caught on something, causing him to stumble.
*Or so I think.. This isn't real.. I must be dreaming.* But as many hysterics had claimed, it felt so real.. He slowly bent down and picked up the object on which his foot had caught and stared at the yellow and black checkered pattern. *Biggs' helmet..* It was the one he had wore on the Death Star run. *The last time I ever saw him.* Luke gently placed it down in the sand. His only mistake after standing up and turning around. There he saw the long-gone, charred skeletons of his foster aunt and uncle still tipped upset in their chairs. He looked closer and saw a footprint in the sand that hadn't been there before. *Storm troopers.* Shoving the anger down, he quickly turned around and saw a dark brown patch half sunken in the sand. He walked over cautiously and bent down, brushing his hand over the coarse material. * It's a robe, just like Ben's..* He looked ahead and then dropped to his knees. There were more robes but on many more bodies. It was like a lost battle scene of war. Then Luke suddenly realized who these people were. *The Jedi..*
He felt no life at all from the dead as he started to walk among them. All of the youngest had braids all behind their right ears. They looked as if they had all been trying to defend one of their adult partners or vice versa. Some of them were very young. Apart from all the rest, laid in a row, were eleven individual robes with no bodies occupying them, as if on display. Discarded from all the rest was another empty robe and had what Luke recognized as Ben's lightsaber resting on top.
There was something, something about those eleven. The way they were laid out, he had expected an even number to-
"The troll escaped." Luke spun around, stumbling to move in the thick sand up to his booted ankles. "You.." he half whispered, trying in vain to back away. "My son.." The dream Vader grabbed Luke's hand as the son jerked it away, something lubricating the appendage *Blood..* he shook. It now coated his left hand as it did the dream Vader's glove. *Their blood..* Luke tried to back away but he tripped over something black that stared right back at him. Looking back, he saw his broken face with the cold blue eyes in Vader's helmet. This couldn't happen! The rebellion needed him, he needed to see the rebellion! He needed to help his friends, help Han! The darkness came at him *You will forget in time, forget all the pitiful things that would just as soon turn on you..* The dream Vader spoke up. Another voice, deep and ominous reached out and seized hold of his mind. "The emperor is your master now; It is your destiny.."
He cried out the only way he knew how, to the only person that had never let him fall. *"Leia!!!"*
_________________________
"No, no! You can't do this! Artoo, Chewbacca! Heeelp!" C-3P0 wailed as he was drug from his cell. He had been turned back on after maintenance workers had re-done both his legs, despite the fact that only one was disengaged.
Lord Vader had said to give the pathetic being some dignity" Now instead of one gold and a silver, C-3P0 now had matching set of gold legs. Unfortunately, now he was being taken for a memory wipe. Outside of his own cell, for the same reason, R2-D2 was watching his friend, held in place by remote signal to his restraining bolt. He also just happened to be beeping as well as screeching oily dismantlement.
What no one saw was a small being around the corner that was fiddling with a computer terminal and tapping into the cell door locks. As a newly freed and rather peeved wookie stalked towards the two storm troopers from behind, they didn't turn around until it was too late. "I thought we put him in wrist and ankle binders!!"
"We did!"
Before they could fire off one shot, Chewbacca swiped them both against the wall with a mighty blow. Threepio, who was released in fear before the troopers were knocked unconscious, was joyous. "Chewbacca! I knew you were more than a smelly oaf!" Chewie let out a small warning growl as he quickly picked up both of the storm troopers' blasters that were sent flying along with them. The fallen troopers didn't get up until a few short minutes later, but it was with blasters pointed at both their heads. Not taking his eyes off of them, Chewbacca grabbed the one's remote and switched off Artoo's restraining bolt. Threepio, coming to his senses, was in shock. "How did you, of all beings, manage to escape and get your binders off?" Chewbacca leaned his head back and growled an affirmative towards the opposite corner. Out rolled the red droid R5-D4.
Artoo whistled in recognition and wheeled up to circle around his long forgotten pal. He hadn't forgotten what he had done for them. Chewie kept his blaster on the two storm troopers and let out a series of grunts. The troopers looked at each other confused as the wookie was obviously addressing them. The one on the left looked towards Threepio. "What'd he say?"
"I believe he said 'Call up your buddies and call off the memory wipe.'"
The one storm trooper laughed. He had fallen against the wall with his hand more towards his side and was waiting for an opportunity to try and turn on his com-link. "Well I don't make deals with traitors to the Empire."
The second storm trooper spoke up. "That's right; once those droids don't show up you'll-" Chewbacca saw the first storm trooper's hand reaching almost inconspicuously for his com- link. In a split second he had fired on stun and re-aimed the weapon at the other storm trooper's head, as he watched his partner slump to the side. Chewie growled again. C-3P0 didn't need to be asked this time. "He says that wookies are known to-"
"Alright, alright.. I've heard the saying.." As he mumbled under his breath a voice was heard coming from a small white object. "ST54, what's happening?" The storm trooper slowly picked up his com-link staring carefully at the towering wookie. "Nothing.. there uh, was a malfunction in the two droids--"
"What?"
"Seems they were," *Quick think of something..* "Damaged, are having problems operating and.. shorting out. The memory wipe'll have to be delayed so I can get these two checked out. I'll take them down with KT31 to maintenance tomorrow."
"Tomorrow!? We have to-"
"Look, we're busy enough as it is. It's not like they're going anywhere."
"It's your throat, but I'll reschedule. Carry on."
"Alright."
Chewbacca quickly grabbed the com-link and shut it off, firing a stun blast right after.
The door to his old cell closed with the two unconscious storm troopers, their busted com-links, the newly broken restraining bolt remote, and the useless, laser-cut binders inside.
Chewie then looked at his pile of stolen Imperial goods that consisted of two blasters, and two tool belts. Believing it was unwise to waste the equipment, but unwise to give anything such as a plaster to C-3P0, he wore two of the utility belts around his waste and put the second blaster in one of R2's compartments. He then began work on removing the droids' restraining bolts. R2-D2 still chattered at R5-D4 until C-3P0 spoke up. "Artoo Detoo, did you just see what happened?? We could have been found out or worse! And just who is that?" he indicated to R5. Artoo just whistled a sound that was the equivalent of rolling eyes and beeped the re-telling of what had occurred on Tatooine. "But then how did he manage to get-" More beeping interrupted him.
"Oh I see now. When the storm troopers came to Tatooine looking for us.. Master Luke said they had raided the jawas! They must have taken R5, too! But do you really mean to tell me that he was looking for prisoners of the rebellion and just happened to find Chewbacca?"
This time, it was Arfive who beeped an affirmative and some more of the story. "Oh so you cut through Chewbacca's binders and accessed the main computer to help free him, to free us, to free the princess!" Threepio shouted with excitement. Arfive just stared blankly, beeped a meaning of "Yeah, something like that." and then rolled off. Threepio shouted after him. "Wait you bucket of bolts! You have to tell us where Princess Leia is-" Chewbacca clamped his paw over the shouting mouth and shifted Threepio's head to R5, who was already searching the computer terminal for that answer.
_________________________
A mixture of smoke, laughter, and music filled the air at Jabba's palace and the main entertainment was not the Max Rebo band, Sy Snootles and the other back-up singers, or even Oola, but it was Salacious Crumb. Usually never giving up his cushioned spot his at Jabba's side, the Kowakian lizard monkey had decided to really earn some of the finer and give his boss, everyone else included, a good laugh.
"Get off! Ouch! He bit me!" Lando Calrissian swatted uselessly at the cackling, soon-to-be-target- practice creature if he ever got out of this, that was perched on the back of his neck and occasionally clasping his clammy little hands over Lando's eyes. Even the band stopped playing and laughed along with Sy Snootles and the various other aliens. This was the first time Lando had ever envied anything encased in carbonite. It seemed almost everyone was laughing. While Rystáll and Greeta just sighed at the simple antics, Oola was the only one besides her 'friends' not laughing.
"Ho jutta." (Enough of this.)
Jabba was indeed amused as Salacious Crumb clambered off of Lando and back to his master's side, next to the throne. He then proceeded to cackle wildly. The laughter of everyone started to die down to reminiscent snickers as Jabba spoke. "(Welcome, welcome most honorable guests.)"
At this everyone laughed.
"(Today or this night, rather; we celebrate. No one dares cross a hutt and just a few days ago I had received an example.)"
The hutt grandly swayed his stubby arm towards the direction of a wall.
"(Now I know many of you have seen my newest.. party favor-)" Lando flinched.
"(But many of you here who came tonight have not. I gave Captain Solo more than most any smuggler. Truly on his way to making smuggling an art, our boy got off track.)" Murmurs swam throughout the crowd as some wondered exactly what the overgrown slug was talking about. There was a deep red curtain hanging over the wall Jabba had motioned to draping down to the floor. Was Solo hiding behind there?
"(I have recently recieved confirmation that Solo was indeed trying to pay off his debt. Unfortunately, for him rather, smuggling is smuggling and business is business. Half way in to hiding he was going to 'someday' pay me off and-- Do you know what he was dong all this time? He was aiding the rebellion!)" The majority of the drunken lowlife burst in to obnoxious laughter, and some continued to whisper with the others at this, as ale continued to circulate throughout the crowd.
"(Now I ask you, would you tolerate this?)" Cheers came.
"NO!"
"(Do we desert each other!?)"
"NO!"
Bib Fortuna knew how to take a cue and he smoothly snatched the edge of the curtain and pulled it down to the floor. There hung Han Solo encased in a carbonite slab, reaching out in agony to what their minds could only imagine. A few gasps could be heard through the uproar of surprise.
"(Does this look pleasant!?)"
"NO!"
"(Can we let Captain Solo drift away from the good life? The one filled with riches, of where we are each a vital link in the chain of luxury!?)"
"NO!"
Bib Fortuna smiled a jagged toothed grin. *Jabba so greedy..*
"(Then I say we help our friend reform!!)"
Suddenly a voice burst out before anyone could reply.
"And I'm just the one to help you do it!!"
All eyes and eyebrows of anything that had them rose to Lando Calrissian.
All eyes were on Lando Calrissian as he felt himself break out a nervous sweat. Silence erupted throughout the palace but it was only to last a few seconds as a small cackle was heard from Salacious Crumb. "Aeh he he he.." Then the same silence roared into laughter.
*Not this again..* Lando was on a mission of unusual sorts but he was quickly tiring of this laughter. *Maybe if I..*
"Alright that's ENOUGH!!" Lando's raging voice was not enough to cut through the uproar but it did catch quite a few attentions, particularly Jabba's. "(Oh ho! Getting frustrated, my boy?)"
Boldly, Lando spoke. "Yeah, I am." The crowd started to quiet down at this.
"(Oh and I even see we understand Huttenese.)" Jabba said surprised and unconcerned, at his newest prisoner's amusing outburst, but not willing to let him get away with it too far.
*At least Han taught me that much.* "Yeah, I understand it. And I uh.. I've done some smuggling in my day and hearing your plan, it seems to me.." his voice dipped down casually and knowingly for effect. "You're going about things all wrong." The hutt's eyes lit up. "(Why do you concern yourself with Solo?)"
"Isn't it obvious?.." *Think, think!*
"He.. had my ship."
"(Ah, the Millennium Falcon. Quite a ship indeed, served him wel.)"
"Served me well too. That is until he stole it from me."
"(Stole? Solo, a thief? I always knew the boy had potential! Tell me about this.. theft.)"
*Uhh..*
"He cheated in sabaac. He couldn't keep his eyes off the prize." Jabba seemed rather annoyed.
"(You lost the ship to Solo.)"
However you want to put it, point is it was mine.
"(Prisoners do not need concern themselves ships.)"
"Who says I'll be a prisoner forever? Look, I can help you." Jabba was tiring of this prisoner's fast
"(You fool yourself. Guards..)"
The gammorean guards started to close in on him.
"Wait! Han won't listen to you!!"
"(And why is that?)"
"Before he was frozen, he was tortured; tortured by Vader himself. Even after that he was still fighting. What makes you think he'll ever listen to you!?"
"(What makes you think that you could possibly help me!?)"
The guards had a firm hold on him now. "I know his weakness! I betrayed that scum sucker once and I would gladly do it again!"
Jabba motioned for the guards to stop dragging Lando away but they held on tight, one on each arm, drooling in confusion at their master.
"(What is this weakness?)"
"Look, he doesn't trust you at all but I was once his friend for a long time. I can easily lie. Before you took him he had a.. girl of his own."
This astonished Jabba. The lone Soloman in love? No, women just got in the way..
"(What do you mean a girl?)"
*Forgive me buddy, but how else are you ever going to see anyone, including Leia, again?*
You know, a girlfriend. The man's in love not that you would know much about-"
"(What's your point!?)" The large hutt was tiring of this game.
"Like I said, he'll never trust you again. But I've only recently double- crossed him. He has friends now Jabba, decent friends. All this clouds his mind. He can be tricked again, just watch. All I have to do is put a whole new light on my involvement in his return home and earn his trust one more time. With that I can easily stretch the truth about his.. accomplices to break his spirit."
Jabba got the hint.
"Once a loner, always a loner. Even the wookie can be taken care of if he ever dares to show his face around here again. Him and anyone else who'd show up. It'd already be too late anyways."
"(What's in all this for you?)"
"The Falcon is gone, but maybe if you were to set me free..? No catches, just toss me out that palace door and we'll never meet again. Do we have a, no do I have to perform for you, illustrious one?"
"(Guards take him back to his cell.)"
"Jabba I-"
"(Save it, we may just see if it works sunrise. If not.. you've heard of the Pit of Carkoon.)"
*You better be serious about this idea Steve.*
_________________________
Leia wretched over in an explosion of feelings coursing through her, as she tried to concentrate on Luke. An agony of horror harpooned with a heart- crushing emotion coursed through her. She didn't understand. *Why... why is this happening!? The Force? Is that what he talks about all the time? That has to be it. Connects all living beings huh?*
Then incredible guilt, anger, and self-disgust came. She realized these feeling weren't hers. It had to be Luke. What were they doing to him?? What was Vader doing? *STOP IT!*
She couldn't take it. *I'm the one who drug everyone in the rebellion, leave... him.. be! You hear me Vader!? Stay the hell out of all of our lives! Give me Han, let Luke go and just leave us ALL... be..* She slumped of the bench and on to the floor just as the door slid open.
"Princess Leia! We've come to rescue you; I would like you to meet-"
Faster than anyone could've imagined, Leia careened out of the open door way, a firm hold on C-3P0's arm. She hustled past everyone dragging him stumbling into a run, away. She yelled a quick hello and thanks to Threepio along the way. *Which way, which way?* The two astromech droids whistled a squeal of surprise.
"(What happened to--)"
Arfive didn't get to finish as R2-D2 interrupted. "(Come on!")
Suddenly they felt a shift in the ship and Leia, by this time almost to the corner of the long corridor where Chewie was keeping watch, stopped and released the golden droid's arm.
She turned around in surprise. The ship was starting to dock.
_________________________
Lord Vader patiently awaited landing. *Soon, my son..* He stood by the slab of carbonite. The expression of pain couldn't be kept off the boy's face as the freezing substance had covered him. He looked like Solo. *Almost screaming.* he mused. Sometimes it took unwanted pain for one to realize the truth. Flesh searing molten lava had been needed for him to see the true Obi-Wan, as it would take bone chilling cold for his son to realize his destiny. His face barely softened behind the mask as he felt another pang of emotion from the boy.
Was he in pain? Was it a nightmare? He crouched by his son's slab on the floor and rubbed a glove hand just slightly once over his cheek. *Soon everything will be alright my son. You were meant for greatness.* It was a pity he had to loose a hand as well as a lightsaber. The weapon had been his. He had wanted him to have it.
Had Obi-Wan kept it all these years and fulfilled his wish of his heir one day having..? Yes, he had. *As a taunt. Just another collection of his thievery. Lives, my weapon, my trust, and my son.* They were docking now and soon everything would be alright. Vader rose and stiffened again as the black liquid ice threaded its coarse strands through his heart.
"You will serve the emperor well."
*"For a while.. We don't have to. You and I can-"*
A cold voice mentally slapped him, interrupting his pensive memories, perhaps something deep embedded in his conscience.
//*"Allegiance! Anakin is dead."
"Of course.. my master."
You now.. Vader, belong to me.."*//
The memory of those words always came back.
Yes, his son would be a fine asset indeed.
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Infinitely surprised, Leia jogged the rest of the length of the corridor up to Chewie. Giving her a big arm-squishing hug, he lifted her about an inch off the ground. She smiled a bit, content for a moment for the first time in days. "Hey Chewie.. good to see you too."
She then turned back to Threepio and looked down, really noticing R5-D4 for the first time. She bent down a bit and asked actually with a half smile on her face. "And who are you?"
The little red droid whistled softly and probably would've blushed if he could. He then rolled shyly behind Artoo. Threepio spoke up. "This is R5-D4. He locked into the computer terminal, freed Chewbacca, and then Chewbacca freed us, and then we freed you!" he stated a little too excited.
"Threepio?"
"Yes Mistress Leia?"
"Calm down." She smiled.
"Yes, of course."
Leia then looked at Chewie and seemed suddenly more disturbed like she had been, running up the corridor.
"Chewie, we have to get Luke out of here."
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Vader felt it. The final descent had finished. *This Death Star will accomplish more than the first..*
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*Pompous overgrown slug.. I should poison you as I work.* In the kitchen of Jabba's palace worked an alien. Clad in a birch colored cloak, the creature had the appearance of an upright snail without the shell and not a single thing such as hair or antennae sprouted on his dull yellowish-green head. Speaking of his head, it just happened to curve at his flat neck and his body like the shape of an 's'. Nicknamed Hammerhead, the Ithorian looked the part with two large, dark brown eyes on either side of his head, slitted in sadness.
Momaw Nadon knew he would never poison the large hutt, his species was too peaceful, him too timid and fearful. He instead brought the food on a tarnished silver platter out to Jabba.
"Ahhh.." was his only reply as the picked up the food with a slimy, meaty hand and stuffed it, still screaming, into his mouth.
Momaw turned away slightly in disgust as Jabba finished the rest of his meal and slouched back further on his platform throne, waving his hand in a dismissal gesture. Nadon took the platter and then fell flat onto the grimy floor. There, towering above him, stood the grinning form of Bib Fortuna. *Not today.. don't start it.. just go back in the kitchen..*
Slowly, he got up picking up the platter as he went just staring at the twi'lek. He then turned and swept back into the kitchen. Later that night, he had the food prepared for all the prisoners and it wasn't much. The last cell he visited, he didn't slip it through the bars on the door, he opened the door and spoke quietly to the skhaudbon who was in there, closing the door behind him. Momaw held his glow rod out and emitted a series of quiet noises.
"(Steve?)"
There he spotted his friend conversing with a human he had never seen before.
"(Is this the one for whom we've been waiting?)"
Steve spoke. "Meet Lando Calrissian, he's the one who'll be helping us."
Lando spoke. "Yeah, hi."
Steve then said "This is Momaw, the one I was telling you about."
Momaw could tell the human was miserable with the whole ordeal.
"(Look, I brought some food.)"
Lando raised an eyebrow at the dirty tray. "You sure about that? I mean.. thank you."
Momaw sighed. "(The plan starts tomorrow; here's what'll happen..)"
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*What the..? Oh no.. Stand still, no fear. It's him.*
Clanking footfalls could be heard a split second before the ominous, heavy machine-aided breathing of Darth Vader. Storm troopers were aligned in perfect rows on either side of where his shuttle had landed.
Moff Jerjerrod stood perfectly still as the Dark Lord of the Sith slowly stalked off his ramp and across the highly polished black floor of the second Death Star.
"Lord Vader, This is an unexpected pleasure. We are honored by your presence." They started to walk down the storm trooper-created path.
"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule."
"I assure you Lord Vader, my men are working as fast as they can."
"Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them." Vader remained nonchalant to the Death Star commander's plight.
Jerjerrod risked it and turned to face him. "I tell you, this station will be operational as planned."
"The emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation."
"But he asks the impossible." More quietly Jerjerrod stressed his point. "I need more men."
"Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives."
Jejerrod's heart froze and his face paled. "The emperor is coming here?" They stopped in place.
"That is correct, Commander; and he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress."
He tried to suck it up. "Then we shall double our efforts."
"I hope so Commander, for your sake. The emperor is not as forgiving as I am.
Vader dismissed the commander and motioned for a group of Imperial guards.
Quietly, the storm troopers milled about theories in their heads as the guards entered "Executer". What were they retrieving? Many were stunned and were almost tempted to step back as a rectangular object was carried from the ship with one blood red guard on each side.
It appeared to be a young human male incased in carbonite! Could they actually do that?
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Deep inside of Vader's ship humungous, spacious ship, the five heroes stood quietly. C-3P0 was as jittery as ever. "Well this is wonderful, what are we to do now!?"
Leia, who was in thought, spoke up.
"Vader'll come back for us soon. Artoo, Threepio, go back to your cells for now." C-3P0 was astounded.
"Princess Leia! Surely-"
"Trust me Threepio. It's all part of the plan."
Reluctantly, the golden droid walked down the corridor with his counterpart. Leia half whispered and shouted after them. "And act like you've had memory wipes!" When both droids had been assisted with the closing of their cell doors by R5-D4, Leia turned back to her wookie friend.
Chewbacca looked at her strangely. "Chewie, remember on the First Death Star when-"
"Hey!! Who are you!?"
Leia turned pale as she and Chewie were caught totally off guard by the stray storm trooper. Arfive froze half way down the corridor. Leia wanted to almost cry in frustration and Chewbacca wanted to rip off the head the trooper who had his blaster pointed at both of them.
A quick voice came from the storm trooper's com-link. "1023, 1023 what's going on?"
Carefully, never taking his eyes off the rebels, the storm trooper spoke into his com-link.
"Nothing, false alarm."
Chewbacca growled low and menacingly and stepped closer to Leia, who didn't feel like being too friendly to this stranger herself. "Well?.. What do you want?" she boldly demanded.
The storm trooper spoke.
"Princess Leia?"
Leia was startled for a second and spoke slowly and as low as Chewbacca's growl now that it was clear this storm trooper wasn't going to do his job. What reason? She didn't care.
"Out of my way."
The trooper started to pace with them to the direction of R2 & Threepio's cells until Chewbacca stalked towards him, ready to rip him into silence.
"Chewie, wait. What do you want?"
"My name is Davin Felth, and I side with the rebellion."
"Oh yeah, then what are you doing here?" she spat.
"I work undercover." By the looks he was getting he was pretty sure his story was flying like a rock.
Slowly rolling up the corridor, R5-D4 rested next to Princess Leia. Davin was amazed.
"I joined shortly after your first capture. We had been on Tatooine looking for the stolen Death Star plans and we found droid parts. When we looked for them, they found the jawas that had apparently captured them. That little guy--" Davin didn't get a chance to finish as he pointed to Arfive. The little droid had remembered him and his fellow troopers and screeched wheeling behind Chewbacca.
"Keep it down, will you?"
Leia was tired, she just wanted this all to be over with.
"Well?"
"They killed the jawas. I never thought the Imperial fleet would be like this. They said nothing about murder. It was sick-- look, after that they didn't stop.. They found who the droids had been sold to."
*Luke..*
Now Leia was listening. "What happened?"
"The officer commanded us to torch the place. The couple, I still remember them, they were middle aged, and they said they didn't know where the droids went. But jawas said there was another boy, the couple said there never was."
Leia couldn't comprehend this. Chewbacca looked like he did before he started to choke Lando on Cloud City.
"Well did your officer ever consider that might be all that boy has, or how much trouble that boy could get into after his only family was murdered!?"
"No he didn't. I couldn't stop them.. so I'm trying to help stop the Empire now." It sounded sappy to his own ears.
Leia nodded, wary of trusting this stranger.
"Good then. You can help us. Chewie," she commanded, "Take his blaster." And the wookie did, pushing the soldier in front of him.
"You understand." She said to him.
Ignoring the trooper for now, she started to walk back the way they had come. "Come on Chewie, let's get that storm trooper armor that you got those belts from. Hope you don't mind playing prisoner again." She smiled to the little red droid trying to get him to come out from behind the towering wookie. "Come on, Arfive."