Wow…I'm actually very surprised at all these reviews I'm getting. I didn't expect so much…my shoutout list will be growing.
Anyway, I'll get on with the shoutouts first, to say Thank You To Everyone Who's Bothered To Review So Far! Keep It Up!! It Makes Me Feel Warm And Fuzzy, Which Induces Better Writing (hint hint)!!!
kayladie: Well, Obi-Wan is generally the type one can warm up to quickly…I suppose I'm living proof, seeing as 75% of my fanfiction features him…but I don't think you could compare this to obanoa's work…The Water's Edge is akin to an online classic, I think. And don't you worry about Luke and Mara.
Kynstar: Thanks again! And yes…I really do like that noise of yours. It's quite addicting, really…
NathanPostmark: So nice to feel wanted…:)
kyer: My sentiments exactly. Scrap unnecessary romance…we've got enough as it is. And, yes…there will definitely be some Imperial booty-kicking…(plots a nasty fate and grins)
A Tye: Ooh, emotional fallout… yes, we shall see about that, won't we?
Elf: Too bad about the icing…but I'm sure they didn't mind. I envision you as a good baker, somehow. (grins back)
ewan's girl: Oh, I'm touched…but do you really think you should be reading at work? (lol) I assure you and all the other readers again, there will be no romance between Obi-Wan and Mara. I've no intentions of messing with plot lines that much, and anything that may rise suspicions will only be out of general compassion/friendliness…well, however much Mara has, anyway. I've been told the Greeks had four different words for love, and the love between Obi-Wan and Mara will be nothing more than mentor-student, depending on how far Mara wants to go with it.
Oh, and as a side note, Mara won't really be having much of an impact on this chapter, as she is currently unconscious, but she'll be up and kicking next chapter, I promise. Also, I am introducing one or two new characters…but just who those characters are will be for you to deduce.
On with Chapter the Fifth.
~~~***~~~
Chewbacca cradled Obi-Wan with one arm, supporting his head like one would an infant's, while patting his face with the other hand. It had seemed to work last time. But the Wookiee could not see or feel how far the Jedi was from consciousness, how deep he had buried himself to spend some time in healing.
Over the near two decades spent on Tatooine, Obi-Wan had developed his healing skills to a finely honed edge, allowing his former fifty-seven year old body to recuperate at the rate it would have when he was twenty. Now he was able to heal about three times faster than the average human his bodily age, an impressive figure for most Jedi.
Chewbacca suddenly barked, startled as the ship heaved under him. Obi-Wan's deadpan expression didn't waver.
Still anxious, Chewbacca wondered how much of a search the Empire was putting out. They seemed to be going into an awful lot of trouble for one freighter…but then, it was the live cargo they wanted. They would all be hard merchandise if a bounty hunter caught up with them, which Chewie reasoned would be sooner or later. But Han had managed to slip away from even Boba Fett, the most notorious tracker in the known galaxy. Chewie had great faith in Han's ability to elude that sort of trouble, if none else.
Leia entered the cockpit then, and was nearly thrown off her feet as the ship bucked again. Her arms waved wildly and she sat down hard in the seat across from Chewbacca. "I don't know what's going on, inside or out…"
Chewbacca looked back at her curiously. She seemed to be remarkably annoyed, and he grunted softly.
Leia couldn't translate Shyriiwook word for word yet by any means, but she could take a good guess what Chewie meant half the time. "He wants you back there. Just prop the general up in the other seat here; he'll be fine." I hope, she added silently. She had just come across General Kenobi now, and was not about to lose him again.
Chewbacca complied, easily lifting Obi-Wan up and over into the next seat, propping him up like a doll on display. Leia nearly got a mouthful of fur as the Wookiee passed through the narrow space between seats.
She grimaced once the door slid shut behind Chewie, and looked to Obi-Wan. His head lolled to one side, his features slackened in repose. Leia tried to prop him up better; the way he was now, he would likely wake with a hideous crick in his neck.
As she was attempting to reposition his head, he inhaled deeply, letting out a long sigh. "Luke."
She blinked in surprise, not knowing what to say.
A smile twitched at his lips. "Luke…few meters t' the left…"
Leia sat bewildered as he lapsed into silence again. What was that about? she wondered…but then, some things were better ignored.
She carefully fastened the crash webbing around him, just in case the ship decided to lurch again, and made her way to the back. Perhaps she could help out with the repairs; she wasn't that bad with a set of tools.
***
The young voice filtered through the swamp, reaching his ears. "Ready for some power? Okay…there you go…"
He skirted around a spot he knew to be particularly boggy as he kept his hearing attuned to the disembodied voice.
It came again, quieter this time; he could tell it was laden with worry even as it was muffled from the trees. "Now all I have to do is find this Yoda…if he even exists."
He was amused at that as he trundled slowly along through the wisps of mist covering the ground. He would not be what Luke expected…not at all.
He was closer now; it sounded as if the boy was talking through a mouthful of food with the first few words. That was something that had to be remedied, Force training or not. But for now, it was time to put on the act…to put young Skywalker to the test.
"Still, there's something familiar about this place. I don't know…I almost feel like…"
Yoda perched himself on top of a log. "Feel like what?"
Luke was startled and drew his blaster quickly, rounding on the unfamiliar voice. "Like we're being watched."
Yoda threw his arm over his eyes, feigning fear as he placed himself into character. "Away put your weapon! I mean you no harm. I am wondering…" He peered over his arm at the boy. "Why are you here?"
The blaster wavered in Luke's hand. "I'm looking for someone."
"Looking?" Yoda put his arm down and beamed. "Found someone, you have, I would say, hmmm?" He chuckled, sounding more than a little unstable.
Luke hid a smile, putting away the blaster, wondering how he was going to deal with the senile little creature. "Right."
"Help you, I can," Yoda persisted. "Yes, mmmm."
"I don't think so. I'm looking for a great warrior."
Yoda could see he had much work ahead of him; he would practically have to rip the boy's mind apart and put it back together again. It wouldn't hurt to start now. "Ah… great warrior." Yoda hopped off the log, crossing the little camp. "Wars not make one great." Rather the contrary, in Yoda's opinion. Wars were things to be involved in only if absolutely necessary. In the old Master's mind, there was no such thing as the romantic aspect of war. It was a dirty, bloody thing, begun by petty squabbles; to him, there was nothing more disgusting.
But Yoda was not one to shirk from duty, especially not now. Besides, he had been isolated for years, and Luke's camp had some interesting things to look at. He walked up to one of the supply cases, which had Luke's open ration pack on it. Yoda grabbed one of the protein sticks and tore off a bite.
"Put that down!" Luke exclaimed. "Hey, that's my dinner!"
Yoda spat the morsel out on the ground as Luke took the protein stick away from him and closed the ration pack, putting it higher up. These military rations tasted even worse than when he'd last had them… He made a face, deepening the creases that were already there, lining his green features with miniature ravines. "How you get so big, eating food of this kind?"
Luke was already exasperated. "Listen, friend, we didn't mean to land in that puddle, and if we could get our ship out, we would, but we can't, so why don't you just—"
"Aww," Yoda teased as he rooted around inside the case, throwing miscellaneous items out behind him. "Cannot get your ship out?" He spotted a tiny power lamp and seized it, looking it over like a trophy.
"Hey, you could have broken this," Luke scolded. This trip was already more than he had bargained for. "Don't do that…oh, you're making a mess." He saw the lamp tightly enclosed in Yoda's clutches. "Hey, give me that!"
Yoda retreated, holding the lamp close to him. "Mine! Or I will help you not."
Luke's sky-blue eyes flashed. "I don't need your help. I want my lamp back. I'll need it to get out of this slimy mudhole."
"Mudhole?" Yoda repeated. "Slimy? My home this is…"
Suddenly the little lamp was grabbed by one of Artoo's mechanical arms, and the two little figures fought over it, each tugging for all they were worth. Luke could hear the little stranger's vocal chords straining, as well as Artoo's servomotors.
"Oh, Artoo," Luke said, "let him have it."
"Mine! Mine!" Yoda insisted, refusing to let go.
The droid still didn't let go, and Luke scolded him. "Artoo!"
"Mine!" Yoda repeated as Artoo's arm retracted back into its casing. Reaching out with his gimer stick, Yoda poked the metal flap back into place as Artoo reeled off a long string of beeps.
Luke had had enough. "Now will you move along, little fella? We've got a lot of work to do."
Yoda's eyes shone with mischief. "No, no! Stay and help you, I will. Find your friend, hmm?"
"I'm not looking for a friend," Luke shot back. "I'm looking for a Jedi Master."
***
Master.
Yes, young Padawan?
Master, I am no longer young.
Ah, yes, appearances are deceptive.
Why are you back, Master?
Back? Why do you say that? I have always been here.
But you speak with me. You haven't done that since…well…since years before I died. Longer than I can remember.
And now you are back.
Yes…what I meant was, you are active.
The Force wishes it to be so. Padawan, I speak with you now before I go to visit another.
Ah…You go to Master Yoda.
Yes…the second Skywalker will need every bit as much guidance as the first. I will be there to help him, when he needs it.
You will tell him who you are, won't you? Farmboys don't see hovering blue visions every day, you know.
Of course I will tell him. He will be told what I am to you. That will be enough for him.
And lean on Master Yoda if you need to…you know how stubborn he can be about these things.
The boy will be trained, Padawan; you have my word.
Master, no one lightly forgets the word of a dead man. May the Force be with you.
Yes, Padawan…it is. You need have no fear; where you are, the Force will be also. Everything happens for a greater good.
Yes, Master.
And Padawan?
What is it?
Have some fun; you're getting a rare second chance to.
Oh yes…that is one thing Yoda will never learn how to teach. Luke will need some encouragement in that aspect of life after this.
And perhaps that is one reason why you are alive…May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan.
Until we meet again, Master.
***
Threepio was becoming somewhat frustrated; the control panel in front of him was most uncooperative. The mystifying beeps it emitted to him were hardly translatable. "Oh, where is Artoo when I need him?"
Han entered the hold, crossing with a bundle of wire in his hand.
Threepio intercepted him, cocking his metallic head to one side in what Han immediately identified as the hated "professor" mode. "Sir, I don't know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect. I believe, sir, it says that the power coupling on the negative axis has been polarized. I'm afraid you'll have to replace it."
"Well, of course I'll have to replace it," snarled Han, and kept walking.
Threepio was bewildered, but thought perhaps Captain Solo was angry with him because Threepio had managed to get his own arm completely torn off. It still lay on the hold floor, waiting to be replaced. Captain Solo had promised him it would be looked after once Threepio had talked with the Falcon; well, the droid had already done that, but by the looks of things, it would be another while before they made any progress.
Han's capital bad mood was fading as he mentally relived the tearing off of Threepio's arm; he shook himself back to reality and held the wire bundle up into an access hole that led somewhere inside the ceiling, where Chewbacca was busily working away. "Here! And Chewie…"
Chewbacca turned to look down at him and growled inquisitively.
Han glanced back at Threepio, then said so softly only Chewie could hear: "I think we'd better replace the negative power coupling."
Chewie whined in assent, and carefully began unwinding the wire.
***
The lever was as immovable as she was. Leia grappled with it, banging against whatever kept it from sliding into place, taking her frustration out on the piece of machinery. She had already welded the valves and pulled the switches down, and couldn't imagine what else might be wrong with it.
Bang. Bang.
Then she felt him moving up behind her, his hands reaching on either side of her to help her with the lever. Her anger flared up again and she shoved him aside. She would make this thing work, herself, if she had to get a—
"Hey, your Worship," Han interrupted her line of thought, "I'm only trying to help."
She continued struggling with the lever, not bothering to look back at him. "Would you please stop calling me that?"
He was surprised, to say the least. This time there was no cutting edge to her voice, no derisive mockery, just an uncomplicated request. I could get used to this. So he responded likewise; maybe that was what she had been wanting all this time. "Sure, Leia."
She paused grappling with the lever, glaring heatedly at it. "Oh, you make it so difficult sometimes."
Oops, he thought, wrong again. "I do, I really do." He shifted his position, leaning against the wall, trying to adopt a reasonable tone. "You could be a little nicer, though. Come on, admit it. Sometimes you think I'm all right."
Leia was tempted to roll her eyes; he was no diplomat, that was for sure. She paid for her lack of concentration when her thumb moved enough to get jammed between two pieces of metal on her next try, and she broke away, nursing the digit. "Occasionally, maybe, when you aren't acting like a scoundrel."
He raised his eyebrows and took her hand, rubbing it gently while a grin spread across his face. "Scoundrel? Scoundrel…I like the sound of that."
"Stop that," she interjected.
"Stop what?"
"Stop that!" Leia glared up at him, formulating an excuse. "My hands are dirty."
"My hands are dirty, too," he returned smoothly. "What're you afraid of?"
She looked directly into his eyes. "Afraid?"
Han leaned closer, ever so little. "You're trembling."
She shook her head, unable to hide a small smile. "I'm not trembling."
His eyes sparkled mischievously. "You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life."
She shook her head, her smile matching his. "I happen to like nice men."
He nodded in consideration, bending closer. "I'm nice men."
"No, you're not," she managed before their lips locked.
Han figured maybe that was what she had been wanting, even though she did an excellently confusing job of hiding it.
Threepio, however, did not manage to hide his oblivious excitement, and came up in the doorway behind Han. "Sir! Sir, I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling!"
They shared a look of disgust as they disentangled. Han made a mental note to himself to at least wipe the droid's memory, once he gained enough ground with Leia. It was her droid, after all…but he couldn't figure out why she didn't blow the thing out of the airlock. He would have done it parsecs ago…years ago.
But instead of shoving Threepio into the airlock container, he turned slowly and said icily, "Thank you. Thank you…very…much."
The protocol droid was positively aglow with happiness; finally, he had done something right. "Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir."
When Han looked back, she was gone.
***
An asteroid belt was the perfect test for a pilot's skill, desperation…or stupidity.
But Vader's prey had tried all kinds of things over the years to elude his inevitable grip. He was not surprised at this, and he knew no idea Captain Solo could conjure up would surprise him. It was never surprise that he worried about, though. Merely effectiveness. Vader had hardly even seen the man, and already he knew the smuggler was Calamarian eel-slippery, evasive enough to be considered dangerous, to a certain extent.
Frustrated, his fist tightened around thin air. How Obi-Wan was still shielding them, he could not know. The Falcon and its occupants were invisible to the Force. By all rights, Kenobi should have been close to death if not dead already from the rigorous physical battle, which had worn him out for the mental attack. How had he survived?
How? He had never known any Jedi Master to be so resilient…not even the Council members he had killed…
Captain Needa's voice continued on through the hologram transmitter. "…and that, Lord Vader, was the last time they appeared in any of our scopes. Considering the amount of damage we've sustained, they must have been destroyed."
"No, Captain," the dark lord thundered, "they're alive. I want every ship available to sweep the asteroid field until they are found."
The holoprojectors withdrew the images of the other captains, one by one, as Vader felt Piett approaching. The Admiral's sense reeked with fear.
"Lord Vader," Piett said, approaching.
No, he decided the man's fear was not because of Darth Vader. He already knew who had called, in that case. "Yes, Admiral, what is it?"
Piett swallowed his fear long enough to speak, most of the color already drained from his face. "The Emperor commands you make contact with him."
"Move the ship out of the asteroid field so that we can send a clear transmission," Vader ordered, striding away. He would not have his master think that Vader was not always at his beck and call…it was useful for the Emperor to have a certain amount of trust in his direct subordinate, and Vader might as well sweeten the deal by attending to little details.
Piett was off with a brief "yes, my lord", busily arranging the change in velocity.
***
The Dark lord, alone in his chamber. He stepped up to the transmitting ring, kneeling down as the projectors sparked to life, forming a bodiless head that hovered over the floor at a blown-up scale. Light from the other end played over pits that held sunken yellow eyes, sickly in color, and a faintly aquiline nose that protruded from the grotesque face.
"What is thy bidding, my master?"
The Emperor spoke slowly, as if a great weight was upon his noble mind that must be respected. "There is a great disturbance in the Force."
"I have felt it." More than that—Vader had tried to conquer it, without success…thus far.
"I do not speak of the heretic you think," the dry voice returned, stirring Vader's attention further. "We have a new enemy—Luke Skywalker."
"Yes, my master." The response was automatic as Vader grasped this new thing. The boy was a threat? Perhaps he had not been directing enough attention to young Luke; he had been busy enough attempting to deal with Kenobi.
"He could destroy us," the Emperor added, confirmation enough.
Vader was uncertain of what seemed to be a massive overestimation on the Emperor's part, not something that happened often. "He's just a boy. Obi-Wan will not always be able to help him."
"The Force is strong with him," Palpatine declared. "The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi."
Wheels within wheels. It was impossible to conceive what the Emperor was planning. Vader suggested, "If he could be turned, he would become a powerful ally."
"Yes." The word held a note of agreement…and the next, approval. "Yes. He would be a great asset. Can it be done?"
Or rather: Can you do this thing?
What was Vader's response supposed to sound like?
His master… or his son…
But he knew he had already hesitated too long. "He will join us or die, master."
As the transmission signed off, the photons that formed the Emperor's leering face dissipating, Vader reviewed the brief conversation. His master had seemed terse, more so than usual, and even a bit vague…but why? Had someone been with him, listening to the discussion? Vader thought it unlikely; there were extremely few sentients the Emperor would place that sort of trust in.
Wheels within wheels…within wheels.
***
If the diminuitive stranger hadn't insisted on him coming in to eat, Luke would have stayed outside and soaked in the rain, the only thing besides the unapparent Jedi Master that attracted him to this planet. It was a bizarre thing to a young Tatooine farmer; he had heard amplified stories from all kinds of people about rain, though his uncle had brought it all crashing down and, like the pragmatist Owen Lars had always been, explained the water cycle briefly before ducking back under the speeder to tweak a malfunctioning replusorlift coil.
But he stayed inside, looking over the rim of the pot into something that vaguely resembled porridge. The steam quickly reached the roof of the mud dwelling; even sitting, Luke's head was bare centimeters from the ceiling. He sniffed at the porridge; it didn't smell too bad, though it was full of herbs he didn't recognize. "Look," he called back to his nameless host, "I'm sure it's delicious. I just don't understand why we can't see Yoda now."
"Patience!" The creature had quickly donned the role of Master of Ceremonies. "For the Jedi it is time to eat as well. Eat, eat," he encouraged. "Hot. Good food, hm? Good, hmm?"
Luke filled the wooden ladle and dumped the mound of viscous mush into his bowl. It certainly didn't look appetizing…but tasting it, he was pleasantly surprised. Though the spices were mild, the flavor had a strong mellow undertone that was more than palatable…if hunger had been the first thing on his mind. "How far away is Yoda? Will it take us long to get there?"
The creature was still busying himself in the kitchen. "Not far. Yoda not far. Patience. Soon you will be with him. Why wish you become Jedi, hmm?"
Luke looked back into the porridge. A good question, really; there were all sorts of reasons, but he came up with the dominant one. "Mostly because of my father, I guess."
"Ah, your father." The wizened little creature crossed in front of him and inspected the porridge. "Powerful Jedi, was he. Powerful Jedi, mmm."
Luke was annoyed, more than bewildered. How could this stranger pretend to know who his father was when even Luke didn't know? "Oh, come on. How could you know my father? You don't even know who I am… Oh, I don't even know what I'm doing here. We're wasting our time!"
The small moment of silence that followed was broken only by the steady pattering of rain on the foliage outside. To Luke's surprise, the creature turned his back upon him and spoke to an invisible third party in a heavy voice Luke hadn't heard from him before.
"I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience."
Luke heard a low, unfamiliar voice respond, matter-of-fact but gentle nevertheless. "Then he will develop it."
"Hmm." The creature seemed unpersuaded. "Much anger in him, like his father."
"He can be diverted from that course." The voice seemed to smile. "He is young and ready to learn."
"Hah," said the creature, gruff with disagreement. "He is not ready."
"What…" Luke swallowed. "What's going on? Is…" Then realization struck like a thunderbolt inside his skull. It didn't matter, for the moment, who Yoda was talking to. This was Yoda, this creature in front of him. And the masquerade…had been a test.
Luke knew he had failed. "Yoda, I am ready. I…please!" he implored the disembodied voice. "I can be a Jedi! Please, tell him I'm rea—" Sitting up, he remembered too late how close the quarters were and knocked his head on the ceiling. He settled back down, wincing.
Yoda seemed afire with indignation. "Ready, are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained!" His green eyes held Luke's in the utmost gravity. "A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind." Yoda turned back to this mysterious third party. "This one a long time have I watched. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm?" He punctuated his words by jabbing at Luke with the end of his gimer stick. "What he was doing! Hmph. Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things." Yoda leaned in closer. "You are reckless!"
The accusation was true. Luke burned in shame.
"Yet you trained me," came the voice, amused this time. "The maverick Jedi, my reputation well-deserved. Surely you could make some leeway for this boy."
"He is too old." Yoda stood firm. "Yes. Too old to begin the training."
"But I've learned so much," Luke put in. He couldn't give up, not now…
Yoda turned his large-eyed scrutiny back on Luke for a long moment. The gaze held Luke captured; these were the eyes of a sentient that had seen war and peace, love and hate, warmth and chill, an amount of experience the boy knew he could never rival. The eyes stripped him to his bone, leaving his soul feeling naked.
Yoda looked over his shoulder. "Will he finish what he begins?"
Luke knew there were things he would never be able to control, but what denoted maturity was the way one handled these things. Striving for adulthood, his expression was earnest, with the fire of his predecessors burning within. "I won't fail you. I'm not afraid."
The Jedi Master smiled, his face devoid of the barest hint of humor. "Good. You will be," he promised. "You will be."
***
Life was still with him. Breath still swirled through his lungs. He grimaced, shifting into a better position—and gasped as something inside his neck gave a sharp twinge. His hand reached up to rub the spot, and only then did he notice the crash webbing that secured him to the seat in the darkened cockpit.
He blinked, his eyelids heavy, and stretched out his neck muscles as he looked up into the faint red lights of the emergency power systems.
His motor control was still lacking a bit; his hands fumbled with the clasps on the webbing, and they finally came undone, releasing him from the seat.
Oh, he thought fuzzily as his seat slid off the chair, I should have moved my posture first.
The impact wasn't too hard on his tailbone, as his arms were still draped over the armrests of the chair, pulling his shoulders behind him. He gripped the armrests and pulled himself up.
His eyes were bleary, and he rubbed at them with one hand as the other felt around in the darkness for the door release. There was something here he didn't like…no, it wasn't inside the Falcon…
He frowned as he scratched at his jawline. He'd forgotten to shave recently, but he'd have to look after that later. Something was alive outside the ship…several things.
"Blast," he muttered. Where is that door control?
It suddenly slid open, to his surprise; he hadn't touched anything. Through the unexpected burst of light, he made out the silhouette of the princess.
"You're awake," she said, her voice sounding fainter than normal. "How are you feeling?"
His eyes adjusted to the light gradually and he opened them enough to see her peering up into his face.
She almost flinched; he could feel her startlement and asked fuzzily, "What is it?"
"Your eyes…they're completely bloodshot."
"Hunh," he murmured. "I think I'll sit down, if you don't mind."
Leia saw him swaying slightly and took his arm, leading him back to the seat. "What were you doing?"
"Doing?" He tried to remember how the past few hours had gone. "Doing what?"
"When you asked for my strength." Her voice was soft, and he was grateful for it; it was much easier on his ears.
"I was being attacked by Darth Vader, and I needed some extra support," he explained. "In all likelihood, you saved my life." Obi-Wan reached out and, finding her hand, took it in his own. "I continue in my service of your family, your Highness, and not for this reason alone."
She shook her head, but didn't withdraw her hand, only squeezed his. "Please, you don't owe me anything. If it wasn't for you, the droids would never have made it off—"
He gazed back at her. "I never said I was in debt. That would be a reason, yes, but it is my duty to serve you. Some duties carry on, even after one is dead."
Leia smiled. "But you're alive again…somehow. Is that a Jedi thing?"
Obi-Wan's answer was cut off by the hideous creature that landed its grotesque sucker on the cockpit's viewport. Leia jumped up, letting out a cut-off shriek.
"It's all right," he said, calming her. "It's only a mynock."
Her eyes were wide. "Only a mynock?"
Obi-Wan rose. "We'd better let Captain Solo know. Mynocks can do considerable damage if they discover the more vulnerable parts of the ship's hull."
***
Only when Han's jaw began to ache did he realize he was clenching his teeth. Not only at the Falcon, but at different lump of machinery that stood behind him.
"Sir, if I may venture an opinion—"
"I'm not really interested in your opinion, Threepio," he growled, wondering if he'd ever work up the drive to look after the protocol droid's arm, which still lay forlornly on the hold's couch seat.
Leia's voice rang out behind him as he heard footsteps approaching him. "Something's out there."
He turned around with Chewie. "Where?"
Obi-Wan still didn't look wonderfully healthy, but he held himself steadily enough. "Outside. I believe we have a mynock problem."
The last word was hardly out of his mouth when a loud banging erupted outside.
"There it is," Threepio said frantically, imagining some horrible fate for all of them. "Listen, listen!"
"I'm going out there," Han muttered, snaring a breath mask.
Leia's eyes widened. "Are you crazy?"
He shot them both a look. "I just got this bucket back together. I'm not going to let something tear it apart." With that, he hurried off to the boarding ramp, Chewie following closely.
"Ohh…then I'm going with you." Leia grabbed her own breath mask.
Obi-Wan was reaching for one too when she shook her head. "Stay in here, please. You don't look too good."
He accepted his defeat with good grace and sat down on the couch. There was something outside that was alive besides the mynocks, and he wanted to know what it was.
"I think it might be better if I stay here and guard the ship," Threepio announced, more or less to himself as Leia rushed past him. He jerked his golden head up at another noise. "Oh, no."
Obi-Wan ignored the droid and tapped into the Force again. The life-field he felt was undeniably large…almost as if…
Oh, he thought. A space slug. Not good. Perhaps I should go out and warn the others…
No, he didn't need to go out. He saw a comlink that he knew was directly connected to Han's, and reached for it.
***
"This ground sure feels strange," Leia said through her breath mask, testing the surface beneath her feet. "It doesn't feel like rock…"
Han's muffled voice came from around the Falcon. "There's an awful lot of moisture in here."
"I don't know." She looked around uneasily. "I have a bad feeling about this."
"Yeah."
Chewbacca suddenly roared as he spotted a creature attached to the ship, waving his arm toward it."
"Watch out!" Han exclaimed, and fired.
The mynock tumbled off, stone dead. Han kicked at the carcass. "Yeah, looks like your general was right again. Mynock. Chewie, check the rest of the ship…make sure there aren't any more attached. They're chewing on the power cables."
Han's comlink squawked for his attention, and he held it up to his mask. "Yeah?"
Obi-Wan's filtered voice came through, calm but riveting. "We're inside a space slug, and I thought you might like to know."
Han's eyes widened, and he pointed the nozzle of his blaster downward to fire.
The ground rocked underneath them; Leia waved her arms wildly to keep her balance while Chewie roared from the other side of the ship.
"That explains," Han shouted. "Back inside! Now!" He heard the ship's engines powering up as he holstered his blaster, the ground rippling strangely underneath his feet.
Leia stumbled toward the boarding ramp and grabbed onto one of the pistons for dear life as Han blundered up, trying to push her up and in. "Come on, Chewie!"
The Wookiee came surprisingly quickly, his long arms flailing for balance as the ground continued to lurch underneath them.
"We're in," Han barked into the comlink as soon as the boarding ramp began to close. Through the narrowing slit of their view outside, Leia could see the damp tunnel accelerating by as she tore off her breath mask and hurried after Han and Chewie into the cockpit, tearing by a flustered protocol droid. But then, what else was new?
"The Empire is still out there," Leia protested as they rushed to the cockpit. "I don't think it's wise to—"
"No time to discuss this as a committee," Han interrupted as he slid into the cockpit.
"I am not a committee," she shouted back over the rising whine of the Falcon.
To Obi-Wan's surprise, Han ordered, "Take her. I'm going to the back to see what else I can do."
Chewbacca slid into his usual seat, his hands moving over the control board rapidly as Han left.
Leia shook her head. "You can't make the jump to lightspeed in this asteroid field…"
"Sit," Obi-Wan admonished her. "If Captain Solo thinks we need more repairs, chances are we're not going to lightspeed yet."
Threepio clanked in just in time to see the mouth of the space slug gradually closing. "Look!"
Obi-Wan pulled hard on the throttle; they would make it if he could only coax a little more speed out of the Falcon…
"We're doomed!" the droid put in mournfully.
Leia stared at the giant teeth as they closed around the comparatively tiny ship. "General…"
Obi-Wan brought the Falcon hard to port and sailed gracefully through the gap between a pair of closing teeth.
But their other predator still lurked outside, waiting to sink its own teeth in.