FromHeaven-2Earth: Haha, I say that a lot too. Here's more, hopefully you aren't dead yet. Ch. 5: Thank you. You know I love reviews.
SailorLeia: oo; - hides - xD Well, she was an imperial, right? - checks other fanfics - I promised I'd have this chapter up today...! - is snappy -
jude firefly: Sith Lord...ess - Lady - sympathetic? - snort - And thanks, I'm glad I'm not shabby at this suspense thing.
SuP3R G1R: Haha, duh. LeiLei isn't as unemotional as she hopes.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The ship rumbled, yet again. Bangs could be heard on the door, and storm troopers got ready their blasters, pointing it at the door, waiting for it to slide open - if not be broken down. A few more rather loud bangs, that now, when thought over, sounded suspiciously more like hacks than bangs, and then there was a small crack appearing in the metal. More appeared, and then the whole door seemed to miraculously shatter.
The man bending over Han with the needle was stunned speechless for a moment, with the needle still in Han's vein but no drugs and poison coursing through his blood. He momentarily seemed to regain consciousness, if you will, and turned back to his victim, but just as he as about to inject, his head and neck flew off of his shoulders at the twitch of a small, humming axe.
Han himself was stunned. He recognized the axe - he couldn't place the name due to all the events happening over a span of fifteen seconds, but he knew it was extremely powerful, employing an ultrasonic generator that can sever a human head at a mere twitch from the wielder: thus shown.
"See if they have anything valuable. If not, move to the next room." said a slickly commanding, accented, female voice. "We'll kill those here."
On cue, the same vibro axe - aha, that was the name - headed toward Hans neck, and he clenched his eyes and teeth, waiting for the blow that would end his life in a fraction of a second. Han wondered if it was true that you remained conscious for a few seconds after you were decapitated. He supposed he would find out.
Suddenly and unexpectedly, a harsh, fierce voice spoke. "Solo?"
Han dared to open his eyes, and was at first terrorized to see one of the last Dashades in the galaxy standing over him, holding a deadly weapon. Then he recognized the voice and the face.
"Kajjaad?" he said, shocked and hopeful. The Dashade let out a monstrous laugh, his lamprey-like mouth emitting that deep, rough tone of his species.
"Solo! And I'm expecting this Wookie over here would be the great Chewbacca!" he asked, gesturing with claws. Han nodded, finding it hard to think of anything to say. He could only suppose that he had the best luck in the galaxy. The Dashade, Kajjaad, slid his ax along the metal that restricted Han, and Han sat up, rubbing his free wrists where they were rubbed sore.
"You don't know how glad I am to see you. That's twice I owe you."
"Solo, always trapped in a cell. How do you get to be hated by both the Republic and the Empire? I can't know whether you have the worst luck or the best luck."
Han just shrugged, exasperated, wondering at this himself, and stood up. The humanoid was about a head taller than Han, but Han had little time to properly thank the Dashade since Chewie had run up, pulling the Corellian into a bear hug.
"Solo?" said the first female voice, and Han nodded at the reptilian Falleen.
"Hello, Ixor." Solo said, acknowledging her once Chewie set him down.
"Why do we seem to follow you, Solo?"
Han shrugged, unable to give an answer.
"Come, Solo, Chewbacca, we shall join the others."
Han nodded. He wondered if he would have to be with these pirates for another three months, when a thought struck his head.
"Wait." he said, quickly, jogging out of the room, two confused pirates and his co-pilot coming after him.
"Solo, where are we going? There are strength in numbers, and our numbers are going the other way." said the Falleen calmly.
Han just waved his hand at her. "I'll explain; there's no time now." he said, rounding a corner then nearly falling back as he collided with someone.
Leia squeezed her eyes shut, ready to die any second, when she heard the door slide open and blaster fire. The Sith pinning her was only forced to deflect the blaster fire from coming at her, and she stood, intent on killing the intruders. Leia turned over to see who the intruders actually were.
A Dug, a Noghri, and a Human had walked in, and were relentlessly firing at the Empress who, with her untrained Force skills, was having a hard time deflecting the accurate shocks. The Human leaned into the Noghri, who nodded and set something on his blaster. One more shot, while the Empress was deflecting two others from the Human and the Dug, hit Mara Jade somewhere on the head, causing her to collapse to the floor.
Pirates, thought the Princess, and started to get up and running toward one of the various side doors. She heard footsteps after her, and rushed through the door, scared out of her wits. She had no idea where she was going to run to; she couldn't hide on this ship forever, eventually, she would be found. She picked up a stray metal bar to her right, waiting just to the right of the door for whomever that was following her to walk through, searching. Eventually, the human did, and received the bar in his face, sending him backwards, unconscious. Leia bent over the man, stealing his blaster, then taking off in the other direction. She hit a button to open the door, heading into the corridors at a sprint. Her breathing became heavy and labored, but Leia did not allow herself to slow down. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, giving her a 'second wind', and the Princess willed herself to go faster.
Leia headed toward a section where the hall turned, and just as she was about to turn someone came from the other side, and she ran full into them. With a gasp of mingled surprise and pain, she fell back onto her backside, stopping herself just before her head thudded against the cold metal floor.
Han caught himself, pointing his blaster at the being in front of him, with Chewie, Ixor, and Kajjaad following his lead. Suddenly he dropped his blaster, peering at the woman curiously. Suddenly, he stuck it into its holster, and rushed to her side.
"Leia?"
The woman glanced up, and looked shocked. "Han!" Han sighed with relief. At least she seemed to be all right. Of course, that was before the Senator Princess' eye filled up with tears. "I thought you were dead!" she said, her voice choked. By now, Han was back on his feet and tugging Leia to hers.
"Sorry to get your hopes up, Worship. Let's go." he said, smirking, and running off while doubling back the other way dragging Leia along. Chewie and the pirates followed, a bit confused but not too worried. They encountered a few storm troopers, but with two pirates, a Wookie, and an ex-smuggler, it wasn't too hard to leave six bodies behind. Han could distinctly hear crashes as the pirates rummaged through various rooms, looking for any valuable on the Imperial ship. They didn't have much luck: a credit here and there, some things of value in the officer's rooms... most of them stalked out, gathering around the Captain, Ixor, and her co-pilot, who was Kajjaad, reporting that this ship was dead and they may as well blow it up and leave with what they have. Ixor nodded, turning, and leading the way back to the docking bay.
"Wait! Cap'n!"
"Yes?" asked Ixor, turning, and raising her reptilian eyebrows at three incoming pirates - well, two, really, since one of them was slumped, barely conscious, over the Dug's shoulder.
"We got this lady. Empress 'erself. Pro'ly worth some kinda ransom."
Ixor took a step forward to the Noghri, placing her finger under the Mara Jade's chin, lifting her slumped head to examine her face. She was just beginning to stir.
"It's her, alright." Ixor said grimly, her intelligent voice in high contrast with the other's slur. A sound of disbelief could be heard, and Ixor looked around at Princess Leia, who looked like she couldn't believe her bad luck.
"I just got out of this mess!" she said, angrily.
"Hey! Hey - its 'at girl - she knocked out Jem 'ere!"
"Well, he was chasing me, did you expect me to just stand there?" Leia retorted angrily. The Dug drew his blaster on Leia, and a click was heard as Han whipped his own out of the holster, placing an arm protectively around Leia and drawing her back.
"Solo, Duotinid, put away your weapons." commanded Kajjaad harshly. The Dug grudgingly let down his own, and Han was contemplating for a second on whether he should shoot the piece of scum anyways before Chewie pushed Han's arm down.
"Back to the ship, mates. Throw Her Majesty into a cell. And a good one, I may add." Ixor said, turning, heading toward the boarding dock. They had very few obstacles, just a few clumsy storm troopers that they shot along the way. Soon enough, they were safely on the Ixor's ship and followed the Falleen into the cockpit with Kajjaad.