Author Note: AW...thanks guys for your great reviews...I'm so glad you like this story...I was getting worried that you wouldn't...and some of the things you suggested about that review were very tempting...but i'm just gonna take the high road and ignore them...so here's the next part of the story for you... enjoy!

Oh and yes...the later section of this chapter is an adaptation of the chapter in one of the books,becauseI was reading it the other day and it just fitted so perfectly...sorry if it spoils the story a little but now you know...(just incaseI get any more hate reviews! lol)

Han crept along in the shadows of the base, blaster held tightly in his hand. He'd finally arrived on Hoth, and after listening to Leia's intructions, had set off, following the footsteps of the others. The wind had blown snow over them, but they were still visible enough for him to follow. He made sure that he went straight past the wompa cave, partly because he had no need to go in in the first place, and partly because he could see the wompa's huge footprints and knew exactly what was hiding in there.

He had found the back entrance of the base, and followed the same corridors as the others until he came to the arena, where all hell had broken lose.

Luke was desperately trying to fight two Vongs and avoid the wompa at the same time, Leia was helping Ryoo up the steps whilst Pooja shot at anything that moved, and Mara and Chewie were back to back on the other side of the arena, fighting at least ten Vongs between them.

Han so desperately wanted to run in and join the fight, but something told him not to. If you go chargin in there, you'll get em all killed! Just wait, be patient and everythin'll be ok, he told himself. He knew it was completely against his nature to hide, rather than join in, but he had a gut feeling that he'd be more use if he hid now, rather than get caught or killed with the others.

However, the vongs may not have seen him, but Mara had, and she was making her way towards him at that moment, shouting something about getting his backside out there and helping them now, or she'd personally make him pay later. He saw several vongs turn his way and ducked back into the shadows.

Peering back round a moment later, he saw that Leia, Ryoo and Pooja had been cornered, and were now fighting in anyway that they could to escape. Han was both shocked, and surprised when Leia flipped into the air and kicked a vong in between the eyes, sending it toppling down the ice steps, whilst Ryoo, still holding her nose with one hand, punched out with the other and sent another vong down to join it's partner.

Then Han watched as Luke finally disposed of the Wompa and it went crashing to the ground, emiting one final howl before closing it's eyes. It seemed that they were actually doing alright for themselves, but then everything went downhill.

Chewbacca slipped on the ice and went crashing to the ground, where he was captured and his wrists were bound tightly, despite the fact that he kept sending the guards flying with angry kicks and nudges of his huge elbows.

Luke also slipped and lost his footing, and his lightsaber went flying into the outstretched hand of the nearest vong, whilst Leia, Ryoo and Pooja had been backed up against a wall with no-where to run. Their weapons were also snatched from them, leaving Mara, who was still fighting across the way, near one of the exits.

Han watched as she fought bravely, but eventually he saw her fall from halfway up the stone steps, her limp form toppling from ice seat to ice seat and the Vong, triumphant, running back towards the others.

In one last desperate attempt to escape, Luke used the force to cause an avalanche, which buried half of the guards, but even that wasn't enough and the five of them were dragged away out of the arena.

And it was only then that Han suddenly realised why he'd known to stay out of the fight. Leia glanced back his way as she was dragged off and gave him an encouraging nod.

She used the force to somehow tell me not to join in...how the hell did she do that? Han thought. But then again, there were many things about the force that he didn't know, and wasn't really sure that he wanted to.

oOo

When the Yuuzhan Vong did not kill them immediately, Leia's mind began working frantically. By the time the guards led her and the others into a large conference room, she was calm and ready. She'd even taken on her old Princess's stance, holding her head high and proud.

As they entered the ice cold chamber, she saw what must have been the Vong's leaders standing around the room, with one sat at a large table infront of them. There were Yuuzhan guards everywhere, even though the first thing their captors had done was to confiscate their weapons and bind their wrists with course rope that dug into their skin.

They certainly aren't taking any chances, she thought. It must be the fact that Luke's a Jedi that's making them so wary. If only I were as good a Jedi as Luke, we could certainly give them a run for their money then.

Before anyone could speak, she had stepped forward.

"You are holding a woman called Padme Amidala," she said in her most authoritative voice...the one that always made Han cringe. "I am formally requesting that you turn her over to me. Now."

The Vong at the table studied her calmly. "She is our hostage, Milady," he said at last, and he sounded slightly amused at the fact that a prisoner had just demanded something like he was her prisoner, and not the other way around.

"You had your chance to pay the ransom, but you failed, so she is to be executed as an example to the galaxy." He smiled gently, as if the thought pleased him.

"She is a Senator of the Galactic Republic!" Leia said, outraged. "You can't do that!"

"The Senate was dissolved long ago, and does not exist, therefore, she is no longer a Senator. If you're so desperate to save her, you should have paid the ransom when you could."

"What ransom?" Leia demanded. She glanced back at the others, who looked just as confused as she did.

"I don't have time to argue," the Vong sighed, and motioned to the guards. "Lock them up with the other one. They can all die, as an example to the Galaxy of how powerful we have become."

Before Leia could protest further, she and the others had been taken out of the chamber.

They were put into four cells down under the base, their hands still bound tightly together. Ryoo and Pooja had been put into one, Luke and Chewbacca in another, R2-D2 and C-3PO, who had been found wandering in the snow in another, and Leia in the very end cell.

At first she had paced all about the cell like an angry tiger, looking for any way out. She even tested the walls to see if they could be broken down, but there was no escaping this time.

Eventually she had given in and slumped against one wall, burying her head in her hands.

"Are you alright?" a female asked and Leia jumped. She had been so sure that she was alone. Mind you, she had been so determined to get out that she had probably walked past her cell mate several times without realising it. Looking around, she finally found the owner of the voice as the woman stepped out from the shadows. It was a woman that Leia recognized immediately, and she was both stunned and shocked.

"Mother?" she whispered.