Chapter 22
The Pit
A herd of wild Banthas slowly lumbered through the desert, following a trail as old as time to their grazing grounds when the lead female suddenly lifted her massive head and sniffed the air. A low rumble emanated from the animal's chest, and the whole herd changed direction to avoid the thing that crossed their path.
A few dunes away, Jabba's sail barge drifted across that ancient path, accompanied by two smaller skiffs. On one of the skiffs, Luke and Anakin Skywalker, Han Solo, and Chewbacca stood manacled and surrounded by guards and, of course, Lando Calrissian. The second skiff held more guards, rough looking individuals of several different species. They had only two things in common: They worked for Jabba, and they were armed to the teeth.
Han shifted his weight; he was still not convinced that the kid would not get them all killed. So far, Luke's plan sounded a lot like one of Lando's hare-brained schemes. Han found himself wishing for some of Anakin's confidence in the young Jedi. Of course, he's always known that Vader wasn't firing on all thrusters. Bespin had proved that. Han nervously shifted his weight again. At least his eyes were getting better. Fat lot of good it did them in their current predicament.
"Not much to see here", he commented. "Sand, sand, and more sand."
A small smile graced Luke's lips. He understood Han's uneasiness.
"I grew up here, you know", he said.
"And now you're gonna die here. Convenient", Han sneered.
"I would not bet on that, Solo", Anakin interjected in his deep voice. "I have complete trust in my son's ability to rescue us."
Han turned around to face Anakin, seeing him for the first time in full sunlight. A tall man, muscular, with a thin scar on his otherwise handsome face and another on his scalp, bald except for the first hint of blond stubble. Pale skin rapidly turning red under the glare of Tattooine's twin suns. Strikingly blue eyes, very much like Luke's, one of which was nearly swollen shut. So he had hit him in the eye back in the cell in Jabba's palace.
"I don't see you using your Jedi powers to free us", Han spat.
Anakin smiled. "Relax, Captain. We will get out of here in one piece."
"I can hardly wait."
On the sail barge, Jabba was resting on another raised dais, twin to the one he had in his throne room, his new Human slave Leia chained to him. The party was still in full swing, his guests anticipating a true killer entertainment. 3PO busied himself translating for those who did not speak a common language, drifting from one table to the next as those he served discovered they had nothing to talk about, or better things to do with each other than talk. On one of his circuits, the tall droid literally bumped into an old friend.
"R2D2! What are you doing here?" he demanded to know.
The smaller droid twittered something.
"I can see you're serving drinks. But this place is dangerous. They are going to execute Master Luke, and if we are not careful, us too."
R2D2 beeped a short reply.
"I wish I had your confidence", 3PO muttered, watching as R2 made his way through the crowd.
Behind him, Jabba laughed and pulled Leia closer to him on her chain. Soon enough, the little Human would learn to appreciate him. For now, he was content to see her struggle futilely against him.
A small speeder raced out of the canyons and into the open desert. Maximillian Veers was desperate to reach Jabba's palace exactly at noon. He had been itching to take action ever since this mission began. Lord Vader should never have gone alone into the gangster's stronghold. In the copilot's seat, Wrenga Jixton calmly checked his weapon again. Unbeknownst to both men, the Pit of Carcoon was directly between them and the palace. And they were much closer to seeing Darth Vader again than they thought.
Two guards untied Luke and shoved him onto a plank protruding from the side of the skiff. Looking down, Luke could see the mouth of the Sarlacc, a pinkish, moist hole about eight feet in diameter, surrounded by tendrils waving lazily in the pre-noon heat. As he watched, the tendrils' movements seemed to gain purpose, the large beast under the sand smelling the meat above it. He stepped out on the plank.
On the sail barge, 3PO stepped up to a microphone and relayed Jabba's message to his prisoners. "The great Jabba hopes you will die honorably", he announced. "But should any of you wish to beg for mercy, Jabba will now listen to your pleas."
"3PO, you can tell that worm-ridden piece of filth he'll get no such satisfaction from us!" Han yelled back. If all else fails, try bravado. It can't get you in any more trouble than you're already in, and sometimes, it can get you out of trouble. At his side, Anakin smiled. It was not the smile of a happy man; it looked more like the smile of a hungry predator that, after a long time of waiting, finally has its prey exactly where it wants it to be. Backed up against a wall with no way to escape. The tall Jedi moved his wrists, testing the bonds, and concentrated. A tiny click sounded, and the bonds opened.
Luke, too, was ready. "Jabba, this is your last chance", he shouted. "Free us or die."
Jabba roared with laughter at the little Jedi's impudence. Didn't he know when he'd lost? "Put him in", he commanded.
Unseen, R2D2 rolled up a gangway to the upper deck to await Luke's signal.
Luke looked up at R2 and touched his forehead in salute. A hatch opened in the droid's domed head. On the skiff, the guards readied themselves to throw the Jedi into the pit, when suddenly Luke leaped up, turned in the air, and caught the end of the plank with his fingertips when he came down again just as R2D2 shot the lightsaber high into the air. Using his momentum, Luke shot up again, dislodging one of the guards with the sudden movement. The guard screamed and plummeted down into the pit, today's first victim for the Sarlacc. Somersaulting over the other guard, Luke landed on his feet, and the lightsaber fell into his outstretched hand.
Meanwhile, Anakin grappled with a third guard, lifting the Gamorrean bodily into the air and throwing him down into the pit to follow his friend. Another hors d'oeuvre for the Sarlacc.
By now the guards on the second skiff had noticed that not everything was going according to plan. As quickly as possible, their pilot swung the craft around and toward the first skiff, while the guards started firing wildly at the other skiff.
With lightning quick reflexes, Luke ignited his lightsaber and repelled the blaster bolts coming at them. "Get down!" he shouted. "Han, stay close to Chewie and Lando. Father, get Leia - I'll take care of the other skiff!"
Before Anakin had a chance to answer, Luke jumped onto the advancing second skiff, using the Force to enhance his strength and bridge the distance.
"You call that a plan?" Han screamed, outraged as Chewie pushed him down onto the relative safety of the deck. Anakin laughed. He had not felt so alive in ages! Taking on another guard, he almost threw that one overboard as well when the man yelped: "Put me down! I'm on your side!"
"Calrissian?" Anakin set the dark skinned Human down again. "My apologies, I got carried away."
"Hey, how do you know me, anyway?"
"I'll explain later. Take care of Solo and Chewbacca." Anakin, too, jumped, landing hard on the side of the sail barge. His fingers clawed at the sheet metal, finding nuts and bolts to hang on to just as the shutters came down again, sealing off the observation deck. Using every little ledge and bolt he could find, the Jedi started to climb up to the deck.
On the upper deck of the sail barge, Boba Fett checked his weapons and rocket back pack before taking off to the prisoner skiff. Han Solo would not escape that easily. Not as long as he had any say in the matter.
Meanwhile, Luke was cutting down Jabba's minions like grass on the second skiff. The Sarlacc would be feeding well today.
Swerving around a smaller sand dune, a speeder shot towards the battle.
"There they are!" Jixton yelled. "Told ya we'd make it!"
"Only because we didn't have to go all the way to the palace", Veers muttered. It irked him that Jixton was right again. The ex-sergeant had thought he heard a noise just over the next dune and insisted on checking it out. Veers felt they were running out of time, but Jixton had the better arguments. Namely a loaded blaster ready in hand.
Jix cocked his blaster rifle and fired wildly into the fray, one of the bolts hitting Boba Fett's rocket pack just as the bounty hunter was about to land on the prisoner skiff. Below him on the deck, the Wookiee noticed him and growled, and he heard Solo's unmistakable voice cry: "Boba Fett? Where?". And then the pack went off again, sending the bounty hunter careening wildly and out of control until he hit the sloping side of the pit. Down he went, immediately unconscious from the impact.
On the sail barge's observation deck, Leia had waited for the right moment before grabbing a bottle and smashing the shutter controls. In the sudden darkness, she jumped up and behind Jabba, coiling the chain around the Hutt's thick neck. In the general confusion, nobody stopped her as she pulled the chain with all her weight, and Jabba could not call for help. The chain dug deeply into the gangster's neck, effectively blocking his windpipe. The Hutt's eyes bulged. He could not breathe anymore. Enraged, he twisted his massive body, tried to pry the chain from his neck, but his great bulk could not move fast enough. He was running out of oxygen quickly. And the girl would not let on. She used all her weight, all her strength, to pull the chain even tighter. Finally, his tail spasmed one more time, the large yellow eyes dimmed, the fat hands slid limply from the chain and fell to his sides. Jabba was dead.
Anakin fought his way into the observation deck, throwing guests and guards aside as he did so. It was more difficult than he had expected, since most of them tried to escape right down the same path he was taking, only in the opposite direction. Grabbing a blaster from one of the guards, he fired it a few times, sending the mixed Human and Alien flash flood back to the deck they had just fled in a panic. They trampled over each other in their haste to escape the Jedi.
When he reached the observation deck, Anakin stopped dead in his tracks. Bodies were strewn about, some still moving. Even more huddled in the corners. In the center of the room, Jabba's corpse lay on the dais, tongue hanging out. Leia, still chained to the gangster's carcass, tried to take a cylindrical object on a table just out of her reach. His lightsaber, on display for the Hutt's guests. Anakin stretched out his palm, and the weapon flew into his hand.
Leia looked up at him. Sweat beaded her brow and made a few wisps of hair that had escaped her braid stick to her face.
"You again. Who are you?"
"Time for that later, your Highness", Anakin responded and ignited his saber. "Let's get out of here first."
With a nod, Leia held the chain out for him to cut through. He brought the glowing blade down, freeing the princess.
"Let's go!" she commanded. Anakin held out his hand and helped her to her feet.
On the upper deck, a remaining guard manned the main gun and fired at the prisoner skiff, rocking the craft with every hit. Calrissian fired back, but could not get a clear shot at the gunner, when another hit caused him to lose his balance. Grabbing the railing with both hands, he watched helplessly as their only blaster fell down into the pit. By now the skiff was listing badly to one side, and he, as well as Han and Chewbacca, had to hang on for dear life just to avoid sliding down into the Sarlacc's gaping mouth like so many tasty morsels. Somehow, Han managed to crawl to the skiff's controls with Chewie's help, and start the engines with still manacled hands. With a big lurch that almost dislodged the three of them, the skiff sailed away from the pit and on, or rather above, safer ground. But the danger was not over yet.
On the second skiff, Luke had cut down nearly all of the guards when a shot from the sail barge sizzled past his ear. Dropping to his knees, he skewered the last remaining guard with his blade, and, in a fluid motion, turned to face the new danger.
Anakin dragged Leia down the corridor to the upper deck when he heard a familiar voice whine: "My eyes! Not my eyes, please!"
"C-3PO! We cannot leave him behind!" Leia shouted.
"C-3PO?" Anakin whispered. He had noticed a tall, thin protocol droid just like the one he built as a child in Jabba's employ, and Solo had called the machine 3PO, but until now he had not made the connection. There must be thousands, even millions of similar droids around the galaxy. Could it really be? He shook himself out of his reverie. "Of course, you are right."
They followed the droid's voice around a corner to find 3PO on his back, one of his eyes dangling out of his skull by a cable. Salacious Crumb was just picking at the other eye, laughing maniacally as he did so. Anakin raised his hand and dislodged the disgusting little creature, sending him flying into a corner.
"Oh, thank you so much, Sir. I thought that little beast would be the end of me", 3PO gushed as Anakin helped him to his feet.
"You're welcome. Tell me..." Anakin stopped himself. There was time for that later. Right now he had to bring Leia and the droid safely out of here.
"Yes, Sir?" 3PO inquired.
Anakin shook his head slightly. "Nothing. Follow us." With that, he turned and led the way towards the upper deck.
On the guards' skiff, Luke was weaving a tight defense web against the blaster shots coming at him from the sail barge with his blade. However, he could do no more than defend himself. The bolts were coming to quickly, and from several locations, when the speeder came around for an attack run on the barge. Screaming at the top of his lungs, Jixton fired with two blasters, taking out three of Luke's attackers almost instantly when the main gun swung around to take shots at the new target. Veers swerved at the last possible moment, narrowly avoiding a direct hit. He just brought the speeder back on course when Anakin emerged on the deck, Leia and the droid in tow.
Both the Jedi and the princess immediately assessed the situation. Leia dove for a fallen guard, pried the blaster from his fingers and started shooting. Anakin used his lightsaber alternately to repel blaster shots from more of Jabba's friends, and to cut down the attackers when he saw Leia duck behind a crate, a determined look on her face. She looked exactly like Padmé would have. For the merest moment, the former Sith Lord froze.
As if pulled by an invisible force, Leia looked up to see one of the gangsters taking aim at her rescuer who stood gaping at her, unmoving. She brought her own blaster up and fired, the bolt hitting the gangster square in the chest. Her rescuer whirled around, the spell broken, and continued to fight.
From the second skiff, Luke watched as his father and his friend fought for their lives. He had taken out the guards and maneuvered the skiff closer to the barge, shouting: "Leia! The main gun!"
Leia looked up, nodded once, and sprinted towards the gun, firing her blaster all the way. Her second shot hit the gunner and killed him instantly. Anakin stepped in the way behind her, protecting her back.
"Point it at the deck!" Luke yelled and ducked as new blaster bolts came flying his way. He brought the skiff around again, avoiding the shots as best he could.
Leia threw her blaster away and instead took possession of the main gun. A few well-placed shots took care of he remaining gangsters, and then she pointed the gun down. "What now?" she muttered.
Anakin appeared at her side, grinning, and clipped his lightsaber to his belt.
"I think I know what Luke has in mind", he declared. Twisting his head around to check for C3PO he just saw R2D2 push the wailing protocol droid overboard before rolling off the deck after him. That left only him and Leia onboard from their group. He grabbed a rope that dangled down from the mast, gathered Leia up in his free arm, gave the gun's trigger a little push with the Force, and jumped. The two of them swung to the safety of the second skiff as the gun fired into the deck behind them, starting a chain reaction that quickly engulfed the barge in smoke and flame.
Meanwhile, Han brought the severely damaged prisoner skiff down on the far side of the pit, and Lando could finally take his and Chewie's manacles off.
"Well", the Correllian sighed, "guess it did work after all."
On the second skiff, Anakin stood in front of Luke, suddenly feeling very unsure of himself.
"Luke..." he began, and a large smile spread on his son's face.
"Father..." Without a further word, Luke let go off the skiff's controls and drew him into a tight hug. For a moment, Anakin stiffened before he relaxed into the embrace and placed his own arms around his son for the first time in both their lives.
"He's your father? But Luke, I thought your father was dead", Leia injected.
"So did I, Leia, for a long time." Luke smiled up at his father. "For a very long time." Reluctantly, he let go off his father.
Anakin smiled back when the speeder drew alongside the skiff.
"Mission accomplished, Uncle Dee", Jix piped up.
Anakin frowned at the Correllian. "You are early. It is not quite noon yet", he chided.
"And you aren't where you are supposed to be", Jix bit back.
"I'm afraid he is correct, Mylord", Veers intervened. "We would have reached the palace at noon. It was sheer luck we took the way through the canyons, Sir, or we would have missed you completely."
Leia looked hard at Veers; the man seemed familiar to her.
"General Maximillian Veers", she breathed. She knew him. She knew his reputation. A brilliant officer, hard, but fair, and fanatically loyal to Vader. And he had just called Luke's father... "Vader!" she spat. "You are Darth Vader!" She took a step back from Anakin, disgust marring her features. "Luke, how could you?" All her premonitions of Luke betraying her trust now came back to her full force.
"How long, Luke? How long have you been spying for him?"
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