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Skywalker Resurgent Ch.7: That Is, Without A Doubt, The Worst Pirate I've Ever Seen

The medal ceremony Leia and the Alliance leadership arranged for us was nice, if brief. The same could be said of the celebration afterwards. We all knew we had to hurry the hell up and start packing up since the Empire now knew we were here, but that didn't stop us from celebrating this tremendous victory. I guess the Alliance wanted to milk the hell out of this while they could and frankly, I didn't blame them one bit. While our losses were nothing to scoff at in what it took to acquire the information on the Death Star or in the first attempt to destroy the station, we had finally managed it with one oversized fighter squadron and excellent intel. Leia and Dodonna both had privately informed me that the Alliance was already planning on making a big deal of what I'd done and what they wanted for me to do next, assuming I didn't have any objections.

But that was all for later. Right now, it was time to grab everything and run. Watching the rebels in action while breaking down their base, I could tell that they were either well trained or just experienced in the act. They weren't going to even leave so much as a single light bulb behind once the Empire showed up.

The plans were already drawn up for who would be going where and Han had offered his ship to serve as another transport for evacuation. Although, he wanted to stipulate that his destination needed to be to Tatooine first in order to drop off his reward money to keep Jabba from putting a price on his head. No one objected to his desire to avoid a bounty placed with the authority of the Hutts behind it, as they all knew that those sorts of bounties attracted all kinds of unwanted interest from parties looking to gain even the most minor favor with the organization.

I'd offered to join him for the ride and even Leia had offered to come along, much to Han's hidden delight. Although she said that it was just good sense for the Alliance not to put all of their senior members on the same ships and splitting them up was a purely tactical move. Personally, I think she was also glad to come along with us. Maybe she was growing attached to us or just liked to stick with a wining team, but I was also happy to have her along.

There was someone who wouldn't be coming with us, however.

"They've asked me to travel separately with some of the other senior members of the Alliance Council," Kenobi informed me.

We had stopped to catch up with one another now that the ceremony was over and we got started on the evacuation. A number of transports were already away and more had shown up to speed things along. Wedge and Biggs had already taken off and my X-wing had already gone with one of the transports.

"I suppose it was expected that they'd want you to go with them when the time came," I admitted. "It just seems...more sudden than I'd have liked."

"Have you been told where you'll be going yet?" he asked.

I nodded. "They want me to meet up with a few fleet units at a deep space rallying point," I told him. "We're going to get lost for a few days aboard the Falcon before meeting up there. Han's got to drop off that reward money before Jabba sends someone actually dangerous after him."

"Good," Kenobi nodded. "He'll be flying back to Tatooine on the way then?"

"Probably. Jabba's likely still there. Want me to pick up some blue milk for you?" I asked, laughing.

"I think I'll manage without," Kenobi informed me dryly. "But I can sense some turmoil in you still. What is troubling you?"

It was actually pretty hard to hide things from Kenobi. Our bond through the Force as master and apprentice was fairly strong by my understanding of such things. Standing right here in front of each other, there was no hiding strong feelings. Maybe I could hide something with practice or if I really tried, but it hadn't ever seemed necessary. I stopped pretending everything was fine in front of him and let my shoulders sag just a bit as I let out a breath.

"I just..." I began and trailed off. "They...promoted me to lieutenant. Wedge, Biggs and I are all the same rank now and there's talk of having one of us take command of the squadron and get promoted to commander. Once we reach the rendezvous, they'll sit down with all of us and discuss who's gonna lead it."

"It sounds exciting," Kenobi commented. "And like a tremendous honor."

"It is," I admitted. "And it was another one of those things I kind of expected given my... you know... but it still just seems so sudden."

"You're worried about commanding a squadron?" he asked me gently.

"I just don't feel like a leader," I admitted to him. "I did some fancy flying, made a shot, and saved the day, but I was a part of a group every step of the way that led us here. Now, these people expect me to be more than that. I don't feel ready to lead others into battle, even with all of my advantages."

"Do you think you should turn down the command?" Kenobi probed.

"Is it wrong of me to say that I somehow don't want to?" I asked in return, looking at him. "I know that the Alliance could really use me as more than just a propaganda piece and want to put me to work. Plus, I've got some other ideas I wanted to bring up than can make a difference and don't involve me taking on a squadron. I can fly and I can fight, but I don't know if I can lead. I think that's the hardest part for me; I don't feel like a leader."

I just felt so conflicted over this. I could play at being the hero, but that was just the problem; I would know I would be playing at it. I didn't feel like the genuine leader or hero that these people seemed to expect of me. I had stepped up with ideas and a quick bit of action, but I don't feel like any of that was unique to me. Most of it in fact was based off of my advanced knowledge of how things worked in this galaxy as events written down in books and on the internet. It felt like anyone could have done what I did with my knowledge of events and personalities. There was only so much my foreknowledge could cover for or help me with here. Being a leader was so much more than just having to read a lot of books and comics.

Kenobi placed a hand on my shoulder before answering me.

"Luke, if you don't feel like you can trust yourself on this matter, then you can try trusting me instead," he began. "You are a remarkable young man. I've gotten to know you rather well over the last few years and I have never doubted that. Your peculiar knowledge may have granted you an edge, but it was you who has acted upon it. You are what is special, not the knowledge you carry."

"These people are going to be looking to me for inspiration," I replied quietly. "I don't know what to do, how to best answer them when they ask me for orders or guidance. How do I know if I'm doing it right? How can I be a leader to these people?"

"Then I suppose I shall offer you one last bit of master-like advice; If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are already a leader, Luke. Trust in yourself, trust in the Force, and I have no doubt that you'll lead us all to a better future."

I really didn't know what to say in response to that. Feeling myself getting a bit choked up, but not wanting to show it in front of Kenobi, I decided to keep it simple and wrap this up.

"May the Force be with you, Master Kenobi," I said.

"And may the Force be with you, Padawan Skywalker," Kenobi returned.

~Skywalker: Resurgent~

"You've been awfully quiet," Han remarked.

I was broken out of my thoughts as I registered that Han's comment was directed at me. We had departed the base at Yavin and had plotted a somewhat roundabout course to Tatooine. I was reflecting on events and trying to figure out what my next big move should be and what events were likely to follow from the end of the events of Episode IV. Ripples had already begun to form, altering events in ways that had me thoughtful of my own impact on events.

Alderaan had undergone a cataclysmic event with the destruction of its moon, but even that wasn't necessarily as terrible as the whole planet being destroyed as it had been originally. Owen and Beru had been spared their deaths at the hands of stormtroopers by my early departure, I'd made an early impression on Vader by interfering in his duel with Kenobi, and had saved Kenobi in the process. Now, Biggs was still alive after our assault on the Death Star and we were on our way to pay off Han's debt to Jabba. There were a dozen things that may happen next and of varying levels of importance to my overall plans. I had to try and anticipate as much as I could and plan for the events that I could and couldn't influence.

My focus jumped back to the present as Han spoke to me.

"Just thinking," I told him. "Also kinda hoping that Kenobi's able to look after himself alright without me around."

"I think he's old enough to look out for himself," Han said dryly. "And isn't he the one who trained you? I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Sure, sure, I guess," I replied, distracted. "I suppose I just don't like the idea of not being around to watch his back. I had to pull his butt out of the fire just a few days ago and I guess that's left me feeling...protective."

"Aww," Leia cooed, reaching over from her seat to ruffle my hair. "It's sweet to see you so concerned for him. But I'm sure he'll manage until we see him again."

"Hey," I protested, leaning out of her reach and fixing my hair. "Can you blame me for being concerned? I get that Kenobi's a living legend and a war hero, but he's also the guy who trained me. I suppose I'm just...adapting to not having him around."

I wanted to kick myself for feeling like this just because I wasn't around Kenobi anymore. In the past, he was no more than a comlink call or a quick speeder ride away if I had a question or needed instruction on some aspect of my training. Now, he was much further and communications was trickier with both of us on the move and trying to keep our movements discreet.

Voicing my concerns aloud like this made me feel like a little kid. I guess I had gotten so used to having him close or easy to reach, if not at my side, that I was feeling a bit out of sorts. It was like leaving the farm and Tatooine behind all over again.

'I suppose I'm really out on my own now,' I thought.

"Why do you call him by his last name?" Leia asked.

"Hm?" I said, turning my head to look at her.

"You always call him Kenobi," she explained. "You too are obviously pretty close, but I've never heard you refer to him by his first name. Why is that?"

"Ah," I let out. "That's...a bit of a story. Might take a minute to tell."

"We're not going anywhere," Han responded. "And I know Chewie's always up for a story."

Chewie barked a response to that.

"You are too," Han retorted. "I've seen those holodrama files you keep, don't pretend you don't have them."

Chewie yowled at Han in protest to his words.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Han waved a hand dismissively. "But go ahead, Luke. It'll help pass the time."

Memories came back to the forefront of my mind as we had been talking. Maybe they didn't need the whole story, but there was enough substance and enough fact to it without me giving anything away that may be awkward to explain.

"Well, if you're all going to insist," I sighed. "I suppose it started back on Tatooine. I was trying to get a grip on how meditation worked when the question of his alias came up..."

~Skywalker: Resurgent~

Years Ago...

We were making a journey into the Jundun Wastes today. Kenobi said he wanted me to meditate in a certain spot as it held some sort of better attunement to the Force than his own dwelling. Apparently, meditation in the right mindset was important enough to his training methods that he wanted to make sure I did it correctly, and this place would help me out as a beginner.

As we walked, he told me about my father, about Anakin. The subject seemed painful at first but with a bit of encouragement, I got him to start talking about his earlier days as a padawan. Those times seemed safe enough to discuss and he seemed to take on a lighter, more nostalgic tone as he described those days.

"Not surprising a nine-year-old wasn't the most patient," I commented.

"I had no idea how to get him to learn," Kenobi sighed. "I spent my life in the temple. All of the younglings I'd interacted with had the same childhood I'd had. Anakin was different from all of them."

"Not surprising," I replied. "I mean, you knew what sort of life he'd come from. Frankly, it's remarkable he was as stable as he was. Most slave children don't have that innate sense of decency and innocence that he demonstrated. What was your solution?"

"I asked Master Yoda and some of the other senior instructors at the temple for advice," he admitted. "I felt so out of my depth. Anakin was unlike any they had taught before either. Being older, he grasped certain lessons better than any of his peers and yet somehow, struggled with the more basic instructions...questioning them.

"Eventually, I realized that the best approach was to take a more...unorthodox view. I approached him more as a child than as a padawan. I had to describe to him how everything worked like I would if I was answering questions to someone who wasn't a part of our Order. Using this method, we made progress."

We made it to a large outcropping of rock. Worn down by the strength of two suns and millennia of wind and sand, its surface was smooth to the touch in many areas. Kenobi led me over to a relatively flat and level spot, which overlooked the endless deserts on the horizon.

"So, we'll be taking a similar approach with my own instruction?" I asked, looking around.

"Today, I want you to try to meditate," he answered. "Your knowledge of Force techniques is certainly impressive, but you've shown little to no practical knowledge until now. I want you to do your best to attempt to meditate. Even if you don't succeed, it'll give me an accurate idea of how to move forward with your lessons."

What followed was a fruitless hour or so of me attempting to meditate. It was a struggle. I was never much into the practice in my last life and I was starting to wish I had at least tried it at some point. After the first hour of me just sitting and nothing happening, I tried asking Kenobi for help.

He was calm and patient as he explained it to me as best he could. His advice seemed good, but I was still struggling. Eventually, our conversation reached a point where he was describing getting in touch with one's identity. He phrased it that one couldn't reach a state of true meditation if they didn't have a strong sense of identity or 'self.'

Which brought me to an interesting question...

"You chose the name Ben when you went into hiding. Why was that?" I asked. Truly, I didn't know why he'd picked that name and had wondered if it had some sort of significance. None of the books I'd read had ever mentioned it and neither had the movies or shows.

"It...was for a personal reason," Kenobi tentatively explained.

"Seemed kind of out of place," I remarked. "You chose a whole new first name, but kept your family name. Everyone in town seemed to know your last name was Kenobi while I was growing up."

Saying that made me also wonder why nobody thought to change my name at all when I was born. Seriously, who's bright idea was that? Questions for later...

"Hiding anything about yourself is difficult in a small community like the one around here," Kenobi sighed. "Originally, I never intended to have a last name. Fortunately, Kenobi is a common enough last name in the greater galaxy. 'Ben' was also an alias I used once or twice on undercover assignments. I'd never used it around your father, so I figured it was a safe one to continue using. It was a nickname from my days as a padawan, so it was easier for me to remember and answer to it."

"Qui-gon called you Ben?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "When and why did that ever happen?"

I honestly had no memory of ever hearing or reading about that.

"No, Qui-gon never did," Kenobi corrected, now looking away from me. "It was...someone else."

His sudden reluctance to say that person's name, coupled with a question I had asked him before, made me conclude that it could have only been one person.

"Satine," I said, more as a statement then as a question. "She called you that."

Kenobi's silence was enough of an answer for me.

"I'm sorry," I told him honestly. "I didn't know."

"It's fine," he said gruffly. "It's just not something I'm accustomed to talking about."

There was a moment of awkward silence between us as neither of us felt like speaking. Eventually, Kenobi broke the silence.

"It was a nickname she gave me," he stated. "I used it on several undercover operations after and during the war. Anakin... I never used it around him. So, when it was time for me to choose a new name, it was a safe and simple choice."

"And it's been 'Ben' ever since," I finished.

"I haven't been Obi-Wan for the better part of two decades now," he mused. "But, we've gotten distracted. Getting back to your lesson..."

That day was a big step forward for me. Sitting on a rock in the middle of the desert, I made real progress bridging the gap between my fictional knowledge and the point where it becomes a reality. I also really felt like I got a bit closer to the real Kenobi out there. He was becoming less of a character or an icon and was much more human to me.

When we were done and began our trip back, Kenobi and I chatted about other applications and benefits to meditation. Apart from being a great way to practice one's connection to the Force, it did wonders to calm the mind and help strengthen focus.

I still remember Kenobi's words when I stood up after achieving my first successful meditative state.

"You've taken your first steps into a much larger world."

~Skywalker: Resurgent~

"He hadn't gone by his own name in almost two decades," I explained. "And knowing that the name 'Ben' was tied to his deceased love interest, I just didn't feel comfortable using it unless necessary. To me, his real name was still 'Kenobi,' even if he'd changed what went in front of it. So, I just kept the habit of calling him that."

"That's so sad," Leia remarked.

Chewie gave a soft yowl of agreement.

"Old guy's got some baggage in his past," Han chimed on. "Not surprising. Live long enough, it's pretty much inevitable."

Leia shot him a slightly contemptuous look at that.

"Your ability to empathize is unparalleled, Captain Solo," Leia snarked in response.

Trying to head off another bickering session, for my own sake as well as Chewie's, I jumped in to the conversation there.

"Can't say I disagree with the sentiment," I added. "But my takeaway from all of that was how strong his convictions are. It's almost unbelievable how strong he is as a person, and I think it's despite all that he's been through. Many lesser men have crumbled."

"How so?" Leia asked. I caught Han's eye as he turned in his seat and saw that he was interested too. Even Chewie looked interested to me, despite my ongoing inability to read his expressions.

"Well," I began, organizing my thoughts. "He was raised in the old Jedi Order. He had no parents, just teachers and older Jedi to look to. He's lost friends, his master-whom was the closest thing he had to a father-was killed in front of him, he fought through some of the harshest battles of the Clone Wars, and he lost all of the people closest to him whom he may have called family.

"Still, he never gave in to temptation. It would have been so easy to just quit, lose himself, or change who he is. He didn't though. In many ways, he's still that same idealist he started out as, if a bit more world weary and worn down by the sheer weight of it all. Many others, Jedi or not, have crumbled under such pressures. Have given into...let's call it their own personal demons."

Images flashed in my mind as I spoke;

An older version of me; alone, grayed, and beaten down by a universe that seemed determined to keep him there. Indifferent to the suffering of the galaxy around him while he wasted away on an island in the middle of nowhere...

A younger, yet hardened Dooku; fresh from a battlefield, seeing how he failed those he was responsible for and how his actions resulted in tragedy. How he lost himself to darkness while setting down that path with the best of intentions...

A young Anakin; suffering in silence and unable to talk to those closest to him about his fears, while his greatest crime was that he simply cared too much. How vulnerable he made himself... how easily tricked he was...

"It takes a lot of strength to persevere like that through adversity," I finished speaking. "It's easily his greatest attribute as a man, and as a jedi."

"You really have a lot of respect for him," Leia observed.

"Well, I'm just hoping that I can measure up when I inevitably end up picking up my own baggage," I replied, scratching the back of by neck.

Looking out of the cockpit window and into the dimension of hyperspace, I really hope that I did.

~Skywalker: Resurgent~

The next day, I found myself sitting in the cockpit alone with Han while Chewie took a break for a meal. We chatted a bit about mostly inconsequential things until I took the opportunity to broach a topic that I'd been meaning to bring up ever since we left Yavin.

"Hey, you've spent a fair bit of time on Kessel over the last few years, right?" I asked.

"Some time, yeah," Han answered. "Spice runs for Jabba and such. Why do you ask?"

"Do you think you could get a hold of a list of prisoners they keep working in the mines?" I asked.

Turning away from the console and facing me, I could see my request had surprised Han a bit. "Why would you want that?" he asked.

"You remember me telling you that I knew a lot of weird and obscure things because I was Force sensitive?" I asked. Han nodded and I continued. "This is one of those things. There's actually two people I want to get out of there at the first opportunity."

"Uh, you sure it's a good idea to be fishing for prisoners there of all places?" Han asked me. "I've been there enough times to know that the nice prisoners usually don't get sent to the mines and the ones that do, don't last long with the company they're thrown in with."

He wasn't wrong. Kessel was the Empire's dirty little secret that wasn't so secret. The spice mines there were technically a private business, but in reality is an Imperial operation. The mines are staffed by prisoners who were either political dissidents or had managed to piss off someone powerful. All mixed in with a healthy number of hardened criminals who were sold to Kessel to mine the valuable glitterstim spice and draw out their suffering more than life in a cozy cell would. One might even say that being sentenced to the mines of Kessel was an extended form of either torture or execution, given the expected lifespan of prisoners.

Of course, since Kessel was in the habit of accepting prisoners for the right price, they were sometimes open to releasing them for the right price too. The operation existed on the Outer Rim, where Imperial control was tenuous. So, the Empire cut a simple deal with the owners; so long as they got to operate their prison on the planet and got a nice little kickback from the operation, the Empire would turn a fairly blind eye to whatever else went on there. This included minimal oversight whenever prisoners were pressed into service as miners or 'suffered an accident' as a result of said mining.

"Trust me, these two are worth it," I told him seriously. "And if their chances of survival are low, then that's all the more incentive to hurry up and get them out. One of them is just a kid, Han. Isn't even a teenager yet. And the other is an old woman, who's suffered enough there as far as I'm concerned."

Han just stared at me after I elaborated on the people I wanted to rescue.

Finally, he just sighed. "Alright," he said. "I can put in a call to a guy or two I know and see what I can do. Shouldn't be too big of a request if I know who we're looking for. What are their names?"

"Well, I don't actually remember the old woman's name," I admitted. "And I don't think the kid will be sent there for at least several months..."

Han just gave me a look.

I held up my hands defensively.

"Hey, cut me some slack here," I said. "I never claimed to be omniscient. I'm bringing it up now because it's still important and for a good cause."

Dammit, it's not my fault I don't have access to any source books or to wookieepedia! I've done my best to write down everything on my secure datapad that I could remember, but I knew it couldn't be everything. If I did know everything, I'd know to only go after the old Jedi woman they had already imprisoned there and just go to whatever planet the kid was on before he got sent there. Except, I had absolutely no idea which of the thousands of inhabited planets in the galaxy he might be from, so that wasn't an option. I'm not an encyclopedia, dammit!

"Of course it's for a good cause," Han muttered. "It's always for a good cause."

I tried not to wince at the sarcasm in his voice. Maybe that was a poor choice of words on my part...?

"And how exactly do you expect to find two specific prisoners on the whole of Kessel?" he asked, still giving me a look. "Maybe something else you don't know is that there are thousands of prisoners on that planet."

"The important thing is that you know how to find specific prisoners and know how to get them out," I defended. "I've got the name of the kid at least. If I get a current list of prisoners, I can probably find the old woman too."

"And did you have an idea of how you were going to pay off the warden for their release?" Han asked. "Because don't look to me for a loan. Not that I don't like you kid, but all that cash in the back? That's gonna go bye-bye once we hit Tatooine. What doesn't go to Jabba is going into fixing up the Falcon so she can keep flying, so I'm not exactly flush after this run."

"I wouldn't ask that of you," I assured him. "I'll find the credits, somehow. There's still time. All I wanted to know is if it's possible."

Han sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Yes, it's possible," he said. "I've got a guy I can hit up for a copy of the list. I'll tell him you represent someone wealthy looking to settle a grudge with some old rivals, or something. Give me some time to send a message and-"

Before either of us could say anything else, we both lurched forward in our seats with a sudden and unexpected burst of deacceleration. The vortex of hyperspace disappeared and was replaced with normal stars again.

"What the hell was that?" I asked him, pushing myself off of the control panel.

"We've just dropped out of hyperspace!" Han exclaimed.

Chewie, ever the faithful First Mate, came running into the cockpit on the heel of those words. Anticipating what he was here for, I quickly slipped out of the copilot's chair and sat in the seat behind it. Chewie wasted no time checking instruments and taking in the situation.

He only had a few seconds to do this before the ship shuddered again in a motion that seemed familiar to one I'd experienced just a matter of days ago.

"We're caught in a tractor beam!" Han yelled. "Where in the hells did that even come from? This isn't anywhere near a hyperlane checkpoint!"

Looking out of the cockpit window, I saw what had snagged us and felt dread settle into my stomach.

A Venator-class Star Destroyer was just off to our port side and below us. It had snatched us with its tractor beam and had likely been the reason we were pulled out of hyperspace. It was pulling us in and towards the dorsal hangar doors, which had parted for us to be dragged in.

"Son of an ibbot!" I swore. "Where did that thing come from?"

Leia came running up to the cockpit a moment later.

"What's happened?" she demanded/asked.

"Pulled out of hyperspace by that warship out there," Han explained tersely. "I don't know where in the hells it came from, but they've just snared us in their tractor beam and are pulling us in. Even if I got us free, they've got fighter support ready to intercept us."

Han pointed to the sensor display to show what he meant. Several fighter-sized craft were circling the capital ship in a scattered patrol formation.

"Wait," I interrupted. "Is that even an Empire ship? Look at it's markings!"

Along the ship's hull was an unusual paint scheme. Unlike the uniform grey of Empire-era ships or even the red accents of the Republic-era, this ship had a solid, broad, black stripe painted down the center of hull leading to the command tower. The command tower itself was unmarked but the twin command bridges themselves were also painted black, seemingly parodying the flagship designs of the now defunct Republic Navy.

Further back by the rear 'wing' sections near the engines, some sort of modifications had been made that marked each wing with a small half-sphere that took up most of the surface, making the ship look rather tail-heavy. On the ship's mid-sections where the ship usually displayed its fleet affiliation, there was an insignia consisting of a black alien skull with a bloody red grin.

"I don't recognize the symbology," Leia said. "I don't think it's Imperial."

"You're right," Han said grimly. "That's not an Imperial ship. Look at the fighters."

Upon saying that, we were treated to the sight of a pair of Z-95 Headhunters streaking past us. Their presence alone was enough to rule out the idea of these guys being Imperials, since the Empire had ceased using anything other than their iconic TIE fighters and the various offshoots that model had provided. Z-95s, while considered an old design by many, were still common enough in the civilian market that many defense and military groups still purchased them. Performance wise, they still managed to stay competitive with newer designs. And so long as they were maintained by a decent mechanic, you could easily keep one flying for years without a serious overhaul. It's what made the model popular with Alliance cells that couldn't afford the more advanced and more expensive X-wing model.

"So, not Imperial," I stated. "Local forces then? Are we near any systems that boast a local defense fleet?"

"If they are, we're still far enough out from the Core that they might be friendly towards the Alliance," Leia added hopefully. "If so, we could perhaps talk our way out of this."

"No, that won't be an option here," Han stated firmly. "She's a pirate ship. And I recognize the symbol painted on her hull."

Turning to Han in surprise, Leia and I simply looked at Han and waited for him to elaborate on that surprising statement.

"It's a group backed by the Hutt Clans and Jabba in particular," Han explained. "I've... run in to them a few times between and during jobs for Jabba."

Leia had a look of distaste on her face at those words. "Friends of yours, then?"

"Not even close," Han grumbled. Even Chewie growled and nodded vigorously, backing up Han's words. "What I want to know is where they got their hands on a Venator and what it's doing this far out from Hutt space."

"What do you mean?" I asked. The Falcon was still slowly being pulled towards the hangar bay and I wanted all the information I could get before we greeted these guys.

"A heavily modified capital ship loaded for pirate operations. No doubt it preys on shipping and provides muscle for dealing with competitors to Jabba's operations," Han explained. "But the Hutts usually stick with their own ships and the older military surplus stuff for their private defense forces. I don't understand where this ship came from or why Jabba would allow his people to wander the hyperspace lanes like this in it!"

"Well, it should be fine, right?" I asked. "Aren't you one of Jabba's top smugglers? All you should have to do is tell them who you are and we can be on our way."

"I somehow doubt we're that lucky," Han ground out. "The guy who runs this operation..." Han trailed off.

Chewie let out a barking growl.

"Yeah, thanks for that," Han shot back at him. "It's a guy who goes by the name of Crimson Jack. Also called Redbeard. I hate the guy. He's a greedy bastard who has delusions of being a pirate king. It would seem that he's come a bit closer to that title if he's moved up from the pair of light cruisers he used to be in charge of."

Chewie gave another barking growl.

"Yes, other people do call him Redbeard!" Han retorted. "I've heard other people call him that, don't act like I'm the only one!"

I gave Han a flat look. Even with the apparent seriousness of the situation, I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Are you making this up?" I asked him. "You sound like you're making this up."

"I am not making this up!" he protested.

"Crimson Jack I could maybe buy, but even that sounds ridiculous."

"I didn't name him! Don't look at me!"

"'Redbeard,' though? That has to be your idea of a joke."

"It's not! I-"

"HEY!" Leia interrupted us.

Broken out of our argument, we both turned to Leia, who was looking just a bit irate at the moment.

"Gentlebeings, I think we need to be focusing on the fact that we've just been captured by a pirate ship," She stated, slowly and firmly. "It would be so wonderful if you two could pay attention and focus. We need to act carefully, whatever we do."

Turning back to the viewport, I couldn't help but agree as the rogue warship now filled the exterior view, blocking out the stars with its massive frame.

I had a bad feeling about this.

~Skywalker: Resurgent~

The Falcon was pulled into the ship and settled down onto an empty spot along the ship's central hangar section. Magnetic locks fastened the Falcon into place as the tractor beam projectors shut down.

The ship must've had a load of fighters and shuttles beyond the blue atmospheric shielding. At the back of the bay, I saw indistinct figures moving back and forth. I figured they must've been the ship's crew going about various tasks. However, approaching the Falcon down the center of the bay was a group of clearly armed pirates coming to greet us.

"Han..." I said warningly.

"I know," Han replied calmly. "I see them. Relax, kid. They're not gonna do anything. You're all with me and I'm gonna make that very clear."

"But are they going to listen?" Leia asked.

"They wouldn't dare shoot," Han assured us. "We've just gotta put on a brave face and we'll walk out of this alright. Jack's a pain in the shebs, but he and I don't have any actual grudges. Hells, I actually think he likes me for some reason."

"Exit your ship, Captain Solo!" Came a call over some kind of megaphone system they had. "And tell everyone else on board to come out with you!"

"Well, that's reassuring," I muttered. Turning to Leia, I asked, "You still have your blaster on you, right?"

"Of course," came her immediate reply.

"Just keep it cool and I'll talk us out of this," Han assured us. "Keep your real names to yourselves while you're at it."

"I'm putting my faith in you here, Han," I said. "But I'm also not going to relax completely around a bunch of pirates."

"Just keep it cool," Han insisted. "I've got this."

Walking ahead of us out of the cockpit, Leia and I followed behind him. I took a moment to poke my head into the lounge area and quickly inform R2 and 3PO of what was happening.

"Artoo, we'll need you to look after the ship while we sort this out, alright?" I informed him, hearing Han activating the Falcon's ramp behind me and hurrying this up. "I'm not sure how long this'll take or what may happen, so just stay alert."

Artoo gave a beep of affirmation that he'd look after the ship while we were gone, while Threepio simply muttered 'oh dear' several times at our new circumstances.

With that assurance given, I walked down the passageway of the ship just in time for walk down the ramp together, with Han in front. Stepping off the ship, I got a good look at the welcome wagon waiting for us a few steps from the base of the ramp. I had to struggle to keep my reaction controlled as I got a good look at them.

Fashion is a rather bizarre thing in the Star Wars Universe. Different cultures, species, and organizations boasted such a riot of strange clothing choices that it was hard to keep track of what was 'in' and 'out' of style any given day of the week. On Tatooine, fashions were simple and not too much attention seemed to be payed to such things when most of the locals had bigger concerns and the spacers coming in knew to dress appropriately for the climate or were just accustomed to practical garb.

These guys were wearing a wild assortment of colors and styles. Violet and tan, mixed with A few of them wouldn't look out of place in some of the old sci-fi comic art back on Earth such as Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon. Most of the clothing seemed skintight, as apparently that was an almost ubiquitous trend in this galaxy that refused to die, and all of it seemed to have some strange color and cut combination to it. One of the guards had a helmet with three long fins coming out of the top while two were wearing briefs that made them look like they hadn't bothered to put on pants today. There was even a guy with bits of incomplete clone trooper armor strapped to his body.

Aside from the ragtag mixture that made up the majority of the small group, there was one man who stood ahead of the gathering that appeared to be in charge...

Tall for a human, he stood at about seven feet and had a bulky frame with broad shoulders. He showed this off with a tight and sleeveless black tunic with steel-like bands that wrapped around his hard muscular arms. He wore equally black pants, skintight again, and black boots. And of course, he had a mane of thick red hair on his head and a matching beard that was gelled and styled into several hook-like points and reached as low as his collarbone.

The infamous 'Redbeard,' I presumed.

The man grinned, laughed and held his arms out wide as he did so.

"Han Solo!" the man cried out boisterously. His arms were held out as if he expected Han to hug him in greeting.

"Jack," Han responded in a neutral tone. Han made no move to hug the pirate, but did hold out his hand to shake. Crimson Jack ('Seriously, what the hell is with these names?') didn't seem at all put off by this and flamboyantly clapped his hand against Han's for an enthusiastic shake. "You've certainly... upgraded... since we last met."

"You like her?" Jack asked, throwing his arms out as if to encompass the whole ship. "Welcome aboard the Rigor Mortis, the deadliest pirate ship in the Outer Rim territories!"

As he said this, the dorsal hangar doors, closed and let out a hiss as hydraulics sealed the heavy doors in place. As the hissing stopped, the blue atmospheric shielding that protected us from vacuum shut off, dimming the whole bay slightly as it no longer added to the illumination already in place. Funnily enough, I don't recall that being a feature I was familiar with for Venators. I supposed it was likely added by the pirates after they took control of it.

Looking around, I took notice of as much of the ship as I could. This was my first time being aboard an actual capital ship and I was completely fascinated with it, despite my disdain for the pirates I was now in company with. The long hangar bays with dozens of alcoves lining its sides were fascinating to look at.

Reminiscent of her days as a Clone Wars ship, several of the ships I spotted were also from that era. The bays immediately adjacent to us were sealed, likely a means of protecting equipment if they captured crew came out shooting, but I spotted a few LAAT dropships further down the bay.

"Small galaxy, isn't it?" he asked. "What are the odds I'd catch you and your furry friend in my net while out fishing?"

The hangar deck itself seemed busy in the sections we were in. There must've been about a hundred fightercraft and about a dozen shuttles along the side bays. Crewmen, but a surprisingly abundance of droids, scurried about between the fighters as they went about some unknown tasks.

Droids weren't typically abundant in many areas of the galaxy since the Clone Wars. A general distaste for them had developed in many cultures and saw a massive reduction in demand as well as where their presence was tolerated. Even on Tatooine, many bars or shops strictly forbade droids from entering for no other reason than old phobias and mistrust.

"These members of your crew?" Jack's question interrupted my observations. "What's your deal?"

Thinking quick, I kept an indifferent and disinterested look on my face as I jerked a thumb at Leia and spoke, "She's Bonnie."

I then pointed to myself with the same thumb. "I'm Clyde. That's all."

"Temporary associates," Han casually waved off. "Got a new job lined up and they're my contacts."

"Care to share?" Jack asked, looking over Leia and myself with a curious eye.

"Find your own job, Jack," Han said, stepping into his line of sight and blocking his gaze from Leia and I. His tone was still friendly, if firm. "I certainly don't come butting into your work."

"Oh, but you did!" Jack laughed, turning back to Han. "I couldn't believe it when my guys told me who we'd pulled out of hyperspace! Quite a coincidence, am I right?"

"Well, you prey on enough trade lanes, I suppose it's inevitable you'll run into someone you know eventually," Han remarked casually.

"Well, now that you're here," Jack said. "How's about a bit of refreshment? It's be bad manners for me not to offer you something after having interrupted your journey like this. Bring Chewbacca and your new friends too!"

"Jack, I really don't have the time," Han began to wave off the offer.

"Nonsense!" Jack insisted. "One drink, maybe a few more, and you'll be back in hyperspace in no time with a full belly and a good buzz on your brain! My people can even give that old clunker of yours a look over while you do."

Casting a look over his shoulder at us, I caught Leia giving him a firm shake of her head, indication 'no' was her answer. I just looked right back him, not making any moves but waiting for him to make a decision. If we were his 'associates' here, I didn't want to make anyone suspicious by acting too familiar or demanding of him.

"Alright then," Han caved. "One drink, then we leave. And that'll be a 'no' on having your people look over my ship. You know I don't like anyone else working on her except me and Chewie."

"Fine, fine," Jack said, throwing an arm around Han's shoulders and starting to lead him off down the hangar. "Let's go!"

The other pirates parted, allowing Chewie, Leia, and I to follow behind as Jack began talking Han's ear off.

~Skywalker: Resurgent~

I was starting to wish that 'Crimson Jack' would just shut up already. He hadn't stopped talking about himself and his accomplishments since we left the hangar deck.

We were being escorted through the corridors of the ship to what Jack called his 'guest lounge.' Everywhere we went, we saw a mix of aesthetics that were definitely not a part of the ship's original design. Posters and even the occasional piece of graffiti covered some bulkheads. I imagine the reason the reason the floors were so clean of dust and grime was due to the numerous maintenance droids we saw as we stalked the halls.

That, and the slaves.

I felt a sense of shame and surprise that I didn't notice it earlier. While the pirates were a riot of color and styles with their clothing and demeanor, the slaves were easily identifiable by how plain they looked and their subdued postures. No slave collars like I might have expected, but that wasn't necessary in the Star Wars universe. I remember that subcutaneous bombs were usually implanted somewhere random in the slave's body and could be activated at the whim of the master via remote.

They usually wore plain jumpsuits and could be seen carrying something or walking with their heads bowed and eyes averting everyone they passed. And those were the ones I was less uncomfortable looking at. A few times while walking, I saw a human or alien man or woman wearing impractical and skimpy clothing. They were always in the company of one of the pirates in groups of one or two and few of them looked comfortable. More...resigned than anything else. I saw one young human man, shirtless and wearing a collar and leash and what was essentially just boyshorts with golden metal accents, being dragged harshly down the hallway by the woman he was with. I could feel the fear coming off of him in waves as he walked/stumbled along. The she-pirate shoved him hard into one of the rooms we passed and I heard her cackle in laughter as the door closed behind them.

Disgust welled up inside of me as we just kept walking, Jack prattling on about how he once ambushed an Imperial outpost and took on twenty stormtroopers singlehandedly.

Mercifully, we reached our destination a few moments later.

The 'guest quarters' looked like a luxurious hotel lobby with a few traces of a nightclub mixed in. If I wasn't feeling so generous, I'd have said they'd resembled the inside of a brothel. Lavish fabrics hung from every wall, only parted to show artworks that had been put up. Not being much of an expert on artwork, I couldn't tell their value but just assumed they were expensive by the tone of the room. Although, some of them looked a bit bizarre for my tastes and were likely not made for humans.

Low couches and armchairs decorated the room with an emphasis on a round wooden table in the center of the room. The table looked heavy and was also probably some absurdly expensive item, but it was nothing compared to the ornate chandelier hanging from the ceiling above it. Finely cut crystals reflected the artificial light of the room as I contemplated how ridiculously expensive this whole setup was. Jack must really think of himself as some kind of pirate king if he decorates his ship like it's a luxury liner.

Jack gestured us to the seats around us as he waited for us to take ours before seating himself.

"So, what do you think of my flagship?" he asked. "Quite a beauty, isn't she?"

"I suppose," Han said. "Not many folks flying Venators these days. You steal her from a boneyard somewhere?"

"Recovered her from a forgotten battlefield!" he declared proudly. "She was left drifting, all hands either dead or gone and her reactor shut down. Had a pretty nasty hit to her main engine block too. My crew was ready to strip her of anything not nailed down, but I knew an opportunity when I saw one! With some generous backing from Jabba and the use of one of the Clans' shipyards, we got her fixed up and refitted to suit our needs! Now, I'll wager she's one of the deadliest vessels in the Outer Rim!"

In the back of my own mind, I cursed whomever was dumb enough and irresponsible enough to allow even the wreck of a Venator to be left drifting for some scumbag to find. I imagine more than a few people have shared my thoughts on that matter after having an encounter with this ship.

"Where'd you get the parts for that interdictor?" Han asked, bringing up a topic I had been curious about as well. "Venators never had those."

"Part of the modifications I had done!" Jack laughed. "I asked and Jabba procured it! Rigor Mortis has an overpowered reactor, like the rest of the ships in her class. Take out a bunch of that space originally used for transporting clone divisions and there's plenty of room!"

As we took our seats along one of the couches, Jack made a show of clapping his hands twice and looking towards one of the side doors to the room. A handful of seconds later, a young blue skinned twi'lek girl emerged holding a tray loaded down with identical silver cups decorated with engravings. The only cup not identical to the rest was one that seemed to be made out of bone. After a moment of closer examination, I saw that it wasn't exactly bone, but the severed horn of some large beast that had been turned into a cup.

No surprise, that particular cup belonged to Jack.

The rest of us took a cup off of the tray, even if we didn't actually drink from it. I know that I did it because I figured it'd be strange and draw attention to myself if I didn't

Han, Chewie, and Jack seemed to have no such concerns and all drank from their cups. Han and Chewie only took small sips before putting theirs aside while Jack drained most of his in one go.

"Han, what do I have to ply you with to get you to come work for me?" Jack asked. "Look around you! Smuggling never treats you as well as I can! You'd get to be a part of something far more profitable than simple errand jobs!"

"Sorry, Jack," Han said, not sounding sorry at all. "That's not my style. The answer's still no."

"Ahh," Jack lamented aloud. "I offer you fame and fortune, and yet you always turn me down. What do I have to offer you, Solo? What's your price?"

"Nothing," Han said with a wry smirk. "You could offer me your ship and I'd still turn you down. Like I said; piracy ain't my style."

"Well, you're certainly not getting my ship!" Jack declared, laughing but shaking his head as well. He seemed to then down the rest of his drink before letting out a quick belch and lamenting. "Such a waste of good talent! I'll get you one of these days, Solo!"

"Sure you will, Jack," Han assured him. "Now, not that this hasn't been nice, but Jabba's expecting me to make a delivery for him soon. What do I gotta say so that we can wrap this up and be on with our business?"

"By 'delivery,' you of course mean, 'pay off that debt you owe him,'" Jack pointed out, peering into his now empty cup.

"For a simple misunderstanding," Han retorted. "Ain't my fault that patrol ship was waiting for me. Could've happened to anybody. Even you can't be lucky all the time."

"One doesn't have to always be lucky when they've got the power to get themselves out of any trouble," Jack said, grandly waving his empty hand as though gesturing the the entire ship we were on.

"If you say so," Han waved off. "But I gotta go. And my friends do too. They're paying me for passage and I gotta meet my end of the deal."

Sighing loudly as though he was faced with some great burden, Jack finally put down his large drinking horn and met Han's gaze.

"You see, Solo," Jack began. "You're not the only one who answers to Jabba. We have to pay our tithes to him too. The Rigor Mortis was a serious investment on Jabba's part and he needs to see a satisfying return from us. And it's not like every ship is carrying much hard currency. The pirate business can be pretty slow when you're not hitting enough trading ships, y'know. That is, unless it's someone like you, who is caught flying right into our hangar with more than twenty-five thousand credits aboard, all neatly arranged in lock boxes and in non-traceable credit chits."

"You searched my ship!?" Han exclaimed more than demanded, as though the idea of it happening was offense enough. "You boarded my ship and went sniffing for credits!?"

I caught on to what Jack was implying right away and resisted my own impulse to jump in to this argument. I know that I was outraged that Han had been taken advantage of like this, so I could only just imagine how he felt about it himself.

"It's nothing personal, Solo," he said. "But your debts aren't my problem. This was just bad luck for you."

"That money is meant for Jabba!" Han argued still. "You steal from me, you're stealing from him!"

"That's one way of looking at it, I suppose," Jack replied. "Another is that I take your money, your ship, and your companions can either try to negotiate their way out of this. Otherwise, I check to see if there's any bounties on them worth cashing in on."

I saw Han bite back a retort at the threat and I felt my own temper rise at the implication.

"Then again," he continued. "One of my officers is a Trandoshan that has family in the slave trade. I'm sure I could ask him to make a call to one of his cousins and-"

"You've made your point, Jack," Han growled at him, cutting him off. Chewie was actually growling and Leia looked ready to spit fire at the pirate captain. I myself was feeling tempted to reach for a weapon and put this scumbag in his place, before I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and think.

"I'm just sayin', Solo!" Jack pointed out, acting innocent. "I ain't gotta be so nice. You're getting off pretty easy, considering. It's because I like ya so much! Other folks wouldn't get treated so nice!"

"Fine... keep the damn credits," Han continued, still clearly pissed off. "I'll make it back some other way."

"Good!" Jack replied boisterously, clapping his hands together once. "It's not so bad, Han! This is just how the game goes sometimes! You still have plenty of time to make back the credits before Jabba gets serious and sends someone after you."

The servant girl from earlier reentered the room with a large jug and Jack apparently decided to wrap this up.

"But there's no hard feelings here!" Jack laughed, reaching and taking the first refill for himself. "You just got unlucky is all! Have a drink, relax, and you're welcome to depart whenever you'd like!"

"I think I'll pass on that drink," I said as the servant girl offered a heavy looking jug up to me and I just crossed my arms. She looked fearful for a moment at my rejection, but moved over to Han next.

"I think we'll all be passing on any more of your hospitality at this point, Jack," Han said, still clearly furious.

Chewie growled and nodded his agreement, while Leia's expression was apparently enough to deter the server from even trying to offer anything to her. Fearfully, the servant girl turned in place and glanced between all of us. Eventually, the girl turned to look back at Jack. Jack just grunted and waved his hand dismissively at the girl.

The girl walked hurriedly back out the door, careful with the still heavily loaded jug in her hands. Her rush and load apparently didn't prevent the guard at the door from taking advantage of her distraction and quickly reaching out a hand to make a grab at her butt.

The very young girl let out a terrified squeak as she nearly dropped the still heavy container. She managed to recover and scampered out of the room at a much faster pace than before, much to the apparent amusement of the guard who'd grabbed her.

As I sat there, feeling the anger and resentment build up inside of me at the smug and superior attitude of these pirates, I felt the beginnings of a plan forming in the recesses of my mind.

Jack made some further inane comments, but I wasn't paying the least bit of attention at this point. Instead, my gaze was fixed onto the woman who'd been introduced as Jack's top pilot. The woman herself hadn't done much else than scowl at us all, which was an irony when one learned that her name was Jolli (as in 'have a holly, jolly, christmas'). However, it was her status as Jack's top pilot and apparently favored lieutenant that got her my attention now.

Slowly, carefully, I stretched out with the Force. I reached out with my mind, an invisible tendril of thought and feeling stretching between myself and the pirate woman. Her mind wasn't exactly weak, quite the opposite in fact, but she wasn't immune to a bit of influencing. Time to put those lessons to good use...

Not a command...but an idea...a suggestion...a passing thought...

Jack was still rambling about himself and his operations to Han and Chewie, neither of whom looked the least bit interested. He was making another offer to Han to have him come work for him, which Han clearly wasn't going to take but was stuck listening to anyway.

'Perfect timing,' I thought.

"That little ship of yours has all kinds of features that'd make her a boon to an operation like mine. You-"

"If it's all the same to our esteemed host," I interjected, keeping my expression straight and my true feelings to myself. "This conversation has nothing to do with either my associate or myself. We will both return to the ship and ensure our baggage and our droids were not disturbed."

Jack barely looked at me before taking another gulp of his drink and waving me off dismissively.

"Fine, fine," Jack waved off. "One of my guards will walk you back."

"I'll take care of it, sir," Jolli spoke up. "Don't want the pretty boy and his gal pal getting lost on the way to the hangar, now do we?"

Jack chuckled at the menacing tone his subordinate took when she spoke.

"No, certainly not," Jack agreed, turning back to talk to Han and Chewie.

"Captain Solo, we'll see you when you're done here," I informed him, walking for the door. Leia followed behind me, her temper flaring still at this whole situation.

I didn't catch the expression on Han or Chewie's faces, but I didn't want to break from his provided cover more than I already had. A dissatisfied and annoyed associate wouldn't care so much and would just want to move this along...which is exactly the image I was going for here.

As we walked back to the hangar deck in the company of the pirate woman, the people we passed on the way all have us a wide berth. Not as wide as the one they'd given us when we were with Jack, but enough to confirm for me that this Jolli woman was someone with a reputation around here to be feared. Meaning, she was one of the more senior of the pirates and not just a regular flunky.

'Perfect,' I thought to myself. 'Let's turn on that Skywalker charm...'

~Skywalker: Resurgent~

It was a quiet and tense departure from the Rigor Mortis. Part of me still suspected that Jack wouldn't let us go or would shoot us down as we left the hangar. Han seemed to be thinking the same thing, because he told Chewie to keep an eye on the scanners and to be ready to make a run for it if it turned out that Jack had a change of heart.

But no attack ever came. The repainted Venator stayed right where she was; parked in the hyperlane and waiting to grab any more unwary freighters coming their way. Any ship falling into the range of that gravity well generator would be stopped, seized, and either destroyed or have their ships taken and looted by the pirate 'lord.' The especially unlucky might not be allowed to leave if what Jack said about being linked to Trandoshan slavers wasn't just a bluff...

The thought angered me again, but not as much before. No, this time I had the comfort of the plan that had taken root in my mind. Any anger I felt was quickly dissipated or redirected to working out the details.

Han was getting us back on course as he powered up the hyperdrive with a sour expression on his face. He had muttered a brief apology to Leia and I before he stomped up to the cockpit and got us back into space. Leia and I hadn't said anything else, and really, what could we have said?

'Sorry you lost your money?'

'Sorry that Jabba is likely going to put a bounty out on your head?'

'Sorry we had to see that part of your life?'

Han was angry and I didn't need Force powers to determine that. We'd been threatened and humiliated by that pirate, but at least we were all okay. We might've been captured if Han hadn't been the one flying us out here, but then, we probably wouldn't have run into Jack if Han hadn't offered to fly us out here in the first place.

"Luke?" Leia asked suddenly. "What are you planning?"

I turned to her, a bit surprised. "What?"

"You've been staring off into space ever since we left the Rigor Mortis," she explained, shooting me a determined look. "You haven't explained a word about what that thing was with that pirate woman back there and just now, I noticed you smile. What's going on?"

I let my smile break out across my face fully. I wondered if there may have been a slightly cold or even bloodthirsty quality to it as I answered her.

"I think I just found my first mission as a member of the Alliance."

AN: Before you berate me, let me explain.

It's never fully fleshed out to me why Han didn't pay off his debt to Jabba after Episode IV. We see him get paid, the books even say it'll be enough to pay off his debt, so why couldn't Han take a week off of helping the Alliance to make a quick trip to Tatooine, pay his debt, and get himself free and clear? I'd think the Alliance would understand that he had to get a bounty off of his head. Without something having taken place that maybe I just haven't heard of, this is a serious plot hole to me. There was another, more recent comic that tried to fill in the hole but it just seems weird to me that it's never given lip service anywhere else.

Believe it or not, Crimson Jack is an actual Star Wars character and Han actually calls him Redbeard. Old-school comics are weird. I took some artistic licensing with the character and some of the story details, but a lot of this is Legends canon. I suggest googling 'Star Wars Crimson Jack' to see the craziness firsthand. Not only is Leia asian all of a sudden, but Jolli is a man-hating, cast iron bitch that also can't get past the idea of kissing Han when Leia mentions the idea.

I'm sure Ron L. Hubbard would be proud.

Thoughts on the Kenobi/Luke bonding moment? So far as I know, that's the actual origin of his name so far as source books and wikis can tell me. I didn't want to overdo it with the emotions and I didn't want to make it seem like I was spilling all of the guy's secrets behind his back, but what do you guys think? Let me know in the reviews!

I'm sure some of you have already guessed who I was alluding to with that conversation mid-chapter with Han. All I'm going to say is don't get carried away with the hate/excitement for where you think this is going. As I've said in earlier author's notes, I'm playing a little fast and loose with timelines to make a better story. As much as we all love Legends, I think we can agree that the timeline is a bit of a mess. I'd never be able to catch everything and mention every story packed between the films without doubling back and still explaining everything a year from now. We'll still hit all the high notes, I promise.

This chapter ended up being way longer than I intended. I'll be trying to cut down on the unnecessary stuff and make things a little more story driven. There was another sequence where Luke interrogated Jolli, but I decided to scrap it for the sake of brevity.

Maybe I'll throw some stuff into snippets and add some fun stuff there and at the end of chapters, but definitely expect there to be timeskips between missions and individual adventures. We'll have at least a few more chapters before we get to the events of Episode V.

TBH, this really doesn't feel like my strongest work. But, I didn't want to cast it aside with so much already done and because of the elements it'll be introducing later on. I might make some revisions later on, but I wanted to hurry up and get this chapter out. Especially since I know a lot of folks are still bummed by this pandemic bullshit.

Until next time!