Chapter 9: Chase
The bitter wind whipped like knives through her cloak and the smoke reached long tendrils through the mask to sting her nose and eyes, but Vicenious did not care. She watched, from her perch on the edge of the trench, as the last of the rebel ships peeled away from their base and knew that once again, her predecessor had failed. Despite the outcome, she could not help but grin. Darth Vader's losing streak only added more points to her favor and the fact that he had personally insisted on being the one to retrieve Skywalker put the blame squarely on his mechanical soldiers. Her smile widened and she turned to watch the dark lord emerge slowly from the wreckage. He walked with measured steps, hands clasped behind his back, an air of coolness about him, but Vicenious knew otherwise. The Force lashed with his red-hot anger, the air suffocating. The fact that the troopers accompanying Vader did not immediately keel over under the invisible pressure was impressive, even if it only meant that were not sensitive to the changes.
She turned fully to face him, hopping up as he drew closer. He made no motion to stop her as she fell in step beside him, mimicking his posture. For a while, she allowed him to simmer in silence, then, matter-of-factly, "Did you manage to capture any of them?"
He turned his head a fraction in her direction, quietly, then forward once again.
She nodded, the answer in his silence. "Our Master will not be happy." Again, her words came evenly, and Vader gave no response. "One may think you are letting Skywalker escape, given how often he slips through your fingers."
Vader's steps halted and Vicenious followed suit, turning to face him. Wisely, the troopers continued passed, leaving the Sith to face off in silence. "You would do well to remember your place."
"I know exactly where I stand."
"Then you fail to demonstrate it." Vader snapped back. To say that he tolerated her – even on a good day – was hardly the right word and, now, when Luke had once again slipped out of his grasp, was not a good time for her scorn. "The emperor should do better at teaching you to respect your betters."
She scoffed. "If you are referring to yourself, I think we both know that is not true." Even without seeing her face, Vader knew she was smiling that same spoiled smirk she so often wore. As if to prove his point, she pulled the mask away and met his helmet's eyes with her own. "I am near passing you in strength, wisdom, and skill. Perhaps it you who should better respect me - " the smirk spread wider. "Father."
His rage burst to full flames, engulfing them both in a blaze of uncontrolled, blinding power. Vicenious held her ground, pushing back just enough to avoid being overwhelmed. The word infuriated him more than anything else, and she loved it. Manipulating him with the truth was a power over him equivalent almost to Sidious.
In a sudden attitude shift, she dropped the mask, lowering her face to the ground and stepped forward, closing the small gap between them. Her fingers lay gently on his chest piece, hovering just above his heart. Soft wide eyes lifted to his face again, a fearful childlike expression, as her guard dropped. His power collided against her, a familiar sensation her flesh would never forget, and she whimpered under the assault. The tears that stung the edges of her eyes were real. "Father…will you not accept me?"
The Force hurled her back, her slim body tumbling like a rag doll across the snow. Her bemused laughter, as she flipped and crashed across the landscape, twisted about by his power, rang in his ears. "You let your favor with Sidious delude you!" He roared, thudding steps leading him toward her. She lay pinned against the ground, a heavy Force keeping her still. "I have stood by his side since the culmination of his power. I have crafted skill you could not yet dream to achieve." The hand pressed harder and her light chuckles broke in gasp. "Remember your place, Vicenious. What you think you have gained can be all too easily stripped away."
Vader towered above her, glaring down at her still grinning face. Despite knowing what she was doing, despite desperately wanting to resist playing right into her hands, Vader felt his ire spike another level and he lashed out in kind. Still, he knew killing her now would not cleanse him of this rage. When he finally restored order to the Rule of Two, she would be strong enough to recognize her failure.
All at once, he set her free. The heavy gasps she took and slow way she peeled herself from the snow were something he would not deny enjoying. He was already walking away before she regained her feet, yet that did not prevent him from hearing her threat. "You'll only be able to do that for a little while more, father."
He refused to respond.
After the manic exit from Hoth, the empty silence of space engulfing his single fighter felt extremely lonely. Luke exhaled and fidgeted in his seat, then inhaled slowly pulling in the calm from the vacuum.
You will go to the Dagobah system. Ben's voice still rang in his ears and the urge to find the system pulled at him hungrily. So much so that he, only now, realized he hadn't verified if Han and Leia had safely escaped the planet. His fingers twitched with a desire to turn around, but it was quickly overshadowed by Ben's request. The old man, whose guidance had gone quiet for months, wanted Luke to do this. He had to follow through. Yoda. He had to find the Jedi Master and complete his training. He would be more help to them, after all, when he was a proper Jedi.
His hand tightened around the controls, determined. From his perch in the X-wing, R2 let out a short, timid, questioning whistle. Words sprung across the small screen in front of Luke. Would you like me to fly?
Luke chuckled and shook his head. When did that little droid learn how to be so sneaky? The astromech had been trying to dissuade Luke from this path the second he found out they weren't going to rendezvous point. It was almost impressive. Shaking his head again, Luke answered. "That's alright. I'd like to keep it on manual for a while."
R2's disappointed whine made Luke chuckle again. The droid may be old, but he certainly hadn't lost a step.
"We're in trouble!" Han braced himself against the console as another a blaster bolt shook the speeding Falcon.
Desperate to capture any of the fleeing rebels, the Star Destroyer Avenger lead the pursuit and remained hot on their tail the moment it became clear the little cargo ship was incapable of jumping to lightspeed. It was only the massive size difference that kept the Falcon outside the range of the Avenger's powerful canons.
Desperately, Han flipped the toggle several more times to no avail. "Damn it!"
"I tried to tell you sir," 3PO cried waddling forward. "The hyperdrive motivator has been damaged. It's impossible to go to lightspeed!"
The pilot rounded angrily on the droid, pushing him into Leia's lap as he stormed by. "Shut him up or shut him down! Chewie! Help me get this fixed." He disappeared further into the ship and Leia, pushing the inactive droid into another seat, slipped into the pilot's seat. While the Destroyer was still far enough away to be only a nuisance, the four screaming TIEs that chased them at much quicker clip were still a threat. With practiced experience from the several times she controlled the Falcon, Leia carefully weaved and evaded the fighters' attacks.
xxxxx
The Avenger pressed forward; the only ship not entangled with another after their prey's crafty maneuvers. From the bridge, Needa, captain and commander of the vessel, watched as bit-by-bit they drew closer to the rebel ship. Sources confirmed that this one had been the last transport-type to leave and previous encounters almost assured them that the notorious Princess was on board. To be the one to finally bring her in, Needa knew, would put him in a golden position by Vader's side. "Increase our speed and focus all fire power on their engines," he ordered to the command crew. "If we can't catch them, we can disable them."
"Yes, sir!"
For a brief second, the steady rain of laser bolts halted as new aim was set, then, they restarted with pinpoint accuracy, fizzling out along the rear deflector shield protecting the Falcon's valuable power source. Needa did not lose hope. As focused as the shots were, the shield would fall soon enough, and the rebels would list right into his hands.
"I will update Lord Vader on our pursuit. Maintain this course and alert me the moment their shields fail."
The lavender and indigo stain spreading across her chest seemed perfectly at home amongst the similar dozen bruises and scars that made permanent residence on her body. Signs and memory of a time she only vaguely recalled, Vicenious admired each of them for the story she survived to tell. She stepped closer to the full-length mirror reflecting her bare, battered body. No matter how damaged she was below the neck, her tormentor – her father - had never struck her face. A perfectly persevered memory of the girl she used to be – a memory she could not unlock. Unlike Vader, Vicenious did not struggle to forget her past, but rather to remember it. The years that spanned her growth from child to woman were nothing but fragments of dust, flittering away whenever she moved to grasp them.
What she knew had been told to her in brusque snippets: she lived poorly, abandoned in the underbelly of Corusant after her mother's death and father's turn; rescued and trained by the emperor before she hit adulthood. The rest, her adoptive grandfather simply called irrelevant and Vicenious was loathe to disagree. Truly, whatever happened before she found safety in his arms only showed her weak nature. He had raised her up and she did not need to think beyond it; it would be disrespectful to her master to yearn for such a poor life.
As though making the final mark on the thought, she pulled her cloak around her frame and swept into the wide chair in the center of her work console. The moment she hit the seat, the station blazed with light, a ring of illuminated panels flicking to life around the chair. Three flat screens lowered from the ceiling behind her and she turned to view them. One pointed directly at the viewport from the bridge, giving her an exact echo of what her crew saw. The other two, watched the bridge from differing angles, culminating in a total overlook that let nothing slip by her watch.
Vicenious let her eyes slip across the screens until she found her captain, Brunson. The lean, dark-skinned woman stood calmly at attention behind the navigators, discussing something. Her brow was slightly furrowed, lips drawn tight with disappointment. Suddenly, she turned on her heel and left the bridge and Vicenious knew the captain would be coming to see her.
Brunson had been a personal pick by the Sith. The captain's long-standing loyalty, refusal to allow failure or insubordination and impressive track record from her early days meant Vicenious could leave the day-to-day duties in Brunson's hands without concern things would falter. In fact, it was widely known on the Devastator that the female Sith had little knowledge or interest in the minute details of star flight. So long as the ship worked to safely and comfortable carry her to every corner of the galaxy and eradicate trouble in her path, she gave the general run of the ship no mind. Still, it was a poor image for the captain to make too many decisions, seemingly without approval, and so, on occasions when larger incidents or concerns arose, Brunson played her part well and dutifully reported them to her superior.
On cue, Vicenious' door chimed with a pattern unique to Brunson, before sliding open to admit the captain.
"Tell me."
Brunson did not miss a beat. With the door still sliding back in place behind her, she launched into the report. "We have sustained minor damage to the hull in sections ten through fourteen aft and twenty-six through thirty-nine starboard. Atmosphere leaks along the lower decks have been sealed; however, structural damage is severe through non-essentials quarters."
Vicenious barely gave her captain one ear as the woman droned on about the detailed damage to the Devastator.
"Are any of the weapons, shields, or engines damaged, Brunson?" Vicenious finally interrupted.
The captain took a moment to skim the datapad she read from. "Two of the anterior canons are malfunctioning but repairs have begun and should be completed within two days. Shields and engines were unaffected."
The sith rolled her eyes, stiffly, toward the captain finally meeting Brunson's blazing indigo eyes. "You've broken my guns?" The caustic bite suddenly dripping from her voice snapped the captain to attention. She was not terrified of the Sith, there was tenuous respect that danced between them based on admiration of the other's power and experience, but she was not fool enough to test her temper.
"The ship still has more than enough power to outlast the entire rebel fleet," Brunson said slowly. Vicenious golden eyes were locked onto her form and the captain recognized the hot brush of power against her mind. She forced her thoughts to center, laying them out neatly for her commander's perusal and continued speaking.
"I have penalized the officers responsible," she said with a little difficulty. Brief images and memories flashed in her conscious. It took careful effort to focus on the present. "They have been suspended from duty and – "
All at once Vicenious withdrew from her mind. "You were far too lenient, Brunson. A suspension will hardly educate them on the proper way to fly." She waved off the start of the captain's apology. "Bring them to me."
"At once, my Lord."
Between R2's panicked screams and the X-wing's blaring alarms, Luke was amazed he could hear himself think. The impenetrable wall of fog that swallowed his ship broke away suddenly and a green, marshy ground rushed up at him. Instinct and honed skill were the only thing that saved him; he pulled the ship roughly parallel with the ground and tilted it away from the maze of vines into a semi-clear patch of land. The X-wing crashed, muck and mud spurting up around them as the sticky swamp slowed their momentum.
When it finally came to a quiet stop, Luke opened his eyes – having squeezed them shut on landing – and breathed out slowly. An eerie, thick silence pressed in around him and it felt that every tree and vine and moss-covered stone stared angrily at him for the disturbance.
R2 whistled timidly, shaking Luke from his awe. With a quick tap on the console, the hatch creaked open. Immediately, a torrent of muggy air shot into the cockpit and Luke felt instantly hot in his flight suit. Peeling away his helmet, the boy leapt deftly from the ship and landed, with a squelch, on the swamp. R2 ejected himself in similar fashion, rocking unsteadily on the soft surface.
So, this was Dagobah. Luke tried to shake off his disappointment. If Ben taught him anything, it was to not be too hasty in judging by outward appearances. He took another step, mud like glue squelching in resistance. Flashbacks of the Death Star trash compactor flooded his mind.
Hidden Jedi Master or no, this place was a dump. Luke shook his head with a sigh and pulled off his heavy outer layers, already sporting a thin sheen of sweat. Beside him, R2 blipped and whirred his unease.
"It's alright," Luke answered. "You stay here. I'll have a look around."
The little droid whimpered and wobbled forward uncertainly. All at once, the soggy ground gave way and with a short, shrill whistle, R2 vanished into the marsh.
"R2! R2, where are you!?"
For a moment, the marsh stared back at the boy silently, then, as though it was all a big joke, R2's periscope broke the surface and Luke heard the droid chuckle in embarrassment. Luke sighed, relieved. He wasn't sure he wanted to be stuck on this planet alone. "You've got to be more careful."
The words were barely out of his mouth when R2 let out another terrified shriek and vanished once again. A dark shape skimmed the water before vanishing as well and Luke's saber – glowing with power – illuminated nothing. He waded carefully into the water, senses flung out. The Force was strong here, the wildlife a blinding light against his mind. He tried to focus only on the creature that took R2 but even that was difficult, the water teeming with a thousand strange lifeforms he was too inexperienced to separate. He took another tentative step, wheeling around at a soft sound to his right; then left; then stillness. Again, that damned trash compactor flashed in his mind, and he recalled the vicelike grip of that beast around his throat, the way the foul, acidic water burned his eyes and tongue. Another step, another bubbling sound, and then, with a cry that tested the droid's top register, R2 burst from the water, flung wildly across to the shore. His metal body collided with the ground just feet away from Luke. The creature in the water snorted and once again slipped out of sight.
Luke raced to the droid's side. "Oh no. Are you alright? Anything broken?" Weeds and dirt and mud covered most of the silver body, but Luke did not see anything of major concern. "You're lucky you don't taste very good," he added as he swiped mud from R2's visual centers. If the droid were any other creature, Luke was sure he'd be trembling in shock. Even still, R2 tottered on the spot, head swiveling at the smallest sound. He whistled low and Luke nodded.
"If you're saying 'coming here was a bad idea', I'm beginning to agree with you."
Han grit his teeth as he steered the Falcon into a tight corkscrew. Just above, a heavy, lazily drifting asteroid twice the size of the ship passed through the area of space they had just been. But there was hardly time to celebrate. Massive rocks floated and crashed around them without pattern, while smaller ones cracked against the battered hull.
In the co-pilot seat, Chewbacca barked a warning and Han dove low to avoid another large rock.
Evading the empire in the sudden asteroid field had seemed like a good idea at the time – when a Destroyer and several fighters were seconds away from blasting them to bits. But now, the ever-cocky pilot found himself questioning the path. Despite the constant barrage, the field showed no sign of letting up and his baby was already in desperate need of repair. It was a long shot to go into the field, let alone make it through.
Just behind him, he felt Leia's hands tight on the back of his chair. He was almost certain, if he turned around, he'd see her knuckles and face as pale as the snow on Hoth. The thought hit him strangely, a mix of guilt and smug vengeance swirling in his gut.
"Watch out!" His attention was wrenched from his thoughts as a TIE looped around them for a shot. Bright lasers just barely missed the Falcon and Han pushed aside worry for Leia's fear. She'd be a lot more scared floating in space.
"You said you wanted to be around when I made a mistake," he shot over his shoulder bitterly. "Well this could be it, sweetheart."
"I take it back." Impressively, Leia's voice maintained a measure of calm. "We're going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer."
"I'm not going to argue with that." He quickly scanned the radar; still no sign of an exit. Well…"I'm going in closer to one of those big ones."
His passengers exploded in a chorus of dissention, but he paid them little mind. Twisting and steering his faithful ship toward an asteroid that could have given the Death Star trouble, Han skimmed the pockmarked surface. Small tunnels and wide canyons – and there! – a yawning cave. He pulled up and just saw the silent explosion as the TIEs on his tail careened into a giant asteroid, before diving neatly into the mouth of the cave.
xxxx
Needa stared, slightly dumbstruck, at the report running before him. The last of the fighters had blipped off the map and now, so had the rebel ship. There was a chance – a good, logical, chance – that the Falcon had been eradicated by the asteroids and their problems were solved, but he had no proof and Vader did not like guesses. Pulling himself to full height, he turned to the officer. "Scan the entire field, overturn every rock out there if you have to. Either find me that ship or show me their corpse."
He was small and nimble, darting quickly between the jabbing of his opponent. Only two years out of the Academy, the strict combat training was evident in his movements. The younger officer stepped low, dodging another wild grab, and slammed his weight against the larger man. The older, larger, officer stumbled back a few paces but braced himself against the brunt of the attack. Quickly turning the tables, he encircled his arms around the smaller man, locking him in place.
From her chair in the center of the room, legs tossed casually over the arm, Vicenious watched. The navigation officers responsible for her dear ship's damage grappled, bare handed and bloodthirsty. Their uniforms were torn, blood spattered from various wounds, and bright splotchy, swollen patches showcased well-placed attacks. And yet, they both seemed tranced, eyes glazed even as they locked onto the other.
Vicenious' light smile stretched wider. The best part of manipulating another's mind was that they never forgot any of what they did. Her eyes darted away from the display for a moment, to the body already cooling on her floor.
Brunson had delivered three to face judgment - the navigation captain and two of his most superior officers. The older captain fell first, face beaten in when the others targeted him first. She applauded the strategy, mainly because it left her with two prime gladiators in the ring.
The smaller officer was turning blue in the other's chokehold, weakly scratching at the large forearms for release. They said nothing, thought nothing, but she could hear their hearts crying out for release. Mercy or death – anything to be set free from this puppet show. But she did not listen, and with sluggish thump, another heart fell silent.
His assigned task completed, the mind trick whisked away. Jahcor's green eyes cleared, only for an instant, then tears sprang to them and he collapsed to the floor a simpering mess. He scrapped his bloodied hands on the floor and scampered away from the smaller corpse as though it would rise in judgment of vengeance at any moment.
The display promptly wore on the Sith. With a flick of her wrist, he was flung to the opposite wall, whimpers halted as her Force hand wrapped around his neck. "I told you, it would be better to simply admit who was at fault. These deaths are doubly on your head."
His mouth flopped like a dying fish, some argument or complaint dying in his restricted throat.
Despite the cruelty of her words, there was a softness in his eyes; a blissful acceptance, and she felt the relief flooding his heart. Death was a freedom from the nightmarish images already etching permanently into his memory. With each second that her grip restricted oxygen to his blood and brain he took another step closer to escaping the horror of what he had been forced to do.
Well, that wasn't right at all.
All at once, he flopped to the ground, instinctively gulping in air and with it, clarity that stung like a thousand knives. "Please…" he half-whispered, crawling through the drying blood. "Please just kill me."
"That is a mercy you don't deserve." Yet she was still irritated to let him walk away unscathed. With a small gesture, his body slid to sit in front of her, face locked on hers. "You will return to your work and return to your life, but you will never forget what happened here." The Force of her words bade the order true and even as Jahcor numbly repeated the command, the scene replayed as though he lived it once again, in his mind's eye. Fresh, tortured tears sprung to his eyes; Vicenious felt the battle within him – to seek death for his sins yet to live as she Forced upon him. A smirk played on her lips again. As an officer, he would soon prove useless, madness claiming any skill he owned, but until then it would be quite nice to watch him wane.
The little creature groaned tiredly as he stood, rough-hewn cane wobbling to support his frame. A body of muscles, once lithe and rippled to perform the most complex of acrobatic routines, now tottered along with lurching steps. He sighed again and forced his small body to stretch, arcing at the hump rounding out his back. Once again, his body protested and he let out another tired groan, folding back in on himself. His large eyes rounded on the cane gripped tight in his three bulbous digits and he sighed.
He was no teacher, not anymore. Once he had been a masterful, diligent student of the ever-evolving Force, a gateway through which its knowledge and power traversed to young, hungry minds. But that was so long ago and so much had changed. Too much. Nearly a millennium of life was heady enough to take a toll. The Force had once kept him spry and capable, but he could no longer delve into its depths so freely. Dark eyes watched the waves always and even amongst this planet, teeming with the natural Force, he dared not turn those eyes upon himself.
Yes. Yoda, eldest master of the Force felt fear. A visceral, sticky fear embedded in his soul for over twenty years. No meditation, no distraction, no isolation could erase it, though temper it, he had done. And then, with one-word Obi-Wan brought it all rushing back. Skywalker. Another shaky sigh passed his lips and the long branches reaching across the path seemed to bend down to comfort him.
The son of Anakin was supposed to be his pupil's charge, raised in the far reaches of the galaxy, away from the powerful hands that would seek to own him. A peaceful life, blind to the Force and the old ways. But the Force would not be denied. It carried the war to Luke's front door and when he refused to answer, it broke into his life. It was determined to bring balance.
Another heavy sigh and it seemed his feet sank lower in the mud with each step. The dark side was strong and the only player still standing on the board. But the game was not over, Kenobi reminded him. On that day we agreed to play for as long as must.
Yoda sighed again, pausing as soft mechanical whistles echoed around him. "Battered and breaking are the pieces of an old man. Useless, they are, against so mighty a foe."
"The pieces may be cracked," Obi-Won wisely countered. "But they do not lose their strength. Once in play, they are on equal ground."
"Recite my teachings back to me, you do."
"Because they are forever wise, master."
Yoda scoffed and waved away the memory. Kenobi had always been rather obstinate, but the old master could not deny the truth in the words. The game would continue so long as no one of equal strength challenged, for the Force would not let such evil win so definitively. Yoda sighed again, and pressed forward, the trees parting just ahead. He had little choice but to, for one last time, trust in the Force.
"You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life."
The flush, only just slipping from her cheeks, sprung eagerly over her face as the words – the moment – flashed through her mind. Despite the chill seeping into the ship from the cave. Leia's whole body felt warm, fevered with the memory of his proximity. She risked a casual glance behind her. She was still alone, sequestered in the cockpit while Han, 3PO, and Chewie repaired the inoperable hyperdrive. The solitude was more than welcome. Her mind felt unhinged, heart unbalanced, and path painfully unclear.
She was used to doubt when it came to her duties as a leader. Though she wore the mantle well and felt the confidence her subordinates placed in her, she was not without concern over her choices. It was only natural to wonder if a specific course or action would aid everyone or produce proper profits. But this confusion was on a whole other level. A personal quandary that demanded she look beyond herself as princess and embraced Leia, the woman. Because she was a woman now, wasn't she? Age aside, the life she lived over the past four years carried more experiences than most twice her age would know. She carried the future of not only Alderaan refugees - who had been fortunate enough to be elsewhere on that fateful day – but also of the rebellion and a galaxy at large. She didn't have time to be a woman.
But the fluttering in her gut would not abate. The crystal-clear recollection of Han's dark eyes, his calloused, warm hand, the gentle press of his solid chest all teased her with could-have-beens…almost-had-beens. Unconsciously, she licked her lips, mind flung backward to the kiss she so carelessly gave him.
Uncertain shame flushed her face again. Their forces were scattered, their lives on a clock, and their future grim but she dared play damsel to a self-centered pirate who could probably spell 'commitment' as well as he could apply it?!
Anger pushed her fevered admiration away. It was a mistake, a foolish moment built of adrenaline and untamed adolescence. She was better than her primal instincts. She was an Organa, a leader, a symbol of unbreakable hope and strength. She had faltered, she would allow herself that admonishment, but she would not – could not –
THWACK
Leia jumped as a large something smacked suddenly, against the windshield, violently disrupting the silence. It lingered for a moment, and, senses regained, she peered forward curiously. As though waiting until she was too close to evade, a second creature flung from the darkness. She leapt back with a scream and scampered from the cockpit.
xxxx
"Sir, if I may venture and opinion-" the protocol droid started cautiously as he watched Han and Chewbacca bustle around the tight area.
"I'm not really interested in your opinion, 3PO." Han glowered at the droid and the robot's response fell quiet. The Falcon had taken a serious beating being put through so much while under repair. The hastily slapped together fixes fell apart and connecting systems bore the brunt of the failure. It was going to take him months to properly repair the hyperdrive, let alone get the rest of the retired model to fighting shape. He was hardly in the mood to hear the matter-of-fact robot remind him just how beat up his baby was.
"There's something out there!"
Han paused from his task. That was not 3PO's voice. Turning from the console on which he worked, the smuggler found himself looking into Leia's wide and panicked eyes. A snarky retort quickly died on his tongue. She was not one to get worked up over nothing, yet her face was pale and chest heaved with breath she struggled to recapture.
"Where?"
"Outside, in the cave."
As if called into being by her warning, a dull, heavy thud echoed within the chamber.
"I'm going out there."
Leia's eyes shot wider and she pivoted tightly to follow Han's quick strides. "Are you crazy?!" Already, he was strapping a breathing mask onto his face and un-holstering his blaster.
"I just got this bucket back together. I'm not going to let something tear it apart."
Of course, Leia thought bitterly. The ship came first. Exhaling sharply, she snatched another mask off the wall and took off after him.
Beyond the protection of the ship, and with the knowledge something hunted them from the pitch-black corners, the cave felt monstrous. A cold damp clung to the air and the ground squelched as they walked. There were no stalactites or stalagmites or any sign that this cavern was hewn naturally from rock. "I have a bad feeling about this," she muttered as Han peeled away to examine their surroundings.
Suddenly, Han fired at something on the ship and Leia leapt back as large, dark mass tumbled, dead, at her feet. Almost immediately it was swallowed by the heavy mist rolling along the cave floor, but Han did not need to look at the creature too closely to report his findings. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Mynock."
"Mynocks?" She repeated disgustedly, touching the winged beast with the toe of her boot and shuddered. It seemed to be what she had seen earlier but knowing that did not ease the alarms going off in the back of her mind. Something still felt wrong about this cave. She turned slowly on the spot, trying to find anything to give validity to her unease. She strained her ears for any sound that wasn't her team and watched the shadows intently. Was something moving?
Her every sense felt on edge, so much so that when a sudden flock of the ship-destroying creatures swooped over their heads, she could not help but scream at the assault. Their panic and fear flowed as freely through her body as though it were her own and she flailed her arms wildly to get out of the swarm. Leathery wings beat against her face, fur and scaled bodies crashed blindly against her back.
Han fired, once, twice. The mass broke and vanished back into the upper reaches of the cave. The commotion echoed hollowly in the cave, the walls swallowing the sound and quickly plunging them back into silence.
Something was definitely wrong here, Leia's mind screamed. And it seemed she was not alone in thinking so. Han, brow pinched in confusion, angled his blaster toward the ground and fired.
The cave groaned and the floor trembled wildly like a creature shaking loose biting insects. Leia felt a surge of discomfort through her still heightened awareness. Han fired again and the tremors turned to violent quakes, the groan evolving into a deep growl. The Falcon rocked dangerously from side to side and the crew stumbled unevenly on the undulating ground. Barely managing to keep their feet under them, the trio clambered back on board the ship and slammed the door shut behind them.
"Let's get outta here!" Han ordered falling into the pilot seat. Chewie was already situated beside him, bringing the Falcon to life.
Leia rushed behind him, the Mynock's panic – or was it her own now? – pitching her voice to a higher octave. "The Empire is still out there! And you can't make the jump to light speed in this asteroid field-"
"Sit down, sweetheart!" Han interrupted. "We're taking off!"
The engines rushed to life and Leia was flung into her seat as the Falcon tore forward. Within seconds, the star-light sky came into view shrinking rapidly as the mouth of the cave narrowed. "The cave is collapsing!"
Han grit his teeth and pushed the ship to its maximum. "This is no cave." The Falcon squeezed through the contracting entrance and Leia whipped around just in time to see a faceless asteroid-worm chomp at the air behind them. A cold chill that had nothing to do with the cold of space sank into her bones. It had been alive.
Luke stifled another heavy sigh and shifted his legs in the cramped quarters. The little green swamp being was nice enough and cute - in a helpless kind of way - as he bustled about preparing something supposedly edible, but Luke had little care to give about a second dinner. This wasn't a vacation; he hadn't abandoned his friends to see the local sights and taste questionable cuisine. He had to find Yoda!
His eyes burrowed deep holes in the creature's hunched back and Luke willed his thoughts to overpower the alien. Yoda, Yoda, take me to Yoda.
The alien suddenly stiffened, raising his head from the pot of food he stirred and paused. Luke watched, a glimmer of hope igniting – then quickly dashing away as the being shook his head reaching for another handful of dark herbs.
Luke sighed again. "How far away is Yoda?" He finally asked. "Will it take us long to get there?"
The little creature shook his head, long ears flopping with the motion. "Not far. Yoda not far. Patience. Soon you will be with him." He hobbled around, and proudly presented a bowl of his concoction to Luke. The boy took it hesitantly and tried not to gag at the thick, muddy brown liquid. He shook his head and set the bowl aside.
The creature paid him no mind, eagerly serving himself and settling in for his own dinner. "Rootleaf, I cook." He spooned a large amount into his mouth and after a moment regarded Luke again. "Why, wish you, to become Jedi?"
Another sigh pressed out of Luke. He had prepared for that question – albeit from a more formidable source – but still found himself squirming to give up the answer. Really, his decision was rather sudden and made for him. Still, he wanted it, now, more than he could comprehend. Finally, he answered, "Mostly because of my father, I guess…" his thoughts trailed off, lamely. Out loud the words sounded foolish.
The creature nodded sagely. "Your father. Powerful Jedi was he, powerful Jedi."
Luke glared at him. It was bad enough he was certain the little alien lied about knowing Yoda – for company or for worse – but now he dared make up things about his father? A shot of anger blazed through him and his words cut back like a knife. "How could you know my father? You don't even know who I am!"
Little green man only looked at him calmly and Luke found he hated it. He slammed his fist against the bowl, stew splattering along the floor. "I don't know what I'm doing here. We're wasting our time!"
Not we, his mind chastised. Me. I'm wasting my time. Chasing a stupid hallucination to a probably long-dead teacher instead of being where I'm needed! Guilt cooled his anger and Luke pulled his knees to his chest like a chastised child. I was a fool to come here.
"I cannot teach him," the alien said sadly, seemingly talking to a wall. Yet, for the insanity of his actions his voice was calmer, lower than the manic shriek he had previously employed. There was a measure of age that gave Luke pause. "The boy has no patience."
"He will learn patience."
Luke's heart skipped at the familiar baritone. He stared, openly now, at the creature, eyes growing wide in realization.
"Much anger in him, like his father. He is not ready."
"Yoda!" Luke leapt to his feet, momentarily forgetting the very low ceiling and crumpling to the ground, head pounding where it crashed against the stone. "I am ready. I am!" Yoda eyed him sadly, mind seemingly made up.
Luke cursed his temper. "I can be a Jedi. Ben! Ben, tell him I'm ready!" He pleaded wildly to the air, swinging his head about, desperate to see the apparition of his old master.
Yoda scoffed, turning back to the boy. "Ready, are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained!" He shook his head again, advancing on the youth, cane jabbing at Luke's chest with emphasis. "Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind." He scoffed again. "You are reckless!"
"So was I, if you'll remember." Ben commented with bitter humor and Yoda sighed again. This was not quite a matter to laugh over. Training the boy meant more than simply adding another knight to the roster. He had to be strong enough, ready enough for the battles to come. Yoda took Luke in again, the pleading in the youth's innocent eyes picking at the old master's heart.
"He is too old to begin the training."
"But I've learned so much…" Luke tempered his hunger. He couldn't lose this chance. Yoda locked eyes with him again. Wide, searching eyes that pierced the boy's soul and mind. He resisted the urge to look away, to squirm from the inspection.
It seemed like an age before Yoda finally broke his gaze, a heavy weight settled on his shoulders. "Will he finish what he begins?"
Ben did not have time to answer. Luke leapt – or rather crawled – forward, placing himself before Yoda. "I won't fail you. I'm not afraid."
Yoda met his eyes with all the struggle of all his years. "Oh, you will be. You will be."
Lando Calrissian prided himself on being a smart man, quick on the uptake and adaptable to the most sudden of changes; it was the sole quality he could count on for his long survival under the Empire's radar. He was also extremely adept at noticing women; even when they wore a formless mask and long cloak.
From the corner that rounded to the main walkway, Lando watched the figure silhouetted by Cloud City's massive windows. He could tell she was 'she' well enough, but the rest, he simply made up in his mind. She was stoic, strong, probably of few words but lonely. He could work with that.
Pushing off from the wall, the smuggler strolled over to her, cloak swishing in the bounce of his habitual swagger. If she noticed his approach, she made no sign of it.
"Beautiful." He spoke softly, stepping alongside her. Intentionally, he let his gaze hover on her one second longer as he spoke before turning to face the window. He imagined she gave an almost imperceptible smile at the implied compliment. Outwardly, however, she remained still and impassive.
Silence stretched between them for another moment before Lando spoke again. "You don't seem-"
"Whatever you want, Administrator, say it plainly."
The rest of Lando's comment died on his lips, sliced off by the ice in her tone. She turned her head to him just a fraction and through the thin slits that served as eye holes, he saw gold, fiery and impatient, glimmer back at him.
He swerved carefully into his next tactic and raised his hands defensively and flashed his signature, disarming grin. "Hey, no need to get wound up. I'm just a guy out to enjoy the view."
For eight seconds, eight gloriously tension free seconds, it seemed she was going to let it go. Her eyes flickered back to the window, her posture relaxed, and she let out slow sigh that Lando took to be calm. Then, suddenly, he was airborne, slammed into the wall behind them, body flayed under the Force that held him.
Lando's eyes went wide, darting to and fro for the hulking black form, ears straining to hear over his racing heart for that sinister mechanical breathing.
But the hallway was silent, empty save him and her.
xxxx
The rapid shift from boastful confidence to terror was enough to make Vicenious giddy with delight. "You sought to woo me," she purred, finally turning to face her captive. "Like some trollop in a cantina, you thought you could sweep me away and use me to undo Vader's ridiculous plans."
Lando tried to shake his head, tried to once again smooth talk his way out of his predicament, but for one of the few rare moments in his life he was too afraid for charm. His lips simply moved in wordless stutters and his efforts to pry himself from the wall resulted in his limbs jerking ungracefully. Vicenious studied him for a moment, Force prodding at the bits that made him up. The man wasn't an idiot and she had sensed his various schemes the moment the Imperial shuttles landed and Vader made his threats. He kept much close to his chest and against a normal foe, his secrets and quick thinking would make him a powerful opponent. But Sith were not a normal foe and this particular one was a ball of anger and anticipation, a hair's breadth away from turning the glittery city red with blood.
"You are afraid of him," she said again, in a slightly bemused whisper, taking a few steps closer, slowly closing the short distance. "And once upon a time that fear would have been justified. But he is old now and there are betters poised to steal his throne." She was right on top of him now, leaned close against him so that from a distance a quick glance would look like two lovers in a secret embrace.
"His plans will fail," she whispered. "They always do."
A brief bolt of hope flashed through Calrissian's fear.
"But not all at once. They will fail, but before that will be fear and pain and death."
The bolt fizzled and died, leaving a cold void. She shuddered with pleasure and could not help but run a finger across his chest to better feel his second chance die.
"And then," she continued, eyes seeking his. "When it finally does all fall apart and I have to once again step in-" The dark smile spread to her eyes and intent, cold as the vacuum of space spilled out of them. "- you'll pray he had had his way."
...
And then everything went dark.
...
Lando woke, still in the hallway, crumpled against the wall, long shadows playing from the setting sun. He had been here only a few minutes then. The Darth - because there was no denying what she was - was gone, but he could not feel good about that. He pushed himself to his feet, trying to summon indignation to squash the icy terror still threading through his veins.
There was little he could do now, other than play along and pray he was giving in to the lesser evil.
"Han...whatever you've gotten yourself into...I hope you can forgive me when you worm your way out."
He tried to breathe deeply, to be aware of everything outside of himself and to ignore the way his muscles strained against gravity. Balanced on one hand, heavy stones stacked three-deep on his matching leg and sweat dripping from nearly every inch of his now lithe frame, Luke struggled to find the Force between his own discomforts. I mean really, he thought glumly. How many Sith am I gonna fight upside down in a swamp?
In the distance, two of his large equipment crates and a rather nervous R2, wobbled threateningly in mid-air. Luke snapped his focus back to them, once again drawing the Force around them with a mother's gentleness. They steadied themselves and rose a bit higher, slowly dancing around themselves to his whim.
"Good." Yoda coached from his perch just behind Luke. "Calm, yes. Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future... the past. Old friends long gone."
He opened himself to the Force a bit more, letting it flow more deliberately through him. To home, to Hoth, to Han and -
NO! Han! Luke, NO!
Leia's screams shot through Luke like ice. Instinctively he reached out, with hand and Force, to help her. The crates thudded to the ground, his body tilted in response to a blow he felt coming, and Luke flopped to the ground with a groan.
Yoda sighed, head shaking with knowing disappointment. The boy was learning quickly but he was still too quick to lose focus. "Control. You must learn control."
The boy groaned again as he pushed himself out of the pile and sat up. It was only with a brief moment of quick thinking that he had Forced the stones away from his more vital areas, though the by the pain in his arm and left leg, he would still be sporting some serious bruises from the fall. "I saw something…a city in the clouds." Already the Force was running away with the vision that had only seconds before been as clear as if he were there.
"Friends you have there."
Luke frowned. He hadn't recognized the place as any of the rebel bases, but he could not deny that somehow, it was correct, that Han and Leia were there. "They were in pain." Or for sure, Leia was. Her screams, utterly terrified and raw, threatened to topple his mind again.
"It is the future you see," Yoda said heavily.
Wide blue eyes turned on him. "Future?" Luke scrambled to stand. "Will they die?"
The old master regarded his pupil. He wished the gift of foresight was something the Force withheld until one was strong enough to understand its intricacies. Luke was not yet there. With a slow exhale, Yoda delved into the Force, pushing away thick darkness to find the very thing Luke had seen. But these were not his friends and answers were not as forthcoming. Yoda shook his head. "Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."
"I've got to go to them!"
"If you leave now," Yoda answered calmly. "Help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered."
Luke stopped, weighing the words. Finally, after a long pause, his shoulders sank in dejected acceptance.
xxxxx
But no matter what he tried for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, the vision would not leave him. Not when he ran and swung through the forest until his limbs felt like jelly, nor when he buried himself in grease and muck to repair his X-wing, nor even when he gagged down more of Yoda's rootleaf stew. Always it was in the back of his mind and weighing on his heart. So, when Yoda finally retired to bed for the night, Luke felt almost relieved to be left alone with his thoughts.
With a sigh, Luke let the vision spill into his conscious, transporting him back to the city. It was empty and moonlit, yet, aside from a few feet around him, the rest was shrouded in thick darkness. He focused his attention to Leia, picturing her in his mind as they last saw each other. The screaming came again, wordless and deafening. It surrounded him, bursting from the darkness. Luke whipped and turned, calling out her name but if she heard him, if she was there, she did not respond. She only screamed and cried, writhing in agony he dared not imagine.
When he gathered himself again, when he shut away the darkness and was alone in the city once more, Luke found himself on his knees. He trembled and felt his dinner crawling back up his throat.
Han…where was Han? Why wasn't he helping her?
A burst of red-hot anger shot through the darkness and for an instant, it parted and he saw Han. Still, unnaturally still…and there was no screaming. No pain. But fear. Oh god, it crashed into him as a wave and he felt trapped in it, locked under its endless churning froth.
And now Leia's screams came again. Except this time there was anger in it and sadness and the darkness parted to her ire and he saw her, pressed against Chewbacca's chest, eyes damp with tears. She was glaring at someone…someone Luke could not see, but he tasted betrayal.
...
A three fingered hand suddenly snatched him back to himself. Luke shouted, taking a minute to realize he was back on the soft, moist ground of Dagobah. Yoda stood before him, silent, once again peering through Luke's eyes into the boy's soul.
Despite himself, Luke felt calm roll into him, some mind trick he was sure, but it was working. His hammering heart calmed, and the visions went silent in his mind. Tiredness crept over him and before Luke was aware of it, he had crawled into his small nook under the ship and slipped into a noiseless slumber.
The Falcon exhaled with exhausted relief the moment its landing gear touched the platform, a cloud of steam rising as it creaked and groaned like an old man settling in for a long nap. Inside, Leia almost felt sorry for the old hunk, giving the walls a soft pat of appreciation. That it had survived this long, tense flight to edges of the outer rim, the woman almost counted as a miracle.
It was possibly the only good news they had right now. This 'Lando Calrissian' Han swore he was friends with seemed less than eager to welcome the pirate and a cold sense of caution had settled firmly in her gut. Still, they hadn't been shot down, and where Han was concerned, she supposed that was a good a sign of friendship as any.
With a sigh, she turned away from the cockpit and followed 3PO out down the Falcon's ramp.
A small contingent of armed guards lined one side of the platform midway between the ship and tall doors at the other end. Save them, the dock was empty.
"I don't like this." She said softly, hand twitching for her blaster.
"Look, don't worry," Han replied, voice pitched just a little higher than normal. Leia was not comforted. "Everything's going to be fine. Trust me." His words did nothing to convince her when he jumped minutely as the doors suddenly slid open with a soft woosh and group of about five men started toward them.
Then he sighed, shrugged and with bravado so false she was certain even 3PO could see through it, he continued, "See. My friend."
Leia just rolled her eyes.
The crowd closed the distance between them quickly, though they stopped well outside of a friendly range. Leia craned her neck over Han's shoulder and cursed silently; there was not a single pleased face in the whole group. Only Han, who strode forward brazenly seemed to be in any kind of jovial mood. "Lando!"
The man at the front – Lando by the way he drew up tall at Han's words – glowered. He was about the same height as Han but, at the moment, with his cloak spread in the wind and his entourage glaring from behind him, he seemed to tower over the smuggler.
"You slimy, double-crossing, no-good swindler!" The venom in the words was tempered by just a note of awe. "You've got a lot of guts showing up here, after what you pulled."
If Han was taken aback, he made little show of it, playfully gesturing to himself in shock.
Lando growled and took a sharp step forward, arm cocking back. Han flinched, preparing for the blow he knew he deserved, only to suddenly find himself wrapped in a warm embrace. Lando laughed and clapped Han's back, mockingly throwing small punches to tease his friend's reaction. Slowly, Han chuckled in return, shock wearing into thin humor.
Leia found it beautifully karmic that not even Han had enjoyed the ruse. One day, it probably won't be. She chuckled lightly at her own thoughts and followed the two inside after exchanging brief greetings. To be honest, though her nagging feelings of worry hadn't abated, she was grateful at the thought to get inside. The setting sun meant the clouds were getting much cooler and there was nothing out here to keep away the winds.
As they stepped under the wide archways and into the building, Leia could not help but gasp lightly; it was gorgeous. Windows lined the halls with barely a gap between them so to accentuate the endless sky surrounding them. Where a wall was absolutely required, a soft, unobtrusive eggshell white ran along the interior seamlessly with flecks of shimmer that she imagined caught the sunlight throughout the entire day. Even now, they gently reflected the final rays of sunset, playing tricks of pink and orange in the corner of her vision. Above them, the ceilings arched or flowed in circular patterns; large curving lights in the halls with high, round imitated skylights in any open area.
"I hope this swindler hasn't gotten you into any real trouble."
Leia pulled her attention away from the architecture, turning to address Lando. He had slowed his steps to match hers and had clearly been amused by her appreciation. Leia smiled back politely, ever the diplomat, and bit the truth on her tongue. "Nothing I can't handle."
Lando chuckled. "He always was getting gorgeous woman twisted in his schemes." He leaned closer, whispering. "But they've always been the only ones smart enough to get him out."
"So, nothing's changed then?" Leia answered with a laugh.
Ahead, Han glanced back only to scowl at them. "Oh ha-ha. I'll have you both know I've gotten out of plenty of iffy situations with just me and my blaster."
Chewie barked, affronted.
"And Chewie. Just me, Chewie, and my favorite blaster."
"I'm sure that's exactly what you believe, too." Lando shot back smoothly, calm against Han's boisterous nature.
Leia shook her head. How they had managed to be friends at all seemed a bit beyond her. Lando – whom she was still no nearer trusting – seemed to be at least a capable man, if not one of many tricks and even more secrets. Han, however, flew - almost literally - by the seat of his pants and survived only by luck and happenstance. They seemed far more likely to kill each other than be friends; and that thought gave her little comfort. Still, they were here now, and if she learned nothing else from politics and royalty, she knew how to work every situation to her favor.
She kept up a non-committal stream of commentary as Lando wound them through the large halls of Cloud City, proudly showing off the architecture, infrastructure, and general opulence of the colony, before finally depositing them in a large guest suite just as the sky melted into darkness.
The room was as wonderful as the rest of the city, with three bedrooms, two separated washrooms, a large central room and several smaller rooms for whatever passed for entertainment here. Windows lined one whole wall and Leia imagined that in the daytime, the room glowed like a diamond in the filtered sunlight. "Thank you," she said, turning to Lando. "I'm sure we'll be very comfortable here."
Lando bowed, dramatically sweeping away his cloak. "The thanks are all mine, that such a beauty has graced our humble city." He straightened and turned his attention to Han. "It's a little late, but as my Falcon was practically groaning on arrival, I'll have some of my guys take a look at her in the morning. Anything…sensitive…I need to know about?"
Leia stepped away as Han answered something about "the usual places", far too exhausted to put up with either of the two any longer. She retired to the nearest bathroom, shut the door, and allowed herself to quickly slip into the comfort of a warm bath.
xxxx
By the time Leia emerged, everything was plunged into thick, inky blackness, the sky void of any stars or moon strong enough to pierce the heavy clouds. She realized, with a bit of shock, that she must have fallen asleep in the warm water, and the realization sent an uncomfortable chill crawling over her skin. This wasn't a place to be that comfortable, her senses whispered, and the silence was not helping her shake the feeling.
Carefully picking her way across the room, relying on memory more than sight, she found her way to the door and the console there that controlled the room's lights. Squeezing her eyes shut, to avoid the blindness of the sudden surge, she tapped the screen and heard the soft buzz which indicated the lights were on.
And then she heard the growl. A grumpy, whiny thing, from a Wookie rudely awoken.
"Oh. I'm sorry Chewie!" She said, turning to face the Wookie, strewn across the large couch. "I didn't know expect you to be out here." Quickly, she tapped the console again, plunging the room into darkness, save for small, dim, rings of light illuminated underneath the furniture. It was just enough to see by, as she quickly made her way back to her own quarters.
It should have been a calming sign that the ever on-guard wookie was also able to find rest here, but Leia's insides still struggled against peace. There was something here, so similar to the asteroid cave she was almost certain it was just a remnant; a thin, almost translucent, vague sense of danger.
Not knowing what it alluded to or came from only made it worse. The uncertainty felt suffocating and as she sank into the soft bed in the silent room, she felt her mind try desperately to rationalize her concerns.
Han was crass and spontaneous, but he wasn't stupid. In the midst of everything going on, he wouldn't take them somewhere he didn't truly think he could trust. And as much as he smirked and grinned and flirted, friend was a word he did not throw around easily. Still…
She flipped unto her side with a harrumph of a sigh and pulled the silky blanket up to her chin. She knew she was not the most trusting sort – being a member and leader of rebellion tended to do that to you – but even she could not understand her pit of unease. She wrapped her arms around herself, the soft fabric of her nightgown feeling too thin and insubstantial to be of any comfort, and stepped back out of the large bed. Leia, instead, sank silently into the nearest chair and curled her body into a small, tense ball, her face toward the door, blaster tucked readily in its cushions.
To be continued...
I want to thank everyone for waiting so incredibly long for me to update and to apologize for said wait. This particular chapter has been written for a while but, in an effort to avoid future long delays, I was saving it while I worked on later chapters. Then the pandemic came and I lost all inspiration and well…here we are…3 years since the last chapter. Again, I'm so sorry but I'm super grateful for everyone who has stuck around.
I do have several following chapters done and am planning to update on a bimonthly basis going forward to give myself time to get further ahead and hopefully end any further multi-year long delays. But I am human, I have a life that gets messy and stressful and overwhelming and I may falter. I will do my best to update when that happens so you're not in limbo thinking you're never getting the ending to this story.
With that said, I hope you've enjoyed this entry and I look forward to your feedback!