Chapter 15

Han, Leia, and Ty headed toward Jungle Land, the land full of adventure and excitement. Massive, long-leafed, green trees that looked as if they had been growing for many years shrouded the land's pathway, cooling the temperature of that section of the park by several degrees. They approached Indiana Jones, an extremely popular ride based on a famous holofilm. Han and Leia had never seen the film, but they had heard that it was very exciting. The ride was housed in a cracked temple lit by torches along the ride's pathway.

They entered the line, which was much longer than those of the other rides they had been on. They had to wait outside the building, a concept that Han had to complain about profusely while Leia tried to quiet him down.

Once they entered the "temple" their surroundings became more interesting. Ancient-looking writing adorned the walls and they walked through a room full of spikes and human skulls. The violent-looking room fascinated Ty, and as he looked around he saw a pole with a sign next to it reading, "do not touch the pole." He did not like the idea of causing some hazard by merely touching a pole, so he tried to stand as far away from it as possible. Han, on the other hand, was never one to ignore a challenge, and grabbed the pole and aggressively pushed it to the side. The lights flashed and thunder struck as the ceiling of the room started to collapse. Ty shrieked and tried to run past the patrons in front of him, but Han grabbed his arm and laughed.

"Hey, Kiddo, it's no big deal. It's fake. Nothing on this ride is gonna hurt you. 'Cept maybe the big rock at the end of the ride. I hear that it's been known to crush people."

Ty looked scared and tried running off again, but Leia gently touched his arm and he turned around.

"It's okay, Ty. He's just joking, though it isn't very funny," she said, glaring at Han. "Han, Ty is only seven years old, and he's never been anywhere like this before. Don't say things like that."

"Sure, dear, anything you say," Han said with a sly grin.

When they finally got to the front of the line, a Bith pointed to their transport; a car that actually required wheels instead of repulsor jets. They all climbed inside, and the car jerked forward as it began moving. Ty was at the "driver's seat," therefore he was able to pretend like he was controlling the vehicle.

They lurched through a doorway, and Leia relaxed as the ride seemed to reach a slower pace. They moved slowly toward a large portrait of a woman with flashing eyes, and were inches away when the car jolted to the left.

The car shook and wobbled back and forth as they came upon a humanlike droid, presumably resembling Indiana Jones, dressed in strange clothes. He had a brownish-white tunic, brown pants, a gun-belt, and a brown hat that sat jauntily upon his head. Han glanced at him, and then did a double take as if he were seeing his reflection. The man (or droid) looked exactly like him!

"Leia! Does that handsome droid look familiar to you?" Han asked hurriedly.

Leia, prepared for a sarcastic comment, was shocked. "Yes, Han, he looks exactly like you!" Leia cried, noting that Han should try out the rugged un-shaven look sometime.

The droid began speaking. "Tourists! Why'd they send tourists? Turn left, left!"

"Han, he sounds just like you, too!" Leia said, bewildered.

"Ha!" Han whooped. "This totally makes up for the movie! I knew that they'd want to eternalize my roguish charms and handsome features in a ride!"

Just as the words left Han's mouth, the car took a severe turn to the left. Leia grabbed Han's forearm as she was nearly thrown out of her seat. The car wound through the temple, and when they approached a gigantic snake Leia noticed that Han was now grabbing her arm.

"I hate snakes, Leia. Why'd there have to be snakes?"

"You know it's not really a snake, Han. Why don't you try comforting the little boy next to you who looks like he's going to die of fright?"

Han looked over and saw that Ty's face was ghost-white.

"It's okay, Kid, it's not real," Han said.

Ty nodded, and looked confident for a moment before he saw what was coming up. He then clutched his eyes shut and grasped Han's upper arm. Han looked forward to see what it was, and saw that it was the giant rock that he had told Ty about earlier. Indiana Jones was dangling above it, and it looked as if it were going to crush everyone.

"Watch out!" Leia shouted at the animatronic droid. "Jump, jump! Think about the children!"

Everyone looked at Leia strangely, and she just shrugged. "I have my reasons."

The car (amazingly) was not crushed by the giant (plaster) rock, and the ride finished in front of a winded Indiana Jones who was making various comments about the stupidity of the riders.

"Why does that Indiana Jones man look just like you, Han?"

"I dunno. I guess the people who made the ride were just taken with my ravishing good looks," Han said with a smug grin.

"I won't argue about the looks," Leia said, touching his chin with a forefinger. "But that movie was made a few years ago. The droid is modeled after the man in that film."

"There can't be two men who look like me in this galaxy! It's not possible that the Force would allow there to be two such images of perfection."

Leia rolled her eyes this time. "You may have changed since we first met, Han, but your ego sure hasn't. We'll rent the film when we get home and you can see for yourself," Leia said, climbing out of the ride.

Han and Ty got out with her, and the three went out the exit.

"I wanna go on the ride again!" Ty told Han.

"What? You were freakin' out the whole time we were on the ride!"

"I know. That's why I wanna go on it again!"

"Kids," Han mumbled.

"Maybe later, Ty, but I have to go eat something. You don't want a hungry pregnant woman on your hands, do you?"

Ty shook his head emphatically.

"That's what I thought. Let's go."