Chapter 6
Han Solo sat in the mostly quiet cantina, sipping from a mug of the local ale. Chewbacca, ever loyal, sat beside him at his table. The Wookiee seemed to be enjoying his ale. It was like going back to the old days, when Han smuggled and Chewbacca watched his back.
Only Han had little to fear from bounty hunters on a Rebel base. But because there was always the small possibility that some bounty hunter or Imperial agent could infiltrate the base, Han never let his guard down.
"Leia," Han muttered as he observed a woman entering the cantina. He shook his head after realizing it was not her. The newcomer had silver hair and seemed to carry herself in a more regal manner than his former lover.
That's not Leia, Chewbacca told him. I think you've had too much ale.
"I know it's not Leia, Chewie," Han said as he continued to study the woman, careful not to stare too obviously as she spoke with someone. It was a skill Han earned as a smuggler, one that kept him alive more times than he could count. "It's Winter."
Han set his mug down in front of him as Winter approached their table. "Well, I haven't seen you in a while," he told her. "Have a seat? A drink maybe?"
"No thanks," Winter said before taking the unoccupied seat across from Han. "I heard Leia was instrumental in your escape from Boba Fett."
"You could say that," Han said bitterly, trying not to dwell on thoughts of Leia. "She killed him."
"I just have a difficult time believing she could betray us like this," Winter said. Han knew Winter was one of Leia's oldest friends, so he bit back a vile comment he was about to release.
Instead, Han replied, "You'd be surprised at the people you can't trust. Do you remember Bria Tharen?"
Winter nodded. "She was instrumental in the early stages of the Rebellion," she said.
"Bria used me to further the Rebel cause," Han told her. "I may have joined your cause later, but I still haven't forgotten that."
Winter looked to Chewbacca and said, "Hello, Chewbacca. Are you keeping a close eye on Han?"
I have to! the Wookiee replied. He sometimes lacks a conscience.
"I resent that, Chewie," Han said. He looked to his friend and pointed his right index finger to the Wookie's face. "I turned out all right."
Winter smirked. "It's pleasant to know that someone is always looking out for you," she commented. "Is that drink still an open offer?"
Han turned and threw her a lopsided grin. "Coming right up," he told her.
A moment later, Han returned from the bar with three mugs of ale. He handed Winter her drink.
"Thank you," she told him.
Han took his seat and passed Chewbacca his drink. "Now, what brings you here before the common people?" he asked her.
"For one, Luke is very concerned about you," she told him.
"Why couldn't he just tell me this himself?" Han asked.
Winter answered, "You know how busy he has been lately. We're all concerned about you."
"You barely know me," Han said.
Winter whispered, "Luke told me that you and Leia were involved. If you believe you were the only one impacted by this, think again. Luke is doing a good job hiding his anguish, but you hardly speak to anyone anymore."
"The kid's a Jedi," Han said. "He can handle it."
Winter sighed. "He's not the only one who is hurt by all this," she said. "I am and I know you are."
"Okay, you have me there," Han admitted. "I'm just in this because the Rebellion is all I have left. My smuggling career is over and so are things with Leia. I just don't know what I'd do if I ever saw her again."
Winter stared into her mug, saddened by Han's bitterness. "Luke still has hope she can be redeemed," she said.
Kyle Katarn shook his head as he boarded his X-Wing. Jan Ors was offworld with the Moldy Crow, so he was only left with the option of taking a starfighter. A recently repaired astromech droid named R2-M9 would serve as his navigator.
Kyle looked down to Yoda and Luke in the hangar. "I'll contact you when I find something," he told them.
"Mind what you have learned," Yoda told him.
"May the Force be with you," Luke said.
"You too," Kyle replied. He then said, "Emnine, let's get going."
The astromech beeped just as the canopy closed shut over Kyle's head. He exhaled slowly as he activated the repulsorlifts. The X-Wing was soon flying out of the hangar and through Dantooine's atmosphere.
"Emnine, set a course for Dathomir," Kyle told the droid as they entered space.
Acknowledged, was Emnine's reply across a readout screen. Within a minute, the X-Wing entered hyperspace.
Luke Skywalker looked to Yoda. Both Jedi remained in the hangar minutes after Kyle departed. "I've got a bad feeling about this," Luke told the Jedi Master.
Yoda looked up to Luke. "Dwell not on dark premonitions, Luke," he warned. "On the moment, your mind must be."
Luke was not in agreement with the Jedi Master. He knew Yoda feared Luke would walk the path of his family, even though Yoda would never admit to sensing fear.
Leia featured prominently in Luke's most recent premonitions. He saw her battling a powerful darkness that threatened to swallow her whole. But he also saw Kyle in the vision. He knew not whether Kyle was there to kill her or to save her.
"Sending Kyle on this mission is dangerous, Master," Luke objected. "He's not ready for it."
"Afraid for your sister, you are," Yoda said. "Dangerous it is to peer into the future."
"But we both know what happened when I did not go to Cloud City," Luke said sadly. "I would have given my life to rescue my friends."
"Know this, I do," Yoda said. "Perhaps wrong was I to dissuade you from saving them."
Luke was once again astonished by Yoda's revelations. "Then why did you stop me?" he asked angrily.
"Calm!" Yoda exclaimed, slamming the tip of his gimer stick on the floor for dramatic effect. "You must remain calm." The ancient Master drew the attention of technicians in the hangar. After a few moments, the returned to their duties.
"I'm sorry, Master," Luke genuinely apologized.
"Stop you, I did not," Yoda answered Luke. "Just as cause your father's fall to the dark side, Obi-Wan did not. A choice, we all make. It defines us all."
Luke was crushed by the revelation. He still blamed himself for his inaction, which ultimately led to Leia's fall. "Master Yoda, it is my fault," he said.
"Hear you nothing that I say?" Yoda asked. "Leia's fault it is."
Luke nodded solemnly. He did not wish to admit Leia ultimately caused her own fall. She was open with him in their last meeting, admitting her feelings for Luke. It may have not been his choice to led her to the darkness, but such thoughts did not shake his feelings of guilt.
"What would you have me do, Master?" inquired Luke.
"Learn to let go of your guilt, you must," Yoda advised. "Dwell not on your failures. Despair is a path to the dark side."
"So you're saying it's not that I have feelings that leads me down the dark path?" Luke asked. "It's really how I handle them that determines my destiny?"
"Perhaps made it clearer, I should have," Yoda admitted with regret.
Luke turned immediately upon hearing rushed footsteps. Wes Janson stopped a few meters from Luke.
"Luke, we've got a meeting with the Grand Admiral," Wes said.
Luke buried his feelings of apprehension. Thrawn was proving to be a great asset to the Alliance with his reinforcements, but he could not shake a strange sensation that crept up his spine whenever he heard Thrawn's name.
"The whole squadron?" Luke asked.
"That's what I understood," Wes answered.
Yoda said, "Go to your meeting. I must meditate."
Luke looked back to the Jedi Master and said, "If Ben contacts you, ask him why he hasn't visited me in a while."
Yoda nodded as Luke turned to leave with Wes. Luke needed to meditate as well, but he just did not have the time to address his unease.
