I'm also writing a one-shot story taking place after Attack of the Clones when Anakin tells Palpatine about how he murdered an entire tribe of Sand People after they tortured his mother to death. Keep an eye out for it.
Star Wars
Twin Suns Early Rise
Chapter 4: Smuggler's Moon
Nar Shaddaa, a moon-sized rock smeared with metal orbiting over Nal Hutta, homeworld of the galaxy's most vile criminal species, the Hutts. It serves as a massive port and resting grounds for the slugs' countless smugglers that make their illegal operations a success. The moon like the planet of Coruscant serves as one giant city, though unlike the capital of the galaxy, the smugglers' moon is filled from the highest levels to the bleak, bottom core with pollution of the foulest sorts comprised of literal trash and the beings that inhabited the place. Since the days of the Old Republic, this moon has served as the embodiment of everything wrong in the galaxy.
Yet here she was, Leia Organa, Princess of Alderaan, a world opposite in every way from this miserable rock. Accompanied by her astromech, R2-D2, she looked for a ride to Tatooine in hopes of finding her long-lost brother Luke Skywalker.
Now stopping here wasn't her first choice, but it's not like people from Alderaan were interested in travelling to a desert world also controlled by the Hutts. The only reason she was on this disgusting moon was that she'd stowed away on some old transport ship outbound for Nar Shaddaa that had stopped on Alderaan for emergency repairs. The only benefit to this moon other than the fact that getting passage to Tattooine shouldn't be difficult now. Also, she now was well beyond out of the reach of her father, Bail Organa Viceroy of Alderaan.
Knowing that if she took one of the Royal House of Alderaan's private ships or booked passage on a commercial ship at the Alderaan spaceport her father would immediately know. He'd been keeping better track of her actions since she began snooping around in rebel activity a year ago. If he found out that she'd left Alderaan without permission from himself or her father, he would reach her before she left the system and drag her back to Alderaan in a nanosecond.
But here she was, on the other side of the galaxy, far away from her home planet and her parents. Now the only question remained, how was she gonna get from this smuggler's moon to Tatooine where her brother was? She could probably find a passenger transport destined to Tatooine, but then the princess knew that there was an Imperial presence on that world now too, and there were risks should the local militia report her presence to the higher-ups. She remembered from her father's secret confession that one of the reasons her parentage was kept secret because if the Emperor learned about Anakin Skywalker's offspring, they'd be in danger. This included her own brother who may not even know of his bloodline yet as well.
No, Leia couldn't risk it. Her best chance would be to hire a ship and crew to take her Tatooine and make sure they avoided all Imperial checkpoints along the way. It was possible, she did have more than enough credits to get herself and her astromech and guide passage to Tatooine without the difficulty. She just needed to find someone who would accept the job. Smugglers would be the best option for this. To start she began walking around to nearby bars, common places to find smugglers and other pilots in between missions. From what she heard; most smugglers got hired in establishments like these.
"I'm looking for a passage to Tatooine," she said to what she believed to be Nikto pilot.
"Sorry girly I already got another job lined for Boz Pity," the Nikto responded. "Cargo's being delivered to my ship within the hour."
Doing her best to hide her disappointment, Leia moved on to the next patriot she saw in the bar. Only to keep getting rejected over and over again. A few times the people she talked to weren't actually pilots, which embarrassed the young princess, and offended a few people.
She was soon directed by the bartender towards the last patriot in the establishment, a dark-skinned human female who wore green and black clothing, whom he claimed was a skilled pilot with a fast ship.
"Tatooine?" the pilot said after Leia asked her to take her to the said place. "No way, kid. I'm not going to that hell crap."
At this point, Leia couldn't help grunt, not caring that she showed her disappointment. She hadn't thought that getting a ride to Tatooine would be so hard. "Well do you at least know someone who'd be willing to take me there? I can pay."
Sipping her drink, the pilot thought it over for a moment before answering.
"Try Captain Han Solo of the Millennium Falcon. He's always looking for work, and has frequent business on that dustball with the crime lord who runs it, Jabba the Hutt."
A glimmer of hope returned to the princess' face. Though just to be safe. "Does he have an affiliation with the Empire?" she asked.
"Bah! From what I hear Solo's a dropout from the Imperial pilot academy and a deserter from the stormtrooper corps. So, in other words, no I'm pretty sure he's got no loyalties to that corrupt dictatorship."
Leia couldn't help smiling when she heard this. "Okay. Where do I find him? What does he look like?"
"Human male in his thirties. Wears a messy white shirt, black military vest, along with navy blue pants with red stripes. He hangs out in the Corellian sector a lot. I'd recommend the Blue Light to start. Shouldn't miss him. Has a big harry Wookie for a sidekick who never leaves his sight."
"Thank you," Leia said. As a gesture of gratitude, she placed a couple of credit chips on the counter right beside the pilot, who in turn took the money and stowed it in a side pouch on her leg.
"Oh, and one more thing," the pilot added. "When you see Han, tell him Sana Starros wants her cut. He'll know what I mean."
"Okay," Leia responded before heading off, R2 following behind her.
It took some effort, but eventually, Leia managed to find the man that Sana had described to her at the exact place she'd recommended, the Blue Light; what Leia considered to be just a dark, hole in the ground cave with a few tables, chairs and holo-posters.
But to her luck, sitting on a barstool sipping away at some sort of alcohol was the scruffy human man Sana had described to her, along with a big harry Wookie who sat right beside him on his left.
She walked over to him, taking a seat on a stool to his right, she spoke up. "Han Solo?"
Turning his head, the pilot looked over to see a young teenaged girl who wore a white hooded cloak and silver belt. "Yeah?" Han asked, not showing much care, nor curiosity towards her.
"I hear you do runs to Tatooine," she said.
"I do runs to lots of planets. What's it to you?"
Not much for conversation with strangers, Leia thought. "I need passage to Tatooine. If you can get me there as fast as possible, without question."
This got a chuckle of the smuggler. "Ha, ha. You never heard of the Millennium Falcon?"
"Can't say I have. Is it fast?"
"It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. The Empire's fastest cruisers have been outrun by it a dozen times over."
"Perfect. Then you can take me to Tatooine-"
"Whoa, whoa there kid I didn't say I'd take you there. First, I gotta know what you want to be taken there, and how much you're willing to pay."
"Just myself, and my r2 unit," Leia said, indicating the domed astromech droid standing beside her. "No cargo. And no Imperial encounters of any kind."
"No Imperials? Okay, and my fee?"
"Four thousand."
"Not gonna be enough," Han replied. "Especially if you want me to avoid all Imperials to Tatooine.
Four thousand should've been more than enough for passage from one planet to the next, Leia thought; even with the Empire's continuous tax increases. "How much then will it cost?" she asked.
"Ten thousand. All in advance."
Leia was taken aback when she heard this. Rich or not, she knew when someone was scamming her. "Ten thousand? What a rip off. I could buy a ship for that kind of money." In actuality, Leia had enough credits to cover the trip, but that would only leave with only a thousand credits left on hand; and she didn't know how long she'd be away from home, (it never occurred to her when she was running away from the palace). If she tried to access her family's account from a banking terminal, her parents would learn of the withdrawal at once and stop her before she reached Tatooine.
"And who's gonna fly it, kid? You? Ten thousand, or you can go find someone else to take you to Tatooine."
As much as hated to admit it, aside from the fact that Leia's own piloting skills weren't good enough yet to fly a ship through hyperspace on her own. Han was the only pilot who'd at least considered taking her to Tatooine. No one else she'd met would even negotiate with her. Besides if this ship was as fast as its' captain was boasting, it was her best option.
"Alright ten thousand. Though half up front, the other half once we land on Tatooine. Also, we leave as soon as possible, and reminder no Imperial entanglements."
Han looked over at his partner who nodded his head, then looked back at the young teen and answered. "Very well you got yourself a ship. I have some things to do before we take off. Wait outside and I'll have Chewie here take you to the ship in a moment. Unless you have anywhere else to go before we leave."
"No, I'm good," she said standing and began walking out of the bar. "C'mon R2."
The droid whistled and beep eagerly, following his master out of the bar.
When she was gone, Han spoke in a quiet voice that only Chewie could hear.
"I don't know Chewie. Someone who needs to get to that dust crap in such a rush without Imperial attention is bound to mean trouble. Which means trouble for whoever takes her there. I didn't even get her name."
Chewbacca growled in protest, saying in his native language that this was normal for most people these days.
"Fine, guess you're right. Listen I'm gonna go speak to someone. You keep an eye on her while I'm gone. See what you can learn about her."
The Wookiee growled an affirmative and then headed out to where his partner had told their passenger to wait. Leaving Han to cover their tab.
If you needed info on anyone or anything in Nar Shaddaa, the person to go to was Mako Spince. A longtime smuggler with a buck load of connections in and out of the system. He happened to be an old friend of Han's. Like Solo, he'd been kicked out of the flight academy, though instead of getting into infantry, he went straight to crime, becoming one of the best smugglers in the sector.
"A young human female in her late teens, brown hair covered by a shining white-hooded cloak. She wore no jewelry, but her silver belt looked expensive. Also held herself up in a way that most spoiled rich bastards are trained to do to show dominance," Han said describing his mysterious young client to his old friend.
"Can't say she rings a bell. I can have my sources look her over but it'll take some time. How much did she say she'd pay?" Mako asked.
"Ten thousand. Half in advance and the rest once we arrive on Tatooine. Sounded pretty desperate if you ask me. Repeatedly mentioned how she wanted no encounters with the Empire."
"These days lots of people don't want to run in with the Empire. But I agree, she does sound desperate. Chances are she's a spoiled child of a rich family that recently lost favour with the Emperor. She might even be a rebel spy. Those guys are popping up everywhere nowadays. Neither are good for you if the Empire's pressing down harder and harder on people just for association with their enemies. Anything else you can give me on her?"
"She had a blue and white r2 unit with her. But that's it."
"A name?"
"Never asked. And I betcha she wouldn't have given me one if I did; at least not her real name.
"Where is she now?"
"Chewie took her to the Falcon. She claimed to be all ready and wanted to leave right away. I told her we'd take off once I got there. That's when I went to you. Sure you can't whip me up some intel for me on her before I head out?"
Mako shook his head. "Sorry pal. I can do some digging but it'll take time. If I learn anything, I'll contact you. If she is wanted by the Empire you could always turn her over to the authorities on Tatooine, maybe collect a nice reward."
"Not gonna happen. Chewie would never forgive me if I turn someone over to the Imperials. Not unless they were slavers who chipped the wrong Imperial tooth."
"Then I guess all you can do is do take the job, take the money and be gone with her ASAP. Worst case scenario the Imperial Security Bureau will come after you," Mako informed. "Which for you isn't that bad. Not like you haven't already dealt with the ISB before."
"Oh yeah, I remember that agent. I think his name was Kaller, or Kallus, or something," Han said remember his encounter with the ISB agent. "Thanks, Mako," he said, tossing his friend a credit chip.
"And be you, careful old buddy."
"Aren't I always?"
"No," Mako said, before chuckling.
Things hadn't been going well the last few days for Viceroy/Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan. First, the dinner event that he and his wife had set up as a secret meeting to recruit the Serenno system to their rebel cause led to disaster; with the Serennians threatening to report Alderaan to the Empire for treason. Then his daughter learned the truth about how she was the biological daughter of Anakin Skywalker turned Darth Vader and that she had a secret twin brother named Luke. This led to a massive argument between father and daughter, ending with the princess going to her room heartbroken. Worse, the following day, after Leia failed to show up for breakfast, midday meal, and all her other duties throughout the entire morning, the Organa's discovered that their daughter was missing.
They spent the remainder of the day searching the palace then the planet for their missing daughter; all the while doing their best to keep anyone outside the royal staff from learning of her disappearance.
"Any luck?" Bail asked when he saw his wife, accompanied by their chief of defence, enter the royal throne room. Though, the way she dragged her feet through the room's polished floors and the look of failure in her eyes said it all.
"No Dear," Breha responded. "We've searched every room from top to bottom, but no sign of her."
"I've spoken with security at the Alderaan spaceport," reported Captain Abrielle of the Royal Chief of Alderaan Defense. "No sign of her. Don't worry, the security chief's my cousin. He promised he'll keep the princess's disappearance under shush."
"Good to hear. You are dismissed. Report to me if you find anything," Bail instructed.
Giving her royal majesties a bow of respect, the captain left the throne room to attend to other duties.
"I was afraid of this," Bail sighed regretfully.
"We'll find her Bail," Breha said, putting a hand on her husband's shoulder.
Having stood in silence by Bail, Senator Mon Mothma decided to chime into the conversation. "I don't understand what would have caused her to run off like this. I mean I thought she was past this phase of seeking off after we welcomed her into the rebellion. Surely there must be an explanation as to why she left the palace without at least telling someone."
Both Bail and Breha cringed when their old friend said this. If only she knew what had happened in Bail's office the previous night.
When she heard about the argument between her old ally and his daughter, (not the exact details so to say), the senator from Chandrila offered to remain on Alderaan for the time to be on standby should the princess need someone to confide in other than her parents. Over the years she'd spent working with the Royal House of Alderaan, Mothma had grown close to Leia, becoming both a mentor and adoptive aunt to the future queen. She even stood by the princess' side when Leia desired to join her parents in their rebel activities. Despite the sensitivity of the situation, Bail and Breha graciously accepted Mothma's offer. Besides, at this point, the two agreed that Mothma deserved to know the truth about Leia's parentage, at least most of it. She had been a close ally of Leia's biological mother alongside Bail in the final decade of the Republic.
"Sigh. Well Mothma, the thing is Leia is-"
"Excuse me, sir," interrupted a gold-plated protocol droid entering the throne room, accompanied by a Captain Raymus Antilles, one of the House of Alderaan's most trusted officers and captain of the family's top diplomatic ship, the Tantive IV.
"My apologies your excellency but-" the droid attempted to speak but was cut off by Bail.
"Sorry, 3PO but I'm not in the mood for whatever it is you have to say."
"But sir, it's an emergency," the protocol droid responded.
"Your highness I think you should hear what this droid has to say," Captain Antilles said in the droid's defence. "I think it has a connection to your missing daughter."
"Actually, I just wanted to inform you that my counterpart R2-D2 is missing," the protocol droid informed.
"What?!" Bail gasped.
"R2-D2 is missing. I was demonstrating my translation protocols to one of the delegates from Serenno last night when all of a sudden, I look around to see my counterpart is missing. Quite rude actually, he didn't bother to politely inform me that where he was going, or that he was leaving, or even ask for permission from one of our superiors. These astromech's ar-"
"What was that droid doing the last time you saw him before he ran off?" Bail asked, stopping 3PO from going on one of his rambling streaks.
"Well, he appeared to have his optic on your daughter, Princess Leia Organa. He claimed that she seemed a bit off during dinner. I for one reminded him that at her age delegate meetings may be taxing on the young human mind. Personally, sir, I think that R2-" Again Bail interrupted the protocol droid, focusing on the objective.
"When you realized R2's disappearance, did you happen to see my daughter anywhere at all?" Bail asked.
"No sir. In fact, by the time I noticed R2 was no longer present, I realized that your daughter wasn't in the dining hall anymore either. Though I assumed she'd gone to use the refresher. I never knew she was going to run away, and perhaps take dear old R2-D2 with her. Oh, I can't imagine the-"
Putting a hand in front of the droid's face to shut him up, Bail turned his head towards Captain Antilles.
"Captain Antilles."
"Yes, your highness?" the captain stood at attention.
"Prepare my ship for immediate departure."
"Bail, what's going on?" Mothma asked.
"I know where Leia's going," Bail said. Though before he could do anything else his comlink began beeping. Pulling it out of his pocket, Bail turned it on and spoke into it.
"This is Viceroy Bail Organa. What is it?"
"Your highness planetary security just reported the arrival of four Star Destroyers coming out of hyperspace near Alderaan," the voice of Captain Abrielle reported.
That was an eye-opener for everyone in the room. It was rare for the Empire to send a Star Destroyer to the system, much less a fleet of them. This could mean only trouble as those massive, triangle-shaped cruisers always brought with them.
"Have they made contact?" Bail asked.
"Not yet your highness. But we have identified the lead cruiser as the Devastator."
Bail dropped his comlink when he heard this. The Devastator. Almost everyone in the galaxy knew that that was the flagship of the Emperor's chief enforcers and supreme leader of the Imperial Military.
"Darth Vader."
To be continued…
Along with the new one-shot I'm working on, stay tuned for the fifth chapter of Twin Suns Early Rise. Also remember to keep following, favouriting, and reviewing this fanfic. Let me know what you think of it and if there's anything you want to see in this story.
FYI Captain Abrielle is an OC character I made up. I found the name when I was looking up names that mean secure.