CHAPTER SEVEN
Kuat Sector
"Yes Artoo I see them!" Luke snapped, frantically flipping switches in the cockpit. He had dropped out of hyperspace to refuel and caught the attention of some nearby Imperial cruisers. They had taken out his hyperdrive before he could make another jump, and now he was piloting his ship towards the surface of the planet. Fortunately the planet was heavily trafficked and cranked out ships by the thousands, giving Luke ample opportunities to blend in, and dodge blaster fire if need be.
"Start scanning the planet, we need to land where there's as few Imperials as possible," Luke said into his comm, and Artoo responded with a series of whistles, getting to work right away. Suddenly Luke's ship rocked, and he narrowly avoided slamming his head into the dashboard. Alarms began to sound from the console, and Luke saw smoke streaming from his right wing. Indicator lights showed he had lost his third engine, and he couldn't lose another if he wanted to stand a chance of surviving a crash landing.
"Hunker down Artoo," Luke said, pushing his throttle as far forward as it would go. Instantly the ship shot forward, careening to the left despite Luke's best efforts to countersteer.
The Emperor's Hand watched the X-Wing's trail of smoke as it careened into the atmosphere. Soon he would finish off Skywalker, and the last threat to the stability of the Empire. Once the farmer boy was taken care of, he would rise to his rightful place of Sith Apprentice, ruling the galaxy at his master's side.
The ship responded to his slightest touch, steadily gliding towards the out of control X-Wing.
The windshield of the X-Wing popped open, and the resistance pilot hopped out, thankful he had chosen his more nondescript from Tatooine to make his escape as opposed to the bright orange jumpsuit of the Rebellion. Looking up to the horizon, he could see the small black ship streaming towards him.
"Artoo we have to split up," Luke said urgently, grabbing a tracker from one of the droids compartments. "I'll see you soon little guy, don't worry."
Millennium Falcon, Sanbra Sector
"How is he?" Leia asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"Resting, he is," Yoda answered, opening his eyes. "Awake, he soon will be."
"At least we're away from the Empire," Leia said, pursing her lips in thought.
"Troubling you, something is," Yoda observed, his tone indicating he knew it was beyond the recent interaction with the Empire.
"I can understand how they found us on Cloud City, but tracking us down to Hoth... it just doesn't make any sense. We detected a probe entering the atmosphere two hours before, but that's not nearly enough time to organize a fleet of that size. The feel would have to have been in the area to assemble that quickly, and they weren't on our readouts. Either our systems are faulty, or they were tipped off," she said. "What do you think?"
"I must think," the Jedi Master responded, closing his eyes. As he drifted off, Leia went over every detail of their last few days on Hoth. There had to be something, she was just missing it.
Kuat
Luke Skywalker ducked into an alleyway as a squad of stormtroopers turned onto the street, their weapons in plain view. Luke could sense the fear and confusion of the citizens of Kuat, and knew it was very unlikely any of them would offer him any assistance. Hurrying down the alley, he checked on his shields, making sure he was undetectable by any Force-sensitive. As he passed by a bar, he risked a look inside, and was shocked to see his face staring back at him from one of the holodisplays. Checking there was no one else around, he peered in the window, and saw the bounty on his head was significantly larger than the large sum it was before. And the Empire no longer cared if he was taken dead or alive.
Stepping away, he threw up his hood, thinking of how much this changed things. He was already a marked man after blowing up the Death Star, but only the Imperials, Rebels, and their sympathizers knew who he was, not ordinary civilians. First thing he had to do was get off world before the Empire could send reinforcements, second was getting somewhere far more desolate.
Luke was so lost in his thoughts he nearly stumbled out into the street, the Force stopping him seconds before by crying out a warning. Retreating into the shadows of the duracrete building, Luke let out a sigh of relief as a different pack of stormtroopers walked down the sidewalk, scanning the crowds for any sign of them. Once they passed, Luke slipped out onto the sidewalk, making sure they stayed in front of him. Effortlessly he crossed the roadway, dodging the bikes that the locals drove like maniacs. Earlier he had spotted a less secure drydock, and if he could make off with a ship that hadn't been registered yet, it would make it much harder for the Empire to track him. It was a few blocks away, but he was certain he could make it there undetected.
The towering duracrete buildings cast equally long shadows down on the dwarfed figures that milled about between them. Each block of buildings was segregated by low-lying drydocks, giving the illusion of duracrete hills and valleys. High up on the duracrete buildings, Imperial ships intermittently appeared, depositing stormtroopers before departing, the stormtroopers spreading out along the walkways that connected the buildings. In the lower levels of one of the buildings, Luke Skywalker made his way through the Kuat natives, blending in as well as he could. Luke could sense the increased tension in the city, and knew it would not be long before one of the Imperial teams spotted him. There were three teams if he headed west, and if he went south there were five. The drydock was only a block away, if he could just make it to the next alleyway-,
A red blade erupted in front of him, causing Luke to jump back in surprise, his hand grabbing his own blade. A dark figure stepped forward, a man who Luke grimly recognized as the acquaintance the Emperor had escort him from Eriadu to Imperial Center. The man did not waste a second, and lunged forward, barely giving Luke enough time to activate his own green blade, the two hissing as they collided. As quickly as they had clashed the man from Eriadu pulled his lightsaber back, moving in for another swipe. Again Luke narrowly deflected it, too distracted from trying to keep the fight out of view of the stormtroopers. If they saw the fight and surrounded him, he would be done for.
"It's useless Skywalker, they'll have you surrounded in no time," the man hissed, the red glow from his lightsaber casting a shadow over his angular features.
Not bothering to respond, Luke used the Force and summoned a nearby trash can, sending it flying towards the man. To his shock, the man was easily able to deflect it, directing it back to Luke. Raising his lightsaber Luke sliced it in half, quickly deducing the source of the man's training. He had to be an Imperial Hand, one of the Dark Siders Ben had warned him about. The Hands weren't supposed to be as powerful in the Force as a Jedi, but this wasn't the first time Luke was beginning to question one of his former Master's teachings.
Moving faster than Luke could counter, the Hand jabbed his lightsaber forward, forcing Luke's back to the wall as he stumbled back to deflect it. Inwardly Luke cursed. If he was going to make it out of this alive, he needed to move and think fast.
Letting the Force take control, Luke shoved back against the attackers blade, giving himself a few precious inches of room to move. Using it to his advantage, he ducked under the next swipe and rose up, aiming straight for the Hand's chest. What felt like a brick wall slammed into his chest, and Luke crashed into the wall, his vision briefly going black. Blinking in an attempt to make his vision focus, he saw the blurry outline of the lightsaber coming down on him. Rolling to the side, he cried out as the blade burned across his arm. Leaping to his feet, Luke dodged another swipe, his main focus evading the Dark Side user. Out of the corner of his eye he could vaguely make out the railing that ran along the edge of the balcony, and the dry dock that was eight stories below. Swinging his lightsaber forward with his injured arm, Luke leaned back and wrapped his good hand around the pole, before swinging himself over.
The wind blew around him, howling in his ears as the pavement grew closer and closer. His arms and legs kicked and reached for something to hold onto, reacting to the sudden disappearance of solid ground. Praying that his plan would work, Luke called on the Force with all his might, focusing on slowing his descent as much as possible, coming to a stop at a distance that wouldn't shatter every bone in his body. Suddenly the wind stopped howling, the only remaining sound the shouts of the stormtroopers as they pointed at the falling man from the skywalks. Opening his eyes, Luke was shocked to see that his nose was an inch from the ground. As if he had broken some sort of trance, he hit the ground chest first, knocking the wind out of him. Looking up at the balcony he had just thrown himself off of, he locked eyes with the hand for a brief second before he backed up, preparing to leap off the balcony as well.
Not wasting a second, Luke scrambled to his feet, deflecting blaster shots with his lightsaber. Ignoring the throbbing sensation in his arm, Luke darted towards the first ship he saw, a small Kuati cargo ship that seemed to be ready to fly. He ran past the startled mechanic, heading straight for cockpit. The mechanic shouted a few choice words at him, but scattered when the blaster bolts started coming. Going into the emergency take-off sequence, Luke prayed there was enough fuel to make it off-world. As if answering his prayers, the engines hummed to life, the displays illuminating on the never before used console. Letting the Force guide him, Luke waited for the engines pitch to increase before pulling up on the joystick, noting with satisfaction that the Hand had been unable to reach the ship before he lifted off.
Satisfied the Hand was no longer a threat for now, Luke shifted his attention to the Imperial ships ahead, looking for a hole in the blockade.
Millennium Falcon, Sanbra Sector
"Han, have you heard from Luke?" Leia asked. The two were alone in the cockpit, Chewie had gone off to take a nap, and the two Jedi Masters were in the med bay.
"No, he's probably already at the rendezvous point," Han reassured her. "Besides, the kid seems to be a bit more keen on you than me." Leia rolled her eyes, unsurprised by the smugglers juvenile comment.
"How long will it take us to reach the rendezvous point?"
"A standard day. You had to choose a sector that's clear on the other side of the galaxy," Han grumbled.
"It makes it harder for the Empire to track us, which is more important than we realized considering the past few days events," Leia explained.
"What do you mean, your highness?"
"Oh would you quit calling me that? Clearly the Empire was tipped off to our presence on Hoth somehow," she snapped.
"What makes you so certain? Maybe they just figured we were hiding out in the middle of nowhere?"
"Because there's plenty of other middle of nowheres in the galaxy, but they somehow stumble upon ours?"
"Maybe you're just unlucky."
"I've had enough of this," Leia sighed, getting up from her seat.
"Princess wait, comeback," Han said, standing up. Ignoring him, Leia stormed off down the hallway, leaving him alone in the cockpit. Glancing between the controls and hallway and back again, Han scowled before taking off after her.
"I didn't mean,-" he said, stopping in the doorway of the medbay. Leia was looking down at the old man's feeble form, and the little green alien that had levitated his ship before was sleeping on the chair.
"Are we interrupting something?" Han asked, earning himself a glare from Leia.
"Your disturbances are great in the Force. These things, we do not need," Yoda said, startling Han.
"What are you going on about? The old man needs a doctor," Han argued.
"Are you always so petulant?" Leia snapped. "Listen to someone besides yourself for once!"
"Quiet!" Yoda yelled, slamming his gimer stick into the deck of the ship. "He is awakening."
The two fell silent, their eyes focusing on Ben's stirring form. Slowly the old Jedi blinked, waiting patiently for the room to come into focus.
"What happened?" he croaked, propping himself up on his elbows as Leia rushed to his side to steady him.
"You took some shrapnel at Cloud City nearly a day ago," the princess explained, checking his bandages. "I've never seen them heal this quickly, even with bacta."
"Many things are possible, in the Force," Yoda said serenely, a half smile on his face. "Good morning, old friend."
"Is anyone else injured?" Ben asked.
"Chewie needed a few stitches but the med droid took care of that," Han answered.
"Have we found Luke yet?"
"Found Luke? What do you mean? He's meeting us at the rendezvous like everyone else," Leia said, warily looking between the two Jedi. Noticing the expressions they were sharing, she took a step back from Obi-Wan.
"Obi-Wan, where's Luke?" she repeated, the concern rippling in her voice. Ben cast one more guilty look at Yoda, before taking a deep breath.
"Leia I'm so sorry, but Luke left."
"What do you mean he 'left'? He wouldn't just desert like that, not in the middle of a battle!" Leia nearly shouted, quickly moving towards Obi-Wan. "I can't believe you would say something like that!"
Suddenly the ship lurched, sending Han into the bulkhead and causing Leia to stumble.
"Is anyone flying this thing?" she snapped. Without another word Han took off towards the cockpit, leaving Leia alone with the two Jedi.
"Debris field, strap yourselves in!" Han shouted down the hall.
"Don't think this is over yet," Leia said, buckling herself into the seat across from the green alien. "Why would Luke leave?"
"We weren't as honest with him as we should have been," Obi-Wan admitted. "There were things we should have told him, I have failed him, I have failed them all."
"Too harsh you are on yourself Obi-Wan," Yoda said. "Mistakes were made with both of them, but not all."
"I don't understand."
"Another Skywalker, there is," Yoda said. Leia looked on in confusion, while realization dawned on Obi-Wan's face.
"That's what you told me the day he left." Yoda nodded coyly, his twinkling eyes looking directly at Leia. "Still hope there is, for this galaxy."
"Who?" Obi-Wan asked, his eyebrows furrowed. "There was only Luke after-,"
"Entirely honest with you, I have not been Obi-Wan," Yoda said, his features beginning to harden. "Trusted, few could be after Vader was born. Too dangerous it was, to keep the twins together."
"Twins?" Obi-Wan echoed, his eyebrows leaping up in surprise.
"Twins, yes," Yoda said. "To his family, I took the boy, sure that to his homeworld, Vader would never return. With the mother, I left the girl."
"I thought she...," Kenobi began, trailing off after he saw the look of sadness on his masters face.
"Betrayed, she was, by one of our agents a few years later. Fortunately, away the girl was. Grew up safe, and well-cared for, did she."
"Vader is Luke's father?" Leia interrupted, bewildered by the tale the Jedi was telling. "Someone loved Vader enough to have children?"
"Leia, you must understand," Obi-Wan explained. "Before he fell, Vader was my best friend, his name was Anakin Skywalker. We fought together in the Clone Wars, side by side. He saved my life many times, and I his. But he was too attached, and feared loss. The Sith promised him powers we could not, and that was his undoing." The old Jedi Master shifted in his seat, his eyes drifting off into the distance.
No longer wanting to hear anyone try to humanize the man who had tortured her and destroyed her homeworld, Leia returned her attention to Yoda.
"So Luke has a sister?" she asked, changing the subject. "Does she know who he is?"
"No. Made sure I did, that neither knew of the other," Yoda said remorsefully. "A dark place the galaxy was, and still is."
"Well who is she? She could be in terrible danger if the Empire finds out," Leia said. If Luke's mother was known to the Empire after she was supposed to be dead, they could easily hunt down this twin sister if they wanted to use her against Luke. It certainly wasn't something they would hesitate to do.
"Difficult it would be, for her to get into any more danger," Yoda said, a slight lilt returning to his voice.
"Yoda she is right, we must find her," Obi-Wan added.
"Why? In front of us, she is."